Metal Anarchy

Last night (February 21), I attended the Cradle Of Filth, Butcher Babies, and Ne Obliviscaris show at the Fillmore in San Francisco, CA, and it was a hell of a show.

Ne Obliviscaris opened the show, and they put on a cool performance. This was the Australian metal band’s first North American tour, and they definitely left a lasting impression. They had a unique heavy sound that also incorporated a violin for a symphonic feel.  A highlight from their set was their performance of “And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope.”

Butcher Babies took the stage next, and were perhaps the strongest act of the night. Frontwomen Heidi Shepherd, and Carla Harvey were energetic and performed at top form. Shepherd even sang in the middle of the pit at one point. Their set was heavily weighted in tracks from their latest release, “Take It Like A Man,” with some tracks from “Goliath,” and their self-titled EP thrown in for good measure. Highlights from their set include: “Axewound,” “Igniter,” “The Butcher,” and a “Goliath” medley featuring bits of the title track, “The Deathsurround,” and “I Smell A Massacre.”

Then it was time for the headliners of the night, Cradle Of Filth. The band came out one by one as the “Humana Inspired to Nightmare” intro played in the background. Frontman Dani Filth was the last to walk out, and as soon as he walked up to the microphone, he let out his banshee like scream to signal the beginning of “Heaven Torn Asunder.” From their the band performed for about an hour, and then returned for an encore, which was practically another full set. The band was on point all night, proving that the latest incarnation of the band is one of the best lineups in their history. Keyboardist, Lindsay Schoolcraft was especially impressive when she sang vocals on songs like “Nymphetamine (Fix).” All in all they put on a good show full of tracks from their latest album “Hammer Of The Witches,” mixed with others spanning their whole career. Some highlights from their performance included: “Her Ghost In The Fog,” Blackest Magick in Practice,” and “The Principle of Evil Made Flesh.”