Vader, Kataklysm, Malevolent Creation, Skeletal Remains @ DNA
- Bleeding Priest
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
DNA Lounge
San Francisco, CA
October 12, 2025
Death Metal blowout at The DNA Lounge on a Sunday night. The following day was a holiday (for some) being Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day (for some) so that certainly helped with the turnout. And the turnout was pretty good. They kept the upstairs open which is always a good sign.
First up was Skeletal Remains. This was the second time in a row seeing them (both times at the DNA) without a live bassist. Instead they had a pre-recorded bass track piping through the pa. I know I’ve expressed my lack of interest with bass in Metal but I will NEVER condone prerecorded tracks of any nature at an underground Death Metal show.
Needless to say I was a little pissed they still hadn’t worked out their bass situation. Or worse yet, that perhaps they were sticking with this route intentionally. The main reason this irked me so is because I REALLY like this band and hate seeing a lesser version of it.
They still sounded killer and ripped the faces off everyone in the room but c’mon. I had to get to the bottom of this. I talked to the guys after their set and it turns out they do have an actual living breathing bassist who double booked himself as a driver for that ill fated Master tour that’s lurching its way across the U.S. Apparently he was coming back to the tour in a few days. That’s kind of a weird way for a band to operate but I get it, THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
Next up was the band a lot of people seemed to be there to see, Malevolent Creation. When they hit the stage I was immediately flummoxed. Where was Phil Fasciana? You know, the only original member left in the band?
What was presented was a trio of dudes playing Malevolent Creation songs to a confused and disappointed audience. I actually know the lone guitarist on stage. His name is Chris Cannella (formerly of Deicide) and is a great guy and fantastic six stringer.
All the players were top notch and their set list, which leaned heavily on the first two albums would make any Malevolent Creation fan stoked! I mean hearing “Coronation Of Our Domain” at that volume is truly something special no matter who’s playing it. Once the shock of Phil’s absence set in, the crowd really got into it and lots of stage diving ensued. In the end they had a really strong set and I commend them for soldering on.
After the set I talked to Chris and got the lowdown. Phil was recently hospitalized in Europe for a bacterial infection and pneumonia which resulted in a coma. Sound familiar??? Anyways, he obviously pulled through (with heart and lung conditions in tow) and returned to the states where his doctor advised he not do this U.S. tour and to rest at home.
Anyone who knows Phil knows that good judgement is not one of his strengths. There’s no way this Death Metal lifer is going to miss a tour so off he went. The night before the DNA gig they played L.A. and apparently Phil fell into some old habits and as a result put his life back in danger. As a result he needed to fly back home (Florida I believe) and see his doctor immediately.
I truly hope he’s ok and he gets the help he needs. I know what it’s like to survive a coma with a heart condition as a result. Drinking excessively can kill you. I’m sure I can speak for most of the Metal community that none want to see Phil go out like that.
Next were Kataklysm. I have a bit of history with these Canucks. My very first tour with Death Angel was with Kataklysm. We shared a bus with them (and Keep Of Kalessin) for like 6 weeks all across Europe.
When there’s that many dudes in such close quarters you better learn to get along real quick…and we did. And from that tour we have a lasting friendship. They are pro all across the board and always have a ripping live sound.
I don’t know how to classify these guys though. I think they consider themselves Death Metal and there’s certainly a lot of that in their music but there’s just as much of a Pantera / Machine Head vibe in their tunes as well. Because of that some Death Metal purists can’t accept them for what they are. I think they blend it well and the majority of the audience seemed to dig it.
Lastly we had the returning, reigning Polish Death Metal kings VADER!! It’s crazy to think I saw Vader’s very first tour of the U.S. back in ‘93 at the Omni with Suffocation and Dismember (also their first U.S. visit). What a fucking lineup huh?
Vader never disappoints to bring an insanely precise, brutal DM assault. They’re one of the most consistently awesome live bands in their or any genre. This night they were celebrating the 25th anniversary of the classic album Litany and played a number of tracks from it such as “Wings”, “Xeper” and “Cold Demons”.
Vader absolutely ruled the night. I know the word “brutal” is used to death in the Death Metal world just as “crushing” is overused in the Thrash Metal realm but there’s no other way to describe Vader’s music and live performance. It’s absolutely BEUTAL!!
–Bleeding Priest
