Monday nights aren’t supposed to hit this hard.
But The Pearl in Vancouver transformed into a war zone of sound and sweat as Alluvial, 200 Stab Wounds, Brand of Sacrifice, and Whitechapel tore the stage apart, brick by sonic brick. From the first guttural growl to the final feedback screech, it was a night of neck-snapping brutality—and a reminder that metalheads know how to throw down even on a school night.
ALLUVIAL kicked off with surgical precision, weaving technical riffs and progressive grooves that hypnotized the early crowd. Their sound felt like drifting through a sci-fi nightmare—cold, calculated, but completely enthralling. A strong opener that set the tone for the chaos to come.
200 STAB WOUNDS didn’t ask for permission—they burst in like a blunt-force trauma. Their set was filthy, relentless, and pure death metal mayhem. Old-school in all the right ways, they had people flying over the barricade before the second song even kicked in. Honestly, if your soul didn’t feel a bit bruised afterward, were you even in the pit?
BRAND OF SACRIFICE brought a whole other beast to the table. Their deathcore/symphonic hybrid is what I imagine a futuristic apocalypse would sound like if it had a choir and lasers. The crowd lost it—WALLS. OF. DEATH. You know who you are, Skullets front and center, charging like berserkers into the fray. Carnage wrapped in orchestral chaos.
And then came WHITECHAPEL
They hit the stage like a seismic event—controlled destruction with a purpose. Every note, every scream, every blast beat was honed like a blade. They didn’t just perform, they commanded. From fan favorites to fresh cuts off Hymns In Dissonance, they reminded everyone why they’re still leaders of the pack. At one point, a dude who smelled suspiciously like Brusselsprouts barrelled through the pit like his life depended on it. I don’t know who you are, sir, but you live rent-free in my memory now.
The Pearl’s intimate setting only amplified everything—the sweat, the sound, the pure connection between bands and fans. It was loud, raw, and real. No filters. Just four killer bands, one sweaty room, and a night nobody’s forgetting anytime soon.
Final Verdict:
Brutality: 10/10
Crowd Energy: 11/10
Brusselsprout guy: …concerning
Would attend again: Absolutely. And I’m bringing a neck brace.
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