0 SHOW PREVIEW: Skeletonwitch / Skelator / Sol Negro / Elks Blood @ The Funhouse

Words by Nik Christofferson

Back in 2009 with producer Jack Endino at the helm, Ohio thrash metal maniacs Skeletonwitch recorded their 3rd and finest record to date, “Breathing the Fire”. The band laid down tracks at such notable Emerald City spots as Stone Gossard’s Studio Litho in Fremont and Endino’s own Soundhouse, making Seattle their home during the process. This puts Skeletonwitch into an elite group with bands such as Pelican that have recently flocked to Seattle to record with some of our fine local producers including Matt Bayles and of course the "Godfather of Grunge" himself.

Skeletonwitch has also been on a non-stop touring schedule, playing Seattle on multiple occasions before, during and after the record’s release including a raucous Chop Suey show last July with Saviours, Trap Them and our beloved Black Breath as well as a high profile gig with Children of Bodom and Black Dahlia Murder at the Showbox last October just prior to “Breathing’s” release day. If you are not familiar, Skeletonwitch play fucking thrash metal through and through. Yes, there are death metal elements especially when vocalist Chance Garnette upchucks hellfire into his microphone, but this is thrash metal folks-- Black t-shirts, whiskey, weed, epic shredding, and a damn good time will be had by all.

There are very few local bands as metal and as fun as Seattle’s own Skelator. Reunited back in 2008, the band re-released its 2003 debut and began to reassert themselves as underground metal gods here in the city. At the beginning of 2010, they jumped into the studio with a revamped lineup to start recording “Death to All Nations”. The slated street date for the brand new Skelator record is July 16th, and no doubt the set list will be heavy on new material and hopefully a few copies will be for sale as well. The short and skinny of it all? Skeletonwitch will shred balls, and the local metal supporting cast that also includes Sol Negro and Elks Blood is almost as big of a draw. Who needs a good kick in the pants?