A combination of "grind" and "powerviolence" music from Forest Wars will be added to the Athens music scene for an evening.
The Smiling Skull Saloon has hosted punk shows for years now, and an Ohio alumnus will be returning to the Skull’s stage this Saturday. Domestic Terror, Forest Wars, Heartworm, Pit Control and Rader will be playing at 10 p.m. with an entrance fee of $3.
Domestic Terror, the headlining band, has a “brutal” death metal sound, and the band is from Columbus. Heartworm, from Lancaster, creates music in the grind genre. Pit Control is a hardcore band from Columbus with multiple vocalists. Rader, the opening band from Athens, plays a mix of punk and hardcore.
Jordan Holland, the vocalist of Domestic Terror, graduated from Ohio University in 2009 and has played at The Skull with previous bands while in school.
“For whatever reason since I left I haven’t had the chance to come back and play, so getting the opportunity to play is pretty exciting,” Holland said.
Domestic Terror has been around for about the last six years, but the current five members have played together for the last two and a half years.
Holland plays alongside two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer and added that finding a place for the band to play isn't always an easy task.
“We’ve been playing consistently at any opportunity,” Holland said.
Domestic Terror released a new EP last week, High on Violence, that is a narrative on the human condition and inclination toward violence, Holland said. The band’s music is available on Bandcamp and iTunes.
Holland said The Skull is known for being a gritty venue, one that’s not afraid to book extreme or heavy bands.
“The Skull is the perfect place for a punk show. It will be loud. It will be sweaty. It will be great,” Sarah Kennedy, an employee at The Smiling Skull, said.
John Montgomery, the vocalist for Rader, booked the show and wanted to bring bands he likes to the area.
“There are a lot of different genres that people book, but as far as hardcore goes, I started booking shows that we would want to see, with bands that we want to play with,” Montgomery said.
The bands playing Saturday all know each other well and have played together before.
“We’re all pretty good friends and have been playing for years,” Holland said. “I also played in the band Pit Control."
All of these bands love the opportunity to play, Holland said — especially in a small town that has a diverse music scene.
“I haven’t been this excited for a show in a long time," Holland said. "It’ll be as positive as it can be for a death metal show.”
Support for heavy music is important so bands with a heavy and extreme vibe can continue performing live, Montgomery said, adding that everyone should attend Saturday's show.
“The show will be a good time, very rowdy and fun,” Holland said. “Athens always felt like a close community, and I hope it will be the same way.”
