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Concert Review – Kamelot (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 09/19/2026)

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And Toronto witnessed an astonishing night of frozen kings and queens, headbanging pirates, and horns raising knights, for the delight of all fans of Symphonic and Melodic Power Metal in the city.

OPENING ACTS: Frozen Crown and Visions of Atlantis

It was perhaps the coolest day of the season as temperatures dropped below +20oC in Toronto, but FROZEN CROWN, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and KAMELOT brought their breathtaking Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I to Toronto to turn up the heat at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, resulting in another beyond successful event hosted by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. My buddy Blair Burch and I had the pleasure of witnessing the very first show of Frozen Crown in Canadian lands, as well as the usual killer performances by Visions of Atlantis and Kamelot, two of the most beloved bands in the city, and if it wasn’t for them I would have definitely gone full William “D-Fens” Foster in Falling Down on my way back home, because whoever thought it was a good idea to close two lanes of the Gardiner and QEW at 10 or 11pm on a Saturday night, with countless music and sports events in the city, deserves to be tied to one of those endless transit cones and stay there to “enjoy” the view for hours and hours and hours. Rant over.

Let’s get back to the music, because that’s what really matters in the end. The first attraction of the night, Milan, Italy-based Power Metal warriors FROZEN CROWN, hit the stage at 7pm for their first ever concert in Toronto, and they didn’t disappoint at all. Quite the contrary, the crowd was really impressed with their power, their energy, and of course with the striking vocals by frontwoman Giada Etro. She’s extremely talented and charismatic, making their whole concert even more enjoyable. Their setlist might have been short, but it was very effective in presenting their music to whoever wasn’t familiar with the band, blending songs from pretty much all of their albums with new songs from their upcoming opus The Legend of the Six Kings, those being The One, Who Wants to Burn in Heaven, and Reborn, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. There was even a fast and heavy cover for Iris, the biggest classic by Goo Goo Dolls, with drummer Niso Tomasini kicking ass. Their guitar triumvirate also worked really well, with Federico Mondelli, Alessia Lanzone (very young, very talented, and a nonstop headbanger) and Alexandra Lioness shredding their axes nonstop for our absolute delight. Needless to say, I’m sure we’ll see those Italians back in town sooner than we can imagine based on how fun their show was.

Setlist
Kings
The One
Neverending
Who Wants to Burn in Heaven
Reborn
Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
I Am the Tyrant

Band members
Giada Etro – vocals
Federico Mondelli – guitars, keyboards, vocals
Alessia Lanzone – lead guitars
Alexandra Lioness – lead guitars
Francesco Zof  – bass
Niso Tomasini – drums

It was then time for the most beloved pirates in the history of Melodic and Symphonic Power Metal, the unrelenting VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, to deliver yet another phenomenal performance for their Torontonian diehard fans. They played a similar (but of course shorter) setlist from the last time they invaded the city, with all songs being available in their excellent 2025 live album Armada (Live Over Europe), which is available on Spotify, but that didn’t mean the show was less enjoyable or anything like that. I personally think they selected beyond electrifying and spot-on songs, the perfect balance between melody, drama and pure fun, with everyone dancing to Clocks and Tonight I’m Alive, banging their heads to Hellfire, rowing (yes, rowing) to Pirates Will Return, jumping up and down nonstop to Melancholy Angel, and obviously raising their horns and fists, and slamming into a wild mosh pit, to their biggest hit Armada. Christian Douscha, Herbert Glos and Thomas Caser were on absolute fire, offering the second best duet in heavy music (because, you know, the reigning champions are, and will forever be, Michael Kiska and Andi Deris of Helloween), Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli, everything they needed to hypnotize us and entertain us from start to finish. Clémentine is from out of this world, a true metal diva with infinite talent, beauty and charisma, and seeing her singing is already alone worth the full price of the ticket. Please get back to Toronto as soon as possible, you headbanging pirates! We love you!

Setlist
Master the Hurricane
Clocks
Tonight I’m Alive
Legion of the Seas
Hellfire
Pirates Will Return
Melancholy Angel
Armada

Band members
Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
Christian Douscha – guitars
Herbert Glos – bass
Thomas Caser – drums

KAMELOT

Tampa, Florida’s own Progressive/Melodic Power Metal institution KAMELOT is one of those bands that always attract a huge amount of people to their concerts in Toronto it doesn’t matter if it’s +40oC and extremely humid, or if it’s -20oC and snowing like hell. Toronto loves Kamelot, and that tight connection between band and fans gets even stronger when they hit any stage in the city like this Saturday night. Having just released the album Dark Asylum, available on any streaming service like Spotify, the band formed of frontman Tommy Karevik, guitarist Thomas Youngblood, bassist Sean Tibbetts, keyboardist Oliver Palotai, and drummer Alex Landenburg, with the support of Frozen Crown’s own Giada Etro on clean and harsh female vocals (and I honestly didn’t know she could do guttural so freakin’ well), and Visions of Atlantis’ undisputed diva Clémentine Delauney, put on another amazing concert for their avid fans.

The nonstop singing, screaming, horns raising, crowd surfing and mosh pitting were absolutely intense from the very first notes of Ashen World, and the band noticed the crowd was ready for total war, keeping the electricity flowing nonstop during their solid setlist. Songs like Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy), Godlike Alchemy and the title-track of their new album, Dark Asylum, sounded fantastic live, with Thomas Youngblood and Sean Tibbetts giving a lecture in how to properly treat the guitar and bass, not to mention their interactions with the crowd were also fantastic. However, and sorry Tommy for saying this, the songs with Giada and Clémentine were the top moments of the concert for several fans, including me. You did a great job as their frontman as usual, of course, but you must admit those two girls always steal the show wherever they go, right?

The last part of their set with Sanctuary and Veil of Elysium, plus the encore with March of Mephisto and Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife), was a pure sonic orgasm for the more avid followers of Kamelot, and their stage set added even more adrenaline and epicness to their performance. I simply love how they were capable of turning a relatively small stage like the one at The Phoenix Concert Theatre into something so special. Well, to be honest, when the band in question is as great as Kamelot, you can already expect a grandiose concert even on the smallest stages on earth. And lastly, as the tour was labeled Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I, I believe we’ll have a part II in the near future, and if the loud reaction from the fans in Toronto was any indication of how much the city loves Kamelot, I’m sure we’ll gladly be part of that second leg of such an excellent tour.

Setlist
Sanctorium
Ashen World
The Great Pandemonium
Rule the World
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Godlike Alchemy
Karma
Revolution
New Babylon
⁠Dark Asylum
⁠Ivy, My Dear
Drum Solo
One More Flag in the Ground
Keyboard Solo
Sanctuary
Veil of Elysium

Encore:
March of Mephisto
Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)
⁠Sanctum Requiem

Band members
Tommy Karevik – vocals
Thomas Youngblood – guitars
Sean Tibbetts – bass
Oliver Palotai – keyboards, orchestrations
Alex Landenburg – drums

Guest musicians
Giada Etro – clean female vocals & harsh screams
Clémentine Delauney – clean female vocals

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Event Review – AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up (Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto, ON, 09/15/2026 – 09/16/2026)

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Not even one of the strongest storms in the history of Toronto could stop fans from all over the world to get powered up by the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store.

INTRODUCTION: For those about to rock, go check the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store!

Free and open to all fans, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will open in every city on AC/DC’s 2026 North American stadium tour, giving fans one more way to be part of the PWR/UP Tour as it rolls through each town. Unfortunately, the Toronto concert scheduled for September 16 at Rogers Stadium had to be cancelled due to the severe damage done to the venue by an otherworldly storm that crushed the city to pieces on September 2, but that didn’t stop AC/DC to make an “appearance” in Toronto in the form of the pop up store on September 15 and 16. The location chosen for the special event was the excellent Steam Whistle Brewing, and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, Blair Burch and I were invited to be part of such a unique experience for fans of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Since the shows and pop up store are still happening in Winnipeg, New York, and Philadelphia, you know what to do. For those about to rock alongside AC/DC, we salute you!

AC/DC PWR/UP POP UP

Named after their 2020 album PWRϟUP, which reached #1 in 21 countries, the PWR/UP Tour began with the band’s long-awaited return to the stage at Power Trip in California in 2023, and has since sold out dozens of stadiums across four continents. As the massive tour entered its final leg in North America, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up was created to give fans of one of the biggest bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll a place to gather before show day, and be part of the high voltage energy surrounding the tour. There’s merch you won’t find at the concert. Fans can shop unique collectibles, tour apparel, light-up horns, and other pop-up merchandise. Fans can get up close to AC/DC history. Each location will also feature AC/DC-themed food and drink, iconic props, custom visuals, interactive photo moments, ticket giveaways, PWR/UP Fan Preview events, and the opportunity to enter to win a guitar signed by Angus Young.

There were local fans at the Toronto pop up, superfans who have been following the band all across the world during this tour (similar to what fans of bands like Iron Maiden do), casual rock listeners who got attracted to the store for obvious reasons (who doesn’t want to spend some bucks on high quality merch, right?), and so on. Everybody was having a great time at this supercharged social outing in Toronto, and not even the fact the show was canceled in the city was capable of making the whole event less enjoyable. As special guests, we even received an awesome gift bag with some cool items like the AC/DC High Voltage shirt, which I’ll surely sport on special occasions like one of the upcoming rock and metal concerts in the city. Also, I was told the members of AC/DC themselves were at the pop up store this Wednesday, giving autographs, taking photos, and so on, which means if you’re lucky enough you might also see the guys at the pop up store in your city.

Let’s hope that AC/DC do not call it quits anytime soon, and keep on rockin’ our world like they’ve always done for many decades. We need them back in Toronto for a killer concert, and please, Mother Nature, let those rock giants bring joy to us Torontonian rockers ate least one more time in the coming years. And of course, if or when that happens, I hope the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will also come together with the concert and tour, because that’s what fans of titans like AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses and so many other iconic bands want, to not only see their idols kicking some serious ass onstage, but to also turn the days before and after the show into an immersive experience, bringing the sheer power of rock and metal music to our hearts for more than just the few hours of the actual concerts. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N’ Roll, but a band like AC/DC has mastered that art to perfection, and the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up surely brings that energy to us fans and connects us even more with our rock idols.

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Concert Review – Revocation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/12/2026)

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A feast of absolute raging Death Metal turned up the heat even more on an already hot night in the city of Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Weeping, Fuming Mouth and Defeated Sanity

We’re lucky the weather is still quite warm in Toronto now that the summer is “unofficially” over (when kids get back to school, parents consider the summer as over, and will sport sweaters and jackets even when the temperature is above +25oC and sunny), and even luckier to host the awesome 20 Years of Torment 2026 Tour with WEEPING, FUMING MOUTH, DEFEATED SANITY, and the guys celebrating those 20 years of pure metal magic, REVOCATION, another great event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The cozy Lee’s Palace was the place chosen for such a nice gathering, and I was actually surprised it wasn’t too hot inside the venue during the entire night. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi is still recovering from his injury and surgery, which means our friend Blair Burch once again helped us with his sharp photography skills to make this review of the concert as incendiary as the bands onstage. Also, traffic to get to Toronto has become a true nightmare no matter what time or day of the week, but fortunately as the first band was only scheduled to play after 7:30pm there was plenty of time to get to the venue before the celebrations started.

It was around 7:40pm when New Jersey’s own Death Metal/Hardcore/Powerviolence quartet WEEPING kicked off their insane performance, melting our faces mercilessly with their scorching heaviness and undisputed technique. Having released the album Spiritual Barbarism back in 2024, plus a new single titled When You Beg now in 2026, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Theo Vlahos on vocals and guitars, Thomas Deabreu also on the guitars, Anthony Izworski on bass (who’s also the bassist for Fuming Mouth, by the way), and Jon Lievano on drums crushed our damned souls with a no shenanigans concert, kicking some serious ass onstage and, therefore, inspiring everyone on the floor section to already go mental inside the circle pit. Those guys are simply insane, and if you know nothing about them, go check their music asap and keep an eye on their tour dates, because if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do.

Band members
Theo Vlahos – vocals, guitars
Thomas Deabreu – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass, backing vocals
Jon Lievano – drums

Perhaps the most anticipated attraction of the night, besides obviously Revocation, was Milford, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore/Hardcore outfit FUMING MOUTH, who are becoming a fan-favorite in Toronto when it comes to violence and heaviness. Mark Whelan, Patrick Merson, Anthony Izworski and Jay Weinberg made sure no one was left alive with an overdose of venomous roars, crushing riffs, thunderous bass lines, and demented beats and fills. Of course, the fact that their 2026 album The Ringing Bell (available on both BandCamp and on Spotify) is insane made their task a lot easier, as the crowd was eager to witness some of those new songs live, like Cheat Death, Self‐Exhumed, and Finally Fearless. It was really nice to see Mark explaining what Fuming Mouth means, this evil entity that will kill everyone, saying to several people in the crowd “You will die! You will die! You will die!” and, therefore, creating this fun connection between the band and the fans. We will all die eventually, and if we have the live music by Fuming Mouth to entertain us during our last moments, we’ll surely die happy metalheads.

Setlist
Cheat Death
A Blaze of Nihilism
Hidden in the Moor
Self‐Exhumed
I’ll Find You
Respect Mortality
Visions of Purgatory
Finally Fearless

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Patrick Merson – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass
Jay Weinberg – drums

After a short break, German-American squad DEFEATED SANITY kicked off their onrush of demonic, visceral and grim fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal, making the foundations of Lee’s Palace tremble so heavy they sounded. Having released the album Chronicles of Lunacy in 2024, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, frontman Josh Welshman alongside the extremely talented guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, the incredible bassist Jacob Schmidt, and the ruthless drummer Lille Gruber were insane onstage, with the circle pit getting out of control due to the extreme violence blasted by all band members. I honestly do not remember a kitchen so technical yet demolishing like the one crafted by Jacob and Lille, and if you enjoy extreme music with a strong technical vibe, go check the music by Defeated Sanity because those guys are amazing both in the studio and live.

Setlist
Introitus
Consumed by Repugnance
Verblendung
Liquifying Cerebral Hemispheres
Accelerating the Rot
Martyrium
The Bell
Dislimbing the Ostracized

Band members
Josh Welshman – vocals
Vaughn Stoffey – guitars
Jacob Schmidt – bass
Lille Gruber – drums

REVOCATION

After three opening bands that were all 10 out of 10, the crowd was more than warmed up for the lecture in Technical Death and Thrash Metal by Boston, Massachusetts-based crew REVOCATION, who might be celebrating 20 years of existence, but the ones receiving all the presents were us fans with each and every song played by those first-class musicians. It doesn’t matter if it was a late start, already close to 10:30pm, because the entire venue was burning with the blend of classics and new songs from their 2025 album New Gods, New Masters, which you can listen in full on Spotify. David Davidson, Harry Lannon, Ash Pearson and Alex Weber proved why they’ve become one of the most important bands of the current tech death scene with an impeccable performance, kicking our asses hard until the very end.

Songs like Nihilistic Violence, Chaos of Forms, Dismantle the Dictator, Summon the Spawn, and Bound by Desire were all played to perfection by those four extremely talented musicians, and the result was of course an intense circle pit that was dragging everyone into it in celebration of our good old Death Metal. There’s this very small Asian girl that’s rockin’ in every single show in Toronto, and of course she was there Saturday night. No idea how she can handle so much alcohol and how she can venture inside those demented circle pits due to her tiny stature and very low weight, but one thing I can say is that she knows how to party, and that’s exactly what Revocation wanted us all to do. They simply asked Toronto to party with them after 20 years kicking ass with their unique heavy music, and we partied hard. Needless to say, I don’t think it will take long for us to see such a phenomenal band in the city again, and we’ll all be there yet again to raise our fists and horns while they melt our faces with their killer tunes.

Setlist
Nihilistic Violence
Scorched Earth Policy
Fracked
Confines of Infinity
The All Seeing
Data Corpse
Chaos of Forms
Of Unworldly Origin
Dismantle the Dictator
Summon the Spawn
Only the Spineless Survive
Bound by Desire

Band members
David Davidson – vocals, guitars
Harry Lannon – guitars
Ash Pearson – drums
Alex Weber – bass

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Concert Review – Dimmu Borgir (History, Toronto, ON, 08/10/2026)

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The Grand Serpent of Black Metal took the city of Toronto by storm on a scorching Monday night.

OPENING ACT: Hulder

It was another hot and humid Monday night this summer in Toronto when the mighty DIMMU BORGIR, supported by the up-and-coming entity HULDER, took the city by storm with an overdose of obscure and blasphemous Black Metal at the excellent History during the band’s Grand Serpent Rising North America 2026. Unfortunately, my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi got seriously injured and won’t be able to take any more photos of concerts until at least the end of the year, but he introduced me to his friend Blair Burch, who’s also a metal photographer, and as you can see from the photos in this review Blair is also a badass. The lowest point, though, was the absence of Hypocrisy from the lineup due to issues with their visas to get into North America (or maybe it was just Canada, as no one knows the actual details), plus the fact we could have gotten Suffocation instead like in some US cities, which of course didn’t happen, but Hulder and Dimmu Borgir made sure they played louder than hell to make up for the cancelation of the tour of one of the trailblazers of our beloved Death Metal.

It was 7:30pm when Washington, United States-based Black Metal cult HULDER kicked off their dark, occult and scorching presentation (and I’m glad I was able to make it just in time for their show because Monday night traffic has been slightly lighter during the summer). Having released the magnificent Verbolgen just last Friday (available on both BandCamp and on Spotify), the band formed of the uncanny vocalist and guitarist Hulder and the ruthless bassist Necreon, with the support of live musicians Keld on the lead guitars, and Vapula on drums, put on a fantastic show for everyone already at the venue, playing songs from all of their albums, including some absolute bangers like View From Nemeton, Verses in Oath, and …And We Shall Sing. Hulder is impressive onstage, “hiding” her face behind her long hair, corpse paint and smoke, and letting the music speak on her behalf. I love that type of atmospheric and sinister vibe from bands like Hulder, and I honestly can’t wait to see the band kicking ass live again in Toronto in the not-so-distant future. My only complaint is that Hulder could have easily played for another 20 minutes or so due to the absence of Hypocrisy, which would allow her to melt our faces with another selection of Black Metal lullabies, but it is what it is. I can’t complain about it at all. We finally got Hulder in Toronto, and that was a magnificent debut.

Setlist
A Beacon From Darkened Skies
View From Nemeton
Sylvan Awakening
Hearken the End
Verses in Oath
Veil of Penitence
Drie Raven
…And We Shall Sing

Band members
Hulder – vocals, guitar
Necreon – bass, vocals
Keld – lead guitar
Vapula – drums

DIMMU BORGIR

Finally, eight years after their last visit to Toronto, the indomitable Shagrath and his henchmen Damage (who also plays with Shagrath in Chrome Division), Silenoz, Victor Brandt, Gerlioz and Daray, collectively known as Oslo, Norway’s own Symphonic Black Metal masters DIMMU BORGIR, returned to the city for another devilish performance, this time promoting their brand new offering Grand Serpent Rising, available on both BandCamp and Spotify. Their concert was absolutely venomous, just like a serpent, blending new songs the likes of Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel, As Seen in the Unseen, and Ascent with old school material such as Mourning Palace, Stormblåst, Reptile (one of my favorites of their setlist), and The Serpentine Offering. As you can see, there was a considerable share of blasphemy, blood and venom for each and every person in the crowd, no doubt about that.

The overall sound was EXTREMELY loud to the point it was hurting a bit even for people wearing noise protection earplugs (including myself), but I guess no one really cared about it as long as we could watch the band kicking ass onstage. Shagrath’s vocals continue to impress, as they sound just as harsh and infuriated as in his early days (therefore bringing even more adrenaline to their live shows), Damage was a beast bleeding a lot from his new tattoo on his right arm as he kept shredding his guitar (and there’s nothing more Black Metal than that), but it was Gerlioz on keyboards who stole the show, at least for me. He looks like a demonic hybrid of Rammstein’s Christian “Flake” Lorenz and Depeche Mode’s Andy Fletcher (RIP) in the best way possible, keeping the atmosphere as vibrant, dense and theatrical with his keys. All band members sounded solid and electrifying, but let’s say Gerlioz was the man in Toronto.

As the show was getting closer to its inevitable end, the band unleashed hell upon us all mere mortals with two of their biggest classics, Gateways and the breathtaking Progenies of the Great Apocalypse (definitely the highest moment of the whole night), resulting in a wild reaction by the fans in the mosh pit, increasing the temperature (even more) inside the venue, and leaving the gates of the underworld open wide for Dimmu Borgir to crush Toronto to pieces again in the near future. Hopefully it’s not going to take another eight years for those Norwegian serpents to invade our city with their demolishing concert, be it with a brand new album, a “best of” tour, or playing an entire classic album. As long as we get Dimmu Borgir again in Toronto, we will be very happy metalheads.

Setlist
Ulvgjeld & Blodsodel
Mourning Palace
Kings of the Carnival Creation
Council of Wolves and Snakes
As Seen in the Unseen
Ascent
Stormblåst
Reptile
The Insight and the Catharsis
The Serpentine Offering
Puritania
Gateways
Progenies of the Great Apocalypse
Perfection or Vanity

Band members
Shagrath (Stian Tomt Thoresen) – vocals
Damage (Kjell Karlsen) – lead guitar
Silenoz (Sven Atle Kopperud) – rhythm guitar
Victor Brandt – bass
Gerlioz (Geir Bratland) – keyboards
Daray (Dariusz Brzozowski) – drums

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Concert Review – Raider, Napoleon & Abysmal Whore (Monarch Tavern, Toronto, ON, 07/10/2026)

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Several metalheads in Toronto raised their golden horns to three of the must-see names of the local scene on a warm and fun Friday night in the city.

INTRODUCTION: Golden Horns Fest 3 & Belgian Jasper’s Birthday Bash!

I’m not going to write another massive complaint about the hideous Toronto traffic any day of the week. I’m just going to say it took me over one hour and thirty minutes to drive for around 30km last Friday. Yes, it was insane. Anyway, let’s talk about music, as one of Toronto’s coolest metalheads, our buddy Jasper De Man, also known as Belgian Jasper, the host of Loud & Clear, not only celebrated his birthday on Friday July 10 at the cozy Monarch Tavern, with performances by three of the must-see metal bands or the current Canadian rock and metal scene, those being RAIDER, NAPOLEON, and ABYSMAL WHORE, but he also announced the winners of the third edition of the Golden Horns Awards. This year’s winners were Abysmal Whore for Best Toronto Band, Russell Allen for Metal Warrior Award, Alissa White-Gluz for Best Interview, Helloween for Best Live Show, Afra Catharina for Best Photo International, and Afrida Nawar and Isabelle for Best Photo Canada. By the way, Afrida was once again uber nice and helped us with some photos as Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was not feeling well and couldn’t attend the event. Thanks again, Afrida!

ABYSMAL WHORE

After a short delay due to some technical difficulties at the venue, it was time for total devastation with Toronto-based Death Metal brigade ABYSMAL WHORE, and if you don’t know these girls and guys, go check their music on BandCamp and on Spotify as they’re awesome. Formed of the indomitable Marta Chilina on vocals and guitar, Nava Amin also on the guitar, Andrew Phillips on bass, and Korrosive’s own Kaveh Afshar on drums, the band played basically songs from their 2024 demo Sadistic Urge, and I must say they sounded a lot better live than in the studio, delivering a dirtier and more aggressive rendition of their songs. I really want to see a full album by such a promising band of the Canadian scene, because they definitely know how to craft high quality music, and they surely show their passion for the extreme through their music and when they’re kicking ass onstage.

Band members
Marta Chilina – vocals, guitar
Nava Amin – guitar
Andrew Phillips – bass
Kaveh Afshar – drums

NAPOLEON

After a short break it was time for Alternative Punk/Post-Hardcore four-piece NAPOLEON to set the house on fire with their beyond electrifying performance, igniting some fun mosh pits and putting a smile on everyone’s faces with their energy and charisma. Playing a very vibrant set including songs like Buried In The Garden Of Eden, Haunting Me, Lord and Savior, and I Better Run (all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), frontman Jon Elmaleh and his henchmen Tommy Whyte on the guitar, Camilo Martinez on bass (who kept playing like a true badass even after one of the chords simply decided it didn’t want to be part of his bass anymore), and Eitan Garazi on drums didn’t stop kicking ass not even for a single second, and if you’re in Toronto looking for some action inside the pit, keep an eye on their tour dates. Those guys are fantastic live.

Band members
Jon Elmaleh – vocals
Tommy Whyte – guitar
Camilo Martinez – bass
Eitan Garazi – drums

RAIDER

The last attraction of the night was Kitchener/Waterloo’s own Thrash/Death Metal machine RAIDER, and those guys never fool around when it comes to delivering pure, unfiltered sonic devastation to their avid fans. Having released the album Trial by Chaos in 2023 (available on both BandCamp and Spotify), the band formed of Gabe Rosa on vocals and  lead guitars, Bennett Smith on vocals and guitars, Aaron Tanner on bass, and Angus Pike on drums showed no mercy for our souls with an incendiary performance, blasting the heaviest and fastest sounds you can think of. They kept shredding their guitars, screaming and pounding their drums nonstop, almost setting fire to the venue, and there wasn’t a single song in their setlist that didn’t transpire extreme aggression. I think it’s about time those guys release a new album, and of course, they should book more shows in the city. They were the icing on the cake on a night of first-class Canadian metal, and if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do. Thank you, Jasper, for bringing those three bands together for us! It was a great celebration, even with Belgium losing such a tough match against Spain that same day. Well, bring it on, World Cup 2030!

Band members
Gabe Rosa – vocals, lead guitars
Bennett Smith – vocals, guitars
Aaron Tanner – bass
Angus Pike – drums

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Album Review – Eaten By Sharks / The Undertow Of Hate (2026)

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This Canadian Technical Death Metal sea beast returns from the ocean depths with their sophomore album, a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse.

Blending Technical and Progressive Death Metal with technical precision, crushing grooves, and Deathcore aggression, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own rising force Eaten By Sharks continues to evolve from the sound established on their 2022 release Eradication with their newborn spawn, entitled The Undertow Of Hate, embracing a more composition-focused and cinematic approach by crafting a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying another killer artwork by Paolo Girardi, the new album by Matt Sherriff on vocals, Chris Chaperon and Dan Okowinsky on the guitars, Tyler Abrams on bass, and Justin Whitehead on drums offers us mere mortals a devastating blend of Deathcore, slam, and modern Extreme Metal intensity, becoming therefore a must-listen for fans of Fit For An Autopsy, Gojira and Cattle Decapitation, just to name a few.

The piercing guitars by Chris and Dan invite us all to dive deep into the unruly waters of The Undertow Of Hate in Vessels Torn, with Matt screaming and gnarling like a demented creature until the very end; while In Tidal Chaos starts in a sinister way before all hell breaks loose to the massive beats by Justin and the rumbling bass by Tyler in a lecture in Technical Deathcore. Capsized sounds even heavier and more demented, with Matt’s deep guttural reeking of classic Death Metal, supported by the always technical and venomous guitar work by Chris and Dan; and let’s enjoy several bodies slamming into the pit to the sound of Bodies Overboard, with Justin hammering his drums nonstop, consequently bringing even more heaviness and violence to their music.

Their Technical Death Metal vein pulses harder than ever in Treading Water, with the visceral roars by Matt walking hand in hand with the intricacy and hatred blasted by his bandmates, followed by Dragged Under, which keeps the momentum going with an explosion of absolute violence by all band members, all boosted by the groovy kitchen crafted by Tyler and Justin. Becoming Chum is definitely less electrifying than its predecessors, albeit still very aggressive and showcasing the band’s trademark sound; and the band will drag us 10,000 meters deep to the multi-layered, very technical and demonic Crimson Tide, where their striking riffage offers Matt exactly what he needs to vociferate like a creature from the deep, flowing into the cinematic outro Surfaced Remains, where you can smell the blood of the fallen on their shark-infested waters.

With a commitment to high-quality production and engaging storytelling, Eaten By Sharks are poised to leave a lasting impact on the genre with the release of The Undertow Of Hate, an album built around transformation, destruction, and irreversible change at sea. You can find those subaquatic death dealers on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, stream their visceral creations on any platform like Spotify and Apple Music, and of course purchase their awesome new album from Bandcamp or from CDN Records. Just like an aggressive shark at sea, Eaten By Sharks can smell your blood from a very far distance, and once they capture with their Technical Death Metal and Deathcore jaws to the sound of their new opus, there’s no way out.

Best moments of the album: In Tidal Chaos, Treading Water and Crimson Tide.

Worst moments of the album: Becoming Chum.

Released in 2026 CDN Records

Track listing
1. Vessels Torn 4:43
2. In Tidal Chaos 4:36
3. Capsized 3:36
4. Bodies Overboard 3:53
5. Treading Water 3:40
6. Dragged Under 3:42
7. Becoming Chum 4:25
8. Crimson Tide 4:03
9. Surfaced Remains 1:26

Band members
Matt Sherriff – vocals
Chris Chaperon – lead guitar
Dan Okowinsky – guitar
Tyler Abrams – bass
Justin Whitehead – drums

Album Review – Gales of Avalon / Terror Vision (2026)

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After twenty years, these veterans of the Calgary metal scene are going out with a bang with their third and final album, featuring ten songs about ten of the band’s favorite horror movies.

Veterans of the Calgary metal scene, Blackened Death Metal horde Gales of Avalon is unleashing their third and final full-length release, titled Terror Vision, following up on their 2017 album Hope and their 2022 EP Oblivion. You read it correctly. Unfortunately, after twenty years, countless shows, three EPs, and three full-length albums, the band has decided to bring their adventure to an end. Mixed by James Neill, with help from Mark Dillon and Gavin Szentner, and mastered by Roland Rodas at Cavern of Echoes, the new album by vocalist and bassist James Neill, vocalist and guitarist Mark Dillon, guitarist Collin Wo, and drummer Jamie Gallo features ten songs about ten of the band’s favorite horror movies, offering their trademark mix of catchy heavy songs and soaring guitar harmonies, and their brand of genre bending metal songs.

Your body and soul are doomed if you don’t enjoy the opening track Camp Crystal Lake, from its eerie intro until the very end, with their Death Metal riffs matching perfectly with James’ deep guttural. Mark and Collin then bring the badass Rock N’ Roll vibe from the mighty Motörhead through their sharp riffs in Return of the Living Dead, perfect for some wild headbanging; followed by Lifeforce, another blast of Death N’ Roll led by the classic beats by Jamie, supported by the rumbling bass by James. The Town that Dreaded Sundown invites us all to bang our heads together with the quartet, with James once again barking and roaring nonstop, whereas 100 Pieces of Gold explodes into a wild mix of 70’s Rock N’ Roll, Stoner Metal and their core Death Metal after its cryptic intro.

The deep vociferations by James are nicely complemented by the always heavy-as-hell riffs by Mark and Collin in Always You, offering more of the band’s trademark blend of savagery and melodious sounds, and the dual vocal attack by James and Mark works really well in C.H.U.D., while Jamie keeps blasting his drums in great fashion. After such a bold tune, Dead by Dawn presents another round of the band’s scathing riffage, albeit a bit repetitive in the end; while in My Bloody Valentine they get back to a more electrifying sonority, with the riffs and solos by Mark and Collin living up to the legacy of Melodic Death Metal. Finally, we face a unique take on one of the biggest slasher films of all time, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, featuring Amanda Marie Bourdon of the bands Caveat and Greybeard, mixing rap music with their core deadly sounds.

“We had a lot of time to write and record this album. We played the songs live for a few years, working them out, and we are very proud and happy with the final product. We knew, going into the recording, that this was gonna be the last one. So, we wanted to put in an effort that was heavy and fun for the fans,” said James Neill, and if you want to know more about Gales of Avalon, their very last album, as well as their previous ones, you can find those guys on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase the album from BandCamp. Not only that, the band will be playing an album release party on June 13 at Vern’s Tavern in Calgary, with support from The Bodies of Everest, Armifera, Oklahoma, and BlackSpirit, which means if you’re around that area you know what to do. Gales of Avalon are going out with a bang with Terror Vision, and hopefully we’ll hear from the guys with other bands and projects. Gales of Avalon will surely be missed, but not before leaving us with a banger of an album.

Best moments of the album: Return of the Living Dead, Always You and My Bloody Valentine.

Worst moments of the album: Dead by Dawn.

Released in 2026 Independent

Track listing
1. Camp Crystal Lake 4:56
2. Return of the Living Dead 4:33
3. Lifeforce 5:27
4. The Town that Dreaded Sundown 4:15
5. 100 Pieces of Gold 4:18
6. Always You 5:25
7. C.H.U.D. 3:45
8. Dead by Dawn 4:52
9. My Bloody Valentine 3:45
10.Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4:12

Band members
James Neill – vocals, bass
Mark Dillon – vocals, guitars
Collin Wo – guitars
Jamie Gallo – drums

Guest musician
Amanda Marie Bourdon – vocals on “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”

Album Review – Goreworm / Miasmic Solitude (2026)

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Meshing different Death Metal styles in a way that’s both confounding and challenging, this Canadian ensemble returns with their sophomore beast, their most evolved creation to date.

Meshing different Death Metal styles in a way that’s both confounding and challenging, throwing Technical, Melodic, and Brutal Death Metal elements into a high-speed blender, Brantford, Ontario-based ensemble Goreworm have been on a roll since their inception back in 2017, culminating now in 2026 with the release of their sophomore album Miasmic Solitude, following up on their 2020 debut Prodigy of the Grotesque. Displaying a grim, barren artwork by Leanna TenEycke, and featuring guest drummer Robin Stone (of bands like Ashen Horde, Norse and Chestcrush), the new album by Robert Miller on vocals, Jordan Estrela on the guitars, and Brent Moerschfelder on the guitars and bass is their most evolved creation to date, and it must be celebrated for its passionate and innovative take on the Technical Death Metal style.

It’s pedal to the metal from the very first notes in the infuriated Conjuring, with its background epicness elevating the band’s heaviness to a whole new level, not to mention Robin simply demolishes his drums in an ode to tech death. The following tune Monuments to Murdering brings forward a crazy fusion of Progressive and Technical Death Metal where Robert’s enraged roars match perfectly with the intricate riffs by Jordan and Brent; whereas The Enthralling Grave, the first single of the album, offers an onrush of violence and dexterity, with Robin once again hammering his drums in the name of extreme music. The band then delivers a somber, grim sonority in Orbweaver, evolving into another slab of brutal insanity spearheaded by the inhumane riffage by the band’s guitar duo, and it’s time to headbang like a maniac to the sound of Amor Vincit Omnia, a Latin phrase meaning “love conquers all,” coined by the Roman poet Virgil around 37 B.C., another solid Technical Death Metal beast crafted by the boys.

The band  goes berserk in the Death Metal extravaganza No Reprieve, with Robert barking and growling rabidly for our absolute delight in a lecture in Technical Death Metal made in Canada; while Eve of Flagellation feels a bit uninspired in the end despite its heaviness and fury, even with Robert roaring like a demonic entity nonstop. Then back to a more creative and demented sonority we face Jarrell, as infernal as it is technical, with Robin stealing the spotlight with perhaps his most demolishing performance of the entire album; whereas adding epic elements to their core savagery, the band destroys everything and everyone with Strelly, where Brent sounds ruthless with both his guitar and bass for our total delight. And lastly we have the title-track Miasmic Solitude, putting a beyond pulverizing ending to the album to the sound of the band’s undisputed screams, riffs and beats.

After all is said and done, the new offering by the unrelenting Goreworm will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the most intricate yet demolishing form of Death Metal crafted by bands the likes of Arsis, Gorod, Xenosis, Fleshbore, and Obscura, just to name a few. You can get to know more about such a talented band from Canada by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, blow your speakers by streaming their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their incendiary new album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. Goreworm  offer classic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal and more in Miasmic Solitude, and you better get ready as once their music strikes you, it will be deadly.

Best moments of the album: Monuments to Murdering, No Reprieve and Jarrell.

Worst moments of the album: Eve of Flagellation.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1 Conjuring 4:10
2 Monuments to Murdering 3:04
3 The Enthralling Grave 3:04
4 Orbweaver 4:34
5 Amor Vincit Omnia 5:02
6 No Reprieve 4:13
7 Eve of Flagellation 4:11
8 Jarrell 4:10
9 Strelly 3:29
10 Miasmic Solitude 4:09

Band members
Robert Miller – vocals
Jordan Estrela – guitars
Brent Moerschfelder – guitars, bass

Guest musician
Robin Stone – drums (session)

Album Review – Iron Kingdom / Shadows and Dust (2026)

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These Canadian metal heroes return with their sixth studio album, taking on loss, pain and struggle while also blending their classic Heavy Metal roots with new textures, progressive touches, and a renewed sense of storytelling.

Forged in Vancouver, Canada in 2011, Iron Kingdom have spent fifteen years carrying the torch for classic Heavy Metal with unwavering conviction, inspired by the genre’s titans such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Helloween, Scorpions, and Rush while building identity on electrifying stage presence, intricate twin-guitar harmonies, and a steadfast devotion to the melodic, adventurous spirit of traditional metal, culminating now in 2026 with their sixth studio album, titled Shadows and Dust. Recorded at KH Studios, co-produced by the band’s own Chris Osterman and Megan Merrick, mixed by Andy Boldt, mastered by Greg Reely at The Green Jacket, and displaying a harsh artwork by Alan Lathwell (inspired by a scene in the Malazan Book of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson), the new opus by vocalist and guitarist Chris Osterman, guitarist Megan Merrick, bassist Leighton Holmes, and drummer Max Friesen heavily lends itself towards the themes of death and impermanence, taking on loss, pain and struggle while also blending the band’s classic Heavy Metal roots with new textures, progressive touches, and a renewed sense of storytelling.

Chris and Megan rev up the band’s Heavy Metal engine with their striking axe attack in Defenders before the same Chris delivers his 80’s-inspired soaring vocals for our total delight; and get ready for another battle hymn titled Eternal Emperor, with the galloping rhythm led by Leighton and Max sounding thrilling and vibrant. Then fully inspired by the classic sound crafted by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon we have Dreamless Sea, with their guitars sounding melodic and sharp from start to finish. Max once again takes the lead in Deadhouse Gates, with the entire band being in total sync and therefore offering us all first-class classic Heavy Metal; whereas it’s time for total anarchy with the fast and furious Line of Fire, adding elements of Speed and Thrash Metal to their core sound while led by the ass-kicking riffs and solos by Chris and Megan.

Despite its imposing name, Blood and Steel sounds a bit too mellow and soft compared to the rest of the album, as if it was a mellow version of Melodic Rock or AOR, although it’s still a very enjoyable tune. Then back to their trademark fusion of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal we face Shadow of Time, with the groove flowing from Leighton’s bass and Max’s drums penetrating deep inside our metallic minds; and it’s time to put the pedal to the metal in the high-octane Speed Metal extravaganza Dark Demands, with Chris firing his most insane high-pitched screams of the whole album. Again delivering a rhythmic, galloping sonority we have Starlight, with their guitar riffs and solos once again bringing fire to the ambience, whereas closing the album we’re treated to the epic seven-minute aria Sacred Fire, starting in a serene manner before morphing into a classic sound rooted in the 80’s, spearheaded by the old school vocals by Chris.

Across six albums, Iron Kingdom have transformed from a Hard Rock-leaning young band into a fully realized traditional Heavy Metal powerhouse, with Shadows and Dust also becoming the first album recorded entirely in the band’s own home studio, a major step in their long-standing DIY ethos. You can find more information about the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their excellent music on Spotify, and of course purchase their new album from BandCamp. With Shadows and Dust, Iron Kingdom enter a new era with sharpened purpose, renewed fire, and a sound that honors the past while forging boldly ahead. It’s a story of endurance, evolution, and the unbreakable power of Heavy Metal, and I’m sure that after Shadows and Dust we’ll see those Canadians rockin’ for many years to come no matter what.

Best moments of the album: Deadhouse Gates, Line of Fire and Dark Demands.

Worst moments of the album: Blood and Steel.

Released in 2026 Steel Shark Records

Track listing
1. Defenders 6:05
2. Eternal Emperor 4:31
3. Dreamless Sea 5:11
4. Deadhouse Gates 4:57
5. Line of Fire 3:06
6. Blood and Steel 4:53
7. Shadow of Time 4:23
8. Dark Demands 3:36
9. Starlight 4:10
10. Sacred Fire 7:21

Band members
Chris Osterman – lead vocals, guitars
Megan Merrick – guitars
Leighton Holmes – bass
Max Friesen – drums

Concert Review – Sepultura (London Music Hall, London, ON, 05/02/2026)

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The Canadian city of London witnessed for the very first (and last) time ever the undisputed power of “Sepultura do Brasil” on an unforgettable night of first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Tribal Gaze, Biohazard and Exodus

After back to back nights of pure heavy music with bands like Archspire, Amon Amarth and Dethklok kicking my ass in Toronto on Thursday and Friday, it was time for a nice drive to the city of London for night number 3 of absolute metal magic to enjoy TRIBAL GAZE, BIOHAZARD, EXODUS and SEPULTURA take the cozy London Music Hall by storm this Saturday night as part of their Celebrating Life Through Death Final North American Tour 2026, another killer event organized by our local hero Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there with me to register such a great celebration of Thrash, Death and Groove Metal, as well as some first-class Hardcore, and I guess because the show was on a Saturday, and due to the size of the bands playing, it was scheduled for an early start, with doors opening at 5:30pm and the first band hitting the stage at 6:30pm. Fortunately, as mentioned, it was on a Saturday, so it was just a matter of planning the drive beforehand to get there in time to enjoy all attractions (and brave the long merch line if you were up to that), and believe me, they were all absolutely worth the ticket.

The opening slot of this tour was given to Texan Death Metal outfit TRIBAL GAZE, and just like when I saw them opening for Cattle Decapitation they were ruthless onstage. Once again playing songs exclusively from their 2025 sophomore Inveighing Brilliance, available on both BandCamp and Spotify, including the venomous Twitching on the Cross, Guarding the Illusion, and Beyond Recognition, the band formed of McKenna Holland on vocals, Quintin Stauts and Ian Kilmer on the guitars, Zachary Denton on bass, and Cesar De Los Santos on drums inspired everyone already at the venue to start a sick circle pit, properly warming up the crowd for the other attractions of the night. Those guys are very young and looked extremely excited for opening for some of their metal heroes, as I’m sure they grew up listening to Sepultura, Exodus and Biohazard, so their level of energy onstage was insanely high. As I always say, new bands like Tribal Gaze need our support to keep metal alive, which means if they ever play in your city, you know what to do.

Setlist
Emptying the Nest
Smiling From Their Chariots
To the Spoils of Faith
The Irreversible Sequence
Twitching on the Cross
Guarding the Illusion
Beyond Recognition

Band members
McKenna Holland – vocals
Quintin Stauts – guitars
Ian Kilmer – guitars
Zachary Denton – bass
Cesar De Los Santos – drums

After Tribal Gaze finished their unrelenting performance, we were treated to the incendiary Hardcore by Brooklyn, New York’s most famous squad, the indomitable BIOHAZARD. It was only my second time in life seeing those guys live, the first back in the late 90’s when they were one of the must-see bands on MTV, and I must say they looked a lot sharper and more infuriated this Saturday night. Evan Seinfeld is in fantastic shape, way better than his early days or when he was one of the prisoners in the revolutionary TV series Oz, and if I ever have a chance to talk to him in person I’ll certainly ask him for some health tips as he looks awesome. Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel and Danny Schuler were also on fire, and their short but sweet setlist, blending classics with new songs from their 2025 album Divided We Fall (all available on Spotify), was heavy, flammable, violent and fun from start to finish, igniting a demonic circle pit that turned up the heat considerably at the venue. Biohazard still got it, no doubt about it, and I’m happy I was able to see those legends live again after almost 30 years.

Setlist
Urban Discipline
Shades of Grey
Fuck the System
Wrong Side of the Tracks
Tales From the Hard Side
Forsaken
Punishment

Band members
Evan Seinfeld – vocals, bass
Billy Graziadei – vocals, rhythm guitar
Bobby Hambel – lead guitar
Danny Schuler – drums

Then it was time for another blast of absolute thrashing madness onstage with the mighty Thrash Metal titans EXODUS, who after the return of the furious Rob Dukes are sounding even heavier than before. I saw them opening for Megadeth also in London in February, when they kicked off their tour to promote their new album Goliath (also available on Spotify), but this time opening for Sepultura sounded a lot heavier (and louder, as the sound at the London Concert Hall was turned up to 11). The setlist wasn’t too different from last time, but the fact they added the magnificent Deathamphetamine to it made their show more violent and vibrant. It’s always a pleasure seeing Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson and Tom Hunting onstage, as well as the aforementioned Rob Dukes, of course, but the show was so intense we all had to share our attention with the hurricane happening inside the circle pit. Well, when the last three songs of a setlist are A Lesson in Violence, The Toxic Waltz, and Strike of the Beast, you know you can’t simply stand and watch the show. You need to get into the action, and the fans in London understood the message maybe even more than what anyone could have predicted. Yes, it was a true lesson in violence, and we must thank the one and only Exodus for such a fun time.

Setlist
We Will Rock You (Queen song)
3111
Bonded by Blood
Deathamphetamine
Blacklist
Goliath
A Lesson in Violence
The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast

Band members
Rob Dukes – vocals
Gary Holt – guitar
Lee Altus – guitar
Jack Gibson – bass
Tom Hunting – drums

SEPULTURA

It was already past 9pm when the main band of the night, Brazilian Thrash/Groove Metal institution SEPULTURA, kicked off their very first, and most probably their very last (as this is supposed to be their farewell tour), concert in the city of London, and the fans made sure it was an unforgettable night for Derrick Green, Andreas Kisser, Paulo Jr., and Greyson Nekrutman, as the crowd was rowdy and wild during their entire setlist, even when they played slower or newer songs like The Place (from their brand new EP The Cloud of Unknowing, already available in any platform such as Spotify) and Agony of Defeat. The crowd got louder of course during their classics from the 90’s, but the synchronicity between Sepultura and the fans in London was a thing of beauty during the entire concert.

Speaking of classics, I simply loved the fact they kicked off the show with Beneath the Remains and Inner Self, two of my all-time favorite Sepultura songs, and the quartet sounded utterly heavy during those masterpieces. The action inside the pit got out of control, the fans began smashing each other on the front rows to the point some people had to move to the back to be able to breathe and enjoy the rest of the show, and the fact they kept playing heavy and visceral tunes the likes of Attitude, Choke and Escape to the Void turned the venue into a cauldron of violence. The excellent tribal hymn Kaiowas brought some moments of peace to London, but of course all hell broke loose again once they played in a row the majestic Orgasmatron, Territory, Refuse/Resist and Arise. It was way crazier than their show in Toronto in 2024, I must admit.

Then after a quick drum solo by the ultra talented Greyson Nekrutman, who fells absolutely at home with Sepultura, the band put everyone to jump up and down, dance, slam into the pit, and therefore have the time of their lives with Ratamahatta, and of course with one of the best metal songs of all time, the incendiary Roots Bloody Roots. If that was indeed the first and last time Sepultura played in London, let’s say they did a phenomenal job, carving their place in the hearts of a lot of newcomers to their Sepulnation as countless fans were seeing them live for the very first time ever. I’ve seen them live already way too many times to remember, but I’ll never forget the energy in London. I had a long drive back home by myself in the middle of the night, but the adrenaline from the show was still flowing through my veins, making the drive a lot easier. Thank you for your music, Sepultura do Brasil, and if you want to somehow “cancel” your retirement and go back to London for another killer show, we will all be there for you.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Polícia (Titãs song)
Beneath the Remains
Inner Self
Desperate Cry
Kairos
Means to an End
Attitude
Choke
The Place
Escape to the Void
Kaiowas
Dead Embryonic Cells
Agony of Defeat
Orgasmatron
Territory
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Drum Solo
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Greyson Nekrutman – drums

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