Tempest – Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA)
Eddie
June 2015
Behind White Knuckle Riot’s mask
The Sacramento band unveils its plans for heavy metal domination
Learn more about White Knuckle Riot at www.facebook.com/WhiteKnuckleRiot.
Anyone who’s attended a show in last year probably noticed that the attention spans of both band members and attendees is practically nonexistent. Most bands seem to want the coveted middle slot and nobody wants to open or headline the show.
Overall, musical solidarity is getting harder to find in the local scene.
The members of Sacramento’s heavy metal squad White Knuckle Riot, however, have made great strides to unite those in the city’s different metal genres and get their band seen and heard in the process. Rather than just playing the same clubs repeatedly, this band has its sights set on bigger things, including an upcoming tour with with fellow locals FallRise and the Alpha Complex.
The band, which plays in masks that obscure its members’ faces, features Johnny Schizo ECV (vocals, guitar) and Misfire ECV (bass), Cory “Durus Cora” ECV (guitar), Robbie Fingers ECV (guitar), and Brian “Beatdown” Kelly (drums). Yes, those are stage names, and, yes, the ECV stands for E Clampus Vitus, a largely secret society devoted to the history of the American West and, in particular, the long-forgotten miners.
History aside, the band’s members say they’re looking forward to the upcoming run of shows on their Insane By Daylight tour, in no small part because of the people they’ll be working with, including a member of the iconic metal band Motograter.
“We joined up with Mike Woodruff from Tattered Wings Booking Agency and they are now booking our shows,” Schizo says. “Mike also played in Motograter and is now in the Alpha Complex.”
The tour will give all bands equal billing, he adds.
“On this run, we’re simply going to switch off headlining slots in each town. … Everybody’s really cool to work with,” Schizo says. “We know there won’t be any big egos since we’re all working for the same thing: to be seen and heard by more and more people.”
In addition to the shows, White Knuckle Riot also just released a new EP, Lullabies to Murder By; the collection is one of the band’s best yet, Schizo says.
“It includes four of our strongest songs to date,” Schizo says of the release, which is currently streaming online and will be available at shows for $5.
Songs like “Rise Up & Remain” and “Opposition” are anything but typical suburban metal fare. Fans of early Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front’s older anthemic metal and punk, and even current metal fare &#;agrave; la Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb Of God or Testament, will love the immediacy of the background gang-style vocals and shredding guitar riffs on both jams.
“We’re providing a voice for the youth and those who can’t speak up by simply standing up for our beliefs and convictions,” Schizo says of the music. “There’s so much bullshit in the news these days and the things we’re allowed to see on mainstream media are so screwed up and mostly one-sided. I do a lot of research on YouTube [for lyrical content] … and I definitely think our government is doing some sneaky shit as well.”
Conspiracy theories aside, the band’s members collectively share more than 15 years of experience playing and their median age hovers around 37. That said, White Knuckle Riot has only existed since 2013. In the short time since they formed, however, they’ve earned headlining status at shows and a legion of fans who flock to see their onstage schtick.
Those quick to misconstrue the band’s onstage garb and band name should note that these five guys are anything but thugs.
“We wear bandannas over our faces only for the first couple of songs for effect,” Schizo said.
And, behind the masks, they really are a bunch of decent fellows, Schizo insists with a laugh.
“We haven’t really had any fights at our shows sans a couple of ones involving our girlfriends.”
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Potluck
Sat., June 27, 7 p.m., The Boardwalk, $16
It’s going to be hard for security to enforce “no smoking” at a Potluck show. After all, the majority of the hip-hop duo’s catalog is about harvesting and inhaling large sums of cannabis. The group comes from Humboldt County and features Joshua R. Leiderman (a.k.a. Underrated) and James Nnaemeka Kerri (a.k.a. 1 Ton). After several successful albums on the Suburban Noize label (run by members of Kottonmouth Kings), Potluck quickly rose to headlining status. Coincidentally, it has a new record appropriately titled #StonerProblems. Can’t guess what this one’s about, can you? Also on the bill are J Terrible, No Genre, Modern Day Profits and the Legion of D.O.O.M. 9426 Greenback Lane in Orangevale, www.facebook.com/potluck.music.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Disentomb
Tues., June 23, 8 p.m., Blue Lamp, $15
Sacramento has become quite the metal destination. Not only are national metal acts playing the fair city, so are many international acts. Brisbane, Australia’s Disentomb is a wicked quartet that’s somehow channeled the best moments of the genre’s greatest exports without sounding coerced nor derivative. Its latest full-length album, Misery, came out in late 2014 and Disentomb’s here on American soil along with friends and labelmates as part of the appropriately dubbed Misery Across USA tour. Expect to have your mind blown and your innards mashed to a pulp. Also on the bill are Cerebral Effusion, Delusional Parasitosis, Iniquitous Deeds and Embodied Torment. 1400 Alhambra Blvd, www.facebook.com/disentomb.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Eliane Elias
Mon., June 22, 8 p.m., City Winery, $35-$65
Although Eliane’s first name has probably been misspelled on more marquees and programs than she’d like to admit, her fans certainly know who she is. If you’re a fan of Brazilian music and enjoy a heavy dollop of piano thrown in for good measure, Elias serves up a wonderful concoction. Like the popular drink from her native country, the caipirinha, her music is both sweet and tantalizing while amazingly potent. Her latest album is called Made In Brazil and was released in late March to rave reviews. After stints on both RCA Victor and Blue Note records, the move to her current label Concord only seemed natural. 1030 Main Street in Napa, http://elianeelias.com.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Tesla
Sat., June 13, 6:30 p.m., Thunder Valley Casino Resort, $32.75-$169.75
Say what you want about Sacramento’s Tesla, but this group of guys has been doing things their own way ever since their debut record, Mechanical Resonance, on Geffen Records. Although unceremoniously lumped in with the hair bands that dominated the scene at the time, this band proved it’s staying through sheer determination and a bunch of solid records. And while it may be best known for an acoustic version of Les Emmerson’s “Signs,” the group’s catalog is quite impressive on its own. Tesla’s latest record is called Simplicity and was released yet again on its own Tesla Electric Company Recordings label. Bay Area hard rockers Y&T open the festivities. 1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, http://teslatheband.com.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Pinnacles
Fri., June 12, 8 p.m., Center for the Arts, $10-$12
Nevada City’s Pinnacles started in 2013 and released the album Automaton in 2014. Fans of well-crafted art rock and harmonies will enjoy the vocal interplay between Justin Hunt (sBach, Them Hills, The Bears) and guitarist Robbie Landsburg (Ghost Pines) on standout tracks like “Johnstone” and the ever-so-catchy “Nocturne.” If you’re a fan of Them Hills, By Sunlight or simply smart, angular rock, you are hereby summoned to check out this show. It’s one of the many local showcases dubbed “The Discover Series” by the Center for the Arts—a great way to kick off the weekend. Opening are Number Station and Bull Goose Loony. 314 West Main Street in Grass Valley, www.facebook.com/pinnaclesband.
(SN&R)
Eat, drink, dance
7 p.m., Juneteenth Ball
Now in its fourteenth year, the Juneteenth Ball, presented by Sacramento Juneteenth Inc. and the Sacramento Juneteenth Black Chefs Collaborative, aims to please. The event, part of the holiday celebrations to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States, will feature culinary concoctions from area wineries and chefs. The festivities are part of a broader three-day event that will also include a gospel ball and a parade. 7 p.m., Saturday June 20, $50. The California Museum, 1020 O Street; http://sacramentojuneteenthinc.org/
festival/juneteenth-ball.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Psychosomatic
Thurs., June 11, 8 p.m., Psychosomatic, $10
Jeff Salgado and his cohorts in Psychosomatic can play on virtually any metal or punk bill and go over like gangbusters. The band toes the line between furious and spurious heavy metal fare and breakneck punk rock. Salgado, who at times resembles a younger Tom Araya (Slayer)—while simultaneously playing bass and belting out vicious lyric schemes—doesn’t let you stand still at his shows. Since 1988, this band has been opening for many big-name national acts including (but certainly not limited to) Exodus, M.O.D., Fang, Attitude Adjustment and Hirax. Also on this raucous bill are punk legends Dr. Know, Kill the Precedent and the Strange Party. 2030 P Street, http://officialpsychosomatic.com.
(SN&R)
Eight Gigs: Agalloch
Sat., June 6, 8 p.m., Midtown Barfly, $15
Portland’s Agalloch will make Sacramento the second stop of its tour of the greater West Coast area. It’s a testament to the many devoted talent buyers locally (which include Shuffle Six) that shows of this magnitude and ilk even get routed here. Once a pass-through city for touring acts, Sacramento has seen a healthy resurgence of headlining acts not only coming to the area, but returning after successful shows. Agalloch mixed elements of folk, black metal, doom and even post-rock on the fabulous The Serpent & The Sphere in 2014 and its back-catalog is equally impressive. Joining Agalloch on this trek is Helen Money. 1119 21st Street, www.agalloch.org.
(SN&R)