The Keening took the crowd on a journey through haunted swamps, bottomless wells, concealed crimes, gilded prisons, and the unfortunate role of a murder witness. But it also showed that there’s still hope in this world if we can find and harness it.

Glassing • Great Falls • Cult Sickness • Blast CellsThe Plaid Pig, Tacoma, WA 03.09.2023Photos by John Donovan Malley

Abhorrency revels in perversity, destruction, and the inherent evil of humanity.

Pixies • Modest MouseClimate Pledge Arena, Seattle. September 9, 2023 Photos by John Donovan Malley

The night offered a chance to cast off the weight of the contemporary world and revel in the sounds of the 90s and early 2000s, a time when life was perhaps less stressful, hectic, and alienating.

Blending colossal death-doom riffs and cacophonous sludge elements, all sprinkled with a healthy dose of harsh noise, Thra has unleashed a menagerie of the grotesque upon the world.

Horrendous would prefer to continue a journey of self-growth and the realisation of potential over a mere reverence for the past. The latest release proves the virtue and value of such an endeavour.

John Donovan Malley went to see Varathron play live in Portland, OR and also managed to ask the band some questions about their new album, the band’s history and more.