Five Bands, Zero Mercy: A Night of Extreme Metal Takes Over Saskatoon's Coors Event Centre
words and pics by Scott Roos
There are concerts where you go home with a ringing in your ears. Then there are concerts where you go home wondering whether your internal organs have been rearranged, your neck has filed a formal complaint, and someone should probably check on the people who were crowd-surfing over your head. Monday, Nov. 9 at the Coors Event Centre was very much the latter.
Five bands. Five distinctly different approaches to making a glorious racket. And enough blast beats, crushing riffs, guttural vocals and general sonic unpleasantness (in the best possible way) to keep the metal faithful grinning from ear to ear.
Opening duties fell to Thrown Into Exile, who wasted absolutely no time getting things moving. The American outfit delivered a short, punchy set built around crushing heaviness, melodic hooks and plenty of groove. Vocalist Joshua Santos was a natural frontman, bringing terrific energy and engaging the crowd from the get-go. The band was tight, the guitars had plenty of muscle, and there was enough rhythmic swagger to get heads moving. A very effective opening salvo.
Brazilian death metal outfit Crypta followed, and frankly, these ladies were something else. Led by the ridiculously charismatic Fernanda Lira on bass and vocals, the band brought a whole different level of intensity to the room. Lira is an absolute force of nature onstage. She moves effortlessly between high screams and those deep, cavernous guttural growls, sounding so convincing in both registers that you'd swear there were two different vocalists sharing the microphone.
The guitarwork was terrific, with some excellent lead playing providing a fitting counterpoint to the band's punishing rhythmic attack. Their third number, "The Outsider," was a genuine highlight. Built around a wonderfully heavy groove and an infectious vocal hook, it was the sort of song that makes you want to immediately investigate everything else a band has recorded. The drummer was an absolute beast behind the kit, delivering blast beats with frightening precision. Crypta didn't just warm up the room. They may well have stolen the evening, picking up a few new converts along the way. Yours truly included.
Greek symphonic death metal veterans Septicflesh were next, although their performance came with a bit of an unfortunate wrinkle. Vocalist Spiros Antoniou announced partway through the set that lead guitarist Christos Antoniou had been injured back home and was unable to make the tour. Performing without him left a noticeable hole in the band's overall presentation, particularly given the elaborate, cinematic nature of their material. Still, there was plenty of heaviness on offer. The band's performance of "Anubis" was particularly crushing, reminding everyone that even with a significant piece of the musical puzzle missing, Septicflesh can still deliver a formidable wall of sound.
Then came The Black Dahlia Murder. And holy hell, did things get interesting.
The pit went absolutely apeshit the moment these guys hit the stage. The energy level jumped several notches, the crowd surfing began in earnest, and the band's relentless combination of melodic death metal precision and full-throttle aggression had the room eating out of its collective hand. Frontman Brian Eschbach led the charge as the band tore through a set that barely allowed anyone to catch their breath.
"Contagion" was a particular highlight, although there really wasn't much opportunity to pick favourites when the entire performance felt like one extended exercise in controlled musical violence. And then there was the appearance of The Statutory Ape during "Statutory Ape." The band's wonderfully ridiculous mascot made an appearance, danced around onstage and eventually joined the party in the pit. Because apparently that's just what happens at a Black Dahlia Murder show. It was gloriously chaotic. The band was firing on all cylinders, and the crowd responded with every ounce of energy it had left.
Finally, it was time for legendary melodic death metal outfit Arch Enemy to take the stage. There was understandably plenty of curiosity surrounding newly appointed vocalist Lauren Hart, but any lingering questions about whether she could handle the job were quickly put to rest. Hart has tremendous stage presence and an infectious enthusiasm that makes her instantly likeable. More importantly, she can absolutely deliver the goods vocally, bringing the ferocity required for Arch Enemy's signature sound while also demonstrating impressive versatility. Her performance on the newer track "To the Last Breath" was a particularly good showcase of what she brings to the band.
Of course, having Michael Amott delivering those unmistakable guitar riffs doesn't hurt either. The legendary guitarist was in fine form, while the rhythm section provided the kind of rock-solid foundation that allows Arch Enemy to do what they do best: combine crushing heaviness, memorable melodies and grooves that practically demand movement. "War Eternal" was a standout, and the band's ability to settle into a groove before unleashing another barrage of musical mayhem remains one of their greatest strengths.
Five bands, five different flavours of extreme metal, and one very satisfied audience. From Thrown Into Exile's energetic opening set to Crypta's scene-stealing performance, Septicflesh's orchestral brutality, The Black Dahlia Murder's wonderfully unhinged assault and Arch Enemy's triumphant headlining appearance, Monday night offered a little something for every shade of metal enthusiast. If your idea of a good Monday involves ear-splitting guitars, questionable neck mobility and a giant ape joining the mosh pit, this was pretty much the perfect evening.
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