Static-X brought their much anticipated Rise Of The Machine Tour to Chicago on Friday night inside one of the Windy City's most well-known venues, The House of Blues. The tour was announced nearly two years ago but had to be rescheduled numerous times thanks to good ol' pandemic restrictions. The House of Blues is in the heart of the city tucked away along the renowned Chicago River and has a long and illustrious history of notable performers that have performed there. The specific line-up for this tour varies depending on the date (the main 3 of Dope, Fear Factory & Static-X are on the entire tour) with the pool of support acts including Mushroomhead, Twiztid, Cultus Black & Society 1. The full lineup for tonight's stop would include: Static-X, Fear Factory, Dope, Twiztid, & Cultus Black. This performance had sold out a few weeks prior, and when you arrived at the venue you could tell that it would indeed be a packed house due to the line of eager fans that had already looped around the venue before doors even opened. That would seem to be a recurring theme on this tour as 32 of the 42 dates on this US excursion have already SOLD OUT, demonstrating that after all these years the Evil Disco fanbase as well as 90's metalheads are still alive and well. If you checked out my last review from Fit For A King's "The Hell We Create Tour" at The House of Blues, you might recall a less than ideal security staff working that night, prohibiting photographers and fans alike. I'm glad to say tonight's security team was far and above that last experience at the venue and we will be back to full photo galleries for all bands on this one. Let's get into the action!
Courtesy of House of Blues Chicago
The night would start with Cultus Black, a Raleigh, North Carolina-based band that I must admit I had never heard of until this evening. According to the bands Bandcamp bio, they identify as "an aggressive hard-hitting music project that identifies itself as a cult. The music is unapologetic and intense, yet it is often marked with mesmerizing melodies that could draw in even the most cynical listener." The band was founded in 2018 and consists of former members of the now-defunct Motograter, which once had successful Five Finger Death Punch leader Ivan Moody on the mic. The venue would begin to fill with a murkiness from the pumping fog machines and the strobe lighting would begin pulsing intensely, as the band would take the stage with the lead vocalist, known as L, having his face and torso painted in black and white as part of a ceremonial cult body paint ritual. He would be accompanied by his fellow rowdy band members including H and T on guitars, M on bass, E on drums, and Z on percussion, who were all donning tight-fitting face masks and ragged attire (imagine a something like a scarecrow from your worst nightmare). With the fiery single "Witch Hunt," they would kick off their six-song set and set the tone for the evening. I couldn't help but draw the parallel to an early Slipknot while up front taking pictures of the group (and no, it's not only because they're wearing masks). The music's rawness combined with the band's on-stage antics, where they seemed to be absolutely losing their minds, only served to evoke memories of Slipknot's formative years and made for quite the spectacle. They would continue the fast tempo as they would play "Killing the Beautiful" and "Nevermine," two of their intense singles. Their special industrialized cover of Nirvana's "Negative Creep" would also be included in the set before they closed it up with "You Make Me Sick." They have a distinct, shamelessly individual sound for their music, with mesmerizing melodies that captivate you. I recommend checking out the band if you've never heard of them, I would absolutely catch another set next time they're in town.
Set Length - 30min
The next act was Detroit's own rap group Twiztid, which was a bit of a strange addition to a metal tour, but nonetheless welcome. The white face painted combo, made up of Jamie Madrox and Monoxide Child, both former members of the hip-hop group House of Krazees, would take the stage while being accompanied by backing guitarist Derek Obscura and drummer Daniel Fox (also guitarist of Dope). The group's music combines hip-hop, rock, and horrorcore elements, and its lyrics frequently explore unsettling and unpleasant themes. In the underground rap scene, the duo's 1998 debut album, "Mostasteless," helped the group quickly develop a cult like following. Over the years, Twiztid has released numerous albums and collaborated with a variety of artists who have also been involved in the metal scene including ICP & Tech N9ne. With an emphasis on the lives of the underprivileged and disenfranchised, their music frequently explores themes of horror, drug addiction, and mental illness. Twiztid is well-known for their music as well as for their Juggalo subculture participation and tight ties to the Insane Clown Posse. The group has played a number of ICP gigs and festivals, and they have even previously appeared on Warped Tour. Despite having content that has caused controversy, the duo is still regarded as a powerful influence in the underground rap scene because of the appreciation they have received for their distinctive sound and dedication to their artistic vision. They started off their set with "Phlegm In The Windpipe," "Envy," "Smokebreak," & "Kill Somebody." There were a few people in the audience who would loudly voice their unhappiness with the music, so I could see that not everyone was delighted about Twiztid's inclusion on this tour. Still, there looked to be a sizable number of Twiztid fans there to enjoy the event. There really is no need to be obnoxious and ruin the vibe for the other fans that came to the performance to enjoy it. You should always show respect to the musicians, regardless of whether you like them or not. They would play "Magic Spellz," "We Don't Die," "Rose Petal," "Corkscrew," and "Buckets of Blood" for the balance of their ten-song set before concluding with "Parasite".
Set Length - 30min
Dope would be the first of the night's three renowned 90s metal bands to perform. The group was founded in 1997 by Edsel Dope (vocals, guitar), Simon Dope (keyboards), Sloane "Mosey" Jentry (bass), and Preston Nash (drums). Dope's debut album, "Felons and Revolutionaries," came out in 1999 and included the popular singles "Everything Sucks," "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," and one of my personal favorites from the band, "Debonaire," which you might recognize if you've ever watched the first Fast & Furious movie. The band gained a devoted following and regular airplay on rock radio stations as a result of the album's critical and commercial success. Throughout the 2000s, the band continued to put out popular albums, such as "Life" (2001), "Group Therapy" (2003), and "American Apathy" (2005). "Blood Money Part Zer0," their most recent offering released this year, is currently available for FREE download. The bands lyrics have frequently dealt with themes of rebellion, drug use, and societal dysfunction, and their music contains elements of industrial metal, nu-metal, and alternative rock. Over the years, Dope's lineup has changed quite a bit, with Edsel Dope remaining the only constant, backed tonight by guitarist Daniel Fox, bassist/rhythm guitarist Acey Slade and drummer Chrissy Warner. The group has performed on numerous tours during its existence, sharing the stage alongside groups including Mudvayne, Saliva, and Powerman 5000. Dope is renowned for their music as well as their outspoken activism and political ideas. They have utilized their music to spread awareness of topics like racial inequity and police brutality. They have been outspoken opponents of the American government and the war on drugs. "Blood Money," "Violence," and "Bitch" were the first songs in their set before a personal favorite of mine, "Debonaire" captivated the crowd. With the bulk of them singing along throughout the set and maintaining a raucous atmosphere in the pit, it was obvious that the band had a large and loyal following in attendance tonight. The band's popular "Die MF Die" would be next trailed by "I'm Back," "Sick," and "Burn" to round out the slightly shorter 9-song performance before they wrapped things up with their version of Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" that prompted one last sing-along from the audience.
Set Length - 30min
The mighty Fear Factory, a band I've been eager to see for a while, would perform next. The group's founding members were vocalist Burton C. Bell, guitarist Dino Cazares, drummer Raymond Herrera, and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers. The band was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1989. The group's "Soul of a New Machine" debut album, which was released in 1992, featured their distinct fusion of industrial metal and death metal and won them a slew of followers. The strong music and gloomy, apocalyptic themes on the debut album received high praise. With each new album, Fear Factory's sound developed further, embracing electronic, nu-metal, and alternative metal influences. Their 1995 debut album, "Demanufacture," is regarded as a classic by followers of the industrial metal subgenre. The album gave the band an international audience and contained popular songs like "Replica" and "Zero Signal." A rift between the band unfortunately occurred in 2002, and Cazares left to start his own project, Divine Heresy. Bell remained the only original member of Fear Factory, while Olde Wolbers switched to the guitar. They released several more albums, including "Archetype" (2004), "Transgression" (2005), and "Mechanize" (2010). 2010 also saw Bell and Cazares make an announcement about their reconciliation and the creation of fresh material for Fear Factory. The band released "The Industrialist" in 2012 and "Genexus" in 2015, both of which received critical acclaim. Bell would leave the group in 2020, citing the need to concentrate on his own project, Ascension of the Watchers, with Fear Factory now led by vocalist Milo Silvestre after a long and strenuous vocalist search. The rest of the lineup now features Tony Campos (Static-X) on bass, Mike Heller on drums (filled in for on this tour by Pete Webber), and the lone original member Dino still shredding on guitar. For their groundbreaking sound and significant contributions to the industrial metal genre, Fear Factory has received high accolades over the years. They have performed on numerous tours during their history with groups like Pantera, Black Sabbath, and Slayer. They would come out to being the set with power and dive into "Shock," a favorite of mine, to start off tonight's concert at a breakneck tempo. As soon as the opening drop of the bass echoed throughout the auditorium, the audience wasted no time in almost immediately starting to form a pit. " Edgecrusher,"" Disruptor," "Dielectric," and "Powershifter" were among the band's hit ridden set list, which left the audience with little time to catch their breath. While Burton unfortunately may no longer be on the mic, I can say the band sounds to be in good hands with Milo taking over the vocal duties and doing a remarkable job recreating the classic tracks in the new era of Fear Factory. Other fan favorites including "What Will Become," "Archetype," "Demanufacture," and "Zero Signal would also be included in the 10-song set before "Replica" was chosen to round out their performance before leaving the crowd to a standing ovation, and Milo emphatically stating "Fear Factory is BACK!"
Set Length - 45min
The night's headliners, Static-X, would be tasked with closing the show, and that they did. The renowned industrial metal group was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1994. The band's debut album, "Wisconsin Death Trip," which featured Wayne Static on lead vocals and guitar, Koichi Fukuda on guitar and keyboards, Tony Campos on bass, and Ken Jay on drums, was released in 1999 and quickly became renowned for its distinctive blending of industrial metal and alternative rock. The album, which earned platinum in the US, included popular songs like "Push It" and "I'm With Stupid." Throughout the 2000s, Static-X continued to put out popular albums, such as "Machine" (2001), "Shadow Zone" (2003), "Start A War" (2005), "Cannibal" (2007), and "Cult of Static" (2009). The band was able to stand out in the busy rock music scene of the time thanks to their unusual sound, which included elements of nu-metal, industrial, and electronic music. The late Wayne Static announced in 2013 that he would embark on a solo tour, but he tragically passed unexpectedly at the age of 48 later in the year. After his passing, the original members of Static-X made the decision to come back together in his honor, and in 2020, they put out their seventh studio album, "Project Regeneration Vol. 1." Wayne Static's previously unreleased vocal recordings are featured on the CD, which has received accolades from both critics and fans. Since the band's reunion, I've had three chances to see them live, and I must say that each time is becoming better and better. The band is led now by the enigmatic Xero, who for this tour would be showcasing his new upgrades which include a white and black paint scheme covering the futuristic cyborg looking helmet, fitted with laser beam like piercing red eyes and an assortment of cables shaped in a similar fashion to Wayne's iconic wild hairstyle. The band's comeback was initially met with some skepticism and criticism from fans, critics and fellow musicians, but after seeing them several times now and seeing how much effort they are putting into the yet-to-be-released material, I can only express my support for the way the band has approached this new chapter, consistently putting Wayne's legacy at the forefront of every decision. After taking the stage to begin the song "Permanence," the trio of bassist Tony Campos, guitarist Ken Jay, and drummer Ken Jay were soon joined by Xero, who had come up the center-stage staircase adorned with the enormous Static-X insignia. The band would put on a masterful performance on the evening, playing songs from most of their albums, that included "This Is Not," "Structural Defect" and "Black and White" off the '01 release "Machine." They would then move on to some classics off the '99 release "Wisconsin Death Trip" with "Love Dump," "WDT" the title track itself, "Fix," "Bled For Days" and "Sweat of the Bud." One of their newest songs, "Terminator Oscialltor," from Project Regeneration Vol. I, was also performed by the band. It has become a favorite of mine, and judging by the boisterous crowd during the performance, it has also been well received by other fans. The band would switch over to the '05 release "Start A War" and continue the high energy set with "Just In Case," before jumping to the "Shadow Zone" to play "Destroy All" and switching back to "Start A War," with the bounce inducing "Dirthouse." They'd circle back to "Machine" as they played "Get To The Gone," pushing the crowd to its limit with bodies flying around up and over the barricade. They would follow with the self-titled track from their '07 release "Cannibal," followed by their recent cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Terrible Lie," which will appear on the upcoming "Project Regeneration Vol II." The band would return to "Machine" one last time for the hit song "Cold," which was met with enthusiastic singing from the audience. The night would conclude with a return to Wisconsin, with arguably two of their most popular songs, "I'm With Stupid" and "Push It," saved for the grand finale.
Set Length - 1hr
(Updated Periodically)
With the tour coming down to its final shows, all of which are sold out, you unfortunately won't have a chance to catch this tour if you haven't already snagged a ticket. This tour was an absolute pleasure to cover as all three of these iconic bands are just a few of many who have had a significant influence on my music tastes over the years, leading to my love of metal. Static-X are set to release their upcoming album "Project Regeneration Vol. 2" due out Nov. 3rd, which includes 13 brand-new Static-X songs and contains the final vocal performances & musical compositions of founding vocalist Wayne Static. Fear Factory will be heading to Mexico / Latin America this May-Jun for "The Machine Will Rise Tour". The band also plans to release reissues of two of their popular albums Re-Industrialized & Mechanize due out Jun. 23rd, which can be pre-ordered or pre-saved now by clicking the links. Dope doesn't seem to have anything on their agenda for the foreseeable future but with the recent release of the new "Blood Money Part Zer0" album I anticipate maybe some sort of small tour being announced at some point to support it so keep your eyes open for news. If you see any future dates for these bands and have the opportunity to make it out to support , I highly advise you take it and get to your local venue when the time comes as I guarantee you will not be disappointed with what you will witness. I would like to give a massive thank you to PFA & LiveNation for allowing me out to capture an incredible night of performances.
- Nick B.
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