Distant’s Into Despair drops November 6. By the time they roll into Rochester for the Into Despair Tour on December 7, audiences will have had a month with an album that cuts into grief, personal loss, and depression — material the band frames as their most personal to date. What the record carries emotionally, the live set is built to deliver physically. The Rotterdam/Bratislava four-piece are not a band known for pulling punches.
About the Show
Formed in 2014, Distant are a four-piece from Rotterdam, Netherlands and Bratislava, Slovakia, built on what they describe as “hyper-dissonant downtempo deathcore, slamming brutal death metal, and beatdown.” Press has called their output an “eviscerating brand of dissonance”: extremity and atmosphere pushed hard in the same direction. The band also distinguished themselves through world-building, developing a science-fiction universe alongside their albums, including the 2021 novel The Rise of Tyrannotophia. Known for energetic, precise performances that frequently sell out venues across Europe and North America, they signed to Century Media Records in 2022 after a run on Unique Leader Records, and in 2023 released Heritage. Into Despair, due November 6 via Century Media, is the follow-up, and a departure from the mythology. No fictional universe this time; the band turns inward to examine grief, depression, and personal loss drawn from real experience. “Real emotions only make heavy music hit harder,” they said in a recent interview. “If the lyrics come from genuine experiences, the aggression feels more believable.” Featured guests include Ricky Myers of Suffocation on “All Will Be (N)One” and Tyler Beam of The Last Ten Seconds Of Life on “Spirit.” Rochester is a late stop on a North American run that stretches from Houston through Orlando — by December 7, the band will have nearly three weeks of touring behind them. The Montage Music Hall bill is stacked: Heavy//Hitter (metalcore), Torn Open (death metal/black metal), Katywentmissing (metal), and Squelching (death metal/black metal) round out the night.
Venue & Logistics
Montage Music Hall in Rochester is a regular club stop for heavy touring acts moving through the Finger Lakes region. A five-act bill in this room is a long night — plan accordingly. Doors open at 6 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Ages 16 and up; under 16 admitted with a parent or legal guardian. Presented by After Dark Presents.
Tickets
Tickets start at $27.63, on sale now. Buy tickets