Browzer @ Bobby Ink Slingers (07.17.09)

The warm summer heat radiated from the brick of Bobby Ink Slingers/Sanctuary on Friday night, a testament to the burning July sun long since slipped past the horizon. The fire and heat were inside of Sanctuary after dark nearly burnt the building down on July 17th, though, and a random passerby tried to call the fire department but was waved off. The crowd told him that we didn’t need the water, let the building burn.

There have been good words going around about Browzer, a four member metal band out of Benton and Calvert City, Kentucky. Rumor had it that this band was the absolute shit on both their recordings and their live performances, enough for this writer to go and drive a hundred miles out of their way to see if the hype was true.

A parade of youths packed in equipment and instruments through the front door prior to Browzer‘s set, where skeptics and goers not familiar with the band were left to wonder were they to be part of the doomed mass of head bangers in front of the stage or were they going to take the stage as their own?

Tattoo guns hummed in the background in anticipation, laying down fresh art with steady hands. Metal and ink are perfect bedfellows, creating a balance to the Force like Carbondale in June. Community pops up in the most random places and a good eye and soul are all that is needed to find the way.

The wall of sound that broke loose lied to its witness - the stark contrast of the visual versus the audio of these baby-faced cowboys from hell was pure and utter magic. The maturity of their original work was on par with the Slayer and Children of Bodom shirts they wore while defying all logic - they should not be this good, yet they are. Even their cover of “Domination” by Pantera was so spot on that Dimebag Darrell was seen lurking in a dark corner and laughing at the joyful noise.

Lead singer Dave’s rally cry of “Show me your horns!” was the highlight of the show where the look of joy on each member’s face worth every drop of gas burnt. Head bangers and old farts alike raised their triumphant horns to the sky in unison as Dimebag slipped out the back door, trying not to be noticed. Rarely do you see bands that are totally sober and look like the happiest bunch of hooligans to take music and make it their bitch on stage.

The head bangers soon broke into a mosh pit, their sincerity doubtful, leaving one girl trampled in the course of teenage madness. She looked started and disoriented as her friend pulled her back to her Chuck Taylor'ed feet. The signal was set for the over twenty-one crowd to quietly excuse themselves from bodily injury, left to listen to the magic from outside of the cinder block walls, radiating heat from the inside instead of the sun. Cigarettes were smoked and discussion was made as the fire department rolled into the parking lot, bewildered that the fire was imaginary and it was a false alarm.

Everything that you’ve heard about Browzer isn’t true and you shouldn‘t listen to the hype. This band is better than any review can capture, their sincerity unmatched. The trouble is that the words to describe any of the other bands that played that evening aren’t in the toolkit where I left them - Browzer ran off with the story.

(their next show at The Sanctuary is 31st July, 2009. Either be there or be a bitch.)