By: Evan Sherman
Kvelertak | website | facebook | twitter |
Support: Torche | website & Wild Throne | website
The Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA | April 14, 2016
Having recently discovered this venue, it has quickly become one of the best spots in Philly for catching underground, rising, and established metal acts. The venue is subterranean, spacious, and has a well-stocked bar. There really is not a bad spot in the place, unless you are absurdly stuck behind one of the few pillars that support the outer portions of the floor area. I highly recommend attending a show there if you are in the area and have a few bucks to spare.
Wild Throne kicked the show into high gear with their brand of energetic progressive metal that reminded me of the better moments of The Mars Volta. They put on a very entertaining show that started at a level ten and stayed there for the remainder of their set. Blowing through songs from their new full-length, Harvest of Darkness, Wild Throne was confident and spastically engaging.
Torche, a long-time favorite of mine, got on stage and started setting up their equipment. After a rather hilarious sound check that covered being down with OPP they were off and running with ‘Letting Go’ the opening track to their album Harmonicraft. They covered a wide variety from their packed discography: ‘Grenades’, ‘Minions’, ‘Snakes Are Charmed’, ‘Sky Trials’, ‘Charge Of The Brown Recluse’, ‘Annihilation Affair’, and ‘Barrier Hammer’. They were just as I had hoped they would be; it was the comfort of a band that knows exactly what they are doing and are able to create an atmosphere of upbeat, hard-rocking, good old-fashioned fun.
The equipment from Torche was dismantled after their set revealing a wall of Orange amplifiers. I knew the good times were only just beginning. Kvelertak, another long-time favorite discovered after recognizing the brilliant artwork of John Baizley adorning the cover of their self-titled album and then staying for the magnificent music behind it, took to the stage and crafted their brand of blackened heavy metal. Erland, vocalist for the band, walked out wearing an impressively constructed, light-up owl mask that was retired after the first song, for good reason. The show was a raucous one with Erland taking many opportunities to stage dive at full force and without worry. Something certainly needs to be said about his ability to command an audience. He is by far one of the greatest front men I have ever seen, and I would go as far to say he is one of the greatest front men in modern metal. The band was extremely tight. They ran through ‘Blodtorst’, ‘Bruane Brenn’, ‘Mjod’, and new single ‘1985’ with power, ease, and addictive energy.
Towards the latter portion of the set Erland ran off stage to grab a drink from the bar while the band continued to knock it out of the park. This is when I noticed someone to the side of the stage in a restricted area. John Baizley from Baroness was in attendance and enjoying the festivities. This would start a weekend of run ins with the man as he would pop up again at another show, but more on that later. Kvelertak ended the night on top, they proved to be one of the most entertaining live performances I have ever seen. It made me think of what it must have been like to see AC/DC before they became arena rock gods. An impressive night on all fronts and all bands delivering exceptional performances.
