I don’t think I’ve been so excited about a new band since I first saw the Fucking Champs and High on Fire at 12 Galaxies (R.I.P) years ago (and neither of those bands were at all new, I just was). Vastum is a metal supergroup of sorts, on the local level at least, combining [S]Leila of Saros (currently on “indefinite hiatus”), Hammers of Misfortune, and Amber Asylum plus three members of Acephalix, and R.D. on drums. Death metal that’s sort of rockin’, a little punk, but yeah, mostly death metal. Tight and concise, their Friday night show at the Elbo Room in the Mission was only their second with this lineup, and one of only a handful of shows so far. I caught their first performance at Thee Parkside in March, which was a super cohesive debut, and in the three months since they’ve nailed the heavy precision that characterizes their sound. It makes sense, considering Leila, from who I took a couple guitar lessons last summer, is basically a human metronome. Vastum’s stage presence is impressive as well — very balanced, each member has something to offer, and no one overshadows the others: Leila and their Gollum-y singer sharing growls (he is a great showman, by the way, jumping into the crowd to instigate bodyslamming and dancing around like a Tolkienian chimpanzee — love it); Leila and Kyle trading off harshly melodic solos; R.D. and Luca on drums and bass respectively holding down the deep and driving rhythm. But anyways, enough of my gushing…Check it:
Vastum – at Thee Parkside – 3.12.2010 – (1st.gig)
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Local stoner metalers Flood played after Vastum. The threesome is sleepy and Sleep-y — I think they played three long songs in about a 45-minute set. Sort of spacey at times and with a steady, mellow pace, partly reminiscent of the Melvins’ in terms of super simple yet weighty power chords and vocals dripping with delay, courtesy of bass player Eli, who is also a plant nerd (making Flood all the better — hey, I’m pretty biased). Read Aquarius Records’ review of their most recent album, Native.
