Author: Sean Palmerston

  • Blind Guardian – At The Edge of Time

    Make no mistake, this is POWER metal. The songs on At The Edge of Time are arranged with a classical ear, the attention to detail on this album cannot be denied.

  • HELLBOUND RADIO: August 22nd, 2010 Playlist

    Jesus Christ…I go away for a month and everything goes to a shambles. The station from which we broadcast Hellbound Radio every Sunday has begun the process of being gutted in order to be moved to a still undetermined location sometime in the next nine months – nothing like planning ahead, eh? Half the college…

  • Roareth – Acts I-VI

    Although they aren’t too creative with the written word—all songs are entitled Acts I through VI, and the band name itself is cringe-worthy—Seattle’s Roareth does have something to offer musically with this, their debut album. Take Zoroaster circa Dog Magic, sprinkle in a few non-distorted slow passages a la Neurosis, and a handful of Cisneros…

  • Stratovarius – Polaris +live

    Pairing Polaris with a 14 track live disc recorded around the world, is a great move on Armoury’s part. It is a chance for fans and detractors to hear the new guitar player (Matias Kupianinen) in live action, and he more than stands up to the challenge. Recording this over a few shows means the…

  • Death Angel – Relentless Retribution

    The production and mix are crystal clear but there is a condensed and compressed feel to the overall sound. Killing Season had one of the best productions I’d heard in many years, organic and vibrant, and I think Relentless Retribution would have benefited from that same production. As would any record for that matter.

  • Fatality/ Terrorhorse/ Hallows Die @ El Mocambo, Toronto ON, August 6th 2010

    Natalie Zed reviews the August 6th performance of FATALITY, TERRORHORSE and HALLOWS DIE at the El Mocambo in Toronto, ON

  • Mares of Thrace @ Kilroys, Thunder Bay, ON, August 8th, 2010

    Mares of Thrace are one hell of a lot of fun to watch live and they will blow you away. If the new song they played at Kilroys is any indication (Pale Neck), their next record is also going to be a monster, possibly better than The Moulting but I’m not sure if that could…

  • Endless Boogie – Full House Head

    Picture a buncha hipsters jamming to Kyuss and The Stooges along with Mark Farner and company in a Brooklyn basement, and you’ve basically got the idea.

  • In Conversation With: Cynic’s Paul Masvidal

    “I’m interested in various philosophical perspectives in relation to the inner workings of the mind and how that relates to being a human on planet earth. So there’s this balance between earth and cosmos and merging micro with macro. Something as simple as observing a flower one can see the entire universe contained within it.…

  • Hero Destroyed – Throes

    The band sound like a mix of Burnt By the Sun and, in a way, Blessings the Hogs (but not as unfocused as BTH). Contained within the riffs are elements of thrash and hardcore but it’s a great blend, like nabob coffee or that guy on the donkey coffee. If you like modern metal with…