Adam Wills

Sonata Arctica/Borealis @ The Music Hall, London ON, Oct 15, 2009

Having recently played a shortened set in Toronto under Dragonforce, Sonata Arctica returned to play an exclusive headlining show – the only one on their current North American tour. With their recent release of The Days of Grays, new songs were the main focus of the evening. TDoG continues in the direction that Unia started – gone are the galloping riffs, and the sing-along choruses, but if anyone was expecting those, they’ve been out of touch with the band for awhile now.

Adam Wills reviews and photo archives the recent London ON live performance by Finnish power metallers Sonata Arctica.

Down/Voivod @ Kool Haus, Toronto ON, Sept 18, 2009

With considerably less than a packed house at The Kool Haus, Down took no notice, and put on one hell of a show for the rabid Down fans that were in attendance. Despite the small mountain of contraband booze (among other substances) that piled up outside the entrance, the crowd were treeated to a set list that would make any long time fan of the band drool, including a wide range of songs from their 1995 debut scattered with selections from their two more recent albums.

Adam Wills and Sean Palmerston discuss last Friday’s Toronto performances by Down and Voivod

BLOG: Adam Wills: The Right Music For The Right Time

Music and atmosphere. A lot of the time, these go hand in hand, musically. But what about the listening environment? Listen to an album in one setting, and you may not think much of it. Listen to that same album in the right setting, and all of a sudden, things seem to make sense. Perhaps you were listening on an ipod in a busy subway station, and the subtleties of the album were drowned out over the hustle of the city – or maybe you were just preoccupied by surfing online, with music on as background noise, and not something to be fully taken in.

Bloody Panda @ Smiling Buddha, Toronto, ON, August 13, 2009

As New York’s Bloody Panda concluded their final note, and began to pack up, the small crowd, who had gathered for their awe-inspiring performance, wasn’t sure how to react to the intensity that was just laid out before them. So instead of applause, cheering, or even conversation, the room filled with an eerie silence that couldn’t have been more fitting.

Adam Wills documents the recent Toronto performance by NYC doom collective Bloody Panda.

Progressive Nation tour @ Molson Amphitheatre, Toronto ON, August 14, 2009

This past Friday marked the Toronto stop of this year’s Progressive Nation tour, the now-annual summer festival curated by and starring Dream Theater as headliners – basically their chance to take out some of their favourite bands on tour with them across North America playing outdoor amphitheaters.

Sean Palmerston reviews the recent Toronto stop of this year’s traveling Progressive Nation festival.

Woods Of Ypres, Elevator 22, Will of the Ancients, Musk Ox, Seras @ Club Absinthe, Hamilton, ON (2nd review)

With a Napalm Death concert happening nearby in Toronto on the same night, GTA concert goers were somewhat spoiled for choice on May 15th. Within that context, the crowd that came out to see Woods of Ypres’ debut Hamilton performance on May 15th was relatively small but dedicated to the Canadian group’s unique brand of black- and folk- inflicted metal.