Khemmis played Saint Vitus – 12/10

Colorado doom metal crew Khemmis performed their 2016 breakthrough Hunted in full on their first of two nights at Brooklyn’s Saint Vitus, supported by Delaware’s High Reeper. 

I found myself spending quite a bit of time in New York City this month, for shows ranging from Yo La Tengo and The New Pornographers to 100 Gecs, and a cursory scan of the calendar while I was in town last weekend immediately pulled me in the direction of Greenpoint. I’ve been meaning to make the trek to Saint Vitus – Brooklyn’s premiere heavy metal nightspot – pretty much since it opened, and never had the timing quite come together. On Friday night, the stars finally aligned.

Khemmis are rightfully among the most acclaimed bands currently bearing the torch of old-school doom, and a gig that saw them running through the certified modern classic Hunted was too good to pass up. Which is not to mention that the band rarely makes it to Boston (I’d only caught them on a Decibel Tour support slot, and at Psycho Las Vegas). You really didn’t have to ask me twice.

Vitus itself, tucked away in a nondescript storefront but brimming with satan-hailing energy immediately upon entry, is pretty much as perfect as I’d hoped. The drinks are cheap, the vibe is right, and the light and sound rigs give plenty of larger clubs a run for their money. Its side bar/hangout space on one end, stage on the other layout also reminded me of a heavy metal cousin to Great Scott, which of course endeared me further.

The music didn’t disappoint either. Khemmis sounded positively towering, and got a passionate crowd plenty riled up with a record that said crowd clearly knew by heart. Openers High Reeper filled out the bill nicely, piling on high-energy Sabbathian tunes to set the stage. Check out a voluminous gallery of both bands below.