I have tried to make it a rule that if there's a band coming from out of the country to one of the venues I like I try to go to the show. The announcement of Sargeist coming to Brooklyn Bazaar on July 12th enticed me, then Wayfarer was added to the bill so the deal was done and I knew I would be attending. Ordeals, a black metal band local to NY, opened the evening. Ordeals are a band that lets their music speak for them. There is some makeup and corpse paint going on, but the main attraction is the confrontational nature of their battering set. Wayfarer are a band that had my attention with their most recent release being on Profound Lore Records, and then a good friend giving me the "you have to check these guys out" put them right on my radar. Being skeptical, one may think that Wayfarer is just another death / doom / black metal hybrid to come from the Denver metal scene that is absolutely booming right now. That would certainly be a skeptic's right, but it would be entirely wrong. Wayfarer bring a sort of Western soundtrack element to their brand of black metal that gives them their own unique soundscape. They captivated me from start to finish and set a high bar for Sargeist. Aside from knowing Sargeist are a black metal band hailing from Finland, I knew very little about them coming in. Performance is the key word when describing the show that Sargeist put on that evening. There is an air of ritualism to what they do; incense burning, a singing bowl, the corpse paint, and even a rug all add to the flavor of the show that they put on. The music itself is absolutely crushing and intense. I have to say I am thrilled to have been able to see this show.