In September 2025, extreme neoclassical band First Fragment announced that they would return to Québec with NecroticGoreBeast to perform two exclusive shows: one in Québec City at L’ANTI Bar & Spectacles and the other in Montréal at Les Foufounes Électriques, on December 18th and 19th. Obvurt opened the show in Québec City while Etherialist opened in Montréal. Not only were both shows highly anticipated, but it’s been almost three years since First Fragment has performed in the area. While this review mainly focuses on the show in Montréal, it is a pleasure to report that the show in Québec City was soldout and had a great turnout.
It is undeniable that the region of Québec has a rich history of technical and progressive death metal bands. Martyr, Quo Vadis, Augury, and Beyond Creation are just a few, but then there’s a band called First Fragment, whose type of extreme metal falls under the heavy metal subgenre of neoclassical. The songwriting, techniques, and compositions not only set the band apart but also define the overall creative and analytical vision that produces such bodies of work.
Why Neoclassical? What’s the hype?
From its inception, Neoclassicism emerged in the early 20th century as a musical movement in response to the Romantic period. While maintaining the classical principles, the idea was to introduce modernity through harmonic and rhythmic innovations. The creation of neoclassical metal draws on influences from the Baroque and Romantic musical periods, including composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Lucio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel, Ludwig Van Beethoven, and Niccolò Paganini. While early metal artists such as Ritchie Blackmore, Randy Rhoads, and King Crimson incorporated classical influences in their playing in the late 60s/early 70s, the golden age or breakthrough period of neoclassical metal happened in the 80s.
Music producer and publisher Mike Varney, who originally was a guitarist himself, founded Shrapnel Records in 1980 at the age of 22. The mission/goal was to fight the decline of guitar music and to become the first heavy metal-centric label in the U.S. to feature guitarists with incredible ability. The label, in turn, would sign guitarists such as Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Tony MacAlpine, to name a few, not only putting these artists on the map but also helping to develop the groundbreaking guitar shred and neoclassical movements at the time.
Image Credit: Shrapnel Records
The combination of guitar techniques (tapping, legato, whammy bar utilization, sweep/alternate picking, phrasing), Scales (typically harmonic and modal), Adept/virtuosic playing(the inclusion of speed, intricate songwriting), present in both guitars and bass, paired with the addition of death metal vocals and the occasional drum solos? What’s there not to like?
Les Foufounes Électriques
Les Foufounes Électriques (“Electric Buns”) is a bar/venue located at the heart of Sainte-Catherine Street in Montréal, QC, founded in 1983. Historically, the establishment has been a staple of Quebec’s underground, primarily as a space that stood its ground in punk culture and among artists. Many emerging and renowned artists have performed at the venue, focusing collectively on punk/alternative/metal. From the outside, the space has eclectic/funky architecture. Upon entering the venue, the lighting was very dim, and it had the look of an abandoned warehouse with brick walls converted into a bar. As an observation, for those who’ve been to Piranha Bar, located about 10 minutes away, Les Foufounes Électriques can be described as the “older brother” of that establishment.
The space has two stages, Cabaret Foufs and the Main Hall. The main room, where the event took place, had a balcony for additional viewing. There are also graffiti-painted walls, which are much more visible during the daytime. Navigating the venue was interesting because it has a maze-like appearance, with many side entrances and rooms, which, for some, especially first-time attendees, might cause a bit of confusion at first. Nonetheless, it was fun checking out the different parts of the venue, and it’s no surprise that it remains a gem in the city.
Etherialist
Etherialist is a technical death metal band formed in 2018 in Montréal, QC by vocalist/guitarist Nicolas Ciarla and drummer Mario Bouchard. A couple of days before the show, the band released their first full-length album, “Epitome”. The album took seven years to compose and has been elevated with the recent additions of bassist Riley Christensen and guitarist Jonathan Lattimore Desabrais. During live performances, Spencer Blass (Nervous Impulse, Flesh Shrine) has taken the role of vocal duty and has recently been announced as the band’s official vocalist.
As an opener, Etherialist was the newest band to perform. As an observation, what immediately stood out was the vocalist, Spencer Blass, emerging onstage, tall in stature compared to his bandmates. With the addition of Spencer, the band is now a five-piece. It was interesting to hear his vocal delivery and style compared to Nicolas’s, who performed vocals on the band’s debut album. The results were refreshing, and Spencer performed the songs with ease. There was a lot of variation in his vocal style, with high shrieks and screams paired with undulating growls, and at certain moments, the traditional pig squeal. During particular songs, Nicolas also provided vocals. The band as a whole was very polished live. They captured the traditional technical death metal sound, featuring complex riffs and basslines and dynamic song structures, without compromising on aggression.
Etherialist performed notable tracks such as “La Revanche Des Berceaux,” “Microcosm,” “Acquiescence and Denial,” and a personal favorite, “Archons.” Below is a snippet of their performance of “Archons,” which demonstrates their technical yet infectious groove.
NecroticGoreBeast
NecroticGoreBeast is a slam/brutal death metal band from Québec City, QC, formed in 2017. Bassist Alexandre Brochu and vocalist John Mayer are members of a technical/progressive death metal band called The Outborn, now known as Outborn. The idea of forming another band in a more brutal direction fascinated both, leading to the formation of NecroticGoreBeast, which initially started as a studio project. The addition of JP Bouchard and Michael Chamberland completed the band’s formation. To date, the band has released three full-length albums, “NecroticGoreBeast” in 2019, “Human Deviance Galore” in 2021, “Acts of Sadistic Cruelty” (split album) in 2022, “Repugnant” in 2023, and an Ep titled “Brute” in 2025. As the second opening band, the highlight and draw of the band stems from their performance of their second full-length album, “Human Deviance Galore” in full.
The band started their performance with the opening track, “Deviant Primitive Debauchery,” and owned every sense of the name. First and foremost, the band’s slam and brutal musical components set them apart. John had a very commanding, fierce stance on stage, and his vocals and growls were guttural and low, often paired with high-pitched pig squeals. Michael delivered infectious rhythmic and chromatic riffs, paired with Alexandre’s heavy basslines, leading to the carniverous and crushing blastbeats produced by JP. The buildup of intensity delivered by NecroticGoreBeast in an uncanny yet sophisticated manner drove the crowd nuts. Mosh pits formed left and right with good reason, of course. The video below is a snippet of the band performing “Leaking Stoma Intercourse,” capturing their barbaric essence in its entirety.
Some other notable and favorite tracks performed by the band include “Obstetric Anthropophagic Feast,” “Blood Clot Climax,” and “Feeding on Abscess.”
First Fragment
First Fragment was formed in 2007 in Longueuil, QC by Phil Tougas (lead guitarist, songwriter), Gabriel Brault-Pilon (guitarist), and David Alexandre Brault-Pilon (vocalist). After a couple of demos, the band released their debut EP, “The Afterthought Ecstasy.” After signing to Unique Leader Records, the band released their debut full-length album, “Dasein,” in 2016, featuring Vincent Savary on bass and Troy Fullerton on drums(session). The album featured material mainly composed from 2004 to 2010. In 2021, the band released their second full-length album, “Gloire éternelle,” featuring Dominic Lapointe on bass, Nicholas Wells on drums, and Nick Miller on guitar. Both Gabriel Brault-Pilon (guitarist) and Vincent Savary (bassist) left in 2016.
Before delving into the details and review of First Fragment’s performance, below is a brief listing of pertinent influences of Phil Tougas (lead guitarist, songwriter) that one can hear in the band’s music, whether in a live/studio setting, to help understand the band’s overall musical direction.
When First Fragment came onstage, it was clear that the crowd was elated and ready to embark on an intricate and harmonious musical journey. During live performances, it is important to note that Mathieu Dhani (From Dying Suns) is the vocalist. As a frontman, he showcases a lot of enthusiasm and doesn’t stay still onstage, which is a plus. His vocal style is a combination of raw growls and shrieks. All the lyrics of the songs are in French, which adds a distinctive cultural flair. Some notable tracks performed include “Le serment de Tsion,” “L’entité,” “Solus,” “La veuve et le martyr,” and “Soif brûlante.”
While watching the band perform and listening to the songs live, everyone on stage was having a great time. Dominic Lapointe played a 6-string fretless bass, which offers a distinctive, rich sound. This act also requires precise intonation. His techniques, besides his elaborate fingerstyle, included a variety of different tapping and intense hand movements. As previously mentioned, due to the many influences, the lead guitar style of Phil Tougas encompasses many different techniques, from the use of vibrato and the whammy bar in harmony to the picking style and tone. Distinctive tapping techniques were also present and should be mentioned.
There was improvisation in many of the songs, which kept the song structures fresh and captivating. The addition of medleys also brought a significant portion of the performance to life, highlighting the praise of elaborate musical storytelling and unique expression. As an example, below is a snippet of Phil Tougas performing the first part of “Sonata en mi mineur” followed by the band performing “Gula.”
The band’s overall musical coordination is fascinating, especially when witnessed in a live setting. It is essential to keep in mind that each song presents a variety of styles (flamenco, jazz, neoclassical, swing, etc.), which can all be contained in one song alone. The elite musicianship and dynamics between all of the band members were solid and pristine. Initially, it was a lot to take in because it became clear that a lot was happening at once, in real time. Before long, the show was over, and a standing ovation ensued.
Many bands exist, but there comes a time when one enters the fold and changes everything. First Fragment is one of these bands. Musically, anyone can enjoy this band. Not every band can provide a sheer amount of discoveries, knowledge, influences, emotions, and experiences in a performance shared amongst people of all levels of expertise, age, and background. By all means, see First Fragment if you haven’t had a chance, a regret that no one should have in a lifetime.
