On August 25th, 2012 the very day NASA moon man Neil Armstrong passed, The USS Hornet was host to a killer metal show - Slaughter By The Water III
www.bayarearocks.com/SBTW3/
The main stage was headlined by Thrash pioneers and Bay Area legends : Exodus. Also appearing was novo-punk powerhouse: PHILM featuring Slayer's Dave Lombardo on drums. The main stage also included: Autopsy, Absu, Abysmal Dawn, Impaled, Fog of War, Witchaven and Severed Fifth.
Slaughter By the Water III - MC'd by Testament frontman Chuck Billy was founded by Zombie Holocaust member Nicholas Gomez who wanted to make sure this event was successful and meaningful far beyond bringing in great bands to this awesome venue.
Sponsors of the event included The Native Warmth Project / wholeheart.nwp which helps Native Americans on the Pine Ridge Reservation get much needed blankets and supplies due to high poverty levels on reservations, they are certainly in need. The Native American Health Center www.nativehealth.org/ was also there in force helping provide the public with health information and medical assistance if needed.
Being that this is the Bay Area - we on the cutting edge of technology - The second stage he set up on the pier outside the ship was free to the public...because it was powered by the public. www.rockthebike.com/about/
As a loyal, lifelong, diehard Slayer fan, one of the bands I was really interested in seeing this year was PHILM featuring Slayer's own Dave Lombardo behind a much smaller drum kit. Pancho Tomaselli on the Bass and guitarist and singer Gerry Nestler make up this power trio of talented musicians that has a distinct, original style and sound, but then again - its a sound that is also strangely familiar. / philmofficial
Their album: "Harmonic" is quite frankly, BAD ASS!!! Seriously. Go buy it!!! You will not be disappointed. The dynamic changes within the songs and within the album are absolutely splendid. The hypnotic, ethereal, distant guitar tones, the powerful enveloping bass and Lombardo's beautiful articulation all over his set gives PHILM a full, well-rounded sound.
They are a band that touches on genres like heavy metal, hard rock, punk, jazz & funk. It's new music with an old soul that is deep, dark, funky and evil...but in a good way. "Harmonic" is an album receiving critical acclaim, yet has seen lackluster sales mainly because getting the name out and getting new fans in even for a guy like Dave Lombardo is difficult. The guys made it clear this is more than just a side project. In our interview Pancho and Dave discuss their overall dedication and goals with PHILM.
BUY HARMONIC NOW ON: Amazon.com
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASI...
Two of the coolest things you need to know about seeing this band live: First - Dave Lombardo's set is right up in your face ON THE FRONT of the stage. I like that. To be able to see Dave Lombardo do his thing is an absolute treat, especially in a project like this. #2 is each member of PHILM is truly a "professional" musician. These guys go off on musical tangents without rehearsal and without planning right in the middle of their songs on stage at any given time. This makes every performance different and special for their fans. And as a fan of music and a fan of musicians, it is great sight.
As a lifelong metalhead, I urge you take note of PHILM. Buy their album Harmonic and check them out on the web
The USS Hornet: Commissioned in November 1943, she joined the U.S. forces in the Pacific for WWII. She has also survived service in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and plucked Neil Armstrong and crew out of the Pacific Ocean after they returned from the moon on Apollo 11 before being decommissioned in 1970,
A Historic Landmark, in 1998 the Hornet was opened to the public as a museum right here in the Bay Area at the old naval yard in Alameda, California. Home to Slaughter By The Water III.
/ slaughterbythewater
Songs by PHILM in this video appear courtesy of PHILM are from the album "Harmonic" (Ipecac Recordings). Some video footage taken from PHILM's music video "Mild" a song from the album "Harmonic" (Ipecac Recordings) and "The Making of Harmonic" directed by Rick Kosick.
Ipecac Recording
www.ipecac.com/
Rick Kosic KZfaq Channel
kzfaq.info...
Some footage provided by Capital Chaos TV / capitalchaostv
Field Producer/Director: Mike Collins
Written/Edited By: Chris Parsons
Cameras: Mike Collins & Ivan Shumaker
Grip: Crow (Ed) Beerling
Produced for BAM Magazine.com by Kat Stevenson
Special thanks to the USS Hornet Museum, Kristina Wolf, Nicholas Gomez, Jason Boule and all the bands for their help and cooperation in making this piece.