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Concert Review – Signs of the Swarm (The Mod Club, Toronto, ON, 10/03/2025)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Face Yourself, Carcosa, Ten56 and Mental Cruelty

Friday October the 3rd, 2025 The Mod Club located in Toronto’s Little Italy neighborhood played host to a night of pure deathcore delight, with such bands as FACE YOURSELF, CARCOSA, TEN56, MENTAL CRUELTY and headlining act SIGNS OF THE SWARM, another amazing event organized by our metal hero Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Headbangers from across the Greater Toronto Area enjoyed a night of self-inflicted whiplash and bodily torment as they moshed their brains out to some kick ass, heavy and hard as fuck deathcore from start to finish. I was also pleased to see that the venue now had a photo pit/barrier as well as a newly remodeled stage.

From the onset, New York band FACE YOURSELF, who has just released an amazing new EP titled Fury, had the crowd moshing in circle pits for the entire duration of their incredible and energetic first set. I could barely look away from the drummer the whole time as he was clad in a shirt with the face of Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys on it and couldn’t shake the image of Bubbs slaying on the drum kit out of head to my own personal delight. Lead vocalist Yasmin Liverneaux Belkhodja has quite a set of pipes on her that could strip the paint off the walls and could curdle blood with her guttural screams. Face Yourself totally kicked ass to open up the show. 10/10

Band members
Yasmin Liverneaux Belkhodja – vocals
Dave Ricco – lead guitar
Thomas Cardone – guitar
Corey Doremus – guitar, backing vocals
Kyle Muenzner – bass, backing vocals
Eric DiCarlo – drums

Next up was CARCOSA, a band created by Viral TikTokers Andrew Baena and Johnny Ciardullo out of Vancouver, British Columbia. They were absolutely brutal and didn’t let the crowd slack up, not even for a second. These guys crushed it on stage with their blend of doom & gloom, brutality, sick breakdowns, low end bass drops and humour. I also caught Andrew’s pick at the end of their set. The last album released by those guys was the EP Wrath of the Tyrant, back in 2022, which means I don’t think it will take long for them to attack us all again with their undisputed blend of death metal and hardcore. C’mon, Carcosa! WE need new music from you guys asap!  10/10

Band members
Johnny Ciardullo – vocals
Andrew Baena – guitar, backing vocals
Cooper Lagace – guitar
David Hicks – drums

French deathcore outfit TEN56 came on next and delivered a fantastic set which kept the crowd frantic and buzzing with energy. Non-stop moshing was the theme of the night. I found their drummer Arnaud Verrier to be quite impressive and he reminded me a lot of Dave Grohl mixed with Mario Duplantier. I kept getting blasted in the face with puffs of air from the bass drum as it was directly in line with me in the front row, and as I left the venue towards the end of the show I ran into Arnaud on the street outside of the club and he told me he was looking at me the whole set, and noticed that he was not exactly set up perfectly straight on to which I let him know that I felt the percussive air puffs hitting my face and thanked him for the air conditioning. I let him know that he is a hell of a drummer. Ten56 were seriously good. 10/10

Band members
Aaron Matts – vocals
Quentin Godet – guitar
Luka Garotin – guitar
Steeves Hostin – bass
Arnaud Verrier – drums

Germany’s MENTAL CRUELTY was up next and they proceeded to absolutely destroy. The crowd ratcheted up even more and exploded into wave after wave of crowd surfers and lead vocalist Lukas Nicolai eventually made his way closer to the crowd and braced by fans and balanced on top of the barrier where he continued to melt faces. The audience was losing its collective mind for Mental Cruelty. This band is pretty fuckin’ sick! Thier new song Helheim, which features the guys from Signs of the Swarm in its studio version, was a nice addition to their setlist, and a great indication of what to expect from those Germans after their 2023 masterpiece Zwielicht.  10/10

Setlist
The Venerable One
King ov Fire
Helheim
Forgotten Kings
Obsessis a Daemonio
Ultima Hypocrita
Nordlys
Zwielicht
Symphony of a Dying Star

Band members
Lukas Nicolai – vocals
Nahuel Lozano – guitars
Marvin Kessler – guitars
Viktor Dick – bass
Danny Straßer – drums

SIGNS OF THE SWARM

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania deathcore gods SIGNS OF THE SWARM headlined the show with a intensely killer set. Having just released their new album To Rid Myself of Truth, SOTS are always awesome to see live as they are one of those bands that burn with such intensity, brutality and raw aggression. Vocalist David Simonich blew me away with his brutal gutturals and sheer power. His vocals cutting straight through all of the brutally intense instrumentation to deliver a sonic assault not unlike a shotgun blast to the chest. The audience was in a frenzy with moshing in the circle pit when I decided my body couldn’t take any more of the brutality. My neck and back were sore from all of my non-stop headbanging and I regret that I couldn’t stay until the very end. I ended up out front of the club where my brother Keith and I ran into Members of Carcosa and Ten56. We shot the shit and got out of there as soon as possible while thanking them for a great show. I have no doubt in my mind that the crowd had an amazing time. 10/10

Setlist
Borrowed Time
Pray for Death
To Rid Myself of Truth
HELLMUSTFEARME
Natural Selection
Scars Upon Scars
Chariot
IWONTLETYOUDIE
Between Fire & Stone
Revelations Ov a Silent King
Creator
Pernicious
Amongst the Low & Empty

Band members
David Simonich – vocals
Carl Schulz – guitars
Michael Cassese – bass
Bobby Crow – drums

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Concert Review – Rhapsody of Fire (The Garrison, Toronto, ON, 09/20/2025)

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A night of pure Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, beer, mosh pits, walls of death, swords, shields, dragons, wizards, dwarves, and the best of the best of the best in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Witherfall, Striker and Enforcer

If you enjoy the fusion of Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, beer, mosh pits, walls of death, swords, shields, dragons, wizards and dwarves, then The Garrison in Toronto was the place for you to be this Saturday when the amazing WHITERFALL, STRIKER, ENFORCER and RHAPSODY OF FIRE took the city by storm with their most excellent Challenge the Wind / Dawn of Victory 25 Year Celebration – North America Tour 2025, another ass-kicking event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. And just like a miracle or a magic trick done by a headbanging wizard, traffic to get to the city was smooth and easy, allowing both Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I to get to the venue with plenty of time before the festivities started. There was construction on the way back on QEW which made the return trip a true nightmare, but I can’t complain as at least this time I was able to watch the whole event from the very first second.

If you know nothing about Los Angeles, California-based Progressive Heavy/Power Metal band WHITERFALL, I highly recommend you go after their music on Spotify or by clicking HERE, as those guys are incredible live and totally worth the price of a ticket to see them onstage. Still promoting their 2024 album Sounds of the Forgotten, the band formed of Joseph Michael on vocals and keyboards, Jake Dreyer on the guitars, Anthony Crawford on bass, Gerry Hirshfeld on keyboards and guitars, and Chris Tsaganeas on drums put on a fantastic performance at the small but cozy The Garrison, properly warming us all for the upcoming attractions of the night. I must say Insidious, one of the songs played form their new album, sounded majestic live, flawlessly uniting the energy of traditional Heavy Metal with the intricacy of Progressive Metal, and the reaction by the crowd was just as powerful. Well, when you have a guy like Jake Dryer on the guitars, known for his excellent work with bands like Iced Earth, Demons & Wizards, and Kobra and the Lotus, you know you’re in for a treat, and I can’t wait to see Witherfall in Toronto again in the near future.

Setlist
They Will Let You Down
Moment of Silence
Ode to Despair
Insidious
Vintage

Band members
Joseph Michael – vocals, keyboards
Jake Dreyer – guitars
Anthony Crawford – bass
Gerry Hirshfeld – keyboards, guitars
Chris Tsaganeas – drums

After a short break, it was time for the band I wanted to see the most that night, Edmonton, Alberta’s own indomitable Heavy Metal beast STRIKER, bringing their absolute Ultrapower to the stage and drive all fans in the crowd mental with their electrifying concert. All songs from the setlist were killer, in special Best of the Best of the Best, Heart of Lies, Circle of Evil, Former Glory, and of course the metal hymn chosen to close their show, Phoenix Lights, and I only wish they had at least another 20 minutes to play a few more songs for us. Dan Cleary was phenomenal as usual on vocals, as well as his bandmates Tim Brown and John Simon Fallon on the guitars, Pete Klassen on bass, and Jonathan Webster on drums, proving why they’re one of the most precious gems of the current Canadian metal scene (and why they should be opening for Iron Maiden or Judas Priest instead of the always questionable choices by those bands). You can find their music on BandCamp, Spotify, or by clicking HERE, and believe me, once you start listening to Striker, there’s no turning back. On a side note, I promised myself I wasn’t buying any merch that night, but as soon as I got there and saw their Beer Shark T-Shirt, I said “FUCK YOU, STRIKER!” Needless to say, here I am with another awesome black shirt added to my collection.

Setlist
Kernkraft 400
Best of the Best of the Best
Heart of Lies
Blood Magic
Sucks to Suck
Ready for Anything
Circle of Evil
Former Glory
Phoenix Lights

Band members
Dan Cleary – vocals
Tim Brown – guitar
John Simon Fallon – guitar
Pete Klassen – bass
Jonathan Webster – drums

Another band I was eager to see live on Saturday were the Swedish guys from Heavy/Speed Metal machine ENFORCER, and let me tell you if you think they’re loud and heavy in the studio, they turn the volume up to 11 when they’re onstage. Having released the excellent Nostalgia in 2023 (which means it won’t take long now for those boys to bring a new album into being), the band formed of vocalist and guitarist Olof Wikstrand, guitarist Jonathan Nordwall, bassist Garth Condit (who looks a lot like a younger version of Mr. Adrian Smith), and drummer Jonas Wikstrand were relentless throughout their entire set, sometimes looking as if they were high on something (well, they were high on Heavy Metal, no doubt about that), melting our faces with thrilling, no shenanigans songs the likes of Destroyer, Unshackle Me, Take Me Out of This Nightmare, Midnight Vice, and even a really cool, vibrant cover version for Black Sabbath’s classic Die Young, and consequently igniting some sick mosh pits for our total delight. You can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and definitely keep an eye on their tour dates because if there’s one thing those guys know how to do, that is to kick some serious ass live.

Setlist
Destroyer
Undying Evil
Unshackle Me
From Beyond
Live for the Night
Die Young (Black Sabbath cover)
Nostalgia
Mesmerized by Fire
Take Me Out of This Nightmare
Midnight Vice

Band members
Olof Wikstrand – vocals, guitars
Jonathan Nordwall – guitars
Garth Condit – bass
Jonas Wikstrand – drums

RHAPSODY OF FIRE

To be honest, after the breathtaking performances by Witherfall, Striker and Enforcer, Italy’s own Symphonic Power Metal force RHAPSODY OF FIRE had the almost impossible task of keeping up with that absurd level of energy and awesomeness. Well, let’s simply say they were not the headliners in vain, as the minute Giacomo Voli, Roby De Micheli, Alessandro Sala, Alex Staropoli and Paolo Marchesich hit the stage, The Garrison turned into a wild feast of hobbits, wizards, dragons, swords and undisputed heavy music. I always get confused with their historical name and lineup changes, which is why if you want to listen to their discography on Spotify there are two links, one for Rhapsody of Fire and one for Rhapsody only (and I guess there was even a time when they were called Rhapsody ov Fire, if I’m not mistaken), but that didn’t matter as their concert this Saturday night was beyond fantastic.

Blending songs from their 2024 album Challenge the Wind with their masterpiece Dawn of Victory, hence the long name of their tour, they provided us fans with a lecture in Symphonic Power Metal, with songs like Unholy Warcry, I’ll Be Your Hero, Challenge the Wind, and of course the timeless classics Dawn of Victory, Holy Thunderforce, and Emerald Sword (including an excellent wall of death, by the way) driving their diehard supporters crazy during the entire night. Even the not-so-fast moments, like when they played The Village of Dwarves (which reminds me a lot of the catchy “Bravely Bold Sir Robin”, from the iconic movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail), were great, and we must thank their ultra talented frontman Giacomo Voli for that. The guy not only has an incredible voice, but he certainly knows how to keep his audience engaged. For instance, I was going to leave early that night as I was a bit tired from the entire week, but I ended up staying until the last second in the battlefield with Rhapsody of Fire. Because that’s what good quality heavy music is all about and, as the band confirmed when their show was over, let’s have another magical party with them when they return in 2027 with the celebration of 30 years of their classic debut album Legendary Tales.

Setlist
The Dark Secret (I. The Ancient Prophecy)
The Dark Secret (II. Ira Divina (Divine Wrath))
Unholy Warcry
Rain of Fury
I’ll Be Your Hero
Chains of Destiny
The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream
Challenge the Wind
Kreel’s Magic Staff
Lux Triumphans
Dawn of Victory
Triumph for My Magic Steel
The Village of Dwarves
Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain
Holy Thunderforce
A New Saga Begins
Land of Immortals
Emerald Sword
Act VII: The Angels’ Dark Revelation

Band members
Giacomo Voli – lead vocals
Roby De Micheli – guitars
Alessandro Sala – bass
Alex Staropoli – keyboards, orchestrations, backing vocals
Paolo Marchesich – drums

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Album Review – Spades GT / United (2025)

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This Canadian brigade is ready to save rock music with the incendiary fusion of Crossover Thrash, Hardcore and Punk Rock found in their sophomore album.

Hailing from the charming Barrie, a city in Central Ontario, Canada, about 90 kilometers north of Toronto, the up-and-coming sonic brigade known as Spades GT is ready to save rock music with the incendiary fusion of Crossover Thrash, Hardcore and Punk Rock found in their new album, titled United. Produced by Kyle Marchant at Room 21 Sound in Toronto, the follow-up to their 2024 debut Sewer City Radio sees the band currently formed of John Pierce on vocals, Matt Voros and Dan Horton on the guitars, Sean Macnab on bass, and Tyler Reiner on drums on absolute fire, inspiring us all to slam into the pit to its eight hard-hitting compositions in a resonant exploration of connection and unity, examining diverse perspectives and scenarios from the deeply interpersonal to broader political landscapes.

The quintet wastes no time and kicks off their Rock N’ Roll party with Anthem, led by the pounding drums by Tyler and the classic, soaring vocals by John, not to mention how incendiary the riffs by Matt and Dan sound, followed by the electrifying title-track United, where the band unites the heaviness of metal music with the rebelliousness of Hardcore and Punk Rock, and the final result is perfect for some crazy mosh pit action. Tyler keeps hammering his drums in Demons, while Matt and Dan deliver an overdose of adrenaline through their stringed axes, and Filthy Lie is a song that’s more than perfect for hitting the road with your loved ones, for enjoying it while going skateboarding, and of course for showing the band your horns during their live concerts.

Game for Two then blends the sounds blasted by giants like Motörhead, The Exploited and Rancid, with Tyler taking the lead behind his drums in a frantic rock and punk extravaganza; whereas the last batch of songs features some very special guest musicians, starting with guest vocals by Andrew Moorehouse of The Fast Life in Wrecked, even faster than its predecessors. Needless to say, it should sound amazing if played live. Strong, featuring a rap verse by guest Julien “Mersinary” Santos of Reel Wolf, is another furious, heavy-as-hell tune by Spades GT, with the vocals by John exhaling sheer adrenaline, and lastly, featuring former second guitarist Jay Sarrazin, we have the flammable Die on Our Feet, closing the album on a high and vibrant Rock N’ Roll note.

John, Matt, Dan, Sean and Tyler are among us to save Rock N’ Roll, and the music found in their new album United proves they’re in the right path to reach their undisputed goal, combining hard-hitting riffs, driving rhythms, and compelling vocals to create a sound that’s both familiar and refreshingly contemporary. Hence, you should give those hardworking Canadians a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping an eye on their live performances, subscribe to their official YouTube channel, stream their new album in full on Spotify or on other major streaming platforms, or simply click HERE for all things Spades GT. Those five talented musicians are united in the name of Rock N’ Roll throughout the 27 minutes of music found in their new album, and you won’t regret joining them and headbanging to their melodic and very aggressive sounds.

Best moments of the album: United, Filthy Lie and Wrecked.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Sewer City Records

Track listing
1. Anthem 2:39
2. United 3:49
3. Demons 3:03
4. Filthy Lie 3:25
5. Game for Two 3:39
6. Wrecked 3:14
7. Strong 3:33
8. Die on Our Feet 3:29

Band members
John Pierce – lead vocals
Matt Voros – guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Filthy Lie”
Dan Horton – guitar
Sean Macnab – bass
Tyler Reiner – drums

Guest musicians
Andrew Moorehouse – vocals on “Wrecked”
Julien “Mersinary” Santos – vocals on “Strong”
Jay Sarrasin – guitars on “Die on Our Feet”

Album Review – Crimson Shadows / Whispers of War (2025)

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Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since 2006, Toronto’s own metal warriors are finally back into the battlefield with their breathtaking third studio album.

Bringing fast and thrilling songs of battle and victory to our metal hearts since the already distant year of 2006, Toronto, Canada’s own Epic/Melodic Death/Power Metal warriors Crimson Shadows are finally back into the battlefield with their fusion of the guttural screams and blast beats of Death Metal with the epic up-tempo guitar harmonies and choruses of Power Metal in their brand new album, the magnificent Whispers of War. Mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying a classy artwork by Péter Sallai of Mortpaintgraphics, showcasing a brave, dauntless warrior that perfectly depicts the sound of the band, the new album by frontman Jimi Maltais, guitarists Greg Rounding and Ryan Hofing, bassist Alex Snape, and drummer Cory Hofing is a worthy follow-up to their 2014 beast Kings Among Men, offering our avid ears an overdose of the band’s characteristic sound while also pointing to an even brighter future ahead of them.

Those Toronto warriors waste no time and kick off their metal music played at the speed of light party in Dawn of an Age, with Cory taking the lead with his crushing beats, and Jimi and Greg make a phenomenal vocal duo in Guardians, with it’s catchy-as-hell lyrics (“Guardians / We stand in a time of blood and fire / Ancient tales become our legacy / Skies ablaze, spirits of evil surrounding me / The prophecy remains our destiny”) inspiring us all to raise our fists and join them in a lecture in Melodic Death and Power Metal. Defenders of the Crown offers our avid ears more of their epic lyrics (“Here we stand to hold our ground / We defenders of the crown / Hold your steel and clench it tight / Or we all will die tonight”) in another classic battle hymn; and featuring the unparalleled Canadian growler Matt McGachy of Cryptopsy, Whispers of War is a fulminating metal attack by the boys sounding as fast as it is epic and aggressive, with Greg and Ryan firing truly piercing riffs nonstop, followed by Embrace the Fire, a little bit below the rest of the album but still fast, furious and presenting the band’s trademark sonority.

Then a smooth piano-driven intro quickly evolves into another shredding extravaganza by Greg and Ryan titled Battle Hard II: Battle Harder (the sequel to their 2012 song “Battle Hard”), while Jimi roars and growls with all of his strength and passion for heavy music. And featuring the indomitable Brittney Slayes (frontwoman for Canadian metal masters Unleash The Archers), who brings balance to the vocals together with Greg, we have Secrets of Our Time, not to mention Cory demolishes his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Jimi then sounds out of control, roaring manically in The Legacy of Steel, another headbanging beast where their riffs and solos exhale pure Heavy Metal magic, whereas lastly, the band will head into their final battle entitled Rise of the Fallen Soul, with Greg stealing the show with his awesome clean vocals while their Dragonforce-like guitar solos bring an extra onrush of electricity to their sound.

Crimson Shadows might have competed in and won the 2013 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, and they absolutely deserved it, but in my humble opinion it’s now with Whispers of War that their trademark metallic, roaring sounds are ready to spread all over the world, positioning them as one of the forces to be reckoned with in the current Heavy Metal scene. Furthermore, those brave metallers are ready to take on the stages of the world by storm, and you can keep an eye on their tour dates by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as by clicking HERE. Don’t forget to also stream their striking creations on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course to grab a copy of the incendiary Whispers of War from BandCamp or from Big Cartel. War is upon us, and it’s time to fight side by side with Crimson Shadows to the sound of their superb new album, one of the best of the year, and a lecture in Canadian metal.

Best moments of the album: Guardians, Whispers of War, Battle Hard II: Battle Harder and The Legacy of Steel.

Worst moments of the album: Embrace the Fire.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. Dawn of an Age 4:46
2. Guardians 4:20
3. Defenders of the Crown 5:09
4. Whispers of War 5:18
5. Embrace the Fire 4:07
6. Battle Hard II: Battle Harder 5:57
7. Secrets of Our Time 4:48
8. The Legacy of Steel 5:39
9. Rise of the Fallen Soul 5:51

Band members
Jimi Maltais – vocals
Greg Rounding – guitars, clean vocals
Ryan Hofing – guitars
Alex Snape – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

Guest musicians
Matt McGachy – vocals on “Whispers of War”
Brittney Slayes – vocals on “Secrets of Our Time”

Concert Review – CallHome Music Festival 2025 (Lion’s Gate Park, Brantford, ON, 07/18/2025 & 07/19/2025)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

This past weekend the CallHome Music Festival (formerly known as Crewfest) invited my Brother Keith “The Metal Paparazzi” back to cover this summer’s festival and he brought me to tag along with him this time. The festival was located at Lion’s Gate Park in Brantford, Ontario on July 18 &19, 2025 and consisted of one main stage and one side stage replete with plenty of vendors selling a variety of curiosities, wares, merch and plenty of food options, as well as wrestling brought to us by Brantford Wrestling which I found to be incredibly entertaining. The weather was absolutely perfect that weekend. The event organizers were extremely accommodating to us and we felt welcomed with open arms. All volunteers were awesome as well as the security team and local law enforcement. Everything blended together for a great family-friendly event experience, especially on the first day as it was open to all ages.

Toronto Rapper K-Os kicked off the festival on the main stage and rocked a set complete with a number of his best hits. Every band played solid throughout both days, especially all side stage acts (Barstool Confessions, Harm & Ease for example). Friday saw acts such as K-Os, Bedouin Soundclash, USS, and Walk Off The Earth. All of whom had memorable sets including a band member surfing the crowd. I would have to say that nobody went home disappointed on the first day.

JJ Wilde @ CallHome Music Festival 2025

The second day was 19 and up and had a slightly different feel as many more folks were inebriated and having a great time. Barstool Confessions opened up the day on the side stage and played great and even covered some Tragically Hip hits. On the main stage The Wild High put on a fantastic set covering CCR to start with and easing into their own catalogue and even some Monster Truck hits as this band consists of the remnants of Monster Truck. Rusty was on stage next and put on a memorable show playing their best stuff and let’s just say I’m still humming their songs days after the festival. Harm & Ease delighted on the side stage even though they were missing a guitarist. The lead singer brought a lot of energy and was the focal point of the set. They were very entertaining.

The Glorious Sons @ CallHome Music Festival 2025

JJ Wilde was electric on the main stage and rocked us for what seemed like an hour and a half. I met her backstage after the show and complemented her on such a great show and she was so appreciative about that. She was humble to say the least. Pop Evil was the heaviest group on the whole festival as they are a blend of pop and metal and they kicked ass pretty good. Pop Evil put on an hour and a half-ish long set and had the crowd excited throughout their set. The Glorious Sons came on to close the festival and they were pretty damn good and it was abundantly clear that they were the band that most people were there to see. This was my first time seeing all of these bands and I enjoyed all of them even though I listen to music with more of an edge, this was a good change of pace for me and I would happily recommend the CallHome Music Festival to anyone that enjoys great music and a welcoming family orientated vibe. Thank you to all of the organizers, in special to Jamie Stephens who invited Keith and I, we had a great time.

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Concert Review – Lutharo, Blackguard & Killotine (Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON, 07/26/2025)

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We were born to ride on the wings of Canadian underground metal together with three of the must-see bands of the current scene on a rainy night in Toronto.

INTRO: A perfect night of Canadian metal almost ruined by one of the heaviest traffics ever experienced in the city…

I’ve always hated the QEW, and will forever hate it, but the traffic this Saturday night to get to the city was beyond any level of patience I might have to face any type of situation. Rain is the new snow, and it was absolute chaos to get to the cozy Horseshow Tavern in time to see LUTHARO, BLACKGUARD and KILLOTINE in another killer event of the Canadian underground organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. It took me over two fuckin’ hours for a 30km drive, and when I met my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi at the venue I was completely drained and exhausted, and there were only five minutes left before the first attraction of the night, so I can say I was a bit numb during the first half of the show. I don’t know what I’m going to do in the near future as the city is growing in population but not in infrastructure, and more and more companies are demanding their employees to return to the office five times a week, which means any day of the week from now on will be fucked by heavy traffic. I might have to start handpicking my concerts, and that’s very depressing.

KILLOTINE

I don’t like to start a review of an excellent night of Canadian metal with a rant like that, and I’m sorry about it. Fortunately, Hamilton, Ontario’s own Thrash Metal marauders KILLOTINE brought a lot of energy back to my tired soul with their frantic and vibrant performance. The reigning champions of Wacken Metal Battle Canada 2025 proved why they were the chosen ones to represent Canada at Wacken Open Air this year, kicking some ass onstage with their no shenanigans blend of Thrash Metal spearheaded by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Matt Fraser. I don’t know exactly which songs they played, but I guess it was pretty much the entire 2024 EP Live at the Whiskey Pit, available on Spotify, with songs like Survival of the Wicked and Isolate sounding amazing live, already igniting some wild mosh pits for our total delight. Go check more details about Killotine by clicking HERE, but be careful as thrashing is their business, and business is good.

Band members
Matt Fraser – vocals, guitars
Jesse Luciani – guitars
James McNeil – bass, backing vocals
James Beck – drums

BLACKGUARD

The second band of the night, Montreal, Quebec-based Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal horde BLACKGUARD, might not have released anything new since their excellent 2020 album Storm, but the band fronted by the talented Paul Ablaze showed why they’re one of the most beloved bands of the Canadian scene with a breathtaking performance, melting our faces with their hybrid of Children of Bodom with Swedish melodeath and elements from Symphonic and Black Metal, all spiced up by the hammering beats by Justine Ethier. Once again I have no idea of their full setlist, but all songs sounded amazing, like Northern Storm. You can check their full discography on Spotify, and get more information about the band HERE, as I’m sure you’ll have a blast with such an amazing band. My only “complaint” is that they could have played the song A Dying Season with the multi-talented Lyndsay Schoolcraft, former keyboardist for Cradle of Filth (who was in the house as a fan) just like in their album. Nothing to really worry about, though, but as a fan of Lyndsay’s work I personally thought she would have been a nice touch to their fantastic concert.

Band members
Paul Ablaze – vocals
David Gagné Guitars – lead guitars
Terry Roadcase – rhythm guitar
Vincent Harnois – bass
Jonathan Lefrancois-Leduc – keyboards
Justine Ethier – drums, percussion

LUTHARO

The night was getting better and better inside the Horseshoe Tavern (and kudos to the house DJ for playing only songs by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne the entire night, as a beautiful tribute to our beloved Prince of Darkness), and of course the incendiary Melodic Death Metal by Hamilton, Ontario’s most ass-kicking band ever, the unstoppable LUTHARO, was the icing on the cake on such an excellent metal party. Playing songs from all of their albums, but of course focusing more on their 2024 beast Chasing Euphoria (available in full on Spotify or for purchase by clicking HERE, by the way), the band led by the stunning frontwoman Krista Shipperbottom, who was sporting an awesome outfit with an altered  Lutharo shirt and a huge smile on her face during the entire show, set the whole place on fire with their striking performance.

Krista was of course flawlessly supported by her bandmates Victor Bucur, Jeff Wilson (who paid a subtle tribute to the recently deceased iconic wrestler Hulk Hogan during one of the songs), Chris Pacey and Cory Hofing, adding even more energy to their breathtaking performance. Fans were loving every single song played, with Time to Rise, To Kill or to Crave and Reaper’s Call being some of the favorites of the night. It felt like Lutharo were a veteran band used to play at arenas simply having fun at a small venue so professional and passionate they sounded, and I really hope now that they’re embarking on a fun European tour that they become the next big thing in the Old Continent. When they returned to the stage for their more-than-special encore with Born to Ride (my favorite of the night) and Lost in a Soul, it was the coronation of a perfect night for the band. Go check more details about Lutharo if you know nothing about the band by clicking HERE, because they were definitely born to ride on the wings of Heavy Metal, and we were all born to rock to the sound of their beautiful music.

Setlist
Phantom
Ruthless Bloodline
Bonded to the Blade
Creating a King
Time to Rise
To Kill or to Crave
Wings of Agony
Hopeless Abandonment
Reaper’s Call
Paradise or Parasite

Encore:
Born to Ride
Lost in a Soul

Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
Jeff Wilson – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Cory Hofing – drums

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Concert Review – Rivers Of Nihil (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 06/22/2025)

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A scorching night of sheer progressiveness and aggressiveness in Toronto, courtesy of some of the must-see names of the current American rock and metal scene.

OPENING ACTS: Glacial Tomb, Inter Arma and Holy Fawn

This Sunday night in Toronto was one of those days that felt like you were at an open air sauna, and GLACIAL TOMB, INTER ARMA, HOLY FAWN and RIVERS OF NIHIL made sure Lee’s Palace got even hotter and more humid during their The Aggressive Progressive Tour 2025, their last stop of the tour, and another excellent event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi coundn’t be there, unfortunately, but not only I was there inside the rock and metal sauna called Lee’s Palace to cover such a great night of heavy music, but I was also lucky enough to get some wild shots from our brother Ryan Miles Leblanc to add to this review. Furthermore, if you take into account almost every single band on this planet is playing at all of those awesome European summer festivals (just check the lineup for Graspop Metal Meeting this year, for example), it’s actually a miracle Toronto got this show during what’s in my humble opinion one of the biggest “metal concert draughts” in the history of the city. In all seriousness, I’m starting to get worried about the future of heavy music in Toronto, as we’re getting less and less concerts, and even being left out of tours scheduled for multiple Canadian location, but Toronto.

Done with the rant about the lack of metal concerts in Toronto. Let’s get back to the show, and what an amazing show by Denver, Colorado’s own Sludge/Death/Black Metal beast GLACIAL TOMB, kicking ass hard in the ass with their heavier-than-hell sounds. Having released the excellent Lightless Expanse last year, available on both BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Ben Hutcherson, Kevin Berstler, David Small and Joey Spates took no prisoners in their quest for heaviness and obscurity, crushing our damned souls with violent yet melodic and grim songs like Abyssal Host and Stygian Abattoir. Those guys were by far one of the most solid opening bands I’ve ever seen live, raising the bar high for the upcoming attractions of the night, and if you’ve never seen Glacial Tomb live or if you’ve never heard anything from them, I highly recommend you go check their discography and keep an eye on their tour dates, because they’re definitely a must-see band of the current underground scene.

Setlist
Abyssal Host
Voidwomb
Stygian Abattoir
Wound of Existence
The Lightless Expanse
Enshrined in Concrete

Band members
Ben Hutcherson – vocals, guitars
Kevin Berstler – guitars
David Small – bass
Joey Spates – drums

After a short and necessary break, where everyone took the time to cool off with some beer and water (and one of the concert goers even said the air outdoor felt like “butternut squash soup,” just to give you an idea of how hot and humid it was), it was time for Richmond, Virginia-based Sludge/Black/Death/Post-Metal outfit INTER ARMA (and hell yeah, I love their name!) to bring sheer doom to the venue with their noisy and apocalyptic performance. Their ruthless setlist was comprised basically of songs from their latest album New Heaven, released in 2024 (also available on BandCamp and on Spotify), those being New Heaven, Violet Seizures, and Concrete Cliffs, and oh boy, those songs sounded heavier than a thousand thunders. Frontman Mike Paparo was on fire throughout their entire concert, as well as a tiny bit drunk (which was actually fun), supported by the unrelenting guitarists Steven “Dirt” Russell and Trey Dalton, and just like I said for Glacial Tomb, if you know nothing about Inter Arma simply go after their discography because those guys play amazing metal music.

Setlist
New Heaven
Citadel
Violet Seizures
Concrete Cliffs
An Archer in the Emptiness

Band members
Mike Paparo – vocals
Steven “Dirt” Russell – guitars
Trey Dalton – guitars
Joel Moore – bass
Alex Tomlin – drums

The venue got really packed (and consequently even hotter) when Phoenix, Arizona’s cult Post-Black Metal/Rock act HOLY FAWN took the stage for the total delight of their fans, blasting a dark and gripping setlist including songs from all of their albums, like their 2022 opus Dimensional Bleed, plus their brand new single Beneath a Lightless Star, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Literally everyone at Lee’s Palace was having an absolute blast with those American rockers, getting louder and louder as they kept delivering total heaviness armed with their sonic weapons. It was indeed a phenomenal concert by Holy Fawn, proving why they’ve become legends in the underground scene, and even the guys from Rivers of Nihil were enjoying their show a lot from backstage. I guess it won’t take long for the band to return to Toronto, maybe as the headliners next time, and I’m beyond certain it will be a sold out event.

Setlist
Candy
Dark Stone
Blood Pact
Beneath a Lightless Star
New song (SVR)
Void of Light
Seer

Band members
Ryan Osterman – vocals, guitar
Evan Phelps – guitar
Alexander Rieth – bass
Austin Reinholz – drums

RIVERS OF NIHIL

It wasn’t even 9:30pm, which is amazing as that usually means we can all enjoy the show to the fullest without worrying about the time and go home earlier than expected, when the main attraction of the night, Reading, Pennsylvania’s unstoppable Progressive/Technical Death Metal masters RIVERS OF NIHIL took the stage by storm with a brilliant performance, igniting a beautiful “hurricane” on the floor section. Currently promoting their 2025 self-titled new album, which you can enjoy in full on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Adam Biggs, Brody Uttley, Andy Thomas and Jared Klei, with the support of the awesome saxophonist Patrick Corona (of the excellent Progressive Metalcore band Cyborg Octopus), delivered a powerful, captivating, heavy-as-hell and extremely dynamic show, with songs like The Silent Life, American Death and Water & Time sounding even better live than in the studio, which is always a delight for me, by the way. The band was tight, there was zero room for error, and the reaction of their fans to each song played was a thing of beauty. We even got a wall of death to the sound of Patrick’s saxophone. Thank you, Rivers of Nihil, for bringing some quality heavy music to the city during this boring period of musical draught, and whenever you guys decide to pay the city of Toronto a visit again, rest assured we’ll all be here waiting for you.

Setlist
The Sub‐Orbital Blues
The Silent Life
American Death
A Home
The Void From Which No Sound Escapes
Water & Time
House of Light
Death Is Real
Episode
Where Owls Know My Name

Encore:
Clean

Band members
Adam Biggs – vocals, bass
Brody Uttley – guitars
Andy Thomas – guitars, backing vocals
Jared Klein – drums, backing vocals
Patrick Corona – saxophone

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Interview – Keagan Ross, Caleb Lavictoire and Gray Laine (027)

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Let’s have a blast with Keagan, Caleb and Gray as they talk about their fun and noisy music, their passion for live gigs, and their current tour across Southern Ontario.

Keagan Ross, Caleb Lavictoire and Gray Laine (027)

The Headbanging Moose: Thank you for the interview, guys! Could you please introduce yourselves to our readers? Who are 027, and how would you label your music?

Keagan: Hi all! We are 027, a three-piece punk rock outfit from Southern Ontario. We consist of Gray Laine – Drums, Caleb Lavictoire – Bass, and myself, Keagan Ross – Guitar/Vocals. I find it hard to label our band anything other than a strange style of punk rock.

THM: What are the origins of the band? It’s known that in November 2022, you scored a gig opening for a popular local band. Was that the official beginning of 027? Which band was that you guys opened for, and how was the overall experience?

Caleb: Before having scored the gig, we had never practiced as a three-piece. When we got to the venue, we jammed in the parking lot with unplugged instruments and lap drumming. The set was pretty cover-heavy since we hadn’t gotten together to write anything, but the people were liking it, so the show was a success. The band we opened for was an indie band, Absolutely You. We ended up playing another show with them at The Golden Apple in Kitchener earlier this year. The experience for our first show was a blast and helped kick-start and inspire us to stick with our band.

THM: Is it true that bassist Caleb Lavictoire and drummer Gray Laine had never met until that point, and you played that first show having never practiced or rehearsed as a three-piece? That must have been absolutely scary and fun at the same time.

Keagan: I scored our first gig just a few days before it took place. Gray and I had been jamming on some Primus for a few weeks prior, and I’ve known Caleb my whole life. Gray and Caleb had briefly met once or twice, but never played music together. When I told the promoter we were down for the gig, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I knew who to call. We made a game plan that was to split the set into two. The first half, Caleb and I would play an instrumental set, myself on drums and Caleb on bass. We played YYZ and a Meshuggah song, even some old originals. The second half of the set included Gray on drums, and I hopped on vocal/guitar duties; this is where 027 began. We played a few Nirvana tunes and called it a night. I still remember hearing Gray’s pounding drum intro to Nirvana’s Mr. Moustache, and knowing that this was the beginning of something special.

THM: What can you tell us about your new single Umbilical Cord, and what do you think are the main differences from your first EPs Light Of The Black Sun and You’re Not Supposed to Know?

Caleb: With ‘Umbilical Cord’, we set out for a ‘Converge’ inspired sound. Faster, heavier, and more intense than the previous releases. We tried to stay true to the rawness of our previous EPs with this single. Also, the production for our single is a bit different than our previous releases, much more developed and professional, which we credit to Gray as he recorded and produced this new track. This is our first release where we recorded all instruments one at a time rather than all live off the floor, other than a couple of the tunes on our physical EP You’re Not Supposed to Know.

027 Spring 2025 Tour

THM: I believe the new single Umbilical Cord is also being released as an EP containing a few songs from your previous EPs, plus two live songs, Umbilical Cord and Cabbagehead, recorded live in Orangeville on August 18, 2024. Why did you decide to release those live songs now with the new single, and what can you tell us about that whole show in your hometown last year?

Caleb: We decided to release those songs as we’ve been hearing a lot of good things with Cabbagehead, a lot of people have been wanting us to release that one, so we figured we’ll satisfy them while working on recording it. The live track of Umbilical Cord was included since we wanted to give people a chance to hear the song live from one of our shows. The Orangeville show, where those songs were recorded, was a special one. The crowd was having a blast, and we were playing alongside bands we’re very close with. That show just felt like the perfect one to include on the compilation.

THM: You guys play a nice (and noisy) fusion of Punk, Heavy Metal, Stoner Rock, and Fuzzcore, so I guess you might have a wide variety of idols and influences, right? Could you please list your main ones and explain how much they impacted or still impact your sound?

Keagan: Our influences definitely vary per release / era of the band. For example, during our ‘Light Of The Black Sun’ days, we were super into Kyuss, Melvins, and Nirvana. Whilst during our ‘You’re Not Supposed To Know’ EP, we were obsessed with Converge, EyeHateGod, and Gout. When we made ‘Umbilical Cord’, we were definitely deep into our Converge phase.

THM: Let’s talk about your current tour in Ontario, with multiple dates now in May and June across Orangeville, Hamilton, Toronto, Kitchener, Aurora, and St Catherine’s. What can we expect from you guys as soon as you hit the stage? Also, as you guys are definitive supporters of the youth, committed to only playing venues that allow all ages and doing your best to book younger bands on their bills to allow them the same exposure you strive for yourselves, how hard was it to put together those dates, and which bands are going to be supporting 027?

Keagan: Our spring tour is in full swing right now, so far we’ve played Orangeville, Hamilton, and Toronto, with our next gigs being in Waterloo and another Toronto date. All these dates are all ages, which is important to us. We do our very best to play all ages gigs. We won’t turn down any show because it’s 19+, yet we won’t take our time to book a 19+ venue. We were really young when we started, so we figured it wasn’t fair to play age-restricted venues. This has never changed and never will. We’re bringing along young locals Mazel from Orangeville to our Waterloo date, they also played with us on our Orangeville date. We’re big fans of them and really respect what they do. These tour dates weren’t too difficult to put together. A handful of these shows were brought to us by other bands, while I (Keagan) booked the rest.

THM: I believe we can expect your first full-length album in a not-so-distant future, right? What else does the future hold for 027, including of course your live performances?

Keagan It’s hard to tell what the future holds for us as far as releasing music. We’ve always had a pretty busy gigging schedule and don’t plan on slowing down any time soon, and since our sound is constantly evolving, it’s hard to tell when we will finally settle in and make our first full-length.

Keagan Ross, Caleb Lavictoire and Gray Laine (027)

THM: How’s social media in general, as well as streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, helping you guys spread your music and reach fans of heavy music from far distant lands? Are you receiving any feedback or support from people from places like Finland, Japan, or Australia, for example?

Keagan: We haven’t had too much feedback from fans outside of Canada. We’ve been featured in a few playlists in Australia/Europe, but that’s it. We utilize social media to promote our relentless gigging schedule, as well as networking with other bands/venues. People can take the social media game pretty seriously, but latching onto trends or marketing games really isn’t our thing. We like to have fun with it, posting satirical content while also plugging our shows.

THM: Thanks again for the interview! Please feel free to send a final message to our readers, and of course to invite everyone to your upcoming shows this month.

Gray: As always we like to encourage people to support all ages shows, and everyone is always welcome to come see us live for an evening of energy and community and dancin. This month we’re hitting up Toronto, Kitchener, Aurora, St Catherine’s and more, so come have fun.

Links
027 Official Website | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | BandCamp

Concert Review – Tribulation (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/25/2025)

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***Review by Kevin Ibbitson and photos by Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi***

OPENING ACTS: Unreqvited, Final Gasp and Early Moods

Thankfully the rain had stopped by the time us fans began to queue up in front of Lee’s Palace as Swedish goth/death metal band TRIBULATION and friends (UNREQVITED, FINAL GASP and EARLY MOODS) visited our fair city on their North America 2025 Tour, another great event brought to Toronto by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. It was not a sold out show by any means, which was quite surprising since the these are all killer bands. Maybe the Scattered showers scared folks away. Who knows? Their loss I guess! They happened to miss out on a fantastic night of heavy metal sorcery. Ultimately the lower turn out made the show feel more intimate and Lee’s is a smaller venue anyway, besides, the crowd that showed up proved to be die-hard supporters (good on them!). All in all I would say that at least over 100 head bangers showed up in support.
The first band to play was UNREQVITED, out of our nations capital Ottawa, and they promptly set the mood with their brand of post-black/shoegaze which reminded me a lot of  the French band Alcest, which I didn’t mind because I’m a fan of them also. I found their music to be atmospheric and introspective as well as head-bobbing/banging. This band has fantastic vocals from soothing cleans to raspy black metal grumblings and howls. Although I could see that for some in the crowd that shoegaze was not exactly their cup of tea, they still appreciated the music set before them. By the way, if you enjoy that type of music, the band has recently released the album A Pathway to the Moon, and you can purchase it or stream it in full on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Setlist
The Starforger
Void Essence / Frozen Tears
The Autumn Fire

Band members
鬼 (Ghost) – vocals, all instruments
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums

For those in the crowd that were feeling a bit drowsy, EARLY MOODS out of Los Angeles, California, bitch-slapped their asses and got the place buzzing. This band is so freaking awesome. They blasted us with their brand of energetically powerful doom metal and swagger. You get everything you need out of this band like energy, excitement, groove, sore necks and killer riffs. These guys are killer! I highly recommend that you check them out the next time they swing by town, you won’t be disappointed, and go check their music on BandCamp or Spotify, like their 2024 album A Sinner’s Past. The crowd absolutely loved this band and so do I. I also loved that these guys joined the crowd after their set and head-banged along side us in support of their fellow tour mates.

Setlist
Isolated
Blood Offerings
Return To Salem’s Gate
Live To Suffer
Soul Sorcery
A Sinner’s Past
Damnation

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

Next up was a band called FINAL GASP out of Boston, MA. This deathrock outfit kept the buzz going throughout the building with a highly energetic set. The lead singer Jake Murphy tried on several occasions to get a circle pit going but nobody took the bait but he did manage to get the crowd to come a little closer to the stage. It was a small crowd after all, but you can’t knock him for trying though. Even still, the crowd was receptive to Final Gasp and they put on a great performance for the crowd as it was their final show on this tour. I wouldn’t say no to seeing them again if they ever come back to town. Killer band, and you can enjoy their entire discography, like their most recent album Mourning Moon, released in 2023, in places like BandCamp and Spotify.

Setlist
Look Away
Climax Infinity
Mourning Moon
Apparition
Blood & Sulfur
Temptation
Homebound
Suicide

Band members
Jake Murphy – vocals
James Forsythe – guitars
Peter Micanovic – guitars
Sean Rose – bass
Eric Lester – drums

TRIBULATION

I last saw blackened-goth metallers TRIBULATION when they opened up for Opeth this past Thanksgiving and they impressed me, so I was delighted to hear that they were coming back to Toronto for their North American tour. Seriously, are there any shitty metal bands in Sweden? Because I haven’t found one yet. Swedish Metal is so consistent and Tribulation out of Arvika, Sweden are no slouch. They are an absolutely fantastic band, as you can see in their 2024 opus Sub Rosa in Æternum, available on several streaming services like Spotify. Tribulation put on another amazing show, ensorcelling and enchanting all of the die-hard supporters that showed up with unrelenting class. They are such a tight, professional band, you seriously can’t go wrong seeing them live. I look forward to seeing them again some day.

Setlist
The Unrelenting Choir
Tainted Skies
Nightbound
Hamartia
Suspiria De Profundis
Melancholia
In Remembrance
Hungry Waters
Saturn Coming Down
Murder In Red
Strange Gateways Beckon

Band members
Johannes Andersson – vocals, bass
Adam Zaars – guitars
Joseph Tholl – guitars
Oscar Leander – drums

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Album Review – Witchrot / Soul Cellar (2025)

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Toronto’s own conjurers of doom and psychedelia return with their sophomore opus, reflecting the lives of its creators, delving into themes of hopelessness, betrayal, paranoia, and societal frustration.

Emerging from Toronto’s underground in 2018, Doom/Sludge Metal/Psychedelic Rock conjurers Witchrot have captivated audiences with their heartfelt fusion of Doom Metal with fuzzed-out psychedelia and haunting shoegaze, with their atmospheric melodies and crushing heaviness pushing genre boundaries, creating a sound that lingers like an echo in the abyss. Now in 2025 the band formed of vocalist Lea Reto, guitarist Peter Turik, bassist Jon Ferreira, keyboardist Patrick Sherrard, and drummer Myles Deck is set to release Soul Cellar, the follow-up to their 2021 debut Hollow. Recorded by Nixon Boyd at Simcoe Mechanical and by Dylan Frankland at Palace Sound, with additional recordings by Chad Ross and Scott Deathe, mixed by Dylan Frankland, mastered by Tony Reed at HeavyHead Recording Company, and displaying a darkly sexy cover art by ZZ Corpse, Soul Cellar reflects the lives of its creators, delving into themes of hopelessness, betrayal, paranoia, and societal frustration, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in the raw emotion and sonic depth the band has become known for.

In the opener Possession Deepens, a smooth, sexy and enfolding start gradually evolves into a psychedelic sonic voyage led by the minimalist yet powerful vocals by Lea, supported by the atmospheric sounds by her bandmates; and Peter then enhances the band’s aggressiveness with his sharp riffs in Tombstoned, blending Doom, Sludge and Stoner Metal in great fashion while Myles offers those trademark sluggish beats. Throat Cutter is another song that starts in a phantasmagorical way before exploding into more of their fierce rock and metal sonority, with Peter stealing the show again armed with his axe; whereas adding an extra pinch of old school Rock N’ Roll to their core sound we have Die Alone, with Patrick’s striking keys being nicely boosted by the rumbling kitchen by Jon and Myles. Green River is a way too mellow tune that’s not at the same level as the other songs of the album, flowing into Spineless, sounding a lot heavier, darker and stronger thanks to another mesmerizing vocal performance by Lea, resulting in a lecture in modern-day Doom Metal infused with Psychedelic Rock. And lastly, we face the title-track Soul Cellar, with the reverberating, menacing bass by Jon making your head tremble in the name of dark and merciless Doom Metal.

In Soul Cellar, Witchrot continues to evolve while staying true to their roots, creeping and crawling under your skin armed with their insane grooves and eerie keys that will haunt you for days, sounding absolutely diabolical and addictive. Hence, you can get in touch with this precious gem of the Torontonian underground via Facebook and Instagram, staying up to date with all things Witchrot (including their excellent live performances), subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify or on any other platform, and of course purchase Soul Cellar from BandCamp. Doom and psychedelia have never sounded better together thanks to the undeniable talented of the Witchrot crew, and once you savor their music for the very first time, there’s no turning back.

Best moments of the album: Tombstoned, Die Alone and Spineless.

Worst moments of the album: Green River.

Released in 2025 Fuzzed and Buzzed Records/Majestic Mountain Records

Track listing
1. Possession Deepens 6:51
2. Tombstoned 5:05
3. Throat Cutter 6:23
4. Die Alone 5:06
5. Green River 2:44
5. Spineless 5:03
6. Soul Cellar 8:14

Band members
Lea Reto – vocals
Peter Turik – guitar
Jon Ferreira – bass
Patrick Sherrard – keyboards
Myles Deck – drums