Heavy Metal Sasquatch's Top Fourteen Metal Albums of 2014

    2014 was a monumental year for the world of metal music. Angela Gossow left Arch Enemy, Rob Dukes left Exodus, Tim Lambesis tried to kill his wife, and half of Megadeth quit the band. We saw some veteran bands tap out, as Chimaira, DevilDriver, As I Lay dying, and Bleeding Through all called it quits. On top of this, we lost way to many veteran metalheads; RIP Dave Brockie, Tim Williams, Jon Athon, and Wayne Static. But not all was doom and gloom for the metal community. 2014 also produced some of the best, most diverse, and absolutely bone-shattering Death and Prog metal to date. While there were hundreds of metal albums released this year, I decided to share with you my favourite metal albums of the year. Make sure to check all the bands out if you haven't heard of them already! Cheers and Happy New Year to all the metalheads who read this. Feel free to comment if you would make changes to my list.

1. Origin - Omnipresent
Technical Death Metal

2. Cannibal Corpse - A Skeletal Domain
Death Metal

3. Conquering Dystopia
Instrumental Metal

4. Ne Obliviscaris - Citadel
Folk/Progressive Metal


5. Ataxia - Calignious
Technical Death Metal

6. Aborted - Necrotic Manifesto
Deathgrind

7. Alterbeast - Immortal
Technical Death Metal

8. Unsacred Seed - Frontiers
Blackened Death Metal

9. Allegaeon - Element of the Infinite
Melodic Death Metal

10. Last Scattering - Eidolon
Progressive Death Metal

11. At The Gates - At War With Reality
Melodic Death Metal

12. Autopsy - Tourniquets, Hacksaws And Graves
 Doom/Death Metal

13. Behemoth - The Satanist
Blackened Death Metal

14. Rings of Saturn - Lugal Ki En
Deathcore

- An honourable mention goes out the bands Pyrrhon, Revocation, Jungle Rot, Carnifex, Pathology, Animals as Leaders, Overkill, Judas Priest, Vader, Opeth, Trenchrot, Exhumed & Arch Enemy as they all also released killer metal albums this year as well! Make sure to check out all these wicked releases and have a Happy New Year you filthy animals.
- Heavy Metal Sasquatch out /,,/

Kataklysm, Suffocation, Jungle Rot, Pyrexia, Internal Bleeding & Wretchedpain @ The Opera House, Toronto (Nov 1/ 2014)

     Don't call the Center for Disease Control quite yet, as tonight the absolutely stacked Carnival of Death tour swung through Toronto, leaving a trail of bodies and destruction in its wake. The night opened up with some local homegrown talent, as the boys of Wretchedpain primed the audience for an evening of death metal at its finest. Things only got better from there as slam legends Internal Bleeding and Pyrexia took the stage next. Both bands played killer sets, even sharing the stage at one point for a killer metal duet which practically shook the Opera House off its foundations. By the time Jungle Rot took the stage, the crowd was completely amped (and buzzed up), ready for the old school death metal gods to annihilate and melt their faces. As if Jungle Rot playing Strangulation Mutilation wasn't already enough metal pleasure, Suffocation took the stage shorty after and crushed a killer set full of old and new tracks. While there seemed to be quite a loss of momentum and energy between the two headlining bands, the night ended on a high note after Kataklysm took the stage. It only took a brief pep talk between songs to wake the crowd up, and the energy soon returned to the venue with Kataklysm igniting the crowd time and time again as they played their set. The Sasquatch couldn't have asked for a more stacked bill, scratching 5 death metal giants off my "must see" list! As always, a special shout out to the old school motherfuckers in the pit as well as all the bands! /,,/ Here are some pictures from throughout the night.

Kataklysm

Suffocation

Jungle Rot

Pyrexia

Internal Bleeding

Wretchedpain

- Sasquatch out /,,/

Skeletonwitch, Sabaton, & Amon Amarth @ The Sound Academy, Toronto (Oct10/ 2014)

    Last night the Metal Yeti had the opportunity to witness the guardians of Asgard, Amon Amarth destroy Toronto with guests Skeletonwitch and Sabaton. I had been waiting a long time to see Skeletonwitch and was completely consumed by berserker rage for their entire set, which I am happy to say featured many classics from the Beyond the Permafrost album. Sabaton and their phantom keyboard player took the stage next and did an honourable job getting the crowd amped for the headlining viking gods. By the time Amon Amarth started the show off with Deceiver of the Gods, the Sound Academy was completely packed. The next 90 minutes were jam packed with viking chants and songs of war, leaving the Yeti and every single person in the audience thoroughly satisfied! I have been to a lot of gigs in my day, but this one will definitely be remembered for a long time. A special shout out to Skeletonwitch for their killer set, as well as all the kids I clashed with in the pit /,,/

Skeletonwitch

Sabaton

Amon Amarth

- Heavy Metal Sasquatch out /,,/

New Metal Review: Last Scattering - Eidolon

     The Heavy Metal Sasquatch is always hungry for delicious prog metal and the gentlemen from Last Scattering have graciously obliged with the early release of their debut album Eidolon! Hailing from the depths of Hamilton, Canada, Last Scattering has exploded into the southern Ontario metal scene throughout the last year, playing a magnitude of shows as well as headlining some huge ones such as this years Chaos Fest as well as a show with the metal gods of Cryptopsy! The band is building momentum and shows no sign of slowing down with preparations already made for a summer tour across Southern Ontario and Quebec. Last Scattering is one of few progressive metal bands hailing from the Hammer but they are sure to put the city as well as themselves on the progressive metal map!

     Last Scattering represents a very unique progressive metal experience. The first few songs off the album proves this with a very obtuse and quirky feel to the songs being felt. This being said, Last Scattering is quick to inspire your head to bang with their use of heavy technical guitar and drumming through out the entire album. Last Scattering is brilliant all across this album showcasing their talents with absolutely killer riffs and wonderfully constructed verses and solos. While there was a few times I felt that the clean vocals were a bit strange they were always very interesting and unique, especially when paired with the albums completely devastating solid scream vocals. Last Scattering utilizes a wide variety of musical styles, infusing a heavy groove with aspects of death and thrash metal creating an onslaught of progressive metal mastery.

     I enjoyed this album on almost every level. While I was listening to the album, my mind was painting a picture of a particular colony of black birds and their brutal colonel GibGib who is leading them on their hell bent journey for mystical meals and the assassination of a particular Screen Actor Guild member. I can only thank the band for that which can be attributed to the their wickedly unique song composition and perfectly flowing structure as well as its accompanying art work. My favourite song off the album is hard to decide but it's most likely a tie between GibGib and the 18 minute epic Matt Damon. You can decide for yourself below with the entire album available for streaming. Make sure to check out the band on facebook @ www.facebook.com/LastScattering as well as download the album @ http://lastscattering.bandcamp.com/releases /,,/

- No doubt about it, Eidolon belongs on your music shelf right beside your Between the Buried and Me & Protest the Hero CD's. Last Scattering has successfully created a unique and eccentrically heavy piece of progressive metal history, one that the Sasquatch will surely not forget.
-My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/\n out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
4.5/5 -Perfecdolon

The Ecliptolon Tour ft. Last Scattering & The Parallax!

      Early last week the Heavy Metal Sasquatch was elated to hear that two of his favourite emerging local progressive metral bands have launched a Southern Ontario and Quebec based debut tour! This tour excites the Yeti as it showcases two of the best up and coming bands in Canadian Progressive metal. Despite the fact that both bands are relatively new to the scene, with The Parallax releasing their debut full length album "Obliquity of the Ecliptic" in October of last year and Last Scattering set to release their debut album "Eidolon" this August, the ECLIPTOLON tour is sure to impress. While both of these bands are unique in their own respect, they both carry a heavy onslaught of intensity fused with an impressive arsenal of unique technical progressive metal. You can catch The Parallax and Last Scattering at the following show dates! I'll be seeing you all in the pit at the Toronto and Hamilton shows! /,,/ 

8/15 - TBA
8/16 - Toronto -Velvet Undrground
8/17 - Brampton - All Stars
8/22- TBA
8/23 - St. Catherines - Mikado
8/29 - London - The Richmond Tavern
8/30 - Ottawa - The Montogmery Legion
8/31 - Montreal - Piranha Bar
9/5 - Hamilton - The Underground
9/6 - Guelph - Red Papaya
9/7 - Windsor - TBA





















- Keep up to date on the bands facebook pages for an updated tour schedule via www.facebook.com/LastScattering &  www.facebook.com/theparallaxband!
- Heavy Metal Sasquatch out! /,,/

Niagara Metal Fest 2014

    Last past weekend was the 2014 Niagara Metal Fest at the Taps Brewery in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This year certainty showcased the finest in underground metal around the Niagara region, with unbelievably heavy as hell sets being played by every band involved. Unfortunately I was only able to attend day 1 of the festival, but I had the time of my life! My favourite moments of the day was the insane pits to Ataxia, Unscathed, Wretchedpain, & Killitorous, with a special mention to Wretchedpain for the WALL OF DEATH! A very special thanks to all the sponsors and organizers @ Pain TV. Make sure to check them out at www.paintv.ca/! Here are some pictures I took as well as some ones taken by friends, as well a few from the boys of Chronic Aggression! Cheers to all you crazy fuckers I clashed with in the pits as well as to all the bands who played! /,,/ /,,/



Killitorous

 Fatality

 

 Unsacred Seed

Unscathed

Dead 3 Days

Ataxia 

 Desolation

Paladin


 Wretchedpain

Laid to Rest


Random Metalheads! 

- Another huge thanks to all of the bands as well as Pain TV and Chronic Aggression for a few of their pictures!  Cheers to everyone who went and I`ll see ya next year for Niagara Metal Fest 2014!