Another night another show, though I haven't posted a show review on this particular website in far too long. Yet tonight seemed like it would be the right thing for me to do, especially considering I got to see Bastard Sapling, a black metal act featuring most of Inter Arma who I had wanted to see for years. This was an evening of pure underground madness, heavy music for tortured souls. As the events of the evening unfolded I realized that this was going to be a soiree that I would not soon forget. A night in a squat I can't name, this is true black metal.
Crypt Sermon were the first band up and they played some really cool doom metal that I want to see live again. Asides from having a singer who is truly top notch the band was very tight and well put together. The way that their harmonies lock together in the instrumental portions is truly impressive, and the big choruses bring the whole crowd into headbanging unity. These guys know how to write some top notch material and I could see them going far. They were very polished, and provided a sort of perfect mix between power metal and doom metal. This is definitely the sort of thing I could see myself going out of my way to check out live again.
Up next was Krieg, and they put on a show that was truly something to remember. The core of the band have been doing this for almost twenty years now and these Candlelight Records stalwarts seem to only improve with age. It's been a while since I saw a raw black metal band live, and Krieg were surprisingly satisfying. The harsh vocals and meditative guitar parts joined together to form something that felt almost purifying for the soul. It was easy to get lost in the vertical soundscapes painted by the twin guitars. The highlight though was definitely Jameson's vocals, the way he really rips into it is impressive, even as he finishes his second decade with the band.
Finally it was time for Bastard Sapling, one of the black metal bands I had been a fan of the longest . I first got into these dudes when I was but a boy of 15 and they were praised on Invisible Oranges. Since then I've regularly come back to their music, finding it a wonderfully bleak touchstone. Yet tonight they tore past all expectations. Mike has an insane stage presence and the way his eyes seem to bulge out of his head goes very well with the whole rapid black metal vibe. As the band blazed through their tracks (And encore) I felt a sense of pure black metal redemption. Sure, this music is evil, twisted, and oftentimes looked down upon, but it gives us hope and allows us to go forward.
As the night concluded and I engaged in an adventure to get home (Public transport in Philly sucks) I took some time to reflect on the night. Even as I wandered through unknown streets, unsure if I could get home by any hour, much less a reasonable one, I started to realize that despite it all, this is what I live for. Sure my night ended with me being lost in a bad neighborhood with an increasing sense of desperation, but in the end it's all worth it. If we didn't have this, we might as well be dead, so in my eyes at least, risking my life for the likes of Crypt Sermon, Krieg, and Bastard Sapling is always worth it.
Find them on Facebook!
Crypt Sermon: https://www.facebook.com/CryptSermon
Krieg: https://www.facebook.com/officialkrieg
Bastard Sapling: https://www.facebook.com/bastardsapling
"a squat i can't name" is named on the flyer. and not a squat. quality reporting.
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