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Album Review – Crimson Shadows / Whispers of War (2025)

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Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since 2006, Toronto’s own metal warriors are finally back into the battlefield with their breathtaking third studio album.

Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since the already distant year of 2006, Toronto, Canada’s own Epic/Melodic Death/Power Metal warriors Crimson Shadows are finally back into the battlefield with their fusion of the guttural screams and blast beats of Death Metal with the epic up-tempo guitar harmonies and choruses of Power Metal in their brand new album, the magnificent Whispers of War. Mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying a classy artwork by Péter Sallai of Mortpaintgraphics, showcasing a brave, dauntless warrior that perfectly depicts the sound of the band, the new album by frontman Jimi Maltais, guitarists Greg Rounding and Ryan Hofing, bassist Alex Snape, and drummer Cory Hofing is a worthy follow-up to their 2014 beast Kings Among Men, offering our avid ears an overdose of the band’s characteristic sound while also pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them.

Those Toronto warriors waste no time and kick off their metal music played at the speed of light party in Dawn of an Age, with Cory taking the lead with his crushing beats, and Jimi and Greg make a phenomenal vocal duo in Guardians, with it’s catchy-as-hell lyrics (“Guardians / We stand in a time of blood and fire / Ancient tales become our legacy / Skies ablaze, spirits of evil surrounding me / The prophecy remains our destiny”) inspiring us all to raise our fists and join them in a lecture in Melodic Death and Power Metal. Defenders of the Crown offers our avid ears more of their epic lyrics (“Here we stand to hold our ground / We defenders of the crown / Hold your steel and clench it tight / Or we all will die tonight”) in another classic battle hymn; and featuring the unparalleled Canadian growler Matt McGachy of Cryptopsy, Whispers of War is a fulminating metal attack by the boys sounding as fast as it is epic and aggressive, with Greg and Ryan firing truly piercing riffs nonstop, followed by Embrace the Fire, a little bit below the rest of the album but still fast, furious and presenting the band’s trademark sonority.

Then a smooth piano-driven intro quickly evolves into another shredding extravaganza by Greg and Ryan titled Battle Hard II: Battle Harder (the sequel to their 2012 song “Battle Hard”), while Jimi roars and growls with all of his strength and passion for heavy music. And featuring the indomitable Brittney Slayes (frontwoman for Canadian metal masters Unleash The Archers), who brings balance to the vocals together with Greg, we have Secrets of Our Time, not to mention Cory demolishes his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Jimi then sounds out of control, roaring manically in The Legacy of Steel, another headbanging beast where their riffs and solos exhale pure Heavy Metal magic, whereas lastly, the band will head into their final battle entitled Rise of the Fallen Soul, with Greg stealing the show with his awesome clean vocals while their Dragonforce-like guitar solos bring an extra onrush of electricity to their sound.

Crimson Shadows might have competed in and won the 2013 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, and they absolutely deserved it, but in my humble opinion it’s now with Whispers of War that their trademark metallic, roaring sounds are ready to spread all over the world, positioning them as one of the forces to be reckoned with in the current Heavy Metal scene. Furthermore, those brave metallers are ready to take on the stages of the world by storm, and you can keep an eye on their tour dates by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also stream their striking creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course to grab a copy of the incendiary Whispers of War from BandCamp or from Big Cartel. War is upon us, and it’s time to fight side by side with Crimson Shadows to the sound of their superb new album, one of the best of the year, and a lecture in Canadian metal.

Best moments of the album: Guardians, Whispers of War, Battle Hard II: Battle Harder and The Legacy of Steel.

Worst moments of the album: Embrace the Fire.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dawn of an Age 4:46
2. Guardians 4:20
3. Defenders of the Crown 5:09
4. Whispers of War 5:18
5. Embrace the Fire 4:07
6. Battle Hard II: Battle Harder 5:57
7. Secrets of Our Time 4:48
8. The Legacy of Steel 5:39
9. Rise of the Fallen Soul 5:51

Band members
Jimi Maltais – vocals
Greg Rounding – guitars, clean vocals
Ryan Hofing – guitars
Alex Snape – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

Guest musicians
Matt McGachy – vocals on “Whispers of War”
Brittney Slayes – vocals on “Secrets of Our Time”

Concert Review – Lutharo, Blackguard & Killotine (Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON, 07/26/2025)

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We were born to ride on the wings of Canadian underground metal together with three of the must-see bands of the current scene on a rainy night in Toronto.

INTRO: A perfect night of Canadian metal almost ruined by one of the heaviest traffics ever experienced in the city…

I’ve always hated the QEW, and will forever hate it, but the traffic this Saturday night to get to the city was beyond any level of patience I might have to face any type of situation. Rain is the new snow, and it was absolute chaos to get to the cozy Horseshow Tavern in time to see LUTHARO, BLACKGUARD and KILLOTINE in another killer event of the Canadian underground organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. It took me over two fuckin’ hours for a 30km drive, and when I met my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi at the venue I was completely drained and exhausted, and there were only five minutes left before the first attraction of the night, so I can say I was a bit numb during the first half of the show. I don’t know what I’m going to do in the near future as the city is growing in population but not in infrastructure, and more and more companies are demanding their employees to return to the office five times a week, which means any day of the week from now on will be fucked by heavy traffic. I might have to start handpicking my concerts, and that’s very depressing.

KILLOTINE

I don’t like to start a review of an excellent night of Canadian metal with a rant like that, and I’m sorry about it. Fortunately, Hamilton, Ontario’s own Thrash Metal marauders KILLOTINE brought a lot of energy back to my tired soul with their frantic and vibrant performance. The reigning champions of Wacken Metal Battle Canada 2025 proved why they were the chosen ones to represent Canada at Wacken Open Air this year, kicking some ass onstage with their no shenanigans blend of Thrash Metal spearheaded by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Matt Fraser. I don’t know exactly which songs they played, but I guess it was pretty much the entire 2024 EP Live at the Whiskey Pit, available on Spotify, with songs like Survival of the Wicked and Isolate sounding amazing live, already igniting some wild mosh pits for our total delight. Go check more details about Killotine by clicking HERE, but be careful as thrashing is their business, and business is good.

Band members
Matt Fraser – vocals, guitars
Jesse Luciani – guitars
James McNeil – bass, backing vocals
James Beck – drums

BLACKGUARD

The second band of the night, Montreal, Quebec-based Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal horde BLACKGUARD, might not have released anything new since their excellent 2020 album Storm, but the band fronted by the talented Paul Ablaze showed why they’re one of the most beloved bands of the Canadian scene with a breathtaking performance, melting our faces with their hybrid of Children of Bodom with Swedish melodeath and elements from Symphonic and Black Metal, all spiced up by the hammering beats by Justine Ethier. Once again I have no idea of their full setlist, but all songs sounded amazing, like Northern Storm. You can check their full discography on Spotify, and get more information about the band HERE, as I’m sure you’ll have a blast with such an amazing band. My only “complaint” is that they could have played the song A Dying Season with the multi-talented Lyndsay Schoolcraft, former keyboardist for Cradle of Filth (who was in the house as a fan) just like in their album. Nothing to really worry about, though, but as a fan of Lyndsay’s work I personally thought she would have been a nice touch to their fantastic concert.

Band members
Paul Ablaze – vocals
David Gagné Guitars – lead guitars
Terry Roadcase – rhythm guitar
Vincent Harnois – bass
Jonathan Lefrancois-Leduc – keyboards
Justine Ethier – drums, percussion

LUTHARO

The night was getting better and better inside the Horseshoe Tavern (and kudos to the house DJ for playing only songs by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne the entire night, as a beautiful tribute to our beloved Prince of Darkness), and of course the incendiary Melodic Death Metal by Hamilton, Ontario’s most ass-kicking band ever, the unstoppable LUTHARO, was the icing on the cake on such an excellent metal party. Playing songs from all of their albums, but of course focusing more on their 2024 beast Chasing Euphoria (available in full on Spotify or for purchase by clicking HERE, by the way), the band led by the stunning frontwoman Krista Shipperbottom, who was sporting an awesome outfit with an altered  Lutharo shirt and a huge smile on her face during the entire show, set the whole place on fire with their striking performance.

Krista was of course flawlessly supported by her bandmates Victor Bucur, Jeff Wilson (who paid a subtle tribute to the recently deceased iconic wrestler Hulk Hogan during one of the songs), Chris Pacey and Cory Hofing, adding even more energy to their breathtaking performance. Fans were loving every single song played, with Time to Rise, To Kill or to Crave and Reaper’s Call being some of the favorites of the night. It felt like Lutharo were a veteran band used to play at arenas simply having fun at a small venue so professional and passionate they sounded, and I really hope now that they’re embarking on a fun European tour that they become the next big thing in the Old Continent. When they returned to the stage for their more-than-special encore with Born to Ride (my favorite of the night) and Lost in a Soul, it was the coronation of a perfect night for the band. Go check more details about Lutharo if you know nothing about the band by clicking HERE, because they were definitely born to ride on the wings of Heavy Metal, and we were all born to rock to the sound of their beautiful music.

Setlist
Phantom
Ruthless Bloodline
Bonded to the Blade
Creating a King
Time to Rise
To Kill or to Crave
Wings of Agony
Hopeless Abandonment
Reaper’s Call
Paradise or Parasite

Encore:
Born to Ride
Lost in a Soul

Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
Jeff Wilson – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

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Concert Review – Raven & Artillery (Hard Luck Bar, Toronto, ON, 04/20/2024)

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All hell broke loose at the Hard Luck Bar in Toronto thanks to a massive night of pure metal music with seven insane bands, spearheaded by the iconic Artillery and Raven.

OPENING ACTS: Potential Threat, Vapor, Wicked, Lutharo and Vicious Rumors

As mentioned in the two previous concert reviews here, I wasn’t able to attend the absolute metal party at the Hard Luck Bar on Saturday with the bands POTENTIAL THREAT, VAPOR, WICKED, LUTHARO, VICIOUS RUMORS, ARTILLERY and RAVEN (yes, all those amazing bands played on the same night at the same venue) on a co-headlining extravaganza during Raven’s All Hell’s Breaking Loose Across North America Tour 2024 and Artillery’s 40th Anniversary North American Tour 2024, a mega event once again organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. However, although I couldn’t be there due to my trip to New York and Newark to see the almighty Judas Priest, my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there on a double duty, taking care of all photos and also of the review, sending me a quick summary of all the metal madness going on at one of the most famous pubs in Toronto.

The first band to hit the stage, precisely at 6pm, was San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal veterans POTENTIAL THREAT, who despite being formed back in 1986 only have three official albums released, the latest one being Threat to Society, from 2019. Formed of vocalist and guitarist Mike Noble, guitarist Daniel Sheridan, bassist Damien Sisson, and drummer Kenny Noble, the band was on fire during their entire concert, leaving Keith eager for more of their music. I don’t think they’re on Spotify, though, but you can find some of their albums on BandCamp and probably on other streaming services, so if you love some mosh pits, just go for it as you’re in for a real treat (or maybe I should say a real “threat”).

Band members
Mike Noble – vocals, guitars
Daniel Sheridan – guitars, backing vocals
Damien Sisson – bass, backing vocals
Kenny Noble – drums, backing vocals

After a short break it was then time for Geyserville, California’s Thrash/Groove Metal band VAPOR to kick some ass on the small but incendiary stage of the pub, getting the crowd going inside the mosh pits and, of course, driving the temperature up considerably at the Hard Luck Bar. It was another excellent round of thrashing songs for the fans at the pub, and you can get to know more about Vapor and their music and go check their wicked creations on BandCamp and on Spotify in case you’re curious to know how those great musicians sound when they get together in the name of our good old Thrash Metal.

Band members
Nate Klug – vocals, guitars
Tom Barrett – lead guitars
Nick Altenburg bass, backing vocals
Edgar Canaan – drums

The third band of such an extensive night of rock and metal was American Glam Metal/Rock N’ Roll squad WICKED, whose last release was the 2022 album Sunburn (available on Spotify, as well as their previous albums), and according to Keith they brought a more Guns N’  Roses-inspired vibe to the venue, with their long blond hair waving around nonstop. I would say a weird choice after two devastating Thrash Metal bands, but the fans enjoyed their songs a lot and the energy at the venue kept flowing in an amazing way, so kudos for the organizers for adding them to the bill. Hence, if you want to know more about this electrifying Rochester, New York-based band, you can find all information you can imagine about them by clicking HERE.

Band members
Danny – vocals, guitar
Scotty V – guitars, backing vocals
Chad Michael – bass, backing vocals
Gunnar – drums, backing vocals

Perhaps the band I regret missing the most from Saturday’s party is Hamilton, Ontario, Canada’s own Melodic Death Metal beast LUTHARO, as they’re by far one of the driving forces of the current Canadian scene. Having just released the breathtaking album Chasing Euphoria, the band led by the stunning Krista Shipperbottom delivered a breathtaking show to an even bigger crowd, which was huge by then, inspiring everyone to slam into mosh pit after mosh pit. Go check more of the amazing music by this Canadian institution for the “Hammer” on Spotify, or click HERE for all things Lutharo. On a side note, Keith mentioned Krista should be one of our metal ladies of the month, and as I love Lutharo I think that will happen still in 2024, so stay tuned for an overdose of Krista sooner than you can scream “born to ride”!

Setlist
Gates of Enchantment
Reaper’s Call
Ruthless Bloodline
Wings of Agony
Born to Ride
Lost in a Soul

Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
Jeff Wilson – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

The very last of the opening acts of such an amazing night of heavy music in Toronto was Santa Rosa, California-based Heavy/Power Metal masters VICIOUS RUMORS, who are celebrating their 45th anniversary by performing their critically acclaimed first album, Soldiers Of The Night, in its entirety for the first time in North America. Keith mentioned a lot of people were there to see them, elevating their status to maybe what we can call the ” third headliner” of the night, and that by the time they hit the stage the venue was so jam packed that he had a really hard time taking photos of their show as the crowd was not letting the photographers go up front to do their job. Sometimes people get way too excited with heavy music, and I gotta say I love that.

Setlist
Premonition
Ride (Into the Sun)
Medusa
Soldiers of the Night
Murder
March or Die
Abandoned
Replicant
Digital Dictator
Minute to Kill
Don’t Wait for Me

Band members
Brian Allen – vocals
Geoff Thorpe – guitars, additional vocals
Gunnar DüGrey – guitars
Robin Utbult – bass
Larry Howe – drums

ARTILLERY

The first headliner of the night was Danish Thrash Metal institution ARTILLERY, playing 44 shows in 26 states during their 40th Anniversary North American Tour, and according to Keith they kicked some ass Saturday night in Toronto. No idea why, but Keith said that Edgar Canaan of Vapor played drums for Artillery on Saturday in Toronto as their regular drummer Frederik Kjelstrup Hansen wasn’t there, but also that such minor detail didn’t take any energy from their demolishing performance. Quite the contrary, they killed it, and in my opinion Artillery are one of those bands that are mandatory to see live at least once in your lifetime if you consider yourself a true metalhead.

Setlist
The Devils Symphony
The Almighty
Turn up the Rage
By Inheritance
The Face of Fear
Bombfood
Legions
10.000 Devils
Khomaniac
Deeds of Darkness
Terror Squad

Band members
Martin Steene – vocals
Michael Stützer – lead guitars
René Loua – guitars
Peter Thorslund – bass
Edgar Canaan – drums

RAVEN

And last but not least, the jam packed Hard Luck Bar was destroyed by ruthless Heavy Metal veterans RAVEN, during their All Hell’s Breaking Loose Across North America Tour 2024, obviously promoting their 2023 opus All Hell’s Breaking Loose. As soon as they hit the stage, it was an avalanche of Heavy Fuckin’ Metal from Great Britain right in the faces of everyone who was in the front row, with John Gallagher, Mark Gallagher and Mike Heller bringing the best heavy tunes you can think of for the total delight of the massive crowd that took over the Hard Luck Bar. Don’t forget to keep an eye on all things Raven by clicking HERE, in special their amazing live concerts, because once they take the stages of your city you know that all hell will break loose.

Setlist
Destroy All Monsters
Hell Patrol
The Power
Surf the Tsunami
Turn of the Screw
All for One
Rock Until You Drop
Guitar Solo
Faster Than the Speed of Light
Inquisitor
Bass Solo
All Hell’s Breaking Loose
On and On
Break the Chain
Rock Bottom (UFO cover)
Supernaut (Black Sabbath cover)
Symptom of the Universe (Black Sabbath cover)
Victim of Changes (Judas Priest cover)
Chain Saw

Band members
John Gallagher – lead vocals, bass, 12-string bass
Mark Gallagher – guitars, backing vocals
Mike Heller – drums

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Album Review – Lutharo / Chasing Euphoria (2024)

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One of the must-see names of the current Canadian scene is back with their breathtaking sophomore album, sounding as destructive and violent as it is soaring and captivating.

Bringing forth their signature mixture of traditional Heavy Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Thrash Metal and more, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada-based Melodic Death Metal outfit Lutharo returns with their sophomore opus (and strongest effort to date), titled Chasing Euphoria, following up on their critically acclaimed 2021 debut Hiraeth. Recorded by drummer Cory Hofing at Coho Studio, with additional recording by Thomas Ireland and mixing and mastering by Lasse Lammert of LSD Studio, and showcasing a stunning artwork by Swedish artist Niklas Sundin, Chasing Euphoria is as destructive and violent as it is soaring and captivating, inspiring us all for some vigorous headbanging, boisterous pits and chanting singalongs together with frontwoman Krista Shipperbottom, guitarist Victor Bucur, bassist Chris Pacey and the aforementioned drummer Cory Hofing.

The epic, cinematic intro Gates of Enchantment will set the stage for Krista and the boys to crush our souls in Reaper’s Call, presenting an amazing guitar job by Victor that sets fire to their music in the name of Melodic Death Metal, therefore resulting in a beyond thrilling start to the album. Their violent yet very melodious sounds keep hammering our cranial skulls in Ruthless Bloodline, with Cory dictating the song’s galloping pace with his heavy beats accompanied by the metallic bass by Chris; and get ready for another blast of sick riffs, thunderous bass and unstoppable drums in Time to Rise, with Krista once again showcasing all her vocal range with both her clean vocals and she-demon roars. In Born to Ride we’re treated to pure metal lyrics roared by Krista (“We’re striking the lights out stately / Let the banners fly / Sights never guided me before just stifled my might / Short circuited odds and judgment / With victory to taste / When the blind leads the blind, / You’re at the edge of a blade”) amidst a beyond exciting and incendiary sound perfect for hitting the highway, followed by Bonded to the Blade, a good song albeit not as dynamic as the rest of the album. Victor continues to deliver sheer adrenaline through his riffs and solos, though.

The title-track Chasing Euphoria will bring to our avid ears more of the band’s modern-day, electrifying Melodic Death Metal, with the soaring vocals by Krista walking hand in hand with the massive wall of sounds crafted by her bandmates; and the band then enhances their epicness to a whole new level in Creating a King, offering more of their crystal clear, visceral melodeath with Cory pounding his drums mercilessly from start to finish, resulting in the perfect song for some sick headbanging. There’s no sign of the band slowing down at all, as Strong Enough to Fall is another feast of Canadian Melodic Death Metal with the striking riffs and solos by Victor sounding venomous, enfolding us all in a Heavy Metal embrace. A futuristic start quickly evolves into a straightforward Melodic Death Metal attack by Lutharo in Paradise or Parasite, where Krista keeps delivering her trademark hypnotizing vocal lines while Chris and Cory build a strong base boosted by the song’s background orchestral elements; whereas the doomed bass by Chris ignites the closing tune of the album, titled Freedom of the Night, offering the listener seven minutes of fast-paced riffs and beats and the always sharp yet charming vocals by Krista, or in other words, it’s a more introspective creation by the band putting a climatic finale to their metallic feast.

Lutharo Chasing Euphoria Ultimate Bundle

Lutharo are definitely going places armed with Chasing Euphoria (both figuratively and literally speaking, as they’re gearing up for a massive tour across the United States and Canada), and if you want to show such awesome band from the current Canadian metal scene your utmost support, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, always keeping an eye on their tour dates, subscribe to their YouTube channel and stream more of their breathtaking music on Spotify, and above all that, grab a copy of Chasing Euphoria from their own official website (including the more-than-special Chasing Euphoria ultimate bundle, featuring the album on limited edition pink and blue marble vinyl, a limited edition signed photo, an album T-shirt, a “Time To Rise” patch, a battle flag, and limited edition guitar picks), or you can also find your favorite version of the album by clicking HERE or HERE. Lutharo are definitely going to make a lot of noise worldwide armed with their new album, a cacophony of all that is metal, always chasing euphoria and inspiring us to bang our heads nonstop to the music by one of the best bands of the contemporary Canadian scene.

Best moments of the album: Reaper’s Call, Born to Ride, Creating a King and Paradise or Parasite.

Worst moments of the album: Bonded to the Blade.

Released in 2024 Atomic Fire Records

Track listing
1. Gates of Enchantment 1:13
2. Reaper’s Call 4:00
3. Ruthless Bloodline 4:12
4. Time to Rise 4:21
5. Born to Ride 3:52
6. Bonded to the Blade 4:33
7. Chasing Euphoria 4:31
8. Creating a King 4:08
9. Strong Enough to Fall 4:56
10. Paradise or Parasite 5:07
11. Freedom of the Night 6:45

Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Pacey – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

Guest musician
Jeff Wilson – guitars (Live)

Concert Review – Wacken Metal Battle Canada Final (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016)

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One Canadian Band to rule them all, One Canadian Band to find them. One Canadian Band to bring them all, and in Wacken Open Air bind them.

INTRODUCTION: ONE BAND TO RULE THEM ALL!

wacken metal battle_canada_final2016If you were at the charming The Opera House in Toronto this Saturday, June 11, you were able to witness the future of Canadian Metal in pursuit of a sacred placed among the Gods of Metal at the 2016 edition of Wacken Open Air, which will be held during the first week of August this year. Five amazing bands made in Canada showcased all their skills and passion for heavy music during the final and decisive round of the fourth annual edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, but only one of them secured a spot in the most important metal festival in the world. Do you want to know which band was crowned the kings of the night?

This year, guest judges Noel Peters (Inertia Entertainment), Sarah Lutz (Metal Blade Canada), Darryl Hurs (Indie Week), Chris Gonda (PureGrainAudio.com), Tim Henderson (Bravewords.com), Andrew Epstein (Zombitrol Productions) and Glenn Fricker (Spectre Media Group) had the difficult mission to decide who would play at Wacken Open Air this August, but before I get into more details, let me say it’s impressive how well organized Wacken Metal Battle is in Canada, it doesn’t matter the city or the qualifying round. With over 100 independent Canadian metal bands from the cities of Toronto, Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, and after 27 qualifying rounds, 9 semi-finals and the national final this Saturday, all we can say in a huge THANK YOU to everyone involved in this awesome project, with a special thanks to my friend Jon Asher (Asher Media Relations) for letting me be part of this. And now, let’s get ready to rumble!

DISTORTHEAD

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DistortHead @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

The first group to hit the stage, at around 8pm, was Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore band DistortHead, from Montreal, Quebec, who were obviously the Quebec Final winners this year. With all band members elegantly wearing lumberjack shirts, DistortHead fired a good mix of modern and groovy metal music the likes of The Black Dahlia Murder and Suicide Silence with the more ferocious sound of old school Death Metal, which translated into a solid and unstoppable performance by this talented quintet. Lead singer Phil Ranger led his troop during the entire setlist, demanding some furious circle pits from the fans at the venue and, as any proud Québécois, made good usage of “Bill 101” to teach the audience how to curse in French. If brutal Melodic Death Metal is your cup of tea, go check their BandCamp page, where you can enjoy their 2014 album Invasive Species in its entirety.

Band members
Phil Ranger – vocals
Vincent Rousseau – guitar
Alex Guindon – guitar
Felix Bourcier – bass, backing vocals
Max Arseneau – drums

PYRAMID THEOREM

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Pyramid Theorem @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

In my opinion, one of the best things in any Wacken Metal Battle round is the variety of sounds you can listen to within a short span of time, getting truly paradoxical at times, but as awesome as usual. That was confirmed when Progressive Hard Rock act Pyramid Theorem began their psychedelic and electrifying performance. Those Torontonians, who were the Ontario Final 2/2 winners, sounded so professional, polished and in sync it’s hard to believe they do not have an agreement with a record label yet. Take a listen at the excellent tunes Outlaw for Good and Drive and you’ll see what I’m talking about. The crowd was excited during the whole show, mainly due to the thrilling performance by the dynamic duo Christian Di Mambro (vocals and bass) Sam Ermellini (guitar and vocals), who didn’t stop interacting with the audience for a single second while at the same time displaying their refined techniques on stage. Some of the guitar solos by Sam were simply outstanding.

Band members
Christian Di Mambro – vocals, bass
Sam Ermellini – guitar, vocals
Stephan Di Mambro – synths, guitar, vocals
Vic Dee – drums, percussion

THE MOUNTAIN MAN

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The Mountain Man @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

Fans of the relentless music by icons such as Lamb of God, Whitechapel, Gojira and Pantera definitely had an awesome time during the performance by Vancouver-based five-piece act The Mountain Man, who blasted a nice fusion of Melodic Death Metal and Groove Metal, proving why the band was the B.C. Final winner. The whole festival seemed to be turning into “the night of the frontmen”, with lead singer Parker Lane keeping up with the vocalists from both previous bands with his unique screams and endless energy on stage. We have to give a round of applause to those guys, coming all the way from the other side of the country, paying all expenses from their own pockets, and still having enough strength to kill on stage. If you want to know more about their music, you can listen to their debut EP entitled Bloodlust at their BandCamp page, and if by any chance the band members themselves read this, please send us the EP for a detailed review.

Band members
Parker Lane – vocals
Tyson Tambellini – guitar
Jordan Orr – guitar
Tevyn Pacey – bass
Ryan McCreedy – drums

PROFANER

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Profaner @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

After a quick break and another cold beer, it was time for Melodic Death/Thrash Metal band Profaner to distill their acid metal music upon the audience. Hailing from the city of Hamilton, around 70km southwest of Toronto, the Ontario 1/2 Final winners didn’t waste time and started kicking ass on stage from the very first notes of the opening song of their setlist. If you visit their BandCamp page, you’ll be able to listen to a few songs they played this Saturday, such as the awesome Marked For Death, and see how good and violent those guys are. Guided by the uncontrollable frontman Anthony “Tooty” Tuttolomondo, Profaner showed everyone at the venue how old school brutal music is done, with the blazing riffs by guitarists Jason Crook and Pat Rogers, together with the boisterous drumming by Craig Piggot, being the recipe for success in heavy music. I loved their music and charisma, and so did the vast majority of the fans at The Opera House. A good sign of the band’s future, don’t you agree?

Band members
Anthony “Tooty” Tuttolomondo – vocals
Jason Crook – guitar, backing vocals
Pat Rogers – guitar
Rusty – bass
Craig Piggot – drums

TALES OF THE TOMB

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Tales Of The Tomb @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

There was still a lot more to come Saturday night, even with the clock getting closer to (or past) midnight, with the unique Psychological Horror/Death/Murder Metal brutally fired by Edmontonian metallers Tales Of The Tomb, who stood tall as the Prairie Final winner band. With lead singer Connor Adams, guitarist Corey Skerlak and bassist Bryn Herbert growling like possessed beats, Tales of The Tomb crushed the audience with their music inspired by icons such as Dying Fetus and Bloodbath, and the dark and gory vibe of classic slasher films. Those guys unleashed hell upon The Opera House, playing songs from their debut EP named Volume One: Morpras, as you can listen to at their BandCamp page. Nonstop violence is always fun in extreme music, and in the case of Tales Of The Tomb that enjoyment is multiplied by a thousand due to their demonic screeches and bestial riffs. In other words, a highly recommended band for fans of vicious Extreme Metal.

Band members
Connor Adams – vocals
Tres Thomas – guitar
Corey Skerlak – guitar, vocals
Bryn Herbert – bass, vocals
John Thomson – drums 

SPECIAL GUEST HEADLINERS: CRIMSON SHADOWS

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Crimson Shadows @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 06/11/2016

And before that incredible night of Canadian Metal was over, we were treated to the Epic Death/Power Metal by special guest headliners Crimson Shadows, winners of the first edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada in 2013, and also crowned the Metal Battle international winners at Wacken Open Air that same year. Well, the epic devastation crafted by these talented Torontonians, mixing the speed and intricacy of Dragonforce and Rhapsody with the vileness and heaviness of Children of Bodom, sounded even more potent on stage, with highlights to the excellent performance of newcomer Paul “Ablaze” Zinay with his harsh screams, and especially Mr. Greg Rounding with his fantastic riffs, solos and clean vocals. If you know nothing about Crimson Shadows, I suggest you take a listen at the high-end battle hymns Rise to Power and Braving the Storm, which were played to perfection during their electrifying concert. I believe that whenever Rise to Power is played, if you do not start singing it together with Crimson Shadows, raising your fists in the air, drinking a pint of beer and getting ready to die in the battlefield, you’re not a honorable warrior.

Band members
Paul “Ablaze” Zinay – vocals
Ryan Hofing – guitar
Greg Rounding – guitar, vocals
Alex Snape – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

AND THE WINNER IS…

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Profaner – 2016 Wacken Metal Battle Canada Winner

…everyone that attended the event this Saturday, especially the bands and the amazing crew that helped that metal celebration become true! Unfortunately, only one band could win the tournament and head to Wacken Open Air in August, but all five bands were simply amazing and deserve our humble recognition for keeping the fire of Canadian Metal alive. Congratulations to runner-ups DistortHead, who won a bunch of cool stuff from PureGrainAudio.com and Los Cabos Drumsticks that will be very beneficial to their career, and in special to the 2016 Wacken Metal Battle Canada winners PROFANER! YOU GUYS KICK ASS!

As previously mentioned, Crimson Shadows went to Wacken Open Air and won the international battle in 2013, and in 2015 Vesperia (who were there on Saturday to pass the crown to Profaner) re-lived that success by once again bringing the first place from Germany to Canada. Now it’s time for Profaner to show to the craziest metal fans in the entire world who will attend the festival in August how awesome Canadian Metal is. If you want to have a good overview of what happens to all independent bands while at Wacken Open Air, I recommend you watch the movie Wacken 3D – Louder Than Hell, from 2014. But that’s just in case you’re not going to join Profaner in their thrilling quest in Teutonic lands, of course.