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Album Review – Unearth / The Wretched; The Ruinous (2023)

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Celebrating almost 25 years on the road, Boston’s own Death Metal/Metalcore beast returns with a demolishing opus, a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis.

On album number eight, titled The Wretched; The Ruinous, Boston, Massachusetts-based Death Metal/Metalcore outfit Unearth not merely continues to amp-up their metal-meets-hardcore intensities, but they also exceed themselves with a record that incorporates elements of classic Unearth offerings dating back to their 2004 “breakthrough” album The Oncoming Storm, while exploring beyond the recent back-to-basics promise of their 2018 effort Extinction(s). Recorded, produced, mixed and mastered by Will Putney at Graphic Nature Audio, and displaying a stylish artwork by Alexandre Goulet, The Wretched; The Ruinous is a concept album that follows the current effects of the man-made climate crisis as well as what will happen in the years to come if drastic and immediate changes are not made to curb emissions, and monumental efforts are not made to repair and adjust to the damages already done, all wrapped up by the fulminating yet very melodic music by vocalist Trevor Phipps, guitarist Buz McGrath, bassist Chris O’Toole and drummer Mike Justian.

The title-track The Wretched; The Ruinous is freakin’ madness from the very first second, with Mike showing no mercy for his drums nor for our necks, inviting us all to slam into the circle pit to the demented growls by Trevor. In Cremation of the Living the quartet fires more of their acid Metalcore with Melodic Death Metal nuances while its lyrics exhale insanity (“Exist – perish / Discordant nature / All turned to dust / Enraged creator / Victims to shepherds of fear”), followed by Eradicator, another pulverizing tune by the band with Buz delivering sheer electricity from his guitar supported by the metallic bass by Chris. Mother Betrayal sounds and feels more atmospheric and melodic than its predecessors, and it’s interesting how Trevor “abandoned” his clean singing in the entire album just like what we can enjoy in this song. Then it’s pedal to the metal as the quartet will smash our cranial skulls inside the pit with Invictus, a lecture in modern-day Metalcore sounding heavier and harsher than any of the songs form their previous efforts.

Call of Existence brings to our avid ears an amazing guitar job done by Buz, helping to balance the song’s aggressiveness with more melodic riffs and striking solos while Mike dictates the song’s headbanging pace behind his drums. They offer more of their visceral Metalcore in Dawn of the Militant, inspiring us to keep the circle pit action going while Trevor continues to roar and scream manically. After that, the serene interlude Aniara will soothe our souls before we’re treated to another diabolical attack by Unearth titled Into the Abyss, showcasing a solid sonority led by Buz and Chris with their stringed weapons, albeit not as thrilling as the rest of the album. Back to a more infernal mode we have Broken Arrow, where Trevor screams the song’s lyrics in great fashion (“Fire in the sky / Awoken infernal slumber / Peaceful days now ill remembered / Failed to deliver / Accidents of mass destruction / Lie in wait yet not forever”) in a display of fast and crushing Metalcore for the masses; whereas lastly you’ll break your neck headbanging to Theaters of War, with Mike hammering his drums in the name of heavy music for our total delight.

Unearth are waiting for you on Facebook, on Instagram and on YouTube with news, tour dates and more of their amazing music, and if you want to give The Wretched; The Ruinous a spin you can find the album in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, and purchase it by clicking HERE or HERE. “We formed this band to make music for us, not trying to create something for anyone else. As soon as we did that people connected to it, and it’s kept us pushing onward for almost 25 years. We look forward to 25 more,” commented the band about their almost 25 years of career, but let’s be honest and admit that it’s us fans who got a very nice anniversary gift with the release of their awesome new album, don’t you agree?

Best moments of the album: The Wretched; The Ruinous, Invictus and Broken Arrow.

Worst moments of the album: Into the Abyss.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. The Wretched; The Ruinous 4:20
2. Cremation of the Living 3:20
3. Eradicator 3:28
4. Mother Betrayal 3:32
5. Invictus 3:45
6. Call of Existence 3:33
7. Dawn of the Militant 2:57
8. Aniara 0:57
9. Into the Abyss 3:24
10. Broken Arrow 2:51
11. Theaters of War 4:49

Band members
Trevor Phipps – vocals
Buz McGrath – guitars
Chris O’Toole – bass
Mike Justian – drums

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

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

INTRODUCTION: THE RETURN OF WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA

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

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

KORROSIVE (guest openers)

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

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

STRIGAMPIRE

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

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

EATEN BY SHARKS

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

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

NECHT

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

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

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

WHIPLASH (guest headliners)

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

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

AND THE WINNER IS…

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

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

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Album Review – Ov Sulfur / The Burden ov Faith (2023)

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Behold the debut album by this Las Vegas-based Blackened Deathcore beast, overflowing blasphemy, sulfur and obscurity.

The sound of a musical left-hand path that is nothing short of sonically jarring, lyrically blasphemous and utterly epic in its delivery, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Blackened Deathcore entity Ov Sulfur has just unleashed upon humanity their first full-length opus, entitled The Burden ov Faith, the follow-up to their 2021 debut EP Oblivion. Engineered, mixed and mastered by Josh Schroeder and produced by Morgoth Beatz, the album challenges the genre’s conventions while inviting comparisons to Dimmu Borgir or Behemoth in their prime, with an ominous sense of melody dotting the dark musical landscapes brought into being by frontman Ricky Hoover (Suffokate), guitarist Chase Wilson (Collisions, Sigil), bassist Ding (Efnisien) and drummer Leviathvn (Empyrean Throne, Dawn of Ashes, Deadcheck, Urilia), supported by an array of magnificent guest musicians the likes of Alex Terrible (Slaughter To Prevail) and Howard Jones (Killswitch Engage, Light The Torch).

It’s hell on earth in just a few seconds in the opening tune Stained in Rot, with Ricky already growling like a beast while Leviathvn dictates the song’s demented pace in a lecture in Blackened Deathcore by the quartet; and the band continues to pulverize our ears in Befouler, featuring the aforementioned Alex Terrible on guest vocals, with Ricky’s inhumane roars walking hand in hand with the heavy-as-hell riffage by Chase. Then we have Unraveling, featuring Taylor Barber (Left to Suffer) as a guest vocalist while epic background keys add an extra touch of sulfur to the music. Needless to say, Ding’s bass and Leviathvn’s drums sound infernal from start to finish, which is also the case in Death ov Circumstance, where its wicked lyrics (“The sky above is cloaked in endless dark / Ashes, once life, coat the lungs ov all those in sight / What a foul stench – that ov charred innocence”) spice up an already venomous sonority, or in other words, it’s demonic Deathcore at its finest; whereas hellish barks, piercing riffs and whimsical background orchestrations and sounds will embrace your soul in Earthen.

After the atmospheric, enfolding interlude A Path to Salvation?, the band will crush our senses with the grandiose I, Apostate, where Ricky showcases not only his deep guttural roars, but he also delivers more devilish Black Metal-inspired screeches, sounding perfect for breaking our necks headbanging. Poetic lyrics are darkly screamed by the duo formed of Ricky and guest Howard Jones in Wide Open (“One of us, accept your feelings / One of us, let go of it all / One of us, this is the real truth / One of us, break their control over you”), while Chase, Ding and Leviathvn are merciless armed with their sonic weapons in the most sulfurous of all songs. Their second to last breath of darkness and blasphemy comes in the form of The Inglorious Archetype, with the massive drums by Leviathvn and the visceral roars by Ricky sounding awesome despite the fact that the song loses its punch after a while; and lastly, featuring guests Kyle Medina (Bodysnatcher) and Lindsay Schoolcraft (Cradle of Filth), the title-track The Burden ov Faith is a spot-on depiction of everything the band stands for, with the charming vocals by Lyndsay bringing some peace to our hearts amidst the band’s metallic savagery.

Such incendiary album can be appreciated in its entirety on YouTube and on Spotify, but of course you should purchase your favorite copy of The Burden ov Faith by clicking HERE, and don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on. Ov Sulfur offer us all in their debut opus everything we love in this type of music, sounding absolutely devilish, caustic and blasphemous from start to finish, paving the band’s path to the underworld and, therefore, placing them among one of the new driving forces of the current Deathcore scene worldwide.

Best moments of the album: Stained in Rot, Death ov Circumstance and Wide Open.

Worst moments of the album: The Inglorious Archetype.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. Stained in Rot 4:14
2. Befouler 3:43
3. Unraveling 4:46
4. Death ov Circumstance 4:33
5. Earthen 5:24
6. A Path to Salvation? 1:13
7. I, Apostate 4:40
8. Wide Open 5:07
9. The Inglorious Archetype 3:46
10. The Burden ov Faith 6:50

Band members
Ricky Hoover – vocals
Chase Wilson – guitars
Ding – bass
Leviathvn – drums

Guest musicians
Alex Terrible – vocals on “Befouler”
Taylor Barber – vocals on “Unraveling”
Howard Jones – vocals on “Wide Open”
Kyle Medina – vocals on “The Burden ov Faith”
Lindsay Schoolcraft – vocals on “The Burden ov Faith”

Concert Review – Obituary (The Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, ON, 05/07/2023)

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The right mindset, the right night in Toronto, with tons of metalheads celebrating the unparalleled Death Metal by one of the pillars of the genre worldwide.

OPENING ACTS: Ingrown, Blood Incantation and Immolation

The city of Toronto had the pleasure of enjoying another ass-kicking celebration of Death Metal last night thanks again to Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment, bringing to the city a fantastic combo of pure heaviness with the bands INGROWN, BLOOD INCANTATION, IMMOLATION and OBITUARY to The Phoenix Concert Theatre. There was a massive line to get into the venue, plus another huge line to get to the merch stands before entering the floor section, which means several people missed the first band of the night, unfortunately. Maybe they could have opened the doors a little earlier, at 6pm or even at 5:30pm, because only 30 minutes between doors and the first band is definitely not enough for getting in, getting some merch, having a beer and chatting with friends. Nothing that would damage the quality of the night, though.

Having said that, a half empty venue was there to enjoy the Hardcore by Boise, Idaho-based act INGROWN precisely at 7pm, including myself and my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, one of the two photographers that were there in time for Ingrown, by the way. Playing several songs from their 2021 album Gun, the trio formed of Calvin Ross Hansen, Alex Marshall and Dave Shaffer didn’t waste too much time talking and simply hammered their instruments nonstop, and despite the lack of mosh pit action due to most fans still trying to enter the venue or grab some merch, it was a solid and freakin’ heavy performance, proving why those American metallers carry the Great Seal of the State of Idaho with them. If you want to know more about their pulverizing Harcore, you can find all of their creations on BandCamp and on Spotify, alright?

Setlist
Waste
Fool
Shell
Chain
Slip Away
Grunt
Snake Stomp
Gun
Hard Time

Band members
Calvin Ross Hansen – vocals, guitars
Alex Marshall – bass
Dave Shaffer – drums 

After a very short break, it was time for Denver, Colorado’s own Sci-Fi Death Metal entity BLOOD INCANTATION to take us on a journey to outer space with their technical and pulverizing Death Metal, spearheaded by the relatively shy while speaking, but utterly demonic while playing, Paul Riedl on vocals and guitars. Paul mentioned it was the band’s first visit to Toronto since 2019, and judging by the reaction of the crowd, who ignited some insane mosh pits while the quartet was flawless on stage, I must say their Torontonian fans have more than missed their live performances for the past few years. Their setlist might have been short, with only five songs in total including the excellent The Giza Power Plant and Slave Species of the Gods, from their 2019 opus Hidden History of the Human Race, but each song had enough elements, energy and complexity to put a huge smile on the faces of everyone at the venue, resulting in a first-class performance by one of the most underrated bands of the current Death Metal scene.

Setlist
Starspawn
Chaoplasm
The Giza Power Plant
Slave Species of the Gods
Hovering Lifeless

Band members
Paul Riedl – vocals, guitars
Morris Kolontyrsky – guitars
Jeff Barrett – bass
Isaac Faulk – drums

Although Obituary were the main attraction of the night, there were countless fans at The Phoenix Concert Theatre eager to see New York’s own Death Metal institution IMMOLATION kicking some ass on stage, blending classics form their amazing career with songs from their most recent album, Acts of God, released last year, including the opener An Act of God, The Age of No Light, Blooded, and the closer Let the Darkness In. Bassist and vocalist Ross Dolan and his henchmen were on fire throughout their entire show, just like when they opened for Cannibal Corpse in the city last November, which obviously inspired the fans to ignite some wicked mosh pits that took the whole floor section at times. The most peculiar moments of their concert were, first, when fans started chanting “Fuck Trudeau!”, but Ross didn’t fall for that and said that was not the place for politics, that we should all leave that shit outside and enjoy their music; and then when Dan Lilker from Nuclear Assault came out on stage before the song Under the Supreme. Why didn’t he stay for the entire song no one knows, and I also think Nuclear Assault could have been part of the night (even if it was just Toronto), but that’s fine. In the end, it was a memorable Death Metal party by Immolation, and I’m sure we’ll see them back in the city really soon (as mentioned by Ross by the end of their performance).

Setlist
Abandoned
An Act of God
The Age of No Light
Harnessing Ruin
Despondent Souls
Blooded
World Agony
Destructive Currents
Providence
Under the Supreme
Let the Darkness In

Band members
Ross Dolan – vocals, bass
Robert Vigna – guitars
Alex Bouks – guitars
Steve Shalaty – drums

OBITUARY

It was already past 9pm when Florida’s Death Metal titans OBITUARY ignited their flawless, pulverizing performance, even more infernal than when they opened for Amon Amarth in Toronto last December, closing the night on a high note as expected. This time properly promoting their demolishing new album Dying of Everything, playing nothing more, nothing less than SIX songs form the album, those being The Wrong Time, Barely Alive, War, Weaponize the Hate, My Will to Live, and the title-track Dying of Everything already as part of the encore, and you know an album is THAT good when the reaction of everyone at The Phoenix Concert Theatre was simply superb, with endless circle pits, some brutal headbanging and everyone raising their horns to one of the pillars of Death Metal worldwide.

Of course the band spearheaded by the iconic John Tardy also played some insane classic the likes of Redneck Stomp and Slowly We Rot, making it absolutely worth it heading to the venue on a rainy Sunday night. I was also impressed with the overall quality of their stage, with the lighting, the smoke and all other elements looking awesome from start to finish, and if you think of the size of the venue that becomes even more insane. That proves how much Obituary (and the other bands, of course) care about their fans, always delivering an electrifying performance no matter what. There wasn’t a lot of talking from John nor any of the other band members, and I’m fine with that because I want to see them kicking ass with their music, which probably happened because of the tight schedule before hitting the curfew at around 11pm. I’m sure Obituary, just like Immolation, will return to Toronto before we can say “Death Metal” based on their happiness after the concert was over, and I’m sure all fans that attended their concert last night can’t wait for that to happen.

Setlist
Snortin’ Whiskey (Pat Travers Band song)
Redneck Stomp
Sentence Day
A Lesson in Vengeance
Visions in My Head
The Wrong Time
Barely Alive
Slow Death
Find the Arise
Weaponize the Hate
My Will to Live
Chopped in Half
Turned Inside Out

Encore:
War
Dying of Everything
I’m in Pain
Slowly We Rot
Cat Scratch Fever (Ted Nugent song)

Band members
John Tardy – vocals
Kenny Andrews – lead guitars
Trevor Peres – rhythm guitars
Terry Butler – bass
Donald Tardy – drums

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Album Review – Overkill / Scorched (2023)

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One of the pillars of old school Thrash Metal will scorch the earth to the sound of their breathtaking new album.

Recorded at Gear Recording Studio, SKH Recording Studios, JRod Productions and The Recording Company, mixed by Colin Richardson and Chris Clancy at Audioworks Productions, mastered by Maor Appelbaum, and displaying a sick cover art by Travis Smith of Seempieces Design Studio, the breathtaking Scorched, the twentieth studio album by American Thrash Metal masters Overkill, might have had its official release postponed on numerous occasions, but the wait was absolutely worth it. The follow-up to their 2019 album The Wings of War (marking the longest gap between studio albums for the band) is a lecture in old school thrash by frontman Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth, guitarists Dave Linsk and Derek Tailer, bassist D.D. Verni and drummer Jason Bittner, placing it among the best metal albums of the year without a shadow of a doubt.

Strident, piercing guitar ignite the thrashing title-track Scorched, with Bobby attacking our ears with his raspy voice and the song’s wicked lyrics (“Way down deep in the fire / Way down deep in the flame / Way down deep in the hole I dug / Way down Deep in the pain / I’m a flash in your atmosphere / Atomic wind blowing into your night / Crash and burn, let me make it clear / And give ’em just a little light”) in a beyond fantastic start to the album, and Dave and Derek rev up the band’s furious engine with their sick riffage in the circle pit feast titled Goin’ Home, supported by the classic drums by Jason. The Surgeon is another ass-kicking Thrash Metal extravaganza spearheaded by the band’s guitar duo while Bobby’s grim vocals add a considerable share of insanity to the music; whereas Twist of the Wick, one of the most demented songs of the album, will inspire you to crush your damned skull into the mosh pit to the frantic beats by Jason and the rumbling bass by D.D. Needless to say, it should sound superb if played live. And Jason dictates the pace in the neck-breaking tune Wicked Place, sounding utterly groovy while maintaining the band’s heaviness intact.

It’s then time for another visceral, thrashing creation by Overkill titled Won’t Be Comin Back, where Bobby is in total sync with the guitars by Dave and Derek, resulting in an old school Thrash Metal beast overflowing energy and rage, with Jason’s drums being once again spot-on. The ominous bass by D.D. darkens the atmosphere in Fever, being quickly joined by the introspective vocals by Bobby and a lovely Blues-ish vibe; followed by Harder They Fall, offering our ears more of the band’s acid lyrics (“Ice water flowing through his veins / Rumor has it that it comes and goes in waves / The face of fear, baby, he’s your man / With evil inside the heart, he does the best he can / The best he can”) while the music is a flawless, demolishing Thrash Metal feast showcasing all the band’s passion for heavy music, and I’m sure this will become a fan-favorite during their live concerts. Overkill keep the circle pit moving majestically with Know Her Name, an ass-kicking Thrash Metal attack led by Bobby’s evil roars while D.D. and Jason are on fire with their thunderous kitchen, making it impossible not to bang your head like a maniac to such electrifying song; and their last explosion of thrashing sounds, titled Bag o’ Bones, brings forward the band’s characteristic heaviness, rebelliousness and creativity, with Dave, Derek and D.D. adding sheer groove to the music armed with their axes, also showcasing a classic chorus with amazing backing vocals.

This beast of an album, a serious contender for album of the year by the way, is available for a full listen on YouTube and on Spotify, but as I know you’re a true diehard thrasher you can purchase it from Overkill’s own BandCamp page, or by clicking HERE or HERE. You can also find more details about the band, their tour dates, plans for the future and other nice-to-know details on Facebook and on Instagram, that of course if you don’t follow them already. In a nutshell, Overkill will scorch the earth, scorch our brains, scorch the good and scorch the bad armed with their thrilling new album, setting fire to the entire scene once again, just as we all expect from one of the pillars of our beloved old school Thrash Metal.

Best moments of the album: Scorched, The Surgeon, Twist of the Wick, Harder They Fall and Know Her Name.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Scorched 6:13
2. Goin’ Home 4:31
3. The Surgeon 5:33
4. Twist of the Wick 5:34
5. Wicked Place 5:00
6. Won’t Be Comin Back 4:30
7. Fever 5:33
8. Harder They Fall 4:23
9. Know Her Name 5:11
10. Bag o’ Bones 4:37

Band members
Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth – vocals
Dave Linsk – lead guitars
Derek Tailer – rhythm guitars
D.D. Verni – bass
Jason Bittner – drums

Guest musician
Michael Romeo – orchestrations

Concert Review – Khemmis (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 05/02/2023)

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Not even a cold and rainy night could stop the metalheads in Toronto from enjoying another fantastic feast of underground heaviness and doom.

OPENING ACTS: Wake and Conjurer

Despite the bad weather that’s been hitting Toronto for days with nonstop rain and colder-than-expected temperatures, the cozy Lee’s Palace received an awesome number of fans this Tuesday night for the Deceiver North America MMXXIII Tour, featuring the bands WAKE, CONJURER and KHEMMIS, on another fantastic event organized by Noel Peters of Inertia Entertainment. One of the concert goers was Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, who took care of the amazing pictures from this review, and as you can see based on the photos taken it was indeed an incendiary night of underground Black, Doom, Death and Sludge Metal in the city, courtesy of three of the most interesting bands you can find out there.

The first band to hit the stage was Calgary, Alberta-based Black/Death Metal act WAKE, and it was an unforgettable experience for all fans at an already packed venue. Still promoting their 2022 album Thought Form Descent, those five Canadian metallers delivered an electrifying performance to the crowd, with their intense sound and powerful vocals inspiring everyone for some good headbanging throughout the entire set. The lighting and sound were on point, adding to the overall atmosphere of the show. Playing a mix of old and new songs that had the crowd singing along, Wake’s performance was flawless, not to mention the venue itself was perfect for the show, with a great layout and plenty of space for everyone to enjoy the music. Overall, it was an amazing display of heavy music and great vibes, and if you get the chance to see Wake live, don’t miss it!

Setlist
Infinite Inward
This Abyssal Plain
Swallow the Light
Venerate (The Undoing of All)

Band members
Kyle Ball – vocals
Arjun Gill – guitars
Rob LaChance – guitars
Ryan Kennedy – bass
Josh Bueckert – drums

Right after Wake, it was time for UK’s Sludge/Doom/Post-Metal outfit CONJURER to deliver a solid performance that was nothing short of electrifying, having the crowd fully engaged form start to finish. Mixing some of their old songs with newer ones from their 2022 opus Páthos, the band formed of Dan Nightingale, Brady Deeprose, Conor Marshall and Noah See showcased all their versatility and growth as musicians, hammering the heads of each and every person at Lee’s Palace with their sluggish, heavy-as-hell sounds. Kudos to the venue for another excellent lighting, adding an extra layer of intensity to Conjurer’s performance, and if I were you I wouldn’t miss their show in your city if Sludge Metal is your cup of tea. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see them perform again in Toronto.

Setlist
It Dwells
Scorn
Choke
Hollow
Suffer Alone
Retch
Cracks in the Pyre
Hadal

Band members
Dan Nightingale – guitars, vocals
Brady Deeprose – guitars, vocals
Conor Marshall – bass
Noah See – drums

KHEMMIS

After opening for Opeth and Mastodon in the beginning of 2022, and also for Trivium close to the end of the year, Denver, Colorado’s own Doom Metal entity KHEMMIS returned to Toronto now in 2023, this time as the headliners, for another lesson in doom. Having recently launched a two-track EP titled Where the Cold Wind Blows, Khemmis kicked some ass from start to finish, opening their set with the excellent Avernal Gate, followed by one of the songs form their new EP, the also amazing Sigil. The crowd was buzzing with excitement as the quartet continued their electrifying set until the very end, closing their performance with the thrilling song A Conversation with Death.

The crowd at Lee’s Palace was obviously headbanging along with the music, and Khemmis fed off of their energy, delivering an even more powerful and intense performance than expected. Overall, it was an incredible night of heavy music at Lee’s Palace spearheaded by those American metallers, who proved once again why they are one of the most exciting bands in the genre today and why they keep coming back to Toronto (either as an opening act or as the main attraction) so often. Well, as a matter of fact, Khemmis mentioned during their performance that Toronto has the most underrated food in the world, saying that every single time they come to the city to play a concert they have the tastiest food in the world. In other words, they love Toronto from the bottom of their blackened hearts not only because we’re the best metalheads in the world, but also because they know that they never have to play with an empty stomach in the city. It’s like a win-win situation where they get fed with first-class food, while we get fed with first-class music, right?

Setlist
Avernal Gate
Sigil
Candlelight
Bloodletting
Three Gates
House of Cadmus
Above the Water
The Bereaved
A Conversation with Death

Band members
Ben – vocals, guitars
Phil – vocals, guitars
David Small – bass
Zach – drums

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Album Review – Vintersea / Woven Into Ashes (2023)

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This Extreme Progressive Metal act from Portland, Oregon is back with their fantastic third full-length opus, once again inspired by the majesty of the Pacific Northwest.

Combining the essential parts of many genres into a melodic brand of metal that is undeniably inspired by the majesty of the Pacific Northwest, Portland, Oregon-based Extreme Progressive Metal act Vintersea is back with their third full-length effort, entitled Woven Into Ashes, the follow-up to their 2019 critically acclaimed album Illuminated. Engineered by Gabe Johnston at Falcon Recording Studio, mixed by Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland at Atrium Audio, mastered by Troy Glessner at Spectre Studios, and displaying a stylish artwork by Xenoyr (of Ne Obliviscaris), the album once again offers our avid ears the heavy, emotionally powerful and technically intriguing creations by frontwoman Avienne Low, guitarists Jorma Spaziano and Riley Nix, bassist Karl Whinnery and drummer Jeremy Spencer, representing a significant step forward in the band’s already solid career.

Vintersea have definitely learned how to master the art of progressive and experimental sounds, and that’s already crystal clear from the very first second in Unveiling Light, with Jorma and Riley delivering sheer intricacy and groove from their guitars, therefore exploding into a vibrant Melodic Black Metal aria, whereas Jeremy hammers his drums in the name of extreme music in Devil’s Churn, providing Avienne with exactly what she needs to deliver her deep, enraged she-wolf screams, sounding even more progressive than the opening tune due to its Groove Metal elements. Then get ready for eight minutes of ethereal passages, endless heaviness and obscurity, and a humongous dosage of intricacy in Crescent Eclipse, with Avienne again stealing the spotlight with her mesmerizing clean vocals and her infernal roars; and a demonic growl by Avienne kicks off the thunderous At The Gloaming Void, with Karl’s bass and Jeremy’s beats making the earth tremble, or in other words, it’s Progressive Death and Black Metal at its finest.

As if the band decided to begin a new chapter in the “book” of Woven Into Ashes, they invest in a much more cadenced, melodic sound in Parallel Duality, and the song also seems to be split in two parts depending on the vocal style used by Avienne. Lonesome Tide is another song with a more delicate start, quickly morphing into another Progressive Black Metal onrush by the band with Jorma and Riley doing an amazing job with both their caustic riffs and gentle acoustic guitars; and it’s then time for a dark ballad titled Into the Horizon, a solid creation by the band albeit not as vibrant or multi-layered as the rest of the album. Avienne has a charming performance on vocals as usual, though. Finally, the band brings forth a nine minute feast of delicate sounds, progressiveness and melancholy titled No Tomorrow, with Jeremy dictating the song’s pace while Avienne roars to the piercing riffs by the band’s guitar duo, ending the album on a very climatic mode.

The talented Avienne and her unstoppable henchmen are waiting for your feedback about their stunning creations on Facebook and on Instagram, and don’t forget to also subscribe to their YouTube channel and to stream more of their classy compositions on Spotify. The versatile and dynamic Woven Into Ashes, which is available for purchase from their own BandCamp page, as well as from the M-Theory Audio webstore as a digipack CD or as a colored vinyl (or click HERE for all things related to the band and the album), will undoubtedly help Vintersea reach new heights in their awesome career, as it’s not only their strongest effort to date, but also a must-listen for any fans of the fusion of progressiveness and sheer heaviness. Furthermore, the band is just about to embark on a sensational tour with Eleine, Oceans of Slumber and the almighty Moonspell, and I’m beyond certain they’ll play songs from their new album. Having said that, what are you waiting for to grab your tickets for such amazing event in your city?

Best moments of the album: Devil’s Churn, At The Gloaming Void and Lonesome Tide.

Worst moments of the album: Into the Horizon.

Released in 2023 M-Theory Audio

Track listing
1. Unveiling Light 5:22
2. Devil’s Churn 6:09
3. Crescent Eclipse 7:43
4. At The Gloaming Void 5:31
5. Parallel Duality 7:12
6. Lonesome Tide 6:04
7. Into the Horizon 3:51
8. No Tomorrow 8:49

Band members
Avienne Low – vocals
Jorma Spaziano – guitars
Riley Nix – guitars, backing vocals
Karl Whinnery – bass
Jeremy Spencer – drums

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Creeping Death, Sacred Reich and Municipal Waste

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CARCASS

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

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

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

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

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

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Album Review – 4ARM / Pathway to Oblivion (2023)

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One of the best groups of the modern Groove and Thrash Metal scene is finally back after almost eight years with a new album, offering us all 43 minutes of incendiary, top-of-the-line heavy music.

Recorded at Cobra Island Studios in Chicago, Illinois, in the United States and at Scarred Studio in Melbourne, Victoria, in Australia, produced by vocalist, guitarist and bassist Markus Johansson and drummer Michael Vafiotis, mixed and mastered by Christian Donaldson, and displaying a sinister artwork by Colin Marks of Rain Song Design, the excellent Pathway to Oblivion, the brand new opus by Groove/Thrash Metal outfit 4ARM, represents a beyond welcome return to action by such amazing Australian/American band, more precisely eight years after the release of their also thrilling album Survivalist. Now a duo formed of the aforementioned Markus and Michael, 4ARM will explode our senses with their newborn opus, offering us all 43 minutes of top-of-the-line modern heavy music that will undoubtedly put the band back on track after so many years in a silent limbo.

A serene and atmospheric intro will soothe your souls before the duo comes ripping with their incendiary sounds in Stigmata, with Markus kicking ass with his Godsmack/Metallica-inspired vocals and shredding guitars while Michael crushes his drums mercilessly. Activator is another fantastic Groove and Thrash Metal extravaganza by 4ARM that will inspire you to slam into the circle pit like a maniac, with Markus once again firing electrifying riffs and solos for our total delight, and it’s pedal to the metal as Markus and Michael keep decimating our ears with their modern-day thrashing sounds in Born to a Dying World, with Michael’s performance behind his drums being yet again impressive, adding tons of groove and rage to the song. Then we have Nothing Comes From Nothing, another fast and furious creation by 4ARM that will boil your blood due to its heaviness and speed, with Markus delivering more of his trademark raspy vocals in great fashion.

The title-track Pathway to Oblivion begins in a more melancholic, darker manner to Markus’ introspective vocals before evolving into a multi-layered Groove Metal feast led by Markus’ unstoppable riffage and striking solos; whereas the duo shows no mercy for our necks and souls in the infuriated Thrash Metal tune Headhunter, sounding and feeling heavy and intense from start to finish with Michael hammering his drums like there’s no tomorrow. Their second to last sonic attack comes in the form of Snake in the Grass, a more cadenced, headbanging song where Michael dictates the pace with his galloping drums supported of course by the slashing riffs by Markus; and like a battering ram the duo will destroy everything and everyone that crosses their path in the closing tune Gutterfeeder, a lecture in modern-day Thrash Metal that will leave the listener eager for more of their music. Needless to say, Michael is flawless with his thunderous beats.

It’s a great pleasure to see 4ARM back into the battlefield after so many years with Pathway to Oblivion (which is by the way available in full on YouTube and on Spotify), and of course that’s even better thanks to the superior quality of the music found throughout the entire album. Hence, in order to show the duo all your support and admiration, and in order to welcome them back to the current metal scene, you can start following them on Facebook and stay updated on everything surrounding such awesome band, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their incendiary music, and obviously purchase Pathway to Oblivion from their BandCamp page. I’m sure Markus and Michael won’t take a decade to deliver another 4ARM album as it definitely feels they’re back for good, and if they keep releasing great material like Survivalist and now Pathway to Oblivion we can rest assured the fires of the modern thrash scene will continue to burn majestically.

Best moments of the album: Stigmata, Activator, Headhunter and Gutterfeeder.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Independent

Track listing
1. Stigmata 5:43
2. Activator 5:36
3. Born to a Dying World 5:40
4. Nothing Comes From Nothing 4:39
5. Pathway to Oblivion 6:42
6. Headhunter 4:50
7. Snake in the Grass 4:51
8. Gutterfeeder 5:00

Band members
Markus Johansson – vocals, guitars, bass
Michael Vafiotis – drums