Do you ever have a night when you go to a club, a killer line up is featured, and every band opts for red lighting? Now, although it is cool looking on stage, to a photographer, it can be a challenge and nightmare. But, the band is there for their fans, so that is what is important. I have to say, when walking into the Lowbrow Palace in El Paso, TX, I was blown away with each local and traveling band that performed. I’ve never seen Soulfly, but was so thrilled to hear them all the way to the end. The opening bands King Kalopsia, Skin Flint, and Mutilation Barbecue all brought their A game for a heart pumping night of hard metal rock. 

King Kalopsia, a local band from El Paso since 2016 consisting of two members to the band, brought the best to the Lowbrow Palace. With just a bassist and drummer, they brought an intensity from the underground and delivered a great mix of music. I would like to see more of these guys in the future.  

Follow King Kalopsia: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Skin Flint 

Comprised of guitarist/vocalist Giuseppe Sbrana, bassist Kebonye Nkoloso, and drummer Cosmos Modisaemang this band originates from Gaborone, Botswana. They are a heavy metal African band. They bring a little bit of their native land to the world of heavy metal.  

Playing shows in Southern Africa, Kenya, and enjoyed successful tours as far as Sweden, U.S.A., Switzerland, and Germany, they have been able to spread their message and open up the world to their style of metal. In 2024, they released their eighth album Balio. In interviews, they have explained that this album was produced with no special effects, but not raw; they wanted people to see that what they heard in the album was exactly what you would hear live on stage.  

While listening to them, I could feel the African traditional sound blended with the heavy metal feel.  

Follow Skin Flint: FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | WEBSITE

Mutilation Barbecue 

Mutilation Barbecue is a Cleveland, Ohio, based five-member death metal band. They have recently released their third album called Amalgamation of Gore. Although this band has only been playing together since 2020, they have a tight sound, driving guitar riffs, and hardcore bass lines. Their music is a mix of gore, death, sex, and cannibalistic vocals. They are in your face, letting you know they own the stage as soon as they enter. As a young band, they sure are working with the right people, and hanging out with Soulfly will help bring their sound to the surface.  

I am looking forward to hearing more from Mutilation Barbecue. Follow the band for more of their music and story. 

Mutilation Barbecue | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

Soulfly 

Phoenix, Arizona based Soulfly is celebrating their last album, Totem, released in 2022. This is the 12^th album released by them since they started in 1997. Soulfly incorporates many styles of metal with Brazilian tribal and world music, headed up by Max Cavalera, former member of the Brazilian thrash metal band Sepultura.  

When Cavalera was starting the band, he wanted a name for the band to be deeply spiritual and invoke tribal belief. The name comes from many tribes’ beliefs that when they make music, they are evoking the spirits of their ancestors through the music, and their souls are flying around them when they are playing their instruments. They have been described as a nu metal thrash groove band with a mix of death and alternative metal sound.  

The band members are Max Cavalera (vocals/rhythm guitar), Mike Deleon (lead guitarist), Mike Leon (bassist), and Zyon Cavalera (drummer). They started the night out with their hit single “Back to the Primitive,” from their Primitive album, followed by “No Hope = No Fear” from their album Soulfly. They performed a little from each album, including “Superstition” and “Filth Upon Filth” hits from the Totem album. There are rumors that Cavalera is looking to release a new album in 2025.  

Follow Soulfly| WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM