5 bands to catch at Heavy Montreal

Heavy Montreal is just around the corner, and as thousands of metalheads prepare to get their annual dose of vitamin D, we’ve selected 5 acts we’re most excited to see at this year’s edition. While you can definitely decide to get down with the sickness during Disturbed, our choices generally lean to the heavier side of the spectrum, with one throwback exception.

Saturday, August 6

Carcass 

UK’s Carcass essentially perfected melodic death metal on their 1993 Heartwork LP, and after a decade-plus hiatus, they’ve returned stronger than ever with Surgical Steel. Don’t let their mid-afternoon slot fool you – this will be one of the most intense sets of the weekend. 4:05 pm.

Sebastian Bach

If recent set lists are ay indication, the former Skid Row frontman isn’t afraid of embracing his past, packing his shows with classic MTV-era anthems including “18 and Life,” and “Slave to the Grind.” This is the one set of the festival that will probably bring together all the disparate factions of metalheads on the island. After all, regardless of your sub-genre of choice, we can hopefully all agree that Monkey Business is a serious banger. 4:55 pm.

Cult of Luna

Sweden’s Cult of Luna are a great choice to close out the first day of the festival. Their epic and brooding brand of sweeping post-metal will be the perfect remedy to a long day of aggressive metal and lukewarm beer. The band also play a Heavy Montreal after-party the next night at L’Astral, where they will perform their 2006 fan-favourite LP, Somewhere Along the Highway, in its entirety. Tickets for that show are available here. 9:30 pm.

Suffocation

Few bands can match the technical wizardry and outright brutality of death metal vets Suffocation. One of the best live metal bands out there, their shows are always an exercise in sheer pummelling power. You’ll definitely need to find a chill out tent between their set and Napalm Death a few short hours later.
5:55 pm.

Napalm Death 

35 years into their career, the UK’s Napalm Death still remain an absolute beast on-stage, hammering out their patented brand of intense political grind-core alongside biting stage-banter from growler Barney Greenway. Check out our recent live reviews here and here for proof. 7:30 pm.

Heavy Montreal runs August 6-7 at Parc Jean-Drapeau’s Plaine des Jeux. Passes range from $149.50 –  $275 (Gold pass). For the full schedule and tickets, visit heavymontreal.com.