Some acts do not get a fair shake the first time around, and that was par for the course with several of the bands on this show at Le Studio TD on September 22. There were factors that prevented me from enjoying the entirety of the first opener of the night, Witherfall. The traffic flooding the streets due to an STM strike played its part, as did the last-minute notice of approval (partly my fault for not checking earlier). I arrived halfway through Witherfall’s third song, “Ode to Despair.” In my rush to get into the venue, still spinning from the road, I was not immediately hooked by the band. It was my first time hearing anything from them, and re-listening to the songs later through setlist.fm, there are certainly some bangers. Dressed in full velour outfits, I did not immediately see the appeal as I waited for the three bands on the bill that I did know and had seen before. I would still be open to seeing Witherfall perform again, but maybe not on a lineup with high-energy bands like Striker and Enforcer.
The Edmonton-based, Juno-winning Striker came out swinging with full energy from their most recent album Ultrapower, starting their set with “BEST of the BEST of the BEST” and following it with “Heart of Lies,” the only song played off the Juno-winning album. The setlist leaned appropriately heavy on Ultrapower with tracks like “Blood Magic” and “Sucks to Suck.” I had previously seen Striker perform on the basement “Hell” stage of Piranha Bar, and between the two performances, I can say that I enjoyed seeing them on a bigger stage. Simon, Pete, and Tim all had more room to run around, with their on-stage antics and energy showcased even more. They definitely know how to work a crowd as packed as L’Astral was that night, and they were a solid lead-in to the next band.
The last time I saw Enforcer, I had to fly to Vancouver for Hyperspace Festival, but this time it was just a short drive away. The Swedes kicked off with “Destroyer” and threw the crowd into a time machine to the 80s. Their look and sound recall that decade, blending glam, speed, and thrash metal into a one-stop shop. Stretching their legs to play half on the barricade (a rare sight in this room) and half on the stage, Enforcer showed their flexibility and showmanship, playing to the crowd as close as they could. The only difference between seeing them at Hyperspace Metal Festival and here in Montreal was that the stage was physically higher in the Rickshaw Theatre compared to the low-slung Studio TD. They are always a fun band to watch, and I would like to see them return to the area again soon.
The act everyone packed the room for was Rhapsody of Fire, on the Studio TD stage for the second time. The last time they were here, they toured with Seven Kingdoms and Wind Rose, but founding member Alex Staropoli was missing due to travel issues. That led to much of the crowd unfortunately leaving halfway through the set after the fellow Italian giants of Wind Rose had finished. This time, Staropoli was present, and his keyboard orchestrations provided the hook that kept the crowd engaged and brought the band’s sound to its full grandeur. From what I can recall, it was a very similar setlist to the previous show I saw in Montreal.
Overall, the night felt like a journey through different corners of heavy metal, from Witherfall’s brooding theatrics to Striker’s hard-hitting anthems, Enforcer’s retro energy, and the symphonic majesty of Rhapsody of Fire. Each band brought something distinct to the stage, and together they made for a memorable evening that reminded Montreal fans why live metal continues to thrive here.
