FOR THE LOVE OF METAL
Boasting the most robust guitar tone of the band’s career, Trouble shifted to a riff-heavy approach and embraced the almighty groove. Trouble did not abandon its zeal for all things 70s so much as it reconciled this enthusiasm with a straight-up metallic punch. However, what truly allowed Plastic Green Head to stand out was its songwriting.
Firmament’s sound places the album squarely within ambient black metal territory, more Drudkh than Darkthrone. As such it’s probably more likely to appeal to those looking for something like the former than the latter. Think Circle of Ghosts but with more thunderous kick.
Last Sunrise is a challenging album. It’s not something that will come to you first listen. It, like many of the best albums released by clear singing, true doom bands (think Solitude Aeturnus, Candlemass, Isole) is an album that needs a few solid run throughs(preferably by headphones) to fully let it sink in.
Could it be that after three decades as metal musician Fischer has found his voice after playing with so many different styles? Eparistera Daimones is not that different from Monotheist, but that’s not a detriment when following an album that revived your career and reputation. Triptykon’s debut is a worthy piece in Fischer’s enigmatic but always provocative musical career.
On Friday, March 12th, Metal Blade Records put on a showcase of their Canadian talent during Canadian Music Week in Toronto. The list of bands was exciting: Assassinate the Following, Toronto locals Starring Janet Leigh, Aeternam from Quebec, Titan (also from Toronto), Barn Burner and the almighty Bison B.C. This was looking like a good night of bands, some I had seen before and some I was unfamiliar with. Where was this taking place you might ask? The Bovine Sex club.
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