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Still Seeking Out “Uncharted Territory”: Devin Townsend Talks Seriousness, Humour and “Interesting” Art

“I think that with these two recent records, Deconstruction and Ghost – specifically with Deconstruction in my head, I can probably write this sort of Andrew Lloyd Webber-esque sort of absurdity that, if I was in a genre which afforded me the opportunity to really go for it on the level that they’re able to do with The Lion King or The Phantom of the Opera, it would be, in my opinion, just this completely free piece of work that has no creative limits and no boundaries, and that includes everything from like the most vulgar to the most beautiful.”

Laura Wiebe in conversation with the one and only Devin Townsend.

Cancer Bats Born Again as… Bat Sabbath!

On July 10, 2011 Toronto heavy rockers Cancer Bats went through some changes. Liam Cormier, Scott Middleton, Mike Peters and Jaye Schwarzer were swept into a void at the Sonisphere Festival in Stevenage, England, and when they re-emerged they became… Bat Sabbath, a hardcore Black Sabbath cover band. The Bat’s set, which was meant to be a one-off post-Slipknot after-party, attracted 5,000 bangers. More importantly, it captured the imagination of promoters. As such, starting this December, inbetween recording sessions for their fourth full-length album, Bat Sabbath will once again emerge from that hole in the sky and perform 11 dates across central Ontario and Quebec.

Aaron Brophy interviews Bat Sabbath’s Liam Cormier about this upcoming December tour

Rodney “Anonymous” Linderman of The Dead Milkmen: The Hellbound Interview

Rodney “Anonymous” Linderman is on the phone. And he’s not sure he’s reached the right Hellbound. “I’ve looked at your website and I just see death metal bands” he says. “I don’t want to be a Justin Bieber in a group of Glenn Danzigs.” Hellbound assures him he’s reached the right publication and that we want to speak to him. And why wouldn’t we? As vocalist and keyboardist of The Dead Milkmen, Linderman played a key role in 1980s American punk rock and was among the first underground artists to be featured on MTV. He dissed Motley Crue when glam ruled metal and made subversive songs that somehow got radio play.

It’s Kvlt to Eat Your Vegetables: Vegan Black Metal Chef’s Pad Thai

“I like my metal and I like my vegan food, so I couldn’t help but be delighted when earlier this year Vegan Black Metal Chef videos started circulating via Twitter and other social media: black metal aesthetics and meat, dairy, and egg-free cooking in a delightfully over-the-top combination.”

Laura Wiebe, Mark Coatsworth and Adam Wills made the Vegan Black Metal Chef’s Pad Thai. Photos by Adam Wills

KNOWING YOUR HERITAGE WHILE LOOKING AHEAD: Opeth/Katatonia @ Guelph Concert Theatre, October 30th, 2011

“Opeth have reached a strange point in their career. Despite their ability to pack the house, it was clear that the evening’s choice of songs would have been better suited to a more intimate environment. I was actually surprised that the band didn’t decide to play Heritage in its entirety. It seemed like it would have been an easy-enough thing to do, and it was not as though they contrasted their newer songs with the heaviest of the old.”

Jonathan Smith reviews the October 30th performances by Opeth and Katatonia in Guelph, Ontario. Live photos by Adam Wills.

In Memory of Siege vocalist Kevin Mahoney (September 6, 1965 – October 14, 2011)

Earlier this month SIEGE vocalist Kevin Mahoney died at the age of 46. And although his tenure in this legendary US fast hardcore band was short, their Drop Dead demo pretty much started grindcore and powerviolience. Hellbound’s Jay H. Gorania has collected the thoughts of some of the leaders in grindcore and sludge, including members of NAPALM DEATH, EYEHATEGOD, EXIT-13, KILL THE CLIENT, SOILENT GREEN and more to get their reactions on the sudden passing of Kevin and the impact that his created art has had on their scene.

DRAGONFORCE GETS GRILLED BY A NINE-YEAR-OLD

Ever wonder what would happen if you let a nine year old kid interview their favourite band? We over at Hellbound did, so we arranged for nine year old Sam Stewart-Panko to interview guitarists Sam Totman and Herman Li from his favourite band, Dragonforce. Here’s an interview you don’t want to miss.