One of my favorite things about living in the Bay Area is the sheer number and variety of metal shows on a weekly basis. There’s nothing else quite like it and one can always find something new to step outside their musical comfort zone. This week was no exception as I booked it across the bridge to DNA Lounge in San Francisco to hear The Convalescence, W.o.R, and Yes Devil.
The night started out with the local band, Yes Devil, and they showed up with what appeared to be a devout local following full of enthusiasm and ready to rage. Yes Devil delivered what I would classify as a groovy-metalcore-meets-hard-rock repertoire, featuring melodic riffs interspersed with somewhat heavy breakdowns. The band brought serious energy and really engaged with the crowd but this freshman opening act could use more practice. They showed serious potential but really missed a lot of opportunities through bad timing and lack of cohesive performance from the members. What they lacked in experience though, they made up for with stage presence and crowd engagement.
Next up was W.o.R., a groove/ metalcore band out of Raleigh, North Carolina. The crowd was slow to warm up to the band whose anti-authoritarian lyrics and hyper energy had a certain punk-reminiscent vibe. I had to give vocalist Bobby Demoss credit though because he simply was not going to take no for an answer. Going so far as to lay down half off the stage and demand the crowd come close enough to touch his dangling feet, he wasn’t going to let this crowd off the hook! His efforts paid off as the crowd started to feel their hostile riffs and belligerent breakdowns. Their energy was simply contagious and Demoss’ scream had a low piercing quality that oozed disdain for the system.
The Convalescence, from Toledo, OH, really saved the evening though with their horror-born theatrics complete with corpse paint and dismembered bodies. The vicious, growling vocals of Keith Wampler paired with piercing shrieks gave me serious Dying Fetus meets black metal vibes before throwing me for an unexpected loop with the injection of some limited clean vocals. Their atmospheric, symphonic, threatening sound felt like it was being delivered by a group of gruesome, leering zombies and they don’t shy away from tackling a little bit of everything, a trait my ADHD brain could definitely appreciate. The violent assault of the drums felt like gunfire in my brain while the guitars delivered some brutal, technically proficient riffs. The Convalescence was full of surprises and their grotesque showmanship was a perfect accompaniment to their sound.
Overall, it was a hit-or-miss evening with a lineup that seemed a bit disjointed to me. While each band certainly had their high points, the majority of the show fell a little flat for me with The Convalescence swooping in at the last minute to save the night.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY AMBER BUCHANAN