By Andrew Bansal
April 2nd 2016, The Echo, Los Angeles CA: Finnish black metal group Archgoat released their third LP ‘The Apocalyptic Triumphator’ in 2015, their first full-length since 2009, and embarked on ‘The Grand Luciferian March’ North American headline tour in March 2016 with support acts Valkyrja and Hellfire Deathcult. Making an exclusive appearance on the U.S. West Coast, Archgoat and Valkyrja arrived in Los Angeles for the last show of their tour, a gig at the Echo presented by Church Of The 8th Day and Elegy Ensemble, and even for an early show on a Saturday evening, the LA underground black metal faithful turned up to show their support. Bands like Archgoat and Valkyrja are highly regarded by hardcore fans of the sub-genre, and it remained to be seen whether they’re worthy of the hype.
Doors opened at 6 PM and the show began promptly at 6:30, with local extreme metal band Ritual Combat serving as the opening act. Ticket holders were still arriving during their set and the Echo wasn’t packed yet, and while Ritual Combat’s interpretation of black metal isn’t anything out of the ordinary, the crowd gathered here seemed to be able to appreciate their set and gave the band a positive response. Ritual Combat was certainly an apt choice as an opener for this event, and set the tone for the rest of the evening.
Next up was Swedish black metal quintet Valkyrja. With their two-guitar setup, this band presented a far greater element of melody than the other bands on this bill, but equally noticeable and enjoyable was the sheer strength and prominence of the bass. Valkyrja kept things interesting with excellent variations throughout the set, and even though this was clearly an Archgoat crowd, Valkyrja easily turned out to be the best band of the show, the band that really made an impact, and their set was not only memorable, but their return to this town will be eagerly awaited.
The show was running more smoothly and efficiently than any black metal event has ever run in the Los Angeles area, and soon enough, all was in readiness for Archgoat who took the stage at around 8:15. In comparison to Valkyrja, Archgoat played a decidedly more straightforward style of black metal, which this crowd was clearly into, as the general admission floor opened up and mosh pits started brewing. Initially active from 1989 to 1993 and returning in 2004 after a decade-long absence, Archgoat have garnered an underground legion of dedicated fans, and some of their LA fans have traveled to other cities and states to see the band live, but this time it was Archgoat’s turn to make the trip to LA, and it was undoubtedly a worthwhile one for them.
To a local concertgoer, the Echo and the Echo Park/Silverlake area might not seem like an ideal setting for an underground black metal show, but in reality the Echo is the right size for a show of this nature, with easygoing staff and ambience, and appropriate logistics in terms of the stage, the lights and the sound system. Even though this particular ritual would have been more fitting if it wasn’t such an early show that started at 6:30 PM and ended at 9, it was a successful event by all means and will be remembered for Valkyrja’s performance more than anything else.
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