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Features, Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 30, 2011

Hauntingly Epic: Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, and Musk Ox @ London Music Hall, March 25th, 2011

“The stage set-up slowly began to take shape and the smell of woodsy incense filled the air. As the cello notes of a recorded ‘They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness‘ floated through the venue, the shapes of the men behind Agalloch could be seen readying their instruments through a smoky haze lit by pale lighting.”

Jonathan Smith encounters Portland, Oregon’s Agalloch, who recently stopped in London, Ontario along with Worm Ouroboros and Musk Ox. Photo evidence from Adam Wills.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio March 30, 2011

Within Temptation – The Unforgiving

It might be considered blasphemy from a metal perspective, but from a purely pop-oriented point of view, where Within Temptation is concerned, “heavy” doesn’t necessarily equate “better”. They’ve always been a pop act at heart; whenever they’ve dragged out the heavy riffs or the goth clichés in the past, it’s felt a bit on the forced side. When they’re in full pop rock mode, though, they’re in their element, and The Unforgiving plays to those strengths, at times exceptionally well.

Blogs, Headline, Jay Gorania, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 28, 2011

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 2

“It was SXSW in Austin, so hell, we just decided to party. While hanging out on 6th Street, we were encountered by a rapper pushing his product. It’s normal for independent artists to either talk up, give away or sell their music at SXSW, but this chap obviously lacked common sense by trying to interest us in his rap project. Granted, people like all kinds of music nowadays, but did it really make sense for a rapper to approach a group full of dirty long-haired or head-shaven guys wearing metal shirts? I suppose my friend unintentionally baited him by somewhat loudly talking about Watain, the satanic Swedish black metal band. But that’s not what rap dude overheard. “Wu-Tang? Did somebody say Wu-Tang?”

Watain. Not Wu-Tang. We tried to correct him, but he interrupted us. “If y’all like Wu-Tang, you’re gonna love this!” I have his promo copy somewhere, and I’m sure it’ll make for a great coffee coaster once I find it.”

The second and final installment of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of the 2011 edition of the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio March 24, 2011

Devil – Magister Mundi Xum (Demo)

By all means, Magister Mundi Xum is hit-and-miss – when it does hit, it’s pretty damn fun. Look past the recording quality, the at-times downright-goofy lyrics, and you might dig this as much as I did. Will be interesting to see what they come up with on their upcoming full-length.

Blogs, Featured, Jay Gorania, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 24, 2011

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 1

If the cataclysmic, earthquaking rumble beneath Japan was felt stateside, it was surely through Yob’s bottom-heavy, Sabbath-via-Cathedral-and-Sleep riffs. Their music and vocals and presence were passionate and ritualistic. Because of the repetitive nature of the riff-driven madness, the songs stay with you long after they’ve finished playing, bouncing around from synapse-to-synapse in your tenderized gray matter.

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live March 23, 2011

Rotting Christ / Melechesh / Hate / Abigail Williams / Lecherous Nocturne @The Mod Club, Toronto ON, March 16th, 2011

“Rotting Christ’s set itself was everything I expected from the veteran black metallers: heavy as hell while never becoming mired in sludge, always scorching in its intensity. The band were also having a damn good time on stage; vocalist Sakis Tolis spent the entire set snarling and grinning.”

Natalie Zed reviews the Toronto appearance from the Greek outfit, Rotting Christ, supported by Mesopotamian metallers Melechesh, Hate and more. Live photos by Adam Wills