On Oct 6th, at the Palace Theatre in Calgary, Alberta, co-headliners All That Remains asked the  audience if they liked their metal heavy. The response was a clear yes. A good thing too, because if there’s one thing the Disease of the Anima tour offers, it’s some excellent heavy metal. Five top bands performing almost 4 hours of music is an awesome value for the headbanger’s dollar.

All That Remains had a heck of a time getting in to Calgary, but it didn’t stop them from kicking some ass. A broken bus caused them to be around six hours late, but they proved themselves willing to give it their all. Their set was hard and heavy, with vocalist Phil Labonte showing he has one of the most versatile voices in the genre.

It was awesome to see a muscled up heavy metal singer wearing a Taylor Swift shirt. The standout songs for me were when they let the mosh pit take a break and played Just Tell Me Something from Victim of the New Disease, and What If I Was Nothing off of A War You Cannot Win.

All That Remains may be a heavy metal band most of the time, but they aren’t afraid of mixing it up a bit.

The other co-headliners, Lacuna Coil, went on before All That Remains. They certainly weren’t second in the hearts and minds of the fans though. With a black and white look featuring some excellent skull makeup, Lacuna Coil had the crowd in the palm of their hands.

Dual lead singers Andrea Ferro and Christina Scabbia give Lacuna Coil something different from All That Remains. Andrea handles the growls and screams, while Christina offers crisp, clean vocals. She is an amazing singer with a strong range who is incredibly emotive while performing.

Their performance on Layers of Time from Black Anima, and Heaven’s a Lie from 2002’s Comalies, really showcase the range of the band. According to Andrea the band is hoping to do a full headlining tour in 2020. I know the fans in Calgary certainly wouldn’t mind seeing them perform a longer set.

Uncured was the first act of the night. A young band, they already have all the pieces in place and just need more experience. They have strong dual singing and excellent guitar work. The band was a heavy start to the show, and the crowd that was on hand appreciated that.

Toothgrinder was up next. Mixing in heavy moments but with a different sound, singer Justin Matthews’s incredible stage presence stood out. The energy of the entire band was off the charts. Toothgrinder has a bright future ahead and were an ideal opening act.

Third on the bill was Bad Omens. They were the most polished of the opening acts and had their own fans to see them. With a good sound that ranged from very heavy to moments of almost pop music, they are a nice fit for the tour. Overall a very strong band and I was impressed.

The Disease of the Anima tour is heavy, emotional, crazy and intense. An awesome tour, just consider the quality of the bands on the bill. I’m glad All That Remains made it in time, because watching the mosh pit during their set was a show unto itself.

Special thanks to Andrea from Lacuna Coil and Wills and Johnuel from Toothgrinder for taking time out of their day to chat with me. You can look for those interviews as part of the We Talk Music podcast soon.

All in all, a fun night, and if you have the chance to see these bands live I highly recommend it.

Review and photos by Brett Monro

Three great ways to subscribe to We Talk Podcasts now. Try us on iTunes. For 

those of you looking for an alternative we’re now available on Stitcher Radio. You can also check the show out on the versatile TuneIn radio.

And join the We Talk Conversation on Twitter @wetalkpodcasts. Plus give us a like now on Facebook.