This is the metal music blog of the Heavy Metal Sasquatch. Thriving in the mosh pit environment, all the Yeti needs for sustenance is metal. I review underground metal, upload shitty pictures from shows I go to, and share wicked new metal bands I find along the way. Read this blog to discover new metal! \mXm/
The Heavy Metal Sasquatch is always craving metal. And the crunchy beats, deep rhythms, and heavy vocals I crave the most are ripe in the debut music video "SnakeSkin" from the Niagara based Metal Beasts of BabbaR's Roundtable. SnakeSkin is an absolutely killer song showcasing some serious aggression and incredible groove metal mastery. The video begins with a bang and quickly picks up the pace, delivering fast and technical bone breaking fret and stick work throughout. While the video has a very simple concept it features some wicked and interesting footage of the band delivering their fury. Although I would have liked a few more special effects or some sample video cut ins, the music video is extremely well shot and sets the stage perfectly for BabbaR's debut EP "The Incipient". Check out the video for SnakeSkin below and support the band online @www.facebook.com/pages/BabbaR and give their full EP a listen @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAnjC-PscDI
- I thoroughly enjoyed BabbaR's video for SnakeSkin as well as their entire EP "The Incipient". Their music is heavy as hell and the songs are undeniably well written; all having a flow that keeps my head furiously banging!
- My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
4/5 - Fast, brutal, and worth the neck cramp!
We are a few weeks into the new year and it's already shaping up to be a killer year for metal. 2014 has already promised outstanding concert & festival line ups as well as potential studio releases from blockbuster metal bands such as Behemoth, Agalloch, Anthrax, Slayer, Deftones, Slipknot, & Arch Enemy. But while the big names of metal promise a great year to come, something huge is looming in the underground of southern Ontario. There is a ton of talent brewing throughout the Ontario metal scene, however there are a few bands that i feel everyone needs to be keeping extra close tabs on. Here are my top 3 bands to keep an eye out for this year.
ENDING TYRANNY - I have a feeling that 2014 is going to be a huge year for Brantford's death metal king pins. Having recently released their full length album "Perpetual Greed" as well as being signed to the small record label "Ghost Vision Records & Entertainment", the band has been receiving a lot of attention from promoters as well as festival coordinators. Ending Tyranny is already set to headline Niagara Falls' Breakthrough Festival in March, and is sure as hell to make appearances at a number of other metal festivals and venues throughout the year. Ending Tyranny is on the verge of exploding, so make sure to check them out in person and online @ www.facebook.com/EndingTyranny & @ itunes.apple.com/ca/album/perpetual-greed/.
VARGA - Being born in Hamilton, Varga was a band I heard of often. While they were at their peak just a bit before my time, I remember catching their video for their song "Greed" on late night Much Loud video flows, as well as on an episode of Beavis & Buthead. So when I heard the band was releasing a brand new album after a 17 year hiatus, I knew something killer was on its way. And so it was with their godly release of "Enter The Metal" in the fall of last year, featuring 6 songs of a brutal mixture of progressive, power, and thrash metal. Since the release Varga has received a lot of hype and has played a steady line of gigs, showing no sign of slowing down. This year definitely has a lot in store for the power thrash foursome, so make sure to check them out live and online @ www.facebook.com/pages/Varga-HQ and @ http://vargahq.com/band/.
UNSCATHED - With just over a year under their belt as a band, Unscathed spent 2013 playing a steady line up of festivals and shows as well spending considerable time in the studio. Mid way through last year the band performed a drastic change to their sound, taking on a heavier vocal direction as well as altering and refining their instrumental sound. With Unscathed set to release their first EP mid-february and a number of festivals and shows on the horizon, 2014 should be an interesting year for these unscathed progressive thrash metal demons. So keep your ears to the underground for live shows and your eyes peeled for Unscathed EP @ www.facebook.com/weareunscathed.
- The next 12 months are going to be terrific if you're metalhead. All of the big name metal news aside, each of the bands mentioned above each offer something completely unique and wicked to the metal community. Make sure to watch out for these bands in the coming months, and take every opportunity you can to check them out!
- Support your local metal scene!! Leave a comment with your top underground bands to keep an eye on this year so everyone can check them out! \m/
Deathpoint has been on the Yeti's radar for some time now, with their 2013 release "Sinister" receiving a lot of attention in my playlist rotation. Because of this I am very excited to present to you the official music video for the song "Between the Lines", off their aforementioned killer album. Deathpoint is groove metal at its finest, featuring technical and hard hitting instrumentals in combination with honed aggressive vocals; perfection for the head-banging enthusiast. The video for Between the Lines is fantastic and enthralling, showcasing a deranged family man at his worst and brilliant HD footage of the band delivering their brutal ballad. On top of this the video has remarkable flow, responding appropriately to its musical counterparts, making it an extremely enjoyable watch. Check the video out below and make sure to support the band @ www.facebook.com/deathpoint.metal and itunes.apple.com/ca/album/sinister \m/
- I enjoyed everything that this video had to offer. The song of choice "Between the Lines" is one of my favourites off the album and was a perfect choice for the video, making for a unique and intriguing watch that keeps you hooked to the end. Furthermore, the HD footage of the band performing was fantastic, showcasing the serious talent behind the reigns of Deathpoint.
- My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
5/5 - Absolutely Killer!
The Heavy Metal Sasquatch lives purely off raw power, requiring a constant and steady amount of face melting metal for sustenance. While a wide variety of metal bands suit the dietary needs of the "Metal Yeti", he prefers the technical complexity and the crunchy yet delicious musical variations associated with progressive metal. Persefone is one of these such delicious treats. Persefone calls themselves "progressive melodic death metal", but it feels like %100 tasty Prog to the Yeti. Their latest full length album Spiritual Migration is a masterpiece delivering brutally heavy riffs in combination with technical brilliance and beautifully timed special effects. Spiritual Migration is terrific from front to back, running an impressive seventy one minutes, and failing to disappoint on any level; successfully provoking many deep cerebral thoughts and emotions at the same time. This album is top tier prog metal, not heavily relying on any one specific style of play, while very successfully melding experimental instruments and sounds. Furthermore, their use of nature throughout the album provided a vivid feeling of tranquility; which is a stark contrast to the raw power and fury that was never to far away in the album as well as throughout the biological world. Listen to the full album below and make sure to check them out on facebook @ www.facebook.com/Persefoneband and buy their merch @ www.persefone.com. \m/
- Persefone's Spiritual Migration blew me away and is definitely worth your time and listening pleasure. It has been years since I've heard a prog metal band of this unique caliber. Persefone took a while to reach my ears, but i'm hoping they reach yours soon so you to can discover your new favourite band. "Innovative music for the open-minded listener".
- My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
5/5 - Progtastic
Last night the Heavy Metal Sasquatch had the honour of witnessing the metal gods of Cryptopsy destroy Hamilton's Club Absinthe as part of their Quebec & Ontario based tour dubbed "The December Massacre"! And they weren't lying, with all bands of the night performing absolutely ruthless crushing sets. Adding to the carnage was Cryptopsy, who played a lengthy brutal and technical set, featuring many songs off the "None So Vile" album as well as some killer songs off their new completely independent self-titled release. Here are some pictures I took through out the night. Cheers to all the crazies I clashed with in the pit! \m/
Support Cryptopsy and buy their music @ http://cryptopsy.ca
- Cheers to Myriarchy, Unscathed, Ending Tyranny, Last Scattering, Cryptopsy for one of the most memorial shows of my life!
The Heavy Metal Sasquatch is still recovering from the mass chaos that ensued last night at the Sound Academy in Toronto! Regardless of a few minor technical difficulties, all four bands killed their sets with high energy intense metal fury. This concert will be remembered for a long time, having one of the best mosh pits i've been in for years, seeing the thrash gods of Testament, the return of Jesse Leach to Killswitch, a crazy guy on acid in the rafters, the Wall of Death during Black Label, as well as all around good times had by all. Kudos to everyone who clashed with me in the pit, I have a feeling you feel a bit worse than I do today! As well as a huge cheers to all the bands; especially Lamb of God who absolutely destroyed the place last night! Check out some pictures from the night below.
Something big has been lurking in the Great Lakes surrounding Ontario; brace yourselves for the arrival of Robot Shark Attack. October 8th marked the release of Robot Shark Attack's first project, Oxygenesis, featuring 8 tracks full of completely instrumental and original heavy riffs mixed with passionate mind-altering ambiances of epic proportions. Drawing from influences such as Cloudkicker, SGX and August Burns Red, Oxygenesis is a post-metal masterpiece combining a backbone of heavy metal with a variety of well thought out electronic synthetics. The result is a completely wicked and unique musical entity, closely resembling a bestial mechanical sea creature. While listening to the album, the Heavy Metal Sasquatch was transported to another dimension, relaxing my body and soul without ever straying me to far from the liquid metal that runs hot through my veins. Robot Shark Attack can without a doubt call Oxygenesis a success with songs like "Kevin Bacon Strips", "Awesome Sauce" and "Crouching Tiger Shrimp, Hidden Dragon Fruit" providing absolutely bad-ass instrumental riffs with electronic mastery while at the same time presenting mind blowing depth. You can give Oxygenesis a listen and a download below, or from robotsharkattack.bandcamp.com. Also make sure to like them on facebook @ www.facebook.com/pages/Robot-Shark-Attack/157524101067198.
-Robot Shark Attack is simply amazing. Easy on the ears and the soul, and is definitely worth your time. So buckle up, sit back, relax, spark it up and enjoy the ride that is Oxygenesis \m/
- My Verdict
\m/\m/\m/\m/ out of \m/\m/\m/\m/\m/
4/5 - Mechanical Shark Mastery
One of the things I love most about the metal genre is its ability to transcend nationality and cultural borders with amazing success. Historically, the majority of heavy metal bands are pumped out of Europe and North America; but it is important to remember the vast stock of talent that exists outside the mainstream. No matter what country a metal band originates from, the end product always results in bone crushing, face melting, riot inducing, raw power. In my pursuit of all things heavy, I have recently decided to search out some new metal bands from around the world to see what I have been missing; and damn I have missed a lot. While I have discovered dozens of new wicked bands, I want to give an honourable mention to 6 of the best bands I discovered as they are absolutely insane and deserve your immediate attention.
1. Kraptor - Pure old school Thrash Metal from San Cristobal, Venezuela!
-I hope this post helps you expand your metal collection to outside the country of which you call home, leave a comment with some more wicked international bands you know of!
For some reason, may it be its raw power and authority or its curious sexual appeal, the beard is a prominent facial feature throughout the metal industry. While they vary drastically in shape, size, and colour, every self respecting metalhead has had or tried to grow an epic metal beard at one point or another. Yet, there is more to these beards than meet the eye; for they draw upon the forces of hell and fury to empower the artists to create metal of extreme proportions. The following is homage to some of the best beards I've seen in my local as well as global metal community. Feel free to leave links to your own beards to add to #TheBeardsOfMetal. Cheers to all my bearded metal brothers! Enjoy! \m/
Tom Araya - Slayer
Kirk Windstein - Crowbar / Down
Scott Ian - Anthrax
John Petrucci - Dream Theater
Chris Adler - Lamb of God, Protest the Hero, Megadeth
Craig Laro - American Hell (ok not a beard I know, but look at this god damn moustache!)
Johan Hegg - Amon Amarth
"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott - Pantera
Brent Hinds - Mastadon
Mark Morton - Lamb of God
Zakk Wylde - Black Label Society
Chris Kael - Five Finger Death Punch
Sean Zatorsky - Chimaira
Rob Zombie - White Zombie
Kerry King - Slayer
Paul Di'Anno - Iron Maiden, Battlezone, Gogmagog
Wayne Static - Static X
Joey Glacken - Wretchedpain
Andy Thomas - Black Crown Initiate
The Heavy Metal Sasquatch & Eddie Hermida - All Shall Perish / Suicide Silence
"Big"James Arsenian & Ryan Miller - ENDAST
Derek Nelson & Nick Pauli - Unscathed
- This list is no where near complete, however feel free to leave comments for who I missed or for pics of your own insane metal beards. I will retweet all tweets sent to @HeavyMetalYetii with the hashtag #TheBeardsOfMetal!
-Cheers to the photographers of the pics above and all of you who are bad-ass enough to sport a brutal beard in the name of Satan! \m/
-Heavy Metal Sasquatch out!
