Canadian Metal

Laika – Somnia Review

By Grymm on September 27, 2014 in 2014, Canadian Metal, Filth Regime Records, Melodic Death Metal, Reviews, Melodic Death Metal, 3 comments

“Laika was a stray dog from Russia who would become the first animal to orbit the earth back in the 1950s. Sadly, Laika did not survive her trek around our planet, but her story would help inspire a group of six dudes from Winnipeg to form a melodic death metal band named after her, because… well, fuck if I know. Anywho, Laika the band have their second album coming out entitled Somnia. Naming yourself after a pioneering canine takes a lot of guts, so how does Laika fare on their second trip around the sun?” Will Laika burn up on re-entry? Join Grymm and find out!

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?

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!

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.

Csejthe – Réminiscence Review

By Happy Metal Guy on April 6, 2013 in 2013, 3.0, Black Metal, Canadian Metal, Eisenwald Records, Reviews, 7 comments

“It’s raining frequently these days in the part of the world Happy Metal Guy resides in, and Csejthe’s (definitely pronounced: See-ass-e-jay-tee-hage-e) sophomore album is a timely soundtrack to the weather’s moodiness. It’s a different case from the review of another rainy black metal record in April last year. This one actually makes you want to stay warm and dry indoors while listening to it instead of stomping outside in frustration to get cold and drenched in the heavy rain.” Happy Metal Guy examines some rainy black metal and goes into some weird kind of screenwriting mode. I honestly don’t know what else to say.