There is no chance of seeing opening act Whitechapel. The buzz-generating Knoxville, Tenn. act features six much-ballyhooed newcomers into the death metal scene. Sadly, an aggravating mix of late starts, prolonged classes, and traffic jams prevents any dissection of the meteoric youngsters' stagecraft.

Following this unfortunate start are New Fairfield, Conn.'s devastating Emmure. The quintet brings their A-game, launching into a pulverizing mix of subtle melodies amidst slow-paced dirges of soul-crushing sound. Frontman Frankie Palmeri is particularly animated, leading confrontational sing-alongs which bring him face-to-face with the 100 or so fans on offer here tonight. Catchy but with an unmistakably thug aura, the band hones their craft into synchronized machismo and outright violence. The crowd returns the favor marvelously and awards the tough guy posse with amble stage-dives and roaring sing-alongs.

The schizophrenic temper tantrums of Denver, Colo.'s Cephalic Carnage prove much less entertaining. Always a confounding variable in the world of heavy music, the band sacrifices none of their inherent weirdness tonight. Nothing is kept sacred, with hints of everything from flamenco to jazz to hardcore punk peeking out from underneath the band's potent sonic attack. Though firmly rooted in their speedy grind metal origins, Cephalic Carnage's set leaves many attendees scratching their heads in bemusement. Highlights include the blistering sing-along "Dying Will Be the Death of Me," the jittery lunacy of "Lucid Interval" and the flaying groove of "Endless Cycle of Violence." Good but not great, the band's unfocused nature perhaps makes for more intriguing albums and less inspiring shows.

Washington D.C.'s Darkest Hour is last, menacing the few remaining fans with their blend of shredding melodies and upbeat death metal. For all their energy and talent, it is readily apparent that this style of music is quickly losing steam. Even with the recent release of new album "Deliver Us," Darkest Hour shows no major progression in terms of their given formula. This lack of innovation hurts what would otherwise be an interesting act---thousands of bands have been playing melodic death metal for decades now, and it isn't getting any newer folks.

With all this in mind, Monday's show sinks just below the golden standard of a good concert. Decent but unremarkable, even the crowd seems a bit reserved. It is also shocking that a four band lineup concludes at 10p.m. It deflates one a bit after seeing just how unenergetic every band is tonight. Maybe next time someone will come out swinging and make sure it doesn't happen again.

Whitechapel

Emmure

Cephalic Carnage

Darkest Hour
 

...end