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Independent Hosts Summit Of Groundbreaking Heavy Bands

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- An eclectic line-up of cutting-edge metal acts lands at the Independent Thursday night as Norwegian heavyweights Kvelertak bring their headlining tour with melodic stoner-rock favorites Torche and experimental power trio Wild Throne to San Francisco.

One of the most popular heavy rock bands to emerge from Norway in the past decade, Kvelertak produces hook-heavy metallic punk that stands light years apart from the sounds of influential extreme metal groups like Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir and Enslaved. Formed in 2007 around charismatic vocalist Erlend Hjelvik, the sextet scored an indie-label deal on the strength of their self-released Westcoast Holocaust demo.

The band issued its eponymous debut in 2010, garnering awards in its native country and critical accolades worldwide for its collision of sleazy punk, blackened metal and '70s riff rock. Picked up by American metal imprint Roadrunner for the group's sophomore album Meir in 2013, Kvelertak expanded its audience with a busy touring schedule supporting fellow metal envelope-pushers like the Bay Area's own High on Fire, Converge (whose guitarist Kurt Ballou produced the band's first two albums at his God City recording studio), Mastodon and Gojira.

Drawn by Hjelvik's onstage theatrics (he would open concerts wearing a life-sized owl with illuminated eyes and moving wings as a mask) and the band's energetic stage show, Kvelertak became an in-demand festival attraction and renowned live act. For the group's current headlining tour, they will preview songs from their forthcoming Nattesferd that's set for release next week.

Joining the band is celebrated sludge-metal crew Torche. Led by guitarist/singer Steve Brooks (who relocated from Torche's home base of Miami to San Francisco a couple of years ago), the outfit has established itself as one of the most tuneful heavy-rock acts happening today with a string of excellent albums and EPs. As high as a standard at their recordings Meanderthal and Harmonicraft set among fans and critics, last year Brooks and company put out arguably their best effort yet last year with the crushingly melodic Restarter. The two powerhouse acts will be preceded by sets from Bellingham, WA-based experimental metal trio Wild Throne and opener All Souls, a brand new SoCal group that features two members of onetime Oakland-based band Totimoshi as well as players from Fatso Jetson and Black Elk.

Kvelertak
Thursday, May 5, 7:30 p.m. $20
The Independent

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