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Album Review – Harakiri For The Sky / Scorched Earth (2025)

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Austria’s own Post-Black Metal duo returns with another brilliant album, a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.

Despair, loss, love, and existential struggles have always been the foundation of the distinctive sound by Austrian Post-Black Metal duo Harakiri For The Sky since their inception back in 2011, with multi-instrumentalist M.S. and vocalist J.J. having gained recognition for pushing musical boundaries with their emotionally charged blend of Atmospheric Extreme Metal and Melodic Post-Rock, Grunge and modern Hardcore, carving out a genre of their own. Now in 2025 the duo attacks again with their new tour-de-force titled Scorched Earth, following up on their critically acclaimed 2021 opus Maere. Mixed and Mastered by Kristian Kohle at Kohlekeller Studio, with cover artwork and illustrations by Brvno Gonzalez, and featuring session drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner, the new album by J.J. and M.S. is their way of showing how rotten and decaying our world has become. “Our society is divided to its core and peace seems further away than ever in the last decades. This is what inspired the title of the new album: ‘Scorched Earth’ is a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.”

Heal Me, featuring Tim Yatras of Austere on guest vocals, offers a classic Harakiri For The Sky sound right from the start, with its atmospheric, gentle background clashing with the harshness flowing from M.S.’s riffs and Kerim’s beats. Keep Me Longing is an eleven-minute masterpiece by the duo where once again their heavy and soothing sounds collide in a brilliant manner, with M.S.’s riffs and bass being perfectly supported by the massive beats by Kerim; and the duo keeps delivering sheer brilliance in Without You I’m Just A Sad Song, another lengthy song that doesn’t feel long at all so dynamic, vibrant and thrilling it is, with J.J. roaring in great fashion until the end. Then letting their Post-Black Metal vein pulse stronger than ever we face No Graves But The Sea, where the electrifying riffs by M.S. will inspire you to bang your head like a maniac while Kerim dictates the song’s frantic yet dark pace.

Classy, charming piano notes will penetrate deep inside your mind in With Autumn I’ll Surrender, growing into a diverse, classic Post-Metal wall of sounds with J.J. once again bursting his lungs screaming, followed by I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep, a lovely title for a passionate display of Post-Black Metal by the duo, also bringing hints of 80’s Gothic Rock in its core essence. Then featuring guest vocalist Serena Cherry of Svalbarduk we have Too Late For Goodbyes, alternating between sheer violence and pure ethereal moments, and if you go for any of the special editions of the album you’ll be treated to two bonus tracks, their rendition for Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out), featuring guest vocalist P.G. of Groza (check out the original version from the 1995 album The Bends); and Elysian Fields (featuring guest vocals by Daniel Lang of Backwards Charm), both excellent songs leaning towards a more introspective side of the band that are definitely worth the extra investment.

“Scorched Earth is like the conclusion of all the albums we’ve done in the past, all that Harakiri For The Sky stands and stood for, musically and lyrically. This is what we stand for, this is what made us, this is our story,” commented such an extraordinary duo of heavy music about their new work of art, and you can get to know more about them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of the majestic Scorched Earth from the AOP Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or simply click HERE for all things Harakiri For The Sky. There’s endless darkness and beauty in Scorched Earth just like in real life, not only making the album truly special and already positioning it as a strong contender for album of the year, but also working as the perfect soundtrack for the toughest moments of our lives.

Best moments of the album: Keep Me Longing, No Graves But The Sea and With Autumn I’ll Surrender.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 AOP Records

Track listing
1. Heal Me 7:37
2. Keep Me Longing 10:40
3. Without You I’m Just A Sad Song 10:03
4. No Graves But The Sea 8:01
5. With Autumn I’ll Surrender 8:39
6. I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep 9:01
7. Too Late For Goodbyes 7:53

Bonus tracks
8. Street Spirit (Fade Out) (Radiohead Cover) 5:35
9. Elysian Fields 5:10

Band members
J.J. – vocals
M.S. – guitar, bass

Guest musicians
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums (session)
Tim Yatras – vocals on “Heal Me”
Serena Cherry – vocals on “Too Late For Goodbyes”
P.G. – vocals on “Street Spirit (Fade Out)”
Daniel Lang – vocals on “Elysian Fields”
Jorge Cisternas & Sunvher – backing vocals

Album Review – No Kings Allowed / A New Era (2024)

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Known for pushing the edges of modern metal music, this six-piece Symphonic Metalcore act is back stronger than ever with their sophomore album.

Mystery. Masks. Pure energy. That’s what Belgium and The Netherlands-based Symphonic Metalcore outfit No Kings Allowed is all about, and they’re back stronger than ever with a brand new album, titled A New Era, less than a year after the release of their debut effort Dethroned. Known for pushing the edges of modern metal music, this six-piece band currently formed of White and Gold on vocals, Red and Green on the guitars, Blue on bass, and Orange on drums isn’t just sticking to one style this time, uniting Metalcore, brutal Deathcore breakdowns, Hardcore energy, haunting opera-style vocals, and even a heartfelt ballad, creating something that’s way more than just a Metalcore album, drawing inspiration from bands like Slipknot, Sleep Token and Parkway Drive for both their enigmatic stage presence and artistic freedom.

The ominous intro Future’s Prelude sets the stage for this uncanny ensemble to shine in Prophecy, with Red and Green already slashing their axes furiously, inspiring us all to headbang nonstop, not to mention the vocal duo formed of White and Gold sounds in absolute sync. It’s then pedal to the metal in the rebellious Metalcore tune Stand Up, with all background symphonic elements adding an extra touch of insanity to their music; and investing in a more Avenged Sevenfold-inspired sound, the sextet offers us all Enemy Within, with the clean vocals by White overflowing passion and despair. In the title-track A New Era we have guest vocalist Valerie de Kempe of  Worlds Beyond, who makes an interesting vocal team with White and Gold by bringing her own touch of finesse to their music, whereas Lion Eyes lives up to the legacy of modern-day American Metalcore, with the striking guitar lines by Red and Green piercing our minds in great fashion.

After the futuristic interlude Extinct by Design, we’re treated to some Metalcore madness in the form of Laws of Extinction, Pt. 1, with the entire band hammering their sonic weapons nonstop led by the pounding drums by Orange. Their Metalcore feast continues in Laws of Extinction, Pt. 2, a bit too modern but still heavy-as-hell; whereas back to a more violent mode we have Violence, hence the name of the song, with Blue and Orange’s kitchen sounding beyond thunderous. Garden of Eden sounds darker and more symphonic than its predecessors, with its guttural parts giving it an extra kick; and let’s head into the battlefield together with No Kings Allowed in Rise Up, blending elements form Deathcore into their Metalcore essence while also displaying the always venomous roars by White and Gold. Despite its melodious guitar lines, I was expecting more from a song with such a powerful name like World War Now, but it’s still a decent composition by the band. On the other hand, in Scourge of the North they sound more Deathcore than ever, with their deep vociferations and hammering beats elevating the song’s aggression considerably; and Valerie de Kempe returns in At Every End, once again crafting a vocal paradox with White and Gold while Red and Green continue to deliver electrifying riffs until the very last second.

The entire A New Era is self-made, being produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered by the band itself, as they wanted the sound to be raw and real, capturing their vision within the music. Hence, go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, as sooner than you can expect you’ll be able to see those guys live on stages all over the world, stream their unique music on YouTube and on Spotify, and grab a copy of A New Era from their own BandCamp page, or click HERE for all things No Kings Allowed. Those uncanny, masked musicians are definitely going places armed with their new album, and they’re waiting for you to join them as they keep reaching new heights in the world of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Stand Up, Lion Eyes, Violence and Rise Up.

Worst moments of the album: Laws of Extinction, Pt. 2 and World War Now.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Future’s Prelude 1:10
2. Prophecy 4:09
3. Stand Up 3:18
4. Enemy Within 4:19
5. A New Era 3:52
6. Lion Eyes 3:22
7. Extinct by Design 1:20
8. Laws of Extinction, Pt. 1 3:47
9. Laws of Extinction, Pt. 2 3:34
10. Violence 3:41
11. Garden of Eden 3:42
12. Rise Up 5:05
13. World War Now 3:17
14. Scourge of the North 3:49
15. At Every End 4:28

Band members
White – harsh and clean vocals
Gold – harsh vocals
Red – guitar
Green – guitar
Blue – bass
Orange – drums

Guest musicians
Valerie de Kempe – vocals on “A New Era” and “At Every End”

Concert Review – Exodus (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 11/19/2024)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Dead Heat, Candy and Havok

Here I am Filling in for my man Gus, Who couldn’t make it out tonight due to other obligations and I’m sorry to say that I am quite happy to do it. Gus… you missed an absolute banger of a show brother! Traffic is such a fucking bitch in this city, I was worried my brother Keith and I were going to be late for the opening of the doors of the Phoenix Concert Theatre in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It was a cool damp Tuesday evening and people were driving like the usual idiots they are and we had to make a couple of detours along the way. Luckily we made it in time and found a parking spot thankfully. We found some friends in line and proceeded into the venue to check in at the box office. Keith and I split up to get to our usual spots as he was the photographer this evening and I made my way to the front barrier beside our good friend Scott Herod whom I had the pleasure of rocking out beside in the same spot for the Black Dahlia Murder show this past remembrance day. Scott and I were both bewildered to the fact that Security was criminally understaffed with only two men working the barrier. Those boys had their work cut out for them tonight and their efforts were to be applauded. Injuries and all, these two security guards put in the work and did a fantastic job.

The show got started at 7 p.m. with Oxnard, California’s DEAD HEAT. Despite their enthusiasm and talent, their set fell a little flat for me through no fault of their own due to poor sound quality and slight technical issues. It is important to note that the venue at this time was about a quarter full so crowd participation was at a minimum. So it was a bit of a rough opening but they put in a noble effort and I appreciated that. Next up was the experimental hardcore band CANDY out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and they fell flat as well for the same reasons. We could barely hear the vocalist, the drums were not mic’d up very well and the bass overpowered the guitar. Also Candy’s style of ending their songs abruptly was a bit confusing for us in the crowd as we couldn’t gauge if the song ended or was about to launch into a fat breakdown, so the band missed out on our feedback and response. Technical issues ruined their mojo a bit and it showed. Not so sweet for Candy sadly, no knock against them.

As my spirits were down, Denver Colorado thrash lords HAVOK turned my frown upside down and absolutely blew my fucking face off with a blistering set that had the crowd going totally bonkers. If Havok was the only band on this bill I would have left the show an insanely happy man. Oh my gawd! The energy in the building was incredible. Security had its hands full with endless waves of crowd surfers. The venue was almost full and by this point the pits were massive. We were having the time of our lives, loving every minute of it. Havok’s sound engineer was on point and the quality of it was on another planet compared to the opening bands. The gulf between them was enormous. David Sanchez’s vocals and riff shredding was absolutely killer as well as the solos of Reese Scruggs. Pete Webber destroyed it on the drums and the stand-out was the stand-in bass player Kaden Hunsacker (guitar tech/road manager) was incredible. If you had never seen them before you would never know that he was not their actual bassist. Havok alone was worth the price of admission. 11/10

EXODUS

Now with everybody in attendance positively buzzing with energy, we couldn’t contain ourselves when EXODUS hit the stage. The Bay Area thrash legends blessed us with a show for the ages. This was one of the most fun shows I have ever been to in my life and this arguably had to be the best show of the year. I have never seen so much crowd-surfing at a show ever. Non-stop action in the pit as well as countless waves of surfers. Seriously the crowd was insane. Toronto made me so proud that night and it was an honour to be among them. Gary Holt was on fire and Lee Altus was phenomenal on lead guitar. Jack Gibson held everything down with his stellar bass playing and Tom Hunting was pulverizing on the drums. Vocalist Steve “Zetro” Souza was electric and remarked that whenever they visit Canada, the crowds are always insane. He also gave a shout out to the two brave security guards handling all of the surfers coming over the barrier. The crowd was rowdy and rambunctious but kept it fun too without any animosity towards each other.

Everyone in attendance was there for a good time and were all on the same page, to let loose and boy did we do that. I think that we gave Montreal a run for their money. Steve also pointed out that next year will be the 40th anniversary of their seminal record, 1985’s Bonded By Blood and that they will be coming back to Toronto for that tour. I’m definitely saving up for that show. Exodus are legends for a reason, they totally kick fucking ass live and they sounded fucking incredible! At the end of the show, I turned around to observe everyone’s faces and they contained the look of pure satisfaction as I’m sure mine did as well. Personally I can’t wait until next year and I will be counting the days. What a killer show with killer bands. 11/10

Setlist
The Last Act of Defiance
Blood In, Blood Out
Fabulous Disaster
And Then There Were None
Body Harvest
Prescribing Horror
The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)
Brain Dead
Deathamphetamine
Blacklist
Metal Command
War Is My Shepherd
The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast
No Ordinary Love (Sade song)

Band members
Steve “Zetro” Souza – vocals
Gary Holt – guitar
Lee Altus – guitar
Jack Gibson – bass
Tom Hunting – drums

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Album Review – Enforced / A Leap Into The Dark EP (2024)

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Building on the momentum of their previous albums, this Crossover Thrash brigade returns with a blistering six-song EP journeying into new levels of ferocity.

Building on the momentum of their previous full-length albums War Remains (2023) and Kill-Grid (2021), Richmond, Virginia’s own Thrash Metal/Crossover brigade Enforced returns with A Leap Into The Dark, a blistering six-song EP journeying into new levels of ferocity that showcases the band’s relentless evolution through the years. Produced and mixed by the iconic Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Power Trip, Kreator, Code Orange), A Leap Into The Dark delivers three brand new tracks alongside three B-sides, including a newly remastered version of “Casket” and powerful cover versions of “The Chase Is On” by English Dogs, and “Deadly Intentions” by Obituary, all masterfully crafted by Knox Colby on vocals, Will Wagstaff and Zach Monahan on the guitars, Ethan Gensurowsky on bass and Alex Bishop on drums.

Razor-edged riffs in the vein of Obituary and Slayer will pierce your damn ears in Betting on the End, a pure Crossover Thrash extravaganza where Knox barks rabidly supported by the classic beats and fills by Alex, whereas the title-track A Leap into the Dark sees Will and Zach delivering sheer electricity and heaviness through their riffs, translating into another excellent option for some sick headbanging. Deafening Heartbeats is undoubtedly a demented slab of brutality by those thrashers, offering nonstop action blasted by the quintet with Alex stealing the spotlight with his massive beats and fills; followed by Casket, bringing forward two minutes of pure American Thrash Metal where Knox vociferates nonstop, demanding us all to crush our skulls into the circle pit. In their cover for Deadly Intentions, by Obituary (check the original version HERE, from their 1989 cult album Slowly We Rot), they kept the visceral essence of the original song intact while also adding their personal touch to it, and the final result is simply insane, and the same is valid for their cover for The Chase Is On, by English Dogs (check the original version HERE, from their 1984 EP To the Ends of the Earth), showcasing their passion for classic Punk Rock and Hardcore.

In a nutshell, the fast and furious A Leap Into The Dark captures the band at the peak of their powers, delivering a sonic assault that pushes the boundaries of their genre, and you can let those talented thrashers know how much you love their music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on Spotify, an of course by purchasing a copy of their hammering new EP from BandCamp, or by clicking HERE or HERE. While Enforced are taking a leap into the dark in their new EP, all of us metalheads should join them and simply slam into the circle pit, because if there’s one thing those guys certainly know how to do, that’s to craft a beautiful and fulminating fusion of Thrash Metal and Hardcore perfect for some intense moshing.

Best moments of the album: A Leap into the Dark and Deafening Heartbeats.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Betting on the End 3:42
2. A Leap into the Dark 4:16
3. Deafening Heartbeats 3:11
4. Casket 1:53
5. Deadly Intentions (Obituary cover) 2:09
6. The Chase Is On (English Dogs cover) 3:49

Band members
Knox Colby – vocals
Will Wagstaff – guitars
Zach Monahan – guitars
Ethan Gensurowsky – bass
Alex Bishop – drums

Concert Review – Skeletal Remains & Bewitcher (The Rockpile, Toronto, ON, 10/10/2024)

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Two of the most demonic bands of the current American scene fragmented the city of Toronto to a small but very active crowd.

***Review and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACT: Dominant Species, Phobophilic and Witch Vomit

Unfortunately, due to the show by Nervosa at the exact same day and time at Hard Luck Bar, I had to miss DOMINANT SPECIES, PHOBOPHILIC, WITCH VOMIT, SKELETAL REMAINS and BEWITCHER during their Toronto stop of their Fragmenting North America 2024 Tour at The Rockpile, but my friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there to cover the show and take some amazing shots of all bands involved. It’s frustrating when you go from a period of almost zero shows like July and August to an avalanche of concerts happening all at once like this September and October in the city, which in my opinion is nastily hurting the attendance of all shows, in special the underground ones, because it’s just humanly impossible to go see all bands under those circumstances.

The first band of the night, DOMINANT SPECIES, is a Toronto based Heavy Metal and Hardcore band that’s part of Reel Wolf Productions. This band is quite new in the scene but it is gaining some traction here in Toronto. As a matter of fact, their singer is actually the owner of Reel Wolf Productions, a small video production company used for rap and metal bands, so if you’re curious to know more about the band and the company you can visit their official website. They say they play “grimy brutal riffs with hip hop fusion”, and according to Keith that’s exactly what they delivered at The Rockpile.

Then hailing from North Dakota, PHOBOPHILIC are a Death Metal band with two demos, an EP, a split and a 2022 full-length album titled Enveloping Absurdity already under their belts. Although vocalist and guitarist Aaron Dudgeon is no longer with them, that didn’t stop the band from moving forward as a three-headed beast formed of Christian Alm on bass, Vincent Tweten on drums, and Josh Poer on vocals and guitars, plus lead guitarist Miles McIntosh during their live concerts, and they surely put on an energetic show with their no shenanigans Death Metal. And after that it was time for the third opener of the night, Portland, Oregon-based Death Metal act WITCH VOMIT, formed in 2012 by vocalist and guitarist Temper and drummer Filth. Witch Vomit play dark Death Metal in the American tradition with elements of Scandinavian evil and ancient Doom Metal, and that combination of styles created a truly demonic vibe when they hit the stage at The Rockpile for the delight of all fans present at the venue.

SKELETAL REMAINS

Founded in 2011 under the name Anthropophagy, Whittier, California’s own Death Metal squad SKELETAL REMAINS was one of the headliners of the night, kicking some ass with their share of brutality and speed. The band led by founding members Chris Monroy (guitars and vocals) and Mike De La O (guitars) was phenomenal on stage, and despite the smaller than expected crowd their whole performance was insane. Their new album Fragments of the Ageless, released in the beginning of 2024, is an amazing piece of Death Metal that’s definitely worth a listen if you haven’t done so already, and the songs from that album sounded even more fun live, like for example Void of Despair and Relentless Appetite. I’m sure they’ll soon return to Toronto and to a much bigger crowd if all logistics and promotion are done properly next time.

BEWITCHER

The second headliner of the night, Portland, Oregon-based Black/Speed Metal horde BEWITCHER, also has a new album out, Spell Shock, released only a couple of weeks ago. Formed of A. Magus on bass and backing vocals, M. Von Bewitcher on vocals and guitars, and A. Hunter on drums, the band kicked ass at The Rockpile for a crowd of less than 100 people, and just like Skeletal Remains they didn’t care about that small attendance at all, keeping the fires of the underground burning nonstop during their pulverizing set. Their new songs Starfire Maelstrom and Spell Shock worked really well with their classics Satanic Magick Attack and Bewitcher, and again, just like what was said about Skeletal Remains, I’m sure next time they visit Toronto they’ll play to a much bigger audience.

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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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Album Review – Adorior / Bleed on My Teeth (2024)

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This old school beast will attack once again with their brand new album, a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal.

An expression in Latin meaning “to rise up to attack”, Adorior are a  Black and Death Metal beast formed in 1994 in London, England that has always been the essence and the epitome of Extreme Heavy Metal. Now, after nearly two decades, this avalanche of fist-fucking, speed-thrashing, pitch-black death is about to bury the conformist and comfortable dreamland of nowadays domesticated metal culture with their new album titled Bleed on My Teeth, a nightmare absolute, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal. Recorded and mixed by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios, mastered by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and displaying a demonic artwork by Belial NecroArts, the new opus by vocalist Jaded Lungs, guitarists T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, bassist R.C., and drummer D. Molestör has a lot of dirt under its fingernails, but it finally reanimates the corpse of mind-fucking, repulsive and dangerous music serving the devil, without giving an inch to newer, shitty genre definitions.

Like a train directly from hell the quintet arrives in full force in Begrime Judas, blending Black and Death Metal with endless sulfur and rebelliousness led by the she-demon vocals by Jaded Lungs, not to mention its scorching thrashing riffs; and the rumbling bass by R.C. kicks off the also demented Ophidian Strike, with the galloping drums by D. Molestör inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop before exploding into a demented feast of old school Black Metal. Once again adding an endless amount of Thrash Metal and Hardcore elements to their core essence we’re treated to L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard, while D. Molestör crushes his drums in the most visceral Death Metal way imaginable, whereas in Precipice of Fire the band offers more of the guitar madness blasted by T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, resulting in an infernal metal attack that sounds like it was taken directly from the 80’s.

Jaded Lungs is a beast incarnate in the seven-minute aria of hell titled Sips of Sarin, where her bandmates blast their sonic weapons in the name of evil, allowing her to scream and gnarl with tons of despair, therefore turning it into one of the best moments of the album. It’s quite interesting how all of their songs go beyond the five or six minute mark, and Scavengers of Vengeance couldn’t have been any different than that, sounding insane from start to finish thanks to the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo, whereas the second to last blast of old school blasphemy by Adorior is entitled Moment of Mania, with Jaded Lungs gnarling rabidly amidst a hurricane of chaotic, demented sounds blasted by her bandmates, and with the sound of their riffs being a thing of beauty. Lastly, let’s all face almost seven minutes of impious, sulfurous Death and Thrash Metal made in the UK in the title-track Bleed on My Teeth, with D. Molestör sounding ruthless on drums and, consequently, putting a beyond infernal conclusion to the band’s blackened death and thrash attack.

Bleed on my Teeth is a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, and you will certainly feel this record like it has been tattooed into your bones, but if you don’t, then fuck off and pray that you never will. Hence, keep an eye on their Facebook for news and tour dates, stream their depraved creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the sulfurous Bleed on my Teeth from their own BandCamp page, from the Sepulchral Voice’s BandCamp page, or from the Dark Descent Records webstore as a digisleeve CD, a black LP, a red and black LP, or a cassette. Adorior are still alive and kicking after so many decades on the road, and you better be prepared for their ruthless attack to the sound of their high-octane, unfiltered new album as you’re quickly consumed by evil.

Best moments of the album: Ophidian Strike, Precipice of Fire and Sips of Sarin.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Dark Descent Records/Sepulchral Voice

Track listing
1. Begrime Judas 5:55
2. Ophidian Strike 5:33
3. L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard 6:16
4. Precipice of Fire 5:40
5. Sips of Sarin 7:08
6. Scavengers of Vengeance 6:29
7. Moment of Mania 5:52
8. Bleed on My Teeth 6:51

Band members
Jaded Lungs – vocals
T. Slutsodomizer – guitars
S. Assassinator – guitars
R.C. – bass
D. Molestör – drums

Album Review – Born Of A Bastard King / Eviscerate EP (2024)

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A real pro mental health band from Down Under offers a solid fusion of old school Death Metal, 2000’s Groove Metal and Hardcore in their debut EP.

Inspired by the older sounds of the 90’s and 2000’s plus present-day heavy music, Born Of A Bastard King are a South East Melbourne, Australia-based band that utilizes old school Death Metal, 2000’s Groove Metal and Hardcore to create a unique sonic experience, which is exactly what you’ll find in their debut EP titled Eviscerate. Formed of Nick Apthorpe on vocals and bass, Scott Masson (of bands previously reviewed by The Headbanging Moose like Klendathu, Apocalyptian and He Who Seeks Vengeance) on the guitars, and Kye Bradbury on drums, Born Of A Bastard King are a real pro mental health band, as there’s no bravado or power dynamic hassles that they have all experienced through previous bands, resulting in a fun and uncompromising record tailored for fans of Obituary, Slipknot, DevilDriver, Trivium, Sepultura and Soulfly, among several others.

Scott showcases his new passion for the riff in the opener Erosion, supported by the massive bass by Nick and the crushing drums by Kye, a straightforward Death Metal attack by the trio perfect for some vigorous headbanging; and the bass by Nick keeps reverberating in Starve the Sun, another demented tune by the band that presents all elements we love in Death and Groove Metal with a strong Hardcore vibe. Their rage and aggression keep flowing majestically in Blood Poisoning, with the vile roars by Nick walking hand in hand with the unstoppable riffs by Scott, followed by Juarez, a neck-breaking extravaganza where Kye shows no mercy for his drums, delivering crushing beats nicely complemented by the stringed attack by his bandmates. Nick’s metallic bass kicks off the also heavy and furious Skin Walker, delivering an overdose of Death Metal boosted by his own deep gnarls and the always caustic riffs by Scott, whereas lastly, Scott, Kye and Nick bring to our avid ears the austere, grim Trespasser, offering more of their harsh sounds spearheaded by the enraged growls by Nick.

If you love to explore the underground, you should definitely give the guys from Born Of A Bastard King a shout on Facebook and on Instagram,  staying up to date with their news and tour dates (in special if you live Down Under, of ocurse), and stream their debut EP in full on Spotify and on other streaming platforms. Scott, Nick and Kye are having a very good time with Born Of A Bastard King, and I’m sure you will too once you hit play and let the solid music found in their caustic and sharp debut effort flow through your metallic mind and veins, inspiring you to bang your head nonstop like there’s no tomorrow together with those talented musicians.

Best moments of the album: Starve the Sun and Blood Poisoning.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Erosion 3:53
2. Starve the Sun 3:48
3. Blood Poisoning 3:28
4. Juarez 2:43
5. Skin Walker 4:54
6. Trespasser 4:00

Band members
Nick Apthorpe – vocals, bass
Scott Masson – guitars
Kye Bradbury – drums

Album Review – Evil Villain / Evil Villain EP (2024)

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An evil villain armed with its debut EP and consumed by the violence of Death Metal is lurking in the shadows of Toronto waiting for its next victim.

A cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime, a scoundrel, or a new Death Metal entity hailing from the ruins of Toronto? That’s how Evil Villian like to label themselves, blending the aggressiveness of their music with the harsh reality of the big city. Earlier this year the band formed of Matt Patterson on vocals, Chris Lee and Tim Hardcastle on the guitars, Dustin Pepper on bass and Patrick Cairns on drums released their debut self-titled EP, offering us all four tracks bursting with Death Metal violence while also showing nuances of Hardcore, Groove and Thrash Metal.

Patrick wastes no time and begin hammering his drums in Tumer’d, accompanied by the neck-breaking riffs by Chris and Tim while Matt roars and gnarls like a rabid beast in a caustic fusion of Death Metal and Hardcore; and get ready for another six-minute attack by Evil Villian entitled The Cycle, where Dustin and Patrick make the earth tremble, providing Matt with exactly what he needs to vociferate nonstop in the name of extreme music. Then blending harsh roars with Hardcore clean vocals, Paste Eater is another pulverizing, dissonant creation by the quintet where Chris and Tim once again slash their axes in great fashion until the very last second, whereas Furuta, the last song of the EP, is an amalgamation of styles, sounding Death Metal but at the same time presenting elements from the music by Faith No More and several Hardcore and Punk Rock acts, with Matt screaming viciously for our total delight.

Evil Villain’s debut EP is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but you can show those hardworking metallers from Toronto your support by purchasing a copy of the album from their BandCamp page, of course. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, or click HERE for all things Evil Villain, including their live performances in the city and surroundings, inspiring the band to keep moving forward no matter what. Their debut EP sounds great and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them, because you know, there’s always an evil villain lurking in the shadows of Toronto waiting for its next victim.

Best moments of the album: The Cycle.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Independent

Track listing
1. Tumer’d 6:10
2. The Cycle 6:36
3. Paste Eater 5:40
4. Furuta 5:27

Band members
Matt Patterson – vocals
Chris Lee – guitar
Tim Hardcastle – guitar
Dustin Pepper – bass
Patrick Cairns – drums

Concert Review – Kittie (History, Toronto, ON, 07/12/2024)

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Kittie’s first show in Toronto in ten years was an amazing celebration of the legacy of the band, of diversity, and obviously of our good old heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Dear Evangeline and Vile Creature

I really want to understand what the hell is going on with traffic in the city of Toronto and surroundings. I left my place yesterday with plenty of time to get to History to see DEAR EVANGELINE, VILE CREATURE and KITTIE kick off their Fire Tour 2024, but due to all construction, rain and whatever else, it took me over two hours to get to the venue. Due to that driving nightmare, I missed the entire performance by Brampton, Ontario’s own Hardcore/Sludge Metal newcomers DEAR EVANGELINE, which was a real bummer as I was eager to see those girls live. At least we can all enjoy their self-titled EP on Spotify, and also click HERE to know more about such a promising Canadian band.

Another bummer was the fact that my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi didn’t get a photo pass due to some bullshit about “high demand for passes”, or something like that, but I was there as I had a ticket and I think I saw only ONE photographer apart from the band’s own, so I guess either the organizers didn’t want any external photographers taking pictures of the event (which makes no sense at all, as you want people to see those photos and get inspired to attend future shows, right?), or all of the ones who got the limited passes “didn’t attend the show”, if you know what I mean. Anyway, the photos in this review are a piece of shit because of that reason, and I almost though about not reviewing the show; however, I think Kittie still deserve a nice review because they kicked ass on stage on Friday.

At least I was there in time for St. Catharines, Ontario’s Sludge/Drone/Doom Metal beast VILE CREATURE, a non-binary duo who explores themes of veganism, LGBTQ, animal rights, and anti-oppression in their music, and let me tell you it was a dark and extremely heavy performance by vocalist Vic, vocalist and guitarist KW, and a special guest drummer who I knew nothing about. I have no idea about their setlist, but I’m pretty sure they played a few songs from their latest albums Cast of Static and Smoke (2018) and Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! (2020), both available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and all songs sounded insane. One of the best moments of the show was when KW took a few minutes to talk about how much he loves Kittie, that it was Kittie who inspired him to play heavy music after years not knowing where he belonged as a gay guy, and that he sports his Kittie shirt from the very first Vile Creature live concert. It was a very emotional moment for sure, and seeing KW and his Vile Creature kicking ass right before his favorite band of all time was truly inspirational.

Band members
Vic – vocals
KW – guitars, vocals

KITTIE

The fact that both opening bands had short setlists allowed London, Ontario’s Alternative/Groove Metal powerhouse KITTIE to kick off their musical extravaganza relatively early, at around 9pm, giving a feeling of a matinee to the whole event as they wouldn’t play past 11pm for sure. That would have been a good thing if traffic back home wasn’t another nightmare, but I won’t complain about it again. Let’s focus on the show, and what a show it was! Morgan Lander, Tara McLeod, Ivana “Ivy” Jenkins (holy shit, Ivy was insane during the whole show!) and Mercedes Lander were on absolute fire throughout their entire set, which makes total sense as their new album Fire in indeed an incendiary one. Needless to say, their 22-song setlist inspired everyone at the venue to slam into the circle pit and to have a wild time with all crowd surfing going on, making the girls from Kittie really proud of their local fans in their first show in Toronto in ten years.

Blending some of the most electrifying songs of their new album the likes of Fire, We Are Shadows and Eyes Wide Open with classic including Cut Throat, Spit, Funeral for Yesterday and Brackish, the quartet sounded tight, focused and mesmerizing, and when we thought the show was over after the heavy-as-hell We Are the Lamb, the band got back and kicked us hard in the head with a special encore with the songs One Foot in the Grave and Do You Think I’m a Whore, a nice surprise that caught everyone off guard and that turned up the heat inside the venue through the roof. Having said all that, keep an eye on their tour dates by clicking HERE, stream all of their amazing albums, including their new beast Fire, on Spotify or on any other streaming service, and don’t miss the chance to see those four Canadian girls live whenever they take your city by storm. I just wish I had better photos of the band to show you, of course, but you can’t win ’em all, right?

Setlist
Fire
I’ve Failed You
Cut Throat
No Name
Spit
What I Always Wanted
Sorrow I Know
Look So Pretty
Ugly
We Are Shadows
Into the Darkness
Eyes Wide Open
Severed
Funeral for Yesterday
In Winter
Vultures
Charlotte
Mouthful of Poison
Brackish
We Are the Lamb

Encore:
One Foot in the Grave
Do You Think I’m a Whore

Band members
Morgan Lander – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Tara McLeod – lead guitar
Ivana “Ivy” Jenkins – bass
Mercedes Lander – drums, backing vocals