Album Review – Atavistia / Inane Ducam EP (2024)

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One of the most interesting names of the Vancouver, Canada scene is back with an amazing new EP, an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet.

Exploring various forms of metal within their music, resulting in a symphonic mix of nature, atmosphere, and technically precise musicianship, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Melodic/Symphonic Death Metal act Atavistia is ready to unleash a brand new EP titled Inane Ducam, which translates as “I will lead into nothingness”, and sometimes you’ll even find the album labeled as Inane Ducam (I Will Lead Into Nothingness), an album of the band’s most extreme influences and their darkest release yet. Produced and engineered by Mattias Sippola and Max Sepulveda, recorded at Atavistic Studios, mixed by Mattias Sippola, and mastered at Fascination Street Studios, the album includes some of the most complex guitar riffs, fastest drums, and bellowing screams by vocalist and guitarist Mattias Sippola, newcomers Elia Baghbaniyan on the guitars and Spencer Budworth on bass, and drummer Max Sepulveda, perfectly depicting the diversity of Atavistia much like a forest in the full bloom of spring.

The title-track Inane Ducam is an atmospheric, cryptic intro that kicks things off by setting the stage for the band to darken the skies in Timeless Despair, an explosive Melodic Death Metal aria bursting with epicness thanks to all symphonic elements in the background, while Max hammers his drums in the name of extreme music, perfectly supporting Mattias’ devilish vocals. Then we have Dark Isolation, sounding even more imposing and bold, a multi-layered composition showcasing the caustic riffs by Mattias and Elia while Spencer keeps the ambience as heavy and it can be with his bass lines. Unattained Creation is another wicked creation by the band where the austere, harsh roars by Mattias match perfectly with the rumbling bass and drums by Spencer and Max, respectively, flowing into the closing song of the EP, titled The Void, which is also the most detailed grim and infernal of all tracks, with Mattias leading his horde with his hellish growls while Max keeps blasting his drums like a demented beast, resulting in over seven minutes of first-class metal music that put a beyond climatic ending to the album.

If you want to know more about Atavistia, their music, tour dates and so on, you can start following and supporting one of the most interesting names of the current Canadian metal scene on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the excellent Inane Ducam from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Atavistia keep exploring new lands in Inane Ducam while always remaining loyal to their origins, and that translates into some amazing heavy music that I’m sure you’ll enjoy a lot as soon as you take your very first listen to their new release, undoubtedly one of the best EP’s of 2024 so far.

Best moments of the album: Dark Isolation and The Void.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Inane Ducam 1:41
2. Timeless Despair 3:55
3. Dark Isolation 5:23
4. Unattained Creation 5:17
5. The Void 7:06

Band members
Mattias Sippola – vocals, guitars
Elia Baghbaniyan – guitars
Spencer Budworth – bass, backing vocals
Max Sepulveda – drums

Album Review – Disloyal / Divine Miasmata (2024)

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One of Poland’s most ruthless Death Metal bands returns to action armed with their most complex, atmospheric and obscure record to date.

Recorded at Monroe Sound Studio and engineered, mixed and mastered by Arkadiusz “Aro” Jablonski, with the main cover artwork by NaphulaArt adding a visually stunning dimension to the release, the heavy-as-hell Divine Miasmata is the fifth studio effort by Polish Death Metal veterans Disloyal, marking the band’s natural progression in their already infernal path. Divine Miasmata is a proposal that simply cannot be ignored, easily the band’s most complex, catchiest, most atmospheric, grooviest, and darkest record to date, combining hard-labor musical craftsmanship with top-notch artistic finesse, all masterfully brought into being by vocalist Konstantin Kolesnikov, guitarists Artyom Serdyuk and Yahor Liatkouski, bassist Kolya Kislyi, and drummer Jaroslaw Paprota, proving why the band has been standing strong since their inception in 1997.

Just hit play and the ominous intro Divine Miasmata will drag you to Disloyal’s devilish realm, decimating your putrid soul in Silent Revolution by offering us all five minutes of ruthless, deep and evil Death Metal spearheaded by the gruesome roars by Konstantin, with the dissonant guitars by Artyom and Yahor sounding truly haunting. Jaroslaw keeps crushing his drums in the name of old school Death Metal in The Black Pope, an infernal creation by the quintet where the deep gnarls by Konstantin get more demonic than ever; and it’s impressive how they sound so heavy and evil, but at the same time very melodic, which is also the case in 1347-1352, where the band’s guitar duo will slash your ears with their strident riffs and solos in over six minutes of first-class Polish Death Metal. Then it’s  time to bang our heads like there’s no tomorrow and break our necks like demented beasts is Stella Peccatorum, again presenting their characteristic riffage supported by the rumbling bass by Kolya.

Jaroslaw dictates the massive, heavy-as-hell rhythm behind his drums in Betrayed Faith, a hammering tune by Disloyal that should ignite some sick mosh pits whenever played live; whereas the band continues to breathe sulfur and hatred in Religion of Warfare, a pulverizing song showcasing all their passion for Death Metal, with Konstantin once again sounding inhumane on vocals by growling and gnarling nonstop. The band enhances their progressiveness in Ravens of Starvation, based on a poem by Diana Suhova, delivering an almost Technical and Progressive Death Metal extravaganza tailored for admirers of the genre, all boosted by the infernal deep roars by Konstantin; and closing the album we have the also pounding, visceral The Ascension of Abaddon, a direct, in your-face Death Metal onrush that will smash your skeleton mercilessly thanks to the vile riffage by the band’s guitar duo and the always crushing beats by Jaroslaw, ending in a somber, melancholic and climatic way.

If you want to put your hands on Divine Miasmata and show your utmost support to one of the most important bands of the current Polish extreme music scene, you can buy your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE or HERE, and also find more information about Disloyal on Facebook and on Instagram (including their ass-kicking live shows), and stream their amazing creations on Spotify, keeping the fires of Death Metal burning bright while you enjoy one of the most visceral and demented albums of the year hailing from Poland.

Best moments of the album: The Black Pope, Stella Peccatorum and The Ascension of Abaddon.

Worst moments of the album: Silent Revolution.

Released in 2024 Black Lion Records

Track listing
1. Divine Miasmata 2:20
2. Silent Revolution 5:10
3. The Black Pope 5:28
4. 1347-1352 6:34
5. Stella Peccatorum 6:20
6. Betrayed Faith 6:43
7. Religion of Warfare 5:43
8. Ravens of Starvation 5:15
9. The Ascension of Abaddon 6:37

Band members
Konstantin Kolesnikov – vocals
Artyom Serdyuk – guitars
Yahor Liatkouski – guitars
Kolya Kislyi – bass
Jaroslaw Paprota – drums

Album Review – Wound Collector / Begging For Chicxulub EP (2024)

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Professional saxophonist and composer Peter Verdonck and his henchmen are back with a striking new EP, offering us all four songs of first-class Progressive Death Metal made in Belgium.

The brainchild of Peter Verdonck, a renowned professional saxophonist and composer who has earned his stripes in performances across the globe with Thelema Trio, Manngold de Cobre, The Rhythm Junks, De Pandoering, Ambrassband and many more, although his heart truly beats for Death Metal, Melsele, East Flanders, Belgium-based Progressive Death Metal outfit Wound Collector is set to unleash upon us a brand new four-track EP titled Begging For Chicxulub, the follow-up to their 2020 sophomore album Depravity. Currently formed of Peter Verdonck on vocals, saxophone and arrangements alongside Poncho Gavall (Pestifer) and Guy Van Campenhout (Hangman’s Hymn, Splendidula) on the guitars, Stijn Deldaele (Beat Love Oracle, Vesper) on bass and Nico Veroeven (Serial Butcher, Carrion) on drums, Wound Collector play an amalgamation of styles perfect for fans of Nile, Imperial Triumphant, Sarpanitum, Immolation and so on, with their new short and sweet EP beautifully showing a good sample of what they’re capable of.

The band puts the pedal to the metal in the opener River Of Scalded Corpses, with Nico delivering violent but intricate beats while Poncho and Guy sound insane armed with their riffs and solos in a multi-layered Progressive Death Metal feats tailored for admirers of the style; and  they continue their feast of brutal yet detailed Death Metal in Progress Through Dishonor, with the saxophone by Peter adding an extra touch of insanity to their music, not to mention how deep and enraged Peter’s vocals sound and feel. Then the striking fusion of the delicacy of the saxophone with the bestial roars by Peter and the caustic riffage by Poncho and Guy set the tone in Dehumanized By The Auburn System, flowing smoothly until the very last second, while Chicxulub is a ruthless explosion of Progressive and Technical Death Metal by the band where Nico once again dictates the pace with his demented drumming, not to mention Peter’s saxophone adds even more electricity to it, resulting in the best song of the EP hands down.

The multi-talented Peter and his henchmen are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and so on, and of course don’t forget to stream more of their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of their excellent EP from their Big Cartel, BandCamp, or by clicking HERE. If you’ve never experienced Death Metal infused with the smooth and powerful sound of a saxophone, you’ll have an absolute blast listening to Wound Collector, with their new EP being exactly what you need to “relax inside a mosh pit”, if you know what I mean.

Best moments of the album: River Of Scalded Corpses and Chicxulub.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. River Of Scalded Corpses 3:30
2. Progress Through Dishonor 3:40
3. Dehumanized By The Auburn System 3:41
4. Chicxulub 3:20

Band members
Peter Verdonck – vocals, saxophone, arrangements
Poncho Gavall – lead guitars
Guy Van Campenhout – guitars
Stijn Deldaele – bass guitar
Nico Veroeven – drums

Album Review – Axel Rudi Pell / Risen Symbol (2024)

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Bochum, Germany’s own metal institution strikes again with their twenty second studio album, flying the Melodic Hard Rock flag without watering down their style.

Following up on their 2022 album Lost XXIII, and continuing their streak of one album every two years, Bochum, Germany’s own Heavy Metal/Hard Rock institution Axel Rudi Pell will attack our senses once again with their twenty second opus, entitled Risen Symbol, flying the Melodic Hard Rock flag without watering down their style with pseudo-modern stylistic variations or expendable studio gimmicks. Displaying a fiery artwork taking up where their 1996 album Black Moon Pyramid left off, the band formed of the unstoppable guitarist Axel Rudi Pell and his henchmen Johnny Gioeli on vocals, Volker Krawczak on bass, Ferdy Doernberg on keyboards, and Bobby Rondinelli on drums offers a well-balanced and thrilling mix of catchy rhythms and powerful riffs, resulting in one of their strongest albums of the past decade.

The Resurrection, one of those characteristic intros by Axel Rudi Pell, sounds atmospheric, magical and whimsical, revving up their engines for Forever Strong, where Axel already begins slashing his guitars in great fashion supported by the always pounding drums by Bobby in a lecture in old school Heavy Metal and Hard Rock without sounding outdated, almost feeling like a Power Metal attack. Then we’re treated to Guardian Angel, one of the two singles released before the official album saw the light of day, which couldn’t have sounded more Axel Rudi Pell than this, where Johnny as usual steals the spotlight with his soaring, striking vocal lines; followed by their incendiary cover for Led Zeppelin’s all-time classic Immigrant Song, and Axel and his crew made sure they delivered a stunning rendition of the original one, with Johnny being simply flawless on vocals. And Darkest Hour, the first single of the album, is an amazing Hard Rock tune with Volker, Ferdy and Bobby crafting a rumbling ambience for Axel to slash his stringed axe, delivering incendiary riffs and solos nonstop.

Then you better get ready for ten minutes of undisputed, beautiful Heavy Metal and Hard Rock in the form of Ankhaia, bringing to our ears another explosion of soaring vocals, striking riffs and classic beats, resulting in an imposing aria that presents everything we love in the music by Axel Rudi Pell and more; whereas Hell’s On Fire is another classic tune by the quintet where the keys by Ferdy walk hand in hand with the magical riffage by Axel. Of course there had to be a stylish ballad by the band, in this case titled Crying In Pain, where the crying guitar by Axel embellishes the airwaves while Johnny proves why he’s one of the best Hard Rock vocalists of the current scene, all embraced by Ferdy’s charming keys. Volker hammers his thunderous bass nonstop in Right On Track, offering more of the band’s trademark sounds, with Axel once again kicking some ass with his strident riffs and solos in a Rock N’ Roll party perfect for raising our glasses and horns together with the boys; and the melancholic guitar lines by Axel ignite the closing song Taken By Storm alongside Johnny’s passionate vocals, flowing in a classy way until the very end while bringing to our ears more of their stylish riffs, rumbling bass lines, ass-kicking vocals and crushing drums.

In summary, Mr. Axel Rudi Pell and the boys did it again, delivering another solid album of heavy music in a relatively short period of time, which is not only good for us fans as it gives us more music for our daily activities, but it also expands the options for their live concerts, and if you want to catch one of the most hardworking and focused bands of the current European scene live you can see what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their beyond vast catalogue on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Risen Symbol by clicking HERE, including the more than special Risen Symbol box set, including two exclusive red and white splatter vinyl in gatefold, two neon orange vinyl in gatefold, a jewel case CD, a shirt, an exclusive flacon with perfume (created by Axel Rudi Pell), a guitar pick, an A1 poster, a sticker, and an A5 photo card. It won’t take long for Mr. Axel Rudi Pell to release a new album, as I like to say every time I review his music, and that’s a very good thing for the metal community because as long as he keeps delivering great albums like Risen Symbol, we can rest assured Heavy Metal and Hard Rock will never die.

Best moments of the album: Forever Strong, Ankhaia and Right On Track.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 SPV/Steamhammer

Track listing
1. The Resurrection (Intro) 1:42
2. Forever Strong 4:42
3. Guardian Angel 5:27
4. Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin cover) 5:47
5. Darkest Hour 5:32
6. Ankhaia 10:09
7. Hell’s On Fire 4:46
8. Crying In Pain 6:49
9. Right On Track 4:45
10. Taken By Storm 7:35

Band members
Johnny Gioeli – vocals
Axel Rudi Pell – guitar
Volker Krawczak – bass
Ferdy Doernberg – keyboards
Bobby Rondinelli – drums

Album Review – Paradise In Flames / Blindness (2024)

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Behold the new album by this sulfurous Symphonic Black Metal horde from Brazil, portraying religion as a psychological illness, and how men become blind in the pursuit of power.

Telling part of the story of a philosophical work that portrays religion as a psychological illness, illustrating how men become blind in the pursuit of power, the incendiary Blindness, the band new offering by Santa Luzia/Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil-based Symphonic Black Metal band Paradise In Flames and the follow-up to their 2021 album Act One, will be a blast for anyone with an interest in Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, and Satyricon. Produced by André Carvalho, mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen, and displaying a sinister artwork by Marcelo Almeida, representing Plato’s allegory of the cave, the new album by O. Mortis on vocals, A. Damien on vocals and guitars, R. Aender on bass, G. de Alvarenga on keyboards and backing vocals, and S.J. Bernardo on drums sounds dark, imposing, multi-layered and sinister just the way we like it in extreme music, undoubtedly taking the band’s name to new heights in their already solid career.

The eerie, phantasmagorical intro Desolate World, inspired by present-day Cradle of Filth, sets the stage for the band to haunt our souls with Concerto No.6 in C Minor, Cold Spring, with the keys by G. de Alvarenga bringing an extra touch of darkness to the already venomous sound blasted by his bandmates, not to mention A. Damien and O. Mortis make a fantastic vocal duo. Then in the pulverizing Black Wings the entire band takes their insanity and passion for the dark side of music to a whole new level, offering layers and layers of powerful metal music infused with classical and operatic moments, therefore resulting in a full-bodied aria of Symphonic Black Metal; followed by Reasons To Not Believe, offering another round of whimsical keyboards intertwined with the caustic riffs by A. Damien and R. Aender, with A. Damien once again roaring like a demonic creature. Their imposing sounds permeate the air in I Feel The Plague, showcasing the band’s trademark Stygian wall of sounds led by the infernal beats by S.J. Bernardo in one of the most detailed songs of the album; and they keep distilling their evil sounds and tones in The Cure, once again blending the fury of S.J. Bernardo’s drums with the finesse of G. de Alvarenga’s keys.

Then a moment of serenity invades our minds in The Priest, before all morphs into more of their chaotic Black Metal with O. Mortis stealing the spotlight with her powerful operatic vocals in paradox with the harsh gnarls by A. Damien. In Endless Night Battle, one of the most epic of all songs, their guitars sound utterly caustic during the entire song, not to mention how S.J. Bernardo pounds his drums like a beast; whereas War Sonata sounds and feels absolutely inspired by the recent sluggish, grim creations by Dani Filth and his horde, and Paradise In Flames sound truly majestic throughout the entire song, with all background elements supporting the vocals by A. Damien and O. Mortis majestically. There’s still a lot of fuel to burn (in hell) starting with Age Of Death, another solid composition bringing forward more of the delicate yet devilish keys by G. de Alvarenga amidst a dense and enfolding musical extravaganza; and last but not least, the band will attack our senses with Angels & Devils, with A. Damien alternating between evil screeches and deep, brutal guttural lines while R. Aender and S.J. Bernardo will make your cranial skull tremble armed with their ruthless kitchen.

There are countless places where you can purchase the excellent Blindness, including the band’s own webstore and Linktree, as well as Apple Music, and don’t forget to also give those Brazilians servants of darkness a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream their music on Spotify. Religion  is indeed a psychological illness that’s driving humanity to its doom, and the fantastic music found in Blindness represents exactly all the darkness and evil we’re marching towards if that doesn’t change anytime soon.

Best moments of the album: Black Wings, I Feel The Plague and War Sonata.

Worst moments of the album: Reasons To Not Believe.

Released in 2024 Xaninho Discos/Demoncratic Records

Track listing
1. Desolate World 1:00
2. Concerto No.6 in C Minor, Cold Spring 3:37
3. Black Wings 4:00
4. Reasons To Not Believe 3:32
5. I Feel The Plague 4:17
6. The Cure 3:13
7. The Priest 3:26
8. Endless Night Battle 4:18
9. War Sonata 3:28
10. Age Of Death 4:15
11. Angels & Devils 3:52

Band members
O. Mortis – vocals
A. Damien – vocals, guitars
R. Aender – bass
G. de Alvarenga – keyboards, backing vocals
S.J. Bernardo – drums

Concert Review – Archspire (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2024)

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A night of horror, brutality, circle pits, walls of death, fun games like Twister and the “shoey”, and a lot more in Toronto, courtesy of the fastest and most technical brigade in the history of Canada.

OPENING ACTS: Alluvial, Carcosa and Aborted

It was a beyond wild and fun night at The Phoenix Concert Theatre this Saturday when ALLUVIAL, CARCOSA, ABORTED and ARCHSPIRE took the city of Toronto by storm with their fulminating Everything’s F#*!@d Tour 2024, another extremely successful event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and I say wild and fun because that’s exactly what the four bands offered to us all, blasting our heads with their sick, infernal music, while at the same time demanding nonstop action inside the circle pit. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were patiently awaiting for this concert as we love the music of all four bands, and I must say I couldn’t be happier with everything we got during the event’s four hours of brutal, thrilling and captivating heavy music. Not even the (brutally) bad traffic to get to Toronto made me less excited about the show, and if you know how horrible traffic has been to get to and back from the city lately, especially when there’s rain involved, you know the show was fantastic to the point you don’t even remember the problems to get there, right?

The first band to hit the stage precisely at 7:30pm was Atlanta, Georgia’s Deathcore/Djent outfit ALLUVIAL, who have recently released a great new EP titled Death Is but a Door, the follow-up to their 2021 album Sarcoma. Let’s say their setlist was a mix of those two albums, and although I have no idea of the names of all songs I’m pretty sure they played Bog Dweller and Fogbelt, two songs perfect to ignite some intense mosh pits with whoever was already at the floor section (instead of stuck in a huge line at the way too hot merch area). Their frontman Kevin Muller was a beast during their whole set, and after that fans had a chance to meet him and the other guys at their merch table, which was a very nice touch by the band to create a stronger connection with their fanbase. If you want to know more about Alluvial, go check their BandCamp and Spotify for all of their music, and don’t miss the chance to see them live as they’re insane onstage.

Band members
Kevin Muller – vocals
Wes Hauch – guitars
Tim Walker – bass
Zach Dean – drums

As I wanted so bad an Archspire “Stay Tech” pin plus a patch, I was stupid enough to face the sauna-like merch line right after Alluvial and had to miss the beginning of the concert by Vancouver, British Columbia-based Deathcore/Djent act CARCOSA, but that was OK as I still had plenty to enjoy from their infernal setlist as all bands had a lot of playing time, including the openers. Still promoting their 2021 album Anthology, the band formed of Johnny Ciardullo, Andrew Baena, Cooper Lagace, Laptop and Travis Regnier crushed the souls of everyone at the already packed venue with their heavy-as-hell music and intense energy onstage, and you know how good a band is when a renowned musician like Aborted’s Sven De Caluwé sports a Carcosa shirt during their set. Hence, don’t forget to buy and stream Carcosa’s music on BandCamp and on Spotify, because those Canadian dudes are freakin’ awesome.

Band members
Johnny Ciardullo – vocals
Andrew Baena – guitar
Cooper Lagace – guitar
Laptop – bass
Travis Regnier – drums

After another short and sweet break, Belgium’s own Death Metal/Grindcore masters ABORTED opened up their Vault of Horrors and kicked off one of the most pulverizing, demented and frantic concerts of the past few years in Toronto. It was absolute chaos and madness thanks to guitarist Ian Jekelis, bassist Stefano Franceschini, drummer Ken Bedene, and of course, one of the most demented frontmen of all time, the unparalleled beast Sven De Caluwé. That man was on fire throughout their entire set, hitting his head with his hands, jumping up and down nonstop, making crazy faces, pretending to be firing a machine gun when Ken was blasting his drums manically, and so on, which translated into an overdose of violence, gore and mosh pits to the delight of all fans of the band in the city.

The opener Retrogore was beyond pulverizing to say the least, followed by an avalanche of old school Aborted and new songs from their bestial 2024 album Vault of Horrors (available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), including the fantastic Dreadbringer, Brotherhood of Sleep, and Death Cult. By the way, I told my friend who’s not very familiar with Aborted that someone was going to die during Death Cult so heavy and insane it is, and that almost happened as one guy stayed on the ground for a while to the point several fans inside the pit asked the band to stop playing to check if he was OK. The guy was apparently fine, but I have no idea if he had any sort of concussion that would manifest during the next few days. As I said, Death Cult almost resulted in a real death inside the pit. There was still time for more brutal action with the demolishing tunes Insect Politics, Threading on Vermillion Deception and The Saw and the Carnage Done, leaving everyone in awe and more than ready for more Aborted and their world renowned walls of death in Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Retrogore
Bathos
Dreadbringer
Condemned to Rot
Brotherhood of Sleep
Death Cult
Insect Politics
Threading on Vermillion Deception
The Saw and the Carnage Done

Band members
Sven De Caluwé – vocals
Ian Jekelis – guitar
Stefano Franceschini – bass
Ken Bedene – drums

ARCHSPIRE

After seeing Vancouver, British Columbia’s own Extreme Technical Death Metal brigade ARCHSPIRE kicking some serious ass live in Sydney, Australia last year, I was beyond eager to witness what they could do in Toronto, and this Saturday night they proved why they’re one of the must-see names of the extreme music scene worldwide with their ruthless aggression, undisputed technique, and a really nice sense of humor. Just to give you an example of all that together, when a concert starts with a narration saying things like “after the invention of the horse” you know it’s going to be brutal and fun. Just the idea of someone “inventing” the horse is already a good joke to kick things off.

And as soon as the unstoppable Oliver Rae Aleron on vocals, Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli on the guitars, Jared Smith on bass and Spencer Prewett on drums began their beyond fast, pulverizing and insane concert, it was total madness inside the pit until the very last second. Their last record to date might still be the 2021 opus Bleed the Future, but honestly all songs from that album and from Relentless Mutation (which are the only two albums they currently play in their concerts, “ignoring” for some unknown reason the also great The Lucid Collective, from 2014, and All Shall Align, from 2011) sounded killer live, and you can enjoy both in full on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way. They kicked off the show with the inhumane Bleed the Future to give all concert goers an idea of what their Extreme Technical Death Metal means, and continued their feast of technical insanity with already classic songs like Acrid Canon, Remote Tumour Seeker and Golden Mouth of Ruin, all played to perfection and at the speed of light (or maybe even faster than that).

An Archspire concert is not complete without some good jokes, and the band didn’t’ disappoint at all with a selection of nonsense that added a very nice touch to their already flawless concert. We got the Twister game inside the pit which ended with an infernal wall of death, a sweet tradition already in their concerts, and the also sick “shoey”, which is something Oliver said they learned in Australia. If you don’t know what that is, it’s simply drinking beer from your own shoe as fast as you can, with the winner getting a custom shirt made by the band. The Toronto one had something written about the Maple Leafs that I honestly didn’t get, but it was really cool and the guy who won it put it on right away, as he was really excited of being onstage with the band. And what to say about their introduction to all bands from this tour, saying Aborted only accepted their invitation to play with them (because they needed a big band to seel tickets, as they couldn’t do it by themselves) after they sucked their dicks? This one might sound childish for some people, but it was a good one as well.

Perhaps the most absurd and hilarious moment of the show was when Oliver explained why they had two Christmas trees onstage. Yes, that was their stage stuff, really weird, right? It all made sense when Oliver said that they got some “lab results” and their guitarist Tobi was “not gonna make it to next Christmas”, so they decided to celebrate Christmas with him during this tour. Yes, Christmas IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, and they even brough to stage what they called “Summer Santa” to throw picks to the crowd and give Tobi a dildo to complete his guitar, because according to Oliver that was the same guitar he got from his mom when he was a kid living with his poor Italian family, all in the same room. That was mental, but what was even more mental was the ending of the show with the infuriated, fast-as-a-shark song Involuntary Doppelgänger, and my favorite of all, Drone Corpse Aviator. I have no idea how Oliver can sing so fast like that, nor how Spencer can sound like a stone crusher without making too much effort behind his drums, nor how the other guys manage to play their guitars and bass at an insane speed without making any errors, but I know for sure that Archspire are by far one of the coolest bands of the entire Canadian scene, and I can’t wait to see them live again in the near future. And until then, we must all… STAY TECH!

Setlist
Bleed the Future
Abandon the Linear
Reverie on the Onyx
Acrid Canon
Remote Tumour Seeker
Golden Mouth of Ruin
Drain of Incarnation
Involuntary Doppelgänger
Drone Corpse Aviator

Band members
Oliver Rae Aleron – vocals
Dean Lamb – guitars
Tobi Morelli – guitars
Jared Smith – bass
Spencer Prewett – drums

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Album Review – Werewolves / Die For Us (2024)

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Australia’s most savage beast is back with their fifth studio opus, a lecture in Death Metal perfect for beating anyone back to life.

If you weren’t there in 1992, your taste in music’s shit. This is the exact message that Melbourne, Australia’s most savage horde, the ruthless Technical Death/Black Metal beast Werewolves, in sending out with their amazing new album, simply titled Die For Us, the follow-up to their also insane 2023 album My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Recorded by Matt Wilcock and Adam Calaitzis at Toyland Recording Studio (guitars), by Sam Bean (bass), by Jack Hartley at Jack Hartley Audio (vocals), and by Joe Haley at AAA Studios (drums), mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, and once again displaying a visceral artwork by Mitchell Nolte, the new opus by the aforementioned Sam Bean on vocals and bass, Matt Wilcock on the guitars, and David Haley on drums is a lesson in violence recommended for fans of Hate Eternal, Deicide, Krisiun and so on, ticking every box for modern Death Metal with excruciatingly violent blasting straight out the gates and very little let-up until the bitter end, being the perfect depiction of what the band likes to call “Caveman Death Metal.”

The album already starts in full force as one of their traditional sick intros explodes into the most brutal form of Death Metal in the title-track Die for Us, with David showcasing already all his dexterity, violence and passion for heavy music behind his drums; whereas a demented laugh by Sam kicks off the fulminating Beaten Back to Life, where Matt sounds ruthless armed with his scorching riffs while David continues to hammer our cranial skulls mercilessly. Furthermore, it’s indeed a beautiful song about the glory of 90’s Death Metal (“If you weren’t there in 1992 / Your taste in music’s shit / Fuck you / If you never tape traded / Or raided corner stores for vinyl / You’re lacking something spinal / Fuck you”). The trio keeps delivering sheer animosity and rage in Fuck You Got Mine, another awesome tune that will certainly ignite some wild mosh pits whenever played live, and featuring guest vocals by Australian veteran Rok (of Sadistik Exekution) we have My Hate Is Strong, even more infernal and brutal than its predecessors, carrying the perfect name for its sonority with Sam roaring and barking like a rabid creature.

If you think they’re going to slow down or sell off, you’re absolutely wrong; quite the contrary, it’s pedal to the metal in an infernal Death Metal attack by those demented Aussie wolves titled The Company Wolves, followed by Spittle-Flecked Rant, another fantastic Death Metal onrush by the trio with its riffs sounding inspired by Cannibal Corpse while David once again blasts his drums nonstop in a lecture in savagery and rage. We All Deserve to Be Slaves, the second single of the album, is as acid, visceral and brutal as it can be, with Sam barking the song’s rebellious lyrics like a beast, flowing into Under a Urinal Moon, the darkest of all songs, with Matt extracting Stygian, cryptic sounds form his axe, being therefore perfect for some neck-breaking activity. And their violence keeps going strong in the closing tune Stay Down, where once again Sam and Matt slash their axes in the name of pure old school Death Metal.

Having already expressed the purpose of releasing ten albums in ten years after their inception back in 2019, Werewolves are hitting the halfway mark with Die For Us, and let’s say they’re just getting better and better with each one of their demonic, austere albums. Hence, go check what those middle-aged bastards are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and grab a copy of the infuriated Die For Us from their own website or BandCamp page, as well as from Direct Merch in Australia and New Zealand, Night Shift in the United States, and Plastic Head Distribution (CD or LP) in the UK and Europe. Just to make things clear to you all, they will beat you back to life to the sound of their newborn beast, because their hate is strong and you all deserve to be slaves, until you die again in the name of ruthless Death Metal. I think you got the idea now, right?

Best moments of the album: Die for Us, Beaten Back to Life, My Hate Is Strong and Spittle-Flecked Rant.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Die for Us 4:48
2. Beaten Back to Life 3:22
3. Fuck You Got Mine 4:16
4. My Hate Is Strong 4:07
5. The Company Wolves 3:30
6. Spittle-Flecked Rant 2:51
7. We All Deserve to Be Slaves 3:21
8. Under a Urinal Moon 4:46
9. Stay Down 4:25

Band members
Sam Bean – vocals, bass
Matt Wilcock – guitars
David Haley – drums

Guest musician
Rok – vocals on “My Hate Is Strong”

Album Review – Odio Deus / Spiritual Syphilis (2024)

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The debut album by this Norwegian Black Metal horde will attack your senses mercilessly, unveiling the inherent ‘evil’ embedded in organized religions.

Meticulously crafted for approximately two years, evolving from a mere idea to a finished product, Spiritual Syphilis, the debut opus by Oslo, Norway-based Black Metal horde Odio Deus, unveils the inherent ‘evil’ embedded in organized religions, particularly those led by fanatical leaders. Presenting a fusion of traditional Norwegian and Swedish Black Metal heavily influenced by the American Death Metal scene, Spiritual Syphilis is a beast of an album brought into being by Braatebrann on vocals, guitars and bass, Winterheart on the guitars, and the band’s mastermind Telal on drums and bass, or in other words, a collaborative effort with all three members working in unison from inception to completion, being highly recommended for all fans of old school Black and Death Metal.

As soon as you hit play, an ominous start suddenly explodes into chaotic, fierce Black Metal led by the demented drumming by Telal in Curse of Jehovah, definitely not recommended for the lighthearted, setting fire to the atmosphere before the sulfurous The Con Man makes things even more scorching, with Braatebrann’s harsh, devilish vocals being an ode to classic Black Metal. After such an explosive song we have The Chosen People, a massive Black Metal onrush by Odio Deus in the vein of Behemoth where Braatebrann sounds inhumane on vocals, exhaling rage, darkness and evil, whereas the title-track Spiritual Syphilis will smash you like a putrid insect, with Telal crushing his drums mercilessly in an amazing display of both classic and modern-day Melodic Black Metal.

Then the slashing riffs by Braatebrann and Winterheart set the tone in Deceiver, another solid composition by the trio that should work really well if played live; and leaning towards a darker, doomed version of Black Metal, we’re treated to Lenkene er brutt, which means “the chains are broken” from Norwegian, keeping the album at a high level of obscurity thanks to all demonic sounds blasted by the band. Svik, the Norwegian word for “betrayal”, brings forward more of their caustic riffs and hammering drums, with Braatebrann once again leading his horde with his devilish, grim roars and gnarls, whereas Glossolalia is by far the heaviest of all songs thanks to the brutal bass lines by Braatebrann and the always pounding drums by Telal, switching gears to a venomous Black Metal sound halfway through it, therefore resulting in a complete aria. And lastly, Til evig tid, or “for eternity” in English, sounds haunting and multi-layered, albeit not as exciting as the other songs, also presenting a way too lengthy ending but still being very enjoyable.

In a nutshell, Odio Deus simply nailed it with Spiritual Syphilis, with everything related to the album, from its title to its artwork, from its lyrics to its violent and caustic music, perfectly representing all the evil that religion does to mankind. Hence, don’t forget to start following the band on Facebook if you also believe fanatic religion leaders will bring humanity to its downfall, and also to grab a copy of the album from Amazon (and soon from other sources). Odio Deus can be translated from Latin as something like “I hate God”, and that’s exactly what the band proposes with their music, staying true to Black Metal not only regarding its sound, but also its principles, all beautifully offered to us all in the form of Spiritual Syphilis.

Best moments of the album: The Con Man, Spiritual Syphilis and Glossolalia.

Worst moments of the album: Til evig tid.

Released in 2024 WormHoleDeath

Track listing
1. Curse of Jehovah 6:23
2. The Con Man 5:49
3. The Chosen People 4:22
4. Spiritual Syphilis 4:47
5. Deceiver 4:07
6. Lenkene er brutt 4:47
7. Svik 5:44
8. Glossolalia 4:36
9. Til evig tid 6:40

Band members
Braatebrann – vocals, guitars, bass
Winterheart – guitars
Telal – drums, bass

Album Review – Anthropophagus Depravity / Demonic Paradise (2024)

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Beneath the burning skies the moment of victory arrives, with the new album by this Indonesian Brutal Death Metal horde being the perfect soundtrack for a demonic paradise.

Following on from the pulverizing attack of their 2021 debut album Apocalypto, Yogyakarta, Indonesia’s own Brutal Death Metal brigade Athropophagus Depravity has returned with a new collection of terror inducing hymns of horror, entitled Demonic Paradise. Mixed and mastered by Indra Cahya at Texas Soundlab, with a sick artwork by Bvllmetalart and layout by Yoga Beges, the sophomore album by vocalist Pandu Herlambang, guitarist Eko Aryo Widodo, bassist Yohanes Widiasmoro and drummer Sahrul Ramadhan showcases a band that has taken the chilling atmosphere and bludgeoning violence of their debut effort and elevated all that to new levels of intricate performance and accomplished brutality, being therefore perfect for fans of Devangelic, Immolation, Cryptopsy and Incantation, or in other words, a tour de force of Brutal Death Metal, and an absolute master class in sonic savagery.

The opening track The Obscure Realm is utterly sick and brutal from the very first second, with Sarhul showing no mercy for our necks and bodies, slamming his drums like a demented creature while Pandu roars and barks manically in a beyond visceral start to the album, whereas Dogma Weakened Souls is another hurricane of Brutal Death Metal by the quartet with Eko extracting some classic Cannibal Corpse riffs from his guitar. Sahrul takes the lead with his unstoppable blast beats in Malicious Catastrophe, generating a thunderous atmosphere perfect for Pandu to keep firing his deep guttural roars, while Obliterate the Sanctified sounds even heavier and more infernal, with Eko’s riffs being supported in great fashion by Yohanes’ low-tuned, rumbling bass, feeling extremely brutal and vile. Then get ready to slam into the pit like there’s no tomorrow to the sound of Preaching Above Depravity, where the band’s intense sounds fill every single space in the air in the name of Death Metal.

The title-track Demonic Paradise brings forward more of the quartet’s hellish and vile Death Metal, with Sahrul once again stealing the spotlight with a beyond ruthless performance behind his drums, and things get really dark and devilish in When the Darkthrone Reigns, a phantasmagorical interlude that could have been slightly shorter, setting the stage for the band to kill in Pseudo Salvation, an inhumane creation by Anthropophagus Depravity where the deep, visceral vociferations by Pandy will haunt your damned soul for all eternity, resulting in one of the most infernal of all songs; followed by …of Condemnation, offering our putrid ears two and a half minutes of pure Brutal Death Metal instrumental insanity while also showcasing lots of technical and intricate moments, with Eko slashing his axe nonstop for our vulgar delectation. Finally, the band hammers our cranial skulls one last time in Delusions of the Unholy, with the savage roars by Pandu walking hand in hand with the scorching riffs, rumbling bass and demented beats by his bandmates.

Beneath the burning skies the moment of victory arrives, and just before all hell breaks loose you can grab a copy of the new album by Anthropophagus Depravity by clicking HERE (CD and merch) or HERE (digital), and don’t forget to also give those talented Indonesian guys a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, to stream more of their music on Spotify, and also click HERE for all things Anthropophagus Depravity, letting their devilish music penetrate deep inside your soul, turning you into a fallen angel in their brutal and visceral demonic paradise.

Best moments of the album: The Obscure Realm, Obliterate the Sanctified and Pseudo Salvation.

Worst moments of the album: When the Darkthrone Reigns.

Released in 2024 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. The Obscure Realm 2:54
2. Dogma Weakened Souls 3:33
3. Malicious Catastrophe 2:59
4. Obliterate the Sanctified 3:10
5. Preaching Above Depravity 3:54
6. Demonic Paradise 3:16
7. When the Darkthrone Reigns 3:00
8. Pseudo Salvation 3:11
9. …of Condemnation 2:23
10. Delusions of the Unholy 3:16

Band members
Pandu Herlambang – vocals
Eko Aryo Widodo – guitar
Yohanes Widiasmoro – bass
Sahrul Ramadhan – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Miss ScarRed

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Hear me, I’m here inside… Take a breath… Bring me to life!

It’s time to make things red, and I mean REALLY RED, here on The Headbanging Moose thanks to our metal lady of this always hot and sunny month of June, but before I say anything about her I have a very easy question for you. Do you know what The Headbanging Moose and Nuking Moose have in common, apart from two badass names and an endless passion for heavy music? The answer is quite obvious, it’s our total admiration for the breathtaking frontwoman Miss ScarRed, also known as Liz, a multi-talented singer, songwriter and vocal coach known for fronting the aforementioned Nuking Moose, as well as another project named Chaos Rising and her own solo band, and a woman who will set fire to whatever stage she steps on with her undeniable talent. In other words, I’m sure you’ll love to see everything “red” after our humble tribute to her.

Hailing from Hamburg, a major port city in northern Germany, Miss ScarRed is a rising force in the Melodic Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore scenes, delivering soaring vocals that walk hand in hand with the heaviness, melody and rage flowing from the music played by her bandmates. Her first official release in the metal world was back in September 2021, when Chaos Rising, a collaborative international Groove/Thrash/Heavy/Melodic Death Metal project formed in 2019 open to every female artist interested in metal music, released the single Prisoner, featuring our beloved diva on vocals (and songwriting) alongside French multi-instrumentalist Stéphanie Nolf (of Syrinx and Unsafe, who’s also by the way the founder and manager of Chaos Rising) on bass and drum programming, British multi-instrumentalist Catherine Fearns on the guitars, and Serbian guitarist Aleksandra Stamenković (aka Alexandra Lioness, of Jenner and Sigma Epsilon) also on the guitars. All releases by Chaos Rising, featuring an array of talented women, can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify under an album titled The Singles, including of course the song with Miss ScarRed on vocals, and I’m sure we’ll soon see another striking song fronted by her under such an amazing and important project for all women who love heavy music.

Apart from her involvement with Chaos Rising, Miss ScarRed was also the vocalist for a Lübeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany-based Symphonic Metal band named Aeternitas between 2021 and 2022, until they disbanded in 2022 after decades of existence, as the band was originally formed back in 1999. Miss ScarRed ended up being their very last female vocalist, having released with them the single Shadows back in November 2021, the band’s last song before calling it quits. I wish we could have more of Aeternitas with her on vocals because the final result in Shadows is really compelling, but of course I understand there are things that happen inside countless bands out there that are out of anyone’s control.

Finally, let’s talk a little about Miss ScarRed’s main band, the ruthless Nuking Moose. Formed in 2013 in Bremen, a city straddling the Weser River in northwest Germany, Nuking Moose play a thrilling fusion of Melodic Death and Groove Metal highly recommended for fans of bands like Jinjer and The Agonist, having released the EP Into the Abyss back in 2018, and the full-length album Ritual, in 2023, this one already featuring Miss ScarRed on vocals. After the pandemic hit, their previous vocalist Lars Michalsky (who had been with the band since 2017) left Nuking Moose in 2022, vacating the position for our red-haired growler to join guitarists Lennart Godt and Lennart Jabben, bassist Kevin “Moshi” Schmidt, and drummer Arne Godt in their quest for heavy music.

“Our old singer moved away for professional reasons and we were forced to look for a replacement. We were lucky that Liz was looking for a new band herself at the same time we were looking for a singer. The internet brought us together and Liz won us over straight away. It was always important to us to have someone on the microphone who could shout/grow but also sing cleanly and melodically. We found Liz to be the right person,” commented the band about their new vocalist, complementing by saying that “the fact that she drove from her home near Hamburg to Bremen for rehearsals every week left no doubt that she was serious about the band. Luckily, she now lives closer to Bremen. In addition to her musical ability, Liz also brought a lot of experience from the professional music business with her. That was a great stroke of luck for us, because the rest of us only got into music as a hobby.”

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After being joined by Miss ScarRed (or in the case of Nuking Moose, they prefer calling her just as Liz), the band was able to reach the desired shape and form of their sound, sounding modern without sounding too polished at the same time, as well as hard and rough but with the melodic touch of Liz on vocals. As already mentioned, Nuking Moose released last year the album Ritual, featuring Liz on vocals, and let me tell you that it’s one hell of an album with no fillers, only killers. In case you’re curious to listen to it, you can find the album in full on different streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, and also watch on YouTube the official video for the title-track Ritual, the lyric video for the song Values, and a “making of” for the entire album.

One name that might eventually pop up whenever you search for information about Nuking Moose is the one of Martin Kesici, and that’s because he’s nothing more, nothing less than Liz’s partner, apart of course for being a rock musician and radio host who became known in 2003 as one of the winners of the casting show Star Search. He’s become a friend of the guys from Nuking Moose, being involved in their day-to-day activities as for example being responsible for the mixing of the live recordings of one of their concerts. And speaking about live recordings, you can enjoy Liz and the boys kicking some ass with the songs Message To The Dead and Rusty Giant, both rehearsal room recordings. “The rehearsal room recordings were not part of a larger release, but we simply wanted to show people out there as quickly as possible after the singer change what we sound like now with Liz. These recordings were not intended to be studio quality – for the sake of simplicity, the drums were programmed on the computer, for example, and the distorted sound of the guitars came from a digital amplifier and not from the tube amps that we actually play,” commented the band.

There’s a lot more information, tour dates, news and other nice-to-know details about Miss ScarRed and Nuking Moose on their official social media channels, including her Facebook, Instagram and Linktree, and the band’s official website, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channel, leaving you updated with all things surrounding one of the most promising bands of the contemporary German scene, with of course Miss ScarRed proving why she was chosen by the band to be their new frontwoman and scream for them like there’s no tomorrow. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to dive into a sea of red together with such an amazing vocalist like her?

Miss ScarRed’s Official Facebook page
Miss ScarRed’s Official Instagram
Nuking Moose’s Official Facebook page
Nuking Moose’s Official Instagram
Nuking Moose’s Official YouTube channel