Eyehategod Dislike Confederate Flags, But Al Qaeda-core Is OK

Eyehategod hadn't even played a song yet, but the energy thickly choked the fans aboard The Temptress on Oct. 24. "Pussy, guns and heroin," drummer Joe LaCaze chanted during sound check. It was the opening call for absolute havoc.

As the swampy sounds blasted from the band's amps, the crowd erupted headfirst into the band. The table that was set up as a barrier did frontman Michael Williams no justice. Yet, he kept the chaos going. "Y'all want to sink this motherf---er?!" he kept shouting before referring to their set as "Al Qaeda-core."

The center of the cruiser was a wailing mosh pit filled with what seemed like drowning bodies. Because of the humidity and heavy rain, the floor was polished with rain tracks and sweat.

"Just because we're from the South don't mean we're into that s---, man!" Williams called out at a fan who was waving his Confederate flag shirt in the band's face throughout their set. Everyone cheered at his call of action to remove the maniacal fan from the crowd.

Security guards had to keep pushing fans back so that the band had room to actually perform. Williams just kept shouting, "Riot!" The boat had docked back at Pier 81 halfway through Eyehategod's set, but I don't think most people really had a moment to notice.

Eyehategod's 'Confederacy of Ruined Lives' was released on vinyl Oct. 22 via I'm Better than Everyone Records.