Unleashed In The Midwest: October 2016

Kansas City and Lawrence metal fans should strap in for another exceptional month of live metal. Some of the country's most acclaimed acts will be coming to town, as well as a timely visit from a Mexican death metal powerhouse.

October 9th - Brujeria with Cattle Decapitation at The Riot Room

Brujeria are a Mexican drug cartel masquerading as a death metal band. Putting out uncompromising deathgrind for over two decades -- all in Spanish no less -- the semi-supergroup has a mythical quality about them. They all perform with bandanas over their faces. Is it a lame schtick to attempt to conceal their identities or are they obscuring their features to stay on the run from the DEA? With songs about Mexican freedom fighters, the drug life south of the border, and -- most importantly -- killing white people, Brujeria doesn't really care one way or another for any gringos and that's what makes them awesome. Opening is Cattle Decapitation, which may be the greatest progressive extreme metal band of the past ten years, Piñata Protest, and KC's best death metal group Troglodyte.

October 19th - Skeletonwitch with Iron Reagan, Oathbreaker, Homewrecker, The Uncouth at The Riot Room

Already making a name as one of metal's best live bands today, Ohio's Skeletonwitch are back for one of their first U.S. headlining tours following the addition of vocalist Adam Clemans (Wolvhammer) at the helm. No surprise here -- they still rage just as hard. Hopefully they hit just about every release from their deep and quality back catalog. Iron Reagan, the old-school crossover worshippers comprised of members from Municipal Waste, Darkest Hour and Cannabis Corpse, are set to open, along with heavy-hitters Oathbreaker, Homewrecker, and The Uncouth. There will be no spot safe from the mosh at The Riot Room that night.

October 20th - Bongzilla at The Riot Room

In almost complete sonic difference from the previous night's activities, Bongzilla will slow things down at The Riot Room and increase the heaviness by as much as your eardrums can handle. If their name wasn't a dead enough giveaway, a 500-meter radius around the venue will be susceptible to a contact high. Opening is a smattering of great Kansas City bands. This is also kind of a last-minute show, so show up and support!

October 21st - The Dillinger Escape Plan with O'Brother, Cult Leader, Bent Knee at The Granada

Prog used to be for dorky nerds, but The Dillinger Escape Plan made it cool again. Alas, all good things must come to an end. Entering their 20th year of existence in 2017, TDEP is calling it quits. The farewell tour hits The Granada and it's sure to be even more insane than their last show at the venue (which featured a chair somehow ending up in the audience on which guitarist Ben Weiman proceeded to solo). Their new album "Dissociation" comes out on the 14th so you can study all the lyrics beforehand. O'Brother, Cult Leader, and Bent Knee open so there might not be a venue standing by the time the headliners take the stage.

October 25th - Meshuggah with High On Fire at Liberty Hall

Listen. I'm going to say something unpopular -- Meshuggah is great, but the real treat here is High On Fire. Sure, Meshuggah are mind-bendingly altering extreme metal music one insane song at a time, but High On Fire is basically a better version of Black Sabbath's best material and it's almost impossible to top that. I mean, guitarist Matt Pike (he's also in Sleep -- duh) is pretty much the 2nd coming of Tony Iommi, but plays heavier. They have to be witnessed to be believed. Sorry for taking so much away from Meshuggah in one of their rare area appearances, (seriously, it's been a long time since Meshuggah has been around these parts) but High on Fire are too good.


Jackson May is Kansas City (Kansas side, unfortunately) native that eats, lives, breathes and will eventually die by metal. After attending as many shows as possible for over a decade now, it's time for him to put pen to paper and blab about all things heavy music to anyone that will listen. Find him at any number of small heavy metal shows each month, or maybe at a few pop punk or hip-hop concerts.