It's now time for our 139th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and this is almost a decade in the making, as we're looking at defunct local hardcore quintet As It Stands' posthumous third EP "The Lost Tapes"! Recorded back in the summer of 2011 at Metalworks Studio in Mississauga with producer Kevin Dietz, a planned contemporary release did not occur before As It Stands broke up in 2014, but members finally had the material mixed locally by ex-guitarist Ryan McLaughlin at Relentless Audio and released on digital streaming and download platforms on December 18th. The band's first paid music output since 2007's now-obscure "Kill The Music, Save The Children", this new EP features the exact same lineup, including singer Justin Pregent, guitarists Garrett Masters & Albert Bourrier, bassist Angelo Huckson, and drummer John Mignacca. As of press time, "The Lost Tapes" is only available digitally, but it only runs for $1.99 on Amazon!
You can also stream this EP on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and we'll let you know if it ever sees a physical release. Note that "The Lost Tapes" do not include the cover of Blink-182's "Stay Together For The Kids" that A.I.S. also recorded at Metalworks, presumably for copyright reasons, despite that song being included with the EP's (now-deleted) unmixed Soundcloud posting in 2016. With four songs running for about 16 minutes, let's begin this review with the opening lost tape, "A Sinking Sinner"! Kicking off a steady drum intro from John, the band slowly joins in until everyone gets to their usual hardcore fury in the first verse, and just in case you need a refresher, early-2010s As It Stands had definitely trended heavier than you may recall from them in the mid-late 2000s! In fact, this song has some slight tweaks to the verse-chorus-verse structure that work well, and the guitar riffing pounds along well to match!Justin's screaming is very solid here, and his two clean choruses have a nice grit to them, but the backing gang vocals don't mesh too well to me, and a guitar solo would have been a nice addition. Still, a strong metalcore opener that doesn't abide completely by the formula and showcases their musical growth! Next up is the longest song on offer, "Embay The Terrible", which immediately launches into a breakdown with vocals from Justin, but the music proper gets more melodic as the song progresses, especially in the choruses. No clean vocals here, but the gang backing vocals are used better, and Justin does go even harsher at points with his screaming! Angelo's bass work fills this one out nicely, and there's a proper guitar solo on offer too, if somewhat buried in the mix. This is definitely a more aggressive and entertaining track that will definitely please hardcore fans!
Song #3 is the peculiarly named "Oh Herm, Herm Delish" (honestly, I never liked that title), and after a lo-fi intro, the full band and production values kick into gear, complete with even more ferocious metalcore, including copious breakdowns early! The drum-centric bridge in the middle comes out of nowhere and somewhat kills the momentum, but everything around it works nicely, including more varied screaming from Justin in the second half, pounding percussion from John, and a catchy rhythm, so fans will get a kick out of this one! The EP closes with it's shortest song, "One Less Than Wayne Gretzky" (fitting, given that the NHL season began yesterday!) Very punk-style intro to this one before the vocals bring us back into hardcore land, including the return of the "Sinking Sinner"-style backing vocals that sound like they were sung in a cave.
Musically, there's nothing too shocking here to report from the preceding three songs. It's very heavy and has good breakdowns to mosh to, and Garrett & Albert pair well on the riffs, but it does end abruptly, and it could have used a guitar solo to pad it out a bit. Still a solid track that stands up with the others! So, what are my final thoughts on As It Stands long, long awaited third EP? Overall, it's a strong batch of original material that will definitely make up for the long wait time for their old fans and interest new metalcore fans alike! While only one song from their mid-2000s EPs exists online for comparison, it's clear that "The Lost Tapes" are a huge jump in recording and writing quality. Justin's screaming was top notch, Albert & Garrett had strong guitar riffs and breakdowns throughout, Angelo's low end work was reliable, and John's known drum skill was put to good & varied use!
I appreciate the variance in normal song structures here, and the heaviness was almost non-stop, but it would have been nice to hear more of Justin's clean vocals, more than one guitar solo, and more natural sounding backing vocals. Of course, I understand why they dropped the Blink-182 cover (maybe they can post it for free again?), but it would have been nice if they expanded this EP via including the songs that As It Stands recorded in the Soo and in Stoney Creek in 2010, which never had a paid release of their own. Maybe we'll see them down the line, let alone re-releases of their early EPs, if this one does well! That all said, it took almost 10 years to get the Metalworks sessions released in a paid form, and I think it was worth the wait! Stream or download As It Stands' new EP above, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! That said, what are we reviewing on the site in February?
We will be looking at one more Relentless Audio-mixed album next, namely local punk project 9 Times Dark's debut album "Vicissitude", so look for that next month, and stay tuned for a new post by Sunday! Thanks everyone!
We're back with a new post on this Friday night, including new videos, details on a new EP release, and leading off, a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for this weekend! Here's what you should know!
Local acoustic hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will play a special matinee concert THIS SUNDAY at Reggie's Place on Queen Street East! Apologies for the short notice, Tym announced this gig via it's official Facebook event page on Saturday, and given our slow news pace as of late, I held it for a post closer to showtime. This is the booking that was postponed from this past Sunday for publically unannounced reasons (perhaps just a date mix-up?), and it marks his first public concert since the abrupt cancellation of his Motley Market arrangement in the fall, as well as his first scheduled booking at the original downtown Reggie's in memory. Of course, Tym does have country covers in his extensive playlist, but he does not primarily play that genre, so will this be a reasonably tailored matinee, or is this another sign that the new Reggie's ownership aren't as country-centric as before? Find out on SUNDAY!
This booking is in Reggie's regular SUNDAY matinee timeslot of 3:00 PM, which will be old hat for regulars, but is relatively new for us. In any event, expect this to have a 19+ age limit, no cover charge, and the usual social distancing/mask requirements that venues hosting live music must abide by at present. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, Tym has two new original songs posted on his YouTube channel to check out! The first one was posted on Saturday, and it is entitled "Jesus Everywhere", which will be a massive hint to the lyrical content. The video proper has a slideshow with lyrics, and the song is a softer, mellower number that is well composed with good harmonics in the vocals. That said, if you want something heavy, his brand new instrumental "The Holy War" will be up your alley!
Thematically about the battle between good & evil, this is a solid and suitably dramatic piece of power metal that fans of his old original band work will be right at home with, though I somehow doubt we'll see an acoustic cover of it at Reggie's on SUNDAY. Cool stuff, especially with fantasy-laden slideshow to match, so give it a listen below, and see much more above!
Next up, it's official: As It Stands' long, long awaited third EP "The Lost Tapes" is now on sale! As promised, it dropped at midnight today on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music, and you can also buy it for $1.99 on Amazon. The release 100% confirms that this includes songs from the defunct local hardcore quintet's Metalworks Studio sessions with producer Kevin Dietz in June 2011, and from no others, so I was largely right on my prediction from Tuesday's post! However, the EP only features four of the songs recorded there 9½ years ago, omitting their studio cover of Blink-182's "Stay Together For The Kids", presumably over copyright concerns. Why not re-post it on Soundcloud to stream, at least? For the record, they haven't confirmed if Relentless Audio did indeed provide the final mix, at least not on Facebook. This has been a long wait for As It Stands to finally put this out, especially given that this is their first paid EP release since 2007!
It is very encouraging to see them finally right a wrong from their well received second active period, and while it would be nice to have seen them include the songs recorded in their 2010 studio sessions, or even digitally release their first two discs, just be glad that we got these "Lost Tapes" at all! Baby steps! Will this be our first CD review on the SMS in 2021? I don't see why not, so stay tuned for that in the new year, and buy or stream As It Stands' new EP (at long last) at the above links!
Finally for today, here's a couple of new videos from Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished's Facebook page! While not plugged there in advance, the guys (minus Gary) returned as guests on local classic hits radio station Eagle 95.1 FM's morning show with host/station owner Tim Ellis a few days ago. Apologies for not plugging that on here, I would have had Tarnished mentioned it beforehand! The band uploaded two videos on Facebook on Wednesday, including one of frontman Alex Traynor and bassist Josh Fair playing an acoustic rendition of their own "Metalyn", and as embedded below, one of Alex and guitarist Nathan Webber covering Chuck Berry's "Run Run Rudolph". Normally, I'd embed the original over a cover, but it's the Christmas season! The guys handle these acoustic versions well, so give them a look above & below, and stay tuned for more from Tarnished!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site next week! Thanks everyone!
We're back with more news on this Tuesday evening, including a few new videos from both sides of the border, and leading off, here's some big updates on what a fondly remembered local band has been up to as of late!
Defunct(?) local hardcore quintet As It Stands have elaborated on their teasers regarding "The Lost Tapes" via their Facebook page, so what is going on in their camp? Well, "The Lost Tapes" is indeed an EP that they recorded 10 years ago but never released, and it will officially be released on FRIDAY at midnight! No word on physical copies, but you will be able to stream and/or download "The Lost Tapes" via Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, and Google Play. You can hear glimmers of the studio output in the
teaser videos they've posted (embedded below is their newest one from
Thursday.) As best as I can gather, the EP they are referring to was recorded at Metalworks Studio in Mississauga with producer Kevin Dietz in June 2011, and those five songs ("A Sinking Sinner", "Embay the Terrible", "Oh Herm, Herm Delish", their cover of Blink-182's "Stay Together For the Kids", and "One Less Than Wayne Gretzky") were previously uploaded in unmixed form on Soundcloud, only to be pulled from there presumably recently.
In fact, early A.I.S. guitarist Ryan McLaughlin's production company Relentless Audio plugged "The Lost Tapes" on their Facebook page, so is that a hint that he mixed his old band's EP? Time will tell! Unless there is a bigger surprise in store, I don't believe "The Lost
Tapes" will include the also-unreleased songs recorded locally at Stereo
Soul Studios in mid-2010 ("Rise Above" & "One Last Chance") or in Stoney Creek later that year ("Conception" & "Big Problem, Little Lock City"). We'll have more on As It Stands' long awaited EP later this week, so stay tuned for more details, and watch the newest teaser clip below!
Next up, let's continue getting caught up on Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Tarnished's prolific string of video uploads on their Facebook page as of late! Many of them into early December related to their now-concluded merchandise giveaways and the winner announcements (with or without the fox mask), so you can check those out at your leisure on their Facebook page to see who won what and when! On December 5th, the guys shared a TikTok video of them (minus Gary) acoustically covering The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Dani California", and it's well done while it lasts, though the tight vertical camera angle isn't ideal. Also, did you know that the fox masked-character is named Puzzle Piece? He tells us so in this TikTok shoutout clip, whicb leaves us with more questions than answers! On Sunday, they shared a comedy sketch called "Never "Saw" It Coming", where Puzzle Piece plays a Saw-style torture game with Josh and Nathan.
Amusing, especially if you're familiar with the Saw movies and the options Josh is given! Lastly, following it's own gradual Facebook teasers (like this western-style one from last week, Tarnished unveiled the long-awaited music video for their original song "Metalyn" on Facebook and their YouTube channel yesterday, so what should you know about it? Filmed by Jay London Photography, the video features Tarnished performing on a roof-top in Sault Ste. Marie (with the International Bridge behind them), intercut with scenes of actress Malia Lefebre finding a cassette Walkman on the ground and getting her groove on to (presumably) this very song, before ultimately finding Alex's guitar at the end. Well edited and shot, this is a good first video from this fast rising band, and it straddles the line between hard rock and mainstream accessibility well! Give it a watch below, and see much more above!
We'll close with something festive for the holidays, namely this video of Sault Ontario progressive/hard rock solo artist Mike Cliffe covering the Christmas carol "We Three Kings"! Posted to his YouTube channel on Thursday in his first upload there in ten months, this is a relatively simple but effective guitar rendition with a nice and intricate ending, so give it a watch below!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new news post on Friday, barring sudden and unforeseen news that has to come sooner! Thanks everyone!
Fort the first time in 10 days, we have a proper news post on the SMS, rather than a monthly feature! News and updates of a normal sense remain painfully slow, but we finally have enough to gather a traditional post together on this Monday night, including a bunch of new videos and a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Here's what you should know!
Local southern/hard rock quintet Fort Creek will end the year with a bang when they return to Reggie's Place for one night only on Thursday, December 31st for their New Year's Eve party! While their Reggie's West show on November 28th was advertised on their Facebook page as their "last live gig of 2020", they quickly reversed course after the downtown Reggie's management asked them to play their New Year's event, so fans will have one more chance to see the guys' hard rocking covers in action! Given the seasonal timing, there will be $20 tickets on sale at Reggie's on Queen Street East, and while I can't confirm how much holiday accoutrements will be on hand for the occasion (especially given the pandemic), you can expect a limited capacity, face mask requirements, and social distancing recommendations to still be in effect. As usual, this is a 19+ event, and a 9:00 PM start time would make sense. See above and this promotional Facebook video for more information on this concert!
Next up, here's some brief new updates from... As It Stands?! The fondly remembered 2005-2014 hardcore quintet surprisingly resumed posting on their Facebook page late last month, via three 15 second teaser videos which feature live concert footage of theirs synced up with audio tracks from their unreleased studio album recording sessions. On-screen text mentions "The Lost Tapes" and "Holidays 2020", which strongly hint that they are releasing original studio material of theirs in some form this month. In case you need a refresher, As It Stands released two EPs in the mid-2000s (both now out of print and exceedingly hard to find), but after their 2010 relaunch, they recorded new original songs at three different locations from 2010-2011 (Stereo Soul Studios locally, and at studios in Stoney Creek and Mississauga.) None of those three sessions led to a paid CD release, but select songs and/or clips exist from all three sessions.
The songs recorded at the Mississauga sessions at Metalworks were posted on Soundcloud, but regarding these new "Lost Tapes", will they be from one of the three sessions in particular? All three? Songs recorded elsewhere entirely? Could the early EPs factor in at all? Will "The Lost Tapes" be a free posting, or put on sale somewhere? And is this a posthumous project, or are A.I.S. returning in some form? Time will tell, but if they do come out on schedule, these could be a nice Christmas present for fans! In the meantime, give all three teaser videos a look here, here, and below!
Also today, let's get through some of Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Tarnished's recent Facebook video postings! On November 27th, the guys shared a third "After Hours" video where frontman Alex Traynor shows off his covers of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Stairway To Heaven" to a mixed reception from his bandmates. Amusing while it lasts, but those quick transitions between shots haven't improved the second time around! The next day, the guys shared a TikTok video of Alex and bassist Josh Fair acoustically covering Quiet Riot's "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)", and while it ends very abruptly mid-chorus, remember that TikTok videos are short by design. The stickers on top don't add anything, but it's a fun rendition while it lasts! Finally for this post, Tarnished posted this video called "A Very Tarnished Practice" on Facebook on November 29th, which is basically a mini-mockumentary
Basically, it's about the guys attempting to hold a jam session, but Alex is late and acting somewhat bigger than his britches, much to his bandmates' annoyance, but as far as Alex knows, everyone's happy and on the same page. Amusing clip that is bolstered by the testimonials that the guys give to the camera, so give it a watch below, see more above, and stay tuned for more from Tarnished's recent video output soon!
Finally, here's a new video from local hard/blues rock quartet Project 906's Facebook page! Uploaded on Saturday in their first posting there in almost five months, this is a vocal/acoustic guitar cover of Chris Stapleton's "Broken Halos" by frontman Billy Bernier, who promises to share more solo videos like this in the coming weeks in a series called "Songs From The Bedroom." Billy did confirm that the band is still together and working on new music, which is encouraging, and hopefully 2021 is a better year for them and everyone! I'm not a country guy, but this is a well done rendition, so give it a watch below, and stay tuned for more from Billy and/or Project 906 when it rolls in!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes when enough is ready for a post, and this month's Defunct Local Band Profile hopefully on Thursday! Thanks everyone!
After a quiet weekend, we're back today with this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, as we continue spotlighting local metal, hard rock, and punk bands from the past each month, as randomly selected from our inactive local band links! This month's random selection is one of our highest profile yet, and will be a fond memory for many hardcore fans of the late 2000s and early 2010s, so here's what you should know on them! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As It Stands
Genre: Hardcore/Metal/Emo (mid-2000s)
Hometown:Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Members:(Members not in their last full lineup in italics)
Justin "Nadj" Pregent, vocals
Garrett Masters (Out Of The Mouth Of Babes), guitar
Albert Bourrier (Out Of The Mouth Of Babes), guitar
Angelo Huckson (Out Of The Mouth Of Babes), bass
John Mignacca (Skeyes of Seven, The John), drums
Audio/Video: As It Stands released two independent EPs during their original run, including 2006's emo-leaning "The Re-Occurring Nightmare" and 2007's hardcore release "Kill The Music, Save The Children". However, only one song ("Bush Raids" from the latter CD) is known to publically exist online today. After their 2010 reunion, A.I.S. recorded studio material locally at Stereo Soul Studios that year and in both Stoney Creek & Mississauga in 2011, and while fragments of each session exist online, late plans to release a self-titled EP from the latter sessions at Metalworks Studio never came to fruition, but it was posthumously posted for free on Soundcloud. Numerous videos from their active runs (especially in the 2010s) exist online, including on John's and our YouTube channel, among other sources. Here's As It Stands playing "Conception" at The Oddfellows Hall back in 2010!
Info/Analysis:
Succeeding the short-lived alternative and ska bands Second Guess and Break The Violence upon their debut in 2005, As It Stands evolved from an emo band to a hardcore act during their first run, quickly becoming fan favourites on the all ages scene, opening for notable bands like The Holly Springs Disaster, Upheaval Of An Exorcist, and The Johnstones through their first breakup in mid-2009. After the instrumental members worked as Out Of The Mouth Of Babes for a year, As It Stands' classic lineup reunited in the summer of 2010 and picked up where they left off, with a devoted fan base following them to all ages & nightclub sets opening for bands like Blind Witness, Breaking The Fourth Wall, and Fuck The Facts, along with a first place tie at the 2012 Humane Society Battle of the Bands. Last seen opening for Dead & Divine on their farewell tour that summer, activity slowed to a crawl aside from optimistic Facebook postings, and As It Stands officially disbanded in 2014.
Reunions have been teased off and on since on social media, including a later-cancelled return set opening for CKY locally in 2017, but it would be great to see As It Stands back in some form, as their in-your-face metalcore originals and constant improvement were always welcomed on a local stage! Justin's ferocious vocals paired well with Garrett & Albert's hard hitting riffs, and Angelo and John's low end rhythms were always a worthy compliment! I admittedly wasn't as into their early emo run, but As It Stands earned their fanbase as the years went on, and they are missed, but look for Justin on the local rap scene, and John on drums with Skeyes of Seven! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! We're heading back to Sault Michigan for our next randomly selected band in this series, but as that band doesn't have enough surviving material to warrant a solo post, I have added a Sault Ontario band in a similar state to double up with. As such, we'll be looking at 2013 Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover band Full Throttle and 2018-2019 Sault Ontario HIM tribute band Poison Girl on or around September 10th! Look for those then, and for more news and notes on the site as the week continues! Thanks everyone!
After a quiet weekend, we're back on this Father's Day with a new news post, so what's in store today? Lots of assorted shorter items, including three removals from our active band links, plus a surprise interview of a local punk band from 18 years ago, but first, here's a new album release!
Dafter, Michigan solo hard rock musician Ken "SweetKenny" Sutton is back with another new score album, so what should you know on it? Quietly released on Wednesday, this album is titled "Management", and is his 26th official solo album and third put out in 2018 alone. Going along with his mid-late 2010s focus on scores intended for use in other media, the intended storyline is about a CIA agent named Kenneth (of course), who finds a spy in "management", and has to find and stop the spy before the Russians do. Definitely a jump in intensity from "Music For The Body", if nothing else! The 12 song score album is available on iTunes for $9.99, but the album is oddly not available yet on SweetKenny's Bandcamp page, similarly to last year's "Music Composed For Film". In any event, you can stream it for free on his website and on Spotify. That all said, is a review of either of SweetKenny's last two albums imminent on The Sault Metal Scene?
Not in June, as it's the last month of our 6 month anti-bias buffer from our review of "The Dogs Are Watching" in January, but next month is entirely possible! Given the intensity, themes, and length, I would go with "Management" over the fitness/aerobics-themed "Music For The Body" for our next SweetKenny album review. Stream or buy these and other albums from this prolific E.U.P. artist at the above links!
Next up, here's a surprise new video find of Sault Ontario/Toronto indie/punk quartet Treble Charger, as uploaded by YouTube user Miker Phone yesterday! The channel is best known from commercials and bumpers from children's television channels, and that's perfectly in line with this video, a late 2000 interview with Treble Charger conducted by then-YTV PJ Pat Kelly (now of CBC Radio One's This & That) during their after school programming block The Zone, specifically following a Rugrats episode. After a clip of the "Friend of Mine" music video, the interview proper kicks in with Pat talking to the guys at a playground (remember, YTV) about their then-new album "Wide Awake Bored", though an advertised quiz segment where Pat tested their rock 'n roll acumen has not made this channel... yet? The interview footage here isn't too long, but it's nice and casual, and Greig even name drops the Soo at one point, so give this interview a look below, and don't miss them at Rotaryfest next month!
Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter news stories from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or event name:
Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback were added as late openers to The Elements' Rockstar Bar show last night, as per the Facebook event page. Solid choice, hopefully A.D.S. delivered a solid set and helped out before The Elements took the stage! Apologies though for this not making the site beforehand, we admittedly couldn't rush a new post in time to include mention of them being added to the bill.
We have moved local hardcore quintet As It Stands back to our inactive local band links due to a year's inactivity. After their prior local runs from 2005-2014, the band had reunited last spring to play at the CKY concert on June 8th, 2017, but quietly dropped out beforehand, with no public statements following their exit. It would have been awesome to see As It Stands back on stage after far too long, one-off or not, but hopefully we see Justin, Garrett, Albert, Angelo, and John back together at some point down the line!
We have also moved local death metal band Exploring Detritus to our inactive band links, as they have not posted a new Facebook page
update (a flashback video share aside) since June 1st of last year.
Primarily active with a handful of live dates in 2016, nothing much
really followed last year, but hopefully Joey, Dan, Jeph, and Kevin
resurface at some point, they had a lot of promise! In our band links,
they're now listed under their old name Kaepora Gaebora, which their
concerts were played as, but if they resurface under the Exploring
Detritus name, we'll change it back.
Local indie/acoustic project The Autumn Roots and indie/prog quartet The Wild Iris have both indicated on their respective Facebook pages that they'll be playing Rotaryfest's Stage 2 this year, expected for Saturday, July 21st at Clergue Park near the Art Gallery. These acts have not
been confirmed by Rotaryfest proper at press time, but if accurate,
this would seem to indicate that Stage 2 is not going with the band
reunion theme like Stage 1 is doing, or at least not as in-depth. We'll
keep you posted when more comes out on this year's Second Stage!
In one more band link alteration, we have removed local punk duo Slow Children Playing from our
band links due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page for
unannounced reasons in recent months. Active as a sporadic studio project from 2014-2017, Slow Children Playing had some promise and originality, and while I wish they hadn't deleted their page, hopefully Don and Caleb turn up in this or other projects in the future!
Reunited classic/hard rock cover veterans That's Chester reformed for the first time in almost two years when they played during drummer Ric Datson's regular jam night event with his current band Mojo at Reggie's West on June 7th, as per That's Chester's Facebook page. Hopefully that was a fun way to shake off the rust in advance of their (otherwise) one-off reunion at Rotaryfest next month!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for last month's poll results on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!
A quality weekend of hard rock concerts is upon us, so let's preview this weekend's announced heavier shows today! Nothing is on the public docket for SMS-covered bands in Sault Michigan this weekend, but there's some big things going down on this side of the border, so read on below for your previews, starting with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!
Prolific local hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will return to The Barrelhouse Wine & Whiskey THIS SATURDAY NIGHT for a regular nighttime solo concert, joining his previously announced Gliss Steak & Seafood matinees TOMORROW & SATURDAY! Apologies for the short notice on the Barrelhouse concert, it was only just announced via it's official Facebook event page on Monday. Returning to the Queen Street East tapas restaurant for his eighth announced solo concert there, this will be a good opportunity to see Tym at a more typical nighttime setting, especially if you missed last week's Roadhouse return or his last Barrelhouse gig three weeks ago, while his usual weekly evening gigs at Gliss should appeal to regulars and fans alike at that fellow downtown restaurant!
Expect SATURDAY'S Barrelhouse show to be a 19+ event with no announced cover and a 10:00 PM start time, while tomorrow & Saturday evening's Gliss double header is all ages with no cover and a 6:00 PM start time, though note the location of these shows. Visit the above links and this link for more details on Tym's latest round of unplugged hard rock solo shows at both The Barrelhouse and Gliss, and here's Tym live a few years back!
Next up, we'll move to entirely previously announced concerts with the highly anticipated Canadian Nightclub concert TONIGHT headlined by Pennsylvania alt-metal trio and video series namesake CKY! This popular band will be very familiar to many fans for songs like "96 Quite Bitter Beings", "Flesh Into Gear", and "Knee Deep", and even without long-time frontman Deron Miller, their unique hard rocking originals should provide a set full of quality rock for fans at The Canadian in their local debut, so don't miss out! Kelowna, British Columbia southern hard rock quartet The Wild will co-headline in their own local debut, and their free-wheeling brand of intense Jackyl-esque originals should provide a solid prelude to CKY, so keep them in mind! Local openers will include the return of punk/metal quintet Jack Spades after a nine month stage hiatus, with frontman & show promoter J.D. Pearce now joined by Daniel Horton, Anthony Orazietti, Steve Shaw, and a drummer to be confirmed (possibly Chris Thompson.) How will the new look lineup sound? Come on out tonight to find out!
Fast-rising local alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback will open with another high impact set of original favourites, so come early to ensure you see them! Note that the previously announced reunion set from As It Stands has quietly been removed from the official Facebook event page, and there has been no public reasons given as to why. Hopefully nothing bad happened, as their reunion has been eagerly awaited! A 19+ concert, tonight's show starts at 6:30 PM, and limited tickets will be available at the door for $20 for this huge show, so don't miss out on thie one, and get knee deep with the quite bitter beings TONIGHT! See above for more details, and here's CKY live last year!
Also going down this weekend is the return of local party/hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom to The Esquire Club for concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Previously announced via the venue's own calendar for bands in the second quarter of 2017, this weekend's shows will mark the guys' first stops at the west-end bar and venue of the year, last rocking out there in December. It's great to see Greg, Mike, and Jon playing a recently rare set of gigs outside of The Rockstar Bar, and hopefully they deliver fun nights worth of hard hitting and fan favourite covers over the next two nights! As usual for Stiffler's Mom's live sets, expect a 19+ age limit, 10:00 PM start time, and no announced cover charge. Check the above links for more information, and here's Stiffler's Mom live!
Finally for today's previews, we'll head to The Rockstar Bar for that venue's kick-off to their summer season with a triple header of rising alternative bands THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! New local genre-less but alt/punk-esque trio Handsome Sandwich (in their Rockstar Bar debut), alternative hard rock trio The Din, and hard rock quartet Eclipse will join forces for this show, which unites a nice selection of familiar performers in bands ranging from reunited to established to still new, and there's a nice selection of sounds to take in from the three on Saturday! Is it worth noting that all three bands on Saturday feature a former Haggith member in their lineups? This show is also notable as it will help kick-off the re-opening of the Rockstar Bar's outdoor patio for the summer, so keep that in mind if you enjoy the patio in between the bands.
A $5 cover charge is in effect for this concert, which has a 10:00 PM start time and a 19+ age limit. This should be a fun concert featuring three talented local bands, especially if you haven't seen Handsome Sandwich or Eclipse post-reunion yet, so visit the Facebook event page for more details, and in lieu of a public Handsome Sandwich video, here's The Din live!
That's all for today, but I'll see you guys TONIGHT for CKY! Thanks everyone!
On this Friday evening, we have a new video to share, but first, let's tackle two recent LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS featuring notable American headlining bands, including one in particular that's gotten tons of local buzz since it was announced yesterday! Here's what you need to know!
Pennsylvania alt-metal trio CKY will make their local concert debut at The Canadian Nightclub on Thursday, June 8th! Yes, the band best known for songs like "96 Quite Bitter Beings", "Flesh Into Gear", and "Familiar Realm" will rock the Soo in a few short months, and even without longtime frontman Deron Miller in their current lineup, their energetic punk-influenced originals are sure to get a huge reception in their local debut! After all, they're the namesake of and a huge part of the old CKY DVDs that begat the Jackass series, so keep that angle in mind too! A stacked local openers lineup will include the return of hardcore quintet As It Stands to the stage for the first time since 2012 on June 8th. Though A.I.S. only formally broke up in 2014, we've been waiting well over 4 years for a new show from the guys, and with John Mignacca back home, they're primed to reclaim their spot in the local scene! Also slated to open are punk/metal favourites Jack Spades, in the public debut of their new lineup!
No word yet on who's joining J.D. and Justin in their new lineup, but this will mark Jack Spades' first show since opening for SNFU in September, and this will be a great way to welcome them back after over 8 months away! The current opener lineup is rounded out by newer alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback, who should be in fine form following their own recent Canadian gigs, so don't be late for their set either! Notably, this is the first announced concert promoted by Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce since his annual Halloween party last year, but what a way to get back into the swing of things, and keep posted in case he has anything sooner to announce! This 19+ show currently lists an unusually early start time of 6:00 PM, and tickets are now on sale at this link for $20, though in-person local availability has not been publically noted as of press time. As a long-time fan of anything to do with the CKY name, this is a huge deal, and it will be awesome to have Chad, Matt, and Jess in the Soo come June 8th!
J.D. has noted that this show has seen the fastest online sales on the first day of any of his promoted concerts, so get your tickets A.S.A.P. just in case by clicking here, as who knows when and where they'll be available in person, especially with As It Stands and Jack Spades both returning that same night! Stay tuned for continued updates as they roll in, and As It Stands are back in our active band links, hopefully this isn't a one-off!
Next up, here's one more new show announcement for later this year, as Florida-based hair metal veterans Nova Rex will hit The Rockstar Bar for a headlining concert on Wednesday, August 30th! A familiar band to glam metal diehards, Nova Rex have been active since the mid-1980s, and while they never achieved the mainstream superstardom of other contemporary acts, they have a solid following that carried them to their own Netflix documentary in 2011, and they should light things up at The Rockstar Bar to help send out the summer! Returning local classic rock cover quartet Nikkfitt (featuring Browbeat and Redundant alumni) will open this show, and this will be a nice showcase for this talented local outfit who don't play live often enough, so keep them in mind as well! Admission for this 19+ event is $8, with advance tickets likely to be available at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk, and an oddly early start time of 8:00 PM is advertised. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for updates on this Hair Scare-worthy concert!
Finally, we were going to close with a new Facebook video from the aforementioned A Dire Setback, but that video was quietly deleted today for unannounced reasons, so we'll cover it if it's re-posted later. Instead, here's the latest clip from local alternative hard rock trio The Din, as uploaded to their Facebook page yesterday! Another in The Din's long line of comedic Facebook videos, this is a "public service announcement" on how not to headbang, a direct nod to Quiet Riot, who will no doubt play "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" on THURSDAY at The Machine Shop, with The Din opening the night's lineup! Needless to say, the headbanging demonstrations in the video aren't "traditional", and while the guys recuperate, drummer Brandan Glew hypes up the Quiet Riot show, especially as tickets are almost sold out. Click here for full ticket details while they last, and give The Din's new video a look below, as it is funny, and sound effects may be employed!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes over the weekend! Thanks everyone!
While we continue posting videos from last night's Gorod/Bookakee concert at The Oddfellows Hall, here's a packed news post for your Saturday afternoon! It includes some assorted recent updates, videos and cover artwork reveals for CDs from two local alt-rock bands (one currently working in studio, one on tour supporting it's release), and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month, so here's what you should know!
Local classic metal quintet Project 421 will return to the stage on Friday, May 13th when they headline at The Rockstar Bar! Personal & health matters have forced these local favourites to the sidelines since their most recent show (at The Rednecks Saloon in January), so fans should be eagerly awaiting their next chance to check out Project 421's old school metal nostalgia trip after their three month+ hiatus, so don't miss out! Their sister band, modern/hard rock quartet Eclipse, are the advertised openers on the poster and video below, and with Curt, Daniel, and Chris flying the live music flag in the interim, it's only fitting for them to play openers next month! Note that this is a one night only event, as AC/DC tribute Hells Bells are playing at The Rockstar Bar that Saturday. Promoted by Project 421 bassist/Eclipse guitarist Daniel Horton, a $5 cover charge is apparently in effect, and there is a 19+ age limit and 10:00 PM start time as well.
For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and here's a new preview video for the concert! Uploaded to Project 421's Facebook page yesterday, this edits together assorted live clips with ominous music, as if Project 421 were a returning horror movie villain, before closing with the poster above. Nicely done, but imagine if they'd went even bigger on the theme? Check it out below!
Next up, here's the latest from local alternative hard rock trio The Din, starting with the reveal of the name and cover art for their forthcoming debut CD! As previously teased in this Facebook preview video (of the pixelated cover art set to performance audio), the album will be called "Give In To The Din", referencing a frequently used quote from band promotion, with the cover art basically a posterized version of a recent band photo, as created by fan Forrest Heard. Simple, but it gets the job done! Further details on "Give In To The Din" are to be announced, so stay tuned for them! In terms of other new videos from The Din, their newest clip features frontman Mike Haggith explaining how and why they need to test CDs for quality (hint, they're outdoors), but embedded below is a new concert video from The Din's runner-up performance at last month's second annual VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub, so what should you know on it?
Filmed on a stationary camera and posted to The Din's YouTube channel on Thursday, this is of Mike, Tammy, and Brandan playing their song "In Search Of The Perfect Moment", and while the camera angle would have been better if centered, it's a strong performance with solid video quality, so give it a look below, and stay tuned for much more from The Din!
Also today, here's the latest from fellow local alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota, who are currently in the midst of their "Skate By Day, Rock By Night" tour run with Tidal Records and local favourites The Pixo Control and Gnaeus! In the past few days, the Habitat Shuffle/Free Beer successors have been very busy on their online side of things, with numerous photos and collages from the tour available to check out on their Facebook page, including everything from t-shirt pressing and drive-time shots to sightseeing, and yes, pictures from their concerts in Toronto and Barrie from the last few days. Possibly of the most interest there is this photo that finally unveils the cover art and track listing for Id Iota's newly released debut EP "Maudlin Fair" (a low quality reproduction can be seen on your right), and the four featured songs are named "California Wasted", "Permanence In Pencil", "One Cent Vaudeville", and "Bitter Tea". Remember, local copies go on sale THIS THURSDAY when the tour heads back home to LopLops Lounge!
Four short videos have also been posted to their Facebook page (none longer than 16 seconds, curiously) in the last few days, and they include a live video of Gnaeus' new lineup that we'll separately spotlight next week, this clip of a filmer entering The Hideout in Toronto before their show there, a 10 second slow motion clip of drummer Blair St. John, and as embedded below, new bassist Dan Linklater jamming outside with Pixo Control frontman Michael Mikus on their electric (yet unplugged) instruments. Fun previews of what appears to be a fun tour, so check everything out above & below, and don't miss Id Iota and company at LopLops on Thursday!
Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or station name:
Defunct local hardcore band As It Stands posted a new status onto their Facebook page yesterday, where they gave fans two options: Like the status if you want the band to compile past studio recordings as a free download, or share it if you want the band to reunite, write a new record, and return to the stage. Either would be awesome, as A.I.S. have been missed since their last concert in 2012, but will either happen? Voice your opinion above!
Local grind/thrash band Them revealed on their Facebook page that they're now officially working on their debut EP! It will have 4 songs, and songs from it were debuted at their set opening for Gorod on Friday at The Oddfellows Hall. Good to hear, so stay tuned for updates on that, and for our review of the concert next!
Lake Superior State University's campus radio station WLSO 90.1 FM (which does occasionally air metal and punk music) is planning to launch an online sister station this fall! Public details are scant at present time, but the reveal was recently made on the station's Facebook page, and a contest for LSSU students had been active to find a name for the station, with a pair of Beats headphones awaiting the winner. It'll be interesting to see how this develops, so follow WLSO at the above links for details on it and their FM station!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for our review of last night's Gorod/Bookakee show next! Thanks everyone!
For this month's YouTube Channel Profile, we're looking at just one randomly selected YouTube channel for the first time in nine months today, which seems like too long, but the joys of a random draw! As usual, this monthly feature series looks at 1-3 YouTube channels with at least 50% of their videos being relevant to local metal, hard rock, or punk bands and/or concerts, in order to spotlight their content and hopefully encourage readers to check them out and subscribe, and this month's (still updated) channel has lots of videos to check out, so here's what you should know!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- John Mignacca. (http://www.youtube.com/asitstands420)
Channel Timeline:Launched on August 9th, 2010; Videos posted from the following month through December 2014
Channel Summary:Originally intended to be a new official YouTube channel for defunct local hardcore quintet As It Stands, this channel first featured two A.I.S. studio tracks, a studio blog, and a loose rap jam between John and singer Justin Pregent. Since the band's last show in August 2012, John transitioned this channel into one for personal use, generally for solo drum covers (7 as of this writing), with other uploads including a solo electronic track, an improvised video of him drumming in a local music store, and a humorous clip of what appears to be his dog responding to an online video.
Why Should You Watch: Give John's channel a look for some solid late-era As It Stands material and for extended (and diverse) drum covers in particular, as he has wide ranging musical interests that come through in these uploads! However, there are no videos yet of John with Skeyes of Seven, there's only the one electronic song for Dillinger fans, and no A.I.S. material from before their 2010 reunion is included, but John does still actively use this channel. For reference, his original YouTube channel (which we profiled in this series in 2012) features two extra videos from his late 2000s band work.
Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:
Rise Above - As It Stands (2010):
The first two uploads on what was then As It Stands' channel were of studio recordings that the band held in mid-2010 at Stereo Soul Studios with producer Miguel Gauthier, shortly before he and the studio moved to California. Recorded not long after the band's reunion that summer, the songs are "One Last Chance" and (embedded below) "Rise Above", the only video on the channel to surpass 1,000 views. Featuring A.I.S.' classic & final lineup (including John alongside singer Justin Pregent, guitarists Garrett Masters & Albert Bourrier, and bassist Angelo Huckson), both of these songs demonstrate a heavier, tighter, and more intense As It Stands than had existed in the late 2000s, and with great production too! Fans can hear more select studio recordings on the band's online pages.
As It Stands - Studio Blog 2011:
Though long-gestating plans for their third CD never saw their planned conclusion, As It Stands took a road trip to Mississauga in June 2011 to record tracks for the unreleased album (then considered an EP) at Metalworks Studio with producer Kevin Dietz, documenting the trip and assorted goings on with a cell phone camera for this vlog posting. The camera work isn't optimal at times given the vertical angle used for much of it, but you get strong audio of the guys recording their parts for the tracks (including their cover of Blink-182's "Stay Together For The Kids") and some fun moments including John getting acrobatic, a dancing chicken mascot, and even a stop at a beach. There was no third disc, but the studio blog gives a glimpse into what could have been!
The Rival Cycle - TREOS (Drum Cover): All of John's videos since 2013 have been of his own drum covers, including of a late As It Stands original (the curiously titled "Oh Herm, Herm Delish") as well as a diverse array of covers from the likes of A Day To Remember, Christina Grimmie, two different versions of Skrillex's "Avicci", and as embedded below, The Recieving End of Sirens' "The Rival Cycle". Specifically uploaded in January 2014, this is played on an electronic drumkit, but is solidly done like the others, with John clearly demonstrating his considerable drumming ability on each, but fans of his hardcore band work might not take to some of his cover choices.
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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! Through 100% random selection, our next profile on June 22nd will be on the YouTube channel #TrebleCharger (we're not starting to use hashtags here, that's it's title), which features song uploads from four of the local/Toronto indie/punk band's albums. Watch for that next month, and stay tuned for more news in the near future! Thanks everyone!
With a surprisingly busy weekend of heavier concerts on the horizon (especially given that it's not quite the holidays for most people), we'll be breaking up this weekend's previews into two posts, with Sault Ontario shows (including some SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS) kicking things off today, and Sault Michigan-area shows headlining tomorrow's post, but we have a new YouTube performance to fill today's post out! Now, here's what you should know for the weekend's concert previews!
Local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will return to the solo stage TOMORROW NIGHT with a one night only show at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only just announced by The Rockstar Bar's Martin Fiser on their Facebook group on Tuesday. A one night engagement due to the short notice show we have after this write-up, this will continue the band's steady run upstairs at The Algonquin Hotel (they haven't played an announced solo show outside of The Rockstar Bar since February), and fresh off their third straight Toystock set, the guys should be in great spirits for another night of varied and often heavy covers! Note however that Lucky 13 have not plugged any of their concerts on their Facebook page since October, but they're definitely alive & well. This 19+ concert has a likely 10:00 PM start time TOMORROW, and while a cover charge hasn't been announced, bring $5 just in case.
For more details, check the above links! Lucky 13 have proven themselves as a live favourite over the past two years, and hopefully they deliver the same good vibes at The Rockstar Bar once again TOMORROW NIGHT! For a preview, here's the guys at Toystock last month!
With Lucky 13 playing tomorrow, who's playing at The Rockstar Bar THIS SATURDAY? The Thrill Junkies, that's who! Apologies again for the short notice, we heard about this show at the same time on Tuesday in the same Facebook group posting. This will be the Turner Up successor quintet's first ever appearance at The Rockstar Bar, their first show since last month's Rock For Dimes, and their first solo headlining show in almost 11 months, so if you're up for a full night's worth of classic and hard rock covers, you know where to be on Saturday night! Like above, this is a 19+ event, a 10:00 PM start time is in effect, and bring $5 just in case there's a cover charge this weekend. For more details, visit the above links and the official Facebook event page! After lying dormant for much of 2014, it's great to see The Thrill Junkies back in action with a more typical solo gig THIS SATURDAY, so keep it in mind as well! For a preview, here they are Rocking for Dimes last month!
Lastly for known Sault Ontario concerts this weekend, local hard rock solo musician Tym Morrison is scheduled to return to The Harp Bar & Grill for his usual weekly solo gigs TOMORROW NIGHT & SATURDAY NIGHT! Officially confirmed on Facebook via this Facebook event page after not having one for last weekend's show, his own website's calendar also confirms that he did not play at The Harp last Saturday for unannounced reasons (we'd have reported it had we heard it, our apologies!), while he will not be playing at The Harp over the Boxing Day weekend at all, though it's not yet clear whether that's due to a holiday break or for external bookings. We'll let you know if we hear anything! Tym's successful year long run at the former Madison's Pub shows no visible signs of slowing down though, so feel free to take in his acoustic covers at tomorrow's open mic night and his usual Saturday night solo show this weekend if you're up for a good night of music!
There's no announced cover charge for either night at The Harp this weekend, you must be 19 to attend, and 10:00 PM start times are likely. For more details, visit the above links, don't miss Tym's extensive cover sets this weekend, and here he is at the Big Cheese a few years back!
Finally for today, here's a solo performance video that will be of high interest to old As It Stands fans! On Tuesday, longtime A.I.S. drummer John Mignacca uploaded this video to his/the band's YouTube channel of him playing through As It Stands' original song "Oh Herm, Herm Delish" on his normal drum kit (rather than the electric kit of his past solo uploads.) For fans who have missed As It Stands since their quiet breakup earlier this year (and last show in 2012), this is a pleasant surprise that shows John back in a familiar element, and despite the odd title, this was one of their better late-period originals! I wouldn't read into this as a sign of life for As It Sands unless stated otherwise, but give this solid video a look below!
That's all for now, but stay tuned for Sault Michigan weekend concert previews TOMORROW, and some more big news to come! Thanks everyone!
I wasn't expecting to have a second post today, but when I remembered there was a show TONIGHT that we accidentally forgot in our previews, I rushed this one, so we have a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, plus more new shows from the same artist! Also, we have some assorted recent notes, video finds from an artist that we recently acknowledged on the site, and sad news on a prominent band's status, so here's what you need to know!
Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison's weekly concert arrangement at The Harp Bar & Grill continues TONIGHT, and as a result, we'll add his numerous August bookings to our concert schedule! Remember, we take things a month at time due to the years worth of bookings on his website's calendar, and apologies for the short notice, we forgot about Tym's show this weekend until today. The August shows will push his ongoing weekly run at the former Madison's Pub into it's 39th week, and they'll see him rocking out TONIGHT, the next three full weekends (August 8th & 9th, 15th & 16th, and 22nd & 23rd), and once more on Friday, August 29th. No word on why he's not playing tomorrow or on the 30th, but he usually sees one or two dates a month pre-empted for another artist, such as the Joe Kennedy show on July 19th. As usual, the Friday shows are The Harp's weekly jam night that Tym hosts and plays at, while the Saturdays are for Tym's usual solo acoustic hard rock show, so keep each theme in mind for some live action!
As well, Tym will once again play at The Road House Bar & Grill on Thursday, August 21st, continuing his recent trend of playing this east end venue once a month to coincide with their monthly customer appreciation nights, so don't miss that show either! The Harp shows are 19+ with 10:00 PM-ish start times, but the Road House show will likely be all ages in the early evening. For more details check the above links, and don't miss Tym at The Harp all month, including TONIGHT! For a preview, here he is covering Heart!
Next up, we can sadly now confirm that local hardcore quintet As It Stands are now inactive. Drummer John Mignacca confirmed the news in a recent personal Facebook conversation, saying that "we are done", but members may reunite in a new band of a different name in the future, and he didn't elaborate further on reasons for the band's split. Active off and on since their 2005 beginnings as an emo band, As It Stands soon became one of the most popular hardcore bands of recent memory in Sault Ontario, promoting and playing at numerous high profile concerts both here and on tour runs, including opening for bands like Fuck The Facts, Blind Witness, Upheaval of an Exorcist, and many others, along with playing at 15 Roosevelt Hotel metal nights, tying for first at 2012's Humane Society Battle of the Bands, and in their last show, opening for Dead & Divine at The Canadian that August. As It Stands also released two demo EPs in their original late 2000s run, and worked on studio sessions for an unreleased album after their 2010 return, though activity has been very sporadic for the last two years.
This is disappointing to confirm, but not entirely unexpected given how quiet the band has generally been in recent months, despite attempts at a relaunch last fall. A.I.S. grew a ton from their early emo days to become a very popular local band, and their fans returned in full force after the Out Of The Mouth Of Babes experiment concluded. I always enjoyed their hardcore fury, and hopefully the guys stay active in music going forward wherever the road takes them! Best of luck to Justin, Garrett, Albert, Angelo, John, and other former members in the future!
Also today, remember how we profiled defunct local punk band Oceania in our most recent defunct local punk band introduction post? (Yes, we have another one coming soon.) Well, their frontman Lawrence (a.k.a. LaR Noxous) was kind enough to send me some e-mails thanking me for the coverage, and as it turns out, he's still musically active! While he's largely been focusing on work lately, Lawrence has uploaded a number of musical and non-musical videos to his YouTube channel in the past 2 years, many of which are credited under the band name Black Like My Heart, most recently a song named "Julie" 5 months ago. A mixture of audio tracks (like full band versions of older Oceania songs like "Picture, No Sound"), filmed solo performances, and even music videos like "Silent Bells", you can see the fuller sound that is missing from the non-working PureVolume songs that Oceania posted, and you get an alternative punk sound with effective raspy vocals, and enough variance to cover a few genres worth! Check out Lawrence's video for "Vanished" below"!
Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or venue name:
Local musician Brian Lampe is exploring the possibility of forming band that would cover Tool songs and play originals as well (no word on his instrument role though.) There's a lot of interest already, but if you want in or have any questions, message Brian at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Tuesday!
The Machine Shop (the live event space at Mill Square, the former St. Mary's Paper location) is now actively looking to book events full time beginning in June of next year. You may remember this venue from hosting Gino Vanelli last fall, among other events, but the building is getting a full restoration before starting a full permanent run as an event host. For more information on The Machine Shop and future bookings, visit this link or SooToday's article on the plans from Wednesday!
Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night's long teased new song "The Killing" can now be streamed at their Reverbnation page! Featuring guest vocals from Italian singer Ida Elena DeRazza, it's more ethereal and intricate than their their heavier instrumental work, but it's well composed, and Ida's vocals add a great ambiance! Check out the full song above!
That's definitely all for today, so stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next! Thanks everyone!
