Tag Archives: thrash metal

Concert Review – Pantera (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/08/2023)

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The best band to ever arise from Texas took the city of Toronto by storm on Saturday with their undisputed metal music in a memorable night for their fans, for their brothers, and for their legacy.

OPENING ACTS: Child Bite and Lamb of God

If I’m not mistaken, the last time Pantera visited the city of Toronto was on February 9, 1999 at the SkyDome (currently known as Rogers Centre) during their World Domination Tour, as one of the guest openers for Black Sabbath. Having said that, you can imagine how desperate for more Pantera the Torontonian metalheads were until this Saturday when CHILD BITE, LAMB OF GOD and PANTERA took the Budweiser Stage by storm on a beyond emotional night, one of them being my good friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, and as I couldn’t be there mainly due to the ticket prices, Keith took care of both the photos (although not with a photo pass, but just as a regular fan) and the review. As a matter of fact, the ticket prices for this show were so ridiculous that you could find CHEAPER tickets at resale websites such as TickPick and StubHub than at the official Live Nation website, just to give you an idea of how insane things are these days.

Anyway, as the lines were absurdly huge according to Keith, he couldn’t get inside the venue to watch the opener at 7pm, Detroit, Michigan-based Hardcore Punk/Metal outfit CHILD BITE. They were a weird choice taking into account the type of music played by Lamb of God and Pantera, and as each date of the tour seems to have a different opener (each band being responsible for opening the night in four or five different cities), I wonder if it was a combination of friendship with the guys from Pantera, the geography/location of the band, and their availability. Anyway, their latest album was released back in 2019 and is titled Blow Off the Omens, and if you love the fusion of Hardcore and Punk Rock you can find it on Spotify and on BandCamp in case you want to give their music a try.

Setlist
Smog & Viscera
Swan Song of a Boiled Dog
Glazed in a Skeletal Maze
Disposable Hysteria
Ancestral Ooze
Erect for Dystopia
Blow Off The Omens

Band members
Shawn Knight – vocals
Jeremy Waun – guitar
Sean Clancy – bass
Jeff Porter – drums

After a quick break, more precisely at 7:50pm, it was time for one of the coolest bands to witness live, Richmond, Virginia’s iconic Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD, to kick some serious ass once again at the Budweiser Stage, this time promoting their 2022 beast Omens. I feel terrible for missing Mr. Randy Blythe and his crew this time, but it is what it is. Well, Keith said they didn’t disappoint at all (as expected), blending classics the likes of Memento Mori (one of the best songs ever to properly kick off any concert), Walk With Me in Hell and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, with new songs such as Ditch and Omens, igniting some serious mosh pits in the general admission area. Randy took some time to interact with the crowd, remembering when that famous fan Chris LaRocque got kicked out of the venue and tried to get back swimming when they opened for the mighty Slayer (or maybe I should say SLAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYEEEEEEEERRRRR!) in 2018. That was a memorable night, just like this Saturday, and next time Lamb of God comes to Toronto I’ll make sure I’ll be there no matter what.

Setlist
Memento Mori
Walk With Me in Hell
Resurrection Man
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
Ditch
Omens
Ruin
Contractor
Laid to Rest
Redneck

Band members
D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums

PANTERA

Finally, after 24 years, the best band ever to arise from Texas, Thrash/Groove Metal monsters PANTERA, hit the stage at 9:15pm for the delight of everyone who attended the concert, and according to Keith, who saw them for the first time ever this Saturday, they were absolutely perfect. I guess I don’t need to say that EVERYONE on this fuckin’ planet would want to see their classic formation on stage with Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, which is something impossible for obvious reasons (to be honest, I think everyone would be extremely happy if both were still alive, it doesn’t matter if they would be playing with Pantera or not, just because they deserved to be still alive), but Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante are proudly living up to the legacy of the band.

Playing classics from all of their albums, from A New Level and Mouth for War to 5 Minutes Alone and This Love, from Fucking Hostile and Cemetery Gates to Cowboys From Hell, and to the surprise of many ending their concert with Revolution Is My Name and Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit, both from their last album ever Reinventing the Steel, released back in 2000, which I remember got mixed reactions when it was launched, Pantera were on absolute fire, receiving an amazing feedback from the crowd (which according to Keith’s brother was “goddamn electric”) who was singling along all the lyrics together with them. They even played their classic cover version for Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan, and when they set their fans on fire with the all-time headbanging classic Walk, they even invited the guys from Child Bite to join them on backing vocals on stage. I don’t know exactly how the mosh pits were during the entire concert, but I bet they were simply insane, surely making Dimebag and Vinnie very proud and happy wherever they are.

Keith said that Phil mentioned the absolute respect the band has for the city of Toronto, saying the fans here made them feel extremely welcome and that they were stunned by the fact the show was sold out (although as I said there were plenty of scalpers “dying” with tickets in their hands because they were too greedy to drive their prices down). One curios thing about Phil was that at the same time he said that Saturday night was most probably the last time they would be in Toronto because they’re not touring anymore after this tour is done, by the end of the concert he also said Pantera would come to Toronto again. Which Phil Anselmo should we trust, right? Hopefully the right Phil is the one that said that the band will return to Toronto, although we have no idea when, and whenever that happens let’s also hope for lower, more affordable ticket prices so many other fans who couldn’t attend the concert for economic reasons can finally see the legacy of Pantera live on stage.

Setlist
Regular People (Conceit)
In Heaven (Lady in the Radiator Song) (Peter Ivers & David Lynch song)
A New Level
Mouth for War
Strength Beyond Strength
Becoming (with “Throes of Rejection” outro)
I’m Broken (with “By Demons Be Driven” outro)
Suicide Note Pt. II
5 Minutes Alone
This Love
Fucking Hostile
Cemetery Gates
Planet Caravan (Black Sabbath cover)
Walk
Domination / Hollow
Cowboys From Hell

Encore:
Slaughtered
Revolution Is My Name

Encore 2:
Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit
How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths song)

Band members
Philip Anselmo – vocals
Zakk Wylde – guitars
Rex Brown – bass
Charlie Benante – drums

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Album Review – State of Deceit / Stalked by Daemons (2023)

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This Metalcore, Thrash and Groove Metal band with an attitude is ready to attack your senses with their debut full-length album.

A Metalcore, Thrash and Groove Metal band with an attitude founded by guitarist Jonathan Russell in South Wales, UK, and currently formed of Jonathan alongside vocalist Peter Scammell, guitarist Gareth Jones, bassist Davide Santini and drummer Matthew Toner, the unrelenting metal act State of Deceit is about to unleash upon us their first full-length opus titled Stalked by Daemons, following up on their 2019 EP Retribution. Recorded by Tim Hamill at Sonic One Studio, and displaying a modern and captivating artwork by Pierre-Alain D. of 3mmi Design, Stalked by Daemons delivers the best of several extreme music styles, often in stylistic antithesis that is startling and ultimately satisfying, resulting in a must-listen album for fans of Trivium, Pantera, Fit For a King, Machine Head and Killswitch Engage, just to name a few.

The guitars by Gareth and Jonathan will inspire you for some sick headbanging in the opening tune Endure My Fate, while Davide brings the groove to the music armed with his thunderous bass in a great fusion of Melodic Death Metal with Hardcore elements. Then it’s pedal to the metal as the pounding drums by Matthew will hammer your heads mercilessly in Demi-God, with Peter manically barking and roaring for our total delight; and get ready to break your freakin’ neck headbanging like a metalmaniac in Stalked By Daemons, Guarded By Angels, exhaling heaviness and violence to the visceral growling by Peter. It’s time for a darker, more melancholic creation by State of Deceit titled Hate Within, with the band’s stringed trio adding tons of feeling to the music, whereas drinking from the same metallic fountain as Soilwork and Arch Enemy, the band delivers sheer adrenaline in Withered, with the riffage by Gareth and Jonathan piercing our ears in great fashion.

Mark Of The Whale is a decent song, but it lacks the same punch and heaviness of the previous ones, albeit Matthew does a very good job on drums as usual; and back to a more thrilling and vibrant mode, the quintet will drag your soul into the circle pit to the sound of Scorched, a rumbling extravaganza showcasing elements from Death and Thrash Metal added to their core sound. After such demented tune, a slow and sinister start suddenly explodes in more of the band’s crushing Metalcore in Suffer, spearheaded by the venomous riffs by the band’s guitar duo and the always enraged, demented guttural by Peter. Davide’s bass sets the tone in the heavy and groovy At What Cost?, perfect for some vigorous headbanging while Matthew keeps blasting his drums nonstop; while one last round of aggressiveness infused with tons of melody and groove is offered to our ears in Digital Tattoo, with Pater and Matthew making an incendiary duo from start to finish, therefore ending the album on a sensational note.

The guys from State of Deceit are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates and more of their flammable music, and if you want to show them your total support you can purchase a copy of the excellent Stalked by Daemons by clicking HERE. As expected in most debut albums, Stalked by Daemons is daring and inspiring through and through track to track, positioning State of Deceit as one of the most interesting names of the current UK scene and, consequently, fueling their minds and souls for another blast of their solid and captivating music in the coming years whenever the band is ready for their sophomore opus, all of course in the name of heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Endure My Fate, Withered and Digital Tattoo.

Worst moments of the album: Mark Of The Whale.

Released in 2023 Eclipse Records

Track listing
1. Endure My Fate 3:47
2. Demi-God 4:14
3. Stalked By Daemons, Guarded By Angels 4:46
4. Hate Within 4:40
5. Withered 3:41
6. Mark Of The Whale 4:45
7. Scorched 3:57
8. Suffer 4:17
9. At What Cost? 3:52
10. Digital Tattoo 3:08

Band members
Peter Scammell – vocals
Gareth Jones – lead guitar
Jonathan Russell – rhythm guitar
Davide Santini – bass, backing vocals
Matthew Toner – drums

Album Review – Fall Of Earth / From The Ashes (2023)

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A young and rising Canadian Progressive Death Metal and Metalcore act will attack your senses mercilessly with their incendiary and very personal sophomore album.

Hailing from the Canadian city of Edmonton, Alberta, the up-and-coming Progressive Death Metal/Metalcore band Fall Of Earth (a play on words that reflects their core belief that the world is experiencing a multitude of issues including climate change, war and mass extinctions that is leading us all to a darker place as a society) has unleashed this year their sophomore beast titled From The Ashes, highly recommended for fans of Trivium, Gojira, Dream Theater, Periphery and Mastodon, among others. Playing what they like to label as “Hybrid Metal”, with elements of Metalcore, Death, Thrash, Groove, Nu and Progressive Metal combined into a sound all their own, the band formed of Inuit frontman Alex Rye, guitarist Brody Bauer, bassist Aaron Winklmeier  and drummer Brendan Meilleur delivers everything you want in a metal album and more in From The Ashes, with the crisp production, mixing and mastering by Diego Fernandez at Oracle Recording Studios and the fiery artwork designed by the band itself turning the album into the perfect follow-up to their 2020 debut self-titled effort, and a must-listen for anyone who enjoys the more modern version of heavy music found in North America.

The opener Medusa is a feast of Progressive Death Metal form the very first second spearheaded by the classic riffs by Brody supported by the rumbling bass by Aaron, which is pretty much everything Alex needs to blast both his evil roars and cleaner, enraged vocals; whereas investing in a more melodic sonority it’s time for the quartet to deliver a hybrid of violence and harmony in The Dead And Soon To Be, perfect for breaking your neck headbanging to the pounding beats by Brendan. Alex keeps showcasing his wide vocal range, easily going from deep guttural to gentle clean vocals, in Block Out The Sun, a beautiful composition by Fall Of Earth that will please all fans of bands like Mastodon and Trivium, and the classic beats and fills by Brendan invade our ears once again in Path To Self Destruction, while Alex continues to vociferate rabidly nonstop.

It’s then time for almost ten minutes of progressiveness, groove and a hurricane of different emotions titled Crossroads, blending the Progressive Metal of Mastodon with the band’s own Metalcore twist. Moreover, it’s two thumbs up to Alex for such impressive and flawless vocal performance, resulting in one of the album’s most detailed and thrilling songs. The title-track From The Ashes, which speaks levels on childhood abuse, reclamation and metamorphosis, will bring to your ears the band’s most demonic and heaviest side, presenting the trademark scorching riffs by Brody and the metallic bass lines by Aaron, followed by Shores Of War, another Trivium-infused creation that will certainly ignite some fun circle pits and a lot of headbanging, spearheaded by another incendiary performance by Brody armed with his axe. After that, sheer electricity and rage flow nonstop in the excellent Purgatory, elevating the album’s punch considerably thanks to Alex growling like a beast supported by the intricate drumming by Brendan, and lastly those talented Canadian boys deliver another round of their modern-day metal music in Into The Woods, again investing in their most progressive vein. It’s not a bad song, but it could have been slightly heavier and more climatic.

The multi-layered and exciting From The Ashes, which is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, will definitely help Fall Of Earth go places, effectively increasing the quality of their music and, therefore, attracting the attention of fans and critics worldwide in a very positive way. Hence, you can start following the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news and tour dates (and they kick ass live by the way, like what I was able to witness at The Rockpile in Toronto earlier this year), subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their music, and grab a copy of the album by clicking HERE. “The album is a consistent ride full of ups and downs, with no breaks. We’ve taken our heavy sections and made them heavier, and taken our softer sections and made them more impactful.  We have carefully calculated all the dynamics and structures of each song so each second of every track serves a purpose. This record has pieces of us personally etched into the music, so we could share who we are and what our minds look like on an audio basis. As far as the listening experience goes, with all this being said, we hope for our fans to feel the love and importance that music has had on our lives, and pass that on to them through our own interpretation,” commented the entire band about their new album, showing not only how much those young guys love heavy music, but also making the whole Canadian metal scene stronger and more fun than ever.

Best moments of the album: Block Out The Sun, Crossroads and Purgatory.

Worst moments of the album: Into The Woods.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Medusa 8:25
2. The Dead And Soon To Be 5:54
3. Block Out The Sun 4:24
4. Path To Self Destruction 6:40
5. Crossroads 9:35
6. From The Ashes 5:14
7. Shores Of War 5:49
8. Purgatory 6:00
9. Into The Woods 6:33

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

Album Review – Aortha / Monolit (2023)

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Behold the dynamic, diversified and thrilling debut effort of Heavy and Thrash Metal by an Oslo, Norway-based veteran, supported by an array of multi-talented musicians from all over the world.

A new metal project founded by multi-instrumentalist Predrag Glogovac, known for his years with Yougoslavian Heavy/Thrash Metal band Monolit from 1988 until 1992, when the war broke in the country and the band seized to exist, Oslo, Norway-based Heavy/Thrash Metal act Aortha is unleashing upon humanity their debut effort, titled Monolit. Recorded in 2021 in Oslo, New Orleans, Helsinki, Mostar, Trieste, Banja Luka, New York, Nurnberg, Pančevo, Montreal, Alicante, Kraljevo, Hamilton, Kragujevac and Sundsvall, mixed by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman, and mastered by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street, the album presents an array of sensational musicians alongside Predrag including vocalists Diego Valdez (Dream Child), Kyle Thomas (Exhorder), Denis “Snake” Belanger (Voivod), Alessia Scolletti (Temperance, Era), Netta Laurenne (Smackbound) and Christian Älvestam (Scar Symmetry), guitarists Igor Paspalj, Branko Stiković Stika, Saša Kapor and Slobodan Ernjaković, bassist Jacob Umansky (Intervals), pianist Ivan Aleksijević Pančevac, and drummer Hannes Grossmann  (Triptykon, Alkaloid), resulting in a dynamic, diversified and thrilling album of classic metal music.

The sinister piano by Ivan sets the tone in the intro Symposium, sounding cinematic, epic and grim until all explodes into ass-kicking Heavy Metal in Those That Should Not Exist, with the vocal duo Diego and Kyle vociferating rabidly while guitar solos by Predrag and Stika will pierce your soul mercilessly, not to mention how demolishing the drums by Hanners sound. Then it’s time for Diego to team up with Netta in another incendiary tune titled Last Of Our Kind, while the riffs by Predrag sound absolutely scorching in a first-class modern-day Thrash Metal feast; whereas Forging The Locus is another sinister, heavy-as-hell composition by Aortha, with the infernal beats by Hannes offering Diego and Kyle exactly what they need to roar nonstop à la Ripper Owens. And Predrag will kick you in the head with his spot-on riffs and solos in Keep The Dream, where Jacob’s rumbling bass together with Hannes’ drums add tons of groove to the music.

Diego and Kyle will crush our senses one more time in Maximus Metallus, a mid-tempo, extremely heavy tune where the sound of the guitars and drums will make your head tremble; while the vocal trio formed of Snake, Diego and Alessia bring their share of obscurity and melancholy to Divine Future, although not as exciting as the rest of the album. In When All Around You Is Madness we’re treated to nothing more, nothing less than five talented singers alternating between sheer heaviness and ethereal clean vocals while Predrag and his henchmen build a massive wall of heavy and thrashing sounds armed with their sonic weapons; and Diego and Alessia team up for the last two songs of the album, starting with Timeless Soul Cure, where once again Predrag and Igor are ruthless with their riffs and solos supported by the thunderous kitchen by Jacob and Hannes. Lastly, the album concludes with the outro She, with the guitar solos by Igor bringing a touch of finesse to the overall result while Alessia sounds fantastic on vocals.

Predrag and his sonic beast Aortha are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news and more of their music, and you can also stream their creations on Spotify and, above all that, purchase a copy of Monolit from the band’s own BandCamp page or from Apple Music really soon. It’s a real pleasure to witness the rebirth of Monolit in the form of Aortha, and Predrag and his henchmen and henchwomen all sound amazing throughout the entire album, offering us all another very good reason to keep banging our heads in the name of top-notch heavy music.

Best moments of the album: Those That Should Not Exist, Last Of Our Kind and When All Around You Is Madness.

Worst moments of the album: Divine Future.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Symposium 1:13
2. Those That Should Not Exist 5:01
3. Last Of Our Kind 6:29
4. Forging The Locus 5:06
5. Keep The Dream 4:38
6. Maximus Metallus 5:36
7. Divine Future 4:47
8. When All Around You Is Madness 7:56
9. Timeless Soul Cure 5:05
10. She 1:25

Band members
Diego Valdez – vocals
Kyle Thomas – vocals on “Those That Should Not Exist”, “Forging The Locus”, “Maximus Metallus” and “When All Around You Is Madness”
Denis “Snake” Belanger – vocals on “Divine Future” and “When All Around You Is Madness”
Alessia Scolletti – vocals on “Divine Future”, “When All Around You Is Madness”, “Timeless Soul Cure” and “She”
Netta Laurenne – vocals on “Last Of Our Kind”
Christian Älvestam – vocals on “When All Around You Is Madness”
Predrag Glogovac – lead & rhythm guitars
Igor Paspalj – lead guitars
Branko Stiković Stika – lead guitars on “Those That Should Not Exist”
Saša Kapor – lead guitars on “Forging The Locus”
Slobodan Ernjaković – lead guitars on “Divine Future”
Jacob Umansky – bass
Ivan Aleksijević Pančevac – piano
Hannes Grossmann – drums

Album Review – Melan Selas / Zephyrean Hymns (2023)

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This uncanny Greek Black Metal duo is ready to unleash their sophomore opus, assaulting the listener by raging riffs and eerie screams while at times engrossed in seductive vocals travelling with dreamy melodies.

“A new dimension… Great new meaning.”

Consisting of eight songs that create a unique atmosphere, assaulting the listener by raging riffs and eerie screams while at times engrossed in seductive vocals travelling with dreamy melodies, Zephyrean Hymns is the sophomore opus by Trikala, Greece-based Black Metal duo Melan Selas, the follow-up to their 2019 debut effort Φάος. Formed in 2015 by D.K. (Riffobia, Katavasia), who handles all instruments, and Astraea (Oletir), responsible for all vocals and lyrics, the duo aims at breathing new life into the Black Metal scene with their new album, all embraced by the first-class recording and mixing by D.K. and Astraea themselves, the crisp mastering by Achilleas Kalantzis at Suncord Audiolab, and the stylish logo and layout by Nikos Tsiolis.

D.K. generates a dense and grim atmosphere from the very first second in Mountain Tops while Astraea showcases all her versality going from Stygian clean vocals to demonic gnarls, resulting in an excellent display of modern-day Melodic Black Metal, followed by Frozen Lake, more imposing and detailed than the opening tune where D.K. does a great job with his classic Black Metal riffs and beats, providing Astraea with all she needs to darkly shine on vocals. Let’s keep banging our heads and raising our horns to the visceral Black Metal by Melan Selas in Humble Soil, where the piercing riffs by D.K. and the obscure growling by Astraea will darken your soul for all eternity, whereas a lot more vicious and infernal, the duo will hammer our heads with all of their strength in Trumpets of War, offering our ears a perfect hybrid of classic Black Metal with modern-day Atmospheric Black Metal and nuances of other styles such as Death and Thrash Metal.

In Dreadful Dome, D.K. builds a stunning background with his rumbling bass, pounding drums and hellish riffs while Astraea continues to vociferate like a true she-demon. Put differently, there’s not a single second of peace, it’s total fuckin’ darkness for our absolute delight; and get ready for almost seven minutes of darkness, melancholy and insanity in Darkened Cliff, starting with the Stygian clean vocals by Astraea and getting more and more anguished as the music progresses, while the sound crafted by D.K. lives up to the legacy of old school Black Metal. In the shortest of all tracks, titled Wanderer, Astraea will hypnotize you and drag you to her sinister lair forever, an obscure tune that will set the stage for the duo to kill one last time in Ancient Scrolls, bringing to our avid ears the slashing riffage by D.K. and the beautiful, evil gnarls by Astraea, closing the album on a high and devilish note.

“A quest through space and time, an ascension to something greater… Zephyrean Hymns lead our cause.” This is what the duo had to say about their new album, and if you want to show them your utmost support you can start following them on Facebook for all things Melan Selas, and purchase a copy of the awesome Zephyrean Hymns from The Circle Music’s webstore as a luxurious box embossed in silver (limited to 100 copies), a beautiful LP (limited to 500 copies), or an A5 digipak CD (also limited to 500 copies), or you can also click HERE to grab your favorite version of the album, plus several other retailers including Fantotal.de and Juno. A gentle breeze is flowing from the stunning Athens; however, you better be prepared because it’s not just any breeze, but a Black Metal one, courtesy of the multi-talented D.K. and Astraea, who together are proudly carrying the torch of Greek extreme music anywhere they go armed with their stylish and captivating new album and ,consequently, embracing our damned souls without a single drop of mercy.

Best moments of the album: Frozen Lake, Trumpets of War and Darkened Cliff.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 The Circle Music

Track listing
1. Mountain Tops 5:31
2. Frozen Lake 5:42
3. Humble Soil 5:45
4. Trumpets of War 5:04
5. Dreadful Dome 5:02
6. Darkened Cliff 6:46
7. Wanderer 2:44
8. Ancient Scrolls 6:50

Band members
Astraea – vocals
D.K. – all instruments

Album Review – Delyria/ III; Oracles And Tentacles (2023)

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An introspective journey into the deepest fears and disbelief that keeps humanity on the religious and irreligious leash of doubt, brought into being by an unrelenting Italian Death and Thrash Metal squad.

Having their name inspired by the 1987 thriller/horror movie Deliria, by Michele Soavi, Grosseto, Italy-based Death/Thrash Metal squad Delyria was founded back in 2005 and coils in the Lovecraftian concept of some kind of unnamable horrors from beyond the known boundaries of the universe. Now in 2023 the band formed of Synder (Eyeconoclast, Promaetheus Unbound, Hideous Divinity) on vocals, Fabio Barbetti and Franco Piras on the guitars, Dario Capitani on bass and Kyle Mencucci on drums returns in full force with III; Oracles And Tentacles, the third full-length album in their career. Recorded at Fugu Studios,  mixed and mastered at Tide Studios, and with the participation of Giuseppe “Tat0” Tatangelo (Zora, Defechate, Glacial Fear, Spiral Wounds, Throne Of Flesh, Unscriptural) and artwork by Francesco “Basthard” Moretti (Southern Drinkstruction, Corpsefucking Art), the album is an introspective journey into the deepest fears and disbelief that keeps humanity on the religious and irreligious leash of doubt, blindly reading an hypothetical anti-book of Doom – The Book Of Nihil.

A humongous amount of heaviness will smash your cranial skull in the opening tune The Glyph, with Kyle dictating the song’s demented pace and, therefore, offering Synder all he needs to roar manically; and  their Thrash Metal vein arises stronger than ever in Irreligious Fallout, while also presenting their more violent Death Metal side and an amazing guitar job done by Fabio and Franco with their guitars, exhaling pure electricity. The band keeps the momentum going with another circle pit feast titled Serpents In Your Churches, again showcasing the heavy and groovy kitchen by Dario and Kyle, and the always demonic roars by Synder; followed by From Outer Spheres, another solid and aggressive creation by the quintet bringing to our ears a well-balanced fusion of modern-day Thrash and Death Metal. After such vibrant tune we have Book Of Nihil, one of the most exciting and caustic of all songs, where Synder sounds infernal on vocals while Fabio and Franco add their share of intricacy and darkness to the music with their classy riffage.

Then investing in a more detailed sound by bringing elements from Progressive Death Metal to their music the band offers us all Republic Of The Obscene, which is not a bad song but it sounds confusing at times as it doesn’t decide if it’s a straightforward heavy tune or a more progressive one. Putrid Monarch Crowned is utterly sinister and evil thanks to the deep growls by Synder, while Dario makes the earth tremble with his bass, again blending the most visceral elements from Thrash and Death Metal, and it’s pedal to the metal as those Italian metallers are on absolute fire in Scourges Of The Sybilline, with Fabio and Franco distilling their metallic venom through their stringed axes supported by the massive beats by Kyle in a great display of contemporary extreme music. Last but not least, the band will hammer our heads one final time with the pulverizing Gazmasked Reaper, ending the album on a high and venomous note with Synder once again stealing the spotlight with his sick roars.

The dark and furious III; Oracles And Tentacles is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show those Italian metallers your utmost support you should purchase a copy of the album from the Great Dane Records’ BandCamp page or webstore, as well as from Season of Mist or from Apple Music. Don’t forget to also start following the band on Facebook to stay updated with all things Delyria, letting your inner demons and deepest fears arise to the sound of the band’s devilish new album of contemporary Death and Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Irreligious Fallout, Book Of Nihil and Scourges Of The Sybilline.

Worst moments of the album: Republic Of The Obscene.

Released in 2023 Great Dane Records

Track listing
1. The Glyph 4:01
2. Irreligious Fallout 3:18
3. Serpents In Your Churches 3:00
4. From Outer Spheres 4:23
5. Book Of Nihil 3:06
6. Republic Of The Obscene 3:46
7. Putrid Monarch Crowned 4:50
8. Scourges Of The Sybilline 2:45
9. Gazmasked Reaper 3:39

Band members
Synder – vocals
Fabio Barbetti – guitar
Franco Piras – guitar
Dario Capitani – bass
Kyle Mencucci – drums

Guest musicians
Giuseppe “Tat0” Tatangelo – additional vocals

Album Review – The Bleeding / Monokrator (2023)

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A ruthless UK Death and Thrash Metal squad attacks with their third full-length album, a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

After forming in the city of London, England in 2010, the infernal Death/Thrash Metal squad The Bleeding has been on a demolishing roll with the release of an array of EP’s and albums offering their fans top-of-the-line extreme music made in the UK. Now in 2023 the band formed of Jamie Stungo on vocals, Tasos Tzimorotas on the guitars, Jordan Muscatello on bass, and James Loh on drums attacks again with the pulverizing Monokrator, the third full-length opus in their career. Produced by Ronnie Björnström and Tasos Tzimorotas, mixed and mastered by Ronnie Björnström at Björnström Sound & Production, and displaying an old school artwork by Juanjo Castellano, Monokrator combines thrash elements comparable to latter day Exodus, Kreator and Destruction with the ferocity of Demolition Hammer, and a vocal attack akin to Jeff Walker and Chuck Schuldiner, to create a blitzkrieg-like listening experience with a full frontal assault that pulls no punches and will leave your head spinning in delight.

Pedal to the metal as it’s time to slam your dammed body into the pit to the sound of Chemical Lobotomy, a fantastic display of Death Metal spearheaded by the venomous blast beats by James while Jamie vociferates rabidly nonstop, followed by Chainsaw Deathcult, absolutely incendiary from the very first second, where the riffs by Tasos will penetrate deep inside your skin while Jordan makes the earth tremble with his sick bass lines. Put differently, if the album had ended here it would have already been a phenomenal release by The Bleeding. After such demented display of extreme music we have Mutation Chamber, slightly slower but still brutal and vile, showcasing another superb job done by Tasos with his demonic riffage, whereas Union of Horror is just as bestial as its predecessors, a beyond electrifying Death Metal onrush once again presenting an insane James on drums supported by the metallic bass punches by Jordan.

Get ready to be smashed like an insect by The Bleeding in Screams of Torment, bringing forward all their dexterity and fury, being therefore tailored for lovers of classic Death Metal; and Tasos will cut your ears with his strident axe in On Wings of Tribulation, another bestial display of Death Metal sounding very technical while Jamie screams mercilessly. The title-track Monokrator is a lecture in Death and Thrash Metal, with Jamie’s devilish roars walking hand in hand with the thunderous instrumental parts crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect soundtrack for some frantic action inside the circle pit. And lastly, the band invites us all to kill inside the pit in Throes of Repulsion, sounding and feeling absolutely fast, furious and insane from start to finish, with the caustic riffs by Tasos and the unstoppable beats by James leaving you totally disoriented after all is said and done.

This beast of an album can be appreciated in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you think you have what it takes to get into the pit together with The Bleeding, you should purchase a copy of the album from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the Redefining Darkness Records’ webstore in the United States (CD or LP) or in Europe (CD or LP), from Apple Music or from Amazon, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram. The Bleeding are not just aiming at putting the UK back on the Thrash and Death Metal map with Monokrator, but they also want to put a huge smile on your face while you listen to the album, keeping their evil motor running for many years to come in the name of good extreme music.

Best moments of the album: Chemical Lobotomy, Chainsaw Deathcult and Monokrator.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Redefining Darkness Records

Track listing
1. Chemical Lobotomy 3:16
2. Chainsaw Deathcult 3:50
3. Mutation Chamber 4:22
4. Union of Horror 3:50
5. Screams of Torment 4:09
6. On Wings of Tribulation 3:47
7. Monokrator 3:59
8. Throes of Repulsion 3:07

Band members
Jamie Stungo – vocals
Tasos Tzimorotas – guitars
Jordan Muscatello – bass
James Loh – drums

Concert Review – Kreator & Sepultura (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2023)

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The world is in flames and the people divided, but Kreator, Sepultura and their fans were united last night in Toronto to prove once again everything gets better with some first-class heavy music.

OPENING ACTS: Spiritworld and Death Angel

Insane traffic, heavy smoke from the wildfires in Northern Ontario and Quebec, and temperatures dropping below seasonal. If you think those “nice” factors would stop the metalheads in Toronto from setting The Danforth Music Hall on fire last night together with SPIRITWORLD, DEATH ANGEL, SEPULTURA and KREATOR as part of their Klash of the Titans North America 2023, another awesome event brought to the city by Embrace Presents, you’re absolutely wrong. It seems that Torontonian metallers fear nothing when it comes to enduring several external threats to attend metal concerts in the city, and when they’re inside the venue, oh boy, it’s fuckin’ madness! It was a sold out night of mosh pits, walls of death, bodies emerging from the pit, horns and fists in the air, a lot of screaming and jumping, and above all that, seeing our metalhead friends once again to celebrate music and life. What else can we ask for, right? And on a side note, it looks like a few concert goers got injured inside the pit during one of the bands, with one guy bleeding real bad (I think he landed on his head); however, the venue security was on it fast and even had their own trained medical staff. That’s a huge display of professionalism, so kudos to security for being so fast and effective.

Due to traffic (and hunger, as I spent hours driving before being able to eat anything, which had to happen outside The Danforth Music Hall because they don’t sell any food inside the venue), this guy here had to unfortunately miss the opening band, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore act SPIRITWORLD, but at least my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography was here to capture some amazing shots of the band and tell me a little about their performance, saying it was very energetic and fun to watch. The doors opened at 5pm, and the band played from 6:30pm to around 7pm, just to give you an idea of how bad traffic was. Anyway, if you know nothing about the band, go check their BandCamp and Spotify, in special their 2022 album Deathwestern, which is quite entertaining in my opinion.

Setlist
Comancheria
Lujuria Satanica
The Bringer of Light
Committee of Buzzards
Unholy Passages
U L C E R
Relic of Damnation
Pagan Rhythms

Band members
Stu Folsom – vocals
Justin Fornof – vocals, sampling
Randy Moore – lead guitars
Matt Schrum – rhythm guitars
Nick Brundy – bass
Preston Harper – drums

It was precisely 7:20pm when San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal institution DEATH ANGEL hit the stage with a flawless performance, igniting some intense mosh pits for the delight of all fans present at the venue. Still promoting their 2019 album Humanicide, the band spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman Mark Osegueda, who by the way had a superb vocal performance last night reaching some really high notes in great fashion, put on a solid and vibrant show, albeit a bit short in duration. The songs The Dream Calls for Blood, The Moth and Thrown to the Wolves sounded absolutely fantastic last night, with the razor-edged guitars by Rob Cavestany and Ted Aguilar piercing our souls mercilessly. Closer to the end of the show, Mark took a moment to tell Toronto how much he loves the city, saying he remembers playing at El Mocambo (a very, very small underground venue) twice on the same day during their first ever visit to Toronto back in 1987, and saying that they might have been prohibited to play their album The Ultra-Violence (in special the song Voracious Souls) back then in their homeland, but that Canada received them with open arms. Well, we’ll always receive Death Angel with open arms (and open circle pits) in Toronto.

Setlist
Lord of Hate
Voracious Souls
The Dream Calls for Blood
The Moth
Humanicide
The Ultra-Violence / Thrown to the Wolves

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Rob Cavestany – guitar
Ted Aguilar – guitar
Damien Sisson – bass
Will Carroll – drums

KREATOR

It was still bright ay 8:30pm outside the venue (well, not that bright due to the smoke, but it wasn’t dark yet) when Teutonic Thrash Metal titans KREATOR took the city of Toronto by storm with a beyond pulverizing performance, and when I say pulverizing I’m not kidding, it was insane from the very first second until the last notes of Pleasure to Kill. Also, despite the fact they released what’s in my opinion the best album of 2022, the superb Hate Über Alles, they’re only playing the title-track during this current tour, but that’s just a minor detail compared to the endless energy, rage and violence happening on and off stage. The iconic Mille Petrozza led the Torontonian hordes of chaos brilliantly throughout their entire set, resulting in some of the sickest circle pits of all shows in the city this year.

Mille interacted a lot with the crowd, always asking for more circle pits, crowd surfing and walls of death, but he didn’t actually need to ask for that as everyone inside the pit went nuts as soon as the first notes of Hate Über Alles hit. Some of the songs sounded so brutal, such as Enemy of God, Flag of Hate and Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite), that the whole pit looked like one of those insane Royal Rumble moments where it’s everyone against everyone, and the band simply loved to witness that while delivering a lecture in German thrash on stage. The giant inflatable devil on stage (from the artwork from their latest album) was a very nice touch to their performance, in special when Satan is Real was played, whereas Mille declaiming the chorus to the rebellious single 666 – World Divided before starting the song itself was another beautiful moment for the entire crowd. Of course, as expected, the most demented circle pit and wall of death of the night happened during their all-time classic Pleasure to Kill, leaving everyone at the venue eager for more Kreator in the city anytime they wish to return. As a matter of fact, I would be extremely happy if they somehow played in Toronto once a week or even more than that if they wanted to.

Setlist
Sergio Corbucci Is Dead
Hate Über Alles
Awakening of the Gods (Intro)
Enemy of God
People of the Lie
Betrayer
Satan Is Real
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite)
666 – World Divided
Flag of Hate
The Patriarch
Violent Revolution
Pleasure to Kill
Apocalypticon

Band members
Miland “Mille” Petrozza – vocals, guitar
Sami Yli-Sirniö – guitar
Frédéric Leclercq – bass
Jürgen “Ventor” Reil – drums

SEPULTURA

I honestly thought Kreator were going to be the headliners during the entire tour, but it looks like they adopted the “alternating headline mode” that so many bands are using these days, just like Gojira and Mastodon are doing now in North America. Having said that, Toronto had the pleasure of having as the closing act of the night the unparalleled Brazilian Groove/Thrash Metal beast SEPULTURA, who brought a lot of heaviness and groove to our avid ears during their solid performance. Derrick Green, Paulo Jr. and Eloy Casagrande were precise as usual, but it was Andreas Kisser who stole the show with another distinct performance on the guitars. I just think the band would benefit a lot from having a second guitarist to provide Andreas with some background support during his solos, filling out the empty spaces left, but that’s just an idea and nothing that would make their show less fun.

Still promoting their 2020 album Quadra, the band played a mix of new songs with old school Sepultura, as roared by Derrick right at the beginning of their concert, and while new songs like Isolation and Kairos worked amazingly live, others like Guardians of Earth and Agony of Defeat cooled down the atmosphere a bit, despite being sensational and very detailed compositions. Needless to say, it was when they played their classics including Territory, Refuse/Resist, Arise and Ratamahatta that the crowd jumped up and down nonstop, slammed into the pit, and raised their horns screaming, with one of the most rebellious metal songs ever, the unique Roots Bloody Roots, being the icing on the cake of their show. Andreas also took a moment to say how much the guys from Sepultura love Toronto, and I guess it won’t take long for them to return. After all was said and done, the traffic to get out of the city was brutal even after midnight, but who cares? After witnessing Kreator and Sepultura destroying everything and everyone last night in Toronto, nothing could erase the smile on the faces of the Torontonian metalheads.

Setlist
Polícia (Titãs song)
Isolation
Territory
Means to an End
Kairos
Propaganda
Guardians of Earth
Ali
Agony of Defeat
Refuse/Resist
Arise
Ratamahatta
Roots Bloody Roots

Band members
Derrick Green – lead vocals
Andreas Kisser – guitars, backing vocals
Paulo Jr. – bass
Eloy Casagrande – drums

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Album Review – Lucifuge / Monoliths of Wrath (2023)

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Dealing with all sorts of evil, blasphemic and anti-religious themes, the multi-talented German musician Equinox and his Lucifuge are back from the underworld with a new and pulverizing album of Blackened Thrash Metal.

Mixed and mastered at Necromansy Studio, and displaying a somber and caustic artwork by Karmazid, the breathtaking new opus by Bremen, Germany’s own Black/Thrash Metal entity Lucifuge, entitled Monoliths of Wrath, is more than just the follow-up to the project’s critically acclaimed 2021 album Infernal Power, but also a blast from the past paying homage to the 80’s while perfecting the addictive blackened speed metalpunk sound hailing from German lands. Sounding dirtier and more sulfurous than ever, the project’s mastermind, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Equinox continues his path of obscurity dealing with all sorts of evil, blasphemic and anti-religious themes throughout the whole record, while musically speaking the album’s thrash-oriented sound takes cues from classic Sodom, Kreator, Exodus, and of course Slayer, turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

Slayer-inspired riffs ignite the demonic thrashing attack titled From Cosmos to Chaos, with Equinox showing no mercy for our souls with his sick beats and demented vocals, whereas in The Cult of Infinity we face lyrics that exhale old school Thrash Metal (“Shaking and trembling / the world is spinning at infernally maddening speed / Doomsday approaching / Unable to grasp the meaning of infinity”) while the music feels like his personal tribute to the thrashing masterpiece Bonded by Blood. Let’s keep banging our heads to the dirty riffage by Equinox and his Lucifuge in Before the Altar of Famine and Desire, perfect for dancing like a monkey inside the circle pit; and Equinox continues to hammer his drums in Visions of Death, also delivering scorching riffs and rumbling bass lines in the name of Black and Thrash Metal. After such demented tune, Equinox’s strident riffs walk hand in hand with his frantic drums in Enemies of the Sun, keeping the album at a high level of insanity and rage in a lecture in Blackened Thrash Metal.

A slow and groovy start suddenly explodes into another feast of Black and Thrash Metal in Dissolving into God, with Equinox sounding even more devilish on vocals, followed by The Art of Putrescence, a lesson in the art of delivering ass-kicking, grim lyrics (“I have given up future and philosophy / Owning merely a cot on which to unlearn the sun and signs / Stretched out there, spin out the hours / Objects with suggest suicide”) wrapped up by a bestial sound. Then it’s time to keep slamming into the pit to the sound of Resources of Self Destruction, bringing forward the intricate but always visceral riffs by Equinox; and Physiognomy of Failure is another headbanging creation by Lucifuge that pays homage to classic Thrash Metal while also bringing fresh elements form the current Black Metal scene, or in other words, it’s a breathtaking tune with Equinox kicking ass once again with his raspy vocals. Finally, closing such incendiary album we have The Path to Perdition, with his bass and drums creating an avalanche of sounds that flows majestically until the very end.

You can experience all the speed, dirt, sulfur and insanity blasted by Lucifuge in Monoliths of Wrath by listening to the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course in order to show Equinox all your love for his music you should purchase a copy of the album from the band’s own BandCamp page, or from the Dying Victims Productions’ BandCamp page or webstore as a regular CD, an LP or a very special edition gatefold LP on beer colored vinyl including a poster, a sticker, a post card, a woven patch and a download code. Equinox is also eagerly waiting for you on Facebook and on Instagram with lots of news about Lucifuge, or simply click HERE for all things Lucifuge. If you’re looking for that piercing, frantic and incendiary thrashing sound inspired by 80’s metal music, then Monoliths of Wrath is the perfect album for you. If not, what are you doing here anyway?

Best moments of the album: From Cosmos to Chaos, Enemies of the Sun and Physiognomy of Failure.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Dying Victims Productions

Track listing
1. From Cosmos to Chaos 4:14
2. The Cult of Infinity 3:31
3. Before the Altar of Famine and Desire 3:15
4. Visions of Death 4:02
5. Enemies of the Sun 3:15
6. Dissolving into God 4:45
7. The Art of Putrescence 3:34
8. Resources of Self Destruction 3:43
9. Physiognomy of Failure 3:28
10. The Path to Perdition 3:59

Band members
Equinox – vocals, all instruments

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

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

INTRODUCTION: THE RETURN OF WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA

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

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

KORROSIVE (guest openers)

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

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

STRIGAMPIRE

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

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

EATEN BY SHARKS

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

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

NECHT

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

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

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

WHIPLASH (guest headliners)

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

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

AND THE WINNER IS…

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

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

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