Not to sit here and psychoanalyze the hardcore punk/metal audience, but they’ve always seemed a little desperate to FEEL something.
It’s hard to imagine a band providing a more visceral audio-visual opportunity for that than Code Orange.
Across the world, fans are walking away from major festivals blown away by the Pittsburgh band, which came home to remind us why Friday night at Mr. Smalls.
Just before they went on, on the five-band bill, there was a set by Chicago’s aptly named Harm’s Way that was like one long punch to the side of the head. Down in the pit, it was pure “Braveheart” with big dudes swinging their fists and spinning high kicks, some of which connected with other moshers and innocent bystanders.
It’s an odd way to experience music and it continued through Code Orange’s set, but the band from CAPA offers more than an iron fist.
Code Orange topped year-end metal lists last year with “Forever” because it spans a dynamic range through brutal metalcore, punk, industrial and atmospheric shoegaze.
The band also looks really good doing it. There’s bassist Joe Goldman stomping around like a demented GI Joe, Reba Meyers wildly twirling her red hair, and Jami Morgan driving the operation on drums and vocals with sweaty black hair hanging in his face. Bouncing around with them are guitarist Dominic Landolina — head shaved and looking completely crazed — and the more mysterious Eric Balderose doing triple-duty on guitar, keyboards and monster vocals.
How they’re all in one piece after a tour is a small miracle, especially when the huge Goldman is diving into the crowd with his bass. It’s an hour of controlled chaos, a mix of unleashed fury and muscular musical precision.
The Code Orange method is to pummel you with pieces like “My World” and “Forever” and then break it up with Meyers taking lead on dreamier indie/grunge songs like “Bleeding in the Blur” and “dream2,” with fluid, no-look guitar solos.
Formed in high school, the Grammy-nominated Code Orange has been raging now for a decade, and as Morgan is quick to point out, it’s just getting started.
Expect the next assault to be even mightier.
Scott Mervis: smervis@post-gazette.com.
First Published: June 2, 2018, 1:44 p.m.