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Concert Review – The Black Dahlia Murder (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 04/21/2023)

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A celebration of the life and contribution to the heavy music scene by the deceased Trevor Strnad on a special night in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Phobophilic, Fuming Mouth, Frozen Soul and Terror

Do you know those events called “celebration of life”, a time when people come together to celebrate the unique personality and achievements of the deceased without the more formal and traditional funeral service? Maybe that’s exactly how we can call The Verminous Remnant Tour 2023 with the bands PHOBOPHILIC, FUMING MOUTH, FROZEN SOUL, TERROR and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, celebrating the life of Trevor Strnad (RIP), the iconic frontman for The Black Dahlia Murder who passed away on May 11, 2022. All bands have some sort of connection with Trevor, as he was a huge supporter of the underground and did A LOT to those bands and to heavy music in general during his amazing life, and fortunately several fans of heavy music in Toronto had the pleasure of taking part in that celebration this Friday at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

After the doors opened at 6pm and fans had their special time to purchase some merch, grab a beer and chat with friends, Fargo, North Dakota-based Death Metal band PHOBOPHILIC kicked off the celebration at 7pm with a short and sweet performance promoting their 2022 album Enveloping Absurdity, getting all concert goers into the mood to start all the pit action, sounding not just great but also engaging a lot with the crowd. If you know nothing about the band go check their stuff on BandCamp or on Spotify, as I’m sure you’ll enjoy their straightforward, ass-kicking Death Metal, and who knows, maybe you’ll be caught in a mosh whenever those four metallers storm your city with their undisputed heaviness.

Band members
Aaron Dudgeon – vocals, guitars
Josh Poer – guitars
Christian Alm – bass
Vincent Tweten – drums

It was around 7:40pm when the second band of the night, Milford, Massachusetts’s own Death Metal/Crust outfit FUMING MOUTH, hit the stage with their fast, thrashing and heavy music, again getting a nice mosh pit going, blending songs from their 2020 EP Beyond the Tomb, such as the title-track Beyond the Tomb and Master of Extremity, with others form their 2019 album The Grand Descent, like Out of the Shadows and Visions of Purgatory. Needless to say, they also dedicated their performance to Trevor, which of course got a warm answer from the audience. Hence, if you haven’t ever heard of this band either, you should go to BandCamp or Spotify and bathe in their demolishing creations.

Band members
Mark Whelan – vocals, guitars
Andrew Budwey – guitars
James Davis – drums

After another short break, it was time for Fort Worth, Texas-based Death Metal horde FROZEN SOUL to smash the cranial skulls of all fans at the venue with another amazing performance. Playing songs from their 2021 album Crypt of Ice, including Encased in Ice, Arctic Stranglehold and Crypt of Ice, as well as the new tunes Death and Glory and Arsenal of War, from their upcoming 2023 album Glacial Domination, Frozen Soul delivered their trademark fusion of Death Metal with heavy doom and fast thrash elements, having the house turn the lights all blue, and the reaction from the crowd was nothing but a huge mosh pit. Their lead singer Chad Green even asked the fans to do push ups, and they didn’t disappoint at all, so if you’re searching for a heavy soundtrack for your push ups at the gym you know what to do, right? Simply visit BandCamp or Spotify, and voilà!

Setlist
Encased in Ice
Merciless
Beat to Dust
Morbid Effigy
Death and Glory
Arsenal of War
Arctic Stranglehold
Crypt of Ice

Band members
Chad Green – vocals
Chris Bonner – guitars
Michael Munday – guitars
Samantha Mobley – bass
Matt Dennard – drums

One more memorable show was provided to all fans at the venue by Los Angeles, California-based Hardcore act TERROR, delivering their fast-paced creations highly inspired by the fantastic LA thrash scene from the 80’s and 90’s. Right after they started their concert at around 9pm the entire floor section turned into a massive circle pit, keeping the security guys busy and even photographers like my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who helped the staff in between taking shots to steer the crowd surfers out of the pit. Alex and Liam (and their front stage crew) did an amazing job holding it down and making sure everyone was safe, by the way. Terror released a short but fulminating album in 2022 titled Pain into Power (available on BandCamp and on Spotify), with songs like the title-track Pain Into Power, Can’t Help but Hate and Boundless Contempt being part of their setlist for the delight of all fans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre.

Setlist
Pain Into Power
Overcome
Stick Tight
Spit My Rage
Betrayer
Lowest of the Low
Can’t Help but Hate
Boundless Contempt
The 25th Hour
One With the Underdogs
Keep Your Mouth Shut
Keepers of the Faith

Band members
Scott Vogel – vocals
Martin Stewart – guitar
Jordan Posner – guitar
Chris Linkovich – bass
Nick Jett – drums

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER

It was a little past 10pm when the main attraction of the night, Detroit, Michigan’s Melodic Death Metal institution THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, began their infernal performance, and everyone at the venue was blown away by their heavy and catchy sounds as expected. Now fronted by Brian Eschbach, who used to be the band’s guitarist until the death of Trevor, the band named their current tour after their 2020 album Verminous, adding the word “remnant” to it for obvious reasons, with songs like the title-track Verminous and Sunless Empire, mixed with their older material including Everything Went Black, I Will Return and Deathmask Divine, driving all fans crazy.

The crowd chanted Trevor’s name between songs during their entire performance, an emotional gesture in honor of the great Trevor, whose lyrics, onstage presence and contributions to the metal scene will always be missed. As aforementioned, what he did for all openers that are part of this tour was amazing, helping all bands get signed. He was a voice of reason to the labels, said one concert goer, and the response from all fans to The Black Dahlia Murder during their entire performance only proved how much everyone will always love Trevor and his music. Thanks once again to Noel Peters from Inertia Entertainment for organizing such incredible night for metal fans in Toronto, and of course for allowing all Torontonian fans to celebrate the life of the one and only Trevor Strnad.

Setlist
Verminous
What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse
Kings of the Nightworld
Sunless Empire
Carbonized in Cruciform
Child of Night
Statutory Ape
On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood
Everything Went Black
Nightbringers
Miasma
Unhallowed
Funeral Thirst
I Will Return
Deathmask Divine

Band members
Brian Eschbach – vocals
Ryan Knight – guitars
Brandon Ellis – guitars
Max Lavelle -bass
Alan Cassidy – drums

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Creeping Death, Sacred Reich and Municipal Waste

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CARCASS

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

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

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

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

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

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Album Review – Whore Of Bethlehem / Ritual Of Homicide (2023)

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This Blackened Brutal Death Metal horde from Texas is ready to kill armed with their third full-length album, an outpouring of black blasphemy and twisted brutality to shake the pillars of faith.

Hailing from Austin, Texas, the self-proclaimed live music capital of the world, the vile Blackened Brutal Death Metal horde Whore Of Bethlehem has been spreading their visceral brand of brutality since their inception in 2009, with their sinister barrage of riffs, blast beats, unnatural screams and heavy songwriting being influenced and inspired by classic Death and Black Metal heavyweights such as Morbid Angel, Immolation, Dissection, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation and Belphegor, among others. Mastered by Colin Davis at Imperial Mastering, mixed at Test Tube Audio, and displaying a sick artwork by Jon Zig, the band’s third full-length opus, titled Ritual Of Homicide, is an outpouring of black blasphemy and twisted brutality to shake the pillars of faith masterfully brought into being by James VanDenBerg on vocals, Ryan Sylvie and Phil King on the guitars, Alan Berryman on bass, and Sam Axelrad on drums, invoking the sound of violence and wickedness with a heart sworn to the black and a soul pledged to hell.

Stygian guitar lines permeate the air in the opening track Enlightenment Through Pain, exploding into a darkened, sinister feast of brutality and gore led by the pulverizing drums by Sam; and putting the pedal to the metal and delivering old school Death Metal with some melodic and progressive nuances, it’s time for the brutal Nails in Your Coffin, with James barking nonstop in the name of evil. Then enhancing their heaviness and obscurity the band offers us all the title-track Ritual of Homicide, where Ryan and Phil are bestial with their axes, cutting our skin deep in true headbanging fashion, followed by Vermin, an infernal, in-your-face Death Metal onrush with no shenanigans nor any other artificial elements, with Sam kicking ass on drums supported by the rumbling bass by Alan. The sinister interlude Gateway will darken our minds before the band comes ripping in Sermon of the Malignant Spirit, the most demonic and obscure of all tracks showcasing an amazing job done by the entire band, in special their guitar duo with their sulfurous riffs and solos.

More of their unrelenting music comes in the form of Out of Body, with James roaring like a maniac while Sam dictates the song’s evil pace, and James keeps hammering our cranial skulls with his brutal drumming in Disembodied, absolutely heavy from start to finish with their guitars and bass generating an unfriendly ambience perfect for raising our horns high. The flammable guitars by Ryan and Phil will pierce your soul in Monolith of Cremation while James crushes his drums as usual in a great display of classic Death Metal, resulting in an invitation to some brutal slammin’ activity; whereas lastly the quintet will demolish our fragile bodies with an avalanche of Death Metal titled Pseudochrist, a more than exciting bonus track bringing forward frantic beats, acid riffs and gruesome vociferations.

The guys from Whore Of Bethlehem are eagerly waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with news, tour dates and more of their depraved music, and of course don’t forget to also stream their sick creations on Spotify. The  dark and heavy-as-hell Ritual Of Homicide, which is on sale from Comatose Music’s BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from Apple Music and Amazon (and you can also click HERE for all things Whore Of Bethlehem), is definitely not recommended for the lighthearted, bringing endless chaos, blasphemy and violence to our avid ears and, therefore, cementing the band’s evil legacy in the underground scene.

Best moments of the album: Enlightenment Through Pain, Sermon of the Malignant Spirit and Pseudochrist.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Comatose Music

Track listing
1. Enlightenment Through Pain 4:39
2. Nails in Your Coffin 4:09
3. Ritual of Homicide 4:21
4. Vermin 3:37
5. Gateway 1:00
6. Sermon of the Malignant Spirit 4:47
7. Out of Body 4:18
8. Disembodied 3:49
9. Monolith of Cremation 3:50
10. Pseudochrist 3:15

Band members
James VanDenBerg – vocals
Ryan Sylvie – lead guitars, backing vocals
Phil King – rhythm guitars
Alan Berryman – bass
Sam Axelrad – drums

Album Review – Skulldozer / Non Stop Ruthless Crushing (2023)

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Behold the debut effort by this ruthless American beast, showcasing a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal.

Blasting a visceral and crushing form of Death Metal since their inception back in 2020 in Texas, but currently located in Long Beach, a city located in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States, Skulldozer will smash your cranial skull with their newborn spawn, entitled Non Stop Ruthless Crushing. Combining elements of traditional Death Metal and modern melodic Sludge Metal, the band comprised of Jason Ramsay on vocals and guitars, Keith Dobson on lead guitars, Mike Spurlock on bass, and Joel Stepp on drums has truly captured a unique heaviness that’s firmly rooted in the old school but stands out in the current stream of Death Metal, delivering a ten-song offering of powerful and catchy, classic Death Metal that worships at the altar of righteous headbanging.

The title-track Non Stop Ruthless Crushing will darken your soul and crush you like an insect from the very first second, with Jason’s deep guttural walking hand in hand with the venomous riffage by the same Jason and Keith; whereas Joel sounds like a stone crusher in the vile Thy Enemies Driven Before Me, again showcasing the band’s passion for all things Death Metal, sounding visceral and heavy until the end. Kingdom Ossuarium is a neck-breaking, mid-tempo black mass by the quartet spearheaded by the inhumane roars by Jason while Mike hammers his bass mercilessly, and blasting sheer heaviness and hatred it’s time for Hatesworn Shitstorm, one of the most crushing songs of the album with Joel stealing the spotlight with his demonic beats. After that, get ready for two and a half minutes of absolute chaos and insanity titled Scum Beneath the Skin, offering brutal and technical Death Metal for the masses with Jason and Keith kicking ass with their riffs and solos.

Adding hints of obscure Doom Metal to their already damned sonority, the band fires Wolves Amongst Sheeple, showcasing another round of their headbanging riffs and fulminating beats, and more of their old school Death Metal sounds comes in the form of Bastards of Zeus, where not a single second is left empty, overflowing obscurity, rage and heaviness led by the pounding drums by Joel. Then in Bow to None the band alternates between faster moments and pure heaviness with Jason growling deeply during the entire song, supported by Joel’s crushing beats and Mike’s rumbling bass, whereas Deathblessed keeps the album at a high level of animosity, albeit a bit generic if compared to the rest of the album, while once again bringing elements from classic doom. Finally, those American death metallers offer our avid ears the infernal Skullfucking Domination, where the entire band is on fire, in special Joel with his demolishing beats, and with Jason vociferating rabidly in the name of extreme music.

If you want to show your support to this newborn beast named Skulldozer, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram for news, more of their music and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel, and above all that, grab your copy of Non Stop Ruthless Crushing from their own BandCamp page as well as from the Guts and Blood Records’ BandCamp page. Skulldozer are among us to stay based on the high quality of the music found in their extremely vile debut album, and if I were you I would start warming up your neck for some unstoppable headbanging as soon as those guys hit the road with their venomous and demonic Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Hatesworn Shitstorm, Scum Beneath the Skin and Skullfucking Domination.

Worst moments of the album: Deathblessed.

Released in 2023 Guts and Blood Records/Rotten Records

Track listing
1. Non Stop Ruthless Crushing 4:35
2. Thy Enemies Driven Before Me 4:01
3. Kingdom Ossuarium 4:59
4. Hatesworn Shitstorm 3:58
5. Scum Beneath the Skin 2:30
6. Wolves Amongst Sheeple 4:42
7. Bastards of Zeus 3:47
8. Bow to None 5:05
9. Deathblessed 6:33
10. Skullfucking Domination 4:03

Band members
Jason Ramsay – vocals, guitars
Keith Dobson – lead guitars
Mike Spurlock – bass
Joel Stepp – drums

Album Review – Throat Locust / Dragged Through Glass EP (2023)

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A newborn Texas-based outfit will attack your senses with the merciless Death Metal from their debut effort, emerging straight out of the impending doom.

Formed in 2022 and influenced by classic Florida Death Metal, but seasoned with Bolt Thrower and Pantera’s Texas groove, Corpus Christi, Texas-based Death Metal outfit Throat Locust seeks to create extreme music with a broad appeal, producing merciless Death Metal that emerges straight out of the impending doom as it can be seen in their debut EP, entitled Dragged Through Glass. Formed of Gil Perez on vocals, Eric Calvert and Alex Gregory on the guitars, Adrian Cavazos on bass, and Rob Cantu on drums, the band has been focusing on refining their brutal sound and preparing to start cracking skulls in a basements of the touring circuit armed with their newborn opus, showcasing an epic insight into the quintet’s heavy realms and, therefore, being highly recommended for admirers of Obituary, Bolt Thrower, Dismember and Gatecreeper, among several others.

The dirty, raw riffs by Eric and Alex ignite the infuriated Death Metal tune entitled Death Lurker, preparing the stage for Gil to roar like a demonic beast in a straightforward, in-your-face metal attack with no shenanigans nor any artificial elements. Then we have Corruption & Greed, even more demented than the opening song, with the band taking their heaviness and rage to a whole new level while Rob keeps hammering his drums in the name of classic Death Metal, always supported by the solid bass lines by Adrian. In other words, I would love to hear more of this version of Throat Locust in their future releases. Lastly, closing the EP it’s time for a headbanging feast named Axe Grinder, offering more of the band’s brutalizing music with Gil once again barking and growling deeply while Eric and Alex pierce our ears with their razor-edged riffs and solos.

In a nutshell, the pulverizing Dragged Through Glass, which will soon be available on Spotify and also on sale from the band’s own BandCamp page, from Apple Music and from Amazon, represents exactly what the band itself explained about their music, being violent yet melodic, raw yet groovy, working as a great start to the new path being paved by Throat Locust. Hence, don’t forget to get in touch with those talented Texans through Facebook and Instagram, or simply click HERE for all things Throat Locust. Both the name of the band and of the EP already tell you that the music is going to be brutal, which is exactly Throat Locust’s goal, and they more than succeeded in their quest for violence throughout the EP’s 12 minutes of music. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see what’s next for those guys when they’re able to release a full-bodied album in the near future.

Best moments of the album: Corruption & Greed.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Death Lurker 4:31
2. Corruption & Greed 3:27
3. Axe Grinder 4:41

Band members
Gil Perez – vocals
Eric Calvert – lead guitars
Alex Gregory – rhythm guitars
Adrian Cavazos – bass
Rob Cantu – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Haley Roughton

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We are food for a predator… immobilized, we die this night!

Houston, we have Heavy Metal. And it’s not just Heavy Metal, but a bold and electrifying fusion of extreme music with symphonic elements and movie scores, and if you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about I’m sure our metal lady of the month of September will help you with that. Not only an extremely talented vocalist capable of flowing from the most demonic growls to clean, groovy vocals, she also works as a spacesuit instructor and flight controller at NASA, which gives you an idea of her wide range of skills and level of intellect and energy. I’m talking about the multi-talented vocalist Haley Roughton, the frontwoman for Houston, Texas-based Symphonic/Melodic Death Metal horde The Xebellian Triangle. I bet you’re curious to know more about Haley, her work with The Xebellian Triangle and with NASA, her other music projects and so on, so get ready for a wild ride with such up-and-coming name of the current metal scene.

Before we head into her current adventure with The Xebellian Triangle, let’s take a step back and know more about her studies and career, just to give you a taste of how smart and focused Haley is and how she also applies those strengths into her music. As aforementioned, Haley has been very busy with projects and assignments at her workplace at NASA, having recently been certified as a flight controller and having already been an intern at the Avionic Systems Division (Command and Data Handling), working with MSP430 microcontroller, C language, QNAP API, HTTP protocol, general computer networks and programming microcontrollers in C in the development of software/drivers for a network-attached storage (NAS) device interfacing to the MPS430 microcontroller for the Modular Integrated Stackable Layers (MISL) project. Not only that, she was also an intern a few years ago for a company called Magaw Medical, in Texas, laying the foundations for a wireless, HD video laryngoscope, and also a student researcher at Texas Christian University, where by the way she graduated in Engineering with Electrical Emphasis. Moreover, she’s awesome in LTSpice/PSpice, MS Excel, C, MATLAB and Inventor/AutoCAD, among other technical skills needed in her career.

Do you think Haley is a nerd or geek after reading about her career? Well, yes, but of course she’s proud of that, and when you listen to her vocals with her bandmates from The Xebellian Triangle you’ll then realize she’s not just a nerd, but a badass nerd. Currently formed of Haley on vocals, who joined the band in the spring of 2021, alongside Ivy Jayne Lance (Suicide Pandemic, The Crypt Alive, The Isdal Cadaver, Remnants of Izanagi) on the guitars, Hakeem De Hoyos on bass, and Aron Hetsko (Aethereus, The Crypt Alive, Dorzia) on drums, The Xebellian Triangle were formed back in 2019 by Ivy and Aron, who had their initial band together in high school and after several years  met up to talk about how it would be great to finish their old songs, put them out and play them live, leading to the birth of The Xebellian Triangle, with their sound being inspired by renowned acts the likes of Amon Amarth, The Black Dahlia Murder, Epica, Dimmu Borgir and Fleshgod Apocalypse, among several others. After releasing a few singles starting in December 2021, The Xebellian Triangle (also referred to as TXT) released in the beginning of July their debut full-length opus, entitled At the Banks of the Rubicon (which is by the way available in full on Spotify), offering us all nine songs of first-class Melodic and Symphonic Death Metal with Haley kicking some serious ass on vocals, as you can witness in the songs Dracarys, with Haley being also responsible for its lyrics and arrangements (and which also has a very nice vocal playthrough by our metal diva on YouTube), and Confirmed.

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Sometimes labeled by the band itself as “The Black Dahlia Murder meets Hans Zimmer”, the music by The Xebellian Triangle is highly influenced by fantasy books, movies and series the likes of The Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and The Witcher, among several others, as well as games such as World of Warcraft, which Haley plays (or at least used to play) on her free time, and sci-fi and horror films including John Carpenter’s The Thing, one of Haley’s favorite horror movies of all time. As already mentioned, Haley was involved in the development of some of the album lyrics and arranging patterns during the recording process by offering different perspectives, and if you click HERE you’ll have access not only to the band’s top-of-the-line creations, but also to their tour dates, merch, social media links and so on, seeing how focused and hardworking the entire band is and how they added all of those influences into their music. As you can see in Haley’s influences as well as in the rest of The Xebellian Triangle’s, they are all kind of nerds with their own varying preferences, including the aforementioned books, movies, shows, games and other things like anime, but Hailey also brings to the band elements from R&B thanks to her vocal training, adding more clean singing spots where they fit in the music by The Xebellian Triangle. Moreover, the band also tries to speak on things that are important to them such as feminism, the fight for racial equality, gay rights, trans rights, and supporting methods that build a greener, cleaner, safer, fairer world.

Always developing a portfolio of covers to show off her vocal ranges both clean and harsh on her YouTube channel, including Take This Lonely Heart, by Nothing But Thieves, Out of Time, by Skyharbor, and Holy Roller, by Spiritbox, Haley has also been part of a Death Metal band named Dorzia since 2021, having already recorded with them the singles  Blood Portrait, Looking In and Deity’s Grasp, with all three songs demonstrating Haley’s flexibility in her extreme vocals from gutturals to piercing high screams. Calling themselves “sonic brutality from Houston, Texas”, this six-piece act fronted by Haley has a lot of potential to grow in the coming years, and I can’t wait to see if their first ever EP or full-length album will become a reality in a not-so-distant future. In addition, just like what was mentioned about The Xebellian Triangle, you can find all details, important links and other shenanigans about Dorzia by clicking HERE. Furthermore, in addition to her recent work with The Xebellian Triangle and Dorzia, Haley was also featured as a guest vocalist in the song Oubliette, released in November 2021 as a single by an Austin, Texas-based Deathcore outfit named Snake Father, and let me tell you that Haley simply stole the show with her infernal she-wolf growls.

Regarding their live performance, The Xebellian Triangle always bring a lot of energy to the stage, with Haley loving to run and jump around, therefore engaging with the crowd whenever possible, not to mention Haley and Ivy both have stage clothes they wear to keep a recurring image. The band mentioned in one of their interviews that they plan to expand further in this and always want to bring new and exciting things to the live show, and we all know that usually translates into some extra awesomeness to the performance of any band. There are no current dates scheduled for The Xebellian Triangle for the rest of 2022 due to personal reasons, though, such as Haley doing some travelling on her own, but I’m sure it won’t take long for The Xebellian Triangle to take your city by storm. Hence, I wouldn’t miss the chance to see them live if I were you simply because you’ll be able to see one of the most exciting new names of the current American metal scene, fronted by a multi-talented woman who’s eager to scream and roar in your face and show you that no matter what happens, the stage is hers.

Haley Roughton’s Official Instagram
The Xebellian Triangle’s Official Facebook page
The Xebellian Triangle’s Official Instagram
The Xebellian Triangle’s Official YouTube channel
The Xebellian Triangle’s Official Twitter

Album Review – Flame Imperishable / Glory and Ruin (2022)

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This talented husband-and-wife duo is back in action with a new project of first-class Progressive Power Metal inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, video games and more.

A husband-and-wife duo comprised of multi-instrumentalist Jason Lee Greenberg and vocalist Jennifer Michelle Greenberg, known for the 2014 self-titled album by Orisonata, Houston, Texas-based Progressive Power Metal entity Flame Imperishable is ready to take the world of heavy music by storm with their debut opus entitled Glory and Ruin, inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien, Brandon Sanderson, video games and more. Produced and engineered by Gregg Rossetti of Suspyre, who also plays saxophone and keyboards, and is responsible for the orchestrations in the album, Glory and Ruin is highly recommended for fans of Blind Guardian, Opeth, Epica, Nightwish and Ghost, with each one of its songs presenting either a heroic literary figure or a very tragic soul destined for a path of ruin.

Acoustic guitars ignite the opening tune The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion), where Jennifer beautifully declaims the song’s lyrics (“Broken, treachery, a given promise kept / of changing and of shifting shape / Thereby the snare was set / Revealed the truth of where / his companions lay / and thus his kinsmen found / their final resting place”) amidst an imposing and progressive sonority, whereas investing in a more direct, metallic sound we have Frozen in Time, with Jason doing an awesome job with his riffs and beats accompanied by the classic keys by Gregg in a first-class fusion of Symphonic and Progressive Metal. And the couple keeps delivering epicness and intricacy in Slavebranded, showcasing their more Dream Theater-ish side with hints of Opeth while keeping a more direct, vibrant vibe, followed by Shrine of Resurrection, featuring bass lines by Gregg and sounding a lot less metal or intense than its predecessors, but still very melodic thanks to the great job done by Jennifer on vocals. Then the whimsical, melancholic sax by Gregg in the interlude Bregalad’s Lament sets the stage for The Herald’s Approach, with a guest guitar solo by Drew Creel (Masqued) and another round of their magical lyrics (“Surrender the light / In the midst of ruin, defy / The silent watchmen of lies / Broken promises shattered inside”) while Jason and Gregg make a dynamic duo with their respective riffs and sax.

Flammable riffs by Jason and the futuristic keys by Gregg ignite the Symphonic and Progressive Metal feast titled Reign of Fire, also presenting a sick guitar solo by Drew, where once again Jennifer fires her fusion of operatic and metallic vocals for our total delight; whereas The Scarlet Gale (Part 1: Darkness Falling) will prepare our souls to the sound of the acoustic guitars by Jason and Jennifer’s whimsical voice for the 12-minute aria The Scarlet Gale (Part 2: The Descent), featuring male vocals by John Yelland (Judicator, Dire Peril, Principium). It’s an exciting musical voyage alternating between ethereal passages, sheer heaviness and climatic moments where John and Jennifer make a fantastic vocal duet while Jason is a machine of progressiveness, also presenting elements from the music by early Nightwish, Dream Theater and Opeth with the band’s own twist, therefore resulting in a metal opera that will please all fans of the genre, flowing into the closing tune The Scarlet Gale (Part 3: Reflection), a delicate, melancholic outro featuring the stunning classical guitar by guest Valerie Hartzell that puts a beautiful ending to the album, mesmerizing us all until the very last second.

“I fully devoted myself to studying and pursuing classical guitar. In getting back to writing metal music, it was a blast incorporating newly learned classical composition techniques, approaches to counterpoint melody, as well as baroque and romantic styled themes into heavy metal,” commented Jason about his approach in crafting the music found in Glory and Ruin, and it’s indeed a fun experience noticing all those nuances in each and every track of the album. Hence, don’t forget to give Jason and Jennifer a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel, stream their creations on Spotify, and above all that, purchase a copy of their new album directly from their BandCamp page to keep the flames of Progressive Power Metal burning for all eternity.

Best moments of the album: The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion), Slavebranded and The Scarlet Gale (Part 2: The Descent).

Worst moments of the album: Shrine of Resurrection.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. The Halls of Waiting (Oblivion) 9:12
2. Frozen in Time 4:39
3. Slavebranded 6:00
4. Shrine of Resurrection 5:13
5. Bregalad’s Lament 2:52
6. The Herald’s Approach 5:32
7. Reign of Fire 4:44
8. The Scarlet Gale (Part 1: Darkness Falling) 2:21
9. The Scarlet Gale (Part 2: The Descent) 12:53
10. The Scarlet Gale (Part 3: Reflection) 2:57

Band members
Jennifer Greenberg – vocals
Jason Lee Greenberg – guitar, bass, drums

Guest musicians
Gregg Rossetti (Suspyre) – saxophone, keyboards, orchestrations, bass on “Shrine of Resurrection”
Drew Creel (Masqued) – guitar solos on “Reign of Fire” and “The Herald’s Approach”
John Yelland (Judicator, Dire Peril, Principium) – male vocals on “The Scarlet Gale (Part 2: The Descent)”
Valerie Hartzell – classical guitar on “The Scarlet Gale (Part 3: Reflection)”

Album Review – Circa Arcana / Bridget Viginti EP (2022)

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A short and sweet explosion of American Metalcore, ranging from personal struggles with addiction and personal demons to stories of occult legends and disassociated dreams.

Formed in the summer of 2020 in the city of El Paso, Texas, in the United States, the five-piece Metalcore act Circa Arcana is starting to come into the forefront of the local scene, with each of the band’s five musicians, those being Kevin Cangas on vocals, Johny Serna and Felipe Jasso on the guitars, Ben Reyes on bass, and Frank Loya on drums, already having experience playing in other bands. Produced by the band itself at JTS Studio Productions, mixed and mastered by Chris Hard at Resartus Productions, and displaying a dark artwork by Kavan the Kid, Bridget Viginti is the debut EP by Circa Arcana, with its lyrical themes ranging from personal struggles with addiction and personal demons to stories of occult legends and disassociated dreams.

Melancholic sounds permeate the air in the obscure opening tune Ten of Swords, until Kevin comes ripping with his anguished roars supported by the metallic bass by Ben and the infernal drums by Frank in a solid display of modern-day Metalcore, also presenting a spot-on balance between clean and harsh vocals. Then continuing their path of harmony and rage the quintet fires the headbanging The Tower, with Johny and Felipe delivering captivating, slashing riffs nonstop while Kevin once again has an amazing performance on vocals. It’s time to bang our heads like maniacs with Circa Arcana in The Chariot, with the band’s stringed trio being on absolute fire from start to finish and also showcasing traditional Metalcore growls and hammering beats, whereas Kevin focuses a lot more on his clean vocals in Luna, declaiming the song’s lyrics in a fusion of Metalcore and contemporary Punk Rock while Johny and Felipe keep extracting sheer melody from their sonic axes. Lastly, back to a more visceral mode the band brings forward Esoteric, with Ben and Frank dictating the song’s crushing pace while Kevin roars like a beast, ending the album on a potent and at the same time dark manner.

In a nutshell, although the guys from Circa Arcana might just be taking their first steps as a band with Bridget Viginti, the music found in their debut EP is not just solid and professional but it also paves a very promising path ahead of them, proving once again how strong the Metalcore scene is in the United States. Hence, in order to show your support to those American metallers, you can start following them on Facebook and on Instagram, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music and videos, and of course stream their debut EP on Spotify and purchase it from Apple Music really soon. It’s tarot, it’s black magic, and it’s the occult in the form of heavy and groovy metal music. What else can we ask for, right?

Best moments of the album: The Tower and The Chariot.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2022 Independent

Track listing
1. Ten of Swords 5:42
2. The Tower 4:31
3. The Chariot 3:00
4. Luna 4:28
5. Esoteric 4:40

Band members
Kevin Cangas – vocals
Johny Serna – guitar
Felipe Jasso – guitar
Ben Reyes – bass
Frank Loya – drums

Metal Chick of the Month – Adrienne Cowan

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So sin ‘til you win, let your demons out! Lady Lightbringer!

It’s time for a true metal opera this February on The Headbanging Moose, courtesy of our multi-talented metal lady of the month. A metal vocalist, poet, vocal coach and musician best known for being the frontwoman and composer for American Symphonic Metal band Seven Spires, among several other amazing metal bands and projects, Adrienne Elizabeth Catli Cowan, who goes by her stage name of Adrienne Cowan, will mesmerize you with her unique vocals, both extreme and classic Heavy Metal clean vocals. In other words, she can sing pretty much any type of metal and non-metal music, from the Symphonic Metal of Seven Spires to Death Metal, Deathcore and Dark Jazz, and I’m sure you’ll have an absolute blast with Adrienne after knowing more about the life and career of such skillful artist.

Born on January 28, 1995 in Houston, the most populous city in Texas and the fourth most populous city in the United States, Adrienne is formally trained in classical and most contemporary styles as a graduate of both Berklee College of Music (with a degree in Music Composition) in Boston, Massachusetts and the Academy of Contemporary Music in the UK, although she was also self-taught in both extreme clean vocals for many years before finally finding a perfect vocal coach in Swedish singer David Äkesson. Her connection with music started a lot earlier than that, though, as since she was a child she was already taking part in choirs and taking piano lessons, performing in musicals and then entering music school, and from there starting to compose her music and to expand her knowledge and skills, especially as a singer. For instance, Adrienne had her first performance as a vocalist at the age of three at an event at the church her family attended, beginning her piano lessons after that at the age of six and being mainly into choir and darker popular musicals such as Phantom of the Opera throughout elementary and middle school. Not only that, her parents pulled her out of high school so that she could attend a music school full-time, so through that show of support she already had a good feeling about her potential skills.

When she was still living in England, in 2012, Adrienne was making demos by herself for a dark and theatrical project she had yet to debut, and after moving back to the United States in 2013 she met Jack Kosto in a bookstore in her first week at Berklee and told him about her project and songs. From there Seven Spires were born, with all band members having extensive musical knowledge and studies, therefore drawing on their backgrounds to express themselves musically without limits of genre or technique. Seven Spires released their first album in 2014, the EP The Cabaret of Dreams, with all of its songs representing half of their 2017 full-length opus Solveig, where not only Adrienne was responsible for all vocals, keyboards, lyrics and songwriting, but also for the production and vocal engineering, showcasing all her talent and professionalism. After Solveig, the band released the full-length albums Emerald Seas, in 2020, and Gods of Debauchery, in 2021, and if you want to enjoy all of the band’s epic creations you can find Seven Spires on Spotify and on YouTube, where you can also have a visual orgasm with their official videos for the songs Lightbringer, Succumb, The Unforgotten Name, The Cabaret Of Dreams, Drowner Of Worlds, Bury You, The Paradox, This God Is Dead, Silvery Moon, The Cursed Muse, and Dare To Live, as well as some live footage, making of’s, behind the scenes and other awesome videos by Adrienne and her crew.

Apart from her career with Seven Spires, you can also find Adrienne and her powerful vocals in distinct bands and projects such as International Power Metal band Light & Shade, with whom she recorded the vocals for the 2016 album The Essence of Everything; International Power Metal/Hard Rock band Sascha Paeth’s Masters of Ceremony, with whom she recorded the vocals (and piano for one track) in the 2019 album Signs of Wings; and American Symphonic Deathcore band Winds of Plague, with whom she recorded the keyboards and backing vocals in the 2017 album Blood of My Enemy. In addition, Adrienne was also part of American Melodic Heavy Metal band FirstBourne from 2016 to 2018, having recorded the vocals and keyboards in their 2016 album Riot and in the 2017 acoustic single Home, and of Frontiers All Stars in 2020 and Riot Underground between 2012 and 2013.

You can also find her singing and playing live with German Symphonic Power Metal band Avantasia since 2018, with American Heavy Metal band Mike Kerr from 2015 until 2018, and with American Power/Thrash Metal band Sonic Pulse. Not only that, Adrienne was also a guest musician in an array of bands and projects, those being vocals for the song I Declare War from the 2020 album The Journey, by German Melodic Death Metal band Deliver the Galaxy; vocals for several songs from the 2021 album The Metal Opera by Magnus Karlsson, by Swedish Symphonic/Melodic/Power Metal band Heart Healer; vocals for the song My Guide My Hunger from the 2018 album As Above So Below, by Italian Melodic Death Metal band Hell’s Guardian; vocals for the song The End of Innocence from the 2017 album Reflections, by American Neoclassical Heavy Metal artist Jimi Mitchell; vocals for the song Mammoth from the 2017 album Pianometal, by American Symphonic/Progressive Metal artist Kyle Morrison; vocals for the song The Truth of the Lion from the 2015 album The Truth of the Lion, by Mike Kerr; harsh and clean vocals for the songs Conjunction of Souls and The Restitution from the 2020 album Pile of Priests, by American Progressive Death Metal band Pile of Priests; vocals for the song Let It Go from the 2018 album Re-Animated, by Italian Power Metal band Trick or Treat; and vocals and lyrics for the 2018 album Lights in the Murk, by Italian Symphonic Black Metal band Yass-Waddah. Do you want more? Because our she-wolf was also responsible for the songwriting for the song Hold Tight from the 2016 EP Dirty Lyxx, by American Heavy Metal/Hard Rock band Dirty Lyxx, and she also sung vocals in Black Science’s Freedom (Or Die Trying), featured in the outro of one Camp Camp episode, and sang both a duet with Casey Lee Williams in the RWBY Volume 6 credits song Nevermore, and in the song War of Volume 7. Adrienne has also been a part of the Freelance Orchestra in their RTX 2016 (where to her surprise she ended up in the RWBY music panel) and 2018 concerts, plus Anime Boston 2018, and you can always have a great time watching her own videos on her official YouTube channel.

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Adrienne got into the world of metal music around the age of 11 when her uncle showed her Metallica and Scorpions, but it wasn’t until she found out about musicians the likes of Alexi Laiho, Janne Wierman and Yngwie Malmsteen that she really started to feel at home listening to Heavy Metal. She mentioned it appealed in some way to her classical background, and watching live Children of Bodom videos was quite inspiring. However, she’s not only into metal, but showcases a wide variety of influences in her life. “I’m not a one-dimensional person – I’m a human – so I’m allowed to like other stuff”, she said in one of her interviews. “I’m not a huge K-pop fan or anything, but I really like good pop writing. From a technical standpoint, as a songwriter, I’m like: damn, good for you guys. And there’s a certain sassy energy – it just speaks to me in a way that a lot of metal doesn’t.” Another influence on our beloved diva as a writer are painters of the Romantic period, with German painter Caspar David Friedrich and Russian painter Ivan Aivazovsky being two of her main inspirations. “I’m also a big fan of (the English composer) Edward Elgar – he does this piece called ‘Sospiri Op. 70,’ which is the most beautiful thing, it sounds like the pain of falling in love. It was something I listened to a lot when we were writing this record. And of course, Chopin,” she said, also finding inspiration under night skies and in the darker depths of the human condition to write her lyrics. Adrienne also nurtures an amazing openness with her fans on social media, which she credits to her experience as a My Chemical Romance fan back when she was younger. “This one interview with them came out, and I remember one of the guys in the band saying basically, ‘We say these things in our music, we are a bunch of fucked up guys, and it helps our fans know… you’re not alone.’ That really made me feel less alone when I was a sad teenager, and then when I grew up into a sad adult, I thought, damn, I could be that for somebody else.”

Regarding her singing style, technique and how she maintains her vocal cords in great shape, Adrienne mentioned in one of her interviews that she likes to meditate before shows and uses her instincts to decide what she’ll sing or scream either high or low. “The low death metal style is more present and more grounded and more angry and earthier in a way. The higher black metal screams are more spiritually pitched or spiritually empty — when there’s black metal themes and nihilistic lyrics, of course I’m probably going to scream with that high tone”, said Adrienne. In addition, when she was enrolled at The Academy of Contemporary Music at the age of 16 she joined an after-school club where all metalhead students gathered to jam on a new song every week, opening her eyes to the rest of the metal world and challenging her to vocally try different styles of each subgenre of metal. She also mentioned that she has studied many techniques of singing including theatrical belting, Speech Level Singing, bel canto and even some throat singing, with the hardest part being unlearning things previous teachers had told her in order to properly approach whatever new technique she was learning, and with the very high Power Metal “scream” being one of the styles that took her the longest to develop. In order to maintain her vocal health, she mentioned that she basically has to just mind her sleep and hydration levels, trying to stay out of the direct blast of heaters or air conditioners, and trying not to get sick or allergic. However, at the end of the day, even dehydrated or sick the show must go on, which forced her to develop alternate techniques to sing through sickness.

A huge fan of Lord of the Rings, all forms of art, Gothic style, cheesy Sci-Fi, vampire shows, coffee and fantasy games, Adrienne enjoys mountain hikes, spending time by any shore, and playing JRPG’s (Japanese Role-Playing Games) and games with friends between her musical ventures. “After a long tour, I like to sit at home and sleep in my own bed, play video games, maybe think about going out… If I get to go on a little holiday or something, I love road trips and anywhere remote with alpine forests and quiet waters. Wyoming is great for this, as are many spots on the West Coast. Anything to get me away from people and out of my regular world,” commented Adrienne, who despite being very fond of animals cannot take care of a dog or cat due to her lack of space and time to do so. And when asked which hobbit from Lord of the Rings she would choose to be part of her band for the rest of their days, she provided a curious and fun answer to that. “Either Sam or Pippin, I think. Because I think I’m a Frodo, and I need a support system like Sam. But also I need a Pippin to just make me laugh all the time no matter what, and just help lighten the mood, and tell me to eat my carrots and mushrooms.”

Last but not least, our raven-haired vocalist also had a few interesting words to say about the whole pandemic and how it has been impacting her life on the road with Seven Spires. “All of this resulted in connecting more with our fans online. So although it’s super frustrating to not know exactly when we’re going to be able to play live again, we have found a way to do the online equivalent of hugging people at the merch table and listening to their stories,” said Adrienne, who also mentioned she keeps working hard to entertain and stay in touch with her fanbase, also teaching online, private vocal lessons and running a weekly workshop on everything from orchestration to arranging to songwriting techniques, all of which you can find on Linktree and on Patreon. “Mostly I teach tools for people to be able to express what they have in mind, and I teach from a really emotional standpoint.” And if you want to know more about Adrienne, her likes and dislikes, her inspirations and so on, there are countless interview online with her such as this one to Rock Titan or this one called RichardMetalFan Interviews! Ep. 33: Adrienne Cowan of Seven Spires/Winds of Plague/Avantasia, where she talks about her journey with music from where she started until now. Having said all that, what are you waiting for to let Adrienne reach deep inside your heart and take you on a breathtaking musical voyage to the sound of her stunning vocals?

Adrienne Cowan’s Official Facebook page
Adrienne Cowan’s Official Instagram
Adrienne Cowan’s Official YouTube channel
Adrienne Cowan’s Official Twitter
Seven Spires’ Official Facebook page
Seven Spires’ Official Instagram
Seven Spires’ Official YouTube channel
Seven Spires’ Official Twitter

“I know that if I’m just stagnant and sitting on my ass, I’m not going to be happy. So if I want to be happy, I have to do something about it.” – Adrienne Cowan

Album Review – Immortal Guardian / Psychosomatic (2021)

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What’s the best thing to do during this never-ending pandemic? This talented American group has the answer to that armed with their brand new album of breathtaking Progressive Power Metal.

After winning over new audiences with their acclaimed 2018 debut full-length album Age of Revolution and touring relentlessly alongside fellow shredders such as Marty Friedman, Powerglove and Exmortus, Austin, Texas’ own Progressive Power Metal entity Immortal Guardian is back in action in 2021 with their sophomore effort, entitled Psychosomatic, offering their fans more of what they like to call “Super Metal”. As a matter of fact, as the spread of COVID-19 and the subsequent pandemic began to ensue, each member of the band retreated to their respective hometowns; guitarist and keyboardist Gabriel Guardian (also known as Gabriel Guardiola) remained in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the United States, vocalist Carlos Zema (of bands like Outworld and Heaven’s Guardian) recorded his vocals from his home in Brazil, new drummer Justin Piedimonte stayed in Montreal, Canada, and new bassist Josh Lopez remained in the band’s native Texas. With shutdowns around the world being enforced, the band completely scrapped the originally planned record that they had been working on and were heavily inspired to write and create a new thematic record about their emotions surrounding current events, with the final result being at the same time epic, bold and of course very personal to each one of those four talented musicians.

The title-track Psychosomatic beings in an imposing manner led by the whimsical keys by Gabriel, gradually evolving into a feast of Progressive Metal showcasing the high-pitched screams by Carlos (and somewhat working as an extended intro to the rest of the album), and they put the pedal to the metal in the heavy and groovy Power Metal tune Read Between the Lines, with the bass jabs by Josh adding sheer heaviness to the overall result while Carlos continues to shine on vocals. Then it’s time to enjoy this eternal lockdown together with the guys form Immortal Guardian in the multi-layered, electrifying Lockdown, with Justin dictating the pace with his intricate beats while Gabriel kicks some serious ass with both his riffs and keys, whereas featuring guest guitars by Marcelo Barbosa (of Almah and Angra), Phobia is another thunderous dosage of their fusion of Progressive and Power Metal where Gabriel, Josh and Justin are in absolute sync with their sonic weapons. And more of their intricate sounds and magical passages are offered in the epic extravaganza titled Clocks, with the keys by Gabriel generating a beautiful ambience perfect for his own piercing guitar solos.

After the short atmospheric interlude Self-isolation, let’s keep banging our heads to the sound of the Heavy Metal hurricane titled Goodbye to Farewells, featuring guest vocals by Mary Zimmer (of Helion Prime), with all band members extracting tons of adrenaline from their instruments while Mary sounds utterly bestial with her harsh roars, showcasing a different side from her work with her main band. Then in Candlelight we’re treated to a pensive, melancholic intro where Josh adds his share of darkness through his bass, evolving into a more traditional hybrid of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock (albeit not as entertaining nor dynamic as the rest of the album, though, going on for too long), and more of their refined piano notes permeate the air in Find a Reason, a more gripping ballad than the previous song, sounding dense from start to finish and with Carlos passionately declaiming the song’s words while Justin pounds his drums flawlessly. Finally, Gabriel once again brings forward his deep passion for shredding in New Day Rising, a spot-on depiction of their Progressive Power Metal, offering many breaks, variations, complex passages and the usual speed and energy of Power Metal for the delight of admirers of the genre.

It’s quite easy to join the army of immortals spearheaded by Gabriel, Carlos, Josh and Justin, as their newborn spawn is available from an array of locations including the band’s own BandCamp and webstore, the M-Theory Audio webstore (in CD and limited purple LP format), the Plastic Head webstore (also in CD and limited purple LP format), or simply click HERE for all places where you can buy or stream the album. Also, let’s show our support to those talented metallers by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel and by streaming more of their music on Spotify. Psychosomatic is undoubtedly the perfect example of how we should face the COVID-19 pandemic, turning our fears, anxiety and hopelessness into ass-kicking metal music like what Immortal Guardian were capable of doing (perhaps not in such majestic way, of course), showcasing once again the positive energy Heavy Metal can bring to us all even during the most difficult times of our lives. Stay home, stay safe, and rock on!

Best moments of the album: Lockdown, Phobia and Goodbye to Farewells.

Worst moments of the album: Candlelight.

Released in 2021 M-Theory Audio

Track listing
1. Psychosomatic 5:33
2. Read Between the Lines 6:01
3. Lockdown 4:12
4. Phobia 6:13
5. Clocks 5:12
6. Self-isolation 0:39
7. Goodbye to Farewells 5:50
8. Candlelight 5:24
9. Find a Reason 7:00
10. New Day Rising 5:56

Band members
Carlos Zema – vocals
Gabriel Guardian – guitars, keyboards
Josh Lopez – bass
Justin Piedimonte – drums

Guest musician
Mary Zimmer – harsh vocals on “Goodbye to Farewells”
Marcelo Barbosa – guitars on “Phobia”