theovermatt

Concert Review - Heavy MTL Festival: Day One

This past weekend, Chris and I were fortunate enough to attend the first day of Montreal's all new metal festival, Heavy MTL, which promised a fantastic lineup of A-list metal bands combined with a good old fashioned festival mentality that's rarely seen around North America. Despite warnings of potential thunderstorms, the weather remained beautiful throughout the entire day as the two of us thrashed our way through an intense 10 hours of nearly every kind of metal you could imagine. Hopefully I can give you all a taste of what was experienced on that momentous day.

Unexpect

Starting us off was Unexpect, the only band representing the Quebec metal scene in the first day, and despite being given a booming welcome from many of their countrymen, I couldn't help but notice that the band is a little too quirky for its own good. Unexpect boasts no less than 7 members, with a female lead singer, 2 guitarists/backup singers, a bassist (who wielded a massive-necked 9-string bass guitar), a violin player, a keyboard player, and a drummer, and the result was a nearly indecipherable mass of noise that attempted to combine both gothic and death metal. This is no doubt an interesting concept, but the problem lies in the fact that the band were unable to pull off either sound really well at all, and they eventually ended up coming across more as a novelty act than a road-proven metal band.

Lauren Harris

Having previously seen Lauren Harris open for Iron Maiden back in March, I decided to skip her set as I knew exactly what it would entail: highly unoriginal pop-rock that would no doubt be played across contemporary radio, but really doesn't have much of a place amongst a show featuring such intense metal.

Overkill

Anticipations were notably high for Overkill's set, as was demonstrated by the large crowd that had massed around the stage despite it being only around 2 p.m. However, misfortune reared its ugly head in the form of an overly long soundcheck that ended up delaying Overkill's set by over half an hour. By the time the band hit the stage, tensions were mounting amongst the crowd, and many were wondering if Overkill would be worth the wait.

The answer was a resounding "Fuck yes!"

From the minute they took the stage, the 80s Thrash giants performed exactly the way they should have: like seasoned pros who have been doing this for nearly their entire lives. Frontman Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth whipped the crowd into a frenzy with commands from his trademark screechy voice, and proudly declared the audience to be members of the Montreal Wrecking Crew (Overkill's fan club). Despite having released a new album as early as last year, the band were content to stick to their extensive back-catalogue for their set, and the results could not have been better. Trademark Overkill songs such as "Rotten to the Core" and "Elimination" were given masterful live treatments, while fan-favourite metal anthem "Fuck You" was given an extended midsection, complete with a brief yet excellent cover of Black Sabbath's "War Pigs," and once the final note had been sounded, there was no doubt that Overkill's set marked the true beginning of this festival, as well as the fact that the following bands would have to work pretty damn hard to catch up.

Recognized songs: Rotten to the Core, Welcome to the Gutter, Old School, Elimination, Fuck You, War Pigs, Fuck You (Reprise)

Three Inches of Blood

A band growing ever popular in the modern metal scene, Vancouver's Three Inches of Blood were definitely put in a tough spot by having to follow up Overkill's tremendous set, but thankfully, the band was more than able to rise to the occaision. Although screaming vocalist Jaimie Hooper has been forced to miss this touring cycle due to problems with his vocal chords, the band's energy was kept at a constant high by lead vocalist Cam Pipes, whose consistently-high falsettos rang throughout the crowd as the rest of the band churned out wave after wave of excellent riffs. At least one song was taken from every one of the band's albums, though it was definitely the material from last year's Fire Up the Blades that struck the biggest chord with the audience, proof positive that this is a band that gets better with every individual release, and one can't help but anticipate where they will take things next.

Recognized songs: Trial of Champions, Destroy the Orcs, Forest King, Deadly Sinners, The Goatrider's Horde

Symphony X

Probably one of the bands I was looking forward to the most, New Jersey's Symphony X have hit a pretty big stride recently with their newest album, Paradise Lost, and that stride definitely seems to have carried over to their live show. Although the band was lacking any kind of elaborate stage show or and kind of gimmick, it clearly wasn't needed as the crowd chanted guitarist Michael Romeo's name over and over again, which he responded to with plenty of his signature white-hot riffs and shredtastic solos. Apart from Romeo, the entire band was in top form that day, with singer Russel Allen belting out pitch-perfect renditions of the band's classics, and Michael Pinella adding layers upon layers of epic keyboards to the mix. Their set consisted primarily of songs from the new album, though fan-favourite "Inferno" closed everything out, and while other bands would be remembered that day for their unstoppable energy, there was no doubt that the most vivid image to be taken from Symphony X is Michael Romeo's fingers dancing along the fretboard of his guitar.

Recognized songs: Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies), Domination, Serpent's Kiss, Inferno (Unleash the Fire)

Hatebreed

It was at this point in the show that the heat and lack of food forced Chris and I to leave the crowd in order to chill out on the hill overlooking the area, though we were still able to get a good look at Hatebreed's set. Right from the get-go, Hatebreed's now iconic frontman Jamey Jasta did his utmost to whip the crowd into as much of a frenzy as possible, encouraging as much movement and aggression in time with the band's pummeling sound at all times, and the results were quite a huge moshpit that could be viewed from the entire area. With their set cut unfortunately short thanks to the delay caused by Overkill's sound check, the band was forced to stick primarily to their singles, but they were still able to provide a bit of fanservice, namely by briefly stopping during fan-favourite "Defeatist" to break into the legendary intro to Slayer's "Raining Blood," which remained one of the highlights of the day. Always brutal and relentless, Hatebreed are just an entertaining-as-hell live band.

Recognized songs: To the Threshold, This is Now, Defeatist, Raining Blood

Hammerfall

Moving back into the crowd in order to get ready for Mastodon's set, we were able to catch the majority of Hammerfall's set, which the band announced was unfortunately cut to 30 minutes due to the sound problems before Overkill's set. The Swedes have been playing some of the most epic power metal ever composed for over a decade now, and that experience definitely shone through as they blazed through a set full of epic choruses, elaborate melodic soloing, and plenty of high-flying hair. Not much really to be said other than if you wanna feel like raising a broadsword high and turning the moshpit into a medieval warzone, Hammerfall is definitely your band.

Mastodon

Having previously seen Mastodon open for Slayer on the Unholy Alliance Tour, I was curious to see how their live act has evolved now that their latest opus, Blood Mountain, has been out for a couple of years. The result is pure and simple: Mastodon absoloutely kill live. Every song was given a near-perfect live treatment, with vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders' roaring vocals being perfectly complimented by Brent Hinds' and Bill Kelliher's flashy dueling guitar riffs and drummer Brann Dailor's incredibly swift movements across his tiny drumkit. Despite the fact that the band didn't speak to the crowd at any given moment, and also despite the lack of their biggest hit song, "Blood and Thunder," their extended instrumental breakdowns were more than captivating enough to keep everyone's attention, and the vocal tradeoff between Kelliher and Sanders on some songs was enough to make everyone's hairs stand on end. Despite definitely being one of the stranger acts of the festival, Mastodon definitely stacked up very well and will likely continue to demonstrate why they're one of metal's most prestigious modern acts.

Recognized songs: Circle of Cysquatch, Capillarian Crest, March of the Fire Ants

Type O Negative

Definitely one of the oddest choices on the festival's bill, Type O Negative's brand of gothic, thrash-tinged metal seemed an odd fit with the rest of the day's bruisers, but as soon as 7-foot-tall singer Peter Steele quipped "Are you ready to be disappointed?" at the beginning of their set, I knew this was going to be an interesting one.

The band got off to a bit of a rough start, thanks to Steele's microphone cutting out completely during the first song (which subsequently lead to the singer nearly ripping the roadies a new one), but once the issues were resolved, the band continued on. The first half of their set was composed of some of their lesser-known thrashy songs, which seemed to generate somewhat of a mixed reaction from the crowd, but once the band moved into their beautiful gothic compositions, their set became a real treat. Moody baritone singing from Steele was complemented perfectly by riffs from longtime guitarist Kenny Hickey, while the band's signature keyboard sound resonated throughout the area. A particular favourite moment came from a heartfelt dedication from Steele to the fallen Dimebag Darrel as the opener for "Halloween in Heaven," and the band's signature closer "Black No.1" left everyone with a definite lasting impression. As previously stated, these guys were an odd choice for the festival when compared to some of the other acts, but by the end of their set, they'd definitely left a lasting im[ression that I would not object to being subjected to again.

Recognized Songs: Kill All the White People, Pain, Christian Woman, Halloween in Heaven, Black No.1

Dethklok

Dethklok are something of an anomaly: a cartoon band that's touring live. The band Dethklok are the central figures in the Cartoon Network's Metalocalypse, a popular cartoon that showcases the exploits of the band as they tour the entire world while simultaneously destroying it. What we're treated to live though, is something a little different.

And something that's incredibly kick-ass.

Dethklok's live component consists primarily of show creator Brendon Small, who handles the vocals and lead guitar of every song and who is also flanked by several hired touring musicians, including one of metal's most legendary drummers, Gene Hoglan of Dark Angel, Death, and Strapping Young Lad fame. As a frontman, Small initially appears somewhat unimpressive, as his short-cropped hair and casual attire may not lead one to believe him to be the centre of this metal juggernaut. However, it's this contradiction that made their live show so uproariously entertaining, as once the riffs began and Small opened his mouth, we were hit by a barrage of incredibly brutal songs that had even more energy to them live than either on the show or on their album. The music was complimented with new animated clips of the characters from the show, which further added to their entertaining set, but in all honesty, I can only sum this up so much before telling the honest truth: you really have to see it for yourself to get it. However, what I can say is this: Dethklok were by far my favourite act of the day, and one of the most entertaining live shows I've seen. Do not miss them.

Dethklok's set:

Deththeme
Briefcase Full of Guts
Birthday Dethday
Awaken
Bloodtrocuted
Castratikron
Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle
Murmaider
Dethharmonic
Go Forth and Die
Hatredcopter
Thunderhorse

Iron Maiden

I'd previously seen Iron Maiden in Toronto back in March, so I already knew what to expect from their Somewhere Back in Time Tour, and sure enough, what they brought to the table was a fantastic show with production levels that will surely be leaving other metal bands shaking in their boots.

The band has devoted this entire tour to revisiting their illustrious back-catalogue, as well as bringing back some of their positively massive stage sets from their now-legendary 1980s shows, particularly their infamous Powerslave stage from the Live After Death tour, which was represented perfectly here, complete with sarcophogi and a a large sphinx, all bearing the face of the band's beloved mascot Eddie.

From the moment they hit the stage, Iron Maiden kept up an unrelenting and infectious energy that belied their ages. Singer Bruce Dickinson was particularly spry, using the moments taken up by countless dueling-guitar solos to leap around the stage and climb all the way up to the rafters, and even more notable were his costume changes (A British redcoat for "The Trooper," a derelict sailor for "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," and a Mayan tribesman for "Powerslave.") However, that's not to say that the rest of the band wasn't in fine form: guitar trio Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, and Janick Gers masterfully executed all of the band's trademark solos and riffs (the opening to "Fear of the Dark" was exceptionally popular), while bassist Steve Harrist kept a flurry of notes going throughout every song (and also pointed his bass at the audience while making it make machine gun noises), and drummer Nicko McBrain kept the whole thing under control with his tight and effective drumming.

The real star of the show though was the set design, as the stage became altered to suit every song's needs, including swaying back and forth so as to replicate a sailing ship during the spoken word interlude of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner," becoming engulfed in red light during the intro to "The Number of the Beast," and even splitting in half to reveal an enormous mummified Eddie that loomed over the entire band during "Iron Maiden," which was then followed up by fireworks being fired over Ile St. Hlene. Make no mistake, this was a show where you really got your money's worth, and the band was there for entirely one reason: to treat everyone to one of the best times of their lives. Judging by the amount of sing-along choruses were generated by the crowd, I'd have to say that they accomplished just that.

Iron Maiden's Setlist:

Intro (Churchill Speech)
Aces High
2 Minutes to Midnight
Revelations
The Trooper
Wasted Years
The Number of the Beast (Note: 6th song in. Heh.)
Can I Play With Madness?
Rime of the Ancient Mariner
Powerslave
Heaven Can Wait
Run to the Hills
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Moonchild
The Clairvoyant
Hallowed Be Thy Name

With the music coming to an end and the massive crowd disappearing into the night, I couldn't help but feel like I'd been through a momentous day for Canada's metal scene, one that I hope you've taken a small part of through this review. Until the next time, bang your head and raise some hell.