A long tour in the making, Stitched Up Heart, Infected Rain, and Butcher Babies, brought together their front woman in metal empowerment to Empire Garage. Put off due to the covid pandemic and Visa issues by Maldova based Infected Rain, the tour took about four years to bring to fruition. With so many bands breaking through, it’s difficult to keep up with all things heavy music and its upcoming new talent. These three bands, however, have showed they have staying power even without ever breaking into the mainstream of heavy music.
Stitched Up Heart is a band that has been around for over a decade now, and something that is owed not just to their music and active performance schedules, but also to their digital engagement with fans. Stitched Up Heart is one of the bands that engages most with their fans online. This has clearly brought forward a fruitful relationship that shows during their live performance as well. The crowd was engaged completely throughout. I have personal hopes that this band gets a greater recognition in due time.
Infected Rain brought a heavy wave from Maldova, an important accomplishment given the recent pandemic. Infected Rain had their start in Europe with bands like Jinjer, playing on the same bill. Singer Lena Scissorhands, while ruthless on stage, was the kindest off, taking pictures and signing all the merch for every single one of their fans.
Having seen Butcher Babies during one of their first runs through the States, their opening gig with Black Label Society back in 2014, seeing the band headline their own show and hear the progress of their vocal skills in person was both impressive and delightful. It was clear that both singers had dedicated time to their craft since the last time I saw them. Heidi Sheppard in particular has finally mastered her growl and guttural’s.
An ugly side to metal is the ongoing mysoginy. While a lot has changed since the early days of the genre, Butcher Babies is one of the bands that dealt with this ugliness. Regardless, nearly a decade into their career, the band has shown they have dedicated themselves to the genre and their role as front women. The broken noses, of a predominantly male crowd, in the nasty moshpit the band incited is proof.
Stitched Up Heart
Infected Rain
Butcher Babies
