Vader North American 2020 Tour: One of the Most Brutal and Aggressive Tours
Wow, 2020 is starting off great with one of the most brutal and aggressive tours at the beginning of the year! Vader headlining with Abysmal Dawn, Hideous Divinity, and Vitriol. I was stoked about this tour because these are all bands that don’t tour often. Vader hasn’t played here in years, same with Abysmal Dawn. This is only Hideous Divinity’s second U.S. tour and Vitriol are kind of newcomers (or I at least only discovered them when they toured with Cattle Decapitation).
I know these winter tours are rough for bands. But at least they basked in the heat while in Orlando, Florida. Hey, I was wearing a tank top to the show! Goes to show how Florida never gets intensely cold.
Okay, now let’s get started with this review.
There was only one local opener, Demonfuck. They’re one of the most distinguished bands in Orlando’s scene. That’s because they’re actually really good. I hate to word it like that; I always give local bands a chance, but there are some that aren’t good at all.
Demonfuck has what it takes to make it big. They put on a great show and their set is just as energetic as the touring bands’ sets. Their songs are absolutely crushing and they always draw a crowd. They pretty much open for every death metal band that tours through Orlando, or at least I always see them open up shows.
I only have one critique: their band name is stupid. C’mon — Demonfuck? But don’t let this one flaw ruin your perception of the band. They will exceed your expectations.
Up next was Vitriol. I’ll be honest, Vitriol and Hideous Divinity were the best bands of the night. Maybe I should have waited until the end of the review to say that, but whatever. I’m saying it now because Vitriol deserves the recognition.
As I mentioned previously, these guys are kind of newcomers in my perception. I only discovered them at the Cattle Decapitation show this past November. Even then, most of my friends said they were at the show for Vitriol. And the ones who said they never heard of them, well they’re fans now. Hell, many of my friends said they were the best band on the bill. Even the bands on the tour were saying they’re amazing.
And I can see why they’re receiving this recognition so early on. In short, they were outstanding! Actually, this set they played on the Vader tour was better than when I first saw them. They bring so much intensity and energy, you would think they were headlining. Their stage presence was amazing.
What really makes Vitriol stand out for me are their riffs. You don’t have to be the most technical player to be good. You just have to have great riffs and great songs. Actually, this was something Hideous Divinity was saying in the interview I did with them!
Speaking of Hideous Divinity — holy moly! I only really heard them last year when they toured with Aborted. They immediately blew me away. Seeing them live again on this last run reaffirmed how amazing these guys are. And this was also the best time I saw them live.
Everyone in the band has incredible stage presence, but I have to give it to vocalist Enrico di Lorenzo. He is so charismatic and watching him perform is absolutely intoxicating. The rest of the band was also energetic, from bass player Stefano Franceschini’s constant head spins to watching drummer Giulio Galati being a beast behind the kit.
I also said this in my interview with them — this band has a distinct atmospheric vibe and it’s completely compelling. This extends to their live show; you can just feel their whole sound throughout the venue.
I only have one complaint: their set was way too short. Maybe perform Simulacrum in its entirety next time?
Overall, I have a feeling Hideous Divinity will become a prominent force in modern death metal.
Up next was Abysmal Dawn. At this point, the venue was packed and the crowd was going nuts. There was plenty of moshing, stage diving, crowd surfing, and other shenanigans that metal fans do when they hear merely a few blast beats.
I always liked this band because they sound original. You can hear the classic death metal influences in their sound but I can recognize an Abysmal Dawn song. Maybe it’s because of Charles Elliott’s distinguished vocals or maybe the catchy riffs are the supreme force driving this band.
Either way, I’ve seen Abysmal Dawn many times and they always kill it. They played some of my favorite songs, such as “In Service of Time.” Every song sounded perfect. While some friends were hyping up Vitriol and Hideous Divinity, others said they were there for Abysmal Dawn.
I’ll be honest, I left at the beginning of Vader’s set. I had a two hour drive home and it was already 10:30-ish when Vader took the stage. So I probably won’t give the most detailed Vader review.
They’re definitely one of the most influential bands. I’ve seen their set before and they’re nothing short of impressive. You can say the same for their Orlando show. The whole crowd was energetic and ecstatic, everyone was going crazy and there was a ton of moshing. Overall, these guys are beasts. I wish I could have seen their whole set, but I’ll catch them next time.
See you at the next show!
Catch the Vader tour at a venue near you:
2/04/2020 Brick by Brick – San Diego, CA
2/05/2020 Club Red – Mesa, AZ
2/06/2020 Rockhouse Bar & Grill – El Paso, TX
2/07/2020 Come and take it Live! – Austin, TX
2/08/2020 Gas Monkey Bar & Grill – Dallas, TX
2/09/2020 Warehouse Live Studio – Houston, TX
2/11/2020 The Haven – Orlando, FL
2/12/2020 The Drunk Horse Pub – Fayetteville, N
2/13/2020 Milkboy – Philadelphia, PA
2/14/2020 The Warsaw Brooklyn, NY
2/15/2020 Jewel Nightclub – Manchester, NH
2/16/2020 Le D’Auteuil – Quebec City, QC
2/17/2020 Foufounes Electriques – Montreal, QC
2/18/2020 Velvet Underground – Toronto, ON
2/19/2020 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI
2/20/2020 Reggies – Chicago, IL
2/21/2020 Studio B @ Skyway Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
2/22/2020 The Riot Room – Kansas City, MO
2/23/2020 Marquis Theater – Denver, CO
2/25/2020 Club Sur Seattle, WA
2/26/2020 Bossanova Ballroom – Portland, OR
2/27/2020 Metro Opera House – Oakland, CA
2/28/2020 1720 – Los Angeles, CA
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