Date: Tuesday May 19th
Venue: Phantom Power
Subjects: Infected Rain, Stitched up Heart, Mantra of Morta & Unwithered

This was truly a bucket list night for me. I’ve been wanting to book Infected Rain and Stitched up Heart for years as I’m a big fan of both acts. To be able to have them in one night along w/ such dear friends like Mantra of Morta and Unwithered it was truly an epic night. It being a Tuesday night we didn’t want it to go to late so we got it kicked off at 6:30 w/ one of the most promising young metal bands in the area UNWITHERED. The band absolutely brings the heat with their live performances and also makes it fun. During one song they select two crowd members and give them nerf type swords to duel it out throughout the track. This sometimes opens up pits or simply just gives the crowd something else to observe during the set, meanwhile vocalist "Ghostie” circles the dueling couple with her growls and screams monitoring and refereeing. Onstage the band is an onslaught while off very calm and polite. I feel if they keep going the way they are and get in front of the right crowd, I can see them getting some festival appearances.
Up next was Indiana’s MANTRA OF MORTA. Speaking of bands that are more then ready for Festivals and have already performed a few such as Michigan Metal Fest and Milwaukee Metal Fest. We are looking at you Danny Wimmer, let’s get them at Ink in Mansfield. Jessie Cochran is a true force on the stage and the definition of a what a Frontwoman should be. She can sing, scream or whatever the song calls for meanwhile will smile at you. Her signature long hair going round in circles as she truly enjoys her own band’s music. As for the ensemble of rhythm the rest of the band including Josh Cochran hold down the perfect metal canvas for her to paint. When this band is in your area, i encourage you to go see them.

Jessie Cochran of Mantra of Morta Performs at Phantom Power

It was then time for the touring portion of the show which began with STITCHED UP HEART.‍ ‍ They have been around for a while now and every time they perform it seems they improve. Playing old songs and new they kicked the show off with “Sick Sick Sick” off the upcoming new record “Medusa” being released on June 12th. Lead vocalist Mixi called the evening a typical Monday night before being corrected (its Tuesday) and firing back “Exactly my point”. She was very playful throughout the evening invoking a few Female only pits and bantering with crowd members. They played a few newer tracks to the delight of the crowd, one of the most popular being “Glitch Bitch”. The band has not lost a step and in fact is getting stronger as the new stuff is some of their best work they have done.

Lena Scissorhands of Infected Rain performing at Phantom Power

INFECTED RAIN SET:

Mutation Phase
01. “The Answer is You”
02. “Dying Light”
03. “Fighter”
04. “Orphan Soul”
05. “Black Gold”
06. “Stranger”
07. “The Realm of Chaos”
08. “Ut Supra”
09. “Pandemonium”
10. “Never to Return”
ENCORE:
11 . “Because of You”
12. “Judgmental Trap”

Ghostie of Unwithered Opens the Show at Phantom Power

Mixi of Stitched Up Heart Performs at Phantom Power

As advertised the night truly belonged to INFECTED RAIN and their absolute powerhouse vocalist Lena Scissorhands. She is a presence on stage, and you truly feel like your seeing something special just by watching her. Very calm with her aura telling the crowd to raise their fists or start a pit, meanwhile if they don’t get into it enough, she simply calls them shy. The Moldavian metal makes the you pay attention with their brutal beats and her growling sometimes singing vocal range. The tour dubbed “The Mutation Phase” tour features old favorites, the newest single “Stranger” and as she put it a special gift to the crowd each night which is a brand new unreleased song called “Ut Supra”. No word on release date for that track but its a spectacular song. Her Orange hair flailing around and sometimes even being used as a mask makes the scene on stage even more surreal as you watch and witness the performance. They closed out with “Never To Return”. Though it was unaptly titled as they did return for a two song encore featuring “Because I Let you” and “Judgmental Trap”. Once again I highly encourage you to see them when they are around and I’d be surprised to not see them at more Danny Wimmer festivals in the coming years.