Natalie Zed reviews the January 28th Toronto performance by Machine Head, Suicide Silence and Darkest Hour at the Sound Academy

For 90-plus minutes the band unhurriedly manipulates and tweaks their sound. With many songs bleeding into one another, Ulver constructs a show that takes you on a skillfully paced, sweeping and euphonious voyage—where the pitch and sway, the crescendos and hypnotic undercurrents, guide you through a raft of emotive states.

Misery Wizard is the first full-length release from this Rhode Island trio, though it’s clear from the first note that they’ve taken a few classes at the University of Doom Metal.

Beyond All Reckoning is a solid album throughout, and the fact that you can’t completely pin down the sound of Aggressor is exactly what makes them so good. This is an album best experienced beginning to end, though you couldn’t go wrong picking any one track to listen to. For my money, that’s the mark of a great album.

Kevin Stewart-Panko plays the word association game with Liberteer’s Matthew Widener on the eve of the release of his new project’s debut album, Better to Die on Your Feet Than Live on Your Knees, set for release on Relapse Records on January 31st.

I gotta say, I’ve been pretty stoked for Slow Southern Steel ever since I first heard of the concept a couple years back. A documentary on the southern sludge scene starring Kylesa, Eyehategod, Sourvein, Zoroaster, Dixie Witch and Weedeater, to name but a few, directed by CT from Rwake, sure sounds like it’s right up my alley. And now that the film’s finally ready for release, they’re taking the show on the road, with screenings in 19 US cities opening for Zoroaster and sludge supergroup Hail! Hornet (feat. Dixie Dave, T.Roy et al). To say that I’m awfully tempted would be an understatement…

Mark Reale of Riot passed away on January 25th. We will have a review of their January 20th show on Friday on the site, but here are some video clips in Mark’s honour in the meantime.

The words “retro” and “throwback” get used a lot when describing music, especially in the rock and metal realm. In the case of Christian Mistress it goes way beyond that, sonically speaking anyway. Every single track on Possession is steeped in classic metal awesomeness.