Watain

Weapon— Embers and Revelations

Embers and Revelations draws from a thoroughly Luciferian lexicon, and is a magnificent deluge of ungodliness. Weapon prove, once again, that an abundance of sinister creativity can be dredged from the quagmire of blackened death and masterfully butchered upon the altar.

Behemoth

Decibel Magazine Tour @ Rickshaw Theatre, Vancouver BC, April 21, 2012

“Decibel Magazine’s inaugural tour was a much-anticipated treat, bringing together as it did four well-respected bands from the darker side of the metal spectrum – something for the li’l devil in everyone, from the dark trad-metal stylings of In Solitude, the blood-and-‘70s-drenched occult rock of The Devil’s Blood, to the christkilling riproar of Watain and the triumphant return of the mighty Nergal and his unstoppable blackened-death machine Behemoth.”

Live review by Kyle Harcott; Concert photography by Ted Reckoning

Rodney “Anonymous” Linderman of The Dead Milkmen: The Hellbound Interview

Rodney “Anonymous” Linderman is on the phone. And he’s not sure he’s reached the right Hellbound. “I’ve looked at your website and I just see death metal bands” he says. “I don’t want to be a Justin Bieber in a group of Glenn Danzigs.” Hellbound assures him he’s reached the right publication and that we want to speak to him. And why wouldn’t we? As vocalist and keyboardist of The Dead Milkmen, Linderman played a key role in 1980s American punk rock and was among the first underground artists to be featured on MTV. He dissed Motley Crue when glam ruled metal and made subversive songs that somehow got radio play.

RIFFS NOT RIOTS @ Fortune Sound Club, Vancouver BC, July 13, 2011

“While the Stanley Cup Riot of 2011 will be neither forgiven nor forgotten any time soon, it was heartening to see Vancouver’s metal scene step up and do their part to help soothe some of the sting the city’s been feeling since that night. I also got my eyes opened – there are a lot of incredible bands in this city”

Rob Hughes and Kyle Harcott review the July 13th RIFFS NOT RIOTS festival that happened in Vancouver. Concert photography by Ted Reckoning.

Today Is The Day European Tour Diary 2011, Part Two

Today Is The Day European Tour Diary 2011, Part One

In April, Jay H. Gorania headed to Europe to flog merchandise for TODAY IS THE DAY on their tour. Now that he’s back and had time to get used to regular life again, Mr. Gorania has written a tour diary for Hellbound.ca. Here is his second entry from the tour.

Ravencult – Morbid Blood

Morbid Blood, as unrepentantly familiar as it sounds, is regardless a formidable slab of raging blackened thrash that makes up for its obvious deficit in originality with a vehement overkill-passion that is undeniable.

Jay H. Gorania’s SXSW 2011 – Part 2

“It was SXSW in Austin, so hell, we just decided to party. While hanging out on 6th Street, we were encountered by a rapper pushing his product. It’s normal for independent artists to either talk up, give away or sell their music at SXSW, but this chap obviously lacked common sense by trying to interest us in his rap project. Granted, people like all kinds of music nowadays, but did it really make sense for a rapper to approach a group full of dirty long-haired or head-shaven guys wearing metal shirts? I suppose my friend unintentionally baited him by somewhat loudly talking about Watain, the satanic Swedish black metal band. But that’s not what rap dude overheard. “Wu-Tang? Did somebody say Wu-Tang?”

Watain. Not Wu-Tang. We tried to correct him, but he interrupted us. “If y’all like Wu-Tang, you’re gonna love this!” I have his promo copy somewhere, and I’m sure it’ll make for a great coffee coaster once I find it.”

The second and final installment of Jay H. Gorania’s recap of the 2011 edition of the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas