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Metal Returns To Jackson with Throne and Friends

by | Feb 24, 2022 | Music | 3 comments

Metal returns to Jackson as Throne gathered some of the best Michigan metal bands for a sold-out show at The Music Box.

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Metal Returns To Jackson!

It felt like there should be a national headline; “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON!!!”. I couldn’t tell you the last time I attended a metal show in Jackson which is strange given that Jackson is the birthplace of the Michigan Death Fest. This weekend, the extreme metal drought ended at the Music Box with Throne putting together a stacked line-up including Dagon, Recorruptor, Centenary, Fell Ruin, and Furnace Winds. COMCO Wellness kindly helped to sponsor what I’m going to call the “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON”. I think the all caps showcases the intensity of the event; feel free to shout it out as you read along.

The Music (or is that Metal) Box

I wasn’t alone in this being my first visit to The Music Box in Jackson. I will definitely go back for a metal or rock show. Parking is easy and inside you’ll find a nice bar with some craft beers available at a nice price. The stage is on the small side, but the lighting wasn’t too bad. You can camp out at the bar or pack in close to the stage.

I have to say the fans at the “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON” gig were very cool. Taking photos at a metal show on the edge of a mosh pit can be hazardous. Thanks to the fans, I avoided stray kicks to the head or random fists to the face. It was also great to see friends from Grand River Brewery and Ogma Brewing in the house supporting the local music scene. That is what community support for the arts is all about.

Furnace Winds

Kicking off “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON” is a new band called Furnace Winds. Two guys (drum and guitar) unleashed a torrent of raw blasting black metal. Clearly, they were channeling the classics with tunes invoking the black heart of Mayhem, Gorgoroth, and Darkthrone. This was Furnace Winds first show and they gave us all of Hell’s glory. For a taste of withering darkness, give Furnace Winds a try.

Furnace Winds at The Music Box
Furnace Winds at The Music Box
Furnace Winds at The Music Box
Furnace Winds at The Music Box

Fell Ruin

Detroit’s Fell Ruin poured on the intensity with a violent performance at “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON”. Vocalist Brian Sheehan ignited the mosh pit with his unbridled fury as drummer August Krueger, bassist Jeff McMullen, and guitarist Robert Radtke blasted the crowd with vehement and blackened progressive metal. The performance by Fell Ruin was spectacular. Their music is textured and brutal. If you enjoy music from bands such as Enslaved or Wolves In The Throne Room, then you will dig Fell Ruin.

Fell Ruin at The Music Box
Fell Ruin at The Music Box
Fell Ruin at The Music Box
Fell Ruin at The Music Box

Centenary

It has been a minute, hell two minutes, since I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Centenary live; they did not disappoint. The Swedish death metal chainsaws roared to life as Centenary tore into songs from their latest album Death…The Final Frontier. Centenary’s new drummer Adam Davey added a visceral punch when combined with the pummeling bass of Jim Albrecht. Mike Bradley and Matt Cunningham’s chainsaw guitars laid waste with savage riffs. Meanwhile, Al’s vocals brought the screams of the dead to life in all their gory detail. While I think Centenary’s last album was fantastic, you can’t beat the experience of hearing it live. Their monstrous heaviness is a joy to behold.

Centenary at the Music Box
Centenary at the Music Box
Centenary at the Music Box
Centenary at the Music Box
Centenary at the Music Box

Recorruptor

By this point in the “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON” show, the crowd was amped and Recorruptor was just the band to ignite the chaos. This was Recorruptor’s first show in Jackson. It was like a bomb went off once the sound guy gave the all-clear signal to the band. Seth and Caleb proceed to melt faces with fretboard pyrotechnics while Alex and Josh battered the crowd with punishing rhythms. Clint, possessed by the metal blitz rushed into the crowd as he bellowed viciously into the mic. 

The mayhem reached epic proportions when Recorruptor ripped into their cover of “Fight Fire with Fire” by Metallica. If ever there was a Metallica song that fits perfectly with death metal, it is this song. Recorruptor wrapped up their epic set of brutality with the hellish “Forever in Exile of Darkness”.

Recorruptor at the Music Box
Recorruptor at the Music Box
Recorruptor at the Music Box
Recorruptor at the Music Box
Recorruptor at the Music Box

Dagon

We next set sails at “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON” with the oceanic melodic death of Dagon. Our crew of Chris (guitar), Randy (bass/vocals), Truck (drum/vocals), and Kris (guitars) guided us through “Dog of the Sea”, “A Feast of Flesh for Silent Death”, and a “Wave of Predation”. Bruised and bloody, we journeyed “Into The North”, where Randy, Chris, and Kris displayed the patented Dagon hip thrust which is guaranteed to unman the hardest of scurvy dogs.

Nate from Throne manned the helm for the song “Children of Poseidon” with salty vigor. Dagon unveiled a new tune dedicated to Buddy called “Order of the Narwhal”. Long may the unicorns of the sea roam free and wild. Our voyage complete, Dagon left the stage for the oncoming onslaught.

Dagon at The Music Box
Dagon at The Music Box
Dagon at The Music Box
Dagon at The Music Box

Throne

Your mileage may vary, but I’ve always felt that the movie Event Horizon is a classic and terrifying movie of evil with John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness a close second. If there ever was a band that personified through music the evil that these movies portray visually, it is Throne. Their music embodies the terrifying evil that lurks within the heart of the beast called man. With all this talk of evil, it should be noted that the guys in Throne (Les – bass, Nate – guitar/vocals, Joe – guitar, Kollin – drums) are some of the nicest dudes I’ve ever met. 

It was clear from the start that Throne was extremely happy with the turnout in their hometown for “METAL RETURNS TO JACKSON”. They shredded the Music Box. Songs such as “Beyond Malice”, “Amongst the Sinners, They Came Forth”, and “Where Angels Cower in Fear” had the pit swirling and heads thrashing to this deadly music. At one point, Clint from Recorruptor joined forces with Throne providing his hostile vocals to this musical melee.

At the end of the night, everyone was all smiles and laughs as we rejoiced in a great night of metal. A huge shout out to the guys in Throne for putting this show together and making sure it ran smoothly. In addition, another huge shout out of thanks to the folks working at the Music Box as they were cranking all night running sound and slinging food and beers. Finally, hats off to the fans for making this show so damn fun.

Throne at The Music Box
Throne at The Music Box
Throne at The Music Box
Throne at The Music Box

Pictures

We’ve got more photos of Throne, Dagon, Recorruptor, Centenary, Fell Ruin, and Furnace Winds in our galleries. Take a look, then share this post and leave a comment. Sharing is caring and we want to hear what you think of the show.

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