Alien Weaponry @ The Velvet Underground, Toronto (May 17, 2019).

     Alien Weaponry are one of the most interesting bands to have emerged out of the modern metal scene the last few years, and last night they landed in Toronto to start the thrash metal invasion on their Tūmatauenga Tour. Hailing from the far away planet of New Zealand these young humanoids, deliver a break neck blend of cultural infused thrash metal that pulls its vocal styling, language, and content from the bands specific Maori experience and ancestry to complement the modern take on early Sepultura era thrash they deliver fully on. Alien Weaponry released their first full length album "Tū" in 2018, to critical acclaim and open arms from the metal community. The music they make is powerful as all hell and is sure to attract many new and old thrash fans as well as some progressive metalheads along the way.

     By the time I got to the Velvet Underground the place was packed with battle jackets and eager fans. The opening bands Hounskull and Plethora did an great job priming the crowd for battle, with the anticipation palatable in the minutes leading up the main event. Alien Weaponry took the stage in style, with their drummer commencing a powerful Maori war chant and dance which was soon followed up all the thrash metal fury we came for.  They played a mixture of material from their early EP's as well as their debut full length release Tū. Another killer surprise was the band incorporating a few unreleased tracks into the set-list that we should be expecting to hear on future releases. The entire set was dialed with the crowd happily singing along to tracks like "RAUPATU" and "Holding my Breath". Alien Weaponry brought tremendous energy to the stage, with the members actively having a good time thrashing out and connecting with the crowd through the tunes.

     I've always been impressed by trio bands, and Alien Weaponry were no exception. This show had several highlights more me, with this being my first time seeing the band live. But on top of the stacked set-list, many my favourite moments were just seeing these young metalheads passion on stage. Alien Weaponry are very young to be where they are today, with none of the band members legally able to drink in the bar they were playing in. This band gives me so much hope for the future of metal, as clearly the torch is being passed to a very young but capable group of metalheads! Overall I had a fantastic night which I will not soon forgot. I highly recommend everybody takes the chance to see Alien Weaponry if given the chance, as I am sure they have a bright future in metal ahead of them. Cheers to all the crazies I clashed with in the pit (especially that mini wall of death, lmfao) and a huge thank you and shout out to Alien Weaponry for delivering the goods. Check out a few photos from the night below!

Alien Weaponry

-Metal Yeti

New Metal Review: Varius - Red Messenger

   The Heavy Metal Yeti has a diet of pure metal. Lucky for me, a lot of great diverse metal has been coming out over the past few years. Always preferring to eat local, I've been pleased with all the fantastic local bands gaining momentum lately. Various is one of these bands, scoring one of my favourite releases of 2017 with their Red Messenger EP (check out the entire list here). Hailing from Niagara Falls Ontario, the band spawned out of the ashes of a few prog and thrash metal bands active over the past few years. What doesn't kill you makes the metal better! Varius began in 2016, but hit the ground running in 2017 with a busy year of live shows and the release of their first EP, released independently last Halloween.

   Varius;- "diverse, different, changeable; variegated". The bands first EP Red Messenger is true to their name, featuring three songs of heavy hitting and technically diverse metal fury! Varius hits hard with a blend of traditional groove and progressively heavy metal. Each of the three songs on the EP brings something slightly different to the table, showcasing their embrace of fast paced guitar groove, progressive song structure, and mix of traditional and unorthodox instrumental combinations. The death growling vocals suits the instrumentals well on the album, enforcing the heavy tone that kept my furious furry head banging throughout. Red Messenger is also full of trippy and face-melting guitar solos reflecting the bands diverse nature. Varius doesn't shy away from good old fashion shred in their riffs. They keep the throttle pinned, breaking only for the few moments to enjoy some weird proggy fun. Various has a lot planned for 2018 and beyond with a new 4 song follow up planned for release this year and a number of live shows on the horizon. Keep your eyes peeled for them on your local bills and check them out if you get the chance! In the meantime you can listen, download, and buy merch online @ https://varius.bandcamp.com/releases. I cant wait to see what these guys have in store for us in the coming years!!

- My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
4/5 - Magnificent! Give them a listen!

New Metal Review: Hypokalypse - Blitzkrieg (Official Music Video)

*The lost review (March, 2013)*: I accidentally deleted this review a year ago, but it has been rediscovered in the archives!

    The Heavy Metal Sasquatch craves all things that inspire the urge to thrash! This craving has led me to the thrash metal warlords Hypokalypse!. Based out of Richmond Virginia, Hypokalypse revisits a classic thrash vibe while at the same time putting a modern spin on their songs; with clear influences of Iron Maiden, Lamb of God, Testament, and Megadeth coming through. The bands first single Blitzkrieg begins in a fury, unleashing deadly thrash riffs and a brutal symphony of destruction! The video is simple and straight to the point; Warfare & Power! Something that Hypokalypse represents strongly! \m/ Check out the video for Blitzkrieg below and make sure to support them @ facebook.com/Hypokalypse \m/

- The Heavy Metal Sasquatch really enjoyed Blitzkrieg by Hypokalypse and all its thrashy goodness! The band successfully manages to recreate the classic thrash element that I crave so heavily, while making it feel fresh at the same time! A new beginning of Heavy Metal in the nuclear age! 

- My Verdict

\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/

4/5 - Thrash metal warfare at its finest!