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Concert Review – Rage (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/04/2024)

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One of the pillars of German Power Metal took the city of Toronto by storm for the first time ever to celebrate their headbanging, hellraising 40 years of career.

OPENING ACT: C.O.P. UK

Monday night was simply perfect in Toronto, with no snow or rain, lots of sunshine with temperatures above +10oC, very little traffic, and of course a lecture in Heavy and Power Metal at Lee’s Palace as C.O.P. UK and RAGE kicked off the Canadian leg of their 40 Years in RAGE – 4 Decades of Heavy Metal Tour 2024, celebrating four decades of one of the most important bands to ever arise from the German Power Metal scene. Brought to Canada by Lucky Bob Music Agency, it’s somehow weird that Rage are only playing in Canada and not in the US (which is why there was even a guy from Michigan who drove eight hours to see the show here in Toronto), and I don’t know exactly how the promotion of the tour was done because the crowd was much smaller than expected. Maybe because it was a Monday, the worst day in the world for anything as Garfield would say, or maybe tons of fans had zero idea Rage was playing in the city for the first time ever (and I saw some comments online from fans in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec complaining about the lack of information about the tour). Anyway, the concert was fantastic, as well as the sick photos taken this time by my friend Ryan Miles Leblanc.

After a HUGE delay for the doors to open due to some technical difficulties, as apparently they didn’t have an adapter to convert something from EU to Canada, Sheffield, England-based Heavy Metal/Hard Rock act C.O.P. UK, or Crimes Of Passion if you prefer, hit the stage at around 9:30pm for a solid performance to warm up the fans at the venue for Rage. Formed in 2005, the band led by the charismatic vocalist Dale Radcliffe distilled a traditional blend of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock with hints of Glam and Hair Metal, with songs like Love Is To Die For and Catch Me If You Can sounding amazing live, plus their electrifying cover version for Journey’s classic Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), which in Dale’s words, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know them, everyone loves a little bit of Journey. I was impressed with the band and just wish they had more releases available for streaming everywhere, because for example on Spotify you can only find their 2018 EP Keep on Moving. Their music is awesome and they deserve more attention from all of us metalheads not only in Canada, but anywhere where good music is appreciated.

Setlist
The Core
My Blood
Love Is To Die For
Body & Soul
Stranger Than Fiction
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) (Journey cover)
Catch Me If You Can
God Made Me Your Angel

Band members
Dale Radcliffe – vocals
Jean Bormann – guitars
Henning Wanner – keyboards
Scott Jordan – bass
Kev Tonge – drums

RAGE

It was already 10:30pm, which is really late for any show to start in Toronto by the way, when German Power Metal titans RAGE kicked off their flawless performance on stage, obviously led by the iconic Peter “Peavy” Wagner on vocals and bass, supported by Jean Bormann on the guitars (and yes, he’s the same guitarist from C.O.P. UK, but I think he was just supporting C.O.P. UK as his main band is Rage), and Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos on drums. And let me say it was a dream come true for all Torontonian fans of the band who attended the concert because their celebration of 40 years indeed included songs from their entire and vast career, kicking things of with the excellent Resurrection Day and going through all of their albums, with songs like Solitary Man, Black in Mind, Back in Time and My Way inspiring everyone for some good headbanging and fist raising. I personally think Peavy’s microphone was a bit low, but even so it was amazing to see his raspy, loud vocals permeating the air at Lee’s Palace Monday night.

One of my favorite songs of the night, and probably also of most fans at the venue, was undoubtedly End of All Days, and it was visible how some dudes in the crowd were having the time of their lives while the trio kept kicking some serious ass on stage during such masterpiece. My only “complaint” about their setlist was not seeing the darkly beautiful “From the Cradle to the Grave” live, as it was replaced with their new song Under a Black Crown (from their upcoming album Afterlifelines, to be released on March 29 this year), but the new song is also amazing, you know what I mean? Well, Peavy even mentioned during the show that they had over 100 songs to create their setlist (all available on Spotify, by the way), a tough job for them, but a pleasure for all of us when the setlist comes together. An when you end a concert with the pulverizing Don’t Fear the Winter and the all-time classic Higher Than the Sky, you know how happy your fans will be. Hopefully the lower-than-expected attendance won’t stop Rage form coming back to Toronto in the near future, because after seeing what Peavy and the boys are capable of Monday night, I must say the city of Toronto needs another blast of their Teutonic Power Metal.

Setlist
Memento Vitae (Overture)
Resurrection Day
Great Old Ones
Solitary Man
Nevermore
Black in Mind
Refuge
Back in Time
Shadow Out of Time
My Way
End of All Days
A New Land

Encore:
Under a Black Crown
Don’t Fear the Winter
Higher Than the Sky
Tomorrow’s Yesterday (Instrumental)

Band members
Peter “Peavy” Wagner – vocals, bass
Jean Bormann – guitars
Vassilios “Lucky” Maniatopoulos – drums

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Concert Review – Vader (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 02/11/2024)

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A wild night of pulverizing Death and Thrash Metal in Toronto, spearheaded by the most iconic metal band to ever arise from the Polish scene.

OPENING ACTS: Inhuman Condition and Origin

The best thing about a show being scheduled on the same night as Super Bowl is that traffic is pretty much nonexistent, turning the lives of all metalheads who don’t really care about American football a lot easier when it comes to getting to the venue in time to see all bands playing. That’s exactly what happened last night in Toronto at the always cozy Lee’s Palace, when the fantastic bands INHUMAN CONDITION, ORIGIN and VADER brought to the city a true celebration of extreme music during their 40 Years of the Apocalypse Anniversary Tour 2024, another incredible event organized by the unstoppable Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. As usual, my friend  Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi (as well as other photographers) were there to register some wild moments of all three bands, but honestly I don’t know how they managed to stay alive and keep their cameras intact during the sick circle pits going on the entire night.

The first band to hit the stage was Tampa, Florida’s own Death/Thrash Metal beasts INHUMAN CONDITION, who were by far one of the best and most electrifying opening acts I’ve seen at any concert in the city in the past few years. Spearheaded by the incendiary frontman Jeramie Kling, the band put on a beyond entertaining show, playing songs from all of their albums including their 2022 release Fearsick and their 2023 EP Panic Prayer, with songs like Panic Prayer, Euphoriphobia and I’m Now the Monster inspiring all concert goers to slam into the pit like there’s no tomorrow. As expected, the two songs that generated the wildest mosh pits were Godzilla and Tyrantula, with everyone at the venue, including the band, acting like wild beasts on stage and in the floor section. Jeramie also had some words of wisdom to share with everyone last night; first of all, he said that a true metal concert needs three things, those being the headbangers, the circle pits, and the crowd surfers, and of course bodies started flying around as soon as he mentioned that. Also, that everything we’ve ever heard about Florida, all rumors and so on, are all true, which was quite funny as it’s usually people outside of Florida who make fun of the state. Well, one thing I know for sure, and that’s that heavy music in Florida is phenomenal, with bands like Inhuman Condition showing everything they got on stage anywhere they go, and if you know nothing about those guys, go check their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, as I’m sure you’ll love to get caught in their mosh.

Setlist
Recycled Hate
Panic Prayer
Euphoriphobia
The Neck Step
I’m Now the Monster
Killing Pace
Civilized Holocaust
Godzilla (Blue Öyster Cult cover)
Tyrantula

Band members
Jeramie Kling – vocals
Taylor Nordberg – guitars
Terry Butler – bass
Colton Zietler – drums

After a quick break, it was time for Kansas City-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal veterans ORIGIN to keep the circle pits moving frantically to the sound of their vicious, intricate and demolishing creations. Having released the album Chaosmos back in 2022, the band formed of vocalist Jason Keyser (and by the way, if you haven’t listened to it yet, go check the album Inferno by his brand new project Arborescence of Wrath as it’s a killer album), guitarist Paul Ryan, bassist Mike Flores (one of the best bass players I’ve seen in a while), and drummer John Longstreth showed absolutely no mercy for our necks and souls during their demented performance, blending Technical and Brutal Death Metal with nuances of Grindcore just to make things even more infuriated. The band was ruthless, savage and beyond technical, sounding absolutely insane with songs like Chaosmos, Panoptical and The Aftermath driving everyone at the venue simply insane inside the pit. Jason also had some words to say to the crowd before playing the song Decolonizer, where he showed his pure old school vein by demanding everyone to not take any pictures or record any videos of the song, but simply to go nuts inside the circle pit and collect bruises and black eyes as the memories of that moment (although they kept checking their phones due to Kansas City Chiefs being one of the teams playing the Super Bowl). Needless to say, it was intense, as well as the wall of death he organized before even playing one of the songs, trying to make their show as 90’s-inspired as possible. Origin are one of the coolest bands of the underground scene, and in case you still don’t know them go check their infernal music on Spotify, and don’t miss their live concerts whenever they take your depraved city by storm.

Setlist
Expulsion of Fury
Chaosmos
Accident and Error
Panoptical
Saligia
Decolonizer
Portal
The Aftermath
Unattainable Zero

Band members
Jason Keyser – vocals
Paul Ryan – guitars, backing vocals
Mike Flores – bass, backing vocals
John Longstreth – drums

VADER

It was getting late (and cold) in Toronto, but nothing that could stop Poland’s own Death/Thrash Metal institution VADER to crush everything and everyone that dared to cross their path at Lee’s Palace last night. The band formed of the iconic Peter on vocals and guitars, Spider also on the guitars, Hal on bass, and Michał Andrzejczyk on drums was flawless throughout their entire set, celebrating 40 years of existence for the delight of all lovers of extreme music in Toronto. Their setlist was a thing of beauty, including songs from their 1992 cult album The Ultimate Incantation, like Vicious Circle, Dark Age and The Crucified Ones, plus several other classics like Black to the Blind, while closing their setlist with a newer song, Shock and Awe, from their latest opus Solitude in Madness, released in 2020, and the response from the fans in Toronto was brilliant, with the circle pits moving majestically until the very last second of their performance.

It’s impressive how they can still sound to tight, vicious and heavy after so many decades on the road, showing their utmost passion for Death and Thrash Metal, and of course as we all know how much they love to play for us, that inspired us to send our love back to them by headbanging nonstop, raising our horns, and getting wild in the pit. The only “issue” was that their official photographer doesn’t seem to be a big fan of crowd surfing, but that was fine as all crowd surfers quickly learned that show was not the best place to practice such metallic art. Anyway, apart from that, and from the same two guys that almost got into a fight with each other countless time (please, be adults and behave next time, alright?), everyone had an amazing time together with those Polish metallers, and hopefully we’ll also have the pleasure of hosting in Toronto the celebration of their 45th, 50th, 55th and so on anniversaries, keeping the fires of Death and Thrash Metal burning forever in the city.

Setlist
Macbeth (Laibach song)
Decapitated Saints
The Wrath
Chaos
Vicious Circle
Dark Age
The Crucified Ones
Silent Empire
Sothis
Black to the Blind
Carnal
Wings
Cold Demons
Epitaph
Dark Transmission
Para Bellum
This Is the War
Helleluyah!!! (God Is Dead)
Never Say My Name
Come and See My Sacrifice
Triumph of Death
Shock and Awe
The Imperial March (John Williams song)

Band members
Peter – vocals, guitars
Spider – guitars
Hal – bass
Michał Andrzejczyk – drums

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Concert Review – Lucifer & Coven (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 11/24/2023)

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How to warm up a chilly night in Toronto? Simply bring to the city a huge dosage of darkness, witchcraft, doom and the occult, courtesy of the iconic rock legends Coven and Lucifer.

OPENING ACT: Early Moods

If you were searching for a place to get warm this Friday in Toronto, which was a chilly one (although not too cold compared to other parts of the country), then Lee’s Palace was the place to be, offering you a high dosage of darkness, witchcraft, doom and the occult, courtesy of EARLY MOODS, COVEN and LUCIFER during their The Satanic Panic Tour 2023, brought to the city by the always amazing Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. My buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to celebrate all three bands, all delivering memorable performances to the crowd, resulting in a very entertaining night that put a huge smile on the faces of all attendees who have succumbed to the darkest side of music a long time ago.

The first band to hit the stage, precisely at 8pm, was Los Angeles, California-based Doom Metal newcomers EARLY MOODS, and I must say I was truly impressed by the high quality of the music crafted by those guys. Spearheaded by frontman Alberto Alcaraz, owner of a very powerful voice by the way, the band played a short but awesome setlist comprised of five songs from their 2022 self-titled debut album (available on their own BandCamp page as well as on Spotify), inspiring all concert goers to follow the band with some nice, nonstop headbanging. Of course, as a guy coming from the always warm Los Angeles, Alberto had to mention the fact the band was definitely not used to the cold weather in Toronto on Friday, but of course we all made sure the temperature inside Lee’s Palace was warm enough for such talented doomers, and if you want to know more about them simply click HERE and enjoy their first-class Doom Metal.

Setlist
Return to Salem’s Gate
Live to Suffer
The Last Hour
A Sinner’s Past
Damnation

Band members
Alberto Alcaraz – vocals
Eddie Andrade – guitars
Oscar Hernandez – guitars
Elix Feliciano – bass
Chris Flores – drums

COVEN

After a quick break, and with the floor section of Lee’s Palace getting a lot busier with several fans wanting to be as close to the stage as possible, it was time for Chicago, Illinois’s own Satanic/Occult Rock institution COVEN to darken the skies and deliver a stunning show for all fans eager for the mesmerizing vocals by the band’s iconic frontwoman Esther “Jinx” Dawson, who kicked off the band’s black mass by leaving a coffin with a cryptic mask, a very nice touch to their show. Blending songs from their 1969 cult debut Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls with songs form their 1974 classic Blood On The Snow and their latest effort Jinx, released in 2013, it was a wild and fun journey back in time alongside Jinx and her henchmen Alex Kercheval on keyboards, Chris Wild on the guitars, Zayne Hutchison on bass, and Colin Oakley on drums, all undoubtedly born several years (or decades) after Jinx had already started rocking the world with her witchcraft-infused rock music.

As the great frontwoman and person that she is, Jinx made sure she properly introduced each member of the band to show everyone she’s not a solo artist, and that introduction to the boys was actually quite entertaining when she said for example that she met bassist Zayne Hutchison at a graveyard and simply “offered him a gig”. That’s how anyone should treat their band members, I must say. Back to the music, it was crystal clear that songs like Black Sabbath, the closing tune Blood on the Snow, and in special the fan-favorite Wicked Woman, were the most anticipated of their fantastic setlist, inspiring all fans to dance, headbang and raise their horns until the very last second. Jinx and her Coven are a brilliant act that’s worth every single penny to witness live, and hopefully we’ll see more of the trailblazers of Occult Rock sooner than later here in Toronto.

Setlist
Prelude / Satanic Mass
Out of Luck
Black Sabbath
Coven in Charing Cross
Wicked Woman
Black Swan
The Crematory
Epitaph
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Blood on the Snow

Band members
Esther “Jinx” Dawson – vocals
Alex Kercheval – guitars
Chris Wild – guitars
Zayne Hutchison – bass
Colin Oakley – drums

LUCIFER

It was already part 10pm when the main attraction of the night, Stockholm, Sweden-based Heavy/Doom Metal/Rock masters LUCIFER, delivered one of the coolest and most melodic performances the city of Toronto has seen in the past few years. From the very first notes of Ghosts to the last seconds of Reaper on Your Heels, the band formed of frontwoman Johanna Platow Andersson (aka Johanna Claudia Sadonis or Johanna Sadonis), guitarists Linus Björklund, Martin Nordin, and bassist Harald Göthblad, plus guest drummer Chad Walls of bands like Dislimb, The Living Fields and Postulated (as their drummer Nicke Andersson was apparently busy with his other band The Hellacopters in Europe), kicked some serious ass, playing all of their songs to perfection and, consequently, fully captivating the minds and the hearts of all fans at the venue.

My favorite songs from their relatively short setlist were by far Crucifix (I Burn for You) and Bring Me His Head, both from their 2021 highly acclaimed album Lucifer IV, plus their newest single A Coffin Has No Silver Lining, from their upcoming 2024 album Lucifer V (to be released in January), showing that we can expect another beast of an album by those Swedish rockers next year. Hence, you can enjoy all songs from their beautiful setlist on Spotify, and click HERE for all things Lucifer. Last but not least, just like what happens with almost all non-Canadian bands that come to Canada, the wonderful Johanna (and let me say it was nearly impossible NOT to focus on her during the entire show, because she’s simply perfect) told a quick story about when the band was crossing the border form the US to Canada. Not only Johanna said that she was still in her pajamas when the tour manager woke the entire band up right when they were about to cross the border, but she also said that the immigration officer at the border asked them the name of the band. She made a very funny face and said “Ahn… Lucifer…”, proving that’s not an easy name for a band to carry due to all bullshit most religious figures impose on our society. Well, in the end the band made it to Canada, kicked our asses in Toronto, and hopefully when Lucifer V is released we’ll experience another night of blasphemy, doom, witchcraft and the enchanting music by Lucifer in the city.

Setlist
The Funeral Pyre
Ghosts
Midnight Phantom
Wild Hearses
Crucifix (I Burn for You)
Leather Demon
A Coffin Has No Silver Lining
Mausoleum
Bring Me His Head

Encore:
California Son
Reaper on Your Heels

Band members
Johanna Platow Andersson – vocals
Linus Björklund – lead guitars
Martin Nordin – rhythm guitars
Harald Göthblad – bass
Nicke Andersson – drums

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Concert Review – Suffocation & Incantation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 11/13/2023)

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Four of the best Death Metal bands of the current scene worldwide delivered a night of sheer brutality, rage and endless circle pits last night in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Stabbing and Skeletal Remains

What a night of brutality and circle pits in Toronto, my friends! SUFFOCATION and INCANTATION, with very special guests SKELETAL REMAINS and STABBING, put on a sensational performance for the delight of all attendees at Lee’s Palace last night during their Ancient Unholy Uprising Tour 2023. Although it might be getting colder and colder in Toronto as winter is almost upon us, all four bands made sure we remained as warm as possible while they blasted their instruments on stage in the name of our good old Death Metal. I just think the venue should have opened their doors a little earlier than 6:30pm to give everyone enough time to buy merch and have a few drinks, but nothing that would make the whole night less enjoyable, of course.

Shortly after the doors opened, the first band of the night, Houston, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal entity STABBING, kicked of the Death Metal ceremony with a ruthless and demonic performance spearheaded by the she-demon Bridget Lynch, who by the way looked possessed on stage and made it almost impossible to see her face during the entire show. Having released the album Extirpated Mortal Process in 2022, plus a brand new demo earlier this year, the quartet showed no mercy for our necks and bodies, demanding some vigorous headbanging and already inspiring the crowd to slam into the circle pit frantically, playing songs such as Inhaling The Dead, Gutted By The Beast, and Pulsing Wound with endless rage and dexterity. If you know nothing about Stabbing, go check their wicked and beyond brutal creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if you’re attending any of the shows form this tour make sure you get to the venue in time to witness Bridget and the boys crushing the souls of the lighthearted on stage. You’re going to love it!

Setlist
Inhaling The Dead
Final Flesh Feast
Gutted By The Beast
Visions Of Eternal Suffering
Vortex Of The Severed Dead
Ravenous Psychotic Onslaught
Pulled Apart
It Ends With Flames
Pulsing Wound

Band members
Bridget Lynch – vocals
Marvin Ruiz – guitars
Matt Day – bass
Nat Conner – drums

After a quick intermission (and by the way, kudos to the house DJ for playing tons of Death and Thrash Metal songs during the breaks instead of some generic stuff), it was time for Whittier, California’s own Death Metal squad SKELETAL REMAINS to ignite some of the sickest mosh pits of the night armed with their sonic savagery and heaviness. If I said it was almost impossible to see Bridget’s face during Stabbing, well, it was ABSOLUTELY impossible to see the face of vocalist and guitarist Chris Monroy during Skeletal Remains. Was it really him on stage? Jokes aside, it was another phenomenal display of classic Death Metal by the quartet, with drummer Pierce Williams sounding infernal throughout the entire concert. Blending songs from all of their four amazing albums, including their latest one The Entombment of Chaos, released in 2020, plus their brand new single Void of Despair (and judging by how demolishing the new song is, we should get ready for another merciless Death Metal attack by those guys in their upcoming album), those American metallers pulverized everyone who dared to brave the nonstop circle pit at Lee’s Palace, and if you want to get a sense of how vile and thunderous their music sounds before seeing them live, I recommend streaming all of their catalogue on Spotify. And on a side note, I must say Skeletal Remains had the best merch available hands down, offering so many cool shirts and other items you must see their merch stand to believe it.

Setlist
Void of Despair
Parasitic Horrors
Beyond Cremation
Illusive Divinity
Internal Detestation
Conquer
Congregation of Flesh
Torture Labyrinth
Tombs of Chaos

Band members
Chris Monroy – vocals, guitars
Mike De La O – guitars
Brian Rush – bass
Pierce Williams – drums

INCANTATION

One of the main attractions of the night, Johnstown, Pennsylvania’s own Death Metal machine INCANTATION, was supposed to have started their concert at around 8:35pm, but it was already past 8:45pm when they finally hit the stage. That small delay didn’t mean anything to their avid fans at all, because as soon as they began playing the first notes from the opening song Concordat (The Pact) I it was absolute carnage and violence in the floor section with a wild circle pit that looked like it was going to last forever. The new songs from their recently launched beast Unholy Deification, such as Invocation (Chthonic Merge) X, worked really well mixed with some of their most demolishing classics, while the band’s iconic frontman John McEntee kept his horns high in the air every single second he wasn’t shredding his guitar, being always promptly followed by all of the band’s diehard fans in the pit.

One of the funniest moments of the concert happened between two of the songs from their setlist when John said that every single time Kyle hits his drums, a poser dies. Guess what? Kyle hit his drums, and John simply said “another poser just died”. A simple but effective joke that added an extra touch of intimacy to their incendiary performance, building an even stronger connection between the band and their fans. Hence, if you want to feel all the fury blasted by Invocation and get more than prepared for their killer concert in your city, you can stream all of their wicked creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, warming up your blood vessels for the music by one of the most hardworking and vibrant veterans in the history of Death Metal.

Setlist
Concordat (The Pact) I
Rites of the Locust
Carrion Prophecy
Shadows of the Ancient Empire
Fury’s Manifesto
Blasphemous Cremation
Ascend Into the Eternal
Chalice (Vessel Consanguineous) VIII
Invocation (Chthonic Merge) X
The Ibex Moon
Impending Diabolical Conquest

Band members
John McEntee – vocals, guitars
Luke Shively – guitars
Chuck Sherwood – bass
Kyle Severn – drums

SUFFOCATION

It was a little past 10pm when Long Island, New York-based Brutal/Technical Death Metal institution SUFFOCATION began their violent, ruthless performance, and I honestly don’t know how all photographers, including my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and Kim Baarda, managed to take proper photos of Suffocation or of any of the other bands without a barrier separating them from the crowd, as they had to endure all mosh pits while holding their cameras. It was insane, and I must say they’re really brave for facing that. Promoting their brand new opus Hymns from the Apocrypha (their first without Frank Mullen on vocals), the band now fronted by the talented growler Ricky Myers (Disgorge, Sarcolytic) simply kicked us all in the ass with their fast, heavy and evil songs, including some newborn killers the likes of Seraphim Enslavement, Dim Veil of Obscurity, and the title-track Hymns From the Apocrypha, all by the way available on Spotify.

There was this guy who spent more time up in the air doing crowd surfing than actually standing on his feet. I don’t know his name, but holy shit, he was going up and down the stage pretty much the entire time doing crowd surfing. Does anyone know his name? He deserves a medal for crowd surfer of the year. Anyway, one of the coolest moments during Suffocation’s thunderous concert, if not the coolest moment of the entire night, was when Bridget from Stabbing joined the band on stage and made one of the most visceral duos in the history of Death Metal with Ricky, with both growling, barking and roaring like beasts for our total delight. And suffocation kept the momentum going nutil the very last second of their show, leaving us all eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future, and proving once again that singing about death, murder, blood, gore and so on can indeed put a smile on ourfaces, just like what happened last night in Toronto.

Setlist
Catatonia
Seraphim Enslavement
Breeding the Spawn
Dim Veil of Obscurity
Pierced From Within
Funeral Inception
Perpetual Deception
Bind Torture Kill
Hymns From the Apocrypha
Liege of Inveracity
Infecting the Crypts

Band members
Ricky Myers – vocals
Terrance Hobbs – guitars
Charlie Errigo – guitars
Derek Boyer – bass
Eric Morotti – drums

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Concert Review – Wolves In The Throne Room (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 10/04/2023)

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If harsh and cryptic Atmospheric Black Metal runs through your veins, then the city of Toronto was the perfect place for you to be last night.

OPENING ACTS: Hoaxed, Gaerea and Blackbraid

After all the Maidenmania that took over Western Canada last week, the underground called me back last night in Toronto for a wild feast of Atmospheric Black Metal (and some Dark Rock) by HOAXED, GAEREA, BLACKBRAID and WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM during their Crypt Of Ancestral Knowledge North American Tour 2023 at Lee’s Palace, which by the way felt like a true sauna due to the increasing heat during the entire night. Also, I’m glad I had the support of my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography for some amazing shots, because the circle pits were too intense while I was at the same time too tired to brave those. It was a very warm and pleasant night in Toronto, which is why I believe there were so many metalheads at the venue, making it a successful and memorable event for all bands and fans.

However, due to the intense traffic conditions during rush hour, I wasn’t able to arrive in time for the first band of the night, Portland, Oregon-based Dark Rock trio HOAXED, but I only heard good things about their show even though they were the “lightest” band last night, or the only one that doesn’t play any sort of Black Metal. Formed of Kat Keo on vocals and guitars, April on bass, and Kim Coffel on drums, the band released last year the album Two Shadows, and they played several songs from that album as part of their setlist, so if you’re curious to know more about their music simply visit their BandCamp page or Spotify and you’ll be able to stream all of the creations by those three talented girls.

Setlist
The Call
Guilty Ones
For Love
The Knowing
Riders
Dam
High Seas
Candle Master

Band members
Kat Keo – vocals, guitars
April – bass
Kim Coffel – drums 

As I arrived to the venue, everyone was outside having a smoke or getting some not-so-fresh air (as the temperatures in Toronto this beginning of October are hot like summer), a few minutes before one of the two bands I really wanted to see live hit the stage. I’m talking about Portuguese Black Metal entity GAEREA, who put on a breathtaking show blasting our ears and minds with what some people like to call “Cathartic Black Metal”. Having recently released the single Dormant (and sorry about that, but I honestly don’t know if they played it or not), plus of course their 2022 full-length masterpiece Mirage, the band led by the uncanny frontman Guilherme Henriques hypnotized us all during their entire performance, with their new guitarist Sonja Schuringa (known for her work with Dutch Death Metal horde Dictated) bringing an extra touch of energy to their already fiery performance. I’m not sure if I got their setlist right, but it doesn’t really matter as all songs sounded insane live, igniting some sick mosh pits and inspiring Guilherme to keep vociferating like a rabid creature nonstop while showing all his love for Toronto. Everyone at the venue loved their performance, which in my opinion was even better than when they opened for Rotting Christ earlier this year in the city, and we can’t wait for another visit of those bringers of darkness and insanity from Portugal. Hence, don’t forget to stream their cathartic music on BandCamp and on Spotify, supporting one of the most innovative and unique bands of the current extreme music scene.

Setlist
Mantle
Salve
Deluge
Urge
Mirage
Laude

Band members
Guilherme Henriques – vocals
Sonja Schuringa – guitars
Unknown – guitars
Lucas Ferrand – bass
Diogo Mota – drums 

The third attraction of the night was also the one I wanted to see the most, and let’s say they didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, Adirondack Mountains, New York-based Atmospheric Black Metal horde BLACKBRAID simply stole the show last night, turning up the heat inside the venue and igniting the sickest circle pits you can think of. Spearheaded by the multi-talented frontman Sgah’gahsowáh (growling like a beast and armed with his amazing Native American flute), the band delivered a sensational concert for all attendees, blending songs form their 2022 album Blackbraid I with their most recent effort, the stunning Blackbraid II. The first three songs of their set, The Spirit Returns, The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand and Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon, sounded brilliant live, and as I mentioned for Gaerea, Blackbraid were even better last night than when they opened for Dark Funeral and Cattle Decapitation in Toronto back in May. There was a wild ovation to the band after their concert was over, and we could all see how happy all band members were, meaning we’ll see them again in Toronto sooner than we can imagine. In addition, if you know nothing about Blackbraid yet, I highly recommend streaming their two superb albums on BandCamp and on Spotify. you’ll fall in love for their music, no doubt about that.

Setlist
The Spirit Returns
The Wolf That Guides the Hunters Hand
Moss Covered Bones on the Altar of the Moon
A Song of Death on Winds of Dawn
Barefoot Ghost Dance on Blood Soaked Soil

Band members
Sgah’gahsowáh – vocals
Y.E. – guitars
Unknown – guitars
DM – bass
Johnny Violence – drums

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM

It was close to 9:30pm when the main attraction of such atmospheric celebration,  Olympia, Washington’s own Atmospheric Black Metal outfit WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, kicked off their absolutely somber, cryptic and eerie performance, and although they’ve just released a new EP titled Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge they didn’t play any of its songs, starting with a few creations from their previous album Primordial Arcana, from 2021, those being the excellent Mountain Magick and Spirit of Lightning, plus songs from all of their old releases. Nathan Weaver, Kody Keyworth, Galen Baudhuin and Cedar Serpent were on fire throughout their entire set, alternating between very atmospheric, Stygian passages and pure savagery, which of course inspired the crowd to start a few demented circle pits, proving Torontonians like to get into the action even during long, atmospheric songs.

The quartet kept the energy and mystery of their concert flowing smoothly until the very end, when it was already close to 11pm, and the reaction of their fans was also amazing despite the fact that it was getting impossible to remain inside Lee’s Palace due to the rising and brutal heat. As soon as their concert was over I rushed out to avoid traffic as I was still tired from my trip out west, but it was awesome seeing so many metal brothers and sisters at the show, and whenever Wolves in the Throne Room return to Toronto I’ll definitely be there for another blast of their Atmospheric Black Metal. They’re also on BandCamp and on Spotify, of course, and in case you have no idea how their Atmospheric Black Metal sounds, I suggest you listen to some of their albums and get ready for a one-way journey into the pits of the underworld.

Setlist
Mountain Magick
Spirit of Lightning
Eostre
Angrboda
Prayer of Transformation
Vastness and Sorrow
I Will Lay Down My Bones Among the Rocks and Roots

Band members
Nathan Weaver – lead vocals, guitars
Kody Keyworth – guitars, vocals
Galen Baudhuin – bass
Cedar Serpent – drums

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Concert Review – UADA (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/13/2023)

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An atmospheric (and long) night of extreme music spearheaded by the best Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene beautifully darkened the skies of Toronto and the hearts of the metalheads in the city.

OPENING ACTS: A Flock Named Murder, Unreqvited, Cloak and Ghost Bath

There have been countless rock and metal concerts in Toronto since the end of the European summer festivals, and that’s having its toll on the attendance of those concerts as no one has enough time and money to support all those bands when they bring their live performances to the city. That was the case last night when A FLOCK NAMED MURDER, UNREQVITED, CLOAK, GHOST BATH and the mighty UADA took the cozy Lee’s Palace by storm on a night of darkness, blasphemy, deep emotions and truly atmospheric heavy music during their Crepuscule North America 2023. Well, although the show wasn’t even close to be sold out, there were till several brave headbangers at the venue to support those incredible bands, and let’s always keep in mind that we’re talking about the underground of the underground, with zero support from the regular media.

Shortly after the doors at the venue opened at 7pm, Toronto, Ontario-based Black/Death/Post-Metal act A FLOCK NAMED MURDER kicked off the night’s black mass with their short but extremely powerful set, spearheaded by the band’s vocalist and guitarist Ryan Mueller. Having released to date the 2018 album An Appointed Time and the 2022 single Garden of Embers, which I’m pretty sure they played last night (and once again, it’s so hard to keep track of any setlist from almost all underground bands), the quartet put on a solid performance for the crowd, already inspiring some decent headbanging among the attendees. Their music is great and deserves a listen without a shadow of a doubt, and you can do so by visiting their BandCamp page or also by going to Spotify. Needless to say, if they ever play in your city, don’t miss the chance to witness this up-and-coming extreme music horde from Toronto.

Band members
Ryan Mueller – vocals, guitars
Mike Binns – guitars
Mike Wandy – bass
Cam Mueller – drums

Some people (including myself) were a little worried with the number of bands playing last night, as no one knew for sure what time the night was going to end. However, the quality of the music played by all groups was fantastic, which was also the case for the Stygian performance by  Ottawa, Ontario-based Atmospheric Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze/Ambient act UNREQVITED. Although Unreqvited is the solo project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist William Melsness (also known as 鬼, which means “ghost” in Chinese), the band’s live lineup is formed of William alongside guitarist Victor Forest, bassist Robin Parsons and drummer Alec Curren, and let me tell you that those four guys kicked some serious ass on stage, resulting in a very pleasant surprise for anyone who was not familiar with their music. By the way, Victor and Robin had a fantastic onstage performance, mesmerizing the crowd with their somber sounds. I like to say that the type of music played by Unreqvited is a lot more emotional than heavy or obscure, and you can sense all that by enjoying their 2021 album Beautiful Ghosts and their 2022 single Perpetual Green of the Willow Groves, both available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Needless to say, I hope I can see Unreqvited live again sooner than later.

Band members
William Melsness (鬼) – vocals, guitars
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums

It was getting late for a Wednesday night, but who cares? After a quick break it was time for Atlanta, Georgia’s own Black Metal/Black N’ Roll horde CLOAK to bring the energy and fire of their new album Black Flame Eternal to the stage of Lee’s Palace in the most metallic of all concerts of the night. Scott Taysom, Max Brigham, Billy Robinson and Sean Bruneau took no prisoners in their quest for extreme music, blasting our ears with several devilish and frantic tunes including the incendiary Seven Thunders and Black Flame Eternal, inspiring the crowd to raise their horns in the name of evil nonstop, and proving why they’re one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene. Just like what said about the previous bands, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if UADA are visiting your city make sure you get to the show early to catch the pulverizing concert by the guys from Cloak.

Band members
Scott Taysom – vocals, guitars
Max Brigham – guitars
Billy Robinson – bass
Sean Bruneau – drums

I think it was already past 10pm when Minot, North Dakota-based Depressive/Post-Black Metal entity GHOST BATH began their sinister and neck-breaking concert. Still promoting their 2021 album Self Loather, the band led by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Nameless darkened the atmosphere at Lee’s Palace considerably, with their three-guitar attack formed of Nameless together with Tim Church and John Olivier sounding absolutely amazing from start to finish. Apparently they had a few minor sound issues in the beginning of their performance, which might explain the delay in their concert to start, but nothing that would bring any harm their onstage blackened party. All of their albums, including of course their latest offering, are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, so do not waste a single second and go check their insane creations, getting ready to praise darkness and melancholy whenever Ghost Bath invade your damned city.

Band members
Nameless – vocals, guitars
Tim Church – guitars
John Olivier – guitars
Josh Jaye – bass
Chris Piette – drums

UADA

What happens when a concert that was supposed to have started at 10:45pm, which is already late, has a 40-minute delay? Exactly, people start to get back to their homes because of several reasons like catching the last subway or train home, or having to wake up really early to work or go to school. That was basically the main issue with the flawless and beyond atmospheric performance by Portland, Oregon-based Melodic Black Metal titans UADA, resulting in some gaps in the floor section that didn’t look nice, but that didn’t change the fact UADA were fantastic on stage either. Having released their new masterpiece Crepuscule Natura just the Friday before the concert, such uncanny horde formed of vocalist and guitarist Jake Superchi, guitarist Kevin Bedra, bassist Nate Verschoor and drummer Trevor McClain was on absolute fire from start to finish, making everyone who could stay until the very end of their concert extremely happy and satisfied.

The smoke, the dim lights, and the band’s dark and menacing outfits that make it impossible to see their faces (plus of course the incense and the stunning setup of their merch table) are crucial elements of their live performances, and although photographers like my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography don’t really like that type of ambience as it gets tough to take clear photos, in the end everything works perfectly and has a reason to be there. From the very first notes of the explosive The Purging Fire, UADA already showed everything they got and their deep passion for dark music. After such hypnotizing start, they had a microphone issue during Snakes & Vultures that seemed to have driven Jake a little upset (which is totally understandable), but the crowd knew it wasn’t the band’s fault at all and enjoyed the song to the fullest even with that minor incident.

The title-track to their 2020 album, the breathtaking Djinn, might be my favorite UADA song to date, and seeing it being played live again (after seeing them opening for Rotting Christ earlier this year) was a thing of beauty, this time sounding and feeling even more powerful, followed by the also imposing and multi-layered In the Absence of Matter. However, it was when they played their two new songs The Dark (Winter) and Retraversing the Void that things got even more majestic, with the quartet playing those songs to perfection and inspiring everyone at the venue to bang their heads nonstop together with them, just to show how powerful their new album is. And finally, closing their cryptic performance they offered our avid ears their already classics Cult of a Dying Sun and Black Autumn, White Spring, putting an epic finale to a night that was extremely long, but at the same time extremely enjoyable. I can’t wait to see UADA again live, hopefully not so late at night due to my other commitments, but to be honest, who cares? Seeing what’s in my humble opinion the best and most innovative band of the current Melodic Black Metal scene kicking ass on stage is worth the effort, and may those mysterious guys return to Toronto for another metallic assault sooner than we can say “UADA”!

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Snakes & Vultures
Djinn
In the Absence of Matter
The Dark (Winter)
Retraversing the Void
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kevin Bedra – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Trevor McClain – drums

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Concert Review – Wacken Metal Battle Canada Final (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/13/2023)

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Wacken Metal Battle Canada returned in full force in 2023, leading to an unforgettable night of ass-kicking underground music at Lee’s Palace this Saturday.

INTRODUCTION: THE RETURN OF WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA

What a night of first-class underground heavy music in Toronto, my friends! On pause since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wacken Metal Battle Canada finally returned from the ashes like a phoenix screaming for vengeance in 2023, and after over 60 bands participating in the regional rounds for the past few months in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City (and you can always review the rules for participation HERE), it was time this Saturday at Lee’s Palace for the 2023 edition of the Wacken Metal Battle Canada Final with the bands EATEN BY SHARKS, NECHT and STRIGAMPIRE, battling for a spot in the most admired metal festival in the world, the one and only Wacken Open Air in Germany, this summer.

Also featuring guest openers KORROSIVE and guest headliners WHIPLASH, the night was indeed a celebration of underground metal, with guest judges Pedro Almeida (A&P Reacts),  Antonio Almeida (A&P Reacts), Noel Peters (Inertia Entertainment), Tim Henderson (BraveWords), Thorsteinn Kolbeinsson (Wacken Metal Battle Iceland), Sarah Lutz (Looters), Kevin Michaud (Front Row Promotions), Luc Laine (CFLX 95.5 FM – Alerte Metallique), Rae Chatten (Rock’n Roam, Live Nation), Mark Tremblay (Metal on Metal Podcast) and JJ Tartaglia (Wacken Metal Battle Canada) having a lot of “trouble” to decide which one of the three amazing bands that played should head to Wacken and represent Canada in the holy land of metal music.

KORROSIVE (guest openers)

Before the crowd had the pleasure of witnessing the performances by the three finalists, Toronto-based Thrash Metal outfit KORROSIVE hit the stage to properly warm up everyone with their frantic, caustic and insane thrashing music. Having released the excellent album Toxic Apokalypse in 2022, the band formed of frontman Rad Zarei, guitarists Derek Solomos and Jack Neila, bassist Carlos Rodriguez and drummer Kaveh Afshar kicked some serious ass on stage, already inspiring everyone at the venue to ignite some sick mosh pits, until their grand finale with a pulverizing cover version for Venom’s all-time classic Black Metal. I highly recommend you go after their material on Spotify and on BandCamp if you’ve never heard of those guys, because they definitely know how to thrash in great fashion.

Band members
Rad Zarei – vocals
Derek Solomos – guitar
Jack Neila – guitar
Carlos Rodriguez – bass
Kaveh Afshar – drums

STRIGAMPIRE

After a short break it was then time for the first contender of the night, Trois-Rivières, Quebec-based Melodic Black Metal horde STRIGAMPIRE, to show everything they got and, who knows, win the desired Canadian spot at Wacken Open Air this year. Having released their last album in 2018, titled One Fix, Nine Clouds & Six Feet Deep (which means we urgently need a new album by those guys), the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Steve De Cotret delivered an incendiary performance, with pentagrams all over the stage and with Steve running around the venue, screaming in the faces of some of the attendees and so on, putting his heart and soul into his vocals. It was an insane show full of energy and darkness, and if you enjoy the more modern version of Black Metal from the Quebec scene, you should listen to all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Steve De Cotret – vocals
Johnny Dead – guitars
William Tousignant – guitars
BadGuy P. – bass
Yannick Laplante – drums 

EATEN BY SHARKS

Right after Strigampire finished their sulfurous show, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore entity EATEN BY SHARKS hit the stage for another infernal performance, playing several songs from their 2022 album Eradication including Shallow Water, Kill and Consume, Same Face, Different Mask and Apex Predator. Their frontman Matt Sherriff was absolutely enraged on vocals while his bandmates sounded as heavy as hell throughout their entire set, receiving a very positive feedback from the crowd. They’re definitely another band I’ll be listening to on a regular basis so awesome their tech death is, and if you also love to slam into the circle pit while listening to high quality metal music you should let such demented shark bite your ears on Spotify and on BandCamp.

Band members
Matt Sherriff – vocals
Chris Chaperon – lead guitars
Dan Oko – rhythm guitars
Tyler Abrams – bass
Justin Whitehead – drums 

NECHT

The last of the finalists to perform on Saturday was undoubtedly the most mysterious and atmospheric band of the night, bringing blasphemy and sulfur to Lee’s Palace with their “grim, martial and epic black metal conducted in the name of Our Father, B’ahn, the Ceaseless Warrior,” according to the band itself. I’m talking about Calgary, Alberta-based Ritualistic Black Metal entity NECHT, who put on a solid and entertaining performance for everyone at the venue. Armed with his spear and shield, vocalist Maharg led his horde of uncanny musicians (all wearing some sort of BDSM/Hellraiser-inspired masks) while roaring in the name of evil nonstop, even “baptizing” some of the concert goers with some sort of devilish black paint. Necht are about to release their debut full-length opus anytime soon, but if you can’t wait for that and want to have a good taste of how Stygian their music is, there’s one track already available on BandCamp. GLORY TO THE SUN!

Band members
Maharg – vocals
Zhargor – guitars, bass, backing vocals*
Vlasfimos – drums

*There was actually a fourth member of the band on stage, but I have no idea who he is, nor if he was the guitarist or the bassist.

WHIPLASH (guest headliners)

Before the winner of the 2023 Canadian Wacken Metal Battle was announced, we had the pleasure of witnessing one of the legends of underground Thrash and Speed Metal as the guest headliners of such fun night. I’m talking about Passaic, New Jersey-based Thrash/Speed Metal beast WHIPLASH, spearheaded by the iconic Tony Portaro on vocals and guitars. What an insane performance by the trio, playing tons of amazing underground classics from their almost 40 years of career the likes of Spit on Your Grave, Walk the Plank, Insult to Injury and the demolishing Power Thrashing Death. The mosh pits kept moving fast while Tony barked nonstop on stage (only stopping to have a sip of his beer), with their punk-ish and hardcore attitude showing all the kids present at the venue what old school Thrash Metal is all about. I doubt you know nothing about those guys, but just in case you’re from a different planet you can find all of their frantic creations on Spotify.

Band members
Tony Portaro – vocals, guitars
Dank DeLong – bass
Ron Lipnicki – drums

AND THE WINNER IS…

Well, first of all I want to thank my friend Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for letting us participate in such important event to the Canadian underground scene, Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography for the amazing band shots (except for Whiplash as he had to leave due to a personal matter, so I had to upload my shitty phone photos of the band to the review), and all media partners (Bravewords, Metal-Rules, Absolute Underground, BrokenNeckRadio, V13, Metal Devastation Radio, and internationally syndicated DJ Rich Embury) and promoters (Boonsdale Records, Dungeonworks Productions, The Invisible Orange, Big Nate Productions and ConcertWorks) for believing in Canadian metal.

Back to the music, the winner of such incredible night were the guys from STRIGAMPIRE, who will represent Canada at Wacken Open Air this year! One band to rule them all, right? Congratulations, you guys kicked some serious ass on Saturday! And if you want to know more about the entire event, all previous rounds and so on, you can go to the official Facebook page of Metal Battle Canada for everything regarding the initiative. Good luck to Strigampire at Wacken, although they honestly don’t need luck because they’re amazing and very professional musicians more than ready to rock the holy land of metal in Germany and show everyone in Europe the fury of Canadian Black Metal, and hopefully we’ll have more amazing metal battles in Canada next year with top-of-the-line bands such as Eaten by Sharks, Strigampire and Necht.

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Concert Review – Khemmis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/02/2023)

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Not even a cold and rainy night could stop the metalheads in Toronto from enjoying another fantastic feast of underground heaviness and doom.

OPENING ACTS: Wake and Conjurer

Despite the bad weather that’s been hitting Toronto for days with nonstop rain and colder-than-expected temperatures, the cozy Lee’s Palace received an awesome number of fans this Tuesday night for the Deceiver North America MMXXIII Tour, featuring the bands WAKE, CONJURER and KHEMMIS, on another fantastic event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. One of the concert goers was Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who took care of the amazing pictures from this review, and as you can see based on the photos taken it was indeed an incendiary night of underground Black, Doom, Death and Sludge Metal in the city, courtesy of three of the most interesting bands you can find out there.

The first band to hit the stage was Calgary, Alberta-based Black/Death Metal act WAKE, and it was an unforgettable experience for all fans at an already packed venue. Still promoting their 2022 album Thought Form Descent, those five Canadian metallers delivered an electrifying performance to the crowd, with their intense sound and powerful vocals inspiring everyone for some good headbanging throughout the entire set. The lighting and sound were on point, adding to the overall atmosphere of the show. Playing a mix of old and new songs that had the crowd singing along, Wake’s performance was flawless, not to mention the venue itself was perfect for the show, with a great layout and plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the music. Overall, it was an amazing display of heavy music and great vibes, and if you get the chance to see Wake live, don’t miss it!

Setlist
Infinite Inward
This Abyssal Plain
Swallow the Light
Venerate (The Undoing of All)

Band members
Kyle Ball – vocals
Arjun Gill – guitars
Rob LaChance – guitars
Ryan Kennedy – bass
Josh Bueckert – drums

Right after Wake, it was time for UK’s Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal outfit CONJURER to deliver a solid performance that was nothing short of electrifying, having the crowd fully engaged form start to finish. Mixing some of their old songs with newer ones from their 2022 opus Páthos, the band formed of Dan Nightingale, Brady Deeprose, Conor Marshall and Noah See showcased all their versatility and growth as musicians, hammering the heads of each and every person at Lee’s Palace with their sluggish, heavy-as-hell sounds. Kudos to the venue for another excellent lighting, adding an extra layer of intensity to Conjurer’s performance, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss their show in your city if Sludge Metal is your cup of tea. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see them perform again in Toronto.

Setlist
It Dwells
Scorn
Choke
Hollow
Suffer Alone
Retch
Cracks in the Pyre
Hadal

Band members
Dan Nightingale – guitars, vocals
Brady Deeprose – guitars, vocals
Conor Marshall – bass
Noah See – drums

KHEMMIS

After opening for Opeth and Mastodon in the beginning of 2022, and also for Trivium close to the end of the year, Denver, Colorado’s own Doom Metal entity KHEMMIS returned to Toronto now in 2023, this time as the headliners, for another lesson in doom. Having recently launched a two-track EP titled Where the Cold Wind Blows, Khemmis kicked some ass from start to finish, opening their set with the excellent Avernal Gate, followed by one of the songs form their new EP, the also amazing Sigil. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the quartet continued their electrifying set until the very end, closing their performance with the thrilling song A Conversation with Death.

The crowd at Lee’s Palace was obviously headbanging along with the music, and Khemmis fed off of their energy, delivering an even more powerful and intense performance than expected. Overall, it was an incredible night of heavy music at Lee’s Palace spearheaded by those American metallers, who proved once again why they are one of the most exciting bands in the genre today and why they keep coming back to Toronto (either as an opening act or as the main attraction) so often. Well, as a matter of fact, Khemmis mentioned during their performance that Toronto has the most underrated food in the world, saying that every single time they come to the city to play a concert they have the tastiest food in the world. In other words, they love Toronto from the bottom of their blackened hearts not only because we’re the best metalheads in the world, but also because they know that they never have to play with an empty stomach in the city. It’s like a win-win situation where they get fed with first-class food, while we get fed with first-class music, right?

Setlist
Avernal Gate
Sigil
Candlelight
Bloodletting
Three Gates
House of Cadmus
Above the Water
The Bereaved
A Conversation with Death

Band members
Ben – vocals, guitars
Phil – vocals, guitars
David Small – bass
Zach – drums

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Concert Review – Rotting Christ (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 03/05/2023)

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And the city of Toronto became part of a global cult of melodic and ritualistic Black Metal thanks to the undisputed music by the almighty Rotting Christ. 

OPENING ACTS: Gaerea, UADA and Carach Angren

I must confess I was a little worried about what would happen to the GAEREA, UADA, CARACH ANGREN and ROTTING CHRIST concert at Lee’s Palace in Toronto last night, as part of their amazing Under Our Black Cult North American Tour 2023, mainly due to the shitty weather that has been punishing the United States and Canada in the past month or so. If you go to Gaerea’s official Facebook page, you’ll see they had to miss a few concerts in the US due to the nasty weather conditions, and after the heavy snow storm that hit Toronto this Friday I wasn’t sure if the concert was actually going to happen. Fortunately for all of us Torontonians who headed to a sold-out Lee’s Palace last night the weather was perfect for this time of the year (it wasn’t even that cold), and not only the four bands played, but they all kicked some serious ass.

My only complaint is once again related to the time the doors opened, already after 7pm, and the time Portuguese Black Metal entity GAEREA hit the stage, at 7:30pm sharp. This means a lot of people who were still lining up outside of the venue until around 7:40pm missed the first few minutes from Gaerea’s performance. Why can’t the venues open their doors at least one hour prior to the first band, and come up with a faster way to check ID’s and tickets so that fans can enjoy all bands they paid some good money to see? Anyway, Gaerea were phenomenal during their short but powerful concert, playing only songs from their 2022 opus Mirage such as Salve and Laude while their mysterious frontman kept mesmerizing us all with a unique performance that reminded me of a darkened mix of Iggy Pop and Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan. It was a dark, atmospheric and evil performance by the quintet, and I can’t wait to see them return to Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Intro
Deluge
Salve
Mirage
Urge
Laude
Outro

Band members
*Information not available*

After a very quick break, it was time for American Melodic Black Metal horde UADA to pulverize our damned souls with one of the most atmospheric concerts I’ve seen in a while, playing long, intricate and visceral songs the likes of the title-track from their 2020 opus Djinn, plus The Purging Fire and Cult of a Dying Sun, with the strong smell of incense from the beginning of the show generating a captivating ambience for all fans at the venue. Jake Superchi was insane on vocals and guitar, headbanging manically while also growling like a beast for our total delight, while his band members, particularly drummer Josh Lovejoy, kept the music flowing majestically until the very last second. UADA are already gearing up for their first South American tour this October, which not only  means those guys are becoming bigger and bigger in the metal scene, but also that if you live in one of the South American cities they’re visiting in a few months you can rest assured you’re in for a fantastic treat.

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Djinn
Snakes & Vultures
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, guitars
James Sloan – guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Josh Lovejoy – drums

The third opening act of the night, Dutch Symphonic Black Metal demons CARACH ANGREN, also brought forth an ass-kicking concert, perhaps not as detailed or melodic as Gaerea or UADA, but full of energy and absolutely phantasmagorical. Blending songs from all of their albums with their latest opus Franckensteina Strataemontanus, from 2020, the duo Seregor (aka Dennis Droomers, who’s by the way in a relationship with the stunning Sandie Gjørtz, the frontwoman for Danish Melodic Death Metal outfit Defacing God) and Ardek (aka Clemens Wijers), with the support of the butcher Bastiaan Boh on the guitars and Gabe Seeber on drums, delivered a very theatrical concert for the crowd in Toronto, inspiring the fans to ignite some circle pits and even a wall of death with their devilish music. The only thing that bothered me a lot was the lack of a bassist while Ardek had two keyboards, but as weird as it might look the band has a lot of chemistry onstage and you end up forgetting about that minor detail right after the first song.

Setlist
Electronic Voice Phenomena
The Ghost of Raynham Hall
The Carriage Wheel Murder
The Necromancer
Bitte Tötet Mich
Operation Compass
Franckensteina Strataemontanus
A Strange Presence Near the Woods
Monster
Bloodstains on the Captain’s Log

Band members
Seregor – vocals, guitars
Ardek – keyboards, piano, orchestrations, backing vocals
Bastiaan Boh – guitars
Gabe Seeber – drums

ROTING CHRIST

It was around 10:20pm when the main attraction of the night, Greek Black Metal institution ROTTING CHRIST, showed Toronto once again why they’re one of the most important names in the history of extreme music, and will always be a reference to any metalhead who’s into the darkest side of metal. It’s beyond impressive how the iconic Mr. Sakis Tolis and his brother Themis Tolis are still so energetic on stage after so many decades on the road, hypnotizing the crowd and making every single one of their concerts simply memorable. In addition, I need to mention bassist Kostas Heliotis and guitarist Kostis Foukarakis also added their share of heaviness and electricity to the show, headbanging nonstop, interacting with the fans, and of course, playing all songs to perfection.

I was finally able to witness the guys playing songs form their awesome 2019 album The Herectics live, those being Fire, God and Fear and The Raven, and both were superb. However, their classics including the opening tune 666, Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy, Elthe Kyrie, In Yumen-Xibalba and Noctis Era were the most electrifying moments of the show as expected, generating intense, unstoppable mosh pits for the delight of everyone who decided to brave the storm that became the main pit. And how not to love Rotting Christ when they worship our buddy Satan by playing on the same night the songs Apage Satana, Societas Satanas, and the majestic Grandis Spiritus Diavolos? That was superb, and the energy flowing between the band and the crowd was insane.

Whenever the mighty Rotting Christ takes the city of Toronto by storm again, I’ll certainly be there. It’s one of those must-see shows by a band that loves what they do and that loves to witness their fans going mental during their live performances. The temperature inside Lee’s Palace was so hot that some people had to wait after the show was over for their shirts to dry from all their sweat before enduring another cold winter night in Toronto, but after all was said and done everything was totally worth it. Sakis is an unstoppable metal beast, the city of Toronto loves him, and hopefully next time he’s in the city with his horde they can play in front of an even bigger crowd. And until that day comes, we should all keep these words deep inside our herectic hearts… NON SERVIAM!

Setlist
666
Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Fire, God and Fear
Dub-sag-ta-ke
Apage Satana
Elthe Kyrie
Demonon Vrosis
Societas Satanas
Non Serviam
In Yumen-Xibalba
Grandis Spiritus Diavolos
The Raven

Encore:
Noctis Era

Band members
Sakis Tolis – vocals, guitars
Kostis Foukarakis – guitars, backing vocals
Kostas Heliotis – bass, backing vocals
Themis Tolis – drums

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