One of the must-see names of the Progressive Rock and Metal scene returns with their sixth full-length album, sounding like a dystopian western or a post-apocalyptic survival movie.
More than a decade has passed since the release of Aetherial, the debut album by Houston, Texas-based Progressive Metal/Rock band Oceans Of Slumber, and a lot has changed since then for this “Dark Cinematic Metal” outfit. After recruiting Cammie Gilbert (now Gilbert-Beverly) in 2014, the crew’s trajectory took a natural, upward tilt, fueled by the hugely positive response received by second album, Winter, released in 2016. Monuments to a restless creative spirit, the band’s third, fourth and fifth albums, The Banished Heart (2018), Oceans Of Slumber (2020) and Starlight and Ash (2022), raised the stakes ever higher. Recorded at Estudios Audiovision, produced, mixed and engineered by Joel Hamilton at Studio G, mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering, and displaying a classy artwork by Giannis Nakos of Remedy Art Design, their sixth full-length opus, titled Where Gods Fear to Speak, sees the band exploring new heights, therefore sounding even tighter and more compelling than before, proving why vocalist Cammie Beverly, guitarists Alex Davis and Chris Kritikos, bassist Semir Ozerkan and drummer Dobber Beverly have become a reference in the style.
The album kicks off with the darkly embracing title-track Where Gods Fear to Speak, where the heaviness in the guitars by Alex and Chris make a stunning paradox with the powerful vocals by Cammie, blending Progressive and Groove Metal with the obscurity and heaviness of Doom Metal, followed by Run From the Light, featuring guest vocals by the one and only Mikael Stanne of Swedish melodeath legends Dark Tranquillity, another avalanche of intricate guitar lines, harsh and clean vocals, and the always groovy beats by Dobber, sounding like several songs in one. Then a smooth intro boosted by minimalist background synths evolves into a beautiful ballad titled Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed, where Cammie obviously steal the spotlight with a phenomenal vocal performance, whereas Wish is another solid tune by the band showcasing the always massive beats by Dobbie supported by the classic bass lines by Semir. And Cammie will steal your heart in the captivating tune Poem of Ecstasy, presenting the band’s trademark hybrid of Progressive Rock and Metal in a beyond thrilling way.
The Given Dream presents hints of R&B added to the band’s core rock essence, feeling very delicate yet profound and somber, with once again all background elements sounding beautifully haunting; while I Will Break the Pride of Your Will is even more experimental and progressive than its predecessors, with Alex and Chris taking the lead with their stylish riffs. In Prayer we face the dark and evil harsh roars by the iconic frontman Fernando Ribeiro of Moonspell clashing in great fashion with Cammie’s embracing, delicate vocals, with all acoustic elements making the song even more detailed and complete, followed by The Impermanence of Fate, showcasing another jaw-dropping vocal performance by Cammie to the classy sound of the piano by Dobber, who also hammers his drums, exploding into sheer savagery while sounding like classic Death Metal in a multi-layered and bold aria of heavy music. And lastly, we have their stunning rendition of Wicked Game, originally recorded by Chris Isaak in the 1989 album Heart Shaped World (check the original version HERE), a more than gorgeous icing on the cake to close the album on a perfect note.
“This album is a dystopian western or a post-apocalyptic survival movie, somewhere between The Handmaid’s Tale, The Dark Tower and Cormac McCarthy,” states Dobber. “The whole idea is that Where The Gods Fear To Speak is a movie, and we’ve written the soundtrack. If the world was taken over, like in movie The Book Of Eli, and Gary Oldman had found the Bible and the true power of it, and he was wielding the power of the lord over everybody, those people that were maybe just into their traditional spiritualism or people that were not religious at all, they would be the defectors, so the record is written from the viewpoint of the defectors. The ending credits are our version of ‘Wicked Game’ by Chris Isaak. We wanted to take it back to when the music in movies set the tone for everything.” Hence, if you want to join Oceans of Slumber in this thrilling cinematic ride, you can follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, listen to all of their beautiful albums on Spotify, and of course purchase their new album by clicking HERE or HERE. Where Gods Fear To Speak proves that Oceans Of Slumber will not let the occasional setback put them off their creative stride, and I personally can’t wait to see what’s next to one of the must-see names of the progressive scene worldwide.
Best moments of the album:Where Gods Fear to Speak, Poem of Ecstasy, The Impermanence of Fate and of course Wicked Game.
Worst moments of the album:I Will Break the Pride of Your Will.
Released in 2024 Season of Mist
Track listing 1. Where Gods Fear to Speak 6:25
2. Run From the Light 5:15
3. Don’t Come Back From Hell Empty Handed 8:28
4. Wish 3:53
5. Poem of Ecstasy 6:33
6. The Given Dream 3:36
7. I Will Break the Pride of Your Will 5:27
8. Prayer 5:03
9. The Impermanence of Fate 6:20
10. Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover) 5:26
Band members Cammie Beverly – vocals
Alex Davis – guitars
Chris Kritikos – guitars, synths
Semir Ozerkan – bass
Dobber Beverly – drums, piano
Guest musicians
Mikael Stanne – vocals on “Run From The Light”
Fernando Ribeiro – vocals on “Prayer”
This German Progressive and Post-Black Metal force is back with its seventh studio album, their most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle.
Founded in 2004 by songwriter Torsten, who is also active in the bands Nocte Obducta, Theotoxin, and Suel, as well as other musical projects, Groß-Gerau, Hesse, Germany-based Progressive/Post-Black Metal act Agrypnie has developed into a significant force in the Black Metal scene over the years. Now in 2024 the duo formed of the aforementioned Torsten on vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards and programming, and Flo (Benighted, Schammasch) on drums returns with their seventh studio album, titled Erg, Agrypnie’s most aggressive album to date where every instrument attacks from every angle, almost overwhelmingly so if not for the clear and cutting recording and the band’s enviously sharp execution. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Phil Hillen and Torsten at SU-2 Studio, and with artwork and photography by Marco Klein of syn2, Erg displays considerable daring and depth, as while “Black Metal” in foundation, the album’s songwriting crests and crashes with kaleidoscopic wonder and cathartic urgency alike.
Featuring guest vocals by Phil Jonas (of Secrets of the Moon and CRONE), Aus rauchlosem Feuer (“from smokeless fire”) is atmospheric and enfolding from the very first second, evolving into a Black Metal beast led by the scorching roars and riffs by Torsten while Flo hammers his drums nonstop, followed by Meer ohne Wasser, or “sea without water”, offering sluggish Doom Metal-infused beats and riffs while also exploding into sheer obscurity and madness, with Flo once again dictating the pace with his Black Metal beats. Then we have Sturm, or “storm”, with guest vocals by Edmond Karban aka Hupogrammos (of Dordeduh), venturing through the realms of pure Atmospheric Black Metal and with Torsten sounding like a metal machine armed with all his instruments; whereas the Stygian, grim interlude Blut – Teil I, or “blood – part I”, sets the tone for Blut – Teil II (“blood – part II”), featuring guest vocalist P.G. (of Groza), bringing forward another round of their trademark Post-Black Metal boosted by the intricate and visceral drumming by Flo.
The second half of the album begins with a song just as multi-layered and vile as its predecessors, titled Entität, or “entity”, with Torsten embellishing the airwaves with his classy riffs and bass lines, or in other words, it’s a very detailed song that will inspire us all to bang our heads nonstop together with the duo, exploding into the Black Metal attack titled Stunde des Wolfes (“hour of the wolf”), where the duo extracts the harshest, most piercing sounds form their instruments, and with Torsten delivering some devilish vociferations until the very end. Geister, or “ghosts”, is very experimental and atmospheric for the most part of it, with only its last part being Agrypnie’s core sound, but of course it’s still a very good song; whereas lastly the duo will rip our souls apart with the amazing Unter Sand, or “under sand”, offering our avid ears an avalanche of strident riffs, classic blast beats and anguished vocal lines, ending the album on a climatic and introspective note.
Rich sonically and in emotion, majestic even when plumbing the depths of melancholy, Erg is a tour de force of wide-screen Black Metal regardless of “progressive” or “post-” appellations. Hence, don’t forget to give Torsten and Flo a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with their news and tour dates, to subscribe to their YouTube channel and to check them out on Spotify for more of their music, and to grab your copy of Erg from AOP Records in Europe and in the US, from Napalm Records, from MVD Entertainment (US only), or from several digital platforms by clicking HERE. It’s a known fact that Agrypnie’s eighth studio album is already in the works, and it will be interesting to see their musical evolution form Erg to their upcoming release. Until then, simply give Erg countless spins, and let the fulminating music by Agrypnie embrace you in pitch black darkness.
Best moments of the album:Aus rauchlosem Feuer, Entität and Stunde des Wolfes.
Worst moments of the album:Geister.
Released in 2024 AOP Records
Track listing 1. Aus rauchlosem Feuer 7:28
2. Meer ohne Wasser 7:02
3. Sturm 6:00
4. Blut – Teil I 2:06
5. Blut – Teil II 5:16
6. Entität 7:24
7. Stunde des Wolfes 6:04
8. Geister 5:32
9. Unter Sand 6:46
Band members Torsten – vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, programming
Flo – drums
Guest musicians Phil Jonas – vocals on “Aus rauchlosem Feuer”
P.G. – vocals on “Blut – Teil I” and “Blut – Teil II”
Edmond Karban – vocals on “Sturm”
These Spanish rockers attack again with their sophomore album, retaining the elements of melody and power from their previous work while also showcasing an evolution in both composition and production.
Retaining the elements of melody and power present in the band’s previous work while also showcasing an evolution in both composition and production, Fearless, the brand new album by Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain-based Heavy/Power/Speed Metal act Knightsune emerges with a harder, rawer, and more forceful approach, marking a significant progression for the band. Produced and mixed by Miguel A. Riutort at Psychosomatic Studio, with vocals produced by Israel Ramos at Dante Music Studios, mastered by Jacob Hansen at Hansen Studios, and displaying a classic artwork by Colombian artist Felipe Machado Franco, the new album by vocalist Victor Alcalá “Kendoru”, guitarists Victor V. Gairhald and Diego Alastruey “Alas”, bassist Carlos Vicente, and drummer Rubén Castrillo integrates elements of Groove, Progressive and Melodic Death Metal into their core sound rooted in Heavy, Power and Thrash Metal, turning it into a must-listen for fans of modern-day heavy music.
The riffs by Victor and Alas will take you to a world of pure Heavy Metal in the title-track Fearless, accompanied by the hammering drums by Rubén, while Kendoru’s vocals soar high just the way we like it in this type of music. A Sky Full Of Ghosts is another classic Power Metal tune made in Europe, with Rubén once again dictating the pace with his fierce and intricate beats, whereas a calm and serene start suddenly explodes into another powerful sonority in Twilight Of The Heroes, offering our ears fast-paced, no-shenanigans metal music led by the classic vocals by Kendoru. Rubén keeps hammering his drums in Under One Sound, an electrifying creation by the band showcasing endless stamina and the always classy riffs and solos by Victor and Alas; followed by The Pain I Leave, featuring guest Memphis Jiménez, starting in a serene manner to the melancholic vocals by Kendoru who makes an amazing vocal duet with Memphis in a charming ballad by the band.
Then featuring guest vocalist Elisa C. Martín (Hamka, Dark Moor), Forever is a more straightforward Power Metal tune by those Spanish rockers, with the guitars by Victor and Alas being nicely supported by the rumbling kitchen by Carlos and Rubén, followed by Pistols At Dawn, a galloping composition that doesn’t add much to the album, although it still brings forward the band’s solid instrumental pieces and vocal lines. Back to a more vibrant, breathtaking sound it’s time for Purple & Green, where the riffage by the band’s guitar duo matches perfectly with the unstoppable beats by Rubén; and almost nine minutes of epic passages, thunderous bass lines, crushing drums and striking vocals are offered to us all in The Island, with Victor and Alas speeding things up with their ass-kicking riffs, blending all their influences the likes of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Stratovarius and so on. Last but not least, the band brings forward an avalanche of classic Power Metal with tons of Melodic Metal nuances in Not Over, featuring guest vocals by Herbie Langhans (Steel Rhino, The Lightbringer of Sweden), putting a beyond electrifying ending to the album.
Best moments of the album:Fearless, Under One Sound and Not Over.
Worst moments of the album:Pistols At Dawn.
Released in 2024 Art Gates Records
Track listing 1. Fearless 7:01
2. A Sky Full Of Ghosts 4:52
3. Twilight Of The Heroes 7:40
4. Under One Sound 4:48
5. The Pain I Leave 5:17
6. Forever 5:05
7. Pistols At Dawn 6:26
8. Purple & Green 5:29
9. The Island 8:53
10. Not Over 4:03
Band members Victor Alcalá “Kendoru” – vocals
Victor V. Gairhald – guitar
Diego Alastruey “Alas” – guitar
Carlos Vicente – bass
Rubén Castrillo – drums
Guest musicians Memphis Jiménez – vocals on “The Pain I Leave”
Elisa C. Martín – vocals on “Forever”
Herbie Langhans – vocals on “Not Over”
Two of the most important bands of the current metal scene crushed the city of London, Canada in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their most-acclaimed albums to date.
What a wild and busy day and night it was this Wednesday, when the cozy Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario hosted one of the most insane tours of the year, Ashes of Leviathan Tour 2024, featuring nothing more, nothing less than MALEVOLENCE, KERRY KING, MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD. It was a rough 2-hour drive for me to get to London in time for the shows, but it was absolutely worth it as this tour is simply celebrating the 20th anniversary of two seminal releases, Lamb of God’s biggest-selling album Ashes of the Wake and Mastodon’s acclaimed sophomore album Leviathan, which were both released on August 31, 2004. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was also there and was dying to photograph his favorite band of all time, Lamb of God, for the first time in his career; however, no idea why, he only got the approval for the first band, Malevolence, something we’ve never seen happening before nor any of our friends, which is why the only good photos of this review are for Malevolence. Sorry about that.
The first band to hit the stage was Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England-based Groove Metal/Metalcore piece MALEVOLENCE, and let me tell you those guys kicked some serious ass, working as the perfect warmup for the devastation that was about to come. Still promoting their 2022 album Malicious Intent, the band formed of Alex Taylor, Joshua Baines, Konan Hall, Wilkie Robinson and Charlie Thorpe put everyone at Budweiser Gardens to slam into the pit, turning up the heat on an already extremely hot day in the city. You can get more details about the band by clicking HERE, and also stream their infuriated creations on Spotify. I just wish they had more time to play, and that the start of the show wasn’t so early, before 6pm, which impacted in a negative way the amount of people already inside the venue for their show.
Setlist Malicious Intent
Life Sentence
Still Waters Run Deep
Self Supremacy
Higher Place
Keep Your Distance
On Broken Glass
Band members Alex Taylor – vocals
Joshua Baines – guitars
Konan Hall – guitars, vocals
Wilkie Robinson – bass
Charlie Thorpe – drums
It wasn’t even 7pm when Los Angeles, California’s one and only Thrash Metal icon KERRY KING and his crew took the stage of Budweiser Gardens by storm with their blood red (and sometimes dark blue) stage, endless heaviness, and a strong will to crush everything and everyone that dared to cross their path on Wednesday night. Playing songs from his insane debut solo album From Hell I Rise including Where I Reign and Idle Hands, plus the Slayer all-time classics Raining Blood and Black Magic, Mr. Kerry King was absolutely ruthless during his short but extremely destructive set, supported by the soaring vocals by Death Angel’s frontman Mark Osegueda and also by his Slayer buddy Paul Bostaph on drums, driving fans crazy and igniting some demented mosh pits for the delight of lovers of some good circle pit action. Once again, I really wish his setlist was a bit longer, maybe with a couple more songs from his album or from Slayer, but in the end he certainly proved there’s life outside Slayer as his solo material sounds incredible both in studio and on stage, and you can enjoy Kerry’s wicked music on Spotify, of course, or click HERE for all things surrounding one of the greatest guitarist in the history of Thrash Metal.
Setlist Where I Reign
Trophies of the Tyrant
Residue
Toxic
Idle Hands
Shrapnel
Raining Blood
Black Magic
From Hell I Rise
Band members Mark Osegueda – vocals
Kerry King – guitars
Phil Demmel – guitars
Kyle Sanders – bass
Paul Bostaph – drums
It was only 8pm when Atlanta, Georgia Progressive/Sludge Metal beast MASTODON, one of the main attractions of the night (and it’s funny because there was still light outside the venue), kicked off their more-than-special set based on their 2004 album Leviathan, playing the entire album from the very first song, the breathtaking Blood and Thunder, until Joseph Merrick, all supported by a beautiful stage with lots of fire, crazy background images, and a lot of smoke too. Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor were insane as usual, mastering the art of their instruments for our total delectation, therefore receiving a wild and huge ovation form the fans at Budweiser Gardens. The overall sound was a bit muffled to my liking, but nothing that could stop the quartet form putting on a fantastic show, taking us all back 20 years with one of the most important metal albums of the past two decades. There was even time for a nice encore with the songs More Than I Could Chew, Circle of Cysquatch and Steambreather, and after that Brann took some time to thank everyone and to say how insane it is to be on this tour with Lamb of God, both celebrating 20 years of their masterpieces, also taking into account the fact they’ve been friends for all that time too. Mastodon always deliver, and hopefully we’ll see them celebrating 30, 40, 50 years and so on of the great Leviathan.
Setlist Leviathan Blood and Thunder
I Am Ahab
Seabeast
Ísland
Iron Tusk
Megalodon
Naked Burn
Aqua Dementia
Hearts Alive
Joseph Merrick
Encore:
More Than I Could Chew
Circle of Cysquatch
Steambreather
Band members Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, drums
After a short break, where fans took the time to grab a few final beers and whatever was left from the merch booths, it was time for Richmond, Virginia’s magnificent Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD to pulverize our senses with the full play of their 2004 masterpiece Ashes of the Wake, and let me tell you that the city of London, Ontario simply loves Lamb of God from the bottom of their hearts. The reaction of the fans to each and every song played by D. Randall “Randy” Blythe on vocals, Mark Morton and Willie Adler on the guitars, John Campbell on bass and Art Cruz on drums was beyond superb, with the first three of the album, Laid to Rest, Hourglass and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, already igniting some of the sickest mosh pits of the night. The show moved on majestically, with Randy delivering his trademark “WOOOOOO’s!” inspired by the iconic Ric Flair in between songs, while the fans kept running around like beasts inside the circle pit. And after Ashes of the Wake was over, the band crushed whoever was still alive with the classics Walk With Me in Hell and Redneck, crowning another spectacular performance by Randy and his crew in Canadian lands. As mentioned for Mastodon, I would love to see Lamb of God celebrating many more decades of Ashes of the Wake with amazing concerts like that, and maybe next time there will be less confusion in the communication between us and the organizers, and you readers can have some ass-kicking photos as well to enjoy.
Setlist Ashes of the Wake Laid to Rest
Hourglass
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
The Faded Line
Omerta
Blood of the Scribe
One Gun
Break You
What I’ve Become
Ashes of the Wake
Remorse Is for the Dead
Encore:
Walk With Me in Hell
Redneck
Band members D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums
Chupacabra means “goat sucker” in Spanish, and according to reports, the creature acts much like a vampire, killing animals by sucking their blood. Though similar stories date back several decades, the first major wave of alleged chupacabra sightings came from farmers in Puerto Rico in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But what does that have to do with our metal lady of this month of August, you might ask, right? Well, let’s say that the multi-talented Heather Taylor, the frontwoman for UK-based thrashing beast Chupacabra, will kick your ass and drink your blood to the sound of her visceral music, and you’ll simply love that and to know more about such talented woman of the current British metal scene.
Born and raised in Newport, the county town of the Isle of Wight, an island county off the south coast of England, but currently located in the city of Bristol, Heather studied at the University of Reading, and works as a freelance control systems engineer. However, of course her biggest passion in life is heavy music, and you can enjoy her contributions to several amazing bands besides her recent work with Chupacabra, turning her into a seasoned veteran of the underground British extreme music scene and, therefore, helping her elevate the music by Chupacabra to new and exciting heights with her undeniable talent and charisma.
For instance, almost at the same time when Chupacabra was born, Heather became the vocalist for Virtual Reality, a Technical/Progressive Metal band formed in 2019 in Bristol, replacing their former frontman Jamie Moran (who had to step down as he had just become a father and wanted to spend more time with his family). There isn’t a lot of information online about Virtual Reality, apart of course from their Facebook and Instagram, but hopefully we’ll hear more about the band with Heather on vocals, including a new EP or album in the coming months, who knows.
Heather is (or was) also the lead singer for the acclaimed Bristol-based Futuristic Industrial Metal band Cybervoid, having released with the band the EP Order Through Chaos back in 2023, including the killer title-track Order Through Chaos, and the also infuriated Sentient Awakens. The EP features some of the final works of Bristol metal legend Jake ‘Mettle’ Ettle-Iles (of bands like Blasfeme, Body Harvest and Ventflow), who tragically passed away at the end of 2022, which means no one knows what the future holds for Cybervoid.
Another project where Heather was involved with for a while was Bristol Alternative Rock band Locust, born of a collaboration between local musicians Laurence Howell and Arthur Cauty together with Heather and Pete Starr. The band was supposed to release a debut concept album with music featuring political themes and strong creative undertones, which would tell a story of love, loss, the downfall of civilization and post apocalyptic recovery over three epochs spanning 3000 years. However, there’s nothing online about that album, nor if the band is still alive and kicking.
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Our unstoppable diva was also the bassist between 2020 and 2021 for a Welsh Progressive Metal band named Nine Miles Down, and I believe she didn’t record anything official with the band during her short period with them. And lastly, Heather is also known in the local scene as the vocalist and bassist for a cult band named Wytch, but again it’s extremely difficult to find anything online about the band, maybe due to the band most probably not existing anymore. I personally would love to listen to the music by Locust, Nine Miles Down and Wytch, so if you know where to find their music, please let me know.
Finally, Heather’s main project right now is undoubtedly Bristol-based Death/Thrash Metal beast Chupacabra, bringing the full-frontal, in-your-face force of relentless thrashing riffage as a platform for soaring, aggressive vocals that explore issues of toxic relationships, female empowerment, social injustice and the laid-bare rage of one disaffected member of a broken society, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Kreator, Slayer, Arch Enemy, Holy Moses, At The Gates, Lamb of God, Pest Control, Testament, and Sodom, among others.
Alongside multi-instrumentalist Nige Savage on all instruments (except lead guitars), who’s also a former member of Wytch, and lead guitarist Alex Brent, formerly of Captive, Heather reveals layers of herself in their debut EP Fortified with Ashes threaded through the three songs on a journey of venting unbound rage, breaking conditioned compliance and growing a new authentic skin. The 14-minute EP consists of the songs Burn the Clowns, F. T. T. D., and Fortified with Ashes, all pulverizing tracks that will surely inspire you to bang your head nonstop and slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow.
And that’s not all, as Chupacabra is also providing all the music for the new audiobook edition of DX Ferris’ best-selling Slayer biography, Slayer 66 & 2/3: A Metal Band Biography, Postmortem Remastered Edition, as well as the accompanying podcast, Talkin’ Slayer: A Metal Podcast and Half-@ssed Audiobook. The music by Chupacabra can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, and you should definitely buy and/or stream their music as many times as possible to support those seasoned, hardworking veterans hailing from the always exciting UK underground, putting a huge smile on the face of our relentless metal diva of the always fun month of August.
The city of Toronto had the pleasure of witnessing one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year this Friday night, courtesy of two old school bands who nurture a deep passion for heavy music.
Friday was not only one of the best days of the year in terms of weather, but the city of Toronto also had the utmost pleasure of hosting one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year thanks to the stellar performance by HEATHEN and SYMPHONY X during their North American Tour 2024 at the cozy, well-located and pretty much sold out The Opera House, and I’m pretty sure all fans who were at the venue had a relaxing morning the day after with huge smiles on their faces as both bands kicked some serious ass on stage. My buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi also had a great time taking his amazing shots during the entire night, as the lighting was near perfect and there was no smoke to “disturb” his practice, which was also great for the crowd as we could perfectly witness the superb performances by each and every musician from both bands on stage, shredding their instruments with their beyond refined techniques and an absolute passion for heavy music.
The opening band, or maybe I should say the more-than-special guests, were San Francisco, California-based Technical Speed/Thrash Metal veterans HEATHEN, who were insanely heavy and flawless on stage during their breathtaking performance, properly warming up all fans for the main attraction of the night. Those guys are so good in what they do to the point that you could close your eyes and it would feel like you were listening to the studio versions of their songs, just to illustrate how precise all band members were in Toronto. I dare to say the most excited of all musicians was definitely Kitchener, Ontario’s own Kyle Edissi (vocalist and guitarist for Canadian Melodic Thrash Metal band Invicta, who has been playing live with Heathen since 2022), as it was his first time ever playing at a venue he had already been to countless times as a regular fan to see some of his favorite bands. It was a dream come true for him, no doubt about that, helping his bandmates David R. White (what a voice, my friends!), Kragen Lum, Jason Mirza and Ryan Idris hammer our heads with infuriated songs the likes of Opiate of the Masses, The Blight and Breaking the Silence. I only wish there were a few mosh pits to make things even more fun, but the show was simply awesome and I highly recommend you go see Heathen live if you haven’t done so already in your life.
Setlist Rock Bottom (UFO song) Intro
Dying Season
Opiate of the Masses
Empire of the Blind
The Blight
Breaking the Silence
Hypnotized
Band members
David R. White – vocals
Kragen Lum – guitars
Kyle Edissi – guitars
Jason Mirza – bass
Ryan Idris – drums
After a short and sweet break, the band everyone was waiting for hit the stage for one of the most tight and precise performances of the year for the delight of all concert goers. I’m talking about Middletown, New Jersey’s Progressive Power Metal institution SYMPHONY X, and let me tell you that the band formed of the iconic Russell Allen on vocals, Michael Romeo on the guitars, Mike LePond on bass, Michael Pinnella on the keyboards and Jason Rullo on drums redefined the meaning of “perfection” at The Opera House this Friday. What a sensational show by those veterans, who by the way sounded like they were in their early twenties in terms of energy and onstage presence, proving once again how heavy music can keep us a lot younger for a much longer time, right?
Although those guys haven’t released anything new since their excellent 2015 album Underworld, their entire setlist felt very modern and fresh, with songs like Serpent’s Kiss, To Hell and Back and Evolution (The Grand Design) driving their fans wild to the point we got some sick mosh pits in the middle of the floor section, something that made Mr. Russell Allen and his crew very happy and entertained. I guess they weren’t expecting that level of action during a Progressive Metal concert. And speaking about Russell, the man was on fire throughout their entire set, not only delivering his trademark, stunning vocal lines, but also dancing nonstop, having a few beers and interacting more than any other metal vocalist in the world with each and every fan at the venue, an amazing way of Russell and the band to say how much they love their fanbase. Needless to say, when the band hit the encore with the classics Paradise Lost, Run With the Devil and Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies), it was pure madness, leaving everyone eager for more Symphony X in the city in the near future. Well, they said they’re (finally) working on new material after almost a decade, so I guess we can expect to see them embellishing the Torontonian airwaves again really soon with another majestic live concert.
Setlist Iconoclast
Nevermore
Inferno (Unleash the Fire)
Serpent’s Kiss
Without You
To Hell and Back
Dehumanized
Evolution (The Grand Design)
Sea of Lies
Encore:
Keyboard Solo
Paradise Lost
Run With the Devil
Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies) The Throne Room (John Williams song)
Band members Russell Allen – vocals
Michael Romeo – guitars
Mike LePond – bass
Michael Pinnella – keyboards
Jason Rullo – drums
The third night in a row of first-class heavy music in Toronto was a feast of melody and darkness, courtesy of one of the pillars of Nordic Melodic Death Metal.
Last but not least, Sunday night was the final round of one of the most metallic weekends in the past few years in Toronto, once again at The Phoenix Concert Theatre, and this time with WILDERUN, OMNIUM GATHERUM and INSOMNIUM during their North American Tour 2024. For the third night in a row, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover another awesome event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and with much better traffic conditions than Friday and Saturday, basically everyone was able to get to the venue way ahead to enjoy some chat with friends. have a few drinks, buy some merch, and obviously have a good time already with the opening act of the night, even with the doors opening earlier than the previous two days.
And the opening act this time was Boston, Massachusetts-based Symphonic Progressive/Folk Metal band WILDERUN, a band that I highly recommend for fans of Opeth. To be honest, I actually prefer Wilderun’s music to Opeth’s, as I’m not sure why exactly but they do sound heavier to me. Still promoting their 2022 album Epigone, the band formed of Evan Anderson Berry, Wayne Ingram, Daniel Müller and Jonathan Teachey put on a solid performance to the point there were even mosh pits when it’s not normal to see that type of reaction when the music played is a lot more progressive and smoother like theirs. The band even acknowledged that, saying it was the first mosh pit of the tour for them, proving how much Toronto enjoyed their show. Hence, if you want to enjoy their detailed, intricate creations, you can stream all of their albums on Spotify, and I honestly can’t wait to see Wilderun live again in the near future.
Setlist Distraction II
Identifier
The Tyranny of Imagination
Far From Where Dreams Unfurl
Band members Evan Anderson Berry – vocals, rhythm & acoustic guitars, mandolin, keyboards
Wayne Ingram – lead & acoustic guitars, backing vocals, keyboards, orchestrations
Daniel Müller – bass, hammered dulcimer, backing vocals
Jonathan Teachey – drums, backing vocals
The second band of the night needs no introduction. Hailing from the always beautiful Finland, Melodic Death Metal squad OMNIUM GATHERUM turned up the heat considerably Sunday night with their undisputed fusion of melody and violence, with their setlist encompassing songs from their whole career (all available on Spotify), including their 2021 album Origin, and their 2023 EP Slasher, with the opener Slasher already igniting some action on the floor section. The entire band sounded amazing during their set, but of course their forntman Jukka Pelkonen stole the show with his deep roars and his amazing interaction with the crowd, which obviously led to a warm and vibrant reaction from the fans. Also, their guitarists Markus Vanhala and Nick Cordle kicked some serious ass on stage, making each song even heavier and more striking, and please keep those names in mind as there was more of the duo right after Omnium Gatherum finalized their show.
Setlist Slasher
Paragon
Reckoning
Sacred
Soul Journeys
Gods Go First
Planet Scale
Frontiers
White Palace
New Dynamic
Band members Jukka Pelkonen – vocals
Markus Vanhala – guitars
Nick Cordle – guitars
Mikko Kivistö – bass
Aapo Koivisto – keyboards
Atte Pesonen – drums
It was just a little past 9pm when Finland’s own Melodic Death Metal masters INSOMNIUM hit the stage at The Phoenix Concert Theatre for another powerful performance, just as great as when they played in the city alongside Enslaved last year, with their setlist being very similar to that, obviously focusing on their 2023 album Anno 1696. The opener 1696, followed by Ephemeral and White Christ (and we do need an Insomnium/Rotting Christ co-headlining tour just so Mr. Sakis Tolis finally joins the stage with Insomnium to sing this beautiful song), were extremely intense, enfolding and dark, and the reaction of their avid fans was fantastic as well. Also, I must say that although Lilian and The Rapids are new songs, they already sound like classics live so good they are.
Now remember when I asked you to keep the names of Nick Cordle and Markus Vanhala in mind? Well, those two guy are on double duty this entire tour, being the guitarists for both Omnium Gatherum AND Insomnium. Markus has already been playing with Insomnium for quite some time, so nothing new about that, but Nick had to take the guitars duties last minute due to a very weird reason. Guitarist Jani Liimatainen simply “disappeared” from the map a few weeks ago (well, rumor has it that he’s spending some time with a girl in Brazil, and I feel like a reporter from TMZ by writing this here) and was therefore kicked out of the band, plus the fact I have no idea why Ville Friman is not touring with Insomnium this year, so it was up to Nick and Markus to be responsible for all riffs and solos during this entire tour. They’re doing a fantastic job, by the way.
After lots and lots of horns in the air, mosh pits, and a killer encore with The Primeval Dark, While We Sleep (and I might sound repetitive, but this song always sounds superb to my ears when I see the band live or when I listen to its studio version) and Heart Like a Grave, it was time for Insomnium to say goodbye to Toronto, but of course promising they’ll be back soon for another captivating show. You can stay up to date with all things Insomnium by clicking HERE, including their tour dates, and I don’t think you’ll want to miss one of the pillars of Nordic Melodic Death Metal when those beyond talented musicians pay your city a visit, right? And for me, after a wild weekend full of first-class metal music, I’ll have only a few days of break before I fly in the direction of the Metal Gods. Oh yeah.
Setlist 1696
Ephemeral
White Christ
Change of Heart
Lilian
And Bells They Toll
The Rapids
The Gale
Mortal Share
Song of the Dusk
Encore: The Primeval Dark
While We Sleep
Heart Like a Grave
Band members Niilo Sevänen – lead vocals, bass
Markus Vanhala – guitars, clean vocals
Nick Cordle – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Hirvonen – drums
Round 2 of a very metal weekend in Toronto started with “round 2 of very bad traffic”, taking me over an hour to reach once again The Phoenix Concert Theatre when it should have taken me only about 35 or 40 minutes in total this Saturday night. Well, at least this time I was able to see all bands, those being ILLUMISHADE, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS and KORPIKLAANI, during their party-like Rankarumpu North American Tour 2024, one more unforgettable event organized by the unstoppable Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were a bit tired from the previosu night of brutality by Thy Art Is Murder, but as soon as the first band hit the stage the adrenaline started to flow and our batteries charged up quickly.
That first band was Switzerland’s Symphonic/Progressive Metal/Rock outfit ILLUMISHADE, and let’s say they won the hearts of every single person at the venue instantly with their talent, charisma, and passion for what they do. Of course all band members were great, but it was their frontwoman Fabienne Erni who stole the show with a hypnotizing performance, with her soaring vocals and beautiful moves captivating the eyes and ears of everyone at the venue. The band has recently released the album Another Side of You, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, with their setlist being almost entirely based on that album, and with songs like Here We Are and Cloudreader sounding awesome live. I really hope they return to the city sooner than later for another great show, because they’re an amazing new band from the Swiss scene and they’re definitely going places based on the quality of their music.
Setlist Elegy
Enemy
Here We Are
Riptide
In the Darkness
Cloudreader
Tales of Time
World’s End
Band members Fabienne Erni – vocals, piano
Jonas Wolf – guitars
Mirjam Skal – synths, orchestration
Yannick Urbanczik – bass
Marc Friedrich – drums
After a quick break, the venue was taken by storm by the most beloved pirates to ever arise from Austria. Yes, you read that correctly, as I’m talking about Melodic/Symphonic Power Metal privateers VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, who put on a fantastic show for our total delight. Spearheaded by one of the most charismatic, talented and charming duos of the entire Power Metal scene, the stunning Clémentine Delauney (what a voice, my friends… what a voice!) and the electrifying Michele Guaitoli, the band brought a storm of heavy music to all fans at the venue, blending songs form their most recent album Pirates, like Master the Hurricane and the extremely catchy Clocks, with new tunes like the cheesy but awesomely fun Armada, from their upcoming album Pirates II – Armada, to be released on July 5. Their show was so full of energy to the point there were several mosh pits going on during some of their faster songs, all of course led by Michele who had all fans on the palm of his pirate hand the whole time. You can enjoy their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, as usual, and board their pirate ship when they invade your city for a sweet live concert. HAIL JOLLY ROGER!
Setlist Master the Hurricane
Clocks
Mercy
Tonight I’m Alive
Heroes of the Dawn
Monsters
Armada
Melancholy Angel
Pirates Will Return
Legion of the Seas
Band members
Clémentine Delauney – female vocals
Michele Guaitoli – male vocals
Christian Douscha – guitars
Herbert Glos – bass
Thomas Caser – drums
If you have never seen the incendiary Finnish Folk Metal crew KORPIKLAANI live in your life, you have no idea what you’re missing. Let’s say that from the very first notes of the song Kotomaa, from their brand new opus Rankarumpu (to be reviewed here at The Headbanging Moose soon), it was a wild party with lots of dancing, beer, vodka, the heat of a real sauna, and so on, driving all fans crazy inside the venue. The last time I saw the band live was way back in 2014 during Paganfest America Part V (yes, that festival existed one day in Toronto), but I must say this Saturday the band was a lot tighter, more professional, more vibrant and heavier than ever, with of course frontman Jonne Järvelä stealing the spotlight with his inebriate vocals and classy dance moves.
Their setlist was a thing of beauty, blending old school songs like Wooden Pints and Happy Little Boozer with several new ones including Aita, the title-track Rankarumpu, and the breathtaking Saunaan, proving the band is in great shape and form in their new album. Also, it’s always fun to witness Sami Perttula on the accordion and Olli Vänskä on violin live, as their instruments bring an amazing vibe to all of the band’s songs, and of course that translates into endless dancing and jumping inside the circle pit (which was VERY intense, by the way). Well, let’s say things got even faster and rowdier inside the pit during the encore when they played the classics Beer Beer and Vodka, proving booze will always be the best fuel for any heavy music party, leaving all fans eager for more Korpiklaani the second their wild show was over. You can keep up to date with all things Korpiklaani by clicking HERE, and DO NOT miss their live concerts in your city or wherever you are, alright? VITTU, PERKELE, SAATANA!
Setlist Kotomaa
Wooden Pints
A Man With a Plan
Happy Little Boozer
Journey Man
Ievan polkka
Gotta Go Home (Boney M. cover)
Aita
Tuli kokko
Pidot
Leväluhta
Sanaton maa
Rankarumpu
Pixies Dance
Juokse sinä humma
Tapa sen kun kerkeet
Encore: Viima
Metsämies
Saunaan
Beer Beer
Vodka Outro (Mother Earth)
Band members Jonne Järvelä – vocals, acoustic guitar
Kalle “Cane” Savijärvi – guitar
Jarkko Aaltonen – bass
Sami Perttula – accordion
Olli Vänskä – violin
Samuli Mikkonen – drums, percussion
Rain or shine, the Toronto metalheads are always there to support their favorite bands, which is exactly what happened this (very) rainy Wednesday night at the Horseshoe Tavern when THE DREAD CREW OF ODDWOOD, AETHER REALM, TROLLFEST and TÝR offered a folk feast full of pirates, trolls, goblins, orcs, beer mead and other whimsical creatures and objects during their Battle Ballads North American Tour 2024, a fantastic event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Of course, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I couldn’t be left out of that party, and I must say I had an absolute blast seeing all those four bands for the first time ever in my life.
The first band to hit the stage was a “Pirate Folk Metal” crew beautifully named THE DREAD CREW OF ODDWOOD, which is in fact an acoustic pirate band, referred to by the band as “Heavy Mahogany”, from San Diego, California, United States, and they put on a very entertaining show for all concert goers who were already at the venue. Playing songs from all of their albums, including their brand new album Rust & Glory, those American privateers kicked some ass and turned up the heat inside the Horseshoe Tavern, therefore properly warming up the fans for the upcoming bands. If you’re curious to know more about their pirate music, go check their crazy tunes on BandCamp and on Spotify, including amazing songs that were part of their setlist like Give Me Your Beer and Giant Fucking Demon Crab, and let’s be honest, it can’t get any more pirate than this, right?
Setlist
Dead Man’s Medley
Leather Ship
Side Quest
Give Me Your Beer
Raise Your Pints
Binged and Purged
Giant Fucking Demon Crab
The Dread Crew of Oddwood
Lawful Evil
Band members
Wolfbeard O’Brady – accordion, whistles, vocals
Smithy Crow – bass, orchestral strings, vocals
Stark Cordwain – Irish bouzouki, whistles, vocals
Deckard Cordwain – mandolin, ukulele, vocals
Pete – drums
Then after a short break it was time for Greenville, North Carolina, United States-based Melodic Death/Folk Metal act AETHER REALM to bring an overdose of heavy music to the venue, which was getting packed by the minute. Playing heavy and fast songs from all of their albums including songs from their latest effort, titled Redneck Vikings from Hell, released in 2020, plus a brand new single named Should I?, the band inspired the fans to get into a sweet mosh pit, which obviously raised the temperature inside the venue considerably. I highly recommend you go after their music by streaming and/or buying their albums on BandCamp and on Spotify (or click HERE for all things Aether Realm), and don’t miss a chance to see the band live whenever they take your city by storm.
Setlist
Slave to the Riff
The Tower
Cycle
The Magician
Should I?
Swampwitch
She’s Back
Guardian
TMHC
The Sun, the Moon, the Star
Band members
Vincent Jones – vocals, bass, orchestrations
Heinrich Arnold – guitars, vocals
Donny Burbage – guitars
Tyler Gresham – drums
Sporting the weirdest and coolest costumes you can think of, and by that I mean pink flamingo costumes, Oslo, Norway’s own Folk Metal army TROLLFEST were absolutely perfect from start to finish, driving their fans crazy throughout their fantastic set and generating a huge mosh pit, including tons of beer-drinking, horns-raising tunes from their entire catalogue (which features albums with stunning names such as Flamingo Overlord), like Dance Like a Pink Flamingo and All Drinks on Me. The band spearheaded by frontman Trollmannen is a must-see for anyone who enjoys a wild fusion of heavy music, beer, trolls and flamingoes, and you can enjoy all that on BandCamp and on Spotify, or on any other streaming platform, and if you’re planning to go watch them live get ready for one of the wildest rides you’ll ever experience at a metal concert.
Setlist
Kjettaren mot strømmen
Happy Heroes
Dance Like a Pink Flamingo
Steel Sarah
Twenty Miles an Hour
Professor Otto
Renkespill
Piña Colada
Kaptein Kaos
Flamongous
Byttingenes Byttehandel
All Drinks on Me
Espen Bin Askeladden Hevlette
Band members
Trollmannen – vocals
Mr. Seidel – guitars
Fabio Grimdrap – guitars
Böesse Basshöl Nybazist – bass
Bjørn Dugstad Rønnow – drums
Drekka Dag – saxophone
Fjernkontrollet – accordion, keyboards
Trollbank – bouzouki
Finally, after three amazing bands, it was then time for the main attraction of the night to kick some serious ass and close the entire event on a high and brilliant note. Denmark/Faroe Islands’ Progressive/Folk Metal institution TÝR didn’t care about the small size of the stage and simply killed it, delivering a beyond fun setlist for their avid fans with songs like By the Sword in My Hand and Hail to the Hammer, plus the brand new songs Dragons Never Die and Hammered, from their upcoming new studio album Battle Ballads (to be released on April 14), sounding insane live. As mentioned for all other bands, you can have a very good time enjoying all of their creations on different streaming platforms like BandCamp and Spotify, and of course don’t miss their concerts if they ever hit your city because they’re an amazing live band, and of course Toronto is waiting with arms wide open for another explosion of TÝR in the city in the near future.
Setlist By the Sword in My Hand
Dragons Never Die
Mare of My Night
Tróndur í Gøtu
Valkyrja
Ragnars Kvæði
Hammered
The Lay of Thrym
By the Light of the Northern Star
Hail to the Hammer
Regin Smiður
Axes
Blood of Heroes
Encore: Sinklars vísa
Hold the Heathen Hammer High
Band members Heri Joensen – vocals, guitars
Hans Hammer – guitars
Gunnar Thomsen – bass, backing vocals
Tadeusz Rieckmann – drums
It’s time to start melting the snow that covers a good part of the Northern Hemisphere with endless fire and heat emanating from our metal lady of this month of February, and I’m sure after listening to her incredible voice your heart will be forever warm even during the harshest of the winters. The frontwoman for Swedish Progressive and Symphonic Heavy Metal band Hexed, she’s the owner a powerful voice that will pierce your mind mercilessly, while her undeniable charisma will mesmerize you whenever she hits the stage. Her name is Tina Gunnarsson, and after reading more about such Swedish diva here on The Headbanging Moose I’m sure you’ll become a diehard fan of her music, getting beyond excited to raise your horns together with her whenever Hexed take your city by storm with their amazing live concerts.
Born on January 6, 1974 in Uppsala, a city near Stockholm, in Sweden, Tina started to sing and perform as a child along with her father, who according to Tina herself was an excellent songwriter. She remembers going up on stage and perform two of his songs when she was about six years old, saying that she already knew from that moment that music was going to be her life. By the way, she’s the sister of Teddy Möller, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for several Swedish underground bands the likes of Loch Vostok, Gauntlet Rule and One Hour Hell, among others, and she’s married to vocalist and guitarist Stellan Gunnarsson, who founded Hexed together with her almost ten years ago, proving that Tina definitely lives and breathes music. In addition, she mentioned that despite being married to Stellan for many years, they only started writing music together after the creation of Hexed, saying that before that they used to focus on their other bands and projects.
Speaking about Hexed, the Swedish Symphonic and Progressive Metal brigade fronted by Tina has been making a lot of noise among metalheads all over the world since their inception back in 2015, with Tina, Stellan and bassist Daniel Håkansson being the three original members who are still part of Hexed, plus guitarist David Nyman and drummer Patrick Wahlberg. Curiously enough, the other original member of the band was Tina’s brother Teddy, who played on all their releases, except for their latest album released in 2022. So far, Hexed released their debut single titled Dreams, in 2016, followed by the three-track EP Exhaling Life, in 2017, and the full-length albums Netherworld, in 2018, and Pagans Rising (which was by the way inspired by Sweden’s witch-hunting hysteria in the late 17th century), in 2022, all available on their own BandCamp page, on YouTube and/or on Spotify (as well as on other streaming platforms).
When asked about how she would describe her music to someone who’d never listened to Hexed before, Tina said that she used to label it as “heavy and melodic with some dark vibes”, and if you visit their official YouTube channel you’ll be able to experience that by listening (and watching) to fantastic songs such as Blasphemy, Pagans Rising, Symphony of Tragedy, Exhaling Life, Stigma Diaboli, Resurrection, Repentance, Oceans, and Obedience. Moreover, when asked to choose a couple of songs with a very special meaning for her, Tina mentioned the title-track of their 2018 album Netherworld, as it really helped her to create a vision and to build something more creative out of all the feelings she had during that time, and Moorfield, from their 2022 album Pagans Rising, because of the feelings she got when she read about the trials and execution while writing about the destiny of the three women that the lyrics are about.
A seasoned veteran in the realm of rock and metal music, Tina was also part of some other very interesting bands prior to forming Hexed back in 2015. For instance, she’s also the vocalist for a Swedish Melodic Heavy Metal band named Detained, formed in 2010 and that released a five-track self-titled EP back in 2011, but that hasn’t done anything (nor even any type of communication) after 2012. I think we can say this project is now defunct, right? Anyway, apart from Detained, she was also the vocalist for an unknown period of time for a Swedish Progressive Metal band named Mellow Poetry (which after a few years changed their name to Mayadome) together with her brother Teddy Möller, but apparently nothing was officially released with her on vocals under that specific name. That’s also the case with a band named Nebraska, which was most probably also from Sweden, but basically nothing can be found online about the band nor about Tina’s involvement with them. On the other hand, back to the now very distant year of 1987, Tina was the lead singer for an Uppsala-based Heavy Metal band named Tradore, also with her brother Teddy, with whom she released a demo that same year titled Beyond the Shadows, still under her birthname of Tina Möller. The band later changed their name to Rue Morgue, but Tina was no longer a member of the band after that.
As a guest vocalist, you can enjoy Tina’s soaring vocals in some amazing bands and projects that surely helped her shape her current vocal style and technique. One of the most interesting of those bands is undoubtedly Uppsala-based Extreme Progressive Metal band Loch Vostok, another band led by her brother Teddy, singing in the song Rebound, from their 2006 album Destruction Time Again!, and doing the female vocals in their entire 2009 album Reveal No Secrets. Apart from Loch Vostok, she also lent her amazing voice to the song (I’ll Never Be) Maria Magdalena, from the 2022 album Trial by Fire, by Norwegian Power Metal duo Mantric Momentum; did all female vocals in the 1996 album Paranormal Activity, and was a guest vocalist in the song Able to Feel, from the 1999 album Near Life Experience, both released by her brother’s old Progressive Rock/Metal band Mayadome (as already mentioned, originally known as Mellow Poetry); did guest vocals in the song Queen of the Sea, from the album In Hoc Signo Vinces, released in 2007 by Swedish Heavy Metal band Wasteland; and also did backing vocals in the 2006 album The Shadow Cabinet, by Danish Progressive/Power/Folk Metal band Wuthering Heights.
As any rock and metal musician, Tina has an array of sensational idols who had a strong influence on how her voice sounds today. Among her music heroes, you’ll find renowned acts the likes of Queensrÿche, Fates Warning, Kamelot and Pagans Mind, also mentioning the 80’s as an amazing source of music, saying she used to listen to ABBA and Supertramp a lot at home, and Queen as her first ever live concert. In one of her interviews, she said that she would love to do a collaboration with Queensrÿche or King Diamond, saying she loves the music by Queensrÿche and of course the voice by Todd La Torre, and that the music by King Diamond and Mercyful Fate has always been with her since the 80’s, nurturing a deep passion for its vibe, stories, theatrical shows, and so on. In addition, she mentioned that if she could go back in time and be part of the recording sessions for any album in history, she would gladly have been a part of Dream Theater’s Images and Words, one of the best records in history in her opinion. “When I listened to When Dream and Day Unite I began to really listen to them with their special sound, later on James LaBrie came in on lead vocals and this album Images and Words really inspired me as a musician.” She also said that she prefers leaving people alone if they’re having a private moment or if they’re outside of a concert or event, but of course she likes to be close to her idols and other talented musicians if that’s not going to disturb their peace. “I really enjoyed being at the same place as anyone must have been to see Sharon den Adel from Within Temptation, having dinner at the table next to us in our special VIP area at Sweden Rock Festival, where our both bands were performing,” Commented Tina.
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Not only passionate about rock and heavy music, Tina also has a great love for nature, saying that she can easily notice a lack of energy of some kind, and where it’s missing based on the four elements. “I often visit the woods when I need to contemplate and understand ongoing things. I often dig the soil when my thoughts become dark and heavy and it helps me to stay grounded,” also saying that “we should use the capacity that our brain has to pick up energies, vibes and to trust our intuition more. That’s where the magic is. My favorite place is viewing a big lake with mountains surrounding it, that’s where I find peace of mind and can feel the real synchronicity with everything. I love the smell of each seasons beginning and how lucky I am to have four seasons in Sweden.” By the away, Tina is not just grateful for having all seasons in her homeland, but she’s also grateful for her family and friends, and to be able to create music, sing, dance and having good times while she’s still alive, and of course for everyone who listens to her music and who attends her live concerts.
According to Tina, the best part of being a musician is to have the ability and possibility to be creative in many ways, from the lyric writing, planning, scheduling, to bringing out all the visions for how she wants her music to be seen and heard, also saying that it would be a dream for her to be independent, but still earning enough money to live a decent life. “Music is the everyday life for us! With that said, we always work hard with all the stuff that has to be done as an active band. We all are employed as well and most of our spare time goes to music related things. No rest for the wicked.” And regarding the life of a musician on the road and travelling in general, apart from playing in major festivals like Wacken Open Air, she would also love to visit the lands where the native people in North America live, something she’s been dreaming about since she was a child. “Nowadays I understand more about all the native populations even in our own country and love Lapland as well. Maybe it is the genes in my blood talking and the lifestyle in harmony with nature.” Furthermore, although she’s not a religious person, she considers herself a spiritual person who believes in synchronicity, the wheel of life and the human mind. “The power of energies are not to be underestimated, things can really move and change with the right persons energies together. The forces we deal with in everyday life is the 4 elements as Earth, Fire, Water & Wind. All these elements create energy. It´s just that simple.”
A while ago, award winning film producer Bruce Moore released a documentary about women in metal, titled “Crushing Stereotypes One Riff At A Time”, where Bruce was able to catch up with a number of musicians, including our diva Tina, to find out what attracted them to the hard and heavy music world and if they had a story of how they took the plunge, what challenges they faced, and how things have changed, or if they have at all. Unfortunately, it looks like the movie is not available for streaming online anymore, but I would keep searching for it if I were you because all reviews of the movie are awesome and say it is a must-watch production for any type of metalhead.
When not in the studio or not on tour, Tina said that she likes to spend her time in her garden, in a forest, or going fishing. “This makes me unwind and it gets me some new energy. I’m also enjoying tarot and that kind of stuff,” she complemented, also saying that when she’s together with the other members of Hexed, she loves to cook and prepare dinner for her bandmates, while the others are responsible for the drinks, the music and the jokes. On a more serious note, Tina fears mankind hasn’t fully learned with all mistakes done during the Middle Ages, a time when religion (in that case Christianity) was responsible for the persecution and murder of people who thought differently and believed differently. “With all the power religion has over humanity I am afraid it will repeat itself if we don’t speak of it or fight against it. The children must learn from our own history and I really dislike when new generations are indoctrinated in a certain religion, let them choose when they are mature enough to have own thoughts and opinions.” Having said all that, it’s time to join Tina in her quest for heavy music, for freedom of speech, for freedom of religion, and so on, blasting her music to all four corners of the earth, until all pagans rise together with our multi-talented metal lady.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 