This uncanny Dutch collective returns with their suffocating fourth studio album, a dark and compelling work that once again pushes the boundaries between Black, Doom and Post-Metal.
Hailing from Breda, a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant, the uncanny Sludge/Post-Metal/Post-Hardcore entity The Fifth Alliance returns with their fourth studio album, titled Stenahoria, a dark and compelling work that once again pushes the boundaries between Black, Doom and Post-Metal. Recorded by Lander Cluyse at Hearse Studio, and mixed and mastered by Mendel bij de Leij, the follow-up to their 2019 album The Depth of the Darkness sees the band currently formed of Natalya Thelen (aka Thalos Sacritas) on vocals, Niels Termote and Matthijs Keuvelaar on the guitars, Puck Wildschut on bass, and Peter Scheffer on drums push into even more expressive territory, shifting between fragile, almost ethereal passages and massive, crushing moments, emerging from shared human experiences of sorrow, fear, and confinement, and therefore drawing the listener into an intense sonic journey through distress and introspection.
The album simply explodes in darkness from the very first second in Phoenix, with Natalya roaring in anger and hatred like a true she-demon while Peter hammers his drums like there’s no tomorrow in a lecture in Post-Black Metal madness. Then the minimalist but caustic and piercing guitars by Niels and Matthijs will put you in a trance in Benandanti, offering a grim fusion of Post-Metal with blackened, sluggish and visceral sounds, with Natalya stealing the show with her deep clean vocals. Fool on the Hill is as atmospheric as it is obscure and hypnotizing, with their Black Metal vein pulsing harder than ever thanks to the massive blast beats by Peter and the Stygian riffage by the band’s guitar duo; whereas in Battle of Barnet the band adds progressive and experimental elements to their core sound, providing Natalya with exactly what she needs to penetrate deep inside our souls with her flawless vocal performance. And closing the album we’re treated to the even more introspective and vile Jakob, where their Blackened Sludge Metal sonority erupts like a ruthless volcano, delivering metallic lava to our avid ears spearheaded by the scorching bass and drums by Puck and Peter before flowing into an absolute void.
A deliberate confrontation with discomfort, Stenahoria is a cathartic listening experience where intensity and fragility collide, creating a sound that lingers long after the final note fades, truly unfolding the more you sit with it, somewhere between the emotional intensity of Amenra, the atmosphere of Wolves in the Throne Room, and the dynamics of Cult of Luna, with those darker edges of Year of No Light and early Katatonia running throughout. Hence, you can get to know more about such a talented Dutch ensemble by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their unique creations on Spotify, and of course purchase their striking new album from their own BandCamp, from the Tartarus Records’ BandCamp, from Ardua Music, or from Breathe Plastic’s BandCamp or webstore. The word “stenahoria” refers to a deep sense of emotional distress, anguish, sadness, or anxiety, derived from words meaning “narrow space,” and metaphorically signifying feeling suffocated, confined, or troubled. In other words, that’s exactly what you’ll feel while listening to the new album by The Fifth Alliance, with their dark music suffocating you until you can’t breathe anymore.
Best moments of the album:Phoenix and Fool on the Hill.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2026 Tartarus Records/Breathe Plastic/Ardua Music
Track listing 1. Phoenix 8:11
2. Benandanti 7:33
3. Fool on the Hill 7:35
4. Battle of Barnet 6:59
5. Jakob 7:28
Band members Natalya Thelen – vocals
Niels Termote – guitars
Matthijs Keuvelaar – guitars
Puck Wildschut – bass
Peter Scheffer – drums
Portugal’s own Post-Black Metal masked collective is back again from the underworld, navigated countless darkened shades of metal to arrive at their stunning fifth album.
The uncanny Gaerea is nothing short of a beautiful enigma rooted in musical extremity and utter passion. In under a decade, the masked Post-Black Metal collective, born in the Portuguese town of Porto, has navigated countless darkened shades of metal to arrive at their fifth album, simply titled Loss, the follow-up to their 2024 critically acclaimed opus Coma. Recorded in early 2025 in Portugal with long-running collaborator Miguel Teroso at Demigod Recordings, Loss finds Gaerea emerging from creative chrysalis and bursting into something as engaging as it is unexpected, offering us all the sound of the masked specters of the band laying their souls bare. Musically and emotionally, they’re opening themselves up and bringing a decade’s worth of musical and personal soul-rending into sharper focus and becoming a genre-of-one in the process, continuing to define and redefine themselves album after album.
The band offers their trademark cryptic, ominous atmosphere right from the start in Luminary before they begin hammering their drums and firing strident riffs for our absolute delectation, whereas Submergedfollows a similar style as the music from Coma, with its lyrics exhaling insanity and introspection (“We’re submerged, and can’t break free, / The tide of our story’s got a hold on me, / We’re submerged, and sinking slow, / We’re lost in the deep where the waters flow / The lies I hide… ”). Hellboundis another bestial song with a serene intro that explodes into sheer Post-Black Metal madness, with their scathing vocals and visceral riffs sounding fantastic; and their strident guitars will pierce deep inside your psyche in Uncontrolled, inviting us all to dive manically into a darkened mosh pit. After such a thunderous tune, Phoenixfeels like the soundtrack to a psychological thriller, not to mention it’s impressive how they always blend classic Black Metal with more melodic and experimental sounds flawlessly, also presenting a truly epic vibe.
The intro to Cyclone is like a calm before the storm, evolving into a massive creature of Black and Post-Metal led by the grim vociferations by the band’s mysterious frontman. Then after the avantgarde interlude LBRNTH we’re treated to the infuriated yet also delicate Post-Black Metal extravaganza Nomad, showcasing perhaps the most passionate lyrics of the entire album (“I’m a drifter in life, / Forever chasing the fading light. / Every step is out of place, / Can’t seem to find my saving grace. / And I don’t know why I keep running, / Like I’m afraid of what’s becoming. / Every town’s a blur of blame, / No roots, just endless shame.”), followed by Stardust, offering an enfolding mix of clean and harsh vocals which combined sound stunning. It’s one of their most detailed compositions to date, where its blast beats walk hand in hand with the venomous sounds of their guitars until the song’s ethereal, melancholic grand finale.
“We’ve done what we’ve always done, which is follow our instincts,” says Gaerea’s anonymous vocalist. “Yet, something tells me that on this new record, there’s elements that both our new and old fans will love, but it’s not exactly what they’ll expect us to do.” If you want to explore more of Gaerea’s enigmatic world, you can find those masked metallers on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, stream more of their unique creations on any platform like Spotify, and of course put your darkened hands on Loss by purchasing it from BandCamp or from Century Media Records (or simply by clicking HERE). And if you still think Gaerea can be labeled as anything known to us after Loss (just like what I did in the beginning of this review by calling them Post-Black Metal, by the way), sorry but you’ll have to review your concepts. “We’re not a Black Metal band anymore, if we ever were,” states the vocalist. “We always have been compared to Hardcore bands and Post-Hardcore and Shoegaze and post-this and post-that. We’re slowly finding our way as a band but just as importantly, as people, but the DNA is always there. This is Gaerea!”
Best moments of the album:Submerged, Hellbound, Nomad and Stardust.
A Post-Hardcore/Mathcore creature from Columbus, Ohio will attack your senses with the chaotic intensity and politically-charged lyrics of their sophomore album.
Since their formation in 2018, Columbus, Ohio’s own Post-Hardcore/Mathcore creature For Your Health has been building a reputation for chaotic intensity, visceral live performances, and politically-charged lyrics. Now in 2025 the band currently comprised of vocalist Hayden Rodriguez, guitarists Nick Marzluf and Rosa Delgado, bassist Johnny Deborde, and keyboardist Simona Morales has just released their sophomore album, titled This Bitter Garden, following the band’s acclaimed 2021 debut full-length In Spite Of. Recorded in only 15 days, with the band working with producer Eric Hudson at a studio “repurposed from an old church in the sticks of Illinois”, with an eerie artwork by the band’s own Simona Morales, and featuring session drummer Caden Clinton, the album sounds utterly harsh, haunting and caustic, helping the band in paving their Stygian path armed with their undisputed, impactful music.
The band takes no prisoners and begin distilling their noisy sounds in Davenport (A Rotten Pear), with Hayden screaming manically nonstop, followed by Flowers For The Worst Of Them, bringing forward a great fusion of Hardcore with progressive elements, with Nick and Rosa extracting sheer adrenaline from their guitars. Then the rumbling drums by Caden dictate the pace in the also melodic yet visceral With Empty Promises & Loaded Guns, perfect for some action inside the pit, and it’s pedal to the metal in the demented Gaia Wept, where Hayden’s vile screams are nicely boosted by the song’s violent beats. After such an insane sonic attack, the band delivers more melodic sounds in the form of Clementine, followed by the weird The Radiant Apostasy, a short and eerie display of the band’s core sonority.
Heaven, Here begins in a more serene mode to the sound of the piano by Simona, flowing smoothly while adding a good share of melancholy to the album before all explodes in absolute chaos and madness in Longinus, led by another wicked performance by the band’s guitar duo supported by Johnny’s bass. The Rotting Pair is undoubtedly one of the most detailed and complex of all songs thanks to the amazing job done by all band members armed with their sonic weapons, with Hayden’s striking vocals being the icing on the cake; and they keep hammering their instruments without mercy in In The Valley of Weeping, resulting in another frantic display of Post-Metal with Hardcore influences. Then they need less than two minutes once again to kick us hard in the ass with Lamb Without Fold, with the blast beats by Caden sounding heavier than hell. Your New Curse follows a similar pattern, with Hayden showcasing pure insanity and rage through his screams, and the band concludes their wild feast with the longest of all tracks, Hostel Elysia, starting in an enfolding manner until their venomous vein bursts once again.
“These songs are a true distillation of all the sonic ideas we’ve explored previously and our different interests,” shared guitarist Rosa Delgado. “Hayden has a strong appreciation for film. We’re coupling his world-building and atmosphere with the immediacy, urgency, and brutality of our early material. We’re always striving to challenge ourselves. This Bitter Garden is an expansion of everything before.” Vocalist Hayden Rodriguez also had some interesting words to say about the album. “This Bitter Garden is the first recording where we got to express ourselves as the full band we’ve been playing as for the last four years. Everyone’s voice comes through. We’ve progressed, but it still feels like For Your Health.” Hence, in order to experience the sonic attack by For Your Health in all of its glory, you should start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and above all that, grab a copy of their new album from the band’s own BandCamp, from the 3DOT Recordings’ webstore or by clicking HERE. The music by For Your Health might not seem too aggressive at first, but once you’re embraced by their scorching noise and grim lyrics, you’ll then realize Hardcore has never sounded so intense nd violent.
Best moments of the album:Flowers For The Worst Of Them, Gaia Wept and The Rotting Pair.
Worst moments of the album:The Radiant Apostasy.
Released in 2025 3DOT Recordings
Track listing 1. Davenport (A Rotten Pear) 2:02
2. Flowers For The Worst Of Them 3:18
3. With Empty Promises & Loaded Guns 3:29
4. Gaia Wept 1:40
5. Clementine 3:36
6. The Radiant Apostasy 1:53
7. Heaven, Here 3:10
8. Longinus 1:59
9. The Rotting Pair 4:26
10. In The Valley of Weeping 4:07
11. Lamb Without Fold 1:46
12. Your New Curse 1:46
13. Hostel Elysia 5:01
Band members Hayden Rodriguez – vocals
Nick Marzluf – guitar, vocals
Rosa Delgado – guitar, vocals
Johnny Deborde – bass
Simona Morales – keyboards, piano, synthesizers, vocals
Continuing to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots, one of the best bands of the current French scene returns with their electrifying third EP.
Following up on their previous releases Watching From Afar, from 2016, and Aftermath, released in 2018, Paris, France-based Post-Hardcore/Alternative Metal act Ways. is back in action with their third EP, titled Are We Still Alive?, where they continue to mix several influences and musical styles while staying loyal to their Hardcore roots. Mixed and mastered by Nicolas Exposito (Landmvrks) and Robin Mariat (Resolve), the new EP by vocalist Clément, guitarists Bruno and Nico, and newcomers Anthony on bass and Etienne on drums offers more of their trademark powerful, dynamic and melodic sounds, being recommended for fans of Architects, Alexisonfire, The Ghost Inside, Thrice, Underoath and more.
The band wastes no time and begins their electrifying feast of Alternative Metal and Hardcore in Forgiveness, showcasing a more violent side of their sound thanks to the awesome screams by Clément while Bruno and Nico bring forward sheer melody and rage through their riffs. Why Do We Fall? is a neck-breaking creation by Ways. that will work amazingly whenever played live, with Etienne presenting his welcome card by smashing his drums in great fashion; followed by World Worn Out, showcasing the story of a world at the end of its tether, a world exhausted by human behavior in its entirety, offering us all poetic lyrics (“I must seek Bellerophon / To defeat those monsters / Who spew their flames / A fin to eat / Blood to drink / It makes me sick / Pull the trigger / No wonder they smile on their thrones / When I see what they do for stones”) amidst a very melodic yet visceral sound crafted by such talented band. Bruno and Nico keep slashing their axes supported by the classic bass by Anthony in Erase, while Clément continues to roar manically in the name of Hardcore and Metalcore, flowing into So Far So Good (Redux), a revamp of one of the songs from their 2018 EP, sounding groovier and more metallic than the original one, which proves the evolution in their musicianship.
“Are we still alive? It’s a question we’ve faced regularly over the past three years, regarding the state of the band. Between the two years of COVID-related crisis that have prevented us from seeing each other, rehearsing and playing live, line-up changes and certain upheavals in the lives of certain band members that have impacted the way we work, compose and record, we’ve spent a lot of time hanging on and finding solutions to continue to exist. We’re proud to be here and to present this new EP. Of course, the various themes addressed by the songs on this EP are also consistent with this question,” commented the band about their brand new offering, and if you want to show those French metallers your support you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their music on Spotify, and of course purchase a copy of Are We Still Alive? from their own BandCamp page (or click HERE for all things Ways.). In the end, the question is, are you still alive? If your answer is yes, what are you waiting for to enjoy the first-class fusion of Post-Hardcore and Alternative Metal by one of the best bands of the modern metal music scene hailing from France?
Best moments of the album:Forgiveness and Why Do We Fall?.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Independent
Track listing 1. Forgiveness 3:40
2. Why Do We Fall? 4:04
3. World Worn Out 2:54
4. Erase 3:44
5. So Far So Good (Redux) 3:45
Band members
Clément – vocals
Bruno – guitar
Nico – guitar, vocals
Anthony – bass
Etienne – drums
Cover your heads… No one escapes my hell… On all you know!
It’s time to make a lot of noise here at The Headbanging Moose, courtesy of our multitalented, unstoppable metal lady of this month of November. Pulling triple duty for Chicago, Illinois-based Noise Rock duo Djunah, simultaneously singing, playing the guitar, and playing a Moog bass organ with her feet (which is the reason why they like to say that they have “a leg for a bassist”), she will blow your mind with her undeniable charisma and skills, in special her powerful, unrestrained vocal style, channeling all her mental health issues through her music in the best way imaginable. Get ready to be absolutely stunned by the one and only Donna Diane, letting her music penetrate deep inside your soul and touch your heart in the name of our good old Rock N’ Roll.
Drawing a broad range of comparisons from PJ Harvey and Diamanda Galás to Melvins, the independent Noise Rock project Djunah (pronounced “JUNE-uh”) pairs Donna’s powerful, unrestrained vocal style with crashing guitar riffs and heavy, punishing drums courtesy of drummer Jared Karns (Their/They’re/There, Hidden Hospitals), blending elements from Noise Rock with Post-Metal, Post-Doom, Post-Hardcore and so on to give their sound a very unique taste. Known for their massive, intense live sound, the duo was formed back in 2018 fueled as much by big emotions as it is by love of gear. Donna and Jared have already released the singles Built and Brother, both in 2018 (and both also available as amazing videos on YouTube by clicking HERE and HERE, respectively), followed by their debut full-length album Ex Voto, in 2019, and more recently their sophomore effort Femina Furens, in the first quarter of 2023. For instance, you can find all of their noisy creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, and some of their wicked songs also on YouTube, including the excellent Animal Kingdom and Seven Winds of Sekhmet, or click HERE for all things Djunah.
Speaking about the single Brother, it’s important to say that the song not only features the voices of Anita Hill, Ana Maria Archila, Maria Gallagher and Christine Blasey Ford, but even more important than that, 100% of all sales are donated to Brave Space Alliance, the first Black-led, Trans-led LGBTQ+ center located on the South Side of Chicago. This is a very strong statement of the political and social aspect of the music by Djunah and the importance of discussing such themes to Donna, which means if you want to join her in her everyday fight against prejudice and inequality, you should definitely purchase the single from Djunah’s own BandCamp page. That’s a very good example of exactly how music can have a strong and lasting positive impact in our lives.
Their most recent opus, titled Femina Furens, also has a deep, emotional meaning to Donna. Femina Furens, which is Latin for “furious woman”, fuses influences from poetry the likes of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Sylvia Plath and John Donne, and heavy music such as PJ Harvey, Hum and Neurosis to tell the story of diagnosis and continuing recovery from complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD, with its artwork being inspired by representations of the divine feminine in 1970’s Sci-Fi Metal art, particularly the work of French artist Philippe Caza for “Métal hurlant” (later republished in the United States as “Heavy Metal” magazine). Animals, chariots or sleighs, and mythological figures appear prominently on the album as a way of exploring themes of emotional regulation, power and control, some of the core features of trauma disorders.
“We’re heavy, noisy, and still fairly melodic. If you like aggressive guitar, big drum fills, and an even ratio of singing to shouting, you’ll probably like us,” commented Donna, and you can easily sense the impact of all of her main idols influences in the music by her beast Djunah. For instance, she listens to a lot of early and pre-war Blues, Soul and R&B, with some of her favourite singers being Tina Turner and Lou Rawls, while she also loves Bo Diddley. However, it’s not just music that inspires her. “I’d say the majority of my influences are nonmusical because it makes for more interesting art that way. Some influences are related to the gear I use and building songs around those sounds. Politics had an incredibly strong influence on the album – songs like Built, Bless Your Money, and Mirrors for Narcissists are good examples of that. Messing around with poetry and meter is also a big source of inspiration for me. The name Djunah actually derives from one of my favorite writers, Djuna Barnes, eternal queen of the ungodly long sentence.”
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Donna is (or was) also part of a Chicago-based slashy, bass-Heavy Rock trio named Beat Drun Juel, where she’s responsible for the vocal and guitar duties while Jesse Giallombardo takes care of bass and Mat Haywood of drums. This project came before the creation of Djunah, having released so far a demo EP titled Off Your Face, back in 2014, followed by the two-track EP This Is How I Get Over You / That Boy Musta Stole Something of Mine, in 2015, and the full-length album Suppressor, in 2016, all available on their BandCamp page. Furthermore, you can also go to the project’s official YouTube channel and enjoy their videos for the songs That Boy Musta Stole Something of Mine, Hugger, and Die Unknown. I believe the band is either done or on hold due to Djunah, but you never know if or when Donna will revisit it in the near future.
Donna was also featured on Premier Guitar’s Rig Rundown back in 2020, where she talked about how she managed to learn how to play two instruments at the same time live, plus of course singing. “I actually dove right into it. The most time-consuming part was learning about synthesis because I’d never used an analog synthesizer before. I played a few solo shows with the bass organ first to see if it was something viable to do on stage. Then Nick and I started playing together, and it took us just a couple months to get a set together. I will say I’ve improved a lot over the two years I’ve been doing it. I’m constantly developing technique and changing my setup to help me to do more complex things. So, it’s always a work in progress,” commented our multi-talented diva, also saying that she believes people enjoy the show a lot in intimate settings when they can see what she’s doing up close. “It was definitely a case of necessity being the mother of invention. My old band had ground to a halt, and I wanted a way to play solo without sacrificing the bass. I don’t like using prerecorded sounds or loops, so I decided to try playing guitar and a bass synth simultaneously. It’s such a mindfuck – I love it!”
In April 2021, Donna opened up about being diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder, or C-PTSD, a disorder caused by complex trauma, or multiple traumas sustained and repeated over time. “Complex trauma can take many forms, such as domestic violence or abuse in childhood (as in my case), and it can have painful, lifelong consequences,” commented Donna, who believes it’s extremely important for anyone suffering from their own sicknesses and traumas to search for help and support, also pointing out the importance of music in that process. “Every day, people come forward with personal stories about sexual assault or opioid addiction or mental illness, and we’re slowly learning as a society to embrace that vulnerability instead of shaming it and telling it to shut up. I want to make music that represents the power of that vulnerability. A lot of my life, I was told I was too sensitive and that being sensitive is weak. So, I killed off a lot of the feeling, in my heart and in my body, just to make it through the day. Reclaiming it and finding power in it has been incredibly healing for me. I think that’s why there’s a lot of sexuality in the music. Sex, to me, is the ultimate in combining sensitivity and power. I sometimes think of it as feminine power, but really it has no gender.” Hence, if you or someone you know need help, you can call the suicide crisis line at 1-800-273-8255 or text 741741, and also search for valuable resources at the No Shame On U website (Chicago only or nationwide).
There are several online interviews with Donna that will show you how amazing she is, and everything she’s doing to take the name of Djunah to new heights. In this one to Car Con Carne Podcast, for example, she talks about her journey and her fight against her personal issues and struggles with C-PTSD; then two years later, she joined Car Con Carne Podcast again in an episode called ‘she who is powerful’ to talk about Djunah’s newest album Femina Furens. There’s also a podcast named Conversations With Dwyer where Donna talks about playing in Chicago dive bars at 17, how she went from writing a novel to music, the DIY ascent of her band and her struggles with C-PTSD; and another one called Mid-Riff where Donna discusses inventing bass organ techniques, dressing like Steve Albini, mentorship, the impact of trauma therapy on music, and much more. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to know more about the unstoppable Donna Diane and her Djunah? Let there be rock, and let there be noise.
“Music is a physical, full-body experience for me anyway, so playing with my whole body – and controlling so much of the frequency spectrum – only deepens that.” – Donna Diane
The future Past Tour 2023 turned the city of Edmonton into “Eddie-monton” thanks to one of the wildest Iron Maiden crowds ever in Canadian lands.
INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. II
The day after the concert in Calgary, I would say all Iron Maiden Fan Club members (plus a lot of locals as well) headed up a little further north to Edmonton for another round of IRON MAIDEN during the band’s The Future Past Tour 2023 (plus of course the opening act ATREYU). Once again, one day before the actual concert a big group gathered at On The Rocks for another successful IMFC Meetup, sharing a few beers with old and new friends, enjoying a few metal hymns played by the DJ including “Run to the Hills” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, and a live band playing pop songs from the 80’s. The pub was even giving away two tickets for the concert, but I bet the old fella who won those sold them online right away. As I mentioned in the review for the Calgary show, the meetups have a unique energy that’s worth going out of your way to make it there.
A few hours after the meetup, several of us had a (very) early start to join the FTTB – First to the Barrier at Rogers Place for another memorable day with our blood brothers and sisters in preparation for the concert that night. And I gotta say the FTTB meeting point this time was a blessing from the metal gods, as we were able to stay indoors (yes, with a roof and away from the chilly Edmonton weather) with easy access to washrooms and to an array of restaurants like Boston Pizza! It was so relaxed and comfy there that it didn’t feel like we were there for almost 12 hours before getting into the venue. This was most probably the nicest FTTB ever, with no cold weather, no winds, no rain, no starvation nor dehydration being present, making it A LOT easier for us all to endure the battlefield that the GA section turned into as soon as the lights went down later that day for the concert.
Precisely at 7:30pm, California’s own Metalcore act ATREYU did what was expected of them once again, putting on a very entertaining show for both their regular fans as well as for anyone who had no idea who they were. Frontman Brandon Saller made an excellent use of the wild energy emanating from the crowd to demand some mosh pits, and he was promptly answered by most kids in the floor section, which in the end put a huge smile in the faces of all band members. When they played the song Save Us and asked the crowd to scream those two words with them, the reply from the whole venue was pretty loud, with their bassist Marc “Porter” McKnight later taking some time to say how much they admire and respect the Maiden family for being so nice to them and for enjoying their show more than anyone could have imagined. That was indeed a wild concert by Atreyu, and if the opening band already turned up the heat that much at the Rogers Place, you can imagine what happened when Iron Maiden hit the stage, right?
Setlist Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Right Side of the Bed
Save Us
When Two Are One
The Theft
The Time Is Now
Gone
Ex’s and Oh’s
Battle Drums
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
Warrior
Blow
Band members Brandon Saller – clean vocals
Dan Jacobs – lead guitar, backing vocals
Travis Miguel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Marc “Porter” McKnight – harsh vocals, bass
Kyle Rosa – drums
And there we were all again precisely at 8:50pm, going crazy already during the first few seconds of Doctor Doctor, for one more flammable performance by the “dental floss salesmen from Montana” (also known as IRON MAIDEN) for our personal “collection” of concerts; however, this time things got pretty wild for a Canadian show, placing the Edmonton gig as one of the roughest crowds I’ve ever experienced worldwide. All hell broke loose the minute the band hit the stage with their old school classics from Somewhere In Time and their newer ones from Senjutsu, with that madness happening even during slower or more melodic songs like The Writing on the Wall and Death of the Celts. We were being smashed and pulverized by the wild fans from the GA, but we didn’t get to the venue so early to give up our spot at the barrier, so we did our best to survive that.
Remember when I talked about meeting “Mr. Lobster” during the FTTB wait in Calgary? I think I forgot to mention it was just a crazy dude fully dressed as a lobster, but that weird costume paid off in Edmonton as Bruce himself spotted that guy during the speech before The Time Machine and questioned if he came all the way from the ocean walking to Edmonton. As a matter of fact, Bruce was so impressed with the guy’s costume that instead of waving his arms in the air during the breathtaking Hell on Earth, which was by the way the most amazing song of the night in my humble opinion, he put his hands in the air like if he had “lobsters claws”. A small but awesome touch to the concert by Bruce, I might say. I just think that next time Mr. Lobster needs a friend dressed as a steak, so they can form a “surf and turf” duo at the show.
Back to the concert, all that pushing and smashing was getting wilder and tougher as the band continued to stun us with an avalanche of classics, making it quite difficult to jump up and down during Heaven Can Wait, for example, or to raise our arms and fists in the air together with the band. Some tiny girls behind us were being crushed into pieces to the point we kept turning to them to ask if they were OK, if they needed some water and so on. The crowd surfing was also insane, and I guess I’ll never see so many crowd surfers again during a song like Hell on Earth anywhere in the world. Of course things got even worse when the boys played Fear of the Dark, but who cares? Nothing that some time at the gym and some cardio can’t take care of.
By the end of the show, it was visible how Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko were amazed by the rowdy reaction of the crowd throughout the entire concert, with the nonstop action in the GA being highly acclaimed by the band, and of course, with Bruce being stunned with the loud chants of “Maiden! Maiden! Maiden!” to the point he left his microphone behind and simply enjoyed such beautiful moment with the fans. The Trooper and Wasted Years were pure war in the floor section, something you could only see in places like Brazil or Argentina, but the Edmonton fans made sure they’re also going to be “feared” whenever the band returns to the city. And after all was said and done, there was a very emotional moment with one of the most amazing members of the IMFC that brought tears of joy to the eyes of several of us, including myself of course. I’m not going to add all details here, but all I’m going to say is that next time someone questions me why I still listen to Iron Maiden after so many years, I’ll just smile back at that person.
Unfortunately due to budget limitations and work-related duties I couldn’t make it to the Vancouver show, but that doesn’t mean my Canadian Iron Maiden journey finished with the show in Edmonton. Even at the West Edmonton Mall and at the airport on Sunday I saw countless Maiden shirts and chatted with some of those fans, proving how strong the connection is between Maidenheads no matter what. One of the funniest moments happened at the airport right before boarding the plane, when two kids who were around six or seven years old kept looking at my new Sasquatch Eddie shirt. The oldest one said hi to me and then he smiled and said he liked my shirt, even showing me his dinosaur backpack to show how cool he also is. That was amazing, and from now on I’ll call the city of Edmonton as “Eddie-monton”, the Iron Maiden capital of Western Canada.
Setlist Doctor Doctor (UFO song) Blade Runner (End Titles) (Vangelis song) Caught Somewhere in Time
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Writing on the Wall
Days of Future Past
The Time Machine
The Prisoner
Death of the Celts
Can I Play With Madness
Heaven Can Wait
Alexander the Great
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore: Hell on Earth
The Trooper
Wasted Years Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)
Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums
And the one and only Iron Maiden took the city of Calgary by storm with the absolutely stunning first concert of their three Canadian dates during The Future Past Tour 2023.
INTRO: IMFC Meetup and FTTB, Pt. I
What a lovely couple of days Maidenheads from all over the world had in Calgary, Alberta this week with the one and only IRON MAIDEN (with opening act ATREYU) during the first stop of their Western Canadian dates as the last part of their undisputedThe Future Past Tour 2023. However, before all that metal extravaganza took over the old school Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday night, several members of the IMFC – Iron Maiden Fan Club, including myself, had an amazing meetup the day before the concert at a pub named Bear & Kilt, with over 40 Maiden fans storming the pub (when we had an initial reservation for only 20 people). Well, I don’t think the pub owner nor the waitresses were unhappy with all the extra money they made on a Wednesday night, right? And if you’re following the band anywhere, also make sure you attend some of those meetups because the energy is simply amazing!
The other awesome perk we get for being part of the IMFC is obviously the FTTB – First to the Barrier experience, and once you get a taste of it, it becomes an addiction. Thursday morning several Maidenheads arrived really early to the venue to already get their numbers and line up for the FTTB, which allows you to get into the venue around 15-30 minutes before everyone else and secure a dream spot at the barrier. The experience in Calgary was fantastic, as the location and the weather were great and we could enjoy about 12 hours together with other fans, not to mention there were decent washrooms and a restaurant within a 5-minute walk from the meeting point, and the chance to chat with “Mr. Lobster” (who will be part of our Edmonton review, by the way). And to make things even more fun, we had the utmost pleasure of listening to the band doing their soundcheck in the middle of the afternoon. We weren’t inside the venue, of course, but we could listen to everything through the gates. That was indeed a unique experience for most guys and girls there, I must say, and of course I’m sure everyone was ready for more when we headed to the FTTB in Edmonton two days later.
After a long (but fun) wait, it was finally time for some live music for all FTTB winners plus of course everyone else who was already inside the venue when at 7:30pm Yorba Linda, California-based Metalcore veterans ATREYU hit the stage for a weird/eclectic/fun performance, and I used all those words because that’s how the show truly was. Mixing songs form their entire career with newer ones like Save Us and Warrior, from their 2021 album Baptize, and Drowning, Watch Me Burn and Gone, from their upcoming album The Beautiful Dark of Life (to be released by the end of 2023), the band formed of Brandon Saller, Dan Jacobs, Travis Miguel, Marc “Porter” McKnight and Kyle Rosa delivered an amalgamation of styles that makes it hard to list everything they played, even adding elements from Hip Hop to their music, plus an excerpt of I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), a classic by Whitney Houston, a moment that according to Brandon and Marc was inspired by those two guys having a bromance time by the river in Calgary earlier that day. In the end, everyone at the venue had a good time, the band got a very positive reaction from the crowd, and we were all pumped for the main attraction then. Good feelings and vibes, my friends!
Setlist Drowning
Becoming the Bull
Save Us
Falling Down
Watch Me Burn
The Time Is Now
Ex’s and Oh’s
Gone
Battle Drums
Warrior
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) (Whitney Houston cover)
Blow
Band members Brandon Saller – clean vocals
Dan Jacobs – lead guitar, backing vocals
Travis Miguel – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Marc “Porter” McKnight – harsh vocals, bass
Kyle Rosa – drums
We didn’t know if the barrier was going to be relaxed or rough during the flawless, unparalleled performance by British Heavy Metal titans IRON MAIDEN, but at least in Calgary things ended up going pretty smoothly up until Fear of the Dark, as opposed to Edmonton which was a true carnage (but I’ll talk more about it on the Edmonton review, of course). So as the lights went down at 8:50pm and the iconic UFO’s song/intro Doctor Doctor was being played on the speakers, everyone at the venue could feel the energy level going up, and right after the end titles for Blade Runner (by Vangelis), Bruce, Steve, Adrian, Dave, Janick and Nicko began their sonic attack with the song that was for me the most powerful of the night, the classic Caught Somewhere in Time, followed by another classic, Stranger in a Strange Land, winning the hearts of all metalheads who were absolutely mesmerized by the band’s incendiary performance.
As they started playing the fantastic The Writing on the Wall, it became clear for the average concert goer that Thursday was not going to be any concert, but a fusion of their 1986 masterpiece Somewhere In Time and their most recent release Senjutsu, which contains a couple songs about the clash between past and future, as well as time travelling, hence the name of the tour being The Future Past Tour. Those songs are Days of Future Past and The Time Machine, and despite not everyone at the venue knowing them very well, the adrenaline kept flowing beautifully, proving Iron Maiden are so good you don’t even need to know their songs to have a great time during their shows. By the way, before The Time Machine, Bruce gave a short speech about travelling back in time, mentioning the famous DeLorean time machine from the cult movie Back to the Future, and his current attire finally made sense to everyone as he looked A LOT like the craziest version of the marvelous character of Dr. Emmett Brown.
Needless to say, Bruce and his bandmates were on absolute fire during their entire set, with Steve once again stealing the show with his thunderous bass guitar. As a matter of fact, as I was right in front of Steve the whole concert, it felt like I was having a lecture in bass playing together with the concert, not to mention the man is unstoppable on stage and inspires us all to keep moving, jumping up and down, and headbanging throughout all songs. Nicko also sounded much better than in the videos I saw from their concerts in Europe this summer, and it was awesome to see he made a very good use of the time off between Europe and Canada to recover even more from his stroke from the beginning of the year. And what to say about Dave’s solos in all songs, with a honorable mention to his perfect, soulful and striking solo during Fear of the Dark? The man knows exactly how to touch our hearts with his guitar riffs and solos, I must say.
There were two other songs that blew our minds during the show. The never-ending wait for Iron Maiden to play live Alexander the Great was totally worth it, as it sounded brilliant in Calgary; and the first song of the encore, Hell on Earth, was one of the songs from the new album that most people were eager to enjoy live, also being the only one from their entire setlist to have their trademark fires as an add-on. It was an emotional moment for me, and I’m sure others also felt that way while such metal hymn was being played on stage. And as the icing on the cake, why not ending the show with The Trooper and Wasted Years? That definitely left us all craving for more, and of course we were getting more two days later in Edmonton! Scream for me, Calgary… and see you shortly, Edmonton!
Setlist Doctor Doctor (UFO song) Blade Runner (End Titles) (Vangelis song) Caught Somewhere in Time
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Writing on the Wall
Days of Future Past
The Time Machine
The Prisoner
Death of the Celts
Can I Play With Madness
Heaven Can Wait
Alexander the Great
Fear of the Dark
Iron Maiden
Encore: Hell on Earth
The Trooper
Wasted Years Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Monty Python song)
Band members
Bruce Dickinson – lead vocals
Steve Harris – bass
Dave Murray – guitar
Adrian Smith – guitar
Janick Gers – guitar
Nicko McBrain – drums
A thrilling overdose of Blackened Post-Hardcore by an Italian horde presenting to us all “the gospel of our Messiah” in the form of their sophomore opus.
Brought into being in 2016 in the city of Rome, Italy, Blackened Post-Hardcore project I MAIALI has found their dimension in a dirty, no-nonsense sound between Post-Hardcore and Noise without forgetting the 90’s and the whiff of novelty that it brought to the world of underground music while remaining tied to a modern and impactful sound, and all that can be fully appreciated in their sophomore opus, titled cenere/CENERE. Produced, engineered, recorded and mixed by Davide Rosati at ACME Recording Studio, mastered by Gianpiero Ulacco at Hologram Studios, and displaying a wicked artwork by Coito Negato, “cenere/CENERE is the gospel of our Messiah, starting from his genesis up to the stake that will reduce him to ashes; however, it is not just a story, but a journey, which will first see him indulge, then oppose the will of a superior entity: a master whom he recognizes as a father. The deeds he performed and the continuous struggle with his conscience are the basis of the 12 tracks that mix post-hardcore and black metal, with some forays into psychedelia. We will explore the concepts addressed in the debut album CVLTO, making you know our God better and showing you how easily we humans are conditioned. Our Messiah is now among us, listen to him,” commented vocalist Francesco Foschini, guitarist Daniele Ticconi, bassist Matteo Grigioni and drummer Angelo Del Rosso about the album.
Daniele ignites the band’s wicked musical voyage with his guitar in Genesi, being gradually accompanied by the devilish vocalization by Francesco in a nice way to kick off the album with a huge dosage of modern-day Post-Metal. Then enhancing their rage and animosity it’s time for the quartet to crush our senses with Ora, Sorgi!, showcasing an excellent job done by Angelo behind his drums and, therefore, resulting in a vicious depiction of Blackened Hardcore; whereas L’Orrore follows a similar pattern as its predecessor, which means it’s awesome of course, with Matteo hammering his bass mercilessly while Francesco roars and screams nonstop. There’s no time to breathe as those Italian noisemakers are on fire in the Post-Hardcore extravaganza Parassita, spearheaded by another round of flammable riffs by Daniele, and Stanza 101, a recommended option for banging your head in the name of pure darkness, also presenting elements from the unique music blasted by Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. And more of their eerie sounds comes in the form of Oblio, where Francesco’s vocals walk hand in hand with the progressive beats by Angelo.
Messi∀ focuses exclusively on the anguished vocals by Francesco while the background music is comprised of pure noise; whereas in Sculture da Autopsia the band is back to a more melodic, introspective vibe where Daniele an Matteo continue to extract electricity and groove form their stringed weapons in another shot of their trademark Blackened Post-Hardcore. Assalto Cannibale is as demented as it can be, with Angelo dictating the pace and offering his bandmates exactly what they need to smash us all with their sick, darkened Hardcore, and getting closer to the end of the album I MAIALI keep embellishing the airwaves with their obscurity and heaviness in (r)Umore Blu, with Francesco stealing the spotlight with another visceral performance on vocals, followed by Plumbeo Giudizio, sounding modern, vibrant and piercing as our good old Blackened Hardcore demands, bringing forward more of the caustic riffage by Daniele and the classy bass punches by Matteo. Finally, featuring a guest guitar solo by Davide Rosati, the tribal beast by Angelo will hit you hard in the head in Io, Brucio, ending the album on a beyond climatic and acid note.
In case you’re curious to know what Blackened Post-Hardcore is all about, you can enjoy cenere/CENERE in its full glory on Spotify, and don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram to stay up to date with all things I MAIALI, to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their wicked music, and obviously to purchase the idiosyncratic cenere/CENERE from their own BandCamp page. As aforementioned, the music by I MAIALI is not just dirty and modern, but it effectively represents everything the band stands for, their passion for heavy music, their hopes and dreams, and I bet it won’t take long for those Italian rockers to invade our senses with more of their incendiary, uncompromising music in the coming years.
Best moments of the album: Ora, Sorgi!, L’Orrore, Parassita and Plumbeo Giudizio.
This talented Swedish Post-Hardcore and Nu Metal outfit is back in action with an inspiring three-track EP, pointing to an exciting musical direction prior to their next full-length album.
Vocalist Jowl Nyberg, guitarists Victor Adonis and Marcus Skantz, bassist Martin Lingonblad and drummer Peter Liwgren, collectively known as Lund/Malmö, Sweden-based Post-Hardcore/Nu Metal outfit Through The Noise, are back in action now in 2022 with a brand new EP entitled Tragedies, following up on their highly acclaimed 2019 album Dualism. During the Covid-19 lockdowns the band was unable to tour; however, there was plenty of time to write new material and they wrote a bunch of new songs, and after some careful consideration they decided that it would be best to release an EP before a full-length album, so they tracked three songs which make up Tragedies. Produced by Robert Kukla at Obsidian Recording Studios, Tragedies showcases a more sinister and heavier side of Through The Noise, appealing not only to the band’s current fanbase but also to anyone in search for fresh and vibrant heavy music.
The quintet arises from the underworld with a fusion of Alternative Metal and darker elements in Tantalus, bringing forward poetic lyrics rabidly declaimed by Jowl (“Perpetually trapped / Lost sense of time / Eternal damnation / Cursed with temptation”) and an amazing job done by Peter with his crushing drums, while Victor and Marcus add tons of heaviness to the music with their refined riffage. And Peter keeps hammering his drums in Aktaion, with all whimsical background elements making a thrilling paradox with the metallic bass by Martin and the raspy roars by Jowl, being therefore perfect for banging your head and jumping up and down with the band in the name of heavy music. Lastly, in Lamia we’re treated to another round of their wicked words (“Aggression bottled up from past transgressions / Disfigured, tormented by the pain / Forever haunted by my heinous actions / A victim, forced by godly hands”) supported by the visceral hybrid of Alternative Metal and Hardcore blasted by the quintet, making us eager for more of their music in a not-so-distant future.
You can get in touch with the talented guys from Through The Noise and know more about the band, their tour dates and plans for the future on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and videos, steam their entire catalog on Spotify, and of course purchase your copy of Tragedies by clicking HERE, showing your utmost support to the Swedish underground. Nobody truly knows what will happen to the world of music in the coming months due to this never-ending Covid-19 madness, but at least we can rest assured the fires of heavy music will keep burning thanks to hardworking bands like Through The Noise, and based on the heaviness and melodies offered to us in Tragedies I can’t wait to see how their next full-length album will sound. It will be awesome, no doubt about that.
A travel to the year of 1799 in Italy, where an elite group of rich and evil people founded a secret society called “The First Order”, in the form of incendiary Post-Hardcore and Djent.
From Post-Hardcore to Djent, including elements from Melodic Metalcore, Alternative Metal and Deathcore, to name a few, the Ancona, Italy-based band comprised of Andrea Pali on vocals, Valerio Quirini on lead guitar, Daniele Monaldi on the guitar, Diego Nardelli on bass and Enrico Rivetti on drums, collectively known as Sharks In Your Mouth, has never stopped improving their sound and style since their inception in 2010, always in pursuit of the “ultimate sound”. Now in 2019 the band returns with another round of heavy and melodic sounds with their sophomore album Sacrilegious, a follow-up to their 2016 debut opus Promises. Not only that, the album also narrates what the band calls “The Covenant” saga, bringing additional layers to their already dense and aggressive music.
Engineered by Federico Ascari and Sharks In Your Mouth, reamped, mixed and mastered by Federico Ascari at Wavemotion Recordings, and featuring a stylish artwork by Mattia Castiglia, Sacrilegious takes us to the year of 1799 in Italy, where an elite group of rich and evil people founded a secret society called “The First Order”, possessing an ancient magical book that must be burned to avoid letting them dictate the social and moral laws of the future. A young boy gets caught up in one of their rituals and “The Order” kills him, but not before painting some “black tears” on his face as their tradition. From that you can already have a very good idea of how obscure their lyrics are, which together with the thunderous sounds blasted by their guitars, bass and drums generate a dark and enfolding atmosphere that will please all fans of the genre.
The cinematic intro Black Tears opens the gates of the underworld to the violent The Covenant, where Andrea begins roaring rabidly just the way we like it in Metalcore and Deathcore while Enrico makes sure our heads don’t stop trembling with his beats, resulting in a beyond amazing start to the album. Then Valerio and Daniele shred their axes mercilessly while Diego exhales rage from his metallic bass in the title-track Sacrilegious, presenting acid lyrics that match perfectly with the music (“What we did is sacrilegious / We’ve been fighting against the odds / What we did is sacrilegious / But we had to burn that book / They will give to this world their idols and the illusion of choice / Illusion of choice / Impostors, who will rise and who will fall? / The Order is born”); and featuring guest musician Daniele Gottardo, who adds his personal touch of evil to the song with a sick guitar solo, we have another bestial Deathcore tune named Dethroned. Furthermore, it’s impressive how somber those guys can sound while at the same time being extremely melodic, with Diego and Enrico never stopping extracting low-tuned, thunderous roars from their instruments while Andrea alternates between clean vocals and demented screams.
In Sinner, an acoustic intro morphs into a crushing Symphonic Metalcore hymn led by Andrea while Diego smashes his bass chords manically, with all symphonic background elements adding a good amount of finesse to the sonority and also sounding very progressive at times, whereas R.I.P., one of the darkest songs of the album, showcases a focused and demonic duo on the guitars, supported by Enrico’s intricate drums and a berserk Andrea on vocals, and also presenting some creepy, obscure passages to give the whole song an extra infernal kick. Keep banging your head and slamming into the pit to the pulverizing As Above So Below, where you will feel Diego’s bass rumbling at the back of your head, providing the listener a fresh and vibrant fusion of more melodic lines and sheer aggression, and venturing through more modernized and radio-friendly lands, the band offers us the fast-paced This Is Gonna Hurt, incorporating elements from Alternative Metal and Rock to their more vicious style.
If Limp Bizkit suddenly turned into a heavier band, Fear Me, Feed Me is how they would sound, with its instrumental pieces being pretty solid as well as Andrea’s growls, bringing tons of rage and progressiveness for our avid ears, although his rap-like vocals don’t work as expected. Keeping their aggressiveness and dementia at a high level, the quintet fires the Melodic Metalcore tune Marked, bringing forward sick, distorted riffs by Valerio and Daniele, not to mention Enrico’s bestial drumming, while Curtain is a short and sweet piano bridge to the epic and visceral Fall (The Covenant Part II), an imposing tune where all rage flowing from drums is complemented by flammable riffs and bass punches while Andrea darkly declaims the song’s poetic lyrics (“I still hear their cry for help / While I paint my black tears on my face / Shadows in the night, trying to resist / Hunted from the ancient creed / All is lost, erased from reality / Paint your black tears / Paint your black tears”).
If you nurture a deep passion for Hardcore, Metalcore and Djent, and if you are constantly searching for new names in the market that can offer you something more than just well-crafted heavy music, you must give Sharks In Your Mouth a chance without a shadow of a doubt. Not only those guys master their instruments, but as already mentioned the theme found in Sacrilegious (available in full on Spotify) is way more flavorful and interesting than your average bands out there. Hence, don’t forget to show your support to those Italian metallers by following them on Facebook, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, and of course by purchasing Sacrilegious from their official webstore or from several other locations like Apple Music and Amazon by clicking HERE, consequently joining the band’s army known as “Covenants” and banging your head like a beast to some high-end Djent made in Italy.
Best moments of the album:The Covenant, Sacrilegious and R.I.P.
Worst moments of the album:Fear Me, Feed Me.
Released in 2019 Independent
Track listing 1. Black Tears 1:04
2. The Covenant 4:39
3. Sacrilegious 4:12
4. Dethroned (feat. Daniele Gottardo) 4:03
5. Sinner 3:29
6. R.I.P. 3:23
7. As Above So Below 4:08
8. This Is Gonna Hurt 3:43
9. Fear Me, Feed Me 3:43
10. Marked 4:36
11. Curtain 0:23
12. Fall (The Covenant Part II) 4:40
Band members Andrea Pali – vocals
Valerio Quirini – lead guitar
Daniele Monaldi – guitar
Diego Nardelli – bass
Enrico Rivetti – drums
Guest musician Daniele Gottardo – guitar solo on “Dethroned”
Hailing from Breda, a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant, the uncanny Sludge/Post-Metal/Post-Hardcore entity The Fifth Alliance returns with their fourth studio album, titled Stenahoria, a dark and compelling work that once again pushes the boundaries between Black, Doom and Post-Metal. Recorded by Lander Cluyse at Hearse Studio, and mixed and mastered by Mendel bij de Leij, the follow-up to their 2019 album The Depth of the Darkness sees the band currently formed of Natalya Thelen (aka Thalos Sacritas) on vocals, Niels Termote and Matthijs Keuvelaar on the guitars, Puck Wildschut on bass, and Peter Scheffer on drums push into even more expressive territory, shifting between fragile, almost ethereal passages and massive, crushing moments, emerging from shared human experiences of sorrow, fear, and confinement, and therefore drawing the listener into an intense sonic journey through distress and introspection.
A deliberate confrontation with discomfort, Stenahoria is a cathartic listening experience where intensity and fragility collide, creating a sound that lingers long after the final note fades, truly unfolding the more you sit with it, somewhere between the emotional intensity of Amenra, the atmosphere of Wolves in the Throne Room, and the dynamics of Cult of Luna, with those darker edges of Year of No Light and early Katatonia running throughout. Hence, you can get to know more about such a talented Dutch ensemble by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their unique creations on Spotify, and of course purchase their striking new album from their own BandCamp, from the Tartarus Records’ BandCamp, from Ardua Music, or from Breathe Plastic’s BandCamp or webstore. The word “stenahoria” refers to a deep sense of emotional distress, anguish, sadness, or anxiety, derived from words meaning “narrow space,” and metaphorically signifying feeling suffocated, confined, or troubled. In other words, that’s exactly what you’ll feel while listening to the new album by The Fifth Alliance, with their dark music suffocating you until you can’t breathe anymore.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 