Hailing from Boston, Massachusetts, The Relentless (Drums), The Hammer (Guitar), The Channeler (Vocals), and The Watcher (Bass), collectively known as Malleus, have returned with a debut album of Black/Speed Metal spite by the name of The Fires of Heaven, which will see the light of day on both CD and LP through the Armageddon Label.
Opening with the soft violin and cello tones of The Tempest, Malleus soon gets down to the business at hand of angry, snarling Black Metal with a hugely abrasive Speed Metal influence on the riffs and the vocals. Breakneck drumming, gnarly bass tones and raw, aggressive vocals all plough a forward furrow of steady, barely controlled violence, whilst the riffs plunge and rise with alacrity and vehemence.
Tracks such as Beyond the Pale have a more workmanlike quality, not plodding but more methodical in the delivery of the drums and guitar leads, though the vocal work stays particularly vociferous throughout the whole album.
Other tracks such as The Prophetess rely on savage bass leads and marauding drum tones to create a more volatile and aggressive sound, and it’s here that Malleus truly come alive and pull your attention firmly into what they are creating. During the second half of the album the tracks get a lot lengthier, allowing Malleus to explore their sound more as well as giving each component more time to showcase themselves. This is particularly noticeable for the bass play during The Fires of Heaven which has a far more prominent sound and meshes well with riffs that have a slight brooding quality to them.
The Fires of Heaven then is an album that grows on you, and is definitely back end heavy in terms of intensity of tracks towards the latter half of the album and in terms of creativity.
Best moments of the album: The intro is an impressive and misleading start to the album. Also Prophetess and The Fires of Heaven for the snarling bass tones.
Worst moments of the album: Nothing really.
Released in 2023 by Armageddon Label
Track listing 1. The Tempest 1:34
2. A Dark Sun Rises 4:11
3. Beyond The Pale 5:33
4. Prophetess 3:54
5. The Fires Of Heaven 7:33
6. Into The Flesh 3:48
7. Awakening 8:01
8. Mourning War 9:34
Band members
The Channeler – vocals
The Hammer – guitar
The Watcher – bass
The Relentless – drums
Guest musicians Kris Force – violin in “The Tempest”
Jackie Perez Gratz – cello in “The Tempest”
Immerse your soul into an interconnected series of historical tragedies brilliantly expressed by one of the best Black Metal duos of the current scene in their newborn masterpiece.
After giving us a taste of what’s to come with their stunning 2020 EP in Plague Hymns, Sacramento, California-based Black Metal duo Sarcoptes (whose name is a genus of mites, by the way) brings us their highly awaited sophomore full-length opus Prayers to Oblivion, their strongest album since their inception in 2008, bringing forward everything they’ve promised and more. Displaying a dark, wicked artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the album presents an immaculate blend of Black and Thrash Metal laced with atmospheric bits for further emphasis as both near 15-minute epic songs and shorter ones carefully brought into being by Garrett Garvey on vocals and drums, and Sean Zimmerman on the guitars, bass and keyboards, with the help of Bobby Koelble (Death, Azrael, Expedition Delta, Leviathan Project) as a guest lead guitarist. Each of the songs follows an interconnected series of historical tragedies in chronological order brilliantly thought and expressed by the duo, from the events of World War I to the Vietnam War, offering fans of Emperor, Immortal and early Satyricon, among several others, an intense, balanced and absorbing album that keeps the listener riveted due to the constantly changing patterns and structures.
As the rain falls down, Garrett and Sean initiate their sonic attack blasting their instruments mercilessly in Trenches, with Garrett roaring the song’s dark lyrics in great fashion (“Dig the trenches / Dig your own graves / A vile panorama / Of human misery / A series of follies / Spurred on by greed”) in a 14-minute lecture in grim and furious Black Metal. In Spanish Flu, more of their Stygian lyrics are offered to us all (“Choking, gasping, blackish blue / Clamor, the church bells ring / Miasmic horror, Spanish flu / Fly with death’s black wings”) while Sean extracts pure evil and hatred from his guitar and phantasmagorical keys, morphing into the 13-minute beast titled Dead Silence, where the blast beats by Garrett walk hand in hand with the epic keys by Sean, also presenting the duo’s trademark riffage and venomous guttural roars. It’s definitely another must-listen creation for admirers of both old school and modern-day Black Metal, and it’s impressive how the duo can craft songs that last for four, five or fifteen minutes and sound amazing in all cases, which is exactly what’s offered to us in Tet, exhaling violence thanks to the amazing job done by Garrett on drums, who also growls like a demon supported by Sean’s sulfurous riffs. Finally, how about another multi-layered, somber and majestic 14-minute aria to close the album on a fiery note? That’s what we’ll all get in Massacre at My Lai, with Garrett vociferating rabidly while Sean kicks ass once again armed with his stringed weapons and eerie keys, flowing majestically until the song’s climatic and atmospheric finale.
In a nutshell, Prayers to Oblivion is dark, sinister, evil and majestic, offering us all everything we love in Black Metal and more, and if you want to put your hands on such precious gem of extreme music you can buy the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore by clicking HERE or HERE, from Apple Music, or from Amazon. In addition, don’t forget to also follow such talented American duo on Facebook and on Instagram for all things Sarcoptes, and to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify. As mentioned, Prayers to Oblivion is undoubtedly Sarcopte’s most powerful and impactful work to date, flawlessly turning different tragedies in the history of mankind into first-class Black Metal, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for such brilliant duo.
Best moments of the album:Trenches and Dead Silence.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records
Track listing 1. Trenches 13:56
2. Spanish Flu 4:21
3. Dead Silence 13:01
4. Tet 5:07
5. Massacre at My Lai 14:15
Band members
Garrett Garvey – vocals, drums
Sean Zimmerman – guitars, bass, keyboards
Behold this infernal storm of Blackened Thrash Metal by a one-man army from Scotland, heavily inspired by witchcraft and the supernatural while also deeply rooted in his Scottish origins.
Crowned “Scotland’s king of the arcane mosh” by Metal Hammer magazine, Aberdeen-based Blackened Thrash Metal one-man army Hellripper, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist James McBain (Lock Howl, Lord Rot, Rats of Reality), aims to invoke the quintessential Black N’ Roll sound by mixing influences from classic 80’s Black Metal records with a more modern edge, heavily inspired by witchcraft and the supernatural while also deeply rooted in his Scottish origins, and always using the landscape and historical events as a backdrop for his lyrics and imagery. Now in 2023 it’s time for Hellripper to kill once again with Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, the project’s third studio album, establishing a new threshold of excellence and raising the bar further over its 2020 album The Affair of the Poisons. Recorded and mixed by James himself at Coronach Studios, mastered by Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the album is undoubtedly James’ most personal and diverse work to date, bringing the landscapes and legends of the Scottish Highlands to life in a beyond fantastic way.
James wastes no time and begin his sonic massacre in The Nuckelavee, delivering sheer electricity and rage through his riffs and blast beats in a demolishing fusion of Black and Thrash Metal for admirers of the darkest side of music, and the party is just starting as James has endless fuel to burn, bringing to our ears more of his acid roars and riffs in I, The Deceiver, sounding brutal yet very melodic; whereas the title-track Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags, featuring the majestic bagpipes by guest Antonio Rodríguez, blends James’ passion for extreme music with his Scottish roots in a very compelling manner, with his riffs and beats walking hand in hand with his visceral screams. As you all know, a beautiful song name requires an even more beautiful sound, and that’s exactly what James has to offer us all in Goat Vomit Nightmare, being frantic, sulfurous and blasphemous from the very first second, not to mention his thrashing riffs and solos are simply fantastic.
Featuring Joseph Quinlan (Desert Heretic) on lead guitars and additional vocals by Marianne, James takes no prisoners in his quest for violence and blood in The Cursed Carrion Crown, where his vocals get more and more demented as the music progresses, therefore blasting endless aggression for our vulgar delight. Joseph is back in The Hissing Marshes, where it’s impressive how James was able to blend the music by Motörhead and The Exploited to perfection. Moreover, his work on bass and drums is superb throughout the entire song, all spiced up of course by his devilish growling, whereas in Poison Womb (The Curse of the Witch) we face the last guest solo by Joseph, with the music being as fast and infernal as the rest of the album, or in other words an ode to all things 666, or a “lovely” song perfect for a “romantic” moment with your significant other. Last but not least, we’re treated to over eight minutes of pure hell and sulfur titled Mester Stoor Worm, perhaps the most Black Metal of all songs (which is obviously a good thing) where James is yet again spot-on with his screams, riffs and demented beats.
You can enjoy all the fury, speed and energy of the Blackened Thrash Metal played by Hellripper by following James and his Scottish beast on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to his YouTube channel and by streaming his music on Spotify, and above all that, by purchasing the phenomenal Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags from his own BandCamp page, from his official EU store as a CD or an LP, or simply by clicking HERE or HERE. Hellripper is absolutely fast, loud and uncompromising, with Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags being a contemporary masterpiece of extreme music that deserves a listen from any living being that enjoys some good old Black Metal with a powerful Rock N’ Roll attitude. So keep calm, listen to the superb new opus by Hellripper, and all hail the goat!
Best moments of the album:Goat Vomit Nightmare, The Cursed Carrion Crown, The Hissing Marshes and Mester Stoor Worm.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Peaceville Records
Track listing 1. The Nuckelavee 5:47
2. I, The Deceiver 4:55
3. Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags 7:14
4. Goat Vomit Nightmare 3:15
5. The Cursed Carrion Crown 5:47
6. The Hissing Marshes 3:51
7. Poison Womb (The Curse of the Witch) 3:43
8. Mester Stoor Worm 8:31
Band members James McBain – vocals, all instruments
Guest musicians Joseph Quinlan – additional lead guitars on “Poison Womb (The Curse of the Witch)”, “The Cursed Carrion Crown” and “The Hissing Marshes”
Marianne – additional vocals on “The Cursed Carrion Crown”
Antonio Rodríguez – great highland bagpipes on “Warlocks Grim & Withered Hags”
A Maltese lone wolf attacks our senses with his debut effort, offering 36 minutes of first-class Black Metal deeply rooted in the early days of the genre.
A one-man Black Metal band hailing from the Republic of Malta, the dark and sinister Saint Vermin has just released his debut EP, titled Together as None, offering us all 36 minutes of first-class Black Metal deeply rooted in the early days of the genre. Recorded at Saint Vermin’s home studio Tarxien at Derogatorium in the dead of the heat of the 2022 infernal summer, and mixed and mastered by Mark Azzopardi (also known as Hellcommander Vargblod, of the bands Myronath and Ragnarok) at Minas Morgul Home Studio, who was also responsible for the album’s logo and cover art, Together as None is the representation of the music Saint Vermin has always wanted to compose as a solo Black Metal artist, giving the album an even more organic, raw and vibrant taste.
Wicked, dirty guitars darken the skies in the opening tune Plague of Suicide before Saint Vermin begins vociferating the song’s evil words like a creature form the abyss in a great display of Black Metal magic, whereas sluggish and grim from the very first second, Saint Vermin hammers his drums fiercely in The Saviour We Do Not Want, again showcasing venomous roars and the sharpness of classic Black Metal riffs throughout almost eight minutes of majestic extreme music. Our lone wolf of Black Metal continues his Stygian path in Servant of the Dark, once again paying his personal tribute to old school legends the likes of Immortal and Mayhem; and in the title-track Together as None we’re offered another onrush of ass-kicking Black Metal by Saint Vermin where his riffs and blast beats will crush your damned soul mercilessly. Then we have The Cosmic Eye, highly inspired by some of the darkest creations by the almighty Immortal, bringing forward pounding drums and anguished, grim vocals, and lastly Saint Vermin attacks our senses once again with his grim Black Metal in Against God, with his sick roars matching perfectly with the song’s demonic vibe and pace, ending the EP on a Mephistophelian mode.
You can enjoy the intense and obscure Together as None in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course Saint Vermin would love to have your utmost support by purchasing his album from the Pesttanz Klangschmiede’s BandCamp page or from Runica.eu, and don’t forget to also follow him on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube for news, plans for the future, and other nice-to-know information about such promising Black Metal entity. In other words, this cryptic Maltese solo artist is eager to capture your senses and embrace you with his obscure music, placing Together as None as one of the best releases coming from his beautiful homeland from the past few years.
Best moments of the album:The Saviour We Do Not Want and Together as None.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Pesttanz Klangschmiede
Track listing 1. Plague of Suicide 4:23
2. The Saviour We Do Not Want 7:47
3. Servant of the Dark 4:45
4. Together as None 5:53
5. The Cosmic Eye 5:21
6. Against God 6:35
Band members
Saint Vermin – vocals, all instruments
This Czechia-based duo will darken your hearts and souls to the sound of their debut effort, exhaling the rawest and most primeval form of Black Metal.
Formed in 2022 in Děčín, a city in the Ústí nad Labem Region of the Czech Republic (or Czechia if you prefer), and highly influenced by old school Black Metal bands from the 90’s such as Mayhem, Burzum, Immortal and Darkthrone, the ruthless Black Metal/Ambient duo Decompose To Ashes is unleashing upon humanity their debut EP, titled In The Eternal Silence, showcasing all the talent and hatred by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Wlad and drummer Leviathan. Recorded in the summer of 2022 in Oslo, Norway and in Děčín, and mastered by Honza Kapák at Hellsound Studio, the album focuses on religion, nature, and even on the Helvete record store (currently named Neseblod Records), the record shop and unofficial metal museum in Norway’s capitol city that is also central in many regards to the early history of Black Metal, first opened in June 1991 by the late and now-infamous guitarist Euronymous (of Mayhem), showing how much 90’s Black Metal is essential in the lives of the band’s duo.
The opening track Dark Clouds is absolutely infernal form the very first second, living up to the legacy of the early days of Norwegian Black Metal with Leviathan hammering his drums mercilessly while Wlad gnarls the song’s lyrics in the name of evil (“The sun at the end of summer / It’s trying to defeat the clouds / Faint sun beams are falling on the rocks / And the sun loses to cold”), whereas Stavkirke is as demonic as the opening tune, with the duo dragging our souls into pitch black darkness with their insane riffage and blast beats. Then after the short and sweet instrumental interlude The Eternal Silence, it’s time for Wlad’s personal tribute to Euronymous titled Helvete, with his otherworldly riffs and vicious screeches adding an extra touch of obscurity to the overall result in a lecture in classic Black Metal. Black Blood showcases vile, sulfurous lyrics (“Angels who never loved you will leave / The wind from their wings will shut your eyes / White feather stained by your black blood”) while Leviathan makes the earth tremble with his devilish beats, flowing into the closing instrumental tune Water, Trees and Animals, an Ambient-infused composition that will bring some peace to your damned soul.
Such sulfurous Black Metal duo from Czechia doesn’t have Facebook, Instagram, nor any other type of social media, but that’s not a problem at all. For instance, you can find their demonic debut effort for purchase from BandCamp and, therefore, show all your support to the rawest and most primeval form of extreme music without having to worry about giving “likes” to anything. In The Eternal Silence is indeed a great homage to the early days of Black Metal, and the main reason for it is that Wlad and Leviathan put their (blackened) hearts and souls into the making of the album while always remaining loyal to the foundations of the genre and to their own principles. That’s exactly how first-class Black Metal is born.
Best moments of the album:Dark Clouds and Helvete.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Dark Clouds 4:17
2. Stavkirke 4:53
3. The Eternal Silence 0:56
4. Helvete 4:49
5. Black Blood 4:16
6. Water, Trees and Animals 3:49
Band members
Wlad – vocals, guitars, bass
Leviathan – drums
This Finnish five-piece metal act is ready to attack with their new EP, a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death.
Formed back in 2017 in the city of Valkeakoski, Finland, the five-piece killer combo known as Bloody Falls combines all kind of elements of the most extreme metal genres, including blasting drums, epic passages and memorable guitar riffs that will make your head explode in a million pieces, while having their sound rooted in contemporary Melodic Black and Death Metal. Now in 2023 the band formed of Antero Hakala on vocals, Stavros Mathios and Marko Mäkinen on the guitars, Mika Lehtinen on bass and Rami Vartiainen on drums is unleashing upon humanity their new EP entitled Dying is Easy, following up on their 2021 album Burn the Witch. Recording and produced by the band’s own guitarist Stavros Mathios at VStudio, and mixed and mastered by Max Morton at Morton Studio, the EP is a representation of the way a happy life usually starts to sadden towards the end due to the inevitability of death, all introduced by heavy riffs and guttural vocals.
Are you scared to die, or are you scared to live? Well, Bloody Falls will answer that question to you in Dying is Easy, a brutal explosion of Black, Death and Groove Metal led by the venomous roars by Antero while Stravos and Marko darken the atmosphere with their devilish riffs. Then get ready for six minutes of sheer heaviness and obscurity in the modern-day Black and Death Metal feast titled Dancing with Flames, with Mika’s rumbling bass and Rami’s hammering drums inspiring us all to break our necks headbanging like crazy bastards; whereas Face Your Demise leans towards modern-day Melodic Death Metal with some Metalcore nuances, with Antero’s vocals sounding as evil as possible accompanied by the classic and melodic guitars by Stravos and Marko. It’s time for a headbanging, visceral Melodic Death Metal tune entitled Death By Hanging, with Rami stealing the spotlight with his massive beats while Antero keeps roaring like a beast, and their last blast of extreme music comes in the form of Reaper Is My Neighbor, where the bass jabs by Mika will hit you hard in the face while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing their stringed weapons in great fashion.
Although it would have been nicer to have a full-length album released by the band instead of just an EP, the 25 minutes of music found in Dying is Easy are already incendiary enough to prove how talented and passionate for heavy music those Finnish metallers are, and if you want to show them your support you can find them and start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of their new EP from the Art Gates Records webstore, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE. As death is inevitable, why not enjoy some good heavy music during our miserable lives like what Bloody Falls have to offer us all until our very last breath?
Best moments of the album:Dancing with Flames and Death By Hanging.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Art Gates Records
Track listing
1. Dying is Easy 5:13
2. Dancing with Flames 5:46
3. Face Your Demise 4:22
4. Death By Hanging 4:10
5. Reaper Is My Neighbor 4:39
Band members
Antero Hakala – vocals
Stavros Mathios – guitars
Marko Mäkinen – guitars
Mika Lehtinen – bass
Rami Vartiainen – drums
A monumental celebration of the great Lord of Death in the form of dark and sinister 90’s Black Metal made in Scandinavia.
The Stygian project of Swedish vocalist Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Norwegian guitarist Cernunnus (Manes), Finnish bassist Kalmos (Barathrum), and Finnish drummer Rainer Tuominkanto (Ajattara), Scandinavian Black Metal entity Høstsol, which by the way means “autumn sun” from Swedish, has just unleashed upon humanity their debut opus, entitled Länge Leve Döden, or “long live death”, an album conceived and recorded by people who have been molding the sounds of all things dark since the 90’s, and you can hear that experience and unconditional dedication in every note. Mastered by the legendary Andy LaRocque (King Diamond) at Sonic Train Studios, Länge Leve Döden is, according to the band itself, “our monumental celebration of the great Lord of Death. A perfect alignment of five songs that were written during an awful, unhealthy process over the course of two years. Expect Black Metal the way it used to feel and sound back in the early nineties, and rejoice!”
An eerie intro slowly evolves into the grim and dark As Seen Through The Eyes Of The Prophet, showcasing pensive lyrics (“A human life is worth less than nothing / So therefore I dream, night after night, / Dreams of putting an end to all materialistic desires, / And annihilate the despicable cosmic failures of the false prophet Jahve, / And through faith and fanatic devotion, crown the one true king”) and a beautiful Atmospheric Black Metal sound. Rainer sounds inhumane on drums, bringing endless heaviness to Det Som En Gång Var (Det Kommer Aldrig Igen), or “what once was (it will never be again)”, while Niklas vociferates beastly for our total delight during the song’s eight minutes of pure obscurity; followed by Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren, or “long live the faceless killer”, absolutely sinister from the very first second spearheaded by the vicious growls by Niklas and the always hammering beats by Rainer, not to mention the sulfurous riffs by Cernunnus. Then Gregorian chants ignite ten minutes of sheer Black Metal magic entitled Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen, or “your harvest time has now come”, where Cernunnus is unstoppable with his classic riffage supported by the rumbling bass by Kalmos, sounding infernal and majestic from start to finish. And closing the album the quartet offers us all their hellish Black Metal with hints of Atmospheric Black and Doom Metal in Parallellt Dubbelliv, or “parallel double life”, displaying a menacing ambience perfect for the demonic gnarls by Niklas.
There are several places where you can put your evil hands on Länge Leve Döden (which is by the way available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), including the band’s own Big Cartel, the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, Sound Cave (as a CD, an LP or a deluxe LP), The Sinister Initiative’s Big Cartel, Season of Mist (also as a CD or an LP), Shining Legions (yet again as a CD or an LP), or Apple Music. In addition, don’t forget to also start following such incendiary Scandinavian horde on Instagram, keeping up to date with all things Høstsol. Länge Leve Döden is indeed an amazing tribute to the Lord of Death, as the band stated, showcasing the reach and fire of Scandinavian Black Metal and, therefore, becoming the perfect soundtrack for the darkest days of our miserable lives.
Best moments of the album:Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren and Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music
Track listing 1. As Seen Through The Eyes Of The Prophet 9:31
2. Det Som En Gång Var (Det Kommer Aldrig Igen) 8:14
3. Länge Leve Den Ansiktslöse Mördaren 10:29
4. Din Skördetid Är Nu Kommen 8:44
5. Parallellt Dubbelliv 7:32
Band members
Niklas Kvarforth – vocals
Cernunnus – guitars
Kalmos – bass
Rainer Tuomikanto – drums
A beautiful tribute to the life of the Metal Mayor of Toronto and his undisputed passion for heavy music.
INTRODUCTION: AM HERE…
If you have no idea who Walter Froebrich was, let’s say he was the Metal Mayor of Toronto, as I’ve seen many people referring to him as. He was in pretty much every metal concert we all attended i the city in the past 20 years, from Heavy Metal to Death and Black Metal, from Thrash Metal to Deathcore and Viking Metal, and so on, always holding a few beers, always raising the horns, always surrounded by friends, and always supporting metal music no matter what. He even had his own motto, “AM HERE.” Sadly, in November 2022 due to lack of proper healthcare by the Toronto authorities Walter passed away at home after several visits to the hospital, and that brought a lot of grief to all metal fans in the city. If he had received a proper service, if he had been through the required scans and so on, he would still be around us. He will be extremely missed by the metal community in all upcoming concerts in Toronto, no doubt about that. I was going to use the common expression “may his soul rest in piece”, but I’m sure Walter himself would prefer a slight adaptation of it, “may his soul rest in metal”.
WALTER FROEBRICH MEMORIAL SHOW
That’s why on January 7 the Toronto scene came together to celebrate Walter’s life and his passion for heavy music at The Rockpile with the Walter Froebrich Memorial Show, an event organized by Steve Hoeg, Drew Masters, Junior Jr LeClerc and Jake Disman, among others, with no more, no less than TWENTY SEVEN bands playing from 1pm until midnight to a sold out venue, while money for Walter’s family was raised through a silent auction and a 50/50 draw. Unfortunately due to personal reasons I could not attend the celebration, but my friend and photographer Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was there to capture some amazing shots of the entire show, and to provide us with a sense of how awesome everything was and how happy Walter must be whenever he is right now with his homage.
In Keith’s own words, “we raised over 17,000 dollars for Walter’s family. It was a sold out show. All the bands were absolutely amazing! Drew Masters was the MC for the evening. The friends Walter made over his concerts outings just blew my mind! Each one is family, the metal community is one big family, they come together for each other like no other.” And as you can see from the photo gallery below, it was indeed a night to remember, a celebration of life and metal, exactly how Walter would have liked it to be. Here are all the fantastic bands that were on the bill, and as many people have said Walter would have certainly taken a selfie with each one of them…
In the Facebook page to the event you can find a lot more details about the whole thing, see other photos taken by different attendees, other posts and discussions around Walter and the metal community in Toronto, and so on, as well as a very nice summary of the night on the video below. RIP WALTER! AM HERE!
Succumb to the dark side of music ruled by this Swedish Black Metal horde armed with their sinister and visceral fourth studio album.
Since their inception in Stockholm, Sweden in 2010, the fantastic Black Metal entity Grá (a mixture of the Icelandic “grár” and the Swedish “grå”, simply meaning “gray”) has relentlessly worked to shape their music to be both a perfect example of Swedish Black Metal and a very personal interpretation of its classic sound. Now in 2023 the horde comprised of Heljarmadr (Dark Funeral, Cursed 13) on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Vediger (Diabolic Lust, Cursed 13) on bass, and Dimman (Veiled, Cursed 13) on drums returns from the underworld with their fourth opus, entitled Lycaon, a lecture in classic and modern Black Metal. Mixed by Terry Nikas at Zero Gravity Studios, mastered by George Nerantzis, displaying an explosive cover art by Chilean artist Felipe Ignacio, and featuring guest guitarist and keyboardist Maugrim (Vargagrav, Cursed 13) and guest vocalist Terry Nikas (Scar of the Sun), Lycaon heads in the opposite direction of their 2018 intricate and bombastic album Väsen, displaying fewer layers meticulously measured and well thought out to carry the right atmosphere forward.
White City Devil is very melodic and grim from the very first second, with Dimman sounding like a beast behind his drums offering Heljarmadr exactly what he needs to darkly roar nonstop in a flammable fusion of old school Black Metal with contemporary Melodic Black Metal. After such intense tune we have Flame of Hephaestus, even more sulfurous and with Heljarmadr growling the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Through cinders and snow, chasing the storms / Cleansed and so cold, concealed and obscure / Astray from all life, so violently dark / Shrouded in ice, forged in the fire”) while the guitars sound utterly caustic; and Maugrim and Heljarmadr keep slashing our ears with their visceral riffs in Torn Asunder, an ode to Black Metal that will please all fans of the genre. Then we’re treated to the title-track Lycaon, a lesson in modern-day Black Metal spearheaded by the venomous vocals by Heljarmadr while Vediger and Dimman make the earth tremble with their demonic kitchen. In other words, simply raise your horns in the name of evil to the sound of this amazing song.
It’s then time for their infernal rendition of Bathory’s Chariots of Fire (from their 1987 album Under The Sign Of The Black Mark), with Heljarmadr stealing the spotlight with his demented vocal lines; whereas the sinister bass by Vediger kick off the groovy and melodic Ett Avskedsbrev (or “a farewell letter” from Swedish), accompanied by the rhythmic beats by Dimman. Brännmärkt, which means “tarnished”, “tainted” or “branded”, carries on the torch exploring the cold war from a Swedish perspective, where the intro depicting a Swedish emergency siren called “Hesa Fredrik” (Hoarse Fredrik) and an old radio transmission was recorded right when the Russia-Ukraine war started. Musically speaking, it’s absolutely heavy and obscure, with Dimman pounding his drums mercilessly while the guitars by Maugrim and Heljarmadr bring an extra touch of malignancy to the overall result, flowing into the tribalistic outro titled Jaws of the Underworld, concluding the album on a cinematic note to the sound of the hammering drums by Dimman.
As aforementioned, Väsen might have been dropped like a bomb onto our heads back in 2018, but it’s with Lycaon that Grá have reached a whole new level of obscurity in their music, already placing it as one of the best albums of 2023 even if we’re just starting the month of January. Hence, don’t forget to show your support and admiration to the guys from Grá by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their official YouTube channel, by streaming all of their wicked creations on Spotify, and obviously by purchasing their massive new album from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, from Sound Cave as a Digipak CD, a black vinyl or as a limited color vinyl, or from Amazon. Lycaon is Swedish Black Metal at its finest, and I’m sure you’ll succumb to the dark side ruled by Grá right after your first listen to such Stygian album.
Best moments of the album:Flame of Hephaestus, Torn Asunder, Lycaon and Brännmärkt.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Avantgarde Music
Track listing 1. White City Devil 4:40
2. Flame of Hephaestus 4:20
3. Torn Asunder 4:17
4. Lycaon 5:10
5. Chariots of Fire (Bathory cover) 2:50
6. Ett Avskedsbrev 4:27
7. Brännmärkt 6:17
8. Jaws of the Underworld 3:38
Band members
Heljarmadr – vocals, guitars, keyboards
Vediger – bass, backing vocals
Dimman – drums, percussion
Guest musicians
Maugrim – additional guitars and keyboards
Terry Nikas – additional vocals
“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins
And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).
However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich. Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.
1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW) Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles
2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW) The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy
3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW) The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell
4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW) Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst
5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW) A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata
6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW) One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher
7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW) Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch
8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW) Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings
9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW) There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice
10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW) Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement
And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:
11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)
In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.
1. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)
Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?
Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2023!
And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!
***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***
Other tracks such as The Prophetess rely on savage bass leads and marauding drum tones to create a more volatile and aggressive sound, and it’s here that Malleus truly come alive and pull your attention firmly into what they are creating. During the second half of the album the tracks get a lot lengthier, allowing Malleus to explore their sound more as well as giving each component more time to showcase themselves. This is particularly noticeable for the bass play during The Fires of Heaven which has a far more prominent sound and meshes well with riffs that have a slight brooding quality to them.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 