Bereft, Aseethe, Corridoré, The American Dead, PV, Whisky Pig at BarleyPop Live

Bereft turned elements of black metal, doom, and post-rock into extended, searing tracks that often felt like they were trying to surmount an overwhelming emotional tide. The Madison band’s atmospheric-black-metal tendencies emerged in full force on 2014’s debut album Lost Ages, and the doom elements became more ruggedly pronounced on their 2017 follow-up, Lands. Standout tracks like Lost Ages‘ “Unwelcome” and Lands closer “Waning Light” balanced heaviness with a vulnerability that always felt convincing and true. The band was at work on new material when guitarist/vocalist Alex Linden died in December 2021, at the age of 36.

The remaining members of Bereft—guitarist vocalist Zach Johnson, bassist Cade Gentry, and drummer Jerry McDougal—plan to keep making music together, but not under that name. At this last Bereft show, the trio will play a set of music from across the band’s career. You won’t hear any attempts here to fill in Linden’s versatile guitar work or the deep, growling chasm of his vocals. As Johnson told us in a recent story, “in this way, [Linden’s] absence isn’t just seen and felt, it’s heard.” 

All proceeds from the show will go toward a music-lessons scholarship fund in Linden’s name at Madison Music Foundry, honoring Linden’s deep commitment to music as an artist, fan, and community member. All the other acts playing at this show, including Iowa City-based Aseethe and Madison epic-metallers Corridoré, shared stages and friendship with Bereft throughout its memorable and tragically truncated existence.

—Scott Gordon