Reviews

Eluveitie/ Death Angel/ 3 Inches of Blood/ Holy Grail/ Lazarus A.D./ System Divide @ The Opera House, Toronto, ON, February 6, 2011

If the large crowd at The Opera House on Sunday night was any indication then it would be fair to assume that metal heads aren’t really into football. It’s either that or the allure of two very different tours meeting up for one show right here in T.O. was too intriguing to pass up, or at least more intriguing than commercials and chilli. Death Angel vs. Eluveitie? Now there’s a matchup to sink your teeth into! If you couldn’t make it, never fear because Hellbound’s own metal insiders Natalie Zed and Renée Trotier were on hand to bring you the play by play. With photos by Adam Wills

Eastern Front – Blood on Snow

While it’s not clear how educational their first full-length record might be, musically it’s entertaining enough. Blood on Snow is mostly black metal with some death metal influences thrown in, just enough to distinguish themselves from the pack of BM artists that are circulating right now.

Stratovarius – Elysium

Unfortunately Elysium (the album) fails to meet the expectations that Polaris set out. I really wanted to love this album and gave it more listens than normal but I came out loving parts and feeling very ambiguous about others. The band has managed to create an awesome half record, while the rest is ‘okay’. That said it’s a damn sight better than the Elements albums!

Motörhead – Overkill

Overkill is the album that spawned all your favorite bands. Overkill is the album that gave way to the ‘Trick Question, Lemmy IS god!’ punch line. Overkill is the album that earned Motörhead their rightful, center-throne seat as one-third of the Holy Triumvirate of Rock’n’Roll. It goes without saying, but Overkill should be mandatory listening for any child who displays even the slightest notion of interest in rock and roll, perhaps even at as early a stage as the womb. Only calling Overkill ‘essential’ is half-hearted and weak, because Overkill is the be-all, end-all of Motörhead.

Iron Man – The Passage

After reissuing their debut album Black Night, Shadow Kingdom now brings us a new pressing of The Passage, the stellar sophomore album from Maryland doomsters Iron Man. Album number two was a huge step forward for the trad doom outfit, as it saw the welcoming of new singer Dan Michalak into the fold, along with future Spirit Caravan/Pentagram drummer Gary Isom.

Motörhead – Another Perfect Day

Literally, a “dark horse” is an unexpected or unknown victor, a competitor that defies the odds, mocks the prognosticators, and pulls off a win that nobody saw coming. While its short game may have fizzled and its medium game may have been relegated to disowned curiosity, Another Perfect Day’s long game has proven durable and significant to an extent that nobody could have anticipated.

70000 TONS OF METAL Cruise Recap Part 4

This marks the final part of our coverage of the 70000 TONS OF CRUISE festival, recapping the activities of day four on the boat. This was a full day at sea with music from early morning until the late hours of the evening.

In our fourth installment, Adrien, Kevin and Sean review live sets by SANCTUARY, VOIVOD, RAVEN, DEATH ANGEL, TESTAMENT and more. Live photos by Albert Mansour.