Review By: Heather Penfield MacNeill | Photographs By: Nadine Swiger

There are few bands out there that can honestly say that they put the same amount of brutal, skull crushing energy into a 200 person venue as a 20,000 person venue, and yet Combichrist is just one of those rare bands. Having now seen Combichrist perform in both small clubs and massive arenas like Izod and Madison Square Garden, I can honestly say those boys play like they have sold their soul to the devil every show. Combichrist’s May 2011th performance at Irving Plaza NYC was certainly no exception to this rule. This was only Combichrist’s third show on their Monsters On Tour North America 2011 cross country trek, which, on select dates they will be supporting the immortal German industrial metal band Rammstein, but the show felt as tight as if were their thirtieth. After seeing such intensity onstage at Irving Plaza, it was amazing to think Combichrist was going to be turning out an equally aggressive performance opening for Rammstein at Izod Center the very next day. But without a doubt, this was exactly what happened as Combichrist stormed the stage once again, this time to 20,000 screaming fans. Lead singer Andy LaPlegua sang with a visceral force that commanded the audience’s attention, while drummers Joe Letz, and Trevor Friedrich, and keyboardist Z Marr gave such incredibly high energy performances you feel that each member of the band is an integral part of the focus, with no one fading from attention into the background.

This tour includes a brutal rendition of their track “Throat Full of Glass” off their latest album Making Monsters. “Throat Full of Glass” has just been released as a single complete with remixes and a hostile new music video which was so hot two versions had to be released, both a censored and an uncensored version. To hear LaPuega talk about some of the band’s experiences filming the music video you can view our interview with him here. Learn whether or not the video remained largely true to LaPlegua’s original vision, and a bit about how the band felt during filming. LaPlegua never panders to the critics or the media, but plays from the heart and the result is music and a show that is unforgettable.

Catch Combichrist as they continue their rampage across America and into Europe in the coming summer months. This band is only going to get bigger, get your tickets while you can!

MONSTERS ON TOUR USA PART II
5/15 Tacoma @ Tacoma Dome*
5/16 Portland @ Hawthorne Theater
5/17 Sacramento @ Ace of Spaces
5/18 Oakland @ Oracle Arena*
5/19 Santa Ana @ The Galaxy
5/20 Inglewood @ The Forum*
5/21 Las Vegas @ T & M Center*
5/22 Phoenix @ Nile Theater
5/23 Albuquerque @ Sunshine Theater
5/24 El Paso @ Club 101
5/25 Lubbock @ Jakes
5/26 Dallas @ S Side Music Hall
5/27 Houston @ Fitzgerald’s
5/28 San Antonio @ White Rabbit
5/29 Pensacola @ Vinyl Music Hall
5/30 Jacksonville @ Jack Rabbits
5/31 Orlando @ Club Firestone
6/1 W Palm Beach @ Respectable St
6/2 Tampa @ State Theater
6/3 Spartanburg @ Ground Zero
6/4 Atlanta @ Masquerade

* Supporting Rammstein

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For more information on COMBICHRIST : combichrist.com

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