For those who made it to the Bell Centre early on this night, you got to see Kim Dracula blur genre lines like his undead life depended on it. Part Marilyn Manson, part TechNine, and part hardcore, Mr. Dracula has an interesting shtick but still seems to be looking for his own voice, and I hope he finds it. I’d like to see the show this guy could put on with a full headline budget.
Next up were Canadian stalwarts Alexisonfire. These veterans are as consistent as you can get at this point in their career. They were in top form, and the crowd was definitely into it. I’ll say this set suffered from the same issue as their set last summer opening for Rage Against the Machine – an odd setlist. There were a lot of classics left out for newer songs the crowd wasn’t familiar with, and you could see the difference in the pit.
We did get treated to one jewel, though. A rarity, the band pulled out their cover of the Tragically Hip’s “Fully Completely.” This may sound like an odd combination, but it fit like a glove. They ended it off with the ubiquitous “This Could Be Anywhere in the World” and left the crowd in a frenzy.
Waiting for the main event, I noticed this was by far the most minimalist stage I’d ever seen at an Avenged Sevenfold show. The stage was huge but completely bare. For a band that’s had massive setups in the past, it seemed odd.
If you’re a metal fan who’s visited the internet recently (and I assume so since you’re here), you may have noticed that the new album, “Life is But a Dream,” has divided the fandom – shocking, I know. There are those who enjoy hearing something new and those who just want “City of Evil” part 5.
When they came out to the 2 opening tracks, “Game Over” and “Mattel,” it was immediately apparent that these songs hit much harder live. This held true when they blasted out “Nobody” and “We Love You.”
Frontman M Shadows took a moment to address the crowd, and with a giggle, he said, “Welcome to Montreal, where the crowd is louder than the band,” after he gave up trying to outsing the crowd during a chorus. We had a great moment when he shouted out his mom, who was in attendance. She got a huge ovation; never doubt that metalheads love their moms.
Avenged Sevenfold had no problem delivering the hits. I can’t say they played them all because 20 years in, there are too many. But we got the headbangers like “Nightmare,” “Buried Alive,” “Hail to the King,” and “Bat Country.” Then there was “Unholy Confessions.” I can’t say for sure as I was inside, but I feel like people walking by outside the Bell Centre may have fed off the energy inside and started moshing. Again, maybe not, but I wouldn’t be surprised.
Then we got the phone lights in the air for “So Far Away.” If this song and the mandatory dedication to the memory of drummer Jimmy “the Rev” Chamberlain don’t tug at your heartstrings, you may want to check if it’s still beating. The main set was closed out by the absolute party that is “A Little Piece of Heaven.” It’s insane how much fun this song is live, considering the subject matter. Even the band has pure smiles from ear to ear, singing about disembowelment and necrophilia, and the crowd screaming every word.
It was great to see the amount of energy this band still has 20 years in. They’re still obviously enjoying the music and have maintained a tight bond as brothers, a true feat nowadays.
Then came the only letdown of the night, the encore. It consisted of the trio of songs that close out the new album: “G,” “(O)rdinary,” and “(D)eath.” This is essentially one 3-part song that’s attempting to be Daft Metal. It’s their attempt to make something you can move your hips to. I’m not saying they failed, but it was just out of place. It would be fine in the middle of a set, but as the famous quote goes, “Always leave ’em wanting more.” This didn’t do that at all. As a matter of fact, in my section, it was the main topic of conversation among people evacuating the theatre. “What was that?”
Review – Richard Brunette
Photos – Eric Brisson
