This Canadian Technical Death Metal sea beast returns from the ocean depths with their sophomore album, a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse.
Blending Technical and Progressive Death Metal with technical precision, crushing grooves, and Deathcore aggression, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own rising force Eaten By Sharks continues to evolve from the sound established on their 2022 release Eradication with their newborn spawn, entitled The Undertow Of Hate, embracing a more composition-focused and cinematic approach by crafting a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying another killer artwork by Paolo Girardi, the new album by Matt Sherriff on vocals, Chris Chaperon and Dan Okowinsky on the guitars, Tyler Abrams on bass, and Justin Whitehead on drums offers us mere mortals a devastating blend of Deathcore, slam, and modern Extreme Metal intensity, becoming therefore a must-listen for fans of Fit For An Autopsy, Gojira and Cattle Decapitation, just to name a few.
The piercing guitars by Chris and Dan invite us all to dive deep into the unruly waters of The Undertow Of Hate in Vessels Torn, with Matt screaming and gnarling like a demented creature until the very end; while In Tidal Chaos starts in a sinister way before all hell breaks loose to the massive beats by Justin and the rumbling bass by Tyler in a lecture in Technical Deathcore. Capsized sounds even heavier and more demented, with Matt’s deep guttural reeking of classic Death Metal, supported by the always technical and venomous guitar work by Chris and Dan; and let’s enjoy several bodies slamming into the pit to the sound of Bodies Overboard, with Justin hammering his drums nonstop, consequently bringing even more heaviness and violence to their music.
Their Technical Death Metal vein pulses harder than ever in Treading Water, with the visceral roars by Matt walking hand in hand with the intricacy and hatred blasted by his bandmates, followed by Dragged Under, which keeps the momentum going with an explosion of absolute violence by all band members, all boosted by the groovy kitchen crafted by Tyler and Justin. Becoming Chum is definitely less electrifying than its predecessors, albeit still very aggressive and showcasing the band’s trademark sound; and the band will drag us 10,000 meters deep to the multi-layered, very technical and demonic Crimson Tide, where their striking riffage offers Matt exactly what he needs to vociferate like a creature from the deep, flowing into the cinematic outro Surfaced Remains, where you can smell the blood of the fallen on their shark-infested waters.
With a commitment to high-quality production and engaging storytelling, Eaten By Sharks are poised to leave a lasting impact on the genre with the release of The Undertow Of Hate, an album built around transformation, destruction, and irreversible change at sea. You can find those subaquatic death dealers on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, stream their visceral creations on any platform like Spotify and Apple Music, and of course purchase their awesome new album from Bandcamp or from CDN Records. Just like an aggressive shark at sea, Eaten By Sharks can smell your blood from a very far distance, and once they capture with their Technical Death Metal and Deathcore jaws to the sound of their new opus, there’s no way out.
Best moments of the album:In Tidal Chaos, Treading Water and Crimson Tide.
Worst moments of the album:Becoming Chum.
Released in 2026 CDN Records
Track listing 1. Vessels Torn 4:43
2. In Tidal Chaos 4:36
3. Capsized 3:36
4. Bodies Overboard 3:53
5. Treading Water 3:40
6. Dragged Under 3:42
7. Becoming Chum 4:25
8. Crimson Tide 4:03
9. Surfaced Remains 1:26
Band members Matt Sherriff – vocals
Chris Chaperon – lead guitar
Dan Okowinsky – guitar
Tyler Abrams – bass
Justin Whitehead – drums
Internally, I feel like a cosmic explosion. It’s where the stars are born. It’s where stars die.
In order to properly celebrate 13 years of The Headbanging Moose, our metal lady chosen for this month of October is the ultimate definition of the underground, and I’m sure that after knowing more about her, you’ll get addicted to her ass-kicking music. She’s the frontwoman for a phenomenal new supergroup named Visitant, as well as the vocalist for the also excellent band Voraath, not to mention she’s also an extremely talented voice actress. Call her by her real name Chelsea Strickland, or by her artistic moniker Chelsea Marrow, she will kick your ass with her undisputed Extreme Metal growls, undeniable charisma, and a deep passion for the darkest and most extreme side of music. Having said all that, do you think you have what it takes to enter in the realm of fire and flames ruled by one of the most talented female growlers of the current heavy music scene? Or in other words, get ready to be pulverized by Chelsea’s scathing vocals in our humble tribute to such a multi-talented woman.
Born on February 2, 1988 in Pensacola, Florida, in the United States, Chelsea started her career in heavy music as the vocalist for a Florida-based Blackened/Melodic Death Metal band named Accursed Creator, with whom she recorded the singles All Will Suffer (2016), Prelude of Worms (2016), and Scourge of Tested Flesh (2018), as well as the three-track EP Sins of the Father in 2016, which includes one of the singles, Prelude of Worms, before departing from the band in 2020. Their new vocalist is a guy named Kodiac Jackson, who joined the band in 2023, but they haven’t released any new material yet with him on vocals. You can enjoy their songs with Chelsea on vocals on both BandCamp and Spotify, and enjoy their official videos for songs like Throne of Iron and Scourge of Tested Flesh on YouTube.
A few years after leaving Accursed Creator, our talented she-wolf joined Asheville, North Carolina-based Technical/Experimental Death Metal band Voraath, alongside Daniel Presnell and Tylor Kohl on the guitars, Paul McBride on bass, and Joshua Nassaru Ward on drums, replacing their previous vocalist Brad Parris, having recorded with the band the excellent Vol 1: The Hymn of the Hunters back in 2024, available on BandCamp, Spotify or any other streaming service. In one of her interviews when she joined the band, she explained how everything happened. “I’ve been friends with Joshua Ward, who’s the current drummer for Voraath, for a couple of years, now. In the past, we’ve discussed the possibility of having me feature on a Voraath song. I believe it paved the way to where we are now. There were some recent lineup changes, and Josh reached out to me. He offered the opportunity to be a permanent member of Voraath and I happily accepted with no hesitation.”
Chelsea likes to describe Voraath’s sound as an auditory odyssey both extreme and emotional. “We wanted to keep our roots and extreme metal while still exploring storytelling,” she commented, also explaining what’s behind their masks and costumes. “We built our own multiverse with cosmic entities who have propagated life throughout a biocentric universe. It’s a complex story but we are in a post-apocalyptic future ruled by corporations and interdimensional entities, and we are just a group of hired retrieval experts trying to support our families in this dismal reality when we are hired to retrieve something that’s beyond our understanding, unearthing the body of a otherworldly being which in the lore is how we get our armor and mask, infused with technology not of this world.”
Unfortunately, the ultra talented Joshua Nassaru Ward, of bands like Rapheumets Well, Olkoth and Xael, sadly passed away on December 31, 2024, and that might have been the end of Voraath as well. Joshua, along with his fiancée and two other people, was killed in a car accident when a drunk driver crashed into their car on New Year’s Eve. Not only Chelsea lost a good friend, but her passion for Voraath and the future of the band together with her bandmates was beautiful, and I’m sure her heart and soul might be broken into tiny pieces after what happened with Joshua based on her previous comments about the band. “Everyone in the band is so fucking talented. I love the depth and storyline behind the music. There is a whole visual experience, in addition to the epic soundscape that Voraath creates. Envisioning myself as an outsider, I see this band as something truly to behold. Memorable.”
Although we might not know what’s going to be of Voraath, Chelsea can also be found now as the frontwoman for a newborn Blackened Death Metal beast named Visitant, and let me tell you such an up-and-coming underground supergroup will crush you like a putrid insect so heavy, dark, emotional and visceral they sound. Formed in February 2022 in Pensacola, Florida by our ruthless diva Chelsea on vocals alongside guitarist Taylor Tidwell (Accursed Creator, Unaligned, Withered Throne), bassist Kilian Duarte (Abiotic, Lattermath, Mimesis, Scale the Summit), and drummer Anthony Lusk-Simone (Abiotic, Lattermath, Pathogenic, Shroud of Bereavement, Your Pain Is Endearing, among many others), this powerhouse of a band brings endless savage energy to the metal community armed with their debut offering, entitled Rubidium, a monster of Blackened Death Metal displaying a stunning yet suffocating artwork crafted by Chelsea herself.
All tracks in Rubidium are fantastic, which each one having a special meaning for Chelsea and the boys. For instance, she had a few words to say about the idea and video for the killer single Fodder. “In the dream, I attempted to bring my friend back from the dead against the warnings of my ancestors – and everything went wrong. It felt like a horror short from my subconscious, and the video captures that eerie, ritualistic atmosphere.” Furthermore, in a recent interview to the excellent The Zach Moonshine Show, Chelsea opened up about the band’s journey, the personal grief behind Fodder, and channeling pain into power through music. “I’m just putting every bit of my spirit into it,” she commented, reflecting on the band’s rise and her transition from Voraath to Visitant. She also discussed the haunting inspiration behind Starless, describing it as “the embodiment of shadow work,” and explained the dreamlike vision that drives her lyricism and visuals. “I like to take personal experiences and turn them into ghost stories.” If you’re eager to know more about Visitant and put your hands on Rubidium, you can find the band on Spotify, purchase the album by clicking HERE, or simply access this link for all things Visitant.
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Chelsea can also be found as a guest vocalist for some amazing metal bands from the underground scene. Her first contributions happened back in 2019, when she recorded guest vocals for the songs Black Annis, from the album Fear In Fiction, by American Metalcore/Rap Metal musician and audio engineer Sammy SlamDance, and Ancient of Days, from the album Dead Gods, by the now defunct American Progressive/Brutal Death Metal band Nekroí Theoí; followed by the song Entity 6, from the 2023 EP Wounded, by American Technical Deathcore piece Fleshbound; and more recently the female vocals for the single Ascended Deliverance, released earlier this year by UK’s Sludge Metal outfit Tigguo Cobauc. She also sang with an American Death Metal band named Seditious Deceit back in 2020, although there isn’t much information about how she contributed to the band’s music at that time. In addition, Chelsea was also responsible for the artwork for the split album Ashes of Dagoth, by American Melodic Death/Black Metal band Ob Nixilis and American Post-Metal act To Keep the Wolves Away, once again showcasing her passion for the darkest side of arts.
When asked about her idols and influences in one of her interviews about Voraath, Chelsea mentioned Sci-Fi movies and video game soundtracks as her main references, while also drawing inspiration from bands such as Dimmu Borgir, Fleshgod Apocalypse, Septicflesh, Cattle Decapitation, Acid Bath, Alkaloid, and Igorr, mentioning in special Fleshgod Apocalypse and Cattle Decapitation as their biggest influences and the top bands she would like to collaborate with either by herself or together with Voraath (and I’m sure with Visitant as well). Moreover, speaking of collaborating with other bands, which leads to also touring with her own band plus other bands, Chelsea also had a few words to say about how anyone can better manage their time and relationships with all band members. “Have a pliable and comprimisable attitude. You’re stuck in a vehicle with four to five other people so developing good coping strategies and having solid communication with each other is important.”
As aforementioned, our she-wolf is also a respectable voice actress, working in the “monster sounds” division of The Monster Factory (or La Fabrique de Monstres), having the ability to craft sounds that resemble zombies, undead creatures, ghouls, vampires, trolls, orcs, goblins, demons, aliens, wizards, humans, animals in general, small creatures, insects, ghosts, whispers, dragons, and robots. For instance, as part of The Monster Factory team, she provided choir vocals for the soundtrack of the 2020 video game Doom Eternal. Not only that, apart from her career as a musician, a voice actress and a visual artist, Chelsea also works as a social media marketing manager and barista at Pacific Kava Bar in Florida, as one of the sponsored artists by CAD Audio, and as a photographer at Metal Purgatory Media and at Chelsea Marrow Photography, proving how relentless and focused she can be.
After all is said and done, I’m sure you perfectly understand now why Chelsea was chosen as our beyond talented metal lady to celebrate another year in the life (and death) of The Headbanging Moose. She lives and breathes heavy music, she never gives up no matter what, and she will keep delivering first-class extreme music for us avid metalheads for many decades to come without a shadow of a doubt. Keep an eye on her social media because we’ll probably see Visitant paying a dark and ruthless visit to several cities and towns in North America anytime soon, hopefully also spreading their blackened wings over Canada, Europe and all other parts of the world, giving us mere mortals the chance to witness live onstage one of the must-see names of the current extreme music scene worldwide. Needless to say, Chelsea will love to see you in the crowd headbanging to her infernal vocals.
These American Symphonic Deathcore masters are back with their majestic fifth opus, expanding their signature blend with new industrial and atmospheric textures.
Since their formation in 2014, Connecticut’s own Shadow of Intent have garnered a reputation for crafting mind-blowingly melodic, technical, prog-tinged Symphonic Deathcore. Widely acknowledged as one of the forerunners of the current Deathcore renaissance, the band currently formed of Ben Duerr on vocals, Chris Wiseman on the guitars and samples, Andrew Monias on bass, and Bryce Butler on drums is back in action with their fifth studio opus, entitled Imperium Delirium, following up on their 2022 album Elegy. Produced, mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio, with additional mixing by Mike Low, and displaying a sinister artwork by Dan Seagrave, Imperium Delirium expands the band’s signature blend of symphonic grandeur, blackened melody, and Deathcore precision with new industrial and atmospheric textures, being highly recommended for fans of Whitechapel, The Black Dahlia Murder, Lorna Shore, and Cattle Decapitation, among others.
Prepare to Die is utterly imposing and symphonic from the very first moments, quickly morphing into a Deathcore beast where Ben’s deep, enraged guttural walk hand in hand with the killer drumming by Bryce, followed by Flying the Black Flag, one of the first singles of the album, showcasing darkly poetic lyrics (“A subterfuge emerges from the confusion / Corrupting patterns, piercing the timeline / A trail left emblazoned with no regard / They fly the black flag high”) amidst an infernal sonority. Infinity of Horrors offers us all another explosion of ferocity and symphonic elements, with the guitars and samples by Chris generating a thrilling, cinematic wall of sounds, whereas Mechanical Chaosis one of the most technical and complex of all songs, with Bryce sounding like a stone crusher on drums for our total delight. There’s not a single space left empty in the air in They Murdered Sleep, a massive Deathcore extravaganza where Chris sounds once again infernal armed with his axe and samples; and Ben roars and vociferates deeply like a wild beast in The Facets of Propaganda, enhancing the song’s already demented heaviness to a whole new level.
Then featuring guest vocals by the one and only George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher of the mighty Cannibal Corpse, Feeding the Meatgrinder presents more of the band’s wicked words (“Violent attrition / Salivating for the kill / Brutality is to be redefined / They aim to dominate / Hordes metastasize a vengeance indiscriminate / Disregard for human life is in the nature of the business”) while the music is ruthless Deathcore at its finest; while Vehement Draconian Vengeance carries a stylish name for another blast of Deathcore by the band, where Chris and Andrew generate a Stygian ambience with their respective riffs and bass lines. Beholding the Sickness of Civilization is a neck-breaking, downtempo tune by Shadow of Intent where all background elements give it a haunting vibe, followed by Apocalypse Canvas, a fun and vibrant instrumental composition by the quartet where the guitar lines by Chris and the rumbling, intricate bass by Andrew sound insanely gripping. Their Symphonic Deathcore onrush goes on in full force in No Matter the Cost, with Ben roaring like a demented creature while Chris slashes his sonic weapons nonstop, and the title-track Imperium Delirium is undoubtedly the most complete, detailed and incendiary of all songs, spearheaded by Bryce’s phenomenal drumming. Put differently, it’s epic, apocalyptic and absurdly engaging until the very end.
A scathing anti-imperialist statement, tackling war, propaganda, and the machinery of modern violence with nihilistic clarity, Imperium Delirium cements the band’s name as one of the most important forces in the history of Deathcore worldwide, and if you’re from another dimension and don’t know anything about Shadow of Intent, you can find the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, stream their music on any available service like Spotify, and of course show them your total support by purchasing their new album from BandCamp or by clicking HERE. Imperium Delirium likely refers to the concept of an “empire in delirium,” describing an empire or ruling power experiencing a state of madness, chaos, or a loss of control. That’s exactly what our decaying society is experiencing nowadays pretty much in every single part of the world, and the music brought forth by Shadow of Intent in their new album certainly represents that chaotic situation to perfection, showing that although our world might be coming to an end, at least let’s go down in style listening to some first-class Deathcore.
Best moments of the album:Flying the Black Flag, Infinity of Horrors, Feeding the Meatgrinder and Imperium Delirium.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2025 Independent/Blood Blast Distribution
Track listing 1. Prepare to Die 4:00
2. Flying the Black Flag 3:57
3. Infinity of Horrors 4:13
4. Mechanical Chaos 3:50
5. They Murdered Sleep 4:01
6. The Facets of Propaganda 5:19
7. Feeding the Meatgrinder 4:03
8. Vehement Draconian Vengeance 3:54
9. Beholding the Sickness of Civilization 4:30
10. Apocalypse Canvas 5:08
11. No Matter the Cost 4:16
12. Imperium Delirium 7:34
Band members Ben Duerr – vocals
Chris Wiseman – guitars, samples, backing vocals
Andrew Monias – bass
Bryce Butler – drums
Guest musician
George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher – vocals on “Feeding the Meatgrinder”
Francesco Ferrini – additional keyboards
The iconic Hard Luck Bar in Toronto became a “metal ring” where four brave bands started wrestling for the undisputed prize of playing at the greatest metal festival in the world this summer.
INTRODUCTION: ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE?
It was time to set this bitterly cold winter on fire in Toronto this Saturday with this year’s edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada, starting with Wacken Metal Battle Toronto Round #1 with the bands PURVEYOR OF CHAOS, UNKLE SKURVEY, ISCHEMIC and PILLARS OF AUTUMN at Hard Luck Bar, the first step for each one of those four bands to win the coveted slot at Wacken Open Air taking place from July 30 to August 2 this year in Wacken, Germany, plus $1,000 CAD towards expenses, and VIP camping at the festival. Not only that, they also have the opportunity to win monetary and gear prizes at the international Wacken Metal Battle. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover such an important night for the underground metal scene in Toronto, and of course enjoy the music by those four amazing bands.
As a matter of fact, this year I was invited by the one and only JJ Tartaglia, responsible for Wacken Metal Battle Canada, and the vocalist and drummer for Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band Thunderor, to be one of the guest judges alongside Claus Nader (Futhark Records), Andrew Craig (Zombitrol Productions) and Ryan Hofing (Crimson Shadows). It was a true honor being chosen to evaluate the future of heavy music in Toronto, and I hope I did a good job to the point I get invited to this unique event more times this year and in all future editions of Wacken Metal Battle Canada. Having said all that, are you ready to rumble?
The first band of the night was Heavy Metal/Hard Rock quartet PURVEYOR OF CHAOS, who hit the stage at 9pm armed with their heavy riffs and the soaring vocals by frontman Maxel Black. Playing songs form their 2022 self-titled album, which is by the way available on BandCamp and on Spotify, the band did a good job onstage and put everyone to bang their heads and raise their horns in the name of classic heavy music, and I’m sure if they refine their sound a bit, maybe by adding a second guitarist to their lineup and making the sound of their drums clearer, they’ll have a much better overall performance during their future live shows.
Band members Maxel Black – vocals
Bulldog Bess Ross – guitars
Tenbears – bass
Fast Eddie – drums
Right after a quick break, Heavy Metal/Hardcore outfit UNKLE SKURVEY delivered a fun and vibrant performance to a very decent crowd at Hard Luck Bar, sometimes sounding like a Thrash Metal band, sometimes like a System of a Down cover band, which was a bit confusing but in the end worked relatively well. The songs Covid Mosh, World War 3, and Next Generation, all available on Spotify, sounded great live, with frontman Ché Cleland’s energy and facial expressions adding an extra touch of insanity to their show. I personally think if they focus on the sound from the song Next Generation in their future releases, and add a second guitarist to the band, they’ll definitely go places.
Band members Ché Cleland – vocals
Doug Noel – guitars
Stephen ‘Stiv’ Scott – bass
Sean Mollison – drums
The third band of the night was most definitely the heaviest of all, blasting a dark and deep fusion of Blackened Death and Doom Metal not recommended for the lighthearted. I’m talking about the five-headed beast known by the name of ISCHEMIC, spearheaded by the talented growler Isabelle Tazbir, who melted our faces with their undisputed heaviness and obscurity. Having released the album Condemned to the Breaking Wheel in 2024, which you can purchase or stream on BandCamp and on Spotify, their performance was beyond fantastic, proving Isabelle and her henchmen are more than ready for bigger stages worldwide.
Band members Isabelle Tazbir – vocals
Adam Korchok – guitars
Jon Radic – guitars
Lyndon Quadros – bass
Mrudul Kamble – drums
Last but certainly not least, it was time for Technical/Symphonic Deathcore act PILLARS OF AUTUMN to deliver a massive, electrifying, technical and very professional performance to the crowd at Hard Luck Bar, with all songs, in special their new single Crestfallen Emissary, sounding amazing live. I highly recommend you go check their music out on BandCamp and on Spotify, paying very good attention to the demented fry screams by Nick Young and the insane bass lines by Kevin Chan Kin Fung, as those two guys sounded brilliant during their set this Saturday night in Toronto.
Band members Nick Young – vocals
Devon Groat – guitars
Carl Pike – guitars
Kevin Chan Kin Fung – bass
Doug Noel – drums
AND THE WINNER IS…
…the Blackened Death and Doom Metal creature ISCHEMIC! Congratulations for the win! They now move on to the Ontario Final on March 21 at Rivoli in Toronto, and if you want to know more about the whole competition, the next rounds across Canada and so on go to the official Facebook page of Wacken Metal Battle Canada. Also, thanks to all media partners and promoters, including Bravewords.com, Metal-Rules.com, Metal Devastation Radio, Boonsdale Records, Asher Media Relations, and many others, for keeping the fires of underground music in Canada burning brighter than a thousand suns. I’m sure Ischemic will have another killer performance during the Ontario Final in March, and who knows, maybe they’ll be the ones to “rule them all” and venture through the sacred lands of Wacken Open Air in Germany this summer, proudly representing Canada at the greatest stage of all.
Blending Technical and Progressive Death Metal with technical precision, crushing grooves, and Deathcore aggression, St. Catharines, Ontario’s own rising force Eaten By Sharks continues to evolve from the sound established on their 2022 release Eradication with their newborn spawn, entitled The Undertow Of Hate, embracing a more composition-focused and cinematic approach by crafting a dark conceptual journey rooted in nautical horror and psychological collapse. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying another killer artwork by Paolo Girardi, the new album by Matt Sherriff on vocals, Chris Chaperon and Dan Okowinsky on the guitars, Tyler Abrams on bass, and Justin Whitehead on drums offers us mere mortals a devastating blend of Deathcore, slam, and modern Extreme Metal intensity, becoming therefore a must-listen for fans of Fit For An Autopsy, Gojira and Cattle Decapitation, just to name a few.
With a commitment to high-quality production and engaging storytelling, Eaten By Sharks are poised to leave a lasting impact on the genre with the release of The Undertow Of Hate, an album built around transformation, destruction, and irreversible change at sea. You can find those subaquatic death dealers on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube, stream their visceral creations on any platform like Spotify and Apple Music, and of course purchase their awesome new album from Bandcamp or from CDN Records. Just like an aggressive shark at sea, Eaten By Sharks can smell your blood from a very far distance, and once they capture with their Technical Death Metal and Deathcore jaws to the sound of their new opus, there’s no way out.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 