The Martlet

“It’s only Wednesday, but you guys are partying like its Thursday,” announced Liam Cormier of the Cancer Bats. “I fucking love Thursday.”

Victoria may not be seen as hotbed for brutal hardcore fans, but to many’s delight, it can still draw the likes of Johnny Truant, the Black Lungs and the Cancer Bats — all the way from the freezin’ east.

On Sept. 24, Element was ravaged by the return of the Cancer Bats. On their heels were fellow Torontonians and punk rockers the Black Lungs and the metalcore destruction of U.K. rock group Johnny Truant.

After forming in 2000 under the name Severance (and recording three demos under that name) Johnny Truant has produced three studio albums and is signed to a range of labels spanning the U.K., Canada and the U.S. The group is well known for a signature style that combines a crushing, heavy metalcore sound with expansive sonic environments, created by the use of E-Bows and melodic guitar lines. The Sept. 24 show was no exception.

Despite the seemingly implacable pounding rhythm lines exploding out of Paul Jackson’s drumkit and the growling bass thumped out by Alan Booth and his scruffy lumberjack beard, guitarists Reuben Gotto and Stuart Hunter still managed to tap the crap out of their guitar necks and deliver a show that stunned the assembled hipsters like a cattle prod to the temporal lobe.

Not to be left out, vocalist Olly Mitchell’s guttural voice pierced through the guitar thunder as he bounded around the stage as if on a trampoline, pausing between songs to taunt and berate the few concert-goers cowering near the back of the club. After a short but extreme set, Johnny Truant left the stage and flipped the drumset left to make room for Wade McNeil and his Black Lungs.

Riding on the commercial success of their band Alexisonfire, guitarists Dallas Green (City and Colour) and Wade McNeil created two independent side projects to follow their quite individual musical callings. McNeil pulled together several friends from fellow bands and incorporated them into an energetic folk-punk outfit that had no trouble keeping up with the two other bands on this lineup.

Haris Cehajic of Moneen built stratospheric keyboard leads that swirled around the biting crunch of McNeil’s Rickenbacker guitar and thumping drums of Pat Pengelly (Bedouin Soundclash), while Alexisonfire’s normally-berserk frontman George Petit supported the group with upbeat bass lines and grinning banter: “This is a goddamn Black Lungs show! I want to see enthusiasm! Thank you!”

The band’s set explored musical avenues from ska to post-pop, all the way over to the classic Misfits-era punk riffs that McNeil is famous for. His gritty, honest voice laid lyrics down like gospel and told tales of his young adult life that captivated the crowd.

Then it was time. The Cancer Bats’ Mike Peters strode on stage to begin setting up his brand new kit among the cheers of the excited crowd, while guitarist Scott Middleton unpacked his substantial pedalboard and rack effects in preparation to unleash his screaming pinch harmonics.

The Cancer Bats have been adhering to a relentless touring schedule since the release of their sophomore album, Hail Destroyer, thrashing every township and metropolis from Medicine Hat to Dublin and leaving a path of gleeful destruction in their wake.

The ‘Bats brought Victoria one hell of a show. Bassist Jaye Schwarzer joined in the fun, helping the four-piece create the whirlwind of hardcore punk that frontman Liam Cormier used to whip the kids into a frenzy.

Even with a merely average vocalist, the devastating sound would be able to pulverize anyone’s intestines — with Cormier, it becomes a whole new bar fight. Arguably one of the most active and engaging frontmen that Canada has ever produced, Cormier filled every well-timed pause with a call to arms and had no trouble inciting circle pits and screaming chants in the frenzied mosh.

After obliterating the Top-40 hits with a set of blazing tracks from both of their albums, the ‘Bats stalked off stage in triumph to cries of “one more song!” “ten more songs!” “play everything again!”

Like all good rock stars they didn’t disappoint, returning to the stage to thrash out a two-song encore of “Butterscotch” and “Bastard’s Waltz” before throwing down their microphones for the last time that night.

In true friendly Canadian fashion, none of the bands had any reservations about meeting up with and hanging out with fans. They may be some of the most talented young musicians out there today, but they’re still modest dudes. McNeil, Petit, Cormier and all the guys gladly signed autographs on everything from vinyl singles to naked stomachs.

It was easy to see how fans could be damn proud that such gentlemanly dudes are carrying Canada’s banner all over the globe and sharing their mantra: “A simple choice in life / choose the left or the right / just keep it brutal.”