Author: Sean Palmerston

  • Laethora – The Light in Which We All Burn

    Formed five years ago by founding Dark Tranquillity guitarist Niklas Sundin and three former members of goth veterans the Provenance, Laethora wastes absolutely no time in giving Swedish death metal fans exactly what they crave: bruising, punishing riffs and grooves reminiscent of great bands like Entombed and Unleashed.

  • Aun /Habsyll – Split LP

    All in all, this split LP is a challenging listen, especially if you are not the biggest fan of drone like me. Ultimately, I found it rewarding, but only as background music.

  • Manitoba Metal Fest 2010: Part Two

    For the next hour and half Brutal Truth kept going. They filled their set with gems from their back-catalogue and a heavy dose of tracks off Evolution Through Revolution. At one point in the set Kevin Sharp announced “I’m Henry Winkler and I need some booze goddamnit!” The crowd loved every minute of it. I…

  • Manitoba Metal Fest 2010: Part One

    I think it was about six or seven months ago that I saw “Brutal Truth to Play Manitoba Metal Fest,” come across the metal news ticker and I was immediately intrigued. I had never been to Winnipeg, but for some reason the thought of Brutal Truth playing there seemed epic and strange and film worthy:…

  • Porcupine Tree @ Sound Academy, Toronto, ON, May 8, 2010

    Were this simply an auditory barrage (which I am more than familiar with), I might have had more resistance. But it was much more than that. This show was a carefully orchestrated, beautifully curated performance. The video accompaniment interesting and tasteful, and varied enough that I was never able to settle fully into it or…

  • Sectioned – Purulent Reality

    Purulent Reality is best compared to an unstoppable force that can take a great deal of abuse, simply shedding off its damaged layers while continuing the charge. The album makes no apologies about the fact that it demands to be played from start to finish and allowed to burn itself out.

  • The Sequence Of Prime – Virion

    Virion is without a doubt one of the most original, incredible, and downright vitriolic records I have heard in a very long time.

  • Eyehategod / Iron Age / The Roller @ Emo’s, Austin, TX, May 7, 2010

    Concert review by Jay H. Gorania Like incense burning prior to a ritual, the scent of Mary Jane preceded EYEHATEGOD’s entrance onto Emo’s indoor stage. A sold-out show, the sweaty heathens on hand were crammed like sardines (and they didn’t smell much better). The anticipation was almost tangible because this wasn’t just any Eyehategod gig.…

  • Bring Me The Horizon – Suicide Season (Deluxe Edition)

    Overall, yes, this offering is brimming with value but the jury is out on whether or not that’s impulse or extended. Still, with its improved quality, bountiful bonuses and footing in solid new school ‘core, there have been far worse ways to part with hard-earned dollars than Suicide Season’s Deluxe version.

  • Uriah Heep – Celebration

    Despite having only one original member, the band’s brand new album Celebration delivers to all their fans a fourteen track collection with an absolutely crushing set list. This celebration of forty years of rock is an album that has it all!