February 11th, 2024
Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace
Photos By: Kim Baarda
Words By: Jason Deaville
Yet another blustery evening in the ‘6ix’. Sure, it might be a bit chilly, but things were about to get hellishly hot as the triumvirate of Vader, Origin, and Inhuman Condition rolled into town as part of the ’40 Years Of The Apocalypse’ tour (an anniversary tour celebrating the fortieth year of existence of Vader).
INHUMAN CONDITION
Legendary bassist Terry Butler (Obituary, ex-Death) and his crew stormed out of the gates with a ferocity and exuberance that immediately got the crowd moving. Frontman, Jeramie King, was a spectacle, utilizing every inch of stage space to his advantage in an effort to amp up the already ravenous fans. The guys tore through a set of songs from their two full-length albums and two EPs, which included a fun crowd sing-along of the song ‘I’m Now The Monster’ off of their 2022 album, Fearsick.
Setlist
Recycled Hate, Panic Prayer, Euphoriphobia, The Neck Step, I’m Now The Monster, Killing Pace, Civilized Holocaust, Godzilla (Blue Öyster Cult cover), Tyrantula
ORIGIN
Technical death metallers Origin absolutely blew the heads off Toronto with what was one of the most ferocious performances ever at Lee’s Palace. From start to end, it was a whirlwind of dazzling extermity that certainly took its toll on frontman Jason Keyser, who, by the end, looked like he had just run a 100K marathon. I have no idea where the guys summon the energy to deliver such a set night after night. With eight full-lengths and one EP of material to pull from, their was no shortage of fan-favourites. Origin certainly gave their all tonight, and the crowd absolutely reciprocated by keeping the pit moving through the entire thing.
Setlist
Expulsion Of Fury, Chaosmos, Accident And Error, Panoptical, Saligia, Decolonizer, Portal, The Aftermath, Unattainable Zero
VADER
It’s truly unbelievable that Poland’s Vader have been kicking it for nearly half a century. At this point, the band are beyond reprochable. Anything they do is sacred and unholy. In fact, I’m a bit surprised that the band chose to bring out support, as this could easily have been billed as ‘An Evening With Vader‘. There is just so much material over the last forty years, that they could have pulled off a three hour set and still left fans wanting more. That being said, those in attendance certainly got their money’s worth, as the band’s setlist included twenty songs pulled from sixteen full-length albums, with some additional surprises.
The set began with ‘Decapitated Saints’ from their classic ’92 album, The Ultimate Incantation. This was immediately followed-up with fan-favourite ‘The Wrath’ from their 1994 album, Sothis. It was immediately clear that the band had total control of both their stage presence and the fans. They exuded a professionalism and poise that only a handful of bands of their calibre can. The guys then jumped into another one of The Ultimate Incantation with the song ‘Chaos’. Living up to its name, the song caused total chaos in the pit, with fans absolutely losing their collective shit
Overall, the entirety of their set left me a bit mezmerized at the spectacle I was witnessing. When a band like Vader come to your town it’s indeed a very special thing. It’s impossible to not got completely absorbed and lose track of both time and your place in this universe, which is exactly what happened tonight. Do not miss these guys!
Setlist
Decapitated Saints, The Wrath, Chaos, Vicious Circle, Dark Age, The Crucified Ones, Silent Empire, Sothis, Black To The Blind, Carnal, Wings, Cold Demons, Epitaph, Dark Transmission, Para Bellum, This Is the War, Helleluyah!!! (God Is Dead), Never Say My Name, Come And See My Sacrifice, Triumph Of Death, Shock And Awe, The Imperial March
