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Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live September 19, 2011

VREID / KAMPFAR / NECRONOMICON/ SCYTHIA @ Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC, September 5, 2011

“Luckily, it was Kampfar who delivered that adrenaline-shot of what I needed. Taking to the stage with ‘Mare’, from their most recent album of the same name, the band proceeded to blow the doors off with an unrelenting set that not only roared far louder and rawer than they do on record, but also proceeded to garner them the largest crowd of the night. The pagan and folk influences I’d read so much about were barely there, foregone in favor of a very straight-to-the-jugular approach.”

Live review by Kyle Harcott; Concert photography by Ted Reckoning

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live September 9, 2011

WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM/ THOU/ THANTIFAXATH/ GATES @Soybomb, Toronto ON, September 6, 2011

“Pausing only to remind the crowd to not take flash photos and to thank people for coming out, the band tore their way through three other songs (including a particularly inspired rendition of “I Will Lay Down My Bones Among The Rocks and Roots”). One of the appeals of a Wolves in the Throne Room performance is their ability to put their music where their mouth is and concentrate solely on creating a wall of atmospheric, ambient noise as opposed to highlighting individual performances.”

Jonathan Smith reviews the September 6th Toronto performance by Wolves In The Throne Room, Thou and more.

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live September 2, 2011

Vreid / Kampfar / Necronomicon @ Annex Wreckroom, Toronto ON, August 25, 2011

“Also hailing from Norway, black metal unit Vreid filled the headlining position and performed what was unquestionably the strongest set of the night. In contrast to the theatricality of the other bands’ appearances, Vreid adopted a simple, almost military look for their style and dress. They performed with much more energy than the other acts and were very much in control of the stage and the audience from the moment they stepped out.”

Natalie Zed reviews the August 25th Toronto performances by VREID, KAMPFAR and NECRONOMICON at the Annex Wreckroom

Articles, Features, Headline August 30, 2011

Paul Speckmann: The Hellbound Interview

Paul Speckmann has been playing death metal longer than many fans of the genre have been walking the planet. The Chicago native started his long-running project Master in 1983. He’s also played with other bands including War Cry, Abominator and the Czech death metal band Krabathor. Dark Descent Records recently reissued his early band Death Strike’s demo Fuckin’ Death. Speckmann recently talked to Hellbound’s Justin M. Norton about the early days of Chicago death metal and his new life in Eastern Europe from his home in the Czech Republic.

Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live August 29, 2011

Toxic Holocaust/ Inepsy/ Holy Grail/ Kommando @ Annex Wreckroom, Toronto ON, August 21, 2011

“Predictably, Toxic Holocaust delivered on the challenge laid down by Inepsy. Their set was a riot — pure, dirty thrash glee. The band are touring to support new album Conjure and Command, an excellent full-length with no pretensions and profoundly catchy songs.”

Natalie Zed reviews the August 21st Toronto performance by TOXIC HOLOCAUST, INEPSY, HOLY GRAIL and KOMMANDO at the Annex Wreckroom. Live photos by Albert Mansour.

Articles, Features, Headline August 25, 2011

Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy: The Hellbound Interview

“We’ve accumulated a very dedicated hardcore fan-base. This kind of liberates you, because we kind of feel nowadays we can pretty much do anything we want, and we don’t have anything to lose because we are in the lucky position that we don’t have any pressure from the label. They never told us what to do from the beginning, and now we’re very established and, well, and we don’t wanna become the next big thing.”

Jay H. Gorania in conversation with Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy

Featured, Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live August 17, 2011

Mares of Thrace / Vilipend / Enabler / Godstopper @ The Shop, Toronto ON, August 12, 2011

“The attention Mares of Thrace have received has not only been deserved, but they’ve carried it with an incredible amount of grace. The doom-lady duo have taken their exposure and used it as motivation to become even better performers. Their sound, even at its most droning, is now more elegant, the explosions of energy more accurate and precise. They have retained an organic roar to the music, especially the immense “General Sherman,” which evokes blood pounding through a body.”

Live concert review by Natalie Zed, Photos by Adam Wills