No Calm Before The Storm at KNOTFEST, Jones Beach, NY
Knotfest is one of the biggest U.S. festivals which celebrates heavy metal music culture. Finally seeing it become a tour and bringing the festival to everyone’s backyard, is a fantastic reality for so many people who don’t have the funds to travel to see the festival.
Although there were only four bands playing compared to the numerous groups that usually perform on Knotfest, it is quite enough to keep fans returning each year for the big name lineups the festival is known for. Slipknot’s “no fucks given attitude”, Volbeat’s rockabilly antics, Gojira’s extremely heavy grooves and Behemoth’s satanic rituals all flooded the Jones Beach, NY venue for one last hurrah in the summer. Knotfest literally brought the thunder with them, a very fitting way to close out the Summer.
Knotfest Photos by Phil Ryabkin:
The amphitheater at Jones Beach was flipped upside down by Slipknot’s set. It was a live act that unified all metal-heads in attendance. Whether you were far back by the seating area or the GA in the pit, the impact that Slipknot was providing for their fans was truly felt by all. The nine person ensemble ensured that everyone received the spectacle they knew would ensue at a Slipknot concert. Massive metal melodies like “Wait and Bleed”, “Before I Forget”, “Pyschosocial”, “The Devil In I” and many Slipknot mainstays all were part of the nearly two hour set. Massive mosh pit action and chorus chants echoed throughout the venue. Although Corey Taylor is center stage, each Slipknot member contribute to fan interaction through their haunting alter egos. They are not only the heavy and sinister musicians we’ve come to praise, they are the stage props which further animates their live music. Whether it’s Corey Taylor’s all star main vocal performances, Mick Thomson’s blistering guitar riffs, Shawn Crahan’s percussion’s / back up vocals or Alessandro Venturella’s increasingly heavy bass lines, all of Slipknot play each instrument to an incredible degree from years of forming an intellectual dynamic of musicianship.
Volbeat is the last band you would ever expect to play on a tour like this, but they put the pedal to the metal for this tour. Seeing Volbeat open up for Metallica in 2017, it’s amazing how far they have come. Truly one of Rock’s most unsung heroes at the moment. In between Volbeat’s set, Long Island’s rainstorm swept in with high tides rising from the beach, and fans got to party and headbang like animals under heavy rains. It was quite a sight, to behold a mosh pit sloshing around in a foot of water that pooled into the massive outdoor amphitheater. Volbeat’s groove with a slab of heavy metal made the setting absolutely perfect. Their set-list was comprised of a good mix of songs like “The Devil’s Bleeding Crown”, “Still Counting” and “Black Rose”. Volbeat pushed their limits to prove that they can keep up on a tour such as Knotfest.
Gojira’s one of the heaviest openers to grace the Knotfest tour and couldn’t be happier that they’re receiving such a monumental amount of exposure. Featuring extraordinary heavy guitar tuning and out of this world drum patterns, Gojira is set to shock and awe many people who experience their performances. After all, their name is a literal translation on the Japanese pronunciation of “Godzilla”. Gojira was also the first band to truly get the ball rolling for the show in terms of a very big mosh pit. Plenty of fans lashed out their aggression to when the first notes to “Toxic Garbage Island” hit immediately. Gojira really got their set rolling out of the gate as the ensemble wasted no time showing no mercy to Jones Beach. Hearing hits like “Stranded” & “Flying Whales” really got the aggression started with the type of night fans that would be in for. Gojira may have only played for 30 minutes, but it no Gojira set ever goes unappreciated, especially for some who had been there to see them for the first time. Gojira’s music has a sort of chant-like sound which is always their recipe for an ultimate adrenaline rush.
We came very late to Behemoth’s set at Knotfest, barely making it to catch the last song, “Chant for Eschaton 2000.” We managed to hear the booming Sabbath Matter from the Jones Beach parking lot as well and appreciated the small moments shared with Behemoth despite missing a good portion of their set at Knotfest. Vocalist & Guitarist Adam “Nergal” Darski’s screaming abilities are absolutely more powerful than ever before. Everyone felt the impact during his shrills and shrieks during their set. The Blackened Death Metal ensemble fast paced, heavy instrumentals paid homage to Satan throughout their brief set time along with a pyrotechnics show for every portion of the song. It’s good to see one of the most extraordinary and heavy metal bands on the planet get the exposure they deserve.
