If there was ever a reason to be excited about heavy metal in Canada, now is the time thanks to a cherubic fellow named Gord Kirchin.
As the leader of Piledriver, Kirchin was a hero to thousands of young metal fans who crammed arenas and older folks who similarly filled smoky metal cubs in the 1980s. While Van Halen and Twisted Sister attracted the big crowds, Piledriver had its own fans, particularly in Europe, where right-thinking headbangers loved Kirchin’s fresh, wild approach to the genre.
Kirchin strapped on a leather mask with spikes, recorded sounds of saws and made sure plenty of blood was spilled. The cartoon approach was fabulously funny, and Kirchin and his fans appreciated the melding of comedy and ultra heavy metal. Thankfully, while the song titles and lyrics were deliberately mind-boggling, the music was mind bending. Kirchin and his recruited bandmates had the chops, and the sounds helped usher in a new era of new metal, popularized by the likes of Merciful Fate, Venom and Metallica.
But unlike their contemporaries, Piledriver figured it was okay to make fun of yourself and your music along the way. So on Piledriver’s 1983 debut album in Metal Inquisition, there’s Kirchin in full garb holding an upside flying V and using it to jackhammer a youngster’s head. But the best thing was that the music was as good as the cover was ridiculous. The popularity of the band escalated and the band played all over the world and a second record was released.
However, as things like this usually go, the band died and Kirchin essentially dropped off the musical map before 1990. He recorded a similarly excellent metal record under a new band Dogs with Jobs, but Kirchin wasn’t heard from again -- until now.
Kirchin has quit his day job, cashed in some RRSPs and is giving the metal world a whirl again.
Renamed The Exalted Piledriver – seems there are many Piledrivers throughout the world – Kirchin recruited some new members and has already played a number of gigs in and around Ontario and more gigs are planned. Just like in the old days, there’s interest in Europe, and the band was recently added to the Open Air Festival in Germany in July.
And the band's new CD Metal Manifesto is available through the band's website.
The coolest thing about Piledriver’s second life is that young metal fans have the opportunity to hear an excellent blend of classic hardcore and contemporary sounds.
Bands like Lamb of God, Coal Chamber and even Regina’s own Into Eternity are doing special things with the metal genre, but I urge you to give Piledriver a whirl, and enjoy the heavy hilarity.
Here they are on the web...
http://www.sofa-q.com/
A.M.
