A warm sunny evening in Toronto brought many people out of hibernation. However, it could have also been for the chance to see a kick ass Metal show. Leather jackets, battle vests and band tees could be seen along the sidewalk of Dundas St. West as Toronto Metal Fans excitedly awaited the doors of The Garrison to open. We were ready to welcome Burning Witches to Toronto for the very first time as the Witchies Over North America tour hit town.
Burning Witches
The Garrison, Toronto – 23 April 2026
Words And Photography: Taylor Cameron
Burning Witches took the stage with an iron fist. Fans filled the room from front to back, ecstatic to see these badass women rock Toronto for the first time.
Laura Guldemond commands the stage with ease. Her fiery passion and powerful voice make her an incredible frontwoman that you cannot take your eyes off of. They kick off the set with the aggressive Soul Eater from their 2025 release, Inquisition. The crowd immediately locked in.
Gunslingers Courtney Cox and Romana Kalkuhl fill the room with their melodic leads and crunchy rhythm parts. Trading solos effortlessly, their dynamic is visibly strong.
The night stays Metal with tracks such as Dance With The Devil, The Dark Tower and Evil Witch. Bassist Jeanine Grob made things heavy, while drummer Lala Frischknecht held things together and in time, the true backbone of that stage.
The room may have been small, the stage even smaller, but the quintet put on a show that made the venue feel large. Their love of the craft oozed from the stage, playing each note with precision and pure passion.
This was my third time seeing Burning Witches, and they continue to get better each time.
Slowing things down with the power ballad Release Me, fans lit up the room with their cellphone lights, bringing a smile to Guldemond’s face. Intense emotion can be heard in her voice as she belts out each word to this compelling track.
Picking things back up, they close out the set with The Witch Of The North and Burning Witches, ending things on an extremely high note.
Toronto Metalheads are always passionate, and they did not fall short in making sure the band knew how much they appreciated them finally touring in our city.
From start to finish, the night was filled with top-notch musicianship and powerful Metal riffs from all three bands, making it a night that will definitely be remembered.
Ammo
Local power Metal band Ammo kicked off the night with powerful riffs and screaming vocals. Despite a few technical difficulties, they did not lose their momentum or professionalism.
Smoothly handling the problems without taking attention away from the music, their vintage sound was an instant hit for those seeing them for the first time.
Possessing true elements of the ’80s early Thrash Metal sound that had people holding their horns high in the air in praise, Ammo were the perfect choice to start off the night.
Thunderor
Next up was another local act, Thunderor, a trio made up of JJ Tartalia on drums, lead vocals and keys, Jonny Nesta on guitar, and Brycen Gunn on bass.
A drummer who handles lead vocals is always impressive to me, and Tatalia did not disappoint. Although playing a kit with high-mounted symbols and having an energetic playing style, his vocal power did not suffer. He made it seem easy, even though I know it’s not.
Nesta and Gunn commanded the front of the stage. It was not hard to tell that these guys enjoy being onstage, as their constant movements and headbanging kept things visually entertaining. However, even the band’s sound alone had the audience hooked.
Melodic but heavy, they blend the likes of Heavy Metal, arena rock and even rock opera into something unique but familiar. They utilise their influences without copying, creating a sound of their own.
They played multiple tracks from their newest album, Bleed For It, which was being released that night at midnight, celebrating the release with a room filled with music fans who gave them their full attention.
Towards the end of their set, they brought up a female fiddle player, wearing a kilt and all. Blending Metal with a very East Coast Canadian sound may not have been expected, but it was pulled off magnificently.
The fiddle completely complemented Nesta’s electric guitar without overpowering the song. It was utilised brilliantly, adding the perfect, unique element to their set. Thunderor kept the momentum of the night high, setting the crowd up perfectly for Burning Witches.
