A perfect event for a full moon, last night was the reunion of one of the Twin Cities' favorite hardcore bands, Song of Zarathustra, at the Triple Rock Social Club. While the band (who formed in 1997) is originally from Sioux City, Iowa, members relocated to Minneapolis and re-formed after a brief split in the late '90s. Their constantly-changing tempos, abrasive guitars, screamed vocals and incorporation of electronic elements (including a drum machine and keyboards) made them favorites of the Midwestern punk, metal and hardcore scenes. SOZ broke up for real in 2003, and members have since formed Chariots and the Cardinal Sin.
The Triple Rock was packed with enthusiastic fans giddy to relive their '90s hardcore days (also, maybe this is just me, but everyone seemed friendlier than normal!). Although probably due more to the fact that they haven't yet had a chance to write much in the way of new songs, vocalist/keyboardist Travis Bos pleased fans by announcing early on in the set that the band would only be playing old material.
Gay Witch Abortion and STNNNG opened the show, with STNNNG performing some new songs - according to singer Chris Besinger, even newer than the ones that will be on their much-anticipated next album. Not sure if this is indicative of what the new record will sound like, but the newer material STNNNG played last night seemed darker, slower and gloomier.
"This is another moody one," Besinger announced before one of the new songs. STNNNG's third full-length will be released in the spring on Modern Radio.
Read an interview with Bos in the Twin Cities A.V. Club, in which he thanks the fine people of Minneapolis (especially the University of Minnesota's Radio K) for their support.
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