Overdue Updates From Two Local Metal Solo Projects!!

Today's post is designed to get ourselves caught up on two distinct local solo projects featuring guitarists from past metal bands flexing their solo muscle on original studio material, so here's what you should know from them over the past so many months!

Let's take a long overdue look at recent news & updates from local industrial metal project Molten Imp! Be advised that many of Molten Imp's posts on their Facebook page are vague or cryptic by design, often hinting at general upcoming work moreso than something finite about new material or concert dates or whatnot. Back in November, they teased a "one man electric jam" that has since been deleted from their Soundcloud page, alas, but it would have been interesting to hear! In December, project leader/AlgomA alum Boyd Rendell teased having "a great video call with an old friend about new stuff coming up", and while it may have been for the since released "Pyrolytic Punishment" split with goregrind project Crucify The Whore, I can't 100% confirm that. On January 4th, Boyd did hint that the initial plan for the split was a three-way release also featuring Chase Wigmore, but that obviously didn't pan out.

On January 29th, Boyd revealed that the movie Awakenings inspired AlgomA's old original song "Extinct Volcanoes", and if you know what that movie was about, you'll understand the symbolism! As we alluded to when Mike Haggith launched MorningStar Records in the spring, Molten Imp signed on as one of the first non-Mike acts from the Soo, and on March 8th, they announced plans to release a "double EP" through this imprint in the fall. That season is arguably less than a month away, so we'll have to see if that planned release is indeed still in the cards! Also in the spring, Molten Imp launched an official store (via MySpreadShop, a manufacture-on-demand deal like Redbubble) so you can buy various official fabric items with their new logo. That is pictured here on the cover for their fourth digital single, fittingly named "IV", which came out on their Bandcamp page on April 25th!

Yes, it came out on that day, but it has already been taken down. Why? Because Boyd bundled the songs from all four of their virtual singles onto one compilation album named "Bloom Closing: Singles ('23-'20)" that was released on Bandcamp on May 13th! Yes, this means that "IV" as a standalone digital single was only on the market for a maximum of 18 days, but at least you can still buy it (and more). Mike Haggith equalized the songs for this compilation, and it was hinted that the Bandcamp paid download-exclusive bonus songs are similarly included here. You can buy "Bloom Closing" for $16.75, and if you find that price to be steep, the whole thing can be streamed for free there as well, albeit sans any bonus songs. Boyd also hopes to release "Bloom Closing" on CDs, and he has since confirmed that this will be handled via MorningStar (I don't know if this is the previously teased "double EP" or if plans changed). 

Two new electronica songs have been posted to Soundcloud in the last two months, namely the sample-heavy "UVW 'And Another One'" and the more industrial "Bessemer Process", but again, many posts from Molten Imp are cryptic, personal, or vague by design, and often show off Boyd's gear and equipment more than finished products. In a rare Facebook video, however, Molten Imp did sample a newer original song on May 10th with a video pointed at a speaker grill, and it's a fun, in-your-face techno number with a good drum-and-bass element! That is embedded below, but get much more from Boyd's creative blend of industrial metal at the above links, and hopefully we don't fall this behind on Molten Imp again!

Finally, here's the latest from ex-Winkstinger guitarist Jason Ladouceur's solo rap/metal project In The Sun (née Less Than Zero), who we haven't talked about on the SMS in five months, so what have they been up to? Well, in April, they changed their name again, first toying with Broken By Design before settling on Failure To Remain, as per updates to their Bandlab page. Unlike the switch to In The Sun last year, a reason for the name change(s) was not announced, but I do think that Failure To Remain suits Jason's genre better than In The Sun did. New and reworked material has been steadily shared to both the Bandlab page and their YouTube channel in recent months, and on July 21st, Jason compiled 19 original songs as an "album" named "Quantum Affiliation", representing the project's evolution and as "a mix of everything meaningful".

Now, this isn't a pure "album" release, as it is a free download and you can only even get that if you have a Bandlab account, but it is the most convenient place to hear Jason's solo music in one place in the form he currently intends (he has reworked and altered a lot of his songs over these months). Failure To Remain's songs continue mixing rock and rap styles with lots of experimentation and post-production, giving them a unique sound that other local bands really aren't trying (The Apocalypse Afterparty would share the most musical DNA), but Jason's vocals can still lack in force and confidence. Check out Failure To Remain's material above, and here's a solid newer cut, "Occupied Affiliation Creation"!

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

A New Local Punk Band & Album, New Videos, And Much More!!

We have a new news post on this Monday evening, which is half devoted to a new-ish band who you may remember seeing live last fall, while we also have lots of updates from a solo project, a new live concert video, and an apology for missing a show for previewing on the site last week. Here's what you should know!

We have a new local band to add to our Sault Ontario band links, and they are noise punk duo No Funeral! You may recall seeing this band at a Dryer Fire-promoted event at Outspoken Brewing in October, and they were scheduled for last month's cancelled Matthew Nadon memorial concert, but aside from being described as an "indie noise" act, little was public about them unless you saw their October set. I knew from personal Facebook postings that former AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent was one half of this band, but No Funeral shares far more in common musically with his mid-2010s grunge/punk duo Bad Back, but with two key differences: More of a chaotic post-hardcore bent, and that Jamie isn't the frontman here. Rather, their singer/guitarist is Connor O'Brien, who played guitar in the defunct Edmonton noise punk band Flint, of which Jamie was a member on bass from 2009 until he moved back to the Soo in 2012.

The fact that Connor isn't local may explain why we've only seen No Funeral in concert once, but this project's existence is definitely more on the local side of things than Edmonton, especially given the credits for... their debut album!? Yes, No Funeral's self-titled debut album (and if you believe Jamie's personal Facebook page, their "only" album) was released to their new Bandcamp page yesterday, and the description there says in more graphic terms that the band has been in the works for two years, with the album coming together within a two week span before coming out. The album was produced by Dustin Goodall at Unsalted Audio last fall, with Dustin supplying backing vocals, additional bass, and "musical saw", while Saultite author Mat Laporte guests on saxophone on the two closing tracks and also provided the album artwork. Much like Bad Back's Bandcamp albums, "No Funeral" is on sale on a "name your price" model.

I'll hold comment on the album pending our eventual review of it (I currently have it pencilled in for June given our current backlog), but if you miss Bad Back in particular, don't bypass No Funeral! Of course, connections to Flint will be obvious if you're familiar with that band from before Jamie moved back home (or if you've lived in Edmonton), so if you want to hear Connor & Jamie's prior output, do check out Flint's Bandcamp page, as I believe Jamie factors on all but their newest two songs posted there. As best as I can tell, No Funeral's only public online page is on Bandcamp, but give it a look to see what they bring to the table, and consider paying something for the album to support their work!

Next up, I want to apologize for a concert that we missed in this past weekend's concert previews, as local funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns returned to The Kiln at Searchmont Resort for a matinee concert on Saturday. The band did not announce this show on their Facebook page in advance, and I only learned that it was a thing when a video from attendee TerriDollie Williams' personal Facebook page was shared to the band's seldom updated Facebook group yesterday. Sensing that this likely wasn't from their Searchmont gig in January, I learned belatedly that the resort's Facebook page plugged it on Friday. Still on short notice, but at least someone got the word out. I have to do better re: Searchmont concerts, especially with The Stallyns not always plugging their own shows on Facebook, so my apologies again, I'd have plugged it had I known! That said, how about that video?

TerriDollie filmed the band (minus saxophonist Josh Norling, who apparently missed the January Kiln show too) covering The Outfield's "Your Love" with Christina Speers on lead vocals. Not a supremely heavy choice, but everyone handles it well, and I'd hope most attendees were familiar with the original song! The video is vertically shot, but as the video is as much to highlight a young relative getting into the song as it is the band proper, I won't nitpick the angle. Cute watch in that respect too, so check it out below, and apologies again for missing The Stallyns at The Kiln... again!

Finally, here's the latest from newer local rap rock solo project Less Than Zero, so what have they been up to since the fall? First off, in November, project leader/ex-Winkstinger guitarist Jason Ladouceur changed the band's name in In The Sun. According to their Bandlab page on December 6th, the new name is intended to make the project "more inspirational", though their sound and even their existing logo remain unchanged. If you're Facebook friends with Jason, you'll know very well that he is always posting material for In The Sun, and at the moment, fifteen unique songs can be heard on Bandlab, many being tweaked as time goes on, so you can tell that this is a labour of love for him. In fact, under the name "In The Sun1", three songs are now up on Spotify, while a couple dozen videos can be seen on their YouTube channel, and Jason did tease late last year that he wants to release an In The Sun album in the near future.

Embedded below is a recent take of their song "Factory Reset" (all of their songs except a cover of Megadeth's "Sweating Bullets" are original). Jason's method of frequently posting these songs and then adding to/editing them over time is helping the songs sound heavier and more fully realized, so if you do check out In The Sun's songs, definitely listen to the newest instance of each song on Bandlab or YouTube, not the oldest ones unless you want to see the journey. Vocals can still come off as unnatural and not as aggressive as the music calls for, but again, Jason's always working on these songs, so I doubt he's done yet. Check out much more from Less Than Zero In The Sun above & below!

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

The Northwest - "All In" EP Review!!

I've put this album off for too long now, let's get our 158th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene rolling before the month gets too old! The album in question is local indie/punk quintet The Northwest's third EP "All In", which was independently released on June 10th to their Bandcamp page and major streaming platforms. Their first release since 2018's "Songs From 2015-2017" and since tacking "The" onto their name last year, "All In" was recorded locally at Unsalted Audio with producers/ex-Pointless bandmates Dustin Goodall & Bill Priddle, with Dustin engineering & mixing the songs before sending them off to Bryan Lowe at Joao Carvalho Mastering in Toronto. Their lineup is intact from their second EP, including singer/guitarist Wayne Watkins, guitarists Greg Callaghan & Mike Yakasovich, bassist Mike Smykacz, and drummer Marc Santos. As best as I can tell, "All In" is exclusively available digitally with no physical CDs.

You can buy "All In" as a digital download on Bandcamp for $7, and while it is available to stream for free there and on major streaming platforms like Spotify, consider buying it to support the guys' work! Song titles below are linked to Bandcamp copies, but note that all songs except "Lights" & "Walls" have had official music or lyric videos posted to their YouTube channel, so don't bypass those for the full presentation. With six songs running for 25 minutes (a huge drop from last month's reviewed album), let's begin with the opening track, "Shoreline"!

Ever so slightly the longest song on "All In", its lyrics seem to be about seizing the day and enjoying life even if things seem dire in the short term, with the album name frequently cited in the verses. The song is a melodic indie rocker with punk downplayed in favour of a retro 1980s vibe, with Wayne's vocals coming off somewhat ethereal and otherworldly in the mix. The chorus can be very repetitive, and fans of The Northwest's punk side may be disappointed by the lack of bite, but the triple guitar attack is well balanced! Not a bad song for what it is! The second track is the first single "Long Hair (Longer Nights)", which is basically an ode to a carefree, nostalgic summer where one can let loose before the fall. Punk fans will take to this song more with a very pop punk-inspired structure, and Wayne does seem to channel Tom DeLonge vocally a bit with how he sings here! 

The harmonization is on point, and the guitar solo break is a nice addition, but the "whoa-ohs" in the chorus feel really out of place, and the fuzzy 1980s vibe of the song might not be to all listeners' taste. The whiplash to the campfire sing-along bridge wasn't ideal either, which is a shame, as a full version of this song in that style would be interesting! Better song than the opener, but there are things I'd address. Next is "Unsober October", which is about trying to quit drinking alcohol to win back a jilted lover. Very summery yet garage rock feel to the music here, but Wayne's distinctive higher vocals (which have a Perry Farrell quality on choruses here) direct the path once again. Nice to hear Greg on supporting call-and-response vocals on the bridge too, the contrast of his deep voice is something you think they'd exploit more. Solid bass and drums from Mike S. and Marc too!

While not an overly punk song, "Unsober October" is the fullest package so far as a composition with less to nitpick, so it's definitely a highlight on "side A"! Fourth is "Lights", the EP's only song to run for under 4 minutes, and whose lyrics seem to be about repressing personal torment, though acknowledging that letting it all out an inevitability. My compliment of contrasting vocals was clearly prescient, as Greg handles the verses here with Wayne on the choruses, and I like how that sounds! Greg could have a doom metal frontman career if he really wanted it, which fits the morose lyrics more than the relatively upbeat indie rock instrumentation, though the slower tempo in the home stretch does help. Definitely some solid ideas here, I recommend it for variance, but I'd have went "all in" on the music matching the lyrics.

Song #5 is "Walls", which has similar themes about repressing feelings, this time towards escaping a restrictive workplace environment. Given the vibe, again, I'd have went angrier and more intense with this, but the song is one of the more punk-leaning ones on offer even still, if heavily indie influenced. Wayne's vocals definitely get more pointed and direct in the bridge though! Effective track with a good rhythm section, but the extended instrumental ending felt tacked on to artificially lengthen it. The EP ends with "Stay Gold", which is less about The Outsiders and more about reliving the past and hoping things don't change with/for a loved one. Good showcase for Wayne's melodic, Jane's Addiction-esque vocals that drive the song down the track nicely, with the triple guitar attack, Mike S., and Marc holding their own for this indie rocker, albeit only dipping a toe into punk in the bridge.

Drawn out waveform ending aside, the song gets the job done to end the EP, helping restore good feelings from lyrics & music alike! So, what are my final thoughts on (The) Northwest's third EP? While the guys are definitely still slowly drifting from the punk aspects of their 2014 debut, this is still a feel-good  summer-time listen that still has cross-subgenre appeal! Nothing here hit the dramatic approach of "True North" from their last EP, but efforts to make songs with a seasonal essence hit the mark, and I do think you'll get more out of these songs if you enjoy outdoor summer activities! Wayne's distinctively melodic vocals were usually front and center, but Greg's lead vocal turn on "Lights" was a welcome diversion, he and the Mikes delivered as you'd expect on guitar & bass, and Marc's drumming was a steady constant across all six songs!

"Unsober October" & "Stay Gold" worked the best across the board for me of the six "All In" tracks, and while I do prefer my Northwest with more of a punk base, clearly they're doing something right to get these songs played during televised NHL games this year! Beyond that, my big issues with the EP were the sometimes overly drawn out song endings, the "whoa-oh" vocals on "Long Hair", some occasional lyric repetition, and the lyrics of some songs not meshing with the music in intensity. Still, "All In" feels like a natural progression for The Northwest, not totally abandoning what got them here but getting to a more accessible profile, and it will be very interesting to see what comes next for them! Give "All In" a listen or buy it above, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! Next month, we'll very likely be looking at local industrial metal solo project Molten Imp's newest digital single/EP "Frustfressenkummerspeck" so look for that then, and for more news & notes next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Blessed & The Northwest), New Videos, And More!!

Keeping our steady stream of regular posts going as the month of June rolls along, we have some new videos to check out today, plus updates on an upcoming CD release, and the latter ties into one of two big LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next week, so here's what you should know!

Abbotsford, British Columbia art-rock/post-punk quartet Blessed will make their local concert debut on Wednesday, June 15th when they headline at Dryer Fire's temporary pop-up venue at 285 Wilson Street!  Of course, "post-punk" and what many would traditionally call "punk" don't have a lot of obvious modern links, but Blessed's upbeat wall-of-noise approach and Talking Heads-inspired rhythms and vocals should appeal to a wide array of listeners next Wednesday, so definitely give them a listen to see what you think! Be advised that their newest EP is solely of remixes. Local punk/alternative quintet These Magnificent Tentacles will open in their third show with this lineup, and first appearance at 285 Wilson since the open house last month, and with 2 members of the band coming from the now-defunct local post punk stalwarts Gnaeus, their inclusion makes a lot of sense!

While this concert is technically part of Dryer Fire's summer concert series, it was only publically announced yesterday as a "bonus show", hence why we're only mentioning it now. This all ages event has a 7:00 PM start time, and admission runs for $10 at this link or presumably at the door. Of all of Dryer Fire's shows this summer, this one next Wednesday is the most punk-leaning, so we're starting with a bang in that regard, and visit the official Facebook event page and the above links for more details!

Next up, local indie punk quintet The Northwest will play their first public concert set of the year when they open for Juno Award winning Toronto alt-country trio Elliott Brood on Thursday, June 16th at the re-opening LopLops Lounge! Last seen at the same venue in December 2019 (you can probably guess why they haven't played live for 2+ years), this will be The Northwest's first show since tacking "The" to the beginning of their name, but more importantly, it will be the de facto release party for their brand new EP "All In", which is full steam ahead for its public release on Friday! This is the cover art, and you can pre-save it on Spotify at this link, but the band has not firmly stated if the EP will be available in physical copies or on paid mp3 download platforms at press time. If they had to take such a long break (planned or not), The Northwest are returning with a bang, and expect to hear new and old original favourites then!

Be advised that official public online sources have not confirmed The Northwest as opening, but guitarist Greg Callaghan revealed the news on his personal Facebook page yesterday, so they may be a late addition (the show was announced with just Elliott Brood last month). Speaking of Elliott Brood, while not a metal/punk act, their dark brand of "death country" has been entertaining audiences for two decades, including at multiple local dates (mostly at LopLops), last playing in our area at the Go North Music Festival in Richards Landing in July 2018. If you're not a country fan, Elliott Brood may be an exception to the rule, so don't bypass them! As for LopLops, the popular Queen Street East venue has remained active during the pandemic with craft beer deliveries and hosting events off-site, but they closed their actual doors to the public in March 2020, so this should be a great way to come back!

An early 7:00 PM start time is in effect for this 19+ show (good thing too, given the Thursday scheduling), and with Elliott Brood's existing profile, tickets next Thursday will run for $32.84, and you can buy them at this link and presumably at the door. Whether you're in this for the alternative country or alternative punk, this double bill should deliver the goods next Thursday, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Finally for today, let's get caught up on a couple of new videos from local/Barrie crossover thrash quartet Spades GT's Facebook page from last month! Both promotional clips for when the former Jack Spades opened for Anvil (more on them soon) in Toronto, one is a jokey video made by guitarist Daniel Horton where he used a website named www.talkobamato.me to use clips of former U.S. President Barack Obama's speeches to make him promote the Toronto concert, leading into clips of Spades GT's post-relaunch debut and fake videos of Obama dancing set to the studio version of "Rise". If you recall Jimmy Fallon's bit where he made NBC News anchor Brian Williams "rap", it's edited similarly, albeit by a program reading your text, not staff. Cute idea, but the speech goes so fast, it can be hard to hear what Obama is "saying". At least it's not overtly political or leaning toward any heavily partisan opinions!

Embedded below is their newest video, which is actually embeddable publically (Daniel's video isn't as it has longer audio to content match). This was uploaded the day of the Anvil concert, and features all four current members of Spades GT outside seemingly preparing to enter their vehicle to the venue, before jumping to studio audio and relevant posters/logos. Short but effective promotion, so give it a look below, see more above, and stay tuned for more from Spades GT when it rolls in!

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

Mike McCleary - "Weight Of The World" Album Review!!

It's now time for our 110th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at "Weight of the World", the recent re-packaging of two albums from local hard rock solo artist Mike McCleary! We chose this album over other recent hard rock/punk album releases from the likes of Redundant, SweetKenny, and Sykotyk Rampage due to it's earlier release, as it won't be "new" much longer. Independently recorded since last year and released to his Bandcamp page on March 11th, this release unites the 2018 revamp of his debut studio album "In Ruins" with his second release/first EP, January's "Hourglass", making this review a 2-for-1 package, complete with one exclusive track! However, Mike has stated that he saw "In Ruins" as the sequel to "Hourglass" despite it's earlier initial release, and it is appropriately placed on "Weight of the World". Featuring Mike on vocals and all credited instruments, "Weight of the World" is available on a "name your price" model at the above links, a change from earlier priced copies.

Given that this album was separately released as two different albums, you can buy them apart with the same pricing structure, though remember that you won't get the closing song "Bismarck" if you buy them this way. Also, I'm not reviewing the original version of "In Ruins" here, for 3 reasons: Mike took it down and heavily changed it on purpose, this review's gonna be long enough already, and with only 3 surviving songs from the original copy, it's basically a different album now as a result. With 14 songs running for over an hour in total length, let's begin our review of "Weight of the World"!

This album begins with the five songs on Mike's "Hourglass" EP, whose lyrics and themes focus on contemporary social issues as a warning to civilization. The first track is "Be Us", which revolves around gender & racial discrimination issues like assimilation and the refugee crisis. A hard rocking number that builds nicely to the choruses, the song has a good edge to it, and Mike's melodic singing is a good match! The song's well performed, but aside from the bridge, there isn't a lot of variance to this song and it's structure once you get past the first chorus. The song is a solid rocker if you don't mind that though! Second is "Carousel", which alludes to the cycle of trying to survive with a low income despite constant inflation, though the song's name plays into the music proper, taking on a carnival music theme in the verses, complete with some more progressive guitar riffing. Points for creativity, though the choruses are a little too talky as Mike tries to fit in the lyrics.

"Carousel" is a fun listen, especially with the lyrics contrasting well with the music, but if you like radio hard rock, the experimentation here may lose you. Then we have "Fire & Fury", which is about if global conflict is necessary, complete with audio samples of political speeches by three American presidents (one of which providing the source of this song's name.) This track has two basic themes, with the verses taking on a low morose structure before Mike suddenly amps up the aggression and intensity on the choruses, and while jarring at first, it's effective! The song is well composed and the tonal shifts work well, and while this is an early highlight, less politically minded listeners may not take to the minute-long sample bridge.  Fourth up is "Lest Ye Be Judged", inspired by the West Memphis Three murder trial in 1993 and how that case was handled. While the lyrical stretches maintain a mid-tempo, serious vibe, Mike's extended guitar solo is arguably the best I've heard from him yet, showing his technical skill very nicely!

While this song is worth a listen for the guitar solo alone, the verses and choruses work well in their styles, and for someone who's followed the case and Damien Echols' art & writings, it's nice to see a local musician show their support for the West Memphis Three and the injustice they dealt with! The original EP's title track & closer "Hourglass" follows the preceding number in it's themes about looking to blame someone rather than actually finding a solution, and how the former can lead to negative consequences. The longest individual song on "Weight of the World", this song runs for it's first 5:30 as a slower, deliberate song exploring the politically charged message, with Mike's serious low singing a good match for the draw out guitar work, but he does let loose on guitar for a heavier faster close to the song, possibly a thematically reference to global conflict ahead of the sequel. Not my favourite song on the "Hourglass" half just for it's largely downbeat mood, but it ends well!

The seventh song is also the first on the March 2018 re-release of Mike's 2017 debut album "In Ruins", which was heavily re-worked from it's original form, with only 3 returning songs on the now-canon reissue. Thematically, this album reflects "the aftermath" of the events warned on the "Hourglass" EP, and it starts here with with "Interlude", which originally was part of the next song "Lost", but was broken into it's own mini-track for "Weight of the World". Running for an album-low 66 seconds, this just has various simplistic notes being played, some reminding me of a xylophone. This all suggesting a ticking clock, possibly following the global conflict alluded to on "Hourglass", and while it's not much of a song on it's own, it sets the mood for the oncoming full songs well enough!

In this re-issued form, "Lost" immediately begins with Mike singing in a sinister carnival barker style (anyone else getting a "This Is Halloween" vibe?), with the choruses shifting abruptly into a more musically driven, standard format. The politically charged, socially conscious lyrics continue in full force here, and while the verses will be an acquired taste for many listeners, Mike does showcase his guitar skill for an extended period, and the drum track is a good match on the choruses! Then we have "Naive", which is one of the hold-overs from the original "In Ruins" album. A mid-tempo, downbeat studio track aside from a heavier bridge late, this is one of Mike's better overall compositions on this album as a pure musician, with some shining guitar melodies in the instrumental stretches, but there seems to be a vocal effect that makes his singing sound too muffled and processed. Still, fans of Mike's less aggressive music should be right at home on this one!

Track #9 is another track that survived the "In Ruins" reboot, namely "Childish Leaders", a double meaning name referencing both the conduct of major global heads of state, and how we could be better off if children were leading governments. A shorter and harder edged song, this song has a catchy vibe and what sounds like a funk inspiration on the riffing, but that flute effect in the backing instrumentation is woefully out of place, and the music cadence sometimes struggles to accommodate some of Mike's lyrics. The softer last 30 seconds ends things on a happier note, and while this song isn't consistently on point, the heavy nature (musically and thematically) works well! Next is "Aylan", inspired by the death of 3 year old Syrian refugee Alan Kurdi, which was highly publicized in news media in late 2015. The third and final returning song from "In Ruins" 1.0, this sees Mike dive into an upbeat punk sound, which is an interesting contrast to the serious lyrics.

As a pure musical composition, this song gives Mike a nice showcase at a different side of his range, and he could definitely handle punk music on a more frequent basis! His scream at the end is also well placed, but the song fades out far too abruptly, and a more distinct chorus would have helped. Next up is "Disavowed", which is a heavier and darker song overall in it's first half and closing stretch, but the vocals don't go along with that, as Mike sings in a lower, monotone register throughout. I don't find that matches up well here, but Mike's extended guitar solos do give this song an added jolt, and are predictably well performed. I'd have had more forceful, heavier singing for a song of this tone, but the music holds up really nicely! Another heavier song follows with "Introspection", which has a steady grinding sound and better suited vocals, with the bass track particularly working well here, as does another really solid guitar solo!

While not musically ambitious compared to some earlier tracks, this delivers the hard rock goods and feels more like a complete song with all the parts falling into place nicely, and this is definitely an album highlight! The last song on the separate version of "In Ruins" is "Bad Hand", which has a more simple, laid back instrumentation in the verses, but Mike varies his singing into a more upbeat, melodic nature, albeit with more direct political references to specific world leaders, with poker references used heavily in the choruses. Another interesting contrast from lyrics to music here, this is a fun song if you can look past the political imagery, but the ending is too abrupt, and I tend to go for Mike's more aggressive music overall. "Weight of the World" ends with it's exclusive track "Bismarck", which reflects armed conflicts of World War II that Mike found interesting, though this is strictly thematic, as it's the album's only instrumental ("Interlude" aside.)

With no lyrics to worry about, this is honestly Mike's best showcase as a pure musician on "Weight of the World", with each intended battle (as seen here) getting it's own distinct musical approach, from heavy and fast to slower and dark, and the guitar, bass, and drum tracks all get moments in the sun! As such, this hardly feels like it's almost 7 minutes long, and it has a little something for everyone (except vocals), so I'd definitely get this album for this song if you have the choice!

So, what are my final thoughts on "Weight of the World" and it's original source albums? Overall, this is a solid effort with well written lyrics and some excellent musical passages, and it's great to see someone expressing themselves politically and socially in this manner! No everyone will agree with Mike McCleary's opinions on the included songs, but his opinions and stances are clear as day, and they tend to lend themselves well to hard rock music, especially with songs on the "In Ruins" re-release, which I found to be stronger pound-for-pound than "Hourglass". Mike seems to let his guitar skills fly more on that album, but as this is a combined re-release, you don't have to take sides. Songs like "Lest Ye Be Judged", "Aylan", and "Introspection" worked best for my musical tastes, while "Bismarck" is too good to be relegated to just a re-release bonus! That said, some songs struggled a bit to match Mike's well written lyrics with the music naturally, and others faded out too abruptly for my taste.

My biggest note is that some songs have too much dissonance between the serious lyrical themes and the more upbeat/casual nature of their music, and if there was intentional irony in that, it wasn't overtly obvious. We haven't heard much from Mike McCleary musically this summer, but he's a very talented and socially conscious musician, and this album continues his progression upward from the preceding CD "Weight of the Truth", so be sure to check those and his more recent albums at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what's coming next month? I don't 100% know, but it will be a new album review! At this juncture, three different albums are in the running (Sykotyk Rampage's "Live at the Paris Hilton", SweetKenny's "Management", and Redundant's self-titled debut EP), and while I'm currently leaning towards the original crash band based on earlier release date, Redundant would jump ahead in line if they had a September concert lined up.

In any event, stay tuned for that next month, and for more news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

New Albums From Shit Liver & Mike McCleary, Plus A Dire Setback's Album Plans!

We're back with a new news post for your Friday morning reading, and we're almost entirely focused on new albums today, including 2 (well, 3-ish) new albums on sale this week, plus one more now underway, so here's what you should know on those and related topics!

Local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver released their second full length album "Hitting the Fan" as scheduled on Tuesday! Yes, this fan favourite metal group have finally unveiled their sophomore studio effort via their Bandcamp page, and you can now buy it there for $5, while vinyl record copies of the album are also now on sale via mail order! They have 550 hand numbered discs in red vinyl stock, with a poster and lyric sheet in the package, and they are taking orders before they hit the road. "Hitting the Fan" on vinyl costs $20 + shipping, so e-mail shitliverbooking@gmail.com if you must have a copy of the album before (or if you can't attend) their tour! The album proper includes 10 songs, namely "Evacuation", "Makes Me Sick", "Just Take It", "It Won't Change", "Liverated", "Cirrhosis", "Matt Got Beat Up By Cops", "Livin' In Shit", "Wait", and the title track, which just about covers their remaining original material that hadn't made it to their debut CD!

Also, belated apologies for erroneously indicating that "Unabomber" was their own song, it was originally by the band Macabre. You can also buy "Hitting the Fan" on vinyl at The Algonquin Pub on Friday, April 6th during their local tour stop, but there has been a lineup change, as local indie/hard rock quartet Id Iota have quietly replaced Vol. on the bill for unannounced reasons, though note that Vol. never publically acknowledged this event. Hopefully all's well in Vol.'s camp, and Id Iota's addition maintains the widely varying genre spread for this concert, so see above for more details on it! Speaking of which, Shit Liver also announced the entire run of tour dates in support of "Hitting the Fan" on their Facebook page yesterday, which confirm that they will kick off the tour right here on April 6th, before heading out west to British Columbia, then across country to the Maritimes, before finishing up in Quebec and Peterborough in mid-May, with only Newfoundland and P.E.I. not covered among the 10 provinces.

Note that if a Soo encore was to be scheduled, it'd have to take place on April 26th between their planned Thunder Bay and Timmins dates, but that is strictly a hypothetical scenario on my part. It's surprising that they don't have a St. Catharine's date on the tour (granted, they tend to play there more often enough), but it's great to see everything shaping up well for "Hitting the Fan" and their upcoming cross-country trek! See above for more details, and look for our CD review next month!

Next up, here's another new album release of sorts, namely local hard rock solo artist Mike McCleary's revamped debut album "In Ruins"! Originally released in June 2017 to streaming services before being taken down for revisions (including re-recordings, new cover art, and track removals), this self-produced and recorded album now features the songs "Lost", "Naive", "Childish Leaders", "Aylan", "Disavowed", "Introspection", and "Bad Hand". Of these songs, only "Naive", "Disavowed", & "Aylan" were on the original version of "In Ruins", unless Mike renamed certain tracks, with the other songs (including all acoustic variants) being removed or shifted over to his prior full length album "Weight of the Truth." Despite being his original first album, Mike noted on his Facebook page that he considers "In Ruins" to be a sequel to his January EP "Hourglass", and as such, has released the two albums in a special combined release called "Weight of the World" also!

That release also contains one bonus track not on either prior album, an instrumental named "Bismarck" that Mike teases is a preview of styles to expect on his next album after these. "In Ruins" is now on sale on Bandcamp for $5, with "Weight of the World" going for $8 (which is cheaper than buying it's source albums separately), and you can stream both there as well! That all said, don't expect a review of either album until August at the earliest due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer, but "Weight of the World" is my preference for it's amount and exclusive track. Mike's working at a fast pace on his new material, so check out his talented array of music above!

Finally, I can't put this off any longer: Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback have begun pre-production for their debut album, and YOU can help make it a reality! The guys have launched a Patreon page to help crowd-fund the album, but unlike Kickstarter, the aim isn't necessarily for one goal, but to support ongoing creative work, with exclusive perks and content for paying regularly each month (Theatre of Night attempted a page there back in 2015.) A.D.S. indicated on Patreon that Treble Charger guitarist Bill Priddle is producing the album, and all proceeds from Patreon will go toward mixing and mastering their debut, with individual song releases expected when ready, plus they implied that help will be needed when picking album artwork and making music videos. If you donate even $1 a month, you'll get exclusive content on Patreon, but giving up to $30 could get you first crack at tickets, autographed merchandise, exclusive offers, name credit in the liner notes, and more.

A Dire Setback have begun work on click tracks and setting tempos for their originals, and while "exclusive video access" for Patreon backers is teased, they did post one public video to their new YouTube channel on Thursday, which features Chris, Matt, and Nick playing "Catastrophe" in studio (and in black & white.) Raw and unpolished, but the guys are on their way and very serious about getting this album complete! It's surprising that they're moving so fast despite playing live just once with this lineup so far, but hopefully this crowdfunding campaign takes off where prior local music ones didn't! See above and below for more on their album plans!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's poll results and our new poll on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Even More Alter Bridge/In Flames Concert Videos!!

As previously teased, here's our third and presumably final showcase of videos from Tuesday night's Alter Bridge/In Flames concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Kudos once again to everyone who was filming at this concert, we were beyond spoiled! We'll start with a frequent sight for concert video postings around here, namely Christopher Paci, who shot sixteen videos at this concert, including ten of Alter Bridge's set, so what should you know? Uploaded on Friday, Chris filmed the Orlando hard rockers playing their songs "The Writing On The Wall", "Ghost Of Days Gone By", "Cry of Achilles", "My Champion", Myles Kennedy's acoustic renditions of "Wonderful Life" & "Watch Over You" in the same clip, "Open Your Eyes", "Metalingus", "Show Me A Leader", "Rise Today", and as embedded below, "Blackbird". The camera can be a little jittery at times, and heads can get in the way, but he had a solid angle of the band, and the audio's usually solid! Give his Alter Bridge clips a look above & below!



Chris also posted six videos of opening Swedish metal standouts In Flames from Tuesday, including their songs "Where The Dead Ships Dwell", "Moonshield", "Before I Fall", "Cloud Connected", "Take This Life", and as embedded below, their opening track "Wallflower". Similar quality to the Alter Bridge videos (naturally) though with not quite as much zoom, these capture In Flames' set nicely, and you can see them above & below as well!



Next up, fellow attendee Jeff Hagan (a prior filmer from this year's Pop Evil show) uploaded sixteen videos of his own from Alter Bridge's set to his own YouTube channel on Friday! Sadly, Jeff did not post anything of In Flames, but he did get most (if not all) of Alter Bridge's songs from Tuesday in at least partial form, including "The Writing on the Wall", "Come to Life", "Ghost Of Days Gone By", "Cry of Achilles", "Addicted to Pain", "Metalingus", "Open Your Eyes", "My Champion", "Crows on a Wire", "Waters Rising", "Blackbird", "Slip to the Void", "Watch Over You", "Wonderful Life", and as embedded below, "Rise Today". Filmed from a higher and further angle than the rest of the videos I've seen from the concert, Jeff got some solid videos all the same with a clear view of the band, though the audio can be a little muffled, "Blackbird" is regrettably filmed on the vertical camera angle, and "Open Your Eyes" was accidentally posted twice. See more from Jeff above and below!



Finally, we have two more clips from YouTube user Kathleen Hardy, who followed up her "My Champion" video from Wednesday with two additional videos on Thursday, those being of Alter Bridge's songs "Slip To The Void" and, as embedded below, "Waters Rising", notable for featuring guitarist Mark Tremonti on lead vocals rather than Myles. Filmed at her excellent angle from before with awesome audio and video quality, these are a nice way to cap off our Alter Bridge video showcases, so give these a look as well!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates as the week rolls along! Thanks everyone!

More Alter Bridge/In Flames Concert Videos!!

For this Friday afternoon post, we're tackling yet more videos from Tuesday night's Alter Bridge/In Flames concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! A lot of people filmed a lot of footage for YouTube at this concert, and there's more yet to be featured on the site, so thanks to everyone who filmed on Tuesday! We'll start today with the filmer we closed with on Wednesday, namely Anne McIntosh, who uploaded eleven more videos to her YouTube channel yesterday to join her prior two Alter Bridge clips! Despite the wait in between, kudos to her for putting up even more! Eight were of Alter Bridge's headlining set, filming the Orlando hard rockers playing their songs "Rise Today" (their closer, preceded by dueling guitar solos from Myles & Mark), "Slip to the Void", "Waters Rising", "Crows on a Wire", "Ties That Bind", "Cry of Achilles", "The Writing on the Wall", and as embedded below, "Show Me a Leader". Why this song? Beforehand, there was an on-stage marriage proposal!

You don't see this every day, let alone in the Soo, and while I won't spoil the details, would we share it here if she said "No"? Nice moment for sure, and as for the videos proper, Anne's new videos are even better than before, with a nice and close angle to the stage, a horizontal camera orientation, and strong performances throughout, so check everything out at the above links and below!



Anne also filmed three videos of In Flames, marking our best footage yet of the Swedish metal notables from Tuesday night, and she filmed them playing their songs "Moonshield", "All For Me", and as embedded below, "Deliver Us", one of only four songs not captured in James Jones' videos of the concert. Again, these have similar qualities and angles to Anne's Alter Bridge clips, and you get a good sense of In Flames' set and command of the crowd, regardless of band era, and as I stated the other day, their newer material sounds better live! See more above & below!



Next up, here's a pair of new uploads from Alter Bridge's set, including this one from the YouTube channel of Michael Cole (manager of Munising metal band and prior local headliners Infathom), and he filmed their song "My Champion". More of a higher side-stage angle on this clip, and while the video is clear and nicely framed the location, the audio is muffled. Not bad though, so give this perspective a look below as well!



Finally, we have a video of Alter Bridge playing "Open Your Eyes" on Tuesday night, courtesy of YouTube user Mitch MacDonald! Though there's nothing in the title or description confirming it was from the Soo show (all of his videos are titled "Mitchy" with numbers following), the stage setup and clothing match other videos I have seen. At a quick glance, you'd assume this was one of Anne McIntosh's videos given the angle and quality, which is a positive sign, as this is a very solid video of one of Alter Bridge's early hits, though the audio is a little crackly. Check it out below!



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

Alter Bridge/In Flames Concert Video Showcase!!

Today's post at the SMS is devoted to videos from last night's Alter Bridge/In Flames concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino, and based on social media discussion, the show appears to have been a hit! We'll start with a substantial amount of footage from attendee James Jones' YouTube channel, as he filmed over 48 minutes worth of content from the show for uploading there! Kudos to him for the work on these videos, that's above and beyond the call of duty! First, he got the opening 14 minutes of Alter Bridge's headlining set, filming the Orlando hard rock quartet playing their songs "The Writing on the Wall", "Come To Life", and "Farther Than The Sun", so click each song name to go to each song. The performances here are very solid, and Myles Kennedy's voice is in top form, but the vertical camera angle, distance from the stage, and scratchy audio do the clip no favours. Still, this much footage is awesome, so give it a look below!



Unusually, James voiced his dislike for Alter Bridge as a band and preference for their predecessor group Creed in the description (to each their own, but why tell the world when you posted the video anyway?) However, it appears he liked opening Swedish metal band In Flames more, filming 34 minutes worth of footage from their set across two videos! Starting four songs in, James filmed In Flames playing their tracks "All For Me", "Where The Dead Ships Dwell", "Moonshield" (complete with extended intro thanking "Mike at the deli" for the request), "Before I Fall", "The Truth", "Paralyzed", and most of "Cloud Connected". All of that is in the video below, while his second video features their closing number "Take This Life", skipping "The End" in between. The quality of these videos is no different than before, but you get a nice cross-section of In Flames eras here, and dare I say, the newer alt-metal songs sound better live? See for yourself below!



Next up, here's a pair of Alter Bridge videos from from YouTube user Anne McIntosh's channel, including "Blackbird" and, as embedded below, Myles' acoustic medley of "Wonderful Life" & "Watch Over You", so click on each song name for specific tracks once again. Musically, I prefer "Blackbird", but the unplugged change of pace is nice to see! Anne was much closer to the stage, and her videos have much clearer audio, so keep them in mind on that basis, while the acoustic clip actually benefits the vertical camera angle, so give her clips a look above & below!



Finally here's our only video on a horizontal landscape angle for today, courtesy of YouTube user Kathleen Hardy, and it's of Alter Bridge playing their song "My Champion"! Despite a brief 86 second runtime, this is by far the best quality video from the show that I have seen so far, and not just because of the angle! She is nice and close to the stage, and her camera takes excellent videos, so fans would be well served to check hers out below!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews and last month's poll results tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Alter Bridge/In Flames Concert Preview, New Soo Art Rocks Videos, And More!!

We are back with this new news post for your Monday afternoon, so what's contained within? New videos and fallout from a recent concert, clarification and news from a new local promoter with a familiar name, and leading things off, our preview of a special Tuesday night concert in the E.U.P. with some huge headline acts, so here's what you should know!

Orlando hard rock quartet Alter Bridge and Swedish metal veterans In Flames will make their way to our area TOMORROW NIGHT for the latest Allstar Promotions concert event at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Of course, Alter Bridge have had a ton of success with rock radio hits like "Addicted To Pain", "Isolation", and "Open Your Eyes", and their fan favourite originals and soaring vocals should be very well received when they rock the Soo Kewadin tomorrow! In Flames will also be very interesting to see locally, as while they have seen a very polarizing response to their newer alternative material, they have many fans from their recent era and older death metal albums alike. Are you in this for "Clayman", "Come Clarity", or "Battles"-era In Flames? Hopefully there's a little something for all tastes, but it's great to see them here! Note that a previously announced opening set by Tennessee hard rockers Devour the Day is no longer advertised by them or Allstar Promotions.

No word on if they are indeed off the show (and if so, why), but it would be nice to see them finally play a local gig! This stop on Alter Bridge's "The Last Hero" tour goes down tomorrow at 7:00 PM, this is ALL AGES, and tickets are still available from the first row and back for $38.50, though at press time, only 15 center section seats remain. Get your tickets A.S.A.P. if you don't have any yet at this link, at 1-800-KEWADIN, or at the in-person box office, and check out Allstar Promotions' Facebook page for details on how to enter for meet & greet passes! This should be a great concert for hard rock and metal fans, so see above for more details, and here's Alter Bridge live!

Next up, here's some extra details from that new Facebook personal account called The SaultMusicScene that launched on Friday, so what should you know on it now? After some ambiguity about the identity of the administrator (and confusion on if I was involved), it has been confirmed that Autumn Roots frontman Jeremy Hannah is running it, and it's not just a tool to help promoters advertise their events: He's promoting shows again! Fans will remember Jeremy for his work with Big Voiced Records in the mid-late 2000s at The Oddfellows Hall, but he has dabbled into promotion and live sound since with Pure Sound Audio, Spotlight Canada, and the cancelled Music Mayhem show in April 2012, though none of those got very far off the ground. Jeremy has elaborated that he is open to working with other promoters on events, and is apparently planning to promote shows at The Canadian Nightclub and The Upper Deck Bar & Grill upstairs from that venue.

First up from Jeremy's new agency is a Canada Day weekend show on Friday, June 30th at The Canadian, which will have 6 bands to be announced, a door prize, and $5 advance admission (which doubles at the door.) Click here for more details, and we'll let you know if metal, hard rock, or punk makes the lineup! While I think the SaultMusicScene name is a little too familiar to the 2000s website of that name (especially as Scott MacLeod's not visibly involved), it is great to see Jeremy back in the promoting game, and if this lives up to it's ambitions, this will be an asset to bands and fans alike! See the above links for more, but remember, you have to be a friend to read postings on the main page, unless Jeremy relaxes the privacy settings.

We'll close today with new videos from Friday night's Soo Art Rocks concert at The Canadian Nightclub, but first, just a note from promoters Live705's Facebook page! In their latest post there, they thanked everyone making Soo Art Rocks a success, noted that their next concert will be in June (details coming this week), credited Pointless frontman Bill Priddle for helping A Dire Setback make "notable changes to polish our songs", and teased that they will be booking touring bands in the future. Very encouraging all around, so stay tuned as more details fall into place! As for the videos, A Dire Setback are the subject here, as photographer Josh Pace filmed the punk quartet playing the end of their set-closing self-titled original on Friday night for his personal Facebook page, which the band subsequently shared publically on theirs.

Though only 38 seconds long, the guys are in great form, and this is a nice showcase for bassist Matt Quinn too! The side stage angle puts him in the background on this clip, however. I do plan to film this song in full as well at an upcoming concert, but given that it's tended to be a set closer, I may have to have a backup video ready in the event of a file error, but I'll figure something out. Check this clip out below, and stay tuned for more from A Dire Setback and Live705 when it comes in!



Finally, here's a new clip from Live705's Facebook page, which is a live stream of the end of an early song during Id Iota's headlining set, including the introduction of guest cellist Pete Mozarowski to the crowd. Given the short length, vertical angle, and placement in the song's runtime, this isn't an optimal look at Id Iota, but it's nice to see some new footage of this alt-hard rock quartet, and they sound good from what we hear, so give it a look too!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Alter Bridge), Recent Concert Videos, And More!!

After a Family Day break, we are back with a new news post on the site on this Tuesday morning, so what's on tap? Some assorted recent news and notes, and videos from a recent Sault Ontario event, but first, here's a huge LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for the spring that was just announced this morning!

The teased new Sault Michigan concert from Allstar Promotions is now official, as Orlando hard rock quartet Alter Bridge and Swedish death metal veterans In Flames will make their local concert debuts on Tuesday, May 16th at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault's Kewadin Casino! As first announced on Scott & Brian in the Morning on Rock 101 earlier today, this show will see Alter Bridge rock the Soo with their hit singles like "Isolation", "Ghost of Days Gone By", and "Open Your Eyes", and they should deliver a solid night of high impact originals  during this tour date in support of their new CD "The Last Hero"! Note that Alter Bridge feature 3 members of Creed, but they don't play any of that band's songs live. As for In Flames, metalheads will recognize them from fan favourite songs like "Only For The Weak", "Take This Life", and "Cloud Connected", and while their newer alt-metal albums have polarized many fans, they have a lot of classic songs, and it's a very pleasant surprise to see them in our area, let alone at a high profile venue like this!

Tickets go on sale this coming Friday for $38.50, and you can buy them at this link, at 1-800-KEWADIN, or at the in-person box office, and the show itself will begin at 7:00 PM on May 16th, with no age limit advertised. As well, Allstar Promotions' Facebook page notes that if you share the post with the event poster, you could be entered for a chance to attend a meet & greet with Alter Bridge (maybe both bands?), so keep that in mind also. This should be a massive show at the local Kewadin Casino, and will hopefully continue Allstar Promotions' momentum following Pop Evil this weekend, so check the above links for full current details!

Next up, we have some brand new concert videos to share from a recent Sault Ontario event, courtesy of Christopher Paci's YouTube channel once again! Chris has been busy lately in his ongoing solid work filming local concerts, posting a bunch from the Brad Paisley and Brett Kissell shows that country fans will want to check out, but the ones here come from the Gianni Gagoots-headlined concert at LopLops Lounge from this past weekend! It doesn't appear that Chris filmed the debuting Handsome Sandwich, but he got videos of the other two bands, so what can we observe? Two are of the headlining funk/alternative quintet, including this short clip of the band leading fans in a chant of their name (odd as it is, fans are getting behind it!), while embedded below is 9 minutes of their extended improv jamming. The video quality is a little shaky, and fans' heads can get in the way, but it's another fun look at this promising new band's unique stage show, so give these videos a look below & above!



Chris also filmed a song by new local alternative hard rock quartet Bizotic at this show, just their second live appearance total, and it is a different song than the one Bizotic themselves included in their first video, but the title isn't given. Chris has a closer look at the band in action here, and Louise Lamothe's trumpet is better accentuated here than on "Subway Delay", but the angle leaves Kevin Overton completely obscured. Solid song overall, and a little more varied and upbeat while retaining some grit, so give it a look below!



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

• Local doom metal trio AlgomA & Finnish death metal band Hooded Menace have finally posted their full songs on their new split vinyl single onto their respective Bandcamp pages, linked here & here! This is welcome to see for fans waiting for local in-person availability, or don't have a record player, while it also means that the split will absolutely get this month's CD review at the SMS! Look for that in the coming week, and stream both songs above!
• General admission tickets for the Quiet Riot-headlined concert at The Machine Shop on March 30th are now available for $45 at this link! VIP tickets are $60, and the sale page notes that having such a ticket will mean you get a line bypass and balcony overview, so keep both in mind. Act quick to get your tickets to this anticipated concert before they're gone, and if you would rather buy in person, get down to Mill Square A.S.A.P.!
• As per personal Facebook photos in recent days, Havadder frontman Jason Roy made a guest appearance of some type with bandmate Scott McLurg's fellow classic/hard rock cover band The 3 Day Millionaires at The Rockstar Bar this past Friday! I have no idea where Jason (and Havadder) have been since their most recent gig in July, but hopefully this is a sign that we'll see this veteran trio back out there at some point soon!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates in the coming days! Thanks everyone!