Marilyn Manson Returns to Boston with Blood, Snow, and Thunder at the House of Blues.
It wasn’t just a concert — it was a resurrection.
MARILYN MANSON stormed back into Boston’s House of Blues (currently known as Citizens House of Blues) like a gothic godfather reclaiming his altar. The room was beyond packed — shoulder to shoulder, boot to boot, black lace clashing with leather jackets in a tightly wound pit of anticipation. The sweat was already dripping before the lights even dropped, and yet no one seemed to care. We were all there for the same reason: to feel something sharp, loud, and unforgettable.
The curtain stayed drawn, but a sickly green light started pulsing behind it. A low hum bled into the room, like an electric prayer. Then came the sound — low and ominous at first, like something bubbling up from a haunted basement. It got heavier. The green turned blood red. The tension climbed. Then, all at once, it dropped.
Manson emerged — no delay, no ceremony. Just impact. The Antichrist Superstar himself, boots hitting the stage like a war drum, launching full-throttle into “Disposable Teens.” The crowd exploded. It wasn’t just noise; it was a roar — primal, unified, almost spiritual. You could feel it in your ribs.
His voice? As dangerous and commanding as it ever was. His presence? Still that eerie blend of preacher and predator. Between verses, he paused to acknowledge the city: “Boston… I missed you. And they won’t take you away from me.” Each time he said it, the room got louder. Fans shrieked, fists shot up, people climbed on each other’s shoulders like they were trying to reach him physically.
At several points in the show, in a perfectly grotesque Manson flourish, he’d grab a crisp tour shirt from the stage setup, wipe the sweat from his face and chest with it like it was a communion cloth — then fling it into the sea of hands with a smirk. It wasn’t just merch at that point. It was a souvenir soaked in madness, and fans clawed for it like it meant salvation.
The setlist played like a requiem for the old world — each track crashing harder than the last. “The Beautiful People” turned the floor into a writhing sea of bodies, and “mOBSCENE” brought out the chaos with such force it almost tore the walls off. Crowd surfers popped up like popcorn, riding waves of hands and howling like lunatics.
But Manson’s not just about chaos — he’s about control. He wielded the atmosphere like a weapon, tightening and releasing with perfect timing. Energy? It never dipped. Not once. Even the walls were sweating.
And just when it felt like we’d hit the limit, the encore delivered the sucker punch. Fake snow — pure white, cascading down like ash — poured across the stage as Manson drifted into a haunting, theatrical version of “Coma White.” It was strange, beautiful, and totally unhinged.
Then — the real surprise. With a wry smile and a devilish glint, he launched into a cover of Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight.” Darker, slower, and more menacing than ever. That iconic drum break? It hit like a sledgehammer to the chest. The whole place lost it.
In a world obsessed with reinvention, Manson doesn’t have to change — he just has to show up. And when he does, it’s not just a concert. It’s a ritual.
Boston will be feeling this one for a long time.
Setlist
Nod If You Understand
Disposable Teens
Get Your Gunn
Tourniquet
This Is the New Shit
Sacrilegious
The Nobodies
Say10
mOBSCENE
Long Hard Road Out of Hell
The Dope Show
As Sick as the Secrets Within
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Eurythmics cover)
The Beautiful People
Encore:
In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover)
Encore 2:
Coma White One Assassination Under God
Band members Marilyn Manson – lead vocals
Tyler Bates – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Reba Meyers – guitars, backing vocals
Piggy D. – bass, backing vocals
Gil Sharone – drums
This Finnish beast returns with its third full-length opus, delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements.
Formed in Helsinki, Finland, in early 2008, Death Metal/Grindcore outfit Refusal is set to unleash upon humanity their third full-length album, entitled Venomous Human Concept, the follow-up to their 2019 offering Epitome of Void. Delivering a raw and unrelenting blend of Death Metal infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements, striking a perfect balance between groove-driven intensity and razor-sharp precision, the band currently formed of Juhani Paasipohja on vocals, Tero Pirhonen and Kalle Kuosmanen on the guitars, Timo Pirhonen on bass, and Aleksi Roitto on drums is on fire throughout their entire new album, with the sharp mixing by Olli Nokkala at Studio Kolotila and the first-class mastering by Henri Sorvali at Trollhouse Audio turning it into a must-listen for fans of Napalm Death, Misery Index, Entombed, and Rotten Sound, among several others.
Tero and Kalle will cut your skin deep with their dirty, caustic riffs in Scholar of Perversion, while Juhani already barks and roars like a creature from darkness. The title-track Venomous Human Concept tells a story of rising up against the ruling class, and the ones who hold the wealth and power; musically speaking, it’s a demented hybrid of Death Metal and Grindcore led by the insane drums by Aleksi, followed by The Grip Tightens, sounding even more infuriated, or in other words, it’s a demonic display of Death Metal where Juhani vociferates rabidly nonstop. The band continues to spread hatred and violence in Insatiable God, with the scorching riffs by Tero and Kalle inspiring us all for some wild headbanging, and those Finnish death metallers show no mercy for our cranial skulls in War of Nothing, with Aleksi once again crushing his enemies behind his drums.
There’s no sign of the band slowing down or sounding mellower; quite the contrary, it’s total anarchy in Dehumanize, blasting our heads with their furious Death Metal onrush, whereas We Are the Undead is one of the most violent tracks of the entire album, overflowing aggression thanks to another venomous performance by Juhani with his demented roars and the always demolishing beats and fills by Aleksi. Their violent sounds continue to fill every single space in the air in Sleeping Leviathan, with the stringed axes by Tero, Kalle and Timo transpiring pure, unfiltered Death Metal magic. There’s still time to slam into the pit to the hybrid of Death Metal with Grindcore entitled Congregation of the Eyeless, again presenting an avalanche of piercing riffs and infernal growls, and the band then ends the album with the Doom Metal-infused Eternal Refrain, sounding dark and sinister until the very end, with the hammering drums by Aleksi feeling utterly chaotic.
After all is said and done, Venomous Human Concept, which is available for purchase from the band’s own BandCamp or from the Time To Kill Records’ webstore, will definitely help Refusal cement their name not only in the always incendiary local Finnish scene, but also all over the world where our good old Death Metal is properly appreciated, and you can also support those hellish metallers by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by streaming their discography on Spotify. In other words, get ready to be pulverized by Refusal to the sound of Venomous Human Concept because, as you might already know, Death Metal is their business, and business is good.
Best moments of the album:Venomous Human Concept, We Are the Undead and Sleeping Leviathan.
Worst moments of the album:Insatiable God.
Released in 2025 Time To Kill Records
Track listing 1. Scholar of Perversion 3:39
2. Venomous Human Concept 2:57
3. The Grip Tightens 3:13
4. Insatiable God 2:50
5. War of Nothing 4:38
6. Dehumanize 4:39
7. We Are the Undead 3:42
8. Sleeping Leviathan 1:24
9. Congregation of the Eyeless 3:36
10. Eternal Refrain 5:04
Band members Juhani Paasipohja – vocals
Tero Pirhonen – guitars
Kalle Kuosmanen – guitars
Timo Pirhonen – bass, backing vocals
Aleksi Roitto – drums
Arising from a previous band out of the ashes of the Covid-19 pandemic, this five-piece Progressive/Blackened Death Metal act is ready to kill armed with their debut offering.
Arising from a previous band named Locisteller, out of the ashes of the Covid-19 pandemic, Seattle, Washington-based Progressive/Blackened Death Metal act Lacabra is ready to kill armed with their self-titled debut offering, showcasing an array of eclectic influences from traditional Heavy Metal, Dark Wave, Black Metal as well as 90’s Melodic Death Metal. Produced by Gwen Kerjan at Slab Sound Studio, mastered by Andy LaRocque at Sonic Train Studios, and displaying a sinister artwork by world renowned illustrator Néstor Ávalos, the album is a must-listen for fans of Goatwhore, Crypta, Nervosa, Blood Incantation, and Amorphis, effectively depicting all the dexterity and passion for heavy music by Lance Neatherlin on vocals, Michael Anthony and Eric Snyder on the guitars, Eric Weber on bass, and Richie Sather on drums.
A darkly atmospheric intro sets the stage for Lacabra to summon the dark forces in Blood Of The Goat 1876, offering a solid blend of Blackened and Melodic Death Metal led by the striking riffs and solos by Michael and Eric Snyder. Lance’s enraged vocal lines are the main ingredient in the striking Fallacy, where the progressiveness flowing from their guitars, bass and drums is amazing; and it’s time to bang our heads nonstop together with Lacabra in Human Quilt, where the metallic sound of their guitars walk hand in hand with the massive beats by Richie. And another shot of eerie sounds ignite Nothing, where the band fires an even darker sonority led by the devilish gnarling by Lance.
The band then enhances their animosity and delivers an overdose of aggressive sounds in Reprobate, leaning towards a more classic version of Black Metal, with Richie stealing the show with his intricate yet demented drumming; whereas Enemy (Feeding The Flames) is indeed a flammable display of blackened music, with Lance roaring manically supported by the unstoppable riffs by Michael and Eric Snyder. Such an evil horde shows no sign of slowing down at all in I Am Thee, crushing our frail bodies with their Blackened Death Metal attack mercilessly, while a more cadenced side of the band arises in The Devil’s Mechanic, with their Melodic Death Metal riffs and beats reminding me of In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. They end the album with Fractured, which is in my opinion the most electrifying of all songs, delivering sheer adrenaline and heaviness and, therefore, inviting us all to slam into the pit like there’s no tomorrow.
The guys from Lacabra are not fooling around when it comes to crafting heavy, enraged, dark and melodic music, and you can give them a shout and show them all your respect by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as by streaming their music on Spotify, and put your dirty hands on their infernal debut opus by purchasing it from their own BandCamp or from the M-Theory Audio’s webstore. I’m sure Lacabra will soon spread their blackened wings and horns to all four corners of the earth with their live performances, and if the energy flowing from the stage is just as half as good as the music found in their new album, you better be prepared to be crushed like an insect inside the pit, because there will be blood.
Best moments of the album:Reprobate, The Devil’s Mechanic and Fractured.
Worst moments of the album:Nothing.
Released in 2025 M-Theory Audio
Track listing 1. Blood Of The Goat 1876 6:15
2. Fallacy 4:39
3. Human Quilt 3:35
4. Nothing 5:32
5. Reprobate 4:18
6. Enemy (Feeding The Flames) 3:53
7. I Am Thee 5:49
8. The Devil’s Mechanic 3:37
9. Fractured 5:32
Band members Lance Neatherlin – vocals
Michael Anthony – guitars
Eric Snyder – guitars
Eric Weber – bass
Richie Sather – drums
This up-and-coming Italian duo will destroy your senses with their blend of Death and Black Metal, offering an inter-spiritual bridge between the heavens and hell itself in their new album.
Formed back in 2018 in the fires of Trieste, the capital city of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region in northeast Italy, Black/Death Metal entity Affliction Vector is ready to crush our putrid souls to the sound of their first-ever full-length album, titled Contra Hominem, the follow-up to their 2020 debut EP Death Comes Supreme. Contra Hominem, a Latin phrase that translates to “against the person” or “argument against the man”, displays the full power of Affliction Vector’s potential, being highly recommended for maniacs of more-recent Teitanblood or esteemed labelmates Possession and Venefixion. In addition, despite being “just” a duo, vocalist, guitarist and bassist Ans and new drummer Stefano (Claustrum, Fuoco Fatuo) create a swirling mass of miasmic physicality, patiently doling out dizzying speed and stomping doom alike, where every single second, every single strike of string or drum, every howl from the abyss, is actually felt, so authentic is their execution.
Cryptic, Stygian piano notes drag us to Affliction Vector’s lair in Antiuomo, evolving into a fusion of Death and Doom Metal led by the gnarls from the abyss by Ans, whereas in Lethal we face extremely lethal sounds blasted by Ans and Stefano, with Ans’ Black Metal riffs scathing our minds mercilessly; followed by the cadaverous interlude Cavern’s Murmur, setting the stage for the duo to consume our damned souls once again in Ephemeral Lifeless, another onrush of blackened sounds where the strident guitars by Ans match perfectly with Stefano’s devilish beats. Then after another (not-so-exciting) sinister interlude titled Abyss Rises we have Nero Gorgo, a lecture in chaos and insanity by the duo, with Ans bursting his lungs screaming like a demonic beast nonstop. In Animalis Irae they blast our evil minds with another round of their Black and Death Metal magic, with Ans shredding his guitar in great fashion; whereas lastly it’s time to descend into the abyss with the duo in To Lucifer, bringing forward 6(66) minutes of savage growls, demonic riffs and hammering drums, closing the album on a pure sulfuric note.
After all is said and done, Affliction Vector are offering an inter-spiritual bridge between the heavens and hell itself. And then, after nearly a half-hour, Contra Hominem concludes and that listener is either invigorated or drained, or both. Hence, if you want to experience the spiritual voyage offered by the duo in their brand new album, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram with news and more of their music, stream their devilish, caustic creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the ruthless Contra Hominem from Iron Bonehead’s BandCamp or webstore. The Italian Death and Black Metal scene is always a very interesting and fun one, and of course Affliction Vector live up to the legacy of the genre, sounding as dark, heavy, evil and grim as we learned to love in the underground, all perfectly depicted in their bestial new offering.
Best moments of the album:Lethal, Nero Gorgo and To Lucifer.
Catching the light with every stroke… Bringing to life the soul trapped in stone… Carving your name into eternity!
After witnessing her latest breathtaking live performance in Toronto last month, let’s say that the our metal lady of this month of June on The Headbanging Moose climbed up to the top of the list in terms of priority. She was simply fantastic onstage together with her also amazing band, hypnotizing every single person at the venue with her undeniable talent, incredible voice, and stunning looks. A dramatic soprano better known as the Opera singer of Italian Symphonic Death Metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse, she can sing pretty much any type of music, from Opera to Heavy Metal, from modern rock music to pop, and so on, and whenever she has some free time from music she’s also a PC gamer geek. I’m talking about the beyond talented Veronica Bordacchini, and I’m sure after knowing more about her life and career you’ll definitely get addicted to her beautiful vocals and music.
Born on July 9, 1988 in Todi, a town and “comune” (or municipality) of the province of Perugia, in the region of Umbria in central Italy, Veronica was a fan of games like hide-and-seek and playing cards during her childhood. “I was lucky enough to have been born in a country area, just a few kilometres from the historic centre of my little town, Todi, in the province of Perugia. I grew up in this building with five families. All five families had at least one child my age, so we went to kindergarten, elementary, and middle school together. From the first to the last day of summer vacation always under the house playing hide-and-seek and then cards because I’m old at heart. I was already playing cards when I was 12 years old, it’s wonderful. I still enjoy it. So ‘briscola’ (a typical Italian game cards) with friends of the same age was another game,” she mentioned in one of her interviews.
Speaking about her career with Italian cult metallers Fleshgod Apocalypse, the band had already been active for a few years before she joined them first as a guest musician, and then as a permanent member of the band. Fleshgod Apocalypse were formed back in April 2007 by Francesco Paoli, formerly frontman of the band Hour of Penance, releasing their debut opus Oracles in 2008, and a few years later, more specifically in 2011, it was when Veronica started singing with the band both in the studio as a guest vocalist in a few songs per album, as well as a touring musician, always as a soprano. Her first songs with the band were Temptation and The Egoism, both from their 2011 album Agony, followed by Kingborn, Towards the Sun, Warpledge and Epilogue, from their 2013 album Labyrinth; Cold as Perfection, Paramour (Die Leidenschaft bringt Leiden) and Syphilis, from their 2016 album King; and finally doing all soprano vocals in their 2019 album Veleno, still as a guest musician, like in the songs Sugar and Carnivorous Lamb.
It was back in 2020 when Veronica became a permanent member of the band, doing both soprano and clean vocals in a few singles, those being The Day We’ll Be Gone, No, Blue (Turns To Red), and Pendulum, before recording with them in 2024 the superb full-length opus Opera, definitely marking another step forward for the band, incorporating new suggestions into that unique blend they’re renowned for, such as sheer violence, majestic orchestrations, and soaring melodies. Not only that, the cover art portrays Veronica as Music, a superior entity that defeats the social and artistic decay of modern age, and the music found in the album is simply stunning as you can enjoy in songs like Morphine Waltz, I Can Never Die, and Bloodclock. All of their creations with (and without) Veronica are available on Spotify, as well as all of their official videos can be found on YouTube. Currently formed of Francesco Paoli on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and bass, Francesco Ferrini on the piano, string arrangements and orchestral effects, our diva Veronica Bordacchini on operatic and clean vocals, Fabio Bartoletti on lead and rhythm guitars, and Eugene Ryabchenko on drums, Fleshgod Apocalypse are reaching new heights with Opera, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for the band in the world of music.
Veronica is (or was) also the vocalist for a Perugia, Italy-based Symphonic/Gothic Metal band named In Tenebra, which doesn’t have anything released after their 2009 demo Introspection, a 2012 two-song promo, and a 2014 five-song promo including the two tracks from their 2012 promo, one from their debut demo, and two new songs. The songs from Introspection are available on YouTube, which means you can enjoy some pre-Fleshgod Apocalype Veronica in the songs Against Myself, The Promise, and My Perfect Evil, but that’s it. She was also part of a Gothic/Industrial Metal duo named Wisteria over ten years ago under the moniker ValchiReA, alongside multi-instrumentalist Stefano Urbani (aka AtoragoN), not only recording the vocals for their 2010 demo Mechanical Phoenix and their 2014 album Under an 8-Bit Moon, but also taking care of the layout for the 2014 release. You can enjoy some of the coolest songs of their 2014 album on Youtube, those being R’Lyeh (The Call of the Cthulhu), Cenobite (Hellraiser), and their cover version for Eleanor Rigby, by The Beatles.
She can also be found as a guest vocalist in a variety of songs and albums from bands from different styles, those being the song What She Creates, She Will Destroy, from the 2021 EP The Holocene Termination, by Indian Death/Black/Thrash Metal machine Demonstealer; all female vocals in the 2022 album Decade of Silence, by Finnish Symphonic Death/Doom Metal band Depressed Mode; the song The Great Tribulation, from the 2022 EP The Alchemy Project, by Dutch Symphonic Metal masters Epica; the song Tartarus Rising, from the 2025 album Tomb of the Tormentor, by International Symphonic Deathcore act Hate Within; and the song Holographic Webs We Weave, from the 2019 album Lamentations: Of Deceit & Redemption, by Australian Technical Black/Death Metal band In the Burial. Let’s say it was more than obvious that we would see Veronica contributing to countless bands, because you know, her vocals are simply perfect for any type of music.
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In some of her interviews, Veronica discussed her life on the road, not only talking about how demanding touring can be, but also about some of her favorite places to play, as well as the weirdest ones. When asked about the weirdest venue she’s ever played at, her answer was a boat named Petit Bain in Paris. “Because it’s a very small boat, even though it’s a full-fledged venue inside. But when the audience does the wall of death, circle pit, or moshpit, the boat moves, and you’re there saying, ‘Oh my God.’ But on the other side, the 70,000 Tons of Metal was twice the best experience of my life, just because of the concept,” commented Veronica, who also prefer long tours with 30 or more shows in a row than smaller ones. “You come back home after three days, then you have to leave for other 3 days, then again you go home, then you leave again and so on. Usually you feel good when you have to face really long tours, even with a hostile weather, even if I have to say that the first week is always a bit tougher, then you go with the flow and you get used to it.”
She also mentioned that although it might be a bit harder for women to be part of a metal band, once you’re in you end up getting all the necessary support from the rest of the band, as well as from fans and even other musicians. “I consider myself lucky because those guys with whom I share so much of my life are brothers,” she said, mentioning all the support she’s been receiving from Francesco from day one. In addition, she also commented about the confidence she now has thanks to the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of Cannibal Corpse, who went to see Fleshgod Apocalypse once in Berlin. He hugged her after the show and said “this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” and Veronica replied “I have like all your records, I’ve been a fan of yours since I was a little girl,” because she said she grew up listening to Grindcore and Deathcore. Then she told him she was afraid of his judgment, to which he replied “are you kidding? I mean, it’s well done, it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful and good.”
Veronica also loves to play in the United States and Canada, saying the band has even gotten bigger in those countries than in her homeland Italy, because in her opinion the North American fans are always willing to drive longer distances to see concerts, and buy a lot more merchandise during those concerts. “I still remember when I was the merch chick for Fleshgod Apocalypse. I remember a guy who came to get a copy of the album and he told me that he already had a copy at home, he had also t-shirts and he told me that he wanted to buy even more because he wanted to give us his complete support.” The band has already headlined a few tours across the United States and Canada, all very successful with lots of sold out concerts, which proves Veronica is not wrong at all when she praises her North American fans.
As a very active person in different social media platforms, Veronica believes the internet has done more good than bad to most bands and music in general. She said in one of her interviews that the internet allowed people from the most remote corners of the earth to get to know bands from all across the globe, as well as several kids started playing instruments because of online tutorials and lessons, also mentioning that, on the other hand, the human contact between teacher and student might have been lost a little bit. The internet also played a nice part in the life of Veronica back in January 2023, as she was taken by surprise when her partner asked her to marry him onstage during one of their shows in Madrid, Spain. Her then boyfriend, Alessandro Salari, came out from behind the stage holding the ring box behind his back, approached her, showed her the box and knelt down, and of course she nodded “yes,” and the couple hugged as the crowd cheered wildly. The internet played a huge part in it as she was able to share such a special moment in her life with the entire world via her official Instagram account. “I know this might sound cheesy, but words can’t describe my feelings at all right now. The sacrifices this guy made just to get to Madrid and propose in front of the whole venue are remarkable. I can’t be happier to share my everything with the best person I’ve ever met in my whole life. I know you’ll make me the happiest wife ever and I promise I’ll try to do the same for you. I love you.” Not sure if it was the adrenaline and happiness that took her entire body and soul at that moment, but after that her vocals got even more powerful, touching and emotional both in the studio and on stage. Is it the power of love, of the power of metal? I would say both, and may she continue her incredible path in heavy music for many decades to come, always hypnotizing us all with her undeniable talent and charisma.
Behold this lecture in Atmospheric and Progressive Extreme Metal infused with grandiose orchestrations, endless darkness and energy, and beautiful musicianship.
What started in 2012 in Germany by multi-instrumentalist Ole (of bands like Autokrator, Lycanthropy and Deathstruck) as a one-man project has now turned into a force to be reckoned with in the extreme music scene worldwide. Currently located in Dublin, Ireland, Atmospheric and Progressive Black/Death Metal entity Khôra (in Plato’s account, Khôra is neither being nor nonbeing but an interval between in which the “forms” were originally held) has just unleashed their sophomore opus, entitled Ananke, a more-than-worthy follow-up to their 2020 debut Timaeus. Recorded at Studio Henosis (vocals), Perdition Studio (guitars), Stemcellar Studio (bass), Trackmix Studio (drums), and Steamsaw Studio (orchestrations), mixed and mastered by Frederic Gervais at Studio Henosis, and showcasing a darkly hypnotizing artwork by Simon Chognot of Cold Mind Art, the new album by Ole on the guitars and drums alongside Frédéric (Orakle) on vocals, Göran (Setherial, Svartghast) on bass, and Kjetil (Profane Burial, Haimad) on keyboards and orchestrations, plus an array of special guests including Rune ‘Blasphemer’ Eriksen (Mayhem), Kristian Niemann (Therion), Wolfgang Rothbauer (Thirdmoon), and André ‘Cosmocrator’ Søgnen (The Wretched End), among others, is a lecture in Extreme Metal infused with grandiose orchestrations, endless darkness and energy, and beautiful musicianship, or in other words, a must-listen for fans of the genre.
Featuring a guest guitar solo by Blasphemer (Aura Noir, Vltimas), atmospheric and captivating sounds permeate the air in Empyreal Spindle, exploding into a dark yet very technical feast of Progressive Black Metal led by Ole’s intricate beats and fills. Then we have Legion of the Moirai, with guest vocals by Arnhwald R. (Deathcode Society), sounding even more imposing and somber, with all background orchestrations blackening the skies while Frédéric roars and barks manically nonstop; followed by Wrestling with the Gods, featuring a guest guitar solo by Kristian Niemann (Sorcerer), another striking fusion of Progressive Black and Death Metal where the riffs and bass by Ole and Göran, respectively, exhale aggressiveness, melody and groove. And guest Bill Kranos (Arkhangelsk, Savaoth) delivers striking vocals and a wicked guitar solo in In the Throes of Ascension, a slab of sheer brutality and darkness with Ole stealing the spotlight with his inhumane drumming.
The band then fires a beyond cryptic and epic interlude titled Arcane Creation, setting the stage for the unrelenting On a Starpath, with the harsh vocals by guest Wolfgang Rothbauer (In Slumber, Thirdmoon) crushing your spinal cord mercilessly while the clean vocals by Frédéric and the keys by Kjetil are a lecture in Progressive Metal. It’s pedal to the metal in the infuriated The Sentinel, spearheaded by Ole’s demented vocals and infernal beats while Göran keeps hammering his bass in the name of heavy music; and their Black Metal vein pulses even harder in Supernal Light, with Kjetil embellishing the airwaves with his keys and orchestrations. The last song of the album, entitled Crowned, offers more of the bands Stygian sounds infused with tons of progressiveness and heaviness, even presenting elements from Doom Metal, a stylish and embracing aria by Ole and his henchmen flowing into the cinematic outro Q.E.D, which puts a sinister, Mephistophelian ending to such a fantastic opus.
You can enjoy this precious gem of the underground metal scene in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course show your total support to Khôra by purchasing the album from the Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions’ BandCamp or webstore. The guys from Khôra, who are also waiting for you on Facebook with more nice-to-know information about the band, simply nailed it with Ananke, raising the bar high for their upcoming releases without a shadow of a doubt, and positioning their newborn spawn as one of the best and most diverse and dynamic albums of the year.
Best moments of the album:Legion of the Moirai, In the Throes of Ascension, The Sentinel and Crowned.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions
Track listing 1. Empyreal Spindle 5:18
2. Legion of the Moirai 4:39
3. Wrestling with the Gods 3:57
4. In the Throes of Ascension 3:54
5. Arcane Creation 2:33
6. On a Starpath 4:08
7. The Sentinel 4:01
8. Supernal Light 4:33
9. Crowned 6:47
10. Q.E.D 1:19
Band members Frédéric – vocals, additional effects
Ole – guitars, drums, vocals on “The Sentinel”
Göran – bass
Kjetil – keyboards, orchestrations, effects
Guest musicians
Blasphemer – guitar solo on “Empyreal Spindle”
Daniel Müller – bass on “Empyreal Spindle” and “Legion of the Moirai”
Cosmocrator – effects on “Empyreal Spindle” and “Q.E.D”
Arnhwald R. – vocals on “Legion of the Moirai”
PJ O’Connell – guitar solos on “Legion of the Moirai”, “On a Starpath” and “Supernal Light”
Kristian Niemann – guitar solo on “Wrestling with the Gods”
Bill Kranos – vocals on “In the Throes of Ascension”, effects on “Wrestling with the Gods”, guitar solos on “In the Throes of Ascension”, “The Sentinel” and “Crowned ”
Wolfgang Rothbauer – harsh vocals on “On a Starpath”
Like a savage beast ready to kill, this Belgian Symphonic Deathcore outfit will crush your soul with their new EP, offering some of their most destructive compositions to date.
Like a savage beast ready to kill, Aarschot, Belgium’s own Symphonic Deathcore behemoth When Plagues Collide arises once again from the underworld with another blast of their undisputed extreme music, the incendiary five-track EP Kingmaker, following up on their critically acclaimed full-length albums Tutor of the Dying, from 2018, and An Unbiblical Paradigm, released in 2023. The band’s lineup is the same as before, formed of Wouter Dergez on vocals, Santy Van der Mieren and Joris Dergez on the guitars, Joshua Kinsbergen on bass, and Siebe Hermans on drums, but it feels like those guys decided to take their ferocity to a whole new level in Kingmaker, offering some of their most destructive compositions to date without obviously forgetting to add a good amount of melody and symphonic elements to their core sonority.
Wouter shows no mercy for our souls with his deep, enraged guttural in Mother of Exiles, already offering the band’s classic fusion of violence with symphonic and ethereal elements, not to mention how thunderous the beats by Siebe sound. Then the title-track Kingmaker brings to our avid ears and even heavier version of When Plagues Collide, with Santy and Joris slashing their axes nonstop in the name of extreme music, followed by Persona Non Grata, and with an aggressive name like that we couldn’t have expected anything less violent and harsh, led by the gruesome vociferations by Wouter while the music transpires sulfur and hatred. Their Symphonic Deathcore vein pulses harder than ever in A Grim Counselor, again presenting their fusion of visceral riffs and pounding drums with whimsical background sounds; and ending the EP we have the unrelenting, absolutely demolishing and grim Harvesting the Uterus, with once again Wouter’s bestial growls walking hand in hand with the heavier-than-hell sounds crafted by his bandmates.
You can get in touch with those beyond talented Belgian guys via Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with all things When Plagues Collide, including their live concerts (and how I wish they would cross the pond and demolish the stages in Toronto and rest of Canada in a near future), stream their amazing discography on Spotify or any other streaming service, or simply go straight into Kingmaker by clicking HERE. When Plagues Collide are already a reference in Symphonic Deathcore and in Deathcore in general, growing their fanbase with each of their demolishing releases, and I can’t wait to see what’s next in their more-than-solid career. Needless to say, if their next full-length album is just half as good as Kingmaker, we will all be a bunch of happy headbangers.
Best moments of the album:Mother of Exiles, Persona Non Grata and Harvesting the Uterus.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Seek & Strike
Track listing 1. Mother of Exiles 4:54
2. Kingmaker 3:47
3. Persona Non Grata 4:23
4. A Grim Counselor 3:29
5. Harvesting the Uterus 4:22
Band members Wouter Dergez – vocals
Santy Van der Mieren – guitar
Joris Dergez – guitar
Joshua Kinsbergen – bass
Siebe Hermans – drums
This Belgian Death Metal and Deathcore supergroup will crush their enemies armed with their debut opus, see them driven before them, and hear the lamentation of their women.
Formed in 2021 in Waregem, a municipality and city located in the Belgian province of West Flanders, Death Metal/Deathcore beast Coffin Feeder has just spewed upon humanity their first ever full-length album, titled Big Trouble, the follow-up to their 2022 EPs Stereo Homicide and Over the Top. Recorded by Lander Cluyse and Jeroen Camerlynck, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio Studio, and displaying a marvelous artwork that pays homage to all action movies from the 80’s and 90’s we all love so much, the new offering by frontman Sven de Caluwé (Aborted), guitarists Jeroen Camerlynck and Bart Govers (Fleddy Melculy), bassist Jan Hallaert (Leng Tch’e, Motormouth), and drummer Siebe Hermans (Reverse the Sun, When Plagues Collide) goes above and beyond with their fusion of extreme music and action flicks, resulting in 12 tracks of ultimate brutality that will surely inspire you to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of their women.
Not sure if the intro There Will Be Trouble was inspired by Big Trouble in Little China or by a quote from Robocop, but anyway it’s a very cool and cinematic warmup for the pulverizing Porkchop Express, featuring guest vocalist Julien Truchan of Benighted, with their slamming feast being led by the hammering drums by Siebe in the best Brutal Death Metal style imaginable. Then featuring guest vocals by Ben Duerr of Shadow of Intent, If It Bleeds, inspired by one of the most famous quotes from the 1984 cult movie Predator, is absolutely mental, with Sven sounding inhumane on vocals in this newborn masterpiece of violence and bloodshed. Conan couldn’t have been left out of the party, and the song in his honor, The Destroyer, will crush your spinal cord to the ruthless riffage by Jeroen and Bart (because they know what’s best in life); whereas the rumbling bass by Jan will make your head tremble in Love at First Death, accompanied by the always demented beats and fills by Siebe. And Plain Zero, with guest vocals by Mark Hunter of Chimaira, is a song that will pulverize your frail body mercilessly, with all vocals and instruments exhaling sheer violence and hatred.
Sven continues to bark like a demonic creature in Obey, offering more of the band’s trademark ferocity, with Jan and Siebe once again crafting utterly thunderous sounds through their infernal kitchen. Then it’s time to bang our heads like rabid maniacs in Get to the Party, with the entire band inviting our “beloved” Richter to a brutal slamming feast made in Belgium; followed by Let Off Some Steam, a lecture in Death Metal infused with Deathcore and endless dementia, with Sven once again bursting his lungs by roaring like an evil beast. Needless to say, Bennett must be proud of the boys from Coffin Feeder. H.I.S.S. is by far the least exciting of all songs, never really taking off despite its strong atmosphere, whereas A Good Day to Die offers another blast of venomous riffs and bass lines by Jeroen, Bart and Jan, bringing nuances of Groove Metal and Djent added to their core essence, not to mention its epic background elements. There’s time for one last dive into the circle pit to the sound of The Wrong Arm of the Law, offering a ruthless slab of Deathcore where Sven and Siebe are in absolute sync with their respective roars and beats.
In a nutshell, if you love a good amount of brutality played to perfection, infused with endless adrenaline, and paying homage to all movies that helped put the word “action” in Hollywood the likes of Predator, Commando, and Cobra, you must give a listen to the infuriated Big Trouble, available for purchase from the Listenable Records’ BandCamp or by clicking on these links for the physical or digital edition of the album. You can also “get to da choppa” and start following this demonic supergroup on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and stream their bestial creations on Spotify. If it bleeds, we can kill it. And if it’s a ruthless fusion of Death Metal and Deathcore like what they have to offer us in Big Trouble, then we can slam.
Best moments of the album:If It Bleeds, Plain Zero, Let Off Some Steam and The Wrong Arm of the Law.
Worst moments of the album:H.I.S.S.
Released in 2025 Listenable Records
Track listing 1. There Will Be Trouble 0:56
2. Porkchop Express 2:57
3. If It Bleeds 3:10
4. The Destroyer 3:02
5. Love at First Death 3:18
6. Plain Zero 3:29
7. Obey 2:32
8. Get to the Party 3:25
9. Let Off Some Steam 3:48
10. H.I.S.S. 1:44
11. A Good Day to Die 3:28
12. The Wrong Arm of the Law 3:22
Band members Sven de Caluwé – vocals
Jeroen Camerlynck – guitars, backing vocals
Bart Govers – guitars, backing vocals
Jan Hallaert – bass
Siebe Hermans – drums
Guest musicians
Mark Hunter – vocals on “Plain Zero”
Julien Truchan – vocals on “Porkchop Express”
Ben Duerr – vocals on “If It Bleeds”
Emerging from the boiling bowels of horrendous vomit and uncompromising gore, this unrelenting Italian Goregrind brigade will attack armed with their filthy sophomore album.
Emerging from the boiling bowels of horrendous vomit and uncompromising gore, the unrelenting Italian Goregrind brigade Golem Of Gore is finally back with their most faceted, dramatic yet filthier work, entitled Ultimo Mondo Cane, or “last dog world” in English, a monstrous battle hymn for all the gore freaks out there. Recorded by Marco Carboni, mixed and mastered by Davide Guerri (with vinyl mastered by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio), and displaying a sick artwork by James Wilson with collage art by Adam Medford, the sophomore album by vocalist Riki, guitarist Marco, bassist Bonne, and drummer Dave is an overdose of savagery and blast beats, proving only gore is real and, of course, being recommended for admirers of the music by Last Days Of Humanity, Regurgitate, Pissgrave, and Caustic Wound, among several others bringers of gore worldwide.
The album starts with the cryptic, devilish movie-like intro Cruelty Abounds On This Planet, opening the gates of horror and gore and, therefore, letting Golem of Gore invade our world and kill us all in The Fragrance Of Pus – Filled Eyes of the Dead, with Riki’s demented, deep guttural sounding absolutely bestial. In Regurgitated Entrails With Intense Mortification the name of the song says it all, offering an overdose of savagery led by the insane drums by Dave; whereas guest Gabri from Terror Firmer delivers screaming devastation in Withdrawal Crisis – Through the Keyhole of Madness, elevating its gore and insanity considerably. The visceral riffs by Marco will slash your entrails in In The Cold Room Of My Restaurant, You Are Dog Food, while in L’isola maledetta – Immersed In A Formaldehyde Coffin all members of Slug Gore (those being Amianto, Fuoco and Sbocco) unite for total gore and devastation. The Slasher in Black Latex – Acrid Aroma In Tenebris is the perfect depiction of the band’s infuriated blend of Grindcore, whereas A Prayer From The Filthy Creatures Of The Deep presents one and a half minute of brutal slamming led by the demented drumming by Dave, which is also the case in Buried in Feces – Ultimo Mondo Cane.
Then we face the spine-chilling interlude La Montagna della Dea Cannibale before guest Tom from Haggus spews filth in Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit, a ruthless, wild display of Goregrind perfect for slamming into the pit like a true metalmaniac. Fucked By The Shovel, Thrown Into Violent Screams is another song with a charming name displaying the always gruesome roars by Riki, followed by Methamphetamine – Drenched In Piss And Gore, another minute of pure Grindcore with their riffs and blast beats sounding inhumane. The two part song formed of Through The Gates of Hell – Una tomba aperta and Back From The Gates of Hell – Una bara vuota showcases a band that only knows the language of gore; followed by The Final Feast of the Damned – Tre Passi nel delirio, with Marco and Bonne destroying their stringed axes. Cannibal Banquet for the Lord of Flies – Maggots Throne is an ode to the most putrid and horrid Italian horror movies, offering excellence in pure gore and heaviness, before all comes to an end with Senza Uscita – Worse Than Reality, a virulent, putrid outro that will haunt your damned souls for all eternity.
“Every culture, every belief hides grotesque contradictions. Mondo Cane (1962) exposed this raw truth, unveiling cruelty, rituals, and civilization’s dark side. This album is our tribute – no escape, no trigger warnings. Face the horror or look away… but it won’t disappear. Pure goregrind: relentless blast beats, vomit-drenched vocals, and crushing guitars. No gimmicks, no clownish nonsense… just 100% raw, putrid brutality in your face,” commented the band, and you can join them in all of such filth and gore by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their putrid creations on Spotify, and by purchasing a copy of the depraved Ultimo Mondo Cane via mailorder or BandCamp. Our world is cruel, filthy, and dark, and the extreme aggression flowing from the new album by Golem Of Gore will open your eyes for all that’s wrong in our rotten and decaying society.
Best moments of the album:The Fragrance Of Pus – Filled Eyes of the Dead, The Slasher in Black Latex – Acrid Aroma In Tenebris, A Prayer From The Filthy Creatures Of The Deep, Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit and Cannibal Banquet for the Lord of Flies – Maggots Throne.
Worst moments of the album:La Montagna della Dea Cannibale (Interlude).
Released in 2025 Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Cruelty Abounds On This Planet (Intro) 2:36
2. The Fragrance Of Pus – Filled Eyes of the Dead 1:46
3. Regurgitated Entrails With Intense Mortification 1:21
4. Withdrawal Crisis – Through the Keyhole of Madness 2:19
5. In The Cold Room Of My Restaurant, You Are Dog Food 2:18
6. L’isola maledetta – Immersed In A Formaldehyde Coffin 2:26
7. The Slasher in Black Latex – Acrid Aroma In Tenebris 2:39
8. A Prayer From The Filthy Creatures Of The Deep 1:31
9. Buried in Feces – Ultimo Mondo Cane 1:00
10. La Montagna della Dea Cannibale (Interlude) 3:16
11. Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit 2:10
12. Fucked By The Shovel, Thrown Into Violent Screams 3:14
13. Methamphetamine – Drenched In Piss And Gore 1:00
14. Through The Gates of Hell – Una tomba aperta 0:43
15. Back From The Gates of Hell – Una bara vuota 0:44
16. The Final Feast of the Damned – Tre Passi nel delirio 1:30
17. Cannibal Banquet for the Lord of Flies – Maggots Throne 2:42
18. Senza Uscita – Worse Than Reality (Outro) 4:32
Band members Riki – vocals
Marco – guitars, vocals
Bonne – bass, vocals
Dave – drums
Guest musicians
Gabri – vocals on “Withdrawal Crisis – Through the Keyhole of Madness”
Amianto, Fuoco & Sbocco – vocals on “L’isola maledetta – Immersed In A Formaldehyde Coffin”
Tom – vocals on “Chronic Obstructive Caustic Vomit”
Thankfully the rain had stopped by the time us fans began to queue up in front of Lee’s Palace as Swedish goth/death metal band TRIBULATION and friends (UNREQVITED, FINAL GASP and EARLY MOODS) visited our fair city on their North America 2025 Tour, another great event brought to Toronto by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. It was not a sold out show by any means, which was quite surprising since the these are all killer bands. Maybe the Scattered showers scared folks away. Who knows? Their loss I guess! They happened to miss out on a fantastic night of heavy metal sorcery. Ultimately the lower turn out made the show feel more intimate and Lee’s is a smaller venue anyway, besides, the crowd that showed up proved to be die-hard supporters (good on them!). All in all I would say that at least over 100 head bangers showed up in support.
The first band to play was UNREQVITED, out of our nations capital Ottawa, and they promptly set the mood with their brand of post-black/shoegaze which reminded me a lot of the French band Alcest, which I didn’t mind because I’m a fan of them also. I found their music to be atmospheric and introspective as well as head-bobbing/banging. This band has fantastic vocals from soothing cleans to raspy black metal grumblings and howls. Although I could see that for some in the crowd that shoegaze was not exactly their cup of tea, they still appreciated the music set before them. By the way, if you enjoy that type of music, the band has recently released the album A Pathway to the Moon, and you can purchase it or stream it in full on BandCamp and on Spotify.
Setlist The Starforger
Void Essence / Frozen Tears
The Autumn Fire
Band members 鬼 (Ghost) – vocals, all instruments
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums
For those in the crowd that were feeling a bit drowsy, EARLY MOODS out of Los Angeles, California, bitch-slapped their asses and got the place buzzing. This band is so freaking awesome. They blasted us with their brand of energetically powerful doom metal and swagger. You get everything you need out of this band like energy, excitement, groove, sore necks and killer riffs. These guys are killer! I highly recommend that you check them out the next time they swing by town, you won’t be disappointed, and go check their music on BandCamp or Spotify, like their 2024 album A Sinner’s Past. The crowd absolutely loved this band and so do I. I also loved that these guys joined the crowd after their set and head-banged along side us in support of their fellow tour mates.
Setlist Isolated
Blood Offerings
Return To Salem’s Gate
Live To Suffer
Soul Sorcery
A Sinner’s Past
Damnation
Band members Alberto Alcaraz – vocals
Eddie Andrade – guitars
Oscar Hernandez – guitars
Elix Feliciano – bass
Chris Flores – drums
Next up was a band called FINAL GASP out of Boston, MA. This deathrock outfit kept the buzz going throughout the building with a highly energetic set. The lead singer Jake Murphy tried on several occasions to get a circle pit going but nobody took the bait but he did manage to get the crowd to come a little closer to the stage. It was a small crowd after all, but you can’t knock him for trying though. Even still, the crowd was receptive to Final Gasp and they put on a great performance for the crowd as it was their final show on this tour. I wouldn’t say no to seeing them again if they ever come back to town. Killer band, and you can enjoy their entire discography, like their most recent album Mourning Moon, released in 2023, in places like BandCamp and Spotify.
I last saw blackened-goth metallers TRIBULATION when they opened up for Opeth this past Thanksgiving and they impressed me, so I was delighted to hear that they were coming back to Toronto for their North American tour. Seriously, are there any shitty metal bands in Sweden? Because I haven’t found one yet. Swedish Metal is so consistent and Tribulation out of Arvika, Sweden are no slouch. They are an absolutely fantastic band, as you can see in their 2024 opus Sub Rosa in Æternum, available on several streaming services like Spotify. Tribulation put on another amazing show, ensorcelling and enchanting all of the die-hard supporters that showed up with unrelenting class. They are such a tight, professional band, you seriously can’t go wrong seeing them live. I look forward to seeing them again some day.
Setlist The Unrelenting Choir
Tainted Skies
Nightbound
Hamartia
Suspiria De Profundis
Melancholia
In Remembrance
Hungry Waters
Saturn Coming Down
Murder In Red
Strange Gateways Beckon
Band members Johannes Andersson – vocals, bass
Adam Zaars – guitars
Joseph Tholl – guitars
Oscar Leander – drums
It wasn’t just a concert — it was a resurrection.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 