Metal is a four-letter word

Ottawa grindcore heavyweights Fuck The Facts have a new, self-released album out, Desire Will Rot, and have been touring all over in support (they just wrapped up a quick trip through the east and Quebec Monday night). Also on hand, Quebec's Fistfuck (I'm guessing there wasn't a lot of TV and radio promo for this show) and Ottawa's Cruel Fate, who started things off with some Entombed-style sounds. Other than that, I can't say I know much about the band ....



Growly action!



Guitar action!



Cruel action!



Their drummer seemed like a cheerful fellow.



More rhythm section action!



On to Fistfuck. The Quebec City grinders have seen members come and go (all at once, on one occasion), but have settled down lately. Here's some percussive action from drummer Marcel.



SteveJonk runs about!



Guitar action from Dero (I think)!



Fuzzy bass action with Seb (not Crocko, as an original version of the post stated)!



Extra Marcel!



More Seb and Steve!



Extra Seb!



Fuck The Facts ended the night with a crushing set. Here's bassist Marc singing some (and interviewee supreme Vil on drums).



Mel sings!



Singalong action!



Extra Vil!



Topon frets!



Moshing action!



Extra Topon!



Mo' Mel!



It was loud.

Death, doom and drone

Since the weather inched out of the minus-30-with-windchill zone Friday night, I decided to make a short trip to the basement of 612 Gladstone and check out more heaviosity at the House With No Name (not its actual name). Toronto doomsters IRN were passing through town, house resident Tom of Spilt Guts has a new band and Topon Das of Fuck The Facts has some drones, so everything came together quite nicely.

First up, some gripping action with Tom (of Spilt Guts fame, like everyone else in the freshly minted combo)!



Evan frets!



Phil hits, offers Vulcan salute!



Deathly action!



The whole see-through lot!



And so on!



I feel like I've seen quite a bit of Topon Das lately - in addition to Fuck The Facts, I've caught him solo and with Merdarahta. I'm really liking his drone stuff, too.



Adjusting action! He's certainly doing his part to keep the folks at Fairfield in clover.



I admit I fooled around quite a bit with the shutter speed ... can you tell?



Well, it was a good idea in theory.



IRN crushed the rest of the night away with some Sleep-y metal molasses.  It's well worth checking their "sludge sewer drone" out on Bandcamp. Here's some hairy action with guitarist Ken and bassist/growler Jeff.



Headbanging action!



Close-up action!



Sludgy action!



Will hits!



Extra Ken!



Barefoot action!



And so on!



Great sets from all concerned, and a good crowd too.

Where there's a will

Monday I went over to the Daily Grind to check out some outer limits metal. Topon Das of Fuck The Facts did some of his solo ambient drone, while Montreal's Mono No Aware and Ottawa's Obsidian Will brought some duo action. All three outfits feature people taking a break from their usual sound.

Here's Topon, dialling in that sound and waking up the neighbours.



More Topon!



More pedals!



Mono No Aware - not to be confused with the American or German combos of the same name - play some rhythmic, melody abusing post-punk.



This is main brain Spencer Curtis, who is also in The Dories (as is drummer Josef McGuigan - this is their break from spiky pop sounds).



Extra Josef!



More Spencer!



Aware action!



Spencer sings!



As for Obsidian Will, it features members from Stale Cum, who I've heard of but not seen, and Prophets of Gen Zee, who I haven't even heard of. This was their first show, and they have a very fuzzy, doom sound going.



Percussive action!



Liam strums!



Mallet action!



More Liam!



The whole lot!



And, er, that's it, since taking more photos would have meant seriously getting in people's way.