Tag Archives: france

Album Review – Atrocia / Contamination (2022)

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It’s time to slam into the pit to the vicious Death Metal spawned by this incendiary French band, dealing with a dystopian universe inspired by science-fiction literature.

The vicious Death Metal spawned by Saint-Nazaire, Pays de la Loire, France-based act Atrocia correlates with diversity and energy, being inspired by the major figures from the 90’s scene in the United States such as Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse and Death with elements of Thrash Metal and a nuance of Grindcore added to their trademark sound. Dealing with a dystopian universe in their lyrics since their inception in 2003, particularly inspired by science-fiction literature, Atrocia are back in action now in 2022 with their third full-length album, entitled Contamination, with the crisp recording and mixing by Arthur Lauth at Brown Bear Recording, the mastering by Zack Ohren at Castle Ultimate Productions, and the futuristic artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre while also showcasing all the talent by vocalist and guitarist Julien Lésébos, guitarist Sebastian Fuentes, bassist Arnaud Beilvert, and drummer Pierre Garcia.

The fulminating riffs by Julien and Sebastian kick off the brutal Unleashing The Insurgency, with Pierre’s crushing beats adding even more fuel to the band’s Death Metal machine without showing a single second of peace, whereas more of the band’s vile Death Metal comes in the form of Corridors Of The Living Dead, with Julien barking deeply à la Chris Barnes while Arnaud’s bass and Pierre’s drums fill out every empty space in the atmosphere. In Incorporeal Killer the unrelenting Julien keeps vomiting the song’s bloodthirsty words while Pierre dictates the song’s pace, also bringing forward sick, strident guitar solos; and a beyond sinister intro gradually morphs into a putrid sonority in Monolith, an old school Death Metal extravaganza where the whole band will demolish our senses with their heavy-as-hell artillery.

The second half of the album begins in full force with Iron Corps Icy Stalk, presenting truly melodic riffs and solos by Julien and Sebastian while Arnaud and Pierre show no mercy for our damned souls with their wicked kitchen (despite its second part getting a bit repetitive), whereas Lies brings to our avid ears more of their old school Death Metal for our total delight, with Pierre once again stealing the spotlight with his infernal blast beats. Then a cinematic, cryptic start permeates the air until the band returns with their hellish wall of sounds in Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra, where their riffs will pierce our minds mercilessly, sounding and feeling absolutely pulverizing in an ode to all things Death Metal. Lastly, the band brings forth over seven minutes of pure savagery titled Embrace The Venom, perfect for headbanging like a beast while Pierre hammers his drums with tons of groove, supported by the diabolical riffs and bass by his bandmates.

In summary, Atrocia more than nailed it with Contamination, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, perfectly adding their dystopian lyrics into their core (and extremely brutal) Death Metal, and if you want to show those French metallers how much you love their music you can buy their new album from their own BandCamp page, from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music, or from Amazon, as well as by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. It might have taken a few years after the band’s inception before they could release their first full-length effort, but now we can say such French brigade has been on a roll since their 2012 album Inward Chaos, with Contamination cementing their name in the French underground extreme music scene.

Best moments of the album: Unleashing The Insurgency, Incorporeal Killer and Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra.

Worst moments of the album: Iron Corps Icy Stalk.

Released in 2022 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. Unleashing The Insurgency 4:59
2. Corridors Of The Living Dead 3:42
3. Incorporeal Killer 4:49
4. Monolith 7:09
5. Iron Corps Icy Stalk 4:50
6. Lies 4:51
7. Curse Of The Two-Headed Queen Cobra 5:34
8. Embrace The Venom 7:25

Band members
Julien Lésébos – vocals, guitar
Sebastian Fuentes – guitar
Arnaud Beilvert – bass
Pierre Garcia – drums

Album Review – My Own Fear / Violence Made History (2022)

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Let’s all have a lesson in violence to the sound of the awesome first full-length album by this ruthless Death and Thrash Metal band from France.

Formed in 2011 in Val d’Oise, a department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France, Death/Thrash Metal troopers My Own Fear have just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, titled Violence Made History, enhancing the heaviness, rage and fury from their 2014 debut EP Rise to a whole new level. Currently formed of Nicolas Benloulou on vocals, Stéphane Neraud and Fabrice Darmon on the guitars, Gilles Sala on bass, and Sébastien Geley on drums, My Own Fear will inspire you to slam into the circle pit to the sound of their newborn spawn dealing with controversial topics like death, inner struggles and the horrors of historical events the likes of the Spanish Inquisition, being highly recommended for admirers of the vicious and intricate music blasted by renowned acts such as Death, Sepultura and The Haunted, among several others.

The atmospheric, cinematic intro Once Upon a Fall works as the calm before the storm, as the band comes crushing our senses in 6:1 – 8, a frantic thrashing feast where Sébastien sounds demonic behind his drums accompanied by the dirty and piercing riffs by Stéphane and Fabrice, being perfect for some sick headbanging. The quintet keeps delivering sheer animosity and rage through their infernal music in Dux Bellarum, with Nicolas roaring manically in the name of Thrash Metal; and deadly and sinister from the very first second, the demolishing Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) brings to our ears the pounding beats by Sébastien while Gilles hammers his bass nonstop, resulting in an excellent option for their live concerts. Then we have Torquemada, which starts in a cryptic manner to the sound of acoustic guitars before exploding into the band’s vicious fusion of Death and Thrash Metal, or in other words, it’s another neck-breaking tune by those French metallers that also presents exciting and melodic breaks and passages.

Ghosts on the Warpath is a lot more obscure and groovier than its predecessors, with the bass by Gilles sounding thunderous in a lesson in modern-day Death Metal with Hardcore nuances, and it looks like the band will keep firing their most vicious form of Death Metal in Salem, where Nicolas is bestial on vocals, roaring the song’s lyrics from the bottom of his blackened heart (not to mention the song’s wicked guitar solos). After that, the “Era of the Rats Trilogy” begins with 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1, an instrumental interlude that sounds as if the band is getting ready for war, evolving into the ass-kicking Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2, blending the best elements from Death and Thrash Metal with European Hardcore where Stéphane and Fabrice are once again demented with their riffage and solos, and finally ending the album the band brings forward five minutes of Death Metal darkness entitled Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3, with Gilles and Sébastien being in perfect sync by adding endless groove to the overall result.

In a nutshell, the excellent Violence Made History, which is available in full on Spotify, definitely sets the bar high for My Own Fear regarding their upcoming releases, but I’m sure those talented French musicians will find a way to sound even heavier and more compelling in the future. Hence, go check what My Own Fear are up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course grab your copy of Violence Made History from Rock Metal Market, iMusician, Best Buy, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Record Store Day. My Own Fear are opening up our eyes to the undeniable truth that violence indeed made what we know today as History, and violence is what will keep fueling not only the future of humanity, but also the first-class music crafted by such skillful and focused band from France.

Best moments of the album: Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.), Ghosts on the Warpath and Salem.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 M.U.S.I.C. Records

Track listing
1. Once Upon a Fall 1:09
2. 6:1 – 8 5:41
3. Dux Bellarum 4:13
4. Hell Fire Club (H.F.C.) 4:08
5. Torquemada 4:20
6. Ghosts on the Warpath 4:04
7. Salem 5:09
8. 1349 – Era of the Rats, Pt. 1 1:36
9. Devoured by Pestilence – Era of the Rats, Pt. 2 3:51
10. Empire of the Rats – Era of the Rats, Pt. 3 5:02

Band members
Nicolas Benloulou – vocals
Stéphane Neraud – guitars, backing vocals
Fabrice Darmon – guitars
Gilles Sala – bass
Sébastien Geley – drums

Album Review – Enmity / Demagoguery (2022)

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***Review by Luke Hayhurst, writer for Morbid Wings (Print) Zine, VM Underground Fanzine and Doom-Metal.com***

A debut album of old school Thrash/Death Metal that spans four countries and two continents. Enmity hails from France and Greece in Europe, and Jordan and Indonesia in Asia. A multicultural smorgasbord spread across thousands of miles combines to create one aggressive Thrash entity with anger in their collective hearts towards the state of the world and our messed up society. Their debut album Demagoguery means to partake in political activities whilst seeking support by pandering to the prejudices of people instead of using rational argument. Nothing speaks louder than that to sum up the world in which we live in.

Unfortunately, due to a corrupt file I couldn’t listen to the albums opening track and so my first experience of Enmity is the groove drenched tones and mesmerizing guitar solos of The Bullet That Kills You. Chugging Death Metal and intricate Thrash collide through thick meaty drumming, ominous sounding guitar leads and raw vocal work.

So, whilst the main ingredients are present for an intensive Thrash/Death bout of rampaging societal angst, Demagoguery never really hits the highs that I expected of it, despite more than adequate musicianship and song writing ability. There are times when Enmity feels like they are trying to fit far too much technicality into their style, and the stop start nature of their playing robs them of a lot of momentum. Where the band should simply find a groove and ride that crest with the sense of rhythm they clearly possess, they let the moment ebb away on so many occasions that the album feels stilted.

Let me be perfectly clear, Demagoguery isn’t a bad album by any stretch of the imagination, but there is just something about the overall flow of this album that just loses something in translation.

Best Moments of the album: In all honesty, nothing massively stands out.

Worst moments of the album: The stop start nature of some of the melodies which decrease the albums intensity. Also the band occasionally loses momentum by trying to be a little too technical.

Released in 2022 by Kvlt and Kaos Productions

Track listing
1. My Enemy 4:32
2. The Bullet That Kills You 4:45
3. The Enemy Below 5:54
4. Preventable Genocide 4:56
5. Flying Fortress 5:33
6. Resistance 4:32
7. Demagoguery 7:41

Band members
Zuul – vocals
David Decobert – guitar
Michael Perwira – guitar
Mohammed Kutkut – bass
George Kollias – drums

Links
Enmity Facebook | Instagram | Linktree | Spotify | BandCamp | YouTube | Bfan.link

Metal Chick of the Month – Ambre Vourvahis

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I will not give up… I will not stand down!

Greece, France and Germany are three countries well known for their immensurable contributions to rock and metal music, and here on The Headbanging Moose how about we unite all three and have an absolute blast with our metal lady of the month of July? That’s exactly what you’ll get with the talented, gorgeous vocalist Ambre Vourvahis, the new frontwoman for German Symphonic Metal act Xandria, and a woman who definitely knows how to add tons of passion and feeling to her already powerful vocal lines. Having said all that, are you ready to join us and Ambre in this short but sweet tribute to one of the most promising names of the Symphonic Metal scene worldwide?

Half-Greek and half-French, but currently residing in Germany, the mesmerizing Ambre Vourvahis was already singing in choirs and musicals when she was in middle school, saying in one of her interviews that her life has always revolved around music, although she continued her studies in literature and philosophy and concluded it with a philosophy degree while at the same time she was still dreaming of making music, singing and going to concerts (which she confessed she sometimes did instead of going to class, just like all of us metalheads have already done at a given point in our lives). She said she started listening to metal music when she was around 11 years old, saying metal has been a crucial part of her whole life, and let’s say it’s quite easy to notice that by the way she sings, always putting her heart and soul into her performances.

Just a few weeks ago, our Greek goddess was announced as the new vocalist of Xandria, and in her own words, “I am beyond happy to be part of this adventure, I gave everything I had on the songs that are about to come and I love every single one of them. I hope you will do too. I can’t wait to meet you all and hear about your own musical journey.” Combining atmospheric, delicate vocals with harsh, visceral roars, her potent and versatile voice fits perfectly with the new musical direction of the band, which can already be seen in their new single title Reborn (which you can also stream on Spotify). Formed in 1994 in Bielefeld, a city in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe Region in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, Xandria have already had in their career the impressive number of eight vocalists, those being Nicole Tobien, Lisa Middelhauve, Kerstin Bischof, Manuela Kraller, Dianne van Giersbergen, Lisa Middelhauve, Aeva Maurelle, and now our metal lady Ambre Vourvahis. Accompanied by fellow musicians Robert Klawonn on the guitars, Tim Schwarz on bass and Dimitrios Gatsios on drums, as well as of course Ambre on vocals, the newly formed outfit around band leader, main songwriter, composer and guitarist Marco Heubaum is ready to bring its impressive career to the next level.

“Xandria is reborn… and the first sign of the return to life is the respectively titled song. Like before, Xandria are taking you on a voyage to your imagination, and the emotional and varied voice of new frontwoman Ambre Vourvahis will show you the way there with more facets then ever – prepare for some surprises! The new line up around mastermind Marco Heubaum will definitely start a whole new chapter that is fascinating and fresh, but still genuinely Xandria. Because this is what Xandria always has been – a voyager and explorer in the inspiring world of symphonic and heavy music. And now it is reborn,” commented the band about this new phase in their career, with Ambre also having some words to say about her new band. “I knew the band personally for a long time now and during their break Marco and I started to work on music for a possible project, while at the same time he was writing already some new Xandria songs, and then he thought my voice would fit very well on them, too. In the end we even took some of the ideas for that project into Xandria as it was fitting also really well actually and brought some new elements and diversity.”

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Although nothing is known about the new album yet, Ambre seems to be very excited and can’t wait to meet the band’s fans on the road. “I feel grateful, especially with the overwhelming warm welcome I got so far by the wonderful Xandria fans,” said our raven-haired diva, and I bet you can’t wait to listen to the follow-up to their 2017 album Theater of Dimensions and to see Ambre taking the stages by storm when the band begins their tour to promote their upcoming album. By the way, starting this September the band will embark on a massive European double headlining tour with Austrian Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal band Visions of Atlantis, inviting fans to dive deep into breathtaking soundscapes of Symphonic Metal, and hopefully that tour will also be extended to other places such as North and South America, Japan and Australia. “We want to plan a lot of tours, in as many countries as we can. But especially continue to make music that will be exciting for us and our fans,” said Ambre, also mentioning that she wants to thank all of the band’s fans in person and discover their musical journeys and taste as well, as she really loves to talk about music. Well, I bet you don’t want to miss that opportunity when Ambre hits the road together with Xandria, right?

You can also find Ambre doing the female vocals for Fragment Soul, a Progressive Metal band formed in 2016 in Greece which has another metal lady featured already on our webzine, the charming Heike Langhans, as a special member on vocals. How can she sing in such different bands at the same time, one might ask? Well, Ambre mentioned in one of her interviews that she loves to challenge herself vocally and to try new things, and as she can do both clean and guttural vocals it won’t be a surprise if other musicians and bands start recruiting her to be part of their new albums or live concerts, consequently leading her to visit more and more cities and countries while on tour. Hence, let’s show our total support to Ambre in this new phase of her career, and hope that sooner than later we’ll be able to witness her kicking some ass onstage with her bandmates from Xandria in our hometowns, showing once again why Symphonic Metal has always been the perfect place for skillful and hard working women who rock our world like our up-and-coming Greek vocalist.

Ambre Vourvahis’ Official Facebook page
Ambre Vourvahis’ Official Instagram
Xandria’s Official Facebook page
Xandria’s Official Instagram
Xandria’s Official YouTube channel
Xandria’s Official Twitter

“I trained and developed my singing on my own (especially the harsh vocals) as well as with vocal coaches for many years, and still today – there is always so much more to learn and to achieve so I will probably never stop working with a professional vocal coach.” – Ambre Vourvahis

Album Review – Citadel / Remember Your Past (2022)

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Let your darkest thoughts guide you to the sound of the debut album by a promising “Second Wave Orchestral Black Metal” band hailing from France.

A musical project which began two years ago at the initiative of a single man, Meddy Beaufils Motte, responsible for the guitars, keyboards and orchestrations, and joined a few weeks later by vocalist and guitarist Jeff Grimal, Bordeaux, France-based Symphonic and Atmospheric Black Metal act Citadel has just released their debut full-length effort, entitled Remember Your Past, a “Second Wave Orchestral Black Metal” feast highly influenced by bands the likes of Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Der Weg Einer Freiheit and Enslaved. Mixed and mastered by Mathis Delepierre, and displaying a sinister artwork by the band’s own Jeff Grimal, Remember Your Past offers the listener seven tracks which form the personal story of a character with a specific life path, ranging from the common murderer to the spiritual man, while mixing different universes (those being science fiction, fantasy and, of course, reality), therefore showcasing all the talent and passion for heavy music by the aforementioned Jeff and Meddy together with bassist Benoit Gateuil and drummer Léo Isnard.

A beyond cinematic and phantasmagorical Intro sets the stage for Citadel to crush our souls with I See You, where Léo begins his sonic attack armed with his devilish drums, providing Jeff with all he needs to gnarl like a creature form the abyss. In other words, it’s kick-ass old school Black Metal with atmospheric nuances, not to mention how sharp the riffage by Jeff and Meddy sounds. The Cradle of Filth-inspired keys by Meddy ignite the also infernal Look, Your Pathetic Attempts, an imposing composition by those French metallers that lives up to the legacy of primeval Black Metal, with Jeff being once again demonic on vocals, roaring deeply and with tons of hatred in his heart; whereas the rumbling bass by Benoit offers a solid support to the strident guitars by Jeff and Meddy in The Road, where Jeff sounds even more demented on vocals than before, consequently enhancing the song’s obscurity and madness in the name of Atmospheric Black Metal.

Your Choice is simply brutal and dense from the very first second thanks to the thunderous kitchen crafted by Benoit and Léo while Jeff keeps screaming with tons of anger, also showcasing orchestral passages and piercing guitars, followed by Resurection, where a serene, melancholic start suddenly evolves into an instrumental Black and Doom Metal aria led by the intricate beats by Léo (and all that progressiveness permeates the air until the very end). Then back to a more visceral and raw mode the quartet fires sheer insanity through their sonic weapons in You’re a Piece of Shit, with Léo and Benoit punching us in the head mercilessly while Jeff and Meddy bring forward their trademark razor-edged Black Metal riffs. Finally, before all is said and done, there’s time for Citadel to captivate our senses one last time with a sinister Outro, fading into the unknown for our total delight.

Such acid and obscure album made in France can be appreciated in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to add it to your personal, devilish collection you should purchase it by clicking HERE and selecting your favorite version of it. In addition, don’t forget to start following Citadel on Facebook for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, showing all your support to French Black Metal. Remember Your Past is not just dark or evil, but a musical representation of all the talent that emanates form those four metallers, and of course the insanity and obscurity from the human mind. In other words, simply join Citadel in their quest for extreme music, and let your darkest thoughts guide you while enjoying the epic Black Metal blasted by the band throughout their infernal debut opus.

Best moments of the album: Look, Your Pathetic Attempts, The Road and You’re a Piece of Shit.

Worst moments of the album: Resurection.

Released in 2022 Cold Dark Matter Records/Duality Records/Enter the Void Records

Track listing
1. Intro 2:10
2. I See You 4:01
3. Look, Your Pathetic Attempts 4:59
4. The Road 7:44
5. Your Choice 6:11
6. Resurection 6:45
7. You’re a Piece of Shit 5:04
8. Outro 5:32

Band members
Jeff Grimal – vocals, guitars
Meddy Beaufils Motte – guitars, keyboards, orchestrations
Benoit Gateuil – bass
Léo Isnard – drums

Album Review – Cage Fight / Cage Fight (2022)

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It’s time to get into a bloodsoaked cage fight to the sound of the thrilling debut album by an up-and-coming London, UK-based Hardcore outfit.

Featuring the stunning French vocalist Rachel Aspe, known for her time with the iconic French Neo-Metal act Eths, and TesseracT guitarist James Monteith, London, England-based Crossover/Hardcore unity Cage Fight have just unleashed upon us mere mortals their debut self-titled effort, one of the most furious records to emerge from the UK in years. The anger and frustration of the band’s debut album is the perfect catharsis for our times, not only showcasing all the talent of the aforementioned Rachel and James together with bassist Jon Reid and drummer Nick Plews, but the artwork itself, a grabbing hand with the Cage Fight logo tattooed on the palm, visually portrays the violent rage at the core of the band’s music. Legitimately tattooed by Rachel, a tattoo artist by trade, the process of creating the image is as impactful as the final artwork itself, giving you a very good idea of how ruthless and austere the album sounds. “I cherish the ability to channel my anger through this outlet. In a world full of uncertainty and frustration this type of music was the only thing I found solace and balance in. These songs have a deep meaning for me and I hope this is something that other people can relate to,” commented the multi-talented Rachel about such outstanding album.

Featuring Jeremy Sylvester, a highly influential and prolific Garage and House producer from the UK, the album begins with a modern, electronic Intro that sets the stage for The Mirror Shattered, a bestial Hardcore tune with Punk Rock elements led by the venomous guitars by James while Rachel roars manically, therefore living up to the legacy of bands such as The Exploited and Ratos de Porão. There’s no time to breathe as Nick keeps hammering his drums in Killer, another excellent composition showcasing a high-octane fusion of Crossover Thrash and Groove Metal where once again James is infernal armed with his axe. Rachel sounds possessed by a demonic entity throughout the entire album, and it couldn’t have been any different than that in the awesome Hope Castrated, a massive, in-your-face Hardcore feast where Jon’s rumbling bass and Nick’s furious beats will make your head tremble, and it’s then time to slam into the pit and raise our horns in the name of rebelliousness and rage in Make A Decision, absolutely fast and furious thanks to another flawless performance by Nick on drums while Rachel showcases her trademark she-demon screams for our total delight. Their Punk Rock vein pulses stronger than ever in Guillotine, with the slashing, piercing riffs by James walking hand in hand with the bass punches by Jon, not to mention Rachel even fires some gruesome, vile Brutal Death Metal screeches.

The MMA entrance-inspired interlude Cage Fight! warms us up for the metal battle entitled Shine Don’t Fade, sounding and feeling pulverizing from the very first second thanks to the dynamic and evil sounds blasted by James, Jon and Nick, perfect for breaking your neck headbanging; whereas in One Minute the quartet plays at the speed of light in a great hybrid of classic Thrash Metal the likes of Anthrax with the more ferocious music by Lamb of God. In Tell Me What Real Is, less visceral but still heavy-as-hell, dense and demonic, Rachel keeps screaming inside our heads while her bandmates extract sheer animosity form their sonic weapons, whereas in Respect Ends there’s absolutely no sign of tiredness by the band, with James once again kicking ass with his riffage while Rachel delivers an insane dosage of animosity through her growls. Then we have Eating Me Alive, featuring guest vocalist Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), who sadly died on May 11 at the very early age of 41, bringing an extra touch of violence to the overall result by making an awesome vocal duo with Rachel; followed by My Dreams, which starts in a somber manner before exploding into the band’s modern-day Crossover Thrash. Moreover, Rachel leads her henchmen for over six minutes of aggressiveness, dementia and fury. And lastly we’re treated to their cover version for Body Count’s Bitch In The Pit (check the original song HERE), a sensational rendition by Cage Fight with Rachel stealing the spotlight with her enraged, she-wolf roars, turning her into the undisputed “bitch in the pit”.

In a nutshell, Cage Fight more than nailed it with their debut opus, providing us headbangers with a very good reason for raising our horns nonstop and slamming into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow. Hence, don’t forget to stream the album in full on Spotify, to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and believe me, you don’t want to miss their live performances if they take your city by storm), and of course, to purchase your favorite version of such intense album of European Hardcore by clicking HERE. As you might have noticed, Rachel, James, Jon and Nick are waiting for you inside the cage for an ass-kicking metal fight to the sound of their debut opus, but you better be prepared to have your ass kicked in the name of Hardcore and Thrash Metal, of course.

Best moments of the album: The Mirror Shattered, Hope Castrated, Guillotine and Bitch In The Pit.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Candlelight Records

Track listing
1. Intro 1:25
2. The Mirror Shattered 2:34
3. Killer 3:17
4. Hope Castrated 2:54
5. Make A Decision 3:15
6. Guillotine 2:32
7. Cage Fight! 0:58
8. Shine Don’t Fade 3:15
9. One Minute 4:04
10. Tell Me What Real Is 3:18
11. Respect Ends 3:03
12. Eating Me Alive 3:37
13. My Dreams 6:16
14. Bitch In The Pit (Body Count cover) 3:05

Band members
Rachel Aspe – vocals
James Monteith – guitar
Jon Reid – bass
Nick Plews – drums

Guest musicians
Jeremy Sylvester – samplers on “Intro”
Trevor Strnad – vocals on “Eating Me Alive”

Concert Review – Gojira & Deftones (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 05/22/2022)

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A great night of Progressive, Groove and Alternative Metal in Toronto almost ruined by the total lack of organization and respect for customers by Live Nation.

INTRODUCTION: No VOWWS, and a massive headache caused by Live Nation

The only word I can use to start this review is “nightmare”. All the happiness from the moment I knew Australian Death Pop duo VOWWS was not opening for GOJIRA and DEFTONES at the Budweiser Stage, which meant more Gojira for me, simply vanished when I arrived at the venue and saw the massive line formed for what the so-called organization decided to do to reassign seats based on a “first come first serve” basis that absolutely NO ONE was informed beforehand. I bought floor tickets because I hate seats, and to my surprise I was assigned to seats at the 200 level. It’s like ordering a pizza but receiving a burger instead because “the pizza is over”, right? Not only that, seats at the Budweiser Stage are AT LEAST 40-50% cheaper than floor tickets, so not only I got a burger, but it was one 50% cheaper than the pizza I paid for. Live Nation is the sole responsible for such mess when they decided to move the concert from the RBC Echo Beach (which is basically a huge floor section with no seats) to the Budweiser Stage, and if you’re pissed off just like I am, I highly recommend you submit a huge complaint about the whole situation by EMAIL to Live Nation including your order details, screenshots of your tickets and anything else you might want to send them. This is absolutely ridiculous, and we should receive some sort of refund for their total lack of organization and respect for their customers.

GOJIRA

Moving on to the concerts, although I was completely disappointed and pissed off with our stupid seats, at least France’s own Progressive/Groove Metal masters GOJIRA were capable of reducing my stress considerably with another flawless performance in the city. Mixing some of their classics such as Backbone, Stranded, Flying Whales and Silvera with songs from their latest album Fortitude, including the fantastic Born for One Thing and Amazonia, the quartet comprised of the Duplantier brothers Joe and Mario, plus bassist Jean-Michel Labadie and guest guitarist Aldrick Guadagnino  of KLONE (as Christian Andreu returned home to be present with his first newborn child), inspired the fans in the floor section (not in the seats, of course, which made me even more furious) to jump up and down and slam into the circle pit nonstop during their longer set as VOWWS wasn’t there, as mentioned. Mario is a beast behind his drums, proving why he’s a reference to any rock and metal drummer these days, while also interacting with the audience all the time and throwing lots of drumsticks to the fans during the entire concert. To the floor section fans, of course.

Setlist
Born for One Thing
Backbone
Stranded
Flying Whales
The Cell
Love / Remembrance
Hold On
Grind
Silvera
L’enfant Sauvage
Amazonia
The Gift of Guilt

Band members
Joe Duplantier – vocals, guitar
Christian Andreu – guitar
Jean-Michel Labadie – bass
Mario Duplantier – drums

DEFTONES

After a somewhat lengthy break, it was time for Sacramento, California-based Alternative Metal trailblazers DEFTONES to mesmerize their loyal and supportive fans with a long and very dynamic setlist that traveled through all of their albums until their most recent opus Ohms, released in 2020. Songs like Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away), Swerve City, Change (In the House of Flies) and my favorite of the night, My Own Summer (Shove It), drove the crowd crazy and, for the ones who could make it to the floor section (and sorry for repeating this a thousand times, but I’m really pissed off with what Live Nation did to me and to so many others), the whole concert turned into a massive rock and metal party spearheaded by the band’s charismatic frontman Chino Moreno. And what to say about their lighting? It was a thing of beauty, adding an extra touch of insanity and passion to their solid performance. I’m beyond certain Deftones will return to Toronto several times due to the standing ovation they received from the fans when the concert was over at the Budweiser Stage this Sunday, and hopefully next time EVERYONE who bought GENERAL ADMISSION tickets can actually be in the floor section to jump and enter the circle pits freely without being stuck in a tiny, very uncomfortable and, above all that, unsolicited chair.

Setlist
Pompeji (outro)
Genesis
Rocket Skates
Prayers/Triangles
Royal
Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)
My Own Summer (Shove It)
Tempest
Swerve City
Digital Bath
Knife Prty
Beware
Sextape
Diamond Eyes
Rosemary
Bloody Cape
Change (In the House of Flies)
Ohms

Encore:
Lotion
7 Words

Band members
Chino Moreno – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Stephen Carpenter – lead guitar
Lance Jackman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Fred Sablan – bass, backing vocals
Frank Delgado – keyboards, turntables, samples
Abe Cunningham – drums

Album Review – Beyond The Styx / Sentence (2022)

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An unstoppable French outfit offers us all ten rip-roaring tracks of ruthless Metalcore, manifesting an authentic desire to open minds to the evils of our most decadent modern society.

Riding across Europe since 2011, Tours, France-based Metalcore outfit Beyond The Styx is inspired by a dark and violent musical universe, embodying the flapping of a butterfly wing, and becoming a part of the storm of change. At the crossroads between Hardcore, Heavy Metal and Thrash Crossover, the French quintet comprised of Emile Duputié on vocals, Arnaud Morfoisse and David Govindin on the guitars, Yoann César on bass and Adrien Joulin on drums is ready to kill with their newborn opus Sentence, incarnating themselves as a musical chimera. Recorded, produced, mixed, mastered and engineered by Christian Donaldson at Studio Pôle Nord, and featuring a kick-ass artwork by AMMO Illustration, Sentence is indeed a metal beast ready to be unleashed upon us all by Beyond The Styx, proving why they have successfully been on the road for over a decade.

The band’s sonic attack begins in full force in DC, with Arnaud and David crushing their stringed axes mercilessly while Emile roars like a demonic entity in an awesome fusion of Metalcore with classic Hardcore, and the band keeps delivering rage and violence in the form of music in Collateral, where Adrien showcases all his talent behind his drums firing vicious and groovy beats nonstop, supported by the thunderous bass by Yoann. Then featuring Luis Ifer (Teething) on guest vocals, the band brings forward the massive New World Disorder, where the riffage by Arnaud and David is in perfect sync with Yoann’s bass punches, or in other words, what a demented display of modern-day Metalcore. In ESC XIX the band continues their path of devastation and groove, with Yoann and Adrien stealing the spotlight and inviting us all to slam into the circle pit, and there’s no time to breathe as those French metallers keep hammering our heads in Self Hatred, showcasing another round of Emile’s wicked vociferations amidst sheer aggression and fury.

Get ready to crack your neck headbanging like a true metal bastard in Chain of Life, with Adrien dictating the song’s puissant pace while the band’s guitar duo keeps slashing our minds with their wicked riffs, and more of their insane Metalcore is offered to our ears in Overload, with Emile screaming and barking manically just the way we like it in the genre. With guest Guillaume Duhau (Final Shodown, Happy Face) blasting deep, guttural roars it’s time for Scorch AD, the most pulverizing of all tracks presenting hints of classic Death Metal in its already devilish essence, and let’s keep banging our heads to the sound of Machination, bringing forward the band’s trademark screams and frantic beats with Arnaud and David being on fire with their guitars. The last guest on the album is Vincent Peingnart-Mancini (The Butcher’s Rodeo, Aqme), who roars like a beast in Cyclops, also showcasing piercing riffs and rumbling bass jabs in a beyond visceral way to conclude the album.

Sentence is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show your appreciation for the band’s undisputed Metalcore you can purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page or Big Cartel, from Season of Mist, or click HERE for all locations where you can buy or stream the album. In addition, don’t forget to also follow Beyond The Styx on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream their incendiary creations on Spotify. Is our history an eternal beginning? That’s the challenge Beyond The Styx undertake, and through the ten rip-roaring tracks found in Sentence the band manifests an authentic, incisive desire to open minds to the evils that have been gnawing away for too long at this most decadent modern society.

Best moments of the album: DC, New World Disorder and Scorch AD.

Worst moments of the album: Overload.

Released in 2022 WTF Records/Diorama Records

Track listing
1. DC 2:47
2. Collateral 3:03
3. New World Disorder 2:38
4. ESC XIX 2:44
5. Self Hatred 2:40
6. Chain of Life 3:58
7. Overload 1:57
8. Scorch AD 3:38
9. Machination 2:37
10. Cyclops 4:03

Band members
Emile Duputié – vocals
Arnaud Morfoisse – lead guitar
David Govindin – rhythm guitar
Yoann César – bass
Adrien Joulin – drums

Guest musicians
Luis Ifer – vocals on “New World Disorder”
Guillaume Duhau – vocals on “Scorched AD”
Vincent Peingnart-Mancini – vocals on “Cyclops”

Album Review – Inherits The Void / Monolith Of Light (2021)

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A one-man Atmospheric Black Metal entity from France arises from the underworld with his first full-length album, offering us all rage and melody entwined in seven hymns to the transience of man.

Brought into being in 2020 in Clermont-Ferrand, a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the Atmospheric/Melodic Black Metal entity known as Inherits The Void is the musical endeavor of French vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Antoine Scholtès, who’s releasing this year his debut full-length opus Monolith Of Light. The follow-up to the 2020 EP Mémoires, Monolith Of Light was born from Antoine’s desire for “a meeting between influences from the 90’s Swedish Black Metal scene and a more current orientation of the genre,” offering us all rage and melody entwined in seven hymns to the transience of man, bringing to mind the great masterworks of Dissection, Dawn and Vinterland, as well as the more contemporary sounds of France. “The main idea behind that album was to compose songs that would be both melodic and atmospheric, embraced by the desire to propose a range of various emotions,” commented Antoine, also saying that Monolith Of Light “deals with the will to face human beings with the fact that they are ephemeral on the scale of cosmos and to confront them, also, with their faults and the absurdity of many of their acts.”

And Stygian, mesmerizing sounds arise from the underworld before Antoine comes ripping with his infernal roars in Pillars of the Aether, a brutal Black Metal tune with an ethereal background where his blast beats and hellish riffs are simply amazing; whereas As the Winds Moan the Threnody is even more breathtaking and detailed than the opening track, showcasing an Antoine on fire with his riff and drum attack while at the same time he crafts a sinister and incendiary ambience perfect for his enraged growls, resulting in a beautiful display of Melodic and Atmospheric Black Metal. Then the title-track Monolith of Light continues to pave Inherits The Void’s obscure path, setting an interesting and demonic flow to the album and displaying the aggressiveness of classic Black Metal intertwined with melodic passages, all embraced by a strong sense of hopelessness.

Another hurricane of darkened sounds is offered to us all in the form of Unfathomable Echoes, where Antoine hammers his guitar, bass and drums mercilessly in a lecture in Atmospheric Black Metal that will please all fans of the genre, followed by Starless Path, which starts in a more melodic and serene manner and gradually evolves into Antoine’s trademark sonic strike, or in other words, it’s a stylish instrumental interlude that flows smoothly into the epic Through the Eyes of Cosmos, where once again our talented multi-instrumentalist extracts darkness and light at the same time from his riffage while his growls sound more demented than before, not to mention how the music drags you into the void to never let you out. And closing the album on a beyond high note we have Aorasia, another multi-layered, massive creation by Antoine showcasing his demonic gnarls enfolded by a very melodic and fierce sonority, with his guitar lines sounding utterly sharp until the very last second.

The somber and uncanny world of Inherits The Void can be explored in detail by following Antoine and his musical beast on Facebook and on Instagram, and of course if you want to show your utmost support to the underground you should purchase a copy of Monolith Of Light from the Avantgarde Music’s BandCamp page, or from Sound Cave as a digipack CD, as a black vinyl, or as a stunning silver and black galaxy vinyl. After all is said and done, we’ll all realize Monolith Of Light is indeed an album built on contrasts, which is both classic and modern, bridging the gap between decades afar and, therefore, proving Antoine is on the right path with his atmospheric and extreme alter-ego.

Best moments of the album: As the Winds Moan the Threnody and Unfathomable Echoes.

Worst moments of the album: Starless Path.

Released in 2021 Avantgarde Music

Track listing
1. Pillars of the Aether 6:16
2. As the Winds Moan the Threnody 5:04
3. Monolith of Light 5:20
4. Unfathomable Echoes 4:45
5. Starless Path 2:04
6. Through the Eyes of Cosmos 5:41
7. Aorasia 7:53

Band members
Antoine Scholtès – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Muertissima / Inquisition (2021)

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Let the inquisition begin to the sound of the dynamic and pulverizing debut opus by this demented Death Metal act from France.

Hailing from the always beautiful and charming Paris, France, a demented Death Metal horde that goes by the curious name of Muertissima (which would translate from Spanish as something like “very dead”) is ready to attack armed with their debut opus, entitled Inquisition, highly recommended for fans of the music by bands the likes of At the Gates, Carcass and Morbid Angel. Passionate about all genres of Extreme Metal, guitarist Stephane Prados composed the majority of the songs without imposing any constraints of styles or structures, which ended up giving the album a dynamic Death Metal vibe combined with Black and Thrash Metal nuances to generate an original old school sound. Recorded at Lower Tones Place Studio, Inquisition is the perfect welcome card by the aforementioned Stephane and his henchmen Simon Perrin on vocals and bass, Matthias “Macchabée” Bonhoure on the guitar, and Cédric Dupuy on drums, leaving you completely disoriented after its almost 50 minutes of savagery are over.

Cédric begins hammering his drums like a demented beast in the opening tune Lockdown, accompanied by the sick riffage and guttural roars of his bandmates, whereas Simon continues to growl manically in Rise and Fight, another pulverizing display of the band’s classic Death Metal that will inspire you to slam your cranial skull into the circle pit. The rumbling bass by Simon is gradually joined by the razor-edged riffs by Matthias and Stephane in Cerveza, a true headbanger spearheaded by the massive beats by Cédric that should work perfectly when played live, followed by the title-track Inquisition, another Death Metal onrush provided by the quartet with Simon’s screams getting more and more demented as the music progresses, also presenting some welcome elements from Groove and Progressive Death Metal. And it’s time for more insanity in the form of extreme music with Godslayer, where the band’s guitar duo sounds utterly infernal with their axes supported by the rumbling bass by Simon and the always vicious beats by Cédric.

There’s no time to breathe as Muertissima keep crushing us all in Glory to Loki, another solid tune where their Cannibal Corpse-inspired guitars walk hand in hand with the demonic gnarls by Simon, and never slowing down nor selling out, Cédric’s hellish drums provide the rest of the band all they need to be even more ferocious with their respective instruments in Wild Hunt. Composing a Death Metal song that’s seven minutes long is a risky move, but Muertissima did a very decent job in Shooting Gallery, providing some interesting breaks and variations amidst their usual aggressiveness, with both Matthias and Stephane dictating the rhythm with their unstoppable guitars. They surpass the seven-minute barrier one more time in Prometeus, where Simon roars with tons of anger and hatred in his heart supported by the rest of the band, and the music remains heavy, dense, obscure and caustic until the very last second. Finally, sinister, acoustic guitars and the sound of the ocean are the main ingredients in Libertad, the most unique song of the album where the band seems to be inspired by classic Spanish music, resulting in a nice surprise despite not being Death Metal at all.

In a nutshell, the unstoppable Muertissima offer in Inquisition exactly what any fan of underground Death Metal is looking for, sounding sharp, straight to the point and electrified from the very first second of the album until its eccentric ending, positioning them as one of the most interesting new names of the French scene. Hence, don’t forget to give the guys from Muertissima a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and above that, to purchase your copy of Inquisition from countless locations including Rock Metal Market, Wow HD, Barnes & Noble, Fnac, Cultura, Waterloo Records, and The Record Exchange. And then simply hit play and let the fires of the band’s inquisition of old school Death Metal burn your soul for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: Cerveza, Godslayer and Prometeus.

Worst moments of the album: Wild Hunt.

Released in 2021 Music-Records

Track listing
1. Lockdown 4:41
2. Rise and Fight 3:27
3. Cerveza 4:46
4. Inquisition 4:42
5. Godslayer 4:37
6. Glory to Loki 4:18
7. Wild Hunt 4:24
8. Shooting Gallery 7:28
9. Prometeus 7:05
10. Libertad 4:21

Band members
Simon Perrin – vocals, bass
Matthias “Macchabée” Bonhoure – lead guitar
Stephane Prados – rhythm guitar
Cédric Dupuy – drums