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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 – Silent Obsession / Countdown EP (2021)

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This up-and-coming Algerian Death Metal outfit is back with an in-depth extreme musical perspective into the devastating, global apocalypse.

3.0rating

silent-obsession-countdown-ep-2021Following the release of their 2020 EP Lost, Algiers, Algeria-based Death Metal outfit Silent Obsession is back with another short and sweet display of violence, heaviness and speed in the form of a new EP entitled Countdown. Written and composed by the band’s mastermind and guitarist Max Marginal and produced by Redouane Aouameur of Fermata Studios, the EP portrays an in-depth extreme musical perspective into the devastating, global apocalypse carefully brought forth by the aforementioned Max together with Danny on vocals and guitars, Manil on bass, and Ben Der on drums. “It’s about the apocalypse, the end of the world,” commented Max, also complementing by saying that “Silent Obsession reaches a highest level of a global mental failure, when madness become something legit in this society,” giving us all a very good idea of all the aggressiveness and brutality found in the band’s new EP.

After the short and infernal intro Apocalyptic Manifestation, Silent Obsession come crushing our souls with their venomous Death Metal in End of an Era, where Ben Der showcases all his talent behind his drums, providing Danny and Max all they need to slash their strings mercilessly and with Danny also vomiting the song’s acid words nonstop. There’s absolutely no time to breathe as the quartet keeps hammering our skulls with their old school Death Metal in Exhausted Resource, another violent and heavy-as-hell creation where Manil and Ben Der are on fire with their thunderous kitchen accompanied by the monstrous roars by Danny and the always visceral riffage and wicked solos by Max, living up to the legacy of bands the likes of Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide and, therefore, leaving us utterly eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.

silent-obsession-2021If you’re curious to know how ass-kicking Algerian Death Metal sounds, you can listen to Silent Obsession’s new EP on YouTube and on Spotify, and soon you’ll be able to purchase it from your regular retailers and show your support to the underground from “Algiers the White.” Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about Max and his henchmen. Silent Obsession couldn’t have released their new EP about the end of the world in a more appropriate time, as it looks like that’s exactly what we’re experiencing everywhere with viruses, natural disasters, wars, conflicts, hunger and climate change disturbing our peace. At least, as I always say, we’ll have another set of high-quality songs to be added to the end of the world’s soundtrack when that inevitable moment comes, and let’s hope the band releases a more robust full-length opus in the coming months to show us everything they got in the name of old school Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Exhausted Resource.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Apocalyptic Manifestation 0:30
2. End of an Era 2:55
3. Exhausted Resource 2:51

Band members
Danny – vocals, guitars
Max Marginal – guitars
Manil – bass
Ben Der – drums

Album Review – Silent Obsession / Lost EP (2020)

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Bang your heads to this venomous fusion of Technical, Progressive and Brutal Death Metal made in Algeria.

Inspired by renowned bands such as Decapitated and Morbid Angel, among other modern metal acts, Algiers, Algeria-based Death Metal unity Silent Obsession is eager to spread their fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal with more contemporary styles such as Groove Metal to all four corners of the earth, sending a bold message that Algerian metal can be as vibrant, demolishing and entertaining as any of their North American or European friends. Originally conceived as a solo project by guitarist Max Marginal in 2017 aiming at exploring humanity’s dark side, Silent Obsession evolved to a full-bodied band in the next couple of years until reaching their current lineup comprised of the aforementioned Max Marginal on the guitar, Danny on vocals and guitar, Manil on bass and Ben Der on drums, strengthening their sound and creativity and, consequently, culminating with the release now in 2020 of their debut EP entitled Lost, bringing to our avid ears 12 minutes of top-of-the-line extreme music made in the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria.

The blazing guitars by Danny and Max set the tone in the violent EP intro, already showcasing all their skills while Ben Der crushes his drums manically and also presenting elements from Thrash and Black Metal, with Danny’s vicious roars adding a touch of malignancy to the overall result. Then bringing tons of progressiveness and rage together with their core sonority the quartet fires Paranoia Activity, where Manil’s bass punches will hit you hard in the face and with Danny growling more deeply and demonically than before in a technical display of Death Metal infused with Groove Metal nuances, all spiced up by some sick guitar solos, whereas D.E.A.D. sounds even more violent and devastating, with Manil and Ben Der generating an earthquake with their sonic weapons while Danny and Max keep extracting sheer dementia form their guitars, not to mention how rabid and insane Danny’s roars sound. In other words, this is an absolutely perfect Progressive Death Metal tune for smashing your spinal cord into the circle pit. Lastly, in Destruction of the Spirit the band once again blends their core Death Metal with other extreme styles such as Thrash Metal and even Progressive Groove Metal, with their riffs and solos being utterly fantastic, accompanied by the always infernal drums by Ben Der.

Just like their friends from Lelahell, Litham and Hellium, among several other excellent bands, Silent Obsession are determined to carry the flag of Algerian Death Metal wherever they go, and their debut effort Lost is indeed a great example of what they are capable of offering to demanding metalheads always searching for heavy, violent and fast music. Hence, don’t forget to give the EP a listen on Spotify, on YouTube and on Deezer, to follow Silent Obsession on their official Facebook page for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and to purchase a copy of Lost from Apple Music. Max and his loyal henchmen are eager to know what you think of their debut installment, especially if you’re a diehard fan of underground Death Metal, showing you once again that not only high-quality metal music can be found anywhere in the world, but also if Death Metal is your cup of tea, you should definitely take a musical trip to “Al Jaza’ir”.

Best moments of the album: D.E.A.D.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Independent

Track listing
1. Intro 2:34
2. Paranoia Activity 4:32
3. D.E.A.D. 3:11
4. Destruction of the Spirit 2:22

Band members
Danny – vocals, guitars
Max Marginal – guitars
Manil – bass
Ben Der – drums