Magrudergrind + Yautja + AHNA + Profane Order @ La Vitrola

Magrudergrind + Yautja + AHNA + Profane Order >> La Vitrola >> May 25, 2016

Grinders and crusties all clad in black celebrated hump day by riding their fixed-gear bikes to La Vitrola to see grindcore masters Magrudergrind play their last Canadian date before returning to the States. Back in February, Magrudergrind released their second full-length II through Relapse Records (have I mentioned yet that Relapse is my favourite record label?) after an almost six-year hiatus. 

Starting off the show was local newbie band Profane Order, who encountered a few delays due to guitar technical difficulties, but were able to redeem themselves near the end of their set with their blackened punk sound. 

Next was Vancouver black metal/crust trio AHNA. I was most impressed by drummer Anju Singh, who alternated vocal duties with guitarist Graham Christofferson, making for the best combination of guttural female/male vocals I've heard in a while.

Yautja (whose name I still can't pronounce to this day) took to the stage next. The Nashville band had been travelling around North America with Magrudergrind for the past month, yet showed no sign of fatigue as they switched back-and-forth between heavy doom and grinding blast beats.

While waiting for Magrudergrind to set up, I must have counted up to 25 songs on the setlist attached to R.J. Ober's pedal board. I had already seen Magrudergrind once before, at Obscene Extreme last summer. The festival was held at Theatre Berri, in a big open room, and Magrudergrind played on a stage about five feet off the ground. It felt like there was a bit of a disconnect between the bands and the audience. But at La Vitrola, the band was face to face with audience, and the whole experience felt a lot more intimate (violently intimate). Magrudergrind blasted their set in less than half-an-hour, with little breathing time in between songs. The people in the front went wild, myself included, which eventually led to me getting a fat lip and spitting out blood halfway through the set. A sure sign of a good night!

 

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