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Concert Review – Fleshgod Apocalypse & Shadow of Intent (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 09/19/2024)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson, with photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

On Thursday September 19th, 2024, Toronto metalheads were treated to a hell of a show at The Opera House with The Black Opera Across North America Tour 2024 which consisted of five incredibly killer bands ranging from across the U.S.A, United Kingdom and Italy, in another amazing event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Disembodied Tyrant, The Zenith Passage and Shadow of Intent (U.S.A), Ingested (U.K) and Fleshgod Apocalypse (Italy). Having never seen any of these bands live myself yet, I was pretty excited for the experience. Before the show started I was invited to the side entrance where my photographer and brother Keith (of Metal Paparazzi) was chatting with Ingested lead vocalist Jason Evans. I was stoked at meeting him and was welcomed with a warm and friendly handshake. Jason was very humble and genuinely a great guy. We chatted a bit about England and where my family originated from and a bit about Premiere League Football until he had to get back inside. I was super glad to have met him and couldn’t wait to see Ingested rip up the stage.

The Opera House doors opened at 5:30 pm and the fans filed their way inside. Passing all the merch booths on my way in I couldn’t help lamenting the fact that I was financially tapped out from three previous shows earlier in the week and not being able to snag a couple of band shirts. I made my way to as close to the stage as I could get. Just a little off to the left side of the stage and hunkered down for the first band, Disembodied Tyrant. Not much is known about these guys other than that they will be big one day based off their recent collaboration with fellow band Synestia on their epic EP The Poetic Edda and Other EP’s The Divine Stigmata and Eclipse Pt.1 respectively. All killer by the way! The set started out a little bit slow as folks were still making their way in and the floor was only just over a quarter filled up. It took about two songs in for the floor to fill up and a mosh pit ensued. Disembodied Tyrant played a short set full of atmospheric symphonic deathcore riffs, astonishing drumming and the ghoulish vocals of singer-songwriter/producer/guitarist Blake Mullens. Mullens is a massive talent and I eagerly await anything he does next. Now that Disembodied Tyrant warmed up the blood of the masses it was time for Los Angeles’ own tech death masters The Zenith Passage to Fuck shit up.

The Zenith Passage took to the stage about 6:45pm without lead vocalist Derek Rydquist, but replacement vocalist/voice artist James Dorton (of Black Crown Initiate) filled in without missing a beat. It was almost as if he was always meant to be in the band. They put on a filthy display of talent with technical guitar shredding, nasty drumming and deep guttural vocals. The circle pits growing ever larger as The Zenith Passage played on inciting more and more insanity. Crowd surfing was off the chain. I was able to get to the front of the stage by then so I was able to take some decent pics with my phone. I had an absolute blast with these guys and I’m sure the crowd did too.

At 7:30pm Manchester England’s Ingested appeared from the fog and proceeded to break skulls. I was so excited to see them finally as my brother Keith has seen them before and told me they were awesome live. He wasn’t lying! Jason Evans was phenomenal, a truly great front man and he had the crowd in the palm of his hands. He made me find an energy inside myself that I didn’t know that I had when he ordered us to crouch down low and jump on his command. The crowd was bouncing around in a frenzy after that. The crowd surfing became even more intense and pits even gnarlier. They crushed us with every slamming breakdown and the crowd erupted with sickening glee every time Jason Evans barked out a staccato pig squeal. Ingested, who have recently released the excellent The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams, finished their set on a high note leaving us craving more sonic punishment. That was soon to come in the form of a shadow.

Now that the crowd was fattened up for the kill, Shadow of Intent was up next and took the initiative, bashing our heads in with an epic, brutal, punishing set. They didn’t hold anything back and just fucking killed it. To say that this band is good live is an understatement. They were so fucking tight. It truly was an honour to see them destroy. Ben Duerr’s vocals were so thick and nasty over Bryce Butler’s sick drumming. Those breakdowns were massive and absolutely disgusting. The pandemonium got out of hand at the end of their set as things got rougher and rougher in the pits until it spilled out into the front of the crowd. Nothing serious, just two guys shoving each other and it got squashed pretty quick as security broke it up super fast. The Opera House security had a busy shift that night with all the crazy crowd surfing and I got to hand it to them as they were friendly and professional while keeping the peace. As far as I know no grudges were held and everybody got prepared for the final act.

It took a while for the stage crew to set up as they have extensive stage props that add to the atmosphere and aesthetic of Fleshgod Apocalypse. What a perfect setting for an operatic theatrical experience than an opera house. Fleshgod Apocalypse, promoting their recent masterpiece Opera, look like they spill right out of a page from Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles and I dig it. The show kicked off with a flag waving operatic intro from Veronica Bordacchini and then right into some blood curdling death metal. Fleshgod is such a unique band that blends opera, symphonics with brutal death metal and add a little piano in there as well. Every member of this band is multi-talented and they put on quite a show. The connection they have with their fans is incredible. The crowd would intuitively burst into fist-pumping chants without any verbal cues. The band and crowd were both loving it. Fleshgod Apocalypse closed off the show with a bit of levity performing their cover of Eiffel 65’s Blue (Da Ba Dee) which felt perfect. All in all this was a great show. I went in not knowing what to expect and left as a fan of every single band. Shout out to all the metalheads there, you were great. Keep it up Toronto!

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Concert Review – Lord of the Lost (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 09/18/2024)

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And Lord of the Lost dragged us all to hell on their second electrifying concert in Canadian lands this Wednesday night in Toronto.

OPENING ACT: Julien-K

A few hours after the more-than-epic show by LORD OF THE LOST in Montreal, it was time to drive back to Toronto for round two at  The Opera House, again featuring JULIEN-K as the opener, as part of the band’s US + Canada 2024 tour. At first I thought The Opera House was bigger than the Beanfield Theatre in Montreal, but after searching for both online I found out that the difference in capacity is only of 25 people (The Opera House can fit 950 people, while the Beanfield Theatre fits 925). Maybe the fact that the floor section at The Opera House is bigger gives that impression, I don’t know, but what really matters is that LOTL were once again stunned by their Canadian fans, this time by a loud and vibrant Toronto crowd, who might not have been as rowdy as the fans in Montreal, but still VERY loud. And what’s even better is that I was joined in Toronto by my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, which is the reason why the photos are way better than my crappy mobile ones from Montreal.

As I was able to watch more of the show by Los Angeles, California’s own Electronic Rock act JULIEN-K in Toronto, I can confirm what I said in the review for Montreal, that they were an amazing opener for LOTL and that everyone inside The Opera House had a great time during their show. Their closing song, a cover version for Blue Monday, by New Order, sounded fantastic, some sort of tribute to their previous band Orgy who blew up in popularity for covering that same track. As mentioned in the review for Montreal, you can listen to more of the music by Julien-K on BandCamp and on Spotify, getting your electronic vein pulsing strong to the sound of one of the torchbearers of the style in the American scene.

Setlist
Futura
Deep Beat Overground
Fractured
All That Glitters
Your Tears Mean Nothing
The Hydra
Undo Everything
Stronger Without You
Blue Monday (New Order cover)

Band members
Ryan Shuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Amir Derakh – lead guitar, samples, keyboards, synthesizers, bass
Galen Waling – drums

LORD OF THE LOST

If you’re feelin’ down depressed and lonely, I know a place where we can go, and no, that’s not 22 Acacia Avenue, but any concert by LORD OF THE LOST, like the awesome one in Toronto this Wednesday night. I honestly don’t know how bands like LOTL can play with so much energy night after night and never get tired, liked what they did playing in Montreal this Tuesday night, and in Toronto exactly 24 hours after. The band was as sharp and electrifying as the night before, kicking some ass on the beautiful stage at The Opera House on another sold out (or almost sold out) show, and once again that adrenaline kept flowing from the band to their fans and back, turning the venue into another amazing rock and metal party.

The setlist was the same as the one in Montreal, which means the Toronto crowd had the same fuel to have a great time together with the band, and the energy blasted by Chris & Co. on stage was just as amazing as well. As a band that continues to evolve and explore new horizons, the newer songs from their 2022 album Blood & Glitter were the ones with the loudest reactions from the crowd, which as mentioned was not as wild as Montreal not because of the band, but simply due to the nature of fans in Toronto, always a bit calmer than their Québécois friends. The dancing, fist pumping, jumping around and screaming were all there, of course, and the band loved every single second of their time interacting with their “new” fans, because they might have played countless times already in their homeland Germany, but their happiness playing in Canada was the same as the one form a band that’s just starting their career. Yes, they were that happy and excited.

Closer to the end of the show, Chris mentioned that it was really insane to be playing in Canada, something unimaginable to any of them a few years ago, and that they’ll surely return to Canadian lands sooner than later (also mentioning the fact that getting their visas to Canada is way easier and cheaper than to the United States). I trust Chris one hundred percent when he says they’ll come back, because that was by far one of the wildest couple of shows I’ve seen in the past few years, with the deep connection built between the band and their fans in Montreal and Toronto being a thing of beauty. Who knows, maybe LOTL are going to be the next big thing in Canada, playing at bigger venues, attracting more and more people to their shows, and if that happens they absolutely deserve it, as they’re not only one of the most talented and innovative bands of the current scene, but they’re also really nice guys who are just starting to discover how fun Canada is and how passionate the fans here can be. In other words, see you soon, LOTL!

Setlist
The Curtain Falls
The Future of a Past Life
Dry the Rain
Loreley
Destruction Manual
For They Know Not What They Do
Raining Stars
Sex on Legs
Six Feet Underground
Born With a Broken Heart
Die Tomorrow
Black Halo
Forevermore
Drag Me to Hell
Blood for Blood
Unstoppable (Sia cover)
Shock to the System (Billy Idol cover)
Blood & Glitter
One Last Song

Band members
Chris “The Lord” Harms – lead vocals, guitars, cello
Pi “π” Stoffers – guitars, backing vocals
Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Klaas “Class Grenayde” Helmecke – bass, backing vocals
Gerrit “Gared Dirge” Heinemann – piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars, theremin
Niklas Kahl – drums

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Concert Review – Lord of the Lost (Beanfield Theatre, Montreal, QC, 09/17/2024)

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When the curtain fell in Montreal, no one was left alone by Lord of the Lost in one of the most memorable concerts in their entire career this Tuesday night.

OPENING ACT: Julien-K

As Billy Idol would say, It was a night, Montreal, burning bright, oh what a night at Théâtre Beanfield (or Beanfield Theatre) when German Dark Rock/Heavy Metal band LORD OF THE LOST, supported by JULIEN-K, played for the first time ever in Canadian lands this Tuesday night as part of their US + Canada 2024 tour, and based on the reaction of the crowd during their entire show I’m sure it wasn’t the last time we saw those guys in the Great White North. I must say the venue was also amazing. It was my first time there and I can’t wait to travel all the way to Montreal to see more of my favorite bands playing there. Not only that, the weather in Montreal was also beyond perfect, around +25oC and sunny, turning the whole day into a memorable experience for both the fans and the band.

I’ll be honest and say I didn’t see much of the concert by Los Angeles, California-based Electronic Rock act JULIEN-K (due to other commitments prior to the show), which began as a side project for electronic music created by Amir Derakh and Ryan Shuck from Orgy, alongside Anthony ‘Fu’ Valcic, and that sounds a lot like a fusion of Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, New Order, Ministry and Marilyn Manson, but I guess everyone at the venue enjoyed a lot their performance. They recently released the albums Harmonic Disruptor, in 2020, and Unauthorized Live In Europe, in 2021, and if you’re curious to know more about them you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify. I personally believe they were a great choice to open for Lord of the Lost, properly warming up all fans at the venue for the main attraction of the night, and even if electronic music is not my cup of tea I need to say they’re really good in what they do.

Setlist
Futura
Deep Beat Overground
Fractured
All That Glitters
Your Tears Mean Nothing
The Hydra
Undo Everything
Stronger Without You
Blue Monday (New Order cover)

Band members
Ryan Shuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Amir Derakh – lead guitar, samples, keyboards, synthesizers, bass
Galen Waling – drums

LORD OF THE LOST

It might have taken years for LORD OF THE LOST to finally pay a visit to Canada, but the wait was absolutely worth it as Chris Harms and his henchmen simply destroyed the Beanfield Theatre with a flawless performance overflowing electricity, heaviness and passion, putting every single person at the venue to jump up and down, dance, raise their horns and fists and scream out loud together with the band. Their setlist was amazing, showcasing a great balance between all of their old material with their latest released Blood & Glitter (2022) and Weapons of Mass Seduction (2023). The first few songs, including The Curtain Falls, Dry the Rain and Loreley, already gave us a very good taste of how awesome the whole night was going to be, and the louder the reaction of the fans was, the better the band was on stage and vice-versa.

A few songs sounded utterly powerful in Montreal, like Six Feet Underground, Die Tomorrow, Drag Me to Hell, and Blood for Blood, where by the way Chris invited everyone at the venue to do the “one-person mosh pit” (which is basically jumping and spinning around alone), and let me tell you that all fans loved that moment, with huge smiles on everyone’s faces. Pi Stoffers and Niklas Kahl were ruthless armed with their respective guitars and drums, adding a humongous dosage of heaviness to the band’s music, therefore sounding even heavier than in the studio, (something I personally loved as a fan of extreme music), and that translated into a lot of headbanging, dancing and clapping from the audience for the total delectation of the band. To be fair, the whole band was spot-on, precise and on fire, playing all songs to perfection, with the ending of the show including their cover versions for Sia’s Unstoppable and Billy Idol’s Shock to the System (the biggest surprise of the night for me), plus of course their classics Blood & Glitter and One Last Song, being the icing on the cake to their breathtaking show.

All band members were visibly very emotional during and after the show, with Chris repeating several times it was a dream come true for them to be in Canada, and that they didn’t expect such a big turnout on a Tuesday night in a country they had never played before. He also said Canada is the 40th country they’ve ever played at now, and that they will surely return in a not-so-distant future. I’m sure all fans who attended their concert can’t wait for another round of LOTL madness in the city, and I’ll make sure I find some time in my busy agenda to see them again in Montreal because that show was definitely mind blowing. There was “round 2” in Toronto the next day after a six-hour drive back home, but that will be covered in a separate review. For now, all I can say is that LOTL are Montreal, and Montreal is LOTL.

Setlist
The Curtain Falls
The Future of a Past Life
Dry the Rain
Loreley
Destruction Manual
For They Know Not What They Do
Raining Stars
Sex on Legs
Six Feet Underground
Born With a Broken Heart
Die Tomorrow
Black Halo
Forevermore
Drag Me to Hell
Blood for Blood
Unstoppable (Sia cover)
Shock to the System (Billy Idol cover)
Blood & Glitter
One Last Song

Band members
Chris “The Lord” Harms – lead vocals, guitars, cello
Pi “π” Stoffers – guitars, backing vocals
Benjamin “Benji” Mundigler – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals
Klaas “Class Grenayde” Helmecke – bass, backing vocals
Gerrit “Gared Dirge” Heinemann – piano, keyboards, percussion, guitars, theremin
Niklas Kahl – drums

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Concert Review – Goatwhore (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/17/2024)

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***Review and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Thantifaxath, Necrofier and Vitriol

Another humid night in the city of Toronto. September has not let go of the great summer weather just yet, on a nice Tuesday evening some of the best southern bands to emerge in the death metal scene set its eyes on our city. Lee’s Palace was the mark of the beast for the night, and fans flocked from all over the city to come see them. I’m talking about Goatwhore and Necrofier with Vitriol and Thantifaxath. Metalheads from all over Ontario headed into Lee’s Palace, a medium sized venue that can hold 600 people or so, and the first band to hit the stage and get the fire started is Toronto’s own Black metal cult Thantifaxath (that’s a mouthful to say). The name comes from the kabbalistic tree of life (meaning “Great Ghoul”), and the band consisting of 3 unnamed souls played some great black metal riffs and got this eager crowd in the mood for what they had coming next.

Second band of the night from out of the lone star state of Houston, Texas was Necrofier, and you’d think a band from Texas must be country or rock like ZZ Top, but no way, Texas has some of the heaviest bands to date like Pantera, Frozen Soul, Kubli Khan, to name a few. Man, this band did not waste time right from the first strum of the downtuned guitar they hit us with some real heavy riffs. Necrofier has been together since 2018 and continues to get better and better, and like with any band they grow and get to be a tight band. All I can say is these guys kick some serious ass on stage and I definitely like to see them headline a show in the near future. Third band of the night from the great state of Oregon, Portland, was Vitriol, an extreme death metal band was a three piece band not long ago, when Adam Roethlisberger quit the tour at the start for reasons unknown to us all, but that did not stop the winds from the west as they came and kicked some ass and left just like a tornado. The two members of Vitriol did what they came to do and kick our asses, with super fast and heavy riffs, some really nice blast beats and shredding mind blowing guitar riffs.

GOATWHORE

Now for the headliners, the band everyone was there to see the most, from New Orleans, Lousiana, here comes Goatwhore. Do I need to explain who they are? Probably not, but I’m going to. Simply put, this band is one of the heaviest metal bands on this planet and in this universe. The pulverizing drums from Zack Simmons, the beyond heavy drop C guitar riffs from Sammy Duet, bone shaking bass from Robert Coleman, and the best frontman ever to grace the stage, Louis Benjamin Falgoust II. These four guys kick ass, the energy from Goatwhore lasts a few days after they kicked your ass, I mean in all fun that is. Whenever they hit our city I always come out to see them. For me, I first saw this band in Toronto back in 2017 at The Garrison. My brother Kevin and I were there to see another band play and said let’s see who they are, and man, from that moment they got on stage and started playing I was a huge fan. Ben Falgoust playing the air guitar and head banging, and Sammy shredding just blew me away. I have met them outside the venues a few time just saying hello but this year I got my photos with them. This is why I love the Toronto metal scene and venues, if they play a small venue you get a more personal concert versus a big stage where they stay backstage. Every band on this bill will be walking around the venue sitting merch, shaking hands and sharing stories with fans. I’ll always support our metal scene and our fans that are friends and some family.

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Concert Review – Judas Priest (Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON, 09/14/2024)

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The Metal Gods proudly raised the Invincible Shield in Niagara Falls on Saturday night in a celebration of the beauty and glory of our beloved Heavy Metal.

OPENING ACT: Sabaton

If you’ve never seen a concert at the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, go check their calendar and don’t miss the chance of visiting one of the best venues of the current Canadian landscape. It’s a beyond phenomenal venue with a great seating chart and excellent view from wherever you end up seating (or standing, if the concert you attend saves some space upfront for a small pit), therefore the perfect choice for the one and only Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST, plus their more-than-special guests SABATON, to kick some serious ass during the second show of the new leg of the Invincible Shield Tour North America 2024. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi (who by the way had his photos shared by the Metal Gods themselves on their official Instagram) were obviously there to worship the Metal Gods in another night of the purest form of heavy music you can think of, and let me tell you that the show was beyond memorable, simply mind blowing from start to finish.

Once again, Swedish Power Metal brigade SABATON was the chosen band to warm up the avid Priest fans at a sold out OLG Stage, showing how strong the partnership seems to be between the two bands. Not only that, Sabaton are also becoming a fan-favorite worldwide, attracting countless fans to the show at the Falls this Saturday, and once they started playing it became crystal clear why they’ve already gathered such an immense fanbase. The band spearheaded by the charismatic Joakim Brodén was on fire during their entire show, delivering a solid hybrid of Heavy and Power Metal infused with warlike themes. Songs like Ghost Division, Stormtroopers, and in special the last three songs, Primo Victoria, Soldier of Heaven and To Hell and Back, inspired all fans at the venue to jump up and down nonstop, to raise their fists and horns, and to singalong all songs with Joakim and his henchmen, all of course boosted by a stage that transpired wars and battles. If you’re seeing any concerts of this tour, make sure you arrive in time for Sabaton even if you know nothing about them, because their live performances are as explosive as a hand grenade.

Setlist
The March to War
Ghost Division
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
The Red Baron
Bismarck
Stormtroopers
Carolus Rex
Resist and Bite
The Attack of the Dead Men
Primo Victoria
Soldier of Heaven
To Hell and Back

Band members
Joakim Brodén – lead vocals, keyboards
Thobbe Englund – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitars, backing vocals
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Hannes Van Dahl – drums, backing vocals 

JUDAS PRIEST

After a quick break, it was time for the Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST to raise the Invincible Shield for the second time on this leg of the tour, one day after their also ass-kicking concert in Montreal, and let me tell you that what I had the pleasure of witnessing in Niagara Falls this Saturday was one of their best performances ever. After the flag dropped during the intro to Panic Attack, it was a wild and frantic feast of undisputed Heavy Metal by Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis, leaving every single person at the OLG Stage absolutely disoriented after all was said and done. As a result, the fans at the pit went completely mental from the very first second of the show, igniting some sick mosh pits until the very end, something not so common for a band like Judas Priest. Well, when you start the show with some fast-paced masterpieces like Panic Attack, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’, Rapid Fire, Breaking the Law and Riding on the Wind, I think it’s fair to expect some action in the pit. To be fair, the pit during Rapid Fire was so intense it looked like a Death Metal pit, just to give you an idea of how rowdy the crowd was.

I believe there are three reasons for the band to be so tight, so heavy and so precise at this point of their 50-year career. First and foremost, Mr. Rob Halford, the one and only Metal God, the heart of the band, is delivering stellar vocal performances night after night at the age of 73, something so unbelievable it makes me wonder if he’s an actual god. I mean, guys like Rob Halford and Bruce Dickinson are definitely role models for anyone who wants to enjoy a healthy and fun life after you turn 60 or 70. In other words, if I get to Halford’s age with one fifth of his energy, I’ll be a very happy man. Second, Richie Faulkner is now the soul of Judas Priest, blasting our ears with his electrifying riffs and solos nonstop, which I’m sure makes Glenn Tipton very, very proud of how he’s helping carry the band’s legacy forward. And third, Scott Travis continues to hammer his drums majestically, becoming the band’s engine, and all that power and speed always translates into more action on and off stage.

Even the slower songs like Love Bites and Crown of Horns brought a lot of energy to the show, plus of course some heavy classics like Sinner and Turbo Lover; however, as expected, it was during the most hard hitting songs of the night, their new anthem Invincible Shield and the most metal song of all time, the unparalleled Painkiller, that the crowd had the biggest reactions of the entire show, with the pit during Painkiller going out of control to the point there were almost a few fights inside of it. It was a beautiful, memorable moment by a band that is not only celebrating 50 years of Heavy Metal, but that is the ultimate depiction of Heavy Metal. For instance, when a renowned guitarist like Rob Barrett of Cannibal Corpse is in attendance of the show as a fan, you can have a good idea of the importance of Judas Priest to the world of music. The encore with the timeless classics The Hellion/Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather and Living After Midnight simply proved that, and it didn’t matter if it was a 60, 70 or 80-year old veteran or a three-year old kid (who not only got the sunglasses of the vocalist for Sabaton, but also a pick, a setlist, and a special post on Instagram by Judas Priest), everyone at the OLG Casino was mesmerized by the Metal Gods in another celebration of the beauty and glory of Heavy Metal.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Riding on the Wind
Love Bites
Devil’s Child
Saints in Hell
Crown of Horns
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller

Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

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Album Review – Hell Is Other People / Moirae (2024)

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This Canadian entity will show you that hell is other people with their excellent newborn spawn of Black Metal, imbibing influences from several of its related subgenres.

Hailing from Windsor, a city in Ontario, Canada, across the Detroit River from the US city of Detroit, Post-Black Metal outfit Hell is Other People (by the way, “Hell Is Other People” is a quote from Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit) has elegantly and passionately crafted a brilliant Black Metal album, titled Moirae (which means “goddesses of fate or destiny” in Greek), that imbibes influences from several of its related subgenres such as Atmospheric Black Metal, Post-Black Metal and even DSBM in parts, forming a cohesive, expressive and all-encompassing sound that the band is comfortable in carrying throughout. Displaying a stunning cover art by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, the new album by Nathan Ferreira on vocals and bass, Nathan Boots and Nicholas Luck on the guitars, and James Ditty on drums is a beautifully tempered opus with a remarkable range of expression that comes across as genuine and heartfelt, being recommended for fans of Agalloch, Altar of Plagues, Winterfylleth, White Ward, and Drudkh.

The dark, caustic riffs by Nathan Boots and Nicholas walk hand in hand with the sluggish Doom Metal beats by James in the title-track Moirae, while the vocals by Nathan Ferreira exhale pure Atmospheric Black Metal, sounding anguished and grim. Moreover, it’s impressive how they sound devilish while at the same time so elegant and delicate throughout the entire song. Fates keeps the ambience as somber and pensive as possible, with the hammering drums by James dictating the pace while Nathan Ferreira continues to roar and gnarl in a great fusion of Black Metal with Post-Metal, followed by Degrade, offering us all almost eight minutes of breathtaking, deep and meaningful music that will tear your soul apart to the minimalist yet sharp and austere riffage by the band’s guitar duo, starting in a serene manner before the band attacks once again with their visceral Post-Black Metal, building an instant bridge with the also venomous Loss, where Nathan’s enraged growls are nicely boosted by the intricate yet demented drumming by James while their guitars continue to exhale the harshest and most piercing sounds found in contemporary extreme music. And all comes to a climatic and epic conclusion in Atropos, offering our damned ears an overdose of heaviness and atmospheric elements, with James kicking our asses on drums, while Nathan Boots and Nicholas continue to cut our skin deep with their razor-edged axes, with all layers, breaks, passages and variations turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

If you want to put your damned, dirty hands on the excellent Moirae, you can find the album available from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page, main store, US store, or EU store in different formats and as part of some very special bundles, and don’t forget to also give those talented Canadian musicians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on the announcements of their live concerts, to stream their music on Spotify, and to stay updated with all things Hell Is Other People by clicking HERE. In the end, after listening to Moirae, you’ll finally realize that hell is indeed other people, and that the Post-Black Metal by this amazing Canadian band is perfect for representing all that darkness and melancholy found inside each one of us.

Best moments of the album: Moirae and Atropos.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Moirae 6:58
2. Fates 6:43
3. Degrade 7:48
4. Loss 8:45
5. Atropos 13:28

Band members
Nathan Ferreira – vocals, bass
Nathan Boots – guitars
Nicholas Luck – guitars
James Ditty – drums

Concert Review – KK’s Priest & Accept (Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Toronto, ON, 09/10/2024)

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Two of the most important bands of the current scene delivered powerhouse performances to their fans in Toronto, maintaining the spirit of classic metal alive.

***Review by Elizabeth “Liz Bathory” Anderson, with photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

The Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto hosted an unforgettable night of classic heavy metal music on September 10th, 2024. With doors opening at 6:45 PM, eager metalheads had to wait until about 8 PM for the first band to hit the stage. Despite the wait, the anticipation was palpable, and the venue offered 750 ml of beer for $20, which wasn’t bad considering the cost at most venues.

The crowd was mostly veteraned metalheads with a few younger fans who appreciate the classic sound of old-school heavy metal. Interestingly, the venue was entirely seated, which is a rarity for metal concerts, but that didn’t stop the audience from rockin’ out once the music started.

ACCEPT

Setlist
The Reckoning
Humanoid
Restless and Wild
Straight Up Jack
London Leather Boys
Midnight Mover
Demon’s Night
Princess of the Dawn
Metal Heart
Teutonic Terror
Fast as a Shark
Pandemic
Balls to the Wall

The band ACCEPT kicked off their set with their opening song, “The Reckoning,” and as the first note was played, the crowd immediately stood up from their seats. Although long-time bassist Peter Baltes was no longer in the band, Martin Motnik, who has been playing with them since 2019, showed off his versatility on stage. The band’s stage presence and energy was as electrifying as ever. Following up with “Humanoid,” they delivered raw, raspy vocals and a classic metal sound complete with a blistering guitar solo. It was incredible to hear and see, filled with electric musical energy.

As they tore through “London Leather Boys,” the audience was fully immersed, with even an elderly man using an accessibility walker headbanging by his seat. The enthusiasm was contagious, and the fans moved to the venue’s aisles and sides to get closer to the action. One of their hit songs, “Princess of the Dawn,” turned into a bellowing crowd-wide chant, showcasing the timeless bond between the band and their followers.

The set culminated in a powerful rendition of “Balls to the Wall,” leaving the crowd awash in nostalgia. From the buzzsaw riffs in “Fast as a Shark” to the anthemic “Teutonic Terror,” Accept proved they still command the stage with authority and ferocity, bringing satisfaction to the ticket holders.

KK’S PRIEST

Setlist
Hellfire Thunderbolt
Strike of the Viper
One More Shot at Glory
The Ripper
Reap the Whirlwind
Sermons of the Sinner
Burn in Hell
Diamonds and Rust
Hell Patrol
The Green Manalish
Before the Dawn
Breaking the Law
Sinner
Raise Your Fists (encore)

When it was KK’S PRIEST‘s turn to perform, the majority of the audience had abandoned their seats and crowded the stage area, preparing for what could possibly be an epic show. They opened with “Hellfire Thunderbolt.” The song was captivating and also captured the audience’s attention with an accompanying visually stunning display. The band utilized custom visuals on large screens to complement each song, making the experience akin to a metal-infused action movie. For instance, “One More Shot at Glory” featured lighting effects that mimicked sharp bullets, while “Reap the Whirlwind” brought the storm to life with thunder on their back screen, lightning effects from their laser stage lighting, and smoke from smoke machines at both sides of the stage. It was quite a mesmerizing experience, and I felt that people got more than just music for what they paid but also a light and art show.

The vocalist’s ability to hit and hold high notes effortlessly was jaw-dropping, showcasing a vocal range that would make even the most experienced singers envious. K.K. Downing, the legendary guitarist and founder of the band, performed his riffs with ease, his casual demeanor belied the complexity of the music. He showed immense talent, which was clearly on display.

When they played “Diamonds and Rust,” the crowd clapped along to the intro, and during the Judas Priest cover “Hell Patrol,” the audience was singing in unison, with robot army visuals enhancing the performance. “Before the Dawn” offered a brief respite with a space-themed visual, slowing things down before launching back into high-octane metal with “Breaking the Law,” complete with a British flag backdrop. Downing’s speed picking and shredding during “Sinner” were nothing short of spectacular, with some insane whammy bar effects thrown in for good measure.

As they finished their set, the audience demanded an encore, and the band obliged with “Raise Your Fists,” ending the night on a high note and creating a lasting memory for those in attendance.

Final Thoughts

Both Accept and KK’s Priest delivered powerhouse performances, maintaining the spirit of classic metal. The seated venue didn’t stop the crowd from rocking out, proving that the music and the energy of metal know no bounds and that people will always find a way to rock out to the music. From start to finish, it was a night of incredible musicianship, theatrical visuals, and a shared love for the genre that transcended generations. For those in attendance, it was most definitely a night to remember, and I’m sure the fans will return whenever they decide to come back.

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Concert Review – Signs of the Swarm (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/01/2024)

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Simply relax and enjoy an evening out in the greatest city in Ontario with five amazing bands in a frenzy of circle pits and moshing.

***Review and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: A Wake In Providence, 156/Silence, Ov Sulfur and Cane Hill

An evening out in the greatest city in Ontario with even better weather than the last few concerts we have been to. Fall weather is much cooler and makes for a great comfortable concert without the hot humid stench of sweat . The smell of crisp air filled with pumpkin spice from every store along Bloor Street in Toronto is great and with that the venues are cooler in terms of air quality inside, making it a perfect time to take some awesome death and metalcore bands.

Lee’s Palace is the venue tonight where five amazing bands have come together to whip us up in a frenzy of circle pits and moshing. First band of the night is  A WAKE IN PROVIDENCE, aka AWIP, who has recently release the album I Write To You, My Darling Decay. Hailing from NYC this band is spearheaded by vocalist Adam Mercer, guitarist Dandre Tyre, bassist Anthony Adipietro, and drummer Jesse Mcenneny. I am not familiar with this band as its my first time hearing them and let me be honest I was not a fan of early deathcore but this band has got me listening to them. Awesome performance great music and a ton of groovy bass and drumming.

Our first short intermission while they switch up bands gives us time to check out the merch tables and gets some drinks from the bar, or just simply go outside and enjoy a smoke or the now legal weed. Next up is 156/SILENCE. Hailing from The Steel City of Pittsburgh, in the state of Pennsylvania, United States, this metalcore band consists of vocalist and bassist Mike Ernst, guitarist Jimmy Howell, drummer Zac Dranka and vocalist Aleks Pihl. They have a great sound and are tight, great stage presence and can get the crowd hyped up.

Another line change is happening and outside I go to chat with friends and other photographers, plus chatting to the promoter Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. I always enjoy chatting to Noel about his business and bringing the best bands to our city. The third band of the night was OV SULFUR. Hailing from my favorite place in the world, Sin City Las Vegas, Nevada, This band has been to Toronto this year three times and I’ve captured them every time  The first time I saw them was at the Phoenix Concert Theatre when they opened for some huge bands and they had me hooked. The band consists of vocalist Ricky Hoover, guitarist Chase Wilson, bassist Ding and drummer Leviathan. This deathcore band has a ton of energy and powerful delivery of sound, they will knock you into another dimension if not careful in the circle pits. If you have never seen this band I don’t know what you’re waiting for, get to a venue and see for yourself.

Another short break and CANE HILL was up; this band hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States. This metalcore institution consists of Elijah Witt on vocals, James Barnett on the guitar, Ryan Henriques on bass and Devin Clark on drums. This quartet is also new in my listening experience and they are awesome to see live. Elijah is a great frontman delivering guttural and soft vocals while getting the crowd all horny, and by that I mean he was asking the crowd if they were horny or alive. I think the crowd spent a lot of energy on the first three bands and when he said that the crowd came alive again with circle pits and crowd surfers.

SIGNS OF THE SWARM

The last break of the night was much needed as the venue was getting hot from the near sold out venue. It was time for the headliner, another band from The Steel City area of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, SIGNS OF THE SWARM. This deathcore band is made up of vocalist David Simonich, drummer Bobby Crow, bassist Michael Cassese and guitarist Carl Schulz. They have five studio albums with the release of their fifth album Amongst the Low & Empty. This band gets better and better every time I have seen them and it’s been two times this year. Their performance on and off the stage is top notch, friendly people with great showmanship, and if you ever get a chance to see them live do it. Also, if you see them hanging out during their tour, strike up a conversation.

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Metal Chick of the Month – Corinne Cardinal

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We are ready to die, Corinne!

Sons of Odin, can you hear the call of our metal lady of this month of September? If your answer is yes, then I’m sure you’ll have a very good time here on The Headbanging Moose with our humble tribute to Corinne Cardinal, also known as Korrinn or Crook, a multi-talented singer, voice actor and vocal coach who’s making a name for herself in the Canadian scene as the frontwoman for Montreal, Quebec-based Melodic Black/Folk Metal horde Valfreya, proudly waving the flag of Québécois metal high in the sky wherever she goes and hypnotizing us all with both her clean and guttural vocals. She takes no prisoners in her quest for heavy music, leading Valfreya into glory ride, and of course you’re more than invited to stand side by side with Corinne and her henchmen in the battlefield after knowing a little bit more about her life and career.

Born on August 20, 1986 in the charming city of Montreal, Quebec, in Canada, Corinne is not just the founder, main composer and vocalist of Valfreya, but she’s also a voice actor for La Fabrique de Monstres (or The Monster Factory), and a singer for the Growlers Choir, just like one of our most recent metal ladies Maude Théberge, showing how united the Québécois scene is. Not only that, she has also studied classical singing and instrumental composition, does graphic design, and of course she applies all those elements to her work with Valfreya. Her talent seems to be infinite, which translates into first-class heavy music when a new Valfreya album is unleashed upon humanity for our total delight.

After exploring choir singing during her formative years, Corinne, who’s a mezzo-soprano, undertook her studies by enrolling at Cégep Saint-Laurent and obtained her college degree in classical singing in 2007, perfecting her instrument with many teachers between 2007 to 2015 like Cécile Gendron, Mark Pedrotti, Christine Lemelin and Colette Boky, and pursuing a bachelor’s degree at UQAM in music (artistic performance concentration) in 2015. During her studies there, she developed a varied lyric repertoire and sings in more than eight different languages (Russian, Czech, German, Italian, Latin, Catalan, French and English), obtaining her diploma in December 2018. Finally, in 2020 she obtained her Estill Voice Training certificates one and two, and if you have no idea what that means, this course pertains to parts of the anatomy singers can exercise conscious control on to modify their sound.

After founding Valfreya back in 2009, merging the metal genre with classical and folk, Corinne started to develop different vocal techniques, matching guttural singing with opera and pop, which culminated with her joining the aforementioned Growlers Choir back in 2019, plus collaborations with many artists as a performer or composer the likes of Léa Dupuis, Augury, and Jeff Marcoux. That expertise also opened several doors to vocal acting out of specialized fields into voices for creatures and monsters in video games and film, including Resident Evil 7 (Capcom), Helix Season 1 (Syfy), Soul Blade (Namco, Project Soul), Rainbow Six Siege: Operation Chimera (Ubisoft), Tomb Raider: Shadow of the Tomb (Eidos Montréal), and Guardians of the Galaxy (Eidos), and also led to her founding in 2019 La Fabrique de Monstres alongside Sébastien Croteau and Jeffrey MacDermott, working in the sound design of hundreds of monsters and creatures over twenty or so video games, films and television series.

Corinne started studying for her musicologist’s master’s degree at Université de Montréal in 2020, wishing to analyze vocal techniques in metal music, precisely to identify the process of vocal production permitting control on specific structures of the vocal apparatus linked to guttural metal singing, with her ultimate goal being to produce the first pedagogical treaty on metal singing in English and French. In addition, Corinne is also a member of diverse research groups such as OICRM and ACTOR Project, and one of the rare vocal coaches who’s able to teach metal singing (both growl and fry) in Quebec.

As already mentioned, Corinne founded Melodic Black/Folk Metal horde Valfreya back in February 2009 in Montreal, with the band’s name being influenced by one of the names of Óðinn, Valföður (Old Icelandic for “Father of the Slain”) and Freyja, the Vanic deity, sister of Freyr. Valfreya deals with themes such as Norse mythology, Pagan gods, life, death, and legends, having released their debut EP First Chronicles in 2010, followed by their first full-length album Path to Eternity in 2012, the EP Acoustic Chronicles in 2013, and the full-length albums Promised Land, in 2017, and more recently Dawn of Reckoning, earlier this year, not to mention the band was also feature in the 2011 Galy Records compilation Trois-Rivières Metalfest 11 with the song Deity’s Grace. The band currently formed of our metallic diva Corinne on vocals together with Graz’zt and Erik on the guitars, Abhor on bass, Dommar on drums, and Eva Doucet De Leon on the violin has already played hundreds of concerts across Canada and the United States, and if you want to enjoy their amazing music you can find all of their releases on BandCamp, on Spotify, or by clicking HERE.

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Corinne is much more than just the band’s frontwoman, having also been responsible for the music, lyrics, arrangements, artwork and layout in their 2012 album Path to Eternity, the artwork, layout, cover art and lyrics in their 2017 album Promised Land, and the layout in their most recent album Dawn of Reckoning. Hence, if you want to have an absolute blast with Corinne and her Valfreya, apart from the aforementioned sources like BandCamp and Spotify, you can enjoy their official videos on YouTube for the songs Le Périple, The Rise, Odin’s Fury, Confront Immensity, Ocean’s Assault, and My Everlasting Star, as well as several unofficial footage of the band kicking some ass live.

Besides her career with Valfreya, Corinne also played keyboards and did backing vocals between 2008 and 2010 for a Montreal, Quebec-based Melodic Black Metal band named Vehemal, albeit she didn’t record anything official with the band; and did the live vocals with Canadian Progressive/Experimental Death Metal band Bookakee a few years ago. She can also be seen as a guest musician for a few interesting bands in the past few years, as for example doing additional vocals in the song Impending Apocalypse, from the 2020 EP Repaying Evil with Evil, by Canadian Death/Thrash Metal/Deathcore musician Jeff Marcoux; vocals in the 2017 single La pluie noire, by Canadian Black/Doom Metal band Lacrimae Mortalium; and more recently additional vocals in the songs Welcome, Immuration and Resilience, from the 2023 album Maladaptive Daydreaming, by Canadian Melodic Death/Gothic Metal band Sanguine Glacialis. Moreover, she was also responsible for the layout in the 2012 EP Deviated Inner Spectrum, by Canadian Technical/Melodic Death Metal act Pronostic, under the curious moniker of “Crapule”.

Lastly, as pretty much any metal lady hailing from Canada, Corinne is crazy for animals, having several pets from different species. For instance, in one of her interviews during the pandemic, she said she had at that time three fishes named Super Nova, Galaxy and Comet, five rats named Wicca, Gandalf the White, Zelda, Bouda and Titite (which means Tiny-tiny), and also a cat named Saroumine. As you might have already notice, the inspirations she takes for the music by Valfreya also have an impact on the names of her pets, which in my opinion is simply awesome. She mentioned she enjoys taking her rats to places like stores, parties, family reunions, chilling with friends, and so on, also saying that especially during the pandemic all of her pets brought a lot of joy and comfort as she couldn’t live in an empty house. She also said that all of her pets don’t seem to care about the fact she practices her music at home, and that whenever she’s on tour with Valfreya, it’s either her boyfriend or her sister who usually takes care of them for her. If you want to know more about such an amazing musician and animal lover, you can visit her own website (including a look at her impressive resume), and stay tuned for all news about Valfreya, because if by any chance they take your city by storm, don’t waste a single second and go check the powerful vocals by one of the most talented women of the current Canadian metal scene.

Corinne Cardinal’s Official Facebook page
Corinne Cardinal’s Official Instagram
Corinne Cardinal’s Official YouTube channel
Valfreya’s Official Facebook page
Valfreya’s Official Instagram
Valfreya’s Official YouTube channel

Album Review – Gutvoid / Breathing Obelisk EP (2024)

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One of the best still-young Death Metal entities from Canada challenges you to stand before their Breathing Obelisk.

Since their formation in 2019, the ascent of Toronto, Canada’s Death Metal entity Gutvoid has been nothing if not meteoric. From their 2019 debut EP Astral Bestiary to their 2022 full-length opus Durance of Lightless Horizons, the band churned forth a world-eating metal of death that duly devoured the listener whole. Currently formed of Brendan Dean on vocals and guitars, Daniel Bonofiglio also on the guitars, Justin Boehm on bass, and D.W. Lee on drums, the band is unleashing upon us their brand new 31-minute EP Breathing Obelisk, a grim and visceral creature embraced by the otherworldly artwork by Marcio Blasphemator that will surely cement their status as one of the best still-young Death Metal entities around.

Those four demented metallers transport us to their Stygian realm with their minimalist notes in Swamp Consumed, gradually evolving into a darkened Death Metal entity to the visceral roars by Brendan and the hammering drums by D.W. Lee, presenting elements from Doom Metal and Blackened Doom embedded in their core (and evil) essence, whereas For We Are Many, the first single of the album (which they played live with Tomb Mold and Horrendous in Toronto), is a lecture in Progressive Death Metal sounding dissonant, intricate and disturbing, with Brendan and Daniel making an amazing guitar duo while Justin supports them with his menacing bass (not to mention it’s easy to sense elements from Brendan’s Fathomless Ritual in the riffs). Let’s then embark on one more cryptic, grim voyage together with Gutvoid in When The Living Dome Opens, again presenting their trademark vociferations, low-tuned, groovy bass lines and pounding drums, sounding dark and evil until the very end; and the last song of the EP, entitled Shodar, offers us all seven minutes of solid, melodic and visceral Death Metal led by the strident riffs by Brendan and Daniel, an awesome headbanging feast by the quartet where Brendan continues to deeply gnarl like a demonic entity.

After all is said and done, Gutvoid challenge you to stand before their Breathing Obelisk, and you can do that by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by listening to their wicked music on Spotify, and by purchasing a copy of their new EP from Blood Harvest’s BandCamp page or webstore as a CD, a MLP or a cassette. In other words, do you think you have what it takes to face Gutvoid’s menacing and caustic Breathing Obelisk?

Best moments of the album: For We Are Many and Shodar.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Blood Harvest

Track listing
1. Swamp Consumed 9:50
2. For We Are Many 5:51
3. When The Living Dome Opens 7:20
4. Shodar 7:03

Band members
Brendan Dean – vocals, guitars
Daniel Bonofiglio – guitars
Justin Boehm – bass
D.W. Lee – drums