Album Review – Spawn of Evil / Sadistic Missionaries (2023)

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This Israeli Death Metal outfit will crush your senses with their third studio album, representing their spoken word against the sadistic corruption that dominates the world and destroys life in every aspect.

Representing a decade long worth material featuring eight new tracks of traditional Death Metal with melodic guitar lines, furious rhythm section and wrathful vocals that will surely impress fans of bands like Morbid Angel, Benediction, Gorefest and the likes, the third full-length opus by Hadera, Israel-based Death Metal veterans Spawn of Evil, entitled Sadistic Missionaries, perfectly depicts all the passion for extreme music by Moti Rokah on vocals, Miko Haronian and Nir Tamir on the guitars, Hezi Menashe on bass, and Yaron Hakon on drums. Recorded by Hezi Menashe, mixed and mastered by Miko Haronian, and featuring guest guitarists James Reed of Vile Iniquity, Liran Aloni of Primaterra, and Kutna Hora (ex-Spawn of Evil), Sadistic Missionaries is the band’s spoken word against the sadistic corruption that dominates the world and destroys life in every aspect, speaking of those who embrace power to its evil form rather than humanity.

Fierce riffs and the rumbling sound of Hezi’s bass ignite the heavy-as-hell Hell Spawn, an in-your-face, unfiltered Death Metal attack with Moti already growling like a demonic creature, sounding vile yet very melodic from the very first second, and continuing their path of darkness and destruction the band offers us all the hammering, sluggish Storm Of All Sins, dragging our damned souls into the demonic lair ruled by such infernal Israeli entity. Yaron then pounds his drums with no mercy in God Is Fake News, an old school, mid-tempo Death Metal onrush perfect for breaking your neck headbanging, with Moti once again roaring and screaming in the name of evil, followed by the breathtaking Rhea Of The Gods, a song based on the mythological story of Rhea, the mother of all the gods, in her struggle against Krunus, the child eater, showcasing the band’s violence and passion for extreme music in great fashion, with the guitars by Miko and Nir sounding absolutely caustic until the very end.

It’s pedal to the metal with Yaron taking the lead with his massive beats in Human Mind, presenting another incendiary performance by Miko and Nir on the guitars supported by the metallic bass lines by Hezi. Then we have the two part title-track, with the first half Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 1 bringing forward more of the band’s crushing Death Metal, with Miko and Nir kicking some ass with their demented riffage, therefore providing Moti with exactly what he needs to bark nonstop, whereas the second part, obviously titled Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2, sounds a lot faster and more violent and melodic, with the thrashier drums by Yaron adding an extra touch of insanity to their music, resulting in one of the most electrifying of all songs. Lastly, those Israeli death metallers will pierce our souls with over six minutes of dark and grim sounds in Righteous Evil, where despite all elements from the previous songs are present, its total length makes it a bit repetitive after a while.

If you love some good old school Death Metal with an additional dosage of brutality and violence, then you must give the guys from Spawn of Evil a try by listening to their new beast on  YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of it from the Pest Records’ BandCamp or webstore, from the Loud Rage Music webstore, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, go check what those Israeli metallers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with all things spawn of Evil. Corruption, power and all those evil things that make our world a much worse place have always been the perfect themes for any Death Metal album, and in Sadistic Missionaries it couldn’t have been any different, proving the guys from Spawn of Evil do not carry their name in vain.

Best moments of the album: God Is Fake News, Rhea Of The Gods and Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2.

Worst moments of the album: Righteous Evil.

Released in 2023 Loud Rage Music/Pest Records

Track listing
1. Hell Spawn 4:27
2. Storm Of All Sins 4:43
3. God Is Fake News 5:30
4. Rhea Of The Gods 4:19
5. Human Mind 3:52
6. Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 1 5:18
7. Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2 4:35
8. Righteous Evil 6:29

Band members
Moti Rokah – vocals
Miko Haronian – guitars
Nir Tamir – guitars
Hezi Menashe – bass
Yaron Hakon – drums

Guest musicians
James Reed – lead guitars
Liran Aloni – lead guitars
Kutna Hora – lead guitars

Concert Review – Wolves In The Throne Room (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 10/04/2023)

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If harsh and cryptic Atmospheric Black Metal runs through your veins, then the city of Toronto was the perfect place for you to be last night.

OPENING ACTS: Hoaxed, Gaerea and Blackbraid

After all the Maidenmania that took over Western Canada last week, the underground called me back last night in Toronto for a wild feast of Atmospheric Black Metal (and some Dark Rock) by HOAXED, GAEREA, BLACKBRAID and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM during their Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge North American Tour 2023 at Lee’s Palace, which by the way felt like a true sauna due to the increasing heat during the entire night. Also, I’m glad I had the support of my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography for some amazing shots, because the circle pits were too intense while I was at the same time too tired to brave those. It was a very warm and pleasant night in Toronto, which is why I believe there were so many metalheads at the venue, making it a successful and memorable event for all bands and fans.

However, due to the intense traffic conditions during rush hour, I wasn’t able to arrive in time for the first band of the night, Portland, Oregon-based Dark Rock trio HOAXED, but I only heard good things about their show even though they were the “lightest” band last night, or the only one that doesn’t play any sort of Black Metal. Formed of Kat Keo on vocals and guitars, April on bass, and Kim Coffel on drums, the band released last year the album Two Shadows, and they played several songs from that album as part of their setlist, so if you’re curious to know more about their music simply visit their BandCamp page or Spotify and you’ll be able to stream all of the creations by those three talented girls.

Setlist
The Call
Guilty Ones
For Love
The Knowing
Riders
Dam
High Seas
Candle Master

Band members
Kat Keo – vocals, guitars
April – bass
Kim Coffel – drums 

As I arrived to the venue, everyone was outside having a smoke or getting some not-so-fresh air (as the temperatures in Toronto this beginning of October are hot like summer), a few minutes before one of the two bands I really wanted to see live hit the stage. I’m talking about Portuguese Black Metal entity GAEREA, who put on a breathtaking show blasting our ears and minds with what some people like to call “Cathartic Black Metal”. Having recently released the single Dormant (and sorry about that, but I honestly don’t know if they played it or not), plus of course their 2022 full-length masterpiece Mirage, the band led by the uncanny frontman Guilherme Henriques hypnotized us all during their entire performance, with their new guitarist Sonja Schuringa (known for her work with Dutch Death Metal horde Dictated) bringing an extra touch of energy to their already fiery performance. I’m not sure if I got their setlist right, but it doesn’t really matter as all songs sounded insane live, igniting some sick mosh pits and inspiring Guilherme to keep vociferating like a rabid creature nonstop while showing all his love for Toronto. Everyone at the venue loved their performance, which in my opinion was even better than when they opened for Rotting Christ earlier this year in the city, and we can’t wait for another visit of those bringers of darkness and insanity from Portugal. Hence, don’t forget to stream their cathartic music on BandCamp and on Spotify, supporting one of the most innovative and unique bands of the current extreme music scene.

Setlist
Mantle
Salve
Deluge
Urge
Mirage
Laude

Band members
Guilherme Henriques – vocals
Sonja Schuringa – guitars
Unknown – guitars
Lucas Ferrand – bass
Diogo Mota – drums 

The third attraction of the night was also the one I wanted to see the most, and let’s say they didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, Adirondack Mountains, New York-based Atmospheric Black Metal horde BLACKBRAID simply stole the show last night, turning up the heat inside the venue and igniting the sickest circle pits you can think of. Spearheaded by the multi-talented frontman Sgah’gahsowáh (growling like a beast and armed with his amazing Native American flute), the band delivered a sensational concert for all attendees, blending songs form their 2022 album Blackbraid I with their most recent effort, the stunning Blackbraid II. The first three songs of their set, The Spirit Returns, The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand and Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon, sounded brilliant live, and as I mentioned for Gaerea, Blackbraid were even better last night than when they opened for Dark Funeral and Cattle Decapitation in Toronto back in May. There was a wild ovation to the band after their concert was over, and we could all see how happy all band members were, meaning we’ll see them again in Toronto sooner than we can imagine. In addition, if you know nothing about Blackbraid yet, I highly recommend streaming their two superb albums on BandCamp and on Spotify. you’ll fall in love for their music, no doubt about that.

Setlist
The Spirit Returns
The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand
Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon
A Song of Death on Winds of Dawn
Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals
Y.E. – guitars
Unknown – guitars
DM – bass
Johnny Violence – drums

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM

It was close to 9:30pm when the main attraction of such atmospheric celebration,  Olympia, Washington’s own Atmospheric Black Metal outfit WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, kicked off their absolutely somber, cryptic and eerie performance, and although they’ve just released a new EP titled Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge they didn’t play any of its songs, starting with a few creations from their previous album Primordial Arcana, from 2021, those being the excellent Mountain Magick and Spirit of Lightning, plus songs from all of their old releases. Nathan Weaver, Kody Keyworth, Galen Baudhuin and Cedar Serpent were on fire throughout their entire set, alternating between very atmospheric, Stygian passages and pure savagery, which of course inspired the crowd to start a few demented circle pits, proving Torontonians like to get into the action even during long, atmospheric songs.

The quartet kept the energy and mystery of their concert flowing smoothly until the very end, when it was already close to 11pm, and the reaction of their fans was also amazing despite the fact that it was getting impossible to remain inside Lee’s Palace due to the rising and brutal heat. As soon as their concert was over I rushed out to avoid traffic as I was still tired from my trip out west, but it was awesome seeing so many metal brothers and sisters at the show, and whenever Wolves in the Throne Room return to Toronto I’ll definitely be there for another blast of their Atmospheric Black Metal. They’re also on BandCamp and on Spotify, of course, and in case you have no idea how their Atmospheric Black Metal sounds, I suggest you listen to some of their albums and get ready for a one-way journey into the pits of the underworld.

Setlist
Mountain Magick
Spirit of Lightning
Eostre
Angrboda
Prayer of Transformation
Vastness and Sorrow
I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots

Band members
Nathan Weaver – lead vocals, guitars
Kody Keyworth – guitars, vocals
Galen Baudhuin – bass
Cedar Serpent – drums

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Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, 09/30/2023)

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The future Past Tour 2023 turned the city of Edmonton into “Eddie-monton” thanks to one of the wildest Iron Maiden crowds ever in Canadian lands.

INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. II

The day after the concert in Calgary, I would say all Iron Maiden Fan Club members (plus a lot of locals as well) headed up a little further north to Edmonton for another round of IRON MAIDEN during the band’s The Future Past Tour 2023 (plus of course the opening act ATREYU). Once again, one day before the actual concert a big group gathered at On The Rocks for another successful IMFC Meetup, sharing a few beers with old and new friends, enjoying a few metal hymns played by the DJ including “Run to the Hills” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, and a live band playing pop songs from the 80’s. The pub was even giving away two tickets for the concert, but I bet the old fella who won those sold them online right away. As I mentioned in the review for the Calgary show, the meetups have a unique energy that’s worth going out of your way to make it there.

A few hours after the meetup, several of us had a (very) early start to join the FTTB – First to the Barrier at Rogers Place for another memorable day with our blood brothers and sisters in preparation for the concert that night. And I gotta say the FTTB meeting point this time was a blessing from the metal gods, as we were able to stay indoors (yes, with a roof and away from the chilly Edmonton weather) with easy access to washrooms and to an array of restaurants like Boston Pizza! It was so relaxed and comfy there that it didn’t feel like we were there for almost 12 hours before getting into the venue. This was most probably the nicest FTTB ever, with no cold weather, no winds, no rain, no starvation nor dehydration being present, making it A LOT easier for us all to endure the battlefield that the GA section turned into as soon as the lights went down later that day for the concert.

OPENING ACT: Atreyu

Precisely at 7:30pm, California’s own Metalcore act ATREYU did what was expected of them once again, putting on a very entertaining show for both their regular fans as well as for anyone who had no idea who they were. Frontman Brandon Saller made an excellent use of the wild energy emanating from the crowd to demand some mosh pits, and he was promptly answered by most kids in the floor section, which in the end put a huge smile in the faces of all band members. When they played the song Save Us and asked the crowd to scream those two words with them, the reply from the whole venue was pretty loud, with their bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight later taking some time to say how much they admire and respect the Maiden family for being so nice to them and for enjoying their show more than anyone could have imagined. That was indeed a wild concert by Atreyu, and if the opening band already turned up the heat that much at the Rogers Place, you can imagine what happened when Iron Maiden hit the stage, right?

Setlist
Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Right Side of the Bed
Save Us
When Two Are One
The Theft
The Time Is Now
Gone
Ex’s and Oh’s
Battle Drums
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
Warrior
Blow

Band members
Brandon Saller – clean vocals
Dan Jacobs – lead guitar, backing vocals
Travis Miguel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Marc “Porter” McKnight – harsh vocals, bass
Kyle Rosa – drums

IRON MAIDEN

And there we were all again precisely at 8:50pm, going crazy already during the first few seconds of Doctor Doctor, for one more flammable performance by the “dental floss salesmen from Montana” (also known as IRON MAIDEN) for our personal “collection” of concerts; however, this time things got pretty wild for a Canadian show, placing the Edmonton gig as one of the roughest crowds I’ve ever experienced worldwide. All hell broke loose the minute the band hit the stage with their old school classics from Somewhere In Time and their newer ones from Senjutsu, with that madness happening even during slower or more melodic songs like The Writing on the Wall and Death of the Celts. We were being smashed and pulverized by the wild fans from the GA, but we didn’t get to the venue so early to give up our spot at the barrier, so we did our best to survive that.

Remember when I talked about meeting “Mr. Lobster” during the FTTB wait in Calgary? I think I forgot to mention it was just a crazy dude fully dressed as a lobster, but that weird costume paid off in Edmonton as Bruce himself spotted that guy during the speech before The Time Machine and questioned if he came all the way from the ocean walking to Edmonton. As a matter of fact, Bruce was so impressed with the guy’s costume that instead of waving his arms in the air during the breathtaking Hell on Earth, which was by the way the most amazing song of the night in my humble opinion, he put his hands in the air like if he had “lobsters claws”. A small but awesome touch to the concert by Bruce, I might say. I just think that next time Mr. Lobster needs a friend dressed as a steak, so they can form a “surf and turf” duo at the show.

Back to the concert, all that pushing and smashing was getting wilder and tougher as the band continued to stun us with an avalanche of classics, making it quite difficult to jump up and down during Heaven Can Wait, for example, or to raise our arms and fists in the air together with the band. Some tiny girls behind us were being crushed into pieces to the point we kept turning to them to ask if they were OK, if they needed some water and so on. The crowd surfing was also insane, and I guess I’ll never see so many crowd surfers again during a song like Hell on Earth anywhere in the world. Of course things got even worse when the boys played Fear of the Dark, but who cares? Nothing that some time at the gym and some cardio can’t take care of.

By the end of the show, it was visible how Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko were amazed by the rowdy reaction of the crowd throughout the entire concert, with the nonstop action in the GA being highly acclaimed by the band, and of course, with Bruce being stunned with the loud chants of “Maiden! Maiden! Maiden!” to the point he left his microphone behind and simply enjoyed such beautiful moment with the fans. The Trooper and Wasted Years were pure war in the floor section, something you could only see in places like Brazil or Argentina, but the Edmonton fans made sure they’re also going to be “feared” whenever the band returns to the city. And after all was said and done, there was a very emotional moment with one of the most amazing members of the IMFC that brought tears of joy to the eyes of several of us, including myself of course. I’m not going to add all details here, but all I’m going to say is that next time someone questions me why I still listen to Iron Maiden after so many years, I’ll just smile back at that person.

Unfortunately due to budget limitations and work-related duties I couldn’t make it to the Vancouver show, but that doesn’t mean my Canadian Iron Maiden journey finished with the show in Edmonton. Even at the West Edmonton Mall and at the airport on Sunday I saw countless Maiden shirts and chatted with some of those fans, proving how strong the connection is between Maidenheads no matter what. One of the funniest moments happened at the airport right before boarding the plane, when two kids who were around six or seven years old kept looking at my new Sasquatch Eddie shirt. The oldest one said hi to me and then he smiled and said he liked my shirt, even showing me his dinosaur backpack to show how cool he also is. That was amazing, and from now on I’ll call the city of Edmonton as “Eddie-monton”, the Iron Maiden capital of Western Canada.

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

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

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

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Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB, 09/28/2023)

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And the one and only Iron Maiden took the city of Calgary by storm with the absolutely stunning first concert of their three Canadian dates during The Future Past Tour 2023.

INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. I

What a lovely couple of days Maidenheads from all over the world had in Calgary, Alberta this week with the one and only IRON MAIDEN (with opening act ATREYU) during the first stop of their Western Canadian dates as the last part of their undisputed The Future Past Tour 2023. However, before all that metal extravaganza took over the old school Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday night, several members of the IMFC – Iron Maiden Fan Club, including myself, had an amazing meetup the day before the concert at a pub named Bear & Kilt, with over 40 Maiden fans storming the pub (when we had an initial reservation for only 20 people). Well, I don’t think the pub owner nor the waitresses were unhappy with all the extra money they made on a Wednesday night, right? And if you’re following the band anywhere, also make sure you attend some of those meetups because the energy is simply amazing!

The other awesome perk we get for being part of the IMFC is obviously the FTTB – First to the Barrier experience, and once you get a taste of it, it becomes an addiction. Thursday morning several Maidenheads arrived really early to the venue to already get their numbers and line up for the FTTB, which allows you to get into the venue around 15-30 minutes before everyone else and secure a dream spot at the barrier. The experience in Calgary was fantastic, as the location and the weather were great and we could enjoy about 12 hours together with other fans, not to mention there were decent washrooms and a restaurant within a 5-minute walk from the meeting point, and the chance to chat with “Mr. Lobster” (who will be part of our Edmonton review, by the way). And to make things even more fun, we had the utmost pleasure of listening to the band doing their soundcheck in the middle of the afternoon. We weren’t inside the venue, of course, but we could listen to everything through the gates. That was indeed a unique experience for most guys and girls there, I must say, and of course I’m sure everyone was ready for more when we headed to the FTTB in Edmonton two days later.

OPENING ACT: Atreyu

After a long (but fun) wait, it was finally time for some live music for all FTTB winners plus of course everyone else who was already inside the venue when at 7:30pm Yorba Linda, California-based Metalcore veterans ATREYU hit the stage for a weird/eclectic/fun performance, and I used all those words because that’s how the show truly was. Mixing songs form their entire career with newer ones like Save Us and Warrior, from their 2021 album Baptize, and Drowning, Watch Me Burn and Gone, from their upcoming album The Beautiful Dark of Life (to be released by the end of 2023), the band formed of Brandon Saller, Dan Jacobs, Travis Miguel, Marc “Porter” McKnight and Kyle Rosa delivered an amalgamation of styles that makes it hard to list everything they played, even adding elements from Hip Hop to their music, plus an excerpt of I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), a classic by Whitney Houston, a moment that according to Brandon and Marc was inspired by those two guys having a bromance time by the river in Calgary earlier that day. In the end, everyone at the venue had a good time, the band got a very positive reaction from the crowd, and we were all pumped for the main attraction then. Good feelings and vibes, my friends!

Setlist
Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Save Us
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
The Time Is Now
Ex’s and Oh’s
Gone
Battle Drums
Warrior
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
Blow

Band members
Brandon Saller – clean vocals
Dan Jacobs – lead guitar, backing vocals
Travis Miguel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Marc “Porter” McKnight – harsh vocals, bass
Kyle Rosa – drums

IRON MAIDEN

We didn’t know if the barrier was going to be relaxed or rough during the flawless, unparalleled performance by British Heavy Metal titans IRON MAIDEN, but at least in Calgary things ended up going pretty smoothly up until Fear of the Dark, as opposed to Edmonton which was a true carnage (but I’ll talk more about it on the Edmonton review, of course). So as the lights went down at 8:50pm and the iconic UFO’s song/intro Doctor Doctor was being played on the speakers, everyone at the venue could feel the energy level going up, and right after the end titles for Blade Runner (by Vangelis), Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko began their sonic attack with the song that was for me the most powerful of the night, the classic Caught Somewhere in Time, followed by another classic, Stranger in a Strange Land, winning the hearts of all metalheads who were absolutely mesmerized by the band’s incendiary performance.

As they started playing the fantastic The Writing on the Wall, it became clear for the average concert goer that Thursday was not going to be any concert, but a fusion of their 1986 masterpiece Somewhere In Time and their most recent release Senjutsu, which contains a couple songs about the clash between past and future, as well as time travelling, hence the name of the tour being The Future Past Tour. Those songs are Days of Future Past and The Time Machine, and despite not everyone at the venue knowing them very well, the adrenaline kept flowing beautifully, proving Iron Maiden are so good you don’t even need to know their songs to have a great time during their shows. By the way, before The Time Machine, Bruce gave a short speech about travelling back in time, mentioning the famous DeLorean time machine from the cult movie Back to the Future, and his current attire finally made sense to everyone as he looked A LOT like the craziest version of the marvelous character of Dr. Emmett Brown.

Needless to say, Bruce and his bandmates were on absolute fire during their entire set, with Steve once again stealing the show with his thunderous bass guitar. As a matter of fact, as I was right in front of Steve the whole concert, it felt like I was having a lecture in bass playing together with the concert, not to mention the man is unstoppable on stage and inspires us all to keep moving, jumping up and down, and headbanging throughout all songs. Nicko also sounded much better than in the videos I saw from their concerts in Europe this summer, and it was awesome to see he made a very good use of the time off between Europe and Canada to recover even more from his stroke from the beginning of the year. And what to say about Dave’s solos in all songs, with a honorable mention to his perfect, soulful and striking solo during Fear of the Dark? The man knows exactly how to touch our hearts with his guitar riffs and solos, I must say.

There were two other songs that blew our minds during the show. The never-ending wait for Iron Maiden to play live Alexander the Great was totally worth it, as it sounded brilliant in Calgary; and the first song of the encore, Hell on Earth, was one of the songs from the new album that most people were eager to enjoy live, also being the only one from their entire setlist to have their trademark fires as an add-on. It was an emotional moment for me, and I’m sure others also felt that way while such metal hymn was being played on stage. And as the icing on the cake, why not ending the show with The Trooper and Wasted Years? That definitely left us all craving for more, and of course we were getting more two days later in Edmonton! Scream for me, Calgary… and see you shortly, Edmonton!

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

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

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

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Metal Chick of the Month – Bridget Lynch

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It ends with flames, Bridget!

Whenever you think of Brutal Death Metal, words such as gore, torture, murder and depravity, among several others, quickly come to your mind, creating that physical and mental preparedness needed to endure the heaviness and violence of this distinct subgenre of extreme music. However, after reading our tribute to our metal lady of this month of October here on The Headbanging Moose, I’m sure her first and last name will also be added to your Death Metal dictionary, and you better get ready because her guttural roars are definitely not recommended for the lighthearted. As a matter of fact, she’s not just a fantastic growler, but also a talented bassist, a drum programmer, an illustrator and a tattoo artist, and if for any reason you think that’s still not enough, let me tell you that the multi-talented Bridget Lynch, the frontwoman for Texas-based Brutal Death Metal outfit Stabbing, will kick you right in the head and teach you a lesson in violence.

Born on April 14, 1998 in Houston, the most populous city in Texas and in the Southern United States, we can say Bridget began her career as a metal vocalist in 2014, when she did live vocals for a New York-based Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore band named Animals Killing People, whose music is, among other topics, inspired by animal rights. There’s only one decent video online showing her contribution to the band live at Building Temples From Death Fest in Houston back in 2014, and although the quality of the sound is not great you can already sense how venomous her growls are. Furthermore, in 2015 she was supposed to be part of a San Francisco, California-based  Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore band named Cerebral Engorgement, and although there are a couple of pictures online of Bridget with the band, she never officially played with the band, nor released any recording with them.

Let’s say that her first official band was Houston, Texas-based Grindcore/Queercore trio Dystopian Reality, having recorded alongside guitarist Valerie and drummer CC their 2019 self-titled EP. The band doesn’t seem to exist anymore (or at least it’s not active on any social media), but you can enjoy not only their full EP on Youtube or on BandCamp, but also this fun live footage from the band in 2019 on YouTube. Right after her stint with Dystopian Reality, our dauntless growler was also part of another Brutal Death Metal project from Houston named Nephilim Grinder, having recorded with them their two-track debut 2020 demo (which can be enjoyed in full on BandCamp), and one important detail about Nephilim Grinder is that it was the band that put her in contact with Marvin Ruiz, the guitarist for her current band Stabbing (and we’ll get to that shortly).

In the middle of 2020, Bridget founded her own solo project (most probably due to the isolation that happened during the Covid-19 pandemic), a Goregrind beast entitled Pyosisified, being responsible for all vocals and instruments in the best “one-woman army” way you can imagine, and releasing that same year the project’s self-titled five-track demo (which is available on BandCamp). No one knows for sure if Bridget will keep her solo beast alive due to her commitments with Stabbing, but I’m sure the Grindcore and Brutal Death Metal scene would love to hear more from Pyosisified. And apart from all those bands, you can also enjoy her demented vocals in the song Hash Driveway, from the EP Split the Fuck Open, released earlier this year by Colorado Springs-based Death Metal/Grindcore act 10 to the Chest.

It was back in 2021 when Bridget alongside guitarist Marvin Ruiz, plus husband and wife Rene Martinez on drums and Meryl Martinez on bass (both having recently left the band, by the way), founded Austin/Houston, Texas-based powerhouse Stabbing. As a matter of fact, in the beginning we can say it was just Marvin and Rene jamming back and forth with guitar riffs and drum parts. “We thought we had something and we just needed a vocalist and a bass player. He knew Bridget and I knew Meryl, so there you go. We got a band. So that’s how we put that together. And it was pretty easy. We didn’t really expect to put together a full band like that,” said Rene. Highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Disgorge, Devangelic and Defeated Sanity, just to name a few, Stabbing deliver a vicious sonic assault, combining sick guttural vocals, slamming blast beats, menacing guitar riffs and terrifying lyrics.

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Rene mentioned that in the beginning they actually tried out a few vocalists before they went with Bridget, but in the end, she was the best fit for it hands down. “Bridget is just a beast on the mic. You don’t really see a frontwoman in this genre, which adds a great dynamic to the band,” he mentioned in an interview. And we must all admit her gore drenched, gut-ripping vocals are exactly what Stabbing needs to solidify even more their beyond brutal fusion of slam, grind and unfiltered brutality. Hence, you can enjoy Bridget’s maniac guttural attack by listening to their 2021 debut demo, to their 2021 EP Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught, and to their 2022 full-length opus Extirpated Mortal Process, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify (or click HERE for all things Stabbing), and you can also enjoy some of their wicked creations with Bridget kicking some serious ass on vocals on YouTube, including the songs  Gutted By The Beast, Extirpated Mortal Process, Splatter Pit, live versions of Excrement Sarcophagus and Splatter Pit, and a rehearsal of their set  for Sick Dog Fest in 2021.

As mentioned in the beginning of this tribute to Bridget, she’s also an up-and-coming illustrator and a tattoo artist who’s making a name for herself not only in the metal scene in Houston, but anywhere in the world where art and brutality unite in the name of heavy music. For instance, she’s the artist responsible for the artworks for the 2019 album Double Promo Penetration, by multinational Brutal Death Metal band Kraanium; for the 2018 EP Nullity of Light, by Tempe, Arizona-based Blackened Death Metal act Light Dweller; for the 2018 EP Purity Through Putrefaction, by Los Angeles, California’s own Death Metal group Malignant; for the 2021 demo by Oakland, California-based Brutal Death Metal band Summoner; and of course the artwork (and sometimes the logo only) for some releases by her past and present bands, those being the 2020 demo by Nephilim Grinder, the 2020 demo for her own project Pyosisified, and the 2021 EP Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught by Stabbing. In addition, if you want to know more about her illustrator and tattoo artist endeavor, and even book an appointment with Bridget to get a new ink, you can do so by visiting her Instagram profile dedicated to her work as a tattoo artist.

Stabbing are touring the United States and Canada (and hopefully I’ll be able to witness Bridget kicking ass live with her demented roars here in Toronto) this November and December as one of the opening acts for American Brutal Death Metal masters Suffocation and American Death Metal institution Incantation, as part of their Ancient Unholy Uprising Tour 2023, and if Bridget and her Stabbing are soon taking your hometown by storm, don’t miss the chance to witness one of the most electrifying growlers of the new generation of extreme music, as she definitely has the talent, the charisma and the strength to reach new heights with Stabbing or any of her other projects. She’s a hard working musician and artist that deserves our full recognition and appreciation, crafting her Death Metal magic just the way we like it, always keeping it as brutal, technical and awesome as it can be.

Bridget Lynch’s Official Instagram
Bridget Lynch – Tattoo Artist’s Official Instagram
Stabbing’s Official Facebook page
Stabbing’s Official Instagram
Stabbing’s Official YouTube channel
Stabbing’s Official BandCamp page
Stabbing’s Official Spotify profile

Concert Review – Cannibal Corpse & Mayhem (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 09/27/2023)

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An unforgettable night of mayhem, blood and chaos for all metalheads in Toronto, courtesy of two of the most important names in the history of extreme music.

***Review by Kevin Ibbitson, with photos by Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography***

OPENING ACTS: Blood Incantation and Gorguts

The line up of CANNIBAL CORPSE, MAYHEM (the one true), GORGUTS and BLOOD INCANTATION steamrolled through Rebel on Wednesday evening on their North American Tour 2023, wreaking havok in their wake and leaving many fans satiated by the experience. The crowd got their money’s worth. It was my First time seeing these bands and honestly it was one of the best shows I’ve been to this year. Thanks Gus! The crowd was enthusiastic and bustling with energy. The pit was nuts the whole show and there was constant crowd surfing.

I’ve gotta say that the staff and security were friendly and welcoming (especially the guy in the box office who helped out with my review ticket situation). The line to get in wasn’t too crazy unlike the Parking lots. Traffic is always a bitch in this city but my brother and I avoided Lakeshore and took the back way down Lesley St. to Unwin Ave., then up Cherry St. to Polson St.. Easy as pie. Once in the venue I met some of the other media in attendance (Pedro From A&P Reacts, Jason and Kim from The Metal Pit). Such awesome people, it was great meeting them all. After grabbing a cold one I went and got settled in a decent spot foregoing my usual habit of hitting the merch stand early as the lines were crazy long.

The Lights went low and first up Was Denver Colorado’s own BLOOD INCANTATION with a short but fantastic three song set of their spacy/psychedelic brand of death metal. The pit instantly went into action as soon as the music started and soon after the crowd surfing began creating a fun atmosphere that was contagious. I wish they played a little bit longer but they gained a new fan out of me in the process. After their set I noticed the lines for merch were significantly shorter so I decided to queue up. How could I not cop a shirt or two?

Setlist
Inner Paths (to Outer Space)
Awakening From the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)
Obliquity of the Ecliptic

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars
Jeff Barrett – bass
Isaac Faulk – drums

While Standing in line, Sherbrooke Quebec’s resident Tech Death lords GORGUTS layed down a phenomenal set, whipping the crowd into a frenzy but alas, I was stuck in line but fret not, I was still able to enjoy the band from afar as the speaker set-up at Rebel is pretty decent as well as having TV monitors at every bar so I was still able to gauge their performance and the crowd’s reaction. Got an awesome shirt out of it and was glad they were still accepting cash because after all I’m still a f**king caveman apparently. Gorguts rules!

Setlist
Rottenatomy
Disincarnated
Bodily Corrupted
Orphans of Sickness
Obscura

Band members
Luc Lemay – vocals, guitars
Kevin Hufnagel – guitars
Colin Marston – bass
Patrice Hamelin – drums

MAYHEM

I met up with my brother Keith (photographer @lowereastsidephotography) out on the patio during the intermission. The moon was almost full, the air was cool and calm, setting up the vibe for the next band. A band that many in the crowd came to see, one of the original pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene, the one true MAYHEM. The crowd packed it in even tighter, I couldn’t get anywhere near the pit so I had to hang back and enjoy it from a distance. Mayhem proceeded to absolutely kill it and the fans were just eating it up. The crowd surfing was absolutely nuts, even Mayhem’s bassist Necrobutcher pointed to a crowd surfer with a liberty spiked mohawk as he was jettisoned towards the stage. The band feeding off of the crowd’s energy as the crowd was feeding off theirs. After the first three songs, Keith met up with me to show me his selfie he got with George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher at the side of the stage (lucky f**ker). We decided to check out more merch while Mayhem was destroying it on stage and to our surprise Luc Lemay (guitarist and lead vocalist) of Gorguts was running his own merch stand. We were greeted with a handshake and a thank you from Luc for coming to the show which was nice. Luc was one of the most friendly and down to earth people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. So nice in fact that when the internet went down he accepted whatever cash we had on hand (we had half of what they were worth) for a signed limited edition picture disc of the album ” The Erosion Of Sanity” and a shirt. He totally didn’t have to do that at all and we appreciated the hell out of that. Such an awesome dude. Mayhem finishes their extra long set, everyone was ecstatic at this point, having an incredible night.

Setlist
Worthless Abominations Destroyed
Crystalized Pain in Deconstruction
Malum
My Death
Voces Ab Alta
Freezing Moon
Life Eternal
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Silvester Anfang
Deathcrush
Carnage
Pure Fucking Armageddon

Band members
Attila Csihar – vocals
Teloch – guitars
Ghul – guitars
Necrobutcher – bass
Hellhammer – drums

CANNIBAL CORPSE

Finally it was time for a band that I have always wanted to see but never had the time or money but as luck would have it an opportunity arose thanks to Gustavo Scuderi of The Headbanging Moose for hooking me up with a review ticket, taking his place as he is out west having a great time seeing his lifelong favorite band Iron Maiden. Currently promoting their amazing new album Chaos Horrific, American death metal institution CANNIBAL CORPSE is a band that is best heard live. Did I say heard? I meant felt. Cannibal Corpse is a band that is felt not heard. George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher’s gutturals are as concussive as a mac truck doing dentistry. At times I was at the back of the venue and the vocals were like a kick in the gut. What can I say other than Cannibal Corpse absolutely f**king rules!!! And I loved every second of it. The pit was absolutely insane and, in fact, the crowd was one of the best I’ve ever been in. Such an amazing atmosphere to be a part of. George’s crowd control and banter is always legendary and he is certainly one of the best frontmen in metal. I love watching the security guards reactions during George’s intro to “I Cum Blood”. I don’t have to tell you that everyone fails his headbanging challenge, I mean how can you even compete with that neck? You must “RESPECT THE NECK”. Props to the soundboard technicians. Great sound all night and I didn’t even have to use my ear protection. I left the show completely satisfied and I can’t wait to see them and any one of the other bands the next time they come to town. They all left me wanting more. Great show 10/10!

Setlist
Scourge of Iron
Blood Blind
Disfigured
Evisceration Plague
Inhumane Harvest
Death Walking Terror
Chaos Horrific
I Cum Blood
Summoned for Sacrifice
Pounded Into Dust
Disposal of the Body
Pit of Zombies
Stripped, Raped and Strangled
Hammer Smashed Face

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Rob Barrett – lead and rhythm guitar
Erik Rutan – lead guitar
Alex Webster – bass guitar
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

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Album Review – Werewolves / My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (2023)

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The most savage Blackened Death Metal band to ever arise from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.

Formed in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia, the ruthless Technical Black/Death Metal horde that goes by the name of Werewolves has been making a name for themselves in the worldwide extreme music scene not only by the undeniable quality of their music, but also by their hard work and passion for what they do, as now in 2023, only a few years after the band’s inception, they’re unleashing upon humanity their impressive fourth studio album, the annihilating My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Recorded by Chris Themelco at Anubis Studios (drums), Matt Wilcock and Sam Johnson at Holes & Corners Studio (guitars and bass), Jack Hartley at Jack Hartley Audio (vocals), and Marc Russo at Beveridge Road Studio (additional vocals), mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, and displaying a sick artwork by Mitchell Nolte (with design and layout by Sam Dishington), My Enemies Look and Sound like Me is a lecture in hatred, nihilism and violence by Sam Bean on vocals and bass, Matt Wilcock on the guitars, and David Haley on drums, taking the band’s fury to a whole new level in the majestic follow-up to their critically acclaimed albums The Dead Are Screaming (2020), What a Time to Be Alive (2021), and From the Cave to the Grave (2022).

There’s no peace in the music by Werewolves, and the opening tune Under The Ground is the perfect depiction of that, already offering our putrid ears the demonic drumming by David accompanied by the rumbling bass and devilish roars by Sam; whereas the title-track My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me sounds like a hurricane of Black and Death Metal that will demolish your senses, or a bestial devastation by the trio with Matt showcasing all his dexterity, rage and passion for extreme music armed with his axe. Get ready to break your freakin’ neck headbanging and to slam into the pit like a beast to the sound of Bring To Me The Kill, another infernal Black and Death Metal aria where David continues to hammer his drums manically, and those Aussie metallers show no mercy for our damned souls in Brace For Impact, blasting more of their frantic Blackened Death Metal spearheaded by the thunderous blast beats by David.

In Destroyer of Worlds we’re treated to devilish, obscure words vociferated by Sam (“Plead my cause against an unfaithful nation / Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked / An abomination / Nausea and tears / I am become Fake / Destroyer of worlds / We are not his image / Creature of blasphemy / Spitting in their eye / Pissing holy water”) while the music is the most cryptic form of Black Metal you can think of; and back to their more ferocious, ruthless vibe it’s time for a circle pit feast titled Neanderhell, with Sam roaring nonstop supported by the caustic riffage by Matt. I Hate Therefore I Am carries a beautiful name for a demonic, pulverizing hymn by Werewolves, making it impossible to stand still to the venomous riffs by Matt in one of the best songs of the album hands down. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now is another song with a classy name, offering our ears one more round of the band’s visceral Black and Death Metal. Put differently, simply bang your head nonstop to the stone crushing drums by David, and be prepared for the last tune from such hellish opus, titled Do Not Hold Me Back, which will punch you hard in the head one final time with Sam sounding darkly evil on vocals.

The demolishing, unrelenting My Enemies Look and Sound like Me can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if I were you I would certainly grab a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow Werewolves on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping your damned heart as black and evil as it can be while listening to the first-class extreme music by this amazing Australian band. Will Werewolves keep the momentum going and release another jaw-dropping full-length album in 2024? Do your enemies look and sound like you? Hopefully the answer to those two questions is yes, as Werewolves are quickly becoming one of the must-see names of both the Australian and the worldwide Black and Death Metal scenes, offering us all nonstop action, adrenaline and hatred in the form of their sick creations.

Best moments of the album: My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me, Bring To Me The Kill, Neanderhell and I Hate Therefore I Am.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Prosthetic Records

Track listing
1. Under The Ground 2:29
2. My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me 3:46
3. Bring To Me The Kill 3:01
4. Brace For Impact 3:14
5. Destroyer of Worlds 5:41
6. Neanderhell 3:28
7. I Hate Therefore I Am 3:23
8. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now 4:07
9. Do Not Hold Me Back 4:52

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

Album Review – Fossilization / Leprous Daylight (2023)

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A Brazilian Death and Doom Metal duo attacks with their first full-length album, offering us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair.

One of the most acclaimed and praised newcomers in the underground recesses of the contended and highly demanding Death Metal feud, São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Doom Metal duo Fossilization attacks with their first full album, entitled Leprous Daylight, an utterly crushing and brutally wrenching release. Recorded at Hellspass Studio, mixed and mastered by Finnish musician and producer Otso Ukkonen, produced by the band’s own V, and featuring illustrations by Indonesian artist Rio Oka of Digtrash Art, the album offers us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair maliciously crafted and fiercely executed by the aforementioned V (aka Thiago Oliveira of Jupiterian) on vocals, guitars and bass, and P (aka Paulo Pinheiro of Jupiterian, Mortal Embodiment and Riffcoven) on drums, being a must-listen for fans of Dead Congregation, Krypts, Spectral Voice, Incantation, and for all admirers of the Brazilian Death Metal scene in general.

The sinister, grim intro Archæan Gateway introduces the duo’s deep and sharp heaviness before all hell breaks loose in Once Was God, where P is infernal behind his drums making the earth tremble while V roars like an entity from the underworld, or in other words, it’s a modern-day Blackened Doom aria that will darken your mind mercilessly. In Oracle of Reversion we face hellish words vociferated by V (“Transcending through the ages of fog and cold / Usurper of the throne in the skies and stars / Shadows bent before thee in honor / The Gods hum their lament and sadness / To nothingness”) while he also slashes his stringed axe in the name of darkness and evil; and V also does a superb job with both his scorching riffs and thunderous bass in At the Heart of the Nest, a lecture in Blackened Death Metal with a menacing Doom Metal vibe not recommended for the lighthearted.

The second half of the album begins with the pulverizing title-track Leprous Daylight, where P sounds inhumane behind his drums, bringing his heaviest artillery and therefore generating a beyond infernal atmosphere perfect for V’s demonic roars; followed by The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames, another brutal, neck-breaking tune of darkness blasted by the duo, and Fossilization don’t show a single drop of mercy for our souls, hammering our cranial skulls with their devilish fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal until the very end. Then the riffage by V sounds even darker and more sulfurous in Eon, a lecture in heaviness, brutality and insanity by Fossilization that lives up to the legacy of the most visceral form of Doom Metal, with P pounding his drums with tons of rage and dexterity, whereas lastly we face the most Doom Metal of all tracks, the sluggish and grim Wrought in the Abyss. It loses its grip after a while, though, but V and P still showcase a venomous performance throughout the entire song, putting a Stygian ending to the album.

This bestial album made in the depths of the Brazilian hellish pits can be enjoyed in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously grab a copy of it from HERE (mailorder) or HERE (BandCamp), adding an extra touch of darkness and sulfur to your already demonic collection. In addition, go check what V and P are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, succumbing to the most obscure side of heavy music, and keeping such infernal duo inspired to keep blasting our ears with their music for many years to come like what they have to offer us all in their debut opus.

Best moments of the album: Once Was God, At the Heart of the Nest and Eon.

Worst moments of the album: Wrought in the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Archæan Gateway 0:55
2. Once Was God 4:59
3. Oracle of Reversion 5:02
4. At the Heart of the Nest 4:24
5. Leprous Daylight 5:03
6. The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames 4:56
7. Eon 5:40
8. Wrought in the Abyss 5:36

Band members
V – vocals, guitars, bass
P – drums

Album Review – Mystic Prophecy / Hellriot (2023)

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German’s own Heavy and Power Metal division is ready to unleash hell with their incendiary twelfth studio album.

Formed initially as a side project in the already distant year of 2000 in Bad Grönenbach, Germany by Progressive Metal band Valley’s Eve bandmates R.D. Liapakis and Martin Albrecht, the unrelenting Heavy and Power Metal outfit Mystic Prophecy has been on a roll since their inception, having released already 12 studio albums (plus their 2021 EP Hail to the King), including their newborn spawn titled Hellriot, following up on their highly acclaimed effort Metal Division. Produced by the band’s own frontman R.D. Liapakis (aka Roberto Dimitri Liapakis, who’s by the way the band’s only remaining founding member), mixed and mastered by Henrik Udd at Studio Fredman, and displaying a beyond metalized artwork by Dušan Marković, Hellriot is an ode to all things metal masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned R.D. Liapakis together with guitarists Evan K and Markus Pohl, bassist Joey Roxx, and drummer Hanno Kerstan, positioning it as one of the top Heavy and Powerl Metal albums of 2023 without a shadow of a doubt.

The incendiary riffs by Evan and Markus will put you to bang your head like a true metalhead in the breathtaking title-track Hellriot, while R.D. beautifully declaims the song’s tribute-to-the-legends lyrics (“We are the legion of the damned / We let the dragons fly together till the end / Screaming for vengeance, the number of the beast / With the devil by our side the dogs of hell unleashed”) in a lecture in classic Heavy Metal with Thrash and Speed Metal nuances, followed by Unholy Hell, darker and heavier than its predecessor, with Joey shining armed with her bass while Hanno pounds his drums nonstop in the name of darkness. Then we have Demons Of The Night, bringing forward a galloping rhythm inspired by the music by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, sounding absolutely solid and entertaining, and led by the scorching guitars by Evan and Markus. In Metal Attack the name of the song says it all, offering us all a vibrant onrush of Power Metal full of metallic bass punches, fierce riffs and hammering drums, whereas Paranoia is slightly below the rest of the album in terms of energy (not to mention all background effects sound out of place) despite its decent backing vocals and drums. And back to their more traditional Heavy and Power Metal mode we face Revenge And Fire, a headbanging feast where R.D. once again kicks some serious ass on vocals supported by the fiery music blasted by his bandmates.

After that, the low-tuned, menacing bass by Joey kicks off the beyond exciting Rising With The Storm, a lesson in old school Heavy Metal that will certainly put you to dance, with R.D.’s vocals being nicely complemented by the song’s spot-on backing vocals. In Road To Babylon the band presents poetic words are declaimed by R.D. (“One man is born to conquer the world / The signs of his faith are falling / One man in the name of gods / Hail to the king all nations are calling / With fire and steel he sends his warning / The Persian king Darius is falling”) while the rest of the band crafts a dark yet very melodious sound, resulting in an amazing creation by those Teutonic metallers, and things get even better in Azrael, one of the best songs of the album, paying homage to the angel of death with Joey being on fire not only armed with her rumbling bass but also with her powerful backing vocals. In other words, it’s impossible to stand still to this horn-raising hymn, which is also the case in Cross The Line, a beautiful fusion of Heavy and Power Metal with modern-day Hard Rock by Mystic Prophecy presenting some striking solos by Evan and the hammering drums by Hanno, while R.D. invites us all to sing along the song’s stylish lyrics together with the band. Finally, closing this flammable album of heavy music we have World On Fire, where once again we’ll feel the urge to start dancing, banging our heads and raising our fists in the air nonstop. The world might be coming to an end, but at least it will be to the sound of this stylish metal tune.

This fantastic explosion of classic German Power Metal can be appreciated in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to support such amazing band from the European scene you can purchase a copy of Hellriot by clicking HERE, and catch the band live in your city by clicking HERE. Furthermore, R.D. Liapakis and his crew are also waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, more of their music and other nice-to-know details about them, inviting you to join their metallic army in their quest for heavy music. Mystic Prophecy are unleashing hell with their new album, and may their inner fire keep burning bright for decades to come with more superb releases like this one.

Best moments of the album: Hellriot, Rising With The Storm, Azrael and Cross The Line.

Worst moments of the album: Paranoia.

Released in 2023 ROAR! Rock Of Angels Records

Track listing
1. Hellriot 3:21
2. Unholy Hell 3:32
3. Demons Of The Night 3:15
4. Metal Attack 4:13
5. Paranoia 3:45
6. Revenge And Fire 3:31
7. Rising With The Storm 4:13
8. Road To Babylon 4:09
9. Azrael 3:30
10. Cross The Line 4:00
11. World On Fire 4:04

Band members
R.D. Liapakis – vocals
Evan K – lead guitars
Markus Pohl – rhythm guitars
Joey Roxx – bass
Hanno Kerstan – drums

Album Review – Horrendous / Ontological Mysterium (2023)

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Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band returns in full force with their fifth studio album, a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle.

Five years after their latest album Idol, Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band Horrendous is finally back with their fifth full-length instalment, titled Ontological Mysterium, a love letter to Death, Atheist and other classics from the late 80’s and early 90’s. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by the band’s own Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Alex Brown and Brian Smith, Ontological Mysterium is a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle, all masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Damian Herring on vocals and guitars alongside Matt Knox also on vocals and guitars, Alex Kulick on bass, and Jamie Knox on drums.

A Stygian invocation titled The Blaze warms up the listener for the infernal metal attack that’s about to come in Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), a fast and demolishing tune where the riffs by Damian and Matt set fire to the atmosphere spiced up by the song’s demented lyrics (“Immerse me / In jubilant flames / With iridescent tongue / Lick away the skin / Don’t dare be kind / Paralyze me in paraffin / And spark the match”). Then blending the madness and creativity of Mastodon with their own Death Metal vein we have Neon Leviathan, and the result is a crushing tune where Alex steals the spotlight with his metallic, groovy bass punches; followed by Aurora Neoterica, bringing forward two minutes of sheer insanity, progressiveness and atmospheric passages where Jamie and Alex make an amazing duo with their respective beats and bass lines, flowing into the intricate Preterition Hymn, where the quartet once again blasts our ears with their sonic extravaganza, delivering a sick fusion of harsh growls and clean vocals (albeit not as exciting as the rest of the album).

In the wicked Cult of Shaad’oah  we’re treated to more of their lunatic words (“Beat me back but I’ll keep on climbing / When you’re lost in the dreams / Of the dead / And the final sun burns / Oh, the battle begins… / Prepare for brutal ascent”) amidst a fantastic Progressive Death Metal sonority led by the band’s guitar duo’s caustic riffage; whereas switching gears to a darker, heavier sound with a dense atmosphere, it’s time for the cryptic Exeg(en)esis, once again blasting our ears with their chaotic yet extremely melodic riffs, beats and bass lines, or in other words, a weird creation that fits really well in the album, followed by the Progressive Metal-infused title-track Ontological Mysterium, where Horrendous showcase all their insanity and passion for heavy music. Moreover, Jamie is amazing as usual behind his drums while the diversity of vocal styles again reminds me of some of the best songs by Mastodon. Lastly, how about another explosion of Progressive Death Metal to close the album on a high note? That’s what you’ll get in The Death Knell Ringeth, with the whole song sounding very compelling and dynamic, while the guitars by Damian and Matt exhale sheer electricity.

“At this point, we want to wave the Horrendous banner high in a way that we perhaps didn’t around Idol and continue on this path that we’ve forged,” said the band’s talented drummer Jamie Knox. “We are very proud of Ontological Mysterium and what our band has become – it’s almost like we’ve figured out how to make this band work amidst the wildness of adult life. This entity feels worth celebrating and feeding to see where it might take us next.” Hence, go check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their tour dates and plans for the future, and of course go grab a copy of Ontological Mysterium from the Season of Mist webstore, as well as by clicking HERE or HERE, and don’t forget to also stream such demonic album in full on YouTube and on Spotify. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to enter the labyrinth of progressive, technical and extremely heavy Death Metal crafted by Horrendous in their infernal new album?

Best moments of the album: Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), Cult of Shaad’oah and Ontological Mysterium.

Worst moments of the album: Preterition Hymn.

Released in 2023 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. The Blaze 2:00
2. Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn) 7:16
3. Neon Leviathan 3:30
4. Aurora Neoterica 1:56
5. Preterition Hymn 3:58
6. Cult of Shaad’oah 5:24
7. Exeg(en)esis, 3:38
8. Ontological Mysterium 4:44
9. The Death Knell Ringeth 5:20

Band members
Damian Herring – guitars, vocals
Matt Knox – guitars, vocals
Alex Kulick – bass
Jamie Knox – drums