Tag: review
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Slagduster – Deadweight
I have heard a lot of original monikers for bands in my time, but Slagduster is one of the most original (it’s the name of a piece of mine machinery from over a century ago). This four-piece from Grand Forks, B.C., plays progressive metal in the vein of Gojira, Voivod, Sikth, Meshuggah, Dillinger Escape Plan, and…
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Origin – Unparalleled Universe
“Oh, wow” were literally the first two words out of my mouth when I hit play on this behemoth of bombast. Fans of Origin, death metal, technical precision and speed will have found their new canon in Unparalleled Universe, the band’s Nuclear Blast debut. Seriously aggressive and technical are obvious descriptors for any of Origin’s…
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Deity – Deity
With a name like Deity (which means ‘Godhead; the Supreme Being; a fabulous god or goddess, a divinity’), this band have a lot to live up to, a self-imposed high water mark if you will. One the whole Deity more than do their moniker justice. Moreover, while being true to their death metal roots (indeed…
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Five Horse Johnson – Jake Leg Boogie
Five Horse Johnson, one of the best Clutch-adjacent (as in, this ain’t Clutch, but it’s Clutch-adjacent!) bands going, is back and burning beards with its eighth studio album, out on Small Stone Records. It’s hard to think of another band that’s been playing this heavy, hazy blend of blues-rock for 20+ years—aside from, y’know, Captain…
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Sigil – Kingdom of the Grave
Sigil have produced a most assured debut. Influenced by the likes of Discharge, Entombed, Black Breath, Death, Immolation and Morbid Angel, Sigil are ploughing their own furrow. A pleasing aspect to this album is the crusty sound to the riffs. I was reminded of the likes of Doom here; these are some seriously dense and effective…
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Harvestman – Music For Megaliths
Get ready. Get set. Get stoned. This latest offering from Harvestman, the alter ego of Neurosis alumni Steve Von Till is a trippy, psychedelic offering. Soulful and searing Music For Megaliths is crushingly dense but only in the most atmospheric of ways. This is the same Steve Von Till of Neurosis but you’d be a fool…
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Thoughts of Ionesco – Skar Cymbals
Though this is the first I’ve heard of Thoughts of Ionesco, the band has quite the back story. Formed in the mid-90’s when they were still in high school, they developed a sound like My War and a reputation for beating the crap out of each other on stage while opening for the likes of…
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Windhand + Satan’s Satyrs @ Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto May 19, 2017
What better way to kickstart the weekend than at a gathering of dirty doom metal? Tonight sees US doom mongers Windhand and Satan’s Satyrs hit Toronto for an exclusive Canadian stop on their current tour. Doom’s popularity these days cannot be understated so it’s unsurprising that the classic Horseshoe Tavern is bustling with attendees. Virginia’s…
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Destruction + Jungle Rot + Warbringer @ The Mod Club Theatre, Toronto, May 30, 2017
Destruction strikes back, devastating thrash attack! A full force metal package hits Toronto tonight, part of the Teutonic thrash titans’ North American promotional trek for last year’s Under Attack. This varied line up exhibits classic, mid-era and modern metal; bullet belts and patched denim are wholly encouraged. California’s Warbringer fared well carving a niche within…
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Bison – You Are Not the Ocean, You Are the Patient
Album number four from the band formerly known as Bison B.C. has been nearly five years in the making. Since the release of their last record, they’ve been dropped from Metal Blade, replaced their bassist and issued a lone, two-track, digital-only single… so you might say they’ve fallen off the map. Can this record re-establish…