The Scrolls of Akhenaten: May 3rd, 2024

May 3, 2024May 5, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Having returned from tour with my band Ratpiss in the United States this past week I encountered a ton of cool bands who definitely deserve mention on this here segment on the Heavy NFLD blog. If any of these band names, album covers, or descriptions entice you then you definitely need to check them out!

Black

Emerging from the depths of Philadelpha to join the ranks of other Philly metalpunk rebels like Zorn and Devil Master, Atomic Cretins are exactly what I want from blackened thrash metal. Their debut EP is both heavy and ripping while maintaining a spooky, vampiric atmosphere, the perfect mixture for this style of extreme music. The riffs are fast and unrelenting, the vocals are absolutely atrocious (complimentary) and the drumming is pulverizing. All of this is combined with devilish guitar solos that conjure comparisons to Sarcofago and early Mayhem, while the occasional synth passage drapes the EP in a morose quality. With a name like Atomic Cretins it’s no surprise that the band sounds as nuclear as they do, with comparisons to Teutonic thrash outfits of old like Sodom and Kreator also being apt. Don’t sleep on this Philly four piece.

Death

Upon my band’s return route to the frozen northern wastes of Canada we made a stop in the city of West Chester, about 45 minutes west of Philadelphia, where we played in a VFW hall called The Moose Lodge. Among the bands that graced this bill was Aroma, who opened up the show. Their brand of slamming goregrind was honestly a lot more interesting than most bands who I’ve heard in this genre. Instead of relying exclusively on slow, downtuned chugs and pig squeals or gurgles like most slam does, Aroma had a lot of variety in their music. They mixed higher tempo death metal riffs in with the chugs, changing things up on a dime, while the vocals transformed back and forth between deep guttural lows and pained mid-range highs. They were easily one of my favourite bands we played with on this tour.

Doom

Messe – *Connemara PL*
**May 1st, 2021**
**Psychedelic / Stoner Rock**
**Independently Released**
**Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada**
**Standout Song:** “Cette Étoile Inconnue”

Not a band that my band played with on this tour, but a band that one of my other bands played with on a previous tour from last year. Messe, hailing from the far eastern town of Bathurst in New Brunswick, are pure Acadian rock and roll through and through. Mixing elements of Black Sabbath together with other groups from the same era like Led Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, and more, these guys really embrace that old school 60’s and 70’s sound on this debut EP. While the band has released a new EP this year, this is the one I’m more familiar with so I chose to represent this one instead. It’s loud as hell, with the guitars reverberating and echoing across the boreal landscape all the way to the coast. While the music is all sung in French I think anglophones can still find a lot to enjoy from the instrumental aspect regardless.

Prog

Serling – *The James Bevis Chronicles*
**August 16th, 2021**
**Mathcore / Technical Deathcore**
**Independently Released**
**Bowdoin, Maine, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Time Enough at Last”

Admittedly this isn’t usually the kind of thing I’d be into these days. I had a huge phase in which I was super into mathcore and progressive / technical deathcore about 10 years ago, but the style doesn’t do much for me these days. However we did play alongside a band called Serling at a huge beachside fest in Boston called Weedviolence Fest during this tour, and when I found out that their whole deal is that their music is all inspired by The Twilight Zone I knew I’d have to give them a fair shake. It’s still not really the kind of stuff I personally go out of my way to listen to, but this is music that was made for people who love bands like The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza, Car Bomb, Rings of Saturn, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and The Red Chord. Mathy and heavy as fuck.

Punk

Ratpiss’ old touring mates in Corrupt World were kind enough to set up the final show of our recent run in the ol’ U.S. of A. in Burlington, Vermont and it was a pleasure to share the stage with them again. If you like noisy as hell, relentless, d-beat crust punk that incorporates elements of grindcore and harsh noise into the mix then this band is for you. This is unrepentant and raw as fuck music that pulls no punches when it comes to grinding your eardrums to dust against the pavement. Just because it’s noisy as hell, though, doesn’t mean that Corrupt World is without a degree of catchiness to their music. Quite the opposite. Many of the songs on this EP have fairly catchy guitar riffs and ripping solos that are derived straight from the Motorhead-adjacent rock and roll stylings of old school hardcore punk.

Thrash

While Artificial Scarcity are definitively a grindcore band, it would be remiss of me to ignore the copious amount of thrash metal influence in their music. Perhaps given that guitarist Sam Agnew has played in thrash bands before, it’s a bit unsurprising. It would also be remiss of me to not mention the band that I had just spent the past week and a half on the road with, ripping up venues all across the east coast of the States. Do not skip out on Artificial Scarcity. Not only are they musically impressive, featuring unabashed ripper after ripper across this debut record, but politically they hit the nail on the head. Appropriately calling out the state-imposed capitalist depravity of the modern world, from minimum wage slave labor to the government’s ignorance towards indigenous sovereignty, to the genocide of the Palestinians, to fighting back against state oppression. It’s all gloriously wrapped up in unbridled shred.

Trad

Goblet – *Bastard Thrash*
**September 25th, 2020**
**Speed / Thrash Metal**
**Independently Released**
**Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Wing Fling”

While Goblet’s music is also undoubtedly rooted in thrash metal, there are elements of other genres present here as well. We get the occasional black metal tremolo-picked riff, while some of the riffage veers into death metal territory. They’re somewhere at the intersection of multiple genres while still feeling very much like just a Capital M “Metal” band. The music contained on here feels just as much influenced by bands like Municipal Waste and Metallica as it does 3 Inches of Blood and other power metal bands that draw upon that NWOBHM sound. We performed alongside these guys at the aforementioned Weedviolence Fest in Revere, Massachusetts and they were easily one of my favourite bands of the night. If you want fucking killer riffs, over-the-top vocals, and speed that kills, then Goblet is for you.

Non-Metal

The Pentagram String Band – *Blood Blood Blood*
**August 9th, 2023**
**Bluegrass**
**Independently Released**
**Kansas City, Missouri, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Mother of Babylon”

Perhaps one of the most interesting bills on this tour was a show we played in Atlanta, Georgia with a couple of bluegrass and folk bands at a venue called The Catacombs. It turned out that both our tours were hitting the same city on the same date so the bookers put us together for a bit of a mixed bill, which I was skeptical of at first, but came to enjoy quite a bit by the end. We performed alongside Johnny Lawhorn, the frontman of The Pentagram String Band, who performed his band’s material solo that night. His music was honestly kickass as hell. This man can play the banjo with a speed I’ve never before witnessed. Describing themselves as “suspicious of traditional bluegrass”, The Pentagram String Band draws inspiration from Satanism, the occult, and traditional Appalachian folk music to create a pastiche of darkness over the typically upbeat genre.

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 26th, 2024

April 26, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Despite being on the road in a completely different country I still will find the time to provide you with eight killer album recommendations because music is what makes the world go round. On that topic I’ve encountered a number of bands over the past week that definitely deserve a bigger audience.

Black

The first time I was exposed to Infant Island it was when they were added last minute to a huge mixed bill that featured the likes of Gatecreeper and Fearing. It was odd but given how mixed the bill was I guess it made sense to toss a screamo band on there. Admittedly I wasn’t all that into them for this live show but decided to check out their new record when it dropped earlier this year and was shocked to find out just how damn much I liked it. This album is fucking phenomenal, featuring tons of atmosphere, triumphant guitar work that screams out over relentless blast beats and passages of intense, cathartic screaming. Screamo and black metal may seem at polar ends of the musical spectrum but bands like Infant Island manage to bridge that gap almost flawlessly and this record is proof of that. Obsidian Wreath is a phenomenal release that deserves your attention.

Death

Eyecatcher is a four piece death metal outfit that my own band Ratpiss played with while on tour in Long Island City, New York. This Maryland quartet was amazing in the live setting and their brand of Obituary / Power Trip worshipping death metal was right up my alley. Checking them out on the recording side of things I am happy to report that their first self-titled release is just as good sounding as the live versions of these songs were. This is ripping death metal with thrash metal and grindcore influence that would not go unwelcome on a playlist next to bands like Frozen Soul and Sanguisugabogg. While this EP is “blink and you’ll miss it” short, it’s packed with more killer riffs and drum beats that you can shake a disembodied leg at. If the cover art doesn’t sell you on it already, let the song titles like “Blood Carnival” and “Wormtongue” entice into the grotesque nature that awaits.

Doom

I was first introduced to Horndal through my friend Tyler. Admittedly when I first checked it out I wasn’t sure about it but after numerous repeat listens it dawned on me: this album is fucking incredible. This thing combines elements of the bright, harmonized guitar work of groups like Thin Lizzy or Kvelertak along with the progressive riffing nature of bands like Mastodon as well as the raw sense of urban decay ushered in by bands like Tombs or Morne to create a sound I’ve never quite heard before. This thing is a beast of modern metal, and not in the same way that people describe Lamb of God. This is the pinnacle of modern metal music, utilizing every aspect of heavy music that I personally love in such a way that I’ve never been privy to. It’s experimental while also being catchy as fuck, all while the gruff caveman vocals detail stories about the history and legends of the band’s hometown for which they are named.

Prog

Orbs was a band of particular interest to me back in 2010 when they first emerged onto the scene of modern, nu-progressive artists that had readers of the blog Heavy Blog is Heavy fawning. Featuring such notable names as Dan Briggs from Between the Buried and Me, Adam Fisher of Fear Before the March of Flames, and Ashley Jurgemeyer of Abigail Williams, this was a supergroup of sorts that existed to blend elements of jazz, prog, and space rock with a post-hardcore affectation and approach to songwriting, and holy moly did they ever knock it out of the park. Almost 15 years after the fact I still come back to this album and can sing along to all the words like no time at all has passed. Relentlessly interesting and masterfully composed with hooks for days both on the vocal front as well as the instrumental front, it’s a shame Orbs hasn’t been more active in the intervening years.

Punk

Another band that Ratpiss has shared the stage with, multiple times now. Philadelphia’s Diuretic absolutely fucking rule. Not only are they super cool people, but their music fucking rips too. The band has released one EP and a demo as of their existence so far, with Martyrfucker being the most recent effort. Pissed off, aggressive, loud and nasty, this is grindcore as it should be. Along with the general angry vibe of the music it also sounds raw as fuck. It’s not really “pure” grindcore in a sense since most of the music on here doesn’t rely exclusively on blast beats, and there are a lot of groovier sections with two-step parts that lean them a little bit more towards the hardcore punk side of grindcore. That said Diuretic is still full of angst, piss, and vinegar, and this EP is a prime example of just what the Philadelphia grind scene has to offer.

Thrash

This Montreal thrash trio, which has since evolved into a quartet, have been slowly making a name for themselves over the past year in Quebec and the wider Eastern Canadian scene. Taking influence from both the realms of old school thrash metal legends like Slayer and Anthrax as well as newer crossover institutions, the band doesn’t really fall squarely into one category or another. There’s a hefty amount of hardcore punk influence going on here, especially on the EP’s opener “Chernobyl”, but the ripping thrash doesn’t take long to kick in. Guitarist Christophe Michaud has one goal in mind and that’s to rip your head from your neck by making you headbang like a fucking lunatic. He accomplishes that goal in spades on here, while making sure the punk influence keeps things fun and upbeat.

Trad

Vancouver’s Gatekeeper are the best kept secret in the world of the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal originating from Canada. This band embraces every classic metal cliche, taking as much influence from bands like King Diamond and Mercyful Fate as they do bands like Blind Guardian. They straddle the line between old school heavy metal outfits like Dio as well as pure power metal that emerged from Europe in the 80’s and 90’s a la Helloween. Delightfully melodic and impossibly catchy, every song on this record is absolute fucking banger and deserves to be blasted at max volume. With lyrics inspired by the works of famous fantasy and horror authors like Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft, listening to this album makes me feel like Conan the goddamned barbarian, riding a mighty steed across the plains of uncharted wilderness, a great broadsword strapped across my back.

Non-Metal

Com Truise – *In Decay*
**July 16th, 2012**
**Synthwave**
**Ghostly International**
**Orlando, Florida, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Data Kiss”

Have you ever been on a long-ass drive that you started early in the day, like before noon, and you keep on screaming down the highway, still having not reached your final destination as the sun goes down behind the hills and it seems like night is going to last forever? You’ve had one too many energy drinks and you’re wearing sunglasses to minimize the glare of the searing lights of the construction zone you’re passing through? Well this album is the soundtrack to that vibe. This is a night driving album if there ever was one. Much like other synthwave artists like Perturbator, Carpenter Brut, or Filmmaker, Com Truise has made a career off of perfectly encapsulating the atmosphere of the liminal space that is a highway after dark. That said Com Truise’s music is a bit more chillwave-leaning than the retro and horror inspired vibes of those other artists, but the comparison is still apt.

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 12th, 2024

April 13, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This one is coming to you a day late because life got in the way this past week and I didn’t get as much time to hammer out which albums I wanted to recommend to you all on Friday. I was also busy hosting a show at The Traxide in Montreal featuring some rather excellent bands from the Maritimes, namely the blackened death metal stylings of Paratomb and progressive metal wizardry of Omnivide, along with local thrashers Grimhold and death-sludge riffologists Obelisk. Now that I’ve got a few moments of free time to myself this Saturday (between recovery) I’m going to make up for it. Read on for some of your (somewhat) regularly scheduled riff recommendations!

Black

The first time I heard this record I was absolutely floored and to this day it continues to shock me. I’d like to thank Devon Milley for this recommendation as it was through him that I discovered this band. I’ve never heard a band so perfectly emulate the sound of Darkthrone’s early material. Everything on this record from the guitar tone to the drum approach to the production to the vocal approach is the closest I’ve ever heard a band mimic that style, and they do it wonderfully. The riffage is so pure and kvlt and trve and devoid of any bells and whistles. Even the vocals sound eerily similar to the range and tone of Nocturno Culto on those classic black metal albums as well as the post-Panzerfaust era of the band. All you have to do is listen to the first track here, “Three Desecrated Hosts”, and you’ll see what I mean. If you’re at all a fan of that style of Norwegian black metal, then Germany’s Pakkt is a must-listen, especially for Darkthrone die-hards like myself.

Death

I first discovered this band through a video made by the YouTuber known as The Punk Rock MBA. I think that guy sucks but I’d be lying if I said he hadn’t put me on to some cool music over the years. Human Remains is definitely one of those bands. The first time I put this record on I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing. “A deathgrind diamond” as one Bandcamp reviewer named Brett put it, this thing is fucking weird. There are sounds on here that I didn’t even know a guitar could make before I listened to this thing. It’s exceptionally brutal, uncompromising, relentless, and unapologetically experimental. There’s plenty of moments where the music remains firmly rooted in brutalizing the listener with blast beats and atonal guitar riffs before launching into interludes that feel like they’re drawing upon bands like Mr. Bungle and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Of course Dillinger was probably influenced by this band considering that Human Remains predates them.

Doom

Wardehns – *Now Cometh the Foul*
**December 21st, 2018**
**Stoner Metal / Sludge Metal / Crust Punk**
**Independently Released**
**Wausau, Wisconsin, USA**
**Standout Song:** “Denim Dogs”

I was put onto this band through a friend of mine who just happened to be playing them out loud on a Bluetooth speaker while I was hanging with some pals at their house. I was pretty much immediately hooked by the quality of the riffage, the production value, and just how similar it felt to the kind of sludge metal that I am really drawn to: bands like Mastodon, Kylesa, and Black Tusk. The ones who are a little artsy but aren’t afraid to get deep, down, and dirty with their music. Wardehns certainly scratches that itch for me and I’ve had this record on repeat ever since that initial encounter. It’s monolithic in size, with every song imparting the image of a group of intrepid travelers and warriors climbing their way to the top of a frostbitten mountain, surviving blizzards and avalanches, and fighting horrible beasts all along the way. The album cover is indeed a perfect representation of what kind of music you’ll hear on this thing. It comes highly recommended.

Prog

I brought up Omnivide in the intro to this article not just to tell you about the show I was at last night, but also as a genuine recommendation for a band that kicks fucking ass that doesn’t live all that far from Newfoundland. This New Brunswick progressive metal outfit just released their debut album, A Tale of Fire, last month, and are currently embarking on a tour across Canada in support of it. Having seen them live a couple of times now as well as having listened to this thing all the way through time and time again I can attest to this band absolutely ruling. If you want your brain to be disassembled and then put back together wrong then this is the record for you. Their music certainly draws heavy influence from big-name prog bands like Between the Buried and Me, but there are also shades of groups like Cynic, Obscura, and Beyond Creation to be found within. If you like any of those bands you’ll almost certainly like this.

Punk

I was lucky enough to catch Flower at Varning Fest last year, an annual underground crust punk and metal festival that occurs in Montreal. They came up from New York City to play here and absolutely tore the place apart. I thought their live performance was already great but it was checking out their recordings after the fact on my own that really sold me on them. This right here is the kind of punk I like the most. It’s loud, aggressive, angry, and dirty as fuck. All the best crust punk is only a few steps removed from speed metal and black metal and Flower really embrace that vibe on this LP. The album opens with an atmospheric blackened guitar riff that reminds me extensively of Gallhammer and Darkthrone, before the unruly punk ripping starts at full force. It’s so gross and nasty, from the raw guitar tone to the punchy drums to the pissed off vocals. Flower are fantastic, and this LP absolutely slays.

Thrash

Mexico’s Phantom are pretty much everything I want from modern thrash. Their sound is supremely old school, drawing clearly upon the bands of the 80’s, with the Teutonic sound in particular being a primary influence. If you like Sodom, Kreator, or Destruction, or at least the way those bands used to sound back in the day, then Phantom may be for you. That’s not to discount the American influence in their sound either, because notes of Slayer and Metallica definitely crop up from time to time, but ultimately they keep things rooted in that more aggressive sound that veers on the edge of black metal without ever stepping forth into the blizzard. What makes this album even more impressive is that the dudes in this band are really young, most of them being around the ages of 18 to 20. For being as young as they are they’ve got a fantastic grasp of their instruments and their songwriting capability is excellent. I’m stoked to hear what they put out next.

Trad

I never thought I would unironically enjoy a NASCAR-themed metal band but then I am the Intimidator came out of nowhere and showed me the errors of my hubris. This is the new solo project of former Poison Idea guitarist Andrew Stromstad and the entire thing is lyrically and aesthetically based around the final day of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt’s life. If that wasn’t already enough to sell you on the concept, then I’m happy to report that the music contained within is just as fucking awesome. It’s old school speed metal that draws as much influence from Metallica, Motorhead, and King Diamond as it does from a blackened speed metal act like Venom and an epic doom metal band like Candlemass. While the record may be all over the map in terms of influence it is surprisingly consistent all the way through, featuring fabulous riff after fabulous riff and vocals that’ll put hair on your chest.

Non-Metal

Shpongle – *Tales of the Inexpressible*
**March 29th, 2001**
**Chillout / Psychedelic Trance**
**Twisted Records**
**Chobham, England, UK**
**Standout Song:** “Star-Shpongled Banner”

I discovered Shpongle years ago when I was still in high school. While sick and staying home from school one day I went down an enormously long musical rabbit hole on YouTube (this was back in the day before algorithms ruined everything) which eventually led me to a fan-made animated music video for the song “Star-Shpongled Banner”. I was so enamored by the combination of the music with the visuals I was experiencing made that song stick with me for years to come, and to this day I still revisit this record from time to time. While I don’t often find myself listening to electronic music, when I do I prefer the kind of stuff that’s outside the realm of the typical club fare. I don’t go to clubs often, mind you, but I have a hard time imagining that this is the kind of thing played anywhere outside of a hippie drug den. It’s not for everyone, but if you like weird electronica you should definitely check this one out.

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 22nd, 2024

March 22, 2024March 17, 2024 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Welcome back to The Scrolls of Akhenaten, the weekly blog segment in which I recommend a bunch of albums in different sub-genres of metal and punk, as well as few non-metal releases that strike my fancy. This week I’ve got some absolute bangers up my sleeve that everyone who reads this should absolutely give a chance at the very least. If you like your music fast and hard as fuck (with perhaps the exception of our prog selection for this week) then this is the bundle of records for you! Read on and consider giving these records a shot.

Black

I first became aware of Spiter through following the band’s guitarist and vocalist Richard Spider on Instagram, where he goes by the name Sexman Leather on account of his various leatherworking creations. I later saw the band perform live at Turbo Haus and holy shit did they knock my socks off. This power trio (which also features members of Devil Master) rip forth with the ferocious terror of a blackened assault that combines elements of black metal and thrash metal together with hardcore punk and speed metal to create an unstoppable sound that crushes all in its path. This album is absurdly fast, unrelenting, and violent in every aspect, from both the mesmerizing music to the bloody imagery present on the album cover. If you want badass music about vampires and castles that pulls no punches when it comes to speed then Bathe the Babe in Bats’ Blood (say that 10 times fast) is the record for you.

Death

Some of you are likely already very familiar with Øbelisk thanks to their tour in August of last year which landed them several shows across Newfoundland, including a date in Corner Brook and three dates in St. John’s. The band has been around since at least 2022 (though likely earlier), with The Architecture of Suffering being their first full length record, and boy does it fucking crush! Having seen these guys live a ridiculous number of times over the past couple of years I have become intimately familiar with these songs and they still hit just as hard now as they did when I first heard them. Like Spiter, Øbelisk is a power trio, and together they have composed a series of kickass songs that blend elements of death metal, sludge metal, and grindcore together to create a devastatingly heavy brand of concrete-heavy extreme metal that obliterates everything in its wake. Don’t sleep on Øbelisk.

Doom

Bison B.C. – *Dark Ages*
**April 13th, 2010**
**Sludge Metal**
**Metal Blade Records**
**Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada**
**Standout Song:** “Stressed Elephant”

Taking things back to the past, I revisited this album from my youth recently and found that it still hits just as hard as it did way back then. Bison B.C. have released two albums in the intervening years since Dark Ages was initially released but this album just has something special about it that none of their other work really touched. It’s dark and brooding and even progressive at parts. Some of my favourite moments come when the band interject mournful synths into the otherwise purely metal instrumentals, making the whole piece sound like some sort of messed up funeral dirge. This record has a lot of variety and also feels like the perfect sonic representation of the kind of atmosphere that comes with living in cities in the great white north. It’s hard to describe exactly, but the vibe of Canadian urbanity is often expressed through the music of those who live in it in a way that bands from south of the border don’t quite tap into, and Bison is a great example of that.

Prog

I’ve been aware of Vulture Industries for years but never really dove into their work until the release of this record. This album is what you get when you combine the expected black metal atmosphere of a band from Norway with a Gothic vocal affectation and aesthetic and a penchant to experiment with different sounds and melodies. Equal parts Opeth and ICS Vortex, as well as Devin Townsend and Unto Others, Vulture Industries have landed on a sound that is wholly unique within the world of progressive metal, and I’m completely and utterly addicted to it. I think this album in particular will probably appeal to fans of old school goth rock like The Sisters of Mercy or Siouxsie and the Banshees while also attracting fans of the more dark and atmospheric side of heavy metal, a la a band like Cellar Darling or perhaps even Paradise Lost. The influences here are too numerous to truly list, but if you like any of the bands mentioned above this record is worth checking out.

Punk

Yet another band coming to you from the city of Montreal is Mulch, a relatively new band who dropped their first EP a scant month ago. Nothing Grows Out of Dried Flowers is what you get when you put a guitarist and drummer who are approaching punk from a decidedly more eclectic side of the music world with a bassist who primarily plays hardcore and grindcore and a vocalist who has never been in a band before. This EP is absolutely brimming with energy and exudes a feeling of pissed off angst and vitriol, yet at the same time there is an experimental edge to it that I feel a lot of other Montreal punk bands don’t quite have. Parts of this record, from the off-kilter guitars to the tone of the bass, have a slight noise rock vibe to them, which at times reminds me more of bands like Lightning Bolt and Melt Banana, despite still being a hardcore punk band. Definitely an EP worth checking out for those with a flair for the experimental!

Thrash

Thrashing their way out of the bayou of Lafayette, Louisiana, Void are a relatively newer band, having been active since 2019, and Horrors of Reality is their first full length effort in that time frame. I first became aware of them through their campy and old school music video for the song “Voodoo”, which immediately drew me in through the visuals alone. It was a pleasant surprise then that the music was quality enough to bother checking out the full record, and I greatly enjoyed what I heard beyond the anachronistic cover art. These guys clearly love the thrash bands of yore and conjure a lot of comparisons to some of the greats, with Megadeth and Anthrax perhaps being the most obvious comparisons. The guitars absolutely rip and tear, the drums are punishing, and the compositions are creative. That’s saying something in a subgenre where most of the bands sound either like a low rent Metallica, Slayer, or Municipal Waste.

Trad

Significant Point – *Into the Storm*
**February 7th, 2021**
**Speed Metal**
**Dying Victims Productions**
**Tokyo, Japan**
**Standout Song:** “Heavy Attack”

I came across the Japanese speed metal quintet Significant Point through the NWOTHM Full Albums channel on YouTube and I am so glad I clicked on that video because good lord this thing fucking rips! Japanese metal bands have always had a flair for pomp and theatrics, and Significant Point is no different. While I can’t speak to what the band’s live performances look like, the music on this record is evidence enough of how much effort and skill these guys put into their craft. The drums are ridiculously fast, never taking a second to slow down. The guitars shred with unbelievable fury, and the vocals consist almost exclusively of high pitched falsetto wailing that carries across the music like the fighter jets depicted in the cover art. If ever there was music to engage in a dogfight with enemy aircraft to, this record would absolutely be it. It’s glorious and magnificent in every aspect, including the old school style of production that gives it all an air of authenticity.

Non-Metal

Mama’s Broke – *Count the Wicked*
**June 1st, 2017**
**Celtic Folk / Americana**
**Independently Released**
**Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada**
**Standout Song:** “The Vein Braider”

Growing up in Newfoundland I admit that there was a certain resentment that I built up against folk music since it was all that I was exposed to as a youngin’ out around the bay. As an adult though I’ve cultivated more of an appreciation for folk, especially the Celtic kind, and Mama’s Broke may be the apex of what I’ve heard in this style from Atlantic Canada. First showed to me by one of my partners who hails from Nova Scotia, I immediately fell in love with their style of music that combines the traditional Celtic instrumentation with a degree of Americana influence. It’s obvious upon a first listen to this debut record from the duo that Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler are absolute experts of their craft and their chosen instruments. Fiddles, banjos, mandolins abound on this masterpiece of the genre that only gets better with each subsequent listen.

~ Akhenaten

Metal Maniacs: Adam Sharr

July 18, 2022July 17, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This installment of Metal Maniacs features Adam Sharr, vocalist for sentimental death metal upstarts Grenadier and multi-instrumentalist for raw black metal project Nocturnal Prayer. Sharr has been in a myriad of different bands throughout the years, spanning multiple genres and styles and performing multiple different instruments.

Greetings. My name is Adam Sharr and I’ve been apart of the St. John’s metal and punk scene for the
past 18 years, playing in my first band at age 14. I’ve played in a multitude of black metal, death metal,
and grindcore bands throughout my run but currently do vocals for GRENADIER and am the sole driving
force behind NOCTURNAL PRAYER. Here is a list of 10 albums that have greatly influenced me as a
person and as a musician.

Metallica – …And Justice for All

Metallica is the band that truly introduced me to heavy metal and this album was my first taste in
experiencing the unrelenting mistress. My older brother moved to the mainland when I was around 11
or 12 and left some CDs behind for me. One of these was …And Justice For All and it truly changed the
way I felt about music. Heavy, catchy, and fucking pummeling, this album still holds very dear to me.

Dead Kennedys – Plastic Surgery Disasters / In God We Trust, Inc.

I found myself more drawn to punk music while in my mid teens, listening to bands like Misfits, The
Clash, Blatz, and Minor Threat, but the band that had the biggest impact on me was Dead Kennedys.
This album is the perfect punk album in my eyes. The mix of surf rocking guitar, groovy bass, fast as fuck
drums and snarky, sarcastic vocals, as well as themes that confronted all the terrible things constructed
by greed and power, created the perfect outlet for my young mind.

Agalloch – The Mantle

This is my favourite album of all time. It introduced me to the beauty of nature and pagan themes. This
album perfectly combines black metal, neofolk, doom, and post rock which takes you on one hell of an
emotional roller-coaster ride. This album taught me about tranquility made me fall in love with
melancholic music.

Burzum – Det Som Engang Var

I used to think Burzum sounded horrible when I was a young teen who listened to punk and grind. How
fucking wrong I was. As I got more into black metal in high school, Burzum kept sticking out more and
more to me. I absolutely love every album from the self titled to Hliðskjálf, but Det Som Engang Var is
my favorite by him. This album conveys the anguish, anger, and mysticism that would influence so many
black metal bands to come , as well as ambient and depressive black metal in general.

Anal Cunt – It Just Gets Worse

This shit blew my young little mind. Hilarious song names, utter nonsense music, and a logo that would
make your parents and teachers scowl in disgust. A lot of the early stuff is pure noise, but as I explored
more of their discography, I noticed that a lot of their songs were catchy certified bangers. My first band
even covered 3 of their songs. Fond memories.

Death – Symbolic

This was an important band for me as a guitarist. Trying to decide which album to pick was tough but I
think Symbolic is the one that had the most impact on me. Death is the band that pushed me to better
my guitar chops. Especially for practicing alternate picking. One of those bands that me and friends
bonded over and jammed to just for fun.

Bathory – Hammerheart

Not only the father of black metal, but also “viking metal”. I find it confusing because this album
arguably created viking metal with its themes of Norse mythology and epic choirs, yet most bands under
the term “viking metal” sound nothing like it. I love all eras of Bathory but Hammerheart is the album
that made me fall in love with them. Quorthon was never the best singer but the tenderness of his
quaking voice backed by grand choruses truly conveyed themes of strength and hardship.

Defeated Sanity – Psalms of the Moribund

Gods of brutality and masters of technicality. Defeated Sanity are quintessential for any death metal fan
looking to explore beyond the realms of Cannibal Corpse and Death. Psalms of the Moribund may just
seem like noise with the first few (or 20!) listens, but when it clicks it fucking clicks. Scattered about are
ferocious riffs, brutal slams, lightning speed drums, and unearthly vocals. Lyrical content playing with
themes of religion, archaism, and barbarity really make the album feel like a relic from ancient times.

Sol Invictus – In the Rain

I came about Sol Invictus after hearing Agalloch do a cover of the song “Kneel to the Cross”. This was my
introduction to neofolk. In high school I became obsessed with the genre and started listening to artists
like Death In June, Forseti, Rome, and The Moon Lay Hidden Beneath A Cloud. The one that always
stood out the most to me though was Sol Invictus. Tony Wakeford’s wise and gentle vocals backed by a
variety of acoustic instruments makes In The Rain an enlightening and somber listen. His influences
spanning from European history and literature made Sol Invictus more appealing to me than the
American singer-songwriter comparative.

Drudkh – Blood in our Wells

When I hear the term “atmospheric black metal” I think of Drudkh. Blood in our Wells is a monumental
album that exposes the grit of pastoral life while tugging on the heart strings with a spine tingling display
of melancholic black metal. Incorporating Ukrainian poetry into their lyrics and playing sorrowful guitar
solos also paint pictures of strife and struggle. Most seem to state Autumn Aurora as their best work,
but to me that title goes to Blood in our Wells.

Honourable Mentions:

Rhapsody – Legendary Tales
The Pogues – Rum Sodomy & The Lash
Manilla Road – Crystal Logic
Dahmer – Dahmerized
Peste Noire – L’Ordure à l’état Pur
Thergothon – Stream From The Heavens
Hate Forest – Purity
Velvet Cacoon – Genevieve

~ Written by Adam Sharr
~ Edited by Akhenaten

Metal Maniacs: Jordon Walsh

July 1, 2022June 29, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This week’s installment of Metal Maniacs features Jordon Walsh, an experienced drummer who has been in multiple bands. Currently he drums for Goreforge, The Beer Patrice, Undesirables and death metal upstarts Grenadier.

Hi folks. I am Jordon Walsh from Pasadena, Newfoundland. I play drums in the bands Goreforge, Beer Patrice, Undesirables, and most recently Grenadier, among others. For my list I will try to include some lesser-known albums and leave out some more well-known albums from my favorite bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Opeth, Metallica because I think most people (metalheads?) are inspired by those. It is practically impossible to compile and remember a list of ten albums that inspired me the most, let alone the additional eleven I added as honorable mentions. This list merges my favorite albums throughout my life in which I believe also stood the test of time. I hope some of you can gain some inspiration from these as I have.

In no particular order:

Nightwish – Oceanborn

One of my most fondest memories is listening to this while playing TCGs after my brother (Steve Walsh) bought it from eBay. I remember exclaiming “this would be so much better if there was someone screaming over it, like Bodom.” But it grew, and grew, and grew on me. Still to this day one of my favorite albums and probably why I placed it first in my list of no particular order.

Orphaned Land – Mabool: The Story of the Three Sons of Seven

A powerful band from Israel that has much religious meaning in their songs which I do not particularly care for, but the passion is ever present and the melody and song structure is like no other. Recommend to anybody looking for soulful guitar solos and passages with a heavy sprinkle of Israeli folk.

Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

A satirical, humorous and invigorating album touching on issues in our fucked up world. I got into punk before metal at a young age, and Dead Kennedys were there to teach me you could be aggressive and silly the same time. Most of the subject matter still holds up to this day. One of my favorite memories is playing DK cover shows with Steve Walsh, Adam Giles and Marc Best.

Minor Threat – First Two Seven Inches

Another album we played most of the songs from for cover shows with the previously mentioned b’ys. There was a mini punk scene on the go in Pasadena when I was a little kid. The older skater kids influenced me greatly with shows at the skate park in the middle of town. Bands like Young Offenders, T.H.O and Corporate Head are ones that come to mind. They covered bands such as Minor Threat, Misfits, Beastie Boys, Pennywise, Sex Pistols etc. Always loved fast aggressive music since being a youngster and I can still throw this on, raise my fist and smile.

Agalloch – The Mantle

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this album changed my life. The melancholic passages grabbed me as a teenager and I can say with certainty it was one of the albums that mostly influenced my guitar playing style. The drawn-out chords, dark melodies and it being somehow bittersweet were what pushed me to make music. I was far from a talented lead guitar player, and this recording was a little rough around the edges. The music made me realize soul is far more powerful than talent. I’m still running with that. Me and my cousin Chris Kennedy created a two-piece fantasy folk band around this same time, +5 to Strength, which was later re-imagined into Quilt.

Symphony X – The Odyssey

The final track on this album being 24 minutes was something that caught my eye, and it has zero filler. Has to be some of the best cheesy American power metal there is. I remember throwing this on around my non-metalhead friends and them being like “man, this is good shit”, kind of like when Dragonforce was introduced to us. The Odyssey album somehow manages to unite a poppy and proggy aesthetic into one giant ball of fiery cheese. It gets people to conjure up fantastic stories of “this is like when the hero arrives to the new town” or “definitely final boss battle here”.

Rhapdosy – Symphony of Enchanted Lands

Speaking of cheese, this band does not need any fermentation. No tall tale needs to be summoned for this one. It comes as a full package – literally – their albums have maps included to set the imaginative tone. Definitely my favorite power metal band of all time with the best vocalist, best epic choruses, and somehow just enough cheese without spilling over and burning up. Again, I have fond memories of this one. Just out of high school, blasting my Rhapsody mix CD with all the hits, playing too much air guitar, trying to sing Fabio Leone hooks, holding the orb until the convenience store opens back up in the morning so we can hopefully buy more beer (we were too young to realize they didn’t sell booze again until 9 AM, after being turned down. RIP “BK”, my friend). It was hard to choose the best Rhapsody album but I think this one takes the cheesecake.

Therion – Secret of the Runes

A Gothic doom masterpiece. Filled with mostly choral vocals it definitely sets a tone unlike most other bands. Like a lot of symphonic metal the guitar sometimes takes a backseat to the other string arrangements and haunting but beautiful vocals. This album often takes a mid-tempo approach but has stayed with me throughout my many loves of genres, and has grown on me even more throughout the years. One of my favorite parts of the album is “Ljuselfheim” followed by “Muspelheim”: amazing riffs and melodies that evoke feelings of longing and belligerence.

Camel – Moonmadness

This band was introduced to me by an interview Mikael Akerfeldt did in which he talked about his influences. At first listen Camel was so interesting it would make my brother and I smile almost to the point of laughing. This 70’s band has some of my favorite guitar work and the best arrangements I have ever heard. Their second album Mirage was the first I heard, but Moonmadness won me over with its psychedelic and early progressive style. “Song Within A Song” and “Chord Change” are staples when having a few of the b’ys over for a Friday drink. Not to forget “Lunar Sea”, full of amazing synth and rhythms that can help take you to another dimension. The guitarist and main composer, Andy Latimer, whom is full of soul and emotion which is evident if you ever watch his live performances, is still releasing music and still dishing out stellar albums.

Diabolical Masquerade – Nightwork

I’ve often said before that this album is “the best music for me”. It encompasses black and death metal with catchy Nintendo-esque hooks all wrapped up with a sense of humor. I love when bands don’t take themselves too seriously, and it’s evident that Nightwork is filled with tongue-in-cheek and facetious material. I won’t spoil it for you. It’s all written by Anders Nystrom of Bloodbath and Katatonia, although the later of which I have never got into. The drums are vicious and played by the prolific Dan Swanö. If you’re into metal that’s packed with aggression and melody give it a listen and wonder why you haven’t heard it already.

Some of these brief write-ups don’t do the albums justice but thanks for your time reading my nostalgia trip. Here’s 11 more albums that should also have a blurb about them:

Gentle Giant – Three Friends
Bal-Sagoth – Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule
Immortal – Sons of Northern Darkness
Ensiferum – Ensiferum
Ragnarök – Ragnarök
Beardfish – Sleeping in Traffic Pt 1
Haggard – Eppur si Muove
Asia Minor – Between Flesh and Divine
Finntroll – Jaktens Tid
Cradle of Filth – Cruelty and the Beast
Green Carnation – Light of Day, Day of Darkness

~ Written by Jordon Walsh
~ Edited by Akhenaten

March 2022 in Review

April 26, 2022January 20, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Things are picking up steam again, folks! With COVID restrictions loosening (somewhat) it seems that life has been breathed once again into local music scenes all around the country. Unfortunately some prominent bands in the local scene, namely Emblem and Aeria, called it quits. But on the bright side we also got some huge announcements regarding touring bands planning on coming to the island, including Denmark’s Hexis, Montreal’s Spectral Wound, and American thrash legends D.R.I., though the latter was unfortunately later cancelled. Here’s what happened in Newfoundland and Labrador metal and punk in March of 2022!

Biggest Stories
– Aeria Calls it Quits
– D.R.I. to Play The Rockhouse July 3rd
– Emblem Calls it Quits
– Hexis to Play The Rockhouse on July 2nd
– Ratpiss Part Ways with Guitarist Sami El-Agha, Recruit Tyler Addey-Jibb
– Spectral Wound to Play The Rockhouse April 29th
– Winterhearth to Play the 2022 ECMA Showcase in New Brunswick

New LPs
– The Cape Shore Surf Society – Come Home Year
– Count Cromulent – Emergence
– Cult of Azura – Cult of Azura
– Mike Fisher – Psych-E-Punk
– Nocturnal Prayer – Mutilation on the Bed of Winter

New EPs
– Don Ellis – Bear Tracks
– Pouch Dweller – Sack Songs Vol. 1
– WXO – Four Seasons in a Day

New Singles
– Disposition – “Drive”
– Disposition – “Till the End”
– Grenadier – “Trumpets Blare in Blazing Glory”
– Pagan Fagan – “Devolved”
– Rick Massie – “Counting the Stars”
– Sought – “Mental Dominion”

New Demos
– Old Path – Demo 2022
– Wannabe Erudite – Educational Demos

New Music Videos
– Triskelyon – “Find a Way”

Album Announcements
– Disposition Tease New Release Dissent
– Jim Jones and the Kool-Aid Jammers Reveal Tracklist, Tease Art for New LP
– Rick Massie Reveals Title, Album Art, Release Date for Upcoming LP

We also released the 40th episode of our official podcast! On this episode we took a look back at some of the harder and heavier releases that came out of this year’s installment of Record Production Month. The episode is currently available on our Bandcamp and will come to YouTube soon.

Albums Archived
– Aeria – Deadman Control [Single – Progressive Metal]
– Cult of Azura – Cult of Azura [LP – Black Metal]
– Old Path – Demo 2022 [Demo – Screamo]
– Pouch Dweller – Sack Songs Vol. 1 [EP – Dungeon Synth]

~ Akhenaten

D.R.I. Canadian Tour Cancelled

April 19, 2022April 16, 2022 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

If you were looking forward to having one of the most legendary crossover bands in history perform at The Rockhouse this summer, you’re sadly out of luck. The entire D.R.I. 40 Year Anniversary Canadian tour, which would have ended in St. John’s on July 3rd, 2022, and featured Grenadier and Vertebreaker as opening acts, has been cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances”. While we’re unsure as to what these circumstances are, we’ll keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Right now options are being looked into to either refund tickets that were purchased or to get another band to take D.R.I.’s position in this show and honor tickets that were already purchased.

~ Akhenaten

Henry Rollins to Speak at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre this Summer

April 18, 2022April 16, 2022 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Henry Rollins, the former frontman of hardcore punk legends Black Flag as well as the 90’s alternative metal outfit Rollins Band, will be coming to St. John’s this summer. As part of his Good To See You spoken word tour, Rollins will be speaking at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre on June 9th, 2022. The event is promoted by Sonic Concerts and tickets are currently on sale. Tickets are available for $33 in advance and $38 on the day of. There is also a special Meet & Greet Package available for $212.40 which includes a premium seat in the first ten rows, early entry into the venue, meeting and greeting Henry Rollins, a personal photograph with him and an autographed laminate, as well as access to a post-show Q&A.

You can purchase tickets via phone at (709) 729-3900 or online at this link: here!

~ Akhenaten

D.R.I. to Play The Rockhouse July 3rd

March 23, 2022March 21, 2022 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

American crossover thrash legends D.R.I. are about to embark on their 40 Year Anniversary Tour, and lo and behold the group are making their way to St. John’s, Newfoundland to play a show at The Rockhouse. The band will perform at The Rockhouse on July 3rd, 2022 alongside local extreme metal newcomers in the form of death metal outfit Grenadier and thrash metal upstarts Vertebreaker. Tickets for the event are $25 in advance or $30 at the door, and can be purchased in advance at Fred’s Records or Fogtown Sideshop. The event is 19+.

In case you need a reawakening as to what Dirty Rotten Imbeciles sound like, here’s one of my personal favourite tunes by them, coming to you all the way from 1985.

~ Akhenaten

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The Scrolls of Akhenaten: May 3rd, 2024

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 26th, 2024

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 12th, 2024

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 22nd, 2024

Metal Maniacs: Adam Sharr

Metal Maniacs: Jordon Walsh

March 2022 in Review

D.R.I. Canadian Tour Cancelled

Henry Rollins to Speak at the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre this Summer

D.R.I. to Play The Rockhouse July 3rd