"Heavy Metal, Heavier Bellies" (Vore, Nudity, Digestion, Bones/Skull)

They had missed being on tour.

The glamor of being a rock star is only part of the job - sure, there's plenty of intense overindulgence, wild party nights and "mornings after," but when it came to music, Vesper didn't hold back. Through rehearsals, meetings, drafting lyrics & laying down chords, they & their band had been bustin' ass all year before the summer.

Mastikator was finally going back on the road.

With a hot new album already shredding speaker systems across the country, Vesper couldn't help but grin as they ran a brush through their dyed hair. Performing was their one true passion, the one thing that really brought them joy like nothing else.

To stand tall on the stage, to hold the power of the room, for all eyes to be on them in that fateful moment...to fully command the world, even for a night...

It thrilled the grinning koala to their very core.

Then again, there were other thrills to have on stage, besides laying down throat-shredding vocals. They weren't fully immune to hecklers, and gods know there were those who hated what they made. No band lacks haters, but not every band has an audience willing to pick haters up & crowd surf them to the stage.

Vesper licked their painted lips at the thought. They had ways of making sure Mastikator's detractors were "pruned down" over time. Hell, they had even incorporated the sound a deep, angry belch into one of their new hits - "Maw of Delusion" was one of their most requested tracks for this upcoming tour, and there really only was one way to get the sound just right...

The thought made the vocalist shiver, the final piece of jewelry sliding over their fingers when they caught their own blood-red glance in the mirror.

With a grin far sharper than most expected, they met their own gaze and chuckled.

They were back on top, and no one could bring them back down again...

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I might have to build out the lore for Mastikator further, this piece was SO much fun to put together - especially after last week's nonsense. If you're looking for a band that closely matches their sound, check out In This Moment!

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Thank you all again for your incredible support!