Last Month's Poll Results & Our Next 2013 Poll!!

After a two day delay thanks to the voting limits error (my apologies once again for that), it's now time for the results from last month's poll and to kick off our latest poll! As you may remember, last month's poll posed this question to you guys: What was your favourite new metal/hard rock band of 2013? A stellar 151 votes came in (partially thanks to Facebook campaigns from some of the included bands), so thanks to everyone for voting and showing interest once again! So, what were the final results? They lie below!

Jack Spades (54 votes, 36%)

The Strange Coyotes (42 votes, 28%)

The Danger Cats (16 votes, 10%)

AlgomA (11 votes, 7%)

Rotopsy (8 votes, 5%)

RamWagon (4 votes, 2.5%)

Other (4 votes, 2.5%)

Brutaly Fatal (2 votes, 1.6%)

Mike Haggith & The Din (2 votes, 1.6%)

Project 421 (2 votes, 1.6%)

Bad Back (1 vote, 0.7%)

Glitch (1 vote, 0.7%)

Late Shift (1 vote, 0.7%)

Punch (1 vote, 0.7%)

Saints & Serpents (1 vote, 0.7%)

The Thrill Junkies (1 vote, 0.7%)

Plastic (0 votes)

Project Legion (0 votes)

The Side FX (0 votes)

The Throwbacks (0 votes)

Unbound (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, I'm mostly not surprised by the 0-1 vote getters given their 2013 activity levels, but I thought Plastic would get at least one Yooper vote, and I assumed Bad Back, Glitch, and The Thrill Junkies would get some more attention as well given their fast assimilation. The three bands with 2 votes were pleasant surprises despite not seeing them live much last year, and despite tying for 6th place with 4 votes, Sault Michigan hard rockers RamWagon did win the poll for their side of the border! I can't speak for "Other", but sentiment for older bands who only debuted live in 2013 (like Giwakwa and 415E) would make sense. Rotopsy's fifth place spot with 8 votes is encouraging for Blood Shed Productions' growth, and AlgomA's 11 votes were impressive given their sporadic dates and lack of a Facebook vote push! The Danger Cats' third place run was solid and shows their support well, but as you can see from the totals, fans of Jack Spades and The Strange Coyotes were clearly in a dogfight over the past month for first place.

While The Strange Coyotes' fast rise and entertaining funk/metal sound has won them a lot of praise since the fall, Jack Spades pulled out the win in the poll! Their high profile 2013 gigs and opening slots for the likes of The Dayglo Abortions and The Ripcordz are bound to have helped, plus their own talented lineup of metal & punk mainstays, but of course, look out for more big things from these bands and most of the others in the poll in 2014! Congratulations to Jack Spades, and thanks to everyone for voting!

As for this month's poll, we're continuing with our "Favourite _____ of 2013" theme with a look this month at new albums and CDs, hence our newest poll question: What was your favourite new local metal album of 2013? There was definitely more albums and more heavier bands releasing them in the past year than we saw in 2012, partially thanks to digital distribution and expanded self-production from local artists, so we have a lot to get to, including some Sault Michigan-area releases, albums from now-broken up bands, and even a tribute album to a missed local band. As was the case last year, to be included in the poll, albums must have had their initial paid release in 2013 (reissues don't count unless there's new material), they must have been on sale in some form (so Sykotyk Rampage's 2013 albums aren't included), and they must be packaged as an album (rather than in a paper sleeve with no visible effort.) With that said, here are your choices for your favourite metal or hard rock album of the past year!

Any of Blood Shed Productions' 2013 demos: This independent local death metal/grindcore label has been quite busy in the past year, releasing numerous self-produced demos & split releases from affiliated artists like Brutaly Fatal, Crucify The Whore, Malignant Neoplasm, Rotopsy, and Tomgrindy. Some of these may blur together given similar lineups & genres, but the do-it-yourself mentality and outlet for some younger artists is welcomed! Did you like any of Blood Shed's 2013 demos the most?

Bring the Fallen - Stand Before: In honour of their one-off farewell reunion set at Oddzfest 2013 Metal Mash-Up in July, local death metal quintet Bring The Fallen finally released their only EP "Stand Before" that night, ending over four years of dormancy following the 2009 recording sessions. Fans enjoyed the limited release, and it helped give much needed closure to their run, but was "Stand Before" your favourite 2013 local album release?

Crimson Crusade - Upon the Eve of War: Recorded at The Smoke & Oak Room and released on June 3rd after their set opening for Skeletonwitch at The Canadian, this young local death metal quartet demonstrated a solid mix of Death-influenced originals on their debut EP, and it's definitely helped them in their continued local rise in recent months! Was "Upon the Eve of War" your #1 new metal CD of the past year?

Haggith - Deuce: Though not known to be their last studio album at the time of it's May release, local grunge quartet Haggith's third album (and second "mainline" one) kept their strong fanbase happy with a mature yet rocking blend of alternative hard rock originals, helping supply songs for their remaining 2013 concert sets. Haggith left a big impression in their brief run, and their studio material lived up to that, but was "Deuce" the top new CD of last year for you?

Hiroshima Mutant Mindframe - Hiroshima Mutant Mindframe: A surprise late release of this digital album (on a "name your price" model) came in December from The Hiroshima Mutant Mindframe, a technical death metal solo project led by talented local guitarist Matt Parr. Though it has flown under the radar somewhat, Matt's skills & high production values are clear as day on this Bandcamp exclusive, but would you agree with that?

Late & Loud - Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal: Still Hard: An expanded reissue of their 2012 demo EP, local classic metal favourites Late & Loud put out this CD (with four new recordings) in honour of the last concert of their active run at the Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands finals in April. Their loyal Loudmouths sure enjoyed the "Still Hard" reissue, and it even made it on The Rockstar Bar's wall, but was it your favourite new release of 2013?

Mike Haggith - Neighbourhood Watch II: Where It Ends: A sequel to Strange Coyotes drummer Mike Haggith's October 2012 album "Neighbourhood Watch", this album (Mike's 47th) was released in September, giving a lighter but more symphonic and orchestral take on his prolific solo material and extensive musical background. Well recieved and well composed, but was this your favourite new local hard rock album of the past year?

Pillory - Cringe at the Cross: Fulfilling early plans from early in their run, local thrash metal quartet Pillory released their debut demo EP last month on the one year anniversary of original guitarist Andres Duchesne's passing, featuring only his surviving bandmates and songs he co-wrote on the finished product. Early word has been good, and their full new lineup's return is in just a few days, so was their CD the best way to kick off things?

Sailor's Tongue - Pierced: Coinciding with their set at Rotaryfest's Second Stage in July, local hard rock quintet Sailor's Tongue released this demo CD as an attendee-exclusive teaser of their full debut album, which is still awaiting a release (perhaps at this year's Rotaryfest?) Though uneven in quality, "Pierced" was a good sign of things to come, but would you concur after hearing it?

Strange Coyotes - Strange Coyotes: Just two weeks after their inception (and before ever playing a show under this name), new local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes released their own Bandcamp-exclusive digital album with a "name your price" method, though in this case, it was recorded live in an improvised jam style. Fans enjoyed the results, and though some of the live insanity was lost in translation, did you enjoy this album the most of all?

Any of SweetKenny's three 2013 albums: The only Sault Michigan-area hard rock CD releases of last year that I know of, Dafter, Michigan hard rock veteran Ken Sutton continued his own recent prolific pace with three solo CDs this year, including the "Doo Hickey" EP in March, his longer and fuller release "Perception" in June, and his all-instrumental seventh CD "Cracks In The Wall" in November. SweetKenny has plenty of talent and creativity, and he's shown it this year, but were any of his albums your favourite?

Telephone & Address - Rotten EP: The Chris Shoust-led grunge/lo-fi acoustic project released it's newest CD last month, which is even SOCAN registered, with it available via direct message or presumably at his next shows. I admittedly have yet to hear it, but if it lives up to Chris' past work, it should be an interesting release! If you've heard the "Rotten EP", can you vouch for it as your favourite 2013 local album?

Various Artists - Heart of Gold: A Tribute to Woods of Ypres: Though not featuring any local musicians, this double disc set was in complete tribute to defunct local blackened doom metal band Woods of Ypres and their late frontman David Gold upon it's June release, with 19 bands (including a handful of David's former bandmates) paying tribute to their music by covering Woods of Ypres material. It's a great package for a great cause, but did you like it more than the other included albums?

Other: Did we miss your favourite new album release? Perhaps you liked one of Sykotyk Rampage's many free albums from last year, a non-metal release, or maybe even one from late 2012 or early this year? Or was I forgetful and missed an album for the poll? If, for any reason, your preferred choice isn't above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! Given the delayed start to this month's poll, we'll end this one on February 19th to slowly move back to our polls' usual placements on the 18th of each month, and I'll emphasize, voters are limited to one vote only! Cast your votes A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for more news (and hopefully some Bret Michaels concert fallout) this week! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & This Month's Poll!!

In today's post, we're closing down last month's poll on the site and launching our newest one, as it is the 18th of the month! As you may remember, last month's poll asked this question: What is most needed to improve the Sault Michigan-area metal/hard rock scene? Only 9 votes, but our Sault Michigan-centric polls have generally received low vote totals compared to ones that have a Sault Ontario component, so while the total's disappointing, I'm not overly surprised. That said, who voted for what? The final results are below!

I don't actively follow Sault Michigan bands/concerts (4 votes, 45%)

More support/commitment (2 votes, 22%)

More active venues (1 vote, 11%)

More bands (1 vote, 11%)

More concerts (1 vote, 11%) 

More out of town bands (0 votes)

The scene's cyclical and will improve soon (0 votes)

Sault Michigan's scene is fine the way it is (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Honestly, I can't analyze too much of the results because A. The winning result was from people who don't follow bands & shows across the river, and B. The ones who voted for other choices did so in a very spread out fashion, with only "More support/commitment" garnering multiple votes. If anything, the results show that there isn't one glaring problem, but a lot of things that could be adjusted. Sault Michigan news has been ramping up a bit lately, with a few newer bands launching and LemmaFest coming up this weekend, so hopefully things continue on the up & up for the foreseeable future, so we don't have to ask this question down the road! Thanks to everyone for voting, and go occupy a venue in the E.U.P.!

With that said, what's this month's poll topic at the SMS? Album releases, though not an excuse to compare individual ones. Of late, we've seen a spike in metal/hard rock album releases from local bands, including new albums from Destroilet, Haggith, SweetKenny, Late & Loud, Mike Haggith, and Crimson Crusade in 2013 (and that doesn't even count the Woods of Ypres tribute album or the assorted handmade demos from Blood Shed Productions), with more announced or in progress on both sides of the border. This is definitely encouraging, but does it reflect a need from local metalheads and music fans? As such, I'm posing this question to you guys this month: Should more local metal/hard rock bands release albums for sale? Simple enough question, as I am curious to see if the recent larger market of album releases is good, only partially useful, too much, or not enough. I personally feel that the more, the merrier, but I wanna see a larger sample, so here are this month's poll choices!

Yes, they all should: Do you think that all or most local metal/hard rock bands should release at least one album of their material? Many prominent and lower key ones have in some form, but a number of prominent bands have came and went without any, or never completed recording sessions or post production on an intended album. Should more bands make the effort to put out a finished CD or album of their songs?

Only if they're ready and have enough material: While album releases are up right now locally, the recording quality does vary, and some bands in the area have released professional looking albums that lacked in the audio department, and vice versa. Others have the talent, but not the preparedness or amount of originals to fill up even an EP. Should bands not rush and wait until they have everything they need to record an album?

Only for certain bands that I like: I really doubt most readers like every local metal band, and by the same extension, many will only care about or buy CDs & album from bands that they enjoy already. Should more of your favourite local bands release albums, with others not on your radar, or are you indifferent to the idea in general?

Only if they're available for digital download: There is a segment of music fans out there who think that physical media is dying for album releases, and that digital mp3 downloads and iTunes-esque services are the wave of the future. I'm a supporter of physical albums and think there will always be a place for them, but are you among the people who will only buy new local metal albums digitally if offered?

I'd rather get free songs/CDs: We all like free stuff, but are you among the people who would prefer that all local music was free? Maybe you don't wanna pay to hear your favourite bands, or just can't afford to buy albums? I think we all should buy albums if we enjoy the band so we can support them, but if you're against buying local music (whether intentionally or by necessity), vote here!

I prefer live concerts to studio recordings: I do know a few people that would much rather see a band live and be immersed in the concert experience than buy a studio album, and I'll concede that some bands (without naming names) do have a looser and more fun sound when they play live gigs compared to what they released on CD. Are you among the group of local metalheads that would much rather embrace the live atmosphere and retain those memories then to have the studio tracks?

VOTE TODAY!!! You have until July 18th to cast your votes, so do so in the poll field on the right side of the page, and hopefully we'll get a good voting sample this month! That's all for now, but stay tuned for some big Sault Michigan news and weekend concert previews soon, and much more on the Sault Ontario side too! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results, This Month's Poll, And New Gates Of Winter/Frightlight Videos!!

As promised, it's now time to go over the results of last month's SMS poll and to officially go over this month's new poll! That's the bulk of this post, but stay tuned afterwards for a couple new local videos that should get a pretty positive reaction! Remember, for news on three upcoming concerts, The Barking Eye, and that "secret show" on Wednesday night, check the post from earlier today immediately below this one!

So last month, as you may remember, the question I posed to you guys was "Do you like attending or competing in Sault-area battles of the bands?" 24 people voted, which is somewhat small, but still big enough to give a good indication of what you guys think! Let's go over the results in ascending order, as usual. Tied for last place with a single vote each were "Only if ticket prices/entry fees are reasonable" and "Other". I can't comment on "Other" without knowing what that person had in mind, but the other choice actually surprised me with it's low count. I figured more people would be choosy over fees and admission prices, nice to see people not factoring that in! In a three way tie for third place with two votes each are "Only if the bands are good", "Only if the prizes are good", and "There's too many of them". I'm once again surprised that these choices didn't get more votes (except for the prizes choice, few people I know use that as a gauge.) I would have thought more people would be picky over bands or possible oversaturation of battles of the bands! And in second place with three votes is "No, I don't see the point of them", which is exactly where I figured it'd place, only I thought it'd get more votes. There are a number of people out there who don't particularly like battles of the bands, but hey, it all depends on who votes!

So that means in first place, with 13 votes, a whopping 54% of the final count, is "Yes, I love going to/playing in them!" I'm very glad to see this win the poll, and I figured all along it would win, but I am surprised by how much of a landslide it was! It shows that battles of the bands are definitely worth putting on, but when you simplify the results, just a little more than half voted for the choice that essentially means "Yes unconditionally", with the remaining half having some sort of preference or reservation to a battle of the bands. Interesting results once again, though I am glad to say that most of you guys like battles of the bands, at least according to the results. Myself, I hope there's more in the near future!

So for the June 18th-July 17th poll, I came up with a question that has lots of relevance to some upcoming big events in the local scene, notably album releases! This is shaping up to be one of the best summers ever for upcoming new CDs from local metal bands, with at least four announced, planned, and partially recorded that we're on the lookout for! It seemed fitting to make this the topic of this month's poll, so I pose this question to you guys: "Which upcoming Sault Ontario metal album release are you anticipating the most?" Here are your choices!

Garden of Bedlam's first full length album: The band are currently in Stereo Soul Studios with Miguel Gauthier recording their follow-up to last year's debut self-titled E.P., with drums and bass completed as we speak, and guitars and vocals to come! Garden of Bedlam have skyrocketed to the top of the local scene since their 2008 debut, and with new originals like "New Rain", "Against The Grain", and "Torment" wowing live audiences, many are really looking forward to the band's new CD! Is this the album you're anticipating the most this year?

Lion Ride's first full length album: Recorded at BWC Studios in Toronto with Greg Dawson, Lion Ride's as-yet-untitled full length debut album will be their first featuring Iron Mike Bison on drums, and will also feature guitarist Marky Lion on bass too for the studio recordings. Also among the most prominent local metal bands since their debut in 2007, we've already heard two new songs ("Stick It In" & "Snail Trail") live, and the studio version of "Stick It In" was unveiled by the band on their MySpace page as well! Will the punk/metal attack of Lion Ride's new CD be your top upcoming local metal album in 2010?

Sense of Truth's debut EP: Two years and a couple of lineup changes since their 2008 debut, Sense of Truth will release their first EP this summer! Featuring songs like "Land of Greed", "Crawling", and "Push & Pull", you can hear songs from the EP NOW in the rotation on Energy Rock Radio, some previews on their MySpace page, and you'll be sure to hear new songs at their live concerts as well! Also recorded at Stereo Soul Studios this spring with Miguel Gauthier, it's sure to sound awesome, but is it the announced album you most want to hear?

Sykotyk Rampage - Bella Disgusta: Sault Ste. Marie's resident "blue Chinese metal crash punk" band will release their 23rd album, "Bella Disgusta", to their wide array of internet sites in the coming months! Expect the same unique crash music you've came to enjoy over the past decade on this new album, recorded earlier this year at Riverfront Recreation Studios! Featuring 11 new songs, including the live favourite "Bag On Your Face", might this be your most anticipated album of 2010?

All of the above: Do you want to hear each of the above four albums equally? Pick this choice if you do!

None of the above: Alright, so you don't like any of the four above bands, or aren't particularly awaiting any of their releases? This would be your choice!

Other: Got another album in mind? Maybe it's one from a band who have plans for an album that hasn't had a tentative release announced yet, like Gates of Winter, Silver Dream, or No Arrow. Maybe a band that just has plans to enter the studio at some point? How about the possibility of another Sykotyk Rampage album in 2010? Maybe something from Sault Michigan, or even a non-metal band? Hell, if it's not above, it's likely coming out this year, and you want it the most, vote for it here!

VOTE TODAY!!! The poll went up earlier, so you guys have a head start from before this post even got made. I'm interested to see what you guys want to hear the most, maybe we'll be surprised! You guys have one month, and as for July's poll? Well, what was the poll in July of 2009? I'll leave it at that.

Closing today's post are two videos I'm sure you guys are going to be interested in! Well, the last one is one of a pair, but I don't wanna overload this post. And first, we have a brand new video of local horror themed punk/metal band Frightlight! Guitarist Rick White uploaded a video of Frightlight performing at Wednesday's "secret show" at Coch's Corner onto his inactive band Fitswitch's YouTube channel! Before someone objects to something being posted online from it, this is a publicly viewable upload onto YouTube, Rick and the guys in the band obviously WANT us to see it! That being said, it's a 65 second clip of the band playing a new original song called "Fright Night", and it sounds really cool! It has a definite Misfits vibe to it, which is totally appropriate! Good quality sound and video, though I think it was filmed too close to the band, so close that I can't even see Jeff behind the kit! But I must say, they sound good, it's like a darker version of Fitswitch in some ways, and I love how Mike Gingras got totally into the spirit of the songs and tone with his stage outfit! Check the video out below, and I guarantee there's more from Frightlight to come in the near future!



Finally for today, what better way to end this post then with NEW GATES OF WINTER DEMO CLIPS?! Frontman Lee Maines uploaded two brand new preview clips of songs to be included on their forthcoming second full length album onto his YouTube channel, and I can sum them up in two words: Holy shit. I'm very impressed with what I'm hearing! One is a 46 second clip of a track named "Edin Na Zu", is very fast and has lots of dynamics, I'm really impressed! It also has a sort of Middle Eastern vibe with the keyboards, if that makes sense. The drumming, though programmed, is amazing, and if they ever get a real drummer again, they need one who can pull off the stuff they've programmed in the new songs! The second one is longer (75 seconds) and it features vocals, so I'm embedding it here. Entitled "Dimensions", it diverges more and more into death metal than anything on "Lux Aeterna"! Lee sounds more brutal than ever, and the riffing and timing is excellent! I can't wait to hear more, and though I know Steve moved out of town, we need to see Gates of Winter live again, and I'm far from alone in that sentiment! Check out the clip of "Dimensions" below and more in the links above! Also, note the captions on the screen in the videos. Possible portions of the lyrics to each song?



That's all for today, hopefully the two posts were spread out enough to avoid anything getting overlooked! I have more to come very soon, including my review of Tym Morrison's debut album in the next four days and much more news, so keep your browsers pointed here!