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Allegaeon CD-release show in Denver, CO, 17th May 2012


Written by: D.T. Metal
Published: 28.05.2012

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Allegaeon at the Marquis Theater in Denver, 17th May 2012 by D.T. Metal (16)


Allegaeon just celebrated the release of their newest album Formshifter with a show at the Marquis Theater in Denver, CO this past week.

According to our own Metal Storm stats (as of today), their debut album Fragments Of Form And Function was ranked No. 2 in the Top 20 albums of 2010 category and Formshifter already made it to No. 5 for the year 2012.

I believe it was in May 2006 when Nevermore played a gig in town and this dude I meet a couple weeks earlier also came to the show. He told me that he and his buddy Ryan are in a band named Allegiance. Fast forward to May 2012 and the dude (bassist Aaron Donoho) I talked to 6 years earlier unfortunately is no longer playing with them and the band had changed their name to Allegaeon. So somewhere in between those years that little local band out of Fort Collins, CO became a Metal Blade recording artist and let me tell you this: they indisputably deserve it.

I was looking forward to checking out their new tunes and since the band really hadn't played any gigs for some time I made my way up to Denver for their CD-release show. It was a Thursday night and I didn't know how many people would show up, but once it was all set and done around 150 metal heads had filled the venue. I also have to add that local openers Dissonance In Design, Nutricula and Cryogen put down an awesome performance that night and really got the crowd warmed up for the headliner. You might want to check out their social networking sites; some pretty good talent there.

Allegaeon started their set with "Behold (God I Am)" and immediately followed with "Tartessos: The Hidden Xencryst", both off their new album. Since Formshifter had been out for two weeks the crowd already knew the songs and were air-guitaring and hmmm, singing along. Vocalist Ezra Haynes nailed it on the latter and it was also great to witness the dual guitar slinging by Ryan Glisan and Greg Burgess. It is always nice to see, and hear for that matter, how guitarists are the masters of their 8-strings, beautiful!



They played a couple songs from Fragments Of Form And Function before unleashing another new song, "Iconic Images" which has some really sick riffing in it. Well shit, the entire new album is filled with extreme riffing to say the least, and drumming. Unfortunately the dude who recorded their latest album was not behind the kit, but the band found in Jeremy Portz a well worthy replacement. No clue if he will be a permanent member or just session but the man is just sick on drums.

Corey Archuleta who has been with Allegaeon for a while now was no small change either. I am a sucker for bassists who plug with their fingers and don't use a pick when playing live, so it was a pleasure watching Corey that night.

Their set was emphasizing on the new release but the band managed to play some older stuff as well, with "Cower Before Me" from their self titled 2008 EP being a big surprise to all in attendance. While there were mosh pits during most of their set, folks really seem to dig this song. Some just stood there with fists in the air, singing along with Ezra before heading back into the whirlwind of the pit.

I really dig their new album but "Tartessos: The Hidden Xencryst" and "From The Stars Death Came" were definitely the highlights for me that evening. Those songs might be a bit more melodic but make no mistake, they contain some extremely technical aspects as well. I personally don't agree with the moniker "melodic death metal" even though some of Allegaeon's songs do remind me of In Flames maybe? The guys found their own niche of metal, be it extreme, death or melodic sounding and I see a bright future ahead of them. And folks in Northern California will have a chance to check them out live since Allegaeon is slated to headline this years Bay Area Metal Festival which will take place July 28th 2012 at the Metro in Oakland, CA.



There are probably more bands in Colorado who kick just as much ass as Allegaeon, but other than Havok and Cephalic Carnage none come to mind that have such an international following. So to sum it up, Allegaeon is well on their way to becoming another musical flagship representing The Centennial State.

Set-list for the show: "Behold (God I Am)", "Tartessos: The Hidden Xencryst", "Across the Folded Line", "The God Particle", "Iconic Images", "Biomech - Vals. No 666", "A Path Disclosed", "Twelve", "From The Stars Death Came", "Cower Before Me" and "Accelerated Evolution"

Head on over to the Picture Gallery for some more visuals.


A special thanks to Vince from Metal Blade who hooked me up very last minute; cheers man!
Review and Pictures by D.T. Metal







Written on 28.05.2012 by Former boss lady. Now just a professional concertgoer... dangerously armed with a camera!


Comments

Comments: 13   Visited by: 82 users
28.05.2012 - 18:25
Sentenced Odiin
gothic.moorion@gmail.com
Nice t-shirt there
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Life has given me much, maybe taken more...
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29.05.2012 - 07:01
scaesura

Cant think of more from CO? How about Jag Panzer, Cobalt, and Satan's Host? All are from here. And there's a huge number of local bands that I really, really enjoy.

Unfortunately, Allegaeon isnt one of them. Stuff is way, way too processed/modern.
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29.05.2012 - 14:32
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by Sentenced Odiin on 28.05.2012 at 18:25

Nice t-shirt there

Was thinking the same thing
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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29.05.2012 - 18:51
D.T. Metal

Written by scaesura on 29.05.2012 at 07:01

Cant think of more from CO? How about Jag Panzer, Cobalt, and Satan's Host? All are from here. And there's a huge number of local bands that I really, really enjoy.

Unfortunately, Allegaeon isnt one of them. Stuff is way, way too processed/modern.


And this why I also wrote there are prolly tons more without naming each and every single band out of Colorado. Jag Panzer was a giving but they broke up so the live exposure isn't there no more. And I don't know how the international following of the other two bands are ;-)
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29.05.2012 - 19:57
scaesura

Written by D.T. Metal on 29.05.2012 at 18:51

Written by scaesura on 29.05.2012 at 07:01

Cant think of more from CO? How about Jag Panzer, Cobalt, and Satan's Host? All are from here. And there's a huge number of local bands that I really, really enjoy.

Unfortunately, Allegaeon isnt one of them. Stuff is way, way too processed/modern.


And this why I also wrote there are prolly tons more without naming each and every single band out of Colorado. Jag Panzer was a giving but they broke up so the live exposure isn't there no more. And I don't know how the international following of the other two bands are ;-)

Cobalt has a pretty large cult following, it seems, even though I really dont see what it is people love about them. And Satan's Host seems to be rather legendary in some circles as well.
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30.05.2012 - 06:42
Unhealer
Eclecticist
What an awesome t-shirt. I have yet to dare to attend a metal gig with one of those sometime...
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30.05.2012 - 20:33
demonsarising

Well-put. I was there, and the mosh pit wasn't always going too strong, but it was a fantastic concert!
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30.05.2012 - 22:50
Purgatori☠

I'm sorry but I must have been at a different show. It was not a very good performance at all, imo. After the second or third song, Ezra's vocals were completely trashed, and he sounded pretty bad for the rest of the set. The rest of the band sounded good, even though there were quite a few hiccups. I loved the shit out of this band, but this is the second time I have seen them live, at different venues, and the vocal aspect was mediocre to downright terrible. Bands that sound great in the studio, but can't perform well live lose a lot of points with me. I won't even get started on the Lady Gaga shirt... Overall, I was very disappointed.
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31.05.2012 - 17:36
D.T. Metal

Written by Purgatori☠ on 30.05.2012 at 22:50

I'm sorry but I must have been at a different show. It was not a very good performance at all, imo. After the second or third song, Ezra's vocals were completely trashed, and he sounded pretty bad for the rest of the set. The rest of the band sounded good, even though there were quite a few hiccups. I loved the shit out of this band, but this is the second time I have seen them live, at different venues, and the vocal aspect was mediocre to downright terrible. Bands that sound great in the studio, but can't perform well live lose a lot of points with me. I won't even get started on the Lady Gaga shirt... Overall, I was very disappointed.


True, there were a few hiccups with the guitars mainly, and with the vocals,...well I guess it depends on where you stand in the room as well. This was the first gig they played in a long ass time; so cut them some slack now will ya
I am pretty that once they DO start touring for the album all will be sorted out
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01.06.2012 - 05:34
Fleshcrawl

I was at this show and it was horrible. Third time I'd seen them (the first two shows were 'okay' and 'meh') and by far the worst live set I've seen/heard by a band I actually like. Ezra was horrible sounding, all raspy and winded the ENTIRE set. It sure didn't help he was a dick to my girlfriend and me after we'd bought over $75 of Allegaeon merch from him. And Lady Gaga? Really, guy? He's not cool by any stretch by wearing an other-than-metal shirt at his own metal show. On top of all that, the Marquis is the worst venue I've been to in the Denver area. And to that the worst sounding. I know the rest of the band that actually contribute to the act know how to play their instruments, yet they sounded like complete ass. And Greg knew it and relayed that to the crowd by the look of discern for half the set.
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04.06.2012 - 00:32
emperorgonzo
Account deleted
Written by Fleshcrawl on 01.06.2012 at 05:34

I was at this show and it was horrible. Third time I'd seen them (the first two shows were 'okay' and 'meh') and by far the worst live set I've seen/heard by a band I actually like. Ezra was horrible sounding, all raspy and winded the ENTIRE set. It sure didn't help he was a dick to my girlfriend and me after we'd bought over $75 of Allegaeon merch from him. And Lady Gaga? Really, guy? He's not cool by any stretch by wearing an other-than-metal shirt at his own metal show. On top of all that, the Marquis is the worst venue I've been to in the Denver area. And to that the worst sounding. I know the rest of the band that actually contribute to the act know how to play their instruments, yet they sounded like complete ass. And Greg knew it and relayed that to the crowd by the look of discern for half the set.


When did you see them?
Have you actually met the guys? Have played many many shows with the dudes and from first hand experience they are cool men.
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05.06.2012 - 17:33
Hamird
Lieutenant
Written by Unhealer on 30.05.2012 at 06:42

What an awesome t-shirt. I have yet to dare to attend a metal gig with one of those sometime...


Good idea... She's more Metal than some so called Metal bands... By the way, remember Katy Perry is not an option yet...
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05.06.2012 - 18:30
Unhealer
Eclecticist
Written by Hamird on 05.06.2012 at 17:33

Good idea... She's more Metal than some so called Metal bands... By the way, remember Katy Perry is not an option yet...


Of course not, Lady Gaga is something special. Unless it's a shirt of Katy's boobs, that can't go wrong.
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