EP Review: Ritual Warfare – Poison Death Noise

Ritual Warfare - Poison Death NoiseMarch 15th, 2024Blackened Thrash / Death MetalIndependently ReleasedHalifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Ritual Warfare have quickly become darlings in the Eastern Canadian metal underground for their uncompromisingly brutal songwriting. The Maritimes and Atlantic Canada in general is sorely lacking when it comes to quality death and black metal outfits. They exist, …

Live from the Pit: Spiter @ Piranha Bar – 05/26/2024

Spiter @ Piranha Barw/ Desolus, Shroud, MistwalkerMay 26th, 2024Dungeon Works ProductionsMontreal, Quebec, Canada I've been a fan of Spiter since the release of their first album, Bathe the Babe in Bats' Blood, which completely ripped my head off in a way that I wasn't expecting. I was stoked the first time I caught them live …

EP Review: Guntmold – Blackened Infection

Guntmold - Blackened InfectionDecember 27th, 2023Blackened Death Metal / Black MetalIndependently ReleasedSaint Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Black metal has a tendency to emerge from the most unlikely of places, and Newfoundland and Labrador is certainly one such locale. Screaming out from the depths of the Burin Peninsula is Guntmold, a three piece outfit that …

Album Review: Mistwalker – Oceanic Heritage

"What shall become of this island, another century down the road? Abandoned hopes and towns of ghosts, left scattered amidst the bones.” Mistwalker – Oceanic HeritageJune 24th, 2023Blackened Heavy MetalViridian RecordsGlovertown, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Mistwalker returns to the turbulent history of Newfoundland and Labrador on their 2023 full length album Oceanic Heritage. With this …

Akhenaten’s Best EPs of 2023

While 2023 was full of tons of incredible full length releases, it was also a great year for EPs. I found myself digging through a cornucopia of excellent short form releases that came out, many of which are from right here in Montreal where I'm based. Read on to discover the top five extended plays …

Album Review: Cruel Force – Dawn of the Axe

"Storms, ride laying waste to the land, run for your death is at hand, see the gallows are calling for you, as the axes seal your doom." Cruel Force - Dawn of the AxeAugust 18th, 2023Blackened Thrash MetalShadow Kingdom RecordsMannheim, Germany I first discovered Cruel Force when YouTube recommended me their killer fucking music video …

Album Review: Evil – Possessed by Evil

Evil - Possessed by EvilFebruary 1st, 2021Blackened Thrash / Speed MetalNuclear War Now! ProductionsTokyo, Japan I took one goddamned look at this album art and decided almost instantaneously that I was going to love this album, and dammit I wasn't wrong. As soon as this record starts up with the opening track, "The Cycle of …

Album Review: Dizastra – Elder Sun

"All things die while I remain". Dizastra – Elder SunNovember 22nd, 2019Blackened Thrash MetalIndependently ReleasedMontreal, Quebec, Canada Montreal blackened thrashers Dizastra have been active since 2014 and after releasing their debut EP Hell’s Gate the year afterward, began working on what would become their first proper full length record. Having been at the band’s album release show for Elder …

Album Review: Winterhearth – Resettlement

Winterhearth - ResettlementAugust 25th, 2016Blackened Death MetalIndependently ReleasedSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Winterhearth is a name you’ve likely heard of if you’ve spent any amount of time in the St. John’s metal scene. The trio, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Andrew Marsh, bassist Robbie Butler and drummer Michael Small, have been active since 2013 …

EP Review: Winterhearth – Rape of Eden

Winterhearth - Rape of EdenMarch 21st, 2023Blackened Death MetalIndependently ReleasedSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Rape of Eden is the second EP and the fifth proper release from St. John's blackened death metal stalwarts Winterhearth. Following the release of the band's third full length record, Riverbed Empire, the group underwent some lineup changes, losing Brad …