The Rickshaw theater is magical. Located in a shitty, piss-soaked part of Vancouver it is home to some of the best heavy metal to float through BC. Formerly a Shaw Brothers movie theater it still has the cool layout and great acoustics that give live sound the shape it needs to thrive.
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| Welcome to the Rickshaw. |
When I went to see Asphyx recently I didn't know what to expect. The original bill included Skeletal Remains but with a bumpy tour schedule which included multiple border crossings it came as no surprise that they were denied entrance back into Canada. Disappointment! Regardless, ticket sales were largely driven by Asphyx as it was their first time in Canada. The other acts were AHNA, Graveolence, and Konform.
Having never heard of the opening act, Konform, I didn't know what to expect. It seemed like more fun to not look them up and be influenced by what others had to say. Listed as being crust punk surely they would be fun. Certainly there was a crust element but I found them to have far more of a metal edge. Awesome. Already the previous disappointment had been forgotten. Konform was a great start to the night.
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| Konform - Punk metal |
Next in line was Graveolence. For the sole purpose of messing with drunk people I mispronounced their name as many ways as possible and occasionally insisted on "correcting" their own pronunciations. The live troll-show was happening off stage. Drunken confusion followed by wide-eyed denials ensued. Once they took the stage the alcoholic haze in which my mischief thrived had cleared. All was momentarily forgotten. Graveolence has a ridiculous amount of energy and one of the happiest drummers I've ever seen, which is a bit of a novelty as it contrasts with the weirdly accurate self-descriptor: death/grindcore/noise. Yes, Graveolence was rocking grindcore. A filthy, noisy, dirgy sound. They did it well. Links to their social media and bandcamp pages are in the captions under their photos so you can see for yourself.
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| Graveolence - Death / Grindcore / Noise |
Following Graveolence we have AHNA. Crusty death metal was a good choice to put right before Asphyx. While AHNA wasn't quite my thing, they were a solid act with a lot of strength. Playing tracks from their current EP, Perpetual Warfare, "Pull The Trigger" and "Devastation" were highlights. Based on crowd response as well as reviews on their bandcamp page "Pull The Trigger" is definately a moshing favourite. With an extensive discography they have a lot to offer. Sick vocals, tight drumming, and perfect use of soaring pinch squeals made their set memorable.
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| AHNA - Death Crust |
Asphyx: Welcome to Canada! The release of Incoming Death brought apprehension from fans as Asphyx had lost their primary writer after the previous album. Being veterans, however, they know what they are doing and we love them for it. From start to finish the energy was intense. Stefan Husken was a good choice to replace Bob Bagchus. Husken's drumming brings an aggressive technicality that provides a solid, rumbling bedrock that perfectly compliments Paul Baayens guitar riffage. While the bass does not demand attention by itself, to be without it would leave Aphyx sounding hollow. With the glorious sound at The Rickshaw the bass is felt and adds a resounding brutality which provides the right framing to experience Martin Van Drunen's vocals. Soft spoken off-stage, Van Drunen's voice comes to life in an unholy way. Like an angry subterranean gust pushed through a cavern of cobwebs and death he delivers exactly what is expected: Doom, death, and destruction.
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| Alwin Zuur |
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| Paul Baayans: Happy metal dude. |
Asphyx
Written by Dink Kickin
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