Hideous brings its orchestral metal sound to Club Congress
So Hideous’ new track “Yesteryear” opens with a melodic piano underscored by a constant and quiet percussive “thump thump.”
As it builds, the song becomes a heavy metal torrent with vocal strains of a scream-o — you never really understand what the vocalist is singing as the drum beats become more frenzied amid blistering guitar.
So Hideous founder and guitarist Brandon Cruz dubbed his music orchestral metal and has said his intent was to write music that took its lead from contemporary composers such as Arvo Pärt and classical giants including Beethoven, then twisting it into a ball of intense hardcore rock.
So Hideous has been around since 2008, and has two EPs and a full-length album to their credit. On Friday, May 6, they will bring their latest — and largely regarded as their most ambitious — recording, “Laurestine” to Club Congress for a free concert. The seven-song conceptual album, released last October, has garnered mixed reviews. The music website Monolith praised the album for “complex time signatures and cinematic quality (that) pushes the band above and beyond their contemporaries,” while angrymetalguy.com said the album initially recalls the rising black metal outfit Deafheaven before devolving into a repetitive swirl overtaken by its classical music ambitions. “The classical music has ceased to be a flourish and has flooded out the guitars altogether,” the review concluded.
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Doors open at 8 p.m. for Friday’s show at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. So Hideous is co-headlining with metal outfit Bosse-de-Naga, and opening acts are Languish and Chronovorus. Admission is free and its a 21-and-older show.
Also coming to Club Congress this week:
- Canadian bluesman Matt Andersen teams up with fellow Canadian Lee Harvey Osmond — a psychedelic folkie — for a show at 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 10. $12 in advance at ticketfly.com or $15 at the door.
‘Making America Great Again’ with David Cross
David Cross is bringing his “Making America Great Again” tour to Rialto Theatre on Thursday, May 5.
But lest you think after reading the title that the comedian is here as a Donald Trump surrogate or perhaps making his own White House run, think again.
In fact, early reviews of the 50-city tour which kicked off in February suggest that if you are a Republican, you might want to sit this one out.
Travis Laurence Naught of The Big Smoke America, reviewing an early show in Spokane, Washington, said Cross “masterfully punches holes in ... religion, racism, sexism, homophobia, work ethic, drugs, gun control, police issues, immigration, food, domestic violence, rape, tattoos … I’m sure I’m leaving something out, but it all piles upon itself after a while.”
The former star of “Arrested Development” and “Mr. Show” is an equal opportunity offender; there will be Democrats wincing at his words and commentary on the state of that side of the political aisle, as well. But that’s what makes America great, right — expressing diverse opinions to find a middle ground?
According to Naught, you might not want to hold your breath for the middle ground happy ending.
“Make sure you are mentally prepared for things to get uncomfortable,” he warned.
Thursday’s concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Rialto, 318 E. Congress St. Reserved seat tickets are $30 to $45 at ticketfly.com or the Rialto box office. Details: rialtotheatre.com or 740-1000.
“Making America Great Again” is Cross’s first standup tour in six years. He has been off the road doing several projects including Netflix’s resurrection of “Arrested Development,” a reunion with “Mr. Show” costar Bob Odenkirk on the Netflix sketch series “With Bob and David,” and his own IFC series, “The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret.”
