Yours truly had the opportunity to speak to Madison Ryan over at CBC NL about this year’s installment of Heavy NFLD Fest. The interview aired last week and you can listen to it at the link / Spotify embed below. During this interview I spoke about what our goals are with the fest, who is coming to the island from elsewhere in the country to play it, as well as the inspiration behind the fest in the first place.
Check it out!
~ Akhenaten
Securitron, a new Fallout-themed thrash metal project from multi-instrumentalist Greg Ravengrave, released its first full length record on March 1st, 2024. The album, entitled Post-Apocalyptic Eras, features 10 tracks of thrash metal that takes some sporadic influence from black metal, death metal, and prog throughout its runtime. The album was mixed and mastered by José-Gabriel Bazan Gauthier of the death metal band Insade, and was recorded by Ravengrave as part of the 2024 RPM Challenge.
You can listen to Post-Apocalyptic Eras through our Bandcamp embed below.
~ Akhenaten
Montreal-based blackened heavy metal band Mistwalker, originally from Glovertown, released a new live EP entitled Basement Dwellers through Bandcamp on February 8th, 2024. The new EP was recorded at The Dank Basement in Glovertown, NL during the band’s Atlantic Annihilation Tour on August 17th, 2023. The songs were recorded by Aaron Powell and the lineup featured Greg Ravengrave on drums and vocals, Bobby Warlock on guitar, and Erin Faithless on bass.
You can listen to Basement Dwellers through our Bandcamp embed below.
~ Akhenaten
Mistwalker – Oceanic Heritage
June 24th, 2023
Blackened Heavy Metal
Viridian Records
Glovertown, Newfoundland
Mistwalker returns to the turbulent history of Newfoundland and Labrador on their 2023 full length album Oceanic Heritage. With this the black metal project led by multi instrumentalist Greg Ravengrave makes the third entry in the ‘Newfoundland Trilogy’, preceded by 2017’s Alexander Bay, and 2018’s Terra Nova. The album covers a wide range of topics, such as the ancient Viking settlers on “L’Anse Aux Meadows”, to more recent events such as the damage of Hurricane Igor on the track “Igor’s Wrath”.
Mistwalker delivers much more than a history lesson as the album is loaded with fierce and fast songs just as heavy as their inspirations. After the melancholic piano overture of “Home”, you’re thrown into “Oceanic Heritage”, a tempest of a title track that ravages the listener with ten minutes of black metal fury. Every new riff of this track hits like a tidal wave.
Other highlights include “Beaumont-Hamel” and “Mystery Veteran”. These war themed tunes bring speed metal into the mix and offer some galloping guitar, and in the case of “Beaumont-Hamel” pummeling drums that make it sound like a battlefield.
“L’Anse Aux Meadows” was another track I found myself returning to. I mean it’s a black metal album, of course the Viking song’s going to be a banger. That intro is such a good hook I’d let it invade and pillage my ears any day.
Coming in at just over an hour the album is a powerhouse that is not to be overlooked by extreme metal fans. Oceanic Heritage brings a trilogy born from a burning passion for the past to an epic conclusion.
Final Verdict: 8/10
Great
Favourite Tracks:
“Oceanic Heritage”
“Beaumont-Hamel”
“Mystery Veteran”
“L’Anse Aux Meadows”
~ James Titford
Glovertown / Montreal blackened heavy metal outfit Mistwalker has announced that they are going on indefinite hiatus as a live band. While the project’s main focus of being a solo writing and recording project of sole member Greg Ravengrave will continue, the live band will be taking a break from shows for the foreseeable future.
The hiatus was announced via the band’s social media pages on Friday, November 3rd, 2023. As a result the band also dropped out of their upcoming show at Traxide on November 24th alongside World Eaters, Anna Pest, and Ashbreather.
Rest assured that new music from the project will continue, and that the live band will return at some point in the future.
~ Akhenaten
Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now!
April 13th, 2023
Powerviolence / Crust Punk / Grindcore
Independently Released
Montreal, Quebec
Ratpiss is back with a new EP, Misanthropy Now! Released April 13, 2023, the Montreal based trio of Erin Faith (vocals, bass), Tyler Addey-Jibb (vocals, guitar), and Greg Ravengrave (drums) wasted no time on following up their EP, Vermin Urine, released in November 2022. Vermin Urine was a release I really enjoyed, and still find myself coming back to. The way it wasn’t afraid to veer off into other styles made for an intriguing offering that covered a lot of ground in its brief run time.
Misanthropy Now! however sees the band taking a much more focused approach to their sound, never straying too far from their core sound of crust punk influenced grindcore. While I do enjoy the unrestrained approach of the previous release I do think the change does benefit their sound, making for a more concise listening experience with tighter song writing.
The opening track “Troglodyte” crawls out of its cave with a slow, sludgy intro before exploding into a fast, violent rage. When the track does pick up speed it doesn’t lose the weight it builds up, instead throws it at the listener like a giant stone launched from a catapult
.Following “Troglodyte” is the two part “Bastard” which in terms of structure does the opposite of the previous track. “Bastard I” is a brisk blast of grind, then “Bastard II” drags things to a cruel crawl. It drops the speed and vocals, save for the sample of someone yelling about a “Jeffery Dahmer looking motherfucker”, which does give us the mystery of who this motherfucker is, and what were they up to?
There’s no time to dwell on that however, because it’s time for the next track, “No Name”. This one brings together the best qualities of what Misanthropy Now! has on display. It’s a wicked heavy song with a dirty groove that keeps things fast and filthy.
“Acetylene Drunk” is the last and longest track on the EP and brings us to an incredibly satisfying end. Keeping the momentum from “No Name” the band rip through the early stages of the song, as they gradually slow down while increasing the intensity. It sounds like they’re squeezing every last drop of energy they can off of a dying star before it explodes. Misanthropy Now! sees Ratpiss refining their sound and making improvements where they could be made. It’s a dynamic, devastating EP that leaves you wanting more misanthropy, now!
Verdict: 8/10
Great
Favourite Track:
“No Name”
~ James Titford
Welcome to the 52nd episode of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast. On this episode we re-cap all the heavy music released for the RPM Challenge in the year of 2023!
All songs belong to the original artists. Podcast recorded by Greg “Akhenaten” Ravengrave.
Tracklist:
01. The Crevice – “Valley of Flies”
02. Pouch Dweller – “Laserblast’s Last Stand”
03. Chris McGee – “Sudden Shock”
04. Cemetery Hill – “Doomed Generation”
05. Ninth Quarter – “Crustborne”
~News Break~
06. Elder Caius – “Kailash, When It Rises”
07. Count Cromulent – “Thunder Reigns”
08. Wannabe Erudite – “Pester”
09. Canvas – “Permanent Holiday”
10. Personal Space Invaders – “Solid Ground”
~ Akhenaten
Delving deep into the most fist pumping of riffs you’ll hear this side of the North Atlantic. Are we K-Rock now? K-Rawk rawks.
Released February 28, 2023
All songs belong to the original artists. Podcast recorded by Greg “Akhenaten” Ravengrave.
Tracklist:
01. Amer Ali – “Face in the Clouds”
02. The Skeats – “Dead Before Dawn”
03. Disposition – “Black and White”
04. Ascend the Throne – “Rise”
05. The Hellfire Club – “Black Sky”
~News Break~
06. Madison Strip – “Empty Shells”
07. Crisis Averted – “War”
08. Jigger – “Weed Problem”
09. King Ego – “Crue Room”
10. Sea Dogs – “Storm Maker”
~ Akhenaten
Ratpiss – Vermin Urine
November 18th, 2022
Powerviolence / Crust Punk
Independently Released
Montreal, Quebec
Leaking out of the grimiest crevices of the underground comes Vermin Urine, the first EP from Ratpiss. This Montreal based trio is made up of Erin Faeth on bass and vocals, Tyler Addey-Jibb on guitar and backing vocals, and Greg Ravengrave (originally from Newfoundland) on drums. Released on November 18th, 2022, this is the band’s second offering after their 2020 demo Do Not Return.
Vermin Urine is five tracks of well written, catchy powerviolence with a tendency to lean into other genres.
The first track “No Dogs//No Smokers” is an absolute ripper of an opening track. Starting off as a nasty blast of classic powerviolence it soon turns to an infectious groove with a dangerously dirty surf punk vibe.
Next is “Bring Back 80’s Speed”. “Speed” is the key word here, a relentless track with a heavy thrash influence.
“Mania” is my favorite song. Starting as a wash of guitar feedback and pounding drums that seems to bleed over from “Bring Back 80’s Speed”, the track soon develops into a blackened hardcore assault.
“Crime Pays//Violence Thrills” continues the black metal tendencies of “Mania”, but stays closer to the band’s core powerviolence sound.
Ending the EP is “Ratnip”. It’s the longest track on the album clocking in at three minutes and 11 seconds and is the most varied of all the songs. Starting with heavy hardcore riffs, things ease back making way for an experimental / post punk flavored section of guitar feedback. Finally it brings things to an end with a big, satisfying breakdown which I like how they save for the end, as opposed to a lot of powerviolence that can tend to rely too much on them.
Vermin Urine is a solid EP that isn’t afraid to mix powerviolence with other styles of metal and punk. This makes for a refreshing variety in sound over five tracks and an overall sound you’ll find yourself returning to when in need of something short and nasty.
Final Verdict: 8/10
Great
Favourite Tracks:
“Bring Back 80’s Speed”
“Mania”
“Ratnip”
For Fans Of:
Jetsam
The Traxide
Deaf Club
~ Written by James Titford
~ Edited by Akhenaten
July was a busy and turbulent month for sure. Check out all the things that happened in our local scene for the month of July 2022!
Biggest Stories
– Anvil to Play The Rockhouse in September
– Cancer Bats and Comeback Kid to Perform at The Rockhouse in October
– Exciter Featured in The Newfoundland Herald
– Grenadier to Perform at Messe des Morts X
– Most Likely Forever to be Digitally Distributed by Earache Records
– Sons of an Eastern Moon to be Digitally Distributed by Earache Records
– Wyte Room Recordings Release Live Video A Selection from Bowring ’22
New Albums Released
– Grenadier – Trumpets Blare in Blazing Glory
– Nemophilist – Never Morning Wore to Evening, But Some Heart Did Break
New EPs Released
– Fucked to Death – Goth Bitches
– Gamma Knife – Spiraling Out of Control
– Sex Hole – Down with Music! Viva la Noise!
– Tunnel Vision – 2022
New Singles Released
– Big Space – “Improv 22-3”
– Laxidaisy – “A Ballad of Ships and Wolves”
– Jim Jones and the Kool-Aid Jammers – “Supercalifragilisticdruginducedpsychosis”
Album Reviews
– Cult of Azura – Cult of Azura [by James Titford]
Metal Maniacs
– Adam Sharr of Grenadier, Nocturnal Prayer
– Greg Ravengrave of Mistwalker, Ratpiss
– Jordon Walsh of Grenadier, Goreforge
Merch
– Grenadier Reveal New Long Sleeves and T-Shirts
– Vertebraeker Reveal New T-Shirts
This month’s episode of the podcast involves us delving deep into dungeon synth from Newfoundland and Labrador. You can find it on Bandcamp and on YouTube!
Albums Archived
– The Dead One B.C. – From Hell [EP / Dungeon Synth]
– Grey Fawn – Harbinger of Plight [Single / Doom Metal]
~ Akhenaten
HeavyNFLD 