LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Bone Yard & Project 906), Plus New E.U.P. Metal Videos!!

One final post for this February 2023 today, and we're mostly heading to Sault Michigan and area, including via some new videos from two prominent original acts, but leading off, here's some seasonal LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS on both sides of the border next month!

Local blues/hard rock quartet Project 906 will return to nearby Hessel for a St. Patrick's Day concert on Friday, March 17th at The Islander Bar! Fresh off of their trip to Brimley on Saturday, this will be Project 906's first gig at the 134 South Pickford Avenue nightclub since they performed there over Halloween weekend, and the seasonality had drawn them back to Hessel next month, so expect the usual Irish/green-dyed frills for the occasion! Just lucky timing this year that St. Patrick's Day is a Friday, huh? If there are specific promotions linked to the holiday, I haven't heard pray tell of them, but follow the venue and band's social media accounts for more in that regard. As far as I can gather, this show has no cover charge and an 8:00 PM start time, and of course, expect a 21+ age limit. Visit the above links for more on Project 906's St. Patrick's Day show!

Next up, let's head north to Sault Ontario, where local southern hard rock cover trio Bone Yard will return to Jay's Piston Broke Pub for concerts on Friday, March 17th & Saturday, March 18th! These dates were announced via this new Facebook concert calendar image covering the band's dates next month, though the Jay's gigs are the only ones that Bone Yard hadn't already announced on their Facebook page in some form or fashion. Last seen at Jay's earlier this month, the March dates obviously fall on St. Patrick's Day weekend too, and while it's hard to imagine that the former Reggie's West will pass on the opportunity to partake in the Irish-themed festivities and green beer and whatnot, remember that this is the first St. Patrick's Day under Jay's ownership of the Korah Road bar, so we don't know what to fully expect. Regardless, expect these shows to be at 9:30 PM with no cover charge and 19+ age limits. See above for more details!

While we're on the subject, Bone Yard definitely did not play at Reggie's Place this past weekend (Shirley Marie Kominos replaced them), and while they never announced the cancellations or gave a reason for withdrawing, they did share this "Reel" video on their Facebook page on Friday morning (unembeddable externally) revealing that they were working on original music, and that "things are brewing in the Bone Yard camp". You can hear the guys jamming in the clip, but the black & white vertical video doesn't show anyone on camera, primarily just Greg's drumkit. Bone Yard have teased working on originals before without a finite release, but this clip does sound promising, so check it out above!

We'll head back to Sault Michigan and the E.U.P. for the second half of today's post, starting with a new music video from local classical metal band Theatre of Night's YouTube channel! Premiering there as a scheduled upload on Friday, this is for their original and non-seasonal song "The Killing", which was first released back in 2014, and features Italian singer Ida Elena on vocals (remember, before they started touring, they worked with European singers like Ida and Gaby Koss on studio material). I believe the band proper has updated the song for this new posting, which can also be heard on major streaming services, though Ida's guest vocals remain intact. "The Killing" is sung from the perspective of a murder victim, and the accompanying black-and-white music video features an assortment of dark and ominous video clips fitting the lyrics, plus isolated shots of keyboardist Craig Harrison and guitarist Steve Giles performing.

No other band members (let alone Ida) are shown performing on camera that I can tell, but note that both in 2014 and now, the song was always more ethereal in tone and never called for drums. The dark overtones fit the lyrics well, even if it's not "heavy" in a metal sense, and Ida's vocals are a great match, so whether you're hearing this for the first time or again, do check out "The Killing" for yourselves below!

Finally, here's some new videos of St. Ignace metalcore quintet Heavy Lies The Crown's concert in Kalamazoo on Saturday night.... well, of one member! After the show (which saw them open for Sleep Signals at Papa Pete's), drummer Jaxon Massaway uploaded five drumcam videos focusing on him playing "*69", "Knucklebutter", "Time Diffuser Or Something Else", "Choke", and as embedded below, "A Sold Soul (A.S.S.)" (they retitled it with the acronym like that, don't shoot the messenger!) The videos are sometimes positioned too high to really show off Jaxon's playing, but you can see that he is a skilled drummer and that should bode well for their album recording sessions in progress! It would have been nice to see the whole band, but these are primarily to focus on Jaxon, not just a poor angle, so keep that in mind. The brutality on display will please fans, so give these new videos a look/listen below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more on the site next month! Thanks everyone!

YouTube Channel Profile Series: A Dire Setback Band

It's now time for our latest YouTube Channel Profile, continuing our (usually) monthly look at YouTube channels whose content is at least half devoted to local metal, hard rock, and/or punk artists/concerts, all as randomly selected from our YouTube subscriptions! Now that we're back on schedule for this series for posting these on/around the 26th, we have a small but substantive channel from a very prominent local punk band, so here's what you should know on it!

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A Dire Setback Band (http://youtube.com/@adiresetbackband8012) 

Owner: A member of local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback, exact identity unclear

Channel Timeline: Launched on September 2nd, 2017; Videos uploaded from September 2019 through October of last year

Channel Summary: The official YouTube channel for A Dire Setback, it features a live video, a music video, and a studio recording from their debut album cycle and onward. Its fourth video (and last so far) features a comedy bluegrass song written by bassist Matthew Quinn & performed for his co-workers at his day job, but it otherwise not related to the band despite being posted on their channel.

Why You Should Watch: There's sadly not much here, but for official A Dire Setback content, the channel is still actively used, and hopefully they have a busier 2023 to supplement their existing videos, which are quite entertaining for fans of modern punk rock! Note that the channel was launched late in original lead singer Larry Babic's tenure with A.D.S., but nothing featuring him is currently hosted there.

 Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:

A Dire Setback - Kicking and Screaming // Music Video // Pop Punk Rock: A Dire Setback's earliest surviving upload is their official music video for their song "Kicking & Screaming", which was the first single for their self-titled 2020 debut album. Posted there in September 2019, this was filmed by Poindexter Productions and edited by Celeste Maurer. The video proper features singer/guitarist Chris Nielsen and his significant other reflecting on their crumbling relationship, framed in a dilapidated building that feels their respective wrath (Matt and drummer Nick Kainula are not seen on camera). Effective and well made video that fits the lyrics of the song better than many examples of music videos by local rock bands!

A Dire Setback - Drop Dead: The second advance single from "A Dire Setback" was "Drop Dead" (née "Wasting Away"), which didn't get a music video of its own, but this YouTube upload from January 2020 features an audio visualizer bar along the edge of the wall in the image. Fun and fast paced original that will be familiar to A.D.S. fans from their beginnings onward, this catchy punk rocker still holds up, and click here to check out their full album from that March!

A Dire Setback Vibe 2022 - Highway Tune: The most recent A Dire Setback video on their channel is their only live performance video, featuring them (with Matt on lead vocals) covering Greta Van Fleet's "Highway Tune" at the annual Northern Vibe Festival in nearby Ophir in August of last year. The opening band on Friday the 26th, this was A Dire Setback's first live concert set since the 2021 installment of this festival one year prior. I'm not a Greta Van Fleet fan, but this is a closer match to their sound than some of their other covered band choices, and Matt doesn't try to mimic Led Zeppelin vocals in the process! The visual quality is well angled and clear, but the large stage doesn't suit a three piece band very well for the viewers' sake. If you want more of them in concert, click here for multiple live videos of A Dire Setback pre-pandemic!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return for another randomly selected channel profile on or around March 26th when we look at YouTube user MrEvilgobi, featuring a mixture of live and studio material from local bands, and even some out of town musicians, so look for that next month, and for more news and notes next week! Thanks everyone!

Sykotyk Rampage - "Scott's Pub & Crash Music" Album Review!!

It's time for our 164th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and as promised, we're looking at one of local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage's three new albums from the past six months, but which one? Opting against the new "Genius Mushrooms With Thoughts Of..." album as I haven't reviewed its predecessor yet, I decided to go with their first of two albums released in September of last year, namely "Scott's Pub and Crash Music", as it is generally heavier and has clearer recording quality than its follow-up "Love Muffin". Posted to their Bandcamp page on September 8th with a listed release date of September 1st, this album (alternately named "S.C.O.T.T. Pub & Crash Music") is 66th in Sykotyk Rampage's 68 albums-deep discography, and was recorded last year at River Front Recreation Studios and (in the case of the live recordings) their jam space The Cave.

The original crash band are represented once again by singer/drummer Paul Becker, his brother Dirk on guitar and vocals, guitarist Shane Kokis, and bassist Tony Briglio. "Scott's Pub & Crash Music" is on sale for $15 at this link, and while you can stream it there for free, consider buying it to support the band's work! This is a digital exclusive album, but if released physically, it would require two discs, running for 84 minutes across 16 tracks. Now, let's kick off this review!

First up on this album is the very topical "COVID Spreading Party", which opens with the band jokingly declaring that they'll host the title party, and Paul even coughs before the first verse (this all comes off very tongue in cheek, if you couldn't tell). This song doesn't stray from musical form for the masters of the crash, but it's very vocal/drum driven with Dirk & Shane's guitar work very muted and going for more of a background breezy tone, if that makes sense. It's drawn out a little too much for my liking, and while it's very much on brand, the free-wheeling nature was too inconsistently applied for me. Second is "Different Part Of The Same Thing", which is slower and woozier in nature, with Paul explaining personal regrets in spoken word and even breaking the fourth wall for some truly improvised singing about what's next in the recording (remember, Sykotyk Rampage traditionally improvise new originals on the fly when recording).

The song as a composition isn't as strong as the opener, but the more audible & involved guitar work improves things, so it's a wash for my enjoyment. Still, the entertainment level is there for fans! Third is the 99 seconds long "Fire Soul", which is basically a jam rock instrumental, spoken word banter at the end aside. It's the best song on offer so far, and the percussion is catchy in particular with good bass to match, but it does feel like an unfinished idea waiting for vocals and a longer playthrough. Next is "Get Some Whiskey In Me", a newer entry in their long line of Sykotyk Rampage's drinking songs. This song grinds along at a very grungy tempo, with Paul's singing low and bluesy to match, and while I'm not sure it hits the live crowd engagement levels of earlier such songs, it's the most consistent song with vocals yet! Tony's bass fits in very well, and the mood is well captured, so we're looking up!

The first of five live recordings is next, namely "Gotta Get High", a live version of a song from their 2016 album "Alarm Alarm", which I have not reviewed on the SMS yet. This is recorded similarly to the original, a steady rocker with more of a bluesy driving overtone, but if you're going to listen to both back to back, boost the volume on the live version, as Paul's vocals are very hard to hear. As a guitar showcase, this is the best so far, with a nice shredding guitar solo, but the song proper is somewhat overlong and meandering by the end. Good track overall though! Sixth is the oddly titled "Limmed Limmeda", which runs for an album-low 62 seconds. Very punk-influenced, the track (if still bluesy by default thanks to the vocals), it's promising but sort of buried under feedback and ends before it really gets going, alas. Song #7 is "Another Beer Love Song", which speaks for itself.

Arguably the best song so far for what I like out of Sykotyk Rampage, this fits better into their drinking song oeuvre with more of a consistent freewheeling nature, more energetic singing & drumming from Paul,  and a vibe better fitting drinking beer than "Get Some Whiskey In Me" had for its title drink! It also doesn't overstay its welcome and ends near when it starts getting repetitive, so yeah, a definite early highlight! The album's first half concludes with the first of a three song run of live versions of older tracks, starting with "Lost You At A Party", previously seen under the name "Lost You In A Party" on their other 2016 album "Kock Block Rock", which I also haven't reviewed yet. Unlike "Gotta Get High", this isn't a straight re-recording, and it suffers from a sparer first section and muffled recording quality compared to the original studio version.

The song still works on a jam rock level, but it is definitely not as spontaneous and fun as the 2016 version (not helped by an abrupt ending), which fit more into the band's usual wheelhouse on Paul-sung tracks, though I'd say listen to both to compare. Next is a live redo of "9 Days", the opening track from their 2008 album of the same name that they previously re-recorded twice on later albums, including a "live" version on 2017's "Live At The Paris Hilton". Of the three earlier recordings, I did review the 2017 version, which is fitting for comparison's sake, though I am familiar with the 2008 original dating back to when I first discovered the band. "9 Days" was an early favourite song of mine in their catalog, but I did find the 2017 version to be slower and more laboured once you put the faux audience noise aside. For the 2022 version, the track is still slowed down compared to what the guys did in 2008, and the drums still come off too methodical.

The recording is clearer than the 2017 version, but the music is somewhat sparer as a result, and I feel that Dirk & Shane's guitar riffs aren't as loud in the mix as this song is used to. I think "9 Days" is best experienced in its original faster form, but you have four ways to compare! This trilogy of live songs ends with "White Girl Wasted", but if this is indeed a redo of an older song of theirs, then it was either not released on an album or it was renamed, as no titles match in their discography. As is, this song has more liveliness to it while still retaining their usual bluesy overtones. We do get some very solid guitar soloing late and strong bass from Tony, so the musical performances here are on point, but while I do prefer this to the "9 Days" redo, it's not as freewheeling as the band is at their peak. The album briefly returns to studio recordings next via "Freedom To Listen To No One", which is more of a down & dirty blues rocker.

Good showcase of bass and drums over the guitars, which feel secondary here, and Paul's lower gruff singing fits the mood that they're going for. This isn't so much the tone I prefer but Sykotyk Rampage, but it comes together as a composition better than many songs here, if not for the quieter guitar parts! The fifth and final live song is next, namely "Fear: I Am Machine", which was previously seen as just "Fear" on 2011's "Genius Mushrooms With Thoughts Of Intellect: Hallucinogenic Musical Brain Scans" (unreviewed by me yet). The re-do is a minute+ longer, but similar structurally, with a slow, psychedelic intro featuring trance-like background vocals that slowly builds into more of a truly sykotyk rock number. Toned down effects & distortion aside, this version differs primarily from Paul's more layered vocals.

I like this song and how it grows & evolves to a point where you forget its relatively long runtime, but I do think the original version benefited production-wise, so again, check out both to compare! The final four songs lead off with "Reality Is A Virus", which again buries Paul's vocals in the background, even with an echo on them and audible shifts in quality when his vocal track comes in, and I don't quite get why they did it like that. A mid-tempo rocker, this again plays up the rhythm section more than the guitars, with Tomy's low grinding bass giving this song a staticy overtone. Not a bad song for fans, but I'd have made Paul clearer and the guitars louder. "Sweet William's Demise" comes next with its album-long 10:55 runtime, though the first third is mostly psychedelic instrumental jamming before things slow down. The middle section is more feedback-driven with an ominous feeling and more isolated drumming..

The song builds to a heavier and more chaotic final stretch, with some nice spacey guitar work. Paul's singing is buried in the mix again, but once things truly get going in the final four minutes, the song proves itself and has everyone performing to their best, so this is another highlight if you sit it out! No word on who Sweet William is though. Second-last is the shorter but still long (9:39) "Path Through Your Mind", which is the first and only song on "Scott's Pub & Crash Music" featuring guitarist Dirk Becker on lead vocals, with Paul also singing at points. Alas, Dirk's vocals are buried in the mix too, which isn't ideal, but not shocking on this album. The song itself leans more into psychedelia and jam rock once again, and sticks to flavours of that sounds for its entire runtime, so it's never boring as a result! I like my Sykotyk Rampage with more of a "rampage", but genre fans should dig the marathon here!

Lastly on this album is a reprise/re-recording of track #5, called "Gotta Get High: On Life Version", which is similar to the first one but slightly faster and with more distortion and fuzz, plus some spacier guitar riffing late. Honestly, if you asked me which one was the "...High On Life" version without me knowing, I'd assume it was song #5, not song #16! I think I prefer the original redo over this take for the clearer recording quality, though Paul is louder in the mix on this one, so again, listen to each to compare for yourself as to which one is better.

So what are my final thoughts on Sykotyk Rampage's 66th studio album? I have heard better from them, and no word on who Scott is, but long-time fans of theirs will want to dust off their environ-mental suits, as their tried and true formula largely pays off! If anything, this album is a showcase for Tony's bass work in particular, as he got lots of moments to shine, and he and Paul matched up well on multiple songs, especially on songs that didn't call for psychedelic guitar work and soloing. The brand new songs will mostly deliver for acclimated fans, with "Sweet William's Demise", "Another Beer Love Song", and "Reality Is A Virus" being among the highlights on this double album, but the live covers are generally not improvements on the earlier studio versions ("White Girl Wasted" aside, as I can't verify what its alleged earlier version was called). The big issues with this album for me was a lack of freewheeling hard rock jams and frequently low mixes.

If Paul was louder for the duration, let alone Dirk & Shane's guitar riffing, the album would easily have gained points for me, but of course, in a band with 68 albums now, they have more than enough songs that do fit the bill so it's not like we're all lacking. I'd also have liked to have heard Dirk on lead vocals more than once, but again, they have 67 other albums. Not my favourite SKR album, but still a fun effort, so do check it out at the above links, and I hope you liked this month's CD review! Look for our review of local pop punk project Forever Will Be's debut album "Dead & Dishonest" on the site next month, for this month's YouTube Channel Profile next, and for more news this week! Thanks everyone!

Mikey & His Uke, Handsome Sandwich, Spades GT, And Wyld Stallyns Updates!!

Here's a new news post late on this Friday night, which features some new videos from some very familiar faces in the Soo and from afar, plus an entertaining and extensive article on a fast rising local band! There's a lot to get to, so here's what you should know!

The newest Mikey & His Uke cover video was posted to the project's YouTube channel on Valentine's Day, so what should you know here? A cover of The Bouncing Souls' "True Believers", this once again features the Soo's own Mikey Hawdon on guitar and (initially) ukelele, with the stacked lineup from afar also including Movin' In Stereo singer Scott Lamb (who also mixed the recordings here), Millencolin guitarist Matthias Farm, The Rabble guitarist Chazz Valentine, Slick Shoes bassist Jeremiah Brown, and MxPx drummer Yuri Ruley. Also, Mikey's Bookclub bandmate Erin Antonello guest stars on trumpet during the ukelele intro, a rare appearance by a local musician other than Mikey in the full band era of the project. Strongly done cover as you'd expect, and with talented musicians across the board, would you expect anything less? As a Millencolin fan in particular, it's neat seeing Matthias involved, especially given where they're from!

Note that Matthias' video is recorded in the back of a moving truck in a non-wintry area, while Mikey recorded his outside in heavy snow, which is an interesting contrast! Actually, of the plugged-in full-band footage, only Chazz and Yuri's videos were filmed indoors, Punk fans won't want to miss this well edited and well mixed cover video, so check it out below!

Next up, here's a lengthy new article on local alternative hard rock quintet Handsome Sandwich, courtesy of SooToday contributor/local musician Chris Belsito yesterday! While ostensibly to promote their "Bitter" music video, it touches on many more topics, including how singer Taylor Emlaw (credited as "Tea Emlaw") describes what she thinks a "handsome sandwich" is, how new bassist Rafael Medina met the band (his debut with them was at the Northern Vibe Festival last year), the band's evolution from Johnny Belanger & Jesse Cook's 2014-2015 acoustic gigs (beginning as "Sleigher" in late 2014), how their current lineup eventually came together (ex-bassist James White is even mentioned), insights about the "Deconstructed" recording sessions ("Bitter" wasn't their original choice for the first single), the D.I.Y. nature of the "Bitter" video shoot, and the feedback that they've received on the video/song so far.

In terms of scoops, Handsome Sandwich will return to the Northern Vibe Festival in Ophir in late August (date yet to be established), mixing for the album is being handled by Joao Carvalho Mastering, some scenes from the "Bitter" shoot were done at Fort Creek (the area, not the band), and "Better Off" will be their next single to be released (complete with video) next month, with one more preview single to come in April. Also, the article says that "Deconstructed" will come out on May 6th, despite May 5th also being given as the date in other sources. It's one or the other! No word on why either date was picked, but you learn a lot about Handsome Sandwich, so give this very informative article a read above!

Also today, here's some more new updates from local/Barrie crossover thrash band Spades GT's ongoing recording sessions for their new album! Firstly, guitarist Jay Sarrazin has not left the band, which fellow guitarist Daniel Horton confirmed to me in a Facebook conversation on Wednesday. Alas, their comment about "3 out of 4 ain't bad" led to some of the confusion, but thanks to Dan for the clarification! Apparently, Jay couldn't make it into the studio with the guys this week due to outside commitments, but he did track parts for the album at home that were sent in, and you can see him playing a lead guitar part in the video embedded below, which was posted to the band's Facebook page on Thursday. The dark lighting and muffled background audio don't help, but the guitar soloing proper sounds good, and note that he is playing along to a backing track, so fans can dissect the sample for yourselves below, and stay tuned for updates!

Finally for today, here's some newly discovered videos of local funk/hard rock cover sextet The Wyld Stallyns (featuring Jack Spades GT alumni Rob Speers & Jesse Cook) in their most recent live concert! Alas, I missed this one last week (belated apologies again), but The Stallyns rocked out at The Whisky Barrel on Gore Street this past Friday, and if you missed it too, never fear, as attendee Angela Erin filmed four videos from the set! All were shared publically in comments on the band's Facebook page this past Saturday, specifically in the comment thread of the share of this show's poster. I'm having no luck linking to or embedding the videos here, so click here to see all four at once. The videos include covers of The Eagles' "Take It Easy", J.J. Cale's "Cocaine", The Outfield's "Your Love" (the only one with singer Christina Speers on sole lead vocals), and Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love".

Notably, the videos are all sans drummer Derek Turner and saxophonist Josh Norling for unannounced reasons, and while shorthanded gigs at The Whisky Barrel are not uncommon, the above picture (featuring guest drummer & fellow Spades alum Johnny Belanger) proves that they can all fit on the small stage there. Despite the short runtimes (no longer than 40 seconds apiece) and vertical camera angles, The Wyld Stallyns sound good and melodic in the ways you hope for, so give all four clips a watch above, and stay tuned for more news on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

Weekend Concert Previews & Heavy Lies The Crown Updates!!

Before we begin today's post, I wanted to note that I'm not including local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard's advertised Reggie's Place shows for this weekend in today's concert previews, as I have doubts that they're taking place. The band announced them via this concert calendar image last month, but in their newest Facebook page posting, they noted that "our next show" will be at the Water Tower Pub on March 4th. Maybe they just forgot, but Reggie's Facebook page has not been promoting Bone Yard as playing this weekend, and they normally would have by now. If they are indeed not playing this weekend, a reason for the cancellations was not announced, but hopefully Bone Yard bounce back next Friday!

Now to this weekend's 100% on hard rock concert previews (all previously announced), plus some new videos to match, and we'll start with local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck, who are advertised to return to The Esquire Club for concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen at the Second Line West nightclub last month, these will be Soundcheck's first shows there since Jim Michaud was confirmed as their new bassist, returning him to his old band Obsession's favourite stomping grounds in the process. Hopefully Soundcheck's old school rock covers and select heavier cuts go over well once again tomorrow and Saturday! Full disclosure, Soundcheck have not plugged these shows on their Facebook page at press time, but alas, that's nothing new for them. The gigs are listed in The Esquire Club's concert calendar for 2023's first quarter, if outdated now given the latter two Obsession listings.

This weekend's Soundcheck shows have 9:30 PM start times, 19+ age limits, and no cover charges as usual, so visit the above links for more on these dates, and for a preview, here's Soundcheck live!

Next up in a relatively quiet end of February for heavier bands, we'll head to The Back Bay Grill & Games at Bay Mills Resort & Casino in Brimley, Michigan, where Sault Ste. Marie blues/hard rock quartet Project 906 will return for one night only THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! While the guys played elsewhere in Brimley this past weekend, Saturday's show will be Project 906's first at Bay Mills' on-site bar/restaurant since 2018, which is an unusually long layoff, pandemic acknowledged. Hopefully 906 have another hard rocking night of covers in store for fans in two nights' time! Full disclosure, Bay Mills does not have a dedicated page for The Back Bay Grill & Games, and don't tend to promote bands that play there on social media, but if 906 say they're playing, then they must be! This is a 9:00 PM and 21+ event with no announced cover charge. Visit the Facebook event page for more details, and here's Project 906 live a few months back!

Staying in the E.U.P. now, let's take a look at some big updates from St. Ignace metalcore quintet Heavy Lies The Crown, who actually posted their teased first single from their upcoming album onto their YouTube channel on Monday, the night that I wrote about their countdown to its release! Must have misread the timing of it, as it looked like it would go live on Tuesday. The first single in question is named "God's Butter", which is embedded below, and is set to a new picture of the band (their first proper posed photo since last year's lineup overhaul), complete with lightning effects added in post-production. Another single, entitled "Cigar With The Devil", is scheduled to premiere on YouTube on Tuesday at 9:00 PM, so click here to hear it next week! I'll hold comment on the song until our review of the album (or demo, it's been called both), but in regards to this being "a new direction", it's primarily in heaviness and technicality.

Brandon does not sing clean on this track, so keep that in mind whether or not you like clean vocals in your extreme metal (also, no word on if "God's Butter" is intended to directly follow or compliment "Knucklebutter" from their prior releases). There are a few more videos to check out from Heavy Lies The Crown's Facebook page as of late, one being this trailer for their Kalamazoo concert on Saturday, where drummer Jaxon Massaway plugged it for Facebook fans, while also getting feedback on his on-camera delivery from his bandmates and trying again. Interesting approach, but he came off well! Another video served as more of a comedy upload, featuring a baby doll "dancing" to a sample of "God's Butter", jokingly being posted as a preview of the formal music video. Short but amusing while it lasts! The last new Facebook video features guitarist Ted Olson promoting the single release and asking for feedback.

Not much to it but Ted does sound sincere and authentic in the clip! Good to see that Heavy Lies The Crown are still off and running for their album plans, with much more to come from their camp, so visit the above links for more details, stay tuned for "Cigar With The Devil" on Tuesday night, and give "God's Butter" a listen for yourself below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site in the days ahead! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Destroyer, Leash, And Bone Yard) & Spades GT Updates!!

Today's post was reshapen in progress due to discovering some concerts taking place next month that I hadn't heard about as soon as I probably should have, so factoring them into what we already knew, we mostly have LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS today, plus updates on a prominent local band's album recording sessions. Here's what you should know!

Hamilton-based Pearl Jam tribute band Leash will make their local concert debut on Saturday, March 4th when they perform at Soo Blaster! Given the touring tribute bands that usually make their way to Sault Ste. Marie, one paying homage to a grunge/alternative rock band is definitely unique, so that alone should get many readers curious! While the vocals aren't a perfect match to Eddie Vedder, Leash have the musical chops to pay justice to Pearl Jam, and it'll be interesting to see how Leash go over next month! There are no advertised opening bands. Announced by Soo Blaster's Facebook page in a relatively quiet fashion (hence why I only just heard about it today), this is a 19+ event with doors opening at 7:00 PM, and tickets run for $25 in advance at the venue or this link or $30 at the door. A $320 VIP booth package with bottle service is also available as an option for online ticket buyers if you are so inclined.

Hopefully Leash go over well in just under two weeks, as it'd be neat to see more musical diversity in the tribute bands that stop in the Soo (especially post-pandemic wben more bands are touring), so visit the above links for more on this show next Saturday!

Next up, local southern hard rock cover trio Bone Yard will be in concert elsewhere on Saturday, March 4th, specifically The Water Tower Pub on Great Northern Road! This show was quietly announced at the end of a post on their Facebook page earlier today where they were otherwise hyping up remaining availability of their recent run of official Bone Yard t-shirts, but it's a surprise announcement in another way, as they were slated to play at The Coulson Entertainment Center in Sudbury next weekend, as per their Facebook concert calendar from last month. According to The Coulson's website's concert calendar, Bone Yard are definitely not playing there on March 3rd & 4th (giving way to Sudbury's own Natalie Crispo Band), and were instead postponed to/re-booked for March 24th & 25th, so Sudbury genre fans and relocated Saultites should keep their delayed trip in mind!

As far as The Water Tower Pub goes, the venue has yet to confirm this booking on their Facebook page, but Bone Yard are not playing on Friday the 3rd, as The Water Tower Pub usually books separate acts on Fridays and Saturdays. If they (or The Bearded Lounge?) play anywhere else next Friday, we'll let you know! Next Saturday's concert will have an 8:00 PM start time, no cover charge, and a 19+ age limit. Visit the above links for more details, and look for more from Bone Yard soon!

Also, Toronto-based Kiss tribute band Destroyer will return to town on Saturday, April 15th when they rock Soo Blaster themselves! Their first local gig in just over four years (last seen at the former Canadian Nightclub in March 2019) and their fifth date here since 2010, some readers may recall that Destroyer were slated to play at The Canadian in May 2020, a show cancelled for very obvious reasons. It's great to see Destroyer bringing their impressive brand of Kiss tribute action back to the Soo for a relocated make-up date, so if you want the best, they'll be the next best thing to the best! Local support will come by way of southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek, in a familiar spot for them following opening for Metallica tribute Sandman at Soo Blaster last year. Unless dates in the interim are announced, this will be Fort Creek's first show in three months, and it should prove to be another solid platform for their hard hitting covers & originals, so don't miss out!

Sponsored by Sessions Cannabis, this 19+ event has doors opening at 7:00 PM. Despite the Facebook event page and poster indicating that you can buy tickets online via Eventbrite, I have not found a working link for online sales, so contact Soo Blaster directly by phone if you want yours immediately (for reference, Destroyer's 2019 show had $15 tickets, and prices for the pandemic-cancelled 2020 date were never publicized). The local contingent of the Kiss Army should circle this date on their calendars, especially given the Saturday night timing, so visit the above links for more on Destroyer's return in two months!

Finally, here's some more details on local/Barrie crossover thrash quartet Spades GT's ongoing recording sessions for their first full-length album, courtesy of their Facebook page! On Sunday (day 6 for the former Jack Spades in studio), they revealed that frontman J.D. Pearce had begun tracking "some heavy vocals" for the album, and they shared this photo of the band with producer Kyle Marchant later that day. Despite Monday being Family Day, the guys were back in studio and welcomed two guest musicians in to record appearances on the record, one being Andrew Moorehouse, who is the lead singer of Innisfil punk band The Fast Life. Spades GT guitarist Daniel Horton joined The Fast Life last year, so some synergy between the two bands can't hurt! The other confirmed guest is none other than Anvil frontman Steve "Lips" Kudlow, which is a huge get on paper, but has closer ties than you may recall!

Remember, Lips' long-time bandmate (drummer Robb Reiner) is the father of Spades GT drummer Tyler Reiner, so they definitely had a leg up to give him a call, especially being based in the GTA now! The pictures posted on Facebook suggest that Lips will be guesting on guitar. Sounds like Spades GT are building up anticipation and content the right way for this album, so definitely stay tuned for more updates as they roll in, and look for weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Adelitas Way), Upcoming Album Details, And More!!

I have a new news post for you guys to check out on this Family Day (Presidents Day for you Yoopers), and it includes a few new videos, information on two upcoming album releases, and leading off, a big LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for the spring, so here's what you should know!

Las Vegas alternative hard rock band Adelitas Way will return to The Dreammakers Theatre at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino for a headlining show on Thursday, May 18th! This will be Adelitas Way's second local concert appearance, after opening for Theory of a Deadman at the same venue way back in November 2012, so this is certainly a long time coming! At the time of that show, Adelitas Way were at their commercial peak off of rock radio hits like "Criticize", "Sick", and "Collapse", plus the theme song for WWE Superstars, and while they have not matched that chart success since, they have plenty of up-tempo modern hard rock originals under their belts, so don't bypass them in three months! Support will come via fellow Las Vegas hard rock band Otherwise (who also have Billboard rock charting songs), Seattle rock & roll quartet Moon Fever, and newer Boston alt-metal band Above Snakes.

A presentation of Allstar Promotions (who put on the Theory/Adelitas Way show in 2012), this all ages event will have a 7:00 PM start time. Tickets run for $20 and $25 depending on location, but despite the poster claiming that they are now on sale, I can confirm that they are not as of this writing, either via Adelitas Way's website or Kewadin's ticket page. If you want to inquire within or try your luck in other ways, call 1-800-KEWADIN or go to the in-person box office. Despite the mid-week scheduling, this should be a fun show for modern hard rock fans, and quite an affordable one too, so visit the above links for more details on this concert!

Next up, here's the latest from St. Ignace metalcore quintet Heavy Lies The Crown, who confirmed on their Facebook page earlier this month that they are indeed working on their second full length album! There had been teasers about them being in the studio, some more humorous than others, but as of Tuesday, H.L.T.C. noted that instruments were tracked & almost finished being mixed, with vocal tracking "and a little more mixing" planned next, and "the finish line is in sight". In the past five days, they have been posting a cryptic countdown to something via very short videos of band graphics or new images of logos and the mask of their duck mascot Iggy, but on Saturday, they gave more elaboration on the album, calling it "a whole new direction" and sees them looking to the future and not trying to win approval on mainstream radio, rather to write music that they love and that they would listen to.

Allegedly, Iggy will become "our comic book hero" (how literal that will be is up for debate), and the album will very much be a DIY effort in all aspects. Sounds to me that they're going more underground and extreme with this album, and you can sample a song from these sessions below via this teaser video for a full song to be released tomorrow (that's what the countdown was leading towards). The clip is dubbed into a scene from the anime Bocchi The Rock!, with the starring Kessuko Band now playing H.L.T.C. all of a sudden. Give it a listen below, and we'll have more from Heavy Lies The Crown (album or otherwise) soon!

Now to Sault Ontario, and if you're a friend of former Inner City Surfers/Rising Tide frontman Dustin Jones (in person and/or on Facebook), you'll have seen him reference his short term plans for his Jonesy Land solo project, but as Jonesy Land have always been devoid of a public online band page, I've only addressed what has been noted on public sources. We got such an update on Saturday, when Dustin shared a post from his personal Facebook page to both his label Tidal Records and studio Mission Control Studios' Facebook pages, confirming publically that he has been working on Jonesy Land's debut album, named "Zoom - Out". As of Saturday, its sessions were "coming to an end", with Dustin referencing how he has been a "Searcher" throughout his life looking for "all those magic moments that feel gifted to us from something bigger". The post notes that "Zoom - Out" is planned for a release in "spring 2023".

As for the image, I have no idea if it is the planned album art or not, but the square dimensions are noted. One imagines that the first three Jonesy Land singles (2021's "Sunshine Parades" and last year's "Moral Blackout" & "Ain't Dead Yet") will be included along with the other songs to be unveiled. It's great to see Dustin finally shed some public light on Jonesy Land outside of a SooToday article for the first time in quite a while, and it'll be interesting to see how varied the final product is both from musical styles and collaborators. The Tide's fourth album never got completed, so maybe this will fill the gap? Stay tuned for more from Jonesy Land soon!

We'll close today with a new video courtesy of local rap metal duo The Apocalypse Afterparty's Facebook page last month, as shared from frontman Paul Stanghetta's personal Facebook page, and it features he and Amanda playing 30 seconds worth of music at what I think is the Afroman show at Soo Blaster in October (if I'm wrong, it was the Tech N9ne show, but regardless, his upload was well afterwards). The side-stage clip doesn't have pristine audio clarity, but the Stanghettas are in fine form here and have solid energy, so give it a look below, and don't miss them at Broers Jansen in exactly one month!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Apocalypse Afterparty), Plus Handsome Sandwich & Spades GT Updates!!

Before we get to today's post, I wanted to apologize for a missed concert in this weekend's previews, as local funk/hard rock sextet The Wyld Stallyns played at The Whisky Barrel last night. I profusely apologize for missing this one, the venue only announced this show via their Facebook page on Monday, with the band following suit yesterday, and amidst all of the new shows (late notice or otherwise) that were covered in the last two days, it completely slipped me by. I apologize again, hopefully the show was a hit, and stay tuned for more from them soon!

Now, let's dive into some new videos & updates, starting with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as local party metal duo The Apocalypse Afterparty will play their first show of the year on Monday, March 20th when they headline the Fishbowl Festival's closing party at... Broers Jansen? This is the wine bar/restaurant at 674 Queen Street East formerly known as The Wine Barrel (so renamed as it's owned by the Jansen brothers), and while they're normally closed on Mondays, it's interesting to see them open their doors to the Fishbowl Festival to close out their 2023 return year! Remember, the festival is held only during the Pisces stretch of the astrological calendar, hence the Monday scheduling. An eclectically diverse lineup will play at Broers Jansen that night, with The A.A. joined by folk rock veteran Brian Tremblay (apparently sans The Sinister Hearts) and online page-less dark synth pop solo artist OwenMK.

This show has $10 advance tickets (availability unclear but check with Broers Jansen, festival organizers, and/or the performers for details), a 19+ age limit, and a 6:30 PM start time, with the Stanghettas headlining at 8:30 PM. Broers Jansen will have food and drinks available to purchase as well. This should be an interesting cap to the Fishbowl Festival, and hopefully Nicole and everyone else involved with organization see lots of positive results over the next month! Of course, it's great seeing The Apocalypse Afterparty back for more up-tempo rap metal action, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Next up, I feel like I'm the last person in the city to talk about this, but local hard rock quintet Handsome Sandwich released their music video for their debut single "Bitter" on Wednesday! Not only that, but it is also available on "all platforms" (if by "all", you mean the five music streaming platforms linked here), so they're definitely getting a jump on May's planned "Deconstructed" album release! As hinted by its teaser video, Handsome Sandwich filmed the video proper at Topsail Island at Bellevue Park last fall, including shots of the band walking in the area, performing on the waterfront, and frontwoman Taylor Emlaw singing while sitting in one of the five big blue chairs that popped up in town a couple of years ago. Oddly, credits for the filming of the video proper weren't given in the video description (it was uploaded as scheduled on their YouTube channel on Wednesday), but full production and mastering credits for the song/album were noted.

I'll hold comment on the song proper until our album review ("Deconstructed" is still slated for a May 5th release), but the video is fun and gives some nice scenic visuals to accompany the music, which has been well received by others so far, and I still have to sit in one of those blue chair myself! Note that in the band's newest Facebook page posting from earlier today, they noted that "morning creations went well", referring to a picture of bassist Rafael Medina & drummer Johnny Belanger working at a laptop, appearing to be rendering the band's logo on a black circle. Physical CD/record label, album art in progress, or something else? We'll keep you posted, but give the "Bitter" music video a watch below!

We'll close with Johnny's old band Jack Spades (now Spades GT), as the local/Barrie crossover thrash band is hard at work on their new full length album! On January 19th, the band revealed that they would be hitting the studio in February with Toronto-based producer Kyle Marchant to record their third CD, following 2014's "The First" EP and their involvement in 2015's "Fed Up!" split, but this will be the first under their current GTA incarnation. The guys hit the studio on Monday, with guitarist Daniel Horton already recording his parts, while frontman J.D. Pearce (a.k.a. Johnny Pints) is apparently tracking vocals this weekend. It is worth noting that Jay Sarrazin isn't pictured in the photos posted from the sessions, with one picture of the band minus J.D. being tagged "3 out of 4 ain't bad". If I read that accurately, then his involvement on rhythm guitar at the Walter Froebrich memorial show must have been as a guest.

If Jay is out/was never in permanently, then he sure did Spades GT a solid by filling in on bass late last year, and he does have a busy slate with his current bands Hellrager and Sierra Pilot as it is! The band is aiming to release the album "this spring", implying that we should see it by May, and if you're friends of band members on Facebook, then they'll have spilled more beans there about the album makeup. In terms of live dates, they'll make their way to Guelph on March 24th, Newmarket on April 1st, and their new hometown of Barrie on April 24th, so while none of these are local, it's good to see the guys back at it for normal concerts once the recording sessions wrap up! Each show's Facebook event page is linked via the city name. Notably, new bassist James Roy Daley is doubling up in Guelph by also playing with his other band Stand Against Fear, while Daniel will also be playing with his second band The Fast Life in Newmarket.

As for the Barrie show, it will see Spades GT open for all-female Toronto punk/grunge quartet The Anti-Queens, who headlined locally at The Rockstar Bar back in July 2016 and were supposed to return there in May 2020, a show cancelled for very obvious reasons. Jack Spades opened in 2016 and were supposed to debut their never-revealed new lineup in 2020, so give it three years and a relocation 6½ hours southeast, and that show finally got re-booked... kinda! See above for much more on what Spades GT are up to in the GTA, and look for more updates when they roll in from them and more on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Tarnished, Project 906, Rhythm & Brews, And Tym Morrison!!)

Our weekend concert previews are wrapped up in today's post thanks to SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, but there are new shows to take note of with a week's+ notice as well, and a new video from one of the bands in question, so here's what you should know!

Sault Michigan blues/hard rock quartet Project 906 will make their first ever appearance at The Cozy Inn in nearby Brimley TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced this show via its Facebook event page yesterday. Not to be confused with The Cozy Corners Tavern in Barbeau (I've made that mistake before), The Cozy Inn is located at 10015 West Lakeshore Drive in Brimley (20 minutes southwest of the Soo), and curiously, they don't seem to have much of an official staff-administrated presence on social media or via a website. Hopefully TOMORROW'S show is a hit and encourages more Brimley trips for Project 906, let alone other bands, assuming that this isn't overly common at The Cozy yet! Meanwhile, 906 have announced one more new show, thankfully with more than two days' notice, as they'll return to Brimley on Saturday, February 25th elsewhere!

That gig next Saturday will see Project 906 return to The Back Bay Grill & Games at Bay Mills Resort & Casino on the 25th, marking their first show at Bay Mills' on-site restaurant/concert venue since September 2018! A four+ year wait is surprising, but hopefully Billy, Joe, and Dustin (now with Odin on drums) get welcomed back with open arms next weekend! Both TOMORROW'S and next Saturday's Brimley concerts have 9:00 PM start times, 21+ age limits, and no announced cover charges, but note that neither venue has an active social media page to plug concerts or their variances with. Visit the Back Bay Grill show's Facebook event page & the above links for more details, and here's Project 906 live!

Next up, we'll head north to Sault Ontario, where local classic/hard rock solo musician Tym Morrison will return to Reggie's Place for another matinee gig THIS SUNDAY! Again, apologies for the short notice, as like Project 906, Tym only announced this concert via its Facebook event page yesterday. Last seen at the YNCU Curling Centre last week, Tym only just played an acoustic matinee at Reggie's two weeks ago, so this is a relatively quick turnaround for him in this context. It's good to see Tym playing somewhat regularly again after some quieter months, and while a SUNDAY matinee won't be everyone's cup of tea on scheduling alone, hopefully a decent crowd turns out for his classic covers! It all goes down SUNDAY at 3:00 PM with no cover charge and a 19+ age limit, as usual given the locale. For more details, visit the above links, and for a preview, here's Tym in concert last year!

We'll close today back in Michigan for some more new dates, thankfully with reasonable advance notice, as the next month's worth of shows at Kewadin Casino's on-site lounges at the Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace branches have been announced via their respective entertainment pages! A couple of the brand new ones (as in, not Scarkazm in the Soo next month, as the band announced those first) are from local hard rock bands, and the first will see Sault Ste. Marie's own Tarnished return to their hometown Kewadin's on-site Rapids Lounge on Friday, March 3rd & Saturday, March 4th! Assuming nothing is announced in the interim, these will be Tarnished's first local dates since rocking the same venue two weeks ago, with the guys touring to Ohio for a show... tonight, actually. Next month's shows should be a great opportunity for Tarnished to melt some faces on a familiar local stage, so keep them in mind in three weeks' time for some original & cover action!

As usual for Kewadin lounge gigs, expect 21+ age limits, no cover charge, and 9:00 PM start times. Visit the above links for more details, and before we get too far, Tarnished shared this Facebook video two weeks ago featuring bassist Isaac "Iggy" Royer getting ready for "a gig tomorrow" (if Tarnished played somewhere on February 3rd, it's news to me) by setting up his pedalboard, but everything seems to go wrong. Does he get everything sorted out, and will we hear him play anything? Cute video (albeit with some adult language) that gives us our best look yet at Isaac's personality and sense of humour, so give it a watch below

Finally for today, the other brand new hard rock show announcements from Kewadin Casino will see local supergroup Rhythm & Brews return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace branch for dates on Friday, March 10th & Saturday, March 11th! Unless I missed something only announced on personal Facebook accounts or at the casino proper (remember, Rhythm & Brews are not known for plugging every show on social media publically), this will be their first concert weekend of 2023, and these are their first shows at The Northern Pines Lounge since July of last year. It's always good to see Brandon, Chris, Brett, and Ron take the stage, even without videos to show what they're definitely capable of, but hopefully a sizeable turnout is there in St. Ignace for all of the action next month! Once again, these are 21+ gigs with no cover charges and 9:00 PM start times. See above for more details on these and other upcoming Kewadin shows!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news on the site this weekend! Thanks everyone!