Zoroaster and Sourvein; Chicago 2/20/2008

Ever notice how the most of the best (non-local) shows in Chicago during the winter feature bands from the South? My first couple of years in town I assumed that it was because nobody bothered telling them how disgusting and miserable winter could be. I was wrong. Bands that travel north this time of year could give a fuck how cold it is, how many inches of ice and snow are on the ground, or that half the crowd is suffering from seasonal depression. And for that we are truly thankful.

Atlanta’s Zoroaster and North Carolina’s Sourvein recently roared into town for a show at Reggie’s Rock Club. Despite the generally disinterested vibe shown towards the opening acts, the tables turned once Sourvein hit the stage. The group of seasoned musicians treated small but fortunate crowd to doom metal with a distinctive Southern flavor, featuring several cuts from their latest EP, Ghetto Angel out this month on This Dark Reign Records. Leading the five piece was enthusiastic, crowd loving, beer sharing, front man T-Roy (from whom I got a friendly “How’s it going, Babe?” outside the ladies room after the show).

Zoroaster live turned out to be more “experiencing” than actually “seeing” the three-piece band, as they were mostly hidden from view by a dense cloud of smoke emitted from the stage. No matter, opening with “Brazen Bull,” from last year’s Dog Magic (Battle Kommand) their hazy, groove-laden metal proved to be so heavy and LOUD that it seemed to shake the room’s concrete floor. By the time their all too short set was over, the audience was left hoping we won’t have to wait until next winter before they come back to town.

–Jamie Ludwig

Zoroaster: www.myspace.com/thezoroaster
Sourvein: www.myspace.com/sourvein13
Reggie’s Rock Club: www.reggieslive.com