Sean Palmerston

Sean is the founder/publisher of Hellbound.ca; he has also written about metal for Exclaim!, Metal Maniacs, Roadburn, Unrestrained! and Vice.

Soulfly – Omen

The thing about Omen is that it feels like Soulfly is running through the motions in a lot of ways. The clue to that lies (again) in the Jeffrey Dahmer referencing; the cannibal was arrested and tossed in the can in 1992. He died in ’94; this was the best the band could do?

Book review – Only Death is Real: An Illustrated History of Hellhammer and Early Celtic Frost 1981–1985

Like many pioneers, Hellhammer took their lumps from everyone, including its own members. They were hobbled by geography and underdeveloped talent, but they built a great mystique around themselves as they toiled to spread their malodorous gospel, only to be sent back to the drawing board after every recording session and demo release. This unlikely but glorious book celebrates their restless existence and enduring influence. It all goes to prove that history—this little slice of history, anyway—is written by the victors.

Rob Hughes reviews the new Hellhammer photo/history book, Only Death Is Real, released recently by Bazillion Points.

Triumfall – Antithesis of All Flesh

While those burnt out on their black metal will probably want to stay away for now, sub-genre aficionados will find things they enjoy in Antithesis of All Flesh. It’s the bigger black metal fans, in all likelihood, that Triumfall are aiming to attract in the first place.

16 Volt/ Chemlab/ Left Spine Down @ Neu+ral, Toronto, ON, May 10, 2010

16 Volt is the project of Eric Powell. The tour included KMFDM’s Steve White. For a group that included some borrowed musicians due to the inability for some of the regular players to cross the border, the sound was quite cohesive. While Powell may not be personable with the crowd as Louche he still knew how to engage the audience in what he was doing. It does help to be playing well written songs that people couldn’t help but start moving along too.

Watain: The Hellbound Interview

This kind of music attracts people that want to explore the dark , the kinds of things within that want to have an outlet and want to be manifested in reality, in your life. Black metal is one way of letting this side manifest.

Justin M. Norton in conversation with Erik Danielsson of Watain on the eve of the release of their new album for Season of Mist, entitled Lawless Darkness.

3 Inches of Blood/ Goatwhore/ Burning the Day @ Mod Club, Toronto ON, May 13, 2010

There is something solid, straightforward, almost wholesome about 3 Inches of Blood’s brand of traditional heavy metal that is particularly satisfying. Cam Pipes sang about orcs and hammers while unleashing a series of throaty old-school wails—what was there not to love?

Natalie Zed reviews the May 13th Toronto performance by 3 Inches of Blood and Goatwhore at the Mod Club