Tag Archives: death metal

Concert Review – Archspire (Factory Theatre, Sydney, NSW, Australia 10/13/2023)

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There’s nothing better than slamming into the circle pit Down Under on a Friday the 13th, courtesy of three of the best tech death bands of the current worldwide scene.

OPENING ACTS: Werewolves and Ingested

I honestly still can’t believe that in the middle of my business trip to Sydney, Australia, I was able to catch WEREWOLVES, INGESTED and ARCHSPIRE during their phenomenal Tech Trek Australia Tour 2023 at this really cool and well-located venue named Factory Theatre this Friday night. Not only that, if you’re not familiar with the public transportation system in Sydney, let me tell you that it makes it extremely easy to get anywhere you want, which allowed me to get to the venue as soon as the doors opened at 8pm without rushing or anything like that, giving me enough time to buy some merch from Werewolves, grab a beer, and even chat with some locals who were all truly surprised I came all the way from Toronto for the show.

Precisely at 8:30pm, with the venue being almost full already, Melbourne, Australia’s own Technical Black/Death Metal savages WEREWOLVES kicked off the night with a pulverizing and memorable performance for the delight of everyone who was already positioned inside the pit for some action. Vocalist and bassist Sam Bean, guitarist Matt Wilcock and drummer David Haley (that man is a beast on drums!) took no prisoners during their short and sweet set, blasting our ears with their uncompromised, venomous hybrid of Black and Death Metal with songs from all of their insane albums, including their latest beast My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Those Aussie metallers know exactly what needs to be done on stage to inspire the crowd for some wild headbanging and circle pits, and songs like No More Heroes, Under the Ground, Crushgasm, and specially the closing one, the antisocial hymn I Don’t Like You, sound even better live than in the studio. There were even some wild howls coming from some (drunk) fans in the audience, just to prove how awesome the band was.

I’m extremely happy that I had the chance to see those guys live in Australia, and hopefully the metal community worldwide will give them the attention they deserve and we’ll finally see Werewolves assaulting the stages in North and South America, Europe, and anywhere else where violence and hatred are an intrinsic part of music. Furthermore, don’t forget to stream their visceral creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if you ever witness Werewolves live I highly recommend you go chat with the band after their show as they’re fantastic guys. Sam even joked by asking me if I had a suggestion for a name of their next album, which they’re already working on, but I missed the chance to say something like “Powerslave”, “Painkiller” or “Reign In Blood”. Well, maybe next time I’ll be quick enough to come up with something like that, right?

Setlist
Know Your Place
No More Heroes
Sublime Wartime Voyeurism
Under the Ground
Crushgasm
Crushing Heaven’s Mandate
Showering Teeth
I Don’t Like You

Band members
Sam Bean – vocals, bass
Matt Wilcock – guitars
David Haley – drums

After a short break, it was time for Manchester, England-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore outfit INGESTED to crush their fans in Sydney for the first time ever  with their infectious brutality and endless energy on stage. I must admit they sounded even tighter in Sydney than the last time I saw them in Toronto, just to prove how excited they were to finally blast their wicked music Down Under. Still promoting their 2022 album Ashes Lie Still, the band spearheaded by the charismatic and lunatic Jay Evans was on fire throughout their entire performance, with songs like I, Despoiler and Skinned and Fucked turning the circle pit at the Factory Theatre into pure madness and devastation.

Jay was by far the most excited for playing in Australia, and it was actually hard to take pictures of him on stage because the guy doesn’t stop moving not even for a single second, as if he was part of the crowd, like a fan who will slam into the pit until the very last second of the last song. By the way, when the band announced their last song, the bloodthirsty aria Echoes of Hate, all hell broke loose inside the pit for the pure delectation of Jay and his crew. It’s a real pleasure seeing a hardworking band like Ingested going places, and based on the rowdy reaction they got from their fans in Sydney I’m sure they’ll return to Australia sooner than you can say “slam”. Hence, don’t forget to also check the band’s furious fusion of extreme styles on BandCamp and on Spotify, and to keep an eye on their tour dates to avoid missing the opportunity to see them crushing your city to pieces live.

Setlist
Impending Dominance
Invidious
I, Despoiler
Shadows in Time
Skinned and Fucked
Echoes of Hate

Band members
Jay Evans – vocals
Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals
Thomas O’Malley – bass
Lyn Jeffs – drums

ARCHSPIRE

It was close to 10:30pm when the main attraction of such fun and entertaining night, Canadian Technical Death Metal masters ARCHSPIRE, kicked off their breathtaking, mesmerizing performance, generating a schizophrenic atmosphere with their flawless fusion of violence, wrath, dexterity and energy on stage. Their flammable frontman Oliver Rae Aleron is not only a superb growler (and I’ll never be able to fully understand how that guy can sing guttural so fast as if he was rapping in the name of evil), but his charisma allowed him to basically control everything the crowd was doing, with his requests for some insane mosh pits being promptly answered by an avid Australian crowd.

Having released the album Bleed the Future in 2021, the band put on a beyond extraordinary show, with songs like Bleed the Future, A Dark Horizontal and Involuntary Doppelgänger sounding perfect live thanks to the undeniable, superb musicianship by all band members, with guitarist Dean Lamb and bassist Jared Smith stealing the spotlight with a lecture in shredding. If you’re curious to know more about one of the fastest and most talented bands of the current Technical Death Metal scene worldwide, you can enjoy all of their wicked albums in full on BandCamp and on Spotify. However, I must warn you that the demented vocals by Oliver will haunt your damned soul for all eternity so insane they are.

And last but not least, I have to say the Canadian humor and jokes the band presented on stage were simply awesome, adding a very welcome touch to their irreprehensible performance. For instance, before playing one of their bestial songs, Oliver asked the crowd to split the pit in the middle, but this time it wasn’t for a traditional wall of death; he threw a Twister game mat to the crowd, and then out of nowhere several sweaty fans were playing Twister instead of doing their regular slamming and headbanging. Then after another couple of songs he invited two fans for a shoe drinking contest named “shoey”, a gross Australian drinking tradition that for some reason Archspire seem to love. Well, it was gross, no doubt about it, but seeing the winner receiving a custom shirt made by one of the guys form the band with some weird drawing of Wolverine and a dingo was a really cool moment of their show. I would never, ever drink beer directly from my shoes, but one thing I’ll certainly do is to attend all concerts I’m able to by Archspire in the future for more awesomeness in the form of Canadian tech death.

Setlist
Bleed the Future
Abandon the Linear
A Dark Horizontal
Remote Tumour Seeker
Golden Mouth of Ruin
Human Murmuration
Calamus Will Animate
Involuntary Doppelgänger
Drone Corpse Aviator

Band members
Oliver Rae Aleron – vocals
Dean Lamb – guitars
Tobi Morelli – guitars
Jared Smith – bass
Spencer Prewett – drums

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Album Review – Spawn of Evil / Sadistic Missionaries (2023)

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This Israeli Death Metal outfit will crush your senses with their third studio album, representing their spoken word against the sadistic corruption that dominates the world and destroys life in every aspect.

Representing a decade long worth material featuring eight new tracks of traditional Death Metal with melodic guitar lines, furious rhythm section and wrathful vocals that will surely impress fans of bands like Morbid Angel, Benediction, Gorefest and the likes, the third full-length opus by Hadera, Israel-based Death Metal veterans Spawn of Evil, entitled Sadistic Missionaries, perfectly depicts all the passion for extreme music by Moti Rokah on vocals, Miko Haronian and Nir Tamir on the guitars, Hezi Menashe on bass, and Yaron Hakon on drums. Recorded by Hezi Menashe, mixed and mastered by Miko Haronian, and featuring guest guitarists James Reed of Vile Iniquity, Liran Aloni of Primaterra, and Kutna Hora (ex-Spawn of Evil), Sadistic Missionaries is the band’s spoken word against the sadistic corruption that dominates the world and destroys life in every aspect, speaking of those who embrace power to its evil form rather than humanity.

Fierce riffs and the rumbling sound of Hezi’s bass ignite the heavy-as-hell Hell Spawn, an in-your-face, unfiltered Death Metal attack with Moti already growling like a demonic creature, sounding vile yet very melodic from the very first second, and continuing their path of darkness and destruction the band offers us all the hammering, sluggish Storm Of All Sins, dragging our damned souls into the demonic lair ruled by such infernal Israeli entity. Yaron then pounds his drums with no mercy in God Is Fake News, an old school, mid-tempo Death Metal onrush perfect for breaking your neck headbanging, with Moti once again roaring and screaming in the name of evil, followed by the breathtaking Rhea Of The Gods, a song based on the mythological story of Rhea, the mother of all the gods, in her struggle against Krunus, the child eater, showcasing the band’s violence and passion for extreme music in great fashion, with the guitars by Miko and Nir sounding absolutely caustic until the very end.

It’s pedal to the metal with Yaron taking the lead with his massive beats in Human Mind, presenting another incendiary performance by Miko and Nir on the guitars supported by the metallic bass lines by Hezi. Then we have the two part title-track, with the first half Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 1 bringing forward more of the band’s crushing Death Metal, with Miko and Nir kicking some ass with their demented riffage, therefore providing Moti with exactly what he needs to bark nonstop, whereas the second part, obviously titled Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2, sounds a lot faster and more violent and melodic, with the thrashier drums by Yaron adding an extra touch of insanity to their music, resulting in one of the most electrifying of all songs. Lastly, those Israeli death metallers will pierce our souls with over six minutes of dark and grim sounds in Righteous Evil, where despite all elements from the previous songs are present, its total length makes it a bit repetitive after a while.

If you love some good old school Death Metal with an additional dosage of brutality and violence, then you must give the guys from Spawn of Evil a try by listening to their new beast on  YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of it from the Pest Records’ BandCamp or webstore, from the Loud Rage Music webstore, or from Apple Music. Furthermore, go check what those Israeli metallers are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with all things spawn of Evil. Corruption, power and all those evil things that make our world a much worse place have always been the perfect themes for any Death Metal album, and in Sadistic Missionaries it couldn’t have been any different, proving the guys from Spawn of Evil do not carry their name in vain.

Best moments of the album: God Is Fake News, Rhea Of The Gods and Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2.

Worst moments of the album: Righteous Evil.

Released in 2023 Loud Rage Music/Pest Records

Track listing
1. Hell Spawn 4:27
2. Storm Of All Sins 4:43
3. God Is Fake News 5:30
4. Rhea Of The Gods 4:19
5. Human Mind 3:52
6. Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 1 5:18
7. Sadistic Missionaries, Pt. 2 4:35
8. Righteous Evil 6:29

Band members
Moti Rokah – vocals
Miko Haronian – guitars
Nir Tamir – guitars
Hezi Menashe – bass
Yaron Hakon – drums

Guest musicians
James Reed – lead guitars
Liran Aloni – lead guitars
Kutna Hora – lead guitars

Metal Chick of the Month – Bridget Lynch

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It ends with flames, Bridget!

Whenever you think of Brutal Death Metal, words such as gore, torture, murder and depravity, among several others, quickly come to your mind, creating that physical and mental preparedness needed to endure the heaviness and violence of this distinct subgenre of extreme music. However, after reading our tribute to our metal lady of this month of October here on The Headbanging Moose, I’m sure her first and last name will also be added to your Death Metal dictionary, and you better get ready because her guttural roars are definitely not recommended for the lighthearted. As a matter of fact, she’s not just a fantastic growler, but also a talented bassist, a drum programmer, an illustrator and a tattoo artist, and if for any reason you think that’s still not enough, let me tell you that the multi-talented Bridget Lynch, the frontwoman for Texas-based Brutal Death Metal outfit Stabbing, will kick you right in the head and teach you a lesson in violence.

Born on April 14, 1998 in Houston, the most populous city in Texas and in the Southern United States, we can say Bridget began her career as a metal vocalist in 2014, when she did live vocals for a New York-based Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore band named Animals Killing People, whose music is, among other topics, inspired by animal rights. There’s only one decent video online showing her contribution to the band live at Building Temples From Death Fest in Houston back in 2014, and although the quality of the sound is not great you can already sense how venomous her growls are. Furthermore, in 2015 she was supposed to be part of a San Francisco, California-based  Brutal Death Metal/Grindcore band named Cerebral Engorgement, and although there are a couple of pictures online of Bridget with the band, she never officially played with the band, nor released any recording with them.

Let’s say that her first official band was Houston, Texas-based Grindcore/Queercore trio Dystopian Reality, having recorded alongside guitarist Valerie and drummer CC their 2019 self-titled EP. The band doesn’t seem to exist anymore (or at least it’s not active on any social media), but you can enjoy not only their full EP on Youtube or on BandCamp, but also this fun live footage from the band in 2019 on YouTube. Right after her stint with Dystopian Reality, our dauntless growler was also part of another Brutal Death Metal project from Houston named Nephilim Grinder, having recorded with them their two-track debut 2020 demo (which can be enjoyed in full on BandCamp), and one important detail about Nephilim Grinder is that it was the band that put her in contact with Marvin Ruiz, the guitarist for her current band Stabbing (and we’ll get to that shortly).

In the middle of 2020, Bridget founded her own solo project (most probably due to the isolation that happened during the Covid-19 pandemic), a Goregrind beast entitled Pyosisified, being responsible for all vocals and instruments in the best “one-woman army” way you can imagine, and releasing that same year the project’s self-titled five-track demo (which is available on BandCamp). No one knows for sure if Bridget will keep her solo beast alive due to her commitments with Stabbing, but I’m sure the Grindcore and Brutal Death Metal scene would love to hear more from Pyosisified. And apart from all those bands, you can also enjoy her demented vocals in the song Hash Driveway, from the EP Split the Fuck Open, released earlier this year by Colorado Springs-based Death Metal/Grindcore act 10 to the Chest.

It was back in 2021 when Bridget alongside guitarist Marvin Ruiz, plus husband and wife Rene Martinez on drums and Meryl Martinez on bass (both having recently left the band, by the way), founded Austin/Houston, Texas-based powerhouse Stabbing. As a matter of fact, in the beginning we can say it was just Marvin and Rene jamming back and forth with guitar riffs and drum parts. “We thought we had something and we just needed a vocalist and a bass player. He knew Bridget and I knew Meryl, so there you go. We got a band. So that’s how we put that together. And it was pretty easy. We didn’t really expect to put together a full band like that,” said Rene. Highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Disgorge, Devangelic and Defeated Sanity, just to name a few, Stabbing deliver a vicious sonic assault, combining sick guttural vocals, slamming blast beats, menacing guitar riffs and terrifying lyrics.

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Rene mentioned that in the beginning they actually tried out a few vocalists before they went with Bridget, but in the end, she was the best fit for it hands down. “Bridget is just a beast on the mic. You don’t really see a frontwoman in this genre, which adds a great dynamic to the band,” he mentioned in an interview. And we must all admit her gore drenched, gut-ripping vocals are exactly what Stabbing needs to solidify even more their beyond brutal fusion of slam, grind and unfiltered brutality. Hence, you can enjoy Bridget’s maniac guttural attack by listening to their 2021 debut demo, to their 2021 EP Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught, and to their 2022 full-length opus Extirpated Mortal Process, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify (or click HERE for all things Stabbing), and you can also enjoy some of their wicked creations with Bridget kicking some serious ass on vocals on YouTube, including the songs  Gutted By The Beast, Extirpated Mortal Process, Splatter Pit, live versions of Excrement Sarcophagus and Splatter Pit, and a rehearsal of their set  for Sick Dog Fest in 2021.

As mentioned in the beginning of this tribute to Bridget, she’s also an up-and-coming illustrator and a tattoo artist who’s making a name for herself not only in the metal scene in Houston, but anywhere in the world where art and brutality unite in the name of heavy music. For instance, she’s the artist responsible for the artworks for the 2019 album Double Promo Penetration, by multinational Brutal Death Metal band Kraanium; for the 2018 EP Nullity of Light, by Tempe, Arizona-based Blackened Death Metal act Light Dweller; for the 2018 EP Purity Through Putrefaction, by Los Angeles, California’s own Death Metal group Malignant; for the 2021 demo by Oakland, California-based Brutal Death Metal band Summoner; and of course the artwork (and sometimes the logo only) for some releases by her past and present bands, those being the 2020 demo by Nephilim Grinder, the 2020 demo for her own project Pyosisified, and the 2021 EP Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught by Stabbing. In addition, if you want to know more about her illustrator and tattoo artist endeavor, and even book an appointment with Bridget to get a new ink, you can do so by visiting her Instagram profile dedicated to her work as a tattoo artist.

Stabbing are touring the United States and Canada (and hopefully I’ll be able to witness Bridget kicking ass live with her demented roars here in Toronto) this November and December as one of the opening acts for American Brutal Death Metal masters Suffocation and American Death Metal institution Incantation, as part of their Ancient Unholy Uprising Tour 2023, and if Bridget and her Stabbing are soon taking your hometown by storm, don’t miss the chance to witness one of the most electrifying growlers of the new generation of extreme music, as she definitely has the talent, the charisma and the strength to reach new heights with Stabbing or any of her other projects. She’s a hard working musician and artist that deserves our full recognition and appreciation, crafting her Death Metal magic just the way we like it, always keeping it as brutal, technical and awesome as it can be.

Bridget Lynch’s Official Instagram
Bridget Lynch – Tattoo Artist’s Official Instagram
Stabbing’s Official Facebook page
Stabbing’s Official Instagram
Stabbing’s Official YouTube channel
Stabbing’s Official BandCamp page
Stabbing’s Official Spotify profile

Concert Review – Cannibal Corpse & Mayhem (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 09/27/2023)

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An unforgettable night of mayhem, blood and chaos for all metalheads in Toronto, courtesy of two of the most important names in the history of extreme music.

***Review by Kevin Ibbitson, with photos by Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography***

OPENING ACTS: Blood Incantation and Gorguts

The line up of CANNIBAL CORPSE, MAYHEM (the one true), GORGUTS and BLOOD INCANTATION steamrolled through Rebel on Wednesday evening on their North American Tour 2023, wreaking havok in their wake and leaving many fans satiated by the experience. The crowd got their money’s worth. It was my First time seeing these bands and honestly it was one of the best shows I’ve been to this year. Thanks Gus! The crowd was enthusiastic and bustling with energy. The pit was nuts the whole show and there was constant crowd surfing.

I’ve gotta say that the staff and security were friendly and welcoming (especially the guy in the box office who helped out with my review ticket situation). The line to get in wasn’t too crazy unlike the Parking lots. Traffic is always a bitch in this city but my brother and I avoided Lakeshore and took the back way down Lesley St. to Unwin Ave., then up Cherry St. to Polson St.. Easy as pie. Once in the venue I met some of the other media in attendance (Pedro From A&P Reacts, Jason and Kim from The Metal Pit). Such awesome people, it was great meeting them all. After grabbing a cold one I went and got settled in a decent spot foregoing my usual habit of hitting the merch stand early as the lines were crazy long.

The Lights went low and first up Was Denver Colorado’s own BLOOD INCANTATION with a short but fantastic three song set of their spacy/psychedelic brand of death metal. The pit instantly went into action as soon as the music started and soon after the crowd surfing began creating a fun atmosphere that was contagious. I wish they played a little bit longer but they gained a new fan out of me in the process. After their set I noticed the lines for merch were significantly shorter so I decided to queue up. How could I not cop a shirt or two?

Setlist
Inner Paths (to Outer Space)
Awakening From the Dream of Existence to the Multidimensional Nature of Our Reality (Mirror of the Soul)
Obliquity of the Ecliptic

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars
Jeff Barrett – bass
Isaac Faulk – drums

While Standing in line, Sherbrooke Quebec’s resident Tech Death lords GORGUTS layed down a phenomenal set, whipping the crowd into a frenzy but alas, I was stuck in line but fret not, I was still able to enjoy the band from afar as the speaker set-up at Rebel is pretty decent as well as having TV monitors at every bar so I was still able to gauge their performance and the crowd’s reaction. Got an awesome shirt out of it and was glad they were still accepting cash because after all I’m still a f**king caveman apparently. Gorguts rules!

Setlist
Rottenatomy
Disincarnated
Bodily Corrupted
Orphans of Sickness
Obscura

Band members
Luc Lemay – vocals, guitars
Kevin Hufnagel – guitars
Colin Marston – bass
Patrice Hamelin – drums

MAYHEM

I met up with my brother Keith (photographer @lowereastsidephotography) out on the patio during the intermission. The moon was almost full, the air was cool and calm, setting up the vibe for the next band. A band that many in the crowd came to see, one of the original pioneers of the Norwegian black metal scene, the one true MAYHEM. The crowd packed it in even tighter, I couldn’t get anywhere near the pit so I had to hang back and enjoy it from a distance. Mayhem proceeded to absolutely kill it and the fans were just eating it up. The crowd surfing was absolutely nuts, even Mayhem’s bassist Necrobutcher pointed to a crowd surfer with a liberty spiked mohawk as he was jettisoned towards the stage. The band feeding off of the crowd’s energy as the crowd was feeding off theirs. After the first three songs, Keith met up with me to show me his selfie he got with George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher at the side of the stage (lucky f**ker). We decided to check out more merch while Mayhem was destroying it on stage and to our surprise Luc Lemay (guitarist and lead vocalist) of Gorguts was running his own merch stand. We were greeted with a handshake and a thank you from Luc for coming to the show which was nice. Luc was one of the most friendly and down to earth people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. So nice in fact that when the internet went down he accepted whatever cash we had on hand (we had half of what they were worth) for a signed limited edition picture disc of the album ” The Erosion Of Sanity” and a shirt. He totally didn’t have to do that at all and we appreciated the hell out of that. Such an awesome dude. Mayhem finishes their extra long set, everyone was ecstatic at this point, having an incredible night.

Setlist
Worthless Abominations Destroyed
Crystalized Pain in Deconstruction
Malum
My Death
Voces Ab Alta
Freezing Moon
Life Eternal
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Silvester Anfang
Deathcrush
Carnage
Pure Fucking Armageddon

Band members
Attila Csihar – vocals
Teloch – guitars
Ghul – guitars
Necrobutcher – bass
Hellhammer – drums

CANNIBAL CORPSE

Finally it was time for a band that I have always wanted to see but never had the time or money but as luck would have it an opportunity arose thanks to Gustavo Scuderi of The Headbanging Moose for hooking me up with a review ticket, taking his place as he is out west having a great time seeing his lifelong favorite band Iron Maiden. Currently promoting their amazing new album Chaos Horrific, American death metal institution CANNIBAL CORPSE is a band that is best heard live. Did I say heard? I meant felt. Cannibal Corpse is a band that is felt not heard. George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher’s gutturals are as concussive as a mac truck doing dentistry. At times I was at the back of the venue and the vocals were like a kick in the gut. What can I say other than Cannibal Corpse absolutely f**king rules!!! And I loved every second of it. The pit was absolutely insane and, in fact, the crowd was one of the best I’ve ever been in. Such an amazing atmosphere to be a part of. George’s crowd control and banter is always legendary and he is certainly one of the best frontmen in metal. I love watching the security guards reactions during George’s intro to “I Cum Blood”. I don’t have to tell you that everyone fails his headbanging challenge, I mean how can you even compete with that neck? You must “RESPECT THE NECK”. Props to the soundboard technicians. Great sound all night and I didn’t even have to use my ear protection. I left the show completely satisfied and I can’t wait to see them and any one of the other bands the next time they come to town. They all left me wanting more. Great show 10/10!

Setlist
Scourge of Iron
Blood Blind
Disfigured
Evisceration Plague
Inhumane Harvest
Death Walking Terror
Chaos Horrific
I Cum Blood
Summoned for Sacrifice
Pounded Into Dust
Disposal of the Body
Pit of Zombies
Stripped, Raped and Strangled
Hammer Smashed Face

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Rob Barrett – lead and rhythm guitar
Erik Rutan – lead guitar
Alex Webster – bass guitar
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

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Album Review – Werewolves / My Enemies Look and Sound like Me (2023)

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The most savage Blackened Death Metal band to ever arise from Australia returns to the battlefield in full force with an even more demented offering.

Formed in 2019 in Melbourne, Australia, the ruthless Technical Black/Death Metal horde that goes by the name of Werewolves has been making a name for themselves in the worldwide extreme music scene not only by the undeniable quality of their music, but also by their hard work and passion for what they do, as now in 2023, only a few years after the band’s inception, they’re unleashing upon humanity their impressive fourth studio album, the annihilating My Enemies Look and Sound like Me. Recorded by Chris Themelco at Anubis Studios (drums), Matt Wilcock and Sam Johnson at Holes & Corners Studio (guitars and bass), Jack Hartley at Jack Hartley Audio (vocals), and Marc Russo at Beveridge Road Studio (additional vocals), mixed and mastered by Joe Haley at Crawlspace Productions, and displaying a sick artwork by Mitchell Nolte (with design and layout by Sam Dishington), My Enemies Look and Sound like Me is a lecture in hatred, nihilism and violence by Sam Bean on vocals and bass, Matt Wilcock on the guitars, and David Haley on drums, taking the band’s fury to a whole new level in the majestic follow-up to their critically acclaimed albums The Dead Are Screaming (2020), What a Time to Be Alive (2021), and From the Cave to the Grave (2022).

There’s no peace in the music by Werewolves, and the opening tune Under The Ground is the perfect depiction of that, already offering our putrid ears the demonic drumming by David accompanied by the rumbling bass and devilish roars by Sam; whereas the title-track My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me sounds like a hurricane of Black and Death Metal that will demolish your senses, or a bestial devastation by the trio with Matt showcasing all his dexterity, rage and passion for extreme music armed with his axe. Get ready to break your freakin’ neck headbanging and to slam into the pit like a beast to the sound of Bring To Me The Kill, another infernal Black and Death Metal aria where David continues to hammer his drums manically, and those Aussie metallers show no mercy for our damned souls in Brace For Impact, blasting more of their frantic Blackened Death Metal spearheaded by the thunderous blast beats by David.

In Destroyer of Worlds we’re treated to devilish, obscure words vociferated by Sam (“Plead my cause against an unfaithful nation / Rescue me from those who are deceitful and wicked / An abomination / Nausea and tears / I am become Fake / Destroyer of worlds / We are not his image / Creature of blasphemy / Spitting in their eye / Pissing holy water”) while the music is the most cryptic form of Black Metal you can think of; and back to their more ferocious, ruthless vibe it’s time for a circle pit feast titled Neanderhell, with Sam roaring nonstop supported by the caustic riffage by Matt. I Hate Therefore I Am carries a beautiful name for a demonic, pulverizing hymn by Werewolves, making it impossible to stand still to the venomous riffs by Matt in one of the best songs of the album hands down. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now is another song with a classy name, offering our ears one more round of the band’s visceral Black and Death Metal. Put differently, simply bang your head nonstop to the stone crushing drums by David, and be prepared for the last tune from such hellish opus, titled Do Not Hold Me Back, which will punch you hard in the head one final time with Sam sounding darkly evil on vocals.

The demolishing, unrelenting My Enemies Look and Sound like Me can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if I were you I would certainly grab a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow Werewolves on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping your damned heart as black and evil as it can be while listening to the first-class extreme music by this amazing Australian band. Will Werewolves keep the momentum going and release another jaw-dropping full-length album in 2024? Do your enemies look and sound like you? Hopefully the answer to those two questions is yes, as Werewolves are quickly becoming one of the must-see names of both the Australian and the worldwide Black and Death Metal scenes, offering us all nonstop action, adrenaline and hatred in the form of their sick creations.

Best moments of the album: My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me, Bring To Me The Kill, Neanderhell and I Hate Therefore I Am.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Prosthetic Records

Track listing
1. Under The Ground 2:29
2. My Enemies Look And Sound Like Me 3:46
3. Bring To Me The Kill 3:01
4. Brace For Impact 3:14
5. Destroyer of Worlds 5:41
6. Neanderhell 3:28
7. I Hate Therefore I Am 3:23
8. I Knew Nothing Then And I Know Less Now 4:07
9. Do Not Hold Me Back 4:52

Band members
Sam Bean – vocals, bass
Matt Wilcock – guitars
David Haley – drums

Album Review – Fossilization / Leprous Daylight (2023)

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A Brazilian Death and Doom Metal duo attacks with their first full-length album, offering us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair.

One of the most acclaimed and praised newcomers in the underground recesses of the contended and highly demanding Death Metal feud, São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Doom Metal duo Fossilization attacks with their first full album, entitled Leprous Daylight, an utterly crushing and brutally wrenching release. Recorded at Hellspass Studio, mixed and mastered by Finnish musician and producer Otso Ukkonen, produced by the band’s own V, and featuring illustrations by Indonesian artist Rio Oka of Digtrash Art, the album offers us all eight savage tracks soaked in doomy despair maliciously crafted and fiercely executed by the aforementioned V (aka Thiago Oliveira of Jupiterian) on vocals, guitars and bass, and P (aka Paulo Pinheiro of Jupiterian, Mortal Embodiment and Riffcoven) on drums, being a must-listen for fans of Dead Congregation, Krypts, Spectral Voice, Incantation, and for all admirers of the Brazilian Death Metal scene in general.

The sinister, grim intro Archæan Gateway introduces the duo’s deep and sharp heaviness before all hell breaks loose in Once Was God, where P is infernal behind his drums making the earth tremble while V roars like an entity from the underworld, or in other words, it’s a modern-day Blackened Doom aria that will darken your mind mercilessly. In Oracle of Reversion we face hellish words vociferated by V (“Transcending through the ages of fog and cold / Usurper of the throne in the skies and stars / Shadows bent before thee in honor / The Gods hum their lament and sadness / To nothingness”) while he also slashes his stringed axe in the name of darkness and evil; and V also does a superb job with both his scorching riffs and thunderous bass in At the Heart of the Nest, a lecture in Blackened Death Metal with a menacing Doom Metal vibe not recommended for the lighthearted.

The second half of the album begins with the pulverizing title-track Leprous Daylight, where P sounds inhumane behind his drums, bringing his heaviest artillery and therefore generating a beyond infernal atmosphere perfect for V’s demonic roars; followed by The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames, another brutal, neck-breaking tune of darkness blasted by the duo, and Fossilization don’t show a single drop of mercy for our souls, hammering our cranial skulls with their devilish fusion of Black, Death and Doom Metal until the very end. Then the riffage by V sounds even darker and more sulfurous in Eon, a lecture in heaviness, brutality and insanity by Fossilization that lives up to the legacy of the most visceral form of Doom Metal, with P pounding his drums with tons of rage and dexterity, whereas lastly we face the most Doom Metal of all tracks, the sluggish and grim Wrought in the Abyss. It loses its grip after a while, though, but V and P still showcase a venomous performance throughout the entire song, putting a Stygian ending to the album.

This bestial album made in the depths of the Brazilian hellish pits can be enjoyed in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously grab a copy of it from HERE (mailorder) or HERE (BandCamp), adding an extra touch of darkness and sulfur to your already demonic collection. In addition, go check what V and P are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, succumbing to the most obscure side of heavy music, and keeping such infernal duo inspired to keep blasting our ears with their music for many years to come like what they have to offer us all in their debut opus.

Best moments of the album: Once Was God, At the Heart of the Nest and Eon.

Worst moments of the album: Wrought in the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Archæan Gateway 0:55
2. Once Was God 4:59
3. Oracle of Reversion 5:02
4. At the Heart of the Nest 4:24
5. Leprous Daylight 5:03
6. The Night Spoke the Tongue of Flames 4:56
7. Eon 5:40
8. Wrought in the Abyss 5:36

Band members
V – vocals, guitars, bass
P – drums

Album Review – Horrendous / Ontological Mysterium (2023)

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Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band returns in full force with their fifth studio album, a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle.

Five years after their latest album Idol, Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band Horrendous is finally back with their fifth full-length instalment, titled Ontological Mysterium, a love letter to Death, Atheist and other classics from the late 80’s and early 90’s. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by the band’s own Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Alex Brown and Brian Smith, Ontological Mysterium is a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle, all masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Damian Herring on vocals and guitars alongside Matt Knox also on vocals and guitars, Alex Kulick on bass, and Jamie Knox on drums.

A Stygian invocation titled The Blaze warms up the listener for the infernal metal attack that’s about to come in Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), a fast and demolishing tune where the riffs by Damian and Matt set fire to the atmosphere spiced up by the song’s demented lyrics (“Immerse me / In jubilant flames / With iridescent tongue / Lick away the skin / Don’t dare be kind / Paralyze me in paraffin / And spark the match”). Then blending the madness and creativity of Mastodon with their own Death Metal vein we have Neon Leviathan, and the result is a crushing tune where Alex steals the spotlight with his metallic, groovy bass punches; followed by Aurora Neoterica, bringing forward two minutes of sheer insanity, progressiveness and atmospheric passages where Jamie and Alex make an amazing duo with their respective beats and bass lines, flowing into the intricate Preterition Hymn, where the quartet once again blasts our ears with their sonic extravaganza, delivering a sick fusion of harsh growls and clean vocals (albeit not as exciting as the rest of the album).

In the wicked Cult of Shaad’oah  we’re treated to more of their lunatic words (“Beat me back but I’ll keep on climbing / When you’re lost in the dreams / Of the dead / And the final sun burns / Oh, the battle begins… / Prepare for brutal ascent”) amidst a fantastic Progressive Death Metal sonority led by the band’s guitar duo’s caustic riffage; whereas switching gears to a darker, heavier sound with a dense atmosphere, it’s time for the cryptic Exeg(en)esis, once again blasting our ears with their chaotic yet extremely melodic riffs, beats and bass lines, or in other words, a weird creation that fits really well in the album, followed by the Progressive Metal-infused title-track Ontological Mysterium, where Horrendous showcase all their insanity and passion for heavy music. Moreover, Jamie is amazing as usual behind his drums while the diversity of vocal styles again reminds me of some of the best songs by Mastodon. Lastly, how about another explosion of Progressive Death Metal to close the album on a high note? That’s what you’ll get in The Death Knell Ringeth, with the whole song sounding very compelling and dynamic, while the guitars by Damian and Matt exhale sheer electricity.

“At this point, we want to wave the Horrendous banner high in a way that we perhaps didn’t around Idol and continue on this path that we’ve forged,” said the band’s talented drummer Jamie Knox. “We are very proud of Ontological Mysterium and what our band has become – it’s almost like we’ve figured out how to make this band work amidst the wildness of adult life. This entity feels worth celebrating and feeding to see where it might take us next.” Hence, go check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their tour dates and plans for the future, and of course go grab a copy of Ontological Mysterium from the Season of Mist webstore, as well as by clicking HERE or HERE, and don’t forget to also stream such demonic album in full on YouTube and on Spotify. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to enter the labyrinth of progressive, technical and extremely heavy Death Metal crafted by Horrendous in their infernal new album?

Best moments of the album: Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), Cult of Shaad’oah and Ontological Mysterium.

Worst moments of the album: Preterition Hymn.

Released in 2023 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. The Blaze 2:00
2. Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn) 7:16
3. Neon Leviathan 3:30
4. Aurora Neoterica 1:56
5. Preterition Hymn 3:58
6. Cult of Shaad’oah 5:24
7. Exeg(en)esis, 3:38
8. Ontological Mysterium 4:44
9. The Death Knell Ringeth 5:20

Band members
Damian Herring – guitars, vocals
Matt Knox – guitars, vocals
Alex Kulick – bass
Jamie Knox – drums

Album Review – Cannibal Corpse / Chaos Horrific (2023)

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The mighty Corpse is back with another pulverizing album of old school, undisputed Death Metal, blasting gore, blood and violence throughout 39 minutes of pure and intense chaos.

Two years after the incendiary Violence Unimagined, American Death Metal legends Cannibal Corpse are back with their equally monstrous sixteenth studio album, titled Chaos Horrific, continuing to build their legacy in the history of heavy music. Produced by the band’s own Erik Rutan at Mana Recording Studios, and displaying another sick and gory artwork by longtime collaborator Vince Locke, the new album by frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, guitarists Rob Barrett and Erik Rutan, bassist Alex Webster and drummer Paul Mazurkiewicz was written shortly after the conclusion of the Violence Unimagined sessions (due to the pandemic keeping them off tour), and although echoes of that album exist in Chaos Horrific, it is a whole new beast of its own. “To me this album feels sort of like a continuation of Violence Unimagined. The style is quite similar, but individually none of the songs on Chaos Horrific sound like songs on Violence Unimagined,” said Alex. “It’s a full-on death metal album, Cannibal Corpse style.”

And Alex begins his undisputed bass attack in the visceral opening tune Overlords of Violence, where the band already crushes us mercilessly with their old school Death Metal, offering pure, unfiltered Cannibal Corpse for the masses, followed by Frenzied Feeding, another massive assault by the quintet with the guitars by Rob and Erik sounding extremely dirty, vile and evil, while our buddy Corpsegrinder proves why he’s the ultimate Death Metal growler. “One person is randomly selected to die. Thirteen people are randomly selected to kill this person by violently removing pieces of his body until he breathes no more,” commented Paul about Summoned for Sacrifice, a neck-breaking, demonic tune that will work amazingly if played live; whereas Blood Blind “is about mass mutilations to reset the human race in a genocide that was embraced by the masses,” also according to Paul, showcasing classic, evil lyrics roared by Corpsegrinder (“Seas of gore as far as the eye can see / Saturating the vision / Eternal hate this is not a fallacy / Contaminate all that lives / Subjugate the mind / Blood blind”).

The wicked guitar lines by the band’s unstoppable axe duo ignite the circle pit feast Vengeful Invasion, another great tune for headbanging nonstop together with Corpsegrinder, sounding extremely technical yet still bringing forward the band’s trademark gore and heaviness, whereas the title-track Chaos Horrific couldn’t have sounded more Cannibal Corpse than that, presenting their past, present and future sonority, with Paul kicking some serious ass behind his drums supported by the always demented bass by Alex. They show no sign of slowing down in the brutal, thunderous Fracture and Refracture, bringing forward more of their Death Metal riffage, rumbling bass lines and crushing beats in a beyond thrilling manner, followed by Pitchfork Impalement, offering us all three minutes of insanity and violence led by the inhumane growls by Corpsegrinder while Paul hammers his drums with endless fury. After that, get ready to be pulverized inside the mosh pit to the sound of Pestilential Rictus, a groovy, ruthless display of Death Metal where Rob and Erik are superb with their metallic riffs and solos. And lastly, if you’re still alive there’s time for one final sonic carnage titled Drain You Empty, where the band invests in a deep, obscure sound not recommended for the lighthearted, overflowing their brutality until the very last second.

Cannibal Corpse Chaos Horrific Boxset

If there’s one thing that we all love about Cannibal Corpse is their ability to reinvent themselves with every new album without forgetting about their old school Death Metal roots, which is exactly what we see in the excellent Chaos Horrific. Hence, don’t forget to give the guys from the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream their vast and amazing catalogue on Spotify, to catch the kings of Death Metal live on tour now promoting their sick new album, and above all that, to purchase a copy of it from their own webstore, from the Metal Blade Records webstore, from Kingsroadmerch.com (especially the fantastic Chaos Horrific Box Set, limited to 1500 copies and including a dried blood vinyl, a 24-page 12” booklet, a puzzle, a poster, an enamel pin and an art print), or simply click HERE for all things Cannibal Corpse. Let’s support this undisputed Death Metal institution to keep blasting chaos through their music for many decades to come, spreading blood, gore, filth, violence, and all other horrific things that makes us metalheads always proud of the mighty Corpse!

Best moments of the album: Overlords of Violence, Chaos Horrific, Fracture and Refracture and Pestilential Rictus.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Overlords of Violence 3:08
2. Frenzied Feeding 3:33
3. Summoned for Sacrifice 4:05
4. Blood Blind 4:34
5. Vengeful Invasion 4:44
6. Chaos Horrific 3:33
7. Fracture and Refracture 3:37
8. Pitchfork Impalement 3:17
9. Pestilential Rictus 4:13
10. Drain You Empty 4:36

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Rob Barrett – lead and rhythm guitar
Erik Rutan – lead guitar
Alex Webster – bass guitar
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

Album Review – Ringworm / Seeing Through Fire (2023)

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Cleveland’s own Hardcore, Death and Thrash Metal masters are ready to kill armed with their ninth studio album, pushing the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent.

Ever since emerging from the Cleveland underground, the unrelenting American Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore horde Ringworm has garnered the immediate attention of all types of heavy music fans, always displaying endless ferocity and, consequently, always fascinating metalheads with their unorthodox melodies for over 30 years. Now in 2023 the band formed of James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch on vocals, Matt Sorg and Mike Lare on the guitars, and Ed Stephens on bass has just unleashed their ninth studio album, titled Seeing Through Fire, the follow-up to their 2019 installment Death Becomes My Voice. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Mercinary Studios, Seeing Through Fire showcases the abundant complexities in the music by Ringworm and pushes the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent, being highly recommended for fans of Integrity, Earth Crisis, Converge and American Nightmare, among others.

The title-track Seeing Through Fire is utterly harsh and infuriated from the very first second, with James’ vocals exhaling despair and aggressiveness amidst a hurricane of Thrash Metal and Hardcore crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect way to start such sick album. There’s no time to breathe as their feast of pulverizing sounds goes on in Carved in Stone, where the guitars by Matt and Mike will penetrate deep inside your skin and burn your muscle tissue mercilessly in the name of the darkest form of Hardcore you can think of. Then let’s all slam into the circle pit together with ringworm to the sound of the high-octane No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, a lecture in modern-day Thrash Metal with Hardcore elements spearheaded by the brutal vocals by James, followed by Death Hoax, sounding like some of the most insane creations by Slayer from their Divine Intervention and Undisputed Attitude albums, with the song’s fierce blast beats matching perfectly with the rabid roars by James. And the band continues their path of destruction in Thought Crimes, another frantic, sharp and caustic tune showcasing more of the scorching riffs by Matt and Mike.

The second half of the album begins in full force with Unavoidable Truth, bringing to our avid ears more of the band’s infernal fusion of Thrash Metal and Hardcore while Ed keeps hammering his bass nonstop, bringing an extra touch of groove and heaviness to the music; and if you think those American metallers would slow down anytime, you’re absolutely wrong, as they keep speeding things up and inviting us into the pit in House of Flies, with James growling rabidly supported by the wicked riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo. You Want It To is another feast of Death and Thrash Metal infused with Hardcore nuances where Ed’s bass sounds thunderous, not to mention the song’s demented drums; and let’s keep banging our heads in the name of evil in Mental Decontrol, with James bursting his lungs screaming while Matt, Mike and Ed are ruthless armed with their axes. There’s no mercy for our souls in the demonic Power and Blood, an incendiary lecture in Thrash Metal and Hardcore by Ringworm that will smash you like an insect, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his sick, visceral growls; whereas closing Seeing Through Fire we have the outro Playing God, which is not bad but another ferocious tune would have added more taste to the album.

“We wanted to go with a slightly different approach and look than the previous records, it’s a new era for us,” explained James. “It’s a little bit of a return to our roots, you have those moments every so often where you wanna get back to your comfort zone, but at the same time you want to expand that comfort zone. On the production side, we definitely wanted something that was raw, more in your face, and way more sonically abrasive than the last several albums. Vocally it’s the same approach on every record, my voice is just a hammer, and every song looks like a nail to me.” Hence, if you want to experience all that raw, massive violence blasted by Ringworm in Seeing Through Fire, you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their insane music. As aforementioned, Seeing Through fire is at the same time modern and old school, showing how the band knows what they do, staying loyal to their foundations without forgetting to always move forward in their career, and to always invite us for some action inside the circle pit.

Best moments of the album: No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, House of Flies and Power and Blood.

Worst moments of the album: Playing God.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Seeing Through Fire 3:17
2. Carved in Stone 2:49
3. No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy 3:09
4. Death Hoax 2:51
5. Thought Crimes 2:53
6. Unavoidable Truth 2:41
7. House of Flies 2:56
8. You Want It To 2:02
9. Mental Decontrol 2:29
10. Power and Blood 2:39
11. Playing God 3:09

Band members
James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch – vocals
Matt Sorg – guitar
Mike Lare – guitar
Ed Stephens – bass

Guest musician
Daniel Mongrain – guitar solo on “Death Hoax”

Concert Review – UADA (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/13/2023)

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An atmospheric (and long) night of extreme music spearheaded by the best Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene beautifully darkened the skies of Toronto and the hearts of the metalheads in the city.

OPENING ACTS: A Flock Named Murder, Unreqvited, Cloak and Ghost Bath

There have been countless rock and metal concerts in Toronto since the end of the European summer festivals, and that’s having its toll on the attendance of those concerts as no one has enough time and money to support all those bands when they bring their live performances to the city. That was the case last night when A FLOCK NAMED MURDER, UNREQVITED, CLOAK, GHOST BATH and the mighty UADA took the cozy Lee’s Palace by storm on a night of darkness, blasphemy, deep emotions and truly atmospheric heavy music during their Crepuscule North America 2023. Well, although the show wasn’t even close to be sold out, there were till several brave headbangers at the venue to support those incredible bands, and let’s always keep in mind that we’re talking about the underground of the underground, with zero support from the regular media.

Shortly after the doors at the venue opened at 7pm, Toronto, Ontario-based Black/Death/Post-Metal act A FLOCK NAMED MURDER kicked off the night’s black mass with their short but extremely powerful set, spearheaded by the band’s vocalist and guitarist Ryan Mueller. Having released to date the 2018 album An Appointed Time and the 2022 single Garden of Embers, which I’m pretty sure they played last night (and once again, it’s so hard to keep track of any setlist from almost all underground bands), the quartet put on a solid performance for the crowd, already inspiring some decent headbanging among the attendees. Their music is great and deserves a listen without a shadow of a doubt, and you can do so by visiting their BandCamp page or also by going to Spotify. Needless to say, if they ever play in your city, don’t miss the chance to witness this up-and-coming extreme music horde from Toronto.

Band members
Ryan Mueller – vocals, guitars
Mike Binns – guitars
Mike Wandy – bass
Cam Mueller – drums

Some people (including myself) were a little worried with the number of bands playing last night, as no one knew for sure what time the night was going to end. However, the quality of the music played by all groups was fantastic, which was also the case for the Stygian performance by  Ottawa, Ontario-based Atmospheric Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze/Ambient act UNREQVITED. Although Unreqvited is the solo project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist William Melsness (also known as 鬼, which means “ghost” in Chinese), the band’s live lineup is formed of William alongside guitarist Victor Forest, bassist Robin Parsons and drummer Alec Curren, and let me tell you that those four guys kicked some serious ass on stage, resulting in a very pleasant surprise for anyone who was not familiar with their music. By the way, Victor and Robin had a fantastic onstage performance, mesmerizing the crowd with their somber sounds. I like to say that the type of music played by Unreqvited is a lot more emotional than heavy or obscure, and you can sense all that by enjoying their 2021 album Beautiful Ghosts and their 2022 single Perpetual Green of the Willow Groves, both available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Needless to say, I hope I can see Unreqvited live again sooner than later.

Band members
William Melsness (鬼) – vocals, guitars
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums

It was getting late for a Wednesday night, but who cares? After a quick break it was time for Atlanta, Georgia’s own Black Metal/Black N’ Roll horde CLOAK to bring the energy and fire of their new album Black Flame Eternal to the stage of Lee’s Palace in the most metallic of all concerts of the night. Scott Taysom, Max Brigham, Billy Robinson and Sean Bruneau took no prisoners in their quest for extreme music, blasting our ears with several devilish and frantic tunes including the incendiary Seven Thunders and Black Flame Eternal, inspiring the crowd to raise their horns in the name of evil nonstop, and proving why they’re one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene. Just like what said about the previous bands, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if UADA are visiting your city make sure you get to the show early to catch the pulverizing concert by the guys from Cloak.

Band members
Scott Taysom – vocals, guitars
Max Brigham – guitars
Billy Robinson – bass
Sean Bruneau – drums

I think it was already past 10pm when Minot, North Dakota-based Depressive/Post-Black Metal entity GHOST BATH began their sinister and neck-breaking concert. Still promoting their 2021 album Self Loather, the band led by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Nameless darkened the atmosphere at Lee’s Palace considerably, with their three-guitar attack formed of Nameless together with Tim Church and John Olivier sounding absolutely amazing from start to finish. Apparently they had a few minor sound issues in the beginning of their performance, which might explain the delay in their concert to start, but nothing that would bring any harm their onstage blackened party. All of their albums, including of course their latest offering, are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, so do not waste a single second and go check their insane creations, getting ready to praise darkness and melancholy whenever Ghost Bath invade your damned city.

Band members
Nameless – vocals, guitars
Tim Church – guitars
John Olivier – guitars
Josh Jaye – bass
Chris Piette – drums

UADA

What happens when a concert that was supposed to have started at 10:45pm, which is already late, has a 40-minute delay? Exactly, people start to get back to their homes because of several reasons like catching the last subway or train home, or having to wake up really early to work or go to school. That was basically the main issue with the flawless and beyond atmospheric performance by Portland, Oregon-based Melodic Black Metal titans UADA, resulting in some gaps in the floor section that didn’t look nice, but that didn’t change the fact UADA were fantastic on stage either. Having released their new masterpiece Crepuscule Natura just the Friday before the concert, such uncanny horde formed of vocalist and guitarist Jake Superchi, guitarist Kevin Bedra, bassist Nate Verschoor and drummer Trevor McClain was on absolute fire from start to finish, making everyone who could stay until the very end of their concert extremely happy and satisfied.

The smoke, the dim lights, and the band’s dark and menacing outfits that make it impossible to see their faces (plus of course the incense and the stunning setup of their merch table) are crucial elements of their live performances, and although photographers like my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography don’t really like that type of ambience as it gets tough to take clear photos, in the end everything works perfectly and has a reason to be there. From the very first notes of the explosive The Purging Fire, UADA already showed everything they got and their deep passion for dark music. After such hypnotizing start, they had a microphone issue during Snakes & Vultures that seemed to have driven Jake a little upset (which is totally understandable), but the crowd knew it wasn’t the band’s fault at all and enjoyed the song to the fullest even with that minor incident.

The title-track to their 2020 album, the breathtaking Djinn, might be my favorite UADA song to date, and seeing it being played live again (after seeing them opening for Rotting Christ earlier this year) was a thing of beauty, this time sounding and feeling even more powerful, followed by the also imposing and multi-layered In the Absence of Matter. However, it was when they played their two new songs The Dark (Winter) and Retraversing the Void that things got even more majestic, with the quartet playing those songs to perfection and inspiring everyone at the venue to bang their heads nonstop together with them, just to show how powerful their new album is. And finally, closing their cryptic performance they offered our avid ears their already classics Cult of a Dying Sun and Black Autumn, White Spring, putting an epic finale to a night that was extremely long, but at the same time extremely enjoyable. I can’t wait to see UADA again live, hopefully not so late at night due to my other commitments, but to be honest, who cares? Seeing what’s in my humble opinion the best and most innovative band of the current Melodic Black Metal scene kicking ass on stage is worth the effort, and may those mysterious guys return to Toronto for another metallic assault sooner than we can say “UADA”!

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Snakes & Vultures
Djinn
In the Absence of Matter
The Dark (Winter)
Retraversing the Void
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kevin Bedra – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Trevor McClain – drums

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