Tag Archives: technical death metal

Metal Chick of the Month – Luciana Catananti

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Demons from the war now lives… Rain down explosions upon us… Terror in the air!

As we’re heading to the end of another hot and humid summer, let’s keep the temperatures as warm as possible with our metal lady of this month of September, and you better be prepared as she will breathe fire into your damned soul with her scorching guttural. She’s the unrelenting frontwoman for an amazing Italian Technical Death Metal band named Mechanical God Creation, and since mid-2024 she has also become a vocalist for a ruthless Italian Black Metal band named Stormcrow. As you can see, she takes no prisoners in her quest for extreme music, and I’m sure you’ll have an absolute blast listening to the amazing music crafted by her bands. Her name is Luciana Catananti, a talented she-wolf that will kick your ass mercilessly, keeping the fires of Death and Black Metal burning brighter than a thousand suns in her beautiful homeland.

Born on May 2, 1985 in Bergamo, an Italian city northeast of Milan, in the Lombardy region, Luciana was part of a band named Art of Mutilation when she lived in the UK, and also a member of a band called The Anger back then, but there isn’t much information about The Anger anywhere. Well, at least we know that Art of Mutilation was a Melodic Death/Thrash Metal band based in Birkenhead, England in its early days, then moving to Wrexham, Wales, and the band lasted between 2002 and 2011 before splitting up. Luciana was only part of the band in the year of 2005, having recorded with them the demo Mortality that same year. The demo had only three songs, those being Eviscerated, Blackened Sculpture, and Cabal, and as you can see by the only two songs available on YouTube, Luciana and the boys were a really promising band (which unfortunately is no more), and her vocals were already ruthless.

It was then in 2006 in the charming Italian city of Milan when Luciana founded Mechanical God Creation alongside guitarist Simo, and quickly adding bassist Andrea “Veon” Marini, guitarist Andrea “Runza” Galdi, and drummer Mattia Jay “Jambra” Giambini to their lineup; however, as all four already left the band after a few years, she remains as the only member of the original lineup. Their music also morphed from Melodic Death Metal the likes of Arch Enemy in their early days, hence the name of the band (taken from their 2005 masterpiece Doomsday Machine), to a more visceral, brutal and infernal form of Technical Death Metal, even adding hints of modern-day Death Metal and Progressive Death Metal to their core sound, as you can se in the evolution of their music from their 2007 demo …and the Battle Becomes War, to their 2010 debut Cell XIII, followed by their 2013 sophomore Artifact of Annihilation, and finally their 2019 album The New Chapter, all available for streaming in most streaming services like BandCamp, YouTube and Spotify, except for their demo, and you can also enjoy a lot of official videos like Terror In The Air and I Am The Godless Man, and lots of cool live footage including Walking Dead live in Russia in 2014, on their official YouTube channel.

Although Mechanical God Creation haven’t released any new material since 2019, we can also enjoy our dauntless growler as the new frontwoman for an Italian Black Metal band named Stormcrow since July 2024, under the moniker Vexa (maybe taken from a half-troll from Dungeons & Dragons, who knows). Playing what they like to label as “Alpine Black Metal”, the band currently formed of our beloved Luciana, or if you prefer, Vexa on vocals alongside Vastis also on vocals, Astaroth and Tohrus on the guitars, Zedar on bass, and Wraith on drums has been making a name for themselves since 1997, having already released the demo Hell on Earth (2000), the EP Wounded Skies (2004), and the full-length albums Disposition to Tyranny (2012), Face the Giant (2019), and more recently Path to Ascension (2024), all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Furthermore, although Luciana has only been playing live with the band for now, with no participation in any of the band’s albums, not only you should still listen to all of their discography as their music is awesome, but it will also give you a very good taste of what Luciana has to offer when hitting the stages together with her new horde (and stay tuned as their 2026 European dates are coming soon).

Apart from Mechanical God Creation, Stormcrow, The Anger, and Art of Mutilation, you can also find Luciana as a guest vocalist for the song Urban Massacre, from the 2019 album 1996, by an Italian Death Metal/Grindcore band named Abbinormal. It’s a one-minute song, which might be very short for us metalheads eager for more of Luciana’s vocals, but enough already to show how violent she can sound. She has also recently contributed with her powerful vocals to a track titled Portals, on the new album by legendary Dutch Death Metal band Pestilence that should see the light of day sometime still in 2025 (or maybe only in 2026). In addition, you can also find on YouTube a cover version for Lamb of God’s Walk With Me In Hell by Luciana alongside Italian guitarist and bassist Francesca Mancini, of bands like Chaos Rising, Necrosy, and Sudden Death, and let me tell you that such an incredible female duo kicked some serious ass with their rendition of one of the best songs by Randy Blythe and his crew.

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Highly influenced by bands the likes of Morbid Angel, Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse and Deicide, just to name a few, Luciana enjoys writing caustic, harsh lyrics that reflect the daily reality and the problems we all face in the time we’re living that is so full of very important and sudden changes from the cultural, political and technological point of view. Moreover, apart from heavy music, Luciana also enjoys listening to bands and artists like David Bowie, Adele, Coldplay, and Amy Winehouse, showing her eclectic music taste, and when asked which was her first ever live concert and the very first album she bought, she mentioned the always controversial Marilyn Manson (saying it was a great show and that he is a good frontman, but also pointing out she doesn’t listen to him anymore), and probably a Metallica album as far as she remembers.

Having already played at some of the biggest festivals in Europe with heavy music giants including Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Megadeth, Graveworm, Meshuggah, and Amon Amarth,  just to name a few, Luciana also mentioned in one of her interviews that she really enjoys a festival in Slovenia named Metalcamp, saying that although it’s not as big as Wacken Open Air, it’s a very nice festival in the midst of nature. I really wish both Mechanical God Creation and Stormcrow would cross the pond and come play a few shows in Canada and in the United States, but I understand it’s not easy nowadays to tour the world due to the high touring costs. Well, maybe I can catch them at an European festival next year, right?

Despite being a proud Italian, while at the same time of course having her own constructive feedback about the current political and social landscapes in her homeland, Luciana is not very involved with the Italian underground scene. She mentioned in one of her interviews that she obviously knows bands like Fleshgod Apocalypse are proudly carrying the Italian flag everywhere they go, and she feels very happy for them despite not being a true fan of their music.

Currently working in the A&R (Artists and Repertoire) department of WormHoleDeath and Epictronic, Luciana mentioned in an interview that one of her biggest mistakes in music was having stopped to play the piano after years playing it, as it certainly helped her to feel calm. However, if you think she enjoys movies that would also make her calm down and relax, you’ve got another thing coming as her favorite flicks are horror movies with zombies or exorcisms, with her favorite one being the classic Dawn of the Dead. Maybe one day we’ll see Luciana joining the cast of a horror movie, playing some sort of she-demon, screaming at our faces, and sending shivers down the spines of the lighthearted. Because she’s a true extreme music diva, and she will show no mercy for your soul armed with her phenomenal vocals and badass attitude.

Luciana Catananti’s Official Facebook page
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Mechanical God Creation’s Official Facebook page
Mechanical God Creation’s Official Instagram
Mechanical God Creation’s Official YouTube channel
Stormcrow’s Official Facebook page
Stormcrow’s Official Instagram
Stormcrow’s Official YouTube channel

Album Review – Cytolysis / Surge Of Cruelty (2025)

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This one-man Technical and Brutal Death Metal machine is back with its ruthless sophomore opus, constructed from eleven sonic acts of torture.

Born in Naugatuck, Connecticut, but currently based in Boston, Massachusetts, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Darren Cesca, the demented drummer with Goratory, Eschaton and previously Deeds Of Flesh, has returned with Surge Of Cruelty, the second album from his unconscionably brutal solo project, Cytolysis, following up on his 2020 debut Portraits of Malevolence. Mixed and mastered by Darren Cesca himself, adorned in the hypnotically horrifying artwork of Vladimir Cebakov (Six Feet Under, 1914, DeadHead), and featuring brutal guest vocal performances from Mac Smith (Eschaton), Brian Forgue (Syphilic), Adam Mason (Goratory) and Flo Butcher (Tortured), Surge Of Cruelty is constructed from eleven sonic acts of torture, where twisted technicality and methodical precision collide with frenzied explosions of fury and unnerving alien atmospheres, offering exactly what we’re always looking for in high-quality Technical and Brutal Death Metal in the vein of Cannibal Corpse, Deeds Of Flesh, In Asymmetry, and Incinerate.

Darren wastes no time and ignite his demented metal attack in the form of Your Slow Demise, where his infernal gnarling matches perfectly with his killer blast beats; and featuring guest vocals by Mac Smith, Devout Sacrifice is a beyond demented creation where the sound of his riffs is truly piercing and austere, resulting in a lecture in violence and gore. Then in the title-track Surge of Cruelty our dauntless Darren keeps barking like a demented creature while also firing some of his most intricate and visceral riffage, and get ready to headbang until your neck breaks in half to the sound of Consenting Brood, with Darren’s metallic bass and pounding drums boosting his visceral growls in great fashion. After such an insane tune, guest Brian Forgue lends his demented gnarls to A Blood-Soaked Offering, leaning towards the most gruesome form of Brutal Death Metal.

The Stygian, atmospheric interlude Ritual Carnage will darken the skies before Darren comes ripping once again with Tribal Savagery, where his deep pig-like screeches will disturb your frail mind while he keeps blasting his drums in the name of extreme music. Then featuring guest vocals by Adam Mason, Tortured Flesh brings forward more of the inhumane fusion of Brutal Death Metal and classic Deathcore by Cytolysis, spiced up by some nicely inserted cryptic nuances; and of course with a guy like Flo Butcher as a guest vocalist the final result was going to be demolishing to say the least in Mark of the Demons, offering those downtempo breaks perfect for some brutal slamming. Darren doesn’t sound human with his deep guttural and unstoppable beats and fills in Innocence is Raped, offering an avalanche of first-class Brutal Death Metal, whereas the last song of the album, titled Hung from the Rafters, is just as insane and demented, with Darren hammering his guitars and bass until the very end.

Not only a seasoned musician who has already played with tons of amazing underground bands the likes of Eschaton, Goratory, Pillory, Serpent of Gnosis, Vile, In Asymmetry, Virulence, Hideous Deformity, Arsis, Blasphemer, Deeds of Flesh, Incinerate , Burn in Silence, Strappado, and Embers from Cremation, Darren has also studied Performance: Percussion at Berklee College of Music, and appeared as a guest drummer in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops II, just to give you an idea of how talented he is, and how he crafted Surge of Cruelty to sound as catchy as razor wire through flesh, offering a blend of Technical and Brutal Death Metal of the highest order. You can find more information about him on Facebook, and put your dirty hands on Surge Of Cruelty via Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore, supporting such an amazing underground musician in his quest for extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Devout Sacrifice, A Blood-Soaked Offering and Innocence is Raped.

Worst moments of the album: Ritual Carnage.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Your Slow Demise 4:29
2. Devout Sacrifice 4:29
3. Surge of Cruelty 4:32
4. Consenting Brood 3:19
5. A Blood-Soaked Offering 3:41
6. Ritual Carnage (Instrumental) 1:34
7. Tribal Savagery 3:40
8. Tortured Flesh 4:58
9. Mark of the Demons 5:07
10. Innocence is Raped 3:48
11. Hung from the Rafters 4:03

Band members
Darren Cesca – vocals, all instruments

Guest musician
Mac Smith – vocals on “Devout Sacrifice”
Brian Forgue – vocals on “A Blood-Soaked Offering”
Adam Mason – vocals on “Tortured Flesh”
Flo Butcher – vocals on “Mark of the Demons”

Concert Review – Rivers Of Nihil (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 06/22/2025)

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A scorching night of sheer progressiveness and aggressiveness in Toronto, courtesy of some of the must-see names of the current American rock and metal scene.

OPENING ACTS: Glacial Tomb, Inter Arma and Holy Fawn

This Sunday night in Toronto was one of those days that felt like you were at an open air sauna, and GLACIAL TOMB, INTER ARMA, HOLY FAWN and RIVERS OF NIHIL made sure Lee’s Palace got even hotter and more humid during their The Aggressive Progressive Tour 2025, their last stop of the tour, and another excellent event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi coundn’t be there, unfortunately, but not only I was there inside the rock and metal sauna called Lee’s Palace to cover such a great night of heavy music, but I was also lucky enough to get some wild shots from our brother Ryan Miles Leblanc to add to this review. Furthermore, if you take into account almost every single band on this planet is playing at all of those awesome European summer festivals (just check the lineup for Graspop Metal Meeting this year, for example), it’s actually a miracle Toronto got this show during what’s in my humble opinion one of the biggest “metal concert draughts” in the history of the city. In all seriousness, I’m starting to get worried about the future of heavy music in Toronto, as we’re getting less and less concerts, and even being left out of tours scheduled for multiple Canadian location, but Toronto.

Done with the rant about the lack of metal concerts in Toronto. Let’s get back to the show, and what an amazing show by Denver, Colorado’s own Sludge/Death/Black Metal beast GLACIAL TOMB, kicking ass hard in the ass with their heavier-than-hell sounds. Having released the excellent Lightless Expanse last year, available on both BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Ben Hutcherson, Kevin Berstler, David Small and Joey Spates took no prisoners in their quest for heaviness and obscurity, crushing our damned souls with violent yet melodic and grim songs like Abyssal Host and Stygian Abattoir. Those guys were by far one of the most solid opening bands I’ve ever seen live, raising the bar high for the upcoming attractions of the night, and if you’ve never seen Glacial Tomb live or if you’ve never heard anything from them, I highly recommend you go check their discography and keep an eye on their tour dates, because they’re definitely a must-see band of the current underground scene.

Setlist
Abyssal Host
Voidwomb
Stygian Abattoir
Wound of Existence
The Lightless Expanse
Enshrined in Concrete

Band members
Ben Hutcherson – vocals, guitars
Kevin Berstler – guitars
David Small – bass
Joey Spates – drums

After a short and necessary break, where everyone took the time to cool off with some beer and water (and one of the concert goers even said the air outdoor felt like “butternut squash soup,” just to give you an idea of how hot and humid it was), it was time for Richmond, Virginia-based Sludge/Black/Death/Post-Metal outfit INTER ARMA (and hell yeah, I love their name!) to bring sheer doom to the venue with their noisy and apocalyptic performance. Their ruthless setlist was comprised basically of songs from their latest album New Heaven, released in 2024 (also available on BandCamp and on Spotify), those being New Heaven, Violet Seizures, and Concrete Cliffs, and oh boy, those songs sounded heavier than a thousand thunders. Frontman Mike Paparo was on fire throughout their entire concert, as well as a tiny bit drunk (which was actually fun), supported by the unrelenting guitarists Steven “Dirt” Russell and Trey Dalton, and just like I said for Glacial Tomb, if you know nothing about Inter Arma simply go after their discography because those guys play amazing metal music.

Setlist
New Heaven
Citadel
Violet Seizures
Concrete Cliffs
An Archer in the Emptiness

Band members
Mike Paparo – vocals
Steven “Dirt” Russell – guitars
Trey Dalton – guitars
Joel Moore – bass
Alex Tomlin – drums

The venue got really packed (and consequently even hotter) when Phoenix, Arizona’s cult Post-Black Metal/Rock act HOLY FAWN took the stage for the total delight of their fans, blasting a dark and gripping setlist including songs from all of their albums, like their 2022 opus Dimensional Bleed, plus their brand new single Beneath a Lightless Star, all available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Literally everyone at Lee’s Palace was having an absolute blast with those American rockers, getting louder and louder as they kept delivering total heaviness armed with their sonic weapons. It was indeed a phenomenal concert by Holy Fawn, proving why they’ve become legends in the underground scene, and even the guys from Rivers of Nihil were enjoying their show a lot from backstage. I guess it won’t take long for the band to return to Toronto, maybe as the headliners next time, and I’m beyond certain it will be a sold out event.

Setlist
Candy
Dark Stone
Blood Pact
Beneath a Lightless Star
New song (SVR)
Void of Light
Seer

Band members
Ryan Osterman – vocals, guitar
Evan Phelps – guitar
Alexander Rieth – bass
Austin Reinholz – drums

RIVERS OF NIHIL

It wasn’t even 9:30pm, which is amazing as that usually means we can all enjoy the show to the fullest without worrying about the time and go home earlier than expected, when the main attraction of the night, Reading, Pennsylvania’s unstoppable Progressive/Technical Death Metal masters RIVERS OF NIHIL took the stage by storm with a brilliant performance, igniting a beautiful “hurricane” on the floor section. Currently promoting their 2025 self-titled new album, which you can enjoy in full on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band formed of Adam Biggs, Brody Uttley, Andy Thomas and Jared Klei, with the support of the awesome saxophonist Patrick Corona (of the excellent Progressive Metalcore band Cyborg Octopus), delivered a powerful, captivating, heavy-as-hell and extremely dynamic show, with songs like The Silent Life, American Death and Water & Time sounding even better live than in the studio, which is always a delight for me, by the way. The band was tight, there was zero room for error, and the reaction of their fans to each song played was a thing of beauty. We even got a wall of death to the sound of Patrick’s saxophone. Thank you, Rivers of Nihil, for bringing some quality heavy music to the city during this boring period of musical draught, and whenever you guys decide to pay the city of Toronto a visit again, rest assured we’ll all be here waiting for you.

Setlist
The Sub‐Orbital Blues
The Silent Life
American Death
A Home
The Void From Which No Sound Escapes
Water & Time
House of Light
Death Is Real
Episode
Where Owls Know My Name

Encore:
Clean

Band members
Adam Biggs – vocals, bass
Brody Uttley – guitars
Andy Thomas – guitars, backing vocals
Jared Klein – drums, backing vocals
Patrick Corona – saxophone

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Album Review – Wrath of Belial / Embers of Dead Empires (2025)

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Danish Death Metal juggernauts return with fire and fury on their sophomore full-length opus, casting a harsh light on human cruelty and societal decay.

Pulling inspiration from Death Metal legends the likes of Aborted, Suffocation, Cannibal Corpse, and even the progressive might of Mastodon, Aarhus, Denmark-based Death Metal juggernaut Wrath of Belial returns with fire and fury on their sophomore full-length opus, entitled Embers of Dead Empires, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2017 debut Bloodstained Rebellion. Mixed and mastered by Mendel bij de Leij (Aborted, Severe Torture, Cytotoxin), with drums recorded under the skilled engineering of Jacob Bredahl at Dead Rat Studios, and featuring a brutally futuristic artwork by world renowned illustrator Daemorph, the new album by Kasper B. Hornstrup on vocals, Jonas L. Thomsen on the guitars, and Anders F.S. Mikkelsen on bass, with support from session musicians Alex Bossen (of OXX) on lead guitars, and Bastian Thusgaard (of Soilwork, Dawn of Demise, and The Arcane Order) on drums, while the live lineup now includes Richardt Olsen on the guitars and Bent Bisballe Nyeng on drums, is a savage, refined, and punishingly tight release that casts a harsh light on human cruelty and societal decay, featuring ten meticulously crafted tracks of  Brutal and Melodic Death Metal packed with razor-sharp riffs, breakneck drumming, and searing vocals.

Dismantling Logos is absolutely insane from the very first second, with guest drummer Robin Stone (of Ashen Horde and Norse) crushing his drums manically while Kasper roars like a demonic entity. In other words, the album couldn’t have started in a more ferocious and exciting way; and Alex and Jonas shred their axes without a single drop of mercy in Mask of Commiseration, offering more of the band’s demented blend of Brutal and Technical Death Metal, followed by The Secular and the Divine, a lecture in Technical Death Metal with the infuriated growls by Kasper walking hand in hand with the inhumane beats and fills by Bastian. The stringed weapons by Alex, Jonas and Anders keep breathing fire and violence in Embers, showcasing the band’s trademark fusion of intricacy and darkness, whereas the metallic, rumbling bass by Anders adds tons of groove to their sound in Visions of the Annointed, being more than perfect for some hard hitting action inside the circle pit.

Bastian shows no mercy for our damned necks an bodies in Atonement, hammering his drums nonstop in the name of classic Death Metal, therefore keeping the album at a humongous level of animosity; followed by The Devouring Mother, one of the heaviest, most infernal of all songs, led by the brutal guttural by Kasper while the band’s guitarists shred their instruments in the name of sheer aggression. There’s absolutely no time to breath to the sound of The Marble and the Sculptor, a no shenanigans, in-your-face Death Metal attack by Wrath of Belial that should work majestically if played live; and the band then sounds even more infuriated in The Stench, a visceral lesson in extreme music where Bastian steals the spotlight with his ruthless and precise drumming. Lastly, the band’s final attack, titled Weight of the Transcendent, offers more of Kasper’s demented screeches while Alex and Jonas keep firing their trademark hellish riffage nonstop.

Fans of bands such as The Black Dahlia Murder, Aborted, and high-speed Death Metal with a razor-sharp melodic edge will have a great time listening to Embers of Dead Empires, which in the end is more than just a record, but a sharpened spear aimed at the heart of apathy and decay. Hence, as Wrath of Belial ignite the underground once again, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream their music on any platform such as Spotify, get more details about the band from CDN Records or by clicking HERE, and of course grab your copy of their ruthless new album from the CDN Records webstore. Danish Death Metal has never sounded stronger than now with Wrath of Belial, and if you think you have what it takes to face Embers of Dead Empires, I’m sure you won’t regret getting pulverized by the music found in the band’s newborn beast.

Best moments of the album: Dismantling Logos, The Secular and the Divine, The Devouring Mother and The Stench.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 CDN Records

Track listing
1. Dismantling Logos 4:49
2. Mask of Commiseration 4:23
3. The Secular and the Divine 3:49
4. Embers 5:19
5. Visions of the Annointed 4:05
6. Atonement 4:14
7. The Devouring Mother 4:07
8. The Marble and the Sculptor 3:30
9. The Stench 4:11
10. Weight of the Transcendent 4:42

Band members
Kasper B. Hornstrup – vocals
Jonas L. Thomsen – guitars
Anders F.S. Mikkelsen – bass

Guest musicians
Alex Bossen – lead guitars (session)
Bastian Thusgaard – drums (session)
Robin Stone – drums on “Dismantling Logos”
Richardt Olsen – guitars (live)
Bent Bisballe Nyeng – drums (live)

Metal Chick of the Month – Veronica Bordacchini

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Catching the light with every stroke… Bringing to life the soul trapped in stone… Carving your name into eternity!

After witnessing her latest breathtaking live performance in Toronto last month, let’s say that the our metal lady of this month of June on The Headbanging Moose climbed up to the top of the list in terms of priority. She was simply fantastic onstage together with her also amazing band, hypnotizing every single person at the venue with her undeniable talent, incredible voice, and stunning looks. A dramatic soprano better known as the Opera singer of Italian Symphonic Death Metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse, she can sing pretty much any type of music, from Opera to Heavy Metal, from modern rock music to pop, and so on, and whenever she has some free time from music she’s also a PC gamer geek. I’m talking about the beyond talented Veronica Bordacchini, and I’m sure after knowing more about her life and career you’ll definitely get addicted to her beautiful vocals and music.

Born on July 9, 1988 in Todi, a town and “comune” (or municipality) of the province of Perugia, in the region of Umbria in central Italy, Veronica was a fan of games like hide-and-seek and playing cards during her childhood. “I was lucky enough to have been born in a country area, just a few kilometres from the historic centre of my little town, Todi, in the province of Perugia. I grew up in this building with five families. All five families had at least one child my age, so we went to kindergarten, elementary, and middle school together. From the first to the last day of summer vacation always under the house playing hide-and-seek and then cards because I’m old at heart. I was already playing cards when I was 12 years old, it’s wonderful. I still enjoy it. So ‘briscola’ (a typical Italian game cards) with friends of the same age was another game,” she mentioned in one of her interviews.

Speaking about her career with Italian cult metallers Fleshgod Apocalypse, the band had already been active for a few years before she joined them first as a guest musician, and then as a permanent member of the band. Fleshgod Apocalypse were formed back in April 2007 by Francesco Paoli, formerly frontman of the band Hour of Penance, releasing their debut opus Oracles in 2008, and a few years later, more specifically in 2011, it was when Veronica started singing with the band both in the studio as a guest vocalist in a few songs per album, as well as a touring musician, always as a soprano. Her first songs with the band were Temptation and The Egoism, both from their 2011 album Agony, followed by Kingborn, Towards the Sun, Warpledge and Epilogue, from their 2013 album Labyrinth; Cold as Perfection, Paramour (Die Leidenschaft bringt Leiden) and Syphilis, from their 2016 album King; and finally doing all soprano vocals in their 2019 album Veleno, still as a guest musician, like in the songs Sugar and Carnivorous Lamb.

It was back in 2020 when Veronica became a permanent member of the band, doing both soprano and clean vocals in a few singles, those being The Day We’ll Be Gone, No, Blue (Turns To Red), and Pendulum, before recording with them in 2024 the superb full-length opus Opera, definitely marking another step forward for the band, incorporating new suggestions into that unique blend they’re renowned for, such as sheer violence, majestic orchestrations, and soaring melodies. Not only that, the cover art portrays Veronica as Music, a superior entity that defeats the social and artistic decay of modern age, and the music found in the album is simply stunning as you can enjoy in songs like Morphine Waltz, I Can Never Die, and Bloodclock. All of their creations with (and without) Veronica are available on Spotify, as well as all of their official videos can be found on YouTube. Currently formed of Francesco Paoli on lead vocals, rhythm guitar and bass, Francesco Ferrini on the piano, string arrangements and orchestral effects, our diva Veronica Bordacchini on operatic and clean vocals, Fabio Bartoletti on lead and rhythm guitars, and Eugene Ryabchenko on drums, Fleshgod Apocalypse are reaching new heights with Opera, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for the band in the world of music.

Veronica is (or was) also the vocalist for a Perugia, Italy-based Symphonic/Gothic Metal band named In Tenebra, which doesn’t have anything released after their 2009 demo Introspection, a 2012 two-song promo, and a 2014 five-song promo including the two tracks from their 2012 promo, one from their debut demo, and two new songs. The songs from Introspection are available on YouTube, which means you can enjoy some pre-Fleshgod Apocalype Veronica in the songs Against Myself, The Promise, and My Perfect Evil, but that’s it. She was also part of a Gothic/Industrial Metal duo named Wisteria over ten years ago under the moniker ValchiReA, alongside multi-instrumentalist Stefano Urbani (aka AtoragoN), not only recording the vocals for their 2010 demo Mechanical Phoenix and their 2014 album Under an 8-Bit Moon, but also taking care of the layout for the 2014 release. You can enjoy some of the coolest songs of their 2014 album on Youtube, those being R’Lyeh (The Call of the Cthulhu), Cenobite (Hellraiser), and their cover version for Eleanor Rigby, by The Beatles.

She can also be found as a guest vocalist in a variety of songs and albums from bands from different styles, those being the song What She Creates, She Will Destroy, from the 2021 EP The Holocene Termination, by Indian Death/Black/Thrash Metal machine Demonstealer; all female vocals in the 2022 album Decade of Silence, by Finnish Symphonic Death/Doom Metal band Depressed Mode; the song The Great Tribulation, from the 2022 EP The Alchemy Project, by Dutch Symphonic Metal masters Epica; the song Tartarus Rising, from the 2025 album Tomb of the Tormentor, by International Symphonic Deathcore act Hate Within; and the song Holographic Webs We Weave, from the 2019 album Lamentations: Of Deceit & Redemption, by Australian Technical Black/Death Metal band In the Burial. Let’s say it was more than obvious that we would see Veronica contributing to countless bands, because you know, her vocals are simply perfect for any type of music.

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In some of her interviews, Veronica discussed her life on the road, not only talking about how demanding touring can be, but also about some of her favorite places to play, as well as the weirdest ones. When asked about the weirdest venue she’s ever played at, her answer was a boat named Petit Bain in Paris. “Because it’s a very small boat, even though it’s a full-fledged venue inside. But when the audience does the wall of death, circle pit, or moshpit, the boat moves, and you’re there saying, ‘Oh my God.’ But on the other side, the 70,000 Tons of Metal was twice the best experience of my life, just because of the concept,” commented Veronica, who also prefer long tours with 30 or more shows in a row than smaller ones. “You come back home after three days, then you have to leave for other 3 days, then again you go home, then you leave again and so on. Usually you feel good when you have to face really long tours, even with a hostile weather, even if I have to say that the first week is always a bit tougher, then you go with the flow and you get used to it.”

She also mentioned that although it might be a bit harder for women to be part of a metal band, once you’re in you end up getting all the necessary support from the rest of the band, as well as from fans and even other musicians. “I consider myself lucky because those guys with whom I share so much of my life are brothers,” she said, mentioning all the support she’s been receiving from Francesco from day one. In addition, she also commented about the confidence she now has thanks to the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of Cannibal Corpse, who went to see Fleshgod Apocalypse once in Berlin. He hugged her after the show and said “this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen,” and Veronica replied “I have like all your records, I’ve been a fan of yours since I was a little girl,” because she said she grew up listening to Grindcore and Deathcore. Then she told him she was afraid of his judgment, to which he replied “are you kidding? I mean, it’s well done, it’s beautiful. You’re beautiful and good.”

Veronica also loves to play in the United States and Canada, saying the band has even gotten bigger in those countries than in her homeland Italy, because in her opinion the North American fans are always willing to drive longer distances to see concerts, and buy a lot more merchandise during those concerts. “I still remember when I was the merch chick for Fleshgod Apocalypse. I remember a guy who came to get a copy of the album and he told me that he already had a copy at home, he had also t-shirts and he told me that he wanted to buy even more because he wanted to give us his complete support.” The band has already headlined a few tours across the United States and Canada, all very successful with lots of sold out concerts, which proves Veronica is not wrong at all when she praises her North American fans.

As a very active person in different social media platforms, Veronica believes the internet has done more good than bad to most bands and music in general. She said in one of her interviews that the internet allowed people from the most remote corners of the earth to get to know bands from all across the globe, as well as several kids started playing instruments because of online tutorials and lessons, also mentioning that, on the other hand, the human contact between teacher and student might have been lost a little bit. The internet also played a nice part in the life of Veronica back in January 2023, as she was taken by surprise when her partner asked her to marry him onstage during one of their shows in Madrid, Spain. Her then boyfriend, Alessandro Salari, came out from behind the stage holding the ring box behind his back, approached her, showed her the box and knelt down, and of course she nodded “yes,” and the couple hugged as the crowd cheered wildly. The internet played a huge part in it as she was able to share such a special moment in her life with the entire world via her official Instagram account. “I know this might sound cheesy, but words can’t describe my feelings at all right now. The sacrifices this guy made just to get to Madrid and propose in front of the whole venue are remarkable. I can’t be happier to share my everything with the best person I’ve ever met in my whole life. I know you’ll make me the happiest wife ever and I promise I’ll try to do the same for you. I love you.” Not sure if it was the adrenaline and happiness that took her entire body and soul at that moment, but after that her vocals got even more powerful, touching and emotional both in the studio and on stage. Is it the power of love, of the power of metal? I would say both, and may she continue her incredible path in heavy music for many decades to come, always hypnotizing us all with her undeniable talent and charisma.

Veronica Bordacchini’s Official Facebook page
Veronica Bordacchini’s Official Instagram
Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Official YouTube channel
Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Official Facebook page
Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Official Instagram
Fleshgod Apocalypse’s Official YouTube channel

Album Review – Eschaton / Techtalitarian (2025)

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This Technical Death Metal and Deathcore juggernaut returns after a gap of six years with a reinvigorated, star-studded lineup, offering us all their breathtaking, intricate and demented third studio album.

Formed in 2006 and based in both Naugatuck, Connecticut and Lowell, Massachusetts, Technical Death Metal/Deathcore juggernaut Eschaton returns after a gap of six years with a reinvigorated, star-studded lineup that undoubtedly elevates their sound to hitherto unexplored heights, exploding our senses with their third full-length offering, entitled Techtalitarian. Displaying an Aliens-inspired artwork by Dave Melvin, the new beast by vocalist Mac Smith (Apogean, Abyssalis, Hammer of Dawn), guitarists Christian Muenzner (Retromorphosis, Eternity’s End, Necrophagist, Obscura, Alkaloid) and Josh Berry (the band’s founder), bassist Scott Bradley (Inanimate Existence), and drummer Darren Cesca (Goratory, Serpents of Gnosis, Pillory, Deeds of Flesh, Arsis) is the perfect follow-up to their 2019 album Death Obsession, standing on its own without having to be necessarily pitted against any of the aforementioned bands’ past efforts.

Their futuristic Death Metal attack begins with Inferior Superior, with Darren simply demolishing everything and everyone that dares to cross his path while Mac fires inhumane roars for our total delight, and the sick shredding by Christian and Josh set the tone in Devour the Contrarian, another bestial tune overflowing heaviness and insanity. Then their violent sounds will hammer our heads mercilessly in Blood of the People, where they showcase all their dexterity while also staying loyal to the foundations of the most ruthless form of Death Metal, whereas more demented riffs, solos, blast beats and demonic vociferations are offered to our avid ears in Hellfire’s Woe, perfect for some wicked headbanging, with Scott’s bass lines sounding utterly metallic. And The Bellicose Duality sounds even more infuriated and insane than its predecessors, with the entire band melting our faces with their undisputed Technical Death Metal sounds.

The album continues on a high and visceral note with Econocracy, with Darren once again demolishing his drums with tons of rage and dexterity while Mac barks and growls like a rabid beast nonstop; and in Antimatter the rabid Mac vociferates the song’s wicked lyrics manically (“Bleeding from inanimate spiracles / Metonymy of our existence / Our roaming stative / Repelling forces within all existence”) amidst a hurricane of aggressive yet complex Death Metal. Techtalitarian, the song that carries the name of the album, perfectly summarizes Eschaton’s current sound, a striking combination of violence with the most technical form of extreme music you can imagine. Darren also dictates the pace in The Sufferer’s Dichotomy, while Christian and Josh extract sheer insanity from their axes; followed by the closing tune Castle Strnad, which might be their homage to Trevor Strnad of The Black Dahlia Murder, who sadly passed away on May 11, 2022. Not sure if that’s the case, but even if it’s not, this is another neck-breaking, unrelenting display of first-class Death Metal by the band.

You can put your tech death hands on Techtalitarian by purchasing a copy of it from their own BandCamp, as well as from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ main store, Bandcamp, Europe store or US store, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to stream more of their demented creations on Spotify or any other streaming service. Eschaton are back into the Death Metal battlefield stronger and sharper than ever, staying loyal to their foundations but of course with the renewed energy brought by the band’s new members turning their heat and aggression up to 11, and if you consider yourself a loyal servant of the extreme music arts, always staying tech, then Techtalitarian is a must-have in your dark and heavy collection.

Best moments of the album: Hellfire’s Woe, The Bellicose Duality and Techtalitarian.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Inferior Superior 4:12
2. Devour the Contrarian 3:46
3. Blood of the People 4:51
4. Hellfire’s Woe 5:04
5. The Bellicose Duality 4:24
6. Econocracy 5:28
7. Antimatter 4:02
8. Techtalitarian 4:00
9. The Sufferer’s Dichotomy 4:20
10. Castle Strnad 5:21

Band members
Mac Smith – vocals
Christian Muenzner – lead guitars
Josh Berry – guitars
Scott Bradley – bass
Darren Cesca – drums

Concert Review – Paradise Lost (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/18/2025)

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One of the pioneers of death and doom returned to Toronto after seven long years with a beyond flawless performance, sounding absolutely heavy, dark and vibrant.

OPENING ACTS: Nepenthe and Gigan

Concerts on a Sunday night are only truly fun when you don’t have to work the next morning, allowing you to enjoy the whole event to the fullest without checking the time every 30 seconds. Well, fortunately for all Torontonian fans of first-class Doom Metal, the iconic PARADISE LOST, with support from NEPENTHE and GIGAN, brought to the always cozy Lee’s Palace their undisputed The Devil Embraced North America 2025 exactly in the middle of the Victoria Day long weekend, meaning we could inhale all heaviness and doom blasted by one of the trailblazers of the style without worrying about the next day. A huge shout-out to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment for not only bringing Paradise Lost to Toronto after almost seven years, but for also fixing the issue with tickets from a few buyers that were showing Helmet instead of Paradise Lost, and another one to Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi for making magic with the photos of the opening bands as the lighting during both was way too red or too green, plus all the smoke, making it almost impossible to see the bands onstage. They looked like shadows only, to be fair.

The lighting might have been horrible for good photos, but the music by Guelph, Ontario-based Blackened Doom Metal outfit NEPENTHE, the first attraction of the night, was beyond amazing. Playing songs from their two EPs, those being Elegies of Loss and Doom (2020) and The Fading Promise of Tomorrow (2024), both available on Spotify (and I highly recommend you go listen to both), like the excellent Dawn, the band spearheaded by the multi-talented Konrad Schroeder, who has the undisputed ability of playing really complex beats and fills while at the same time delivering solid clean vocals and desperate harsh screams, kicked some serious ass onstage for the delight of everyone who was already at the venue. Seriously, those guys were an incredible opening act, and hopefully I’ll get to see them again on the stages of Toronto in the near future, because the reaction of the crowd to their austere, captivating songs was awesome.

Band members
Konrad Schroeder – vocals, drums, percussion
Scott Rice – lead guitars
Steven Rowlands – rhythm guitars
Chris Rowan – bass

After a quick break (which I used to go grab some food outside, as I was starving), it was time for a lot of noise, heaviness and smoke, courtesy of Chicago, Illinois’ own Progressive/Technical Death Metal entity GIGAN, and when I say there was a lot of smoke, believe, it was A LOT of smoke. Having released the beautifully titled album Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus in 2024, which is by the way available in full on Spotify, the band formed of Jerry Kavouriaris, Eric Hersemann, Rajan Davis, and Nathan Cotton turned Lee’s Palace into a cauldron of violence and insanity, blasting heavier-than-hell sounds that would make your head explode if you were not wearing any type of ear protection. The smoke made it almost impossible to see the band members on stage, only their silhouettes, but that didn’t make their performance any less enjoyable. Eric’s riffs were utterly heavy and dissonant, and when you add to that the insane drumming by Nathan and the demented roars by Jerry, you have the perfect recipe for a brutal sonic chaos. In other words, if Gigan ever visit your city with their live concerts, don’t miss the chance of witnessing a tsunami of first-class noise.

Band members
Jerry Kavouriaris – vocals
Eric Hersemann – guitars
Rajan Davis – bass
Nathan Cotton – drums

PARADISE LOST

After the top-notch concerts by Nepenthe and Gigan, the crowd was more than ready for the feast of top-of-the-line Doom Metal by the main attraction of the night, the one and only PARADISE LOST. Although they’re not purely Doom Metal anymore, blending their core music with Death and Gothic Metal, plus a high dosage of Gothic Rock, the band spearheaded by the “voice of doom” Nick Holmes was finally back in Toronto after so many years, not only playing songs from their latest album Obsidian, released in 2020 (available on Spotify, and which fans in Toronto had never had the chance to see live), but from their entire career, including my favorite Paradise Lost songs of all time, Enchantment and The Last Time. These two were flawless, and the reaction of the fans to them was also beautiful to say the least.

Greg Mackintosh and Aaron Aedy were insane armed with their axes, blasting incredible riffs, solos, and headbanging nonstop like if they were part of the crowd. Steve Edmondson and Guido Zima made sure the venue kept trembling during the entire show with their demonic kitchen, and of course, Mr. Nick Holmes was perfect with both his clean and deep guttural vocals. Songs like As I Die, The Devil Embraced, and No Hope in Sight, which showcase the band’s strongest doom vein, simply darkened the atmosphere (in a very good way, of course) for the delight of the band’s most diehard fans. Add to that the absurdly catchy Say Just Words, and a stunning cover version for Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy, and there you have the perfect setlist for a very enjoyable and fun night of heavy music in Toronto. I don’t think it will take another seven years for Paradise Lost to return to the city again, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a holiday or in the middle of the week, or even if it’s Christmas Eve, I’ll be there. Because as the lyrics say in the closing song of the setlist, the excellent Ghosts, “for the ghosts, the ones to break me for Jesus Christ.”

Setlist
Enchantment
Forsaken
Pity the Sadness
Faith Divides Us – Death Unites Us
Eternal
One Second
The Enemy
As I Die
The Devil Embraced
The Last Time
No Hope in Sight
Say Just Words

Encore:
Embers Fire
Smalltown Boy (Bronski Beat cover)
Ghosts

Band members
Nick Holmes – vocals
Greg Mackintosh – lead guitars, keyboards
Aaron Aedy – rhythm guitars
Steve Edmondson – bass
Guido Zima – drums

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Album Review – Unmerciful / Devouring Darkness (2025)

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This Kansas-based Brutal Death Metal beast strikes again with their fourth studio album, delivering ten tracks of unrelenting speed, crushing riffs, and sheer sonic aggression.

Known for their relentless brutality and technically devastating sound, Topeka, Kansas-based Brutal Death Metal creature Unmerciful returns with their fourth full-length opus, titled Devouring Darkness, the follow-up to their 2020 album Wrath Encompassed. Recorded, produced and mixed by Clinton Appelhanz at Waveworks Studio, mastered by Alan Douches, and displaying a visceral artwork by Santiago Francisco Jarramillo, the new album by newcomer Josh Riley on vocals, guitarists/bassists Clinton Appelhanz and Jeremy Turner, and drummer Trynt Kelly delivers ten tracks of unrelenting speed, crushing riffs, and sheer sonic aggression, solidifying their reputation as one of the most punishing acts in modern Death Metal, being therefore recommended for fans of Hate Eternal, Suffocation, and Origin.

Miracle In Fire is a beyond devastating start to the album, kicking us hard in the head with their no shenanigans, devilish sounds led by the guttural gnarls by Josh, and their Brutal Death Metal infused with Technical Death Metal keeps roaring manically in Unnatural Ferocity, with Trynt sounding like a stone crusher from hell on drums. There’s no time to breathe as Unmerciful simply shows no mercy for our necks and bodies in Malice Unbound, spearheaded by a visceral riff attack by Clinton and Jeremy, whereas the title-track Devouring Darkness offers us all a more obscure, doomed side of the band, with Josh barking deeply like a demonic entity. And Relentless Malevolence blasts our faces with two and a half minutes of sheer insanity and ruthless violence, with the crushing beats by Trynt making the earth tremble.

Their cover version for Origin’s Vomit You Out, which original version was part of their 2000 self-titled debut, is a fulminating rendition of such a tech death classic led by the demented growling by Josh; while Infernal Conquering is one of the heaviest, most infernal of all songs, with their scorching riffs and demented beats and fills providing Josh with exactly what he needs to bark like a beast. The Reaping is another explosion of brutality offered by the band, with the demonic growling by Josh and the inhumane drumming by Trynt being perfect for some action inside the mosh pit; and they keep smashing us like putrid insects in Voracious Lunacy, another killer Brutal and Technical Death Metal composition showcasing their passion for extremely heavy riffs. Finally, the album couldn’t have ended in a more ferocious way than with Vengeance Transcending, where their lancinating guitars and blast beats sound absolutely brutal until the very end.

After all is said and done, it’s clear that Unmerciful are definitely cementing their legacy even further with Devouring Darkness, offering more of their signature precision and brutality for the delight of Death Metal fans worldwide, and you can start following this ruthless band on Facebook and on Instagram, as well as stream their music on Spotify and of course purchase a copy of their sanguinary new album from BandCamp or from Willowtip Records. Unmerciful are among us to blast our ears with Brutal Death Metal at its finest, and instead of succumbing to darkness, let’s simply devour it mercilessly to the sound of their infuriated new album.

Best moments of the album: Miracle In Fire, Infernal Conquering and The Reaping.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Willowtip Records

Track listing
1. Miracle In Fire 4:06
2. Unnatural Ferocity 3:33
3. Malice Unbound 3:39
4. Devouring Darkness 5:35
5. Relentless Malevolence 2:40
6. Vomit You Out (Origin cover) 2:51
7. Infernal Conquering 4:12
8. The Reaping 4:15
9. Voracious Lunacy 3:39
10. Vengeance Transcending 3:51

Band members
Josh Riley – vocals
Clinton Appelhanz – guitar, bass
Jeremy Turner – guitar, bass
Trynt Kelly – drums

Album Review – Axiom Chaos / Primacy Arrival (2025)

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A new entity has crawled from the boiling swamps that lie in the deepest recesses of the Death Metal underworld, unleashing hell to the sound of their debut offering.

A new entity has crawled from the boiling swamps that lie in the deepest recesses of the Death Metal underworld, a force of terrifying alien power and chilling otherness that is about to bleed insidiously into our reality. I’m talking about Ohio/South Carolina, United States-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal outfit Axiom Chaos, a ruthless creature that’s unleashing upon humanity their debut offering, entitled Primacy Arrival. Bedecked in the visionary artwork of Morket Art (Engulfed, Inverted Ascension), the first full-length opus by the duo formed of Justin Vølus (Vølus, Fall Of Gnosis, Maggot Crown) on vocals and Ben Vanweelden (Venomous Echoes, Ceremonic Buryment) on the guitars, bass and drums will challenge, disturb and dominate, opening new pathways for Death Metal and, therefore, being recommended for fans of Immolation, Vastum, Blood Incantation and Disma, just to name a few.

Justin begins his ruthless vocal attack in The King, I Am, sending shivers down our spines while Ben crafts a caustic fusion of Death and Doom Metal not recommended for the lighthearted; whereas the title-track Primacy Arrival showcases an even more enraged duo, with the riffage by Ben exhaling heaviness and hatred. They keep spreading their sonic violence in The Gift of Recognition, a Brutal Death Metal feast led by Justin’s deep, inhumane roaring, and Justin’s vile shrieks will crawl under your skin in Extraterrestrial Necrotic Urge, while Ben smashes his drums in the name of Death Metal. Let’s then slam into the pit together with Axiom Chaos in Antediluvian Origin Unknown, a frantic, no shenanigans explosion of Death Metal led by the crushing riffs and drums by Ben; and there’s still time for more violence and hatred in the form of Wormhole Pathways of Conquest, with Justin bursting his lungs by roaring like a beast. Finally, Ben sounds once again striking and furious with his riffs and beats in Exodus Into Oblivion, putting a demolishing yet very melodic and vibrant ending to the album.

In Primacy Arrival, Axiom Chaos have fused the devastating impact of Death Metal with the untamable capricious might of pandemonium, invoking strange, compelling visions tailored for admirers of the genre. Hence, if you want to get in touch with such a talented and brutal American duo, you can find those guys on Facebook, stream their music on Spotify, and of course show them your utmost support by purchasing a copy of their incendiary, evil debut from Comatose Music’s BandCamp or webstore. The stairways to the new world are open and the drums of destruction are calling. The fires of war are alight to the sound of Primacy Arrival, a demented display of savagery that will surely please anyone in search for endless violence but with a huge slab of dexterity and melody.

Best moments of the album: The King, I Am, The Gift of Recognition and Exodus Into Oblivion.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2025 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. The King, I Am 4:24
2. Primacy Arrival 4:30
3. The Gift of Recognition 4:53
4. Extraterrestrial Necrotic Urge 3:54
5. Antediluvian Origin Unknown 4:25
6. Wormhole Pathways of Conquest 4:22
7. Exodus Into Oblivion 5:24

Band members
Justin Vølus – vocals
Ben Vanweelden – guitars, bass, drums

Concert Review – Dying Fetus & Cradle of Filth (Rebel, Toronto, ON, 05/07/2025)

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And Toronto savored a wild and frantic night of pure chaos and carnage, offered by seven of the must-see names of the current extreme music scene worldwide.

OPENING ACTS: Corpse Pile, Vomit Forth, Undeath, Ne Obliviscaris and Fleshgod Apocalypse

If there’s one thing that has become a true torment in the lives of all metalheads that live in Toronto and vicinities, that is concerts with an early start time. Traffic to get to the city is already brutal on any regular day, but when the weather is amazing (meaning more people on the streets) and there’s also at the exact same time an NHL playoff game happening in the heart of the city, then it’s an absolute nightmare. Those are the reasons why I had to miss almost half of CHAOS & CARNAGE 2025 (from the must-see Chaos & Carnage series) this Wednesday night when CORPSE PILE, VOMIT FORTH, UNDEATH, NE OBLIVISCARIS, FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, DYING FETUS and CRADLE OF FILTH arose from the underworld to crush us mere mortals with an overdose of darkness, heaviness and insanity at the almost-impossible-to-get-in-and-out Rebel. Fortunately, Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi made it in time for all bands, and gave me an overview of the first three attractions of the night, who were kicking ass onstage while I was still stuck in the horrid and tiresome QEW.

Houston, we have a problem. I think it wasn’t event 5pm when Houston, Texas-based Brutal Death Metal/Hardcore outfit CORPSE PILE hit the stage at Rebel, and just to give you an idea of how early that was, I was still in the office having a client meeting at that time. I confess I was listening to their 2024 EPs Hardgore Deathmetal and Holly Jolly Hardgore a few days before the show, plus their new single Fed To The Starved, all available on Spotify, hoping I could do some sort of magic trick and be there in time to see them live, but of course that didn’t happen. Well, Keith said they were insanely heavy and fun, already igniting some sick mosh pits with whoever was lucky enough to be at a concert in the middle of the afternoon on a Wednesday. Maybe next time I’ll catch those guys live, as long as they don’t play at a “matinée” time again.

Setlist
Intro
Genesis Of Suffering
Kicked in Cadaver
Vengeful Hymns
For Flesh and All
Stacking Bodies
Fed to the Starved
Reality
Fuck Your Life

Band members
Jason Lionel Frazier – vocals
Landry Arredondo – guitars
Cody Webb – guitars
Davis Pryse Snyder – bass
Alex Covarrubias – drums

I also missed the next attraction of the night, Connecticut’s own Death Metal brigade VOMIT FORTH, who released last year the excellent album Terrified of God (also available on Spotify and all other streaming platforms), and again I was very disappointed for not having the pleasure of seeing those guys live. All my buddies who could make it to the venue in time for their show said they were ruthless onstage, blasting sheer Death Metal for the delight of a wild crowd avid for some action inside the pit. I’ll have to repeat myself and complain about the start time again, because I think it was maybe 5:30pm when they began their set. Who scheduled those early-as-hell times? Bands like Vomit Forth deserve bigger audiences, but if they keep playing at early slots like this a lot of people will end up missing them and will not care about buying their music or merch, you know what I mean?

Setlist
(Unknown)
(Unknown)
Sacred Apple
Rotting Wool
Negative Penance
Blood Soaked Death Dream
Pain Tolerance

Band members
Kane Gelaznik – vocals
Bailey Olinger – guitars
Ricky Brayall – guitars
Jett Stotts – bass
Luke Zeitler – drums

Guess what? Yes, I also missed the unrelenting performance by Rochester, New York’s Death Metal beast UNDEATH, because despite their starting time being a little later than the first two bands, it was still freakin’ early. Another huge bummer as their 2024 album More Insane, also available in full on Spotify and any other streaming service, is exactly that, an insane explosion of visceral Death Metal. Keith and the other guys said they put on a fantastic show, with the bigger (but not big enough) crowd going mental inside the circle pit. If you’re attending any of the shows from Chaos & Carnage 2025, I highly recommend you try your best to arrive in time at least for Undeath, because those guys are insane live and definitely know how to electrify fans of extreme music during their entire set.

Setlist
Dead From Beyond
Rise From the Grave
More Insane
Necrobionics
(Unknown)
Lesions of a Different Kind
Brandish the Blade

Band members
Alexander Jones – vocals
Jared Welch – guitars
Kyle Beam – guitars
Tommy Wall – bass
Matt Browning – drums

Finally, after my excruciating quest to arrive to Toronto, I made it to Rebel around 7pm, just in time to witness one of the most hypnotizing concerts I’ve ever seen in my life, the atmospheric, progressive and vibrant performance by Australian Extreme Progressive Metal unit NE OBLIVISCARIS. Having released the album Exul back in 2023 (also available on Spotify), the band now fronted by James Dorton, replacing the iconic Xenoyr, who was the band’s lead singer from 2003 until earlier this year (what’s going on with so many extreme music bands switching their vocalists these days?), put on  a short but beyond phenomenal show that inspired us all for some nonstop headbanging, horns raising and crowd surfing, plus of course some crazy mosh pit action to the sound of the crying violin by Tim Charles, turning it into one of the classiest heavy concerts of all time in Toronto. I can’t wait for those amazing musicians from Down Under to return to Toronto with another round of their unique music, and until then we all know what to do. Stay classy, and listen to Ne Obliviscaris.

Setlist
Equus
Suspyre
Painters of the Tempest (Part II): Triptych Lux
And Plague Flowers the Kaleidoscope

Band members
James Dorton – harsh vocals
Tim Charles – violin, clean vocals
Benjamin Baret – lead guitars
Matt Klavins – guitars
Martino Garattoni – bass
Daniel Presland – drums

Another band I was eager to see was Italian Symphonic/Technical Death Metal horde FLESHGOD APOCALYPSE, and once again it was a jaw-dropping, unforgettable experience to all fans at Rebel. When the sensational soprano Veronica Bordacchini took the stage carrying a huge Italian flag, I knew we were about to enjoy a magnificent, epic concert, and that’s exactly what the band provided us with. Francesco Paoli was on fire during their entire set, as well as drummer Eugene Ryabchenko, who can play drums AND headbang at the same time, which was truly impressive in my humble opinion. In addition, not only their latest album Opera (also available on Spotify) is one of the best of 2024, but the songs played from that album, I Can Never Die, Pendulum, and Bloodclock, sounded way more powerful live, and as I’m always pro live music, those Italians won my heart with their flawless concert. Veronica’s voice live is something out of this world, simply beautiful and enfolding, and I highly recommend you go see such a unique band live at least once. And did we get a nice wall of death while Francesco Ferrini was playing his classic piano onstage? Oh, hell yeah! And what about the ending with their metal version of Eiffel 65’s dancing hit Blue (Da Ba Dee)? It was apotheotic to say the least!

Setlist
Ode to Art (de’ Sepolcri)
I Can Never Die
Minotaur (The Wrath of Poseidon)
The Fool
Pendulum
Bloodclock
Sugar
The Violation
Blue (Da Ba Dee) (Eiffel 65 cover)

Band members
Francesco Paoli – lead vocals, guitars, bass
Veronica Bordacchini – vocals (soprano)
Fabio Bartoletti – lead guitars
Francesco Ferrini – piano, orchestrations
Eugene Ryabchenko – drums

CRADLE OF FILTH

Almost three years after their last visit to the city, Suffolk, England’s iconic Extreme Metal miscreants CRADLE OF FILTH were finally back to the city with another round of their undisputed, sulfurous and blasphemous music, this time promoting their latest opus, the collection of sweet lullabies entitled The Screaming Of The Valkyries, which you can enjoy in full on Spotify, of course. Their set might have been extremely short (at least for me, as I would love to see them play for over two hours if possible), but it was as dark as the black wings of a Nazgûl, and as venomous as the bite of a King Cobra. Even after seeing Mr. Dani Filth live countless times I’ll never understand how he can scream like that, and if you add to that the violent yet very technical sounds blasted by his bandmates, there you have the perfect recipe for a wild concert with lots of mosh pits, horns in the air and demonic roars form the crowd. The new songs To Live Deliciously and Malignant Perfection sounded great live, but it was Nemesis plus the closing duo Death Magick for Adepts and Her Ghost in the Fog that inspired all fans to succumb to the dark side of music and worship Suffolk’s finest. Hopefully it won’t take another three years for Dani and his horde to return to Toronto, because Cradle of Filth are one of the best bands to see live in the history of heavy music. And if you’re not convinced yet, just as Richmond from IT Crowd.

Setlist
Resurrection
To Live Deliciously
Nemesis
She Is a Fire
The Principle of Evil Made Flesh
Malignant Perfection
Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids
Death Magick for Adepts
Her Ghost in the Fog
Blooding the Hounds of Hell

Band members
Dani Filth – vocals
Marek ‘Ashok’ Smerda – guitars
Donny Burbage – guitars
Daniel Firth – bass
Zoe Marie Federoff – keyboards, vocals
Martin ‘Marthus’ Skaroupka – drums

DYING FETUS

It was getting late but after facing the brutality of all the traffic to get to the city I needed some relaxing music before heading home, and there’s nothing better than the fusion of Brutal Death Metal and Grindcore by Baltimore, Maryland’s technical and savage trio DYING FETUS. Next time your company’s HR asks for ideas for this year’s office Christmas party, simply say “the Fetus Boys” (like how Dani Filth enjoys calling them), and I’m sure Karen from Operations will love the idea and will be in the middle of the band’s demented circle pit. Blending songs from all of their albums in their setlist, including some from their 2023 offering Make Them Beg for Death, also available on Spotify, John Gallagher, Sean Beasley and Trey Williams simply decimated every single living creature at Rebel, delivering a pulverizing, frantic and absolutely technical concert for the delight of their diehard fanbase. Not even the stress of trying to get out of the city after the show was enough to erase the joy of experiencing Dying Fetus live, and I’m sure whenever they return to the city, there will be blood, sweat, violence, and endless circle pits again.

Setlist
Praise the Lord (Opium of the Masses)
Unbridled Fury
In the Trenches
Wrong One to Fuck With
Compulsion for Cruelty
One Shot, One Kill
Your Treachery Will Die With You
Grotesque Impalement
Subjected to a Beating
Into the Cesspool
Killing on Adrenaline

Band members
John Gallagher – guitars, vocals
Sean Beasley – bass, vocals
Trey Williams – drums

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