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Album Review – Lady Beast / The Inner Alchemist (2025)

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Let’s ride into the battlefield to the sound of this true locomotive of old school Heavy Metal masterfully crafted by one of the most electrifying names of the current scene.

Flying the flag for refined Heavy Metal since their inception back in 2009, always influenced by metal titans the likes of Motörhead, Dio, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Mercyful Fate, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own unstoppable force Lady Beast returns to action five years after their latest full-length opus The Vulture’s Amulet, and four years after their striking EP Omens, with a brand new album entitled The Inner Alchemist, continuing to melt our faces with their sturdy aesthetic, authentically 80’s-entrenched Heavy Metal that struts and gallops with equal aplomb. Recorded by Jason Jouver, mastered by Yavé “Rust” Rodriguez, and displaying an ass-kicking, evocative artwork by Adam Burke of Nightjar Illustration, The Inner Alchemist is a true locomotive of old school metal music masterfully crafted by frontwoman Deborah Levine, guitarists Andy Ramage and Chris Tritschler, bassist Amy Bianco, and Adam Ramage, offering more of their high-octane music infused with swords and sorcery.

The scorching riffs by Andy and Chris rev up the band’s metallic engine in Oracle’s Omen, a true banger where Deborah already distills her soaring vocals for our total delight; whereas their Power Metal vein pulses stronger than ever in Through the Eyes of War, with Adam dictating the song’s electrifying pace supported by the classic bass lines by Amy, being therefore recommended for some fun inside the mosh pit. The band then delivers an overdose of Heavy Metal magic in the title-track Inner Alchemist, a headbanging hymn where the rumbling kitchen by Amy and Adam is perfect for Deborah’s piercing vocal lines, morphing into Starborn, which offers our avid ears a serene, melancholic start in the best Iron Maiden way possible, then evolving into a more Judas Priest-inspired sound until the end.

Their feast of old school, no shenanigans sounds goes on in full force in Crone’s Crossroads, a frantic, in-your-face display of Heavy Metal where Adam hammers his drums nonstop while the riffage by Andy and Chris exhale fire and power; and their NWOBHM side explodes majestically in Feed Your Fire, where their caustic riffage and solos, as well as their fast-paced beats, match flawlessly with Deborah’s epic roars. Witch Light is an instrumental tune that sounds fairly decent, although I still prefer any song with Deborah’s vocals like what happens in The Wild Hunt, where she declaims the song’s lyrics beautifully supported by the galloping sounds blasted by her bandmates. Last but definitely not least, it’s pedal to the metal in the thrilling Off with Their Heads, sounding thrashy at times thanks to the infuriated riffs by Andy and Chris, therefore putting a wild conclusion to such a breathtaking album.

After all is said and done, you’ll notice that not only The Inner Alchemist is a pure Lady Beast album, but also that the production on the album beautifully highlights their heaviness, turning it into a special milestone in their already solid career. Having said that, Deborah and her henchmen are waiting for you to join them in the battlefield by following them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, by streaming their epic creations on Spotify, and of course by grabbing a copy of the breathtaking The Inner Alchemist from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp or by clicking HERE. It’s time to ride through the vast realm of heavy music alongside Lady Beast to the sound of their newborn opus, keeping the flames of classic Heavy Metal burning for all eternity and, therefore, fueling the band to keep blasting our ears with more albums like The Inner Alchemist in the foreseeable future.

Best moments of the album: Through the Eyes of War, Crone’s Crossroads, Feed Your Fire and Off with Their Heads.

Worst moments of the album: Witch Light.

Released in 2025 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing
1. Oracle’s Omen 4:08
2. Through the Eyes of War 3:47
3. Inner Alchemist 3:48
4. Starborn 6:56
5. Crone’s Crossroads 3:27
6. Feed Your Fire 4:37
7. Witch Light 2:19
8. The Wild Hunt 3:28
9. Off with Their Heads 3:09

Band members
Deborah Levine – vocals
Andy Ramage – lead guitar
Chris Tritschler – rhythm guitar
Amy Bianco – bass
Adam Ramage – drums

Concert Review – Tomb Mold & Horrendous (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 07/04/2024)

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Lots of metalheads answered a call from the underground Thursday night in Toronto in a feast of first-class Death Metal by two of the best bands of the current scene.

OPENING ACT: Gutvoid

While all major rock and metal bands are playing at the biggest summer festivals in Europe like Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting and Wacken Open Air, there’s nothing better than a huge dosage of underground extreme music to keep us Torontonians entertained before those bands get back to the city, which is exactly what happened Thursday night at Lee’s Palace when GUTVOID, HORRENDOUS and TOMB MOLD kicked off their insane Enraptured By Fate’s Tangled Thread Tour 2024 with an overdose of technical, progressive and insane Death Metal for our total delight. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such an amazing night of Death Metal at an almost sold out Lee’s Palace, with the hot and humid weather only making things even more incendiary inside the venue.

The first band to hit the stage was Toronto’s own Death Metal brigade GUTVOID, and those guys didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, the band formed of Brendan Dean on vocals and guitars, Daniel Bonofiglio also on the guitars, D.W. Lee on drums, and guest bassist Spinny Guilbault kicked some serious ass with their exciting performance, playing songs from their 2022 album Durance of Lightless Horizons (also available on Spotify) plus a new song titled For We Are Many, from their upcoming EP Breathing Obelisk (which will surely be reviewed at The Headbanging Moose), properly warming up all the fans for the upcoming main attractions of the night. After their show I had a chance to briefly chat with Brendan, saying how much I enjoyed the debut album by his solo project Fathomless Ritual, and with Spinny, who told me he barely had any time to rehearse the songs with the band, although at least for me he sounded like he’s always been part of Gutvoid. He’s such a cool and talented guy, and I’m surely going to check his other bands Sentiment Dissolve, Goreworm and Kavara (and you should do the same, of course).

Band members
Brendan Dean – vocals, guitars
Daniel Bonofiglio – guitars
Spinny Guilbault – bass
D.W. Lee – drums 

HORRENDOUS

After a short and sweet break, when most people were either in line to grab some merch or buy a beer, or outside the venue trying to breathe some (inexistent) fresh air, Philadelphia’s most demented Progressive Death Metal horde, the unstoppable HORRENDOUS, brought to the stage the insanity from their excellent 2023 opus Ontological Mysterium, with Damian Herring, Matt Knox, Alex Kulick and Jamie Knox proving why they’re a force to be reckoned with, delivering sheer madness, heaviness and violence through their amazing music. Alternating between complex, experimental passages and pure Death Metal violence, which of course inspired everyone to slam into a wild circle pit, they put on a tremendous show for admirers of the genre, leaving us eager for more Horrendous in Toronto in a not-so-distant future. All of their first-class albums are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I’m sure you’ll get addicted to their music from the very first second. As you can see, Horrendous were so good, but so good, that I’m not even considering them as an opening act, but as a co-headliner, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss the chance to see them live on this tour.

Band members
Damian Herring – guitars, vocals
Matt Knox – guitars, vocals
Alex Kulick – bass
Jamie Knox – drums

TOMB MOLD

Four guys wearing shorts and colorful shirts instead of leather and spikes, none with long hair, nor any Death Metal paraphernalia onstage. That, ladies and gentlemen, is one of Toronto’s most hardworking and thrilling metal acts of the current scene, the ruthless Progressive Death Metal entity TOMB MOLD, and their show might have been one of the sickest gigs of the year thanks to the undeniable talent and onstage performance by Max Klebanoff, Derrick Vella, Payson Power and Kevin Sia. Still promoting their 2023 beast The Enduring Spirit, the quartet was flawless during their entire set, again igniting some insane mosh pits that ended up driving the already high temperatures in the city even higher. I honestly have no idea of the names of the songs they played last night, but I can assure you all of them were fantastic (and all are available on Spotify, by the way), so if you have a chance to join them on this tour, simply go for it because you’ll have an absolute blast to the sound of their top-of-the-line Death Metal. Just don’t forget to be in good shape and do lots of cardio, because you’ll get caught in some intense circle pits, no doubt about that.

Band members
Max Klebanoff – vocals, drums
Derrick Vella – guitars
Payson Power – guitars
Kevin Sia – bass

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Concert Review – Thy Art Is Murder (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/12/2024)

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If you love mosh pits from the bottom of your blackened heart, then Friday night in Toronto was the place to be, courtesy of four insane bands in a feast of pure, brutal Deathcore.

OPENING ACTS: Snuffed on Sight, Signs of the Swarm and Angelmaker

I have no idea what’s happening with the traffic to get to Toronto. I mean, it has always been bad, but this weekend it seems that things got even worse, which delayed my arrival at The Phoenix Concert Theatre to see SNUFFED ON SIGHT, SIGNS OF THE SWARM, ANGELMAKER and THY ART IS MURDER kill everything and everyone during the Toronto stop of their Godlike North America Tour 2024, another fantastic event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and “day 1” of my more-than-awesome “metal weekend” with three days of shows in a row. Besides the heavy traffic to get in and out of the city, there was also a lot of wind and rain, but nothing that could stop a horde of avid Deathcore and Death Metal fans to invade the venue and generate some of the wildest mosh pits I’ve ever seen live. Holy shit, the kids were mental inside the pit, with the action flowing nonstop until the very last second.

Due to traffic, I couldn’t make it in time to see San Francisco, California-based Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore act SNUFFED ON SIGHT, but fortunately my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there to take some wild pictures of the band, and to confirm what I suspected after listening to their 2023 album Smoke, that they’re extremely heavy and really fun to see live. If you want to experience their fury, you can stream their sick creations on BandCamp, Spotify, or any other streaming service, as well as get to know more about the band by clicking HERE, and as soon as you realize how brutally amazing this band is, you’ll be smarter than me and plan your trip ahead of time to be able to see them kicking some serious ass on stage.

Setlist
Intro
Blunt Cough
Time 2 Dip
Dummy
(smoke break)
Smoke
All Talk
Slippin

Band members
Seven Kane – vocals
Walid Gad – guitars
Spencer Metala – bass
Kendric DiStefano – drums

Although I had to miss Snuffed on Sight, I was lucky enough to witness live one of the heaviest, most insane concerts ever, courtesy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s own Deathcore beast SIGNS OF THE SWARM. Led by the amazing frontman David Simonich, the band delivered sheer violence, groove and fire during their short but extremely destructive set, playing songs form their most recent album Amongst the Low & Empty such as the title-track Amongst the Low & Empty, Tower of Torsos and Pray for Death. The circle pits, walls of death and crowd surfing were freakin’ insane during their whole concert, showing how electrifying their music is (and you can check it out yourself on Spotify or by clicking HERE). I can’t wait to see those guys again live, but I’ll be sure I have some sort of body armor to endure their sick mosh pits, no doubt about that.

Setlist
Amongst the Low & Empty
Tower of Torsos
Pray for Death
Borrowed Time
Between Fire & Stone
Dreamkiller
Malady

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

Next on the bill was North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada-based Deathcore infantry ANGELMAKER, and yet again The Phoenix Concert Theatre became a hurricane of mosh pits thanks to their incendiary performance on stage. It’s interesting that they were able to fit all seven members of the band on stage, because not only they have three guitarists, but they also have two demented vocalists, Casey Tyson-Pearce and Mike Greenwood, and oh boy, their double vocal attack is beyond infernal. Playing songs the likes of Godless, Hollow Heart and Leech, it was a wild ride together with those Canadians, keeping the action in the mosh pit moving as fast as a shark hunting for food. Go check their crazy creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and don’t miss the chance to see those seven wicked musicians live whenever they hit your city, as it’s absolutely worth it.

Setlist
Radiance in the Light of a Dying Sun
The Bridge Between
Suffer Forever
Day/Day
Godless
Gutless
Shia LaBeouf
Vengeance
A Dark Omen
Hollow Heart
Leech

Band members
Casey Tyson-Pearce – vocals
Mike Greenwood – vocals
Colton Bennett – guitars
Matt Perrin – guitars
Johnny Ciardullo – guitars
Cole Rideout – bass
Steven Sanchez – drums

THY ART IS MURDER

After three insane openers, it was then time for the main attraction of the night, Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia’s own Deathcore institution THY ART IS MURDER, to crush the souls of all concert goers with their visceral, harsh and furious performance. Promoting their 2023 album Godlike, the band now fronted by the talented Tyler Miller, of Australian Technical Deathcore band Aversions Crown (as the iconic Chris “CJ” McMahon has recently quit music for good, starting a career in real estate) kicked some ass during their solid performance (just as good as the last time I saw them opening for Cannibal Corpse back in 2019), with songs like Slaves Beyond Death, Death Squad Anthem, Make America Hate Again, Godlike, and of course Puppet Master, driving all fans crazy inside the wild mosh pits that kept moving frantically in the middle of the floor section. Leaving concerts earlier than the end seems to be the new norm in Toronto, maybe due to public transportation hours, maybe due to the increase in violence at night, but I would say more than 90% of the crowd stayed at the venue until the very last second, and hopefully it won’t take long for the band to return to the city for another demented concert like Friday night.

Setlist
We Like to Party (Vengaboys song)
Destroyer of Dreams
Slaves Beyond Death
Death Squad Anthem
Make America Hate Again
Blood Throne
Join Me in Armageddon
Holy War
The Purest Strain of Hate
Godlike
Keres
Everything Unwanted
Reign of Darkness
Puppet Master

Band members
Tyler Miller – vocals
Andy Marsh – lead guitar
Sean Delander – rhythm guitar
Kevin Butler – bass
Jesse Beahler – drums

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Stabbing and Skeletal Remains

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

INCANTATION

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

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

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

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

SUFFOCATION

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

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

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

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

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Album Review – Horrendous / Ontological Mysterium (2023)

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Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band returns in full force with their fifth studio album, a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle.

Five years after their latest album Idol, Philadelphia’s filthiest and finest Progressive Death Metal band Horrendous is finally back with their fifth full-length instalment, titled Ontological Mysterium, a love letter to Death, Atheist and other classics from the late 80’s and early 90’s. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by the band’s own Damian Herring at Subterranean Watchtower Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Alex Brown and Brian Smith, Ontological Mysterium is a labyrinth where the deeper in you go, the more it twists and churns, luring you toward some monstrous final battle, all masterfully brought into being by the aforementioned Damian Herring on vocals and guitars alongside Matt Knox also on vocals and guitars, Alex Kulick on bass, and Jamie Knox on drums.

A Stygian invocation titled The Blaze warms up the listener for the infernal metal attack that’s about to come in Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), a fast and demolishing tune where the riffs by Damian and Matt set fire to the atmosphere spiced up by the song’s demented lyrics (“Immerse me / In jubilant flames / With iridescent tongue / Lick away the skin / Don’t dare be kind / Paralyze me in paraffin / And spark the match”). Then blending the madness and creativity of Mastodon with their own Death Metal vein we have Neon Leviathan, and the result is a crushing tune where Alex steals the spotlight with his metallic, groovy bass punches; followed by Aurora Neoterica, bringing forward two minutes of sheer insanity, progressiveness and atmospheric passages where Jamie and Alex make an amazing duo with their respective beats and bass lines, flowing into the intricate Preterition Hymn, where the quartet once again blasts our ears with their sonic extravaganza, delivering a sick fusion of harsh growls and clean vocals (albeit not as exciting as the rest of the album).

In the wicked Cult of Shaad’oah  we’re treated to more of their lunatic words (“Beat me back but I’ll keep on climbing / When you’re lost in the dreams / Of the dead / And the final sun burns / Oh, the battle begins… / Prepare for brutal ascent”) amidst a fantastic Progressive Death Metal sonority led by the band’s guitar duo’s caustic riffage; whereas switching gears to a darker, heavier sound with a dense atmosphere, it’s time for the cryptic Exeg(en)esis, once again blasting our ears with their chaotic yet extremely melodic riffs, beats and bass lines, or in other words, a weird creation that fits really well in the album, followed by the Progressive Metal-infused title-track Ontological Mysterium, where Horrendous showcase all their insanity and passion for heavy music. Moreover, Jamie is amazing as usual behind his drums while the diversity of vocal styles again reminds me of some of the best songs by Mastodon. Lastly, how about another explosion of Progressive Death Metal to close the album on a high note? That’s what you’ll get in The Death Knell Ringeth, with the whole song sounding very compelling and dynamic, while the guitars by Damian and Matt exhale sheer electricity.

“At this point, we want to wave the Horrendous banner high in a way that we perhaps didn’t around Idol and continue on this path that we’ve forged,” said the band’s talented drummer Jamie Knox. “We are very proud of Ontological Mysterium and what our band has become – it’s almost like we’ve figured out how to make this band work amidst the wildness of adult life. This entity feels worth celebrating and feeding to see where it might take us next.” Hence, go check what the band is up to on Facebook and on Instagram, including their tour dates and plans for the future, and of course go grab a copy of Ontological Mysterium from the Season of Mist webstore, as well as by clicking HERE or HERE, and don’t forget to also stream such demonic album in full on YouTube and on Spotify. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to enter the labyrinth of progressive, technical and extremely heavy Death Metal crafted by Horrendous in their infernal new album?

Best moments of the album: Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn), Cult of Shaad’oah and Ontological Mysterium.

Worst moments of the album: Preterition Hymn.

Released in 2023 Season of Mist

Track listing
1. The Blaze 2:00
2. Chrysopoeia (The Archaeology of Dawn) 7:16
3. Neon Leviathan 3:30
4. Aurora Neoterica 1:56
5. Preterition Hymn 3:58
6. Cult of Shaad’oah 5:24
7. Exeg(en)esis, 3:38
8. Ontological Mysterium 4:44
9. The Death Knell Ringeth 5:20

Band members
Damian Herring – guitars, vocals
Matt Knox – guitars, vocals
Alex Kulick – bass
Jamie Knox – drums

Concert Review – Hatebreed (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 09/05/2023)

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The city of Toronto let the hate flow through its veins and destroyed everything together with the American juggernauts of Hardcore on a beyond hot and fun night.

OPENING ACTS: Jesus Piece, Vein.FM and Terror

What’s the best thing to do when you’re in the middle of a heat wave, with temperatures over +40oC and a scorching sun to burn you alive? Attending a metal concert, of course! And the city of Toronto had the pleasure of hosting the bands JESUS PIECE, VEIN.FM, TERROR and HATEBREED at The Danforth Music Hall this Tuesday during the Rise of Brutality 20th Anniversary Tour 2023, where Hatebreed are celebrating 20 years of their classic album The Rise of Brutality. I honestly thought that the venue was going to feel like a sauna, because that was the case when Kreator and Sepultura played there a few months ago, but apparently the organizers knew that the heat was way too strong outdoors and decided to crank up the AC to the lowest temperature possible, making it quite comfortable inside for all of the concert goers. You probably saved some lives by doing that! Good job!

As traffic wasn’t too crazy yesterday, all fans had a lot of time to enjoy a few beers and buy some merch between the doors opening at 6pm and the first band of the night, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Hardcore/Metalcore/Sludge Metal act JESUS PIECE, kicking off their concert at 7pm. Spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman  Aaron Heard, the band put on a very entertaining concert from start to finish, blending songs from their new album …So Unknown with their older material, already inspiring the crowd to create a massive circle pit where most kids looked like they were squirrels who had a few cans of Red Bull, moving around like rabid creatures. I just couldn’t catch the names of the songs, mainly because whenever Aaron was talking to the crowd his mic sounded a little muffled, but if you’re curious to know more about such explosive band you can find all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Aaron Heard – vocals
David Updike – guitars
John DiStefano – guitars
Anthony Marinaro – bass, backing vocals
Luis Aponte – drums

That mosh pit madness, with everyone following the lesson taught by the mighty Exodus in the classic “Toxic Waltz”, that being “so don’t be a dunce and dance like a runt, just throw your elbows with good friendly violent fun”, continued during the concert by Boston, Massachusetts-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore outfit VEIN.FM. Having released the album This World Is Going To Ruin You last year, the band formed of Anthony DiDio on vocals, Jeremy Martin on the guitars, Jon Lhaubouet on bass and Matt Wood on drums showed no mercy for our souls, crushing their instruments nonstop and, therefore, inviting the crowd to keep moving wildly as if each person in the pit was fighting some sort of “invisible man”. It was a fun and vibrant show that definitely warmed up all Hatebreed fans at the venue, and if you want to enjoy the music by such talented band at home, in your car, at work, at school, at the gym or anywhere else, you can find those guys on BandCamp and on Spotify. Once again it was impossible to catch the names of the songs played, but that’s just a minor detail as their live performance was awesome.

Band members
Anthony DiDio – vocals
Jeremy Martin – guitar, backing vocals
Jon Lhaubouet – bass, backing vocals
Matt Wood – drums

Quickly after Vein.FM finished their show, it was time for Los Angeles, California’s own Hardcore legends TERROR to burn down The Danforth Music Hall with another insane performance, turning the floor section into a massive circle pit where the kids were once again moving like crazy creatures. Frontman Scott Vogel was the main responsible person for that mosh pit madness, as he kept asking the crowd to keep moving around, to keep doing some sick crowd surfing and so on, and let’s say his requests were promptly answered by everyone inside the pit. Playing songs from their latest album, their 2022 beast Pain into Power, including the amazing title-track, plus some of their old school material, those Californians showed Toronto everything they got, and the temperature inside the venue went up considerably due to all the action going on while Terror continued to distill their flammable Hardcore on stage. I’ve already place in another concert review the links to where you can stream their music, but as they’re really cool guys here we go again with the links to their BandCamp and Spotify, and if they ever visit your hometown, don’t think twice and go join the band to unleash some first-class Hardcore terror, alright?

Band members
Scott Vogel – vocals
Martin Stewart – guitar
Jordan Posner – guitar
Chris Linkovich – bass
Nick Jett – drums

HATEBREED

The break between Terror and Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore titans HATEBREED was a little longer than the previous ones for obvious reasons, allowing everyone at the venue to go buy some merch (in case they hadn’t done so already), grab a few beers, smoke a cigarette and have a quality chat with their friends, and all those things energized the crowd to the point that the iconic Jamey Jasta kept repeating how much he loves Toronto, being visibly impressed with the rowdy reaction during each song from their amazing setlist. Playing songs form their entire discography, including the classics Last Breath (dedicated to the memory of the deceased The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad), Driven by Suffering, Tear It Down, Straight to Your Face, Doomsayer, and Confide in No One, the band put on an electrifying show that pleased all fans of their unique fusion of Hardcore with Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and other heavy styles.

My only complaint (and of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, as well as all other photographers at the venue) was the dim lighting used for all four bands, which is becoming something quite common in most shows not only in Toronto, but everywhere. It’s getting tough to see the bands on stage with clarity, but of course, it’s nothing that would stop the fans from enjoying the shows. Well, it is what it is, and when you have a band like Hatebreed on stage let’s admit we must be really aware of our surroundings due to all the mosh pit action going on, leaving us with not a lot of time to actually pay attention to the stage, right? Jokes aside, it was a true pleasure seeing Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec kicking some ass with their guitars while Chris Beattie and Matt Byrne made the venue shake with their insanely heavy kitchen, keeping everyone more than entertained until the very end, with lots of fists and horns in the air, lots of screaming, and the endless insanity inside the circle pit led by the demented vocals by Jamey. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Hatebreed to return to Canadian lands to destroy everything once again, and I bet everyone who attended their concert last night will be there again to celebrate their undisputed Hardcore music.

Setlist
Tear It Down
Straight to Your Face
Destroy Everything
A Lesson Lived Is a Lesson Learned
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Voice of Contention
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Beholder of Justice
This Is Now
Perseverance
Driven by Suffering
Confide in No One
Last Breath (Dedicated to Trevor Strnad)
Doomsayer
Smash Your Enemies
Another Day Another Vendetta
I Will Be Heard

Band members
Jamey Jasta – vocals
Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals
Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chris Beattie – bass
Matt Byrne – drums

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Concert Review – Volbeat (RBC Echo Beach, Toronto, ON, 07/12/2023)

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A perfect summer night in Toronto always demands a good dosage of first-class Rock N’ Roll, and Volbeat provided their fans in the city with exactly what they needed to enjoy it to the fullest.

OPENING ACT: Halestorm

I’ll start this review by saying that the city of Toronto definitely needs more open air concerts and festivals during the summer. It’s such a great vibe and feeling, and everyone always has an amazing time. It’s hard to understand why there are very few rock and metal concerts like that in the city. Well, last night at the RBC Echo Beach that great atmosphere happened once again when HALESTORM and VOLBEAT kicked some serious ass with the first concert of their brand new Servant of the Road World Tour 2023, and all the action going on and off stage turned it into a memorable night for everyone who were desperate for some good old Rock N’ Roll and Heavy Metal (as most bands seem to be playing at the famous European festivals at the moment, completely ignoring Toronto and the rest of Canada right now).

The weather was beyond perfect, we all had a nice view of the CN Tower in the background, and shortly after 7pm Lzzy Hale and her henchmen, collectively known as Red Lion, Pennsylvania, United States-based Hard Rock/Rock N’ Roll outfit HALESTORM, hit the stage for a very energetic and fun performance, beautifully warming up the crowd for the main attraction of the night, Volbeat. Currently promoting their 2022 album Back from the Dead, the quartet put on a flawless show playing songs from their entire career, with songs like I Miss the Misery and the closing one The Steeple inspiring everyone at the RBC Echo Beach to raise their horns together with the band. Lzzy has some respectful pipes, we all must admit that, as the girl can powerfully sing and scream without any effort, but let’s say it was her brother Arejay who stole the show with a spot-on drum solo, even using some giant drumsticks that looked like baseball bats. In other words, when Halestorm take your city by storm, you better be there to witness one of the best bands of the current Rock N’ Roll scene.

Setlist
I Miss the Misery
Love Bites (So Do I)
I Get Off
Wicked Ways
Freak Like Me
Familiar Taste of Poison
Takes My Life
Drum Solo
Back From the Dead
Mayhem
The Steeple

Band members
Lzzy Hale – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, piano
Joe Hottinger – lead guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
Josh Smith – bass, keyboards, piano, backing vocals
Arejay Hale – drums, backing vocals

VOLBEAT

It was around 9pm when Copenhagen, Denmark’s own Heavy Metal/Rock N’ Roll institution VOLBEAT kicked off their Servant of the Road World Tour 2023 in North America with a beyond fun and thrilling performance. By the way, it was their first performance in the city since 2019 when they played alongside Behemoth, Gojira and Slipknot, and it was more than clear how eagerly all fans had been waiting to see Volbeat live again. In addition, if you follow the band you probably know that with the departure of longtime guitarist Rob Caggiano in the beginning of June the whole tour almost had to be cancelled, but thanks to the talented Danish guitarist Flemming C. Lund (of bands like Temple of Scorn and The Arcane Order), who stepped in and learned all songs in just a few weeks, the band will be able to follow their schedule without any issues. Kudos to Flemming for being so professional, skillful, charismatic, and also for sporting a nice The Number of the Beast shirt on his first-ever concert with Volbeat! UP THE IRONS, FLEMMING!

Back to the concert itself, Volbeat ignited their breathtaking performance with the classic The Devil’s Bleeding Crown, winning the hearts of the fans right away and making it extremely easy for them to keep the energy level truly high until the very end, blending classics the likes of Seal the Deal and Lola Montez with the new songs from their 2021 album Servant of the Mind, those being Temple of Ekur, Shotgun Blues, The Devil Rages On, Becoming and Wait a Minute My Girl, and by the way all sounded amazing live and inspired the crowd to start some sick and frantic circle pits. As I always say, all metalheads in Toronto love circle pits, period. The song Black Rose, featuring the one and only Danko Jones as a guest vocalist, and Hallelujah Goat, one of my favorite Volbeat songs of all time, also helped to elevate the level of adrenaline on and off stage, proving Volbeat are a band who was born to play live.

I must admit the circle pit action was a little scary due to the type of floor at the RBC Echo Beach, which is not sand in case you’re curious to know, but pure, hard and rough cement, and every single time someone fell to the floor the word “merthiolate” would come to my mind. Fortunately, nothing truly serious happened, and all the kids and veterans who bravely entered the pit had some memorable moments inside of it. Well, not everyone, as Kevin, brother of my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, was hit by surprise and had his nose broken and swollen, requiring first-aid attention from the Live Nation medical staff. We can’t say it wasn’t a memorable moment for him, right? Jokes aside, I’m sure he’ll recover quickly and get back in action inside the pit at any future concert in the city.

The encore by Michael Poulsen and his henchmen was awesome as expected, starting with the classic Fallen, which he always dedicates to his deceased father Jørn Poulsen, followed by the aforementioned Wait a Minute My Girl, For Evigt (which Michael mentioned is about enjoying our lives), and of course ending with Still Counting, where Michael asked everyone at the RBC Echo Beach to sing its lyrics along with him. After all was said and done, everyone had a big smile on their faces due to the stunning performance by Volbeat, but due to the preparations for the Honda Indy in Toronto this weekend most fans had to find some extra inner fuel for a very long walk to the parking lots as we couldn’t simply cross through the BMO Field like countless times before. That wasn’t entirely bad or boring because the view of the city and the lake were fantastic, and of course I guess everyone was still singing one of the songs from Volbeat inside their heads to conclude another excellent Wednesday of summer in Toronto.

Setlist
The Devil’s Bleeding Crown
Temple of Ekur
Seal the Deal
Lola Montez
Die to Live
Ring of Fire
Sad Man’s Tongue
Shotgun Blues
Mary Ann’s Place
Black Rose
Hallelujah Goat
The Devil Rages On
Becoming

Encore:
Fallen
Wait a Minute My Girl
For Evigt
Still Counting

Band members
Michael Poulsen – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Flemming C. Lund – lead guitar, backing vocals
Kaspar Boye Larsen – bass, backing vocals
Jon Larsen – drums

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Album Review – The Human Race Is Filth / Cognitive Dissonance (2023)

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A filthy trio hailing from Pennsylvania will attack our senses with their debut full-length album, churning out a new slab of death-grinding disorientation.

Sonic violence abounds, as Pennsylvania, United States-based Death Metal/Grindcore rabble The Human Race Is Filth churns out a new slab of death-grinding disorientation entitled Cognitive Dissonance, their first full-length album and the follow-up to their 2022 EP Echo Chambers. Recorded at The Kaleidoscope, mixed and engineered by Ben Roth, mastered by Joel Grind, displaying a demented artwork by All4Band Design, and featuring a noise track recorded on every song throughout the entire recording, sometimes prominent in mix, sometimes faint, Cognitive Dissonance is a inhumane album carefully brought into being by Kasey Harrison (Police State, Bittered) on vocals and bass, Paul Folk (Exterminance, Police State, Bittered) on the guitars and noises, and Brett Rebman (Punctual, Phlegm, Gangrenous Flesh Consumption) on drums, dealing with topics like mental health, socioeconomic injustice, technology, personal struggle and privilege throughout the album’s intense 25 minutes of music.

Kasey had his toddler son speak the name of the band in the beginning of the intro Life Of Tyrants, followed by tribalistic, primeval beats and vociferations, setting the stage for the trio to kick some ass in Apes With Christ, with Brett showing no mercy for his drums and obviously for our necks while Kasey barks like a rabid beast throughout the entire song in an awesome fusion of Death Metal and Grindcore. Then we have Electronic Caterpillars, just as infernal and neckbreaking as its predecessor, showcasing dirty riffs by Paul that together with the rumbling bass by Kasey will penetrate deep inside your psyche; and the menacing bass by Kasey ignites the grim and groovy Bastardized before exploding into a demolishing Death and Sludge Metal onrush spearheaded by Kasey’s bestial roars, with the song’s heaviness going through the freakin’ roof. There’s no sign of the band slowing things down or delivering anything light; quite the contrary, their vicious, sludgy attack goes on in Cloaked In Shame, with Paul’s riffs and noises bringing an extra dosage of filth to their sound.

The Human Race Is Filth need less than two minutes to pulverize our senses in Hopes Wavered, a lesson in brutality, heaviness and darkness by the trio where Paul has a fantastic performance armed with his axe, and they keep hammering their sonic weapons in Propagating Technology, with Brett alternating between groovier moments and sheer violence. The album’s second to last song, beautifully titled Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay, is the perfect depiction of the band’s music, blending the savagery of Death Metal and Grindcore with sluggish, somber elements, being therefore ideal for slamming into the pit while drinking a cold beer, whereas Tribal Injections Of Division is solid and heavy from start to finish, albeit the band has a much stronger performance when investing into shorter songs. Nothing that hurts the overall quality of the album, of course, as it’s still very enjoyable.

“We wrote this album from August to November 2021 and were really going for straight out Death Grind with a touch of d-beat and Hardcore mixed in. We wanted dirtier guitar and bass tones, more aggressive drums, and more extreme vocals compared to the first three releases and we believe we accomplished those things on this release,” commented the band about their newborn beast, and if you want to know more about them, their tour dates and plans for the future, you can check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream all of their creations on Spotify, and grab your copy of Cognitive Dissonance from their own BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. Cognitive Dissonance is heavy, noisy, evil, disturbing, and everything else we love in extreme music, proving that as long as the human race continues to be filth like the name of the band states, those three metallers will keep piercing our ears with their venomous music.

Best moments of the album: Apes With Christ, Bastardized and Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay.

Worst moments of the album: Tribal Injections Of Division.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Life Of Tyrants 1:22
2. Apes With Christ 3:23
3. Electronic Caterpillars 3:54
4. Bastardized 4:24
5. Cloaked In Shame 2:31
6. Hopes Wavered 1:42
7. Propagating Technology 2:04
8. Vomiting Strings Of Human Decay 1:59
9. Tribal Injections Of Division 4:04

Band members
Kasey Harrison – vocals, bass
Paul Folk – guitar, noise
Brett Rebman – drums

Guest musician
Ben Roth – guitars on “Bastardized”

Album Review – Empress / Fateweaver (2022)

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This up-and-coming Symphonic Metal five-piece outfit from Philadelphia is well on their way to conquering the big stages and setting people’s minds ablaze to the sound of their striking debut album.

An up-and-coming five-piece act from Philadelphia, in the United States, centered around classically-trained singer Barbara Blackthorne and main songwriting, mastermind and guitarist Vlad Khavin, Symphonic Metal outfit Empress is well on their way to conquering the big stages and setting people’s minds ablaze with kaleidoscopic arrangements, and their brand new album Fateweaver is the perfect way to kick-off their path to success showcasing their unique take on Symphonic Metal while they effortlessly transition between a variety of powerful tunes. Mixed and mastered by Dan Swanö at Unisound Studios, produced and engineered by the aforementioned Vlad Khavin, and displaying a classy artwork by Nguyen Hieu, Fateweaver will fully captivate your senses thanks to the amazing job done by Barbara and Vlad alongside their bandmates Joseph Muir on the guitars, Nicholas Bonsanto on bass and Mark Stainthorpe on drums, asking you if you’re bound by fate or bound to control it, as they navigate the overarching theme of destiny through the tales of the individual characters on each song.

Whimsical keys ignite the symphonic, epic title-track entitled Legion, with Mark dictating the pace with his heavy beats before Barbara arrives like a Valkyrie from the sky and stuns us all with her operatic vocals, and the guitars by Vlad and Joseph reverberate in the air in the also imposing Beyond the Sleep, with all background elements adding an extra touch of magic to the overall result. Then a sinister, somber start evolves into a multi-layered feast of Symphonic Power Metal titled Chimera, also presenting tons of progressiveness and electricity while Barbara is flawless on vocals supported by the pounding drums by Mark; whereas they don’t waste a single second and continue their musical adventure in The Fall of Kingdoms, with Vlad and Joseph being on absolute fire with both their riffs and solos, followed by Black Arcana, very rhythmic, epic and dense from start to finish, with Barbara’s soaring vocals being a thing of beauty while Nicholas and Mark generate a rumbling atmosphere with their respective bass and drums.

Monarch is another dynamic and ethereal display of Symphonic Metal by those talented musicians where the riffage by the band’s guitar duo beautifully clashes with the song’s  background keys, while there are moments of sheer progressiveness that remind me of Opeth and Dream Theater. In the electrifying Into the Grey, the unstoppable Barbara gorgeously declaims the song’s words (“The coming storm brings a change / The eye of fate shifts its gaze / The sky will show the way to rend fear from my heart”) while her bandmates make sure we’re transported into a world of magic and epicness to the sound of their undisputed Symphonic and Melodic Metal; whereas Immortelle sounds clearly inspired by classic Nightwish and Epica, offering our ears another round of their piercing sounds albeit a bit generic if compared to the rest of the album. And last but not least, closing such powerful album we have the seven-minute symphony Eventide, where Barbara showcases all her vocal range and potency and where all elements are in the right place, elevating the song’s punch to a whole new level and resulting in a climatic ending for admirers of the genre.

You can get to know more about Empress, their music, plans for the future, tour dates and so on by following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, stay up to date with their new songs and videos by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by streaming their music on Spotify, and show your utmost support to those hard working American metallers by purchasing a copy of their new album from their own webstore or from their BandCamp page, or simply by clicking HERE or HERE to select your favorite version of the album or to stream it in full. What do you say? Are you bound by fate or bound to control it? If you don’t know the answer to that, let Empress help you to the sound of their striking debut album, allowing their stylish Symphonic Metal to penetrate deep inside your mind and soul.

Best moments of the album: Legion, Chimera and Into the Grey.

Worst moments of the album: Immortelle.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Legion 4:20
2. Beyond the Sleep 4:34
3. Chimera 7:11
4. The Fall of Kingdoms 5:40
5. Black Arcana 4:38
6. Monarch 5:35
7. Into the Grey 4:00
8. Immortelle 4:53
9. Eventide 6:54

Band members
Barbara Blackthorne – vocals
Vlad Khavin – guitars
Joseph Muir – guitars
Nicholas Bonsanto – bass
Mark Stainthorpe – drums

Album Review – Lady Beast / Omens EP (2021)

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Bang your head nonstop to the straight-to-the-point new EP of pure Heavy Metal by this fantastic Pittsburgh-based band, sprinkling a dust on the poisoned path from which they summit.

The stunning Deborah Levine and her bandmates Andy Ramage and Chris Tritschler on the guitars, Amy Bianco on bass and Adam Ramage on drums, collective known as Pittsburgh, United States-based Heavy Metal outfit Lady Beast, are back in action now in 2021 with a short and sweet EP entitled Omens, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2020 album The Vulture’s Amulet, featuring four original tracks plus a very special cover song that transpire pure Heavy Metal throughout the EP’s almost 20 minutes of music. Sprinkling a dust on the poisoned path from which Lady Beast summit, Omens is highly recommended for admirers of the NWOBHM combined with the badass music and rockin’ attitude by Motörhead, Thin Lizzy and Mercyful Fate, among others, providing newcomers to their metallic realm a very good sample of what the band has been delivering to their fans since their inception in 2009, and of what we can expect from such talented crew in their future releases.

The Poisoned Path already brings pure Heavy Metal to our avid ears, with its old school lyrics declaimed by Deborah (“I go out in the dark, / I whisper to the night… / A voice, it soon replies… / Secure a candles flame, / and sharpen up your blade. / Follow me down the poisoned path I’ve made.”) making things even more exciting, while Amy kicks some ass with her low-tuned bass. Then it’s time for more of the band’s melodic sounds in Reaper, with Andy being on fire with his riffs and solos accompanied by his guitar comrade Chris, feeling utterly inspired by the classic music by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest; and they continue to travel through the golden years of rock and metal in Blood For Blood, with Adam smashing his drums in great fashion while Deborah mesmerizes us all once again with her sharp and captivating vocals. After such powerful tune, Lady Beast pay a high-octane tribute to the one and only Rainbow with their electrifying rendition for the undisputed classic Kill the King (you can check the original song HERE), with Deborah and the boys (and girl) being on fire from start to finish, specially Andy and Chris who deliver together sheer awesomeness through their guitars. Last but not least, let’s bang our heads once again to the pounding drums by Adam in the thrilling The Fool’s Journey, showcasing incendiary riffs and solos supported by the rumbling bass by Amy, therefore providing Deborah all she needs to shine on vocals.

If you want to give Omens a spin, you can find the EP in its entirety on YouTube, but of course in order to show your true support to underground Heavy Metal you should definitely purchase a copy of it from the band’s own BandCamp page, as well as from the Reaper Metal Productions’ webstore in regular CD format or as an ass-kicking 12″ LP on screen printed black/white splatter vinyl that comes with a 11×11 two sided insert with band photo and lyrics (and as side A is the only playable side, on side B is a screen printed image in metallic silver ink). Also, don’t forget to give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their first-class music and stylish videos. I guess I don’t need to explain that the omens found in Lady Beast’s new EP are all beyond good, but just in case you don’t believe me, simply hit play and let this fantastic beast from Pittsburgh show you how heavy music should be played. I bet you’ll instantly fall in love for their music.

Best moments of the album: Kill the King and The Fool’s Journey.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2021 Reaper Metal Productions

Track listing
1. The Poisoned Path 3:26
2. Reaper 3:50
3. Blood For Blood 3:34
4. Kill the King (Rainbow cover) 4:17
5. The Fool’s Journey 4:25

Band members
Deborah Levine – vocals
Andy Ramage – lead guitar
Chris Tritschler – rhythm guitar
Amy Bianco – bass
Adam Ramage – drums