Despite the dreary weather in Montreal with continuous rainfall over several days, fans still made the effort to witness the Deceiver North America MMXXIII Tour at the cozy Bar le Ritz on Wednesday night. The event, organized by Extensive Enterprise, featured a superb lineup of Khemmis, Conjurer, Wake and Montreal’s own Jarrd.
Despite being a relative newcomer on the local heavy scene, JARRD hit the stage with a confidence usually reserved for the headliners. Their intense brand of metallic hardcore saw them quickly win over the already busy room. This was my second time seeing them in the past year, and they’ve improved drastically in that time. I’ll be interested to see what they do next.
Next up was the Black/Death Metal band WAKE from Calgary, Alberta, who put on an unforgettable show for the now-packed venue. Promoting their Juno-nominated 2022 album “Thought Form Descent” (one of my albums of the year), their performance was magnificent.
WAKE’s style is a fusion of Black and Death Metal with occasional melodic interludes that provide a great contrast. During these interludes, the guitar work is intriguing, with a drifting and ethereal quality. However, most of their set is an all-out, brutal assault. The band overwhelms the listener with sheer force, pummeling and bludgeoning them with their music.
Bass player, Ryan Kennedy, proudly wearing a Conjurer shirt, was particularly captivating, rocking out ferociously throughout the entire set. The drummer was also impressive, exhibiting intricate rhythms and nuanced play. Highly recommended if they play near you any time soon.
Following WAKE’s performance, the Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal band CONJURER from the UK took the stage and delivered an incredible performance that had the crowd completely engaged from start to finish. The band, consisting of Dan Nightingale, Brady Deeprose, Conor Marshall, and new drummer Noah See, showcased their versatility and growth as musicians by mixing some of their old songs with newer ones from their 2022 opus “Páthos.” They hammered the heads of each and every person at le Ritz with their sluggish and heavy-as-hell sounds.
At one point, the musicians paused, leaving Nightingale to roar his vocals acapella into the room. It was a powerful moment and he crowd showed their appreciation before the sonic onslaught continued. During their closing song, Marshall exited the stage and made his way through the crowd, continuing to play the song while on the floor, vigorously pounding his four strings amidst the fans.
When they return to Europe, Conjurer will be playing arenas opening for Gojira, so seeing them in this tiny venue may be one we talk about for years to come.
In 2022, KHEMMIS, a Doom Metal band from Denver, Colorado, opened for Opeth, Mastodon, and Trivium. Tonight they return as headliners and have some tough acts to follow. They had just released a two-track EP called Where the Cold Wind Blows and opened their set with the impressive Avernal Gate. They followed up with a song from their new EP called Sigil, which also sounded huge in such an intimate venue. The crowd was ecstatic throughout their electrifying set, which they closed with the thrilling A Conversation with Death.
Khemmis’s sound owes more to classic metal acts like Sabbath and Maiden and is significantly less brutal than the acts that played before them, but the impact was undoubtedly undiminished. These are highly skilled musicians and know how to put on a show.
For me, Conjurer was the band of the night, but all four groups were superb. If you’re a fan of heavy music and missed this one, feel free to kick yourself as hard as possible!
Review & photos – Steve Gerrard
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