Tag Archives: death metal

Concert Review – Decapitated (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 02/13/2025)

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It doesn’t matter how much snow there is in Toronto, the metalheads in the city will always be there for a night of sheer violence with bands like Decapitated and Incantation.

OPENING ACTS: Exmortus, Darkest Hour and Incantation

After the massive snow storm that hit the city of Toronto and most of the province on Ontario from Wednesday night until Thursday morning, bringing an endless amount of snow to the streets and, therefore, turning any commute into a true nightmare, I thought all roads would be clear Thursday evening when Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I headed to The Phoenix Concert Theatre for a night of sheer brutality offered by EXMORTUS, DARKEST HOUR, INCANTATION and DECAPITATED during their Nihility Across North America Tour 2025, another killer event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Unfortunately, my predictions about the roads being clear of snow were wrong (although I was right about traffic being light that evening due to people staying home instead of going to work that day), and Toronto was still a huge freakin’ mess when I got to the show, but in the end no one seemed to care about the gargantuan snow banks blocking every single sidewalk and some streets, as the crowd at the venue was really good for a night when the best thing to do was staying home.

Less than half an hour after the doors opened, Whittier, California’s own Technical Thrash/Death Metal beast EXMORTUS kicked off the festivities with a frantic, very technical and absolutely fun performance, igniting some of the coolest and wildest circle pits of the entire night. Spearheaded by the talented vocalist and guitarist Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez, the band played a short but powerful set including songs form their latest opus Necrophony, available by the way on Spotify, and the reaction form the fans already at the venue was superb. Those guys are simply amazing live, playing all songs to perfection, and I guess it won’t take long for Torontonians to see them again in the city, and hopefully next time they’ll be the headliners and play a full set for our total delight.

Setlist
Oathbreaker
Feast of Flesh
Storm of Strings
Warrior of the Night
Let Us Roam
Metal Is King

Band members
Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez – vocals, guitars
Chase Becker – guitars
Brice Snyder – bass
Adrian Aguilar – drums

After a very short break, Washington, D.C.-based Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore act DARKEST HOUR hit the sage at the Phoenix Concert Theatre for a very energetic show, thanks in part to the breathtaking performances by guitarists Mike Schleibaum and Nico Santora, who didn’t stop shredding their axes, headbanging, running and jumping around the stage, not even for a single second. Currently promoting their 2024 album Perpetual | Terminal, available on both BandCamp and on Spotify, the quintet was eager to get more action from the crowd, which seemed a bit tired most probably due to an entire day of shoveling and braving snow banks across the city. That doesn’t mean we didn’t get some sick mosh pits during their show, and of course every single time frontman John Henry asked people to move inside the pit, he was promptly answered with some nice action by the crowd.

Setlist
Societal Bile
The Sadist Nation
Stand and Receive Your Judgment
The Flesh & The Flowers of Death
Rapture in Exile
Doomsayer (The Beginning of the End)
Tranquil
Amor Fati
Convalescence
With a Thousand Words to Say but One
Goddess of War, Give Me Something to Die For

Band members
John Henry – vocals
Mike Schleibaum – guitars
Nico Santora – guitars
Aaron Deal – bass
Travis Orbin – drums

I guess fans were also saving some energy for the ruthless performance by Johnstown, Pennsylvania’s own Death Metal veterans INCANTATION, who after a considerable delay started playing their 1994 cult album Mortal Throne Of Nazarene in full, just like in all other stops from their current tour. And let me tell you, the live rendition of such a classic album of Death Metal with Doom Metal influences sounded utterly evil, heavy and demented onstage, with the bass by Chuck Sherwood making our heads tremble during their entire show. The iconic John McEntee sounded as infernal as usual on vocals, inspiring us all for some brutal headbanging and, therefore, reminding us all why Incantation have been a staple of the extreme music scene worldwide for so many decades. It was just my second time seeing those guys live, and hopefully not the last one, as I’m sure Incantation love Toronto as much as we love their music.

Setlist
Mortal Throne of Nazarene
Demonic Incarnate
Emaciated Holy Figure
Iconoclasm of Catholicism
Essence Ablaze
Nocturnal Dominium
The Ibex Moon
Blissful Bloodshower
Abolishment of Immaculate Serenity

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

DECAPITATED

Last but not least, it was time to turn up the volume to 11 with the infuriated performance by the main band of the night, Poland’s unrelenting Technical Death/Groove Metal horde DECAPITATED, and when I say it was loud, it’s because it was LOUD. Performing their 2002 classic album Nihility in full, plus a few other songs as part of the encore, the band now fronted by vocalist Eemeli Bodde (who by the way contributed vocals for the track “Flooding Secrations”, performed by a fictional band called Impaled Rektum from the 2018 Finnish movie Heavy Trip), Decapitated crushed our damn minds, souls and bodies with endless heaviness and violence, inspiring all mosh pit lovers to have a very good time inside the hurricane formed in the middle of the floor section. My only complaint is that the show started late, after 10pm, and some fans had to leave before the end because they had to take public transportation home, or simply because they were absolutely tired. As I said, the snow storm drained a lot of our energy during the day, but of course there’s always some left when the band in question is as infernal and vibrant as Decapitated.

Setlist
Nihility
Perfect Dehumanisation (The Answer?)
Eternity Too Short
Mother War
Nihility (Anti-Human Manifesto)
Names
Spheres of Madness
Babylon’s Pride
Symmetry of Zero
Suffer the Children (Napalm Death cover)

Encore:
From the Nothingness With Love
Cancer Culture
Kill the Cult
Hello Death
Iconoclast

Band members
Eemeli Bodde – vocals
Wacław Vogg Kiełtyka – guitars
Paweł Pavlo Pasek – bass
James Stewart – drums

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Album Review – Pathogenic / Crowned in Corpses (2025)

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This American Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit makes their triumphant return to the battlefield with eight tracks of devastating power and haunting warnings of the darkness that lies ahead.

Boston, Massachusetts-based Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit Pathogenic makes a triumphant return with the release of Crowned in Corpses, a brutal and immersive display of prog and tech death. This marks their first full-length release in over half a decade, promising a bold evolution of their signature brand while retaining the intensity that has defined the band for years. Produced and engineered by Pathogenic, Raymond Marte, and Anthony Lopardo, recorded at Westfall Recording Studio and at Chris Gardino’s Crispy Crackers Audio Emporium, and mixed and mastered by Raymond Marte, the newborn beast by vocalist Jake Burns, guitarists Chris Gardino and Justin Lich, bassist Dan Leahy and drummer Tyler Montaquila is a ferocious musical declaration, offering the listener eight tracks of devastating power and haunting warnings of the darkness that lies ahead.

Just hit play and an avalanche of technical and visceral sounds will hit you hard in Mass Grave Memory, with Chris and Justin showing all their dexterity armed with their stringed axes, followed by The New Rot, a lecture in modern-day Technical Death Metal with enhanced brutality thanks to the venomous drums by Tyler. Then the riffage by the band’s guitar duo revs up their Death Metal engine in Dead But Not At Rest, again offering a high dosage of violence flowing from Jake’s roars, and it’s time to slam into the circle pit to the demolishing Exiled from the Abyss, a beyond metallic, in-your-face, ruthless creation by the quintet, with the thunderous bass by Dan bringing sheer groove to the overall result.

Fragments showcases a more cadenced, atmospheric and sinister side of the band, not as visceral and exciting as the other songs, though, while back to a much more infuriated mode the quintet will hammer our putrid bodies with the title-track Crowned in Corpses, where Jake roars like a beast accompanied by the massive, intricate beats and fills by Tyler. Chris and Justin’s riffs, supported by the ruthless bass lines by Dan, will penetrate deep inside our skin in Drag Your Crosses, a first-class Technical Death Metal onrush perfect for some action inside the circle pit; and last but not least, the band will embrace us with in a Death Metal aura with eight minutes of scorching riffs, damned vociferations and crushing drums in Silicon Regime, properly ending such a great comeback by Pathogenic.

Bringing to our avid ears over 42 punishing minutes, the album offers us all labyrinthine riffs, relentless rhythms, and chilling visions of a decaying world, showcasing a sound that is ferocious, intricate, and unapologetically heavy. Hence, in order to show Pathogeinc how much you missed their sonic savagery, go give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their wicked music on Spotify, and purchase Crowned in Corpses from their own BandCamp page, from Skepsis Records, or by clicking HERE, welcoming the band back to the scene while also beautifully crowning them in corpses.

Best moments of the album: The New Rot, Exiled from the Abyss and Drag Your Crosses.

Worst moments of the album: Fragments.

Released in 2025 Skepsis Records

Track listing
1. Mass Grave Memory 4:30
2. The New Rot 5:32
3. Dead But Not At Rest 4:58
4. Exiled from the Abyss 4:28
5. Fragments 7:14
6. Crowned in Corpses 3:37
7. Drag Your Crosses 4:12
8. Silicon Regime 8:08

Band members
Jake Burns – vocals
Chris Gardino – guitar
Justin Lich – guitar
Dan Leahy – bass
Tyler Montaquila – drums

Album Review – Pyrrhic Salvation / When Society Crumbles EP (2025)

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Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast strikes again with a caustic new EP, exploring themes of societal collapse, humanity’s potential, and the inevitability of self-destruction.

Two years after their striking 2022 debut EP Manifestum I, Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast Pyrrhic Salvation returns to action with another vicious and extremely experimental EP, entitled When Society Crumbles. Displaying a sick artwork by Austin Weber of The Lung Swarm Art, the new EP by Michael Altobello on the guitars and Sagar Nadgir on drums and bass, plus newcomer Shawn Ferrell on vocals (who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album), is split into three cohesive movements, each forming a track within the title piece, exploring themes of societal collapse (“Infrastructures”), humanity’s potential (“Insight”), and the inevitability of self-destruction (“Inferiority Complexed”), concluding with a standalone track which ventures into themes of existential dread and humanity’s moral decay, adding an introspective complement to the tripartite title composition.

When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure already starts in full force to the venomous roars by Shawn and the always demented riffage by Michael, sounding and feeling very experimental and progressive, yet exhaling pure Death Metal, making an instant bridge with When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight, continuing their overdose of experimentations and harsh sounds, with Sagar taking the lead with both his sick drums and metallic bass lines, flowing into When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed, where the guitar lines by Michael add an extra dosage of insanity to the overall result, not to mention how rabid Shawn sounds on vocals. Lastly, closing the EP we face Every Last Soul Unmade, a demented Experimental Death Metal attack by the trio where Michael sounds possessed with his riffs and solos, all boosted by the inhumane growls by Shawn.

While When Society Crumbles distances itself from the Black Metal elements of the debut, the group’s affinity for spiraling tenebrous sounds remains evident, churning out songs that are deliberately disorienting and chaotic with a barrage of musical complexity, experimentation, and sporadic strange melodies. Hence, if you want to explore this unique amalgamation of sounds by those talented metallers, you can find them on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase their caustic new EP from BandCamp, leaving the fires of experimental music burning bright until Pyrrhic Salvation stun us all once again in the near future with, who knows, maybe their first ever full-length offering.

Best moments of the album: When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure and Every Last Soul Unmade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure 4:50
2. When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight 4:43
3. When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed 4:23
4. Every Last Soul Unmade 5:43

Band members
Shawn Ferrell – vocals
Michael Altobello – guitars
Sagar Nadgir – drums, fretless bass

Album Review – Norilsk / Antipole (2025)

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Canada’s own Atmospheric Doom/Death/Post-Metal entity returns with another imposing album, exploring the concept of duality, flowing between slow and faster songs while highlighting the contrasts in death and doom.

Named after Siberia’s northernmost city, Норильск in Russian, home to the world’s largest heavy metals smelting complex, Gatineau/Hull, Quebec-based Atmospheric Doom/Death/Post-Metal band Norilsk blends slow and crushing riffs, death growls, icy melodies and atmospheric arrangements in their music, drawing inspiration from the 1990’s doom-death scene, while incorporating a heavy dose of eclectic and contemporary influences. Now in 2025 the band formed of Nic Miquelon on vocals and bass, Tom Hansen and Matt MacIvor on the guitars, and Nick Richer on drums and backing vocals is back with their third full-length opus, titled Antipole, the first album to be recorded by all four members of the band. Mixed and mastered by James Plotkins at Plotkinsworks, with drums recorded and mixed at Wolf Lake Studios by Mike Bond with assistance from JP Sadek and edited and mixed in The Bond Cave, guitars and bass recorded by Tom Hansen, vocals recorded by Topon Das at Apartment 2 Studios, and displaying a classy artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustrations, Antipole is also the first record that Norilsk have been extensively rehearsing, and working on the arrangements together before entering the studio, resulting in a much bolder, tighter and heavier opus than their previous releases.

The metallic sounds blasted by Nic, Tom and Matt match perfectly with the hammering drums by Nick in the title-track Antipole, exploding into a darkened feast of Doom Metal with deep, devilish vociferations, followed by D’ombre et de glace (l’asphyxie), which is French for “of shadow and ice (asphyxiation)”, another rumbling creation by the quartet overflowing doom and fear led by the striking riffs by Tom and Matt. And Locus Sanctus, or “holy place” from Latin, starts in a sinister, serene manner before the band smashes their sonic weapons once again, resulting in one of the most sluggish songs of the album, with Nick stealing the show with his thunderous beats.

Nunataks, from Inuit nunataq, is the summit or ridge of a mountain that protrudes from an ice field or glacier that otherwise covers most of the mountain or ridge, and the band puts the pedal to the metal musically speaking, offering a thrilling fusion of Doom and Death Metal with captivating Post-Metal elements. Then get ready for an intense ten-minute musical voyage entitled La chute du géant, or “the fall of the giant” from French, kicking off in the most lugubrious, pensive way and flowing smoothly while at the same time piercing our minds mercilessly until its ethereal finale. In La fonte, or “the source”, Norilsk go full Post-Metal, with the heavy bass by Nic walking hand in hand with the classic drums by Nick, albeit not too exciting in the end. And lastly we have Un chant pour les morts, or “a song for the dead”, a pure Doom Metal onrush sounding absolutely heavy and grim thanks to the raspy roars by Nic.

The quartet has assembled a brand new chapter in their discography with Antipole, building on the characteristics that made Norilsk what it is today while offering something undeniably contemporary, with its slow doomy riffs, cold melodies, recognizable death growls, and a hint of Post-Metal atmosphere brought by a dual guitar interplay. Exploring the concept of duality, the album flows between slow and faster songs, and highlights the contrasts in death and doom, with its beauty and tragedy, harshness and fragility, light and darkness, reality and fiction, and its gravity and ethereality. Hence, don’t forget to get in touch with Norilsk on Facebook and on Instagram for more of their music, news and tour dates, to stream their music on Spotify, and to purchase Antipole from Norilsk’s own BandCamp, or from the Hypnotic Dirge Records’ BandCamp, EU store (and if I were you, I would go for the more than special CD + merch bundle), or Canada/US store, letting their doomed, heavy and pensive creations penetrate dep inside your blackened soul.

Best moments of the album: Antipole, Nunataks and La chute du géant.

Worst moments of the album: La fonte.

Released in 2025 Hypnotic Dirge Records

Track listing
1. Antipole 8:05
2. D’ombre et de glace (l’asphyxie) 4:47
3. Locus Sanctus 6:07
4. Nunataks 5:27
5. La chute du géant 10:42
6. La fonte 5:08
7. Un chant pour les morts 7:18

Band members
Nic Miquelon – vocals, bass
Tom Hansen – guitars
Matt MacIvor – guitars
Nick Richer – drums, backing vocals

Album Review – Hållbar / Nemesis (2025)

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Behold this excellent album of “Contemporary Black Metal” made in Poland, reminding us all that sometimes we are our own worst enemies.

Forged in the fires of Warsaw, Poland in 2023, Melodic Black/Death Metal horde Hållbar, a Swedish word that translates to “durable” or “sustainable” in English, is ready to crush our souls with their first full-length album, simply titled Nemesis. Self-recorded at Okrutnik Studio, mixed and mastered by Filip “Heinrich” Hałucha at Heinrich House Studio, and with artwork and design by Dariusz Barabaś from Seeg Design and Bartosz Rybitwa, the debut opus by Gosia Marczak on vocals, Przemysław Janusz Gracel and Jakub Bałdyga on the guitars, Bartosz Wietnam Mitura on bass and Sebastian Kredek Cieciera on drums brings to our avid ears a crossover between Black Metal and Melodic Death Metal with Deathcore-like female screams, or in other words, a unique belnd that the band likes to call as “Contemporary Black Metal”.

The cryptic, eerie intro Ambiguous Loss will darken our minds before the band comes ripping in Mental Apraxia, with Sebastian hammering his drums manically, offering Gosia all she needs to bark and roar like a true she-demon; and the guitars by Przemysław and Jakub exhale heaviness and sound as sharp as a knife in Face to the Ground, presenting a great fusion of Melodic Death and Black Metal. The title-track Nemesis brings forward obscure lyrics barked by Gosia (“You’re the hero of your personal myth / You’re an obdurate cancer running through my veins / You’re the buffalo with predator’s teeth / Nemesis! Oh! / Show me everything it is worth to die for / Nemesis! / Show me everything you just want to die for / Let them free!”), whereas Bartosz and Sebastian make the earth tremble with their metallic kitchen in the venomous Love/Hate Language.

After such a hurricane of blackened sounds, we face a more introspective, serene start in Fears, with Gosia gnarling deeply before all explodes into a headbanging extravaganza led by the massive drums by Sebastian, resulting in maybe the most Black Metal of all songs. The band continues to pave their darkened path in Voodoo Doll, another excellent option for some vigorous headbanging with the riffs by Przemysław and Jakub transpiring sulfur; and there’s no time to breathe as their caustic fusion of Death and Black Metal keeps penetrating deep inside our souls in Aposiopesis, while Gosia blasts an overdose of harsh roars in Tormentor, supported by the thunderous sounds crafted by her bandmates. Puppet String, the second to last song of the album, again ventures through darker lands, sounding perfect for some mosh pit action, whereas lastly we have Possibilities, a solid tune that puts a visceral yet melodic ending to the album.

“Nemesis is a tale of unprocessed experiences and emotions that, difficult and aggravating at first, eventually teach important lessons – stories of mental illness, codependency, perfectionism, patterns of unreflective behavior and loneliness. Nemesis is about each of us, because we are sometimes our own worst enemies,” commented Gosia about the band’s debut offering, and you can join the band in that never-ending fight against our inner demons by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming their music on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of Nemesis from BandCamp or from DistroKid. We’re definitely our worst enemies in life, which is why we have high quality bands like Hållbar among us, to give us strength through their music to continue moving forward no matter what.

Best moments of the album: Face to the Ground, Fears and Aposiopesis.

Worst moments of the album: Tormentor.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Ambiguous Loss 0:41
2. Mental Apraxia 3:54
3. Face to the Ground 3:19
4. Nemesis 3:10
5. Love/Hate Language 3:47
6. Fears 3:33
7. Voodoo Doll 4:45
8. Aposiopesis 3:29
9. Tormentor 3:24
10. Puppet String 4:05
11. Possibilities 3:51

Band members
Gosia Marczak – vocals
Przemysław Janusz Gracel – guitar
Jakub Bałdyga – guitar
Bartosz Wietnam Mitura – bass
Sebastian Kredek Cieciera – drums

Album Review – Jinjer / Duél (2025)

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Ukraine’s own metal juggernauts return with their fifth full-length opus, taking on a much more aggressive tone, ferociously wielding a fully stocked arsenal of metal genre trademarks.

Donetsk, Ukraine’s own leading Alternative/Groove Metal/Djent juggernauts Jinjer return with their eagerly awaited fifth studio album, entitled Duél, the follow-up to their 2021 album Wallflowers, taking on a much more aggressive tone, ferociously wielding a fully stocked arsenal of Progressive, Nu, and Death Metal, among other metal genre trademarks. On their new album, the iconic frontwoman Tatiana Shmayluk, guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov, and drummer Vlad Ulasevich continue their long-lasting collaboration with accomplished producer Max Morton, who co-produced, mixed and mastered the album, living up to the band’s reputation as metal visionaries, once more showing that they refuse to follow any set rules in their genre, but choose their own path of creativity.

Two seconds is all that Jinjer need to kick us hard in the ass with their enraged metal music in the high-octane Tantrum, with the bass by Eugene making our heads tremble in awe; whereas Hedonist offers four minutes of classic Jinjer to our avid ears, with Tatiana delivering her striking clean vocals and harsh roars amidst a fusion of Groove Metal and Djent. Rogue, another strong contender for their live concerts, will generate some wild circle pits if played live while Eugene and Vlad keep hammering their instruments nonstop, and the Sludge Metal-infused riffs by Roman dictate the pace in Tumbleweed, while Tatiana declaims the song’s darkly poetic lyrics with tons of passion. Then we have Green Serpent, one of the previously released singles, a venomous fusion of Alternative Metal with Groove and Post-Metal nuances where Vlad pounds his drums mercilessly for our total delight.

Kafka is another groovy, intricate and progressive creation by the quartet, with Tatiana’s mesmerizing vocals being nicely supported by the classy kitchen blasted by Eugene and Vlad, followed by Dark Bile, one of the most aggressive songs of the album thanks to Tatiana’s enraged roars, while Roman and Eugene continue with their stringed axe attack. I love when the band goes full metal like in Fast Draw, offering an overdose of heaviness, harsh, deep and visceral screams and blast beats, while Roman extracts piercing, sharp riffs from his guitar, whereas Someone’s Daughter, the very first single released, was somewhat promising, but compared to the rest of the album it feels a bit generic. A Tongue So Sly is yet another song where the band put the pedal to the metal and delivered sheer violence, while still overflowing groove and intricacy; and the album ends with the fast-paced title-track Duél, perfect for some action inside the mosh pit to the hammering beats by Vlad while Tatiana vociferates the song’s cryptic words majestically.

Showcasing the very best of their multifaceted, extreme soundscapes, providing a gripping listening experience, Duél is filled with a fierce attitude and tons of emotion, inviting their fans for multiple listens as each track evolves on their own. Hence, don’t forget to check what the band is up to, including their tour dates, on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and to grab a copy of Duél by clicking HERE or HERE. Because Jinjer are always challenging themselves for a “creative duel”, pushing their boundaries further and further and, consequently, bringing joy and energy to our hearts thanks to their ever-evolving, never dull or stale heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Tantrum, Rogue, Fast Draw and Duél.

Worst moments of the album: Someone’s Daughter.

Released in 2025 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Tantrum 3:59
2. Hedonist 3:46
3. Rogue 3:12
4. Tumbleweed 3:22
5. Green Serpent 4:01
6. Kafka 4:09
7. Dark Bile 3:40
8. Fast Draw 3:14
9. Someone’s Daughter 4:17
10. A Tongue So Sly 4:25
11. Duél 4:48

Band members
Tatiana Shmayluk – vocals
Roman Ibramkhalilov – guitars
Eugene Abdukhanov – bass
Vlad Ulasevich – drums

Album Review – Weed Demon / The Doom Scroll (2025)

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A Columbus, Ohio-based trio returns heavier than ever with their vicious new album, revamping their sludged-out stoner doom with death/thrashing atrocity.

The audio equivalent of bong water spilled on a Ouija board, Columbus, Ohio-based Weed Demon are a 4-piece Sludge/Stoner/Doom Metal beast who continues to push the boundaries of their sound, captivating audiences with relentless creativity and a crushing cosmic vision. Now in 2025 the band formed of Jordan Holland on vocals and bass, Andy Center and Brian Buckley on the guitars, and Nick Carter on drums returns with their third installment, titled The Doom Scroll, following up on their 2020 album Crater Maker. Engineered at StoneRipper Studios, and displaying a stunning artwork by Mont Doom, the album sees the band revamping their sludged-out stoner doom with death/thrashing atrocity, often weaving through hallucinatory dungeon synth passages.

Just hit play and Acid Dungeon will hit us like the soundtrack to a horror movie from the 80’s, sending shivers down our spines before all hell breaks loose in Tower of Smoke, where Andy and Brian begin their riff attack in great fashion supported by the massive, headbanging drums by Nick, with the only problem for me being that it’s an instrumental song (it’s quite decent overall, though). Then we have Coma Dose, featuring guest vocalist Shy Kennedy of Funerals (PGH) and Horehound, sounding a lot stronger and overflowing groove thanks to the striking riffage by the band’s guitar duo, while the vocals by Jordan and Shy sound enraged and mesmerizing at the same time. Roasting the Sacred Bones brings forward more of the band’s acid, visceral Doom and Sludge Metal, with Jordan once again roaring manically supported by the hammering beats by Nick, flowing into the acoustic outro Dead Planet Blues, which puts a cinematic ending to the album. But wait, as there’s a secret track in the vinyl edition of the album, their cover version for Frank Zappa’s Willy The Pimp, originally recorded back in 1969 in the album Hot Rats, with Weed Demon’s rendition being as impactful and vibrant as the original.

The guys from Weed Demon are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, more of their music, their tour dates and so on, and of course you can stream their sludgy and visceral creations on Spotify, as well as purchase a copy of the excellent The Doom Scroll from their own BandCamp, from the Electric Valley Records’ BandCamp or webstore, from the Glory or Death Records webstore, or click HERE for all things Weed Demon. As already mentioned, Weed Demon continue to experiment with different sounds including Thrash and Death Metal in The Doom Scroll without forgetting their core Sludge and Doom Metal essence, resulting in a very dynamic and fresh album while at the same time sounding old school, and based on the quality of their new opus I bet we’ll hear a lot from those Ohio guys in the coming years, always in the name of weed, heaviness and doom.

Best moments of the album: Coma Dose and Roasting the Sacred Bones.

Worst moments of the album: Tower of Smoke.

Released in 2025 Electric Valley Records

Track listing
1. Acid Dungeon 2:42
2. Tower of Smoke 7:33
3. Coma Dose 9:33
4. Roasting the Sacred Bones 6:17
5. Dead Planet Blues 4:49

Vinyl Edition secret bonus track
6. Willy The Pimp (Frank Zappa cover) 6:14

Band members
Jordan Holland – lead vocals, bass
Andy Center – guitars, backing vocals
Brian Buckley – guitars, backing vocals
Nick Carter – drums

Guest musician
Shy Kennedy – vocals on “Coma Dose”

Concert Review – Wacken Metal Battle Toronto Round #1 (Hard Luck Bar, Toronto, ON, 01/25/2025)

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The iconic Hard Luck Bar in Toronto became a “metal ring” where four brave bands started wrestling for the undisputed prize of playing at the greatest metal festival in the world this summer.

INTRODUCTION: ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE?

It was time to set this bitterly cold winter on fire in Toronto this Saturday with this year’s edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, starting with Wacken Metal Battle Toronto Round #1 with the bands PURVEYOR OF CHAOS, UNKLE SKURVEY, ISCHEMIC and PILLARS OF AUTUMN at Hard Luck Bar, the first step for each one of those four bands to win the coveted slot at Wacken Open Air taking place from July 30 to August 2 this year in Wacken, Germany, plus $1,000 CAD towards expenses, and VIP camping at the festival. Not only that, they also have the opportunity to win monetary and gear prizes at the international Wacken Metal Battle. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such an important night for the underground metal scene in Toronto, and of course enjoy the music by those four amazing bands.

As a matter of fact, this year I was invited by the one and only JJ Tartaglia, responsible for Wacken Metal Battle Canada, and the vocalist and drummer for Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band Thunderor, to be one of the guest judges alongside Claus Nader (Futhark Records), Andrew Craig (Zombitrol Productions) and Ryan Hofing (Crimson Shadows). It was a true honor being chosen to evaluate the future of heavy music in Toronto, and I hope I did a good job to the point I get invited to this unique event more times this year and in all future editions of Wacken Metal Battle Canada. Having said all that, are you ready to rumble?

PURVEYOR OF CHAOS

The first band of the night was Heavy Metal/Hard Rock quartet PURVEYOR OF CHAOS, who hit the stage at 9pm armed with their heavy riffs and the soaring vocals by frontman Maxel Black. Playing songs form their 2022 self-titled album, which is by the way available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band did a good job onstage and put everyone to bang their heads and raise their horns in the name of classic heavy music, and I’m sure if they refine their sound a bit, maybe by adding a second guitarist to their lineup and making the sound of their drums clearer, they’ll have a much better overall performance during their future live shows.

Band members
Maxel Black – vocals
Bulldog Bess Ross – guitars
Tenbears – bass
Fast Eddie – drums

UNKLE SKURVEY

Right after a quick break, Heavy Metal/Hardcore outfit UNKLE SKURVEY delivered a fun and vibrant performance to a very decent crowd at Hard Luck Bar, sometimes sounding like a Thrash Metal band, sometimes like a System of a Down cover band, which was a bit confusing but in the end worked relatively well. The songs Covid Mosh, World War 3, and Next Generation, all available on Spotify, sounded great live, with frontman Ché Cleland’s energy and facial expressions adding an extra touch of insanity to their show. I personally think if they focus on the sound from the song Next Generation in their future releases, and add a second guitarist to the band, they’ll definitely go places.

Band members
Ché Cleland – vocals
Doug Noel – guitars
Stephen ‘Stiv’ Scott – bass
Sean Mollison – drums

ISCHEMIC

The third band of the night was most definitely the heaviest of all, blasting a dark and deep fusion of Blackened Death and Doom Metal not recommended for the lighthearted. I’m talking about the five-headed beast known by the name of ISCHEMIC, spearheaded by the talented growler Isabelle Tazbir, who melted our faces with their undisputed heaviness and obscurity. Having released the album Condemned to the Breaking Wheel in 2024, which you can purchase or stream on BandCamp and on Spotify, their performance was beyond fantastic, proving Isabelle and her henchmen are more than ready for bigger stages worldwide.

Band members
Isabelle Tazbir – vocals
Adam Korchok – guitars
Jon Radic – guitars
Lyndon Quadros – bass
Mrudul Kamble – drums

PILLARS OF AUTUMN

Last but certainly not least, it was time for Technical/Symphonic Deathcore act PILLARS OF AUTUMN to deliver a massive, electrifying, technical and very professional performance to the crowd at Hard Luck Bar, with all songs, in special their new single Crestfallen Emissary, sounding amazing live. I highly recommend you go check their music out on BandCamp and on Spotify, paying very good attention to the demented fry screams by Nick Young and the insane bass lines by Kevin Chan Kin Fung, as those two guys sounded brilliant during their set this Saturday night in Toronto.

Band members
Nick Young – vocals
Devon Groat – guitars
Carl Pike – guitars
Kevin Chan Kin Fung – bass
Doug Noel – drums

AND THE WINNER IS…

…the Blackened Death and Doom Metal creature ISCHEMIC! Congratulations for the win! They now move on to the Ontario Final on March 21 at Rivoli in Toronto, and if you want to know more about the whole competition, the next rounds across Canada and so on go to the official Facebook page of Wacken Metal Battle Canada. Also, thanks to all media partners and promoters, including Bravewords.com, Metal-Rules.com, Metal Devastation Radio, Boonsdale Records, Asher Media Relations, and many others, for keeping the fires of underground music in Canada burning brighter than a thousand suns. I’m sure Ischemic will have another killer performance during the Ontario Final in March, and who knows, maybe they’ll be the ones to “rule them all” and venture through the sacred lands of Wacken Open Air in Germany this summer, proudly representing Canada at the greatest stage of all.

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Album Review – Tormentor Tyrant / Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty (2025)

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This seasoned trio of musicians from Finland will crush you with their first full-length album, one of the most savage, grinding, furious and primordial Death Metal releases you could face this year.

An ageless entity of evil featuring members from Corpsessed, Solothus, Tyranny, Profetus and Cataleptic, drawing musical influences from Death Metal’s first steps into existence, Helsinki/Järvenpää, Finland based Tormentor Tyrant will leave no survivors with their full-frontal assault of sonic devastation to the sound of their first full-length offering, titled Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty. Recorded at Furnace 5034 and Rehearsalucifer Studios, produced by Tormentor Tyrant, mastered by The Hand of Doom at Toxic Basement Studio, and displaying a sick artwork by Roni Ärling (with layout by Giorgio Spevo of Everlasting Spew Records), the new album by vocalist and guitarist S.Envenom, bassist and vocalist M.Malignant, and drummer J.Carnage is perfect for fans of Deicide, Malevolent Creation, Skeletal Remains, and Laceration, among others, resulting in one of the most savage, grinding, furious and primordial Death Metal releases you could face this year.

The Mephistophelean intro Upheaval Of Tyranny will transport you to the ruthless world ruled by Tormentor Tyrant in Capital Of Pain, offering us all a little more than two minutes of pure savagery led by the inhumane, demented roars by S.Envenom, and let’s keep slamming into the mosh pit to the sound of Torture Divine, where J.Carnage doesn’t stop hammering his drums not even for a single second. Their feast of violence has no time to end, with Tartarean Iron Grip presenting their most destructive side thanks to another bestial performance by J.Carnage on drums; and the trio sounds absolutely merciless and possessed in Crueler Tomorrow, with M.Malignant blasting his bass nonstop while also roaring manically.

In Pit of Anguish, there’s nothing else to do but diving into the circle pit like a true metalmaniac to the demonic vocals by S.Envenom and the band’s vile riffs and classic Death Metal solos, followed by Cosmic Wild Hunt, a brutal and demented display of Finnish Death Metal where their riffs, blast beats and infernal guttural roars sound perfect for some action during their live performances. Then it feels like they’re even more infuriated in Terminal Revelation, with the ruthless drums by J.Carnage providing S.Envenom with the exact level of violence needed to distill his visceral growls; whereas Heavy Death Bombardment, the last song of the album, is just as insane as all previous tracks, where S.Envenom and M.Malignant are beasts incarnate with their riffs and solos.

There’s no extreme down-tuning, no mysticality, nor anything like that in Excessive Escalation Of Cruelty, just sheer unrelenting evil violence in the old way, and the guys from Tormentor Tyrant would simply love to hear what you have to say about their demolishing creations on Facebook and on Instagram, and you can also stream their music on Spotify and, above all that, purchase their fulminating opus by clicking HERE (mailorder) or HERE (BandCamp). The beyond talented and savage musicians from Tormentor Tyrant are not fooling around; they’re out for blood, armed with the ass-kicking Death Metal found in their new album, and you better watch out because once you’re caught into their hurricane of sonic violence, there’s absolutely no way out.

Best moments of the album: Tartarean Iron Grip, Cosmic Wild Hunt and Terminal Revelation.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Intro – Upheaval Of Tyranny 1:16
2. Capital Of Pain 2:20
3. Torture Divine 2:17
4. Tartarean Iron Grip 3:13
5. Crueler Tomorrow 3:20
6. Pit of Anguish 2:36
7. Cosmic Wild Hunt 4:20
8. Terminal Revelation 2:33
9. Heavy Death Bombardment 4:59

Band members
S.Envenom – vocals, rhythm guitars
M.Malignant – bass, lead guitars, vocals
J.Carnage – drums

Album Review – Infested Angel / Threnodies to Eternal Despair (2025)

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An up-and-coming UK Death Metal duo is ready to unleash hell with their first full-length album, taking the listener to the darkest corners of the human soul.

A blastbeat-driven Death Metal band originating from Birmingham, England, the infernal duo known as Infested Angel has honed their sound even further in their new album Threnodies to Eternal Despair, embracing intense, brutal riffs that pulse with a powerful, sorrowful melody, working as the perfect follow-up to their 2021 EP Nourish Me, Satan and their 2022 EP Submit to Death. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios, and crafted with raw rage and sorrow by vocalist and guitarist Andrew “Mick” Bryan and drummer Patryk “Pat” Kaczmarek, the album promises to take you to the darkest corners of the human soul during its intense 11 songs.

The opener No Time for Despair portrays a story of the imminent and absolute loss of all humankind in an extinction event, reflected in its devilish lyrics (“Finally, the day has come, / Incinerate, she burns the sun, / All we had plundered, / All we had framed, / No Time for Despair, / No time to revere, / Submit to Death, / Our ending is here”), while the duo offers us all six (six six) minutes of absolute darkness and hatred in the form of ass-kicking Death Metal in To Never Return. Then we have Euphony of Dismay, with its lyrics roared by Andrew dealing with a chaotic personal self-reflection on experiencing suicidal depression (“On taking my life, / Of aching and strife, / Oh how could I wish it to be, / Forced into pain, / With cowing and shame, / A ruinous ending foreseen”) in an incendiary fusion of Black and Death Metal; and it’s impressive how two guys only can make so much noise like in Dread Incorporeal, with the blast beats by Patryk sounding truly chaotic and vile.

The acoustic, introspective interlude Fields of Ashes sets the stage for the duo to kill again in Control of Fear, sounding demolishing form start to finish, with Andrew slashing his axe while he also growls rabidly until the very end. Then we have The Lost Battle, featuring composer, sound design and pianist Nathaniel Coxon, with his gentle piano notes beautifully permeating the air until all hell breaks loose to the venomous roars by Andrew and the crushing beats by Patryk; and after such a dense tune, they keep firing sulfur and darkness in Misanthropic Elegy, with Patryk once again delivering bestial yet intricate beats. Darkness Envelops is not as exciting as the previous tunes, despite its heaviness and fury, while Suffering and Retribution is another hammering slab of Death and Black Metal where Andrew delivers his most inhumane guttural of all. Nathaniel Coxon returns in Into the Night’s Embrace, a serene outro that brings some peace to our hearts to conclude the album; however, there’s still time for two bonus tracks titled The Bastard Will Materialise and Unholy Decay, both utterly vile and heavy-as-hell.

Charging depictions of tragedy, loss and existential suffering straight to the heart of the listeners that have been subject to their inimitable style, Infested Angel sound merciless throughout their newborn beast Threnodies to Eternal Despair, which you can purchase from the Art Gates Records webstore as a CD + shirt bundle, a CD + hoodie bundle, or a CD + shirt + hoodie bundle, and don’t forget to also give the duo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their music on Spotify, or simply click HERE for all things Infested Angel. Put differently, subsume yourself now into the Infested Angel cult and submit to death, letting the music found in their new album be the ultimate soundtrack to your eulogy.

Best moments of the album: To Never Return, Euphony of Dismay and The Lost Battle.

Worst moments of the album: Darkness Envelops.

Released in 2025 Art Gates Records

Track listing
1. No Time for Despair 3:59
2. To Never Return 6:06
3. Euphony of Dismay 5:11
4. Dread Incorporeal 6:46
5. Fields of Ashes 1:32
6. Control of Fear 4:58
7. The Lost Battle 6:44
8. Misanthropic Elegy 3:52
9. Darkness Envelops 5:14
10. Suffering and Retribution 3:58
11. Into the Night’s Embrace 2:33

Bonus tracks
12. The Bastard Will Materialise 3:47
13. Unholy Decay 5:21

Band members
Andrew “Mick” Bryan – vocals, guitars
Patryk “Pat” Kaczmarek – drums

Guest musician
Nathaniel Coxon – piano on “The Lost Battle” and “Into the Night’s Embrace”