Author: Natalie Zed

Shooting Guns: dealing some heavy instrumental magic

When it comes to the metal aesthetic many bands feel they need to choose the route of texture or torture. Bands decide whether to build weapons or evoke atmospheres with their sound, and to focus on the ephemeral often means leaving a sense of visceral threat behind. After all, smoke cannot hurt us, and shadows…

March 12, 2014
Kreator/ Accept/ Swallow the Sun @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto ON September 12th 2012

By Natalie Zed September marks the beginning of an extraordinary concert season in Toronto. Throughout the fall and winter, this city is being treated to an incredible run of shows, when we’re already spoiled for choice during the leanest time. In many ways, this particular show, featuring the spectacular lineup of Kreator, Accept and Swallow…

September 21, 2012
Corrosion of Conformity/ Torche/ Black Cobra/ Gaza @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, June 21 2012

Natalie Zed reviews the June 21st Toronto performance by Corrosion of Conformity, Torche, Black Cobra and Gaza at the Opera House. Live photos by Albert Mansour

August 13, 2012
Volbeat/ The Sleeping/ Dommin @ the Mod Club, Toronto ON, August 17, 2010

“I have no bone to pick with VOLBEAT at all. Their heavy metal/rockabilly/early rock’n’roll gangster aesthetic is fantastic. They’re greasy, twangy and a hell of a lot of fun to see live. Michael Poulsen embodies their sound: lean, punchy muscles, the lines of his brow and cheekbone just a little haggard from hard living, slicked…

August 20, 2010
Portal/ Krallice/ Bloody Panda @ Mohawk Place, Buffalo NY May 24, 2010

The energy that Portal projected, both in their music and their sheer physical presence, was overwhelming. Every gesture that The Curator made was impossibly intense. I spent the entire set staring wildly up at the band, certain that any moment something Very Bad was going to happen. They’re masters at wielding this carefully managed sense…

May 27, 2010