Tag: review
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Ne Obliviscaris – Urn
The music on this album is massive. But is it good? Do I like it? I have listened to this album on repeat for a few weeks now, and I am still asking myself this. On paper, I should love this. Ne Obliviscaris is an extreme prog metal band with a unique sound and some…
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Elder – Reflections of a Floating World
Elder’s last album, Lore, finished pretty high on a lotta year-end lists a couple years back, and I suspect this one will as well. Although it was released back in June, I did not have the chance to get my hands on Reflections until I saw ‘em in concert last weekend—but if their live set…
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The Obsessed – self titled (reissue)
When Wino brought back The Obsessed with a RINO (reunion in name only) album earlier this year, it was very well received. Even if the other musicians who played on Sacred weren’t previously part of the band’s lineup, it was good to hear the man slinging some killer riffs like back in the day. But…
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The Limehouse Golem
The Limehouse Golem is the best new film I’ve seen thus far this year. I will give no spoilers, save to say that this is a superb horror-thriller set in Victorian London, with Police Inspector John Kildare (Bill Nighy) trying to catch the titular Limehouse Golem (a Ripper-esque killer… or is it?). No, rather than revealing…
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Pale Mare – self-titled EP
This local sludge/noise trio has already opened for the likes of Weedeater and Windhand—and they don’t even have an album out. Apparently, they’re working on their first full-length effort, but in the meantime, this three-song EP from Pale Mare will have to tide us over. “Carthage” kicks things off with a rumble, picking up the…
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AFTERSHOCK, Sacramento CA, 21-22 October 2017
Monster Energy AFTERSHOCK Festival’s sixth installment has come and gone, but the music, memories and the smell of California’s finest still lingers in the air. The festivities took place once again this year in Sacramento’s beautiful Discovery Park. With the weather in late October fully cooperating and temperatures in the mid-70’s the festival couldn’t have…
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Aura Noir @ Hard Luck Bar, Toronto, 13 October 2017
Finally, one of the best black thrash metal bands crash lands in Toronto! Norway’s self-proclaimed ugliest band in the world, Aura Noir, are on their maiden North American tour and it feels like a long time coming. Formed in the nastier corners of Oslo in 1993, this three-piece are the masters of blistering bitching black thrash,…
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Electric Wizard – Wizard Bloody Wizard
Much like Lee Dorrian rallying against occult doom while simultaneously profiting from it with Rise Above Records, something about the pre-release press for this new Electric Wizard record has rubbed me the wrong way. It seems Jus Oborn has also jumped on the “modern metal is lame” bandwagon, hailing the new album as a “return…
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Acherontas @ 211 Augusta, Toronto, 27 October 2017
Recently, a couple of Greek black metal acts surprise the underground by being fortunate enough to cross the Atlantic and subsequently performing in Toronto, namely Varathon and Kawir. Now it’s time for the mystical horde Acherontas to take over the city for the first time ever. This Hellenic force has been rising rapidly in the…
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Iron Monkey – 9-13
In case you missed it, there’s been a big 90’s sludge revival of late. Some of the guys in Grief are playing shows as Come to Grief, Cavity is reuniting for Days of Darkness, and now Iron Monkey returns with their first album in almost 20 years. Not that I’m complaining—I’d take any of these…