Guitarist Dave Fox and his Unwanted Guest return with another round of first-class rock and metal music, a true labour of love reflecting his personal and musical journey thus far.
The multi-talented Sheffield, England-based Dave Fox, lead guitarist of UK’s own Heavy Metal band Seventh Son, has recently re-emerged from the old school metal scene with a fresh take on 90’s Hard Rock, Progressive and Alternative Metal under the moniker Unwanted Guest, releasing in 2022 his critically acclaimed debut solo album Grave Metallum, which climbed to number 10 on the Amazon New Release Metal Charts. Following his successful debut, Dave has devoted nearly two years and 1,000 hours to writing, recording, and producing 12 new tracks for the second Unwanted Guest album, entitled Bonedead, a true labour of love reflecting his personal and musical journey thus far. On his new album, Dave once again performs all vocals and instrumental duties, showcasing his versatility as a seasoned rock guitarist and producer, giving the whole album a very personal and honest vibe.
Bonedead begins with Mary Had a Little Lamb, which according to Dave himself “is a very personal song lyrically and discusses the degeneration of elder family members. For some people, death is more preferable than being kept alive and suffering.” Musically speaking, it’s an exciting rockin’ tune where Dave slashes his guitar mercilessly while delivering melodious vocal lines, followed by Six Degrees of Saturation, exploring the concept of an abandoned playlist, sat on someone’s device, that may contain a masterpiece that no one will ever hear. “It is destined to remain digital dust, even more so when millions of bands are uploading song after song each day – most of which fall by the wayside – hardly ever being heard. What chance do these small artists ever have?”, said Dave, delivering another blast of modern-day Hard Rock showcasing classic riffs, bass lines and pounding drums. Then eerie background sounds add a welcome dose of insanity to The Alchemist, sounding like a Rock N’ Roll version of Deep Purple; and Dave enhances the heaviness of his riffs in Dead End, blasting a great fusion of Alternative Rock and Metal with classic Hard Rock in the vein of Velvet Revolver. It’s then time for Dave to invest in a more melodic vibe in the ballad Beneath the Broken Shell, with hints of Southern Rock in its riffs and beats; whereas Imposter Syndrome, a behavioral health phenomenon described as self-doubt of intellect, skills, or accomplishments among high-achieving individuals, offers tons of groove flowing from the bass guitar while all riffs and keys bring endless electricity to the music.
The second half of the album starts in a Velvet Revolver/Alter Bridge vibe with I’m Just a Guy, where Dave showcases all his passion for the riff while his vocals also sound as striking and melodic as they can be, followed by Show Yourself, another banger by Dave and his Unwanted Guest perfect for hitting the highway or simply enjoy it at home while having a cold beer, with the whole song exhaling pure Rock N’ Roll, in special Dave’s stylish riffs. He definitely knows how to blend classic rock music with the modern sound of the 90’s and 2000’s, which is exactly what we’ll get in Kindred State of Mind, flowing into the also rockin’ tune Future Skeleton, where he fires his classic riffs and beats from start to finish. It’s not amongst the strongest songs of the album, but it’s still very enjoyable, of course. His guitar lines sound heavier and more piercing in Funeral in My Brain, again nicely complementing his bass and drums, therefore supporting his vocal lines in great fashion; and lastly, it’s pedal to the metal in the flammable extravaganza titled Wrap Me Up, a striking conclusion to an album that reeks of our beloved Rock N’ Roll.
Bonedead can be appreciated in its entirety on Spotify, and you can also grab a copy of it from the project’s own BandCamp page, keeping Mr. Dave Fox very happy and motivated to continue his rockin’ journey and to bring to our avid ears more of his classy creations. You can also start following him on Facebook for news and other nice-to-know information about his Unwanted Guest, and also subscribe to his YouTube channel for more of his music. Both his debut Grave Metallum and his newborn spawn Bonedead are excellent albums that certainly deserve a listen by anyone who loves rock and metal music, and as mentioned, the more personal the albums by Dave and his Unwanted Guest sound and feel, the more thrilling his musical creations will be for all of us, proving again there’s nothing better than rock and metal music that is true to the heart as the soundtrack to our lives.
Best moments of the album:Six Degrees of Saturation, Imposter Syndrome and Show Yourself.
Worst moments of the album:Future Skeleton.
Released in 2024 Independent
Track listing 1. Mary Had a Little Lamb 4:09
2. Six Degrees of Saturation 3:58
3. The Alchemist 3:53
4. Dead End 4:52
5. Beneath the Broken Shell 3:34
6. Imposter Syndrome 3:37
7. I’m Just a Guy 3:57
8. Show Yourself 4:05
9. Kindred State of Mind 3:29
10. Future Skeleton 3:23
11. Funeral in My Brain 3:26
12. Wrap Me Up 2:48
Do you know what Monday night means in Toronto? It means mosh pit night, which was exactly what we all got during the amazing HATEBREED: 30th ANNIVERSARY TOUR with HATEBREED, CARCASS, HARMS WAY and CRYPTA, another insane event brought to the city by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. The venue chosen for such a fun night of extreme music was Rebel, which despite being too far from everything in the city (plus the ridiculous parking cost of over $30), provides fans with an amazing view of the lake and the city, and this Monday night the weather was just perfect for some nice photos of the sunset. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to cover the entire party, and let me tell you that although I did not enter any mosh pits due to work commitments on Tuesday (yes, I’m getting old), I got tired just by seeing the nonstop action inside the pit during the performances of all bands.
The first band of the night was by far my favorite, and they kicked some serious ass to a half empty venue (due to the time the show started, not because of the quality of the band, of course) without caring at all about all those empty spaces. I’m talking about Fernanda Lira, Tainá Bergamaschi, Jéssica di Falchi and Luana Dametto, collectively known as São Paulo, Brazil-based Death/Thrash Metal brigade CRYPTA, and let me tell you that those girls sounded absolutely ruthless, heavy, evil and vibrant during their short but sensational performance. It was their first time ever playing in Canada, and their excitement was visible not only on their faces, but also on their playing, as they sounded extremely tight and visceral until the very last second. Almost all songs played, including the excellent The Other Side of Anger, Lord of Ruins and The Outsider, were from their 2023 beast Shades of Sorrow, plus the closing song from their 2021 debut Echoes of the Soul, the violent From the Ashes, my favorite of the night (and you can listen to all of them on Spotify, by the way). I was simply dying to meet the girls at their merch booth after their show, but for some reason they didn’t show up there. Well, maybe next time, because I’m sure they’ll return to Toronto sooner than later to spread their evil and aggressive sounds to us avid fans.
Setlist The Aftermath
The Other Side of Anger
Lord of Ruins
The Outsider
Trial of Traitors
From the Ashes The Closure
Band members Fernanda Lira – vocals, bass
Tainá Bergamaschi – guitars
Jéssica di Falchi – guitars
Luana Dametto – drums
The good thing about Rebel is that their outdoor area is a thing of beauty, where you can have a beer, smoke a cigarette or a joint, chat with friends and enjoy the view of Toronto at night, and because of that I missed the first few seconds of the concert by Chicago, Illinois’s own Hardcore Punk outfit HARMS WAY. Spearheaded by the charismatic and unstoppable frontman James Pligge, the band delivered an overdose of aggression and fury to the crowd, igniting some sick mosh pits while all band members didn’t stop jumping around the stage. Blending songs form their 2023 album Common Suffering, like Sadist Guilt and Devour, with older songs (all available on Spotify as well), the band kept the energy built by Crypta flowing in great fashion, and although I knew almost nothing about those guys before I must say their live concerts are surely wild. After their gig was over, James himself went to the band’s merch booth and had an amazing interaction with anyone who waited in line to talk to him, even if it was just to say hi and not buy anything. That was very humble of him, and I’m sure there are a lot of new Harms Way fans in Toronto after such a powerful performance by the band in the city.
Setlist Sadist Guilt
Human Carrying Capacity
Terrorizer
Become a Machine
Hollow Cry
Devour
Call My Name
Infestation
Band members James Pligge – lead vocals
Bo Lueders – guitars
Nick Gauthier – guitars
Casey Soyk – bass
Christopher Mills – drums
Another quick bathroom/beer/smoke/chat break, and there they were again to pulverize our souls with their piercing fusion of Melodic Death Metal and Grindcore. Hailing from Liverpool, they might be four lads like The Beatles, but let’s say their music is considerably heavier. This was my third (or fourth, I don’t actually remember anymore) time seeing the mighty CARCASS live, the last one being their headlining show in Toronto in 2023, and their energy Monday night was just as insane as all previous times. The band only stopped a little to ask the crowd to sing happy birthday to guitarist Nippy Blackford, but apart form that it was nonstop circle pit action to tons of classics like Buried Dreams, Incarnated Solvent Abuse, Genital Grinder and Exhume to Consume, with Jeff Walker and Bill Steer sounding so savage as if they were in their early 20’s. My two favorite songs of the night were obviously No Love Lost and Heartwork, which are also my two top Carcass songs ever, and I guess most fans also loved the fact they played both on the same night. It was actually my first time seeing No Love Lost live, and I simply loved it. How long is it going to take for Carcass to get back to Toronto?
Setlist Buried Dreams
Kelly’s Meat Emporium
Incarnated Solvent Abuse
No Love Lost
Death Certificate
Dance of Ixtab (Psychopomp & Circumstance March No. 1 in B)
Genital Grinder
Exhume to Consume
Corporal Jigsore Quandary
Heartwork
Carneous Cacoffiny (Outro)
Band members Jeff Walker – vocals, bass
Bill Steer – guitars, backing vocals
Nippy Blackford – guitars
Daniel Wilding – drums
And last but not least, think of the wildest mosh pit you’ve ever been to, and multiply that by 30. Bridgeport, Connecticut’s Hardcore Punk/Metalcore legends HATEBREED might be the ones celebrating 30 years of existence, but that demented mosh pit feast was their gift to their loyal Torontonian fans during their undisputed performance. As a matter of fact, just before the show started they played a really cool video with lots of celebrities congratulating the band for their 30th anniversary, including Ice-T, Gary Holt, Scott Ian, Brawn Stroman, CM Punk, and many more, showing how much the world loves Hatebreed. I think CM Punk said something in the lines of “whenever I’m tired, I drink coffee and listen to some Hatebreed.”
Jamey Jasta and his crew were even more demented than in 2023 when they demolished The Danforth Music Hall, fueling some of the fastest and wildest circle pits in the history of Hardcore. Their setlist was comprised of killer song after killer song, including Tear It Down, This Is Now, my favorite of their show Destroy Everything, As Diehard as They Come, and many, many more, and their fans, both old and new, were having the time of their lives while trying to survive inside the circle pit. It was so crazy that one of the security girls, one with curly hair (if she ever reads this review), was stunned by all the action going on during the concert. I have no idea what type of music she likes, but one thing I know for sure, and that’s she had zero idea of how crazy a Hatebreed concert can be. Maybe she’ll start listening to them, attend one of their concerts as a fan, and slam into the pit in the coming years, right?
Jamey mentioned several times they were impressed with both the amount of fans and their energy on a Monday night (but hey, Jamey, that’s how passionate the Toronto fans are when it comes to heavy music), and that sonic madness continued until the very last second without a single moment of peace for the delight of everyone at the venue. Were we all exhausted the following morning when we had to wake up early to go to work? Of course, but who cares? When Hatebreed call, we must all go to war inside the mosh pit together with one of the trailblazers of Hardcore. Thank you, Hatebreed, and here’s a toast to another 30 years of first-class Hardcore madness!
Setlist Hatebreed 30th Anniversary Celebrity Intro
Tear It Down
A Call for Blood
This Is Now
Destroy Everything
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Before Dishonor
As Diehard as They Come
Ghosts of War (Slayer cover)
Everyone Bleeds Now
Betrayed by Life
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Last Breath
Driven by Suffering
Perseverance
Seven Enemies
Proven
I Will Be Heard
Band members Jamey Jasta – vocals
Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals
Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chris Beattie – bass
Matt Byrne – drums
Our metal lady of this very special month of October is not called Melissa, she won’t break the oath, and she’s definitely not an uninvited guest. What she will certainly do is kick your damned ass mercilessly to the sound of her rumbling bass, as she was born to sin in the name of our good old Rock N’ Roll. Her name is Rebecca Baldwin, better known as Becky Baldwin, the unstoppable bass player for British Heavy/Thrash Metal act Fury, for the iconic Danish Heavy Metal coven Mercyful Fate, for British Punk Rock band Hands Off Gretel, and of course one of the most famous members of the IMFC, or the Iron Maiden Fan Club. Having said that, get ready to bang your heads and raise your horns together with one of the most badass bass players of the current metal scene worldwide while The Headbanging Moose celebrates 11 years of existence.
Born on April 6, 1991 in Trowbridge, the county town of Wiltshire, England, Becky used to play the piano when she was a child, later picking up the bass as a teenager and beginning to perform with bands at school. In 2009, she moved from Trowbridge to Bristol to study at BIMM Music Institute and became closely involved in the local music scene. Moreover, she holds a BA Honours degree in Professional Musicianship, and now lives in the birthplace of Heavy Metal, Birmingham, a major city in England’s West Midlands region, where metal titans like Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Napalm Death saw the light of day. An energetic live performer and an efficient recording musician who specializes in fingerstyle bass guitar playing, Becky has performed approximately 100 gigs per year since 2012 all over Europe and into the United States, offering her skills for a wide variety of bands including covers and original bands from genres ranging from metal to folk, urban, funk, pop, jazz and more.
At the end of 2017, following a tour where she filled in on bass, Becky joined Worcester, England-based Heavy/Thrash Metal maniacs Fury, having recorded with the band so far the albums The Grand Prize, in 2020, followed by a 2021 live album titled The Grand Prize… Live, and more recently the album Born to Sin, in 2022, as well as several singles including an acoustic version of Dragon’s Song, in 2023, and a re-recording of the song Prince of Darkness, from their 2014 debut The Lightning Dream, earlier this year. Those albums and singles can be found on Spotify or any other streaming platform, and you can also enjoy their official videos on YouTube for the songs Prince of Darkness, If You Get to Hell First, Hell of a Night, and Nowhere To Be Seen, among others. Currently formed of Becky on bass alongside vocalist Nyah Ifill, vocalist and guitarists Julian Jenkins, guitarist Tom Atkinson, and drummer Tom Fenn, the band is always taking stages by storm live as you can see in their official tour page, keeping the spirit of Heavy Metal alive whenever they hit the road.
It was back in 2022, more specifically during Bloodstock, when Becky was waiting to see Mercyful Fate live for the first time in her life, that she was called backstage to meet the band, when she was told that they needed a fill-in bass player for an upcoming North American tour, and that they had seen her bass covers she posts online and thought she would be a good fit for the job. “I had been a fan of Mercyful Fate since my teens, so watching them live, meeting them, and being offered a temporary job with them all in the same day was pretty insane! The tour was unbelievable, definitely a period of time I’m very grateful for!” After that experience playing live with the band in 2022, Mercyful Fate recently announced earlier in 2024 they have officially recruited Becky as a permanent member, making her the first woman to hold the position in the band’s history. “I guess the idea was floating around for a while, but it’s quite recent still, the news that I was going to be permanent in Mercyful Fate,” mentioned Becky in one of her interviews.
Becky also said she’s confident about injecting her own flavor into the basslines for their upcoming album. “I think the songwriting is still gonna be very much King Diamond and Hank Shermann kind of heading up most of that, but definitely writing bass lines. I’ve studied all of Timi’s bass lines very meticulously now, and so I really feel like I can bring some of that into the new bass lines for the next record.” Hence, if you want to take a look at Becky’s playthroughs of classics by Mercyful Fate, you can find on her YouTube channel her videos for Curse of the Pharaohs, A Dangerous Meeting, Black Funeral, Melissa, and Come to the Sabbath, among others, as well as this interview with The Metal Voice where she discusses how she joined the band.
As mentioned, Becky is also the bassist for UK’s own Punk Rock band Hands Off Gretel, and although the band has been on some sort of hiatus since 2021, I believe we can except news from those girls and guys anytime soon, and if you want to enjoy their music while waiting for something new from the band you can check their official YouTube channel, including their fun video for the song S.A.S.S. Apart from Hands Off Gretel, you can find recordings of Becky with her past bands or as a guest musician, some as an online collaborator. For instance, she was part of a Bristol-based Power Metal band named Control the Storm between 2010 and 2016, having recorded with them their 2011 demo and the 2015 album Beast Inside; played bass for a Cardiff, Wales-based Heavy Metal band named Triaxis from 2014 to 2018, recording with them the 2015 album Zero Hour; and played bass with the bands Dorja, from 2015 to 2019, IDestroy, from 2014 to 2018, and Metro 13, between 2013 and 2014 (and you can find lots of videos of Becky playing with those bands on the media page of her official website). In addition, she also played bass live with a band named Proscenium, in 2016, she can be found as a guest bassist for Paul Di’Anno’s Warhorse, or simply Warhorse, having recorded with them the songs Warhorse, Get Get Ready, Go, Stop the War, Here Comes the Night, and Forever Bound, all from their 2024 album Warhorse, and she has also recorded sessions for Total Guitar magazine and the Rockschool exam board (now renamed RSL Awards).
As a renowned member of the IMFC – Iron Maiden Fan Club, Becky was featured on a segment of the website called “Fan of the Week”, where she discussed a little about her passion for the boys. “My family home started getting music channels and Maiden were one of the first classic metal bands I came across. Their music videos for Number of the Beast, Run To The Hills and Can I Play With Madness were on regular rotations on my favourite channels and shows. A few years later I met a friend at school who was a huge fan and showed me more of the back catalogue,” commented Becky, who also said that she saw them live for the first time when she was only 15, in December 2006 on the A Matter of Life and Death tour in Cardiff. “I loved the show, I had never seen visuals and energy on stage like Maiden have. But as a first timer at a Maiden concert I had wished they would play the classics that I had wanted to see for years. Now, I would love to watch them play a full A Matter of Life and Death concert! I guess everyone wants to see their favourites live some time, and when you’re young it’s hard to time it right for your first gig experience!”
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A fan of the band since 2003, with her first album being Fear of the Dark and her favorite song being The Clansman, Becky has already seen them live a few times, including Sonisphere UK in 2010, Hellfest France in 2014, Download UK 2022, and The Future Past Tour in Birmingham this year. Furthermore, she seems to know exactly what makes Iron Maiden so special. “I think it’s the story telling, the history and interesting lyrical subjects that set them apart from every other great metal band. There are loads of bands with equally talented musicians, but something about this formation of people just works. They have a knack for making the lyrics fascinating as well as memorable, and the music catchy enough make you want to join in. And the bass is really loud and has fun parts, which does a lot for me!” Not only that, Becky and her Fury have also played at the Cart & Horses, the birthplace of the band. ” Playing the Cart & Horses ‘The Birthplace of Iron Maiden’ is always a special one for us. It’s a lovely bar full of cool memorabilia, and I love that they have made the basement a dedicated space for live rock music – the area really needed it. The show was completely sold out, and despite some sound issues, everyone seemed to have a great time. I hope the place gets more support as a venue, from both the public and continued support from Maiden themselves!”
A proud endorser of D’Addario Strings, Neural DSP modelers, Darkglass Amps and Alperious Pickguards, Becky owns some really cool equipment, including a Rickenbacker 4003, a Rickenbacker 4001, a Fender Deluxe Jazz V (5 string), a Danelectro Longhorn, a Neural DSP Quad Cortex, a Darkglass AO900 Head + DG212N Cabinet, and D’addario NYXL Strings. “I have six basses altogether, my favourite is my 1977 Rickenbacker 4001, customized with a Seymour Duncan pick up. A lot of people think it’s wrong to modify vintage instruments, but I love that bass and enjoy making it unique in any way that I can.”
She obviously loves Steve Harris, saying he is an iconic bassist and songwriter, and that as a metalhead it’s impossible to escape his influence. “Maiden is one of few bands of their style to keep their bass mixed audibly, and for that I salute them! For a new bass player it can be so hard to figure out what you’re supposed to do, how to play a song when you can’t really hear much. Not a problem for Maiden! Steve certainly influenced my heavy plucking finger style, and I love the chords he does to accent some beats, which most finger style players would avoid. And of course, the occasional bass solo is the icing on the cake!” And if you want to witness her passion for the boys, you can watch this amazing bass playthrough of the classic The Number of the Beast on her YouTube channel, where she uses a Rickenbacker 4001 fitted with Seymour Duncan pickups, strings from D’Addario (NYXL. Gauge 45-105), Microtubes X Ultra, and a scratchplate by Alperious Pickguards.
Becky also teaches bass playing and has a few tutorials on YouTube and on her Patreon, saying she has a few online students doing live Zoom lessons. “I love teaching Maiden basslines, recently I was teaching a student Powerslave which is one of my favourites to play,” said our talented metalhead, who’s also a co-founder of a specialist private tuition company called Bristol Rock Centre, which runs a teaching and rehearsal studio in Mangotsfield, leading workshops with that company. Not only that, she has also aided exam board Rockschool in the writing and proofing of tuition and exam books including Let’s Rock Bass, the Popular Music Theory collection and the 2014 Vocal syllabus, also leading workshops with Rockschool, and having given lectures at BIMM Bristol, ACM Birmingham and Access Creative College. Furthermore, she has received tuition from top musicians such as Stuart Clayton (Carl Palmer Band), Damon Minchella (Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller) and Jim Barr (Portishead, Get The Blessing).
And last but not least, for a number of years Becky was an active member of the Musician’s Union Wales & South West England Regional Committee and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee, representing female musicians. As you can see, Becky has been living and breathing music for her entire life, always ready to rock and to support new musicians, and with her undeniable talent and charisma she’s definitely going to become one of the references in bass playing in the world of heavy music really soon. In other words, let’s keep enjoying the thunderous bass by Becky (and you can also support her by purchasing her merch on Big Cartel, or by clicking HERE to know more about her career and her music), and may she keep spreading her wings to all four corners of the earth with Fury, Mercyful Fate, or any other band that’s lucky enough to have her as their bassist.
This old school beast will attack once again with their brand new album, a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal.
An expression in Latin meaning “to rise up to attack”, Adorior are a Black and Death Metal beast formed in 1994 in London, England that has always been the essence and the epitome of Extreme Heavy Metal. Now, after nearly two decades, this avalanche of fist-fucking, speed-thrashing, pitch-black death is about to bury the conformist and comfortable dreamland of nowadays domesticated metal culture with their new album titled Bleed on My Teeth, a nightmare absolute, the true nemesis of pseudo-rebellious Heavy Metal. Recorded and mixed by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios, mastered by Patrick Engel at Temple of Disharmony, and displaying a demonic artwork by Belial NecroArts, the new opus by vocalist Jaded Lungs, guitarists T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, bassist R.C., and drummer D. Molestör has a lot of dirt under its fingernails, but it finally reanimates the corpse of mind-fucking, repulsive and dangerous music serving the devil, without giving an inch to newer, shitty genre definitions.
Like a train directly from hell the quintet arrives in full force in Begrime Judas, blending Black and Death Metal with endless sulfur and rebelliousness led by the she-demon vocals by Jaded Lungs, not to mention its scorching thrashing riffs; and the rumbling bass by R.C. kicks off the also demented Ophidian Strike, with the galloping drums by D. Molestör inspiring us all to bang our heads nonstop before exploding into a demented feast of old school Black Metal. Once again adding an endless amount of Thrash Metal and Hardcore elements to their core essence we’re treated to L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard, while D. Molestör crushes his drums in the most visceral Death Metal way imaginable, whereas in Precipice of Fire the band offers more of the guitar madness blasted by T. Slutsodomizer and S. Assassinator, resulting in an infernal metal attack that sounds like it was taken directly from the 80’s.
Jaded Lungs is a beast incarnate in the seven-minute aria of hell titled Sips of Sarin, where her bandmates blast their sonic weapons in the name of evil, allowing her to scream and gnarl with tons of despair, therefore turning it into one of the best moments of the album. It’s quite interesting how all of their songs go beyond the five or six minute mark, and Scavengers of Vengeance couldn’t have been any different than that, sounding insane from start to finish thanks to the slashing riffage by the band’s guitar duo, whereas the second to last blast of old school blasphemy by Adorior is entitled Moment of Mania, with Jaded Lungs gnarling rabidly amidst a hurricane of chaotic, demented sounds blasted by her bandmates, and with the sound of their riffs being a thing of beauty. Lastly, let’s all face almost seven minutes of impious, sulfurous Death and Thrash Metal made in the UK in the title-track Bleed on My Teeth, with D. Molestör sounding ruthless on drums and, consequently, putting a beyond infernal conclusion to the band’s blackened death and thrash attack.
Bleed on my Teeth is a revelation for the black-hearted survivors of this diseased and treacherous world, and you will certainly feel this record like it has been tattooed into your bones, but if you don’t, then fuck off and pray that you never will. Hence, keep an eye on their Facebook for news and tour dates, stream their depraved creations on Spotify, and grab a copy of the sulfurous Bleed on my Teeth from their own BandCamp page, from the Sepulchral Voice’s BandCamp page, or from the Dark Descent Records webstore as a digisleeve CD, a black LP, a red and black LP, or a cassette. Adorior are still alive and kicking after so many decades on the road, and you better be prepared for their ruthless attack to the sound of their high-octane, unfiltered new album as you’re quickly consumed by evil.
Best moments of the album:Ophidian Strike, Precipice of Fire and Sips of Sarin.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Dark Descent Records/Sepulchral Voice
Track listing 1. Begrime Judas 5:55
2. Ophidian Strike 5:33
3. L.O.T.P. – Vomit Vomit Vomit Bastard 6:16
4. Precipice of Fire 5:40
5. Sips of Sarin 7:08
6. Scavengers of Vengeance 6:29
7. Moment of Mania 5:52
8. Bleed on My Teeth 6:51
Band members
Jaded Lungs – vocals
T. Slutsodomizer – guitars
S. Assassinator – guitars
R.C. – bass
D. Molestör – drums
One of the most important Thrash Metal bands to ever arise form the UK is back in action with a caustic new album, their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.
We live in dark times; times of war, pandemics, grief and horror. These are the days of division, where we turn against each other in politically driven hatred and against ourselves, choking on a social media diet of self-loathing and isolation. Hailing from Preston, a city in Lancashire, northern England, UK’s resolute and relentless kings of Thrash Metal, Solitary, have tapped into the thick, black blood that pulses sluggishly through the fat and filth congested veins of society, culminating with the birth of their caustic new album titled Embrace The Darkness, the follow-up to their 2020 beast The Truth Behind the Lies. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Simon Efemey at Headline Music Studios, and embraced by a sick artwork by Koot (which would look amazing as a tattoo), the new beast by Richard Sherrington on vocals and rhythm guitar, Andy Mellor on lead guitar, Gareth Harrop on bass, and Roy Miller on drums is their hymn to a dying world, their soundtrack to the end of days.
The intro III.XXIII.MMXX offers a modern-day, visceral and acid start that will darken the skies before Solitary come crushing our damned souls in the title-track Embrace the Darkness, with Richard already roaring manically from the bottom of his blackened heart supported by the hammering drums by Roy and an overdose of caustic riffs. It’s then pedal to the metal to the sound of the infuriated Settle Scores the Old Way, a sharp, ruthless Thrash Metal attack perfect for a good brawl at the pub, whereas Richard and Andy continue to extract total chaos and heaviness from their axes in Virtues, an old school thrashing hurricane that will put you to headbang like a beast. And the band once again speeds things up and delivers a demolishing sound in Bury It Now, another amazing display of their undisputed Thrash Metal where their scorching riffs and rumbling bass match perfectly with the venomous vocals by Richard.
The circle pit keeps moving fast and wildly in Beneath the Surface, with the hammering drums by Roy and the low-tuned, massive bass lines by Gareth building a solid foundation for the harsh vociferations by Richard; and the band shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, offering more of their violent and strident music in the form of The Disappeared, with Richard and Andy delivering an endless dosage of fury through their riffs. Then a Slayer-inspired riff will crush your damned skull to pieces in Section 21, where the band showcases their trademark sonority originally crafted back in the 90’s without sounding outdated or boring at all, followed by Filtering Hindsight, the last song of the digital version of the album which will inspire you to break your neck headbanging together with Solitary, although it lacks the same demented energy of the rest of the album. Furthermore, if you go for the vinyl edition of the album you’ll be treated to the bonus song Divided And Demented, absolutely worth every penny invested in the vinyl version as it’s pure British thrash spearheaded by the infernal growling by Richard; whereas if you buy the CD version you’ll get their cover version for The Exploited’s hit Beat the Bastards (check the official live video by The Exploited for the original song HERE), and as you can already imagine Solitary simply nailed it with their undisputed, electrifying thrashing twist.
The world as we know it is coming to its inevitable dark end, but of course at least we have amazing bands like Solitary among us to provide us with high quality music perfect for doomsday, like what they have to offer us all in Embrace The Darkness. Hence, don’t forget to give the band a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, stream their wicked creations on Spotify (or any other streaming platform), and grab a copy of their austere new album from their own website, from BandCamp, or by clicking HERE. It’s time to join Solitary in their quest for Thrash Metal, and of course, prepare to Embrace The Darkness!
Best moments of the album:Settle Scores the Old Way, Bury It Now and The Disappeared.
Worst moments of the album:Filtering Hindsight.
Released in 2024 Twisted into Form
Track listing 1. III.XXIII.MMXX 1:01
2. Embrace the Darkness 4:49
3. Settle Scores the Old Way 3:43
4. Virtues 4:42
5. Bury It Now 3:30
6. Beneath the Surface 3:34
7. The Disappeared 2:08
8. Section 21 3:49
9. Filtering Hindsight 3:33
Vinyl bonus track
10. Divided And Demented 3:20
CD bonus track 11. Beat the Bastards (The Exploited cover) 2:20
Band members Richard Sherrington – vocals, rhythm guitar
Andy Mellor – lead guitar
Gareth Harrop – bass
Roy Miller – drums
An up-and-coming UK Epic Heavy Metal band strikes with their debut album, an eight-song herald of metal reverence and majesty delving into the profound impact of narratives on humankind – be it of gods, superstitions, or outright lies.
Formed in 2020 in London, England with the distinct goal of delivering ripping old school Heavy Metal of the epic persuasion, the incendiary outfit Phaëthon emerged on the metal underground with their 2020 debut EP Sacrifice Doth Call. Now in 2024, the band formed of vocalist Vrath, guitarist Decado, bassist Aees and drummer Oskarath brings forth monumental classic metal on their first full-length, Wielder of the Steel, a masterclass in metal glory. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Tom Dring at The Arch Recording Studio, and displaying a stunning artwork by German artist Scheinlichter (aka Stefan Bleyl), Wielder of the Steel is an eight-song herald of metal reverence and majesty that will no doubt appeal to fans of Manowar, Mercyful Fate, Bathory and Cirith Ungol, delving into the profound impact of narratives on humankind – be it of gods, superstitions, or outright lies – extending beyond the confines of Greek mythology.
Soldiers, grab your swords, shields and hammers and head into the battlefield to the sound of Eternal Hammerer, where the riffs by Vrath and Decado will inspire you to bang your heads nonstop in an old school Heavy Metal party with a beautiful epic vibe, flowing into the six-minute aria Vanguard of the Emperor, led by the galloping bass and drums by Aees and Oskarath, respectively, therefore resulting in the perfect soundtrack for a violent battle against all evil. Then leaning towards classic Heavy Metal taken directly from the 80’s we have For the Greater Good of Evil, where Vrath delivers solid, deep vocal lines while his bandmates craft an electrifying sound tailored for raising our horns in the air; whereas Tolls of Perdition is a more cadenced, grim creation by the quartet which lacks more energy, although its Doom Metal elements sound heavy and vile.
Back to a more vibrant sonority, the band offers another warrior-like metal hymn titled Blasphemers, with the soaring vocals by Vrath matching perfectly with all riffage, bass lines, beats and fills. In other words, no one can stand still to its power and electricity; and their Epic Heavy Metal attack goes on in the headbanging tune Forgotten Gods, where Oskarath once again takes the lead with his pounding drums. After that, old school riffs and tribal beats ignite the second to last song, titled Phaëthon Must Fall, with Vrath leading his metal brigade with his inspiring vocals in another song that sounds like it was taken directly from the glory of the 80’s. And last but not least, let’s embark on a 10-minute metal journey in the title-track Wielder of the Steel, starting in a serene, soothing manner to the passionate vocals by Vrath, gradually evolving into a galloping onrush of traditional Heavy Metal where Aees and Oskarath sound amazing with their groovy kitchen.
Weaving a sonic and narrative journey through eras of valor and conflict, empires lost to time, and epic tales of defiance and ambition, all laying bare the eternal juxtaposition between mankind’s hubris and his indomitable spirit, Wielder of the Steel is a must-have for admirers of the style, and you can purchase your copy of the album on BandCamp or from the Cruz Del Sur webstore as a CD, a black LP, or a transparent blue MLT 100 LP. Also, don’t forget to join the band and their epic battles on Facebook and on Instagram, keeping up to date with all things Phaëthon. Those UK metallers are wielding the steel in the name of Epic Heavy Metal in their first full-length album, and you’re more than invited to fight side by side with them to the sound of their inspiring creations.
Best moments of the album:Eternal Hammerer, For the Greater Good of Evil and Blasphemers.
Worst moments of the album:Tolls of Perdition.
Released in 2024 Gates of Hell Records
Track listing 1. Eternal Hammerer 3:31
2. Vanguard of the Emperor 6:15
3. For the Greater Good of Evil 3:34
4. Tolls of Perdition 7:08
5. Blasphemers 4:08
6. Forgotten Gods 4:34
7. Phaëthon Must Fall 4:02
8. Wielder of the Steel 9:45
Band members Vrath – vocals, guitar
Decado – guitar
Aees – bass
Oskarath – drums
Two of the most important bands of the current metal scene crushed the city of London, Canada in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their most-acclaimed albums to date.
What a wild and busy day and night it was this Wednesday, when the cozy Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario hosted one of the most insane tours of the year, Ashes of Leviathan Tour 2024, featuring nothing more, nothing less than MALEVOLENCE, KERRY KING, MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD. It was a rough 2-hour drive for me to get to London in time for the shows, but it was absolutely worth it as this tour is simply celebrating the 20th anniversary of two seminal releases, Lamb of God’s biggest-selling album Ashes of the Wake and Mastodon’s acclaimed sophomore album Leviathan, which were both released on August 31, 2004. My friend Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was also there and was dying to photograph his favorite band of all time, Lamb of God, for the first time in his career; however, no idea why, he only got the approval for the first band, Malevolence, something we’ve never seen happening before nor any of our friends, which is why the only good photos of this review are for Malevolence. Sorry about that.
The first band to hit the stage was Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England-based Groove Metal/Metalcore piece MALEVOLENCE, and let me tell you those guys kicked some serious ass, working as the perfect warmup for the devastation that was about to come. Still promoting their 2022 album Malicious Intent, the band formed of Alex Taylor, Joshua Baines, Konan Hall, Wilkie Robinson and Charlie Thorpe put everyone at Budweiser Gardens to slam into the pit, turning up the heat on an already extremely hot day in the city. You can get more details about the band by clicking HERE, and also stream their infuriated creations on Spotify. I just wish they had more time to play, and that the start of the show wasn’t so early, before 6pm, which impacted in a negative way the amount of people already inside the venue for their show.
Setlist Malicious Intent
Life Sentence
Still Waters Run Deep
Self Supremacy
Higher Place
Keep Your Distance
On Broken Glass
Band members Alex Taylor – vocals
Joshua Baines – guitars
Konan Hall – guitars, vocals
Wilkie Robinson – bass
Charlie Thorpe – drums
It wasn’t even 7pm when Los Angeles, California’s one and only Thrash Metal icon KERRY KING and his crew took the stage of Budweiser Gardens by storm with their blood red (and sometimes dark blue) stage, endless heaviness, and a strong will to crush everything and everyone that dared to cross their path on Wednesday night. Playing songs from his insane debut solo album From Hell I Rise including Where I Reign and Idle Hands, plus the Slayer all-time classics Raining Blood and Black Magic, Mr. Kerry King was absolutely ruthless during his short but extremely destructive set, supported by the soaring vocals by Death Angel’s frontman Mark Osegueda and also by his Slayer buddy Paul Bostaph on drums, driving fans crazy and igniting some demented mosh pits for the delight of lovers of some good circle pit action. Once again, I really wish his setlist was a bit longer, maybe with a couple more songs from his album or from Slayer, but in the end he certainly proved there’s life outside Slayer as his solo material sounds incredible both in studio and on stage, and you can enjoy Kerry’s wicked music on Spotify, of course, or click HERE for all things surrounding one of the greatest guitarist in the history of Thrash Metal.
Setlist Where I Reign
Trophies of the Tyrant
Residue
Toxic
Idle Hands
Shrapnel
Raining Blood
Black Magic
From Hell I Rise
Band members Mark Osegueda – vocals
Kerry King – guitars
Phil Demmel – guitars
Kyle Sanders – bass
Paul Bostaph – drums
It was only 8pm when Atlanta, Georgia Progressive/Sludge Metal beast MASTODON, one of the main attractions of the night (and it’s funny because there was still light outside the venue), kicked off their more-than-special set based on their 2004 album Leviathan, playing the entire album from the very first song, the breathtaking Blood and Thunder, until Joseph Merrick, all supported by a beautiful stage with lots of fire, crazy background images, and a lot of smoke too. Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor were insane as usual, mastering the art of their instruments for our total delectation, therefore receiving a wild and huge ovation form the fans at Budweiser Gardens. The overall sound was a bit muffled to my liking, but nothing that could stop the quartet form putting on a fantastic show, taking us all back 20 years with one of the most important metal albums of the past two decades. There was even time for a nice encore with the songs More Than I Could Chew, Circle of Cysquatch and Steambreather, and after that Brann took some time to thank everyone and to say how insane it is to be on this tour with Lamb of God, both celebrating 20 years of their masterpieces, also taking into account the fact they’ve been friends for all that time too. Mastodon always deliver, and hopefully we’ll see them celebrating 30, 40, 50 years and so on of the great Leviathan.
Setlist Leviathan Blood and Thunder
I Am Ahab
Seabeast
Ísland
Iron Tusk
Megalodon
Naked Burn
Aqua Dementia
Hearts Alive
Joseph Merrick
Encore:
More Than I Could Chew
Circle of Cysquatch
Steambreather
Band members Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, drums
After a short break, where fans took the time to grab a few final beers and whatever was left from the merch booths, it was time for Richmond, Virginia’s magnificent Groove Metal institution LAMB OF GOD to pulverize our senses with the full play of their 2004 masterpiece Ashes of the Wake, and let me tell you that the city of London, Ontario simply loves Lamb of God from the bottom of their hearts. The reaction of the fans to each and every song played by D. Randall “Randy” Blythe on vocals, Mark Morton and Willie Adler on the guitars, John Campbell on bass and Art Cruz on drums was beyond superb, with the first three of the album, Laid to Rest, Hourglass and Now You’ve Got Something to Die For, already igniting some of the sickest mosh pits of the night. The show moved on majestically, with Randy delivering his trademark “WOOOOOO’s!” inspired by the iconic Ric Flair in between songs, while the fans kept running around like beasts inside the circle pit. And after Ashes of the Wake was over, the band crushed whoever was still alive with the classics Walk With Me in Hell and Redneck, crowning another spectacular performance by Randy and his crew in Canadian lands. As mentioned for Mastodon, I would love to see Lamb of God celebrating many more decades of Ashes of the Wake with amazing concerts like that, and maybe next time there will be less confusion in the communication between us and the organizers, and you readers can have some ass-kicking photos as well to enjoy.
Setlist Ashes of the Wake Laid to Rest
Hourglass
Now You’ve Got Something to Die For
The Faded Line
Omerta
Blood of the Scribe
One Gun
Break You
What I’ve Become
Ashes of the Wake
Remorse Is for the Dead
Encore:
Walk With Me in Hell
Redneck
Band members D. Randall “Randy” Blythe – vocals
Mark Morton – guitar
Willie Adler – guitar
John Campbell – bass
Art Cruz – drums
Chupacabra means “goat sucker” in Spanish, and according to reports, the creature acts much like a vampire, killing animals by sucking their blood. Though similar stories date back several decades, the first major wave of alleged chupacabra sightings came from farmers in Puerto Rico in the late 80’s and early 90’s. But what does that have to do with our metal lady of this month of August, you might ask, right? Well, let’s say that the multi-talented Heather Taylor, the frontwoman for UK-based thrashing beast Chupacabra, will kick your ass and drink your blood to the sound of her visceral music, and you’ll simply love that and to know more about such talented woman of the current British metal scene.
Born and raised in Newport, the county town of the Isle of Wight, an island county off the south coast of England, but currently located in the city of Bristol, Heather studied at the University of Reading, and works as a freelance control systems engineer. However, of course her biggest passion in life is heavy music, and you can enjoy her contributions to several amazing bands besides her recent work with Chupacabra, turning her into a seasoned veteran of the underground British extreme music scene and, therefore, helping her elevate the music by Chupacabra to new and exciting heights with her undeniable talent and charisma.
For instance, almost at the same time when Chupacabra was born, Heather became the vocalist for Virtual Reality, a Technical/Progressive Metal band formed in 2019 in Bristol, replacing their former frontman Jamie Moran (who had to step down as he had just become a father and wanted to spend more time with his family). There isn’t a lot of information online about Virtual Reality, apart of course from their Facebook and Instagram, but hopefully we’ll hear more about the band with Heather on vocals, including a new EP or album in the coming months, who knows.
Heather is (or was) also the lead singer for the acclaimed Bristol-based Futuristic Industrial Metal band Cybervoid, having released with the band the EP Order Through Chaos back in 2023, including the killer title-track Order Through Chaos, and the also infuriated Sentient Awakens. The EP features some of the final works of Bristol metal legend Jake ‘Mettle’ Ettle-Iles (of bands like Blasfeme, Body Harvest and Ventflow), who tragically passed away at the end of 2022, which means no one knows what the future holds for Cybervoid.
Another project where Heather was involved with for a while was Bristol Alternative Rock band Locust, born of a collaboration between local musicians Laurence Howell and Arthur Cauty together with Heather and Pete Starr. The band was supposed to release a debut concept album with music featuring political themes and strong creative undertones, which would tell a story of love, loss, the downfall of civilization and post apocalyptic recovery over three epochs spanning 3000 years. However, there’s nothing online about that album, nor if the band is still alive and kicking.
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Our unstoppable diva was also the bassist between 2020 and 2021 for a Welsh Progressive Metal band named Nine Miles Down, and I believe she didn’t record anything official with the band during her short period with them. And lastly, Heather is also known in the local scene as the vocalist and bassist for a cult band named Wytch, but again it’s extremely difficult to find anything online about the band, maybe due to the band most probably not existing anymore. I personally would love to listen to the music by Locust, Nine Miles Down and Wytch, so if you know where to find their music, please let me know.
Finally, Heather’s main project right now is undoubtedly Bristol-based Death/Thrash Metal beast Chupacabra, bringing the full-frontal, in-your-face force of relentless thrashing riffage as a platform for soaring, aggressive vocals that explore issues of toxic relationships, female empowerment, social injustice and the laid-bare rage of one disaffected member of a broken society, being therefore highly recommended for fans of Kreator, Slayer, Arch Enemy, Holy Moses, At The Gates, Lamb of God, Pest Control, Testament, and Sodom, among others.
Alongside multi-instrumentalist Nige Savage on all instruments (except lead guitars), who’s also a former member of Wytch, and lead guitarist Alex Brent, formerly of Captive, Heather reveals layers of herself in their debut EP Fortified with Ashes threaded through the three songs on a journey of venting unbound rage, breaking conditioned compliance and growing a new authentic skin. The 14-minute EP consists of the songs Burn the Clowns, F. T. T. D., and Fortified with Ashes, all pulverizing tracks that will surely inspire you to bang your head nonstop and slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow.
And that’s not all, as Chupacabra is also providing all the music for the new audiobook edition of DX Ferris’ best-selling Slayer biography, Slayer 66 & 2/3: A Metal Band Biography, Postmortem Remastered Edition, as well as the accompanying podcast, Talkin’ Slayer: A Metal Podcast and Half-@ssed Audiobook. The music by Chupacabra can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, and you should definitely buy and/or stream their music as many times as possible to support those seasoned, hardworking veterans hailing from the always exciting UK underground, putting a huge smile on the face of our relentless metal diva of the always fun month of August.
This brilliant Atmospheric Black Metal project from the UK returns with its sophomore full-length opus, inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s famous tale The Masque of the Red Death.
After a three-year hiatus and relocating to Cornwall, one-man Atmospheric Black Metal project Sepulchre by the Sea is now set to return with its most ambitious project to date, it’s second full-length release, titled Seven Chambers, the follow-up to the 2020 album Conqueror Worm and the 2021 EP Ratiocination. Displaying a modern yet classic artwork by Emma Hill, the new album by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ashley Shannon was conceived, written and recorded as one continuous 45-minute song inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s famous tale The Masque of the Red Death, later divided into seven unique movements, each coded to the mood and color of the chambers in the story, and where Ashely was able to explore sounds and genres outside of his usual Atmospheric Black Metal, such as Drone and Electronica, and draw on instrumentation never before seen in a Sepulchre by the Sea record.
Delicate piano notes and atmospheric sounds set the stage in I. Blue Hubris, an extensive and enfolding intro that will transport you to the world of Sepulchre by the Sea in II. Purple Pestilence, a harsh, dark and caustic creation by Ashley, where his strident riffs and classic blast beats add an extra touch of heaviness to the overall result, not to mention how anguished his gnarls sound in over nine minutes of visceral, piercing music; whereas III. Green Bath begins in a truly soothing manner, with the sound of the birds complementing Ashley’s minimalist guitars, offering us all four minutes of sheer serenity before he strikes again with his Atmospheric Black Metal wall of sounds in IV. Orange Opulence, where fast-paced drums and piercing riffs enhance the impact of his enraged roars, alternating between calmer passages and obscure moments like if it was two or three songs in one. V. White Death is another somber, ethereal interlude by Ashley and his Sepulchre by the Sea, flowing into VI. Violet Visions, presenting his more lugubrious side, almost like Funeral Doom at times, with his deep vociferations and background keys giving the whole song a phantasmagorical vibe, or in other words, it’s another detailed and bold musical journey tat will hypnotize you during its 12 minutes, morphing into the atmospheric ballad VII. Scarlet Dreams, where Ashley puts a beyond melancholic ending to the album.
Anyone who preorders the album will receive the bonus track Darkness Holds Dominion upon release, a 21-minute spoken word performance of The Masque of the Red Death set to an ambient drone piece, and in order to guarantee your bonus song you can go to Sepulchre by the Sea’s BandCamp page right now and preorder such an amazing album of atmospheric music. Also, don’t forget to follow Ashley and his Edgar Allan Poe-inspired beast on Facebook and on Instagram for news and other nice-to-know details about the project, to stream his previous albums (and soon the excellent Seven Chambers) on Spotify, or click HERE for all things Sepulchre by the Sea, and may Ashley keep experimenting with different types of music and stunning us all with his project by delivering several more albums as great as his newborn spawn. And now was acknowledged the presence of the Red Death and of Sepulchre by the Sea.
Best moments of the album:II. Purple Pestilence and IV. Orange Opulence.
Worst moments of the album: None.
Released in 2024 Independent
Track listing 1. I. Blue Hubris 3:15
2. II. Purple Pestilence 9:19
3. III. Green Bath 4:12
4. IV. Orange Opulence 9:28
5. V. White Death 3:20
6. VI. Violet Visions 12:08
7. VII. Scarlet Dreams 4:16
Band members
Ashley Shannon – vocals, all instruments
All hell broke loose at the Hard Luck Bar in Toronto thanks to a massive night of pure metal music with seven insane bands, spearheaded by the iconic Artillery and Raven.
As mentioned in the two previous concert reviews here, I wasn’t able to attend the absolute metal party at the Hard Luck Bar on Saturday with the bands POTENTIAL THREAT, VAPOR, WICKED, LUTHARO, VICIOUS RUMORS, ARTILLERY and RAVEN (yes, all those amazing bands played on the same night at the same venue) on a co-headlining extravaganza during Raven’s All Hell’s Breaking Loose Across North America Tour 2024 and Artillery’s 40th Anniversary North American Tour 2024, a mega event once again organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. However, although I couldn’t be there due to my trip to New York and Newark to see the almighty Judas Priest, my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi was there on a double duty, taking care of all photos and also of the review, sending me a quick summary of all the metal madness going on at one of the most famous pubs in Toronto.
The first band to hit the stage, precisely at 6pm, was San Francisco, California’s own Thrash Metal veterans POTENTIAL THREAT, who despite being formed back in 1986 only have three official albums released, the latest one being Threat to Society, from 2019. Formed of vocalist and guitarist Mike Noble, guitarist Daniel Sheridan, bassist Damien Sisson, and drummer Kenny Noble, the band was on fire during their entire concert, leaving Keith eager for more of their music. I don’t think they’re on Spotify, though, but you can find some of their albums on BandCamp and probably on other streaming services, so if you love some mosh pits, just go for it as you’re in for a real treat (or maybe I should say a real “threat”).
Band members
Mike Noble – vocals, guitars
Daniel Sheridan – guitars, backing vocals
Damien Sisson – bass, backing vocals
Kenny Noble – drums, backing vocals
After a short break it was then time for Geyserville, California’s Thrash/Groove Metal band VAPOR to kick some ass on the small but incendiary stage of the pub, getting the crowd going inside the mosh pits and, of course, driving the temperature up considerably at the Hard Luck Bar. It was another excellent round of thrashing songs for the fans at the pub, and you can get to know more about Vapor and their music and go check their wicked creations on BandCamp and on Spotify in case you’re curious to know how those great musicians sound when they get together in the name of our good old Thrash Metal.
Band members
Nate Klug – vocals, guitars
Tom Barrett – lead guitars
Nick Altenburg bass, backing vocals
Edgar Canaan – drums
The third band of such an extensive night of rock and metal was American Glam Metal/Rock N’ Roll squad WICKED, whose last release was the 2022 album Sunburn (available on Spotify, as well as their previous albums), and according to Keith they brought a more Guns N’ Roses-inspired vibe to the venue, with their long blond hair waving around nonstop. I would say a weird choice after two devastating Thrash Metal bands, but the fans enjoyed their songs a lot and the energy at the venue kept flowing in an amazing way, so kudos for the organizers for adding them to the bill. Hence, if you want to know more about this electrifying Rochester, New York-based band, you can find all information you can imagine about them by clicking HERE.
Band members
Danny – vocals, guitar
Scotty V – guitars, backing vocals
Chad Michael – bass, backing vocals
Gunnar – drums, backing vocals
Perhaps the band I regret missing the most from Saturday’s party is Hamilton, Ontario, Canada’s own Melodic Death Metal beast LUTHARO, as they’re by far one of the driving forces of the current Canadian scene. Having just released the breathtaking album Chasing Euphoria, the band led by the stunning Krista Shipperbottom delivered a breathtaking show to an even bigger crowd, which was huge by then, inspiring everyone to slam into mosh pit after mosh pit. Go check more of the amazing music by this Canadian institution for the “Hammer” on Spotify, or click HERE for all things Lutharo. On a side note, Keith mentioned Krista should be one of our metal ladies of the month, and as I love Lutharo I think that will happen still in 2024, so stay tuned for an overdose of Krista sooner than you can scream “born to ride”!
Setlist
Gates of Enchantment
Reaper’s Call
Ruthless Bloodline
Wings of Agony
Born to Ride
Lost in a Soul
Band members
Krista Shipperbottom – vocals
Victor Bucur – guitars, backing vocals
Jeff Wilson – guitars
Chris Pacey – bass
Cory Hofing – drums
The very last of the opening acts of such an amazing night of heavy music in Toronto was Santa Rosa, California-based Heavy/Power Metal masters VICIOUS RUMORS, who are celebrating their 45th anniversary by performing their critically acclaimed first album, Soldiers Of The Night, in its entirety for the first time in North America. Keith mentioned a lot of people were there to see them, elevating their status to maybe what we can call the ” third headliner” of the night, and that by the time they hit the stage the venue was so jam packed that he had a really hard time taking photos of their show as the crowd was not letting the photographers go up front to do their job. Sometimes people get way too excited with heavy music, and I gotta say I love that.
Setlist
Premonition
Ride (Into the Sun)
Medusa
Soldiers of the Night
Murder
March or Die
Abandoned
Replicant
Digital Dictator
Minute to Kill
Don’t Wait for Me
Band members
Brian Allen – vocals
Geoff Thorpe – guitars, additional vocals
Gunnar DüGrey – guitars
Robin Utbult – bass
Larry Howe – drums
The first headliner of the night was Danish Thrash Metal institution ARTILLERY, playing 44 shows in 26 states during their 40th Anniversary North American Tour, and according to Keith they kicked some ass Saturday night in Toronto. No idea why, but Keith said that Edgar Canaan of Vapor played drums for Artillery on Saturday in Toronto as their regular drummer Frederik Kjelstrup Hansen wasn’t there, but also that such minor detail didn’t take any energy from their demolishing performance. Quite the contrary, they killed it, and in my opinion Artillery are one of those bands that are mandatory to see live at least once in your lifetime if you consider yourself a true metalhead.
Setlist
The Devils Symphony
The Almighty
Turn up the Rage
By Inheritance
The Face of Fear
Bombfood
Legions
10.000 Devils
Khomaniac
Deeds of Darkness
Terror Squad
Band members
Martin Steene – vocals
Michael Stützer – lead guitars
René Loua – guitars
Peter Thorslund – bass
Edgar Canaan – drums
And last but not least, the jam packed Hard Luck Bar was destroyed by ruthless Heavy Metal veterans RAVEN, during their All Hell’s Breaking Loose Across North America Tour 2024, obviously promoting their 2023 opus All Hell’s Breaking Loose. As soon as they hit the stage, it was an avalanche of Heavy Fuckin’ Metal from Great Britain right in the faces of everyone who was in the front row, with John Gallagher, Mark Gallagher and Mike Heller bringing the best heavy tunes you can think of for the total delight of the massive crowd that took over the Hard Luck Bar. Don’t forget to keep an eye on all things Raven by clicking HERE, in special their amazing live concerts, because once they take the stages of your city you know that all hell will break loose.
Setlist
Destroy All Monsters
Hell Patrol
The Power
Surf the Tsunami
Turn of the Screw
All for One
Rock Until You Drop
Guitar Solo
Faster Than the Speed of Light
Inquisitor
Bass Solo
All Hell’s Breaking Loose
On and On
Break the Chain
Rock Bottom (UFO cover)
Supernaut (Black Sabbath cover)
Symptom of the Universe (Black Sabbath cover)
Victim of Changes (Judas Priest cover)
Chain Saw
Band members
John Gallagher – lead vocals, bass, 12-string bass
Mark Gallagher – guitars, backing vocals
Mike Heller – drums
Bonedead can be appreciated in its entirety on Spotify, and you can also grab a copy of it from the project’s own BandCamp page, keeping Mr. Dave Fox very happy and motivated to continue his rockin’ journey and to bring to our avid ears more of his classy creations. You can also start following him on Facebook for news and other nice-to-know information about his Unwanted Guest, and also subscribe to his YouTube channel for more of his music. Both his debut Grave Metallum and his newborn spawn Bonedead are excellent albums that certainly deserve a listen by anyone who loves rock and metal music, and as mentioned, the more personal the albums by Dave and his Unwanted Guest sound and feel, the more thrilling his musical creations will be for all of us, proving again there’s nothing better than rock and metal music that is true to the heart as the soundtrack to our lives.
THE HEADBANGING MOOSE 