Last Thursday if you had heard a loud rumbling deep in the city of Rochester, it was most likely Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals bringing their New Orleans blend of hardcore and sludge metal to the area.
Thursday September 20 Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals along with fellow Housecore Record recording artist, King Parrot made a stop at the Montage Music Hall in Rochester, NY. Anselmo and the Illegals are on their Choosing Mental Illness 2018 Tour. The evening also featured some really interesting local talent, Ruination and Poison the Prophet. You could sense the anticipation building starting with the extremely long line of fans that were lined up outside the venue waiting for the doors to open.
It’s very rare that a band catches me completely off guard and yet surprises me in good way. With that in mind, King Parrot took the stage. Hailing from Melbourne Australia, the five-piece band brought their intense blend of punk, grind core and old-time thrash to the crowd at the Montage Music Hall. I was amazed at their offbeat and in your face stage presence. Nothing short of pure energy! I admire vocalist Matthew Young’s stage presence which was hard to ignore, especially if he caught you doing something he didn’t approve of such as playing on your cell phone in the front row. Just ask the unsuspecting woman who lost her phone for an entire song after being warned to pay attention or move to the back to allow those who were into the band room to enjoy themselves. Young took the phone and tucked it in the back of his pants before reluctantly returning it to her. The band pounded out a nice mix of songs from their current album Ugly Produce consisting of such hard pounding tracks like “Entrapment” and “Ten Pounds of Shit in a Five Pound Bag.” Love them or hate them, they were pure entertainment! I would highly recommend checking them out if you get a chance.
Finally, the moment the crowd had been waiting for had come. The Illegals crept out onto the stage and started playing, in a flash Phil Anselmo charges the stage opening things right up with the Pantera hard pounding hit, “Hellbound.” A great start and a sneak peek of what the fans were in store for the evening! Phil took a moment to acknowledge all the opening bands and to speak about the Veterans Crisis Line. He pointed out a booth set up at the venue that had staff to answer your questions and to remind those who might be in need that help is only a phone call away. After an overwhelming applause from the audience the band wasted no time getting back to business!
The set was a fierce mix of blasting beats, heavy and sludgy melodic riffs and unbridled nonstop energy. The more energy the band pounded out, the more intense the crowd became, eventually erupting into a full blown mosh pit. Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals are currently on the road in support of their current release Choosing Mental Illness As A Virtue. The fans were treated to an earth-shaking set that included tracks, “Little Fucking Heroes,” “Utopian” and the title track “Choosing Mental Illness.” Fans also got a nice mix of some Pantera classics, “New Level” and “Death Rattle.”
From the very beginning to the final note, Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals delivered an intense live set. It was clear to me that both Phil and the band enjoy performing and being amongst dedicated fans. Despite having some personal setbacks Phil is definitely back in top form and if you get a chance, pick up the new album and catch them on tour. You will not be disappointed!
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