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Concert Review – Lorna Shore (Great Canadian Toronto, Mississauga, ON, 10/27/2025)

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Fans from all over Ontario and the rest of Canada felt the everblack festering within them in one of the heaviest and most emotional performances of the year in the entire country.

OPENING ACTS: Shadow of Intent and The Black Dahlia Murder

I don’t think there’s another way to start this review without stating my profound disappointment (and I’m sure everyone else who attended the show also feels the same) for not having PEELINGFLESH as one of the opening bands for LORNA SHORE this Monday night at Great Canadian Toronto during their North American Tour 2025. I mean, SHADOW OF INTENT and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER were both phenomenal guests, but I strongly believe the raw energy emanating from the Brutal Death Metal blasted by PeelingFlesh would have been beyond welcomed by the crowd. We should have had the pleasure of witnessing the unstoppable Damonteal Harris and his henchmen mercilessly kicking our asses onstage like when they opened for Aborted a few months ago in Toronto, and although I don’t want to start with any politics bullshit, I’ll never understand why a band that simply wants to play their music in any city in Canada during their US and Canadian tours has their entry denied into the country. I wish I could say more about it, but I’ll try to remain calm, and blast some of PeelingFlesh’s sickest tunes on Spotify to lighten up my mood. Well, at least before the other bands started I was able to try Slayer Burger’s new creation In Darkness, and I must say it’s by far their best burger to date. Hopefully they’ll get a lot of positive feedback from fans and keep it as part of their regular menu for a while, because that burger is indeed absurdly tasty.

Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was also pissed off he wasn’t going to take some crazy photos of PeelingFlesh, but of course he was more than ready to fire his camera during the brutal performance by Connecticut, United States-based Symphonic Deathcore beast SHADOW OF INTENT. The second “low point” of the night was the fact their frontman Ben Duerr didn’t make it to the show in Toronto as he went back to the US to join his wife for the birth of his second child (congratulations to both!), but his replacement Adam Mercer, former vocalist of the also killer Deathcore entity A Wake in Providence, did a superb job and inspired all fans at the venue for some wild headbanging and mosh pit action. Having recently released the pulverizing Imperium Delirium, available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band put on a demonic concert, with their heaviness, breakdowns, and the gruesome guttural by Adam making the entire venue tremble like in the best song of the night, the demented hymn Vehement Draconian Vengeance. I can’t wait for Shadow of Intent to visit Canada again, but of course next time I want to see them with Ben Duerr on vocals (despite having enjoyed Adam on the mic a lot). So please, Ben, no more babies during your next Canadian shows, alright?

Setlist
Prepare to Die
Flying the Black Flag
Mechanical Chaos
Vehement Draconian Vengeance
Infinity of Horrors
Feeding the Meat Grinder
The Heretic Prevails

Band members
Adam Mercer – vocals
Chris Wiseman – guitars, samples, backing vocals
Andrew Monias – bass
Bryce Butler – drums

I guess each band on the bill had at least two or three massive walls of death with mosh pits right after during their shows, and of course Detroit, Michigan’s own Melodic Death Metal masters THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER made sure their fans had a great time while inside such a unique experience only available at extreme music concerts, one of them offered as a “birthday gift” to one of their guitarists, by the way. The band now spearheaded by the charismatic Brian Eschbach was also on fire from start to finish, blending songs from their entire career with their latest album Servitude, released in 2024 (all also available on BandCamp and on Spotify), inspiring everyone who still had enough stamina left to slam like a maniac inside the pit. The gorilla with a giant inflatable banana during Statutory Ape was a nice touch to their already incendiary show, and I just wish their sound, in special the vocals, was a little bit better as it sounded muffled at times. Anyway, those guys put on a tremendous warmup for Lorna Shore, and I’m sure they’ll keep blasting their undisputed blend of melodeath for many years to come, always in honor of our beloved Trevor Strnad (RIP).

Setlist
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
Everything Went Black
Nightbringers
A Vulgar Picture
Warborn
Statutory Ape
Cursed Creator
Unhallowed
Funeral Thirst
Deathmask Divine

Band members
Brian Eschbach – vocals
Ryan Knight – guitars
Wes Hauch – guitars
Max Lavelle – bass
Alan Cassidy – drums

LORNA SHORE

Finally after a short break it was time for New Jersey’s own Deathcore behemoth LORNA SHORE to kick off one of the heaviest performances of the year in Canadian lands. Blending songs from their three releases with Will Ramos on vocals, those being their 2021 EP …and I Return to Nothingness, their 2022 masterpiece Pain Remains, and their recently released beast I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band was on absolute fire from start to finish, already hypnotizing the entire crowd from the very first notes in Oblivion. They made sure their show was not only a lecture in Deathcore, but also visually appealing, with the big background screen and the lights adding an extra touch of electricity to their already insane performance.

Songs like Unbreakable, Sun//Eater, Cursed to Die, Into the Earth, and the extremely emotional Glenwood reached deep inside our hearts and souls, but I must say as a fan of really heavy music I had a total blast with Prison of Flesh and To the Hellfire. Those breakdowns were demented, plus of course the inhumane guttural by Will and the crushing blast beats by Austin Archey, igniting some of the wildest mosh pits of the entire night. Everyone was having a great time, including our lord and savior Jesus Christ, leaving the doors open for another concert by those guys in Canadian lands in a not-so-distant future. The highlight of the night was obviously their three-part masterpiece Pain Remains during the encore, and until today I can’t decide which one is my favorite. Sometimes it’s Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, sometimes Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear, and sometimes Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire, like this Monday night. Those were flawless, and I bet several fans were crying of joy during such an intense part of their set.

On a side note, a few minutes before the first band hit the stage, when I was eating the In Darkness Burger at the Slayer Burger food truck, I met a very young and cool guy (and I’m so sorry, I forgot his name just because I’m terrible with names) who flew from Saskatoon to Toronto only for the show, and if you know the geography of Canada you have a very good idea of how lengthy and exhausting that journey can be. He said he was beyond excited to see his favorite band of all time live for the first time ever, and I bet he was on cloud 9 after the show was over. Furthermore, that’s a good indication of how big Lorna Shore are getting to the point people are going out of their way to see them live, just like Iron Maiden and Metallica fans do all the time. Another guy, for instance, was flying to Montreal the next morning to see Lorna Shore again. Because Lorna Shore are simply awesome, and as long as they’re around, heavy music will remain.

Setlist
Oblivion
Unbreakable
Of the Abyss
Sun//Eater
Cursed to Die
Into the Earth
Glenwood
Prison of Flesh
To the Hellfire

Encore:
Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames
Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear
Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

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Concert Review – Trivium & Bullet For My Valentine (Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Mississauga, ON, 05/04/2025)

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A wild, fun and emotional night of heavy music in celebration of the 20th anniversary of two of the most important albums in the history of Metalcore.

OPENING ACTS: Bleed From Within and August Burns Red

What a wild, fun and emotional night at the fantastic Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto this Sunday, when BLEED FROM WITHIN, AUGUST BURNS RED, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and TRIVIUM attacked us all with their undisputed The Poisoned Ascendancy Tour 2025, celebrating 20 years of the landmark albums The Poison, by Bullet For My Valentine, and Ascendancy, by Trivium. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there from the very first second of the shows, as it’s a much easier drive for me than trying to get to Toronto (which will be a massive headache this Wednesday for Chaos & Carnage, but I’ll leave my rant for the next concert review), and seeing the venue jam packed already before the first band of the night kicked off the festivities was simply awesome, sending us a sign that it was going to be a beyond electrifying event.

Precisely at 6:30pm, Glasgow, Scotland’s own Melodic Death Metal/Metalcore machine BLEED FROM WITHIN started their short but extremely  frantic and furious performance, led by the venomous roars by frontman Scott Kennedy. They only played five songs, two from their excellent latest album Zenith (available on Spotify), those being the opener God Complex and the last song In Place Of Your Halo, and I must say those two were by far their heaviest ones, already igniting some sick mosh pits in the vast but packed floor section. I’m a new-ish fan of the band and I’ll certainly go see them live in Toronto anytime they return to the city, and I guess a lot of people at the casino this Sunday will also be there, because those guys kick some serious ass onstage and deserve to have their own headlining tour in North America in the coming years.

Setlist
God Complex
Levitate
I Am Damnation
The End of All We Know
In Place Of Your Halo

Band members
Scott Kennedy – lead vocals
Steven Jones – guitars, clean vocals
Craig Gowans – guitars
Davie Provan – bass
Ali Richardson – drums

After a quick break (and a delicious Slayer Burger, as those guys had a food truck at the venue just like what happened when Meshuggah played there a few weeks ago), Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Metalcore unit AUGUST BURNS RED began their also heavy and furious concert in a very peculiar way, with a cover version for System Of A Down’s classic Chop Suey!, and that was already enough to inspire all fans to go mental inside the circle pit. Also, although they were not officially celebrating 20 years of their album Thrill Seeker (not playing it in full like BFMV and Trivium with their respective The Poison and Ascendancy), it’s really cool to see the band still alive and kicking decades later with endless energy onstage, and you can stream all of their albums on Spotify it doesn’t matter if your prepping for an upcoming ABR concert, or if you missed their last concert in your city, because they play high quality heavy music and they’re a fantastic band both in the studio and live. And by the way, get ready for A LOT of crowd surfing, because their frontman Jake Luhrs loves that and kept demanding all concert goers to practice such a unique sport during their entire show.

Setlist
Chop Suey!
Paramount
Composure
Defender
Bloodletter
Vengeance
Exhumed
Marianas Trench
White Washed

Band members
Jake Luhrs – lead vocals
John Benjamin “JB” Brubaker – lead guitar
Brent Rambler – rhythm guitar
Dustin Davidson – bass, backing vocals
Matt Greiner – drums, piano

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE

After two first-class openers, it was time for one of the headliners of the night to stun us all with their unique blend of Melodic Metalcore. I’m talking about Bridgend, Wales-based icons BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE, who put on a very emotional and energetic concert playing in full their biggest classic The Poison (and you can find the regular version and the 20th anniversary one on Spotify, by the way). When I say it was an emotional show for all BFMV fans at the venue, who were singing, screaming, raising their horns, headbanging, slamming into the pit and crowd surfing nonstop together with the band, it’s because if you think about it, most fans are in their 30s and when the album was released they were all teenagers starting to deal with their darkest emotions, with failure, loss and so on, and the music by BFMV truly helped them survive those dark days.

All songs were played to perfection by Matthew “Matt” Tuck (who was sporting a classy Cradle of Filth “The Principle of Evil Made Flesh” shirt, which is really cool as I had no idea he was a fan of Suffolk’s finest metal band of all time), Michael “Padge” Paget, Jamie Mathias and Jason Bowld, driving fans wild to classics the likes of Tears Don’t Fall, Hit the Floor and The Poison. Some fans around me were singing every single word of every single song, showing their utmost love to one of the most influential bands (if not the most) in the history of Metalcore. Their encore with Knives and Waking the Demon, already after The Poison was over, was also insane, and I was impressed with the amount of energy all fans demonstrated during their entire set. They sounded a lot better than when they opened for Megadeth a few years ago, and I’m sure it won’t take long for them to return to Toronto after their striking show this Sunday with another blast of Metalcore for the total delight of their loyal fanbase.

Setlist
The Poison
“The Poison” Intro
Her Voice Resides
4 Words (to Choke Upon)
Tears Don’t Fall
Suffocating Under Words of Sorrow (What Can I Do)
Hit the Floor
All These Things I Hate (Revolve Around Me)
Hand of Blood
Room 409
The Poison
10 Years Today
Cries in Vain
The End

Encore:
Knives
Waking the Demon

Band members
Matthew “Matt” Tuck – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Michael “Padge” Paget – lead guitar, backing vocals
Jamie Mathias – bass, backing vocals
Jason Bowld – drums, percussion

TRIVIUM

It was already past 9:45pm when the band I wanted to see the most, Orlando, Florida’s own Thrash/Heavy Metal/Metalcore beast TRIVIUM, transported us all to the world of Ascendancy (and you can also choose between the regular and the special edition of the album on Spotify), delivering sheer heaviness and energy to an avid crowd ready for more action inside the circle pit. The shirtless Matt Heafy, who has so many body tattoos that he doesn’t look shirtless to be honest, alongside Corey Beaulieu (sporting another classy shirt, by Savatage), Paolo Gregoletto (showing his love for Metallica with a “Ride the Lightning” shirt) and Alex Bent were flawless in taking to the stage at the casino the entire Ascendancy, a proper celebration of 20 years of such an influential and awesome album, which of course translated into pure madness among the fans.

Rain, Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr, A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation (my favorite of the night), Like Light to the Flies, Dying in Your Arms, The Deceived, Suffocating Sight and all other songs form the album sounded incredible onstage, plus of course the giant Ascendancy monster in the back giving the whole show an even more professional and cool look. Matt didn’t stop interacting with the fans not even for a single second, making his trademark faces nonstop, jumping up and down with the crowd, kindly requesting some sick mosh pits and walls of death, and showing all his love for Toronto. Furthermore, the encore with Capsizing the Sea and In Waves was monumental, with the entire venue screaming and jumping like maniacs together with Trivium. It was simply beautiful. Were we better or louder than Montreal? I honestly have no idea, but oh boy, we were LOUD, and I guess that was more than enough to inspire the band to return to the city in a not-so-distant future. Needless to say, I’ll be there for more Trivium insanity.

Setlist
Ascendancy
The End of Everything
Rain
Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr
Drowned and Torn Asunder
Ascendancy
Drum Solo
A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation
Like Light to the Flies
Dying in Your Arms
The Deceived
Suffocating Sight
Departure
Declaration

Encore:
Capsizing the Sea
In Waves

Band members
Matt Heafy – lead vocals, guitar
Corey Beaulieu – guitar, backing vocals
Paolo Gregoletto – bass guitar, backing vocals
Alex Bent – drums, percussion

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Concert Review – Meshuggah (Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Mississauga, ON, 03/29/2025)

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A night to remember of sheer heaviness and brutality with three of the most must-see bands in the history of heavy music, at the best and most entertaining venue you can think of.

OPENING ACTS: Carcass and Cannibal Corpse

An amazing theater, several good friends, free parking, free pop and coffee inside the casino, no work the next day as it was a weekend, a vast selection of food options, and three of the most must-see bands in the history of extreme music. Apart from the shitty weather, with freezing rain and ice storms in parts of Ontario, Saturday night was perfect for countless metalheads at the fantastic Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, when the ruthless CARCASS, CANNIBAL CORPSE and MESHUGGAH took the venue by storm with their undisputed North American Tour 2025, and of course Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I wouldn’t miss it not even if the biggest snow storm ever had devastated the city that same day. My only complaint is that I couldn’t find the food truck (or tent) by Slayer Burger before the doors opened, and it was pouring after the show so I didn’t even dare to go outside to purchase one. Well, I wasn’t able to try their new Meshuggah’s Burger, but that’s fine. Next time I attend a concert near one of their locations I’ll definitely grab it, or another one of their exclusive burgers, because they kick some serious ass.

There was a huge line already forming way before the doors opened at 6pm, which made me a little worried if I would be able to buy a Cannibal Corpse shirt before the show started at 7pm, but the merch team was awesome and I had over 30 minutes to simply chill before the first attraction of the night hit the stage, the mighty CARCASS. They only played for a little bit over 30 minutes, but what a devastating concert by those Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore masters, or as some people like to label their music these days, “Death N’ Roll” masters. Despite their short setlist, they played some of the best songs from their most recent album Torn Arteries and Surgical Steel, plus of course my all-time favorite Carcass songs No Love lost and Heartwork, both from their 1993 masterpiece Heartwork. Let’s say it was a beyond phenomenal warmup for the upcoming attractions, courtesy of Jeff Walker, Bill Steer, Nippy Blackford and Daniel Wilding, and if Carcass ever visit your city armed with their venomous music, you know what to do.

Setlist
The Living Dead at the Manchester Morgue (Intro)
Unfit for Human Consumption
Buried Dreams
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
No Love Lost
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Heartwork
Tools of the Trade
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)

Band members
Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Nippy Blackford – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums

After a quick break, it was time for my favorite Death Metal band of all time to do what they do best, which is get onstage and “crush their enemies, see them driven before them, and to hear the lamentations of their women.” I’m talking about the one and only American institution CANNIBAL CORPSE, who precisely at 7.55pm kicked off their pulverizing show with the neck breaking Scourge of Iron, followed by Blood Blind (from their 2023 album Chaos Horrific), Inhumane Harvest and Evisceration Plague. And what do those songs have in common, you might ask? They’re not played at the speed of light, but that doesn’t make them less infuriated; quite the contrary, it’s their heaviness that counts, in special Evisceration Plague, which is always a pleasure to enjoy live. All that plus the gruesome roars and insane headbanging by Mr. George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher, and the flawless, jaw dropping bass playing by Mr. Alex Webster, turn their shows into memorable experiences even for nonbelievers.

As the venue is quite wide, it was not too hard to stay away from the mosh pits in case you didn’t want to experience some brutal action, or if you couldn’t because of an injury, for example, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t headbang like a beast to masterpieces like Unleashing the Bloodthirsty (and I’m so happy they’re playing this song even in this shorter than usual setlist), Stripped, Raped and Strangled and Hammer Smashed Face. And of course, participating in another “headbanging contest” against Corpsegrinder (and therefore failing miserably) during I Cum Blood is one of the coolest things one can ever do at a metal concert. The mighty corpse killed it once again, leaving all concert goers absolutely stunned, and next time they come to the city it better be as headliners because we need more of their first-class Death Metal.

Setlist
Scourge of Iron
Blood Blind
Inhumane Harvest
Evisceration Plague
Death Walking Terror
Unleashing the Bloodthirsty
Summoned for Sacrifice
I Cum Blood
Stripped, Raped and Strangled
Hammer Smashed Face

Band members
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals
Rob Barrett – lead and rhythm guitar
Erik Rutan – lead guitar
Alex Webster – bass guitar
Paul Mazurkiewicz – drums

MESHUGGAH

Last but definitely not least, the main attraction of the night, Sweden’s own Technical Groove/Thrash Metal/Djent entity MESHUGGAH, kicked off their festivities at around 9:15pm for the delight of their diehard fans that have taken the entire venue. I forgot to mention it was a sold out event, just to give you an idea of how much Toronto loves Meshuggah, and they put on a striking, hypnotizing concert that definitely lived up to their legacy. Playing songs from all of their albums, including their most recent ones Immutable and The Violent Sleep of Reason, and their classic ObZen, the band spearheaded by Jens Kidman offered a well-balances blend of harsh vocals, rumbling bass lines, pounding drums, and a massive feast of lighting that made the whole concert even more impactful.

All fans were going wild, with some headbanging, jumping up and down, or raising their fists like there was no tomorrow, and the band seeing that made sure they kept kicking ass onstage. When it was time for the encore, with their hits Bleed and Demiurge, the synchronicity between the band and their fans was absolutely fantastic, proving why they’re one of the most beloved bands in Toronto in present-day metal. After the show was over, a huge amount of fans stayed at the casino to try their luck, who knows, maybe some would even recover the money spent on tickets, merch or drinks, and I love the fact that there’s that option at the casino, so you don’t need to rush home nor anything like that. I mean, you can savor the post-concert adrenaline still at the venue, spend some extra time with your friends and family, grab a bite, and start thinking of your next metal show. And if it is at the Great Canadian Resort Toronto, that’s a no-brainer. Simply buy your tickets, and go enjoy some high quality music at the best venue in the entire GTA, or maybe I should say in the entire province of Ontario.

Setlist
Careless Whisper (George Michael song)
Intro (Atmospheric soundscape)
Broken Cog
Violent Sleep of Reason
Rational Gaze
Combustion
Kaleidoscope
God He Sees in Mirrors
Lethargica
Born in Dissonance
Dancers to a Discordant System
Swarm
Future Breed Machine

Encore:
Bleed
Demiurge
Boombastic (Shaggy song)

Band members
Jens Kidman – vocals
Fredrik Thordendal – guitars
Mårten Hagström – guitars
Dick Lövgren – bass
Tomas Haake – drums

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Interview – Meshuggah’s Burger (Slayer Burger)

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This Meshuggah-inspired beast of a burger will satisfy your craving for high quality food infused with Swedish traditions and an endless dosage of unrelenting heavy music.

Meshuggah’s Burger @ Slayer Burger

The Headbanging Moose: Thank you for this opportunity to meet you and know more about Slayer Burger, and your new partnership with Meshuggah. As this will be published to readers from all over the world, could you please introduce Slayer Burger to the ones who don’t know it?
Slayer Burger: Slayer Burger is not just a local premium burger place — it’s an experience. We bring together fresh, high-quality ingredients, bold flavors, and a rock-and-roll attitude to serve up the ultimate smash and grill burger. Our menu is inspired by heavy music, and we’re always pushing the boundaries with creative and unique recipes. If you love great food and even better music, Slayer Burger is the place for you.

THM: When and where was the idea of having a Meshuggah-themed burger born? And who’s responsible for selecting its ingredients, bringing it to life and making it available at Slayer Burger?
SB: The idea came by Meshuggah’s team and your chef consultant Lilian Cardoso. We wanted to honor Meshuggah’s legacy with a burger that’s just as intense as their music — bold, complex, and unforgettable. Our team, our chefs and marketing crew worked together to perfect the ingredients and create something truly worthy of the name.

THM: What makes Meshuggah’s Burger special in your opinion, I mean, why should people choose it instead of any other burger from your menu or from any competitor?
SB: This isn’t just any burger — it’s a full-on sensory experience. The black bun sets the tone, the lingonberry bacon jam adds a touch of Swedish influence, and the rich, savory flavors balance it all out. It’s a burger that stands out visually and flavor-wise, making it a must-try for fans of Meshuggah and anyone who loves a next-level burger.

THM: Apart from Meshuggah’s Burger, you also have two other burgers with black charcoal buns, Vecna and The Wagyu. How has been the feedback from your consumers to those burgers with black buns? And what makes it special? Is it just the association of color black with heavy music, or is there something else?
SB: People love them! The black bun always grabs attention, but it’s the flavors that keep customers coming back. The association with heavy music definitely plays a role, but at the end of the day, it’s about taste — and we make sure every bite delivers.

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Click on our Slayer buddy to access the official Slayer Burger website!

THM: Perhaps the most unique ingredient in the new burger is its lingonberry bacon jam. Lingonberries are extremely popular in Sweden, used in countless Swedish dishes including kroppkakor, pitepalt, potato pancakes, spinach pancakes, kåldolmar, and more, and many Swedes grow up picking them in the forest. However, we’re not in Sweden, we’re in Canada. Having said that, do you think Torontonians are ready for the lingonberry?
SB: Absolutely! Toronto is a city that embraces diverse flavors, and lingonberry jam brings the perfect balance of sweet and tart to complement the richness of the burger. It’s a nod to Sweden, but it works incredibly well in Canada burger scene too.

THM: Have the guys from Meshuggah already tried the burger, or are they going to try it during their stop in Toronto next weekend, when they play in the city alongside Cannibal Corpse and Carcass?
SB: We can’t wait for them to try it when they’re in town! We’re confident they’ll love it — it’s made with the same precision and intensity as their music. Also, we’ll have our food truck on the day of the concert, we can’t wait to serve the band and their crew as well.

THM: Is this just the beginning of a series of partnerships with metal bands to create other special items in your menu? And if so, do you already have any other bands in mind for the near future?
SB: We’re always open to new collaborations, especially with bands that share our energy and passion. We can’t reveal anything yet, but let’s just say there are some exciting ideas brewing. Stay tuned!

Meshuggah’s Burger and the Immutable album

THM: You have some amazing options in your menu to go with your burgers, including delicious sides, sweets and exclusive beers. Just like Meshuggah are making the perfect combo with a Cannibal Corpse and Carcass in the city this Saturday, what would be the ideal side and drink to go with Meshuggah’s Burger?
SB: You’ll want something that can stand up to the burger’s bold flavors. Our special Slayer cheese poutine or onion rings make a killer side, and for drinks, our own Slayer Premium Beer with deep, roasted flavors would be the perfect match.

THM: And as in the end it’s always all about the music, what’s the perfect soundtrack for enjoying Meshuggah’s Burger? It can be a full album, just a few songs, or simply one song (if the consumer is a fast eater)!
SB: If you want the full experience, put on Meshuggah’s ObZen or Immutable and let the complex rhythms match the layers of flavor in the burger. If you’re a fast eater, Bleed is a perfect choice — just make sure you can keep up!

THM: Thank you very much for your time! Feel free to send a final message to our readers, and to invite them to visit one of the Slayer Burger locations in Toronto whenever they’re in the city for a nice night of heavy music!
SB: If you love metal and burgers, you need to try the Meshuggah Burger. It’s bold, intense, and built for those who crave something different. Come visit Slayer Burger in Toronto and experience it for yourself — because great food deserves a heavy soundtrack.

Locations

1400 O’Connor Dr. – East York
Toronto – ON – M4B 2T8

739 Queen St E – Riverside
Toronto – ON – M4M 1H4

2013 Yonge St – Midtown
Toronto – ON – M4S 1Z8

Thank you so much for this opportunity to show Slayer to more people =)

Links
Slayer Burger Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
Meshuggah Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify

Concert Review – Enslaved & Insomnium (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 04/08/2023)

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Two of the most important bands in the history of Nordic metal turned up the heat this weekend in Toronto with their unparalleled music and hypnotic performances. 

OPENING ACT: Black Anvil

There’s nothing better than uniting two Nordic bands in Toronto (and we all know how Finland, Norway and Canada can get really, really cold) to celebrate the end of another freakin’ winter, and that’s exactly what hundreds of fans were able to witness at the always cozy The Opera House this Saturday when INSOMNIUM and ENSLAVED, with the support of BLACK ANVIL, kicked some serious ass with their very melodic, folk, and obviously heavy-as-hell music. The weather was good enough (for Canadian standards) for several people to only wear T-shirts, including myself, and I must say that was a wise decision as things started to get pretty warm inside the venue right after the doors opened. And on a side note, if you’re attending any concert at The Opera House or just visiting the neighborhood, a new Slayer Burger location (and I still think they should be called “SLAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEERRRRR Burger” for obvious reasons) opened on February 12 right beside the venue, offering a great option to fill up your personal tank before heading into any mosh pits.

It was 7:30pm when the opening act, New York, United States-based Black/Thrash Metal act BLACK ANVIL kicked off the night with their vicious music, with vocalist and bassist P.D. and drummer R.G. stealing the spotlight with another blasphemous performance, and I say “another” because I already had the pleasure of seeing them opening for the mighty Cannibal Corpse in November also here in Toronto. Still promoting their 2022 opus Regenesis, the quartet did a very solid job on stage, with their newest song NYC Nightmares being the highlight of their performance for me. Perhaps the only “issue” with their show was the fact that their music is considerably different from the main attractions, and at least I felt there was a lack of circle pits during their entire set. The fans still raised their horns for the band and clapped their hands in approval after each song was played, but as I said maybe the night was too eclectic for a band like Black Anvil.

INSOMNIUM

Then after a quick break, more specifically at around 8:30pm, Finland’s own Melodic Death Metal institution INSOMNIUM hit the stage with a flawless performance, blending songs from all of their previous albums with the stunning creations form their brand new opus Anno 1696. Spearheaded by the iconic vocalist and bassist Niilo Sevänen, the band started their show with five superb songs in a row, those being 1696, White Christ, While We Sleep, Godforsaken and Lilian, embellishing the airwaves and putting the entire crowd in a metallic trance and showing how strong their newest album is. Insomnium have always been one of the pillars of Nordic Melodic Death Metal since their inception back in 1997, always releasing amazing albums, but it feels like they’ve perfect their sound even more with Anno 1696, and the reactions of the fans in Toronto to their new songs was the ultimate proof of that.

One thing I must say about Insomnium, in special when talking about their live performances, is how awesome their guitars are nowadays with Markus Vanhala (the heart and soul of another Finnish Melodic Death Metal beast, the excellent Omnium Gatherum) and Jani Liimatainen, who’s in a much better position these days compared to his time with Sonata Arctica or Altaria, sounding sharp, crisp and extremely melodious for the absolute delight of all fans who were at The Opera House. I have no idea why their third guitarist Ville Friman missed the show, and I’m sure it would have been even more amazing if he had played as well, but Markus and Jani nailed it from start to finish even without their bandmate. Another new song that sounded thrilling live was The Witch Hunter, again proving their latest release is a beast of an album, and closing their performance with the not-so-old song Heart Like a Grave was one more attestation those Finnish metallers are always moving forward in their career. It was my first time seeing Insomnium live despite being a fan of the band for a long time, and I’ll make sure I don’t miss any of their future shows in Toronto from now on after such pleasant night in the city.

Setlist
1696
White Christ
While We Sleep
Godforsaken
Lilian
And Bells They Toll
The Witch Hunter
Valediction
Mortal Share
Heart Like a Grave

Band members
Niilo Sevänen – lead vocals, bass
Markus Vanhala – guitars
Jani Liimatainen – guitars, clean vocals
Markus Hirvonen – drums

ENSLAVED

It was a little past 10pm when the main attraction of the night, Norway’s Progressive Black/Viking Metal horde ENSLAVED, took the city of Toronto by storm led by their charismatic vocalist and bassist Grutle Kjellson, putting a huge smile on the faces of everyone at The Opera House, and inspiring part of the crowd to head into the battlefield (aka mosh pits) for the delight of the band. The start of their performance with the songs Jettegryta and Homebound, from their 2020 album Utgard, plus the fact they played Kingdom, Forest Dweller and Heimdal, from their 2023 album Heimdal, therefore making for half of their setlist, also shows that Enslanved, just like Insomnium, are forward-thinking musicians who respect their past but are not trapped in it, and their diehard fans more than love that based on their reaction to their entire performance.

Enslaved were also one man down, as their guitarist Ivar Bjørnson was absent from the concert in Toronto (and from their entire North American tour “due to immediate family issues that needed to be taken care of” as per a statement from the band on their official Facebook page), but Grutle made sure Ivar received some positive vibes from us Torontonians who screamed his name when prompted by the band. Furthermore, their other guitarist Arve Isdal was on fire, shredding his guitar nonstop and filling all empty spaces left by Ivar, in special in the amazing tune Return to Yggdrasil. Add to that the intense, multi-layered background sounds by Håkon Vinje and Iver Sandøy, and there you have the perfect recipe for a fulminating Norwegian attack. When they closed the night with Allfǫðr Oðinn, everyone at The Opera House was beyond happy and mesmerized, and I’m sure that will inspired Enslaved to return to the city sooner than we can say any of the names of their songs in Norwegian. Ad of course, thanks a lot to Noel Peters from Inertia Entertainment for putting together such enjoyable night of first-class metal music, and thanks once again to my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography for the amazing shots! SKÅL!

Setlist
Jettegryta
Homebound
Return to Yggdrasil
Kingdom
Forest Dweller
The Dead Stare
Isa
Havenless
Heimdal
Allfǫðr Oðinn

Band members
Grutle Kjellson – vocals, bass
Arve Isdal – lead guitars
Håkon Vinje – keyboards, clean vocals
Iver Sandøy – drums, clean vocals

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