Stabbing Westward recently kicked off their North American tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of their pivotal album, Wither Blister Burn & Peel. Alongside the tour announcement came word of a unique way to mark the milestone: the band is reimagining and rerecording the album in full. The result, titled Withered ReWired, will be released later this year, but those catching the tour are getting a sneak peek by way of the band’s live performances.

I have a clear memory of my introduction to this album. I was sitting in the back of my dad’s car early one morning in 1996, parked outside my school as he waited to drop me off. The station was tuned to Charlotte, North Carolina’s 106.5 The End, and “What Do I Have to Do?” came on. I refused to get out of the car until the song ended, not just because I wanted to hear it in full, but because I needed to know the name of the song and the band. Once I had that information, I knew exactly how I was going to spend my allowance.

Both Wither Blister Burn & Peel and the band’s follow-up, Darkest Days, served as places of solace during rough patches of my childhood. I know I’m far from the only one who feels that way about those albums. That much was clear last Thursday, when New York City’s Gramercy Theatre was packed to the gills with fans excited to celebrate the band’s enduring legacy.

PRIEST

I was running late to the show and unfortunately missed the first opening act, Acumen Nation, but I arrived just in time to catch the Swedish synth trio Priest. The stage lights were dark and the synths warm as the group let the music take over, their infectious dancing pulling everyone along with them. Hidden behind masks, the members didn’t let their mysterious nature get in the way of consistent crowd interaction and hyping.

STABBING WESTWARD

Starting their set with the iconically blunt first line, “I’m such an asshole,” from Wither‘s opening track “I Don’t Believe,” Stabbing Westward showcased an impressive reimagining of the song that stayed true to its roots while adding more depth and heaviness.

Such was the case for the entirety of Withered ReWired, which also featured an updated track order. “What Do I Have to Do?” came second (instead of third), allowing me to experience the song up close and personal by way of the photo pit. It was certainly a surreal moment to go from the backseat of a car to standing right in front of Stabbing Westward 30 years later. It’s times like this where I think I must be doing something right in life.

More downtempo tracks like “Crushing Me” and “Why” were given new life with dancier rhythms that made them stronger tracks in a live setting. Lead vocalist Christopher Hall noted that the initial plan was to have the album out before the tour rather than the other way around, but I think it actually worked out better for fans attending the shows. The live setting helps show the power of the songs’ upgrades.

Stabbing Westward’s completion of the Withered playthrough was followed by quick touches on other albums in the band’s discography, including the mega-hit “Save Yourself.” The band also included a cover of “Burn” by The Cure, which was famously used in The Crow. The song was a one-two punch to my nostalgic feels, which I think accurately describes the set as a whole.

Between the tour and the upcoming release of Withered ReWired, it’s clear Stabbing Westward has no plans of letting these songs, or the fans who grew up on them, fade away.