I like free things. I especially like them when they give me the chance to see a bunch of bands I dig for, well, nothing. So, after passing on going to the initial Scion Rock Festival with Kevin Stewart-Panko last year when it happened in Atlanta, I made up my mind I wouldn’t miss this year’s edition. When it was announced in early February that this year’s edition would be happening in a much closer location – Columbus, Ohio to be exact – we made plans to go.

Sean Palmerston recaps the 2010 Scion Rock Festival in Columbus OH for Hellbound.ca.

As previously mentioned in Albert Mansour’s recent Wolfbane review, Hellbound.ca has a pretty deep respect for the excellent job Pittsburgh’s Shadow Kingdom Records is doing chronicling long lost metal gems for modern day consumption. The long line of obscurities they have dug up in the past three years is admirable and this new reissue by legendary DC doom crew Iron Man is no exception.

DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN were merciless performers, never letting the audience relax for a moment. Not only did their wicked on-stage energy hold everyone rapt, but so did the possibility that at any moment Greg Puciato might dive directly into the crowd and continue to perform while crowd-surfing.

Dillinger Escape Plan concert review by Natalie Zed, written exclusively for Hellbound.ca

After a short intermission Israel’s Orphaned Land presented to Toronto their version of Middle Eastern Heavy Metal. Foregoing the traditional metal uniform of all black, the band performed dressed in Arabic influenced white and accessories.

Overall, Our Circle Is Vicious is an amusing if not altogether convincing move; decidedly slower than it seems it should be and while that ensures faster tunes blind-side, it also means enduring some plodding, almost boring songs at the same time

To celebrate the recent tour edition reissue of this album, Adrien Begrand revisits Testament’s The Formation of Damnation for Hellbound.ca

Not without the requisite controversy among the black-metal community, once again it appears Darkthrone is determined to carve their name in the big stone book of metal/punk crossover, as another of those rare-treat bands who can appeal to both the ‘airies and the baldies at the same time. There’s just that matter of their tr00-kvlt fans having a hard time with them putting out anything that doesn’t sound once more like Ravishing Grimness.

Leaden and imposing while still agile and heated, Black Eye Blues isn’t redefining the world of hardcore overall but it’s still bold, inspired and original enough to be stunning.