Windfaerer – Tribus
There’s hardly any filler to be found here, not even a short, throwaway instrumental track. Tribus was one of the latter great albums of 2010, one that I’m sorry to have missed until well into 2011.
Jag Panzer – The Scourge of Light
Along with Iced Earth, Jag Panzer remains the cream of the crop for American Power Metal. Welcome back boys, nice to have you.
Cradle of Filth/ Nachtmystium/ Daniel Lioneye/ Turisas @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto ON, February 26 2011
Jonathan Smith reviews the Feb 26th Toronto performance by Cradle of Filth, Nachtmystium, Daniel Lioneye and Turisas. Live photos by Albert Mansour
Sirenia – The Enigma of Life
For goth metal fans, at least you can buy the aforementioned highlights on iTunes. As far as splurging for the complete album, you’re better off waiting for the new Within Temptation album.
Dragged Into Sunlight – Hatred For Mankind
Hatred for Mankind is a special flavor of ugly, reveling in nightmares and revealing in its horror. Predatory and visceral, Hatred for Mankind is a knife-in-the-gut of an album, one that begs to be listened to in its entirety – if only to see what’s around the next corner.
Finntroll / Ensiferum / Rotten Sound / Barren Earth @ Opera House, Toronto ON, Feb 22, 2011
Sean Palmerston reviews the February 22, 2011 Toronto stop on the current Finnish Metal Tour. Live photos by Albert Mansour. Live footage by Sean.
Snail – Blood
Snail isn’t your typical tune-in-and-drop-out stoner band. There’s something more interesting in this collection of tunes, something in that juxtaposition of the sweet vocals and heavy riffs that has my head nodding in approval.
COUGH / THE WOUNDED KINGS: An Introduction To The Black Arts
By Kevin Stewart-Panko First truth be told, I am a fan of the metallic sub-genre that has come to be known as sludge. Second…
Motörhead – Kiss of Death
In all it is somewhat workman-like in approach, but thanks to solid songwriting and another airtight performance by the veteran trio, Kiss of Death keeps the Motörhead legacy alive.
North Pole Throwdown! An Interview With Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho
“I don’t want to live up to anything. I want to act like how I feel. It did come to the point sometimes where people, when they saw me sober, just drinking a bottle of water, they’d come to me, like, ‘Dude, are you okay?’ [Laughing] ‘Yeah, I’m fucking fine.’ [Laughing] Then when they see me passed out on the floor holding an empty bottle of Jameson’s, then they’re like, ‘Yeah, that’s Alexi.’ [Laughing] I only have myself to blame.”
Adrien Begrand in conversation with Children of Bodom’s Alexi Laiho