Fargo’s homegrown metal and hardcore converge at The Aquarium for a showcase of the region’s aggressive music scene

“There’s a metal show at The Aquarium.”

It was my sister who gave me the heads up earlier in the week. Swamped with my day job, the week had become a game of what I could get done—and how much energy I could save—to rally for the show Friday night.

Nothing has been working lately. Roadblock meets red tape meets roadblock. I’d sunk too far into the grind, purposefully not tracking shows just to avoid the disappointment of having to pass them up. Then Friday, finally, it felt like the road cleared.

At about 3 p.m., I looked at the long list of checked boxes in my planner. It was a good chunk accomplished, but there’s always more to do.

Fuck it, I’m heading to The Aquarium.

I jumped online to buy my ticket, because there was no way I was driving two hours just to find out there weren’t any left. I looked at my camera. I decided to throw it in the Jeep; I could decide on the drive whether I was bringing it in.

(Who am I kidding?)

Baltic to Boardwalk

First to take the stage are long established Fargo natives Baltic to Boardwalk. Founded in 2009 they’ve released a slug of EPs (seven by my count) starting from 2011 and one full length LP, Heathens, in 2017. Now, by the time I’d gotten tickets I had become aware that tonight wasn’t strictly a metal show, and that Baltic to Boardwalk was one of two Hardcore bands on the roster.

Shortly after 8 pm the band entered its set; one opening riff, followed by vocals before the rhythm section kicked with all the energy and speed required of any respectable hardcore act. Fifteen years in, the band has clearly sharpened its craft, blasting through its 25 minute set, pausing only briefly to acknowledge that we were gathered on a day etched in time 25 year ago. Respect given to first responders of September 11, 2001 while also lambasting the government that failed them. Then right back to business, finishing the remainder of their set with the same urgency and drive they started with.

The Lucidia Project

Second to the stage was The Lucidia Project. Smartly placed between the two hardcore bands, they provided a perfect pivot to a slower, more emotive approach to heavy music. Drawing from several metal subgenres, their Bandcamp profile lists them as a blend of symphonic, alternative death, and doom metal. Pairing atmospheric compositions with both clean and harsh vocals, their approach marries enchanting melody with dark beauty. Proof that metal can express emotion beyond hitting its head against hard objects and screaming something about Satan’s testicles. (No shade, it’s one of my favorite forms of catharsis.)

A melodic backing track started the set, building toward the first strikes and riffs from the band. Epic, sweeping grandiosity waxed and waned with heavy riffing and aggression throughout the performance, bleeding seamlessly between the quintet’s hard and soft outer limits. A perfect moment of pause, and a great showing for what the lead singer noted was only the band’s second performance.

Vvakefield

Pivoting genres again, Minneapolis-based melodic hardcore act Vvakefield was up next. After the beauty and calm of The Lucidia Project, an immediate shift in energy and physicality could be felt from the first few seconds, with all members of the band working to maintain that balance of presence and near-chaos that goes so well with hardcore music. The act proved too big for the stage in the end, with their frontman jumping down to perform among the crowd. Five strong together, they were able to quickly and effectively transfer that energy to the crowd, who returned it in kind.

Vvakefield are an active part of the Minnesota scene, with recent dates in both St. Paul and Duluth surrounding this show. A quick search of their band camp shows two EPs out so far as well as a couple singles. It appears they recently released a new version of their first EP, Sleep Routine Redux, this year.

Cthosis

And just to prove that we’ve moved beyond genre snobbery, last to the stage was Fargo’s progressive doom metal band, Cthosis. It would be blasphemy for a doom band to NOT slow the pace to that ominous drone and chug that doom does so well.

Now, in researching the band, I noticed their lead singer plays both keys and bass—not really anything noteworthy on a record. What I wasn’t expecting was that he would be playing them both live. At the same time. Hey, it ain’t prog if someone doesn’t get weird…and I mean that with respect.

The band mixes rhythm-heavy doom drums and riffs with jazz-influenced keys and great lines from their lead guitarist. I was able to speak with them briefly after the set, and the good news is that new music is in the works once life clears the way. As a lover of all things doom, I can’t wait to add another local band to my roster.