Canadian Metal

Nostril Caverns – Inside the Cell/The Dying’s Last Breath Review

By Jean-Luc Ricard on September 14, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Grind, Reviews, Death Metal, Grind, 1 comment

“Nostril Caverns is a bizarre entity for more reasons than the incredible name. It’s the creative repository for one Chris Balch’s musical outpourings – he plays all the instruments and vocalizes – which over the past few years have included records of free jazz improv, tech-grind, noise, and a concept album about couples eating dinner at a restaurant. At this point you’re probably wondering whether Mr. Balch’s lack of band-mates is entirely of his own choosing.” This guy did a metal My Dinner With Andre? Now I can die in peace because I’ve heard it all.

Super Massive Black Holes – Calculations of the Ancients Review

By Kronos on April 26, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Minotauro Records, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Experimental Metal, Progressive Metal, 8 comments

“Have you ever listened to Between the Buried and Me and thought “Wow, wouldn’t it be great if there was a band just like this, but with even worse vocals?” I sure have, so it’s a good thing that Calgary’s Super Massive Black Holes are about to release their début album, Calculations of the Ancients. This experimental metal quartet has crafted a suite of tracks for the proggiest of them all, playing tuneful basslines and intricate riffs while filling the vocal skill gap between Between the Buried and Me and me.” Kronos wrestled this straight from the snapping jaws of a great white! Was it worth the fight?

Forteresse/Chasse-Galerie/Monarque/Csejthe – Légendes Review

By JF Williams on March 25, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Reviews, Sepulchral Productions, Black Metal, 5 comments

“The French-Canadian province of Quebec has a rich black metal scene, and Canadian black metal label Sepulchral Productions has strung together a real gem in the form of Légendes, a four-way split EP of proud Québécois darkness. In keeping with each group’s dedication to Québécois cultural and national identity, the split unites some of the scene’s more well-known groups – Forteresse, Chasse-Galerie, Monarque and Csejthe – to explore Quebec’s folklore.” Ready for a rare four-way split of French-Canadian blackness? Wendigos unite!

Will of the Ancients – To Our Glorious Dead Review

By Grymm on February 21, 2014 in 2014, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Power Metal, Reviews, Black Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, 11 comments

“There’s something to be said about wearing influences on your sleeves. I may hail from the blackest forests of Southern New Hampshire and primarily enjoy black metal, but I have a soft spot for well-played power metal, old-school thrash, and melodic death metal. I’m known to geek out at the sound of a well-crafted guitar melody, soaring vocals, and urgent drumming. But, never in a million years would I picture it all on one album.” Grymm gets a shock, and you just might too!

Culted – Oblique to All Paths Review

By Grymm on January 13, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Doom Metal, Relapse, Reviews, Black Metal, Doom Metal, 3 comments

“The Internet is a wonderful thing. You can find pretty much everything via the web: your future ex-wife/husband, unnecessary lists you never knew you wanted to read, questionable porn based on whatever, and yes, even band members. Culted are a unique group. Three-quarters of the band live in Manitoba, Canada, and they’ve never met their vocalist, Swedish-based Daniel Jansson, with the exception of file-sharing and email correspondence. Remarkably, even without ever being in the same room, they craft some seriously cold, bleak soundscapes.” These guys run their band like AMG runs this website. It’s all about distance, isolation and cold, inhuman technology!

Retro-spective Review: Exciter – Heavy Metal Maniac

By Steel Druhm on December 26, 2013 in Canadian Metal, Retro Reviews, Thrash Metal, 17 comments

“Unlike some of the olden chestnuts I’ve tabbed for a retro-spective look back, Exciter is a bit better known and had a more successful run in the gerbil wheel of metal. Still, I feel like they’re one of those bands tumbling off the radar of younger bashers, and that’s a low down, dirty shame! Along with Anvil, Exciter was one of Canada’s earliest metal exports and, like Anvil, they played a part in the birth of the speed/thrash genres.” Steel Druhm takes us for a nostalgia-filled look back at the power and fury of Canada’s contribution to thrash, Exciter. For those aboot to rock, we salute you.

Tribune – Tales Review

By Kronos on October 20, 2013 in 2013, Canadian Metal, Corpse Corrosion Records, Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 1 comment

““Progressive death metal” is a phrase full of lush semantic promise for me. Those three words hold the suggestion of an interesting and diverse palette of sound, with enough nuance to be respectable and enough hard-hitting and energetic release to satiate my almost masochistic desire to headbang. Sadly, the suggestion is all too often a bit misleading – as bands fail to deliver compelling songs amidst the interwoven forest of off-kilter rhythms and odd, but uninspiring tonalities. The very promise of difference all too often homogenizes the genre through an arms race for musical novelty and this prevents artists from forming a distinct identity. Identity is something Vancouver’s Tribune certainly isn’t lacking in; they’re decidedly not a copycat and their second album Tales is one of the most distinctive records I’ve heard this year.” Promises, promises, promises, that’s what tech-death means to our man Kronos. But can Tribune live up to their promises (and promise)?

Gorguts – Colored Sands Review

By Noctus on October 18, 2013 in 2013, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Season of Mist, Death Metal, 10 comments

“Let me know if you can find a metal band that utilizes dissonance and technicality to a large degree that doesn’t cite Gorgut’s masterful work as an influence. I’ll probably be waiting a long time so I’ll bring a good book – it’s called “The Band That Pioneered Dissonance and Technicality in Death Metal” and it has the word ‘Gorguts’ repeated over and over. But it’s that huge sense of respect for the band and the enormous anticipation for this release that made it such a tricky one for the legendary act. 12 years is not only a long time for hype to build around a record, but it also gives newcomers and pretenders a chance to overtake the legends should they prove unable to live up to their own mammoth legacy. After all, a lot of bands are remembered for their creative peak, even when they can’t maintain that level indefinitely. So perhaps Obscura and From Wisdom to Hate era was their peak and all they’ll really conjure up this time is a solid record, right?” And here is the other neglected gem we wanted to get to, but didn’t until now. You’re welcome!

Death Toll Rising – Infection Legacy Review

By JF Williams on October 17, 2013 in 2013, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 4 comments

“Monty Python’s Life of Brian had a tagline that said something to the effect of: “See the movie that’s controversial, sacrilegious, and blasphemous. But if that’s not playing, see The Life of Brian.” Remove the satire and replace Life of Brian with Infection Legacy from Canadian death/thrashers Death Toll Rising, and you’ll have a fairly good idea of what you’re getting into here on their follow up to their embarrassingly titled Defecation Suffocation.” A super obscure death/thrash act that’s comparable to a Monty Python classic? If that doesn’t tickle your curiosity bone, you must’ve had it removed.

Annihilator – Feast Review

By Steel Druhm on August 17, 2013 in 2.5, 2013, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Thrash Metal, UDR Music, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, 21 comments

“Anyone who read my review of Annihilator’s malformed 2010 outing knows I’ve met my fair share of frustration and disappointment at their diabolical hands. For those who missed that ill-tempered screed, I lamented how they’ve made a career out of underperforming and steadfastly refusing to live up to the potential promised by their Alice in Hell debut. Hell, you can’t even look to them to turn out consistently decent albums, as more than a few have been bad. The thing that galls me most, is that almost every album has one or two tracks that hint at what founder/guitar-wizard Jeff Waters is capable of.” Can these once ragin’ Canadian thrashers finally get things back on track with Feast? If so, Steel Druhm’s Annihilator abuse may finally come to a middle.