The Headbanging Moose Show – Thursdays @ 20:00 UTC+2 exclusively at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio

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Attention, metalheads!

It’s time to rumble with THE HEADBANGING MOOSE SHOW every Thursday @ 20:00 UTC+2 (with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC+2) exclusively at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio, your Greece-based web radio blasting the best of heavy music nonstop 24/7!

Presented by Gustavo Scuderi, The Headbanging Moose Show will bring to you the cream of underground metal music, giving you a short and sweet background on every band played on the show. No silly jokes, no shenanigans… THIS IS PURE F****N’ METAL!

So remember, EVERY THURSDAY @ 20:00 UTC+2 (with a reprise on Saturdays @ 19:00 UTC) tune into Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio to enjoy one hour of kick-ass underground metal from all over the world, courtesy of The Headbanging Moose!

Here are all the options where can blow your speakers with Midnight Madness:

Official website
Facebook
Twitter
Online Radio Box
Tunein
Streema
Listen2MyRadio
Radio Garden
Streamitter.com

Don’t forget to follow The Headbanging Moose on Facebook to know beforehand which bands will be played on the show every week.

And if you want to have your new album reviewed at The Headbanging Moose AND played at Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio, simply get in touch with us through our CONTACT US page.

Album Review – Hanging Garden / Dream Death (2026)

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Blending multiple sounds to create something highly intricate, varied, and dynamic, this one-man Progressive Death Metal entity returns with its thrilling sophomore album.

The brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Dylan Cruz, of bands like Noxis, Scumbag, and Dissonance, Yonkers, New York-based Progressive Death Metal beast Hanging Garden blends multiple sounds to create something highly intricate, varied, and dynamic, just like what it has to offer in its sophomore album, titled Dream Death, following up on its 2024 debut The God That Made Them Bow. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Dylan himself, with a stunning artwork by Hafiz, the album presents Dylan’s trenchant prog and tech death approach expertly tempered by transcendental melodic passages, and all of it bears a blackened touch on top of it.

Dylan wastes no time and begins his prog attack with Arete, delivering an avalanche of intricate riffs and blast beats while he vociferates rabidly until the very end. He then brings forward an even more chaotic yet harmonious sonority in Ondine, sounding absolutely heavy from start to finish while led by his demonic vociferations; whereas Dreamwoven presents an amalgamation of styles from Progressive Metal to Experimental and Dissonant Death Metal, with his riffs and solos sounding utterly electrifying. Carambola carries a very peculiar name for a song, musically while speaking it’s another explosion of Progressive Death Metal where he hammers his drums manically; and shifting his focus from hard hitting drums to classy, melodious guitar lines we have Endymion, whhile still maintaining his core essence intact. It’s impressive how he manages to sound so dynamic and fresh with each song like in Tears of Lustful, Secret Desire, as if Dream Theater had a bastard son addicted to the violence of Death Metal, before we face one last breath of progressiveness and insanity by Dylan titled Suffering Radiant Memories, firing piercing guitar solos for our total delight.

In the world of Death Metal, the unrelenting Hanging Garden has concocted an undeniably refreshing sound that is highly nuanced, textured, and worth delving into, exactly like what’s offered in the excellent Dream Death. Highly recommended for fans of the fusion of intricacy and violence by renowned acts the likes of Death, Sentenced, Goreworm, Xenosis, Opeth, and Krallice, among several others, Dream Death can be purchased from Hanging Garden’s own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store, and don’t forget to also follow the project on Facebook, and to stream its music on Spotify. Progressive Death Metal is indeed a subgenre of heavy music with basically no boundaries, and Dylan and his Hanging Garden are among us to keep exploring those new lands with each and every album release, with Dream Death paving a fantastic path ahead of the project.

Best moments of the album: Ondine, Dreamwoven and Tears of Lustful, Secret Desire.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Arete 6:46
2. Ondine 6:51
3. Dreamwoven 6:32
4. Carambola 6:04
5. Endymion 4:16
6. Tears of Lustful, Secret Desire 6:04
7. Suffering Radiant Memories 4:22

Band members
Dylan Cruz – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Komutator / We Don’t Owe You Anything (2026)

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These Polish thrashers are back after 13 years with a new album, exploring the gradual collapse of humanity through the everyday choices that erode values, freedom and human identity.

Founded in 2006 by guitarist Michał “Kinder” Kowalski, Ozimek, Poland-based Thrash Metal brigade Komutator has quickly established themselves within the Polish underground metal scene with their debut album Metal Sadism. Following years of inactivity, the band returns now after a 13-year hiatus with their sophomore album, titled We Don’t Owe You Anything, bringing new energy and a renewed creative vision while remaining faithful to their uncompromising approach to heavy music. Recorded at Heinrich House Studio and Turnia Studio, and mixed and mastered by Filip Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio, the new album by the aforementioned Michał “Kinder” Kowalski alongside vocalist Jacek Zema, guitarist Maciek Zalasiński, and drummer Andrzej Halupczok is their most diverse work to date, combining relentless Thrash Metal aggression with moments of melancholy, tension and reflection while exploring the gradual collapse of humanity, not through apocalyptic destruction, but through the everyday choices that erode values, freedom and human identity.

The cinematic intro Harbinger sets the stage for the band to crush our hopes and dreams with The Doom We Crave, featuring guest vocals by Szczepan Inglot (Wolfpack Heading Nowhere), with Michał and Maciek slashing their axes nonstop in the name of old school Thrash Metal, while Let It Bomb brings to our ears pure, unfiltered savagery by those Polish rockers, with the raspy vocals by Jacek walking hand in hand with the hammering drums by Andrzej. They keep the atmosphere as harsh and caustic as possible with Inhuman Resources, again featuring guest Szczepan Inglot, offering an overdose of violence and rebelliousness flowing from all instruments; whereas Metathesiophobia, featuring guest Wojciech Kostrzewa (Asgaard) on samples, presents elements from modern styles like Metalcore, sounding a bit too mellow compared to all other songs.

Featuring a guest guitar solo by Jacek Hiro (Sceptic), Watch Beauty Die brings the band back to their more ferocious mode, with Jacek once again growling and screaming in the best Randy Blythe and Max Cavalera style, melting our faces with his undisputed savagery, followed by Monster, again leaning towards modern-day Thrash Metal, with the guitars by Michał and Maciek exhaling anger and fury. Then investing in a fusion of Thrash and Groove Metal the likes of Machine Head we have Season of Storms, where the quartet keeps piercing our minds with their scathing riffs and pounding drums, and lastly, we face the frantic, high-octane title-track We Don’t Owe You Anything, with Jacek once again leading his horde with his infuriated screams supported by another killer riff attack by Michał and Maciek.

Focusing on humanity’s self-inflicted decline, the new album by Komutator examines a world where truth is distorted, freedom becomes illusion, and people are treated as resources rather than individuals, and if you also agree with their apocalyptic vision of our future as a whole you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and stream their killer music on any available platform such as Spotify. Furthermore, if you love the rebellious sounds blasted by Sepultura, Exumer, Exhorder, Cavalera Conspiracy, and Morbid Saint, you must grab a copy of Komutator’s new album from their own Bandcamp or from Via Nocturna. But you better hurry, because the world as we know it is coming to an end, and it’s not going to be an easy one.

Best moments of the album: Let It Bomb, Inhuman Resources and We Don’t Owe You Anything.

Worst moments of the album: Metathesiophobia.

Released in 2026 Via Nocturna

Track listing
1. Harbinger 1:32
2. The Doom We Crave 5:21
3. Let It Bomb 2:06
4. Inhuman Resources 6:08
5. Metathesiophobia 5:23
6. Watch Beauty Die 6:13
7. Monster 5:40
8. Season of Storms 5:29
9. We Don’t Owe You Anything 5:28

Band members
Jacek Zema – vocals
Michał Kowalski – guitars, backing vocals
Maciek Zalasiński – guitars
Andrzej Halupczok – drums

Guest musicians
Szczepan Inglot – vocals on “The Doom We Crave” and “Inhuman Resources”
Jacek Hiro – guitar solo on “Watch Beauty Die”
Wojciech Kostrzewa – samples on “Metathesiophobia”

Concert Review – Kamelot (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 09/19/2026)

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And Toronto witnessed an astonishing night of frozen kings and queens, headbanging pirates, and horns raising knights, for the delight of all fans of Symphonic and Melodic Power Metal in the city.

OPENING ACTS: Frozen Crown and Visions of Atlantis

It was perhaps the coolest day of the season as temperatures dropped below +20oC in Toronto, but FROZEN CROWN, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and KAMELOT brought their breathtaking Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I to Toronto to turn up the heat at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, resulting in another beyond successful event hosted by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. My buddy Blair Burch and I had the pleasure of witnessing the very first show of Frozen Crown in Canadian lands, as well as the usual killer performances by Visions of Atlantis and Kamelot, two of the most beloved bands in the city, and if it wasn’t for them I would have definitely gone full William “D-Fens” Foster in Falling Down on my way back home, because whoever thought it was a good idea to close two lanes of the Gardiner and QEW at 10 or 11pm on a Saturday night, with countless music and sports events in the city, deserves to be tied to one of those endless transit cones and stay there to “enjoy” the view for hours and hours and hours. Rant over.

Let’s get back to the music, because that’s what really matters in the end. The first attraction of the night, Milan, Italy-based Power Metal warriors FROZEN CROWN, hit the stage at 7pm for their first ever concert in Toronto, and they didn’t disappoint at all. Quite the contrary, the crowd was really impressed with their power, their energy, and of course with the striking vocals by frontwoman Giada Etro. She’s extremely talented and charismatic, making their whole concert even more enjoyable. Their setlist might have been short, but it was very effective in presenting their music to whoever wasn’t familiar with the band, blending songs from pretty much all of their albums with new songs from their upcoming opus The Legend of the Six Kings, those being The One, Who Wants to Burn in Heaven, and Reborn, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. There was even a fast and heavy cover for Iris, the biggest classic by Goo Goo Dolls, with drummer Niso Tomasini kicking ass. Their guitar triumvirate also worked really well, with Federico Mondelli, Alessia Lanzone (very young, very talented, and a nonstop headbanger) and Alexandra Lioness shredding their axes nonstop for our absolute delight. Needless to say, I’m sure we’ll see those Italians back in town sooner than we can imagine based on how fun their show was.

Setlist
Kings
The One
Neverending
Who Wants to Burn in Heaven
Reborn
Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
I Am the Tyrant

Band members
Giada Etro – vocals
Federico Mondelli – guitars, keyboards, vocals
Alessia Lanzone – lead guitars
Alexandra Lioness – lead guitars
Francesco Zof  – bass
Niso Tomasini – drums

It was then time for the most beloved pirates in the history of Melodic and Symphonic Power Metal, the unrelenting VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, to deliver yet another phenomenal performance for their Torontonian diehard fans. They played a similar (but of course shorter) setlist from the last time they invaded the city, with all songs being available in their excellent 2025 live album Armada (Live Over Europe), which is available on Spotify, but that didn’t mean the show was less enjoyable or anything like that. I personally think they selected beyond electrifying and spot-on songs, the perfect balance between melody, drama and pure fun, with everyone dancing to Clocks and Tonight I’m Alive, banging their heads to Hellfire, rowing (yes, rowing) to Pirates Will Return, jumping up and down nonstop to Melancholy Angel, and obviously raising their horns and fists, and slamming into a wild mosh pit, to their biggest hit Armada. Christian Douscha, Herbert Glos and Thomas Caser were on absolute fire, offering the second best duet in heavy music (because, you know, the reigning champions are, and will forever be, Michael Kiska and Andi Deris of Helloween), Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli, everything they needed to hypnotize us and entertain us from start to finish. Clémentine is from out of this world, a true metal diva with infinite talent, beauty and charisma, and seeing her singing is already alone worth the full price of the ticket. Please get back to Toronto as soon as possible, you headbanging pirates! We love you!

Setlist
Master the Hurricane
Clocks
Tonight I’m Alive
Legion of the Seas
Hellfire
Pirates Will Return
Melancholy Angel
Armada

Band members
Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
Christian Douscha – guitars
Herbert Glos – bass
Thomas Caser – drums

KAMELOT

Tampa, Florida’s own Progressive/Melodic Power Metal institution KAMELOT is one of those bands that always attract a huge amount of people to their concerts in Toronto it doesn’t matter if it’s +40oC and extremely humid, or if it’s -20oC and snowing like hell. Toronto loves Kamelot, and that tight connection between band and fans gets even stronger when they hit any stage in the city like this Saturday night. Having just released the album Dark Asylum, available on any streaming service like Spotify, the band formed of frontman Tommy Karevik, guitarist Thomas Youngblood, bassist Sean Tibbetts, keyboardist Oliver Palotai, and drummer Alex Landenburg, with the support of Frozen Crown’s own Giada Etro on clean and harsh female vocals (and I honestly didn’t know she could do guttural so freakin’ well), and Visions of Atlantis’ undisputed diva Clémentine Delauney, put on another amazing concert for their avid fans.

The nonstop singing, screaming, horns raising, crowd surfing and mosh pitting were absolutely intense from the very first notes of Ashen World, and the band noticed the crowd was ready for total war, keeping the electricity flowing nonstop during their solid setlist. Songs like Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy), Godlike Alchemy and the title-track of their new album, Dark Asylum, sounded fantastic live, with Thomas Youngblood and Sean Tibbetts giving a lecture in how to properly treat the guitar and bass, not to mention their interactions with the crowd were also fantastic. However, and sorry Tommy for saying this, the songs with Giada and Clémentine were the top moments of the concert for several fans, including me. You did a great job as their frontman as usual, of course, but you must admit those two girls always steal the show wherever they go, right?

The last part of their set with Sanctuary and Veil of Elysium, plus the encore with March of Mephisto and Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife), was a pure sonic orgasm for the more avid followers of Kamelot, and their stage set added even more adrenaline and epicness to their performance. I simply love how they were capable of turning a relatively small stage like the one at The Phoenix Concert Theatre into something so special. Well, to be honest, when the band in question is as great as Kamelot, you can already expect a grandiose concert even on the smallest stages on earth. And lastly, as the tour was labeled Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I, I believe we’ll have a part II in the near future, and if the loud reaction from the fans in Toronto was any indication of how much the city loves Kamelot, I’m sure we’ll gladly be part of that second leg of such an excellent tour.

Setlist
Sanctorium
Ashen World
The Great Pandemonium
Rule the World
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Godlike Alchemy
Karma
Revolution
New Babylon
⁠Dark Asylum
⁠Ivy, My Dear
Drum Solo
One More Flag in the Ground
Keyboard Solo
Sanctuary
Veil of Elysium

Encore:
March of Mephisto
Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)
⁠Sanctum Requiem

Band members
Tommy Karevik – vocals
Thomas Youngblood – guitars
Sean Tibbetts – bass
Oliver Palotai – keyboards, orchestrations
Alex Landenburg – drums

Guest musicians
Giada Etro – clean female vocals & harsh screams
Clémentine Delauney – clean female vocals

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Album Review – Blodtår / Monark (2026)

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One of Sweden’s most promising Black Metal projects returns with its sophomore opus, conceived in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, and moving through overwhelming spiritual pain toward a fragile yet undeniable light.

Back in 2021, Stockholm, Sweden-based Black Metal entity Blodtår announced themselves with a self-titled EP steeped in Black Metal mysticism. Their following release, the 2023 full-length Det förtegna förflutna, revealed a project capable of refined structure and melodic discipline without sacrificing intensity. Now in 2026, on their third release, titled Monark (the Swedish word for “monarch”), vocalist, guitarist and bassist Carl, alongside drummer Hebert Alarcón Cerna, ventures deeper still. Mixed and mastered by Tore Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, and showcasing a classy artwork by Heresie Studio, Monark was conceived in the aftermath of a personal tragedy, moving through overwhelming spiritual pain toward a fragile yet undeniable light.

Carl kicks off his darkened feast with his visceral guitar lines, accompanied by the hammering drums by Hebert, in Blodtår, not to mention his harsh vocals exhale absolute despair and pain; followed by Till min sista viloplats (or “to my final resting place” from Swedish), a more direct Black Metal extravaganza with Carl shredding his axe in the name of extreme music. In contrast to such a visceral sound, Paradis, or “paradise,” begins in an acoustic way as if there was any hope in sight, but that’s all destroyed by his anguished, vile screams; while Det slutar i lågor, or “it ends in flames,” brings to our avid ears elements from Folk Metal to give the song an even more primeval and personal vibe.

Then we face the introspective, grim and emotional title-track Monark, with Carl delivering sheer melancholy through his vocals and guitar while Hebert dictates the pace with his classic beats. We’re then treated to the band’s cover version for Kraja’s Nu är det synd om de döda, or “now it’s a pity for the dead,” (check the original version HERE, from their 2011 album Brusand Hav). The lyrics for the song are based on a poem written by the famous Swedish author and poet Verner von Heidenstam, and Carl’s rendition of the song is not bad, but I personally prefer his trademark Black Metal a lot more, which is exactly what we get in Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra, or “still wandering among the evening shadows,” where Hebert sounds inhumane on drums, adding an overdose of Black Metal melancholy to the overall result. The climax of the album comes in the form of Den eviga isen, or “the eternal ice,” concluding Carl’s spiritual journey with his deep vociferations walking hand in hand with his crying guitar.

“Crippling pain was present throughout the entire process of the album, both in the music itself and beyond it. The inspiration for the next Blodtår record emerged forcefully not long after Det förtegna… had been completed. Monark is a strange album, but not in a negative sense – for me, that very strangeness is what makes it compelling,” commented Carl, and you can get in touch with him and let him know how much you enjoy his music by following Blodtår on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming the project’s unique creations on Spotify, and by purchasing Monark from their own BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Beginning in darkness and concluding in illumination, Monark traces recurring cycles of mental collapse and resurgence with unflinching honesty, using the depth, anguish and power of Scandinavian Black Metal to turn it into a must-listen for any metalhead who has also been through the darkest times of their lives.

Best moments of the album: Blodtår, Monark and Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra.

Worst moments of the album: Nu är det synd om de döda.

Released in 2026 Nordvis Produktion

Track listing
1. Blodtår 5:30
2. Till min sista viloplats 3:55
3. Paradis 3:52
4. Det slutar i lågor 5:35
5. Monark 5:32
6. Nu är det synd om de döda (Kraja cover) 2:08
7. Bland kvällens skuggor ännu vandra 5:10
8. Den eviga isen 4:20

Band members
Carl – vocals, guitars, bass
Hebert Alarcón Cerna – drums

Album Review – Necrocene / Scumocracy (2026)

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The new album by this Italian Death Metal horde transforms concepts of social decay and technological obsolescence into a perfect, clear-sighted manifestation of a world careening toward its final, self-inflicted epoch.

There is a crushing weight bearing down on the globe presently, an unbridled destruction that breeds indifference. It is from this bleak reality that Italian horde Necrocene draws their breath, delivering a style of Death Metal that is deliberately pedantic, abrasive, and deeply rooted in the genre’s foundational essence. Following their well-received 2024 debut EP Detrimental Paratomy, the band formed of Iacopo “Apo” Macchia on vocals, Alessandro “Alex” Rossi and Gioia “Joy” Capelli Ghioldi on the guitars, Daniel “Dan” Martini on bass, and Stefano “Ste” Giannotti on drums is ready to attack again with their first full-length offering, titled Scumocracy, capturing the defiant, provocative spirit of early Obituary, Death, and Cancer while translating the band’s shared counter-cultural roots into severe musical weight.

The obscure intro (Threshold) will darken the skies before your mind is consumed by the band’s doom-laden Death Metal in Ordinary Enemy, where Alex and Joy show no mercy for our souls with their sharp, caustic riffs, inspiring us all to bang our heads together with the quintet. Then we face Tempestarii, a true storm of raw and putrid Death Metal where Apo vociferates like an evil entity, sending shivers down our spines, followed by Scale of Grey, another frantic, no shenanigans display of Death Metal made in Italy led by the crushing drums by Ste. And their first “act” in the album ends with the title-track Scumocracy, where their scorching riffs and blast beats match perfectly with Apo’s demonic roars.

After another Stygian, eerie instrumental piece titled (Stillpoint), all hell breaks loose with Human Lithification, a slab of brutality, violence and gore by Necrocene where Alex and Joy once again deliver an avalanche of melodic yet visceral riffs. The band then puts the pedal to the metal in Concrete Petrichor, spearheaded by another ruthless vocal performance by Apo and accompanied by the nonstop, demented drums by Ste. Weapons of the Damned blends vile Doom Metal with their core Death Metal insanity, resulting in a venomous tune not recommended for the lighthearted, whereas The Lust of Us closes the album with more of the scathing riffage by Alex and Roy in a true headbanging extravaganza.

Balancing sudden shifts in tempo with agonizingly heavy, cadenced downtempos, Scumocracy transforms concepts of social decay and technological obsolescence into a perfect, clear-sighted manifestation of a world careening toward its final, self-inflicted epoch, and you can get more details about Necrocene and their apocalyptic music via Facebook and Instagram, stream their ruthless music on Spotify, and of course join them in total chaos and disorder by purchasing a copy of Scumocracy from the Personal Records’ BandCamp or webstore. We’re indeed a rotten democracy of scumbags, and the Death Metal blasted by Necrocene in their new album is here to remind us all of such a harsh reality.

Best moments of the album: Tempestarii, Scale of Grey and Weapons of the Damned.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Personal Records

Track listing
1. (Threshold) 1:06
2. Ordinary Enemy 3:14
3. Tempestarii 4:05
4. Scale of Grey 2:08
5. Scumocracy 4:46
6. (Stillpoint) 1:43
7. Human Lithification 3:09
8. Concrete Petrichor 2:58
9. Weapons of the Damned 4:23
10. The Lust of Us 3:49

Band members
Iacopo “Apo” Macchia – vocals
Alessandro “Alex” Rossi – guitar
Gioia “Joy” Capelli Ghioldi – guitar
Daniel “Dan” Martini – bass
Stefano “Ste” Giannotti – drums

Event Review – AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up (Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto, ON, 09/15/2026 – 09/16/2026)

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Not even one of the strongest storms in the history of Toronto could stop fans from all over the world to get powered up by the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store.

INTRODUCTION: For those about to rock, go check the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store!

Free and open to all fans, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will open in every city on AC/DC’s 2026 North American stadium tour, giving fans one more way to be part of the PWR/UP Tour as it rolls through each town. Unfortunately, the Toronto concert scheduled for September 16 at Rogers Stadium had to be cancelled due to the severe damage done to the venue by an otherworldly storm that crushed the city to pieces on September 2, but that didn’t stop AC/DC to make an “appearance” in Toronto in the form of the pop up store on September 15 and 16. The location chosen for the special event was the excellent Steam Whistle Brewing, and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, Blair Burch and I were invited to be part of such a unique experience for fans of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Since the shows and pop up store are still happening in Winnipeg, New York, and Philadelphia, you know what to do. For those about to rock alongside AC/DC, we salute you!

AC/DC PWR/UP POP UP

Named after their 2020 album PWRϟUP, which reached #1 in 21 countries, the PWR/UP Tour began with the band’s long-awaited return to the stage at Power Trip in California in 2023, and has since sold out dozens of stadiums across four continents. As the massive tour entered its final leg in North America, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up was created to give fans of one of the biggest bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll a place to gather before show day, and be part of the high voltage energy surrounding the tour. There’s merch you won’t find at the concert. Fans can shop unique collectibles, tour apparel, light-up horns, and other pop-up merchandise. Fans can get up close to AC/DC history. Each location will also feature AC/DC-themed food and drink, iconic props, custom visuals, interactive photo moments, ticket giveaways, PWR/UP Fan Preview events, and the opportunity to enter to win a guitar signed by Angus Young.

There were local fans at the Toronto pop up, superfans who have been following the band all across the world during this tour (similar to what fans of bands like Iron Maiden do), casual rock listeners who got attracted to the store for obvious reasons (who doesn’t want to spend some bucks on high quality merch, right?), and so on. Everybody was having a great time at this supercharged social outing in Toronto, and not even the fact the show was canceled in the city was capable of making the whole event less enjoyable. As special guests, we even received an awesome gift bag with some cool items like the AC/DC High Voltage shirt, which I’ll surely sport on special occasions like one of the upcoming rock and metal concerts in the city. Also, I was told the members of AC/DC themselves were at the pop up store this Wednesday, giving autographs, taking photos, and so on, which means if you’re lucky enough you might also see the guys at the pop up store in your city.

Let’s hope that AC/DC do not call it quits anytime soon, and keep on rockin’ our world like they’ve always done for many decades. We need them back in Toronto for a killer concert, and please, Mother Nature, let those rock giants bring joy to us Torontonian rockers ate least one more time in the coming years. And of course, if or when that happens, I hope the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will also come together with the concert and tour, because that’s what fans of titans like AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses and so many other iconic bands want, to not only see their idols kicking some serious ass onstage, but to also turn the days before and after the show into an immersive experience, bringing the sheer power of rock and metal music to our hearts for more than just the few hours of the actual concerts. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N’ Roll, but a band like AC/DC has mastered that art to perfection, and the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up surely brings that energy to us fans and connects us even more with our rock idols.

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Album Review – Old Ruins / Mount Arreat (2026)

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This German horde continues their darkened path by offering their own blend of Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal in their sophomore studio album.

Having created their own highly distinctive style by drawing on numerous influences from Heavy, Black, Doom and Melodic Metal, Gelsenkirchen, Germany’s own Post-Black Metal outfit Old Ruins is back with their sophomore full-length offering, entitled Mount Arreat (a major fictional location in the Diablo video game franchise), following up on their 2023 debut full-length album Always Heading East. Displaying a dystopian artwork by Timon Kokott, the new album by Christian Krajewski on vocals and guitars, Ersin Kara also on the guitars, Oliver Krajewski on bass, and Mike Gelnar on drums sees the band continue the darkened path which stated with their self-titled debut EP from 2020, sounding tighter, heavier and more dynamic than ever.

The strident guitars by Christian and Ersin ignite the band’s dark and heavy feast in Once There Was Light, with Christian’s deep vociferations sounding haunting yet captivating, followed by Gates Of Harrogath, even heavier and more dynamic, offering a wild fusion of Melodic Death and Doom Metal led by Mike’s thunderous beats and fills, always supported by Oliver’s rumbling bass. Call To Arms is a more cadenced and sluggish tune, with its Sludge Metal elements adding a visceral vibe to their core sound before their classic Heavy Metal vein pulses through their dual guitar attack; and a serene intro morphs into another massive metal onrush by the quartet titled Uileloscadh Mor, with the guitars by Christian and Ersin once again cutting our flesh mercilessly.

Nihlathak flirts with old school Black Metal, hence its dirtier, rawer and more aggressive sound, while Mike dictates the song’s pace with his spot-on beats and fills, whereas Mount Arreat, the song that carries the name of the album, is just as grandiose as the location that inspired it, offering a solid fusion of Death and Doom Metal with the epicness of Heavy Metal. Then we’re treated to Lord Of Destruction, the heaviest and darkest of all songs, where Mike’s drums sound immense while Christian roars like a demonic creature until the song’s very last second; and they conclude the album with an overdose of epicness and rage in the form of Tyrael’s Despair, with their guitars once again breathing fire.

In a nutshell, Old Ruins offer in the excellent Mount Arreat their unique blend of melodic, catchy and gripping Black and Death Metal for fans of In Flames, Children Of Bodom, Arch Enemy, and Tribulation, inspiring us all to join them in their darkened quest, while also fueling the band to continue fighting for extreme music in their upcoming releases. Those talented German metallers are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their music on Spotify and to purchase Mount Arreat from their own BandCamp or from Sick Taste Music. In other words, it’s time to climb the mount of extreme music together with Old Ruins while listening to their new album, keeping your blood running wild through your veins as you face such a demanding and exciting challenge.

Best moments of the album: Gates Of Harrogath, Uileloscadh Mor and Lord Of Destruction.

Worst moments of the album: Call To Arms.

Released in 2026 Sick Taste Music

Track listing
1. Once There Was Light 5:48
2. Gates Of Harrogath 4:52
3. Call To Arms 5:02
4. Uileloscadh Mor 7:27
5. Nihlathak 5:15
6. Mount Arreat 6:25
7. Lord Of Destruction 5:37
8. Tyrael’s Despair 6:16

Band members
Christian Krajewski – vocals, lead guitars
Ersin Kara – guitars
Oliver Krajewski – bass
Mike Gelnar – drums

Album Review – The Eternal / Obscured Horizons (2026)

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Delving further into darkness, this Gothic Metal quartet returns with an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion.

Delving further into darkness with a sound situated in Progressive Gothic Metal, the veteran Australian and Finnish quartet known as The Eternal is set to unveil their eighth studio album upon humanity, titled Obscured Horizons, following up on their 2024 opus Skinwalker. Produced by Jan Rechberger and Mark Kelson, and displaying a darkly stunning artwork by Kate Roney, the new album by Mark Kelson on vocals and guitar, Richie Poate on lead guitar, Niclas Etelävuori on bass, and Jan Rechberger on drums and percussion is the band’s most immersive and definitive work to date, an exploration of disillusionment, fractured identity and the struggle to reclaim clarity in a world saturated with distortion, moving through states of emotional collapse, liminal transition and existential unrest, confronting deception – both external and internal – before emerging into renewal and self-awareness.

Mark and Richie start the band’s metallic engine with their melodeath-infused guitars in Lament For The Hollow, already presenting their trademark fusion of Progressive and Gothic Metal. Then bringing elements from Gothic Rock from the 80’s we have Existing To Expire, with Niclas kicking some serious ass with his heavy bass lines, followed by Colours Fade, again showcasing an endless dosage of progressiveness added to their core sound, as if Dream Theater went absolutely goth. And striking background keys bring even more adrenaline to Harmony Breaks, with the melodious vocals by Mark embracing us in a comforting darkness in the name of Gothic Rock and Metal.

I’ve Seen The Dream is a stunning ballad in the vein of Dream Theater from their masterpiece Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, with Richie stealing the spotlight with his enfolding guitars lines and solos; followed by Liminality, presenting seven minutes of a lecture in Progressive Metal, with Mark’s vocals being flawlessly complemented by the groovy, multi-layered and intricate kitchen crafted by Niclas and Jan. The title-track Obscured Horizons keeps their fires burning bright led by another killer performance by Jan behind his drums; while the incendiary guitars by Mark and Richie keep piercing our minds mercilessly in Yesterday’s Gone, another stylish display of the band’s first-class Heavy Metal. Finally, we face Awaken, again presenting several layers and nuances, with Richie sounding on fire with his axe, breathing piercing riffs and solos nonstop and, therefore, ending the album in great fashion.

A work concerned with the erosion of truth, the masks we inherit, the weight of memory and the courage required to awaken from imposed realities, Obscured Horizons represents both culmination and evolution, a bold statement from a band entering a new creative chapter with their gaze fixed firmly on the unseen. You can get to know more about The Eternal, their new album, their tour dates and other nice to know details via Facebook and Instagram, stream their unique creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE. Rather than surrendering to decay, Obscured Horizons charts a defiant ascent, refusing numbness, rejecting illusion, and ultimately reclaiming light from the shadows that threaten to eclipse it.

Best moments of the album: Lament For The Hollow, Liminality and Yesterday’s Gone.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Reigning Phoenix Music

Track listing
1. Lament For The Hollow 5:04
2. Existing To Expire 4:10
3. Colours Fade 4:58
4. Harmony Breaks 5:05
5. I’ve Seen The Dream 4:14
6. Liminality 6:59
7. Obscured Horizons 5:11
8. Yesterday’s Gone 5:13
9. Awaken 6:07

Band members
Mark Kelson – vocals, guitar
Richie Poate – lead guitar
Niclas Etelävuori – bass
Jan Rechberger – drums, percussion

Album Review – Valkyrie’s Fire / Out of Darkness (2026)

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This new Symphonic Metal force emerging from the shadows of Music City is ready to attack with their debut album, a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty.

The Nashville, Tennessee music scene is historically synonymous with country legends, yet a new force is emerging from the shadows of Music City to claim a different kind of throne. Having rapidly ascended to become the definitive Symphonic Power Metal powerhouse of the American South, the up-and-coming act Valkyrie’s Fire is unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, titled Out of Darkness, following up on their 2024 EP Ascension. Produced, engineered, and mixed by the band’s own Joey Grimaldi, mastered by Swedish metal luminary Mikael Sehlin (Amaranthe, Engel, In Flames), and visually anchored by the striking artwork by renowned illustrator Jan Yrlund (Delain, Battle Beast, Manowar), the new album by vocalists Adam Sanders and Bettie Floyd, guitarist Joey Grimaldi, bassist Dave Hale, keyboardist and cellist Salem Belladonna, and drummer Ryan Metroka is a monumental journey through the dualities of human grief, historical despair, and cosmic beauty, positioning the band at the absolute forefront of modern Symphonic Metal.

The cinematic intro In Spirit, In Shadow will transport us to the band’s fantasy realm, warming us up for Evermore, with the vocal duet by Adam and Bettie working really well, reminding me of the absolute joy flowing from all songs by Visions of Atlantis. Then we have Valkyrie’s Fire, the song that carries the band’s name, bringing to our avid ears epic sounds clashing with the incendiary riffs by Joey, sounding absolutely fast, thrilling and fun; and Salem keeps embellishing the airwaves with her magical keys in Cascade, while Bettie steals the spotlight with her soaring vocals. Featuring Mikael Sehlin of Amaranthe as a guest vocalist, Ryan kicks off the ban’s Epic Power Metal feast in Burning Sky, another ass-kicking tune by the band, followed by Shattered, the most theatrical of all songs, with the cello by Salem bringing sheer melancholy to their dark sounds; and I See the Angels Fly is a dense, multi-layered ballad that will bring peace to our blackened hearts, with Joey’s guitar lines spreading sheer passion.

Then back to a more electrifying and fast sound we’re treated to the Symphonic Power Metal beast Skylark, with Dave’s thunderous bass walking hand in hand with Ryan’s beats, crafting that galloping rhythm we all love so much in Heavy Metal. Labyrinth feels a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, as it tries to be too epic but falls flat after a while; whereas Bone and Thorn is another bold power ballad by the band where Joey steals the show once again with his classy riffs and solos. After that we face Dark Moon, inspired by the classic sound crafted by Nightwish while boosted by Salem’s hypnotizing cello, followed by Nocturne, offering a more direct, in your face Power Metal sonority overflowing adrenaline and setting the stage for I Will Rise Again, an epic ten-minute journey through the lands of modern-day Symphonic Metal that puts a climatic ending to the album.

Pacing Valkyrie’s Fire as a formidable contemporary to bands like Epica, Within Temptation and Nightwish by blending the grandiosity of European Symphonic Metal with the sharp production values of the modern Nashville metal scene, Out of Darkness feels both timeless and urgent, inviting us all to join the band in their quest for heavy music. Hence, if you have what it takes to embark on such a mystical and thrilling journey, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Out of Darkness by clicking HERE. Valkyrie’s Fire will certainly spread their wings over the entire metal community with the release of Out of Darkness, and when the music in question is so good and compelling, we’ll all be very happy to be caught in such a dark embrace.

Best moments of the album: Evermore, Valkyrie’s Fire, Skylark and I Will Rise Again.

Worst moments of the album: Labyrinth.

Released in 2026 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. In Spirit, In Shadow 0:50
2. Evermore 4:41
3. Valkyrie’s Fire 4:42
4. Cascade 5:21
5. Burning Sky 4:00
6. Shattered 5:44
7. I See the Angels Fly 6:49
8. Skylark 4:43
9. Labyrinth 4:33
10. Bone and Thorn 7:31
11. Dark Moon 6:38
12. Nocturne 5:47
13. I Will Rise Again 9:57

Band members
Adam Sanders – vocals
Bettie Floyd – vocals
Joey Grimaldi – guitars
Dave Hale – bass
Salem Belladonna – keyboards, cello, backing vocals
Ryan Metroka – drums

Guest musician
Mikael Sehlin – vocals on “Burning Sky”

Concert Review – Revocation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/12/2026)

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A feast of absolute raging Death Metal turned up the heat even more on an already hot night in the city of Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Weeping, Fuming Mouth and Defeated Sanity

We’re lucky the weather is still quite warm in Toronto now that the summer is “unofficially” over (when kids get back to school, parents consider the summer as over, and will sport sweaters and jackets even when the temperature is above +25oC and sunny), and even luckier to host the awesome 20 Years of Torment 2026 Tour with WEEPING, FUMING MOUTH, DEFEATED SANITY, and the guys celebrating those 20 years of pure metal magic, REVOCATION, another great event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The cozy Lee’s Palace was the place chosen for such a nice gathering, and I was actually surprised it wasn’t too hot inside the venue during the entire night. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi is still recovering from his injury and surgery, which means our friend Blair Burch once again helped us with his sharp photography skills to make this review of the concert as incendiary as the bands onstage. Also, traffic to get to Toronto has become a true nightmare no matter what time or day of the week, but fortunately as the first band was only scheduled to play after 7:30pm there was plenty of time to get to the venue before the celebrations started.

It was around 7:40pm when New Jersey’s own Death Metal/Hardcore/Powerviolence quartet WEEPING kicked off their insane performance, melting our faces mercilessly with their scorching heaviness and undisputed technique. Having released the album Spiritual Barbarism back in 2024, plus a new single titled When You Beg now in 2026, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Theo Vlahos on vocals and guitars, Thomas Deabreu also on the guitars, Anthony Izworski on bass (who’s also the bassist for Fuming Mouth, by the way), and Jon Lievano on drums crushed our damned souls with a no shenanigans concert, kicking some serious ass onstage and, therefore, inspiring everyone on the floor section to already go mental inside the circle pit. Those guys are simply insane, and if you know nothing about them, go check their music asap and keep an eye on their tour dates, because if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do.

Band members
Theo Vlahos – vocals, guitars
Thomas Deabreu – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass, backing vocals
Jon Lievano – drums

Perhaps the most anticipated attraction of the night, besides obviously Revocation, was Milford, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore/Hardcore outfit FUMING MOUTH, who are becoming a fan-favorite in Toronto when it comes to violence and heaviness. Mark Whelan, Patrick Merson, Anthony Izworski and Jay Weinberg made sure no one was left alive with an overdose of venomous roars, crushing riffs, thunderous bass lines, and demented beats and fills. Of course, the fact that their 2026 album The Ringing Bell (available on both BandCamp and on Spotify) is insane made their task a lot easier, as the crowd was eager to witness some of those new songs live, like Cheat Death, Self‐Exhumed, and Finally Fearless. It was really nice to see Mark explaining what Fuming Mouth means, this evil entity that will kill everyone, saying to several people in the crowd “You will die! You will die! You will die!” and, therefore, creating this fun connection between the band and the fans. We will all die eventually, and if we have the live music by Fuming Mouth to entertain us during our last moments, we’ll surely die happy metalheads.

Setlist
Cheat Death
A Blaze of Nihilism
Hidden in the Moor
Self‐Exhumed
I’ll Find You
Respect Mortality
Visions of Purgatory
Finally Fearless

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Patrick Merson – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass
Jay Weinberg – drums

After a short break, German-American squad DEFEATED SANITY kicked off their onrush of demonic, visceral and grim fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal, making the foundations of Lee’s Palace tremble so heavy they sounded. Having released the album Chronicles of Lunacy in 2024, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, frontman Josh Welshman alongside the extremely talented guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, the incredible bassist Jacob Schmidt, and the ruthless drummer Lille Gruber were insane onstage, with the circle pit getting out of control due to the extreme violence blasted by all band members. I honestly do not remember a kitchen so technical yet demolishing like the one crafted by Jacob and Lille, and if you enjoy extreme music with a strong technical vibe, go check the music by Defeated Sanity because those guys are amazing both in the studio and live.

Setlist
Introitus
Consumed by Repugnance
Verblendung
Liquifying Cerebral Hemispheres
Accelerating the Rot
Martyrium
The Bell
Dislimbing the Ostracized

Band members
Josh Welshman – vocals
Vaughn Stoffey – guitars
Jacob Schmidt – bass
Lille Gruber – drums

REVOCATION

After three opening bands that were all 10 out of 10, the crowd was more than warmed up for the lecture in Technical Death and Thrash Metal by Boston, Massachusetts-based crew REVOCATION, who might be celebrating 20 years of existence, but the ones receiving all the presents were us fans with each and every song played by those first-class musicians. It doesn’t matter if it was a late start, already close to 10:30pm, because the entire venue was burning with the blend of classics and new songs from their 2025 album New Gods, New Masters, which you can listen in full on Spotify. David Davidson, Harry Lannon, Ash Pearson and Alex Weber proved why they’ve become one of the most important bands of the current tech death scene with an impeccable performance, kicking our asses hard until the very end.

Songs like Nihilistic Violence, Chaos of Forms, Dismantle the Dictator, Summon the Spawn, and Bound by Desire were all played to perfection by those four extremely talented musicians, and the result was of course an intense circle pit that was dragging everyone into it in celebration of our good old Death Metal. There’s this very small Asian girl that’s rockin’ in every single show in Toronto, and of course she was there Saturday night. No idea how she can handle so much alcohol and how she can venture inside those demented circle pits due to her tiny stature and very low weight, but one thing I can say is that she knows how to party, and that’s exactly what Revocation wanted us all to do. They simply asked Toronto to party with them after 20 years kicking ass with their unique heavy music, and we partied hard. Needless to say, I don’t think it will take long for us to see such a phenomenal band in the city again, and we’ll all be there yet again to raise our fists and horns while they melt our faces with their killer tunes.

Setlist
Nihilistic Violence
Scorched Earth Policy
Fracked
Confines of Infinity
The All Seeing
Data Corpse
Chaos of Forms
Of Unworldly Origin
Dismantle the Dictator
Summon the Spawn
Only the Spineless Survive
Bound by Desire

Band members
David Davidson – vocals, guitars
Harry Lannon – guitars
Ash Pearson – drums
Alex Weber – bass

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