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: April 5th, 2024

April 5, 2024April 1, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This week’s installment of The Scrolls of Akhenaten is going to turn up the heat because some of these records ended up being some of my top reviewed albums of the past several months (last year into the first few months of this year) over on our sister blog at Where Strides the Behemoth. Seriously, these are some of my favourite albums from recent memory, so even if you don’t like them, you might get a better idea of my own taste and why the albums I review here get the scores that they do (if you’ve ever been curious about that, that is.) Onwards!

Black

If ever there was a black metal project that just filled you with joy because of how utterly silly and full of whimsy the music is then this record is for you. I couldn’t believe upon first listen just how relentlessly catchy this record is. Every riff, every keyboard melody, every drum beat, just burrows into your brain and infects you like a virus. I kept coming back for more, re-listening to it again and again and again because I just couldn’t get enough of the addictive sound this record provides. Don’t let the frankly terrible cover art fool you. This album knows exactly what it wants to do and accomplishes it in spades. I can scarcely think of a black metal record that has invigorated this much energy and magnificence in me in recent memory, and for that reason Bloody Keep managed to craft what has easily become one of my favourite records of 2024 so far.

Death

Paratomb are a four piece death metal band who hail from Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. Their first EP, while great, felt a little too adjacent to groove metal to really hook me in, especially in the vocal performance. With this new EP, however, Paratomb have absolutely outdone themselves. For one, the production here is immensely improved, sounding much more akin to old school death metal and first wave black metal instead of the more modern sound their debut EP had. Secondly the songwriting and musicianship on display has obviously matured. The songs sound way tighter and contain much more dynamism than their first effort. Paratomb had already made me a fan by virtue of being a band playing this kind of extreme music from such an isolated place, but with this new EP they’ve made me excited for whatever they’re going to get up to next.

Doom

This record almost squeaked by me at the end of 2023 and I’m glad I checked it out because it wound up making my best of list at the end of the year. I would describe this record as being an album for people who thought Ghost’s first album was great but couldn’t really vibe with everything else they did after. It’s occult-themed doom metal with a flair for the theatrical, combining huge, epic Hammond organ instrumentation with fantastic riffs and incredibly infectious vocals. Every song on this thing is a certified banger (in my opinion), chronicling the bizarre world of Albion occultism through a series of heavy, melancholy, and ultimately just mercilessly fun tracks. If any of what I’ve said sounds like this album might peak your fancy then you owe it to yourself to check this one out. It’s mesmerizing and I’ve found myself coming back to it time and time again.

Prog

The Greek band Naxatras has some of the best album art in the psychedelic rock genre, as evidenced by the absolutely badass and glorious cover art for IV, their fourth full length record. Naxatras’ music kind of falls somewhere in between the worlds of psychedelic rock, stoner rock, and progressive rock, all of which converge to create a sound that is spacious, atmospheric, and grandiose, like I’m on a hotboxed spaceship slowly cruising through the farthest reaches of the galaxy. If the phrase “far out” was an album, this would be it. The raucous drums and chunky yet sublime riffing are joined only occasionally by the vocals, which remain largely in the background, taking a back seat to the instrumentals which are front and center, in your face, ready to make you feel like you’re about to lift off into orbit, never to return.

Punk

This Montreal trio have been buds of mine for a long time, and if you think I’m gonna not shout them out just because they’re my friends well, that’s where your wrong. Skate punk has never really been my thing. It’s a genre that has always kind of turned me off with its whiny vocal approach and saccharine instrumentation, but Stand Alone have never quite fit that mould in my opinion. They’re unapologetically fast, ripping through these songs with intensity and an ability to write really catchy hooks. With drums that careen forth, unstoppable, and an attitude full of piss and vinegar and shouty vocals that are both raspy and melodic, Stand Alone definitely stands apart from the rest of the skate punk outfits I’ve personally been exposed to in Montreal. They’re a lot of fun, and if you ever get a chance to see them live I recommend you do it.

Thrash

With an introductory track that opens with a blistering double bass assault you should have an idea of what you’re in for with this sophomore effort from Japanese black thrashers Evil (appropriate name). This album pulls no punches as it seeks to accomplish its only goal: complete and total sonic destruction and the pillaging of the corridors of thought inside your mind. This stuff is unapologetically evil, brash, and violent, fitting in rather well with the early pioneers of extreme metal who sought to kick the already blazing tempo of thrash metal up a notch. Notes of Sodom and Kreator adorn this album as much as the more rock n’ roll adjacent outfits like Judas Priest and the even more raucous first wave black metal acts like Bathory and Hellhammer. If any of those bands are up your alley then this record is definitely for you. It shocked me with its quality and I hope it does the same for you.

Trad

Leather Heart – *Comeback*
**October 1st, 2015**
**Heavy Metal**
**The Fish Factory**
**Madrid, Spain**
**Standout Song:** “The Crow”

I’ve definitely recommended this album in the past when this segment was a bit more of a regular feature on the blog, but it bears repeating because this record is a complete and total masterpiece. Whenever anyone brings up the genre of traditional heavy metal or the modern NWOTHM movement I am always quick to tell them about this album. It’s a masterpiece of classic heavy metal revivalism that combines all the best tropes of the genre into one explosive cocktail of perfected, glistening steel. This is the only album that Leather Heart ever released and, to my knowledge, they’re not really doing much these days. The irony of the record being called Comeback is not lost on me, but don’t let the cliche album art and self-referential nature of the record’s title dissuade you. Every song contained within here is a brilliant piece that so perfectly encapsulates everything great about this genre.

Non-Metal

Antoine Dufour – *Development*
**2006**
**Acoustic Fingerstyle / Progressive Folk**
**CandyRat Records**
**Montreal, Quebec, Canada**
**Standout Song:** “Spiritual Grove”

The first time I heard “Spiritual Grove” by Antoine Dufour I would’ve been in high school and I remember very vividly being completely shocked that an acoustic guitar could sound like this. Dufour is an undeniably talented and skilled guitarist for whom the acoustic guitar feels more like an extension of his person than just an instrument that he picks up and plays. Far from the typical sounds of acoustic-centric folk music, Dufour adds a technically complex edge to his playing by approaching the acoustic guitar with the fingerstyle method of playing, plucking strings with pitch perfect accuracy. This approach to folk is somewhat progressive and even jazzy at times as the playing manoeuvres through different movements, never slowing down, always rolling forward to the next segment, ready to dazzle you with the beauty found within the complexity.

~ Akhenaten

Metal Maniacs: Greg Ravengrave

July 29, 2022January 20, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

This edition of Metal Maniacs features Greg Ravengrave, the multi-instrumentalist behind Mistwalker, drummer of Ratpiss, as well as numerous other projects, and the founder of Heavy NFLD.

Hey folks! After doing this project for a few months thanks to the inspiration of Winterhearth frontman and guitarist Andrew Marsh I figured it was finally time for me to sit down and write about my own series of inspirational and influential records that led me to become the musician I am today. For those of you who don’t know, my name is Greg, I’m the founder of Heavy NFLD and the guy who mainly writes for this blog. I write and record everything in the black metal project Mistwalker, play drums in the crust band Ratpiss, and have umpteen-thousand other side projects besides that which span a number of different genres. With that out of the way, let’s get into it!

The Sword – Age of Winters

When I was but a wee lad I was growing up in the town of Glovertown, which is about three hours outside of St. John’s, in the Gander area. I grew up in a pretty strict Christian conservative household where my family did everything in their power to shelter me from the outside world. In all honesty, it was pretty fucked. Thankfully we eventually got the internet. At this time in my life I was pretty heavy into gaming and I was obsessed with the PS2 video game Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. One day I was browsing YouTube and found a trailer for the game’s sequel, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. The song used in that trailer? “Iron Swan” by The Sword. The heaviness, aggression and insanity of the instrumentation in that song was unlike anything I’d ever heard before. Coupled with visuals of vast swathes of Venezuelan jungle being burned to the ground and tanks and attack helicopters blowing shit up, it kicked my ass. From that moment I was hooked and needed more. Thankfully the rest of this record, including such classics as “Freya” and “Winter’s Wolves”, had plenty more megalithic riffage to offer my adolescent brain.

Slipknot – Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses

While The Sword was my gateway drug into metal, it wasn’t until Slipknot came across my ears that I delved fully into my nu metal cringelord phase. I first heard “Before I Forget” on Guitar Hero III as a teenager and, in all honesty, it didn’t quite click with me. However, when I eventually came across the song “Duality” on YouTube I was hooked. The rest of the album was like a drug, from the absurdly heavy and chaotic early tracks like “The Blister Exists” to the absolute banger that is “Pulse of the Maggots”, this album was exactly what my miserable, angst-filled teenage brain needed. Even the quieter, more solemn songs on this album, like “Circle”, “Vermilion”, and “Vermilion Part 2” hit me right in the feels. From this record I would eventually branch out into the rest of Slipknot’s discography and became a die-hard Maggot.

Judas Priest – Painkiller

Around the same time that Guitar Hero started to fall off as a franchise, Rock Band came in to absolutely dominate the rhythm game market, and me, along with many of my friends, became obsessed. Towards the end of high school we used to host Rock Band parties on a pretty regular basis, and I can even credit the game with being how I first learned how to play drums. When Rock Band 2 came out near the end of the 2000’s I ate up the amount of metal tracks that had been included on the game’s disc at release, including Judas Priest’s “Painkiller”. I was blown away by the sheer sonic assault of the drum into. I had never heard anything quite like it. I was obsessed and immediately went to listen to the rest of the record. I remember having the thought, “this is fucking metal, man”. For real, if an alien visited Earth and asked me to define heavy metal I would play this album. Every single song on this thing is an unabashed banger. This is one of the few records in existence I would say is an 11/10, and to this day it remains in fairly constant rotation on whatever device I’m using to listen to music.

Mastodon – Crack the Skye

Similarly to Judas Priest, I also discovered Mastodon through Rock Band 2 thanks to the inclusion of “Colony of Birchmen”. At the time, however, that song didn’t quite click with me. Luckily it was only about a year later when the band would drop one of the most critically lauded records of their career. Crack the Skye came to me at exactly the right moment in my life. It was dirty and dark but was incredibly complex. This album introduced me to progressive metal but also encouraged me to push my drumming skills to the next level. Brann Dailor is an absolute monster on this record and I spent many hours in the rec room of my parent’s house trying to nail this entire album behind the kit.

Between the Buried and Me – Colors

Yet another artist discovered through Rock Band 2, albeit this time through the game’s downloadable content. “Prequel to the Sequel” was my first exposure to progressive metal of this stripe. The guitar playing on that song is on another level and the sheer complexity of the track as it twists and morphs into so many different areas still boggles my mind to this day. When listening to the full record it’s clear that Colors is in a class all on its own when it comes to contemporary progressive metal. Aside from showing me just what was capable within the framework of the “metal” genre, this band also got me into harsh vocals. There was a long time where I didn’t like screaming, no matter if it was the ultra low gutturals of a band like Cannibal Corpse or the higher pitched snarl of metalcore bands, I wasn’t into it. I could only tolerate Slipknot because for some reason in my adolescent mind Corey Taylor’s yelling wasn’t the same as a straight up death metal scream (don’t ask how I justified that, because I wouldn’t remember). But once I got into Between the Buried and Me I really understood just why harsh vocals were so appealing to people, and from then on I was sold.

Devin Townsend Project – Addicted

This was my introduction to Devin Townsend, an artist who has arguably had the most effect on my life as a musician, at least from a work ethic perspective. Addicted, like many of the other records on this list, came to me at the perfect moment in my life. It melded heavy guitars with a 100% pop aesthetic, fusing heaviness with absurdly catchy bubblegum melodies, and it was like a sonic version of crack to my ears. I couldn’t get enough of it. It was this album that made me realize that no matter how complex or impressive the musicianship on any given record is, what really matters to me as a musician is if your songs are memorable, and so I started putting a lot of focus into trying to craft catchy hooks over anything else. Granted, I wasn’t actually recording my own music at this point (around 2009/2010-ish), but it greatly influenced the music I did end up working on in the coming decade. Aside from that, the sheer amount of music that Townsend put out around this time wound up having more of an effect on me than the music itself did. How he was able to put out so much material so quickly, most of which was pretty damn good, astounded me, and I aspired to try and live up to that as much as possible with my own works.

SikTh – Death of a Dead Day

The first time I heard “Bland Street Bloom” by these UK tech metal legends I was blown away. If Between the Buried and Me opened my mind to what was capable of being played on guitar, and Devin Townsend showed me that prog and metal can still be catchy and poppy without sacrificing heaviness, SikTh showed me that you can maintain both of those qualities while also being insane. No doubt a huge influence on the djent scene that emerged in the 2010’s, none of the bands that followed in SikTh’s footsteps could ever really hold a candle to these guys. Sure, I love Meshuggah as much as the next guy, and they undoubtedly started the style, but SikTh has a special flavour that nobody could ever really match. As much as I love groups like Periphery and Tesseract and Born of Osiris, SikTh is the gold standard for technical and progressive metal, and this album is the pinnacle of that. To this day I’m still mesmerized by the guitar and drum work on this thing and I can only hope to one day be able to even come close to what is performed on this record.

Stolen Babies – There Be Squabbles Ahead

I was never quite a goth kid when I was in high school but I always kind of wanted to be. There was definitely an appeal to the aesthetic presented by what is considered typical “goth” media like The Nightmare Before Christmas or My Chemical Romance, but given the oppressive nature of high school in small town Newfoundland I never really went full tilt, so to speak. Musically I wouldn’t even end up getting into actual, honest to Satan, goth rock until recently. Back in high school I found myself drawn more to avant garde metal, which, in my opinion, is usually just a fancy way of saying carnival musical with distorted guitars. Stolen Babies were my entryway to that world, and to this day I don’t think any band has quite managed to capture the feeling that their debut record, There Be Squabbles Ahead, has. I remember hearing one song from these guys on YouTube and being unable to find the rest of the record anywhere, save on a torrent site, so I let the album download over the course of a week and when I finally got to listen to it I was enthralled by what I heard. It’s fair to say that this record has influenced my own music to a degree, especially when it comes to some of the Halloween-themed releases I’ve dropped as Mistwalker (namely Of Pumpkins and Pinecones). And yes, before you ask, I did end up buying the album. I own a CD copy of it at my parents’ place in Glovertown.

Amon Amarth – Twilight of the Thunder God

This one probably doesn’t come as much surprise to anyone. The band’s most popular and critically acclaimed record, Twilight of the Thunder God is remembered fondly for a reason. This album is another 11/10 for me. Every track on here is so flawless both with their songwriting capability and memorability. Every song on this album is memorable and stands apart from the others on the record with their own individual flavour and uniqueness. This was probably the first death metal record I ever full enjoyed, this or At the Gates’ Slaughter of the Soul. However, it was this album’s (and band’s) Viking themes that drew me. It was around this time (2011-2013) that I became very interested in Norse mythology and Viking history, and this record was my gateway to that. The riffs and the vocals are so powerful that nary a melodeath record has risen to accomplish what this album has. It was this record that led to me incorporating occasional themes of paganism and Norse myth in my own music when I officially started recording under the name of Mistwalker in 2013.

Darkthrone – F.O.A.D.

It was when I was in college (from 2012-2014) that I met my Kristopher Crane (from the projects Nemophilist and Acorn to Great Oak and also from the bands Impaled Upon the Mountains and Grimacing, which we formed together) who introduced me to black metal. I was aware of black metal before college but it never quite clicked with me. Once I was a bit older and felt a bit more depressed in my adult life I think that’s when I fully got it. The album that really did it for me was F.O.A.D. by Darkthrone, which Kris had introduced me to. Songs like “Canadian Metal”, “The Church of Real Metal”, and “Raised on Rock” just hit me right in the gut. To this day Darkthrone is the band that has inspired me the most as a musician, particularly in terms of style. Their mixture of black metal with old school heavy metal and crust punk (particularly their 2000’s era) and even the doom metal they’re doing these days is exactly the kind of music I want to create.

Honourable Mentions:

At the Gates – Slaughter of the Soul
Baroness – Red Album
The Black Dahlia Murder – Nocturnal
Darkthrone – Transilvanian Hunger
Diablo Swing Orchestra – The Butcher’s Ballroom
Equilibrium – Sagas
High on Fire – Death is this Communion
The Human Abstract – Digital Veil
Judas Priest – Screaming for Vengeance
Kylesa – Static Tensions
Mastodon – Leviathan
Periphery – Periphery
Slipknot – All Hope is Gone
Whitechapel – A New Era of Corruption

~ 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

December 2021 in Review

January 4, 2022January 2, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

So ends the disastrously awful year of 2021, with a relatively active month that saw a bunch of new music released and some other news besides. Let’s take a look back at all the happenings within the heavy music scene of Newfoundland and Labrador during December 2021.

Biggest Stories
– ‘Best of 2021’ Radio Show on CJLO 1690 AM
– Rick Massie Teases New Music from Upcoming LP
– Winterhearth Part Ways with Manager Tony Carew

New LPs
– Last Soul Down – In Hindsight

New EPs
– Goddammit – A Very COVID Christmas
– Mistwalker – Kristmas ist Krieg
– Winterhearth – Speak No Evil [Reissue]

New Singles
– Artach – “Ode to Krampus”
– Jaded Truth – “Scrooged”
– Most Likely Forever – “Senor Santa Claus”
– Rick Massie – “We Three Kings”

New Demos
– Needle Crafts – 2021 Demo
– Real Tree – Demo 2020

Interviews
– An Interview with Anabelle Iratni
– An Interview with Brandon Herritt of Laxidaisy

Album Reviews
– Sentimentipede – Pretend This Sounds Goods [by Akhenaten]

EP Reviews
– Chimp Apparatus – Pizza Man [by Akhenaten]

We also released Episode 037 of our Official Podcast this month, the third installment of Merry Fucking Solstice, in which we played a decent chunk of the holiday-themed songs listed above. You can check that out on Bandcamp and it will be coming to YouTube soon.

~ Akhenaten

An Interview with Anabelle Iratni

December 13, 2021December 11, 2021 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Anabelle Iratni is a vocalist, musician, lyre player and composer from London, England, known for being the vocalist, orchestral composer and lyre player for her horror metal project Veile as well as being the keyboardist and orchestral composer and providing backing vocals for Cradle of Filth *and Devilment*. *Anabelle also writes and records solo orchestral music under her own name*. *Anabelle connected with the Newfoundland metal scene by guest featuring on* Riverbed Empire, the latest record from blackened death metal band Winterhearth.

First of all, could you introduce yourself and let the audience know who we’re talking to?

Hello, world! I’m Anabelle, a vocalist, composer and lyre player from London, UK. I’m the resident banshee of blackened horror spectacle, Veile, in addition to being associated with Cradle of Filth and Devilment.

Our audience most likely knows you from your guest appearance on the 2020 album Riverbed Empire by the blackened death metal band Winterhearth, who are from here in good ol’ Newfoundland. Could you tell us how that came to be and what it was like working with the guys in that band?

Alas, It’s the classic modern love tale… they emailed me! I believe they knew of my work as an independent musician through social media. It was an incredible experience to work with Winterhearth: they allowed me creative freedom and were very receptive to any ideas. It was refreshing to work with receptive, hardworking and professional individuals. I hope they feel the same as we have maintained contact ever since!

When it comes to working on material for another project, because I noticed on Metal Archives that this isn’t the first time you’ve done a feature with another band, how does it feel recording your guest parts for these songs while being on what is effectively the other side of the world?

It’s become rather normal! The other Veile members live in The Netherlands and I’m in the UK, so we have been coordinating and writing through Google Drive files and video calls. It’s a strange feeling, creating art through screens and walls of text. At the same time, it can be seen as another dimension of exploration, a modern tool to facilitate creativity.

You started a new band recently called Veile, which is described as blackened horror metal. Can you talk a bit about how the band was formed and what kind of sound you guys are trying to cultivate with this new project?

The music in Veile is lead by stories, so we’re not wanting to restrict ourselves to one genre (not the most original thing to say, I know!) as it is about servicing the narrative, not the other way around. I’m therefore very character led in my vocal and lyrical writing, which lends itself to an experimental sound. We definitely wanted to create something very dynamic and immersive that would give people the ‘heebie-jeebies’.

I can hear shades of other artists here and there throughout your songs but the cohesive whole sounds very unique to me. Are there other bands or artists that you guys can point to as a direct influence on your sound?

Thank you! We wanted to create something unique. We’re really influenced by an Italian-Slovenian act called, Devil Doll. It is very expressive – it has a poetic, expressive, Gothic, avant garde fusion sound. Definitely check them out!

Veile has released one track so far, entitled “The Unwelcome”, which has gotten pretty decent reception thus far. This was followed up by the release of The Ghost Sonata EP. What’s next for the band?

We have another chapter in the works: we have the concept and are currently working on demos. The aim is to get enough material together to create a full set so we can (in the literal sense) take this show in the road!

Do you have any plans to go on tour in the post-COVID world?

Nothing set in stone as of yet, alas, we hope these can solidify in the near future!

When Tony Carew first reached out to me and asked me to interview you, he said that you had expressed interest in connecting more with our scene here in Newfoundland and Labrador. Can you see yourself working more with artists from this part of the world in the future?

I really can. The level of camaraderie and support, both from fellow musicians and government assistance, is truly admirable. My experience with artists from Newfoundland and Labrador thus far have shown me there are many opportunities to collaborate with artists in this part of the world.

Have you ever been to Canada before? And more specifically, do you think there’ll come a day when you visit Newfoundland?

I have indeed! Back in 2017 I presented a paper at the University of Victoria at the ISMMS biennial conference (International Society For Metal Music Studies). I spent half my time there and the other half exploring Vancouver (which also fell on my birthday!). I’d love to come to Newfoundland when the world allows it – I’d love to meet the Winterhearth bunch in person as well as yourself, Gregory, to thank you for this interview!

Thanks for taking the time to speak to us here at Heavy NFLD!

~ Akhenaten

Nocturnal Prayer Announce Split Album with Abduction ‘Intercontinental Death Conspiracy’

July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Mysterious St. John’s black metal outfit Nocturnal Prayer are still enjoying a great critical reception to their debut record Advance on Weakened Foes, an album that compiles the group’s first demos together on one release. It’s only been a few months since that album dropped and already the band are on their way to their next new release.

The album is a split record between Nocturnal Prayer and UK one man black metal outfit Abduction entitled Intercontinental Death Conspiracy. The record is to be released on Inferna Profundus Records, the label responsible for releasing Advance on Weakened Foes on vinyl.

Intercontinental Death Conspiracy will be released on September 7th of 2020 with 200 copies on black vinyl and 100 copies on clear vinyl. In the meantime, check out Advance on Weakened Foes through Bandcamp.

~ Akhenaten

Nemophilist Releases New Single “Johanna”

December 4, 2019 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Hot off the heels of returning to Canada and the release of his last single entitled “Memories of Brighton”, Carbonear-based dark ambient project Nemophilist has added another track to his long and storied discography that spans the last five years.

The new song, entitled “Johanna”, was released through YouTube on December 1st by project helm Forest Wanderer. You can check out the 11 minute single through our YouTube embed down below.

~ Akhenaten

Pretty Little Flowers Releases New Single “Truly Alone”

July 23, 2019 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Pretty Little Flowers, the side project of Nemophilist mastermind Forest Wanderer, has been steadily cranking out dark ambient tunes since the early days of 2018. The projects’ most recent release, “Betrayal in August”, was put out on Viridian Records as recently as June 28th and in the time since then he has seen fit to unleash yet another new single, entitled “Truly Alone”.

“Truly Alone” was released on July 18th via YouTube and, alongside the new Nemophilist EP which we reported on yesterday, will soon be made available for digital download via the Viridian Records Bandcamp page.

Nemophilist Releases New Single “An Old Friend’s Passing”

July 10, 2019 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Deep in the depths of Conception Bay in the town of Carbonear, the figure known as Forest Wanderer has been steadily releasing music since 2014 under the project named Nemophilist. Early on in the project’s history it fit within the niche of atmospheric black metal, enduring as a spiritual successor to Forest Wanderer’s previous project, Himmelen. In the time since then, however, Nemophilist has transformed, leaving all black metal stylings in the dust in favor of vast ambient soundscapes produced with heavily-effected synths.

You never know what you’re getting when the project releases new material as his releases have shifted between hour long singles and full length albums numerous times over its five year lifespan. Now, Nemophilist has released the latest addition to his consistent output in the form of “An Old Friend’s Passing”, a seven minute dark ambient track featuring cover art that depicts rooftops in Brighton, England, where Forest Wanderer currently resides.

“An Old Friend’s Passing” was released on July 7th through Viridian Records.

~ Akhenaten

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December 2021 in Review

An Interview with Anabelle Iratni

Nocturnal Prayer Announce Split Album with Abduction ‘Intercontinental Death Conspiracy’

Nemophilist Releases New Single “Johanna”

Pretty Little Flowers Releases New Single “Truly Alone”

Nemophilist Releases New Single “An Old Friend’s Passing”