Coming into its sixth yr, the annual Inkcarceration Tattoo and Music Competition made a vibrant return this yr, infusing Mansfield, Ohio, with a spectacular mix of visible and auditory artwork, set towards the evocative backdrop of the historic, now-closed Ohio State Reformatory.
Rock, metallic, and physique artwork have been intertwined because the daybreak of time, and Inkcarceration is the last word celebration of the 2 colliding in an explosion of self-expression, etching insurrection into flesh and soundwaves alike.
Like several notable rock pageant below the DWP umbrella, Inkcarceration has witnessed outstanding development through the years. With an expanded lineup of acts and a structure redesigned in 2021 to accommodate bigger crowds, it has constantly drawn over 75,000 attendees to its three-day celebration; and the primary day of the festivities was an auspicious sight of what was possible poised to be the most important iteration but of this celebration of sight and sound.
With heat but favorable climate situations setting the stage within the late morning on the primary day, the opening day’s celebration kicked off with a different array of bands. Standout performances among the many early featured bands would come with units by the theatrically charged and mask-totting nu-metal outfit Cultus Black, digital trendy rockers Widow7, and hip hop-tinged Florida metallic trustees Afterlife; the latter standing in for Ailing Niño, which sadly had been absent because of the widespread airline shutdowns that dominated headlines on Friday morning. Regardless of these sudden modifications, these acts managed to infuse the occasion’s early hours with blood-pumping power, thrilling crowds and stirring the rock spirit among the many enthusiastic throngs. The clear, sunny skies had been accompanied by a refreshing breeze, a welcome eventuality for this particularly sizzling summer time that allowed for the kinetic power of the music to be reciprocated with a vibrant response from the gang.
Because the early afternoon commenced, up to date metallic and metalcore upstart Darkish Divine took issues up a notch, laying down pummeling grooves punctuated by thunderous breakdowns and hovering melodic interludes. Their visible presence was notably placing, adorned in black apparel and elaborate face paint, evoking a devilish fusion of parts corresponding to famous acts like Motionless In White and Black Veil Brides. Frontman Anthony Martinez exhibited a simple command of the stage, sustaining a excessive degree of power all through a quick but triumphant set as guitarist Robby Lynch’s thudding, nearly djent-like riffing and drummer Triston Blaize’s stable equipment work additional bolstered a efficiency that incited an explosive surge of crowd-surfing and shifting our bodies.
Los Angeles-born various/indie rockers Holy Wars would convey over a sound anchored within the deep, resonant riffs of Nick Perez’s down-tuned guitar. But this duo outfit’s set could be typified by the showcase of frontwoman Kat Leon, her commanding presence bolstered by her placing orange hair, which was a vivid distinction to her black leather-based ensemble. With a magnetic mix of grace and uncooked power, she glided, jumped, and crawled throughout the stage, channeling each little bit of her charisma and perspective into the lyrics of every music. The band’s distinctive fusion of musical genres was on full show as they ripped by way of tracks just like the just lately minted and ultra-catchy “Rigidity//Launch” and the older industrial rocker “Little Godz”, every be aware and beat intensifying the gang’s response.
Groove metallic titans Bad Wolves took the stage subsequent and introduced down the fireplace one thing fierce, as they had been bursting with a palpable newfound. Whether or not this was as a consequence of touring guitarist AJ Rebollo upping his sport since turning into a full-time member, the very fact they’ve been selling a brand new album, or that bassist Kyle Konkiel determined to chop his hair brief, the outcomes had been instantly felt. One closely down-tuned crusher would give option to one other with rap overtones buying and selling blows with a extra conventional rocking vocal method of frontman Daniel Laskiewicz, however at each flip, there was a hook-driven refrain to reel in some viewers participation. Mainman and God Forbid guitarist Doc Coyle sported an LA Lakers 24 jersey and was typically the focus, although Laskiewicz continuously stole the present as nicely, approaching stage carrying a ball cap and pair of shades that he naturally misplaced alongside the best way throughout a dynamic stage efficiency that additionally noticed him tossing bottles of water to the gang and bending his again to inhuman levels throughout growled segments.
A really avant-garde show of madness got here subsequent when Cleveland natives and nu-metal icons Mushroomhead took the reins. This being their first efficiency since Welcome To Rockville again in Could, they reprised their typical array of visually gorgeous set items between their common elaborated costumes – that includes purple fits and vests this time round – and their customary large tambourine units at either side of the stage, that splashed water upon the beating of percussionists Robbie “Roberto Diablo” Godsey and Steve “Skinny” Felton. The power and enthusiasm degree was particularly excessive throughout their transient, half-hour set, and nearly all of their efficiency was an train in revving issues up with acquainted bangers just like the opening foray of “12 Hundred”, traditional hip hop infused staple “Solar Doesn’t Rise” and semi-recent metallic machine with a tribal edge “Insanity Inside”, warming up their fan-base for the arrival of their impending new album Name The Satan.
The aural fury was introduced to close show-stopping proportions with the entry of Ohio natives Chimaira. Marking their first pageant look in 14 years, calling this a triumphant return was nothing in need of a large understatement as they introduced their riff-driven, energy-infused show to high-octane ranges. The brief but candy set that they’d blare into the open air got here with a way of celebratory elation as lead vocalist Mark Hunter growled and howled whereas being flanked by almost each member of the band throughout their youth.
Guitarists Matt DeVries and Rob Arnold had been no much less bodily invested of their efficiency as they traversed across the stage, with the latter shredding away with the perfect of them throughout key solo segments whereas the previous chugged in fast, thrashing succession. Drummer and de facto “new man” Austin D’Amond –he’s been with the fold since 2011 – ferociously bashed away at his equipment including a spine that amped up the crushing sound, in the meantime the ecstatic crowds rode off the power of a boisterous, guitar-driven set at each alternative.
Brooklyn hardcore icons Biohazard took the stage subsequent, bringing their common mix of heavy-ended riffing and attitude-drenched, socio-politically charged discontent to the fore. Longtime guitarist and co-vocalist Billy Graziadei was absent from the fold on this event, possible because of the beforehand famous airline points, and was briefly changed by the music of drummer Danny Schuler. Bassist and frontman Evan Seinfeld introduced Billy’s absence simply after pummeling the gang with their first anthem, noting that they had been holding issues within the household as Schuler’s son knew each Biohazard music as they had been imprinted in his very blood. Suffice it to say, the efficiency would bear this out as ringer performances of “Shades Of Gray” and “City Self-discipline” stood as highlights of a showcase that was in step with this outfit’s common caliber of high-energy stay showings.
Submit-grunge stalwarts and pageant regulars Chevelle took subsequent to the stage, delivering their signature mix of hard-hitting, brooding anthems accompanied by a minimalist visible presentation. The Loeffler brothers, together with touring bassist Kemble Walters, stored their actions restrained, typically staying near their microphones and wearing somber black apparel. This translated right into a efficiency that was sonically highly effective however visually subdued. Pete’s vocals had been the central level to the well-received energy trio affair, exuding that melancholy and confessional various rock persona to a fault as he crooned and wailed his approach by way of spotlight performances of “Face To The Ground”, “Jars” and a stable set nearer displaying of “Mars Simula” with brother Sam making a formidable racket from behind the equipment and Walters projecting a stable basis onto the association.
California punk rock revival legends, The Offspring, cranked up the power to electrifying ranges with a blistering 13-song set. Having fun with a serious resurgence lately, they proved themselves to be getting old as advantageous wine, fascinating each in stage presence and sparking fixed crowd reactions. With the anticipation of the soon-to-arrive new album Supercharged and its hit single “Make It All Proper” dominating streaming platforms, the sheer measurement of their viewers was nothing in need of colossal. Frontman and guitarist Dexter Holland delivered every vocal line with the identical depth and fervor he did 30 years in the past when their breakout album, Smash, first took the charts by storm. Classics like “Come Out And Play” and “Gotta Get Away” unleashed waves of thunderous nostalgia, solely to be surpassed by a riveting encore of “Self Esteem.” The band’s set was peppered with triumphant moments, together with the high-octane “All I Need,” the anthemic “The Children Aren’t Alright,” and an explosive cowl of the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop.” All through the efficiency, Dexter and Noodles, bounded throughout the stage, embodying the attribute uncooked, and unbridled spirit of punk rock.
Groove/thrash legends Machine Head had been entrusted with the vital activity of escalating the heaviness because the daylight waned, and so they proved they completely knew how to try this after which some. This explicit efficiency was further particular because it coincided with frontman Robb Flynn’s birthday. The group enthusiastically welcomed the band to the stage by singing “Blissful Birthday” to him, creating an electrical ambiance from the get-go. With out lacking a beat, the band plunged headfirst into their set, with large pyrotechnic columns lighting up the stage to herald the opening music. What adopted was an unrelenting onslaught of sound, with Machine Head delivering riff after crushing riff. Flynn repeatedly amped up the gang, urging them to go wilder, which culminated in what might most likely be the weekend’s largest circle pit. Their setlist masterfully balanced traditional mid-paced anthems like “Imperium,” “Locust,” and “Halo” with quicker, ferocious tracks like “Darkness Inside” and the seminal “Davidian” additionally making a presence. All through the whole 13-song set, there wasn’t a single second the place the power flagged or the depth dipped, making it a memorable spotlight of the primary day, and a private favourite.
The day headliners, post-grunge titans Breaking Benjamin, would shut off the night on a excessive be aware with a long-winded, 19-song set that drew numerous followers round The Yard stage. Their opening trifecta of songs in “Failure”, “Till The Finish” and “Purple Chilly River” alone turned the ocean of avid onlookers into a large choir of accompanying voices throughout every signature refrain part, because the quintet of musicians manning the stage delivered every be aware with a potent mix of poise and energy. In a heartwarming twist, frontman Benjamin Burnley had his younger son be part of the band middle stage, guitar in hand. The boy’s spectacular capacity to maintain tempo with the veterans hinted at a vibrant future, maybe because the inheritor obvious to his father’s musical legacy.
The visible aesthetic of the present took a subtler method, with subdued lighting and a brooding ambiance that actually complemented the band’s intense, typically introspective fashion. This understated setup, possible a consideration for Burnley‘s well-known mild sensitivity as a consequence of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, solely served to intensify the influence of their efficiency. Fan favorites like “Breath” and “I Will Not Bow” resonated by way of the evening, their emotional weight amplified by the minimalist staging.
Set towards a backdrop of political turmoil and technological mishaps that had disrupted journey plans nationwide, the primary day of Inkcarceration 2024 stood as a testomony to the unifying energy of music. For these in attendance, whether or not they got here for the ink or the tunes, the day left an indelible mark—a vivid reminiscence of triumph and celebration amid difficult instances.
Special due to Jonathan Smith for his writing contributions to this article.
