10/13/2022
Narcotic Wasteland
The Rave
Milwaukee, WI

On a brisk evening, The Rave parking lot was quite active, with tailgaters blasting all sorts of metal tunes. The atmosphere was festive. The beer and drinks were flowing. The line to enter the venue moved quickly. Entering the basement room of The Rave you see a stage straight ahead and merchandise stands off to the left. Both sides of the room had bars open and full of patrons. 

Narcotic Wasteland took the stage and the floor in front of the stage was filled. There was no room to stand. Off to the left side of the stage had tables and chairs. Patrons stood on them to get a view. Frontman and founder Dallas Toler-Wade casually took the stage and laid into the first riffs of the night. The lead man is a veteran of the metal scene. He knows what it takes to put on a great performance and he did just that. Through his raspy and scratchy vocals, the lyrical content hits a nerve. With nothing but an honest description of the times and tales, we weave in these shaky times it surely turned heads. Toler-Wade’s guitar playing stood out. Shredding through chord progressions with ease. His fellow guitarist visually gave off shades of the great Dimebag. Wavy hair draped over his face while holding his guitar upright he slashed through the speedy riffs in a defiant way. Across the stage, on the left, bassist Chris Corcione, went full America on everyone while sporting American flag pants that shined brightly in the darkened room. His playing though was brutal. He laid down the room shaking low end while hugging the front of the stage. Absolutely relentless. Smashing away on the drum kit directly behind Wade-Toler center stage was touring drummer Joseph Howard. With his headphones on he laid waste to his kit and at times delivered backing vocals when needed. The technical prowess of his abilities was on full display. The entire pace of the show depended on his capabilities and he delivered. 

All in all, Narcotic Wasteland brought its brand of thrashy goodness to the famed Rave venue. They blasted the anxious crowd with face-melting sounds. The crowd reciprocated the love with some slam dancing in the pit and screaming up front on the barricade. With a set list that covered both of their releases 2014’s Narcotic Wasteland and 2017’s Delirium Tremens. These South Carolina metallers meant business and cashed in. Hell, afterward they even hung around and treated fans by sticking at their merch booth. These days it is a rare occasion to see that. Narcotic Wasteland is worth the price of admission. No cheap gimmicks, just straightforward metal.

Setlist:
1. Pharma Culture
2. Keeping Up With The Joneses
3. Bleed and Swell
4. Killed By The Algorithm
5. The Best Times Have Passed
6. You Will Die Alone
7. Anthem For The Mentally Scarred
8. Coastal Killings
9. Return To The Underground
10. Introspective Nightmares