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Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction – We Are Volsung

People reading this review will probably be split in two groups: the people who have no frackin’ clue who Zodiac Mindwarp is and the people who thought he died after 1988’s Tattooed Beat Messiah. There might be a couple of you who know that Zodiac has been (not so) quietly making new records and playing gigs ever since being dropped from his label in 1990. However, this is the first record in 20 years that actually has a label attached to it with any sort of clout and SPV have jumped on at an absolutely brilliant point. We Are Volsung is a monster hard rock record!

Jason Wellwood praises the latest release from the relatively obscure Zodiac Mindwarp, who together with The Love Reaction, have released a gem entitled “We Are Volsung”

KYLESA – Spiral Shadow

But the album’s triumph for me, without question, is the majestic, heartfelt (hell, almost power-pop!) pageantry of “Don’t Look Back”; its two-note clarion-call intro causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up every time I listen– and the lyrics and vocals propel the song into sheer anthemic glory.

Hellbound’s Kyle Harcott reviews Kylesa’s latest effort, entitled Spiral Shadow, released on Season of Mist.

CONTEST: Win Nachtmystium tickets!!

Our good friends over at Collective Concerts have given Hellbound 2 pairs of tickets to see Nachtmystium on their Toronto stop of their North American tour! As the show is THIS Saturday (September 11, 2010), the contest will be open until Friday morning at 8am, so ensure to enter now!

Melvins @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, September 1st, 2010

“The best part of the show outside of a really awesome 20-song setlist was watching drummers Coady Willis and Dale Crover play. I’d seen the band in Detroit last year and even though the duo has drummed together for almost four years, Willis seemed more confident on this stop. Crover was still in command, but while they played mostly in tandem and both were decked out in what looked like vintage muumuus castoffs from a Liza Minnelli video shoot circa 1983, you could really see their different playing styles, and there were more individual flourishes evident in their new material than ever before.”

Laina Dawes reviews the September 1st performance by the MELVINS at Toronto`s Opera House. Concert photography by Adam Wills

Aborted/ Augury/ System Divide/ Horde of Worms @ Sneaky Dee’s, Toronto ON, August 28th 2010

“Only in death metal can you seriously announce that the next song is about the secret shadow-dwellers who live underground, have the room nod along seriously and then play a blisteringly brilliant song without a hint of irony. It’s damn fun to play mind-bogglingly intricate, complex music and still assert that the subject matter is inspired by psychic vampires. It is excellent, serious music delivered with charm, humour and monsters — there is nothing not to love.”

Natalie Zed reviews the August 28th Toronto performance by ABORTED, AUGURY and SYSTEM DIVIDE at Sneaky Dee’s. Live photos by Adam Wills.

Enslaved – Axioma Ethica Odini

Despite some jagged rhythms and an unexpected groove Axioma Ethica Odini flows consistently to an abrupt not-quite conclusion, so that finally I’m perplexed but also persuaded that I want to work my way through it all again until I fully understand.