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Album Review – Deteriorot / Awakening (2025)

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Standing shoulder to shoulder with early Death Metal legends, this old school American horde returns with their pulverizing fourth studio album.

Formed from the ashes of Mortuary in 1989 in New Jersey, the legendary American Death Metal brigade known as Deteriorot returns with their highly anticipated fourth studio offering, titled Awakening. Standing shoulder to shoulder with early Death Metal legends the likes of Immolation, Incantation, and Mortician, carving their place in underground history with a sound that merges the suffocating atmosphere of early Finnish and UK Death Metal with the brutality of the Swedish scene and the raw, uncompromising intensity of their New Jersey roots, the band formed of Paul Zavaleta on vocals and guitars, Arthur Reid also on the guitars, Travis Meredith on bass, and James Goetz on drums is on absolute fire throughout their entire new album, a worthy follow-up to their 2023 beast The Rebirth.

The dark and sinister intro Awakening, led by the Stygian bass by Travis, warms us up for The Flame, a primeval, gruesome display of Death Metal by the band with Paul vomiting the song’s words like a rabid beast; and the crushing, pounding drums by James walk hand in hand with the scathing riffs by Paul and Arthur in In Battle to Survive, a headbanging monster that will please all fans of the genre. The band’s ruthless guitar duo continues to spread darkness and hatred through their axes in Horrors in an Everlasting Nightmare, sounding as evil as it can be, whereas their hammering sounds will keep smashing our cranial skulls in A Ghost in the Mirror, with Paul once again vociferating rabidly for our total delight, with the final inhumane solo by Paul adding even more electricity to the song. And Deliver Us from Fiction is simply perfect for slamming into the pit in a demented way, sounding fast, heavy and absolutely aggressive. Needless to say, it will work majestically live.

Then a beyond phantasmagorical start gradually evolves into a visceral display of prehistorical Death Metal entitled Haunting Images from a Past Life, with James hammering his drums mercilessly, and the band then demolishes our senses with sheer savagery in the form of Programmed by Fear, alternating between Blackened Doom moments and classic, no shenanigans Death Metal. There’s no sign of peace or love in the album, and of course Winter Moon sounds as brutal as it is obscure, showcasing another excellent axe attack by Paul and Arthur. It’s also impressive how they managed to add so much doom to their core Death Metal like in In Silence, with James taking the lead with his grim beats, followed by The Spirit, the shortest of all songs and also the most violent, pulverizing everything and everyone that crosses their path, with Paul’s roars sending shivers down our spines before all comes to an end with the cadaverous outro To Sleep.

Deteriorot are definitely not fooling around when it comes to craft old school, visceral Death Metal, and the quality of the music found in Awakening is proof of their passion for the extreme and unrelenting hard work. Hence, you can find those American marauders on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their demolishing live performances, stream their demented creations on Spotify or any other streaming platform, and grab a copy of their wicked new album from the Xtreem Music’s BandCamp. After their “rebirth” and their “awakening” in recent years, it’s time for Deteriorot to rise back to the top of the classic American Death Metal mountain, staying strong and ruthless just the way we like it, and leaving us eager for more of their music in the near future.

Best moments of the album: In Battle to Survive, Deliver Us from Fiction and The Spirit.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Xtreem Music

Track listing
1. Awakening 1:24
2. The Flame 4:11
3. In Battle to Survive 3:35
4. Horrors in an Everlasting Nightmare 3:46
5. A Ghost in the Mirror 3:33
6. Deliver Us from Fiction 3:57
7. Haunting Images from a Past Life 2:32
8. Programmed by Fear 3:52
9. Winter Moon 3:25
10. In Silence 4:04
11. The Spirit 1:55
12. To Sleep 0:33

Band members
Paul Zavaleta – vocals, guitars
Arthur Reid – rhythm guitars
Travis Meredith – bass
James Goetz – drums

Album Review – Lorna Shore / I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me (2025)

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Call them heroes or hell-bringers, the torchbearers of modern-day Deathcore are inviting us all to be part of their own movie to the sound of their the declarative and breathtaking fifth album.

Call them heroes or hell-bringers, it doesn’t matter to the  men of New Jersey, United States-based Symphonic Deathcore beast Lorna Shore. Produced and engineered by Josh Schroeder, and displaying a sinister artwork by Zac Shiffer, I Feel The Everblack Festering Within Me, the declarative fifth album in their career, and the follow-up to their 2022 masterpiece Pain Remains, sees the band currently formed of Will Ramos on vocals, Adam De Micco and Andrew O’Connor on the guitars, Michael Yager on bass, and Austin Archey on drums putting all of metal’s subgenres on notice. Because after one listen, you’ll wonder what motivates them and what took metal so long to evolve. You also might wonder whose truck may have hit you while you were listening to the album.

Like the soundtrack to a horror movie, the opening track Prison of Flesh grows in intensity until all hell breaks loose to the visceral beats and fills by Austin in a demented display of brutal and vile Deathcore, while Oblivion follows a similar pattern, with Will’s deep, inhumane growls and screeches sounding like a creature form the abyss, being therefore perfect for some insane action inside the circle pit to the wicked riffs by Adam and Andrew. In the infuriated In Darkness, the background orchestrations and choir elevate the song’s epicness to a whole new level, with once again Will growling manically while the sound of their guitars exhales harmony and electricity; and they continue to fill every single space in the air with their striking fusion of Deathcore and symphonic elements in Unbreakable, leaning towards the sound from Pain Remains. Then a serene start ignites Glenwood, another epic and atmospheric creation by the band overflowing melancholy and darkness, albeit a bit generic in the end.

Will keeps roaring like a true lion in Lionheart, where Austin makes sure his beats and fills are not only heavy-as-hell, but also complex enough to keep the music as vibrant and fresh as possible, followed by Death Can Take Me, another pulverizing display of Symphonic Deathcore where the crushing drums by Austin walk hand in hand with Will’s desperate screams. Then presenting elements from traditional metal styles like Heavy and Thrash Metal we have War Machine, with its background keys elevating its punch, not to mention the excellent job done by Adam and Andrew armed with their axes. Their second to last metallic attack is offered in the form of A Nameless Hymn, with Michael and Austin sounding ruthless with their heavy-as-hell kitchen; and last but definitely not least, Lorna Shore bring forth a masterpiece of darkness entitled Forevermore, starting in an almost Atmospheric Black Metal manner before morphing into a grandiose feast of symphonic elements intertwined with the sheer heaviness of Deathcore, or in other words, it’s definitely a beautiful conclusion to such an epic album.

Lorna Shore are neither dire misery goats, nor flower-picking pollyannas and definitely not lapdogs currying favor from those who would exalt the ordinary, inviting us all to embrace I Feel The Everblack Festering Inside Of Me and, therefore, become part of the band’s own movie. “I think a lot of bands – especially in deathcore – they write stuff that they think is cool, but they’re not necessarily writing stuff that’s true to them,” commented Will Ramos. “I think between everything that we’ve been through over the last couple years, those things have helped push the band to think bigger. We’re putting our heart and soul into it. I think it’s those little experiences that we’ve been through that help shape that. It doesn’t necessarily work for everybody, but it works for us.” Furthermore, you can get in touch with one of the torchbearers of modern-day Deathcore via Facebook and Instagram, stream their vicious, down-tempo creations on Spotify, and of course grab your copy of the poetically titled I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me by clicking HERE or HERE. When heroes are hard to find, try looking inside yourself first. and when good heavy music is hard to find, simply enjoy the phenomenal new album by Lorna Shore.

Best moments of the album: Prison of Flesh, Unbreakable, Lionheart and Forevermore.

Worst moments of the album: Glenwood.

Released in 2025 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Prison of Flesh 7:00
2. Oblivion 8:19
3. In Darkness 6:43
4. Unbreakable 4:49
5. Glenwood 6:43
6. Lionheart 5:44
7. Death Can Take Me 7:16
8. War Machine 4:53
9. A Nameless Hymn 5:14
10. Forevermore 9:47

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

Concert Review – Symphony X (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 05/24/2024)

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The city of Toronto had the pleasure of witnessing one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year this Friday night, courtesy of two old school bands who nurture a deep passion for heavy music.

OPENING ACT: Heathen

Friday was not only one of the best days of the year in terms of weather, but the city of Toronto also had the utmost pleasure of hosting one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year thanks to the stellar performance by HEATHEN and SYMPHONY X during their North American Tour 2024 at the cozy, well-located and pretty much sold out The Opera House, and I’m pretty sure all fans who were at the venue had a relaxing morning the day after with huge smiles on their faces as both bands kicked some serious ass on stage. My buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi also had a great time taking his amazing shots during the entire night, as the lighting was near perfect and there was no smoke to “disturb” his practice, which was also great for the crowd as we could perfectly witness the superb performances by each and every musician from both bands on stage, shredding their instruments with their beyond refined techniques and an absolute passion for heavy music.

The opening band, or maybe I should say the more-than-special guests, were San Francisco, California-based Technical Speed/Thrash Metal veterans HEATHEN, who were insanely heavy and flawless on stage during their breathtaking performance, properly warming up all fans for the main attraction of the night. Those guys are so good in what they do to the point that you could close your eyes and it would feel like you were listening to the studio versions of their songs, just to illustrate how precise all band members were in Toronto. I dare to say the most excited of all musicians was definitely Kitchener, Ontario’s own Kyle Edissi (vocalist and guitarist for Canadian Melodic Thrash Metal band Invicta, who has been playing live with Heathen since 2022), as it was his first time ever playing at a venue he had already been to countless times as a regular fan to see some of his favorite bands. It was a dream come true for him, no doubt about that, helping his bandmates David R. White (what a voice, my friends!), Kragen Lum, Jason Mirza and Ryan Idris hammer our heads with infuriated songs the likes of Opiate of the Masses, The Blight and Breaking the Silence. I only wish there were a few mosh pits to make things even more fun, but the show was simply awesome and I highly recommend you go see Heathen live if you haven’t done so already in your life.

Setlist
Rock Bottom (UFO song)
Intro
Dying Season
Opiate of the Masses
Empire of the Blind
The Blight
Breaking the Silence
Hypnotized

Band members
David R. White – vocals
Kragen Lum – guitars
Kyle Edissi – guitars
Jason Mirza – bass
Ryan Idris – drums

SYMPHONY X

After a short and sweet break, the band everyone was waiting for hit the stage for one of the most tight and precise performances of the year for the delight of all concert goers. I’m talking about Middletown, New Jersey’s Progressive Power Metal institution SYMPHONY X, and let me tell you that the band formed of the iconic Russell Allen on vocals, Michael Romeo on the guitars, Mike LePond on bass, Michael Pinnella on the keyboards and Jason Rullo on drums redefined the meaning of “perfection” at The Opera House this Friday. What a sensational show by those veterans, who by the way sounded like they were in their early twenties in terms of energy and onstage presence, proving once again how heavy music can keep us a lot younger for a much longer time, right?

Although those guys haven’t released anything new since their excellent 2015 album Underworld, their entire setlist felt very modern and fresh, with songs like Serpent’s Kiss, To Hell and Back and Evolution (The Grand Design) driving their fans wild to the point we got some sick mosh pits in the middle of the floor section, something that made Mr. Russell Allen and his crew very happy and entertained. I guess they weren’t expecting that level of action during a Progressive Metal concert. And speaking about Russell, the man was on fire throughout their entire set, not only delivering his trademark, stunning vocal lines, but also dancing nonstop, having a few beers and interacting more than any other metal vocalist in the world with each and every fan at the venue, an amazing way of Russell and the band to say how much they love their fanbase. Needless to say, when the band hit the encore with the classics Paradise Lost, Run With the Devil and Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies), it was pure madness, leaving everyone eager for more Symphony X in the city in the near future. Well, they said they’re (finally) working on new material after almost a decade, so I guess we can expect to see them embellishing the Torontonian airwaves again really soon with another majestic live concert.

Setlist
Iconoclast
Nevermore
Inferno (Unleash the Fire)
Serpent’s Kiss
Without You
To Hell and Back
Dehumanized
Evolution (The Grand Design)
Sea of Lies

Encore:
Keyboard Solo
Paradise Lost
Run With the Devil
Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies)
The Throne Room (John Williams song)

Band members
Russell Allen – vocals
Michael Romeo – guitars
Mike LePond – bass
Michael Pinnella – keyboards
Jason Rullo – drums

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Concert Review – Judas Priest (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, 04/19/2024)

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The one and only Metal Gods raised the invincible shield in Newark this Friday night in a celebration of pure Heavy Metal magic.

OPENING ACT: Sabaton

Exactly 546 days after seeing Iron Maiden at Prudential Centre, I had the utmost pleasure of visiting the city of Newark, New Jersey again this past Friday to see one of the other pillars of my personal “metal triumvirate”, the almighty Heavy Metal institution JUDAS PRIEST (by the way, the other pillars are the aforementioned Iron Maiden, and Slayer, in case you’re curious about that), supported by the good SABATON, during their undisputed, visceral and absolutely hypnotizing Invincible Shield Tour USA 2024. And just like what happened in 2022, I met with one of my good friends from the IMFC before the show at Bello’s Pub & Grill for some quality chat and drinks. Well, that’s becoming a tradition for me, so maybe next it will be Slayer there?

Anyway, after getting to the venue and grabbing some merch (and let me tell you, the Metal Gods are offering some amazing shirts this tour), we got to our seats to enjoy the warlike performance by Falun, Dalarna, Sweden’s own Power Metal brigade SABATON as the more-than-special openers of the night. Although I’m not a huge fan of their music, I must admit they sound amazing live, and Friday night in Newark was no exception to that. Spearheaded by the charismatic frontman Joakim Brodén, Sabaton killed it with a solid and very entertaining show, each song having its own special war-inspired background story, with their setlist encompassing songs from their 2022 album The Symphony to End All Wars, like Stormtroopers and Soldier of Heaven, plus some classic bangers such as Shiroyama (my favorite of their setlist) and To Hell and Back. Everyone who was already at the venue loved their show, and I bet Sabaton will return to Newark soon headlining their own tour based on the warm reaction from all concert goes this Friday night.

Setlist
The March to War
Ghost Division
The Last Stand
Swedish Pagans
The Red Baron
Bismarck
Stormtroopers
Carolus Rex (Swedish)
Shiroyama
The Attack of the Dead Men
Primo Victoria
Soldier of Heaven
To Hell and Back
Dead Soldier’s Waltz

Band members
Joakim Brodén – lead vocals, keyboards
Thobbe Englund – guitars, backing vocals
Chris Rörland – guitars, backing vocals
Pär Sundström – bass, backing vocals
Hannes Van Dahl – drums, backing vocals 

JUDAS PRIEST

It was only 9pm when the main attraction of the night, my beloved, unparalleled, undisputed Metal Gods JUDAS PRIEST took the city of Newark by storm with one of the most metallic, headbanging and intense concerts I’ve ever witnessed. I’m not kidding, it was one hour and forty five minutes of nonstop Heavy Metal magic, courtesy of Rob Halford, Richie Faulkner, Andy Sneap, Ian Hill and Scott Travis, who was by the way phenomenal on drums as usual, taking their heaviness and power to a whole new level Friday night. From the moment the giant banner with the Invincible Shield tour “poem” went up, plus the awesome Invincible Shield tour anthem, until the very last second of the show, it was pure heavy music for the delight of a jam packed Prudential Centre, proving the Metal Gods still got it and that “they’re gonna rock us all ’til our metal hunger’s fed” (if you know what I mean, of course).

Having recently released the majestic opus Invincible Shield, the Metal Gods delivered an ass-kicking mix of timeless classics the likes of Rapid Fire, Love Bites and Sinner, with the brand new songs (which by the way sound like classics too) Panic Attack, Crown of Horns, and my favorite song of the night, the title-track Invincible Shield. Moreover, let’s say that the 72-year old Metal God Rob Halford didn’t want to waste too much time talking, focusing on a stellar vocal performance that made me (and most concert goers) wonder if he’s actually 72, because he sounded decades younger when blasting his soaring, high-pitched vocal lines. Seriously, Halford was flawless, sensational, and so on, making it hard to describe his performance in just a few words. Hence, don’t miss the chance to see him kicking some serious ass on stage this tour, as it’s worth every penny.

One thing I gotta say about the fact that the floor section had seats instead of general admission is that, if you’re going to have seats, make sure people will respect their seats. The crowd was simply rowdy and wild during the entire concert, no one was respecting the seating map, people were standing anywhere they wanted, beer was flying all over people, security was absolutely useless, plus a few minor incidents. That’s why I hate seats. Why not giving everyone the pleasure of standing wherever they want, instead of charging high prices for upfront tickets if no one was going to obey that, right? It was the purest form of “breaking the law, breaking the law” you can think of, so maybe next time in places like Newark the band could avoid offering the seated floor section and just let the crowd go wild.

Anyway, back to the concert, after the band smashed our damned souls with the pulverizing Painkiller, where once again Scott Travis sounded monstrous, I was really hoping for Glenn Tipton to show up during the encore for a couple of songs, which unfortunately didn’t happen. Well, if Glenn was not feeling well enough to do so, that’s more than fine, as long as one of the most important guitarists in the history of heavy music stays strong and keeps fighting against his disease with all his power. No surrender, Glenn! Also, that doesn’t mean the encore wasn’t a real banger, as everyone had the time of their lives enjoying Electric Eye, Hell Bent for Leather, and Living After Midnight, three songs that transpire Heavy Metal, plus of course Richie and Andy made sure they brought Glenn’s energy and passion to the stage during the entire show.

As I mentioned before, there wasn’t a lot of talking during their performance, apart from Halford reminding everyone that the band was celebrating 50 years of Heavy Metal as they released the cult album Rocka Rolla back in 1974, and five decades later here they are still rockin’ hard with Invincible Shield. Damn, time flies, and so did I back to Toronto (pun intended) after an amazing visit to New York and Newark, with my only regret being not having bought tickets for more Judas Priest shows during this awesome tour. Hopefully they’ll announce a new leg soon including Toronto and other Canadian cities, then I’ll make sure I’ll attend multiple concerts to worship the one and only, headbanging, unstoppable Metal Gods. This metalmaniac loves you, guys! Thank you once again for an unforgettable show, and see you on the road!

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Invincible Shield Tour Anthem
Panic Attack
You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Rapid Fire
Breaking the Law
Lightning Strike
Love Bites
Devil’s Child
Saints in Hell
Crown of Horns
Sinner
Turbo Lover
Invincible Shield
Victim of Changes
The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown) (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Painkiller

Encore:
The Hellion
Electric Eye
Hell Bent for Leather
Living After Midnight
We Are the Champions (Queen song)

Band members
Rob Halford – vocals
Richie Faulkner – guitar
Andy Sneap – guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums

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Album Review – Replicant / Infinite Mortality (2024)

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A New Jersey-based Technical/Avantgarde Death Metal outfit takes things further still armed with their dissonant and impactful third full-length offering.

After having smashed prevailing standards for the style with their unique approach on their highly lauded 2021 album Malignant Reality, New Brunswick, New Jersey-based Technical/Avantgarde Death Metal outfit Replicant takes things further still with their new full length, entitled Infinite Mortality, finding ways to make their music even more convoluted and impactful while retaining their trademark dissonant and catchy sound. Mixed and mastered by AJ Viana at AJ Viana Productions, and displaying a sensational artwork by Alli Tuttle, the new album by Mike Gonçalves on vocals, bass and guitars, Pete Lloyd on guitars, synths and high-frequency transmissions, and Itay Keren on guitars, vocals and void channels, supported by session drummer James Applegate, is a must-listen for fans of Norse, Resin Tomb, Ulcerate and Terra Builder, among others, setting new standards for others yet again, giving more than what could be expected from Replicant having already established their identity.

Dirty, visceral riffs kick off the six-minute dissonant feast titled Acid Mirror, with James sounding like a stone crusher on drums, therefore offering Mike all he needs to roar like a mad entity in a very technical yet experimental and obscure aria. Their experimentations and eerie noises continue to pierce our minds in Shrine to the Incomprehensible, where the guitars by Mike, Pete and Itay once again bring forward a mechanized, wicked vibe to the music, not to mention the metallic bass by Mike, resulting in a lecture in Dissonant Death Metal; and the band shows no mercy four our damned souls in Orgasm of Bereavement, offering an overdose of heaviness, insanity and complexity where James once again blasts his drums in great fashion supported by the thunderous bass by Mike, albeit a little less detailed than the other songs. After that, Reciprocal Abandonment offers us all an amazing fusion of Technical Death Metal with more modern, avantgarde and groovy sounds, with the band again exploding our senses with their electrifying, demented riffs and Mike’s trademark brutal vocals.

Then ethereal, otherworldly sounds permeate the air in the interlude SCN9A before the band comes crushing our souls one more time with the infuriated tune Pain Enduring, where all band members are on absolute fire, blasting an amalgamation of harsh and intricate sounds tailored for lovers of the genre. Moreover, their guitars match perfectly with the fury delivered by James on drums, resulting in one of the strongest songs of the album; whereas Nekrotunnel presents nuances of the old school Death Metal crafted by Cannibal Corpse, which adds endless savagery and gore to the band’s trademark demented music while also showcasing rumbling, pulverizing sounds flowing from their guitars and bass. Then we face Dwelling on the Threshold, the shortest of all songs (excluding of course the interlude), perfect for banging our heads nonstop like savages while Mike keeps roaring and vociferating rabidly and the music remains as dense and disturbing as possible. Lastly, one final onrush of vile Death Metal, high-frequency sounds, wicked passages and the always massive drums by James is offered to us all in Planet of Skin, a full-bodied, utterly enfolding creation by Replicant, putting a beyond dissonant and vibrant ending to the multi-layered Infinite Mortality.

You can show your support to those amazing musicians by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on Spotify, and of course by purchasing your favorite version of Infinite Mortality from the band’s own website, from their BandCamp page, or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ regional webstores by clicking HERE, HERE or HERE, including the wooden CD box, the wooden LP box, the regular LP, the digipak CD, and the full body print cassette, as well as some amazing combos with albums form other bands like Maere and Resin Tomb, and you can also click HERE for all things Replicant. Infinite Mortality is dissonant yet melodic, obscure yet visceral, and old school yet innovative, turning it into a must-have for admirers of the most experimental and unique side of extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Shrine to the Incomprehensible, Pain Enduring and Planet of Skin.

Worst moments of the album: Orgasm of Bereavement.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Acid Mirror 6:37
2. Shrine to the Incomprehensible 5:58
3. Orgasm of Bereavement 3:31
4. Reciprocal Abandonment 6:03
5. SCN9A 1:00
6. Pain Enduring 4:50
7. Nekrotunnel 4:07
8. Dwelling on the Threshold 2:48
9. Planet of Skin 9:10

Band members
Mike Gonçalves – vocals, bass, guitars
Pete Lloyd – guitars, synths, high-frequency transmissions
Itay Keren – guitars, vocals, void channels

Guest musician
James Applegate – drums (session)

Album Review – Engulf / The Dying Planet Weeps (2024)

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A one-man studio Death Metal act drawing influence from all dark corners of the extreme music realm returns with his massive and savage debut full-length album.

A one-man studio Death Metal act drawing influence from all dark corners of the extreme music realm, New Jersey, United States-based entity Engulf is back with its catchy riffs, gnarly vocals and brutish yet dark vibes in the project’s massive and savage debut full-length album, titled The Dying Planet Weeps. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Chris Kelly, mastered for vinyl by Carlo Altobelli at Toxic Basement Studio, displaying an otherwordly artwork by Pär Olofsson (with additional artwork by Chris Kiesling of Misanthropic-Art, and logo by Steve Crow of Malevolent Icons), and featuring an array of very special guest musicians, the album is the perfect follow-up to the three story-driven EP’s released between 2017 and 2019, showcasing all the talent and passion for heavy music by the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Hal Microutsicos.

Eerie, cryptic sounds permeate the air in the opening tune Withered Suns Collapse until all explodes into a Technical Death Metal attack by our lone wolf, where he not only extracts sheer violence from his riffage, but his guttural roars also bring endless insanity to the song. Then featuring guest vocals by Kevin Muller (of Alluvial), Bellows from the Aether offers more of Hal’s groovy and dissonant Death Metal, supported by the rumbling bass by session musician Giacomo Gastaldi (of Darkend); and Hal keeps hammering his instruments in The Nefarious Hive, featuring guest vocals by the one and only Sven de Caluwé (of Aborted), who delivers his deep, inhumane growls as expected, making a devilish vocal duo with Hal. After such inspiring metal attack, Ominous Grandeur brings elements from Doom and Black Metal to Engulf’s already demonic sonority, resulting in over five minutes of insanity and heaviness where the bass by Giacomo sounds absolutely rumbling until the very end.

The second half of the album will hit you hard in the head with its even heavier and more venomous sounds, starting with Lunar Scourge, a brutal and evil attack of Death Metal by Hal with its blast beats and sick riffage inviting us all to join Engulf in pitch black darkness, whereas Plagued Oblivion, featuring a guest guitar solo by Pat Bonvin (of Near Death Condition), reminds me of some of the wicked creations by Death Metal veterans Unleashed, also presenting some sick elements from Black Metal in its riffs. Then featuring guest vocals by Enrico “H.” Di Lorenzo (of Hideous Divinity) and a guest guitar solo by Chris Kelly, Earthbore is a six-minute journey through the realms of cryptic and savage Death Metal, starting in a serene manner before morphing into a Dissonant Death Metal extravaganza led by the wicked riffs by Hal, flowing into the title-track The Dying Planet Weeps, an extended instrumental outro that follows the same pattern of the previous song, but that takes away a bit of the album’s energy due to its length.

The multi-talented Hal Microutsicos and his demented beast Engulf are waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with more nice-to-know details about the entire project, and you can also stream his wicked creations on Spotify and on several other streaming services. Furthermore, in order to show Engulf your utmost support, you can purchase a copy of The Dying Planet Weeps by clicking HERE (physical version) or HERE (digital version), inspiring Hal to keep crafting first-class Death Metal for years to come. The Dying Planet Weeps will surely please most fans of all types of Death Metal due to its versatility and dynamism, once again proving how important one-man or one-woman bands are to the continuity of the underground scene.

Best moments of the album: Bellows from the Aether, The Nefarious Hive and Earthbore.

Worst moments of the album: The Dying Planet Weeps.

Released in 2024 Everlasting Spew Records

Track listing
1. Withered Suns Collapse 5:51
2. Bellows from the Aether 3:31
3. The Nefarious Hive 3:38
4. Ominous Grandeur 5:19
5. Lunar Scourge 4:28
6. Plagued Oblivion 4:45
7. Earthbore 6:11
8. The Dying Planet Weeps 2:19

Band members
Hal Microutsicos – vocals, all instruments, drum programming

Guest musicians
Giacomo Gastaldi – bass (session)
Kevin Muller – vocals on “Bellows from the Aether”
Sven de Caluwé – vocals on “The Nefarious Hive”
Pat Bonvin – guitar solo on “Plagued Oblivion”
Enrico “H.” Di Lorenzo – vocals on “Earthbore”
Chris Kelly – guitar solo on “Earthbore”

Concert Review – Gojira & Mastodon (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/16/2023)

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The two biggest monsters of the current metal scene worldwide crushed Toronto to pieces in another night of first-class, breathtaking heavy music.

OPENING ACT: Lorna Shore

What a perfect night of progressiveness, heaviness, electricity and rage in Toronto yesterday at the Budweiser Stage, courtesy of LORNA SHORE, GOJIRA and MASTODON and their breathtaking The Mega Monsters Tour 2023. The whole event was absolutely brilliant from start to finish thanks to the energy and focus all three bands put on their performances, making it one of the best concerts in the city this year hands down. Almost all attendees didn’t seem to care about the huge lines formed around 4pm outside the venue to try to get a place in the pit, because after Live Nation moved the concert from the Echo Beach to the Budweiser Stage it became a “first come, first serve” adventure, where you would basically test your luck and see if you got a place on the floor section, or a seat in the 200 level. Fortunately I was able to get to the pit (as I told my friends, I need a T-shirt saying “I HATE SEATS”), which quickly lightened up my mood and made the whole thing even more enjoyable for me.

Before the actual concert started, more precisely right after the gates opened at 6pm, I had a chance to watch the pre-show at the “Corona Tropical Oasis” (which was basically some sort of a small ravine with a gazebo, where the drums where placed, right beside the merch stands) with an Iron Maiden cover band named Piece of Maiden, and I gotta say they did a solid job playing several classic the likes of Revelations, The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Phantom of the Opera. My only advice to those guys is that they desperately need to get better attires or costumes for their performances to look more professional, because they just looked like a bunch of friends jamming some Maiden songs together. In the end, I personally think that was a nice add-on to the entire event, allowing whoever was already inside the venue to headbang to some classics while having a beer, a hot dog, or waiting in line to buy some merch.

Finally, at 7pm sharp, I was able to witness for the first time ever the pulverizing Progressive and Symphonic Deathcore by New Jersey’s own LORNA SHORE, and they didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, I’m now an even bigger fan of the band, as they brought all the energy from their 2022 masterpiece Pain Remains to the stage in great fashion. The first three songs, those being Sun//Eater, Cursed to Die and Into the Earth, were already superb, with Will Ramos sounding inhumane with his roars and screeches for our total delight. There was a guest vocalist in one of the songs that looked like their own stage photographer, but I have zero idea of who that guy really was. Any thoughts? Anyway, it was when they played their unparalleled Pain Remains Trilogy comprised of Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear and Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire, that they crushed everyone’s souls mercilessly, putting a beyond climatic ending to their flawless performance. If you have never listened to such dark and melancholic trilogy, I highly recommend you go search for it on any streaming platform, and please listen to it while at the same time you follow the lyrics. Hopefully, the mighty Lorna Shore will return to Toronto for another demolishing concert in the near future, and based on the smiles on the faces of all band members I’m sure they’ll take the city by storm again with their amazing music sooner than we can imagine.

Setlist
Sun//Eater
Cursed to Die
Into the Earth
Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames
Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear
Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

GOJIRA

Shortly after 8pm, when the skies were already a lot darker than during Lorna Shore, New York-based French Progressive/Groove Metal institution GOJIRA hit the stage for another electrifying concert, as expected from one of the most technical, hard working and professional bands out there. Joe Duplantier, Christian Andreu, Jean-Michel Labadie and Mario Duplantier put on a jaw-dropping performance, playing songs from all of their amazing albums such as the demolishing Ocean Planet, Backbone, Stranded, Flying Whales (with of course some inflatable whales flying around the floor section, as usual) and Silvera, this one inspiring every single person at the venue to bang their heads nonstop like maniacs. Not only that, the songs from their latest album Fortitude also worked really well live, in special Amazonia, which is now for me one of the most amazing songs to witness live, and The Chant, where Joe got some help from the over 10,000 fans at the Budweiser Stage to sing along with him the song’s beautiful “Aaaaah ah ah ah ahhhhh… ah ah ah ahhhhh…” in one of the coolest moments of their entire set. He even mentioned Toronto was a lot better than Detroit during that song, which made us fans all very proud of our pipes.

Speaking about Joe, the man was on fire throughout the entire show, building a strong and honest connection with the crowd, and even acknowledging a fan at the front row that was already on her seventh concert this tour, I guess, showing how much the band cares about their fans. His brother Mario was also bestial during the entire show, smashing his drums with so much passion, precision and strength that it’s extremely easy to be mesmerized by his performance and “forget” about the rest of the band. During his awesome drum solo he even raised some funny signs that said “I CAN’T HEAR YOU” and “FUCK YEAH” to play with the crowd, showing how a drum solo should be done to avoid becoming the popular “bathroom break”. He’s one of the best drummers in the world right now, no doubt about that, but he’s so humble and down to earth that sometimes I think he’s underrated for not being more vocal like many other drummers who are not even close to him in terms of heaviness, dexterity and energy. As expected from Gojira, their stage was also a brilliant add-on to their music, with all the lights, fire, background videos and so on adding an extra touch of epicness to their concert. Other bands like Iron Maiden, who only rely on backdrop banners or flags, should be inspired by Gojira and modernize their stage with videos like that, as those helped to tell the story from each song majestically. Every single time I see Gojira live I get stunned, and it couldn’t have been any different last night for me and for all 10,000 people at the venue. Put differently, Gojira are perfect live, offering a unique visual and sonic experience for anyone who loves good music.

Setlist
Ocean Planet
Backbone
Stranded
Flying Whales
The Cell
The Art of Dying
Drum Solo
Grind
Another World
Silvera
Amazonia
The Chant
The Gift of Guilt

Band members
Joe Duplantier – vocals, guitar
Christian Andreu – guitar
Jean-Michel Labadie – bass
Mario Duplantier – drums

MASTODON

After another quick break, where everyone had a chance to go to the bathroom, grab another beer, smoke a cigarette or simply chat with friends that were seated in different levels or sections of the venue, Atlanta, Georgia-based Progressive Metal/Rock titans MASTODON began their monstrous concert at around 9:45pm, and maybe due to that late start (as a lot of people still had to wake up early to work today) the floor section was a lot less busy than during Lorna Shore and Gojira. That doesn’t mean the fans didn’t have a good time and that the mosh pits didn’t keep moving frantically; it’s just that there was a little more room to breathe (which for me was a good thing in the end). Due to their longer setlist, Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor (plus guest keyboardist João Nogueira, of bands like Dol Guldur, Stone Giant and The Claypool Lennon Delirium) didn’t spend too much time talking. It was crushing song after crushing song, demanding a lot of headbanging, horns in the air and nonstop screaming from their fans. In other words, their show required a lot of cardio, I might say.

As mentioned, their setlist was long and comprehensive, including several classics, newer songs and some surprises from all their discography, such as the high-octane opener The Wolf Is Loose, the pounding Crystal Skull and Megalodon, and more contemporary songs from their 2017 album Emperor of Sand and their 2021 opus Hushed and Grim, those being Andromeda, Sultan’s Curse, Pushing the Tides, More Than I Could Chew, and my favorite of their set, the groovy and fun Steambreather. Brent and Bill were insane armed with their axes during this song, as well as Brann on drums, another one of the best drummers in the world right now who’s also a very nice guy off stage. The pyro and the videos also enhanced their performance, like what happened with Gojira, and as you can see in the awesome photos taken by my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, those extra features once again showed how modernizing your stage can bring tons of benefits to your band.

The last batch of songs from their setlist was beyond thunderous, starting with Circle of Cysquatch, where a giant and very colourful “whatever-monster-that-is” entered the stage just like Eddie with Iron Maiden or Vic Rattlehead with Megadeth, captivatign the eyes of the entire crowd, followed by Crusher Destroyer and their biggest hit of all, Blood and Thunder, generating a nice circle pit with a small “island” in the middle. Brann even took some time after their concert was over to thank the fans in Toronto for being amazing as usual, to throw some drumsticks to the crowd, and to say how much he loves the circle pits in the city, saying we have the craziest mosh pits of all (and I fully agree with him). I don’t know about you, but I’m already waiting for those two mega-monsters Gojira and Mastodon to kick some serious ass in Toronto again, and based on the reactions from both bands we’ll certainly see them smashing us all like insects really soon with their incendiary music.

Setlist
The Wolf Is Loose
Crystal Skull
Megalodon
Andromeda
Divinations
Sultan’s Curse
Fallen Torches
Pushing the Tides
More Than I Could Chew
Aqua Dementia
Steambreather
Iron Tusk
March of the Fire Ants
Mother Puncher
Circle of Cysquatch
Crusher Destroyer
Blood and Thunder

Band members
Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, 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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Album Review – Overkill / Scorched (2023)

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One of the pillars of old school Thrash Metal will scorch the earth to the sound of their breathtaking new album.

Recorded at Gear Recording Studio, SKH Recording Studios, JRod Productions and The Recording Company, mixed by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks Productions, mastered by Maor Appelbaum, and displaying a sick cover art by Travis Smith of Seempieces Design Studio, the breathtaking Scorched, the twentieth studio album by American Thrash Metal masters Overkill, might have had its official release postponed on numerous occasions, but the wait was absolutely worth it. The follow-up to their 2019 album The Wings of War (marking the longest gap between studio albums for the band) is a lecture in old school thrash by frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, guitarists Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer, bassist D.D. Verni and drummer Jason Bittner, placing it among the best metal albums of the year without a shadow of a doubt.

Strident, piercing guitar ignite the thrashing title-track Scorched, with Bobby attacking our ears with his raspy voice and the song’s wicked lyrics (“Way down deep in the fire / Way down deep in the flame / Way down deep in the hole I dug / Way down Deep in the pain / I’m a flash in your atmosphere / Atomic wind blowing into your night / Crash and burn, let me make it clear / And give ’em just a little light”) in a beyond fantastic start to the album, and Dave and Derek rev up the band’s furious engine with their sick riffage in the circle pit feast titled Goin’ Home, supported by the classic drums by Jason. The Surgeon is another ass-kicking Thrash Metal extravaganza spearheaded by the band’s guitar duo while Bobby’s grim vocals add a considerable share of insanity to the music; whereas Twist of the Wick, one of the most demented songs of the album, will inspire you to crush your damned skull into the mosh pit to the frantic beats by Jason and the rumbling bass by D.D. Needless to say, it should sound superb if played live. And Jason dictates the pace in the neck-breaking tune Wicked Place, sounding utterly groovy while maintaining the band’s heaviness intact.

It’s then time for another visceral, thrashing creation by Overkill titled Won’t Be Comin Back, where Bobby is in total sync with the guitars by Dave and Derek, resulting in an old school Thrash Metal beast overflowing energy and rage, with Jason’s drums being once again spot-on. The ominous bass by D.D. darkens the atmosphere in Fever, being quickly joined by the introspective vocals by Bobby and a lovely Blues-ish vibe; followed by Harder They Fall, offering our ears more of the band’s acid lyrics (“Ice water flowing through his veins / Rumor has it that it comes and goes in waves / The face of fear, baby, he’s your man / With evil inside the heart, he does the best he can / The best he can”) while the music is a flawless, demolishing Thrash Metal feast showcasing all the band’s passion for heavy music, and I’m sure this will become a fan-favorite during their live concerts. Overkill keep the circle pit moving majestically with Know Her Name, an ass-kicking Thrash Metal attack led by Bobby’s evil roars while D.D. and Jason are on fire with their thunderous kitchen, making it impossible not to bang your head like a maniac to such electrifying song; and their last explosion of thrashing sounds, titled Bag o’ Bones, brings forward the band’s characteristic heaviness, rebelliousness and creativity, with Dave, Derek and D.D. adding sheer groove to the music armed with their axes, also showcasing a classic chorus with amazing backing vocals.

This beast of an album, a serious contender for album of the year by the way, is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but as I know you’re a true diehard thrasher you can purchase it from Overkill’s own BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE or HERE. You can also find more details about the band, their tour dates, plans for the future and other nice-to-know details on Facebook and on Instagram, that of course if you don’t follow them already. In a nutshell, Overkill will scorch the earth, scorch our brains, scorch the good and scorch the bad armed with their thrilling new album, setting fire to the entire scene once again, just as we all expect from one of the pillars of our beloved old school Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Scorched, The Surgeon, Twist of the Wick, Harder They Fall and Know Her Name.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Scorched 6:13
2. Goin’ Home 4:31
3. The Surgeon 5:33
4. Twist of the Wick 5:34
5. Wicked Place 5:00
6. Won’t Be Comin Back 4:30
7. Fever 5:33
8. Harder They Fall 4:23
9. Know Her Name 5:11
10. Bag o’ Bones 4:37

Band members
Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth – vocals
Dave Linsk – lead guitars
Derek Tailer – rhythm guitars
D.D. Verni – bass
Jason Bittner – drums

Guest musician
Michael Romeo – orchestrations

Concert Review – Iron Maiden (Prudential Center, Newark, NJ, 10/21/2022)

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Another night of pure Iron Maiden madness hit the nice city of Newark as the band approaches the end of their fantastic 2022 tour.  

INTRO: Liberty and Prosperity… but no FTTB!

What wild, wild two weeks (or maybe I should say the entire month of October) of pure fuckin’ metal! After winning the renowned (and sometimes controversial) First to the Barrier in all three Canadian dates this year, I didn’t get it for the Legacy of the Beast World Tour 2022 concert at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey last Friday, which motto is by the way “Liberty and Prosperity”, but to be fair I think the experience of meeting my fellow IMFC blood brothers and sisters before the gig was even more engaging and fun. The place chosen for our meetup was Bello’s Pub & Grill, located a short walking distance from the venue, and I loved meeting some new friends there while enjoying a beer, talking about Iron Maiden and metal in general, and so on. Furthermore, knowing that some people lined up for the FTTB at 6am and still got number 30 made me even happier for not winning it this time and being able to go to the meetup. And once again I made it to the flags picture! How cool is that?

OPENING ACT: Within Temptation

After our nice IMFC meetup, the crew headed to the Prudential Center for a look at the merch, some beers and some relaxing moments before Iron Maiden hit the stage once again with their fulminating Heavy Metal. The opening act was as expected Dutch Symphonic Metal/Alternative Rock band WITHIN TEMPTATION, who not only made a couple of changes to their setlist compared to their Canadian dates, but the stunning Sharon den Adel finally ditched that “dark princess” attire with a very tight corset for a more rockin’ style, wearing leather pants and jacket, and I think she looked a lot more relaxed and dynamic on stage by wearing that. Their concert was again short and sweet, with the song Raise Your Banner being once again one of the top moments of their performance. I’m not sure how much the Iron Maiden fans from New Jersey enjoyed Within Temptation as their reaction wasn’t as rowdy as in Ottawa, but it was a decent show in the end.

Setlist
The Reckoning
Paradise (What About Us?)
In the Middle of the Night
What Have You Done
Supernova
Don’t Pray for Me
Raise Your Banner
Mother Earth

Band members
Sharon den Adel – vocals
Robert Westerholt – guitars
Ruud Jolie – guitars
Stefan Helleblad – guitars
Jeroen van Veen – bass
Martijn Spierenburg – keyboards
Mike Coolen – drums

IRON MAIDEN

My last concert of the current Legacy of the Beast World Tour 2022 couldn’t have been more special, as I was reunited with one of my best friends to see the almighty IRON MAIDEN for the first time together since 2013, and of course the band didn’t disappoint at all. Everyone at the venue had an amazing moment from the first seconds of the opener Senjutsu with its Samurai Eddie to the closing moments of Aces High, with classics such as Revelations and Hallowed Be Thy Name driving the fans absolutely crazy. Bruce was simply phenomenal on vocals throughout the entire show, as well as of course the rest of the band armed with their sonic weapons, making New Jersey lose its breath on another night of pure awesomeness.

Anything I say about the band’s guitar triumvirate won’t represent exactly how in sync, incendiary and precise they are, but in New Jersey our beloved Adrian kicked some serious ass with his axe, with his intro to The Writing on the Wall being a thing of beauty once again. And Steve and Nicko, holy shit, I thought the roof of the Prudential Center was going to fall due to the insane heaviness flowing from their respective bass and drums. I wish I could attend another concert before their last one in Tampa, Florida this Thursday October 27, but that’s not a problem at all. There’s a new tour coming up in 2023, so who knows? It’s just a matter of planning a decent trip to Europe or wait for the probable announcement of the North American leg soon.

And before I go, I wanted to mention one weird and dangerous incident that happened during the gig according to some members of the IMFC. As I was a little further back I didn’t see anything, but several people mentioned that there was a guy in the floor section carrying a handgun that became visible while he was crowdsurfing. I know it’s the United States and people love guns from the bottom of their hearts there, carrying guns anywhere they go, but having one during a concert with over 15,000 people was very immature and irresponsible of him. Maybe he wasn’t going to shoot anyone, but what if someone caught his gun and decided to do so? And how did he manage to go through security with a handgun while several fans, including myself, had to take even their belts off to be allowed into the venue? Is a belt more dangerous than a gun? Anyway, fortunately nothing bad happened and we all had a great time enjoying Iron Maiden in 2022, and now it’s time to get ready for The Future Past Tour in 2023!

Setlist
Transylvania
Doctor Doctor
Senjutsu
Stratego
The Writing on the Wall
Revelations
Blood Brothers
Sign of the Cross
Flight of Icarus
Fear of the Dark
Hallowed Be Thy Name
The Number of the Beast
Iron Maiden

Encore:
The Trooper
The Clansman
Run to the Hills

Encore 2:
Churchill’s Speech
Aces High
Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums

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