Unhallowed eve

I knew there was one place I wanted to be Saturday night: Cafe DeKcuf, where a sensational lineup of local and imported bands of the heavy metal persuasion were on hand to get heads banging at a Doomed Halloween show. Monobrow and Muffler Crunch alone should be enough to get discerning local fans of heavy rock out of the house, but throw in hotly tipped West Coast heavies Witch Mountain and fellow travellers Castle and you've got a bargain. That's not to slight Thought Process, who rounded out the bill, as they themselves pointed out "None of you know who we are."

Up first, Monobrow, who played an as-usual killer set, plus a couple of new tunes that sounded just as good as their other stuff - maybe with a bit more in the way of time changes? Here's some rhythm section action ...


Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

And man of mystery Paul!


Monobrow at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Now, if you want Halloween costumes, you need to check out skeletal duo Thought Project, whose barebones bass and drum sound made me think of Godheadsilo. Under that greasepaint is Ian Vance formerly of Boom Creek.

 
Thought Project at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

And here's drummer Isaac McFaul, ditto on Boom Creek, though more recently he's been manning the skins for Pretty Little Death Machine.


Thought Project at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

And here's another duo, the mighty Muffler Crunch. Angie Barbarian got done up as a scary suburban housewife clown ... or something like that. Luc sported his usual brown pinstripes.


Muffler Crunch at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Guitar-raising action!


Muffler Crunch at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Now on to the out-of-towners, starting with Castle, who really tore it up with their occult doom. Elizabeth Blackwell is a pretty sharp frontwoman, and I like Mat Davis' stripped-down guitar sound quite a bit.


Castle at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Al McCartney rounds out the trio.


Castle at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Witch Mountain slowed things down with some monster doom trudge. They're another female-fronted band, and have received quite a bit of publicity of late. Here's Uta Plotkin on the microphone, with drummer Nathan Carson and bassist Neal Munson.


Witch Mountain at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

And guitarist Rob Wrong, well-lit by the lights bouncing off his well-stocked pedalboard.


Witch Mountain at Cafe DeKcuf, October 27, 2012

Definitely an evening of quality entertainment.