2008: The year
metal broke

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

It’s already been a week and a bit into 2008 and if you’re anything like me, your New Year’s resolutions are hanging by a thread. 2008 is going to be fucking great but I will spare you my lofty predictions about the months ahead if you’ll just excuse me while I get a wee bit weepy over ’07.

I will admit I am still kissing babies and waking the neighbours about the final nail in the coffin of dance-punk (remember Controller.Controller? Nah, didn’t think so), and who couldn’t guffaw in their second-hand shirt sleeve when the corporate record industry reached all-time lows as independent label sales remained unscathed?

Montreal managed to support indie bands nightly despite the smoking ban predicting disaster for promoters. Vinyl still held on and proved its worth as a solid format despite continued premature proclamations of its death. Major record retail chains closed their doors while local stores like Sound Central, Sonik and l’Oblique proved that customer service, knowledge of stock and pure passion beat out major-label listening booths. Either that or the punch-drunk public finally wised up that Canadian Idol rejects were no longer worthy of its babysitting money.

Now that the hangovers from New Year’s Eve have dissipated, there are a bunch of shows that will help heave you back up on the horse. Tonight at Quai des Brumes, you can check out the quirky, mellow pop of Mia Verko with Bivouaq. If you are sick of the volume pushers and some sweaty dude screaming in your face, the laid-back Mia Verko might just be your new favourite band.

Friday night, on the other hand, is for the people who do enjoy sweaty dudes screaming in their faces. Montreal hardcore heroes Hold a Grudge (known to their close personal friends as Who Needs a Hug) break it down at Katacombes with the Rookers, Orange Juice and Subversive.

On Saturday night, you should definitely be at l’Escogriffe to check out the heavy-handed soul and garage sounds of Boston’s Turpentine Brothers, but adding extra weight will be the garage punk (and I do mean punk) sounds of fellow Beantown brats the Tampoffs. Their sound is as ugly as their name and packs in twice the ’tude. Anybody who cherishes the glory days of early Makers, snotty ’60s garage and spirit of ’77 punk rawk will have to show up early for what is sure to be a packed affair. Also happening on Saturday night is a charming little event called Black Metal Mayhem II, at Katacombes. I know I promised no predicticions earlier and I admit to being no Nostradamus here, but I’m gonna go with the tingle in my knee and predict that this might be a night of black metal. Look your gloomiest to the melodic black metal sounds of Val Caim, the Franco noir metal of Mysotheisme, and their brothers in black, Allegeance and Sacrifycia.


The reports of my death have been grossly exaggerated…
Jonathan.cummins@gmail.com