The new Mr. Roboto has been going strong over the past few months since it’s opening in the fall of 2011. With multiple concert events going on including album release parties, debut performances, and local performances from a full spectrum of bands, the Roboto remains the heart and soul of Pittsburgh music. Even the audio equipment at the disposal of musicians is noteworthy, though there were some troubles with the microphones on this evening.

            There was a bit of waiting while Moths and the Roboto sound crew tried to figure out what was wrong with the PA system. As time ticked by, eventually the show got started with hindered vocals. Surprisingly Moths’ vocalist, Chris Hull, sang loud enough to be heard over the thunderous clash of his band mates.  Always a treat to hear someone scream to this extent; though an even tastier auditory experience was the technical expertise of the guitarists and drummer. The fine-tuned death metal rhythms were inconceivably tight. Every guitar sweep or drum roll was precision quality like a well-crafted diamond: gorgeous and hardened. As steady and extensive the songs were, Moths manages to captivate with technical musical prowess with a dash of prog.

            The PA system continued to be a pain in the ass for the black metal band, Vitandus. Hardly anybody could hear, let alone understand, the quaking growls being barked into the microphone, but there was an improvement in sound quality nonetheless.  Wagonloads of bloodied riffs devastated anybody without earplugs. The thickness of the sound blended a mixture of screeching old-school thrash with sinister undertones permeating from Norwegian black metal era. Which, taking the later into consideration, suited the young trio quite well when they performed an instrumental Darkthrone cover as their encore. 

            The night continued to become more vicious as underground throat crushers, Wrought Iron, tore through the Roboto. Blackened to a crisp, the malicious tones of grind and hardcore trudged and screeched their way through the audience. The lurching and leaping rhythms were consistently intense. If there was a larger crowd that was more into this sort of gut retching style of music, most likely body parts would be missing.