Despite the reference to slick noir lore, in their October 2 performance at Water Street Music Hall, The Black Dahlia Murder looked more like a bunch of blue-collar dudes who love pizza. The band opened for Cannibal Corpse and pummeled Water Street with a lot of double-kick as a foundation, but broke into cool grooves at least once a song, either as a respite or a hook. The stage show was non-existent (no pretense, just rock) with singer Trevor Strnad stomping around the stage howling, fist-pumping, and throwing his arms in the air like a ref confirming a field goal.

Cannibal Corpse followed, with its legendary, from-the-bowels-of-hell tone and relentless pounding. The synchronized head banging was full-on Broadway. The vocals were buried and sounded more like a long, drawn-out dry heave, but such is the style these days. The mosh pit was packed with more sweaty, shirtless dudes than a Roman bathhouse, but machismo prevailed in a hail of elbows and knuckles. Plenty of heavy out there folks, but none heavier than these guys.

Which leads me to Part II of my volume talk, kids. Neil Young once said something about rock guitar needing to be loud enough as to feel it move the air around you. Rust never sleeps, but neither does tinnitus. I've always viewed the rock spectacle as antler polishing or preening: a mating ritual. But if the faithful flee in pain, all is for naught. Maybe it's not cool to slag the sound at these shows, but let's be honest: 75 per cent of the shows I've scene this year have been too loud, too distorted, and too incoherent. Yes, this works for Cannibal Corpse. (Who among us has the stomach for those lyrics anyway?) But who can honestly say Government Mule's Harro East show this summer didn't sound like shit?

Water Street's October 1 show with Brooklyn's The Honorary Title is another story. These guys blend Chris Isaac melancholy with U2 largess - real easy to overdo in the volume department. But the band's reserve and dynamics produced music that was big and bold. And it was decipherable - unlike the rest of the bill, which felt the need to floor it. Volume needs finesse, baby.