Mongol - 'River Child' (New Single)

A few days ago, Canadian folk-metal band Mongol brightened up the winter with their latest single titled 'River Child'. It's taken from their upcoming EP, "Warrior Spirit", which will see an April release. I always look forward to new material from this band as they always offer an energetic and intriguing brand of folk-metal. 

The Uncompromising Festival Perspective: Part Two

While still on the topic of festivals, Metalocalypstick Fest needs to be discussed. The inaugural festival took place in August of 2016 in Valemount, British Columbia. The concept of a festival featuring bands with female members is a double edged sword. On one hand, it’s an interesting idea. On the other hand, is it really a good concept to found a festival on? Many metal fans don’t care whether a band has female members. They only care about the quality of the music. Some might even consider the prerequisite of having a female band member to play the festival as a gimmick. Also, the simple fact that there are less women playing in metal bands than men, immediately limits the bands that can be considered.

Gorgeous surroundings at Metalocalypstick Fest

            Metalocalypstick Fest should have worked better than it did. The infrastructure of the festival grounds was in place. Located at the rodeo grounds, there was a already a bar area and pre-built stage located inside of a permanent tent. Albeit, the stage is relatively tiny and tent isn’t exactly waterproof. With camping adjacent in a nice campground (including showers), it should have been a no-brainer. But it was a disorganized disaster to get settled in for the weekend. No one seemed to have a clue where to go, and campground employees seemed almost unaware that a festival was supposed to be taking place. It took until the morning after arrival for any semblance of organization to occur, and it was in direct conflict to what little information was provided on the website. I’m not going to bother with further details, but as one of the very few attendees not playing in a band, I was less than impressed with the way the situation was handled.

            This festival also suffered from some major attendance problems. Maybe it was a lack of promotion, maybe it was the concept, maybe it was the location. I’m willing to drive several hours for a gorgeous camping spot (which was provided by Canoe River Campground), but it’s probably not a viable idea for a festival. The closest major cities are hours away and that kind of commute could be a deterrent to many for various reasons. Even for a first year festival, the attendance at Metalocalypstick was dismal.

The inside of the festival tent: completely soaked

            Foresight would have predicted that Valemount would get rain at some point over the weekend. This is pretty standard for a mountain valley location. There was no sheltered area for the bands to display and sell merch. I don’t believe the bands were informed that they would have to provide their own shelter for their allocated merch area, and really, who the hell wants to display their merch totally unprotected in a downpour? The bar could have used a better selection of alcohol. Offering one kind of flat beer from a keg seems like a bad proposition. It wouldn’t have hurt to have a few varieties on hand in canned form. Especially considering one can often procure bulk discounts from liquor stores for events and then return unopened cases and flats. Cider was also on offer, but would have been better received in canned form. These few simple ideas would have made it easier for the bartenders and would have provided more satisfaction to the customers that were there. Again, it turned into a game of running back and forth to the camping areas in order to drink decent alcohol previously purchased at a better price.

            Very few people seemed to know when the bands were actually set to take the stage. The first bands to play were met with an almost completely empty house. Providing festival-goers with some kind of lineup information would have been useful. Even if this was as simple as band names and set times printed on blank paper, or photocopied. Handwritten and photocopied would have been better than nothing. The food trucks seemed to be closed most of the weekend, which was probably a function of such low attendance. This, coupled with them being overpriced, contributed to even less people watching bands as they were forced back to the camping areas to fend for themselves. (Hopefully attendees weren’t counting on having food available to them on site and planned ahead enough to either bring their own, or make a trip to Valemount to get some groceries).

            The thing about festivals is that they’re about the experience as a whole. While the music itself is a large part of the experience, it certainly isn’t the entirety of it. There are a many other factors to consider, as I’m sure that many of those involved in organizing a festival know all too well. For the attendee, even the cost of tickets themselves can be a deterrent. I don’t have an excess of disposable income nor the ability to take multiple weekends off of work, so I appreciate the colloquial ‘bang for my buck’ when choosing whether to attend a festival. While the lineup contributes greatly to the initial decision, I’m beginning to consider more and more factors each year. In terms of western Canadian festivals, higher attendance is definitely a positive thing. Having the opportunity to meet more like-minded individuals is part of the experience and better results are achieved from higher attendance. Not to mention that higher attendance allows the organizers to recover a larger portion of the costs of putting on the festival in the first place.  

Predictably, the storm clouds roll in. 

            Although it can’t be controlled, weather plays a large factor in my enjoyment of a festival. While I have all of the clothing and gear to stay dry, a sheltered area from both the sun and the rain is preferable. And honestly, it seems like a good portion of people show up with a single pair of shoes, a hoodie and a few cases of beer in preparation for the weekend. Sleeping in a soaked tent with wet clothes cannot make for a fun time, unless you plan on staying in an alcohol haze for the entirety of the festival.

A few less-than-great experiences, and I’m starting to reconsider whether it’s worth planning to attend outdoor festivals. The great experiences I’ve had make me want to go back, but weighed against some of the less fun ones, I’m beginning to have doubts about whether I will continue to check out festivals in the future. I love camping. I enjoy live music. I’m becoming less decisive on whether the two mix. I realize that a lot of people love the festival experience, no matter the weather conditions, no matter what the lineup, no matter what the attendance, no matter what the organization is like. I sincerely hope that these people continue to support western Canadian festivals so that the existing ones only continue to grow and better themselves year after year.

            

The Uncompromising Festival Perspective: Part One

Truth be told, I haven’t attended nearly the number of festivals that many others in my circle of acquaintances have, but I’ve been to a few. As of late, I have found myself contemplating the festival experience more and more. Perhaps my perceptions were distorted by attending Ruisrock (in Turku, Finland) as my first festival. Rockperry (in Vaasa, Finland) was the second festival I attended and subsequently attended the following year. These festivals remain my only European metal fest experiences, but they had a few things in common. First off, they were well organized. Likely having to do with having several previous, successful editions. The prevalence of metal in Finland likely led to having backing from several sponsors, which equals funding.

            Secondly, the festival grounds were well laid out and user friendly. Getting in the gates proved to be no hassle, even with some language barriers. Free drinking water was readily available. There were clear demarcations between all ages areas and the beer gardens. Even with massive lineups, the beer gardens functioned efficiently and offered a decent selection. Washrooms were available both inside and outside of the beer gardens, although they were porta-potties that got continuously more disgusting as the weekend wore on. Both of these festivals had multiple stages and many of the beer garden areas offered views of the stages.

            Thirdly, there were multiple food options available at reasonable prices and fully operational at all times when the gates were open. Fourth, the camping areas were well organized.

            I haven’t attended many of the ‘local’ festivals (western Canada), but tend to harbor mixed feelings about them. I’m only going to reference outdoor festivals, as they’re a completely different experience from the indoor variety. Maybe my expectations were set a bit high, or maybe festivals should be approached with fewer expectations, but for me this is impossible.

            One of the factors coming into play with the western Canadian festivals I’ve attended is being, at the very least, acquainted with various organizers, volunteers and musicians. I want these festivals to succeed. I can only imagine the effort that goes into planning these events and getting a festival off the ground. These fellow metal heads put in an extraordinary amount of time and effort, often financing these ventures out of their own pockets. Not to mention typically working full time jobs outside of the music industry. On some level, I think many of us who have attended these local festivals recognize and appreciate this. In no way do I want to sound unappreciative of these efforts.

            However, there are a few things about the festivals I’ve attended that I’ve found lacking and there are a few things I’ve found outstanding. And these have contributed to my opinions surrounding these festivals.

            Farmageddon, located outside of Ryley, Alberta, is a festival that I would love to see succeed. I’m not sure what the official statement will be regarding Farmageddon, but it seems to be in trouble. It didn’t take place in 2016, replaced by an indoor festival and tentatively planned to be a biannual occurrence. There was a Go-Fund-Me campaign for the festival, and some press releases suggesting the next one was going to be a big one. Lately, the rumors seem to be that the festival has folded. I’m cautiously optimistic, and frankly, the feeling sucks. I enjoyed looking forward to this festival. The stage was pretty damn impressive for being set up in the middle of a field. The techs working the festival are more than capable. The vendor and merch areas have been pretty great, offering a decent variety and some shelter from the elements for those selling their wares. Plus, the lineups in the two years I attended this festival were solid.

            I enjoyed the relaxed camping atmosphere the first year I attended. Many of us were able to set up tents in close proximity to the stage, complete with views and a very short walk. The second year I attended, the camping area had changed entirely, now being behind the stage and further past a grass parking lot of cars. At least the bathroom access issues were sorted out by day two. I understand why the camping arrangements were changed, but it dampened my experience in comparison to the previous year.

            Of course weather plays a huge factor in open air festivals. The one thing that I found lacking was shelter from the elements. It would have enhanced my experience if there had been a three sided tent facing the stage available for those miserable, rainy days. Another area that was somewhat disappointing was the beer gardens. If I were planning an “ideal” setup, I would have allowed for a fenced area, set back from the stage but still close, and still allowing for a good view. Add some tables, benches, and a better set-up for the volunteer bartenders, and alcohol sales might have been higher which could have prevented as many people from hanging out in the camping areas to drink. Allowing smoking in an area near the stage would have been appreciated by many. (Although I don’t know the details, I believe the liquor and gaming commission’s rules had a lot to do with this, and they are the organization that issues liquor licenses for events).

            From my perspective, Farmageddon has a lot going for it. The infrastructure created on location is impressive. (Shower facilities would have been nice, but improbable and impractical given the location itself). The festival grounds are near Edmonton, which is fairly accessible. The vision is definitely there. The talented, capable, individuals making up the Farmageddon team are there. The festival has pulled in some great local talent, and some great international acts. What it seems to be lacking is enough attendance to make it financially viable. 

Körperlose Stimme At Metalocalypstick Fest: Video

One of my favourite lesser-known bands, Körperlose Stimme, have put together a neat video clip showcasing their experience at Metalocalypstick Fest this past August. Körperlose Stimme are a blackened death metal band from Edmonton, AB, Canada and I feel fortunate to be able to catch their sets on a fairly regular basis.

While I was lucky enough to catch a few great sets at this festival, I hope that in the future some changes are made to increase attendance, have better organization and provide a covered merch area for those bands who make the long trek out to play. With such a gorgeous backdrop, as evidenced in the video Körperlose Stimme has shared, it's a bit of shame that the inaugural edition of this festival lacked in so many areas. My personal thoughts aside, check out the video:

The Forge on Whyte: A New Venue in a Familiar Setting

It would be difficult to deny that there is a bit of a buzz surrounding the opening of one of Edmonton's newest live music venues. Following the closure of The Pawnshop, disappointment was a common lament amongst local metalheads. The Forge plans on filling the empty space, both literally and figuratively, as it has moved into what was formerly known as the Pawnshop.

Although the grand opening hasn't officially occurred, The Forge has already hosted a few shows and has more booked. Although I haven't had the opportunity to check out the new venue myself, I'm excited for the changes that have been made, and the changes that are in the works. The venue features a re-built stage, allowing more space for the numerous bands that will surely play there. Considering the old venue hosted some great shows with some great metal bands, there is confidence that The Forge will be able to continue with this tradition. For metalheads, this is certainly welcome news. Many of the members of The Forge team are well known in the local metal scene for their support and promotion of metal within the city. With some improvements to a locally-loved venue, and a capable, committed management team, I'm excited for the future of this venue.

For more:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/2016/12/07/promoter-forging-ahead-with-new-whyte-ave-music-venue.html
http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=87105bdce2c5de528da3c6e49&id=a1eb7e5782

The Forge Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Theforgeyeg/

Black Mourning Light Festival: What to Expect

I wanted to share this article from Beatroute Magazine regarding the Black Mourning Light Festival taking place in a few short days:

http://beatroute.ca/2016/10/17/extreme-metal-black-mourning-light-festival-grows-bigger/

I missed the inaugural edition last year, and judging by the excellent feedback, this is not an event I can totally miss again this year. Both days boast a pretty solid lineup of underground black, doom and blackened death metal. Certainly enough to satiate the appetites of Edmonton's metalheads for a little while, at least.

With two nights of bands, October 21 & October 22, plus a VIP breakfast on Sunday morning, this is a promising event for those who are able to clear their schedule for any portion of the festival.

For more on this event, check out the official website:
https://blackmourninglight.wordpress.com

On The Radar: Eye Of Horus

I first caught Eye of Horus opening for 3 Inches of Blood and Goatwhore back in 2013, and was immediately impressed, One of my favourite local bands, they bring a tightly constructed style of melodic death metal. In the vein of Bloodbath and At The Gates, this is a band that should continue to do great things. They typically pack any show that they headline and become favourites at any festival they play.

'Infernal Calling', their debut album, was released almost exactly one year ago. Crushingly heavy, I would highly recommend it for any death metal fan. Eye of Horus have just released a video for one of the album tracks, "Hexagammatron".

Check out the official video here.

On The Radar: Körperlose Stimme

If you enjoy blackened death metal and you haven't heard of Körperlose Stimme, you're missing out. This newly released video provides some insight into the lyrics, themes and music of this wicked up-and-coming Canadian band. 'The Dark Man' EP is excellent; I'd recommend getting your hands on it if at all possible.

Mortillery - 'Torture' Official Video

Edmonton's own thrashers, Mortillery, have just released the video for 'Torture'. A track from their upcoming album titled "Shapeshifter", set for release on May 27th, it serves as a preview for what promises to be more thrashy goodness from this band. With a few international tours under their belts supporting some pretty big names, this is a band worth giving a listen if you enjoy in-your-face thrash.

Eye Of Horus, With Malice, Tales Of The Tomb Review

Eye Of Horus, With Malice, Tales Of The Tomb

December 5, 2015

Rendezvous Pub

The Rendezvous Pub played host to what promised to be one of the sickest local death metal shows of the year. Dethgod, the only band on the bill not from Edmonton, was forced to drop off the bill due to a family emergency. Although a little disappointing, the reason was perfectly understandable and many of the local metal heads are hoping to see them make it to Edmonton in the new year. 

The Rendezvous was already rocking with the sounds of Tales Of The Tomb as I arrived. Boisterous and frenetic, they proved again why they are a good pick for an energizing opener. 

With Malice played a blistering set, supporting their album ‘Hail Kraken’. The band’s Facebook page states that “their live show is nothing but pure, raw intensity from start to finish” and it’s an apt description. I’ve only caught this band a few times, but each time has involved an intense, energetic, near-perfect thrashy-death metal experience. 

Eye of Horus promised a unique set of cover songs and definitely delivered. They brought an intensity typical of their own material to each of the covers played, including songs from other death metal greats such as At The Gates, Cannibal Corpse, Bloodbath, and Behemoth. Mixing a few of their own songs in, it’s not hard to see why Eye of Horus has quickly risen to the top ranks of Alberta’s death metal bands. 

The beer was flowing, multiple birthdays were celebrated by band and audience members, the temperature was much more appealing than what could be expected from a December night in Edmonton, and all three bands were on point, playing ear-shredding sets. All in all, it was a great, intimate show. 

Public Transit and the Music Scene

Perhaps tying the public transit system to the music scene is my way of expressing my frustration with public transit within the city of Edmonton but it’s something that many of us have some experience with, or can likely relate to. There has been a lot of public frustration with the transit system in Edmonton. From long delays on the construction of LRT (light rail transit) lines, to LRT lines severely interrupting traffic flow, to several other issues and complaints; the list is endless.

I made the (poor) decision to use public transit to get to a bar for a metal show the other night. Wanting to have a few drinks before heading to the show, transit seemed like a logical option considering the home I was at was close to a major transit hub and taking a taxi was significantly more expensive. Before even boarding the LRT, a friend and I were aggressively harassed by two homeless people as we were purchasing tickets for the LRT. Although this indicates a larger problem within the city, the area we were in isn’t exactly known for issues like this. Although it is becoming more common. After that, it took an hour to get to the venue. A venue that would have been a fifteen or twenty minute drive. 

I haven’t used public transit in the city since I was student and lived in the city for a few years. My experiences and observations on the way to the show the other night served as a reminder of why I have a severe dislike for the public transit system. When I first moved into the city, I was excited that it would be easy to get to shows or go out for a bar night with friends by simply hopping on transit and planning on using a taxi to get home. Perhaps I was naive, or perhaps experiences in other cities led me to believe the system would work, but my mind was quickly changed.

 The public transit system is massively inefficient. Route frequencies change all of the time, supposedly reflecting user volume. Figuring out which route to take can be a challenge in comparison to finding the same information in other cities. Unless you’re traveling to a destination directly on the LRT line, good luck getting anywhere in reasonable time. And honestly, the LRT doesn’t go to that many places. It doesn’t even allow users to be transported to most of the major transit hubs in the area. 

For a city that is spending a ridiculous amount of money on revitalizing areas that someone in power has decided to showcase, you’d think timely transit improvement would be a priority. It apparently is, but so far hasn’t been executed in any kind of manner that can be described as anything less than a giant cluster-fuck. Edmonton is so far behind other major cities in this regard that it’s actually embarrassing. Observing the LRT stations downtown doesn’t leave a very good impression. They’re poorly lit, run-down, dirty and generally tired and uninviting. Not to mention that security is non-existent. Speaking to above-ground bus stops, they’re not exactly comfortable places to be after dark. I don’t feel particularly safe waiting for twenty five minutes on a very poorly lit, dirty, side street in a sketchy area of the city. Would it really be that difficult to put some form of lighting at the bus stop itself? I’ve heard LED lights are a pretty cost efficient alternative...

In comparing Edmonton with other cities, I’ve seen several things that would ideally already be in place for an urban area claiming to be as modern and livable as Edmonton. For example, in Banff, QR codes are in place at the bus stops throughout the town. Scan the QR code and you have instant information about how long you will be waiting for your bus. You also have access to route information. Sure Banff is a small town, and a major tourist destination, but using QR codes to give simple information shouldn’t be that much of a stretch if the rest of the system was up to date. Which, in Edmonton’s case, it is not. 

Perhaps I am so disappointed and frustrated with Edmonton’s transit system because I’ve spent a fair bit of time using transit in a country where it is actually efficient and user-friendly. Maybe it’s an unfair comparison to make between Edmonton and Helsinki (and Finland in general), but I would have thought that someone in this city would have had the foresight to see why a good public transit is an asset. I had very few problems figuring out exactly where I needed to go, and how to get there, while I was in Helsinki and various other cities in Finland. The vast majority of the information was in Finnish or Swedish, which are both languages that I have little grasp of. Yet the system itself was so user-friendly that I was able to use it hassle-free. 

Helsinki also employs an easy payment system. At least they did when I was using transit there, which is now seven and eight years ago. It was simple to purchase a card, somewhat like a FOB, which could be loaded with money. When entering a bus or rail system, it was as simple as holding the card up to a reader, which would then deduct the appropriate fare for the trip. If you chose to use cash, the transit drivers had change available, dispensed through a machine at the front of the bus. Neither of these options exist in Edmonton. Sure you can buy a monthly or annual pass, but it’s not the same. You had better make sure you have the exact cash fare in Edmonton because you sure won’t get change back. Finland has a transit system that makes it easy to get from even the smallest rural areas to any major city. Going to a concert or festival was ridiculously easy. Purchase a train ticket and you could get almost anywhere. You didn’t have to drive, or makes plans to carpool and have a designated driver if there was the possibility of having a few drinks with friends.

In Edmonton, even taking a taxi has proved to be nothing but an expensive hassle. I can’t say I’ve ever had an overwhelmingly positive experience attempting to use taxis to get to or from shows in this city. From having to wait nearly an hour early in the evening to be picked up on the way to the show to having to wait the same amount of time in the cold after a show, only to fight with others waiting for a cab, to get home later; it’s a pain. I’ve had numerous taxi drivers attempt to take a much longer, inefficient route in order to collect a higher fare. I’ve had taxis say that they couldn’t drive me to my destination because it was “out of their way” even though it was well within city limits and less than a half hour drive. I haven’t used taxis in many other cities, but the experience I had using a taxi in Vancouver was the complete opposite. The fare was less than half of what I was expecting, based on what I knew of Edmonton taxis. 

Considering all of the experiences I’ve had trying to use transit, and why I basically refuse to use it if possible in Edmonton, I’m left wondering how much the poor public transit system in Edmonton negatively affects the arts and music scene. Many venues have been forced to close or move to locations that aren’t easy to access with transit. Taking a taxi is expensive, and an option that concert goers on a budget have to weigh carefully. Taxi or merch? Taxi or a few drinks with friends? Is it worth the hassle of even attempting to get to and from the venue in the first place? Sure, it’s an option to drive oneself but it would be nice to have a good transit option available. 

Getting home safely at the end of the night is a fairly major concern to me. Getting to a venue with minimal hassle helps to set the mood for an enjoyable night. When I lived in the city, there were shows and events that I skipped because I either did not feel comfortable taking transit in that area of the city, taking transit wasn’t a viable option, I couldn’t afford a taxi, or I simply did not want to drive. Perhaps it’s just my opinion, but I believe that a modern, efficient, user-friendly public transit system would help in allowing music lovers (of all genres) support the local scene. Beyond looking at it from the perspective of someone trying to get to and from shows, a good transit system would be an asset to the entire city. Some simple changes could make a big difference and should have been planned for, and implemented years ago. 

Körperlose Stimme - The Dark Man Video

Körperlose Stimme have quickly become a band that people are taking notice of in the local scene. Their sound can be described as blackened death metal with paranormal themes.

Just over a week ago, Körperlose Stimme released a music video for the song 'The Dark Man'. I quite like this video; it's just the right amount of creepy and very well put together.

Eye Of Horus CD Release Show: A Short Review

Eye of Horus CD Release with Death Toll Rising, AfterEarth, Mongol, Wolfrik

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Rendezvous Pub

Tired and sluggish from the insanity of Villainizer’s farewell show the night before, I headed out to the Eye Of Horus CD release show, knowing this was another one not to be missed. The Rendezvous Pub is a small venue and it was definitely quite full by the end of this rainy evening. Fighting through my own somewhat grouchy mood, it was still a night of music well worth attending. 

Wolfrik opened the show and while quite a few people seemed to thoroughly enjoy their style of metal, it’s something that isn’t to my taste. Mongol, on the other hand, play a uniquely themed style of folk metal that’s aways enjoyable. On a night where new material was the theme, Mongol had a new song to offer titled ‘The Mountain Weeps’. If this is any indication of what’s to come from the Mongol camp, it’s worth looking forward to. 

AfterEarth, from Calgary, played an excellent set of melodic death metal on the heels of their newly released CD, “In The Shadow Of Destiny”. This was the second time seeing this band, and I’m hoping to have the opportunity to see them again. Death Toll Rising has been a staple in the local death metal scene for years and once again proved exactly why. Always high energy, always packed with great musicianship, tonight was no different.

Of course, the highlight of the night came from Eye of Horus. Officially releasing their latest offering of brilliant brutality, they killed it. This is a band that sounds as if they crawled right out of Sweden with some of the best that particular country has to offer. Fresh off of a western Canadian tour, they were on point yet again. Crushingly heavy, with insurmountable energy, it was a great set. If you haven’t picked up a copy of their new album, “Infernal Calling”, do it. If you get a chance to see Eye of Horus live and you like brutally tight, heavy death metal, take the opportunity. You will not be disappointed. 

Villainizer Bids Farewell: Review

Villainizer Final Show with BLEED, Bloated Pig, Tylor Dory Trio and Tales Of The Tomb

September 11th, 2015

Starlite Room

One could feel the anticipation for Villainizer’s farewell show in the days leading up to this particular night. Upon arrival at the venue, even before doors were scheduled to open, several metal heads were already lined up, eager to get their hands on some of the limited Villainizer merchandise being offered. 

Stated on social media as ‘psychological horror metal / death metal / murder metal, Tales of the Tomb opened the show to a steady trickle of arriving metal heads. With lyrical themes revolving around serial killers such as Robert Pickton (check out ‘The Pig Farmer’), cult leaders such as David Koresh, and various other murders and criminal acts, this band offers macabre death metal with a real-life twist. Proving to be a good opener for this particular show, they played an energetic set, preparing the crowd for what was still to come. 

Described by guitarist/vocalist Tylor Dory as the ‘least metal band of the night’, Tylor Dory Trio proved to be an impressive display of true musicianship. Dory has been a talented mainstay in the local metal scene for years, also playing with Villainizer on this particular night (as well as Death Toll Rising the following night). Not having listened to Tylor Dory Trio’s material previously, I was sincerely impressed even though the style is not typical of the sub genres of metal I usually listen to. Always having been impressed with Dory’s guitar abilities, I was also very pleasantly surprised to hear him sing lead vocals. This is definitely a band worth keeping an eye on. 

Bloated Pig were another band that I had not previously seen. While I found them interesting to watch, I also found them to be a touch on the doom-y, sludgy side for my preferences. It seemed as though they were well-appreciated by the crowd though. 

BLEED: the second most hype-inducing band of the evening. (They would have been in close contention with Villainizer for most-anticipated of the night for many if it were not Villainizer’s farewell show). With a brand new album, ‘The Hatred Inside’, set to be officially released at the end of the month, I was excited to see what this band had on offer this evening. When you go to a BLEED show, you know you will be entertained. Horrifically awesome costumes, often hand-constructed by BLEED vocalist Robert Kreed, wicked props, spewing blood, all backed backed by headbanging tunes; what more could you want? As far as I’m concerned, BLEED has earned a place amongst western Canada’s finest live acts and this night was no exception. 

Villainizer has been a band surrounded by hype from its inception in 2009. Project mastermind Rob ‘the Arab Villain’ Abinader has always been heavily involved in the local metal scene, contributing in several less-illustrious aspects than as the frontman of this terrorist thrash metal act. However, this evening was dedicated to showcasing the career of Villainizer and saying good-bye with a bang. If you missed your chance to catch Villainizer live, you seriously missed out. This was the first full Villainizer set that I managed to catch, but what a set it was. The infidels were out in full force, packing Starlite Room to bid a fond farewell. Abinader is a pure entertainer, as evidenced by a larger than life stage presence, provoking lyrics dripping with satire, and more energy than one would think possible. The fans fed off this and the pit didn’t even seem to slow down for the rest of the night. 

Overall, this was one of the best shows, local or otherwise, that I have witnessed in a while. I’m sure there were quite a few hung over metal heads the next morning, made worth it by knowing that this is something that will not be seen again. Villainizer will be sorely missed in the local scene; thank you to the band for creating such a fantastic experience over the last five years for all of thrashers who listened to the albums, bought merchandise and attended shows. 

BLËED - 'Committed' (New Song)

I'm immensely excited for the release of BLËED's full length album, "The Hatred Inside", which is due in late September. Bravewords.com is currently streaming 'Committed', which is the first single from the album. It sounds nice and gritty; an in-your-face bombast of the kind of metal I love from this band.

Links:
Bravewords Article
(Link to stream 'Committed')

Losing The Pawn Shop

A Serious Blow To The Metal Community

Intimate music venues have dropping off the map at much too fast of a rate in Edmonton lately. The Pawnshop, my favorite venue in the city, has succumbed to the same fate. I’m actually saddened to see it go. The venue was a fantastic place to catch a metal band. It was the go-to place to see a metal show, supporting local talent and brining in international players. With the metal scene growing exponentially in the Edmonton area in the last several years, its disappointing to see a venue that continuously hosted some of the best close its doors.

The Pawnshop was located centrally. After several venues closing on the west end, it was one of the closest for those of us living west of the city to travel to. While I’m personally not a big fan of Whyte Avenue, especially on weekends, it was an easy location to access. The laid back atmosphere was welcomed. There were no questionable dress code reinforcements and everyone felt at home, yet staff were responsible in ejecting or denying re-entry to those who deserved it. The staff themselves were great, being attentive and yet not overbearing. The same cannot be said for other venues. It is a real shame that high rental fees forced The Pawnshop to close. I do take this explanation as a valid reason as the rent on Whyte Ave is ridiculously high. Even with its crooked toilets and bathroom stall doors that haven’t closed properly in the last five years, I will miss this venue. 

Some of the best, most intimate shows I have attended have been at the Pawnshop. While it was a small venue, it never felt claustrophobic. The ability to go outside, and be able to easily re-enter seems to be a growing rarity. The Pawnshop offered this. They didn’t try to wrangle people into ridiculously crowded smoke pits and they made it easy for those who wanted fresh air or a quick break from the excitement to do so. 

Shows scheduled for the Pawnshop are set to move to the Union Hall. Like many others, I have few good things to say about the Union. While the building may have worked as a nightclub, it fails to work well for live performances. Some serious renovations would have to take place to achieve this. Apparently the staff from the Pawnshop will also be relocating to the Union. Hopefully they can teach the current Union staff a few things about good service and building good relationships with concert-goers. The best I can say about the Union until this point is that shows have been “just okay”. I’ve had some downright awful experiences there, from it being impossible to find a good vantage point if you are unfortunate enough to not be one of the first through the doors, to some ridiculous and discriminatory dress code reinforcements, to a lot of warm beer and inattentive bartenders, to downright rude staff and total disorganization. Especially now that the Pawnshop has ceased to exist, I truly hope that the Union can make some serious improvements. 

In all honesty, the closure of the Pawnshop has cast a bit of gloom on the metal community surrounding this city. From my standpoint, if a show was at the Pawnshop that I wanted to see, I wouldn’t think twice about attending. If a show was at either Starlite Room or the Union Hall, I would have to seriously consider whether I wanted the accompanying hassles that always seem to come with either of those venues. At least Starlite provides an atmosphere were you can comfortably see the stage from almost anywhere in the room. And it still has a central location for those who travel from the outskirts of the city, or from outside the city. BUT we needed more venues (not less) like the Pawnshop; the attitude was superb and the support for the artists playing the venue was apparently excellent. It was a bit of a gem in this grimy city and it will definitely be missed. 

For another personal lament about the Pawnshop:

http://www.danazukphotography.com/blog/2015/6/29/saying-goodbye-to-the-pawn-shop

For a few news articles regarding the closure:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Edmonton+loses+another+music+venue+with+closure+Pawn+Shop/11163560/story.html

http://www.gigcity.ca/2015/06/25/pawnshop-closing-gigs-move-to-union-hall/

Idolatry Tour Accident

Edmonton black metal band, Idolatry, recently embarked on a Canadian tour, bringing their ritual to audiences in Eastern Canada. Unfortunately, an accident has befallen this mighty black metal outfit as their truck and trailer left the road enroute to one of their shows. 

On the fortunate end of things, the band and the gear are mostly alright. I'm not normally the type of person to promote these 'GoFundMe' campaigns, but these guys are certainly a deserving bunch of talented musicians who would like to get back home to Edmonton. They've run into further complications with insurance not covering certain aspects, and any little bit could help. 

I wanted to share this, in case anyone would like to help the band out, or would like to further share the message. 

To donate:

Help Idolatry 

Idolatry's trailer.