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A Dire Setback's debut albumRumoured Songs: "Wasting Away", "Kicking & Screaming", "Faded", "Catastrophe", "Forget This Memory", "Everlasting Despair", "A Dire Setback", "Nightmares"
Background: Though discussion of a debut album had been ongoing throughout 2017, local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback only announced that their first CD was in the works in March of last year. To help fund the recording sessions, A Dire Setback launched a Patreon page to allow fans to help financially back them and the album, with exclusive content and perks promised for backers on there, though public content on their Facebook page has also been released. Around that same time, the guys began setting tempos and recording click tracks for the album, with Pointless bandmates Bill Priddle & Dustin Goodall handling production and mastering, at least partially at Dustin's own Unsalted Audio. Full recording sessions began with drum tracking in May 2018, with sessions wrapping up in May 2019, before sending it off for mastering at West West Side Music in New York. The band posted this photo on Facebook in that could be the possible cover art, while this Rotaryfest teaser features a drum-heavy track that may be included.
Current Release Status: I couldn't begin to guess, but A Dire Setback are doing all the right things to get buzz online for the sessions, and things sound like they're on the home stretch, if the mixing in New York tells us anything. Keep posted for updates!
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The Bear Hunters - The Dead Testament
Rumoured Songs: "The Void", "The Omen", "Neckbreaker", "I Fear No God", "Servitude", "Transcend Judgement", "For Glory", "The Wrath Of Angmar", "The Dying Den", "The Dead Testament", "Deception" (bonus re-recording), "The Forest of Forests" (bonus track)
Background: In tentative planning since 2014 under this title, local death metal quintet The Bear Hunters have been playing songs intended for their second full length CD for a few years now, but only fully began recording sessions for "The Dead Testament" on October 2nd, 2015. Following a brief fundraising campaign and the gradual unveiling of song titles, the band has been working with producer Dustin Jones at Mission Control Studios, and have shared sporadic updates on their Instagram page. Like on 2014's "Eternal Hibernation", rhythm guitarist Josh Stephney has recorded parts for the album despite living in Southern Ontario. The music video for "I Fear No God" was posted on YouTube on December 1st, marking the first public release of a song from the CD, while the final cover artwork and full track listing order were posted on their Facebook page on February 17th.
Current Release Status: The Bear Hunters haven't given any firm timetables for when to expect "The Dead Testament" in stores, but recording sessions are reportedly complete, and the video description above teased that the release date will be announced "in the next few weeks." The band is aiming for a more professional sound and release for their sophomore effort, and to go along with that, artwork and physical distribution plans are ongoing, as are "a ton of cool ideas for stepping our media game up." Keep an eye out for updates on "The Dead Testament" when and if they come in!
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Rumoured Songs: "Stray Dog Howl", "St. Marie Revisited", "Scabies", "Psychic Driving","The Stone", "Running Out of Beer"
Background: While he's no stranger to solo recordings via various free and demo releases under various project names, local experimental/metal musician Chase Wigmore revealed on August 30th that he is working on his first "real" solo album, entitled "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To", which will see a "legal and official" release, including distribution on Bandcamp. Some teased songs have surfaced in prior demos and concerts, but "Stray Dog Howl" is the first single, and it will be formally launched at this Rednecks Saloon concert on Friday, September 13th. The cover artwork can be seen above and on Chase's Facebook page, while the album proper will reportedly be based around folk punk with "blackened crust, countryish, and bluesy jazz" influences, containing 23 songs on a 2 disc physical format.
Current Release Status: Unless things are delayed, Chase has already pinned October 30th down as the album's planned release date, hints at a Devil's Night concert of his notwithstanding. Given Chase's prolific nature and considerable talents, it'll be very interesting to see how "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" sounds upon release, so see above for more information, and stay tuned for much more from Chase soon!
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Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide's fourth album
Rumoured Songs: "Lost & Found"
Background: After a lengthy hiatus dating back to the summer of 2016, local Celtic punk veterans Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide resumed public activity last spring, later beginning recording sessions by October at Dustin's own Mission Control Studios, as per their Facebook page. The band confirmed that they were indeed recording a fourth studio album (and first in 7 years) in January, which will presumably be released through Tidal Records, and will also be their first album with second guitarist Liam Seymour and drummer Chris Johns. A 22 second teaser of the first single "Lost & Found" was posted on Facebook, and it's official music video was released in March.
Current Release Status: When The Tide shared the above teaser clip, they mentioned that the album was "coming soon", which doesn't tell us much. With recording sessions a few months in, and it's intended song now out via the music video, it's likely that Dustin and company aren't early in the process, but we'll let you know when more comes out on their highly anticipated fourth album as the year moves forward!
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The Elements' debut EP Rumoured Songs: "Liar", "G20", "Triple H", "The Rut", "I Need A Friend", "Riptide"
Background: Arguably better known for their funk, ska, and hard rock covers, local quartet The Elements have been adding original material to their sets since 2015, and have since publically confirmed earlier teases that they are working on a debut EP. Frontman Rob Speers has confirmed in personal conversations in early 2016 that they have been working in studio on the release, which will have at least 5 tracks, and I believe it's being self-recorded, but further public updates are minimal at best. It's also not known if they'll employ any guest performers, such as saxophonist Josh Norling, a frequent presence in recent months.
Current Release Status: At this stage, I have no idea, but Rob sounded like things were going well in studio. That said, these were largely personal conversations over a year ago, and the band hasn't acknowledged album recording sessions publically in recent months, so we'll have to see if updates come out on it in 2019!
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Id Iota's full length second CDRumoured Songs: "Happy Sailor", "Intro To American Literature", "Seas Envy Skies", "Long D", "Cop Drama", "Deep Empty", "Blind Spots"
Background: Not long after their successful Ontario tour with Mike Mikus in late 2016, Id Iota began recording sessions for their second album, though public confirmation that a full length CD was currently in progress didn't occur until guitarist Dustin Goodall announced it on his studio Unsalted Audio's website in early 2017. Scattered postings and hints have followed, but nothing else has came out beyond performances of newer originals in concert through last summer. For reference, this photo got shared a few times on Id Iota's Facebook page last year, but it's unclear if it's intended to be the album's cover artwork. It is not clear whether new bassist Robert Sartini and/or his predecessor Dan Linklater will be on the final product, or if any collaborations with RedD Monkey alum Pete Mozarowski will make the cut.
Current Release Status: No idea, especially with the alternative/hard rock quartet keeping fairly mum on it's progress as of late. For what it's worth, the band returned from a 7 month public hiatus in February with a video cover of Pup's "Free At Last" sans singer Christian Lemay and alongside Dustin's Pointless bandmate Bill Priddle (I believe) on guitar, but I don't know if this is indicative of any lineup shifts or just who was available at that time, let alone how this may impact the album. Hopefully things are progressing well behind the scenes, so stay tuned for updates!
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Mike Haggith - Bridges & CarnivalRumoured Songs (B): "From The 55th Parallel", "Over Indecision", "The Nature of The Times","An Act of Strength","The Catalyst", "Dangerous Town", "Come on Home", "Blue Highway", "Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost", "Bridges"
Rumoured Songs (C): "Come on Home"
Background: After moving to Thompson, Manitoba in November 2017 for work reasons, prolific local/Windsor hard/alternative rock musician Mike Haggith relaunched his dormant solo project, and soon commenced songwriting for a new CD, which will be his 50th canon studio album and his first since 2015's "The Warinside" Updates slowly took place across 2018, with his Facebook page documenting songwriting sessions and acoustic "home demo" videos of new original songs, plus occasional solo concerts in Thompson largely featuring these new tracks. The cover artwork and track listing were released in September for "Bridges", which includes all of his Thompson-era originals except "If Only You Could Hear Me". Three singles for the album were released online, including "The Nature of The Times" (with music video) in November, and both the title track and "Come on Home" this year. As well, Mike recorded soundboard audio of his set at the Nickel Days festival in Thompson on June 22nd towards an upcoming live album named "Carnival", later posting a live version of "Come On Home" (with cover art) as a preview.
Current Release Status: Though Mike didn't highly publicize the "Bridges" recording sessions on social media, he confirmed last summer that the album was "100% recorded", and is soon going to be edited & mixed. With Mike's candor & honesty, you know he won't hide anything regarding it's release, and with the recent single release and a lot of positive comments, fans should eagerly be awaiting "Bridges" upon it's release, hopefully this year! As for "Carnival", it could come at any time, especially as his 2018 Nickel Days live album came out on Bandcamp just days after the set actually occurred. In any event, stay tuned for updates!
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Mike Vincent - For Dear LifeRumoured Songs: "Nocturnal"
Background: Shortly after releasing his first two solo albums ("Ultimate Chaos" & "Apocalypse") in March 2018, former Skull After Betrayl frontman & Bear Hunters guitarist Mike Vincent indicated that he had begun preparations for a third solo release. With no public Facebook page for his music at press time, Mike revealed on his personal Facebook page in September 2018 that his third album would be titled "For Dear Life", with an instrumental demo of it's first song "Nocturnal" being posted to his Bandcamp page. Unlike on his prior releases, "For Dear Life" is expected to feature vocals on all but one track, in a possible throwback to Mike's singing work with Skull After Betrayl.
Current Release Status: I don't know for certain, but given that this version of "Nocturnal" has no vocals, I imagine Mike is early in the independent recording process. If this is anything like his prior albums, expect songs to be incrementally released over time in advance of the final sale posting, but nothing's finite. Keep tabs for updates in the coming months!
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Pillory's second CDRumoured Songs: "Angst of Existence", "Sculptor of Cadavers", "Wasting", "Abhorred Apprehension", "The Passing", "Exhaustive Incarnation"
Background: After previously breaking up in mid-2014, local metal band Pillory returned as a trio in the fall of 2015, trading their thrash metal roots for a heavier death metal sound, complete with a completely overhauled setlist with no carried-over originals from their 2013 debut EP. In March 2017, Id Iota guitarist Dustin Goodall's recording studio Unsalted Audio revealed that they were in pre-production for Pillory's second album, with the band confirming that sessions were underway that summer. As of July 2017, drum tracks were complete, though it took until November 2018 for the band to confirm that guitar tracking was underway, with vocals & mixing to follow. It's not clear who will provide bass tracks on the final product, between ex-bassist Jordan Leach, his replacement Blair St. John, frontman Robert Sartini (who played bass on their first EP), or a combination therein.
Current Release Status: I have no idea, and it doesn't help that Pillory have only posted once on Facebook in the past two years, though their new lineup returned from year-long hiatuses twice in that span for opening sets at Live705 death metal shows at The Rockstar Bar. That said, with their increasingly brutal and technical sound, hopefully they can get this album complete down the line!
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The Sorrow Fields' debut albumRumoured Songs: Unknown
Background: After a two year hiatus for his solo project (previously known as Animas, April Eyes, and By The Gods), local guitarist Mitch Sirie's solo project The Sorrow Fields resumed public activity last February via recording sessions at Mission Control Studios with producer Dustin Jones, where his band The Bear Hunters also recorded their new CD. An actively maintained social media page for The Sorrow Fields has not followed suit, but Dustin did say that he was "stoked" by the guide tracks, and tracking was reportedly underway in January. Posts on Mitch's personal Facebook page have implied that the project's current form will be much softer than his death metal band work.
Current Release Status: With tracking reportedly underway, this year has to be at least targeted, but given that Mitch has kept all of his own promotion for this album on personal accounts, it's anyone's guess how fast this will come out (also, remember how Mitch's prior attempts at solo albums never saw their intended completion.) It'd be great to see both The Sorrow Fields' debut and "The Dead Testament" on sale this year, and hopefully things progress the right way for both in the coming months!
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Treble Charger's sixth albumRumoured Songs: Unknown
Background: In this Sault Star article last month, local/Toronto indie/punk veterans Treble Charger finally confirmed that they are in fact working on a new CD, their first since "Detox" in 2002, though teasers of a potential new album have been made in Treble Charger's more recent concerts. Sessions reportedly began in the winter, and four or five demos are recorded, but full sessions won't begin until the Algoma Conservatory of Music's new recording studio is finished, as the album is planned to be recorded there. Guitarist Bill Priddle's Pointless bandmate Dustin Goodall is credited in the above article as playing bass on the album, though a drummer was not indicated then.
Current Release Status: I have no way of knowing, but given that the Algoma Conservatory of Music is a bigger establishment with Treble Charger's own Greig Nori managing it, I imagine it's completion will be newsworthy and sufficiently covered in local news media. After that, I couldn't yet say, but after 17+ years, I'm sure the guys will want to ensure that everything is perfect before release. Keep tabs for updates as they roll in!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! This series will return on or around October 2nd, while our next monthly feature post will likely be this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles one week from tomorrow. That's all for today, but stay tuned for some long overdue news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!
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