I had the pleasure of attending the second voyage of Lamb of God's Headbangers Boat this past week. We set sail from Miami, FL to Puerto Playa, DR on the Norwegian Gem cruise ship. With the help of Sixthman Music Festivals, this magnificent journey was able to take place again, giving fans from all over the world four days of the best music on the planet, non-stop fun and memories to last. This is truly a metalhead's paradise. If being on a heavy metal cruise wasn't wild enough, where else can one go from playing blackjack with Lamb of God to a battle vest contest to drinking mai tais with Unearth? Simply put, Headbangers Boat is something that I hope every person who loves this genre can experience at least once in their life.
As always, Lamb puts together a hell of a bill. They played two ragers themselves, one career-spanning set and the second, Ashes Of The Wake in full. Plus a live debut of the Japanese bonus track, "Another Nail For Your Coffin". Dethklok, Chimaira, Poison The Well, Carcass, Soulfly, Exodus, Napalm Death, Corrosion of Conformity, Currents, Bleeding Through, Unearth, Eyehategod, Frozen Soul and UnityTX filled the rest of the week with ripping performances.
There is no way this cruise would have run so smoothly without the phenomenal crew from Norwegian Cruise Line. Every single person I encountered had a smile on their face when answering the simplest of questions or making daquiri after daquiri for the very thirsty passengers aboard. NCL made everything so comfortable and welcoming. The Sixthman team ran the production aspect of the cruise without flaw. Despite some high winds that caused inevitable schedule and venue changes, every band was able to deliver to the fullest every single time. Sixthman also went out of their way to make me feel like royalty! Their hospitality will not be forgotten. Thank you all so very much.
Day 1
Despite this being my first cruise ever and having no idea what to expect, boarding the ship was a seamless process. And to find that I have a breathtaking balcony view on Deck 10? This is perfect. Naturally the first order of business is to get a frozen margarita on the Pool Deck and take all of this in before leaving the Port of Miami. Lamb of God commence the week with an on-stage toast and thank you for attending. The energy is already at full mast and the boat is just now pulling away.
Exodus kicks off the adventure on a windy main stage, making sure the cruise was off to an impeccable start. It wasn't easy to choose the next band to see, as three incredible acts played simultaneously. I opted to check out Currents, the best of this new era of metalcore. Had to watch some Dethklok for the first time before running back upstairs to see Unearth's first set on the boat, which they obviously demolished. Having seen them many times, they never disappoint. I followed up with another first, Chimaira. I had been eager to see them for quite some time. It was a long and exciting day, ending with drinks with some tremendous friends, lots of laughs and a rush of adrenaline for what more was to come.
Day 2
Plenty of great activities began the day from Coffee with Lamb of God's Willie Adler to Brandon Schieppati's Mosh Pit Boot Camp. The cruise was well paced so as to not overwhelm with options too early in the day (or to wield off potential hangovers from the previous night). I was thrilled to attend the Q&A with Mark Morton, hosted by Riki Rachtman. They spoke in depth about the inner workings of Lamb of God, songwriting and some more personal accords featured in Mark's book released this summer, Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir. A highly recommended read, if you haven't already.
Napalm Death destroyed the Pool Deck with a pleasant surprise of Randy Blythe joining them on stage. Lamb played their first set of two that night, a delightful mix of old and new, heavy on the Sacrament era. This place exploded for them. It's no wonder why this band is as important as they are, they deserve every ounce of success they have achieved over the years. It was necessary to check out the very delayed Unearth set not long after grabbing some fantastic sushi from Orchid Garden. Another late night closed out with some deliciously fried food that hits so well after midnight and a day of debauchery.
Day 3
We woke up to the boat docked at our single stop on the cruise, Puerto Playa. Although the weather could have been a bit kinder, it was lovely to walk around the resort, still in awe at the fact that a Lamb of God cruise brought me here. The resort offered tons of activities and excursions. Randy led an off-site beach clean-up with fans, while others chose to explore Monkey Island. I enjoyed a mojito while sitting by the lazy river. Hoping to get a little extra time to get ready for tonight's shows, I returned to the boat early which conveniently coincided with some rain coming through. It was Lamb of God's final set of the cruise, and they graced us with Ashes Of The Wake in its entirety. Much less wind-blown from their first set, they were unstoppable. A bad show and Lamb of God could never be in the same sentence. I caught some terrific bands this night, Poison The Well, Frozen Soul, UnityTX and Carcass to name some of the highlights.
Day 4
Honestly, it was a little bittersweet waking up on the last day, however it was Halloween and the best way to close out this unbelievable week. Fans and artists both dressed up to celebrate. I had a relaxing morning sitting on the aft deck looking out into the beautiful ocean reflecting on this metal escapade. I was thrilled to finally see some Eyehategod and Corrosion of Conformity. That was really the only problem with this whole event, there's just too much damn good music to hear and you're only one person. After a Halloween costume contest, I went back to see some more Dethklok and Bleeding Through. I wrapped up the night watching Chimaira and enthusiastic karaoke performances only to wake up the following day to return to land.
Headbangers Boat is like nothing I've ever experienced in all my years of attending shows and festivals. To be a part of it was nothing short of an honor. I am so privileged to have had this time on the boat shared with friends, new and old, surrounded by the music that I love and a community that sticks together. I firmly believe that every single person on the cruise will do nothing but smile when reminiscing on those four days at sea. I believe I can speak for everyone by saying next year is already too far away.
