It was a haunting and magical night last week on Friday the 13th when death metal legends Morbid Angel came through Hartford, Connecticut while on their USA Sickness tour. This month long North American tour was rounded out with fellow death metal act Incantation and Swedish black metal band Watain. Morbid angel have been touring recently in support of their 2017 album “Kingdom’s Disdained” and in preparation of beginning the songwriting process for what may be their next project.
Florida death metal outfit Incantation opened the night, receiving a warm welcome from the growing crowd. They ripped through their set with a level of intensity that not many can replicate, but they pulled it off flawlessly. Their powerful vocals and heavy riffs drew me in from the start, and I was thoroughly captivated until the very end.
Up next was Watain, an iconic black metal band hailed all the way from Sweden. I will admit I wasn’t fully prepared for what I was about to witness when I walked in, but I really don’t think anyone can be prepared for what these guys have to offer. The first thing that hit me was the distinct smell of rotting flesh, and almost unsurprisingly, everyone seemed to be into it. The stage was adorned with various (real) animal heads, some fresher than others, arranged in a ceremonial display. Their set was as black metal as you can get, packed with fast riffs and the nastiest vocals you can imagine. You could feel the darkness emanating the stage, I was absolutely mesmerized by the intricacy of it all. These guys are pretty new to me, but definitely one that I will continue to follow.
At last it was time for the legends that are Morbid Angel to take the stage. The crowd was fully packed in at this point, reaching a new level of energy following the intensity of Watain’s performance. Their set began with a brilliant display of lights as they powered through their first couple songs, and fans immediately lost their minds. One glance behind me in the photo pit told me everything I needed to know in terms of how dedicated this fanbase really is. While some were throwing it down in the pit, most were pressed right up against the barrier singing along with an unbelievable force. These guys have been around for quite awhile now, which is unsurprising to me after witnessing their set. They have quite the stage presence and an even more impressive level of expertise when it comes to their quality of performance.
This tour package is likely the darkest you’ll have seen all year, and it looks like each band on this lineup has some killer things planned coming up. Though this tour is nearly over, they surely will be back at it again very soon and Inside the Setlist will be there to cover it all.
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