Today’s interview is with Toronto metal writer and upcoming book author Laina Dawes

Continuing on from our collected review of Thursday’s show, here is what we thought of the bands we saw which played Friday, Day two, of the 2011 Maryland Deathfest. Reviews by Adam Wills, Laura Wiebe, Kevin Stewart-Panko and Sean Palmerston, with photography by Albert Mansour.

One of the things we polled our writers on was to tell us what their Event of The Year was for 2010. Here is what they have sent us in response…

The beastly grit of doom. Grindcore’s fiery onslaught. Black metal’s confrontational excess. The jarring obtuseness of tech. Metal is founded on explosive, aggressive and often combative attitudes. Still, just when one feels remotely comfortable—possibly slightly expectant—as to what the genre’s next twist will be, something so dominant, furious and volatile comes along that it redefines the parameters of what makes a band extreme.

Keith Carman talks with Toronto’s Vilipend about their multifaceted and dangerous approach to music.

The great thing about fests like MDF is that the metal is simply overflowing. The bad thing about fests like MDF is that the metal is simply overflowing. If it’s sitting down to catch your breath, or grabbing a drink or a bite to eat, there are plenty of reasons causing one to miss one or too many killer bands.

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.

Four years after their debut effort Black Thunder—though they have a number of EPs and other releases—apocalyptic groove-metal brigade Doomriders unleash what is easily their most accomplished effort in sophomore affair Darkness Come Alive.

Converge seem to be following a trend among veterans like Sacrifice, Suffocation, Asphyx and Brutal Truth who have released albums this year: offering music that despite the band’s longevity, are if not one, the best albums they have ever created, all while staying true to their original sound.