Behold the debut full-length opus by this excellent French Post-Metal act, delving into the vastness of space and humanity’s intricate relationship with science, the cosmos, and the afterlife.
A dark Progressive and Post-Metal project that explores through ancient myths all the afflictions that humanity encounters, Amiens, France-based March Of Scylla are unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, entitled Andromeda, the follow-up to their previous EPs Archives and Dark Myth. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Francis Caste at the renowned Studio Sainte-Marthe, the newborn spawn by vocalist Florian Vasseur, guitarist Christofer Fraisier, bassist Robert Desbiendras and drummer Gilles Masson delves into the vastness of space and humanity’s intricate relationship with science, the cosmos, and the afterlife, being highly recommended for admirers of the music by Gojira, Tesseract, Sleep Token, and Architects.
Elements from Djent are intertwined with the band’s core Progressive Metal sounds in Ulysses’ Lies, led by the classic drums by Gilles, whereas futuristic sounds permeate the air in the hammering Death Experience, with the metallic bass by Robert hitting us hard mercilessly while Florian declaims the song’s lyrics in great fashion. They keep blasting a wild fusion of Progressive and Post-Metal with Djent and Groove Metal in The Royal Way, perfect for some vigorous headbanging, followed by To Cassiopeia, an atmospheric, eerie and lengthy interlude that sets the tone for Dark Matter, where Florian growls and screams with tons of anguish while also firing delicate yet piercing clean vocals.
The band continues to blast our ears with their melodic and heavy hitting music in Storm Dancer, with Robert’s bass and Gilles’ beats making our heads tremble, instantly merging with BlaAst, bringing forward over six minutes of atmospheric and groovy passages, with the heaviness flowing from all instruments supporting Florian’s powerful vocals. Gilles puts the pedal to the metal and hammers his drums nonstop in Achilles’ Choice, an overdose of Progressive Post-Metal with the bass by Robert sounding utterly metallic; and Florian bursts his lungs screaming in the beyond melodic Myrrha, accompanied by the scorching riffs by Christopher in a lesson in Post-Metal. And last but not least, March of Scylla will smash us all with their Post-Metal onrush in Cosmogony, again showcasing all their energy, versatility and heaviness.
Themes of existential anxiety, social injustice, and deep emotional struggles intertwine with personal storytelling, universal mythology, and historical context throughout the entire album, offering a powerful and thought-provoking musical journey that’s definitely worth a good and detailed listen, and you can show your support to the band by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming service, and above all that, by purchasing Andromeda from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. After all is said and done, there’s a clear evolution in the music by March Of Scylla in Andromeda compared to their previous efforts, paving a bright future ahead of them while they keep delivering sheer sonic awesomeness in the near future, both with other striking albums like their debut one and with their undisputed focus, hardwork and passion for heavy music.
Best moments of the album:Death Experience, BlaAst and Myrrha.
Worst moments of the album:To Cassiopeia.
Released in 2025 Klonosphere Records/Season of Mist
Track listing 1. Ulysses’ Lies 5:00
2. Death Experience 6:44
3. The Royal Way 4:48
4. To Cassiopeia 2:45
5. Dark Matter 4:17
6. Storm Dancer 4:51
7. BlaAst 6:19
8. Achilles’ Choice 4:49
9. Myrrha 4:20
10. Cosmogony 6:07
Band members Florian Vasseur – vocals
Christofer Fraisier – guitars
Robert Desbiendras – bass
Gilles Masson – drums
American Progressive Metal masters are back to their roots with their breathtaking sixteenth studio effort, a thematic concept album about parasomnia and all disruptive sleep disorders.
The band’s first studio album to feature original drummer Mike Portnoy since their 2009 opus Black Clouds & Silver Linings, the excellent Parasomniais more than just the sixteenth studio album by American Progressive Metal masters Dream Theater, but a return to their roots, representing both where they came from and where they’re going as not only bandmates, but as brothers. Mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap at Backstage Studios, produced by John Petrucci, engineered by James “Jimmy T” Meslin, and displaying a classy artwork by Hugh Syme, the new offering by vocalist James LaBrie, guitarist John Petrucci, bassist John Myung, keyboardist Jordan Rudess, and drummer Mike Portnoy is a thematic concept album about parasomnia, encompassing a wide range of unusual and undesirable experiences and behaviors people experience in their sleep, also known as disruptive sleep disorders, all embraced by the band’s undisputed, unparalleled sound that catapulted them to stardom over 40 years ago.
It all begins with the poetically titled intro In the Arms of Morpheus, with all background sounds in its first few moments making it feel like the soundtrack to a psychological thriller, setting the stage for Night Terror, with it’s nine breathtaking minutes offering us all a darkly catchy chorus (“Night terror / Hysteria / Nocturnal trial by fire / Eyes open wide but I can’t see”) and the always phenomenal drumming by the returning Mr. Portnoy, as well as the scorching riffs by John Petrucci. Their technical, progressive sounds keep stunning us all in A Broken Man, with John Myung’s bass overflowing heaviness supported by the classic keys by Jordan, sounding like old school Dream Theater for our total delight, morphing into the ten-minute aria Dead Asleep, another explosion of Progressive Metal led by the powerful vocals by James, with all of its breaks, variations and intricate passages inviting us all to a wild, enfolding musical journey to a world of dreams and nightmares.
A cryptic, atmospheric start gradually evolves into the most dynamic, fastest and heaviest of all songs, entitled Midnight Messiah, with James’ vocals being flawlessly boosted by John Petrucci’s riff attack while Mike hammers his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Then we’re treated to the whimsical, ethereal interlude Are We Dreaming?, heightening our senses for Bend the Clock, a beautiful, enfolding ballad where James declaims the song’s dark lyrics with tons of passion (“Worn down wearing thin / Hellish dreams / Tormenting scenes / Shadows looming / I’m paralyzed, can’t move / Scared and confused”) while his bandmates embellish the airwaves with their superb sounds. Finally, get ready for a 20-minute feast of first-class Progressive Metal in The Shadow Man Incident, with the hard-hitting drums by Mike and the rumbling bass by John Myung dictating the song’s thrilling pace while Jordan’s keys sound phantasmagorical, offering so many layers, striking moments and tempo changes it’s hard to put all that into words. Let’s say that if the album only contained this specific song, it would have already been fantastic.
“When you listen to this, I hope you’re able to hear, the excitement, the camaraderie, and feeling of being reunited as brothers,” affirms John Petrucci. “All of that is reflected in the music. It’s very driven and purposeful. I hope it sounds like the Dream Theater you remember and recall when Mike was in the band, but maybe even a little more elevated.” In the end, Parasomnia, available in full on most streaming platforms like Spotify, is dynamic, dramatic, and definitive Dream Theater, and you can show the band how much you love their new album by giving them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and obviously by purchasing a copy of the album from Century Media/InsideOut Music or by clicking HERE. In their 1999 masterpiece Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory, the album ends with the sentence “Open your eyes, Nicholas!”, while in their new album the last songs ends with “Wake up!” Would that be a sign of where the band is headed to in the future, by looking into their own past? Well, as long as their upcoming albums are as stunning as Parasomnia, we can rest assure Dream Theater will surely keep “waking us up” with more of their absolutely captivating music.
Best moments of the album:Night Terror, Midnight Messiah, Bend the Clock and The Shadow Man Incident.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Century Media/InsideOut Music
Track listing 1. In the Arms of Morpheus 5:22
2. Night Terror 9:55
3. A Broken Man 8:29
4. Dead Asleep 11:06
5. Midnight Messiah 7:58
6. Are We Dreaming? 1:28
7. Bend the Clock 7:24
8. The Shadow Man Incident 19:32
Band members James LaBrie – vocals
John Petrucci – guitars
John Myung – bass
Jordan Rudess – keyboards
Mike Portnoy – drums
One of the very first Black Metal acts featuring lyrics in Sardinian Campidanese language returns with a magnificent opus dedicated to the occultism and folk superstitions of their homeland.
Aggressive, unmerciful and fast-paced, showcasing intriguing riffs and a certain degree of dark violence, Portoscuso, Sardinia, Italy’s most devilish Black Metal horde Vultur, one of the very first Black Metal acts featuring lyrics in Sardinian Campidanese language, with themes about Sardinian occultism and folk superstitions, returns to the battlefield with their third full-length opus, entitled Cultores de Perdas e Linna, following up on their critically acclaimed 2014 album Ogu Liau. Recorded by Alberto Bandino at Cut Fire Mixing Studio, and displaying a grim artwork by the band’s own bassist Maristella Spanu (taking inspiration from the Sardinian popular mask “Su Boe”, one of the most important characters of Sardinian Carnival tradition), Cultores de Perdas e Linna, which means “stone and woods worshippers” (which is how Christians derogatorily defined the ancient Nuragic population), features eight songs overflowing darkness, brutality and, of course, Sardinian occultism and folklore, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist and guitarist Nicola Fulgheri (aka Attalzu), guitarist Nicola Spaziani, bassist Maristella Spanu, and drummer Lorenzo Balia.
Attalzu wastes no time and begins vociferating rabidly from the very first second in Su Frastimu, a pulverizing, sinister Black Metal onrush that gets even more cryptic thanks to its words in Sardinian Campidanese; and Maristella and Lorenzo fire a Marduk-like evil kitchen in Eternu Trumentu, again darkening the skies in the name of classic Black Metal. The band shows absolutely no signs of slowing or toning down their music in Su Spegu, with Lorenzo smashing his drums like a beast accompanied by the visceral riffage by Attalzu and Nicola. And Maristella continues to hammer her ruthless bass in Femina Mala, while Attalzu summons absolute darkness through his devilish growls.
After such a hurricane of Black Metal, we have the atmospheric interlude Arestis, setting the stage for Vultur to crush our damned souls in Cultores Lapides et Lignea, with the deep, imposing vociferations by Attalzu sending shivers down our spines while Lorenzo once again sounds demonic behind his drums, not to mention the scorching riffage by Nicola transpires Black Metal magic. Then adding the heaviest elements from Death Metal to their core sonority, its time for a deep, infernal tune by the quartet named Umbras, where all instruments sound as austere as possible, in special the demented drums by Lorenzo, flowing into the beyond atmospheric Nemini Parco, starting in a somber Gregorian chant manner before exploding into one final blackened attack by the band, led by the infuriated riffs and bass by Nicola and Maristella, respectively.
Sardinia is the island whose ancient population dates back to the Bronze Age, featuring a rich archaic history and culture, and whose folklore still breaths nowadays within its fond population. Having said that, it’s truly amazing that a band like Vultur also helps to keep that spirit alive through Black Metal, which is in my humble opinion the perfect music genre to represent any form of folklore or occultism, and Cultores de Perdas e Linna is a flawless depiction of the band’s talent and devotion to their homeland, being highly recommended for fans of Satyricon, Marduk, Mayhem, Immortal, Dissection, and Rotting Christ, among others. You can find those Italian creatures on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and above all that, purchase their new album from the Masked Dead Records’ BandCamp or webstore as a CD or as a very special Cultores de Perdas e Linna CD + Unholy Impurity CD bundle. Sardinian folklore has always been a very interesting and vibrant topic, but let’s say Vultur definitely know how to spice it up considerably armed with their breathtaking Black Metal attack.
Best moments of the album:Su Frastimu, Cultores Lapides et Lignea and Umbras.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Masked Dead Records/Sulphur Music
Track listing 1. Su Frastimu 4:11
2. Eternu Trumentu 5:30
3. Su Spegu 3:53
4. Femina Mala 4:33
5. Arestis 2:25
6. Cultores Lapides et Lignea 5:20
7. Umbras 4:01
8. Nemini Parco 5:20
Band members Nicola Fulgheri – vocals, lead guitars
Nicola Spaziani – guitars
Maristella Spanu – bass
Lorenzo Balia – drums
Guest musician
Federico Ruggiu – acoustic guitar and bass, effects
KORPIKLAANI and ENSIFERUM are two of my favourite bands and it’s been way too long since I seen them last, like over a decade ago. So you could imagine that it was time for me to add new merch to my growing collection during their Folkfest Of The North Tour 2025 concert in Toronto at The Concert Hall, brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. To be honest, I have also out grown my current tees and I was looking forward to replacing them. My brother Keith and I arrived early to get a good spot in line to facilitate the process of procuring said merch as soon as the doors opened. My brother Keith, who is the photographer for the Headbanging Moose, had with him two exquisite poster-sized photos of Korpiklaani’s lead singer Jonne Järvelä from the last time they played Toronto, hoping to get them autographed at the meet and greet for V.I.P. ticket holders even though we didn’t have meet and greet tickets. We did have a volunteer in the front of the line who was willing to do it for us and we accepted the opportunity with much appreciation. Right at that exact moment Korpiklaani just happened to be walking by and my brother showed him the photos of which got Jonne enthusiastic approval. That being said, the doors opened a little later than expected but the process of entry went smoothly so off to the merch stand I went. I was about fifth or sixth in line and was happier than a pig in shit when Korpiklaani’s tour manager told me that they had plenty in my size. The problem was that merch wasn’t fully set up yet and so we all had to wait twenty minutes before we got served but to my great disappointment, when it was my turn, they couldn’t find anything in my size (3XL). As you could imagine I felt dejected and super disappointed that I had wasted 20 minutes in line for nothing and that I would not be able to get a good spot against the barrier at the front of the stage but luckily I found a decent spot to the left of the stage. My attitude for the opening act was a bit downcast as I was still stewing about the merch debacle.
Taiwanese musician NINI and her band took the stage to open the show and they proceeded to entertain us with their blend of traditional Chinese folk instruments fused with modern metal. Normally I would be totally into that sort of thing but it took me a while to get into it, no fault of theirs, they were great by the way. Nini was colourfully dressed in her traditional silk costume and looked absolutely adorable as she shredded out a short set complete with her rendition of duelling banjos and flight of the bumblebees. Nini is superbly talented in traditional Chinese instruments as well as playing modern guitars and the band was quite impressive as well. they closed their set with a cover of Brittany Spears “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. I noticed that the band was without a bassist and that could have made an even greater impression on me. My brother Keith picked up a Nini Patch for me to help cheer me up. 8/10
Band members NiNi – Ruan, Liuqin, San Xian, ukulele, Irish banjo, DaoYu
Jesse Venom – vocals
Taylor Bellemare – guitars
Emilio Vergo – drums
If the Patch didn’t cheer me up, Norway’s TROLLFEST sure as hell did. It was my first experience with them and brother these guys are a hoot. As soon as they came strutting onto the stage in their pink flamingo costumes and blacklight face paint I knew we were in for a good time and instantly my mood picked up and was fist pumping and clapping along side everyone in unison. Trollfest can really get a crowd going if you know what I mean. Their show demands crowd participation and I was all in on it loving every second of it. I didn’t participate in the conga line as I didn’t want to lose my position but it looked like everyone was having a blast. My thighs are still hurting though from all of the couching and jumping up and down (I’m so out of shape) and I had a fist bump moment with one of their guitarists whom after their set handed me a set list, which was cool as fuck. It felt like Trollfest played a full set. I definitely want to see them again the next time they come back to Toronto, they were awesome and I had an amazing time seeing them do their thing. 10/10
Setlist
Dance Like A Pink Flamingo
Flamongous
Essenfest
Ave Maria (Charles Gounod cover)
Twenty Miles An Hour
Kaptein Kaos
Illsint
Renkespill
Pina Colada
Kjettaren Mot Stromen
All Drinks On Me
Espin Bin Askeladden
Helvettes Hunden Garm
Band members Trollmannen – vocals
Mr. Seidel – guitars
Fabio Grimdrap – guitars
Böesse Basshöl Nybazist – bass
Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow – drums
Drekka Dag – saxophone
Fjernkontrollet – accordion, keyboards
Trollbank – bouzouki
Now I was pumped for seeing one of my absolute favourite bands, Finnish Folk Metal giants ENSIFERUM. I fell in love with this band back in the early 2000’s and I listen to them almost everyday. Like I stated before it has been a long time since I seen this band and talking about, the Opera House was the last place I seen them back when co-headliners Hypocrisy couldn’t make it across the border so Ensiferum played two full sets when they absolutely didn’t have to and that made them legends to me. Ensiferum kills it every fucking time I see them and Monday night was no exception. Although they didn’t play all the songs I wanted them to play (Iron, Token of time, Blood Is The Price Of Glory), The set list they chose to play was stellar none the less and they did play my absolute favourite song which is Treacherous Gods. My back was getting crushed as the crowd got pretty rowdy during their set and had some pretty good crowd surfing to boot. Sami Hinkka is an absolute wildman on the bass and is always full of infectous energy. Sami and I had a little Arnie and Carl weathers hand shake moment while Sami was running along the barrier hyping up the crowd with high fives, but when he got to me we clasped hands. Petri Lindroos and Markus Toivonen are absolute shredders on the guitar and Janne Parvianen destroys on the drums as well. Pekka Montin’s soaring vocals have been a great addition the the band’s sound since 2020. Ensiferum played a full set also and I can’t wait to see them again in the near future. As soon as their set was over my brother Keith informed me that he was over at the merch table and they found 3XL shirts for me so I left my spot to go support the bands by buying some sorely needed band tees. 10/10! I fucking love Ensiferum!
Setlist Aurora
Fatherland
Twilight Tavern
Treacherous Gods
Winterstorm Vigilantes
Lai Lai Hei
The Howl
Run From The Crushing Tide
Andromeda Leniret Coram Tempestate
Victorious
Wanderer
Rum, Women, Victory
In My Sword I Trust
Two Of Spades
Band members Petri Lindroos – harsh vocals, guitars
Markus Toivonen – guitars, backing vocals
Sami Hinkka – clean vocals, bass
Pekka Montin – clean vocals, keyboards
Janne Parviainen – drums
I had to watch KORPIKLAANI kick ass from the back of the venue from then on until I went upstairs to the upper level and realized that the view up there was pretty good and the sound was a little better too. I was elated having added three new shirts to my collection and sat back and enjoyed Korpiklaani from upstairs. They sounded great up there and I had a great time. While folks were busy having a great time on the floor, the folks upstairs were doing the same. What I love so much about folk metal is that it has a more festive feeling. You don’t get bogged down with more serious attitudes that other genres of metal bring with them. I find folk metal more light-hearted and care-free than other genres. Don’t get me wrong about other genres as I’m sure everyone is at those shows to have fun too but some people take things too seriously sometimes and that’s okay but I just love the vibe that folk metal brings. Korpiklaani definitely brings that fun atmosphere with them wherever they go. They put on a great show that night and treated us to a pretty awesome drum solo during Metsamies which had the crowd roaring with approval. Korpiklaani are one of if not the best bands to see in the folk metal scene and I highly recommend that you should check them out if you have never seen them before. They are always so much fun. They finished off the night with their classic drinking anthem “Vodka” which was a perfect coda to cap off the end of the night. 10/10! Korpiklaani does it once again!
Setlist
Rankarumpu
A Man With A Plan
Saunaan
Happy Little Boozer
Levan Polkka
Rauta
Aita
Oraakkelit
Kalmisto
Pixies Dance
Levaluhta
Gotta Go Home (Bony M. Cover)
Iron Fist (Motörhead Cover)
Viima
Metsamies
Sahti
Tequila
Vodka
Band members Jonne Järvelä – vocals, acoustic guitar
Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi – guitar
Jarkko Aaltonen – bass
Sami Perttula – accordion
Olli Vänskä – violin
Samuli Mikkonen – drums, percussion
Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch strikes again with his fifth album, delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time.
Founded in December 2017 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Cameron Boesch in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States, Dissonant Death/Black Metal entity Light Dweller is set to release its fifth offering, entitled The Subjugate. Inspired by a broad spectrum of dissonant and melodic influences, including Cosmic Putrefaction, Defacement, Mesarthim, Convulsing, Violet Cold, Mare Cognitum, and more, Light Dweller has forged a unique path through the darker, more obscure realms of metal, with The Subjugate spanning six tracks delving into themes of death, purgatory, and the cessation of time, presenting a cohesive journey through these concepts, all embraced by another ass-kicking artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration.
Cameron begins his riff and growl attack in full force in Echoes from the Spectral Void, offering our avid ears four minutes of top-of-the-line Progressive Death Metal; whereas Cessation of Time sounds as demolishing and experimental as the opener, with Cameron’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with his intricate yet heavy-as-hell drumming. Then a sinister intro evolves into another darkened amalgamation of sounds in Fracturing Light, where Cameron lets his Progressive Metal vein pulse harder than ever, and with his demonic gnarling matching perfectly with the music; followed by the eight-minute title-track The Subjugate, where Cameron invests in a very diverse and progressive sound by bringing into being several breaks, variations, and experimental and sharp sounds, all combined in a harmonic yet visceral way. In the second to last song of the album, titled Phasing Through the Veil, our one-man band shows no mercy for our souls with his demented riff, bass and drum attack, with its phantasmagorical ending flowing into Adrift the Expanding Nothingness, another bestial tune overflowing insanity and heaviness where he fires his most experimental riffs of the entire album, smashing our minds and souls mercilessly during its hellish seven minutes.
With each release, Light Dweller has evolved, skillfully weaving dissonance with melody, and balancing intense aggression with haunting, introspective passages, culminating now in 2025 with the excellent The Subjugate, and of course pointing to an even more interesting path ahead for Cameron. You can get to know more about him, his music and other details by following Light Dweller on Facebook and on Instagram, and show him your utmost support by streaming his music on Spotify or any other streaming service, and of course by purchasing The Subjugate from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp or from Sound Cave. This is undoubtedly Cameron’s strongest opus to date, but I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from him in the near future, and we’ll say the same about his upcoming albums, as Light Dweller is always evolving, always looking forward, and always ready to surprise us all with its unique sounds.
Best moments of the album:Echoes from the Spectral Void and The Subjugate.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Avantgarde Music/Unorthodox Emanations
Track listing 1. Echoes from the Spectral Void 4:29
2. Cessation of Time 5:20
3. Fracturing Light 4:45
4. The Subjugate 8:10
5. Phasing Through the Veil 4:38
6. Adrift the Expanding Nothingness 7:39
Band members Cameron Boesch – vocals, all instruments
An unpredictable Drone and Doom Metal entity from Finland returns with a beyond unique EP, featuring the raw, repetitive structures that have always been its core while also pushing into a more progressive direction.
Hailing from Lohja, a town in Finland located in the southern interior of the country (and home of a statue of the world’s saddest miner), Experimental/Progressive Drone/Doom Metal project Exhalus, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Mircea Purdea, will darken your minds with its newborn EP, entitled Inexorable Decay, the follow-up to the 2022 album Failed Rituals to Ascend. Featuring the raw, repetitive structures that have been the core of Exhalus music throughout its 19 years of existence while also pushing into a more progressive direction, the EP is perhaps the project’s most experimental one yet. Furthermore, while it’s not the first one to use synthesized clean vocals, it’s the first that uses them this extensively, giving an extra touch of uniqueness to the whole album when compared to all of its previous releases.
The opening track Erosion sounds utterly sluggish, vile and disturbing from the very first second, with its deep gnarls and sharp riffage working as the soundtrack to a grim horror movie, followed by Vortex, offering a weird, unique fusion of metallic and groovy guitars and bass with eerie vocalizations, or in other words, it’s the epitome of Experimental Drone and Doom Metal. Mircea keeps hammering his guitar and bass in Grinder, again blending the past, present and future of experimental music while also presenting massive beats that add an extra dosage of heaviness to the overall result. Surrender continues from where the previous song ended, bringing to our avid ears wicked guitar lines and a complete sense of lunacy and despair during its three instrumental minutes; and last but not least, the EP ends with Faded, setting a serene mood to the sound of the piano that remains until the very end.
In the end, while at its core the music still had the approach of Drone Metal and the misery of Doom Metal, the structure became more and more progressive, with most songs on the EP not even being considered metal (if there’s a limit to what metal can be). Hence, if you want to know more about this uncanny entity from the land of ice and snow, you can find Exhalus on Facebook, stream more of its music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of Inexorable Decay from BandCamp (keeping in mind the CD digipak version of the album is limited to 50 copies only). No one knows what’s next for Exhalus, and I dare to say not even Mircea Purdea, keeping the project as fresh and vibrant as it’s mysterious and unpredictable, exactly how the fusion of Drone and Doom Metal shall always be.
Behold this concept album of first-class Alternative Metal introducing us to The Dark One, who chooses to recruit and resurrect a broken man to transform him into a killing machine soon known as The Outlaw.
An Alternative Metal band from Flint, Michigan that takes concept rock to the next level while striving to unite all facets of the metal scene through complex musical journeys and heart-wrenching lyrics, and a community where every metalhead can find something perfect for them, Shadow of the Talisman are ready to kill armed with their debut opus, entitled As Above, So Below. Recorded at Raydon Studio with the help of Mark Stewart, serving as co-producer and mix engineer, the debut by vocalist Mike Smith, guitarists Zack Harrison and Owen Summerland, bassist Elijah Kinney, and drummer Kyle Williams is a concept album introducing us to The Dark One, who chooses to recruit and resurrect a broken man to transform him into a killing machine soon known as The Outlaw. This tragic devil’s plaything loses his reality like a dollar bill in a hurricane, and goes straight to a fiery Hell where a deal is made and the remains of his soul, shattered. When The Outlaw resurfaces on Earth as a gunslinging demon, he wreaks havoc in Westerntown, a metaphor for the civilized society this miscreant trashes and shreds. And even though he eventually has a change of heart, there is no future for him but to return to the Hell that forged him, where he is destined to annihilate The Dark One and become the new ruler of the underworld.
Just hit play and the band already comes ripping with six minutes of heaviness in the opener Arise, with its cinematic intro inviting us all to their metal feast spearheaded by the enraged roars by Mike; and Mike’s vocals remind me of the great John Bush in What Is Real?, while Zack and Owen deliver tons of heaviness and melody through their axes. Kyle and Elijah then bring the groove in Fiery Descent while Mike continues to scream the story of The Dark One and The Outlaw for our total delight, whereas Elijah’s metallic bass sets the tone in Dead with the Devil, offering a thrilling fusion of Alternative and Groove Metal, with Kyle hammering his drums until the song’s very last second.
The second half of the album begins with a song dedicated to The Outlaw, again showcasing the band’s dexterity and passion for melody and groove while remaining as heavy as possible. Then a Southern Rock-inspired intro evolves into Cursed, a ballad that sounds as if it was taken from an Avenged Sevenfold album. It could have been slightly shorter, though. Lastly, we have the two-part song that gives the name to the album, starting with As Above, perfect for some nice headbanging, for nonstop horns raising and for screaming it along with Mike, with its last part being a display of melodious, passionate riffs and solos by Zack and Owen, flowing into So Below, a beyond heavy and fulminating tune crafted by the band where their modern-day Groove Metal vein pulses harder than ever, putting a climatic, epic conclusion to the album and therefore to its background story.
A metallic tornado of genres and mediums swirled into a sensational horror story told through funky, break-oriented Alternative Metal featuring powerful vocals and intricate, raucous instrumentals, As Above, So Below will undoubtedly carve the name of Shadow of the Talisman in the current American metal scene, and you can put your dirty hands on such an electrifying album by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their incendiary music on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming platform. Will we hear from The Dark One and The Outlaw again in the future, maybe in a new concept album by Shadow of the Talisman? As the answer to that is a mystery for now, let’s keep banging our heads to the fury blasted in As Above, So Below, one hell of an album (pun intended) from the modern American Alternative Metal scene.
Best moments of the album:Arise, Dead with the Devil and So Below.
Worst moments of the album:Cursed.
Released in 2025 Eclipse Records
Track listing 1. Arise 6:01
2. What Is Real? 5:43
3. Fiery Descent 3:09
4. Dead with the Devil 3:50
5. The Outlaw 5:16
6. Cursed 6:09
7. As Above 8:01
8. So Below 9:29
Band members Mike Smith – vocals
Zack Harrison – guitar
Owen Summerland – guitar
Elijah Kinney – bass
Kyle Williams – drums
Spain’s own Death Metal veterans return in full force with a pulverizing new album, raising their violence to another level, sounding as brutal, heavy, intense and catchy as always.
With the new line-up in exhilarating form and a final touch of gore soaked magic applied by the mixing of Alejandro Lobo at Acórdica Studios, the mastering of Davide Billia at MK2 Studio, and a venomous artwork by Ukrainian illustrator Daemorph, the pulverizing Phoenix Cryptobiosis represents Madrid, Spain-based Death Metal veterans Avulsed at the peak of their form. Currently formed of the iconic frontman Dave Rotten, guitarists Victor Dws and Alejandro Lobo, bassist Alex Nihil and drummer Santiago Arroyo “GoG”, Avulsed are on absolute fire in their eighth studio album and the follow-up to their 2013 opus Ritual Zombi, raising their violence to another level, sounding as brutal, heavy, intense and catchy as always, turning the album into a pure delight for fans of Demigod, Carcass, Bolt Thrower and Cannibal Corpse, among others, with each track having a wealth of haunted vaults to explore (and you’ll just want the bloodshed to keep on coming).
Limbs Regeneration is evil, haunting and embracing form the very first second, an extended intro that will decimate your blackened minds before we face Lacerate to Dominate with its poetic yet caustic lyrics barked by Dave (“In the realm of shattered dreams / Where agony reigns supreme / Razor’s edge a bloodied gleam / Lacerate to crush the dream”) amidst a brutal Death Metal atmosphere. It’s time to open up the circle pit and begin the slamming feast with Blood Monolith, with Victor and Alejandro firing classic Death Metal riffs while Santiago hammers his drums nonstop, and they need less than three minutes to smash us like disgusting insects in Unrotted, followed by the also pulverizing Guts of the Gore Gods, with Santiago and Alex hammering their rumbling drums and bass, respectively, in the name of old school Death Metal. After such an overdose of violence, the title-track Phoenix Cryptobiosis brings to our avid ears that sinister, sluggish and gory version of Death Metal we all learned to love so much, and the final result is truly infernal.
Santiago then sets the pace with his classic beats in the fast and furious extravaganza titled Devotion for Putrefaction, with Dave once again melting our faces with his deep guttural roars, followed by Neverborn Monstrosity, five minutes of pure Death Metal showcasing the band’s passion for the extreme and an intense, bold atmosphere, with the riffage by Victor and Alejandro exhaling rage. They keep the momentum going with Dismembered, another savage display of Death Metal made in Spain where Dave sounds possessed on vocals; and Bio-Cadaver, carrying a charming name for an overdose of brutality, heaviness and gore blasted by Dave and his henchmen. Last but not least, Santiago brings an extra dosage of rage and insanity to their music in Wandering Putrid Souls, inviting us all to slam into the pit one final time together with those beyond talented servants of the extreme.
In a nutshell, Phoenix Cryptobiosis is everything you could desire from an unwavering, undiluted Death Metal album in this age of fractured loyalties and pandering to the thin-blooded masses, bringing forward a band that takes no prisoners in their quest for extreme music. Hence, you can join those Spanish metallers on Facebook and on Instagram to stay up to date with everything surrounding them, including their live concerts, stream their sick music on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the infernal Phoenix Cryptobiosis from Xtreem Music’s BandCamp or webstore. Avulsed are coming in full force to crush our putrid bodies armed with their new album, and you better be prepared because impact is imminent, and it will be absolutely violent.
Best moments of the album:Blood Monolith, Devotion for Putrefaction and Dismembered.
Worst moments of the album:Limbs Regeneration.
Released in 2025 Xtreem Music
Track listing 1. Limbs Regeneration 2:55
2. Lacerate to Dominate 5:01
3. Blood Monolith 4:15
4. Unrotted 2:39
5. Guts of the Gore Gods 3:03
6. Phoenix Cryptobiosis 4:23
7. Devotion for Putrefaction 3:27
8. Neverborn Monstrosity 5:12
9. Dismembered 4:40
10. Bio-Cadaver 3:53
11. Wandering Putrid Souls 4:57
Band members Dave Rotten – vocals
Victor Dws – guitars
Alejandro Lobo – guitars
Alex Nihil – bass
Santiago Arroyo “GoG” – drums
Depuis les lumières… Vers les ténèbres… La République est en marche!
March might still be a very cold month, maybe not as cold as January and February, but absolutely freakin’ cold if you live in the Northern Hemisphere in places like Canada, Finland, Russia and Belgium. And why did I mention Belgium instead of other colder countries, one might ask? Well, let’s say our metal lady of the month of March might have been born in a warm country, but she currently resides in Belgium, bringing some very welcome heat to “the Battlefield of Europe” with her powerful growls and badass attitude. Her name is Lorena Moraes, the frontwoman for an amazing Belgian Technical Death Metal entity known as Triagone, and I’m sure after this short and sweet tribute to her career in heavy music you’ll develop a strong craving for more of her music.
As aforementioned, Lorena wasn’t born in Belgium, but in the sunny and warm country of Brazil, more specifically in the capital city of Brasília, located in the Brazilian highlands in the country’s Central-West region, and the seat of government of the Federal District. A former photographer at Escola do Futuro de Goiás em Artes Basileu França, located in Goiânia, the capital of Goiás state in central Brazil, Lorena studied at Faculdade Cambury in Brazil, before relocating to Brussels, Belgium’s capital and home to the European Union headquarters, expanding her photography skills by studying at Ecole de Photographie et de techniques visuelles – Ville de Bruxelles while also taking her first steps through the vast lands of Extreme Metal.
It was back in 2019 when Lorena, alongside vocalist and guitarist Lou-Indigo Caspar, guitarist Lucas Lembert, bassist Leonard Ivanciu and drummer Lorenzo Vissol formed the Technical Death Metal beast that goes by the stylish name of Triagone, with roots in Brazil, Italy, France and Belgium, and the explanation to the name chosen is indeed very interesting. According to the band itself, the word “triagone” is a hybrid word inspired by the ancient Greek word “agôn” (ἀγών), which means contest, competition, or disputation (and can refer to a physical or mental contest, or to a dramatic conflict in literature), and a direct reference to the Greek name “trigone”, which means three angles, or the triangle, in parallel with the band’s inspiration by the connection between mathematics and music, like certain demonstrations of trigonometric relations that can be found in the circle of fifths, the demonstration of the C major scale granted to Pythagoras and his demonstrations on triangles, among others. In the end, the fusion of those two Greek words gives the band’s name a third way of understanding the music played by Lorena and the boys. Furthermore, another topic mentioned by the band regarding their name is their message against the pyramid structure our society adopted, an analogy where we’re pretty much slaves building a pyramid stone by stone, trying to climb the ranks of society, with all inequality bringing a lot of disadvantage for the oppressed against the oppressor.
It was in the beginning of 2023 when Triagone released their debut effort, a six-track EP titled Sem Papyrvs, a play on words between Latin and Portuguese, as “sem” means without and “papyrvs” means paper, referring to anyone in a difficult or precarious situation, anyone without an identity, without wealth, without history, or without a diploma, with its 26 minutes of Brutal and Technical Death Metal inspired by classic metal music, baroque, and even Mesopotamian music, also featuring hints of Latin American music rhythms, and all sprinkled with a blend of male and female guttural voices in ancient Greek and Latin and modern Latin and Germanic languages. The names of the songs in Sem Papyrvs are a thing of beauty, starting with Novvs Ordo Seclorvm (“The New Order of the Ages”), followed by Abyssvs Abyssvm Invocat (“The Abyss Calls the Abyss”), Ad Mortem Sem Papyrvs (“To Death Without Paper”), Nvlla Regvla Sine Exceptione (“The New Rules Without Exception”), De Beata Vita (“The Blessed Life”), and Imperivm in Imperio (“Empire in Empire”).
One of the most compelling features in Triagone is the electrifying vocal duet comprised of Lorena and Lou-Indigo, which allows the band to explore new patterns and nuances, as well as the aforementioned lyrics in multiple languages, thanks to the undisputed combined talent of the duo. They can sound at the same time visceral and melodic, dissonant and cryptic, captivating and menacing, purely mathematical and extremely violent, and you can enjoy all that on most streaming services, like Spotify. As a matter of fact, Lou-Indigo explained in an interview that the band had to rework some of the rhythms, textures and timbres (mainly because he mocks up everything with his own voice) after Lorena joined the band, as they wanted her voice to be more present in the final product. Also, although she’s not responsible for all vocal parts nor for all lyrics, this is something Lou-Indigo wants to change in the near future, giving her more singing time, more flexibility, and therefore let her be the main vocalist of the band.
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Before joining Triagone, Lorena was the vocalist for a Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal band named Suttura, and another one named Erinyes, both from the city of Goiânia. Suttura was formed back in 2010 by Lorena alongside drummer Sílvio, bassist Thiago and guitarist Rildo, and although there isn’t a lot of information online about the band, you can stream some of their creations on YouTube, including the excellent songs Need of War, Overlook, and Villas Boas Incident. Furthermore, back in 2015 the band played at the 21st edition of a Brazilian rock and metal festival named Goiânia Noise Festival, at a venue named Centro Cultural Martim Cererê, together with renowned acts the likes of Nervochaos and Ratos de Porão, and countless amazing underground bands from Brazil and other parts of the world, and before that in 2013 they played at the 11th edition of Headbanger’s Attack Festival, held at Círculo Operário do Cruzeiro Velho in Brasília, with each of the eight bands from that specific festival having at least one woman in their lineup as a tribute to the bands Valhalla and Flammea. Apart form Suttura, the festival also featured the bands Soror, Sound’n’Rage, Gulag, Armum, Decimator, Roasting and No Sense. On the other hand, unfortunately there isn’t much online about her previous band Erinyes, except for this nice cover version of AC/DC’s all-time classic TNT live back in 2007, but it’s enough to see she has been developing her vocals in great fashion through the years.
It was when Lorena was still a member of Suttura that she and Lou-Indigo met for the first time, when Lou-Indigo’s former band Dehuman was touring in Brazil, as Lorena was playing with Suttura at the same festival as them. After Lorena moved to Belgium together with Lou-Indigo, they did some Cannibal Corpse covers together, and after he showed those to Lorenzo and Leonard they decided to recruit her to be their frontwoman, as they loved her voice and charisma. Speaking of her relocation to Belgium, Lorena mentioned in one of her interviews that she believes there are more possibilities in Belgium to make a musical project live and grow, that music is taken more seriously there if compared with the metal scene in Brazil, her native country. “In Brazil,” she explains, “each band needs a lot of financial investment and a lot of time, and I think there is more openness here in this regard.”
Apart from her work with Triagone, as well as with the previously mentioned bands Suttura and Erinyes, Lorena was a guest vocalist in the song Arterial Red, from the album Crusher of Souls, released in 2024 by Belgian Brutal Death Metal act Storm Upon the Masses. It’s a great album of sheer brutality and rage, by the way, and Lorena’s contribution to the aforementioned song only makes the whole experience of listening to it even more compelling, proving she a beyond versatile vocalist with a wide arsenal of vocal styles, always ready to stun us all in the name of extreme music. I personally can’t wait to see what’s next for Lorena as a metal vocalist, and for Triagone as a band, again proving how badass women can be in heavy music.
““Everyone in the band is very talented and committed to making the band evolve. I have a lot of admiration for them. My goal is to continue singing, improve my vocal technique and establish more contact with the audience. I hope that Triagone will record an album soon and that we can show our music to more people.” – Lorena Moraes
In all seriousness, I think an earthquake hit Toronto this Tuesday night when NECROTICGOREBEAST, PEELINGFLESH, INGESTED and ABORTED took the city by storm with their ruthless, infernal Terrifying North America Tour 2025 at an almost sold out The Axis Club, another ass-kicking event brought to us metalheads by the iconic Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. As a matter of fact, the original plan was to have the formidable Stabbing as the first band on the bill during the entire tour, but unfortunately they couldn’t make it (for reasons beyond my knowledge). Their replacement for most of the tour is Extermination Dismemberment, while in Toronto (and in the other Canadian dates) we got the demented Canadian squad known as NecroticGoreBeast. I would love to have seen Stabbing AND Extermination Dismemberment AND NecroticGoreBeast together with PeelingFlesh, Ingested and Aborted, turning it into a massive festival of sheer brutality, but it is what it is and I can’t complain at all about any of the bands on the bill; quite the contrary, all four bands destroyed us all, and once again I have no idea how photographers like Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi manage to take photos in the middle of an endless mosh pit when there’s no barrier nor any security to protect them.
Precisely one hour after the doors opened to the crowd, Montreal, Quebec’s own Slam/Brutal Death Metal outfit NECROTICGOREBEAST kicked off the festivities with an overdose of heaviness and brutality, basing their setlist on their demolishing 2023 opus Repugnant (available on Spotify or on any other streaming service). The Axis Club in Toronto is commonly known as a nightclub, which means their sound system can go absolutely wild on bass, and that’s exactly what happened during the entire night starting with NecroticGoreBeast. The whole place was trembling as if there was an earthquake going on, and the crowd was going mental inside the pit. Vocalist John Mayer was bestial armed with his mic, and as after the night was over I could see several fans wearing the band’s hoodie it was a clear a sign the city loved their live performance, which means it won’t take long for them to return to Toronto.
Band members John Mayer – vocals
Michael Chamberland – guitars
Alexandre Brochu – bass
JP Bouchard – drums
It was when the clock hit 7:45pm that the city of Toronto felt the strongest seismic activity of the entire night. I’m talking about the demented performance by Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore creature PEELINGFLESH, who looked like their mission was to demolish the entire venue with one of the heaviest shows I’ve ever seen in my life. Their frontman Damonteal Harris is simply amazing, perfectly leading his henchmen and the crowd with his sick pig squeals, fry vocals, and “gangsta” dance moves, driving the entire venue wild during their undisputed performance. The songs played from their 2024 album The G Code, those being The Fuckening, Shoot 2 Kill and Perc 3000, all available on Spotify by the way, sounded even heavier and more demonic live, all boosted by the beyond thunderous kitchen by Austin Hirom and Joe Pelleter. In other words, if PeelingFlesh ever play in your city or town, do not miss the chance of seeing one of the heaviest bands of the current slam scene worldwide. They are absolutely fantastic live.
Setlist Nefarious Moongrass
The Fuckening
Mr Nasty Time
12 Gauge Autopsy
Matar a palos
Midnight
Intro
Shoot 2 Kill
Perc 3000
F.F.W.A.S
Outro
Band members Damonteal Harris – vocals
Mychal Soto – guitars
Jason Parrish – guitars
Austin Hirom – bass
Joe Pelleter – drums
Basically almost any band in the world who had to play after PeelingFlesh would have had a hard time topping their sick performance, but of course when the band in question is Manchester, UK’s own Slam/Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore icons INGESTED you can expect at least the same level of savagery and gore. After the unexpected departure of frontman Jason Evans late 2024, Josh Davies, vocalist of UK Deathcore band Malice and former vocalist of fellow UK Deathcore band Monasteries, became the man responsible for the band’s vocal duties, and he did a pretty good job live in Toronto. The only two things that bothered me regarding their concert were the lack of any songs from their 2024 album The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams, and the fact that although it had been announced that touring musicians Andrew Virrueta and Thomas O’Malley had joined the band as full-time band members, they simply weren’t there.
Yes, it was only Josh plus guitarist Sean Hynes and drummer Lyn Jeffs, which looked weird, but their heaviness was there intact. Their new single Altar of Flesh (available on BandCamp and on Spotify) sounded demented live, inspiring all concert goers to bang their heads nonstop, plus all circle pits, crowd surfing, and a massive wall of death, proving Ingested are still alive and kicking even after such an impactul change in their line up with the new frontman. I’m sure they would have sounded even more imposing and vile with Andrew and Thomas, but they were absolutely professional and put their hearts and souls into the show even being two men down. Let’s see what the future holds for Ingested with their (most probably) upcoming full album with Josh on vocals, and hopefully that will guarantee another wild concert in Toronto in the coming months.
Setlist Titanomachy
Endgame
Altar of Flesh
Impending Dominance
Invidious
Contorted Perception
Copremesis
Skinned and Fucked
Band members Josh Davies – vocals
Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals
Lyn Jeffs – drums
Then after another short break, with most concert goers fighting for a spot at the smoking area outside (and holy shit, young people are smoking way too much these days), the main attraction of the night, Belgian horror-inspired Death Metal masters ABORTED, took the stage for another slab of sheer violence and heaviness, also making the venue shake and tremble as if the roof was going to collapse. It’s also very weird they no longer have a bassist playing live with them, with the last one being Stefano Franceschini back in 2023, but they also managed to cover the lack of bass with a lower, darker sound of one of the guitars. And what to say about their setlist? The new songs from their 2024 masterpiece Vault of Horrors sounded insane alongside their old classics, in special Brotherhood of Sleep, Death Cult and The Shape of Hate, all of course available on Spotify. Needless to say, the one and only Sven De Caluwé was a beast onstage, roaring, screaming, hitting his head with his own hands, making faces, and inspiring everyone for some wild action inside the pit.
I think Sven had a lot of time with the guys from Archspire during their last tour together to discuss different jokes, games and so on to make their concerts even more captivating, because it felt like a standup comedy show at times, including doing jumping jacks in the middle of one of the songs, and a “fart competition” between two fans, with the winner being a beautiful lady that was surely going wild in the pit, as she had gone up to the stage crowd surfing maybe twice before that specific game. After the band destroyed us all with the closing songs The Saw and the Carnage Done and Hecatomb, although everyone was extremely happy with what Aborted had just offered us all, it felt like their setlist could have been a little longer, with maybe two or three extra songs added at least. Well, maybe their goal was to leave us eager for more Aborted live in the city in the near future, because those guys love to be onstage in the name of Death Metal, and the demented reaction by the fans during their entire show proves they’re more than welcome to return to Toronto anytime they want.
Setlist Dreadbringer
Retrogore
Brotherhood of Sleep
The Origin of Disease
Infinite Terror
Deep Red
From a Tepid Whiff
Death Cult
The Shape of Hate
Insect Politics
The Saw and the Carnage Done
Hecatomb
Band members Sven De Caluwé – vocals
Daníel Máni Konráðsson – guitar
Ian Jekelis – guitar
Ken Bedene – drums
A dark Progressive and Post-Metal project that explores through ancient myths all the afflictions that humanity encounters, Amiens, France-based March Of Scylla are unleashing upon us their debut full-length album, entitled Andromeda, the follow-up to their previous EPs Archives and Dark Myth. Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Francis Caste at the renowned Studio Sainte-Marthe, the newborn spawn by vocalist Florian Vasseur, guitarist Christofer Fraisier, bassist Robert Desbiendras and drummer Gilles Masson delves into the vastness of space and humanity’s intricate relationship with science, the cosmos, and the afterlife, being highly recommended for admirers of the music by Gojira, Tesseract, Sleep Token, and Architects.
Themes of existential anxiety, social injustice, and deep emotional struggles intertwine with personal storytelling, universal mythology, and historical context throughout the entire album, offering a powerful and thought-provoking musical journey that’s definitely worth a good and detailed listen, and you can show your support to the band by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on YouTube, Spotify or any other streaming service, and above all that, by purchasing Andromeda from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. After all is said and done, there’s a clear evolution in the music by March Of Scylla in Andromeda compared to their previous efforts, paving a bright future ahead of them while they keep delivering sheer sonic awesomeness in the near future, both with other striking albums like their debut one and with their undisputed focus, hardwork and passion for heavy music.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 