By Christopher David<\/p>\n
Returning to Chicago for only their second time, Fresno horror-doom trio Beastmaker brought their evil riffage to the Bottom Lounge on Friday in support of Zakk Sabbath, their 40-minute set proving that they’re ready to tackle headlining gigs in our fair city any time they please.<\/p>\n
Opening with “Evil One” from new album Inside the Skull<\/em>, the setlist leaned heavily on new material (including the savage “Nature of the Damned,” the video for which you should watch immediately), which was a perfect compliment to standouts like “Mask of Satan” and “Burnt Offering” from last year’s debut, Lusus Naturae<\/em>. Beastmaker has blazed a fast path – two albums in two years with heaps of critical praise for their sound that combines the best elements of modern-day stoners like Electric Wizard and the classic song structures of vintage Black Sabbath. Weaving the live set together with samples from 1970s horror films, vocalist-guitarist Trevor Church, bassist John Tucker, and drummer Andy “Juan Bonham” Saldate are the definition of ‘power trio,’ offering enough volume and crunch to satisfy any and all fans of doom metal.<\/p>\n Beastmaker have promised to tour the U.S. again in the fall – so do yourself a favor and keep an ear to the ground for the Chicago return of one of the best new metal bands out there.<\/p>\n For more on Beastmaker, click here<\/a><\/p>\n