Critical Zero

For a few years now, we've been spreading the good word to all of our friends, family members, and strangers, we usually tell them to check out specific bands, go to these shows, and listen to these new releases. Two of the bands that are usually involved in this conversation are Teen Mortgage and Death Lens. We've been listening and watching their careers take off since around 2020/2021, and to say we were excited for this show is an understatement. When Black Budget got added to this lineup, it felt like everything came together perfectly, and we were in for one of our favourite show lineups of this year so far. The venue of choice was The Garrison. Having only been to a few shows there, this venue is a Toronto staple and always hosts events for up-and-coming bands that are bound to hit the next level.

The night started at 7:00 pm when doors opened and the venue started to fill up. People wearing Teen Mortgage and Death Lens merch were spotted, and people immediately began to take their spots in the venue to be close to the front.

The Black Budget went on at 8:00 pm sharp and kicked the night off with a bang. The band started the night with a massive punch with one of their unreleased tracks called "Insanity," as the crowd gathered at the front. The sound was tight and punishing despite having a new member on stage,  Simon from Untimely Dosage, who was filling in on bass for Sean, absent due to injury. Sean's presence was felt as the entire venue chanted "Sean! Sean!" Black Budget blasted through their set, including their latest release "Whistleblower" and a fan favorite like "Stuck in a Desert, preparing us for a night of utter mayhem with " Teen Mortgage and Death Lens take the stage.

Death Lens took the stage shortly after, and the energy of the room exploded. A mosh pit shortly formed, and people went absolutely crazy. This was the band's first time in Canada, and Toronto was READY. The sound was massive, and the stage presence was even bigger. So much was going on at once, with every member showing their own unique on stage personality. The guitarist at one point grabbed their guitar and threw it above to hit the ceiling—yes, you read that right. This band is a must-see live, and you better take your chance at seeing them at such an intimate venue soon because they will be playing bigger stages in no time. Some of the songs that were featured in their set were "Limousine", "Bombshell", and new songs from their upcoming album "Cold World".

After an intense set and a good water break, we were all ready for Teen Mortgage. As soon as the band went on stage, the crazy crowd resumed and immediately went into mosh mode—how could you not? Teen Mortgage makes the 2-piece sound huge, and it works extremely well. The guitarist is doing wizardry by playing what sounds like three instruments at once. To make it even better, the vocals and drums sounded huge, and the mix was incredible throughout the night. Teen Mortgage played their classics such as "SWAS" and "Tuning In", as well as their newest song "No" and a killer cover of The Misfits’ "Hybrid Moments" to end the night. You must catch them live soon, as this is also a band that is going to play bigger stages in the near future. Overall, the night was one of the best shows we've been to in the city, and one we definitely will not forget.