MTelus was buzzing Tuesday night as two legendary powerhouse bands rolled through town on the highly anticipated Slaughter the Martour. With metal headliners Machine Head and Fear Factory, featuring Gates to Hell and Orbit Culture as their stellar openers.
Gates To Hell
A newer act compared to the veterans onstage tonight, Gates To Hell had an audience to try to win over. Proving not to be very difficult with their heavy, sludgy riffs mixed with unapologetic guttural growls. The singer commanded the audience into a frenzied circle pit several times.
Managing to fit in more songs than most, mainly because they weren’t all over the metal average of seven or eight minutes. Playing most of the songs from their self-titled album, it was a solid set and one not to be forgotten among all the amazing acts of the evening.
Orbit Culture
I recently had the pleasure of discovering the Swedish metal band Orbit Culture, and now I wish I had sooner. I wasn’t the only one excited to catch them; the room was packed with enthusiastic fans.
When they finally appeared, the energy in the room was palpable. They wasted no time in launching into a powerful blend of heavy riffs and thundering drums. Singer Niklas Karlsson commanded the stage with his intense vocal range.
Giving Montrealers a mix of songs in a very short opening set, each song building up to be more impressive than the last. Highlights included “Black Mountain,” “While We Serve,” and “Vultures of the North,” all of which showcased the band’s incredible musicianship and songwriting ability.
Fear Factory
The crowd was on fire from the moment Fear Factory took the stage, so they reciprocated that energy by playing some of their most iconic songs, such as “Edgecrusher,” “Fuel Injected Suicide Machine,” and “Replica.” The fans sang along to every word and moshed in unison, with some pits breaking off into smaller crowds towards the back.
The sound quality was top-notch, which is not always the case for some of the heavier shows. Even with all the lineup changes in the band’s history, they still maintained their signature industrial sound. Their use of both clean and growling vocals, coupled with their use of synths and samples, created an atmosphere that was enhanced by the concert’s special effects.
Machine Head
Mtelus was filled with anticipation as the venue filled with last-minute stragglers running for the pit. From the moment they started playing, the crowd was on their feet, singing, and of course, hair flying everywhere.
The band’s passion and energy were contagious, making their performance nothing short of a headbanger’s dream. Frontman Robb Flynn was charismatic and engaging, interacting with the crowd and making everyone feel like they were a part of the show. The band’s chemistry was evident, almost making it look easy to be onstage in front of thousands every night.
Machine Head played a stellar set that included some of their most iconic songs, such as “Aesthetics of Hate,” “Davidian,” and “Halo.” Normally I’m upstairs, but tonight was the exception, and it was worth getting the true impact of their music down in the crowd.
All in all, it was one for the books. A powerful and unforgettable evening energizing and inspiring fans and getting them through this winter slump. This tour made it one more date before a show had to be postponed due to illness. Seems to be a trend when bands come to town. Could be just a coincidence or the truth that we know how to show them too much of a good time.
Review – Sam Morris
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