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Heavy metal arrives in Vancouver;
care to bang your head?

International metal giants come rolling through town

By Jay Schreiber

was created that every metal giant and their
brother would eventually claim as their
own. This is the art of shred—a style of playing
quintessential to heavy metal music. Whether you
have long hair, eye liner or multiple pairs of your
sister’s jeans hanging up in your closet, shred is one
thing every metal band cannot be without.

Who started shred? Was it Jimmy Page of Led
Zeppelin? Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath? Personally,
I don’t give a rat’s ass who created it; if done right, it
flows through your fingers and pierces your ears and
that is something that no one human can create.

In this day and age, the people of Vancouver
aren’t as interested in metal, and on a large scale,
metal doesn’t really matter. However, this spring,
whether we like it or not, some of the world’s greatest
heavy metal bands will be rolling through Vancouver
to lay down their version of shred.

One of these bands coming to Vancouver is
Destruction, who will be playing the Red Room on
March 19". In Germany, some 25 years ago, this
heavy metal group helped to create a style of shred
that we now know as German Thrash. German Thrash
isn’t like other forms of shred; German Thrash is
more violent and threatening, so in case you couldn’t
understand what they were saying in the first place,
you can now listen to them in a different language,
screaming it auf Deutsch!

In the early ‘90s, a heavy metal group out of
New York who called themselves Cannibal Corpse
began to break out on the metal scene and sent out
shockwaves around the world. You’ve probably seen
them in Ace Ventura Pet Detective playing their
single “Hammer Smashed Face” or after they gained
popularity thanks to Jim Carrey, who stated that they
were his favourite band. Never before has there been

S ometime back in the ‘70s, a style of playing

 

such controversy around a group in-so many ways;

lyrics, album art and violence at the mosh pits of their

shows were all controversial. But controversy aside,
Cannibal Corpse is also the only death metal group
to ever get an album recognized on the Billboard Top

250, and they will be storming through town on April

10" at the Croatian Cultural Centre.
In addition to Destruction, we are gifted in

having another German Thrash giant stop through our
wonderful little city. This time, it’s Kreator, a fast and

furious group that have often been referred to as “the
German Slayer.”

Like Destruction, Kreator has made a name
for itself as being very riff oriented with screeching
solos and head-banging riffs. Also like their German

brothers in thrash, they were booked to play the Plaza

Club on Granville, but had to be rescheduled due
to its recent closing. So, on April 24" you can catch
them playing Richards on Richards with American
thrash giants Exodus.

It seems quite unfitting that these heavy metal
groups are playing such small stages in what I would

deem “locals only” venues. Having seen these groups
headline the largest heavy metal festival in the world,
Wacken Open Air Germany, it’s kind of shocking that

their international recognition is so low.

But I’m not one to complain; after all, I’m just
satisfied that they made the trip as it hardly seems
right that they aren’t as well received as other bands
sometimes are. Even Cannibal Corpse should have
no problem selling out a venue like the Commodore
Ballroom which holds 1,000 bodies rather than one
like the Croatian Cultural Centre, that only contains
only 500. And this is in comparison to the crowd of
350 people that some of the other heavy metal thrash
legends will settle for on their first and possibly only
trip to the great white north. Oh well, as long as it’s a
decent show, I’Il still be there, fist pumping and ears
bleeding.

i Gierlioe

 

 

 

 

The Alibi Room

 

By Chloé Bach, Assistant Editor

eferred to as a “modern tavern” The Alibi
Re= is located at 157 Alexander Street
at the very end of Gastown. And when
I say the very end of Gastown, I mean the very
end. In fact, while walking through Gastown
it would probably not occur to you to continue
walking down to Alibi as it is almost at Main.
However, I urge you to keep walking because
this pub is easily one of my favourites in the
Lower Mainland.

The main floor is more geared towards
dining and boasts a wide open, airy room with
high ceilings and simple yet unique decor. The
seating consists of long wooden tables that really
lend themselves to a cozy, social atmosphere and
can seat either large groups or several smaller
parties. Of course, there is also ample seating
at the bar. That said, if you’re in the mood for
something a little more rambunctious, head
downstairs where there is more stand up space
for mingling and often a DJ playing on the
weekends.

Yes, it’s a lovely atmosphere but the very
best thing about The Alibi Room is the beer list.
With almost 20 craft beers on tap and bottle
list to match you really can’t beat the selection
anywhere in the city. They rotate the kegs often
which keeps me coming back to try out each new
beer they bring in. Sure they’ ve got an alright
wine list and some pretty tasty foods (try the
charcuterie plate, it’s delicious!) but the beer is
really the highlight here.

So, with such a fabulous place just blocks
from Waterfront skytrain station you have no

alibi not to go! v9