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Metal Chick of the Month – Nova Twins

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Choose your fighter… Amy Love, or Georgia South?

Get ready for double the awesomeness here at The Headbanging Moose with our talented, charismatic and stunning rock and metal ladies of the month of July, turning up the heat even more this summer. Hailing from London, England, this amazing UK duo will rock your world with their fusion of Rock N’ Roll, Punk Rock and Heavy Metal with several other styles, always sounding vibrant, fresh and dynamic and, consequently, getting a bigger and bigger fanbase with each one of their releases. I’m talking about the electrifying English Hard Rock duo Nova Twins, formed of vocalist and guitarist Amy Love, and bassist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Georgia South, two unrelenting women who will kick your ass with their first-class music, wicked videos and incendiary live performances, and I’m sure you’ll become addicted to them after knowing more about their career.

Formed in 2014 in “The Big Smoke” (under the name BRAATS, when they released a song named Bad Bitches that can be seen being performed live HERE), Nova Twins are chaotic and hyperactive, charming and insane, describing their music as “Urban Punk”, and their perfect sync comes from years and years of friendship. Having been close friends since childhood, and having played in bands that were often booked on the same bill, the duo is the perfect example of how a DIY attitude can be extremely beneficial if you love what you do and if you keep working hard to achieve your goals. Sewing their stage outfits from scratch, and filming their music videos using smartphones with the help of Georgia South’s mother, the then teenagers Amy and Georgia quickly gained considerable recognition in the local Southeast London open-mic scene, playing at renowned venues including The Fox & Firkin and Ravensbourne Arms, and releasing their debut single titled Bassline Bitch online back in 2015, leading to the release of their self-titled debut EP in 2016.

Of Iranian and Nigerian descent, vocalist and guitarist Amy Love has always had a love for the electric guitar despite not being able to play it when she first started to make music, always finding guitarists to accompany her on songs, considering very frustrating the fact she couldn’t play the guitar herself, which could cause some hurdles in her creative process; whereas Georgia South, who’s of Jamaican and Australian descent, and whose father is also a musician named William South, first started learning the bass guitar when she went to band school over a summer holiday at 13 years old. They met as teenagers through Georgia’s brother and felt a connection right away “I was introduced to Georgia’s family and we just got on like a house on fire,” said Amy in one of her interviews. “I went to her house one day and we clicked immediately.” They didn’t think about forming a band right away, though, due to Amy’s solo project and Georgia being involved in a local band, but of course, as you already know, it didn’t take long for the duo to get united in the name of Rock N’ Roll.

The duo has already released two full-length albums, those being Who Are the Girls? in 2020 and Supernova in 2022, plus their aforementioned self-titled EP in 2016, the EP Thelma and Louise in 2017, and another EP in 2017 titled Mood Swings, as well as several singles. All their wicked creations can be found on YouTube and on Spotify, including the official videos for Cleopatra, Taxi, Play Fair, K.M.B., and Wave, among others, not to mention all official and unofficial live footage such as Cleopatra live at Rock im Park in 2023, and Bassline Bitch live at Hellfest in 2019, and you can also click HERE for all things Nova Twins.

Having already toured with several amazing bands the likes of Prophets of Rage, Wolf Alice, Skunk Anansie, Bring Me The Horizon and Enter Shikari, Amy and Georgia have also collaborated with Bring Me The Horizon on the song 1×1, from their 2020 album Post Human: Survival Horror, with Koder on the song Vibrations – Remix, from the 2017 EP Vibrations, and with Tsar B on the song Flitch, found in the 2020 EP’s Unpaintable and Flitch. They’ve also performed with Fever 333 during their BBC Radio 1 Maida Vale session, won Best UK Breakthrough Band at the Heavy Music Awards, ranked in NME’s 20 best debut albums of 2020, became the face of Dr. Martens Alternative A/W campaign, and started their own custom clothing line called Bad Stitches.

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Highly vocal about the rock and metal scene, and about the musical roots that helped them craft their path to stardom, the duo is influenced by an array of artists and musicians it’s actually hard to list all or even to label them, showing how diverse their taste can be. “We’re influenced by so many different things that I don’t think we’d feel comfortable being stuck to one thing. We enjoy experiencing and being inspired by different genres, whether it’s hip-hop or jazz. Music’s music and it comes in different forms, but makes you feel different things at the right time,” commented the duo. Having Skin (of Skunk Anansie) and Tom Morello (of Rage Against The Machine) as their friends and mentors, Nova Twins strongly believe that having those mentors has been crucial for their growth as musicians, always receiving constructive feedback and technical advice from those seasoned musicians. In addition, the duo also loves to support new bands, mentioning Gully Boys, Pinkshift, Zaria, The OBGMs and HO99O9 as some of the artists they enjoy listening to and seeing live.

Regarding their live performances, Georgia mentioned in one of their interviews that she wants fans to leave their shows feeling “like they’ve released everything, and like they feel seen in the room.” They’ve been touring everywhere, taking their electrifying music to the stages in the UK, Europe and the United States, being the headliners in cities like Toronto, New York and Los Angeles, and even playing at famous European summer festivals the likes of Hellfest and Rock im Park, always taking good care of themselves to be able to perform in full force. “We’re quite disciplined. Drink fucks my vocals and if Georgia was drunk on stage there’s no way she’d be able to tap dance on her pedalboard. You have to go that step further to make sure you’re keeping alright. When we were first on tour we’d have sweets and crisps and shit on our rider, and always be hungry but forever eating and sitting in a van for eight hours all day. Now we’ve taken all the crap off, and on our day off our tour manager will try and find a cool, scenic place or a hot tub where you get a discount cos it’s winter.”

Always serious about representing their communities in the rock and punk scene, the duo believes visibility is a key part of opening the door for other black punk acts. However, in the beginning they felt alienated form the scene due to the fact that punk aesthetics are at the same time innovative but extremely strict, and despite the fact the movement is linked to anti-racism and leftist political ideologies, it’s still a white male-dominated scene. “People didn’t know where to put you on the playlist, or people wouldn’t have you play here because you didn’t ‘look rock’.” That’s one of the main reasons that led Amy and Georgia to start the Voices for the Unheard Instagram series in June 2020, as part of their efforts to further conversations around the Black Lives Matter movement, interviewing renowned artists including Big Joanie, Connie Constance and Oxymorrons, among others, about liberation, anti-racism, personal style and more, plus an exclusive Spotify playlist. Furthermore, the project culminated in a vinyl compilation and a live show on Dr. Martens’ Instagram. “We thought we were in a band just like any other band, but, as we went along, we slowly realized that when we were playing these festivals, we were looking at people that didn’t look like us backstage, and the people playing on stage didn’t look like us either. We would see people in the audience that looked like how we felt growing up, coming to shows like this. So then we were like, ‘We have to do it for them’. We are representing so much more that isn’t supported in the industry, in the mainstream, or anywhere at this point,” commented the duo.

They’ve also started seeing a lot more inclusivity in the alternative music scene, with lots of women, non-binary people and people of color being part of a new wave of rising talent, and having faced several hurdles as black women in rock music they’re more than fine as being role models to those up-and-coming artists. “We don’t shy away from being role models because, whether you like it or not, you are a role model if you have lots of people going to your Instagram every day and checking what you’re saying. We had so much difficulty at the beginning, and we don’t want that to be the case for new bands starting out now so we just like to boost people and make them feel confident and that they can strive to do anything.” And that’s why Amy and Georgia are so awesome, using their music not only to entertain us all, but also to make the whole world a more inclusive and, therefore, much better place to live.

Nova Twins’ Official Facebook page
Nova Twins’ Official Instagram
Nova Twins’ Official YouTube channel
Nova Twins’ Official Twitter

“Own your power. Whether it’s owning who you are, where you’re from. Your power could be your culture, where you’ve come from, what you’ve been through. Own it.” – Amy Love

“The world is limitless to you. There are no limits or ceilings to what you can do. The world is Supernova – you can break through.” – Georgia South

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Mendacity, Organectomy, Vomit Forth and Devourment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

INGESTED

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

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

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

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

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Wake and Conjurer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

KHEMMIS

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

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

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

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

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Concert Review – Carcass (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/16/2023)

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Four metallic beasts cranked the heat with their undisputed music on an already scorching day in Toronto, inspiring us all to get caught in endless mosh pits. 

OPENING ACTS: Creeping Death, Sacred Reich and Municipal Waste

As the “gods of weather” decided to crank the heat in Toronto this past week, with the thermometers breaking the +30oC (or +86oF) mark, it was more than obvious that the temperature inside The Phoenix Concert Theatre last night was going to be insanely high due to the feast of Grindcore, Thrash and Death Metal blasted by CREEPING DEATH, SACRED REICH, MUNICIPAL WASTE and the mighty CARCASS, four amazing bands that are highly recommended for admirers of some good old mosh pits. And oh, there were so many mosh pits for all metalheads at the venue to bathe in (and most of the time that mosh pit bath included a lot of sweat, beer, and even some vomit)! A special shout-out to Embrace Presents for organizing such epic event, and another to the venue staff for keeping everything clean (because dealing with vomit is one of the most disgusting things ever), for keeping everyone safe, and for always being nice to everyone before, during and after all concerts. That’s how fans should always be treated!

I was not even 10 minutes inside the venue when the first band of the night, Denton, Texas-based Death Metal/Hardcore act CREEPING DEATH, kicked off the night with their brutality and heaviness, already inspiring everyone at the venue to slam into the pit, and that high level of violence went on until the last second of their performance. Gearing up for the release of their new album Boundless Domain, which should become available mid-June (and of course, I’ll have a very good time listening to it, and probably reviewing it too), frontman Reese Alavi and his bandmates put on a fantastic show, with their brand new song Intestinal Wrap (don’t forget to check out the studio version featuring the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer on guest vocals) and The Edge of Existence being the highlights of their pulverizing concert for me. Let’s see when those American metallers will return to Toronto for another round of insanity armed with their classic Death Metal; maybe as soon as their new album sees the light of day?

Setlist
Humanity Transcends
Doused in Flames
Skinned Alive
The Edge of Existence
Bloodlust Contamination
Intestinal Wrap
Specter of War

Band members
Reese Alavi – vocals
Trey Pemberton – guitars
A.J. Ross III – guitars
Rico Mejia – bass
Lincoln Mullins – drums

After the usual bathroom/beer/cigarette/whatever you want to do break, it was time for Phoenix, Arizona’s own Thrash Metal institution SACRED REICH to hit the stage spearheaded by the iconic vocalist and bassist Phil Rind, and as expected their entire performance was absolutely amazing, blending songs from their most recent album Awakening, released in 2019, such the opener Divide & Conquer, Manifest Reality, Salvation and the title-track Awakening, with really old stuff the likes of Death Squad and Ignorance, from their 1987 debut album Ignorance, and The American Way, from their 1990 album of the same name. There was a lot of interaction between Phil and the crowd, with the most beautiful moment being when Phil talked about how music unites people, and how we make good friends through music, which is more than true. Without music I might not have become a friend of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who once again provided me with the amazing photos for this review. Back to the concert, Sacred Reich kept kicking our asses with their classy thrashing tunes, ending with their circle pit hit Surf Nicaragua, and leaving us eager for another one of their stylish performances in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
Divide & Conquer
The American Way
Manifest Reality
One Nation
Salvation
Ignorance
Awakening
Independent
Death Squad
Surf Nicaragua

Band members
Phil Rind – vocals, bass
Wiley Arnett – lead guitars
Joey Radziwill – rhythm guitars
Dave McClain – drums

It was then time for the highly anticipated concert by Richmond, Virginia-based Thrash Metal/Crossover squad MUNICIPAL WASTE, and they didn’t disappoint at all their Torontonian fans; quite the contrary, it was an unforgettable show by Tony Foresta, Ryan Waste, Nick Poulos, Landphil, and Dave Witte, who were visibly excited to be playing in Canada, jumping up and down, headbanging and raising their horns nonstop as if they were the crowd, and us fans in the mosh pit were the main attraction. Maybe that’s exactly how they felt last night, right? Furthermore, all songs from their sensational 2022 album Electrified Brain worked really well live, such as Grave Dive, High Speed Steel, and in special Crank the Heat, which was played by the band only because “they were having an amazing time” according to Tony himself, mixed with thrashing beasts the likes of Beer Pressure, Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good, and Headbanger Face Rip.

And speaking about Tony, the man was on fire during their entire performance, having fun with the inflatable orca (don’t ask me why that was brought to a metal concert) and all the cardboard boxes flying around, joking it was a miracle they were allowed to cross the border to Canada, asking for more crowd surfing to keep the security guys busy as they were getting “bored” due to the lack of action, and thanking everyone for attending their concert on a Sunday night. It was awesome when he asked the crowd if they liked to party for Jesus, or if they liked to party for Slayer, and I bet you already know what the fans answered, right? Right after they closed their flawless performance with the headbanging classic Born to Party, you could see the smile on the faces of all fans at the venue, all demanding for more Municipal Waste in the city, including myself, and hopefully it won’t take long for a new visit by those partying thrashers. As the lyrics from Born to Party say, Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!

Setlist
I’m a Rebel (Accept song)
Demoralizer
Breathe Grease
Mind Eraser
Beer Pressure
Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good
The Thrashin’ of the Christ
Poison the Preacher
Grave Dive
You’re Cut Off
Sadistic Magician
Slime and Punishment
Crank the Heat
Headbanger Face Rip
Blood Vessel
High Speed Steel
Pre-Game
The Art of Partying
Wave of Death
Born to Party

Band members
Tony Foresta – vocals
Ryan Waste – guitars, backing vocals
Nick Poulos – guitars
Landphil – bass, backing vocals
Dave Witte – drums

CARCASS

Exactly 135 days after their last visit to Toronto (when they opened for Amon Amarth), UK’s Grindcore/Extreme Metal trailblazers CARCASS returned to the city with more of their visceral, infuriated music, this time as the headliners of the night. Jeff Walker, Bill Steer, Tom Draper and Daniel Wilding were sharp, evil and caustic from the very first second of their undisputed performance, kicking some serious ass and proving why they’re still the most important Grindcore band of all time. They did a fantastic job blending songs from all of their albums, with a higher focus on their latest opus Torn Arteries, their 2013 infernal album Surgical Steel, and their 1993 masterpiece Heartwork. Songs like Kelly’s Meat Emporium, Under the Scalpel Blade, This Mortal Coil, and The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing sounded demented live, with all four band members playing those to perfection, of course.

The mosh pits kept going like crazy, the band was in total sync with their fans, and the temperature inside the venue kept going up to the point Jeff began throwing bottles of water for people to rehydrate. He even asked why it was so hot in Toronto, as Canada is supposed to be cold, but apparently he doesn’t know how hot and muggy the GTA can get during the summer. Well, I must admit the summer-like weather in Toronto in the middle of April was a big surprise, but still when it gets hot here, it gets REALLY hot. After playing my favorite Carcass song of all time, the brilliant Heartwork, plus the outro to Carneous Cacoffiny, Jeff and his henchmen returned for what I would call a ruthless, supersonic attack with one of the most violent encores I’ve ever seen, with the songs Exhume to Consume, Tools of the Trade, and 316L Grade Surgical Steel putting every single person at the venue to slam into the pit, bang their heads and raise their horns together with the band. It was beyond infernal, and if Carcass wants to return to Toronto in another 135 days for more of that, I’m totally in!

Setlist
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (Intro)
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Buried Dreams
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Under the Scalpel Blade
This Mortal Coil
Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody (Intro)
Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Black Star (Intro)
Keep On Rotting in the Free World
The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Ruptured in Purulence (Intro)
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Encore:
Exhume to Consume
Tools of the Trade
316L Grade Surgical Steel

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Tom Draper – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

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Album Review – Viscera / Carcinogenesis (2023)

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UK’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster returns with their striking sophomore album, an essential listening for fans of modern Deathcore.

Formed in 2019 in the UK and featuring former members of Heart of a Coward, Abhorrent Decimation, Martyr Defiled, Nervecell and Surfaces, the electrifying Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster Viscera returned to the battlefield this year with their sophomore opus, titled Carcinogenesis, the follow-up to their 2020 breakthrough debut Obsidian. Produced by Viscera and Justin Hill, and mixed and mastered by Simon Pietroforte, the album is an essential listening for fans of modern Deathcore, Pantera, Killswitch Engage and Fit For an Autopsy, showcasing all the rage and dexterity by frontman Jamie Graham, guitarists Charlie Michael and Adam Bell, and bassist David Archer and drummer Alex Micklewright (both having left the band recently for personal reasons). “Lyrically/thematically, this album continues on from Obsidian with Delilah’s soul reaping cover. This time the energy she has gathered feeds her tyrannical partner, who in turn uses the newly absorbed life force to corrupt all around him. Metaphorically it’s a statement of how humanity tends to feed of others only then to tear itself apart,” commented Jamie about the band’s infuriated new opus.

The album kicks off with the gripping, melodic and imposing title-track Carcinogenesis, blending the best elements from Technical Death Metal and Symphonic Deathcore while Alex is bestial behind his drums and Jamie roars manically for our vulgar delectation; followed by Rats with Wings and its insurgent lyrics barked by Jamie (“A legion shall arise / A second sun has risen / Encase the earth in a fiery prison / The weeping world shall reap / The fruits of her dark secrets bequeathed / Calling out from the dark / Bring forth the ancient arc / Behind her blackest eyes / Unquenching thirst for blood”), while his bandmates generate a fulminating wall of Deathcore sounds. Then the band takes their animosity and heaviness to a whole new level in the headbanging extravaganza Layers of Skin, with Charlie and Adam spreading fire and hatred through their riffs supported by the crushing drums by Alex, and there’s no time to breathe as Viscera keep hammering our damned souls in Resolver, showcasing another violent vocal performance by Jamie and the always melodic but fierce riffs by the band’s guitar duo.

One more round of their demented Deathcore comes in the form of Omnipotence, presenting deep, inhumane roars by Jamie while his bandmates keep exhaling aggressiveness from their sonic weapons, whereas Sungazer is one of the most exciting songs of the album, with the soaring vocal lines by Jamie matching perfectly with the song’s epic atmosphere while Charlie and Adam continue to hypnotize us with their riffs and solos. In Lex Talionis we face more of their wicked lyrics (“I was trying to rebuild something / You promised that you’d listen to me / But if that were true it meant that you were human / That’s something that remains to be seen”) while the music is Deathcore played to perfection; followed by Demon Queen, absolutely technical, intricate and groovy, and the only song of the album where the vocals by Jamie are almost one hundred percent clean, overflowing darkness and heaviness until the very last second. And lastly, we have On Earth as it is in Hell, the most introspective and sinister of all songs, closing the album on a high note spearheaded by the pounding beats by Alex while its otherworldly vibe will darken your thoughts for all eternity.

Viscera more than nailed it with Carcinogenesis, which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, positioning it as one of the top heavy music albums of 2023 hand down. Hence, don’t forget to pay those guys a visit on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and more of their infernal music, and of course to purchase your copy of Carcinogenesis from the Unique Leader Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD or as a special edition 12″ vinyl, as well as from indiemerchstore.com also as a a special edition 12″ vinyl (or simply click HERE to buy or stream the album form your favorite retailer). The word “carcinogenesis” might mean the initiation of cancer formation, when normal cells are transformed into cancer cells, but in the case of Viscera it represents the initiation of an exciting new phase in their career, setting the bar high for their future releases and, therefore, offering us all another amazing reason for raising our horns high in the name of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Carcinogenesis, Layers of Skin, Sungazer and Lex Talionis.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2023 Unique Leader Records

Track listing
1. Carcinogenesis 5:49
2. Rats with Wings 3:31
3. Layers of Skin 4:03
4. Resolver 3:41
5. Omnipotence 3:40
6. Sungazer 4:33
7. Lex Talionis 4:30
8. Demon Queen 4:44
9. On Earth as it is in Hell 5:11

Band members
Jamie Graham – vocals
Charlie Michael – guitars
Adam Bell – guitars, synths
David Archer – bass, synths
Alex Micklewright – drums

Album Review – Lost Brethren / Dimensional Rift EP (2023)

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This UK-based Sci-Fi inspired Technical Death Metal entity will crush your senses with their brand new 14-minute EP from outer space.

A Sci-Fi inspired Technical Death Metal band formed in 2011 in Peterborough, a cathedral city in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England, Lost Brethren are unleashing upon us a pulverizing EP titled Dimensional Rift, following up on their 2019 full-length opus The Abduction. Mixed and mastered by Stefano Morabito at 16th Cellar Studio and displaying a futuristic artwork by Moga Alexandru of Kogaion Art, the four-track EP continues to deliver the characteristic heaviness, intricacy and fury from the band’s four full-length albums, showcasing all the dexterity by vocalist Adam Brown, guitarist Adrien Crozet, and guitarist and bassist Ant Deane, with the demolishing support of Polish drummer Krzysztof Klingbein (10 Plagues, Deathspawn) as a guest musician.

A wicked, very entertaining intro about extraterrestrial forms suddenly explodes into the band’s furious Death Metal in Terrestrial Ashes, with Adam roaring like an otherworldly creature supported by the crushing drums by Krzysztof, feeling absolutely demolishing yet extremely technical. And Adrien and Ant distill all their dexterity and passion for heavy music armed with their strident riffs and solos in Intergalactic Reprisal, kicking some ass form start to finish while inviting us all to slam into the pit; whereas the title-track Dimensional Rift takes their unrelenting Technical Death Metal to a whole new level spearheaded by the deep guttural by Adam and the always inhumane beats by Krzysztof, not to mention how striking and incendiary their guitars sound once again. Lastly, we face another three-minute metal attack titled Nefarious Reign, with their intricate riffage bringing even more dementia to the overall result, or in other words, it’s in-your-face, no shenanigans Technical Death Metal from outer space.

In summary, Lost Brethren are ready to kick your freakin’ arse with their newborn 14-minute beast, and if you want to show those UK death metallers your utmost support you can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream all of their infernal creations on Spotify, and of course purchase Dimensional Rift from their Big Cartel as a CD or as a special CD + T-shirt bundle, as well as from Apple Music. The combination of Sci-Fi and Death Metal always brings to our ears some amazing music, and Lost Brethren seem to have mastered that art with all of their releases, including of course their vibrant new EP.

Best moments of the album: Dimensional Rift.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Grindscene Records

Track listing
1. Terrestrial Ashes 4:27
2. Intergalactic Reprisal 3:09
3. Dimensional Rift 3:09
4. Nefarious Reign 3:03

Band members
Adam Brown – vocals
Adrien Crozet – lead guitar
Ant Deane – rhythm guitar, bass, theremin

Guest musician
Krzysztof Klingbein – drums

Album Review – Seven Doors / Feast of the Repulsive Dead (2023)

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Behold the spine-chilling debut album by this one-man outfit from the UK, flawlessly combining his passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal.

A one-man horror-themed Death Metal band formed in 2020 in Cornwall, located in the southwest of the UK, the unrelenting Seven Doors, whose name is inspired by the name of the hotel in Lucio Fulci’s 1981 film The Beyond, is ready to take everything to the next level of horror with the project’s debut full-length album Feast of the Repulsive Dead, the follow-up to its 2021 debut EP The Gates of Hell. Recorded by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Wills, mixed by Ben King at Cryptic Sound, mastered by JB Van Der Wal at Hewwetover Studio, and displaying an 80’s horror flick-themed cover art by Dedy Badic Art, Feast of the Repulsive Dead flawlessly combines Ryan’s passion for 70’s and 80’s horror films with his love for 90’s Death Metal, with his musical influences stemming from renowned acts like Death, Gorguts, Asphyx, Malevolent Creation and Cannibal Corpse, resulting in a banger of a record that will certainly grab the attention of Death Metal enthusiasts worldwide.

Fully created by Slasher Dave of Acid Witch, A Quiet Night in the Cemetery is a great intro absolutely inspired by all of those awesome slasher flicks form the 80’s, sending shivers down your spine before Ryan begins decimating his guitar in the title-track Feast of the Repulsive Dead, a lesson in brutality and gore where he roars and gnarls deeply like a creature taken from a horror movie. And Ryan keeps distilling his visceral, in-your-face Death Metal in the also demolishing Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed, displaying an amazing job done with his riffage and his vile but intricate beats; followed by The Morbid Mortician, with the guest solo by Paul Nazarkardeh of De Profundis bringing an extra touch of insanity to the music, therefore living up to the legacy of the genre, with the song’s infuriated riffage being a thing of beauty. Ryan’s fusion of Death Metal and horror continues to impress in Welcome Back to Life, offering more of his demonic growls amidst a neck-breaking sonic devastation, whereas inspired by giants the likes of Immolation, Cannibal Corpse and Morbid Angel, it’s time for a mid-tempo, heavy-as-hell tune titled I’ll Swallow Your Soul, with Ryan once again being on fire with all instruments.

It’s then time to slam into the circle pit to the sound of the Death Metal extravaganza titled The Hack Shack, showcasing a huge dosage of violence and gore spiced up by the hard work Ryan put into each second of the song, feeling very detailed, exciting and brutal, and there’s no time to breathe as Ryan continues to crush our damned souls in Isolated Existence, another Cannibal Corpse-inspired tune presenting hammering drums and demented riffs. After such demolishing tune, a serene intro explodes into sheer violence and hatred in The Graves of Matool. Needless to say, Ryan sounds infernal with both his guttural roars and unstoppable Death Metal riffs; and Ryan still has a lot of fuel to burn with Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers, featuring the guest solos by Chris Monroy and Mike De La O of Skeletal Remains, another bestial composition where his bass and drums will hit you hard in the head. Lastly, we have his rendition of Malevolent Creation’s Eve of the Apocalypse (check the original one HERE from their 1992 album Retribution), and I must say what a beautiful tribute by Ryan and his Seven Doors, sounding as demented and obscure as the original version.

“The key theme here for me is density: protein-packed riffs rip along with satisfying retro thickness, sometimes shifting gears up into buzzing tremolo passages, and everything from the kick drum to the vocals just packs onto the satisfying impact. That’s not to say anything is overcrowded, but thin and lifeless death metal this is not. Classic staples of the genre, like larger-than-life solos floating on top of the mix and gnarly bass runs helping to kick off songs, keep Feast of the Repulsive Dead grounded and viciously enjoyable throughout. Whether or not you’re in the right climate to share my mindset, the end of the year – and this year specifically – tends to be rough for many reasons. Let Seven Doors drive away some of those worries through sheer force,” commented Ryan about his fantastic, must-listen new opus, and if you want to show him your support you can follow Seven Doors on Facebook and Instagram, stream his music on Spotify, and purchase a copy of Feast of the Repulsive Dead from his own BandCamp page, or from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the US (as a CD or an LP) and in Europe (also as a CD or as an LP) sooner than a dead body can resuscitate as a zombie.

Best moments of the album: Feast of the Repulsive Dead, The Morbid Mortician, The Hack Shack and Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records

Track listing
1. A Quiet Night in the Cemetery 1:08
2. Feast of the Repulsive Dead 4:56
3. Stalked, Strangled and Stabbed 3:55
4. The Morbid Mortician 5:00
5. Welcome Back to Life 4:20
6. I’ll Swallow Your Soul 4:01
7. The Hack Shack 3:38
8. Isolated Existence 4:13
9. The Graves of Matool 5:40
10. Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers 3:13
11. Eve of the Apocalypse (Malevolent Creation cover) 3:05

Band members
Ryan Wills – vocals, all instruments

Guest musicians
Slasher Dave – everything on “A Quiet Night in the Cemetery”
Paul Nazarkardeh – guitar solo on “The Morbid Mortician”
Chris Monroy – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”
Mike De La O – guitar solo on “Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers”

Album Review – Imperial Execration / Commanding Satan’s Crusades (2022)

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A Colombian Death Metal horde based in the UK is inviting us all to join Satan’s crusades to the sound of their pustulent psalms of inverted sanctity.

At the spearhead of a new assault upon the bulwarks of civilization comes the barbaric Brutal Death Metal/Deathslam horde of Imperial Execration, armed with the rotting horror of their debut album Commanding Satan’s Crusades. Formed in 2019 by two Colombian musicians now relocated to the UK, drummer Ruben Jaramillio (Ataud, Engulfed In Abomination), and guitarist and bassist Eduardo Camargo (Ataud, Goreinhaled, Despondency), this putrid platoon of Satan’s soldiers is completed by the bestial bellows of the infamous Colombian vocalist Oscar “Mr. Oscarnivore T-666” Macias (of Carnivore Diprosopus), together creating six pustulent psalms of inverted sanctity and added to that grim order of service a cover song that exhales death and gore. Mixed and mastered by Tom Bradfield at Grindethic Records, and displaying a sick artwork by Venezuelan artist John Quevedo Janssens, Commanding Satan’s Crusades will leave no doubt about the future, as there is no light at the end of the tunnel, there is no redemption and absolutely no resurrection, being therefore recommended for lovers of the devastating music by Suffocation, Gorgasm, Devangelic and Disentomb, just to name a few.

Summoning of the Ancient Hordes sounds utterly putrid, gory and demolishing from the very first second, and it’s impressive how just three guys can make so much noise. Moreover, Oscar’s deep barks sound and feel inhumane throughout the entire song (and album), accompanied by the classic blast beats by Ruben. Commandments of the Age of Darkness is another onrush of first-class Brutal Death Metal that will decimate your damned soul during its three demented minutes, with Eduardo doing a fantastic job with both his riffs and bass lines, and those three Colombians are ready to pound our cranial skull to dust with the venomous Throne of Sadistic Abominations, a lecture in Brutal Death Metal that lives up to the legacy of the genre with Oscar vomiting the song’s dark words majestically.

In His Ominous Presence the band keeps the insanity and blasphemy of the album at an unimaginable level, with Ruben being absolutely bestial behind his drums in this ode to darkness, and he keeps hammering his drums in Lords of Tyrannical Perversion, with Eduardo’s evil riffage providing Oscar with exactly what he needs to bark nonstop. There’s still more fuel to burn to the sound of Victory of the Stygian Empire, with its cryptic intro evolving into a brutal assault of classic Death Metal led by the gruesome vociferations by Oscar. Put differently, it can’t get any heavier than this, flowing into their cover version for Dehumanizer’s classic tune Condemned (check the original version HERE, from their 1998 demo Prophecies Foretold). Needless to say, Imperial Execration’s version is just as demonic and obscure, with Eduardo kicking some serious ass with both his riffs and bass punches.

The malevolent, hellish Death Metal played by Imperial Excretion in Commanding Satan’s Crusades can be appreciated in all of its glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course let’s show those Colombian metallers our true support by purchasing their fulminating album from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Comatose Music BandCamp page or webstore as a CD or as an amazing CD + shirt + sticker bundle, and from several other locations such as Discogs and Barnes & Noble. They are also eager to hear what you have to say about their newborn vile creations on Facebook and on Instagram, inviting us all to join Satan’s crusades to the sound of their thrilling, sulfurous Death Metal, and I’m sure we’ll have a very good time banging our heads manically with them.

Best moments of the album: Summoning of the Ancient Hordes, Throne of Sadistic Abominations and Victory of the Stygian Empire.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Summoning of the Ancient Hordes 3:08
2. Commandments of the Age of Darkness 2:59
3. Throne of Sadistic Abominations 2:56
4. His Ominous Presence 2:57
5. Lords of Tyrannical Perversion 3:21
6. Victory of the Stygian Empire 3:41
7. Condemned (Dehumanized Cover) 2:55

Band members
Oscar “Mr. Oscarnivore T-666” Macias – vocals
Eduardo Camargo – guitars, bass
Ruben Jaramillio – drums

Concert Review – Amon Amarth (History, Toronto, ON, 12/02/2022)

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A beautiful night where all Vikings of Toronto put their backs into the oar and rowed in the name of heavy music together with the one and only Amon Amarth. 

OPENING ACTS: Cattle Decapitation, Obituary and Carcass

The last concert of 2022 (at least for me) couldn’t have been any better, as Toronto had the pleasure of hosting The Great Heathen Tour 2022 at this amazing new venue called History, which was by the way inaugurated in November 2021 and belongs to Toronto’s own rapper Drake, with the bands CATTLE DECAPITATION, OBITUARY, CARCASS and the unstoppable heathen horde AMON AMARTH. The venue is in a nice area of the city, near the beaches, with plenty of parking options and decent places to eat nearby such as The Burger’s Priest, making the whole experience a lot more enjoyable than going to a concert at Rebel, for example.

And everything was so well-organized, from the line to get into the venue to the merch booths, bars and coat check, that between the doors opening at 5:30pm and the first concert I had time to do all that and still had 15-20min left before American Progressive Death Metal/Grindcore outfit CATTLE DECAPITATION hit the stage at 6:30pm sharp with their vicious sonic attack. Still promoting their 2019 album Death Atlas, the band spearheaded by frontman Travis Ryan needed less than a minute to inspire the crowd to create a massive circle pit in the middle of the floor section, and that circle pit went on and on until the very end of their concert (and of the entire night, I might say). Moreover, although their setlist was extremely short, it was solid enough to put a smile on the faces of their diehard fans, with the pulverizing Bring Back the Plague being the icing on the cake of their great performance.

Setlist
Anthropogenic: End Transmission
The Geocide
Vulturous
The Great Dying Pt. II
Finish Them
We Eat Our Young
Time’s Cruel Curtain
Bring Back the Plague

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

If you’re familiar with the laws, rules and regulations in Toronto you know that most concerts must finish by 11pm depending on the neighborhood where the venue is located, so you can imagine that with four amazing bands like the ones from last night there weren’t any huge breaks in between bands. That being said, I had time to grab a quick beer before one of the biggest Death Metal institutions of all time, the unstoppable OBITUARY, began their insane performance led by the iconic vocalist John Tardy and the crushing drums by his younger brother Donald Tardy. It was again a short but precise and infernal performance by those American death metallers, blending their old school stuff the likes of I’m in Pain with a brand new song from their upcoming 2023 album Dying of Everything, the demolishing The Wrong Time, and by the reaction of the crowd to each and every song played by Obituary we know they’ll keep moving forward no matter what for many years to come. Needless to say, I can’t wait for Dying of Everything next year.

Setlist
Snortin’ Whiskey (Pat Travers Band song)
Redneck Stomp
Sentence Day
A Lesson in Vengeance
Visions in My Head
Circle of the Tyrants (Celtic Frost cover)
The Wrong Time
I’m in Pain
Don’t Care

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

Another short break, another beer, and then it was finally time for my first ever face-to-face meeting with England’s own Melodic Death Metal/Death ‘n’ Roll trailblazers CARCASS, one of the very few bands I’ve always been a fan of but that I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing live. Still promoting their fantastic 2021 album Torn Arteries, Jeff Walker, Bill Steer, Tom Draper and Daniel Wilding put on a marvelous show for the delight of all fans at the venue, igniting some sick mosh pits to the sound of Incarnated Solvent Abuse, This Mortal Coil, Genital Grinder, and my favorite Carcass song of all time, Heartwork. Hopefully, Carcass will keep delivering amazing material such as Torn Arteries in the coming years, which means more world tours of course, because Toronto loves Carcass and we’re eager to see them again in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (Intro)
Buried Dreams
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Under the Scalpel Blade
This Mortal Coil
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Genital Grinder
The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Tom Draper – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

AMON AMARTH

At long last, just like what happened with Cannibal Corpse, the unparalleled Swedish Melodic Death Metal horde AMON AMARTH was finally able to return to Canada after three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the wait was beyond worth it as their concert yesterday in Toronto was superb to say the least. Those Swedish Vikings kicked some serious ass from the very first second of the classic Guardians of Asgaard (and yes, they’re starting their shows this tour already with a bang), with frontman Johan Hegg being on fire with his deep roars and a very respectful beard. All songs form their 2022 album The Great Heathen Army sounded fantastic live, in special the title-track The Great Heathen Army, adding an extra taste to their incendiary setlist full of classic songs including Destroyer of the Universe and Shield Wall.

The most memorable moment for all fans at the venue was undoubtedly when the band played their new hit Put Your Back Into the Oar, when halfway through it the whole floor section sat down and began rowing like in a Viking ship. That was amazing, really, really fun, proving Amon Amarth are one of those bands that know exactly how to captivate their audiences and interact with each and every fan in the most exciting way possible. If you’re attending one of their upcoming concerts, don’t forget to join the rowing. Their music is awesome, their stage is getting better and better with each tour, but the rowing is something so unique I think it should be mandatory for anyone who purchases a ticket to participate. I can’t wait for the next time Amon Amarth takes the city of Toronto by storm, and I’ll surely be there to put my back into the oar again! ROW! ROW! ROW!

It’s always great to enjoy a night of heavy music in Toronto, to share a few beers with your friends, and to see several familiar faces in the crowd. However, there was one of those familiar faces missing, and it was THE MOST familiar face of the Toronto metal scene. Our beloved super metal fan Walter Froeberich passed away on November 26 after trying to get help for nearly ten days for a serious abdominal pain, but he was allegedly sent home with just some antibiotics and, sadly, died at home in the end. His closest friends organized a protest in front of St. Joseph’s Hospital today demanding justice for Walter, and I really hope something is done to make sure that type of situation doesn’t ever happen again with anyone else in Toronto. I didn’t formally know Walter, but I’ve shared the pit with him many, many times and I’ll miss him in all future concerts in the city. When Amon Amarth played the excellent Raise Your Horns, I raised my horns for Walter, and I’m sure one day I’ll say hello to him in person when we meet in Valhalla again.

Setlist
Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden song)
Guardians of Asgaard
Raven’s Flight
Deceiver of the Gods
Oden Owns You All
The Pursuit of Vikings
The Great Heathen Army
Get in the Ring
Destroyer of the Universe
Put Your Back Into the Oar
Cry of the Black Birds
The Way of Vikings
First Kill
Shield Wall
Raise Your Horns

Encore:
Twilight of the Thunder God

Band members
Johan Hegg – vocals
Olavi Mikkonen – lead guitar
Johan Söderberg – rhythm guitar
Ted Lundström – bass
Jocke Wallgren – drums

Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, 10/21/2022)

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Another night of pure Iron Maiden madness hit the nice city of Newark as the band approaches the end of their fantastic 2022 tour.  

INTRO: Liberty and Prosperity… but no FTTB!

What wild, wild two weeks (or maybe I should say the entire month of October) of pure fuckin’ metal! After winning the renowned (and sometimes controversial) First to the Barrier in all three Canadian dates this year, I didn’t get it for the Legacy of the Beast World Tour 2022 concert at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey last Friday, which motto is by the way “Liberty and Prosperity”, but to be fair I think the experience of meeting my fellow IMFC blood brothers and sisters before the gig was even more engaging and fun. The place chosen for our meetup was Bello’s Pub & Grill, located a short walking distance from the venue, and I loved meeting some new friends there while enjoying a beer, talking about Iron Maiden and metal in general, and so on. Furthermore, knowing that some people lined up for the FTTB at 6am and still got number 30 made me even happier for not winning it this time and being able to go to the meetup. And once again I made it to the flags picture! How cool is that?

OPENING ACT: Within Temptation

After our nice IMFC meetup, the crew headed to the Prudential Center for a look at the merch, some beers and some relaxing moments before Iron Maiden hit the stage once again with their fulminating Heavy Metal. The opening act was as expected Dutch Symphonic Metal/Alternative Rock band WITHIN TEMPTATION, who not only made a couple of changes to their setlist compared to their Canadian dates, but the stunning Sharon den Adel finally ditched that “dark princess” attire with a very tight corset for a more rockin’ style, wearing leather pants and jacket, and I think she looked a lot more relaxed and dynamic on stage by wearing that. Their concert was again short and sweet, with the song Raise Your Banner being once again one of the top moments of their performance. I’m not sure how much the Iron Maiden fans from New Jersey enjoyed Within Temptation as their reaction wasn’t as rowdy as in Ottawa, but it was a decent show in the end.

Setlist
The Reckoning
Paradise (What About Us?)
In the Middle of the Night
What Have You Done
Supernova
Don’t Pray for Me
Raise Your Banner
Mother Earth

Band members
Sharon den Adel – vocals
Robert Westerholt – guitars
Ruud Jolie – guitars
Stefan Helleblad – guitars
Jeroen van Veen – bass
Martijn Spierenburg – keyboards
Mike Coolen – drums

IRON MAIDEN

My last concert of the current Legacy of the Beast World Tour 2022 couldn’t have been more special, as I was reunited with one of my best friends to see the almighty IRON MAIDEN for the first time together since 2013, and of course the band didn’t disappoint at all. Everyone at the venue had an amazing moment from the first seconds of the opener Senjutsu with its Samurai Eddie to the closing moments of Aces High, with classics such as Revelations and Hallowed Be Thy Name driving the fans absolutely crazy. Bruce was simply phenomenal on vocals throughout the entire show, as well as of course the rest of the band armed with their sonic weapons, making New Jersey lose its breath on another night of pure awesomeness.

Anything I say about the band’s guitar triumvirate won’t represent exactly how in sync, incendiary and precise they are, but in New Jersey our beloved Adrian kicked some serious ass with his axe, with his intro to The Writing on the Wall being a thing of beauty once again. And Steve and Nicko, holy shit, I thought the roof of the Prudential Center was going to fall due to the insane heaviness flowing from their respective bass and drums. I wish I could attend another concert before their last one in Tampa, Florida this Thursday October 27, but that’s not a problem at all. There’s a new tour coming up in 2023, so who knows? It’s just a matter of planning a decent trip to Europe or wait for the probable announcement of the North American leg soon.

And before I go, I wanted to mention one weird and dangerous incident that happened during the gig according to some members of the IMFC. As I was a little further back I didn’t see anything, but several people mentioned that there was a guy in the floor section carrying a handgun that became visible while he was crowdsurfing. I know it’s the United States and people love guns from the bottom of their hearts there, carrying guns anywhere they go, but having one during a concert with over 15,000 people was very immature and irresponsible of him. Maybe he wasn’t going to shoot anyone, but what if someone caught his gun and decided to do so? And how did he manage to go through security with a handgun while several fans, including myself, had to take even their belts off to be allowed into the venue? Is a belt more dangerous than a gun? Anyway, fortunately nothing bad happened and we all had a great time enjoying Iron Maiden in 2022, and now it’s time to get ready for The Future Past Tour in 2023!

Setlist
Transylvania
Doctor Doctor
Senjutsu
Stratego
The Writing on the Wall
Revelations
Blood Brothers
Sign of the Cross
Flight of Icarus
Fear of the Dark
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden

Encore:
The Trooper
The Clansman
Run to the Hills

Encore 2:
Churchill’s Speech
Aces High
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

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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