San Francisco

Hauntingly Epic: Agalloch, Worm Ouroboros, and Musk Ox @ London Music Hall, March 25th, 2011

“The stage set-up slowly began to take shape and the smell of woodsy incense filled the air. As the cello notes of a recorded ‘They Have Escaped The Weight Of Darkness‘ floated through the venue, the shapes of the men behind Agalloch could be seen readying their instruments through a smoky haze lit by pale lighting.”

Jonathan Smith encounters Portland, Oregon’s Agalloch, who recently stopped in London, Ontario along with Worm Ouroboros and Musk Ox. Photo evidence from Adam Wills.

Forbidden/ Evile/ Gama Bomb/ Bonded by Blood @ The Mod Club, Toronto ON, November 23rd 2010

“When headliners Forbidden stepped out onto the Mod Club’s stage, the excitement in the room was as palpable as it was audible. The crowd was somewhat modest in number but incredibly passionate and vocal in their support. Forbidden played a long set, slightly over an hour and a half, which was as unsurprising as it was welcome.”

Natalie Zed travels to Toronto’s Mod Club to check out Bay Area thrashers Forbidden, supported by Evile, Gama Bomb and Bonded by Blood. Photos by Albert Mansour.

On the Bus with Tom Gabriel Fischer

“Once you have lived this for a while you are free to have different experiences. Each tour brings a new experience. But I’m a somewhat nostalgic guy. This is my seventh U.S. tour or something like that and there are a lot of memories. We played Portland last night and there was a full moon. And there was a full moon the first time I ever played Portland. I remember looking at the moon in 1986 and making some notes about it. Then I find myself on the first Triptykon tour and there’s a full moon. Certain memories stick forever.”

Hellbound’s Justin M. Norton sits down with Triptykon mastermind Tom Gabriel Fischer to discuss his life on the road, the nature of evil, and J.D. Salinger.