VITRIOL – LIVE AT THE WEBSTER UNDERGROUND
Thursday night I headed out to The Webster Underground, in Hartford, to check out Vitriol, a death metal band from Portland, Oregon. The band is touring in support of their debut album To Bathe From The Throat of Cowardice. I will admit if AMP’s main man, Ralph Beauchamp, had not asked me about this show I doubt I would have been attending on a work night.
After experiencing Vitriol live I’m glad I had the assignment. Vitriol consists of Kyle Rasmussen (Vocals/Guitar), Adam Roethlisberger (Vocals/Bass) and Scott Walker(Drums). Chason Westmoreland (Drums) played live in place of Walker and Stephen Ellis (Guitar) joined the live lineup. I had done a pre interview with Roethlisberger and he wanted people to come out and have a good time, saying it would be a crazy show. I believe the band delivered.
Coming out as the opener for headliner Dying Fetus, Vitriol was up to the task of getting the crowd amped up. Before the first note hit Rasmussen waved the early crowd up closer to the stage. Seconds into the opening song “A Gentle Gift” a mosh pit was formed and it didn’t stop for the whole set. Next up was “Violence”, “A Worthy Truth” and “Legacy of Contempt”. The band really hit their grove. Roethlisberger and Ellis were head banging in unison, Rasmussen and Roethlisberger share vocals with equal power and Westmoreland kept the beat pounding.
The next two songs, “Rope That Calls You Brother” and “Victim” Roethlisberger had mentioned in our interview as ones he personally likes. The former for its technical aspect and the later for it personal connection to him and the aggressive nature of it. It’s rare when the bass player is the focus of a band but Roethlisberger is center stage and plays the bass like an extension of his fingers. It was hard for me to look elsewhere.
The band finished with “The Parting of a Neck”. The mosh pit never let up. The room had started to fill in midway through the set and was now pretty packed. The Hartford crowd was on point and it looked like the band fed off the energy with a great aggressive set. Next time Vitriol hits Hartford I’ll be there, work night or not. The time went by too quick which is always a good sign that the music was great.
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