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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

Concert Review – Paradise Lost (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/18/2025)

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One of the pioneers of death and doom returned to Toronto after seven long years with a beyond flawless performance, sounding absolutely heavy, dark and vibrant.

OPENING ACTS: Nepenthe and Gigan

Concerts on a Sunday night are only truly fun when you don’t have to work the next morning, allowing you to enjoy the whole event to the fullest without checking the time every 30 seconds. Well, fortunately for all Torontonian fans of first-class Doom Metal, the iconic PARADISE LOST, with support from NEPENTHE and GIGAN, brought to the always cozy Lee’s Palace their undisputed The Devil Embraced North America 2025 exactly in the middle of the Victoria Day long weekend, meaning we could inhale all heaviness and doom blasted by one of the trailblazers of the style without worrying about the next day. A huge shout-out to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment for not only bringing Paradise Lost to Toronto after almost seven years, but for also fixing the issue with tickets from a few buyers that were showing Helmet instead of Paradise Lost, and another one to Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi for making magic with the photos of the opening bands as the lighting during both was way too red or too green, plus all the smoke, making it almost impossible to see the bands onstage. They looked like shadows only, to be fair.

The lighting might have been horrible for good photos, but the music by Guelph, Ontario-based Blackened Doom Metal outfit NEPENTHE, the first attraction of the night, was beyond amazing. Playing songs from their two EPs, those being Elegies of Loss and Doom (2020) and The Fading Promise of Tomorrow (2024), both available on Spotify (and I highly recommend you go listen to both), like the excellent Dawn, the band spearheaded by the multi-talented Konrad Schroeder, who has the undisputed ability of playing really complex beats and fills while at the same time delivering solid clean vocals and desperate harsh screams, kicked some serious ass onstage for the delight of everyone who was already at the venue. Seriously, those guys were an incredible opening act, and hopefully I’ll get to see them again on the stages of Toronto in the near future, because the reaction of the crowd to their austere, captivating songs was awesome.

Band members
Konrad Schroeder – vocals, drums, percussion
Scott Rice – lead guitars
Steven Rowlands – rhythm guitars
Chris Rowan – bass

After a quick break (which I used to go grab some food outside, as I was starving), it was time for a lot of noise, heaviness and smoke, courtesy of Chicago, Illinois’ own Progressive/Technical Death Metal entity GIGAN, and when I say there was a lot of smoke, believe, it was A LOT of smoke. Having released the beautifully titled album Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus in 2024, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, the band formed of Jerry Kavouriaris, Eric Hersemann, Rajan Davis, and Nathan Cotton turned Lee’s Palace into a cauldron of violence and insanity, blasting heavier-than-hell sounds that would make your head explode if you were not wearing any type of ear protection. The smoke made it almost impossible to see the band members on stage, only their silhouettes, but that didn’t make their performance any less enjoyable. Eric’s riffs were utterly heavy and dissonant, and when you add to that the insane drumming by Nathan and the demented roars by Jerry, you have the perfect recipe for a brutal sonic chaos. In other words, if Gigan ever visit your city with their live concerts, don’t miss the chance of witnessing a tsunami of first-class noise.

Band members
Jerry Kavouriaris – vocals
Eric Hersemann – guitars
Rajan Davis – bass
Nathan Cotton – drums

PARADISE LOST

After the top-notch concerts by Nepenthe and Gigan, the crowd was more than ready for the feast of top-of-the-line Doom Metal by the main attraction of the night, the one and only PARADISE LOST. Although they’re not purely Doom Metal anymore, blending their core music with Death and Gothic Metal, plus a high dosage of Gothic Rock, the band spearheaded by the “voice of doom” Nick Holmes was finally back in Toronto after so many years, not only playing songs from their latest album Obsidian, released in 2020 (available on Spotify, and which fans in Toronto had never had the chance to see live), but from their entire career, including my favorite Paradise Lost songs of all time, Enchantment and The Last Time. These two were flawless, and the reaction of the fans to them was also beautiful to say the least.

Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy were insane armed with their axes, blasting incredible riffs, solos, and headbanging nonstop like if they were part of the crowd. Steve Edmondson and Guido Zima made sure the venue kept trembling during the entire show with their demonic kitchen, and of course, Mr. Nick Holmes was perfect with both his clean and deep guttural vocals. Songs like As I Die, The Devil Embraced, and No Hope in Sight, which showcase the band’s strongest doom vein, simply darkened the atmosphere (in a very good way, of course) for the delight of the band’s most diehard fans. Add to that the absurdly catchy Say Just Words, and a stunning cover version for Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy, and there you have the perfect setlist for a very enjoyable and fun night of heavy music in Toronto. I don’t think it will take another seven years for Paradise Lost to return to the city again, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday or in the middle of the week, or even if it’s Christmas Eve, I’ll be there. Because as the lyrics say in the closing song of the setlist, the excellent Ghosts, “for the ghosts, the ones to break me for Jesus Christ.”

Setlist
Enchantment
Forsaken
Pity the Sadness
Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us
Eternal
One Second
The Enemy
As I Die
The Devil Embraced
The Last Time
No Hope in Sight
Say Just Words

Encore:
Embers Fire
Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat cover)
Ghosts

Band members
Nick Holmes – vocals
Greg Mackintosh – lead guitars, keyboards
Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitars
Steve Edmondson – bass
Guido Zima – drums

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Concert Review – Dying Fetus & Cradle of Filth (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 05/07/2025)

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And Toronto savored a wild and frantic night of pure chaos and carnage, offered by seven of the must-see names of the current extreme music scene worldwide.

OPENING ACTS: Corpse Pile, Vomit Forth, Undeath, Ne Obliviscaris and Fleshgod Apocalypse

If there’s one thing that has become a true torment in the lives of all metalheads that live in Toronto and vicinities, that is concerts with an early start time. Traffic to get to the city is already brutal on any regular day, but when the weather is amazing (meaning more people on the streets) and there’s also at the exact same time an NHL playoff game happening in the heart of the city, then it’s an absolute nightmare. Those are the reasons why I had to miss almost half of CHAOS & CARNAGE 2025 (from the must-see Chaos & Carnage series) this Wednesday night when CORPSE PILE, VOMIT FORTH, UNDEATH, NE OBLIVISCARIS, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, DYING FETUS and CRADLE OF FILTH arose from the underworld to crush us mere mortals with an overdose of darkness, heaviness and insanity at the almost-impossible-to-get-in-and-out Rebel. Fortunately, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi made it in time for all bands, and gave me an overview of the first three attractions of the night, who were kicking ass onstage while I was still stuck in the horrid and tiresome QEW.

Houston, we have a problem. I think it wasn’t event 5pm when Houston, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore outfit CORPSE PILE hit the stage at Rebel, and just to give you an idea of how early that was, I was still in the office having a client meeting at that time. I confess I was listening to their 2024 EPs Hardgore Deathmetal and Holly Jolly Hardgore a few days before the show, plus their new single Fed To The Starved, all available on Spotify, hoping I could do some sort of magic trick and be there in time to see them live, but of course that didn’t happen. Well, Keith said they were insanely heavy and fun, already igniting some sick mosh pits with whoever was lucky enough to be at a concert in the middle of the afternoon on a Wednesday. Maybe next time I’ll catch those guys live, as long as they don’t play at a “matinée” time again.

Setlist
Intro
Genesis Of Suffering
Kicked in Cadaver
Vengeful Hymns
For Flesh and All
Stacking Bodies
Fed to the Starved
Reality
Fuck Your Life

Band members
Jason Lionel Frazier – vocals
Landry Arredondo – guitars
Cody Webb – guitars
Davis Pryse Snyder – bass
Alex Covarrubias – drums

I also missed the next attraction of the night, Connecticut’s own Death Metal brigade VOMIT FORTH, who released last year the excellent album Terrified of God (also available on Spotify and all other streaming platforms), and again I was very disappointed for not having the pleasure of seeing those guys live. All my buddies who could make it to the venue in time for their show said they were ruthless onstage, blasting sheer Death Metal for the delight of a wild crowd avid for some action inside the pit. I’ll have to repeat myself and complain about the start time again, because I think it was maybe 5:30pm when they began their set. Who scheduled those early-as-hell times? Bands like Vomit Forth deserve bigger audiences, but if they keep playing at early slots like this a lot of people will end up missing them and will not care about buying their music or merch, you know what I mean?

Setlist
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
Sacred Apple
Rotting Wool
Negative Penance
Blood Soaked Death Dream
Pain Tolerance

Band members
Kane Gelaznik – vocals
Bailey Olinger – guitars
Ricky Brayall – guitars
Jett Stotts – bass
Luke Zeitler – drums

Guess what? Yes, I also missed the unrelenting performance by Rochester, New York’s Death Metal beast UNDEATH, because despite their starting time being a little later than the first two bands, it was still freakin’ early. Another huge bummer as their 2024 album More Insane, also available in full on Spotify and any other streaming service, is exactly that, an insane explosion of visceral Death Metal. Keith and the other guys said they put on a fantastic show, with the bigger (but not big enough) crowd going mental inside the circle pit. If you’re attending any of the shows from Chaos & Carnage 2025, I highly recommend you try your best to arrive in time at least for Undeath, because those guys are insane live and definitely know how to electrify fans of extreme music during their entire set.

Setlist
Dead From Beyond
Rise From the Grave
More Insane
Necrobionics
(Unknown)
Lesions of a Different Kind
Brandish the Blade

Band members
Alexander Jones – vocals
Jared Welch – guitars
Kyle Beam – guitars
Tommy Wall – bass
Matt Browning – drums

Finally, after my excruciating quest to arrive to Toronto, I made it to Rebel around 7pm, just in time to witness one of the most hypnotizing concerts I’ve ever seen in my life, the atmospheric, progressive and vibrant performance by Australian Extreme Progressive Metal unit NE OBLIVISCARIS. Having released the album Exul back in 2023 (also available on Spotify), the band now fronted by James Dorton, replacing the iconic Xenoyr, who was the band’s lead singer from 2003 until earlier this year (what’s going on with so many extreme music bands switching their vocalists these days?), put on  a short but beyond phenomenal show that inspired us all for some nonstop headbanging, horns raising and crowd surfing, plus of course some crazy mosh pit action to the sound of the crying violin by Tim Charles, turning it into one of the classiest heavy concerts of all time in Toronto. I can’t wait for those amazing musicians from Down Under to return to Toronto with another round of their unique music, and until then we all know what to do. Stay classy, and listen to Ne Obliviscaris.

Setlist
Equus
Suspyre
Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux
And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope

Band members
James Dorton – harsh vocals
Tim Charles – violin, clean vocals
Benjamin Baret – lead guitars
Matt Klavins – guitars
Martino Garattoni – bass
Daniel Presland – drums

Another band I was eager to see was Italian Symphonic/Technical Death Metal horde FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, and once again it was a jaw-dropping, unforgettable experience to all fans at Rebel. When the sensational soprano Veronica Bordacchini took the stage carrying a huge Italian flag, I knew we were about to enjoy a magnificent, epic concert, and that’s exactly what the band provided us with. Francesco Paoli was on fire during their entire set, as well as drummer Eugene Ryabchenko, who can play drums AND headbang at the same time, which was truly impressive in my humble opinion. In addition, not only their latest album Opera (also available on Spotify) is one of the best of 2024, but the songs played from that album, I Can Never Die, Pendulum, and Bloodclock, sounded way more powerful live, and as I’m always pro live music, those Italians won my heart with their flawless concert. Veronica’s voice live is something out of this world, simply beautiful and enfolding, and I highly recommend you go see such a unique band live at least once. And did we get a nice wall of death while Francesco Ferrini was playing his classic piano onstage? Oh, hell yeah! And what about the ending with their metal version of Eiffel 65’s dancing hit Blue (Da Ba Dee)? It was apotheotic to say the least!

Setlist
Ode to Art (de’ Sepolcri)
I Can Never Die
Minotaur (The Wrath of Poseidon)
The Fool
Pendulum
Bloodclock
Sugar
The Violation
Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Eiffel 65 cover)

Band members
Francesco Paoli – lead vocals, guitars, bass
Veronica Bordacchini – vocals (soprano)
Fabio Bartoletti – lead guitars
Francesco Ferrini – piano, orchestrations
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums

CRADLE OF FILTH

Almost three years after their last visit to the city, Suffolk, England’s iconic Extreme Metal miscreants CRADLE OF FILTH were finally back to the city with another round of their undisputed, sulfurous and blasphemous music, this time promoting their latest opus, the collection of sweet lullabies entitled The Screaming Of The Valkyries, which you can enjoy in full on Spotify, of course. Their set might have been extremely short (at least for me, as I would love to see them play for over two hours if possible), but it was as dark as the black wings of a Nazgûl, and as venomous as the bite of a King Cobra. Even after seeing Mr. Dani Filth live countless times I’ll never understand how he can scream like that, and if you add to that the violent yet very technical sounds blasted by his bandmates, there you have the perfect recipe for a wild concert with lots of mosh pits, horns in the air and demonic roars form the crowd. The new songs To Live Deliciously and Malignant Perfection sounded great live, but it was Nemesis plus the closing duo Death Magick for Adepts and Her Ghost in the Fog that inspired all fans to succumb to the dark side of music and worship Suffolk’s finest. Hopefully it won’t take another three years for Dani and his horde to return to Toronto, because Cradle of Filth are one of the best bands to see live in the history of heavy music. And if you’re not convinced yet, just as Richmond from IT Crowd.

Setlist
Resurrection
To Live Deliciously
Nemesis
She Is a Fire
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
Malignant Perfection
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Death Magick for Adepts
Her Ghost in the Fog
Blooding the Hounds of Hell

Band members
Dani Filth – vocals
Marek ‘Ashok’ Smerda – guitars
Donny Burbage – guitars
Daniel Firth – bass
Zoe Marie Federoff – keyboards, vocals
Martin ‘Marthus’ Skaroupka – drums

DYING FETUS

It was getting late but after facing the brutality of all the traffic to get to the city I needed some relaxing music before heading home, and there’s nothing better than the fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore by Baltimore, Maryland’s technical and savage trio DYING FETUS. Next time your company’s HR asks for ideas for this year’s office Christmas party, simply say “the Fetus Boys” (like how Dani Filth enjoys calling them), and I’m sure Karen from Operations will love the idea and will be in the middle of the band’s demented circle pit. Blending songs from all of their albums in their setlist, including some from their 2023 offering Make Them Beg for Death, also available on Spotify, John Gallagher, Sean Beasley and Trey Williams simply decimated every single living creature at Rebel, delivering a pulverizing, frantic and absolutely technical concert for the delight of their diehard fanbase. Not even the stress of trying to get out of the city after the show was enough to erase the joy of experiencing Dying Fetus live, and I’m sure whenever they return to the city, there will be blood, sweat, violence, and endless circle pits again.

Setlist
Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)
Unbridled Fury
In the Trenches
Wrong One to Fuck With
Compulsion for Cruelty
One Shot, One Kill
Your Treachery Will Die With You
Grotesque Impalement
Subjected to a Beating
Into the Cesspool
Killing on Adrenaline

Band members
John Gallagher – guitars, vocals
Sean Beasley – bass, vocals
Trey Williams – drums

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