Last Month's Poll Results & This Month's Latest Poll!!

It's the 18th once again, so it's time to look at the results of last month's poll at the SMS and unveil our newest poll! As you may remember, last month's poll explored this question: What was your favourite local metal/hard rock album of 2012? We got a solid 59 votes, which is a nice total overall, but what did you guys pick as your favourite CD of the past year? The final results are below!

Late And Loud - Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal (44%, 26 votes)
Haggith - Dragon Joy Ride (19%, 11 votes)
Destroilet - Destroilet (14%, 8 votes)
Woods of Ypres - Woods V: Grey Skies And Electric Light (10%, 6 votes)
Haggith - Apocalypse (5%, 3 votes)
Theatre of Night - The Dawn's Early Light (3%, 2 votes)
Insipid Brutality - Insipid Brutality (2%, 1 vote)

Mike Haggith - Neighbourhood Watch (2%, 1 vote)
Other (2%, 1 vote)
End of Existence - End of Existence (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, I'm very surprised that End of Existence's debut CD got no votes, especially with the months of anticipation for it! Maybe the slowed activity after it's release helped dull it's impact? I can't effectively comment on the "Other" vote (maybe they meant for Sykotyk Rampage?), but I'm not surprised with the other 1 vote totals, especially as both aren't current live acts. Theatre of Night's album seems low in the voting (but it did top the Sault Michigan albums), but again, they're not a live band yet,. Haggith's second album seems a bit low too, but maybe I figured fans would show more parity between their albums in the results. I'm very shocked that Woods of Ypres' last album only got 6 votes, especially given it's notoriety and impact last spring, but the top three are pleaant surprises for their results! Destroilet & Haggith's 3rd and 2nd place finishes are indicative of devoted fanbases, especially as both albums only got late 2012 releases! However, the winner with 26 votes and 44% of the total was Late & Loud's debut EP "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal"!

While I know that Late & Loud were among the bands who promoted the poll on their fan pages, it's encouraging to see a demo with just a single concert to release it get this much support, and hopefully the response for it helped encourage Late & Loud's impending return to the stage on March 1st at The Canadian, and hopefully this EP is on sale for it too!

Thanks to everyone for voting! Now, what poll is coming this month? We're still deep into our "favourite _____ of 2012" polls, and today, we're posing this question to you guys: What was the biggest local metal news story of 2012? Simple enough question, as the previous year was full of noteworthy concerts, events, album releases, and more that helped shape the local metal scene in good and bad ways! I've chosen 25 of the biggest local metal moments from last year (for better or worse), plus "Other", to choose from in this poll , and for inclusion, the choice must have happened or been held in 2012, not the last couple of months (January 2013 doesn't count.) Also, this poll is supposed to reflect the biggest & most newsworthy stories of last year, not the most popular through individual band campaigns, so please keep things fair to ensure we get a real subsection of the local scene's thoughts on the topic. So, of all of the stories, events, and news items from 2012 in the local metal scene, what was the biggest to you? The choices lie below!

3 Inches of Blood headline at The Rosie: On July 9th, Victoria, B.C. power metal standouts 3 Inches of Blood made their long awaited return to Sault Ontario with a jam-packed concert at The Roosevelt Hotel, along with fellow touring death metal quintet Wretched & local openers The Bear Hunters & Winkstinger (who won the Battle for the Blood the previous month for the privilege!) It was an awesome show, but was this the top metal story of last year?

Andres Duchesne passes away: While this was by no means a good story, much of the holiday season was dominated by the loss of Pillory/ex-Bear Hunters guitarist Andres Duchesne in December. His talents and personality haven't been forgotten by his friends and family, and he's missed to this day, but would you consider his passing to be the biggest story in the local metal scene in 2012?

Anvil returns to Sault Ste. Marie in July: A huge month of July ended with a bang on the 25th when Toronto metal legends Anvil finally returned to Sault Ste. Marie for a night of metal on metal at The Canadian Nightclub! Their set was well received by the huge audience, and they also responded warmly to a stacked lineup of local openers, including Frightlight, Garden of Bedlam, and the debuing hard rock supergroup Skeyes of Seven! Did Anvil's return top the year to you?

Battles of the bands return to Sault Ontario after 2 years: With no battles of the bands since May 2010, many Sault Ontario music fans were excited at the return of these competitive fan favourite events last year, including the Humane Society battle at The Grand Theater in April & the Battle for the Blood at The Rosie in June, with Late & Loud & Winkstinger scoring victories at each! Each battle was successful, but was their return more newsworthy than other stories?

Borderline Divine (Stillbroke) ends 2 year concert hiatus: Last seen on stage in March 2010, many local metalheads were surprised and excited for the return of Stillbroke (renamed Borderline Divine) at the West of Hell/Tribune concert in May at The Canadian! Despite an exciting heavier sound & a lot of promise from their new lineup, they only played two further shows before going on hiatus in July, but was their long awaited return still the biggest metal story of 2012?

Buckcherry & Fuel rock Kewadin Casino: Arguably one of the biggest 2012 hard rock/metal shows at The Dreammaker's Theater, multi-platinum hard rock notables Buckcherry returned to Sault Michigan with 1990s favourites Fuel in tow, and The London Gentlemen provided local support with their own cumulative big show experience! Generally a well received concert from Allstar Promotions, was it your favourite regional metal moment last year?

Case's Music moves to Queen Street: After many successful years at their old Spring Street location, popular local music instrument/lessons store made the big move to the old Frame Center building at 636 Queen Street East on July 9th, and by all accounts, things are going great at their new downtown home, though their old home did welcome Colosimo's Music shortly afterwards. Did Case's Music's big move top last year's news stories?

Clownsack disbands: Despite their slowed activity levels since the end of 2010, many fans of Clownsack's energetic funk/metal sound, on-stage clown personas, major Michigan concert appearances, and two CDs were disappointed by their quiet breakup last year. Easily one of the most prominent Sault Michigan metal bands of recent memory, band members can still be seen live in the area as themselves, but was Clownsack's dissolution the biggest story of 2012?

Coch's Corner moves into Foggy's, becomes all acoustic: In a sense, Sault Ontario lost two metal concert venues last year when Coch's Corner moved from the now-Holiday Inn Express on Bay Street to the former Foggy Notions/Feedback location at 708 Queen Street East in April. After re-opening in June, the venue's music climate shifted to an all acoustic format, which I hear has worked out well, but was the Coch's/Foggy's merger the most notable story last year?

Dead & Divine rock The Canadian on their farewell tour: Already no strangers to Sault Ontario with at least 3 prior local concerts, Burlington hardcore quintet Dead & Divine stopped in town one last time on August 22nd during their farewell tour! Featuring touring metal openers Mychildren Mybride and Liferuiner along with local standouts As It Stands' only live set in the past 8 months, The Canadian was buzzing for this show, but did it top 2012 to you?

Destroilet resurface with new album: Despite a two year hiatus from the live stage, Destroilet quietly stayed alive in the studio, and they resurfaced with a vengeance in December with the release of their second CD and first full length album! The self-titled disc served as a half reissue of their 2011 debut EP, along with 6 new recordings, and it got a good response from Destroilet's old school hardcore fanbase, but was it's relese the biggest story of the past year?

Evans Blue headline Kim Rogers/Kelsey Raffaele benefit: Over a year and a half after they opened for Pop Evil under very similar circumstances, Toronto hard rockers Evans Blue returned to the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on September 29th to remember the memories of late local students Kim Rogers & Kelsey Raffaele, with fellow touring rockers State Your Cause and Detroit hard rock favourites Fifth Way joining in! Was this great charitable sell-out event your top show of the year?

Haggith release "Dragon Joy Ride" & "Apocalypse": Operating at a surprisingly fast pace following their mid-2012 launch, Sault Ontario grunge quartet Haggith have already released no less than two self-recorded studio albums in the latter half of the year, each of which supported by some big local concert appearances! Haggith have succeeded at bringing grunge back to the scene, but were these album releases your favourite news stories of the year that was?

The Halloween Party moves from Coch's to The Algonquin: Following the relocated Coch's Corner's shift to acoustic music, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce's popular Halloween party moved down the road to The Algonquin Pub, returning metal to the The Algonquin Hotel's downstairs bar! It's first new installment last October was a hit, with three talented local metal/punk bands and Toronto punk standouts The Fairmounts, but was the big move your big 2012 story?

Late & Loud returns from breakup with debut EP: After a brief breakup following the Skull Fist show in August, Humane Society Battle winners Late & Loud suddenly resurfaced on November 10th to open for The Saigon Hookers at The Rockstar Bar, with their first EP "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal" in tow! Despite a positive reception for both the CD and the show, they haven't been seen since, but was their return engagement last fall the #1 news item of the year?

Lion Ride breaks up: An early disappointment in the area came when local/Toronto metal quintet Lion Ride broke up in February 2012 after a successful (yet increasingly sporadic) five year run. With numerous high impact local and Southern Ontario concerts under their belts, along with their 2008 EP "Awesome", Lion Ride's energetic original material and live shows left a deep impression, and even though most members still play live, was Lion Ride's end more newsworthy than the rest?

Rich Moreland moves to Alberta: Arguably the most prominent metal concert booker of the last 7 years, Dismembertainment founder & former local guitarist Rich Moreland moved to Alberta in September to pursue new work opportunities, having last promoted concerts in May. Though he hasn't closed the door on booking local shows, his high profile booking history & brief venue ownership left a great impression on local metalheads! Was his move the biggest 2012 news story?

The Roosevelt Hotel metal nights go on hiatus: Following the popular Thursday concert series' first ownership change in 2011, scheduling for the series' 7 installments in 2012 was somewhat erratic, and then it stopped after July 5th. Though J.D. Pearce still promotes occasional Thursday night shows at The Rosie (including the Annex Theory show this week), a formal return for the series has yet to be announced, but is it's ongoing hiatus a major news item?

Rotaryfest's Second Stage welcomes back hard rock bands: In 2011, no heavier bands played at the Tenaris Second Stage at Rotaryfest, but the drought didn't continue this year! 2010 headliners Garden of Bedlam returned to the outdoor Queen Street East stage in July with a very heavy set, while local hard rock notables Sailor's Tongue reunited after a long breakup to a good response in their own right! Did the return of hard rock to the local summer festival's second stage top last year?

The Sault Riverview Music Festival debuts in September: With so many local music/entertainment festivals in August, having one in September couldn't hurt, as Sault Michigan welcomed the first installment of The Sault Riverview Music Festival last fall! Featuring a wide assortment of local bands (including hard rock acts like Monkey's Uncle, Banned, & Tantrym Tyme), was this new family friendly festival a success to you among the other 2012 news stories?

Sebastian Bach comes to the Soo for "Swearnet": Five months before rocking Sault Michigan, former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach was across the river in Sault Ontario for very different reasons, as he was filming scenes for the upcoming Trailer Park Boys movie "Swearnet"! His local weekend in August included some stopovers at local bars (including karaoke night at The Canadian), but was this unique appearance by a metal legend the biggest story of the year?

Stryper, Slaughter, and Lynch Mob hit Sault Michigan: The first metal/hard rock concert at The Dreammaker's Theater of 2012 took place on February 23rd, where a trifecta of 1980s hair/classic metal stormed Sault Michigan, with plenty of hits between them! Also notably featuring Slaughter's first regional show since opening for Jackyl in Sault Ontario in 2008, this concert earned a good response, but are you among the fans who'd rate this the highest?

That's Chester parts ways after 8 year run: One of the longest running hard rock bands in Sault Ontario at the time, local classic hard rock quintet That's Chester surprisingly announced their breakup in October after 8 years together, which saw them play tons of live concerts with their varying frontmen. Though their members are all still active in other projects, That's Chester's talent & chemistry was always evident, but did their breakup have the biggest impact last year?

Woods of Ypres posthumously release "Woods V": Less than two months after frontman David Gold's sudden passing in December 2011, the first release of their final studio album "Woods V: Grey Skies & Electric Light" took place last February, with the album available worldwide by April. Recieving the best reviews of Woods of Ypres' career for their doomiest and most accessible album yet, it served as a fitting farewell to the band & David, but did it top 2012 to you?

The Ypres Metal Fest held to remember David Gold: On April 7th, 12 bands gathered at The Canadian Nightclub to pay tribute to David Gold, with most covering Woods of Ypres songs on this brutal but emotional night! Featuring notable out of town bands like Kittie & Novembers Doom, five local bands, and an acoustic tribute from three ex-Woods of Ypres members, The Ypres Metal Fest won't soon be forgotten, but was it the biggest local metal story of the year?

Other: Did I miss a bigger news story in 2012 that you would rather vote for? Maybe you had a band debut in mind, like Skeyes of Seven or The Suicide Kings? How about another CD release, like one by Theatre of Night or End of Existence? Maybe you had a big concert in mind, like a Rosie metal night, one of the last Dismembertainment shows, or a local concert festival? Did anything else come to mind from the past year? Vote for "Other" if your preferred option isn't above!

VOTE TODAY!!! You have until March 18th to cast your votes in this month's poll, and as February's a shorter month, the timeframe is a bit less than usual, so make your voices heard in the next month or so! The poll is on your left, so cast your votes A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for a new news post hopefully tomorrow! Thanks everyone!