St. John’s melodic thrash metal project Triskelyon, the solo project of guitarist Geoff Waye, has announced their third full length record. Following last year’s Artificial Insanity, the third full length from Triskelyon will also be released through Moribund Records and is due out in Fall of 2024.
Moribund Records has released a teaser for the album through YouTube. You can watch the teaser through our YouTube embed below.
~ Akhenaten
2023 has been over for a little over a month now so I think it’s time we took stock of all the cool stuff and not so cool stuff that happened over the course of the last year. Let’s dive in!
This year was another rough year for businesses as both Bar None and The Abbey were forced to shut down, nixing two venues for live music and other events from the underground music community in St. John’s. Aside from that, things got rougher as members of the music community mourned the loss of Will Hapgood, the owner of The Deck who passed away suddenly earlier in 2023. His loss sent shockwaves throughout the community and resulted in an enormous show happening at the Bowring Park Amphitheater to celebrate his life and memory.
An absurd amount of new music was released throughout the year, perhaps more so than any year prior since I’ve been involved in this scene. A slew of new records from bands like The Skeats and Category VI were joined by a cavalcade of EPs from the continuously exploding hardcore punk crowd that seems to churn out new bands at the same frequency that rabbits reproduce.
There were also a ton of mainlander bands who came through Corner Brook and St. John’s this year, including Montreal black metal bands Akitsa and Infernach, Halifax d-beat warriors Black Dog, long time Newfoundland expats Brutal Youth, Montreal hardcore group Deadbolt, New Brunswick stoner punks Diner Drugs, Montreal death metal power trio Obelisk, Toronto thrashers Ammo and Californian NWOTHM upstarts Night Demon, as well as Halifax deathcore ensemble Pale Ache. For a province that sees precious few touring acts pulling through, this past year was exceptionally great.
We also held the very first edition of the Heavy NFLD Fest this past year! This was something that was a long time coming, and has always been my ultimate goal for this project, so finally seeing it come to fruition was a triumph. We’re hoping to do it again this year so stay tuned for Heavy NFLD Fest Vol. II!
Here’s hoping that this year brings with it more good news and less of the bad. Here’s to a kickass 2024.
Biggest Stories
– Bar None Closes Its Doors
– Big Space Win Jazz Recording of the Year at the ECMAs
– Da Slyme Wins Music NL ‘Loud Artist of the Year’ Award
– The Deck Renamed to Pavlov’s Electric Verandah
– Friends Hold Raffle for Sheavy Frontman Steve Hennessey’s Recovery Following Cancer Diagnosis
– Grenadier Release Trumpets Blare in Blazing Glory on Vinyl
– Heavy NFLD Fest Vol. I
– Ken Power Tattoo Company Reopens at New Location
– Lawnya Vawnya 13 Announces Lineup
– Madison Strip Calls it Quits
– Memorial Show for Will Hapgood to Happen at Bowring Park Amphitheater July 9th
– Precious Blood Announce 2023 Maritimes Tour
– Precious Blood and Da Slyme Nominated for Music NL Loud Artist of the Year
– R.I.P. Will Hapgood
– Stanley’s Pub Now Hosting Heavy Metal Karaoke Nights
– Triskelyon Signs to Moribund Records
– Triskelyon Resigns to Moribund Records in Two-Album Deal
– Yes, Officer Signs to Scilly Cove Records
Come from Aways
– Akitsa and Ifernach to Perform at The Rockhouse in September with Grole and Grenadier
– Black Dog (HFX) to Play at First Light CPAC on July 15th
– Brutal Youth to Return to the Rock for Two Shows in August
– Deadbolt to Play The Rockhouse & First Light CPAC on September 8th and 9th
– Diner Drugs to Play The Deck and The Abbey on May 12th and 13th
– Mistwalker and Øbelisk Announce 2023 Tour with Shows in St. John’s, Corner Brook, and Glovertown
– Night Demon and Ammo to Perform at the Bella Vista Events Venue on August 25th
– Pale Ache Announce Fall Tour Including Multiple Dates in Corner Brook and St. John’s
– Slaughter, Quiet Riot, and Great White to Perform at Iceberg Alley Performance Tent 2023
New LPs Released
– 6000apez – January 12
– Beereaucracy – Beereaucracy
– Beereaucracy / Catshit – Split
– Brutal Youth – Rebuilding Year
– C.A.R.E. – Creating a Righteous Energy
– Category VI – Firecry
– Chris McGee – The Strange Ritual of the Golden-Faced Man
– Count Cromulent – Thrillhouse
– Desperta – Desperta
– Falter – Salt in the Soil
– First Frost – It’s Dangerous to Go Alone
– Lithops – ((BendeR))
– Mike Fisher – Diary of a Psychic Vampire
– Mistwalker – Oceanic Heritage
– Mistwalker – Under the Fallen Sky: 10 Years in the Mist
– Needle Crafts – Frow’d Up
– Neko Suicide – Bound by Chains and Ripped in Half
– Neko Suicide – Midtown
– Neko Suicide – St. Georges, Hell 3:00 AM
– Nfrared – Under the Stairs
– The Skeats – The Skeats IV
– Triskelyon – Artificial Insanity
– WXO – Waxsongs
– Zack St. John’s – Prince of Fogtown
– Zackary Anderson – Graveyard Filled with Snow
New EPs Released
– 6000apez – Farmlife
– 6000apez – Glauchoma!
– 6000apez – Mule Touch
– Adam Sharr – To the Woods
– A Body Without Organs – Broken Terminal III: Milk Blood
– Bog Rot – Sex, Drugs, Bog N’ Roll
– Canvas – Down Horrendous
– Carnage – Free at Last
– Cerebral Palsy – Seas of Bloody Mist
– Chimp Apparatus – Sober
– compareyourself – Mary and the Misanthropic Buzzard
– Cortex Strikes Back – Cortex Strikes Back
– The Crevice – 11th Hour / Valley of Flies
– Foundation Chain – Sanrio-core
– Fucked to Death – The Penile Code
– Glitterglue – Friends Club
– Jaded Truth – Bitter
– Knarl – Bad Luck
– Lil Dirtbag – It’s Been Too Real
– Love Letters to Lewis – Letter One: Vemödalen
– Mistwalker – Pumpkinsmasher
– Mistwalker – War on Christmas
– Neko Suicide – Cross
– Ninth Quarter – Below Knee
– Nuclear Casket – Irascible
– Of Wilds – A Ghost at the Strid
– The Order of the Precious Blood – I No Longer Wish for Salvation
– Pouch Dweller – Goes to the Movies
– Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now!
– Roach Smoking Buddies – Roach Smoking Christmas
– Sex Hole – Kill or Be Killed
– Shit Dildo – Odes to the Fecal Phallus
– Skreeched In – Skreeched In
– Smoke Signals – Send Me Flowers While I’m Still Here
– Sons of an Eastern Moon – Borealis
– Winterhearth – Beyond the Frosted Graves
– Winterhearth – Rape of Eden
– Wiremouth – EP2
– WXO – Albert Rolling Down the Magical Infinite Hill
New Singles Released
– Amer Ali – “Face in the Clouds”
– Amer Ali – “Forever”
– Amer Ali – “Never Say I Don’t Care”
– Artach – “Black Metal Drummer Boy”
– Artach – “Hell on Halloween”
– Bonewing – Assorted Singles
– Category VI – “Firecry”
– Cerebral Palsy – Assorted Singles
– Chimp Apparatus – “Garfield”
– Choplicker – “Brigandine”
– Choplicker – “Heliouroboros”
– CR – “Last Address”
– Dendron – “The Glass Spire Redux”
– Disposition – “Decomposed”
– Disposition – “Slow Haze”
– Drop Your Trust – “Hacked”
– Drop Your Trust – “Think for Yourself”
– Elder Caius – “Alien Space Bats” / “From Below”
– Elder Caius – “Kailash, When It Rises”
– Everose – “Flourish”
– Ex Press – “The Island”
– Guntmold – “Menstrual Shark”
– Guntmold – “Munging”
– Guntmold – “You Suffer” [Napalm Death Cover]
– Homesick N’ Wanderlust – “When I Grow Up”
– Jaded Truth – “Bottom of the Bottle”
– Jaded Truth – “Samsquanch”
– Jaded Truth – “The Shake-Up”
– Last Cigar – “Pitchforks”
– Love Letters to Lewis – “I, the End”
– Needle Crafts – “Worried Sick”
– Neko Suicide – “2015”
– Nemophilist – “Aurora”
– Nemophilist – “Failure, Goodbyes. Isolation”
– Nemophilist – “Put Me on a Ship That is Sinking”
– Nemophilist – “Tragedy and Loss Never Known”
– Nerve Shack – “Ash”
– Nerve Shack – “Forever in Your Lie”
– Nerve Shack – “Yellow Teeth”
– Nfrared – “Betrayed for the Better”
– Nfrared – “Innocent Criminal”
– Nfrared – “Piece of Mind”
– The Order of the Precious Blood – “Suffer and Die”
– Qyn – “Ideologue”
– Rot – “Rupture” / “Delight”
– Sex Hole – “Stay Out of My Way”
– The Skeats – “Fine Wine”
– The Skeats – “Torch”
– The Skeats – “Twitch”
– So Violento – “Elegia Moderna”
– Sought – “Samqwan”
– Sought – “Valorous Asinus”
– This Day – “Euphoric State”
– Triskelyon – “Visionaires”
– Vertebraeker – “Buried Again”
– Winterhearth – “Winter Punks”
– WXO – “A.I. Instincts”
New Demos Released
– 6000apez – The Consequential Mudhole
– Bazooka – Demo 2022
– Beereaucracy – Vote for Us
– Blender – D03s 1t Bl3nd?
– Choplicker – Rollercrisis
– Disciplinary Action – Floor Demo 2023
– Doberman – Shed Demo ’23
– Glitterglue – Shed Demo ’23
– Guntmold – Guntmold
– Kicker – Kicker Demo
– Kris Butt – Old Path Demos
– Life Jolt – Floor Demo ’23
– Malpractice – We Don’t Go to Church
– Nerve Shack – Sheep Kill
– Paranoia – Paranoia
– Vehement Slaughter – Demo
– Vomit Denial – Demo ’23
– Wannabe Erudite – Remembered Demos
– Winterhearth – The Rehearsal Session
New Compilations Released
– Aeria – The Deadman Collection
New Live Albums Released
– Defense Force – Live Like Death
– Killer9000 – Live at The Deck 02/11/23
– Malpractice – Live June ’89
– Smoke Signals – Live at The Rockhouse 01/28/23
New Music Videos Released
– Artach – “Hell on Halloween”
– Beereaucracy – “Beerboarded”
– Category VI – “Coven”
– Category VI – “Valkyrie”
– Hakapik – “Don’t Make Me Laugh”
– Jaded Truth – “Bottom of the Bottle”
– Jaded Truth – “Riders”
– Jaded Truth – “The Shake-Up”
– Jaded Truth – “Worthless Meek”
– Nerve Shack – “Forever in Your Lie”
– Nerve Shack – “Yellow Teeth”
– The Order of the Precious Blood – “Bastard! Rejoice!” [Live]
– The Order of the Precious Blood – “X You Out”
Album Announcements
– Artach – Untitled New LP
– Bog Rot – Untitled New EP
– Da Slyme – If There’s No Rubble, You Haven’t Played!
– Grole – Untitled New LP
– Guntmold – Blackened Infection
– The Hellfire Club – Volume III
– Jaded Truth – Bitter
– Mistwalker – Oceanic Heritage
– Nocturnal Prayer / Funeral Fullmoon – Disciples of the Moonlight Worship
– The Order of the Precious Blood – I No Longer Wish for Salvation
– Qyn – Untitled New Release
– Riproar – Untitled New Release
– The Skeats – The Skeats IV
– Smoke Signals – Send Me Flowers While I’m Still Here
– Triskelyon – Artificial Insanity
– Wendigo – Untitled New Release
– Winterhearth – Rape of Eden
– Yes, Officer – Untitled New LP
Live Sets Filmed
– Bazooka – Live Set @ Peter Easton Pub – December 23rd, 2022
– Defense Force – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023
– Dendron – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
– Everose – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 18th, 2023
– InfectDead – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 18th, 2023
– Jaded Truth – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
– Kaspam Cult – Live Set @ Gower Street United Church – August 19th, 2023
– The Mill – Live Set @ The Corner Pocket – August 16th, 2023
– Mistwalker – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023
– Mistwalker – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 18th, 2023
– Mistwalker – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
– Needle Crafts – Live Set @ Peter Easton Pub – December 23rd, 2022
– Obelisk – Live Set @ The Corner Pocket – August 16th, 2023
– October Wasp – Live Set @ The Corner Pocket – August 16th, 2023
– Shit Dildo – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023
– Sick Puppy – Live Set @ Peter Easton Pub – December 23rd, 2022
– The Skeats – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
– Tunnel Vision – Live Set @ Peter Easton Pub – December 23rd, 2022
– Wretched Fiend – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023
New Merch Drops
– Artach Reveal New T-Shirts
– Everose Reveal New Patches
– Fog Coffin Reveals New Pins
– Fog Coffin Reveals New Stickers
– Grole Reveals New Hoodies
– Grole Reveals New T-Shirts
– Guntmold Reveals New Stickers
– Heavy Metal Karaoke Reveals New Stickers and Pins
– Metaphora Reveal New T-Shirts + Other Merch
– Mir Reveals New T-Shirts
– The Order of the Precious Blood Reveal New T-Shirts
– Ratpiss Reveal New Black on White Patches
– Ratpiss Reveal New White on Black Patches
– Sea Shanty Studios Now Offering Patch Services
– The Skeats Reveal New Hats
– Skreeched In Reveal New Patches
– Smoke Signals Reveal New Circular Patches
– Winterhearth Reveal New Diamond Patches
Album Reviews
– Category VI – Firecry [by Akhenaten]
– Count Cromulent – Thrillhouse [by Akhenaten]
– Dead Inner Youth – Dead Inner Youth [by Stephen]
– Jaded Truth – Take a Seat [by Akhenaten]
– Triskelyon – Triskelyon [by Akhenaten]
– Vertebraeker – Spinal Sword [by Akhenaten]
EP Reviews
– Bog Rot – Sex, Drugs, Bog N’ Roll [by Akhenaten]
– Chimp Apparatus – Sober [by Akhenaten]
– The Crevice – 11th Hour / Valley of Flies [by Akhenaten]
– Glitterglue – Friends Club [by Akhenaten]
– Foundation Chain – Sanrio-core [by Akhenaten]
– The Order of the Precious Blood – I No Longer Wish for Salvation [by Akhenaten]
– Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now! [by James Titford]
– Ratpiss – Vermin Urine [by James Titford]
– Sick Puppy – Haunt the Hill [by Stephen]
– Skreeched In – Skreeched In [by Akhenaten]
– Sons of an Eastern Moon – Borealis [by Akhenaten]
– Winterhearth – Rape of Eden [by Akhenaten]
We also released twelve new episodes of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast this past year. We did our typical installments such as the RPM Re-Cap in March, Heavy Halloween in October, and Merry Fucking Solstice in December, but we also had genre-specific episodes focusing on grindcore, hard rock, hardcore, and grunge. Other episode topics included focuses on metal and punk from Prince Edward Island, a smattering of new metal and punk released in Newfoundland and Labrador over the past year, bands who have come to Newfoundland from elsewhere in recent years, a re-cap of artists that my own band played with during the Atlantic Annihilation Tour, and a re-cap of the bands who played this past year’s installment of Heavy NFLD Fest. You can listen to all these and more on the Heavy NFLD Bandcamp which will be linked down below.
2023 Podcast Episodes
– Episode 050: January 2023 – Newfoundgrind
– Episode 051: February 2023 – Hard Rock from the Rock
– Episode 052: March 2023 – The RPM Re-Cap MMXXIII
– Episode 053: April 2023 – NLxHC
– Episode 054: May 2023 – P.E.I. Punx
– Episode 055: June 2023 – New Metal from Newfoundland
– Episode 056: July 2023 – Come From Away
– Episode 057: August 2023 – The Atlantic Annihilation Tour Re-Cap
– Episode 058: September 2023 – Heavy NFLD Fest Vol. I Re-Cap
– Episode 059: October 2023 – Heavy Halloween
– Episode 060: November 2023 – Newfoundgrunge
– Episode 061: December 2023 – Merry Fucking Solstice IV
~ Akhenaten
Coming in to end the year there was a bunch of cool stuff that happened in December of 2023. Check out all the local happenings below!
Biggest Stories
– Bankrobber Calls It Quits
– Nfrared Announce Upcoming 2024 Show Dates
– Triskelyon Resigns to Moribund Records in Two-Album Deal
New LPs Released
– Falter – Salt in the Soil
– Nfrared – Under the Stairs
– The Skeats – Skeats IV
New EPs Released
– A Body Without Organs – Broken Terminal III: Milk Blood
– compareyourself – Mary and the Misanthropic Buzzard
– Lil Dirtbag – It’s Been Too Real
– Mistwalker – War on Christmas
New Singles Released
– Artach – Black Metal Drummer Boy
– Bonewing – Assorted New Singles
– Disposition – Decomposed
– Jaded Truth – Samsquanch
– Nemophilist – Failure, Goodbyes. Isolation
– Sought – Samqwan
Album Announcements
– Bog Rot – Untitled New EP
Reviews
– Bog Rot – Sex, Drugs, Bog N’ Roll [by Akhenaten]
– The Crevice – 11th Hour / Valley of Flies [by Akhenaten]
– Foundation Chain – Sanrio-Core [by Akhenaten]
– Skreeched In – Skreeched In [by Akhenaten]
– Sons of an Eastern Moon – Borealis [by Akhenaten]
– Triskelyon – Artificial Insanity [by Akhenaten]
New Merch
– Mir Reveals New Shirts
Watch
– Mistwalker – Live @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
We also released our 61st episode of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast, which is the fourth installment of our holiday-themed Merry Fucking Solstice series. Listen to it at the Bandcamp link below!
Albums Archived
– Amer Ali – Pathogen [Remastered] [Single / Hard Rock]
– Ashen – Demo [Demo / Black Metal]
– The Crevice – 11th Hour / Valley of Flies [EP / Stoner Metal]
– Elder Caius – Alien Space Bats / From Below [Single / Progressive Rock]
– Elder Caius – Kailash, When It Rises [Single / Progressive Rock]
– Mistwalker – War on Christmas [EP / Black N’ Roll]
– Ninth Quarter – Below Knee [EP / Metalcore]
– Pouch Dweller – Goes to the Movies [EP / Dungeon Synth]
– Phil Gallant – Demos [Demo / Sludge Metal]
– The Skeats – Torch [Single / Hard Rock]
– Sought – Samqwan [Single / Black Metal]
– Triskelyon – Artificial Insanity [LP / Power Metal]
– Vomit Denial – Demo ’23 [Demo / Hardcore]
– Vomit Denial – Vein! [Demo / Hardcore]
– Winterhearth – Winter Punks [Single / Blackened Death Metal]
~ Akhenaten
St. John’s power / thrash metal project Triskelyon, which is the solo project of Category VI guitarist Geoff Waye, has resigned to their Washington-based label Moribund Records in a new two-record deal. The project’s previous two records, 2022’s Downfall and 2023’s Artificial Insanity, were both released through Moribund Records as well.
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more about these upcoming releases from Triskelyon.
~ Akhenaten
Triskelyon – Artificial Insanity
September 8th, 2023
Thrash Metal / Blackened Thrash Metal / Power Metal
Moribund Records
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Those who have been reading this blog for a while will know that I was personally a fan of the first Triskelyon record, Downfall, though I did have a few minor gripes with it on account of the programmed drums and some vocal performances that weren’t as strong as they could have been. Regardless I was looking forward to the followup to that debut, and when Artificial Insanity finally dropped I found my expectations were exceeded.
This second offering from the solo project of Category VI guitarist extraordinaire Geoff Waye is a veritable blast from the past that pays a true and unabashed tribute to the world of classic 80’s metal. Shades of the many different, niche micro-genres that existed at the time can be found on this record, from Bay Area thrash metal to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal to European power metal, this album’s got it all. There is indeed a great degree of variety to be found here in regards to the songwriting and the different vibes that Waye strives for, and he largely succeeds at each venture.
The riffs on here are absolutely ripping and brutal, and in my estimation pack far more of an aggressive and memorable punch than what was found on the project’s debut. There’s a chunky, blocky heaviness to each song, with the second track, “At War with Demons”, being a particular standout. Meanwhile the track “Bringers of Chaos” seems to dig into the realm of technical thrash ever so slightly, putting a thin glaze of Voivod and Annihilator icing on top of the introductory riff. “Obsolescence” on the other hand digs into slightly blackened territory that feels akin to the Teutonic bands of Germany like Sodom or Kreator, or even a first wave black metal band like Venom or Bathory. The track “Celtic Creatures” delves fully into black metal with tremolo picked melodic riffs gallivanting over pulverizing blast beats. On top of that the solos here are shredding and beautifully violent. There’s surely no doubting Waye’s guitar ability with this release.
The bass on here is handled by three different individuals, including Keith Jackman of Category VI, as well as Dwayne Pike and Darren Pope. While the bass often takes a backseat to this kind of melodic thrash metal as the guitars are really pushed to the forefront, I appreciate that the bass is at least audible in the mix. I still think it could be a bit more present, but then again, maybe my ears are just damaged to the point where low frequencies are actually getting harder to hear (I wear earplugs to shows, don’t come at me). Still, these three performers do a serviceable job from what I can make out, and I do appreciate the few moments where the bass is allowed to shine, such as during the ambient bridge in “One Blood”.
While the programmed drums were an issue I had with the first record, here it doesn’t really get in the way of my enjoyment of the album as much. The drums are indeed still programmed, done so by Raul Marques of Burning Torment, who returns from the first record, as well as Alexander Raykov of Antreib. In comparison to the first album, however, I feel like the way the drums bleed into the guitars and bass in the mix makes them a bit easier to buy as genuine. I’m a stickler when it comes to this kind of thing, but I don’t always see programmed drums as bad, and this album is an example of them being passable enough to not impact my overall listening experience by a huge margin.
The vocals are also handled by a widely different selection of vocalists, including Amanda Jackman of Category VI (who sings the cover of Platinum Blonde’s “It Doesn’t Really Matter”), Armin Kamal of Infrared (not to be confused with Nfrared from St. John’s), Cara McCutchen of Mortillery and Naitaka), Dale Drew of Sea Dogs, Des V. Mason, Ellim, Pete Healey, Raúl Álvarez of Dark Order, and Tim Tymo of Tymo. Having such a differing roster of vocalists certainly adds to the variety found across this record, even though most of this singers approach metal vocals in a relatively similar style. Almost all of them are clean vocalists who really push their pipes as loud as they can go, all of which comes together to conjure some rather obvious comparisons to groups like Anthrax, Overkill, or perhaps even Germany’s Rage. The only exception to this are the tracks “Beyond the Past”, “Celtic Creatures”, and “Why Burn?”, which feature the bile-spitting rasp of blackened thrash style vocals. This helps break up the otherwise clean style prevalent across the record, though I wish these three songs didn’t packaged one after the other right at the end.
The production here is great too. The guitars and bass are all just a smidgen muddy, giving the whole record a bit of a grimier feeling than you’d hear on a more high profile metal release from any of the major underground metal labels. The drums could be a bit dirtier sounding and the bass could still be brought up a bit in the overall mix, but the finished project is still solid as hell. Michael Small, who has recorded, mixed and produced an ever increasing number of projects from St. John’s, continues to improve as an audio engineer.
By all accounts Triskelyon have exceeded their debut greatly with this sophomore effort. Waye and his team of cohorts have taken the formula established on Downfall and upped the ante significantly in every aspect on this one. Readers of this blog who love the sounds of old school heavy metal absolutely must check this one out. It’s certainly a contender for my album of the year for 2023 here at Heavy NFLD, and even if it doesn’t hit the number one spot, it’s at least in the conversation for that title.
Final Verdict: 9/10
Awesome
Favourite Tracks:
“Tektyranny”
“At War with Demons”
“Bringers of Chaos”
“Obsolescence”
“One Blood”
“Visionaries”
“Celtic Creatures”
For Fans of:
Overkill
Megadeth
Annihilator
Venom
Rage
~ Akhenaten
Category VI – Firecry
March 24th, 2023
Power Metal
Moribund Records
St. John’s, Newfoundland
One of Newfoundland’s longest running metal outfits, Category VI has been involved in the local metal community since at least the release of their very first demo, Vinland, way back in 2011. Over 10 years later the band has since dropped three full length records, 2013’s Fireborn, followed by 2017’s War is Hell, and now their third full length effort, Firecry. This is also the first album to be released from the band since they’ve joined the Moribund Records family.
Once again, the band provides to listeners what their longtime fans have come to expect: powerful vocals, soaring riffs, thunderous bass, and pulse pounding drumming. The band is as good as they ever have been on this album, offering up eight tracks of revivalist power metal that fit them nicely in with the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. The songs on here deliver the goods in a way that will no doubt please fans of groups like Judas Priest, Dio, Mercyful Fate, and other heavy metal alumni of that ilk. That said, I think there are a few too many moments on here where a riff will end, there will be a moment of silence, and then the next riff will start. It happens enough times that it feels a bit distracting when listening to this record from front to back. The songwriting, while good, sometimes leaves me feeling a bit underwhelmed.
The riffs on here, provided by guitarist Geoff Waye (also of Triskelyon and Artach), as well as bassist Keith Jackman, draw upon a pastiche of 80’s metal atmosphere to conjure a sound that is both intense and uplifting while simultaneously soulful and mournful. It’s not all cold stainless steel though. Some tracks, like the heavy gut punch that is “Valkyrie” draw more upon the doomy sounds of old school Black Sabbath or Pentagram for their hammer-striking-anvil approach. The solo work, as well, is outstanding. Waye has no doubt proven himself to be an exceptional guitarist across his various projects, and that’s no different here on Firecry.
The vocals are indeed powerful, and it’s clear that singer Amanda Jackman is a very capable vocalist who is ideally at her best at the head of a group creating this kind of emotive and heart-racing music. I’m reminded of one of my favourite modern power metal bands in the world right now, Tower, while listening to this record. That said, I think some of the vocal melodies aren’t all that compelling, and could have perhaps used a bit more workshopping in order to really hit the notes that would have made certain moments like the “too loud, too proud” bit on “Valkyrie” work better.
Lyrically the themes on this album span the gamut of subject matter that you’d expect from a group in this genre. The track “Firecry” deals with the persecution of witches, the tracks “Valkyrie” and “Heavy is the Crown” are both about personal pride and triumph, the song “She Runs with Wolves” is about the strength of women, and “Coven” is an ode to the band’s own live performances and the feeling that comes from being on stage. The lyrics aren’t available online anywhere so I can’t really criticize them properly, but from what I can make out they seem well written and exactly what I want from a power metal record.
Jason Williams, who is behind the kit, is a great drummer on this record. His beat choices are perfectly suited to the exact kind of riff work that Waye and Jackman provide to him. His double bass patterns are tight and thunderous, and he holds his own with some heavy and pulverizing beats that ride on the crash cymbal excessively. He’s also great at tempo and time signature changes, of which there are several that happen throughout this record’s runtime. That said I think some of the drum sections could have benefited from more creative work with some of the fills and rolls.
I like the way this album is produced because it sounds very raw and has an analog vibe to it. You can almost feel like you’re there in the room with the band as they’re rehearsing these songs. I do, however, wish that there was a bit more reverb and that the instruments packed a bit more oomph. The guitars feel like they could use just a slight bit more bite and the vocals have an odd quality where they sit in the mix rather than soaring over the instrumentals like this genre demands.
This isn’t my favourite album of the year to come out of Newfoundland and Labrador, but it’s still a decent record from a band who haven’t ever put out a bad one. I have my issues with it, and it never really clicked with me, but I’m sure that plenty of other people out there who are as invested in the NWOTHM movement and the revivalism of old school 80’s heavy metal will find a lot to like about this record. As far as modern power metal goes, you could do better, but you could also do significantly worse. I’m hoping that Category VI doesn’t take as long between this record and their last one (6 years) to put out something else new, and I have confidence that they’ll continue making quality traditional heavy metal for years to come.
Final Verdict: 7/10
Good
Favourite Tracks:
“Firecry”
“The Vultures Never Came”
“Heavy is the Crown”
“The Cradle Will Fall”
~ Akhenaten
St. John’s power / thrash metal project Triskelyon has released their second full length record. Artificial Insanity, the new album from guitar ripper Geoff Waye, was released through Bandcamp and streaming services on September 8th, 2023. The album features 11 tracks of melodic thrash metal as well as a slew of guest musicians. It was released through Moribund Records.
You can listen to Artificial Insanity through our Bandcamp embed below.
~ Akhenaten
Triskelyon, the solo power metal / melodic thrash metal project of Category VI guitarist Geoff Waye, is gearing up for the release of their second full length record, Artificial Insanity. The album was announced on July 18th, 2023 through the band’s social media pages along with the revelation of the tracklist and the album artwork along with the release date.
The tracklist is as follows:
1. Tektyranny (4:15)
2. At War With Demons (3:39)
3. Bringers of Chaos (5:16)
4. Is Hope Still Alive? (4:20)
5. Obsolescence (3:16)
6. One Blood (5:12)
7. Visionaries (4:29)
8. Beyond The Past (4:59)
9. Celtic Creatures (3:09)
10. Why Burn? (3:48)
11. It Doesn’t Really Matter (Platinum Blonde cover) (4:03)
Artificial Insanity drops on September 8th, 2023 through Moribund Records.
~ Akhenaten
St. John’s melodic thrash / power metal Triskelyon, the solo project of Category VI guitarist Geoff Waye, has announced its sophomore record, to be released once again through American label Moribund Records. First announced through the band’s social media pages on June 11th, 2023, the new record is expected sometime in the fall of 2023. The album will feature 11 tracks and, once again, features a roster of guest talent.
The new record will feature the guest vocal performances of Amanda Jackman of Category VI, Armin Kamal of Infrared, Cara McCutchen of Mortillery and Naitaka, Dale Drew of Sea Dogs, Des Mason of Within the Realm, Ellim, Pete Healey, Raul Alvarez of Dark Order, and Tim Tymo of Tymo. It will also feature guest percussion by Raul Marques of Burning Torment and Alexander Raykov as well as the guest bass performances of Dwayne Pike, Keith Jackman of Category VI, and Darrin Pope.
Stay tuned for the album art, title and track list reveal as well as the announcement of the official release date.
~ Akhenaten
St. John’s power metal / traditional heavy metal band Category VI are hot off the release of their third full length record, Firecry, which dropped at the end of last month. In support of the new record the band has dropped a series of videos, including a playlist of track-by-track breakdown videos for each song, a lyric video for the track “Valkyrie”, and now a music video for the song “Coven”, the sixth track on the album.
The music video for “Coven” was released on Friday, March 24th, 2023, the same day as the album’s release, through the Moribund Records YouTube channel. You can watch the video through our YouTube embed below.
~ Akhenaten
HeavyNFLD 