by: Stephen Szczasny
Artist: Havok
Tour: Conformicide Tour 2018
Date: July 24, 2018
Venue: Reggie’s
Chicago, IL.
Where do I start with these guys? Havok has been a huge influence on me since high school. Seeing these guys is always a great time; they’re super tight and give off this astounding energy when they play live. The first time I saw Havok was back in 2013; they had an in-store appearance upstairs at Reggie’s where they used to have a record store called “Record Breakers” (That store has since moved into their own building in the Avondale area). It was a fucking great time; they played a short set and I had the opportunity to meet the band. It’s one of my favorite memories from going to shows; needless to say, Havok has a special place in my non-existent heart.
On this run, they’re wrapping up the touring cycle for their latest record Conformicide, which was released back in 2017. They plan on spending some time writing and recording their next release after this run is finished. If that performance was any indicator of how their next record will sound, then I am extremely stoked for it. They were killing it! As usual, they sounded as tight as the spandex hair bands sported back in the 1980s. Every song they hammered out was an assault on the ears. I was loving every fuckin’ second of it. They broke out fan favorites such as “Scumbag in Disguise”, “D.O.A.”, “Time is up”, etc. They also sprinkled in some of my favorites from their latest release including “Ingsoc” and “Intention to Deceive”. All in all, a great setlist that would satisfy every fan of this band.
I’m looking forward to catching these guys live again soon, and absolutely anticipating their next release to rip my face off. If you haven’t witnessed the utter mayhem of Havok live, then do yourself a favor and snag a ticket the next time they roll through your respective city.
Cheers \m/
Shredding Metal Maniaxe 