Regional Justice Center Deliver Plenty of 'Crime and Punishment' in 13 Minutes

Published Mar 04, 2021

Regional Justice Center are as straightforward as heavy bands come. They are all about their blast beats contrasting against slow plodding r...

Grale's 'Agitacion' Is a Celebration of the Riff

Published Feb 24, 2021

When the mastermind behind BWC Studios collaborates with members of Indian Handcrafts, Gargoyle, Cross Dog and Sacrifice, it is going to cre...

Black Sheep Wall's 'Songs for the Enamel Queen' Is an Unexpected Sludge Metal Standout

Published Feb 23, 2021

A six-year break between albums was worth it for what is arguably Black Sheep Wall's best record. So much has changed about this group, yet...

Sarin Offer Post-Metal Catharsis on 'You Can't Go Back'

Published Feb 01, 2021

After a three year absence, Toronto post-metal outfit Sarin return with their third full-length record, You Can't Go Back. Having long drift...

Portrayal of Guilt Elevate Their Noisy Craft on 'We Are Always Alone'

Published Jan 26, 2021

Portrayal of Guilt are slowly becoming an institution in the realm of heavy music. Existing as sonic drifters amongst many subgenres, Portra...

Kawthra Infuse Sludge Metal with Introspection on 'The Tenets'

Published Jan 20, 2021

"Ignorance Is Bliss," "Confidence Is Key," and "Belief Is Reality" are the three immutable laws that define Kawthra's The Tenets. The debut...

Respire's Orchestral Metal Epic 'Black Line' Is an Emotional Rollercoaster

Published Dec 03, 2020

If Toronto's Broken Social Scene were to ever have a metal counterpart, it would have to be Respire. The collective's combination of orchest...

Femur's 'For the Love of It' Is Unsettling in All the Right Ways

Published Nov 24, 2020

Femur are one the best things going in Canadian heavy music. Their debut record, Red Marks, saw the group pop onto the radar of many with th...

Cell Press' Self-Titled EP Brings Us Back to the Golden Years of Sludge Metal

Published Nov 24, 2020

Cell Press bring back memories of a not-too-distant past in the 2000s, when every heavy band was from BC and sludge metal reigned supreme. W...

Fuck the Facts Hit a New Peak with 'Pleine Noirceur'

Published Nov 17, 2020

After a five-year absence, Fuck the Facts return exactly where they left off with Pleine Noirceur. Further expanding on their appetite for a...

Bleeding Out's 'Lifelong Death Fantasy' Brings Grindcore and Death Metal Together in Unholy Matrimony

Published Oct 29, 2020

With a group built from former members of Fuck the Facts and Endless Blockade, Bleeding Out's Lifelong Death Fantasy is the kind of grindcor...

Lousy Riders Infuse Their Stoner Metal with Melody and Guitar Solos on 'End of Light'

Published Oct 28, 2020

Stoner metal often operates in the realm of tone worship that makes most contemporary bands feel uninspired and rehashed. Lousy Riders, on t...

Sons of Otis' 'Isolation' Is a Welcome Return to Form for the Veteran Stoner Rockers

Published Oct 16, 2020

Toronto stoner rock powerhouse Sons of Otis return, after an eight year gap, with Isolation. Showcasing their signature brand of pummeling g...

Gargoyl's Self-Titled Debut Will Make You Feel Like a Kid Discovering Metal for the First Time

Published Oct 09, 2020

Metal music, when applied correctly, can explore a plethora of complicated emotions. Gargoyl's self-titled debut album succeeds in this task...

Dead Quiet Spice Up Their Stoner Metal with Swagger on 'Truth and Ruin'

Published Sep 11, 2020

Dead Quiet have been honing their signature brand of stoner metal over the last six years. With Truth and Ruin, the band have taken their co...

The Acacia Strain Are Unafraid of Reinvention on 'Slow Decay'

Published Jul 22, 2020

Only a year after previous album It Comes in Waves, the Acacia Strain return with their newest offering, Slow Decay. Pushing further into sl...

IRN's Doom Metal Is as Potent as Ever on Self-Titled EP

Published Jul 06, 2020

Toronto doom institution IRN return with their latest offering. The band take some new atmospheric approaches on this self-titled EP, which...

Vile Creature Reimagine What Doom Metal Can Be on 'Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!'

Published Jun 17, 2020

Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm! is an album of contrasts. For every dark and morose moment, there is an equally bright and melodic counterpa...

Toronto's Lilim Demolish Metal Genres and the Patriarchy on 'Weighted Ghosts'

Published Jun 08, 2020

Toronto-based patriarchy-smashing metal giants Lilim return with their sophomore album Weighted Ghosts. With a wide array of blast beats, tr...

Ritual Dictates Give In to Despair

Published Apr 06, 2020

Ritual Dictates, the brainchild of former 3 Inches of Blood members Justin Hagberg and Ash Pearson, unleash their debut, and it houses a wid...