Feel the darkness

by JOHNSON CUMMINS

Montreal is sadly still shrugging off its international reputation for a pop-driven music scene polluted by V-neck-sweater-wearing, glockenspiel-playing, Morrissey-listening trustafarians, but the pendulum is swinging fast. There has been a rash of local musicians dabbling in the dark arts of doom, power drone, industrial, dark wave, psych, ambient and blackened metal. One of my favourite bands in the city to help put the “fun” in funeral is duo Menace Ruine, who release their third effort, Union of Irreconcilables, on Aurora Borealis this week. With last year’s absolutely epic The Die is Cast, it seemed like they might’ve reached their peak, but this new one beats it on all counts. Opener “Collapse” pummels with brutal blasts of noise as tortured black-metal shrieks hover above the cacophony before the record gives way to the funeral dirge of “The Upper Hand” and then takes no prisoners with the sheets of noise of “No Abibbapcds,” as Geneviève’s gothic baritone vocals lead the charge. It’s the end piece “Primal Waters Red” where mastering engineer James Plotkin (Khanate) lets the low end punish as the duo crushes the light. Easily their masterwork thus far, and, if the stars are aligned right, it should set the underground music world on fire.

If you’re already digging the new Menace Ruine record, you might also want to check out the dark wave-driven ambient soundscapes of Eluvium, with Julianna Barwick and Early Transcendentals at Casa on Friday night. For pure punk rock pandemonium, you can check out Talk Sick (think a non-metallic Propaghandi) with Machine Gun Dolly, Corporation and the Wax Buckets at Café Chaos. Also happening on Friday night is the return of dapper young Montreal lads the Dirty Tricks as they play the first of their two-night stint at L’escogriffe with Femme and yours truly on the wheels of steel, playing Diamond Dave-era Van Halen (Hagar-era stuff seriously blows) all fucking night long. On Saturday night, they return to L’esco with one of Montreal’s best up and coming punk rock (think K and Kill Rock Stars roster) bands, the Peelies.

On Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., all record nerds are to show up at Katacombes for their punk rock record swap. Now you can unload that Epitaph crap you bought when you were too young to know any better and maybe snatch a copy of the ever-elusive Necros single. After the record swap, you can then make your way to Death House for 7 p.m. to catch Last Laugh, the crushing power violence of Vile Intent, Naughty Girls, Look Beyond and Power Cup. At goth hotspot Saphir on Saturday night is the pure horror rock of Truth or Scare with the old school metal of Mad Parish, Skull Fist and Halifax’s Black Moor. Also happening on Saturday night is the bluesy punk swagger of Ashtray Heart with the ’60s psych (think Pink Floyd’s Piper at the Gates of Dawn) of Devil’s Din at Pub Saint-Ciboire (1693 St-Denis).

Finally, don’t miss Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings when they hit le National on Wednesday night with the Heavy. In this current day and age when we’re inundated with plastic soul and limp R&B, Jones remains the real deal.

WHO FARTED?
JONATHAN.CUMMINS@GMAIL.COM