METZ: LEE'S PALACE, 05/02/2015

Ever felt the sensation of a blowtorch to your hair? How about a screwdriver to handle your dental work? Perhaps sandpaper to buff your skin? Well, if you answered yes to any of the above questions than congratulations, because you understand the full-on assault that is the METZ live experience. The Toronto hardcore trio, who are about to release their second record for Sub Pop, have spent the last three years touring the world and blowing people’s minds (and their eardrums!) one show at a time. Guitarist Alex Edkins, bassist Chris Slorach and drummer Hayden Menzies have honed their music down to the sharpest edge…as if Shellac was having rough sex with The Jesus Lizard!

The band played a relatively quick set that lasted an hour and the material was evenly split between new and old material. Much can be said about the explosive nature of METZ’s live show and much of it would revolve around how tight they are as a unit. Having toured their debut album so relentlessly has done nothing but made an already well-oiled machine that much more lubricated. The rhythm section of Slorach and Menzies are as locked in as a safety deposit box, while Edkins is boiling nails in his throat and bloodies his fingers on his Fender Jaguar. The mosh pit greeted the familiar shrapnel of the first album’s “Sad Pricks”, “Get Off” and “Wasted” but they were more than happy to bang bodies to the new chords of “I O U”, “Spit You Out” and “Knife in the Water” just the same!

METZ have already solidified their 90’s era noise rock credentials…now it will be very exciting to see where this Toronto threesome takes us on their musical journey!

- Johnny Hooper