BeatRoute Magazine [AB] print e-edition - [May 2018]

This Month
In METAL
The quantity of shows is amping up, and
the weather is no longer trying to kill us!
Let’s celebrate.
On Friday, May 11, head to Distortion
(Calgary) for a fundraising show for Decimate
Metalfest. Toledo deathcore band the Convalescence
will perform, alongside Embers
of Empires, Quietus, Becomes Astral, and
SYRYN.
The next day, get up early and head out for
MomentsFest IV in Pow Wow Arbor (Siksika).
Kicking off at noon, the annual one day event
features performances by No More Moments,
Plaguebringer, Black Mastiff, Protosequence,
Traer, Paroxysm, and numerous
more. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at
the door; ready Matty Hume’s piece in Rock-
Pile to learn more.
Head to the Aviary on May 17 (Edmonton)
for Storm Of Sedition, a pummeling crust act
featuring members of Iskra, Mechanical Seperration,
and Leper. They’ll be performing with
Messiahlator, Paroxysm, and Feeding.
Another excellent crust show is going down
on Saturday, May 19 at 9910 (Edmonton). Featuring
the return of Vancouver crust legends
Massgrave, the gig also features performances
by Dour, Languid, Falsehood, Paroxysm, and
Gorgos. Tickets are $15 at the door.
The following weekend on May 19 sees
Slayer perform with Lamb of God, Anthrax,
Behemoth and Testament at the Big Four
Building (Calgary). The same tour hits the
Shaw Conference Centre on may 20 (Edmonton)
and the Bell MTS Place on May 22 (Winnipeg).
Go for your “last chance” to see Slayer
before another last chance presents itself.
On May 18, head to the Vat Pub (Red
Deer) for a gig featuring Vancouver’s own
progressive death metal outfit Neck of the
Woods, alongside Planet Eater and TMHM,
The bill performs at the Starlite Room on
Neck of the Woods is on tour in Alberta in May.
May 19 (Edmonton) and on May 20 at Broken
City (Calgary).
In his widely shared feature on Neck of
the Woods, Johnny Papan gave everyone the
scoop on the band, which released their sophomore
album The Passenger in September
2017. The release was deeply affected by both
personal and artistic struggle.
“Lyrically I tend to speak of personal
struggles and development,” explains lead
vocalist Jeff Radomsky. “In The Passenger,
the bulk of the lyrics are directed towards
extending support to my sister who suffers
from brain cancer. A good chunk of the lyrics
were written in the waiting room during
her craniotomy.”
You can read the remainder of the compelling
feature at bit.ly/BeatRouteNeck.
Early June is predictably crammed full of
events. First up, head to the 2018 Calgary
Beer Core Awards on June 2 (Calgary) and
give thanks for everything that group does
for the metal, punk, and hardcore scene in
Alberta.
Decimate Metalfest starts on June 7 and
runs until June 10 at Distortion (Calgary).
The first evening features performances by
Ninjaspy, Widow’s Peak, Nylithia, Blackwater
Burial, For a Life Unburdened, and
ChaosBeing. The second night features
performances by Citizen Rage, Insurrection,
Hazzerd, Sludgehammer, Gatekeeper, and
Accostal. The third night features performances
by The Order of Chaos, Benevolent Like
Quietus, ODINFIST, Tessitura, Illyrian, and
SYRYN. The fourth and final day features sets
by Filth, From the Wolves, Insvrgence, World
Class White Trash, Loser, and Detherous.
Daily tickets or a weekend pass are available at
https://www.showpass.com/decimate-metalfest-2018/.
• Sarah Kitteringham
photo: Simon Karmel
POWER TRIP
intolerant of those who are intolerant
BY SARAH KITTERINGHAM
“I did fire off a large electronic confetti cannon.” photo: Kevin Estrada
Evoking the feel and energy of classic hesher One such call to action is found in the
thrash emerging from the Bay Area at the rollicking “Waiting Around to Die.” Anchored
by chugging riffs and gurgling howls,
advent of the ‘80s, Power Trip has surged in
notoriety since their second full-length Nightmare
Logic (2017) was released. Damn near Townes Van Zandt track of the same name.
the song is a counterpoint to the defeatist
universally acclaimed, the 32-minute rager It’s a ‘fuck off’ to laziness and entitlement;
merges thrash, death metal, and hardcore, a call to arms, to change your life and your
garnering deserved comparisons to Morbid world.
Saint, Cro Mags, and Exodus.
“It’s frustrating to watch, what I perceive
In direct contrast to numerous recent to be, a large part of humanity giving up on
thrash acts who revel in a pizza n’ partying humanity - giving up on ourselves, or trying to
vibe with triggered production, Power Trip is make the world better,” elaborates Gale.
raw, ferocious, and politically charged with “Embracing the downward spiral. Our
deliberate messaging.
political situation is a hugely complex thing, so
“I think we’re pretty clear on the point of the I wouldn’t know where to begin, but I definitely
band,” begins vocalist and frontman Riley Gale. draw from all things current in songwriting. I
“We’re intolerant of those who are intolerant.
That certainly sounds hypocritical, but imagery may reference the past, or is my view of
am always writing about the present, even if the
when it comes to things like racism, sexism, a very near future; they’re always anchored in the
homophobia, xenophobia, etc., these divisions present.”
we give ourselves to create ‘us’ versus ‘them’ Although the band messaging offers a serious
situations are trivial to us. We don’t have time critique of our shared sociopolitical universe,
for people whose ideologies have some form Power Trip is enjoying the ride. After all, their
of exclusion involved.”
huge surge in popularity means sharing the stage
Gale is responding to our questions over with some of the biggest names in metal and
e-mail somewhere in Germany (or maybe travelling the world.
France?) thanks to the band’s endless touring
schedule.
secret,” offers Gale. “What happens on tour
“The most ridiculous moments will remain
“Every human life is equal and important, stays on tour. But, I did fire off a large electronic
we aren’t getting off this rock any time soon, confetti cannon in the streets of London, only for
so we should learn how to take care of it, Code Orange to be blamed for the mischief.”
and take care of each other,” he continues.
“Perspective is everything, if everyone were Power Trip perform with Sheer Mag at the Park
being able to truly empathize – understand Theatre on May 21 (Winnipeg), at Louis’ on
viewpoints outside of their own personal May 23 (Saskatoon), at the Starlite Room on
experiences, it would change the world for the May 24 (Edmonton), and at Dicken’s on May 25
better almost immediately.”
(Calgary).
SHRAPNEL BEATROUTE • MAY 2018 | 53