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Album Review – Striker / Ultrapower (2024)

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These Canadian metallers are made of metal, their circuits gleam, and they’re ready to show us all the endless power of heavy music to the sound of their striking seventh studio album.

Blending classic Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, and 80’s Hair Metal, Power Metal and so on, Edmonton, Canada’s own powerhouse Striker has been making “shredtacular” anthems since their inception back in 2007, which is also the case with their seventh studio album, titled Ultrapower. Produced, mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder, and displaying a stylish, metallic cover art by Al Perez of Ramone Sketch, Ultrapower is a strong and solid follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2017 self-titled album and their Juno Award-winning 2018 effort Play To Win, showcasing a collection of the band’s tinkering and exploring new avenues, all brought into being with tons of energy and passion by frontman Dan Cleary, guitarists Tim Brown and John Simon Fallon, bassist Pete Klassen, and session drummer Jono Webster.

The maniacal laugh by Dan ignites the thrilling, metallic Power Metal hymn Circle of Evil, one of the heaviest songs from their past few albums, with Tim and John taking the song’s punch and electricity to a whole new level with their wicked riffs and solos. Then venturing through the realms of Hard Rock and Glam Metal it’s time for BEST of the BEST of the BEST, with its inspiring lyrics flawlessly declaimed by Dan (“If I could show you the top of the world / All of the things I’ve seen / Every long and winding road / All that I gave up to get what I’ve got / Maybe you’d understand / Why I’m never gonna stop”); and the sound of the saxophone brings a “Michael Bolton” vibe to Give it All, an 80’s-inspired, mellow rockin’ tune where Pete and Jono dictate the pace with their classic kitchen. It’s pedal to the metal as Striker will kick you in the head in Blood Magic, again showcasing their always catchy choruses and the beautiful heaviness of their guitars and drums, whereas Sucks to Suck keeps the adrenaline flowing in the album, a nice tune with a chorus that is as cheesy as hell (but that should work really well if played live).

Back to a more direct Heavy Metal sonority form their early records we have Ready for Anything, where Dan kicks some ass on vocals as usual supported by his bandmates’ classic backing vocals, making it impossible not to headbang nonstop to such electrifying tune. Once again paying a visit to the Sunset Strip in California, the band fires City Calling, proving how versatile their music can be, with Pete sounding ruthless armed with his thunderous, metallic bass; and let’s keep this Rock N’ Roll party going in Turn the Lights Out, where the guitars by Tim and John exhale heaviness and melody while Jono keeps hammering his drums in great fashion. Then we’re treated to Thunderdome, their personal tribute to the 1985 cult movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, presenting a pounding rhythm led by the crushing beats by Jono, while Dan and his henchmen keep roaring the famous movie line “two men enter, one man leaves”, whereas Live to Fight Another Day is another AOR/Melodic Rock-infused creation by the band, sounding as if it was taken from one of those teen movies from the 80’s, with Dan delivering the goods with his powerful vocals. Finally, closing the horn-raising Ultrapower we’re treated to Brawl at the Pub, a no shenanigans, classic Striker hymn where the heaviness of their riffs and beats matches perfectly with the soaring vocals by Dan, all complemented by a beyond powerful guitar solo.

“Ultrapower is the amalgamation of 5 years of writing and exploring music. With influences from AOR to Speed Metal, Hardcore to Hair Metal, Steely Dan to Deathcore, you name it, it made its way into the album. In the end with the help of Josh Schroeder’s guiding hand, we melted it all together to present something uniquely Striker. Lyrically we’ve stuck to the Striker tradition of writing montage songs for movies that don’t exist, songs about our spiraling serfdom, and lyrics about the evils that lurk in the shadows,” commented the band about their new album, also saying that “we wanted the album artwork to represent how we feel as a band right now. We are an engine that is fired up and ready to roll. We’re made of metal and our circuits gleam.” Hence, in order to join Striker in their quest for Heavy Metal, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of the hard-hitting Ultrapower by clicking HERE. Striker are more-than-ready to show us all the power of heavy music with Ultrapower, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy the ride with one of the best (of the best of the best) bands of the current Canadian landscape.

Best moments of the album: Circle of Evil, BEST of the BEST of the BEST, Ready for Anything and Brawl at the Pub.

Worst moments of the album: Sucks to Suck.

Released in 2024 Record Breaking Records

Track listing
1. Circle of Evil 3:44
2. BEST of the BEST of the BEST 3:19
3. Give it All 4:14
4. Blood Magic 4:35
5. Sucks to Suck 3:15
6. Ready for Anything 3:56
7. City Calling 3:45
8. Turn the Lights Out 2:49
9. Thunderdome 4:01
10. Live to Fight Another Day 4:00
11. Brawl at the Pub 3:47

Band members
Dan Cleary – vocals
Tim Brown – guitar
John Simon Fallon – guitar
Pete Klassen – bass

Guest musician
Jono Webster – drums (session)

Album Review – Display of Decay / Vitriol (2023)

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Edmonton, Canada’s own Death Metal machine is back with their demolishing fourth full-length album, paying homage to the brutal and aggressive roots of the genre.

Prepare for an unrelenting assault on your senses as Edmonton, Alberta’s very own Brutal Death Metal titans Display of Decay unleash their latest opus, titled Vitriol. Drawing inspiration from the early Death Metal pioneers like Cannibal Corpse, Malevolent Creation and Cryptopsy, Display of Decay have crafted an album that pays homage to the brutal and aggressive roots of the genre while infusing their own unique sickness into the mix. Produced by the band itself, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson of Cryptopsy, and displaying a sick cover art by Caelan Stokkermans, Vitriol is an auditory journey into a realm of relentless brutality, where thundering drums, guttural vocals, and savage guitar riffs converge to create a sonic onslaught that leaves no room for compromise, all masterfully crafted by Sean Watson on vocals and guitar, Brandon Siefert on bass and Logan Wilson on drums, resulting in the perfect follow-up to their 2018 album Art in Mutilation.

Sean shows no mercy for his guitar in Malicious Motorcide, delivering dirty, devilish riffs while Logan crushes his drums nonstop in the name of Death Metal, resulting in an aggressive way to kick off the album by those three marauders followed by The Butcher, even heavier and more obscure, where Sean continues to vociferate like a demon while Brandon and Logan make sure the atmosphere remains as dense as possible with their respective bass punches and hammering drums. Their fusion of brutality and rage will set fire to the music in Legion of Doom, with Brandon’s bass sounding utterly metallic while Sean shreds his guitar in great fashion until the very last second. And Familial Feast is another no shenanigans, in-you-face display of classic Death Metal infused with Brutal Death Metal elements, inviting us all to slam into the pit to the manic roars by Sean and the always demented drums by Logan.

Get ready for another sonic attack courtesy of Display of Decay titled Harbinger, where Logan brings his heavy artillery to the music contributing to make it even more perverse and insane, not to mention the putrid guttural by Sean; and featuring guest drummer Tyson Travnik (Gatekeeper, Striker, Ironstorm), the band brings forward more of their caustic Death Metal in the form of Hot Lead Vengeance, with Tyson stealing the show with a very technical yet violent performance. It’s time for Sean to slash our ears with his dirty riffage in Slaughtercast, perfect for some vigorous headbanging until your neck can’t take it anymore, keeping the album at a high level of animosity; whereas Tyson Travnik returns with his infernal, demolishing beats in the title-track Vitriol, putting a pulverizing ending to the album while Sean barks and growls in them most gruesome and demented way you can imagine.

Vitriol, which is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, definitely represents a step forward in the career of those Canadian metallers, cementing their name in the local scene and helping them spread their music all across the world. Hence, you can keep updated with all things Display of Decay by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and of course by purchasing a copy of the vicious Vitriol by clicking HERE or HERE. Brutal Death Metal made in Canada is on the rise, and we must thank bands like Display of Decay for their relentless work in the name of extreme music, always offering us all top-of-the-line albums like their latest opus.

Best moments of the album: The Butcher, Harbinger and Hot Lead Vengeance.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Gore House Productions

Track listing
1. Malicious Motorcide 3:17
2. The Butcher 4:26
3. Legion of Doom 4:04
4. Familial Feast 3:26
5. Harbinger 3:06
6. Hot Lead Vengeance 4:01
7. Slaughtercast 3:55
8. Vitriol 3:19

Band members
Sean Watson – vocals, guitar
Brandon Siefert – bass
Logan Wilson – drums

Guest musician
Tyson Travnik – drums on “Vitriol” and “Hot Lead Vengeance”

Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB, 09/30/2023)

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The future Past Tour 2023 turned the city of Edmonton into “Eddie-monton” thanks to one of the wildest Iron Maiden crowds ever in Canadian lands.

INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. II

The day after the concert in Calgary, I would say all Iron Maiden Fan Club members (plus a lot of locals as well) headed up a little further north to Edmonton for another round of IRON MAIDEN during the band’s The Future Past Tour 2023 (plus of course the opening act ATREYU). Once again, one day before the actual concert a big group gathered at On The Rocks for another successful IMFC Meetup, sharing a few beers with old and new friends, enjoying a few metal hymns played by the DJ including “Run to the Hills” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, and a live band playing pop songs from the 80’s. The pub was even giving away two tickets for the concert, but I bet the old fella who won those sold them online right away. As I mentioned in the review for the Calgary show, the meetups have a unique energy that’s worth going out of your way to make it there.

A few hours after the meetup, several of us had a (very) early start to join the FTTB – First to the Barrier at Rogers Place for another memorable day with our blood brothers and sisters in preparation for the concert that night. And I gotta say the FTTB meeting point this time was a blessing from the metal gods, as we were able to stay indoors (yes, with a roof and away from the chilly Edmonton weather) with easy access to washrooms and to an array of restaurants like Boston Pizza! It was so relaxed and comfy there that it didn’t feel like we were there for almost 12 hours before getting into the venue. This was most probably the nicest FTTB ever, with no cold weather, no winds, no rain, no starvation nor dehydration being present, making it A LOT easier for us all to endure the battlefield that the GA section turned into as soon as the lights went down later that day for the concert.

OPENING ACT: Atreyu

Precisely at 7:30pm, California’s own Metalcore act ATREYU did what was expected of them once again, putting on a very entertaining show for both their regular fans as well as for anyone who had no idea who they were. Frontman Brandon Saller made an excellent use of the wild energy emanating from the crowd to demand some mosh pits, and he was promptly answered by most kids in the floor section, which in the end put a huge smile in the faces of all band members. When they played the song Save Us and asked the crowd to scream those two words with them, the reply from the whole venue was pretty loud, with their bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight later taking some time to say how much they admire and respect the Maiden family for being so nice to them and for enjoying their show more than anyone could have imagined. That was indeed a wild concert by Atreyu, and if the opening band already turned up the heat that much at the Rogers Place, you can imagine what happened when Iron Maiden hit the stage, right?

Setlist
Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Right Side of the Bed
Save Us
When Two Are One
The Theft
The Time Is Now
Gone
Ex’s and Oh’s
Battle Drums
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
Warrior
Blow

Band members
Brandon Saller – clean vocals
Dan Jacobs – lead guitar, backing vocals
Travis Miguel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Marc “Porter” McKnight – harsh vocals, bass
Kyle Rosa – drums

IRON MAIDEN

And there we were all again precisely at 8:50pm, going crazy already during the first few seconds of Doctor Doctor, for one more flammable performance by the “dental floss salesmen from Montana” (also known as IRON MAIDEN) for our personal “collection” of concerts; however, this time things got pretty wild for a Canadian show, placing the Edmonton gig as one of the roughest crowds I’ve ever experienced worldwide. All hell broke loose the minute the band hit the stage with their old school classics from Somewhere In Time and their newer ones from Senjutsu, with that madness happening even during slower or more melodic songs like The Writing on the Wall and Death of the Celts. We were being smashed and pulverized by the wild fans from the GA, but we didn’t get to the venue so early to give up our spot at the barrier, so we did our best to survive that.

Remember when I talked about meeting “Mr. Lobster” during the FTTB wait in Calgary? I think I forgot to mention it was just a crazy dude fully dressed as a lobster, but that weird costume paid off in Edmonton as Bruce himself spotted that guy during the speech before The Time Machine and questioned if he came all the way from the ocean walking to Edmonton. As a matter of fact, Bruce was so impressed with the guy’s costume that instead of waving his arms in the air during the breathtaking Hell on Earth, which was by the way the most amazing song of the night in my humble opinion, he put his hands in the air like if he had “lobsters claws”. A small but awesome touch to the concert by Bruce, I might say. I just think that next time Mr. Lobster needs a friend dressed as a steak, so they can form a “surf and turf” duo at the show.

Back to the concert, all that pushing and smashing was getting wilder and tougher as the band continued to stun us with an avalanche of classics, making it quite difficult to jump up and down during Heaven Can Wait, for example, or to raise our arms and fists in the air together with the band. Some tiny girls behind us were being crushed into pieces to the point we kept turning to them to ask if they were OK, if they needed some water and so on. The crowd surfing was also insane, and I guess I’ll never see so many crowd surfers again during a song like Hell on Earth anywhere in the world. Of course things got even worse when the boys played Fear of the Dark, but who cares? Nothing that some time at the gym and some cardio can’t take care of.

By the end of the show, it was visible how Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko were amazed by the rowdy reaction of the crowd throughout the entire concert, with the nonstop action in the GA being highly acclaimed by the band, and of course, with Bruce being stunned with the loud chants of “Maiden! Maiden! Maiden!” to the point he left his microphone behind and simply enjoyed such beautiful moment with the fans. The Trooper and Wasted Years were pure war in the floor section, something you could only see in places like Brazil or Argentina, but the Edmonton fans made sure they’re also going to be “feared” whenever the band returns to the city. And after all was said and done, there was a very emotional moment with one of the most amazing members of the IMFC that brought tears of joy to the eyes of several of us, including myself of course. I’m not going to add all details here, but all I’m going to say is that next time someone questions me why I still listen to Iron Maiden after so many years, I’ll just smile back at that person.

Unfortunately due to budget limitations and work-related duties I couldn’t make it to the Vancouver show, but that doesn’t mean my Canadian Iron Maiden journey finished with the show in Edmonton. Even at the West Edmonton Mall and at the airport on Sunday I saw countless Maiden shirts and chatted with some of those fans, proving how strong the connection is between Maidenheads no matter what. One of the funniest moments happened at the airport right before boarding the plane, when two kids who were around six or seven years old kept looking at my new Sasquatch Eddie shirt. The oldest one said hi to me and then he smiled and said he liked my shirt, even showing me his dinosaur backpack to show how cool he also is. That was amazing, and from now on I’ll call the city of Edmonton as “Eddie-monton”, the Iron Maiden capital of Western Canada.

Setlist
Doctor Doctor (UFO song)
Blade Runner (End Titles) (Vangelis song)
Caught Somewhere in Time
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Writing on the Wall
Days of Future Past
The Time Machine
The Prisoner
Death of the Celts
Can I Play With Madness
Heaven Can Wait
Alexander the Great
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden

Encore:
Hell on Earth
The Trooper
Wasted Years
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)

Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums

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Album Review – Fall Of Earth / From The Ashes (2023)

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A young and rising Canadian Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore act will attack your senses mercilessly with their incendiary and very personal sophomore album.

Hailing from the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta, the up-and-coming Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore band Fall Of Earth (a play on words that reflects their core belief that the world is experiencing a multitude of issues including climate change, war and mass extinctions that is leading us all to a darker place as a society) has unleashed this year their sophomore beast titled From The Ashes, highly recommended for fans of Trivium, Gojira, Dream Theater, Periphery and Mastodon, among others. Playing what they like to label as “Hybrid Metal”, with elements of Metalcore, Death, Thrash, Groove, Nu and Progressive Metal combined into a sound all their own, the band formed of Inuit frontman Alex Rye, guitarist Brody Bauer, bassist Aaron Winklmeier  and drummer Brendan Meilleur delivers everything you want in a metal album and more in From The Ashes, with the crisp production, mixing and mastering by Diego Fernandez at Oracle Recording Studios and the fiery artwork designed by the band itself turning the album into the perfect follow-up to their 2020 debut self-titled effort, and a must-listen for anyone who enjoys the more modern version of heavy music found in North America.

The opener Medusa is a feast of Progressive Death Metal form the very first second spearheaded by the classic riffs by Brody supported by the rumbling bass by Aaron, which is pretty much everything Alex needs to blast both his evil roars and cleaner, enraged vocals; whereas investing in a more melodic sonority it’s time for the quartet to deliver a hybrid of violence and harmony in The Dead And Soon To Be, perfect for breaking your neck headbanging to the pounding beats by Brendan. Alex keeps showcasing his wide vocal range, easily going from deep guttural to gentle clean vocals, in Block Out The Sun, a beautiful composition by Fall Of Earth that will please all fans of bands like Mastodon and Trivium, and the classic beats and fills by Brendan invade our ears once again in Path To Self Destruction, while Alex continues to vociferate rabidly nonstop.

It’s then time for almost ten minutes of progressiveness, groove and a hurricane of different emotions titled Crossroads, blending the Progressive Metal of Mastodon with the band’s own Metalcore twist. Moreover, it’s two thumbs up to Alex for such impressive and flawless vocal performance, resulting in one of the album’s most detailed and thrilling songs. The title-track From The Ashes, which speaks levels on childhood abuse, reclamation and metamorphosis, will bring to your ears the band’s most demonic and heaviest side, presenting the trademark scorching riffs by Brody and the metallic bass lines by Aaron, followed by Shores Of War, another Trivium-infused creation that will certainly ignite some fun circle pits and a lot of headbanging, spearheaded by another incendiary performance by Brody armed with his axe. After that, sheer electricity and rage flow nonstop in the excellent Purgatory, elevating the album’s punch considerably thanks to Alex growling like a beast supported by the intricate drumming by Brendan, and lastly those talented Canadian boys deliver another round of their modern-day metal music in Into The Woods, again investing in their most progressive vein. It’s not a bad song, but it could have been slightly heavier and more climatic.

The multi-layered and exciting From The Ashes, which is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, will definitely help Fall Of Earth go places, effectively increasing the quality of their music and, therefore, attracting the attention of fans and critics worldwide in a very positive way. Hence, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and they kick ass live by the way, like what I was able to witness at The Rockpile in Toronto earlier this year), subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and grab a copy of the album by clicking HERE. “The album is a consistent ride full of ups and downs, with no breaks. We’ve taken our heavy sections and made them heavier, and taken our softer sections and made them more impactful.  We have carefully calculated all the dynamics and structures of each song so each second of every track serves a purpose. This record has pieces of us personally etched into the music, so we could share who we are and what our minds look like on an audio basis. As far as the listening experience goes, with all this being said, we hope for our fans to feel the love and importance that music has had on our lives, and pass that on to them through our own interpretation,” commented the entire band about their new album, showing not only how much those young guys love heavy music, but also making the whole Canadian metal scene stronger and more fun than ever.

Best moments of the album: Block Out The Sun, Crossroads and Purgatory.

Worst moments of the album: Into The Woods.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Medusa 8:25
2. The Dead And Soon To Be 5:54
3. Block Out The Sun 4:24
4. Path To Self Destruction 6:40
5. Crossroads 9:35
6. From The Ashes 5:14
7. Shores Of War 5:49
8. Purgatory 6:00
9. Into The Woods 6:33

Band members
Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums

Concert Review – Fall of Earth (The Rockpile, Toronto, ON, 06/18/2023)

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A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night.

INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…

It doesn’t mater if it’s a brand new Heavy Metal band no one knows about, a cover band of classic Rock N’ Roll or Industrial Metal, or a rock and metal karaoke night, the old school venue The Rockpile will always receive everyone with open arms, keeping the fires of rock music burning no matter what. Although it’s promoted as being in Toronto, it’s actually located in Etobicoke, an administrative district and former city within Toronto, a bit far from downtown but just a 15-minute walk from the Kipling subway station. Just don’t walk for THREE HOURS to get there like a very nice photographer named Cord Allman who was there last night. Take the subway or drive to the venue, enjoy the shows, their beer (for a very decent price), and have a good time with all the nice people who are always there.

Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and I were there for FALL OF EARTH, a young and rising metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, but The Rockpile also had other attractions as part of their Father’s Day celebration, those being AL REILLY’S CATALYST performing classics from Led Zeppelin, at 7:30pm, and PERFECT STRANGERS, a famous Canadian cover band founded in 1989 in the city of Brampton, Ontario that pays homage to  one of the greatest bands of all time, Deep Purple, playing from Smoke On The Water to Highway Star, and so on. Both tribute bands were awesome, and if you’re in the area and wants to experience the true Canadian rock scene, go check The Rockpile’s schedule for several other bands like those, and even some wrestling events, which is awesome in my opinion!

FALL OF EARTH

As mentioned, right after Al Reilly’s Catalyst and before Perfect Strangers, more specifically at 8:30pm, it was time for Edmonton, Alberta-based Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore outfit FALL OF EARTH to hit the stage with their enraged but very melodic music, putting a pin on Toronto (for the second time this month) as part of their Eastern Canada tour to promote their brand new album From the Ashes, which will soon be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose. Formed in 2019 by Alex Rye on vocals, Brody Bauer on the guitars, Aaron Winklmeier on bass, and Brendan Meilleur on drums, the band plays a fusion of the music by Mastodon, Gojira, Trivium, Whitechapel and so on, with lots of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore influences and nuances as well, and if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.

Despite the small audience, those four guys put their hearts and souls into their performance, and I can imagine how amazing it would have been with more people at the venue and some circle pits. All songs from their setlist, from both their 2020 self-titled debut album and from From the Ashes, worked really well live, like for example the title-track From the Ashes where Alex was screaming at the top of his lungs (and he can also deliver some classy clean vocals, by the way), and the lack of some mosh pit action didn’t mean the people present at the venue didn’t enjoy their concert; quite the contrary, everyone had a very good time watching those kids kicking ass on stage, banging their heads and clapping their hands all the time, and I’m sure word-of-mouth will attract a lot more people to their next concert in Toronto when they do another big Canadian tour this fall already with a second guitarist, which will surely add even more depth to their live music.

If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can enjoy all of their creations on Spotify and watch their official videos on YouTube (and click HERE for all things Fall of Earth), showing your support to another up-and-coming metal act from Edmonton. After the show I had the pleasure to chat with Alex, Brody, Aaron and Brendan, and their passion for heavy music is just as great as their talent on stage. They’re huge fans of bands like Gojira, Trivium, Megadeth, Whitechapel, and other metal giants, and it’s nice to see them crafting high-quality new music by mixing their influences with their own twist. Keep an eye on Fall of Earth because those guys are going places, and who knows, maybe we’ll already see them touring the United States or playing at some amazing European summer festivals in 2024. and last but not least, thanks a lot to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for inviting us to the event, and to Kristen Cholak and Paul Husband of The Next Level Entertainment Consulting Inc. for supporting such promising band of the Canadian scene.

Band members
Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums

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Album Review – All Else Fails / The Incident at Black Lake EP (2022)

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An award-winning Canadian Metalcore act returns to their DIY roots with their musically and lyrically dark brand new four-track EP.

Over the last 15 years, Edmonton, Alberta-based award-winning Metalcore band All Else Fails has become a cornerstone of the Melodic Heavy Metal community in Canada. Combining intense riffs, intricate rhythm sections, brutal guttural screams, and melodic yet unusual vocal lines paired with relevant and relatable lyrics, their message resonates with us all, and now in 2022 it’s time for vocalist and guitarist Barrett Klesko, guitarist John Saturley, bassist Coco Lee and drummer Nelson Collins-Lee to return to their DIY roots by mindfully abandoning their social media and redirecting their energy to contributing to their local metal scene by building a direct personal connection to their fans and followers, living in line with a humanist philosophy and encouraging a culture of support between artists, culminating with the release of a new EP entitled The Incident at Black Lake. Produced by All Else Fails, mixed and mastered by Bevin Booth at In The Booth Recordings, and displaying a somber artwork by Indonesian illustrator and graphic designer Zulmi_m, The Incident at Black Lake is musically and lyrically dark according to Barrett himself, who complemented by saying that “I think this EP is beautiful, there is elegance in darkness. I think it’s sad because I know the turmoil and pain it took to write it, and I think it’s powerful because it’s the first time I have truly been honest in my music.”

A cinematic intro grows in intensity until all hell breaks loose to the demented screams by Barrett in I, Defiler while Coco brings sheer groove to the sound with his low-tuned, metallic bass, resulting in classic Metalcore alternating between pure savagery and melodic, ethereal moments, all spiced up by its background Symphonic Deathcore elements. Then another imposing start morphs into the Metalcore and Deathcore feast entitled Devour The Sun, offering our ears over eight minutes of slashing riffs by Barrett and John while Nelson hammers his drums in total sync with the bass by Coco, overflowing heaviness, intricacy and harmony, not to mention Barrett does an amazing job on vocals as usual; followed by Flesh /Excess /Wealth, another multi-layered, detailed aria masterfully brought into being by the quartet. The guitars by Barrett and John exhale fire throughout the entire song while Nelson’s beats add an extra dosage of complexity to the music, being therefore  perfect for banging your head nonstop and singing its lyrics together with Barrett. Lastly, the band puts the pedal to the metal as the closing song of the EP, Crystal Mountain, is just as violent and melodic as its predecessors, blending Metalcore with Progressive Death Metal nuances, with all band members showcasing their refined skills until the very last second and with Nelson stealing the spotlight with another ass-kicking performance on drums. In addition, its background epic sounds are simply fantastic.

The Incident at Black Lake might be “just” a four-track EP by All Else Fails, but its 25 minutes of music are absolutely intense and electrifying, proving why they’re undoubtedly one of the most important names of the Canadian Metalcore scene. Hence, don’t forget to give the guys from All Else Fails a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream more of their music on Spotify, and to purchase a copy of The Incident at Black Lake really soon from their own BandCamp page or from Apple Music. As already mentioned, there’s a lot of darkness flowing from the music and the lyrics found in the EP, and that’s exactly what makes it so compelling, showing that their decision to channel their energy into their local metal scene and “forget” about social media will bring tons of benefits to their career.

Best moments of the album: Devour The Sun and Flesh /Excess /Wealth.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. I, Defiler 5:48
2. Devour The Sun 8:24
3. Flesh /Excess /Wealth 5:36
4. Crystal Mountain 5:19

Band members
Barrett Klesko – vocals, guitar
John Saturley – guitar
Coco Lee – bass, backing vocals
Nelson Collins-Lee – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Miranda Wolfe

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Free the beast within, Miranda!

It has become a tradition here at The Headbanging Moose to kick off a new year with a badass bass player on our Metal Chick of the Month section, and it couldn’t have been any different than that this January 2022 with our metal lady Miranda Wolfe. Born on July 31, 1987 in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, Miranda is not only a fantastic bass player from the Canadian underground scene, but also a talented designer and tattoo artist, and I’m sure you’re going to love her music, her art and her charisma when she’s hammering her bass together with her Thrash Metal band Mortillery. In other words, you better get ready as things are about to get heavy-as-hell to the sound of Miranda’s infernal bass, starting 2022 in style.

It’s simply impossible to pay a tribute to Miranda without talking about Mortillery, as she was one of the founders of the band back in October 2008 in Edmonton together with guitarist Alex Gutierrez and drummer Emily Smits when they decided it was time for their city to have a thrash band that represented the origin of the genre, because although the punk and metal scene had always been strong in Edmonton and there were a few crossover bands, there was nothing specific to that classic 80’s Bay Area Thrash sound at that time. Shortly after, vocalist Cara McCutchen joined the band, and James Guiltner was added as a lead guitarist to finish up what was the original line up. However, the band parted ways with James, replacing him with Alexander Scott, and later in 2013 replacing Alexander with Kent Quinlan. Emily also left the band back in 2010, with Kevin Gaudet being then responsible for the drums. For months the band tried to come up with a name, but every cool name they came up with was taken, and therefore they just made up a word by combining “mortal” and “artillery”.

Playing classic 80’s Thrash Metal in the vein of thrashing beasts Nuclear Assault and singing about topics like hell, death, evil, murder and the apocalypse, the awesome Mortillery, who are by the way on hold for now, released their self-titled debut demo in 2009, their self-titled EP in 2010 (containing the two songs from the 2009 demo plus other songs), and the full-length albums Murder Death Kill, in 2011, Origin of Extinction, in 2013, and more recently Shapeshifter, in 2016, not to mention the band was also featured on the 2016 Metal Hammer compilation Maximum Metal Vol. 218 with the song Radiation Sickness. Not only Miranda played bass in all of the band’s releases to date, but she was also responsible for the booklet artwork for their 2013 album Origin of Extinction, and the layout for their 2016 album Shapeshifter, showcasing another side of our metal lady that will be discussed shortly.

You can have an absolute blast with Miranda and her Mortillery on YouTube by enjoying their awesome videos for the songs Radiation Sickness, Age Of Stone, Torture and F.O.A.D., as well as the live versions for Murder Death Kill and Countless Suicide, and their cover versions for Razor’s Evil Invaders and Anthrax’s all-time classic Madhouse. You’ll certainly notice how metallic, visceral and rumbling the bass lines by Miranda sound in each of those songs, proving she’s much more than “just” a talented bass player, but a true metalhead that nurtures an absolute passion for what she does (also showing a deep passion for her partner, her two cats and dog, and for traveling and touring, by the way). And in case you’re eager for more of the music by Mortillery, you can also find all of their creations on sale and for streaming on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Highly influenced by monsters of metal such as early Metallica, Toxic Holocaust and Judas Priest, our beloved bassist is also huge into Punk Rock and very early Thrash Metal, with bands the likes of Exodus, Exciter, Annahilator, Razor, Broken Bones, Crucifix, GBH, Flotsam & Jetsam, Anthrax and Municipal Waste being a regular part of her playlist. Furthermore, Miranda and Mortillery have already shared the stage with some of their idols such as Death Angel and Anvil, to name a few, with their first show ever being the supporting act to the one and only Toxic Holocaust. As we’re talking about touring and supporting major bands, it’s important to mention that Mortillery use no special effects at all during their live performances, simply because they want their music to be heard for what it is with no distractions. And when asked which bands Miranda and the rest of the band would love to tour with, they mentioned playing alongside Overkill, Anthrax or Helloween would be a dream come true. Moreover, when asked about the metal scene in Edmonton, Miranda and the band mentioned there are lots of really dedicated bands and fans in the city, but the distance to other cities and the frigid temperatures in the winter can be a real barrier to touring, and if you want to check other amazing Canadian bands like Mortillery you should take a listen at Skull Fist, Diemonds, Cauldron, Kobra And The Lotus, Unleash The Archers, Tarantuja, Gatekrashor, Crystal Mess and Untimely Demise, among many, many others.

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In one of her interviews together with Cara, the girls were asked if they have to prove themselves twice as female musicians in a male dominated scene, or if this is not an issue anymore these days. Miranda and Cara simply answered that they don’t need to prove anything to anyone, that they just do what they enjoy and that their sound will always remain the same no matter what. In addition, they mentioned that if you are good at what you do, you should be recognized for that regardless of what sex you are, complementing by saying that they don’t believe that women “need” any special attention just because they are women, and that there was never a lack of recognition for the women that play metal, but just that there’s a lot more of women in the metal scene nowadays. There’s also an awesome panel online called “Women Who Rock” held in 2016 by Napalm Records (which can be seen in full HERE) featuring Fernanda Lira of Nervosa, Tatiana Shmailyuk of Jinjer, and of course Miranda and Cara, covering questions like “What does it mean to you to be a woman in metal?” and “Who’ve inspired you and what got you into metal?”, among other questions, where Miranda mentions Girlschool and Wendy O. Williams, two of the most important names in the history of rock and metal regarding female musicians, as the ones who got her into becoming a musician.

And last but not least, as aforementioned our unstoppable bassist took care of the booklet artwork in Origin of Extinction and the layout in Shapeshifter, and that talent in the arts and design field led her to open her own tattoo studio in 2021, simply named Miranda Wolfe Tattoos, a high detail custom tattooing studio specializing in blackwork, dotwork and traditional, being fully licensed, health board approved and bloodborne pathogens certified. Miranda has been tattooing since 2016 and she has always been a very artistic person who cares a lot about her work and her clients, always putting the most towards each and every piece she does, big or small. Hence, if you want to give Miranda Wolfe Tattoos a try and turn your idea for a tattoo into reality, you can get in touch with her by email, by Facebook or by Instagram, and I’m sure she will provide you with first-class customer service and all the attention you can get from a multi-talented metalhead like her. Who knows, maybe you can finally get that Thrash Metal-inspired tattoo you’ve been dreaming of with a real thrashing tattoo artist like Miranda, right?

Miranda Wolfe Tattoos’ Official Facebook page
Miranda Wolfe Tattoos’ Official Instagram
Mortillery’s Official Facebook page
Mortillery’s Official Instagram
Mortillery’s Official YouTube channel
Mortillery’s Official Twitter

Album Review – Antediluvian / The Divine Punishment (2021)

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A lesson in savagery thematically centered around the many manifestations of carnal deviance by a blasphemous horde hailing from the Great White North.

3.5rating

antediluvian-the-divine-punishment-2021Nearly eight years after the release of their sophomore album λόγος, Canadian Black/Death Metal horde Antediluvian returns with a new full-length opus entitled The Divine Punishment, a lesson in savagery thematically centered around the many manifestations of carnal deviance. Formed in 2006 in Guelph, Ontario, but currently located in Edmonton, Alberta, the band comprised of Haasiophis on vocals and guitars, Aedh Zugna on bass and Mars Sekhmet on drums offers in their newborn spawn a contorted rendering of the spirit, once pure, blemished and bespoiled through sexual blasphemy, turning the album into much more than a return to form for Antediluvian, but a reflection of the band’s evolution from their inception, extrapolated over the near-decade since their last album, to reveal a meticulously sculpted masterwork that continues to push boundaries just as the band has done for the last 15 years.

Eerie sounds ignite the almost 10 minutes of insanity in the opening track Obscene Pornography Manifests in the Divine Universal Consciousness, before morphing into a raw and absurdly grim Black Metal extravaganza where Haasiophis roars and gnarls like a demonic entity nonstop, accompanied by the sulfurous drums by Mars Sekhmet, and keeping the flames of the underworld burning bright this Stygian horde fires the excellent All Along the Sigils Deep, blending the furious Death Metal riffs by Haasiophis with the Black Metal atmosphere crafted by Aedh Zugna and Mars Sekhmet. How the Watchers Granted the Humans Sex Magick in the Primordial Aeon carries a darkly poetic title to a visceral and utterly primeval Black Metal aria by Antediluvian, once again presenting the infernal growling by Haasiophis amidst atmospheric, cryptic background elements; whereas Guardians of the Liminal is shorter than its predecessors but still fulminating to the core, also bringing some progressiveness and experimentations added to their Black Metal sonority and with Mars Sekhmet taking the lead with his rhythmic beats, followed by the no-shenanigans, brutal Tamasic Masturbation Ritual, a hybrid of the most putrid forms of Black and Death Metal where Haasiophis vociferates rabidly from start to finish.

Sadomaniacal Katabasis (Last Fuck of The Dying) brings to us fans one minute of pure, fuckin’ sonic devastation to crush our damned souls before the trio blasts our ears with Temple Prostitute, starting with a beyond disturbing intro and quickly exploding into a dissonant feast of deep guttural growls, frantic beats and obscure riffs and bass jabs, keeping the album at a gargantuan level of dementia. Then get ready for another bestial display of Black and Death Metal by Antediluvian in Circumcision Covenant, with Aedh Zugna hammering his bass supported by the intricate beats by Mars Sekhmet, whereas an ode to the number of the beast entitled White Throne goes on for way too long (if it was a little shorter it would have been a lot more effective, I might say). Fortunately, their second to last blast of demonic sounds, entitled The Liar’s Path, puts the band back on track, offering another crude, boisterous Black Metal exhibit with Haasiophis stealing the spotlight with both his inhumane gnarls and sick riffage. And lastly we have Winged Ascent unto the Twelve Runed Solar Anus, an insane way to conclude the album with its nine minutes of sheer obscurity and hatred in the form of metal music where Haasiophis and Aedh Zugna will pierce your ears with their stringed weapons, while Mars Sekhmet sounds like the apocalypse on drums, before all fades into the void in a truly climatic and sinister manner.

antediluvian-2021This Stygian horde hailing from the Great “Dark” North is waiting for you to join them in their quest for blasphemy and extreme music on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also stream their vile creations on Spotify. The Divine Punishment, available for presale from the Nuclear War Now! Productions’ BandCamp page and soon from the Nuclear War Now! Productions’ webstore (as well as from Apple Music and Amazon), is indeed a fantastic display of everything Antediluvian stands for, providing fans of Black and Death Metal with the perfect soundtrack for 666 days of carnal deviance, profanity and punishment, exactly the way we like it when the music in question is so dark and evil.

Best moments of the album: All Along the Sigils Deep, How the Watchers Granted the Humans Sex Magick in the Primordial Aeon and Winged Ascent unto the Twelve Runed Solar Anus.

Worst moments of the album: White Throne.

Released in 2021 Nuclear War Now! Productions

Track listing   
1. Obscene Pornography Manifests in the Divine Universal Consciousness 9:47
2. All Along the Sigils Deep 6:03
3. How the Watchers Granted the Humans Sex Magick in the Primordial Aeon 8:36
4. Guardians of the Liminal 4:13
5. Tamasic Masturbation Ritual 3:15
6. Sadomaniacal Katabasis (Last Fuck of The Dying) 1:11
7. Temple Prostitute 5:14
8. Circumcision Covenant 5:23
9. White Throne 6:42
10. The Liar’s Path 5:39
11. Winged Ascent unto the Twelve Runed Solar Anus 9:02

Band members
Haasiophis – vocals, guitars
Aedh Zugna – bass
Mars Sekhmet – drums

Album Review – Juliet Ruin / Dark Water EP (2021)

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Bang your heads to the new EP by this amazing Canadian Modern Metal crew, reflecting a turn to darker sounds and grittier vocals while still preserving the spirit of what makes the band who they are.

3.0rating

juliet-ruin-dark-water-ep-2021Formed in 2015 in Edmonton, the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta, from the ashes of a previous project named Fiction of Fate with the desire to fuse a metal sound with clean technical vocal stylings in a way that is both beautiful and beastly, Modern Metal outfit Juliet Ruin has just unleashed upon us all a new EP titled Dark Water, following the band’s 2019 critically-acclaimed album Old Stardust, Love and Chaos. Comprised of Jess Fleming on lead vocals, Kent Geislinger and Wesley Rands on the guitars, Cody Reid on bass and Jesse Bauman on drums, Juliet Ruin are highly recommended for fans of the music by Jinjer, Infected Rain, The Agonist, Butcher Babies and so on, with their new EP reflecting a turn to darker sounds and grittier vocals while still preserving the spirit of what makes the band who they are, all spiced up by the first-class production, mixing and mastering by Diego Fernandez (who also plays the guitar as a guest in the title-track, by the way) and the enfolding artwork by Brandy Black. “The listening experience we are going for is a hard-edged, but catchy experience with lyrics you can shout in anger, but also it leans positive on message,” said the band about their newborn child.

The vicious bass by Cody sets the tone in the Alternative Metal hurricane Dark Water, with Jess bringing forward a fusion of the pop vocals by Shirley Manson (of Garbage) with visceral Melodic Death Metal growls, boosted by the awesome guitar job by Kent, Wesley and guest Diego Fernandez. Then sheer poetry flows from the celestial lyrics (“Banish me like burned down planets / Write my fate with sparkling lies / I am the universe you’re just one sky”) found in Cosmic Vertigo, while Jesse smashes his drums in great Alternative Rock and Metal fashion, therefore inviting us all to headbanging together with the band; followed by Fake Stigmata, considerably heavier and darker than its predecessors, with Jess being on fire with a passionate vocal performance supported by the massive and groovy wall of sounds by her bandmates, in special Cody and his metallic bass jabs. Lastly, it’s time for more of their hybrid of Groove Metal with Metalcore and Alternative Rock in Might, showcasing a delicate but at the same time grim side of the band, with Kent and Wesley firing classic, incendiary riffs throughout the entire song.

juliet-ruin-2021When Jess and the boys from Juliet Ruin said their new EP Dark Water would bring forward an edgier and angrier side of the band, they were not kidding at all. This talented Canadian quintet made sure the EP title was not chosen in vein, investing in a much darker sound and pointing to a bright future ahead of them. Hence, if you want to know more about such up-and-coming crew hailing from Canada, go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music and watch their videos on YouTube and on Spotify, and above all that, grab your copy of Dark Water from their own BandCamp page or from Apple Music, showing your utmost support to the Canadian underground. Juliet Ruin are inviting us all to sail through darker waters together with them in their new EP, and based on the high-quality of each of its four tracks I’m pretty sure that journey with the band will not only be thrilling, but it will also (and fortunately) last for a long time.

Best moments of the album: Dark Water and Cosmic Vertigo.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing
1. Dark Water 4:47
2. Cosmic Vertigo 4:08
3. Fake Stigmata 4:54
4. Might 4:16

Band members
Jess Fleming – vocals
Kent Geislinger – guitar
Wesley Rands – guitar
Cody Reid – bass
Jesse Bauman – drums

Guest musician
Diego Fernandez – guitars on “Dark Water”

Album Review – Sophist / Betrothal To The Stone: Conception of Mephisto (2019)

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Inspired by some of the greatest names of the Black Metal and Grindcore scene, this Canadian duo is ready to disturb our peace of mind with their unholy and blistering fast creations.

soph·ist·ry
/ˈsäfəstrē/
noun
the use of fallacious arguments, especially with the intention of deceiving.

Conjured in June of 2019 in the city of Edmonton, capital of the Canadian province of Alberta, Black Metal/Grindcore duo Sophist has put their blackened hearts and souls into the making of their debut EP entitled Betrothal To The Stone: Conception of Mephisto, a frantic blend of extreme styles inspired by bands such as Anaal Nathrakh, Mayhem and Napalm Death in order to create a sound that is unholy as it is blistering fast. Both veterans in the local music scene, Michael Sparks (bass, guitars) and Davis Hay (vocals, programming) kept the writing process fairly simple, with Davis defining the drums and song structure followed by Michael’s overlay of bass and guitar. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Davis himself, and featuring an obscure artwork by Unexpected Specter, Betrothal To The Stone: Conception of Mephisto deals with the esoteric and the occult, with much of the inspiration for the lyrics on the album coming from an alchemical text called Hermaphrodite Child of the Sun and Moon (which you can find available in full HERE).

Musically speaking, Betrothal To The Stone: Conception of Mephisto is a feast of violent and blasphemous sounds, as already mentioned, with the title-track Betrothal to the Stone: Conception of Mephisto​ exploding into raw, obscure Black Metal after a short and creepy intro. Moreover, Davis roars and gnarls manically while Michael shreds his guitar chords nonstop in this lesson in bestiality, reminding me of truly old school Mayhem. Faster and more demented, Choke on Your Own Bile is infused with Grindcore and Hardcore elements, with Davis and Michael extracting pure hatred from their instruments. Not only that, albeit the drums are programmed, they do sound really organic, bringing even more ferocity to the music. Then get ready for total anarchy in the form of visceral Black Metal blasted by the Canadian duo in A Captive of Saturn’s Scythe, where the insanity flowing from their riffs and beats is perfect for Davis to keep vociferating like a demon, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit with them. And as a beyond special and interesting bonus, the duo offers us the instrumental versions of all three songs of the EP, showcasing the same rage and heaviness but obviously without Davis’ demonic growls.

If you enjoy exploring the darkest pits of extreme music and are addicted to the most visceral and unholy forms of Black Metal available out there, then Betrothal To The Stone: Conception of Mephisto will undoubtedly satisfy your cravings. Hence, go show your support to Sophist and to underground Black Metal in general by following the duo on Facebook, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and by purchasing their flammable debut EP from their own BandCamp page or from other locations like Apple Music. And, of course, this is just the beginning for Sophist, as I’m pretty sure Davis and Michael will return with more of their razor-edged, blasphemous creations in a not-so-distant future, carving their names even deeper onto the darkened walls of Canadian extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Choke on Your Own Bile.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2019 Independent

Track listing
1. Betrothal to the Stone: Conception of Mephisto​ 3:16
2. Choke on Your Own Bile 5:10
3. A Captive of Saturn’s Scythe 2:53

Bonus tracks
4. Betrothal to the Stone: Conception of Mephisto​ (Instrumental version) 3:16
5. Choke on Your Own Bile (Instrumental version) 5:10
6. A Captive of Saturn’s Scythe (Instrumental version) 2:53

Band members
Davis Hay – vocals, programming
Michael Sparks – bass, guitars