Here, At Last: Devastation on the Nation 2022

May 20th, 2022

Generally speaking, when a special/rare tour gets postponed/cancelled 3 times, usually it fades into the black hole of what if. With the global pandemic occurring, and several lasting restrictions for bands to either get to North America, or domestic issues, the 2020 edition of the Devastation on the Nation tour felt like it wasn’t supposed to be. However, with life turning back into some kind of ‘normal’, as well as the main acts sticking with this one last hurrah attempt, in Rotting Christ and Borknagar, the tour would finally take place in this Spring, and most recently ending in the next couple of days. A 6-band tour consisting of some of the most prestige Black and Extreme Metal bands to ever grace our universe, as well as some fan-favourites, and newcomers, this rendition of Devastation on the Nation would finally emerge, and truly exceed expectations.

Having to see this tour twice, I drove to The Nile Theater in Mesa, Arizona, to cover this event, and seeing the last day of the tour Sunday, in Los Angeles. Despite having a local opener (not the band’s fault, of course), on top of a 6-band tour, the audience already in the building were immensely cheerful and engaged for this grand occasion.

Kthulhu, the only opener tonight, played an Old-School Death Metal/Grindcore set. Although the sound was rather muddy and often times buried in the mix, the vocals absolutely shined. The vocalist displayed sinister growling, a slightly incoherent style with the pronunciation of the lyrics, but thrived with a demented bowel of power and sheer veracity. It went along with the blast beats, as well as Dustin Lewis’s chugging, sludgy riffs and breakdowns. Kthulhu didn’t fit the mostly Black Metal/Progressive elements as the rest of the lineup, but the outstanding gurgling, fierce vocals stood out the most, and I feel a Death Metal show, would give a better representation of the band.

Stormruler’s intense display of Black Metal, with Thrash riffs, went swimmingly with this crowd. You could hear the bitter frost in the sound in the progression of the chords, yet also a technical aspect between counterpoints and lead changes, also rang through your ears. For me personally, I like my Black Metal to be as riff-orientated as possible, and for this being my first listen of Stormruler, I could hear the various differences between this and your older style of Black Metal. Jason Asberry’s raspy, somber, haunting vocals, matched the icy-like tension within the overall character of Stormruler. Their set went by in a flash, and I overheard a rumour from a few in the crowd after the show, that there was to be a huge Black Metal tour in the Fall, with Stormruler on the bill. If this were to be true, Stormruler will become even more well-known after, considering the band has only been around for roughly 3 years.

1. Reign of the Winged Duke

2. Blood of the Old Wolf

3. Sacred Rites & Black Magic

4. New Song

5. Of Hollowed Souls & Distant Flame

Fresh off their tour with Obscura a few months ago, Vale of Pnath brought forth a combination of Technical Death Metal, and as of more recently, grim, darkened Black Metal. Both aspects of Vale of Pnath brought forth a different side of the band, than I can ever remember. As prolific and astute musicians the band has always been, hearing and witnessing this more, sorrowful emotion from the notes, invoked a different rendition. Singing for this band the past couple years, Ken Sorceron’s superb-sounding screams brought forth a colourful style to the more higher tense riffs from Vance Valenzuela. A clear-cut example, would be in the two newest, unreleased songs performed from Vale of Pnath, sounding further Black Metal, yet the striking musicianship found here, gave the music a different flair. Fitting in more-so on this Extreme Black Metal ‘festival’, Vale of Pnath seem like they’re changing direction musically, and by all accounts, it sounds like for the better.

1. The Darkest Gate

2. Spectre of Bone

3. New Song

4. New Song

5. Accursed

Ghost Bath’s appearance this Devastation on the Nation package, was commended and talked about by many in the media, as well as long-time fans finally able to see them here. Although I am quite picky about Metal bands using 3 guitars, I was surprised to see it work in this setting. “Nameless” chugging palm-muted chords while Tim Church and John Olivier performing single high-note harmonies, were able to have the depressive tone of the music stand out vividly. “Flickering Wicks of Black” displayed as such, ranging from bleak twin-melodies, to outlandish Black Metal blasting alongside twisted open-picked chords. “Nameless” bellowing low singing were compatible with the different speeds and moods that Ghost Bath performed to. Described as Depressive/Post-Black Metal, was a fitting description, and the amount of echoing riffs on display, was an added bonus. For my first time ever hearing Ghost Bath play or any of their music, their first impression was rather grand, and aside from the last two bands, they received arguably the loudest pop from the crowd.

1. Convince Me to Bleed

2. Sanguine Mask

3. Shrines of Bone

4. Hide from the Sun

5. Flickering Wicks of Black

Seeing Abigail Williams’s transformation from Symphonic Black Metal/Metalcore in their earlier days, to the emotional style of Atmospheric Black Metal that they play currently, sometimes you don’t expect a band to either sound, deliver, or demonstrate such quality as such, and it’s humbling to see it in fruition. With longer song arrangements, devilish chord sequences, and haunting vocal tones, some of Abigail Williams’s best work could be found with the heavy majority of their set tonight, playing from their latest record from 2019, Walk Beyond the Dark. The creation of Ken Sorceron, seeing his vision continue to expand, develop dark imagination, and presenting quality North American Black Metal, something I admit we need more of, displayed beautifully in the ending sequence of “Into the Sleep”, with the blackheart, hypnotic tremolo-picked chords, and enriching sorrow from the dense, yet colourful palette, taking the audience by storm. Gabe Seeber’s continual involvement and talented drumming performances, with countless of the most astounding bands we have in our genre, added such aggression and poise to the set, setting up beautiful transitions in-between the guitars and twisted-sounding interludes. Abigail Williams continues to impress live, and the glowing remarks from their unreleased new song, “Black Out”, gave credence for what’s to come.

1. I Will Depart

2. Sun and Moon

3. Into the Sleep

4. Black Out

5. The Final Failure

Thankful to have gone to several hundred shows, and counting, yet surprised at the moments where I get those unusual butterflies. Borknagar’s first North American tour since 1999, and finally seeing them on-stage, might have some to do with such feelings. As excited, engaged and rowdy the fans have been tonight, the mood of the room changed, to this still uplifting energy, yet intimate, gazing upon the stars-like emotion. Everyone wanted to soak up this profound performance, including knowing the words to the emotionally driven “Voices”, singing along to Lars Nedland’s voice of angelic character, and superb, masterful vocal style. The Progressive nature and work within Borknagar’s last few records, have taken a dramatic step up in bringing the very best out of them. The last half of “The Rhymes of the Mountain”, show the technical playing and muti-facet songwriting through various tempo changes, spectacular riffs, all back and forth, and between both Jostein Thomassen and founder of Borknagar, Øystein G. Brun. Arguably the brightest, most astonishing star of this entire tour package, ICS Vortex’s spunky energy as a front man, all the way to his signature Alto voice causing many joyful tears in the crowd, including myself. The engagement in-between tracks, the harsh spitting-fire vocals in “Winter Thrice”, as well as sitting down on-stage and leveling with the fans on sing-alongs and participation. Borknagar’s 45-minute set was over before it ever started, and to feel the level of bliss and heavy anticipation from the fans like this, hopefully that demand will not have the band come back to play 20 years from now. The wait for Borknagar, was beyond worth it.

1. The Fire That Burns

2. Frostrite

3. The Rhymes of the Mountain

4. Up North

5. Voices

6. Colossus

7. Ruins of the Future

8. Winter Thrice

For the next 70-minutes, Rotting Christ’s stellar movement, energy and unbelievably heavy set, got the crowd to jump, mosh, chant, sing, and ad-lib in-between. From a raw Black Metal sound, eventually becoming melodic, using different sounds, and playing more of a Folkier type of Black Metal, the vast majority of Rotting Christ’s set were performed, giving you an eclectic sense of the amount of writing styles they have enjoyed, and been at. Surely of the many cancellations of this tour, and wondering if it would ever happen, Sakis Tolis seemed even more energized than usual, evident in “Apage Satana.” A ‘quiet’ track compared to their other songs, with focus on chant in the form of vocals, Sakis commanded each side of The Nile Theater with specific parts of the song, with the crowd screaming them louder with each interval. You get outstanding Folk Black Metal, with rousing crowd participation, really hard to beat.

Sakis’s non-stop headbanging on the faster songs, “Elthe Kyrie” and the classic “The Sign of Evil Existence”, engulfed the air with bombastic, musical accents of riff diversity, using the instruments as tools for emphasis on big choruses. “Athanati Este” encapsuled the overall sentiment of what Rotting Christ does: perform high-level Black Metal, and using their Greek heritage to incorporate language through their native tongue, as well as show a willingness to navigate through a tight rhythm guitar and catchy, quality lead guitar. Hopefully more than live members in the near future, bassist Kostas Heliotis and lead guitarist Kostis Foukarakis certainly matched the energy from all sorts, with a more than proper grasp of the material, as well as challenging the audience at every turn to enjoy themselves higher, and further. (For good reason, we can be a stubborn bunch), Rotting Christ have stated their complaints way back about turnout and attendance here in North America, and I don’t blame them one bit for feeling that way. However, based off how this tour has gone, as well as countless others this year, I hope it’s proof and evidence they can return and play more consistently here. Tonight’s road-trip to see this magical event, was worth every mile.

The world was greatly impacted, and still is, to the global pandemic, cancelling and postponing too many wonderful shows, tours, and festivals. Through thick and thin, and also showing us that no matter what we think or believe, live music isn’t promised tomorrow, and to officially see the Devastation on the Nation 2022 tour finally, it gives me glowing hope that these number of lineups, shows and huge tours, will become more of a normal state of affairs again.

1. 666

2. P'unchaw kachun- Tuta kachun

3. Athanati Este

4. Elthe Kyrie

5. Apage Satana

6. Dies Irae

7. King of a Stellar War

8. Fgmenth, Thy Gift

9. Societas Satanas (Thou Art Lord cover)

10. In Yumen-Xibalba

11. Grandis Spiritus Diavolos

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