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Album Review – Ringworm / Seeing Through Fire (2023)

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Cleveland’s own Hardcore, Death and Thrash Metal masters are ready to kill armed with their ninth studio album, pushing the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent.

Ever since emerging from the Cleveland underground, the unrelenting American Death/Thrash Metal/Hardcore horde Ringworm has garnered the immediate attention of all types of heavy music fans, always displaying endless ferocity and, consequently, always fascinating metalheads with their unorthodox melodies for over 30 years. Now in 2023 the band formed of James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch on vocals, Matt Sorg and Mike Lare on the guitars, and Ed Stephens on bass has just unleashed their ninth studio album, titled Seeing Through Fire, the follow-up to their 2019 installment Death Becomes My Voice. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Noah Buchanan at Mercinary Studios, Seeing Through Fire showcases the abundant complexities in the music by Ringworm and pushes the band up into the frontrunners of modern metallic talent, being highly recommended for fans of Integrity, Earth Crisis, Converge and American Nightmare, among others.

The title-track Seeing Through Fire is utterly harsh and infuriated from the very first second, with James’ vocals exhaling despair and aggressiveness amidst a hurricane of Thrash Metal and Hardcore crafted by his bandmates, resulting in the perfect way to start such sick album. There’s no time to breathe as their feast of pulverizing sounds goes on in Carved in Stone, where the guitars by Matt and Mike will penetrate deep inside your skin and burn your muscle tissue mercilessly in the name of the darkest form of Hardcore you can think of. Then let’s all slam into the circle pit together with ringworm to the sound of the high-octane No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, a lecture in modern-day Thrash Metal with Hardcore elements spearheaded by the brutal vocals by James, followed by Death Hoax, sounding like some of the most insane creations by Slayer from their Divine Intervention and Undisputed Attitude albums, with the song’s fierce blast beats matching perfectly with the rabid roars by James. And the band continues their path of destruction in Thought Crimes, another frantic, sharp and caustic tune showcasing more of the scorching riffs by Matt and Mike.

The second half of the album begins in full force with Unavoidable Truth, bringing to our avid ears more of the band’s infernal fusion of Thrash Metal and Hardcore while Ed keeps hammering his bass nonstop, bringing an extra touch of groove and heaviness to the music; and if you think those American metallers would slow down anytime, you’re absolutely wrong, as they keep speeding things up and inviting us into the pit in House of Flies, with James growling rabidly supported by the wicked riffs and solos by the band’s guitar duo. You Want It To is another feast of Death and Thrash Metal infused with Hardcore nuances where Ed’s bass sounds thunderous, not to mention the song’s demented drums; and let’s keep banging our heads in the name of evil in Mental Decontrol, with James bursting his lungs screaming while Matt, Mike and Ed are ruthless armed with their axes. There’s no mercy for our souls in the demonic Power and Blood, an incendiary lecture in Thrash Metal and Hardcore by Ringworm that will smash you like an insect, with James once again stealing the spotlight with his sick, visceral growls; whereas closing Seeing Through Fire we have the outro Playing God, which is not bad but another ferocious tune would have added more taste to the album.

“We wanted to go with a slightly different approach and look than the previous records, it’s a new era for us,” explained James. “It’s a little bit of a return to our roots, you have those moments every so often where you wanna get back to your comfort zone, but at the same time you want to expand that comfort zone. On the production side, we definitely wanted something that was raw, more in your face, and way more sonically abrasive than the last several albums. Vocally it’s the same approach on every record, my voice is just a hammer, and every song looks like a nail to me.” Hence, if you want to experience all that raw, massive violence blasted by Ringworm in Seeing Through Fire, you can stream the album in full on YouTube and on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of it by clicking HERE or HERE. Don’t forget to also follow the band on Facebook and on Instagram, and to subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their insane music. As aforementioned, Seeing Through fire is at the same time modern and old school, showing how the band knows what they do, staying loyal to their foundations without forgetting to always move forward in their career, and to always invite us for some action inside the circle pit.

Best moments of the album: No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy, House of Flies and Power and Blood.

Worst moments of the album: Playing God.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Seeing Through Fire 3:17
2. Carved in Stone 2:49
3. No Solace, No Quarter, No Mercy 3:09
4. Death Hoax 2:51
5. Thought Crimes 2:53
6. Unavoidable Truth 2:41
7. House of Flies 2:56
8. You Want It To 2:02
9. Mental Decontrol 2:29
10. Power and Blood 2:39
11. Playing God 3:09

Band members
James ‘Human Furnace’ Bulloch – vocals
Matt Sorg – guitar
Mike Lare – guitar
Ed Stephens – bass

Guest musician
Daniel Mongrain – guitar solo on “Death Hoax”

Concert Review – UADA (Lee’s Palace, Toronto, ON, 09/13/2023)

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An atmospheric (and long) night of extreme music spearheaded by the best Melodic Black Metal band of the current scene beautifully darkened the skies of Toronto and the hearts of the metalheads in the city.

OPENING ACTS: A Flock Named Murder, Unreqvited, Cloak and Ghost Bath

There have been countless rock and metal concerts in Toronto since the end of the European summer festivals, and that’s having its toll on the attendance of those concerts as no one has enough time and money to support all those bands when they bring their live performances to the city. That was the case last night when A FLOCK NAMED MURDER, UNREQVITED, CLOAK, GHOST BATH and the mighty UADA took the cozy Lee’s Palace by storm on a night of darkness, blasphemy, deep emotions and truly atmospheric heavy music during their Crepuscule North America 2023. Well, although the show wasn’t even close to be sold out, there were till several brave headbangers at the venue to support those incredible bands, and let’s always keep in mind that we’re talking about the underground of the underground, with zero support from the regular media.

Shortly after the doors at the venue opened at 7pm, Toronto, Ontario-based Black/Death/Post-Metal act A FLOCK NAMED MURDER kicked off the night’s black mass with their short but extremely powerful set, spearheaded by the band’s vocalist and guitarist Ryan Mueller. Having released to date the 2018 album An Appointed Time and the 2022 single Garden of Embers, which I’m pretty sure they played last night (and once again, it’s so hard to keep track of any setlist from almost all underground bands), the quartet put on a solid performance for the crowd, already inspiring some decent headbanging among the attendees. Their music is great and deserves a listen without a shadow of a doubt, and you can do so by visiting their BandCamp page or also by going to Spotify. Needless to say, if they ever play in your city, don’t miss the chance to witness this up-and-coming extreme music horde from Toronto.

Band members
Ryan Mueller – vocals, guitars
Mike Binns – guitars
Mike Wandy – bass
Cam Mueller – drums

Some people (including myself) were a little worried with the number of bands playing last night, as no one knew for sure what time the night was going to end. However, the quality of the music played by all groups was fantastic, which was also the case for the Stygian performance by  Ottawa, Ontario-based Atmospheric Post-Black Metal/Shoegaze/Ambient act UNREQVITED. Although Unreqvited is the solo project of vocalist and multi-instrumentalist William Melsness (also known as 鬼, which means “ghost” in Chinese), the band’s live lineup is formed of William alongside guitarist Victor Forest, bassist Robin Parsons and drummer Alec Curren, and let me tell you that those four guys kicked some serious ass on stage, resulting in a very pleasant surprise for anyone who was not familiar with their music. By the way, Victor and Robin had a fantastic onstage performance, mesmerizing the crowd with their somber sounds. I like to say that the type of music played by Unreqvited is a lot more emotional than heavy or obscure, and you can sense all that by enjoying their 2021 album Beautiful Ghosts and their 2022 single Perpetual Green of the Willow Groves, both available on BandCamp and on Spotify. Needless to say, I hope I can see Unreqvited live again sooner than later.

Band members
William Melsness (鬼) – vocals, guitars
Victor Forest – guitars
Robin Parsons – bass
Alec Curren – drums

It was getting late for a Wednesday night, but who cares? After a quick break it was time for Atlanta, Georgia’s own Black Metal/Black N’ Roll horde CLOAK to bring the energy and fire of their new album Black Flame Eternal to the stage of Lee’s Palace in the most metallic of all concerts of the night. Scott Taysom, Max Brigham, Billy Robinson and Sean Bruneau took no prisoners in their quest for extreme music, blasting our ears with several devilish and frantic tunes including the incendiary Seven Thunders and Black Flame Eternal, inspiring the crowd to raise their horns in the name of evil nonstop, and proving why they’re one of the must-see names of the current Black Metal scene. Just like what said about the previous bands, you can find their music on BandCamp and on Spotify, and if UADA are visiting your city make sure you get to the show early to catch the pulverizing concert by the guys from Cloak.

Band members
Scott Taysom – vocals, guitars
Max Brigham – guitars
Billy Robinson – bass
Sean Bruneau – drums

I think it was already past 10pm when Minot, North Dakota-based Depressive/Post-Black Metal entity GHOST BATH began their sinister and neck-breaking concert. Still promoting their 2021 album Self Loather, the band led by the charismatic vocalist and guitarist Nameless darkened the atmosphere at Lee’s Palace considerably, with their three-guitar attack formed of Nameless together with Tim Church and John Olivier sounding absolutely amazing from start to finish. Apparently they had a few minor sound issues in the beginning of their performance, which might explain the delay in their concert to start, but nothing that would bring any harm their onstage blackened party. All of their albums, including of course their latest offering, are available on BandCamp and on Spotify, so do not waste a single second and go check their insane creations, getting ready to praise darkness and melancholy whenever Ghost Bath invade your damned city.

Band members
Nameless – vocals, guitars
Tim Church – guitars
John Olivier – guitars
Josh Jaye – bass
Chris Piette – drums

UADA

What happens when a concert that was supposed to have started at 10:45pm, which is already late, has a 40-minute delay? Exactly, people start to get back to their homes because of several reasons like catching the last subway or train home, or having to wake up really early to work or go to school. That was basically the main issue with the flawless and beyond atmospheric performance by Portland, Oregon-based Melodic Black Metal titans UADA, resulting in some gaps in the floor section that didn’t look nice, but that didn’t change the fact UADA were fantastic on stage either. Having released their new masterpiece Crepuscule Natura just the Friday before the concert, such uncanny horde formed of vocalist and guitarist Jake Superchi, guitarist Kevin Bedra, bassist Nate Verschoor and drummer Trevor McClain was on absolute fire from start to finish, making everyone who could stay until the very end of their concert extremely happy and satisfied.

The smoke, the dim lights, and the band’s dark and menacing outfits that make it impossible to see their faces (plus of course the incense and the stunning setup of their merch table) are crucial elements of their live performances, and although photographers like my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography don’t really like that type of ambience as it gets tough to take clear photos, in the end everything works perfectly and has a reason to be there. From the very first notes of the explosive The Purging Fire, UADA already showed everything they got and their deep passion for dark music. After such hypnotizing start, they had a microphone issue during Snakes & Vultures that seemed to have driven Jake a little upset (which is totally understandable), but the crowd knew it wasn’t the band’s fault at all and enjoyed the song to the fullest even with that minor incident.

The title-track to their 2020 album, the breathtaking Djinn, might be my favorite UADA song to date, and seeing it being played live again (after seeing them opening for Rotting Christ earlier this year) was a thing of beauty, this time sounding and feeling even more powerful, followed by the also imposing and multi-layered In the Absence of Matter. However, it was when they played their two new songs The Dark (Winter) and Retraversing the Void that things got even more majestic, with the quartet playing those songs to perfection and inspiring everyone at the venue to bang their heads nonstop together with them, just to show how powerful their new album is. And finally, closing their cryptic performance they offered our avid ears their already classics Cult of a Dying Sun and Black Autumn, White Spring, putting an epic finale to a night that was extremely long, but at the same time extremely enjoyable. I can’t wait to see UADA again live, hopefully not so late at night due to my other commitments, but to be honest, who cares? Seeing what’s in my humble opinion the best and most innovative band of the current Melodic Black Metal scene kicking ass on stage is worth the effort, and may those mysterious guys return to Toronto for another metallic assault sooner than we can say “UADA”!

Setlist
The Purging Fire
Snakes & Vultures
Djinn
In the Absence of Matter
The Dark (Winter)
Retraversing the Void
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kevin Bedra – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Trevor McClain – drums

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Album Review – Violent Life Violent Death / Break. Burn. End. (2023)

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The demonic new album by these North Carolina-based Metalcore and Deathcore heavyweights takes the band’s sound to a whole new level of intensity, resulting in their most assaultive effort yet.

Sometimes violence is the answer. That’s exactly what you’ll get in Break. Burn. End., the incendiary first full-length opus by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Metalcore/Deathcore heavyweights Violent Life Violent Death, following up on their critically acclaimed EPs The Color of Bone (2020), Sadness Rains (2019), Come, Heavy Breath (2018), and V-EP (2016). Mixed and mastered by Kyle Dameron at Rareform Recordings, and featuring a Stygian artwork by Mark De Gruchy, the new album by vocalist Scott Cowan, guitarists Joseph Benham and Daniel Knight, bassist Justin Campbell, and drummer David Holquin takes the band’s sound to a whole new level of intensity, resulting in their most assaultive release since their inception in 2016 and, therefore, placing the album as a must-listen for fans of the more metallic form of Hardcore blasted by Hatebreed, Every Time I Die, Zao, A Life Once Lost and Ringworm, among others.

A dark and cryptic intro ignites the visceral metal feast titled Weapon of Pain, with Scott already delivering his demonic gnarls while David crushes his drums in the name of old school Hardcore, not to mention how austere the riffs by Joseph and Daniel sound; and more of the band’s acid fusion of Metalcore with Hardcore and Death Metal is offered to us all in The Snapping of Teeth, a neck-breaking extravaganza by VLVD that will keep your blood boiling while Scott sounds utterly demonic on vocals. Then grim, devilish guitar sounds kick off the also obscure Deceit Welcomed by Blind Grace, exploding into the band’s trademark heavy music spearheaded by the unstoppable drums by David, supported by the always groovy bass by Justin; whereas the band shows no mercy for our damned souls in Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue, a pulverizing Metalcore and Deathcore onrush perfect for slamming like a beast inside the circle pit, with Scott once again delivering an inhumane performance on vocals. After such infernal tune, they keep the adrenaline flowing in The Light Behind, offering two minutes of pure savagery where Joseph and Daniel alternate between scorching riffs and more melodious lines.

The title-track Break. Burn. End. brings to our avid ears one minute of eerie noises and a wicked narration, working as a demonic interlude to the bestial Saying Your Name is to Choke on Ash, another circle pit feast that will explode your ears to the infernal growls by Scott and the classic blast beats by David, with Justin once again sounding thunderous armed with his bass. There’s no sign of slowing down for those ruthless metallers, with Maintain the Quiet being the perfect depiction of how technical yet brutal and vile their music can be, sounding absolutely pulverizing and thrilling from start to finish; followed by Heaven so Far Away, the second to last breath of evil by VLVD, starting in a more somber, phantasmagorical way before evolving into a rumbling feast of harsh roars, slashing riffs and pounding drums (albeit not as electrifying as its predecessors); and there’s time for one final dive into the mosh pit together with VLVD in Come Armageddon, with the Punk Rock and Hardcore-fueled beats by David speeding things up considerably, offering Scott all he needs to burst his lungs screaming before the song ends in a truly visceral note.

In a nutshell, the guys from VLVD did it again, bringing forward in Break. Burn. End. their undisputed amalgamation of Hardcore with more traditional metal styles in great fashion. Hence, you can get in touch with the band directly on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates and so on, subscribe to their YouTube channel for more of their caustic music and videos, stream their venomous creations on Spotify, and of course grab a copy of Break. Burn. End. From the Innerstrength Records’ BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or from Amazon. This world is broken, burning, and soon coming to its inevitable end, and there’s nothing better than the music offered by VLVD in their newborn opus to guide us through our violent lives into our (most probably) violent deaths.

Best moments of the album: The Snapping of Teeth, Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue and Maintain the Quiet.

Worst moments of the album: Heaven so Far Away.

Released in 2023 Innerstrength Records

Track listing
1. Weapon of Pain 3:24
2. The Snapping of Teeth 2:58
3. Deceit Welcomed by Blind Grace 1:58
4. Devastation on the Tip of the Tongue 2:09
5. The Light Behind 2:25
6. Break. Burn. End. 1:07
7. Saying Your Name is to Choke on Ash 2:18
8. Maintain the Quiet 2:14
9. Heaven so Far Away 3:04
10. Come Armageddon 3:07

Band members
Scott Cowan – vocals
Joseph Benham – guitar
Daniel Knight – guitar
Justin Campbell – bass
David Holquin – drums

Album Review – UADA / Crepuscule Natura (2023)

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One of the rising stars of the current Melodic Black Metal scene returns with their majestic fourth album, unleashing upon us five sonic vessels providing all their memorable hooks, tasteful leads and riding blasts in their distinct style.

Ever since the cloaked Pacific Northwest band appeared on the music radar back in 2014, Portland, Oregon-based Melodic Black Metal horde UADA has always been electrified by both polar worlds. Within the stretch of three albums as well as dense and triumphant live shows across the globe, they have not only spiked the map of extreme metal music but their unrelenting touring schedule and unbridled will to push forward into new horizons has also earned them a reception in all the extremes imaginable, be it worship or spite. Now in 2023 the band formed of Jake Superchi on vocals and guitars, Kevin Bedra also on the guitars, Nate Verschoor on bass and Trevor McClain on drums is unleashing upon humanity their fourth full-length opus, titled Crepuscule Natura (or “nature’s twilight” from Latin), the stunning follow-up to their 2020 masterpiece Djinn. Mixed and Mastered by the band’s own Jake Superchi at Obsidian Spells, and once again displaying an ethereal and occult artwork by Kris Verwimp, Crepuscule Natura offers five metallic vessels within the impressive span of 41 minutes, easily creating a sonic and aesthetic bridge between the band’s 2016 debut Devoid of Light and their 2018 sophomore effort Cult of a Dying Sun, only to forge onward upon the relentless path set forth with Djinn, providing all their memorable hooks, tasteful leads and riding blasts in their distinct style while balancing their epic surging melodies with powerful spurts of aggression.

The opening tune The Abyss Gazing Back is absolutely melodic and hypnotizing from the very first second, with Jake roaring the song’s devilish words (“In the light of Lucifer’s fire I am but a shadow of God: / No sanctity below, nor divinity behind. / Cast out; fallen and risen, here is where I continue my maraud: / For all within ourselves is what we must find. / Grandest gateways illuminate before me, through my own embodiment of thought: / Expanding endlessly in the caverns of the mind”) while his bandmates generate a beyond thrilling Black Metal atmosphere. Then we have the title-track Crepuscule Natura, even more imposing and multi-layered, blending the finesse of Melodic Black Metal with the rawness and savagery of classic Black Metal. Furthermore, Nate sounds bestial on bass accompanied by the infernal drumming by Trevor, resulting in a darkened voyage that will leave you completely disoriented after all is said and done; and the dirty bass by Nate kicks off the beautiful The Dark (Winter), with Jake and Kevin piercing our ears with their stylish riffs in a headbanging extravaganza by UADA that will explode your senses during their live performances.

The initial riffage by Jake and Kevin will embrace you mercilessly for all eternity in Retraversing the Void, inspiring you to keep moving your head sideways (just like what the band likes to do when they’re on stage blasting their sonic magic). It’s a fantastic depiction of modern-day Melodic Black Metal by those skillful American musicians,  not to mention how precise Trevor is behind his drums, all spiced up by another pulverizing vocal performance by Jake. Last but not least, a wild howl ignites the breathtaking 12-minute aria Through the Wax and Through the Wane, again bringing forward the band’s darkly poetic lyrics (“My moon is air / and my star of fire, / below I burn / so my ashes may continue higher / Oh, coldest night / grant me clearest sight / to grow out of your shadow / and be exposed in your searing light”) and their trademark dense, thunderous sounds, with Jake and Kevin sounding flawless armed with their Stygian axes. Moreover, it feels like three or four songs in one so intricate and detailed it is, venturing through the realms of Atmospheric and Melodic Black Metal with a grandiose background and an enfolding vibe, and with Trevor once again kicking some ass on drums, dictating the pace until the song’s climatic, apotheotic finale.

In Crepuscule Natura, which is already available for a full and detailed listen on YouTube, we face a band that’s on absolute fire, ready to unleash the marrow of Blackened Heavy Metal and to show us all why they’re known as the “haunted”. Hence, don’t forget to start following those incredible musicians on Facebook and on Instagram for news, tour dates (like their highly anticipated upcoming concert in Toronto next week) and other nice-to-know details about the band, as well as to stream all of their superb albums on Spotify, and above all that, to purchase a copy of Crepuscule Natura from their own BandCamp page or from the Eisenwald Records webstore (including the exclusive limited die-cut slipcase CD edition + music download card for the album + silver artwork patch bundle), or click HERE for all things UADA. The evolution in the music by UADA since their debut album is a thing of beauty, allowing us to witness with Crepuscule Natura the birth of new fan favorites while their craft remains grandiose, mythical and triumphant.

Best moments of the album: Crepuscule Natura, Retraversing the Void and Through the Wax and Through the Wane.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Eisenwald Records/Obsidian Spells

Track listing
1. The Abyss Gazing Back 7:50
2. Crepuscule Natura 6:38
3. The Dark (Winter) 7:31
4. Retraversing the Void 7:44
5. Through the Wax and Through the Wane 12:03

Band members
Jake Superchi – vocals, rhythm guitars
Kevin Bedra – lead guitars
Nate Verschoor – bass
Trevor McClain – drums

Concert Review – Hatebreed (The Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, ON, 09/05/2023)

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The city of Toronto let the hate flow through its veins and destroyed everything together with the American juggernauts of Hardcore on a beyond hot and fun night.

OPENING ACTS: Jesus Piece, Vein.FM and Terror

What’s the best thing to do when you’re in the middle of a heat wave, with temperatures over +40oC and a scorching sun to burn you alive? Attending a metal concert, of course! And the city of Toronto had the pleasure of hosting the bands JESUS PIECE, VEIN.FM, TERROR and HATEBREED at The Danforth Music Hall this Tuesday during the Rise of Brutality 20th Anniversary Tour 2023, where Hatebreed are celebrating 20 years of their classic album The Rise of Brutality. I honestly thought that the venue was going to feel like a sauna, because that was the case when Kreator and Sepultura played there a few months ago, but apparently the organizers knew that the heat was way too strong outdoors and decided to crank up the AC to the lowest temperature possible, making it quite comfortable inside for all of the concert goers. You probably saved some lives by doing that! Good job!

As traffic wasn’t too crazy yesterday, all fans had a lot of time to enjoy a few beers and buy some merch between the doors opening at 6pm and the first band of the night, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Hardcore/Metalcore/Sludge Metal act JESUS PIECE, kicking off their concert at 7pm. Spearheaded by the unstoppable frontman  Aaron Heard, the band put on a very entertaining concert from start to finish, blending songs from their new album …So Unknown with their older material, already inspiring the crowd to create a massive circle pit where most kids looked like they were squirrels who had a few cans of Red Bull, moving around like rabid creatures. I just couldn’t catch the names of the songs, mainly because whenever Aaron was talking to the crowd his mic sounded a little muffled, but if you’re curious to know more about such explosive band you can find all of their wicked creations on Spotify.

Band members
Aaron Heard – vocals
David Updike – guitars
John DiStefano – guitars
Anthony Marinaro – bass, backing vocals
Luis Aponte – drums

That mosh pit madness, with everyone following the lesson taught by the mighty Exodus in the classic “Toxic Waltz”, that being “so don’t be a dunce and dance like a runt, just throw your elbows with good friendly violent fun”, continued during the concert by Boston, Massachusetts-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore outfit VEIN.FM. Having released the album This World Is Going To Ruin You last year, the band formed of Anthony DiDio on vocals, Jeremy Martin on the guitars, Jon Lhaubouet on bass and Matt Wood on drums showed no mercy for our souls, crushing their instruments nonstop and, therefore, inviting the crowd to keep moving wildly as if each person in the pit was fighting some sort of “invisible man”. It was a fun and vibrant show that definitely warmed up all Hatebreed fans at the venue, and if you want to enjoy the music by such talented band at home, in your car, at work, at school, at the gym or anywhere else, you can find those guys on BandCamp and on Spotify. Once again it was impossible to catch the names of the songs played, but that’s just a minor detail as their live performance was awesome.

Band members
Anthony DiDio – vocals
Jeremy Martin – guitar, backing vocals
Jon Lhaubouet – bass, backing vocals
Matt Wood – drums

Quickly after Vein.FM finished their show, it was time for Los Angeles, California’s own Hardcore legends TERROR to burn down The Danforth Music Hall with another insane performance, turning the floor section into a massive circle pit where the kids were once again moving like crazy creatures. Frontman Scott Vogel was the main responsible person for that mosh pit madness, as he kept asking the crowd to keep moving around, to keep doing some sick crowd surfing and so on, and let’s say his requests were promptly answered by everyone inside the pit. Playing songs from their latest album, their 2022 beast Pain into Power, including the amazing title-track, plus some of their old school material, those Californians showed Toronto everything they got, and the temperature inside the venue went up considerably due to all the action going on while Terror continued to distill their flammable Hardcore on stage. I’ve already place in another concert review the links to where you can stream their music, but as they’re really cool guys here we go again with the links to their BandCamp and Spotify, and if they ever visit your hometown, don’t think twice and go join the band to unleash some first-class Hardcore terror, alright?

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

HATEBREED

The break between Terror and Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Hardcore Punk/Metalcore titans HATEBREED was a little longer than the previous ones for obvious reasons, allowing everyone at the venue to go buy some merch (in case they hadn’t done so already), grab a few beers, smoke a cigarette and have a quality chat with their friends, and all those things energized the crowd to the point that the iconic Jamey Jasta kept repeating how much he loves Toronto, being visibly impressed with the rowdy reaction during each song from their amazing setlist. Playing songs form their entire discography, including the classics Last Breath (dedicated to the memory of the deceased The Black Dahlia Murder frontman Trevor Strnad), Driven by Suffering, Tear It Down, Straight to Your Face, Doomsayer, and Confide in No One, the band put on an electrifying show that pleased all fans of their unique fusion of Hardcore with Thrash Metal, Punk Rock and other heavy styles.

My only complaint (and of Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, as well as all other photographers at the venue) was the dim lighting used for all four bands, which is becoming something quite common in most shows not only in Toronto, but everywhere. It’s getting tough to see the bands on stage with clarity, but of course, it’s nothing that would stop the fans from enjoying the shows. Well, it is what it is, and when you have a band like Hatebreed on stage let’s admit we must be really aware of our surroundings due to all the mosh pit action going on, leaving us with not a lot of time to actually pay attention to the stage, right? Jokes aside, it was a true pleasure seeing Wayne Lozinak and Frank Novinec kicking some ass with their guitars while Chris Beattie and Matt Byrne made the venue shake with their insanely heavy kitchen, keeping everyone more than entertained until the very end, with lots of fists and horns in the air, lots of screaming, and the endless insanity inside the circle pit led by the demented vocals by Jamey. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for Hatebreed to return to Canadian lands to destroy everything once again, and I bet everyone who attended their concert last night will be there again to celebrate their undisputed Hardcore music.

Setlist
Tear It Down
Straight to Your Face
Destroy Everything
A Lesson Lived Is a Lesson Learned
Empty Promises
To the Threshold
Live for This
Voice of Contention
Looking Down the Barrel of Today
Beholder of Justice
This Is Now
Perseverance
Driven by Suffering
Confide in No One
Last Breath (Dedicated to Trevor Strnad)
Doomsayer
Smash Your Enemies
Another Day Another Vendetta
I Will Be Heard

Band members
Jamey Jasta – vocals
Wayne Lozinak – lead guitar, backing vocals
Frank Novinec – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Chris Beattie – bass
Matt Byrne – drums

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Album Review – Djinn-Ghül / Opulence (2023)

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An uncanny duo from the US and Venezuela will attack your senses with their third full-length opus, flitting between full-on Death Metal brutality and jaw-dropping futuristic and mechanized sounds.

Less than two years following the release of their critically lauded EP Mechalith, industrialized Experimental/Brutal Death Metal/Deathcore unit Djinn-Ghül unleashes their third full-length album, entitled Opulence, building on their previous material while taking things to new levels of extremity. The international duo formed of Venezuelan vocalist Junior “Pat” Patiño (Voraraephilia) and American multi-instrumentalist Grant Nachbur (Auricular Insemination, Nephrectomy) has been evolving and perfecting their sound with each consecutive release since their inception in 2016, with their new album effectively flitting between full-on Death Metal brutality and jaw-dropping futuristic and mechanized sounds with impressive cohesion. Mixed and mastered by Pat himself, and displaying a sick acrylic painting as the album’s artwork by Chinese artist Guang Yang, Opulence showcases a dynamic slab of industrialized Death Metal with a crushing power that will debilitate as much as adrenalize you, resulting in their most chaotic yet refined material to date.

Haunting and atmospheric, the opening tune God Lymph will pierce your soul with the band’s hybrid of several extreme styles, with Grant’s crushing drums and phantasmagorical keys permeating the air until everything explodes into violence and insanity with Pat roaring like a demon, whereas the hammering bass and caustic riffs by Grant will demolish your senses in Xobek, a lecture in Blackened Deathcore with some industrial and electronic elements in the background to give it an even more venomous vibe. Their industrialized vein keeps pulsing in Ghola, with Pat’s inhumane growling complementing the infernal atmosphere crafted by Grant, followed by the title-track Opulence, featuring Jordan James of Disentomb on vocals, bringing forward the demented beats and scorching riffs by Grant while the song’s background elements will beautifully darken your soul. Then featuring guest vocalist Alex Marr, the duo’s horror-inspired sounds keep disturbing the minds of the lighthearted in the pulverizing Pseudosapien, where Grant’s bass and drums generate an avalanche of sheer heaviness until the very end.

Sara Crow lends her voice as a guest in Mother, another short and sweet blast of their Experimental Death Metal sounds infused with Deathcore and classic Death Metal nuances; however, it never really takes off, sounding more like an interlude of sorts. Their next guest vocalist is Phlegeton of Wormed, with more of their mechanized, futuristic keys being offered to us in Fruitless Grasp, before the music turns into a demonic feast of devilish screams, piercing guitars, infernal beats and rumbling bass lines. There’s still more from such talented duo to haunt your damned soul for all eternity in Garden of Jaws (It Sees Too Much), blending the most violent elements from Brutal Death Metal with their more experimental and industrialized vein, and with Pat sounding absolutely evil on vocals; flowing into the closing tune Grave Vessel, where the duo clearly sends a message of chaos and darkness through their electrified sounds and noises, not to mention Grant is once again ruthless behind his drums, ending the album on a beyond somber mode.

The vicious Opulence, which is available in full on YouTube and on Spotify, is certainly not recommended for the lighthearted, which is exactly what such ruthless American/Venezuelan duo wanted to achieve with their music. Hence, don’t forget to give Djinn-Ghül a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their YouTube channel, and above all that, to purchase a copy of their newborn beast from their own BandCamp page, from the Vicious Instinct Records’ BandCamp page, from Apple Music, or from Amazon. In other words, Opulence is heavy, caustic, futuristic and melodic, all at the same time, effectively cementing Djinn-Ghül as one of the most interesting names of the modern extreme music scene.

Best moments of the album: Xobek, Pseudosapien and Garden of Jaws (It Sees Too Much).

Worst moments of the album: Mother.

Released in 2023 Vicious Instinct Records

Track listing
1. God Lymph 3:47
2. Xobek 2:13
3. Ghola 2:49
4. Opulence 3:13
5. Pseudosapien 3:21
6. Mother 2:40
7. Fruitless Grasp 4:29
8. Garden of Jaws (It Sees Too Much) 3:25
9. Grave Vessel 2:37

Band members
Junior “Pat” Patiño – vocals
Grant Nachbur – all instruments

Guest musicians
Jordan James – vocals on “Opulence”
Phlegeton – vocals on “Fruitless Grasp”
Sara Crow – vocals on “Mother”
Alex Marr – vocals on “Pseudosapien”

Album Review – Exmortus / Necrophony (2023)

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California’s own Neoclassical Thrash and Death Metal institution returns with a collection of twelve piercing hymns, sounding blacker and more nefarious as illustrated by the eeriest and evilest Lovecraftian and Tolkien-esque tales.

Formed in 2002 in Whittier, California, in the United States, the unstoppable Neoclassical and Technical Thrash/Death Metal outfit Exmortus is back in action in 2023 with their amazing sixth studio album, titled Necrophony, a portmanteau of “necro” and “phony” (or “dead sounds”), offering nothing but a savage rebirth and a fierce renewal in the form of twelve tracks highly recommended for fans of Hatchet, Warbringer, Havok, Toxic Holocaust and Skeletonwitch, among others. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Zack Ohren at Sharkbite Studios, and displaying a striking artwork by Indonesian artist Toha Mashudi, Necrophony showcases a beyond focused and inspired band currently formed of Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez on vocals and guitars, Chase Becker also on the guitars, Phillip Nuñez on bass, and Adrian Aguilar on drums, emerging stronger, faster and crazier from the throes of the pandemic while going from a Conan the Barbarian and Gladiator aesthetic from their previous records to something blacker and more nefarious as illustrated by the eeriest and evilest Lovecraftian and Tolkien-esque tales.

Melancholy flows from the intro Masquerade, evolving into a cinematic sonority before the quartet kicks some serious ass in Mask of Red Death, with Conan roaring like a beast accompanied by the pounding drums by Adrian and scorching, visceral guitar riffs in a great display of Melodic Death Metal, whereas in Oathbreaker we face poetic words declaimed by Conan (“Over the western lands a long shadow lies / And in evil times the dead awaken and arise / Until the end, they know no peace, remain forlorn / As punishment of old for an oath they have forsworn”) while the music is as vile, fast and heavy as it can be. Mind of Metal is another classic Melodic Death Metal creation by Exmortus where the guitars by Conan and Chase will pierce your mind mercilessly, keeping the album at a high level of animosity; and Yanni’s “The Storm” and Antonio Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” are blended together in Storm of Strings, an instrumental metallic extravaganza perfect for banging your head nonstop or simply enjoying some high-end shredding. Then back to their trademark Melodic Death Metal mode we have Test of Time, inspired by the classic sound from the Gothenburg scene, with Adrian dictating the pace with his intricate but thunderous beats.

After such striking tune, strident, melodious guitar lines set the tone in Darkest of Knights, presenting elements from classic Thrash and Death Metal with Phillip and Adrian making the earth tremble with their kitchen while Conan continues to vociferate rabidly, followed by Prophecy,  another neck-breaking tune by the quartet, with Conan roaring nonstop and blasting his stringed axe at the same time, feeling like a fusion of Megadeth, Black Label Society and Ozzy Osbourne. The low-tuned, metallic bass by Phillip will crush your head in Children of the Night, a high-octane, pedal-to-the-metal extravaganza spearheaded by the demonic growls by Conan while Adrian speeds things up considerably behind his drums; whereas the slashing riffage by Conan and Chase keep darkening the skies in Beyond the Grave, blending the brutality of Death Metal with the rebelliousness of Thrash Metal. After that, the melodic and introspective interlude Overture will pave the band’s obscure path until all explodes into the title-track Necrophony, which takes away some of the energy from the rest of the album despite not being a bad song. The guitar work by Conan and Chase is once again truly solid, though.

“We wanted everything on this album to be a fresh take of what we envisioned Exmortus to be,” said Conan about Necrophony. “We had a lot of time to reflect on that during the isolation period of the pandemic, and so, this new material is a sort of rebirth of our approach to writing and performing our music.” Hence, don’t forget to give the guys from Exmortus a shout on Facebook and on Instagram, to subscribe to their official YouTube channel, to stream their wicked music on Spoitfy, and above all that, to purchase a copy of Necrophony from their own webstore, or by clicking HERE or HERE. Exmortus are going to invade your senses with their piercing, scorching “dead sounds”, and there’s nothing you can do about it but succumb to the thunderous music by one of the most innovative and hardworking bands of the current scene.

Best moments of the album: Mask of Red Death, Darkest of Knights and Children of the Night.

Worst moments of the album: Necrophony.

Released in 2023 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Masquerade 2:33
2. Mask of Red Death 4:42
3. Oathbreaker 3:24
4. Mind of Metal 4:33
5. Storm of Strings 2:55
6. Test of Time 4:48
7. Darkest of Knights 8:11
8. Prophecy 4:14
9. Children of the Night 7:13
10. Beyond the Grave 3:48
11. Overture 2:05
12. Necrophony 5:10

Band members
Jadran “Conan” Gonzalez – vocals, guitars
Chase Becker – guitars
Phillip Nuñez – bass
Adrian Aguilar – drums

Concert Review – Kamelot (The Opera House, Toronto, ON, 08/22/2023)

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A memorable night of Symphonic and Power Metal in the city of Toronto where the women from all bands stole the show with their undeniable talent, energy, beauty and charisma.

OPENING ACTS: Xandria and Battle Beast

I’m sorry, all guys from the three bands that kicked some as last night at The Opera House in Toronto during the Awaken the World Tour 2023 with the bands XANDRIA, BATTLE BEAST and KAMELOT, but the girls absolutely stole the show. On a very pleasant summer night in the city, Ambre Vourvahis of Xandria, Noora Louhimo of Battle Beast, and Melissa Bonny of Ad Infinitum ( who’s taking care of the female vocals for Kamelot during this North American tour) were flawless on stage, exhaling talent, charisma and passion for heavy music, gaining nothing but respect and admiration from the crowd who turned the venue into a “metal sauna”. It was a very special night for me as it was my first time ever watching all three bands live (plus Melissa!), and they didn’t disappoint this extreme music fan here at all; quite the contrary, I only have good things to say about all bands and musicians responsible for a very special night in Toronto.

Precisely at 7pm, Bielefeld, Germany-based Symphonic Metal outfit XANDRIA kicked off the night’s metal ceremony with a short but extremely powerful and vibrant performance spearheaded by the Greek goddess Ambre Vourvahis, who was clearly very excited for playing in Toronto for the first time in her career, and visibly emotional for the warm and wild reception received from her Torontonian fans to the point she didn’t even know anymore if yesterday was Tuesday (something that made everyone laugh together with her, of course). Ambre was amazing not only during their setlist formed mainly of songs from their excellent new album The Wonders Still Awaiting, those being You Will Never Be Our God, Reborn and Ghosts (my favorite of their setlist, by the way), plus the fan-favorites Nightfall and Valentine, inspiring everyone at The Opera House to raise their horns, screams and dance together with her. It was a little weird seeing Xandria on stage without a bass player, as apparently Tim Schwarz had some issues to get his visa to Canada in time for the show (and I’ll never understand why our government gives a hard time to hardworking musicians to grant them their visas, while at the same time they easily allow a bunch of garbage into the country), but the four members who were there put on their hearts and souls into their performance, and I bet we’ll see Xandria in Canadian lands soon based on the total sync and endless energy flowing between the band and the crowd.

Setlist
You Will Never Be Our God
Reborn
Nightfall
Ghosts
Valentine

Band members
Ambre Vourvahis – vocals
Marco Heubaum – guitars
Rob Klawonn – guitars
Dimitrio Gatsios – drums

Right after a quick break, Finland’s own Heavy/Power Metal torchbearers BATTLE BEAST started their lecture in what can be labeled as “Dance Metal” for the delight of all fans at the venue, making everyone extremely happy (and I was beyond happy for finally seeing them live after an over 10-year wait) due to the level of electricity and power crafted by the band on stage. Still promoting their 2022 album Circus of Doom, those Finnish rockers put on a breathtaking show, with songs like Straight to the Heart, Wings of Light and Eden making everyone at the venue dance even if they didn’t want to. And what can I say about the incendiary performance by Noora Louhimo on vocals? That woman is a beast live, showcasing not only a flawless, jaw-dropping vocal performance, but her onstage presence, moves and charisma are way beyond awesome, and at least for me there’s no other woman in metal, rock or pop music capable of uniting all those qualities at the same time like her. Well, of course Noora’s striking performance is only that good because of the support she gets form her bandmates, in special bassist Eero Sipilä and drummer Pyry Vikki, and the result was a mesmerizing show that made every single person inside (and maybe some outside the venue) to keep their fists and horns high in the air nonstop. Thank you, Battle Beast! And please get back to Toronto soon for another “metal party of our lives”, like Noora herself said.

Setlist
Circus of Doom
Straight to the Heart
Eye of the Storm
Where Angels Fear to Fly
Wings of Light
Eden
Master of Illusion
King for a Day

Band members
Noora Louhimo – vocals
Joona Björkroth – guitars, backing vocals
Juuso Soinio – rhythm guitars
Eero Sipilä – bass, backing vocals
Janne Björkroth – keyboards, orchestrations, backing vocals
Pyry Vikki – drums

KAMELOT

There was a minor delay in the start of the atmospheric and cinematic show by Tampa, Florida’s own Progressive/Melodic Power Metal masters KAMELOT, but nothing that would take away the excitement from a jam packed venue. Blending songs from their newest album The Awakening, including Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem), One More Flag in the Ground and NightSky, with some of their classics such as March of Mephisto and Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife), the band created back in 1987 by guitarist Thomas Youngblood was on fire throughout their entire set, inviting the crowd on a metal journey full of epic guitar solos, whimsical keys, and the classy vocals by Swedish frontman Tommy Karevik (who’s by the way married to Canada’s own Kobra Paige, the awesome frontwoman for Kobra and the Lotus), driving their loyal fans to ecstasy with each and every song played. There was even time for an excerpt of Queen’s classic “We Will Rock You” during one of the songs, led by Tommy, a tribute to Canada’s institution Rush during Alex Landenburg’s drum solo when he played part of the all-time hit “Tom Sawyer”, and a touching tribute by Tommy to everyone we lost due to the pandemic in the past few years.

As aforementioned, just like what happened in the past with several amazing vocalists the likes of Simone Simons, Charlotte Wessels, Elize Ryd, Alissa White-Gluz, Floor Jansen and Noora Louhimo, the female vocals on this tour were masterfully done by Melissa Bonny, known for her work with Ad Infinitum, The Dark Side of the Moon, Evenmore and Rage of Light, and let me tell you that the band couldn’t have chosen a better vocalist for the task as Melissa is simply fantastic with both her clean vocals and harsh growls. As a matter of fact, it was clear how much the crowd at The Opera House loved Melissa when she delivered her enraged roars in her stylish attire, turning the temperature up considerably during the show. I’m a huge fan of female growlers, and of course I was stunned every time she was a she-demon incarnate on stage. If you know nothing or have never heart of Melissa before, I highly recommend you go after all of her work because she’s by far one of the most talented singers of the new generation.

After the last few notes from Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy), the crowd kept screaming as loud as possible to thank Kamelot for their awesome performance, while the band couldn’t hide the huge smile on their faces for another truly successful concert. They promised they’ll return to Toronto sooner than later, and let’s be honest, as Tommy is married to Kobra Paige, why not having a Kamelot plus Kobra and the Lotus tour in Toronto and other Canadian cities in the near future? I’m sure all fans would love to see Tommy and Kobra singing together on stage, right? And speaking about females vocalists touring with Kamelot, after the concert was over my friend Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography (responsible for all the amazing photos of this review) and I had the utmost pleasure of meeting Melissa in person (thanks to my friend Pedro, of A&P Reacts), and I must says she’s a really down-to-earth, humble and sympathetic person, apart of course form being a sensational vocalist and performer. Needless to say, she needs to return to Canada as soon as possible, but next time with Ad Infinitum to show the Canadian metallers everything she’s capable of. To be honest, all bands need to return to the city for a lot more concerts, and I’m sure that will happen really soon because Toronto needs more Melissa Bonny, more Xandria, more Battle Beast, and more Kamelot without a shadow of a doubt.

Setlist
Overture
Veil of Elysium
Rule the World
Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)
Insomnia
When the Lights Are Down
Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)
New Babylon
Karma
Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)
Song for Jolee
NightSky
Drum Solo
March of Mephisto
Keyboard Solo
Forever

Encore:
Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)
One More Flag in the Ground
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)

Band members
Tommy Karevik – vocals
Melissa Bonny – vocals
Thomas Youngblood – guitars
Sean Tibbetts – bass
Oliver Palotai – keyboards, orchestrations
Alex Landenburg – drums

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Concert Review – Gojira & Mastodon (Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, 08/16/2023)

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The two biggest monsters of the current metal scene worldwide crushed Toronto to pieces in another night of first-class, breathtaking heavy music.

OPENING ACT: Lorna Shore

What a perfect night of progressiveness, heaviness, electricity and rage in Toronto yesterday at the Budweiser Stage, courtesy of LORNA SHORE, GOJIRA and MASTODON and their breathtaking The Mega Monsters Tour 2023. The whole event was absolutely brilliant from start to finish thanks to the energy and focus all three bands put on their performances, making it one of the best concerts in the city this year hands down. Almost all attendees didn’t seem to care about the huge lines formed around 4pm outside the venue to try to get a place in the pit, because after Live Nation moved the concert from the Echo Beach to the Budweiser Stage it became a “first come, first serve” adventure, where you would basically test your luck and see if you got a place on the floor section, or a seat in the 200 level. Fortunately I was able to get to the pit (as I told my friends, I need a T-shirt saying “I HATE SEATS”), which quickly lightened up my mood and made the whole thing even more enjoyable for me.

Before the actual concert started, more precisely right after the gates opened at 6pm, I had a chance to watch the pre-show at the “Corona Tropical Oasis” (which was basically some sort of a small ravine with a gazebo, where the drums where placed, right beside the merch stands) with an Iron Maiden cover band named Piece of Maiden, and I gotta say they did a solid job playing several classic the likes of Revelations, The Trooper, Hallowed Be Thy Name and Phantom of the Opera. My only advice to those guys is that they desperately need to get better attires or costumes for their performances to look more professional, because they just looked like a bunch of friends jamming some Maiden songs together. In the end, I personally think that was a nice add-on to the entire event, allowing whoever was already inside the venue to headbang to some classics while having a beer, a hot dog, or waiting in line to buy some merch.

Finally, at 7pm sharp, I was able to witness for the first time ever the pulverizing Progressive and Symphonic Deathcore by New Jersey’s own LORNA SHORE, and they didn’t disappoint at all; quite the contrary, I’m now an even bigger fan of the band, as they brought all the energy from their 2022 masterpiece Pain Remains to the stage in great fashion. The first three songs, those being Sun//Eater, Cursed to Die and Into the Earth, were already superb, with Will Ramos sounding inhumane with his roars and screeches for our total delight. There was a guest vocalist in one of the songs that looked like their own stage photographer, but I have zero idea of who that guy really was. Any thoughts? Anyway, it was when they played their unparalleled Pain Remains Trilogy comprised of Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames, Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear and Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire, that they crushed everyone’s souls mercilessly, putting a beyond climatic ending to their flawless performance. If you have never listened to such dark and melancholic trilogy, I highly recommend you go search for it on any streaming platform, and please listen to it while at the same time you follow the lyrics. Hopefully, the mighty Lorna Shore will return to Toronto for another demolishing concert in the near future, and based on the smiles on the faces of all band members I’m sure they’ll take the city by storm again with their amazing music sooner than we can imagine.

Setlist
Sun//Eater
Cursed to Die
Into the Earth
Pain Remains I: Dancing Like Flames
Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear
Pain Remains III: In a Sea of Fire

Band members
Will Ramos – vocals
Adam De Micco – guitar
Andrew O’Connor – guitar
Michael Yager – bass
Austin Archey – drums

GOJIRA

Shortly after 8pm, when the skies were already a lot darker than during Lorna Shore, New York-based French Progressive/Groove Metal institution GOJIRA hit the stage for another electrifying concert, as expected from one of the most technical, hard working and professional bands out there. Joe Duplantier, Christian Andreu, Jean-Michel Labadie and Mario Duplantier put on a jaw-dropping performance, playing songs from all of their amazing albums such as the demolishing Ocean Planet, Backbone, Stranded, Flying Whales (with of course some inflatable whales flying around the floor section, as usual) and Silvera, this one inspiring every single person at the venue to bang their heads nonstop like maniacs. Not only that, the songs from their latest album Fortitude also worked really well live, in special Amazonia, which is now for me one of the most amazing songs to witness live, and The Chant, where Joe got some help from the over 10,000 fans at the Budweiser Stage to sing along with him the song’s beautiful “Aaaaah ah ah ah ahhhhh… ah ah ah ahhhhh…” in one of the coolest moments of their entire set. He even mentioned Toronto was a lot better than Detroit during that song, which made us fans all very proud of our pipes.

Speaking about Joe, the man was on fire throughout the entire show, building a strong and honest connection with the crowd, and even acknowledging a fan at the front row that was already on her seventh concert this tour, I guess, showing how much the band cares about their fans. His brother Mario was also bestial during the entire show, smashing his drums with so much passion, precision and strength that it’s extremely easy to be mesmerized by his performance and “forget” about the rest of the band. During his awesome drum solo he even raised some funny signs that said “I CAN’T HEAR YOU” and “FUCK YEAH” to play with the crowd, showing how a drum solo should be done to avoid becoming the popular “bathroom break”. He’s one of the best drummers in the world right now, no doubt about that, but he’s so humble and down to earth that sometimes I think he’s underrated for not being more vocal like many other drummers who are not even close to him in terms of heaviness, dexterity and energy. As expected from Gojira, their stage was also a brilliant add-on to their music, with all the lights, fire, background videos and so on adding an extra touch of epicness to their concert. Other bands like Iron Maiden, who only rely on backdrop banners or flags, should be inspired by Gojira and modernize their stage with videos like that, as those helped to tell the story from each song majestically. Every single time I see Gojira live I get stunned, and it couldn’t have been any different last night for me and for all 10,000 people at the venue. Put differently, Gojira are perfect live, offering a unique visual and sonic experience for anyone who loves good music.

Setlist
Ocean Planet
Backbone
Stranded
Flying Whales
The Cell
The Art of Dying
Drum Solo
Grind
Another World
Silvera
Amazonia
The Chant
The Gift of Guilt

Band members
Joe Duplantier – vocals, guitar
Christian Andreu – guitar
Jean-Michel Labadie – bass
Mario Duplantier – drums

MASTODON

After another quick break, where everyone had a chance to go to the bathroom, grab another beer, smoke a cigarette or simply chat with friends that were seated in different levels or sections of the venue, Atlanta, Georgia-based Progressive Metal/Rock titans MASTODON began their monstrous concert at around 9:45pm, and maybe due to that late start (as a lot of people still had to wake up early to work today) the floor section was a lot less busy than during Lorna Shore and Gojira. That doesn’t mean the fans didn’t have a good time and that the mosh pits didn’t keep moving frantically; it’s just that there was a little more room to breathe (which for me was a good thing in the end). Due to their longer setlist, Troy Sanders, Brent Hinds, Bill Kelliher and Brann Dailor (plus guest keyboardist João Nogueira, of bands like Dol Guldur, Stone Giant and The Claypool Lennon Delirium) didn’t spend too much time talking. It was crushing song after crushing song, demanding a lot of headbanging, horns in the air and nonstop screaming from their fans. In other words, their show required a lot of cardio, I might say.

As mentioned, their setlist was long and comprehensive, including several classics, newer songs and some surprises from all their discography, such as the high-octane opener The Wolf Is Loose, the pounding Crystal Skull and Megalodon, and more contemporary songs from their 2017 album Emperor of Sand and their 2021 opus Hushed and Grim, those being Andromeda, Sultan’s Curse, Pushing the Tides, More Than I Could Chew, and my favorite of their set, the groovy and fun Steambreather. Brent and Bill were insane armed with their axes during this song, as well as Brann on drums, another one of the best drummers in the world right now who’s also a very nice guy off stage. The pyro and the videos also enhanced their performance, like what happened with Gojira, and as you can see in the awesome photos taken by my buddy Keith Ibbitson of Lower Eastside Photography, those extra features once again showed how modernizing your stage can bring tons of benefits to your band.

The last batch of songs from their setlist was beyond thunderous, starting with Circle of Cysquatch, where a giant and very colourful “whatever-monster-that-is” entered the stage just like Eddie with Iron Maiden or Vic Rattlehead with Megadeth, captivatign the eyes of the entire crowd, followed by Crusher Destroyer and their biggest hit of all, Blood and Thunder, generating a nice circle pit with a small “island” in the middle. Brann even took some time after their concert was over to thank the fans in Toronto for being amazing as usual, to throw some drumsticks to the crowd, and to say how much he loves the circle pits in the city, saying we have the craziest mosh pits of all (and I fully agree with him). I don’t know about you, but I’m already waiting for those two mega-monsters Gojira and Mastodon to kick some serious ass in Toronto again, and based on the reactions from both bands we’ll certainly see them smashing us all like insects really soon with their incendiary music.

Setlist
The Wolf Is Loose
Crystal Skull
Megalodon
Andromeda
Divinations
Sultan’s Curse
Fallen Torches
Pushing the Tides
More Than I Could Chew
Aqua Dementia
Steambreather
Iron Tusk
March of the Fire Ants
Mother Puncher
Circle of Cysquatch
Crusher Destroyer
Blood and Thunder

Band members
Troy Sanders – vocals, bass
Brent Hinds – vocals, guitars
Bill Kelliher – guitars, backing vocals
Brann Dailor – vocals, drums

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

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

OPENING ACTS: Child Bite and Lamb of God

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PANTERA

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

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

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

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

Encore:
Slaughtered
Revolution Is My Name

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

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

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