I’m very much of the opinion that Rogga Johansson doesn’t sleep! How can he sleep with a list of bands and projects that would keep a civil servant happy for a decade? His latest endeavour is the Death/Thrash Metal triumvirate Leper Colony, who have chosen Friday the 13th of January as a suitable date to unleash their debut self-titled album through Transcending Obscurity Records.
You can’t ask for a more powerful opener than The Human Paradox; a blistering track of intensive Death Metal ferocity and wild thrashing aggression. Deep growled vocals bring to life a very captivating chorus section whilst chugging riffs and frenzied drumming complete with punishing bass and extravagant guitar melodies. ‘Perdition’s End’ is a more direct and hard-hitting track with simpler riffs and in-your face vocals, though the rhythm guitar here has a cold tinge to it that is rather enigmatic.
There is little variation to this opus which spans just over the half an hour mark, save for the odd passage of slower, groovier rhythm such as during tracks like Rapture Addict. However, the ferocious aggression, raging guitar solos and fuck you attitude certainly make up for that! A very listenable album full to the gills with mighty riffs, energetic urgent drumming styles and unadulterated violence.
Best moments of the album: The roaring opener that is The Human Paradox.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 by Transcending Obscurity Records
Track listing 1. The Human Paradox 4:22
2. Perdition’s End 3:19
3. The Surgical Undeadvors 3:43
4. Tar and Feathers 3:15
5. Rapture Addict 4:40
6. Leper Colony 4:35
7. A Flow So Greatly Macabre 3:20
8. Flesh Crawl Demise 3:24
9. Gruesome End 2:55
Band members
Marc Grewe – vocals
Rogga Johansson – guitars, bass
Jon Skäre – drums
Behold the spine-chilling debut album by this one-man outfit from the UK, flawlessly combining his passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal.
A one-man horror-themed Death Metal band formed in 2020 in Cornwall, located in the southwest of the UK, the unrelenting Seven Doors, whose name is inspired by the name of the hotel in Lucio Fulci’s 1981 film The Beyond, is ready to take everything to the next level of horror with the project’s debut full-length album Feast of the Repulsive Dead, the follow-up to its 2021 debut EP The Gates of Hell. Recorded by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wills, mixed by Ben King at Cryptic Sound, mastered by JB Van Der Wal at Hewwetover Studio, and displaying an 80’s horror flick-themed cover art by Dedy Badic Art, Feast of the Repulsive Dead flawlessly combines Ryan’s passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal, with his musical influences stemming from renowned acts like Death, Gorguts, Asphyx, Malevolent Creation and Cannibal Corpse, resulting in a banger of a record that will certainly grab the attention of Death Metal enthusiasts worldwide.
Fully created by Slasher Dave of Acid Witch, A Quiet Night in the Cemetery is a great intro absolutely inspired by all of those awesome slasher flicks form the 80’s, sending shivers down your spine before Ryan begins decimating his guitar in the title-track Feast of the Repulsive Dead, a lesson in brutality and gore where he roars and gnarls deeply like a creature taken from a horror movie. And Ryan keeps distilling his visceral, in-your-face Death Metal in the also demolishing Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed, displaying an amazing job done with his riffage and his vile but intricate beats; followed by The Morbid Mortician, with the guest solo by Paul Nazarkardeh of De Profundis bringing an extra touch of insanity to the music, therefore living up to the legacy of the genre, with the song’s infuriated riffage being a thing of beauty. Ryan’s fusion of Death Metal and horror continues to impress in Welcome Back to Life, offering more of his demonic growls amidst a neck-breaking sonic devastation, whereas inspired by giants the likes of Immolation, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel, it’s time for a mid-tempo, heavy-as-hell tune titled I’ll Swallow Your Soul, with Ryan once again being on fire with all instruments.
It’s then time to slam into the circle pit to the sound of the Death Metal extravaganza titled The Hack Shack, showcasing a huge dosage of violence and gore spiced up by the hard work Ryan put into each second of the song, feeling very detailed, exciting and brutal, and there’s no time to breathe as Ryan continues to crush our damned souls in Isolated Existence, another Cannibal Corpse-inspired tune presenting hammering drums and demented riffs. After such demolishing tune, a serene intro explodes into sheer violence and hatred in The Graves of Matool. Needless to say, Ryan sounds infernal with both his guttural roars and unstoppable Death Metal riffs; and Ryan still has a lot of fuel to burn with Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, featuring the guest solos by Chris Monroy and Mike De La O of Skeletal Remains, another bestial composition where his bass and drums will hit you hard in the head. Lastly, we have his rendition of Malevolent Creation’s Eve of the Apocalypse (check the original one HERE from their 1992 album Retribution), and I must say what a beautiful tribute by Ryan and his Seven Doors, sounding as demented and obscure as the original version.
“The key theme here for me is density: protein-packed riffs rip along with satisfying retro thickness, sometimes shifting gears up into buzzing tremolo passages, and everything from the kick drum to the vocals just packs onto the satisfying impact. That’s not to say anything is overcrowded, but thin and lifeless death metal this is not. Classic staples of the genre, like larger-than-life solos floating on top of the mix and gnarly bass runs helping to kick off songs, keep Feast of the Repulsive Dead grounded and viciously enjoyable throughout. Whether or not you’re in the right climate to share my mindset, the end of the year – and this year specifically – tends to be rough for many reasons. Let Seven Doors drive away some of those worries through sheer force,” commented Ryan about his fantastic, must-listen new opus, and if you want to show him your support you can follow Seven Doors on Facebook and Instagram, stream his music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of Feast of the Repulsive Dead from his own BandCamp page, or from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the US (as a CD or an LP) and in Europe (also as a CD or as an LP) sooner than a dead body can resuscitate as a zombie.
Best moments of the album:Feast of the Repulsive Dead, The Morbid Mortician, The Hack Shack and Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers.
Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.
Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records
Track listing 1. A Quiet Night in the Cemetery 1:08
2. Feast of the Repulsive Dead 4:56
3. Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed 3:55
4. The Morbid Mortician 5:00
5. Welcome Back to Life 4:20
6. I’ll Swallow Your Soul 4:01
7. The Hack Shack 3:38
8. Isolated Existence 4:13
9. The Graves of Matool 5:40
10. Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers 3:13
11. Eve of the Apocalypse (Malevolent Creation cover) 3:05
Band members
Ryan Wills – vocals, all instruments
Guest musicians Slasher Dave – everything on “A Quiet Night in the Cemetery”
Paul Nazarkardeh – guitar solo on “The Morbid Mortician”
Chris Monroy – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”
Mike De La O – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”
Raise your horns to the cauldronous mix of multiple extreme styles carefully crafted by this remorseless Death Metal entity from Minnesota.
Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Death Metal purveyors Nothingness are finally back with their sophomore album, entitled Supraliminal, following up on their critically acclaimed 2019 debut album The Hollow Gaze of Death. Tracked, mixed, and mastered by Adam Tucker at Signaturetone Recording, produced by Nothingness and Adam Tucker, and displaying a sick artwork by Mark Voortallen (aka Vulture), Supraliminal brings to our ears a cauldronous mix of multiple extreme styles carefully crafted by Barclay Olson on vocals, Alex Walstad on the guitars, bass, syntsh, 12 string and backing vocals, and Jason Hirt on drums, always respecting the history of metal and, therefore, being recommended for admirers of Gorguts, Gojira, Morbid Angel and Iniquity, among others extreme music giants.
Featuring DgS of Suffering Hour on guest vocals, the opening tune Curse of Creation brings forward sick lyrics barked by Barclay (“Formed gilded rotted repeated / Malformed deities adorn Gardens of / Spiritual decay / Death feeds / Mankind breeds / The Flame consumes / resplendently / Life is a curse”) amidst sheer groove, violence and intricacy, and Alex keeps hammering his guitar and bass supported by the massive beast by Jason in the old school Death Metal feast titled Horrendous Incantation, blasting a no shenanigans, in-your-face sonority that will please all fans of the genre. Catapulted Into Hyperspace, featuring guest guitars by YhA of Suffering Hour and guest vocals by XH, offers more of the band’s vicious metal attack, with Jason once again kicking some ass behind his drums, whereas Temple of Broken Swords brings to our ears over six minutes of a disturbing atmosphere generated by the band, resulting in an infernal display of Death Metal spearheaded by the visceral roars by Barclay.
And that heavy and somber ambience keeps darkening our minds in Festering Abstraction, presenting hints of Blackened Doom for our total delight; followed by Inviolate Viscera, featuring guest Jubjy on vibraslap and YhA once again on the guitars, the shortest of all songs but exhaling pure evil spiced up by its vile lyrics (“Wandering down writhing corridors / Twisting turning / Coming apart at the seams / Tunnels worming ever inward / Fluid leaking from in between”). Then blending Death and Doom Metal in a meticulous manner, the band fires seven Stygian minutes in Beacon of Loss, where Jason pounds his drums manically while Barclay vociferates deeply until the very last second, and get ready to have your skull crushed by the band in The Anvil, one of the heaviest songs of the album led by the venomous growling by Barclay, overflowing groove and sulfur. Lastly, DgS is back on vocals in Decimation Mechanism, starting in a very sinister way before morphing into one final onrush of obscure death, also showcasing an amazing job done on the guitars by Alex.
You can soon put your dirty, damned hands on Supraliminal by purchasing the album from the Everlasting Spew Records’ BandCamp page or webstore in CD or tape format, and don’t forget to also start following Nothingness on Facebook and on Instagram for all things surrounding the band, and to stream more of their wicked creations on Spotify. In a nutshell, those Minneapolis guys definitely know how to create crushing, visceral, heavy-as-hell Death Metal, with Supraliminal presenting a big step in their career and, consequently, pointing to a bright future ahead of them without a shadow of a doubt.
Best moments of the album:Horrendous Incantation, Temple of Broken Swords and The Anvil.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Curse of Creation 4:31
2. Horrendous Incantation 4:19
3. Catapulted Into Hyperspace 4:37
4. Temple of Broken Swords 6:36
5. Festering Abstraction 5:10
6. Inviolate Viscera 2:37
7. Beacon of Loss 7:11
8. The Anvil 3:42
9. Decimation Mechanism 4:43
Band members Barclay Olson – vocals
Alex Walstad – guitar, bass, synth, 12 string, backing vocals
Jason Hirt – drums
Guest musicians DgS – additional vocals on “Curse of Creation” and “Decimation Mechanism”
YhA – additional guitars on “Catapulted Into Hyperspace” and “Inviolate Viscera”
XH – additional vocals on “Catapulted Into Hyperspace”
Jubjy – vibraslap on “Inviolate Viscera”
A beautiful tribute to the life of the Metal Mayor of Toronto and his undisputed passion for heavy music.
INTRODUCTION: AM HERE…
If you have no idea who Walter Froebrich was, let’s say he was the Metal Mayor of Toronto, as I’ve seen many people referring to him as. He was in pretty much every metal concert we all attended i the city in the past 20 years, from Heavy Metal to Death and Black Metal, from Thrash Metal to Deathcore and Viking Metal, and so on, always holding a few beers, always raising the horns, always surrounded by friends, and always supporting metal music no matter what. He even had his own motto, “AM HERE.” Sadly, in November 2022 due to lack of proper healthcare by the Toronto authorities Walter passed away at home after several visits to the hospital, and that brought a lot of grief to all metal fans in the city. If he had received a proper service, if he had been through the required scans and so on, he would still be around us. He will be extremely missed by the metal community in all upcoming concerts in Toronto, no doubt about that. I was going to use the common expression “may his soul rest in piece”, but I’m sure Walter himself would prefer a slight adaptation of it, “may his soul rest in metal”.
WALTER FROEBRICH MEMORIAL SHOW
That’s why on January 7 the Toronto scene came together to celebrate Walter’s life and his passion for heavy music at The Rockpile with the Walter Froebrich Memorial Show, an event organized by Steve Hoeg, Drew Masters, Junior Jr LeClerc and Jake Disman, among others, with no more, no less than TWENTY SEVEN bands playing from 1pm until midnight to a sold out venue, while money for Walter’s family was raised through a silent auction and a 50/50 draw. Unfortunately due to personal reasons I could not attend the celebration, but my friend and photographer Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was there to capture some amazing shots of the entire show, and to provide us with a sense of how awesome everything was and how happy Walter must be whenever he is right now with his homage.
In Keith’s own words, “we raised over 17,000 dollars for Walter’s family. It was a sold out show. All the bands were absolutely amazing! Drew Masters was the MC for the evening. The friends Walter made over his concerts outings just blew my mind! Each one is family, the metal community is one big family, they come together for each other like no other.” And as you can see from the photo gallery below, it was indeed a night to remember, a celebration of life and metal, exactly how Walter would have liked it to be. Here are all the fantastic bands that were on the bill, and as many people have said Walter would have certainly taken a selfie with each one of them…
In the Facebook page to the event you can find a lot more details about the whole thing, see other photos taken by different attendees, other posts and discussions around Walter and the metal community in Toronto, and so on, as well as a very nice summary of the night on the video below. RIP WALTER! AM HERE!
Bang your heads to the debut EP by this Puerto Rican Melodic Death Metal horde, telling the story of how sometimes we feel dominated by dark thoughts or by someone with evil intentions.
Hailing from the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, the newborn Melodic Death Metal squad known as Fatalismo is ready to crush our souls with their debut EP, entitled Dominate to Exterminate, highly recommended for fans of The Crown, Hypocrisy, Dark Tranquility and Kataklysm, among others. Recorded at Music Rite Studio, produced by the band’s own vocalist Abraham Baez, mixed and mastered by their own guitarist Joel Rodriguez, and displaying a sick artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, Dominate to Exterminate tells the story of how sometimes we feel dominated by dark thoughts or by someone with evil intentions, showcasing all the talent and passion for extreme music by the aforementioned Abraham and Joel alongside bassist Jose Ortiz and drummer Norman Saez.
Joel (with the help of guest guitarist Rafael Sanchez) ignites the band’s Puerto Rican attack with his infernal riffs in Dominate to Exterminate, while Jose blasts his bass manically. Moreover, although their core sound is rooted in Melodic Death Metal, there’s a lot of classic Death Metal to enjoy in their music, and they continue their infuriated onrush in Undeceased, with Norman crushing his drums and inviting us all to slam our cranial skulls into the circle pit while Abraham roars and screams in the name of extreme music. Then adding elements from traditional Thrash Metal to their core sonority the quartet keeps hammering our heads nonstop with their piercing riffs and rumbling bass lines in Darkest Thoughts, not to mention how demented Abraham sounds on vocals; whereas the melodic riffs by Joel and Rafael will penetrate deep inside your mind in The Devil Came to Play, sounding extremely heavy and groovy thanks to the excellent job done by the band’s kitchen of Jose and Norman. Finally, closing such powerful EP we have Sacred Hills, a vicious, neck-breaking extravaganza led by the classic beats by Norman while Abraham keeps vociferating like a beast for our total delight, ending their metallic feast on a high note.
In summary, Dominate to Exterminate might be short in duration, but it effectively represents everything Fatalismo are capable of, and if you want to show your utmost support to the Puerto Rican metal scene you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel and stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Dominate to Exterminate by clicking HERE. The band offers us all in their new album five songs that at the same deal with fictional stories and the state of mind and emotions of humanity these days, and after listening to its intense 18 minutes of music you’ll quickly realize there’s no better music style to perfectly represent our rotten reality than our good old Death Metal.
Best moments of the album:Undeceased and Sacred Hills.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Dominate to Exterminate 4:33
2. Undeceased 2:46
3. Darkest Thoughts 3:16
4. The Devil Came to Play 3:26
5. Sacred Hills 3:49
Band members
Abraham Baez – vocals
Joel Rodriguez – guitars
Jose Ortiz – bass
Norman Saez – drums
I find a lot of the cover art that is created by Skadvaldur to be very impressive, but the artwork for Carnal Heresy is a step above even his usual work. This is the sophomoric album from Swedish Death Metal band Wretched Fate and has been put out on CD and LP through those purveyors of all things excellent and dark, Redefining Darkness Records.
Right from the opening moments of Mind Desecrator the carnage on display is all encompassing. A sonically brutal apocalypse of malicious intent laden guitar tones combined with a deep and ominous sounding bass display, as well as a thuggish old school drumming style and gripping vocal work from frontman Adrian Selmani whose rumbling growls are harrowing and yet draw you into every chorus!
Whereas some Death Metal bands like to create a dark and gloomy atmosphere, Wretched Fate sticks doggedly to brutality over everything else, with a viciously technical underbelly in the form of twisting and writhing guitar rhythms. So whilst other bands are focusing on layered atmospherics, Wretched Fate are too busy chugging you into the abyss for any of that!
I wouldn’t expect anything less from an album entitled Carnal Heresy than a full blooded Death Metal beatdown, and these Swedish purveyors of riffs and decimation deliver up a grueling display of powerful and sickening hostility and barbaric violence.
Best moments of the album: I love how the vocals draw you into each chorus!
Worst moments of the album: Nothing, it’s a strong album in all areas.
Released in 2023 by Redefining Darkness Records
Track listing 1. Mind Desecrator 3:24
2. Momentary Suicide 3:25
3. Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue 3:05
4. Cry from Beyond 4:25
5. Umbilical Suffocation 5:26
6. Harlots for Suffering 4:02
7. Upon the Weak 4:40
8. Morbid Testament 4:36
9. Spineless Horror 5:55
Band members Adrian Selmani – vocals
Mats Andersson – guitars, backing vocals
Fredrik Wikberg – guitars, guitar solo on “Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue”
Robin Magnusson – bass
Samuel Karlstrand – drums
Guest musicians Alexander Högborn – additional vocals on “Utterance from the Inhuman Tongue”
Mikael Hanni – additional vocals on “Harlots for Suffering”
FesterDecay are a quartet of Goregrind fanatics who hail from Fukoaka in Japan. Since their 2016 inception the band have put together a decent list of demo and split releases, however 2023 sees the band’s first full length offering; a fourteen track opus of filth and degradation that they have called Reality Rotten to the Core. Rather appropriately, Everlasting Spew Records have unleashed this putrid beast on both CD and cassette.
Leave it to the Japanese to do Goregrind properly. Rather than simply churn out a series of breakdowns, pig squeals and audio samples, FesterDecay have given their sound a firm foundation of old school Death Metal with the inclusion of thunderous and bleak sounding riffs and a sturdy and pummeling back line of throbbing bass tones and thumping aggression from behind the kit. From there the pestilent vocal work of KK2 kicks in to add a layer of grime and detritus, whilst the riffs take on a thuggish and belligerent tone.
Sporting a heady mixture of bowel trembling bass lines and wildly erratic guitar solos, Fall in Grind starts out with a grueling and abrasive sound and only gets sicker and more devastating as more time passes. It isn’t until fourth track Disintegration of Organs that the band really unleash a fully Goregrind sounding style; meaty chugging riffs, furious and violent drum tones and a bass line you could garotte with, whilst all the while the vocals gurgle and boil away to themselves before spewing forth a hostile tirade of bile and pus!
If you want sickening song names attached to mind bending aggressive bouts of malicious, blood curdling sickness, look no further than Aborticide. Not a track for the pro-lifer brigade as I’m sure you could imagine. I like the tracks that slow things down though, the tracks that let the bass tones fester in their juices and riffs take on a deranged, predatory air before unleashing a vicious volley of blood soaked anal fluid in your face; such as the appropriately named Stench of Decay.
In the midst of all of this putridity and carnage, thuggery and hooliganism, there sits From the Dark Tomb which for the most part is a lesson in brooding, oppressive sounding OSDM that then degrades into a maelstrom of pus splattering riffs and maniacal drumming which then plays out over the next few tracks as a purge style rout of blistering heaviness and uncontrollable animosity and animalistic tendencies truly take hold.
In all seriousness, Reality Rotten to the Core is a good blend of the barbaric, the groove drenched and the needlessly silly; everything I want from a good Grindcore album. Plus the OSDM influence which so few bands of this kind utilize. Well played squires.
Best moments of the album: The infusion of an OSDM foundation to their sound. Plus, Aborticide & From the Dark Tomb.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 by Everlasting Spew Records
Track listing 1. Rotten Fester Decay 2:16
2. Hash the Tongue 1:36
3. Fall in Grind 2:07
4. Disintegration of Organs 2:13
5. Aborticide 2:17
6. Stench of Decay 3:38
7. Psychopharmacist 1:06
8. From the Dark Tomb 2:45
9. Exposing the Skin Tissue 1:47
10. Carcasses’ Revenge 2:38
11. Cryptic Wounds 1:26
12. Liquidized Gallbladder 0:44
13. Scum’s Karma 2:28
14. Reconstruction of Malignant Miasma 3:53
Band members KK2 – vocals
Haru – guitar, vocals
⻲頭 – bass, guitar
Ryozy – drums
A newborn Texas-based outfit will attack your senses with the merciless Death Metal from their debut effort, emerging straight out of the impending doom.
Formed in 2022 and influenced by classic Florida Death Metal, but seasoned with Bolt Thrower and Pantera’s Texas groove, Corpus Christi, Texas-based Death Metal outfit Throat Locust seeks to create extreme music with a broad appeal, producing merciless Death Metal that emerges straight out of the impending doom as it can be seen in their debut EP, entitled Dragged Through Glass. Formed of Gil Perez on vocals, Eric Calvert and Alex Gregory on the guitars, Adrian Cavazos on bass, and Rob Cantu on drums, the band has been focusing on refining their brutal sound and preparing to start cracking skulls in a basements of the touring circuit armed with their newborn opus, showcasing an epic insight into the quintet’s heavy realms and, therefore, being highly recommended for admirers of Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Dismember and Gatecreeper, among several others.
The dirty, raw riffs by Eric and Alex ignite the infuriated Death Metal tune entitled Death Lurker, preparing the stage for Gil to roar like a demonic beast in a straightforward, in-your-face metal attack with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements. Then we have Corruption & Greed, even more demented than the opening song, with the band taking their heaviness and rage to a whole new level while Rob keeps hammering his drums in the name of classic Death Metal, always supported by the solid bass lines by Adrian. In other words, I would love to hear more of this version of Throat Locust in their future releases. Lastly, closing the EP it’s time for a headbanging feast named Axe Grinder, offering more of the band’s brutalizing music with Gil once again barking and growling deeply while Eric and Alex pierce our ears with their razor-edged riffs and solos.
In a nutshell, the pulverizing Dragged Through Glass, which will soon be available on Spotify and also on sale from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music and from Amazon, represents exactly what the band itself explained about their music, being violent yet melodic, raw yet groovy, working as a great start to the new path being paved by Throat Locust. Hence, don’t forget to get in touch with those talented Texans through Facebook and Instagram, or simply click HERE for all things Throat Locust. Both the name of the band and of the EP already tell you that the music is going to be brutal, which is exactly Throat Locust’s goal, and they more than succeeded in their quest for violence throughout the EP’s 12 minutes of music. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see what’s next for those guys when they’re able to release a full-bodied album in the near future.
“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins
And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).
However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich. Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.
1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW) Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles
2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW) The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy
3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW) The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell
4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW) Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst
5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW) A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata
6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW) One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher
7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW) Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch
8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW) Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings
9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW) There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice
10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW) Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement
And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:
11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)
In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.
1. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)
Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?
Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2023!
And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!
Failure of State is the third full length instalment from San Franciscan Death/Thrash quartet Absolute Darkness. Part album, part call to arms, Absolute Darkness’s first opus since 2018’s Disaster Awaits is a rabble rousing affair as well as a slamming indictment of modern day society and those that pretend to govern us.
Opening tracks Rounded Up and Mob Rules are anger fueled slabs of hatred that talk of sparking rebellion and standing for what’s right, and those messages are delivered through fast paced riffs and drumming on top of a bass heavy rhythm and powerful growling vocal work. This is not a band calling for a peaceful resolution, that’s for damn sure.
Some tracks despair at the state of the world, such as Sanity Is Gonewhilst others come at things from a different perspective, as is the case during My Forever Rulein which the band put themselves into the shoes of a dictator and ask the question; why do the people oppose me?
A very interesting album and thematically engaging and varied. Musically the fare is direct and well performed though a little unspectacular. Absolute Darkness create music with a mainly Thrash mentality (And a few hardcore sensibilities) and then thrown in more Death Metal style vocals, as well as some meatier DM riffs. Certainly anyone of a political leaning should check this out; it will stoke the fires of your anger.
Best moments of the album: The rabble rousing stomp and ceremony of Mob Rules.
Worst moments of the album: No bad moments though the album is a little samey.
Released in 2022 by Sliptrick Records
Track listing 1. Rounded Up 4:13
2. Mob Rule 4:49
3. Sanity Is Gone 4:28
4. My Forever Rule 4:00
5. Failure Of State 4:42
6. My Assassination 4:00
7. The Republic 3:59
8. Unite! 3:37
Bonus tracks 9. Chaos Unleashed 4:33
10. Mad King 5:35
11. On My Way To Death 4:55
Band members Ron Dorn – vocals, guitars
Douglas Vetter II – lead guitars, backing vocals
Orson Sojo – bass
Emad Dajani – drums
***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***
though the rhythm guitar here has a cold tinge to it that is rather enigmatic.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 