KILL VAN KULL
and
RETRIBUTION
At The Rock

By G-Man

The new, improved 1998 Kill Van Kull made its debut at The Rock in a crisp set that left no doubt about the determination, drive and dynamic volocity of this band. They've not slowing down. They're not treading water. They're moving forward with new-found excitement. Rick Steel pounded his monster drum kit using sticks of TNT and Catman injected rhythmic melody on the funkiest bass in metal. New frontman Sebastian Black sings with passion, making KVK even more powerful than before. Dave Bates, who stepped into the guitar slot on very short notice, can play at the speed of light, but he brings a refined sense of style that means all his pyrotechnics are supportive of the songs. KVK is bigger, better and badder than ever.

Retribution opened the night with a searing set of blistering numbers that had the crowd shouting for more. They deliver a convincing wall of sound on crunching numbers like "Torn" and "F.U.P.C." and just about tear down the place with stuff like "Doom," "Retribution" and "Phenomenon." What's most impressive about Retribution is how they lock into a groove even while creating a barrage of sound. Using a classic Roland guitar processor enables them to cover the entire sonic spectrum. Retribution is Eric Sleight on wails, Jeff Mestemaker on multithuds, Thomas Nave on the deep sonic booms, and Scott Tarantino on the six strings of death.