Misery Index had a sort of homecoming this past weekend at the intimate and incredible Baltimore Soundstage on Saturday (15th). Finishing up their recent mini-tour of the (mostly) Northeast United States with Nails, Outer Heaven and Ulthar, Misery Index featured both the old new in their set, pleasing both the hardened veteran fans and the many new listeners on hand who seemed to get hooked on the band’s newest release, Rituals of Power, on Season of Mist records.
From Rituals of Power the Maryland-based quartet performed “New Salem,” “Hammering the Nails,” and the crushing “Naysayer.” “Naysayer” is probably my favorite cut on their newest record, however, the reality is that all the tracks on that album are absolutely killer, as we note in our review back in February.
Songs like “The Clarion Call” and “Conjuring the Cull” got the room moving – not that the room was ever not in motion. There was an immensely cool circle pit right from the first notes of opener “We Never Come in Peace” and it never really stopped. The extremely diverse crowd featuring folks from all walks of life and genre scenes found something to love at this show and in this band. My personal fave was “Manufacturing Greed” – I can listen to this band play that song all day long. Sometimes I even do.
It wouldn’t be a Misery Index show, of course, without “Traitors” to close it out and the band didn’t disappoint. Misery Index hits Europe next with dates starting later this month. Tour dates can be found here.
Rituals of Power can be purchased here.
