Best grindcore bands seen in a sweaty Victoria, BC basement this summer

Transient

We all know the year’s hottest months are best spent hanging around in friends’ backyards, drinking some cold beers, playing some badminton, maybe doing a bit of barbecuing, definitely catching up on how peoples’ summers are going and… huddling around grindcore bands in a sauna-like basement?!

Thanks to the hospitality of Tyler Akis, drummer of Victoria, BC grind machine Six Brew Bantha, and his roommates, here are the best grind bands seen in a certain Victoria, BC basement this summer whilst sweating profusely:

Pizza Hi Five
The two-man grindcore assault from Ohio were a stinky, sweaty mess for their July basement show in Victoria. A swirling, chaotic tempest of riffs and grunts, these guys left about 72 basement dwellers in a slick puddle of grind.

Throat Slitter
Squamish, BC has become known as a hotbed for insane grindcore, what with the town hosting the annual Fastcore Fest every July somewhere up in the northern bush, and, well, producing downright sketchy bands like Throat Slitter. This three-piece of rugged, ripped dudes spat a lot and had some of the best between-song grindcore banter ever. Plus, that Limp Bizkit fakeout cover? The best.

Sete Star Sept
This Japanese two-piece flew a considerable amount of miles (4,709, to be exact) to play in Canada in early August and their set in Akis’ British Columbian basement was well worth the journey for all those involved. Granted, most of the show’s attendees only needed to walk down the street with a six-pack, and the band had to fly from Japan, but, heck, worth the journey all around.

Six Brew Bantha
The house band always gets a mention, but these guys not only do Victoria, BC proud for grind, they’re pretty much one of the best grind bands going right now. Currently prepping for a tour of Australia (watch yer backs, Aussies) and the release of a new album called Intraveniously Commodified, this is the band everyone, everywhere needs to see while standing elbow to elbow with 65 other sweaty grindcore nerds.

Transient
Portland crust-grinders Transient jumped the line and ended up playing after the much-ballyhooed Pizza Hi Five in July, which some considered grind blasphemy, but most just shrugged off as more time to sweat it out. A truly punishing band with many different layers to their grind, these guys win the title of “best grind band seen in a sweaty Victoria basement this summer.” The prize, by the way, is an ice-cold Canadian craft beer to be claimed at their next Great White North basement show.