A month or so ago, I saw an event pop up on my Facebook feed for the show with Jeff Loomis and Soilwork in El Paso. They had Bonded by Blood on the bill as well, so with that lineup, I was instantly ready to go. Unfortunately, I work Thursday nights, so I was sad.

Then one day (Wednesday night), Glenn asked if I could cover his show so he could take care of some personal business, and I jumped on it! I could go!

Some small problems... Bonded by Blood dropped off the bill with a faulty transport, and then in St. Louis the other day, Jeff Loomis' band got all their gear stolen and have had to drop off some shows. Black Guard, too. I'm still bummed, as I've been a fan of Loomis for a while, ever since I first heard "In Memory" from Nevermore (which also featured guitar-beast Pat O'Brien from Cannibal Corpse fame).

This meant the show was down to just Soilwork and Hatchet. I was still looking forward to seeing the show, as I've been hearing amazing things about Soilwork's latest album. I'm also a big thrash fan, and there are some great young bands bringing back the thrash scene, like Evile (my favorite), Gama Bomb, Bonded by Blood and Hatchet.

I got in the building a little after 8:30, listening to Hank of the Destuction Moose tearing it up. Good band, and people liked them. Then, the guys from Hatchet began setting up and line checking. They definitely have the whole 80's thrash band look about them, with the skinny black jeans, sleeveless shirts, leather and studs kind of thing. The guitarists busted out the Jackson guitars, which always is a sign that they want to shred. It's just a Jackson image thing. And they did! Great band, nice guys, and after their set, they came and hung out at the merch booth, talking to people and signing stuff.

Check them out when you get a chance. I really liked "Fall From Grace", "Vanishing Point" and "Scream of the Night", among others in the set.

After some more drinks, and a birthday shot with Lisa from the KLAQ Morning Show, it was time for Soilwork to hit the stage. Being from Sweden, these guys are a bit bigger than you usually see on stage. (Isn't it funny how small famous musicians tend to be?) They kicked off the set with some new stuff, the opener was "This Momentary Bliss" from the new album "The Living Infinite". Check out the video below.

They slammed through a bunch of new stuff, older songs, and really kept the crowd going and energetic! Dirk Verbeuren is a powerhouse behind the kit, as well as being a great technician, and all the guys in the band played with precision. Heavy as Hell, but still with melodic parts and clean singing bits, these guys really killed at Tricky Falls last night. Pick up some Soilwork and relieve some stress with loud, aggressive metal!

More From KLAQ El Paso