BODY’S COUNT DISNEYLAND MANSLAUGHTER
PHOTOS BY ISABELLA GARCIA
Sean Killian closes out the Vio-lence set with "World in a World" after shouting out to "Ice-motherfucking-T," the man we're all here to see. In 2022, Body Count's upcoming record was listed in Metal Hammer's top 50 most anticipated albums. It's 2024, and they just dropped the first single.
My friend points out that the crowd has "a lot of mobility issues" as another person in an electric scooter passes by. Then we hear a siren and the newscaster from the opening of the Bloodlust record.
The band infests the stage. Original member Ernie C, adorned in a long-sleeved button-up and an oversized knit cap, looks like he should be baking cookies in a tree. Vincent Price comes out in a Jason mask while a roadie throws a bass guitar, which he catches and rips into. The frontman comes out joyously, both arms up, triumphant. After introducing everyone in the band, he confirms, "And I'm Ice-motherfucking-T, bitch," just as Vio-lence foretold.
They open with a teaser of "Body Counts in the House," in case you forgot who you were there to see. It's one of the many songs in which the band repeats its name. Anna from L.A. punk band The Humblers likes to say her "favorite Body Count song is 'Body Count' from the album Body Count."
The first full song of the set is their cover of Slayer's "Raining Blood." Ice-T rides atop the rusty Gundam mech that is his backing band.
During "Bowels of the Devil," Ice fist-bumps his son. I wonder if Little Ice feels weird about being a backup vocalist in his dad's metal band. Maybe it was this or getting a real job.
"I got arrested in Orange County so motherfucking many times, I said, yeah, let's play Orange County," Ice says, referring to the Anaheim venue, located next to Disneyland. They debut a new song, "The Purge," which "was created for the pit." "Show me some motherfucking action!" Ice yells into the breakdown before passing vocals onto Vincent Price. While most of the attention will likely be on original members Ice, Ernie, and Sean, bassist Vincent Price plays enthusiastically. He is a more prominent vocalist than the two lingering in the back of the stage.
"I want to ask the ladies something. Ladies, have you noticed that your man is growing a vagina? He got more skincare products on the fucking counter than you... They made up this word 'toxic masculinity'." I'm reminded that the music played over the P.A. system between bands was from "canceled" bands like Marilyn Manson and Rammstein. "You know what the opposite of toxic masculinity is? Is there toxic feminity? Last time I checked, hell fucking yeah: Karen..." Ice says before the band launches into "Manslaughter". I'm pretty sure it's a song about celebrating our differences. My friend later mentioned that the venue had no line for the women's restroom.
"Did you guys know that all of you are in a gang?" Ice holds a blue bandana in one hand and a red in the other. "You're [either] a Demacrip or a Bloodpublican." They debut a new track critiquing America's two-party system. "Fuck what you heard/ Both wings on the same bird."
During a bass-driven breakdown of "No Lives Matter," Ice requests the crowd to clap if they hate racism. It's probably still more effective than posting about it on your Instagram stories.
Another song debut is the doomy title track from their upcoming album Merciless. It's a song I hope to hear blasted from low-riders bouncing like they're head-banging when it's out later this year.
Ice concisely introduces the "California national anthem," the legendary "Cop Killer". Police cruiser lightbars set on guitar amps finally strike on with red & blue stage lights searching the venue. "Fuck the police. Even though I play one on TV. They can suck my ass."
At most big concerts these days, the band will say "thank you goodnight" and then disappear backstage for five minutes while the house lights remain off. Ice-T doesn't bother with that song & dance. "That's so played out. So I invented something I call a 'virtual encore'. Here's what's gonna happen: I'm gonna say goodnight. The reason I'm not gonna leave the stage is 'cause once I leave the fucking stage, I'm usually getting a blowjob..." The rest of the band comes back out to bang out their first single from the new album "Psychopath, " reminding the audience of their previous Slayer cover.
After Ernie shreds through "This is Why We Ride," Ice-T introduces the next song by saying, "They told me not play this... I'm 68 years— no, I'm 66 years old; whoa." Ice remembers his age, standing on stage for a concert promoted on the AARP website. The band interprets Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" while a guy parades the pit with both arms up, tallboy in one hand. Ernie continues shredding as credits should have rolled up a screen.
Ice-T's energy and social message remain consistent, regardless of which side of the myopic culture war he upsets. Long live Body Count.
