Being from Chicago, I’m spoiled with great shows on a weekly basis. Bands of all genres, eras, and scenes play here because it’s one of the biggest markets in the country. But every now and then, a show comes around that’s truly stacked. The term “stacked” has been used and abused so many times, its almost lost its meaning. This is no thanks to American Apparel clad hipsters co-opting the term to promote their DIY indie rock shows, but I digress. Last night’s show at Reggies was stacked in the truest sense of the word with Molder, Professor Black, Cianide, and my favorite death metal band of all time, Autopsy. Despite being an Autopsy fan for nearly a decade, this was my first time seeing them. I missed them in 2012 because at the time I didn’t know Reggies allowed kids entry with an adult. Then, I had tickets to both nights they played in 2015, only to fall ill with pneumonia and resort to selling them. I guess you could say I was “Ridden with Disease” (ba dum tss). As I rolled up to my beloved Reggies, my excitement was through the roof. Nothing was holding me back now! Besides, third time’s the charm.
Molder
The evening began with a blistering set from my dear friends, Molder. The following they’ve gained in the last two years is nothing short of amazing. Despite only having a handful of demos, live releases, and a split to their name, Molder had the room packed and ready to go from the opening riff of “Granulated Chunks”. They played songs from their An Act of Revenge and Necrobiome demos, as well as selections from their upcoming debut full length, Vanished Cadavers. The highlight of their set was hearing them close with a cover of “Serenade in Lead” by Asphyx. Their rendition was faithful to the original and Aaren Pantke’s vocals were spot on to Martin van Drunen’s. Don’t sleep on these sikk freaks! They’re coming to get you whether you like it or not.
Professor Black
For an evening of death metal, Professor Black’s kickass, yet all too brief, set was the perfect palette cleanse. The Professor himself is one of the busiest men in metal. Between making and producing so much music, it was a treat for him to come out and kick our teeth in with his signature brand of heavy metal rock n’ roll. The set consisted largely of classic Superchrist songs. I never had the chance to see Superchrist. They folded around the time I befriended Black, so to hear those songs live was surreal.
Professor Black’s set was not without surprises! They paid tribute Abscess, the punk offshoot of Autopsy, with a cover of “Suicide Fuck”. They also paid tribute to the legendary St. Valentine’s Day Massacre split by covering “Emergency” by Girlschool and “Bomber” by Motörhead. I’m not sure what else can be said other than he’s Professor Black and he plays rock n’ roll!
Setlist
- “Black is Beautiful” (Superchrist cover)
- “Bad News”
- “Hurry Up and Bleed” (Superchrist cover)
- “None for You” (Superchrist cover)
- “Don’t Talk to Me”
- “Too Punk to Fuck”
- “Black Thunder” (Superchrist cover)
- “PAMF” (Superchrist cover)
- “Suicide Fuck” (Abscess cover)
- “Stand Up and Shit” (Superchrist cover)
- “Emergency” (Girlschool cover)
- “Bomber” (Motörhead cover)
Cianide
At this part of the review, I’d like to apologize for not having any pictures. By the time Cianide went on, Reggies was so packed that it was impossible for me to get any half decent pictures from any angles. That said, I’m glad I was able to enjoy their set without having my phone out for even a second. Rumor has it this was Cianide’s last show ever. If so, talk about ending on a high note. The Chicago death metal veterans were so heavy, I almost thought Reggies was going to collapse on its foundation. They played a career spanning setlist which opened with my favorite Cianide song, “Rage War”. From the opening riff, the pit erupted and was downright violent. Death, doom, and destruction: Cianide deals these in spades, even after all these years.
Setlist
- “Rage War”
- “The Weapon of Curse”
- “Desecration Storm”
- “Envy and Hatred”
- “Divide and Conquer”
- “Scourging at the Pillar”
- “Serpent’s Wake”
- “Metal Never Bends”
- “Death Metal Maniac”
- “Shadow of the Claw”
Autopsy
Now it was time for the main course. Autopsy took the stage as if they had never been away. I spent the most of the set with my jaw hanging open as they played the majority of their masterpiece debut, Severed Survival. I don’t think I’ve seen any other old school death metal band play with the intensity Autopsy did last night. The core of their classic lineup is still intact and most bands can’t even say that much! The dynamic duo of Eric Cutler and Danny Corralles delivered maximum heavy riffage as if they were in competition with Cianide guitarist Scott Carroll to see who can cause an earthquake first. The beat keeping it all together is Chris Reifert: still pounding the drums as brutally as he was 30+ years ago and hitting all those sickening gutturals. The set consisted of all the classics, but they also threw in some new blood with a track called “Maggots in the Mirror”. If this ferocious song is any indication of the upcoming new Autopsy album, none of you are ready for this.
Afterwards, I got to meet Reifert. I try to refrain from Wayne’s World fanboy freak outs, but I couldn’t help myself. Thankfully, he smiled, and laughed as I went on about “Autopsy is my favorite, Scream Bloody Gore rules, etc”. Chris, if you’re reading this, thanks for putting up with me and being a great sport in general, taking pictures and signing autographs for everyone. In a day and age where everyone thinks they’re “rockstars” and *washed out nostalgia act here* tries to peddle you their meet and greet package for hundreds of dollars, it’s refreshing to see bands sticking to their roots and spending time with the people who put them there: the fans. Don’t be strangers Autopsy! You’re welcome back in Chi-town anytime. Until then, keep committing Acts of the Unspeakable.
Setlist
- “Severed Survival”
- “Twisted Mass of Burnt Decay”
- “Disembowel”
- “Ridden with Disease”
- “Fleshcrawl” / “Torn From the Womb”
- “In the Grip of Winter”
- “Arch Cadaver”
- “Embalmed”
- “Gasping for Air”
- “Voices”
- “Maggots in the Mirror”
- “Burial”
- “Critical Madness”
- “Service for a Vacant Coffin”
Encore
- “Pagan Saviour”
- “Charred Remains”
- “Fuck You!!! (Bloodbath cover)”