Unearthing the Metal Underground in Vancouver

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Unearthing the Metal Underground: The Vancouver, Canada Scene

posted Oct 26, 2009 at 1:52 PM by darkstar. (29 Comments)

Each week in "Unearthing the Metal Underground," we'll be putting a few quality underground bands in the spotlight in an attempt to get the word out about them. This week, I am exploring the metal scene in Vancouver, Canada.

First, I give you one of the best live bands in Vancouver: Gross Misconduct. As huge fans of Chuck Shuldiner (R.I.P.), Gross Misconduct picks up where Death left off. The band also draws influences from Iron Maiden, Slayer and good old Metallica. The death/thrash-metal four-piece have opened up for big names such as The Haunted and Amon Amarth. Gross Misconduct maintains the high quality metal that epitomized Death. It is impressive how both Schuldiner and Gross Misconduct vocalist/guitarist David London can pull off singing while playing such technical metal.

Gross Misconduct is currently working on the follow-up to its debut, "The Process of Indoctrination." Check them out at www.myspace.com/grossmisconductmetal and www.grossmisconduct.net and pick up a copy of new album when it comes out in 2010.

Archon Legion is another death/thrash metal band, but from Victoria (close enough to Vancouver). I first caught them in a community centre full of a pubescent teens and their moms, but don't let the audience fool you; Archon Legion mean dead-serious business. Archon Legion uses Iron Maiden and Judas Priest's sense of melody and harmonized guitars with a nice touch of brutality, which ends up being a power/death-metal-crossover band. Grant Truesdell and Andrew Saunders create a great interplay between the harsh (almost black metal) and clean vocals as well. Listen to them at www.myspace.com/archonlegion.

For those of you wanting to hear the darker side of Vancouver, I present to you black metal band Artep. What started out as a solo project of guitarist Artep in the cold bleak north in 2005 soon became a full-blown aural assault. The band's promo, "Black War," gained great reviews. In addition, the album, "Thy Will Be Done on Earth as Is Done in Hell," was mastered by King Diamond guitarist Andy LaRocque at Sonictrain Studios in Sweden.

Artep recently signed with Bleak Art Records and will release their full-length album sometime in the near future. Given that Vancouver has grey, rainy depressing winters, much like Norway, Artep's brand of black metal seems at home on the west coast. Fans of Dimmu Borgir, Emperor and Satyricon need to hear Artep (www.myspace.com/artepmetal).

Certainly there are more quality metal bands in Vancouver, Canada. So if you'd like to recommend some other good underground Vancouver metal bands, please feel free to discuss them in the comments below.

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29 Comments on "Unearthing the Metal Underground in Vancouver"

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1. MetalGuitarist18 writes:

don't forget about Bison BC, I heard about them when I was living in Nanaimo, which is just 10 minutes away from Vancouver.
Check em out on youtube.

# Oct 26, 2009 @ 8:21 PM ET | IP Logged

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2. deathbringer writes:

Yeah, bison b.c. doesn't need unearthing anymore - they're signed to Metal Blade, aren't they? And made honorable mentions in our end of year awards last year. They're certainly becoming more well known.

# Oct 26, 2009 @ 8:53 PM ET | IP Logged

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3. darkstar writes:

Bison was one of the first bands that came to mind when I worked on this article, but I thought they were big enough already.

How do you get to Nanaimo from Vancouver in 10 minutes?

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 2:32 AM ET | IP Logged

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4. NW_MetalHead writes:

First bands that came to mind for me were grindsters Tard http://www.myspace.com/tardasinre and death metallers Muspellheim http://www.myspace.com/muspellheim

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 3:47 AM ET | IP Logged

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5. NW_MetalHead writes:

I just tried to post the myspace sites for other BC bands Tard and Muspellhiem. Please take a look at these bands if the post gets posted

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 3:48 AM ET | IP Logged

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6. Sanguis_Ardor_Mortis writes:

Great local bands! MetalGuitarist18 clearly travels by plane between Nanaimo and Vancouver. Looking forward to the new Gross Misconduct disc.

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 11:22 AM ET | IP Logged

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7. Caveman1 writes:

Vancouver to Nanaimo in ten minutes via ferry

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 11:28 AM ET | IP Logged

8. brian oficarus writes:

lets add 3 Inches of Blood to the list of bands from Vancouver. They are a thrash metal band. saw em with In Flames, BTBAM and the Faceless

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 11:35 AM ET | IP Logged

9. b.bristowe writes:

eh. 3IoB is in a game. They've made it.

Vancouver has a lot of good bands, but a lot of bummer ones too.

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 12:20 PM ET | IP Logged

10. PISS writes:

I thought they would go through more of the history of metal in vancover and say about strapping young lad and i know they are not underground but they are from vancover

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 3:12 PM ET | IP Logged

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11. Sanguis_Ardor_Mortis writes:

This is supposed to be about lesser known bands. 3IoB, Bison and Strapping Young Lad are pretty well known.

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 3:59 PM ET | IP Logged

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12. Hollow writes:

Greetings from Delta! It's nice to see BC on here.

Vancouver is one of the biggest cities for Canada, other than Montreal. Vancouver is known in the world of Metal, but there aren't any big Metal bands from Vancouver. Record companies don't give us any spotlight, besides Roadrunner & Metal Blade.

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 6:25 PM ET | IP Logged

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13. Hollow writes:

Oops! Let me fix my post.

Vancouver is one of the biggest cities for Metal in Canada, other than Montreal. Vancouver is known in the world of Metal, but there aren't any big Metal bands from Vancouver. Record companies don't give us any spotlight, besides Roadrunner & Metal Blade.

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 6:25 PM ET | IP Logged

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14. MetalGuitarist18 writes:

haha yeah dude, I travelled from Vancouver to Nanaimo in just 10 minutes by an airplane.
my friend and I were surprised when the captain said we were landing in a couple minutes after only 10 of flight time hahaha

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 9:25 PM ET | IP Logged

15. stuff writes:

hollow u do know strapping young lad is from vancover and they are pritty big

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 9:26 PM ET | IP Logged

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16. MetalGuitarist18 writes:

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 9:26 PM ET | IP Logged

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17. BlackenTheCursedSun writes:

All hail archon legion!!! Seen them a few times now...simy awesome!

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 10:32 PM ET | IP Logged

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18. BlackenTheCursedSun writes:

Simply*

# Oct 27, 2009 @ 10:39 PM ET | IP Logged

19. satins sack writes:

Check out omega crom!

# Oct 28, 2009 @ 12:34 AM ET | IP Logged

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20. Hollow writes:

Stuff, I am well aware of Strapping Young Lad.

When I was referring to "big", I was referring to at the moment. Sorry for the confusion.

# Oct 28, 2009 @ 2:23 AM ET | IP Logged

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21. Hollow writes:

If anyone is interested in local BC talent and is interested in going to shows, sign yourself up in The Greater Vancouver Metal Horde.

http://www.meetup.com/metalhorde/

# Oct 28, 2009 @ 2:29 AM ET | IP Logged

22. stuff writes:

hollow thats ok but now i guess u r right at the moment there isnt any really big bands from vancover witch sucks since i know there are tons of local bands that deserve more attention but thats the same in probably all of canada and around the world.

# Oct 28, 2009 @ 9:44 PM ET | IP Logged

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23. Sanguis_Ardor_Mortis writes:

Where are the local metal bands playing now that the Cobalt is closed?

# Oct 28, 2009 @ 9:49 PM ET | IP Logged

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24. Hollow writes:

Is The Cobalt officially closed? I remember there was a petition going around and there were tons of signatures already when I signed.

I hope The Cobalt is still around, Wendy Thirteen worked hard on that place!

# Oct 29, 2009 @ 1:49 AM ET | IP Logged

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25. darkstar writes:

Hollow: Nice to see someone else from Delta on this site!

stuff: If you know any local bands, you should let us know.

# Oct 31, 2009 @ 1:08 AM ET | IP Logged

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26. Hollow writes:

Kill Rhythm use to be a great Metal band. Sadly, they broke up but their music is still avalible. If they would've hung on a bit longer, they would've made it into the business. They had talent and 99.3 The Fox supported them.

I wouldn't know what subgenre to classify them as, but take a listen: http://www.myspace.com/killrhythm

# Nov 3, 2009 @ 6:05 PM ET | IP Logged

27. Kate writes:

Check out Unleash The Archers....from Victoria.

# Nov 11, 2009 @ 3:31 AM ET | IP Logged

28. eviltwin666 writes:

lots of good bands around here..

Tyrants Blood (ex Omega Crom and Blasphemy dudes )
Musphelheim
Horde Of Anachron
City Of Fire (newer band with FF and SYL guys )
Archon Legion
3 inches...
Zimmers Hole!
Mother Died Today
Unleash The Archers (one of my faves!)
Gross Misconduct
Deadriver Wasteland

Check out the Bloodred Forum, tons of band members post there, from vancouver area.

# Nov 16, 2009 @ 4:11 PM ET | IP Logged

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29. Hollow writes:

I checked out that Bloodred Forum. The last post ever made was on Sunday, September 21st 2008.

# Nov 16, 2009 @ 4:19 PM ET | IP Logged

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Unearthing the Metal Underground: The Vancouver, Canada Scene

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