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Album Review – King’s Hammer / To Speak In Tongues EP (2025)

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Prepare to be crushed when the hammer of Death Metal by this one-man project from Richmond, Virginia falls to the sound of its debut EP.

To Speak in Tongues, the debut EP from King’s Hammer, the savage Death Metal solo project by Richmond, Virginia’s own Chuck Weatherman (the guitarist and vocalist of thrashers Shovelhead A.D.) is an outpouring of the accomplished frontman’s hardest and heaviest musical inclinations. Mixed by Chuck Weatherman himself, and mastered by Seth Metoyer (of Mangled Carpenter and Pulpit Vomit), To Speak In Tongues delivers riff upon riff upon riff, making for remorseless, relentless, yet atmospheric listening, being highly recommended for fans of Mortification, Dyscarnate, Pantera, and Grave, among others. Put differently, when Chuck Weatherman’s hammer of Death Metal falls, prepare to be crushed.

It’s pedal to the metal from the very first second in The War in Heaven, where Chuck hammers his bass and drums while also vociferating deeply like a dark creature, kicking off the album on a high note. The hellish Vehement Zeal showcases very poetic lyrics declaimed by Chuck (“Loneliness is my bride / Without it then I would die / I came from nothing / to nothing I’ll return / Another body made savage / And a soul be one with He”) while the music sounds heavy, fast and visceral just the way we like it in Death Metal, and Chuck goes absolutely heavy on bass in Wrath Decends, also delivering groove and rage through his growls and thunderous riffs and drums. Then we have Crusade IX, offering a heavy-as-hell blend of 90’s Death Metal in the vein of Unleashed, with his deep roars sounding menacing; whereas last but not least, Chuck ends the EP with the grim and technical Witches Bvrn, blasting his drums and slashing his axe in great fashion until the very end.

From old school Death Metal attack and brutal grooves to the shuddering juggernaut of darkness that is the concluding track of the EP, King’s Hammer takes no prisoners. To Speak In Tongues has all the grit and raw venom that Death Metal needs to deliver the maximum impact, and you should definitely face that sonic attack by following the multi-talented Chuck Weatherman and his King’s Hammer on Instagram, by streaming his devastating creations on Spotify or any other streaming service available, and above all that, by purchasing a copy of To Speak In Tongues from the project’s own BandCamp, or from the Broken Curfew Records’ BandCamp. It’s time to let the hammer fall, as already mentioned, and while Mr. Chuck Weatherman crushes our putrid bodies with his riff-infused blend of heaviness, we can rest assured this is just the beginning for such a promising project hailing from the United States.

Best moments of the album: Vehement Zeal and Wrath Decends.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Rottweiler Records/Broken Curfew Records

Track listing
1. The War in Heaven 3:34
2. Vehement Zeal 3:15
3. Wrath Decends 2:36
4. Crusade IX 3:40
5. Witches Bvrn 3:14

Band members
Chuck Weatherman – vocals, all instruments

Album Review – Pyrrhic Salvation / When Society Crumbles EP (2025)

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Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast strikes again with a caustic new EP, exploring themes of societal collapse, humanity’s potential, and the inevitability of self-destruction.

Two years after their striking 2022 debut EP Manifestum I, Richmond, Virginia’s own Technical Death Metal beast Pyrrhic Salvation returns to action with another vicious and extremely experimental EP, entitled When Society Crumbles. Displaying a sick artwork by Austin Weber of The Lung Swarm Art, the new EP by Michael Altobello on the guitars and Sagar Nadgir on drums and bass, plus newcomer Shawn Ferrell on vocals (who was also responsible for the mixing and mastering of the album), is split into three cohesive movements, each forming a track within the title piece, exploring themes of societal collapse (“Infrastructures”), humanity’s potential (“Insight”), and the inevitability of self-destruction (“Inferiority Complexed”), concluding with a standalone track which ventures into themes of existential dread and humanity’s moral decay, adding an introspective complement to the tripartite title composition.

When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure already starts in full force to the venomous roars by Shawn and the always demented riffage by Michael, sounding and feeling very experimental and progressive, yet exhaling pure Death Metal, making an instant bridge with When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight, continuing their overdose of experimentations and harsh sounds, with Sagar taking the lead with both his sick drums and metallic bass lines, flowing into When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed, where the guitar lines by Michael add an extra dosage of insanity to the overall result, not to mention how rabid Shawn sounds on vocals. Lastly, closing the EP we face Every Last Soul Unmade, a demented Experimental Death Metal attack by the trio where Michael sounds possessed with his riffs and solos, all boosted by the inhumane growls by Shawn.

While When Society Crumbles distances itself from the Black Metal elements of the debut, the group’s affinity for spiraling tenebrous sounds remains evident, churning out songs that are deliberately disorienting and chaotic with a barrage of musical complexity, experimentation, and sporadic strange melodies. Hence, if you want to explore this unique amalgamation of sounds by those talented metallers, you can find them on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and purchase their caustic new EP from BandCamp, leaving the fires of experimental music burning bright until Pyrrhic Salvation stun us all once again in the near future with, who knows, maybe their first ever full-length offering.

Best moments of the album: When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure and Every Last Soul Unmade.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Independent

Track listing
1. When Society Crumbles Part I – Infrastructure 4:50
2. When Society Crumbles Part II – Insight 4:43
3. When Society Crumbles Part III – Inferiority Complexed 4:23
4. Every Last Soul Unmade 5:43

Band members
Shawn Ferrell – vocals
Michael Altobello – guitars
Sagar Nadgir – drums, fretless bass

Album Review – Enforced / A Leap Into The Dark EP (2024)

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Building on the momentum of their previous albums, this Crossover Thrash brigade returns with a blistering six-song EP journeying into new levels of ferocity.

Building on the momentum of their previous full-length albums War Remains (2023) and Kill-Grid (2021), Richmond, Virginia’s own Thrash Metal/Crossover brigade Enforced returns with A Leap Into The Dark, a blistering six-song EP journeying into new levels of ferocity that showcases the band’s relentless evolution through the years. Produced and mixed by the iconic Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Power Trip, Kreator, Code Orange), A Leap Into The Dark delivers three brand new tracks alongside three B-sides, including a newly remastered version of “Casket” and powerful cover versions of “The Chase Is On” by English Dogs, and “Deadly Intentions” by Obituary, all masterfully crafted by Knox Colby on vocals, Will Wagstaff and Zach Monahan on the guitars, Ethan Gensurowsky on bass and Alex Bishop on drums.

Razor-edged riffs in the vein of Obituary and Slayer will pierce your damn ears in Betting on the End, a pure Crossover Thrash extravaganza where Knox barks rabidly supported by the classic beats and fills by Alex, whereas the title-track A Leap into the Dark sees Will and Zach delivering sheer electricity and heaviness through their riffs, translating into another excellent option for some sick headbanging. Deafening Heartbeats is undoubtedly a demented slab of brutality by those thrashers, offering nonstop action blasted by the quintet with Alex stealing the spotlight with his massive beats and fills; followed by Casket, bringing forward two minutes of pure American Thrash Metal where Knox vociferates nonstop, demanding us all to crush our skulls into the circle pit. In their cover for Deadly Intentions, by Obituary (check the original version HERE, from their 1989 cult album Slowly We Rot), they kept the visceral essence of the original song intact while also adding their personal touch to it, and the final result is simply insane, and the same is valid for their cover for The Chase Is On, by English Dogs (check the original version HERE, from their 1984 EP To the Ends of the Earth), showcasing their passion for classic Punk Rock and Hardcore.

In a nutshell, the fast and furious A Leap Into The Dark captures the band at the peak of their powers, delivering a sonic assault that pushes the boundaries of their genre, and you can let those talented thrashers know how much you love their music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their music on Spotify, an of course by purchasing a copy of their hammering new EP from BandCamp, or by clicking HERE or HERE. While Enforced are taking a leap into the dark in their new EP, all of us metalheads should join them and simply slam into the circle pit, because if there’s one thing those guys certainly know how to do, that’s to craft a beautiful and fulminating fusion of Thrash Metal and Hardcore perfect for some intense moshing.

Best moments of the album: A Leap into the Dark and Deafening Heartbeats.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Century Media Records

Track listing
1. Betting on the End 3:42
2. A Leap into the Dark 4:16
3. Deafening Heartbeats 3:11
4. Casket 1:53
5. Deadly Intentions (Obituary cover) 2:09
6. The Chase Is On (English Dogs cover) 3:49

Band members
Knox Colby – vocals
Will Wagstaff – guitars
Zach Monahan – guitars
Ethan Gensurowsky – bass
Alex Bishop – drums

Concert Review – Lamb of God & Mastodon (Budweiser Gardens, London, ON, 07/31/2024)

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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.

OPENING ACTS: Malevolence and Kerry King

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

MASTODON

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

LAMB OF GOD

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

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Concert Review – 1349 (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/20/2024)

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A night of undisputed Black Metal with four incredible bands in Toronto, spearheaded by one of the most devilish and professional hordes hailing from Norway.

OPENING ACTS: Spirit Possession, Antichrist Siege Machine and Spectral Wound

What a night of pure “friendship” and “tree hugging” in Toronto, my friends! Let’s say that in order to properly celebrate Victoria Day in Canada this Monday, Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment organized a night of undisputed Black Metal at Lee’s Palace with SPIRIT POSSESSION, ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE, SPECTRAL WOUND, and of course, the main attraction of the night, the devilish 1349. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such an amazing feast of obscurity and evil at an almost sold out venue, driving the heat up inside it considerably, but fortunately they’ve recently installed new air conditioning machines in strategic points of the venue to cool things down a bit for us, avid metalheads.

It didn’t take long after the doors opened at 7pm for the first band of the night to start distilling their demonic creations. I’m talking about Portland, Oregon-based Black Metal duo SPIRIT POSSESSION, who put on an infernal show to properly warm us all up for the upcoming attractions, and let me tell you that their drummer, simply called “A.”, definitely knowns how to hammer her drums mercilessly, while vocalist and guitarist “S.” is phenomenal armed with his stringed axe, playing it like if he was playing bass (an instrument that’s not part of their music, by the way), extracting sheer evil and insanity from each riff played. Everyone who was already at Lee’s Palace loved every second of their sick concert, despite the annoying dim red light, and if you want to enjoy some of their creations you can find all of their albums, like their 2023 opus Of the Sign…, on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Setlist
Orthodox Weapons
Deity of Knives and Pointed Apparitions
Enter the Golden Sign
Swallowing Throne
Second Possession
Spirit Possession

Band members
S. – vocals, guitars
A. – drums

After a quick break, it was time for one of the most pulverizing duos of the current extreme music scene to crush our damned souls with their infuriated music. They go by the charming name of ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE, and if you know nothing about this Blackened Death Metal duo from Richmond, Virginia formed of SB on vocals and drums, and RZ on the guitars and backing vocals (and yes, it was the second band of the night without a bassist), I highly recommend you go after their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, including their chaotic, infernal new album Vengeance of Eternal Fire. Their set in Toronto was beyond brutal, igniting some intense mosh pits during their whole performance, and leaving all of us eager for another visit of those two demented beats to the city in the near future. Seriously, their music is awesome.

Setlist
Son of Man
Piled Swine
Purifying Blade
Led by Fire
Unleashed Hostility
Prey Upon Them
Vanquishing Spirit
Sisera
Chaos Insignia
Vacant Cross

Band members
SB – vocals, drums
RZ – guitars, backing vocals

Although 1349 were the main band of the night, a lot of people went to Lee’s Palace on Monday to witness the black mass conducted by Montreal, Quebec’s own Black Metal horde SPECTRAL WOUND, by far one of the most important names of the current Métal Noir Québécois scene. Having released the excellent album A Diabolic Thirst back in 2021 (which can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), the band spearheaded by the iconic Jonah crushed us like insects with their venomous Black Metal, again inspiring all concert goers for some demented circle pits until the very last second. The light was way too dim and it was also a bit foggy, which sucks, but nothing that would make their concert less entertaining, of course.

Setlist
Black Satanic Glamour
Soul Destroying Black Debauchery
Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal
Frigid and Spellbound
Fevers & Suffering
Imperial Thanatosis
Imperial Saison Noire

Band members
Jonah – vocals
Patrick – guitars
A.A. – guitars
Sam – bass, backing vocals
Illusory – drums 

1349

A lot of people, including myself, went outside to get some fresh air (as it was a relatively warm night in Toronto) and almost missed the beginning of the hellish performance by Oslo, Norway-based Black Metal entity 1349 (just as an extra detail to you, 1349 was the year the Black Death came to Norway, wiping out 2/3 of the population and ending the Golden Age of Norway), a true celebration of old school, classic Black Metal for an avid crowd in the city. Playing songs from all albums of their vast career, including some excellent hymns from their 2019 album The Infernal Pathway like the closing ones Dødskamp and Abyssos Antithesis, plus their amazing new single Ash of Ages from their upcoming 2024 album, the band comprised of Ravn on lead vocals, Archaon on the guitars, Seidemann on bass, and Dominator on drums was absolutely on fire during their demonic (but maybe a little bit too short) set, driving their fans wild inside the unstoppable circle pits.

Also, I need to say a few words about this short, weird, middle-aged Indian dude that looked completely out of this dimension, as it didn’t matter what the hell he was doing, he looked nuts. The guy was so insane to the point that when 1349 finished playing their very FIRST song, he said with a sinister smile “two more, two more…”, when the band was clearly going to play at least ten more songs. What the hell was he seeing on stage, right? Not to mention he was always hiding behind someone, making the sign of the cross before having his beer, pointing to the band’s guitarist with a maniacal grim like as if he was saying “I know what you’re doing” as if the guitarist was there looking at him, and so on. Some guys behind me were also distracted by the Indian dude. What a unique metalhead!

After all was said and done, all fans of Black Metal in Toronto were more than happy with the high quality of the music presented by all four bands, making it a very successful event in the city and, consequently, leaving us all more than eager for another 1349 concert in Toronto, supported by another batch of very talented underground bands, sooner than you can say “Black Metal”. Hopefully they’ll return soon, and everyone who was at Lee’s Palace, including our beloved, crazy Indian guy, will be there to raise their horns up high and scream in full force together with one of the most professional bands hailing form Norway without a shadow of a doubt, and even better if it’s with proper lighting so not only their fans can enjoy the visual part of show as well, but also the photographers like Keith. Hail Satan, my friends!

Setlist
Sculptor of Flesh
Slaves
Through Eyes of Stone
Chasing Dragons
Ash of Ages
I Am Abomination
Striding the Chasm
Golem
Atomic Chapel
Dødskamp
Abyssos Antithesis

Band members
Ravn – lead vocals
Archaon – guitars, backing vocals
Seidemann – bass, backing vocals
Dominator – drums

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Concert Review – Pantera (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/08/2023)

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The best band to ever arise from Texas took the city of Toronto by storm on Saturday with their undisputed metal music in a memorable night for their fans, for their brothers, and for their legacy.

OPENING ACTS: Child Bite and Lamb of God

If I’m not mistaken, the last time Pantera visited the city of Toronto was on February 9, 1999 at the SkyDome (currently known as Rogers Centre) during their World Domination Tour, as one of the guest openers for Black Sabbath. Having said that, you can imagine how desperate for more Pantera the Torontonian metalheads were until this Saturday when CHILD BITE, LAMB OF GOD and PANTERA took the Budweiser Stage by storm on a beyond emotional night, one of them being my good friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, and as I couldn’t be there mainly due to the ticket prices, Keith took care of both the photos (although not with a photo pass, but just as a regular fan) and the review. As a matter of fact, the ticket prices for this show were so ridiculous that you could find CHEAPER tickets at resale websites such as TickPick and StubHub than at the official Live Nation website, just to give you an idea of how insane things are these days.

Anyway, as the lines were absurdly huge according to Keith, he couldn’t get inside the venue to watch the opener at 7pm, Detroit, Michigan-based Hardcore Punk/Metal outfit CHILD BITE. They were a weird choice taking into account the type of music played by Lamb of God and Pantera, and as each date of the tour seems to have a different opener (each band being responsible for opening the night in four or five different cities), I wonder if it was a combination of friendship with the guys from Pantera, the geography/location of the band, and their availability. Anyway, their latest album was released back in 2019 and is titled Blow Off the Omens, and if you love the fusion of Hardcore and Punk Rock you can find it on Spotify and on BandCamp in case you want to give their music a try.

Setlist
Smog & Viscera
Swan Song of a Boiled Dog
Glazed in a Skeletal Maze
Disposable Hysteria
Ancestral Ooze
Erect for Dystopia
Blow Off The Omens

Band members
Shawn Knight – vocals
Jeremy Waun – guitar
Sean Clancy – bass
Jeff Porter – drums

After a quick break, more precisely at 7:50pm, it was time for one of the coolest bands to witness live, Richmond, Virginia’s iconic Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD, to kick some serious ass once again at the Budweiser Stage, this time promoting their 2022 beast Omens. I feel terrible for missing Mr. Randy Blythe and his crew this time, but it is what it is. Well, Keith said they didn’t disappoint at all (as expected), blending classics the likes of Memento Mori (one of the best songs ever to properly kick off any concert), Walk With Me in Hell and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, with new songs such as Ditch and Omens, igniting some serious mosh pits in the general admission area. Randy took some time to interact with the crowd, remembering when that famous fan Chris LaRocque got kicked out of the venue and tried to get back swimming when they opened for the mighty Slayer (or maybe I should say SLAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYEEEEEEEERRRRR!) in 2018. That was a memorable night, just like this Saturday, and next time Lamb of God comes to Toronto I’ll make sure I’ll be there no matter what.

Setlist
Memento Mori
Walk With Me in Hell
Resurrection Man
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
Ditch
Omens
Ruin
Contractor
Laid to Rest
Redneck

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

PANTERA

Finally, after 24 years, the best band ever to arise from Texas, Thrash/Groove Metal monsters PANTERA, hit the stage at 9:15pm for the delight of everyone who attended the concert, and according to Keith, who saw them for the first time ever this Saturday, they were absolutely perfect. I guess I don’t need to say that EVERYONE on this fuckin’ planet would want to see their classic formation on stage with Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, which is something impossible for obvious reasons (to be honest, I think everyone would be extremely happy if both were still alive, it doesn’t matter if they would be playing with Pantera or not, just because they deserved to be still alive), but Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante are proudly living up to the legacy of the band.

Playing classics from all of their albums, from A New Level and Mouth for War to 5 Minutes Alone and This Love, from Fucking Hostile and Cemetery Gates to Cowboys From Hell, and to the surprise of many ending their concert with Revolution Is My Name and Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit, both from their last album ever Reinventing the Steel, released back in 2000, which I remember got mixed reactions when it was launched, Pantera were on absolute fire, receiving an amazing feedback from the crowd (which according to Keith’s brother was “goddamn electric”) who was singling along all the lyrics together with them. They even played their classic cover version for Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan, and when they set their fans on fire with the all-time headbanging classic Walk, they even invited the guys from Child Bite to join them on backing vocals on stage. I don’t know exactly how the mosh pits were during the entire concert, but I bet they were simply insane, surely making Dimebag and Vinnie very proud and happy wherever they are.

Keith said that Phil mentioned the absolute respect the band has for the city of Toronto, saying the fans here made them feel extremely welcome and that they were stunned by the fact the show was sold out (although as I said there were plenty of scalpers “dying” with tickets in their hands because they were too greedy to drive their prices down). One curios thing about Phil was that at the same time he said that Saturday night was most probably the last time they would be in Toronto because they’re not touring anymore after this tour is done, by the end of the concert he also said Pantera would come to Toronto again. Which Phil Anselmo should we trust, right? Hopefully the right Phil is the one that said that the band will return to Toronto, although we have no idea when, and whenever that happens let’s also hope for lower, more affordable ticket prices so many other fans who couldn’t attend the concert for economic reasons can finally see the legacy of Pantera live on stage.

Setlist
Regular People (Conceit)
In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (Peter Ivers & David Lynch song)
A New Level
Mouth for War
Strength Beyond Strength
Becoming (with “Throes of Rejection” outro)
I’m Broken (with “By Demons Be Driven” outro)
Suicide Note Pt. II
5 Minutes Alone
This Love
Fucking Hostile
Cemetery Gates
Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover)
Walk
Domination / Hollow
Cowboys From Hell

Encore:
Slaughtered
Revolution Is My Name

Encore 2:
Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit
How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths song)

Band members
Philip Anselmo – vocals
Zakk Wylde – guitars
Rex Brown – bass
Charlie Benante – drums

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Concert Review – Carcass (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/16/2023)

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Four metallic beasts cranked the heat with their undisputed music on an already scorching day in Toronto, inspiring us all to get caught in endless mosh pits. 

OPENING ACTS: Creeping Death, Sacred Reich and Municipal Waste

As the “gods of weather” decided to crank the heat in Toronto this past week, with the thermometers breaking the +30oC (or +86oF) mark, it was more than obvious that the temperature inside The Phoenix Concert Theatre last night was going to be insanely high due to the feast of Grindcore, Thrash and Death Metal blasted by CREEPING DEATH, SACRED REICH, MUNICIPAL WASTE and the mighty CARCASS, four amazing bands that are highly recommended for admirers of some good old mosh pits. And oh, there were so many mosh pits for all metalheads at the venue to bathe in (and most of the time that mosh pit bath included a lot of sweat, beer, and even some vomit)! A special shout-out to Embrace Presents for organizing such epic event, and another to the venue staff for keeping everything clean (because dealing with vomit is one of the most disgusting things ever), for keeping everyone safe, and for always being nice to everyone before, during and after all concerts. That’s how fans should always be treated!

I was not even 10 minutes inside the venue when the first band of the night, Denton, Texas-based Death Metal/Hardcore act CREEPING DEATH, kicked off the night with their brutality and heaviness, already inspiring everyone at the venue to slam into the pit, and that high level of violence went on until the last second of their performance. Gearing up for the release of their new album Boundless Domain, which should become available mid-June (and of course, I’ll have a very good time listening to it, and probably reviewing it too), frontman Reese Alavi and his bandmates put on a fantastic show, with their brand new song Intestinal Wrap (don’t forget to check out the studio version featuring the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer on guest vocals) and The Edge of Existence being the highlights of their pulverizing concert for me. Let’s see when those American metallers will return to Toronto for another round of insanity armed with their classic Death Metal; maybe as soon as their new album sees the light of day?

Setlist
Humanity Transcends
Doused in Flames
Skinned Alive
The Edge of Existence
Bloodlust Contamination
Intestinal Wrap
Specter of War

Band members
Reese Alavi – vocals
Trey Pemberton – guitars
A.J. Ross III – guitars
Rico Mejia – bass
Lincoln Mullins – drums

After the usual bathroom/beer/cigarette/whatever you want to do break, it was time for Phoenix, Arizona’s own Thrash Metal institution SACRED REICH to hit the stage spearheaded by the iconic vocalist and bassist Phil Rind, and as expected their entire performance was absolutely amazing, blending songs from their most recent album Awakening, released in 2019, such the opener Divide & Conquer, Manifest Reality, Salvation and the title-track Awakening, with really old stuff the likes of Death Squad and Ignorance, from their 1987 debut album Ignorance, and The American Way, from their 1990 album of the same name. There was a lot of interaction between Phil and the crowd, with the most beautiful moment being when Phil talked about how music unites people, and how we make good friends through music, which is more than true. Without music I might not have become a friend of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who once again provided me with the amazing photos for this review. Back to the concert, Sacred Reich kept kicking our asses with their classy thrashing tunes, ending with their circle pit hit Surf Nicaragua, and leaving us eager for another one of their stylish performances in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
Divide & Conquer
The American Way
Manifest Reality
One Nation
Salvation
Ignorance
Awakening
Independent
Death Squad
Surf Nicaragua

Band members
Phil Rind – vocals, bass
Wiley Arnett – lead guitars
Joey Radziwill – rhythm guitars
Dave McClain – drums

It was then time for the highly anticipated concert by Richmond, Virginia-based Thrash Metal/Crossover squad MUNICIPAL WASTE, and they didn’t disappoint at all their Torontonian fans; quite the contrary, it was an unforgettable show by Tony Foresta, Ryan Waste, Nick Poulos, Landphil, and Dave Witte, who were visibly excited to be playing in Canada, jumping up and down, headbanging and raising their horns nonstop as if they were the crowd, and us fans in the mosh pit were the main attraction. Maybe that’s exactly how they felt last night, right? Furthermore, all songs from their sensational 2022 album Electrified Brain worked really well live, such as Grave Dive, High Speed Steel, and in special Crank the Heat, which was played by the band only because “they were having an amazing time” according to Tony himself, mixed with thrashing beasts the likes of Beer Pressure, Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good, and Headbanger Face Rip.

And speaking about Tony, the man was on fire during their entire performance, having fun with the inflatable orca (don’t ask me why that was brought to a metal concert) and all the cardboard boxes flying around, joking it was a miracle they were allowed to cross the border to Canada, asking for more crowd surfing to keep the security guys busy as they were getting “bored” due to the lack of action, and thanking everyone for attending their concert on a Sunday night. It was awesome when he asked the crowd if they liked to party for Jesus, or if they liked to party for Slayer, and I bet you already know what the fans answered, right? Right after they closed their flawless performance with the headbanging classic Born to Party, you could see the smile on the faces of all fans at the venue, all demanding for more Municipal Waste in the city, including myself, and hopefully it won’t take long for a new visit by those partying thrashers. As the lyrics from Born to Party say, Municipal Waste is gonna fuck you up!

Setlist
I’m a Rebel (Accept song)
Demoralizer
Breathe Grease
Mind Eraser
Beer Pressure
Thrashing’s My Business… And Business Is Good
The Thrashin’ of the Christ
Poison the Preacher
Grave Dive
You’re Cut Off
Sadistic Magician
Slime and Punishment
Crank the Heat
Headbanger Face Rip
Blood Vessel
High Speed Steel
Pre-Game
The Art of Partying
Wave of Death
Born to Party

Band members
Tony Foresta – vocals
Ryan Waste – guitars, backing vocals
Nick Poulos – guitars
Landphil – bass, backing vocals
Dave Witte – drums

CARCASS

Exactly 135 days after their last visit to Toronto (when they opened for Amon Amarth), UK’s Grindcore/Extreme Metal trailblazers CARCASS returned to the city with more of their visceral, infuriated music, this time as the headliners of the night. Jeff Walker, Bill Steer, Tom Draper and Daniel Wilding were sharp, evil and caustic from the very first second of their undisputed performance, kicking some serious ass and proving why they’re still the most important Grindcore band of all time. They did a fantastic job blending songs from all of their albums, with a higher focus on their latest opus Torn Arteries, their 2013 infernal album Surgical Steel, and their 1993 masterpiece Heartwork. Songs like Kelly’s Meat Emporium, Under the Scalpel Blade, This Mortal Coil, and The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing sounded demented live, with all four band members playing those to perfection, of course.

The mosh pits kept going like crazy, the band was in total sync with their fans, and the temperature inside the venue kept going up to the point Jeff began throwing bottles of water for people to rehydrate. He even asked why it was so hot in Toronto, as Canada is supposed to be cold, but apparently he doesn’t know how hot and muggy the GTA can get during the summer. Well, I must admit the summer-like weather in Toronto in the middle of April was a big surprise, but still when it gets hot here, it gets REALLY hot. After playing my favorite Carcass song of all time, the brilliant Heartwork, plus the outro to Carneous Cacoffiny, Jeff and his henchmen returned for what I would call a ruthless, supersonic attack with one of the most violent encores I’ve ever seen, with the songs Exhume to Consume, Tools of the Trade, and 316L Grade Surgical Steel putting every single person at the venue to slam into the pit, bang their heads and raise their horns together with the band. It was beyond infernal, and if Carcass wants to return to Toronto in another 135 days for more of that, I’m totally in!

Setlist
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (Intro)
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Buried Dreams
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
Under the Scalpel Blade
This Mortal Coil
Tomorrow Belongs to Nobody (Intro)
Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Black Star (Intro)
Keep On Rotting in the Free World
The Scythe’s Remorseless Swing
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Ruptured in Purulence (Intro)
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Encore:
Exhume to Consume
Tools of the Trade
316L Grade Surgical Steel

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Tom Draper – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

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Album Review – Lamb of God / Omens (2022)

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Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.

Two years after the release of their excellent self-titled album, Richmond, Virginia’s own Groove Metal institution Lamb of God is back in action with another magnificent release entitled Omens, the ninth studio album (eleventh if including those under the name Burn the Priest) in their undisputed career. “If anybody paying attention to the state of the world over the last few years isn’t angry, I have nothing to say to them,” commented the band’s frontman D. Randall “Randy” Blythe about the generally pissed-off tone of their new album. Recorded and produced by Josh Wilbur, mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, and featuring a stylish artwork by K3n Adams, Omens offers us all 40 minutes of sheer aggressiveness and groove by the aforementioned Randy Blythe and his henchmen Mark Morton and Willie Adler on the guitars, John Campbell on bass, and Art Cruz on drums, cementing their name as one of the most important forces of the current metal scene worldwide.

Sheer groove flows from the very first second in Nevermore, a solid tune where Mark and Willie’s axes are flawlessly supported by the rumbling bass by John, and the band keeps hammering their weapons in great fashion in Vanishing, sounding visceral and exciting as good Groove Metal should be with of course Randy kicking us in the head with his visceral roars, not to mention the awesome job done by Art on drums. Then let’s bang our heads nonstop to the groovy and heavy-as-hell To the Grave, showcasing another dynamic kitchen brought into being by John and Art while the guitars exhale fire and animosity; followed by the high-octane Ditch, bringing forward an extremely fun chorus to sing along with Randy (“You’re face down, down in a ditch that you dug yourself / You can live and die by the hand you’re dealt / Unwound consequence and you can never tell / Live or die by the hand you’re dealt”) while his bandmates deliver a flawless, infuriated Groove Metal extravaganza for admirers of the genre. And the title-track Omens is another superb moment of the album, a lecture in contemporary metal music by Lamb of God where Mark and Willie extract endless aggressiveness from their guitars while Art shows no mercy for his drums.

Slowing things down a bit while investing in pure heaviness, it’s time for us all to break our necks headbanging to the sound of Gomorrah, with Randy barking and screaming manically nonstop, and there’s no time to breathe thanks to the massive beats by Art in Ill Designs, another violent hybrid of Groove, Thrash and Death Metal where the riffage by the band’s guitar duo is tailored for slamming into the pit. Putting the pedal to the metal, Randy & Co. deliver a humongous dose of heaviness and rage in the form of Grayscale, where John makes sure the earth trembles to the sound of his thunderous bass, whereas in Denial Mechanism we’re treated to another round of the band’s trademark acid lyrics (“A pathetic birth of the end times / Slowly creeping to the final deadline / No fairytale on a movie screen / Just slow collapse beneath our gluttony”) amidst a hurricane of metallic sounds perfect for their incendiary live concerts. Lastly, the band offers us all the introspective September Song, which morphs from a very serene sonority into the band’s usual madness while its background keys add a touch of epicness to the overall result, putting a climatic ending to the album.

Fortunately for all of us with serious budget restrictions the band made Omens available in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you have some extra money to spend on music you can click HERE and grab your favorite version of such intense album of modern-day heavy music. Also, don’t forget to follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and believe me, if you’ve never seen Lamb of God live you don’t know what you’re missing), to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and to stream all of their wicked creations on Spotify. “We’re being marketed and sold falling skies, doom and gloom and all this end-of-days material. That stuff makes wonderful fodder for metal music,” said Randy, and we must all agree that although our world might be reaching its inevitable and sinister fate soon, at least Lamb of God will keep absorbing all that darkness and turning it into first-class music for our total delight until the very end of all days. Well, as the band itself says in their new album, fuck it all, ignore the omens.

Best moments of the album: Vanishing, Ditch, Omens and Denial Mechanism.

Worst moments of the album: Gomorrah.

Released in 2022 Epic Records/Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Nevermore 4:35
2. Vanishing 4:48
3. To the Grave 3:43
4. Ditch 3:37
5. Omens 3:47
6. Gomorrah 4:12
7. Ill Designs 3:41
8. Grayscale 3:59
9. Denial Mechanism 2:37
10. September Song 6:00

Japanese Edition bonus track
11. Evidence 3:50

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

Guest musicians
Ernie C, Juan Garcia, Wes Eisold, Toby Morse & Sara Taylor – gang vocals on “Omens”

Album Review – Municipal Waste / Electrified Brain (2022)

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Richmond, Virginia’s most insane thrashing squad is back in action with a new album of 14 balls-to-the-wall tracks of ripping Thrash Metal at its finest.

In case you’re not yet acquainted, Richmond, Virginia-based Thrash Metal/Crossover squad Municipal Waste was formed back in 2001 and has been considered by many as the torchbearers for Thrash Metal for the last two decades. Now in 2022 it’s time for Tony Foresta on vocals, Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos on the guitars, Landphil on bass and Dave Witte on drums to kick some ass once again with their newborn opus, entitled Electrified Brain, highly recommended for admirers of the music by Suicidal Tendencies, Nuclear Assault and Toxic Holocaust, among others. Produced by Arthur Rizk and featuring an old school artwork by James Bousema, Electrified Brain will offer your thrashing ears 14 balls-to-the-wall tracks of ripping Thrash Metal at its finest infused with Hardcore and Punk Metal, inviting you to slam into the circle pit like a true metalhead this summer.

Sit down on the electric chair and get ready for the thrashing title-track Electrified Brain, where Tony roars manically supported by the frantic riffs and beats by his bandmates, and Ryan and Nick keep slashing their stringed axes mercilessly in Demoralizer, another classic Thrash Metal tune where Landphil and Dave also make the earth shake with their straightforward kitchen. It’s time to bang your head nonstop to the sound of Last Crawl, a beer drinking, hard hitting Thrash Metal composition where Tony sounds even more demented on vocals, followed by Grave Dive, reminding me of “Toxic Waltz” by Exodus and, therefore, inspiring us to “dance like a money” to the old school riffage by the band’s guitar duo. There’s no time to breathe as the circle pit keeps moving fast in The Bite, spearheaded by Dave’s frantic drumming and with guest vocalist Blaine Cook of The Accüsed adding his touch of insanity to their music, whereas in High Speed Steel the lyrics couldn’t have been more metal (“Born from iron / Strong as steel / Faster than all hell on wheels / Reaching speeds from the unknown / Racing to the terror zone”) while the music is simply awesome and insane. Then more of their incendiary riffs and blast beats are offered to our ears in Thermonuclear Protection, with Tony roaring and barking like there’s no tomorrow.

A jammin’ first half morphs into sheer adrenaline and violence in Blood Vessel / Boat Jail, where their Crossover vein pulses stronger than ever, whereas Crank the Heat is the perfect example of how Thrash Metal should be, which is fast, furious and absolutely fun, with Tony’s raspy screams being flawlessly supported by his bandmates’ backing vocals. Then putting the pedal to the metal it’s time to crush our skulls into the circle pit in Restless and Wicked, showcasing another amazing job done by Ryan and Nick on the guitars, while Ten Cent Beer Night makes me wonder where I could find beer that cheap. Anyway, musically speaking it’s more of their ass-kicking Thrash Metal with all backing vocals adding a Punk Rock-ish vibe to the overall result; and enhancing their animosity and speed the quintet offers us all Barreled Rage, with Landphil’s rumbling bass punching us hard in the head. In Putting on Errors the band needs less than two minutes to demolish everything and everyone that crosses their path, sounding bestial and infernal from start to finish in the name of Thrash Metal, and last but not least, be prepared for one final thrashing attack by Municipal Waste titled Paranormal Janitor, with Ryan and Nick being on fire with their wicked riffs and solos.

Having said all that, what are you waiting for to join Municipal Waste in their quest for Thrash Metal? You can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and other nice-to-know details about the band, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their rebellious music, and of course purchase your copy of the excellent Electrified Brain (which is by the way available for a full listen anytime you want on Spotify) by visiting the band’s own webstore or by clicking HERE. Your  metallic brain will certainly melt to the sound of the new album by those American rebels, and I’m saying that in the best way possible because, as you know, we’re all born to thrash until we drop dead, and the music by Municipal Waste is an awesome, more-than recommended soundtrack for that.

Best moments of the album: The Bite, High Speed Steel, Crank the Heat and Restless and Wicked.

Worst moments of the album: Blood Vessel / Boat Jail.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Electrified Brain 2:45
2. Demoralizer 2:55
3. Last Crawl 2:28
4. Grave Dive 2:31
5. The Bite 1:37
6. High Speed Steel 2:31
7. Thermonuclear Protection 3:02
8. Blood Vessel / Boat Jail 1:55
9. Crank the Heat 2:42
10. Restless and Wicked 2:24
11. Ten Cent Beer Night 2:15
12. Barreled Rage 2:22
13. Putting on Errors 1:30
14. Paranormal Janitor 2:55

Band members
Tony Foresta – vocals
Ryan Waste – guitars, backing vocals
Nick Poulos – guitars
Landphil – bass, backing vocals
Dave Witte – drums

Guest musician
Blaine Cook – additional vocals on “The Bite”

Album Review – Lamb of God / Lamb of God (2020)

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Re-energized and unrelenting, Richmond, Virginia’s own Groove Metal titans are finally back after five years with their pulverizing eighth studio album.

At long last, five years after the release of the excellent VII: Sturm und Drang, Richmond, Virginia-based Groove Metal titans Lamb of God are finally back with a brand new album self-titled Lamb of God, the band’s eighth studio effort, for our vulgar delectation. Produced by Josh Wilbur (Korn, Megadeth, Gojira, Trivium), the fact that their new effort is self-titled is a testament to the band’s pride and satisfaction with these songs and this period in their creativity, showcasing a true and healthy collaboration between frontman Randy Blythe, guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton, bassist John Campbell and newcomer Art Cruz on drums, a re-energized and unrelenting lineup that’s more than ready to lay claim to the metal throne. “Putting only our name on it is a statement,” Mr. Randy Blythe said. “This is Lamb of God. Here and now,” expressing in words all the rage, groove and darkness found in each of the album’s ten original and extremely acid songs.

An eerie start evolves into a pounding Groove Metal feast in the opening track Memento Mori, where Willie and Mark and infernal with their riffs, inspiring us all to slam into the pit like true metal maniacs while Randy darkly vociferates the song’s psychological lyrics (“The hardest hour, the cruelest sign / I’m waking up from this wretched lie / I fight it the same, don’t waste this day / Wake up, wake up, wake up / Memento mori”), whereas in Checkmate we’re treated to more of their modern-day, austere words (“Watch the gears grind off their teeth / The screeching halt machine digging heels in disbelief / Two reactional identities, opposing policies / A bait and switch routine”), while Art brings forward all his fury and dexterity on drums, proving why he was chosen to take the band’s drumming duties. And in Gears, my favorite song of the entire album, Randy sounds inhumane with his enraged roars accompanied by Art’s pounding beats and the groovy and thunderous bass by John, resulting in a very intricate, multi-layered and thrilling aria from start to finish.

Speeding things up a notch, the quintet fires the neck-breaking, pulverizing tune Reality Bath, bringing an amazing shredding blasted by the band’s guitar duo while Randy alternates between his trademark growls and dark, eerie clean vocals, followed by New Colossal Hate, keeping the album at an insane level of wrath and violence. In other words, it’s another song perfect for jumping up and down with the band, with John and Art making the foundations of the earth tremble with their hellish kitchen, and they continue to crush our heads with the wicked and visceral Resurrection Man, one of the heaviest and most obscure of all tracks, with Art hammering his drums fiercely while Rady fires deep, vicious roars nonstop. Then featuring guest vocalist Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed), the band delivers more of their hybrid of Groove and Thrash Metal in Poison Dream, with the sick riffage by Willie and Mark adding an extra kick to the overall result, not to mention the song’s vibrant and aggressive vibe.

The one and only Mr. Chuck Billy (Testament) lends his thunderous vocals to the high-octane Groove and Thrash Metal hurricane entitled Routes, sounding very melodic and at the same time as vile and caustic as possible, offering our avid ears their usual frantic beats, rabid screams and strident guitar solos, and you better get ready for another round of insanity and heaviness spearheaded by Randy and his demented screams in Bloodshot Eyes, also bringing some introspective moments while John and Art deliver endless groove through their unstoppable weapons. And last but not least, Lamb of God fire one last breath of first-class, demolishing metal music entitled On the Hook, with all of its crisp and thunderous riffs and bass jabs being nicely spiced up by Art’s rhythmic beats, uniting the heaviest elements from Thrash and Death Metal to the band’s core essence and, therefore, putting an amazingly heavy and explosive end to the album.

You can follow Lamb of God on Facebook and on Instagram (if you haven’t done so yet, of course) to stay up to date with everything that surrounds the band, including their tour dates, new songs and videos, news and other nice-to-know details, but I highly recommend you invest a small amount of your hard-earned money into their brand new album by clicking HERE and selecting your favorite version of it, as this is among the best metal albums of the year hands down. It might have taken a little longer than expected for Mr. Randy Blythe and his henchmen to released their new album due to all this horrifying and tedious COVID-19 pandemic, but at least the wait is over and, if you look on the bright side of life, all the wait was relatively worth it, making us insanely eager to see what Lamb of God had to offer us all in such obscure times. Needless to say, they didn’t disappoint at all, with their self-titled installment certainly fueling their inner selves to keep composing and delivering more of their unique Groove Metal for many years to come. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for metal concerts to be back on, buy your tickets to see Lamb of God live, and witness them kicking some serious ass with both their classics and the new fulminating songs from their new album, just the way we like it.

Best moments of the album: Memento Mori, Gears, Reality Bath and Routes.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2020 Epic Records/Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Memento Mori 5:48
2. Checkmate 4:30
3. Gears 3:55
4. Reality Bath 4:32
5. New Colossal Hate 4:30
6. Resurrection Man 4:59
7. Poison Dream 4:57
8. Routes 3:04
9. Bloodshot Eyes 3:57
10. On the Hook 4:30

Band members
Randy Blythe – vocals
Willie Adler – guitar
Mark Morton – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

Guest musicians
Jamey Jasta – vocals on “Poison Dream”
Chuck Billy – vocals on “Routes”