This mysterious Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult returns with a scorching new EP presenting five “sermons” conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications.
Following on quickly from their 2024 debut album The Prophecy of Karnifor, the mysterious Calgary, Alberta-based Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult Necht returns with a brand new EP, entitled TheInevitable Suffering. Operating jointly from the frozen wastelands of Canada and the damp gloom of Northern Ireland, the cult formed of Zenith Maharg on vocals, Ascendant Zhargor on the guitars, Ascendant демон on bass, and Ascendant Vlasfimos on drums presents in The Inevitable Suffering five “sermons” of Atmospheric Black Metal conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications, each based on the myths and history of the Enkari – the early civilization from which the cult arose – as told in the controversial Enkari-B’ahn Scolls.
Like a creature arising from the underworld, the imposing, epic intro Over Ten Thousand Spears, B’ahn Rises Red kicks off Necht’s black mass before we face The Night That Knows No Dawn, starting in a cinematic manner and quickly exploding into the band’s trademark darkness led by the demented drumming by Ascendant Vlasfimos and the haunting gnarls by Zenith Maharg. Dread Is the Consort of the Dark is another harsh and infuriated display of Symphonic and Melodic Black Metal spearheaded by the Stygian riffage by Ascendant Zhargor, sounding perfect for a ceremonial black mass; and the visceral guitar lines by Ascendant Zhargor are boosted by the rumbling bass and drums by Ascendant демон and Ascendant Vlasfimos in As Oars Through Blood, offering Zenith Maharg exactly what he needs to darkly declaims the song’s impious words, morphing into the phantasmagorical outro …and so Across the Bloody Lake We Did Sail in Silence, putting a beyond obscure ending to one more successful gathering of the cult of the sun.
Such an amazing cult from the underground nailed it once again with The Inevitable Suffering, which is available for purchase from BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and for streaming on Spotify, and you can always join Necht and worship the sun together with them by following the cult on Facebook and on Instagram. “The Cult believed themselves to be spiritually bound to their sun-god, B’ahn, who was locked in a ceaseless battle for survival against His all-powerful mother, the Dragon Karnifor, as She sought to swallow Him and the world. The souls of dead Cultists could rise to join B’ahn in His struggle on the cosmic plains – and thus hold the Dragon back for just a little longer – but only if those Cultists died in battle. Thus, to the Cult, the only means to prevent the Apocalypse of the Dragon was, ironically, to prosecute an endless war on earth, which of course resulted in great misery for their people,” explained Zenith Maharg, leader of the Temple. “Thus, The Inevitable Suffering – for the Cult believed the suffering of war was fundamentally to be embraced as the only means of saving humanity.”
Best moments of the album:The Night That Knows No Dawn and Dread Is the Consort of the Dark.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Independent
Track listing 1. Over Ten Thousand Spears, B’ahn Rises Red 2:04
2. The Night That Knows No Dawn 6:08
3. Dread Is the Consort of the Dark 6:12
4. As Oars Through Blood 4:18
5. …and so Across the Bloody Lake We Did Sail in Silence 1:18
Band members Zenith Maharg – vocals
Ascendant Zhargor – guitars, choir
Ascendant демон – bass, choir
Ascendant Vlasfimos – drums
It’s time to honor the memory of our most ancient ancestors, the Enkari, with an amazing and detailed interview with Zenith Maharg of the Temple of Necht.
Zenith Maharg (Necht)
The Headbanging Moose: Thanks a lot for your time, Zenith Maharg. Could you please start by introducing yourself and the band to our readers? Who are Necht, and what’s your main purpose in this world?
Zenith Maharg: Hails, Herald Gustavo! I am the Zenith of the Temple of Necht. I am pleased to be given this opportunity to Illuminate you and your readers. Necht honours the memory of our most ancient ancestors, the Enkari – the earliest civilization yet discovered – and through our black metal Sermons we spread knowledge of their culture, beliefs and history. At our Live Rituals, we embody the Cult of B’ahn, who were the warriors of the Enkari city-state of Lashmir. The Cult existed to further a state of religiously mandated constant war against their foes in Ishpan, thereby mirroring and supporting the struggles of the Sun God, B’ahn, the Ceaseless Warrior, against the Mother Dragon, Karnifor, and Her constant efforts to swallow the world.
THM: You’re currently supported by your Ascendants Zhargor on the guitars, Aemoh on bass, and Vlasfimos on drums. How did you first get in contact with them, and what do they bring to the music by Necht that others couldn’t?
ZM: The Ascendants of the Temple are all masters of their craft, having honed their skills through many years of practice and countless hours upon battlefields across Canada. Ascendant Vlasfimos and I are long-term collaborators from earlier musical projects. By the Light of B’ahn, we were guided to find in Ascendants Zhargor and Aemoh similarly dedicated warriors of black metal. As every Sermon results from the combined efforts of each member of the Temple, without the participation of each member, Necht would not exist.
THM: You’ve recently released your debut opus, the excellent The Prophecy of Karnifor, which you like to describe as your “long meditation.” Can you tell us a bit more about the whole idea behind it?
ZM: Heed these words carefully, Herald. The Grand Meditation of The Prophecy of Karnifor introduces to a modern age the wisdom of the Enkari; with this and with each subsequent Meditation, Necht will gradually reveal more of the Enkari, as laid out in the Enkari-B’ahn scrolls.
These scrolls were discovered in the 19th century by German explorer and philosopher, Dr. Karl von Mecklenburg, and our Sermons are based on the contents of the scrolls as translated and published by Dr Birgitta Olsson in 2015. The scrolls themselves were written by the Qa’ars – priest-kings – of Ishpan, and comprise a record of contemporary observations, personal philosophy and religious passages.
Though long forgotten and hidden behind the fog of thousands of years of distortions and misunderstandings that our societies call ‘religion’ and ‘history’, there are many truths to be revealed by studying the thoughts, history, learnings and the doom of the Enkari.
THM: One of my favorite songs of the album is undoubtedly Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, which also has a really cool official video. Can you please explain to us what this amazing song is all about, and how the recordings of the video went?
ZM: Our gratitude, Herald! The Sermon “Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake” tells of how B’ahn awoke to awareness as His Mother moved to devour Him; of how he fashioned both Thunder Shield and Lightning Spear from His rage and light, and confronted the Dragon, refusing to back down in the face of Her eternal and unstoppable power, and committing Himself to always fight. Therefore, it is only by His constant struggle that we live.
The recording of the Visual Revelation for this Sermon was done under the guidance and direction of Brother Joe Teminsky who, as an Azimuth-level Cultist, shares our vision and understanding of B’ahn’s radiance. It was important for this Visual Revelation to portray the ominous darkness of the void, the Star Ocean, in which Karnifor ever swims, and Brother Joe helped us capture that perfectly.
Album Review – Necht / The Prophecy Of Karnifor (2024)
THM: You were one of the finalists for Wacken Metal Battle Canada 2023 in Toronto, a concert I had the pleasure of witnessing, and now in 2024 you were summoned to be the guest headliners for the finals in Edmonton. What was the feeling for you and your ascendants to participate in both events, and what are the biggest differences in the band from last year to this year’s concert?
ZM: We were honoured to be a part of the WMB Canada Finals both in 2023 – where we did holy battle with Strigampire and Eaten by Sharks – and even more honoured to be invited back this year, where we looked on as five combatants furiously fought for the winning spot. 2024 differed in that it included an opportunity to welcome even Junior Initiates, as there was no age barrier to enter the Sacred Hall. Also, as the 2023 WMB Canada Finals was only our 5th live Ritual, we had considerably tightened our performance time of the 2024 Finals. In both cases, however, the atmosphere among the gathered was suitably electric and we were able to Initiate many people into the Cult by administering the Ritual of Ashes, marking the loyal with the Ashes of the Fallen.
THM: Apart from of course Necht and the finalists for this year’s Wacken Metal Battle Canada (Arrow In The Quiver, Age of Ashes, Infrastrvctvre, Beguiler and Dead Velvet), which other bands from Calgary or from the entire Canadian scene do you think are worth checking out?
ZM: Most definitely, Herald! Black metal fans should check out our compatriots in Kings Rot (a Cascadian style in the vein of UADA), Svneatr (more progressive) and Black Pestilence (for a punk fusion). Those who enjoy technical death metal with some truly ferocious vocals should indulge their ears with the latest release from Vaegon. Grand Mal also provide a crushing blackened death metal experience.
THM: Which bands and artists influenced Necht the most, and who would you love to tour with from those major influences?
ZM: We are very much rooted in second-wave European black metal, with bands such as Dark Funeral and Satyricon providing a foundation for our music. Other bands that have influenced us include Batushka, Behemoth, Belphegor, Cult of Fire, Gorgoroth, Helrunar and Rotting Christ. We would particularly enjoy the opportunity to conduct a Ritual in the presence of any of these Elders.
Necht
THM: You’ve just played at a very cool underground festival called Decimate Metal Fest 2024 in Millet, Alberta. How was the event as a whole, and what are the next live concerts for Necht?
ZM: Decimate is a young festival, held in a small town south of Edmonton. It offered the gathered an opportunity to see many bands from Western Canada as well as from the US, and includes camping. Junior Initiates were welcome at the festival also. The experience was excellent and we hope that B’ahn shines His holy light upon the festival in future years, so that more and more people take the opportunity to attend and support the underground metal scene.
For 2024, we recently completed our “Illuminating The Plains in Furious Radiance” series of Rituals in Alberta. However, our Zenith has been called overseas, drawn by visions to search for the Obelisk, so we will not be conducting any full Rituals for the rest of 2024 – only our Zenith is sanctioned to perform the Ritual of Ashes – but the Ascendants will host three more Assemblies. At these Assemblies, Ascendant Zhargor will provide the voice for the Sermons.
Saturday, July 6 – Canmore Alternative Metal & Punk Festival (AMP) III at Arts Place, Canmore
Saturday, July 20 – with Kings Rot and Liminal Shroud at The Palomino, Calgary
Saturday, August 17 – with Black Pestilence, Black Solstice, Void of Mood and Putrid Stain at The Slice, Lethbridge.
THM: Now that you’ve released your first album and started promoting it with your insane live performances, what’s next for the band?
ZM: We will be revealing our next Lesser Meditation, “Dread Is The Consort Of The Dark” before the end of 2024. We have already recorded the footage for the accompanying Visual Revelation, and the Sermon will be recorded shortly.
We will then retire to the sanctity of our Temple to contemplate the wisdom of the Enkari-B’ahn Scrolls once more, and work on another Grand Meditation, which we aim to reveal in 2025. We also plan to conduct Rituals in other countries during 2025, in order to spread the word of B’ahn more widely.
THM: Thanks again for the interview! Please feel free to leave your final message and considerations to our readers, and I hope to see Necht live again in the near future! Glory to the Sun!
Offering grim, martial and epic tales of the Enkari, the first human civilization, this Canadian Black Metal horde steps out of the shadows of the past to spread the word of their long meditation.
GLORY TO THE SUN!
We humans are and have always been driven by our own imagination. Someone stumbles across an old book as a child and from then on lives a life believing in the resurrection of a man who died in a cruel way, giving rise to white metal as a movement. Born in the fires of the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta in 2022, the infernal Black Metal entity known as Necht is stepping out of the shadows of the past to spread the word of their long meditation, entitled The Prophecy of Karnifor. Offering grim, martial and epic tales of the Enkari, the first human civilization, inspired by the discoveries of the German explorer and philosopher Karl von Mecklenburg, as unveiled in the controversial research of Dr. Birgitta Olsson, The Prophecy Of Karnifor is a bold, multi-layered feast of Black Metal in the name of B’ahn, Our Father, The Ceaseless Warrior, masterfully brought into being by Zenith Maharg (vocals) and his Ascendants Zhargor (guitars), Aemoh (bass) and Vlasfimos (drums).
As if the band was preparing us for their Stygian cult, we face the imposing intro The Vision of the Qa’ar, exploding into the ferocious Within Her Jaws Dwells The Dark Promise Of Our Death, where Ascendant Vlasfimos sounds utterly infernal behind his drums while Zenith Maharg begins his visceral, demented vocal attack by screaming and roaring manically nonstop. Then continuing their ritualistic feast of darkened sounds, it’s time for Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, where the riffs by Ascendant Zhargor will haunt your damned souls accompanied by the classic bass by Ascendant демон in another heavy, grim and venomous creation by the quartet. To Me, The Obelisk Calls blends their core Black Metal with elements from Atmospheric Black Metal, and the final result is a phantasmagorical voyage by Necht, with the drums by Ascendant Vlasfimos once again sounding demolishing; and you better prepare your senses for an overdose of towering, visceral sounds by Necht in the eight-minute beast titled Into Bondage Born, a Melodic Black Metal aria where Zenith Maharg leads his horde with his devilish gnarls while the guitar by Ascendant Zhargor will pierce your minds mercilessly.
And they keep decimating our damned souls in By The Fires Of Ascension Shall I Reach The Sky, with the band’s stringed duo delivering sheer Black Metal madness supported by the always hellish beats by Ascendant Vlasfimos, whereas By Blood And Bone Do We Bind lives up the the legacy of modern-day Melodic Black Metal, blasting our ears with the band’s trademark ferocity and passion for the occult, all of course spearheaded by the demonic growls by Zenith Maharg. There’s time for a cinematic interlude titled Blackened Loom The Walls Of Ishpan, setting the stage for the band to crush our souls one last time in For Violence Was Wrought Upon Me, a Behemoth-inspired extravaganza tailored for fans of Blackened Death Metal, putting a beyond infernal ending to the band’s black mass.
“BRETHREN! Do not fear the shadow. Within the shadow there may be found despair. Within the shadow there may be found death, and dissolution. But within the shadow, there may also be found awakening and enlightenment. For it was in the shadow that our Father, B’ahn, was born. GLORY TO THE SUN!” Those were the words by Zenith Maharg, from the Temple of Necht in the Cult of B’Ahn, citing the Enkari-B’Ahn writings, and if you’re eager to join them in the occult you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, listen to their eerie creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of The Prophecy Of Karnifor from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Glory to the Sun, glory to Black Metal, and glory to Necht for bringing into being such an amazing album.
Best moments of the album:Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake, Into Bondage Born and By Blood And Bone Do We Bind.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Independent
Track listing 1. The Vision of the Qa’ar 1:42
2. Within Her Jaws Dwells The Dark Promise Of Our Death 7:25
3. Stirred By Shadow, I Did Wake 5:40
4. To Me, The Obelisk Calls 5:26
5. Into Bondage Born 8:37
6. By The Fires Of Ascension Shall I Reach The Sky 6:41
7. By Blood And Bone Do We Bind 7:33
8. Blackened Loom The Walls Of Ishpan 1:46
9. For Violence Was Wrought Upon Me 5:32
Band members Zenith Maharg – vocals
Ascendant Zhargor – guitars, choir
Ascendant демон – bass, choir
Ascendant Vlasfimos – drums
These Canadian metallers are made of metal, their circuits gleam, and they’re ready to show us all the endless power of heavy music to the sound of their striking seventh studio album.
Blending classic Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, and 80’s Hair Metal, Power Metal and so on, Edmonton, Canada’s own powerhouse Striker has been making “shredtacular” anthems since their inception back in 2007, which is also the case with their seventh studio album, titled Ultrapower. Produced, mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder, and displaying a stylish, metallic cover art by Al Perez of Ramone Sketch, Ultrapower is a strong and solid follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2017 self-titled album and their Juno Award-winning 2018 effort Play To Win, showcasing a collection of the band’s tinkering and exploring new avenues, all brought into being with tons of energy and passion by frontman Dan Cleary, guitarists Tim Brown and John Simon Fallon, bassist Pete Klassen, and session drummer Jono Webster.
The maniacal laugh by Dan ignites the thrilling, metallic Power Metal hymn Circle of Evil, one of the heaviest songs from their past few albums, with Tim and John taking the song’s punch and electricity to a whole new level with their wicked riffs and solos. Then venturing through the realms of Hard Rock and Glam Metal it’s time for BEST of the BEST of the BEST, with its inspiring lyrics flawlessly declaimed by Dan (“If I could show you the top of the world / All of the things I’ve seen / Every long and winding road / All that I gave up to get what I’ve got / Maybe you’d understand / Why I’m never gonna stop”); and the sound of the saxophone brings a “Michael Bolton” vibe to Give it All, an 80’s-inspired, mellow rockin’ tune where Pete and Jono dictate the pace with their classic kitchen. It’s pedal to the metal as Striker will kick you in the head in Blood Magic, again showcasing their always catchy choruses and the beautiful heaviness of their guitars and drums, whereas Sucks to Suck keeps the adrenaline flowing in the album, a nice tune with a chorus that is as cheesy as hell (but that should work really well if played live).
Back to a more direct Heavy Metal sonority form their early records we have Ready for Anything, where Dan kicks some ass on vocals as usual supported by his bandmates’ classic backing vocals, making it impossible not to headbang nonstop to such electrifying tune. Once again paying a visit to the Sunset Strip in California, the band fires City Calling, proving how versatile their music can be, with Pete sounding ruthless armed with his thunderous, metallic bass; and let’s keep this Rock N’ Roll party going in Turn the Lights Out, where the guitars by Tim and John exhale heaviness and melody while Jono keeps hammering his drums in great fashion. Then we’re treated to Thunderdome, their personal tribute to the 1985 cult movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, presenting a pounding rhythm led by the crushing beats by Jono, while Dan and his henchmen keep roaring the famous movie line “two men enter, one man leaves”, whereas Live to Fight Another Day is another AOR/Melodic Rock-infused creation by the band, sounding as if it was taken from one of those teen movies from the 80’s, with Dan delivering the goods with his powerful vocals. Finally, closing the horn-raising Ultrapower we’re treated to Brawl at the Pub, a no shenanigans, classic Striker hymn where the heaviness of their riffs and beats matches perfectly with the soaring vocals by Dan, all complemented by a beyond powerful guitar solo.
“Ultrapower is the amalgamation of 5 years of writing and exploring music. With influences from AOR to Speed Metal, Hardcore to Hair Metal, Steely Dan to Deathcore, you name it, it made its way into the album. In the end with the help of Josh Schroeder’s guiding hand, we melted it all together to present something uniquely Striker. Lyrically we’ve stuck to the Striker tradition of writing montage songs for movies that don’t exist, songs about our spiraling serfdom, and lyrics about the evils that lurk in the shadows,” commented the band about their new album, also saying that “we wanted the album artwork to represent how we feel as a band right now. We are an engine that is fired up and ready to roll. We’re made of metal and our circuits gleam.” Hence, in order to join Striker in their quest for Heavy Metal, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of the hard-hitting Ultrapower by clicking HERE. Striker are more-than-ready to show us all the power of heavy music with Ultrapower, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the ride with one of the best (of the best of the best) bands of the current Canadian landscape.
Best moments of the album:Circle of Evil, BEST of the BEST of the BEST, Ready for Anything and Brawl at the Pub.
Worst moments of the album:Sucks to Suck.
Released in 2024 Record Breaking Records
Track listing 1. Circle of Evil 3:44
2. BEST of the BEST of the BEST 3:19
3. Give it All 4:14
4. Blood Magic 4:35
5. Sucks to Suck 3:15
6. Ready for Anything 3:56
7. City Calling 3:45
8. Turn the Lights Out 2:49
9. Thunderdome 4:01
10. Live to Fight Another Day 4:00
11. Brawl at the Pub 3:47
Band members Dan Cleary – vocals
Tim Brown – guitar
John Simon Fallon – guitar
Pete Klassen – bass
Edmonton, Canada’s own Death Metal machine is back with their demolishing fourth full-length album, paying homage to the brutal and aggressive roots of the genre.
Prepare for an unrelenting assault on your senses as Edmonton, Alberta’s very own Brutal Death Metal titans Display of Decay unleash their latest opus, titled Vitriol. Drawing inspiration from the early Death Metal pioneers like Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation and Cryptopsy, Display of Decay have crafted an album that pays homage to the brutal and aggressive roots of the genre while infusing their own unique sickness into the mix. Produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson of Cryptopsy, and displaying a sick cover art by Caelan Stokkermans, Vitriol is an auditory journey into a realm of relentless brutality, where thundering drums, guttural vocals, and savage guitar riffs converge to create a sonic onslaught that leaves no room for compromise, all masterfully crafted by Sean Watson on vocals and guitar, Brandon Siefert on bass and Logan Wilson on drums, resulting in the perfect follow-up to their 2018 album Art in Mutilation.
Sean shows no mercy for his guitar in Malicious Motorcide, delivering dirty, devilish riffs while Logan crushes his drums nonstop in the name of Death Metal, resulting in an aggressive way to kick off the album by those three marauders followed by The Butcher, even heavier and more obscure, where Sean continues to vociferate like a demon while Brandon and Logan make sure the atmosphere remains as dense as possible with their respective bass punches and hammering drums. Their fusion of brutality and rage will set fire to the music in Legion of Doom, with Brandon’s bass sounding utterly metallic while Sean shreds his guitar in great fashion until the very last second. And Familial Feast is another no shenanigans, in-you-face display of classic Death Metal infused with Brutal Death Metal elements, inviting us all to slam into the pit to the manic roars by Sean and the always demented drums by Logan.
Get ready for another sonic attack courtesy of Display of Decay titled Harbinger, where Logan brings his heavy artillery to the music contributing to make it even more perverse and insane, not to mention the putrid guttural by Sean; and featuring guest drummer Tyson Travnik (Gatekeeper, Striker, Ironstorm), the band brings forward more of their caustic Death Metal in the form of Hot Lead Vengeance, with Tyson stealing the show with a very technical yet violent performance. It’s time for Sean to slash our ears with his dirty riffage in Slaughtercast, perfect for some vigorous headbanging until your neck can’t take it anymore, keeping the album at a high level of animosity; whereas Tyson Travnik returns with his infernal, demolishing beats in the title-track Vitriol, putting a pulverizing ending to the album while Sean barks and growls in them most gruesome and demented way you can imagine.
Vitriol, which is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, definitely represents a step forward in the career of those Canadian metallers, cementing their name in the local scene and helping them spread their music all across the world. Hence, you can keep updated with all things Display of Decay by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and of course by purchasing a copy of the vicious Vitriol by clicking HERE or HERE. Brutal Death Metal made in Canada is on the rise, and we must thank bands like Display of Decay for their relentless work in the name of extreme music, always offering us all top-of-the-line albums like their latest opus.
Best moments of the album:The Butcher, Harbinger and Hot Lead Vengeance.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Gore House Productions
Track listing 1. Malicious Motorcide 3:17
2. The Butcher 4:26
3. Legion of Doom 4:04
4. Familial Feast 3:26
5. Harbinger 3:06
6. Hot Lead Vengeance 4:01
7. Slaughtercast 3:55
8. Vitriol 3:19
Band members Sean Watson – vocals, guitar
Brandon Siefert – bass
Logan Wilson – drums
Guest musician
Tyson Travnik – drums on “Vitriol” and “Hot Lead Vengeance”
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.
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
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
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 undisputedThe 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.
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
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
A young and rising Canadian Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore act will attack your senses mercilessly with their incendiary and very personal sophomore album.
Hailing from the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta, the up-and-coming Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore band Fall Of Earth (a play on words that reflects their core belief that the world is experiencing a multitude of issues including climate change, war and mass extinctions that is leading us all to a darker place as a society) has unleashed this year their sophomore beast titled From The Ashes, highly recommended for fans of Trivium, Gojira, Dream Theater, Periphery and Mastodon, among others. Playing what they like to label as “Hybrid Metal”, with elements of Metalcore, Death, Thrash, Groove, Nu and Progressive Metal combined into a sound all their own, the band formed of Inuit frontman Alex Rye, guitarist Brody Bauer, bassist Aaron Winklmeier and drummer Brendan Meilleur delivers everything you want in a metal album and more in From The Ashes, with the crisp production, mixing and mastering by Diego Fernandez at Oracle Recording Studios and the fiery artwork designed by the band itself turning the album into the perfect follow-up to their 2020 debut self-titled effort, and a must-listen for anyone who enjoys the more modern version of heavy music found in North America.
The opener Medusa is a feast of Progressive Death Metal form the very first second spearheaded by the classic riffs by Brody supported by the rumbling bass by Aaron, which is pretty much everything Alex needs to blast both his evil roars and cleaner, enraged vocals; whereas investing in a more melodic sonority it’s time for the quartet to deliver a hybrid of violence and harmony in The Dead And Soon To Be, perfect for breaking your neck headbanging to the pounding beats by Brendan. Alex keeps showcasing his wide vocal range, easily going from deep guttural to gentle clean vocals, in Block Out The Sun, a beautiful composition by Fall Of Earth that will please all fans of bands like Mastodon and Trivium, and the classic beats and fills by Brendan invade our ears once again in Path To Self Destruction, while Alex continues to vociferate rabidly nonstop.
It’s then time for almost ten minutes of progressiveness, groove and a hurricane of different emotions titled Crossroads, blending the Progressive Metal of Mastodon with the band’s own Metalcore twist. Moreover, it’s two thumbs up to Alex for such impressive and flawless vocal performance, resulting in one of the album’s most detailed and thrilling songs. The title-track From The Ashes, which speaks levels on childhood abuse, reclamation and metamorphosis, will bring to your ears the band’s most demonic and heaviest side, presenting the trademark scorching riffs by Brody and the metallic bass lines by Aaron, followed by Shores Of War, another Trivium-infused creation that will certainly ignite some fun circle pits and a lot of headbanging, spearheaded by another incendiary performance by Brody armed with his axe. After that, sheer electricity and rage flow nonstop in the excellent Purgatory, elevating the album’s punch considerably thanks to Alex growling like a beast supported by the intricate drumming by Brendan, and lastly those talented Canadian boys deliver another round of their modern-day metal music in Into The Woods, again investing in their most progressive vein. It’s not a bad song, but it could have been slightly heavier and more climatic.
The multi-layered and exciting From The Ashes, which is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, will definitely help Fall Of Earth go places, effectively increasing the quality of their music and, therefore, attracting the attention of fans and critics worldwide in a very positive way. Hence, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and they kick ass live by the way, like what I was able to witness at The Rockpile in Toronto earlier this year), subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and grab a copy of the album by clicking HERE. “The album is a consistent ride full of ups and downs, with no breaks. We’ve taken our heavy sections and made them heavier, and taken our softer sections and made them more impactful. We have carefully calculated all the dynamics and structures of each song so each second of every track serves a purpose. This record has pieces of us personally etched into the music, so we could share who we are and what our minds look like on an audio basis. As far as the listening experience goes, with all this being said, we hope for our fans to feel the love and importance that music has had on our lives, and pass that on to them through our own interpretation,” commented the entire band about their new album, showing not only how much those young guys love heavy music, but also making the whole Canadian metal scene stronger and more fun than ever.
Best moments of the album:Block Out The Sun, Crossroads and Purgatory.
Worst moments of the album:Into The Woods.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Medusa 8:25
2. The Dead And Soon To Be 5:54
3. Block Out The Sun 4:24
4. Path To Self Destruction 6:40
5. Crossroads 9:35
6. From The Ashes 5:14
7. Shores Of War 5:49
8. Purgatory 6:00
9. Into The Woods 6:33
Band members
Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums
A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night.
INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…
It doesn’t mater if it’s a brand new Heavy Metal band no one knows about, a cover band of classic Rock N’ Roll or Industrial Metal, or a rock and metal karaoke night, the old school venue The Rockpile will always receive everyone with open arms, keeping the fires of rock music burning no matter what. Although it’s promoted as being in Toronto, it’s actually located in Etobicoke, an administrative district and former city within Toronto, a bit far from downtown but just a 15-minute walk from the Kipling subway station. Just don’t walk for THREE HOURS to get there like a very nice photographer named Cord Allman who was there last night. Take the subway or drive to the venue, enjoy the shows, their beer (for a very decent price), and have a good time with all the nice people who are always there.
Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and I were there for FALL OF EARTH, a young and rising metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, but The Rockpile also had other attractions as part of their Father’s Day celebration, those being AL REILLY’S CATALYST performing classics from Led Zeppelin, at 7:30pm, and PERFECT STRANGERS, a famous Canadian cover band founded in 1989 in the city of Brampton, Ontario that pays homage to one of the greatest bands of all time, Deep Purple, playing from Smoke On The Water to Highway Star, and so on. Both tribute bands were awesome, and if you’re in the area and wants to experience the true Canadian rock scene, go check The Rockpile’s schedule for several other bands like those, and even some wrestling events, which is awesome in my opinion!
As mentioned, right after Al Reilly’s Catalyst and before Perfect Strangers, more specifically at 8:30pm, it was time for Edmonton, Alberta-based Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore outfit FALL OF EARTH to hit the stage with their enraged but very melodic music, putting a pin on Toronto (for the second time this month) as part of their Eastern Canada tour to promote their brand new album From the Ashes, which will soon be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose. Formed in 2019 by Alex Rye on vocals, Brody Bauer on the guitars, Aaron Winklmeier on bass, and Brendan Meilleur on drums, the band plays a fusion of the music by Mastodon, Gojira, Trivium, Whitechapel and so on, with lots of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore influences and nuances as well, and if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.
Despite the small audience, those four guys put their hearts and souls into their performance, and I can imagine how amazing it would have been with more people at the venue and some circle pits. All songs from their setlist, from both their 2020 self-titled debut album and from From the Ashes, worked really well live, like for example the title-track From the Ashes where Alex was screaming at the top of his lungs (and he can also deliver some classy clean vocals, by the way), and the lack of some mosh pit action didn’t mean the people present at the venue didn’t enjoy their concert; quite the contrary, everyone had a very good time watching those kids kicking ass on stage, banging their heads and clapping their hands all the time, and I’m sure word-of-mouth will attract a lot more people to their next concert in Toronto when they do another big Canadian tour this fall already with a second guitarist, which will surely add even more depth to their live music.
If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can enjoy all of their creations on Spotify and watch their official videos on YouTube (and click HERE for all things Fall of Earth), showing your support to another up-and-coming metal act from Edmonton. After the show I had the pleasure to chat with Alex, Brody, Aaron and Brendan, and their passion for heavy music is just as great as their talent on stage. They’re huge fans of bands like Gojira, Trivium, Megadeth, Whitechapel, and other metal giants, and it’s nice to see them crafting high-quality new music by mixing their influences with their own twist. Keep an eye on Fall of Earth because those guys are going places, and who knows, maybe we’ll already see them touring the United States or playing at some amazing European summer festivals in 2024. and last but not least, thanks a lot to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for inviting us to the event, and to Kristen Cholak and Paul Husband of The Next Level Entertainment Consulting Inc. for supporting such promising band of the Canadian scene.
Band members Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums
This Canadian Progressive/Groove Metal unity is back in action with their breathtaking third full-length opus, fully inspired by the Wheel Of Time series.
Born out of the vast prairies and snowy peaks of Alberta, Canada, Red Cain are a modern Progressive/Groove Metal project with Eastern European roots currently formed of Evgeniy Zayarny on vocals, Samuel Ridout and Tyler Corbett on the guitars, Kalie Yan on bass and backing vocals, and Taylor Gibson on drums, offering intricate songwriting, powerful vocals, eerie soundscapes and strong electronic-backed groove in their music, therefore championing a fluid, dynamic, and unique style centered around telling dark, conceptual Faustian sagas and constructing those into an unforgettable live experience, described as “melancholy and rage”. Now in 2023 the band returns with their third full-length instalment, titled NÄ̈E’BLISS, following up on their 2021 album Kindred: Act II. Produced and written by the band itself, mixed by Tyler Corbett at Sole Audio, and mastered by Sacha Laskow at Perfect Filth Studios, the album is inspired by The Wheel Of Time series, being not only a homage to the legendary world of Robert Jordan’s fantasy epic with a grimdark edge, but also a foray into the reverse side of the Wheel of Time story, that of the forsaken antagonists, instruments of the great lord of the dark, and the brutal and captivating allure of letting chaos reign supreme.
The opening track Fisher King is absolutely imposing and grim, with Evgeniy powerfully declaiming the song’s epic lyrics (“Come, let me show you the Light / The way of the Leaf / And its final tortured cry / And saidin shall burn through your eyes / And all hope gives way, / For there’s no compromise”) in a thrilling start to the album, followed by Blight, a very atmospheric creation by the quintet with the savage riffs by Samuel and Tyler matching perfectly with the pounding drums by Taylor, not to mention the puissant Djent-inspired bass by Kalie. They continue their journey through progressive and epic lands in The Great Hunt, with Kalie and Taylor once again bringing the groove to their dense sound, whereas their Progressive Metal vein explodes in We Are Chaos, showcasing another amazing vocal performance by Evgeniy supported by the wicked instrumental by his bandmates, and of coruse by Kalie with her venomous growls.
Then we have the atmospheric and instrumental interlude Sightblinder, setting the tone for the gentle but still groovy tune The Man Who Can’t Forget (Part I), led by the poetic vocal performance by Evgeniy while Samuel and Tyler keep embellishing the airwaves with their classic riffs and solos, always supported by the intricate beats by Taylor, and flowing into the second part titled Crane of Malkier (Part II), where Kaile keeps kicking some ass with her metallic bass in a very emotional and multi-layered creation by the quintet (despite lasting for only two minutes in total). After that, featuring James Delbridge of Lycanthro as a guest vocalist, it’s time for the band to crush our senses with eight minutes of Progressive and Groove Metal infused with elements from Djent entitled Fires of Heaven, sounding very detailed, captivating and sinister from start to finish, with Samuel, Tyler and Kalie being on absolute fire until the very last second.
“We are all massive fantasy fans, and for us, Wheel of Time rubs shoulders with LOTR as a genre-defining epic fantasy series that started it all. The world of the Wheel is a brutal, compelling world with multitudes of fascinating characters, and we were particularly interested in exploring its more visceral aspects – an area which begs to be paired with heavy metal. We’ve seen some of our musical icons, like Blind Guardian, successfully go down this path, and it was magnificent to see new musical interpretations of those stories spun out by them – not to mention some bloody good fun. Now, it is our turn to ride forward in another turn of the Wheel,” commented the band about their new album, and you can support those Canadians by purchasing a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page or from Apple Music, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream all of their creations on Spotify. Red Cain continue their evolutionary path with NÄ̈E’BLISS, taking us all on a fantastic and metallic journey that will surely help them carve their name even deeper into the metal scene worldwide.
Best moments of the album:Fisher King, We Are Chaos and Fires of Heaven.
Worst moments of the album:The Great Hunt.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Fisher King 5:35
2. Blight 6:37
3. The Great Hunt 4:09
4. We Are Chaos 4:55
5. Sightblinder 2:47
6. The Man Who Can’t Forget (Part I) 2:38
7. Crane of Malkier (Part II) 2:04
8. Fires of Heaven 8:02
Band members Evgeniy Zayarny – vocals
Samuel Ridout – guitars
Tyler Corbett – guitars
Kalie Yan – bass, backing vocals
Taylor Gibson – drums
Guest musician James Delbridge – vocals on “Fires of Heaven”
Following on quickly from their 2024 debut album The Prophecy of Karnifor, the mysterious Calgary, Alberta-based Symphonic Black/Death Metal cult Necht returns with a brand new EP, entitled The Inevitable Suffering. Operating jointly from the frozen wastelands of Canada and the damp gloom of Northern Ireland, the cult formed of Zenith Maharg on vocals, Ascendant Zhargor on the guitars, Ascendant демон on bass, and Ascendant Vlasfimos on drums presents in The Inevitable Suffering five “sermons” of Atmospheric Black Metal conjuring both the epic power of a cosmic battle and the grim reality of its earthly implications, each based on the myths and history of the Enkari – the early civilization from which the cult arose – as told in the controversial Enkari-B’ahn Scolls.
Such an amazing cult from the underground nailed it once again with The Inevitable Suffering, which is available for purchase from BandCamp or by clicking HERE, and for streaming on Spotify, and you can always join Necht and worship the sun together with them by following the cult on Facebook and on Instagram. “The Cult believed themselves to be spiritually bound to their sun-god, B’ahn, who was locked in a ceaseless battle for survival against His all-powerful mother, the Dragon Karnifor, as She sought to swallow Him and the world. The souls of dead Cultists could rise to join B’ahn in His struggle on the cosmic plains – and thus hold the Dragon back for just a little longer – but only if those Cultists died in battle. Thus, to the Cult, the only means to prevent the Apocalypse of the Dragon was, ironically, to prosecute an endless war on earth, which of course resulted in great misery for their people,” explained Zenith Maharg, leader of the Temple. “Thus, The Inevitable Suffering – for the Cult believed the suffering of war was fundamentally to be embraced as the only means of saving humanity.”
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 