new year goodies from hellbound

If your holiday goodie bag didn't satisfy your metal cravings, Hellbound's got the solution: enough free music to feed your ears for days straight (longer if you give them a nap break).

The metal zine's latest contest promises

"nearly 50 CDs from bands on the AFM, Century Media, E1 Records Canada, Ibex Moon, Metal Blade, Nuclear Blast, Prosthetic, Relapse, Roadrunner, Season Of Mist, Sensory and Sonic Unyon labels. This includes autographed CDs from AUGURY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, JOB FOR A COWBOY, PORCUPINE TREE, SACRIFICE, TESTAMENT and VOIVOD, a Prosthetic Records t-shirt (either L or XL), a CRADLE OF FILTH picture disc 7″ and some more stuff TBA (we’re not gonna list everything until it arrives)."

And all you have to do is list your five favourite metal albums of 2009. For the especially ravenous, you can earn a few more entries by spreading the word and subscribing to the latest Hellbound updates (see the contest page for full details).

And while you're at it, check out Hellbound's latest feature - the return of Kevi-Metal's Rimshots. Rimshots is one more tie leading back to Adrian Bromley's sorely-missed Unrestrained! magazine and a welcome addition to the Hellbound line-up.

Hellbound is seven months old now, and for me, the webzine's emergence and growth definitely qualify among the most memorable developments of 2009.

unrestrained laid to rest - the final issue

Several months ago I submitted my last interviews for Unrestrained! magazine. At the time we were expecting to have the issue out before Christmas, or at least the end of the year. Then - as you know if you've been reading along - Adrian Bromley died suddenly and unexpectedly, Unrestrained! died with him, and the final issue went into magazine limbo.

Thanks to some behind-the-scenes work and negotiations, that final issue is now available - downloadable as a pdf file, licensed under creative commons. Go here (www.unrestrainedmag.com) and download it for yourself.

Aside from the editorial the final issue is pretty much as Adrian last saw it and, as usual, it's filled with his writing. The rest of us never were able to keep up... Our year end picks are here and a multitude of interviews and reviews. Read it. Share it. And raise a toast or pause for a moment of silence in tribute to the man who made it all possible. 

metal scene loses one of its finest...

... and I lose a great friend.

Adrian Bromley - metal journalist, editor, publicist, and generally pretty incredible guy - passed away in his sleep yesterday. Most recently Adrian has been known as the co-editor of Unrestrained magazine and owner/publicist of Ixmati Media but for the past fifteen years and more he's been known as one of the metal scene's strongest supporters and most vibrant members.

Memorial notices for Adrian have been posted at Bravewords.com and Eye as well as numerous other sites - a clear indication of how much an impact he has had on the (metal) world.

My first knowledge of Adrian was during his days as a writer for M.E.A.T. magazine (Metal Events Around Toronto, I think it stood for). I remember reading his work for some time and then finally seeing him as well - when a friend pointed him out (in his Monster Voodoo Machine shirt) at a Slayer show. I met the man about a year later, around the time he and Gino Filicetti were launching Chronicles of Chaos. They interviewed Burton C. Bell, I interviewed Dino Cazares, but before that the three of us chatted for some time, waiting for Fear Factory to ditch Much Music for us.

Before long Adrian and I were corresponding and talking on the phone and have stayed in touched ever since. Back in the early days of our friendship Adrian supported my band with reviews, an interview, cd sales. I wrote a little for him then and much for him later. We hung out at shows and the odd party and bought each other drinks. We took a road trip to Montreal (along with a few others) for Voivod's last CD release party. He played host and tour guide for me and a good friend in New York City. He worked as liasion between me and the bands I interviewed (and occasionally befriended). He introduced me to the delightful feline, Yosemite. And he's left an indelible impact on my life.

Adrian Bromley will be missed - by his family, his friends, his colleagues, his cat, and by me.

Intertia Entertainment will host an event in honour of Adrian at the Opera House in Toronto on January 17, 2009.

UPDATE: The Bromley family is accepting donations in memory of Adrian - all donations will go toward funeral arrangements and any remaining funds will be given to charity in Adrian's honour.

keew still kickin' (in spirit, if not through the ether)

It's approaching the one-year mark since Kill Eat Exploit the Weak went off the air. Which means it's time for a few reminders that we're still alive in some dimension!

Recently Coral, formerly of Coral-FM, sent me the print version of an on-air interview she conducted with the bitter sidekick and me last July. So one year later, here's a little context and back story for the curious.

I haven't done anything about getting back on the air yet, but I still haven't ruled it out. For now (as you know if you've been reading recent posts), I'm putting in my volunteer time at the Burlington Humane Society. So far I've been cleaning cat cages and providing clean litter, food, water and a little attention for the cats. Next week I start my training to work at the reception desk, which is cool since I want to learn more about how the organization works.

On the music front, you can still read my reviews and/or interviews in Unrestrained! and Exclaim! (and in a much more informal context, here). Or check out the odd concert photo here.

I'm still keeping up with Niagara Action for Animals as well. Here are a few NAfA updates/events:

• Liberty Over Violence demonstration about the horrors of factory farming: Saturday July 12, 3pm - 4:30pm at the SE corner of Bloor and Spadina.
• NAfA Yard Sale: Saturday July 19, 9am - 1pm at 36 Thorndale in St. Catharines.
• Party for the Paws: Proceeds to SNIP (Spay/Neuter), Friday August 8 at Club Richelieu in Welland.

And if you're in Toronto tonight, stop by the Savage Garden for some live digital hardcore with Schizoid and Combat Exhaustion.