Eye Of Horus, With Malice, Tales Of The Tomb Review

Eye Of Horus, With Malice, Tales Of The Tomb

December 5, 2015

Rendezvous Pub

The Rendezvous Pub played host to what promised to be one of the sickest local death metal shows of the year. Dethgod, the only band on the bill not from Edmonton, was forced to drop off the bill due to a family emergency. Although a little disappointing, the reason was perfectly understandable and many of the local metal heads are hoping to see them make it to Edmonton in the new year. 

The Rendezvous was already rocking with the sounds of Tales Of The Tomb as I arrived. Boisterous and frenetic, they proved again why they are a good pick for an energizing opener. 

With Malice played a blistering set, supporting their album ‘Hail Kraken’. The band’s Facebook page states that “their live show is nothing but pure, raw intensity from start to finish” and it’s an apt description. I’ve only caught this band a few times, but each time has involved an intense, energetic, near-perfect thrashy-death metal experience. 

Eye of Horus promised a unique set of cover songs and definitely delivered. They brought an intensity typical of their own material to each of the covers played, including songs from other death metal greats such as At The Gates, Cannibal Corpse, Bloodbath, and Behemoth. Mixing a few of their own songs in, it’s not hard to see why Eye of Horus has quickly risen to the top ranks of Alberta’s death metal bands. 

The beer was flowing, multiple birthdays were celebrated by band and audience members, the temperature was much more appealing than what could be expected from a December night in Edmonton, and all three bands were on point, playing ear-shredding sets. All in all, it was a great, intimate show. 

Public Transit and the Music Scene

Perhaps tying the public transit system to the music scene is my way of expressing my frustration with public transit within the city of Edmonton but it’s something that many of us have some experience with, or can likely relate to. There has been a lot of public frustration with the transit system in Edmonton. From long delays on the construction of LRT (light rail transit) lines, to LRT lines severely interrupting traffic flow, to several other issues and complaints; the list is endless.

I made the (poor) decision to use public transit to get to a bar for a metal show the other night. Wanting to have a few drinks before heading to the show, transit seemed like a logical option considering the home I was at was close to a major transit hub and taking a taxi was significantly more expensive. Before even boarding the LRT, a friend and I were aggressively harassed by two homeless people as we were purchasing tickets for the LRT. Although this indicates a larger problem within the city, the area we were in isn’t exactly known for issues like this. Although it is becoming more common. After that, it took an hour to get to the venue. A venue that would have been a fifteen or twenty minute drive. 

I haven’t used public transit in the city since I was student and lived in the city for a few years. My experiences and observations on the way to the show the other night served as a reminder of why I have a severe dislike for the public transit system. When I first moved into the city, I was excited that it would be easy to get to shows or go out for a bar night with friends by simply hopping on transit and planning on using a taxi to get home. Perhaps I was naive, or perhaps experiences in other cities led me to believe the system would work, but my mind was quickly changed.

 The public transit system is massively inefficient. Route frequencies change all of the time, supposedly reflecting user volume. Figuring out which route to take can be a challenge in comparison to finding the same information in other cities. Unless you’re traveling to a destination directly on the LRT line, good luck getting anywhere in reasonable time. And honestly, the LRT doesn’t go to that many places. It doesn’t even allow users to be transported to most of the major transit hubs in the area. 

For a city that is spending a ridiculous amount of money on revitalizing areas that someone in power has decided to showcase, you’d think timely transit improvement would be a priority. It apparently is, but so far hasn’t been executed in any kind of manner that can be described as anything less than a giant cluster-fuck. Edmonton is so far behind other major cities in this regard that it’s actually embarrassing. Observing the LRT stations downtown doesn’t leave a very good impression. They’re poorly lit, run-down, dirty and generally tired and uninviting. Not to mention that security is non-existent. Speaking to above-ground bus stops, they’re not exactly comfortable places to be after dark. I don’t feel particularly safe waiting for twenty five minutes on a very poorly lit, dirty, side street in a sketchy area of the city. Would it really be that difficult to put some form of lighting at the bus stop itself? I’ve heard LED lights are a pretty cost efficient alternative...

In comparing Edmonton with other cities, I’ve seen several things that would ideally already be in place for an urban area claiming to be as modern and livable as Edmonton. For example, in Banff, QR codes are in place at the bus stops throughout the town. Scan the QR code and you have instant information about how long you will be waiting for your bus. You also have access to route information. Sure Banff is a small town, and a major tourist destination, but using QR codes to give simple information shouldn’t be that much of a stretch if the rest of the system was up to date. Which, in Edmonton’s case, it is not. 

Perhaps I am so disappointed and frustrated with Edmonton’s transit system because I’ve spent a fair bit of time using transit in a country where it is actually efficient and user-friendly. Maybe it’s an unfair comparison to make between Edmonton and Helsinki (and Finland in general), but I would have thought that someone in this city would have had the foresight to see why a good public transit is an asset. I had very few problems figuring out exactly where I needed to go, and how to get there, while I was in Helsinki and various other cities in Finland. The vast majority of the information was in Finnish or Swedish, which are both languages that I have little grasp of. Yet the system itself was so user-friendly that I was able to use it hassle-free. 

Helsinki also employs an easy payment system. At least they did when I was using transit there, which is now seven and eight years ago. It was simple to purchase a card, somewhat like a FOB, which could be loaded with money. When entering a bus or rail system, it was as simple as holding the card up to a reader, which would then deduct the appropriate fare for the trip. If you chose to use cash, the transit drivers had change available, dispensed through a machine at the front of the bus. Neither of these options exist in Edmonton. Sure you can buy a monthly or annual pass, but it’s not the same. You had better make sure you have the exact cash fare in Edmonton because you sure won’t get change back. Finland has a transit system that makes it easy to get from even the smallest rural areas to any major city. Going to a concert or festival was ridiculously easy. Purchase a train ticket and you could get almost anywhere. You didn’t have to drive, or makes plans to carpool and have a designated driver if there was the possibility of having a few drinks with friends.

In Edmonton, even taking a taxi has proved to be nothing but an expensive hassle. I can’t say I’ve ever had an overwhelmingly positive experience attempting to use taxis to get to or from shows in this city. From having to wait nearly an hour early in the evening to be picked up on the way to the show to having to wait the same amount of time in the cold after a show, only to fight with others waiting for a cab, to get home later; it’s a pain. I’ve had numerous taxi drivers attempt to take a much longer, inefficient route in order to collect a higher fare. I’ve had taxis say that they couldn’t drive me to my destination because it was “out of their way” even though it was well within city limits and less than a half hour drive. I haven’t used taxis in many other cities, but the experience I had using a taxi in Vancouver was the complete opposite. The fare was less than half of what I was expecting, based on what I knew of Edmonton taxis. 

Considering all of the experiences I’ve had trying to use transit, and why I basically refuse to use it if possible in Edmonton, I’m left wondering how much the poor public transit system in Edmonton negatively affects the arts and music scene. Many venues have been forced to close or move to locations that aren’t easy to access with transit. Taking a taxi is expensive, and an option that concert goers on a budget have to weigh carefully. Taxi or merch? Taxi or a few drinks with friends? Is it worth the hassle of even attempting to get to and from the venue in the first place? Sure, it’s an option to drive oneself but it would be nice to have a good transit option available. 

Getting home safely at the end of the night is a fairly major concern to me. Getting to a venue with minimal hassle helps to set the mood for an enjoyable night. When I lived in the city, there were shows and events that I skipped because I either did not feel comfortable taking transit in that area of the city, taking transit wasn’t a viable option, I couldn’t afford a taxi, or I simply did not want to drive. Perhaps it’s just my opinion, but I believe that a modern, efficient, user-friendly public transit system would help in allowing music lovers (of all genres) support the local scene. Beyond looking at it from the perspective of someone trying to get to and from shows, a good transit system would be an asset to the entire city. Some simple changes could make a big difference and should have been planned for, and implemented years ago. 

Körperlose Stimme - The Dark Man Video

Körperlose Stimme have quickly become a band that people are taking notice of in the local scene. Their sound can be described as blackened death metal with paranormal themes.

Just over a week ago, Körperlose Stimme released a music video for the song 'The Dark Man'. I quite like this video; it's just the right amount of creepy and very well put together.

Article: Possessed's 'Seven Churches' - 30 Years Later

The Metal Crypt posted an article compiling opinions of other musicians on Possessed's 'Seven Churches' album in honour of its 30th anniversary. I found the article linked from Possessed's Facebook page:

http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/interviews.php?intid=455


It's definitely a long read, but worth it to gain insight into just how influential this album became. I can't personally speak to the evolution of 'Seven Churches' influence, nor can I speak to the impact it had when first released as I have found Possessed relatively recently. The first time I truly took notice of the band was on the Barge To Hell cruise, and I consider myself lucky to have caught them live again at Noctis Festival a few years ago.

Even all of these years after Possessed began, I was blown away by the intensity of their live show. Especially considering that I did not even realize Jeff Becerra is in a wheelchair until the band took the stage. Live, they managed to be one of the most evil sounding bands I've seen without having to use theatrics. 'Seven Churches' has become an album that I thoroughly enjoy, and one that I believe anyone studying the roots of death metal should own.

Månegarm: 'Odin Owns Ye All' Video

Chainmail, battle axes, drinking horns, vikings, and of course Odin…

I actually quite like this video. It's fairly simple yet it creates the perfect atmosphere for the song. While it still seems a little strange to hear this band singing in english, it works. 'Odin Owns Ye All' is a good choice as a preview to the album as it's quite accessible and anthemic, although not quite as much so as a few of the tracks from their last release, "Legions Of The North".

I always look forward to new material from Månegarm and this video serves to increase my anticipation  of the release of the new self titled album later this year.

Belphegor - 'Black Winged Torment' Video

One of my favourite blackened death metal bands, Belphegor, released a new video yesterday. Taken from the 'Conjuring The Dead' album, released last year, 'Black Winged Torment' is the latest in a series of strange, fucked up videos from this band. Featuring blood, feathers and all sorts of other strange things, the video has a bit of an esoteric feel.

VARG - 'Rotkäppchen' Official Video

VARG released the official video for the song 'Rotkäppchen' a few days ago. I love this song and the EP release with different versions and some bonus material is a neat idea. As for the video, it's definitely interesting and a little unexpected. Take a look if you haven't already.


The video comes as a prequel to the Rotkäppchen EP to be released on October 9th. After the EP comes the new album, Das Ende Aller Lügen. This album will be released in January of 2016. There are some nice pre-order bundles available, although to my disappointment, the best one is already sold out on the North American website.

Children of Bodom - 'Morrigan' Video

Children of Bodom's latest offering, "I Worship Chaos" is due out on October 2nd, a mere few days away. I definitely haven't minded what I've heard so far, and I will be getting myself a copy of the album.

The video for 'Morrigan' was posted a few days ago and seems to have met some pretty mixed reviews. Honestly, I almost wish I hadn't watched this video as it taints what I liked about the song itself. I am definitely not a fan of the video; it seems really cliche without offering anything interesting. I get the concept, but I don't like the execution. And using an MMA fighter in the video? I just hope it doesn't attract more douchebag fans to this particular band as there already seem to be enough of those. (Can you tell I'm not a big fan of the type of person that is stereotypically attracted to MMA?)

If you're looking for a little background on the video, take a look at this article:
http://www.songfacts.com/blog/writing/behind_the_video_morrigan_by_children_of_bodom/

Eye Of Horus CD Release Show: A Short Review

Eye of Horus CD Release with Death Toll Rising, AfterEarth, Mongol, Wolfrik

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Rendezvous Pub

Tired and sluggish from the insanity of Villainizer’s farewell show the night before, I headed out to the Eye Of Horus CD release show, knowing this was another one not to be missed. The Rendezvous Pub is a small venue and it was definitely quite full by the end of this rainy evening. Fighting through my own somewhat grouchy mood, it was still a night of music well worth attending. 

Wolfrik opened the show and while quite a few people seemed to thoroughly enjoy their style of metal, it’s something that isn’t to my taste. Mongol, on the other hand, play a uniquely themed style of folk metal that’s aways enjoyable. On a night where new material was the theme, Mongol had a new song to offer titled ‘The Mountain Weeps’. If this is any indication of what’s to come from the Mongol camp, it’s worth looking forward to. 

AfterEarth, from Calgary, played an excellent set of melodic death metal on the heels of their newly released CD, “In The Shadow Of Destiny”. This was the second time seeing this band, and I’m hoping to have the opportunity to see them again. Death Toll Rising has been a staple in the local death metal scene for years and once again proved exactly why. Always high energy, always packed with great musicianship, tonight was no different.

Of course, the highlight of the night came from Eye of Horus. Officially releasing their latest offering of brilliant brutality, they killed it. This is a band that sounds as if they crawled right out of Sweden with some of the best that particular country has to offer. Fresh off of a western Canadian tour, they were on point yet again. Crushingly heavy, with insurmountable energy, it was a great set. If you haven’t picked up a copy of their new album, “Infernal Calling”, do it. If you get a chance to see Eye of Horus live and you like brutally tight, heavy death metal, take the opportunity. You will not be disappointed. 

Villainizer Bids Farewell: Review

Villainizer Final Show with BLEED, Bloated Pig, Tylor Dory Trio and Tales Of The Tomb

September 11th, 2015

Starlite Room

One could feel the anticipation for Villainizer’s farewell show in the days leading up to this particular night. Upon arrival at the venue, even before doors were scheduled to open, several metal heads were already lined up, eager to get their hands on some of the limited Villainizer merchandise being offered. 

Stated on social media as ‘psychological horror metal / death metal / murder metal, Tales of the Tomb opened the show to a steady trickle of arriving metal heads. With lyrical themes revolving around serial killers such as Robert Pickton (check out ‘The Pig Farmer’), cult leaders such as David Koresh, and various other murders and criminal acts, this band offers macabre death metal with a real-life twist. Proving to be a good opener for this particular show, they played an energetic set, preparing the crowd for what was still to come. 

Described by guitarist/vocalist Tylor Dory as the ‘least metal band of the night’, Tylor Dory Trio proved to be an impressive display of true musicianship. Dory has been a talented mainstay in the local metal scene for years, also playing with Villainizer on this particular night (as well as Death Toll Rising the following night). Not having listened to Tylor Dory Trio’s material previously, I was sincerely impressed even though the style is not typical of the sub genres of metal I usually listen to. Always having been impressed with Dory’s guitar abilities, I was also very pleasantly surprised to hear him sing lead vocals. This is definitely a band worth keeping an eye on. 

Bloated Pig were another band that I had not previously seen. While I found them interesting to watch, I also found them to be a touch on the doom-y, sludgy side for my preferences. It seemed as though they were well-appreciated by the crowd though. 

BLEED: the second most hype-inducing band of the evening. (They would have been in close contention with Villainizer for most-anticipated of the night for many if it were not Villainizer’s farewell show). With a brand new album, ‘The Hatred Inside’, set to be officially released at the end of the month, I was excited to see what this band had on offer this evening. When you go to a BLEED show, you know you will be entertained. Horrifically awesome costumes, often hand-constructed by BLEED vocalist Robert Kreed, wicked props, spewing blood, all backed backed by headbanging tunes; what more could you want? As far as I’m concerned, BLEED has earned a place amongst western Canada’s finest live acts and this night was no exception. 

Villainizer has been a band surrounded by hype from its inception in 2009. Project mastermind Rob ‘the Arab Villain’ Abinader has always been heavily involved in the local metal scene, contributing in several less-illustrious aspects than as the frontman of this terrorist thrash metal act. However, this evening was dedicated to showcasing the career of Villainizer and saying good-bye with a bang. If you missed your chance to catch Villainizer live, you seriously missed out. This was the first full Villainizer set that I managed to catch, but what a set it was. The infidels were out in full force, packing Starlite Room to bid a fond farewell. Abinader is a pure entertainer, as evidenced by a larger than life stage presence, provoking lyrics dripping with satire, and more energy than one would think possible. The fans fed off this and the pit didn’t even seem to slow down for the rest of the night. 

Overall, this was one of the best shows, local or otherwise, that I have witnessed in a while. I’m sure there were quite a few hung over metal heads the next morning, made worth it by knowing that this is something that will not be seen again. Villainizer will be sorely missed in the local scene; thank you to the band for creating such a fantastic experience over the last five years for all of thrashers who listened to the albums, bought merchandise and attended shows. 

BLËED - 'Committed' (New Song)

I'm immensely excited for the release of BLËED's full length album, "The Hatred Inside", which is due in late September. Bravewords.com is currently streaming 'Committed', which is the first single from the album. It sounds nice and gritty; an in-your-face bombast of the kind of metal I love from this band.

Links:
Bravewords Article
(Link to stream 'Committed')

10 Albums That Introduced Me To Metal

Some of the following albums can’t necessarily be considered in the sense that most of us think of, but they served to pique my interest in the genre that I subsequently delved deeply into. In order to provide some background for this list it’s probably best that I explain how I got into metal. I ended up taking a bit of a roundabout path for someone my age. I grew up listening to country; that was all that was played in my home although there was constantly music in the background. I feel fortunate to have grown up in a rural setting. Not isolated by any means, but rural enough that I only had access to dial-up internet until I was well into my first year of university. 

Dial up internet wasn’t exactly conducive to discovering music. Most people the same age were discovering (and downloading) music at the time, but it wasn’t really an option for me. I started listening to classic rock due to a friend’s dad having a massive collection of classic rock albums with a few metal albums in the mix. I found radio stations that occasionally played a metal song or two. I quickly discovered re-runs of Power Hour on MuchMusic. (A TV show that aired in Canada from 1986 to 1991in its original form, featuring hair metal, hard rock and metal music videos). Every once in a while I’d catch an episode of Loud, which featured heavier music and also aired on the MuchMusic channel. 

From that point, I started buying CDs of bands that interested me, or that I had read about in magazines or on the internet. I’m not sure about the availability of online ordering for CDs at that time, as I had very little idea of what was even on the internet. Most of my CDs came from A&B Sound, which ceased to exist in 2008. HMV was the next option. CDs cost a hell of a lot more then than they do now, especially for a kid. Album purchases were few and far between, and each album I did buy got listened to a lot. 

While it was a bit of a pain to discover metal, I think it made each discovery that much more exciting. I imagine this was akin to how people felt in the tape trading days, or when vinyl was the only readily available format. Access to music has certainly changed quite a bit, even in the relatively short time that I’ve been seriously listening to and buying albums, but that’s a different discussion for a different day. That being said, these are the first albums that formed my introduction to something a little heavier than classic rock:

Iron Maiden - The Number Of The Beast

Released in 1982, The Number Of The Beast still remains my favorite Maiden album. ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ is the first metal song that I recall truly taking notice of. ‘Run To The Hills’ has been (horribly) attempted at drunken karaoke more than once. The Number Of The Beast is one of those classic albums that every metal head should listen to from start to finish at least once. 

W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P & The Last Command

Naming two albums is a bit of a cheat, but I somehow managed to acquire a vinyl of WASP’s debut, self titled album at roughly the same time that I got my hands on The Last Command. I would still love to see them live. I almost managed to sneak into a bar underage years ago to catch them, and missed them live by a single day both trips I made to Finland. (Which I’m still kicking myself for). WASP always seemed a bit more sinister than other similar bands. They have catchy songs and I still like the uniqueness of Blackie’s vocals.  

Metallica - Kill ‘Em All

Out of all of the Metallica albums I could have chosen as the first album to buy, I ended up with Kill ‘Em All. Until that point, it was probably the hardest, most aggressive I had ever heard. When I still played a little bit of bass as a young teenager, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to learn “(Anesthesia) - Pulling Teeth”. Considering lack of any kind of natural musicianship and my neglectful attitude towards practicing, that would have been quite a feat. Needless to say, it definitely didn’t happen. 

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

I think it would be difficult to call oneself a metal head without having at least some knowledge, or having to have listened to, some Black Sabbath. After listening to a fair bit of classic rock, Sabbath seemed like a logical step. While I’m not much of a doom metal fan, it’s difficult to deny Black Sabbath’s influence on the subgenre. 

Alice Cooper - Love It To Death & Killer

In hindsight, these may have been strange Alice Cooper albums to start my collection with as there are certainly more well known releases. ‘Ballad Of Dwight Fry’ (from Love It To Death) is still one of the most chilling songs I can think of, detailing a narrative descent into madness. I listened to both of these albums over and over again. Especially during class when I probably should have been listening to the teacher. 

Mötley Crüe - Shout At The Devil

Shout At The Devil, to me, is Mötley Crüe’s most metal album when taken into consideration the time that it was released and the fact that Mötley Crüe tends to fall more into the spectrum of ‘hair metal’ than the metal I listen to now. Admittedly I used to be a huge Mötley Crüe fan. When I was young, this band (and album) offered the perfect amount of sleaze, and a touch of danger. 

Guns N’ Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Appetite For Destruction remains as one of the most solid albums from start to finish that I’ve listened to. There isn’t a weak song on this album. At one point, I probably had all of the lyrics memorized. Appetite For Destruction is a fitting name as this is an angry album, full of attitude. 

Children of Bodom - Hate Crew Deathroll

Hate Crew Deathroll was one of the first ‘metal’ albums that I bought. Metal in the sense of not being able to really be categorized into any other genre (hair metal, classic rock, etc). This album really kickstarted my foray into a lot of the bands and metal subgenres that I listen to now. It still remains as one of my favorite albums and Angels Don’t Kill is still one of my favorite COB songs. Hate Crew Deathroll was a lot heavier and faster than much of the stuff I’d previously listened to and I was hooked. 

Grave - 'Redeemed Through Hate' track

This year is shaping up to be a good one for Swedish death metal. I recently became aware that Grave will also be releasing a new album in October. Entitled “Out Of Respect For The Dead”, this will be another that I’ll be adding to my collection. 

‘Redeemed Through Hate’, a track that will be on the upcoming album, has been released as an introduction to what can be expected from “Out Of Respect For The Dead”. I like this track. It’s angry, it’s heavy, and it’s what I would hope for from Grave. I like their last release (Endless Procession of Souls), and subsequently found myself getting more engrossed with Grave after catching them live on the Barge to Hell cruise several years ago. This track promises a solid album; you can check it out here:

Grave - Redeemed Through Hate

Firespawn - 'Lucifer Has Spoken' Video

Firespawn is a newly formed death metal band featuring several well-known and highly respected musicians from the Swedish death metal scene. With members from Entombed, Unleashed, Necrophobic and Dark Funeral, this is another new project with some serious credentials to back it up. Firespawn’s debut album will be released in November although the band has chosen to put out a limited release EP to precede this date. (The EP was released on August 7th). 

Watching the video for ‘Lucifer Has Spoken’, the feeling of blasphemy that Firespawn will be aiming for is apparent. Between the stellar lineup of musicians behind this project and the debut video, I’m intrigued enough that I will be picking up the album upon its release. 

Entrails "Obliteration" Review

I admit that I wrote this review a while ago, in close conjunction with the release of the album, and realized that I completely neglected to post it. Late might be better than never, so enjoy and give it a listen if you haven't already.

Track Listing:

1. No Cross Left Unturned
2. Epitome Of Death
3. Beyond The Flesh
4. The Grotesque
5. Obliterate
6. Skulls
7. Midnight Coffin
8. Bonestorm
9. Abyss Of Corpses
10. Re-Animation Of The Dead 

The ominous bells of ‘No Cross Left Unturned’ set the tone for a great death metal album. Every track on “Obliteration” exemplifies a modern take on the classic Swedish death sound. There is no straying away from the murderous and horror-flavored themes on this album, which is exactly what I love about Entrails. It’s undeniably catchy, which isn’t necessarily a phrase that can be associated with death metal (and which I’m reluctant to do, since it’s usually associated with radio-friendly, pop-ish junk). But to this death metal fan, the choruses are such that I feel like growling along with each one and headbanging in between. ‘Epitome Of Death’ and ‘Bonestorm’ are perfect examples of this. ‘Midnight Coffin’ may very well be my pick as one of the top tracks from the album due to the ominous atmosphere induced in the intro which then breaks into something more horrific. There is a nice blend of slower-paced and more upbeat tempos within “Obliteration”, providing a respite and a bit of an adrenaline rush at the right times. 

Furthermore, this is an album that makes me unknowingly break speed limits while cruising on the highway. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the tempo and forget to glance at the speedometer, headbanging the entire trip. (Perhaps not objective, but I find this as a way in which I often judge albums). A word to the wise: keep your eyes out for police or speed traps if you listen to “Obliteration” in your vehicle. Unless you have the cash to fork over for speeding tickets. 

I struggle to find a weak point within “Obliteration”. It may be a bit more polished than some of the previous Entrails albums, but this is to be expected with progression over the years. “Obliteration” still contains enough of that rawness that it can get away with being slightly more polished as the roots of the band are still obvious and remain strong. It’s no secret that I have immensely enjoyed each album that Entrails has released to date, and this one is no exception. While I doubt “Obliteration” will become my favorite album by these Swedes, it will definitely be in contention for my favorite album this year. 

Vampire Interview, courtesy of Towards The Inevitable

http://towardstheinevitable.com/vampire-interview-2015/

For anyone who is interested in Vampire, I dare say that this interview is a must-read. Published today by the site Towards The Inevitable, it is an insightful piece chalked full of interesting perspectives. While it doesn't speak much about the self-titled album released last year, it does go into depth about several of the other projects that Vampire has and is working on.

The band is set to release a mini-LP entitled 'Cimmerian Shade', which was previously unknown to me. The interview provides background and information regarding the release of this LP, which will only be available on vinyl and as a digital download for the time being. (Personally, I'm hoping for a CD release at some point as I am not a fan of digital downloads and I'm not really a vinyl collector either).

I appreciate the discussion of the video for "The Fen", a track from the self-titled release. It truly is a brilliant piece of work, drawing on so many dark, psychological factors. Borrowing directly from vocalist Hand Of Doom, the video is distinctly Scandinavian and creates an interesting discussion within the interview. There are some unique and intelligent insights in this interview and it's worth checking out.

New Tracks: Children of Bodom & Kataklysm

In anticipation of the release of 'I Worship Chaos', Children of Bodom have released a track entitled "Morrigan". After a return to a more pleasing direction with 'Halo Of Blood', I can honestly say that I am truly excited to hear new Bodom material again. 'Halo of Blood' was a definite step in a direction that I liked, with a bit of return to the roots for COB. "Morrigan" suggests that the band is again ready to put out an album that appeals to the old-school Bodom fan. Upon first listen, I wasn't sure that I liked the keyboards but after hearing the song through decent speakers, my opinion has changed. Whether you agree or not, I get a bit of a 'Hatebreeder' / 'Follow The Reaper' era vibe from this song.

'I Worship Chaos' is due out at the beginning of October.

Kataklysm have always proven that they are one of Canadian death metal's heavyweights. Set to release 'Of Ghosts and Gods' in a few short weeks, the band has released a few tracks to garner the appetite of metal heads. Kataklysm manages to remain heavy with just the perfect amount of melody. "The Black Sheep" provides some relative mellowness, while "Soul Destroyer" feels a bit more aggressive. "Thy Serpent's Tongue" has also been released as a preview to the new album. This is another album that I personally look forward to this year.

Losing The Pawn Shop

A Serious Blow To The Metal Community

Intimate music venues have dropping off the map at much too fast of a rate in Edmonton lately. The Pawnshop, my favorite venue in the city, has succumbed to the same fate. I’m actually saddened to see it go. The venue was a fantastic place to catch a metal band. It was the go-to place to see a metal show, supporting local talent and brining in international players. With the metal scene growing exponentially in the Edmonton area in the last several years, its disappointing to see a venue that continuously hosted some of the best close its doors.

The Pawnshop was located centrally. After several venues closing on the west end, it was one of the closest for those of us living west of the city to travel to. While I’m personally not a big fan of Whyte Avenue, especially on weekends, it was an easy location to access. The laid back atmosphere was welcomed. There were no questionable dress code reinforcements and everyone felt at home, yet staff were responsible in ejecting or denying re-entry to those who deserved it. The staff themselves were great, being attentive and yet not overbearing. The same cannot be said for other venues. It is a real shame that high rental fees forced The Pawnshop to close. I do take this explanation as a valid reason as the rent on Whyte Ave is ridiculously high. Even with its crooked toilets and bathroom stall doors that haven’t closed properly in the last five years, I will miss this venue. 

Some of the best, most intimate shows I have attended have been at the Pawnshop. While it was a small venue, it never felt claustrophobic. The ability to go outside, and be able to easily re-enter seems to be a growing rarity. The Pawnshop offered this. They didn’t try to wrangle people into ridiculously crowded smoke pits and they made it easy for those who wanted fresh air or a quick break from the excitement to do so. 

Shows scheduled for the Pawnshop are set to move to the Union Hall. Like many others, I have few good things to say about the Union. While the building may have worked as a nightclub, it fails to work well for live performances. Some serious renovations would have to take place to achieve this. Apparently the staff from the Pawnshop will also be relocating to the Union. Hopefully they can teach the current Union staff a few things about good service and building good relationships with concert-goers. The best I can say about the Union until this point is that shows have been “just okay”. I’ve had some downright awful experiences there, from it being impossible to find a good vantage point if you are unfortunate enough to not be one of the first through the doors, to some ridiculous and discriminatory dress code reinforcements, to a lot of warm beer and inattentive bartenders, to downright rude staff and total disorganization. Especially now that the Pawnshop has ceased to exist, I truly hope that the Union can make some serious improvements. 

In all honesty, the closure of the Pawnshop has cast a bit of gloom on the metal community surrounding this city. From my standpoint, if a show was at the Pawnshop that I wanted to see, I wouldn’t think twice about attending. If a show was at either Starlite Room or the Union Hall, I would have to seriously consider whether I wanted the accompanying hassles that always seem to come with either of those venues. At least Starlite provides an atmosphere were you can comfortably see the stage from almost anywhere in the room. And it still has a central location for those who travel from the outskirts of the city, or from outside the city. BUT we needed more venues (not less) like the Pawnshop; the attitude was superb and the support for the artists playing the venue was apparently excellent. It was a bit of a gem in this grimy city and it will definitely be missed. 

For another personal lament about the Pawnshop:

http://www.danazukphotography.com/blog/2015/6/29/saying-goodbye-to-the-pawn-shop

For a few news articles regarding the closure:

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Edmonton+loses+another+music+venue+with+closure+Pawn+Shop/11163560/story.html

http://www.gigcity.ca/2015/06/25/pawnshop-closing-gigs-move-to-union-hall/

Farmageddon Open Air 2015 : My Thoughts

The following will be a summary of my thoughts regarding Farmageddon Open Air 2015. I felt as though I should leave the reviews up to the professionals this time. Honestly, I didn’t take in the festival to the extent I felt that I should have in order to write a ‘review’. The last month of my life has been hectic, resulting in a feeling of exhaustion before I even made it to Farmageddon. Certainly not the best precursor to a weekend of beer and metal. I’m still recovering from the cold I caught over the weekend. Discombobulated thoughts, and some misguided advice follow: 

Edmonton Kick-Off Show

• Körperlose Stimme played an excellent set. This was their first show I have been able to catch, but am definitely hoping to see them again. The kick-off was also the first time the band has played live since vocalist Verteidigung was pregnant. I was certainly impressed.
• Ironstorm, with Farmageddon founder Tyson Travnik on drums, also played a solid set. I believe the last time I saw this band, they had a different vocalist (although I could be wrong on this point).
• Anyone who has followed this blog knows that I thoroughly enjoy BLËED. Although the album release was pushed back to a later date, BLËED still delivered with all the ferocity one can expect from this band. After returning from the Wacken Metal Battle Final in Toronto, it was disappointing to see that barely anyone hung around to watch. 
• I enjoyed the wonderfully sticky, slightly off-color ‘murder babies’ and all of the jokes that came with them. I’m glad I was one of the few who stayed to watch.

Farmageddon

• The weather turned out to the be the sore point of the weekend. I was optimistic that a forecast of rain might materialize into rain showers, or very little rain, but that wasn’t the case. At least, not for Saturday and most of Sunday. 
• I wish I would have managed to get my gazebo tarped. At least it would have provided respite from the rain in between sets. Mesh isn’t the best water deterrent. 
• Mesh also does not stand up to grease fires on a camp stove. (Although I was not the one who created the grease fire...)
• Friday night, and the camp set-up quickly turned into an utterly hilarious beer fest. 
• The camping and stage areas were significantly different from 2014. This year, the camping area was clearly distinguishable from the stage area. While I preferred last year’s set up, I understand that it would not have been possible to have the same set-up again.
• AGLC rules making the stage area a no-smoking zone, free from outside alcohol, sucked. Again, from the perspective of the organizers, it was an understandable necessity. 
• Idolatry played a good set of pure black metal on Friday evening, bringing the darkness with them. 
• I once again managed to miss most of Villainizer between eating donairs and deciding I was drunk enough that I should probably find my tent before it disappeared into the vast sea of tents. Another lesson reinforced: a donair cannot be eaten while drunk without making a massive mess. Which you will not notice until the next morning.
• Apparently you cannot leave beer unguarded outside your tent, even if it clearly is inside your cooler, or inside your gazebo. The beer goblins will strike. 
• Unlike some others, I was lucky enough to stay warm and dry while inside my tent. That, combined with a bit of social anxiety and a general attitude of unfounded irritation probably explained why I spent most of Saturday evening hiding in my tent. 
• I did not end up watching a single full set on Saturday. Which was a disappointment, especially considering I didn’t even venture out to watch Incantation, whom I was really looking forward to. At least they sounded good from inside my tent. 
• The weather made me seriously consider buying some good hunting/outfitting rain gear. I have decided this will be my next major purchase in order to make a rainy festival experience more enjoyable. 
• I should have dug my camera out to capture some of the moments, but I didn’t. 
• The donair truck, while a bit overpriced, was awesome. The fish and chips truck was fantastic. I really enjoyed being able to get a fresh, warm meal that I didn’t have to cook, and that did not consist of burgers or hot dogs. 
• Seagulls, seagulls and more seagulls on Sunday morning. I woke up to the sound of bird shit bombarding my tent. Which is more funny than it should be, considering it always seems to be my vehicle or tent that gets shit on by birds. At least the seagulls didn’t get me. 
• Aggression was phenomenal, inciting enough headbanging to make my neck sore for the next several days. While I had heard of these Canadian thrash pioneers, I hadn’t given them much of a listen. They played one of the most energetic, enjoyable sets I’ve seen recently. 
• Grim Reaper closed the festival on Sunday evening, and what an amazing choice to close a festival. The Brits played to a crowd who enjoyed every moment, and they certainly seemed to feed off the energy themselves. Steve Grimmet cracked a few hilarious jokes throughout the night. The cover of Dio’s ‘Don’t Talk To Strangers’ might go down as one of the most heartfelt, almost-magical, tribute moments I’ve ever witnessed at any concert or festival. 
• The attendance seemed to be double, or more, of what it was last year. While the vast majority of people were incredibly well behaved, I hope continued growth doesn’t attract the kind of people that detract from the enjoyment of the festival for those of us who manage to have fun without being idiots. 

Last, but certainly not least, thank you to everyone who put in an unimaginable amount of hard work to make Farmageddon possible. It is much appreciated to have an event of this calibre so close to home. 

Unleashed - 'Dawn Of The Nine' Review

Dawn Of The Nine:

1. A New Day Will Rise
2. They Came To Die
3. Defenders Of Midgard
4. Where Is Your God Now?
5. The Bolt Thrower
6. Let The Hammer Fly
7. Where Churches Once Burned
8. Land Of The Thousand Lakes
9. Dawn Of The Nine
10. Welcome The Son Of Thor!

Having finally found the time to sit down and listen to ‘Dawn of The Nine’ track by track in its entirety, I recommend that any death metal fan do the same. Unleashed certainly aren’t rewriting the book on the genre, but they are demonstrating why they continue to be a band at the forefront of the stripped down, old school, Swedish death sound. 

‘Dawn Of The Nine’ is the twelfth studio album from these masters. It doesn’t experiment with new directions, it doesn’t attempt to be more “mainstream” friendly, it doesn’t attempt to reach out to a new segment of fans like so many other bands I’ve loved have attempted to do in recent years. Instead, it continues to embrace what myself (and doubtlessly others) find appealing about the band. ‘Dawn Of The Nine’ is simple in a pure, unadulterated fashion that makes me want to drink beer, bang my fist on the table and headbang along. 

Johnny Hedlund’s vocals are menacingly distinct, snarling yet understandable. This album makes you feel like joining the viking hordes and fighting battles alongside them, burning churches and crushing the White Christ. The slower segments, which I was not fond of on the first couple listens, have grown on me and enhance the atmosphere woven throughout the album. Delving into the story, it’s antagonistic, as evidenced by tracks such as “Where Is Your God Now” and “Where Churches Once Burned”. Songs like these are relevant in so many different ways, and so many different interpretations. The outro to “Where Churches Once Burned” creates a gloomy atmosphere, enabling one to imagine the silence and calm of a coming dawn after watching flames lick a darkened sky. 

Speaking of a reawakening of Thor, and the rise of a mighty (mythologically) based return of Viking values, ‘Dawn Of The Nine’ does not disappoint on the promise of continuing where ‘Odalheim’ left off. It proves that Unleashed is still hungry, still uncompromising and still an exemplary choice when it comes to viking/pagan influenced death metal. 

My favorite tracks: Where Churches Once Burned, The Bolt Thrower, Dawn Of The Nine, Where Is Your God Now?

3 Inches of Blood Parts Ways

Seeing this post this afternoon, I couldn't help but feel a little sadness:

Unfortunately this is not the sort of news you were wanting to hear but here goes.
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It is now that we come to announce that 3 Inches of Blood has decided to part ways.
Naturally, people will have questions as to why we have collectively made this decision. While our reasons are personal, just know we are all still good friends, but it is just time to move on. 

All of us will continue to pursue musical projects, so refer to our social media pages to keep up with that. 

We are eternally thankful to our fans, friends and family that have stuck by us through thick and thin and always believed in us. You are the reason this band got anywhere and kept us going. We'd also like to thank our musical peers and former 3 Inches of Blood members for all your love and support over the years.

We'd like to put one last stamp on the band's career and end it in grand style. Our final performance will be in our hometown of Vancouver, BC, Canada on Saturday, November 7, 2015 at the fabulous Commodore Ballroom. We're pleased to say that, Fire Up the Blades-era bassist, Nick Cates will be playing the show with us. As well, we intend to deliver other special surprises that will make this a night to remember. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 5 and you will be able to get them here http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/11004EBD8E6467B9

3 Inches of Blood has been one of those bands that, time and time again, have managed to bring an amazing amount of energy to their live shows. No matter the venue, or the size of the crowd. This band has always represented good times, beer, and fantastic live music for me. (Not to mention some pretty damn good albums).  As one of the most down to earth, hardworking bands out there, it saddens me a little to know that these Canadian metallers will not be continuing as 3 Inches of Blood. While it is understandable that things change, it is still a little disappointing to know that I won't be able to look forward to seeing this band come through town in the future.

Idolatry Tour Accident

Edmonton black metal band, Idolatry, recently embarked on a Canadian tour, bringing their ritual to audiences in Eastern Canada. Unfortunately, an accident has befallen this mighty black metal outfit as their truck and trailer left the road enroute to one of their shows. 

On the fortunate end of things, the band and the gear are mostly alright. I'm not normally the type of person to promote these 'GoFundMe' campaigns, but these guys are certainly a deserving bunch of talented musicians who would like to get back home to Edmonton. They've run into further complications with insurance not covering certain aspects, and any little bit could help. 

I wanted to share this, in case anyone would like to help the band out, or would like to further share the message. 

To donate:

Help Idolatry 

Idolatry's trailer. 

Cradle of Filth - 'Hammer Of The Witches' Upcoming Album

Love them, or hate them, Cradle of Filth will be releasing 'Hammer Of The Witches' this July. There is no doubt that COF are one of the more polarizing 'popular' metal bands in existence, but I still enjoy listening to them.

If you dare to judge or predict an album based off of one song, 'Hammer Of The Witches' appears as though it will deliver what COF fans have come to expect from the band. Personally, I enjoy the intelligent lyrical content drawn from literary sources, and the gothic-flavored artwork that the band has always used. (The title of this album is a reference to the Malleus Maleficarum, which is a religious 'guideline' for the persecution of witches, issued in 1487).


The official uncensored video for "Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych" can be found here:
Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych

Farmageddon: Interview With Tyson Travnik, Festival Founder

For anyone interested in reading a bit more about Farmageddon Open Air, I wanted to share an interview from Decibel Magazine. The interviewer speaks to Tyson Travnik, the mastermind behind this fantastic Alberta metal festival.

Read it here: http://decibelmagazine.com/blog/2015/4/27/farmageddon-open-air-even-if-you-bring-metal-to-the-middle-of-nowhere-they-will-come

Deathstars: Calgary Cancellation

It is always irritating on some level or another when a band cancels a show, or can’t play a date for which you have tickets for. Especially when you bought the ticket specifically to see that one band play. I somewhat lucked out; I had considered purchasing tickets for the Septic Flesh, Moonspell and Deathstars show in Calgary earlier this month. 

The intent would have been to see Deathstars, as I have not had the opportunity to see them since 2007. Myself and a friend were planning on making the trek, but ultimately decided that other aspects of life were going to prevent us from doing so. In hindsight, a great decision. Why? Turns out Deathstars did not play the Calgary date. Reasoning? The drive from Vancouver to Calgary was deemed too long for the bus driver. This is the post from Deathstars’ Facebook page:

“We are not able to make the Calgary show unfortunately.

After heavy consideration due to the routing of the tour the band is forced to cancel the show in Calgary tonight. 

Without risking the safety of anybody on the bus with too long hours for the driver, it was a critical decision that had to be made. 

The band is of course very sad not being able to do the show, but hope to come back soon and make it up to everybody who had been looking forward to the concert.”

It appears that Deathstars did not play Indianapolis, for the same reason that they did not play in Calgary. The Portland date was a no-show as well, although for a good reason. (The bus was rear-ended traveling from the previous show). Having made the drive from Edmonton to Vancouver (or Vancouver to Edmonton, which is roughly 200km further than Vancouver to Calgary) in a single day multiple times with either one person doing all of the driving, or two people sharing driving duties, it is definitely not an impossible task. To me, claiming that the tour routing is too difficult is a pretty lame excuse. The other bands in the lineup managed to drive the distance. If there was concern about driving distance, why was this not considered in the planning stages of the tour? Why not have two people who are able to divide driving responsibilities? It seems like a serious lack of foresight from whomever was tasked with planning, and ultimately, likely left many fans disappointed. 

Again, I am glad that I didn’t drop my responsibilities and drive to Calgary for the show. If I would have bought a ticket, I definitely would have been disappointed that the band I had wanted to see decided to drop the date. I would have been on the verge of being infuriated with the excuse given, knowing perfectly well that even though the drive from Vancouver to Calgary traverses a few mountain passes, it is still able to be done in a single day. It seems unprofessional to cancel due to the reason given; if Deathstars do decide to play either Edmonton or Calgary in the future, it makes me wonder if I should even purchase a ticket. 

"Farmageddon Open Air kicks off third year"

Farmageddon Tickets, 2014 Edition 

A good article talking about the third year of Farmageddon Open Air:

http://www.edmontonexaminer.com/2015/05/06/farmegeddon-open-air-kicks-off-third-year


While I missed the inaugural year, I attended this festival last year and plan on doing so again this June. I was impressed with the setup and the level of professionalism of the event, while still retaining an intimate feel. There are some great bands in the lineup this year, and the addition of some new (and rather tasty-looking) food vendors.

“What sets a metal festival apart from others is that it’s really quite the opposite of what someone who’s not accustomed to metal festivals would assume,”

I couldn't agree more with the above comment by Bleed's vocalist, Robert Kreed. It's great to go to an event with music and alcohol and not have to worry about being harassed, or random fights breaking out. It seems like most would think metal heads would make for an aggressive, obnoxious crowd, but my experience with various concerts and festivals has been the exact opposite. Farmageddon is a great atmosphere to make new friends, enjoy the craziness of being in a campground with a bunch of like-minded individuals and most important of all, indulge in some fantastic music.


Links:
http://www.farmageddon.ca
https://www.facebook.com/events/1510036222595945/

'Cut Up' to Release Debut Album

Featuring two members of the now disbanded Swedish death metal legends Vomitory, Cut Up is a relatively new band set to release their debut album. According to the band’s bio on the Metal Blade site, fans should be able to expect “violent, catchy, groovy and grinding death metal”. Upon watching the video for “Burial Time”, this is a pretty accurate description. This album holds promises of being loaded with beautifully horrific death metal, perfect for those who enjoy the genre. 

June 30th is the worldwide release date, with ‘Forensic Nightmares’ being available a few days earlier in some countries. 

The track listing:

1. Enter Hell
2. Burial Time
3. Remember The Flesh
4. A Butchery Improved
5. Brain Cell Holocaust
6. Forensic Nightmare
7. Camouflesh
8. Order Of The Chainsaw
9. Stab And Stab Again
10. Bunker Z16
11. Dead And Impaled

For more info and preorders:

http://www.metalblade.com/cutup/

https://www.facebook.com/cutupofficial

Entrails - "Midnight Coffin"

In anticipation of the release of Entrails' upcoming album, they have released another track for consumption. The writers at Metal Blade and Bloody Disgusting have summed up 'Midnight Coffin' pretty succinctly, and much better than I can. I'm beyond excited for 'Obliteration' to be released!

From the Metal Blade newsletter:

As a precursor to its official release, today popular gore portal, Bloody Disgusting, delivers the flesh-eating rumble of seventh track, "Midnight Coffin" for communal ingestion. Elaborates guitarist Jimmy Lundqvist, "It's about time to unleash some ENTRAILS madness! The sick melodies and d-beat will have your head fall off and roll into the midnight coffin. Join the hordes and let death and darkness embrace you. Welcome to the cemetery!"

Adds Bloody Disgusting, "'Midnight Coffin' is a rasping, forceful lump of oldschool Swedish death that pulls no punches. It reeks of cemetery miasma and exudes horrific images. It's 100% absolutely meant for the horror metal fan and you should pay heed."

 Listen to 'Midnight Coffin' on Bloody Disgusting's site:
http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3341028/entrails-midnight-coffin-song-premiere-exclusive/