The Astoria - April 20, 2013
This past Saturday presented ample
opportunity to catch some new to these ears musical goodness and mix with the
bearded jean-jacketed types as a rush of quality metal from straight up
hardcore to complex violin-rich doom graced the stage of the Astoria. Thank God
the ear protection was firmly in place.
Local four-piece Dungeons opened things up
with a furious set that could have been doom or thrash metal, but it was hard
to tell because they were a bit too big in sound for the space and some of the
finer details drowned a bit in mix. However, it can be said that drummer Garret
pulled out some incredible skills on the kit that left my already fuzzed head
in a spin.
Vancouver’s Astrakhan were up next and led
the swelling crowd on a punishing journey through tight complex rhythms held in
place by a brutal bass and drum heavy shroud that was just awesome.
From the floor set up to the stage,
Portland, Oregon's Eight Bells turned the corner from brute strength metal to
something more like expressionistic art metal with a gothic bent. With
guitarist Melynda Jackson and bassist Haley Westeirner at the forefront,
dressed in flowing white robes and drummer Christopher Van Huffel holding it
down in back, Eight Bells played the balance between heavy and atmospheric,
using electronic wails of feedback to add to the glorious wall of sound.
Headliners Subrosa from Salt Lake City were
amazing. Melodic, euphoric, busy and blissful while keeping it down low and
heavy as hell, Subrosa was one of the more interesting metal projects I’ve seen
in a while. Flanked by two intense violin players, the band played with a sound
that mildly reminded me of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, only heavier in bass
and of a different sort of doomy darkness.
The lighting was a perfect cast of blue hue
and didn’t change all night, which was perfect for what was onstage. The crowd
was respectably attentive and you could tell that this was more than just a
showing of technical skills and rowdy fans. I may have gone into this blind to
all acts on board, but I left having understood the future of heavy music a
little more.
- by Nathan Pike
