AlgomA/Chronobot Split Vinyl EP Review!!

To end the month at the SMS, here's our 82nd monthly CD review, as we're taking a look at local doom metal trio AlgomA's split vinyl EP with Saskatchewan stoner doom quintet Chronobot! Released through AlgomA's label Deadbeat Media on April 1st of this year, and with artwork again by Adam Geyer, this is the second official studio release and first split from AlgomA, while this is Chronobot's third release and second split. AlgomA's half of the split was recorded locally over the past year at Six, Two, Oh. and mixed & mastered by Pixo Control bassist Dustin Goodall, while Chronobot's half was recorded at The Sweat Shoppe in Saskatoon, with producer and mixer Mike Lefebvre. AlgomA are again represented by singer/bassist Kevin Campbell, guitarist/vocalist Boyd Rendell, and drummer Jamie Vincent), while Chronobot's lineup featured singer/guitarist Dafe Landry, guitarist/bassist Quinton Anderson, drummer Cody Futerko, and keyboardist Darius Simonot.

Note that Chronobot currently feature a bassist named Scott in their public lineup, but he did not play on the split. Physical copies of this split (on clear blue vinyl!) are available locally at The Rad Zone, AlgomA concerts, and through band members for $20, and while this release is not available on CD (for now?), digital download copies are available on AlgomA's Bandcamp page (and Chronobot's) for $6, with song names below linked from there. The songs can be streamed free there too, but consider supporting the bands by buying it! Featuring 25 minutes of music, let's begin with AlgomA's half!

Side A of the split contains AlgomA's two songs, starting with "Phthisis", which is sung from the point of view of a man dying of pulmonary tuberculosis. Starting with reverbed guitar feedback and backing sound effects, this soon unleashes into a fast (for AlgomA) doom metal number that is arguably their most bass-heavy studio track yet, with Kevin laying in ferociously, but his vocals aren't as loud and clear as they had been on their debut EP (maybe it's intentional to represent having the title affliction?) I like the guitar effects, and it is fittingly crushing and doomy before it's abrupt ending, so fans should have no problem moshing to this one live! AlgomA's second & final offering is "Electric Fence", which packs a lot into it's eight minute runtime! Lyrically about an inmate trying to escape prison (a rare instance of the main character surviving an AlgomA song), this song has an ominous opening that sounds like a march to death row before the full band's doom onslaught kicks in!

Featuring Boyd on lead vocals, his high pitched screams are welcomed on this brutal song, with methodical drumming from Jamie and a down-trodden but undeniably heavy riff throughout, including some effective feedback breaks in between verses. The song goes on a little long (partly thanks to the extended instrumental opening), but this is a strong compliment to "Phthisis" that delivers a brutal wallop of doom metal, and all three guys are up to the challenge as usual, so fans will be right at home!

Chronobot take over side B of the split with three songs of their own, which run 3-5 minutes in length. Entitled "Red Nails", "Jerry Can", and "Sons of Sabbath", the latter's title is particularly profound, with a clear Black Sabbath influence propagating their songs, albeit with a spacey, keyboard-infused bent. "Red Nails" exhibits that mixture to a T, albeit with harsher guttural vocals, while "Jerry Can" is shorter, and goes fuller into their stoner side with some nice effects and a solid pounding riff, though the lyrics are somewhat repetitive when utilized. "Son of Sabbath" also pays tribute to the metal forefathers in it's sound, and if it was an instrumental, it might be hard to tell that it was actually Chronobot! Musically, these guys have a strong sound that combines old school doom metal with aggressive modern vocals, with Dafe & Quinton's guitar riffs always adding something to the material, and Darius' keyboard work adds that spaced-out flourish, with a clear chemistry from all four guys to boot!

So, what are my final thoughts on AlgomA and Chronobot's split EP? It's a very entertaining release for doom metal fans, with the two bands (well acquainted since their 2014 local show together) complimenting each other with their own heavy takes on the genre, with AlgomA's bleak devastation and Chronobot's retro stoner influence giving a little something for any metalhead! The decision to release the split as a vinyl record only (for physical copies) is a risk compared to what local bands typically put out, and given that many fans don't have record players, but it helps this EP stand out among everything else, and with that cover art, how could you not want a copy? With that said, this split isn't overly long, with only 5 tracks between the two bands, but both bands have other releases if you want more of either or both. AlgomA and Chronobot are both very skilled and entertaining entrants in the Canadian doom metal scene, and this split is well worth picking up for genre fans, especially with the vinyl revival!

Consider buying a copy A.S.A.P., and hopefully Chronobot come back to the Soo in due course! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, and as for next month, we'll likely be looking at local alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota's debut EP "Maudlin Fair", which was successfully released earlier this month during their Ontario tour, so look for that next month, and stay tuned for more news and updates shortly! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Chronobot Split Release Information, Stereo North Updates, And Much More!!

Before this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post makes it's way to the site, let's keep the news rolling on this Saturday morning, so what's on tap? Some assorted recent updates, new covers from a recent album release, a local punk band's recent songwriting sessions, and to start, full details concerning a brand new and long awaited vinyl release, so here's what you should know for today!

Local doom metal trio AlgomA's split vinyl EP with Saskatchewan doom metal band Chronobot was officially released as planned yesterday, so what should you know on it? Put out through Dead Beat Media and with cover art by Adam Geyer (similarly to AlgomA's debut "Reclaimed By The Forest"), this is AlgomA's second release and Chronobot's third, following their own solo debut and a separate split. As previously announced, the split features two tracks from AlgomA and three from Chronobot, but given that one of the AlgomA songs is almost eight minutes long, their respective run-times are comparable. Digital copies of the split are available at AlgomA's Bandcamp page for $6, but full copies of the 12'' vinyl record (pressed in blue!) are $20 there, and they'll also be on sale during the Black Tremor/punk rock bingo concert at The New American Pub on Wednesday, so keep all of these purchasing options in mind! Also, AlgomA have dedicated the split to late local metal musician Sabrina "Strange" Pelchat, as per pictures of the liner notes.

Also, Sven Mihlan of the blog Doom Metal Front previewed two more songs via Soundcloud from the split in this article, namely AlgomA's "The Electric Fence" and Chronobot's "Jerry Can", leaving only Chronobot's "Sons of Sabbath" unpreviewed in this fashion (No Clean Singing previewed the other two.) As for our review of the split, you can definitely expect it this month, date to be established, so check the above links for more details on this release, and don't miss AlgomA at The New A on Wednesday!

Next up, here's the latest from local pop punk quartet Stereo North, who have been preparing their own original material since their VM Radio Battle of the Bands set last month, with a Facebook page posting earlier this week implying that the band is aiming to have enough setlist material to play 3 sets worth for solo concerts. Not a bad idea, Project 421 had made the move to play shows of that length themselves recently, so we'll have to see how a full night of Stereo North works! Also, the band shared this video from frontman Andrew Pucci's personal Facebook page of him demoing a planned original song for the band, tentatively named "Echoes", with the aim being to include this on their debut album. Sounds good so far, but it obviously isn't complete, and Andrew admits in captions that a Matthew Anich guitar solo at a key moment would be essential. Give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Stereo North!

Also today, newer local experimental hard rock solo project The Coyote Speedfreaks posted a new video onto mastermind Chase Wigmore's YouTube channel on Wednesday, and it's of ...."Strange Coyotes 3"?! As you may recall, his former band The Strange Coyotes posthumously finished the live album recorded at their final concert in November 2014 in February of this year, but Chase wasn't behind it's final release, and online postings implied that he wasn't in favour of it. As he noted with a Futurama reference on the Speedfreaks page, "War were declared", so he responded by covering three songs from the Coyotes' album/set ("I'm Gonna Love You" with an adult title change, "Sneeze", and "Kaylore"), all of which started off of James Watterworth's own solo songs, though Chase re-interpreted some lyrics if he couldn't make out the originals. Performed acoustically but with Chase's trademark chaotic & unpredictable presence, it's fun to hear him perform these songs again, and to give his own interpretation of these songs, so check them out below!



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

• The Gorod/Bookakee-headlined concert on Friday, April 15th has been relocated from The Algonquin Pub to The Oddfellows Hall, and is consequently now an ALL AGES show! Promoter J.D. Pearce noted on the Facebook event page that The Algonquin Pub "won't be ready in time" for April 15th, but it's not publically clear what's going on with the pub. With the new all ages venue, doors will now open at 7:00 PM, and J.D. may be adding an additional local opener, so see the above links for more details on this relocated metal show!
• After 4 years of local band involvement in the Rock 'N Roar Battle of the Bands in Spanish, there were sadly no local bands registered to compete in tonight's edition of the event, as per the official Facebook page for the annual Spanish concert festival, which will be held in August. The Soo's not completely shut out though, as ex-Sykotyk Rampage bassist Brian Cattapan's Sudbury band Aggressive Acoustic will be the first performers tonight, so best of luck to them as they look to place high and earn an opening slot for Big Sugar or Haywire this summer!
• Local goregrind duo Rotopsy will end their nine month concert hiatus as the final local openers for the Reanimator-headlined concert at The New American Pub on Sunday, April 24th, as per the official Facebook event page! Given Tyler & Dylan's usual concert frequency, it's odd that they've been off stage for this long, but Rotopsy should fit in well with Reanimator and Pillory next month! Stay tuned for more!

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

AlgomA/Chronobot Split Pre-Release Promotion, A New Song, And Much More!!

In possibly our last news post before we post this month's CD review, today's post will lead off with details on what will likely be next month's CD review topic, as it's getting a lot of online press coverage and promotion this month! Alongside, we have a new-to-us song from a recent addition to our band links, and some assorted recent notes, so here's what you should know!

The forthcoming split EP from local doom metal trio AlgomA and Saskatchewan doom metal band Chronobot (which comes out THIS FRIDAY) is the subject of some advance media coverage, so what should you know on it? Parker Folse from the metal website No Clean Singing previewed the split for this article from March 20th where they officially unveiled one track from each band's half of the release, so if you want to hear the studio version of AlgomA's "Phthtisis" or Chronobot's "Red Nails", see the above links, or visit the featured Soundcloud page! Without giving too much away (as this split is very likely for next month's CD review), Parker reviewed "Phthisis" as a "raw, vicious onslaught" for those "in the mood to be trampled", among other graphic depictions. Given the genre, this should be taken as a compliment! Then on Thursday, the metal blog Doomed To Darkness Zine gave the split an 8/10 score in this review, positively reflecting on AlgomA as "a very great sounding mixture" of their subgenres.

Also featuring in-depth thoughts on both bands' talents and sounds, it's a solid review for the lead-up to the formal release on Friday, so give it a look at this link and more above! Most recently, AlgomA bassist Kevin Campbell and Chronobot keyboardist Darius Simonot were separately interviewed by Jill Girardi for this article from their label Dead Beat Media (who are releasing this split), so what should you know from that? In the interview, Kevin is asked about how the two bands hooked up for the release, the recording process for AlgomA's half of the split, the meanings of their contributed songs, the concept of the album art, why they opted for a vinyl release, future plans for their next split with Hooded Menace, touring plans, how the band formed, and much more, while Darius got basically the exact same questions concerning Chronobot. These interviews are solid reads for fans of both bands, so be sure to check out the full interviews above or at this location!

In terms of scoops, Kevin did note that Pixo Control/Id Iota bassist Dustin Goodall helped mix and master AlgomA's songs, "exciting news" regarding their second full length CD will apparently come later this year, and he revealed that "The Electric Fence" is apparently their first original where a character in the lyrics survives the story within. This is a big week for fans of AlgomA and Chronobot, so see above for more promotion of this split disc, stay tuned for details on it's release on Friday! Lastly, AlgomA posted their debut CD "Reclaimed By The Forest" in full on their YouTube channel yesterday, so stream it free above & below as we await the split's release!



Next up, here's a new/old original song from new local experimental hard rock solo project The Coyote Speedfreaks! It's new to us via a share on their Facebook page last week, but Chase actually uploaded this to his personal YouTube channel in July 2014, so that's at least how long this project has been in the works before their public reveal a few months back. Entitled "One of Many", this techno-influenced number isn't as heavy as the Speedfreaks' later material, but it's well composed and creative, so give it a listen below!



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

• Local classic/hard rock veterans Havadder have quietly parted ways with guitarist Jamie July, as per his recent removal from their Facebook page's lineup. A reason for his departure hasn't been announced, but Jamie (who joined Havadder upon their late 2013 reunion) increasingly only played with them during summer gigs, so it hasn't been uncommon to see them play as a trio. Hopefully the split was amicable in any case, so best of luck to Jamie in the future, and stay tuned for more on Havadder's show this weekend when our next concert preview post goes up!
• In another musician search from ex-Bear Hunters guitarist Mike Vincent, he's now looking for a bassist for what appears to be his band Troubled Mind (alongside fellow Skull After Betrayl alum Adam Brett), which he describes as "weird metal and fucked up rock". Mike has jam space, the band only plays originals, and both guys provide vocals, but they aren't opposed to having a new bassist sing as well. If you're interested in trying out, message Mike at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Thursday!
• SooToday's coverage of last week's VM Radio Battle of the Bands final round was posted online on Friday, where Donna Hopper mostly covers indie rockers K.I.C.K.'s victory, and includes remarks from K.I.C.K.'s Simon Shearsby & Kevin D'Orazio, where they talk about the experience, Kevin's addition to the band, and their plans to use their winnings to record a debut EP. Sadly, only one photo is included with the article, and Donna was unable to cover the semifinal rounds live, but it's a good write-up of the event, so give it a look at this link, and stay tuned for her Tuned episode on the battle!

That's likely all for today, but stay tuned for this month's CD review and weekend concert previews in our next two posts, if all goes according to plan! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Chronobot Split Release Details, Punk Rock Bingo III Preview, And C.T.W. Updates!!

We're nearing the mid-point of March 2016 already, and let's keep March going like a lion on this Monday morning with a post heavy on extreme metal content, including the latest from a prolific goregrind artist, a preview of the delayed third installment of a punk-themed event, and first, big updates on an upcoming split release from a talented local band!

The long teased split EP from local doom metal trio AlgomA and Saskatchewan stoner/doom quintet Chronobot will officially be released on Friday, April 1st through AlgomA's label Deadbeat Media! As recently revealed on their Bandcamp page, the split is visibly untitled (I guess "AlgomA/Chronobot Split" will have to do), and it will be released in both digital formats and on a 12'' vinyl record, with each band having a side of the record to themselves. AlgomA are contributing two new songs to their half, namely "Phthisis" and "Electric Fence", while Chronobot will include three songs on theirs (don't read too much into that, remember that AlgomA are no strangers to long and slow originals.) And yes, artwork for the split was provided by Adam Geyer, who also did the art for AlgomA's 2014 debut CD "Reclaimed By The Forest". You can pre-order digital copies now via the above links for $6 (no word on if that will jump upon release), though physical records will likely be primarily available through Deadbeat Media or at AlgomA concerts.

No word yet though on AlgomA's other teased split album with Hooded Menace, or if these AlgomA songs will be included on any future solo releases by the band. It's great to hear more on AlgomA's first of two split EPs, and it will be interesting to hear how this sounds and is recieved! Check the above links for more info, and get ready for April 1st!

Next up, here's our preview for the third installment of punk rock bingo at The New American Pub THIS WEDNESDAY, courtesy of AlgomA members' promotion agency & studio Six, Two, Oh.! After the late cancellation of February's planned third installment, things are back on for the delayed trilogy of this ongoing event, though for what it's worth, the Facebook event page notes that "this is going to be the first organized one." Like it's first two installments last year, punk rock bingo will see irreverent prizes for winners who get a line on their bingo cards (of which there's 9,000 ordered, with dabbers), and you could win everything from albums, movies, and video games to used clothing, artwork, skateboard decks, and.... breakfast with caller Brent Ellis at The Gore Street Cafe?! If that's a legit prize, it's a carry-over from the planned February bingo night. As usual, there is FREE admission (but cards are 50¢ each), this is a 19+ event, and everything starts at 9:00 PM.

Also note that reunited local extreme metal band Winkstinger were originally advertised to play their first public show in almost two years on Wednesday, but they have since dropped out of the event, possibly due to their ongoing singer vacancy. As such, this will be like the inaugural punk rock bingo via being just a punk-themed bingo night, not a concert with bingo (if you want that, be at The New A on April 6th), but it should be a fun & unpredictable time, so keep it in mind for Wednesday night, especially if don't plan to be at the VM Radio Battle of the Bands semifinals!

Finally, here's the latest from local goregrind musician Tyler "Ringsnaps" Gibson's solo projects, mainly Crucify the Whore! C.T.W.'s newest demo album "The Beautiful Sounds of Nature" was released onto their Bandcamp page on Saturday, featuring 20 songs (including a Mortician cover), and while the songs will please fans of their minimalist goregrind and death metal sound, the songs are a bit longer than average compared to older releases, with only 6 songs coming in at under 90 seconds in length. I won't list every song name here due to potentially offensive content, but some newer titles include "I Love Godzilla But I HATE Cloverfield" and "TEXAS". Physical copies are coming next month, but if you won't be chatting with Tyler in the interim, when are C.T.W. playing live next? In a post on their new Facebook page (more on that in a second) from last week, Tyler conceded that he hasn't "gotten as much set in stone" as he'd hoped, "but the word is still out there, and anything can happen."

Tyler did confirm that he'll be playing live at an event of some kind on Tuesday, August 2nd in the Soo, and he believes that C.T.W. or his two-man-band Rotopsy will be involved in a house show and maybe an Oddfellows Hall concert in April, and maybe a show in June, but the only firmly announced event at the moment is the Iskra-headlined concert at The Moose Lodge on July 14th. No word on if any of these potential shows will be courtesy of Heavy North Entertainment, who are still "no longer active until further notice", but one would imagine that Blood Shed Productions artists would factor into H.N.E. shows if do come back this year. And lastly, at some point since last fall, Tyler took down C.T.W.'s original Facebook page for unannounced reasons, and moved that project's activity in full over to his cybergrind project Malignant Neoplasm's page, essentially taking that page over.

This can't be a good sign for Malignant Neoplasm's future, but barring an official announcement regarding their status, we'll keep them in our active band links until at least August, and they're now linked on the SMS via their Bandcamp page. Though still as polarizing as ever, Crucify The Whore and Tyler's other active metal bands continue to do what they want without apologies, and fans should get a kick out of the newest C.T.W. originals, which are as heavy as ever, so check out more from them at the above links, and here's one of two new YouTube uploads of their new songs to the Blood Shed YouTube channel, namely "Organic Hipster Beer"! The other's title may be offensive to some readers.



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our preview of Wednesday night's last semifinal in this year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Highway 63), New Videos, And More Updates!!

Before we get into today's post, I'd like to apologize for a pair of missed concerts this past weekend, as Traverse City metal trio Scarkazm played their first E.U.P. dates of the year this past Friday & Saturday at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino. Despite being announced online on January 4th, they completely slipped us by last week. No excuses, I sincerely apologize for missing them on here, but hopefully Scarkazm had a great weekend, and that they & Peril head back north in short order! Now, today's post features some assorted news, new videos, and first, lots of LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so here's what you need to know!

Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover quartet Highway 63 have announced their 2016 concert schedule for the regional Kewadin Casino branches, and yes, that means all year long! While we wait for an updated multi-band schedule from Kewadin themselves, the Monkey's Uncle successors have confirmed via their Facebook page that they'll be playing at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin and The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin each for one weekend a month (with one exception), so when will we see them? In St. Ignace, we'll see Highway 63 for Friday and/or Saturday nighters on January 15th & 16th, February 12th & 13th, March 11th & 12th, April 8th & 9th, May 27th & 28th, June 24th & 25th, July 29th & 30th, August 26th & 27th, September 23rd & 24th, October 21st & 22nd, and December 2nd & 3rd (there's no November dates listed for St. Ignace.) Meanwhile, when will we see this talented band rocking the Soo in 2016?

Look for them there on January 22nd & 23rd, February 19th & 20th, March 25th & 26th, April 22nd & 23rd, May 13th & 14th, June 3rd & 4th, July 8th & 9th, August 12th & 13th, September 9th & 10th, October 7th & 8th, November 4th & 5th, and Saturday, December 31st only, so keep these dates in mind! Also, Highway 63 will play a few shows at the Kewadin branch in Christmas through February, and they've confirmed that they plan to only playing casino gigs in 2016 due to the positive response those have gotten. Each show has a 9:00 PM start time, 21+ age limit, and no cover, so check the above links for more details!

Next up, here's a new video from Sault Ontario alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control promoting their Sudbury concert on January 22nd, as per their YouTube channel on Saturday, and it's basically an extended version of their earlier Instagram video plugging the gig. It basically involves various attempts to plug the show in various comic tones and moods, often with the guys breaking down into laughter. Even if you can't make their first show in Sudbury, it's an entertaining watch, so give it a look below!



Also, here's the latest solo performance videos from ex-Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins' YouTube channel, both uploaded last month (apologies for the delay!) One of the videos is of the Sault Michigan standout playing a funk rock instrumental with all of his pedals on at once, which gives an interesting effect, but embedded below is a longer performance clip of Joe demonstrating his Mooer Pure Octave pedal, which gives the effect of his guitar sounding like a keyboard or organ when he plays it. Entertaining videos, especially if you're into guitar gear, so check out Joe's latest YouTube uploads above & below!



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

• Six months after it was first announced, the split disc from local doom metal trio AlgomA and Saskatchewan doom metal outfit Chronobot finally has some more information! As per this link, the split will apparently come out exclusively as a 12'' vinyl record (rendering it an EP or split single in length), it'll have new tracks from both bands, and it'll come out via AlgomA's label Dead Beat Media. Nice to finally hear more about it, so stay tuned for more details on it and AlgomA's other announced split with Hooded Menace when everything comes in!
• Local hard rock quartet Long Shot have apparently completed mastering their debut EP, as per their Facebook page yesterday! Though they had recorded some studio demos last year, this is largely a complete surprise, as they hadn't publically acknowledged recording an album beforehand (unless it was done in concert only.) We'll keep you posted when more comes out from Long Shot!
• Garden of Bedlam frontman Erik "Buzz" Boissineau is moving to Guelph soon for a career opportunity, and as a result, his general rock cover band Changing Lanes will be going on hiatus after their February 6th concert at The Water Tower Pub. What this development means for Garden of Bedlam's status isn't public yet, but note that the prominent metal quartet have only played one public concert in the past 2 years, and haven't issued a public update since July. We'll let you know if Garden of Bedlam announce anything, but best of luck to Buzz in Guelph!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more news & notes in the coming week! Thanks everyone!

SNFU Concert Videos & More Assorted Updates!!

Today on the SMS, we have some long overdue videos from a recent major punk concert, but to round things out, some assorted recent news & notes will cap things off. The show in question was the SNFU-headlined Gonqshow event at The Rockstar Bar on July 24th, and I apologize for the delay in these making the site, things have been personally hectic lately. YouTube user and frequent local concert filmer Christopher Paci is once again the source of our videos from the show, with all uploaded to his YouTube channel last week, and he shot no less than 10 videos, which is awesome of him! Six of them are from the headliners, Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU, including of their songs "The Ceiling", "Painful Reminder", "Broken Toy", "Seein' Life Through The Bottom Of A Bottle", and "Cannibal Cafe".

Embedded below though is SNFU playing two songs, those being "Victims Of The Womanizer" & "I Forget", so click each link for each track! The videos are solid and capture the chaotic nature of the floor during the headlining set, and while the audio's a little rough and the angle a little shaky, it comes with the territory in this case. SNFU sound as dependably aggressive as ever, but Mr. Chi Pig is sometimes hard to hear on vocals. Give Chris' SNFU videos a look above & below!



Chris' other four videos come from the local opening bands (two a piece), including local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades playing their songs "Crossroads" and, as embedded below, "Frederick". Filmed from a table rather than on the floor (similarly to the Anvil openers that he filmed), the lighting and standing attendees can be a problem at this angle, but the audio is clearer and it captures Jack Spades nicely! Note that the band has indicated on Facebook that this will be their last show until October's planned release party for their split CD with The Ripcordz and the band we're touching on next, so give these an extra look above & below!



The last of Chris' videos come from the other band on the aforementioned split CD, local hardcore punk sextet Destroilet, whose videos at this show include this short song whose name I can't place off hand, and, as embedded below, their cover of Fistmagnet's "Evil God Hater". Similar quality to the Jack Spades videos, but their ferocity comes through well, and you can tell that Mike and Brent are making good use of the surroundings for their usual rapid and engaging stage presences! Give Destroilet's videos a look above & below, and thanks again to Chris for filming all of these!



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

• In new posts on their Facebook page, Sault Michigan hard rock quartet 415E revealed that they'll be jamming at singer Dave Menard's house in Sugar Island, as well as attending this weekend's Sugar Island Music Festival. As best as I can tell, they are not playing at the actual festival, and the house show is understandably private unless you know the address, but keep this in mind if you're close with 415E members and are going to the festival!
• As previously mentioned in our latest "Where Are The New Albums?" post, Sault Ontario doom metal trio AlgomA are apparently working on a split CD with Saskatchewan space/doom quartet Chronobot as their second release! The news was revealed by Chronobot guitarist Dafe Landry in this interview with Vancouver webzine Not Your Scene last month, with plans for cassette and vinyl printings and a release later this year. The two bands shared the stage at 180 Projects last spring, and this would be neat if all goes well, so stay tuned for updates!
• Local hard rock quartet Skeyes of Seven will apparently play their first out-of-town show on Wednesday, September 16th when they head to Little Montreal in Sudbury to open for Toronto punk veterans Broomfiller (who have played in the Soo in the past.) Though Skeyes of Seven haven't confirmed this themselves, they are listed on the Facebook event page. Nice to see the guys continuing to spread their wings, and look out for more from them!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Banned Concert Previews, A New Promotion Company, And Much More!!

Before we begin this post, we have a note on a postponed concert, as the Tiffany Maj benefit concert at Coch's Corner featuring Northwest & Late Shift has been postponed a week from tomorrow to next Saturday. Promoter/Northwest guitarist Greg Callaghan explained on the Facebook event page that the date change was to avoid possible complications with tomorrow's Santa Claus Parade, which goes down Queen Street. Makes sense, especially with the earlier 8:00 PM start time, so keep the new date next Saturday in mind! Now, today's post features the remaining known hard rock concert previews for this weekend, news on a local promoter's reemergence, and much more, so here's what you need to know!

Kinross, Michigan hard/classic rock trio Banned are scheduled to return to the Dondee Lanes in Sault Michigan for the first time this year TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! This will be the guys' first date in Sault Ste. Marie proper in three months, and will mark a rare Dondee stop for Alex, Wayne, and Don, so if you want to take in some entertaining and varied covers & originals, you know where to be this weekend! Of course, they'll be back in the Soo next month at The Rapids Lounge, but what if you can't be at those gigs? Admission this weekend is likely free, you must be 21 to attend each night, and like usual for the Dondee, these shows have an early start time of 8:00 PM. For more details, check the above links! Hopefully this weekend's shows go well, so don't miss Banned this weekend, and here they are covering the Imagine Dragons!



Next up, North Shore frontman and former local hardcore singer Jeremy Hannah is finally re-entering the promotion area of the local scene via his new company Pure Sonic Audio! Years after the closure of Big Voiced Records, Jeremy has ambitious plans to provide event coordination, professional DJ services, and light & sound rentals for concerts and events in the area, which he partially outlined in a new Facebook group he launched to help musicians post info about their development and to help them get local bookings. Jeremy says that he has "new strategies" to ensure that bands can make some money for their skills and play to crowds, but he needs help, so invite your friends to join the group linked above! A Pure Sonic Audio website is online too, but as of yet, it's mostly a placeholder page with blank links and generic write-ups. Jeremy has shared some of these plans with me in personal conversations in the past, and I'm curious to see where this goes, so follow and like the links above for more info, and Pure Sonic Audio's now in our "Other Local Metal Links"!

Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter stories from the last little while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band or station name:

• Saskatchewan stoner/doom metal band Chronobot (who memorably opened for Skynet in the Soo in March) are a new confirmation for the lineup of the planned Das Bunkerfest II concert event at a Garden River location to be confirmed over the last weekend of August 2015, as per promoter Boyd Rendell on the Facebook event page yesterday. Solid addition, we'll have to see how everything shapes up next year, so see above for more info!
• So, who exactly are Infamous, the mystery act playing at Sault Band-O-Rama TODAY? According to a recent e-mail from co-promoter Steven Flint, their lineup features Lizzie Pearson on vocals, Social Suicide alum Anthony Boudreau on guitar, and Damon King on drums, with no obtained bassist yet. They appear to be one and the same as "The Damon King Band" that dropped out of Rock For Dimes last week, though they lack info (or an online page) otherwise. At least we know something on Infamous now, and thanks to Steven for the info!
• Last week, local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades revealed on their Facebook page that they already have six songs in mind for their next EP, including the previously unveiled "Fear Corps", "Frederick", "Crossroads", "Motorwolf", and two new songs named "The Lot" and "Negative Headspace". It's not known when recording sessions would commence, but things sound promising, so stay tuned!
• Marquette/Ishpeming, Michigan hard rock cover quartet Nudge have a sampler clip of songs played at The Satisfied Frog in Sault Michigan during at least one of their local shows on their Reverbnation page! It features segments of the band covering Rage Against The Machine's "Bulls on Parade", Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls", Sponge's "Plowed", and The Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right (To Party)", and all sound good (the Rage vocals are suprisingly effective), so give the clips a listen above!
• Urawk (the live band karaoke series led by members of Beaumont Avenue and Mourning Wood) will make their Rockstar Bar debut this coming Thursday, so if you want to enjoy the entertainment or sing on-stage with a real band, keep Urawk's first show since moving to The Algonquin in mind for next week! The debut there was postponed from yesterday due to the weather.
• New local internet radio network VM Radio have launched a sixth station for the next couple of months, that being VM Holidays, whose rotation obviously revolves around Christmas and seasonal songs. We mention this on here in particular because the station does have a handful of heavier Christmas songs on rotation, including Trans-Siberian Orchestra material, so if you want some seasonal music, give VM Holidays a listen!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's YouTube Channel Profile TOMORROW, and remember not to miss Sault Band-O-Rama TODAY at The Primavera Hall! Thanks everyone!

Skynet/Chronobot Concert Preview, Swampstravaganza Lineup Updates, And More!!

In quite possibly our last news post before TOMORROW'S Anvil concert at The Canadian, we have our last of the weekend's metal/hard rock concert previews (barring something on late notice), big lineup updates for an upcoming all ages show, and some new videos related to a (possibly still alive?) hard rock act, so here's what you need to know!

On Sunday night, an interesting lineup of metal and punk bands will hit 180 Projects for that Gore Street venue's first metal show of the new year, including the long awaited local debut of Hamilton progressive metal quartet Skynet as the headliners! Featuring alumni of Straight Reads The Line, you may remember Skynet from briefly being scheduled to headline at The Locals Attack in November 2012, but now they're finally going to devastate the local stage with their groove & djent influenced originals, so you won't wanna miss them! Joining them are Saskatchewan stoner/doom metal quartet Chronobot, who have a space-influenced vibe that will definitely help them stand out among the other bands tomorrow, and of course, doom metal fans should be right at home too! The local openers include local sludge/doom metal trio AlgomA in their first show of the new year, and while they haven't played live in 7 months, they've hardly been idle due to the recording of their "Reclaimed By The Forest" EP, so might we hear some new material from them on Sunday night?

Local punk trio The Northern Tragedy will open this show in their second 180 Projects appearance, and while they're the only non-metal band on the bill, their entertaining originals should gain a solid audience all the same! Promoted by Jamie Vincent & Oh! Right Arm! Promotions in their first collective show of the year, Sunday night's ALL AGES show has a $5 cover charge, and a 7:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! I like the diverse lineup of bands, and there should be a lot of heavy action going down on Sunday, so don't miss out! I hope I can go, but we'll have to see how busy I am that night. For a preview, here's Skynet's music video for their song "Deception"!



Next up, three more acts have been announced for this year's fourth Sewer Swampstravaganza on May 3rd at The Oddfellows Hall, though considering the combined lineup of one, it's almost four! One is local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes, in what will be the second straight Swampstravaganza appearance for bassist James Watterworth, but it remains to be seen how their drummer situation will look by then. For reference sake, their Facebook page has not made any drummer announcements yet, but their predecessor band Project Legion operated solely with temporary fill-ins, and the surviving members play solo often without the need for a drummer. Speaking of which, their former drummer Mike Haggith is also slated to perform this year in what's currently being advertised as a solo set (perhaps his first of this kind since his Outback gigs early in his local residence.) Mike did say on the Facebook event page that it could be expanded to a set by his acid jam band Mike Haggith & The Din, but he did admit that he'd like to showcase his original material live, so we'll have to see what happens in his own second Swampstravaganza!

The other new band is actually credited as a joint set, as remember local/Grand Rapids folk/acoustic trio Ye Olde Mold Pickers from the second Swampstravaganza in 2012? Well, they're reuniting for at least one night on May 3rd in a combined set with their successors, Grand Rapids ragtime/blues trio The Filthy Cur, whose lineup is almost the same (just swap out Rihkee Strap for Mickey MacKenzie.) It remains to be seen if the two bands will merge for a full set, or if each individual band will play short mini-sets, but Ye Olde Mold Pickers had a unique sound that will be interesting to see back on the local stage, if only for a day! If they do play a combined full set, would Ye Olde Filthy Curs be a fitting name? Finally, the advertised solo set from promoter/RedD Monkey frontman Steve Mozarowski under the "faceityoureametalband" handle has been removed from the event page's lineup for unannounced reasons, though Steve did say that his performing involvement was not final.

Disappointing, but kudos to him for bringing the Swampstravaganza back this year! This year's Swampstravaganza lineup now has 7 confirmed acts, and I would assume at least 2 or 3 more are forthcoming, so stay tuned for updates at this link and here at the SMS!

Finally for today, here's some new videos from Brutaly Fatal frontman Austin McCrae! Uploaded to their label Blood Shed Productions' YouTube channel on Wednesday, these join YouTube re-posts of two recent Facebook videos that Austin was featured in, and they're covers of Weezer's "Pork & Beans" and (as embedded below) Marcy Playground's "Sex & Candy"! Now, neither are metal songs, but I mention them here because they are both credited setlist songs of Austin and Tyler Gibson's punk/grunge band Re-Born, which morphed from the original Brutaly Fatal last month before they resurrected that band. I still don't know whether Re-Born are still operating independently or not, but either way, these are samples of what we can/could expect from that project. They do show Austin's development as a musician, and he can carry a tune, but the lack of a guitar here is noticeable, and will be more so live for this style. Check out his Marcy Playground cover below, and stay tuned in case we hear any updates on Re-Born's active status!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news soon, and I'll see you guys at The Canadian for Anvil! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Late & Loud, The Suicide Kings, And Skynet) And More!!

On this Wednesday afternoon, we have a stacked news post featuring some very notable LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS over the next three months, along with some more recent news items, so read on below for what you need to know!

Local hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings will play their first live dates of 2014 when they headline at The Roosevelt Hotel next weekend on Friday, January 24th & Saturday, January 25th! These will be the Rockstar Bar Battle winners' first shows since playing at Heavy Winter at The Rosie on Boxing Day, and their first solo appearances there in 8 months, so if you haven't caught their entertaining hard rock originals and covers lately, you know where to be next weekend! Dates for The Suicide Kings haven't been as plentiful since the summer, but hopefully next weekend's shows are just the first of many for Mike, Steven, Mitch, and Ben in 2014! There's no announced cover charge for either night, you must be 19 to attend, and 10:00 PM start times are likely. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and stay tuned for more updates from The Suicide Kings' camp as they come in!

Next up, defunct local classic metal quartet Late & Loud are indeed reuniting! The Sault Humane Society Battle winners will return for a ONE NIGHT ONLY concert on Friday, February 21st at The Rockstar Bar, where we last saw them 9 months ago at the aforementioned Rockstar Bar Battle, and this news is bound to get Loudmouths excited! Late & Loud were always a blast in concert thanks to their high energy originals and old school attitude, so don't bypass their reunion gig next month! Remember though, this is a one-off reunion, as singer/guitarist Jon Tiberi still lives & works out of town, but it will be nice to see them back on a local stage! Local all-female hard rock quintet The Danger Cats will open in their first show at The Algonquin's upstairs bar (and as of right now, their 2014 debut), and they should fit in nicely with the Late & Loud reunion next month! At least one more band is to be announced, and we'll keep you posted as we hear more.

Promoted by J.D. Pearce, this show has a 10:00 PM start time, $5 cover, and 19+ age limit. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This should be a great concert, especially to give fans at least one more chance to see Late & Loud live, and hopefully they come fully prepared to rock The Rockstar Bar next month, so don't miss it, and keep an eye out for updates!

Finally for new concert announcements, an intriguing package of metal bands will hit 180 Projects on Gore Street for that venue's first metal show of the new year on Sunday, March 16th, courtesy of Jamie Vincent and Oh! Right Arm! Promotions. The headlining band is Hamilton groove/djent metal quartet Skynet (featuring Straight Reads The Line alumni Adrian Levasseur & Blake Prince), so there's some familiarity if you saw that band locally! You may also remember Skynet from briefly being advertised to headline the Locals Attack show at The Canadian in November 2012, and it's about time we finally get their brutal hardcore metal sound in the Soo! Joining them in March are Saskatchewan stoner/doom metal quartet Chronobot, who have a unique spacey sound that should set them apart for this concert, so check them out and see what you think! Local doom metal trio AlgomA will open in their first show of the new year (and first public announced date since August), and it will be great to see them live again after a way too scattered recent schedule, so be prepared for their sludgy attack!

At least one more band is to be announced, and we'll let you guys know when we hear more. Admission is $5 for this ALL AGES concert, and given that, there's an earlier start time of 7:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Despite being a Sunday nighter, there's a very interesting (and heavy) blend of metal genres in effect for this concert, so definitely consider swinging by 180 Projects on March 16th to check everything out, and stay tuned for updates!

Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news stories from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band or event name:

• A new melodic death metal instrumental with the interesting name "100% of the Pie Chart That Is a Wheel of Options" was posted onto local metal solo project The Hiroshima Mutant Mindframe's Soundcloud page last week, and it lives up to Matt Parr's earlier technical metal promise (really catchy too), so check it out above!
• The call is out from the Bon Soo Winter Carnival to get performers for their second annual Marquee, their outdoor showcase of local artists from all fields at their winter playground area from February 8th-16th. Though last year's event had no full "heavier" bands, defunct local rockers Lazer Queen (featuring Late & Loud members) did play at The Marquee, so maybe your band will fit! For more information, visit this link, and submit an entry to snow@bonsoo.on.ca if you want to play at The Marquee next month!
• Returning local thrash quartet Pillory have been named the final local openers for Anvil & Caym at The Canadian Nightclub on March 15th, joining Jack Spades & Project 421, and returning Pillory to the site of their debut show in November 2012. Awesome news, and very unexpected, so hopefully they thrash hard in March, and don't miss their first return gig next Friday at The Oddfellows Hall! Click here for more details!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews either today or tomorrow! Thanks everyone!