*steps onto his soapbox*
I'm more apt to buy merch from a band like Witherfall because that's one of the few ways I can support them. I really fancy Avenged Sevenfold. I paid my $120, and saw them live on their Life is but a Dream tour (as well as all but 1 tour of theirs in the last 15 years). I will not buy their albums, or any merch. They don't need it. They can take the pittance from the 1000's of streams they'll get from me on Apple Music, and enjoy being millionaires from their long and lucrative careers. Witherfall, on the other hand, needs the support from merch and physical album sales. And they certainly deserve it. I don't think it's fair to say "I love the music, they write great songs, but I won't support them unless I can see if they sound good live". Hell, I own Curse of Autumn on vinyl, and I don't even have a record player lol. It's just a lovely piece of art I keep on the wall of my home studio.
If you like the band, and like the music, you ought to support them.
*steps off his soapbox*