Tag Archives: technical death metal

Concert Review – Fall of Earth (The Rockpile, Toronto, ON, 06/18/2023)

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A young and rising band from Edmonton kicked some ass armed with their Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore where rock will never die in Toronto last night.

INTRODUCTION: Where rock will never die…

It doesn’t mater if it’s a brand new Heavy Metal band no one knows about, a cover band of classic Rock N’ Roll or Industrial Metal, or a rock and metal karaoke night, the old school venue The Rockpile will always receive everyone with open arms, keeping the fires of rock music burning no matter what. Although it’s promoted as being in Toronto, it’s actually located in Etobicoke, an administrative district and former city within Toronto, a bit far from downtown but just a 15-minute walk from the Kipling subway station. Just don’t walk for THREE HOURS to get there like a very nice photographer named Cord Allman who was there last night. Take the subway or drive to the venue, enjoy the shows, their beer (for a very decent price), and have a good time with all the nice people who are always there.

Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography and I were there for FALL OF EARTH, a young and rising metal band from Edmonton, Alberta, but The Rockpile also had other attractions as part of their Father’s Day celebration, those being AL REILLY’S CATALYST performing classics from Led Zeppelin, at 7:30pm, and PERFECT STRANGERS, a famous Canadian cover band founded in 1989 in the city of Brampton, Ontario that pays homage to  one of the greatest bands of all time, Deep Purple, playing from Smoke On The Water to Highway Star, and so on. Both tribute bands were awesome, and if you’re in the area and wants to experience the true Canadian rock scene, go check The Rockpile’s schedule for several other bands like those, and even some wrestling events, which is awesome in my opinion!

FALL OF EARTH

As mentioned, right after Al Reilly’s Catalyst and before Perfect Strangers, more specifically at 8:30pm, it was time for Edmonton, Alberta-based Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore outfit FALL OF EARTH to hit the stage with their enraged but very melodic music, putting a pin on Toronto (for the second time this month) as part of their Eastern Canada tour to promote their brand new album From the Ashes, which will soon be reviewed by The Headbanging Moose. Formed in 2019 by Alex Rye on vocals, Brody Bauer on the guitars, Aaron Winklmeier on bass, and Brendan Meilleur on drums, the band plays a fusion of the music by Mastodon, Gojira, Trivium, Whitechapel and so on, with lots of Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal, Technical Death Metal, Metalcore and Deathcore influences and nuances as well, and if they’re playing in your city anytime soon don’t miss the chance to watch one of the most promising names from the Canadian Prairies.

Despite the small audience, those four guys put their hearts and souls into their performance, and I can imagine how amazing it would have been with more people at the venue and some circle pits. All songs from their setlist, from both their 2020 self-titled debut album and from From the Ashes, worked really well live, like for example the title-track From the Ashes where Alex was screaming at the top of his lungs (and he can also deliver some classy clean vocals, by the way), and the lack of some mosh pit action didn’t mean the people present at the venue didn’t enjoy their concert; quite the contrary, everyone had a very good time watching those kids kicking ass on stage, banging their heads and clapping their hands all the time, and I’m sure word-of-mouth will attract a lot more people to their next concert in Toronto when they do another big Canadian tour this fall already with a second guitarist, which will surely add even more depth to their live music.

If you’re curious to know more about their music, you can enjoy all of their creations on Spotify and watch their official videos on YouTube (and click HERE for all things Fall of Earth), showing your support to another up-and-coming metal act from Edmonton. After the show I had the pleasure to chat with Alex, Brody, Aaron and Brendan, and their passion for heavy music is just as great as their talent on stage. They’re huge fans of bands like Gojira, Trivium, Megadeth, Whitechapel, and other metal giants, and it’s nice to see them crafting high-quality new music by mixing their influences with their own twist. Keep an eye on Fall of Earth because those guys are going places, and who knows, maybe we’ll already see them touring the United States or playing at some amazing European summer festivals in 2024. and last but not least, thanks a lot to Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for inviting us to the event, and to Kristen Cholak and Paul Husband of The Next Level Entertainment Consulting Inc. for supporting such promising band of the Canadian scene.

Band members
Alex Rye – vocals
Brody Bauer – guitars
Aaron Winklmeier – bass
Brendan Meilleur – drums

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Album Review – A Pretext To Human Suffering / Endless Cycle Of Suffering (2023)

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Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, this multinational horde will crush your soul to the sound of their new album of first-class Technical and Brutal Death Metal.

Tearing away the pitifully thin, obscuring skin of our reality, revealing the rancid meat sculpture that is our dystopian present, United States/Canada/Mexico-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal act A Pretext To Human Suffering will crush your damned soul with their debut full-length album, entitled Endless Cycle Of Suffering, highly recommended for fans of Cryptopsy, Origin, Beneath The Massacre and Ingested, among others. Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Floor van Kuijk at GLDCHN Studios, and displaying a sick artwork by Vladimir “Smerdulak” Chebakov and a sinister logo by Steve Crow of Malevolent Icons Logos, Endless Cycle Of Suffering compels us to confront the unending nightmare of our own existence, and the horror which we have labored to construct, all masterfully brought into being by Chris Mathis on vocals, guitar and drum programming, Beto Vipe and Wesley Van Hook also on the guitars, and Spencer Atkinson on bass.

The short and sweet intro Indoctrinated reminds us all we’re not free, exploding into sheer brutality and rage to the massive riffs by Chris, Beto and Wesley in Endless Cycle of Suffering, a psychological and absolutely somber metal attack by such demonic band. Chris keeps roaring manically in Architect of Reality, another infernal yet very technical Death Metal feast where it’s impressive how organic their programmed drums sound; followed by Hollow Sanctuary, heavy and groovy from the very first second with the bass lines by Spencer making our heads tremble. In Formless Collective we’re treated to wicked lyrics (“Pray to old gods / Altars of antiquity / Watch them die slow / Unleash their final form / Of existence / Cleanse of this virus / Wasting away / It is time to reap what weve sewn”) embraced by a demonic instrumental led by the demented riffage by Chris, Beto and Wesley; and taking their heaviness and insanity to a whole new level, Void sounds and feels almost pure Brutal Death Metal.

Then an atmospheric, sinister intro evolves into a very melodic sound in Toxic Dreams, showcasing inhumane, deep growls, strident riffs and fulminating blast beats, leaning towards the more technical and progressive side of Death Metal, whereas Shadow of Time follows a similar pattern as the previous song, with the band’s guitar triumvirate shredding their axes mercilessly. In Paradox the band once again pierces our minds with their caustic words (“Peripheral shadows move rapidly / The familiar feelings of lunacy / They keep calling-give into lunacy / Entranced and lost-I feel”) amidst a hurricane of demonic sounds, sounding amazing from start to finish; followed by their second to last blast of insanity, titled Clandestine, bringing forward more of Chris’ deep guttural and devilish screeches supported by the song’s Cannibal Corpse-like riffs. And lastly, it’s time to slam into the pit one final time like a maniac to the sound of Cult(ure), where once again the rumbling bass by Spencer sounds insanely heavy and metallic.

The demented sounds found in Endless Cycle Of Suffering can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and you can obviously purchase a copy of the album from the Realityfade Records’ BandCamp page or by clicking HERE. In addition, you can also show all your support to this multinational entity by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, and by subscribing to their YouTube channel. Be ready for when you hit play in Endless Cycle Of Suffering, because A Pretext To Human Suffering are not just coming to present you with a scenario of futility and despair; they are coming to ask you a question. What can be done, and what will you do?

Best moments of the album: Endless Cycle of Suffering, Formless Collective and Paradox.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Realityfade Records

Track listing
1. Indoctrinated 0:05
2. Endless Cycle of Suffering 3:50
3. Architect of Reality 2:32
4. Hollow Sanctuary 5:26
5. Formless Collective 2:56
6. Void 3:40
7. Toxic Dreams 1:24
8. Shadow of Time 2:55
9. Paradox 2:44
10. Clandestine 2:48
11. Cult(ure) 4:40

Band members
Chris Mathis – vocals, guitars, drum programming
Beto Vipe – guitars
Wesley Van Hook – guitars
Spencer Atkinson – bass

Concert Review – Ingested (The Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON, 06/02/2023)

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The “slam tour of the year” beautifully crushed the “slam capital of the world” to pieces on a hot and humid night thanks to five of the best bands of the current extreme music scene.

OPENING ACTS: Mendacity, Organectomy, Vomit Forth and Devourment

A night of nonstop brutal slammin’ death metal. That pretty much summarizes what happened at The Velvet Underground this past Friday in Toronto, when MENDACITY, ORGANECTOMY, VOMIT FORTH, DEVOURMENT and INGESTED brought to the city the ruthless, venomous Ingesting North America 2023 – The Slam Tour Of The Year, another beautiful event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. By the way, he was explaining to my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography that the guys from Belarusian Death Metal horde Extermination Dismemberment couldn’t get their Canadian visas ready on time and, therefore, couldn’t make it to the concert in Toronto. However, all five bands demanded the fans to raise their horns for those Belarusian slammers, showing how united the scene is and will always be.

And although there was no Extermination Dismemberment it was still a night to remember, with Innisfil, Ontario-based Technical/Brutal Death Metal trio MENDACITY kicking off the event at around 7:30pm, and they more than nailed it with their fusion of technical and progressive sounds with the brutality of Death Metal. Kyle Lam was fantastic on bass, and I just wish the sound of it was a little bit higher so we could all enjoy his rumbling lines better, while Jason and Jeff Burt were crushing their respective guitars and drums. There weren’t any mosh pits as the crowd was still very small when they started, but they got some great feedback form the audience with lots of horns in the air, shouts and claps, and if you’re curious to know how technical and brutal they sound at the same time, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Band members
Jason Burt – vocals, guitars
Kyle Lam – bass, backing vocals
Jeff Burt – drums, backing vocals

After a really short break, more precisely at 8:05pm, Christchurch, New Zealand-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal unity ORGANECTOMY began their pulverizing performance, and I must say they were in my opinion the most impressive of all bands. I didn’t know anything about those guys before the show, and now I’m listening to their music nonstop on Spotify. Frontman Alex Paul was vicious throughout their entire set, inspiring everyone at the venue to slam into the pit, to jump up and down, to do some sick crowd-surfing and so on, to a point that there were only two options for all attendees, which were either being slamming into the pit, or being outside the venue. Their 2022 album Nail Below Nail is freakin’ amazing, and the songs played live from that album such as Concrete, the title-track Nail Below Nail, The Third Mutation, Entranced by Calamity and Coerced Through Submersion sounded insane live! I really hope those guys return to Toronto soon, because their live shows are infernal, and based on the reaction of the band itself to all the action going on inside the pit they’ll surely carry Toronto inside their hearts until their next visit to the city.

Setlist
Impale the Bitch
Terror Form
Entrapped Savagery
Concrete
Nail Below Nail
The Third Mutation
Entranced by Calamity
Severed From Humanity
Coerced Through Submersion

Band members
Alex Paul – vocals
Sam McRobert – guitars
Matthew Bolch – guitars
Tyler Jordan – bass, backing vocals
Levi Sheehan – drums

After such demolishing performance by Organectomy, it was time for Connecticut, United States-based Death Metal horde VOMIT FORTH to turn The Velvet Underground into a cauldron of blood to the delight of all lovers of some brutal slamming. Their frontman Kane Gelaznik looks like a younger version of the almighty George “Corpsegrinder” Fischer, having the same looks, clothes, and even his headbanging and vocals, and that was already enough for me to enjoy their concert to the fullest. Of course the rest of the band was also on fire, in special Nick Herrmann with his sick blast beats, and the songs form their 2022 album Seething Malevolence, those being Eucharist Intact, Carnivorous Incantation, Unrecognizable, Severely Wounded, Predatory Savior and Pain Tolerance drove the audience crazy inside the endless circle pit, including a nice a wall of death. You can enjoy all their sick creations on Spotify or you can click HERE for all things Vomit Forth, and if they have a concert scheduled in your city, don’t think twice and go slam together with those awesome death metallers.

Setlist
Eucharist Intact
Carnivorous Incantation
Unclaimed Cadaver
Rotting Wool
Unrecognizable
Untitled
Severely Wounded
Predatory Savior
Pain Tolerance

Band members
Kane Gelaznik – vocals
Ricky Brayall – guitars
Tyler Bidwell – bass
Nick Herrmann – drums

It was already past 9:30pm when one of the highly anticipated bands of the night, Dallas, Texas-based Slam/Brutal Death Metal institution DEVOURMENT, hit the stage with one of the heaviest concerts you’ll see anywhere. Still promoting their 2019 album Obscene Majesty, the band formed of frontman Ruben Rosas, guitarist Chris Andrews, bassist Dave Spencer and drummer Brad Fincher was ruthless from start to finish, inspiring obviously the crowd to slam into the pit like maniacs and to crush their skulls into a sick wall of death to the sound of songs such as A Virulent Strain of Retaliation, Fucked to Death and Devour the Damned. I just think the lights for those guys were way too red and low, making it almost impossible to see them (and impossible for Keith to take proper pictures of them, by the way), but their brutality was there, stronger and heavier than ever. Their last song, the visceral Babykiller, was the icing on the cake on their flawless and demonic show, leaving all fans eager for more Devourment in Toronto in a not-so-distant future.

Setlist
A Virulent Strain of Retaliation
Fucked to Death
Postmortal Coprophagia
Choking on Bile
Self Disembowelment
Narcissistic Paraphilia
Devour the Damned
Babykiller

Band members
Ruben Rosas – vocals
Chris Andrews – guitars
Dave Spencer – bass
Brad Fincher – drums

INGESTED

Finally, as the clock hit 10:35pm, Manchester, England’s own Slam/Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore institution INGESTED began the destruction of The Velvet Underground with one of the most electrifying performances of the past few months in the city. Spearheaded by their lunatic frontman Jay Evans, and promoting their 2022 album Ashes Lie Still, the band delivered an incendiary performance for an avid crowd eager for some intense circle pits, crowd-surfing and walls of death, and let’s say they got everything they asked for from those UK metallers. There were bodies being carried around nonstop in a lecture in crowd-surfing, with one guy maybe going from the front of the stage all the way to the back, showing how happy the fans were with Ingested’s visceral music.

Their new songs like Shadows in Time and Echoes of Hate sounded even heavier and more caustic live, not to mention of course their demented grand finale with Skinned and Fucked. Jay and his henchmen were absolutely impressed with all the action going on inside the pit, opening a huge smile every single time they saw how excited their Torontonian fans could get while slamming into the pit. Speaking about Jay, that gentle and very polite guy selling their own merch and the stand turned into a monster on stage, with his demonic, piercing eyes, sick grim and demonic vocals setting fire to the concert while the rest of the band was merciless armed with their respective sonic weapons. The Velvet Underground might be a small venue, but the energy flowing from Ingested’s concert on Friday was the equivalent to any arena shows, and I’m sure those guys will return to Canadian lands for another wicked performance sooner than we can say “SLAM!”

Setlist
Rebirth
No Half Measures
The List
Shadows in Time
I, Despoiler
Impending Dominance
Invidious
Echoes of Hate
Copremesis
Skinned and Fucked

Band members
Jay Evans – vocals
Sean Hynes – guitars, backing vocals
Andrew Virrueta – guitars
Thomas O’Malley – bass
Lyn Jeffs – drums

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Concert Review – Wacken Metal Battle Canada Final (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/13/2023)

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Wacken Metal Battle Canada returned in full force in 2023, leading to an unforgettable night of ass-kicking underground music at Lee’s Palace this Saturday.

INTRODUCTION: THE RETURN OF WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA

What a night of first-class underground heavy music in Toronto, my friends! On pause since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wacken Metal Battle Canada finally returned from the ashes like a phoenix screaming for vengeance in 2023, and after over 60 bands participating in the regional rounds for the past few months in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto, Hamilton, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City (and you can always review the rules for participation HERE), it was time this Saturday at Lee’s Palace for the 2023 edition of the Wacken Metal Battle Canada Final with the bands EATEN BY SHARKS, NECHT and STRIGAMPIRE, battling for a spot in the most admired metal festival in the world, the one and only Wacken Open Air in Germany, this summer.

Also featuring guest openers KORROSIVE and guest headliners WHIPLASH, the night was indeed a celebration of underground metal, with guest judges Pedro Almeida (A&P Reacts),  Antonio Almeida (A&P Reacts), Noel Peters (Inertia Entertainment), Tim Henderson (BraveWords), Thorsteinn Kolbeinsson (Wacken Metal Battle Iceland), Sarah Lutz (Looters), Kevin Michaud (Front Row Promotions), Luc Laine (CFLX 95.5 FM – Alerte Metallique), Rae Chatten (Rock’n Roam, Live Nation), Mark Tremblay (Metal on Metal Podcast) and JJ Tartaglia (Wacken Metal Battle Canada) having a lot of “trouble” to decide which one of the three amazing bands that played should head to Wacken and represent Canada in the holy land of metal music.

KORROSIVE (guest openers)

Before the crowd had the pleasure of witnessing the performances by the three finalists, Toronto-based Thrash Metal outfit KORROSIVE hit the stage to properly warm up everyone with their frantic, caustic and insane thrashing music. Having released the excellent album Toxic Apokalypse in 2022, the band formed of frontman Rad Zarei, guitarists Derek Solomos and Jack Neila, bassist Carlos Rodriguez and drummer Kaveh Afshar kicked some serious ass on stage, already inspiring everyone at the venue to ignite some sick mosh pits, until their grand finale with a pulverizing cover version for Venom’s all-time classic Black Metal. I highly recommend you go after their material on Spotify and on BandCamp if you’ve never heard of those guys, because they definitely know how to thrash in great fashion.

Band members
Rad Zarei – vocals
Derek Solomos – guitar
Jack Neila – guitar
Carlos Rodriguez – bass
Kaveh Afshar – drums

STRIGAMPIRE

After a short break it was then time for the first contender of the night, Trois-Rivières, Quebec-based Melodic Black Metal horde STRIGAMPIRE, to show everything they got and, who knows, win the desired Canadian spot at Wacken Open Air this year. Having released their last album in 2018, titled One Fix, Nine Clouds & Six Feet Deep (which means we urgently need a new album by those guys), the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Steve De Cotret delivered an incendiary performance, with pentagrams all over the stage and with Steve running around the venue, screaming in the faces of some of the attendees and so on, putting his heart and soul into his vocals. It was an insane show full of energy and darkness, and if you enjoy the more modern version of Black Metal from the Quebec scene, you should listen to all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Steve De Cotret – vocals
Johnny Dead – guitars
William Tousignant – guitars
BadGuy P. – bass
Yannick Laplante – drums 

EATEN BY SHARKS

Right after Strigampire finished their sulfurous show, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore entity EATEN BY SHARKS hit the stage for another infernal performance, playing several songs from their 2022 album Eradication including Shallow Water, Kill and Consume, Same Face, Different Mask and Apex Predator. Their frontman Matt Sherriff was absolutely enraged on vocals while his bandmates sounded as heavy as hell throughout their entire set, receiving a very positive feedback from the crowd. They’re definitely another band I’ll be listening to on a regular basis so awesome their tech death is, and if you also love to slam into the circle pit while listening to high quality metal music you should let such demented shark bite your ears on Spotify and on BandCamp.

Band members
Matt Sherriff – vocals
Chris Chaperon – lead guitars
Dan Oko – rhythm guitars
Tyler Abrams – bass
Justin Whitehead – drums 

NECHT

The last of the finalists to perform on Saturday was undoubtedly the most mysterious and atmospheric band of the night, bringing blasphemy and sulfur to Lee’s Palace with their “grim, martial and epic black metal conducted in the name of Our Father, B’ahn, the Ceaseless Warrior,” according to the band itself. I’m talking about Calgary, Alberta-based Ritualistic Black Metal entity NECHT, who put on a solid and entertaining performance for everyone at the venue. Armed with his spear and shield, vocalist Maharg led his horde of uncanny musicians (all wearing some sort of BDSM/Hellraiser-inspired masks) while roaring in the name of evil nonstop, even “baptizing” some of the concert goers with some sort of devilish black paint. Necht are about to release their debut full-length opus anytime soon, but if you can’t wait for that and want to have a good taste of how Stygian their music is, there’s one track already available on BandCamp. GLORY TO THE SUN!

Band members
Maharg – vocals
Zhargor – guitars, bass, backing vocals*
Vlasfimos – drums

*There was actually a fourth member of the band on stage, but I have no idea who he is, nor if he was the guitarist or the bassist.

WHIPLASH (guest headliners)

Before the winner of the 2023 Canadian Wacken Metal Battle was announced, we had the pleasure of witnessing one of the legends of underground Thrash and Speed Metal as the guest headliners of such fun night. I’m talking about Passaic, New Jersey-based Thrash/Speed Metal beast WHIPLASH, spearheaded by the iconic Tony Portaro on vocals and guitars. What an insane performance by the trio, playing tons of amazing underground classics from their almost 40 years of career the likes of Spit on Your Grave, Walk the Plank, Insult to Injury and the demolishing Power Thrashing Death. The mosh pits kept moving fast while Tony barked nonstop on stage (only stopping to have a sip of his beer), with their punk-ish and hardcore attitude showing all the kids present at the venue what old school Thrash Metal is all about. I doubt you know nothing about those guys, but just in case you’re from a different planet you can find all of their frantic creations on Spotify.

Band members
Tony Portaro – vocals, guitars
Dank DeLong – bass
Ron Lipnicki – drums

AND THE WINNER IS…

Well, first of all I want to thank my friend Jon Asher of Asher Media Relations for letting us participate in such important event to the Canadian underground scene, Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography for the amazing band shots (except for Whiplash as he had to leave due to a personal matter, so I had to upload my shitty phone photos of the band to the review), and all media partners (Bravewords, Metal-Rules, Absolute Underground, BrokenNeckRadio, V13, Metal Devastation Radio, and internationally syndicated DJ Rich Embury) and promoters (Boonsdale Records, Dungeonworks Productions, The Invisible Orange, Big Nate Productions and ConcertWorks) for believing in Canadian metal.

Back to the music, the winner of such incredible night were the guys from STRIGAMPIRE, who will represent Canada at Wacken Open Air this year! One band to rule them all, right? Congratulations, you guys kicked some serious ass on Saturday! And if you want to know more about the entire event, all previous rounds and so on, you can go to the official Facebook page of Metal Battle Canada for everything regarding the initiative. Good luck to Strigampire at Wacken, although they honestly don’t need luck because they’re amazing and very professional musicians more than ready to rock the holy land of metal in Germany and show everyone in Europe the fury of Canadian Black Metal, and hopefully we’ll have more amazing metal battles in Canada next year with top-of-the-line bands such as Eaten by Sharks, Strigampire and Necht.

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Album Review – Descent Into Maelstrom / Dei Consentes (2023)

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Have fun with the farewell opus by this Italian Dodecaphonic Metal entity, a concept album exploring how the Gods of Ancient Rome would present themselves in our modern-day society.

Originally a Dodecaphonic Metal band founded in 2016 as a solo project by guitarist, vocalist and sound engineer Andrea Bignardi, combining the intensity and energy of metal with the intricate, mathematical structures of dodecaphonic music, Piacenza, Italy-based Progressive/Technical Death Metal outfit Descent Into Maelstrom has since expanded to include Mattia Panunzio (Nameless Grave) on lead guitars, Pietro Buzzi (Necroptic) on rhythm guitars, and Michele Augello (Agony Face) on bass, having already released two full-length albums and two EPs, and gearing up now in 2023 to release their third and final full-length opus, titled Dei Consentes. The most direct and powerful effort that the band has ever created, Dei Consentes, which translates from Latin as “God’s consent”, is a 12-track concept album that explores how the Gods of Ancient Rome would present themselves in our modern society if they existed today, with the music uniting twisted and complex rhythms, savage riffing and a gratifyingly dark ambience in the vein of Death, Pestilence and Edge Of Sanity.

Dissonant, devilish and chaotic form the very first second, the opening tune Cinis et Pulvis (or “ashes and dust” from Latin) will darken your mind to the sound of the deep guttural by Andrea, resulting in the epitome of Dodecaphonic Metal, followed by Triumphus Falsarius Daemonium (“false triumph of the demons”), where Mattia and Pietro offer Andrea the perfect support with their slashing riffage and solos while Michele sounds absolutely bestial with his rumbling bass. Then we have Abyssus Devorat Terram (“the abyss devours the earth”), blending the fury of classic Death Metal with their unique progressive and technical sound, or in other words, a song perfect for “slipping into madness”; and there’s no time to breathe as their sonic Death Metal avalanche goes on in Infecundus (“unborn”), with Michele’s metallic bass adding sheer groove to the stringed attack by his bandmates. The first single of the album, titled Pater (“father”), will smash your cranial skull thanks to its massive blast beast and the inhumane roars by Andrea, whereas an imposing start explodes into the band’s somber, technical Death Metal in Silvarum Patrona (“patroness of the forests”), with Michele once again stealing the spotlight with his menacing bass.

The second half of the album begins with Deus Sol Invictus (“the invincible sun god”), another Death Metal onrush by the quartet showcasing their usual fury and dexterity with all instruments exhaling fire and insanity; and slowing things down a bit and investing in a more melodic sound and vibe, Andrea, Mattia and Pietro will pierce your ears with their strident riffs in Amor Sola Lex (“love is the only law”). Back to their most visceral mode, the quartet is ready to go to war in Deus Belli (“god of war”), presenting an amazing guitar job done by the band’s axe triumvirate while Andrea growls deeply nonstop, flowing into the absolutely technical instrumental feast Silentium (“silence”), continuing the band’s path of melodic savagery led by the intricate bass by Michele. Their second to last blast of Dodecaphonic Metal, titled Mater (“mother”), keeps the album at a high level of violence and obscurity, with Andrea leading his horde armed with his visceral growls and sick riffs; while lastly we’re treated to Defloratio Gratiae (“defloration of grace”), a brutal yet very intricate display of Death Metal where once again Michele’s bass lines sound ruthless.

“We regret to inform you that our band will be coming to an end after the release of our final album, Dei Consentes. We have had an incredible journey together, and we are grateful for all of the love and support you have given us throughout the years. This album is a culmination of all of our hard work and dedication to our craft, and we hope that it will be a fitting farewell. We want to thank each and every one of you for being a part of our journey. It has been an honor to make music for you, and we will treasure the memories we have made together. Thank you for everything,” commented Andrea about the end of the band and their farewell opus, and if you want to say goodbye to Descent Into Maelstrom and tell them you’ll miss their wicked music, you can find the band on Facebook, and of course you can also purchase Dei Consentes by clicking HERE. And may the Ancient Gods change Andrea’s mind and we see Descent Into Maelstrom get reborn in the future to keep blasting our heads with their dodecaphonic craziness.

Best moments of the album: Triumphus Falsarius Daemonium, Silvarum Patrona and Deus Belli.

Worst moments of the album: Amor Sola Lex.

Released in 2023 Club Inferno Ent.

Track listing
1. Cinis et Pulvis 4:22
2. Triumphus Falsarius Daemonium 3:27
3. Abyssus Devorat Terram 3:12
4. Infecundus 5:16
5. Pater 4:31
6. Silvarum Patrona 4:32
7. Deus Sol Invictus 4:20
8. Amor Sola Lex 4:15
9. Deus Belli 1:59
10. Silentium 5:42
11. Mater 3:24
12. Defloratio Gratiae 4:36

Band members
Andrea Bignardi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Mattia Panunzio – lead guitars
Pietro Buzzi – rhythm guitars
Michele Augello – bass

Album Review – Viscera / Carcinogenesis (2023)

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UK’s own Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster returns with their striking sophomore album, an essential listening for fans of modern Deathcore.

Formed in 2019 in the UK and featuring former members of Heart of a Coward, Abhorrent Decimation, Martyr Defiled, Nervecell and Surfaces, the electrifying Technical Death Metal/Deathcore monster Viscera returned to the battlefield this year with their sophomore opus, titled Carcinogenesis, the follow-up to their 2020 breakthrough debut Obsidian. Produced by Viscera and Justin Hill, and mixed and mastered by Simon Pietroforte, the album is an essential listening for fans of modern Deathcore, Pantera, Killswitch Engage and Fit For an Autopsy, showcasing all the rage and dexterity by frontman Jamie Graham, guitarists Charlie Michael and Adam Bell, and bassist David Archer and drummer Alex Micklewright (both having left the band recently for personal reasons). “Lyrically/thematically, this album continues on from Obsidian with Delilah’s soul reaping cover. This time the energy she has gathered feeds her tyrannical partner, who in turn uses the newly absorbed life force to corrupt all around him. Metaphorically it’s a statement of how humanity tends to feed of others only then to tear itself apart,” commented Jamie about the band’s infuriated new opus.

The album kicks off with the gripping, melodic and imposing title-track Carcinogenesis, blending the best elements from Technical Death Metal and Symphonic Deathcore while Alex is bestial behind his drums and Jamie roars manically for our vulgar delectation; followed by Rats with Wings and its insurgent lyrics barked by Jamie (“A legion shall arise / A second sun has risen / Encase the earth in a fiery prison / The weeping world shall reap / The fruits of her dark secrets bequeathed / Calling out from the dark / Bring forth the ancient arc / Behind her blackest eyes / Unquenching thirst for blood”), while his bandmates generate a fulminating wall of Deathcore sounds. Then the band takes their animosity and heaviness to a whole new level in the headbanging extravaganza Layers of Skin, with Charlie and Adam spreading fire and hatred through their riffs supported by the crushing drums by Alex, and there’s no time to breathe as Viscera keep hammering our damned souls in Resolver, showcasing another violent vocal performance by Jamie and the always melodic but fierce riffs by the band’s guitar duo.

One more round of their demented Deathcore comes in the form of Omnipotence, presenting deep, inhumane roars by Jamie while his bandmates keep exhaling aggressiveness from their sonic weapons, whereas Sungazer is one of the most exciting songs of the album, with the soaring vocal lines by Jamie matching perfectly with the song’s epic atmosphere while Charlie and Adam continue to hypnotize us with their riffs and solos. In Lex Talionis we face more of their wicked lyrics (“I was trying to rebuild something / You promised that you’d listen to me / But if that were true it meant that you were human / That’s something that remains to be seen”) while the music is Deathcore played to perfection; followed by Demon Queen, absolutely technical, intricate and groovy, and the only song of the album where the vocals by Jamie are almost one hundred percent clean, overflowing darkness and heaviness until the very last second. And lastly, we have On Earth as it is in Hell, the most introspective and sinister of all songs, closing the album on a high note spearheaded by the pounding beats by Alex while its otherworldly vibe will darken your thoughts for all eternity.

Viscera more than nailed it with Carcinogenesis, which is by the way available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, positioning it as one of the top heavy music albums of 2023 hand down. Hence, don’t forget to pay those guys a visit on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and more of their infernal music, and of course to purchase your copy of Carcinogenesis from the Unique Leader Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a CD or as a special edition 12″ vinyl, as well as from indiemerchstore.com also as a a special edition 12″ vinyl (or simply click HERE to buy or stream the album form your favorite retailer). The word “carcinogenesis” might mean the initiation of cancer formation, when normal cells are transformed into cancer cells, but in the case of Viscera it represents the initiation of an exciting new phase in their career, setting the bar high for their future releases and, therefore, offering us all another amazing reason for raising our horns high in the name of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Carcinogenesis, Layers of Skin, Sungazer and Lex Talionis.

Worst moments of the album: Absolutely none.

Released in 2023 Unique Leader Records

Track listing
1. Carcinogenesis 5:49
2. Rats with Wings 3:31
3. Layers of Skin 4:03
4. Resolver 3:41
5. Omnipotence 3:40
6. Sungazer 4:33
7. Lex Talionis 4:30
8. Demon Queen 4:44
9. On Earth as it is in Hell 5:11

Band members
Jamie Graham – vocals
Charlie Michael – guitars
Adam Bell – guitars, synths
David Archer – bass, synths
Alex Micklewright – drums

Album Review – Angelic Desolation / Orchestrionic Abortion (2023)

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A gore-fueled assault on the senses in the form of the sophomore album by a ruthless American Razorgrind band.

A Brutal Death Metal band formed in 2006 in Denver, Colorado, in the United States with a full-scale sonic attack and a sound unique enough to label their own music as “American Razorgrind”, Angelic Desolation are unleashing upon humanity their sophomore opus, titled Orchestrionic Abortion, a gore-fueled assault on the senses taking influences from Thrash Metal, Grindcore, Death Metal, horror movies and a love for the power of the riff. Recorded and mixed at Hahn Audio, mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, and displaying a sick cover art by Kevin Waltz, Orchestrionic Abortion is a blood-soaked album best enjoyed loud masterfully put together by vocalist Jay Medina, guitarist Matt Markle, bassist Leonard White and drummer Max “Thunder” Stark, sounding ruthless and vile throughout its 31 minutes of musical savagery.

The quartet’s razor-edged onrush begins in full force with Brutus McMucus, a Brutal Death Metal tune with hints of Thrash Metal where Jay is absolutely infuriated with his sick roars, sounding fast, demented and infernal just the way we like it; followed by Shake The Baby, one of the most wicked songs of the current Deathgrind scene presenting a bestial job done by Matt with his piercing riffage and of course Max with his thunderous and intricate drumming. There’s no sign of slowing down at all for those American razorgrinders as we can see in Pterrordactyl Mann, with Matt slashing his axe nonstop supported by the low-tuned, metallic bass by Leonard and all beats and fills by Max. And switching gears to a more cadenced, headbanging vibe, the band brings forth the electrifying Dic Tater, where they distill all their technique while continuing their path of sonic devastation led by the deep gutturals by Jay.

If you like tacos and brutality, the band will offer you a gory fusion of both in Paco’s Satanic Taco Truck (Los Tacos De Diablo De La Troca De Paco), with Matt and Leonard adding their own spices to their already furious Death Metal thanks to another classy stringed work by the duo, whereas Barbaric Destroyer is as progressive as it’s violent, showcasing a fulminating performance by Max on drums while Jay keeps growling in the name of extreme music. Then screeches from a mad chimp blend perfectly with the band’s hellish sound in AIDS Chimp Lab Attack, a lesson in Technical and Brutal Death Metal with Matt stealing the spotlight with his ruthless riffage, being therefore  perfect for slamming into the circle pit. And last but definitely not least, the band offers their rendition for Cattle Decapitation’s Forced Gender Reassignment (check out the original one HERE from their 2012 album Monolith of Inhumanity), delivering a fantastic tribute to their idols spearheaded by Jay and Max with their respective growls and blast beats.

Do you have what it takes to get face-to-face with the guys from Angelic Desolation? If your answer is yes, go check what they’re up to on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their visceral music on Spotify, and of course, grab your copy of the pulverizing Orchestrionic Abortion from their own BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or simply by clicking HERE. In a nutshell, Orchestrionic Abortion overflows blood and violence, and those American metallers responsible for such demented album are craving your blood to keep fueling their unrelenting Death Metal machine.

Best moments of the album: Shake The Baby, Dic Tater and AIDS Chimp Lab Attack.

Worst moments of the album: Pterrordactyl Mann.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Brutus McMucus 3:47
2. Shake The Baby 4:12
3. Pterrordactyl Mann 3:40
4. Dic Tater 3:44
5. Paco’s Satanic Taco Truck (Los Tacos De Diablo De La Troca De Paco) 3:52
6. Barbaric Destroyer 3:49
7. AIDS Chimp Lab Attack 3:44
8. Forced Gender Reassignment (Cattle Decapitation cover) 3:50

Band members
Jay Medina – vocals
Matt Markle – guitars
Leonard White – bass
Max “Thunder” Stark – drums

Album Review – Lost Brethren / Dimensional Rift EP (2023)

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This UK-based Sci-Fi inspired Technical Death Metal entity will crush your senses with their brand new 14-minute EP from outer space.

A Sci-Fi inspired Technical Death Metal band formed in 2011 in Peterborough, a cathedral city in the ceremonial county of Cambridgeshire, England, Lost Brethren are unleashing upon us a pulverizing EP titled Dimensional Rift, following up on their 2019 full-length opus The Abduction. Mixed and mastered by Stefano Morabito at 16th Cellar Studio and displaying a futuristic artwork by Moga Alexandru of Kogaion Art, the four-track EP continues to deliver the characteristic heaviness, intricacy and fury from the band’s four full-length albums, showcasing all the dexterity by vocalist Adam Brown, guitarist Adrien Crozet, and guitarist and bassist Ant Deane, with the demolishing support of Polish drummer Krzysztof Klingbein (10 Plagues, Deathspawn) as a guest musician.

A wicked, very entertaining intro about extraterrestrial forms suddenly explodes into the band’s furious Death Metal in Terrestrial Ashes, with Adam roaring like an otherworldly creature supported by the crushing drums by Krzysztof, feeling absolutely demolishing yet extremely technical. And Adrien and Ant distill all their dexterity and passion for heavy music armed with their strident riffs and solos in Intergalactic Reprisal, kicking some ass form start to finish while inviting us all to slam into the pit; whereas the title-track Dimensional Rift takes their unrelenting Technical Death Metal to a whole new level spearheaded by the deep guttural by Adam and the always inhumane beats by Krzysztof, not to mention how striking and incendiary their guitars sound once again. Lastly, we face another three-minute metal attack titled Nefarious Reign, with their intricate riffage bringing even more dementia to the overall result, or in other words, it’s in-your-face, no shenanigans Technical Death Metal from outer space.

In summary, Lost Brethren are ready to kick your freakin’ arse with their newborn 14-minute beast, and if you want to show those UK death metallers your utmost support you can follow them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream all of their infernal creations on Spotify, and of course purchase Dimensional Rift from their Big Cartel as a CD or as a special CD + T-shirt bundle, as well as from Apple Music. The combination of Sci-Fi and Death Metal always brings to our ears some amazing music, and Lost Brethren seem to have mastered that art with all of their releases, including of course their vibrant new EP.

Best moments of the album: Dimensional Rift.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Grindscene Records

Track listing
1. Terrestrial Ashes 4:27
2. Intergalactic Reprisal 3:09
3. Dimensional Rift 3:09
4. Nefarious Reign 3:03

Band members
Adam Brown – vocals
Adrien Crozet – lead guitar
Ant Deane – rhythm guitar, bass, theremin

Guest musician
Krzysztof Klingbein – drums

Album Review – Man Must Die / The Pain Behind It All (2023)

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This Scottish Death Metal institution returns with their most aggressive album to date, once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever.

Having already released four furious records and having toured with the likes of Kataklysm, Aborted, Misery Index, Machine Head, Hatebreed and Decapitated, to name a few, Glasgow, Scotland-based Technical Death Metal entity Man Must Die is back in action with their most aggressive album to date and their first full-length album in almost ten years, The Pain Behind It All, following up on their 2019 EP Gagging Order and their 2013 full-length opus Peace Was Never an Option. Known and praised for their highly energetic music style, with early releases containing elements of Technical Death Metal, Melodic Death Metal and even influences from old school Hardcore Punk, but currently showcasing much more melodic elements coupled with a Deathgrind-based sound, the band formed of vocalist Joe McGlynn, guitarists Alan McFarland and Mike Allan, bassist James Wright, and drummer Tony Corio is once again bringing the fight but in a bigger way than ever armed with their new album, always dealing with religion, murder, death, hate and warfare in their lyrics, usually written in a very violent fashion.

The sinister and short intro O.C.D sets the stage for Man Must Die to smash our cranial skulls with Patterns In The Chaos, a pulverizing display of Death Metal with Deathcore nuances with Tony going berserk behind his drums while Joe roars and gnarls nonstop for our vulgar delectation, whereas the title-track The Pain Behind It All brings forward sheer heaviness directly to our faces, with the band’s guitar duo Alan and Mike sounding visceral armed with their axes, not to mention the song’s eerie background ambience. It’s pedal to the metal with the band being on fire in In The Hour Before Your Death, a frantic, heavy-as-hell Death Metal extravaganza led by the always demolishing beats by Tony while their guitars keep exhaling absolute hatred, followed by Clickhate, another boisterous tune by those Scottish death metallers where the level of fury and animosity flowing from all instruments is gargantuan, with Joe bursting his lungs growling like a beast.

After such intense first half of the album, it’s time for a darker song entitled Enabler, a decent mid-tempo feast of Technical Death Metal spearheaded by the piercing riffage by Allan and Mike; and back to their most vicious mode, the band will pulverize our ears in Bring Me The Head Of The King, taking their violence to a whole new level while Joe vociferates the song’s catchy lyrics in great fashion. Get ready for six minutes of anguished passages, thrilling riffs and endless obscurity in War Is My Will, with James blasting his rumbling bass while Tony completes their evil kitchen with his pounding drums, followed by the instrumental interlude Alone In A Crowded Room, soothing our souls for a little less than two minutes before the band comes ripping with their final sonic attack entitled Who Goes There?/I.F.F, a lecture in Death Metal infused with elements from Deathcore, Hardcore, and even hints of Punk Rock. Put differently, it’s impossible to stand still to this venomous sonic hurricane, inspiring us all to slam our damned bodies into the circle pit.

The ruthless squad of Man Must Die is waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and other great information about the band and their music, and of course you can stream all of their pulverizing creations on Spotify. The Pain Behind It All, available for purchase from the Distortion Music Group’s webstore as a CD or a vinyl, as well as from Apple Music or Amazon, is as aforementioned Man Must Die’s strongest and most obscure album to date, positioning the band as one of the torchbearers of the current Scottish metal scene and, therefore, leaving us eager for more and more of their flammable music in the coming years.

Best moments of the album: Patterns In The Chaos, In The Hour Before Your Death, Bring Me The Head Of The King and Who Goes There?/I.F.F.

Worst moments of the album: Enabler.

Released in 2023 Distortion Music Group

Track listing
1. O.C.D 0:33
2. Patterns In The Chaos 4:38
3. The Pain Behind It All 5:01
4. In The Hour Before Your Death 4:11
5. Clickhate 4:07
6. Enabler 5:57
7. Bring Me The Head Of The King 3:33
8. War Is My Will 5:57
9. Alone In A Crowded Room 1:45
10. Who Goes There?/I.F.F 4:13

Band members
Joe McGlynn – vocals
Alan McFarland – lead guitars
Mike Allan – guitars
James Wright – bass
Tony Corio – drums

The Year In Review – Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022

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“Life is funny. If you don’t laugh, you’re in trouble.” – Taylor Hawkins

And just like that, after 880 days of nothing, I was finally able to attend a metal concert this year, just like countless other metalheads who patiently waited for the Canadian government to lift all restrictions due to the pandemic to get back to our normal lives. And it was a busy year concert-wise as you can see HERE, with Judas Priest, Lamb of God, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Behemoth and several others putting a smile back on our faces and the horns back in our hands, because in the end the beauty of heavy music is when it’s played live, right? On the other hand, we unfortunately saw some important names of the global metal scene disbanding such as Nuclear Assault, Tristania and Every Time I Die, plus of course the brave warriors who left us and are now sitting beside the metal gods in Valhalla. Just to name a few, we all mourned the losses of Fredrik Johansson (former guitarist of Dark Tranquillity), Jon Zazula (co-founder of Megaforce Records), Bruce Greig (former guitarist of Misery Index and Dying Fetus), Taylor Hawkins (drummer of Foo Fighters), Ronnie Deo (former bassist of Incantation), Trevor Strnad (vocalist of The Black Dahlia Murder), Alec John Such (former bassist of Bon Jovi), Bob Heathcote (former bassist of Suicidal Tendencies), Steve Grimmett (vocalist of Grim Reaper), Stuart Anstis (former guitarist of Cradle of Filth), David Andersson (guitarist of Soilwork), and Dan McCafferty (former vocalist of Nazareth).

However, one of the biggest losses in the world of heavy music happened right here in Toronto, Canada, as we lost the biggest metalhead of the entire Torontonian scene, Walter Froebrich.  Our super fan Walter, who was a staple in the local scene for over 20 years (and I remember seeing him in every single concert I’ve attended in the past 10 years or more at least), sadly died alone at home last month following three visits to a local hospital due to severe abdominal pain. This is extremely tragic and cannot happen again, as we all have the right to decent healthcare it doesn’t matter who we are. There will be a memorial show for Walter on January 7, 2023 at The Rockpile (details can be found HERE and tickets HERE) with several local independent bands, and we at The Headbanging Moose also want to honor the life of Walter and his undisputed passion for heavy music by dedicating to him The Headbanging Moose’s Top 10 Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Albums of 2022, excluding EP’s, best of’s and live albums.

1. Kreator – Hate Über Alles (REVIEW)
Let the hate flow through you to the sound of the magnificent new opus by one of the trailblazers of the German Thrash Metal scene.
Best song of the album: Hate Über Alles

2. Lorna Shore – Pain Remains (REVIEW)
The most explosive name of the current Deathcore scene invites us all to dance like flames to the sound of their newborn masterpiece.
Best song of the album: The Pain Remains Trilogy

3. Megadeth – The Sick, the Dying… and the Dead! (REVIEW)
The unstoppable Mr. Dave Mustaine strikes again with the sick, the dying… and the Megadeth!
Best song of the album: Life in Hell

4. Rammstein – Zeit (REVIEW)
Germany’s own Neue Deutsche Härte institution wasted no time during the pandemic and is back in action with their fantastic eight opus.
Best song of the album: Angst

5. Behemoth – Opvs Contra Natvram (REVIEW)
A stunning work against religious oppression by Poland’s most important Extreme Metal institution of all time.
Best song of the album: Malaria Vvlgata

6. Arch Enemy – Deceivers (REVIEW)
One of the most important names in metal is back in action with their most solid and detailed album with Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.
Best song of the album: The Watcher

7. Lamb of God – Omens (REVIEW)
Ignore the omens and listen to the pulverizing new album by one of the best and most dynamic metal bands of the past two decades.
Best song of the album: Ditch

8. Amon Amarth – The Great Heathen Army (REVIEW)
Join the great heathen army spearheaded by one of the most respected bands of the current metal scene.
Best song of the album: Saxons and Vikings

9. Hiss From The Moat – The Way Out Of Hell (REVIEW)
There’s only one way out of hell, and that’s to the sound of the incendiary Blackened Death Metal by this Italian horde.
Best song of the album: Generation Of Cowardice

10. Diabolical Raw – Elegy of Fire Dusk (REVIEW)
Behold this grandiose album of Symphonic Black and Death Metal inspired by ancient Central Asian Turkish mythology.
Best song of the album: Face the Judgement

And here we have the runner-ups, completing the top 20 for the year:

11. Abaddon Incarnate – The Wretched Sermon (REVIEW)
12. Cage Fight – Cage Fight (REVIEW)
13. Dark Funeral – We Are The Apocalypse (REVIEW)
14. Stratovarius – Survive (REVIEW)
15. Konvent – Call Down the Sun (REVIEW)
16. Scorpions – Rock Believer (REVIEW)
17. Disturbed – Divisive (REVIEW)
18. Thundermother – Black and Gold (REVIEW)
19. Blind Guardian – The God Machine (REVIEW)
20. Ferum – Asunder / Erode (REVIEW)

In addition to all that, let’s bang our heads with our Top 10 EP’s of 2022 to prove once and for all that not all great albums of the year have to be so long. The EP’s from this list are simply awesome, showcasing the band’s talent and their ability to sound epic even if the music lasts for only a few minutes.

1. Eskhaton – Horracle (REVIEW)
2. Headfist – This New World…. (REVIEW)
3. Sullen Guest – Phase (REVIEW)
4. Pyrrhic Salvation – Manifestum I (REVIEW)
5. Klendathu – Avarist: The Beginning & The End at Once (REVIEW)
6. Through The Noise – Tragedies (REVIEW)
7. Rotten Casket – First Nail in the Casket (REVIEW)
8. Circa Arcana – Bridget Viginti (REVIEW)
9. All Else Fails – The Incident at Black Lake (REVIEW)
10. Haunted By Silhouettes – No Man Isle (REVIEW)

Do you agree with our list? What are your top 10 albums of 2022? Also, don’t forget to tune in every Tuesday at 10pm BRT on Rádio Coringão to enjoy the best of classic and underground metal with Jorge Diaz and his Timão Metal, and every Thursday at 8pm UTC+2 on Midnight Madness Metal e-Radio for the best of underground metal with The Headbanging Moose Show! And if you lost some or most of our special editions of The Headbanging Moose Show, including our Top 20 Underground Albums of 2022 – Parts I and II, go to our Mixcloud page and there you have hours and hours of the best of the independent scene, sounds good?

Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year! See you in 2023!

And before I go, I’ll leave you with what’s in my humble opinion not only the best song of 2022, but it also carries a very inspiring message to us all… ROW! ROW! ROW!