It's 3 Kings Tavern, it's Metal On The Move, it's a proven formula for a great time. Unfortunately…read moredue to an common illness called "workus interruptus", I arrived late only got to see the very tail end of the first band, Forbidden Temple. I looked them up online and they're described as "rock/metal/folk" and couldn't find much in terms of audio. However, I did see a live video on Youtube and it seemed like it matches that description well, it was a softer song with some noticable folk influences, which is a genre I do enjoy quite a bit. They say they also do cover songs which is always good. I would have liked to have seen them and the people I talked to said that they put on a good show. Next time for sure.
Got some local craft beer in me just in time because local band Driven by Turmoil was up next. These guys came out and they kicked ass seemingly without breaking a sweat. It was a fun energetic performance. They played groove metal/rock and it was a damn fun time. You could tell these guys just enjoyed what they were doing and they brought that attitude to the stage. They're running and jumping around, making sure everyone was awake and their crowd interaction was great as they got down in there. It was a phenomenal set and I haven't seen too many bands in this genre lately so it was a pleasant change of pace. It was a fun time that's for sure, these guys are a treat to see live, can't wait 'til the next time.
In good spirits, between bands I went over to that Demolition Man pinball game again to get my '90s on. It seemed like the next band came on really quick so I had to let the last ball fall through so I could see them. I ended up with 133 million points, only a billion off from the high score, fuck yeah. Soon Simon Phoenix those three seashells will be mine...
Aloris was up next! These guys played a softer set than the last band but it was some good rock music played well. Perfect "calm before the storm" of Iron Kingdom. These guys played with passion and variety. Tempo changes, melody, it was a nice set that appealed to the crowd. More and more people came over to the stage as these guys played and it wasn't bouncing off the wall metal, it was a more reserved performance which is by no means a bad thing. They played softer rock and mixed it up with some hard rock, it blended extremely well and introduced some nice variety to the night.
Iron Kingdom was next and these headliners came all the way from Canada to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and customs took their bubblegum at the border. Holy shit what an awesome time! I never mention other reviews when I write mine, but this excerpt from "EyesofGlass" on Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives says it so well I had to quote it; "Have you ever heard one of those bands that actually manage to recapture the energy, power and most important of all, the sound of its idols without sounding as a cheap, unoriginal copy and crafting some really memorable tunes? Well, that was my experience with Iron Kingdom."
Fans of old-school heavy metal like Iron Maiden would be right at home with these guys. They maybe-kinda sound like Iron Maiden a little bit, but not really. It's a different and unique enough take on classic heavy metal where comparisons between the two Irons isn't really accurate. They offer a fresh, energetic take on the classics, and like the aforementioned quote says, they really make it their own. Incredible performance to say the least. They even did a Helloween cover, which was fantastic. Excellent in every regard, the energy, the unison, the riffs, the sound was perfect, the vocals were clear. It was like a time machine to the earlier days of metal and even more surprising when you realize this band formed just 5 years ago in 2011. They're clearly headed for glory, I'm so extremely glad I was able to see them live.
Last band of the night was Greenmountain and it was a perfect band to end an amazing night. They had a heavy doom sound that would appeal to bands of bands like Sleep and Bongzilla. Vocals were minimal and that helped the immersion factor. This is the kind of music that really just draws you in. It's an atmospheric heavyness that just grabs you and doesn't let go. It was slower as doom metal is, but there were some faster parts in there. I think that doom metal is one of those genres that has a stark contrast between hearing live and hearing from headphones. Without being there and experiencing the instruments in person, I personally don't think it has the same effect. I like doom metal and have a few albums I sometimes listen to in the genre, but I think it's just exponentially better live. This genre and especially these guys excel playing live and it's just pure bliss. Plus their last song was called "Quarter pounder with kief", how could you not love it?