METZ

Main Stage, Field ON, July 15

Photo: Sarah Greene

BY Sarah GreenePublished Jul 16, 2016

8
Friday headliners Metz were loud — relentlessly, epically, cathartically loud — making mockery of the word "energetic" throughout their set. They did not stop moving, with lead singer/guitarist Alex Edkins explaining "we jump around a lot but we're happy — it's mostly to avoid the mosquitoes." (Number of mosquitoes swallowed: approximately five by five songs in.) By the end of the set, he'd even took a flying bounce off the top of the drum kit.

Songs off METZ and the Polaris-longlisted II made me think this might be the closest I've come to experiencing early Nirvana. They were also at times anthemic.
 
Drummer Hayden Menzies was a brilliant animal behind the kit, as if he was throwing the sticks rather than merely hitting them. Songs from their II hit you in the belly — actually all the internal organs — exploding the energy of the city into the wilderness.
 
The set was ear-piercingly loud, but Metz's noise is a sophisticated thrash, bringing it down then taking it back up again, with some surprisingly pretty, mellow passages amongst otherwise loud and angular attacks.

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