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Concert Review – Crypta (The Garrison, Toronto, ON, 10/08/2025)

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On a cooler night in Toronto, metalheads from all over the city had an absolute blast with one of the must-see Death Metal beasts from the worldwide extreme music scene.

OPENING ACTS: Pretty Face and Death Club

This Wednesday was by far the coolest day from the past three or four months in Toronto, but that didn’t stop the metalheads from different parts of the city to head to The Garrison for a sold out show with PRETTY FACE, DEATH CLUB and CRYPTA during their In the Other Side Tour 2025, another killer event organized by the unstoppable Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. As the first band was only going to hit the stage at 8pm, I decided to take my time at home, had proper dinner, relaxed a little, and therefore avoided the chaotic madness of QEW during rush hour. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi got to the venue a little earlier to get ready to take some amazing shots of all bands, which by the way are all led by super talented ladies who make heavy music way better, heavier, and more fun. The merch selection was also great for all bands, including some kick-ass guitar picks from Crypta, and everything with good quality and for a reasonable price. Not only that, the variety of beer and other drinks at The Garrison is way bigger and cheaper than at bigger venues like Budweiser Stage. Supporting the underground definitely has its advantages, with the main one being the much lighter impact on your pocket for an even higher amount of adrenaline and energy onstage.

On a side note, before and after the bands kicked some serious ass onstage, I had the pleasure of chatting with the organizers of the Icelandic festival named Satán, who were on vacation in the city, enjoying a few concerts like Judas Priest/Alice Cooper last week, and Crypta this Wednesday. Gísli Sigmundsson, an Icelandic metal legend who fronts the old school Death Metal band Sororicide, and Kristján Guðmundsson, drummer for the ruthless Blackened Death Metal horde Nexion, were having an amazing time at The Garrison, and of course I enjoyed a lot talking to them about heavy music and both the Canadian and the Icelandic underground scenes. I told Kristján that Nexion must come to Toronto for a show, to which he replied “do people enjoy that type of blasphemic music here?” Well, I guess I don’t even need to say what I answered to him, right? And if you have the time and money available for a trip next summer, the Satán festival is happening between June 4 and 6, 2026. Who knows, maybe I can visit Iceland for a share of their own blasphemy then.

Labeled as a queer-fem metal band hailing from Brampton, Ontario, expressing experiences and struggles growing up as teenage fem-presenting people through their music, PRETTY FACE kicked off the party with their fusion of Hardcore with elements of Death and Doom Metal, and the reaction of the fans at The Garrison was excellent. Although they only have one song officially released, the 2024 single The Gore Road, available on Spotify, those girls sounded excellent onstage and showed endless energy during their short but effective set. I have zero idea of which songs they played, or who the band members are as there’s nothing online about that (and I’m sorry, but I forgot to ask them in person after their show), but those girls have a bright future ahead of them. As long as they release an EP or a full-length album in the coming months to keep their momentum going, of course.

The second opening band of the night was another local band, Hamilton, Ontario-based modern Sludge Metal/Deathcore act DEATH CLUB, who released their debut Betrayal back in 2024, available on both BandCamp and Spotify. Formed of Dana Bowman on vocals and guitar, Adam Baldwin on bass and backing vocals, and Chelsea Todd on drums, plus another unknown musician who’s probably just their tour guitarist (and again, sorry for not asking him his name), the band kept the heaviness flowing inside The Garrison, which was already packed by the time they hit the stage. You can get more details about the band by clicking HERE, and if they ever play a concert at your city or town, I highly recommend you go watch them live because their music is great, and their stage presence is just as awesome.

CRYPTA

There was some uncertainty in the air if the indomitable Brazilian Death Metal beast CRYPTA was actually going to play this Wednesday night in Toronto as the iconic Fernanda Lima and another one of her bandmates got stuck at the Canadian border when trying to cross it from the United States, forcing them to fly from a city near Buffalo into YYZ and going straight to the venue for the show. Fortunately, those girls are absolute badass, and nothing would stop them from delivering their slab of Death Metal to one of their most loyal fanbase worldwide. The band was on absolute fire from the very first seconds of one of my favorite Crypta songs, The Other Side of Anger, and their setlist blending their two album Echoes of the Soul (2021) and Shades of Sorrow (2023), both available on BandCamp and on Spotify, brought sheer chaos and anarchy to The Garrison to the point Keith didn’t even dare to try to get a spot in front of the stage for his photos. Yes, it was wild.

Fernanda was insane on stage as usual, the mesmerizing Tainá Bergamaschi kept shredding her axe in great fashion, headbanging like a maniac, and making what was supposed to be an “angry” face during the heaviest parts of their songs (although she looks way to nice and cool to really look angry), Luana Dametto showed no mercy for our necks and bodies, crushing her drums nonstop for our total delight (therefore igniting some demented mosh pits), and their new touring guitarist Victoria Villarreal, from bands like Chaos Rising and Syrebris, proved why she was chosen by the band to support them on this tour, also kicking some serious ass with her flammable riffs and solos. I just think the overall sound volume was a bit low, but nothing that could make their performance less demolishing.

Some of the songs were phenomenal live, including Kali, The Outsider, Stronghold, Starvation, and of course From the Ashes, and when you have that high quality material in your hands like the girls from Crypta do, you can rest assured you’re in for a treat when they take the stage of your city by storm like this Wednesday night in Toronto. Not only that, Fernanda might be one of the sweetest musicians from the current scene worldwide, as even after going through all that hassle to make it to Toronto for the show she didn’t leave the stage after their concert was done, taking photos, signing albums and shirts, and chatting with each and every fan that stayed at The Garrison way past 11pm to meet one of the most talented women in heavy music. Toronto loves you, girls! And we’re ready for another round of your ruthless Death Metal anytime you decide to return to our metallic city.

Setlist
The Aftermath
The Other Side of Anger
Kali
Lift the Blindfold
The Outsider
Possessed
Lullaby for the Forsaken
Stronghold
The Limbo
Trial of Traitors
Under the Black Wings
Starvation
Dark Clouds
Lord of Ruins
From the Ashes
The Closure

Band members
Fernanda Lira – vocals, bass
Tainá Bergamaschi – guitars
Victoria Villarreal – guitars
Luana Dametto – drums

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Concert Review – Hatebreed: 30th Anniversary Tour (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 09/30/2024)

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One of the torchbearers of Hardcore worldwide celebrated 30 years of existence on an electrifying night of endless mosh pits in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Crypta, Harms Way and Carcass

Do you know what Monday night means in Toronto? It means mosh pit night, which was exactly what we all got during the amazing HATEBREED: 30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR with HATEBREED, CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA, another insane event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The venue chosen for such a fun night of extreme music was Rebel, which despite being too far from everything in the city (plus the ridiculous parking cost of over $30), provides fans with an amazing view of the lake and the city, and this Monday night the weather was just perfect for some nice photos of the sunset. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover the entire party, and let me tell you that although I did not enter any mosh pits due to work commitments on Tuesday (yes, I’m getting old), I got tired just by seeing the nonstop action inside the pit during the performances of all bands.

The first band of the night was by far my favorite, and they kicked some serious ass to a half empty venue (due to the time the show started, not because of the quality of the band, of course) without caring at all about all those empty spaces. I’m talking about Fernanda Lira, Tainá Bergamaschi, Jéssica di Falchi and Luana Dametto, collectively known as São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Thrash Metal brigade CRYPTA, and let me tell you that those girls sounded absolutely ruthless, heavy, evil and vibrant during their short but sensational performance. It was their first time ever playing in Canada, and their excitement was visible not only on their faces, but also on their playing, as they sounded extremely tight and visceral until the very last second. Almost all songs played, including the excellent The Other Side of Anger, Lord of Ruins and The Outsider, were from their 2023 beast Shades of Sorrow, plus the closing song from their 2021 debut Echoes of the Soul, the violent From the Ashes, my favorite of the night (and you can listen to all of them on Spotify, by the way). I was simply dying to meet the girls at their merch booth after their show, but for some reason they didn’t show up there. Well, maybe next time, because I’m sure they’ll return to Toronto sooner than later to spread their evil and aggressive sounds to us avid fans.

Setlist
The Aftermath
The Other Side of Anger
Lord of Ruins
The Outsider
Trial of Traitors
From the Ashes
The Closure

Band members
Fernanda Lira – vocals, bass
Tainá Bergamaschi – guitars
Jéssica di Falchi – guitars
Luana Dametto – drums

The good thing about Rebel is that their outdoor area is a thing of beauty, where you can have a beer, smoke a cigarette or a joint, chat with friends and enjoy the view of Toronto at night, and because of that I missed the first few seconds of the concert by Chicago, Illinois’s own Hardcore Punk outfit HARMS WAY. Spearheaded by the charismatic and unstoppable frontman James Pligge, the band delivered an overdose of aggression and fury to the crowd, igniting some sick mosh pits while all band members didn’t stop jumping around the stage. Blending songs form their 2023 album Common Suffering, like Sadist Guilt and Devour, with older songs (all available on Spotify as well), the band kept the energy built by Crypta flowing in great fashion, and although I knew almost nothing about those guys before I must say their live concerts are surely wild. After their gig was over, James himself went to the band’s merch booth and had an amazing interaction with anyone who waited in line to talk to him, even if it was just to say hi and not buy anything. That was very humble of him, and I’m sure there are a lot of new Harms Way fans in Toronto after such a powerful performance by the band in the city.

Setlist
Sadist Guilt
Human Carrying Capacity
Terrorizer
Become a Machine
Hollow Cry
Devour
Call My Name
Infestation

Band members
James Pligge – lead vocals
Bo Lueders – guitars
Nick Gauthier – guitars
Casey Soyk – bass
Christopher Mills – drums

Another quick bathroom/beer/smoke/chat break, and there they were again to pulverize our souls with their piercing fusion of Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore. Hailing from Liverpool, they might be four lads like The Beatles, but let’s say their music is considerably heavier. This was my third (or fourth, I don’t actually remember anymore) time seeing the mighty CARCASS live, the last one being their headlining show in Toronto in 2023, and their energy Monday night was just as insane as all previous times. The band only stopped a little to ask the crowd to sing happy birthday to guitarist Nippy Blackford, but apart form that it was nonstop circle pit action to tons of classics like Buried Dreams, Incarnated Solvent Abuse, Genital Grinder and Exhume to Consume, with Jeff Walker and Bill Steer sounding so savage as if they were in their early 20’s. My two favorite songs of the night were obviously No Love Lost and Heartwork, which are also my two top Carcass songs ever, and I guess most fans also loved the fact they played both on the same night. It was actually my first time seeing No Love Lost live, and I simply loved it. How long is it going to take for Carcass to get back to Toronto?

Setlist
Buried Dreams
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
No Love Lost
Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Genital Grinder
Exhume to Consume
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Nippy Blackford – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

HATEBREED

And last but not least, think of the wildest mosh pit you’ve ever been to, and multiply that by 30. Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Hardcore Punk/Metalcore legends HATEBREED might be the ones celebrating 30 years of existence, but that demented mosh pit feast was their gift to their loyal Torontonian fans during their undisputed performance. As a matter of fact, just before the show started they played a really cool video with lots of celebrities congratulating the band for their 30th anniversary, including Ice-T, Gary Holt, Scott Ian, Brawn Stroman, CM Punk, and many more, showing how much the world loves Hatebreed. I think CM Punk said something in the lines of “whenever I’m tired, I drink coffee and listen to some Hatebreed.”

Jamey Jasta and his crew were even more demented than in 2023 when they demolished The Danforth Music Hall, fueling some of the fastest and wildest circle pits in the history of Hardcore. Their setlist was comprised of killer song after killer song, including Tear It Down, This Is Now, my favorite of their show Destroy Everything, As Diehard as They Come, and many, many more, and their fans, both old and new, were having the time of their lives while trying to survive inside the circle pit. It was so crazy that one of the security girls, one with curly hair (if she ever reads this review), was stunned by all the action going on during the concert. I have no idea what type of music she likes, but one thing I know for sure, and that’s she had zero idea of how crazy a Hatebreed concert can be. Maybe she’ll start listening to them, attend one of their concerts as a fan, and slam into the pit in the coming years, right?

Jamey mentioned several times they were impressed with both the amount of fans and their energy on a Monday night (but hey, Jamey, that’s how passionate the Toronto fans are when it comes to heavy music), and that sonic madness continued until the very last second without a single moment of peace for the delight of everyone at the venue. Were we all exhausted the following morning when we had to wake up early to go to work? Of course, but who cares? When Hatebreed call, we must all go to war inside the mosh pit together with one of the trailblazers of Hardcore. Thank you, Hatebreed, and here’s a toast to another 30 years of first-class Hardcore madness!

Setlist
Hatebreed 30th Anniversary Celebrity Intro
Tear It Down
A Call for Blood
This Is Now
Destroy Everything
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Before Dishonor
As Diehard as They Come
Ghosts of War (Slayer cover)
Everyone Bleeds Now
Betrayed by Life
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Last Breath
Driven by Suffering
Perseverance
Seven Enemies
Proven
I Will Be Heard

Band members
Jamey Jasta – vocals
Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals
Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chris Beattie – bass
Matt Byrne – drums

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Worst moments of the album: Into The Woods.

Released in 2023 Independent

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

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

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

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

INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…

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

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

FALL OF EARTH

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

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

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

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

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Metal Chick of the Month – Luana Dametto

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I curse at their holy symbols… I laugh as they pray…

As we’re reaching the end of 2022, let’s all make a lot of noise together with our last metal lady of the year in the name of rock and metal music, sounds good? And when I say a lot of noise, I mean A LOT OF noise, because our metallic diva this month of December is undoubtedly one of the most talented drummers of the current Death and Thrash Metal scene, hammering her drums mercilessly for our total delight wherever she goes. I’m talking about the talented and charismatic Luana Dametto, the unrelenting drummer for Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal horde Crypta, and also known for her work with the bands Nervosa, Chaos Rising and Apophizys. Having said that, are you ready to know more about such unstoppable lady of the extreme music scene?

Born on November 22, 1996 in Tapejara, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Luana started her path in the world of music at the young age of 12 when she already began to play drums, later joining her very first band, Passo Fundo, Brazil-based Death Metal act Apophizys, at the age of 16. That’s exactly when she discovered her passion for Death Metal, and from there it was just a matter of time until she joined Brazilian Thrash Metal ladies Nervosa back in 2016. However, before becoming part of Nervosa, Luana studied Graphic Design at UPF – Universidade de Passo Fundo in Brazil in order to build a career in this field while still working as a musician in her spare time until the age of 19, which turned out to be very useful for her as she actually applied her studies into her passion for heavy music, being responsible for the artwork for the first (and only) full-length album by Apophizys.

Speaking about Apophizys, our metal lady was part of the band between 2012 and 2017, when the band split up, having recorded with them the album Into the Chaos back in 2015, which included some excellent songs such as Fear of the Unknown and Carnage (and you can enjoy a nice drum cam recorded by Luana herself for this song by clicking HERE). In one of her interviews, Luana explained exactly how she made it to  Apophizys, saying that in the city of Passo Fundo there were two Death Metal bands, one formed by brothers who wouldn’t allow her to join the band, and the aforementioned Apophizys. She said Apophizys already had a drummer at that time, but Luana didn’t give up and stayed tuned to them hoping their drummer would leave the band, opening the so much needed spot for her. As you might already know, that worked, and Luana kicked some ass behind her drums with Apophizys for six years before joining Nervosa.

Luana was still in college when Nervosa’s founder and guitarist Prika Amaral added her on Facebook and contacted her for an audition (being referred by Brazilian drummer Eduardo Lane of NervoChaos, who had already toured with Apophizys before), as at that time Nervosa had just lost their previous drummer Pitchu Ferraz. She then travelled to the city of São Paulo, passed the test, and went on to start playing live with the band that same year and to record the band’s 2018 opus Downfall of Mankind. From such intense album, you can enjoy amazing songs the likes of Kill The Silence and Never Forget, Never Repeat (and there’s also a kick-ass drum cam for this song HERE). After the album release, she traveled and toured a lot around the world, playing at several big festivals and, therefore, turning music into her main occupation.  In addition, Luana also recorded with Nervosa the single Freakshow, originally released on the Adult Swim metal compilation 2 in 2019. It was in 2020 when Luana parted ways with Nervosa, saying that the main reason for her departure was the fact that the three girls at that time felt there was no more passion for doing music together. There wasn’t any type of fighting or arguing, and she said they could have even continued with the band as is, but they all agreed they had to change something to reignite that passion and love for extreme music.

The seed for what’s known today as Crypta had already been planted before she left Nervosa, more specifically in June 2019, as a new musical project by Luana together with Fernanda Lira, also from Nervosa. As the co-founder of the band, she said the focus would be on playing Death Metal in a way that could not be done with Nervosa, inviting Dutch guitarist Sonia Anubis (of Burning Witches) to the band and later also adding Brazilian guitarist Tainá Bergamaschi (of Hagbard) to their lineup. After consolidating the band members, they started working on their debut effort Echoes of the Soul, released in 2021, and you can have an absolute blast to the sound of such incendiary album to the sound of songs such as From The Ashes, Dark Night Of The Soul and Kali (check out another awesome drum cam for this song HERE). Furthermore, earlier this year the band released the single I Resign (which also has a really cool drum cam video that can be watched HERE), once again presenting the visceral and heavy elements that are characteristic of their sound. Moreover, if live concerts are your cup of tea, you can find Luana pounding her drums in great fashion in several live videos of the band including From The Ashes live at Wacken Open Air 2022, and a 30-minute performance at Espaço Som studio in São Paulo, Brazil in November 2021.

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Apart from Crypta, Nervosa and Apophizys, you can also find Luana smashing her drums since 2021 with Chaos Rising, a collaborative international project focused on different subgenres of heavy music open to every female artist interested in metal that includes members from Brazil, France, Germany, England, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, Iran and Argentina, among others. She recorded with Chaos Rising in 2021 the single Cost of Inaction alongside Swiss vocalist Alessia Mercado (Burning Flesh, Murge), French guitarist Stéphanie Nolf (Unsafe), Italian guitarist Francesca Mancini (Sudden Death), and German bassist Tina Gruschwitz (Demorphed, Cryoblood), and the final result is a bestial Death and Thrash Metal attack that will please all fans of extreme music. In addition, Luana was also a guest drummer in the 2016 EP Souls Dragged into the Abyss of Torment, by Brazilian Melodic Black/Death Metal act Isfet,  also working in the recording of the album. If you want to listen to Luana playing a more demonic, blackened style of music, you can enjoy for example what’s perhaps the best song of the album, Perennial Pain Domain.

Regarding her idols and influences, Luana mentioned that she’s a huge fan of Thrash, Black and in special Death Metal, and that she began playing drums influenced by Joey Jordison (RIP) of Slipknot and Vinnie Paul (RIP) of Pantera, learning a lot about double bass and groove by listening to and watching them. She also mentioned Kerim “Krimh” Lechner of Decapitated and Derek Roddy of Hate Eternal as influences on the way she does her blast beats, complementing by saying that playing drums was actually a random thing that happened to her, as she was only 11 years old when she got in touch with a friend who played drums who led her to get her own set and begin playing. Not sure if her setup is still the same, but a few years ago she was using a 14″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Hi-Hat, a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 17″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 18″ 2002 Giga Bell Ride “Psychoctopus”, and a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black China.

Speaking about her life on the road, although Luana might still be a very young drummer, she has already been to several different parts of the world including of course most regions in Brazil, the United States, Colombia, many countries across Europe and Asia (even recommending Singaporean Grindcore act Wormrot as one of her favorite bands of the region), and even the United Arab Emirates together with Nervosa and now Crypta. She mentioned Rock in Rio in Brazil and Altavoz Fest in Colombia as the most memorable concerts so far in her career, saying that Altavoz Fest is some sort of “Rock in Rio Colombia” where she played in front of over 30,000 people. Moreover, when asked which bands she enjoyed the most to play alongside, our dauntless drummer mentioned Havok (Brazil), Warbringer (United States) and Venom Inc. (England) as her favorite bands to tour together. There are some very interesting interviews with Luana on YouTube (most of them in Portuguese, though) where she talks about not only her touring experience but also about what’s next for Crypta, their music and so on, such as this one to a podcast named TUPFS, this one to Revista Freak, and this one to Hedflow.

There’s also another excellent interview to a podcast named Music Hero where she talks about being a woman in the extreme metal scene, and that’s how we’ll conclude this humble tribute to her. As a prominent female drummer in the world of heavy music, Luana thinks the scene is still ruled by men and that there’s a lot of sexism everywhere, saying she feels extremely disappointed when people treat her as if she knows less about her instrument than guys just because she’s a woman. Her advice to other women who are starting their careers in music is to focus on your work and ignore all the negativity that might come from some people, only doing what you truly feel comfortable doing. When asked about her favorite female metal musicians, Luana listed Canadian drummer Justine Éthier (Karkaos, Blackguard), Dutch vocalist Simone “Som” Pluijmers (Your Chance to Die, Lacerated, Cerebral Bore), and American vocalist Reba Meyers (Pray for Teeth) as the best for her, and just by mentioning only names from the underground scene we can see how much Luana is passionate about it. Hence, if you also love the underground extreme scene, you must go check what Luana and the other girls from Crypta are doing and, of course, stay tuned for when the band takes your city by storm with their pulverizing live performance, with Luana proving that you don’t need to be a big guy to powerfully smash your drums in the name of extreme music.

Luana Dametto’s Official Facebook page
Luana Dametto’s Official Instagram
Luana Dametto’s Official Linktree
Luana Dametto’s Official YouTube channel
Crypta’s Official Facebook page
Crypta’s Official Instagram
Crypta’s Official YouTube channel
Crypta’s Official Linktree

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2021

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“I wanted to play drums because I fell in love with the glitter and the lights, but it wasn’t about adulation. It was being up there playing.” – Charlie Watts

And there goes another year without a single metal concert in Canada. Another year full of uncertainties, fears, polarization, restrictions, and everything else we “love” so much. I honestly don’t know what to say about 2021 apart form the fact it was undoubtedly much better than 2020, but that means nothing considering the total nightmare that 2020 was. We lost a lot of huge names in the rock and metal scene such as Joey Jordison, Dusty Hill, Mike Howe, Johnny Solinger, Marsha Zazula, Alexi Laiho, John Hinch, John Lawton, Charlie Watts and Hank Von Hell, among many others. Tons of festivals including Download, Wacken Open Air, Hellfest, Bloodstock Open Air, Sweden Rock Festival and Dynamo MetalFest were scheduled to return this year after the 2020 editions of those festivals were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but unfortunately Sweden Rock, Hellfest, Download and Wacken Open Air were once again cancelled. With that said, why do we metalheads still believe in a better future? Is it because, despite all adversities, our favorite bands released some of their best albums from the past few years?

Hence, as new lockdowns are being imposed upon us in a never-ending pandemic loop, there’s not much we can do but enjoy The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2021, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, keeping us sane until this madness is finally over. Or maybe I should say if it will be over one day, of course. There’s a bit of everything for all types of fans, from classic Heavy Metal to the brutality of Death Metal, from the modern nuances of Melodic Death Metal to old school Thrash Metal, and so on, and in my humble opinions one of the most interesting facts about several albums launched in 2021 is their duration, with many of those surpassing the one hour barrier such as Senjutsu, Helloween, Persona Non Grata, Existence Is Futile and Blood on Blood, not to mention the over four hours of music from the Lordiversity boxset, which for me proves how much the bands responsible for those albums love their fans by offering them a lot of new music to enjoy during such difficult times. I would say that even if there are ZERO metal albums launched in 2022, we’ll still have a lot of great music to enjoy throughout the year thanks to all the amazing records released in 2021, don’t you agree?

1. Iron Maiden – Senjutsu (REVIEW)
Behold another masterpiece by the one and only Iron Maiden with its 82 minutes of tactics, strategy, war, resilience and determination.
Best song of the album: Hell on Earth

2. Helloween – Helloween (REVIEW)
A dream come true for all generations of “Happy, Happy Helloween” fans from all over the world.
Best song of the album: Skyfall

3. Trivium – In the Court of the Dragon (REVIEW)
It’s time to join Trivium in the court of the dragon to the sound of their magnificent new opus.
Best song of the album: Like a Sword Over Damocles

4. Exodus – Persona Non Grata (REVIEW)
Don’t be a “persona non grata” in the world of heavy music and get into the circle pit to the sound of this newborn thrashing beast.
Best song of the album: Lunatic-Liar-Lord

5. Cannibal Corpse – Violence Unimagined (REVIEW)
State of the art Death Metal played with passion and breathless precision by the most violent and unrelenting band of all time.
Best song of the album: Surround, Kill, Devour

6. 1914 – Where Fear and Weapons Meet (REVIEW)
Ukraine’s own doom infantry is back into the battlefield with another masterpiece, telling the gruesome tales of World War I.
Best song of the album: Pillars of Fire (The Battle of Messines)

7. Motorjesus – Hellbreaker (REVIEW)
Let’s drive through the fires of hell together with one of the best bands from the German rock and metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hellbreaker

8. Nervosa – Perpetual Chaos (REVIEW)
A deadly and thrashing lesson in perpetual chaos by four metalheads hailing from Brazil, Italy, Spain and Greece
Best song of the album: Time to Fight

9. Gojira – Fortitude (REVIEW)
Let’s all face up the world to the sound of the new masterpiece by one of the most dynamic bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Amazonia

10. Blaze Bayley – War Within Me (REVIEW)
The man who will live for a thousand years is back, inspiring us all to fight the war within us and to take our future in our own hands.
Best song of the album: Pull Yourself Up

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Running Wild – Blood on Blood (REVIEW)
12. Lordi – Lordiversity (REVIEW)
13. Cradle of Filth – Existence Is Futile (REVIEW)
14. Diabolizer – Khalkedonian Death (REVIEW)
15. Angelus Apatrida – Angelus Apatrida (REVIEW)
16. Moonspell – Hermitage (REVIEW)
17. Lutharo – Hiraeth (REVIEW)
18. Unflesh – Inhumation (REVIEW)
19. Scarlet Aura – Genesis of Time (REVIEW)
20. Coiled Around Thy Spine – From The Ashes (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2021 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Eonian – The Nomad (REVIEW)
2. Lady Beast – Omens (REVIEW)
3. The Agonist – Days Before the World Wept (REVIEW)
4. Tantivy – Eyes in the Night (REVIEW)
5. Grale – AGITACIÓN (REVIEW)
6. Bouquet of Dead Crows – Hemispheres Part 2: Cerebral (REVIEW)
7. Kadavereich – Radiance Of Doom (REVIEW)
8. Wolvencrown – A Shadow Of What Once Was (REVIEW)
9. Juliet Ruin – Dark Water (REVIEW)
10. Black Hole Deity – Lair Of Xenolich (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2021? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2021 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2022!

And before I go, I’ll leave you with some touching words by Mr. Lordi and his crew of monsters…

Something something blah blah to you
All the sincere wishes come true
I put vengeance on my wish list
And that’s what Santa brought
So have a merry something and a happy blah blah blah

Album Review – Coiled Around Thy Spine / From The Ashes (2021)

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From the ashes these Italian metallers rise with more of their shredding guitar solos, blasting drums and soaring vocals in the form of their sophomore album, representing an evolution in their visceral sound.

4.0rating

coiled-around-thy-spine-from-the-ashes-2021Three years after the release of their fulminating debut album Shades, vocalist Daniele Rosso and guitarist and bassist Sergio Costa, supported by session drummer Tomonobu ‘Tomi’ Inoue and collectively known as Turin, Italy-based Melodic Death Metal outfit Coiled Around Thy Spine, are back in action with their shredding guitar solos, blasting drums and soaring vocals inspired by classic and new Death Metal in the form of their sophomore effort entitled From The Ashes. A true step up in their career, From The Ashes offers us listeners an evolution in the sound by the Italian duo from their debut album, being highly recommended for fans of renowned acts the likes of Arch Enemy, Death, Trivium, early In Flames and Megadeth, and above all, for anyone who enjoys a huge dosage of violence mixed with great melodies and a very good reason for headbanging like there’s no tomorrow.

And futuristic sounds arise from the underworld in the opening tune Paracosm, before Sergio and Tomi begin their respective riffs and beats attack, exploding into sheer Melodic Death Metal to the wicked roars by Daniele while all is carefully spiced up by a trademark guitar solo by Sergio. Then epic, Stygian background elements set the tone in the visceral tune Back To The Dark Dimension, with Daniele’s growls and screams getting even more enraged while Sergio continues to slash his axe majestically; and there’s no time to breathe as Coiled Around Thy Spine keep crushing our souls with their melodic and intricate Death Metal in Breath Of Existence, where Tomi is once again bestial behind his drums, not to mention the awesome job done by Sergio with both his riffs and bass lines. After such demolishing tune, a sinister and melancholic intro morphs into a mid-tempo Melodic Death Metal feast the likes of early Arch Enemy in Graveyard Of Thoughts, an excellent choice for breaking your neck to the pounding drums by Tomi.

The band keeps exploring darker paths in Burning Souls, another somber creation by Daniele and Sergio showcasing those piercing guitars that only Melodic Death Metal can provide us. It would have been more effective if a little shorter, though, whereas back to a more epic and violent mode it’s time for a fulminating metal onrush entitled Survival Instinct, with Sergio’s riffs generating a flammable paradox with the song’s background keys while Daniele and Tomi fire sheer animosity and hatred through their respective growls and beats. Then get ready to have your ears and minds pierced mercilessly by the scorching riffs by Sergio while Daniele keeps gnarling like a beast in Red Rising Sun, keeping the album as sulfurous and obscure as it can be, while the title-track From The Ashes closes the regular version of the album on a demolishing note, inviting us all to bang our heads and slam into the pit while Daniele vociferates rabidly nonstop. Furthermore, if you go for the special edition of the album you’ll be treated to two amazing cover songs as a bonus, those being Like Hell by Loudness and Bite The Pain by Death (and you can check the original ones HERE and HERE). Needless to say, Coiled Around Thy Spine simply kicked some serious ass with both versions.

coiled-around-thy-spine-2021In a nutshell, the guys from Coiled Around Thy Spine have outdone themselves in From The Ashes (which is available for a full listen on Spotify), delivering a thrilling hybrid of old school and modern sounds that will undoubtedly please any fan of Heavy Metal, even the ones who don’t enjoy extreme music that much. Hence, in order to show those Italian metallers your utmost support, don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and of course, to purchase From The Ashes from their own BandCamp page, as well as from Apple Music or from Amazon. And let’s all hope Coiled Around Thy Spine do not take too long to get back “from the ashes” with more of their sick and visceral music.

Best moments of the album: Back To The Dark Dimension, Breath Of Existence, Survival Instinct and From The Ashes.

Worst moments of the album: Burning Souls.

Released in 2021 Independent

Track listing      
1. Paracosm 5:51
2. Back To The Dark Dimension 4:59
3. Breath Of Existence 5:01
4. Graveyard Of Thoughts 6:05
5. Burning Souls 8:36
6. Survival Instinct 5:51
7. Red Rising Sun 5:45
8. From The Ashes 6:10

Special Edition bonus tracks
9. Like Hell (Loudness cover) 3:40
10. Bite The Pain (Death cover) 4:47

Band members
Daniele Rosso – vocals
Sergio Costa – guitars, bass, synth

Guest musician
Tomonobu ‘Tomi’ Inoue – drums (session)