Into the world of high decibels and death
On Friday, Feb. 15, I attended my first ever metal show. I survived, hearing intact.
The show was held at DSTRCT and featured American bands The Convalescence, The Breathing Process, and My Own Will, as well as Canadian band Cerbearus.
Upon arrival, I put in earplugs. This was to protect my hearing and to prevent the worsening of my existing tinnitus, so I was ready to take in the metal bonanza.
The evening shook my musical foundation to its core. To an outsider of the genre like myself, metal is often perceived as music that is very loud, and often concerns death. After that night, I realized it’s definitely more than that. As I listened, I felt a kinship to this strange new genre, mostly because of its similarities to punk rock with its angst and energy, which I love. I was in familiar territory, but in many ways I was seriously unprepared for the meal I was served.
Opening act Cerbearus kicked off the evening. It was the band’s second ever show and they full-heartedly delivered. The strong display of energy got the crowd hungry for more.
Supporting acts The Breathing Process and My Own Will came out of the gate straight from hell. I felt like I was riding a nightmarish roller coaster. The throaty vocal style was mostly intelligible but entirely tangible, meaning I could understand the majority of what was coming across.
The Convalescence, the headliner, came out with its members wearing death-like war paint on their faces. It made me feel like I was transported into a dark realm. The sheer brutality of the band’s music felt twice as heavy as any of the previous acts. It was cool, for sure.
Then there were the fans. The mosh pit at the foot of the stage was an incredible display of energy. People ran at each other full speed, pushing away their oncoming target, bouncing off like pinballs. Amazingly, if somebody fell down, two or three people would immediately pick the person up so that they wouldn’t get trampled on. As for me, I stood off to the side and watched.
To be honest, I’m still digesting the show. I don’t know what actually went down. I DO know that it was something worth coming out to experience. It was enlightening, in that it made me question my musical beliefs. There were no frills or half-doing-its going on — it was the real thing.
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Feature photo by Adam Maue