Ain’t No Night is a spectacular record, unique and eclectic. Its rewards are deep, but they are demanding.

They say all things must come to pass, but lately, they’ve been passing like a 300-pounder with a spastic colon passes gas. First, there was the mysterious disappearance of StonerRock.com, the website that every heavy rock site aspired to be. Then, the off-again, on-again, off-the-air CKLN saga, which led to the end of Smokin’ Green and influenced my decision not to renew my domain. Accept tribute bands take note: as of August 26, 2011, TooHighToGetItRight.com will be up for grabs.

Simply put, Conjure and Command is Joel Grind at his most vicious and it’s Toxic Holocaust’s most noticeable album to date. Whatever’s pissing this dude off we’re lucky to be reaping all the benefits.

On July 9th, a special arts event happened in Toronto called The Wrecking Ball, which was half literary event, half metal show.

Hellbound’s Laura Wiebe was there to soak in the evening’s festivities, which featured poetry readings alongside live performances by the likes of Sylvus, Vilipend and Ein Traum.

All photography by Adam Wills.

Here are ten reasons not to miss the HEAVY T.O. festival at Toronto’s Downview Park this weekend

I have to admit that it’s pretty bittersweet, as good as From Chaos to Eternity is; I feel it should have been a bit more epic. The finale to such a huge, sweeping overall piece of musical work, in my mind should have been much grander.

“Lake of Blood’s performance was entirely mesmerizing: guitarists Nordic and Samael, and bassist Krajavic appear to weave themselves into trances through the set. And singer Haagr is a man possessed, tearing his throat out baying at the sky. The music is full of nuance and subtlety at times too, and I hear definite hints of Xasthur in what Lake of Blood does, at least atmospherically.”

Kyle Harcott reviews the June 11th Vancouver performance by Lake Of Blood and Tempest at Garbage Mountain. Live concert photography by Siamak Amini.

One believes that what makes Omnivium a successful album is that it is willing to take chances, whether it be playing a slower, more intricate melodic passage when the listener is expecting a battering ram riff, or indoctrinating your ears with further gravity blast bliss and shredding guitar when the average human’s arms and headbanging cranium would want to fly off.