[LIVE REVIEW] "The Bloodstained Earth Tour" reaches Toronto!

Photos by: Nessa EJ
Review by: Tony Rachtman

Summer is about to come to an end and shows are on their peak in Toronto. Last Tuesday was not an exception and the parking lot in front of the Mod Club Theatre was packed already by 6pm. 

Even though the first band was intended to go on stage by 7:30, they didn’t. “Incomplete paperwork” and the known fact that “Canada is not an easy country to get into” made it impossible for The Convalescence to show up.

It was at 8pm sharp when the blackened and raw punk metal band of Portland, Toxic Holocaust, started the night with lots of rage and speed. War Is Hell, then Wild Dogs and other classics such as Gravelord pumped up the crowd. Metalheads sang along to Joel Grind’s gritty vocals and small circle pits went on and off during this first set that finished with Nuke the Cross and Bitch. 

By this time, one could hear attendees being pissed off by the usual high prices of water & other liquids at the venue. 

Murmurs were interrupted once Goatwhore appeared on stage, ripping it off with “Under The Flesh, into the soul”. Although their album “Vengeful Ascension” was released by the last week of June, bangers moshed, jumped and surfed over the crowd with Chaos Arcane, Vengeful Ascension and Mankind will Have No Mercy. Ben Falgoust dominated the stage with Baring Teeth For Revolt and Apocalyptic Havoc amongst other themes full of their consistently aggressive label, sending audience straight to hell. This is the third time Goatwhore is on a Toronto stage this year and, without a doubt, whenever fans see they’re on the bill, they know they will deliver the same -or more- amount of energy and mayhem than before. 

The venue was fairly packed by this moment. The stage remained dark during the interim till a the sinister sounds of Ave Satanas introduced Anthony “Abaddon” Bray, Jeff “Mantas” Dunn and Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan. 

It’s the second time this trio comes to Toronto as Venom Inc. and presented their new album AVÉ, full of serious tunes with rabid chords here and there, showcasing as well sensational riffs and solos. Fists went up with strength before every song and Mantas made sure to make the headbangers go wild with Warhead. Other favourites of the night were Welcome To Hell, Live Like an Angel (Die Lie A Devil), and Countess Bathory, song of the Black Metal album that made everyone go nuts.

Venom Inc. certainly maintains Venom’s vein but ads to the regrouped company a mix of rebellion and evolution, making it a deranged delight, a new chapter with it’s own merits.