Tag Archives: hardcore punk

Album Review – Verdalack / Force from the Grave (2025)

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Tokyo, Japan’s own Speed Metal Forces are on the attack to the sound of their debut album, ready to take over the underground with violence and force.

Hailing from the always exciting city of Tokyo, Japan, Speed Metal warriors Verdalack are ready to take over the underground with violence and force armed with their debut full-length opus, entitled Force From the Grave, the follow-up to their 2022 demo Rites of Hell. Comprising eight hard-charging songs across a fun and frantic half-hour, Force From the Grave approximates its namesake through a laser-focused mindset and soundfield, with influences ranging from mid 80’s Speed Metal, ancient American Power Metal, and classic Japanese Hardcore-Punk, all masterfully crafted by the “Five Japanese V’s of the Apocalypse,” those being Villain on vocals, Vandal and Vortex on the guitars, Void on bass, and Vigor on drums.

The album starts in full force with the frantic and electrifying Axehead, where the band’s ruthless guitar duo fires some amazing Heavy Metal-infused thrashing riffs, and get ready for total war inside the pit to the sound of Heretic Flights, a fantastic hybrid of Thrash and Speed Metal with Villian’s vocals being flawlessly supported by the hammering beats by Vigor. In Desecrater the name of the song says it all, an avalanche of demented riffs and blast beats in the best 80’s Thrash Metal style, whereas Villain shows no mercy for our souls with his deranged vociferations in Blood Eagle, while Vandal and Vortex extract sheer adrenaline form their axes, resulting in the perfect soundtrack for slamming into the circle pit.

There’s still a lot more of the undisputed Speed Metal by Verdalack in the album, starting with Final Assault, where Vigor accelerates the song’s pace considerably, inviting us all to slam like true headbanging bastards. Then we face the title-track Force from the Grave, starting with melodious, piercing guitars by Vandal and Vortex before all hell breaks loose in the name of speed and aggression. Into the Flames offers our putrid ears another overdose of thrashing sounds in less than three minutes, with their early Megadeth approach working really well thanks to the unstoppable beats by Vigor; and the album ends with the absolutely mental Speed Metal tune Rites of Hell, leaving us all disoriented and absolutely satisfied with the band’s fast and furious feast of thrashing sounds.

Classics-minded but exuding an authentically fresh approach, Force From the Grave will throttle maniacs of Jag Panzer to Japan’s Bastard, Exciter to GISM, and Piledriver to Deathside. Put differently, the Tokyo Speed Metal Forces are on the attack, and you can fight side by side with Verdalack in the battlefield by following them on Instagram, staying up to date with their news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, and above all that, by purchasing their frantic, no shenanigans new album from BandCamp or from the Hells Headbangers’ webstore. Verdalack are undoubtedly making a name for themselves in the beyond exciting Japanese underground, with Force from the Grave representing just the first (and awesome) step in their promising journey.

Best moments of the album: Heretic Flights, Into the Flames and Rites of Hell.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Hells Headbangers

Track listing
1. Axehead 3:36
2. Heretic Flights 3:09
3. Desecrater 3:19
4. Blood Eagle 3:58
5. Final Assault 4:21
6. Force from the Grave 4:48
7. Into the Flames 2:57
8. Rites of Hell 3:24

Band members
Villain – vocals
Vandal – guitars
Vortex – guitars
Void – bass
Vigor – drums

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

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Crypta, Harms Way and Carcass

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

HATEBREED

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

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

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

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

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

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Concert Review – Hatebreed (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 09/05/2023)

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The city of Toronto let the hate flow through its veins and destroyed everything together with the American juggernauts of Hardcore on a beyond hot and fun night.

OPENING ACTS: Jesus Piece, Vein.FM and Terror

What’s the best thing to do when you’re in the middle of a heat wave, with temperatures over +40oC and a scorching sun to burn you alive? Attending a metal concert, of course! And the city of Toronto had the pleasure of hosting the bands JESUS PIECE, VEIN.FM, TERROR and HATEBREED at The Danforth Music Hall this Tuesday during the Rise of Brutality 20th Anniversary Tour 2023, where Hatebreed are celebrating 20 years of their classic album The Rise of Brutality. I honestly thought that the venue was going to feel like a sauna, because that was the case when Kreator and Sepultura played there a few months ago, but apparently the organizers knew that the heat was way too strong outdoors and decided to crank up the AC to the lowest temperature possible, making it quite comfortable inside for all of the concert goers. You probably saved some lives by doing that! Good job!

As traffic wasn’t too crazy yesterday, all fans had a lot of time to enjoy a few beers and buy some merch between the doors opening at 6pm and the first band of the night, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Hardcore/Metalcore/Sludge Metal act JESUS PIECE, kicking off their concert at 7pm. Spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman  Aaron Heard, the band put on a very entertaining concert from start to finish, blending songs from their new album …So Unknown with their older material, already inspiring the crowd to create a massive circle pit where most kids looked like they were squirrels who had a few cans of Red Bull, moving around like rabid creatures. I just couldn’t catch the names of the songs, mainly because whenever Aaron was talking to the crowd his mic sounded a little muffled, but if you’re curious to know more about such explosive band you can find all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Aaron Heard – vocals
David Updike – guitars
John DiStefano – guitars
Anthony Marinaro – bass, backing vocals
Luis Aponte – drums

That mosh pit madness, with everyone following the lesson taught by the mighty Exodus in the classic “Toxic Waltz”, that being “so don’t be a dunce and dance like a runt, just throw your elbows with good friendly violent fun”, continued during the concert by Boston, Massachusetts-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore outfit VEIN.FM. Having released the album This World Is Going To Ruin You last year, the band formed of Anthony DiDio on vocals, Jeremy Martin on the guitars, Jon Lhaubouet on bass and Matt Wood on drums showed no mercy for our souls, crushing their instruments nonstop and, therefore, inviting the crowd to keep moving wildly as if each person in the pit was fighting some sort of “invisible man”. It was a fun and vibrant show that definitely warmed up all Hatebreed fans at the venue, and if you want to enjoy the music by such talented band at home, in your car, at work, at school, at the gym or anywhere else, you can find those guys on BandCamp and on Spotify. Once again it was impossible to catch the names of the songs played, but that’s just a minor detail as their live performance was awesome.

Band members
Anthony DiDio – vocals
Jeremy Martin – guitar, backing vocals
Jon Lhaubouet – bass, backing vocals
Matt Wood – drums

Quickly after Vein.FM finished their show, it was time for Los Angeles, California’s own Hardcore legends TERROR to burn down The Danforth Music Hall with another insane performance, turning the floor section into a massive circle pit where the kids were once again moving like crazy creatures. Frontman Scott Vogel was the main responsible person for that mosh pit madness, as he kept asking the crowd to keep moving around, to keep doing some sick crowd surfing and so on, and let’s say his requests were promptly answered by everyone inside the pit. Playing songs from their latest album, their 2022 beast Pain into Power, including the amazing title-track, plus some of their old school material, those Californians showed Toronto everything they got, and the temperature inside the venue went up considerably due to all the action going on while Terror continued to distill their flammable Hardcore on stage. I’ve already place in another concert review the links to where you can stream their music, but as they’re really cool guys here we go again with the links to their BandCamp and Spotify, and if they ever visit your hometown, don’t think twice and go join the band to unleash some first-class Hardcore terror, alright?

Band members
Scott Vogel – vocals
Martin Stewart – guitar
Jordan Posner – guitar
Chris Linkovich – bass
Nick Jett – drums

HATEBREED

The break between Terror and Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore titans HATEBREED was a little longer than the previous ones for obvious reasons, allowing everyone at the venue to go buy some merch (in case they hadn’t done so already), grab a few beers, smoke a cigarette and have a quality chat with their friends, and all those things energized the crowd to the point that the iconic Jamey Jasta kept repeating how much he loves Toronto, being visibly impressed with the rowdy reaction during each song from their amazing setlist. Playing songs form their entire discography, including the classics Last Breath (dedicated to the memory of the deceased The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad), Driven by Suffering, Tear It Down, Straight to Your Face, Doomsayer, and Confide in No One, the band put on an electrifying show that pleased all fans of their unique fusion of Hardcore with Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and other heavy styles.

My only complaint (and of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, as well as all other photographers at the venue) was the dim lighting used for all four bands, which is becoming something quite common in most shows not only in Toronto, but everywhere. It’s getting tough to see the bands on stage with clarity, but of course, it’s nothing that would stop the fans from enjoying the shows. Well, it is what it is, and when you have a band like Hatebreed on stage let’s admit we must be really aware of our surroundings due to all the mosh pit action going on, leaving us with not a lot of time to actually pay attention to the stage, right? Jokes aside, it was a true pleasure seeing Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec kicking some ass with their guitars while Chris Beattie and Matt Byrne made the venue shake with their insanely heavy kitchen, keeping everyone more than entertained until the very end, with lots of fists and horns in the air, lots of screaming, and the endless insanity inside the circle pit led by the demented vocals by Jamey. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Hatebreed to return to Canadian lands to destroy everything once again, and I bet everyone who attended their concert last night will be there again to celebrate their undisputed Hardcore music.

Setlist
Tear It Down
Straight to Your Face
Destroy Everything
A Lesson Lived Is a Lesson Learned
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Voice of Contention
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Beholder of Justice
This Is Now
Perseverance
Driven by Suffering
Confide in No One
Last Breath (Dedicated to Trevor Strnad)
Doomsayer
Smash Your Enemies
Another Day Another Vendetta
I Will Be Heard

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

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Concert Review – Pantera (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/08/2023)

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The best band to ever arise from Texas took the city of Toronto by storm on Saturday with their undisputed metal music in a memorable night for their fans, for their brothers, and for their legacy.

OPENING ACTS: Child Bite and Lamb of God

If I’m not mistaken, the last time Pantera visited the city of Toronto was on February 9, 1999 at the SkyDome (currently known as Rogers Centre) during their World Domination Tour, as one of the guest openers for Black Sabbath. Having said that, you can imagine how desperate for more Pantera the Torontonian metalheads were until this Saturday when CHILD BITE, LAMB OF GOD and PANTERA took the Budweiser Stage by storm on a beyond emotional night, one of them being my good friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, and as I couldn’t be there mainly due to the ticket prices, Keith took care of both the photos (although not with a photo pass, but just as a regular fan) and the review. As a matter of fact, the ticket prices for this show were so ridiculous that you could find CHEAPER tickets at resale websites such as TickPick and StubHub than at the official Live Nation website, just to give you an idea of how insane things are these days.

Anyway, as the lines were absurdly huge according to Keith, he couldn’t get inside the venue to watch the opener at 7pm, Detroit, Michigan-based Hardcore Punk/Metal outfit CHILD BITE. They were a weird choice taking into account the type of music played by Lamb of God and Pantera, and as each date of the tour seems to have a different opener (each band being responsible for opening the night in four or five different cities), I wonder if it was a combination of friendship with the guys from Pantera, the geography/location of the band, and their availability. Anyway, their latest album was released back in 2019 and is titled Blow Off the Omens, and if you love the fusion of Hardcore and Punk Rock you can find it on Spotify and on BandCamp in case you want to give their music a try.

Setlist
Smog & Viscera
Swan Song of a Boiled Dog
Glazed in a Skeletal Maze
Disposable Hysteria
Ancestral Ooze
Erect for Dystopia
Blow Off The Omens

Band members
Shawn Knight – vocals
Jeremy Waun – guitar
Sean Clancy – bass
Jeff Porter – drums

After a quick break, more precisely at 7:50pm, it was time for one of the coolest bands to witness live, Richmond, Virginia’s iconic Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD, to kick some serious ass once again at the Budweiser Stage, this time promoting their 2022 beast Omens. I feel terrible for missing Mr. Randy Blythe and his crew this time, but it is what it is. Well, Keith said they didn’t disappoint at all (as expected), blending classics the likes of Memento Mori (one of the best songs ever to properly kick off any concert), Walk With Me in Hell and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, with new songs such as Ditch and Omens, igniting some serious mosh pits in the general admission area. Randy took some time to interact with the crowd, remembering when that famous fan Chris LaRocque got kicked out of the venue and tried to get back swimming when they opened for the mighty Slayer (or maybe I should say SLAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYEEEEEEEERRRRR!) in 2018. That was a memorable night, just like this Saturday, and next time Lamb of God comes to Toronto I’ll make sure I’ll be there no matter what.

Setlist
Memento Mori
Walk With Me in Hell
Resurrection Man
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
Ditch
Omens
Ruin
Contractor
Laid to Rest
Redneck

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

PANTERA

Finally, after 24 years, the best band ever to arise from Texas, Thrash/Groove Metal monsters PANTERA, hit the stage at 9:15pm for the delight of everyone who attended the concert, and according to Keith, who saw them for the first time ever this Saturday, they were absolutely perfect. I guess I don’t need to say that EVERYONE on this fuckin’ planet would want to see their classic formation on stage with Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, which is something impossible for obvious reasons (to be honest, I think everyone would be extremely happy if both were still alive, it doesn’t matter if they would be playing with Pantera or not, just because they deserved to be still alive), but Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante are proudly living up to the legacy of the band.

Playing classics from all of their albums, from A New Level and Mouth for War to 5 Minutes Alone and This Love, from Fucking Hostile and Cemetery Gates to Cowboys From Hell, and to the surprise of many ending their concert with Revolution Is My Name and Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit, both from their last album ever Reinventing the Steel, released back in 2000, which I remember got mixed reactions when it was launched, Pantera were on absolute fire, receiving an amazing feedback from the crowd (which according to Keith’s brother was “goddamn electric”) who was singling along all the lyrics together with them. They even played their classic cover version for Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan, and when they set their fans on fire with the all-time headbanging classic Walk, they even invited the guys from Child Bite to join them on backing vocals on stage. I don’t know exactly how the mosh pits were during the entire concert, but I bet they were simply insane, surely making Dimebag and Vinnie very proud and happy wherever they are.

Keith said that Phil mentioned the absolute respect the band has for the city of Toronto, saying the fans here made them feel extremely welcome and that they were stunned by the fact the show was sold out (although as I said there were plenty of scalpers “dying” with tickets in their hands because they were too greedy to drive their prices down). One curios thing about Phil was that at the same time he said that Saturday night was most probably the last time they would be in Toronto because they’re not touring anymore after this tour is done, by the end of the concert he also said Pantera would come to Toronto again. Which Phil Anselmo should we trust, right? Hopefully the right Phil is the one that said that the band will return to Toronto, although we have no idea when, and whenever that happens let’s also hope for lower, more affordable ticket prices so many other fans who couldn’t attend the concert for economic reasons can finally see the legacy of Pantera live on stage.

Setlist
Regular People (Conceit)
In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (Peter Ivers & David Lynch song)
A New Level
Mouth for War
Strength Beyond Strength
Becoming (with “Throes of Rejection” outro)
I’m Broken (with “By Demons Be Driven” outro)
Suicide Note Pt. II
5 Minutes Alone
This Love
Fucking Hostile
Cemetery Gates
Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover)
Walk
Domination / Hollow
Cowboys From Hell

Encore:
Slaughtered
Revolution Is My Name

Encore 2:
Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit
How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths song)

Band members
Philip Anselmo – vocals
Zakk Wylde – guitars
Rex Brown – bass
Charlie Benante – drums

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Album Review – Man Must Die / The Pain Behind It All (2023)

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This Scottish Death Metal institution returns with their most aggressive album to date, once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever.

Having already released four furious records and having toured with the likes of Kataklysm, Aborted, Misery Index, Machine Head, Hatebreed and Decapitated, to name a few, Glasgow, Scotland-based Technical Death Metal entity Man Must Die is back in action with their most aggressive album to date and their first full-length album in almost ten years, The Pain Behind It All, following up on their 2019 EP Gagging Order and their 2013 full-length opus Peace Was Never an Option. Known and praised for their highly energetic music style, with early releases containing elements of Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal and even influences from old school Hardcore Punk, but currently showcasing much more melodic elements coupled with a Deathgrind-based sound, the band formed of vocalist Joe McGlynn, guitarists Alan McFarland and Mike Allan, bassist James Wright, and drummer Tony Corio is once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever armed with their new album, always dealing with religion, murder, death, hate and warfare in their lyrics, usually written in a very violent fashion.

The sinister and short intro O.C.D sets the stage for Man Must Die to smash our cranial skulls with Patterns In The Chaos, a pulverizing display of Death Metal with Deathcore nuances with Tony going berserk behind his drums while Joe roars and gnarls nonstop for our vulgar delectation, whereas the title-track The Pain Behind It All brings forward sheer heaviness directly to our faces, with the band’s guitar duo Alan and Mike sounding visceral armed with their axes, not to mention the song’s eerie background ambience. It’s pedal to the metal with the band being on fire in In The Hour Before Your Death, a frantic, heavy-as-hell Death Metal extravaganza led by the always demolishing beats by Tony while their guitars keep exhaling absolute hatred, followed by Clickhate, another boisterous tune by those Scottish death metallers where the level of fury and animosity flowing from all instruments is gargantuan, with Joe bursting his lungs growling like a beast.

After such intense first half of the album, it’s time for a darker song entitled Enabler, a decent mid-tempo feast of Technical Death Metal spearheaded by the piercing riffage by Allan and Mike; and back to their most vicious mode, the band will pulverize our ears in Bring Me The Head Of The King, taking their violence to a whole new level while Joe vociferates the song’s catchy lyrics in great fashion. Get ready for six minutes of anguished passages, thrilling riffs and endless obscurity in War Is My Will, with James blasting his rumbling bass while Tony completes their evil kitchen with his pounding drums, followed by the instrumental interlude Alone In A Crowded Room, soothing our souls for a little less than two minutes before the band comes ripping with their final sonic attack entitled Who Goes There?/I.F.F, a lecture in Death Metal infused with elements from Deathcore, Hardcore, and even hints of Punk Rock. Put differently, it’s impossible to stand still to this venomous sonic hurricane, inspiring us all to slam our damned bodies into the circle pit.

The ruthless squad of Man Must Die is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other great information about the band and their music, and of course you can stream all of their pulverizing creations on Spotify. The Pain Behind It All, available for purchase from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or a vinyl, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon, is as aforementioned Man Must Die’s strongest and most obscure album to date, positioning the band as one of the torchbearers of the current Scottish metal scene and, therefore, leaving us eager for more and more of their flammable music in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Patterns In The Chaos, In The Hour Before Your Death, Bring Me The Head Of The King and Who Goes There?/I.F.F.

Worst moments of the album: Enabler.

Released in 2023 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. O.C.D 0:33
2. Patterns In The Chaos 4:38
3. The Pain Behind It All 5:01
4. In The Hour Before Your Death 4:11
5. Clickhate 4:07
6. Enabler 5:57
7. Bring Me The Head Of The King 3:33
8. War Is My Will 5:57
9. Alone In A Crowded Room 1:45
10. Who Goes There?/I.F.F 4:13

Band members
Joe McGlynn – vocals
Alan McFarland – lead guitars
Mike Allan – guitars
James Wright – bass
Tony Corio – drums

Album Review – Nunslaughter / Red is the Color of Ripping Death (2021)

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Cleveland, Ohio’s own infernal squad returns with another bestial display of their trademark “Devil Metal”, their first album in seven years.

3.5rating

nunslaughter-red-is-the-color-of-ripping-death-2021Cleveland’s own infernal squad Nunslaughter requires no introduction. Since their inception in the distant year of 1987, those Ohio natives have prolifically perfected their own brand of what they like to label as “Devil Metal”, an evil blend of classic Death and Thrash Metal with Hardcore Punk, and now in 2021, at long last, the band is back in action with Red is the Color of Ripping Death, their first album in seven years. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan, the album is a lesson in savagery, speed and sulfur by vocalist Don of the Dead, guitarist Tormentor, bassist Detonate and drummer Wrath, proving Nunslaughter are far from calling it quits even after so many years on the road. Furthermore, many are still mourning the loss of legendary drummer Jim Sadist (RIP), and while Red is the Color of Ripping Death is their first full-length without him playing on it, some of the 14 songs contained herein are unfinished or unrealized music that Jim and founding frontman Don of the Dead wrote years ago, giving the whole album an even more special feel and taste.

Wrath begins hammering his drums manically in the opening tune Murmur, a lecture in fast and heavy Death and Thrash Metal by the band to properly kick things off, not to mention how vile Don’s growls sound, whereas in Broken and Alone they speed up their pace and add a good amount of Hardcore and Punk Rock to their core sonority, with Tormentor treating us with his incendiary, slashing riffage. Then it’s time for a darker and more venomous tune by the quartet named To a Whore, once again inviting us all to slam into the pit to the Stygian riffs and bass jabs by Tormentor and Detonate, respectively; followed by Banished, not as infuriated as its predecessors but still showcasing the band’s trademark heaviness and spearheaded by the deep roars by Don, and the title-track Red Is the Color of Ripping Death, a hurricane of Death and Thrash Metal tailored for admirers of that beautiful sound from the Bay Area, with Wrath once again hammering his drums nonstop. Tormentor continues to extract sheer violence from his guitar in Eat Your Heart, while Don vociferates rabidly amidst a very melodic but at the same time brutal sonority, and in Annihilate the Kingdom of God the unrelenting Don beautifully declaims the song’s austere words while his bandmates keep delivering endless aggression, with Detonate and Wrath sounding bestial with their evil kitchen.

Living up to the legacy of old school thrash the likes of Slayer and Overkill, the quartet fires the absolutely infernal Beware of God, with Don leading his demented horde with his sick growling and screams, whereas another round of deranged roars, classic blast beats and flammable riffs comes in the form of Black Cat Hanging, keeping the album at a high level of animosity for our total delight. And are you ready to be smashed like an insect? Because that’s what will happen to you in Dead in Ten, spearheaded by the fulminating drums by Wrath and the wicked riffage by Tormentor in a superb display of extreme music by Nunslaughter. Then let’s all “calm down” a bit and enjoy a headbanging extravaganza entitled The Devil Will Not Stray, where the band adds hints of Black and Doom Metal to make things even more devilish, while they get back to a more ferocious sonority in The Temptress, with Wrath kicking ass on drums once again supported by the metallic bass jabs by Detonate. Casket Lid Creaks is another slower-than-usual song that albeit displaying the band’s heaviness and obscurity, it doesn’t really take off. Detonate still showcases a great job with his low-tuned bass, though. Lastly, less than one minute is everything the band needs to crush anyone that’s still alive in Below the Cloven Hoof, putting a beyond demonic ending to such awesome album.

nunslaughter-2021In case you want to join Nunslaughter in their quest for metal, depravity and evil, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about them, stream more of their savage creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase the awesome Red Is the Color of Ripping Death from their own BandCamp page or from the Hells Headbangers Records’ webstore in CD or cassette format. As Jim Sadist would say, “red is the color of ripping death,” and I’m sure he’s truly proud of his bandmates for their new album. Long live Jim Sadist, and long live Nunslaughter.

Best moments of the album: Broken and Alone, Red Is the Color of Ripping Death, Beware of God and Dead in Ten.

Worst moments of the album: Banished and Casket Lid Creaks.

Released in 2021 Hells Headbangers Records

Track listing 
1. Murmur 1:33
2. Broken and Alone 1:50
3. To a Whore 2:34
4. Banished 2:48
5. Red Is the Color of Ripping Death 3:34
6. Eat Your Heart 2:41
7. Annihilate the Kingdom of God 2:48
8. Beware of God 1:49
9. Black Cat Hanging 2:13
10. Dead in Ten 3:39
11. The Devil Will Not Stray 2:51
12. The Temptress 2:01
13. Casket Lid Creaks 3:04
14. Below the Cloven Hoof 0:52

Band members
Don of the Dead – vocals
Tormentor – guitars
Detonate – bass
Wrath – drums

Album Review – Lucifuge / Infernal Power (2021)

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The full moon is nigh, and all the witches are about to dance to the infernal fusion of NWOBHM, Punk Rock and early Thrash Metal crafted by an unrelenting beast hailing from Germany.

3.5rating

lucifuge-infernal-power-2021For the past five years, Bremen, Germany-based Black/Thrash Metal beast Lucifuge has been perfecting an addicting fusion of NWOBHM, Punk Rock and early Thrash Metal, all guided by the iron fist of mainman Equinox. Starting in 2018 as a one-man wrecking crew inspired by Venom, Bathory and Hellhammer, Lucifuge have expanded to a full-bodied quartet comprised of the aforementioned Equinox on vocals and guitars, Berenjenix also on the guitars, Matorralix on bass and Dominatrix on drums, taking the band’s signature greasy n’ galloping riffs, locomotive rhythmic (dis)charge and twisted n’ pissed vocals, and spit-shining them with the dirtiest motor oil known to man, resulting now in 2021 in their brand new and fulminating opus Infernal Power, a breathtaking album of unrelenting metal music highly recommended for fans of bands the likes of Exciter, Warfare, Running Wild and Onslaught, embraced by the old school warlike artwork by Italian painter Paolo Girardi.

Rev up your engines as their feast of frantic and dirty sounds is about to begin in Infernal Power, blending old school Heavy Metal the likes of early Running Wild with Punk Rock, with Equinox and Berenjenix being on fire with their lancinating riffs. Put differently, what a bestial way to kick off the album, and they keep slashing their stringed weapons mercilessly accompanied by the furious blast beats by Dominatrix and the in-your-face bass punches by Matorralix in Leviathan Arise; followed by Black Battalions, where its lyrics reek of violence and rebelliousness (“Destruction, Disorder and Desire / They cling to him who braves the gale of high / They rush upon him like a wave and break / in fiery foam against him and they shake / They Open Hell”) while the music is a beautiful, galloping fusion of Heavy, Black and Speed Metal. And putting the pedal to the metal the quartet sounds like a demonic version of the early days of Megadeth in Temples Of Madness, with Equinox delivering his trademark raspy roars nonstop.

Let’s keep slamming into the pit and raising our horns and beers high in the name of metal to the sound of Heresy Shall Remain, with Equinox and Berenjenix once again sounding hellish on the gutiars, whereas in Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame we face another round of their wicked lyrics (“Solemn dusk descending from the East / Demons rise around us in the mist / Deep beneath the Eyes of The Black Flame / Rise the One whose name shall not be named”) amidst a hurricane of metallic and sulfurous sounds. Then investing in a more melodic sound while maintaining their core essence intact the band offers us Black Light of The Evening Star, not as demented as its predecessors but still extremely enjoyable; and they’ll make your head tremble to the sound of the Speed Metal and Punk Rock hybrid entitled The Doors of Hell May Shake, where Dominatrix is once again insane behind his drums. After such pulverizing tune, it’s time for their own rendition of Good as It Is, from the legendary Japanese Hardcore Punk band G.I.S.M.’s cult second album M.A.N., released in 1987 (and you can check the original version HERE), with Lucifuge’s tribute sounding and feeling beyond stunning and vibrant. And lastly, sounding more epic than usual, Equinox and his henchmen fire the neck-breaking Midnight Sun, with the bass jabs by Matorralix making the earth tremble while the music remains utterly venomous until the very last second.

lucifuge-2021After all is said and done, it’s quite easy to join Equinox and his henchmen in their quest for metal music. All you have to do is stream Infernal Power as many times as you want in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about such talented horde, and above all that, purchase your copy of their scorching new album from their own BandCamp page, or from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore (in CD or LP format). As the band itself likes to say, the full moon is nigh, and all the witches are about to dance. Prepare to feel Lucifuge’s Infernal Power!

Best moments of the album: Infernal Power, Black Battalions and Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame.

Worst moments of the album: Black Light of The Evening Star.

Released in 2021 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing  
1. Infernal Power 2:52
2. Leviathan Arise 2:55
3. Black Battalions 3:36
4. Temples Of Madness 2:54
5. Heresy Shall Remain 3:05
6. Beneath the Eyes of the Black Flame 2:55
7. Black Light of The Evening Star 3:08
8. The Doors of Hell May Shake 3:48
9. Good as It Is (G.I.S.M. cover) 5:20
10. Midnight Sun 3:59

Band members
Equinox – vocals, guitars
Berenjenix – guitars
Matorralix – bass
Dominatrix – drums

Album Review – Onslaught / Generation Antichrist (2020)

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These Bristol, UK-based veterans are ready to set the world on fire once again with one of the most ferocious Thrash Metal albums of the year.

Synonymous with the brilliance and endurance of today’s Thrash Metal movement, Bristol, UK-based veterans Onslaught are ready to set the world on fire once again with one of the most ferocious Thrash Metal albums of the year, the excellent Generation Antichrist. Their long-awaited new album was recorded at Dugout Productions in Uppsala, Sweden, with Grammy Award winner Daniel Bergstrand (Behemoth, In Flames, Meshuggah) at the helm, capturing Onslaught’s classic sound with a pristine modern production. Not only that, Generation Antichrist is the first album to feature new vocalist David Garnett, replacing longtime frontman Sy Keeler, delivering a vocal performance on par with the brutal musical attack crafted by guitarists Nige Rockett and Wayne Dorman, bassist Jeff Williams and drummer James Perry. Influenced by second-generation Hardcore Punk bands and inspired by a world full of hatred, megalomaniacs and political madness, Onslaught are eager to unleash the new beast that is Generation Antichrist, one of their best efforts since their inception in the distant year of 1983.

Tune in to an old school Thrash Metal intro titled Rise to Power, starting in a visceral and heavy-as-hell way with James demolishing his drums while newcomer David showcases his growling abilities, setting the tone for Strike Fast Strike Hard, bringing forward modern thrash the likes of Exodus during their Rob Dukes-era that’s more than perfect for slamming into the mosh pit like a maniac, with Nige and Wayne being unstoppable with their shredding and wicked solos, making the song’s electricity and aggressiveness go through the roof. And they keep hammering our heads without a single drop of mercy in Bow Down to the Clowns, with Jeff firing sheer thunder from his bass while James’ drums dictate the song’s headbanging rhythm. In addition, the song’s backing vocals provide an amazing support to David’s sick screams in great Thrash Metal fashion.

The title-track Generation Antichrist couldn’t have sounded darker and more austere than this, a brutal and high-octane extravaganza tailored for diehard fans of Thrash Metal showcasing a fantastic job done by both Nige and Wayne with their axes while James continues to pound his drums manically, and get ready to crush your skull into the pit together with Onslaught in the modern-day thrashing tune titled All Seeing Eye, where David’s vocals match perfectly with the message from the song’s lyrics and the band’s vicious sounds, proving why he was the chosen to be Onslaught’s new frontman. Following such devastating tune we have Addicted to the Smell of Death, a great title for a frantic display of Thrash Metal led by James’ machine gun-like beats accompanied by a demented riffage, also bringing to our avid ears classic backing vocals and endless stamina, with David once again going berserk on vocals.

Then it’s time to break your neck headbanging to the sound of Empires Fall, again presenting elements form the current thrash blasted by Exodus, Testament and Death Angel, proving why Thrash Metal doesn’t need to be played at the speed of light to sound infernal, whereas the demolishing hurricane titled Religiousuicide is an ode to 80’s and 90’s Thrash Metal that will make your blood boil without a shadow of a doubt, all spiced up by its acid, blasphemous lyrics (“Sacrament or Sacrifice / Holier than thou / Anti cult or Antichrist / Messiah take a bow / Hanging on the Holy Cross / Judicious parasite / Religion takes it up the ass / Is Jesus Fucking Christ”) barked by David while Nige and Wayne are on fire with their strident solos from start to finish. And last but not least, the band offers a new version of A Perfect Day to Die, originally released in 2019 as a single still with Sy Keeler on vocals, sounding just as incendiary and visceral, with Jeff and James making sure Onslaught’s kitchen remains rumbling and metallic.

In summary, the reinvigorated old school Thrash Metal platoon known as Onslaught are simply kicking some serious ass throughout the entire Generation Antichrist, with newcomer David bringing a huge dosage of adrenaline to the band with his raspy vocals and, therefore, pointing to a bright future in their already awesome career. You can find more details about Onslaught, their music and their tour dates (whenever this COVID-19 madness is over, of course) on their official Facebook page and on Instagram, listen to more of their crushing thrash on Spotify, and purchase your copy of Generation Antichrist from the AFM Records webstore or by clicking HERE. I’m sure all fans of classic and modern thrash like myself are going to be truly impressed with the high quality of the music found in Onslaught’s new effort, urging us all to slam into the circle pit even if we have to do it by ourselves while isolated in our homes.

Best moments of the album: Strike Fast Strike Hard, Generation Antichrist and Religiousuicide.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 AFM Records

Track listing
1. Rise to Power 2:05
2. Strike Fast Strike Hard 4:38
3. Bow Down to the Clowns 4:50
4. Generation Antichrist 5:43
5. All Seeing Eye 3:50
6. Addicted to the Smell of Death 3:55
7. Empires Fall 5:34
8. Religiousuicide 3:29
9. A Perfect Day to Die (2020 version) 3:50

Band members
David Garnett – vocals
Nige Rockett – guitar
Wayne Dorman – guitar
Jeff Williams – bass
James Perry – drums

Album Review – Atomçk / Every Room In Britain (2017)

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A 17-minute nonstop head crusher of cacophonous chaos, furious, catchy riffs and inhumanly ape-like shrieking vocals. That’s how good primeval Grindcore should always sound.

When the total running time of an album with 21 songs is only around 17 minutes, you know those 17 minutes will be as intense as hell. Founded in 2006 in Bristol, a city and county in South West England, Grindcore/Hardcore Punk trio Atomçk has evolved from their primitive noise roots into a uniquely eccentric and offbeat brand of Grindcore, culminating now in 2017 with the release of the full-length album Every Room In Britain, a nonstop head crusher of cacophonous chaos, furious, catchy riffs and inhumanly ape-like shrieking vocals, as if Cornelius, the son of Caesar from Planet of the Apes, decided to rebel against his father in his teens to form a Hardcore band.

Most probably the shortest intro of all time, the quick sonic havoc Rot Induction wakes our inner monsters up for the boisterous one-minute tunes Full Of Sell and Fuck Off Back To London, both presenting a solid Grindcore devastation with brutality flowing from all instruments. Furthermore, just try to follow the lyrics of the latter with the band (“Graffiti tours / Fuck off back to London / Moustache barbers / Fuck off back to London / Bad film clubs / Fuck off back to London / Cultural erosion / Fuck off back to London now”). In Back Office Savings we have the ultimate shrieking and slamming feast, courtesy of the demented “apes” Linus, Luke and Carl, and then you might wonder how they could possibly sound more violent than this in less than a minute, right? Well, their answer comes in the form of the songs Preston Slayer Fans and Young Professionals. And when you least expect, you’ll begin to deeply enjoy their primate-inspired screeches.

Every Room sounds slightly more rhythmic than its predecessors, but still insanely brutal, with its demonic guitars going along really well with their demented gnarls; followed by the incomprehensible, anarchic chant titled Community Payback, the thunderous bass lines of the “bridge” Bare Minimum Customer Service, and the amazingly violent, fast-paced tempest named Robot Cannibal. What about those lyrics, can you follow them (“What to do / I’m not sure / Might as well / Kill something / Didn’t work / The last time / Never mind / We have to / Do something / Someone must / Be murdered / Blind idiot god / Demands meat”)? Or should I ask if you’re still alive after so much savagery?

Misery Trance presents menacing low-tuned sounds accompanied by their trademark monkey-frog-hybrid screams, while in Waiting For Junko they speed up their pace and offer more of their Grindcore dementia. And the slamming party goes on with Two Grand Bro and Glass Floor, showcasing Mike Patton/Barney Greenway-inspired vocals in a turbulent manner, which is also the case in the demented Pro Area 1. Then after four seconds of noises in Micro Aggressions we’re treated to Self Defeater, with its fun lyrics (“No tolerance / For dogma / But be careful / With the use / Of language / Or thou shalt / Be cast out”) and deranged drumming. In Purged the trio proves why they’re the masters of sick Grindcore, destroying everything and everyone that crosses their path in less than one minute, whereas Another Nails In The Coffins brings forward more of their insane Mike Patton-ish vocals. How can Linus screech like that during their live concerts? That should be an interesting event to watch. Anyway, there are still two more minutes of pure aggression and wicked growling in Every Room In Britain, starting with Fastard and followed by Anguish Champion, closing this berserk and totally crazed album on a high note.

Portraying an elegant artwork by Luke Oram, Every Room In Britain can be relished in full on Spotify and purchased at several different locations such as the SuperFi Records BandCamp or webstore, the WOOAAARGH! Records BandCamp or webstore, and the Rip Roaring Shit Storm Records BandCamp or Big Cartel, as well as on iTunes, on Amazon, at the Boomkat webstore or at Discogs. It definitely feels like there are more places where you can buy the album than minutes of music in it, don’t you agree? Now please get up from that couch, stretch your muscles and get ready to jump up and down and slam like an ape to the hurricane of extreme sounds blasted by Atomçk, because that’s what entertaining high-end Grindcore is all about.

Best moments of the album: Fuck Off Back To London, Preston Slayer Fans, Robot Cannibal and Waiting For Junko.

Worst moments of the album: Misery Trance and Bare Minimum Customer Service.

Released in 2017 SuperFi Records

Track listing
1. Rot Induction 0:04
2. Full Of Sell 0:54
3. Fuck Off Back To London 1:07
4. Back Office Savings 0:49
5. Preston Slayer Fans 0:46
6. Young Professionals 0:53
7. Every Room 0:51
8. Community Payback 0:34
9. Bare Minimum Customer Service 0:09
10. Robot Cannibal 1:48
11. Misery Trance 0:55
12. Waiting For Junko 0:55
13. Two Grand Bro 0:55
14. Glass Floor 0:38
15. Pro Area 1:01
16. Micro Aggressions 0:04
17. Self Defeater 0:38
18. Purged 0:56
19. Another Nails In The Coffins 0:53
20. Fastard 0:42
21. Anguish Champion 1:11

Band members
Linus – vocals, machines
Luke – guitars
Karl – drums