New York's Batillus resemble the grease and grime that coats the hands and burrows beneath shattered fingernails after a day working one of those blue collar jobs that some folks claim to appreciate, but have never actually experienced. Their chugging, thick doom is the residue of an existence rejected as if it has not met the perceived merit of those who tell you that you too could be a millionaire, if you would just try harder. The blackened, industrial vocals express the reality of a life that no longer sees a light at the end of a promised tunnel. Batillus would serve as a resilient bastion for those who have struggled simply to hang on to the small peace of mind they still cling to, and a cathartic outlet for anyone who fights convention in our current realization of modernity. Whether or not you have ever felt exactly this way: if you listen to heavy music, then perhaps this is the kind of shit that fills the well left empty from what may be assumed to be a pointless existence.
This Wednesday, they are playing the Highline Bar, conveniently
sandwiched between two of the finest metal bands that the Northwest
has to offer, Seattle's Adduara and Portland's Atriarch. All three possess a similar intensity,
which will ward away the meek and reward the heavy-hearted.
Not standing too far out from the bunch are local boys, Old
Iron, who will open this set, and have never failed to impress us at
SRG. They are indeed one of the most
exciting bands to be playing around these days.
The first time I saw them, just this last September, I spent the first
half of their burly, unrestrained set dismissively thinking, “Oh, I get it.”
And then something switched and clicked, and I spent the epic epoch of the
other half wishing that they would never stop.
I still feel that way when I see them play.
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