March 2024 in Review

Time for our recollection of everything that happened in March of 2024!

Biggest Stories
Billy Talent and PUP Announced for Iceberg Alley Performance Tent 2024
The Order of the Precious Blood Announce 2024 Atlantic Canadian Tour
Today is the Last Day for the 2024 RPM Challenge

New LPs
Count Cromulent – Monorail
Personal Space Invaders – Random Noises, A.I. Choices
Securitron – Post-Apocalyptic Eras

New EPs
Corsica – Waves
Ratpiss – Four Humors

New Singles
Elder Caius – “Super Destroyer”
Jaded Truth – “Living a Dream”
The Order of the Precious Blood – “Cheaper But Will Do”
Sarra Cenia – “Good News”

New Demos
JRNL – Demo 3
Monroe – Repeating Perfect Movements
The Ram Has Touched the Wall – In the Arms of Death
Sour Gut – Demo ’24

New Music Videos
Jaded Truth – “Living a Dream”

Album Announcements
Jigger Reveals Tracklist for Upcoming LP

New Merch
Guntmold Release Cassette Copies of Blackened Infection
Sheavy Announce Vinyl Reissue of 2002 LP Synchronized

Album Reviews
Glitterglue – Friends Club [by James Titford]
Needle Crafts – Frow’d Up [by James Titford]

The Scrolls of Akhenaten
The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 15th, 2024
The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 22nd, 2024
The Scrolls of Akhenaten: March 29th, 2024

Albums Archived
– 6000apez – The Consequential Mudhole [Demo / Hardcore Punk]
– The Beer Patrice – Dead on the Ship [Live LP / Punk]
– Blender – D03s 1t Bl3nd? [Demo / Cybergrind]
– Clocked In – Clocked In / Year of the Rat Split [Split / Hardcore]
– Coward – King Rat [Demo / Pop Punk]
– Coward – Split [Split / Pop Punk]
– Evan Watton – RPM 2021 [LP / Progressive Metal]
– Kick Gut – Kick Gut / Don’t Split [Split / Garage Punk]
– Kick Gut – The Peter Album [LP / Garage Punk]
– Kristopher Crane – Piss Drunx Theme [Single / Hard Rock]
– Make Mean Everything – Gamma Rays [EP / Progressive Rock]
– Make Mean Everything – Make Mean Everything [EP / Progressive Rock]
– Moss Heather – Summer Flu [Single / Garage Punk]
– Of Wilds – A Ghost at the Strid [EP / Progressive Rock]
– Personal Space Invaders – Eat Your Meat [LP / Experimental Rock]
– Ratpiss – Four Humors [EP / Powerviolence]
– Sarra Cenia – Good News [Single / Stoner Rock]
– Solar Tongue – Consideration [EP / Drone Metal]
– Sons of an Eastern Moon – Borealis [EP / Folk Metal]
– The Strangled – Never Forget [LP / Skate Punk]

~ Akhenaten

February 2024 in Review

With January 2024 out of the way let’s revisit all of the happenings from February 2024. March and April 2024 will be coming soon!

Biggest Stories
Nameless Friends to Play The Rockhouse on February 27th, 2024
RPM Challenge 2024 Starts Today

New LPs Released
Bodydouble – Lullabies for an Anxious Mind

New EPs Released
Floorwalker – Floorwalker
The Lurk – The Lurk
Metaphora – Metaphora

New Singles Released
Blitzgeek – “Flux”
Killer9000 – “My Least Favourite Things”

New Live Albums Released
Mistwalker – Basement Dwellers

New Demos Released
Disciplinary Action – R.N.C. Demo
QLOI – The Tuvaq Demos

New Music Videos Released
Disposition – “Crisis Averted”

Album Announcements
Guntmold – Untitled New LP
Jigger Reveals Artwork for Upcoming New LP
Ratpiss – Four Humors
Securitron – Post-Apocalyptic Eras

Reviews
C.A.R.E. – Creating a Righteous Energy [by Akhenaten]
Carnage – Free at Last [by Akhenaten]
Falter – Salt in the Soil [by Akhenaten]

New Merch
Heavy Metal Karaoke Reveal New T-Shirts and Tote Bags

We also released Episode 63 of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast, New Metal from Newfoundland IV, in which I recount some of the newer releases that have dropped from Newfoundland and Labrador bands in the past few months.

Albums Archived
The Beer Patrice – Can’t Talk to Fish [Single / Punk]
The Beer Patrice – Who are the Beer Patrice? [LP / Punk]
Breaker – Breaker [EP / Pop Punk]
Breaker – Do It Yourself [EP / Pop Punk]
Death Ray – Murder Mouth [Single / Sludge Metal]
Fennway – Demo 2015 [Demo / Melodic Hardcore]
Fennway – Julianne [Single / Melodic Hardcore]
Hot x Proxy – Fake It [Single / Hard Rock]
Hot x Proxy – Mean to Me [Single / Hard Rock]
Hot x Proxy – The Operator [Single / Hard Rock]
Hot x Proxy – Tonite [Single / Hard Rock]
Mistwalker – Basement Dwellers [Live EP / Black N’ Roll]
Not Friends – Demo 2012 [Demo / Hardcore Punk]
Not Friends – Stowaway [EP / Hardcore Punk]
Securitron – Post-Apocalyptic Eras [LP / Thrash Metal]
The Strangled – Dead Music [EP / Punk]
The Strangled – Disconnected [Single / Punk]
The Strangled – Straight to Ghost [EP / Punk]
Twerp – Just a Little [EP / Grunge]

~ Akhenaten

The Order of the Precious Blood Reveal Posters and Lineup Announcements for Remaining Tour Dates

Photo Credit: Ritche Perez

St. John’s blackened / experimental hardcore outfit The Order of the Precious Blood has revealed the posters and full lineup announcements for the remaining three gigs of their upcoming Maritime tour at the end of April.

On April 26th the band will be in Miramichi, New Brunswick performing at The Shred Shed alongside Moncton death metal / grindcore outfit Ibex and Miramichi local hardcore punks Ten Dollar Meat Bags.

On April 27th the band will be in Moncton, New Brunswick at Xeroz Arcade Bar and will be joined once again by Ibex as well as stoner punks Yhorm from Sussex, New Brunswick.

On April 28th the band will be in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia at The Bitten Moon Pub alongside Breakneck, Great Value, and Nova Scotia powerviolence / hardcore outfit Fear and Filth.

The posters for these remaining gigs are below:

~ Akhenaten

The Scrolls of Akhenaten: April 12th, 2024

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

Pakkt – To Brocken Heights Where Witches Dance
December 24th, 2021
Black Metal
Ván Records
Germany
Standout Song: “Three Desecrated Hosts”

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

Human Remains – Using Sickness as a Hero
August 27th, 1996
Deathgrind / Grindcore / Death Metal
Relapse Records
Hazlet, New Jersey, USA
Standout Song: “Weeding Out the Thorns”

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

Omnivide – A Tale of Fire
March 22nd, 2024
Progressive / Symphonic / Technical Death Metal
Independently Released
Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
Standout Song: “Holy Killer”

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

Flower – Hardly a Dream
December 26th, 2022
Crust Punk
Profane Existence
New York City, New York, USA
Standout Song: “Lethargy”

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

Phantom – Handed to Execution
October 27th, 2023
Thrash Metal
Inframetal Records
Guadalajara, Mexico
Standout Song: “Reaper’s Bane”

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 am the Intimidator – I am the Intimidator
March 8th, 2024
Speed Metal / Traditional Heavy Metal
Miserable Pyre
Portland, Oregon, USA
Standout Song: “Eat My Smoke”

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

2023 in Review

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

October 2023 in Review

As with every month this year, October was pretty dang busy. The scene has been popping off with new releases and new bands throughout 2023, and I for one am all here for it.

Biggest Stories
Guntmold Featured in Absolute Underground

New EPs Released
Bog Rot – Sex, Drugs, Bog N’ Roll
Shit Dildo – Odes to the Fecal Phallus

New Singles Released
Amer Ali – Forever
Amer Ali – Never Say I Don’t Care
Artach – Hell on Halloween
Needle Crafts – Worried Sick
Nemophilist – Tragedy and Loss Never Known
Nfrared – Innocent Criminal
The Skeats – Fine Wine
The Skeats – Torch

New Demos Released
Cortex Strikes Back – Cortex Strikes Back
Vehement Slaughter – Demo

New Music Videos Released
Artach – “Hell on Halloween”

Album Announcements
Grole Announces New Album

New Merch
Fog Coffin Reveals New Pins

Watch
The Dank Basement – Full Show – August 17th, 2023
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
Mistwalker – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023
Mistwalker – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 18th, 2023
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
The Mill – Live Set @ The Corner Pocket – August 16th, 2023
The Skeats – Live Set @ The Rockhouse – August 19th, 2023
Wretched Fiend – Live Set @ The Dank Basement – August 17th, 2023

We also released the 59th episode of the Heavy NFLD Official Podcast, the fourth installment of Heavy Halloween, in which we play a series of Halloween and horror-themed metal and punk tracks. You can listen to it on Bandcamp and YouTube.

Albums Archived
– Mistwalker – Pumpkinsmasher [EP / Black N’ Roll]
– Mistwalker – Under the Fallen Sky: 10 Years in the Mist [LP / Black Metal]
– The Order of the Precious Blood – I No Longer Wish for Salvation [EP / Experimental Hardcore]

~ Akhenaten

May 2023 in Review

May 2023 has come and gone, along with some absolutely wild weather as the planet continues to get ever more damaged. Let’s take a look at all the things that happened in the local scene this past month to help distract ourselves from the impending doom, shall we?

Biggest Stories
Big Space Win Jazz Recording of the Year at ECMAs
R.I.P. Will Hapgood
Sick Puppy Announce June Tour Dates

New LPs Released
Mike Fisher – Diary of a Psychic Vampire

New EPs Released
6000apez – Glauchoma!
6000apez – Mule Touch
Sex Hole – Kill or Be Killed

New Singles Released
Choplicker – “Heliouroboros”
Guntmold – “Menstrual Shark”
Infrared – “Piece of Mind”
Neko Suicide – “2015”
Sex Hole – “Stay Out of My Way”
Vertebraeker – “Buried Again”

New Demos Released
Kicker – “Kicker”

Album Announcements
Da Slyme – If There’s No Rubble, You Haven’t Played!
Precious Blood – I No Longer Wish for Salvation
Qyn – Untitled New Release

New Music Videos
Jaded Truth – “Worthless Meek”

Album Reviews
Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now! [by James Titford]

New Merch
Ratpiss Reveal New Patches

We missed our podcast episode for April so we released an episode for April in May. We’ll make up for it with two episodes in June 2023. You can listen to our April episode, NLxHC, through our Bandcamp embed below.

Albums Archived
– 6000apez – January 12 [LP / Raw Punk]
– Adam Sharr – To the Woods [EP / Neofolk]
– Anal Christ – Hell 2.0 [EP / Black Metal]
– Choplicker – Heliouroboros [Single / Progressive Metal]
– Drop Your Trust – Hacked [Single / Punk]
– Guntmold – Guntmold [Single / Death Thrash]
– Guntmold – Menstrual Shark [Single / Death Thrash]
– Guntmold – You Suffer [Single / Death Thrash]
– Neko Suicide – Rei [EP / Harsh Noise]
– Nerve Shack – Live at The Deck – 2022-12-16 [Live Album / Hard Rock]
– Nerve Shack – Live from the Basement [Live Album / Hard Rock]
– Nerve Shack – Marigold Station [Early Take] [Demo / Hard Rock]
– Nerve Shack – Yellow Teeth [SIngle / Hard Rock]
– Of the Black – Five [EP / Hardcore]
– Of the Black – Four [EP / Hardcore]
– Of the Black – Three [EP / Hardcore]
– Sex Hole – Kill or Be Killed [EP / Raw Punk]
– Sex Hole – Stay Out of My Way [Single / Raw Punk]
– Sex Hole – Viva la Noise! [EP / Raw Punk]

~ Akhenaten

April 2023 in Review

And now it’s time for April 2023!

Biggest Stories
Akitsa, Ifernach to Perform at The Rockhouse with Grenadier and Grole
Lawnya Vawnya 13 Announces Lineup
Matt Verstege Joins Category IV on the Drums
Slaughter, Great White, Quiet Riot to Perform at Iceberg Alley Performance Tent 2023

New LPs Released
Beereaucracy – Beereaucracy

New EPs Released
Adam Sharr – To the Woods
Neko Suicide – Cross
Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now!
WXO – Albert Rolling Down the Magical Infinite Hill

New Singles Released
CR – “Last Address”
Drop Your Trust – “Hacked”
Ex Press – “The Island”
Guntmold – “Guntmold”
Guntmold – “You Suffer” [Napalm Death Cover]

New Demos Released
6000apez – The Consequential Mudhole
Beereaucracy – Vote for Us
Blender – D03s 1t Bl3nd?

New Music Videos Released
Beereaucracy – “Beerboarded”
Category VI – “Coven”
Metaphora – “Not Your Well” [Live]

Reviews
Chimp Apparatus – Sober [by Akhenaten]

New Merch
Skreeched In Reveal New Patches
Precious Blood Reveal New T-Shirts

Albums Archived
– Chimp Apparatus – Sober [EP / Hardcore Punk]
– Count Cromulent – Thrillhouse [LP / Stoner Rock]
– Dendron – The Glass Spire Redux [Single / Progressive Metal]
– Last Cigar – Pitchforks [Single / Stoner Rock]
– Love Letters to Lewis – I, the End [Single / Progressive Death Metal]
– Love Letters to Lewis – Letter One: Vemodalen [EP / Progressive Death Metal]
– Neko Suicide – Cross [EP / Harsh Noise]
– Neko Suicide – Dark and Empty [LP / Harsh Noise]
– Of the Black – One [EP / Hardcore]
– Of the Black – Two [EP / Hardcore]
– Ratpiss – Misanthropy Now! [EP / Powerviolence]
– Synsaer – Bleak Winter Woods [EP / Black Metal]
– Synsaer – World Downfall [Single / Black Metal]
– Winterhearth – Rape of Eden [EP / Blackened Death Metal]
– WXO – A.I. Instrincts [Single / Progressive Rock]
– WXO – Albert Rolling Down the Magical Infinite Hill [EP / Progressive Rock]
– WXO – Waxsongs [LP / Progressive Rock]

~ Akhenaten

February 2023 in Review

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