Chapter 25 - Soldiers of Metal

The adrenaline was running high. A month of intense preparation had led here. The new songs were just a bit rough around the edges, but still Erik thought the moment was right, to play them now and not later. Kim had worked her ass off with her playing and singing, and Erik had practiced until he bled all over the drum skins, working up to the same speed he had possessed while in Cyberpriest.

He considered whether he could believe in René actually watching them tonight from some place afar. The thought was appealing, but he was not sure. At least Erik felt they were certainly honoring his legacy, with a four-member lineup, two guitarists and a bassist / vocalist again.

But at least the audience would certainly be watching. This was now the start of the new chapter. AGENT no longer existed on Bandcamp. Instead, in its place, the band was now called –

AVENGER.

The capitalization was important.

It was only the medium-sized bar, Old Oak Barrel. Black Flame of Sin would be the "headliner," and they had given them this opportunity to be the warmup. It was understandable, to have to start from very small again. Possibly it was also a way for them to say sorry to Jo, as she had only had the opportunity to be their guitarist for a few days.

That was the way Erik preferred anyway. It was honestly impossible to think of Jo in a progressive metal band anyway, where the output always needed to be somehow artistic and reserved, never giving in fully to proper aggression.

Equipment had been borrowed from Antisound Studio, and they had spent a lot of time there, honing their set. It had been a good time – all of them had participated in the vehicle repairs too. Russ's truck had required the power steering and brake fluid containers and lines to be replaced, since those were what Katya's miniature explosive had succeeded in demolishing.

That bitch, Erik still thought. Hopefully the son would grow up wiser. Well, they were out of the country now, hopefully to never bother them again in any manner.

Erik wore no shirt, just camo shorts. It would get hot under the stage lights and when playing hard and fast for the whole forty minutes that their set would last.

He got behind the drum kit, and checked it for the last time. They had in-ear monitoring, using the prog band's monitor mixer. In that way, they would not be at the mercy of the room sound at all. As long as Erik heard the kick drums and snare loud, some bass and guitars, and Kim's vocals, he would be fine. He would set the pace in any case.

For inspiration and mental preparation, they had been listening a lot of the classic 80's material. Anthrax's first record, Exodus, early Slayer, the Russian band Kruiz from which the name was from, but only the good album that was in English – Erik could not stand the rest.

Wearing black denim, Jo emerged from the small backstage room, and plugged her ESP to the Marshall half-stack to Erik's left. Just a moment later, Ian followed. He also wore green camo trousers like Erik, and a black thrash vest which left his chest bare. He plugged the Warlock in to a similar half-stack on the right.

And finally, Kim came on stage, in black leather just like in Necrotic Dust, headed for the front center where the lead vocal microphone stood. She plugged in the bass and unmuted the tuner pedal to let the sound through.

There were cheers from the audience. And they were now prepared. To kill and destroy with a total speed metal assault, in the old fashion.

"We are Avenger and this is Unending War!" Kim shouted.

Kim had written the lyrics, and they could have multiple meanings. Either it was about being literally forced to fight again, or then it was just the never-ending mental battle everyone would have going on in their head.

The song was only about 150 BPM in a double-time feel, which meant it was good for warming up. It started with a low, bouncing rhythm riff, before transitioning into a short minor key harmony lead before the vocals would start.

Jo, Ian and Kim all banged their heads, their hair trailing after them, illuminated by the rapidly changing lights. This was exactly how speed metal should be played.

Finally Kim started to sing, in a high aggressive shriek that forced the sound guy to adjust the lead vocal channel down in volume.

Born into chaos - Back into war
The sense of conflict tells that you're alive
Taking no prisoners - The only way through
Only the combat ready will survive

The intro riff repeated, followed by second verse and the chorus, in which Ian and Jo also shouted for back-up. The chorus was a descending melody, which Jo had composed, being almost classical. Here Erik played double-kick throughout. At 150 BPM, it was not even taxing yet.

WAR! Lasting for ever MORE! The thirst for enemies' GORE!
To go down fighting the only thing I will ask FOR!
Through the nuclear black RAIN! Through burning torture and PAIN!
Unending war HOPE TO NOT HAVE DIED IN VAIN!

The solos started immediately. First one was Ian, with pure pentatonic madness, as was his signature. Then the song rose up to a higher minor key as Jo's solo started, with a bent high note, followed by a chaotic minor key pattern beginning from way up high and going low.

The final solo was another played in harmony, this time higher than the intro lead. Ian and Jo played it back to back, like they would be fending off enemies from both sides.

Then the beat stopped, and just Kim was left playing the bass part of the main riff.

Erik started a kick drum quarter note beat, and Kim encouraged the audience to raise their fists to it. Erik could see that there were not that many in the front, maybe twenty – the rest were just drinking at their tables or at the bar. But it did not matter yet – this assault was so relentless that they would just have to take notice, and more would hopefully gather.

…

The small crowd applauded and shouted after "Unending War" was over. And without wasting much time, AVENGER launched into the next songs:

"Deadlocked"

"Bonded By Blood" (Exodus cover)

"Warrior Heart"

"Darkworld"

"Bitter Taste Of Copper"

"From Hell To Eternity" (Cyberpriest cover)

"Yellow-Black Aggressor"

…

Now set was finally at its end, almost all the chaotic speed metal energy expended. The final song had been another Cyberpriest cover, "Necrothrashing Desecrator," and the instruments were just feeding back, as Erik played the final drum fill, a flurry of toms and double kicks. Kim's shrieks and laughs rose ever higher, until Erik finally counted to four on the hihat, and they played the final power chord. Erik ended with one more low tom hit, and the guitars were all rolled down to zero volume.

"Thank you," Kim screamed, then stepped away from the microphone.

The audience, now numbering perhaps fifty, erupted in cheers, chanting "We want more!"

But the timetable was tight, it was time for Black Flame of Sin already. Kim, Jo and Ian threw some picks to the audience and then it was time to disappear to the backstage, and drink their well deserved beers.

The show had been practically everything Erik could have hoped for. His initial vision of musical violence had held up and morphed into something greater with everyone of them giving their input.

Only the last cover he had been wary of, since it was challenging and time to practice had been limited, but that considering, it had been a commendable tribute. Even if played slightly slower to not have to rely on almost paranormal synchronization between them.

Kim smiled as she was about to pass Erik, holding the black Squier in her right hand. The bass would need to be upgraded to something with more quality, preferably before the next show.

"Fucking goat on his throne," she said, in a slightly modified tradition.

"Fucking valkyrie of warmetal," Erik growled back.

Strictly speaking they did not consider AVENGER warmetal, like Cyberpriest's vision had been. That belonged to the past. Still the word was good to use from time to time. Kim had also clearly given her everything, sweat on her face. Erik could sense the warmth radiating from her, as she leaned down to whisper in his ear. It was something Erik very much agreed with.

As she left, Erik began to remove the snare and cymbals so that he could join the rest.