Ashbringer Shreds At Zhora Darling
Always exciting going to a new venue for the first time. Didn’t know what Zhora Darling would be like, but it just may be my new favorite small venue for music.
Wanted to show up a little early before doors to hang out in the restaurant and bar space, and boy am I glad I did. Its sumptuous cool kid interior feels as if it leapt out of the pages of a swanky boutique hotel. Mirrored warm-toned tiles creates a cavern of reflection above the bar. Exposed wood beams and plush booths placed around the main dining area, with a billiards table providing a bit of a fun break. Had to try a bite, no arm-twisting needed. Got their smash burger and upgraded to parm truffle fries, and will again. They also have this craveable spicy aioli dip to go with it that still is haunting my tastebuds. Yum yum, exactly what a body needs before a show.
Going through the doors to the stage, the black walls were bathed in cool white light, but not for long. Easy to snag a beer, grabbed a Falling Knife Verbal Tip for a shocking normal price of $8.It felt like another world not being price gouged for a drink at a show. Tickled pink and without having to empty my wallet, set up on the side for Desolation Plains to start. A decent amount of folks were hanging by the back for a while as DP got started with the first soundscape.
Dripping in red toned light, Desolation Plains’ one man show was dressed in a black cloak for the first portion of his set. Attendees were given a pick your own adventure as the samples and keyboard at DP’s disposal began filling the air. Whether it was creeping around a cold dungeon, hiking through a misty mountain landscape, wandering a battlefield or watching the ring wraiths ride through a forest, a very cool atmosphere was created. It’s not too often at a metal show where one can just stand and get “lost in the sauce” per se. After a couple of songs the cloak came off and the man behind the mystery was exposed, Elden Ring shirt in full view. Desolation Plains was a great way to settle in for the evening with heavy mood and relaxing vibes everyone in the crowd could sink into with ease.
Next up was Gates of Dawn. It’s not often that I’m unable to describe a band’s sound. However Gates of Dawn cannot be pinned down by a genre. Self described as psychedelic black metal, they truly do their own thing. If you think you know what that sounds like, you don’t. If I had to pick one word to describe their set it would be “groovy”. The band grooved through several songs which included longer almost jam band style portions which were a pleasure to hear. With their latest album “III” released September 2025, I hope it’s not long before we get more from Gates of Dawn. Excited to see what more they have to offer from the Minneapolis metal scene, because every song was incredibly easy to love. Amazing to see how many talented musicians we have in Minnesota.
The sound quality is fantastic at Zhora Darling. With bands with so much nuance and detail to be enjoyed, wonderful to see (well…hear) it so well done.
Now for the evening’s dinner host, Ashbringer. Slated to play their newest record “Subglacial”, was pumped to see it all unfold live. Once all gear was ready to rock, Ashbringer began with “My Flesh Shows Its Weakness”. A beautiful melancholy intro led to an about-face with the black metalish sound the band is known for. Vocalist/guitarist Nick Stanger pierced the air with his crisp harshness that accompanies the band’s sound so well. Subglacial is a wonderful mix of melody, beauty and somberness mixed with blazing tremolo picking and badass riffs with a very organic production. The band played all songs at album quality. It was clear why they have been able to maintain a solid following in the local scene. They take their craft seriously and enjoy doing it.
What made the night even more special was when Nick mentioned after they ended with “Vessels” that this was the best local show they have partaken in. Nick, Andy Meyer(drums), Nathan Wallestad(bass) and Jackson Catton(backing vocals, guitar) all deserve a shout out for being a class example of what local music can be.
