FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
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.
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.
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 anticipate what was coming next…
Natalie Zed reviews the Saturday, May 8th performance by UK prog rock veterans Porcupine Tree at Toronto’s Sound Academy. Concert photography by Adam Wills.
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.
Virion is without a doubt one of the most original, incredible, and downright vitriolic records I have heard in a very long time.
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…
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.
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!
…provided that you live south of the border, that is. A little while back I asked Andy from Black Pyramid if they’d ever come to Toronto, and was told that, unfortunately, they aren’t such nice guys after all. (Point taken.) Fortunately, I can still get across the border, so I’ll be seeing them in Buffalo on Wednesday nite.
Worm Ouroboros dive in without hesitation, never shy about setting themselves adrift on the musical currents they generate. On the surface, they wallow in beauty and atmosphere. But after repeated listens you can get beneath the surface, into the substrata of the songs themselves, which is where this album’s rewards really dwell.