Antigama: Warning
Although this is the fifth full length album from this polish death metal/ grindcore band, this is their first CD I have had the opportunity to listen to and I have to say it’s a killer.
death metal
Dreaming Dead: Within One
Hailing from Los Angeles, Dreaming Dead’s Within One is a memorable and catchy debut album from the band. The music is a blackened mixture of death metal and thrash, and for the most part the combination works here.
Jungle Rot: What Horrors Await
Back with their sixth full length CD is this old school death metal band which emerged in the mid ’90’s. There is an undeniable influence of Slayer, Sodom and Obituary on this band from Kenosha, Wisconsin; this album is by far is a lot tighter than other albums I’ve purchased by them in the past. From
Fatalist: Rechanneling Swedish Death Metal In Ventura County
While the classic Swedish death metal scene of the late eighties and early nineties has influenced today’s scene immeasurably, there are legions of new metal fans today that have yet to discover classic bands like Nihilist, Carnage, Unleashed and Grave. The retro thrash movement is of course all the rage as of late, but not a lot of new bands have yet to pay homage to those classics captured in the formative days of Stockholm’s Sunlight Studios. Ventura County, California based quartet Fatalist is one band that would like to try and help reintroduce that classic Swedish sound to the burgeoning metal masses.
Fleshgod Apocalypse: Oracles
It goes without saying that classical music and metal have always complemented each other very well, from Concerto for Group and Orchestra to Death Cult Armageddon, from Malmsteen to Suicmez, so when we see a straight-up death metal band attempt to enhance their music with orchestral pieces, our reaction isn’t so much surprise as, it had to happen sooner or later.
Woods of Ypres, Elevator 22, Will of the Ancients, Musk Ox, Seras @ Club Absinthe, Hamilton, ON
It was a night of firsts and lasts – the first Hamilton appearance of Ontario’s independent Woods of Ypres, and the last show for local legends Elevator 22.
Hooded Menace: Fulfill The Curse
Known for their decidedly old school style death metal releases – we’re talking in the vein of Impetigo, (the Canadian) Slaughter and Repulsion here folks – it makes total sense that this album could have only come out on Razorback Records.
Opeth: Watershed
With 2008 proving to be a stellar year for great releases from veteran bands, no one album stands out so clearly from the pack as this, the newest offering by Sweden’s Opeth.
Opeth / High On Fire: Centennial Hall, London ON September 21
No fanfare. Zero theatrics. A barren stage except for the musicians, their instruments, amplification and a simple backdrop sporting their logo is all that Sweden’s Opeth (pictured) needed to entertain the nearly 900-strong crowd.