Mushroomhead drums up a storm, honors Prince at The Rave in Milwaukee

Last night, May 22, Mushroomhead brought their current tour through Milwaukee with a performance at The Rave. With them, Product Of Hate, Madame Mayhem and Sumo Cyco rounded out the lineup for the Sunday night concert. Mushroomhead is no stranger to Milwaukee with a long history of shows in the city and this concert marked the 16th appearance by the heavy metal band at The Rave.

Product Of Hate and Madame Mayhem

The groove and thrash metal outfit Product Of Hate, from Kenosha Wisconsin, took the stage first and set the heavy tone for the night. The band formed in 2007 and is currently signed to Napalm Records. Their most recent album, "Buried In Violence" is currently available and was released earlier this year in February.

Madame Mayhem played second and her eclectic style and bold performance was refreshing. Hailing from Manhattan, she certainly brought with her some New York confidence and handed in a short but concise set of metal material. This is one performer to keep an eye on in the future.

Sumo Cyco energized the crowd

When Sumo Cyco took the stage they took the show to the next level. It was their first time in Milwaukee and they laid it all on the table for the crowd to witness. Their singer, Skye Sweetnam, who goes here by the stage name of Sever, handed in a brutally honest and unapologetic performance that wasn't afraid to showcase her powerful vocal range. The musicians of Sumo Cyco, Matt Trozzi on drums, Matt Drake on lead guitar and Ken Corke on bass guitar are an impressive trio who gave Milwaukee a healthy dose of their thunderous punk metal abilities.

Mushroomhead owned the stage

Formed in 1993, Mushroomhead have been making waves in the industry with groundbreaking concepts and an unmistakable stage presence.

Songs such as "Qwerty," "Before I Die," and "Among The Crows" resonate wildly with fans in the live arena, and in Milwaukee they were certainly well received. Mushroomhead had the crowd in the palm of their hands for most of the performance and chants of the band's name were loud and clear. One of the more intriguing moments of the night came in the form of a tribute to the recently departed Prince. Mushroomhead took things in a slower direction for a moment with their rendition of "When Doves Cry," and in the transformation a pulsating and emotive connection was made between the band and the crowd over the loss of a beloved musician in the industry.