J. R. Taylor

I'm running late when I get to Avalon at 8:45 for the big thrash-metal show. Most of the audience got there right after they finished their homework. That's okay, though. I'm getting to enjoy Silent Civilian, fronted by former Spineshank frontman Johnny Santos. They're pretty good for a metal band with a clear Peter Frampton influence. Santos also knows his audience, since he's careful to mention that the new album is available at Best Buy.

The kids all look pretty wholesome, and the mosh pit is a slap fight. They may mostly be here to see Ill Niño, but I'm a lot more excited about God Forbid-whose new album IV: Constitution Of Treason is the best political album of the year, stomping all over Bruce Springsteens's minstrel act and Neil Young's temper tantrum.

Paul Simon's sonic slumming with Eno is actually pretty good-but, verily, it cannot compete with the thrashing greatness that is God Forbid. Too bad that the band comes out with a stumble in the ol' rumble. Byron Davis marches to the front of the stage, lets out a mighty roar, and discovers that his mic is turned off.

To his credit, Davis thinks that's pretty funny. He only needs a few seconds to reestablish his rightful role as the Lt. Worf of metal. The band itself looks great, with each member resembling a villain from a different film starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson. And the live sound easily recreates the band's neat trick of laying down sheets of sludge that cover busy playing worthy of a prog-rock epic.

The band does an admirable job of defusing things when the formerly tame mosh pit breaks out in violence. "Some people want to dance," says Davis, "and some people don't, so let's respect each other's space." In this case, "dance" is an euphemism for "punch each other out," but it's a nice moment.

Like I said, it's all very wholesome. IV: Constitution Of Treason is exceptional metal for a band finishing their first decade, and there's no doubt that the members will be hanging out in the audience afterwards. As the band leaves the stage, drummer Corey Pierce comes out from behind his kit to toss some drumsticks into the crowd-carefully, so no one gets hurt. Then I walk outside, and am reminded that there's a Best Buy right up the street. Why didn't Santos tell us?