Tag Archives: death metal

Concert Review – Kreator & Sepultura (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2023)

Posted on by
1

The world is in flames and the people divided, but Kreator, Sepultura and their fans were united last night in Toronto to prove once again everything gets better with some first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Spiritworld and Death Angel

Insane traffic, heavy smoke from the wildfires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, and temperatures dropping below seasonal. If you think those “nice” factors would stop the metalheads in Toronto from setting The Danforth Music Hall on fire last night together with SPIRITWORLD, DEATH ANGEL, SEPULTURA and KREATOR as part of their Klash of the Titans North America 2023, another awesome event brought to the city by Embrace Presents, you’re absolutely wrong. It seems that Torontonian metallers fear nothing when it comes to enduring several external threats to attend metal concerts in the city, and when they’re inside the venue, oh boy, it’s fuckin’ madness! It was a sold out night of mosh pits, walls of death, bodies emerging from the pit, horns and fists in the air, a lot of screaming and jumping, and above all that, seeing our metalhead friends once again to celebrate music and life. What else can we ask for, right? And on a side note, it looks like a few concert goers got injured inside the pit during one of the bands, with one guy bleeding real bad (I think he landed on his head); however, the venue security was on it fast and even had their own trained medical staff. That’s a huge display of professionalism, so kudos to security for being so fast and effective.

Due to traffic (and hunger, as I spent hours driving before being able to eat anything, which had to happen outside The Danforth Music Hall because they don’t sell any food inside the venue), this guy here had to unfortunately miss the opening band, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore act SPIRITWORLD, but at least my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was here to capture some amazing shots of the band and tell me a little about their performance, saying it was very energetic and fun to watch. The doors opened at 5pm, and the band played from 6:30pm to around 7pm, just to give you an idea of how bad traffic was. Anyway, if you know nothing about the band, go check their BandCamp and Spotify, in special their 2022 album Deathwestern, which is quite entertaining in my opinion.

Setlist
Comancheria
Lujuria Satanica
The Bringer of Light
Committee of Buzzards
Unholy Passages
U L C E R
Relic of Damnation
Pagan Rhythms

Band members
Stu Folsom – vocals
Justin Fornof – vocals, sampling
Randy Moore – lead guitars
Matt Schrum – rhythm guitars
Nick Brundy – bass
Preston Harper – drums

It was precisely 7:20pm when San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal institution DEATH ANGEL hit the stage with a flawless performance, igniting some intense mosh pits for the delight of all fans present at the venue. Still promoting their 2019 album Humanicide, the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Mark Osegueda, who by the way had a superb vocal performance last night reaching some really high notes in great fashion, put on a solid and vibrant show, albeit a bit short in duration. The songs The Dream Calls for Blood, The Moth and Thrown to the Wolves sounded absolutely fantastic last night, with the razor-edged guitars by Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar piercing our souls mercilessly. Closer to the end of the show, Mark took a moment to tell Toronto how much he loves the city, saying he remembers playing at El Mocambo (a very, very small underground venue) twice on the same day during their first ever visit to Toronto back in 1987, and saying that they might have been prohibited to play their album The Ultra-Violence (in special the song Voracious Souls) back then in their homeland, but that Canada received them with open arms. Well, we’ll always receive Death Angel with open arms (and open circle pits) in Toronto.

Setlist
Lord of Hate
Voracious Souls
The Dream Calls for Blood
The Moth
Humanicide
The Ultra-Violence / Thrown to the Wolves

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Rob Cavestany – guitar
Ted Aguilar – guitar
Damien Sisson – bass
Will Carroll – drums

KREATOR

It was still bright ay 8:30pm outside the venue (well, not that bright due to the smoke, but it wasn’t dark yet) when Teutonic Thrash Metal titans KREATOR took the city of Toronto by storm with a beyond pulverizing performance, and when I say pulverizing I’m not kidding, it was insane from the very first second until the last notes of Pleasure to Kill. Also, despite the fact they released what’s in my opinion the best album of 2022, the superb Hate Über Alles, they’re only playing the title-track during this current tour, but that’s just a minor detail compared to the endless energy, rage and violence happening on and off stage. The iconic Mille Petrozza led the Torontonian hordes of chaos brilliantly throughout their entire set, resulting in some of the sickest circle pits of all shows in the city this year.

Mille interacted a lot with the crowd, always asking for more circle pits, crowd surfing and walls of death, but he didn’t actually need to ask for that as everyone inside the pit went nuts as soon as the first notes of Hate Über Alles hit. Some of the songs sounded so brutal, such as Enemy of God, Flag of Hate and Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite), that the whole pit looked like one of those insane Royal Rumble moments where it’s everyone against everyone, and the band simply loved to witness that while delivering a lecture in German thrash on stage. The giant inflatable devil on stage (from the artwork from their latest album) was a very nice touch to their performance, in special when Satan is Real was played, whereas Mille declaiming the chorus to the rebellious single 666 – World Divided before starting the song itself was another beautiful moment for the entire crowd. Of course, as expected, the most demented circle pit and wall of death of the night happened during their all-time classic Pleasure to Kill, leaving everyone at the venue eager for more Kreator in the city anytime they wish to return. As a matter of fact, I would be extremely happy if they somehow played in Toronto once a week or even more than that if they wanted to.

Setlist
Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
Hate Über Alles
Awakening of the Gods (Intro)
Enemy of God
People of the Lie
Betrayer
Satan Is Real
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
666 – World Divided
Flag of Hate
The Patriarch
Violent Revolution
Pleasure to Kill
Apocalypticon

Band members
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar
Frédéric Leclercq – bass
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums

SEPULTURA

I honestly thought Kreator were going to be the headliners during the entire tour, but it looks like they adopted the “alternating headline mode” that so many bands are using these days, just like Gojira and Mastodon are doing now in North America. Having said that, Toronto had the pleasure of having as the closing act of the night the unparalleled Brazilian Groove/Thrash Metal beast SEPULTURA, who brought a lot of heaviness and groove to our avid ears during their solid performance. Derrick Green, Paulo Jr. and Eloy Casagrande were precise as usual, but it was Andreas Kisser who stole the show with another distinct performance on the guitars. I just think the band would benefit a lot from having a second guitarist to provide Andreas with some background support during his solos, filling out the empty spaces left, but that’s just an idea and nothing that would make their show less fun.

Still promoting their 2020 album Quadra, the band played a mix of new songs with old school Sepultura, as roared by Derrick right at the beginning of their concert, and while new songs like Isolation and Kairos worked amazingly live, others like Guardians of Earth and Agony of Defeat cooled down the atmosphere a bit, despite being sensational and very detailed compositions. Needless to say, it was when they played their classics including Territory, Refuse/Resist, Arise and Ratamahatta that the crowd jumped up and down nonstop, slammed into the pit, and raised their horns screaming, with one of the most rebellious metal songs ever, the unique Roots Bloody Roots, being the icing on the cake of their show. Andreas also took a moment to say how much the guys from Sepultura love Toronto, and I guess it won’t take long for them to return. After all was said and done, the traffic to get out of the city was brutal even after midnight, but who cares? After witnessing Kreator and Sepultura destroying everything and everyone last night in Toronto, nothing could erase the smile on the faces of the Torontonian metalheads.

Setlist
Polícia (Titãs song)
Isolation
Territory
Means to an End
Kairos
Propaganda
Guardians of Earth
Ali
Agony of Defeat
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Eloy Casagrande – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – A Pretext To Human Suffering / Endless Cycle Of Suffering (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, this multinational horde will crush your soul to the sound of their new album of first-class Technical and Brutal Death Metal.

Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, revealing the rancid meat sculpture that is our dystopian present, United States/Canada/Mexico-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal act A Pretext To Human Suffering will crush your damned soul with their debut full-length album, entitled Endless Cycle Of Suffering, highly recommended for fans of Cryptopsy, Origin, Beneath The Massacre and Ingested, among others. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Floor van Kuijk at GLDCHN Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Vladimir “Smerdulak” Chebakov and a sinister logo by Steve Crow of Malevolent Icons Logos, Endless Cycle Of Suffering compels us to confront the unending nightmare of our own existence, and the horror which we have labored to construct, all masterfully brought into being by Chris Mathis on vocals, guitar and drum programming, Beto Vipe and Wesley Van Hook also on the guitars, and Spencer Atkinson on bass.

The short and sweet intro Indoctrinated reminds us all we’re not free, exploding into sheer brutality and rage to the massive riffs by Chris, Beto and Wesley in Endless Cycle of Suffering, a psychological and absolutely somber metal attack by such demonic band. Chris keeps roaring manically in Architect of Reality, another infernal yet very technical Death Metal feast where it’s impressive how organic their programmed drums sound; followed by Hollow Sanctuary, heavy and groovy from the very first second with the bass lines by Spencer making our heads tremble. In Formless Collective we’re treated to wicked lyrics (“Pray to old gods / Altars of antiquity / Watch them die slow / Unleash their final form / Of existence / Cleanse of this virus / Wasting away / It is time to reap what weve sewn”) embraced by a demonic instrumental led by the demented riffage by Chris, Beto and Wesley; and taking their heaviness and insanity to a whole new level, Void sounds and feels almost pure Brutal Death Metal.

Then an atmospheric, sinister intro evolves into a very melodic sound in Toxic Dreams, showcasing inhumane, deep growls, strident riffs and fulminating blast beats, leaning towards the more technical and progressive side of Death Metal, whereas Shadow of Time follows a similar pattern as the previous song, with the band’s guitar triumvirate shredding their axes mercilessly. In Paradox the band once again pierces our minds with their caustic words (“Peripheral shadows move rapidly / The familiar feelings of lunacy / They keep calling-give into lunacy / Entranced and lost-I feel”) amidst a hurricane of demonic sounds, sounding amazing from start to finish; followed by their second to last blast of insanity, titled Clandestine, bringing forward more of Chris’ deep guttural and devilish screeches supported by the song’s Cannibal Corpse-like riffs. And lastly, it’s time to slam into the pit one final time like a maniac to the sound of Cult(ure), where once again the rumbling bass by Spencer sounds insanely heavy and metallic.

The demented sounds found in Endless Cycle Of Suffering can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously purchase a copy of the album from the Realityfade Records’ BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. In addition, you can also show all your support to this multinational entity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. Be ready for when you hit play in Endless Cycle Of Suffering, because A Pretext To Human Suffering are not just coming to present you with a scenario of futility and despair; they are coming to ask you a question. What can be done, and what will you do?

Best moments of the album: Endless Cycle of Suffering, Formless Collective and Paradox.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Realityfade Records

Track listing
1. Indoctrinated 0:05
2. Endless Cycle of Suffering 3:50
3. Architect of Reality 2:32
4. Hollow Sanctuary 5:26
5. Formless Collective 2:56
6. Void 3:40
7. Toxic Dreams 1:24
8. Shadow of Time 2:55
9. Paradox 2:44
10. Clandestine 2:48
11. Cult(ure) 4:40

Band members
Chris Mathis – vocals, guitars, drum programming
Beto Vipe – guitars
Wesley Van Hook – guitars
Spencer Atkinson – bass

Concert Review – Ingested (The Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON, 06/02/2023)

Posted on by
1

The “slam tour of the year” beautifully crushed the “slam capital of the world” to pieces on a hot and humid night thanks to five of the best bands of the current extreme music scene.

OPENING ACTS: Mendacity, Organectomy, Vomit Forth and Devourment

A night of nonstop brutal slammin’ death metal. That pretty much summarizes what happened at The Velvet Underground this past Friday in Toronto, when MENDACITY, ORGANECTOMY, VOMIT FORTH, DEVOURMENT and INGESTED brought to the city the ruthless, venomous Ingesting North America 2023 – The Slam Tour Of The Year, another beautiful event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. By the way, he was explaining to my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography that the guys from Belarusian Death Metal horde Extermination Dismemberment couldn’t get their Canadian visas ready on time and, therefore, couldn’t make it to the concert in Toronto. However, all five bands demanded the fans to raise their horns for those Belarusian slammers, showing how united the scene is and will always be.

And although there was no Extermination Dismemberment it was still a night to remember, with Innisfil, Ontario-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal trio MENDACITY kicking off the event at around 7:30pm, and they more than nailed it with their fusion of technical and progressive sounds with the brutality of Death Metal. Kyle Lam was fantastic on bass, and I just wish the sound of it was a little bit higher so we could all enjoy his rumbling lines better, while Jason and Jeff Burt were crushing their respective guitars and drums. There weren’t any mosh pits as the crowd was still very small when they started, but they got some great feedback form the audience with lots of horns in the air, shouts and claps, and if you’re curious to know how technical and brutal they sound at the same time, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Band members
Jason Burt – vocals, guitars
Kyle Lam – bass, backing vocals
Jeff Burt – drums, backing vocals

After a really short break, more precisely at 8:05pm, Christchurch, New Zealand-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal unity ORGANECTOMY began their pulverizing performance, and I must say they were in my opinion the most impressive of all bands. I didn’t know anything about those guys before the show, and now I’m listening to their music nonstop on Spotify. Frontman Alex Paul was vicious throughout their entire set, inspiring everyone at the venue to slam into the pit, to jump up and down, to do some sick crowd-surfing and so on, to a point that there were only two options for all attendees, which were either being slamming into the pit, or being outside the venue. Their 2022 album Nail Below Nail is freakin’ amazing, and the songs played live from that album such as Concrete, the title-track Nail Below Nail, The Third Mutation, Entranced by Calamity and Coerced Through Submersion sounded insane live! I really hope those guys return to Toronto soon, because their live shows are infernal, and based on the reaction of the band itself to all the action going on inside the pit they’ll surely carry Toronto inside their hearts until their next visit to the city.

Setlist
Impale the Bitch
Terror Form
Entrapped Savagery
Concrete
Nail Below Nail
The Third Mutation
Entranced by Calamity
Severed From Humanity
Coerced Through Submersion

Band members
Alex Paul – vocals
Sam McRobert – guitars
Matthew Bolch – guitars
Tyler Jordan – bass, backing vocals
Levi Sheehan – drums

After such demolishing performance by Organectomy, it was time for Connecticut, United States-based Death Metal horde VOMIT FORTH to turn The Velvet Underground into a cauldron of blood to the delight of all lovers of some brutal slamming. Their frontman Kane Gelaznik looks like a younger version of the almighty George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer, having the same looks, clothes, and even his headbanging and vocals, and that was already enough for me to enjoy their concert to the fullest. Of course the rest of the band was also on fire, in special Nick Herrmann with his sick blast beats, and the songs form their 2022 album Seething Malevolence, those being Eucharist Intact, Carnivorous Incantation, Unrecognizable, Severely Wounded, Predatory Savior and Pain Tolerance drove the audience crazy inside the endless circle pit, including a nice a wall of death. You can enjoy all their sick creations on Spotify or you can click HERE for all things Vomit Forth, and if they have a concert scheduled in your city, don’t think twice and go slam together with those awesome death metallers.

Setlist
Eucharist Intact
Carnivorous Incantation
Unclaimed Cadaver
Rotting Wool
Unrecognizable
Untitled
Severely Wounded
Predatory Savior
Pain Tolerance

Band members
Kane Gelaznik – vocals
Ricky Brayall – guitars
Tyler Bidwell – bass
Nick Herrmann – drums

It was already past 9:30pm when one of the highly anticipated bands of the night, Dallas, Texas-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal institution DEVOURMENT, hit the stage with one of the heaviest concerts you’ll see anywhere. Still promoting their 2019 album Obscene Majesty, the band formed of frontman Ruben Rosas, guitarist Chris Andrews, bassist Dave Spencer and drummer Brad Fincher was ruthless from start to finish, inspiring obviously the crowd to slam into the pit like maniacs and to crush their skulls into a sick wall of death to the sound of songs such as A Virulent Strain of Retaliation, Fucked to Death and Devour the Damned. I just think the lights for those guys were way too red and low, making it almost impossible to see them (and impossible for Keith to take proper pictures of them, by the way), but their brutality was there, stronger and heavier than ever. Their last song, the visceral Babykiller, was the icing on the cake on their flawless and demonic show, leaving all fans eager for more Devourment in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
A Virulent Strain of Retaliation
Fucked to Death
Postmortal Coprophagia
Choking on Bile
Self Disembowelment
Narcissistic Paraphilia
Devour the Damned
Babykiller

Band members
Ruben Rosas – vocals
Chris Andrews – guitars
Dave Spencer – bass
Brad Fincher – drums

INGESTED

Finally, as the clock hit 10:35pm, Manchester, England’s own Slam/Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore institution INGESTED began the destruction of The Velvet Underground with one of the most electrifying performances of the past few months in the city. Spearheaded by their lunatic frontman Jay Evans, and promoting their 2022 album Ashes Lie Still, the band delivered an incendiary performance for an avid crowd eager for some intense circle pits, crowd-surfing and walls of death, and let’s say they got everything they asked for from those UK metallers. There were bodies being carried around nonstop in a lecture in crowd-surfing, with one guy maybe going from the front of the stage all the way to the back, showing how happy the fans were with Ingested’s visceral music.

Their new songs like Shadows in Time and Echoes of Hate sounded even heavier and more caustic live, not to mention of course their demented grand finale with Skinned and Fucked. Jay and his henchmen were absolutely impressed with all the action going on inside the pit, opening a huge smile every single time they saw how excited their Torontonian fans could get while slamming into the pit. Speaking about Jay, that gentle and very polite guy selling their own merch and the stand turned into a monster on stage, with his demonic, piercing eyes, sick grim and demonic vocals setting fire to the concert while the rest of the band was merciless armed with their respective sonic weapons. The Velvet Underground might be a small venue, but the energy flowing from Ingested’s concert on Friday was the equivalent to any arena shows, and I’m sure those guys will return to Canadian lands for another wicked performance sooner than we can say “SLAM!”

Setlist
Rebirth
No Half Measures
The List
Shadows in Time
I, Despoiler
Impending Dominance
Invidious
Echoes of Hate
Copremesis
Skinned and Fucked

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

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Concert Review – Dark Funeral (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/27/2023)

Posted on by
Reply

The Decibel Magazine Tour 2023 brought another night of blasphemy, rage and heaviness to Toronto, spearheaded by one of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal.

OPENING ACTS: Blackbraid, 200 Stab Wounds and Cattle Decapitation

If there’s one thing that the Toronto metal scene has specialized in, that’s undoubtedly mosh pits, and it doesn’t matter which concert we’re talking about. Add to that the perfect weather on Saturday and four insanely heavy bands, and there you have the perfect recipe for nonstop action on the floor section. The venue chosen for such metallic celebration was The Phoenix Concert Theatre, and the bands featured in that night of rage and blasphemy were BLACKBRAID, 200 STAB WOUNDS, CATTLE DECAPITATION and DARK FUNERAL, as part of The Decibel Magazine Tour 2023. My only complaint was that the line to get in was ridiculous, and between the doors opening at 6pm and the first band starting at 7pm, there wasn’t much time to do anything like buying merch, having a beer, or simply getting into the venue. I myself just got in at 6:55pm, and I was there as soon as the clock hit 6pm.

Fortunately, I just made it for the openers, Adirondack Mountains, New York-based Atmospheric Black Metal horde BLACKBRAID, and I must say I’m beyond happy to have arrived in time for such intense and unique performance. The solo project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Sgah’gahsowáh (pronounced “SKA-Gah-SoW-Ah”, a Mohawk name meaning “the witch hawk”), supported by touring musicians Y. E. and an unknown musician on the guitars, another unknown guy on bass, and Johnny Violence on drums, the band simply nailed it with their fusion of Atmospheric Black Metal with elements of traditional indigenous music, such as the Native American flute, generating a mesmerizing and ominous atmosphere that captivated everyone already at the venue. They might have played only four songs from both their 2022 debut Blackbraid I and their upcoming sophomore album Blackbraid II (to be released in the beginning of July), but as they’re all long songs let’s say the fans had plenty of time to enjoy their unique music, and of course, ignite some decent mosh pits. If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can find their creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I really hope Sgah’gahsowáh and his henchmen return to Toronto sooner than later because they’re awesome.

Setlist
The Spirit Returns
The River of Time Flows Through Me
Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon
Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals
Y. E. – guitars
Unknown – guitars
Unknown – bass
Johnny Violence – drums

After a really short break (and I think maybe there shouldn’t be so many bands on the lineup so fans can at least try to buy some merch and go for a bathroom stop without missing any of the action on stage), it was time for Cleveland, Ohio-based Death Metal marauders 200 STAB WOUNDS to give their Torontonian fans all the fuel they needed to slam into some sick mosh pits like true headbanging bastards, delivering a pulverizing concert that left everyone at the venue absolutely on fire. Playing songs form all of their albums, with a bigger focus on their 2021 album Slave to the Scalpel plus the two songs form their brand new EP Masters of Morbidity, the band spearheaded by vocalist and guitarist Steve Buhl was ruthless from start to finish, praising their Torontonian fans for always showing everything they got inside the circle pits, and saying that Toronto is one of their favorite places to play. I guess you know why, right? And if you’re also a lover of some good old mosh pits, you can enjoy the music by this fantastic band on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Setlist
Phallic Filth (Intro)
Fatal Reality
Skin Milk
Tow Rope Around the Throat
Drilling Your Head
Itty Bitty Pieces
Masters of Morbidity
Phallic Filth
Release the Stench
Stifling Stew
She Was Already Dead

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

As the temperature kept rising inside The Phoenix Concert Theatre, American Progressive Death Metal/Grindcore masters CATTLE DECAPITATION hit the stage with another pulverizing performance, proving why they’re one of the most admired bands of the genre worldwide. I strongly believe Travis Ryan, Josh Elmore, Belisario Dimuzio, Olivier Pinard and David McGraw love Toronto as much as the Torontonian metalheads love them, because the synergy was incredible, and the mosh pits even more. Blending classics with new songs from their 2023 masterpiece Terrasite (to be reviewed soon here at The Headbanging Moose), those being the fantastic We Eat Our Young, Scourge of the Offspring and A Photic Doom, the band fired a flawless concert overflowing heaviness, dexterity and feeling, putting a smile on the faces of everyone at the venue, including the band. I don’t think Travis was expecting such powerful reception from their fans in the city, but let’s be honest, when the music is great like what Cattle Decapitation have to offer us, of course the concerts will be incendiary! I can’t even describe how insane the mosh pits were throughout their entire set, to a point the entire floor section became one massive, unstoppable circle pit. It was superb, to say the least! Thank you, Cattle Decapitation!

Setlist
Intro (Jurassic Park theme)
The Carbon Stampede
We Eat Our Young
Scourge of the Offspring
Bring Back the Plague
The Great Dying, Pt. 1
Finish Them
Lifestalker
A Photic Doom
Kingdom of Tyrants

Band members
Travis Ryan – vocals
Josh Elmore – lead guitars
Belisario Dimuzio – rhythm guitars
Olivier Pinard – bass
David McGraw – drums

DARK FUNERAL

The night was getting darker and the temperature inside the venue even higher, setting the stage for another sulfurous performance by the one and only Swedish Black Metal institution DARK FUNERAL to conclude the night on a high and devilish note. It was great to see them as the headliners this time, instead of “just” an opener as it happened last year when they played alongside Cannibal Corpse, and based on the reception of the fans this Saturday we’ll surely see Dark Funeral headlining more impious nights in the city in a not-so-distant future.

Still promoting their amazing 2022 album We Are The Apocalypse, the horde formed of Heljarmadr on vocals, Lord Ahriman and Chaq Mol on the guitars, Adra Melek on bass and Jalomaah on drums was demonic from the very first notes of Nosferatu until the climatic Where Shadows Forever Reign, proving why they’re one of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal. I have to admit if there was a little less smoke the fans would have been able to see the band better on stage, but of course I’m pretty sure that was part of their plan, to look and sound as dark and evil as possible, and with the iconic Heljarmadr as their frontman the whole stage smoke and lightning made total sense.

Their setlist was an ode to blasphemy, including precious gems the likes of Vobiscum Satanas, My Funeral and Nail Them to the Cross, with Heljarmadr demanding a huge HAIL SATAN! from the crowd while the mosh pits kept moving like the fires of the pits of the underworld. The setlist could have been slightly longer, though, but nothing that could harm such beautiful performance by Dark Funeral. And if you think slow songs are not Black Metal, simply witness Dark Funeral playing When I’m Gone and Let the Devil In live, and you’ll feel absolute darkness taking over your damned soul. Thanks a million to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment and to Metal Blade Records for bringing such venomous tour to Toronto, and thanks also to metal photographer Kim Baarda for letting us use her fantastic photos (as my buddy Keith could not make it to the concert this time). May Dark Funeral return to the city soon for another impressive concert and, of course, HAIL SATAN!

Setlist
Nosferatu
Hail Murder
My Funeral
In the Sign of the Horns
Vobiscum Satanas
Goddess of Sodomy
The Secrets of the Black Arts
When I’m Gone
Unchain My Soul
Temple of Ahriman
Nail Them to the Cross
Let the Devil In
Where Shadows Forever Reign

Band members
Heljarmadr – vocals
Lord Ahriman – guitars
Chaq Mol – guitars
Adra Melek – bass
Jalomaah – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – Unearth / The Wretched; The Ruinous (2023)

Posted on by
1

Celebrating almost 25 years on the road, Boston’s own Death Metal/Metalcore beast returns with a demolishing opus, a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis.

On album number eight, titled The Wretched; The Ruinous, Boston, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore outfit Unearth not merely continues to amp-up their metal-meets-hardcore intensities, but they also exceed themselves with a record that incorporates elements of classic Unearth offerings dating back to their 2004 “breakthrough” album The Oncoming Storm, while exploring beyond the recent back-to-basics promise of their 2018 effort Extinction(s). Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Alexandre Goulet, The Wretched; The Ruinous is a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis as well as what will happen in the years to come if drastic and immediate changes are not made to curb emissions, and monumental efforts are not made to repair and adjust to the damages already done, all wrapped up by the fulminating yet very melodic music by vocalist Trevor Phipps, guitarist Buz McGrath, bassist Chris O’Toole and drummer Mike Justian.

The title-track The Wretched; The Ruinous is freakin’ madness from the very first second, with Mike showing no mercy for his drums nor for our necks, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit to the demented growls by Trevor. In Cremation of the Living the quartet fires more of their acid Metalcore with Melodic Death Metal nuances while its lyrics exhale insanity (“Exist – perish / Discordant nature / All turned to dust / Enraged creator / Victims to shepherds of fear”), followed by Eradicator, another pulverizing tune by the band with Buz delivering sheer electricity from his guitar supported by the metallic bass by Chris. Mother Betrayal sounds and feels more atmospheric and melodic than its predecessors, and it’s interesting how Trevor “abandoned” his clean singing in the entire album just like what we can enjoy in this song. Then it’s pedal to the metal as the quartet will smash our cranial skulls inside the pit with Invictus, a lecture in modern-day Metalcore sounding heavier and harsher than any of the songs form their previous efforts.

Call of Existence brings to our avid ears an amazing guitar job done by Buz, helping to balance the song’s aggressiveness with more melodic riffs and striking solos while Mike dictates the song’s headbanging pace behind his drums. They offer more of their visceral Metalcore in Dawn of the Militant, inspiring us to keep the circle pit action going while Trevor continues to roar and scream manically. After that, the serene interlude Aniara will soothe our souls before we’re treated to another diabolical attack by Unearth titled Into the Abyss, showcasing a solid sonority led by Buz and Chris with their stringed weapons, albeit not as thrilling as the rest of the album. Back to a more infernal mode we have Broken Arrow, where Trevor screams the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Fire in the sky / Awoken infernal slumber / Peaceful days now ill remembered / Failed to deliver / Accidents of mass destruction / Lie in wait yet not forever”) in a display of fast and crushing Metalcore for the masses; whereas lastly you’ll break your neck headbanging to Theaters of War, with Mike hammering his drums in the name of heavy music for our total delight.

Unearth are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates and more of their amazing music, and if you want to give The Wretched; The Ruinous a spin you can find the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and purchase it by clicking HERE or HERE. “We formed this band to make music for us, not trying to create something for anyone else. As soon as we did that people connected to it, and it’s kept us pushing onward for almost 25 years. We look forward to 25 more,” commented the band about their almost 25 years of career, but let’s be honest and admit that it’s us fans who got a very nice anniversary gift with the release of their awesome new album, don’t you agree?

Best moments of the album: The Wretched; The Ruinous, Invictus and Broken Arrow.

Worst moments of the album: Into the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. The Wretched; The Ruinous 4:20
2. Cremation of the Living 3:20
3. Eradicator 3:28
4. Mother Betrayal 3:32
5. Invictus 3:45
6. Call of Existence 3:33
7. Dawn of the Militant 2:57
8. Aniara 0:57
9. Into the Abyss 3:24
10. Broken Arrow 2:51
11. Theaters of War 4:49

Band members
Trevor Phipps – vocals
Buz McGrath – guitars
Chris O’Toole – bass
Mike Justian – drums

Album Review – Brimstone Gate / Return from the Brimstone Portal (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

This Teutonic army will attack your senses with their debut album, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences.

Formed in 2020 in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Hamm, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Black/Death Metal horde Brimstone Gate has just unleashed their debut album, entitled Return from the Brimstone Portal, paying tribute to 90’s Black and Death Metal from Norway, Sweden and England while also presenting some modern influences. Recorded by the band’s two founding members Carsten Nachtigall and Michael Gruen, mixed and mastered by Michael “Obelxxx” Elsner, and displaying a classic artwork licenced by iStock and re-worked and designed by Michael Gruen, Return from the Brimstone Portal is recommended for admirers of the music by Belphegor and Zyklon, showcasing all the talent and hard work by Simon Stellmacher (Niflhel) on vocals and bass, and Carsten Nachtigall (Niflhel) and Michael Gruen (Niflhel, Deathstruction) on the guitars and drum programming.

Cinematic, somber and atmospheric from the very first second, Beyond the Gate works as an intro to a horror movie, dragging our souls to the Stygian lair ruled by Brimstone Gate in Return from the Brimstone Portal, exploding into a technical yet visceral form of Death Metal with Simon roaring like a beast, therefore adding an extra dosage of dementia to the overall result; and the guitars by Carsten and Michael bring fire to their music in Voices of the Dead, accompanied by the song’s massive beats in another solid display of German Death Metal. Then spearheaded by the venomous screams by Simon we have Emperor of the Painful Realm, sounding infernal from start to finish to the song’s hammering drums.

The second half of the album begins with another bestial creation by the quintet named Path to Your Liberation, offering Simon’s rumbling bass and the always scorching riffs and solos by Casrten and Michael, and it’s then time for a neck-breaking extravaganza entitled The Void Darkened, displaying the band’s usual savagery spiced up by another demonic drum explosion. There’s no time to breathe as those Teutonic metallers keep darkening the skies with their fusion of Black and Death Metal in Death Arises in the Wind, showcasing more of their piercing, dirty riffs; whereas closing the album it’s time for the six-minute tune Lost Nightsun, sounding bold and austere while led by the deep roars by Simon, albeit a bit too lengthy in the end.

The new opus by Brimstone Gate is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you’re an admirer of extreme music with an epic background story you can purchase a copy of the album (and consequently show all your support to the underground scene) directly from their own BandCamp page. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for tour dates, news and so on, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their incendiary music. Those German metallers are on absolute fire in Return from the Brimstone Portal, the first step in their promising career, and an amazing display of the always entertaining Black and Death Metal scene from one of the meccas of heavy music worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Return from the Brimstone Portal, Emperor of the Painful Realm and Path to Your Liberation.

Worst moments of the album: Lost Nightsun.

Released in 2023 ADG Records

Track listing
1. Beyond the Gate (Intro) 1:33
2. Return from the Brimstone Portal 5:00
3. Voices of the Dead 4:37
4. Emperor of the Painful Realm 4:11
5. Path to Your Liberation 5:26
6. The Void Darkened 5:12
7. Death Arises in the Wind 5:36
8. Lost Nightsun 6:26

Band members
Simon Stellmacher – vocals, bass
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars, drum programming
Michael Gruen – guitars, drum programming

Live lineup
Dominik Zillmann – vocals
Carsten Nachtigall – guitars
Michael Gruen – guitars
Robin Vieler – bass, backing vocals
Daniel Müller – drums

Concert Review – Obituary (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/07/2023)

Posted on by
1

The right mindset, the right night in Toronto, with tons of metalheads celebrating the unparalleled Death Metal by one of the pillars of the genre worldwide.

OPENING ACTS: Ingrown, Blood Incantation and Immolation

The city of Toronto had the pleasure of enjoying another ass-kicking celebration of Death Metal last night thanks again to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, bringing to the city a fantastic combo of pure heaviness with the bands INGROWN, BLOOD INCANTATION, IMMOLATION and OBITUARY to The Phoenix Concert Theatre. There was a massive line to get into the venue, plus another huge line to get to the merch stands before entering the floor section, which means several people missed the first band of the night, unfortunately. Maybe they could have opened the doors a little earlier, at 6pm or even at 5:30pm, because only 30 minutes between doors and the first band is definitely not enough for getting in, getting some merch, having a beer and chatting with friends. Nothing that would damage the quality of the night, though.

Having said that, a half empty venue was there to enjoy the Hardcore by Boise, Idaho-based act INGROWN precisely at 7pm, including myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, one of the two photographers that were there in time for Ingrown, by the way. Playing several songs from their 2021 album Gun, the trio formed of Calvin Ross Hansen, Alex Marshall and Dave Shaffer didn’t waste too much time talking and simply hammered their instruments nonstop, and despite the lack of mosh pit action due to most fans still trying to enter the venue or grab some merch, it was a solid and freakin’ heavy performance, proving why those American metallers carry the Great Seal of the State of Idaho with them. If you want to know more about their pulverizing Harcore, you can find all of their creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, alright?

Setlist
Waste
Fool
Shell
Chain
Slip Away
Grunt
Snake Stomp
Gun
Hard Time

Band members
Calvin Ross Hansen – vocals, guitars
Alex Marshall – bass
Dave Shaffer – drums 

After a very short break, it was time for Denver, Colorado’s own Sci-Fi Death Metal entity BLOOD INCANTATION to take us on a journey to outer space with their technical and pulverizing Death Metal, spearheaded by the relatively shy while speaking, but utterly demonic while playing, Paul Riedl on vocals and guitars. Paul mentioned it was the band’s first visit to Toronto since 2019, and judging by the reaction of the crowd, who ignited some insane mosh pits while the quartet was flawless on stage, I must say their Torontonian fans have more than missed their live performances for the past few years. Their setlist might have been short, with only five songs in total including the excellent The Giza Power Plant and Slave Species of the Gods, from their 2019 opus Hidden History of the Human Race, but each song had enough elements, energy and complexity to put a huge smile on the faces of everyone at the venue, resulting in a first-class performance by one of the most underrated bands of the current Death Metal scene.

Setlist
Starspawn
Chaoplasm
The Giza Power Plant
Slave Species of the Gods
Hovering Lifeless

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

Although Obituary were the main attraction of the night, there were countless fans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre eager to see New York’s own Death Metal institution IMMOLATION kicking some ass on stage, blending classics form their amazing career with songs from their most recent album, Acts of God, released last year, including the opener An Act of God, The Age of No Light, Blooded, and the closer Let the Darkness In. Bassist and vocalist Ross Dolan and his henchmen were on fire throughout their entire show, just like when they opened for Cannibal Corpse in the city last November, which obviously inspired the fans to ignite some wicked mosh pits that took the whole floor section at times. The most peculiar moments of their concert were, first, when fans started chanting “Fuck Trudeau!”, but Ross didn’t fall for that and said that was not the place for politics, that we should all leave that shit outside and enjoy their music; and then when Dan Lilker from Nuclear Assault came out on stage before the song Under the Supreme. Why didn’t he stay for the entire song no one knows, and I also think Nuclear Assault could have been part of the night (even if it was just Toronto), but that’s fine. In the end, it was a memorable Death Metal party by Immolation, and I’m sure we’ll see them back in the city really soon (as mentioned by Ross by the end of their performance).

Setlist
Abandoned
An Act of God
The Age of No Light
Harnessing Ruin
Despondent Souls
Blooded
World Agony
Destructive Currents
Providence
Under the Supreme
Let the Darkness In

Band members
Ross Dolan – vocals, bass
Robert Vigna – guitars
Alex Bouks – guitars
Steve Shalaty – drums

OBITUARY

It was already past 9pm when Florida’s Death Metal titans OBITUARY ignited their flawless, pulverizing performance, even more infernal than when they opened for Amon Amarth in Toronto last December, closing the night on a high note as expected. This time properly promoting their demolishing new album Dying of Everything, playing nothing more, nothing less than SIX songs form the album, those being The Wrong Time, Barely Alive, War, Weaponize the Hate, My Will to Live, and the title-track Dying of Everything already as part of the encore, and you know an album is THAT good when the reaction of everyone at The Phoenix Concert Theatre was simply superb, with endless circle pits, some brutal headbanging and everyone raising their horns to one of the pillars of Death Metal worldwide.

Of course the band spearheaded by the iconic John Tardy also played some insane classic the likes of Redneck Stomp and Slowly We Rot, making it absolutely worth it heading to the venue on a rainy Sunday night. I was also impressed with the overall quality of their stage, with the lighting, the smoke and all other elements looking awesome from start to finish, and if you think of the size of the venue that becomes even more insane. That proves how much Obituary (and the other bands, of course) care about their fans, always delivering an electrifying performance no matter what. There wasn’t a lot of talking from John nor any of the other band members, and I’m fine with that because I want to see them kicking ass with their music, which probably happened because of the tight schedule before hitting the curfew at around 11pm. I’m sure Obituary, just like Immolation, will return to Toronto before we can say “Death Metal” based on their happiness after the concert was over, and I’m sure all fans that attended their concert last night can’t wait for that to happen.

Setlist
Snortin’ Whiskey (Pat Travers Band song)
Redneck Stomp
Sentence Day
A Lesson in Vengeance
Visions in My Head
The Wrong Time
Barely Alive
Slow Death
Find the Arise
Weaponize the Hate
My Will to Live
Chopped in Half
Turned Inside Out

Encore:
War
Dying of Everything
I’m in Pain
Slowly We Rot
Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent song)

Band members
John Tardy – vocals
Kenny Andrews – lead guitars
Trevor Peres – rhythm guitars
Terry Butler – bass
Donald Tardy – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Concert Review – Khemmis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/02/2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Not even a cold and rainy night could stop the metalheads in Toronto from enjoying another fantastic feast of underground heaviness and doom.

OPENING ACTS: Wake and Conjurer

Despite the bad weather that’s been hitting Toronto for days with nonstop rain and colder-than-expected temperatures, the cozy Lee’s Palace received an awesome number of fans this Tuesday night for the Deceiver North America MMXXIII Tour, featuring the bands WAKE, CONJURER and KHEMMIS, on another fantastic event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. One of the concert goers was Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who took care of the amazing pictures from this review, and as you can see based on the photos taken it was indeed an incendiary night of underground Black, Doom, Death and Sludge Metal in the city, courtesy of three of the most interesting bands you can find out there.

The first band to hit the stage was Calgary, Alberta-based Black/Death Metal act WAKE, and it was an unforgettable experience for all fans at an already packed venue. Still promoting their 2022 album Thought Form Descent, those five Canadian metallers delivered an electrifying performance to the crowd, with their intense sound and powerful vocals inspiring everyone for some good headbanging throughout the entire set. The lighting and sound were on point, adding to the overall atmosphere of the show. Playing a mix of old and new songs that had the crowd singing along, Wake’s performance was flawless, not to mention the venue itself was perfect for the show, with a great layout and plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the music. Overall, it was an amazing display of heavy music and great vibes, and if you get the chance to see Wake live, don’t miss it!

Setlist
Infinite Inward
This Abyssal Plain
Swallow the Light
Venerate (The Undoing of All)

Band members
Kyle Ball – vocals
Arjun Gill – guitars
Rob LaChance – guitars
Ryan Kennedy – bass
Josh Bueckert – drums

Right after Wake, it was time for UK’s Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal outfit CONJURER to deliver a solid performance that was nothing short of electrifying, having the crowd fully engaged form start to finish. Mixing some of their old songs with newer ones from their 2022 opus Páthos, the band formed of Dan Nightingale, Brady Deeprose, Conor Marshall and Noah See showcased all their versatility and growth as musicians, hammering the heads of each and every person at Lee’s Palace with their sluggish, heavy-as-hell sounds. Kudos to the venue for another excellent lighting, adding an extra layer of intensity to Conjurer’s performance, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss their show in your city if Sludge Metal is your cup of tea. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see them perform again in Toronto.

Setlist
It Dwells
Scorn
Choke
Hollow
Suffer Alone
Retch
Cracks in the Pyre
Hadal

Band members
Dan Nightingale – guitars, vocals
Brady Deeprose – guitars, vocals
Conor Marshall – bass
Noah See – drums

KHEMMIS

After opening for Opeth and Mastodon in the beginning of 2022, and also for Trivium close to the end of the year, Denver, Colorado’s own Doom Metal entity KHEMMIS returned to Toronto now in 2023, this time as the headliners, for another lesson in doom. Having recently launched a two-track EP titled Where the Cold Wind Blows, Khemmis kicked some ass from start to finish, opening their set with the excellent Avernal Gate, followed by one of the songs form their new EP, the also amazing Sigil. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the quartet continued their electrifying set until the very end, closing their performance with the thrilling song A Conversation with Death.

The crowd at Lee’s Palace was obviously headbanging along with the music, and Khemmis fed off of their energy, delivering an even more powerful and intense performance than expected. Overall, it was an incredible night of heavy music at Lee’s Palace spearheaded by those American metallers, who proved once again why they are one of the most exciting bands in the genre today and why they keep coming back to Toronto (either as an opening act or as the main attraction) so often. Well, as a matter of fact, Khemmis mentioned during their performance that Toronto has the most underrated food in the world, saying that every single time they come to the city to play a concert they have the tastiest food in the world. In other words, they love Toronto from the bottom of their blackened hearts not only because we’re the best metalheads in the world, but also because they know that they never have to play with an empty stomach in the city. It’s like a win-win situation where they get fed with first-class food, while we get fed with first-class music, right?

Setlist
Avernal Gate
Sigil
Candlelight
Bloodletting
Three Gates
House of Cadmus
Above the Water
The Bereaved
A Conversation with Death

Band members
Ben – vocals, guitars
Phil – vocals, guitars
David Small – bass
Zach – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Metal Chick of the Month – Gogo Melone

Posted on by
1

Forged in this world… Chained to this earth… Forced to stay where I am… Evermore…

If you’re an admirer of the darkest forms of music and arts in general, I’m beyond certain you’ll have an absolute blast knowing more about our multi-talented metal lady of the month of May here on The Headbanging Moose. Not only she owns a powerful and beautiful voice, but she’s also a keyboardist, a songwriter, and an accomplished digital artist and graphic designer who has already worked with countless bands from the metal scene. I’m talking about Gogo Melone, the lead singer and composer for Aeonian Sorrow and Elyzia, and former vocalist for Luna Obscura, with guest appearances to bands such as ISON, Mercury Circle, IANAI, Ghostheart Nebula, As The Sun Falls and others, and having worked as a graphic designer for bands such as Xandria, Insomnium, Wolfheart, Omnium Gatherum and Vintersea, just to name a few. As you can see, Gogo Melone is an unstoppable force in heavy music, embellishing the airwaves with her voice while at the same time captivating our attention with her stunning graphic creations.

Born on July 17, 1985 in Ioannina (often called Yannena), the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, a region in north-western Greece, but currently residing in Helsinki, Finland, Gogo Melone began her career in music back in 2000 when she founded Greek Atmospheric/Melodic Death/Gothic Metal band Luna Obscura (Latin for “dark moon”) together with guitarist Dimitris Papachristos and vocalist Aris Potonos, inspired by the music by Draconian, Trail of Tears, Tristania, Theatre of Tragedy, Crematory, Paradise Lost, and all other bands with death and gothic elements. Gogo Melone mentioned in one of her interviews that there wasn’t any major plan to create Luna Obscura in the beginning, as it was just a musical experimentation, saying that she simply joined the band during the recordings of their demo Darcanda (released only in 2004). “The idea to have male and female vocals came easily, I guess that we all loved this combination at that time and somehow we felt it was the right direction for our music,” commented our diva, describing their sound as having atmospheric, death and gothic elements with harsh male and clean female vocals. “Our lyrics talk about death, human psychology and our transitions, the mystery, the unknown. All in combination with the music and the beautiful alternations of brutal and ethereal female vocals, create a melancholic yet strong-aggressive effect.”

Although the band was put on hold back in 2017 and has been dormant since then, and with Gogo Melone no longer being part of the band, there’s a lot to enjoy from their past releases, including the aforementioned demo Darcanda (as “Gwgw Melone”), their 2007 EP Evilyn, and their 2008 full-length opus Feltia, and you can enjoy several videos of the band on their official YouTube channel including Oronar, The Burden Of Solitude, and a live version of Dance of Forsaken Souls. Moreover, when asked about the importance of the visual part of the live performances by Luna Obscura, Gogo Melone said that all they cared about was delivering an emotional show to the crowd, focusing not only on the music, but also on the atmosphere surrounding it, as that was what their music was all about.

In another one of her bands, Finnish/Greek Gothic/Doom/Death Metal act Aeonian Sorrow, founded in 2015 by Gogo Melone alongside guitarist Taneli Jämsä, bassist Pyry Hanski, drummer Saku Moilanen, and vocalist Alejandro Lotero, she’s not only their vocalist but also their keyboardist, having released with the band the single Forever Misery, in 2017, the full-length album Into the Eternity a Moment We Are, in 2018, and the EP A Life Without, in 2020, all available on their BandCamp page, containing some fantastic creations including My Solitude, The Endless Fall Of Grief, One Love, and Thanatos Kyrie.

Fast forward to 2021, and there she is, the unrelenting Gogo Melone, starting another amazing band named Elysia (now spelled Elyzia), playing a stunning fusion of classic Black Metal and Experimental/Atmospheric Black Metal with nuances of Gothic and Doom Metal. She’s also the vocalist and keyboardist of the project, alongside vocalist, guitarist, bassist and drummer Jani Berney (of bands like As the Sun Falls, Tenebrae Aeternum and Chotzä, and who’s by the way engaged to Gogo Melone), having released their debut effort, the five-track EP Numinous, in August 2022. There’s an official video for the title-track Numinous, as well as official streams of the songs Veiled Fear and Onism on YouTube, and you can also find the full EP available for streaming on Spotify. Moreover, you can find more details about the band on Instagram,  and purchase their music via BandCamp. Regarding the name change, switching the letter S for Z, the duo posted a short and sweet message on their Instagram explaining everything. “Some disrespectful idiots coming from the deathcore scene are spamming our social media with threats and hate because there is an old band using the name Elysia. Considering the fact that this other band has been inactive since 2008 and ever since they had no new releases or shows, it is a joke and a bit boring to have to read bullshit about a name when there are so many other names that have been used already three and five times. But let’s end this in a positive note. We are currently working on a new single and a new album which we plan to release in the next few months.”

You can also find Gogo Melone as a guest vocalist or keyboardist to several amazing underground bands, metal or non-metal, by the way. “So far I have met so many great musicians and bands and have done amazing collaborations worldwide so I guess the thing that counts the least is the genre of music. Although I would like to experiment more in Gothic Metal, Doom and Death Metal but the most important is to keep making good collaborations and gain more experience,” said our diva, who not only could be seen singing live with Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal band Clouds back in 2018, but she also recorded vocals for the songs In This Empty Room, from their 2017 EP Destin, When I’m Gone, from their 2018 album Dor, and an acoustic version of that same song, from their 2020 compilation Clouds Acoustic; the re-recorded version of Suffer in Darkness, released as a single in 2022 by Finnish Symphonic Death/Doom Metal band Depressed Mode; Underworld, from the 2005 EP Skotos, by Greek Black/Death Metal act Empathy; Ascension Pt. I Cosmic River, from the 2021 album Ascension, by Italian Melodic Doom/Death Metal band Ghostheart Nebula; Scaling the Summit, from the 2023 EP Scaling the Summit, by Greek Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal band Neperia; a partnership with Greek Gothic Metal act Sorrowful Angels in the cover version for Moonspell’s classic Scorpion Flower, from their 2012 EP Reborn: A Tribute to Moonspell; A Light Year Breath, from the 2020 album Empire of the Void, by Italian Death/Doom Metal band Tethra; and Where the Sun Turns to Grey, from the 2021 album Echoes of Winter, by Italian Progressive Doom Metal band Veil of Conspiracy.

Other guest appearances include the songs Drink the Effect, from the 2008 self-titled EP by Greek Industrial Black Metal band Rheinkaos; Scary Place, from the 2014 self-titled album by Vita Nova; and Winter Is Coming, a solo single released in 2014 by Stream of Passion’s Eric Hazebroek. There’s also a solo album that Gogo Melone mentioned she started working in the beginning of 2012, which should be called Black Silent Vision (or something like that), and she even mentioned in one of her interviews that a digital single was almost ready to be released that year in the summer, but so far nothing has been released maybe due to all her responsibilities as a graphic designer, which undoubtedly consumes a lot of her time.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Speaking about her passion for arts in general and her work as a graphic designer and digital illustrator since 2007, Gogo Melone mentioned that her favorite styles are emotional, dark and surreal, nurturing a deep passion for red, black and white, as well as for digital art, photography, music and film. “I can’t be myself without freedom and creativity and with art you can have both at maximum. My work is a mixture of dark digital art and photography, highly influenced by films, dark and gothic fashion, fairytales, the beauty of fragile souls and dreamy places,” said our diva, who’s also worried about the future of album covers and booklets due to the vast majority of physical albums being replaced by their digital formats. She has already worked with countless bands in her career, being responsible for the artwork, design or layout of their albums, including for example the bands Xandria, Ablaze My Sorrow, Lutharo, Red Moon Architect, Stormbound, As the Sun Falls, Delusions of Reality, Eye of Solitude, Gallia, Mythodea, White Empress and Wolfheart, just to name a few, plus of course her own bands Aeonian Sorrow, Luna Obscura and Elyzia. Furthermore, inspired by her favorite types of music or bands, a good movie, a documentary, a walk in nature, her past memories, her fears and her dreams, Gogo Melone said in one of her interviews that it doesn’t matter the quality or technique behind an image if it captures the essence of the message that’s being sent. In addition, she also mentioned that although she can’t be considered a photographer, she finds it very inspiring to see the works of both classic and modern photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Philippe Halsman, Steve McCurry, Allan Amato, Tim Walker, Nicolas Guerin, Winter Kelly and Natalie Shau.

Regarding her idols and influences, she said that her introduction to the metal scene happened when she bought the Black Album by Metallica, leading her to take some basic non-professional vocal lessons, participating in her school choir, and starting to sing in different bands during her high school years. Among her favorite bands we’ll find some incredible names such as My Dying Bride, Theater of Tragedy, Katatonia, Anathema, Draconian, Novembers Doom, Daylight Dies, Trail of Tears, Swallow The Sun, Shape of Despair, Paradise Lost, Moonspell and many more, being a diehard fan of all things doom, gothic and death. She was also asked to list her top five albums of all time a few years ago, and if her taste hasn’t changed since then her list is formed of The Silent Enigma, by Anathema; The Angel And The Dark River, by My Dying Bride; Viva Emptiness, by Katatonia; Velvet Darkness They Fear, by Theater of Tragedy; and Arcane Rain Fell, by Draconian.

Although Gogo Melone might have never taken professional vocal lessons, she doesn’t encourage people to follow the same path. “Everything is better when you have technical knowledge and when you know how you can use your voice without destroying it,” she said, also mentioning that she warms up her voice with simple techniques and rest it for long periods. “I don’t smoke, I’m not a big alcohol drinker, I drink a lot of water, I work out a bit and I sleep well as much as possible. Thankfully I didn’t do any damage to my voice so far, but after some years, maybe many years, my voice will change anyway so I guess that a few professional lessons will help to maintain it.” She obviously loves to use her voice live, and being onstage is extremely important to her as a musician and as a person. For instance, her most memorable live performances happened during the European tour that Aeonian Sorrow did with Swallow The Sun and Oceans of Slumber in 2019, also saying that one of the best concerts she has ever witnessed was Anathema when they played in Thessaloniki, Greece in 2005.

When asked if she prefers focusing on her career or her family, as several female singers have already mentioned they would rather concentrate in their careers, Gogo Melone said she would never sacrifice her family for her career, saying that there’s no point in spending most of the time away from your family or having kids you won’t see growing up, complementing by saying that not having a family when you’re in your 20’s or 30’s might be fine, but definitely not when you turn 40 or 50. A member of Eve’s Apple, a community (that might not be active anymore) focused on uniting female metal and rock singers to share their experiences, get to know each other, chat about a variety of topics, and promote their music without any sort of competition, Gogo Melone believes that the metal scene is no longer a male-dominated space, with all female-fronted bands showing metalheads they are no different from men, deserving nothing but respect from the scene. Hence, when questioned about her favorite female singers of all time, she listed Vibeke Stene (Tristania), Liv Kristine (Theatre of Tragedy, Leaves Eyes), Anneke Van Giersbergen (The Gathering), Lisa Johansson (Draconian) and Cathrine Paulsen (Trail of Tears) as her top ones, saying that list will never change for her.

Greece has always been an amazing source of metal music, but Gogo Melone believes the scene is even stronger now, with many bands having started to act more professionaly, therefore helping the local scene grow in a healthier way. “Of course the metal music industry has the normal ups and downs but people are always interested to discover new bands and artists,” she commented about the scene in Greece, also saying that due to having lost contact with her homeland in recent years she doesn’t follow a lot of Greek bands, apart of course form renowned acts such as Rotting Christ and Septicflesh, but that she knows all bands in Greece are putting a lot of effort into their music and they definitely need the support and attention from fans worldwide.

She also mentioned in one of her interviews that working as an independent artist is more in line with her goals, as she doesn’t like the standards such has “1 album every 2 years” or “you have to go live”, relying more on the online support she receives and on crowdfunding campaigns. “The internet and especially social networks are obviously the new way of bringing people together from all over the world. So, in regards to work and how you will promote it, I think it’s one of the best and most clever ways which can give you fast results. I like to use it very often, sometimes more than I should and even if it has helped me a lot…. I believe we must be very careful. It’s very easy to fool around instead of doing serious work, so be careful.” Well, we can all agree she’s been using the internet properly, as we’re all very lucky to be able to access her music and her art from anywhere in the world, bringing endless joy to our dark and gothic hearts.

Gogo Melone’s Official Facebook page
Gogo Melone Art’s Official Facebook page
Gogo Melone’s Official Instagram
Elyzia’s Official Facebook page
Elyzia’s Official Instagram
Elyzia’s Official YouTube channel
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official Facebook page
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official Instagram
Aeonian Sorrow’s Official YouTube channel

“Music is an amazing way to express your emotions and have fun all the time when you don’t take things so seriously. I prefer to sing whenever I want to and enjoy it in a way that makes me feel something instead of making albums every year with amazing productions but without soul, which obviously no one will remember after.” – Gogo Melone

Album Review – Thron / Dust (2023)

Posted on by
Reply

Behold the majestic fourth album by this unrelenting German Black Metal horde, explicating the undeniable fact that everything will turn to dust someday.

Forged in 2015 in the deep darkness of the Black Forest, a mountainous region in southwest Germany, bordering France, the unrelenting Black Metal horde Thron is back with a fantastic new opus, titled Dust, their fourth full-length album following up on their 2021 effort Pilgrim. Currently formed of Samca on vocals, PVIII and Raven Dust on the guitars, SXIII on bass and J on drums, the band incorporated new elements to their sound in Dust by going back to their very roots which lie in the early 80’s, when bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Mercyful Fate ruled the field, while at the same time taking inspiration from the 90’s when bands like Tiamat, Edge of Sanity and Sentenced expanded their horizons. This fusion of sounds, combined with serious dedication to the glorious Progressive Rock dinosaurs of the 70’s, the love for the dark extreme musical arts with blasting fury and aggressive vocals, the crisp recording at Black Halo Studios Rheinfelden, Chäuer Studios Bärn and RL Studios Freiburg, the first-class mixing and mastering by Christoph Brandes at Iguana Studios, and the sinister artwork by Khaos Diktator Design, turn Dust into a must-listen for admirers of the music by Dissection, Watain, Necrophobic, Unanimated and Tribulation, just to name a few.

The devilish guitars by PVIII and Raven Dust will send shivers down your spine in Dying In The Mud, kicking off the album on a beyond dark note with Samca gnarling nonstop in the name of Black Metal; and such talented German horde puts the pedal to the metal in Return…, delivering classic Black Metal spearheaded by the massive drums by J while the band’s guitar duo keeps firing sheer obscurity from their axes, sounding furious, insane and evil just the way we like it. SXIII adds his share of heaviness to the music through his bass lines in The True Belief, leaning towards Melodic Black Metal while Samca keeps vociferating manically, being therefore perfect for some vicious headbanging, whereas back to a more infernal mode the band will demolish our souls with The Golden Calf, once again showcasing a superb guitar job and demonic blast beats, not to mention its welcome breaks and variations. And not a single second of peace is offered to us all in Monologue, another straightforward, Stygian Black Metal extravaganza showcasing the usual demolishing drums by the infuriated J.

The intro in The Eve is certainly spine-chilling, and that sulfurous, demonic vibe grows in intensity before exploding into old school Black Metal with hints of Death Metal. Needless to say, Samca sounds utterly grim on vocals, whereas Into Oblivion is another very harmonious and piercing creation by Thron venturing through the realms of modern-day Melodic Black Metal where all riffs and solos are absolutely incendiary. More of their razor-edged riffs will penetrate deep inside our psyche in The Tyranny Of I, with J dictating the song’s venomous pace with his intricate but also violent beats; followed by Face Of Despair, darker and more demonic than its predecessors thanks to its hints of Doom Metal while remaining loyal to the band’s core essence, presenting another superb vocal performance by Samca and overflowing desperation, hatred and sulfur. Their second to last breath of blasphemy comes in the form of The Wrong God, with PVIII and Raven Dust cutting our skin deep with another flawless riff attack, while lastly the band still has time to fulminate our senses with Martyr, where J is bestial behind his drums supported by the rumbling bass by SXIII throughout the song’s almost seven minutes of pure Black Metal awesomeness.

In summary, Thron more than nailed it with the apocalyptic Dust, delivering a collection of eleven Black Metal anthems that will undoubtedly place it among the best Black Metal albums of the year. Furthermore, such sensational blast of extreme music made in Germany can be appreciated in all of its obscure glory on YouTube and on Spotify, and if you consider yourself a true servant of the underworld you should definitely purchase a copy of it from the Listenable Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, or by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, keeping the fires of Black Metal burning bright until the very end. Because you know, as the band itself stated, everything will turn to dust someday.

Best moments of the album: Return…, The Golden Calf, The Eve and The Tyranny Of I.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Listenable Records

Track listing
1. Dying In The Mud 5:08
2. Return… 4:52
3. The True Belief 4:06
4. The Golden Calf 6:13
5. Monologue 3:31
6. The Eve 5:52
7. Into Oblivion 3:58
8. The Tyranny Of I 5:42
9. Face Of Despair 4:20
10. The Wrong God 4:48
11. Martyr 6:55

Band members
Samca – vocals
PVIII – guitars
Raven Dust – guitars
SXIII – bass
J – drums