On a Monday night in what has been a complete shitshow of city incompetence with regards to snow removal, Toronto’s metal denizens were treated to a great night at The Velvet Underground with the titans of Greek extreme metal SEPTICFLESH along with friends VLTIMAS and STORMRULER in support for the Modern Primitive in North America Tour 2025. Toronto being their first stop on the Canadian leg of the tour. Originally this show was supposed to be at The Concert Hall on Yonge Street but ticket sales were not as strong as were anticipated and so a change in venue had to take place as The Concert Hall would have been too large of a venue for the smaller crowd. Quite a shame if you ask me because it is a superior venue, but this dark cloud had a silver lining, if anything, it just made the show at The Velvet Underground feel more intimate.
The weather was finally a bit more cooperative with milder temperatures but the city’s mismanagement of snow removal this year has been such a joke and sidewalks were still inundated with snow and garbage and other such messiness that walking the streets had become such an ordeal for most people. Lining up for the show was a bit of a challenge because there was barely enough room for pedestrians to get by but we all made the best of it. Finally security let us inside at around 7pm and as soon as we had got in the first thing we all noticed was that the merch was priced in American dollars which was a little odd all things considering. It didn’t bother me much though, I was way too excited to see Septicflesh for any of that shit to bother me. The place filled up nicely and I made sure that I got close to the stage because the sight lines at the Velvet Underground are shit if you are short like me. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the show to begin. St. louis Missouri’s STORMRULER kicked off the show with a blistering 5 song set of delicious melodic black metal complete with some solos for desert. Stormruler are filling in for Ex Deo as they are no longer on the tour because of unforeseen circumstances. It was my first time seeing them and I found them to be quite entertaining. I would definitely check them out if or when they visit us again.
Setlist
Sacred Rites & Black Magic
Reign of The Wicked Duke
In The Eye Of The Mirror
Ten Heralds, Ten Desolations
Internal Fulmination Of The Grand Deceivers
Band members
Jason Asberry – vocals, guitars
Nick Burks – guitars
Dalton Moore – bass
Jesse Schobel – drums
Up next was the extreme metal powerhouse that is VLTIMAS. They are a kind of supergroup consisting of ex Morbid Angel Frontman David Vincent (USA) on vocals, ex Mayhem and current Aura Noire guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (NOR), Canada’s own Flo Mounier of Cryptopsy on drums, Dutch Bassist Ype TWS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portugal’s Joao Duarte of the band Corpus Christii on guitar as well. Vltimas proceeded to tear the roof off with a brutal onslaught of extremity and I was surprised that the pits of hell didn’t open up in the middle of the floor. These guys are so polished and professional that they had the crowd instantly energized. The house was about 85% full but it felt like more than that. Everyone was waiting for Septicflesh to get on before they let loose in the pit. Vltimas absolutely killed it! 10/10!
Setlist
Epic
Something Wicked Marches In
Invictus
Mephisto Manifesto
Exercitus Irae
Last Ones Alive Win Nothing
Scorcher
Diabolus Est Sanguis
Everlasting
Band members
David Vincent – vocals
Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen – guitars
Joao Duarte – guitars
Ype TWS – bass
Flo Mounier – drums
The crowd was thoroughly rabid when the mighty SEPTICFLESH got on stage. The circle pit was instantaneous and the crowd never let up. Neuromancer was the second song they played and it blew the lid off the place. It was epic! definitely a crowd favourite as well as my own personal favourite song of theirs. I swear that riff lives in my head. The crowd was beside themselves with utter joy and satisfaction and you could tell that this band has a special connection with their fans, almost personal. This was my first time seeing them live and I fucking loved every second of it. Septicflesh belted out banger after banger the whole entire set. They are such an incredible band to see live! 10/10, would love to see them again! Overall it turned out to be a great night and a hell of a good show.
Setlist
The Vampire From Nazareth
Neuromancer
Pyramid God
Heirophant
Portrait Of A Headless Man
Coming Storm
Martyr
We, The Gods
A Desert Throne
Virtues Of The Beast
Communion
The Collector
Anubis
Dark Art
A few days after the heaviest snow storm the city of Toronto has seen for quite some time, The Velvet Underground hosted the Shining Over North America Tour 2025 with the bands SNAKES OF RUSSIA, GHOST BATH, HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY and SWALLOW THE SUN, and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such an amazing event. Well, unfortunately due to the insane traffic to get to Toronto AND also inside the city, it was impossible for several concert goers to arrive in time for the performance by United States-based Darkwave/Electronic/Ambient act SNAKES OF RUSSIA, including Keith and I. I honestly have no idea how the show was, if the crowd enjoyed it or not, as while Snakes of Russia was playing I was desperately trying to find a parking lot where most spots were not taken by huge snow banks. At least before the show I had some time to listen to their 2023 album True Surrender, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and although it’s not my cup of tea I must admit it’s a really cool album for fans of the darkest side of electronic music.
Band members Joseph Holiday – vocals, all instruments
When I weas finally able to get inside the venue, American Depressive/Post-Black Metal entity GHOST BATH had already started their setlist, but at least in this case I had plenty of time to enjoy their harsh and sinister performance, led by the visceral, anguished screams by vocalist and guitarist Nameless. One of the main issues with The Velvet Underground, if not their biggest issue, is the fact the stage is way too low, almost as if it doesn’t really exist, and it’s really tough to see the bands performing there unless you’re two feet from the “stage”. Add to that a few pillars in the middle of the venue, and there you have the perfect atmosphere to mainly listen to the music played without seeing anything. Furthermore, Keith couldn’t make it in time for Ghost Bath, and as my mobile pictures of the show are beyond nasty, there isn’t anything to show about them on this review. You can still enjoy their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, like their 2021 album Self Loather, and I highly recommend seeing those guys live if you enjoy such a caustic type of Black Metal.
Band members Nameless – vocals, guitars
Caleb Cheslock – guitars
Liam Frith – guitars
Josh Jaye – bass
Alec Martin – drums
Then after all that hassle to get to Toronto, the shitty traffic, the excruciating task of finding a parking spot, and so on, I was already getting very tired and ready to go back home to relax a little, but fortunately Austria’s own Post-Black Metal masters HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY hit the stage for the most electrifying performance of the night, waking me up and inspiring me to headbang and raise my horns nonstop to their fantastic music. Playing mostly songs from their 2021 album Mӕre and their newborn masterpiece Scorched Earth, the band led by frontman J.J. and guitarist M.S. kicked some serious ass on stage, investing all of their energy into each song played, and with minimal talk in between songs. I simply loved seeing them live for the first time, and songs like With Autumn I’ll Surrender, Without You I’m Just a Sad Song, Fire, Walk With Me, and Sing for the Damage We’ve Done (all available on Spotify) sounded flawless, superb and touching, and the reaction from every single person to their classy performance was a thing of beauty, which clearly indicated it won’t take long for one of the best bands of the current metal scene worldwide to return to Toronto soon.
Setlist Keep Me Longing
With Autumn I’ll Surrender
Fire, Walk With Me
Without You I’m Just a Sad Song
Sing for the Damage We’ve Done
Calling the Rain
Band members J.J. – vocals
M.S. – guitars
Marrok – guitars, backing vocals
P.G. – bass
Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums
The name of the band says it all. After a quick break, it was time for the darkest show of the night, courtesy of Finland’s Melodic Doom/Death Metal titans SWALLOW THE SUN, and it was indeed a dark, pensive, doomed and visceral concert. Vocalist Mikko Kotamaki and his henchmen were on fire during their entire set, blending their old material with their newest albums Moonflowers (2021) and Shining (2024), with the sequence of Woven Into Sorrow, Charcoal Sky, MelancHoly, New Moon and Night Will Forgive Us sounding and feeling as heavy and obscure as possible. The encore was just as doomed, with November Dust and Swallow (Horror, Part 1), and their diehard fans were having an amazing time with their scorching riffs, pounding drums and visceral energy. It was a somewhat late show for most of us, but in the end it was a fantastic night of contemporary heavy music, and I’ll surely be there anytime Swallow The Sun are back in town with their undisputed doom.
Setlist Velvet Chains Innocence Was Long Forgotten
What I Have Become
Firelights
Under the Moon & Sun
Woven Into Sorrow
Charcoal Sky
New Moon
MelancHoly
Night Will Forgive Us
Plague of Butterflies: Pt. I: Losing the Sunsets
Encore:
November Dust
Swallow (Horror, Part 1)
Band members Mikko Kotamaki – vocals
Juha Raivio – guitars, keyboards
Juho Raiha – guitars
Matti Honkonen – bass
Juuso Raatkainen – drums
Austria’s own Post-Black Metal duo returns with another brilliant album, a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.
Despair, loss, love, and existential struggles have always been the foundation of the distinctive sound by Austrian Post-Black Metal duo Harakiri For The Sky since their inception back in 2011, with multi-instrumentalist M.S. and vocalist J.J. having gained recognition for pushing musical boundaries with their emotionally charged blend of Atmospheric Extreme Metal and Melodic Post-Rock, Grunge and modern Hardcore, carving out a genre of their own. Now in 2025 the duo attacks again with their new tour-de-force titled Scorched Earth, following up on their critically acclaimed 2021 opus Maere. Mixed and Mastered by Kristian Kohle at Kohlekeller Studio, with cover artwork and illustrations by Brvno Gonzalez, and featuring session drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner, the new album by J.J. and M.S. is their way of showing how rotten and decaying our world has become. “Our society is divided to its core and peace seems further away than ever in the last decades. This is what inspired the title of the new album: ‘Scorched Earth’ is a snapshot of the world we are living, a world that’s tragically broken.”
Heal Me, featuring Tim Yatras of Austere on guest vocals, offers a classic Harakiri For The Sky sound right from the start, with its atmospheric, gentle background clashing with the harshness flowing from M.S.’s riffs and Kerim’s beats. Keep Me Longing is an eleven-minute masterpiece by the duo where once again their heavy and soothing sounds collide in a brilliant manner, with M.S.’s riffs and bass being perfectly supported by the massive beats by Kerim; and the duo keeps delivering sheer brilliance in Without You I’m Just A Sad Song, another lengthy song that doesn’t feel long at all so dynamic, vibrant and thrilling it is, with J.J. roaring in great fashion until the end. Then letting their Post-Black Metal vein pulse stronger than ever we face No Graves But The Sea, where the electrifying riffs by M.S. will inspire you to bang your head like a maniac while Kerim dictates the song’s frantic yet dark pace.
Classy, charming piano notes will penetrate deep inside your mind in With Autumn I’ll Surrender, growing into a diverse, classic Post-Metal wall of sounds with J.J. once again bursting his lungs screaming, followed by I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep, a lovely title for a passionate display of Post-Black Metal by the duo, also bringing hints of 80’s Gothic Rock in its core essence. Then featuring guest vocalist Serena Cherry of Svalbarduk we have Too Late For Goodbyes, alternating between sheer violence and pure ethereal moments, and if you go for any of the special editions of the album you’ll be treated to two bonus tracks, their rendition for Radiohead’s Street Spirit (Fade Out), featuring guest vocalist P.G. of Groza (check out the original version from the 1995 album The Bends); and Elysian Fields (featuring guest vocals by Daniel Lang of Backwards Charm), both excellent songs leaning towards a more introspective side of the band that are definitely worth the extra investment.
“Scorched Earth is like the conclusion of all the albums we’ve done in the past, all that Harakiri For The Sky stands and stood for, musically and lyrically. This is what we stand for, this is what made us, this is our story,” commented such an extraordinary duo of heavy music about their new work of art, and you can get to know more about them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream more of their music on Spotify, and grab a copy of the majestic Scorched Earth from the AOP Records’ BandCamp or webstore, or simply click HERE for all things Harakiri For The Sky. There’s endless darkness and beauty in Scorched Earth just like in real life, not only making the album truly special and already positioning it as a strong contender for album of the year, but also working as the perfect soundtrack for the toughest moments of our lives.
Best moments of the album:Keep Me Longing, No Graves But The Sea and With Autumn I’ll Surrender.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 AOP Records
Track listing 1. Heal Me 7:37
2. Keep Me Longing 10:40
3. Without You I’m Just A Sad Song 10:03
4. No Graves But The Sea 8:01
5. With Autumn I’ll Surrender 8:39
6. I Was Just Another Promise You Couldn’t Keep 9:01
7. Too Late For Goodbyes 7:53
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.
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
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
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
I curse at their holy symbols… I laugh as they pray…
As we’re reaching the end of 2022, let’s all make a lot of noise together with our last metal lady of the year in the name of rock and metal music, sounds good? And when I say a lot of noise, I mean A LOT OF noise, because our metallic diva this month of December is undoubtedly one of the most talented drummers of the current Death and Thrash Metal scene, hammering her drums mercilessly for our total delight wherever she goes. I’m talking about the talented and charismatic Luana Dametto, the unrelenting drummer for Brazilian Death/Thrash Metal horde Crypta, and also known for her work with the bands Nervosa, Chaos Rising and Apophizys. Having said that, are you ready to know more about such unstoppable lady of the extreme music scene?
Born on November 22, 1996 in Tapejara, a municipality in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Luana started her path in the world of music at the young age of 12 when she already began to play drums, later joining her very first band, Passo Fundo, Brazil-based Death Metal act Apophizys, at the age of 16. That’s exactly when she discovered her passion for Death Metal, and from there it was just a matter of time until she joined Brazilian Thrash Metal ladies Nervosa back in 2016. However, before becoming part of Nervosa, Luana studied Graphic Design at UPF – Universidade de Passo Fundo in Brazil in order to build a career in this field while still working as a musician in her spare time until the age of 19, which turned out to be very useful for her as she actually applied her studies into her passion for heavy music, being responsible for the artwork for the first (and only) full-length album by Apophizys.
Speaking about Apophizys, our metal lady was part of the band between 2012 and 2017, when the band split up, having recorded with them the album Into the Chaos back in 2015, which included some excellent songs such as Fear of the Unknown and Carnage (and you can enjoy a nice drum cam recorded by Luana herself for this song by clicking HERE). In one of her interviews, Luana explained exactly how she made it to Apophizys, saying that in the city of Passo Fundo there were two Death Metal bands, one formed by brothers who wouldn’t allow her to join the band, and the aforementioned Apophizys. She said Apophizys already had a drummer at that time, but Luana didn’t give up and stayed tuned to them hoping their drummer would leave the band, opening the so much needed spot for her. As you might already know, that worked, and Luana kicked some ass behind her drums with Apophizys for six years before joining Nervosa.
Luana was still in college when Nervosa’s founder and guitarist Prika Amaral added her on Facebook and contacted her for an audition (being referred by Brazilian drummer Eduardo Lane of NervoChaos, who had already toured with Apophizys before), as at that time Nervosa had just lost their previous drummer Pitchu Ferraz. She then travelled to the city of São Paulo, passed the test, and went on to start playing live with the band that same year and to record the band’s 2018 opus Downfall of Mankind. From such intense album, you can enjoy amazing songs the likes of Kill The Silence and Never Forget, Never Repeat (and there’s also a kick-ass drum cam for this song HERE). After the album release, she traveled and toured a lot around the world, playing at several big festivals and, therefore, turning music into her main occupation. In addition, Luana also recorded with Nervosa the single Freakshow, originally released on the Adult Swim metal compilation 2 in 2019. It was in 2020 when Luana parted ways with Nervosa, saying that the main reason for her departure was the fact that the three girls at that time felt there was no more passion for doing music together. There wasn’t any type of fighting or arguing, and she said they could have even continued with the band as is, but they all agreed they had to change something to reignite that passion and love for extreme music.
The seed for what’s known today as Crypta had already been planted before she left Nervosa, more specifically in June 2019, as a new musical project by Luana together with Fernanda Lira, also from Nervosa. As the co-founder of the band, she said the focus would be on playing Death Metal in a way that could not be done with Nervosa, inviting Dutch guitarist Sonia Anubis (of Burning Witches) to the band and later also adding Brazilian guitarist Tainá Bergamaschi (of Hagbard) to their lineup. After consolidating the band members, they started working on their debut effort Echoes of the Soul, released in 2021, and you can have an absolute blast to the sound of such incendiary album to the sound of songs such as From The Ashes, Dark Night Of The Soul and Kali (check out another awesome drum cam for this song HERE). Furthermore, earlier this year the band released the single I Resign (which also has a really cool drum cam video that can be watched HERE), once again presenting the visceral and heavy elements that are characteristic of their sound. Moreover, if live concerts are your cup of tea, you can find Luana pounding her drums in great fashion in several live videos of the band including From The Ashes live at Wacken Open Air 2022, and a 30-minute performance at Espaço Som studio in São Paulo, Brazil in November 2021.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Apart from Crypta, Nervosa and Apophizys, you can also find Luana smashing her drums since 2021 with Chaos Rising, a collaborative international project focused on different subgenres of heavy music open to every female artist interested in metal that includes members from Brazil, France, Germany, England, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, Iran and Argentina, among others. She recorded with Chaos Rising in 2021 the single Cost of Inaction alongside Swiss vocalist Alessia Mercado (Burning Flesh, Murge), French guitarist Stéphanie Nolf (Unsafe), Italian guitarist Francesca Mancini (Sudden Death), and German bassist Tina Gruschwitz (Demorphed, Cryoblood), and the final result is a bestial Death and Thrash Metal attack that will please all fans of extreme music. In addition, Luana was also a guest drummer in the 2016 EP Souls Dragged into the Abyss of Torment, by Brazilian Melodic Black/Death Metal act Isfet, also working in the recording of the album. If you want to listen to Luana playing a more demonic, blackened style of music, you can enjoy for example what’s perhaps the best song of the album, Perennial Pain Domain.
Regarding her idols and influences, Luana mentioned that she’s a huge fan of Thrash, Black and in special Death Metal, and that she began playing drums influenced by Joey Jordison (RIP) of Slipknot and Vinnie Paul (RIP) of Pantera, learning a lot about double bass and groove by listening to and watching them. She also mentioned Kerim “Krimh” Lechner of Decapitated and Derek Roddy of Hate Eternal as influences on the way she does her blast beats, complementing by saying that playing drums was actually a random thing that happened to her, as she was only 11 years old when she got in touch with a friend who played drums who led her to get her own set and begin playing. Not sure if her setup is still the same, but a few years ago she was using a 14″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Hi-Hat, a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 17″ Color Sound 900 Black Heavy Crash, a 18″ 2002 Giga Bell Ride “Psychoctopus”, and a 16″ Color Sound 900 Black China.
Speaking about her life on the road, although Luana might still be a very young drummer, she has already been to several different parts of the world including of course most regions in Brazil, the United States, Colombia, many countries across Europe and Asia (even recommending Singaporean Grindcore act Wormrot as one of her favorite bands of the region), and even the United Arab Emirates together with Nervosa and now Crypta. She mentioned Rock in Rio in Brazil and Altavoz Fest in Colombia as the most memorable concerts so far in her career, saying that Altavoz Fest is some sort of “Rock in Rio Colombia” where she played in front of over 30,000 people. Moreover, when asked which bands she enjoyed the most to play alongside, our dauntless drummer mentioned Havok (Brazil), Warbringer (United States) and Venom Inc. (England) as her favorite bands to tour together. There are some very interesting interviews with Luana on YouTube (most of them in Portuguese, though) where she talks about not only her touring experience but also about what’s next for Crypta, their music and so on, such as this one to a podcast named TUPFS, this one to Revista Freak, and this one to Hedflow.
There’s also another excellent interview to a podcast named Music Hero where she talks about being a woman in the extreme metal scene, and that’s how we’ll conclude this humble tribute to her. As a prominent female drummer in the world of heavy music, Luana thinks the scene is still ruled by men and that there’s a lot of sexism everywhere, saying she feels extremely disappointed when people treat her as if she knows less about her instrument than guys just because she’s a woman. Her advice to other women who are starting their careers in music is to focus on your work and ignore all the negativity that might come from some people, only doing what you truly feel comfortable doing. When asked about her favorite female metal musicians, Luana listed Canadian drummer Justine Éthier (Karkaos, Blackguard), Dutch vocalist Simone “Som” Pluijmers (Your Chance to Die, Lacerated, Cerebral Bore), and American vocalist Reba Meyers (Pray for Teeth) as the best for her, and just by mentioning only names from the underground scene we can see how much Luana is passionate about it. Hence, if you also love the underground extreme scene, you must go check what Luana and the other girls from Crypta are doing and, of course, stay tuned for when the band takes your city by storm with their pulverizing live performance, with Luana proving that you don’t need to be a big guy to powerfully smash your drums in the name of extreme music.
This Atmospheric Black Metal duo from Austria returns with a breathtaking collection of tales from feverish dreams in the form of their fifth full-length opus.
Mӕre, a malicious folkloristic entity creeping on sleeping people’s chest during the night and causing breathlessness and anxiety, is the exact state of diffuse terror and paralysis that has been enshrined in Vienna, Austria-based Atmospheric Black Metal duo Harakiri For The Sky’s music ever since their debut album. Now in 2021, a breathtaking collection of tales from feverish dreams is being released in the form of the band’s fifth full-length opus Mӕre, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2018 album Arson. Founded in 2011 by vocalist J.J. and multi-instrumentalist M.S., the aim of Harakiri For The Sky has always been to create a unique mixture of melancholy and aggression, madness and meaning, wrapped in alternately manic and mellow songs that bridged Black Metal and Atmospheric Post-Rock. Featuring session drummer Kerim “Krimh” Lechner (Septicflesh, Act of Denial) and an atmospheric artwork by Meike Hakkaart (Art of Maquenda), Mӕre will haunt your soul and darken your heart in a majestic way, being therefore highly recommended for fans of the somber music crafted by bands like Alcest, Wolves In The Throne Room and Agalloch.
The atmospheric guitars by M.S. kick off the venomous opening track I, Pallbearer, with Kerim hammering his drums in great Black Metal fashion, providing J.J. al he needs to vociferate rabidly. In other words, what a sensational start to the album, ending with gorgeous, serene piano notes and setting the tone for Sing for the Damage We’ve Done, a lesson in Atmospheric Post-Black Metal that’s as visceral and aggressive as it’s melodic and epic, with guest vocalist Neige (from bands like Alcest and Zero) helping J.J. declaim the song’s poetic and introspective words (“It’s been so long, it’s difficult to tell / If I truly miss what I once called home / It’s been so long, it’s difficult to tell / If this truly was my longest way home”). Another round of their imposing and captivating sounds fills our ears in the pulverizing Us Against December Skies, where J.J. sounds bestial with his sick screams while M.S. slashes his stringed weapons mercilessly supported by the always infernal blast beats by Kerim, and you better prepare your senses for 11 minutes of modern-day, vibrant Atmospheric Black Metal in the form of I’m All About the Dusk, where M.S. will hit you in the head with his low-tuned bass while piercing your mind with his riffage, being full of breaks and variations and an endless sense of despair. And the duo continues to spread darkness and rage through their devilish roars and riffs in Three Empty Words, another good tune blending the heaviness of Melodic Black Metal with Post-Black Metal where Kerim proves why he was invited by J.J. and M.S. to be responsible for the drumming duties.
Atmospheric Black Metal usually means lengthy songs, and in the case of Harakiri For The Sky that’s translated into a thrilling musical voyage through obscure lands titled Once upon a Winter, a multi-layered and very detailed composition where J.J. takes his rage and despair to the next level, whereas in And Oceans Between Us we face more of their cryptic, somber lyrics (“You were the ailment / And leaving was the cure / I fell away and I still suffer / And year by year I’m fading away”) enfolded by a beyond mesmerizing sonority led by the strident guitars by M.S., exhaling epicness and bringing to our ears grandiose passages intertwined with classic Black Metal beats. The anonymous vocalist of Portuguese Black Metal band Gaerea lends his sharp vocals to the Stygian tune Silver Needle // Golden Dawn, with the song’s guitars overflowing pure Atmospheric Black Metal while drums and vocals lean towards contemporary Post-Metal, and acoustic guitars kick off the melancholic and embracing Time Is a Ghost, growing in intensity as the music progresses with Kerim stealing the spotlight with his infernal drumming, while J.J. continues to growl and bark just the way we like it in extreme music. And as the icing on the cake, Harakiri For The Sky offer our ears a fantastic version for Song to Say Goodbye, from the 2006 album Meds by Placebo (you can check the original version HERE), and let me tell you the band did a tremendous job adding a gargantuan amount of obscurity and heaviness to their version, with J.J. taking the lead with his trademark hellish roars.
As you might already know, the word “harakiri” means a ritual suicide by disembowelment with a sword, formerly practiced in Japan by samurai as an honorable alternative to disgrace or execution, and after listening to the deep, scorching music found in Mӕre it’s easy to understand why the name of the band was chosen to be Harakiri For The Sky, piercing your soul like a samurai sword and eliminating all traces of life from your body, therefore leaving you in pitch black darkness for all eternity. Hence, don’t forget to give the duo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to stream more of their enfolding music on Spotify, and to purchase their excellent new opus by clicking HERE. Needless to say, you should definitely go for the very special CD Wooden Boxset edition of the album, available from AOP Records, EMP, Nuclear Blast and Amazon. Melancholic and aggressive, Mӕre represents another solid stone in the career of Harakiri For The Sky, showing us all that in Atmospheric Black Metal there’s nothing better than a never-ending, eerie onrush of fear and terror.
Best moments of the album: Sing for the Damage We’ve Done, I’m All About the Dusk and And Oceans Between Us.
Worst moments of the album:Three Empty Words.
Released in 2021 AOP Records
Track listing 1. I, Pallbearer 7:06
2. Sing for the Damage We’ve Done 8:05
3. Us Against December Skies 8:21
4. I’m All About the Dusk 11:09
5. Three Empty Words 9:29
6. Once upon a Winter 10:27
7. And Oceans Between Us 8:57
8. Silver Needle // Golden Dawn 7:09
9. Time Is a Ghost 8:33
10. Song to Say Goodbye (Placebo cover) 5:25
Band members J.J. – vocals
M.S. – all instruments
Guest musicians Kerim “Krimh” Lechner – drums (session)
Neige – additional vocals on “Sing for the Damage We’ve Done”
Anonymous – additional vocals on “Silver Needle // Golden Dawn”
On a Monday night in what has been a complete shitshow of city incompetence with regards to snow removal, Toronto’s metal denizens were treated to a great night at The Velvet Underground with the titans of Greek extreme metal SEPTICFLESH along with friends VLTIMAS and STORMRULER in support for the Modern Primitive in North America Tour 2025. Toronto being their first stop on the Canadian leg of the tour. Originally this show was supposed to be at The Concert Hall on Yonge Street but ticket sales were not as strong as were anticipated and so a change in venue had to take place as The Concert Hall would have been too large of a venue for the smaller crowd. Quite a shame if you ask me because it is a superior venue, but this dark cloud had a silver lining, if anything, it just made the show at The Velvet Underground feel more intimate.
The weather was finally a bit more cooperative with milder temperatures but the city’s mismanagement of snow removal this year has been such a joke and sidewalks were still inundated with snow and garbage and other such messiness that walking the streets had become such an ordeal for most people. Lining up for the show was a bit of a challenge because there was barely enough room for pedestrians to get by but we all made the best of it. Finally security let us inside at around 7pm and as soon as we had got in the first thing we all noticed was that the merch was priced in American dollars which was a little odd all things considering. It didn’t bother me much though, I was way too excited to see Septicflesh for any of that shit to bother me. The place filled up nicely and I made sure that I got close to the stage because the sight lines at the Velvet Underground are shit if you are short like me. The crowd was eagerly waiting for the show to begin. St. louis Missouri’s STORMRULER kicked off the show with a blistering 5 song set of delicious melodic black metal complete with some solos for desert. Stormruler are filling in for Ex Deo as they are no longer on the tour because of unforeseen circumstances. It was my first time seeing them and I found them to be quite entertaining. I would definitely check them out if or when they visit us again.
Up next was the extreme metal powerhouse that is VLTIMAS. They are a kind of supergroup consisting of ex Morbid Angel Frontman David Vincent (USA) on vocals, ex Mayhem and current Aura Noire guitarist Rune “Blasphemer” Eriksen (NOR), Canada’s own Flo Mounier of Cryptopsy on drums, Dutch Bassist Ype TWS (ex-Dodecahedron) and Portugal’s Joao Duarte of the band Corpus Christii on guitar as well. Vltimas proceeded to tear the roof off with a brutal onslaught of extremity and I was surprised that the pits of hell didn’t open up in the middle of the floor. These guys are so polished and professional that they had the crowd instantly energized. The house was about 85% full but it felt like more than that. Everyone was waiting for Septicflesh to get on before they let loose in the pit. Vltimas absolutely killed it! 10/10!
The crowd was thoroughly rabid when the mighty SEPTICFLESH got on stage. The circle pit was instantaneous and the crowd never let up. Neuromancer was the second song they played and it blew the lid off the place. It was epic! definitely a crowd favourite as well as my own personal favourite song of theirs. I swear that riff lives in my head. The crowd was beside themselves with utter joy and satisfaction and you could tell that this band has a special connection with their fans, almost personal. This was my first time seeing them live and I fucking loved every second of it. Septicflesh belted out banger after banger the whole entire set. They are such an incredible band to see live! 10/10, would love to see them again! Overall it turned out to be a great night and a hell of a good show.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 