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Album Review – Smoulder / Witch Wife in an Alien World (2026)

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This fearless, confrontational, and adventurous Epic Heavy and Doom Metal horde returns with their their opus, a bold, daring collection of eight songs that continue to push boundaries and shatter conventions.

Fearless, confrontational, and adventurous Epic Heavy  and Doom Metal. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Witch Wife in an Alien World, the brand new offering by the unstoppable multi-national beast known as Smoulder, following up on their critically acclaimed 2023 sophomore Violent Creed of Vengeance. Recorded between Soundwell Studio by Valtteri Kallio, and Swift Road Studios by Vincent Ippolito, with mixing and mastering duties courtesy of Roland Rodas, and artwork by British fantasy and horror illustrator Ian Miller (reflecting the ugliness and hard truths of the album’s themes), the new offering by Sarah Ann on vocals, Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf on the guitars, Adam Blake on bass, and Kevin Hester on drums is a bold, daring collection of eight songs that continue to push boundaries and shatter conventions. Inspired by Sarah Ann’s current Finnish residence, citing the country’s “monumentally positive impact” on her life, including a high-functioning, affordable healthcare system to go along with a reliable 24/7 transit and robust outdoor space, complete with safe air and clean water, Sarah Ann wants the rest of the world to have what she has, tying into the album’s broader context of tackling more real-life themes that are purposely adversarial and coupled with a growing sense of disconnection in a world that, conversely, is more connected than ever through technology.

Kevin kicks off the band’s adventurous metal journey in Water Wars, before Sarah comes ripping with her epic, soaring vocals while Shon and Collin deliver their trademark Judas Priest-inspired riffs nonstop; and investing in a more Hard Rock-oriented sound we have Shadow Of The Vulture, with Adam and Kevin generating a reverberating atmosphere with their heavy, doomed kitchen. They keep blasting their hypnotizing fusion of Heavy and Doom Metal in Noitien Loitsu, boosted by another killer guitar attack by Shon and Collin while the song also features a guest solo from the band’s live guitarist, Bootleg Henkka (also of Finnish epic black metallers Havukruunu). And it’s time for another blast of Epic Doom Metal in the form of Crush The Neophytes, where Sarah once again steals the show with her striking, powerful vocals.

Back to a more ferocious, razor-edged sound we’re treated to the excellent Empathy’s Wrath, again showcasing the band’s characteristic epic vocals, crushing riffs and hammering drums, whereas they enhance their Doom Metal vibe in Their Name Lives On, melting our faces with the scorching riffs by the band’s unstoppable axed duo. Cathedral Of The Trees is another solid composition by the band, albeit a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, while they return to a more incendiary, killer sonority in Smouldering Remains, ending the album on a truly epic and visceral mode with Sarah’s vocals walking hand in hand with the rumbling sounds blasted by her henchmen.

After all is said and done, you’ll quickly realize Smoulder remain committed to exploration and adventure in their new album Witch Wife in an Alien World, always bringing something fresh and unique to their avid fanbase. If you want to explore the epic world ruled by Smoulder, you can find those amazing musicians on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their striking creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the album from BandCamp, as well as from Cruz Del Sur Music as a CD, a black vinyl LP, or a limited edition spectral purple LP, or click HERE for all things Smoulder. Smoulder are on fire throughout their entire new opus, opening our eyes to some of the issues that are leading our society to damnation, while keeping our souls warm and protected by their killer, epic heavy music. All hail Smoulder, and may we all be able to one day experience the alien world inhabited by the mighty witch Sarah Ann.

Best moments of the album: Water Wars, Empathy’s Wrath and Smouldering Remains.

Worst moments of the album: Cathedral Of The Trees.

Released in 2026 Cruz Del Sur Music

Track listing
1. Water Wars 4:36
2. Shadow Of The Vulture 4:16
3. Noitien Loitsu 4:52
4. Crush The Neophytes 6:57
5. Empathy’s Wrath 5:02
6. Their Name Lives On 4:48
7. Cathedral Of The Trees 5:24
8. Smouldering Remains 7:00

Band members
Sarah Ann – vocals
Shon Vincent – guitar
Collin Wolf – guitar
Adam Blake – bass
Kevin Hester – drums

Guest musician
Bootleg Henkka – guitar solo on “Noitien Loitsu”

Album Review – Endspace / First Contact (2026)

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This uncanny Sci-Fi Black Metal duo is ready to attack armed with their debut opus, offering music that is light years ahead of what we’re accustomed to hearing.

Consisting of two anonymous members operating under the numerical aliases 040118180514 (vocals, bass, keyboards and drums) and 102119200914 (guitars and backing vocals), both members of the Canadian Technical Death Metal band Fractal Generator, Sudbury, Ontario-based Sci-Fi Black Metal entity Endspace creates music that is light years ahead of what we’re accustomed to hearing. Using synthesizers and vocoders to make music that sounds as if it’s emanating from beings on some distant planet, drawing thematic and sonic comparisons to acts like Darkspace, Aborym, Thorns, Labyrinthus Stellarum, Midnight Odyssey, and Imperialist, the duo is unleashing upon us their debut opus, titled First Contact, merging heavily structured, futuristic Black Metal elements with Experimental, Industrial and Death Metal influences, all embraced by a sinister artwork by Midge “Mantissa” Sinnaeve. Furthermore, the songs in First Contact are all called “transmissions,” and each one has a different identity and purpose, making the album an utterly fascinating and unique listening experience.

Such an uncanny duo kicks off their Sci-Fi feast with First Transmission, with the guitars by 102119200914 transpiring cosmic insanity, followed by Second Transmission, where 040118180514 embellishes the airwaves with his futuristic keys accompanied by the cryptic guitars by 102119200914. Things get serious in Third Transmission, with the venomous roars by 040118180514 sounding like a creature from outer space, or in other words, it’s the epitome of Experimental Black Metal, whereas Fourth Transmission, follows a similar path of otherworldly insanity, again presenting their deep vociferations and ruthless beats and fills.

Fifth Transmission is a weird one, maybe too experimental at times, not really a song but more like an interlude, whereas Sixth Transmission puts the duo back on track with their haunting Sic-Fi Black Metal, offering us all Stygian vocals and guitars. Then we have Seventh Transmission, getting heavier and heavier as the music progresses, sounding disturbing at times, followed by Eighth Transmission, again delivering an overdose of uncanny riffs and keys, as mechanized yet visceral as it can be. Their last breath of Black Metal insanity comes in the form of Ninth Transmission, a multi-layered feast from another world tat puts a stunning ending to the album.

Tenuously Black Metal, with its elements taken apart and pieced together using unconventional components, First Contact offers a unique exploration of the Sci-Fi side of Black Metal, and if you want to join 040118180514 and 102119200914 in such a dark and otherworldly quest you can find the duo on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their idiosyncratic creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of the album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. In other words, let the Sci-Fi sounds blasted by Endspace in First Contact take your soul to outer space. End of transmission.

Best moments of the album: Third Transmission, Fourth Transmission and Ninth Transmission.

Worst moments of the album: Fifth Transmission.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. First Transmission 4:21
2. Second Transmission 4:29
3. Third Transmission 3:24
4. Fourth Transmission 3:56
5. Fifth Transmission 3:56
6. Sixth Transmission 4:51
7. Seventh Transmission 4:46
8. Eighth Transmission 4:44
9. Ninth Transmission 4:38

Band members
040118180514 – vocals, bass, keyboards, drums
102119200914 – guitars, backing vocals

Concert Review – Kamelot (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 09/19/2026)

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And Toronto witnessed an astonishing night of frozen kings and queens, headbanging pirates, and horns raising knights, for the delight of all fans of Symphonic and Melodic Power Metal in the city.

OPENING ACTS: Frozen Crown and Visions of Atlantis

It was perhaps the coolest day of the season as temperatures dropped below +20oC in Toronto, but FROZEN CROWN, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and KAMELOT brought their breathtaking Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I to Toronto to turn up the heat at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, resulting in another beyond successful event hosted by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. My buddy Blair Burch and I had the pleasure of witnessing the very first show of Frozen Crown in Canadian lands, as well as the usual killer performances by Visions of Atlantis and Kamelot, two of the most beloved bands in the city, and if it wasn’t for them I would have definitely gone full William “D-Fens” Foster in Falling Down on my way back home, because whoever thought it was a good idea to close two lanes of the Gardiner and QEW at 10 or 11pm on a Saturday night, with countless music and sports events in the city, deserves to be tied to one of those endless transit cones and stay there to “enjoy” the view for hours and hours and hours. Rant over.

Let’s get back to the music, because that’s what really matters in the end. The first attraction of the night, Milan, Italy-based Power Metal warriors FROZEN CROWN, hit the stage at 7pm for their first ever concert in Toronto, and they didn’t disappoint at all. Quite the contrary, the crowd was really impressed with their power, their energy, and of course with the striking vocals by frontwoman Giada Etro. She’s extremely talented and charismatic, making their whole concert even more enjoyable. Their setlist might have been short, but it was very effective in presenting their music to whoever wasn’t familiar with the band, blending songs from pretty much all of their albums with new songs from their upcoming opus The Legend of the Six Kings, those being The One, Who Wants to Burn in Heaven, and Reborn, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. There was even a fast and heavy cover for Iris, the biggest classic by Goo Goo Dolls, with drummer Niso Tomasini kicking ass. Their guitar triumvirate also worked really well, with Federico Mondelli, Alessia Lanzone (very young, very talented, and a nonstop headbanger) and Alexandra Lioness shredding their axes nonstop for our absolute delight. Needless to say, I’m sure we’ll see those Italians back in town sooner than we can imagine based on how fun their show was.

Setlist
Kings
The One
Neverending
Who Wants to Burn in Heaven
Reborn
Iris (Goo Goo Dolls cover)
I Am the Tyrant

Band members
Giada Etro – vocals
Federico Mondelli – guitars, keyboards, vocals
Alessia Lanzone – lead guitars
Alexandra Lioness – lead guitars
Francesco Zof  – bass
Niso Tomasini – drums

It was then time for the most beloved pirates in the history of Melodic and Symphonic Power Metal, the unrelenting VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, to deliver yet another phenomenal performance for their Torontonian diehard fans. They played a similar (but of course shorter) setlist from the last time they invaded the city, with all songs being available in their excellent 2025 live album Armada (Live Over Europe), which is available on Spotify, but that didn’t mean the show was less enjoyable or anything like that. I personally think they selected beyond electrifying and spot-on songs, the perfect balance between melody, drama and pure fun, with everyone dancing to Clocks and Tonight I’m Alive, banging their heads to Hellfire, rowing (yes, rowing) to Pirates Will Return, jumping up and down nonstop to Melancholy Angel, and obviously raising their horns and fists, and slamming into a wild mosh pit, to their biggest hit Armada. Christian Douscha, Herbert Glos and Thomas Caser were on absolute fire, offering the second best duet in heavy music (because, you know, the reigning champions are, and will forever be, Michael Kiska and Andi Deris of Helloween), Clémentine Delauney and Michele Guaitoli, everything they needed to hypnotize us and entertain us from start to finish. Clémentine is from out of this world, a true metal diva with infinite talent, beauty and charisma, and seeing her singing is already alone worth the full price of the ticket. Please get back to Toronto as soon as possible, you headbanging pirates! We love you!

Setlist
Master the Hurricane
Clocks
Tonight I’m Alive
Legion of the Seas
Hellfire
Pirates Will Return
Melancholy Angel
Armada

Band members
Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
Christian Douscha – guitars
Herbert Glos – bass
Thomas Caser – drums

KAMELOT

Tampa, Florida’s own Progressive/Melodic Power Metal institution KAMELOT is one of those bands that always attract a huge amount of people to their concerts in Toronto it doesn’t matter if it’s +40oC and extremely humid, or if it’s -20oC and snowing like hell. Toronto loves Kamelot, and that tight connection between band and fans gets even stronger when they hit any stage in the city like this Saturday night. Having just released the album Dark Asylum, available on any streaming service like Spotify, the band formed of frontman Tommy Karevik, guitarist Thomas Youngblood, bassist Sean Tibbetts, keyboardist Oliver Palotai, and drummer Alex Landenburg, with the support of Frozen Crown’s own Giada Etro on clean and harsh female vocals (and I honestly didn’t know she could do guttural so freakin’ well), and Visions of Atlantis’ undisputed diva Clémentine Delauney, put on another amazing concert for their avid fans.

The nonstop singing, screaming, horns raising, crowd surfing and mosh pitting were absolutely intense from the very first notes of Ashen World, and the band noticed the crowd was ready for total war, keeping the electricity flowing nonstop during their solid setlist. Songs like Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy), Godlike Alchemy and the title-track of their new album, Dark Asylum, sounded fantastic live, with Thomas Youngblood and Sean Tibbetts giving a lecture in how to properly treat the guitar and bass, not to mention their interactions with the crowd were also fantastic. However, and sorry Tommy for saying this, the songs with Giada and Clémentine were the top moments of the concert for several fans, including me. You did a great job as their frontman as usual, of course, but you must admit those two girls always steal the show wherever they go, right?

The last part of their set with Sanctuary and Veil of Elysium, plus the encore with March of Mephisto and Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife), was a pure sonic orgasm for the more avid followers of Kamelot, and their stage set added even more adrenaline and epicness to their performance. I simply love how they were capable of turning a relatively small stage like the one at The Phoenix Concert Theatre into something so special. Well, to be honest, when the band in question is as great as Kamelot, you can already expect a grandiose concert even on the smallest stages on earth. And lastly, as the tour was labeled Dark Asylum World Tour – North America Pt. I, I believe we’ll have a part II in the near future, and if the loud reaction from the fans in Toronto was any indication of how much the city loves Kamelot, I’m sure we’ll gladly be part of that second leg of such an excellent tour.

Setlist
Sanctorium
Ashen World
The Great Pandemonium
Rule the World
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Godlike Alchemy
Karma
Revolution
New Babylon
⁠Dark Asylum
⁠Ivy, My Dear
Drum Solo
One More Flag in the Ground
Keyboard Solo
Sanctuary
Veil of Elysium

Encore:
March of Mephisto
Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)
⁠Sanctum Requiem

Band members
Tommy Karevik – vocals
Thomas Youngblood – guitars
Sean Tibbetts – bass
Oliver Palotai – keyboards, orchestrations
Alex Landenburg – drums

Guest musicians
Giada Etro – clean female vocals & harsh screams
Clémentine Delauney – clean female vocals

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Event Review – AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up (Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto, ON, 09/15/2026 – 09/16/2026)

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Not even one of the strongest storms in the history of Toronto could stop fans from all over the world to get powered up by the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store.

INTRODUCTION: For those about to rock, go check the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up store!

Free and open to all fans, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will open in every city on AC/DC’s 2026 North American stadium tour, giving fans one more way to be part of the PWR/UP Tour as it rolls through each town. Unfortunately, the Toronto concert scheduled for September 16 at Rogers Stadium had to be cancelled due to the severe damage done to the venue by an otherworldly storm that crushed the city to pieces on September 2, but that didn’t stop AC/DC to make an “appearance” in Toronto in the form of the pop up store on September 15 and 16. The location chosen for the special event was the excellent Steam Whistle Brewing, and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi, Blair Burch and I were invited to be part of such a unique experience for fans of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Since the shows and pop up store are still happening in Winnipeg, New York, and Philadelphia, you know what to do. For those about to rock alongside AC/DC, we salute you!

AC/DC PWR/UP POP UP

Named after their 2020 album PWRϟUP, which reached #1 in 21 countries, the PWR/UP Tour began with the band’s long-awaited return to the stage at Power Trip in California in 2023, and has since sold out dozens of stadiums across four continents. As the massive tour entered its final leg in North America, the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up was created to give fans of one of the biggest bands in the history of Rock N’ Roll a place to gather before show day, and be part of the high voltage energy surrounding the tour. There’s merch you won’t find at the concert. Fans can shop unique collectibles, tour apparel, light-up horns, and other pop-up merchandise. Fans can get up close to AC/DC history. Each location will also feature AC/DC-themed food and drink, iconic props, custom visuals, interactive photo moments, ticket giveaways, PWR/UP Fan Preview events, and the opportunity to enter to win a guitar signed by Angus Young.

There were local fans at the Toronto pop up, superfans who have been following the band all across the world during this tour (similar to what fans of bands like Iron Maiden do), casual rock listeners who got attracted to the store for obvious reasons (who doesn’t want to spend some bucks on high quality merch, right?), and so on. Everybody was having a great time at this supercharged social outing in Toronto, and not even the fact the show was canceled in the city was capable of making the whole event less enjoyable. As special guests, we even received an awesome gift bag with some cool items like the AC/DC High Voltage shirt, which I’ll surely sport on special occasions like one of the upcoming rock and metal concerts in the city. Also, I was told the members of AC/DC themselves were at the pop up store this Wednesday, giving autographs, taking photos, and so on, which means if you’re lucky enough you might also see the guys at the pop up store in your city.

Let’s hope that AC/DC do not call it quits anytime soon, and keep on rockin’ our world like they’ve always done for many decades. We need them back in Toronto for a killer concert, and please, Mother Nature, let those rock giants bring joy to us Torontonian rockers ate least one more time in the coming years. And of course, if or when that happens, I hope the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up will also come together with the concert and tour, because that’s what fans of titans like AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Guns N’ Roses and so many other iconic bands want, to not only see their idols kicking some serious ass onstage, but to also turn the days before and after the show into an immersive experience, bringing the sheer power of rock and metal music to our hearts for more than just the few hours of the actual concerts. It’s a long way to the top if you wanna Rock N’ Roll, but a band like AC/DC has mastered that art to perfection, and the AC/DC PWR/UP Pop Up surely brings that energy to us fans and connects us even more with our rock idols.

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Concert Review – Revocation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/12/2026)

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A feast of absolute raging Death Metal turned up the heat even more on an already hot night in the city of Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Weeping, Fuming Mouth and Defeated Sanity

We’re lucky the weather is still quite warm in Toronto now that the summer is “unofficially” over (when kids get back to school, parents consider the summer as over, and will sport sweaters and jackets even when the temperature is above +25oC and sunny), and even luckier to host the awesome 20 Years of Torment 2026 Tour with WEEPING, FUMING MOUTH, DEFEATED SANITY, and the guys celebrating those 20 years of pure metal magic, REVOCATION, another great event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The cozy Lee’s Palace was the place chosen for such a nice gathering, and I was actually surprised it wasn’t too hot inside the venue during the entire night. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi is still recovering from his injury and surgery, which means our friend Blair Burch once again helped us with his sharp photography skills to make this review of the concert as incendiary as the bands onstage. Also, traffic to get to Toronto has become a true nightmare no matter what time or day of the week, but fortunately as the first band was only scheduled to play after 7:30pm there was plenty of time to get to the venue before the celebrations started.

It was around 7:40pm when New Jersey’s own Death Metal/Hardcore/Powerviolence quartet WEEPING kicked off their insane performance, melting our faces mercilessly with their scorching heaviness and undisputed technique. Having released the album Spiritual Barbarism back in 2024, plus a new single titled When You Beg now in 2026, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Theo Vlahos on vocals and guitars, Thomas Deabreu also on the guitars, Anthony Izworski on bass (who’s also the bassist for Fuming Mouth, by the way), and Jon Lievano on drums crushed our damned souls with a no shenanigans concert, kicking some serious ass onstage and, therefore, inspiring everyone on the floor section to already go mental inside the circle pit. Those guys are simply insane, and if you know nothing about them, go check their music asap and keep an eye on their tour dates, because if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do.

Band members
Theo Vlahos – vocals, guitars
Thomas Deabreu – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass, backing vocals
Jon Lievano – drums

Perhaps the most anticipated attraction of the night, besides obviously Revocation, was Milford, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore/Hardcore outfit FUMING MOUTH, who are becoming a fan-favorite in Toronto when it comes to violence and heaviness. Mark Whelan, Patrick Merson, Anthony Izworski and Jay Weinberg made sure no one was left alive with an overdose of venomous roars, crushing riffs, thunderous bass lines, and demented beats and fills. Of course, the fact that their 2026 album The Ringing Bell (available on both BandCamp and on Spotify) is insane made their task a lot easier, as the crowd was eager to witness some of those new songs live, like Cheat Death, Self‐Exhumed, and Finally Fearless. It was really nice to see Mark explaining what Fuming Mouth means, this evil entity that will kill everyone, saying to several people in the crowd “You will die! You will die! You will die!” and, therefore, creating this fun connection between the band and the fans. We will all die eventually, and if we have the live music by Fuming Mouth to entertain us during our last moments, we’ll surely die happy metalheads.

Setlist
Cheat Death
A Blaze of Nihilism
Hidden in the Moor
Self‐Exhumed
I’ll Find You
Respect Mortality
Visions of Purgatory
Finally Fearless

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Patrick Merson – guitars
Anthony Izworski – bass
Jay Weinberg – drums

After a short break, German-American squad DEFEATED SANITY kicked off their onrush of demonic, visceral and grim fusion of Technical and Brutal Death Metal, making the foundations of Lee’s Palace tremble so heavy they sounded. Having released the album Chronicles of Lunacy in 2024, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, frontman Josh Welshman alongside the extremely talented guitarist Vaughn Stoffey, the incredible bassist Jacob Schmidt, and the ruthless drummer Lille Gruber were insane onstage, with the circle pit getting out of control due to the extreme violence blasted by all band members. I honestly do not remember a kitchen so technical yet demolishing like the one crafted by Jacob and Lille, and if you enjoy extreme music with a strong technical vibe, go check the music by Defeated Sanity because those guys are amazing both in the studio and live.

Setlist
Introitus
Consumed by Repugnance
Verblendung
Liquifying Cerebral Hemispheres
Accelerating the Rot
Martyrium
The Bell
Dislimbing the Ostracized

Band members
Josh Welshman – vocals
Vaughn Stoffey – guitars
Jacob Schmidt – bass
Lille Gruber – drums

REVOCATION

After three opening bands that were all 10 out of 10, the crowd was more than warmed up for the lecture in Technical Death and Thrash Metal by Boston, Massachusetts-based crew REVOCATION, who might be celebrating 20 years of existence, but the ones receiving all the presents were us fans with each and every song played by those first-class musicians. It doesn’t matter if it was a late start, already close to 10:30pm, because the entire venue was burning with the blend of classics and new songs from their 2025 album New Gods, New Masters, which you can listen in full on Spotify. David Davidson, Harry Lannon, Ash Pearson and Alex Weber proved why they’ve become one of the most important bands of the current tech death scene with an impeccable performance, kicking our asses hard until the very end.

Songs like Nihilistic Violence, Chaos of Forms, Dismantle the Dictator, Summon the Spawn, and Bound by Desire were all played to perfection by those four extremely talented musicians, and the result was of course an intense circle pit that was dragging everyone into it in celebration of our good old Death Metal. There’s this very small Asian girl that’s rockin’ in every single show in Toronto, and of course she was there Saturday night. No idea how she can handle so much alcohol and how she can venture inside those demented circle pits due to her tiny stature and very low weight, but one thing I can say is that she knows how to party, and that’s exactly what Revocation wanted us all to do. They simply asked Toronto to party with them after 20 years kicking ass with their unique heavy music, and we partied hard. Needless to say, I don’t think it will take long for us to see such a phenomenal band in the city again, and we’ll all be there yet again to raise our fists and horns while they melt our faces with their killer tunes.

Setlist
Nihilistic Violence
Scorched Earth Policy
Fracked
Confines of Infinity
The All Seeing
Data Corpse
Chaos of Forms
Of Unworldly Origin
Dismantle the Dictator
Summon the Spawn
Only the Spineless Survive
Bound by Desire

Band members
David Davidson – vocals, guitars
Harry Lannon – guitars
Ash Pearson – drums
Alex Weber – bass

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Concert Review – Raider, Napoleon & Abysmal Whore (Monarch Tavern, Toronto, ON, 07/10/2026)

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Several metalheads in Toronto raised their golden horns to three of the must-see names of the local scene on a warm and fun Friday night in the city.

INTRODUCTION: Golden Horns Fest 3 & Belgian Jasper’s Birthday Bash!

I’m not going to write another massive complaint about the hideous Toronto traffic any day of the week. I’m just going to say it took me over one hour and thirty minutes to drive for around 30km last Friday. Yes, it was insane. Anyway, let’s talk about music, as one of Toronto’s coolest metalheads, our buddy Jasper De Man, also known as Belgian Jasper, the host of Loud & Clear, not only celebrated his birthday on Friday July 10 at the cozy Monarch Tavern, with performances by three of the must-see metal bands or the current Canadian rock and metal scene, those being RAIDER, NAPOLEON, and ABYSMAL WHORE, but he also announced the winners of the third edition of the Golden Horns Awards. This year’s winners were Abysmal Whore for Best Toronto Band, Russell Allen for Metal Warrior Award, Alissa White-Gluz for Best Interview, Helloween for Best Live Show, Afra Catharina for Best Photo International, and Afrida Nawar and Isabelle for Best Photo Canada. By the way, Afrida was once again uber nice and helped us with some photos as Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was not feeling well and couldn’t attend the event. Thanks again, Afrida!

ABYSMAL WHORE

After a short delay due to some technical difficulties at the venue, it was time for total devastation with Toronto-based Death Metal brigade ABYSMAL WHORE, and if you don’t know these girls and guys, go check their music on BandCamp and on Spotify as they’re awesome. Formed of the indomitable Marta Chilina on vocals and guitar, Nava Amin also on the guitar, Andrew Phillips on bass, and Korrosive’s own Kaveh Afshar on drums, the band played basically songs from their 2024 demo Sadistic Urge, and I must say they sounded a lot better live than in the studio, delivering a dirtier and more aggressive rendition of their songs. I really want to see a full album by such a promising band of the Canadian scene, because they definitely know how to craft high quality music, and they surely show their passion for the extreme through their music and when they’re kicking ass onstage.

Band members
Marta Chilina – vocals, guitar
Nava Amin – guitar
Andrew Phillips – bass
Kaveh Afshar – drums

NAPOLEON

After a short break it was time for Alternative Punk/Post-Hardcore four-piece NAPOLEON to set the house on fire with their beyond electrifying performance, igniting some fun mosh pits and putting a smile on everyone’s faces with their energy and charisma. Playing a very vibrant set including songs like Buried In The Garden Of Eden, Haunting Me, Lord and Savior, and I Better Run (all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), frontman Jon Elmaleh and his henchmen Tommy Whyte on the guitar, Camilo Martinez on bass (who kept playing like a true badass even after one of the chords simply decided it didn’t want to be part of his bass anymore), and Eitan Garazi on drums didn’t stop kicking ass not even for a single second, and if you’re in Toronto looking for some action inside the pit, keep an eye on their tour dates. Those guys are fantastic live.

Band members
Jon Elmaleh – vocals
Tommy Whyte – guitar
Camilo Martinez – bass
Eitan Garazi – drums

RAIDER

The last attraction of the night was Kitchener/Waterloo’s own Thrash/Death Metal machine RAIDER, and those guys never fool around when it comes to delivering pure, unfiltered sonic devastation to their avid fans. Having released the album Trial by Chaos in 2023 (available on both BandCamp and Spotify), the band formed of Gabe Rosa on vocals and  lead guitars, Bennett Smith on vocals and guitars, Aaron Tanner on bass, and Angus Pike on drums showed no mercy for our souls with an incendiary performance, blasting the heaviest and fastest sounds you can think of. They kept shredding their guitars, screaming and pounding their drums nonstop, almost setting fire to the venue, and there wasn’t a single song in their setlist that didn’t transpire extreme aggression. I think it’s about time those guys release a new album, and of course, they should book more shows in the city. They were the icing on the cake on a night of first-class Canadian metal, and if they ever take your city by storm, you know what to do. Thank you, Jasper, for bringing those three bands together for us! It was a great celebration, even with Belgium losing such a tough match against Spain that same day. Well, bring it on, World Cup 2030!

Band members
Gabe Rosa – vocals, lead guitars
Bennett Smith – vocals, guitars
Aaron Tanner – bass
Angus Pike – drums

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Album Review – Eaten By Sharks / The Undertow Of Hate (2026)

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This Canadian Technical Death Metal sea beast returns from the ocean depths with their sophomore album, a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse.

Blending Technical and Progressive Death Metal with technical precision, crushing grooves, and Deathcore aggression, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own rising force Eaten By Sharks continues to evolve from the sound established on their 2022 release Eradication with their newborn spawn, entitled The Undertow Of Hate, embracing a more composition-focused and cinematic approach by crafting a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying another killer artwork by Paolo Girardi, the new album by Matt Sherriff on vocals, Chris Chaperon and Dan Okowinsky on the guitars, Tyler Abrams on bass, and Justin Whitehead on drums offers us mere mortals a devastating blend of Deathcore, slam, and modern Extreme Metal intensity, becoming therefore a must-listen for fans of Fit For An Autopsy, Gojira and Cattle Decapitation, just to name a few.

The piercing guitars by Chris and Dan invite us all to dive deep into the unruly waters of The Undertow Of Hate in Vessels Torn, with Matt screaming and gnarling like a demented creature until the very end; while In Tidal Chaos starts in a sinister way before all hell breaks loose to the massive beats by Justin and the rumbling bass by Tyler in a lecture in Technical Deathcore. Capsized sounds even heavier and more demented, with Matt’s deep guttural reeking of classic Death Metal, supported by the always technical and venomous guitar work by Chris and Dan; and let’s enjoy several bodies slamming into the pit to the sound of Bodies Overboard, with Justin hammering his drums nonstop, consequently bringing even more heaviness and violence to their music.

Their Technical Death Metal vein pulses harder than ever in Treading Water, with the visceral roars by Matt walking hand in hand with the intricacy and hatred blasted by his bandmates, followed by Dragged Under, which keeps the momentum going with an explosion of absolute violence by all band members, all boosted by the groovy kitchen crafted by Tyler and Justin. Becoming Chum is definitely less electrifying than its predecessors, albeit still very aggressive and showcasing the band’s trademark sound; and the band will drag us 10,000 meters deep to the multi-layered, very technical and demonic Crimson Tide, where their striking riffage offers Matt exactly what he needs to vociferate like a creature from the deep, flowing into the cinematic outro Surfaced Remains, where you can smell the blood of the fallen on their shark-infested waters.

With a commitment to high-quality production and engaging storytelling, Eaten By Sharks are poised to leave a lasting impact on the genre with the release of The Undertow Of Hate, an album built around transformation, destruction, and irreversible change at sea. You can find those subaquatic death dealers on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, stream their visceral creations on any platform like Spotify and Apple Music, and of course purchase their awesome new album from Bandcamp or from CDN Records. Just like an aggressive shark at sea, Eaten By Sharks can smell your blood from a very far distance, and once they capture with their Technical Death Metal and Deathcore jaws to the sound of their new opus, there’s no way out.

Best moments of the album: In Tidal Chaos, Treading Water and Crimson Tide.

Worst moments of the album: Becoming Chum.

Released in 2026 CDN Records

Track listing
1. Vessels Torn 4:43
2. In Tidal Chaos 4:36
3. Capsized 3:36
4. Bodies Overboard 3:53
5. Treading Water 3:40
6. Dragged Under 3:42
7. Becoming Chum 4:25
8. Crimson Tide 4:03
9. Surfaced Remains 1:26

Band members
Matt Sherriff – vocals
Chris Chaperon – lead guitar
Dan Okowinsky – guitar
Tyler Abrams – bass
Justin Whitehead – drums

Album Review – Goreworm / Miasmic Solitude (2026)

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Meshing different Death Metal styles in a way that’s both confounding and challenging, this Canadian ensemble returns with their sophomore beast, their most evolved creation to date.

Meshing different Death Metal styles in a way that’s both confounding and challenging, throwing Technical, Melodic, and Brutal Death Metal elements into a high-speed blender, Brantford, Ontario-based ensemble Goreworm have been on a roll since their inception back in 2017, culminating now in 2026 with the release of their sophomore album Miasmic Solitude, following up on their 2020 debut Prodigy of the Grotesque. Displaying a grim, barren artwork by Leanna TenEycke, and featuring guest drummer Robin Stone (of bands like Ashen Horde, Norse and Chestcrush), the new album by Robert Miller on vocals, Jordan Estrela on the guitars, and Brent Moerschfelder on the guitars and bass is their most evolved creation to date, and it must be celebrated for its passionate and innovative take on the Technical Death Metal style.

It’s pedal to the metal from the very first notes in the infuriated Conjuring, with its background epicness elevating the band’s heaviness to a whole new level, not to mention Robin simply demolishes his drums in an ode to tech death. The following tune Monuments to Murdering brings forward a crazy fusion of Progressive and Technical Death Metal where Robert’s enraged roars match perfectly with the intricate riffs by Jordan and Brent; whereas The Enthralling Grave, the first single of the album, offers an onrush of violence and dexterity, with Robin once again hammering his drums in the name of extreme music. The band then delivers a somber, grim sonority in Orbweaver, evolving into another slab of brutal insanity spearheaded by the inhumane riffage by the band’s guitar duo, and it’s time to headbang like a maniac to the sound of Amor Vincit Omnia, a Latin phrase meaning “love conquers all,” coined by the Roman poet Virgil around 37 B.C., another solid Technical Death Metal beast crafted by the boys.

The band  goes berserk in the Death Metal extravaganza No Reprieve, with Robert barking and growling rabidly for our absolute delight in a lecture in Technical Death Metal made in Canada; while Eve of Flagellation feels a bit uninspired in the end despite its heaviness and fury, even with Robert roaring like a demonic entity nonstop. Then back to a more creative and demented sonority we face Jarrell, as infernal as it is technical, with Robin stealing the spotlight with perhaps his most demolishing performance of the entire album; whereas adding epic elements to their core savagery, the band destroys everything and everyone with Strelly, where Brent sounds ruthless with both his guitar and bass for our total delight. And lastly we have the title-track Miasmic Solitude, putting a beyond pulverizing ending to the album to the sound of the band’s undisputed screams, riffs and beats.

After all is said and done, the new offering by the unrelenting Goreworm will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the most intricate yet demolishing form of Death Metal crafted by bands the likes of Arsis, Gorod, Xenosis, Fleshbore, and Obscura, just to name a few. You can get to know more about such a talented band from Canada by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, blow your speakers by streaming their music on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of their incendiary new album from their own BandCamp or from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp, main store, US store or EU store. Goreworm  offer classic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Brutal Death Metal and more in Miasmic Solitude, and you better get ready as once their music strikes you, it will be deadly.

Best moments of the album: Monuments to Murdering, No Reprieve and Jarrell.

Worst moments of the album: Eve of Flagellation.

Released in 2026 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1 Conjuring 4:10
2 Monuments to Murdering 3:04
3 The Enthralling Grave 3:04
4 Orbweaver 4:34
5 Amor Vincit Omnia 5:02
6 No Reprieve 4:13
7 Eve of Flagellation 4:11
8 Jarrell 4:10
9 Strelly 3:29
10 Miasmic Solitude 4:09

Band members
Robert Miller – vocals
Jordan Estrela – guitars
Brent Moerschfelder – guitars, bass

Guest musician
Robin Stone – drums (session)

Concert Review – Sepultura (London Music Hall, London, ON, 05/02/2026)

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The Canadian city of London witnessed for the very first (and last) time ever the undisputed power of “Sepultura do Brasil” on an unforgettable night of first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Tribal Gaze, Biohazard and Exodus

After back to back nights of pure heavy music with bands like Archspire, Amon Amarth and Dethklok kicking my ass in Toronto on Thursday and Friday, it was time for a nice drive to the city of London for night number 3 of absolute metal magic to enjoy TRIBAL GAZE, BIOHAZARD, EXODUS and SEPULTURA take the cozy London Music Hall by storm this Saturday night as part of their Celebrating Life Through Death Final North American Tour 2026, another killer event organized by our local hero Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there with me to register such a great celebration of Thrash, Death and Groove Metal, as well as some first-class Hardcore, and I guess because the show was on a Saturday, and due to the size of the bands playing, it was scheduled for an early start, with doors opening at 5:30pm and the first band hitting the stage at 6:30pm. Fortunately, as mentioned, it was on a Saturday, so it was just a matter of planning the drive beforehand to get there in time to enjoy all attractions (and brave the long merch line if you were up to that), and believe me, they were all absolutely worth the ticket.

The opening slot of this tour was given to Texan Death Metal outfit TRIBAL GAZE, and just like when I saw them opening for Cattle Decapitation they were ruthless onstage. Once again playing songs exclusively from their 2025 sophomore Inveighing Brilliance, available on both BandCamp and Spotify, including the venomous Twitching on the Cross, Guarding the Illusion, and Beyond Recognition, the band formed of McKenna Holland on vocals, Quintin Stauts and Ian Kilmer on the guitars, Zachary Denton on bass, and Cesar De Los Santos on drums inspired everyone already at the venue to start a sick circle pit, properly warming up the crowd for the other attractions of the night. Those guys are very young and looked extremely excited for opening for some of their metal heroes, as I’m sure they grew up listening to Sepultura, Exodus and Biohazard, so their level of energy onstage was insanely high. As I always say, new bands like Tribal Gaze need our support to keep metal alive, which means if they ever play in your city, you know what to do.

Setlist
Emptying the Nest
Smiling From Their Chariots
To the Spoils of Faith
The Irreversible Sequence
Twitching on the Cross
Guarding the Illusion
Beyond Recognition

Band members
McKenna Holland – vocals
Quintin Stauts – guitars
Ian Kilmer – guitars
Zachary Denton – bass
Cesar De Los Santos – drums

After Tribal Gaze finished their unrelenting performance, we were treated to the incendiary Hardcore by Brooklyn, New York’s most famous squad, the indomitable BIOHAZARD. It was only my second time in life seeing those guys live, the first back in the late 90’s when they were one of the must-see bands on MTV, and I must say they looked a lot sharper and more infuriated this Saturday night. Evan Seinfeld is in fantastic shape, way better than his early days or when he was one of the prisoners in the revolutionary TV series Oz, and if I ever have a chance to talk to him in person I’ll certainly ask him for some health tips as he looks awesome. Billy Graziadei, Bobby Hambel and Danny Schuler were also on fire, and their short but sweet setlist, blending classics with new songs from their 2025 album Divided We Fall (all available on Spotify), was heavy, flammable, violent and fun from start to finish, igniting a demonic circle pit that turned up the heat considerably at the venue. Biohazard still got it, no doubt about it, and I’m happy I was able to see those legends live again after almost 30 years.

Setlist
Urban Discipline
Shades of Grey
Fuck the System
Wrong Side of the Tracks
Tales From the Hard Side
Forsaken
Punishment

Band members
Evan Seinfeld – vocals, bass
Billy Graziadei – vocals, rhythm guitar
Bobby Hambel – lead guitar
Danny Schuler – drums

Then it was time for another blast of absolute thrashing madness onstage with the mighty Thrash Metal titans EXODUS, who after the return of the furious Rob Dukes are sounding even heavier than before. I saw them opening for Megadeth also in London in February, when they kicked off their tour to promote their new album Goliath (also available on Spotify), but this time opening for Sepultura sounded a lot heavier (and louder, as the sound at the London Concert Hall was turned up to 11). The setlist wasn’t too different from last time, but the fact they added the magnificent Deathamphetamine to it made their show more violent and vibrant. It’s always a pleasure seeing Gary Holt, Lee Altus, Jack Gibson and Tom Hunting onstage, as well as the aforementioned Rob Dukes, of course, but the show was so intense we all had to share our attention with the hurricane happening inside the circle pit. Well, when the last three songs of a setlist are A Lesson in Violence, The Toxic Waltz, and Strike of the Beast, you know you can’t simply stand and watch the show. You need to get into the action, and the fans in London understood the message maybe even more than what anyone could have predicted. Yes, it was a true lesson in violence, and we must thank the one and only Exodus for such a fun time.

Setlist
We Will Rock You (Queen song)
3111
Bonded by Blood
Deathamphetamine
Blacklist
Goliath
A Lesson in Violence
The Toxic Waltz
Strike of the Beast

Band members
Rob Dukes – vocals
Gary Holt – guitar
Lee Altus – guitar
Jack Gibson – bass
Tom Hunting – drums

SEPULTURA

It was already past 9pm when the main band of the night, Brazilian Thrash/Groove Metal institution SEPULTURA, kicked off their very first, and most probably their very last (as this is supposed to be their farewell tour), concert in the city of London, and the fans made sure it was an unforgettable night for Derrick Green, Andreas Kisser, Paulo Jr., and Greyson Nekrutman, as the crowd was rowdy and wild during their entire setlist, even when they played slower or newer songs like The Place (from their brand new EP The Cloud of Unknowing, already available in any platform such as Spotify) and Agony of Defeat. The crowd got louder of course during their classics from the 90’s, but the synchronicity between Sepultura and the fans in London was a thing of beauty during the entire concert.

Speaking of classics, I simply loved the fact they kicked off the show with Beneath the Remains and Inner Self, two of my all-time favorite Sepultura songs, and the quartet sounded utterly heavy during those masterpieces. The action inside the pit got out of control, the fans began smashing each other on the front rows to the point some people had to move to the back to be able to breathe and enjoy the rest of the show, and the fact they kept playing heavy and visceral tunes the likes of Attitude, Choke and Escape to the Void turned the venue into a cauldron of violence. The excellent tribal hymn Kaiowas brought some moments of peace to London, but of course all hell broke loose again once they played in a row the majestic Orgasmatron, Territory, Refuse/Resist and Arise. It was way crazier than their show in Toronto in 2024, I must admit.

Then after a quick drum solo by the ultra talented Greyson Nekrutman, who fells absolutely at home with Sepultura, the band put everyone to jump up and down, dance, slam into the pit, and therefore have the time of their lives with Ratamahatta, and of course with one of the best metal songs of all time, the incendiary Roots Bloody Roots. If that was indeed the first and last time Sepultura played in London, let’s say they did a phenomenal job, carving their place in the hearts of a lot of newcomers to their Sepulnation as countless fans were seeing them live for the very first time ever. I’ve seen them live already way too many times to remember, but I’ll never forget the energy in London. I had a long drive back home by myself in the middle of the night, but the adrenaline from the show was still flowing through my veins, making the drive a lot easier. Thank you for your music, Sepultura do Brasil, and if you want to somehow “cancel” your retirement and go back to London for another killer show, we will all be there for you.

Setlist
War Pigs (Black Sabbath song)
Polícia (Titãs song)
Beneath the Remains
Inner Self
Desperate Cry
Kairos
Means to an End
Attitude
Choke
The Place
Escape to the Void
Kaiowas
Dead Embryonic Cells
Agony of Defeat
Orgasmatron
Territory
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Drum Solo
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Greyson Nekrutman – drums

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Concert Review – UADA & Mortiis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 04/24/2026)

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The city of Toronto was taken by storm by the Witches of Dystopia this Friday night in a celebration of darkness, spirituality and witchcraft.

OPENING ACTS: Wraith Knight and Jerome Reuter’s Rome

After a Heavy Metal night on Thursday with the Burning Witches, it was time to join the Witches of Dystopia on Friday night as WRAITH NIGHT, JEROME REUTER’S ROME, MORTIIS and UADA took the city of Toronto by storm with their The Witches of Dystopia Tour MMXXVI, another massive event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The venue chosen for such a unique experience was Lee’s Palace (and it looks like it’s the only place UADA play in the city, by the way, as it was their third time there out of three shows), and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such a dark celebration encompassing countless music styles, from Black Metal and Dungeon Synth to Darkwave and Melodic Black Metal. It was a night of ups and downs as expected when you have so many different styles billed together, but that’s fine. You only need to open your mind and let the music flow through your soul, it doesn’t matter if it’s heavy as hell, or smooth and atmospheric.

It was 7:30pm, only 30 minutes after the doors were open, when Camas, Washington-based Black Metal/Ambient/Dungeon Synth entity WRAITH KNIGHT ignited the festivities with its fusion of dark music and fantasy. The project is basically Nick Superchi (the brother of UADA’s own frontman Jake Superchi, with whom he has also co-founded Dark Forest Productions) on synthesizers, and you can enjoy its two album Deep in the Dungeons of the Dragonlord, from 2022, and Of Arcane Magic & Forbidden Knowledge: The Necromantical Passage, from 2026, on BandCamp and on Spotify. It was a bit weird seeing just one guy on the corner of the stage playing synths for 30 minutes, but it is what it is. Nick hasn’t joined this tour in vain, and all would make sense after UADA hit the stage later that night.

Band members
Nick Superchi – synthesizers

Then after a short break it was time for another one-man project to entertain everyone who beats traffic and was already at Lee’s Palace, Luxembourg’s own Neofolk act JEROME REUTER’S ROME. And again, it was only one guy onstage, this time playing an acoustic set on the guitar. Known for his time with Street Punk band The Skinflicks, and for his collaborations with Nergal in his Dark Folk/Blues project Me And That Man, Jerome is now putting a lot of focus and effort on Rome, and if you enjoy Neofolk you can go check his music on Spotify. I would have preferred a regular Black Metal band instead, fully electrified and loud, but again, nothing that could make the night less enjoyable.

Band members
Jerome Reuter – vocals, guitar

MORTIIS

The first main attraction of the night was Oslo, Norway-based Darkwave/Dungeon Synth/Electronic/Industrial Rock entity MORTIIS, and yes, all of those music genres and subgenres can be applied to the most famous troll in the music industry. I don’t know if he was the best option to tour alongside such a heavy band like UADA, but the crowd seemed to be enjoying his electronic music more than what I expected. Basing his setlist on his 2001 cult album The Smell of Rain, plus the new song Ghosts of Europa, from his upcoming album of the same name (to be released on June 21), all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, Mortiis and his henchmen Ashes on the guitar, and Jon Siren on drums put a lot of people to dance at Lee’s Palace, including Mortiis himself onstage, of course.

The only thing that REALLY bothered me during his entire concert was the excessive use of backing tracks, in special all keyboards and synths. I read somewhere that the reason for such was to maintain the atmospheric complexity of his studio recordings that cannot be fully replicated by a standard live band (and it also gave Mortiis more freedom to move around the stage, I must admit that), but when over 90% of the instrumental is based on keyboards and synths, that gets truly annoying. No idea what was going on inside the minds of the fans at the venue, as the ones dancing didn’t seem to care about it, while others were simply not moving at all. When Smell the Witch was over, I noticed some people leaving the floor section. Maybe they were there just for Mortiis, maybe they were afraid of being caught in a mosh during UADA, which proves again the lineup for this tour was very weird. It worked, but it was still weird.

Setlist
Ghosts of Europa
Marshland
You Put a Hex on Me
Mental Maelstrom
Spirit in a Vacuum
Monolith
Parasite God
Tundra
Demons Are Back
Doppelganger
Smell the Witch

Band members
Mortiis – vocals
Ashes – guitars
Jon Siren – drums

UADA

Finally when the clock was about to hit 11pm it was time for one of the best, if not THE best, Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene, Portland, Oregon’s own UADA, to crush our damned souls with another spiritual, hypnotizing and absolutely dark performance, almost three years after their demolishing 2023 concert at the same venue, but this time their concert was absolutely unique, playing in full their 2016 debut Devoid of Light (available on any platform like BandCamp and Spotify), in celebration of the album’s 10th anniversary, plus songs from Symphonic Black/Death Metal band Ceremonial Castings, formed by brothers Jake “Lord Serpent” Superchi and Nick “OldNick” Superchi, celebrating 30 years of the band. It was a very bold move as I’m not sure if everyone at the venue knew Ceremonial Castings, but the final result was majestic to say the least.

When Jake Superchi, Rob Shaffer, Nate Verschoor and Pierce Williams hit the stage and kicked off their venomous feast of Black Metal with the excellent Natus Eclipsim, followed by the massive title-track Devoid of Light, the heaviness and loudness at Lee’s Palace were turned up to 11, inspiring everyone to raise their horns, bang their heads nonstop, and slam into the circle pit, all while joining the band on their spiritual journey. As a huge fan of all UADA albums, it was a pleasure seeing Devoid of Light in full (and I think this was the 10th album played in full by different bands in the city in the past year or so, a very cool trend if you ask me), with Black Autumn, White Spring being the icing on the cake as usual. Superb performance by this must-see band from the metal underworld.

Then after the instrumental interlude comprised of The Wanderer, from their 2018 masterpiece Cult of a Dying Sun, Nick Superchi of Wraith Knight joined the band onstage for a special set based on the “Bewitching Black Metal” crafted by Ceremonial Castings. With its lyrics based on the art of black magic, witchcraft and rituals, the band seems to have been resurrected by Jake and Nick in 2020, and I must say I’m really happy they decided to bring such an amazing project back from the dead. The songs chosen for their special ceremony were Immortal Black Art, Into the Black Forest of Witchery, Barbaric Is The Beast, Come Forth Damnation, Damned Be Those of the Craft, and Midnight Deathcult Phenomena, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I highly recommend you go after the music by Ceremonial Castings as it’s simply phenomenal. All fans loved every single second of the show, and I bet whoever was not familiar with Ceremonial Castings was certainly impressed with their killer music. In addition, they ended their set with an incendiary version of Emperor’s all-time classic I Am the Black Wizards. Do I need to say more?

There was only one issue with UADA’s classy performance involving one of the girls at the concert, but I guess both the girl and Jake regret their actions this Friday night. The same girl who went onstage to do splits at the Incantation concert (opening for Belphegor) earlier this year thought it was a good idea to do the same at UADA, but she clearly didn’t have a clue of what a UADA concert means. It’s not Thrash Metal, it’s not Death Metal, sometimes not even Black Metal. It’s a spiritual event, and the stage is sacred ground for the band. After doing her splits, Jake simply booted her out of the stage, and although her fall wasn’t that harsh, it was still a considerable fall. Jake apologized to her after the show, of course. I guess he was in his usual trance onstage and didn’t think properly before kicking her in the ass, but that also shows you cannot simply go to a concert and do whatever you want, like invading the stage, because depending on the band that’s not cool at all. In the end, it didn’t really matter, because UADA were beauifully insane, and I can’t wait to see them live again sooner than later. Without anyone going onstage to do splits, please.

Setlist
Devoid of Light (10-Year Anniversary)
Natus Eclipsim
Devoid of Light
S.N.M.
Our Pale Departure
Black Autumn, White Spring

Interlude:
The Wanderer

Ceremonial Castings (30-Year Anniversary)
Immortal Black Art
Into the Black Forest of Witchery
Barbaric Is The Beast
Come Forth Damnation
Damned Be Those of the Craft
Midnight Deathcult Phenomena

Encore:
I Am the Black Wizards (Emperor cover)

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Rob Shaffer – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Pierce Williams – drums

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