The Ghost Of Chase James Wigmore - "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" Album Review!!

It's now time for our 126th monthly CD review at the Sault Metal Scene, and final one of both this year & the 2010s, as we're taking a look at prolific local folk punk/experimental solo musician Chase Wigmore's debut (non-demo) full length solo album "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To"! The first and best hyped of his two December 2019 releases (both as billed to "The Ghost of Chase James Wigmore"), this was independently released to his Bandcamp page on December 7th, and while a hyped CD release show on Devil's Night never occurred, the possibility still exists for the album to see a physical release in the future. Featuring Chase on vocals & acoustic guitar, you can buy this album for $7 at the above links, and while you can stream it for free there, consider buying it to support his work! Note however that "S.T.P.Y.I.T.F.T." has been heavily condensed from it's originally planned length of 23 songs, with his 25+ minute "Stray Dog Howl" among the dropped tracks.

Featuring 10 songs for about 38 minutes in length, many of which having previously heard on prior demos, let's begin this review with it's opening number "Feelings Over Minor Chords"! Featuring a very cheerful guitar melody, the lyrics take on a blatantly sarcastic vibe, presumably making light of indie and folk rock musicians with overly upbeat and happy songs. This track is amusing in this regard, and it slowly gets a little more aggressive and intense as it goes along, but the song's title is sung a little too often for my liking. Still a nice showcase for Chase's humorous side with strong guitar work! Second is the first outside cover on the album, his rendition of local doom metal trio AlgomA's song "Reclaimed By The Forest", which we have heard Chase tackle previously in his techno project The Black Lodge Masters. This version is a dark acoustic track that dramatically builds into the verses with a lot of intense guitar strumming, and it has a haunting minimalism to it.

This cover would presumably be a great fit with a full electric band, but it's a great showcase of Chase's darker musical side on it's own, and it's an early highlight! The song does end abruptly, but it segues right into the third song (if heard back-to-back), namely the album's longest, "St. Marie Revisited". The lyrics obviously have a local relevance, but they are honestly hard to make out for much of the song, which maintains the dark intensity of the prior cover. Instead, this one has but more projected vocals and varied emotion, complete with Awokest-style shrieking late and even more relentless guitar riffing. Shame this is just audio, imagine how this performance looks live! Very entertaining song for what it is, and it too runs right into the fourth song, "Rites of the Wendigo", a stripped down and condensed version of a song from Awokest's April studio album "Solving The Human Condition". The Awokest version, to me, was overly long and relentless without clear vocals, but does it work better here?

Structurally, it does, with the song having more focus and variance despite the vocals/guitar-only setup, and it allows Chase to flex his folk/punk muscles with another dose of extreme metal intensity in the back half! That said, as a metalhead, I would like to hear the Awokest version edited to match Chase's solo arrangement of the song, as I imagine that would work well, but as pure music, the solo redo is better. This runs into the fifth song, "Live To Work", which is the album's first track that I wasn't familiar with from prior demos. Ostensibly about the endless cycle of employment, this song is entertaining enough with a relatable tone from prior tracks, but the levels aren't as strong here, with Chase's vocals often buried in the guitar, and when he gets more intense and aggressive late, the song can crackle a little bit. The song's on-brand for the album and Chase's solo work, but the mix could have used another pass. As best as I can tell, the string of songs directly running into each other ends here, for what it's worth.

Track #6 is another cover, this time of "Beyond The Sun" by British crust punk band Amebix. Featuring some of the clearest and most passionate singing yet on the album, Chase adapts this song well to an unplugged setting, and while we don't really get any metal screaming here, he makes up for it with intensity and purpose. I wasn't familiar with Amebix before Chase covered this song in a Facebook video earlier this year, but it's a strong adaptation that matches the original's shifts in tone and emotion, and it's another fine choice for this album! That's followed by "Wear & Tear", which I wasn't familiar with either, but it delivers more of the same solo action you're used to from earlier originals. He shifts from his distinctive clean vocals to primal screams with surprising ease, and it's nicely showcased here, with his fast-paced, relentless guitar riffing also put to good use. Nothing overly shocking (comparatively), but fans will be right at home!

Eighth up is another new one (to me, at least), entitled "Millions & Billions Of Dollars". More of a guitar exhibition than some earlier songs, the vocals seem to be building towards a huge climax, complete with evil-sounding spoken word,  but it never comes, instead ending on a (vocally) softer folk punk note for it's final minute or so. Chase's picking and riffing comes through well, but structurally and vocally, there is better on the album, at least for what I'm looking for. Solid track as it goes! The penultimate (and shortest) track on "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" is it's last cover, that being of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary". Don't go into this expecting a faithful rendition though, as Chase sings the whole song in a black metal-esque shriek, contrasting with the acoustic guitar work (anyone else getting Impaled Northern Moonforest vibes here?) It's an amusing take with good guitar, but be warned what's on offer before you check it out.

The album closes with "Running Out Of Beer", which takes about as much of a 180° turn as you can get without changing any of the personnel, as this is basically a classic country ballad, complete with added piano work for extra variance. You get a little bit of Chase's prior anger and intensity in the back half, but it mostly stays in it's genre lane. It's a well done change of pace with a strong lyrical narrative, but the keyboarding doesn't help the song, and it often crowds out the guitar and vocals as it goes. Solidly done closer, especially for outlaw country fans, but the piano isn't to my liking here.

So, what are my final thoughts on (The Ghost Of) Chase's first official album? Overall, if you like his brand of intense, in-your-face, metal-tinged folk/punk, this will do the job quite nicely! Despite recording this as a solo singer/guitarist (piano on the closer excepted), he doesn't approach these songs as a coffee-shop indie act, and delivers some angry and irreverent material that showcases his strong musical abilities without compromising an inch. This doesn't feel like a studio release, and it has the immediacy of his live shows, which is a good thing, even down to the unpolished production. The high amount of covers is surprising, especially given how cut down "Songs To Punch Yourself..." was from original hype, and a lot of these songs would probably lend themselves better to a full band electric presentation, but on tracks like "Solving the Human Condition" and "Wear & Tear", he proves that a full band isn't 100% necessary.

As an extreme metal fan, I tend to prefer his Awokest material, but Chase delivers the goods in this stripped down setting without hesitation, and if you love his live shows, you would be well advised to check this album out at the above links! I hope you guys liked our last album review of the 2010s, and as for January... St. Ignace, Michigan metal band Heavy Lies The Crown in the drivers seat for their debut album "Scatter Brain", but could another new album swoop in to get 2020's first review? Find out next month, and stay tuned for New Year's Eve concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tantrym Tyme), A New Local Band & Album Release, And More!!

Now that the equinox has passed, here's a stacked new news post for your Saturday night delectation! Along with a new teaser video, we have a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, a new album release, and leading off, a new band to add to our listings, so here's what you should know!

We have a new solo project to add to our Sault Michigan band links, and they are X's & Y's, the new musical venture from Werehold Records founder and ex-Life's Eclipse/et al. guitarist Jason Mills! The launch of their Facebook page marks the first new public update concerning his music career since Moss' final online posting in March 2018, so this has been a long time coming. Don't take this as a sign that Werehold is back in operation too, as their Facebook page was quietly deactivated during his musical hiatus, and has been removed from our links on the SMS as such, but we'll let you know if the label returns down the road. Jason revealed last month that he is working on a release named “Þe Obsidian Sömnen”, which roughly means "The Black Sleep", though I do not know yet whether this will be a single, an album, or both. In any event, Jason's ex-Shatterhand bandmate Mitchell "Barph Blahgo" Wells will mix, master, and co-produce the new material.

There are a lot of unknowns yet regarding X's & Y's, including specific genres we can expect Jason to tackle here, but remember that his past Werehold acts (Moss aside) all tended to play a form of extreme metal, often sans vocals. I'm very curious to hear where Jason has planned for his new project, so visit the above links to stay in the loop!

Next up, here's that LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, and it's very surprising, as defunct local metal trio Tantrym Tyme are back for a special one-night-only reunion concert on MONDAY NIGHT at Bird's Eye Outfitters! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via the official Facebook event page on Friday. We haven't seen Tantrym Tyme on stage (in an event with public online advertising, at least) since Downtown Days in 2016, after which they quietly dissolved, but it looks like Jacob's back home in the Soo for the holidays. Despite the odd Monday scheduling, it'll be great to see Tantrym Tyme back after 3 or so years! This is also a rare non-Project 906 hard rock concert at Bird's Eye Outfitters (the outdoors store/venue on the site of the former Bird nightclub), so if you've missed seeing heavier bands there, head to East Portage Avenue on MONDAY! Expect a 7:00 PM start time, 21+ age limit, and no announced cover charge.

Tantrym Tyme (née Aux, Abstract, and Tantrum) were a welcome sight locally in the early-mid 2010s with their steadily improving skill set and impressive cover selection, especially given their young ages, having launched the band when the members were all 10-11 years old. Fingers crossed that this show is a huge hit, so see above for more details, and here's Tantrym Tyme live in Sault Ste. Marie back in 2015!

Let's head north to Sault Ontario now, starting with the latest from prolific local folk punk & experimental metal solo artist Chase Wigmore, whose public activity slowed down over the fall, so what's new to report? Well, on November 20th, he revealed that he was "sort of taking a vacation" due to positive changes in his personal life, though he did hint that his forthcoming true debut solo album "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" was largely complete. In spite of mixed messages about the planned release date and issues therein, Chase posted the apparent final copy of the album on his Bandcamp page on December 7th for $7 (or more if you are so inclined), so now it is finally on sale digitally. He did leave the door open for a physical release down the line when monetary concerns are met, but this is better than nothing! As it currently stands, the album has 10 songs, down from the previously advertised 23 songs on a double album.

I'm unsure whether he made huge revisions to the final product or is shelving the other 13 tracks (including the 25 minute-long "Stray Dog Howl") for a separate release, but Chase has went through a lot to complete this album, and it's nice to see him get it on sale! As for when we might review this album on the site.... how does this month sound? Stay tuned!

Finally, here's a new video from Chase's ex-Strange Coyotes bandmate Mike Haggith's Facebook page earlier this month, and while it doesn't feature him on camera or performing, it is relevant to his upcoming studio album "If Ever Comes The Day." The 17 second clip features Justin Fuciarelli, Mike's bandmate in the Thompson, Manitoba pop rock cover band Between The Ditches, playing some solo guitar for what will be one of two guest spots on the CD. This has a bit of a country twang, but Justin's a solid guitarist, and it'll be interesting to hear how he fares on the final product. Check it out below!



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

New Video Performances, Plus More Assorted Stories!!

After a quiet weekend for updates to the site, we are back on this Monday morning with a new news post, so what will you find today? Some assorted shorter stories from the past few days, and a handful of new videos, including a solo project's new song, new jam session clips, and leading off, here's the newest video from local/Windsor/Thompson, Manitoba solo musician Mike Haggith's Facebook page! Another solo performance of a new original song, this one is called "The Nature of the Times", and it's an alt-rock number with Mike singing at a soft, higher register than we tend to see from him. Leisurely paced but well performed, this should be welcomed for fans of Mike's more reserved solo music of the past, so give it a look below, and hopefully we see much more from Mike's solo project in the near future!



Next up, here's another new song from Sault Michigan metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died, courtesy of label Werehold Records' YouTube channel! Uploaded on Friday, the song is entitled "Horrible Laughter", and features project leader Jason Mills playing on his 9 string guitar. It's not a terribly long song, but it's a brutal and technical instrumental that serves as a good early showcase, and the rhythm section pounds along well in compliment! Give the newest 1,000,000,000's Who Died song a listen below, and hear more from them above!



Also today, here's a couple of new jam session covers from Sault Ontario hard rock quintet Halfway Loaded (the full lineup, no less!) Uploaded this weekend in their first videos since the fall, these covers are of The Stone Temple Pilots "Plush" and, as embedded below, Seven Mary Three's "Cumbersome". Though Dylan is basically obscured from view in each video, these are solid clips that showcase Halfway Loaded's solid talent base, and Justin Grayson's vocals fit each's sound very well! The audio's a little muffled, but not bad at all, and it'll be interesting to finally see Halfway Loaded on a public concert stage! Give these videos a look above & below!



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

• In our inactive band links, defunct local power pop/hard rock trio Caroline Divine are now listed under their Twitter page due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook page (I wish bands wouldn't do that.) Active primarily in 2015, Caroline Divine fell inactive in 2016 for purposes other than backing up Jesse Merineau in his full band concerts, with 2/3rds of the band still playing with him, so hopefully the guys continue to see success there! For what it's worth, their Twitter page links to their blank Bandcamp page, implying that they would have posted their unfinished debut EP there.
• I have restored inactive local music promotion/photography company For The Music Inside back to our "Other Local Metal Links", as despite their Facebook page's deletion, they still have an active Twitter page with local concert coverage from 2014, plus later activity in Southern Ontario through 2016. Good to see F.T.M.I. live on, somewhat, so check them out above!
• We have removed defunct local hard rock quartet Punch from our inactive band links due to the deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page, though I have no idea if it was deleted for the same reasons as the Facebook page of successor band Eclipse, who later took on Punch originals. A union of Haggith & Suicide Kings bandmates from late 2013 to early 2014, Punch were a promising band with a stacked lineup, and while I hate seeing another Facebook band page deleted, they admittedly weren't around for all that long. Don't miss Daniel and Steven with Jack Spades & Soundcheck respectively!

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

Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Punch

On this Wednesday morning, let's tackle this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Our monthly feature on a defunct or inactive local metal, hard rock, and/or punk band takes us to a very familiar outfit from 2013 & 2014 that may not have lasted long, but left an impact and songs that, in one case, can still be heard in concert today! As usual, this month's band was randomly selected last month. Now, here's this month's Defunct Local Band Profile!
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Punch

Genre: Hard Rock/Alternative

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Members: 

Curtis McKenzie (Project 421, Eclipse), vocals
Daniel Horton (Project 421, Eclipse), guitar
Steven Flint (Mourning Wood), bass
Ben Boudreau (The Suicide Kings, Limelight), drums
  
Audio/Video: Punch wrote & performed a handful of original songs during their brief run, including "By The Hand", "Road Rash" (which is embedded below), and their own self-titled song, while also adopting the then-defunct Haggith's original "Metal Cage" as their own, given that Curtis & Daniel co-wrote it for & played it with that band. Though affiliated with PaperClip Productions, Punch never released any studio material, but Haggith took on Punch's originals as their own after their 2014 reunion, recording a studio version of "Road Rash" in 2015 for their final EP "XIV" with Steven on guest bass. Also, Curt & Daniel's current band Eclipse have adopted Punch's self-titled song under the new title "Rebel From Above".

Info/Analysis: A supergroup union of two members each from prominent local hard rock bands The Suicide Kings and Haggith, Punch debuted in November 2013 at Viva La Battle at The Canadian Nightclub, where they fittingly replaced The Suicide Kings. After a third place finish, Punch opened for Diemonds at The Algonquin Pub later that month, before playing their last public concert at the former Roosevelt Hotel in February 2014 to help kick off The Rosie's short lived Heavy Thursday series, ultimately disbanding following the reunion of Haggith that May. I was lucky enough to see two of Punch's 3 concerts, and they showed the same chemistry and talent that members showed before, during, and after in their best known bands, with Curt & Daniel's front end as powerful as ever, and Steven & Ben keeping the rhythm and beat nicely! It'd be nice to see Punch back in the future, but don't miss Eclipse & Project 421 for similar work!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Next month, we'll enter the fall with a double profile due to our first randomly selected band not having a lot of surviving material, so who are we looking at? To round out another 2-1-3-1-2-1 cycle between the Twin Saults, we'll first look at early 2010s Sault Michigan acoustic hard rock band All The Dirty Words In One, while we'll begin a new rotation with a look at inactive Welland/Sault Ontario solo project The Last Warrior of Rock, fronted by ex-Late & Loud singer/guitarist Jonathan Tiberi! Look for these on or around September 10th, and for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

Battle Of The Bands Rewind Profile: Viva La Battle

Hey guys, in a surprise second post today, here's our overdue latest installment of our Battle of the Bands Rewind series! As you may remember, we're profiled a selection of recent battles of the bands on the site in the last few years, in order to spotlight what happened, who competed, what were the stakes, and where the bands are now, with new installments coming a year after the original battle took place. However, we admittedly forgot about our profile on the most recent Sault Ontario battle last month, but with two new ones coming up in early 2015, now's better than ever! Remember, our battle of the bands profiles are strictly informative and do not feature reviews or criticism of the bands or their sets. With that said, read on below for our newest Battle of the Bands Rewind Profile! (Updated on February 17th, 2016)
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Viva La Battle (November 13th, 2013)

Background: Seven months after his successful Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce hosted Viva La Battle in November 2013 at The Canadian Nightclub. Much like his Battle for the Blood the previous summer, this was a smaller battle featuring less bands, fan voting rather than judges, and an opening concert slot for the winner being the only prize. In this case, the winner of Viva La Battle would be named as one of the local openers for Bam Margera's Fuckface Unstoppable at The Canadian on December 14th of that year, similarly to the past year's prize of opening for 3 Inches of Blood at The Rosie. All competing bands would play 30 minute sets, and after they wrapped up, concert attendees marked their chosen winners on a paper ballot to be tabulated after the show. The battle's name was inspired by Bam Margera's MTV reality show "Viva La Bam".

Prizes: Again, just the opening slot for Bam Margera the next month, where the winners would also join Detroit party/hard rock quintet Wilson and two other local bands on the lineup, including punk/metal quintet Jack Spades and hardcore punk notables Destroilet. There were no other announced prizes for the winners or runners-up.

Competitors: Though four bands were scheduled for Viva La Battle, only three would end up playing, including local death metal veterans The Bear Hunters, debuting local indie/punk quintet Northwest (then spelled as "North West"), and the debuting hard rock quartet Punch, a supergroup merger of Suicide Kings & Haggith alumni.

Results: The fans voted The Bear Hunters as the winners of Viva La Battle, scoring 21 of a possible 43 votes and giving them the right to open for Fuckface Unstoppable the following month. Northwest made a strong impression in second place with 13 votes, while Punch rounded out the podium in third with 9 votes. 

Aftermath: The Bear Hunters continued their success with a number of high profile concerts throughout 2014, and also released their debut CD "Eternal Hibernation" that same December, with more big concerts and recording sessions towards their sophomore album following! Northwest have played more sporadically, but have opened for the likes of Gob and The Sunparlour Players over the past two years, and also released a debut self-titled EP in mid-2014 with their original lineup. Finally, Punch played a handful of concerts over the following months, such as opening for Diemonds and playing at one of the Roosevelt Hotel's short lived Heavy Thursday shows, before falling inactive in mid-2014 due to members' other band projects.

Some Notable Performers' Newer Bands (Metal/hard rock/punk in italics):

Chronic Demonic (Nik Deubel from The Bear Hunters)
The Cover-Up (Clint Wilson from Northwest)
Eclipse (Curtis McKenzie & Daniel Horton from Punch)
Heavy Head (Daniel Horton from Punch & Johnny Belanger from The Bear Hunters)
Jack Spades (Justin Lam & Johnny Belanger from The Bear Hunters)
Late Shift (Clint Wilson from Northwest)
Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners (Greg Callaghan & Clint Wilson from Northwest) 
Mourning Wood (Steven Flint from Punch)
Project 421 (Daniel Horton & Curtis McKenzie* from Punch)
The Suicide Kings (Mitch Sirie from The Bear Hunters, and Steven Flint & Ben Boudreau from Punch)

Trivia:

• A new (and intentionally secretive) local band named Keep It Lit were originally scheduled to play this battle as the fourth band, but dropped out on the day of the show after an undisclosed band member broke their hand. Keep It Lit would never play a live concert, but their lineup was to have featured singer/bassist Paul Stanghetta, guitarists Alice Rose & Paul Fowler, and drummer John Mignacca. Had they competed, Paul Stanghetta & John would have had a chance to better their second place finishes at past battles with The Fury and As It Stands respectively, though Paul plays similar material in his current band The Apocalypse Afterparty, with that band placing in fourth place at 2015's VM Radio Battle.
• Local hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings (later known as Beaumont Avenue) were originally slated to play Viva La Battle, but were replaced by the debuting Punch a few weeks prior due to frontman Mike Gaetano having external commitments, though Steven & Ben were also in Punch, and bassist Mitch Sirie was still playing the battle with The Bear Hunters. Had The Suicide Kings competed, they could have tried to win their second straight battle, following their Rockstar Bar Battle win that March.
• The Bear Hunters' victory at Viva La Battle was their first in three tries, following their 6th place run at 2012's Sault Humane Society Battle of the Bands, and their finals run in the aforementioned Rockstar Bar Battle. Unlike at those battles however, the band played Viva La Battle as a quartet due to Josh Stephney's move to Brampton that summer, but Josh made a surprise return to The Bear Hunters at the Bam Margera show on December 13th, where the band debuted some new original songs in the process.
• While Punch are now inactive, members Daniel Horton & Curtis McKenzie carried over their original songs ("By The Hand", "Road Rash", and the self-titled "Punch") to their primary band Haggith after they reunited the next spring. Haggith continued to play these songs live until their ultimate demise in mid-2015, and later included a studio version of "Road Rash" on their final EP "XIV".
• While this was the first battle of the bands to take place at The Canadian Nightclub since the Kiss Battle of the Bands in November & December 2009, this was also the first metal/punk concert to be held at the Pim Street bar since their most recent major renovations following serious flooding during a major rainstorm last September. The new look features more of a rustic/garage motif, including a number of road signs on the nightclub's walls.
• Though they didn't have to compete in that show's battle to get on, The Bear Hunters also played the 3 Inches of Blood show in July 2012, which saw the Battle For The Blood take place the previous month to find the opening band (which was won by Winkstinger.)
• Along with being ballots for the Viva La Battle fan vote, everyone who voted was also entered for a prize package of merchandise from the pre-selected local openers of the next month's Bam Margera concert, Jack Spades & Destroilet. The winner of the draw was Christine Purvis.
• Though they didn't win Viva La Battle, Punch members Steven Flint and Ben Boudreau did finish in second place with The Suicide Kings at the Rock N' Roar Battle of the Bands in Spanish, Ontario in April 2014, earning the right to open for Randy Bachman at the annual summer concert festival that August (though under the Beaumont Avenue moniker by that point.)
• Surprisingly, this was the last local battle of the bands to be held in Sault Ontario until March 2015, when two battles of the bands were hosted, including the fan voted Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, and four-night-long, judged VM Radio Battle of the Bands, which was also held at The Canadian Nightclub. The Bear Hunters (sans Josh Stephney once again) competed in both battles, finishing in third in the former and two points out of first in the latter, losing both to post-punk quartet Gnaeus.
• Punch's Curtis McKenzie and Daniel Horton spread their resources out to three different bands when competing in both of the local battles in March 2015. The pair played together with Haggith in the VM Radio Battle, finishing in second in their semifinal (but not advancing to the finals), while they each played in both battles with separate projects (Curt as Mike Haggith & The Din's then-guitarist, and Daniel as Project 421's bassist), but neither band placed in these battles of the bands.

Videos:




Sources/More Info:
Viva La Battle's official Facebook event page
SooToday's review & photo album from Viva La Battle
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I hope you guys liked our newest Battle of the Bands Rewind Profile! Barring a mass information dump on an older un-profiled battle (like a non-2008 Case's Music Battle, or one of the old Bon Soo Battles), this series won't return until February 2016, which will be a year removed from the Rednecks Saloon Battle early next year, but be sure to attend both of next year's battles to see what we'll profile in 2016! That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes to come over the next week! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Hard Rock Band, Sault Band-O-Rama Updates, And Much More!!

Today's post relates to bands and projects with clear ties to a few local artists in particular, but that's just how things came together on this snowy Monday, and it all fits together nicely! Along with some assorted recent notes, we have a recent concert video, lineup changes for an upcoming concert event, and first, here's the newest addition to our Sault Ontario band links!

It's about time that we rolled them in, so we're officially welcoming Mourning Wood to our full coverage at the SMS! We had previously been referencing them as country/rock, but given their setlist at Rock For Dimes (which included Metallica, AC/DC, and Billy Idol songs), that's a good sampling and indicator of how their longer shows would go. Debuting in August at The Rednecks Saloon, their lineup features Asylum Country guitarist Terry Eaton & drummer T.J. Case (both veterans of older metal bands) alongside T.J.'s Urawk bandmate Steven Flint (also of Beaumont Avenue & Haggith), and while Terry sings most lead vocals, Steven & T.J. take turns for certain songs also. Mourning Wood have been playing fairly frequently since debuting, splitting their solo gigs at The Rednecks Saloon, The New American Pub, and (in the first shows we've heard that fit on the site) Reggie's West, a.k.a. the former Roosevelt Hotel. The band is next scheduled to take part in this year's Toystock at The Canadian on November 29th.

Also, note that T.J. has had conflicts where Mourning Wood and his other hard rock band Havadder have played on the same weekends, but we've tended to see him play with Mourning Wood in these cases. Mourning Wood have a solid sound that has a lot of quality hard rock action and reliable covers, and while the guys could be livelier on stage, fans who see them live won't have a lot to worry about! Don't miss them at Toystock, and stay tuned for updates on their next headlining shows!

Next up, here's a new video from the aforementioned Rock For Dimes at The Delta Waterfront Hotel, and it's of fellow local classic/hard rock cover band The Thrill Junkies' set! Filmed by bassist Justin Langlois' father Michel and uploaded to his YouTube channel on Saturday, this is of their opening cover of Lit's "My Own Worst Enemy", as preceded by MC Lou Turco's introduction and some pre-set tuning and preparation. The video is of nice quality and shot close to the stage's right, and it captures this solidly done rendition well! Give it a look below, and we'll let you know if Michel has any Redundant footage!

Also today, here's some updates concerning the lineup of the Sault Band-O-Rama all day concert event at The Primavera Hall on Friday (as promoted by 2/3rds of Mourning Wood), including two band changes. One reflects the re-addition of local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements to the lineup as the opening band at 3:00 PM, as they've pulled out of the show again for unannounced reasons, as per co-promoter Terry Eaton on the Facebook event page on Saturday. Disappointing, but we'll be sure to see them again soon! The show will open at 4:00 PM again now, but with a new band kicking things off, as local experimental metal trio The Strange Coyotes will now open the show in their first non-house party gig since reuniting! As per co-promoter Steven Flint yesterday, they're replacing local doom/punk band The Revolution due to the recent departure of bassist Rainey Vincent (despite a guarantee that they'd play this show with or without a replacement), but hopefully things get sorted out, and the Coyotes should set the tone well on Friday!

There's still 12 varied local acts to take in on Friday (including the mystery project Infamous), and remember that this ALL AGES show has just a $5 admission, so keep it in mind for this Friday! Stay tuned for updates and our preview of it later this week!

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

• We've moved local hard rock quartet Punch to our inactive band links. While the guys posted on their Facebook page as recently as July, the band (who replaced Haggith during their brief breakup) have slim future prospects given that most of their members are now playing with the reunited Haggith, who have also taken on Punch's originals as their own tracks, even including the song named "Punch". Follow Haggith to keep tabs on where Punch would have went, and best of luck to Curtis, Daniel, Steven, and Ben!
• Following up on their mention of it at Rock For Dimes on Friday, Redundant frontman Justin Langlois has posted on numerous Facebook pages (including the Musicians Wanted group) this weekend to confirm that the local punk trio is working on finishing their long hinted debut album, and a CD release party for it is in the works. To that effect, the band is looking for at least one local opening band, so if you're interested in opening, or have a suggestion, message Justin at this link or above, and stay tuned for more on their CD plans!
• Don't cry for the end of Urawk (Beaumont Avenue & T.J. Case's live band karaoke series) just yet, as the grand finale at The Rednecks Saloon was just for their run there. A cover photo on the new Urawk Facebook page reveals that the series is moving from the former Nicolet Tavern to The Rockstar Bar in the coming weeks, though a reason for the move in venue hasn't been announced. Keep tabs on Urawk if you want to sing karaoke with a live band when they return!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for last month's poll results and this month's new poll TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

The Former Crimes Concert Preview, New Mike Haggith Concert Audio, And Much More!!

I know many of you are expecting my Sewer Swampstravaganza review, and it's coming, but I thought I'd get a new news post up right now due to a special Tuesday night concert that needs previewing, but until then, check out most of our videos and all of our photos at our Facebook page! This post also has some recent media from the Swampstravaganza that's of note, and much more recent news items, so here's what you need to know! (Updated at 11:07 PM)

AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent and Oh! Right Arm! Promotions will get back into the promotion game TOMORROW NIGHT with an ALL AGES concert at The Moose Lodge on Trunk Road, though a planned headlining set by Montreal hardcore/street punk trio Crimes will no longer take place. Apparently, they just broke up according to the Facebook event page for their now-cancelled Toronto gig today, so promoters are under the assumption that they aren't coming. As a result, local grind/experimental duo This Is Your Band On Drugs (who now have a Facebook page, more on them this week) will be filling in on short notice tomorrow night in their second local concert in four days! T.I.Y.B.O.D. have been making fans with their unique sound since re-emerging locally at the Fuck The Facts show, and seeing as they're sharing the stage with two other bands from Saturday night's Sewer Swampstravaganza, they'll be in good conpany! The other bands are Blood Shed Productions metal bands Brutaly Fatal and Rotopsy, and  Brutaly Fatal made some new fans on Saturday night with their doom/punk mash-up sound, while Rotopsy's energetic goregrind originals have their own loyal audience, so both should provide solid action!

Admission is $7 for tomorrow's ALL AGES show, and there's a 7:00 PM start time in effect. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page! After the success of last fall's Biipiigwan show at The Moose Lodge, this should be another entertaining all ages show from O!RA!, and though it is definitely disappointing that Crimes broke up and likely won't be playing, fans of Saturday's show will get a second go-round tomorrow, so don't miss out! For a preview, here's This Is Your Band On Drugs live on Saturday!



Next up, remember how Haggith drummer Mike Haggith played a rare solo set at the Swampstravaganza at The Oddfellows Hall on Saturday night? Our review of it is coming tomorrow in all likelihood, but fans may be interested to see that Mike posted live concert audio from his set later that day! Posted on his YouTube channel on Saturday (and also on his BandCamp page on a "name your price" model as the EP "Live at Swampstravaganze IV"), these were recorded at the soundboard by Sykotyk Rampage's Dirk Becker (who did sound on Saturday), and only comprised of Mike's last two songs ("This Potato May Be Used As A Flotation Device" & "Miss 76") due to early technical issues. I won't review the performances yet, as our full concert review is coming, but the soundboard recording quality is good and comparable with some of Mike's studio releases! As these songs are for sale on BandCamp, I'll confirm however that we're not imminently reviewing this release as emphasis goes to full studio releases, and Mike has tons for us to cover first. Check out the two released live songs below, and stay tuned tomorrow for our full review of Mike's solo set on Saturday, and for details on his new album's release!



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

• The 360 Sault Media Arts Collective is looking to provide equipment for music video projects and workshops for interested local musicians and filmmakers. There's already been some notable interest, but if you or your band want more info, message Iam James Lloyd at this link, or the 360SMAC page for more details!
• Local hardcore punk quintet Destroilet have dropped out of THIS FRIDAY'S Jack Spades EP release show at The Rockstar Bar, as per a post by guitarist Christian Foisy on the Facebook event page earlier today. He cited "personal issues & events" as the reason for their exit, but didn't elaborate further. This is disappointing, especially as they haven't played live in 5 months, but hopefully things are alright in their camp! No word on a short notice replacement yet though.
• We won't call this as 100% official until promoters confirm it, but Munising, Michigan metal quartet Infathom indicated on their Facebook page last week that they'll be playing at the fourth annual LemmaFest on June 21st in Sault Michigan! If true, this will be their third appearance at this annual tribute concert, and first since 2012. It'll be great to have Dillion and company back east for this year's installment, but stay tuned for more formal word on the lineup!
• According to a post on frontman Curtis McKenzie's solo music Facebook page on Wednesday, local hard rock band Punch have "been put on hold" due to members' busy schedules with other projects, including the band members' more recent work with bands like Project 421 and The Suicide Kings. Note that this isn't a hiatus or breakup, so I assume we'll see them again sooner or later, and stay tuned for more from members' current music work!
• Last week, a Facebook post by Brimley, Michigan's Scholomance Studio revealed a recording schedule for four Werehold Records-affiliated metal bands (Drayton Fever, Swampghas, East Branch, and the still-unrevealed Awaken Eidolon) through May 25th, with Drayton Fever recording material there on the day of this post. Might this all be for next month's planned Werehold Records Friday the 13th event, or is something else up their sleeve? We'll keep you guys posted!
• Yesterday, local concert promoters Heavy North Entertainment were gauging interest on their Facebook page towards getting openers for a show on Thursday, June 12th to be headlined by Montreal thrash trio Warsenal (who headlined the Sewer Swampstravaganza last year.) This isn't official yet, and a venue hasn't been confirmed, but message the label at the above links if you want to play at a second local Warsenal concert!

That's all for today, but stay tuned next for our Sewer Swampstravaganza concert review! Thanks everyone!

Heavy Thursday #1 Concert Review!!

After a bit of a delay (blame video upload difficulties for part of that), we have our first concert review of 2014 for you guys this morning, as I was in attendance for the first installment of Heavy Thursdays at The Roosevelt Hotel the other night! Though this was a new series distinct from the original early-2010s metal nights, it was nice to be back in familiar territory for the launch, so here's what went down on Thursday night!

The lineup order was different than advertised, but after a brief introduction from promoter J.D. Pearce, the first Heavy Thursday kicked off with local death metal quartet The Bear Hunters (20 time veterans of the original series), so they were a fitting choice to lead off! The guys powered through a dependably brutal set of their original songs (plus "Guardians of Asgaard"), including newer originals like "The Void" & "The Omen", and despite some early glitches, they shone as usual! Granted, I'm sure some of the newer songs weren't heard under optimal conditions given that they were sans Josh Stephney again, but their abilties were without question, and Mitch Sirie in particular laid it out there on guitar! Also of note: Johnny Belanger played on an electric drumkit (a'la Kyle Umgeher), but I'm not sure if that's a permanent change or not. My biggest complaint is that the guys didn't seem to be overly energetic, but hopefully that'll be amended on the next time out, and The Bear Hunters' brutal originals were welcomed once again!

Next up was debuting local rock quartet The Elements, and now that we've seen them live, what do we know? Their lineup does include Side FX singer Rob Speers, Jack Spades guitarist Jesse Cook, and Redundant bassist James White, while their drummer is actually Alex Hagerman from Changing Waves! A little odd seeing him on stage without his brother, but it's good to see him back in a new band finally! In terms of what they played, The Elements' set was all covers, including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and System of a Down songs, and while the early indications of a funk/alternative sound held true, they covered enough hard rock songs for them to fit our coverage! Now, they just need an online page. For a first show, I won't be too critical, but Jesse and James were solid all night, Alex's drumming meshed well, and while Rob's vocals fit the more energetic material, softer clean vocals like on "Everlong" were not very audible and mught not be his best fit. Solid debut though, I'm curious to hear more!

And headlining on Thursday night (albeit following some uncertainty surrounding Ben Boudreau's drumkit) was newer local hard rock supergroup Punch in their Rosie debut, so how'd their third live set go? Pretty well, and they played with a lot of enthusiasm despite the smaller crowd numbers late! One thing I noticed is the relative similarity of their set on Thursday to their debut set at Viva La Battle last fall, both of which featured originals like "Road Rash" and "By The Hand" along with Van Halen & Alice In Chains covers, among other tracks. Though similar, the pressures of a battle weren't there, and the guys shown their talents nicely! Daniel Horton was particularly solid on guitar, and Steven Flint's bass work was very nice as well, and their sound caught on well as the night wore on! I know with their other bands, Punch may not be as active, but hopefully they add to and lengthen their set, as they're a talented band with great chemistry, and I know they're on to big things!

Overall, this was a solid debut for the new Heavy Thursday series, and kudos to J.D. for kickstarting it, and I know it'll take off! It's worth noting that Alex Hagerman's last two bands (The Elements & Changing Waves) played their first & last shows the nights of the last original Rosie metal night & the first Heavy Thursday, which is definitely ironic! I did get photos & videos, so click here or visit our Facebook page to check them out, and also keep an eye out for Donna Hopper from SooToday's pictures from the show as well! As for my videos, here's The Bear Hunters' new song "The Omen", The Elements covering The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Parallel Universe", and Punch playing the former Haggith original "Metal Cage"!







That's all for now, but stay tuned hopefully tonight for a new news post, and don't miss the local openers for Anvil at the next Heavy Thursday in just 5 days! Thanks everyone!

This Weekend's Hard Rock/Metal Concert Previews, Including The First Heavy Thursday!!

In today's post, we're previewing this weekend's slate of metal & hard rock shows in the Sault area, and while there's a lot of entertaining shows going down on both sides of the border, we'll start with a new weekly concert series' debut TONIGHT, so here's what you need to know, and if any late notice shows turn up, we'll have them A.S.A.P.!

Over 18 months after the original Roosevelt Hotel metal nights' last official installment took place, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce is bringing regular metal & punk shows back to The Rosie with Heavy Thursdays, whose first scheduled event goes down TONIGHT! Though the new series also has a new promoter and (mostly) new band selection, this will be a familiar and exciting return of sorts for fans who missed the regular Thursday nighters at this popular Korah Road venue, so who's playing in tonight's debut? Local melodic death metal quartet The Bear Hunters will return to familiar ground as the announced headliners (they were the original metal nights' most frequent band), so look for a brutal onslaught of originals tonight in their first show of the new year! Newer local hard rock quartet Punch (featuring two members each of Project 421 & The Suicide Kings) will rock The Rosie for the first time in just their third live appearance, and hopefully they'll rock hard tonight as well! The other band is new local funk/alternative quartet The Elements in their live concert debut, so what do we know on them?

I can confirm that their lineup features singer Rob Speers (The Side FX), guitarist Jesse Cook (Jack Spades/Winkstinger) and bassist James White (Redundant), and though I have an idea on the drummer's identity, I have yet to find official confirmation. No online pages yet, but hopefully they put on a great show in their debut tonight! Admission is $5, you must be 19 to attend, and there is a 10:00 PM start time. For more details, click here and the above links! There's a little something for everyone in TONIGHT'S first Heavy Thursday, and I'll see you there for the action! For a preview, here's The Bear Hunters playing "Casualties of War" at The Rosie in 2012!



Next up for our previews, we'll head across the river briefly, as Charlevoix classic metal trio Peril will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino for shows TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Their first Sault Ste. Marie stops of the new year, these come just one week after frontman Jeff Hudson played with his other metal band Scarkazm in St. Ignace, so hopefully the metal train keeps rolling in the Eastern U.P. with Jeff in more familiar surroundings with Peril! The guys will rock the stage with their classic metal and hard rock covers (and originals?) at 9:00 PM tomorrow and Saturday night, there's no announced cover charge, and like usual, there is a 21+ age limit in effect. For more details, check the above links! It's great to see Jeff, Adam, and Brooks keeping their presence high in these parts for what should be a busy year for Peril (and Scarkazm), so don't miss out on Peril's return to the Soo this weekend, and for a preview, here are the guys covering Ozzy Osbourne a few years back!

Moving back to Sault Ontario, local party/hard rock veterans Stiffler's Mom will return to Docks Riverfront Grill TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT for their second & third live dates of 2014! Last seen at Docks late last year, these precede singer/drummer Greg Simpson's scheduled dates with That's Chester at the same venue next weekend, so if you can't make it to Foster Drive this weekend, you can partially make it up sooner than expected! Of course, Stiffler's Mom's diverse and hard rocking sound should be welcomed once again tomorrow & Saturday, so if you're up for some classics and a good time, you know where to go! Like other recent Docks gigs, there is NO COVER this weekend, you must be 19 to attend, and a 10:00 PM-ish start time is likely. For more details, check the above links, and for a preview, here's the guys playing their original "Enjoy The Show"!



Finally for today's previews, Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison will return to The Harp Bar & Grill on Pine Street this weekend for his 10th straight weekly appearance there in his current arrangement with the former Madison's Pub, though not tomorrow night. For reasons still to be publicized, Tym's weekly concert/hosted-jam night will temporarily move to Saturday for two weeks before returning to Friday on the 21st, so if you like his current run at The Harp, or were planning to go this weekend, go on Saturday, NOT tomorrow! Despite the temporary day switch, the usual entertainment will be going down, with Tym's unplugged metal & hard rock songs sure to deliver some solid music, and don't forget about the open mic angle, whether you're a fan or performer! There's no announced cover charge, you must be 19 to attend, and there will be a start time of around 10:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and for a preview, here's Tym covering Heart (get your tickets for them tomorrow!



That's all for today, but I'll see you guys at The Rosie TOMORROW NIGHT for the first Heavy Thursday, and stay tuned for more news and notes soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Bear Hunters), Upcoming Album Updates, And More!!

The first month of 2014 is now over, and we're kicking off February in style with a packed news post, so what's on tap for this morning? A new live concert video, upcoming album updates (including some audio recordings for one), and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT concerning a new weekly series' debut installment, so read on below to get caught up!

THIS THURSDAY'S first installment of local concert promoter J.D. Pearce's new Thursday metal/punk concert series Heavy Thursdays at The Rosie is now official with a complete 3 band lineup, so who's slated? Fittingly, local death metal quartet The Bear Hunters (the original Rosie metal nights' most frequent band) are the listed headliners in their first Roosevelt Hotel appearance of the new year, and they should brutalize their fans on familiar ground this coming Thursday! Newer local hard rock quartet Punch (featuring 2 members each of The Suicide Kings & Project 421) will also play on Thursday in their Rosie debut, first show of 2014, and just their third live concert set, and it's nice to see that they're still active and gigging after some recent quietness, so watch out for their high impact originals and covers! The third slot will go to a new local band named The Elements, and while they don't have a known online page yet, their lineup features Side FX singer Rob Speers and Redundant bassist James White alongside a yet-unidentified guitarist & drummer

Unless things have changed since Rob's post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group last month, Elements appear to play a mix of funk rock and alternative music, which should be interesting to check out, so don't miss their debut on Thursday either! There's a $5 cover charge and 19+ age limit in effect, and the announced start time is 10:00 PM. Click here for more details! Sounds like a really solid way to kick off the new Heavy Thursdays series, so hopefully there's a big turnout for the debut, and stay tuned for updates! (As for The Side FX's current status, I'm waiting for a bit more info before we assume anything either way.)

Next up, local hard rock standouts The Suicide Kings have unveiled two new studio recordings via their Facebook page in the past week! Presumably recorded at The Smoke & Oak Room last year towards their forthcoming debut CD, the songs were posted as Facebook videos, and they include their first original "Into The Fray" and, as embedded below, "Jesus Concubines", which I think is a somewhat newer song. Given that I still expect to review their CD upon release, I'll hold on major comments at present, but fans shouldn't have anything to complain about for the sound or recording quality! Note as well that their Facebook page on Thursday suggested that they have "some important news & maybe a surprise or two" to unveil at some point, but it remains to be seen what's specifically intended from said teaser. Check out The Suicide Kings' new studio tracks above and below, and keep an eye out for more news from their camp!

Speaking of upcoming albums, Sault Michigan hard rock group The Highest of Fives recently reemerged from a few months off to resume public work on both their debut CD and their short film (both titled "Bang!", likely cover art featured) as per their Twitter page last week. Guitarist Devin Anderson shared some extra info with me the other day on Facebook that he wanted me to pass the word on, so here's what you should know! The CD has 10 tentative songs (including a self-titled song and the previously previewed "Sweet Apple Pie"), while they'll also be releasing some full length songs soon, including a song written by singer Mitch Goetz named "Take My Time" and one written by recent collaborator Travis Theel (who I believe is a member now) named "The U.P. Song". Plans for media postings, including the short film and new songs, are currently in the works, and we'll have them for you guys when they're public.

I admire The Highest of Fives' ambition, and I'm curious to see what they have in the works! A lot of their recent activity has been related to the short film and collaborations with Travis' solo material (his song "Look How Far We've Come" is also planned for "Bang!"), though the other samples I have heard are promising, so hopefully things work out well for the gang in 2014! Keep an eye out for updates at the above links!

Finally for today, local/London deathcore band Saints & Serpents (a.k.a. the successors to The Valentine's Day Massacre) are the subject of a new YouTube video posting from their live debut in December! Uploaded onto singer Steve Rhodes' girlfriend Taylor Phillips' YouTube channel on Tuesday, this is of the band playing their original song "Lovecraft Cthulhu" at The Richmond Tavern in London, and I'll note that this song is a holdover from the V.D.M. days, being unveiled shortly after the members moved south in the fall of 2012. This is of better video quality than their prior video from this show (especially in terms of lighting), and it's nice to see the guys on stage together again, which we'll get a reunited taste of in May when they open for Fuck The Facts at The Oddfellows Hall! Also, the video's information hypes their drummer search to replace Ian Timmermans (who left after this show), so if you are or know a drummer in the London area, message the guys above, and check out this new live video of Saints & Serpents!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Garden of Bedlam), Haggith Farewell Concert Updates, And New Videos!!

Before we preview Toystock in tomorrow's post, we have a new news post on this Black Friday, including some new solo videos, new clips of a Sault Ontario duo, major updates for a concert going down next week, and first, a HUGE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month, so here's what you need to know!

Local metal standouts Garden of Bedlam & hardcore punk quintet Destroilet will join forces for a very intriguing headlining gig on Friday, December 27th at The Algonquin Pub! For Garden of Bedlam, this will mark their first local concert appearance since opening for Airbourne at The Canadian in August, so after missing them completely in the fall, it will be nice to see them tear up the stage over the holidays in their Algonquin Pub debut! Yes, they played at The Rockstar Bar upstairs in the spring, but they've never played downstairs that I'm aware of. For Destroilet, this will be a rare appearance at a show without an out of town headlining band, but their intense old school hardcore attack should be welcomed next month, so don't miss this hard hitting package of bands! A $5 cover charge is in effect, as is a door opening time of 9:00 PM, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Garden of Bedlam have been missed in recent months, and it'll be awesome to have the guys back to rock the Soo again on the 27th, so stay tuned for updates as they roll in!

Next up, here's some updates on next Saturday's Haggith farewell concert (also at The Algonquin Pub), mainly to note that the lineup for the show has doubled from 3 to 6 bands! As announced on the Facebook event page last night, Haggith, Sykotyk Rampage, and The Danger Cats will be joined by 3 more bands, including members Curtis McKenzie & Daniel Horton's new band Punch, and drummer Mike Haggith's new band The Strange Coyotes! This will be Punch's 3rd local concert appearance, while it will also be The Strange Coyotes' technical live debut (though they consider their Project Legion set last month at The Oddfellows Hall to have been their inception.) It's nice to see the bands that are essentially replacing Haggith at this show in what you could consider a torch passing, so don't miss them! The third added band is named Project 421, and I'm told they're a new local metal band, but I know nothing else, and it looks like there's some Keep It Lit-esque secrecy at present in terms of their lineup. Could they have a Haggith member in their ranks too? No idea, but if I hear anything shareable before the show, I'll have it here! Check the above links for more details, and don't miss this huge concert on December 7th!

We'll close today with new videos, including a pair of new clips from local grunge/hardcore duo Bad Back! Uploaded to singer/guitarist Jamie Vincent's YouTube channel the other day (making these his first local music uploads there), they include a recent jam session version of their song "Lung Bucket" and a video from their set opening for Biipiigwan at The Moose Lodge on Sunday where they played their song "Two Tongues"! The "Lung Bucket" video is solid and has very nice recording quality, but Jamie's facing drummer Nathan Sauve rather than the camera, so the angle could be better in that respect. The "Two Tongues" video was also filmed on a stationary camera, but the audio sounds tinnier and the lighting is too minimal to make out a lot. Everything sounds solid though, and it's nice to get more good quality videos of Bad Back in action! As we already filmed "Lung Bucket" at the Biipiigwan show, here's the "Two Tongues" video, but see more at the above links!



Finally, here's the newest uploads from Ashes To Dust guitarist Alex Hemy, courtesy of his YouTube channel in the last few days! One is actually an audio-only original song named "Walking Away" that definitely strays far from his Ashes To Dust work, though I have no word on if this is the first of a planned full solo endeavour or not. It's a soft rock number that's well performed, so check it out above! In terms of his usual cover videos, his newest is a cover of Lifehouse's "Hanging By A Moment" that makes good use of camera angles and his talents, with good vocal control on the choruses, even if it's not the hardest song going! Check out Alex's new Lifehouse cover below, and more at the above links!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Toystock preview and more TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tym Morrison), Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

A busy stretch at the SMS looks to be slowing down come the weekend, but before then, we have weekend concert previews today in a relatively slow concert weekend, news relating to Punch and half of their lineup's other band work, and some more assorted notes. We'll start with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT and a related new song posting, so here's what you need to know!

Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison has yet another solo concert at The Roadhouse Bar & Grill scheduled for TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was announced on Tuesday via it's Facebook event page, but I held it for our preview post to avoid redundantly covering it twice in a short span. Continuing his usual recent trend of playing this East End venue on a Friday night, Tym's acoustic solo cover sets are always worth checking out for his wide array of song choices and clear talent on display, so keep his latest Roadhouse gig in mind for TONIGHT for some unplugged hard rock action! Admission should be free as usual, you must be 19 to attend, and there's a 10:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the above links, and for a preview, here's Tym's newest solo original song! Uploaded to his YouTube channel on Tuesday, it's entitled "We Need More Love", and was inspired by Tym's recent experience picking up & meeting two hitchhikers. A softer rock song, it has a good message and production, but some of the programming sounds a bit off early. Solid track though, so give it a look below, and don't miss his show tonight!



The only other verifiable hard rock concerts in the Sault area this weekend that I can confirm will take place at The Runway Bar in Hessel, Michigan, where Kinross hard/classic rockers Banned will return for the first time in over 3 months TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Ever the prolific local band, you can also see Banned next weekend in Sault Michigan, but keep this weekend's Hessel shows in mind for a diverse and often heavy blend of covers and originals from Alex, Don, and company! There's no announced cover charge for these 21+ concerts, and a 9:00 PM start time is likely. For more details, visit the above links! Banned remain a talented and prolific band in the Sault area, and hopefully this weekend's shows are also successful, so just in case you can't see them next weekend (and not knowing their December plans), don't miss out this weekend! For a preview, here's Banned covering The Black Keys' "Lonely Boy" earlier this year!



Now to some news relating to new local hard rock band Punch! Fresh off of their third place finish at Wednesday's Viva La Battle, the guys already have their next live date lined up, as they're the second and final local openers for the Diemonds concert at The Algonquin Pub THIS THURSDAY, joining the returning T-Rex Manning! Solid addition, and hopefully Punch can "punch" out another successful set in their second show! While Punch begin their local run, members Steven Flint and Ben Boudreau are upping the busy plans, including joining another local band, as they've quietly joined local singer Alexa LeClair's recently relaunched hard rock band These Sins of Time as their new guitarist & drummer, replacing Dalton Boissoneau & Mitch Harris, who were in the band's 2011 incarnation. To go along with the new additions, all mid-2013 postings on their Facebook page (including song lyrics & a vocal sample) were deleted, with the only new post relating to a bassist search for their new lineup, so if you're interested in trying out on bass for These Sins of Time, message band members on Facebook or at this link!

Note that Steven & Ben's main band The Suicide Kings are still alive, recently indicating on their Facebook page that they're jamming again and may have a show coming up, but can Steven & Ben juggle three bands, or has there been lineup changes for The Suicide Kings that haven't been revealed yet? I don't know, but I'm very curious to see where both Punch and These Sins of Time go locally (the latter have especially intrigued me during their scattered runs), so stay tuned for news on all 3 bands as we get them!

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

• The Nick Cam Jam benefit concert at Bay Mills Resort & Casino in Brimley, Michigan on November 23rd now lists Phoenix Sounds Entertainment (a Kincheloe live sound/DJ company) among the scheduled bands on it's Facebook event page. I wouldn't consider them a "band" so to speak, but they'll keep the music rolling when the bands aren't playing, so hopefully this adds to the event, and remember, Infathom and Tantrym Tyme are bringing the metal regardless, so don't miss them!
• The last of Sykotyk Rampage's slate of new 2013 "albums" is now up on their Reverbnation page, that being "The Adventures of Captain Awesome Sex & Chastity Boy"! The first of an amusing two album concept (completed with "Revenge of Professor Perv & The Crimson Nipple"), it continues the recent trend of not releasing albums for sale, so stream it at the above links for some crash action, along with their other 7 albums worth of new songs!
• The complete band order for this year's Toystock on Sunday, December 1st at The Canadian has been revealed, and in descending order from 9:00 PM to noon, the bands will be That's Chester, Boxcar Junction, Glitch, The Thrill Junkies, 2 Buck Beers, Lucky 13, Stiffler's Mom, Obsession, Redline, and Mike Case's Junior All Stars. Nice spread out lineup, and That's Chester are a solid headlining choice, so check out more details on the event at the above links!

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