In 2006, Ash Avildsen started Sumerian Records. In a time when many record labels were struggling, Sumerian found success and they’ve been able to consistently sign hardworking, talented metal bands. To celebrate a decade of success, they kicked off the Sumerian 10 Year Tour this past February. The tour has ended and the second to the last show was held at the Reverb in Reading, PA. A full day of music was scheduled with the festivities kicking off at 3 p.m., when the outdoor stage opened. Several regional metal bands played for three hours to warm up the crowd for the main event which was scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on the indoor main stage.
The Reverb is located one hour west of Philadelphia and a short two-and-a-half-hour drive from the New Jersey shore. Rather than head to beach, as many local residents do during the Memorial Day weekend, metal fans packed the Reverb instead. Sumerian Records put together a solid lineup for this tour which made the choice between the beaches of New Jersey and live music at the Reverb an easy one to make.
The night opened with Bad Omens. The band was formed by singer, Noah Sebastian, and they were recently signed by Sumerian. They haven’t released an album yet, but the group has been releasing some fantastic singles, including “The Worst in Me,” “Glass Houses,” and “Exit Wounds.” Based on their new music, I was excited to watch them performance. The set was short, but the impression it left was large. Bad Omens are a talented bunch and they appear to have a bright future. The music was fantastic and Sebastian’s gritty, yet melodic, vocals sounded great. There is no release date on their upcoming album, but I expect it to be a solid effort. Check out the Bad Omens photo gallery here.
ERRA followed Bad Omens, featuring new singer, J.T. Cavey. Cavey replaced Ian Eubanks after his amicable 2015 departure. Cavey did not disappoint with his live performance, showcasing great vocal range. Despite the heavy vocals, it didn’t appear that Cavey broke a sweat and his singing was effortless throughout the set. The band played for approximately 30 minutes, with a selection of songs from their latest album, Drift, including “The Hypnotist” and “Irreversible.” The remaining tunes came from their 2013 release, Augment. You can check out the ERRA photo gallery here.
Following ERRA was Upon A Burning Body and they hit the stage like they were shot from a canon. The set was high energy and high speed, so much so that the light show quickened its pace to keep up with the performance. They played a mix of songs mostly from their latest albums, The World is My Enemy Now, released in 2014, and Red. White. Green., released in 2012. At one point, and it may have been right before the tore into “Sin City,” singer Danny Leal encouraged body surfers to take aim at the stage barricade. Within moments bodies were tumbling over the barricade as the crowd raised their arms with horns held high. Each note played seemed to raise the excitement level of the audience higher. When the band walked off the stage, the crowd dispersed to grab well deserved cold beers and fresh outdoor air. You can view the photo gallery of UABB right here.
The crowd was thrilled to see After The Burial appear for their set. The tragic death of longtime guitarist, Justin Lowe, was devastating. Understandably, the group dropped out of the 2015 Summer Slaughter Tour. During the performance, singer Anthony Notarmaso took time to thank the fans for the outpouring of cards, letters, encouragement and sympathy. It was a somber, heartfelt moment when he spoke and he made it clear that he and his bandmates were moved by devotion of their fans. For their set, they chose songs from most of their catalogue, including the 2008 release, Rareform. From their latest release, Dig Deep, they played “Lost in the Static” and “Collapse.” Check out the photo of After The Burial here.
Born of Osiris headlined the show and stepped onstage around 10 p.m. They wasted no time tearing into a 90-minute set with songs that spanned their entire catalogue. Their set came complete with heavy smoke and lasers. I never saw the band live, but their performance at the Reverb was incredible. They had tough acts to follow, but Born of Osiris was on top of their game as they played through a 16 song set, including “The Other Half of Me,” “The Sleeping and the Dead,” and “Illuminate” from their latest release, Soul Sphere. They tossed in a few from their 2007 effort, The New Reign, including “Open Arms to Damnation” and “Empires Erased.” You can view all of the photos of Born Of Osiris here.
The Sumerian 10 Year Tour ended on May 29 at the Park Street Saloon in Columbus, Ohio. If you missed it when it went through your town, you missed a good one. The good news is that Sumerian should be around for another 10 years. There’s no doubt their 20-year anniversary tour will be as good as this one, so don’t miss it.
