Bile Built to Kill Pittsburgh

On Friday, September 27^th, industrial music returned to Pittsburgh with a vengeance in the form of NYC industrial metal legends Bile. They brought their patented blend of industrial programming and overdubs, intertwined with bludgeoning metal guitar riffs to a small club called The 31^st Street Pub. The club is renowned for showcasing the best that industrial, punk, alternative and hardcore artists have to offer. It’s a cozy little place, maybe 30ft X 60ft, complete with a bar running down the length of one side. Adding to the charm is the venue’s collection of skulls and signed cymbals, drum heads and guitars that cover both the walls and ceilings. Kicking the evening off was local Pittsburgh favorites The Molecule Party. They are without a doubt, one of the most interesting bands in music today. Their unique style of music can only be described as a mutant hybrid fusion of an industrial/punk version of the B52’s on a Manson family holiday. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Bile Born to Kill Tour/The Molecule Party/\”] The band is the brainchild of Shawn Murphy and the chemistry between him and his partner in crime, co-vocalist Jessica Estus, is undeniable. They ripped through a five-song set consisting of songs like “Lord Of The Floor” and “Blackout.” Both vocalists sang as if their lives depended on it and did an excellent job of priming the crowd for what was yet to come. Up next was without a doubt the biggest and best surprise of the night- Toronto, Canada-based upstarts The Rabid Whole. They mix elements of KMFDM, Nine Inch Nails, Linkin Park and Powerman 5000 with stunning results. Combine that with the dual vocal assault of frontman Andreas Weiss and co-vocalist and keyboard player Chalsey Noelle and you have something that is truly different than anything else out there right now. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Bile Born to Kill Tour/The Rabid Whole/\”] The band tore mercilessly through an eight-song-set consisting of songs like “Future,” “New System,” “Stargazer” and the title track from their 2^nd cd “Refuge.” Bassist Oscar Anesetti was an animal with excellent stage presence and drummer JJ Tartaglia pounded out an epic drum solo. Guitarist George Radutu added a hefty layer of guitars along with some pretty sweet solos. Remember their name, with the right management team behind them, this band could be huge. Up next was the rhythmic insanity of the almighty Bile and the band hit the stage like a 9.0 earthquake. Their post-apocalyptic fluorescent painted faces, glowing in the black lights that surround the stage, just added to the overall creepy effect that consumed the audience. The band plowed through song after song of Bile classics like “I Reject” and “Suckpump” with unabashed enthusiasm. Their bass player is a hairy beast of a man, who prowled the stage like a deranged lunatic and the drummer/programmer in the back did a fantastic job of fooling the ear into believing there was a real drum kit on stage with a drumming octopus bashing the skins. All the while frontman Krztoff worked the crowd like he owned them, beating them all into submission. The over the top metal assault of “In League” received one of the best responses from the crowd, whipping them into a frenzy that resembled a rave more than a concert. Their cover of the J. Geils band’s “Love Stinks” is another fan favorite that garnered one of the biggest sing alongs of the evening. The night drew to a close with the crowd chanting loudly “You Ain’t Nothing” and Krztoff thanking the now-spent audience for coming. Despite a rather lackluster sound and lighting system which often saw the vocals lost in the mix, every band gave a performance of the highest caliber and every fan who came left feeling extremely satisfied, wondering how long it would be before they could see them again. [lg_slideshow folder=\”2013/Bile Born to Kill Tour/Bile/\”] -Eric Hunker