Kissing Candice brought their bloody, gory horror themed show to Syracuse’s newest DIY venue, The Rock Garage on December 18th. Syracuse area locals, The Entropic Principle, Welcome the Ancients, and IMPULSE helped get the crowd warmed up.
The lights go dark, smoke rolls onto the stage, the crowd’s excitement builds as the intro cues up; then the band explodes onto the stage tearing right into “Unloaded” off of their newest album “Blind Until we Burn.” They didn’t waste any time before ripping into “Successful test” and their latest single “Put em’ up.” The band played a very powerful and supercharged set consisting of a mix of songs from their EP “Conjured” and newest release “Blind Until We Burn” including highlights “Tusk” and “Nilbog” to which they pay homage to one of the “best” worst movies of all time Claudio Fragasso’s Troll 2!
Even though it was cold outside, Kissing Candice had no trouble keeping fans excited and engaged throughout their 50 minute set. After taking a short break, the band came out a played a two song encore ending the blood and smoke filled set with a song that that is not often played “Rampage.” The band thanked everyone and invited the crowd to hang out with them at their merch table before they were on their way back to Long Island.
It is certain that with their mix of metal, hardcore and industrial and let’s not forget some very catchy heavy and hook – laden songs, Kissing Candice puts on one hell of a blood and gore soaked show!
The band’s full force though came forth once Parks picked up his bass. His hair-raising blasts to open “The Death of Coyote Woman” powerfully proclaimed the band’s intention to beat the audience down to a pulp. Shirtless, dreadlocked, and bearded, drummer Robby Staebler pounded the music onward through its peaks and valleys. With Parks committed to the bass the rest of the set, Ben McLeod’s guitar stood stronger and Van Cleave’s work on the electric piano shone through more brightly. After a superb slide guitar solo and keys-led jam section, “Death of Coyote Woman” evcntually calmed to a standstill before rising again for a glorious finish. When the dust had settled, the song’s companion “The Marriage of Coyote Woman” rose from the ashes. Both songs appear on their 2014 release Lightning at the Door which they sampled from amply throughout the evening. “Marriage” showed off the bands blues leanings, and resulted in another quality improv session.
The heavy fuzzed-out “When God Comes Back” was a huge crowd pleaser, and played like the Devil’s rendition of “Young Man Blues.” Spoken word lyrics over a psychedelic guitar and keys accompaniment had the band channeling the Doors, but again, darker and eviler, on “Blood and Sand / Milk and Endless Waters.” The set came to a close with more bluesy rock and slide guitar on “Charles William.”
New Madrid, out of Athens, GA, played an opening set of diverse indie-rock songs. Led by vocalist/guitarist Phil McGill, the band made the best use of their time, leaving little dead air and taking almost no time to address the audience. The music spoke plenty though. A mellow laid back rocker hinted at Mac DeMarco, a beautiful down-tempo instrumental was reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky, while an 80s style pop-rock tune saw McGill engaging in a whammy bar solo and exhibiting some freak-out dance moves. The quartet finished with a pair of major key fist-pumpers, the first featuring some inventive vocal looping while the closer played bright and bouncy.
The Arkells performed an extensive high energy set to a sold out crowd at 
