Originally published in RAW magazine 159 · September 1994
Founda-Mental! (excerpt)
Article1 min read
The biggest industry Metal lig of the year has just caused its own mini-earthquake in LA. Denting eardrums and walls alike, were Paradise Lost, Dream Theater, Machine Head and Biohazard. Jerry Rutherford hangs on for his life!
Just the idea of getting a glimpse of even half the 40 or so bands (signed and unsigned) vying for attention at 94's seventh annual Foundations Forum could justify the ads that the convention would explode in yer face! Yes, in the LA suburb of Burbank (three miles from Hollywood), the Hilton Convention Center was a smorgasbord of molten action where established acts, and new pups did what came naturally.
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...Frankly, after an endless array of pick-flinging, Fender Strat-in-the-air slinging and self-gratifying widdle, watching grass grow would’ve been more entertaining. As Yngwie proceeded to set his guitar on fire, such a prospect became hugely appealing.
Dream Theater meanwhile, looked like a Punk band after such a spectacle. Their brand of showmanship is hardly modest, yet tonight they seemed a touch down-played. With only 'Pull Me Under’ and ‘Take The Time' instantly noticeable, the bulk of their set centred around fresh material from newie Awake. A scaled-down version or their 20-minute epic, ‘A Mind Beside Itself’ was unveiled, lending credence to the fact that Awake is hitting slightly harder territories. Let's hope they don't resort to igniting their instruments.