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

Love Letters to Lewis Announces First LP

April 8, 2024April 7, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Love Letters to Lewis is the solo progressive / symphonic / death metal project of Evan Foote, vocalist and guitarist of the hard rock band The Tangerine Machine. Love Letters to Lewis released an EP and a single over the past few years, entitled Letter One: Vemodalen and “I, the End” respectively. Now the project has returned with a new offering in the works, the project’s first full length record.

The album was first announced on Monday, April 1st, 2024, when the project surfaced with a brand new account on Instagram and revealed that the new album would be released in May of 2024. Along with this announcement the project also posted a series of studio vlogs showcasing some guitar work from Foote as well as guest vocal work from Jess G. at Clyde Avenue Studios where the album is being recorded.

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 29th, 2024

March 29, 2024March 24, 2024 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Welcome back, dear readers, to The Scrolls of Akhenaten, the weekly segment in which I, your titular host, deliver unto you recommendations of brazen, heavy, and aggressive music spanning across seven different sub-genres, as well as one non-metal recommendation for those of you who don’t like to bludgeon your ear drums into pulp on the regular (but who am I kidding, we all do that all the time anyways, right?) Read on, and consider giving some of these albums, both old and new, a listen. Perhaps you’ve already heard of them? Well, in that case, why not consider a re-visit?

Black

Cropping up right at the tail end of last year, this record almost squeaked right by me. When I saw the frankly beautiful album art though I knew I’d have to give it a shot, and I’m so glad that I did because this album rules. It isn’t pure black metal, but neither is it pure death metal, resting somewhere in between, both genres in pure harmony with one another. This album contains a great deal of symphonic elements but never do they feel unwelcome or overbearing as they so often do in the midst of other projects that attempt this sound. It feels rather like an addition to the metal rather than forcing the guitars to take a back seat. Speaking of guitars, the riffs on this thing? God damn. They’re glorious. If you’re a fan of old school melodic black metal like Dissection or even folksy melodeath bands like Wintersun then this record is absolutely for you, though perhaps is significantly darker in tone than the latter.

Death

If the album art and logo are anything to go by then you’ve probably already got an idea of what you’re getting into with this record. I first became aware of Concrete Caveman when my own band was booked on a bill with them during a tour last year that brought us to Philadelphia, and woah did they ever blow my mind. Easily one of my favourite bands that we shared the stage with during that run, they were energetic, violent, brutal, charismatic, and ultimately just a hell of a lot of fun. Musically the ape-like creature on the cover art is a pretty accurate depiction of what you should expect from this thing: utterly heavy and ignorant, knuckle-dragging riffs with a bit of a grindy, punk-adjacent edge that gives them the extra oomph to stand out in the crowd. Every riff, every guttural vocal, every scream, every pulverizing punch of the drums, feels like getting smacked upside the head with an iron shovel. Brutal.

Doom

Eschewing the standards laid down by the godfathers of rock n’ roll, Montreal’s Seum forgo the typical addition of an electric guitar in their mix, relying solely on the smooth tones of a fuzzed-out bass guitar to provide their bombastic, heavy riffs and catchy songwriting throughout this sophomore effort from the trio. While all three of the band’s members, Gaspard, Piotr, and Fred, originally hail from France, they have settled in nicely to life in Canada, a fact which comes across in their music. Both their first record, Winterized, and this 2023 follow-up, contain references to Canadian culture, as well as the culture of Montreal specifically both in the music itself as well as their artistic direction. Outside of that though, I cannot emphasize just how gosh darned catchy their music is. For a band who relies exclusively on the bass to lay down the foundation of their sound, they absolutely crush every track on this record.

Prog

This album sort of came out of nowhere for me when I was first recommended it by somebody on the metal side of Twitter. The second full length effort from Australian multi-instrumentalist and solo musician Charlie Park, Divine Laughter is a monumental slab of progressive and technical death metal that occasionally straddles the line between death metal and post metal. It feels like their are equal shades of both Cynic and Isis at war with one another behind the Jackson Pollock-esque cover painting that represents the chaos contained within this record. I’ve always had a bone to pick with tech death as a genre for so many bands having a stunning lack of ability to write memorable parts. Cave Sermon does the opposite. This record, for all its disharmonic, atonal, experimentation, has so many riffs that stand out and get stuck in your head. It’s not exactly an easy listen, but every time I go through it I find something new to love.

Punk

Around the same time that I was getting into Devil Master (2018/19, shoutout to Adam Giles for that life changing recommendation) I was also put onto a few other bands from the New England metalpunk world, Zorn being among them. Their brand of sci-fi and horror-themed metalpunk was instantly addictive, to the point that when their first full length record came out I played it almost on repeat for months. Little did I know that my own band would get a chance to open for them not long afterwards. Seeing these guys live was an unforgettable experience, but even so I still come back to this album time after time. Nothing else really scratches the itch for this type of blackened punk that has ridiculously shreddy guitars, quick and to the point, no-nonsense song structures, and vocals that sound like an unhinged madman just going brazenly feral on the mic. This was easily one of my favourite records of 2023 and it should be yours too.

Thrash

Montreal is a city that has long been known for the cornucopia of progressive and technical extreme metal bands that have emerged from it, to say nothing of being the home of legendary prog-thrashers Voivod who originated from neighbouring Jonquière. Dissimulator are the latest in this long tradition of Quebec prog and tech metal, though they’ve taken a noticeably thrashier edge than some of their contemporaries. Evoking comparisons to other tech-thrashers like Vektor and Watchtower, Dissumulator absolutely floored me with this debut record of theirs, which only dropped in January of this year. When looking at the body of work from the various members of this band, which includes such lauded acts as Chthe’ilist, Beyond Creation, First Fragment, Worm, and Phobocosm, it should come as no surprise that the music here is made by musicians at the top of their craft, combined with a catchy edge.

Trad

Forged by Melissa Moore following her departure from the black metal band Absu, Sonja is a significant departure from her work in the previous band, but one that is completely and totally welcome. Loud Arriver feels like the perfect mixture of old school heavy metal with goth rock, twisting the heavy, fist-pumping awesomeness of the former with the moody brooding atmosphere of the latter to forge a sound that is, in my opinion, wholly unique within the New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal movement. The second I heard the first single from this record, “Nylon Nights”, I was immediately hooked and have not looked back since. This album is filled to the brim with absurdly catchy hooks, brilliant melodies, and an infectiousness that I just can’t shake. Everything about this album just kicks fucking ass. I literally get goosebumps when listening to it sometimes. If that isn’t enough to get you to check it out, I don’t know what is.

Non-Metal

Holy Locust – *Beneath the Turning Wheel*
**June 17th, 2023**
**Folk Punk / Gothic Country / Dark Folk**
**Flail Records**
**USA**
**Standout Song:** “Dead Wake”

I have long been a disliker of folk punk. The vast majority of the stuff I’ve heard from the genre did not appeal to me in any way, leaving me longing to either never hear the genre again or to hear something that would truly catch my ears. Enter Holy Locust. While not the first folk punk band I’ve found myself enjoying in recent years, they are the most recent that I’ve been put onto, and I can confirm that they absolutely rule. This newest album of theirs is an incredible piece of modern folk music that, unlike most of the folk punk I’ve heard, is incredibly dark and mournful, brooding in its apocalyptic misery and commands that you take it seriously. It’s less of a folk punk record and more of a proper folk album, in my opinion, drawing upon the same sort of dark, gothic atmosphere as a band like Wovenhand, who I’ve shared in this segment before. If you’ve got a hankering for banjos, accordions and fiddles, this may be the album for you.

~ Akhenaten

2023 in Review

February 7, 2024February 3, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

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

Sapient Reveal New Logo

November 17, 2023November 11, 2023 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Sapient are a brand new technical death metal band from St. John’s, Newfoundland, and they’ve just announced their presence. While the band has yet to release any music for the public to hear, they have started up their social media accounts and revealed their logo, which was done on November 7th, 2023.

The band is fronted by Jonathan Simms, who himself has written reviews and pieces for us here at Heavy NFLD before under the name ‘Abraxas’. He is joined by TJ and Doug on the guitars, Jake on bass, and who I can only assume is extreme metal drummer extraordinaire Craig Thorne on drums.

We’ll keep you posted as we hear more about upcoming music from this new quintet.

~ Akhenaten

February 2023 in Review

May 18, 2023January 20, 2024 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Once again it seems we’ve missed a few months in trying to archive all of the happenings that have occurred in the local scene so here we are looking at everything that happened in February 2023. March and April are to follow in the coming days!

Biggest Stories
– Everose Recruit Ben Bodman and Chris Lewis to New Lineup
– Hamaisha Seeking New Members
– Ken Power Tattoo Shop Reopens at New Location

New Albums Released
– Count Cromulent – Thrillhouse
– WXO – Waxsongs

New Live Albums Released
– Killer 9000 @ The Deck – 02/11/2023
– Smoke Signals @ The Rockhouse – 01/28/2023

New EPs Released
– Foundation Chain – Sanrio-core
– Love Letters to Lewis – Letter One: Vemodalen
– Winterhearth – Beyond the Frosted Graves [Rerelease]

New Singles Released
– Dendron – “The Glass Spire Redux”
– Last Cigar – “Pitchforks”
– Love Letters to Lewis – “I, the End” [ft. Matthew Cadigan]
– Sought – “Valorous Asinus”
– Winterhearth – “Winter Punks” [Rerelease]
– WXO – “A.I. Instincts”

New Demos Released
– Kris Butt – Old Path Demos
– Winterhearth – The Rehearsal Sessions [Rerelease]

Reviews
– Jaded Truth – Take a Seat [by Akhenaten]
– Ratpiss – Vermin Urine [by James Titford]
– Sick Puppy – Haunt the Hill [by Stephen]

We also released episode 51 of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast in which we explore the realm of hard rock from Newfoundland and Labrador. You can listen to it on our Bandcamp page as well as our YouTube channel.

Albums Archived
– Allagash – Dark Future [LP / Speed Metal]
– Count Cromulent – Gradient [LP / Progressive Rock]
– Don Ellis – Bear Tracks [EP / Surf Punk]
– Foundation Chain – Sanrio-core [EP / Powerviolence]
– Grenadier – Trumpets Blare in Blazing Glory [LP / Melodic Death Metal]
– Kris Butt – Old Path Demos [Demo / Hardcore]
– Jaded Truth – Stay Frosty [Single / Grunge]
– Jim Jones and the Kool-Aid Jammers – Trick r’ Treat [Single / Surf Punk]
– Sought – Mental Dominion [Black Metal]
– Sought – Morning Window [Black Metal]
– Sought – Old World [Black Metal]
– Sought – Valorous Asinus [Black Metal]
– Sought – The Ward [Black Metal]
– Winterhearth – Born for Burning [Single / Blackened Death Metal]

~ Akhenaten

Love Letters to Lewis Releases New Single “I, the End”, Featuring Matthew Cadigan

February 3, 2023February 1, 2023 / Akhenaten / 1 Comment

Following the release of their debut EP, Love Letters to Lewis, the solo project of The Tangerine Machine guitarist and vocalist Evan Foote, went on to release an additional single in December. Dropping on December 22nd, 2022. The track is over 13 minutes in length and features fellow guitarist Matthew Cadigan.

You can listen to this symphonic / melodic death metal epic through our YouTube embed below.

~ 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

Rick Massie Releases New LP ‘Guided to an Imperfect Light’

June 9, 2022June 4, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Whitehorse-based prog metal mastermind Rick Massie has finally released his long awaited sophomore effort, Guided to an Imperfect Light. Released on Friday, June 3rd, 2022, the album features seven tracks of progressive metal that transitions between all sorts of different genres, from black metal to death metal to hard rock to synthwave. It is no doubt a musical journey of epic proportions, with tracks eclipsing the 15-minute mark and grandiose sounds inspired by the likes of Devin Townsend and Opeth.

You can listen to Guided to an Imperfect Light through our Bandcamp embed below.

~ Akhenaten

Rick Massie Releases Cover of Opeth’s “The Moor”

June 1, 2022 / Akhenaten / Leave a comment

Whitehorse-based prog metal musician Rick Massie has been gearing up for the release of his upcoming sophomore record, Guided to an Imperfect Light, which drops on June 3rd, 2022. To keep fans satiated in the meantime, Massie has dropped a cover of the Opeth classic “The Moor”.

Massie said of his cover:

Opeth was one of the artists that opened my imagination to new musical worlds. They are likely the most important influence in my musical journey, having inspired me to branch out to other styles of music outside of metal. They opened my eyes to the world of prog, and to the many ways that clean vocals and clean guitars could be used in metal. I’ve been listening to their music since Morningrise, and it finally seemed like the right time to attempt a cover of one of my favorite songs of theirs. While it mostly sticks to the original song format (since it’s hard to change much without changing the entire essence of the song), I hope you enjoy the embellishments and small changes I did make for this cover. Enjoy!

“The Moor” was released on May 20th, 2022. You can listen to it through our YouTube embed below.

~ Akhenaten

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2023 in Review

Sapient Reveal New Logo

February 2023 in Review

Love Letters to Lewis Releases New Single “I, the End”, Featuring Matthew Cadigan

Metal Maniacs: Jordon Walsh

Rick Massie Releases New LP ‘Guided to an Imperfect Light’

Rick Massie Releases Cover of Opeth’s “The Moor”