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Huntress013 2014 009013, Tilburg, The Netherlands
11th June2014
Huntress, Battlecross, Purest of Pain

American heavy metal band HUNTRESS has hit the stage at venue 013 several times before and each time with great success. As support of DRAGONFORCE and LAMB OF GOD, the band showed the Dutch audience what they’re made of. After ‘Spell Eater’ (2012) and ‘Starbound Beast’ (2013) HUNTRESS took their inspiration back into the studio for another album, of which the result can be heard this evening. BATTLECROSS recently signed with Metal Blade records. This trash metal band also left its mark in the scene touring with KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, IN FLAMES and HATEBREED. Their third album ‘War of Will’ was released in 2013 and named as one of the best modern metal albums. Support will be taken care of by Dutch band PUREST OF PAIN.


Purest of Pain

PUREST OF PAIN is a Dutch band that was formed in 2008 by composer and guitarist Merel Bechtold. After winning local band contests, the band went onwards and upwards and has been playing many shows with national and international acts like TEXTURES, MAYAN, UNEARTH, TORTUER SQUAD, ALL SHALL PERISH, ONSLAUGHT and EVERGREEN TERRACE. PUREST OF PAIN were nominated for 3VOOR12 Award Best Live Act Utrecht. In June of 2011 they released their debut EP ‘Revelations in Obscurity’. In 2012 the band toured with MAYAN and had the opportunity to do a short tour in France and later in 2013, Austria. After some changes in line-up, PUREST OF PAIN entered the studio for the recordings of a new single and a video clip for the song 'Momentum'. Recently, the band won the Dutch Wacken Metal Battle.

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Their full length debut record is expected to be released in fall of this year. PUREST OF PAIN is Jesper de Kruyff (vocals), Merel Bechtold (guitar), Michael van Eck (guitar), Frank van Leeuwen (bass) and Jop Engels (drums). www.purestofpain.com / www.facebook.com/purestofpain

Music & Performance
The opener of this evening is “modern death metal band” PUREST OF PAIN. They are known for their energetic mix of death metal with Metalcore. Though they start off with ‘The Sickening reality’ from their 2011 EP, most of their set list focuses on the upcoming album. The small stage at 013 is still quite empty and it takes some time for PUREST OF PAIN to get into the flow. Their show is tight, brutal and fast, with raging guitar solos of founder Merel Bechtold. The vocals of front man Jesper sometimes drowned a little in the instrumental violence of his fellow band members, which was a pity. They end their show with ‘Momentum’, the first single of their upcoming album. Do keep an eye on that release!

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Setlist
01. Intro
02. The Sickening reality (EP)
03. The sleep of reason
04. Tide breaker
05. Vessels
06. Truth seeker
07. Trial ‘n error
08. Momentum

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 6
Light: 6
Total: 6.5 / 10

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Battlecross

BATTLECROSS is an American heavy metal band from Canton, Michigan. The band was founded in 2003 by Tony Asta and Hiran Deraniyagala while attending Salem High School. Various members came and went and it wasn’t until 2010 that BATTLECROSS came to its current line-up. The band plays a technical and brutal blend of Thrash & Death for metal heads of the old and new alike. BATTLECROSS signed a deal with Metal Blade Records in May 2011 & released their debut album ‘Pursuit of Honor’ later that year. Over the next years, BATTLECROSS shared the stage with legendary bands such as GWAR, OVERKILL, DYING FETUS, IN FLAMES, DEVILDRIVER, VADER, DEATH ANGEL and THE FACELESS.

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Thus far they’ve released one demo and three studio albums, the latest being ‘War of will’ in 2013. BATTLECROSS is Kyle Gunther (vocals), Tony Asta (guitar), Hiran Deraniyagala (guitar), Don Slater (bass) and Shannon Lucas (drums). www.battlecrossmetal.com / www.facebook.com/battlecrossmetal

Music & Performance
BATTLECROSS is co-headlining this evening with HUNTRESS, though none of the bands seem to play a very long set tonight. Their most recent album ‘War of Will’ was received as one of the best metal albums of the year.  After kicking off with ‘Push Pull Destroy’ and ‘Kaleb’ front man Kyle tells the fanatic but small audience that this is actually their off-night, but he does appreciate us all coming out on a Wednesday evening to enjoy some brutal metal.

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PUREST OF PAIN may be fast, but BATTLECROSS easily takes it up another notch as they continue their show. Don’s bass lines are absolutely wicked and guitarists Tony and Hiran puzzle the audience with their riffs. Some people say screams are just screams, but there’s definitely something to say about that. Gunther’s vocals are quite distinguishable and provide an impressive combo of high but pervasive and loud screams. BATTLECROSS combines elements from technical, trash and death metal in a very digestible way. Though I would’ve liked them to play ‘Fucking hostile’ (PANTERA cover), I had a great time and would definitely check these guys out again in the future!

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Setlist
01. Push pull destroy
02. Kaleb
03. Man of stone
04. Ghost alive
05. Never coming back
06. Force fed lies
07. My vaccine
08. Wage a war
09. Beast
10. Flesh and bone

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 6
Total: 7.5 / 10

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Huntress

HUNTRESS is an American heavy metal band founded in California by lead vocalist Jill Janus in 2009. The band was signed by Napalm Records in 2011 after the release of their debut EP ‘Off with Her Head’ in 2010. HUNTRESS released their debut album ‘Spell Eater’ in May 2012 via Napalm Records. The album, which Metal Hammer calls “a magical debut from the hottest new act of 2012,” was recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Chris Rakestraw (DANZIG, CHILDREN OF BODOM and SKELETONWITCH) with artwork by Vance Kelly (SLAYER, GHOST B.C., MASTODON). Only one year later, HUNTRESS released another album called ‘Starbound’ which was produced by Zeuss (SHADOWS FALL, HATEBREED, AGNOSTIC FRONT).

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The band's style has been observed as classic heavy metal with influences of thrash and doom metal, but with a female lead singer. The songs feature frequent screaming by lead singer Janus who is said to have a vocal range of four octaves. HUNTRESS is currently writing their third album in Los Angeles, after completing two successful years of relentless touring. The new album is slated for recording in July 2014, with plans to release this Fall via Napalm Records. HUNTRESS is Jill Janus (vocals), Blake Meahl (lead guitar), Anthony Crocamo (lead guitar), Ian Alden (bass), Carl Wierzbicky (drums). http://huntresskills.com/ / www.facebook.com/HuntressKills

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Music & Performance
HUNTRESS has proven to be a welcome guest at 013 over the last couple of years. Supporting DRAGONFORCE and LAMB OF GOD and headlining their own show, the band settled its status in the scene. Let’s see if they can live up to that once again this evening. After the band has been given a head start, Jill enters the stage and makes an unfortunate crash. For a moment I’m afraid she’ll break into a thousand pieces, but she doesn’t even blink as she continues crawling to the front of the stage. Respect for that. HUNTRESS’ set this evening is quite short as well and takes us on a fast journey through both their albums with ‘Senicide’, ‘Spell Eater’ and ‘Children’ from their debut album and ‘Destroy your life’, ‘Starbound Beast;  and ‘I want to fuck you to death’ from their most recent work.

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Jill Janus is an absolutely unique leading lady and though I cannot say I find her vocals awesome, they sure as hell are one of the most wicked, ominous and disturbing I’ve ever heard. Though it’s hard to take your eyes of the eccentric front woman, guitarist Blake and Anthony also get a few moments to shine as they take the lead with a series of proper guitar solos. HUNTRESS more than lives up to their status as an occult heavy metal band and I’m sure they will be back at 013 somewhere in the future!

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Setlist
01. Senicide
02. Destroy your life
03. Spell eater
04. Starbound beast
05. Zenith
06. Children
07. I want to fuck you to death
08. Eight of swords

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.3 / 10

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All pictures by Ruth Mampuys (www.ruth-less.nl

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