FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
I’d been looking forward to this gig as soon as it was announced. Underground doom metal legends Pagan Altar — on a Saturday, no less — supported by three of the biggest names in Canadian doom.
Since Hellbound.ca is a Canadian-owned and operated metal publication, we do things a little bit different than most. While 2013 was coming to a close we asked all of our contributors to pick their Top Canadian metal albums of the year. We then tabulated up their responses and have created our fifth annual Top 10 Canadian Metal Albums writers poll.
Please check out what our writers feel to be the best Canadian metal albums released in 2013.
“A smoke-filled backdrop and a barefoot bassist set the stage for vocalist/flautist/keyboardist Alia O’Brien to cast a spell over the crowd. Her seemingly effortless weaving between instruments, combined with undeniable natural charisma, made her a magnetic presence on stage.”
Danielle Griscti reviews the Toronto album release party by Blood Ceremony at the Horseshoe Tavern on Saturday, September 14th, which also featured Biblical and Cauchemar.
Here is what we played on the Sunday, July 14th edition of Hellbound Radio. Hellbound Radio happens Sundays 9 PM till midnight on INDI 101 FM.
Anyways, this is really only essential for Pagan Altar completists and mega-fans. If you haven’t heard these guys yet, seek out Volume 1 first (or Judgement of the Dead if you happen to find it on vinyl).
Last weekend, I was in Ottawa for the All That Is Heavy II doomfest, a six-band shindig featuring Blood Ceremony, Iron Man and Revelation, to name a few. This was the second notable doom-metal festival in Canada over the past few years, after Montreal is Doomed in December 2010, which happened to be Pagan Altar’s North American debut. (That was quite the nite for me, too!) So, when are we gonna see one of these things in Toronto? Don’t hold your breath…
Take this posting about the new Pagan Altar/Mirror of Deception split 7″, for instance, in which PA bassist Manny Cooke reveals that the song his band contributes is a guide track–not the full lineup, just Al & Terry Jones with a drum machine. What happens next can only be described as a flame war of epic proportions, the best bit of doom drama not involving Bobby Liebling since Andy Beresky’s epiphany.
What makes The Devil’s Blood successful is its masterful gift for restraint. The band knows how to hold back, painting a partial musical portrait consisting solely of shadows and allowing the listener to infer the details using that most horrifying of artists: the imagination.
Tate Bengston gives us a great review of the latest output from traditional metallers, The Devil’s Blood.
Multiple choice question: What shouldn’t you do at the onset of a cold?
A) Walk around outside in sub-zero temperatures
B) Drink half your age in beers
C) Stay out late past 3 am
D) All of the above
If you answered D, you’ll have how I spent last Saturday nite in Montreal.
Hellbound’s staff give our picks for Halloween-themed songs to coincide with one of our favourite holidays.