Are you ready to get capital “H” Heavy? What comes to mind when the words “Death Metal” are uttered? For me, I tend to imagine very low, guttural vocals, offered up with growls and aggression; and a very specific tuning – “Deep and Low” which gives the genre its very unique sound. I also tend to imagine band names made with vividly morbid imagery, and posters and t-shirts with comically illegible writing (this is my favourite part, if I’m being honest!).
There is a lot to be said about the Death Metal genre (and its many sub-genres), and Tuesday night’s show at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto was a master class for anyone (including myself), who was maybe not as familiar with this specific piece of the metal genre previously.
The first band to hit the stage on Tuesday was Alluvial, an Atlanta-based foursome made up of Tim Walker (bass), Wes Hauch (Guitar), Kevin Muller (Vocals), and Zach Dean (Drums). They started off the evening with a blast of some downright dirty tracks. While their set was short, with only 7 songs, they made the most of it to the gathering crowd of Toronto fans. Formed in 2016, the band has 2 full-length albums, in addition to a more recently released EP.
200 Stab Wounds was the second band to hit the stage, and as much as I was unsure I would be able to differentiate much between the sounds, 200 Stab Wounds had a much different sound to Alluvial, while not compromising their spot in the death metal genre. A faster tempo, and a higher tuning (barely, but noticeably), made their set undeniably different from the previous set. Steve Buhl (Guitar/Vocal), Ezra Cook (Bass), Owen Pooley (drums), and Raymond Macdonald (Guitar), from Cleveland Ohio, formed in 2019, really managed to get the crowd going, and the stage was being set for the final 2 bands on the docket for the night.
There is nothing quite like a local band to really wake the crowd up, and Toronto’s own Juno-nominated Brand of Sacrifice was just what the night needed to get the fans really frenzied. If the 1500-capacity venue wasn’t quite full prior to BoS hitting the stage, there was no denying it as soon as this quintet got started. Formed in 2018, Brand of Sacrifice is made up of Kyle Anderson (Vocals), Liam Beeson (Guitar), Michael Leo Valeri (Guitar), Andrew Kim (Bass), and Chason Westmoreland (Drums). The crowd surfers were up for the challenge and made quick work of soaring over the crowd (making the photo pit at the front a bit of a danger zone!). Despite a medical emergency stopping the show 3 songs into their set, which was handled with respect and speed by the band and the staff at The Danforth, pausing the energy for 15 minutes while everyone quietly and patiently waited, the interruption did not dim the excitement once the show restarted. Kyle’s energy on stage is that of a warrior with his tactical vest and long dreadlocks, he truly embodies the image of what I would stereotype a “metal singer” to look and sound like. He was also gracious and extremely friendly, having had the opportunity to chat with him briefly during the break. I later found him standing in the foyer of the venue, gladly taking photos and chatting with fans who were lined up for a chance to say hi. A class act, this is a band I have every intention of keeping my eye on in the future.
At 9:35 p.m., the 20-year veterans of the Deathcore genre, Whitechapel, hit the stage. Based out of Knoxville, TN, and named after the East London district where Jack the Ripper committed his crimes, Whitechapel is a household name within this scene. My initial headline for this article was penned: “My next-door neighbour just came out and wiped the floor with my face”; Phil Bozeman, the frontman of this exceptional band, is quite literally the most unassuming-looking man. Not only would I not pick him out of a crowd, but I would absolutely not expect him to unleash the most inhuman-sounding growls. If you need another visual, imagine the Flerken from the Marvel Cinematic Universe; it was the immediate image I had in my head once the show started.
Made up of 6 members, there are a lot of talented “noise makers” on the stage at a Whitechapel show. Phil Bozeman (vocals), Ben Savage (lead guitar), Alex Wade (guitar), Gabe Crisp (bass), Zach Householder (guitar), and Brandon Zackey (drums). Outfitted with demonic statuettes, the stage was set for what would be an amazing lesson in Deathcore. They have a repertoire of 9 studio albums (and numerous additional releases), to draw on – however, this tour was in support of their most recent release “Hymns of Dissonance” which came out on March 7, 2025. They came out of the gates with two new songs “Prisoner 666” and the title track “Hymns of Dissonance”, winding through a setlist of 15 songs that traced their history and celebrated their future.
Overall, this was a night to remember and I recommend you catch this tour if you have the chance.
See photos below!
