April 6, the final stop of September Mourning’s most recent soul collection came to an end, just over the bridge in Newport, KY. Though the dark glistening waters rippled September’s glowing face, the band made plenty of noise at The Thompson House. It was a fitting final show for the musical reapers to play in a haunted building in front of the Cincinnati, Kentucky and elsewhere devotees.
For those in the know, September Mourning’s a visual experience and spectacle like none other. Bringing graphic narrative and stories to loud life on stage with the band dressed in avenging, scavenging black, chasing the ivory-white clad September. It’s a good thing they play by her side in the mortal realm.
For those not familiar, they’re a hard rock comic book come to life with September playing the human-reaper hybrid, granted soul collecting powers by a reaper, forever chased by immortal bounty hunters. Her stage persona is part mortal, reaper and angel with armored attire and makeup made to mesmerize.
Whether they had seen both bands before, one or neither, everyone shared in the collective experience.
Automatic Evolution
Cincinnati’s electric, industrial collective Automatic Evolution opened the evening ready to metalize and mechanize anyone who dared resist. An assimilation of Fear Factory and Godflesh conjoined in a cyber kingdom. Vocalist Nick Abraham looked part Locutus and part terminator all droned out. Bassist Pierce Johnson looked a dark side of foreboding and menacing, like they busted him out of the asylum and straight jacket for the occasion. Keys and backup vocalist Shaun Grimes created the malevolent atmosphere and noise to accompany the uber strings and drums.
A few new songs were played along with some fan familiar’s as those musically connected and attached by prior contact sang along.
“Blank,” started dense with bass thumping along to a melodic and gloomy feel, mirroring ‘80s new wave, before guitars hit. It carried a catchy sadness, like a ballad to a machine of dark, fluid romance between human flesh and circulatory organs.
The synthetic buzz of “Countdown,” crackled speakers, starting droid like, as mechanized voices monitored thrash-like guitars. A whirlpool of industrial cyber-tech sounds and noise. The early evening’s drug of choice was definitely of synthetic creation.
With the stage in this dimension set, the Mourning began as the hunters took position and the dark-cloaked queen appeared. They played new material and old-school anthems to keep the early supporters happy. Each song played a graphic chapter in their continuing evolution, as the story progressed on screen.
Using smoke and spotlight as both camouflage, shield and visual ally she was both ghost-like and savior in appearance. A wayward, trapped spirit, chained to both worlds.
“Angels to Dust,” blasted off introducing newcomers to their world and sound, welcoming back souls already collected. “Eye of the Storm” brought everyone to the center of the Malay.
With black roses in hand, she danced to their mellowed and melancholy darker version of “Stand by Me” with souls coming of age and expiration to reap, they await her hand for the journey.
“Skin and Bones,” carried a cry of combat between the worlds of mortality and beyond while “Till You See Heaven,” mourned the cries of a creature of such beauty cursed to carry such pain and torment.
She walked the stage the queen of her own “Empire” as “Children of Fate” announced role call for all touched by a celestial encounter in route to the crossover.
“20 Below” breathed out the astral chill of the out of body experience, as the mortal body broke apart and the reapers awaited.
They encored, ending with the first chapter of their being, “Before the Fall.”
Images by Mike Ritchie
