BLËED with AfterEarth, With Malice, Armifera
December 20th, 2014
DV8 Underground
What could be better in the days leading up to Christmas than a Christmas themed metal show in a dark basement bar with free pancakes, bacon, & maple syrup? Not much, if you ask this metal head. Organized by the vocalist of BLËED (I believe), with sound being handled by the mastermind behind Farmageddon Open Air, this was the 3rd Annual Santa BLËED show. While most of the others on one of the busiest bar streets in the city were listening to whatever radio and dance club friendly junk was blasting from several outdoor speakers, several lucky metal heads were witnessing an amazing (not so radio-friendly) show at DV8 Underground.
Armifera opened the night, providing enough thrashy energy to awaken anyone in the crowd worn out from the stress of the most annoying time of the year. Playing a mixture of originals and covers, it was a set immensely enjoyed by the crowd. With Malice played next, providing more of blackened death vibe. They were hard and heavy, creating an assault on the eardrums in the best possible way. The band name certainly fits the style of music. AfterEarth were up next, drawing the majority of the crowd to the front of the stage. Even with some slight technical difficulties due to a completely new sound board (being learned somewhat on the fly), this show was already shaping up to be one of the best of the year before the headliners even took the stage.
BLËED was the big attraction of the night. The crowd of eager metal heads was treated to a stage show that would leave anyone impressed. Fake blood, multiple costume changes and horror props all make BLËED shows absolutely insane. Especially when backed by loud and furious death metal, complete with blasphemous themes and zombie babies spewing Jägermeister to the crowd. This is a band that puts a tremendous amount of effort into their stage presence and the results are such that I could see BLËED live time and time again without ever getting bored. To top it off, Santa BLËED made an appearance, handing out multiple humorous Christmas presents to members of the audience. Joined onstage by several very creepy (and thus quite impressive) Krampus, this was a show that should not have been missed.
