DFA hates microphones so much!

In Saskatoon, bands usually last one or two years. This is not the case for thrash acts Untimely Demise and DFA.

A decade ago, I remember hearing my brothers Murray and Matt jamming in the basement. Their band Untimely Demise started the same way their peers DFA did: as a group of high-school buddies playing punk music. Back then, venues like The Bassment and The Pit were ground zero for Saskatoon’s local speed-punk scene. And while both bands have gone on to tour the continent, they recall the old scene nostalgically.

Untimely Demise’s singer and lead guitarist Matt Cuthbertson recalls The Pit as a cool warehouse. “It had a greasy pool table, half-pipe and milk-crate stage. The Pit was all-ages and no rules, similar to Shredder’s youth center in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.”

Untimely Demise recall first seeing DFA play when they opened for AFI in 2000.

“We were impressed with the intensity, speed and passion. That was a gateway for us to want to get involved in the local punk scene,” said bassist Murray Cuthbertson.

DFA remember the early days differently.

“We wanted to see something new in the music industry. Something we had never seen before. And one day it came to us: four white dudes in a band. We weren’t the first, but we paved the way for a lot of other four white guys to find the courage to play music, I like to think,” said Ryan Kramer, DFA’s guitarist.

Today, both bands have carved out their own distinct sounds.

Untimely Demise’s latest record City of Steel is a brutal blend of thrash and death metal. Flying over the heaviness, the lead guitar gets a hell of a lot of melody and shredding done in a very short time. Not long after recording, the band was picked up by Sonic Unyon, one of the largest independent labels in Canada, who are re-releasing the album in North America on Sept. 13.

Untimely Demise looks down on you

DFA, has also found their musical niche. I would describe DFA as a sonic assault of thrash-punk, played at breakneck speed. The band features dual-vocals that jump between spitfire lyrics and full-throated screams. Its drumming is relentless and the thrashy-guitars are always furious.

Ryan Kramer says he thinks DFA play well with Untimely Demise because both bands focus on fast thrash, adding, “If you like one of our bands but not the other, then you’re a total asshole.”

Murray explains that the “DFA or Untimely Demise crowd always comes to the show with having a good time in mind. They aren’t afraid to cheer, mosh, drink a few beers.” Matt says Untimely Demise shows “are meant to be played on the threshold of our abilities. We never play on autopilot. As the crowd energy gets going that invokes our best performances.”

Untimely Demise think that it’s their commitment to music, and obsession with making it, that has kept them going.

As Murray sees it, “If we play music that impresses us, that will translate live, listeners will feel that energy.” The constant pushing of musical limits is also what led Untimely Demise to their unique thrash/death metal sound. Matt says he likes that metal audiences don’t say, “Aww they’re taking it too far.”

And while the bands are better than ever, they have had to push through hard times. Kramer admits to this difficulty which is often shown through major line-up changes.

“Oh we have given up several times. Mike [Lefebvre] and I are the only constant members. People basically hate us and can only stand us for short periods of time. And that’s fine by us. Fuck you guys!”

In October and November, Untimely Demise will tour various cities across Eastern Canada in support of the re-release of their LP.

DFA will be keeping busy back home, preparing to record a new album.

DFA and Untimely Demise play at The Fez on Sept. 9 with guests Alphakill and Cease and Desist.

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photos: supplied