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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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Album Review – GraveRipper / Seasons Dreaming Death (2023)

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The dead will rise and chaos will take over the entire world to the sound of the first full-length album by this venomous American Blackened Thrash Metal horde.

The dead will rise and chaos will take over the entire world to the sound of Seasons Dreaming Death, the newborn beast by Indianapolis, Indiana-based Blackened Thrash Metal horde GraveRipper. The first full-length album in their career, following up on their 2020 debut EP Complete Blinding Darkness and on their 2021 EP Radiated Remains, Seasons Dreaming Death showcases all the dexterity and passion for extreme music by Corey Parks on vocals and rhythm guitars, Keegan Hrybyk on lead guitars, Chris Pilotte on bass and Jacob Lett on drums, all spiced up by the top-notch engineering, mixing and mastering by Wesley Heaton at Postal Recording, and the sick artwork by one of the best illustrators of the current scene, Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, offering fans of bands like Skeletonwitch, Toxic Holocaust and Wraith everything they crave in heavy music and more.

Corey and Keegan begin their ruthless stringed attack in Into the Grave, a frantic fusion of Black, Thrash and Death Metal that will certainly inspire you to slam into the pit like a headbanging bastard, followed by Ripped and Torn Apart, a hard-hitting, no-shenanigans creation by the quartet where Jacob is relentless on drums adding his share of violence and heaviness to the overall result. Let’s keep hammering our skulls inside the circle pit to the sound of Divine Incantations, with Corey barking rabidly while his riffs together with the sounds generated by his bandmates will pierce your damned soul mercilessly; whereas Chris’ bass and Jacob’s drums will make the earth tremble in the Thrash Metal feast Seasons Dreaming Death, once again presenting the band’s animosity infused with intricate and dark sounds. And it’s nonstop action in the high-octane tune Premeditated, again blending the rebelliousness of Thrash Metal with the aggressiveness of Death Metal, spearheaded by the venomous roars by Corey.

The quartet adds hints of Hardcore, Grindcore and even Melodic Death Metal to their core sonority in An Influx of Fear, bringing forward the always caustic riffage by Corey and Keegan, and the complex but demented drumming by Jacob, and it’s then time to speed things up and generate a hurricane of thrashing sounds in Resist Against the Light, by far one of the most breathtaking songs of the album with the low-tuned bass by Chris brutally smashing your cranial skull. As you might have notice, it’s one demented tune after another, and the band keeps crushing our frail bodies in Red Skies, where their riffage sounds utterly acid and incendiary inspired by our good old Punk Rock. Back to a more traditional Thrash and Death Metal mode, Jacob takes the lead with his intricate beats in And I Curse Reality, simply perfect for some vigorous headbanging; and closing such pulverizing album we have Only Coldness, offering more of their gripping hybrid of extreme styles, with Jacob’s Black Metal drums matching perfectly with the riffage by the band’s guitar duo.

“The album title is my take on Halloween/Samhain,” commented Corey, “the day of the year where the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead is the thinnest.” Well, let’s say the band truly captured the essence of such mysterious and adored day in Seasons Dreaming Death, which is already available for pre-order from their own BandCamp page and will be unleashed upon us before we can say “death”. Hence, don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and all things GraveRipper, and to stream their sick creations on Spotify. As mentioned, the dead are about to rise when the excellent Seasons Dreaming Death is officially released, and you better be armed with GraveRipper’s demented new album in your hands if you want to join such deadly party.

Best moments of the album: Ripped and Torn Apart, Premeditated and Resist Against the Light.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Wise Blood Records

Track listing
1. Into the Grave 4:11
2. Ripped and Torn Apart 3:58
3. Divine Incantations 2:19
4. Seasons Dreaming Death 3:05
5. Premeditated 4:08
6. An Influx of Fear 1:53
7. Resist Against the Light 3:43
8. Red Skies 3:28
9. And I Curse Reality 3:31
10. Only Coldness 3:31

Band members
Corey Parks – vocals, rhythm guitars
Keegan Hrybyk – lead guitars
Chris Pilotte – bass
Jacob Lett – drums

Album Review – State of Deceit / Stalked by Daemons (2023)

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This Metalcore, Thrash and Groove Metal band with an attitude is ready to attack your senses with their debut full-length album.

A Metalcore, Thrash and Groove Metal band with an attitude founded by guitarist Jonathan Russell in South Wales, UK, and currently formed of Jonathan alongside vocalist Peter Scammell, guitarist Gareth Jones, bassist Davide Santini and drummer Matthew Toner, the unrelenting metal act State of Deceit is about to unleash upon us their first full-length opus titled Stalked by Daemons, following up on their 2019 EP Retribution. Recorded by Tim Hamill at Sonic One Studio, and displaying a modern and captivating artwork by Pierre-Alain D. of 3mmi Design, Stalked by Daemons delivers the best of several extreme music styles, often in stylistic antithesis that is startling and ultimately satisfying, resulting in a must-listen album for fans of Trivium, Pantera, Fit For a King, Machine Head and Killswitch Engage, just to name a few.

The guitars by Gareth and Jonathan will inspire you for some sick headbanging in the opening tune Endure My Fate, while Davide brings the groove to the music armed with his thunderous bass in a great fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Hardcore elements. Then it’s pedal to the metal as the pounding drums by Matthew will hammer your heads mercilessly in Demi-God, with Peter manically barking and roaring for our total delight; and get ready to break your freakin’ neck headbanging like a metalmaniac in Stalked By Daemons, Guarded By Angels, exhaling heaviness and violence to the visceral growling by Peter. It’s time for a darker, more melancholic creation by State of Deceit titled Hate Within, with the band’s stringed trio adding tons of feeling to the music, whereas drinking from the same metallic fountain as Soilwork and Arch Enemy, the band delivers sheer adrenaline in Withered, with the riffage by Gareth and Jonathan piercing our ears in great fashion.

Mark Of The Whale is a decent song, but it lacks the same punch and heaviness of the previous ones, albeit Matthew does a very good job on drums as usual; and back to a more thrilling and vibrant mode, the quintet will drag your soul into the circle pit to the sound of Scorched, a rumbling extravaganza showcasing elements from Death and Thrash Metal added to their core sound. After such demented tune, a slow and sinister start suddenly explodes in more of the band’s crushing Metalcore in Suffer, spearheaded by the venomous riffs by the band’s guitar duo and the always enraged, demented guttural by Peter. Davide’s bass sets the tone in the heavy and groovy At What Cost?, perfect for some vigorous headbanging while Matthew keeps blasting his drums nonstop; while one last round of aggressiveness infused with tons of melody and groove is offered to our ears in Digital Tattoo, with Pater and Matthew making an incendiary duo from start to finish, therefore ending the album on a sensational note.

The guys from State of Deceit are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates and more of their flammable music, and if you want to show them your total support you can purchase a copy of the excellent Stalked by Daemons by clicking HERE. As expected in most debut albums, Stalked by Daemons is daring and inspiring through and through track to track, positioning State of Deceit as one of the most interesting names of the current UK scene and, consequently, fueling their minds and souls for another blast of their solid and captivating music in the coming years whenever the band is ready for their sophomore opus, all of course in the name of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Endure My Fate, Withered and Digital Tattoo.

Worst moments of the album: Mark Of The Whale.

Released in 2023 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. Endure My Fate 3:47
2. Demi-God 4:14
3. Stalked By Daemons, Guarded By Angels 4:46
4. Hate Within 4:40
5. Withered 3:41
6. Mark Of The Whale 4:45
7. Scorched 3:57
8. Suffer 4:17
9. At What Cost? 3:52
10. Digital Tattoo 3:08

Band members
Peter Scammell – vocals
Gareth Jones – lead guitar
Jonathan Russell – rhythm guitar
Davide Santini – bass, backing vocals
Matthew Toner – drums

Concert Review – Kreator & Sepultura (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2023)

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The world is in flames and the people divided, but Kreator, Sepultura and their fans were united last night in Toronto to prove once again everything gets better with some first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Spiritworld and Death Angel

Insane traffic, heavy smoke from the wildfires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, and temperatures dropping below seasonal. If you think those “nice” factors would stop the metalheads in Toronto from setting The Danforth Music Hall on fire last night together with SPIRITWORLD, DEATH ANGEL, SEPULTURA and KREATOR as part of their Klash of the Titans North America 2023, another awesome event brought to the city by Embrace Presents, you’re absolutely wrong. It seems that Torontonian metallers fear nothing when it comes to enduring several external threats to attend metal concerts in the city, and when they’re inside the venue, oh boy, it’s fuckin’ madness! It was a sold out night of mosh pits, walls of death, bodies emerging from the pit, horns and fists in the air, a lot of screaming and jumping, and above all that, seeing our metalhead friends once again to celebrate music and life. What else can we ask for, right? And on a side note, it looks like a few concert goers got injured inside the pit during one of the bands, with one guy bleeding real bad (I think he landed on his head); however, the venue security was on it fast and even had their own trained medical staff. That’s a huge display of professionalism, so kudos to security for being so fast and effective.

Due to traffic (and hunger, as I spent hours driving before being able to eat anything, which had to happen outside The Danforth Music Hall because they don’t sell any food inside the venue), this guy here had to unfortunately miss the opening band, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore act SPIRITWORLD, but at least my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was here to capture some amazing shots of the band and tell me a little about their performance, saying it was very energetic and fun to watch. The doors opened at 5pm, and the band played from 6:30pm to around 7pm, just to give you an idea of how bad traffic was. Anyway, if you know nothing about the band, go check their BandCamp and Spotify, in special their 2022 album Deathwestern, which is quite entertaining in my opinion.

Setlist
Comancheria
Lujuria Satanica
The Bringer of Light
Committee of Buzzards
Unholy Passages
U L C E R
Relic of Damnation
Pagan Rhythms

Band members
Stu Folsom – vocals
Justin Fornof – vocals, sampling
Randy Moore – lead guitars
Matt Schrum – rhythm guitars
Nick Brundy – bass
Preston Harper – drums

It was precisely 7:20pm when San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal institution DEATH ANGEL hit the stage with a flawless performance, igniting some intense mosh pits for the delight of all fans present at the venue. Still promoting their 2019 album Humanicide, the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Mark Osegueda, who by the way had a superb vocal performance last night reaching some really high notes in great fashion, put on a solid and vibrant show, albeit a bit short in duration. The songs The Dream Calls for Blood, The Moth and Thrown to the Wolves sounded absolutely fantastic last night, with the razor-edged guitars by Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar piercing our souls mercilessly. Closer to the end of the show, Mark took a moment to tell Toronto how much he loves the city, saying he remembers playing at El Mocambo (a very, very small underground venue) twice on the same day during their first ever visit to Toronto back in 1987, and saying that they might have been prohibited to play their album The Ultra-Violence (in special the song Voracious Souls) back then in their homeland, but that Canada received them with open arms. Well, we’ll always receive Death Angel with open arms (and open circle pits) in Toronto.

Setlist
Lord of Hate
Voracious Souls
The Dream Calls for Blood
The Moth
Humanicide
The Ultra-Violence / Thrown to the Wolves

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Rob Cavestany – guitar
Ted Aguilar – guitar
Damien Sisson – bass
Will Carroll – drums

KREATOR

It was still bright ay 8:30pm outside the venue (well, not that bright due to the smoke, but it wasn’t dark yet) when Teutonic Thrash Metal titans KREATOR took the city of Toronto by storm with a beyond pulverizing performance, and when I say pulverizing I’m not kidding, it was insane from the very first second until the last notes of Pleasure to Kill. Also, despite the fact they released what’s in my opinion the best album of 2022, the superb Hate Über Alles, they’re only playing the title-track during this current tour, but that’s just a minor detail compared to the endless energy, rage and violence happening on and off stage. The iconic Mille Petrozza led the Torontonian hordes of chaos brilliantly throughout their entire set, resulting in some of the sickest circle pits of all shows in the city this year.

Mille interacted a lot with the crowd, always asking for more circle pits, crowd surfing and walls of death, but he didn’t actually need to ask for that as everyone inside the pit went nuts as soon as the first notes of Hate Über Alles hit. Some of the songs sounded so brutal, such as Enemy of God, Flag of Hate and Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite), that the whole pit looked like one of those insane Royal Rumble moments where it’s everyone against everyone, and the band simply loved to witness that while delivering a lecture in German thrash on stage. The giant inflatable devil on stage (from the artwork from their latest album) was a very nice touch to their performance, in special when Satan is Real was played, whereas Mille declaiming the chorus to the rebellious single 666 – World Divided before starting the song itself was another beautiful moment for the entire crowd. Of course, as expected, the most demented circle pit and wall of death of the night happened during their all-time classic Pleasure to Kill, leaving everyone at the venue eager for more Kreator in the city anytime they wish to return. As a matter of fact, I would be extremely happy if they somehow played in Toronto once a week or even more than that if they wanted to.

Setlist
Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
Hate Über Alles
Awakening of the Gods (Intro)
Enemy of God
People of the Lie
Betrayer
Satan Is Real
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
666 – World Divided
Flag of Hate
The Patriarch
Violent Revolution
Pleasure to Kill
Apocalypticon

Band members
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar
Frédéric Leclercq – bass
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums

SEPULTURA

I honestly thought Kreator were going to be the headliners during the entire tour, but it looks like they adopted the “alternating headline mode” that so many bands are using these days, just like Gojira and Mastodon are doing now in North America. Having said that, Toronto had the pleasure of having as the closing act of the night the unparalleled Brazilian Groove/Thrash Metal beast SEPULTURA, who brought a lot of heaviness and groove to our avid ears during their solid performance. Derrick Green, Paulo Jr. and Eloy Casagrande were precise as usual, but it was Andreas Kisser who stole the show with another distinct performance on the guitars. I just think the band would benefit a lot from having a second guitarist to provide Andreas with some background support during his solos, filling out the empty spaces left, but that’s just an idea and nothing that would make their show less fun.

Still promoting their 2020 album Quadra, the band played a mix of new songs with old school Sepultura, as roared by Derrick right at the beginning of their concert, and while new songs like Isolation and Kairos worked amazingly live, others like Guardians of Earth and Agony of Defeat cooled down the atmosphere a bit, despite being sensational and very detailed compositions. Needless to say, it was when they played their classics including Territory, Refuse/Resist, Arise and Ratamahatta that the crowd jumped up and down nonstop, slammed into the pit, and raised their horns screaming, with one of the most rebellious metal songs ever, the unique Roots Bloody Roots, being the icing on the cake of their show. Andreas also took a moment to say how much the guys from Sepultura love Toronto, and I guess it won’t take long for them to return. After all was said and done, the traffic to get out of the city was brutal even after midnight, but who cares? After witnessing Kreator and Sepultura destroying everything and everyone last night in Toronto, nothing could erase the smile on the faces of the Torontonian metalheads.

Setlist
Polícia (Titãs song)
Isolation
Territory
Means to an End
Kairos
Propaganda
Guardians of Earth
Ali
Agony of Defeat
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

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

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Concert Review – Obituary (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/07/2023)

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The right mindset, the right night in Toronto, with tons of metalheads celebrating the unparalleled Death Metal by one of the pillars of the genre worldwide.

OPENING ACTS: Ingrown, Blood Incantation and Immolation

The city of Toronto had the pleasure of enjoying another ass-kicking celebration of Death Metal last night thanks again to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, bringing to the city a fantastic combo of pure heaviness with the bands INGROWN, BLOOD INCANTATION, IMMOLATION and OBITUARY to The Phoenix Concert Theatre. There was a massive line to get into the venue, plus another huge line to get to the merch stands before entering the floor section, which means several people missed the first band of the night, unfortunately. Maybe they could have opened the doors a little earlier, at 6pm or even at 5:30pm, because only 30 minutes between doors and the first band is definitely not enough for getting in, getting some merch, having a beer and chatting with friends. Nothing that would damage the quality of the night, though.

Having said that, a half empty venue was there to enjoy the Hardcore by Boise, Idaho-based act INGROWN precisely at 7pm, including myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, one of the two photographers that were there in time for Ingrown, by the way. Playing several songs from their 2021 album Gun, the trio formed of Calvin Ross Hansen, Alex Marshall and Dave Shaffer didn’t waste too much time talking and simply hammered their instruments nonstop, and despite the lack of mosh pit action due to most fans still trying to enter the venue or grab some merch, it was a solid and freakin’ heavy performance, proving why those American metallers carry the Great Seal of the State of Idaho with them. If you want to know more about their pulverizing Harcore, you can find all of their creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, alright?

Setlist
Waste
Fool
Shell
Chain
Slip Away
Grunt
Snake Stomp
Gun
Hard Time

Band members
Calvin Ross Hansen – vocals, guitars
Alex Marshall – bass
Dave Shaffer – drums 

After a very short break, it was time for Denver, Colorado’s own Sci-Fi Death Metal entity BLOOD INCANTATION to take us on a journey to outer space with their technical and pulverizing Death Metal, spearheaded by the relatively shy while speaking, but utterly demonic while playing, Paul Riedl on vocals and guitars. Paul mentioned it was the band’s first visit to Toronto since 2019, and judging by the reaction of the crowd, who ignited some insane mosh pits while the quartet was flawless on stage, I must say their Torontonian fans have more than missed their live performances for the past few years. Their setlist might have been short, with only five songs in total including the excellent The Giza Power Plant and Slave Species of the Gods, from their 2019 opus Hidden History of the Human Race, but each song had enough elements, energy and complexity to put a huge smile on the faces of everyone at the venue, resulting in a first-class performance by one of the most underrated bands of the current Death Metal scene.

Setlist
Starspawn
Chaoplasm
The Giza Power Plant
Slave Species of the Gods
Hovering Lifeless

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars
Jeff Barrett – bass
Isaac Faulk – drums

Although Obituary were the main attraction of the night, there were countless fans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre eager to see New York’s own Death Metal institution IMMOLATION kicking some ass on stage, blending classics form their amazing career with songs from their most recent album, Acts of God, released last year, including the opener An Act of God, The Age of No Light, Blooded, and the closer Let the Darkness In. Bassist and vocalist Ross Dolan and his henchmen were on fire throughout their entire show, just like when they opened for Cannibal Corpse in the city last November, which obviously inspired the fans to ignite some wicked mosh pits that took the whole floor section at times. The most peculiar moments of their concert were, first, when fans started chanting “Fuck Trudeau!”, but Ross didn’t fall for that and said that was not the place for politics, that we should all leave that shit outside and enjoy their music; and then when Dan Lilker from Nuclear Assault came out on stage before the song Under the Supreme. Why didn’t he stay for the entire song no one knows, and I also think Nuclear Assault could have been part of the night (even if it was just Toronto), but that’s fine. In the end, it was a memorable Death Metal party by Immolation, and I’m sure we’ll see them back in the city really soon (as mentioned by Ross by the end of their performance).

Setlist
Abandoned
An Act of God
The Age of No Light
Harnessing Ruin
Despondent Souls
Blooded
World Agony
Destructive Currents
Providence
Under the Supreme
Let the Darkness In

Band members
Ross Dolan – vocals, bass
Robert Vigna – guitars
Alex Bouks – guitars
Steve Shalaty – drums

OBITUARY

It was already past 9pm when Florida’s Death Metal titans OBITUARY ignited their flawless, pulverizing performance, even more infernal than when they opened for Amon Amarth in Toronto last December, closing the night on a high note as expected. This time properly promoting their demolishing new album Dying of Everything, playing nothing more, nothing less than SIX songs form the album, those being The Wrong Time, Barely Alive, War, Weaponize the Hate, My Will to Live, and the title-track Dying of Everything already as part of the encore, and you know an album is THAT good when the reaction of everyone at The Phoenix Concert Theatre was simply superb, with endless circle pits, some brutal headbanging and everyone raising their horns to one of the pillars of Death Metal worldwide.

Of course the band spearheaded by the iconic John Tardy also played some insane classic the likes of Redneck Stomp and Slowly We Rot, making it absolutely worth it heading to the venue on a rainy Sunday night. I was also impressed with the overall quality of their stage, with the lighting, the smoke and all other elements looking awesome from start to finish, and if you think of the size of the venue that becomes even more insane. That proves how much Obituary (and the other bands, of course) care about their fans, always delivering an electrifying performance no matter what. There wasn’t a lot of talking from John nor any of the other band members, and I’m fine with that because I want to see them kicking ass with their music, which probably happened because of the tight schedule before hitting the curfew at around 11pm. I’m sure Obituary, just like Immolation, will return to Toronto before we can say “Death Metal” based on their happiness after the concert was over, and I’m sure all fans that attended their concert last night can’t wait for that to happen.

Setlist
Snortin’ Whiskey (Pat Travers Band song)
Redneck Stomp
Sentence Day
A Lesson in Vengeance
Visions in My Head
The Wrong Time
Barely Alive
Slow Death
Find the Arise
Weaponize the Hate
My Will to Live
Chopped in Half
Turned Inside Out

Encore:
War
Dying of Everything
I’m in Pain
Slowly We Rot
Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent song)

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

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Concert Review – The Black Dahlia Murder (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/21/2023)

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A celebration of the life and contribution to the heavy music scene by the deceased Trevor Strnad on a special night in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Phobophilic, Fuming Mouth, Frozen Soul and Terror

Do you know those events called “celebration of life”, a time when people come together to celebrate the unique personality and achievements of the deceased without the more formal and traditional funeral service? Maybe that’s exactly how we can call The Verminous Remnant Tour 2023 with the bands PHOBOPHILIC, FUMING MOUTH, FROZEN SOUL, TERROR and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, celebrating the life of Trevor Strnad (RIP), the iconic frontman for The Black Dahlia Murder who passed away on May 11, 2022. All bands have some sort of connection with Trevor, as he was a huge supporter of the underground and did A LOT to those bands and to heavy music in general during his amazing life, and fortunately several fans of heavy music in Toronto had the pleasure of taking part in that celebration this Friday at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

After the doors opened at 6pm and fans had their special time to purchase some merch, grab a beer and chat with friends, Fargo, North Dakota-based Death Metal band PHOBOPHILIC kicked off the celebration at 7pm with a short and sweet performance promoting their 2022 album Enveloping Absurdity, getting all concert goers into the mood to start all the pit action, sounding not just great but also engaging a lot with the crowd. If you know nothing about the band go check their stuff on BandCamp or on Spotify, as I’m sure you’ll enjoy their straightforward, ass-kicking Death Metal, and who knows, maybe you’ll be caught in a mosh whenever those four metallers storm your city with their undisputed heaviness.

Band members
Aaron Dudgeon – vocals, guitars
Josh Poer – guitars
Christian Alm – bass
Vincent Tweten – drums

It was around 7:40pm when the second band of the night, Milford, Massachusetts’s own Death Metal/Crust outfit FUMING MOUTH, hit the stage with their fast, thrashing and heavy music, again getting a nice mosh pit going, blending songs from their 2020 EP Beyond the Tomb, such as the title-track Beyond the Tomb and Master of Extremity, with others form their 2019 album The Grand Descent, like Out of the Shadows and Visions of Purgatory. Needless to say, they also dedicated their performance to Trevor, which of course got a warm answer from the audience. Hence, if you haven’t ever heard of this band either, you should go to BandCamp or Spotify and bathe in their demolishing creations.

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Andrew Budwey – guitars
James Davis – drums

After another short break, it was time for Fort Worth, Texas-based Death Metal horde FROZEN SOUL to smash the cranial skulls of all fans at the venue with another amazing performance. Playing songs from their 2021 album Crypt of Ice, including Encased in Ice, Arctic Stranglehold and Crypt of Ice, as well as the new tunes Death and Glory and Arsenal of War, from their upcoming 2023 album Glacial Domination, Frozen Soul delivered their trademark fusion of Death Metal with heavy doom and fast thrash elements, having the house turn the lights all blue, and the reaction from the crowd was nothing but a huge mosh pit. Their lead singer Chad Green even asked the fans to do push ups, and they didn’t disappoint at all, so if you’re searching for a heavy soundtrack for your push ups at the gym you know what to do, right? Simply visit BandCamp or Spotify, and voilà!

Setlist
Encased in Ice
Merciless
Beat to Dust
Morbid Effigy
Death and Glory
Arsenal of War
Arctic Stranglehold
Crypt of Ice

Band members
Chad Green – vocals
Chris Bonner – guitars
Michael Munday – guitars
Samantha Mobley – bass
Matt Dennard – drums

One more memorable show was provided to all fans at the venue by Los Angeles, California-based Hardcore act TERROR, delivering their fast-paced creations highly inspired by the fantastic LA thrash scene from the 80’s and 90’s. Right after they started their concert at around 9pm the entire floor section turned into a massive circle pit, keeping the security guys busy and even photographers like my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who helped the staff in between taking shots to steer the crowd surfers out of the pit. Alex and Liam (and their front stage crew) did an amazing job holding it down and making sure everyone was safe, by the way. Terror released a short but fulminating album in 2022 titled Pain into Power (available on BandCamp and on Spotify), with songs like the title-track Pain Into Power, Can’t Help but Hate and Boundless Contempt being part of their setlist for the delight of all fans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

Setlist
Pain Into Power
Overcome
Stick Tight
Spit My Rage
Betrayer
Lowest of the Low
Can’t Help but Hate
Boundless Contempt
The 25th Hour
One With the Underdogs
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Keepers of the Faith

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

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER

It was a little past 10pm when the main attraction of the night, Detroit, Michigan’s Melodic Death Metal institution THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, began their infernal performance, and everyone at the venue was blown away by their heavy and catchy sounds as expected. Now fronted by Brian Eschbach, who used to be the band’s guitarist until the death of Trevor, the band named their current tour after their 2020 album Verminous, adding the word “remnant” to it for obvious reasons, with songs like the title-track Verminous and Sunless Empire, mixed with their older material including Everything Went Black, I Will Return and Deathmask Divine, driving all fans crazy.

The crowd chanted Trevor’s name between songs during their entire performance, an emotional gesture in honor of the great Trevor, whose lyrics, onstage presence and contributions to the metal scene will always be missed. As aforementioned, what he did for all openers that are part of this tour was amazing, helping all bands get signed. He was a voice of reason to the labels, said one concert goer, and the response from all fans to The Black Dahlia Murder during their entire performance only proved how much everyone will always love Trevor and his music. Thanks once again to Noel Peters from Inertia Entertainment for organizing such incredible night for metal fans in Toronto, and of course for allowing all Torontonian fans to celebrate the life of the one and only Trevor Strnad.

Setlist
Verminous
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
Kings of the Nightworld
Sunless Empire
Carbonized in Cruciform
Child of Night
Statutory Ape
On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
Everything Went Black
Nightbringers
Miasma
Unhallowed
Funeral Thirst
I Will Return
Deathmask Divine

Band members
Brian Eschbach – vocals
Ryan Knight – guitars
Brandon Ellis – guitars
Max Lavelle -bass
Alan Cassidy – drums

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Album Review – Shakma / On Tenebrous Wings (2023)

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A force to be reckoned with, this Norwegian Blackened Thrash Metal trio is back with a deadlier sequel to their 2018 debut album, expanding the band’s dark horizons even further.

Formed in 2014 in Haugesund, a municipality on the North Sea in Rogaland county, Norway, and inspired by the occult and 80’s horror B-movies (which makes me wonder if the name of the band comes from the 1990 cult film Shakma), the unstoppable Blackened Thrash Metal horde Shakma continues to haunt our damned souls with their visceral music in their new opus, titled On Tenebrous Wings. Recorded and produced by Tom Poole-Kerr at Green Engine Recording, and displaying an obscure artwork by Solo Macello, On Tenebrous Wings picks up right where their 2018 debut House of Possession left off while sounding darker and more intricate, or a deadlier sequel expanding the band’s dark horizons that proves vocalist and guitarist Marco Runic, bassist Stian Golden and drummer Aleksander Runic are a force to be reckoned with.

Dark and sinister from the very first second, the 80’s horror movie-inspired intro Evocation will embrace you in total darkness before the trio comes hammering our heads with their infernal fusion of Black and Thrash Metal in the title-track On Tenebrous Wings, with Marco extracting pure malignancy from his riffs supported by the bestial drumming by Aleksander, being therefore the perfect way to kick off such incendiary album. Stian then brings the groove to the band’s flammable thrashing sounds in Nocturnal Obsession, also presenting hints of Hardcore to make it an even better option for some circle pit action; whereas Marco continues to bark and gnarl in the name of evil in Cryptic Apparition, a frantic, in-your-face creation by the trio that lives up to the legacy of Scandinavian Blackened Thrash Metal.

The trio shows no signs of slowing down nor any mercy for our souls in Necromancer, another explosive tune played at the speed of light with Aleksander smashing his drums nonstop for our vulgar delectation, followed by Under His Spell, simply demented and breathtaking from the very first second with all three band members being on absolute sync, spearheaded by the stylish and furious riffage by Marco (who also delivers his usual raspy, unfriendly vocal lines). Their second to last breath of sulfur and Thrash Metal, entitled The Howling Beast, will keep the mosh pit moving manically, with Marco and Stian kicking some ass with their respective riffs and bass lines; and as the entire album exhales darkness and hatred, the closing song, titled Ancient Power, would certainly follow that same demonic pattern, bringing to our ears a humongous dosage of the trio’s infernal riffs, hammering bass and incendiary blast beats.

The sulfurous and frantic On Tenebrous Wings is available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you can put your damned hands on this precious gem of the underground by purchasing it from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Duplicate Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD, an LP, a marble LP, a cassette or a blue cassette, or simply click HERE for all things Shakma, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram. If On Tenebrous Wings was a horror movie, it would surely be a deadly, bloodthirsty one, and we all should thank the guys from Shakma for bringing such high level of horror and fury in the form of first-class metal music to our avid ears.

Best moments of the album: On Tenebrous Wings, Cryptic Apparition and Under His Spell.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Duplicate Records

Track listing
1. Evocation 1:00
2. On Tenebrous Wings 4:53
3. Nocturnal Obsession 3:31
4. Cryptic Apparition 6:01
5. Necromancer 3:11
6. Under His Spell 4:58
7. The Howling Beast 4:07
8. Ancient Power 4:57

Band members
Marco Runic – vocals, guitars
Stian Golden – bass
Aleksander Runic – drums

Concert Review – Carcass (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/16/2023)

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Four metallic beasts cranked the heat with their undisputed music on an already scorching day in Toronto, inspiring us all to get caught in endless mosh pits. 

OPENING ACTS: Creeping Death, Sacred Reich and Municipal Waste

As the “gods of weather” decided to crank the heat in Toronto this past week, with the thermometers breaking the +30oC (or +86oF) mark, it was more than obvious that the temperature inside The Phoenix Concert Theatre last night was going to be insanely high due to the feast of Grindcore, Thrash and Death Metal blasted by CREEPING DEATH, SACRED REICH, MUNICIPAL WASTE and the mighty CARCASS, four amazing bands that are highly recommended for admirers of some good old mosh pits. And oh, there were so many mosh pits for all metalheads at the venue to bathe in (and most of the time that mosh pit bath included a lot of sweat, beer, and even some vomit)! A special shout-out to Embrace Presents for organizing such epic event, and another to the venue staff for keeping everything clean (because dealing with vomit is one of the most disgusting things ever), for keeping everyone safe, and for always being nice to everyone before, during and after all concerts. That’s how fans should always be treated!

I was not even 10 minutes inside the venue when the first band of the night, Denton, Texas-based Death Metal/Hardcore act CREEPING DEATH, kicked off the night with their brutality and heaviness, already inspiring everyone at the venue to slam into the pit, and that high level of violence went on until the last second of their performance. Gearing up for the release of their new album Boundless Domain, which should become available mid-June (and of course, I’ll have a very good time listening to it, and probably reviewing it too), frontman Reese Alavi and his bandmates put on a fantastic show, with their brand new song Intestinal Wrap (don’t forget to check out the studio version featuring the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer on guest vocals) and The Edge of Existence being the highlights of their pulverizing concert for me. Let’s see when those American metallers will return to Toronto for another round of insanity armed with their classic Death Metal; maybe as soon as their new album sees the light of day?

Setlist
Humanity Transcends
Doused in Flames
Skinned Alive
The Edge of Existence
Bloodlust Contamination
Intestinal Wrap
Specter of War

Band members
Reese Alavi – vocals
Trey Pemberton – guitars
A.J. Ross III – guitars
Rico Mejia – bass
Lincoln Mullins – drums

After the usual bathroom/beer/cigarette/whatever you want to do break, it was time for Phoenix, Arizona’s own Thrash Metal institution SACRED REICH to hit the stage spearheaded by the iconic vocalist and bassist Phil Rind, and as expected their entire performance was absolutely amazing, blending songs from their most recent album Awakening, released in 2019, such the opener Divide & Conquer, Manifest Reality, Salvation and the title-track Awakening, with really old stuff the likes of Death Squad and Ignorance, from their 1987 debut album Ignorance, and The American Way, from their 1990 album of the same name. There was a lot of interaction between Phil and the crowd, with the most beautiful moment being when Phil talked about how music unites people, and how we make good friends through music, which is more than true. Without music I might not have become a friend of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who once again provided me with the amazing photos for this review. Back to the concert, Sacred Reich kept kicking our asses with their classy thrashing tunes, ending with their circle pit hit Surf Nicaragua, and leaving us eager for another one of their stylish performances in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
Divide & Conquer
The American Way
Manifest Reality
One Nation
Salvation
Ignorance
Awakening
Independent
Death Squad
Surf Nicaragua

Band members
Phil Rind – vocals, bass
Wiley Arnett – lead guitars
Joey Radziwill – rhythm guitars
Dave McClain – drums

It was then time for the highly anticipated concert by Richmond, Virginia-based Thrash Metal/Crossover squad MUNICIPAL WASTE, and they didn’t disappoint at all their Torontonian fans; quite the contrary, it was an unforgettable show by Tony Foresta, Ryan Waste, Nick Poulos, Landphil, and Dave Witte, who were visibly excited to be playing in Canada, jumping up and down, headbanging and raising their horns nonstop as if they were the crowd, and us fans in the mosh pit were the main attraction. Maybe that’s exactly how they felt last night, right? Furthermore, all songs from their sensational 2022 album Electrified Brain worked really well live, such as Grave Dive, High Speed Steel, and in special Crank the Heat, which was played by the band only because “they were having an amazing time” according to Tony himself, mixed with thrashing beasts the likes of Beer Pressure, Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good, and Headbanger Face Rip.

And speaking about Tony, the man was on fire during their entire performance, having fun with the inflatable orca (don’t ask me why that was brought to a metal concert) and all the cardboard boxes flying around, joking it was a miracle they were allowed to cross the border to Canada, asking for more crowd surfing to keep the security guys busy as they were getting “bored” due to the lack of action, and thanking everyone for attending their concert on a Sunday night. It was awesome when he asked the crowd if they liked to party for Jesus, or if they liked to party for Slayer, and I bet you already know what the fans answered, right? Right after they closed their flawless performance with the headbanging classic Born to Party, you could see the smile on the faces of all fans at the venue, all demanding for more Municipal Waste in the city, including myself, and hopefully it won’t take long for a new visit by those partying thrashers. As the lyrics from Born to Party say, Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!

Setlist
I’m a Rebel (Accept song)
Demoralizer
Breathe Grease
Mind Eraser
Beer Pressure
Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good
The Thrashin’ of the Christ
Poison the Preacher
Grave Dive
You’re Cut Off
Sadistic Magician
Slime and Punishment
Crank the Heat
Headbanger Face Rip
Blood Vessel
High Speed Steel
Pre-Game
The Art of Partying
Wave of Death
Born to Party

Band members
Tony Foresta – vocals
Ryan Waste – guitars, backing vocals
Nick Poulos – guitars
Landphil – bass, backing vocals
Dave Witte – drums

CARCASS

Exactly 135 days after their last visit to Toronto (when they opened for Amon Amarth), UK’s Grindcore/Extreme Metal trailblazers CARCASS returned to the city with more of their visceral, infuriated music, this time as the headliners of the night. Jeff Walker, Bill Steer, Tom Draper and Daniel Wilding were sharp, evil and caustic from the very first second of their undisputed performance, kicking some serious ass and proving why they’re still the most important Grindcore band of all time. They did a fantastic job blending songs from all of their albums, with a higher focus on their latest opus Torn Arteries, their 2013 infernal album Surgical Steel, and their 1993 masterpiece Heartwork. Songs like Kelly’s Meat Emporium, Under the Scalpel Blade, This Mortal Coil, and The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing sounded demented live, with all four band members playing those to perfection, of course.

The mosh pits kept going like crazy, the band was in total sync with their fans, and the temperature inside the venue kept going up to the point Jeff began throwing bottles of water for people to rehydrate. He even asked why it was so hot in Toronto, as Canada is supposed to be cold, but apparently he doesn’t know how hot and muggy the GTA can get during the summer. Well, I must admit the summer-like weather in Toronto in the middle of April was a big surprise, but still when it gets hot here, it gets REALLY hot. After playing my favorite Carcass song of all time, the brilliant Heartwork, plus the outro to Carneous Cacoffiny, Jeff and his henchmen returned for what I would call a ruthless, supersonic attack with one of the most violent encores I’ve ever seen, with the songs Exhume to Consume, Tools of the Trade, and 316L Grade Surgical Steel putting every single person at the venue to slam into the pit, bang their heads and raise their horns together with the band. It was beyond infernal, and if Carcass wants to return to Toronto in another 135 days for more of that, I’m totally in!

Setlist
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (Intro)
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Buried Dreams
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Under the Scalpel Blade
This Mortal Coil
Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody (Intro)
Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Black Star (Intro)
Keep On Rotting in the Free World
The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Ruptured in Purulence (Intro)
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Encore:
Exhume to Consume
Tools of the Trade
316L Grade Surgical Steel

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Tom Draper – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

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Album Review – Phantom Fire / Eminente Lucifer Libertad (2023)

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This rebellious Black and Speed Metal duo hailing from Norway is ready to reap again to the sound of their sulfurous sophomore opus.

Hailing from Bergen, Norway, Black/Speed Metal outfit Phantom Fire includes members from such bands as Gaahls Wyrd and Krakow, but on evidence of their first public recording, the 2021 two-song EP Return of the Goat, Phantom Fire are definitely their own band. Now in 2023, little more than a year after the release of their full-length opus The Bust of Beelzebub, the band formed of Eld (aka Frode Kilvik) on vocals and bass, and Kjartan (aka Kjartan Grønhaug, or simply K_G) on the guitars and electronics, is ready to reap again with their sophomore opus, titled Eminente Lucifer Libertad. Produced, mixed and mastered by Enslaved’s own Iver Sandøy (who also plays drums in the entire album) at Solslottet Studio, displaying a sinister artwork by Per “Hellbutcher” Gustavsson (Nifelheim, Necrocurse), and featuring eerie narrations by Ferruccio Goia, the album keeps the duo’s core sound intact and yet show palpable new sides of their music across its slightly longer and daresay-stronger content, riding the lightning of all-out speed as often as they moodily march to pagan vastlands, sometimes all in the span of the same song.

Not a single second of peace is offered to our blackened souls in Bloodshed, with Eld roaring manically accompanied by the visceral riffs by Kjartan in a fast and furious Thrash Metal party with Hardcore influences, followed by the weird interlude Eminente, which sets the tone for Derive from Ash, a mid-tempo Black and Thrash Metal aria where Eld’s vocals sound inspired by the one and only Abbath, with his bass lines hitting us hard in the head supported by the solid drumming by Iver. Then back to a more ferocious mode, it’s truly exciting how the duo managed to blend the best elements from Black and Thrash Metal in their music as you can sense both styles at once in Ritual, led by the fulminating riffage by Kjartan, morphing into the devilish Satanic Messenger, where eerie vociferations are accompanied by electronic sounds and noises crafted by Kjartan. Not exactly the type of track hardcore fans of thrash would expect, but it does its job in a decent way.

Lucifer is another idiosyncratic track by the band that builds the atmosphere for De Taptes Dans, where we face almost three minutes of obscurity and violence. Furthermore, Iver is once again brutal on drums providing Eld with exactly what he needs to bark like a demonic entity; and investing in a rebellious, punk-ish attitude the duo fires the heavy tune Black Night, where their riffs and bass lines walk hand in hand in the name of extreme music. Mara is a wicked creation overflowing progressiveness, groove and rage with Kjartan hammering his guitar mercilessly, extracting pure Black Metal from his riffs, and the band offers us all another short and sweet interlude titled Libertad before kicking our asses one last time in Pentagram, the longest and most detailed of all songs where Eld’s bass and Iver’s beats bring sheer groove to the music, sounding more like a summoning of evil spirits than an actual metal song. The final result is truly compelling, though.

The insurgent duo of Phantom Fire is ready to kick your ass armed with their flammable new album, and in order to show them you’re a true servant of our buddy Lucifer you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and purchase your copy of Eminente Lucifer Libertad from the Edge Circle Productions’ BandCamp page or from their webstore in the United States or in Europe, as well as from Apple Music. In the end, the album is a rowdier listen but also one that’s stoic or even ceremonial; the chill of the tundra coats all of Eminente Lucifer Libertad, and so does the burning light of Lucifer (up)rising from beneath, always in the name of our beloved extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Bloodshed, De Taptes Dans and Mara.

Worst moments of the album: Satanic Messenger.

Released in 2023 Edge Circle Productions

Track listing
1. Bloodshed 2:33
2. Eminente 0:10
3. Derive from Ash 4:58
4. Ritual 3:42
5. Satanic Messenger 3:32
6. Lucifer 0:57
7. De Taptes Dans 2:49
8. Black Night 1:42
9. Mara 2:55
10. Libertad 0:19
11. Pentagram 6:24

Band members
Eld – vocals, bass
Kjartan – guitars, electronics

Guest musicians
Iver Sandøy – drums
Ferruccio Goia – narration

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