by Jillian Locke

Leaving the biting February cold outside for the comforts of the toasty Palladium, show-goers packed themselves like cattle into the familiar doors of Worcester’s number one metal venue for an eclectic but solid line-up.

LA metal outfit 2Cents opened the night with their brand of chug-rock/nu metal that harkens back to the likes of late nineties-style metallers Korn and Limp Bizkit spliced with the riffage stylings of metal icons Static-X. Playing selected tracks from their latest release, Dressed to Kill, 2Cents warmed up the crowd for the much anticipated last minute addition to the tour.

Hardcore kings Terror had to drop off the tour unexpectedly for a family emergency. In stepped God Forbid, who think of The Palladium stage as their home away from home. “We’ve been playing the Palladium for 10 years, and you amaze us every time. Thanks for supporting heavy music!” shouted vocalist Byron Davis. God Forbid has been steadily touring for their 2009 release (and re-introduction into the circuit after a two year absence) Earthsblood, which has been hugely accepted by their loyal fan base. The Jersey boys regaled the crowd with both old and new tracks, including “Determination,” and their tribute to Dimebag Darrel, “For the Fallen Heroes.” God Forbid will be back in Worcester in March with female thrash masters Kittie.

Next up, another favorite at The Palladium, and one that has been touring with the aforementioned shredders since 2000. Springfield, MA’s own Shadows Fall, received an exceedingly warm welcome, as the lights went down and the lighters flickered throughout the crowd. Vocalist Brian Fair is becoming increasingly overshadowed by his larger than life dreads ~ but really, would we want him without them? Almost reaching the floor, his thick extensions seem to lead him instead of vice versa, making the effect of the strobe light that much more dramatic.

The overall performance was a classic solid from a band we’ve come to expect nothing less from; the one draw-back to the night, however, was the lack of power behind the vocals and guitars, due to the overwhelming levels of the bass guitar and drum. But that didn’t stop Fair from leading the crowd with classics “What Drives the Weak” and “Inspiration on Demand,” then diving into their new single “Still I Rise” and another track, “Public Execution,” off their September 2009 release, Retribution. They wrapped up the night with a badass and unexpected cover of Ozzy’s classic “Bark at the Moon,” which they completely nailed. “We’re been trying to bring sexy back to metal for a while,!” Fair commented, and with the conclusion of their high energy home-town performance, they succeeded in laying some sweet, sexy metal licks down.

Headliners Five Finger Death Punch took the stage after an introduction from WAAF’s Mike Hsu ~ and the crowd was rabid. Rabid might even be an understatement. 5FDP shirts and merch were seen on more than half the crowd throughout the night, showing the massive following that the super group has amassed. Including former members of such bands as W.A.S.P., Motorgrater, Anubis Rising, and Deadsett, 5FDP has truly built a legion of hungry fans who are more than eager to devour the band’s version of brutish, riff heavy, demolition metal.

What was cool about this show was that there really didn’t even seem to be one single headliner; rather, the crowd was equally stoked for each band, which is what makes tours like this one so effective ~ different fans for different bands come out and receive a diverse showcase of equally talented bands. Great success!