Canadian Metal

Keys of Orthanc – A Battle In The Dark Lands of The Eye… Review

By Twelve on September 8, 2019 in 2019, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Naturmacht Productions, Reviews, Atmospheric Black Metal, 10 comments

“Given the right formula, the right ingredients, and the right opportunity, metal — music in general, but metal for our purposes — can be the gateway into new worlds. Using metal as a means for escapism is both wonderfully cathartic and cathartically wonderful. And I don’t mean that in the generic Nightwish-esque ‘how about that wanderlust, eh?’ kind of way. I mean when metal grabs you by the throat, drags you across the threshold and laughs mercilessly when you try to explain that one does not simply walk into Mordor. At least, that’s what Keys of Orthanc are doing here.” Eye came, Eye saw.

Detherous – Hacked to Death Review

By Holdeneye on August 22, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Redefining Darkness Records, Reviews, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal, 24 comments

“I think I’m finally coming around on this whole death metal thing. The gore and violence subject matter of the genre has been difficult for me to get used to. I started my life as a religious prude and possess a Constitution ability score that has me literally passing out whenever I give blood, so I’ve never gotten into horror films or their musical equivalents. Add to that the fact that I’ve responded to three “hammer smashed faces” in my relatively short EMT career, and the novelty of songs with such titles is somewhat lost on me.” A metalhead with a split personality. Chopping spree.

Waingro – III Review

By GardensTale on August 19, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Reviews, Sludge, Sludgelord Records, Stoner Metal, Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, 11 comments

“What constitutes summer music for you? In my case, I tend to gravitate towards music that plays well on car trips, meaning I blast stoner and sludge above average during the times of sunshine. These genres often have the locomotive rhythms, simple structures and addictive riffing that allow me to practice finger-drumming on the steering wheel and terrible singing, preferably with the windows rolled down so everyone in a 30-yard radius gets to enjoy with me.” Road rage and hot days.

Cruickshank – Cruickshank Review

By Grymm on August 11, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Grind, Reviews, Self-released, Sludge Metal, Hardcore, Sludge, 25 comments

“An amalgamation of sludgy riffs, frantic drumming, and some caustic vocals by Graham Christian that recalls a beloved British band with the word “iron” in their name, Cruickshank’s debut throws an awful lot of thematically disparate sounds together, but they mostly mesh decently.” Grind n’ shank.

Disowning – Human Cattle Review

By Ferrous Beuller on July 27, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, French Metal, Reviews, Xenokorp Records, Death Metal, 5 comments

“Death metal enjoys an incredibly unique lexicon and reviewing it is certainly no exception. It’s infinitely tempting to utilize the obvious descriptors to transcribe the genre’s density. One common metaphor that often fits the violent aesthetic is slaughter. The opportunities to wield synonyms for slicing and dicing, no to mention the anatomical possibilities, are rife. The French/Québecois compound Disowning know a little something about said extremity as evidenced on debut album Human Cattle.” Welcome to the abattoir.

Obey the Brave – Balance Review

By Diabolus in Muzaka on July 18, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Impericon Records, Metalcore, Reviews, Metalcore, 29 comments

“Of all the things I thought I’d be excited about this year, the metalcore side project of Alex Erian from Despised Icon was not one of them. But sometimes life throws you a delightful curveball, giving you lemonade instead of lemons. Here, life also happened to put a generous double shot of vodka into my lemonade. I’m normally a beer guy, but like an unanticipated alcoholic lemonade, Balance is refreshing.” Drink up.

Tomb Mold – Planetary Clairvoyance Review

By Ferrous Beuller on July 15, 2019 in 20 Buck Spin, 2019, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Reviews, Death Metal, 82 comments

“Little over a year later, Tomb Mold have returned with a third death metal opus, and things have changed. Planetary Clairvoyance is drastically evolved. Now in our midst is a star-spawned abomination, multi-formed and voracious. If the preceding records were a baring of teeth, then this collection is surely the war-turn for this dread conqueror worm.” Olde mold is bold.

Aphrodite – Lust and War Review

By Huck N Roll on July 10, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Fighter Records, Heavy Metal, Reviews, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Speed Metal, 29 comments

“The dog days of summer are upon us. The glory of finding albums that are monthly contenders for our highest accolades seems but a distant memory. Instead, we find ourselves scouring the pits of promo hell in desperate searches for something, anything, with redeeming qualities. So I find myself saddled (by my own choice) with Lust and War, the debut album from Toronto’s Aphrodite.” Speed kills.

Metalian – Vortex Review

By Steel Druhm on July 9, 2019 in 2019, Canadian Metal, Heavy Metal, High Roller Records, NWOBHM, Reviews, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, NWOBHM, Speed Metal, 26 comments

“Canada is in the midst of a speed metal renaissance at the moment, with bands like Skull Fist and Riot City blazing burning pathways back to the 80s. Now you can add Metalian to the backward focused mob rush. Their third opus Vortex is a shameless throwback dose of speed mixed with traditional and NWoBHM ideas, designed and executed to sound totally natural in 1984. That means tossing Agent Steel, Razor and Judas Priest in a burlap sack and shaking furiously to see what happens.” Dad metal happens.

Brand of Sacrifice – God Hand Review

By Holdeneye on July 2, 2019 in 2019, American Metal, Canadian Metal, Death Metal, Deathcore, Electronica Metal, Reviews, Unique Leader, Death Metal, Deathcore, Electronic Metal, 16 comments

“If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know that my taste in music is highly suspect, so it should come as no surprise by now that a deathcore album has a decent chance to impress me. In fact, when I heard “Divinity,” the first single from God Hand, I initially thought that I might have stumbled upon a gem.” God smacked.