These Salzburg, Austria-based veterans are ready to rock your world with their new album, easily switching between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal, classic Heavy Metal and NWOBHM.
Easily switches between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal and classic Heavy Metal, involving bits and pieces of the so-called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and using a notebook full of exciting topics and fateful memories, Cut a Long Story Short, the sixth studio album by Salzburg, Austria-based Heavy Metal veterans Speed Limit, can be considered a journey through the entire career of a band that started back in the distant year of 1984 and is still going strong after so many decades on the road. Currently comprised of Hannes Vordermeyer on vocals and drums, Joe Eder and Chris Angerer on the guitars, and Chris Pawlak on bass, those Austrian metallers offer a powerful fusion of styles in Cut a Long Story Short, putting a smile on the faces of anyone who lived the golden years of heavy music during the 80’s, or who at least nurtures a deep passion for such important period in history.
The guitars by Joe and Chris Angerer rev up the band’s rockin’ engines in Shine Brighter than the Sun, before Hannes comes ripping with his classic vocals and rhythmic beats in a solid fusion of old school and modern-day Hard Rock; then bringing elements from Melodic Metal and AOR, New Horizon is another horn-raising rock tune by the quartet spearheaded by Hannes’ soaring vocals supported by his bandmates’ spot-on backing vocals. The quartet keeps distilling their 80’s-inspired hybrid of Melodic Metal and Hard Rock in Eye on You, where once again Joe and Chris Angerer do a great job on the guitars, followed by The Lady Is on Fire, highly inspired by the music by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon (plus a 70’s touch, and with their own Austrian rock twist), and the final result is a thrilling composition perfect for their live performances. And more of their melodious but always piercing sounds are brought to our ears in Notorious, with Hannes’ beats being nicely complemented by Chris Pawlak’s rumbling bass.
Destiny’s Calling is another NWOBHM-inspired song presenting the trademark riffage by the band’s guitar duo, sounding very pleasant form start to finish, whereas The Wind Blew in a Memory is too long and too mellow, with the band derailing a little bit from their more visceral Hard Rock, being therefore not as exciting as the other songs from the album. Then back to their more electrifying mode the band blasts our minds with the rockin’ tune Hit the Wall, with Hannes taking the lead with both his soaring vocals and pounding drums, not to mention the striking solos by the band’s axe duo. Furthermore, the album comes with a bunch of awesome bonus tracks, those being Sweet Morphine and Retired Hero, both from the 2017 album Anywhere We Dare and recorded live at Seeham in 2021; a 2020 studio outtake of Ways & Means; and a re-recorded version of Head Over Heels, from the 1992 album Perfect Inspiration, with all songs sounding extremely entertaining and melodic.
The guys from Speed Limit are ready to take you on a rock and metal trip way above the speed limit (pun intended) to the sound of Cut a Long Story Short, and in order to show them all your support simply click HERE to purchase your favorite version of the album, and don’t forget to also follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates, and other nice-to-know details about those Austrian veterans. Hannes Vordermeyer, Joe Eder, Chris Angerer and Chris Pawlak are more than ready to rock your world with their newborn opus, and if you consider yourself a true metalhead, simply raise your horns, bang your head nonstop and sing the rockin’ anthems found in Cut a Long Story Short like there’s no tomorrow, fully enjoying such thrilling album by one of the most important names of the Austrian scene.
Best moments of the album:New Horizon, The Lady Is on Fire and Hit the Wall.
Worst moments of the album:The Wind Blew in a Memory.
Released in 2023 NRT-Records
Track listing 1. Shine Brighter than the Sun 4:06
2. New Horizon 5:52
3. Eye on You 4:57
4. The Lady Is on Fire 4:37
5. Notorious 5:19
6. Destiny’s Calling 5:03
7. The Wind Blew in a Memory 7:34
8. Hit the Wall 4:37
Bonus tracks 9. Sweet Morphine (Live at Seeham 2021) 5:16
10. Retired Hero (Live at Seeham 2021) 5:48
11. Ways & Means (Studio Outtake 2020) 6:15
12. Head Over Heels (2023 Edit) 3:42
Band members
Hannes Vordermeyer – lead vocals, drums
Joe Eder – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Chris Angerer – lead & rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Chris Pawlak – bass, backing vocals
A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night.
INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…
It doesn’t mater if it’s a brand new Heavy Metal band no one knows about, a cover band of classic Rock N’ Roll or Industrial Metal, or a rock and metal karaoke night, the old school venue The Rockpile will always receive everyone with open arms, keeping the fires of rock music burning no matter what. Although it’s promoted as being in Toronto, it’s actually located in Etobicoke, an administrative district and former city within Toronto, a bit far from downtown but just a 15-minute walk from the Kipling subway station. Just don’t walk for THREE HOURS to get there like a very nice photographer named Cord Allman who was there last night. Take the subway or drive to the venue, enjoy the shows, their beer (for a very decent price), and have a good time with all the nice people who are always there.
Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and I were there for FALL OF EARTH, a young and rising metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, but The Rockpile also had other attractions as part of their Father’s Day celebration, those being AL REILLY’S CATALYST performing classics from Led Zeppelin, at 7:30pm, and PERFECT STRANGERS, a famous Canadian cover band founded in 1989 in the city of Brampton, Ontario that pays homage to one of the greatest bands of all time, Deep Purple, playing from Smoke On The Water to Highway Star, and so on. Both tribute bands were awesome, and if you’re in the area and wants to experience the true Canadian rock scene, go check The Rockpile’s schedule for several other bands like those, and even some wrestling events, which is awesome in my opinion!
As mentioned, right after Al Reilly’s Catalyst and before Perfect Strangers, more specifically at 8:30pm, it was time for Edmonton, Alberta-based Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore outfit FALL OF EARTH to hit the stage with their enraged but very melodic music, putting a pin on Toronto (for the second time this month) as part of their Eastern Canada tour to promote their brand new album From the Ashes, which will soon be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose. Formed in 2019 by Alex Rye on vocals, Brody Bauer on the guitars, Aaron Winklmeier on bass, and Brendan Meilleur on drums, the band plays a fusion of the music by Mastodon, Gojira, Trivium, Whitechapel and so on, with lots of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore influences and nuances as well, and if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.
Despite the small audience, those four guys put their hearts and souls into their performance, and I can imagine how amazing it would have been with more people at the venue and some circle pits. All songs from their setlist, from both their 2020 self-titled debut album and from From the Ashes, worked really well live, like for example the title-track From the Ashes where Alex was screaming at the top of his lungs (and he can also deliver some classy clean vocals, by the way), and the lack of some mosh pit action didn’t mean the people present at the venue didn’t enjoy their concert; quite the contrary, everyone had a very good time watching those kids kicking ass on stage, banging their heads and clapping their hands all the time, and I’m sure word-of-mouth will attract a lot more people to their next concert in Toronto when they do another big Canadian tour this fall already with a second guitarist, which will surely add even more depth to their live music.
If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can enjoy all of their creations on Spotify and watch their official videos on YouTube (and click HERE for all things Fall of Earth), showing your support to another up-and-coming metal act from Edmonton. After the show I had the pleasure to chat with Alex, Brody, Aaron and Brendan, and their passion for heavy music is just as great as their talent on stage. They’re huge fans of bands like Gojira, Trivium, Megadeth, Whitechapel, and other metal giants, and it’s nice to see them crafting high-quality new music by mixing their influences with their own twist. Keep an eye on Fall of Earth because those guys are going places, and who knows, maybe we’ll already see them touring the United States or playing at some amazing European summer festivals in 2024. and last but not least, thanks a lot to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for inviting us to the event, and to Kristen Cholak and Paul Husband of The Next Level Entertainment Consulting Inc. for supporting such promising band of the Canadian scene.
Band members Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums
Let’s all head into the battlefield together with this must-see international Epic Heavy/Doom Metal horde armed with their breathtaking sophomore album.
Playing Epic Heavy/Doom Metal in the tradition of Tales of Medusa, Solitude Aeternus, Manilla Road, early Blind Guardian and Fates Warning, the multinational Smoulder have just unleashed their second full-length opus, titled Violent Creed of Vengeance, the follow-up to their 2019 critically acclaimed debut Times of Obscene Evil and Wild Daring and their 2020 EP Dream Quest Ends. Recorded at Soundwell Studio by Valtteri Kallio and Jani Snellmain, mixed by Arthur Rizk, mastered by Roland Rodas at Cavern of Echoes, and displaying a beautiful cover Art by Michael Whelan, the album represents a huge step forward in the career of vocalist Sarah Ann, guitarists Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf, bassist Adam Blake and drummer Kevin Hester, featuring seven front-to-back bangers that will surely please all fans of the genre and, therefore, inviting us all to head into the battlefield together with such talented Canadian-American-Finnish metal horde.
Shon and Collin waste no time and begin their epic stringed attack in the opening tune Violent Creed of Vengeance, a battle hymn perfect for raising our horns high in the sky, not to mention the soaring vocals by Sarah add an extra touch of electricity to their music; and it’s then pedal to the metal as it’s time to head into the battlefield to the sound of The Talisman and the Blade, a lesson in Power Metal inspired by that addictive sound form the 80’s, with Kevin being fantastic behind his drums while Adam blasts his bass in the best NWOBHM style. The melodious guitar lines by Shon and Collin permeate the air in Midnight in the Mirror World, where their Doom Metal vein pulses harder than ever. Furthermore, it’s indeed a dark and sinister tune that exhales epicness through its lyrics (“Tenebrous figure / Dwelling deep, within the infinite gates / A foreboding wind blows / With the first stars / He wakes, signaling personal dawn / Gaze across pale nebulas”).
The band then offers a thrilling fusion of the music by Warlock, Iron Maiden and Manowar entitled Path of Witchery, with Sarah kicking some ass on vocals as usual while Kevin sounds bestial behind his drums; whereas the somber narration by English writer Michael Moorcock kicks off another metallic extravaganza entitled Victims of Fate, offering our ears striking riffs and solos, rumbling bass lines and of course the band’s undisputed energy. After such imposing tune, we have a Heavy and Speed Metal attack titled Spellforger, showcasing more of their classy lyrics beautifully declaimed by Sarah (“This impoverished child, distinct from the rest / Their mind contains untold fortitude / Ancient coven sensed their presence / Trained their young as a Spellforger”), and you better get ready for almost ten minutes of epic and doomed Heavy Metal in the form of Dragonslayer’s Doom, with Sarah leading her horde while Adam’s bass lines bring endless intricacy to the overall result. Needless to say, that beautiful epicness goes on until the song’s climatic finale, putting a powerful ending to the album.
You can join Smoulder in their epic quest for heavy music by streaming their fantastic new album Violent Creed of Vengeance in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course by purchasing a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page, or from the Cruz Del Sur Music webstore as a CD, a red vinyl, a beer vinyl, or a cassette, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about those Finland-based Canadian metal warriors. Smoulder are definitely growing in a very healthy and exciting manner in the world of heavy music, therefore becoming one of the must-see bands of the current metal scene, and the electricity flowing from Violent Creed of Vengeance will undoubtedly help them to reach new heights and keep carrying the flag of Heavy Metal wherever they go armed with their music.
Best moments of the album:The Talisman and the Blade, Path of Witchery and Spellforger.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2023 Cruz Del Sur Music
Track listing 1. Violent Creed of Vengeance 5:05
2. The Talisman and the Blade 4:47
3. Midnight in the Mirror World 6:55
4. Path of Witchery 4:26
5. Victims of Fate 7:41
6. Spellforger 3:31
7. Dragonslayer’s Doom 9:51
Band members
Sarah Ann – vocals
Shon Vincent – guitar
Collin Wolf – guitar
Adam Blake – bass
Kevin Hester – drums
Guest musician Michael Moorcock – narration on “Victims of Fate”
Attention, guitarists and shredders of the world! Summer is just around the corner, and here at The Headbanging Moose it’s time to pay a short and sweet tribute to a metal lady that knows how to extract pure fire and heat from her guitar. She might be currently working as a stock investor and real state agent, even saying she’s a “retired pro guitarist”, but we all know once you let Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal run through your veins there’s no turning back, you become a metalhead forever. I’m talking about Gia Federico, also referred to as simply Gia G, a well-known guitarist from the Boston, Massachusetts area who will certainly blow your mind with her undeniable talent and electrifying style. Having said that, are you ready to rock with such talented American guitarist?
Born and raised with her middle-class Italian family in Somerville, a suburban city located directly to the northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, in the United States, Gia mentioned in one of her interviews that she started late in the world of rock and metal music, only when she was around 17 years old by listening to her parents’ collection of albums, taking lessons with Boston-based shredder Joe Stump (Alcatrazz, HolyHell, Raven Lord) for three and a half years before continuing on her own and developing her own style, focusing mainly on instrumental rock and metal while also having her Alternative Metal band Devil In The Mist, plus doing studio work for various projects and owning her own commercial home studio. In addition, she mentioned that she bought her first guitar at a music store a long time ago for only 90 US dollars, a remake of a Fender Telecaster, but that she doesn’t have that guitar anymore.
Regarding her solo project Gia G, which is obviously her moniker when playing with that project, Gia explained that her middle initial is actually G (as her legal name is Gia G Federico), and that Gia G sounds and feels catchy. Managing to elevate her sound and show distinction from her prior projects, she has infused “jazz modal and scalar legato” into the mix, adding an extra kick to her instrumental creations while also presenting elements from metal, shred, rock, alternative, experimental, indie, blues, jazz, classical and acoustic pop, among others, representing all her freedom as a musician. With the project’s most recent lineup being formed of Gia on the guitars and keyboards, Mark George on drums, and Paul Angle on bass, and by the way they didn’t know each other before (having met through Gia’s sound engineer), she released the singles The Chase (2013), Interwoven (2015), Spontaneous (2017) and The Ladder (2019), as well as the three-track EP Cosmic Wave (2022), which can be appreciated in full on Spotify, on YouTube and on BandCamp. Furthermore, Cosmic Wave can be considered her most successful release to date, reaching number 1 for one week on KB Radio in Canada on their Top 25 International chart and on Paramount FM 94.5 Radio, number 3 on Radio Guitar One Top 30 Rock, and number 6 on Holy Noise Radio.
Speaking of her Alternative Metal/Grunge band, named Devil In The Mist, despite the fact the band released their debut self-titled EP in 2018 and the full-length album Hidden In Plain Sight in 2022, via Sliptrick Records, the band formed of Gia Federico on the guitars and keyboards, Mark George on drums and Paul Engle on bass seems to be on a hiatus or defunct, as all of their social media doesn’t work anymore, plus the fact that Katy Reign is no longer their vocalist (and therefore Gia decided to focus on her solo project instead). More open to every style including jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, pop, country and so on, the project looked very promising if it wasn’t for the lineup changes (and for Gia’s career change, of course), but you can still enjoy some of their songs on YouTube including Mercy, Far Gone, and Severed Ties. And on a side note, you can also find her lending her guitar abilities to Lakes Region, New Hampshire-based Heavy/Groove Metal band Infinite Sin, playing the guitar solo on the song Temple of Darkness as a guest musician.
Highly influenced by guitar heroes such as Eddie Van Halen, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Randy Rhoads, Allan Holdsworth, Scotty Moore, Ritchie Blackmore, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix, as well as renowned rock and metal giants the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Aerosmith, The Beatles, Black Sabbath, The Police, Tool, Metallica, Van Halen, Led Zepplin, Queen and Alter Bridge, just to name a few, Gia writes her music by going over scales and modes, by listening to other artists (including all types of music from pop to blues, from shred guitar to old metal music, and so on), and inspired by things going on in her life, her past, her present, and even her future. In addition, when asked which band in the world she would love to play with, she mentioned some big names including Judas Priest, Ozzy and Dio, also saying she would enjoy doing something like what Nita Strauss did with Alice Cooper, but not forever, as she likes to create her own music. Moreover, when asked to pick three people in history (dead or alive) she would love to sit down and have dinner with, Gia curiously didn’t mention any musicians, but people in business who invented something relevant, such as Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Warren Buffet.
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Endorsed by several companies the likes of Seymour Duncan, Fishman, SKB Cases, SIT Strings, Coffin Gear, FU -Tone Copper Sound Pedals Emperor Cabinets, Revv Amplification, ZT Amplifier, and WB Gear, among others, and known for her tap harmonic style, Gia loves her custom shop Fender Stratocasters, having custom ones from 2005, 2015 and 2022, and also having four custom shop Jacksons, among others, to a total of around 27 guitars. In addition, she also mentioned in one of her interviews that she wants to get a custom shop Les Paul to be able to compare it to the other guitars. When asked about her favorite guitar setup, she said it’s tough to say it exactly because it always depends on which song she’s playing or writing, although she mentioned that during her live performances she was using her custom red Fender Stratocaster with a Marshall JVM. Having played for a very small crowd on her first ever concert in a small club in Somerville, but of course feeling nervous just because it was her first live show, Gia said the best way to overcome stage fright is by pretending you’re jamming in your room when it’s time to hit the stage. Furthermore, she said she would love to play in big festivals like the ones in Europe alongside some of her favorite bands like Metallica; however, due to the significant change in her career now, I guess that, unfortunately, we might not see Gia playing anytime soon in any festival or small venue.
Gia has already won many prizes and was featured in different charts in her career as a guitarist, such as for example being ranked in 4th place in the “Top 15 Hard Rock & Metal Female Guitar Shredders” chart by Metalholic.com in 2014; winning 1st round, being 3rd place in the 2nd round, and advancing to the finals at Emergenza Festival in 2004; seeing her EP Cosmic Wave reaching position #1 for one week on KB Radio in Canada on their Top 25 International chart, position #3 on Radio Guitar One Rock Top 30, and position #6 on Holy Noise Radio (as already mentioned); being ranked #1 in local charts for instrumental artists in Boston, and also on ReverbNation in their national and global charts for instrumental artists many times; among several other awards. That’s not just amazing for her as a guitarist, but also as a woman, as Gia herself mentioned already that female guitarists do not get the same respect as male ones, also saying it can be really hard for a woman who plays the guitar in the United States to have the same support as a man.
Having already reached over 100,000 unique views on YouTube in one month for one of her videos (and that number went up to 500,000 views later), and with around 6 million views in total on her channel plus almost 70,000 subscribers, Gia thinks that at the same time that streaming is great, many musicians can get screwed up with that due to the insignificant amount of money made. In addition, she obviously prefer buying vinyl over digital music, as she believes vinyl has a much more organic (and therefore less mechanical) feel to it. She also mentioned she would certainly sell her back catalog if a big label such as Sony or Universal offered to buy everything, but of course she said she’s not even close to the size or level of the artists managed by those labels.
As aforementioned, Gia considers herself now a “retired pro guitarist”, focusing now on her career in the investing and real state market, something she has actually been doing for quite a while (even when she was still playing the guitar on a professional level). However, our talented guitarist/businesswoman still has some advice to give to young musicians who are just starting to learn how to play the guitar. She said new musicians should look at it as a hobby and with an open mind, playing mainly for their personal enjoyment, and never thinking they’ll become the next big thing in music because that’s not the reality for most people in such competitive market. Wise words by a seasoned guitarist, I might say, and you can find a lot more information about Gia and her work as a musician online, such as this nice interview to ROX TV in the beginning of 2022. Good luck to Gia on her not-so-new endeavors in the business world, but of course we’ll all receive her back to the rock and metal community with open arms anytime her mind, heart and soul feel the need for the riff again.
The most beloved pumpkins in the universe finally returned to Toronto after a decade for a flawless night of old school, thrilling Heavy Metal, fists in the air and, believe it or not, a lot of mosh pits.
What a night, my friends! What a night! History was made at History (pun intended) last night when HAMMERFALL and the almighty and unparalleled metal institution HELLOWEEN took the city of Toronto by storm with the US and Canada leg of their United Forces Tour 2023, a dream come true for the thousands of fans who were brave enough to leave the comfort of their homes on a Tuesday night (the second worst day for concerts, only behind Monday) knowing they would be absolutely exhausted today for work or school. The weather was simply perfect, as it wasn’t neither too hot nor too cold, plus of course the fact that History is an awesome venue for a night of old school metal music. Kudos to the security team for being so helpful and polite, including letting me use the bathroom inside, get back out, and then enter with my friend, and kudos also to Embrace Presents for making a dream come true for me personally (and I’ll talk more about that later).
The line for the merch stands was absolutely insane, concentrating perhaps more people than the crowd that was already positioning themselves for the opening act on the floor section, Sweden’s own Heavy/Power Metal horde HAMMERFALL, but as soon as the clock hit 7pm sharp and their concert started I think a good chunk of the fans waiting to buy merch abandoned their spots in line to enjoy the concert (and they made the right decision, of course). Although their latest albums are not something we can call “exciting” or “masterpieces” compared to their early discography, when Joacim Cans, Oscar Dronjak and crew hit the stage they showed Toronto everything they got with a solid setlist, playing songs from their 2022 album Hammer of Dawn as well as classics the likes of The Metal Age, Let the Hammer Fall and Hearts on Fire. The entire band was visibly happy to be in the city playing their music to an avid Torontonian crowd, making us all forget that it was Tuesday night, therefore looking more like a Friday night of fun and metal.
One of the funniest moments was when Joacim was introducing the song Let the Hammer Fall, saying that whenever he said “let the hammer…”, the fans should shout “FALL!”, but apparently a few fans were either sleeping or too slow to understand such “difficult” instructions, making Joacim point to the name of the band at the back of the stage and joke about it, something in the lines of “not sure if you noticed, but our name is Hammer… FALL!” Also, it looked like every single song with the word “hammer” on the title or on the chorus was the cue for Oscar to sport his hammer-shaped guitar, like in Hammer of Dawn and Hammer High. I have no idea if that guitar is good or bad, I mean, how much it impacts his playing skills, but it looked really cool specially when he raised it high in the sky like the hammer of Thor. That was basically a good depiction of the level of energy flowing throughout their set, sounding and feeling as electric as Mjölnir, and leaving their diehard fans avid for maybe a headlining tour in Canadian lands in a not-so-distant future.
Setlist
Brotherhood
Any Means Necessary
The Metal Age
Hammer of Dawn
Blood Bound
Last Man Standing
Hero’s Return / On the Edge of Honour / Riders of the Storm / Crimson Thunder (Crimson Thunder 20th Anniversary medley)
Let the Hammer Fall
(We Make) Sweden Rock
Hammer High
Hearts on Fire
Band members Joacim Cans – vocals
Oscar Dronjak – guitars, backing vocals
Pontus Norgren – guitars, backing vocals
Fredrik Larsson – bass
David Wallin – drums
When I said last night’s concert was a dream come true for me, I wasn’t joking. Finally, after over 30 years being a diehard fan of German Power Metal masters HELLOWEEN, I was able to witness the band live with Michael Kiske on vocals, plus of course the awesome Andi Deris and Kai Hansen, but it was Mr. Kiske who stole the show with his unique voice. None of you have any idea of how much I used to listen to Helloween in my teens (and I keep doing that until today, of course), and how much I dreamed of seeing them live with Kiske. As soon as they hit the beautiful stage at History with their new 12-minute classic Skyfall, from their 2021 self-titled masterpiece, I was already voiceless for screaming the song’s lyrics together with them. By the way, talking about new Helloween songs, during the hard-hitting Mass Pollution, the one and only Mr. Andi Deris, who’s by far one of the most entertaining frontmen in the history of metal music (and owner of a breathtaking voice), made a joke saying he wouldn’t have to translate one of the lines of the song to ask us all in Toronto to “make some noise”, generating some good laughs form the mesmerized crowd and, obviously, a lot of noise for the delight of the entire band.
Although this was my first time seeing them with the three vocalists from all of their phases, I think it’s during this United Forces Tour that they started “breaking” their setlist in three different acts; the first one with Skyfall as an intro to the entire band and all vocalists; then from the majestic Eagle Fly Free (thank you, Kiske, for such flawless performance during that classic!) until the old school Heavy Metal (Is the Law), Kiske, Deris and Hansen would take turns singing the songs; and finally, from then on they joined forces by singing all remaining songs together. I personally think that was an amazing way to entertain their fans during the entire show, keeping things fresh and vibrant until the very last second. Moreover, one of the nicest moments of their set was when they played the fast and metallic Save Us, not only providing us with one more unforgettable vocal performance by Kiske, but also igniting some sick mosh pits on the floor section. Yes, you read it correctly, mosh pits at a Helloween concert! That’s something you can only see in Canada, I guess! Not only that, Kai Hansen was also responsible for keeping the mosh pits moving well with his medley of old school German Heavy Metal anthems, including Metal Invaders, Ride the Sky, and especially Heavy Metal (Is the Law), and if you’re familiar with those songs you know how furious a circle pit can get while they’re being played, right? Thank you, Kai Hansen, for being so metal!
After such fantastic journey back to the band’s early days, it was time for a serene moment with Forever and One (Neverland), where Kiske and Deris sat down, explained in a funny way that the song was written by Deris for his “beloved ex-wife”, and delivered a passionate and very emotional vocal duet, followed by a soulful solo by Sascha Gerstner. However, that moment of peace didn’t last for too long as right after that it was time for the band to crush us all with their new hit Best Time, an inspiring song that put most of the fans (including myself) to dance so cool it is! And what can I say about the following songs, Dr. Stein and How Many Tears? I personally consider How Many Tears one of the best and most metal songs of all time, and seeing the entire band playing it live to perfection was priceless. And although Michael Weikath, Markus Grosskopf and Dani Löble didn’t talk much during their entire set, they did speak through their instruments, with How Many Tears being the ultimate display of their dexterity, feeling and passion for heavy music. Do I need to say that song ignited some more wicked mosh pits?
The show was almost over, but not before Andi Deris got his famous top hat for their David Lee Roth-like classic Perfect Gentleman, followed by 13 minutes of pure metal awesomeness with Keeper of the Seven Keys. Damn, that was superb! And their coup de grâce came in the form of nothing more, nothing less than I Want Out, a genre-defining masterpiece that became even more thrilling with all the black and orange giant balloons thrown to the crowd. Try imagining mosh pits going on during such classic with those balloons flying around the venue. That’s how perfect the night was, got it? I was exhausted after all was said and done, but at the same time I was ready for more Helloween in Toronto (or anywhere else in the world), and hopefully it won’t take another decade for one of my beloved bands to return to the city. Toronto loves you, Michael Kiske! Toronto loves you, Andi Deris! Toronto loves you, Kai Hansen! Toronto loves you, Michael Weikath! Toronto loves you, Sascha Gerstner! Toronto loves you, Markus Grosskopf! And Toronto loves you, Dani Löble! Please come back to the city for more as soon as possible! You’ve got the POWER to return! You are divine!
Setlist Halloween (Snippet / Intro) Orbit Skyfall
Eagle Fly Free
Mass Pollution
Future World
Power
Save Us Walls of Jericho Metal Invaders / Victim of Fate / Gorgar / Ride the Sky
Heavy Metal (Is the Law)
Forever and One (Neverland)
Guitar Solo (Sascha Gerstner)
Best Time
Dr. Stein
How Many Tears
Encore: Perfect Gentleman
Keeper of the Seven Keys
Encore 2: I Want Out For the Love of a Princess (James Horner song)
Band members
Michael Kiske – vocals
Andi Deris – vocals
Kai Hansen – guitars, vocals
Michael Weikath – guitars
Sascha Gerstner – guitars
Markus Grosskopf – bass
Dani Löble – drums
This amazing Melodic Heavy Metal outfit from Finland is back with their third full-length album, showcasing a healthy and exciting evolution in their sound.
Founded in 2013 by bassist Jesse “Kämy” Kämäräinen, Tampere, Finland-based female-fronted Melodic Heavy Metal outfit Crimson Day combines classic Heavy Metal riffs with modern elements, having already performed almost a hundred shows in Finland and abroad since their inception. Now in 2023 the band formed of the aforementioned Jesse Kämäräinen alongside Milka Uusitalo on vocals, Ari Balzar and Janne Rantanen on the guitars, and Juhani Ikonen on drums will attack your senses with their self-titled third full-length opus, following up on their 2018 album At the Mountains of Madness. Not only this is their first album with the stunning Milka on vocals, but it also showcases a healthy change or evolution in their sound, placing them among the best new names of the Finnish (and of the entire Nordic) scene, and being highly recommended for admirers of the music by both Iron Maiden and Within Temptation, Judas Priest and Epica, or Stratovarius and Nightwish, just to illustrate to you how dynamic their music is.
Juhani wastes no time and begins pounding his drums in Release The Beast, while Ari and Janne’s guitars exhale fire, all of course spiced up by the rockin’ vocals by Milka in a lecture in Heavy and Power Metal to kick things off in style. Then their guitar duo is on total fire in The Calling, providing Milka with exactly what she needs to shine with her soaring vocals. Put differently, it can’t get any more metal than this, whereas the song that carries the name of the band, Crimson Day, exhales epicness thanks to its galloping pace, gripping vocal lines and classic riffage, being therefore perfect for raising our horns high in the air. Juhani keeps pounding his drums supported by the thunderous bass by Jesse in The Mortal Undead, with the band investing in darker and heavier sounds (and the final result is a true banger); and it’s time to slow things down a bit with the power ballad Deep To The Dark, showcasing beautiful guitar riffs and solos by Ari and Janne.
Perhaps the song Night To Forget can be called “Dancing Heavy Metal” due to its rockin’ rhythm and vibe, with Milka exploring her vocal range in Hard Rock lands, whereas the metallic bass by Jesse ignites the band’s melodic feast titled Raising The Fury, with the piercing sound of their guitars bringing an overdose of electricity to the overall result. Black As Heavens Above sounds and feels more melodious than its predecessors, also presenting hints of 80’s Hard Rock and Heavy Metal while Milka once again steals the show with her passionate vocals; followed by Eternal Night Of The Mind, the second to last song of the album, a solid display of modern-day Heavy Metal that sounds a bit cheesy compared to the rest of the album, albeit still very detailed and enjoyable. And last but not least, let’s bang our heads one final time with Crimson Day in Epilogue / Time To Die, with Ari, Janne and Jesse delivering a scorching stringed attack, putting an epic ending to an epic album, I might say.
Such intense album of classy Heavy Metal made in Finland can be fully appreciated on Spotify, and you can also purchase your favorite copy of it by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also give Crimson Day a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying updated with all of their news and tour dates, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and videos. As already mentioned, the band has reached new heights in their career with their new album, with the evolution in their music certainly going to take them places, and with the vocals by Milka positioning the band as one of the strongest name of the genre in their homeland.
Best moments of the album:Release The Beast, The Mortal Undead and Black As Heavens Above.
Worst moments of the album:Eternal Night Of The Mind.
Released in 2023 Independent
Track listing 1. Release The Beast 3:57
2. The Calling 5:22
3. Crimson Day 5:09
4. The Mortal Undead 3:16
5. Deep To The Dark 5:25
6. Night To Forget 3:43
7. Raising The Fury 4:03
8. Black As Heavens Above 4:33
9. Eternal Night Of The Mind 4:23
10. Epilogue / Time To Die 5:06
Band members Milka Uusitalo – vocals
Ari Balzar – guitars
Janne Rantanen – guitars
Jesse Kämäräinen – bass
Juhani Ikonen – drums
A classic 80’s metal combustion of bold and true female-fronted anthemic Power Metal masterfully brought into being by one of the most promising names hailing from Atlantic Canada.
Hailing from the misty shores of Avalon, also known as St John’s, the capital of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Heavy/Power Metal unity Category VI formed in early 2010 bringing something new to their local metal scene as they are not only the only band from the city that plays Melodic Metal, but also the only active female-fronted Melodic Metal band in their hometown. Now in 2023 the band comprised of Amanda Gosse on vocals, Geoff Waye on the guitars, Keith Jackman on bass, and Patrick Tarrant on drums returns with a full blazing firestorm with their third album and most accomplished release to date, entitled Firecry, offering us all a classic 80’s metal combustion of bold and true female-fronted anthemic Canadian Power Metal. Featuring a fiery cover art by Serbian artist Ivan Radnić (Enchanted Sword, Fractures in the Sky), Firecry is mandatory for fans of Chastain, Warlock, HellionSentinel Beast and Fear of God, among others, a global scale climate-changing metal cyclone that just may melt the North American frozen tundra with its blazing sound.
The quartet wastes no time and kick off their metallic feast with the title-track Firecry, with Amanda already showcasing all her vocal potency supported by the thunderous bass lines by Keith in a lesson in modern-day Power Metal; whereas darker and more introspective than the opening tune, the somber Valkyrie brings forward piercing riffs by Geoff while Patrick hammers his drums in the best Manowar style. Then we have The Vultures Never Came, presenting a sonority that reminds me of 90’s Megadeth infused with elements from Mercyful Fate, while Patrick is on fire behind his drums providing Amanda with exactly what she needs to kick some ass with her soaring vocals, followed by She Runs With Wolves, another solid hybrid of classic Heavy Metal with more modern Power Metal spearheaded by the stylish riffs and solos by Geoff. And Heavy is the Crown is a direct song with all the classic elements from Heavy Metal, albeit not as exciting or inspiring as its predecessors.
Adding a touch of darkness to their sound and feeling even more inspired by the music by the iconic King Diamond, Amanda’s vocals will resonate through the four corners of the earth in Coven while her bandmates smash their instruments in the name of heavy music, and as every album of metal music inspired by the 80’s needs a power ballad, that’s offered to us by Category VI in The Cradle Will Fall, with of course Amanda stealing the show with her powerful vocals while the music increases its heaviness and epicness considerably as time passes by. Burning Bridges carries a beautiful name for a song that exhales Heavy Metal, with all band members being in total sync, in special Geoff and Keith who deliver a thrilling stringed attack; before the album ends with their rendition of Heart’s all-time classic Barracuda (check the original version HERE), and the band did a sensational job with their own version by bringing the same energy from the original one.
Such electrifying Canadian quartet can be found on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details, and don’t forget to also stream their music on YouTube and on Spotify. The excellent Firecry, which can be purchased from the Moribund Records’ webstore, from Season of Mist, from Apple Music or from Amazon, is undoubtedly the band’s strongest effort to date, bringing endless fire not only to their beautiful homeland, but also to any part of the world where our beloved heavy music is truly appreciated.
Best moments of the album:Firecry, The Vultures Never Came and Burning Bridges.
Worst moments of the album:Heavy is the Crown.
Released in 2023 Moribund Records
Track listing 1. Firecry 6:10
2. Valkyrie 6:05
3. The Vultures Never Came 4:10
4. She Runs With Wolves 4:12
5. Heavy is the Crown 3:47
6. Coven 4:52
7. The Cradle Will Fall 4:53
8. Burning Bridges 3:49
9. Barracuda (Heart cover) 4:21
Band members
Amanda Gosse – vocals
Geoff Waye – guitars
Keith Jackman – bass
Patrick Tarrant – drums
Do you know what happens when the Land of the Rising Sun, the Land of the Morning Calm, the Land of Fields, and the Elongated Country are combined in the name of heavy music? Well, the result is our metal lady of the month of March, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with her beautiful vocals, stunning looks and undeniable charisma after knowing more about a woman who perfectly unites Japan, South Korea, Poland and Sweden in her blood. Her real full name is Akane Okamoto-Kaminski, but everyone knows her by her stage name of Akane Liv, the multi-talented frontwoman of Japanese Symphonic Power Metal band Liv Moon, owner of a unique voice that will bring warmth to your soul during the last month of winter in the northern hemisphere without a shadow of a doubt.
Born on August 24, 1978 to a Polish-Swedish father and a Korean-Japanese mother in Gothenburg, a major city in Sweden situated off the Göta älv river on the country’s west coast, Akane Liv was actually raised and educated in the ultramodern yet traditional Japanese capital Tokyo. After graduating high school, she joined Takarazuka Revue, an elite Japanese all-female theatre troupe introduced to her by her aunt who was already a fan of the project (and she took Akane Liv there for the first time when she was still in elementary school), having performed with the company for six years before departing, enrolling at a small international college in Oxford, England. Whilst in England, Akane Liv took lessons in classical singing and performed at the 2004 edition of the Beckenham Music Festival, where she was named the Singer of the Year and, therefore, attracted a lot of attention worldwide. Despite being accepted to the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, she didn’t study there for long. Following a solo recital in Poland, she returned to Japan in 2005, where she continued to perform, graduating from Takarazuka Revue and meting producer Tatsuya Nishiwaki, leading to the founding of Liv Moon in 2009 while also releasing music under her own name, Akane Liv. Furthermore, when questioned about the main reasons why she left Takarazuka Revue the first time, Akane Liv mentioned that after seeing how musicals work in other parts of the world she felt that Takarazuka Revue was a dream world where she had to stay in character and wear makeup and costumes all the time, something very demanding for her.
Needless to say, there’s no Liv Moon without Akane Liv and vice-versa, with our metal lady being the heart and soul of the band since their inception in 2009. Currently formed of our diva Akane Liv together with Tatsuya Nishiwaki on keyboards, Masaki on bass, Kentaro on the guitars, Hideki Harasawa on drums, and Saori Hoshino on the violin, Liv Moon play beautiful Symphonic Power Metal dealing with topics such as tragedy, poetry, love and dark romanticism, having already released the full-length albums Double Moon (2009), Covers – Scream as a Woman (2010), Golden Moon (2011), Symphonic Moon (2012), The End of the Beginning (2012), and more recently Our Stories (2022), as well as a compilation called The Best of Liv Moon (2015), the EP R.E.D (2016), and a series of live albums and videos, those being Liv Moon Club Show Golden Moon (2011), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – Black Night (2012), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – White Night (2012), Liv Moon Club Show 2012 “Symphonic Moon” – White Night & Black Night (2012), and Liv Moon Live 2012 “The End of the Beginning” (2013). If you want to have a taste of the music by Liv Moon, you can enjoy the official videos for Escape, Never… and El Dorado on YouTube, or simply stream all of their releases on Spotify.
As aforementioned, our beloved diva also has her own solo project since 2013, simply named Akane Liv, having released her debut album titled Liv back in 2014. From that album, you can enjoy Akane Liv’s mesmerizing vocals in songs such as Night Parade, Summer Shadow, and Hikari, where you can easily see how she managed to blend international rock and pop music with Japanese pop. Apart from that, you can find Akane Liv as a guest vocalist in the songs Angel of Salvation, from the 2012 album by the same name by Japanese Neoclassical Power Metal act Galneryus; Incredible Bass Show, from the 2013 album Psycho Daze Bass by Japanese Heavy Metal/Shred project Masaki; Alone, from the 2010 album Crying Stars – Stand Proud!, and Chaotic Reality, from the 2019 album Vorvados, both by Japanese Neoclassical Power Metal project Syu; and Poison Eyes, from the 2013 album Devils in the Dark by Japanese Melodic Power Metal/Shred project Takayoshi Ohmura.
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A huge fan of Queen and Bon Jovi, playing songs such as Livin’ On A Prayer to cheer herself up, our diva mentioned in one of her interviews that she opened her eyes and ears to Symphonic Metal after listening to The Phantom of the Opera on the radio in a taxi while she was studying in England. She said that everyone in that musical showcased a powerful voice, saying she was moved by that, and also mentioning that The Phantom of the Opera has a strong rock vibe even among musicals, with its bass and drums sounding truly heavy. She also said that she doesn’t think Symphonic Metal and Takarazuka Revue are too different, because when she sings Symphonic Metal she also play various characters, sometimes even a different one every four or five minutes when a new song comes up (as opposed to Takarazuka Revue, where she used to play only one character for one hour or two), as Symphonic Metal has a stronger theatrical element than most metal styles. For instance, she mentioned that the role of Madame Red in Black Butler is a character that she couldn’t have created if she hadn’t invested in a darker and heavier world with Liv Moon, as that was a character full of jealousy, passion, affection and all kinds of emotions that are common to most women, whereas on the Liv Moon side, she wants her fans to have a very theatrical experience as if they were watching a theater group like Takarazuka Revue.
Having played a male role during a considerable amount of time with Takarazuka Revue, Akane Liv believes that the project’s appeal is that it expresses men and women of all ages as one single gender, with all of its gorgeous costumes making the whole experience of watching it even more compelling. Perhaps the only “issue” she had during her time with Takarazuka Revue was that she often sang only low notes despite being a good soprano, albeit that also helped her build her own layers when singing with Liv Moon. Lastly, despite being an accomplished singer and performer, Akane Liv said she still feels a little shy when she has to speak in front of an audience instead of singing, which by the way happens to several amazing artists out there, as after all is said and done, we’re all humans and we all have our fears, weaknesses and flaws, right? And being not just a great vocalist and artist, but above all that, an amazing person, is what turned Akane Liv into one of the most interesting names of the current Japanese music scene, as well as into our beloved metal lady this month.
Can’t believe I’m lost inside your eyes… And anything and everything don’t you know I’m up for it tonight…
As the winter might be hitting most of us in the Northern Hemisphere in full force, let’s turn up the heat here on The Headbanging Moose by paying a humble tribute to an up-and-coming lady who definitely knows how to rock, living and breathing old school and modern-day Hard Rock, and always showcasing a deep passion for music and arts in general. Owner of a beautiful voice that matches perfectly with the riffs from her own band Motive Black, our metal lady of the month of February will kick your ass mercilessly and hypnotize you with her looks and music. I’m talking about Elana Justin, a New Yorker who’s making a name for herself in the competitive American market, in special in her current city Los Angeles, California, in the United States. Having said that, are you ready for a Rock N’ Roll ride together with Elana and her Motive Black?
Elana has always been into music, growing up doing musical theatre and singing Hard Rock and Heavy Metal simultaneously. As mentioned by Elana herself, her father had a nightclub while she was growing up, and on Thursdays they would have a singer-songwriter night. “I think watching and listening to everyone during that time really inspired me to want to be a singer/performer,” commented Elana about her beginnings. Graduating from the bar band circuit in New York, Elana seized the opportunity to move to Los Angeles in 2018 to work on new music, suddenly finding herself immersed in the local scene and performing on open mic nights at the iconic Viper Room. That immersion and connections made with members of the local scene eventually led to a collaboration with Grammy-winning guitarist and producer Nick Rowe (Bloodsimple, Vampire Weekend), with the duo reworking a song from Elana’s former New York band, taking the music in a heavier direction. That’s how Motive Black was born.
Regarding the name Motive Black, Elana mentioned in one of her interviews that they had a lot of trouble coming up with a name for the band. “David Buckner from Papa Roach actually came up with the name, and it fit perfectly. It really paired well with the music and vibe,” commented Elana, who also had a few words to say about the musical direction of Motive Black, venturing through the realms of Alternative Rock and Metal with Hard Rock and Rock N’ Roll nuances. “I think the music both developed naturally and was pushed a little in a certain direction. I’ve always listened to and been a fan of this genre, and when the opportunity arose to create my own new project, I was definitely excited to really delve deep into the music I love.” Furthermore, Elana’s plan is to turn Motive Black into a full-bodied band, both in the interest of touring and future work on new music as they move forward.
Motive black are just about to release their debut opus, entitled Auburn (available on all platforms HERE), with Elena’s electrifying vocals bristling with a dynamic punch and scorching tones infusing all songs with raw, ferocious timbres and searing emotions. Regarding the album title, Elana explained that the album “is named for my sister’s beautiful auburn-colored hair. Losing her forced me to reexamine my life and make significant changes. I went through a huge transitional period which included both ugly and beautiful experiences. The album is a wild ride through that journey of anger, mania, deep love, and self discovery,” complementing by saying that “I lost my sister to her battle with addiction. She was one of the smartest women I will ever know. She was a straight-A student who aspired to be a doctor. Addiction does not discriminate. I am angry that she will never realize her dreams. This song is about loss, struggle, rage, but mostly it’s about missing my sister and all of her potential. I will never laugh with anyone like I did with Mia. We need to end the stigma associated with addiction. People are meant to be loved, not judged. I miss Mia every day, and I will for my whole life.” You can already enjoy songs from Auburn on YouTube, those being Broken, Fight Alone, and the title-track Auburn, as well as stream those songs on Spotify. Elana is extremely excited about not only the launch of Auburn, but also about the upcoming months as she plans to take the music by Motive Black to the stage, and therefore to feel the energy of the crowd reacting to her music.
Inspired by books, poetry, short stories, films and plays, Elana’s musical influences aren’t directly associated with the Motive Black sound, but they provided a solid foundation for the music to flourish. She cites Joan Jett, Alanis Morissette, and Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell as her main vocal inspirations, with bands like Halestorm pushing Motive Black’s music in the direction it has taken. “I’m a huge Halestorm fan; Lzzy Hale is a huge inspiration. I’m also really into Bring Me The Horizon lately. I really love their creativity. Rival Sons was the last live show I saw before Covid. They were incredible. The vocals and musicianship left a huge impression on me,” commented Elana about some of the bands she enjoys the most. In addition, when asked which musician or celebrity she would date, her answer exhaled pure Rock N’ Roll. “I would have to say, Joan Jett. She oozes sex and power. She so inspires me, and just being around her would expand my consciousness.”
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One of the songs from Motive Black’s debut album, the thrilling Lift Me Up, featuring the red hot synergy of Elana performing together with Butcher Babies’ one and only Carla Harvey in a street fighting sequence fans will want to view on repeat. “I wanted the video to focus on female strength. The director and I worked together to come up with an idea that spoke to that. It was also fun to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. I’ve never done anything combat related so it seemed like it would be a fun avenue to explore. The director, Dale Resteghini, also directed the video for Broken. I’m a Butcher Babies fan, so when the song was played for Carla and she agreed to perform on it I was super excited. Carla is a great example of a badass woman killing it in the music industry. I think her vibe fits the song perfectly. She really added something special to Lift Me Up. Working together really brought the song up to a new level,” commented Elana, complementing by saying that “I think it’s really important for people to see women working together to create music and art. We keep seeing it more and more and it’s so exciting. It’s essential for women in this industry to stick together and support each other. There is so much more female visibility in this kind of music than there was even just a few years ago.”
When questioned about the differences between the rock and metal scene in New York on the lower east side compared to the music scene on the legendary Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, Elana said that she has felt really embraced by the scene in Los Angeles since moving there, jamming at the Viper Room and meeting tons of talented musicians, as there’s always a lot going on in the city. When asked about how her hometown has influenced her sound, she said that she thinks there is a rawness that runs through every song that may not be present had she been from somewhere else. “Who knows? I’m pretty laid back in general, I think and love living here in LA now. I save all my angst for the music!”
Elana strongly believes that drawing from experience gives the lyrics legs to stand on. “When something comes from a real place it almost writes itself. People want to connect – so I think songs from experience really resonate with listeners,” commented our diva, also saying that “everything that I write is emotion or experience driven, but sometimes a cool riff inspires lyrics that come out of nowhere and you work backwards to find the truth in them. It doesn’t always work – but there isn’t just one recipe I use. Other times I have something very specific that I want to say or reference and then I work with that to express what I am trying to get across.” She also believes that to be a successful musician or artist, especially in the very competitive landscape of the current music and arts industry, one should never give up, and be willing to persevere when times are tough or when there are too many obstacles that get in one’s way. Elana is indeed a fighter ready for any battle that comes her way, as not only she’s now beginning her path with Motive Black, but she’s also an actress (as you can see in her IMDB profile), having already featured in G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013) and The Jim Gaffigan Show (2015).
Although our amazing singer has never been big into social media, she said she’s been adjusting to that as that’s going to play a big part in the way Motive Black connect to their fans and share their music for the foreseeable future. “I believe the more we can connect directly with our fans, the better chance we have not only to survive – but to thrive, long term. Having loyal fans who are really into what we do – and are directly connected to us – the better chance we have to remain viable long term, no matter what the industry circumstances are,” said Elana, who also said that she wants people to hear her songs and reinterpret them into something that is meaningful to them. She wants us all to “be bold, be brave and always keep moving forward,” exactly like what she’s doing in her promising career in rock and metal music, and I’m sure we’ll hear a lot more from her in a not-so-distant future.
“I want people to hear my songs and reinterpret them into something that is meaningful to them. I want them to empower, and be an outlet for whoever is listening.” – Elana Justin
A beautiful tribute to the life of the Metal Mayor of Toronto and his undisputed passion for heavy music.
INTRODUCTION: AM HERE…
If you have no idea who Walter Froebrich was, let’s say he was the Metal Mayor of Toronto, as I’ve seen many people referring to him as. He was in pretty much every metal concert we all attended i the city in the past 20 years, from Heavy Metal to Death and Black Metal, from Thrash Metal to Deathcore and Viking Metal, and so on, always holding a few beers, always raising the horns, always surrounded by friends, and always supporting metal music no matter what. He even had his own motto, “AM HERE.” Sadly, in November 2022 due to lack of proper healthcare by the Toronto authorities Walter passed away at home after several visits to the hospital, and that brought a lot of grief to all metal fans in the city. If he had received a proper service, if he had been through the required scans and so on, he would still be around us. He will be extremely missed by the metal community in all upcoming concerts in Toronto, no doubt about that. I was going to use the common expression “may his soul rest in piece”, but I’m sure Walter himself would prefer a slight adaptation of it, “may his soul rest in metal”.
WALTER FROEBRICH MEMORIAL SHOW
That’s why on January 7 the Toronto scene came together to celebrate Walter’s life and his passion for heavy music at The Rockpile with the Walter Froebrich Memorial Show, an event organized by Steve Hoeg, Drew Masters, Junior Jr LeClerc and Jake Disman, among others, with no more, no less than TWENTY SEVEN bands playing from 1pm until midnight to a sold out venue, while money for Walter’s family was raised through a silent auction and a 50/50 draw. Unfortunately due to personal reasons I could not attend the celebration, but my friend and photographer Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was there to capture some amazing shots of the entire show, and to provide us with a sense of how awesome everything was and how happy Walter must be whenever he is right now with his homage.
In Keith’s own words, “we raised over 17,000 dollars for Walter’s family. It was a sold out show. All the bands were absolutely amazing! Drew Masters was the MC for the evening. The friends Walter made over his concerts outings just blew my mind! Each one is family, the metal community is one big family, they come together for each other like no other.” And as you can see from the photo gallery below, it was indeed a night to remember, a celebration of life and metal, exactly how Walter would have liked it to be. Here are all the fantastic bands that were on the bill, and as many people have said Walter would have certainly taken a selfie with each one of them…
In the Facebook page to the event you can find a lot more details about the whole thing, see other photos taken by different attendees, other posts and discussions around Walter and the metal community in Toronto, and so on, as well as a very nice summary of the night on the video below. RIP WALTER! AM HERE!
Easily switches between Hard Rock, Melodic Metal and classic Heavy Metal, involving bits and pieces of the so-called New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and using a notebook full of exciting topics and fateful memories, Cut a Long Story Short, the sixth studio album by Salzburg, Austria-based Heavy Metal veterans Speed Limit, can be considered a journey through the entire career of a band that started back in the distant year of 1984 and is still going strong after so many decades on the road. Currently comprised of Hannes Vordermeyer on vocals and drums, Joe Eder and Chris Angerer on the guitars, and Chris Pawlak on bass, those Austrian metallers offer a powerful fusion of styles in Cut a Long Story Short, putting a smile on the faces of anyone who lived the golden years of heavy music during the 80’s, or who at least nurtures a deep passion for such important period in history.
The guys from Speed Limit are ready to take you on a rock and metal trip way above the speed limit (pun intended) to the sound of Cut a Long Story Short, and in order to show them all your support simply click HERE to purchase your favorite version of the album, and don’t forget to also follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates, and other nice-to-know details about those Austrian veterans. Hannes Vordermeyer, Joe Eder, Chris Angerer and Chris Pawlak are more than ready to rock your world with their newborn opus, and if you consider yourself a true metalhead, simply raise your horns, bang your head nonstop and sing the rockin’ anthems found in Cut a Long Story Short like there’s no tomorrow, fully enjoying such thrilling album by one of the most important names of the Austrian scene.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 