| Written by Alex Stojanovic There are many many great bands within the local Toronto scene, some which are still going strong, but some that have eventually split up. When it comes to the Toronto scene, one of the bands that were considered one of the leaders of the scene were Astaroth Incarnate, who we have covered numerous times, particularly during some of the previous Canadian Wacken Metal Battles. Through their participation is where I got to meet frontman and creative visionary: Sam Astaroth, and we've been buddies ever since. They had one of the most dedicated, and might I say: "rowdiest", followings in the scene. Seeing how rowdy their fans were during the first time I saw the band back in 2016, spawned a running joke amongst my friends and I where whenever we see someone on the street acting crazy, or is in a total party mood, we would say to each other that those people might be Astaroth fans (done with respect and love of course). Last year, while the pandemic was still going on, I had the opportunity to see what was unfortunately Astaroth Incarnate's last show before they announced their disbandment due to creative differences. Sam began releasing solo music under his own name that is a mixture of multiple genres that he is a fan of, which is definitely the most liberating thing you can do as an artist. He has already released a bunch of new songs, and when he reached out to me asking to give a review for his new song "Demoncore", I was of course more than happy to do it. |  Released: July 6, 2022 Label: Independent Website: www.facebook.com/samastaroth666 www.instagram.com/samastaroth666 Spotify / Bandcamp / YouTube |
Knowing that Sam is a big fan of trap music, the "Demoncore" track is a combination of trap, industrial and metal, making for quite a unique mixture. Musically, it's a far cry from the sound we've come to expect from Astaroth Incarnate, which was full on symphonic black/death metal. In here, you find a computerized beat accompanied by some dark piano keys and a static sound effect. Vocally, Sam incorporates a really low register croon and his signature aggressive gutterals, and mixing up the tempo of his singing, from mid-paced grooving to rapid fire spitting.
Although it's not exactly my go-to style, I really admire the innovation element because it's definitely something that is lacking in today's metal scene. It's also Sam's way of saying to not be afraid of experimentation, and don't always rely on expectations. Doing what makes YOU happy first of all, is the best decision you can make in life. Well done my friend! Wishing you much success on your new musical adventure!
Although it's not exactly my go-to style, I really admire the innovation element because it's definitely something that is lacking in today's metal scene. It's also Sam's way of saying to not be afraid of experimentation, and don't always rely on expectations. Doing what makes YOU happy first of all, is the best decision you can make in life. Well done my friend! Wishing you much success on your new musical adventure!
RSS Feed
