I met with a friend at The Sloop Tavern in Ballard (Seattle) for a couple sloopersized Rainiers before seeing Great Falls for the first time. My friend was not going to the show but had seen them plenty of times. He could tell how excited I was. I was FINALLY seeing one of my favorite local bands in a, now defunct, DIY venue called The Josephine. Before we parted ways my buddy stopped me and said “don’t stand in front of the bassist…unless you want to get pummeled.” No, he didn’t mean pummeled by the noise onslaught that I was going to be receiving. He meant pummeled by a shoulder blade or stem of his bass. Things get hairy and weird when seeing these dudes live. If you are afraid of some contact during shows I can now vouch for not standing in front of the bassist 😉
That man is Shane Mehling. I have heard him referred to as someone’s spirit animal and I think I would have to agree with that. It is awe-inspiring to watch that man in action. No doubt his sets will end with bloody hands. That is how hard he plays. The other two band members may not have bloody body parts at the end of the show but they are just as intense to watch while playing. It is hard to imagine that they used to have a drum machine instead of a live drummer because Phil Petrocelli is mesmerizing up there. If you are into emotions oozing out of your vocalists then Demian Johnston is the one for you. You can feel a heavy load of anxiety and aggression just by looking at him yell let alone hearing his desperate cries. Not to mention that when it comes to guitar Johnston shreds and manipulates those pedals with the best of them. These three combined create a force that is like none other. A must see live show definitely worth the drive to Seattle.
Great Falls’ upcoming album The Fever Shed brings the live experience front and center. When developing these songs they actually did it in the live setting. So rather than going to band practice or the studio they tested and evolved these bad boys at their shows! Yup, I went to a few of those shows and I have to say…the results are incredible. Great Falls produce some abrasive metal/noise gold. It isn’t for the faint of heart. The eight tracks on The Fever Shed will most likely leave you feeling like you need to go take a cold shower. Maybe it is just my Pacific Northwest mindset, but this band is way underrated and under-appreciated. I hope that The Fever Shed will bring them the attention that they deserve.
Rating: 4.75/5
In case you missed it, Great Falls released a killer split 7″ with Thou earlier this year. Check that HERE.
Pre-order a copy of The Fever Shed limited to 200 grey vinyl, 300 red vinyl over here –> Great Falls – The Fever Shed