BEWITCHER (PDX) + DEATHCHANT (LA) + PERSEKUTOR 7pm Doors/21+ **BEWITCHER** Since their formation in early 2013, Bewitcher has seen their signature “Black Magick Metal” sound go from humble beginnings to new heights of creativity and wild anthemic fervor. A small collection of long out-of-print demo tapes kicked off what has proven to be an enduring line of ripping studio albums, singles and EPs. They have become notorious as one of the hardest working touring acts around, bringing their volcanic, high energy stage shows to every corner of North America and parts abroad. Now, as the band reaches another crucial milestone, they are taking a moment to look back on a decade of diabolic speed and sorcery. Their latest offering, „Deep Cuts & Shallow Graves: Ten Years of Black Leather, Black Magic & White Hot Fucking Steel“ is a massive 17-track compulation of Bewitcher’s original demo recordings, rare and previously unreleased material, as well as two brand new studio tracks. It is an homage and testament to the history of a new rising force in the heavy metal universe. **DEATHCHANT** “This is definitely the most honest and mature record Deathchant has ever made.” That’s Deathchant vocalist and guitarist T.J. Lemieux talking about the band’s third and latest album, Thrones. Think of it as not just the follow-up to 2021’s Waste, but the other side of the coin. “While Waste and our self-titled album touched on similar themes, they were sort of from a problem standpoint,” he explains. “Thrones is full of reflection, self-realization, and solutions for moving forward and conquering those problems.” Which isn’t to say that Deathchant have gone soft. Far from it, dude. In fact, Thrones just might be their heaviest record thus far. The band’s seamless swirl of classic rock guitar harmonies, syrupy sludge, blues boogie and psych bombast has reached a thrilling new apex as Lemieux spins high-powered tales of reckoning from beyond the wall of sanity. Thematically, Lemieux and his bandmates—bassist George Camacho, guitarist Doug Stuckey and drummer Joe Herzog—peel back the veneer of self-delusion to expose the fork in the road. “Thrones is meant to represent things that rule you, things you worship, things you rely on or think you need,” Lemieux says. “Sometimes those things make you feel in control, safe, on top of the world like you're in power—which over time often proves untrue.” **PERSEKUTOR** Conceived in a forgotten corner of Eastern Europe, PERSEKUTOR channel the tradition of early black metal champions like Venom, Celtic Frost and Bathory through the unflinching hard rock efficiency of AC/DC into their own infectious strain of Carpathian heaviness: Ice Metal. Upon lending early track “Power Frost” to the 2016 horror film Beyond the Gates—starring Barbara Crampton of Re-Animator and Chopping Mall fame— PERSEKUTOR frontman Vlad the Inhaler moved to Los Angeles and enlisted lead guitarist Inverted Chris (ex-Lightning Swords Of Death), lead bassist Adam Hell Murray (Deth Crux/Blistering Joy) and lead drummer Scott Batiste (ex-Saviours) to join the endless blizzard. After an initial series of unhinged live performances—the first ended in a stabbing, the second was at a strip club, the third was supporting Armored Saint at Decibel magazine’s Metal & Beer Fest pre-party—PERSEKUTOR recorded their full-length debut. Permanent Winter was released by Svart Records in September 2020 and bolstered by a pair of raucous videos from crack production team TV/VCR. The album was hailed by Revolver as a “gloriously ignorant mix of goat-loving black metal and greasy rock n’ roll,” by Sleeping Shaman as “an avalanche of a new record” and by Devilution, who ranked it their International Album of the Year, as “a masterpiece.” PERSEKUTOR released the Brain Freeze EP in late 2022, with the title track featured in the Shudder original horror flick Christmas Bloody Christmas. The EP marked the debut of second lead guitarist Blake Meahl, formerly of international metal stars Huntress, and set the stage for the band’s next ice age. Presented by Hi-Dive. This is a 21+ event