The Apocalypse Afterparty - "Bufflesnort" EP Review!!

At last, it's time for our 94th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're finally taking a look at local rap/metal project The Apocalypse Afterparty's debut EP "Bufflesnort"! After being in the works since 2014, the EP received it's initial soft release on Thursday at the soon-to-be-relocated private venue Mellow D's Underground, with tracks recorded last year at Mission Control Studios with producer Dustin Jones,and mixed by Simon Head at Insight Recorders. The Apocalypse Afterparty are represented here by singer/bassist Z, bassist x, and MPC effects board player z (pronounced "zed"), who totally aren't "songwriters" Paul Stanghetta, Sara Biedermann, and Amanda Brown. Drum tracks were recorded by Z, ex-drummer Amber McKay (now in The Noochin' Lanterns with Paul & Amanda), and "Sven Derful", while the EP appears to have been recorded in full before percussion/synth player "Lady Rito" joined the group. If I have anything written incorrectly or with gaps regarding The Apocalypse Afterparty's elusive masked lineup, let us know!

Full information on physical releases is forthcoming, but copies of "Bufflesnort" were first released on Thursday, and if last fall's projections line up, they will be available on USB thumb drives and old cell phones (no CD copies are planned), and albums notably have four different cover photos. Copies can be bought at public and private concerts from them and sister band The Noochin' Lanterns, and at venues to be clarified, prices not yet publically stated either, though you can also download it free at this link and stream it on Paul's YouTube channel. If they update fans soon on missing details, we'll update this, but for now, let's begin our review! Running for 14 minutes across 4 songs (all in the 3-4 minute range), let's start with the first song, "4th Liner", which is is the first song on the advance copy that I received last fall, your mileage may vary if streaming the EP.

Right away showcasing a bass & drum style with aggressive rapping by Z, this later does include some soulful singing, and while they lack a guitarist (like predecessor local band The Fury), the double bass work is melodic and funky underneath the vocals, and there is definitely a harsh tone at times during the rapping. "4th Liner" is a lively yet minimalistic opener overall, with fun lyrics and the first glimpse of the hockey theme that permeates most of the EP! Second is The Apocalypse Afterparty's cover of Saul Williams' "List of Demands (Reparations)", a prior Fury cover favourite that The Double Eh have re-titled "Better Than The Hives Did It", referencing the Swedish garage rock band's earlier cover of the song. Arguably a fuller track overall than "4th Liner", this has more of a grinding bass riff, fuller drumming, and more sung vocals, and it suits The Apocalypse Afterparty's established sound! The MPC also comes a little more into use here from z, and this is a fun and upbeat rendition with extra live familiarity for long-time fans!

Third is "Lace 'Em Up",  which uses extra sampling and backing audio compared to prior tracks (including what sounds like sonar in a submarine), and it's more of a fully realized song than "4th Liner", with a very fast pace and quickly rapped rhymes from Z, though at the sacrifice of far less sung vocals. Is it wrong to say that the bass riff sounds a bit like "Do I Wanna Know?" by The Arctic Monkeys at times? Z and x handle the strings just fine on this rapid-fire original, a definite highlight on "Bufflesnort" so far! The EP closes with "Stanley Cup (Top Dogs)", which was originally titled ".500 Hockey" in advance copies. Harbouring a bouncy riff with catchy rapping until the masks come off (lyrically), then it takes on more of a melodic alt-rock sound for choruses, which actually sounds very out of place when you consider the rest of the EP. If you didn't know better, you'd think it was a clip from a side project! The verses are nice and energetic though, and this is a solid closer to the EP, if a little short compared to prior tracks!

So, what are my final thoughts on "Bufflesnort"? Well, it's a very unique album that showcases the masked bandits having fun and doing what they want with their music, and you can't argue with that! The obvious musical comparison is The Fury, thanks to common "songwriters" and both groups harbouring two bassists & no guitarist, but The Apocalypse Afterparty differentiate with copious rapping, sample and effects usage, and lots of hockey references, and that doesn't even count their visual motif and stage identities. The whole rap/nu-metal craze in the mainstream is a thing of the past, but The Double Eh make it work without seeming forced, with Z's fast rap skills and sense of humour melding well with the bass & drum accompaniment, and it all comes together particularly well on "Lace 'Em Up"! That said, the MPC could have been used more effectively early on, I found the choruses on the last song to be too much of a departure, and the lack of guitars may be distracting for some listeners.

As well, the lack of older Fury-imported originals like "The Crowd" and "Rebel Scum" was disappointing, especially given that a studio version of the former was recorded early in this EP's recording stages, but I can appreciate the emphasis on brand new originals. If you're up for some creative rap/metal fusion tracks from this unique local group, then "Bufflesnort" is worth a listen, so do so above, and hopefully The A.A. end their 2 year+ hiatus from public concerts soon!

I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what's coming up next for our May album review topic? At this juncture, I'm not sure, but here's what we can say. In terms of new releases, almost any new hard rock, metal, or punk album is possible if released, though our next review will not be of a new or old Telephone & Address album, as I only just reviewed their newest CD in December (but Chris is fair game again in June!) Our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post makes the site on Tuesday, so give that a look for hints as to what might come next. In terms of archive reviews, The Din's live album "The Din Does Laundry" is possible given their busy month ahead, but with an unclear timeline for their second studio album sessions (I wouldn't want to delay a review of that album), an archive look at a Haggith or A Fall From Innocence CD could come next too. In any event, look for our next album review next month, and stay tuned for more news this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soo Art Rocks), Plus Din & Apocalypse Afterparty Updates!!

Here's a surprise second post for your Thursday, as one of the stories relates to a private event going down tonight! Today, we have a new video and promotion for an upcoming show, an apparently impending EP release (finally), and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for an ambitious concert in two weeks time, so here's what you need to know, and check out this weekend's concert previews in the post below this one!

Live705's next promoted concert goes down at The Canadian Nightclub on Friday, May 12th, as they host "Soo Art Rocks", a hybrid concert event and local art exhibition! If you were wondering what the teased "interesting twist" was, now you know! Returning to their most frequent venue after this month's Rockstar Bar trip, Live705 have enlisted their biggest music lineup yet, and it includes local alternative/hard rock quartet Id Iota (in their Live705 debut), fellow alt-rock standouts The Din (more on them in a second),  Live705's own punk quartet A Dire Setback, newer alternative quartet Bizotic, death metal/punk duo Them (in their first public concert appearance in over a year), Stereo North frontman Andrew Pucci's current acoustic solo project (which finally has a Facebook page), and unidentified performers from the Soo York City rap collective, which has boasted familiar faces like Conika and DJ Seith in the past. As for the art side of things, what should you know?

Credited artists will include photographers Josh Pace (of recent A.D.S. events) and Chandra Barnett (who snapped pictures like this at the Fishbowl Festival's garage show), plus art from Aaron Knight and Lion Ride/Detroit alum Brenton Ellis, who will all be displaying and, in some cases, selling their wares on May 12th. Very intriguing, it will be interesting to see if the art angle is a hit! There will be a door prize as well, strongly hinted to be a print of one of Josh's concert photos. A 19+ show with doors opening at the conveniently specific time of 7:05 PM (get it?), this show is the third straight from Live705 to have a straight ticket & admission price ($10) with obtainable $2 off vouchers instead of $8 advance tickets, so this must be a working formula for the promoters if they've stuck with this experiment this long. If you're so inclined, you can get your vouchers from performers, and tickets are on sale at The Canadian Motor Hotel's front desk. For more details on Soo Art Rocks, visit the official Facebook event page!

From the art show angle to the wide ranging genre lineup to the continued voucher usage, Live705 aren't afraid to try new things and push boundaries with their events, so whether you're in it for the music or the art, there's a little something for everyone! Check the above links for much more on Soo Art Rocks, and stay tuned for updates if they come in!

Next up, it appears to be happening at last: The Apocalypse Afterparty's debut EP "Bufflesnort" will finally have it's initial soft release TONIGHT at a private concert at Mellow D's Underground! Their sister band The Noochin' Lanterns will reportedly have copies for sale at this show, which will have an open mic block too, and while there's no other confirmation of performers, I don't think The A.A. proper are on the band lineup. As per their Facebook page on Sunday, The Apocalypse Afterparty will have "Bufflesnort" available on USB thumb drives and a to be announced "variety of other media" (CDs not among them), with plans to unveil vendors tomorrow where you can buy your own copies. If things line up as planned, then it's great to finally see "Bufflesnort" released, as the EP has been teased to come out for months now, and has been in the works in varying forms for well over 2 years. Assuming it does come out as scheduled, look for our review of "Bufflesnort" this weekend, and inquire above if you want to check out the action at Mellow D's tonight!

Finally, here's some updates from the aforementioned Din, and yes, we will touch on their recent full concert video in the coming days as well! Today's updates all relate to their set at next week's second annual Sky's The Limit mental health fundraiser concert at The Tech, starting with a pair of new lineup confirmations, both returnees from last year who successfully auditioned again last week. One is Electric Church, the rising young blues/hard rock trio who first came onto our radar at last year's event (stay tuned soon for a new video of theirs as well), and Christian rapper Tristan "Bold Noize" Goslow, who performed as White Noize last year. Great to see both back for year #2 and the causes it supports! No word yet on the other performers, but remember that promoters never publically unveiled a performer lineup last year. As for The Din, they posted this new video onto their Facebook page on Tuesday, so what should you know on it?

The video features The Din hyping the show and what you should know as attendees, before realizing that Tristan is also there unannounced. The video ends with a parody "endorsement" from a public figure, and while I won't turn the site political over it, I'll say that it's funny, though not a perfect impersonation. Give it a look below, see above for info on how to attend The Sky's The Limit II at The Tech, and stay tuned for that full Din concert video!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and this month's CD review soon! Thanks everyone!

415E Concert Previews, Apocalypse Afterparty Updates, And More Recent Notes!!

Before we get this month's Defunct Local Band Profile up here, let's cap off the weekend's concert previews, as well as touch on some recent updates on an upcoming album, a pair of bands that we have moved to our inactive band links, and more, so here's what you should know!

Sault Michigan hard rock quartet 415E will return to the local stage for two shows at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Back on stage for the first time in over a month, this will be the former Hubbard-Menard Band's first concert weekend in St. Ignace since the summer, and unless there's an interim announcement, their second-last concert weekend of 2016 (they'll be back at the same venue next month.) Dave, Chris, Mitch, and Tony deliver a solid night of hard rocking action whenever they take the local stage, and hopefully their Van Halen-inspired sets get another solid turnout at The Northern Pines Lounge over the next two nights! As usual, tonight & tomorrow's shows are 9:00 PM affairs with 21+ age limits and no announced cover charges. See above for more details, and here's 415E live!

Next up, here's the latest from Sault Ontario rap/metal quartet The Apocalypse Afterparty! The eclectic masked outfit resurfaced after a two month break to reveal some more detailed plans regarding the release of their debut EP "Bufflesnort" via their Facebook page, so what should you know on that front? According to a schedule posting there, the band made a timeline for the public release of the EP's remaining 2 songs (one is out, one is forthcoming), to be followed by the commencement of album pre-orders via Facebook and their "house website", of which I don't have the URL. The rough plan is to have early bird orders fulfilled on December 8th, while the official public release is planned for February 1st with a CD release party, which would be their first public concert since last year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands. Again, the band indicated that "Bufflesnort" will not be released on CD, but they've tracked down the right release format, and it will still be "premium" (for reference, the band had teased USB thumb drives as a possible storage format in the past.)

Also, no word on if their newest status (which appears to imply that ex-Haggith singer Curtis McKenzie is their new drummer) is in jest or not, but Curt can drum, and The Apocalypse Afterparty were looking for a drummer. We'll keep you posted! As for the teased song releases, the third song from"Bufflesnort" was posted to "songwriter" Paul Stanghetta's YouTube channel earlier this week, and it's entitled "Stanley Cup (Top Dogs)", maintaining the EP's hockey theme. I'll hold full thoughts until the EP's release, but check out The Apocalypse Afterparty's newest studio track below, and stay tuned for more from "Bufflesnort" in short order!



Also today, we have a band to move to our inactive band links, that being local grunge/hardcore duo Bad Back. Though they haven't announced anything public regarding their status, they haven't posted an online update since releasing their digital album (entitled "ALbums") in September of last year. A fan favourite sight at local concerts from 2013-2015, and often under the Six, Two, Oh. banner, this union of ex-Fuller bandmates Jamie Vincent and Nathan Sauve opened for bands like The Archaics, Biipiigwan, and Like Animals during their heyday, as well as releasing two demo "VOLumes" in 2014, and even playing live with Jamie's other band AlgomA in Toronto. However, the guys haven't played an announced live concert since opening for Benighted in March of last year, later dropping out of last summer's SNFU and Ballot Burner shows. Bad Back's minimalist blend of hardcore punk and alternative styles made them a fun addition to many concerts in the mid 2000s, and while I don't know where they've been, hopefully we hear from Jamie and Nathan again in the future!

Finally for today, here's three more shorter items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• We have also moved local metal quartet Chronic Demonic to our inactive band links, as they haven't posted anything directly referencing their own music or recording plans since 2014, only posting about members' other bands or general topics on their Facebook page since, and only once of that kind in the past year anyway. Aside from a surprise Misfits cover at The Rosie in 2013, Chronic Demonic have only unveiled sporadic studio updates, despite continually impressive band lineups. Hopefully Chronic Demonic can finally have a full launch at some point, and best of luck to Nik, Kevin, Ryan, and Jonathan in the interim!
• Local experimental metal solo project The Coyote Speedfreaks launched their own website via Webs in April, which features links to the project's free "albums", but also gives fans in-depth write-ups on the meanings behind both albums and the project's name's meaning, with another new album apparently in the works. Chase's creativity shines through here, so give everything a read above if you want, and stay tuned for more!
• Amidst various teasers and references to recording sessions, newer local progressive metal band Kraken Mara revealed on their Facebook page last month that they've sent a track off to be mastered, and to "stay tuned for the finished product." Nothing has been elaborated on since, but it's great to see that the Late & Loud successors are staying busy, so keep watch for more updates!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile next, I promise! Thanks everyone!

Apocalypse Afterparty EP Updates, Plus New Kiss & Kaepora Gaebora Videos!!

Before we begin this post, I wanted to apologize for missing two shows from Sault Michigan-area blues/hard rock quartet Project 906 for coverage on here, as they played at Pickles Bar & Grill in Brimley on August 27th and then at The Strongs Motel & Tavern this past Saturday. The band only plugged each show once via their Facebook page, but regardless, I should have found out about them at the time, so I profusely apologize for not plugging them here. I'll try to make sure that doesn't happen again, and hopefully the shows were great! Now, this post features some interesting album notes and new videos, so let's get things rolling!

Remember how Sault Ontario rap/metal project The Apocalypse Afterparty were ramping up teasers & postings regarding their debut EP "Bufflesnort"? Well, we can confirm much more on it now, as I was delivered a premium press kit yesterday by the band. How premium are we talking? Well, how about having the EP contained in a floor tom drum that was played by ex-drummer Steve Mozarowski (a.k.a. X) at last year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands semifinals!? Lying under the drum skin was a Blackberry Bold 9900 phone with charging cable, earplugs (presumably for my protection), plus a piece of paper detailing how to access the "Bufflesnort" EP on the phone. On this basis alone, The Apocalypse Afterparty get a 20 out of 10 for creativity! Apparently, the band are distributing the album in four formats: Online file downloads, USB sticks (in lieu of CDs), standalone cell phones, and a "premium phone" (a nicer cell phone with special packaging), which is what I received. The phone copies are on a limited basis to friends, diehard fans, and media, as far as I know.

Similarly to the setlists & manifestos distributed to judges at last year's battle, my Blackberry included a creative text document explaining the band's aims, sound, and influences, along with instructions on how to import the EP to your computer from the phone. The document says not to share, presumably to maintain it's secrecy, but if you get a phone with said file, it's a fun read! I had to import the EP to my computer via Bluetooth as it wouldn't recognize the phone via USB, but I have them now, so what can I confirm about the tracks? "Bufflesnort" contains four songs, including the previously revealed cover of Saul Williams' "Reparations (List of Demands)" with the new title "Better Than The Hives Did It", but the three originals are entitled "4th Liner", ".500 Hockey", and "Lace 'Em Up", maintaining the hockey theme from the five album covers. It should be noted that songs from The Apocalypse Afterparty's predecessor band The Fury like "Rebel Scum" & "The Crowd" are not on this EP, even though they played them live, and "The Crowd" was recorded for the EP in it's early stages.

As for the band's drummer position, I might as well note that tracks on the EP were performed by frontman Z, ex-drummer Amber McKay, and someone named "Sven" (full identity unclear), but it's not clear who is on what song. "Bufflesnort" hasn't been officially released yet, but this unique release method and pre-promotion definitely has fans talking, and I definitely have never received an album inside of a concert-used drum before! "4th Liner" is the second publically revealed song from The Apocalypse Afterparty's social media pages, so check it out via the above links and "songwriter" Paul Stanghetta's YouTube channel below, and stay tuned for more from them!

Next up, here's a new concert video find from Kiss' outdoor headlining show at Kewadin Casino in Sault Michigan in July 2007! I have double checked, this is neither a video we covered on the SMS before, or a re-posting of a currently available YouTube upload, so if you're a fan of the New York hard rock legends, don't bypass this video! Uploaded by YouTube user Spacemanacelive last month as part of numerous other Kiss tour video postings, this was filmed right near the front of the stage, and it features Kiss playing their first three songs of that show ("Detroit Rock City", "Deuce", and "Makin' Love"), so visit each individual song title to see a specific track. Though the video is fairly shaky at points, the audio is nice and clear, and it's great to see this footage at last! Watch out for the explosions during "Detroit Rock City" though, especially if listening with headphones. You wanted the best, you got the best, so enjoy the best below, and hopefully more videos turn up from their Soo dates!



Finally, here's a new concert video find from newer Sault Ontario death metal quintet Kaepora Gaebora! Filmed at The New American Pub on June 19th when they opened for Foam, bassist Jeph Brown uploaded this video of the band playing their original song "Misinterpreting the Deity" to his personal Facebook page, then shared it to the band's Facebook page afterward. Though unfortunately filmed on the vertical cell phone camera angle, it's a solid little clip that captures Kaepora Gaebora in good & brutal form! I'm unsure where they've been in the past 3 months (they never even plugged this show on Facebook), but check out their newest video footage below!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Dumpster Mummy), Apocalypse Afterparty Updates, And New Banned Videos!!

At last, we're rounding out another weekend of concert previews with a delayed SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, but to round out this post, we have big updates from a band and their upcoming debut CD, and some new concert videos! Note that this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post is absolutely coming tomorrow, recent regular posts and personal commitments have forced it's delay, just in case you were curious. Now, here's what you should know for this Labour Day weekend post!

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia metal quartet Dumpster Mummy will make their local concert debut TOMORROW NIGHT when they headline at The New American Pub! Apologies for the short notice, the show was only publically announced earlier this week via it's official Facebook event page. Notably marking the return of promoters Heavy North Entertainment for the first time since last September's Fuck the Facts show, it's great to see Tyler St. Amour promoting again after a year's hiatus, albeit not at The Oddfellows Hall, but hopefully this isn't a one-off! Dumpster Mummy's aggressive sound combines death, thrash, and groove metal influences to very solid effect, and they should devastate The New A TOMORROW NIGHT, so don't miss out during this stop on their Canadian tour! A stacked local opening lineup will include classic metal quintet Project 421, goregrind solo project Crucify the Whore, groove/death metal duo Them (last seen opening for Gorod in May), and modern hard rock quartet Eclipse to kick things off.

Note that punk/metal favourites Jack Spades were originally slated to open as well, but were replaced by both Eclipse & Them due to a family emergency, and our thoughts are absolutely with them at this time! This 19+ concert begins at 9:00 PM TOMORROW, and while a $4 cover charge is listed, promoters also list that you can also "pay what you can", so keep that in mind in case this is accurate. Despite the relative late notice, this should be a fun concert for metalheads, so keep this one in mind for TOMORROW, especially with the Labour Day holiday on Monday! See above for more details, and here's Dumpster Mummy live!



Next up, here's the latest from recently dormant local rap/metal project The Apocalypse Afterparty, as their long gestating debut EP "Bufflesnort" is progressing towards release! In their first music-related posts on their Facebook page since March, the 2015 VM Radio Battle finalists unveiled five different covers for the EP (this one is their profile photo, if nothing else) that all feature a minimalist hockey motif. The band followed that by posting their cover of Saul Williams' "List of Demands (Reparations)", under the title "Better Than The Hives Did It" onto their Reverbnation page, joining their older studio recording of "The Crowd", though no word on if the latter has since been re-recorded. The EP itself was recorded locally at Tidal Records and mixed by Fairmounts guitarist Simon Head at Insight Recorders, who have worked with the likes of The Boot Hill Crooners and Jesse Merineau in the past. Note that The Apocalypse Afterparty have indicated that their new song will be taken down before they "prep for a hard release", so listen while you can!

An earlier post also hinted that a member of defunct Saskatchewan hardcore band The Holly Springs Disaster (a favourite touring act from Oddfellows Hall shows in the 2000s) would be making a guest appearance on the EP, but the band hasn't elaborated on that since. It should be noted that "songwriter" Paul Stanghetta (a.k.a. Puablos Stancu) posted on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group yesterday regarding a search for a new drummer, noting that they aren't necessarily looking for someone with a high skill level, just a high fun level, and that they want to jam 2 or 3 times a week and play live. While The Apocalypse Afterparty still only credit band members by stage names, I hope it's not contraband to note that the band had briefly enlisted Amber McKay as their drummer after Steve Mozarowski left last year, as per personal conversations, but she appears to have departed as well.

Though The Apocalypse Afterparty have only played a handful of live concerts, their creative stage show and masked personas definitely help them stand out among the crowd, and aspiring drummers should definitely give Paul a shout via his Musicians Wanted group post above or at this link if you want in! "Bufflesnort" seems to be shaping up well, and it should be an intriguing EP when it's formally released! Stay tuned for updates, and here's the Facebook video copy of "Better Than The Hives Did It"/"Reparations"!

Finally for today, here's some overdue new videos from Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock cover trio Banned, mostly from their show at McNeil's Hotel & Bar in Gould City (90 minutes west of the Soo) last week, but one extra video does come from their private gig in Iron River last Friday. All again shared via live streams rather than uploads after the fact (why not advertise them in advance so more fans can watch live?), two were shared via frontman Alex Traynor's personal Facebook page, while the others were uploaded to Banned's Facebook page directly. The new Iron River video has Banned covering Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train", while the Gould City clips include renditions of Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World", Journey's "Any Way You Want It", and as embedded below, Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine", all with Alex on lead vocals.

Though the band setup at McNeil's is odd (drummer, bassist, and guitarist from left to right?), Banned sound good on these covers, and it's nice to see that their recent footage dips more to older rock, which I've felt suited them better than some of the newer indie rock covers and country material that they've tackled. Solid stuff all around, so check out their newest videos above & below, and don't miss Banned in St. Ignace next weekend!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next, I promise! Thanks everyone!