FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
In this entry of Blasphemous Meals, reader discretion is advised to those of you who are vegetarian, vegan and on and on and on. You’ll find six saucy, savoury, satanically delicious dishes that are from three different carnivorous groups: beef, fish, poultry and pork. They are warm and welcoming as you retreat from the frostbitten woodlands in the coming months – at least for our Canadian Hellbound readers.
On November 14th the awesome double bill of CORROSION OF CONFORMITY and ROYAL THUNDER played just down the street from Hellbound HQ, performing an intimate show at Hamilton’s Corktown Pub. Here is a review of the night by Sean Palmerston, with cool black and white photography by Adam Wills.
“Prior to Corrosion of Conformity embarking on a North American tour, on which the Kingston, Ontario date had just been canceled (re-booked for Barrie), I had the chance to have a conversation with bassist/vocalist Mike Dean. We discussed this year’s self-titled release, influences old and new, touring in Canada, and even the NHL lockout.”
Interview by Matt Hinch
“I cannot stress how fantastic it was to attend Noctis V. To get to see three nights of amazing shows from a lot of bands who would never come to this part of the world otherwise; to spend afternoons rubbing elbows with those same bands, esteemed members of the metal literati, and like-minded fans, all of us just there to bask in the glory of metal, welcome and free to discuss the music we love so much with people just like us. It just might be that Calgary is the new metal capital of Canada”
Noctis 2012 wrap up article by Kyle Harcott
The long awaited second half of Jay H. Gorania’s tour diary highlight his summer sojourn with UK black metal enthusiasts DRAGGED IN SUNLIGHT. Live photos by Luna Duran.
“Sometimes album art can be misleading, but visual imagery is to some extent genre specific, so there’s usually a pretty good chance I can judge by an album cover if a band’s style is likely to be my kind of thing. Such was the case with Dark Forest’s Land of the Evening Star. What I can’t always predict is how good the music is going to be, but with Dark Forest’s third “Vinlandic pagan black metal” release, the tracks inside are not just well represented by the gloomy mountain and forest scene on the cover. They’re also very good. As impressed as I was with the recording I wanted to learn more about the band, so I went straight to the source.”
Interview by Laura Wiebe
Justin Richardson reviews the September 12th and 13th performances by Nightwish and Kamelot at Atlanta’s Center Stage facility, done as a welcome to that weekend’s ProgPower USA festival.
“With tour line-ups so diverse – much like metal in general – it’s not that common to run into a show where every band demands your equal attention (in anticipation, if not necessarily in performance). But the Epic Kings and Idols tour might have been custom designed for a metalhead like me, and even without a perfect execution this one ranks high amidst my favourite concerts of the year.”
Live review by Laura Wiebe, concert photos by Adam Wills
“Director Tommy Jones captures the band’s stories of challenges and victories, both drunk and sober. Every. Single. One. You want an in-depth music documentary on a death metal band? This is it.”
Ola Mazzuca reviews Iron Will: 20 Years Determined, the new 2 DVD, 2CD compilation celebrating the first twenty years of Northern Hyperblast from Quebec death metal veterans Kataklysm.
“This weekend sees North America’s longest running progressive/power metal festival happen when ProgPower USA XIII kicks off Friday night in Atlanta. This year’s edition will be the thirteenth overall and the key to its success has always been the diversity of the acts that are asked to play each year. The 2012 edition has some excellent talent participating on both days of the festival, but here is my own personal top five reasons why I think this year’s edition is a must see, time and finances permitting”
By Sean Palmerston