Neurosis – Honor Found in Decay
This is still a “metal” album, just one that defies quick-and-easy categorization. Not for the faint of spirit, but a long, strange trip for the rest of us…
Reviews
Samothrace – Reverence to Stone
On its surface, on a purely musical level, Reverence to Stone is a fantastic journey of ups and downs, rising to heights and crashing back down to earth, riding the waves and the winds of inner discovery. Add to that lyrics which can be interpreted in more than one way and you have an outstanding doom record itself worthy of reverence.
Candlemass – Psalms for the Dead
If they’re ending their careers on this note, well, they’ve left us with a solid token to remember them by.
Nightwish / Kamelot @ Center Stage, Atlanta GA, September 12 + 13, 2012
Justin Richardson reviews the September 12th and 13th performances by Nightwish and Kamelot at Atlanta’s Center Stage facility, done as a welcome to that weekend’s ProgPower USA festival.
Epic Kings and Idols: Devin Townsend Project / Katatonia / Paradise Lost / Stolen Babies @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, September 19, 2012
“With tour line-ups so diverse – much like metal in general – it’s not that common to run into a show where every band demands your equal attention (in anticipation, if not necessarily in performance). But the Epic Kings and Idols tour might have been custom designed for a metalhead like me, and even without a perfect execution this one ranks high amidst my favourite concerts of the year.”
Live review by Laura Wiebe, concert photos by Adam Wills
Kreator/ Accept/ Swallow the Sun @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto ON September 12th 2012
By Natalie Zed September marks the beginning of an extraordinary concert season in Toronto. Throughout the fall and winter, this city is being treated…
Iron Will paints a picture of strength, on stage and off, for death metal gladiators Kataklysm
“Director Tommy Jones captures the band’s stories of challenges and victories, both drunk and sober. Every. Single. One. You want an in-depth music documentary on a death metal band? This is it.”
Ola Mazzuca reviews Iron Will: 20 Years Determined, the new 2 DVD, 2CD compilation celebrating the first twenty years of Northern Hyperblast from Quebec death metal veterans Kataklysm.
Monuments – Gnosis
Blessed with a phenomenal level of skill and impressive forward thinking attitude, Monuments don’t deserve to be written off as trend-hoppers and “Gnosis” will have the naysayers eating their dust for a while to come.
Korpiklaani / Moonsorrow / Tyr / Metsatoll @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, August 30, 2012
On August 30th a terrific foursome of current folk metal acts descended on Toronto’s Opera House that included Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow, Tyr and Metsatoll. Laura Wiebe documents the evening’s activities, with live photography by Adam Wills.
The End Records – The Music For Nations Reissues Part One
Recently The End Records acquired the rights to the catalogue of Music For Nations, an excellent British label which closed its doors in 2004. When the label folded into Zomba Music, which was owned by BMG which is now owned by Universal, many of the ‘smaller’ releases were discontinued or lost. The End Records has jumped in and brought many of these releases back to North America, some for the first time as domestic releases. Since there are so many of these, I’m going to break them up into a few different articles (hope you don’t mind) and keep the reviews relatively short.
Review roundup by Jason Wellwood