On Friday, August 18, the 2023 Scream Tour slithered and creepy crawled into Cincinnati onto and across the Legends stage leaving blood, sweat and deep fingernail marks in its wake. The trek headlined by L.A. based theatrical dark metal circus Raven Black gave a dolled up performance complete with props and possessed passion. Direct support came from the modern day Vampira, Living Dead Girl with the eerie, horror movie hooded brood Cultus Black with help from Anxious Arms and Owls & Aliens.
Something wicked came a few times that night as every scary, cool thing you could imagine came out of the closet or Raven’s toy box. It wasn’t an evening for the timid or weak of heart as several horror movie scenarios came to life before the eyes, almost touching faces and grazing eyes with masked musicians and creepy half-human dolls getting nightmarishly too close for comfort.
From Southern Oregon, the hot sauce came out early singeing tongues with Owls & Aliens. Classic rock, metal, punk, alt and post hardcore merged into a unique conglomerate of singing and sound. From 2019, to the garage to nationally touring, the five-piece are playing to a country-wide audience one stage at a time as “Shape Shifting” started the evening.
“Tsunami,” was a point break tune, hanging out on the beach, crashing with lyrical waves. Them bones talked about “These Vices” and your own personal poison. Bass notes got deep and moody as guitars wailed with things spouting out “The Void.” “You Can’t Save Everyone” turned up the tempo getting deeper and more guttural vocal treatment, dealing with a cancerous hated evil. The party ended with “Romanticize the Sorrow” with a street prowling split spoon full of garage rock and grunge finishing their set.
Things turned up a few knob twists with fellow West Coasters, Sacramento’s Anxious Arms, cranking the volume and intensity starting with “On Soul and Subjection.” Things got fast, hardcore and biohazardous flirting with “Faust.” “Catastrophes” throbbed, singing in wavy murky reflections reflecting on metal malpractice. At a medium pace melody and hardcore met dark and strangely on “Wasted Days, Wasted Years.” “The Time Will Come” signaled the time had come to end. If a mosh pit were to happened, they would’ve deserved and gotten it as their music and attitude was most apt for the action. Though as the crowd was about to discover, the theatrics were about to begin, with all attention warranted on stage. It was also the end of normal looking male vocalists for the evening.
Self-described and styled as a cult or at least a cult of shrouded anonymous personalities the North Carolina members of Cultus Black dressed for the occasion. Each mask signified an unknown status within the group. Spooky and horror-like it was, Helter Skelter, it wasn’t, though they might have some Slipknot or Mushroomhead in their DNA. Vocalist ‘L’ was the only unmasked entity looking a cross between Motograter and Cannibal Holocaust. A crazed, painted up shaman, fiercely dedicated to the cause. All members are known by letters and by whatever horror movie comes to mind when they get close enough, though The Town That Dreaded Sundown is a classic. It was an all ages show as cult members gave a youngster special attention with fist bumps and guitar picks. The bassist even instructed him to hit his bass, showing him how.
Whether you were already a loyal fan or a first time initiate, one could thoroughly enjoy the show without a clue of who they were or their music though a knowledge of the latter would’ve helped the experience. Cultus Black is a sight to see and a band to hear, with constant moving parts, and they’re definitely worth the travel.
Seeing them bring their show to a club was worth admission, seeing that they played Cincinnati earlier this year with Static X, they make their show fit in several sized venues. For those at both shows, the debate will rage, which night was better. Though that night definitely gave the other tour a run for the money.
“Burn” said that society rejected them and they looked like they’d been excommunicated, on the run and nomadic. This could be the next evolution of masked bands, going scary and simplistic while still evolving. Though putting on a mask is much easier than a multi-hour makeup job.
“Nevermine” was a pharma-code pill popper warning to not abuse the dosage. No flames came with “Witchhunt” but plenty of smoke and shadows. The show entered the crowd as one of the cult members played through the crowd, attempting a short crowd surf.
“You Make Me Sick” ended things with some well-placed anger and rebellion. You’d hate to be the subject of that tune. The band stood front and center raising hands, horns and hell, saying goodnight, symbolically and visually saying, follow this.
Next the Canadian bred curdled blood of Living Dead Girl beat Blumhouse to an extreme exorcism playing a set of pop flavored, metal tasting songs channeling a mix of Britney Spears, Rob Zombie and In This Moment with Molly Rennick at the helm. The bleeding blender spilled out a wicked absinthe of pop, hard rock, industrial, goth and punk. Everything an impressionable fan needs to expand their pallet.
Despite the second half of their moniker, they started “Alive” full of vigor, garlic and vixen-like venom. Rennick’s range of sweet, high vocals and accompanied screams split genres in half like a Predator’s hand removing a spine. “Beautiful’s” headbanging beat addressed society’s shallow, unreachable standards of perceived perfection as she screamed just be happy with yourself. She’s pro-choice to body modification but cautions to make moderate, responsible choices vs. extreme obsession.
It wasn’t about TV’s anymore as “Poltergeist” brought a calm, soothing, eerie message of love and romantic possession with an extended offering hand. The attitude and drama came out on “Dysfunctional” with too many poisonous elements mixing in close quarters. Avril Lavinge got some attention on “Sk8er Boi” while “Exorcism” elevated her status from a demon in bed to a perky cheerleader in public. “Worship Me” sarcastically screamed a band wagon idol soaked message of choose who you admire and obsess over carefully.
Back to the Florida heat for these brooding sun avoiding daywalkers and night-screamers with new behind the scenes footage of “Dysfunctional” posted.
The dark haunted house carnival that is Raven Black emerged with lots of toys and goodies on stage. It was what you’d expect looking through the other side of a cracked mirror as the half-doll, half-damned soul jerked creaking her way front stage with her miscreant musicians doing her musical bidding. A headlining group of misfits, they were, under the moody spot-lit gloom as “Mirror Mirror” slowly wound, casting the show’s first warped reflection.
From nooses, to bats, to sharp weapons and cute, non-violent teddy bears with a cold, chilling gaze she grabbed eyes and attention like Hellraiser chains. Song by song Raven pulled out all her toys and trinkets in unison to spooky, stringed notes and riffs and The Muppet on drums. Like Cultus they used the lights and smoke to their atmospheric advantage often disappearing and hiding in the effect. Raven made good use of her tools taking turns with a bat on voluntary craniums, though the rope never went off stage.
Newest release The Key was well repped along with classics from 13 and Seven Sins. The cold beginning notes of “Hear Me Cry” brought snowbound isolation and candle lit contemplation. They welcomed one and all to the psychotic parade proclaiming “We are the Rejects.” A title most would widely accept with a cracked smile.
The slow fun circular stomp of “13” romanced the listener like alluring leather around the neck. Their demons are your friends they just need a new habitat in humanity. “Darkest Pit” brought inner screams and bloody prints from the emotionally unfit.
Five feet underground, the past dead carnival ride entertained a new post mortem crowd. In a sinister, sweetly spoken nursery rhymed omen of the afterlife. Two coins are no longer enough for the river rendezvous. They served up some blackened sins with some loud spins on the death wheel.
“Spider” swung back and forth teetering on webbed strands. “Twinkle Twinkle Little Scars” told you how demented and broken they are. With some fans not old enough to be damaged yet. While Raven was the heart and soul of the machine, the other threesome made the body move, taking turns turning up the spooky mood. Though she’s fueled by music and magic, part of her motion could be Ouija inspired.
The set progressed going deep into the set with Raven sporting a holla hoop and a friendly looking bear which fans tossed around posed with, with some not wanting to give it back and some treating it like Annabelle. The Dollhouse” doors opened. This wasn’t no fake, plastic dream-house invite. You’ll find Barbie chained in the basement with no sequel in sight.
The “Carnival” said goodnight for the evening, leaving all lingering wayward souls to find their own way to the light, or home.
Images/words – Mike Ritchie
Raven Black – www.ravensrejects.com
Living Dead Girl – www.livingdeadgirl.ca
Cultus Black- www.cultusblack.com
Anxious Arms – www.facebook.com/anxiousarms
Owls and Aliens – https://owlsandaliens.com
