Head To Head On… Arch Enemy – Khaos Legions
Two very different reviews of the new Arch Enemy album, entitled Khaos Legions, out now on Century Media. Which one do you agree with?
Reviews
Totimoshi – Avenger
This record runs the gamut from cool to quirky to slightly-boring alt-rock slog, leaving no stone unturned along the way.
Unexpect – Fables of the Sleepless Empire
Using every positive adjective I could find may not do the album or the band justice but try this on: Unexpect are a collection of aural artists and in Fables of the Sleepless Empire they have created their masterpiece.
Heinali And Matt Finney: Ain’t No Night
Ain’t No Night is a spectacular record, unique and eclectic. Its rewards are deep, but they are demanding.
Toxic Holocaust – Conjure and Command
Simply put, Conjure and Command is Joel Grind at his most vicious and it’s Toxic Holocaust’s most noticeable album to date. Whatever’s pissing this dude off we’re lucky to be reaping all the benefits.
The Wrecking Ball! Scream UnFestival event @ Hard Luck Bar, Toronto ON, July 9, 2011
On July 9th, a special arts event happened in Toronto called The Wrecking Ball, which was half literary event, half metal show.
Hellbound’s Laura Wiebe was there to soak in the evening’s festivities, which featured poetry readings alongside live performances by the likes of Sylvus, Vilipend and Ein Traum.
All photography by Adam Wills.
Rhapsody of Fire – From Chaos To Eternity
I have to admit that it’s pretty bittersweet, as good as From Chaos to Eternity is; I feel it should have been a bit more epic. The finale to such a huge, sweeping overall piece of musical work, in my mind should have been much grander.
Lake Of Blood/ Tempest @ Garbage Mountain, Vancouver BC, June 11, 2011
“Lake of Blood’s performance was entirely mesmerizing: guitarists Nordic and Samael, and bassist Krajavic appear to weave themselves into trances through the set. And singer Haagr is a man possessed, tearing his throat out baying at the sky. The music is full of nuance and subtlety at times too, and I hear definite hints of Xasthur in what Lake of Blood does, at least atmospherically.”
Kyle Harcott reviews the June 11th Vancouver performance by Lake Of Blood and Tempest at Garbage Mountain. Live concert photography by Siamak Amini.
Obscura – Omnivium
One believes that what makes Omnivium a successful album is that it is willing to take chances, whether it be playing a slower, more intricate melodic passage when the listener is expecting a battering ram riff, or indoctrinating your ears with further gravity blast bliss and shredding guitar when the average human’s arms and headbanging cranium would want to fly off.
Gideon Smith & the Dixie Damned – 30 Weight
Not quite what I expected, sort of a subpar Danzig I with a coupla country-fried tunes tacked on to the end.