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Concert Review – UADA & Mortiis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 04/24/2026)

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The city of Toronto was taken by storm by the Witches of Dystopia this Friday night in a celebration of darkness, spirituality and witchcraft.

OPENING ACTS: Wraith Knight and Jerome Reuter’s Rome

After a Heavy Metal night on Thursday with the Burning Witches, it was time to join the Witches of Dystopia on Friday night as WRAITH NIGHT, JEROME REUTER’S ROME, MORTIIS and UADA took the city of Toronto by storm with their The Witches of Dystopia Tour MMXXVI, another massive event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The venue chosen for such a unique experience was Lee’s Palace (and it looks like it’s the only place UADA play in the city, by the way, as it was their third time there out of three shows), and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such a dark celebration encompassing countless music styles, from Black Metal and Dungeon Synth to Darkwave and Melodic Black Metal. It was a night of ups and downs as expected when you have so many different styles billed together, but that’s fine. You only need to open your mind and let the music flow through your soul, it doesn’t matter if it’s heavy as hell, or smooth and atmospheric.

It was 7:30pm, only 30 minutes after the doors were open, when Camas, Washington-based Black Metal/Ambient/Dungeon Synth entity WRAITH KNIGHT ignited the festivities with its fusion of dark music and fantasy. The project is basically Nick Superchi (the brother of UADA’s own frontman Jake Superchi, with whom he has also co-founded Dark Forest Productions) on synthesizers, and you can enjoy its two album Deep in the Dungeons of the Dragonlord, from 2022, and Of Arcane Magic & Forbidden Knowledge: The Necromantical Passage, from 2026, on BandCamp and on Spotify. It was a bit weird seeing just one guy on the corner of the stage playing synths for 30 minutes, but it is what it is. Nick hasn’t joined this tour in vain, and all would make sense after UADA hit the stage later that night.

Band members
Nick Superchi – synthesizers

Then after a short break it was time for another one-man project to entertain everyone who beats traffic and was already at Lee’s Palace, Luxembourg’s own Neofolk act JEROME REUTER’S ROME. And again, it was only one guy onstage, this time playing an acoustic set on the guitar. Known for his time with Street Punk band The Skinflicks, and for his collaborations with Nergal in his Dark Folk/Blues project Me And That Man, Jerome is now putting a lot of focus and effort on Rome, and if you enjoy Neofolk you can go check his music on Spotify. I would have preferred a regular Black Metal band instead, fully electrified and loud, but again, nothing that could make the night less enjoyable.

Band members
Jerome Reuter – vocals, guitar

MORTIIS

The first main attraction of the night was Oslo, Norway-based Darkwave/Dungeon Synth/Electronic/Industrial Rock entity MORTIIS, and yes, all of those music genres and subgenres can be applied to the most famous troll in the music industry. I don’t know if he was the best option to tour alongside such a heavy band like UADA, but the crowd seemed to be enjoying his electronic music more than what I expected. Basing his setlist on his 2001 cult album The Smell of Rain, plus the new song Ghosts of Europa, from his upcoming album of the same name (to be released on June 21), all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, Mortiis and his henchmen Ashes on the guitar, and Jon Siren on drums put a lot of people to dance at Lee’s Palace, including Mortiis himself onstage, of course.

The only thing that REALLY bothered me during his entire concert was the excessive use of backing tracks, in special all keyboards and synths. I read somewhere that the reason for such was to maintain the atmospheric complexity of his studio recordings that cannot be fully replicated by a standard live band (and it also gave Mortiis more freedom to move around the stage, I must admit that), but when over 90% of the instrumental is based on keyboards and synths, that gets truly annoying. No idea what was going on inside the minds of the fans at the venue, as the ones dancing didn’t seem to care about it, while others were simply not moving at all. When Smell the Witch was over, I noticed some people leaving the floor section. Maybe they were there just for Mortiis, maybe they were afraid of being caught in a mosh during UADA, which proves again the lineup for this tour was very weird. It worked, but it was still weird.

Setlist
Ghosts of Europa
Marshland
You Put a Hex on Me
Mental Maelstrom
Spirit in a Vacuum
Monolith
Parasite God
Tundra
Demons Are Back
Doppelganger
Smell the Witch

Band members
Mortiis – vocals
Ashes – guitars
Jon Siren – drums

UADA

Finally when the clock was about to hit 11pm it was time for one of the best, if not THE best, Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene, Portland, Oregon’s own UADA, to crush our damned souls with another spiritual, hypnotizing and absolutely dark performance, almost three years after their demolishing 2023 concert at the same venue, but this time their concert was absolutely unique, playing in full their 2016 debut Devoid of Light (available on any platform like BandCamp and Spotify), in celebration of the album’s 10th anniversary, plus songs from Symphonic Black/Death Metal band Ceremonial Castings, formed by brothers Jake “Lord Serpent” Superchi and Nick “OldNick” Superchi, celebrating 30 years of the band. It was a very bold move as I’m not sure if everyone at the venue knew Ceremonial Castings, but the final result was majestic to say the least.

When Jake Superchi, Rob Shaffer, Nate Verschoor and Pierce Williams hit the stage and kicked off their venomous feast of Black Metal with the excellent Natus Eclipsim, followed by the massive title-track Devoid of Light, the heaviness and loudness at Lee’s Palace were turned up to 11, inspiring everyone to raise their horns, bang their heads nonstop, and slam into the circle pit, all while joining the band on their spiritual journey. As a huge fan of all UADA albums, it was a pleasure seeing Devoid of Light in full (and I think this was the 10th album played in full by different bands in the city in the past year or so, a very cool trend if you ask me), with Black Autumn, White Spring being the icing on the cake as usual. Superb performance by this must-see band from the metal underworld.

Then after the instrumental interlude comprised of The Wanderer, from their 2018 masterpiece Cult of a Dying Sun, Nick Superchi of Wraith Knight joined the band onstage for a special set based on the “Bewitching Black Metal” crafted by Ceremonial Castings. With its lyrics based on the art of black magic, witchcraft and rituals, the band seems to have been resurrected by Jake and Nick in 2020, and I must say I’m really happy they decided to bring such an amazing project back from the dead. The songs chosen for their special ceremony were Immortal Black Art, Into the Black Forest of Witchery, Barbaric Is The Beast, Come Forth Damnation, Damned Be Those of the Craft, and Midnight Deathcult Phenomena, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I highly recommend you go after the music by Ceremonial Castings as it’s simply phenomenal. All fans loved every single second of the show, and I bet whoever was not familiar with Ceremonial Castings was certainly impressed with their killer music. In addition, they ended their set with an incendiary version of Emperor’s all-time classic I Am the Black Wizards. Do I need to say more?

There was only one issue with UADA’s classy performance involving one of the girls at the concert, but I guess both the girl and Jake regret their actions this Friday night. The same girl who went onstage to do splits at the Incantation concert (opening for Belphegor) earlier this year thought it was a good idea to do the same at UADA, but she clearly didn’t have a clue of what a UADA concert means. It’s not Thrash Metal, it’s not Death Metal, sometimes not even Black Metal. It’s a spiritual event, and the stage is sacred ground for the band. After doing her splits, Jake simply booted her out of the stage, and although her fall wasn’t that harsh, it was still a considerable fall. Jake apologized to her after the show, of course. I guess he was in his usual trance onstage and didn’t think properly before kicking her in the ass, but that also shows you cannot simply go to a concert and do whatever you want, like invading the stage, because depending on the band that’s not cool at all. In the end, it didn’t really matter, because UADA were beauifully insane, and I can’t wait to see them live again sooner than later. Without anyone going onstage to do splits, please.

Setlist
Devoid of Light (10-Year Anniversary)
Natus Eclipsim
Devoid of Light
S.N.M.
Our Pale Departure
Black Autumn, White Spring

Interlude:
The Wanderer

Ceremonial Castings (30-Year Anniversary)
Immortal Black Art
Into the Black Forest of Witchery
Barbaric Is The Beast
Come Forth Damnation
Damned Be Those of the Craft
Midnight Deathcult Phenomena

Encore:
I Am the Black Wizards (Emperor cover)

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Rob Shaffer – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Pierce Williams – drums

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Concert Review – Burning Witches (The Garrison, Toronto, ON, 04/23/2026)

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Metalheads in Toronto were finally locked in the dark tower of Heavy Metal ruled by the phenomenal Witches of the North on their first ever concert in the city.

OPENING ACTS: AMMO and Thunderor

For the first time ever in their already solid career, the indomitable BURNING WITCHES, with the support of THUNDEROR and AMMO, took the city of Toronto by storm with their undisputed blend of Heavy and Power Metal during their Canadian Tour 2026, brought to the city by Boonsdale Records. I initially thought The Garrison might have been too small for these three amazing bands, but due to the fact Dark Tranquillity were playing in the city at the exact same time, the attendance for Burning Witches wasn’t exceptional. It feels like that’s the norm in Toronto in April and May, and then in September and Ocober, with countless concerts night after night, then huge draughts in the summer and winter. Well, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to worship our beloved Witches of the North, bringing to our metallic hearts an overdose of metal awesomeness (louder than an atom bomb, by the way), and I’m sure after such an amazing show they’ll quickly return to Toronto in the near future for another ass-kicking concert.

In order to properly introduce the first band of the night, I have a question for you. Are you too metal for metal? That’s exactly what Toronto’s own Heavy Metal brigade AMMO delivered to us all this Thursday night, playing their already classic hymn Too Metal for Metal, plus songs from their 2019 EP Taking the Throne, and their 2025 single Mortis Rex, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. With guitarist Brett Williams now also taking care of their vocal duties, the quartet kicked some serious ass onstage, properly warming up the crowd for the upcoming attractions. Kudos also to the iconic bassist Necro Hippie for blasting his bass nonstop, adding an extra layer of heaviness to the band’s core sound. I think their first full-length album is long overdue, we definitely need that, as those guys know how to add the word “METAL” to any stage, and if you ever have a chance to see them live, do not miss it.

Setlist
Mortis Rex
Far From Here
Street Metal Werewolves
Heart of Sin
Empire
Too Metal for Metal

Band members
Brett Williams – vocals, guitars
Matt Lewis – guitars
Necro Hippie – bass
Struan Robertson – drums

After a short break, it was time for Toronto’s Heavy Meta/Hard Rock heroes THUNDEROR to bring the arena-rock anthems from their 2022 album Fire It Up and their brand new offering Bleed for It to life at The Garrison, both available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I’m always going to say it’s truly impressive how the band’s mastermind JJ Tartaglia is capable of singing, playing drums, and even playing keyboards at the same time. Well, we can all do that, but of course let’s say the quality of the sound in that case will be below hideous, right? Jokes aside, and back to the concert, it felt like being taken back to the glory of the 80’s during their set, with songs like Fire It Up, Get ‘Em Counted, and in special Cape Breton Home, featuring the awesome guest fiddler Zoe S., inspiring us to headbanging and raise our horns together with JJ and his crew. If you don’t know Thunderor yet, don’t waste your time and go check their music, and if possible, go see them live. It’s time to pump up the volume, my friends!

Setlist
Fire It Up
One Chance
Pump Up The Volume
Get ‘Em Counted
Cape Breton Home
Dangerous Times
Thunderor
How We Roll

Band members
JJ Tartaglia – vocals, drums, keyboards
Jonny Nesta – guitars
Brycen Gunn – bass

BURNING WITCHES

After a long wait of over ten years, Switzerland’s unparalleled Heavy/Power Metal brigade BURNING WITCHES finally toured Canada, or at least a few selected Canadian cities including Toronto, and the excitement on the faces of all fans at The Garrison was crystal clear with their first chance ever to see those talented ladies kicking some serious ass live. Having released the excellent Inquisition in 2025 (available on both BandCamp and Spotify, just like all of their other albums), the band formed of the air raid siren Laura Guldemond (what an incredible voice!), the virtuosi Romana Kalkuhl and Courtney Cox on the guitars, the thunderous Jeanine Grob on bass, and the unstoppable Lala Frischknecht on drums delivered a fantastic mix of their entire discography for the total delight of all concert goers, leaving us all eager for more after all was said and done.

Lots of vocalists use a variety of corrective and creative effects on their microphones during their live performances, such as reverb or delay, but not Laura. Her voice is unbelievable, absurdly powerful and piercing, adding even more electricity to their already thrilling songs like Dance With the Devil, The Dark Tower (my favorite of the night), Inquisition, and the beautiful ballad Release Me. It’s truly a thing of beauty, but of course her bandmates make sure there’s endless heaviness for her to shine on vocals. Romana and Courtney didn’t stop shredding their axes, while Jeanine and Lala made the whole venue tremble. It was insanely loud. Fans were having a phenomenal time, raising their fists, chanting all songs with the girls, and even igniting some mosh pits during their faster songs.

After their coup-de-grace with the classics Hexenhammer, Wings of Steel, The Witch of the North, and Burning Witches, as it was their last show of the tour (before getting a flight to Germany the following morning to play at a festival basically that same day), we were all expecting a surprise like “Holy Diver”, but that’s fine. We understand how exhausting their flight back could be, and besides, we already got to see them playing their biggest classics live in the city for the first time, right? After the show, some of the girls spent a few minutes outdoors chatting with fans. I had the pleasure of talking for a bit with Courtney and Jeanine, and I must say they’re not just extremely talented musicians, but super nice ladies who make the world a much better place with their music and charisma. I really hope this wasn’t their first and only show in Toronto, as they need to return to the city to play at a bigger venue (and not on the same day as a major player like Dark Tranquillity), so that more people get exposed to their stunning Heavy Metal. As a huge fan of the band, I can’t wait to get locked in a dark tower in Toronto once again by the most talented witches of heavy music.

Setlist
Sanguini Hominum
Soul Eater
Shame
Dance With the Devil
Maiden of Steel
The Dark Tower
Sea of Lies
Inquisition
Release Me
Black Widow
Evil Witch
Lucid Nightmare
Dungeon of Infamy
The Witch Circle
Hexenhammer
Wings of Steel
The Witch of the North
Burning Witches
Malus Maga

Band members
Laura Guldemond – vocals
Romana Kalkuhl – guitars
Courtney Cox – guitars
Jeanine Grob – bass
Lala Frischknecht – drums

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Concert Review – Helloween (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/19/2026)

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The city of Toronto witnessed a majestic celebration of 40 years of absolute Heavy Metal magic by the most beloved pumpkins in the history of mankind.

OPENING ACT: Beast in Black

First and foremost, I have to start this review by thanking Mr. Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment for bringing one of my childhood heroes back to Toronto. Secondly, although the crowd was not as rowdy nor loud as in Montreal the night before (and yes, I drove all the way from Toronto to Montreal for the show, and back), the cozy Queen Elizabeth Theatre was on fire for the unparalleled HELLOWEEN, supported by BEAST IN BLACK, for their must-see 40th Anniversary North American Tour 2026. My buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was also there to witness one of the most important bands in the history of Heavy Metal, and his shots of the concert will give you a very good idea of how bright, vibrant, well-produced and engaging the whole evening was. As a fanboy, it was a dream come true to finally se back to back concerts by my beloved pumpkins, something I had only been able to do before in my life with Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Slayer and Megadeth, and I need to say this amazing “HelloWeekend” will forever stay in my mind and in my heart as one of my most cherished metal memories.

Before the mighty Helloween hit the stage, the opening slot was given to Helsinki, Finland-based Heavy Metal/Hard Rock brigade BEAST IN BLACK. Formed in 2015 by Anton Kabanen after he left Battle Beast, and having already released the albums Berserker, From Hell with Love,Dark Connection, and the EP Power of the Beast, plus the 2025 single Enter the Behelit, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band put on a great show to warmup the crowd in Toronto (as well as in Montreal, by the way), proving why they’ve been gaining more and more fans in Canadian lands. Songs like Power of the Beast, Enter the Behelit and No Surrender worked really well live, with frontman Yannis Papadopoulos keeping the audience entertained the entire time, but the fact that Anton Kabanen himself stayed in Finland to finish their upcoming album, therefore missing their entire North American tour, was really weird and made their sound feel a bit thinner than usual. Well, priorities are priorities, and I’m sure Anton didn’t want to miss the tour at all, but you never know what surprises or challenges life will present to you, right?

Setlist
Power of the Beast
Hardcore
Sweet True Lies
Born Again
From Hell With Love
Enter the Behelit
Die by the Blade
One Night in Tokyo
Blind and Frozen
No Surrender

Band members
Yannis Papadopoulos – vocals
Daniel Freyberg – guitars
Máté Molnár – bass
Atte Palokangas – drums

HELLOWEEN

It was precisely 8:45pm on a very chilly night in Toronto (after a sunny and warm Saturday in Montreal, which is why you can never trust the weather in April in Canada) when the indomitable metal invaders Michael Kiske, Andi Deris, Kai Hansen, Michael Weikath, Sascha Gerstner, Markus Grosskopf and Dani Löble, collectively known as the Pumpkins United of HELLOWEEN, hit the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to celebrate 40 years of their undisputed, unparalleled career, proving to us all that Heavy Metal is the law, and it will always be. Their sound, stage and overall production were impeccable, with the big screen behind the stage adding a lot of taste to all songs, in special to the ones preceded by “The Keeper.” Not only that, their setlist was also a thing of beauty, a journey through all of their phases, from their 1985 masterpiece  Walls of Jericho, to their 2025 opus Giants & Monsters (and of course, you can stream them all on Spotify), showing it is possible to celebrate decades of music without forgetting or ignoring any period of their career. We got the usual classics, epic, long songs, new songs, and even some very welcome deep cuts. I think that, if they were allowed, they would have easily played for another hour.

There are no words that can be used to describe how amazing it is to watch Michael Kiske and Andi Deris sharing the vocal duties on basically all songs, plus of course Kai Hansen delivering his pure Heavy Metal power on Ride the Sky and Heavy Metal (Is the Law). In all seriousness, I don’t think there’s any other band in the world, of any music genre, with three phenomenal vocalists and frontmen like Helloween nowadays. I love the fact they sing each other’s songs without any bad blood; quite the contrary, it feels like they’re loving doing that, and of course us fans are the actual winners in this case as all songs sounded absolutely incredible. Just like in Montreal, I think I saw a few people crying every single time Kiske delivered his hypnotizing vocals, taking us all back in time like in the all-time classics March of Time and Future World, while also presenting us with the new masterpiece Universe (Gravity for Hearts), by far the best song of the new album both in the studio and live. What a stunning tune with magical lyrics, definitely reaching deep inside the hearts of us metalheads.

Deris was his usual one-man show, the “perfect gentleman” that keeps our eyes glued to the stage it doesn’t matter if he’s “just” singing or interacting with the other guys, always putting a smile on our faces, while Hansen, Weikath, Gerstner, Grosskopf and Löble kept their engine running flawlessly like one of those perfect German sports cars. That’s the reason why deep cuts like We Burn, Hey Lord! and Hell Was Made in Heaven work so well on this tour. Furthermore, the acoustic part of the show was also a nice touch to it, just like in 2023, with Kiske and Deris once again mesmerizing us all with their unique voices. In the Middle of a Heartbeat (preceded by a snippet of the classic “Yesterday”, by The Beatles) sounded excellent, inspiring all fans to sing it along with them, and having the beautiful A Tale That Wasn’t Right played half acoustic, half fully plugged was also amazing.

The show was already reaching the two-hour mark when the band decided to simply destroy our senses with an overdose of awesomeness that reminded us all why they’ve been on the road for so many decades, always strong, always metal. I guess the 13-minute work-of-art Halloween was by far the favorite of all fans in Toronto and Montreal, with simply everyone singing and screaming it at the top of their lungs. It was a collective catharsis of pure heavy music, and when it was over I wish they simply could start playing it again. The triumvirate of metal madness formed of Eagle Fly Free, Power and Dr. Stein, plus the outro to Keeper of the Seven Keys (and again, I wish they had played it in full), sounded beyond marvelous, and when the show was over you could see in everyone’s faces the crowd still had a lot of energy left for more, as well as the band, but unfortunately as you all know time marches on without us all. It never stops, and hopefully Helloween will never stop either. Needless to say, I’m already waiting for another pumpkin invasion in Toronto and Canada in general because, as you might have noticed, everyday is Helloween.

Setlist
Let Me Entertain (Robbie Williams song)
Interlude
March of Time
The Keeper
The King for a 1000 Years
Future World
This Is Tokyo
We Burn
The Keeper
Ride the Sky
Into the Sun
Hey Lord!
Universe (Gravity for Hearts)
Hell Was Made in Heaven
Drum Solo
I Want Out
In the Middle of a Heartbeat
A Tale That Wasn’t Right
A Little Is a Little Too Much
Heavy Metal (Is the Law)
The Keeper
Halloween

Encore:
Invitation
Eagle Fly Free
Power
Dr. Stein
Keeper of the Seven Keys (Outro)

Band members
Michael Kiske – vocals
Andi Deris – vocals
Kai Hansen – guitars, vocals
Michael Weikath – guitars
Sascha Gerstner – guitars
Markus Grosskopf – bass
Dani Löble – drums

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Album Review – Thunderor / Bleed For It (2026)

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Toronto’s own arena-rock Heavy Metal trio returns with their ambitious sophomore album, igniting the next chapter of their high‑flying saga.

Hailing from Toronto, Canada, Heavy Meta/Hard Rock power trio Thunderor ignites the next chapter of their high‑flying saga with the release of their sophomore opus, entitled Bleed For It, following up on their critically acclaimed 2022 debut Fire It Up. Produced by the band’s own JJ Tartaglia, mixed by Chris Snow, mastered by Kristian Montano, and featuring guest musicians Oscar Anesetti on bass, Anthony Pannozzo on keyboards, and Colin Grant on the fiddler, the new album by the aforementioned JJ Tartaglia on vocals, drums and keyboards alongside Jonny Nesta on the guitars, and Brycen Gunn on bass serves as the official soundtrack to “Thunderor The Musical”, the band’s ambitious rock opera production that debuted at the Toronto Fringe Festival in 2025. Its artwork captures scenes from the stage show, setting the mood for a sweeping tale of adventure, danger, and heart. Set in an alternate 1992, the story follows Bowen, a washed‑up musician and biker, who finds renewed purpose through romance and one last grasp at glory.

The trio wastes no time and kicks off their rockin’ adventure with Pump Up the Volume, bringing forward JJ’s trademark soaring vocals and classic beats and fills, followed by the title-track Bleed For It, another round of their striking fusion of 70’s and 80’s Hard Rock, with Jonny stealing the spotlight with his electrifying riffs and solos. As a huge fan of live concerts I simply love the title of the song Take Me to the Show, offering us all more of their killer Rock N’ Roll sounds. The band then fires a Thrash and Speed Metal-infused tune titled Get ‘Em Counted, inspiring us to start a nice mosh pit to the nonstop beats by JJ, and get ready to prance around the fire pit together with Thunderor in Cape Breton Home, featuring guest Colin Grant on the fiddler, also presenting pure Hard Rock flowing from Jonny’s axe.

In Streets of Fire we see Thunderor again deliver a high-octane amalgamation of rock and metal, setting fire to the atmosphere to the crushing drums by JJ and Oscar’s rumbling bass, sounding as upbeat as it is heavy. One Chance is another song that sounds as if was taken from a classic album from the 80’s, showcasing those awesome soulful riffs we all love so much; and we then face the cinematic interlude DreamQuest, which also feels it’s from a movie or TV show from the 80’s, before their quest comes to an end with In the Fire O’ the Heat, where they also bring to our avid ears elements from Progressive Rock and Metal (exactly what a Rock Opera needs to become truly fun). Not only that, JJ’s vocals and Jonny’s guitars are in total sync, keeping the energy flowing majestically until the song’s horns raising finale.

With improved vocals, bigger choruses, and a cinematic concept, Bleed For It promises to be the band’s most ambitious and emotionally charged release yet, recommended for fans of The Darkness, Skull Fist, Ghost, and Night Flight Orchestra. If you crave escape, adventure, romance, and danger, the band invites you to ride with them into the storm, and you can do so by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, sby streaming their music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing the album from BandCamp, from Boonsdale Records (Canada and worldwide), from Cruz del Sur Music (Europe), or simply by clicking HERE. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to bleed together with Thunderor to the sound of their newborn electrifying album?

Best moments of the album: Bleed For It, Get ‘Em Counted and Streets of Fire.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2026 Boonsdale Records

Track listing
1. Pump Up the Volume 3:42
2. Bleed For It 4:04
3. Take Me to the Show 4:09
4. Get ‘Em Counted 3:19
5. Cape Breton Home 3:33
6. Streets of Fire 4:16
7. One Chance 3:40
8. DreamQuest 1:29
9. In the Fire O’ the Heat 4:19

Band members
JJ Tartaglia – vocals, drums, keyboards
Jonny Nesta – guitars
Brycen Gunn – bass

Guest musicians
Oscar Anesetti – bass on “Take Me to the Show”, “Get ‘Em Counted”, “Cape Breton Home”, “Streets of Fire” and “One Chance”
Anthony Pannozzo – additional keyboards on “Take Me to the Show”, “Get ‘Em Counted” and “One Chance”
Colin Grant – fiddler on “Cape Breton Home”

Album Review – Crème Flesh / For Your Ass Only (2026)

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With the world teetering on the brink of absolute destruction, we all need these Canadian Brutal Death Metal heroes to save us all armed with the bowel-rupturing, cranium crushing brutality found in their new album.

With the world teetering on the brink of absolute destruction, what we need is a hero – or even better, four of them – and with serendipitous good fortune, out of the Great White North come Canadian secret agents of slam, the ruthless Brutal Death Metal ensemble Crème Flesh. Returning after the successful 2023 operation named Casablumpkin, the band formed of Matt Hilden on vocals, Sophokles Theodoru on the guitars, Rory Kennedy on bass, and Allen L. on drums is licensed to blast, brutalize and wield pornographic puns like deadly weapons in their sophomore installment, titled For Your Ass Only. Produced by Geoff Hodsman (Human Compost, Apegod) and adorned by the brilliant artwork by Krag (Paroxsihzem, Nuclearhammer), For Your Ass Only is a must-listen for fans of Devourment, Kraanium, Vulvectomy, and Korpse, presenting a sound that combines intimidating muscle and shocking clarity.

Field of Creams quickly morphs from a weird intro into a demented feast of slamming sounds where Matt’s gurgling guttural matches perfectly with Allen’s ruthless beats and fills; while in No Cunt for Old Men, which by the way uses the same sample as Werewolves in one of their most recent songs (and you’ll have to figure out which one by yourself, sorry), Sophokles delivers sheer madness through his axe in the name of Brutal Death Metal. There’s no time to breathe as they keep pounding our cranial skulls in Lake Flaccid, led by the vomiting roars by Matt, followed by the title-track For Your Ass Only, featuring guest vocalist Jack Christensen of Septic Congestion and Kraanium, a lecture in gore, violence, insanity and brutality. And The Gapes of Wrath sounds a bit uninspired and not as violent nor heavy as the rest of the album, albeit still presenting their trademark sound.

Then back to a more demented and ruthless sonority we face MILF of Magnesia, where Matt’s gruesome vocals walk hand in hand with the vile riffage by Sophokles and the metallic bass jabs by Rory; and Sleepless on Cialis displays a wicked name for a song, perfect for the current state of the world in 2026 when all is going to shit, and the music is just as demented as our current society (in special our so-called “leaders”). Jagged Little Penis presents another poetic name for a slamming feast of Brutal Death Metal, with Allen’s drums sounding like the madness blasted by Slipknot, while Scat’s Cradle invites us all to crush our damned skulls inside the pit while the band keeps pounding their instruments like true maniacs. Finally, we are crushed into tiny pieces to the sound of Whores of Perception, closing the album on a high note to the ape-like screeches by Matt.

In a nutshell, what Crème Flesh have to offer in For Your Ass Only is the epitome of modern-day Brutal Death Metal, an uncompromising, slamming feast not recommended for any type of puritan, but only to those who know how to have a good laugh even in a world of disgust. You can find those Canadian metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their perverted brutality on any platform like Spotify, and of course put your putrid hands on the album by purchasing it from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore. In the end, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to survive the ten tracks of bowel-rupturing, cranium crushing brutality that is For Your Ass Only. Do you think you have what it takes to complete such a unique mission?

Best moments of the album: No Cunt for Old Men, For Your Ass Only and Whores of Perception.

Worst moments of the album: The Gapes of Wrath.

Released in 2026 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Field of Creams 2:57
2. No Cunt for Old Men 2:01
3. Lake Flaccid 3:46
4. For Your Ass Only 4:18
5. The Gapes of Wrath 2:31
6. MILF of Magnesia 4:09
7. Sleepless on Cialis 3:09
8. Jagged Little Penis 3:41
9. Scat’s Cradle 3:59
10. Whores of Perception 4:21

Band members
Matt Hilden – vocals
Sophokles Theodoru – guitar
Rory Kennedy – bass
Allen L. – drums

Guest musician
Jack Christensen – vocals on “For Your Ass Only”

Album Review – Archspire / Too Fast to Die (2026)

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Faster than a speeding bullet, Canada’s own Technical Death Metal beast is back in action with their most extreme and technically precise record yet.

Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s not Superman! It’s Vancouver, British Columbia’s own Technical Death Metal masters Archspire, back after nearly five years with their fifth album entitled Too Fast to Die, their most extreme and technically precise record yet, following the JUNO Award–winning Bleed the Future. Produced, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero, with additional engineering by Mike Low, and displaying a killer tech death artwork by Shindy Reehal (with design and layout by Kevin Moore of Mindreader), the new offering by the unrelenting Oliver Rae Aleron on vocals, Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli on the (fastest) guitars (on earth), Jared Smith on bass, and newcomer Spencer Moore (of bands like Oubliette, Æther Realm, Animality, and Inferi) on drums sees the band push beyond the limits of speed and precision once again, solidifying their place as one of the most relentless forces in modern heavy music.

They give us a few seconds of peace before all hell breaks loose in Liminal Cypher, with Spencer demolishing his drums manically while Oliver fires his unparalleled rap-like vocals at maximum speed and insanity. Dean and Tobi then showcase the art of shred to us mere mortals in Red Goliath, another fast and intricate display of Technical Death Metal supported by the metallic bass by Jared; and in the pulverizing Carrion Ladder let’s sing its wicked lyrics along with Oliver (“Waiting on the platform in the living elevator / Dead panning / Head pounding / Wading onto a plank without footing / Dropping while the pace of the blade is increasing / Unlocking a pounding centrifugal feeling turning whipping / Keeping me bolted while falling downward on a liquid locomotive tunneling into the ground”) amidst one of the fastest sounds ever blasted by the band, followed by Anomalous Descent, sounding beyond technical and aggressive while again presenting the first-class, undisputed guitar work by Dean and Tobi.

In The Vessel the quintet again delivers heavy music at hyper speed, with Oliver’s visceral roars matching flawlessly with the riffage, bass lines and blast beats by his bandmates. Needless to say, it should sound amazing if played live, and the same can be said about Limb of Leviticus, presenting another round of ass-kicking lyrics vociferated by Oliver (“Our limb is awake / Bow below its cleft / Reverence in its maw / Pray unto the rift / Ascend above the critical fear provoking and unrighteous men / Cower flee and hide the meek and blinded bipeds / that deny the reich of the divine appendage”) while the music is even more demented and furious than what regular Technical Death Metal could ever sound. Deadbolt the Backward proves Archspire are never tired of delivering the fastest, most complex and most insane music you’ve ever listened to, with Spencer once again stealing the spotlight with his machine gun-like beats and fills, before they end the album on a high note with their ruthless coup-de-grace, the title-track Too Fast to Die, kicking us hard in the ass with another bestial vocals performance by Oliver in a lecture in Technical Death Metal madness.

Too Fast to Die is not just one of the coolest albums of 2026, but the fact it’s fully independent also adds an extra touch of awesomeness to it. Just to give you an idea of how successful the whole campaign to record the album was, they raised nearly CAD$ 400,000 in 30 days, blowing past their goal in under 24 hours and confirming that independence was the right move. “I was actually shaking when I pressed launch,” commented Dean. “We’d never taken on something this big, and all I could think was, ‘man, I hope we don’t mess this up.’” You can show your love to those faster-than-a-bullet musicians by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, where you can keep an eye on their breathtaking live shows, by subscribing to their YouTube channel and streaming their sick creations on Spotify, and of course, by grabbing a copy of their relentless new album from BandCamp, from their US, Canada and rest of the world store, or from their Europe store. Too Fast to Die indeed represents a new chapter for Archspire, as they do not fear death at all in their quest for maximum speed. You know, once light tried to break the speed of Chuck Norris, but failed miserably. Then came Archspire.

Best moments of the album: Liminal Cypher, Carrion Ladder, Limb of Leviticus and Too Fast to Die.

Worst moments of the album: Obviously none. They’re too fast to have any bad moments.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Liminal Cypher 5:16
2. Red Goliath 5:01
3. Carrion Ladder 4:24
4. Anomalous Descent 4:13
5. The Vessel 4:41
6. Limb of Leviticus 5:42
7. Deadbolt the Backward 4:32
8. Too Fast to Die 5:32

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

Concert Review – Lamb of God (Great Canadian Toronto, Mississauga, ON, 03/20/2026)

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Metalheads from all over the GTA walked with Lamb of God in hell once again on a fantastic Friday night of pure heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Sanguisugabogg, Fit For An Autopsy and Kublai Khan Tx

After a full day of rain in Toronto and vicinities, the weather finally settled down closer to the evening, and it was only slightly cold (for Canadian standards, of course, as it was still very cold for anyone else) when the almighty LAMB OF GOD took the always welcoming Great Canadian Toronto by storm with their undisputed North America 2026 Tour, featuring the more than special guests SANGUISUGABOGG, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY and KUBLAI KHAN TX, on a night of pure adrenaline and a celebration of heavy music. It was a true honor for Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I to cover such an amazing night, and as the show at the casino was one hundred percent SOLD OUT, you can imagine how much fun everyone who attended the show had inside the massive circle pits formed during all four concerts.

It was around 7pm when Columbus, Ohio’s own Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore entity SANGUISUGABOGG kicked off the party with their vicious attack. Having released the excellent Hideous Aftermath in 2025, available on both BandCamp and Spotify, the band formed of the unstoppable frontman Devin Swank, guitarist Drew Arnold, bassist Ced Davis, and drummer Cody Davidson put on a phenomenal performance onstage, already inspiring the crowd to headbang and slam like true metalmaniacs until the very last second. What a wild kickoff, with the very romantic songs Face Ripped Off and Dead as Shit making the entire casino shake. I’m sure Sanguisugabogg will return to Toronto with their undisputed violence sooner than you can say their name, spell their name, or read their logo. Any of these work.

Setlist
Rotted Entanglement
Face Ripped Off
Felony Abuse of a Corpse
Abhorrent Contraception
Dead as Shit

Band members
Devin Swank – vocals
Drew Arnold – guitars
Ced Davis – bass
Cody Davidson – drums

The bar was set super high with Sanguisugabogg, but of course nothing that New Jersey’s own Death Metal/Deathcore beast FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY couldn’t take care of armed with their venomous and melodic brutality. Frontman Joe Badolato was having an amazing time onstage “managing” the vicious circle pit going, and the crowd roared back at him during their incendiary performance. Playing songs from their already solid discography (available on Spotify), including some killer tunes from their latest opus The Nothing That Is, from 2024, those being Lower Purpose, Hostage, and Savior of None / Ashes of All, the band delivered everything their fans were expecting and more, with the intense crowd surfing getting to a point I lost count of how many of the “banana boys” crossed my path after letting their peels being touched by all fans inside the pit. Maybe I should say the entire venue went bananas during Fit For An Autopsy, right?

Setlist
Lower Purpose
It Comes for You
The Wretch
Black Mammoth
Hostage
Savior of None / Ashes of All
Warfare
Pandora
Far From Heaven

Band members
Joe Badolato – lead vocals
Pat Sheridan – guitars, backing vocals
Tim Howley – guitars
Will Putney – guitars
Peter “Blue” Spinazola – bass
Josean Orta – drums

Although I’m familiar with the music by Texan Metalcore ensemble KUBLAI KHAN TX, I didn’t know they were so famous and loved by the Toronto fans. Every single person in the room was having an amazing time during their performance, singing all songs along with the band led by the charismatic Matt Honeycutt. The guy didn’t stop a single second onstage, and that obviously translated into a lot of action inside the pit. In addition, it’s impressive how heavy their kitchen formed of bassist Eric English and drummer Isaac Lamb sounds, in special the utterly thunderous bass by Eric. The guy was making my chest tremble with his jabs. If you know nothing about those talented and humble guys, you can check their ass-kicking music on Spotify, like their 2024 album Exhibition of Prowess, but get ready as they will smash your cranial skull mercilessly.

Setlist
Darwinism
Supreme Ruler
Low Tech
Antpile
Boomslang
The Hammer
The Mountain of Corsicana
Antpile 2
Self-Destruct
Mud
Swan Song
Theory of Mind

Band members
Matt Honeycutt – vocals
Nicholas Adams – guitar, backing vocals
Eric English – bass, backing vocals
Isaac Lamb – drums

LAMB OF GOD

At long last, it was time to walk with Richmond, Virginia’s own Groove Metal masters LAMB OF GOD in hell during their absolutely heavy, vibrant and flammable performance. Having released the phenomenal Into Oblivion just a week before the show (available on Spotify and also on the special Into Oblivion website), the band fronted by the iconic D. Randall “Randy” Blythe showed no mercy for our necks and bodies with another killer performance in Canadian lands. It’s so cool how Lamb of God moved from a small venue like The Opera House when they first played in Toronto years and years ago, to selling out such a massive venue like the casino. To be fair, that’s expected when the music in question is so good, catchy and electrifying.

Randy was on fire during their entire show, as well as his bandmates, with Mark Morton and Willie Adler showing why they’re two of the best metal guitarists of the current scene. John Campbell and his trademark headbanging were also excellent, not to mention Art Cruz delivered a striking drum solo for our total delight. Before the show, he hid a few drumsticks around the venue for fans to try to find them, an initiative that I personally considered very cool (despite the fact I couldn’t find any of them). All that talent made their already amazing songs like Ruin, Laid to Rest and 11th Hour sound even stronger live, driving fans wild during their entire set, and maybe because it was a Friday night at a venue with no curfew we were also treated to a classic that hadn’t been played before Friday, the awesome Omerta.

Their new songs also sounded incredible, in special the infuriated Parasocial Christ, making the circle pit move even faster. There were some tunes that were screamed by the entire crowd together with the band, like 512, Walk With Me in Hell, and Memento Mori, three of my favorite Lamb of God songs, and you can imagine how happy I was seeing so many fans from all ages having such a great time with Randy and his henchmen. And as the icing on the cake, we could all scream, raise our fists, headbanging and jump up and down together with the boys during their metal masterpiece Redneck, putting a beyond epic and climatic ending to the show.

I wish I could have stayed longer at the casino after the show to eat something and maybe even try my luck, but the lines to get into the casino were insane. I’m not complaining, as I love the fact a metal concert can make a casino so busy and vibrant, and I can’t wait to enjoy one of the best venues in the GTA again in a few weeks. Anyway, back to the concert, it’s more than obvious that it won’t take long for Lamb of God to return to the city as they’re undoubtedly one of Toronto’s favorite metal acts. I dare to say they’re THE favorite metal band of a huge chunk of the new-ish generation of metalheads, and as Randy himself said in a recent interview, just like he wants to keep playing with Lamb of God until his last breath, we also want to headbang with Lamb of God until ours.

Setlist
Ruin
Laid to Rest
Blood Junkie
Into Oblivion
Resurrection Man
Grace
Desolation
512
Walk With Me in Hell
Parasocial Christ
Omerta
11th Hour

Encore:
Memento Mori
Sepsis
Redneck

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

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Album Review – Ravenspell / Obsidian King (2026)

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Get ready to be catapulted into the world of Heavy and Speed Metal ruled by this Canadian band armed with their incendiary debut album.

With a searing riff and a lung-bursting scream, get ready to be catapulted into the world of Obsidian King, the debut full-length album by Quebec City, Canada-based Heavy/Speed Metal force Ravenspell. Mixed and mastered by David Lizotte (Ültra Raptör, Saccage), and completed by the haunting artwork of renowned Canadian artist Carl Lavoie, the debut by Alisander The Seer on vocals, Ravok Blackwing on the guitars, Corvax Crowhammer on bass, and Volpale The Ravenous on drums (and yes, those are their stage monikers) benefits from a textured, organic sound that captures the blood, sweat, passion and belief of the musicians who have crafted it, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Cloven Hoof, Greyhawk, and Visigoth, among countless others metal brigades.

The razor-edged axe by Ravok provides Alisander with exactly what he needs to deliver pure soaring vocals in God the Watcher, an epic tune to properly kick off their feast of old school Heavy Metal, whereas again blending the harshness and violence of Speed Metal with their core metallic sound we have Onwards We March, even sounding Punk Rock-ish at times, with Volpale hammering his drums nonstop. The band then slows things down without letting their energy fade away in Book of the Dead, offering a neck breaking sonority led by Ravok’s killer riffage, followed by Warriors 9 to 5, carrying a very peculiar name for a straightforward Heavy Metal tune by the quartet, with Corvax and Volpale making the earth tremble with their classic kitchen. And leaning towards the Progressive Heavy and Power Metal blasted by bands like Greyhawk, the title-track Obsidian Wing sees Volpale dictate the pace while Alisander declaims the song’s epic lyrics in great fashion.

It’s time to put the pedal to the metal in the Speed Metal onrush entitled Hellstorm. Needless to say, this is where the band thrives the most, inviting us all to slam into the pit to the fast and furious riffs by Ravok. In the also excellent Raise Hell the initial drums by Volpale transpire Motörhead, which matches perfectly with the song’s title, bringing to our avid ears three and a half minutes of pure metallic nostalgia; and the band doesn’t let the ambience cool down not even a tiny bit in Relentless, another old school Heavy Metal extravaganza perfect for some wild headbanging. Battleaxe Apocalypse is perhaps the song with the coolest name of all, and the music is just as electrifying, with the solos and backing vocals by Ravok adding even more insanity to their music. Lastly, the closing song Attila begins in a serene manner before evolving into an Epic Heavy Metal attack where Ravok and Corvax blast their axes with tons of power, putting an Iron Maiden-inspired ending to the album.

In this age of fakery, imitation and flexible truths, Obsidian King stands tall as something real and vital, a work of substance, making sure the speed, melody, character and fire of Ravenspell be felt around the metal world. Hence, you can get in touch with those talented and hardworking Canadians via Facebook and Instagram, stream their music on Spotify or any other online platform, and of course purchase their incendiary debut offering from their own BandCamp, from Xtreem Music, or simply by clicking HERE. The Canadian ravens of Heavy and Speed Metal will put a metallic spell on you with Obsidian King, and be warned as once that spell consumes your soul, there will be a lot of headbanging. I said a lot.

Best moments of the album: Hellstorm, Raise Hell and Battleaxe Apocalypse.

Worst moments of the album: Warriors 9 to 5.

Released in 2026 Fighter Records

Track listing
1. God the Watcher 3:40
2. Onwards We March 3:51
3. Book of the Dead 4:23
4. Warriors 9 to 5 4:04
5. Obsidian Wing 4:03
6. Hellstorm 2:33
7. Raise Hell 3:29
8. Relentless 4:34
9. Battleaxe Apocalypse 1:50
10. Attila 7:50

Band members
Alisander The Seer – vocals
Ravok Blackwing – guitars, backing vocals
Corvax Crowhammer – bass
Volpale The Ravenous – drums

Concert Review – Orbit Culture (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 03/03/2026)

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Fans in Toronto witnessed a night of absolute heaviness and electricity at a jam packed The Opera House together with some of the must-see bands of the current scene.

OPENING ACTS: Atlas and Ov Sulfur

Temperatures are finally starting to rise in Toronto after one of the coldest and harshest winters in decades, and this Tuesday the mighty ORBIT CULTURE, supported by guests OV SULFUR and ATLAS, brought the heat to the cozy The Opera House during their North America 2026 tour. The venue was absolutely packed, and if I’m not mistaken my sources told me the whole event was around 16 tickets of being absolutely sold out, so we’re talking about almost 900 people taking every single space at the venue with no room for much movement. Not only that, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi had to “fight” for space with other 11 photographers also covering the event in a tight area (with five security guys, by the way), and the merch line went from the bar next to the entrance all the way to the floor section. I have no idea when exactly merch became more important than the show itself, as I’m tired of seeing lots of people missing one or more attractions just to grab a shirt. Anyway, it is what it is. Event shirts are super cool, and buying them is extremely helpful for the musicians, so maybe we could all find a better or faster way for the merch line to move as we want to keep supporting all bands.

The first attraction of the night was Tampere, Finland-based Metalcore band ATLAS, often stylized in all caps, who self-describe their sound as “Northcore,” which is basically a mix of heavy, melodic Metalcore with atmospheric, immersive soundscapes. Having recently released the album Sunder, available on Spotify or any other streaming service, the band formed of vocalist Patrik Nuorteva, vocalist and bassist Leevi Luoto, guitarists Kevin Apostol and Tuomas Kurikka, and drummer Aku Karjalainen put on a solid performance for an already packed venue, working as a more-than-effective warmup for Ov Sulfur and Orbit Culture. Well, as I like to say, wake me up when a metal band from Finland sounds boring or tiresome onstage. They always kick ass, ATLAS included, and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from those guys in the near future.

Setlist
Sermon of the Dying Light
Tower
Coven of Two
Anodyne
I Whisper Your Name Like a Curse
Uni
Ukko
Salt and Sulfur
Outro

Band members
Patrik Nuorteva – vocals
Leevi Luoto – vocals, bass
Kevin Apostol – guitar
Tuomas Kurikka – guitar
Aku Karjalainen – drums

The whole place was already swarming with fans when Las Vegas, Nevada’s own Blackened Deathcore beast OV SULFUR hit the stage with their pulverizing performance, making The Opera House tremble to their undisputed heaviness. Spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Ricky Hoover, the band has just started touring to promote their fresh out of the oven album Endless (available on BandCamp and on Spotify), and let me tell you that the new songs from the album worked extremely well live. Ricky and his henchmen Christian Becker and Chase Wilson on the guitars, Josh Bearden on bass, and Leviathvn on drums were on fire from start to finish; however, the fact the venue was jam packed made it a bit hard for fans to start any circle pits. There was a lot of headbanging and horns raising, of course, and the lights also helped turn their show into a multi-sensorial experience. It’s really nice to see Ov Sulfur hitting bigger stages every single time they visit Toronto, not only because they’re awesome, but also because Toronto loves that type of Deathcore, blending sheer savagery with tons of different emotions.

Setlist
Endless//Godless
Seed
Stained in Rot
Befouler
Death Ov Circumstance
Wither
Forlorn
Vast Eternal
Evermore

Band members
Ricky Hoover – vocals
Christian Becker – guitars
Chase Wilson – guitars
Josh Bearden – bass
Leviathvn – drums

ORBIT CULTURE

Another quick break (while countless fans were still braving the massive merch lines), and it was time for Eksjö, Sweden-based Melodic Death/Groove Metal titans ORBIT CULTURE to crush our souls with their breathtaking performance. Having recently released the excellent Death Above Life, which you can find on BandCamp and on Spotify, the indomitable Niklas Karlsson, Richard Hansson, Fredrik Lennartsson and Christopher Wallerstedt put a huge smile on the faces of their avid Toronto fans, with absolutely no room to breathe during their entire concert. Songs like Death Above Life, Bloodhound, Hydra and While We Serve sounded insane onstage, and after the closing song Vultures of North was over the happiness on everyone’s faces was outstanding. This was not only the band’s first ever headlining concert in the city, but by far their strongest and most dynamic one as well, proving they’re becoming a reference in the style and, therefore, gaining more and more attention from fans worldwide. I doubt it will take long for those Swedish rockers to return to Toronto, and I bet next time their concert will be even bigger, heavier and more electrifying.

Setlist
Death Above Life
The Storm
The Tales of War
North Star of Nija
Saw
From the Inside
Bloodhound
The Shadowing
Open Eye
While We Serve
Hydra
Vultures of North

Band members
Niklas Karlsson – vocals, guitars
Richard Hansson – lead guitars
Fredrik Lennartsson – bass
Christopher Wallerstedt – drums

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Concert Review – Belphegor (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 02/22/2026)

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Metalheads from all across Toronto gathered this Sunday night to praise the beast together with one of the most influential Blackened Death Metal bands of all time.

OPENING ACTS: Narcotic Wasteland, Hate and Incantation

In the middle of what’s perhaps the harshest winter in the past few decades in Toronto, NARCOTIC WASTELAND, HATE, INCANTATION and BELPHEGOR brought to Lee’s Palace some welcome heat this Sunday night with their infernal Praise the Beast North America Tour 2026, another massive event organized by the mighty Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such a feast of heavy sounds. There were also two bands billed to play in “The Cave” (aka the room upstairs at Lee’s Palace), those being Nashville, Tennessee’s own Experimental Folk/Black Metal band Primeval Well, who released back in 2021 the excellent album Talkin’ in Tongues with Mountain Spirits (available on Spotify), and Hamilton, Ontario-based Progressive Death Metal act Cryophilic, who released in 2023 their sophomore opus Damned and Decayed (also available on Spotify). The only issue is that due to some delays they ended up playing pretty much at the same time as Incantation and Belphegor, so I have absolutely no idea if anyone was able to watch their performances.

The night started with the awesome performance by South Carolina-based Death Metal trio NARCOTIC WASTELAND, who kicked some ass onstage with their undisputed energy and heaviness. Mixing songs from their two albums with newer singles like the brutal Barbarian, all available on Spotify, the band formed of Dallas Toler-Wade, Kenji Tsunami (who’s not only a phenomenal bassist, like a Death Metal version of Dream Theater’s own John Myung, but his bass is also a thing of beauty) and Austin Vicars took no prisoners in their quest for pure Death Metal, and after they finished playing the closing song of their short but very sweet set, Introspective Nightmares, we were all left wondering when we’ll be able to see those guys live again, perhaps with a bigger set. You can get more details about such a fun extreme music act by clicking HERE, and if they ever take your city by storm, don’t miss the chance of seeing those excellent musicians live.

Setlist
Morality and the Wasp
Faces of Meth
Barbarian
Delirium Tremens
Keeping Up with the Jones
We Agnostics
Introspective Nightmares

Band members
Dallas Toler-Wade – vocals, guitars
Kenji Tsunami – bass, vocals
Austin Vicars – drums

Poland’s own Blackened Death Metal institution HATE also had a very short set, but that didn’t mean the concert by Adam “ATF Sinner” Buszko, Dominik “Domin” Prykiel, Tomasz “Tiermes” Sadlak, and the stone crusher Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski (who returned later that night drumming for the mighty Belphegor) was not heavy enough. Quite the contrary, they made sure they used their limited time to deliver a ruthless, no shenanigans performance for our total delight. Having released the excellent Bellum Regiis in 2025, available on both BandCamp and Spotify, the quartet proved once again why Polish extreme music is so marvelous, leaving us completely disoriented after all was said and done. The mosh pits were already getting out of control, the temperature inside the venue was getting scorching, and the horns were being raised high, all thanks to the fires of Black and Death Metal by one of the heaviest bands to ever arise from the stunning Poland. Toronto wants more Hate. We deserve more Hate. And hopefully they won’t take long to return to the city with another pulverizing concert.

Setlist
Intro
Sovereign Sanctity
Erebos
The Wolf Queen
Bellum Regiis
Iphigenia

Band members
Adam “ATF Sinner” Buszko – vocals, rhythm guitar
Dominik “Domin” Prykiel – lead guitar
Tomasz “Tiermes” Sadlak – bass
Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski – drums

There were a few delays during the entire night, not sure if due to sound issues or something else, which ended up extending the whole event a lot longer than previously planned. Good thing that there’s no curfew at Lee’s Palace, and even better that when the next attraction is Pennsylvania’s Death Metal masters  INCANTATION, it never feels too late to get caught in some of the wildest mosh pits of the entire fest. Their latest releases Unholy Deification, from 2023, and Onward to Golgotha Live, from 2025 (both available on BandCamp and on Spotify) are very good sources if you want to familiarize yourself with their setlist, with songs like Golgotha and Impending Diabolical Conquest sounding sensational live, and of course, it’s always a true pleasure witnessing the talent, passion and charisma of the one and only John McEntee onstage. He’s a true metal warrior, no doubt about it. Furthermore, one very interesting fact about the show in Toronto was the amount of girls doing crowd surfing and stage diving during their concert. I think it was easily over 10 different girls doing those during one of the songs, with one even showing her athleticism and flexibility by doing a few splits onstage, which was pretty badass. Let’s see when Incantation return to Toronto if those girls will have other nice tricks to prove once and for all who runs the world.

Setlist
Golgotha
Carrion Prophecy
Emaciated Holy Figure
Iconoclasm of Catholicism
Concordat (The Pact) I
Blissful Bloodshower
Profanation
Vanquish in Vengeance
The Ibex Moon
Impending Diabolical Conquest

Band members
John McEntee – vocals, guitars
Luke Shively – guitars
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Kyle Severn – drums

BELPHEGOR

Sunday is always a day for regular people to go to the church, but for us metalheads it’s the perfect day to do the exact opposite, and let’s say Austrian Blackened Death Metal beast BELPHEGOR more than helped us succeed in such a blasphemous activity with one of the darkest and heaviest concerts of the past few months in Toronto. Playing a mix of their entire discography with their latest album The Devils, from 2022, plus their two fantastic new singles Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus and Scarlet Beast-Leviathan (a beautifully haunting song, by the way), all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, such a malevolent horde led by the unrelenting Helmuth Lehner was breathing fire and sulfur during their entire show, and if you were on the left side of the stage you would also feel everything tremble to the demented drums by Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski. It was a really fun experience to be honest, despite the fact the trembling got way too heavy at times.

I wonder what some fervent Catholics would say about Belphegor’s music and live performances. Those guys almost cracked the earth in half with their music, allowing Satan himself to arise from the underworld. The mosh pit was like a cauldron of fire, their demonic vocals and reefs exhaled sulfur and blasphemy, and it was easy to see all faces in awe during their satanic and cathartic mass. After their black mass was over, I noticed one girl that’s in pretty much every extreme music show in Toronto with a busted lip and some blood down her chin, and based on her happy face she was more than fine with that. She’s a total badass, she doesn’t fear any mosh pit, and she’s the perfect depiction of the love of Toronto for Black and Death Metal. Belphegor more than deliver it in both genres, usually at the same time, and if they provde us with half of the darkness and electricity from this Sunday next time they visit Toronto, I bet we’ll see more happy faces and busted lips around the venue. Praise the beast, praise all ladies who make heavy music a much better place, and praise the almighty Belphegor.

Setlist
The Procession
Baphomet
The Devil’s Son
Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus
The Devils
Stigma Diabolicum
Pactum in Aeternum
Lucifer Incestus
Virtus Asinaria – Prayer
Scarlet Beast – Leviathan
Totentanz – Dance Macabre

Encore:
Belphegor – Hell’s Ambassador

Band members
Helmuth Lehner – vocals, guitars
Wolfgang Rothbauer – guitars
Chris Bonos – bass, backing vocals
Daniel “Nar-Sil” Rutkowski – drums

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