Live Review: Doom Invades Portland, ME!

Headed over to Geno’s Friday night in downtown Portland for an evening of doom metal. Every once and awhile I will check out the local scene on the look out for quality regional acts hitting the area when I stumbled upon this show at the local club which is the default location for all things alternative in the music world. Geno’s is a stereotypical hole in the wall venue (it’s an old porno theater if that gives you any idea) but with a vibrant clientele. I have been to many shows, and never have I been to a venue where the attendees knew each other so well. My buddy and I actually felt like the oddballs in the audience since it seemed like EVERYONE knew one another. This didn’t surprise me really on the other hand because while Portland is a legit metropolitan area, it’s still quite small in comparison to our sister New England cities. People in any scene have to stick together, especially in an area where the total population of your scene forces you to know one another out of necessity and common interest. I really enjoy the vibe at Geno’s (I have been there before, but this is my first metal show) and will definitely make it a point to return. Anyway, this evening’s festivities features all doom bands, a line up that really surprised the fuck out of me since it took place in Portland.

DARK CASTLE

Finally the first band hit the stage, Dark Castle from St. Augustine Florida. What the fuck are Floridians doing up here in Maine on the brink of fall? Crazy fucks, I hope they guzzled down some good beer to remember us Mainers by. While the band had their shit together, and dished out a great onslaught of psychedelic doom metal reminiscent of Electric Wizard with sound bytes and effects. I dug these guys, but holy shit was their sound oppressive! Doom metal is best performed at high decibels, but holy mother was this shit loud. I retreated to my car to grab some earplugs like a little bitch. What can I say? I want to be able to hear my children play one day. Actually, fuck kids, I just want to hear more metal without a hearing aid. Besides the sound level, these guys have their shit together. I actually thought they were going to be the headliners seeing as they are the out of state tour, but they opened. In retrospect though, I think they were an appropriate opener for the evening.

THE BODY

Hailing from Rhode Island, The Body toned down the decibel level for their set which was actually a welcomed relief. I am no bitch at shows, but we don’t need Madison Square Garden at Geno’s. The Body was an interesting band, with a sound that continued on where Dark Castle left off. While Dark Castle had a much more psychedelic atmosphere with reverb sound effects  every which way, The Body was a much more straight forward doom band with an interesting vocal assault that sounded like a banshee took to the stage instead of the dark, brooding style of most doom bands. Seriously, I felt like the vocalist was kidnapped from a grindcore band in order to front a doom metal outfit. Great set, especially with the surprising vocalist!

OCEAN

Headlining the evening was Ocean, a local true doom metal outfit from none other than Portland fucking Maine. Interestingly enough, I had never heard of these guys prior to Friday night, and for their entire set, I was regretting that fact. How could such a fucking awesome doom metal band, living and performing right under my fucking nose NOT pick up on my radar?! Here I thought that the metal scene in Portland was all but lost, but Ocean gives me hope for the future. Ocean only had a 2-3 song set, with that last one clocking in at least 15 minutes. Yes folks, these guys are legit doom, and their song lengths are totally classic doom. You can bet your ass I will be seeking this guys out more often because they legitimately blew me away.

I was pleasantly surprised with the whole evening. While I was a bit doomed out by the end (probably because the styles of each band were so similar), I found myself becoming really inspired by the prospects of a living breathing metal scene in southern Maine. I will be on the look out for more local acts as well as National tours in the hopes that this out of the way city may be graced with a more aggressive addition to its already rich appreciation for music.

CODY