Concert Review – Machine Head (History, Toronto, ON, 04/28/2025)

Monday nights are always boring, except when you have four of the must-see bands of the current metal scene worldwide kicking some serious ass in the city.

OPENING ACTS: Unearth, Lacuna Coil and In Flames

What a night of modern and electrifying heavy music at the always amazing History this Monday during the North American Tour 2025 spearheaded by MACHINE HEAD, with special guests UNEARTH, LACUNA COIL and IN FLAMES, and despite the insane traffic in the city and the fact it was a Monday night, we can say it was a nearly sold out event where every single person at the venue had a phenomenal time, including Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I, of course. History is also a great venue for concerts because not only there are plenty of restaurants in the neighborhood, but they also have a few food options inside, like pizza for example, something not common at most venues in Toronto. This means that if you’re running late to any concert but you need to eat something beforehand, you don’t need to waste any second searching for food outside the venue. Simply get inside, and enjoy a slice of pizza while watching your favorite bands playing.

The doors opening at 5pm, when most people were still at work, plus the first band of the night, Boston, Massachusetts-based Metalcore outfit UNEARTH, kicking off their show already at the early time of 6pm, was kind of a bummer as a lot of people ended up missing their show, including myself, and I was very disappointed with that because their 2023 album The Wretched; The Ruinous is a real banger and I was eager to see them playing some of those not-so-new tunes live alongside some older meterial (although their short onstage time didn’t allow them to play their regular full setlist, of course). Well, Keith said they were beyond ruthless onstage led by their rabid frontman Trevor Phipps, already igniting some sick mosh pits in the floor section, and if you also missed those guys live on Monday at least we can enjoy their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and patiently wait for the next time they pay a visit to Toronto. Hopefully at a later time slot.

Setlist
The Power of Love (Huey Lewis and the News song)
My Will Be Done
This Lying World
The Wretched; The Ruinous
Giles
Incinerate
Black Hearts Now Reign

Band members
Trevor Phipps – vocals
Buz McGrath – guitars
Peter Layman – guitars
Chris O’Toole – bass
Mike Justian – drums

Luckily, I made it just in time for the superb performance by Italian Alternative Rock/Metal icons LACUNA COIL, more specifically three minutes before they took the stage by storm with their endless charisma, undeniable talent, and highly addictive, catchy tunes, most of them from their brand new album Sleepless Empire (available on all streaming services like Spotify), including the excellent Hosting the Shadow, Gravity, I Wish You Were Dead, and Oxygen. Damn, those tunes sounded amazing live. The beyond stunning diva Cristina Scabbia (she looks younger than ever, by the way) and the enigmatic, sinister Andrea Ferro drove fans wild during their set, making a more-than-dynamic duo onstage for the delight of everyone who enjoys this type of “Beauty and the Beast” vocal attack. As usual, the duo was effectively supported by their bandmates Daniele Salomone, Marco Coti Zelati and Richard Meiz, enhancing the band’s energy and punch and, therefore, inspiring everyone to raise their horns and sing all songs along with Cristina and Andrea. Lacuna Coil are a must-see band of the current scene, and I can’t wait to see them again in the near future. Needless to say, next time they deserve their own headlining tour, so we can enjoy a lot more of their hypnotizing creations.

Setlist
Intro
Layers of Time
Reckless
Hosting the Shadow
Gravity
Our Truth
Blood, Tears, Dust
I Wish You Were Dead
Oxygen
Never Dawn

Band members
Cristina Scabbia – vocals
Andrea Ferro – vocals
Daniele Salomone – guitars
Marco Coti Zelati – bass, keyboards
Richard Meiz – drums

It was already past 8pm when Sweden’s own Melodic Groove Metal/Metalcore/Alternative Rock titans IN FLAMES began their incendiary performance at History (pun intended), already melting our faces with one of their most electrifying songs ever, Cloud Connected. Frontman Anders Fridén and his henchmen, including the fantastic axeman Chris Broderick, showed no mercy for our souls, delivering hit after hit, with the newer songs from their 2023 album Foregone (also available on Spotify), like In the Dark and Meet Your Maker, blending perfectly with their classics and, consequently, igniting some insane circle pits that were nicely acknowledged by Anders. Not only that, he was also on fire with his dark Swedish humor, making an even stronger connection with the crowd. For instance, he noticed one fan was singing ALL songs perfectly at the barrier, so he said he should not screw up any song otherwise that fan would catch his error. The ending with I Am Above and My Sweet Shadow was epic, and I must say their concert this Monday night might have been their best in the city to date. In Flames certainly love Toronto, and we love them back, which means it won’t take long for the band to kick our asses again with another unrelenting concert in the near future.

Setlist
Cloud Connected
Take This Life
Deliver Us
In the Dark
Voices
Coerced Coexistence
Bullet Ride
Trigger
Meet Your Maker
State of Slow Decay
The Mirror’s Truth
I Am Above
My Sweet Shadow

Band members
Anders Fridén – vocals
Björn Gelotte – guitars
Chris Broderick – guitars
Liam Wilson – bass
Tanner Wayne – drums

MACHINE HEAD

Finally, after an avalanche of first-class heavy music from different parts of the world, the main attraction of the night, Oakland, California’s own Groove/Thrash Metal brigade MACHINE HEAD kicked off their electrifying concert to finish destroying anyone who dared to face some wild mosh pits during the execution of their hard hitting tunes. Robb Flynn, Reece Scruggs, Jared MacEachern and Matt Alston were unstoppable onstage, kindly asking every single fan to keep their phones in their pockets and simply have an amazing time with them, banging their heads, slamming into the pit, having a beer and raising their fists in the air. Blending classics the likes of Locust and Bulldozer with several songs form their new opus Unatoned (also spelled UNATØNED, and of course available on Spotify), released this past Friday April 25, such as ØUTSIDER and BØNESCRAPER, the band put on a phenomenal concert that made a boring Monday night feel like a metallic party on a Saturday.

They’ve been on the road since 1991, but their passion for heavy music is so strong it felt like they were just newcomers full of energy and ready to kick our asses. The circle pit action was intense, Robb kept throwing beer to the fans and having a lot of fun interacting with everyone, including a little kid at the back of the balcony section (showing he’s a guy that pays attention to EVERYONE who attends a Machine Head concert), and the background screen, lighting and smoke added an extra touch of insanity to their show. In the end, after they played the classic Halo, they stayed a little longer throwing countless guitar picks and drumsticks to the crowd, who was brave enough to stay at the venue until the very end, already past 11pm on a Monday night. I guess even if they had stayed there until 2 or 3am the fans would have also been there to support them, because this is how superb heavy music is done. Played live, played loud, and with a beautiful connection between the artist and their fans. Thank you, Machine Head, and rest assured whenever you return to Toronto, we’ll all be there for you.

Setlist
Diary of a Madman (Ozzy Osbourne song)
In Comes the Flood
Imperium
Ten Ton Hammer
CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
Now We Die
Catharsis
NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD
ØUTSIDER
Locust
BØNESCRAPER
Declaration
Bulldozer
From This Day
Davidian

Encore:
Halo

Band members
Robb Flynn – vocals, guitars
Reece Scruggs – guitars
Jared MacEachern – bass, backing vocals
Matt Alston – drums, percussion

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Interview – Meshuggah’s Burger (Slayer Burger)

This Meshuggah-inspired beast of a burger will satisfy your craving for high quality food infused with Swedish traditions and an endless dosage of unrelenting heavy music.

Meshuggah’s Burger @ Slayer Burger

The Headbanging Moose: Thank you for this opportunity to meet you and know more about Slayer Burger, and your new partnership with Meshuggah. As this will be published to readers from all over the world, could you please introduce Slayer Burger to the ones who don’t know it?
Slayer Burger: Slayer Burger is not just a local premium burger place — it’s an experience. We bring together fresh, high-quality ingredients, bold flavors, and a rock-and-roll attitude to serve up the ultimate smash and grill burger. Our menu is inspired by heavy music, and we’re always pushing the boundaries with creative and unique recipes. If you love great food and even better music, Slayer Burger is the place for you.

THM: When and where was the idea of having a Meshuggah-themed burger born? And who’s responsible for selecting its ingredients, bringing it to life and making it available at Slayer Burger?
SB: The idea came by Meshuggah’s team and your chef consultant Lilian Cardoso. We wanted to honor Meshuggah’s legacy with a burger that’s just as intense as their music — bold, complex, and unforgettable. Our team, our chefs and marketing crew worked together to perfect the ingredients and create something truly worthy of the name.

THM: What makes Meshuggah’s Burger special in your opinion, I mean, why should people choose it instead of any other burger from your menu or from any competitor?
SB: This isn’t just any burger — it’s a full-on sensory experience. The black bun sets the tone, the lingonberry bacon jam adds a touch of Swedish influence, and the rich, savory flavors balance it all out. It’s a burger that stands out visually and flavor-wise, making it a must-try for fans of Meshuggah and anyone who loves a next-level burger.

THM: Apart from Meshuggah’s Burger, you also have two other burgers with black charcoal buns, Vecna and The Wagyu. How has been the feedback from your consumers to those burgers with black buns? And what makes it special? Is it just the association of color black with heavy music, or is there something else?
SB: People love them! The black bun always grabs attention, but it’s the flavors that keep customers coming back. The association with heavy music definitely plays a role, but at the end of the day, it’s about taste — and we make sure every bite delivers.

Slayer Gif GIFs | Tenor

Click on our Slayer buddy to access the official Slayer Burger website!

THM: Perhaps the most unique ingredient in the new burger is its lingonberry bacon jam. Lingonberries are extremely popular in Sweden, used in countless Swedish dishes including kroppkakor, pitepalt, potato pancakes, spinach pancakes, kåldolmar, and more, and many Swedes grow up picking them in the forest. However, we’re not in Sweden, we’re in Canada. Having said that, do you think Torontonians are ready for the lingonberry?
SB: Absolutely! Toronto is a city that embraces diverse flavors, and lingonberry jam brings the perfect balance of sweet and tart to complement the richness of the burger. It’s a nod to Sweden, but it works incredibly well in Canada burger scene too.

THM: Have the guys from Meshuggah already tried the burger, or are they going to try it during their stop in Toronto next weekend, when they play in the city alongside Cannibal Corpse and Carcass?
SB: We can’t wait for them to try it when they’re in town! We’re confident they’ll love it — it’s made with the same precision and intensity as their music. Also, we’ll have our food truck on the day of the concert, we can’t wait to serve the band and their crew as well.

THM: Is this just the beginning of a series of partnerships with metal bands to create other special items in your menu? And if so, do you already have any other bands in mind for the near future?
SB: We’re always open to new collaborations, especially with bands that share our energy and passion. We can’t reveal anything yet, but let’s just say there are some exciting ideas brewing. Stay tuned!

Meshuggah’s Burger and the Immutable album

THM: You have some amazing options in your menu to go with your burgers, including delicious sides, sweets and exclusive beers. Just like Meshuggah are making the perfect combo with a Cannibal Corpse and Carcass in the city this Saturday, what would be the ideal side and drink to go with Meshuggah’s Burger?
SB: You’ll want something that can stand up to the burger’s bold flavors. Our special Slayer cheese poutine or onion rings make a killer side, and for drinks, our own Slayer Premium Beer with deep, roasted flavors would be the perfect match.

THM: And as in the end it’s always all about the music, what’s the perfect soundtrack for enjoying Meshuggah’s Burger? It can be a full album, just a few songs, or simply one song (if the consumer is a fast eater)!
SB: If you want the full experience, put on Meshuggah’s ObZen or Immutable and let the complex rhythms match the layers of flavor in the burger. If you’re a fast eater, Bleed is a perfect choice — just make sure you can keep up!

THM: Thank you very much for your time! Feel free to send a final message to our readers, and to invite them to visit one of the Slayer Burger locations in Toronto whenever they’re in the city for a nice night of heavy music!
SB: If you love metal and burgers, you need to try the Meshuggah Burger. It’s bold, intense, and built for those who crave something different. Come visit Slayer Burger in Toronto and experience it for yourself — because great food deserves a heavy soundtrack.

Locations

1400 O’Connor Dr. – East York
Toronto – ON – M4B 2T8

739 Queen St E – Riverside
Toronto – ON – M4M 1H4

2013 Yonge St – Midtown
Toronto – ON – M4S 1Z8

Thank you so much for this opportunity to show Slayer to more people =)

Links
Slayer Burger Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Meshuggah Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Album Review – Nephylim / Circuition (2025)

This Dutch Melodic Death Metal brigade is ready to strike again with their sophomore album, exploring the concepts of “the cycle of life” and “the wheel of fate”.

Founded back in 2015 by friends Kevin van Geffen and Rens van de Ven in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, colloquially known as Den Bosch, a city and municipality in the province of North Brabant, in the Netherlands, Melodic Death Metal outfit Nephylim is ready to strike again with their sophomore opus Circuition, the long-awaited follow-up to their 2020 debut album Severance of Serenity. Produced by Joost van den Broek, Yarne Heylen and Nephylim, with guitars, bass and vocals recorded at Project Zero Studio and drums recorded at Sandlane Recording Facilities, mixed by Joost van den Broek at Sandlane Recording Facilities, mastered by Darius van Helfteren at Amsterdam Mastering, and displaying a captivating artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, the new album by frontman Tijn Bosters, guitarists Kevin van Geffen and Ralph Lentink, bassist Rens van de Ven, and drummer Martijn Paauwe is a conceptual album that explores the concepts of “the cycle of life” and “the wheel of fate”, with each song being connected to a meaning or state of being such as the origin of life or birth, the consequences of old age, or everyone’s perception of the circle of life, always supported by the world famous Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound.

The first half of a two-part song is actually an intro, Travail Pt. I – Anima, a futuristic, whimsical composition that works as the calm before the storm that is the second half, titled Travail Pt. II – Animus, with all background elements elevating the band’s Melodic Death Metal to new heights, not to mention the guitars by Kevin and Ralph transpire melody and rage in the best Gothenburg-inspired style, connecting with Amaranth, where Martijn dictates the song’s rhythm with his classic beats, blending the best of bands like Dark Tranquillity, Insomnium and The Halo Effect. Grand Denial is another lengthy, intricate and energetic aria by Nephylim, with Tijn’s deep, enraged roars walking hand in hand with their boisterous instrumental pieces; followed by the title-track Circuition, which sounds even more melodic and epic, with the stylish riffs and solos by Kevin an Ralph embellishing the airwaves in great fashion. In Withered we face lyrics that reek of Melodic Death Metal (“Glimpse upon a tainted mind, Entangled by the heart of man / Reaching deeper and beyond, As the void smothers whole”) amidst a high-octane, metallic sonority, before all comes to an end with Inner Paradigm, presenting some welcome elements from other genres like Groove Metal and Djent, in special in the rumbling bass by Rens.

By pushing the boundaries in terms of overall production and quality, music and lyrical compositions, Circuition (which is by the way available in full on YouTube and on Spotify) is undoubtedly the band’s strongest effort to date, and will surely elevate the band to new heights in the world of heavy music. You can get to know more about those Dutch metallers on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify, and obviously support such a talented band by purchasing Circuition from BandCamp or Big Cartel, or by clicking HERE. Nephylim are surely one of the torchbearers of the Melodic Death Metal movement in their homeland, and it’s armed with albums like Circuition that they’re going places, ready to conquer new territories while blasting their undisputed music to metalheads worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Amaranth, Circuition and Withered.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Travail Pt. I – Anima 2:24
2. Travail Pt. II – Animus 6:13
3. Amaranth 5:31
4. Grand Denial 6:22
5. Circuition 5:19
6. Withered 6:18
7. Inner Paradigm 6:08

Band members
Tijn Bosters – lead vocals
Kevin van Geffen – guitars, clean & backing vocals
Ralph Lentink – guitars
Rens van de Ven – bass
Martijn Paauwe – drums

Guest musicians
Kevin van Geffen & Yannick Maris – orchestrations

Album Review – Shadow of the Talisman / As Above, So Below (2025)

Behold this concept album of first-class Alternative Metal introducing us to The Dark One, who chooses to recruit and resurrect a broken man to transform him into a killing machine soon known as The Outlaw.

An Alternative Metal band from Flint, Michigan that takes concept rock to the next level while striving to unite all facets of the metal scene through complex musical journeys and heart-wrenching lyrics, and a community where every metalhead can find something perfect for them, Shadow of the Talisman are ready to kill armed with their debut opus, entitled As Above, So Below. Recorded at Raydon Studio with the help of Mark Stewart, serving as co-producer and mix engineer, the debut by vocalist Mike Smith, guitarists Zack Harrison and Owen Summerland, bassist Elijah Kinney, and drummer Kyle Williams is a concept album introducing us to The Dark One, who chooses to recruit and resurrect a broken man to transform him into a killing machine soon known as The Outlaw. This tragic devil’s plaything loses his reality like a dollar bill in a hurricane, and goes straight to a fiery Hell where a deal is made and the remains of his soul, shattered. When The Outlaw resurfaces on Earth as a gunslinging demon, he wreaks havoc in Westerntown, a metaphor for the civilized society this miscreant trashes and shreds. And even though he eventually has a change of heart, there is no future for him but to return to the Hell that forged him, where he is destined to annihilate The Dark One and become the new ruler of the underworld.

Just hit play and the band already comes ripping with six minutes of heaviness in the opener Arise, with its cinematic intro inviting us all to their metal feast spearheaded by the enraged roars by Mike; and Mike’s vocals remind me of the great John Bush in What Is Real?, while Zack and Owen deliver tons of heaviness and melody through their axes. Kyle and Elijah then bring the groove in Fiery Descent while Mike continues to scream the story of The Dark One and The Outlaw for our total delight, whereas Elijah’s metallic bass sets the tone in Dead with the Devil, offering a thrilling fusion of Alternative and Groove Metal, with Kyle hammering his drums until the song’s very last second.

The second half of the album begins with a song dedicated to The Outlaw, again showcasing the band’s dexterity and passion for melody and groove while remaining as heavy as possible. Then a Southern Rock-inspired intro evolves into Cursed, a ballad that sounds as if it was taken from an Avenged Sevenfold album. It could have been slightly shorter, though. Lastly, we have the two-part song that gives the name to the album, starting with As Above, perfect for some nice headbanging, for nonstop horns raising and for screaming it along with Mike, with its last part being a display of melodious, passionate riffs and solos by Zack and Owen, flowing into So Below, a beyond heavy and fulminating tune crafted by the band where their modern-day Groove Metal vein pulses harder than ever, putting a climatic, epic conclusion to the album and therefore to its background story.

A metallic tornado of genres and mediums swirled into a sensational horror story told through funky, break-oriented Alternative Metal featuring powerful vocals and intricate, raucous instrumentals, As Above, So Below will undoubtedly carve the name of Shadow of the Talisman in the current American metal scene, and you can put your dirty hands on such an electrifying album by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream their incendiary music on YouTubeSpotify or any other streaming platform. Will we hear from The Dark One and The Outlaw again in the future, maybe in a new concept album by Shadow of the Talisman? As the answer to that is a mystery for now, let’s keep banging our heads to the fury blasted in As Above, So Below, one hell of an album (pun intended) from the modern American Alternative Metal scene.

Best moments of the album: Arise, Dead with the Devil and So Below.

Worst moments of the album: Cursed.

Released in 2025 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. Arise 6:01
2. What Is Real? 5:43
3. Fiery Descent 3:09
4. Dead with the Devil 3:50
5. The Outlaw 5:16
6. Cursed 6:09
7. As Above 8:01
8. So Below 9:29

Band members
Mike Smith – vocals
Zack Harrison – guitar
Owen Summerland – guitar
Elijah Kinney – bass
Kyle Williams – drums

Concert Review – Decapitated (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 02/13/2025)

It doesn’t matter how much snow there is in Toronto, the metalheads in the city will always be there for a night of sheer violence with bands like Decapitated and Incantation.

OPENING ACTS: Exmortus, Darkest Hour and Incantation

After the massive snow storm that hit the city of Toronto and most of the province on Ontario from Wednesday night until Thursday morning, bringing an endless amount of snow to the streets and, therefore, turning any commute into a true nightmare, I thought all roads would be clear Thursday evening when Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I headed to The Phoenix Concert Theatre for a night of sheer brutality offered by EXMORTUS, DARKEST HOUR, INCANTATION and DECAPITATED during their Nihility Across North America Tour 2025, another killer event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Unfortunately, my predictions about the roads being clear of snow were wrong (although I was right about traffic being light that evening due to people staying home instead of going to work that day), and Toronto was still a huge freakin’ mess when I got to the show, but in the end no one seemed to care about the gargantuan snow banks blocking every single sidewalk and some streets, as the crowd at the venue was really good for a night when the best thing to do was staying home.

Less than half an hour after the doors opened, Whittier, California’s own Technical Thrash/Death Metal beast EXMORTUS kicked off the festivities with a frantic, very technical and absolutely fun performance, igniting some of the coolest and wildest circle pits of the entire night. Spearheaded by the talented vocalist and guitarist Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez, the band played a short but powerful set including songs form their latest opus Necrophony, available by the way on Spotify, and the reaction form the fans already at the venue was superb. Those guys are simply amazing live, playing all songs to perfection, and I guess it won’t take long for Torontonians to see them again in the city, and hopefully next time they’ll be the headliners and play a full set for our total delight.

Setlist
Oathbreaker
Feast of Flesh
Storm of Strings
Warrior of the Night
Let Us Roam
Metal Is King

Band members
Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez – vocals, guitars
Chase Becker – guitars
Brice Snyder – bass
Adrian Aguilar – drums

After a very short break, Washington, D.C.-based Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore act DARKEST HOUR hit the sage at the Phoenix Concert Theatre for a very energetic show, thanks in part to the breathtaking performances by guitarists Mike Schleibaum and Nico Santora, who didn’t stop shredding their axes, headbanging, running and jumping around the stage, not even for a single second. Currently promoting their 2024 album Perpetual | Terminal, available on both BandCamp and on Spotify, the quintet was eager to get more action from the crowd, which seemed a bit tired most probably due to an entire day of shoveling and braving snow banks across the city. That doesn’t mean we didn’t get some sick mosh pits during their show, and of course every single time frontman John Henry asked people to move inside the pit, he was promptly answered with some nice action by the crowd.

Setlist
Societal Bile
The Sadist Nation
Stand and Receive Your Judgment
The Flesh & The Flowers of Death
Rapture in Exile
Doomsayer (The Beginning of the End)
Tranquil
Amor Fati
Convalescence
With a Thousand Words to Say but One
Goddess of War, Give Me Something to Die For

Band members
John Henry – vocals
Mike Schleibaum – guitars
Nico Santora – guitars
Aaron Deal – bass
Travis Orbin – drums

I guess fans were also saving some energy for the ruthless performance by Johnstown, Pennsylvania’s own Death Metal veterans INCANTATION, who after a considerable delay started playing their 1994 cult album Mortal Throne Of Nazarene in full, just like in all other stops from their current tour. And let me tell you, the live rendition of such a classic album of Death Metal with Doom Metal influences sounded utterly evil, heavy and demented onstage, with the bass by Chuck Sherwood making our heads tremble during their entire show. The iconic John McEntee sounded as infernal as usual on vocals, inspiring us all for some brutal headbanging and, therefore, reminding us all why Incantation have been a staple of the extreme music scene worldwide for so many decades. It was just my second time seeing those guys live, and hopefully not the last one, as I’m sure Incantation love Toronto as much as we love their music.

Setlist
Mortal Throne of Nazarene
Demonic Incarnate
Emaciated Holy Figure
Iconoclasm of Catholicism
Essence Ablaze
Nocturnal Dominium
The Ibex Moon
Blissful Bloodshower
Abolishment of Immaculate Serenity

Band members
John McEntee – vocals, guitars
Luke Shively – guitars
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Kyle Severn – drums

DECAPITATED

Last but not least, it was time to turn up the volume to 11 with the infuriated performance by the main band of the night, Poland’s unrelenting Technical Death/Groove Metal horde DECAPITATED, and when I say it was loud, it’s because it was LOUD. Performing their 2002 classic album Nihility in full, plus a few other songs as part of the encore, the band now fronted by vocalist Eemeli Bodde (who by the way contributed vocals for the track “Flooding Secrations”, performed by a fictional band called Impaled Rektum from the 2018 Finnish movie Heavy Trip), Decapitated crushed our damn minds, souls and bodies with endless heaviness and violence, inspiring all mosh pit lovers to have a very good time inside the hurricane formed in the middle of the floor section. My only complaint is that the show started late, after 10pm, and some fans had to leave before the end because they had to take public transportation home, or simply because they were absolutely tired. As I said, the snow storm drained a lot of our energy during the day, but of course there’s always some left when the band in question is as infernal and vibrant as Decapitated.

Setlist
Nihility
Perfect Dehumanisation (The Answer?)
Eternity Too Short
Mother War
Nihility (Anti-Human Manifesto)
Names
Spheres of Madness
Babylon’s Pride
Symmetry of Zero
Suffer the Children (Napalm Death cover)

Encore:
From the Nothingness With Love

Cancer Culture
Kill the Cult
Hello Death
Iconoclast

Band members
Eemeli Bodde – vocals
Wacław Vogg Kiełtyka – guitars
Paweł Pavlo Pasek – bass
James Stewart – drums

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The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2024

“Fans still compare me to Bruce Dickinson. I have people coming up to me and saying, Don’t you know that could’ve been you? And I tell them, That was me! I just didn’t want it..” – Paul Di’Anno

It’s hard to put into words the loss of our beloved Paul Andrews (17 May 1958 – 21 October 2024), better known by his stage name Paul Di’Anno, one of the most iconic musicians in the history of heavy music, helping Iron Maiden be what they’re today by giving that edgier vibe to the albums Iron Maiden and Killers, therefore influencing all future generations of musicians not only in Heavy Metal, but also in Punk Rock and Rock N’ Roll. He was a legend and will be sorely missed by anyone who loves good music. There’s not much we can do at The Headbanging Moose to honor his life and work, but we’ll keep celebrating heavy music in his name for as long as we can. I wish he could have played one final show in Toronto so Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I could have registered such a unique moment in the city, but unfortunately time is not always in our favor. Anyway, it might be a very sad year to the metal community worldwide with an irreplaceable loss like that, but heavy music lives on, and that’s why here we have once again The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2024, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums, to keep the spirit alive and keep raising our horns to countless metal musicians like our great Paul Di’Anno.

1. Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (REVIEW)
Nothing can stand in the way of the Metal Gods as they raise the invincible shield of Heavy Metal.
Best song of the album: The Serpent and the King

2. Werewolves – Die For Us (REVIEW)
Australia’s most savage beast is back with their fifth studio opus, a lecture in Death Metal perfect for beating anyone back to life.
Best song of the album: Spittle-Flecked Rant

3. Aborted – Vault of Horrors (REVIEW)
These Death Metal and Deathcore beasts open their demonic vault of horrors to bring brutality, gore and evil to our damned souls.
Best song of the album: Death Cult

4. Necrowretch – Swords of Dajjal (REVIEW)
This French Blackened Death Metal horde returns blacker than ever with a magnificent opus dedicated to the Islamic Antichrist.
Best song of the album: Vae Victis

5. Gaerea – Coma (REVIEW)
The torchbearers of present-day Black Metal arise again, erupting with intensity, casting forth black ashes over the world.
Best song of the album: Coma

6. Blood Incantation – Absolute Elsewhere (REVIEW)
Blood Incantation offer us all two sensational compositions that are as confounding as they are engaging in their scope.
Best song of the album: The Stargate [Tablet I]

7. Benighted – Ekbom (REVIEW)
Let’s dive into the auditory abyss with this Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore entity armed with their newborn beast.
Best song of the album: Fame of the Grotesque

8. Fleshgod Apocalypse – Opera (REVIEW)
One of the torchbearers of Symphonic Death Metal worldwide returns with their strongest opus to date.
Best song of the album: I Can Never Die

9. Arhat – Secrets of Ancient Gods (REVIEW)
The newborn spawn by this Ukrainian horde will take you on a journey into the world of ancient gods and mysterious rituals.
Best song of the album: Abyss of Flame

10. Grand Magus – Sunraven (REVIEW)
Sweden’s own Heavy and Doom Metal institution is back with a new collection of battle hymns inspired by the tale of Beowulf and Grendel.
Best song of the album: Skybound

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

11. Ecclesia – Ecclesia Militans (REVIEW)
12. The Last of Lucy – Godform (REVIEW)
13. Rotting Christ – Προ Χριστού (Pro Xristou) (REVIEW)
14. Rage – Afterlifelines (REVIEW)
15. Ingested – The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams (REVIEW)
16. Blaze Bayley – Circle of Stone (REVIEW)
17. Striker – Ultrapower (REVIEW)
18. Kerry King – From Hell I Rise (REVIEW)
19. Accept – Humanoid (REVIEW)
20. Hiraes – Dormant (REVIEW)

In addition, as I always like to say, sometimes a band doesn’t need to release a full album to kick some ass, and that’s why we also have our Top 10 EP’s of 2024 to show that sometimes less is more, or maybe I should say, less is heavier!

1. Rifftera – Coda (REVIEW)
2. Trollwar – Tales from the Frozen Wastes (REVIEW)
3. Atavistia – Inane Ducam (REVIEW)
4. Ways. – Are We Still Alive? (REVIEW)
5. Enforced – A Leap Into The Dark (REVIEW)
6. Gutvoid – Breathing Obelisk (REVIEW)
7. Onslaught Kommand – Visions of Blood and Gore (REVIEW)
8. Golgothan Remains – Bearer of Light, Matriarch of Death (REVIEW)
9. Infernalivm – Conquering the Most High (REVIEW)
10. Dragoncorpse – Fall of House Abbarath (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2024? 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!

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2025!

In the end, there’s no Christmas-inspired song this year, nor anything festive like that, but I’ll leave you with the official video for one of the most important songs ever recorded by Iron Maiden, one with a strong punk and thrash vibe, with the one and only Paul Di’Anno on vocals. Let’s raise our horns to him forever and ever, my fellow metalheads! RIP legend!

Concert Review – Sepultura (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 10/09/2024)

The city of Toronto celebrated life through death together with the most important metal band to ever arise from Brazil.

OPENING ACTS: Harvest, Agnostic Front and Obituary

I personally do not trust any farewell tours, because let’s be honest, all bands that scheduled farewell tours kept touring for years and years after that, and some are still touring. Anyway, if this was the last time the city of Toronto ever saw Brazilian metal titans SEPULTURA on stage, alongside OBITUARY, AGNOSTIC FRONT and HARVEST during their CELEBRATING LIFE THROUGH DEATH NORTH AMERICAN FAREWELL TOUR 2024 at Rebel, let’s say they’re going down in style, as it was an amazing night celebrating their impressive 40 years of career. I just have zero idea if the concert by Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Hardcore outfit HARVEST was good or not as I couldn’t make it in time for that. Well, for most of the tour the opening act was Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal veterans Claustrofobia, which would have been a lot more appealing to me, but I’m pretty sure Harvest put on a very decent show this Wednesday night. I don’t know their setlist, nor their lineup, but if you want to know more about them you can find their music on Spotify and on BandCamp, and of course enjoy the nice shots Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi took of their performance.

I might have missed the entire show by Harvest, but I was lucky enough to get to Rebel a few minutes before New York City’s own Hardcore Punk legends AGNOSTIC FRONT hit the stage for a solid and electrifying concert, igniting some sick mosh pits led by the band’s iconic frontman Roger Miret. My brother and a few of his friends are huge fans of Agnostic Front, so it was a pleasure for me to watch them live for the first time ever, playing some classic punk songs like For My Family and Gotta Go, therefore keeping the action flowing frantically inside the circle pit. I don’t remember exactly which song this happened, but one of their guitarists got down to the floor section in the middle of the circle pit while fans kept running around him, which was a really nice touch to their show in my opinion. I also saw part of their show form the back as I was in line to grab a Sepultura shirt, and I gotta say the quality of the sound way back was excellent, just like in every single show at Rebel.

Setlist
The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Theme
AF Stomp
The Eliminator
Dead to Me
New Jack
For My Family
Friend or Foe
Toxic Shock
Victim in Pain
All Is Not Forgotten
Peace
Gotta Go
Addiction

Band members
Roger Miret – lead vocals
Vinnie Stigma – lead guitar, backing vocals
Craig Silverman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Mike Gallo – bass, backing vocals
Danny Lamagna – drums

One year and a few months after their demolishing headlining show in Toronto, Florida’s own Death Metal machine OBITUARY kicked the city in the ass again without a single drop of mercy with a killer performance as the more-than-special openers for Sepultura, and it felt almost like a headlining show because the band spearheaded by the Tardy Brothers had a lot of time to distill their undisputed blend of heavy music for the delight of their fans. All songs sounded extremely heavy, thunderous and ruthless, including The Wrong Time, War, and Dying of Everything, from their 2023 beast Dying of Everything, and when the band started playing their all-time classic Slowly We Rot it was absolute anarchy inside the circle pit. The guys from Obituary surely love Toronto from the bottom of their hearts, and I bet it won’t take long for John, Donald & Co. to attack us again with their redneck-infused Death Metal.

Setlist
Snortin’ Whiskey (Pat Travers song)
Redneck Stomp
Threatening Skies
By the Light
The Wrong Time
Deadly Intentions
Chopped in Half / Turned Inside Out
Solid State
War
Circle of the Tyrants
Dying of Everything
Slowly We Rot

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

SEPULTURA

In my humble opinion, there was a slight miscalculation in the time each band was going to start their show, because by the time the speakers started playing War Pigs, followed by Polícia, it was already close to 10pm, which means it was getting REALLY late for a full-bodied concert like the one we got from Brazil’s one and only Thrash/Groove Metal institution SEPULTURA. That wasn’t a big issue, though, because as soon as the band kicked off their metallic ceremony with the classics Refuse/Resist and Territory, everyone forgot it was a Wednesday night and decided to slam into the pit, jump up and down, raise their fists and scream the lyrics to all songs together with the band. Their setlist was a thing of beauty, including songs from pretty much all of their albums, therefore properly celebrating 40 years of existence. Songs like Attitude, Choke, Dead Embryonic Cells, Orgasmatron and Troops of Doom sounded perfect for some vigorous headbanging and circle pit action, plus of course the beauty of the tribal beats of Kaiowas.

One of the new “features” of a Sepultura show these days is the addition of the very young and insanely talented Greyson Nekrutman on drums. Known first and foremost as a jazz drummer from New York, he was recruited by Andreas Kisser himself to take care of some of the most iconic beats in the history of heavy music, and oh boy, he kicked some serious ass on stage, proving why he was the chosen one to be the band’s new drummer. And it felt like Derrick, Andreas, Paulo and Greyson got even more infuriated and sharp during the last part of the show, blasting our minds with the all-time classics Inner Self, Arise, Ratamahatta and Roots Bloody Roots, the last one of course inspiring everyone at the venue to jump and scream together like a true “Sepultribe”, putting a beyond climatic ending to their show. Let’s see what happens next with Sepultura, if they’ll call it quits for good, or if we’ll see a return to the stages in the next few years. Well, just like Slayer, hopefully we’ll see Sepultura back sooner than later because they still have a lot of fuel to burn, and the city of Toronto would definitely love to host “Sepultura do Brasil” again in the near future.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Polícia (Titãs song)

Refuse/Resist
Territory
Kairos
Phantom Self
Attitude
Means to an End
Choke
Guardians of Earth
Breed Apart
Escape to the Void
Kaiowas
Dead Embryonic Cells
Agony of Defeat
Orgasmatron
Troops of Doom
Inner Self
Arise
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Greyson Nekrutman – drums

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Album Review – Oceans of Slumber / Where Gods Fear to Speak (2024)

One of the must-see names of the Progressive Rock and Metal scene returns with their sixth full-length album, sounding like a dystopian western or a post-apocalyptic survival movie.

More than a decade has passed since the release of Aetherial, the debut album by Houston, Texas-based Progressive Metal/Rock band Oceans Of Slumber, and a lot has changed since then for this “Dark Cinematic Metal” outfit. After recruiting Cammie Gilbert (now Gilbert-Beverly) in 2014, the crew’s trajectory took a natural, upward tilt, fueled by the hugely positive response received by second album, Winter, released in 2016. Monuments to a restless creative spirit, the band’s third, fourth and fifth albums, The Banished Heart (2018), Oceans Of Slumber (2020) and Starlight and Ash (2022), raised the stakes ever higher. Recorded at Estudios Audiovision, produced, mixed and engineered by Joel Hamilton at Studio G, mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering, and displaying a classy artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, their sixth full-length opus, titled Where Gods Fear to Speak, sees the band exploring new heights, therefore sounding even tighter and more compelling than before, proving why vocalist Cammie Beverly, guitarists Alex Davis and Chris Kritikos, bassist Semir Ozerkan and drummer Dobber Beverly have become a reference in the style.

The album kicks off with the darkly embracing title-track Where Gods Fear to Speak, where the heaviness in the guitars by Alex and Chris make a stunning paradox with the powerful vocals by Cammie, blending Progressive and Groove Metal with the obscurity and heaviness of Doom Metal, followed by Run From the Light, featuring guest vocals by the one and only Mikael Stanne of Swedish melodeath legends Dark Tranquillity, another avalanche of intricate guitar lines, harsh and clean vocals, and the always groovy beats by Dobber, sounding like several songs in one. Then a smooth intro boosted by minimalist background synths evolves into a beautiful ballad titled Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed, where Cammie obviously steal the spotlight with a phenomenal vocal performance, whereas Wish is another solid tune by the band showcasing the always massive beats by Dobbie supported by the classic bass lines by Semir. And Cammie will steal your heart in the captivating tune Poem of Ecstasy, presenting the band’s trademark hybrid of Progressive Rock and Metal in a beyond thrilling way.

The Given Dream presents hints of R&B added to the band’s core rock essence, feeling very delicate yet profound and somber, with once again all background elements sounding beautifully haunting; while I Will Break the Pride of Your Will is even more experimental and progressive than its predecessors, with Alex and Chris taking the lead with their stylish riffs. In Prayer we face the dark and evil harsh roars by the iconic frontman Fernando Ribeiro of Moonspell clashing in great fashion with Cammie’s embracing, delicate vocals, with all acoustic elements making the song even more detailed and complete, followed by The Impermanence of Fate, showcasing another jaw-dropping vocal performance by Cammie to the classy sound of the piano by Dobber, who also hammers his drums, exploding into sheer savagery while sounding like classic Death Metal in a multi-layered and bold aria of heavy music. And lastly, we have their stunning rendition of Wicked Game, originally recorded by Chris Isaak in the 1989 album Heart Shaped World (check the original version HERE), a more than gorgeous icing on the cake to close the album on a perfect note.

“This album is a dystopian western or a post-apocalyptic survival movie, somewhere between The Handmaid’s Tale, The Dark Tower and Cormac McCarthy,” states Dobber. “The whole idea is that Where The Gods Fear To Speak is a movie, and we’ve written the soundtrack. If the world was taken over, like in movie The Book Of Eli, and Gary Oldman had found the Bible and the true power of it, and he was wielding the power of the lord over everybody, those people that were maybe just into their traditional spiritualism or people that were not religious at all, they would be the defectors, so the record is written from the viewpoint of the defectors. The ending credits are our version of ‘Wicked Game’ by Chris Isaak. We wanted to take it back to when the music in movies set the tone for everything.” Hence, if you want to join Oceans of Slumber in this thrilling cinematic ride, you can follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, listen to all of their beautiful albums on Spotify, and of course purchase their new album by clicking HERE or HERE. Where Gods Fear To Speak proves that Oceans Of Slumber will not let the occasional setback put them off their creative stride, and I personally can’t wait to see what’s next to one of the must-see names of the progressive scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Where Gods Fear to Speak, Poem of Ecstasy, The Impermanence of Fate and of course Wicked Game.

Worst moments of the album: I Will Break the Pride of Your Will.

Released in 2024 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. Where Gods Fear to Speak 6:25
2. Run From the Light 5:15
3. Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed 8:28
4. Wish 3:53
5. Poem of Ecstasy 6:33
6. The Given Dream 3:36
7. I Will Break the Pride of Your Will 5:27
8. Prayer 5:03
9. The Impermanence of Fate 6:20
10. Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover) 5:26

Band members
Cammie Beverly – vocals
Alex Davis – guitars
Chris Kritikos – guitars, synths
Semir Ozerkan – bass
Dobber Beverly – drums, piano

Guest musicians
Mikael Stanne – vocals on “Run From The Light”
Fernando Ribeiro – vocals on “Prayer”