Boomtown Brewery, in the heart of Los Angeles, was host to Go Ahead and Die. Igor Amadeus Cavalera (Healing magic), Max Cavalera (Soulful, Sepultura), Johnny Valles (Healing Magic), and Jackie Cruz. Go Ahead and Die is a newer project that released their self-titled album in 2021 on Nuclear Blast Records.
Walking into Boomtown Brewery, I thought to myself, There’s no way Go Ahead and Die is playing here. It’s way too fancy and full of tables and pool tables. Well, I happened to miss the actual venue and walked into the actual bar part, which is next door to the venue. The venue part is a giant warehouse, which brings back those dark, sweaty thrash and punk nights I used to go to in Los Angeles at random abandoned warehouses in DTLA. Although this venue wasn’t dingy, it wasn’t dirty, the sound was on point. One of the venues you can get up close to your metal heroes.
A little after 9:30, it was time for GAAD to hit the stage, and while the place wasn’t packed, it was honestly the perfect stage to get up close with Max and Igor. GAAD wasted zero time getting right into it. From the very first note to the last note, it was that old-school thrash metal we’ve been waiting for. Even if GAAD favors that old school thrash metal there are other elements in the music like crust punk and a slight hint of a black metal influence. While it’s crazy to see Max step back from fronting a band, Igor holds it down like he’s been doing this just as long as Max. Both Igor and Max share vocal duties, and their interchangeable voices work perfectly together. The one thing that will always make me a fan of Max and now Igor is how humble they’re and relatable to their fans. They’re constantly thanking the fans throughout the night for coming out and supporting this project. It’s those little things that keep us coming back and creating those amazing memories while connecting to their music.
GAAD stays true to the underground sound with heavy breakdowns and pure thrash metal riffs. This was a solid project from the start, and anyone who slept on this tour missed out heavily.
