by Chris Wheeler | Oct 21, 2014 | Critiques, Critiques de Shows
Live Review of DORO with Special Guests, THE MIGHTY SWINE, ARAPACIS and POTION 13
Petit Campus, 57 Prince Arthur Est, Montréal, Canada.
Sunday, October 19th, 2014.
Converging upon Petit Campus, fans hungrily anticipated the arrival of German Heavy Metal icon, Doro Pesch, bringing with her an arsenal of both WARLOCK and solo hits to entertain! As the merchandise table was awash with curious onlookers and buyers, the night`s festivities started out with a bang! Thanks to Extensive Enterprise for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of this event, an event not soon forgotten.
Montreal’s POTION 13 certainly stormed the gate hard with exuberant members energetically wooing the crowd. Naty Baril’s bass heavy rhythm kept a steady grove while singer, Danielle Langlois charmed the audience with abundant praise and ear to ear grins! Clearly happy to be opening for DORO, the set consisted of fan favorites, “La Révolution”, “La Mort” and “Le Rock ça Tue”, but it was standouts, “Camping Ste-Madelaine” and “Passion 13” that nicely demonstrated the band’s knack for infectious grooves with just enough head bobbing to satiate fans for the moment! On stage camaraderie was apparent as well as Langlois and Baril traded excited glances. “Fuck the World” had fans chanting the chorus and with a simplistic but effective message, POTION 13 soon left the stage victorious!
ARAPACIS mounted the stage next and with a healthy mix of Prog., Hard Rock and Metal, the audience was treated to songs that defied convention. A little green, singer, Shelle Macpheason performed nicely under the hot lights, crooning away numbers, “Horror Show”, “Crisis” and “Theocracy” with sporadic bouts of vocal aggression while guitarist, Jerry Fielden flamboyantly exchanged licks with bassist, Eddy Levitsky. The progressive elements of the set sprang to live on set highlights “Tearing the Mist” (a new song that’s set to appear on their forthcoming record and will feature the keyboard talents of DEEP PURPLE’s, Don Airey) and final cut, “End of the Line”. Both effective in displaying the band’s multi-facetted sound, the latter combining a mellow, yet “hooky” charm!
Travelling from Cincinnati, Ohio, THE MIGHTY SWINE brought the night down to true, biker/bar Rock with a tight performance, albeit with slight technical problems for guitarist, Jeff Tong. Regardless, the band played like seasoned veterans, commanding the stage and “rocking out” hard! Exuding a strong sense of bravado and rebellion, THE MIGHTY SWINE confidently exploded through “Empty Shell” “Vengeance is Mine”, and “Two Graves”. “Good time anthems” characterized much of their set but mid-paced stomper, “Dead Man’s Stare” and “Rite of Passage” showed the band slowing down to an almost SABBATH-tinged pace. “All that is Evil” was particularly punchy and “in your face”, although it was the band’s final cut as Tong’s gear continued to impede his performance, ending the set before they could play JUDAS PRIEST cover, “Hell Bent for Leather”. Regardless, a tight and high-octane execution was achieved!
Adrenaline pumping and chants of “Metal Queen” greeted DORO as the band mounted the stage before ripping into “I Rule the Ruins” to an ecstatic crowd! If there is any Metal personality that instills the “Metal brotherhood” and celebration of all things “metallic”, it’s Doro Pesch and she made no apologies for it neither! Fully embracing the hungry fans up front, the class act clasped hands and extended her microphone to wanton onlookers looking to shout out their favorite lyrics! Getting up close and personal, the way she commanded the stage made for a more intimate experience for the audience. Hit after hit reverberated off the walls as “Earthshaker Rock”, “Burning the Witches”, newer cut, “Raise Your Fist”, “Out of Control” and “True as Steel” all made “appearances”. Being the consummate hostess, Doro also took requests from the baying crowd who wanted to hear “Always Live to Win”, “Night of the Warlock”, “East Meets West”, “Hellbound” and “Hero”, which was dedicated to the late, great Ronnie James Dio. Live staples, “All We Are” and Priest cover, “Breaking the Law” were also heard with massive applause to which the “Queen”, humbly bowed and offered her many thanks! The charm of the German lady could not be understated.
However, it was also due in fact to her backing band who kept the fevered momentum going. With so much youthfulness and vigor, fans were regaled by onstage showmanship that never let up for a second! Guitarist and bassist, Bas Maas and Nick Douglas pranced and jubilantly gyrated across the floor headbanging their heads off while drummer Johnny Dee raised the roof with a solo that kept the crowd decibel levels at maximum pitch! All this as Doro, raised horns in the air, ensured that the pride of the Metal fan was in full swing and by the end of the night, patrons left Petit Campus with an experience that more than likely exceeded their expectations…
Chris
by Chris Wheeler | Oct 11, 2014 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
Gilgamesh
« The Awakening«
Self-Released/ Independent
2014
After issuing their demo in 2013, Munich’s GILGAMESH is now set to take the Metal world by storm with their premier record, “The Awakening”. Brandishing a huge, fiery tone of Blackened Death proportions, the German foursome should surely stand shoulder to shoulder among the strongest bands to emerge for the first time with their debuts this year!
“Eclipse” begins the listener on a journey of epic intensity as the instrumental hears Middle Eastern tinged harmonies and orchestration before “Astaroth” pummels in the relentless way KEEP OF KALESSIN did on “Armada”. Soaring melodies define the guitar solos and the keys gently lie beneath the surface. Meanwhile, “Slaying in the Name of Ishtar” brings the Teutonic barrage to slower pastures as the weight of the pounding number will help bang many a head as well as raise eyebrows! “The Astronomer” helps keep the group in league with Polish legends, BEHEMOTH, though adding sombre clean vocals which beacon the dark and seeking refuge in “magical spheres”.
A strong effort and masterfully recorded, the musical ideas are clear but maybe a little too clear as obvious comparison’s to the above mentions acts will be inevitable. Subtle allusions to a Middle Eastern musical lexicon are what define and differentiate the troupe from others. Though they are few and far between, when such details are heard, they instantly demand attention.
“Aeons of Hate” also demands attention in its slow moving tremolo rhythm and grim approach. Soft, menacing whispers characterize its start but soon the tension builds to a blast beat crescendo that KEEP OF KALESSIN fans will faun over! Final cut, “The Curse of Akkade” is a powerful mover and dramatic piece and with it being the longest song on the album “The Awakening” is brought to a climactic end. Though GILGAMESH dabbles in familiar territory, the strength of their debut lies in the song compositions, performances and superb production. No doubt “The Awakening” will be on the lips of many as the year comes to a close and “Best of this 2014” lists are to be compiled…
Standout Tracks: “The Astronomer”, “Aeons of Hate”, “Evocating Enlil”
8.5/10
Chris
by Chris Wheeler | Oct 2, 2014 | Critiques, Critiques de Shows
Review of PHOBOCOSM album launch of “Deprived” with Special Guests, IRN, ADVERSARIAL, and THANTIFAXATH Coop Katacombes 1635 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, QC H2X 2S9 Saturday, September 27th. 2014.
With Sepulchral Production (which I wanna thank alongside Samuel Dufour of PHOBOCOSM for allowing me access to review the event) selling their wares and PHOBOCOSM’s t-shirts/cds for their new album, “Deprived” being set up, fans eagerly marched into Coop Katacombes to be witness to an event filled with Doom Death, and Black Metal delights offered by Dark Descent Records as label mates, Thantifaxath and Adversarial would join Phobocosm on this evening! Special guest to open the night were IRN from Toronto set to get this evening going.
As fans gingerly entered from the terrace outside, the thundering pulse of the first act began to reverberate off the darkened walls… Toronto’s, IRN quickly established themselves as a slow, churning Doom band complete with massive feedback and “stop and go” momentum. Still, brandishing the occasional blast beat, the trio displayed a good amount of energy and stage presence, convulsing along to their miserable chords and downtrodden drums! Possessing a harrowing scream, the vocalist/bassist offered up quieter moments of bass that would not sound out of place as the soundtrack to a Hammer Horror Film starring Christopher Lee or Peter Cushing; an incredible amount of atmosphere! As the fans stood still and bobbed their heads, “Sewer”, “Causing Decay”, and “Old Orange Hands” all culminated in a crushing blow, but it was with final number, “Always Die Slowly” that IRN really made a lasting impact upon the audience. A recognizable riff and infectious groove made this a set highlight over rung out chords.
** Pictures have been taken with my normal digital camera and I don’t pretend to be a professional photograph. Therefore, they are just intended to illustrate the review.
Another threesome, Toronto’s ADVERSARIAL had a tougher go of their initial proceedings. With guitar pedal difficulties, the singer/guitarist cued the soundman for minor adjustments in between short blasts of aural chaos! Similarly, the drummer seemed to play slightly out of time when performing blast beats, and though visibly shaken, he quickly regained his composure for a better performance as the set rolled along. A stark contrast to IRN, ADVERSARIAL sounded strongly militant and caustic, blazing forward with blast beats and intricate (AND impressive!) bass and guitar finger work! Though the players stood statuesque, the music certainly did the talking with disjointed riffs and dissonant complexity. Controlled chaos and a will to overcome made this set come together nicely!
Another enigmatic presence from Toronto, THANTIFAXATH, mounted the stage dressed in ominous head to toe hooded robes to decimate the venue with their brand of Black Metal fused with mesmerizing experimental flourishes! A unique listen and an even more fascination in watching the band play, THANTIFAXATH proved that there is STILL room within the Black Metal genre to maneuver and add fresh, new ideas! Much like ADVERSARIAL, the playing is disjointed and offered onlookers an uncomfortable listen but moments of finger tapping and eerie chords transported the fan to other worlds. Combine this with a straight forward tremolo assault and the set remained a scary example of a band that doesn’t cater to limits or clichés – inspiring!
The moment all were waiting for with anticipation, the first listen of PHOBOCOSM’s latest release, “Deprived” performed in its entirety! What is clearly noted and accepted is the awesome power this Montreal troupe achieves with their wall of sound! Relentless when the band is in full swing; drowning in suffocating misery when they bring the tempo down to a slow crawl. In between songs, feedback and dense fuzz introduced the following cuts as cheers resonated loudly and images of fireballs and solar flares danced upon a video screen above them. The only set of the night to instill a small pit and numerous headbanging, PHOBOCOSM were on top of their game and consistently gave the fans their all! As the lights signalled the end of the night, many gravitated towards the merch. table once more to grab a copy of what they just heard…”Deprived”!
Chris
by Chris Wheeler | Sep 23, 2014 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
Decline of Faith
“Genetic Doom” (demo)
Self-Released/Independent
2014
Genetic, Not Generic…
DECLINE OF FAITH has all cylinders firing on maximum on their demo entitled, “Genetic Doom”. Short bursts of melodic Death Metal with some Hardcore elements make this a modern sounding demo with enough “torque” and rough terrain to satisfy many. Exploding out of Sherbrooke Quebec, the quintet aim to make a considerable impact on the local scene and beyond!
Fast and energetic, “Hate Harperor” immediately raises eyebrows with it’s rough mix while adding highly stylized guitar leads, courtesy of Joel Chartrand and Philippe Pellerin which really “pop”! “Integrity of Mind” also strikes a chord in much the same way; catchy rhythms and high speed solos abound that will no doubt mesmerize onlookers on stage.
Elsewhere, “Genetic Doom” also pummels, although here the sound quality on this particular cut sounds as though it was recorded live, making one wonder if each song was recorded at various times? Muddled and caustic with Emmanuelle Desbiens Dubois’s vocals having a thick echo, the cut ultimately loses some of its impact. Regaining the standard of most tracks, “Poisoned Prophets” picks up right where the sound should be, with a clear sounding and crushing execution along with the Thrash tinged “Repent for the Sins of God”.
Sherbrooke’s DECLINE OF FAITH doesn’t necessarily need a top notch production to showcase their penchant for furious, aggressive Melodic Metalcore as others have shown. “Genetic Doom” relies on the short, swift song writing that will translate well live and leave fans panting after every number! Though not always streamlined or consistent in the production, the demo goes a long way in demonstrating where the group’s affinity lies and what they’ll offer fans on a future full length. Not a bad start!
Standout Tracks: “Poisoned Prophets”, “Integrity of Mind”
7.5/10
Chrismetalreviews Wheeler
by Chris Wheeler | Sep 10, 2014 | Critiques, Critiques d'Albums
Black Pestilence
« In Defiance«
2013
Adding new Ingredients to an Already Classic Recipe!
Emerging from the unlikely place of Calgary Alberta, Canada, a region best known for its conservative politics and popular Country music, BLACK PESTILENCE reveal a staunch foot in both the Black Metal and Punk genres. Shooting from the hip, the threesome have already penned a steady flow of recordings since 2009’s “Vice” and show no signs of “slowing down”, having released a split with Villainizer earlier this year in May, a rapid follow up to the album I’m gonna talk to you about.
Last year’s “In Defiance” marks the band’s third full length and commitment to the Dark One while raising awareness about social injustice. Of course, blending the likes of Black Metal and Punk isn’t new. TOXIC HOLOCAUST, SCUM and SHITFUCKER have all experimented with such angles. But, what set BLACK PESTILENCE apart are the subtle inclusions of Industrial, orchestration and Crossover. Sure, “Vicious Life”, “Toxic Underground” and “Engulfed by Sin” all harbor strong affinities towards a DIY attitude and “stick it to the Man” but other cuts like “Uprising”, for instance, offer something more. Here, the juxtaposition of darker hues is combined with grand cinematic flourishes that elevate the song to higher pastures! The keys also rear their “ugly heads” on “Serpentine Power” but they’re used sporadically and don’t take away from the overall potency of the song.
With a clear production that’s somewhat questionable for this style, “In Defiance” is a satisfying listen, especially if one is in the market for a “BELPHEGOR meets THE RAMONES”! Upon an initial spin, vocalist Valax comes across between the raspy vomit of Jeff Walker (era Heartwork) and MARDUK’s ex-vocalist, Legion, especially on album closer, “Greed For Greed”, yet another soulful number that charms the listener with a nice mid-way break of atmosphere and tremolo guitar picking.
If BLACK PESTILENCE continue down this path adding their own take to the already tread path of others, more and more people WILL take notice!
Standout Tracks: “Uprising”, “Serpentine Power”, “Greed For Greed”
8.5/10
Chris
