Although I remember reviewing a CD or DVD release or two in the past from the Genitorturers, I had to admit that they were never really my thing and I was more focused on the blazing Power Metal or the crushing sounds brought on by those dark Norwegian powers that be. Of course there was a certain amount of curiosity about how they did their stuff in the live sense and fortunately when the group came through town to promote their latest album “Blackheart Revolution” I felt it would be the perfect chance to learn. The show would be at The Gramercy Theatre and have Nassau Chainsaw and Sex Slaves as the openers. I wanted to see what everyone was like tonight so I made sure to arrive nice and early. Here is how the show went down for those who are wondering.

Nassau Chainsaw: As I walked in to this band’s set, and based on what was happening up there on the stage, my thoughts are that they are the same group that I had heard about and missed once before at this same venue. Essentially it was something of a Rapcore/Metalcore band that used a couple of vocalists and a conventional grouping of musicians and then would also offer one of their friends the chance to be suspended high above the stage and swung out over the heads of the crowd by two other dudes. In truth this was perfect for the setting that Genitorturers would bring to the table, but since this swinging dude was a big guy I had some serious fear as he was being swung over my head. I kept visualizing the chain giving way for some reason and him landing on top of me or some of the other Metal fans in the crowd. To be honest this whole set was lost on me, and I didn’t enjoy it. I am sure it is someone’s cup of tea but just not my own. I pretty much just counted the minutes until they were done and they stopped playing, disconnected their friend and made the stage clear for the Sex Slaves. If the whole “suspension” thing is your bag then you might love this but I felt that the sound the band had needed a little bit more as well. I’m not a fan of how Rap is used in Metalcore all that much either and think we are finally at the time where that genre moves on from anything Metal.

Sex Slaves: I met the Sex Slaves a few years ago when they were recording what I think was a debut album and since that time the guys have issued upon their fans the new release of “Wasted Angel”. I’ve not heard the release yet but will assume that their set was focused on it. The band is a three piece unit and performs a brand of Sleaze Punk or Trash Rock when it comes down to it. It was very energetic and lively as a set and seemed to have some of the audience rocking to what they were delivering. The band is fronted by Eric 13 who sings and plays lead guitar while Del Cheetah handles bass and backing vocals. He might have sung a full song as well during the show but I lost track at one point. The drums are solidly maintained by J Bomb. This would be the first time I ever caught the Sex Slaves in concert and I had to say that they did a great job of getting the place in the proper mood for the Genitorturers set which was coming up soon. I would see them again and hope to be able to absorb that new CD at some time in the future.

The Genitorturers: I was really curious about what would happen during the set by the Genitorturers because I had only heard stories in the past and seen those couple of video releases. It was clearly wild stuff and something that you don’t want to bring a younger member of the Metal faithful into the mix of before they hit a certain age. That’s based on the very sexual nature of the presentation and the fact that the group delivers some scandalous lyrics on top of this Industrial Metal fetish show. The group is fronted by Gen who sings and does the larger part of the performance in terms of the costumes and theatrics and they usually feature Evil D on bass who many might recall as being a member of Death Metal legends Morbid Angel. Mr. Evil was not present tonight and handling the bass in his stead was Nate “Hate” Manor who we are well aware of from being someone in the Wednesday 13 band. Guitar comes from Eric Griffin while drums are courtesy of Angel. Everyone in the group looked to be prepared for the part at the show but as mentioned earlier, the main attraction is Gen herself.

The group’s newest album is called “Blackheart Revolution” and comes care of Retribution Music. I’ve listened to it briefly and found it to be pretty good for what it is. Having never truly been a study of the whole Industrial Metal vibe some of that ethos is lost on me. The show this evening was more about the visual side of this band and believe me Gen was pulling out all the stops. She first arrived in an outfit that made her look like a more Metal version of Madonna or perhaps in accordance with today’s music scene, a Lady Ga Ga on steroids. She exudes sexuality in her delivery and seemed to have the audience in her thrall from the minute she walked on the stage. It was wild stuff to say the least and while there were a few additional props on the boards it was nothing to make you take your eyes off of her and instead keep them focused on Gen’s every move. The band sounded really good and I was finding myself more impressed with them in this setting than on an album and perhaps its because the bands that use a lot of visuals are better received in this fashion as opposed to merely on the stereo. During the set we also found a giant of a dominatrix come out in a bra and panties which I admit was an odd look for a guy but worked well within the context of the show being delivered. This same dude came out a little later in a devil mask and outfit for the song “Demon In A Bottle”. All of these visual surprises were bringing the bands songs to a larger than life manner which made the whole show a rather effective piece of entertainment for the dollar.

I would see The Genitorturers again if the chance arose and this is based on the fact that I am sure that no two shows are alike. There might be some similarities across the board but I am guessing that many of the antics are decided upon as the night progresses. Another interesting part of the show would be the type of audience that the gig attracts and we saw some really unique characters in the venue and it really brought the experience to a whole new level for me. We talked about some of that coolness in the blog so please check that out. There were models, vampires and other domination type people walking around and it was a far cry from what is found at those Power Metal shows that I enjoy so much. Thanks to the Genitorturers for leaving me with a show that I will not soon forget.

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Official Web Site: www.myspace.com/genitorturers
Official Web Site: www.myspace,com/sexslaves
Official Web Site: www.nassauchainsaw.com