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Album Review – A Wake In Providence / I Write To You, My Darling Decay (2024)

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These Staten Island, New York-based Deathcore titans are back with their incendiary fourth studio album, a must-listen for admirers of the genre.

Formed in Staten Island, New York in 2010, American Blackened and Symphonic Deathcore titans A Wake In Providence are unleashing upon us their fourth studio opus, beautifully entitled I Write To You, My Darling Decay, the follow-up to their 2022 album Eternity. Formed of Adam Mercer on vocals, D’Andre Tyre on the guitars, orchestrations and vocals, Jorden Felion on the guitars, and Jesse Mcenneny on drums, A Wake In Providence are on absolute fire throughout their entire new installment, turning it into a must-listen for admirers of the music by Lorna Shore, Chelsea Grin, and many others renowned acts of the current Deathcore scene.

The Maddening sounds absolutely cinematic, epic and somber from the very first second, until all hell breaks loose to a demonic roar by Adam, with their Deathcore essence being nicely complemented by all orchestral elements by D’Andre in the background. Then featuring guest vocals by Ben Duer (of Shadow Of Intent), Mournful Benediction presents a great fusion of melodious sounds with sheer heaviness and rage, with the hammering drums by Jesse and the keys by D’Andre haunting our souls for all eternity; flowing into the piano-infused phantasmagorical interlude Agony, My Familiar before the quartet comes ripping once again in Agonofinis, a lecture in Blackened Deathcore that will crush your minds an skulls mercilessly to the austere, sulfurous riffs by D’Andre and Jorden, not to mention how brutal the drums by Jesse sound. And in And Through The Fog She Spoke the band offers seven minutes of stunning and visceral passages, with all harsh and clean vocals elevating the song’s epicness and punch considerably.

They keep delivering first-class Deathcore to the masses in the also detailed and grim In Whispers, where D’Andre once again does a superb job with all orchestrations supported by the infernal drums by Jesse; and it looks like those guys have mastered the art of crafting multi-layered, detailed Deathcore hymns, as the title-track I Write To You, My Darling Decay is the perfect depiction of that, spearheaded by the venomous growls by Adam amidst a neck-breaking, imposing wall of sounds. Then despite showcasing most elements that make the music by A Wake In Providence so compelling, the song The Unbound sounds a bit generic and repetitive in the end; whereas back to a more vicious and dynamic sonority we face Pareidolia, with Jesse once again taking the lead with his inhumane drumming while Adam deeply roars for our total delight. Lastly, the closing song of the album, titled I, The Mournful, also presents the band’s share of fury and melancholy in a climatic way, with the infernal roars by Adam being boosted by all orchestrations, demonic riffs and bass, and pulverizing beats.

If Deathcore infused with symphonic and blackened elements is your cup of tea, you have to give I Write To You, My Darling Decay a shot, as A Wake In Providence not only sound extremely heavy and vile during the entire album, but also very melodic and obscure, giving the whole record an amazing vibe that will surely last until their next opus is released. Hence, don’t forget to follow those guys on Facebook and on Instagram, staying up to date with all news, including their upcoming shows, to stream their demented creations on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase I Write To You, My Darling Decay by clicking HERE or HERE. This is Deathcore at its finest, and I’m sure once you get in contact with their music, you’ll get addicted to it and succumb to the darkest side of modern-day American Deathcore.

Best moments of the album: Mournful Benediction, Agonofinis and I Write To You, My Darling Decay.

Worst moments of the album: The Unbound.

Released in 2024 Unique Leader Records

Track listing
1. The Maddening 5:37
2. Mournful Benediction 6:20
3. Agony, My Familiar 2:16
4. Agonofinis 4:52
5. And Through The Fog She Spoke 7:12
6. In Whispers 6:54
7. I Write To You, My Darling Decay 7:51
8. The Unbound 6:02
9. Pareidolia 7:03
10. I, The Mournful 6:21

Band members
Adam Mercer – vocals
D’Andre Tyre – guitars, orchestrations, vocals
Jorden Felion – guitars
Jesse Mcenneny – drums

Guest musician
Ben Duer – vocals on “Mournful Benediction”

Album Review – Kerry King / From Hell I Rise (2024)

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Like a demon arising from hell, the iconic Kerry King returns to action armed with his debut solo album alongside a stellar lineup in a lesson in both old school and modern-day Thrash Metal.

When you put together Slayer’s indomitable, iconic guitarist Kerry King, the fantastic vocalist Mark Osegueda of Death Angel, former Vio-lence and Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel, Hellyeah bassist Kyle Sanders, and Slayer and former Testament, Forbidden and Exodus drummer Paul Bostaph, you know it’s going to be an extremely heavy, evil and violent feast of Thrash Metal. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Kerry King’s debut solo album From Hell I Rise, his first material since disbanding Slayer back in 2019. Produced by Josh Wilbur, the album sounds like Slayer without being Slayer, bringing to our avid ears an overdose of caustic riffs, soaring vocals and blast beats, or in other words, a must-listen for fans of both old school and modern-day Bay Area Thrash. Well, just take a look at the album’s demonic artwork and you’ll quickly realize Mr. Kerry King and his henchmen are not among us to bring peace nor hope.

As soon as you hit play you’ll face Diablo, a beyond electrifying intro to the album, almost working as a full song, opening the gates of hell for the quintet to attack us all in Where I Reign, a lecture in contemporary Thrash Metal where Mark’s vocals sound incendiary, while the scorching riffs by Kerry and Phil will penetrate deep inside our skin. Residue is a heavy-as-hell extravaganza by the band that delivers sheer aggression in the form of obscure, grim guitars and the always hammering drums by Paul; followed by Idle Hands, the first single of the album, offering the perfect fusion of the music by Slayer and Death Angel, with of course the trio formed of Kerry, Mark and Paul blasting our cranial skulls with their infuriated sounds. Trophies of the Tyrant is another late Slayer-inspired tune where the groovy kitchen by Kyle and Paul add endless density to the overall result, all spiced up by Kerry’s trademark solos, whereas Crucifixation, the longest of all songs from the album, is a hurricane of acid Thrash Metal, with Paul taking the lead with his inhumane beats while the band’s guitar duo slashes their stringed axes nonstop. And Tension sounds like a song taken from Diabolus in Musica or God Hates Us All, being very modern while still showcasing Kerry’s characteristic old school sound, albeit not as exciting as the other songs.

Everything I Hate About You is a bestial display of Thrash Metal by the band where Mark sounds possessed on vocals, resulting in one minute and twenty seconds of pure insanity that will ignite some demented circle pits during their live concerts, flowing into the also headbanging, groovy Toxic, where Mark once again roars and barks like a creature from the underworld, keeping the album at a humongous level of violence. Then flirting with the Groove Metal played by bands like Lamb of God while also showcasing strong elements from Mark’s own band Death Angel we have Two Fists, not to mention the sound of the guitars is simply striking; whereas a song by Kerry King named Rage doesn’t need a lot of explanation, as it’s pure riff-driven Thrash Metal with endless animosity and, of course, rage flowing form Mark’s raspy vocals. Paul keeps pounding his drums in great fashion in Shrapnel, with the band offering an avalanche of wicked riffs and deep vocals, being therefore perfect for slamming into the pit while they craft one of the most detailed sounds of the whole album. And lastly, we’re treated to the perfect way to conclude the album, the title-track From Hell I Rise, an incendiary, frantic and heavy tune just the way we like it in classic thrash, with Kerry and Paul making an insane duo with their riffs and beats.

This beast of an album can be appreciated in full album on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course if you want to put your dirty, evil hands on it you can grab a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE, or click HERE for all things Kerry King, including the links to his own Facebook and Instagram. Just like a phoenix arising form the ashes, or maybe I should say a demon arising from hell, Kerry King returns to the battlefield with his striking debut solo album, and hopefully he’ll keep delivering awesome music like what’s found in the album in the near future (even if Slayer are back for good), because with a stellar lineup like what he’s put together we can rest assure all hell will break loose to the sound of his visceral thrash.

Best moments of the album: Where I Reign, Idle Hands, Everything I Hate About You and From Hell I Rise.

Worst moments of the album: Tension.

Released in 2024 Reigning Phoenix Music

Track listing
1. Diablo 1:54
2. Where I Reign 3:51
3. Residue 4:40
4. Idle Hands 3:45
5. Trophies of the Tyrant 3:33
6. Crucifixation 5:15
7. Tension 2:48
8. Everything I Hate About You 1:21
9. Toxic 3:54
10. Two Fists 3:37
11. Rage 3:25
12. Shrapnel 5:01
13. From Hell I Rise 3:33

Band members
Mark Osegueda – vocals
Kerry King – guitars
Phil Demmel – guitars
Kyle Sanders – bass
Paul Bostaph – drums

Concert Review – Tomb Mold & Horrendous (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 07/04/2024)

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Lots of metalheads answered a call from the underground Thursday night in Toronto in a feast of first-class Death Metal by two of the best bands of the current scene.

OPENING ACT: Gutvoid

While all major rock and metal bands are playing at the biggest summer festivals in Europe like Hellfest, Graspop Metal Meeting and Wacken Open Air, there’s nothing better than a huge dosage of underground extreme music to keep us Torontonians entertained before those bands get back to the city, which is exactly what happened Thursday night at Lee’s Palace when GUTVOID, HORRENDOUS and TOMB MOLD kicked off their insane Enraptured By Fate’s Tangled Thread Tour 2024 with an overdose of technical, progressive and insane Death Metal for our total delight. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such an amazing night of Death Metal at an almost sold out Lee’s Palace, with the hot and humid weather only making things even more incendiary inside the venue.

The first band to hit the stage was Toronto’s own Death Metal brigade GUTVOID, and those guys didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, the band formed of Brendan Dean on vocals and guitars, Daniel Bonofiglio also on the guitars, D.W. Lee on drums, and guest bassist Spinny Guilbault kicked some serious ass with their exciting performance, playing songs from their 2022 album Durance of Lightless Horizons (also available on Spotify) plus a new song titled For We Are Many, from their upcoming EP Breathing Obelisk (which will surely be reviewed at The Headbanging Moose), properly warming up all the fans for the upcoming main attractions of the night. After their show I had a chance to briefly chat with Brendan, saying how much I enjoyed the debut album by his solo project Fathomless Ritual, and with Spinny, who told me he barely had any time to rehearse the songs with the band, although at least for me he sounded like he’s always been part of Gutvoid. He’s such a cool and talented guy, and I’m surely going to check his other bands Sentiment Dissolve, Goreworm and Kavara (and you should do the same, of course).

Band members
Brendan Dean – vocals, guitars
Daniel Bonofiglio – guitars
Spinny Guilbault – bass
D.W. Lee – drums 

HORRENDOUS

After a short and sweet break, when most people were either in line to grab some merch or buy a beer, or outside the venue trying to breathe some (inexistent) fresh air, Philadelphia’s most demented Progressive Death Metal horde, the unstoppable HORRENDOUS, brought to the stage the insanity from their excellent 2023 opus Ontological Mysterium, with Damian Herring, Matt Knox, Alex Kulick and Jamie Knox proving why they’re a force to be reckoned with, delivering sheer madness, heaviness and violence through their amazing music. Alternating between complex, experimental passages and pure Death Metal violence, which of course inspired everyone to slam into a wild circle pit, they put on a tremendous show for admirers of the genre, leaving us eager for more Horrendous in Toronto in a not-so-distant future. All of their first-class albums are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, and I’m sure you’ll get addicted to their music from the very first second. As you can see, Horrendous were so good, but so good, that I’m not even considering them as an opening act, but as a co-headliner, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss the chance to see them live on this tour.

Band members
Damian Herring – guitars, vocals
Matt Knox – guitars, vocals
Alex Kulick – bass
Jamie Knox – drums

TOMB MOLD

Four guys wearing shorts and colorful shirts instead of leather and spikes, none with long hair, nor any Death Metal paraphernalia onstage. That, ladies and gentlemen, is one of Toronto’s most hardworking and thrilling metal acts of the current scene, the ruthless Progressive Death Metal entity TOMB MOLD, and their show might have been one of the sickest gigs of the year thanks to the undeniable talent and onstage performance by Max Klebanoff, Derrick Vella, Payson Power and Kevin Sia. Still promoting their 2023 beast The Enduring Spirit, the quartet was flawless during their entire set, again igniting some insane mosh pits that ended up driving the already high temperatures in the city even higher. I honestly have no idea of the names of the songs they played last night, but I can assure you all of them were fantastic (and all are available on Spotify, by the way), so if you have a chance to join them on this tour, simply go for it because you’ll have an absolute blast to the sound of their top-of-the-line Death Metal. Just don’t forget to be in good shape and do lots of cardio, because you’ll get caught in some intense circle pits, no doubt about that.

Band members
Max Klebanoff – vocals, drums
Derrick Vella – guitars
Payson Power – guitars
Kevin Sia – bass

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Album Review – 200 Stab Wounds / Manual Manic Procedures (2024)

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Cleveland’s own legends-in-waiting will crush your damned souls with their sophomore album, a brutal slab of old school Death Metal with a contemporary edge not for the faint-hearted.

Following up on their very successful 2021 debut album Slave to the Scalpel, Cleveland, Ohio, United States-based Death Metal legends-in-waiting 200 Stab Wounds are back into the battlefield with their sophomore opus Manual Manic Procedures, a brutal slab of old school Death Metal with a contemporary edge. Produced and mixed by Andy Nelson at Bricktop Recording, and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Mastering, the new album by vocalist and guitarist Steve Buhl, guitarist Raymond MacDonald, bassist Ezra Cook and drummer Owen Pooley is certainly not for the faint-hearted, putting classic gore-themed ferocity back into the metal community’s collective consciousness.

In the opener Hands of Eternity, a grim and sinister start gradually evolves into a demented Death Metal beast where Owen dictates the pace with his furious beats supported by the always metallic bass by Ezra, sounding bestial and damned from start to finish. After such a demonic start, the band needs less than two minutes to smash our cranial skulls in Gross Abuse, with the demented harsh vocals by Steve redefining the meaning of “deep”, whereas their undisputed Death Metal sounds continue to split our spinal cords in half in Manual Manic Procedures, again showcasing Steve’s venomous roars boosted by his own and Raymond’s infernal riffs and solos. Release the Stench is another short and sweet display of savagery by the quartet, offering endless groove and electricity thanks to the amazing job done by their stringed trio, followed by Led to the Chamber / Liquified, an instrumental piece where the first part is just an intro that morphs into a more melodic second half, bringing more of their classic Death Metal (albeit never really taking off).

Back to their more ferocious mode we’re treated to Flesh from Within, with Owen and Ezra hammering their thunderous instruments while Steve vociferates rabidly nonstop; and the bass by Ezra sounds even more metallic and heavier in Defiled Gestation, with Owen accelerating the band’s already killer sonority in great fashion. Then featuring guest vocals by Jami Morgan of Code Orange we have Ride the Flatline, offering our avid ears an explosion of caustic lyrics (“Back against the rail, stones beneath my feet / Fantasies of speeding steel dominate my dreams / Colder than a knife, faster than a gun / Exhilaration, annihilation / Pressure of a ton”) while the music remains violent and heavy until the very end. Finally, closing one of the heaviest albums of the year we have Parricide, where their riffs, bass lines and crushing drums are exactly what Steve needs to bark like a demonic creature.

200 Stab Wounds keep going strong in their demolishing path of old school Death Metal, and Manual Manic Procedures is exactly what they needed to reach new heights with their undisputed violence and musicianship. Having said that, let those Cleveland metallers stab your heart 200 times with their refined extreme music by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their sick creations on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of the ruthless Manual Manic Procedures from the Metal Blade Records webstore or by clicking HERE. Because they’re violent, gory, brutal, and above all that, they’re pure Death Metal.

Best moments of the album: Hands of Eternity, Manual Manic Procedures and Flesh from Within.

Worst moments of the album: Led to the Chamber / Liquified.

Released in 2024 Metal Blade Records

Track listing
1. Hands of Eternity 4:44
2. Gross Abuse 1:50
3. Manual Manic Procedures 2:43
4. Release the Stench 2:31
5. Led to the Chamber / Liquified 3:10
6. Flesh from Within 3:11
7. Defiled Gestation 4:24
8. Ride the Flatline 2:50
9. Parricide 4:06

Band members
Steve Buhl – vocals, guitars
Raymond MacDonald – guitars
Ezra Cook – bass
Owen Pooley – drums

Guest musician
Jami Morgan – vocals on “Ride the Flatline”

Concert Review – Archspire (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 06/08/2024)

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A night of horror, brutality, circle pits, walls of death, fun games like Twister and the “shoey”, and a lot more in Toronto, courtesy of the fastest and most technical brigade in the history of Canada.

OPENING ACTS: Alluvial, Carcosa and Aborted

It was a beyond wild and fun night at The Phoenix Concert Theatre this Saturday when ALLUVIAL, CARCOSA, ABORTED and ARCHSPIRE took the city of Toronto by storm with their fulminating Everything’s F#*!@d Tour 2024, another extremely successful event brought to the city by the one and only Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, and I say wild and fun because that’s exactly what the four bands offered to us all, blasting our heads with their sick, infernal music, while at the same time demanding nonstop action inside the circle pit. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were patiently awaiting for this concert as we love the music of all four bands, and I must say I couldn’t be happier with everything we got during the event’s four hours of brutal, thrilling and captivating heavy music. Not even the (brutally) bad traffic to get to Toronto made me less excited about the show, and if you know how horrible traffic has been to get to and back from the city lately, especially when there’s rain involved, you know the show was fantastic to the point you don’t even remember the problems to get there, right?

The first band to hit the stage precisely at 7:30pm was Atlanta, Georgia’s Deathcore/Djent outfit ALLUVIAL, who have recently released a great new EP titled Death Is but a Door, the follow-up to their 2021 album Sarcoma. Let’s say their setlist was a mix of those two albums, and although I have no idea of the names of all songs I’m pretty sure they played Bog Dweller and Fogbelt, two songs perfect to ignite some intense mosh pits with whoever was already at the floor section (instead of stuck in a huge line at the way too hot merch area). Their frontman Kevin Muller was a beast during their whole set, and after that fans had a chance to meet him and the other guys at their merch table, which was a very nice touch by the band to create a stronger connection with their fanbase. If you want to know more about Alluvial, go check their BandCamp and Spotify for all of their music, and don’t miss the chance to see them live as they’re insane onstage.

Band members
Kevin Muller – vocals
Wes Hauch – guitars
Tim Walker – bass
Zach Dean – drums

As I wanted so bad an Archspire “Stay Tech” pin plus a patch, I was stupid enough to face the sauna-like merch line right after Alluvial and had to miss the beginning of the concert by Vancouver, British Columbia-based Deathcore/Djent act CARCOSA, but that was OK as I still had plenty to enjoy from their infernal setlist as all bands had a lot of playing time, including the openers. Still promoting their 2021 album Anthology, the band formed of Johnny Ciardullo, Andrew Baena, Cooper Lagace, Laptop and Travis Regnier crushed the souls of everyone at the already packed venue with their heavy-as-hell music and intense energy onstage, and you know how good a band is when a renowned musician like Aborted’s Sven De Caluwé sports a Carcosa shirt during their set. Hence, don’t forget to buy and stream Carcosa’s music on BandCamp and on Spotify, because those Canadian dudes are freakin’ awesome.

Band members
Johnny Ciardullo – vocals
Andrew Baena – guitar
Cooper Lagace – guitar
Laptop – bass
Travis Regnier – drums

After another short and sweet break, Belgium’s own Death Metal/Grindcore masters ABORTED opened up their Vault of Horrors and kicked off one of the most pulverizing, demented and frantic concerts of the past few years in Toronto. It was absolute chaos and madness thanks to guitarist Ian Jekelis, bassist Stefano Franceschini, drummer Ken Bedene, and of course, one of the most demented frontmen of all time, the unparalleled beast Sven De Caluwé. That man was on fire throughout their entire set, hitting his head with his hands, jumping up and down nonstop, making crazy faces, pretending to be firing a machine gun when Ken was blasting his drums manically, and so on, which translated into an overdose of violence, gore and mosh pits to the delight of all fans of the band in the city.

The opener Retrogore was beyond pulverizing to say the least, followed by an avalanche of old school Aborted and new songs from their bestial 2024 album Vault of Horrors (available on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), including the fantastic Dreadbringer, Brotherhood of Sleep, and Death Cult. By the way, I told my friend who’s not very familiar with Aborted that someone was going to die during Death Cult so heavy and insane it is, and that almost happened as one guy stayed on the ground for a while to the point several fans inside the pit asked the band to stop playing to check if he was OK. The guy was apparently fine, but I have no idea if he had any sort of concussion that would manifest during the next few days. As I said, Death Cult almost resulted in a real death inside the pit. There was still time for more brutal action with the demolishing tunes Insect Politics, Threading on Vermillion Deception and The Saw and the Carnage Done, leaving everyone in awe and more than ready for more Aborted and their world renowned walls of death in Toronto in the near future.

Setlist
Retrogore
Bathos
Dreadbringer
Condemned to Rot
Brotherhood of Sleep
Death Cult
Insect Politics
Threading on Vermillion Deception
The Saw and the Carnage Done

Band members
Sven De Caluwé – vocals
Ian Jekelis – guitar
Stefano Franceschini – bass
Ken Bedene – drums

ARCHSPIRE

After seeing Vancouver, British Columbia’s own Extreme Technical Death Metal brigade ARCHSPIRE kicking some serious ass live in Sydney, Australia last year, I was beyond eager to witness what they could do in Toronto, and this Saturday night they proved why they’re one of the must-see names of the extreme music scene worldwide with their ruthless aggression, undisputed technique, and a really nice sense of humor. Just to give you an example of all that together, when a concert starts with a narration saying things like “after the invention of the horse” you know it’s going to be brutal and fun. Just the idea of someone “inventing” the horse is already a good joke to kick things off.

And as soon as the unstoppable Oliver Rae Aleron on vocals, Dean Lamb and Tobi Morelli on the guitars, Jared Smith on bass and Spencer Prewett on drums began their beyond fast, pulverizing and insane concert, it was total madness inside the pit until the very last second. Their last record to date might still be the 2021 opus Bleed the Future, but honestly all songs from that album and from Relentless Mutation (which are the only two albums they currently play in their concerts, “ignoring” for some unknown reason the also great The Lucid Collective, from 2014, and All Shall Align, from 2011) sounded killer live, and you can enjoy both in full on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way. They kicked off the show with the inhumane Bleed the Future to give all concert goers an idea of what their Extreme Technical Death Metal means, and continued their feast of technical insanity with already classic songs like Acrid Canon, Remote Tumour Seeker and Golden Mouth of Ruin, all played to perfection and at the speed of light (or maybe even faster than that).

An Archspire concert is not complete without some good jokes, and the band didn’t’ disappoint at all with a selection of nonsense that added a very nice touch to their already flawless concert. We got the Twister game inside the pit which ended with an infernal wall of death, a sweet tradition already in their concerts, and the also sick “shoey”, which is something Oliver said they learned in Australia. If you don’t know what that is, it’s simply drinking beer from your own shoe as fast as you can, with the winner getting a custom shirt made by the band. The Toronto one had something written about the Maple Leafs that I honestly didn’t get, but it was really cool and the guy who won it put it on right away, as he was really excited of being onstage with the band. And what to say about their introduction to all bands from this tour, saying Aborted only accepted their invitation to play with them (because they needed a big band to seel tickets, as they couldn’t do it by themselves) after they sucked their dicks? This one might sound childish for some people, but it was a good one as well.

Perhaps the most absurd and hilarious moment of the show was when Oliver explained why they had two Christmas trees onstage. Yes, that was their stage stuff, really weird, right? It all made sense when Oliver said that they got some “lab results” and their guitarist Tobi was “not gonna make it to next Christmas”, so they decided to celebrate Christmas with him during this tour. Yes, Christmas IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, and they even brough to stage what they called “Summer Santa” to throw picks to the crowd and give Tobi a dildo to complete his guitar, because according to Oliver that was the same guitar he got from his mom when he was a kid living with his poor Italian family, all in the same room. That was mental, but what was even more mental was the ending of the show with the infuriated, fast-as-a-shark song Involuntary Doppelgänger, and my favorite of all, Drone Corpse Aviator. I have no idea how Oliver can sing so fast like that, nor how Spencer can sound like a stone crusher without making too much effort behind his drums, nor how the other guys manage to play their guitars and bass at an insane speed without making any errors, but I know for sure that Archspire are by far one of the coolest bands of the entire Canadian scene, and I can’t wait to see them live again in the near future. And until then, we must all… STAY TECH!

Setlist
Bleed the Future
Abandon the Linear
Reverie on the Onyx
Acrid Canon
Remote Tumour Seeker
Golden Mouth of Ruin
Drain of Incarnation
Involuntary Doppelgänger
Drone Corpse Aviator

Band members
Oliver Rae Aleron – vocals
Dean Lamb – guitars
Tobi Morelli – guitars
Jared Smith – bass
Spencer Prewett – drums

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Album Review – Accept / Humanoid (2024)

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A sonic assault of blistering riffs, powerhouse vocals, and adrenaline-fueled melodies dealing with topical themes like AI, aging and death, brought into being by the Teutonic masters of Heavy Metal.

A sonic assault of blistering riffs, powerhouse vocals, and adrenaline-fueled melodies dealing with topical themes like AI, aging and death, the heavy and vibrant Humanoid is nothing more, nothing less than the seventeenth studio album by Teutonic Heavy Metal masters Accept, and a more-than-worthy follow-up to their 2021 album Too Mean to Die. Once again recorded, mixed and mastered by Andy Sneap at Backstage Recording Studios, and displaying a metallic artwork by Gyula Havancsák, the new album by Mark Tornillo on vocals, Wolf Hoffmann and Uwe Lulis on the guitars, Martin Motnik on bass, and Christopher Williams on drums is a metal missile that targets the head, heart, gut and balls, inspiring the band to continue stepping forward and bringing us the Heavy Metal we know and love from one of the most important bands in the history of heavy music.

Sinister guitar tones ignite the opening tune Diving into Sin, exploding into a metallic feast with Mark and Wolf leading their bandmates in a pure display of modern-day Accept, and they put the pedal to the metal in the title-track Humanoid, offering our ears an overdose of pounding drums, blazing riffs and a mechanized vibe in line with the song’s theme. Frankenstein presents cheesy but catchy lyrics declaimed by Mark (“Got the strangest feeling, something isn’t right / I hear peculiar sounds amidst the eerie light / Can someone tell me, who I’m supposed to be / I was at peace but now something’s awakened me”) while the rest of the band delivers pure Heavy Metal for the masses; whereas more classic Accept is offered to us all in Man Up, with Wolf and Uwe taking the lead with their 80’s-infused riffs while Mark receives a solid support by his bandmates on the backing vocals. And The Reckoning is an absolute banger by those Teutonic metallers where everything sounds incendiary, from Mark’s vocals to all riffs, bass and drums blasted by his crew.

The band continues to feed our minds and souls with the purest form of Heavy Metal in Nobody Gets Out Alive, where Wolf and Uwe, accompanied by the rumbling bass by Martin, sound utterly classy and thrilling armed with their axes; whereas in Ravages of Time, Mark delivers Blues-infused words (“I’ve been to many places, I’ve drank a lot of wine / I’ve loved a lot of women in my time / I took what I was given, too much was not enough / And now I’m here to tell the tale”) amidst a gentle, melancholic sound, or in other words, it’s a nice ballad by those veterans. It’s then pedal to the metal spearheaded by Wolf’s blazing guitar in Unbreakable, with Martin once again hammering his bass nonstop, therefore enhancing the song’s punch considerably, and there’s still more to go in Humanoid, starting with Mind Games, another old school, solid composition by Accept, albeit a bit generic compared to the rest of the album, while there’s nothing better than a song about some quality drinking in a Heavy Metal album like Humanoid, titled Straight Up Jack, and of course Mark’s vocals match perfectly with the topic “discussed”, resulting in a song with a strong AC/DC vibe. Lastly, let’s slam into the circle pit one final time to the sound of Southside of Hell, bringing forward more of their trademark riffs and beats and, consequently, closing the album on a metallic note.

Accept Humanoid Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset

Mark, Wolf & Co. are waiting for you on Facebook and Instagram with news, more of their music, tour dates (and they’ve just announced a co-headlining tour across North American with KK’s Priest, which is definitely going to be a celebration of pure Heavy Metal that you don’t want to miss), and don’t forget to experience Humanoid by clicking HERE and to buy a copy of their newborn metal beast from Napalm Records (including the more-than-special Limited Edition Deluxe Boxset containing a mediabook CD, a flag, a lighter, a keytool in a guitar shape, a textile sticker and a photo card) or by clicking HERE or HERE. Accept are one of those bands that despite always looking forward and embracing new technologies, at the same time they stay loyal to their foundations, and Humanoid is the perfect depiction of that healthy clash of the past, present and future of the band. We’re all humanoids, but of course with Accept kicking our asses with their undisputed metal music like what they have to offer in their new album, we can call ourselves headbanging humanoids.

Best moments of the album: Frankenstein, The Reckoning, Nobody Gets Out Alive and Unbreakable.

Worst moments of the album: Mind Games.

Released in 2024 Napalm Records

Track listing
1. Diving into Sin 4:00
2. Humanoid 4:35
3. Frankenstein 4:14
4. Man Up 5:08
5. The Reckoning 4:34
6. Nobody Gets Out Alive 4:06
7. Ravages of Time 4:15
8. Unbreakable 4:53
9. Mind Games 4:05
10. Straight Up Jack 3:27
11. Southside of Hell 4:56

Limited Edition/Mediabook/Boxset bonus track
12. Hard Times 3:41

Band members
Mark Tornillo – vocals
Wolf Hoffmann – guitar
Uwe Lulis – guitar
Martin Motnik – bass
Christopher Williams – drums

Concert Review – Symphony X (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 05/24/2024)

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The city of Toronto had the pleasure of witnessing one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year this Friday night, courtesy of two old school bands who nurture a deep passion for heavy music.

OPENING ACT: Heathen

Friday was not only one of the best days of the year in terms of weather, but the city of Toronto also had the utmost pleasure of hosting one of the most technical, progressive and vibrant metal concerts of the year thanks to the stellar performance by HEATHEN and SYMPHONY X during their North American Tour 2024 at the cozy, well-located and pretty much sold out The Opera House, and I’m pretty sure all fans who were at the venue had a relaxing morning the day after with huge smiles on their faces as both bands kicked some serious ass on stage. My buddy Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi also had a great time taking his amazing shots during the entire night, as the lighting was near perfect and there was no smoke to “disturb” his practice, which was also great for the crowd as we could perfectly witness the superb performances by each and every musician from both bands on stage, shredding their instruments with their beyond refined techniques and an absolute passion for heavy music.

The opening band, or maybe I should say the more-than-special guests, were San Francisco, California-based Technical Speed/Thrash Metal veterans HEATHEN, who were insanely heavy and flawless on stage during their breathtaking performance, properly warming up all fans for the main attraction of the night. Those guys are so good in what they do to the point that you could close your eyes and it would feel like you were listening to the studio versions of their songs, just to illustrate how precise all band members were in Toronto. I dare to say the most excited of all musicians was definitely Kitchener, Ontario’s own Kyle Edissi (vocalist and guitarist for Canadian Melodic Thrash Metal band Invicta, who has been playing live with Heathen since 2022), as it was his first time ever playing at a venue he had already been to countless times as a regular fan to see some of his favorite bands. It was a dream come true for him, no doubt about that, helping his bandmates David R. White (what a voice, my friends!), Kragen Lum, Jason Mirza and Ryan Idris hammer our heads with infuriated songs the likes of Opiate of the Masses, The Blight and Breaking the Silence. I only wish there were a few mosh pits to make things even more fun, but the show was simply awesome and I highly recommend you go see Heathen live if you haven’t done so already in your life.

Setlist
Rock Bottom (UFO song)
Intro
Dying Season
Opiate of the Masses
Empire of the Blind
The Blight
Breaking the Silence
Hypnotized

Band members
David R. White – vocals
Kragen Lum – guitars
Kyle Edissi – guitars
Jason Mirza – bass
Ryan Idris – drums

SYMPHONY X

After a short and sweet break, the band everyone was waiting for hit the stage for one of the most tight and precise performances of the year for the delight of all concert goers. I’m talking about Middletown, New Jersey’s Progressive Power Metal institution SYMPHONY X, and let me tell you that the band formed of the iconic Russell Allen on vocals, Michael Romeo on the guitars, Mike LePond on bass, Michael Pinnella on the keyboards and Jason Rullo on drums redefined the meaning of “perfection” at The Opera House this Friday. What a sensational show by those veterans, who by the way sounded like they were in their early twenties in terms of energy and onstage presence, proving once again how heavy music can keep us a lot younger for a much longer time, right?

Although those guys haven’t released anything new since their excellent 2015 album Underworld, their entire setlist felt very modern and fresh, with songs like Serpent’s Kiss, To Hell and Back and Evolution (The Grand Design) driving their fans wild to the point we got some sick mosh pits in the middle of the floor section, something that made Mr. Russell Allen and his crew very happy and entertained. I guess they weren’t expecting that level of action during a Progressive Metal concert. And speaking about Russell, the man was on fire throughout their entire set, not only delivering his trademark, stunning vocal lines, but also dancing nonstop, having a few beers and interacting more than any other metal vocalist in the world with each and every fan at the venue, an amazing way of Russell and the band to say how much they love their fanbase. Needless to say, when the band hit the encore with the classics Paradise Lost, Run With the Devil and Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies), it was pure madness, leaving everyone eager for more Symphony X in the city in the near future. Well, they said they’re (finally) working on new material after almost a decade, so I guess we can expect to see them embellishing the Torontonian airwaves again really soon with another majestic live concert.

Setlist
Iconoclast
Nevermore
Inferno (Unleash the Fire)
Serpent’s Kiss
Without You
To Hell and Back
Dehumanized
Evolution (The Grand Design)
Sea of Lies

Encore:
Keyboard Solo
Paradise Lost
Run With the Devil
Set the World on Fire (The Lie of Lies)
The Throne Room (John Williams song)

Band members
Russell Allen – vocals
Michael Romeo – guitars
Mike LePond – bass
Michael Pinnella – keyboards
Jason Rullo – drums

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Concert Review – 1349 (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/20/2024)

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A night of undisputed Black Metal with four incredible bands in Toronto, spearheaded by one of the most devilish and professional hordes hailing from Norway.

OPENING ACTS: Spirit Possession, Antichrist Siege Machine and Spectral Wound

What a night of pure “friendship” and “tree hugging” in Toronto, my friends! Let’s say that in order to properly celebrate Victoria Day in Canada this Monday, Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment organized a night of undisputed Black Metal at Lee’s Palace with SPIRIT POSSESSION, ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE, SPECTRAL WOUND, and of course, the main attraction of the night, the devilish 1349. Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and I were there to enjoy such an amazing feast of obscurity and evil at an almost sold out venue, driving the heat up inside it considerably, but fortunately they’ve recently installed new air conditioning machines in strategic points of the venue to cool things down a bit for us, avid metalheads.

It didn’t take long after the doors opened at 7pm for the first band of the night to start distilling their demonic creations. I’m talking about Portland, Oregon-based Black Metal duo SPIRIT POSSESSION, who put on an infernal show to properly warm us all up for the upcoming attractions, and let me tell you that their drummer, simply called “A.”, definitely knowns how to hammer her drums mercilessly, while vocalist and guitarist “S.” is phenomenal armed with his stringed axe, playing it like if he was playing bass (an instrument that’s not part of their music, by the way), extracting sheer evil and insanity from each riff played. Everyone who was already at Lee’s Palace loved every second of their sick concert, despite the annoying dim red light, and if you want to enjoy some of their creations you can find all of their albums, like their 2023 opus Of the Sign…, on BandCamp and on Spotify.

Setlist
Orthodox Weapons
Deity of Knives and Pointed Apparitions
Enter the Golden Sign
Swallowing Throne
Second Possession
Spirit Possession

Band members
S. – vocals, guitars
A. – drums

After a quick break, it was time for one of the most pulverizing duos of the current extreme music scene to crush our damned souls with their infuriated music. They go by the charming name of ANTICHRIST SIEGE MACHINE, and if you know nothing about this Blackened Death Metal duo from Richmond, Virginia formed of SB on vocals and drums, and RZ on the guitars and backing vocals (and yes, it was the second band of the night without a bassist), I highly recommend you go after their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, including their chaotic, infernal new album Vengeance of Eternal Fire. Their set in Toronto was beyond brutal, igniting some intense mosh pits during their whole performance, and leaving all of us eager for another visit of those two demented beats to the city in the near future. Seriously, their music is awesome.

Setlist
Son of Man
Piled Swine
Purifying Blade
Led by Fire
Unleashed Hostility
Prey Upon Them
Vanquishing Spirit
Sisera
Chaos Insignia
Vacant Cross

Band members
SB – vocals, drums
RZ – guitars, backing vocals

Although 1349 were the main band of the night, a lot of people went to Lee’s Palace on Monday to witness the black mass conducted by Montreal, Quebec’s own Black Metal horde SPECTRAL WOUND, by far one of the most important names of the current Métal Noir Québécois scene. Having released the excellent album A Diabolic Thirst back in 2021 (which can be found on BandCamp and on Spotify, by the way), the band spearheaded by the iconic Jonah crushed us like insects with their venomous Black Metal, again inspiring all concert goers for some demented circle pits until the very last second. The light was way too dim and it was also a bit foggy, which sucks, but nothing that would make their concert less entertaining, of course.

Setlist
Black Satanic Glamour
Soul Destroying Black Debauchery
Aristocratic Suicidal Black Metal
Frigid and Spellbound
Fevers & Suffering
Imperial Thanatosis
Imperial Saison Noire

Band members
Jonah – vocals
Patrick – guitars
A.A. – guitars
Sam – bass, backing vocals
Illusory – drums 

1349

A lot of people, including myself, went outside to get some fresh air (as it was a relatively warm night in Toronto) and almost missed the beginning of the hellish performance by Oslo, Norway-based Black Metal entity 1349 (just as an extra detail to you, 1349 was the year the Black Death came to Norway, wiping out 2/3 of the population and ending the Golden Age of Norway), a true celebration of old school, classic Black Metal for an avid crowd in the city. Playing songs from all albums of their vast career, including some excellent hymns from their 2019 album The Infernal Pathway like the closing ones Dødskamp and Abyssos Antithesis, plus their amazing new single Ash of Ages from their upcoming 2024 album, the band comprised of Ravn on lead vocals, Archaon on the guitars, Seidemann on bass, and Dominator on drums was absolutely on fire during their demonic (but maybe a little bit too short) set, driving their fans wild inside the unstoppable circle pits.

Also, I need to say a few words about this short, weird, middle-aged Indian dude that looked completely out of this dimension, as it didn’t matter what the hell he was doing, he looked nuts. The guy was so insane to the point that when 1349 finished playing their very FIRST song, he said with a sinister smile “two more, two more…”, when the band was clearly going to play at least ten more songs. What the hell was he seeing on stage, right? Not to mention he was always hiding behind someone, making the sign of the cross before having his beer, pointing to the band’s guitarist with a maniacal grim like as if he was saying “I know what you’re doing” as if the guitarist was there looking at him, and so on. Some guys behind me were also distracted by the Indian dude. What a unique metalhead!

After all was said and done, all fans of Black Metal in Toronto were more than happy with the high quality of the music presented by all four bands, making it a very successful event in the city and, consequently, leaving us all more than eager for another 1349 concert in Toronto, supported by another batch of very talented underground bands, sooner than you can say “Black Metal”. Hopefully they’ll return soon, and everyone who was at Lee’s Palace, including our beloved, crazy Indian guy, will be there to raise their horns up high and scream in full force together with one of the most professional bands hailing form Norway without a shadow of a doubt, and even better if it’s with proper lighting so not only their fans can enjoy the visual part of show as well, but also the photographers like Keith. Hail Satan, my friends!

Setlist
Sculptor of Flesh
Slaves
Through Eyes of Stone
Chasing Dragons
Ash of Ages
I Am Abomination
Striding the Chasm
Golem
Atomic Chapel
Dødskamp
Abyssos Antithesis

Band members
Ravn – lead vocals
Archaon – guitars, backing vocals
Seidemann – bass, backing vocals
Dominator – drums

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Album Review – The Last of Lucy / Godform (2024)

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One of the most technical and violent bands of the current American scene returns with their fulminating third full-length offering, showcasing their trademark scathing intensity and forceful execution.

Two years after their devastating album Moksha, Huntington Beach, California, United States-based Technical/Progressive Death Metal outfit The Last of Lucy finetunes their sound, blending elements of Technical Death Metal, Mathcore, a bit of Brutal Death Metal, and even bring back aspects of their debut on their latest full-length opus, entitled Godform. Mixed and mastered by Dave Otero at Flatline Audio Studio, and displaying a sick artwork by Pär Olofsson, the new album by Josh De La Sol on vocals, Gad Gidon on the guitars, Derek Santistevan on bass, and Josef Hossain-Kay on drums showcases the band’s trademark scathing intensity and forceful execution, along with their knack for writing catchy music and shuffling things around, casting out any semblance of complacency from taking shape in the minds of the listener and, consequently, being highly recommended for fans of Inferi, The Faceless, Archspire, The Zenith Passage, and Godless Truth, among others.

Wormhole provides a more than an infernal start to the album, with Josef already decimating our cranial skulls with his hammering drums while Josh barks and roars like a beast, or in other words, it’s the epitome of modern-day Technical Death Metal by one of the best bands of the genre. They keep blasting their ruthless yet very intricate sounds in Empyreal Banisher, also bringing elements from Deathcore which is kind of in line with their beginnings, not to mention the amazing job by Gad with both his riffs and solos, followed by Twin Flame, sounding and feeling freakin’ demonic while also presenting ethereal, smooth passages, in special the ones with the saxophone, resulting in a very detailed tune that should work really well if played live. In Shedim Séance we face two minutes of first-class Technical Death Metal by the quartet condensing all their fury, rage and dexterity in a short but extremely caustic composition; and there’s no sign of slowing down at all, as Sanguinary Solace is  pedal to the metal to the infuriated riffs by Gad while Derek hammers his bass frantically.

Gad continues to impress with his top-notch technique in Sentinel Codex, delivering wicked riffs perfect for the demented growls by Josh in another Technical Death Metal beast by the quartet, followed by Darkest Night of the Soul, portraying a beautiful name for one of the most complex, multi-layered songs of the album where their Death Metal vein pulses harder than ever, all spearheaded by the pulverizing beats by Josef. Angelic Gateway is another short and sweet explosion of Technical Death Metal with Deathcore nuances, with Gad yet again sounding ruthless armed with his axe. Two more songs to go and they still have a lot of fuel to burn starting with Anima Flux, where their riffs, bass and drums match perfectly with the wicked guttural by Josh, and last but not least the quartet will pierce our damned souls with the title-track Godform, bringing forward another shot of their trademark Death Metal extravaganza, with Derek and Josef making the earth tremble with their sick bass and drums.

Godform is one of those albums that you must listen to if you have Death Metal running through your veins, as it’s not only brutal and visceral, but the level of intricacy and dexterity brought forward by The Last of Lucy throughout the entire album is majestic. Hence, don’t forget to give them a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, getting up to date with their news, including tour dates, to stream their sick creations on Spotify or on any other streaming service, and above all that, to purchase a copy of the fulminating Godform from their own BandCamp page or from the Transcending Obscurity Records webstore by clicking HERE, HERE or HERE, and also click HERE for all things The Last of Lucy, letting their venomous yet extremely technical sounds penetrate deep inside your damned soul and mercilessly burn you from inside.

Best moments of the album: Wormhole, Twin Flame, Shedim Séance and Darkest Night of the Soul.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2024 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Wormhole 4:09
2. Empyreal Banisher 3:07
3. Twin Flame 4:44
4. Shedim Séance 2:22
5. Sanguinary Solace 3:14
6. Sentinel Codex 3:00
7. Darkest Night of the Soul 3:21
8. Angelic Gateway 2:41
9. Anima Flux 3:00
10. Godform 2:51

Band members
Josh De La Sol – vocals
Gad Gidon – guitars
Derek Santistevan – bass
Josef Hossain-Kay – drums

Concert Review – Abbath (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/12/2024)

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Despite a ridiculously small crowd, the iconic Abbath and his horde didn’t care at all about that and put on a fantastic performance in a celebration of pure Black Metal in Toronto.

OPENING ACTS: Final Gasp, Black Anvil and Imperial Triumphant

It was a very weird night at The Phoenix Concert Theatre on Sunday, when FINAL GASP, IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT, BLACK ANVIL and ABBATH presented their Dread Reaver North America 2024 to maybe less than 200 people (at a venue that supports close to 1,500 people), and I knew something was odd when I got to the venue and, to my total surprise, the parking lot in front of it was absolutely empty, when it’s usually full hours before any concert there. Based on what other people told me, the reasons for that very small crowd were of course Mother’s Day, the show being on a Sunday, and above all that, the fact that Abbath played the night before in Kitchener, which is only one hour from Toronto, so no one from any of the neighboring cities decided to come to Toronto as they could enjoy the same show on a much more pleasant Saturday night. It’s known that Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment tried to move the show to Lee’s Palace, but that was already booked for something else. There wasn’t even a barrier for the photographers, so Keith Ibbitson of Metal Paparazzi and the others like Kim and Miles simply had to share the floor section with the crowd. It was very weird, but it is what it is, and in the end all four bands kicked ass on stage which is what really matters.

From when the doors opened at 6pm until Boston, Massachusetts-based Gothic Metal/Deathrock band FINAL GASP hit the stage, I don’t think there were even 30 people at the venue, but the band didn’t care about the low attendance and put on a great show, blasting sheer heaviness from their instruments nonstop. I have zero idea of which songs they played, but I know that their 2023 album Mourning Moon is really good, and that everyone should take a nice listen at it on BandCamp or on Spotify. It’s a real bummer that the whole night was a flop in terms of attendance because bands like Final Gasp are very entertaining live, so hopefully they’ll come back to Toronto supporting another metal giant in the coming months, and this time with a decent crowd to bang their heads together with the band.

Band members
Jake Murphy – vocals
James Forsythe – guitars
Peter Micanovic – guitars
Sean Rose – bass
Eric Lester – drums

After a short and very quiet break, New York’s own Black/Thrash Metal beast BLACK ANVIL kicked off their infernal set to a bigger but still ridiculously small crowd, and just like Final Gasp the guys from Black Anvil were extremely professional and put their hearts and souls into their performance without caring at all if there were 10 or 2,000 people in the audience. There were zero mosh pits again, which was very odd, but the show must go on, right? Anyway, their drummer R.G. is a demented beast and it’s worth every penny of the ticket price alone, and hopefully one day he’ll get the recognition he deserves for being so great behind his drums. P.D. was also infernal on vocals and bass, leading his demonic horde in great fashion and getting a very warm feedback form the crowd. Go check their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, like their 2022 album Regenesis, because their music is amazing and perfect for some vigorous headbanging.

Band members
P.D. – vocals, bass
Sos – guitars
Alex Volonino – guitars
R.G. – drums

Another short and silent break, and it was then time for the most unique attraction of the night, New York-based Avant-garde/Technical Black/Death Metal entity IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT, to blast our faces with an extremely heavy, cryptic and chaotic performance, again sounding very energetic and professional even in front of the night’s tiny crowd. Still promoting their 2022 album Spirit of Ecstasy, the trio formed of Zachary Ezrin on vocals and guitars, Steven Blanco on bass and backing vocals, and Kenny Grohowski on drums showed no mercy for our souls with a dissonant, mesmerizing and way too foggy show, stunning us all and getting us really pumped for Abbath. Steven even hit the floor section with his bass, playing in the middle of the 100 something fans at the venue, making their whole concert more intimate and gripping. Hence, if you know nothing about those mysterious creatures, don’t forget to check their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, as I’m sure you’ll have a good time listening to their eerie creations.

Band members
Zachary Ezrin – vocals, guitars
Steven Blanco – bass, backing vocals
Kenny Grohowski – drums 

ABBATH

As already mentioned, due to the Saturday gig in Kitchener, most fans who were supposed to be in Toronto on Sunday to see Bergen, Norway’s own Black Metal institution ABBATH didn’t come to Sunday’s show, but the brave ones who managed to be at the venue were treated to a very special and intimate concert by Abbath and his horde, and let me tell you that it was infernal, heavy and bold from start to finish. The whole band played all songs from their setlist to perfection, and the mix of songs from Abbath’s three solo albums, those being his self-titled debut, Outstrider, and Dread Reaver, such as To War!, Hecate, Ashes of the Damned, and my favorite of the night, Winterbane, with some Immortal and I songs like In My Kingdom Cold, Warriors, and One by One, turned the night into a true celebration of classic Black Metal. No mosh pits either, which was even more ridiculous, but there wasn’t much we could do about that.

My only complaint about their show was the excessive smoke during all songs, to the point we couldn’t see anything from Abbath’s attire or makeup. Why does he wear all that if the fans can’t see shit due to the smoke? Well, at least the music as phenomenal, which is what truly matters in the end. Speaking of Abbath, the guy was a beast onstage, showing that his rehab was more than successful and that he still has a lot of fuel to burn in the coming years or even decades for our absolute delight. It was a beyond memorable show, even for a ridiculous crowd, but I’m sure Abbath will return to Toronto soon, and next time the scheduling and logistics will be better managed so he can see what the fans in Toronto can do when he’s playing his visceral Black Metal onstage.

Setlist
To War!
Acid Haze
Dream Cull
Hecate
Ashes of the Damned
Dread Reaver
In My Kingdom Cold (Immortal cover)
Beyond the North Waves (Immortal cover)
Nebular Ravens Winter (Immortal cover)
Warriors (I cover)
Battalions (I cover)
The Artifex
One by One (Immortal cover)
Winterbane
All Shall Fall (Immortal cover)

Band members
Abbath – vocals, guitars
Ole André Farstad – lead and acoustic guitars
Andreas Salbu – bass
Ukri Suvilehto – drums

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