Enslaved and YOB with Ecstatic Vision and Kosmograd @ The Opera House, Toronto March 19, 2015

YOB killing it

Sometimes there's more to a show than just the bands playing it. When Enslaved and YOB come to town it's kind of a big deal for the underground metal fans. People show up, giving homebody shmucks like me a chance to meet all kinds of people I only know online. In this case I was attending a show that a bunch of my Hellbound.ca colleagues were also showing up for. After almost 3 years of writing for that site I finally got to meet Sean Palmerston, Laura Weibe, and Adam Wills. Renee and Danielle were there too but I didn't have the chance to meet them. I was also finally introduced to Profound Lore Records' Chris Bruni. While it was awesome to finally meet all them, a show is less than ideal for conversation. But I'll take it! On to the show.

Local band Kosmograd opened the show. I'll be honest. I wasn't paying that much attention. I was trying to chat with the above people, survey the lay of the land for later and check out the merch booths, where I didn't see Kim Kelly who was travelling with YOB because she got denied by some jerk at the border. But, what little I picked up sounded tight and they're stage presence was good. I was just distracted.

Heavy psych band Ecstatic Vision took the stage next. I'd watched some video of them performing at St. Vitus Bar in NY and they started off with the same song I watched. The biggest impression they left on me was passion. Dudes were either 110% into their art or blitzed on something. Or both. Their psychedelic heavy rock was sort of a mix of Milking the Stars-type Monster Magnet and Hawkwind jams. I bet I'd totally dig it on record in the comfort of my own home but in the live environment it kind of fell flat. I was also stone cold sober so that contributed but their energy was....different.

Here's why I made the trek to The Big Smoke. The almighty, incomparable YOB! Last year's Clearing the Path to Ascend is one of those instant classic albums that I will undoubtedly spin for my whole life. Needless to say I was excited. A handful of us found a nice spot near but not too near the stage to not only see and hear the doom trio but feel them. With only a 50 minute set time (a bigger travesty I have never seen) they could only get three songs in. All three were off Clearing and that was okay with me and the rest of the crowd that appeared just as buzzed about it as I was. From the opening sweep of "In Our Blood" to the closing notes of "Marrow" YOB kept the crowd entranced with their immensely powerful doom full of deep emotion. I'm sure I wasn't the only one that was totally taken over and let my eyes close, head tip back and just take it in all the massive and moving doom metered out by guitarist/vocalist Mike Scheidt and bassist Aaron Reiseberg.
The rolling rumble of drummer Travis Foster during "Nothing to Win" got things moving, sparking a sad three-man mosh pit right in front of me. I say it's sad because despite the jumped up tempo, YOB is not mosh music. It was short-lived however as the band settled into "Marrow" to close out the set. Here's where they excel at separating body and mind. As I stood transfixed, eyes closed, nothing was touching me but the music. I couldn't even feel my aching feet. It was like my body was floating in a vessel of sound, bouyed by the invisible waves and completely unaware of any other stimuli. It was exactly what I wanted. And despite my expectations, I didn't cry! Very nearly did but maybe I was just too happy to be there to break the dam. THAT'S what live music is all about.
YOB delivered. Plain and simple. They owned the stage. I wasn't alone in wishing they could play for 2 hours but that wasn't to be on this night. Enslaved was too take up arms next.

I had to do some hardcore catching up on the Enslaved discography before coming to the show. I had some unprecedented time to waste on YouTube so I took advantage and schooled myself. After listening to Frost and every full-length from Below the Lights on, including new album In Times, Vertebrae is still my favourite. Even with those albums in my recent memory I still didn't know what song it was unless Grutle Kjellson announced it. I started mere feet from the bassist/vocalist but moved near the back of the venue after one song so I could actually hear the band. Sound down front was limited to percussion, vocals and bass. Closer to the back I could hear Herbrand Larsen's keys and the guitars of Ivar Bjornson and Ice Dale ripping out their intense black metal struck with their growing prog influences.
Enslaved ran through a 90 minute set covering quite a wide range of their history displaying their excellent musicianship and almost over-the-top showmanship. Total rock stars. At least on stage. I can't speak to anything other than that but I didn't see them out with the crowd at all so.... Enslaved fans were not disappointed however. Despite the sub-par sound the crowd was into it. Fists in the air, heads bangin', lyrics sung. Just as it should be. Black metal can be a tricky proposition in the live environment but it didn't seem to bother the floor. At least once though the band went into one of their more progressive passages and it sucked the life right out of the room. You gotta keep that momentum going! But it didn't take long to amp the masses back up.
Highlights from their set included "As Fire Swept Clean the Earth", "Ethica Odini", "In Times", "Building with Fire", "Fenris", "Convoys to Nothingness" and set closer/live staple "Isa". For that one the Norwegians were joined on stage by YOB's Reiseberg and Scheidt for some vocal assistance, after which Scheidt left the stage bowing to Enslaved in reverence. I'm sure his sentiment was echoed by the throngs of Enslaved shirt-wearing fans. Their history is long and storied and they played up to that. They may even have won some new fans out of those (like me) who were there to see YOB.

I hadn't been to an out of town show in almost two years but this one was worth it. It takes a lot to get me to travel for shows but after seeing YOB play, they could join the ranks of bands I'm willing to go to those lengths to see again and again. I personally enjoy Enslaved more with a good set of headphones but I wasn't disappointed. The icing on the cake was meeting my friends and shaking Mike Scheidt's hand to thank him for the interview I did with him last year for Full Metal Parenting and getting my picture taken with him and Bruni (and my buddy Gabe). I really should get up to the city more often but this show left enough good vibes in me that I should survive for a while.

KEN Mode and Full of Hell @ The Mansion, Oct. 22, 2013

Oh Tuesday night shows. Your case of the Mondays hasn't worn off yet and Friday is still so far off. Do you really want to be out late? Fuckin right you do! Even when you've just worked 4 straight 12 hour days and you're staring in the face of 4 straight 12 hour night shifts, you grab your concert buddy, lace up your shitkickers and get your ass to the show because it's KEN Mode and Full of Hell! But apparently Kingston did get the memo about dedication because turnout was weak. Ah well, more room for me to throw my body around like a Queen's University Engineering jacket at Homecoming.

 

Local openers In Your House warmed up the uh, crowd with some pretty groovy tunes. They had some more agressive leanings but for the most part they entertained us with some slick riffs and a passion for their music. While their banter was mostly awkward, they did hit the nail on the head when they asked "Is there anyone here NOT in a band? Me, my friend and the one and only Kevin Stewart-Panko raised our hands. That might have been it. Show up early kids.

 

Vera Pearl took to The Mansion's tiny stage next. Last time I saw VP play they were missing some members due to illness and had ex-I Hate Sally/The Chariot bassist Dan Vokey helping out. This time, the band was all there and they were on fire. Kingston's mathmetal mongers had no trouble bending time signatures to their will despite their sparse live performance record. Their guitarist downplayed their performance but from this side of the monitors, shit was tight. Also on this side of the monitors was their vocalist. Barking with hardcore might, he climbed couches and chairs and even got a piggy back. Somebody buy that man some Old Style Pilsner!

 

The lone (all) American band on the bill was Full of Hell. Their latest album, Rudiments of Mutilation, puts hardcore on the rack and stretches its limbs into a distorted nightmare. Their set took the more extreme elements of their sound and thrust them full force into the room. Their set was over far too quickly but when caught in the moment of it, time became irrelevant. The band flayed the skin from our flesh as vocalist Dylan Walker stalked the floor in front of the stage, screaming his challenging and thought-provoking lyrics like his life depended on it. Physically engaged or not, the noise breaks were almost a welcome respite in which to catch a quick breath. And no one needed that more than their drummer. Full of Hell don't play fun music. And Full of Hell don't play with big smile on their faces either. But don't mistake their stoic expressions for disinterest. Rather, their furrowed brows and tight lips are the faces of total immersion and commitment to their art. No doubt the unititiated were left stunned by their dark and twisted hardcore noise. Simply put; they killed it.

 

Headliners. Juno winners. Advocates of Kill Everything Now. Really nice goofballs. KEN Mode. The Winnipeg noisecore giants capped off an evening already worth the $15 admission. It was like overtime. Or rather injury time, as the double-digit assemblage had free reign of the floor for all manner of shenanigans. Leaning heavily on material from their latest masterpiece, Entrench, the brothers Matthewson (Jesse and Shane) and Andrew Lacour shook The Mansion to its foundations with a seriously intense set. The crowd was fully into it as they crashed through frantic highs and crushing lows. Knowing looks passed between concert goers saying "Yeah man. This is awesome." Because it was. Really, it's probably impossible for KEN Mode to put on a bad show. The material is rock solid and these are professionally trained musicians. Crowd pleasers (why does that sound dirty?) like "No; I'm in Control", in which Jesse plays bass as well (two basses!! Ooooooh yeah baby! That's why it sounds dirty), and "Figure Your Life Out" brought things to a fever pitch. But none more so than "Your Heart Warming Story Makes Me Sick". Someone probably pulled some back muscles during the tension and release leading up to the chorus on that one. (ie. Me.)

The concentrated energy of KEN Mode being filtered into a small crowd like that breathes with a different kind of intensity. From the strangers, arms draped across each others shoulders, locked in a chain head bang, to the guy who was just way too into it and you know is gonna have a week-long bangover (me, again), everyone in that room was engaged. Small shows in intimate venues can lead to unforgettable experiences.

If Full of Hell killed it, KEN Mode ground it to dust and put it in the ground. Kingston is getting less and less metal shows and it's a bloody shame. So when you get shows like this one you really appreciate it. In Your House, Vera Pearl, Full of Hell and KEN Mode put on a monster of a show. You shoulda been there, man.

 

Oh, and Shane will not rest until the entire nation refers to Tim Horton's as "T-Whores". So get on it. 

Clutch! with Orange Goblin, Lionize and Scorpion Child, April 18, 2013 at Sound Academy, Toronto

I'd been looking forward to this show for a LONG time. For a number of reasons. First, Clutch is my favourite band, DURR. And it had been over three and a half YEARS since I'd seen them. An event now known as "The Incident". But that's a blog post for another time. On top of that, Orange Goblin had never played Toronto before. Therefore, I'd never seen them play. I've been a fan for over a decade so I was stoked. I'd caught the tail end of Lionize when they toured with Clutch a few years ago but I remembered almost nothing. And lastly, I saw a Scorpion Child video on youtube and was looking forward to hearing more.

In my excitement (and anticipating heavy traffic) I left my house way too early and showed up at the venue over two hours before doors. I doubled back to an Asian market and bought some food. I wasn't eating no bar food, I can tell you that. But I should have checked the ingredients on the (super-calorific) Vietnamese red bean pastries. Lard. Fucking lard! Read beans, I'm thinking all vegetarian and stuff but no. Wasted a buck fifty. Almost sat down on the curb to eat right by a discarded condom. Listened to the new Black Sabbath track (meh). Exciting stuff, I know! So with like an hour before doors I headed over to the venue and sat in the parking lot watching the weirdos roll in.

Once inside, and thankfully with no guest list issues, I chatted it up with fellow Hellbound.ca writer Gruesome Greg. I was almost as excited to meet him as I was to see the show! Almost. It was really cool to finally put a face to the name. As well as spend some time with a handful of other friends I don't see nearly enough. Alright, alright. Enough preamble.

First band to hit the stage was Scorpion Child. As I said, I'd watched a video for "Polygon of Eyes" on youtube and liked what I saw. To my delight, they did not disappoint. Heavy on the Zeppelin and other 70s rock acts influence, their style fit perfectly with the other bands on the bill. Despite the crowd being comparatively sparse, they played like the house was packed already and the crowd responded. Their enthusiasm was unflappable. Hair flying, guitars raised, drums being handily abused, and vocalist Aryn Jonathan Black slinking around the stage belting out the tunes with dynamic range. His passion, as was the rest of the band's, was never in question as he engaged the crowd and even sang much from his knees, compelled by the power of music. And yes, they did play "Polygon" after which Black quipped, "Now that that's out of the way.." They knew what people wanted to hear. Their album comes out June 25th on Nuclear Blast and you can bet they made some fans who'll be checking it out. Myself included.

I'd been looking forward to seeing Lionize again. From what little I could remember (Re: "The Incident") I dug their vibe but for some reason I never took the time to check them out between then and now. Well, because I can never get enough Clutch, I won't be over-looking Lionize anymore. It's obvious they hold Clutch in high regard as, to the unseasoned listener, you could be forgiven for mistaking the two bands. The most glaring differences being the vocals and their use of keys (although Clutch did for a time). Their laid-back, grooved out rock with bluesy influence gave the crowd a taste of what was to come yet allowed the gathering to hold some energy in reserve. Especially when they pull a little Sublime out of their sleeve and add some reggae flavour to the recipe. While I found nothing to complain about, the highlight of their set was the jam session. I couldn't see the stage well, but I heard something change. A shift in position revealed Clutch's Tim Sult up on the stage with them! There's no mistaking his sound. A few minutes into the jam Orange Goblin's Joe Hoare also grabbed a guitar and joined in. At the end of it, Lionize guitarist/vocalist Nate Bergman sort of, apologized, for it. Hey man, no apology necessary! That's what live music is all about!

By the time Orange Goblin took the stage for their first ever Toronto show, the Sound Academy was about as packed as it was going to get on this evening. And the assembled mass was ready. When the OG boys walked out on stage they received a welcome a headliner would be proud of. And for the love of Sabbath, Ben Ward is a beast. I had heard he was a large man but until you see him in person, you never really know. Never mind his well-seasoned vocal attributes, his mere presence demands your attention. And what a frontman he is. Stalking around that stage with his fist(s) raised and pumping, he makes it his mission to ensure the crowd is amped. How could you not get behind a band who's singer air guitars just as hard as anyone else there? Any Goblin fan worth their weight in salt was sure to be pleased with their set. Not surprisingly leaning on tracks from 2012's Eulogy for the Damned, they played a selection from across their career. Orange Goblin's high-octane, blooze-fueled stoner metal ran the gamut with cuts from the more psychedelic Frequencies From Planet Ten and The Big Black through to the newer stuff and even included a number of songs I was shamefully unfamiliar with. (Which will be rectified, whether you like it or not.) Ward's between song banter showed how appreciative the band was of the reception they received and the crowd responded in kind, pumping their fists and banging their heads ever harder through set closer "Scorpionica".

At this point one could be fully satisfied that they'd received their money's worth on any given night but there was still possibly the greatest touring band on the planet yet to come. Clutch. I'm not just saying that because I think they're the best. Their reputation as world class performers should be well known to anyone reading this.

By this point there was a healthy percentage of the patronage well acquainted with the bar staff and as such the buzz of anticipation was almost a physical thing. Any flicker of movement from the area of the stage lead to a chorus of hollers from the uninhibited. The glowing Clutch logo of the backdrop cast an eerie light over what was soon to become the highlight of any given attendee's week/month/year. When the fantastic foursome of Neil Fallon, Tim Sult, Dan Maines and JP Gaster took the stage they received no less than a hero's welcome before launching into the set with a trio of tracks from the recently released Earth Rocker in "Crucial Velocity", "Book, Saddle and Go" and "Cyborg Betty". The band's motive towards Earth Rocker was to create an album with good energy from front to back and lend itself to being played well live. Starting the show with those three only proves that their mission was accomplished. Here Fallon states "We're only three songs in and you're already the best crowd we've had all tour!" I like to think he wasn't just saying that. What followed was a set heavy on Earth Rocker cuts but featuring a splendid selection of tracks from Elephant Riders on. What Clutch show in Canada would be complete without "The Mob Goes Wild" and the lines "Everybody move to Canada. Smoke lotsa pot. Everybody move to Canada, right now."? It's a given. It's expected. And it's probably the only time EVERYONE sings along. (I suspect "The Yeti" is a must when they play in Winnipeg as well.)

Part of what makes Clutch such an amazing live act, in addition to their near-encyclopedic knowledge of their own material and subsequent varying set list, is the jams. On this night, not one, but two songs were extended by the magnificent jams of these four individuals that just know each other so well. "D.C. Sound Attack" and "The Soapmakers" got the extra time as well as a sweet drum solo from Gaster. He's just such a unique talent. He thinks drums differently while not thinking about them at all (at least while on stage). Sult and Maines were in their familiar places to the left and right of Gaster, respectively, as Fallon stalked the stage in his usual animated fashion. He's almost like the director of a travelling sideshow, waving his hands around with sweeping gestures and finger pointing. His captivating stage presence enthralls the onlookers and innocent bystanders, demanding their attention. (Which baffled me all the more that there were people NOT paying attention. For shame!)

The low-key "Gone Cold" gave the crowd some time to recharge before finishing the set with "The Face" and  "Oh, Isabella" and closing with a crunchy version of "Dragonfly". But the closing number is never the closing number with Clutch. Returning to another raucous reception, the Maryland quartet wowed the crowd with an encore of "Cypress Grove", "Electric Worry" and "One Eyed Dollar". The closing words being "Today's our day!" a fitting end to what was unquestionably Clutch's day indeed. Clutch never fails to deliver and this night was no different. While I personally would like to have heard at least one song from their self-titled, I was by no means disappointed. In fact, it was quite possibly their best performance I've been witness to. Start to finish, every band put on an excellent show, complimenting each other in one way or another. The lesser known Scorpion Child and Lionize no doubt won over some new fans. Orange Goblin as well, while reaffirming their might to the previously converted. And Clutch? Well, Clutch proved yet again that they are an untouchable live act, thrilling fans young. old, drunk, stoned, sober and of almost every conceivable hard rock/metal subculture. Because hey, that's the name of the game.

Full Set List:

Crucial Velocity

Book, Saddle and Go

Cyborg Betty

The Mob Goes Wild

DC Sound Attack

The Soapmakers

Burning Beard

Earth Rocker

Unto The Breach

Subtle Hustle

Regulator

Gone Cold

The Face

Open Up The Border

Oh, Isabella

Dragonfly

Cypress Grove

Electric Worry

One Eyed Dollar

BARN BURNER and guests at The Mansion, Feb. 25, 2012

Some things in life are a given. The oceans will be salty. The government will suck. And Barn Burner will put on a great show. It's natural. It's logical. It's a universal law. In this case, Barn Burner just happened to be headlining. As an added bonus, the three local support acts didn't totally suck. Win-win!

The night's festivities were kicked off by a band called Basalisk. This young band really impressed me. Definitely not a one-dimensional band, they mixed a handful of styles into their songs. I could hear influences ranging from Iron Maiden, to latter-day Mastodon and other proggy outfits. The keyboards were a pleasant surprise. I'm not much for keyboards unless  they're Hammonds and I was worried the Korgs would remind me too much of Dragonforce but that wasn't the case at all. I could put it this way, when I noticed the drummer was wearing a Scale The Summit shirt, I was not in the least surprised. The band gave me a copy of their demo and I look forward to giving it the full treatment in a future KofN post.

 I have to be honest. I don't remember much of Ponderous Chain. Their set coincided with the peak of my 3 tall cans of PBR buzz. I haven't seen them play with a clear head yet. It's not intentional though. The tiny stage at The Mansion can tend to hinder the performance of the band but these guys didn't let it get in the way. However, the somewhat technically precise nature of their music doesn't necessarily lend itself to much in the way of jumping around and such. I originally labelled them "Meshuggah-core". While not entirely inaccurate, it was kind of an off the cuff remark. While not nearly as "djent" as Meshuggah, that "flavour" struck me along with their otherwise melodic deathcore sound. I'd have to hear them again to really figure it out, but I can say, their performances have been improving each time I see them.

As of yet, I have been unable to find any sort of internet presence for Vera Pearl. Thus, I had no idea what to expect. Sometimes that's for the best. You can't be disappointed that way. There would be no chance of disappointment anyway. Vera Pearl floored me. Despite being down a couple regular members and having the venerable Dan Vokey (ex-I Hate Sally, ex-The Chariot) fill in on bass/vocals, they still delivered an extremely energetic and intense show. Math-core, noise-core, whatever you want to call it, it hit me like a cinder block to the face. Complicated arrangements, red-faced screams/bellows/yells, absolutely crushing (on a small kit) drums and a tight, tight performance left nothing to be desired. Except more of it. These guys could do some damage on the Canadian scene alongside KEN Mode and Fuck The Facts. And beyond.

 With what little hearing I had left at this point, it was time to damage some other parts of my body. You guessed it. Bangin' time! Montreal's Barn Burner blew the roof off that place. By my estimate, the turnout was low for a Saturday night. But what may have lacked in numbers, was counter-balanced by enthusiasm. Adequately lubricated by $4.25 tall cans of PBR, the gathering of bangers put on a clinic in "How To Fuck Up Your Neck." But that's typical for a Barn Burner show. Tunes like "Scum of the Earth" and "Holy Smokes" were made for banging your head. The Kingston show was originally supposed to be in support of Priestess (as I assume the rest of the date on the mini-tour were). But from what I hear Priestess is pretty much kaput. Barn Burner decided to press on and as such, turned the string of dates into headlining gigs. Deservedly so. During part of guitarist/vocalist K. Keegan's always entertaining between song banter, he informed the attendees that the last handful of shows all went very well. He said "That's what we call steady giggin'".That would actually sound pretty good as the name of their as yet untitled third album. Bangers III: Steady Giggin' sounds pretty good to me. In fact, Barn Burner played two songs from said (unsaid?) album. The first was untitled and the second was dubbed "No Rest For The WIccan".Both were rip-tacular. Don't you just love the BB play on words? As on other setlist inclusions such as "Beer Today, Bong Tomorrow "(one of my personal faves), "Dark Side of the Barn", and "Brohemoth". Their phenomenal set was bookended by "Earth's Crust" and "Wizard Island". They say "Saturday night's alright for fighting". Not this Saturday night. This Saturday night was alright for banging. I can't think of a better band for a night of beers, bongs, bangin', and the brotherhood of metal camaraderie. All hail the Giggernaut!!

Barn Burner's most recent release, Bangers II: Scum of the Earth is now available on vinyl! Get it here: www.barnburner.bigcartel.com  But, um, save me one will ya? I've been busy.

www.twitter.com/MetalMatt_KofN

The mighty BISON BC return to Kingston!! (at The Mansion)

October 20th, 2011. The day Bison BC returned to Kingston, ON. It was almost 3 years ago when they last (and only?) played here.  I remember the day clearly. It was Saturday Nov. 8, 2008. I was supposed to work that night but luckily I took the night off. Righteous. Trouble is, it was my 30th birthday and my wife planned a party for me. FUCK!! But the party's at AKA! With Bison!! (shakes fists at sky)  This was shortly after Quiet Earth was released. That album (which made my Top 5 that year) greatly increased their recognition in the underground metal scene. When Dark Ages was released in 2010 it pushed Bison to an even higher level (#2) across the board and I figured my chances of seeing them perform live were done. Traveling to Toronto or Montreal isn't in the cards for me much anymore. (One show since the inaugural SOTU tour) But, BUT! The metal gods smiled on me. They brought Bison back to Kingston.

As always, I like to say a little something about the opening bands. Unfortunately, my capacity for coherent thought was hampered by the joint I smoked before I went in to the show. I'll do the best I can.

Severence led off the night. They also led off the last show I was at but I missed them. I was too busy trying not to totally freak out. (Advice: Kingdom of Noise does not recommend the use of high powered energy drinks and marijuana simultaneously) They weren't that bad really but I think my tolerance level was abnormally high. (he he, I said high) No, it definitely was. Whatever the case, I couldn't help but think they sounded like a mashup of say, Godsmack, Protest The Hero and The Black Dahlia Murder. In so much as a varied vocal style (I can't say range) and an apparent inability to play the same riff more than once in a row. At times it bordered on crabcore. One guitarist, whom I dubbed Stiffler due to both his appearance and personality, kept doing that fucking pigeon neck thing. I hate that. BANG IT!! He was probably doing that so his cockeyed backwards ballcap didn't fall off. FUCK! I guess my tolerance wasn't that high after all. In the most spot on appropriate moment of the day, the band announced they had one more song, then, while they were sippin' beers/adjusting hats/shouting Go Leafs Go!, the house music came on and they didn't get to play their last song. Severence. I almost laughed out loud but I feared if I started, I'd never be able to stop.

I wanted to write more about the next band, Ponderous Chain, than Severence but I think my high peaked during their set and I got lost in it. On the progressive side of death metal. Proficient without being overly technical. The vocals were that kind where he kind of just screams somewhat randomly. They don't follow the flow of the music. That's not uncommon these days and at least he didn't try and mix in too many clean vocals. Some, but not too many. They did have some "mosh parts" but they had just as many passages where they chilled out a bit and let the guitars wander. My buzz liked those parts. Lead Guitar was wearing an Opeth shirt which surprised me not at all. I could hear some influence. (Not that mess Heritage though) I wouldn't be surprised by an affinity for Meshuggah either. I would be interested to hear their stuff while sober. I was interested enough to extricate myself from the chair to get a better look so that's a positive for them. At one point during their set, I came up with a description of their sound that blew my mind. I didn't think I was capable of stringing together such a profound series of words. Dreams are made of that description. If there was a Pulitzer for phrases such as it was, I would have won. But, I totally forgot.

Toronto duo I, Emperor were in the direct support slot. While they weren't the best openers of the night, they did have to travel so I guess that's why they get it. I was having a very difficult trying to categorize this band. I still am really. Art-metal speed punk? indie-core? I don't know. They were well practiced and very passionate. They had PA issues a couple songs in, and the show was already running 30-40 min behind. I had started to come down and the loss of momentum bummed me out. I lost focus and just started people watching. Us metalheads are a weird lot.

Vancouver's Bison BC have become one of my favourite bands. Especially Canadian band. As intense and their recorded work is, I have heard their live performance notches that up a ton.  Their performance at The Mansion in Kingston did nothing to change that impression.  As with some of the great bands that I have seen, I can tell they are a touring band by the feel of the show. This is their arena. Not the studio. They didn't stick to note for note rehashings of the songs as heard on the CD. They could jam out passages, pulling the audience along, holding us above their heads waiting, waiting, and then slamming us against the rocks with fury. That's just the way they are. If Bison wants to just bowl you over they will. If they want to toy with you a bit first with beautiful instrumental passages before the destruction is wrought, they will do that too. It all makes for some pretty interesting headbanging. I'm sure some people were having fun at my expense as threw my body around in time with the onslaught. Said onslaught was quite varied as far as material goes. I'm a little rusty on Earthbound, and less so on Quiet Earth but I think they hit all three albums. My memory is horrible for song titles but I did remember a few. They played what might be my favourite Bison tune, "These Are My Dress Clothes" along with, I believe, "Slow Hand of Death". Dark Ages songs included "Melody, This Is For You" and "Stressed Elephant" as well as set closer "Fear Cave". The rest of the songs have been lost to broken synapses. It makes no difference to me what they played. It's all killer. Part of the problem might have been due to my positioning at the stage. I couldn't hear Dan's vocals at all. I might have been able to at the back but I was having way too much fun self-inducing whiplash in range of being brained by James' guitar. It was unfortunate there wasn't a better turn out for the show. However, I have resigned myself to the fact that Kingston as a city doesn't hold bands such as Bison BC in as high regard as I do.  Hopefully it doesn't deter these East Van road dogs from making their way back to the Limestone City. In less than three years would be nice too. Then again, I had no idea what was going on behind me. Nor did I care. I was RAGIN'!!

Napalm Death live in Kingston,ON Oct 3,2011 Review

This show was a shining moment for live underground extreme music in Kingston.  I've seen some great shows in town but we're talking about NAPALM FUCKING DEATH here people!! It doesn't get much more legendary for club shows in towns the size of Kingston.

But first, the openers.

Severance were the first band to hit b the stage this night. However, I was sitting in my car scarfing a veggie sub trying to satiate my munchies and letting my pupils return to a somewhat normal state. They are opening for Bison b.c. next week so maybe I will catch them then. I'll try and show up earlier and get my "veggie sub" out of the way before the doors open.

No Russian followed up. I believe I only missed one tune if any. And this is really all I have to say: Performing deathcore must be more fun than listening to deathcore. And I was stoned. They looked and sounded like a bunch of apes. Especially the vokillist. (That's how the kids spell it nowadays, right?)

Direct support came from a band called the Polidicks. This is the perfect band to play before Napalm Death. While a little more punk than grindcore, they held to the same ideals like anti-violence, human rights etc. At least from what I could gather from the between song banter. He was screaming enough I couldn't make out much else. And, I was still stoned. They said they hadn't been on stage together in two years but you'd never know. They were really tight. I think opening for Napalm might have brought out the best in them. The vocalist said at one point, "If you had told me 10 years ago when we started this band that we'd be opening for Napalm Death, I'd have slapped you." I am sure it was an honour and a privilege to share the stage with such a legendary band and obviously big influence on them.

Now what we paid for. Grindcore legends, pioneers and gods, Napalm Death.  Would the extreme music landscape look anything like what it does without Napalm Death? I highly fucking doubt it.  If you do doubt it, read Albert Mudrian's amazing book Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal and Grindcore. Then we'll talk.  Speaking of history, Napalm's set ran the gamut of their discography and beyond. Barney Greenway (whom I will fawn over momentarily) told us they were going to play "some really old shit, some really new shit and a bunch of shit from in between." During a quite extensive set, they played classics such as "Scum", "Suffer The Children" and "Nazi Punks, Fuck Off!" up to newer songs like "Life and Limb" all the while never showing their age at all. But wait! In addition to the songs we know and love, we were treat to two covers! The first was a Cryptic Slaughter cover and the second was a Siege cover. When Greenway said they were covering Siege, some kid who looked young enough he couldn't even vote, just about lost his shit with excitement. Good on ya, kid. But that's not all! According to Mr. Greenway himself, we were given a special treat. Being the first stop on the tour, they played "a brand new song, for the first time. Ever. Anywhere." The song was called "Quarantine" and if it is any indication of what the new album (that he said they just finished up) will sound like,it's gonna be bloody brilliant!

Having never seen Napalm Death live, I was amazed by Greenway. His signature bark was even more intense live. He performed like a man possessed. I loved it. He embodied the hardcore punk aesthetic and channeled his frustrations with the world into his screams. All the while pointing his finger so we knew we'd best be paying attention. At one point, while trying to think of how to describe his sort of build-and-release stage presence, I couldn't help but liken him to that neighbour that the kids used to torment. And you could see him getting more and more physically angry and frustrated. Holding it in, because they're just kids. But he just can't take it anymore and explodes into a tirade. The difference here is, Greenway's pressure buildup=>explosion was full-on right from the opening bell and happened between every line he sang. Glorious.

As electrifying as he was, we musn't forget the living legend himself, bassist Shane Embury. After watching him play, (and hearing him on countless recordings) I should just give up now. I'll never be that good. Nor would I ever be as good as drummer Danny Herrera or guitarist/backing screecher Mitch Harris. (Who looks a lot like my parent's old neighbour who works at Costco but shorter and with longer hair. Weird.) None of those guys let up the whole time. The whole band just clicks and delivers. I mean seriously, when Scum was released, I was still a few months away from turning 9 and I wouldn't be able to play with the kind of sustained intensity that these guys do. If you have the chance to take in this experience, fucking do it. They're touring across Canada RIGHT NOW! Get out to a show!

Legen.....(wait for it)......dary!

And yes. The played "You Suffer".

JUCIFER! w/ guests at The Mansion. KIngston, ON July 28, 2011

I knew the venue was small. There was no way I was going to miss this.

What I could have missed were the openers. The first act, An Optional Circus, didn't know what they wanted to do. There was such a mix of styles thrown together (with very obvious seams) that they just sounded like a band that was trying so hard not to be "something" that they ended up being nothing. At times they sounded like Pearl Jam, Incubus, The Tea Party, Our Lady Peace and at times almost heavy.  I almost got the impression the singer just paid the rest of the band to play whatever he told them to. I have trouble seeing 5 guys all having that same vision. The drummer was a beast though. I just concentrated on him.

The Sitcoms were a more likely opener for Jucifer led by the fact that it was just a singer/guitar and a drummer. But it really ends there. Very artsy, in a lack of structure kind of way. I don't recall much in the way of a solid riff anywhere. I felt like I was at a coffeehouse. Again, drummer was pretty cool.

Do I really need to tell you how Jucifer was?  If you know anything about the legendary, almighty Jucifer, then no. But, (gasp) there may be some poor souls who have yet to bathe in the glory of the Amp Wall. It was a scaled down amp wall on this night but it still blew other backlines (for full bands) out of the water.  I'm not super good with gear, or inches, but I'm assuming they were all 12". 3-4 X s, 2-10 X s, and 2-8 X s cabinets. All jacked in to 1 guitar. And that's just what they could fit on the stage! I could see a pile of cabs stacked up in behind the wall. I even think they were using them.  Despite the limitations of, in Edgar's own words, "the smallest stage I've ever been on" those that turned up to risk their auditory senses were assaulted in a way only Jucifer can deliver.

As the smoke rolled across the room, the lights were aglow in crimson red. A hooded and cloaked figure revealed herself through the haze. Edgar Livengood stood sentinel clutching four drumsticks in each hand. He waited as a blast of drone and doom riffage brought forth the demons that would transform his entity and that of Gazelle Amber Valentine from mere humans into the beast known as Jucifer.  With the transformation complete, Jucifer laid waste to a multitude of senses. Auditory, visual, sixth, and common sense were obliterated. Even touch could not escape the onslaught as the space reverberated under the weight of a set heavy on material from Throned in Blood. Amber played like a woman possessed. Relentless and bent on total destruction. Edgar mercilessly beat the living shit out of his drums as if they were a dog that ate his mother.

As the last cymbal crash faded, and the low thrum of the final riff droned on into the infinite, the captive audience was relieved of their virtual hypnosis only to find themselves forever changed. And a part of their soul will remain empty until Jucifer inevitably returns.

Subrosa - No Help For The Mighty Ones

It's not often that an album hits me with the kind of force that No Help For The Might Ones did. I had never heard their previous work and decided to check them out after seeing repeated tweets concerning the release of the album from label Profound Lore. Even before I hit the one minute mark in opener "Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes" I knew I was in for a glorious listening experience. The remaining 58 minutes did nothing to change that impression. Subrosa deliver what is generally considered a doom record but the addition of electric violins bowed by Sarah Pendleton and Kim Pack inject an element that allows No Help to transcend the typical genre restrictions. The almost horn-like tones of the violins weave their way in and out of the mix providing added depth to the already deep doom guitars of vocalist/guitarist Rebecca Vernon and bassist Dave "The Deuce" Jones. The result is a wall of sound that wraps around the listener in multiple layers of warmth.  Ironically, this doesn't lead to claustrophobic feeling. Quite the opposite. The deep texture creates and expansiveness that feels as if it encompasses all of creation.

"Borrowed Time, Borrowed Eyes" starts with a tone and riff reminiscent of Electric Wizard until the violins start in. It holds that heavy riff but the violins up the depressive factor with sorrowful overtones. It sets the mood for the entire album. Dark and heavy, triumphant and introspective. Instruments drop in and out as necessary and build upon each other in a series of peaks and valleys. Each song has a vocal passage that grabs hold and leaves and impression that lingers on the brain. Here, it's "How long must my journey go?"

"Beneath The Crown" features mournful violins over a two note drone which falls out as the vocals drift in and builds to a thunderous roar as the the band joins back in. The skittering violins and harsh male vocals make this the most violent sounding song on the album.

"Stonecarver" is the 11+ minute centrepiece of the album. The long intro consists of a serious plodding doom riff over some foreign language spoken word and spidery picked violin work. It continues to build and build til the 4:38 mark when it bursts into the triumphant "chorus". I catch myself randomly singing the "I've separated myself from the..." mantra. Could be my favourite vocal passage of the album. Also at this mark is when you can hear the heavy Kyuss influence. The fuzz tone is spot on. The song segues back into an introspective feeling mood helped by yet more brain lingering lyrics. The song ends with a HUGE sounding, harsh, repeated "there's no help for the mighty ones, now!" aided by more male background vocals. Epic.

"The Inheritance" is the song that means most to me. It's about a concern for the environment. The mood of the song is adequately mournful. Vernon sums it up best when she sings, "We're in the shadow of a dying world." The tinkling wind-up toy outro reminds me of childhood innocence and that it is the children and grandchildren of our generation that will pay for our ignorance.

"Attack on Golden Mountain" is a srsly doomy track mixed with an orchestral angle and choral vocals. There is an Americana feel as well. The violins sound almost like a soundtrack to the main story influencing the mood. The 9 minute length allows it to build, climax and come back down not once, but twice. Who needs short songs?

"Whipporwill" is another track that reminds me of Electic Wizard. As with most of the songs on No Help, it features soaring vocal harmonies that bring a tear to my eye regardless of if the message is sorrowful or forward-thinking. Great songs can do that.

"House Carpenter" is a captivating accapella version of a traditional Celtic folk song. It's a tragic tale of morality beautifully sung.

"Dark Country" encapsulates all the elements present on the record. Huge doom riffs, haunting vocals, part skittery part mournful violins puncuated by the thunderous drums of Zachary Hatsis and droning bass.

No Help For The Mighty Ones is an epic (dare I say, post-doom?) journey to the deepest parts of the soul. The multi-textured layers carry the listener through peaks and valleys of the highest highs and the most sullen lows. Thoughtful compostition and hypnotic use of repitition mesh with the interplay of the myriad stringed instruments. All punctuated by dynamic percussion and powerful female vocals. This has created a truly unique experience. Subrosa have carved themselves their own niche in the stoner/doom universe. While not the only band to utilize female vocals and classic strings in a heavy context, they have created a sound that is incomparable. It may be early, but 2011 will have a hard time topping No Help For The Mighty Ones.

Skeletonwitch, Withered and Landmine Marathon @ Time to Laugh, Kingston, ON Nov. 26, 2010

I knew this was going to be a great night. How often do you get to see three bands of this caliber on the stage for $12? I would easily have paid $12 each! So in order to make things "fair" in terms of cost-to-enjoyment, I bought a shirt and vinyl from both Withered and Landmine. I got a 3/4 sleeve baseball style tour shirt from Skeletonwitch last time they were in town. So I ended up spending a bunch of money I didn't really have but it was worth it. However, my wallet wasn't the only thing that paid for it. A full 7 days after the show and I am still nursing a fairly painful bangover. (Special thanks to Chris Woodford of Toronto band Titan, for, to the best of my knowledge, creating that word.) Meh, some people pay for worse kinds of pain than pulled neck muscles. Like in Hostel 2, when the guy pays to kill the one chick and she ends up cutting his dick off with a pair of scissors. It can always be worse. Right, the show.
As usual I missed most of the first band. Fashionably late. I don't think I missed much with locals Ponderous Chain. They weren't horrible but they were brought down by the complete lack of stage presence displayed by their singer. This is metal, man! Put your fucking back into it! I do believe one  guitarist used to play for Rozea Haven and he's got some chops, so there is an upside here.
The other "beer band" on the bill was Darkness Rites. Pretty young band but they seemed to know what they were doing. Death metal with breakdowns but I wouldn't class them as metal/deathcore. Their singer was the polar opposite of the previous band's. He may have looked like a poser, but he had a pretty good set of lungs on him and he was VERY passionate. If I think my necks hurts, that guy is gonna need a team of Swedish masseuses to set him straight.
Landmine Marathon. This is where the self-induced bodily injury came in. I knew what to expect. I was quite well acquainted with their 2010 offering, Sovereign Descent. So when the band took the stage and singer Grace Perry started tearing us a new arsehole, (that lady can scream!) I (at least tried to) lead the neck-snappin' charge. Perry herself jumped off the stage a few times and engaged the crowd. At one point, she whipped me into the pit and tore another guy's shirt right off his back! That's fuckin' hardcore, dude. Despite having a shorter set, Landmine was able to rip out a mix of songs from Sovereign as well as some older tunes. I was a little rusty (ha!) with the tunes from Rusted Eyes Awake but that didn't matter. Their whole set was loaded with brutality. Their brand of doomy deathgrind is just as awesome live as it is on CD/vinyl/cassette (all formats were available). I'm not sure how many people knew who Landmine Marathon were at the beginning of the night (Let's be honest, most of the people were there to see Skeletonwitch), but by the time they left the stage, they'd gained plenty of new fans. And that's what touring is all about. Getting out there and getting the music heard. The merch table ended up being pretty busy but I did manage to get a shirt and a copy of Sovereign Descent on vinyl. In getting said vinyl signed by the band (Perry, guitarist Ryan Butler and Dylan Thomas, bassist Matt Martinez and drummer Andy York) I was able hang out with them for a little bit. I love when bands are approachable and easygoing. I tried not to be too much of a fanboy and since we shared some of the same views and interests, it was easy to talk about things other than music.(For example, how my daughter, Grace, insisted I tell Grace Perry that they have the same name. Spooky fact: my daughter was born the same year Landmine Marathon formed.) I sincerely hope Landmine is able to come back and play Kingston someday. They're the kind of band Kingston needs to see more of to help the fans embrace underground metal. Maybe next time I can stop moving my head long enough to actually SEE them perform. And maybe next time they can play "Steadfast Hate" because they just plain ran out of time. Right? (wink wink)
Speaking of not being able to see, Withered had all the stage lights turned off to set the mood. "Tortured blackened doom" doesn't call for flashy lights. It made perfect sense to create a dark and ominous atmosphere for dark and ominous music. Like Intronaut, the bass plays a central role in the band. And also like Intronaut, the bassist takes center stage flanked by both guitarist/vocalists. Being a bassist myself, I kinda like that setup. Again, I didn't SEE much of the performance as I did feel it. When I wasn't violently thrashing about to the driving black metal thunder, I was soaking in the soundscapes with my eyes closed. Like the time I saw Yakuza, the music goes so far beyond the visual that you feel the need to close off that input and let the sound penetrate. The blasts unleashed upon the masses came mostly from 2010's outstanding Dualitas. It was the first show by a more or less black metal band I've had the pleasure of attending. While I don't consider Withered your "typical" black metal band, by witnessing the raw force, emotion and passion of their set, I have gained a new level of appreciation for the genre in general. They are one of the first (that I know of) blackened doom bands to play Kingston and I felt like the crowd wasn't prepared for it. (Pre-Apostasy Behemoth came through once. I missed it.) I mean, there were people "into it" but I felt like saying "Come on people! It's fucking WITHERED!" Then again, I was one of the only people losing my shit when Jucifer, Psyopus, Cattle Decapitation, Yakuza, Terror and Intronaut played. (Not all at the same time!) I guess I'm just lucky to have a deep knowledge of great metal. It's hard to believe that after the aural pummeling doled out by these doom dealers, this now tortured soul was actually able to walk. The powerful and stirring set could just as easily brought me to my knees. (Bowing to the greatness, of course) Alas, there was some sah-weet merch to acquire. Besides, I wouldn't want to get trampled by the hordes crowding the stage for the headliners.
Ohio's Skeletonwitch are touring machines. Near constant touring as honed this band's abilities. By which I mean their ability to drink you under the table and still put on a killer show. These blackened thrashers know how to have a good fucking time! Master frontman Chance Garnette and Co have sharpened their live show to a razor sharp edge. They're tight, enthusiastic, and well, fun! Crowd pleasers to say the least. Back in July they played 3rd fiddle to High on Fire (NObody plays after HoF. Nobody) and Priestess but you'd never have known they were the openers. As headliners this time around, they were given more time to pound their catchy riffs and scream-along choruses into our eager eardrums. You can't help but at least nod your head or tap your feet. I've probably said this before but Skeletonwitch is fist-pumpin' metal. Cuz that's what you want to do the whole time. Throw your fists in the air in salute to a brand of metal that appeals to a wide range of fans. I saw fans there that looked 10 years old, and fans that looked like they were 10 years old when Black Sabbath first played North America. Long hairs, hardcore dudes, nerds (represent!), jocks, you name it. One of the most amazing things was that the bands they were touring with were just as excited as the people who paid to see them.That's when you know your doing something right. Rarely have I seen a crowd that unified. The band tore through a diverse set featuring tunes from their whole catalog. Whether it was a track from '09s Breathing The Fire or an older one such as my personal fave, "At One With The Shadows", the crowd gobbled up what the 'Witch was brewin'. It doesn't make much sense to have that much fun listening to songs about killing and dying but that's just what happens at a Skeletonwitch show. On CD, they feel much more sinister. But live, it's all about "having a good fuckin' time!" I guarantee you will. Skeletonwitch vowed to return but not without stipulations. Until they come back, we were instructed to "Drink beeeer! Smoke weeeeed! And eat some fucking pussy!" Sounds like a plan to me!
I was surprised that given the fact that some of the bands on the bill have a blackened element that there was no mention that show was on Black Friday. I thought that would have been a given. No worries, I got some shopping in and everything I bought was black!

High on Fire, Priestess, Skeletonwitch @ Time to Laugh, Kingston, ON

July 21, 2010
When I first heard this show was coming to Kingston, I simultaneously came, shit my pants and suffered a minor heart attack. And that lasted for a good couple days. We're talking High on Fire playing a club show within a half hour drive from my front door. It doesn't get much better than that. Oh but wait! Look at the support! I knew it was gonna be a good time.
Thrashtastic rippage from Skeletonwitch started things off (well, for me. I missed the local opener) much to the crowd's delight. Between tunes, throat-shredding vocalist Chance Garnette engaged the crowd. He praised "old school fucking heavy metal!!", saluted the beer drinkers at the back, admonished the dudes standing cross-armed for being "too tough to have fun at a metal show," and implored Kingston to, until they return, "eat more fucking pussy!"  I'm glad my mom wasn't there. Performance wise, no disappointments. Well, I did wanna see them play "At One With The Shadows" but they only had a half hour set. I'm sure it woulda been the next song. Black/death thrash doesn't lend itself to much jamming per se so they kept pretty much to playing the songs as heard in recorded form. Which is to say, tight, precise and catchy. It was a half hour of fist pumpin, horn throwin, neck snappin, good times. They said they should be back around sometime in November. Sweet.
I own Priestess's first album, Hello Master but for some reason I never bothered with their second, Prior to the Fire. Until that is, I knew they were coming to town. I checked it out. It's good too! If you like catchy, 70's-ish hard rock. So upon realizing that I liked most of their tunes I was a little more excited to see the live show. Like Skeletonwitch before them, they played a tight set. They weren't flyin' all over the stage like the bands that bookended them but it was still high energy. Of course, they played their biggest hit, "Lay Down" as featured on Guitar Hero. And to my approval they played "Lady Killer". The first track off their newest album. However, I did miss a bit of it due to a very much needed pit stop. During their set they had a screen behind them showing some pretty trippy flowing images. Eventhough they wouldn't really be considered stoner rock, it really worked. The exploding blood cell and the psychedelic burning school bus were the highlights in my opinion. I didn't have very high expectations for Priestess but they exceeded what I did have. They impressed me enough that if the Montrealers were to come back as a headliner, I'll come out again.
High on Fire. High on Fucking Fire! In Kingston! I thought I would never see the day. One of my all-time favourite bands playing a small club basically right down the road. I was far from disappointed. It was incredible! One of the best performances I have ever seen. Guitar god Matt Pike, bass master Jeff Matz, and drummer extraordinaire Des Kensel were at the top of their game. The energy in the club was crazy. And it seemed the band really fed off that. Especially Matz. He put everything out there and left nothing behind. (except the setlist. I nabbed that.) Did I mention he uses his fingers? No pick. Right on! Every time I listen to a High on Fire album I marvel at how Matt Pike is able to play those guitar parts and sing at the same time. And still, after witnessing it in person, literally in my face, I still can't believe it. You add into that the seemingly effortless, room-shaking drumming of Kensel and you have an unstoppable force. A 10 tonne fucking Nuclear-power trio. The only other time I've seen HoF live was on the first SOTU tour. It was in some big warehouse type thing in Mississauga. There were a couple thousand people there. And it had a totally different feel. No comparison to the intimacy of a small club. I don't live near a major market and I don't get to see as many bands as I want to so seeing a band this big (in the underground) at a venue this small was really something special for me. As I said earlier, I grabbed the setlist. Spoiler Alert!! The set consisted of a really nice mix of old and new. Feel free to correct me ( I am HORRIBLE with song titles) but the only album not represented was The Art of Self Defense. I was kinda hoping they'd play "10,000 Years" but I'm not complaining. Anyway, here's the setlist.
Fire, Flood and Plague
Devilution
How Dark We Pray (It was awesome!)
Hung, Drawn and Quartered
Rumors of War
Blood from Zion
Frosthammer
Hessian
Snakes for the Divine
Sweet set, eh? Granted, they could fill an hour with any collection of songs and I'd fuckin' love it. I was some kinda sweaty when it was all said and done. And it wasn't all my sweat. I am 99% sure some of Matt Pike's sweat dripped on me. (Yes, I've showered) I was headbanging like crazy and expected to be in an assload of pain the next day but it was really quite mild. I've been in more pain from sitting at my computer too long. Maybe Skeletonwitch and High on Fire just taught me how to do it properly!

3 Inches of Blood, Goatwhore and Barn Burner @ Time to Laugh, Kingston,ON May 11, 2010

What a fucking Tuesday night! I usually go to meditation class (don't judge) on Tuesdays but this was a show I wasn't going to miss. Besides, metal therapy is just as good for mental instability. Right? I missed most of the opening locals. Completely missed Meathook and only caught 10 mins or so of October Blood. Nothing memorable but they looked like they believed in their tunes and they were having fun. That's good enough for me. But I still can't remember what they sounded like.
Of the touring bands, Montreal's Barn Burner were first to slay the masses. I wrote a small review of their set from last time there were in town but I can't remember what I wrote and at the time I had no idea who they were. Since then I've spun their disc (Bangers) a bunch of times and I was fully prepared for the awesomeness. Fast, rippin, driving, stoner/rock/punk. Party music for sure. The crowd didn't really start to get into it til the last 2 songs. "Holy Smokes" and "Brohemoth". Even though some of the crowd were bangin' along, I still felt like I was the only one that really knew the songs. Yay me! I was amused (in a good way) by the stage banter. These guys know how to have fun. My favourite was when he likened the checkered floor of the venue to a chess board and beckoned us to "bring forth your rooks and your bishops to do battle on the chess board of metal!" Right on, Dude. I forgot to mention the minimalist drum kit. Less than 10 pieces. Kudos.

Goatwhore. This is why I paid my 15 bucks. (BB was a very welcomed free bonus) I think this is the most "metal" band I've seen in Kingston. No other labels (ex. Trad Metal = 3IOB) or anything. They fuckin' destroyed the place. Pure blasphemous aggression. Vocalist Ben Falgoust towered over the gathered heathens as he spewed forth the filth from their latest, Carving Out the Eyes of God. They also added in some older tunes. I know I'd heard them before but I wasn't familiar with them. They kicked just as much ass. Enough so that I may have to dig up the older stuff and immerse myself in some additional darkness. It was a very engaging performance. We were all throwin' the horns and pumpin' fists in unison. If only we had forearm gauntlets too.  As much as I enjoy it myself, I'm glad the mic wasn't thrust into some random fanboy's face to scream a few words. Because, honestly, everyone in that building would sound like shit compared to Falgoust. He is one of the best growlers out there. And fucking amazing live. Maybe the best I've seen. I have to rank Goatwhore in the Top 5 acts I've seen in Kingston. Maybe even Top 3. Those rankings will surely change when High on Fire and Skeletonwitch come to town in July. Move over Cattle Decap!

Oh right. 3 Inches of Blood. Um, same show different date. I left halfway through. The setlist even sounded eerily familiar. There was a lot of people having a lot of fun though. I think they drew a different crowd than Goatwhore. I'm sure there was some crossover but they are 2 very different styles. I saw more than a few father-son combos. People were having fun and that's what the whole thing is all about. I had my fun during Goatwhore's set. I checked out about halfway through the 3IOB set. I had a pending bangover to tend to and I wanted to get home before the Blackhawks game was over.

3 Inches of Blood w/ Arise and Ruin and guests @ Time to Laugh, Kingston, ON Oct. 18, 2009

3 Inches of Blood said they hadn't been to Kingston in 3 years. Arise and Ruin have been to Kingston 3 times THIS year. Whatever the frequency, Kingston (and I) were glad to have them both. The support acts were CFPT, We Are the Archers, and Fathom Ties. Here's the rundown:

CFPT: Beats me! I was still driving there.

We Are The Archers: For most of their set I was takin' a dump at the Pizza Pizza then smokin' a joint in a back alley. I think I caught the last song but I wasn't paying attention. At the end of their set, the singer says "We are We Are The Archers! (slight pause) That's the name of the band, We Are The Archers". It made me think of that P.O.D. song, "Youth of a Nation". Not the music, just the "We are, we are" part. Maybe it's time for a name change.

Fathom Ties: They seemed like a pretty confident bunch. But confidence will only take you so far (with me). I wasn't real impressed by them. They were very well rehearsed and looked like they believed in their music, but it just wasn't my thing. They did that whole synced guitar/headbang thing. Ya know, to a breakdown. They reminded me a lot of Incubus. The sappy-ass nu-metal one. Not the old school one that I've never actually heard. There were kids going apeshit though. Good for them. They'll come around eventually. At one time, I liked Incubus. Oh and when the singer was like "Let's hear it for ...." he said "3 Inches IN Blood." Ouch.

Arise and FUCKING RUIN!!!!!!!! These hardworkin' Guelphites never fail to put on a kick ass show. They are wicked tight. Vocalist Ryan Bauchman is a force. Dude is so full of energy! I love it. He's grabbin' people by the shirt and screamin' in their face. He's jumpin' off the monitors. He's screamin' and sweatin' and tearin' that place apart. The rest of the band aren't slouches either. For instance, I had to move over because I kept getting whipped by Sam's hair. Hell yeah. Come back again soon boys!

3 Inches of Blood: I have to admit, I set my hopes really high for this. Too high for anything to have lived up to it. The last show I was at was Clutch, so nothing could live up to that. With that being said, 3IOB did put on a great show. I think they needed a bigger stage though. Technically, they were spot on. I don't know if it was just where I was standing or what but I could only really hear the vocals and bass guitar. That wasn't really a bad thing. The bass is hard to pick up on the album, so being able to hear (and see) it live was kinda nice. I could hear the drums too. It was just the guitar that was kinda low in the mix. When I was reviewing Here Awaits Thy Doom, I mentioned how I missed Jamie Hooper's vocals and Justin Hagberg did a decent job but not great. He made up for it live. His screams were great. Very good interplay with the spot-on performance of Cam "He Who Is Most Aptly Named" Pipes. (I need to trademark that) They played a nice mix of tunes from the new album as well as some older stuff. The crowd reacted just as fervently no matter what they played. Many a lyric were sung, many a fist were pumped, many a head were banged, and when the 3 song encore finished with "The Goatrider's Horde", many an ear left ringing.

Clutch! Comin atchya live!!

I made the trip to Toronto last Wednesday to see the greatest band ever, live in concert. Oh yes. I'm talkin' about Clutch! They played at the Phoenix. I had never seen a show there. It's quite the place. I'm used to seeing shows in small clubs/bars. And I'm usually right up at the front so sound quality goes right out the window. So, I was really impressed with the sound at the Phoenix. I could listen to each component. I could distinguish each guitar from the other, the bass from them both. It was a nice change. Don't get me wrong, I love small clubs. But with a band like Clutch, it's not about screaming or headbanging or moshing or being as loud as (in)humanly possible. At a Clutch show, it's about the experience. A religious experience. And Neil Fallon is the preacher. The stage his pulpit. Guitarist Tim Sult and bassist Dan Maines, while being absolutely amazing, are pretty much glued to the floor. Drummer J.P. Gaster (who pulled double duty with Wino) is a spectacle unto himself. Watching him play is fun! Between his facial expressions, his bouncing around on the stool and his unique beats, he'd be worth the ticket price alone. Back to Neil. He's probably the best frontman I have ever seen. (Phil Anselmo may be the other) He has such a conviction. An energy that is hard to describe. He is one with the words. He can look you in the eye and you will believe whatever comes out of his mouth.

One of the best things about seeing Clutch live is you never really know what to expect. They change the setlist up every night. So if I had the extreme pleasure of catching more than one date on a tour, it would be a like a whole new experience. Even better than that are the jams. Oh the jams! The Clutch boys have such an incredible sense of each other. They are locked in. It's like they can read each others minds. They can slip into a jam and carry it out for 5, 10, 15 minutes and be so far away from where they started and WHAM! Right back into the song. Perfectly. And it's not just the bass and drums providing a beat for the guitar to do it's thing. At any given time, any instrument can be the centrepiece. It's amazing. One of these days, I'm half expecting Neil to just start rambling off lyrics improv style. They played for about an hour and 45 minutes including, I believe, a 4 song encore. You get every penny worth. None of that 45 minute set crap. I don't recall them playing anything pre-Clutch. I also don't remember anything from Jam Room or Pure Rock Fury. They might have. I'd have to check the setlist. They played a good chunk off the new record, Strange Cousins From the West. No "Spacegrass", no "Escape From the Prison Planet", no "Dragonfly" but you can't have everything. If I had anything bad to say about the show it would be the occasional echo effect on Neil's mic. I don't know if it was just the acoustics of the building or if it was a bad effect, but it didn't sound very good. They used some weird effect during "The Yeti" during the "...time is of the essence..." parts. It didn't fit at all. It wasn't even close to the album sound. Instead of it sounding like someone talking farther from the mic it sounded like someone talking underwater. I don't who's idea it was, but it was a bad idea. Relatively minor complaints, I guess.

So basically, what I'm trying to say is, Clutch were, are and always will be, the best live band you will ever see. (Best recorded band too. Just the best. Ever. Believe it.)

In case you were wondering about support acts, I have a few words for them too. Circumstances prevented me from seeing opener, Lionize. I'm not hearbroken that I didn't get to see them. But I would have liked to. They sounded kinda trippy from what little I heard online. And I was in a trippy mood. (wink wink) I did see/hear most of Wino's set though. By that point in the day I hadn't eaten in almost 12 hours. ( I just plum forgot. Too excited) So that signature Scott "Wino" Weinrich tone and it's subsequent low-frequency resonance was doing funny things to my stomach. I had to step away for a few minutes and then stand in a ridiculously long and slow moving line to get some $3 water. I was concentrating more on the line and the loudmouthed idiot in front of me than the band. What I did see though was pretty good. Performance wise it was kind of sub-standard. They didn't move that much. The music was great but it wasn't so much a "show" as a listening party. Plus, they had J.P. on the kit so that was like an extra bonus. I'm a big fan of all of Wino's work so I would like to see them again. On a full stomach.

Below is the shirt I bought. Sweet.

Lords/Titan/Barnburner/Kill Martyr @ Bar None, Kingston, ON June 18, 2009

I'm gonna start by saying this was one of the best front-to-back shows I've been to in a while. There was no band on the bill that disappointed me. Even though I wasn't really familiar with most of the bands, I really got into it. Usually, if I don't know the band, I just stand there. But all the bands pulled me in. They didn't just come to play, they came to perform.

I'd seen locals, Kill Martyr, on plenty of bills, but I'd never actually made it out to see them. Well, I regret that! Finally a Kingston product, that plays shows (I'm looking at you, Excarnation) that doesn't sound like a million other myspace bands! It's hard to really describe their sound. Vocals are hardcore, that part's easy. But the the rest is like metal/jam/noisecore? Regardless of what they sound like, they believe in their stuff. The vocalist was all over the stage, the guitarists were headbanging right along, and the drummer was relentless. The bass player was kind of static, but I'll let it slide. I (used to) play bass and when I performed, I didn't move around much either. And, it wasn't a huge stage so there wasn't alot of room anyway once you have the backline up. I was really impressed by Kill Martyr and I would have bought a shirt, but I didn't budget for it and I know I can get one later. Because I will be seeing them again. Guaranteed.

Montreal's Barnburner are hard to really categorize too. Nice and fast. Great presence. They were a good compliment to Lords. They have a real Southern kinda swagger to them. When I thought about who they reminded me of, I kept thinking of Iron Giant and Bionic. But alot more "in your face". The vocalist sort of reminded me of Electric Wizard. Just his tone or the way he trailed off sometimes, I dunno. Great band. Lots of fun.

Titan. Who I came to see. Man, were they good. I'd seen them play with Fuck The Facts a few months ago for the first time and they blew me away. I knew of them before that because a good friend of mine was in a band with one of their guitarists. But, on their first EP, they were more hardcore oriented, and I'm not a huge hardcore fan so I never really paid them that much attention. Well, they've got my attention now! Their new EP, Colossus, is amazing. And much to my utter delight, they played most of it. The only song I didn't know was "Proceed". I believe that's an old one. Anyway, they played "Next Winter" from Colossus. Probably their heaviest song and one of my favourites. I was really into their set. My neck is pretty sore today. I probably looked like a damn fool, headbanging, little bit of air guitar, pounding on my leg and stuff. I don't care. That's what happens when the music speaks to you. All inhibitions are gone. (a couple beer help too) That light switch goes on and nothing exists but you and the music. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's a beautiful thing. No power outages this time. Good thing, I wouldn't have wanted to miss anything! (For more posts about Titan, check the archives for a previous show review and a review of Colossus)

I knew I had heard Louisville, Kentucky's Lords album, Fuck All Y'all Motherfuckers before, but I couldn't remember what they sounded like. I knew I didn't not like them. But I still had no clue as to what to expect. I guess when you don't expect anything, you can't be let down. Right? I wasn't let down at all. I was treated to a set of PBR-fueled intensity. Edgy, southern-fried punk. I think what impressed me most was the speed and nimble fingeredness of the bass player. They reminded me a lot of the band Speedealer. That's a pretty hefty compliment. My shit ass memory is rearing its ugly head again and is sapping me of further details. But I will tell you, if you have the chance to see them, fucking do it. Y'all.

Toxic Holocaust w/ Dirty Lickens May 29 @ AKA Autonomous Social Centre, Kingston, ON

KPP does it again!! There have been so many incredible acts passing through Kingston lately. Who needs Toronto?! This time the festivities were hosted at the awesome AKA Autonomous Social Centre. I love this venue! I'm pretty sure my living room is bigger but that's what makes it so cool. I don't think my wife would want me hosting metal shows at our house, but at least I know it can be done. Tubby Custard and P!cked On were supposed to open but apparently they both broke up. So Dirty Lickens opened instead. I don't think I've seen a stranger combo of opener to headliner. Ever.

Dirty Lickens ( I keep wanting to say Smelly Lichens for some reason) was really not anything like you'd expect to see opening for Toxic Holocaust. I asked Marc before they went on what they were like. He told me they were punk kids playing folk music. A pretty fair description. Accompanying the bass, drums and guitar was an acoustic guitar, a banjo and I believe a ukulele. They played some pretty upbeat punk-tinged bluegrassy stuff. I hesitate to call it punkabilly though. Maybe it is. I dunno. Either way, it's unique flavour was kinda refreshing. Nice to hear some kids doing something different instead of every Tom, Dick and Harry breaking down with deathcore slam. It certainly was good beer drinkin' music. And I still can't get their take on " Big Rock Candy Mountain" out of my head.

I didn't really know that much about Toxic Holocaust other than that they kick ass. I knew some dudes from Rammer were playing with them now. And I had seen a picture of mainman Joel Grind in a magazine once. Said picture gave no sense of scale. He was much bigger than I thought. No giant, but for some reason I pictured him being more my size (5'7", 175) No matter his size, his stage presence was huge! You can really tell this guy lives and breathes his music. Speed and thrash metal course through his veins. I only knew the songs from the latest album (2008's An Overdose of Death) but I could have known none of the tunes they ripped out and still have rocked out as much as I did. I am glad they played "Feedback, Blood and Distortion" though. That one is stuck in my head too. They had the place throwin' horns and bangin' heads like it was the last metal show on earth. I got more armpit-to-the-face from Dan in the Sodom Shirt than I'd care to, but I didn't care. I was too busy enjoying the show! It's been a while since I've been to such a pure headbangin' show. I'll bang my head to just about anything, but this made me want to grow my hair out even more than I already do. Everyone was having a great time. I'm really glad I didn't get stopped by the cops on the way home. I had so much beer spilled on me, I coulda failed a sobriety test. There was a girl there taking a video of the show. I asked her if I could get a copy. I told her she could contact me through this site and wrote it down for her but she was really drunk so who knows. If I do get it, I'll post it on here so you can see for yourself what a great show it was.

I gotta say, the atmosphere at AKA that night was great. I felt very comfortable talking to people. I usually don't. Met some new people, found out who some people actually were, cross-invasion of personal spaces, and generally stayed out later than I probably should have. If I lived in Kingston, I might hang out there more. But since I don't, I'll just have to wait til the next concert.

Stay metal, my friends.

Kylesa/Intronaut + locals @ Bar None, Kingston, ON May 3,2009

Kingston, Ontario was host to a very special treat Sunday night. The mighty Kylesa from Savannah, Georgia and L.A.'s Intronaut stopped by on an off-date from their tour with Mastodon to shake Bar None to its foundations. Kingdom of Noise had the very special honour of interviewing Kylesa's Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants before the show. The interview will be posted at a later date. Warming up the crowd on this night was Chase the Day and Tubby Custard.

Chase the Day opened up the night. Not too bad for a bunch of young guys. The vocalist did his best to look like Phil Anselmo without all the tattoos. Cargo shorts, muscle shirt and the mohawk not spiked. I guess Jason Newstead did that too. Anyway, pretty standard death metal. Decent guitar work, standard drumming and plenty of effort from the vocalist. He seemed to go a little heavy on the random growls though. But still better than Chris Barnes. Performance wise, they have a ways to go. Other than the vocalist, they were pretty much a "stand there and play" band. Even the vocalist wasn't great in that department. Fist pumps, hunch over the monitor, some headbanging. But at least he moved. They call the openers "beer bands" for a reason.

Tubby Custard was a little better despite their name. I'd put these guys more in the metalcore/deathcore file. These guys made up for Chase the Day's lack of movement. They seemed to be more into it. That, or better at hitting all the notes while moving. Call me petty, but I couldn't get over how much the vocalist looked like a douche. He could scream well enough but he made me want to punch him. Before and after their set he was wearing one of those stupid flat-billed hats. Backwards. Strike 1. Under the hat was a haircut straight out of a 1975 yearbook picture (but not just straight and long, he had swooped bangs). Strike 2. Strike 3 came for his shirt. It looked like a sarong with buttons. I don't generally judge a book by it's cover but sometimes I'd just rather not see the cover. Again, pretty decent work from all members but nothing special. I have to take points off though. When you are an opener, and only play 5 songs or so, it's best to play all your own. And if you are going to play a cover, don't be so cliche as to play a Lamb of God song. At least do a Slayer song. Oh, and sarong boy kept doing that chicken neck thing. Kids these days.

Intronaut. Finally a band with some serious experience. I have to be honest, I was more into them in the Challenger/Void/Null days. I had a hard time getting into Prehistoricisms. I might have revisit it after seeing them live. It's been a while since I've seen a band with that amount of prog in their game. The prog is what I was having a hard time with on the album but I can really appreciate it more live. I was really impressed with the way they shifted tempos seamlessly. Also, the number of times I saw guitarist/vocalist Sacha Dunable use his pedal board was dizzying. How he can keep it all straight is beyond me. It was really odd to see bassist Joe Lester front and centre but it works for Intronaut. Since both guitarist (Dave Timnick being the other) were also singing, it balanced things out. Plus, the bass work in Intronaut is really prominent. I think that's where most of the prog is. My eyes were pretty much glued on his fingers for most of the set. Remarkable musicianship. What I wouldn't give to have half his talent. I have to mention drummer Danny Walker. I need to give him props for keeping everything straight given all teh times changes and jazzy breaks. Not your run of the mill "keep the beat" drummer. Not being as up on my Intronaut catalogue as maybe I should be, and having a shitty memory to boot, I can't tell you just how much they delved into all their albums but I am pretty sure it was heavy on Prehistoricisms. I was pretty impressed. Enough so to buy a shirt. I just might go back and listen to the album again too. At the end of the set, Sacha said "We need some weed. So if anyone has some..." Good idea. I just might have to try that approach next time.

Man, I have been vibrating since I saw this show announced. I never thought I would get to see a band of this caliber right in my own backyard. I was sure I'd have to go to Montreal or Toronto for it. Needless to say, my expectations were pretty high. They did not disappoint. They brought their crust/sludge/doom and rocked our collective worlds! I wasn't sure how such an underground band would go over in Kingston. It seems to be a -core/emo town. So when I saw a) how many people were there (kicked Cattle Decapitation's ass by a long shot) and b) how into it they were, it made me smile. The only time that smile left my face was when I was screaming along. This is the second time in the last few months I have been overwhelmed by the presence of a female front-woman. (The first was Fuck the Facts) Laura commands the stage. She is just more proof that metal is not just a man's game. Phillip told me that he lost his voice a couple days previous and that he had no range, but I couldn't tell. Bassist Cory Barhorst was no slouch either. I really like the fact that Kylesa are a band effort. All 3 were involved in the vocals. Not just a front-person and their backing band. It should be no surprise that the most impressive part of the set was the drumming of Eric Hernandez and Carl McGinley. It was really something special. Nah, special isn't a good enough word. How about fucking unbelievable!! To see both those guys playing so tightly was mind-boggling. I would have been just as impressed if they only had one drummer, but seeing them with both was all-you-can-do-is-shake-your-head awesome. At the end of the set, that's exactly what I did. I turned to my buddy Mark McGee (Architect, Jesus Mullet,ex-I Hate Sally) and we both just shook our heads. We couldn't believe we had just witnessed that. As I mentioned earlier, my memory is the pits, so I can't give you a set-list but it was heavy on Static Tensions. I have been listening to all their stuff lately (interview research/refresh) so it all kind of melds together for me but you could tell which album they were touring behind. They could play songs from only Static Tensions and I would still be on Cloud Nine. It's the best album of the year without a doubt. I feel truly blessed to have been able to attend this show. There has been very few times that I have been able to see a band that I consider that legendary at all, let alone in such an intimate environment. I will start praying to the metal gods that they can somehow find their way back to Kingston. However, I will make the trip to Toronto if I have to (not tonight. I have to work). It would be more than worth the gas money.