Ganglyon @ Pat's Pub

Walking into Pats Pub with a charge of remember-able riffage from Trollband on the previous weekend, I was curious for another band I had yet to see. 3 peice and front man odd ball death metal band? Or are they tech-deth? Hmm... Wait... There's a, a stand up bass? OK deth-abilly? Right away you heard the thunderous thumping of their stand up bass, complimenting the huge machine gun double kicks, piercing your chest deep. Their guitarist, a mere virtuoso, whipping out brilliant sweep picking patterns similar to those of Dying Fetus or Archspire. Along with brain melting sweeps, Ganglyon thoroughly melds their set together with brilliant grooves, deadly mini break downs, and ripping blast beats making for exciting fun songs too drink beer and head bang to. Ending a seemingly short set, I was left craving more of what Ganglyon produces. 

Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the next Ganglyon show and recorded material. I give Ganglyon 6/10 hammers. 
Thanks for reading another Severvancity review and see you at the next show \m/

Band Spotlight - Dark Originn

A mix between Megadeth and Motorhead with a little Judas Priest thrown in, Dark Originn breathes new life into this classic sound. 

Their frontman is the embodiment of every metal frontman. His dark growly voice just sends shivers down your spine. His theatrical performances make you unable to take your eyes off him. The guitarist shreds these technical riffs with such ease and his leads and solos are fantastic. The bass lines are super thick but have a nice level of bite in them to make them stand out. Between the bass and the drums they really make such a strong backline that the guitar and vocals have room to really shine. 

The songs always have that taste of classic metal, Sabbath, Deep Purple, but have some of the modern metal song structuring that makes them unique. I could see them on a large stage with fans chanting along with the band at any metal festival. I can't wait to see the band get into the studio and lay down a solid 3 song EP and start growing beyond just Vancouver. I could see this band doing some huge things in Europe and Russia. 

Check out their Facebook page HERE. 

Their Reverbnation page HERE.

No Storm Can Stop These Bands!

Vancouver's BIGGEST storm in years rolled up this weekend, besides seeing devastation on the internet, and hearing a story about a poor boy who lost his life, I didn't know what to expect when I took to the streets to go to the Media Club. Apparently... nothing. There was barely any wind, no rain and it was actually fairly warm out. After a pleasant trip to the venue I was excited about hearing the acts that were performing that night!

Rocket To Venus was on the stage as I walked in. I was very happy to have caught almost all of their set. Their sound is fantastic. Their stage presence so theatrical that its just sheer entertaining to watch them perform. The use of vocal effects just added the icing on the cake. Having different vocal effects really helps add dynamics and separate different parts of the songs from each other. Their guitarist was just a rock star that night, covered in sweat, playing that guitar like his life depended on it. Their lead singer throwing his entire body into the performance. Using all of the stage and even the dance floor to perform in. Their bassist played a great set, really being the backbone of the band and making sure everything went smoothly. Their drummer had a few mistakes but upon hearing that he's only been with the band for two weeks, it makes sense. I want to see this band in front of a full audience and see them just rock that stage again!

Bone State Rebellion was up next, having had a rough time with sickness within the band and a busy work schedule they really just let this set be a lot of fun. Sadly it took the sound guy about three songs in order to add some reverb and delay to the vocals but overall the band sounded great. No one would have even know that the lead vocalist was sick. They added two covers into this set and just rocked the socks off both. It was great seeing the crowds reaction to some well known covers that were played perfectly. If you haven't seen this band then you are definitely missing out!

My Mother The Carjacker is a mouthful to say and they were definitely, a mouthful this night! Broken strings, bass problems, broken drum sticks and bananas were just a few things that happened during their set. The band just powered through all the problems with such enthusiasm you almost didn't mind it. Their onstage banter really just had you laughing the whole night. Their sound was nice and tight. I had wished the sound guy had turned up the guitar a bit as it was lost in the mix at points. Their antics on stage are like watching a comedy show as well as hearing some epic music. During what turned out to be their last song a banana swallowing contest erupted between the bassist and drummer while the guitarist/vocalist played the track to their new music video! Obviously hilarity ensued and videos will be posted shortly. The sound guy then cut them off and they couldn't finish their set which caused the outcry from the crowd "we can't end on a ballad!!???" But it was meant to be. If you have not witnessed the amazingness this band has to offer, then go and check out their newest music video! But also.. check out all of their music videos because all of them are top notch!

Metal At The Media Club

Journeyman Productions put on a great bill of three up and coming bands at the Media Club on a Wednesday and we decided to go check it out. For a Wednesday night, we know the crowd wasn't going to be bit, but every person there was attentive and up front to support the bands which was nice to see.

Sundran was the first band to hit the stage and their mostly instrumental set really set the tone for the night. Their dynamics were fantastic and being an instrumental band, that is one of the key elements. Adding in the heavy vocals at key parts really made this band stand out. Their riffs were tight and the band overall had such a tight sound. Even though there were odd time signatures thrown around a lot, I found it relatively easy to head bang and follow along with. They are playing a show this Saturday at Funky Winkerbeans and I would highly recommend checking it out!

Porcelain Sky was up next and really blended well with the band before them. Their front man did a great job at getting the crowd interested from the start and kept it up all the way through the show. The bassist, guitarist and drummer really seemed locked together. When parts got quiet, the whole band got super quiet. When things got heavy, it seemed like everyone worked together and just sounded epic. This band has a lot going for them and I hope they keep working hard and I can't wait to see them open up for bigger and bigger bands!

When I was in a band called Freedom Ride, we played a few shows with Lungflower. Then even after that band was finished and I was in a new band called Moniker, who also played shows with Lungflower. This band has been around for ages and had a few member changes but seem to have a formula down for success right now. Their guitarist is just rocking crisp riffs and some great leads. Their bassist is just a monster of a man and even more of a monster on the bass! His thick grooving bass lines fit perfectly with their drummer who adds a classic metal vibe to the whole sound. Overall their sound has changed since I last knew them, but they have grown into a whole new beast that seems to be ready to take on the world!

A Good Night For The Rebellion

Yes, I made a Star Wars reference. But it might as well have been a party for the Rebel Alliance. The level of camaraderie of this show was fantastic. It really felt like a music scene, all the fans there enjoying some awesome bands. Thanks to Rednyne Productions for putting on the show and thanks to Studio Records for hosting it.

 

The night opened up with Robots And Gods. For having the most extensive gear set up it was surprising to hear them open up the night. This band had everything down tight. Their sound was fantastic, everything was balanced for having guitar, bass, drums, vocals AND synths. A lot of times with bands like this, I always hear the guitar to loud and it buries a lot of the synth work and the vocals. I hear a lot of comparisons to Match Box 20, Faith No More, and even Collective Soul. I thought it was fantastic having everyone in black and their lead singer in red. Really had a image going for the band. They had CD's to hand out which was brilliant, I love when bands give you something to remember the night by.

Up next was Luki Fero. This bluesy grunge rock band had all ears perked when they started playing. The conviction each member put into each song was fantastic. They really showed what a three piece can do in the ways of being super dynamic and just nice and raw at times. Their track "The Devils In The Details" had some excellent slide guitar work. Their sound at times reminded me of Seven Nation Army. At times the guitar work was a little busy and obscured the vocals a bit. I think having some shouts as back up vocals by both the drummer and guitarist wouldn't be a bad thing, it would really help add even more dynamics. They have a strong Youtube presence so go check out some of their tracks online HERE.

Taking the energy up a notch was The Dramatic Finish. Reminding me of bands like The Comeback Kid and Atreyu, even Good Charlotte and Blink 182. I was excited to see the level of enthusiasm they brought to the show. Their tracks seemed like great head bangers and I even put my camera down for a bit and just rocked out. Being a fairly new band, there were a few things I noticed that Im sure they will iron out with more shows and more time being together. First, the lead guitarist was playing with a digital head, where as the singer/sometimes rhythm guitarist had a full tube head. For those who aren't guitarists I'll just say that a digital head is great, but when stacked up next to a tube head it just gets buried. When the singer had his guitar out you just couldn't hear any thing from the lead guitarist. I saw him doing some awesome tapping work and some sweet solos, but a lot of times it was just buried by the bass and rhythm guitar. So maybe for future shows just switch heads? The rhythm guitar should be there as texture where as the lead should be right-punch-you-in-the-face in a band like this. The gang vocals were fantastic. It sounded like everyone knew their parts and could really get into enjoying playing the show which was a blast to see. I can't wait to see this band grow and they have a killer lyric/music video out on Youtube right now, check it out HERE.

Wrapping up the night was Bone State Rebellion. I know we've been plugging them a lot, we interviewed them and even got a sneak peek at their new singles before they were released, but we wanted to see them live and really give our honest opinion on the band in a live setting. They lived up to all the hype. Their performance was so crafted it seemed like they've been playing together for years. These guys are tour ready. They opened up with their single "Road Less Travelled" and just blew the doors off the venue. The whole band seemed like one machine and the interactions between band members on stage was great. Everyone was having fun and just rocking out a great set. The singer put his heart out and got out on the speakers and rocked out to the crowd at points in time. Everything that you expected at an epic rock show happened, heads were banged, fists were raised, even panties were thrown on stage! They ended their set with their track "Wicked" which I swear should be on the Fox playing on constant rotation! So the end message here is, join the rebellion and continue to support local music!

You Were Just Sent A Jerkagram!

Jerkagram. Jerkawhat? Jerkagram. A psychodelic pregressive rock band from Los Angeles. I saw them at Funkys few months back and caught their last song after finishing playing a show myself earlier that evening. Seeing the drummer play his 22'' China on the floor to finish the set made me want to see a full set. When I saw this event posted I immediately marked it in my calendar.

Mess (first show) Johnny matters new band. What else do I have to say. Blasting heavy hardcore punk these guys play a great opening set killing it right off the top. I found myself punching at accents along with well placed group vocals. For hardcore punk these guys have a great pocket and fit well inside it. Their bass riffage was intoxicating and addictive craving more at the end of the set like after eating an entire box of brandy chocolates! cracking jokes between the songs and conversing with the audience made Mess a fun band not only to watch but to 'hangout' with them while they did their thing. Over all, their high energy and entertaining performance and extremely slurred comedic screaming and great stage stage presence and musicianship, I give mess 9/10 messy hammers.


Dried out.
Standing out front of Lana Lous waiting between bands, I could hear the next set beginning to dry out the atmosphere inside from the side walk. After salivating over what could hear and wanting to start a pit on the side walk i decided to move in. As I entered back into the venue I could feel an intensity which had filled the room similar to the energy in the eye of dry dessert storm. Dried out's fun punky moody sound had the crowd bouncing bobing and screaming along. Their rhythm guitarist has a presence of John Dillinger and a Norse berserker flailing about with nothing willing to stop him. This band fits great with Vancouver punk with their solid rhythm section, searing solos, and a well tamed mix of raspy clean and harsh screaming vocals and high energy performance. For making that sweet transition from Vancouver's wet and rainy season into its retarded hot summer get dried out with ... dried out. I give 7/10 dry hammers

Hedks
I don't know how to pronounce this bands name but either way it rolls right off the tongue! Hedks is a great original female punk rock cross over duo featuring Clair aka twitch and taster Fraser forming a female super duo of sorts. These ladies began crushing the audiences skulls straight off the hop. Clairs heavy guitar licks will make your eyes roll into the back of your head with pure heavy goodness. Taser is simple yet very heavy and sturdy drummer laying down the law of the groove. There were points when both women would do gang vocals adding a creepy hypnotic sense to their performance. Taser playfully and jokingly threw a beer can at a friend in the crowd, her friend retrieved the can and threw it back at taser and she caught it ever so gracefully by the bottom of the can then returned the can to the spectator. Probably the flashiest thing taser did. keep an eye out for this foxy duo cause they are as powerful as a locomotive. I give 8/10 wet hammers.

Jerkagram
Anticipating this set for three months, I was excited see what Jerkagram was really about live since i missed out last time. On tour for their new album, I was here to listen with a purpose. To expand my mind. For the majority of their set I found my self simply gazing at the guitarists hands or the drummers kit as I was mystified by their crazy grooves and riffs you could expect to be improvised. The guitarists overlapped loops made the two piece feel like they had the guitar section of iron maiden or the Eagles. The drummer broke a stick at the Beginning of the second song and continued to use it with out interference until a break about two minutes or three minutes into the song. Taking different styles of music I can only compare to Adrian Belu and applying them to modern art rock, they are creating entire new dimensions of music. Overall they're incredible. Super tight nit right there with each other. If you can, see this band. I give Jerkagram 10/10 hammers Thank you for reading another review by Hammer Records and Severvancity productions. See you next time and stay safe. Thrash on.

Excuse Me, My Son's Name Is Bort

A night at the Red Room is always a great night. Huge room, comfy places to relax and a killer stage to see bands! First up was Strathcona. I didn't know if these guys wanted to be more alternative rock or more desert rock. With such a unique vocal it could have gone either way. Their originals sounded good but I wish they had more dynamics. After hearing a track of theirs on Soundcloud I was hoping for a more energetic performance. I could see them rocking out like Foo Fighers or Queens Of The Stoneage, but the vocalist was pretty locked to his microphone stand. I wish they would have done something that played more into a performance value. Their cover of a QOTSA song was my favourite. If they became a Queens Of The Stoneage cover band then I could see them doing quite well!

I give Strathcona 6/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Switch To Black we've seen grow bigger and bigger. Growing their all ages fan base as well as playing as many shows at 19+ venues as possible. At the Red Room they gave another solid, rocking performance that won over the crowd of people who have never heard of them before, but by the end of it was asking for their album. This trio is known for its straight from the heart rock and roll. This set they seemed to be trying out some new songs, even a couple slower ones. I think with some refining those tunes will match up with their tracks off their first EP. Slade, their bassist seemed a bit more conservative than other performances that we've seen, but still put on a great performance. In the mix at the Red Room I wish the guitar was a little louder in order to get a little more dynamics in the tracks. I can't wait to see them once they are legally playing these 19+ shows!

I give Switch To Black 8/10 Hammers.
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Porcelain Sky took the stage next, easily the biggest crowd of the night. Their front man was already hyping the crowd up before their set even started. His boundless energy had the crowd cheering multiple times throughout their set. Mixed with the bands super tight prog rock it had the crowd pumped and rocking their heads and raising their fists. The mix was great throughout the entire set and I wished they had a second guitar in order to just fill out some of their tracks, but the thick bass with the huge ever changing drums kept things moving along as the guitar added great depth and crunch to the tracks.

I give Porcelain Sky a 7/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Last up was BORT. This is what the night was waiting to see. Their second time on stage, but no strangers to the stage. BORT was ready to take things to the next level. More guitar pedals than all three bands combined. Right off the bat their guitar sounds really added a different feel than the other bands. Their sound reminded me of some classic Stoner/Desert Rock bands. The crowd was headbanging away and rocking hard with the band. It would have been fun to see some more band interaction between members but everyone was pretty much in their own mind about jamming out hard to their tunes, not to mention navigating pedal boards!

I give BORT a 8/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

The Right Side Of Town!

We were very excited upon making our way downtown to see this bill of great bands perform at VENUE. We couldn't wait for a night of great sounding music and bright lights! We were a bit disappointed at the fact that the first two bands didn't get either of those. I don't know if they were trying to "save power" or "not make the rest of the bands look as good as the headliner" but it was SO DARK for the first two acts. We've seen plenty of shows there and know that they have some killer lights. But for the majority of the show, they seemed to only use a few of their lights. Maybe their lighting guy didn't come in until later? The last band, The Faceplants, had some great lights behind their set, but it was slightly disappointing to not see the same light show for the other two bands.

Another quick note before I dive into the review about these three awesome bands. The sound was off almost the entire night. The kick drum and bass were basically the entire mix, there was quick a lack of guitars. I noticed there was someone else mixing the last band and they sounded pretty tight. But for the other two bands it seemed like the mix was more of a club dance mix than some great rock and pop rock sounds. The sound guy even cut off the second band as they launched into their last song of the set. I know that there is set times and bands should respect them, but I haven't seen a sound guy cut off a band and blast the background music trying to get them off stage. Just let them play their last song, push things back maybe the few minutes it would have taken. Quick side note, it was the loudest background music between sets I've heard. You couldn't have a conversation even if you are standing next to each other without yelling. No need for it to be THAT loud.

The first band of the night This Side Of Town, this Pop Rock group has been around the scene for a long time and has really been polishing their song writing and performance and gathered quite a following through their great videos and awesome social media presence. It was a blast seeing them perform live. Their presence on stage was great and seeing them fill the stage was awesome. They seemed quite comfortable on a stage that size and I could see them working well at Warped Tour. A few slips of notes from their lead guitarist took away from some of their big moments but I think with some more bigger shows they could be festival ready! I would love to see them rock the Richmond Night Market thats taking artist applications right now!

I give This Side Of Town 8/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Pistolfish took the stage next and laid down their blues influenced rock. They were solid in their sound and their songs sounded great (minus the mixing issues I mentioned earlier), I wish through their performance matched their songs a bit more. A little grittier, blues-ier, with a bit more suave. Putting on a persona for the stage can really help bring the songs to live. Thinking of different ways to present your music doesn't have to draw away from your music. But when your playing a big stage like VENUE it sometimes takes more than just sounding great to really capture an audience. Their last song (before they got rudely cut off from the sound guy) was my favourite, huge sound, great flow.

I give Pistolfish 7/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

We finished off the night with The Faceplants. We've seen them grow as a group and have kept our eye on them for a while now. After their latest release we couldn't wait to see their first 2016 hometown performance as they launched on a new tour. After a lengthy time waiting for them to set up we finally got to see them just kill it up on stage. I could tell after a long time crafting both their songs and performance into a solid touring machine, this is the tour that everything is going to pay off. If they put this performance on at all of their shows then they will for sure leave a mark in peoples memories. Their songs sound like an great blend of influences along with the classic Faceplants sound that we've known and loved for years. Everyone looked like rockstars and acted the part. This is a prime example of putting your best foot forward image wise that just takes your music to the next level. Keep your eyes on these fellas as they rise to stardom!

I give The Faceplants 9/10 Hammers
Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Altermind CD Release Show

Redrum redrum... oops I mean redroom. I could hear a light chant in the distance... ''oooooh Danny boy!'' This was gonna be a thriller show. My heart began to race as I approached the venue. Bridges to Royal I've never seen or heard this group but I have seen their progression within the local scene over social media. I was interested to experience their show. They began with hot 'n' heavy crushing licks like a battery ram with no warning, my head bobbed without hesitation. Bridges to Royal not only have great prowess in playing live, but they have their sound dialed in like a snipers scope. Their rhythm section is as solid as fort knox' foundation and produces groove that fits like a custom boot. The drummer in particular stood out with outstanding eaqual levels of musicality and presence. Bridges to Royal are super fun to listen to and bounce along with. If you wanna rock out to a band similar stp, go see these guys. I give Bridges to royal 8/10 hammers Altermind After listening to Altermind's single for a brief moment earlier in the after noon, I came prepared to take a thorough audible beating. The band kicked off their set with an ominous, ambient and epic intro triggering the crowd to cheer and  aplaud. They have great ability encorperating sweet heavy riffs and clean vocals making the band most comparable to Evanescence. Well into their set they had a game changer with a well suited slow song turning their set into a roller coaster. Second song from last  they did a Fleetwood Mac cover which sounded equally as good if not better than the original with their front woman's operatic vocals and classical piano. During the last song there was a high velocity moshpit which menaced  the ''dance floor'' causing people to retreate to safety.  Overall, Altermind played a hard hitting home run performance and knocked the ball out of the park several times. I can imagine one day this group will play at the Commadore ball room with a grand piano on stage. I give Altermind 9/10 hammers Than you for checking out this review and be sure to check out the other reviews by Hammer Records of local, national,  and international bands. This was another review by Hammer Records and Severvancity.

A Beautiful Soul

Saturday afternoon, James and I were discussing our plans for the rest of the evening when I got a phone call from a friend of mine. She was calling to invite me to attend an EP Release party Saturday night for another friend of hers’ band down somewhere off Main St. As it was also Altermind’s EP Release Show last night (hosted at Red Room Ultrabar), we had luckily just lined up Danny Sever to be in attendance there, so, I was free to say yes! 

The event page was rather vague, citing no more than the basic need-to-knows; When and Where. I had absolutely no idea what kind of music I was going to see, the name of the actual band (as the event was simply titled “Jordyn’s EP Launch Party”), or whether this was going to be more of an invite-only, intimate event, or a rip-roaring, floor shaking, everyone welcome dance party! So, I hopped on transit and made my way down to the venue, which turned out to be none other than the Esher Media suite in the same building that we used to record out of years ago!

I made it just in time to get a warm welcome from my friends Brandi Sikora Williams (a talented local makeup artist) and Robbie Grenda (manager of Sedo Soul) and get acquainted with everyone else before Kengo Ito took to the stage to play his very blues inspired solo set. The event turned out to be more on the intimate rather than the crazy dance party side of things (not to say there wasn’t some dancing though). So, myself and about 20 something others packed into the live room and the show began!

There’s not a lot I can say about Kengo, other than that he has a gorgeous vocal tone, and a very rhythmic guitar style that was both calming yet exciting to listen to. Throughout the set, he switched between electric and acoustic guitar, depending on the tone of the song. Later, he also produced a harmonica, which completed his trifecta of authentic Blues. Finishing his set with a challenging cover from the 50’s, Kengo Ito was a great introduction to the level of talent I’d be hearing next. 

What really helped showcase both his vocal and instrumental talent, however, was the fact that you could hear everything so clearly! It’s all too often that I attend events at a variety of venues and can’t understand a word out of the singer’s mouth, or am barely able to distinguish what guitar and bass lines are actually being played (either much too quiet, or loud in the mix). Adam and Pherbie at Esher Media were nothing short of excellent when it came to producing quality live sound.

Sedo Soul, with the line-up, Jordyn Smith (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Spencer Wilden (Drums) and Adam Baldwin (Bass), went up promptly after Kengo Ito. They launched right into a very late 90’s sounding set. (An era of music, I think, that’s due to make a mainstream comeback soon!) If I were to describe their genre, I’d say it was a mix of Rock, Pop, Alternative and Indie, yet not any one of those things individually at all. If I were to pick 4 similar artists, I’d pair them alongside Matchbox 20, SemiSonic, Ed Sheeran and Lukas Graham. The trio played a number of songs, including the three from their brand new, self-titled EP; “Prayer In The Wind,” “Breathing Without Lungs,” and my personal favourite of the night, “Shining.” Also played was a cover of Oasis’, “Wonderwall” which, although it was well done, was honestly not an unexpected choice, and a little cliche as it’s a go-to for a lot of local acts. All in all, the band was professional, personable, entertaining, and one I’m looking forward to seeing grow in our vast Vancouver Music Scene.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 

The next time you can catch SEDO SOUL performing will be MAY 28th, 2016 at MURRAYVILLE HALL, for a Cancer Fundraiser. A good cause and good music! Make sure not to miss it and get your tickets in advanced. You can find all info and other social media links via www.SedoSoul.com 

Also, be sure to check back later this week for an in-depth review of their new 3-song EP.

Until next time!

Rawksy

A Quaint Night At Funkys

It was a quiet and quaint night at funkys, enabling the nights performances to be close and personal. What the night entailed was a fresh experience of new bands to discover, I didn't know what to expect. Little did I know, funkys had a heavier night in store than what I had in mind.
The first band Porcelain Sky began their set with prepared can of whoop-ass. While starting the first song the frontman provoked and antagonized the crowd to engage the stage. With in the first 20 seconds they had the crowd head banging imeadiatly. While switching between feels of meshuggah, deftones, and TOOL they maintained a completely original sound listeners can relate to. Topping off their performance with tight musicianship and stage presence like a well stitched seam, they're going in the memory bank. To finalize a well executed set they made a shout out to Wendy 13. I give porcelain sky 7/10 hammers. Up second was Blackstar, a female fronted cover band slaying our favourite classic rock and heavymetal songs. They opened their set with The Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy and immediately began kicking but. Right away, Bkackstar made me feel right at home, like cranking tunes at the band house. Constantly slugging out the solos and licks we are all so familiar with, they enforce beer drinking. Near the end of their performance they hammered out the Immigrant Song and 22 Acacia Avenue which was a great way end the set. I had a coversation with the front woman who has been singing for bands over the past thirty years which clearly shows. I give Blackstar 6/10 hammers. The last and final band Curse the Forsaken, following a classic rock cover band, had a neat little shrink wrapped pandoras box like package. Opening their set with super grovey and juicy riffs and chunky solos, these guys were excedingly heavier than the first two acts. I was left completely speachless for  the majority of their set stunned by their ability to encorperate groove with grindcore and technical death metal. Their energy is comparable to slayer, early dying fetus, and one of my local favourites The Almighty Excruciating Pain (EXPAIN). Curse the Forsaken had the best stage presence, musicianship, and progressively heavy riffs of sorts I've heard in a long time.  After their mind blowing performance I found my brains splattered on the wall behind me. I give Curse the Forsaken 9/10 hammers. This was another review brought to you by Hammer Records and severvancity productions. Until next time, keep rocking and be safe.

Wacken Battle #3

The third battle of this years Wacken Battles happened this wednesday at the Red Room. Not going to lie, but I've was pretty pumped to get the opportunity to review this show. On top of seeing new bands I finally got around to heading to the Red Room for the first time. With the whole event being put on by the Invisible Orange, which I try to make every show they put on.

First up of the night was a band I actually just reviewed a couple weeks ago, Exterminatus. I got to be honest, I have a hard time writing for these guys. Their show this time around definitely had more stage presence but I just find something about their execution to be lacking. The nerd in me loves the idea of their writing being focused on a table top game, Warhammer 40k. Though the metal head in me expects more on stage. One of my biggest pet peeves is when tech death bands put technical riffs over throwing on a live show. Its gets really redundant when you watch a band play for thirty minutes and they spend most of their time looking at their fret boards. All in all Im going to be following this band and their progress. Cause once their live show matches the ferocity of their music I can see them really take off.

6.5/10 Hammers

Right before I start, I have to mention that this next band was all kids. The youngest member of the band was only 13. So right off the bat you got to give them a slap on the back. Occasionally Dropped is a young band that I got to be honest sounded like all the old tunes I use to listen to. Everything from Rage Against the Machine to Nirvana and Soundgarden. The band had alot of stage presence, even more so than some older more experianced bands. The played their music with such passion, and at their age, it was inspiring to see. The only things I have to say to this band is that they need to find their own voice. Also even though I said they have alot of stage presence they cut the damage they really could have done by always showing their back to the crowd. Though most of the faults they had, they usually get fixed quickly by; more experiance, practice and writing together. Good job guys, and keep up the good work. In a generation more focused on electronically produced music and never bothering to pick up an instrument, you kids give me hope.

7/10 Hammers

Last up for the night I wasnt quite sure what to expect. I had just listened to a song off their ep and I rather liked it, so my hopes we high. I can honestly say I was not expecting what I saw. The Mountain Man threw down hard. With a well rehearsed show and stage presence that demanded you to headbang you couldn't help but get hooked. With groovy melodies, frantic harmonies and relentless vocals you knew you were about to go for a ride. They say they are Vancouvers outdoor-metallers and I couldnt agree more. As rugged and intense as their music was, it was broken into very harmonic sections that reminded me of exactly what they are going for, the wild of BC. 

8.5/10 Hammers

Chew On This!

Five bands for $10, you can't beat that kind of a deal! First up was Rexford Drive, and what a drive they had! Coming all the way from Chilliwack, they made sure to bring a can of whoop-ass! I've never seen an opening band put so much energy onto a stage. Right from the first few notes you could tell that you were in for a good time. Full of energy, tight playing and excellent song writing, Rexford Drive had the crowd grooving along in no time. Multiple times the guitarist leaped into the crowd and  stirred up trouble. The bass player was constantly moving around the stage, doing a fantastic job of filling the space and building the bands stage presence. The end of their set included a huge drum solo with a little bit of comedy thrown into the mix. Needless to say, I will keep my eyes on these three lads for sure. 

I give Rexford Drive 8/10 Hammers. Check out their Facebook page HERE.

Not A Chew Toy has a some new faces. A bit of an all star line up including members from other bands all coming together to bring the audience a few originals and a bunch of covers.  It was a pretty rag tag performance and you could hear band members asking each other "what song is next?". It was a blast hearing a bunch of tunes that everyone can sing along too. Reminded me more of a band karaoke jam party than a normal media club show. Showcasing multiple vocalists, as well as bringing lead vocalist Adam from the band Redfinn up on stage for an awesome cover of Rolling In The Deep. The one original band member switched around on bass, vocals and guitar for different songs, adding some funny stage moments. Overall it was fun seeing a band not take things too seriously and have some fun on stage!

I give Not A Chew Toy 7/10 Hammers. Check out their Facebook page HERE. 

Going from one spectrum to another, Redfinn was like a well oiled machine. Their set up time was super quick and their performance was energetic, professional and personable. Their front man Adam did a great job interacting with the audience with funny banter, jokes and making fun of band mates. Their sound was full of dynamics, depth, and tone. The drums were locked in with the bass and the single guitarist just filled the entire room with his sound. The vocals sat on top of everything like morning dew on the grass. Their misfits cover was a huge success and during their set a mosh pit broke out! I can't wait to see these boys further down their career.

I give Redfinn 9/10 Hammers. Check out their Facebook page HERE.

I only caught a few songs from Dead Rival's before I had to head out. I've heard some live videos of theirs and caught them playing live a few times in the past. Tonight though, something just wasn't sitting right with me. Their rhythm guitarist was up so loud that the minute he started playing my ears physically hurt. Completely drowned out the lead guitarist which I could only hear when the rhythm guitarist WASNT playing. The bass was almost non existent except for just a low rumble, so any cool notes or rhythms was just lost in the mix. In the monitors the vocals were just cranked in order to try and them them heard over instrument mix. I wish they had done a quick sound check or really checked each others volumes before playing their set. Just before I left they brought up a guest dancer to dance through one of their songs. Their stage performance was strong and the lead singer did a great job with crowd interaction. I hope next time I see them that they have a better mix going on!

I give Dead Rivals a 6.5/10 Hammers. Check them out on Facebook HERE.

Admitted To The Dead Asylum

March 11th saw the Rickshaw theater have another amazing, all local metal show, that really puts a smile on a fans face. With promoters such a Modified Ghost and local talent the  metal scene has been steadily growing, noticable even with the one short year I have lived here.

First band of the night goes by the name of Exterminatus. A tech death band with what seemed to have all the lyrics based off the tabletop game Warhammer 40k. So immediately the nerd in me loves this bands concept. As a whole I found this bands music really quite good, perfect mix of technical and melodic guitar sections. Nothing really new just good ole brutal death metal. Good opener, pretty slow show though. Their live set didnt match the music I was listening to and I found my mind more wandering to what t-shirts i'm going to buy later. Though it is what you expect with an opening act, and at the end of their set their drummer dedicated their show to his gandma who had passed earlier that week. So i'm sure anyone reading this is with me when I say, "May she rest in peace brother"

       6/10 Hammers goes to Exterminatus

Next up was a band that frankly was the biggest suprise for me. I had never heard of this band before and frankly im disappointed in myself for not hearing of them until now, Without Mercy. Immediatetly this band captivated me. They demanded and kept my attention their whole set. They played a textbook show. I really had a hard time finding anything wrong with their show as I was hit with hard hitting song after hard hitting song. Serious if you're a fan of the band Aborted you  will love these guys. As I said suprise of the night and I will keep my eye out for these guys. Great job.

7/10 Hammers goes out to Without Mercy

Third band up and another big suprise of the night. Revenger, a raw true metal band that has to put on one of the most fun shows i've seen from local talent. What is going on Vancouver? How are bands like these last two not pulling in bigger crowds. As far as im concerned they've been pulling out better shows then alot of the touring acts i've been seeing in the city. Revenger is seriously one of those bands that you can't get sick of seeing. Extremely interactive set, raw metal and just a hell of alot of fun. Keep your eyes out for these guys and go to their show. Trust me, you will not be disappointed.

8/10 Hammers to Revenger

Co-headlining the show and next up to bat was Saints of Death. Now this is a band i've been hearing alot of buzz from. Even had friends make sure I heard their albums before I went as saw them. Though sadly I think that worked against the band. With all the hype I was hearing and their albums I was listening too, I went in with high expectations for this band. Though not a bad set I found that they didn't quite reach the standard I had imagined for them. Twan Holliday, bassist and lead vocalist, demanded your attention as the guy towered over you on the stage. Also one of the things I loved was that their guitar player Phill Henri reminded me exactly like Angus Young, with the way he moved on stage. All in all decent show, and I will be going to another one of their shows for sure.

7/10 Hammers To Saints of Death

Last on is a band that has officially become my favorite local band, Dead Asylum. What can I say about these guys that I haven't in the last review I did for them. This time I even told them I was going to be extremely tough on them, and what do they do? Stepped up to the plate and threw down a HUGE set. From beginning to end they never falter, they move the whole time and really draw you into their music. Thoroughly impressed with this band, and then to add to their music the whole band is really humble and very professional. Dead Asylum is the example for any other local death metal bands to follow. Great job!

10/10 Hammers (Don't know how i'm going to review them again without any biast towards them cause i'm a fan)

A Disturbingly Good Time

Friday night was a Disturbingly good time. All puns aside, both Nonpoint and Disturbed put on amazing performances, engaged the audience with utmost professionalism, and genuinely looked like they were happy to be performing to a sold out crowd here in our city. Having spent the entirety of the night on the front bar at The Commodore Ballroom on Granville, I really got to see and hear the bands up close and personally. (As a slender female I also managed to scrape up a body full of bruises by the hordes of 6ft+ metalheads that flanked me on every side but front) Nonpoint is an American touring act originating from Chicago, Illinois, whom identify themselves as Metal, Heavy Rock and Blues. I admittedly had only heard a handful of songs from them before the show, however, was looking forward to seeing if they could pull off such a dynamic sound live. Playing to a sold out crowd is nerve wracking enough, take into consideration more than half the patrons have probably never heard of the band before. That did not stop lead singer Elias from calling out every person there, stating something along the lines of, "If you don't know our name, you should be able to read a f**king poster...", which garnered laughs from the audience and prompted everyone there to chant their name before carrying on with their set of new and old originals and a fantastic cover of Phil Colins' "In The Air Tonight." As mentioned, the sound they produced was thick with dynamics. The vocals cut through and were on point technically, the instrumentation was together and well rehearsed, and the stage antics were more than entertaining! Chanting, jumping, clapping, singing - they turned a large group of metalheads into long term fans along with the promise of a new album this summer. Over all, I'd give them a solid 5/5 Hammers.

After a brief change of set, Nonpoint's gear was loaded off and it was time to get Down With The Sickness! Disturbed came on next, headlining the night. The last time I saw Disturbed live was during their Asylum tour at the Rockstar Energy Festival a few years back. Also, front row for that show, I knew this time, being a much smaller venue, things were going get crazy, intimate, and did I mention crazy? Disturbed has been, and still remain, as one of my favourite bands. Their lyrics are full with poetry and melody. There's brutal licks and riffs, pounding rhythms, bass lines like gravy, and vocals that send chills down your spine. On Friday, they played a couple classics from each album, including a new addition of "Darkness" from Believe into their set which lead beautifully into their latest cover, "Sound of Silence." Over all, they played over 20 songs consisting of originals and covers; Album: Down With The Sickness
Songs played: Stupify, Voices, The Game, Down With The Sickness

Album: Believe
Songs played: Prayer, Liberate, Darkness

Album: 10,000 Fists
Songs played: 10,000 Fists, Stricken, Land Of Confusion

Album: Indestructible
Songs played: Indestructible, Inside The Fire, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, IIshfwilf

Album: Asylum
Songs played: Another Way To Die, The Infection

Album: Immortalized
Songs played: The Vengeful One, The White, Sound Of Silence

Covers:

Killing In The Name Of - Rage Agasint The Machine
Baba O'Riely (Teenage Wasteland) -The Who
Closer - Nine Inch Nails

Without a doubt, I give Disturbed 5/5 Hammers.

-Rawsky

What Circle Are You In?

(Photo by Danny S. of Aggression Drummer)

Showing up to Funky's (my favourite venue to see and play shows), to review the opening band The Fifth Circle. I was ecstatic, finally being able to put my thoughts of the opening band to use. Walking into a fresh, fragrant, mint scented washroom indicated this was "classy night at funky's". Leading into the sound check their front man immediately began crowd interaction with the familiar line "you ready or what?" followed by a growl which was then mimicked by a fellow spectator.

Following the sound check they opened their set with heavy as f*#k super juicy riffs. Just two songs in, The Fifth Circle played their track "Darkness" which was familiar as they had previously released their official music video for the track earlier that day.

While maintaining groovy thrashy death metal riffs with appropriately randomized blast beats throughout their set. The band instigated thrashing and head banging within the crowd. The melodic break downs, chunky riffs and fat bass licks might as well have had "drink beer" written all over them. 

By the end of the set, their tight and on spot musicianship and excellent stage presence made me smile with the most pure of metal furiousity. 

The Fifth Circle were called upon (for encore) to circle a sixth time, but were cut off ending their set with a succulent riff and a triple punch.

All in all, they were a great start to a show of a Black Label Society and Pantera tribute bands (Stronger Than Death and Vantera) and headliner Aggression (from Montreal). 

Stay tuned for Fifth Circle shows in your city because they will set your tune straight!

Thanks for reading another review from Hammer Records and Severvancity. I'll see you out there. Be safe and take care.

Beyond The Dead

This last saturday, Jan 30th, Vancouver had one hell of a night. A huge six band bill at the Rickshaw brought out a night of great metal, which even had 2 great local acts open. I got to say, that recently Ive been getting really happy to do any reviews of shows thrown on by Invisible Orange. I've been to a few shows put on by them and have  yet to be disappionted. Shows like this last one make my job reviewing them easy, cause really the review could write itself.

To start of the the night was a band from Victoria that goes by the name of Torrefy. This was my first time I've ever heard or seen these guys and, to put it blunty, I'm impressed. From the start you can easily peg out that this band practices alot. Musically they never faltered. Their sound was very clean and extremely well rehearsed. My only problem with their show, was their was minimal interaction between the band. Though the music was flawless, their live show didnt seem to quite match the ferocity of the music they were playing. With a little more work on their live presence this band will for sure be a heavy hitter. I personally cant wait to follow up on these guys cause Im sure there is big things in store for them. 

Up next was another local band band by the name of Dead Asylum. I really don't know where to even begin. This band slays. If a band gets me reminiscing of the good ole days of tossing in old Death albums and not going to class, you know your doing something right. The dual vocals of Mike Lister and Tyler Forde were relentless as you were pounded by brutal riff after brutal riff. The drumming of Samantha Landa was impeccable as she is arguably the best female drummer i've seen live. At one piont I honestly thought she was going to kick through her bass drum as she threw down harder then a vast majority of drummers i've seen. Only suggestion for Dead Asylum is one for the fans. I mean that as in if your reading this review, GO SEE THIS BAND! 

Exmortus, a band that claims to come from California but im still pretty sure that they aren't human in the first place. I really don't know how a band so technically crazy on every instrument can put on a show the way they did. I usually find extremely technical bands spend alot of time having to look at their intruments and not move around on the stage that much. I see now that there are exceptions to the rule and that is Exmortus. To top it all off they even did a cover of Moonlight by Beethoven. Though I do have one thing to say, and im grasping at straws, but near the end of their set their songs started to sound the same and repitive. Which shouldn't be a thing in a set of a little over 30 minutes. Stellar job regardless and this band definitely goes on my would suggest list.

I got to be honest this next review is going to be short. The fourth band on stage was a band by the name of Cauldron. There show was really your average run of the mill set. I was confused by the first half of their set, and really felt the energy in the venue slowed down after such a stellar buildup from the bands that played before. Nothing really stuck out for the good or the bad. Slow start but nailed the end. Can't really say much else.

Another titan of band played fifth this night, and after the change of pace of the show, Warbringer couldn't come sooner. Really this band sells itself so there really isn't much I can say about Warbringer that hasn't been said. Textbook show, extremely high energy and beyond entertaining. Hands down the band of the night. I suggest for every metal to check this band out cause next time they're in town you won't want to miss seeing these guys.

Last up for the night was Enforcer. I'm going to be honest, after seeing; Dead Asylum, Exmortus and Warbringer I don't think any headlinging band would have been able top them. Enforcer played a flawless, high energy set, but I find that their performance just got overshadowed by the bands before them. I would definitely see them again cause I feel like an all power metal bill would really have this band shine.

All in all hats off to the bands that played. I had a great time, heard some new bands and met some new people. 

Now for my hammer ratings;

Torrefy 3/5 hammers

All this band has to do is match their stage presence to the ferocity of their music and you'll get another amazing local band to go see. Can't wait to see what this band will do in the future.

Dead Asylum 5/5

My personal take for band of the night. They definitely made a fan out of this reviewer.

Exmortus 4/5

I really would have given this band 5/5 if it wasnt the fact that the songs started to sound the same by the very end of their set.

Cauldron 2.5/5

As stated before, pretty average show. Confusing start to their set.

Warbringer 5/5

Going off the crowds reaction this was definitely the fann choice for band of the night. Like come on, it's Warbringer.

Enforcer 3.5/5

I feel like if this band was put on a different bill or wasnt headlining it would have gotten a much higher rating. I have high expections for headlinging bands, and the other bands that played before set the bar just a little to high for Enforcer.