Article & photos by: Linda Carlson

Cincinnati, OH – What a tremendous night for intense metal music in downtown Cincinnati.  The Deadmen and Dragons Tour 2022 lineup was beyond fierce, and the crowd was ready for some serious head-banging and moshing.

First on the stage was Khemmis, formed in 2012 in Denver, Colorado.  Having garnered attention for their doom metal offerings (notably 2016’s Hunted), they are hitting the circuit to promote their latest album, Deceiver.  Phil Pendergast (lead vocals, guitar), Ben Hutcherson (guitar, vocals), David Small (bass) and Zach Coleman (drums) laid down a solid set.  There was minimal stage lighting for their performance, which brought visual darkness to the experience.

Whitechapel was next to perform.  Founded in 2006 in Nashville, the band is named after the Whitechapel district in London where infamous serial killer Jack The Ripper prowled.  The band relies heavily on guitars, with Phil Bozeman (vocals), Ben Savage (lead guitar), Alex Wade (rhythm guitar), Zach Householder (guitar), Gabe Crisp (bass) and Brandon Zackey (touring drums). There is something unassuming about Bozeman when he enters the stage, with his short-cropped “corporate” haircut, but when the man opens his mouth to sing, watch out!  Deep guttural growls emanate that lay the foundation for the band’s show.  Terrific performance!

Between The Buried And Me hails from Raleigh, North Carolina. Currently promoting their latest album, Colors II, the band consists of Tommy Rogers (lead vocals, keyboards), Paul Waggoner (lead guitar), Dustie Waring (rhythm/lead guitar), Dan Briggs (bass), and Blake Richardson (drums).  The use of keyboards adds a unique dimension to the band’s progressive metal sound.  It was during this set that mosh pits began to form, and crowd surfing picked up.

Headliner Trivium was superb, offering a complex blend of metal and mainstream, guttural growls and melodic vocals, intense stares and broad smiles.  Vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy (with that tongue!) was both ferocious and approachable, with guitarist Corey Beaulieu and bassist Paolo Gregoletto constantly on the move, while drummer Alex Bent let his drumsticks fly.

Heafy interacted with the crowd throughout the set, enticing fans to cheer loudly when he stirred some in-state rivalry by mentioning that Cleveland was next on the tour, asking who would be a better crowd?  Circle pits formed and were rigorously maintained, and crowd surfers kept coming forward.

The entire night was a rousing success for metal fans.

The tour still has a few weeks remaining, so check any of the bands’ websites for upcoming dates!