Misery Index and Origin teamed up this spring for The Space Control Tour 2022. Joining them at Saint Vitus Bar were Wake (Calgary) and Wolf King (California).

The night started with the unending caustic fury of Wake. With a lengthy discography behind them, their message was clear: deliver unadulterated, crushing metal. Infusing black metal-esque riffs into grindy walls of speed, Wake set the tone for the night.

Next, Wolf King’s blackened hybridization of extreme metal and hardcore amped up the energy. Sticking to formulaic shifts from menacing riffs to melodic hooks, their ragged thrash and black metal sounds met with passionate vocals to send adrenaline soaring.

Now in their 25th year of existence, Origin is a staple in the harsh, speedy tech death genre. After a two year break from touring, they were ready to unleash their punishing fury of guitar shreds and blasting drum beats. Jason Keyser’s fierce, grinding vocals only relented temporarily to make way for tenacious breakdowns, and the thrashing moshpit matched the sheer speed for which Origin is known. They are definitely a fun band to see live.

Headliners Misery Index performed a violent but cohesive setlist filled with huge riffs and impressive, melodic solos. They played gritty new tracks “The Eaters and the Eaten” and “Infiltrators” from their latest album Complete Control, and stayed true to their punk/grind roots with old favorites like “Traitors.” The dual vocals of bassist Jason Netherton and guitarist Mark Kloeppel commanded attention to the lyrical themes of political scorn and dissident rage. Such an angry, spirited performance was perfect for Saint Vitus, a venue well-known enough to draw new crowds as well as reunite regulars for an awesome night of metal.

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY REBECCA PAIGE