On this very humid Saturday evening, the colourful Bar le Ritz PDB on Jean-Talon street in Montreal was the host of a special and varied evening organized by Extensive Enterprise. This place, formerly known as Il Motore is rapidly becoming one of my favorite places to see gigs in Montreal since the sound is pretty good, the venue is just the right size and their choice of beer is excellent. Before the gig, I ordered myself a pint of the great Farnham IPA and met some buddies. Including the three gentlemen who were opening the night.
BASALTE is a newcomer to the scene and I really like what they play. I thought their debut album was quite solid (read my review: here) and their quality is easily transferred to the live setting. The trio doesn’t have any bass, only two guitarists and a drummer but it’s hardly a shortcoming for them. The three members all sing and this creates a cool contrast between the different styles used. Laurent, the drummer, is using a deeper, almost death metal influenced voice while the two guitar players intertwine between a sort of post hardcore/screamo influenced approach and a more traditional atmospheric black metal shout. Their first track was a new one and it was mixing their black metal roots with a lot of dissonant elements and a healthy dose of varied styles of hardcore. It’s refreshing and quite unique in the Quebecois metal universe. Their (too) short set was great and I can’t wait to see them again. Keep it up, guys!
8 volcanic rocks out of 10
POWERCUP is a local powerviolence/grindcore duo and they’re a fun bunch. They played a brief but enjoyable set (ten minutes with like ten songs?) and they kept making jokes about the city of Trois-Rivières (apparently they had friends from there in the crowd). The drums plus guitar duo played an energetic array of short songs full of catchy grind riffs and fast paced drums fills. Their non-metal grind approach is lovely and I’d take a thirty minutes set of their music anytime. They were perhaps more of a fit when I’ve seen them with Nasum and Brutal Truth some years ago since they were more in their element but they were a surprising addition to this lineup and in the end since all the other bands do include some forms of hardcore music in their formulas. They call their genre «renovation grindcore» since they have lyrics about house renovation and that’s a peculiar, hilarious theme befitting of their stage antics.
7,5 tasse de puissance out of 10
OPIUM LORD from England played an interesting blend of extreme music. They were quite solid, the slow sound of the more extreme side of doom metal felt right at home with the hardcore inspired sludge metal. They seemed too numerous for the music they play though, I don’t think they need two guitarists to make their point across.They had some more atmospheric moments but they’re not exactly Cult of Luna or Neurosis! Nonetheless, that’s a slight criticism, they had interesting tempo variations and their singer was a vicious and powerful beast at the mic. They were definitely a good touring companion for the headliner since they both share a liking for a hard hiting wall of sound approach.
7,5 «this sounds like the name of a stoner rock band into weed» out of 10
PRIMITIVE MAN, the headliner of the evening played a thunderous set completely full of nihilistic bass grooves and athletic yet pummeling drumming. The three piece completely obliterated the crowd with their blackened noisy sludge/doom metal. The members are in total harmony with each others, the guitars are acting as the older brother to the bass but together they crush during the slow (and very misanthropic) moments and they throw everything they got at your skull during the fast (often short and sporadic) moments. During these outbursts of aggressiveness, a small but dedicated part of the crowd went wild and created a moshpit. The drummer is the one who ties everything together and he’s rightfully placed in the middle. He’s not the fastest not the heaviest but boy, he’s impressive and moves so well. Their set wasn’t even more than a hour but it completely drains the energy out of your body.
Their music and their art are thoroughly linked since it’s all done by their frontman Ethan McCarthy and it’s brooding, dangerous and horrific, just like their music and I wouldn’t want it any other way. There’s just this peculiar feeling with the band that you don’t get with anyone else, from the mystical tattoos on Isidro Soto‘s (drums) body to the pictures of James Brown on their amps. They’re a band to experience live.
Their music just reeks of darkness and hatred for mankind and sometimes, it’s precisely what you need to end a Saturday night alongside some sweaty friends, cold beer(s) and a possible hangover with the obvious headache the next morning.
P.S., it’s fun when bands do have shirts for fat dudes like myself and their designs and prices are really cool, paying 25 dollars for a CD and a shirt is pretty rare (and rad) nowadays!
9 nihilistic dudes from Colorado out of 10
Extensive Enterprise has some of the best shows in Montreal, see you all at Sumac (edit: CANCELLED) and Thantifaxath who will destroy the same venue on August 2nd!
Originally published in French and English on Ondes Chocs: here's the link
Originally published in French and English on Ondes Chocs: here's the link
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