Hatesphere: To The Nines
To The Nines is the most recent release spawned by Dansk melodic death metallers’ Hatesphere. There is something about Hatesphere that separate them from all the rest.
Suidakra: Crogacht
Germany’s Suidakra return shining bright with their 9th studio effort, Crogacht (meaning – bravery).
Judas Priest @ Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto ON, July 9, 2009
In celebration of the 30th anniversary of their landmark album British Steel, Judas Priest returned to Toronto’s Molson Amphitheatre for one of their best shows in recent years.
The Legion: A Bliss To Suffer
The third offering from Sweden’s The Legion, A Bliss To Suffer doesn’t wait to try and crush its listeners. Even with a sprinkling of instrumental spots here and an added sound effect there, the core black/death elements emerge from the beginning of opening track “Shining Redemption” and remain more or less consistent throughout the album as a whole.
Leif Edling: Songs of Torment, Songs of Joy
A quick historical run down here: Leif Edling began his musical career in the Stockholm, Sweden based hard rock act Trilogy in the late 70s where he worked alongside drummer Håkan “Ian” Haugland, later of Europe. In 1985, Leif launched his groundbreaking doom metal band Candlemass who became well-known worldwide for its fresh pioneering sound
Gojira: Death Metal From the Soul
Back in the day, the pounding, clanging and grinding sounds of Birmingham, England’s ubiquitous industrial work provided a great wealth of inspiration for the thunderous sounds of metal’s forefathers in Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. Similarly, having grown up in the southwest of France in Bayonne, the members of Gojira are very familiar with the undeniable power of the Atlantic Ocean’s waves, and they’ve sought to emulate that power in a musical format. And with success, their dynamic and grooving, Morbid Angel-esque pummeling rises like a climbing wave before climatically crashing down.
Having just announced new fall tour dates supporting Metallica in the USA, Jay Gorania speaks to Joe Duplantier about life,death and metal.
Heaven & Hell: The Devil You Know
While Heaven & Hell has proved itself as formidable of a live act now as it was first time around in 1981, The Devil You Know is a decent album but unfortunately it isn’t as great as it possibly could have been.
Woods Of Ypres, Elevator 22, Will of the Ancients, Musk Ox, Seras @ Club Absinthe, Hamilton, ON (2nd review)
With a Napalm Death concert happening nearby in Toronto on the same night, GTA concert goers were somewhat spoiled for choice on May 15th. Within that context, the crowd that came out to see Woods of Ypres’ debut Hamilton performance on May 15th was relatively small but dedicated to the Canadian group’s unique brand of black- and folk- inflicted metal.
Rumpelstiltskin Grinder: Living For Death, Destroying The Rest
Contrary to their name, the bizarre album cover and the somewhat disturbing images of the quartet in the liner notes, Rumpelstilskin Grinder is a serious band – perhaps too serious.
Goatwhore, Abigail Williams, DÅÅTH, Abysmal Dawn, SWWAATS @ Walker’s, Saskatoon, SK, July 6, 2009
It was already very cool to have one of the more interesting, eclectic metal tours of the summer run through my city, but to have the five-band Conquer & Curse Tour play a tiny place not much bigger than someone’s rumpus room made it all the more enjoyable.