Rock & Rap – A Heritage of the 90s

(Hed) P.E., What A Funk, SpheX

European Tour February 2019, Viper Room Vienna, Austria 20190221

The 90s brought out some musical genres that people thought destroyed others but are cult nowadays. That is why Jonah Hill made his tribute to that era and why a little community still keeps alive the Grunge, the Skate or Pop Punk and the combination of Rock and Rap, Crossover or Nu Metal.

SpheX from Vienna serve all the rules of the art. Cool and heavy riffs and drumming come together with a varying singing style, from whispering over clean to shouting like e.g. Limp Bizkit. Some transitions don’t work that well, but after few songs the band is really on fire and does a great job warming up the audience, as they say themselves is their duty.

What A Funk recently could be seen as band for a certain Shifty Shellshock, where they not only played at the Nova Rock but at the Viper Room too (Report here). The yoga moves of fronter Hasmo stayed on ones mind already back than. Now he dyed his hair blond, and with the neon shining colors the optical appearance is very memorable, as their logo. With songs like “Fist Of Funk” and “Atmosphere” the group shows, what the Red Hot Chili Peppers energy looks like 30 years after “Mother’s Milk”.

The legend of the night is called (Hed) Planet Earth. In the programme it was saying Rock Punk Rasta Soul what nicely describes the range. Like Helmet or Crazy Town, singer Jared Gomes comes with a young band and like Shifty he arrives shortly before the show starts. “Fuck Donald Trump” he shouts repeatedly and also the sound makes think of spiritual brother like Brujeria, Soulfly, Body Count or Ill Nino. Songs like “Killing Time”, “Blackout”, “Raise Hell” and “Renegade” get the people moving, including Hasmo, who dances at the very front. Another amazing experience that makes one feel the love for Rock and Rap, a combination of magic and energy.