Tag Archives: james payne

Concert Review – Decapitated & Septicflesh (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/03/2024)

Posted on by
2

The city of Toronto witnessed this Friday one of the heaviest nights of the year so far, courtesy of four bands that definitely know how to unite violence and melody in their amazing music.

OPENING ACTS: Allegaeon and Kataklysm

Once again due to an insane combination of heavy traffic, heavy rain, no parking near The Phoenix Concert Theatre, and a huge and slow line to get inside the venue, I was “forced” to miss the first band of a night of sheer brutality and awesomeness, courtesy of ALLEGAEON, KATAKLYSM, SEPTICFLESH and DECAPITATED during their incendiary Cancer Culture Over North America 2024, another must-see event brought to a jam packed venue by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. I’m starting to hate when concerts are booked at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, which might be a great venue once you’re inside, but parking near there and getting inside it for the shows is a true nightmare. Well, it is what it is, and I’ll try to leave earlier to be there on time for the next show (although I left my place almost THREE HOURS before the first band began their performance).

Fortunately, my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there to check out the amazing Denver, Colorado-based Technical/Melodic Death Metal outfit ALLEGAEON, who at 7:30pm sharp kicked off the night festivities. Having released the album Damnum back in 2022, plus an amazing new single named Iridescent this year, the band put on a fantastic show according to Keith. He said he would give them not just a 10 our of 10 for their musicianship, but a 12 out of 10. They loved that he dressed up in his Carcass apron and a server hat as their lead singer did in the video for Iridescent. He then met with them all at the merch table and chatted for a bit. Their guitarist Greg Burgess told him when he saw him in the photo pit he was dying with laughter on stage. Keith ended up giving the lead singer his server hat to wear for the next show, and got his apron all autographed. If you’re curious to listen to their amazing music, simply go to BandCamp or Spotify, and click HERE for all things Allegaeon. Next time I won’t miss them, even if I have to skip breakfast to do so.

Setlist
Threshold of Perception
1.618
Iridescent
Of Beasts and Worms
Gray Matter Mechanics – Apassionata Ex Machinea
Biomech – Vals No. 666

Band members
Ezra Haynes – vocals
Greg Burgess – guitars
Michael Stancel – guitars
Brandon Michael – bass
Jeff Saltzman – drums

At least I was able to get inside in time for Montréal, Quebec’s own Melodic Death/Groove Metal powerhouse KATAKLYSM, who kicked some serious ass on stage led by their talented frontman Maurizio Iacono. Blending old songs with new ones from their 2023 album Goliath (available on several streaming services like Spotify), the band demanded the crowd to keep moving inside the circle pit nonstop, turning up the heat at The Phoenix Concert Theatre to the point I wish it was still winter so that some cold air would enter the venue to freshen things up. Songs like Guillotine, The Killshot and The Black Sheep kept the circle pit moving in a wild and frantic manner until the very last second of their show, proving why they’re one of the driving forces of the extreme scene in Canada. If you’ve never seem Kataklysm live, just go for it. But please remember to be in good shape, do a lot of cardio beforehand, and even put on an armour, because their mosh pits are simply brutal.

Setlist
Goliath
Push the Venom
Guillotine
Narcissist
The Killshot
Die as a King
As I Slither
Crippled & Broken
Bringer of Vengeance
The Black Sheep

Band members
Maurizio Iacono – lead vocals
Jean-François Dagenais – guitars
Stéphane Barbe – bass
James Payne – drums

SEPTICFLESH

If you think after Kataklysm things were going to get any lighter, you’re absolutely wrong; quite the contrary, when Greek Atmospheric/Symphonic Death Metal beast SEPTICFLESH hit the stage (without one of their guitarists, Sotiris Vayenas, for an unknown reason), a visceral, Stygian ode to darkness took over the entire city of Toronto, driving their fans crazy during their entire co-headlining performance. All songs played, including newer songs the likes of Neuromancer and Hierophant, from their latest opus Modern Primitive, released in 2022, plus of course classics such as Portrait of a Headless Man and Anubis, were played to perfection by the band, with Spiros Antoniou sounding inhumane on vocals while Kerim “Krimh” Lechner sounded simply bestial behind his drums. Seriously, he’s fantastic, adding endless heaviness to the band’s already demonic music. Just like Rotting Christ, Septicflesh proudly carry the flag of Greek extreme music everywhere they go, and if you’ve never seen them live, don’t miss the chance whenever they visit your city because they do offer a truly unique sonic experience.

Setlist
Portrait of a Headless Man
Pyramid God
Neuromancer
The Vampire from Nazareth
Hierophant
Martyr
Communion
A Desert Throne
Anubis
Dark Art

Band members
Spiros Antoniou – harsh vocals, bass
Christos Antoniou – guitars, orchestrations, samples
Psychon – guitars
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums

DECAPITATED

It was already past 10:30pm (yes, it was a long night of first-class heavy music) when the co-headliners that were closing the night DECAPITATED destroyed The Phoenix Concert theatre with their fusion of Technical Death Metal and Groove Metal. Those Polish metallers didn’t show a single drop of mercy for our souls during their demonic set, with their new songs from their 2022 album Cancer Culture like the title-track Cancer Culture, Just a Cigarette and Last Supper blending perfectly with old school tunes including Spheres of Madness and Iconoclast. Frontman Rafał Rasta Piotrowski sounded demented on vocals, keeping the circle pits moving wildly until the very end. Damn, I think there were mosh pits happening even inside the washrooms, and even at the Domino’s Pizza located a couple of blocks from the venue. What a night of insanity and heavy music combined to bring us avid fans some top-of-the-line entertainment during such difficult times in Toronto, and I can’t wait to witness Decapitated crushing our cranial skulls again in the city in the near future.

Setlist
From the Nothingness With Love
Cancer Culture
Just a Cigarette
Babylon’s Pride
Post(?) Organic
Lying and Weak
Spheres of Madness
Earth Scar
Never
Iconoclast
Last Supper
Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath song)

Band members
Rafał Rasta Piotrowski – vocals
Wacław Vogg Kiełtyka – guitars
Paweł Pavlo Pasek – bass
James Stewart – drums

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Album Review – Hiss From The Moat / The Way Out Of Hell (2022)

Posted on by
1

There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by one of the best bands of the current Italian scene.

Following their 2019 acclaimed sophomore record The Harrier, Italian Black/Death Metal beats Hiss From The Moat are back in action with their impending, monstrous third full-length opus, entitled The Way Out Of Hell, an extension of their signature, menacing sound while it carves out a unique place in the blackened underground as they search for the light amidst the darkness. Produced by the band’s own bassist Carlo Cremascoli at The Obscure Country Recording Studio, The Way Out Of Hell is the representation of how vocalist and guitarist Max Cirelli,  guitarist Jack Poli, bassist Carlo Cremascoli and drummer James Payne feel that life is, a very difficult thing to go through with a lot of pain and challenges to deal with. “This album is our way to express the feelings about how life is a hard, complicated and confusing way out of hell, there are many things, emotions and people that get in your way, but that’s what life is: getting out of it going through as less suffering as possible,” commented James about their amazing new album.

Arising from the dark pits of the underworld the band comes ripping with the infuriated title-track The Way Out Of Hell, where James sounds utterly infernal on drums while Max roars manically nonstop in a great display of Blackened Death Metal, and the caustic guitars by Max and Jack will penetrate deep inside your skin in I Am Deceived, continuing their path of destruction tailored for lovers of the music by bands such as Behemoth and Septicflesh. More savagery and darkness are offered to us all in Staring At The Abyss, with Carlo and James making the earth tremble with their respective bass and drums, therefore providing Max with all he needs to vociferate like a demonic creature; and get ready for another onrush of Black and Death Metal by those Italian metallers entitled Generation Of Cowardice, sounding brutal and visceral from start to finish with the band’s guitar duo being on absolute fire with their devilish riffage.

Let’s keep raising our horns in the name of evil with The Killing Of Innocence, very progressive and groovy with Carlo sounding amazing with his bass jabs accompanied by the always massive beats by James, whereas a melodic and heavy start morphs into an ode to death and obscurity titled Bury Me, perfect for breaking our necks headbanging while Max rabidly growls the song’s acid lyrics. There’s absolutely no sign of the band slowing down; quite the contrary, their onrush of metallic sounds will hammer our heads mercilessly in All I Have, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his demented drums, followed by A Gallows Of Mirrors, a no shenanigans, Stygian creation by the quartet that exhales Blackened Death Metal for our total delight, showcasing a fantastic guitar work as usual. Lastly, there’s still time for The Magnificent Vision, one final explosion of Extreme Metal by the band where Max leads his horde with his hellish roaring and riffage while Jack and Carlo join him with their stringed weapons in a fulminating onrush of darkened sounds.

Such precious gem of the extreme music scene can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but as I like to say if you want to show your utmost support to the underground you should definitely purchase a copy of The Way Out Of Hell from the band’s own BandCamp page, from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or as a special bundle including a CD, a shirt and a poster, or simply click HERE for all locations here you can find the album available. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more darkness in the form of music. In a nutshell, Hiss From The Moat have seriously stepped up their game with their new album, proving that if there’s a way out of hell, that needs to happen to the sound of first-class underground Blackened Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: The Way Out Of Hell, Generation Of Cowardice, The Killing Of Innocence and A Gallows Of Mirrors.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. The Way Out Of Hell 4:10
2. I Am Deceived 4:44
3. Staring At The Abyss 4:17
4. Generation Of Cowardice 4:22
5. The Killing Of Innocence 4:27
6. Bury Me 4:37
7. All I Have 3:46
8. A Gallows Of Mirrors 4:48
9. The Magnificent Vision 4:17

Band members
Max Cirelli – vocals, guitar
Jack Poli – guitar
Carlo Cremascoli – bass
James Payne – drums

Album Review – Hiss From The Moat / The Harrier (2019)

Posted on by
2

A first-class album of Black and Death Metal made in Italy, inspired by the true harriers of our society such as politics, religion and dictatorship.

In case you’re not familiar with the brutality and rage of Italian Black/Death Metal horde Hiss From The Moat, the band was founded in 2006 by drummer James Payne (Vital Remains, Hour of Penance) with two Italian friends, bassist Carlo Cremascoli and guitarist Giacomo Poli, delivering a stream of very interesting releases since their inception, starting with their debut EP The Carved Flesh Message, in 2009, followed by their first full-length album Misanthropy, in 2013, eventually adding vocalist and guitarist Massimilano Cirelli to their lineup, and now their sophomore full-length opus The Harrier, in 2019. Regarding the album’s title, Mr. Payne says, “The Harrier refers to he who devastates. It’s not intended as someone whom we created to destroy, but rather to indicate everything that has devastated our history, like politics, religion and dictatorship etc. That’s why we used extracts of religious and political scripts in the lyrics.”

Based in the cities of Los Angeles (United States), London (England) and Milan (Italy), this multinational entity has recently issued a series of videos through their YouTube channel showing the band working on the recording of The Harrier in the city of Milan, therefore demonstrating their passion for what they do and a desire to be as honest and transparent as possible with their fans. Furthermore, regarding the album’s artwork designed by Stefano Bonora, Mr. Payne said that “the artwork of the album is defined by three elements: a head of a statue that represents the blind and apathetic attitude of mankind; the mechanical mask on top of the head that represents the institutions that oppress people (similar to the belt on the statue’s mouth and the crosses as blinders); and the alchemical circles that have the meaning of improving mankind through the mind and the body, to promote self-improvement without looking for external help,” just to give you an idea of how obscure and austere their music is.

The cryptic and serene intro The Badial Despondency suddenly explodes into the bestial title-track The Harrier, where the quartet begins pulverizing everything and everyone that crosses their path. Furthermore, James is unstoppable on drums, while Massimiliano roars the song’s dark lyrics manically from start to finish, and brutality and rage keep flowing from all instruments in I Will Rise, a beyond electrifying Melodic Black Metal tune where the guitars by both Massimiliano and Giacomo sound infernal, not to mention how fast, precise and ruthless James is on drums. Then some sort of “dark poem” is recited by Massimiliano before all hell breaks loose in The Passage To Hell, bringing not even a single second of peace for us to breathe, only sheer devastation in the form of classic Black Metal, with James once again hammering our heads with his hellish and intricate drumming.

Slaves To War is just as demonic as its predecessor, showcasing sick guitar riffs, endless violence and a sulfurous atmosphere only modern Black Metal can offer you, keeping the album on fire before the band comes ripping our hearts out with the magnificent Sine Animvs, a lecture in modern-day Melodic Black Metal infused with Death Metal nuances, close to the Blackened Death Metal blasted by the iconic Behemoth. Hence, it’s absolutely impossible to stand still to the incendiary riffs by the band’s guitar duo. In the interlude titled The Abandonment, acoustic guitars work as the “calm before the storm”, warming up our senses for The Allegory of Upheaval, another straightforward creation by those Italian metallers alternating between very complex and interesting moments and less inspired passages. It’s still a very good song though, proving how powerful the band always sounds.

Then we have another one of my favorite tracks, God Nephasto, and James himself had a few nice words to say about it. “The song is one of the most intense of the album as far as rhythm and atmosphere,” explained our talented drummer. “It has several parts of blast beats and breakdowns that combined with the dark atmosphere of the notes keep the song pretty nervous. This is to support the lyrics that have been taken from parts of the Enuma Elish and the Old Testament that talk about when the Gods mentioned in these scripts, ordered sacrifices in their honor.” Musically speaking, it’s a visceral sonic havoc that will please all fans of the genre, sounding crisp, thunderous and menacing, with highlights to Massimilano’s infernal growls and obviously to James’ demolishing beats. Their second to last Black Metal extravaganza, entitled Unperishing, is just as demonic and violent as the rest of the album, with its classic riffs and beats bringing endless heaviness to the overall musicality, while Carlo not only extracts thunder from his bass, but he also supports Massimiliano’s vociferations flawlessly with his backing vocals. And there’s still time for one final onrush of blackened sounds for our total delight, named The Decay of Lies, less frantic but as heavy as hell, working at times as a marching outro to such vile album. Needless to say, Massimiliano and Giacomo are absolutely demonic with their guitars from start to finish, ending the album on a high and obscure note.

There are several places where you can get your copy of such amazing album of Black and Death Metal, like the band’s own BandCamp page or Big Cartel, the M-Theory Audio’s webstore in regular CD or limited edition vinyl format, the Napalm Records’ webstore, iTunes, Amazon, and so on. Don’t forget to also follow Hiss From The Moat on Facebook, and to worship darkness to the sound of their crushing extreme music, always keeping a very good distance from all types of religion and from politics, the true destroyers of our decaying society. and that’s how you craft first-class extreme music, my friends. Music that not only makes you bang your head and raise your horns, but that above all that also makes you think.

Best moments of the album: I Will Rise, Sine Animvs and God Nephasto.

Worst moments of the album: The Allegory of Upheaval.

Released in 2019 M-Theory Audio

Track listing
1. The Badial Despondency 1:24
2. The Harrier 4:00
3. I Will Rise 3:56
4. The Passage To Hell 3:44
5. Slaves To War 4:35
6. Sine Animvs 3:48
7. The Abandonment (Interlude) 3:26
8. The Allegory of Upheaval 4:33
9. God Nephasto 4:12
10. Unperishing 4:46
11. The Decay of Lies 4:48

Band members
Massimilano Cirelli – vocals, guitar
Giacomo Poli – guitar
Carlo Cremascoli – bass, backing vocals
James Payne – drums