Concert Review – Fleshgod Apocalypse & Shadow of Intent (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 09/19/2024)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson, with photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

On Thursday September 19th, 2024, Toronto metalheads were treated to a hell of a show at The Opera House with The Black Opera Across North America Tour 2024 which consisted of five incredibly killer bands ranging from across the U.S.A, United Kingdom and Italy, in another amazing event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Disembodied Tyrant, The Zenith Passage and Shadow of Intent (U.S.A), Ingested (U.K) and Fleshgod Apocalypse (Italy). Having never seen any of these bands live myself yet, I was pretty excited for the experience. Before the show started I was invited to the side entrance where my photographer and brother Keith (of Metal Paparazzi) was chatting with Ingested lead vocalist Jason Evans. I was stoked at meeting him and was welcomed with a warm and friendly handshake. Jason was very humble and genuinely a great guy. We chatted a bit about England and where my family originated from and a bit about Premiere League Football until he had to get back inside. I was super glad to have met him and couldn’t wait to see Ingested rip up the stage.

The Opera House doors opened at 5:30 pm and the fans filed their way inside. Passing all the merch booths on my way in I couldn’t help lamenting the fact that I was financially tapped out from three previous shows earlier in the week and not being able to snag a couple of band shirts. I made my way to as close to the stage as I could get. Just a little off to the left side of the stage and hunkered down for the first band, Disembodied Tyrant. Not much is known about these guys other than that they will be big one day based off their recent collaboration with fellow band Synestia on their epic EP The Poetic Edda and Other EP’s The Divine Stigmata and Eclipse Pt.1 respectively. All killer by the way! The set started out a little bit slow as folks were still making their way in and the floor was only just over a quarter filled up. It took about two songs in for the floor to fill up and a mosh pit ensued. Disembodied Tyrant played a short set full of atmospheric symphonic deathcore riffs, astonishing drumming and the ghoulish vocals of singer-songwriter/producer/guitarist Blake Mullens. Mullens is a massive talent and I eagerly await anything he does next. Now that Disembodied Tyrant warmed up the blood of the masses it was time for Los Angeles’ own tech death masters The Zenith Passage to Fuck shit up.

The Zenith Passage took to the stage about 6:45pm without lead vocalist Derek Rydquist, but replacement vocalist/voice artist James Dorton (of Black Crown Initiate) filled in without missing a beat. It was almost as if he was always meant to be in the band. They put on a filthy display of talent with technical guitar shredding, nasty drumming and deep guttural vocals. The circle pits growing ever larger as The Zenith Passage played on inciting more and more insanity. Crowd surfing was off the chain. I was able to get to the front of the stage by then so I was able to take some decent pics with my phone. I had an absolute blast with these guys and I’m sure the crowd did too.

At 7:30pm Manchester England’s Ingested appeared from the fog and proceeded to break skulls. I was so excited to see them finally as my brother Keith has seen them before and told me they were awesome live. He wasn’t lying! Jason Evans was phenomenal, a truly great front man and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands. He made me find an energy inside myself that I didn’t know that I had when he ordered us to crouch down low and jump on his command. The crowd was bouncing around in a frenzy after that. The crowd surfing became even more intense and pits even gnarlier. They crushed us with every slamming breakdown and the crowd erupted with sickening glee every time Jason Evans barked out a staccato pig squeal. Ingested, who have recently released the excellent The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams, finished their set on a high note leaving us craving more sonic punishment. That was soon to come in the form of a shadow.

Now that the crowd was fattened up for the kill, Shadow of Intent was up next and took the initiative, bashing our heads in with an epic, brutal, punishing set. They didn’t hold anything back and just fucking killed it. To say that this band is good live is an understatement. They were so fucking tight. It truly was an honour to see them destroy. Ben Duerr’s vocals were so thick and nasty over Bryce Butler’s sick drumming. Those breakdowns were massive and absolutely disgusting. The pandemonium got out of hand at the end of their set as things got rougher and rougher in the pits until it spilled out into the front of the crowd. Nothing serious, just two guys shoving each other and it got squashed pretty quick as security broke it up super fast. The Opera House security had a busy shift that night with all the crazy crowd surfing and I got to hand it to them as they were friendly and professional while keeping the peace. As far as I know no grudges were held and everybody got prepared for the final act.

It took a while for the stage crew to set up as they have extensive stage props that add to the atmosphere and aesthetic of Fleshgod Apocalypse. What a perfect setting for an operatic theatrical experience than an opera house. Fleshgod Apocalypse, promoting their recent masterpiece Opera, look like they spill right out of a page from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and I dig it. The show kicked off with a flag waving operatic intro from Veronica Bordacchini and then right into some blood curdling death metal. Fleshgod is such a unique band that blends opera, symphonics with brutal death metal and add a little piano in there as well. Every member of this band is multi-talented and they put on quite a show. The connection they have with their fans is incredible. The crowd would intuitively burst into fist-pumping chants without any verbal cues. The band and crowd were both loving it. Fleshgod Apocalypse closed off the show with a bit of levity performing their cover of Eiffel 65’s Blue (Da Ba Dee) which felt perfect. All in all this was a great show. I went in not knowing what to expect and left as a fan of every single band. Shout out to all the metalheads there, you were great. Keep it up Toronto!

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Concert Review – Lord of the Lost (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 09/18/2024)

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And Lord of the Lost dragged us all to hell on their second electrifying concert in Canadian lands this Wednesday night in Toronto.

OPENING ACT: Julien-K

A few hours after the more-than-epic show by LORD OF THE LOST in Montreal, it was time to drive back to Toronto for round two at  The Opera House, again featuring JULIEN-K as the opener, as part of the band’s US + Canada 2024 tour. At first I thought The Opera House was bigger than the Beanfield Theatre in Montreal, but after searching for both online I found out that the difference in capacity is only of 25 people (The Opera House can fit 950 people, while the Beanfield Theatre fits 925). Maybe the fact that the floor section at The Opera House is bigger gives that impression, I don’t know, but what really matters is that LOTL were once again stunned by their Canadian fans, this time by a loud and vibrant Toronto crowd, who might not have been as rowdy as the fans in Montreal, but still VERY loud. And what’s even better is that I was joined in Toronto by my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, which is the reason why the photos are way better than my crappy mobile ones from Montreal.

As I was able to watch more of the show by Los Angeles, California’s own Electronic Rock act JULIEN-K in Toronto, I can confirm what I said in the review for Montreal, that they were an amazing opener for LOTL and that everyone inside The Opera House had a great time during their show. Their closing song, a cover version for Blue Monday, by New Order, sounded fantastic, some sort of tribute to their previous band Orgy who blew up in popularity for covering that same track. As mentioned in the review for Montreal, you can listen to more of the music by Julien-K on BandCamp and on Spotify, getting your electronic vein pulsing strong to the sound of one of the torchbearers of the style in the American scene.

Setlist
Futura
Deep Beat Overground
Fractured
All That Glitters
Your Tears Mean Nothing
The Hydra
Undo Everything
Stronger Without You
Blue Monday (New Order cover)

Band members
Ryan Shuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Amir Derakh – lead guitar, samples, keyboards, synthesizers, bass
Galen Waling – drums

LORD OF THE LOST

If you’re feelin’ down depressed and lonely, I know a place where we can go, and no, that’s not 22 Acacia Avenue, but any concert by LORD OF THE LOST, like the awesome one in Toronto this Wednesday night. I honestly don’t know how bands like LOTL can play with so much energy night after night and never get tired, liked what they did playing in Montreal this Tuesday night, and in Toronto exactly 24 hours after. The band was as sharp and electrifying as the night before, kicking some ass on the beautiful stage at The Opera House on another sold out (or almost sold out) show, and once again that adrenaline kept flowing from the band to their fans and back, turning the venue into another amazing rock and metal party.

The setlist was the same as the one in Montreal, which means the Toronto crowd had the same fuel to have a great time together with the band, and the energy blasted by Chris & Co. on stage was just as amazing as well. As a band that continues to evolve and explore new horizons, the newer songs from their 2022 album Blood & Glitter were the ones with the loudest reactions from the crowd, which as mentioned was not as wild as Montreal not because of the band, but simply due to the nature of fans in Toronto, always a bit calmer than their Québécois friends. The dancing, fist pumping, jumping around and screaming were all there, of course, and the band loved every single second of their time interacting with their “new” fans, because they might have played countless times already in their homeland Germany, but their happiness playing in Canada was the same as the one form a band that’s just starting their career. Yes, they were that happy and excited.

Closer to the end of the show, Chris mentioned that it was really insane to be playing in Canada, something unimaginable to any of them a few years ago, and that they’ll surely return to Canadian lands sooner than later (also mentioning the fact that getting their visas to Canada is way easier and cheaper than to the United States). I trust Chris one hundred percent when he says they’ll come back, because that was by far one of the wildest couple of shows I’ve seen in the past few years, with the deep connection built between the band and their fans in Montreal and Toronto being a thing of beauty. Who knows, maybe LOTL are going to be the next big thing in Canada, playing at bigger venues, attracting more and more people to their shows, and if that happens they absolutely deserve it, as they’re not only one of the most talented and innovative bands of the current scene, but they’re also really nice guys who are just starting to discover how fun Canada is and how passionate the fans here can be. In other words, see you soon, LOTL!

Setlist
The Curtain Falls
The Future of a Past Life
Dry the Rain
Loreley
Destruction Manual
For They Know Not What They Do
Raining Stars
Sex on Legs
Six Feet Underground
Born With a Broken Heart
Die Tomorrow
Black Halo
Forevermore
Drag Me to Hell
Blood for Blood
Unstoppable (Sia cover)
Shock to the System (Billy Idol cover)
Blood & Glitter
One Last Song

Band members
Chris “The Lord” Harms – lead vocals, guitars, cello
Pi “π” Stoffers – guitars, backing vocals
Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Klaas “Class Grenayde” Helmecke – bass, backing vocals
Gerrit “Gared Dirge” Heinemann – piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars, theremin
Niklas Kahl – drums

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Album Review – Solitary / Embrace The Darkness (2024)

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One of the most important Thrash Metal bands to ever arise form the UK is back in action with a caustic new album, their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.

We live in dark times; times of war, pandemics, grief and horror. These are the days of division, where we turn against each other in politically driven hatred and against ourselves, choking on a social media diet of self-loathing and isolation. Hailing from Preston, a city in Lancashire, northern England, UK’s resolute and relentless kings of Thrash Metal, Solitary, have tapped into the thick, black blood that pulses sluggishly through the fat and filth congested veins of society, culminating with the birth of their caustic new album titled Embrace The Darkness, the follow-up to their 2020 beast The Truth Behind the Lies. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Simon Efemey at Headline Music Studios, and embraced by a sick artwork by Koot (which would look amazing as a tattoo), the new beast by Richard Sherrington on vocals and rhythm guitar, Andy Mellor on lead guitar, Gareth Harrop on bass, and Roy Miller on drums is their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.

The intro III.XXIII.MMXX offers a modern-day, visceral and acid start that will darken the skies before Solitary come crushing our damned souls in the title-track Embrace the Darkness, with Richard already roaring manically from the bottom of his blackened heart supported by the hammering drums by Roy and an overdose of caustic riffs. It’s then pedal to the metal to the sound of the infuriated Settle Scores the Old Way, a sharp, ruthless Thrash Metal attack perfect for a good brawl at the pub, whereas Richard and Andy continue to extract total chaos and heaviness from their axes in Virtues, an old school thrashing hurricane that will put you to headbang like a beast. And the band once again speeds things up and delivers a demolishing sound in Bury It Now, another amazing display of their undisputed Thrash Metal where their scorching riffs and rumbling bass match perfectly with the venomous vocals by Richard.

The circle pit keeps moving fast and wildly in Beneath the Surface, with the hammering drums by Roy and the low-tuned, massive bass lines by Gareth building a solid foundation for the harsh vociferations by Richard; and the band shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, offering more of their violent and strident music in the form of The Disappeared, with Richard and Andy delivering an endless dosage of fury through their riffs. Then a Slayer-inspired riff will crush your damned skull to pieces in Section 21, where the band showcases their trademark sonority originally crafted back in the 90’s without sounding outdated or boring at all, followed by Filtering Hindsight, the last song of the digital version of the album which will inspire you to break your neck headbanging together with Solitary, although it lacks the same demented energy of the rest of the album. Furthermore, if you go for the vinyl edition of the album you’ll be treated to the bonus song Divided And Demented, absolutely worth every penny invested in the vinyl version as it’s pure British thrash spearheaded by the infernal growling by Richard; whereas if you buy the CD version you’ll get their cover version for The Exploited’s hit Beat the Bastards (check the official live video by The Exploited for the original song HERE), and as you can already imagine Solitary simply nailed it with their undisputed, electrifying thrashing twist.

The world as we know it is coming to its inevitable dark end, but of course at least we have amazing bands like Solitary among us to provide us with high quality music perfect for doomsday, like what they have to offer us all in Embrace The Darkness. Hence, don’t forget to give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their wicked creations on Spotify (or any other streaming platform), and grab a copy of their austere new album from their own website, from BandCamp, or by clicking HERE. It’s time to join Solitary in their quest for Thrash Metal, and of course, prepare to Embrace The Darkness!

Best moments of the album: Settle Scores the Old Way, Bury It Now and The Disappeared.

Worst moments of the album: Filtering Hindsight.

Released in 2024 Twisted into Form

Track listing
1. III.XXIII.MMXX 1:01
2. Embrace the Darkness 4:49
3. Settle Scores the Old Way 3:43
4. Virtues 4:42
5. Bury It Now 3:30
6. Beneath the Surface 3:34
7. The Disappeared 2:08
8. Section 21 3:49
9. Filtering Hindsight 3:33

Vinyl bonus track
10. Divided And Demented 3:20

CD bonus track
11. Beat the Bastards (The Exploited cover) 2:20

Band members
Richard Sherrington – vocals, rhythm guitar
Andy Mellor – lead guitar
Gareth Harrop – bass
Roy Miller – drums

Concert Review – Lord of the Lost (Beanfield Theatre, Montreal, QC, 09/17/2024)

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When the curtain fell in Montreal, no one was left alone by Lord of the Lost in one of the most memorable concerts in their entire career this Tuesday night.

OPENING ACT: Julien-K

As Billy Idol would say, It was a night, Montreal, burning bright, oh what a night at Théâtre Beanfield (or Beanfield Theatre) when German Dark Rock/Heavy Metal band LORD OF THE LOST, supported by JULIEN-K, played for the first time ever in Canadian lands this Tuesday night as part of their US + Canada 2024 tour, and based on the reaction of the crowd during their entire show I’m sure it wasn’t the last time we saw those guys in the Great White North. I must say the venue was also amazing. It was my first time there and I can’t wait to travel all the way to Montreal to see more of my favorite bands playing there. Not only that, the weather in Montreal was also beyond perfect, around +25oC and sunny, turning the whole day into a memorable experience for both the fans and the band.

I’ll be honest and say I didn’t see much of the concert by Los Angeles, California-based Electronic Rock act JULIEN-K (due to other commitments prior to the show), which began as a side project for electronic music created by Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck from Orgy, alongside Anthony ‘Fu’ Valcic, and that sounds a lot like a fusion of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, New Order, Ministry and Marilyn Manson, but I guess everyone at the venue enjoyed a lot their performance. They recently released the albums Harmonic Disruptor, in 2020, and Unauthorized Live In Europe, in 2021, and if you’re curious to know more about them you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify. I personally believe they were a great choice to open for Lord of the Lost, properly warming up all fans at the venue for the main attraction of the night, and even if electronic music is not my cup of tea I need to say they’re really good in what they do.

Setlist
Futura
Deep Beat Overground
Fractured
All That Glitters
Your Tears Mean Nothing
The Hydra
Undo Everything
Stronger Without You
Blue Monday (New Order cover)

Band members
Ryan Shuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Amir Derakh – lead guitar, samples, keyboards, synthesizers, bass
Galen Waling – drums

LORD OF THE LOST

It might have taken years for LORD OF THE LOST to finally pay a visit to Canada, but the wait was absolutely worth it as Chris Harms and his henchmen simply destroyed the Beanfield Theatre with a flawless performance overflowing electricity, heaviness and passion, putting every single person at the venue to jump up and down, dance, raise their horns and fists and scream out loud together with the band. Their setlist was amazing, showcasing a great balance between all of their old material with their latest released Blood & Glitter (2022) and Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023). The first few songs, including The Curtain Falls, Dry the Rain and Loreley, already gave us a very good taste of how awesome the whole night was going to be, and the louder the reaction of the fans was, the better the band was on stage and vice-versa.

A few songs sounded utterly powerful in Montreal, like Six Feet Underground, Die Tomorrow, Drag Me to Hell, and Blood for Blood, where by the way Chris invited everyone at the venue to do the “one-person mosh pit” (which is basically jumping and spinning around alone), and let me tell you that all fans loved that moment, with huge smiles on everyone’s faces. Pi Stoffers and Niklas Kahl were ruthless armed with their respective guitars and drums, adding a humongous dosage of heaviness to the band’s music, therefore sounding even heavier than in the studio, (something I personally loved as a fan of extreme music), and that translated into a lot of headbanging, dancing and clapping from the audience for the total delectation of the band. To be fair, the whole band was spot-on, precise and on fire, playing all songs to perfection, with the ending of the show including their cover versions for Sia’s Unstoppable and Billy Idol’s Shock to the System (the biggest surprise of the night for me), plus of course their classics Blood & Glitter and One Last Song, being the icing on the cake to their breathtaking show.

All band members were visibly very emotional during and after the show, with Chris repeating several times it was a dream come true for them to be in Canada, and that they didn’t expect such a big turnout on a Tuesday night in a country they had never played before. He also said Canada is the 40th country they’ve ever played at now, and that they will surely return in a not-so-distant future. I’m sure all fans who attended their concert can’t wait for another round of LOTL madness in the city, and I’ll make sure I find some time in my busy agenda to see them again in Montreal because that show was definitely mind blowing. There was “round 2” in Toronto the next day after a six-hour drive back home, but that will be covered in a separate review. For now, all I can say is that LOTL are Montreal, and Montreal is LOTL.

Setlist
The Curtain Falls
The Future of a Past Life
Dry the Rain
Loreley
Destruction Manual
For They Know Not What They Do
Raining Stars
Sex on Legs
Six Feet Underground
Born With a Broken Heart
Die Tomorrow
Black Halo
Forevermore
Drag Me to Hell
Blood for Blood
Unstoppable (Sia cover)
Shock to the System (Billy Idol cover)
Blood & Glitter
One Last Song

Band members
Chris “The Lord” Harms – lead vocals, guitars, cello
Pi “π” Stoffers – guitars, backing vocals
Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Klaas “Class Grenayde” Helmecke – bass, backing vocals
Gerrit “Gared Dirge” Heinemann – piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars, theremin
Niklas Kahl – drums

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Concert Review – Goatwhore (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/17/2024)

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***Review and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Thantifaxath, Necrofier and Vitriol

Another humid night in the city of Toronto. September has not let go of the great summer weather just yet, on a nice Tuesday evening some of the best southern bands to emerge in the death metal scene set its eyes on our city. Lee’s Palace was the mark of the beast for the night, and fans flocked from all over the city to come see them. I’m talking about Goatwhore and Necrofier with Vitriol and Thantifaxath. Metalheads from all over Ontario headed into Lee’s Palace, a medium sized venue that can hold 600 people or so, and the first band to hit the stage and get the fire started is Toronto’s own Black metal cult Thantifaxath (that’s a mouthful to say). The name comes from the kabbalistic tree of life (meaning “Great Ghoul”), and the band consisting of 3 unnamed souls played some great black metal riffs and got this eager crowd in the mood for what they had coming next.

Second band of the night from out of the lone star state of Houston, Texas was Necrofier, and you’d think a band from Texas must be country or rock like ZZ Top, but no way, Texas has some of the heaviest bands to date like Pantera, Frozen Soul, Kubli Khan, to name a few. Man, this band did not waste time right from the first strum of the downtuned guitar they hit us with some real heavy riffs. Necrofier has been together since 2018 and continues to get better and better, and like with any band they grow and get to be a tight band. All I can say is these guys kick some serious ass on stage and I definitely like to see them headline a show in the near future. Third band of the night from the great state of Oregon, Portland, was Vitriol, an extreme death metal band was a three piece band not long ago, when Adam Roethlisberger quit the tour at the start for reasons unknown to us all, but that did not stop the winds from the west as they came and kicked some ass and left just like a tornado. The two members of Vitriol did what they came to do and kick our asses, with super fast and heavy riffs, some really nice blast beats and shredding mind blowing guitar riffs.

GOATWHORE

Now for the headliners, the band everyone was there to see the most, from New Orleans, Lousiana, here comes Goatwhore. Do I need to explain who they are? Probably not, but I’m going to. Simply put, this band is one of the heaviest metal bands on this planet and in this universe. The pulverizing drums from Zack Simmons, the beyond heavy drop C guitar riffs from Sammy Duet, bone shaking bass from Robert Coleman, and the best frontman ever to grace the stage, Louis Benjamin Falgoust II. These four guys kick ass, the energy from Goatwhore lasts a few days after they kicked your ass, I mean in all fun that is. Whenever they hit our city I always come out to see them. For me, I first saw this band in Toronto back in 2017 at The Garrison. My brother Kevin and I were there to see another band play and said let’s see who they are, and man, from that moment they got on stage and started playing I was a huge fan. Ben Falgoust playing the air guitar and head banging, and Sammy shredding just blew me away. I have met them outside the venues a few time just saying hello but this year I got my photos with them. This is why I love the Toronto metal scene and venues, if they play a small venue you get a more personal concert versus a big stage where they stay backstage. Every band on this bill will be walking around the venue sitting merch, shaking hands and sharing stories with fans. I’ll always support our metal scene and our fans that are friends and some family.

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Album Review – Demiser / Slave to the Scythe (2024)

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Like a lumbering, ferocious beast, this South Carolina-based Blackened Thrash Metal behemoth will destroy everything in their path armed with their sophomore opus.

Like a lumbering, ferocious beast awoken from a centuries-long slumber, the Blackened Thrash Metal behemoth known as Demiser emerged from the primordial ooze of the South Carolina metal scene in 2017, unleashing their debut effort Through the Gate Eternal back in 2021. Now in 2024 the band formed of Demiser the Demiser on occult liturgic blasphemy (vocals), Gravepisser on six-stringed satanic fukklord (guitars), Phallomancer on abysmal rhythm of death (guitars), Defiler on dismal baritone curator (bass), and Infestor on purveyor of percussive bile (drums) brings forward their sophomore opus, titled Slave to the Scythe, a devastatingly intense slab of work, an aural harbinger of hellish intent that sees the band blend 80’s Thrash Metal, first-wave Black Metal, Death Metal and a healthy dose of NWOBHM. Recorded by Chase McGuckin at Seaboard Recording Studio, and displaying a demonic artwork by Lucas Ruggieri, Slave to the Scythe is the work of a band of men determined to destroy everything in their path. Musically, of course.

Infestor kicks off the band’s depraved party in Feast, a devastating Death and Thrash Metal tune where Demiser the Demiser gnarls nonstop in the name of evil; whereas Gravepisser and Phallomancer deliver sheer rage through their caustic riffs in the title-track Slave to the Scythe, another fast-paced, circle pit catalyst by the quintet. Then inspired by other amazing underground bands like Midnight, it’s time for Defiler and Infestor to make the earth shake in Carbureted Speed, offering Demiser the Demiser exactly what he needs to roar manically in this Punk Rock-infused thrashing extravaganza, and it’s pedal to the metal with the band’s guitar duo showing no mercy for our souls in Phallomancer the Phallomancer, slashing their axes like there’s no tomorrow.

After that we have a serene, acoustic Interlude, working as the calm before the storm titled Total Demise, where Infestor speeds things up with his demented beats and fills, inviting us all to slam into the mosh pit like true metal maniacs. Their thrashing feast with hints of Death Metal goes on in full force in Hell Is Full of Fire, with Demiser the Demiser and Infestor sounding ruthless armed with their respective roars and beats, and those demonic beasts will carve their teeth deep inside your flesh in Infernal Bust, offering more of their rumbling bass and drums courtesy of Defiler and Infestor, while Demiser the Demiser continues to vociferate like a demented creature of darkness. Finally, we face In Nomine Baphomet, the most epic and detailed of all songs, showcasing layers of sulfur, wrath and aggression by such an amazing name of the underground where all band members are on fire during the whole song, with Infestor once again stealing the show with his fusion of Black, Thrash and Death Metal beats and fills, putting a darkly and insanely epic finale to the album.

The band’s influences include the likes of Venom, Bathory, Slayer, Motörhead, and Deströyer 666, plus movies like Terminator 2, Commando, and Predator (or pretty much anything Arnold Schwarzenegger, to be fair), with the overarching themes on Slave to the Scythe being essentially “hell, fire and hellfire.” There are no ballads, no love songs, just plain devilish music for devilish people that was largely written on the road, and if you want to feel that fire burning your putrid body for all eternity you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on Spotify, and obviously purchase a copy of the excellent Slave to the Scythe from their own BandCamp page or from the Blacklight Media Records’ webstore. In other words, if your impure soul is going to burn in hell, may that happen to the sound of one of the most bestial thrashing albums of the year.

Best moments of the album: Carbureted Speed, Hell Is Full of Fire and In Nomine Baphomet.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records/Blacklight Media Records

Track listing
1. Feast 4:10
2. Slave to the Scythe 4:37
3. Carbureted Speed 3:39
4. Phallomancer the Phallomancer 4:39
5. Interlude 2:45
6. Total Demise 4:54
7. Hell Is Full of Fire 3:48
8. Infernal Bust 3:49
9. In Nomine Baphomet 8:03

Band members
Demiser the Demiser – vocals
Gravepisser – guitars
Phallomancer – guitars
Defiler – bass
Infestor – drums

Concert Review – Judas Priest (Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON, 09/14/2024)

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The Metal Gods proudly raised the Invincible Shield in Niagara Falls on Saturday night in a celebration of the beauty and glory of our beloved Heavy Metal.

OPENING ACT: Sabaton

If you’ve never seen a concert at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, go check their calendar and don’t miss the chance of visiting one of the best venues of the current Canadian landscape. It’s a beyond phenomenal venue with a great seating chart and excellent view from wherever you end up seating (or standing, if the concert you attend saves some space upfront for a small pit), therefore the perfect choice for the one and only Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST, plus their more-than-special guests SABATON, to kick some serious ass during the second show of the new leg of the Invincible Shield Tour North America 2024. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi (who by the way had his photos shared by the Metal Gods themselves on their official Instagram) were obviously there to worship the Metal Gods in another night of the purest form of heavy music you can think of, and let me tell you that the show was beyond memorable, simply mind blowing from start to finish.

Once again, Swedish Power Metal brigade SABATON was the chosen band to warm up the avid Priest fans at a sold out OLG Stage, showing how strong the partnership seems to be between the two bands. Not only that, Sabaton are also becoming a fan-favorite worldwide, attracting countless fans to the show at the Falls this Saturday, and once they started playing it became crystal clear why they’ve already gathered such an immense fanbase. The band spearheaded by the charismatic Joakim Brodén was on fire during their entire show, delivering a solid hybrid of Heavy and Power Metal infused with warlike themes. Songs like Ghost Division, Stormtroopers, and in special the last three songs, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven and To Hell and Back, inspired all fans at the venue to jump up and down nonstop, to raise their fists and horns, and to singalong all songs with Joakim and his henchmen, all of course boosted by a stage that transpired wars and battles. If you’re seeing any concerts of this tour, make sure you arrive in time for Sabaton even if you know nothing about them, because their live performances are as explosive as a hand grenade.

Setlist
The March to War
Ghost Division
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
The Red Baron
Bismarck
Stormtroopers
Carolus Rex
Resist and Bite
The Attack of the Dead Men
Primo Victoria
Soldier of Heaven
To Hell and Back

Band members
Joakim Brodén – lead vocals, keyboards
Thobbe Englund – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitars, backing vocals
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Hannes Van Dahl – drums, backing vocals 

JUDAS PRIEST

After a quick break, it was time for the Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST to raise the Invincible Shield for the second time on this leg of the tour, one day after their also ass-kicking concert in Montreal, and let me tell you that what I had the pleasure of witnessing in Niagara Falls this Saturday was one of their best performances ever. After the flag dropped during the intro to Panic Attack, it was a wild and frantic feast of undisputed Heavy Metal by Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis, leaving every single person at the OLG Stage absolutely disoriented after all was said and done. As a result, the fans at the pit went completely mental from the very first second of the show, igniting some sick mosh pits until the very end, something not so common for a band like Judas Priest. Well, when you start the show with some fast-paced masterpieces like Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law and Riding on the Wind, I think it’s fair to expect some action in the pit. To be fair, the pit during Rapid Fire was so intense it looked like a Death Metal pit, just to give you an idea of how rowdy the crowd was.

I believe there are three reasons for the band to be so tight, so heavy and so precise at this point of their 50-year career. First and foremost, Mr. Rob Halford, the one and only Metal God, the heart of the band, is delivering stellar vocal performances night after night at the age of 73, something so unbelievable it makes me wonder if he’s an actual god. I mean, guys like Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson are definitely role models for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy and fun life after you turn 60 or 70. In other words, if I get to Halford’s age with one fifth of his energy, I’ll be a very happy man. Second, Richie Faulkner is now the soul of Judas Priest, blasting our ears with his electrifying riffs and solos nonstop, which I’m sure makes Glenn Tipton very, very proud of how he’s helping carry the band’s legacy forward. And third, Scott Travis continues to hammer his drums majestically, becoming the band’s engine, and all that power and speed always translates into more action on and off stage.

Even the slower songs like Love Bites and Crown of Horns brought a lot of energy to the show, plus of course some heavy classics like Sinner and Turbo Lover; however, as expected, it was during the most hard hitting songs of the night, their new anthem Invincible Shield and the most metal song of all time, the unparalleled Painkiller, that the crowd had the biggest reactions of the entire show, with the pit during Painkiller going out of control to the point there were almost a few fights inside of it. It was a beautiful, memorable moment by a band that is not only celebrating 50 years of Heavy Metal, but that is the ultimate depiction of Heavy Metal. For instance, when a renowned guitarist like Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse is in attendance of the show as a fan, you can have a good idea of the importance of Judas Priest to the world of music. The encore with the timeless classics The Hellion/Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather and Living After Midnight simply proved that, and it didn’t matter if it was a 60, 70 or 80-year old veteran or a three-year old kid (who not only got the sunglasses of the vocalist for Sabaton, but also a pick, a setlist, and a special post on Instagram by Judas Priest), everyone at the OLG Casino was mesmerized by the Metal Gods in another celebration of the beauty and glory of Heavy Metal.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Riding on the Wind
Love Bites
Devil’s Child
Saints in Hell
Crown of Horns
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller

Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

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Album Review – Fleshgod Apocalypse / Opera (2024)

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After emerging back in full force in 2023, one of the torchbearers of Symphonic Death Metal worldwide returns with their strongest opus to date.

Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, produced by Francesco Paoli and Francesco Ferrini, and displaying a striking artwork by Felicita Fiorini and Francesco Esposito, the breathtaking Opera, the brand new album by Italian Symphonic/Technical Death Metal masters Fleshgod Apocalypse, is much more than just the follow-up to their 2019 album Veleno. Opera is their first album after the band’s frontman and mastermind Francesco Paoli was involved in a near death climbing accident, resulting in years of recovery and the band’s temporary hiatus; however, after emerging back in full force in 2023, commanding audiences on tours throughout Europe, the band formed of Francesco Paoli alongside Veronica Bordacchini on vocals, Fabio Bartoletti on lead guitars, Francesco Ferrini on the piano and orchestrations, and Eugene Ryabchenko on drums is on absolute fire during their entire new album, a life affirming release that will surely please all fans of the band and feature among the best albums of the year worldwide.

Ode to Art (De’ sepolcri) feels like the opening scenes of a classic movie, with the operatic elements in the background spiraling inside our minds until all hell breaks loose in I Can Never Die, with Francesco Paoli roaring its poetic lyrics (“This life is mine forever / Who free from fears I smile at death / As I become immortal / Writing with my blood on this wall, words that you’ll never forget / My story engraved with these bones and no regret / I burned my nerves / I ripped my heart out to feel alive / I made a pact with my own devils / Thus, I can never die”) amidst a lecture in Symphonic Death Metal. Pendulum sounds even heavier and more neck-breaking than the previous tune, with Eugene hammering his drums like a demented Death Metal beast, whereas the heaviness flowing form the guitars by Francesco Paoli and Fabio in Bloodclock is insane, boosted by the whimsical, cinematic keys by Francesco Ferrini. And the mesmerizing vocals by Veronica add a touch of finesse to At War with My Soul, a demented aria of Symphonic Death Metal with Eugene’s beats and fills sounding yet again inhumane.

Despite the heaviness and speed in Morphine Waltz, the music sounds out of place compared to the epicness of the other songs of the album, albeit Fabio’s guitar solo is amazing; and his guitar work is also superb in Matricide 8.21, redefining the meaning of Metal Opera, where Francesco Paoli and Veronica make a darkly hypnotizing vocal duo embraced by the classy piano and orchestrations by Francesco Ferrini. Per Aspera ad Astra, a Latin saying going back 2000 years which translated means “through adversity to the stars”, is another vicious Symphonic Black and Death Metal onrush by Fleshgod Apocalypse with all instruments sounding in absolute sync, setting total fire to the atmosphere. There’s still time for more symphonic madness in Till Death Do Us Part, starting in a serene manner to the passionate vocals by Veronica, evolving into a touching, obscure ballad before the album ends with Opera, a cinematic, cryptic outro led by the classic piano by Francesco Ferrini.

The guys (and girl) from Fleshgod Apocalypse are more than eager to know what you have to say about their new album (which you can purchase by clicking HERE, and also stream in its entirety on Spotify and on YouTube) on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can also stay updated with all of their amazing concerts and tours, and don’t forget to also stream more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify. Opera is an absolute beast of an album, and after his near death experience I’m sure Francesco Paoli will keep bringing that terrifying yet stunning darkness to the music by Fleshgod Apocalypse just like what he did in the band’s newborn opus, by far one of the strongest of the genre from the past few years.

Best moments of the album: I Can Never Die, At War with My Soul, Matricide 8.21 and Per Aspera ad Astra.

Worst moments of the album: Morphine Waltz.

Released in 2024 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Ode to Art (De’ sepolcri) 2:18
2. I Can Never Die 4:30
3. Pendulum 3:58
4. Bloodclock 5:14
5. At War with My Soul 5:06
6. Morphine Waltz 3:36
7. Matricide 8.21 5:35
8. Per Aspera ad Astra 4:48
9. Till Death Do Us Part 5:31
10. Opera 2:44

Band members
Francesco Paoli – lead vocals, guitars, bass
Veronica Bordacchini – vocals (soprano)
Fabio Bartoletti – lead guitars
Francesco Ferrini – piano, orchestrations
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums

Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 09/12/2024)

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How about another excellent show by the boys Down Under before heading back to Canada?

INTRO: IMFC Meetup

After skipping the concert in Brisbane to have more time to enjoy both Melbourne and Sydney, it was time for another explosion of heavy music by KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and IRON MAIDEN during the Australia & New Zealand leg of The Future Past Tour 2024, this time at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. By the way, I only did night one in Sydney, returning to Canada on Friday September 13 so I could make it in time to worship the Metal Gods (which will be published here in another concert review). However, due to the Iron Maiden Fan Club meetup at The Squires Landing on the night of September 11, it actually felt like more than just one show. It was fantastic seeing some old friends and putting faces to new ones while enjoying a few pints, and not even the British Lion concert happening at the same time stopped over 40 IMFC members to celebrate life and music together at the pub. I love those meetups, and I can’t wait for the Toronto one next month.

OPENING ACT: Killswitch Engage

I can say that I finished my Australian adventure with absolutely zero sight of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE. It was impossible to arrive early at the venue having so many attractions to see in the city like the Bondi to Coogee Walk, Manly Beach, the Sydney Opera House, the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, as well as some further sites like the Blue Mountains. I’m sorry if you’re a fan of the band, but with so much to do I didn’t even care about getting to the venue in time to see them at least once. Everyone I asked later how their concert was said “it was OK” without a lot of enthusiasm, so I guess I made the right decision to ignore the band and enjoy some time by the sea seeing some whales and dolphins in their natural habitat, right? By the way, everyone I spoke to that did the FTTB experience in any of the Australian dates said they were tired of Killswitch Engage, most probably because after a long wait outside the venue, when you finally get in you simply want to see Iron Maiden and nothing else, and that’s even worse when the opening band plays something most fans don’t listen to on a regular basis.

Setlist
My Curse
This Fire
Strength of the Mind
The Arms of Sorrow
A Bid Farewell
In Due Time
The Signal Fire
Unleashed
Hate by Design
Rose of Sharyn
This Is Absolution
The End of Heartache
My Last Serenade
Holy Diver

Band members
Jesse Leach – lead vocals
Adam Dutkiewicz – lead guitars, backing vocals
Joel Stroetzel – rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Mike D’Antonio – bass
Justin Foley – drums

IRON MAIDEN

Once again, there I was ready for a blast of The Future Past Tour 2024 in Australia by IRON MAIDEN, again blending the best of the albums Somewhere In Time and Senjutsu, as a “farewell” to my trip Down Under. As mentioned, I didn’t stay for night two in Sydney because the Metal Gods were calling me back to Canada, but according to my friends I got the best of the two shows in Sydney as both the band and the crowd were more electric and in sync on the first night. There isn’t a lot I can say about the show that hasn’t been said before, except for the fact that Bruce was absolutely out of tempo during the first part of Caught Somewhere in Time, and it was funny watching the rest of the band trying to “fix” the error. The same songs that were the top moments of the shows in Melbourne were also the best ones in Sydney, in special Hell on Earth with all of its pyro (the only real pyro of their entire setlist, by the way), and of course Wasted Years, the perfect closure for my vacation in the land of kangaroos, koalas and quokkas.

Let’s say that the pre and post show activities were just as fun as the show itself, with a quick trip to the Trooper Dive Bar & Fan Meet at The Locker Room, located only five minutes walking from the venue (as pretty much anything else inside the beautiful Sydney Olympic Park), chatting with a few people that were about to see Iron Maiden live for the first time ever, and obviously meeting with my friends from the IMFC one last time before heading back to Canada. I like to say that although the shows are usually the same, with the exact same setlist played night after night, there’s always something unique or different to enjoy, and even after seeing the boys three times Down Under I can’t wait to see them again in Toronto and Montreal next month, and meet again several familiar faces that love to follow the band all over the world, especially when the place is as stunning and fun as Australia.

Setlist
Doctor Doctor (UFO song)
Blade Runner (End Titles) (Vangelis song)
Caught Somewhere in Time
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Writing on the Wall
Days of Future Past
The Time Machine
The Prisoner
Death of the Celts
Can I Play With Madness
Heaven Can Wait
Alexander the Great
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden

Encore:
Hell on Earth
The Trooper
Wasted Years
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)

Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums

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Album Review – Hell Is Other People / Moirae (2024)

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This Canadian entity will show you that hell is other people with their excellent newborn spawn of Black Metal, imbibing influences from several of its related subgenres.

Hailing from Windsor, a city in Ontario, Canada, across the Detroit River from the US city of Detroit, Post-Black Metal outfit Hell is Other People (by the way, “Hell Is Other People” is a quote from Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit) has elegantly and passionately crafted a brilliant Black Metal album, titled Moirae (which means “goddesses of fate or destiny” in Greek), that imbibes influences from several of its related subgenres such as Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal and even DSBM in parts, forming a cohesive, expressive and all-encompassing sound that the band is comfortable in carrying throughout. Displaying a stunning cover art by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Nathan Ferreira on vocals and bass, Nathan Boots and Nicholas Luck on the guitars, and James Ditty on drums is a beautifully tempered opus with a remarkable range of expression that comes across as genuine and heartfelt, being recommended for fans of Agalloch, Altar of Plagues, Winterfylleth, White Ward, and Drudkh.

The dark, caustic riffs by Nathan Boots and Nicholas walk hand in hand with the sluggish Doom Metal beats by James in the title-track Moirae, while the vocals by Nathan Ferreira exhale pure Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding anguished and grim. Moreover, it’s impressive how they sound devilish while at the same time so elegant and delicate throughout the entire song. Fates keeps the ambience as somber and pensive as possible, with the hammering drums by James dictating the pace while Nathan Ferreira continues to roar and gnarl in a great fusion of Black Metal with Post-Metal, followed by Degrade, offering us all almost eight minutes of breathtaking, deep and meaningful music that will tear your soul apart to the minimalist yet sharp and austere riffage by the band’s guitar duo, starting in a serene manner before the band attacks once again with their visceral Post-Black Metal, building an instant bridge with the also venomous Loss, where Nathan’s enraged growls are nicely boosted by the intricate yet demented drumming by James while their guitars continue to exhale the harshest and most piercing sounds found in contemporary extreme music. And all comes to a climatic and epic conclusion in Atropos, offering our damned ears an overdose of heaviness and atmospheric elements, with James kicking our asses on drums, while Nathan Boots and Nicholas continue to cut our skin deep with their razor-edged axes, with all layers, breaks, passages and variations turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

If you want to put your damned, dirty hands on the excellent Moirae, you can find the album available from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page, main store, US store, or EU store in different formats and as part of some very special bundles, and don’t forget to also give those talented Canadian musicians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on the announcements of their live concerts, to stream their music on Spotify, and to stay updated with all things Hell Is Other People by clicking HERE. In the end, after listening to Moirae, you’ll finally realize that hell is indeed other people, and that the Post-Black Metal by this amazing Canadian band is perfect for representing all that darkness and melancholy found inside each one of us.

Best moments of the album: Moirae and Atropos.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Moirae 6:58
2. Fates 6:43
3. Degrade 7:48
4. Loss 8:45
5. Atropos 13:28

Band members
Nathan Ferreira – vocals, bass
Nathan Boots – guitars
Nicholas Luck – guitars
James Ditty – drums