Album Review – Odious Spirit / The Treason Of Consciousness (2024)

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Terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, the debut opus by this Avantgarde Black and Death Metal entity describes an infinite cycle of creation, transformation and destruction of which we are unaware prisoners.

The brainchild of James Oskarbski, a musician from Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States, already active in Execrable and 8 Hour Animal, the ruthless Avantgarde Black/Death Metal entity Odious Spirit plays dark, experimental heavy music with hypnotic and minimal guitars, succeeding in the miraculous aim of fusing together Voivod, Immolation and Mick Barr’s Ocrilim in long and trance-inducing songs, exactly like what can be found in the project’s debut effort The Treason of Consciousness. Written, recorded and mixed by James himself, mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music, wrapped in a majestic cover painting by Martín Riveros Baxter (with visual design by Francesco Gemelli), and featuring guest musicians Cullen Gallagher on bass and Daniel Torgal on drums, the album is characterized by James’ dense intertwining of guitars, capable of creating cosmic psychedelic vortices that engulf everything and which are often pushed towards heights of paroxysmal violence, terrifying and exhilarating at the same time, while the philosophical themes of the lyrics are refracted in its fractal folds, centered on concepts of space and time, repetition and decadence, thus describing an infinite cycle of creation, transformation and destruction of which we are unaware prisoners.

Like a creature oozing sheer doom and darkness, the trio begins their infernal feast of Black and Death Metal in Long Stretch of Bleeding Light, with James’ cadaverous roars walking hand in hand with the experimental, intricate kitchen by Cullen and Daniel; whereas 11 minutes of wicked experimentations, caustic riffs and venomous beats and fills are offered by such an amazing entity hailing form the United States in The Hissing Pyre, presenting a sick guitar work by James who delivers nonstop scorching riffs that will burn your soul mercilessly. In other words, it can’t get any more intricate and demented than this, flowing into the one hundred percent experimental tune Illuminations, a phantasmagorical creation by Odious Spirit that will drag you to the netherworld before Gnawing the Fabric of Time offers an overdose of cryptic, poetic lyrics gnarled by James (“Placed him there / To fight the strand / Bleeding man / Bleeding man / To fight the strand / Denied”) while the music is a hurricane of unrelenting, visceral Black and Death Metal.  Lastly, we’re treated to over eight minutes of the hammering drums by Daniel and the rumbling bass lines by Cullen in Unbending Follicle, Unending Blight, while James continues to extract darkness and rage from his axe, therefore piercing our damned minds ruthlessly.

James and his untamed beast named Odious Spirit are waiting for you on Instagram with more details about such an interesting project of the underworld, and if you’re brave enough to put your hands on one of the most caustic albums of the current scene (available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), you can grab your copy of it from the I, Voidhanger Records’ BandCamp page, as well as from Metal Odissey in both the United States and Europe in CD format. The violence and heaviness found in The Treason Of Consciousness, plus of course its unique psychedelic and experimental vibe, make it a must-listen for anyone looking for a breathe of fresh air in heavy music, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Odious Spirit as the years go by and the project continues to explore new lands and sounds exactly like what was done in its debut effort.

Best moments of the album: The Hissing Pyre and Gnawing the Fabric of Time.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 I, Voidhanger Records

Track listing
1. Long Stretch of Bleeding Light 6:46
2. The Hissing Pyre 11:02
3. Illuminations 5:18
4. Gnawing the Fabric of Time 4:02
5. Unbending Follicle, Unending Blight 8:31

Band members
James Oskarbski – vocals, guitars

Guest musicians
Cullen Gallagher – bass
Daniel Torgal – drums

Album Review – Barathrum / Überkill (2024)

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Behold this beast of an album by one of Finland’s very first Black Metal bands that proves why they are eternal.

Formed in the distant year of 1991 in the land of ice and snow, Helsinki, Finland-based Black/Doom Metal horde Barathrum needs no introduction, remaining as one of Finland’s very first Black Metal bands and, more importantly, one of the longest-running. Now seven years after the release of their 2017 beast Fanatiko, the band comprised of Demonos Sova on vocals, Ruttokieli on lead guitars, Nuklear Tormentörr on bass, and Vendetta on drums returns in full force with their tenth studio album, the highly anticipated metal attack titled Überkill. A no shenanigans, in-your-face blast of extreme music, Überkill proves that the Finns are, above all, a very great Heavy Metal band, just one that’s jet-black, ass-kicking, and bass-driven as fuck. Simple-yet-sublime pleasures, now and forever. Again, Barathrum are eternal!

Death by Steel is absolutely dark and evil from the very first second, with the dirty riffs by Ruttokieli infesting the atmosphere before Demonos Sova attacks with his demonic gnarls; and blending the obscurity of Black Metal with Hardcore and Rock N’ Roll, the band offers the headbanging Mountain of Bones, led by the classic drumming by Vendetta, whereas a wicked intro gradually morphs into the harsh, metallic feast titled Spark Plugs of Purgatory, again with Demonos Sova crushing our damned souls with his goblin-like vociferations. More of their infernal Punk Rock-infused riffs will penetrate deep inside your dirty mind in Black Magick Rites, while Nuklear Tormentörr and Vendetta craft a rumbling base with their respective bass and drums, and investing in a much darker sound we have Ritual Murder, with Nuklear Tormentörr hammering his bass manically until the music evolves into an absolute chaotic vibe perfect for slamming into the pit.

White Red Black and Pale is another rock and metal extravaganza by those Finnish blasphemers led by the venomous gnarls by Demonos Sova, sounding slow, steady and evil from start to finish, followed by Denial of God, a beautiful name for another impious tune by Barathrum, offering our putrid ears an overdose of harsh sounds while Vendetta pounds his drums in the name of old school Black and Thrash Metal. It’s then time for seven minutes of sheer obscurity and blasphemy in the form of Dark Sorceress, where the cryptic, ritualistic vocals by Demonos Sova match flawlessly with the Doom Metal-inspired sounds blasted by his bandmates, and closing the album we’re treated to the venomous sounds of the title-track Überkill, oozing Barathrum from the very first second, with Ruttokieli stealing the spotlight armed with his wicked, scorching riffs.

Evil has many forms as people like to say, and after listening to Überkill you’ll quickly realize Barathrum are definitely one of the manifestations of everything that’s immoral, sinful and blasphemous. That means they more than nailed it with Überkill, and if you want to join one of the most important hordes in the history of Finnish Black Metal you can start following the band on Facebook, stream their hellish creations on Spotify or any other streaming service, and above all that, purchase their incendiary new spawn from their own BandCamp page or from the KVLT shop. Überkill is the perfect example as to why Barathrum are still alive and kicking (and therefore haunting our damned souls) after so many decades, and I bet those devilish creatures will keep on decimating us all with their undisputed extreme music for many years to come with amazing albums like their newborn beast.

Best moments of the album: Spark Plugs of Purgatory, Ritual Murder and Überkill.

Worst moments of the album: White Red Black and Pale.

Released in 2024 Hammer of Hate

Track listing
1. Death by Steel 4:32
2. Mountain of Bones 4:33
3. Spark Plugs of Purgatory 4:00
4. Black Magick Rites 3:22
5. Ritual Murder 3:44
6. White Red Black and Pale 4:24
7. Denial of God 3:45
8. Dark Sorceress 7:06
9. Überkill 4:59

Band members
Demonos Sova – vocals
Ruttokieli – lead guitars, backing vocals
Nuklear Tormentörr – bass
Vendetta – drums

Guest musicians
Grimharm – bass, backing vocals (live)
Naz – guitars (live)

Album Review – Adorior / Bleed on My Teeth (2024)

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This old school beast will attack once again with their brand new album, a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal.

An expression in Latin meaning “to rise up to attack”, Adorior are a  Black and Death Metal beast formed in 1994 in London, England that has always been the essence and the epitome of Extreme Heavy Metal. Now, after nearly two decades, this avalanche of fist-fucking, speed-thrashing, pitch-black death is about to bury the conformist and comfortable dreamland of nowadays domesticated metal culture with their new album titled Bleed on My Teeth, a nightmare absolute, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal. Recorded and mixed by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios, mastered by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and displaying a demonic artwork by Belial NecroArts, the new opus by vocalist Jaded Lungs, guitarists T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, bassist R.C., and drummer D. Molestör has a lot of dirt under its fingernails, but it finally reanimates the corpse of mind-fucking, repulsive and dangerous music serving the devil, without giving an inch to newer, shitty genre definitions.

Like a train directly from hell the quintet arrives in full force in Begrime Judas, blending Black and Death Metal with endless sulfur and rebelliousness led by the she-demon vocals by Jaded Lungs, not to mention its scorching thrashing riffs; and the rumbling bass by R.C. kicks off the also demented Ophidian Strike, with the galloping drums by D. Molestör inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop before exploding into a demented feast of old school Black Metal. Once again adding an endless amount of Thrash Metal and Hardcore elements to their core essence we’re treated to L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard, while D. Molestör crushes his drums in the most visceral Death Metal way imaginable, whereas in Precipice of Fire the band offers more of the guitar madness blasted by T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, resulting in an infernal metal attack that sounds like it was taken directly from the 80’s.

Jaded Lungs is a beast incarnate in the seven-minute aria of hell titled Sips of Sarin, where her bandmates blast their sonic weapons in the name of evil, allowing her to scream and gnarl with tons of despair, therefore turning it into one of the best moments of the album. It’s quite interesting how all of their songs go beyond the five or six minute mark, and Scavengers of Vengeance couldn’t have been any different than that, sounding insane from start to finish thanks to the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo, whereas the second to last blast of old school blasphemy by Adorior is entitled Moment of Mania, with Jaded Lungs gnarling rabidly amidst a hurricane of chaotic, demented sounds blasted by her bandmates, and with the sound of their riffs being a thing of beauty. Lastly, let’s all face almost seven minutes of impious, sulfurous Death and Thrash Metal made in the UK in the title-track Bleed on My Teeth, with D. Molestör sounding ruthless on drums and, consequently, putting a beyond infernal conclusion to the band’s blackened death and thrash attack.

Bleed on my Teeth is a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, and you will certainly feel this record like it has been tattooed into your bones, but if you don’t, then fuck off and pray that you never will. Hence, keep an eye on their Facebook for news and tour dates, stream their depraved creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the sulfurous Bleed on my Teeth from their own BandCamp page, from the Sepulchral Voice’s BandCamp page, or from the Dark Descent Records webstore as a digisleeve CD, a black LP, a red and black LP, or a cassette. Adorior are still alive and kicking after so many decades on the road, and you better be prepared for their ruthless attack to the sound of their high-octane, unfiltered new album as you’re quickly consumed by evil.

Best moments of the album: Ophidian Strike, Precipice of Fire and Sips of Sarin.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Dark Descent Records/Sepulchral Voice

Track listing
1. Begrime Judas 5:55
2. Ophidian Strike 5:33
3. L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard 6:16
4. Precipice of Fire 5:40
5. Sips of Sarin 7:08
6. Scavengers of Vengeance 6:29
7. Moment of Mania 5:52
8. Bleed on My Teeth 6:51

Band members
Jaded Lungs – vocals
T. Slutsodomizer – guitars
S. Assassinator – guitars
R.C. – bass
D. Molestör – drums

Concert Review – Jinjer (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 09/23/2024)

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

OPENING ACTS: Born of Osiris and Hanabie

Monday nights are always a weird choice for concerts anywhere in the world, but the fans in Toronto didn’t care at all and headed to The Danforth Music Hall, which was by the way designated as a property of historic interest under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1985, to witness the eclectic combo of BORN OF OSIRIS, HANABIE and JINJER during their North America 2024 Tour. If you have never been to The Danforth, let me tell you that it’s big enough for some wild mosh pit action, something that really benefits concerts by bands like the ones on the bill, in special Jinjer who are all about inspiring their fans to start moshing while they kick ass on stage.

The opening slot was reserved to American Progressive Metalcore band BORN OF OSIRIS, formed in 2003 in Palatine, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, and those guys definitely know how to warm up a crowd with their endless energy and electricity. The band formed of Cameron Losch, Ronnie Canizaro, Lee McKinney and Nick Rossi sounded tight and in total sync with the audience at The Danforth, and their short but sweet setlist was exactly what their fans needed to rev up their engines for the rest of the night. Right after those talented American guys, it was time to switch gears to the wicked music by HANABIE, a Japanese Nu Metalcore entity formed in 2015 in Tokyo, consisting of vocalist Yukina, guitarist Matsuri, bassist Hettsu and drummer Chika. It’s said that they combine heavy music with contrasting Harajuku aesthetics in a style self-described as “Harajuku-core”, but if all that doesn’t make any sense to you simply search for their music online, as those girls know how to rock. I think it was their second time in Toronto, and I bet we’ll see them around again as the reaction form the crowd was absolutely wild during their entire concert.

JINJER

The main attraction of the night needs no introduction. If you’re a normal person, you know Ukrainian Metalcore institution JINJER, you know the importance of their breathtaking frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk to the world of heavy music, and you know how crazy the circle pits can get when the band hits the stage. Songs like Sit Stay Roll Over, Call Me a Symbol and Dead Hands Feel No Pain always sound and feel great on stage, and all fans of the band definitely enjoyed every second of their performance at The Danforth. Let’s say Jinjer are becoming too big for small to medium sized venues, and at the speed they’re growing we’ll most probably see those Ukrainian ambassadors headlining their future concerts in the city at bigger venues like the Budweiser Stage. They have two amazing new singles out now, which means a new album is about to be released anytime soon, so I guess we’ll see Jinjer kicking ass live in Toronto again sooner than we can imagine.

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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