It's now time for this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles, as we continue our monthly spotlighting of local metal, hard rock, and/or punk bands randomly selected from our inactive band links, in order to spotlight their runs for current readers! As our selection this month only had limited public information, I randomly chose a second band to fill things out, and by pure Random.org happenstance, that band has a common member, genre, and overall existence, so at least things go together accidentally! I did not plan this, I never do! That said, here's what you should know for this month! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abhorrent Forest
Audio/Video:Alongside a one-off single and a Drudkh cover, Abhorrent Forest released three EPs to their Bandcamp page, including their January 2017 debut "The End of Life", the ambient-centric follow-up "Ethereal", and 2018's "To See Eternity". This material comprised of basically all of Abhorrent Forest's public activity, so give them a listen above and below (via Wyrn's YouTube channel) to see what you think!
Info/Analysis:Effectively the Sevriz-free successors to mid-2010s atmospheric black metal duo Dullahan, Abhorrent Forest publically launched in October 2016 as an instrumental solo project. After the release of "To See Eternity" in March 2018, Abhorrent Forest quietly fell inactive, but they do deserve notice from genre fans, especially as black metal is not common locally. Most of their songs were punishing and bleak in a good way, and while ambient music isn't in my wheelhouse, "Ethereal" had a lot of dark, ominous qualities that worked as well. Hopefully Wyrn revisits and expands on this material down the road, there is something here! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dullahan
Genre: Atmospheric Black Metal
Hometown:Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Members: (Note that band members never revealed their identities publically during Dullahan's run, and vowed never to do so. Sevriz has similarly not given his identity on social media since they fell inactive. I do know each member's real name, but unless explicitly given the go-ahead, I'll only refer to them by their stage names here.)
Old Man Wyrn (Abhorrent Forest), guitar/bass
Sevriz, drums/keyboard
Audio/Video:Predating his work with Abhorrent Forest, Wyrn released a smattering of material in late 2015 as part of Dullahan, including a free EP named "The Wood Cutter", covers of Burzum and Absurd songs, and a February 2016 track named "The Sea of Depression" that was once planned for their unfinished second EP. You can hear these on their own Bandcamp page and YouTube channel, and here is "The Wood Cutter" in full!
Info/Analysis:Named after a headless rider in Irish mythology, Dullahan were an instrumental duo that launched publically in June 2015, Dullahan's existence was similar to that of Abhorrent Forest's to come, but they were more vocal in social media updates and song descriptions. A second EP was in the works when a family illness forced band activity to be shelved, aside from the release of "The Sea of Depression". Musically rawer, slower, and more deliberate than Abhorrent Forest, Dullahan's music still impresses given the two-man limitations, and Sevriz's drumming fits right in! It's a shame both projects aren't active, but hopefully the guys resurface! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles! This series will return on or around October 10th when we close out our latest 2-1-3-1-2-1 cycle between the Twin Saults by looking at late 2000s Sault Michigan punk band The Pick-Me-Ups, who you may recall from our first YouTube Channel Profile of the year! Look for that then, and for more news and previews soon! Thanks everyone!
This month's YouTube Channel Profiles are here on the SMS, though with a minor change. Originally, we had planned to solely cover Dullahan's channel after it's random selection, but in preparations, I realized that they only had two distinct videos without repeated content (one video's three songs were previously uploaded separately.) Slight miscalculation on my part, so to fill things out, I have randomly chosen one more channel with 4 videos from one specific event to get things back on track (fittingly, it ended up being another black metal act!) Now, here's this month's spotlight of locally relevant YouTube channels to watch and subscribe to!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dullahan (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr9mmcKmhaNcT2tZaiuz7pg)
Owner:An unspecified member of inactive local black metal duo Dullahan (either guitarist/bassist Sevriz or drummer/keyboardist Wyrn, real identities intentionally not revealed)
Channel Timeline:Launched on July 15th, 2015; Videos posted from later that month through February 2016
Channel Summary:The official Dullahan channel has seen five uploads make it's way here since the project's inception, including three single song uploads, a cover, and what the band termed as their first EP.
Why You Should Watch:Fans of atmospheric and instrumental black metal should find something to like on Dullahan's channel, and with them standing out in a local music scene that's never been historically strong for black metal bands, they were a unique sight during their heyday! However, their videos are all studio recordings with no videos or photos of Sevriz & Wyrn, adding to the band's secretive nature, so keep that in mind. Also, note that this channel hasn't been actively used since early last year.
Our Recommended Videos To Check Out
Dullahan: The Wood Cutter... (Full EP): After previously uploading it's songs in individual uploads earlier that summer, Dullahan compiled a three song "EP" for their YouTube channel and Bandcamp page on August 31st, 2015, entitled "The Wood Cutter", which is their most watched video there. A free posting with no sale option, possibly due to the included cover, the featured songs include the title track (featuring a closing sample from a Le Rêve du Diable song), a rendition of Burzum's "Lost Wisdom", and "Walking Through a Dying Forest". Though minimalistic and sans vocals, these three songs showcase Dullahan's talent and relative originality, with strong bass work and some solid riffs throughout!
Sea of Depression - Dullahan: Almost six months after posting "The Wood Cutter", Dullahan returned in February of last year for their final YouTube upload (to date), namely their original song "Sea of Depression", which was intended to be the title track of their unreleased follow-up EP. Uniquely featuring video footage of nature, waterfalls, and the horizon in place of prepared single/EP artwork, that actually helps the atmospheric vibe of the song, while also maintaining a heavy, chugging progression with solid drumming. Hopefully Dullahan re-emerge down the road, they had a good thing going, and it would have been interesting to see how they would have progressed had activity maintained into 2017!
Owner:YouTube user Raine Hailshard (previously known as Hlynur Svartaduhter; Their real identity isn't known, but I don't believe they're locally based)
Channel Timeline: Launched on February 28th, 2012; Videos posted on October 6th, 2016
Channel Summary: Though still actively used, Raine/Hlynur's only channel uploads are four clips from defunct local black metal band Woods of Ypres' set at the Obey the Flame Festival in Montreal, Quebec on
May 25th, 2003, early in the band's Windsor run. Originally posted in December 2011 shortly after singer/then-drummer David Gold's passing (on the David Gold's Legacy Facebook page), these videos feature him alongside then-singer Robin Cross, guitarists Dustin Black & Colin Wysman, and bassist Aaron Palmer. The videos feature Woods playing most of their debut EP "Against the Seasons", including "Intro: The Shams of Optimism", "Crossing the 45th Parallel", "The Sea of Immeasurable Loss",
and the channel's most popular upload, "A Meeting Place & Time". The VHS camcorder quality isn't amazing, but these capture Woods of Ypres' raw early beginnings well enough, with Robin & Aaron a good match on vocals, and the songs are handled well compared to the EP, so Woods of Ypres fans should enjoy these ones!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profiles! Next month, we'll end 2017 for this series with another randomly selected channel, this time by YouTube user Detoxicated, who has stuffed their channel with a number of Treble Charger videos from that band's heyday, including everything from interviews to music videos! Look for that on or around Boxing Day, and stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow! Thanks everyone!
Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! Before (or after?) you take in the parades and football, we have a new news post to take in, and while the U.P. side of things is naturally light over the holiday weekend, there's a big show to take in on Saturday there, plus a good slate in Sault Ontario, including a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Some bands being removed from our active band links are rounding things out, and we'll cover this year's Toystock in our next post. Now, here's what you should know!
Local classic/hard rock
cover quartet Soundcheck will hit the stage for one night only TOMORROW
NIGHT at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via it's official Facebook event page on Sunday. Fresh off of their return from hiatus last week, tomorrow's
concert will be the first at The Rockstar Bar for the Mourning Wood
successors since early June, so if you've missed Travis, Terry, Paul, and Steven at this popular downtown nightclub, you know where to be for some hard rocking but varied tunes TOMORROW! As well, this could also be seen as a tune-up event before Soundcheck rock Toystock VI on Sunday, so stay tuned for our extended preview of that charity concert in the coming days! Note also that TOMORROW'S show is a one-night-only concert, and while The Rockstar Bar's physical marquee board was advertising The Ride as playing there on Saturday, I have not seen online confirmation of that, so take that with a grain of salt.
In any event, TOMORROW'S Soundcheck concert has no announced cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a late start time of 11:00 PM. This should be a solid concert from this familiar veteran outfit, so if you can or can't make Toystock on Sunday, keep this one in mind as well, and hopefully some public videos of Soundcheck turn up soon!
Next up, here's the latest solo acoustic gigs from prolific hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison, who will return to Gliss Steak & Seafood as usual TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY! Playing his last full concert weekend of the month (next weekend straddles the start of December), Tym should have another triple header of entertaining classic and hard rock covers in store for fans at The Quality Inn's house restaurant over the next three evenings, so don't miss these matinees if you're up for some acoustic entertainment! No, Tym didn't play at Mark's Breakfast Plus this week, breaking a four week run there. Also, note that the Facebook event page for this weekend's gigs also confirms that Tym will be playing there throughout December, but due to the high amount of very similar shows in a short timeframe, we always take Tym's regular weekly bookings a month at a time, and will address his December shows next week.
(FYI, Tym's website's concert calendar lists consecutive weekly Gliss gigs through August 2031, so accurate or not, be glad we tackle these month by month!) Tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday's shows have no announced cover charges or age limits, and they take place at 6:00 PM. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!
Lastly for this weekend's concert previews (Toystock aside), let's head to Sault Michigan for the highly anticipated return of Poison frontman Bret Michaels to The Dreammaker's Theater at the Soo's Kewadin Casino THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Marking his seventh local concert appearance in the past 12 years (all but one of which being at Kewadin Casino), this show is being billed as their "Thanksgiving Weekend Mega Party", so hopefully the tryptophan is out of your system in time for a night of classic Poison renditions like "Talk Dirty To Me" & "Nothin' But A Good Time", plus solo cuts from Bret's own albums! After all, Bret wouldn't come back time and time again if his shows weren't hits, so expect another good time for you Hair Scare lovers on Saturday! Tickets are still available from the second row and back, but in the prime center section, there was only 18 tickets remaining at press time, so act quick if you want the best possible seats in time for Saturday night!
Tickets are $48.50 unless you buy from the front six rows, then the price jumps to $58.50. This all ages show takes place on Saturday at 7:00 PM, so get your tickets if you haven't yet at 1-800-KEWADIN, the in-person box office, or at this link! A quiet concert weekend in Sault Michigan will end with a bang on Saturday, so don't miss round 7 of Bret Michaels in the Soo area, and here's Bret live earlier this year!
Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, all relating to bands being removed from our active band links. As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:
First, we have removed prolific metal/folk musician Chase Wigmore's Coyote Speedfreaks solo project from our links due to the deletion of it's Facebook (and only online) page at some point earlier this year. A creative experimental extension of Chase's earlier solo work, he did note in January that the Speedfreaks were "a series of albums under a unifying name" moreso than a band, but it would be interesting to see him return to this project down the road. Stream some of his Coyote Speedfreaks material at this link!
I have also moved local instrumental black metal duo Dullahan to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity, not having posted on their Facebook page since last November, or given a written update since February of last year. Dullahan showed promise as a rare regional example of atmospheric black metal, so hopefully we see Sevriz and Wyrn back at it in the near future, and follow Wyrn's active solo project Abhorrent Forest too!
Lastly, I have moved former Fitswitch/Scary Uncles bassist Andrew MacDonald's Likekissingbricks solo project to our inactive band links as well, as Andrew has not visibly posted any new updates or material for it since September of last year. Likekissingbricks were a work in progress, but had potential, and hopefully Andrew revisits this or other solo work in the future!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this weekend, including our Toystock preview! Thanks everyone!
After a rare day on the SMS with three posts, let's quiet things down on this Saturday night with just one, as we tackle some updates from 4 local metal bands, including new videos and recent happenings from two of them, a move to our inactive band links for one, and first, a band member search and concert removal for one, so here's what you should know!
Reunited extreme metal band Winkstinger are looking for a new lead singer! As per guitarist Jesse Cook's Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Thursday, they need someone in time for the Gorod/Bookakee show at The Algonquin Pub on April 15th, and "you can scream and flap around all you want" and take liberties with the lyrics in concert. Winkstinger had been fronted by ex-Issues frontman Alan Wells during their original 2010-2013 run, and while it's unclear if he was the intended frontman for the reunion, drummer Jonas Gasperas noted in a personal posting that their singer "bailed", so read into that however you want. No word yet either on who their new bassist is, or if they have a rhythm guitarist again, but we'll let you know if we hear anything. Winkstinger's recent material has been a little more technical and progressive, so they could lend themselves to a few different singing styles, so message Jesse at this link or above if you're interested in trying out!
Also, the Gorod show will indeed be their first gig since their reunion, as they have dropped out of the third installment of Six, Two, Oh.'s punk rock bingo series at The New American Pub this coming Wednesday, as per the Facebook event page in the past week or so. A reason for Winkstinger's withdrawal wasn't announced, but again, they have no singer at the moment, so that could be related. They're not being replaced, so with no other bands, it's no longer on our concert listings, but expect a great night of bingo and random punk themed prizes for winning contestant! Keep it in mind if you're not planning to attend night #2 of the VM Radio Battle on Wednesday!
Next up, we have a band to soon add to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity, they being local sludge/doom metal band Giwakwa, who last posted on their Facebook page one year ago tomorrow. Active since the summer of 2012, Giwakwa opened for Striker, The Rabid Whole, and Sleep When You're Dead during their early-mid 2013 heyday, and were the runners-up in the third semifinal for that April's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands. However, Giwakwa haven't played live since that July's Oddzfest 2013 Metal Mash-Up, where they opened for outgoing members Josh Stephney & Nolan Rainville's one-off reunion with Bring The Fallen. Though returns to the stage and new media has since been teased, the band's new lineup never visibly got off the ground. Giwakwa were a brutal band that had a lot of promise, so best of luck to Chris, Mitch, Chris, and other former members in the future! Hopefully they come back down the road, but check out member's current work in The Bear Hunters, Project 421, and Eclipse!
Closing today with new videos, here's the latest from local "grind/death/tech/thrash" band Them, so what have they been up to? While searching for shows as of January 29th, the band featuring Bring The Misery, Strange Coyotes, Revolution, and Infamous alumni revealed on their Facebook page that they're working on "teasers and updates" to be unveiled over the coming month, and the first of that was a new original song called "Moosejaw Boudreau" (referencing drummer Anthony Boudreau), which is featured in this jam video featuring Anthony and singer/guitarist Tyler St. Amour. Sort of harbouring a Shit Liver-meets-Rotopsy vibe here, the song has promise, but I'd be interested to hear it with Chase and Rainey involved as well, and the vertical camera angle does no favours to the view of the performance. A new Them track was teased for yesterday, which came and went, but stay tuned for more from Them when it comes in, and here's their newest track "Moosejaw Boudreau"!
Lastly, here's the latest from local atmospheric black metal duo Dullahan, who made their first public update in 4 months on their Facebook page last month, explaining that personal commitments (including family members falling ill) helped stall band activity, including recording sessions for a planned EP. Wyrn & Sevriz had recorded a new Dullahan song entitled "The Sea of Depression" last fall that will be among the planned EP's tracks, as uploaded to their YouTube channel last month. Cryptic postings on their pages note that this was intended to be the title track originally, but now, the EP "is in the air with the prospect of new material on the way", and "although
the lakes are frozen now and there is snow on the ground, the tragedy in both our lives are in this song." Set to nature video footage, "The Sea of Depression" is well written and fits their genre, but I do wonder how it would sound with vocals & extra instruments. Hopefully things level out and turn upward for the guys, and for now, here's Dullahan's newest track!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more news and updates next week! Thanks everyone!
Another slow news period has hit as of late, but let's help remedy that now that Thanksgiving has come and passed (on the Canadian side of the border), and I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Today, we have lots of assorted recent notes, updates on a popular webseries, and first, a surprise band reunion, so here's what you should know!
Local extreme metal band Winkstinger are back! After almost two & a half years of public dormancy, they reemerged with a new Bandcamp page with live jam recordings this morning, with their Facebook page confirming that "things are happening", among other typically irreverent hype. Guitarist Jesse Cook (also of Jack Spades & The Elements) and drummer Jonas Gasperas are back from the original run, but singer Alan Wells and bassist Jason Bourcier are not back from their last full incarnation in 2013, and it remains to be seen who will fill out the new lineup. Their Bandcamp page features two new original songs in progress (one being over 7 minutes in length), though both are untitled at this stage, so give them a listen at the above links! Of course, fans will remember Winkstinger well from their original 2010-2013 run which saw them win 2012's Battle for the Blood, play numerous fun & heavy concerts (including at 6 Roosevelt Hotel metal nights), and record material for an unreleased debut EP.
Dare I say it, the new Winkstinger original jams actually sound more technical and progressive-influenced than back in their heyday, and while they did take a self-deprecating bent when describing the quality, I'd be very curious to hear these fleshed out with bass, vocals, and perhaps rhythm guitar! It's great to have Winkstinger back at last, so check out their new material above, and they're back in our active band links!
Next up, here's the latest from Local2's music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper! Alongside newer episodes on Al Wood & The Woodsmen and another from Sudbury's Northern Lights Festival, the newest installment went up on Saturday, spotlighting the Soup Kitchen benefit at The Algonquin Pub earlier this month featuring (among others) the aforementioned Elements and The Bear Hunters! The main interview is with Machines Dream frontman and event promoter Craig West about the inspiration to promote the show and add the benefit side to it, why local musicians are more prone to participate in charity shows like this, and the odds that Machines Dream may do a similar event in the future. Short but respectful interview that shows Craig's good nature well, and it looks like the concert was a hit! In terms of concert footage, Machines Dream, Drew Armstrong & friends, and The Elements were filmed, but The Bear Hunters and Nikkfitt were not.
Most of the music is muted behind the interview, particularly Drew and friends (some of which being very familiar faces), but The Elements get some spotlight during the credits, covering what appears to be the ending of Primus' "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver". Another solid, if brief episode of Tuned, so give it a look at the above links!
Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter news items (including two inactive band notes) from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or website name:
Project 421 singer Curtis McKenzie is looking for a bassist and drummer for his "sweet new project" in the making. Presumably this references the band he previously posted about that he hoped wouldn't play metal or hard rock, but just in case it fits our coverage, message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Wednesday!
In their newest update on their Facebook page, secretive local black metal duo Dullahan revealed that they plan to record their second "EP" soon, which they hope to be "even rawer" in production than on older recordings. They also reiterated that they'll "never" reveal their full identities, and have "no intention" of playing live (which is odd, they'd attract positive and unique attention with their sound if they did!) Stay tuned for more from Dullahan above!
Rudyard, Michigan hard rock quintet Exiled have quietly deleted their Facebook (and sadly, only online) page, which likely indicates their breakup. Featuring Absolute, Full Throttle, and Division of Sanity alumni, Exiled played numerous regional concerts in the latter half of 2014 before announcing a break in December due to drummer Justin Lawless and his wife's impending arrival of their new baby, though no word on if that's a factor for the apparently demise. Exiled had a strong lineup, so hopefully everyone stays active in music, best of luck to Donny, Joe, Myke, Johnny, and Justin, and don't miss Joe with Ten Kings!
We have moved Sault Michigan hard/alternative rock collective The Highest of Fives to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. Featuring Intrepid, 415E, and Free Refill alumni, the band expanded from a young cover group in 2011 to a more fluid studio project that had ambitious plans to record & release short films, an album, and music videos that were only partially complete before their Twitter page's last update over a year ago. I liked The Highest of Fives high goals and diverse skill set, and hopefully they pick things back up again at some point! Best of luck to Devin, Jack, Marcel, Mike, Mitch, and Travis in the future!
Ex-Late & Loud frontman Jonathan Tiberi is gauging support towards bringing his current Hamilton blues/hard rock quartet Jon & His Friends to the Soo for a concert (for reference, their lineup also features Mike Agostino & Scott Brady, Jon's bandmates in Xanadu from 2013's Apocalypse: The Musical event.) It'd be nice to see Jon and the guys back home, so message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group on October 7th for more details!
And just as a house cleaning note for the SMS, we've removed the video bars from the sides of the page, which rotated recent videos from YouTube channels that we're subscribed to. For one reason or another, they no longer work, so I deleted the widgets that ran them. If they're ever restored or replaced by the host, I'll add them back, but I just wanted to acknowledge their absence!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews and more later this week! Thanks everyone!
Let's get some more news and updates on the site on this Friday afternoon, largely revolving around a local metal video showcase, but we're kicking things off with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT and linked apology for a missed show, so here's what you should know!
Local classic/hard rock quartet Mourning Wood will apparently be rocking Reggie's Place TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, we only heard about this show last night via new drummer Glen Thomas' personal Facebook page, which also confirmed that they played at Reggie's yesterday too. I know that the guys often play a Thursday nighter when they head to Reggie's, but when the band only announces certain shows through their Facebook page, and not usually with a lot of advance notice, things can slip through the cracks, and I do apologize for missing yesterday's show on here! And no, the guys aren't playing there tomorrow night, personal posts suggest they have a private gig instead. This is Mourning Wood's second concert weekend with new members Paul Belair and Glen Thomas in the fold, so if you missed their Rednecks debut last weekend, keep their return in mind! There's no announced cover charge, you must be 19 to attend, and 10:00 PM start times is in effect.
Check the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's our first look at the new Mourning Wood lineup, courtesy of Glen's YouTube channel! He has more videos from last weekend on his personal Facebook page, no word yet on if they'll also make it to YouTube. This is a cover of the Canadian classic rock band Doucette's song "Mama Let Him Play" with Terry Eaton on lead vocals, and it's a lively performance that gives Paul and Glen a good first showcase! Also, for sake of reference, Glen and guitarist Steven Flint used to play together in Wishbone, so there's another connection for the new lineup. Give the video a look below, and don't miss the guys at Reggie's!
Next up, here's a video from last week's first annual Northern Vibe Festival in Ophir, courtesy of cover rock quartet Changing Lanes! (Not to be confused with defunct hardcore band Changing Waves.) If you're not familiar with them, they feature Garden of Bedlam's Erik "Buzz" Boissineau on vocals, Wild Iris/ex-Sense of Truth guitarist Steve Myers on guitar, talented local saxophonist Josh Norling (Blues Harvest, etc.) on bass, and ex-Leaves Off Trees drummer Roy Kreutzberger, and they generally play a more varied, softer brand of rock. Changing Lanes shared two videos from their set on their Facebook page in the last couple of days, one being a cover of U2's "When The Streets Have No Name", but the other fits what we cover nicely, as it's a rendition of Led Zeppelin's "Rock n' Roll"! Buzz handles this difficult song flawlessly, and it's a solid cover all around, so if you've missed Garden of Bedlam lately, Changing Lanes would definitely be worth checking out if you're OK with a less heavy sound! Give their Zeppelin cover a look below, and more above!
Also, here's the latest from newer local black metal duo Dullahan, so what have they been up to lately? After a family emergency postponed band activity, Wyrn & Sevriz announced that they already plan to record a full length album of some kind in the future, complete with posting 10 planned track names onto their Facebook page last month, but are right now working on EPs. Alongside a piano-only cover (presumably by Sevriz) of Burzum's "Der Weinende Hadnur", Dullahan have posted their first full EP "The Wood Cutter" on their YouTube channel and Bandcamp page, though it's strictly available as a free download on the latter, no word on if paid or physical copies are in the cards. A new original song named "Walking Through A Dying Forest" went up with the EP as well, and for reference, originals there are not planned for the intended full length release. Current plans now call for a second EP of some type to be recorded.
The new track has an early Woods of Ypres vibe to it, if needing extra instrumentation and higher production, but it's good to see Dullahan keeping at it!, and hopefully we hear a lot more from them in the future! The Soo could use a successful, long-lasting black metal band again. Give Dullahan's free EP a listen below and at the above links!
Finally, have you been wondering where local hard rock quartet Skeyes of Seven have been in the last couple of months? In the studio, that's where! The guys have been recording something (be it another single track or an actual album) at Deluca Sound Productions, the local recording studio owned by Mannapool guitarist Korey Deluca, which has also seen bands like Aldous, Wishbone, and (of course) Mannapool recording there this year. Looks and sounds like a professional setup, and we've added the studio's Facebook page to our "Other Local Metal Links" section! The studio has shared this video of Skeyes of Seven bassist Alain Fletcher "shaking the foundation" during a recent tracking session, and while we don't get a perfect (or long) glimpse at how this song's coming along, it's a nice preview, so give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Skeyes of Seven!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes in the coming days! Thanks everyone!
Before we tackle this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles, here's some recent news and notes for your Monday afternoon, including assorted shorter notes, new video postings, and first, here's some big updated for an anticipated new CD!
We'll start with some new updates from local death metal favourites The Bear Hunters, as per guitarist Mitch Sirie on their Facebook page early this morning, so what should you know? In terms of last night's Golers show at The New American Pub (apologies for missing it, blame personal family matters), the guys debuted two new songs during their set, including a track named "The Wrath of Angmar" (which appears to reference a kingdom in The Lord of the Rings), and a black metal parody named "The Forest of Forests". Hopefully someone got video of both! Mitch also noted that the former will be on their planned second CD "The Dead Testament", which will also have a closing title track of the same name that has yet to be completed. The first three songs will, in order, be "The Void", "The Omen", and "I Fear No God", but the track listing order for the rest is to be determined. Title track included, there are just 3 songs left to be unveiled live, though it's unclear whether "The Forest of Forests" will be one of them or not.
Mitch noted that they take their time writing their songs, rather than writing a handful of singles and adding filler for the rest, and he sounds proud of the work the guys are putting in! Plans are still to begin recording sessions on "The Dead Testament" next month and release it during the winter, so check the above links for complete current details on The Bear Hunters' highly anticipated new album!
Next up, here's a newly discovered solo performance video from Pixo Control frontman Michael Mikus, courtesy of local music/culture community Ears & Eyes' YouTube channel last summer, and it's of him covering the 1960s rock classic "Twist & Shout", which is frequently seen in full Pixo Control concerts. Uniquely filmed outside, this solo cover is done in the same style that Pixo Control fans know from concerts, as it's slowed down into more of a jam style, but it's abbreviated from the lengthy version fans hear in live concerts. Solidly done, and a bit of a window into how this would sound in an acoustic setting, so give it a look below!
Also, here's the newest released cover from new local atmospheric black metal duo Dullahan, this time a cover of Absurd's "Pesttanz"! Set to World War II video footage (don't worry, there's nothing offensive), this was uploaded to their YouTube channel last week, and can also be heard on their Bandcamp page. It's a little repetitive in this form, but Dullahan have talent and they show it on this cover, so give it a listen below and above!
Finally for this post, here's three assorted shorter items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:
An upcoming episode of Local2's stripped down music performance series Bare will apparently star Inner City Surfers/Role Models bandmates Brad "Example" Lacell & Dave Bahun as featured performers, as per personal Facebook photos showing them on playing on the Bare set. Is this a sign that Brad Example & The Role Models are alive, or is this a solo or new project? Hopefully we find out more when this episode is posted in the coming weeks!
On Saturday, Detroit punk trio Heroes of Charlotte posted this jam session video of them playing their song "Goodbye", which begins with a shoutout to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, as they can't make the Superior Festival (now on August 21st) that they were originally booked for, but hope to see us soon. I'm not sure if they meant that they couldn't make the original Saturday date or the rescheduling, but it's nice of them to acknowledge that they couldn't play, but wanted to, and hopefully they can at some point!
Local musician Tammy Hill is looking for a drummer for her new "classic rock/punk/pop" band, who reportedly already have original material and want to do some recording and play live (no word though on if this is the same band she was looking for members for in February.) If you or someone you know are interested in trying out, message Tammy at this link or via her Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from this morning!
That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles next! Thanks everyone!
Before we get into this post, here's two notes from this past weekend's concerts. One is that local cover hard rock quartet Lucky 13did play at The Rednecks Saloon on Saturday night, as confirmed on the Facebook event page despite it not listing a Saturday gig originally. Second, Sault Michigan hard rockers Ten Kings played an outdoor Summerfest gig on Saturday night at The Savoy Bar & Nightclub, despite neither the band or venue announcing the show online (our source is frontman Brandon Carr's personal Facebook page.) Apologies for missing both, we'd have plugged them on here had they received advance word! Now, today's post features lots of PaperClip Productions updates (good & bad), but first, here's a new local band!
We have a new local metal band to add to our Sault Ontario band links, and they are Dullahan, who are bringing atmospheric black metal to the local scene! Formed earlier this year, they're the newest two man band to launch in the area, and their members go under black metal-style stage names (Wyrn on guitar & bass, and Sevriz on drums.) On Wyrn's request, I won't reveal their real identities at this time, but one member has played in bands we've covered on here, and we've plugged a band search for the other on here. An instrumental project for the time being, Dullahan (a headless rider in Celtic mythology) posted their first original song "The Wood Cutter" on their YouTube channel and Bandcamp page, which is planned to be the title track of an EP of the same name, though we await confirmation on if full album sessions are ongoing. The song joins a cover of Burzum's "Lost Wisdom" that can be heard at both links as well.
So far, Dullahan are showing promise, and they'll immediately make waves based on the genre alone, as pure black metal is something we don't get a lot of in the Soo! The songs have musical talent, and hold your attention, but we'll have to see how things go when/if the guys add a singer or possible extra instrumentalists. Check out "The Wood Cutter" below & more above, and Dullahan are now in our band links!
Next up, we have two newly defunct local bands to address, including the earlier-than-expected breakup of local alternative/hard rock quartet Haggith, as per their Facebook page last week. Originally, the guys planned to play a farewell concert on August 19th, but that has since been cancelled for unannounced reasons, other than to say that they're "all moving on to bigger and better things", which leaves the Zaum-headlined show at The Rednecks Saloon in May as their last gig. As well, their planned opening set at this Monday's Lie Among Us/Eternal Prophecy concert at The Algonquin Pub is understandably off too, and they have now been replaced by classic metal quintet Project 421, featuring Haggith alums Curtis McKenzie and Daniel Horton (good & natural choice!) This is disappointing for fans, especially given the sudden and abrupt nature of their ultimate breakup, but in the past 3 years, they did about as much as they could do within local confines!
I was hoping that the new Haggith lineup would rejuvenate the guys and keep things going, but they left us with lots of studio recordings and good memories, and you can see members in Project 421, Mike Haggith & The Din, and more to come! Best of luck to Curtis, Caleb, Jordan, Mike, and other former members in the future!
The other newly defunct band is Haggith bassist Jordan Leach's recent doom/punk trio The Revolution, as per the recent deletion of their Facebook (and sadly, only online) page. As a result, a reason for their breakup wasn't announced, but fans may remember that they had previously broken up in February before coming back two months later, so similar issues may have recurred. Originally the second version of Brutaly Fatal, The Revolution played sporadic sets at all ages shows in mid-late 2014, including sets opening for Endast & Anciients, and they began work on their planned debut EP "Roll Call" with PaperClip Productions, but the band never played live after Jordan replaced Rainey Vincent on bass late last year, and their reunion only resulted in studio work, with all announced sets after October of last year endinup cancelled. The Revolution were a work in progress, but they had promise and a unique blend of genres that seemed to be serving them well, and I wish they hadn't deleted their Facebook page!
Austin McCrae needed to work on his stage presence and confidence a bit, and their covers often were poor matches for their regular genres, but the guys had a good thing going, and hopefully we see them back in the future! Be sure to follow the original Brutally Fatal and Mike Haggith & The Din for members' current projects, and best of luck to Austin, Jordan, Brandan, and other former members in the future!
Finally today, let's close things on a positive note with some videos and updates from the aforementioned Project 421! As a clarification note to start, Saturday night's Elements/Becomes Astral concert did indeed take place downstairs in The Algonquin Pub as initially planned, despite a report late last week that the show had been moved upstairs to The Rockstar Bar. A reason for the return downstairs wasn't announced online, but given the metal genres on display and Gonqshow series continuance, it makes sense to keep it there! Our source is these photos from the show on the band's Facebook page. With singer Curtis McKenzie back in the fold, he posted three jam session videos of the guys from last March onto their Facebook page yesterday that hadn't been online previously, including covers of Iron Maiden's "Powerslave", Black Sabbath's "N.I.B.", and (as embedded below) their original "No One Rides For Free", so how are they?
Then featuring drummer Larry Mousseau (and Daniel Horton's long hair), the videos sound pretty good, with Curt nailing the vocals as we'd expect, but the videos occasionally skip and show a brief static screen, almost like a VHS tape. We await videos of the new lineup (including new drummer Chris Thompson), but these are a nice teaser of what's to come, so check them out below, and don't miss Project 421 on Monday at The Algonquin Pub! (Yes, the video works, it just starts black before fading in.)
That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more as the week rolls along! Thanks everyone!
Abhorrent Forest
Dullahan
