Article and photos by: Wendy Podmenik Woodell

NORFOLK, VA– This tour features a very cohesive lineup- stylistic similarities abound within, yet there are some key differences. All in all, a tour created to appeal to those who follow a certain genre, metal with a dark gothic twist, and in one case (Ice Nine Kills), thoroughly twisted.

Saturday night, Chartway Arena hosted the final night of the two month long Trinity of Terror tour. Three bands, each rotating through the headliner slot city by city, each playing a 50 minute set. Ice Nine Kills was the first of the three in Norfolk, and watching the show was akin to watching a Broadway musical. Props, actors, theatrics, costumes, sets. Vocalist Spencer Charnas and crew are avid fans of classic horror movies, and draw inspiration from such when writing their material. From Psycho to Nightmare on Elm Street to Stephen King’s It, key scenes were reenacted on stage in a swirling speeding recap reel. Latest release Welcome to Horrorwood has received critical acclaim as a superior, complete and cohesive body of work.

Second band Black Veil Brides are busy promoting The Phantom Tomorrow, which is in a similar vein as an operatic concept album. Self described by the band as “dark, baroque, cinematic”, it was inspired by musicals and movies- with character development, journeys where the darkness is balanced by rebirth and joy. Song to listen to: “Crimson Skies” with a rousing speed metal intro.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-dAzkwzLWc

The night concluded with Motionless in White, who take the show in a third direction, yet visually again with a goth and macabre influence. At times with more of an industrial metal feel, they have an exciting new album due for a June release Scoring the End of the World. Obviously timely with the current worldwide political situation and after the pandemic shut down of the last two years, Chris Motionless sings with a fierce intensity and purpose. The raging and intelligent “Cyberhex” and ballad “Masterpiece” are the first two singles released from the album, which is available for pre-order via their website.

https://www.motionlessinwhite.net/