LIVE REVIEW: ICE NINE KILLS SOLD OUT SHOW AT THE SACTUARY

Ice Nine Kills welcomes Fargo to Horrorwood Saturday night at the Sanctuary Event Center.

   Live music has been making its way back around and Fargo, North Dakota has seen its share of great shows this year, with this one being no exception. Touring ahead of the release of The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood, the follow up album to The Silver Scream, Ice Nine Kills brought their horror show to a sold out crowd.

   Starting the night were Florida natives, Fame on Fire, who built their fan base around their alternative rock renditions of the Top 40's. But Fame on Fire aren't just a cover band anymore and they brought their own material with them on this tour. Their originals went over with the audience just as well as their covers and you could even hear many fans singing along. In an industry with so many trying to do the same thing, standing out is necessary, and I feel that FoF is doing what they need to to leave an impression. They are vibrant and hungry for the stage, but hold themselves to a standard, appearing much more seasoned than they are.

   Following were Currents, which I honestly had no idea what to expect as this was my first time hearing them, but the crowd loved them! Their setlist was filled with melodic choruses, heavy breakdowns and a mixture of dirty screams with well placed clean vocals. They were polished and well practiced, which came as no surprise after looking into the band's extensive touring history with names such as
We Came As Romans and As I Lay Dying.

   Escape the Fate were the third and final act before Ice Nine Kills. This was my second time covering and third time overall seeing Escape, and though I can't say each set varies much from the last, they always put on a good show. They know their listeners and give them what they want to hear, playing favorites like ‘Ashley’, ‘One for the Money’ and ‘Ungrateful’. Their energy is always high and their crowd interaction is the peak of their performance.

   It is 9:40pm now and the room is like a sauna, the air made thick by the fog rolling off the stage. The lights are dimmed and tinted red, while classic horror movie themes play over the speakers. The crowd is chanting “ICE NINE KILLS! ICE NINE KILLS!” when suddenly five men in suits emerge from the dark.

   For lovers of heavy music and scary movies, Ice Nine Kills has no shortage of material with each song played being an ode to a horror story. The theatrics added to the individual themes with wild visuals on screens behind the members and props to coordinate. There was an array of masks, decapitated heads, flashing lights, weapon wielding, clowns, and even a shark! It’s entertainment at its finest. After the raving reviews of the band’s live show based on the first Silver Scream album, it would only seem logical that one would want to experience part two, thus the sold out show.
   This isn’t to say that the band rides completely on their performance and reputation, the music itself is engaging. Though a little gimmicky for some, INK’s music is full of heavy riffs and catchy hooks. 

   Frontman Spencer Charnas’ vocals are impressive and clear live, and his charismatic presence sells the innuendos of murder and damnation as ‘fun’. Being veterans of the scene, there are years of experience that come into play when writing music that is so specific, while staying relevant across the board.  
   When I initially read that it would be open to all ages, I did not expect to see the range that I did. There were children from the age of eight to men and women in their sixties. The young girl in front of me was probably one of the most enthusiastic, headbanging and singing every word including the screams, and she couldn't have been any older than twelve. It’s always great to see a multigenerational show, proving rock really is for anybody and there is something out there for everyone.

​There are only a handful more dates left of this run, and if you are hesitating still to snag a ticket I wouldn’t wait any longer! The Silver Scream 2: Welcome to Horrorwood is set to release October 15th via Fearless Records.

Full ICE NINE KILLS Photo Coverage Here
Full ESCAPE THE FATE Photo Coverage Here
Full CURRENTS Photo Coverage Here
Full FAME ON FIRE Photo Coverage Here