Inferi, Vitriol, Grey Lotus, Demon King – The Kind Of Show That Ruins All Others

Venue: Dickens, Calgary
Date: June 11, 2025

While I’ve known about Dickens for a while now, somehow I never made it out to a show there — until this one. I would love to say this is a full review of the night, but I’m going to be up front: I missed the headliner. Chalk that one up to a poor read of the poster and not factoring in a 2.5-hour drive home on a weeknight. With an opener starting at 8 and work the next day, something had to give. Unfortunately, it was Inferi.

Still, what I did see was enough to make the trek worth it.

Not Your Usual Nashville Export – Demon King

When someone says they’re in a band from Nashville, TN, Demon King probably isn’t what you picture. There were no cowboy hats, no rhinestones, and no hint of southern twang. Instead, they launched into a chest-collapsing set of blackened technical death metal that grabbed hold from the first riff and didn’t let go.

I hadn’t heard of Demon King before this show, but I dug into their two EPs beforehand. No full-length yet, but what’s out there is more than enough to pull you in. Keep an eye on these guys.

These guys brought serious energy. No gimmicks, no fluff – just sharp, precise aggression. The set leaned mostly on previously released material, with a brand new track tossed in for good measure. That new one? “Milky Way,” which dropped back on May 15, and it fits right in with the chaotic, intricate whirlwind the band throws at you.

This Lotus Bleeds Chaos – Greylotus

It took a minute for the vocalist to hit the stage, but when he did, shit got serious. Greylotus didn’t waste time ramping up, they exploded. This progressive tech-death outfit from Baltimore showed up with one goal: to leave no skull uncrushed.

I honestly don’t remember the last time I saw hands move that fast. Actually, yeah I do – it was during Demon King’s set right before this. But seriously, Grey Lotus brought a level of speed and precision that was just nuts. Fretwork blurred. Drumsticks became phantoms. The whole thing was controlled chaos from start to finish.

Even when the technicality was dialed to 11, it never felt sterile. There was emotion in the madness, and that’s what pushed it over the edge for me.

The Art of Aggression Refined – Vitriol

If you’ve only listened to Vitriol through headphones or a home setup, you haven’t really heard them. This Portland trio took the stage and delivered one of the most technically devastating, sonically overwhelming sets I’ve seen in a long time.

Even before they played a note, Kyle Rasmussen’s stage presence told you what was coming. The serpent tattoo wrapping his torso, the heavy black leather strap with massive spikes, it all screamed precision and power. But it was the calm that really struck me. Kyle wasn’t flailing or posturing. He was centered, controlled – and then he made that guitar scream.

The whole set felt like standing in the eye of a hurricane. Everything was swirling, chaotic, borderline apocalyptic, but right there in the middle, it all made sense. You just knew you were exactly where you were supposed to be. Every note hit with intention. Every transition was flawless. Vitriol doesn’t just play aggressive music, they weaponize it.

The Missed Set – Inferi

I tried to convince myself to stay. Really, I did. But in the end, the responsible voice in my head won out. I had to make the long drive home and live to fight another day and so this becomes my first, and hopefully only, incomplete show review.

One day it won’t matter. One day I’ll be staying overnight, no alarms, no drives. But that day isn’t here yet. And while I’m sure Inferi delivered an absolute clinic, I’ll have to wait for the next tour to see it for myself.

If you came here hoping to live vicariously through this one, I feel you, we’ll catch them next time.

Tight Sets in a Tight Venue

Even without catching the full lineup, this was one of the most cohesive and well-constructed death metal shows I’ve been to in a long time. The bands weren’t just randomly thrown together, this felt intentional. Each set flowed naturally into the next, with just enough variation in style to keep things interesting, but not so much that it felt disjointed. From the raw energy of Demon King to the technical ferocity of Vitriol, every band brought it, and the crowd responded in kind.

And the venue? Dickens rules. The sound was clean, the lighting was killer, and the vibe was exactly what you’d want from a place putting on shows like this. I’m already looking forward to the next time I get to walk through those doors and catch another stacked bill in that room.