Tag Archives: death metal

Metal Chick of the Month – Heather Taylor

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Burn the clowns, Heather!

Chupacabra means “goat sucker” in Spanish, and according to reports, the creature acts much like a vampire, killing animals by sucking their blood. Though similar stories date back several decades, the first major wave of alleged chupacabra sightings came from farmers in Puerto Rico in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But what does that have to do with our metal lady of this month of August, you might ask, right? Well, let’s say that the multi-talented Heather Taylor,  the frontwoman for UK-based thrashing beast Chupacabra, will kick your ass and drink your blood to the sound of her visceral music, and you’ll simply love that and to know more about such talented woman of the current British metal scene.

Born and raised in Newport, the county town of the Isle of Wight, an island county off the south coast of England, but currently located in the city of Bristol, Heather studied at the University of Reading, and works as a freelance control systems engineer. However, of course her biggest passion in life is heavy music, and you can enjoy her contributions to several amazing bands besides her recent work with Chupacabra, turning her into a seasoned veteran of the underground British extreme music scene and, therefore, helping her elevate the music by Chupacabra to new and exciting heights with her undeniable talent and charisma.

For instance, almost at the same time when Chupacabra was born, Heather became the vocalist for Virtual Reality, a Technical/Progressive Metal band formed in 2019 in Bristol, replacing their former frontman Jamie Moran (who had to step down as he had just become a father and wanted to spend more time with his family).  There isn’t a lot of information online about Virtual Reality, apart of course from their Facebook and Instagram, but hopefully we’ll hear more about the band with Heather on vocals, including a new EP or album in the coming months, who knows.

Heather is (or was) also the lead singer for the acclaimed Bristol-based Futuristic Industrial Metal band Cybervoid, having released with the band the EP Order Through Chaos back in 2023, including the killer title-track Order Through Chaos, and the also infuriated Sentient Awakens. The EP features some of the final works of Bristol metal legend Jake ‘Mettle’ Ettle-Iles (of bands like Blasfeme, Body Harvest and Ventflow), who tragically passed away at the end of 2022, which means no one knows what the future holds for Cybervoid.

Another project where Heather was involved with for a while was Bristol Alternative Rock band Locust, born of a collaboration between local musicians Laurence Howell and Arthur Cauty together with Heather and Pete Starr. The band was supposed to release a debut concept album with music featuring political themes and strong creative undertones, which would tell a story of love, loss, the downfall of civilization and post apocalyptic recovery over three epochs spanning 3000 years. However, there’s nothing online about that album, nor if the band is still alive and kicking.

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Our unstoppable diva was also the bassist between 2020 and 2021 for a Welsh Progressive Metal band named Nine Miles Down, and I believe she didn’t record anything official with the band during her short period with them. And lastly, Heather is also known in the local scene as the vocalist and bassist for a cult band named Wytch, but again it’s extremely difficult to find anything online about the band, maybe due to the band most probably not existing anymore. I personally would love to listen to the music by Locust, Nine Miles Down and Wytch, so if you know where to find their music, please let me know.

Finally, Heather’s main project right now is undoubtedly Bristol-based Death/Thrash Metal beast Chupacabra, bringing the full-frontal, in-your-face force of relentless thrashing riffage as a platform for soaring, aggressive vocals that explore issues of toxic relationships, female empowerment, social injustice and the laid-bare rage of one disaffected member of a broken society, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Kreator, Slayer, Arch Enemy, Holy Moses, At The Gates, Lamb of God, Pest Control, Testament, and Sodom, among others.

Alongside multi-instrumentalist Nige Savage on all instruments (except lead guitars), who’s also a former member of Wytch, and lead guitarist Alex Brent, formerly of Captive, Heather reveals layers of herself in their debut EP Fortified with Ashes threaded through the three songs on a journey of venting unbound rage, breaking conditioned compliance and growing a new authentic skin. The 14-minute EP consists of the songs Burn the Clowns, F. T. T. D., and Fortified with Ashes, all pulverizing tracks that will surely inspire you to bang your head nonstop and slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow.

And that’s not all, as Chupacabra is also providing all the music for the new audiobook edition of DX Ferris’ best-selling Slayer biography, Slayer 66 & 2/3: A Metal Band Biography, Postmortem Remastered Edition, as well as the accompanying podcast, Talkin’ Slayer: A Metal Podcast and Half-@ssed Audiobook. The music by Chupacabra can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, and you should definitely buy and/or stream their music as many times as possible to support those seasoned, hardworking veterans hailing from the always exciting UK underground, putting a huge smile on the face of our relentless metal diva of the always fun month of August.

Heather Taylor’s Official Facebook page
Chupacabra’s Official Facebook page
Chupacabra’s Official Instagram
Chupacabra’s Official Twitter

Album Review – Evil Villain / Evil Villain EP (2024)

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An evil villain armed with its debut EP and consumed by the violence of Death Metal is lurking in the shadows of Toronto waiting for its next victim.

A cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime, a scoundrel, or a new Death Metal entity hailing from the ruins of Toronto? That’s how Evil Villian like to label themselves, blending the aggressiveness of their music with the harsh reality of the big city. Earlier this year the band formed of Matt Patterson on vocals, Chris Lee and Tim Hardcastle on the guitars, Dustin Pepper on bass and Patrick Cairns on drums released their debut self-titled EP, offering us all four tracks bursting with Death Metal violence while also showing nuances of Hardcore, Groove and Thrash Metal.

Patrick wastes no time and begin hammering his drums in Tumer’d, accompanied by the neck-breaking riffs by Chris and Tim while Matt roars and gnarls like a rabid beast in a caustic fusion of Death Metal and Hardcore; and get ready for another six-minute attack by Evil Villian entitled The Cycle, where Dustin and Patrick make the earth tremble, providing Matt with exactly what he needs to vociferate nonstop in the name of extreme music. Then blending harsh roars with Hardcore clean vocals, Paste Eater is another pulverizing, dissonant creation by the quintet where Chris and Tim once again slash their axes in great fashion until the very last second, whereas Furuta, the last song of the EP, is an amalgamation of styles, sounding Death Metal but at the same time presenting elements from the music by Faith No More and several Hardcore and Punk Rock acts, with Matt screaming viciously for our total delight.

Evil Villain’s debut EP is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can show those hardworking metallers from Toronto your support by purchasing a copy of the album from their BandCamp page, of course. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, or click HERE for all things Evil Villain, including their live performances in the city and surroundings, inspiring the band to keep moving forward no matter what. Their debut EP sounds great and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them, because you know, there’s always an evil villain lurking in the shadows of Toronto waiting for its next victim.

Best moments of the album: The Cycle.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Tumer’d 6:10
2. The Cycle 6:36
3. Paste Eater 5:40
4. Furuta 5:27

Band members
Matt Patterson – vocals
Chris Lee – guitar
Tim Hardcastle – guitar
Dustin Pepper – bass
Patrick Cairns – drums

Album Review – Defacement / Duality (2024)

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Three years after their latest output, this Dutch Black and Death Metal entity flares its cryptic head yet again with an epic tome of twisted and gnarly emanations, an immersive pathway into the void.

With an inception going back to 2019, Utrecht, Netherlands-based Blackened Death Metal beast Defacement rapidly gained momentum within the underground realms with two full-length records marked by an intense and experimental take on Death and Black Metal, those being their 2019 debut Deviant and their 2021 self-titled album. Three long years after their latest output, the band flares its cryptic head yet again with an epic tome of twisted and gnarly emanations, an immersive pathway into the void entitled Duality. Mixed by Gabriele Gramaglia (Cosmic Putrefaction, Vertebra Atlantis) and mastered by Simon Da Silva (Aversio Humanitatis) at The Empty Hall Studio, Duality is as addictive as it is distressing, a vast landscape of sense and spirit, an ode to the dark night of the soul, a penetrating sonic journey masterfully crafted by Forsaken Ahmed on vocals and bass, Khalil Azagoth on the guitars, and Mark Bestia on drums, sounding unpredictable in its own dynamic, ever-changing form.

Eerie sounds arise from the depths in the opener Optic, sounding and feeling futuristic yet primeval, therefore captivating our senses before the trio smashes our souls in Burden, where a visceral, demented roar by Forsaken Ahmed invites us all to their Stygian lair, not to mention how evil and technical the blast beast by Mark Bestia sound, resulting in a multi-layered aria of darkness alternating between Black Metal-inspired moments and sheer Death Metal bursts for admirers of the most experimental side of both genres. Vagus is another cryptic interlude that brings moments of serenity, yet sounding obscure, flowing into the phantasmagorical Barrier, a fulminating onrush of Experimental Death Metal not recommended for the lighthearted where the riffage by Khalil Azagoth couldn’t have sounded more dissonant and infernal, adding extra layers of violence and insanity to their core sound.

It’s then time for another instrumental piece titled Facial, again presenting the band’s characteristic obscurity and experimental vein, morphing into Scabulous, a very detailed and disturbing creation where the deep roars by Forsaken Ahmed walk hand in hand with the piercing riffs by Khalil Azagoth, all embraced by another bestial performance by Mark Bestia behind his drums. Hypoglossal, their last interlude, will drag us back to the pits of hell together with the trio, consuming our souls until there’s no way back in the 16-minute feast of darkness titled Duality, an absolutely demonic, captivating and grim explosion of Black and Death Metal, showcasing their caustic riffs, blast beats and infernal vociferations, a sonic descent into the abyss presenting all the band’s dexterity and passion for the underworld, ending in a climatic, ethereal and hellish way.

If you think you have what it takes to face the disturbing sounds blasted by one of the most talented bands hailing from the Netherlands, you can start following Defacement on Facebook, stream their wicked creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of the pulverizing Duality from their own BandCamp page, from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or from Sound Cave as a CD or LP. Duality is challenging and confrontational in its invocation of primal forces lying dormant in the world below, and Defacement deserve our full recognition and admiration for continuing to pave their path to total darkness with another excellent album of pure, undisputed extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Burden and Duality.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Unorthodox Emanations

Track listing
1. Optic 2:10
2. Burden 9:48
3. Vagus 2:23
4. Barrier 5:05
5. Facial 2:23
6. Scabulous 6:27
7. Hypoglossal 2:30
8. Duality 16:18

Band members
Forsaken Ahmed – vocals, bass
Khalil Azagoth – guitars
Mark Bestia – drums

Album Review – Ofanim / La Torre Oscura (2024)

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Behold the dark tower of Blackened Death Metal ruled by a Mexican entity whose name invokes the sinister angels of the prophetic vision of Ezekiel 1:15-21.

Carrying a name that invokes the sinister angels of the prophetic vision of Ezekiel 1:15-21, Chihuahua, Mexico-based Blackened Death Metal entity Ofanim has just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, entitled La Torre Oscura, or “the dark tower” from Spanish. After going through many names and lineup changes, the brainchild of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Armando Valles returns form the abysmal depths of his homeland with an album that exhales sulfur and darkness, with half of the album coming from their 2022 debut EP Embracing Death, plus new compositions that help Ofanim in proudly continuing to burn the flame of Black and Death Metal and, therefore, in keeping the project alive against all odds.

El Odio Comienza, or “hate begins”, is sulfurous and absolutely evil from the very first notes, an onrush of Black Metal made in Mexico where the devilish roars by Armando together with his caustic riffs will pierce your soul mercilessly, whereas Embracing Death sounds even more infuriated than the opening track, with the blast beast and unstoppable riffage by Armando being exactly what we need to worship evil and, of course, embrace death. Sal is another demented, grim aria by Armando where he keeps vociferating rabidly amidst an insane amount of heaviness and evil, followed by Esteban el Primero, adding elements of Blackened Death Metal and classic Death Metal to his core sonority, and with the drums sounding demolishing from start to finish. Then we have the title-track La Torre Oscura, keeping the atmosphere as demonic and unfriendly as possible, with Armando’s deep growls and strident riffs sounding amazing.

Armando shows no sign of slowing down or delivering smoother sounds; quite the contrary, it’s pedal to the metal in the infernal Saulo, where his harsh vociferations walk hand in hand with his Black Metal riffs and drums, while 2030 is a song perfect for some intense headbanging to the ruthless hurricane of sounds blasted by Armando and his Ofanim, most probably the heaviest and most disturbing of all songs. Then we have Hedonismo, leaning towards a more direct Death Metal sonority where the guitars by Armando will pierce your rotten corpse mercilessly until the very end, followed by Hielo, which is Spanish for “ice”, a solid Blackened Death Metal composition but not on par with the rest of the album, sounding a bit generic and stale. Last but not least, let’s enjoy two minutes of sheer heaviness in Ultimatum, where Armando’s massive drums and devilish guitars make an interesting paradox with all background elements.

Although La Torre Oscura was recorded solely by Armando, he has already recruited an army of uncanny soldiers to join him in his live rituals, and you can stay up to date with all news and live concerts by Ofanim by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, or by clicking HERE, and blow your speakers with high-quality Blackened Death Metal made in Mexico by subscribing to Ofanim’s YouTube channel and by streaming their devilish music on Spotify or any other streaming service. Of course, above all that, go grab a copy of La Torre Oscura from their own BandCamp page. The Mexican extreme music scene has always been a thing of beauty, and of course Ofanim are among us to keep that amazing trend and fill the air with their evil magic until the end of times.

Best moments of the album: Embracing Death, Esteban el Primero and 2030.

Worst moments of the album: Hielo.

Released in 2024 Headlight Productions

Track listing
1. El Odio Comienza 2:39
2. Embracing Death 5:02
3. Sal 3:27
4. Esteban el Primero 5:34
5. La Torre Oscura 5:31
6. Saulo 2:12
7. 2030 4:26
8. Hedonismo 4:16
9. Hielo 3:22
10. Ultimatum 2:10

Band members
Armando Valles – vocals, all instruments

Concert Review – Hyperia (Rivoli, Toronto, ON, 07/07/2024)

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A fantastic heat wave of Canadian underground metal hit the city of Toronto this Sunday night with three of the most must-see bands of the current scene.

OPENING ACTS: Invicta and Thunderor

The heat is on in Toronto, and together with it comes an overdose of the Canadian underground like what happened last night at Rivoli when TUNDEROR, INVICTA and HYPERIA kicked off Hyperia’s sensational Constricting Canada/Europe Tour 2024, and I believe it’s the first time ever this thrilling band from Vancouver, British Columbia is touring not only Eastern Canada, but also venturing through European lands. Needless to say, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to celebrate the music and professional growth of Hyperia, proving Canadian metal is alive and kicking, with band’s like Hyperia, Invicta and Thunderor being more than ready to take over the world.

I must confess it was a little late for the doors at Rivoli to open, only at 8:30pm on a Sunday, but nobody seemed to care about that late start, and a little after 9pm Kitchener, Ontario-based Melodic Death/Thrash Metal outfit INVICTA kicked off the metallic ceremony with a fast-paced, heavy-as-hell performance, inviting all concert goers for some vigorous headbanging. The band spearheaded by the talented vocalist and guitarist Kyle Edissi, who also plays the guitar for Heathen on their live shows, delivered the goods, playing songs from their two album Halls of Extinction and Triumph and Torment (both available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way) for the delight of the small but excited crowd that attended the show. Those guys should definitely be opening for renowned acts like At The Gates, Sylosis, Arch Enemy and so on during their future tours in Canada, and I’m sure once more people get exposed to Invicta’s first-class heavy music, they will go places.

Band members
Kyle Edissi – vocals, guitars
Jonah Kay – guitars, backing vocals
Steven Rowlands – bass, backing vocals
Reef Hassanien – drums, percussion

The show must go on, and after a short break where everyone could enjoy good quality beer for a very decent price (which doesn’t happen very often at concerts, as you might know), Toronto’s own Heavy Metal trio THUNDEROR began their melodic and incendiary concert based on their 2022 debut Fire It Up, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, including Fire It Up, Dangerous Times, Thunderor and On the Run, putting everyone to dance and have a very good time in the name of Rock N’ Roll. Guitarist Johnny Nesta and bassist Brycen Gunn were obviously amazing, but it was the band’s mastermind JJ Tartaglia (of bands like Skull Fist and Final Trigger) who truly impressed me the most. How can he sing and play drums at the same time, and sound so good in both? He has indeed become a staple of the Canadian underground scene, and if you have a chance to see him playing live, please go for it, because he’s a great person and a superb musician that deserves all our recognition.

Band members
JJ Tartaglia – vocals, drums, keyboards
Johnny Nesta – guitars
Brycen Gunn – bass

HYPERIA

I’ve been a fan of Melodic Thrash/Death Metal machine HYPERIA since day one, having already reviewed all of their albums, those being Insanitorium (2020), Silhouettes of Horror (2022) and The Serpent’s Cycle (2023), but I honestly had no idea if I would ever be able to see them live as touring from one coast of Canada to the other is extremely pricey these days. Well, to my total surprise and sheer happiness, yesterday I had a fantastic time witnessing frontwoman Marlee Ryley, guitarists Colin Ryley and Skyler Mills, bassist Jon Power, and drummer Aaron Bell kicking some serious ass on stage in preparation for their more-than-deserved debut European tour starting on July 14 at Masters of rock in the Czech Republic. It was wild, intense, and above all that, as metal as it could be, putting a huge smile on everyone who was brave enough to stay at the venue until (very) late on a Sunday night, completely ignoring the fact the next day would be an always boring Monday.

Most of their setlist was based on their newest album The Serpent’s Cycle, with songs like The Serpent’s Cycle, Trapped in Time and my favorite of the night, Automatic Thrash Machine, sounding killer live, and the band was so relaxed and having a good time that Marlee herself went down to the floor/pit to have a good time with the fans more than once, with Jon also joining the crowd during the last song of their set, the excellent Pleonexia, and that translated into a very warm and vibrant reaction form the crowd. All of their wicked creations are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if you’re in Europe and have a chance to catch Hyperia live in the coming weeks, don’t miss the chance to see one of the coolest names of the current Canadian scene. I would love to see them on July 21 at the famous Carts & Horses, the birthplace of Iron Maiden, because they definitely deserve to reach new heights with their undisputed thrash, and hopefully when they return from Europe I’ll have another chance to see them here in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Band members
Marlee Ryley – vocals
Colin Ryley – guitars
Skyler Mills – guitars
Jon Power – bass
Aaron Bell – drums

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Album Review – Arhat / Secrets of Ancient Gods (2024)

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Crafted in the style of ethnic Extreme Metal, the newborn spawn by this Ukrainian horde will take you on a journey into the world of ancient gods and mysterious rituals, reflecting the depths of wisdom of ancient civilizations.

Crafted in the style of ethnic Extreme Metal, blending Death, Groove, and Thrash Metal, the breathtaking Secrets of Ancient Gods, the sophomore album by Kyiv, Ukraine’s own Groove/Death Metal beast Arhat, will take you on a journey into the world of ancient gods and mysterious rituals, reflecting the depths of wisdom of ancient civilizations. Mixed and mastered by Dmitry Kim, re-amped by Oleksandr Chernikov, and displaying a badass artwork by Viktor Gudkov, the new album by Alex Sitkoff on vocals, Anton Skrebov on the guitar, Anton Inov on bass, and Ivan Semenchuk on drums offers ten striking songs imbued with the spirit of mystery and magic, embodied in sophisticated melodies and epic arrangements, with the band also utilizing the Turkish ney, sitar, percussion, and cinematic sound design throughout the entire album, blending symphonic orchestrations with ethnic elements.

Get ready to be dragged to the mystical world ruled by Arhat to the sound of the album’s Intro, a mesmerizing, enfolding wall of sounds that will captivate your senses before we face Abyss Of Flame, a full-bodied, whimsical Groove Metal attack by the band showcasing darkly poetic lyrics (“Out of your body, / Your mind is free / You see the things, / As they should be / Power and energy / Of purity / The waves of life, / Vitality”) amidst sheer devastation blasted by Anton Skrebov, Anton Inov and Ivan. Their fusion of Groove and Death Metal with ancient, ritualistic sounds gets even more striking in Karnak, with Ivan dictating the pace while Alex roars nonstop in the name of the ancient gods; and Ivan leads his bandmates in the also embracing and obscure Arcana XVI, offering more of the band’s incendiary hybrid of extreme music styles. Moreover, the bass by Anton Inov sounds absolutely metallic, hitting us hard in the head mercilessly. And after that, the visceral riffage by Anton Skrebov will pierce our minds in Nasha Khoda Nevpynna, which is Ukrainian for “our walk is unceasing”, keeping the adrenaline flowing in the album to the devilish roars by Alex.

Then featuring Oleksii Syrota of Voracity, Symbols is a demonic song where the quartet will crush our souls with their groovy and infuriated sounds, with the deep Brutal Death Metal-style guttural by Oleksii sounding simply amazing; and let’s keep raising our horns and banging our heads while worshiping the ancient gods in Path Eternal, where Ivan sets the pace with his heavy and vile beats and fills. The band puts the pedal to the metal in the faster tune Wheel Of Fate, an excellent choice for some sick circle pit action, with Anton Skrebov extracting strident sounds from his guitar supported by the rumbling bass by Anton Inov, followed by The Great Unknown, featuring Dmytro Moskalenko of Violateress, offering us all another round of their otherworldly words (“You are alone in dungeons / Sharp stones are cutting your skin / Uncanny voices from darkness, / Are filling you with doubts and fear / The Great Unknown!”) boosted by a massive, detailed sonority. Finally, Shlyakh Do Prozrinnya, or “the path to enlightenment”, is an amazing closure to one of the most powerful albums of the year, with Alex once again stealing the show with his demonic roars supported by the crushing drums by Ivan.

Allow yourself to immerse in the captivating world of mythology from past epochs and feel the sounds of antiquity that remain relevant even today in Secrets of Ancient Gods by streaming the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and even better, by purchasing a copy of it from Arhat’s own BandCamp page, and remember you can also keep an eye on all things Arhat by following the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Despite all adversities the country is facing, Ukrainian extreme music is blooming and getting stronger than ever, and we must thank Arhat not only for being part of that beautiful scene, but also for offering us in their newborn spawn exactly what we need to unveil the darkest secrets of ancient gods.

Best moments of the album: Abyss Of Flame, Arcana XVI, Symbols and Wheel Of Fate.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Intro 1:44
2. Abyss Of Flame 5:36
3. Karnak 4:48
4. Arcana XVI 4:58
5. Nasha Khoda Nevpynna 4:18
6. Symbols 3:31
7. Path Eternal 5:27
8. Wheel Of Fate 5:12
9. The Great Unknown 4:40
10. Shlyakh Do Prozrinnya 3:26

Band members
Alex Sitkoff – vocals
Anton Skrebov – guitar
Anton Inov – bass
Ivan Semenchuk – drums

Guest musicians
Oleksii Syrota – vocals on “Symbols”
Dmytro Moskalenko – vocals on “The Great Unknown”

Metal Chick of the Month – Maude Théberge

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Come dance la valse des condamnés!

As the heat is definitely on in the Northern Hemisphere, there’s nothing like icy cold blood to cool us all down, and that’s exactly what our amazing metal lady of this month of July has to offer with her undeniable talent, charisma and passion for heavy music. Not only that, July 1 is Canada Day, which means having a metal lady hailing from Canada makes things even better here on The Headbanging Moose. Owner of a powerful yet delicate voice, she’s the vocalist and keyboardist for a Montreal, Quebec-based Melodic/Symphonic Death/Gothic Metal band known as Sanguine Glacialis, as well as a growler for Growlers Choir (the world-famous choir of metal vocalists) and a voice actress and administrative assistant for La Fabrique de Monstres (or The Monster Factory). She can play the violin too, and she’s also a teacher and a model. Her name is Maude Théberge, and I’m sure that after knowing more about her life and career, you’ll get addicted to her voice, to her music, and be more than ready to dance “la valse des condamnés.”

Born and raised in the stunning Canadian city of Montreal, Maude has been a singer for more than 15 years, having already acquired two music degrees in classical piano interpretation and music teaching. Apart for being a sensational growler, she’s a soprano singer who can sing a wide variety of styles such as classical, jazz and pop, she can write and sing in French and English, and she’s also a composer and arranger who has her own studio at home, allowing her to write, compose, record ad edit her own parts, including midi instruments and orchestrations for any project with a specialty in string sections, as she’s also a pianist, keyboardist and violinist as already mentioned.

Our metal diva started started playing the piano at the age of 12 and the violin at the age of 13, continuing her studies at Cégep de St-Laurent, where she also had the opportunity to play jazz piano, classical violin and sing in a classical choir, obtaining her DEC in classical piano interpretation in 2012. Maude continued her studies at UQAM in music education (classical piano), where she still played classical violin, jazz choir, wind instruments and percussions, obtaining her Baccalaureate and her teaching certificate in 2016. Subsequently, she did a DESS in Management at UQAM and obtained her diploma in 2019. Finally, she took an acting and dubbing course in 2020 with French-Canadian director, dubbing director and acting coach Sergine Dumais.

It was in 2011 when Maude joined Sanguine Glacialis, in which she played the keyboards and did some backing vocals, taking over the reins of the band in 2016, being the only remaining member, rebuilding the project with new musicians, and becoming the lead singer of the band. Sanguine Glacialis have become her biggest project in life for over a decade already, allowing her to develop many skills such as classical and pop singing and growling as well as studio recording at home, in addition to developing managerial skills including production of albums, music videos and over 100 shows across Canada. Having already shared the state with renowned acts the likes of Dark Tranquility, Omnium Gatherum, Delain, Necronomicon, Unexpect and Anonymus, just to name a few, the band experiments with multiple musical styles, such as Jazz, Classical, folkloric music, Latin music, and so on, while keeping a very strong Melodic Death Metal accent.

Since their inception, the band has already released three full-length albums, those being Dancing with a Hanged Man, in 2012, Hadopelagic, in 2018, and Maladaptive Daydreaming, in 2023, plus the EP Pitch Black Sight, in 2016, and from those she did keyboards and backing vocals only in their debut album and their EP, becoming their frontwoman while still playing keyboards as aforementioned starting with their 2018 album. currently formed of Maude alongside Alexandre Lépine on the guitars, Marc Gervais on bass, and Jérémy Racine on drums, the band is in great shape and form, as you can see in this footage live in Quebec in 2023, and you can also enjoy all of their creations on BandCamp, on Spotify and on YouTube, including their ass-kicking official videos for the songs Kraken, Welcome, and Monsters,  and you can also click HERE for all things Sanguine Glacialis.

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Apart from her amazing years with Sanguine Glacialis, Maude has also been the vocalist for a Melodic Death Metal band from Toronto named Terminalcurse together with multi-instrumentalist Kirill Zorin (ex-Nachtmuse), having released with the project their self-titled debut EP in 2022. The EP is available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and you can also find all links and information about the duo by clicking HERE. Also, between 2017 and 2024, she was also the violinist for Montreal’s own Melodic Black/Folk Metal horde Valfreya, having recorded with them the excellent album Dawn of Reckoning, released earlier this year.

Maude can also be seen as a guest musician in distinct bands and projects; for instance, she did choir vocals for the song Dissociation, from the 2023 EP Survival Mode, by Canadian Avant-garde Death metal band Disorientation; also did vocals for the song Mordrake I – Birth, from the 2014 album Mordrake, by Canadian Symphonic/Melodic Black/Death Metal band Hollow; and recorded two albums with Canadian Symphonic Metal project Nachtmuse as their lead vocalist, backing vocalist or doing choir vocals, those being the 2022 release Solemn Songs of Nightsky & Sea, and the 2023 EP Darker Skies. Not only that, in 2018 she also released her debut album as a solo artist, titled The Simplest Expression, which is by the way an acoustic album. Furthermore, everything about Maude can be found HERE, by the way.

In March 2020, just before the COVID pandemic, Maude appeared on the show Tout le monde en parle, the biggest talk show in Quebec, to talk about the band and Le FestEvil – Quebec City Women Metal fest part 1, which was not only an important event for metal music in Quebec in 2020, but one that also provided women in metal with tons of support, with its first edition featuring the bands Your Last Wish, Valfreya, Sanguine Glacialis, Merkabah, Uriel, Within Embers and Fall Of Stasis, all amazing bands from the Quebec scene with very talented women like Maude in their lineups. Unfortunately, I don’t think the festival exists anymore, mainly due to the pandemic crushing any plans of live events anywhere in the world, but it would be amazing if we could see more festivals like that in Canada for sure, of course spearheaded by Maude and her Sanguine Glacialis.

Last but not least, Maude is also a pet lover, nurturing a deep passion for cats. In one of her interviews, she said that she had four cats, Jack (for Jack Black), Amélie (for Amélie Poulin), Vévé (because she has a V shape pattern on her forehead) and Gizmo (like the Gremlin), but unfortunately Vévé and Amélie have passed away since that, also talking a little about how she manages to take care of all of them while also continuing with her career in music, as for example saying her boyfriend or parents take care of them when she’s on tour. Also, when asked how they behave when she’s practicing at home, her answer was quite funny and curious. “All the cats, but especially the male cats, HATE my violin. They complain the whole time I’m trying to practice. I can growl all I want and they don’t care, but the violin.” Well, maybe they’re more into extreme music, right? So I believe as long as she keeps playing the awesome music by Sanguine Glacialis to them, she’ll surely keep four cats extremely happy, and of course countless happy metalheads worldwide.

Maude Théberge’s Official Facebook page
Maude Théberge’s Official Instagram
Maude Théberge’s Official YouTube channel
Sanguine Glacialis’ Official Facebook page
Sanguine Glacialis’ Official Instagram
Sanguine Glacialis’ Official YouTube channel
Sanguine Glacialis’ Official X

Album Review – Aposento / No Safe Haven (2024)

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There’s no safe haven when it comes to the brutality blasted by these Spanish Death Metal titans in their pulverizing fourth studio album.

Following up on the brutality and darkness of their 2020 opus Conjuring the New Apocalypse, Logroño, La Rioja, Spain-based Death Metal titans Aposento are back with their pulverizing fourth full-length installment, beautifully titled No Safe Haven. Recorded by Dan Díez at Rock Lab Studios, mixed by Davide Billia at Mk2 Recording Studio, and displaying a gory, devilish artwork by Spanish artist Naroa Etxebarria, No Safe Haven presents a brutal and powerful sound reminiscent of the classic Death Metal era of the early 90’s in Florida, with the band now formed of a returning Carlos Garcia on vocals (who was the band’s frontman from 1993 to 1997), Manolo Sáez and Manu Reyes on the guitars, and newcomers Pablo Vazquez on bass and Raúl Ceballos on drums sounding absolutely ruthless from start to finish for our total delight.

Get ready to be pulverized by the almighty Aposento in the title-track No Safe Haven, where Carlos proves why his return was the right choice for the future of the band, also showcasing decimating Death Metal riffs and crushing beats; and Raúl continues to hammer his drums mercilessly in Tortured and Abused, inviting us all to slam into the pit to the band’s classic, no shenanigans Death Metal attack. There’s no time to breath as the quintet fires another brutal tune titled Uncertain Death, with the riffage by Manolo and Manu sounding incendiary for our total delight. Moreover, it’s impressive how they manage to sound so technical without forgetting their infernal core essence. And this Spanish Death Metal brigade sounds just as infuriated in A Texas Funeral, a lesson in violence and gore where the vocals by Carlos will haunt your putrid souls for all eternity; whereas Raúl takes the lead with his wicked, demented beats and fills in The Bad Seed, keeping the animosity flowing strong in the album.

The band will then break your body in half with their thunderous sounds in Where Darkness Reigns, with Carlos deeply roaring like a demented creature supported by the heavy-as-hell kitchen by Pablo and Raúl, resulting in an amazing Death Metal aria by those Spanish beasts. A sinister start quickly explodes into sheer madness entitled Let it Bleed, where no one will be left alive to the demolishing sounds blasted by Aposento, while Manolo and Manu continue to slash their axes in The Devil’s Bargain, delivering caustic, flammable riffs while Raúl crushes his drums nonstop. Two more songs to go and the band doesn’t slow down at all, offering us absolute hatred and heaviness in As Your Life Ends, a decent Death Metal tune albeit not as good as the other songs, followed by Parásitos, one last blast of insanity and violence by the band where Raúl sounds inhumane on drums as well as Carlos with his deep guttural roars.

If you nurture a deep passion for the heaviest and most aggressive form of Death Metal, you must take a listen at the new demented album by Aposento, obviously grabbing a copy of it from Xtreem Music’s BandCamp page or webstore to show all your support to the underground, and don’t forget to also give the guys from Aposento your best guttural shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with everything about the band including their infernal live concerts, and to stream all of their amazing discography on Spotify. There’s no safe haven when it comes to the violence blasted by Aposento in their new album, no way out, nowhere to go, with their demented sounds dragging our putrid bodies into an endless circle pit in the name of old school Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: No Safe Haven, Uncertain Death and Where Darkness Reigns.

Worst moments of the album: As Your Life Ends.

Released in 2024 Xtreem Music

Track listing
1. No Safe Haven 3:40
2. Tortured and Abused 2:59
3. Uncertain Death 3:13
4. A Texas Funeral 3:00
5. The Bad Seed 3:30
6. Where Darkness Reigns 2:42
7. Let it Bleed 4:24
8. The Devil’s Bargain 3:38
9. As Your Life Ends 3:24
10. Parásitos 3:30

Band members
Carlos Garcia – vocals
Manolo Sáez – guitars
Manu Reyes – guitars
Pablo Vazquez – bass
Raúl Ceballos – drums

Album Review – 200 Stab Wounds / Manual Manic Procedures (2024)

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Cleveland’s own legends-in-waiting will crush your damned souls with their sophomore album, a brutal slab of old school Death Metal with a contemporary edge not for the faint-hearted.

Following up on their very successful 2021 debut album Slave to the Scalpel, Cleveland, Ohio, United States-based Death Metal legends-in-waiting 200 Stab Wounds are back into the battlefield with their sophomore opus Manual Manic Procedures, a brutal slab of old school Death Metal with a contemporary edge. Produced and mixed by Andy Nelson at Bricktop Recording, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering, the new album by vocalist and guitarist Steve Buhl, guitarist Raymond MacDonald, bassist Ezra Cook and drummer Owen Pooley is certainly not for the faint-hearted, putting classic gore-themed ferocity back into the metal community’s collective consciousness.

In the opener Hands of Eternity, a grim and sinister start gradually evolves into a demented Death Metal beast where Owen dictates the pace with his furious beats supported by the always metallic bass by Ezra, sounding bestial and damned from start to finish. After such a demonic start, the band needs less than two minutes to smash our cranial skulls in Gross Abuse, with the demented harsh vocals by Steve redefining the meaning of “deep”, whereas their undisputed Death Metal sounds continue to split our spinal cords in half in Manual Manic Procedures, again showcasing Steve’s venomous roars boosted by his own and Raymond’s infernal riffs and solos. Release the Stench is another short and sweet display of savagery by the quartet, offering endless groove and electricity thanks to the amazing job done by their stringed trio, followed by Led to the Chamber / Liquified, an instrumental piece where the first part is just an intro that morphs into a more melodic second half, bringing more of their classic Death Metal (albeit never really taking off).

Back to their more ferocious mode we’re treated to Flesh from Within, with Owen and Ezra hammering their thunderous instruments while Steve vociferates rabidly nonstop; and the bass by Ezra sounds even more metallic and heavier in Defiled Gestation, with Owen accelerating the band’s already killer sonority in great fashion. Then featuring guest vocals by Jami Morgan of Code Orange we have Ride the Flatline, offering our avid ears an explosion of caustic lyrics (“Back against the rail, stones beneath my feet / Fantasies of speeding steel dominate my dreams / Colder than a knife, faster than a gun / Exhilaration, annihilation / Pressure of a ton”) while the music remains violent and heavy until the very end. Finally, closing one of the heaviest albums of the year we have Parricide, where their riffs, bass lines and crushing drums are exactly what Steve needs to bark like a demonic creature.

200 Stab Wounds keep going strong in their demolishing path of old school Death Metal, and Manual Manic Procedures is exactly what they needed to reach new heights with their undisputed violence and musicianship. Having said that, let those Cleveland metallers stab your heart 200 times with their refined extreme music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their sick creations on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of the ruthless Manual Manic Procedures from the Metal Blade Records webstore or by clicking HERE. Because they’re violent, gory, brutal, and above all that, they’re pure Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Hands of Eternity, Manual Manic Procedures and Flesh from Within.

Worst moments of the album: Led to the Chamber / Liquified.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Hands of Eternity 4:44
2. Gross Abuse 1:50
3. Manual Manic Procedures 2:43
4. Release the Stench 2:31
5. Led to the Chamber / Liquified 3:10
6. Flesh from Within 3:11
7. Defiled Gestation 4:24
8. Ride the Flatline 2:50
9. Parricide 4:06

Band members
Steve Buhl – vocals, guitars
Raymond MacDonald – guitars
Ezra Cook – bass
Owen Pooley – drums

Guest musician
Jami Morgan – vocals on “Ride the Flatline”

Album Review – Intolerance / Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void (2024)

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This insane Spanish Death Metal outfit attacks again with their sophomore offering, continuing their masterful march and finding themselves in the embrace of evil.

Hailing from Zaragoza, Spain, the Death Metal mongrels collectively known as Intolerance have been paying homage to timeless Death Metal (and the fetid stench that exuded from the malicious tones of the bands that populated the scene and helped define the genre back in the late ’80s and the early ’90s) since their inception back in 2015, culminating now in 2024 with the release of their sophomore opus, titled Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void. Recorded, mixed and mastered at Moontower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Juan Alberto Hernandez, the follow-up to their 2022 debut Dark Paths of Humanity is a beast of an album where vocalist and guitarist P., guitarist W., bassist J. and drummer D. continue their masterful march and find themselves in the embrace of evil.

Like a creature arising form the underworld, the ominous intro Towards Perdition will darken the skies before all hell breaks loose in the pulverizing Fade Into Oblivion, an old school Death Metal extravaganza led by the vicious growls by P. and the decimating drums by D. highly recommended for some sick headbanging and of course some action inside the circle pit; followed by The Dark Forest, a violent, brutal and demonic display of the band’s Death Metal, with their guitars exhaling heaviness while P. continues to roar in a lecture in extreme music. And Rite of Passage is a straightforward creation by the quartet with the riffs by P. and W. sounding truly evil and caustic throughout the entire song for our vulgar delectation.

After that we face Hand of Glory, offering our avid and putrid ears six minutes of top-of-the-line extreme music made in Spain, with once again the vocals by P. sounding inhumane and gory, not to mention how intricate the drums by D. are, giving the song extra layers of insanity; and D. keeps hammering his drums in Devourer of Worlds, with his bandmates slashing their stringed axes nonstop, in special J. with his heavy-as-hell bass lines,or another song highly recommended for breaking your neck headbanging. The sulfurous Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void will inspire you to slam into the circle pit like a demented creature to the visceral riffs by P. and W. and the always pounding drums by D., resulting in one of the most destructive of all songs; and last but not least, a wild roar by P. kicks off the closing aria Melting Skies, presenting all elements form the band’s core sonority, plus a few haunting moments inserted halfway through the song; however, it’s not as exciting as the rest of the album.

Spanish extreme music has always been an absolute blast for us metalheads, and of course Intolerance keeps fueling our Death Metal inner flame in great fashion with their newborn opus. Hence, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their sick music on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase Waking Nightmares of an Endless Void from Memento Mori or from Godz ov War Productions, joining such an amazing and hardworking band on their quest for old school Death Metal towards an endless void.

Best moments of the album: The Dark Forest, Hand of Glory and Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void.

Worst moments of the album: Melting Skies.

Released in 2024 Memento Mori/Godz ov War Productions

Track listing
1. Towards Perdition 1:06
2. Fade Into Oblivion 4:17
3. The Dark Forest 4:37
4. Rite of Passage 3:58
5. Hand of Glory 6:09
6. Devourer of Worlds 4:15
7. Spontaneous Self-Awareness of the Void 5:58
8. Melting Skies 6:46

Band members
P. – vocals, guitars
W. – guitars
J. – bass
D. – drums