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Concert Review – Rage (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/04/2024)

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One of the pillars of German Power Metal took the city of Toronto by storm for the first time ever to celebrate their headbanging, hellraising 40 years of career.

OPENING ACT: C.O.P. UK

Monday night was simply perfect in Toronto, with no snow or rain, lots of sunshine with temperatures above +10oC, very little traffic, and of course a lecture in Heavy and Power Metal at Lee’s Palace as C.O.P. UK and RAGE kicked off the Canadian leg of their 40 Years in RAGE – 4 Decades of Heavy Metal Tour 2024, celebrating four decades of one of the most important bands to ever arise from the German Power Metal scene. Brought to Canada by Lucky Bob Music Agency, it’s somehow weird that Rage are only playing in Canada and not in the US (which is why there was even a guy from Michigan who drove eight hours to see the show here in Toronto), and I don’t know exactly how the promotion of the tour was done because the crowd was much smaller than expected. Maybe because it was a Monday, the worst day in the world for anything as Garfield would say, or maybe tons of fans had zero idea Rage was playing in the city for the first time ever (and I saw some comments online from fans in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec complaining about the lack of information about the tour). Anyway, the concert was fantastic, as well as the sick photos taken this time by my friend Ryan Miles Leblanc.

After a HUGE delay for the doors to open due to some technical difficulties, as apparently they didn’t have an adapter to convert something from EU to Canada, Sheffield, England-based Heavy Metal/Hard Rock act C.O.P. UK, or Crimes Of Passion if you prefer, hit the stage at around 9:30pm for a solid performance to warm up the fans at the venue for Rage. Formed in 2005, the band led by the charismatic vocalist Dale Radcliffe distilled a traditional blend of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock with hints of Glam and Hair Metal, with songs like Love Is To Die For and Catch Me If You Can sounding amazing live, plus their electrifying cover version for Journey’s classic Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), which in Dale’s words, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know them, everyone loves a little bit of Journey. I was impressed with the band and just wish they had more releases available for streaming everywhere, because for example on Spotify you can only find their 2018 EP Keep on Moving. Their music is awesome and they deserve more attention from all of us metalheads not only in Canada, but anywhere where good music is appreciated.

Setlist
The Core
My Blood
Love Is To Die For
Body & Soul
Stranger Than Fiction
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Journey cover)
Catch Me If You Can
God Made Me Your Angel

Band members
Dale Radcliffe – vocals
Jean Bormann – guitars
Henning Wanner – keyboards
Scott Jordan – bass
Kev Tonge – drums

RAGE

It was already 10:30pm, which is really late for any show to start in Toronto by the way, when German Power Metal titans RAGE kicked off their flawless performance on stage, obviously led by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner on vocals and bass, supported by Jean Bormann on the guitars (and yes, he’s the same guitarist from C.O.P. UK, but I think he was just supporting C.O.P. UK as his main band is Rage), and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums. And let me say it was a dream come true for all Torontonian fans of the band who attended the concert because their celebration of 40 years indeed included songs from their entire and vast career, kicking things of with the excellent Resurrection Day and going through all of their albums, with songs like Solitary Man, Black in Mind, Back in Time and My Way inspiring everyone for some good headbanging and fist raising. I personally think Peavy’s microphone was a bit low, but even so it was amazing to see his raspy, loud vocals permeating the air at Lee’s Palace Monday night.

One of my favorite songs of the night, and probably also of most fans at the venue, was undoubtedly End of All Days, and it was visible how some dudes in the crowd were having the time of their lives while the trio kept kicking some serious ass on stage during such masterpiece. My only “complaint” about their setlist was not seeing the darkly beautiful “From the Cradle to the Grave” live, as it was replaced with their new song Under a Black Crown (from their upcoming album Afterlifelines, to be released on March 29 this year), but the new song is also amazing, you know what I mean? Well, Peavy even mentioned during the show that they had over 100 songs to create their setlist (all available on Spotify, by the way), a tough job for them, but a pleasure for all of us when the setlist comes together. An when you end a concert with the pulverizing Don’t Fear the Winter and the all-time classic Higher Than the Sky, you know how happy your fans will be. Hopefully the lower-than-expected attendance won’t stop Rage form coming back to Toronto in the near future, because after seeing what Peavy and the boys are capable of Monday night, I must say the city of Toronto needs another blast of their Teutonic Power Metal.

Setlist
Memento Vitae (Overture)
Resurrection Day
Great Old Ones
Solitary Man
Nevermore
Black in Mind
Refuge
Back in Time
Shadow Out of Time
My Way
End of All Days
A New Land

Encore:
Under a Black Crown
Don’t Fear the Winter
Higher Than the Sky
Tomorrow’s Yesterday (Instrumental)

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Jean Bormann – guitars
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums

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Album Review – Blaze Bayley / Circle of Stone (2024)

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The unstoppable Blaze Bayley strikes again with another majestic album, describing human frailty, resilience, courage, and gratitude while also searching for the truth in the heart of the circle of tall stones.

Recent times have been a rollercoaster ride for Heavy Metal icon Blaze Bayley. Following on from the successful Infinite Entanglement trilogy from 2016 to 2018, he then moved further forward with the 2021 critically-acclaimed album War Within Me, whilst touring worldwide. However, he then suffered a severe heart attack early in 2023, requiring life-saving quadruple bypass surgery, and after months of recovery our beloved Blaze and his henchmen Chris Appleton and Luke Appleton on the guitars, Karl Schramm on bass, and Martin McNee on drums are finally back with another breathtaking album, titled Circle of Stone. Produced, mixed and engineered by Chris Appleton (and co-produced by Blaze), mastered by Ade Emsley at Table Of Tone Mastering, and displaying another classy artwork by longtime collaborator Alberto Quirantes of Akirant Illustration, Circle of Stone is a work of two halves according to Blaze himself. “Side one comprises six unconnected songs that describe human frailty, resilience, courage, and gratitude,” commented Blaze, while “side two contains six connected songs that tell the story of our forgotten tribe; a search for the truth in the heart of the circle of tall stones.”

It’s already pedal to the metal to the combustible riffs by Chirs and Luke in the opening tune Mind Reader, a high energy, inspiring song where Blaze proves he’s an unbeatable warrior while Martin dictates the song’s dancing, electrifying rhythm with his classic beats. And it looks like the album will be a thrilling metal feast as their rockin’ vein pulses harder than ever in Tears in Rain, again showcasing the amazing dynamics between Chirs, Luke and Karl with their stringed axes; followed by Rage, telling the story from Welsh folklore of Gelert the faithful hound and his unfortunate demise at the hands of his beloved owner Prince Llewelyn, with tons of sadness and regret flowing from Blaze’s outstanding vocals. Blaze keeps distilling his classic, undisputed Heavy Metal in The Year Beyond This Year, another fighting hymn presenting the striking riffs and solos by the Appleton Brothers, whereas more of their incendiary, ripping riffage is offered to our avid ears in the galloping tune Ghost in the Bottle, an amazing option for their live concerts. And slowing things down it’s time for the melancholic The Broken Man, presenting Blaze’s more introspective, poetic side in a decent ballad crafted by the band.

Featuring guest vocals by Niklas Stålvind (of Wolf) and bagpipes by Vicky Kennerley, The Call of the Ancestors is a powerful introduction to the second half of the album, flowing into the title-track Circle of Stone, a mid-tempo, heavy-as-hell and absolutely epic creation by Blaze and his henchmen where Blaze and Niklas make a fantastic vocal duet, making it impossible not to raise our fists together with the band during the entire song; and their epicness and infinite energy goes on in Absence, where the guitars by Luke and Chris beautifully reverberate in the air supported by the thunderous kitchen by Karl and Martin. Niklas then returns for his second guest appearance in A Day of Reckoning, bringing forward five minutes of deep, meaningful lyrics masterfully declaimed by Blaze while Martin hammers his drums nonstop, therefore inspiring us all to headbang like true metalmaniacs. Back to a more rockin’, metallic vibe, the quintet blasts our damned ears with The Path of the Righteous Man, a top-of-the-line Heavy Metal extravaganza where Blaze’s vocals overflow energy and passion, always accompanied by the razor-edged riffs by the band’s incendiary guitar duo; whereas lastly, featuring guest vocals by Tammy-Rae Bois and the whimsical violin by Anne Bakker, Blaze offers us all another dark and delicate ballad titled Until We Meet Again, putting a climatic and enfolding ending to the album.

Ladies and gentlemen (or whatever way you prefer to be called), our beloved Blaze Bayley did it again, delivering top-of-the-line, soulful and electrifying Heavy Metal in Circle of Stone for our total delight, and the fact he just survived a scary heart attack last year makes the whole album even more special to us fans of one of the best vocalists and lyricists in heavy music, and by far one of the most hardworking musicians worldwide. Hence, in order to show the unstoppable messiah our utmost love and admiration, don’t forget to give him (and the rest of the band, of course) a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream such beautiful album as many times as you want on Spotify, or on any other streaming platform, and to grab your favorite version of the album from his own webstore, including some amazing bundles that only prove how dedicated Blaze is to his fanbase. Blaze Bayley cannot be stopped, he’s one of the driving forces of the current Heavy Metal scene, and Circle of Stone is another bold statement of his undeniable passion for heavy music. In other words, he is definitely the heart of the circle of tall stones of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Mind Reader, Tears in Rain, Ghost in the Bottle and The Path of the Righteous Man.

Worst moments of the album: The Broken Man.

Released in 2024 Blaze Bayley Recordings

Track listing
1. Mind Reader 2:46
2. Tears in Rain 3:06
3. Rage 3:57
4. The Year Beyond This Year 3:06
5. Ghost in the Bottle 3:20
6. The Broken Man 5:46
7. The Call of the Ancestors 1:52
8. Circle of Stone 3:29
9. Absence 3:27
10. A Day of Reckoning 5:04
11. The Path of the Righteous Man 3:43
12. Until We Meet Again 4:32

Band members
Blaze Bayley – vocals
Chris Appleton – guitars, backing vocals
Luke Appleton – guitars, backing vocals
Karl Schramm – bass, backing vocals
Martin McNee – drums

Guest musicians
Niklas Stålvind – additional vocals on “Circle of Stone”, “Call of the Ancestors” and “A Day of Reckoning”
Tammy-Rae Bois – additional vocals on “Until We Meet Again”
Anne Bakker – violin on “Rage” and “Until We Meet Again”
Vicky Kennerley – bagpipes on “The Call of the Ancestors”

Album Review – Lucifer / Lucifer V (2024)

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Sweden’s own Heavy and Doom Metal coven will drag you to their Stygian lair to the sound of their breathtaking fifth full-length offering.

Three years after the release of their critically acclaimed album Lucifer IV, Stockholm, Sweden’s own Heavy/Doom Metal/Rock coven Lucifer returns from the depths of the underworld with a new and breathtaking offering, simply titled Lucifer V, blasting our ears with their characteristic doomed sounds in the name of darkness and evil. Highly recommended for fans of Ghost, Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, Witch Mountain, Coven, Kadavar and Fleetwood Mac, among others, the new album by the talented witch Johanna Platow Andersson on vocals, Linus Björklund and Martin Nordin on the guitars, Harald Göthblad on bass and Nicke Andersson on drums will put you in a fantastic trance with its sharp and enfolding fusion of Heavy and Doom Metal with Rock N’ Roll, proving why the band has become a reference in the genre worldwide.

The Black Sabbath-inspired riffs by Linus and Martin ignite the thrilling opening tune Fallen Angel, showcasing the band’s trademark groove and darkness, with Johanna stealing the spotlight already with her mesmerizing vocals; whereas a Doom Metal start gradually morphs into the rockin’ extravaganza At the Mortuary, where once again Nicke showcases all his talent behind his drums dictating the song’s charming pace in great fashion. Then investing in a more direct Rock N’ Roll sound, get ready to dance in the dark together with Lucifer in Riding Reaper, with the riffs by the band’s guitar duo exhaling electricity and feeling, and the cabaret-inspired sound of the piano sets the tone for Johanna to deliver her passionate, devilish vocals in Slow Dance in a Crypt, a beautiful ballad that should sound amazing if played live, not to mention the song’s fiery guitar solos. Right after that we have A Coffin Has No Silver Lining, a true Rock N’ Roll anthem played to perfection by Johanna and the boys, bringing to our ears an addictive chorus and the striking riffs and solos by Linus and Martin.

It’s then time for another ass-kicking creation by Lucifer titled Maculate Heart, starting in an introspective way before exploding into a feast of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock led by the hammering drums by Nicke, followed by The Dead Don’t Speak, bringing forward four minutes of the band’s classic sonority with hints of Blues Rock added to their core essence, in special to the awesome guitar solo by Linus. Let’s now hit the road with Lucifer to the sound of Strange Sister, with Johanna having another soaring, sensational vocal performance supported by the rumbling bass by Harald and the classy beats by Nicke; followed by the straightforward tune Nothing Left to Lose but My Life, which despite being a solid song and having its dark charm it’s below the rest of the album in terms of energy and creativity. And lastly, there’s still time for two alternate versions of At the Mortuary (Halloween edit) and Maculate Heart (radio edit) as bonus tracks, and both are just as incendiary as the original ones.

Johanna and her henchmen are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more of their music, news, and their tour dates (and you should never miss a Lucifer concert as it’s simply brilliant, like the one I had the pleasure to witness in Toronto in November), and don’t forget to also subscribe to their official YouTube channel and stream all of their stylish compositions on Spotify. And above all that, go grab a copy of the incendiary Lucifer V by clicking HERE or HERE, adding to your grim album collection one of the coolest albums of another dark and sinister year ahead of us.

Best moments of the album: Fallen Angel, Slow Dance in a Crypt, A Coffin Has No Silver Lining and Maculate Heart.

Worst moments of the album: Nothing Left to Lose but My Life.

Released in 2024 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Fallen Angel 3:15
2. At the Mortuary 6:07
3. Riding Reaper 4:19
4. Slow Dance in a Crypt 4:28
5. A Coffin Has No Silver Lining 4:25
6. Maculate Heart 4:09
7. The Dead Don’t Speak 3:58
8. Strange Sister 4:20
9. Nothing Left to Lose but My Life 4:40

Bonus tracks
10. At the Mortuary (Halloween edit) 4:56
11. Maculate Heart (radio edit) 3:37

Band members
Johanna Platow Andersson – vocals
Linus Björklund – lead guitars
Martin Nordin – rhythm guitars
Harald Göthblad – bass
Nicke Andersson – drums

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Werewolves and Ingested

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ARCHSPIRE

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

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

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

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

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

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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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Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB, 09/28/2023)

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And the one and only Iron Maiden took the city of Calgary by storm with the absolutely stunning first concert of their three Canadian dates during The Future Past Tour 2023.

INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. I

What a lovely couple of days Maidenheads from all over the world had in Calgary, Alberta this week with the one and only IRON MAIDEN (with opening act ATREYU) during the first stop of their Western Canadian dates as the last part of their undisputed The Future Past Tour 2023. However, before all that metal extravaganza took over the old school Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday night, several members of the IMFC – Iron Maiden Fan Club, including myself, had an amazing meetup the day before the concert at a pub named Bear & Kilt, with over 40 Maiden fans storming the pub (when we had an initial reservation for only 20 people). Well, I don’t think the pub owner nor the waitresses were unhappy with all the extra money they made on a Wednesday night, right? And if you’re following the band anywhere, also make sure you attend some of those meetups because the energy is simply amazing!

The other awesome perk we get for being part of the IMFC is obviously the FTTB – First to the Barrier experience, and once you get a taste of it, it becomes an addiction. Thursday morning several Maidenheads arrived really early to the venue to already get their numbers and line up for the FTTB, which allows you to get into the venue around 15-30 minutes before everyone else and secure a dream spot at the barrier. The experience in Calgary was fantastic, as the location and the weather were great and we could enjoy about 12 hours together with other fans, not to mention there were decent washrooms and a restaurant within a 5-minute walk from the meeting point, and the chance to chat with “Mr. Lobster” (who will be part of our Edmonton review, by the way). And to make things even more fun, we had the utmost pleasure of listening to the band doing their soundcheck in the middle of the afternoon. We weren’t inside the venue, of course, but we could listen to everything through the gates. That was indeed a unique experience for most guys and girls there, I must say, and of course I’m sure everyone was ready for more when we headed to the FTTB in Edmonton two days later.

OPENING ACT: Atreyu

After a long (but fun) wait, it was finally time for some live music for all FTTB winners plus of course everyone else who was already inside the venue when at 7:30pm Yorba Linda, California-based Metalcore veterans ATREYU hit the stage for a weird/eclectic/fun performance, and I used all those words because that’s how the show truly was. Mixing songs form their entire career with newer ones like Save Us and Warrior, from their 2021 album Baptize, and Drowning, Watch Me Burn and Gone, from their upcoming album The Beautiful Dark of Life (to be released by the end of 2023), the band formed of Brandon Saller, Dan Jacobs, Travis Miguel, Marc “Porter” McKnight and Kyle Rosa delivered an amalgamation of styles that makes it hard to list everything they played, even adding elements from Hip Hop to their music, plus an excerpt of I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), a classic by Whitney Houston, a moment that according to Brandon and Marc was inspired by those two guys having a bromance time by the river in Calgary earlier that day. In the end, everyone at the venue had a good time, the band got a very positive reaction from the crowd, and we were all pumped for the main attraction then. Good feelings and vibes, my friends!

Setlist
Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Save Us
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
The Time Is Now
Ex’s and Oh’s
Gone
Battle Drums
Warrior
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
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

We didn’t know if the barrier was going to be relaxed or rough during the flawless, unparalleled performance by British Heavy Metal titans IRON MAIDEN, but at least in Calgary things ended up going pretty smoothly up until Fear of the Dark, as opposed to Edmonton which was a true carnage (but I’ll talk more about it on the Edmonton review, of course). So as the lights went down at 8:50pm and the iconic UFO’s song/intro Doctor Doctor was being played on the speakers, everyone at the venue could feel the energy level going up, and right after the end titles for Blade Runner (by Vangelis), Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko began their sonic attack with the song that was for me the most powerful of the night, the classic Caught Somewhere in Time, followed by another classic, Stranger in a Strange Land, winning the hearts of all metalheads who were absolutely mesmerized by the band’s incendiary performance.

As they started playing the fantastic The Writing on the Wall, it became clear for the average concert goer that Thursday was not going to be any concert, but a fusion of their 1986 masterpiece Somewhere In Time and their most recent release Senjutsu, which contains a couple songs about the clash between past and future, as well as time travelling, hence the name of the tour being The Future Past Tour. Those songs are Days of Future Past and The Time Machine, and despite not everyone at the venue knowing them very well, the adrenaline kept flowing beautifully, proving Iron Maiden are so good you don’t even need to know their songs to have a great time during their shows. By the way, before The Time Machine, Bruce gave a short speech about travelling back in time, mentioning the famous DeLorean time machine from the cult movie Back to the Future, and his current attire finally made sense to everyone as he looked A LOT like the craziest version of the marvelous character of Dr. Emmett Brown.

Needless to say, Bruce and his bandmates were on absolute fire during their entire set, with Steve once again stealing the show with his thunderous bass guitar. As a matter of fact, as I was right in front of Steve the whole concert, it felt like I was having a lecture in bass playing together with the concert, not to mention the man is unstoppable on stage and inspires us all to keep moving, jumping up and down, and headbanging throughout all songs. Nicko also sounded much better than in the videos I saw from their concerts in Europe this summer, and it was awesome to see he made a very good use of the time off between Europe and Canada to recover even more from his stroke from the beginning of the year. And what to say about Dave’s solos in all songs, with a honorable mention to his perfect, soulful and striking solo during Fear of the Dark? The man knows exactly how to touch our hearts with his guitar riffs and solos, I must say.

There were two other songs that blew our minds during the show. The never-ending wait for Iron Maiden to play live Alexander the Great was totally worth it, as it sounded brilliant in Calgary; and the first song of the encore, Hell on Earth, was one of the songs from the new album that most people were eager to enjoy live, also being the only one from their entire setlist to have their trademark fires as an add-on. It was an emotional moment for me, and I’m sure others also felt that way while such metal hymn was being played on stage. And as the icing on the cake, why not ending the show with The Trooper and Wasted Years? That definitely left us all craving for more, and of course we were getting more two days later in Edmonton! Scream for me, Calgary… and see you shortly, Edmonton!

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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Concert Review – Jinjer (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 09/15/2023)

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The ambassadors of Ukrainian Progressive and Groove Metal took the city of Toronto by storm on an electrifying and sold out night of first-class music.

OPENING ACT: Monuments

Despite the insane traffic to get in and out of Toronto due to countless accidents, the endless construction in the city and so on, I was able to make it just in time (and by that I mean just a minute or so before Monuments kicked off the night) for the feast of Metalcore, Djent, Progressive and Groove Metal by MONUMENTS and JINJER at The Phoenix Concert Theatre during their North American Tour 2023 this Friday in Toronto. The concert had been sold out for weeks already, warning all concert goers that it was going to be a hot and packed night for fans of both bands; however, I think everyone at the venue was not just ready for that, but highly prepared for the heat and eager for some action inside the circle pit, and as it was a Friday night let’s say that any worries about working or going to school the next day were left outside the venue, generating a fun and intense energy inside The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

It was close to 7:30pm when London, UK-based Progressive Metal/Djent act MONUMENTS hit the stage for a breathtaking performance, receiving a truly wild reaction form the crowd with tons of horns and fists in the air, with everyone jumping up and down together with the band, and above all that, with an incendiary circle pit taking a good chunk of the floor section for the delight of all Torontonians who love a mosh pit more than they love their own families. Still promoting their 2022 album In Stasis, the band formed of the extremely talented Andy Cizek on vocals, John Browne on the guitars, Werner Erkelens on bass, and Mike Malyan on drums was on absolute fire from start to finish, setting the bar really high for Jinjer. All songs played by the quartet, including their newest ones Cardinal Red, False Providence, Opiate and Lavos, sounded fantastic live, and I’m sure after Friday their fanbase will only grow bigger and stronger in Toronto. If you want to know more about the music by Monuments, go enjoy all of their creations on Spotify, and whenever they visit your hometown during one of their tours, get ready for a wild Djent ride with those UK guys.

Setlist
Cardinal Red
I, the Destroyer
Degenerate
False Providence
Opiate
Nefarious
Lavos
I, the Creator

Band members
Andy Cizek – vocals
John Browne – guitars
Werner Erkelens – bass
Mike Malyan – drums, samples

JINJER

Although Ukraine’s own Metalcore/Djent/Progressive/Groove Metal institution JINJER was supposed to have started their flawless performance at 9:10pm, they ended up hitting the stage 10 minutes earlier than that, most probably because the team setting up the stage for them worked faster than expected. That means the break between bands to check the merch stand, to grab a beer, go to the washroom or chat with your friends was slightly shorter than we thought, but that wasn’t an issue at all because everyone at the venue was more than eager to see the stunning Tatiana “Tati Booyakah” Shmaylyuk and her henchmen kicking some ass on stage in an incendiary display of heaviness, groove and passion for heavy music. Furthermore, it is a true pleasure seeing a band like Jinjer becoming such a big name in the scene, as last time I saw them back in 2018 opening for Cradle of Filth they were “just” an opening band.

Jinjer haven’t released anything new yet after their 2021 album Wallflowers, but it was crystal clear that their fans were there on Friday for some fun it didn’t matter what the setlist was going to be. Well, let’s say we had the utmost pleasure of enjoying live pretty much all of their already classic songs including Perennial, Ape, Teacher, Teacher!, Who Is Gonna Be the One (my favorite of the entire concert), Call Me a Symbol, and Judgement (& Punishment), among many others. Needless to say, Tatiana stole the show with her incredible clean vocals and demonic harsh growls, her hypnotizing dance moves, and her undeniable charisma, creating a powerful connection with all Jinjer fans at the venue. Of course, her performance wouldn’t have been so compelling without the support of her bandmates Roman Ibramhalilov on the guitars, Eugene Kostyuk on bass, and Vlad Ulasevich on drums, who are by the way sounding A LOT tighter, better, heavier and more precise than the last time I saw them live.

Fortunately, I had the support once again from my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography to take proper photos of the whole night, as it was nearly impossible to get close to the stage due to the rowdy crowd at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, plus of course the fact that the circle pit was massive and simply walking through it was not an option. As the band played their closing song, the infuriated Sit Stay Roll Over, that task got absolutely impossible, ending their blazing performance on a high note and leaving all attendees eager for another night of Jinjer awesomeness in the city in a not-so-distant future (not to mention the fact the show ended around 10:30pm, giving everyone plenty of time to catch any type of public transportation available back home, go for some drinks, or just stay near the venue for some quality chat with their friends). Moreover, I’m sure whenever Tatiana and the boys return to the city it will be a sold out concert once again, because when a band like Jinjer keeps putting their hearts and souls into the making of their music, that beautiful energy flows into the minds of their fans, strengthening their ties and helping guide the band to stardom, just like what happened this Friday in Toronto. Or as Tatiana herself would say… Booyah!

Setlist
Perennial
Ape
Copycat
Teacher, Teacher!
Who Is Gonna Be the One
I Speak Astronomy
Call Me a Symbol
Vortex
Home Back
Pisces
Dead Hands Feel No Pain
Judgement (& Punishment)
Sleep of the Righteous
As I Boil Ice

Encore:
Sit Stay Roll Over

Band members
Tatiana Shmaylyuk – vocals
Roman Ibramhalilov – guitar
Eugene Kostyuk – bass
Vlad Ulasevich – drums

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Album Review – Warcrab / The Howling Silence (2023)

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UK’s own Death and Doom Metal bulldozer is back in action with their strongest effort to date, having progressed into a faster, crustier direction while still remaining loyal to their doomed roots.

Just when you thought the music by UK-based Doom/Sludge Metal titans Warcrab was getting slower and sludgier, they do the unexpected and bring in Death Metal influences in a huge way in their demolishing new opus, titled The Howling Silence, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed albums Scars of Aeons and Damned In Endless Night. And that Death Metal approach is not even presented in the form of a thick, ponderous blend of the two styles; instead, the band currently formed of Martyn Grant on vocals, Geoff Holmes and Leigh Jones on the guitars, Dave Symonds on bass and Rich Parker on drums has shedded the extra weight that was holding them down and have progressed into a faster, crustier direction. Displaying a sinister artwork by Feltnan Art, The Howling Silence effortlessly switches between the band’s two predominant styles as and when the music demands it rather than having a monotonous and predictable sound, while still remaining loyal to their doomed roots.

The quintet wastes no time and begins shaking the foundations of earth in Orbital Graveyard, a thunderous fusion of Death, Doom and Sludge Metal where Martyn roars and barks manically accompanied by the pounding drums by Rich; followed by Titan of War, another Stoner and Sludge Metal attack spearheaded by the crushing riffs by Geoff and Leigh while Dave hammers his bass in the name of heaviness, and the music flows majestically until the very last second for our vulgar delectation. After such imposing tune we’re treated to Black Serpent Coils, a neck-breaking extravaganza that showcases all the power of the riff, blending the band’s sound from their previous records with a more contemporary sonority, and the final result is yet again superb, whereas their harsher, more visceral vein explodes in the Death Metal-fueled tune Sword of Mars, led by the venomous growls by Martyn while the band’s guitar duo gives a lesson in riffs and solos. Put differently, simply get into the pit and crush your spinal cord to the sound of such pulverizing chant.

After such devastating aria, it’s time for a darker, more introspective creation by Warcrab named As the Mourners Turn Away, starting in a lugubrious way highly inspired by classic Doom Metal and Blackened Doom, with Rich taking the lead with his sluggish beats in almost nine minutes of total darkness; and that Stygian aura goes on in Sourlands Under a Rancid Sun, with the low-tuned, menacing bass by Dave paving the path for his bandmembers to smash us all in a great display of Death and Doom Metal, not to mention how devilish Martyn’s roars sound and feel. Lastly, the band offers our avid ears the 10-minute title-track Howling Silence, a Death, Doom and Sludge Metal voyage presenting sharp, caustic riffs, tribal drums and an absolutely cryptic atmosphere, or in other words, it’s a bestial creation that lives up to the legacy of the most infernal form of Doom Metal imaginable, with Geoff and Leigh being flawless armed with their axes from start to finish, ending the album on a grim, vile manner.

This British bulldozer of extreme music is waiting for you on Facebook to crush your soul with news, tour dates and so on, and on Spotify to haunt you for all eternity with their dense and somber creations. Also, don’t forget to grab a copy of the pulverizing The Howling Silence from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ webstore as a digipak CD (also available in their European store) or as a very special digipak CD + shirt bundle. The Howling Silence is Warcrab at the peak of their creative prowess; they are back and better than ever before, and you’re more than invited to join them in their feast of death and doom.

Best moments of the album: Titan of War, Sword of Mars and Howling Silence.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Orbital Graveyard 4:07
2. Titan of War 5:54
3. Black Serpent Coils 5:30
4. Sword of Mars 4:31
5. As the Mourners Turn Away 8:55
6. Sourlands Under a Rancid Sun 5:51
7. Howling Silence 10:41

Band members
Martyn Grant – vocals
Geoff Holmes – lead guitars
Leigh Jones – rhythm guitars
Dave Symonds – bass
Rich Parker – drums

Album Review – Raven / All Hell’s Breaking Loose (2023)

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All hell is breaking loose to the sound of the fifteenth studio album by one of the most iconic bands from the UK scene, offering ten crisp, visceral metal classics fused with riffs, twists, turns and chaos.

Prepare yourself for a metal rampage the likes of which you haven’t enjoyed in many a year, as New Wave of British Heavy Metal stalwarts Raven have just delivered the electric mayhem of All Hell’s Breaking Loose, their fifteenth studio album offering ten crisp, visceral metal classics, each fused with riffs, twists, turns, chaos and more hooks than all the Hellraiser movies combined. Formed of the Newscatle, England iconic brothers John Gallagher on lead vocals and bass and Mark Gallagher on the guitars, alongside American drummer extraordinaire Mike Heller, Raven are giving permission for everyone to remember exactly what it’s like to lose yourself in the healing aural waters of supreme metal music in their new album, resplendent in sweat-soaked denim and leather.

Medieval is an uncompromised, in-your-face metal attack by the trio where Mike proves why he’s been the perfect drummer for Raven since joining the band in 2018, resulting in a classic and ass-kicking fusion of Heavy and Speed Metal to properly kick things off, whereas Mike dictates the pace in Surf the Tsunami, with Mark delivering sheer electricity through his riffs and, therefore, providing John with everything he needs to distill his trademark vocals. Turn of the Screw is a lot groovier than its predecessors thanks to the great job done by John on bass, while Mark keeps blasting his fiery riffs nonstop, and it’s old school Raven for the masses in the title-track All Hell’s Breaking Loose, with John and Mark being in total sync armed with their stringed weapons, resulting in a fantastic option for igniting some fun mosh pits during their live performances. And those veterans show no sign of slowing down in The Far Side, another fast and thrilling creation with Mike stealing the spotlight with his intricate drumming.

They keep pressing the gas pedal hard in Desperate Measures, another one that should sound amazing if played live, showcasing their signature riffs and raspy vocals, whereas one more round of their frantic Speed Metal comes in the form of Victory’s Call, with the trio blasting first-class heavy music spearheaded by the razor-edged riffs by Mark while also showcasing spot-on beats and backing vocals. Edge of a Nightmare is a fun and vibrant Rock N’ Roll party by those veterans where we’re all invited to simply enjoy the wicked vocals by John and slam into the circle pit like true metalheads, followed by Invasion, the second to last song of the album, offering more of their solid Heavy Metal albeit not as electrifying as the rest of the album. Finally, one final explosion of Heavy and Speed Metal will hit you hard in the head in Go for the Gold, where Mike takes the lead with his furious drums accompanied by the rumbling bass by John.

“You got three guys with very strong, passionate, opinions, and when those are brought together, it’s a case of ‘iron sharpens iron’,” commented Mark about the energy around the band and how that impacts their creative process, with John adding “we’re very hard on ourselves, it had to be ‘all killer, no filler’. Absolutely every single part of every song had to make sense, had to mean something, and had to be there for a purpose.” Hence, if you want to experience the undisputed energy and heaviness blasted by Raven in All Hell’s Breaking Loose, you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of the album by clicking HERE or HERE, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, for news, tour dates, and more of their breathtaking Heavy Metal. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to hit play and let all hell break loose together with one of the most iconic metal bands from the UK scene?

Best moments of the album: Medieval, All Hell’s Breaking Loose and Victory’s Call.

Worst moments of the album: Invasion.

Released in 2023 Silver Lining Music

Track listing
1. Medieval 4:24
2. Surf the Tsunami 3:27
3. Turn of the Screw 3:21
4. All Hell’s Breaking Loose 3:48
5. The Far Side 4:13
6. Desperate Measures 3:13
7. Victory’s Call 3:15
8. Edge of a Nightmare 3:16
9. Invasion 4:52
10. Go for the Gold 3:32

Japanese Edition bonus tracks
11. Gimme A Lie 3:00
12. Rotten  3:03

Band members
John Gallagher – lead vocals, bass, 12-string bass
Mark Gallagher – guitars, backing vocals
Mike Heller – drums

Album Review – The Bleeding / Monokrator (2023)

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A ruthless UK Death and Thrash Metal squad attacks with their third full-length album, a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

After forming in the city of London, England in 2010, the infernal Death/Thrash Metal squad The Bleeding has been on a demolishing roll with the release of an array of EP’s and albums offering their fans top-of-the-line extreme music made in the UK. Now in 2023 the band formed of Jamie Stungo on vocals, Tasos Tzimorotas on the guitars, Jordan Muscatello on bass, and James Loh on drums attacks again with the pulverizing Monokrator, the third full-length opus in their career. Produced by Ronnie Björnström and Tasos Tzimorotas, mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström at Björnström Sound & Production, and displaying an old school artwork by Juanjo Castellano, Monokrator combines thrash elements comparable to latter day Exodus, Kreator and Destruction with the ferocity of Demolition Hammer, and a vocal attack akin to Jeff Walker and Chuck Schuldiner, to create a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

Pedal to the metal as it’s time to slam your dammed body into the pit to the sound of Chemical Lobotomy, a fantastic display of Death Metal spearheaded by the venomous blast beats by James while Jamie vociferates rabidly nonstop, followed by Chainsaw Deathcult, absolutely incendiary from the very first second, where the riffs by Tasos will penetrate deep inside your skin while Jordan makes the earth tremble with his sick bass lines. Put differently, if the album had ended here it would have already been a phenomenal release by The Bleeding. After such demented display of extreme music we have Mutation Chamber, slightly slower but still brutal and vile, showcasing another superb job done by Tasos with his demonic riffage, whereas Union of Horror is just as bestial as its predecessors, a beyond electrifying Death Metal onrush once again presenting an insane James on drums supported by the metallic bass punches by Jordan.

Get ready to be smashed like an insect by The Bleeding in Screams of Torment, bringing forward all their dexterity and fury, being therefore tailored for lovers of classic Death Metal; and Tasos will cut your ears with his strident axe in On Wings of Tribulation, another bestial display of Death Metal sounding very technical while Jamie screams mercilessly. The title-track Monokrator is a lecture in Death and Thrash Metal, with Jamie’s devilish roars walking hand in hand with the thunderous instrumental parts crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect soundtrack for some frantic action inside the circle pit. And lastly, the band invites us all to kill inside the pit in Throes of Repulsion, sounding and feeling absolutely fast, furious and insane from start to finish, with the caustic riffs by Tasos and the unstoppable beats by James leaving you totally disoriented after all is said and done.

This beast of an album can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you think you have what it takes to get into the pit together with The Bleeding, you should purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the United States (CD or LP) or in Europe (CD or LP), from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram. The Bleeding are not just aiming at putting the UK back on the Thrash and Death Metal map with Monokrator, but they also want to put a huge smile on your face while you listen to the album, keeping their evil motor running for many years to come in the name of good extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Chemical Lobotomy, Chainsaw Deathcult and Monokrator.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records

Track listing
1. Chemical Lobotomy 3:16
2. Chainsaw Deathcult 3:50
3. Mutation Chamber 4:22
4. Union of Horror 3:50
5. Screams of Torment 4:09
6. On Wings of Tribulation 3:47
7. Monokrator 3:59
8. Throes of Repulsion 3:07

Band members
Jamie Stungo – vocals
Tasos Tzimorotas – guitars
Jordan Muscatello – bass
James Loh – drums