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Album Review – Abyssalis / Adaptation (2025)

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Masterfully blending classic Death Metal with technical and brutal elements, this American band is ready to soar armed with their captivating newborn spawn.

Imbibing various elements of contemporary Death Metal to concoct music that is at once technical, groovy, and riff-driven, Atlanta, Georgia-based Technical Death Metal/Deathcore entity Abyssalis is ready to please fans of bands the likes of Soreption, Eschaton, Fleshbore, Decapitated, and Demon King, among others, with their brand new offering, entitled Adaptation. Featuring five previously unreleased songs, plus all songs from their 2023 debut EP The Mountain as a beyond special bonus (leading to a healthy discussion about the album being a full-length or a special EP), all embraced by the striking artwork by Justin Abraham (Inanimate Existence, Equipoise, Arkaik), the new album by Mac Smith (Eschaton, Apogean) on vocals, Josh Steverson on the guitars, Cole Daniels (Fleshbore, Unaligned) on bass, and Jack Blackburn (Unaligned, Killitorous) on drums masterfully blends classic Death Metal with technical and brutal elements, resulting in a captivating beast tailored for fans of all intricate forms of extreme music.

The extremely technical yet pulverizing riffs by Josh and beats and fills by Jack will crush you like an insect in Adaptation, sounding infernal form start to finish in a lecture in Technical Death Metal; and Jack keeps destroying his drums in great fashion in Indomitable, accompanied by the ruthless bass lines by Cole while Mac growls deeply and manically nonstop. Those metal lunatics will crush your damned bodies mercilessly in Pandemonium, with the demented roars by Mac and the sick drumming by Jack turning it into a must-listen for fans of the genre, and the riffs by Josh will pierce your mind while Cole and Jack will knock you out with their devilish kitchen in Senescence, before we face the also inhumane Valholl, a lesson in brutality and intricacy by the quartet where Jack steals the show with his fulminating beats and fills.

All of the following tracks are from the band’s complete previous The Mountain release, but that only makes the album even more powerful, starting with Arrival, where its dark intro gradually turns into a demonic feast of Death Metal, followed by Attitude of Gratitude, where Jack hammers his drums mercilessly in the name of extreme music. Mac keeps barking like a rabid beast in Synonymous, with the music exhaling hatred, intricacy and darkness just he way we like it in Death Metal; and the venomous riffs by Josh will melt your damned minds and souls in Shine, all while also sounding absolutely melodic. Josh’s hard hitting riffs are nicely complemented by the rumbling bass by Cole in Ethos, keeping the album as vibrant as it can be; whereas lastly, the quartet will demolish our frail bodies with The Hills Have Eyes, spearheaded by the venomous roars by Mac.

In a nutshell, Adaptation is a solid, enjoyable release that serves as a fine introduction for this unheralded band that is poised for bigger things in the future, and if you like what you hear you should definitely give the guys from Abyssalis a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as stream their creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ main store, Bandcamp, Europe store or US store. The future of Death Metal is certainly in good hands with bands like Abyssalis embellishing the airwaves with their unique and dynamic sounds, and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from those guys in the near future, shortly after their newborn spawn Adaptation takes the world of heavy music by storm.

Best moments of the album: Adaptation, Pandemonium and Synonymous.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Adaptation 3:27
2. Indomitable 4:15
3. Pandemonium 3:16
4. Senescence 3:41
5. Valholl 3:29

The Mountain 2023 EP bonus tracks
6. Arrival 5:01
7. Attitude of Gratitude 3:04
8. Synonymous 3:24
9. Shine 3:49
10. Ethos 3:45
11. The Hills Have Eyes 4:25

Band members
Mac Smith – vocals
Josh Steverson – guitars
Cole Daniels – bass
Jack Blackburn – drums

Album Review – Various Artists / Surrender to Death: A History of the Atlanta Metal Underground Vol. 1 (2024)

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Get ready for a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999.

Deep from the vaults, Boris Records and Deanwell Global Music are unleashing the vinyl and digital versions of Surrender to Death: A History of the Atlanta Metal Underground Vol. 1, a retrospective of the Atlanta metal underground from 1982 to 1999. Spanning two decades of local bands, studio projects, and touring heavyweights, Surrender to Death showcases over 20 bands, ranging from the early days of traditional Heavy Metal to gory basement Death Metal to second-wave Black Metal, far from the better-known scenes in the Bay Area and New York and Florida. Over half a decade in the making, featuring original recordings sourced directly from the bands  (with all tracks remastered from various sources by Jessica Thompson Audio), and displaying a sick artwork by Brian Warner (aka Esayde or Total Weirdoh), this ass-kicking compilation will give you a glimpse of the Atlanta metal scene’s depth and its awesome and sometimes truly bizarre takes on the genre and all of its sub-genres.

Side A of the first vinyl starts way back in 1982 with Strangers, the opening track of the self-titled album by Messendger, presenting a great fusion of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock where the trio delivers fierce riffs and beats, and with their vocal lines also sounding electrifying; followed by Lucifers Eyes, by Fortnox, another beast from 1982 offering us all a powerful blast of old school Hard Rock. Fast forward a few years to 1990 and we face the Power/Thrash Metal by Atlanta’s own Ghost Story, with the song What Few Even Dare, from their 1990 demo The Image and the Reality, also presenting hints of Death and Speed Metal in its riffs and drums, whereas in 1988 a Thrash Metal band form Georgia called Necropolis released the album Contemplating Slaughter, and from that album we have the song Waters of Lathe, showcasing the amazing raspy vocals by Keith Charron.

It’s time to kick off side B of vinyl number one with Rock You, by MX, another old Heavy Metal/Hard Rock outfit from Georgia from the early 80’s, delivering sheer adrenaline and electricity through their fiery riffs and unrelenting attitude, and let’s continue our journey though the 80’s with Sinister Angel and the song Street Light Glamour, from their 1984 self-titled EP, where you can sense elements from early Judas Priest in their sound as well as harsher thrash and death nuances. Then in 1991 the Augusta, Georgia-based Heavy/Power Metal band Legion released the album Darkness, and from that album comes Evil Mind, with a sensational vocal performance by Loy Mitcham, followed by Reflected Fear, by Kinetic Dissent, more inclined to classic Thrash Metal, a song from their 1987 demo The Fall of Individualism, bringing forward an amazing guitar work by Stephen Danyo. In the song Til Death Do Us Part, from the 1989 demo Overloaded, by Dark Overlord, the music exhales the same rebelliousness from the early days of Exodus, or in other words, it’s a fantastic option to slam into the pit like a true metalhead, while Metal Merchants, from the 1985 cult album Tales of Terror, by Hallows Eve, is an explosion of Thrash and Speed Metal led by frontman Stacy Andersen, also perfect for some sick mosh pits.

Unblessed, one of the first Death Metal bands from Georgia, kicks off side A of the second vinyl with When it Bleeds it Pours, from their 1998 demo, already blasting that harsh, vicious sound that became a staple in today’s Death Metal scene, whereas Sixteenth Chamber, released in the 1995 demo Oh Come All Ye Faithful… Tonight We Feast, by Lestregus Nosferatus, presents those truly evil vocals we love in extreme music, not to mention the heaviness of their riffs. We’re then treated to Pray to Death, by ROT, from the 1990 demo Diabolus (The Unholy Rot), offering our putrid ears more of Atlanta’s own blend of classic Death Metal to inspire us all for some vigorous headbanging, followed by Avulsion with the song Inexorable Suffering, from their 1994 demo of the same name, enhancing the city’s ferocity in the scene, sounding slow, evil and, therefore, definitely not recommended for the lighthearted. Gates Of Emptiness, from the 1997 demo Twilight Eternal, by Dawn of Orion, is an overdose of classic Death Metal, with the harsh vociferations by Myke Jamison sounding insane, and things get even darker in Metaphorical Ithaca, by Haborym (a Hebrew synonym for Satan), mixing Black and Death Metal in an utterly demonic chant from their only demo released in 1995.

Finally, side B of the second vinyl brings to us all The Righteous Shall Fall, by Tragic Demise, displaying one of the most primeval sounds of the entire compilation, sounding like creatures arising form the pits of the underworld while again showcasing classic Death Metal beats for our total delight. Then the band Demoncy blasts a more Black Metal-inspired sound in Winter Bliss, from their 1999 album Joined in Darkness, with their Stygian, cryptic harsh vocals and a beyond raw sound quality giving it a more-than-infernal vibe. Necroflesh then offers a brutal slab of old school Death Metal in Scream, from their 1997 demo, where their guitars sound as caustic and sharp as possible; followed by the song Synthesis of Rebirth, taken from the 1996 demo of the same name by Procostimus, another band blending Death and Black Metal in their music where Greg King shows no mercy for our souls with his grim vocals and drums. Darkened Skies, the second band deeply rooted in old school Black Metal, delivers their share of obscurity and evil to the masses like a creature lurking in the dark in Reign of Radulescu, before Vastion, one of the first Technical Death Metal bands from Atlanta, crushes us all like insects in Ensuring Your Death, from their 2000 album Closed Eyes to Nothing, sounding absolutely wild and bestial until the very last second.

Part of “Georgia Historical Metal Archive Series” by Deanwell Global Music and volume 2 of “Atlanta Metal Underground Archive Series” by Boris Records, Surrender to Death can be described as a night of fierce metallic sounds born in sweaty nightclubs, packed house parties, and DIY warehouse shows, and you can experience all those decades of first-class music made in Atlanta by purchasing a copy of the album from the Boris Records’ BandCamp page, from Deanwell Global Music’s BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE, and let me tell you the package that those guys put together is brilliant, including the double-vinyl (available in four different color options) with a gatefold jacket, an 11×17 double-sided insert containing bios and photos of each band, a sticker, random repro band flyers, and an 18×24 full color poster. This is heavy music, this is Atlanta, and I honestly can’t wait for the next volume in this beautiful tribute to one of the most prolific scenes of the North American underground.

Best moments of the album: Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear, Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part, Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness, Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth and Vastion – Ensuring Your Death.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Boris Records/Deanwell Global Music

Track listing
1. Messendger – Strangers 5:44
2. Fortnox – Lucifers Eyes 3:44
3. Ghost Story – What Few Even Dare 4:28
4. Necropolis – Waters of Lathe 5:23
5. MX – Rock You 3:48
6. Sinister Angel – Street Light Glamour 4:16
7. Legion – Evil Mind 3:25
8. Kinetic Dissent – Reflected Fear 3:26
9. Dark Overlord – Til Death Do Us Part 2:56
10. Hallows Eve – Metal Merchants 3:21
11. Unblessed – When it Bleeds it Pours 4:34
12. Lestregus Nosferatus – Sixteenth Chamber 3:47
13. ROT – Pray to Death 3:40
14. Avulsion – Inexorable Suffering 3:41
15. Dawn of Orion – Gates Of Emptiness 2:58
16. Haborym – Metaphorical Ithaca 3:39
17. Tragic Demise – The Righteous Shall Fall 3:33
18. Demoncy – Winter Bliss 3:47
19. Necroflesh – Scream 3:56
20. Procostimus – Synthesis of Rebirth 4:44
21. Darkened Skies – Reign of Radulescu 3:15
22. Vastion – Ensuring Your Death 2:19

Concert Review – Lamb of God & Mastodon (Budweiser Gardens, London, ON, 07/31/2024)

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Two of the most important bands of the current metal scene crushed the city of London, Canada in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their most-acclaimed albums to date.

OPENING ACTS: Malevolence and Kerry King

What a wild and busy day and night it was this Wednesday, when the cozy Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario hosted one of the most insane tours of the year, Ashes of Leviathan Tour 2024, featuring nothing more, nothing less than MALEVOLENCE, KERRY KING, MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD. It was a rough 2-hour drive for me to get to London in time for the shows, but it was absolutely worth it as this tour is simply celebrating the 20th anniversary of two seminal releases, Lamb of God’s biggest-selling album Ashes of the Wake and Mastodon’s acclaimed sophomore album Leviathan, which were both released on August 31, 2004. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was also there and was dying to photograph his favorite band of all time, Lamb of God, for the first time in his career; however, no idea why, he only got the approval for the first band, Malevolence, something we’ve never seen happening before nor any of our friends, which is why the only good photos of this review are for Malevolence. Sorry about that.

The first band to hit the stage was Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England-based Groove Metal/Metalcore piece MALEVOLENCE, and let me tell you those guys kicked some serious ass, working as the perfect warmup for the devastation that was about to come. Still promoting their 2022 album Malicious Intent, the band formed of Alex Taylor, Joshua Baines, Konan Hall, Wilkie Robinson and Charlie Thorpe put everyone at Budweiser Gardens to slam into the pit, turning up the heat on an already extremely hot day in the city. You can get more details about the band by clicking HERE, and also stream their infuriated creations on Spotify. I just wish they had more time to play, and that the start of the show wasn’t so early, before 6pm, which impacted in a negative way the amount of people already inside the venue for their show.

Setlist
Malicious Intent
Life Sentence
Still Waters Run Deep
Self Supremacy
Higher Place
Keep Your Distance
On Broken Glass

Band members
Alex Taylor – vocals
Joshua Baines – guitars
Konan Hall – guitars, vocals
Wilkie Robinson – bass
Charlie Thorpe – drums

It wasn’t even 7pm when Los Angeles, California’s one and only Thrash Metal icon KERRY KING and his crew took the stage of Budweiser Gardens by storm with their blood red (and sometimes dark blue) stage, endless heaviness, and a strong will to crush everything and everyone that dared to cross their path on Wednesday night. Playing songs from his insane debut solo album From Hell I Rise including Where I Reign and Idle Hands, plus the Slayer all-time classics Raining Blood and Black Magic, Mr. Kerry King was absolutely ruthless during his short but extremely destructive set, supported by the soaring vocals by Death Angel’s frontman Mark Osegueda and also by his Slayer buddy Paul Bostaph on drums, driving fans crazy and igniting some demented mosh pits for the delight of lovers of some good circle pit action. Once again, I really wish his setlist was a bit longer, maybe with a couple more songs from his album or from Slayer, but in the end he certainly proved there’s life outside Slayer as his solo material sounds incredible both in studio and on stage, and you can enjoy Kerry’s wicked music on Spotify, of course, or click HERE for all things surrounding one of the greatest guitarist in the history of Thrash Metal.

Setlist
Where I Reign
Trophies of the Tyrant
Residue
Toxic
Idle Hands
Shrapnel
Raining Blood
Black Magic
From Hell I Rise

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Kerry King – guitars
Phil Demmel – guitars
Kyle Sanders – bass
Paul Bostaph – drums

MASTODON

It was only 8pm when Atlanta, Georgia Progressive/Sludge Metal beast  MASTODON, one of the main attractions of the night (and it’s funny because there was still light outside the venue), kicked off their more-than-special set based on their 2004 album Leviathan, playing the entire album from the very first song, the breathtaking Blood and Thunder, until Joseph Merrick, all supported by a beautiful stage with lots of fire, crazy background images, and a lot of smoke too. Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor were insane as usual, mastering the art of their instruments for our total delectation, therefore receiving a wild and huge ovation form the fans at Budweiser Gardens. The overall sound was a bit muffled to my liking, but nothing that could stop the quartet form putting on a fantastic show, taking us all back 20 years with one of the most important metal albums of the past two decades. There was even time for a nice encore with the songs More Than I Could Chew, Circle of Cysquatch and Steambreather, and after that Brann took some time to thank everyone and to say how insane it is to be on this tour with Lamb of God, both celebrating 20 years of their masterpieces, also taking into account the fact they’ve been friends for all that time too. Mastodon always deliver, and hopefully we’ll see them celebrating 30, 40, 50 years and so on of the great Leviathan.

Setlist
Leviathan
Blood and Thunder
I Am Ahab
Seabeast
Ísland
Iron Tusk
Megalodon
Naked Burn
Aqua Dementia
Hearts Alive
Joseph Merrick

Encore:
More Than I Could Chew
Circle of Cysquatch
Steambreather

Band members
Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, drums

LAMB OF GOD

After a short break, where fans took the time to grab a few final beers and whatever was left from the merch booths, it was time for Richmond, Virginia’s magnificent Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD to pulverize our senses with the full play of their 2004 masterpiece Ashes of the Wake, and let me tell you that the city of London, Ontario simply loves Lamb of God from the bottom of their hearts. The reaction of the fans to each and every song played by D. Randall “Randy” Blythe on vocals, Mark Morton and Willie Adler on the guitars, John Campbell on bass and Art Cruz on drums was beyond superb, with the first three of the album, Laid to Rest, Hourglass and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, already igniting some of the sickest mosh pits of the night. The show moved on majestically, with Randy delivering his trademark “WOOOOOO’s!” inspired by the iconic Ric Flair in between songs, while the fans kept running around like beasts inside the circle pit. And after Ashes of the Wake was over, the band crushed whoever was still alive with the classics Walk With Me in Hell and Redneck, crowning another spectacular performance by Randy and his crew in Canadian lands. As mentioned for Mastodon, I would love to see Lamb of God celebrating many more decades of Ashes of the Wake with amazing concerts like that, and maybe next time there will be less confusion in the communication between us and the organizers, and you readers can have some ass-kicking photos as well to enjoy.

Setlist
Ashes of the Wake
Laid to Rest
Hourglass
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
The Faded Line
Omerta
Blood of the Scribe
One Gun
Break You
What I’ve Become
Ashes of the Wake
Remorse Is for the Dead

Encore:
Walk With Me in Hell
Redneck

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

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Concert Review – Archspire (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2024)

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A night of horror, brutality, circle pits, walls of death, fun games like Twister and the “shoey”, and a lot more in Toronto, courtesy of the fastest and most technical brigade in the history of Canada.

OPENING ACTS: Alluvial, Carcosa and Aborted

It was a beyond wild and fun night at The Phoenix Concert Theatre this Saturday when ALLUVIAL, CARCOSA, ABORTED and ARCHSPIRE took the city of Toronto by storm with their fulminating Everything’s F#*!@d Tour 2024, another extremely successful event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and I say wild and fun because that’s exactly what the four bands offered to us all, blasting our heads with their sick, infernal music, while at the same time demanding nonstop action inside the circle pit. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were patiently awaiting for this concert as we love the music of all four bands, and I must say I couldn’t be happier with everything we got during the event’s four hours of brutal, thrilling and captivating heavy music. Not even the (brutally) bad traffic to get to Toronto made me less excited about the show, and if you know how horrible traffic has been to get to and back from the city lately, especially when there’s rain involved, you know the show was fantastic to the point you don’t even remember the problems to get there, right?

The first band to hit the stage precisely at 7:30pm was Atlanta, Georgia’s Deathcore/Djent outfit ALLUVIAL, who have recently released a great new EP titled Death Is but a Door, the follow-up to their 2021 album Sarcoma. Let’s say their setlist was a mix of those two albums, and although I have no idea of the names of all songs I’m pretty sure they played Bog Dweller and Fogbelt, two songs perfect to ignite some intense mosh pits with whoever was already at the floor section (instead of stuck in a huge line at the way too hot merch area). Their frontman Kevin Muller was a beast during their whole set, and after that fans had a chance to meet him and the other guys at their merch table, which was a very nice touch by the band to create a stronger connection with their fanbase. If you want to know more about Alluvial, go check their BandCamp and Spotify for all of their music, and don’t miss the chance to see them live as they’re insane onstage.

Band members
Kevin Muller – vocals
Wes Hauch – guitars
Tim Walker – bass
Zach Dean – drums

As I wanted so bad an Archspire “Stay Tech” pin plus a patch, I was stupid enough to face the sauna-like merch line right after Alluvial and had to miss the beginning of the concert by Vancouver, British Columbia-based Deathcore/Djent act CARCOSA, but that was OK as I still had plenty to enjoy from their infernal setlist as all bands had a lot of playing time, including the openers. Still promoting their 2021 album Anthology, the band formed of Johnny Ciardullo, Andrew Baena, Cooper Lagace, Laptop and Travis Regnier crushed the souls of everyone at the already packed venue with their heavy-as-hell music and intense energy onstage, and you know how good a band is when a renowned musician like Aborted’s Sven De Caluwé sports a Carcosa shirt during their set. Hence, don’t forget to buy and stream Carcosa’s music on BandCamp and on Spotify, because those Canadian dudes are freakin’ awesome.

Band members
Johnny Ciardullo – vocals
Andrew Baena – guitar
Cooper Lagace – guitar
Laptop – bass
Travis Regnier – drums

After another short and sweet break, Belgium’s own Death Metal/Grindcore masters ABORTED opened up their Vault of Horrors and kicked off one of the most pulverizing, demented and frantic concerts of the past few years in Toronto. It was absolute chaos and madness thanks to guitarist Ian Jekelis, bassist Stefano Franceschini, drummer Ken Bedene, and of course, one of the most demented frontmen of all time, the unparalleled beast Sven De Caluwé. That man was on fire throughout their entire set, hitting his head with his hands, jumping up and down nonstop, making crazy faces, pretending to be firing a machine gun when Ken was blasting his drums manically, and so on, which translated into an overdose of violence, gore and mosh pits to the delight of all fans of the band in the city.

The opener Retrogore was beyond pulverizing to say the least, followed by an avalanche of old school Aborted and new songs from their bestial 2024 album Vault of Horrors (available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), including the fantastic Dreadbringer, Brotherhood of Sleep, and Death Cult. By the way, I told my friend who’s not very familiar with Aborted that someone was going to die during Death Cult so heavy and insane it is, and that almost happened as one guy stayed on the ground for a while to the point several fans inside the pit asked the band to stop playing to check if he was OK. The guy was apparently fine, but I have no idea if he had any sort of concussion that would manifest during the next few days. As I said, Death Cult almost resulted in a real death inside the pit. There was still time for more brutal action with the demolishing tunes Insect Politics, Threading on Vermillion Deception and The Saw and the Carnage Done, leaving everyone in awe and more than ready for more Aborted and their world renowned walls of death in Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Retrogore
Bathos
Dreadbringer
Condemned to Rot
Brotherhood of Sleep
Death Cult
Insect Politics
Threading on Vermillion Deception
The Saw and the Carnage Done

Band members
Sven De Caluwé – vocals
Ian Jekelis – guitar
Stefano Franceschini – bass
Ken Bedene – drums

ARCHSPIRE

After seeing Vancouver, British Columbia’s own Extreme Technical Death Metal brigade ARCHSPIRE kicking some serious ass live in Sydney, Australia last year, I was beyond eager to witness what they could do in Toronto, and this Saturday night they proved why they’re one of the must-see names of the extreme music scene worldwide with their ruthless aggression, undisputed technique, and a really nice sense of humor. Just to give you an example of all that together, when a concert starts with a narration saying things like “after the invention of the horse” you know it’s going to be brutal and fun. Just the idea of someone “inventing” the horse is already a good joke to kick things off.

And as soon as the unstoppable Oliver Rae Aleron on vocals, Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli on the guitars, Jared Smith on bass and Spencer Prewett on drums began their beyond fast, pulverizing and insane concert, it was total madness inside the pit until the very last second. Their last record to date might still be the 2021 opus Bleed the Future, but honestly all songs from that album and from Relentless Mutation (which are the only two albums they currently play in their concerts, “ignoring” for some unknown reason the also great The Lucid Collective, from 2014, and All Shall Align, from 2011) sounded killer live, and you can enjoy both in full on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way. They kicked off the show with the inhumane Bleed the Future to give all concert goers an idea of what their Extreme Technical Death Metal means, and continued their feast of technical insanity with already classic songs like Acrid Canon, Remote Tumour Seeker and Golden Mouth of Ruin, all played to perfection and at the speed of light (or maybe even faster than that).

An Archspire concert is not complete without some good jokes, and the band didn’t’ disappoint at all with a selection of nonsense that added a very nice touch to their already flawless concert. We got the Twister game inside the pit which ended with an infernal wall of death, a sweet tradition already in their concerts, and the also sick “shoey”, which is something Oliver said they learned in Australia. If you don’t know what that is, it’s simply drinking beer from your own shoe as fast as you can, with the winner getting a custom shirt made by the band. The Toronto one had something written about the Maple Leafs that I honestly didn’t get, but it was really cool and the guy who won it put it on right away, as he was really excited of being onstage with the band. And what to say about their introduction to all bands from this tour, saying Aborted only accepted their invitation to play with them (because they needed a big band to seel tickets, as they couldn’t do it by themselves) after they sucked their dicks? This one might sound childish for some people, but it was a good one as well.

Perhaps the most absurd and hilarious moment of the show was when Oliver explained why they had two Christmas trees onstage. Yes, that was their stage stuff, really weird, right? It all made sense when Oliver said that they got some “lab results” and their guitarist Tobi was “not gonna make it to next Christmas”, so they decided to celebrate Christmas with him during this tour. Yes, Christmas IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, and they even brough to stage what they called “Summer Santa” to throw picks to the crowd and give Tobi a dildo to complete his guitar, because according to Oliver that was the same guitar he got from his mom when he was a kid living with his poor Italian family, all in the same room. That was mental, but what was even more mental was the ending of the show with the infuriated, fast-as-a-shark song Involuntary Doppelgänger, and my favorite of all, Drone Corpse Aviator. I have no idea how Oliver can sing so fast like that, nor how Spencer can sound like a stone crusher without making too much effort behind his drums, nor how the other guys manage to play their guitars and bass at an insane speed without making any errors, but I know for sure that Archspire are by far one of the coolest bands of the entire Canadian scene, and I can’t wait to see them live again in the near future. And until then, we must all… STAY TECH!

Setlist
Bleed the Future
Abandon the Linear
Reverie on the Onyx
Acrid Canon
Remote Tumour Seeker
Golden Mouth of Ruin
Drain of Incarnation
Involuntary Doppelgänger
Drone Corpse Aviator

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

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Concert Review – UADA (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/13/2023)

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An atmospheric (and long) night of extreme music spearheaded by the best Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene beautifully darkened the skies of Toronto and the hearts of the metalheads in the city.

OPENING ACTS: A Flock Named Murder, Unreqvited, Cloak and Ghost Bath

There have been countless rock and metal concerts in Toronto since the end of the European summer festivals, and that’s having its toll on the attendance of those concerts as no one has enough time and money to support all those bands when they bring their live performances to the city. That was the case last night when A FLOCK NAMED MURDER, UNREQVITED, CLOAK, GHOST BATH and the mighty UADA took the cozy Lee’s Palace by storm on a night of darkness, blasphemy, deep emotions and truly atmospheric heavy music during their Crepuscule North America 2023. Well, although the show wasn’t even close to be sold out, there were till several brave headbangers at the venue to support those incredible bands, and let’s always keep in mind that we’re talking about the underground of the underground, with zero support from the regular media.

Shortly after the doors at the venue opened at 7pm, Toronto, Ontario-based Black/Death/Post-Metal act A FLOCK NAMED MURDER kicked off the night’s black mass with their short but extremely powerful set, spearheaded by the band’s vocalist and guitarist Ryan Mueller. Having released to date the 2018 album An Appointed Time and the 2022 single Garden of Embers, which I’m pretty sure they played last night (and once again, it’s so hard to keep track of any setlist from almost all underground bands), the quartet put on a solid performance for the crowd, already inspiring some decent headbanging among the attendees. Their music is great and deserves a listen without a shadow of a doubt, and you can do so by visiting their BandCamp page or also by going to Spotify. Needless to say, if they ever play in your city, don’t miss the chance to witness this up-and-coming extreme music horde from Toronto.

Band members
Ryan Mueller – vocals, guitars
Mike Binns – guitars
Mike Wandy – bass
Cam Mueller – drums

Some people (including myself) were a little worried with the number of bands playing last night, as no one knew for sure what time the night was going to end. However, the quality of the music played by all groups was fantastic, which was also the case for the Stygian performance by  Ottawa, Ontario-based Atmospheric Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze/Ambient act UNREQVITED. Although Unreqvited is the solo project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist William Melsness (also known as 鬼, which means “ghost” in Chinese), the band’s live lineup is formed of William alongside guitarist Victor Forest, bassist Robin Parsons and drummer Alec Curren, and let me tell you that those four guys kicked some serious ass on stage, resulting in a very pleasant surprise for anyone who was not familiar with their music. By the way, Victor and Robin had a fantastic onstage performance, mesmerizing the crowd with their somber sounds. I like to say that the type of music played by Unreqvited is a lot more emotional than heavy or obscure, and you can sense all that by enjoying their 2021 album Beautiful Ghosts and their 2022 single Perpetual Green of the Willow Groves, both available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Needless to say, I hope I can see Unreqvited live again sooner than later.

Band members
William Melsness (鬼) – vocals, guitars
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums

It was getting late for a Wednesday night, but who cares? After a quick break it was time for Atlanta, Georgia’s own Black Metal/Black N’ Roll horde CLOAK to bring the energy and fire of their new album Black Flame Eternal to the stage of Lee’s Palace in the most metallic of all concerts of the night. Scott Taysom, Max Brigham, Billy Robinson and Sean Bruneau took no prisoners in their quest for extreme music, blasting our ears with several devilish and frantic tunes including the incendiary Seven Thunders and Black Flame Eternal, inspiring the crowd to raise their horns in the name of evil nonstop, and proving why they’re one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene. Just like what said about the previous bands, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if UADA are visiting your city make sure you get to the show early to catch the pulverizing concert by the guys from Cloak.

Band members
Scott Taysom – vocals, guitars
Max Brigham – guitars
Billy Robinson – bass
Sean Bruneau – drums

I think it was already past 10pm when Minot, North Dakota-based Depressive/Post-Black Metal entity GHOST BATH began their sinister and neck-breaking concert. Still promoting their 2021 album Self Loather, the band led by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Nameless darkened the atmosphere at Lee’s Palace considerably, with their three-guitar attack formed of Nameless together with Tim Church and John Olivier sounding absolutely amazing from start to finish. Apparently they had a few minor sound issues in the beginning of their performance, which might explain the delay in their concert to start, but nothing that would bring any harm their onstage blackened party. All of their albums, including of course their latest offering, are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, so do not waste a single second and go check their insane creations, getting ready to praise darkness and melancholy whenever Ghost Bath invade your damned city.

Band members
Nameless – vocals, guitars
Tim Church – guitars
John Olivier – guitars
Josh Jaye – bass
Chris Piette – drums

UADA

What happens when a concert that was supposed to have started at 10:45pm, which is already late, has a 40-minute delay? Exactly, people start to get back to their homes because of several reasons like catching the last subway or train home, or having to wake up really early to work or go to school. That was basically the main issue with the flawless and beyond atmospheric performance by Portland, Oregon-based Melodic Black Metal titans UADA, resulting in some gaps in the floor section that didn’t look nice, but that didn’t change the fact UADA were fantastic on stage either. Having released their new masterpiece Crepuscule Natura just the Friday before the concert, such uncanny horde formed of vocalist and guitarist Jake Superchi, guitarist Kevin Bedra, bassist Nate Verschoor and drummer Trevor McClain was on absolute fire from start to finish, making everyone who could stay until the very end of their concert extremely happy and satisfied.

The smoke, the dim lights, and the band’s dark and menacing outfits that make it impossible to see their faces (plus of course the incense and the stunning setup of their merch table) are crucial elements of their live performances, and although photographers like my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography don’t really like that type of ambience as it gets tough to take clear photos, in the end everything works perfectly and has a reason to be there. From the very first notes of the explosive The Purging Fire, UADA already showed everything they got and their deep passion for dark music. After such hypnotizing start, they had a microphone issue during Snakes & Vultures that seemed to have driven Jake a little upset (which is totally understandable), but the crowd knew it wasn’t the band’s fault at all and enjoyed the song to the fullest even with that minor incident.

The title-track to their 2020 album, the breathtaking Djinn, might be my favorite UADA song to date, and seeing it being played live again (after seeing them opening for Rotting Christ earlier this year) was a thing of beauty, this time sounding and feeling even more powerful, followed by the also imposing and multi-layered In the Absence of Matter. However, it was when they played their two new songs The Dark (Winter) and Retraversing the Void that things got even more majestic, with the quartet playing those songs to perfection and inspiring everyone at the venue to bang their heads nonstop together with them, just to show how powerful their new album is. And finally, closing their cryptic performance they offered our avid ears their already classics Cult of a Dying Sun and Black Autumn, White Spring, putting an epic finale to a night that was extremely long, but at the same time extremely enjoyable. I can’t wait to see UADA again live, hopefully not so late at night due to my other commitments, but to be honest, who cares? Seeing what’s in my humble opinion the best and most innovative band of the current Melodic Black Metal scene kicking ass on stage is worth the effort, and may those mysterious guys return to Toronto for another metallic assault sooner than we can say “UADA”!

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Snakes & Vultures
Djinn
In the Absence of Matter
The Dark (Winter)
Retraversing the Void
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kevin Bedra – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Trevor McClain – drums

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Concert Review – Gojira & Mastodon (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/16/2023)

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The two biggest monsters of the current metal scene worldwide crushed Toronto to pieces in another night of first-class, breathtaking heavy music.

OPENING ACT: Lorna Shore

What a perfect night of progressiveness, heaviness, electricity and rage in Toronto yesterday at the Budweiser Stage, courtesy of LORNA SHORE, GOJIRA and MASTODON and their breathtaking The Mega Monsters Tour 2023. The whole event was absolutely brilliant from start to finish thanks to the energy and focus all three bands put on their performances, making it one of the best concerts in the city this year hands down. Almost all attendees didn’t seem to care about the huge lines formed around 4pm outside the venue to try to get a place in the pit, because after Live Nation moved the concert from the Echo Beach to the Budweiser Stage it became a “first come, first serve” adventure, where you would basically test your luck and see if you got a place on the floor section, or a seat in the 200 level. Fortunately I was able to get to the pit (as I told my friends, I need a T-shirt saying “I HATE SEATS”), which quickly lightened up my mood and made the whole thing even more enjoyable for me.

Before the actual concert started, more precisely right after the gates opened at 6pm, I had a chance to watch the pre-show at the “Corona Tropical Oasis” (which was basically some sort of a small ravine with a gazebo, where the drums where placed, right beside the merch stands) with an Iron Maiden cover band named Piece of Maiden, and I gotta say they did a solid job playing several classic the likes of Revelations, The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Phantom of the Opera. My only advice to those guys is that they desperately need to get better attires or costumes for their performances to look more professional, because they just looked like a bunch of friends jamming some Maiden songs together. In the end, I personally think that was a nice add-on to the entire event, allowing whoever was already inside the venue to headbang to some classics while having a beer, a hot dog, or waiting in line to buy some merch.

Finally, at 7pm sharp, I was able to witness for the first time ever the pulverizing Progressive and Symphonic Deathcore by New Jersey’s own LORNA SHORE, and they didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, I’m now an even bigger fan of the band, as they brought all the energy from their 2022 masterpiece Pain Remains to the stage in great fashion. The first three songs, those being Sun//Eater, Cursed to Die and Into the Earth, were already superb, with Will Ramos sounding inhumane with his roars and screeches for our total delight. There was a guest vocalist in one of the songs that looked like their own stage photographer, but I have zero idea of who that guy really was. Any thoughts? Anyway, it was when they played their unparalleled Pain Remains Trilogy comprised of Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear and Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire, that they crushed everyone’s souls mercilessly, putting a beyond climatic ending to their flawless performance. If you have never listened to such dark and melancholic trilogy, I highly recommend you go search for it on any streaming platform, and please listen to it while at the same time you follow the lyrics. Hopefully, the mighty Lorna Shore will return to Toronto for another demolishing concert in the near future, and based on the smiles on the faces of all band members I’m sure they’ll take the city by storm again with their amazing music sooner than we can imagine.

Setlist
Sun//Eater
Cursed to Die
Into the Earth
Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames
Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear
Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

GOJIRA

Shortly after 8pm, when the skies were already a lot darker than during Lorna Shore, New York-based French Progressive/Groove Metal institution GOJIRA hit the stage for another electrifying concert, as expected from one of the most technical, hard working and professional bands out there. Joe Duplantier, Christian Andreu, Jean-Michel Labadie and Mario Duplantier put on a jaw-dropping performance, playing songs from all of their amazing albums such as the demolishing Ocean Planet, Backbone, Stranded, Flying Whales (with of course some inflatable whales flying around the floor section, as usual) and Silvera, this one inspiring every single person at the venue to bang their heads nonstop like maniacs. Not only that, the songs from their latest album Fortitude also worked really well live, in special Amazonia, which is now for me one of the most amazing songs to witness live, and The Chant, where Joe got some help from the over 10,000 fans at the Budweiser Stage to sing along with him the song’s beautiful “Aaaaah ah ah ah ahhhhh… ah ah ah ahhhhh…” in one of the coolest moments of their entire set. He even mentioned Toronto was a lot better than Detroit during that song, which made us fans all very proud of our pipes.

Speaking about Joe, the man was on fire throughout the entire show, building a strong and honest connection with the crowd, and even acknowledging a fan at the front row that was already on her seventh concert this tour, I guess, showing how much the band cares about their fans. His brother Mario was also bestial during the entire show, smashing his drums with so much passion, precision and strength that it’s extremely easy to be mesmerized by his performance and “forget” about the rest of the band. During his awesome drum solo he even raised some funny signs that said “I CAN’T HEAR YOU” and “FUCK YEAH” to play with the crowd, showing how a drum solo should be done to avoid becoming the popular “bathroom break”. He’s one of the best drummers in the world right now, no doubt about that, but he’s so humble and down to earth that sometimes I think he’s underrated for not being more vocal like many other drummers who are not even close to him in terms of heaviness, dexterity and energy. As expected from Gojira, their stage was also a brilliant add-on to their music, with all the lights, fire, background videos and so on adding an extra touch of epicness to their concert. Other bands like Iron Maiden, who only rely on backdrop banners or flags, should be inspired by Gojira and modernize their stage with videos like that, as those helped to tell the story from each song majestically. Every single time I see Gojira live I get stunned, and it couldn’t have been any different last night for me and for all 10,000 people at the venue. Put differently, Gojira are perfect live, offering a unique visual and sonic experience for anyone who loves good music.

Setlist
Ocean Planet
Backbone
Stranded
Flying Whales
The Cell
The Art of Dying
Drum Solo
Grind
Another World
Silvera
Amazonia
The Chant
The Gift of Guilt

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

MASTODON

After another quick break, where everyone had a chance to go to the bathroom, grab another beer, smoke a cigarette or simply chat with friends that were seated in different levels or sections of the venue, Atlanta, Georgia-based Progressive Metal/Rock titans MASTODON began their monstrous concert at around 9:45pm, and maybe due to that late start (as a lot of people still had to wake up early to work today) the floor section was a lot less busy than during Lorna Shore and Gojira. That doesn’t mean the fans didn’t have a good time and that the mosh pits didn’t keep moving frantically; it’s just that there was a little more room to breathe (which for me was a good thing in the end). Due to their longer setlist, Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor (plus guest keyboardist João Nogueira, of bands like Dol Guldur, Stone Giant and The Claypool Lennon Delirium) didn’t spend too much time talking. It was crushing song after crushing song, demanding a lot of headbanging, horns in the air and nonstop screaming from their fans. In other words, their show required a lot of cardio, I might say.

As mentioned, their setlist was long and comprehensive, including several classics, newer songs and some surprises from all their discography, such as the high-octane opener The Wolf Is Loose, the pounding Crystal Skull and Megalodon, and more contemporary songs from their 2017 album Emperor of Sand and their 2021 opus Hushed and Grim, those being Andromeda, Sultan’s Curse, Pushing the Tides, More Than I Could Chew, and my favorite of their set, the groovy and fun Steambreather. Brent and Bill were insane armed with their axes during this song, as well as Brann on drums, another one of the best drummers in the world right now who’s also a very nice guy off stage. The pyro and the videos also enhanced their performance, like what happened with Gojira, and as you can see in the awesome photos taken by my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, those extra features once again showed how modernizing your stage can bring tons of benefits to your band.

The last batch of songs from their setlist was beyond thunderous, starting with Circle of Cysquatch, where a giant and very colourful “whatever-monster-that-is” entered the stage just like Eddie with Iron Maiden or Vic Rattlehead with Megadeth, captivatign the eyes of the entire crowd, followed by Crusher Destroyer and their biggest hit of all, Blood and Thunder, generating a nice circle pit with a small “island” in the middle. Brann even took some time after their concert was over to thank the fans in Toronto for being amazing as usual, to throw some drumsticks to the crowd, and to say how much he loves the circle pits in the city, saying we have the craziest mosh pits of all (and I fully agree with him). I don’t know about you, but I’m already waiting for those two mega-monsters Gojira and Mastodon to kick some serious ass in Toronto again, and based on the reactions from both bands we’ll certainly see them smashing us all like insects really soon with their incendiary music.

Setlist
The Wolf Is Loose
Crystal Skull
Megalodon
Andromeda
Divinations
Sultan’s Curse
Fallen Torches
Pushing the Tides
More Than I Could Chew
Aqua Dementia
Steambreather
Iron Tusk
March of the Fire Ants
Mother Puncher
Circle of Cysquatch
Crusher Destroyer
Blood and Thunder

Band members
Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, drums

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Album Review – Fifth Ring / Masochist (2022)

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This ruthless trio based in Taiwan and the United States will break your bones with their debut full-length monstrosity, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode.

With the soul focus on creating the heaviest riffs, the sickest slams and the filthiest breakdowns, the members of Tainan, Taiwan/Atlanta, Georgia, United States-based Blackened Deathcore horde Fifth Ring have been creatively active with other musical projects for over ten years now and have come together once again to create a whole new monstrosity, entitled Masochist. Following on directly from their 2022 three-track EP Dawn, Masochist is a huge leap forward for Fifth Ring in every department, a maelstrom where Blackened Deathcore, Progressive Death Metal and sheer bloody brutality collide and explode, therefore showcasing all the talent and fury by Zachary Kepley on vocals, bass and drum programming, Christopher Williamson on the guitar and Q. Keith Brown Jr. on drums, and being highly recommended for fans of Cattle Decapitation, Bog Wraith, Sun Speaker and Katabasis, among others.

The opening tune Ten Horns is noisy, vile and brutal from the very first second, with the infernal vociferations by Zachary walking hand in hand with his own demonic bass punches in an awesome fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Deathcore where the riffs by Zachary and Christopher will pierce your skull mercilessly. The Snake is just as demonic as its predecessor, with Q. Keith crushing his drums in the name of Blackened Deathcore, exhaling groove and rage for our total delight; whereas in Crimson Mask we face sick words barked by Zachary (“Stretch out the spine / Broken neck / Barbed wire / Guillotine / Now the wound has opened up”) amidst a hurricane of metallic sounds perfect for slamming into the circle pit. Then bringing forward elements from classic Thrash and Death Metal we have Head on a Pike, where Q. Keith once again does a great job behind his drums; and switching gears to a more melodic, pensive sonority, get ready for six intense minutes in Dust to Dust, which loses its grip after a while, consequently sounding a bit tiresome in the end.

Back to a more Hardcore sound, the trio drinks form the same fountain as renowned acts the likes of Lorna Shore and Whitechapel in Maggot King, showcasing a violent riff attack by Zachary and Christopher, whereas in Waste we’re treated to another round of their acid lyrics (“Dead in the waste / By the time I was saved / I never / Prayed to a god / Who forsakes / Everyone who’s praises / Dead on cross / With no head / Upside down and rancid”) while the music brings to our ears endless savagery and heaviness. The Pit is a brutal, neck-breaking creation by the trio that will please all fans of the darkest side of Deathcore, with Zachary sounding inhumane on vocals while Q. Keith continues to kick ass on drums, resulting in the heaviest of all songs hands down. Lastly, ending the album on a demonic mode, more of the trio’s trademark aggressiveness is offered to us all in Lurking in the Open Wound, while also presenting some cryptic, somber passages until its melancholic finale.

You can enjoy Masochist and all of its heaviness and gore on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show your support to the underground extreme scene you should buy the album from their own BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or by clicking HERE, proving you’re indeed a circle pit connoisseur. In addition, go check what the trio is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their demented music. Listen to Masochist and feel your mind forcibly expanded while your bones are remorselessly broken, and may Fifth Ring keep destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path with more first-class releases such as their new album in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Ten Horns, Crimson Mask and The Pit.

Worst moments of the album: Dust to Dust.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Ten Horns 4:16
2. The Snake 4:05
3. Crimson Mask 3:20
4. Head on a Pike 4:59
5. Dust to Dust 6:02
6. Maggot King 3:39
7. Waste 3:47
8. The Pit 4:12
9. Lurking in the Open Wound 6:12

Band members
Zachary Kepley – vocals, bass, drum programming
Christopher Williamson – guitar
Q. Keith Brown Jr. – drums

Album Review – Mastodon / Emperor of Sand (2017)

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Follow the inspirational story of a desert wanderer who has been handed a death sentence in the brand new excellent album by the trailblazers of Progressive and Sludge Metal.

Anything I say about the music by American Progressive/Sludge Metal trailblazers Mastodon won’t be enough to describe the amount of madness, intricacy and feeling flowing from the instruments from this unique Atlanta-based quartet. Now with the fantastic Emperor of Sand, the seventh studio album in their remarkable career, Troy Sanders (bass), Brent Hinds (guitar), Bill Kelliher (guitar) and Brann Dailor (drums) add an extra layer of complexity to their music by revolving the entire album around the concepts of death and survival, inspired by experiences they had when members of their families and friends were recently diagnosed with cancer.

Featuring a beautiful artwork by Alan Brown (Medusawolf), the concept and story in Emperor of Sand follows a desert wanderer who has been handed a death sentence. “At the end of the story, the person simultaneously dies and is saved,” said Brann. “It’s about going through cancer, going through chemotherapy and all the things associated with that. I didn’t want to be literal about it. But it’s all in there. You can read between the lines.” Troy also had a few words to share about the whole concept behind Emperor of Sand. “We’re reflecting on mortality,” mentioned Troy. “To that end, the album ties into our entire discography. It’s 17 years in the making, but it’s also a direct reaction to the last two years. We tend to draw inspiration from very real things in our lives.”

Percussion sounds ignite pure heaviness in the form of music, titled Sultan’s Curse, where it’s impressive to see how those four guys can sound so polished and raw at the same time in a perfect fusion of Progressive and Sludge Metal. Furthermore, not only Brann has a superb performance on drums, but their already famous rotation of vocals only makes things even more entertaining. Despite sounding a bit too commercial at first, Show Yourself is a damn good song, being electrified and upbeat with the awesome vocals by Brann leading the musicality, while Brent and Bill deliver classic, sharp riffs and solos. In addition, if you want to see how awesome this tune sounds live, simply watch this excellent video of the band performing it at Jimmy Kimmel Live. Precious Stones is the type of song fans will love to see them playing live, offering another high-speed metallic voyage and showcasing more of their beautiful guitar lines and a rumbling performance by the unstoppable Troy on bass; whereas Steambreather starts with a dark, low-tuned sonority thanks to the guitars and bass sounds, keeping a blackened aura throughout the whole song but with faster passages to maintain the overall result very interesting (not to mention the once again excellent vocals from start to finish).

The next track, named Roots Remain, sounds heavier than all previous songs, with Brann smashing his drums while Troy fires his more aggressive vocals, also providing tons of progressiveness flowing from all instruments in a display of classy and modern Sludge Metal with hints of Groove Metal. In my humble opinion, Word to the Wise is the best of all songs in Emperor of Sand, with the poetic lyrics emanating from the harsh vocals by Troy matching the music flawlessly (“Diamond in the wishing well / Fallen underneath its spell / Save me from the wicked ways / Pulling me with all its weight”). Moreover, I love when they speed up their music without losing their progressive touch, maintaining a beautiful pace while at the same time firing some flammable guitar solos. Ancient Kingdom is another composition with a solid and intricate instrumental supporting the amazing vocal work done by all band members, and what Brann does with his beats is like a lecture in drum playing; followed by Clandestiny, which to my ears sounds like a less commercial and consequently heavier version of “Show Yourself”. It’s one of the songs with the strongest Progressive Metal base of all, and it’s impossible not to feel its energy flowing inside your mind.

With guest musician Kevin Sharp of Brutal Truth on vocals, Andromeda, a great tune to break your neck headbanging, also presents a darker side of Mastodon. Brann is absolutely on fire throughout the whole album and it couldn’t be different in this amazing chant, which makes me wonder how powerful it should sound during their live concerts. And featuring another guest vocalist, this time Scott Kelly of Neurosis, we have Scorpion Breath, the second to last track of the album, being very rhythmic with the bass lines by Troy bringing thunder to the musicality, while the guitars by Brent and Bill will cut your skin like a razor-edged blade. Last but not least, if someone asked me to summarize the music by Mastodon in two words, those would definitely be Jaguar God. This is a complex, detailed and very creative creation by the band, presenting amazing guitar riffs and solos, an intricate and groovy drumming, smoother passages, and beyond whimsical lyrics (“Terrestial fire, ascending from underground / Godspeed divine, so we control our mound / Shape shifter, spirits whisper / Guide me through this black sorcery”), not to mention that when the music gets really heavy, it becomes the best Progressive Metal you can think of.

I personally recommend that before (or maybe after) listening to the album in its entirety you go check the band’s outstanding series of videos on YouTube titled The Making of Emperor of Sand, as those will make a lot of difference to your own view of the music found in Emperor of Sand, giving additional details and even new meanings to what you think you know about Mastodon. You can also check what the band is up to at their official Facebook page, and get ready for their always fun visit to your city in a not-so-distant future. Some will say Emperor of Sand is their strongest work to date, and some that the band lost their touch, just like what happens with every renowned band nowadays. All I know is that Emperor of Sand is a bold, cohesive and inspirational metal album, and that it will hit you hard no matter what, proving Mastodon are not among the biggest and most influential names in contemporary heavy music in vain.

Best moments of the album: Sultan’s Curse, Precious Stones, Word to the Wise and Jaguar God.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2017 Reprise Records

Track listing
1. Sultan’s Curse 4:09
2. Show Yourself 3:03
3. Precious Stones 3:46
4. Steambreather 5:03
5. Roots Remain 6:28
6. Word to the Wise 4:00
7. Ancient Kingdom 4:54
8. Clandestiny 4:28
9. Andromeda (feat. Kevin Sharp) 4:05
10. Scorpion Breath (feat. Scott Kelly) 3:19
11. Jaguar God 7:56

Band members
Brent Hinds – lead guitar, lead and backing vocals
Bill Kelliher – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Troy Sanders – bass guitar, lead and backing vocals
Brann Dailor – drums, percussion, lead and backing vocals, bass on “Jaguar God” intro 

Guest musicians
Kevin Sharp – additional vocals on “Andromeda”
Scott Kelly – additional vocals on “Scorpion Breath”
Mike Keneally – keyboards