Reviews

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Live April 23, 2012

Turisas/ Alestorm/ Ex Deo/ Arkona/ Huntress/ Protokult @ The Opera House, Toronto ON, April 2nd, 2012

“There is something about Paganfest that is magical. Someone on my Twitter feed referred to it as “the Comic-Con of metal shows” and I can’t think of a more apt description. The cosplayers were certainly out in force, from warriors carrying drinking horns and wearing utili-kilts to pirate wenches in striped tights. Before a single note was played, I saw foam swords, pirate flags, inflatable moneys, and even one memorable chain mail bikini. This show was all about the pageantry, about proclaiming your allegiance to one of the pagan metal subcultures, whether that be Russian folk or Roman Centurion. It made the audience a part of the entertainment, and made the ridiculous length of the show a lot more bearable.”

Natalie Zed reviews the April 2nd Toronto performance of the 2012 travelling Paganfest featuring Turisas, Alestorm, Ex Deo and more.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio April 18, 2012

Eluveitie – Helvetios

Swiss death folk leaders Eluveitie return with a rustic record of wood-burning, raw depth. Helvetios fuses century old elements with a modern metal tone that support each other like a horde facing battle.

Heritage Hunter Snacks
Headline, Reviews, Reviews - Live April 10, 2012

Opeth / Mastodon / Ghost @ Sony Centre, Toronto ON, April 7, 2012

“Most readers of Hellbound are probably familiar with the typical metal venue – sticky floors, questionable washrooms, a dimly lit stage, and a sound system that only the most experienced sound engineers can master. But every once in awhile, we get treated to a special show, where a venue has as much to do with the atmosphere as the performance itself. Saturday’s Heritage Hunter Tour stop in Toronto, which took place at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, was one of these rare occurrences, and believe me, this was indeed something special.”

Live review and photos by Adam Wills.

Featured, Reviews, Reviews - Audio April 6, 2012

Psycroptic – The Inherited Repression

Upon first listen, Psycroptic sound like the spawn of Decapitated and Nile, which is why it’s no surprise that they’ve toured with both. Yes, this sound has been practiced and produced times before, but the recycling process doesn’t make the record a boring listen. Psycroptic respect the art of their progenitors in an attempt to make it their own. They’re far from an only child mentality as everyone in this band gets their time to shine.