I wasn’t really aware there was a metal scene in Toronto until I saw Ash Lee Blade perform at the Rok Boutique back in 2009. Real metal, I mean. I knew there was metalcore to be found at the OperaRead more…
AC/DC – Rock Or Bust
I have a good rule for parties. If you follow this rule, you will have good parties. AC/DC will always make your party better. It doesn’t really matter which record. Back In Black has the most crowd pleasers. Highway ToRead more…
Beneath Augusta – You Gotta Come Down Sometime
Beneath Augusta was the evolution of (criminally under-appreciated) Toronto space-rock/shoegaze act Mellonova. After parting ways with their rhythm section, singer/guitarist Michael Brennan and guitarist Matthew Cromarty formed a new band and named it after one of the tracks on theirRead more…
Playlist Monday: Nu-Gaze
The shoegaze revival has been in full force for a number of years now. I’ve been hearing other fun terms like nu-gaze and doomgaze. Today’s playlist consists of a handful of noisy bands that may or may not be fascinatedRead more…
At The Gates – At War With Reality
Along with Dark Tranquillity and In Flames, At The Gates is considered to be an originator of the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal sound, or “melodeath” for short. The idea behind melodeath is to convey melody through guitar instead of vocals.Read more…
Tales from the Bargain Bin: Zebrahead – MFZB
There are a ton of bad pop-punk albums out there. Most of them sprung up in the late-90’s in the wake of the success of bands like Green Day, NOFX, Pennywise but really mostly Green Day. Suddenly you couldn’t turnRead more…
Diamond Head – Death and Progress
Diamond Head is best known as the favourite band of Lars Ulrich, drummer for Metallica. Ulrich and Metallica famously covered Diamond Head’s Holst-inspired “Am I Evil?”, making the song, if not the band, a household name. To say that DiamondRead more…
Torche – Harmonslaught
Torche tends to operate in two gears. First is their knack for writing catchy pop songs and recording them alongside booming drums and massively detuned guitars, giving the songs an unexpected heaviness. The second gear, perhaps their trademark, is theirRead more…
Adebisi Shank – This Is The Third Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank
The third (and final) full-length album from Irish math-rockers Adebisi Shank This Is The Third Album of a Band Called Adebisi Shank is a varied and eccentric affair. While their previous material was very much rooted in rock, with theRead more…
Night Demon – S/T
The past couple years have been great for NWOBHM (New Wave of British Heavy Metal) throwback bands. Between Enforcer, Phantom, Skull Fist, Striker, Christian Mistress, Holy Grail and many, many more, there’s been reason for much rejoicing in old-school metalRead more…