Back in 2008, Kyle Leary went to redeem some empties and ended up with a new band.
The Florence guitarist had been jamming with drummer Jeff “Green Machine” Greene for years, but the two were in need of some other musicians to round out the crew.
That fateful day at the recycling center, Leary saw a few guys wearing death metal T-shirts and told them his predicament. Those two dudes, singer Matt “Fooey” Lentner and bassist Joel Morin, along with their pal, guitarist Chad “Chado” Hoag, have been rocking with Leary and Greene as Western Massacre ever since.
“It’s amazing what three hungover metal heads in a store returning beer cans for more beer can do,” says Leary.
The band calls its sound “thrash metal groove”—heavy, riff-laden, intense rock featuring a pummeling rhythm section and menacing vocals. The members are inspired by genre stalwarts like Pantera, Megadeth and Cannibal Corpse, but also by a few artists you might not expect, like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Talking Heads. In addition to honing its craft, the quintet has dedicated itself to promoting heavy music throughout the area. Western Massacre hosts a metal night every six weeks at Florence’s Silk City Tavern—a venue the group cites as a huge asset to local metal—and invites bands from other towns to play and revel in the large, supportive crowd it’s cultivated over time.
“I think we have a good amount to do with building the local scene back up,” Leary says. “If all these bands keep starting up and quitting three months later, who do we follow? You haven’t realized your full strength at three months. You need to stick with it.”
One of the issues in building a successful musical community is encouraging patrons to stick around at shows. “I think the problem with some of these local shows is a crowd of people will show up for just their band, then leave,” says Leary. “It’s not all about competition; it’s about everyone having a good time. What’s the point of a metal show if you’re going to go for a half hour and leave? Hang out and enjoy yourself, be out of the damn house for a night!”
The guys in Western Massacre certainly lead by example: they are always sure to spend the entire night, each night, tipping a few cold ones back and enjoying the tunes.
“We definitely party, and it comes with the lifestyle,” Leary says. “All the tension from dealing with bullshit at work for 40 hours, you get to Friday and you’re ready to throw ’em down and let it all out. That’s how our music is. Metal and hardcore are the most extreme ways to let your anger and/or stress out.”
The band is currently trying to expand its operation to surrounding towns and states, and feels ready for the next step, a full-length album planned for release early next year. “I’d say that our goals are to just keep pumping out quality tunes and shows, and just keep pushing local metal till it takes over,” Leary says.
Western Massacre plays Easy Street in Greenfield Oct. 22. Domeringer and The Aberration round out the bill. For songs, shows, and more information, visit http://westernmassacre.com.
