All hail the Wings of Metal fest

Okay, POP Montreal gets popped next week, so you’d figure I would get one week without tapping on my keyboard about a festival — but you would be wrongemboyo.

Wings of Metal is the one festival I can completely get behind as I’ve watched it grow from humble roots with the motivation to lure utterly legendary bands to the fest. Wings of Metal has earned its great reputation throughout the years with line-ups that are just amazing but despite international recognition, festival organizer DJ Satannick has stated that this will be sadly be the last one. The two-night fest regularly sells out well in advance, with international metal fans smashing fast on the buy button, and this year is no exception with both nights long sold-out. Good news: a bonus night is happening tonight for us who were too tardy to grab tix, but better act quick because this will most likely sell out as well.

Thursday: I know I just gave the reach-around to Wings of Metal, and they deserve it, but my big pick of the week is one of the most important bands to come out of the Reagan-era So Cal HC scene: the Descendents. Probably one of the most ripped off bands of all time (think every melodic punk band post 1990), these guys have barely greyed around the temples and dare I say their last two releases are every good as their original slammer Milo Goes to College from ’82. This may be your last chance as they aren’t the road warriors they once were, so get yer ass down to Metropolis and be prepared to sing along to the cavalcade of hits. Opening is the Menzingers and Berri Txarrak. 59 Ste-Catherine E., 8 p.m., $49.75

If you fugged up and didn’t get tix for Wings of Metal, your only chance is tonight: catch Mexican black metallers Xibalba with the proto-metal doom of Occult Burial, Freeways and Muertos. As of this writing, this is not sold out, but better act quick. 1635 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $18 advance/$20 door

Two of the owners of Turbo Haus will be playing their own room tonight when Pinko plays with Laval and Ultra Regular (rad name, duders). Don’t drink in the park, fuckos. 5011 Notre-Dame W., 9 p.m., $10

Friday: I know Wings of Metal at Katacombes is sold out and it’s kind of cruel to even mention the bands playing but fuggit, this bill is insane. Check it: thrash metal gods Sacrifice, Greece’s Varathron, Chile’s Communion, Slutvomit, Quayde Lahue and Starlight Ritual. If you think that’s good, wait until you see Saturday night’s line-up. Sold out.

If you didn’t get enough Crabe when they opened up for American Devices a couple of weeks ago, you can catch this fuggin’ genius band at l’Esco with Jackson Polloff and Luge. 4461 St-Denis, 9 p.m., price unlisted

If you are more in the mood of some expert songwriting you can make it to Barfly to catch Barfly favorites the Mighty Ffud with motor city madmen Jeremy Porter and the Tucos. 4062 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., price unlisted

Your last chance to see Motorkiller a Mood before he goes to more fertile ground in Berlin is happening at Sala with Cienfuegos, Frankie Teardrop and Serieu X. 4848 St-Laurent, 10 p.m., $10

Saturday: Okay, if you thought the Friday line-up for Wings of Metal was crazy, buckle up and get ready for this one: Voivod, Time Lord, Diamond Head (!!!!!), Crypt Sermon, Chile’s Slaughtbbath and Outre-Tombe. Katacombes will be slammed from the moment the doors open until last call. (Once again, this is sadly sold out.)

If you ever needed an excuse to go downtown, this would be it. You can catch Guida with bubblegum punk openers Pale Lips at Piranha. 680 Ste-Catherine W., 8 p.m., $16

La Vitrola will keep the punk pumping with NYC’s Subspace with Gazm, Cell and Payback. 4602 St-Laurent, 9:30 p.m., $10

If there was ever a local band generating local hype with the pummeling to back it up it’s Security who will light up Divan Orange with Deaf and Yoo Doo Right. 4234 St-Laurent, 9 p.m., $8 advance/$10 door

Sunday: Wings of Metal finally hangs it up on a nail at Katacombes with a Heavy Metal Market at 2 p.m. with shirts, vinyl, CDs and other things that make a metal head’s heart beat like a blast beat. 1635 St-Laurent, 2—6 p.m., $5

Wednesday: If you really want to get your POP Montreal started right, you could make it to Sala to catch the electronic pummeling of Blanck Mass with Egyptrixx. 4848 St-Laurent, 8 p.m., $15

This is POP’s first day, so come back next week and I’ll give you the goods on the real deal shows you shouldn’t miss for the rest of the fest.

Current Obsession: The Descendents, Everything Sucks

jonathan.cummins@gmail.com