Putting the Pieces Together with Everything Goes Cold

Wrapping up the interview I headed upstairs the lights went out and I was delighted by an amazing visual display—crashfaster were on stage. There were screens all over the place, and no psychedelics were needed to enjoy the trippy, colorful and somewhat pixelated images. (Although some of the images suggested they may enhance the experience). They were very intense at first, then the music started to pull me in. The purple and black images of the female face synced up with her voice perfectly. I was being audibly and visually stimulated by what was happening on stage. Much to my delight, I realized I was not just going to hear a concert tonight, I was also going to see a show. You could tell these musicians had really focused on entertaining more than one of your senses and were not just here to play music. The time they had spent practicing showed and it most certainly paid off for them.

The chiptune music provoked childhood memories. I just had the urge to head off to the Atomic Arcade or play those ancient Atari 1600 or Coleco Vision. I was taken in by the style of tracks like “Lost” and “Beacon,” which showcase some of this band’s great sound. There are also tracks with harsher industrial vocals in them as well. The showmanship, and original sounds of this band let me know they most certainly have staying power. Their sound is refreshing and will fit in with any club playlist.

I was impressed with the band’s ability to quickly flow from one act to another. In no time at all Everything Goes Cold had taken to the stage and the mood was being set with a dirty ambient type sound. The intro was darkness and filled with shadow, a sense of sadness came over me. I was feeling the power of the music—it was carrying me away. This band was going to not only take me on the musical journey but it appeared it was going to be a very emotional one as well. I wondered if the others in the room were feeling this way also. The sadness built into aggression and begged for release.

The visuals were also amazing during their performance. The visual artist had created a story line using scenes that varied, from cartoons like Transformers to video games to dark political images.

There was a touch of humor when they played “I’ve Sold Your Organs on the Black market to Finance the Purchase of a Used Mini Van.” This track had the stompy beat that I am used to hearing and the nasty guitar riffs I favor. Yet, the track that I found most powerful was the mix of metal, industrial and effects on the track “IAMERROR.” I just seemed to connect with the aggression and lyrics of the song. Gottesmen’s vocal ability was strong, harmonic and somewhat reminded me of the band Disturbed’s vocal style. I was curious about what that his classical art song style sounded like. I had to pick up a few CDs to add to my collection for research and to mix into my sets.

The level of professionalism that both of these bands displayed amazed me. They poured all of their energy out onto the stage, even though the turnout of the crowd was smaller. They played as if it were a sold out show. They made a point to connect with everyone in the room. I could tell they made the crowd feel as if they were playing for them personally. I look forward to having both of these bands back to our city.