Reviews – Live

Features, Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 30, 2011

Hauntingly Epic: Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, and Musk Ox @ London Music Hall, March 25th, 2011

“The stage set-up slowly began to take shape and the smell of woodsy incense filled the air. As the cello notes of a recorded ‘They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness‘ floated through the venue, the shapes of the men behind Agalloch could be seen readying their instruments through a smoky haze lit by pale lighting.”

Jonathan Smith encounters Portland, Oregon’s Agalloch, who recently stopped in London, Ontario along with Worm Ouroboros and Musk Ox. Photo evidence from Adam Wills.

Blogs, Headline, Jay Gorania, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 28, 2011

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 2

“It was SXSW in Austin, so hell, we just decided to party. While hanging out on 6th Street, we were encountered by a rapper pushing his product. It’s normal for independent artists to either talk up, give away or sell their music at SXSW, but this chap obviously lacked common sense by trying to interest us in his rap project. Granted, people like all kinds of music nowadays, but did it really make sense for a rapper to approach a group full of dirty long-haired or head-shaven guys wearing metal shirts? I suppose my friend unintentionally baited him by somewhat loudly talking about Watain, the satanic Swedish black metal band. But that’s not what rap dude overheard. “Wu-Tang? Did somebody say Wu-Tang?”

Watain. Not Wu-Tang. We tried to correct him, but he interrupted us. “If y’all like Wu-Tang, you’re gonna love this!” I have his promo copy somewhere, and I’m sure it’ll make for a great coffee coaster once I find it.”

The second and final installment of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of the 2011 edition of the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas

Blogs, Featured, Jay Gorania, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 24, 2011

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 1

If the cataclysmic, earthquaking rumble beneath Japan was felt stateside, it was surely through Yob’s bottom-heavy, Sabbath-via-Cathedral-and-Sleep riffs. Their music and vocals and presence were passionate and ritualistic. Because of the repetitive nature of the riff-driven madness, the songs stay with you long after they’ve finished playing, bouncing around from synapse-to-synapse in your tenderized gray matter.

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 23, 2011

Rotting Christ / Melechesh / Hate / Abigail Williams / Lecherous Nocturne @The Mod Club, Toronto ON, March 16th, 2011

“Rotting Christ’s set itself was everything I expected from the veteran black metallers: heavy as hell while never becoming mired in sludge, always scorching in its intensity. The band were also having a damn good time on stage; vocalist Sakis Tolis spent the entire set snarling and grinning.”

Natalie Zed reviews the Toronto appearance from the Greek outfit, Rotting Christ, supported by Mesopotamian metallers Melechesh, Hate and more. Live photos by Adam Wills

Articles, Featured, Headline, Reviews - Live March 11, 2011

Victory or Death! An Interview With Amon Amarth

“One thing that strikes me is that I think this album is more even than the previous one. On Twilight of the Thunder God there were some songs that were instant hits, they stuck out from the other songs. But on this album, the songs have a higher level of quality to them, which doesn’t make any song stick out particularly. They’re all hits. [laughs]”

Adrien Begrand in conversation with Amon Amarth vocalist Johan Hegg

Featured, Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 8, 2011

Motörhead/ Clutch/ Valient Thorr @ Elements, Kitchener ON, February 25, 2011

“After walking out and having Lemmy introduce them with that oh so familiar line of “We are Motorhead and we play rock and roll” the band was off, starting the show with “We Are Motorhead” and ready to blow our brains out.”

Sean Palmerston reviews the February 25th show by Motörhead, Clutch and Valient Thorr at Elements in Kitchener ON. Live photos by Albert Mansour