HOLD THE MUSTARD PRESENTS: Torrefy with Cryptic Enslavement, YEGG, and CÆRRIAN

The last Hold the Mustard show of February was an incredibly brutal night of slamming, striking death metal - with four different bands on the bill all carrying their own calibers with them. There was no better way to end off the February season with this extreme show, and the energy was without a doubt the heaviest I have ever seen; never have I gotten a chance to see such intense, guttural death metal live in person until this show, and it was a night to remember full of incredible people, incredible production, and an exceptional sense of community - I've never felt so safe anywhere before, and it doesn't get much more controlled and safe than the Chill House. 

It was an all ages event that pulled a great crowd of unique people from all different groups and demographics, and there was no better way to spend a Saturday night than being out late headbanging to death metal - with Torrefy's long-awaited set ending the night off right around eleven that night. The moshing at this show was completely unmatched, and never have I seen such harsh intensity at a show before; Hold the Mustard knows how to bring the heat to Chilliwack. 

Learning experiences were had all around through the hectic setup of the show, which I was honoured to be a part of. Seeing the behind-the-scenes of the setup before the show was something entirely incredible to be a part of, and the end result was exceptional. There is nowhere else in the world where you will find people as nice as those who help to operate the Chill House and the shows within it, and the entire venue is managed exceptionally well. 

Some scheduling confusion and microphone issues didn't stop the show from going on to absolute perfection - and small-venue shows like this show how teamwork truly does work best. The action was in full throttle for the show, and it was another night for the books; it's one that no one involved will ever forget, and it was a striking turnout. The sound was absolutely booming that night, and it was as loud as it gets. The venue was managed incredibly well and had a stunning atmosphere that was instantly perfect for the bands being hosted - and you can't get much better than the Chill House. 

Be sure to be on the lookout for more incredible shows, and learn even more about what to expect from the four bands on the bill for the next time they come to a city near you! These bands are even better live, and the experience of seeing local metal bands is something every person should experience at least once. 

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CÆRRIAN were an exceptionally complex band with stunning arrangements and an incredible roster of bandmembers that were all hugely unique people and striking players. Their skillset was immediately made apparent, and the prowess of each member was something that started the night off more than just right. Their set was incredible, being made up of new unreleased material (that will be seen on streaming in the spring of this year!) as well as their lead single, and their new material will be more than worth the wait.

The whole band is completely unique, and each member provides something new and exciting to the mix. When unique people with such heavy talents get together, they create exceptional art - with CÆRRIAN being a prime example of this. 

Their songs are long, making them perfect for nonstop energy in live sets. The band didn't stop for even a second, and their set was one of the most nonstop displays of music I have ever seen up close. The energy was immediately high and started off right with mosh pits forming right away, and the drumming in the band was a particular highlight; the loud, intense sound of CÆRRIAN is the kind that you can feel inside of your bones, and it was one of the most energy-driven opening acts imaginable. With the first opener being so intense and full-throttle? It's no surprise that the rest of the night was unimaginably heavy and relentless. 

You can also find my interview with the band that occurred before the show HERE, as well as my footage of the band HERE and HERE.

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The second band of the night was Cryptic Enslavement - with their set coming right on time and suffering from some unfortunate mic issues before they were fixed for the remainder of the incredible set. They are without a doubt one of my favorite bands that I have had the chance to see; and they were one of the heaviest bands I have ever seen. 

In the case of Cryptic Enslavement, their vocalist stands out the most. His presence is intensely intimidating despite him being such a truly nice person when interacting with fans/the crowd, and his energy was unmatched. He was immediately in the middle of the pit with everyone; and some of the most intense moshing of the night happened during their exceptionally brutal and guttural set. 

Their set just kept getting heavier every time you would think it couldn't possibly get more aggressive, and they came out swinging immediately. 

Death metal in such a rugged style is a rare thing to find in the local scene - and out of all of the variety, this was one of the most shockingly heavy surprises that the night had in store. Cryptic Enslavement are a band that every death metal enthusiast should add to their playlist, and their sound is completely infectious. Their level of crowd interaction is a wonderfully refreshing thing to get out of a concert - and they're a band you'll want to be front row for. 

My pre-show interview with the band can be found HERE, and my footage of the band's set has been uploaded HERE.

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YEGG were the major headbangers of the night - no seriously, I've never seen so much headbanging from a band before. Their energy was absolutely shocking, and it was another massive surprise getting to hear them live after listening to their incredible single on streaming prior to seeing them. 

It's rare that I have seen such a massive sense of teamwork and synchronization within a band, but the YEGG crew might as well be brothers with how in-sync they were for the entirety of their set. It was a nonstop energy cluster, and they were even heavier than I had expected them to be in the best way possible.

The band is heavy and completely ruthless - and they're a vicious group that lays humour into their old-school influenced metal. The volume of their set was potent and speaker-shatteringly loud, and despite their intense sound, the members of YEGG are some of the most personable people you could possibly interact with. 

My pre-show interview with the band can be found HERE, and my footage from their set was uploaded HERE.

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To end off the night, Torrefy delivered an intense late-night set that was full of artistic and complex metal songs, with their level of songwriting making them one of the most creatively potent metal bands within the Canadian scene. Their style is comparable to Cradle of Filth - but they're a band that is impossible to compare to others almost at all due to their sheer originality.  

The sound of Torrefy was shatteringly heavy - with the drumming of the night being so heavy the entire kit was shaking throughout their set. It was a completely intense atmosphere that was packed full of backstory and incredible songs, and each song told a different story. If you're looking for complex, intense metal songs with lyrical themes you won't find anywhere else, look no further than Torrefy. 

Torrefy were without a doubt some of the nicest, most humorous people I have ever had the chance to work with. They gave me grace while conducing my first ever spoken/video interview with them, and meeting them before their set made me love their sound even more knowing just how great they are as people. 

You can find my very first Hold the Mustard video interview HERE, and my footage of the band HERE. 

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There isn't a show that goes by where I am not thankful towards the entire crew as well as all of the performers at the venue. Thank you to CÆRRIAN, Cryptic Enslavement, YEGG, and Torrefy for your amazing communication and interviews as well as incredible, heavy performances, and thank you to Hold the Mustard for hosting the night and letting me on board with the rest of the team. Thank you to Jen and Tyler for running the venue, and to the sound tech and other behind-the-scenes workers for making this show possible.

Make sure to stay tuned for more show reviews, interviews, and exclusive HTM content you won't find anywhere else! Lexi's Projections is your one-stop shop for all things Fraser Valley, and you won't learn more about the metal scene anywhere else! 

Hosted by Hold the Mustard Productions, for booking information and inquires, contact holdthemustardproductions@gmail.com

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