Last Month's Poll Results & Our Newest Poll!!

It's the 18th of the month again, so before we touch on late notice weekend concerts, here's this month's new poll at the SMS and the final results of last month's poll! As you may remember, we posed this question to you guys last month: Should more local bands release split CDs with other artists? Only 8 votes, sadly, but there are clear results to be had, so here are the results!

Yes, it's good for marketing and joint exposure (4 votes, 50%)
No, bands should just release their own albums (3 votes, 37.5%)
It depends on the involved bands (1 vote, 12.5%)
Only for special circumstances or events (0 votes)
No opinion/I'm not sure (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Well, even in this low voting total, it's clear that the vote is very split, with only half of voters thinking that split CDs were a good idea without reservation, with the other half either saying no to the idea or only agreeing depending on who's involved on the hypothetical split. I can see both sides on a debate over the merits of split CDs, as they can be good to get exposure for multiple bands at once, split recording costs, or give fans an extra bonus, but at the same time, fans aren't guaranteed to like every participating band on a split, they can be hard to organize in collections if you group your albums by band, and splits can often be a more underground, indie option that may be harder to find copies of. With "Fed Up!" coming out next month, Blood Shed Productions active in split demos, and bands like AlgomA and The Red & Black planning their own splits, the idea is definitely gaining steam, and while some prefer bands to stick to their own releases, there is an audience there, and I'm sure more will turn up!

Thanks to everyone for voting! As for our new poll, we're keeping our September tradition going for year #4 by posing this question to you guys: Which of these defunct or recently inactive bands would you most want to see hit the stage again? It's to be expected that notable bands will break up for fall inactive, such is the nature of things, but that doesn't mean fans don't want to see them back together, either for one-off occasions or full-time, but what do current readers think on the situation? After a one-year lineup of 25 bands due to our punk expansion, we're back to our usual 20 bands (plus "Other") this time, and like usual, it only covers bands who broke up or fell inactive in the past 5 years, and active/on-hiatus bands that haven't played live in 6 months. Every band that received a vote is back for this run of the poll, save The Billy Bastards (who returned to the stage last month) and Nixxon Dixxon (whose 2010 breakup is now more than 5 years ago.)

And again, no bands are included that received no votes in this poll last year (hence the absence of For All That Is Lost and The Scary Uncles, among others), but we do have six new additions and one restored band that had previously been removed from the poll, not for a lack of votes, but for a prior return to activity that has since ended. Now, here are your 20 choices (plus "Other") for this poll on the defunct or inactive bands you most want to see back on the concert stage!

As It Stands: It's been three long years since this popular local hardcore quintet's last show, but I'm sure there are still many fans who miss A.I.S. from their frequent appearances on the local stage during their long run! Fans can now see drummer John Mignacca in his Dillinger techno project and as Skeyes of Seven's drummer, but we haven't heard a lot musically from the rest of their classic lineup. Would you welcome an As It Stands reunion the most out of the given bands?

Beaumont Avenue/The Suicide Kings: Suddenly breaking up this summer after their Rotaryfest Stage 1 set in July, the local hard rock quartet (known as The Suicide Kings for most of their run) were among the Soo's most accomplished hard rock bands of the early 2010s, including winning 2013's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands, and even playing in Spanish! You can see members in The Bear Hunters & Mourning Wood now, but do you most want a Beaumont Avenue reunion?

Bring The Fallen: With members still active in projects like The Bear Hunters and Debt To The Heirless, we haven't heard the last of alumni of these death metal favourites, but the three time battle of the bands winners have been missed since their 2011 demise and 2013 reunion show. At least the latter gave fans closure, but as one of the progenitors of the recent death metal wave in the Soo, a return for Bring The Fallen would not be amiss if the cards lined up. Do you agree?

Caveman Morrison: Since the end of 2013, Caveman Morrison have fallen inactive as a functioning band, with frontman/namesake Tym Morrison transitioning to regular runs as a solo musician at The Harp Bar & Grill and Gliss Steak & Seafood on almost every weekend, leaving little room for a Caveman reunion. Given the band's lineup fluidity and similar sets (just plugged in) to Tym's solo shows, the full band's reunion is certainly possible, but would you want it the most?

Crimson Crusade: Still officially on hiatus, and last playing live in October 2013, this young death metal quartet definitely made waves during the early 2010s, including an EP release and a number of high profile opening sets at local metal concerts. Fans can see guitarist Robert Sartini in the recently reunited Pillory (more on them soon), but Crimson Crusade's Death-inspired sound and energy were an asset during their run, and would you want them to reunite more than the rest?

The Danger Cats: A rare all-female band in the twin Saults, this energetic punk/hard rock quartet burned bright during their 2013-2015 run, improved noticeably with time, and gave a good shot of girl power to a number of big concerts, before frontwoman Kate Kougar's move out of town forced their breakup this summer. The Danger Cats proved that the ladies can rock just as well as the men, and I know many fans want them back, but would their reunion be your first choice?

Frightlight: After giving Sault Ontario a dose of horror punk intensity for five years, Fitswitch successors Frightlight amicably ended their run at frontman Johnny Pints' annual Halloween party last October. Releasing an EP, opening for The Misfits, and playing numerous major concerts during their run together, fans can still see members in bands like Jack Spades, Redundant, Giwakwa, and Chronic Demonic, but would you want to see another fright night above all else?

The Fury: Though frontman Paul Stanghetta has since re-appropriated Fury originals for his current band The Apocalypse Afterparty, there are likely fans that miss The Fury, the punk (but don't call them that) trio that rocked a number of notable concerts from 2009-2011, and finished second in two battles of the bands, before briefly attempting a reunion (with a DJ?!) last year. The Apocalypse Afterparty help fill the gap, but do you miss still miss The Fury the most?

Gates of Winter: Tying for the lead in this poll last year, this high profile progressive death metal band are still on their live hiatus (now approaching seven years), and we haven't heard public news on their new album "Perihelion" since the spring. At last word though, Lee, Bryan, and Steve are still plugging away in studio, and their skilled and brutal new material will no doubt be worth the wait, but do you want them back on stage at last more than other choices in the poll?

Giwakwa: Though we haven't seen this sludge/death metal band on the stage since the summer of 2013, Chris Page & Chris Thompson have kept Giwakwa alive with Mitch Sirie taking over on vocals & bass, though they still have yet to return to the stage, and haven't posted a public update in six months. During their brief blast of concerts in 2013, they definitely left a mark, especially with Josh & Nolan from Bring The Fallen in tow, but do you want Giwakwa back in any form?

Haggith: After an up & down run that saw them play some big concerts, finish second at the Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands, but also break up briefly in 2014 and go through a lot of lineup changes in their last year, local alternative/grunge quartet Haggith parted ways for good this summer. They left fans with a strong number of CDs and original material, and you can see members in Project 421 & Mike Haggith and The Din, but do you want to say "All Hail Haggith!" over any other bands?

Half A Man: The only Sault Michigan band to make the poll this year, Brimley's Half A Man were among the few major metal bands in the E.U.P. of recent years to play major concerts and record original material, but they fell inactive after their LemmaFest 2013 set. Frontman Erik Rintamaki has carved a niche selling agates and hosting open mic nights, and alum Doug Reed has worked on his Drayton Fever solo project since, but have you been missing Half A Man as of late?

Late & Loud: The winners of this poll in each of the last two years, classic metal favourites Late & Loud disbanded over two years ago now, though Loudmouths did get two reunion concerts last year to tide them over a bit. With members living in different cities now, a reunion isn't likely, but given the following they had during their original 2010-2013 run, I'm sure there are still many fans who'd like to see the guys back at it if possible. Are you among the Loudmouths?

Lion Ride: Tying for the lead in this poll last year, fans have now been waiting four years for a new Lion Ride concert, but after the heights they hit both locally and in Southern Ontario from 2007-2012, how could fans not want Lion Ride's punk influenced metal attack on stage again? Fans can see members in bands like The Fairmounts, Cross Dog, and Such Small Creatures, but are you hoping for a Lion Ride reunion above these other choices?

The Northern Tragedy: Though not officially defunct or inactive yet, local punk trio The Northern Tragedy have not played a public concert since the spring of last year, and have not posted any updates on their Facebook page since January, though fans can see singer/drummer Terrence Gomes in the alternative duo Infinity Grinder. No idea where The Northern Tragedy have been lately, but if you've missed their modern punk concerts and originals, vote for them in this poll!

Pillory: A choice in this poll two years ago before their then-return to the stage, local thrash metal band Pillory broke up again last summer, hence their return to the poll now, and just in time for their recent reunion! Now with Robert and Bret joined by Haggith alum Jordan Leach on bass, Pillory have posted a new jam session video on Facebook, but it's anyone's guess when they'll return to the stage. Have you missed Pillory enough to throw your support in the poll to them?

RedD Monkey: Though the popular local/Toronto classical punk trio just released their long awaited third album "Opus 2" this weekend, it was posthumously, as RedD Monkey have been on hiatus since early last year, not counting February's one-off set in Toronto. Fans can see members in Faceityoureametalband and Larval Host nowadays, but RedD Monkey's creative and explosive sets have been missed by many fans, though would you be enough of one to give them your vote?

T-Rex Manning: Though members of this punk/metal cover band will reunite for a Misfits tribute set on Halloween next month, it's not advertised as a reunion (one-off or full time) for T-Rex Manning, hence their inclusion in the poll. Featuring current members of Jack Spades and Stereo North, T-Rex Manning were a reliable and entertaining sight at numerous concerts in the early 2010s, and not just for their original "She Banged The Mayor", but would you be receptive for a full reunion?

This Is Your Band On Drugs: This Chase Wigmore-led death/grind project made a lot of fans with their chaotic and unpredictable concerts early last year, before work-related conflicts forced a hiatus that looked to have ended last October at Blood Shed Productions' Devil's Night show, only for Chase's other band The North Shore to replace them for unannounced reasons. T.I.Y.B.O.D. have to be seen to be believed, but would you most like another chance to do so?

Treble Charger: The Juno-nominated local alternative/punk veterans are certainly not defunct, and played some summer gigs in Southern Ontario, but their last local gig was at The Machine Shop in February, more than 6 months ago, hence why they're in this poll. Greig, Bill, and company have accomplished a ton locally and beyond, including award wins, chart hits, and national fame, and their show in February was a taste of all of that, but do you most want a new Treble Charger concert

Other: Did we miss a band that you'd prefer to vote for? Maybe the band you most want to reunite or play again broke up 5+ years ago, like Fitswitch or Nixxon Dixxon? Maybe you want to vote for a band that got no votes last year, like The Inner City Surfers or State of Misery? Or maybe you have a recently inactive band that didn't make the poll, like The Thrill Junkies or The Fever Tops? If your preferred choice isn't here, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until October 18th to cast your votes, so make sure you do so in the voting field on the right of the page, especially as this is usually a popular poll that gets a good response! Stay tuned for a new news post featuring short notice show announcements and more updates later today! Thanks everyone!

Late & Loud Reunion Concert Review!!

Hey guys, it's now about time for our second post of the day, that being our review of last night's Late & Loud reunion show at The Rockstar Bar! Before we get to the events of the night, I just want to acknowledge a late report from our Facebook page last night, as local indie/punk quintet Northwest did not play this show despite being added late after the Tidal Records show's cancellation. A public reason for their withdrawal was not announced, but I know there was a lot of confusion regarding the lineup. For fans though, don't miss Northwest at Slopefest in Searchmont next weekend, and now, let's take a look at the show as it happened!

Last night's opening band was local punk trio Redundant in what might as well have been their first live concert in 6 months (Bon Soo almost felt like an outdoor jam session that I happened to be at), so it was great to see the guys playing to a crowd again! Their set was longer and more lively too, and when you're not battling the freezing cold, you'll naturally show your skills better, so all around, they delivered a fun set! Originals like "That December" and "Miles Apart" joined many familiar covers, and everyone played to their strengths (frontman Justin Langlois was on fire especially), but the crowd could have been more of a constant presence for every song on the floor. Redundant's last two songs featured guest singers too, with drummer Rick White's Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking bandmate Jeff De Rose showing his vocal ability on a Rancid cover, with Late & Loud bassist Benn Garside chiming in for a cover of Poison's "Fallen Angel". They added a fun vibe to the end of a solid real return set for Redundant, and don't miss them on Thursday!

Next up on the bill were local all-female hard rockers The Danger Cats, who definitely left another big impression with the fans in their Rockstar Bar debut! In terms of their lineup, singer Summer Snow-Leopard was absent again (like in recent official band photos), but there has still been no official confirmation as to whether she's left the band or not. What we did get though was a solid and entertaining set of covers and originals, and the girls are definitely improving their set and range! Their surprisingly long set included some very fun covers from bands like Great White, AC/DC, and The Runaways that got a great reception, and their skills as musicians are either very good or improving fast! The vocal spread was nice to see again too, with Kate Kougar handling most lead vocals, though Paula Panther did 4 on lead vocals mid-set, and Jamie Jaguar sang the encore songs. I'd recommend they loosen up their stage presences somewhat, but the girls are on the rise, and hopefully The Danger Cats keep up the good work at Docks next weekend! (Also, where were the cat ears?)

And finally on the bill was the return of local classic metal favourites Late & Loud, in their one-off reunion 10 months after their farewell as an active band! I'm glad to say that they actually outperformed their Rockstar Bar Battle finals appearance last spring, showing the energy, talent, and swagger that gained them such a following in the early 2010s! Their setlist included every song from their EPs (except "Live For Excess") and 4 covers of everyone from Judas Priest to White Wizzard, and fans definitely ate it up (and I'm sure some didn't mind when all 4 members ditched their shirts early on!) I couldn't stay for the whole set, so I'm unsure if anything was said relating to if this was indeed their last show or if there'd be future reunions, but what we got lived up to Late & Loud's standards, and from Brendan Christie's ripping guitar solos to Josh Hatherley's hard hitting drumwork, the guys left it all on the stage (and it was great to see Jon Tiberi back in town!) Awesome return, and hopefully this won't be the absolute last time on stage for Late & Loud!

Overall, this was a great show for classic metal and punk fans, and kudos to J.D. Pearce for putting this on (and remember to hit the next Heavy Thursday at The Rosie next week!) Check out my photos from the show at this link or via our Facebook page (along with a "Tag Yourself!" crowd shot), and as for videos, here's Redundant covering Green Day's "Who Wrote Holden Caulfield?", The Danger Cats playing their original (I think) "Give Me", and Late & Loud covering White Wizzard's "High Speed GTO"! (And just in case people are wondering about the Redundant video, I'm trying to film videos of more bands at each show, including punk/alternative bands, just to keep things fair. Yes, this might be leading somewhere!)







That's all for today, but stay tuned tomorrow morning for this month's YouTube Channel Profile, and GO TEAM CANADA! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tribune), The Return Of State Of Misery, And New Videos!!

The news keeps coming in, so today's news post is packed with stories, including a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month, a confirmed band reunion, new songs from Half A Man, and this week's classic video, so read on below for what you need to know, and check out this month's Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile on Winter of Silence in the post below this one!

A big metal concert has been announced for May 13th, in what is Dismembertainment's first concert since the Ypres Metal Fest and second of 2012! This show will feature two notable band returns after long live hiatuses, but this Sunday nighter at The Canadian Nightclub will be headlined by Vancouver death/thrash quintet Tribune! You may remember them as the headliners of the 31st Rosie metal night in September, and their local return 8 months later should bring some brutal face melting metal to The Canadian and local metalheads! Very aggressive mix of genres, you won't wanna miss them next month! There will be two local opening bands, including the long awaited return of the local hard rock band Borderline Divine, who'll be playing their first show since last year's name change from Stillbroke on May 13th! Also debuting their current lineup and originals for this show, it'll be good to see these guys for the first time in over 2 years next month, especially following the cancellation of the Music Mayhem show they were gonna be in a few weeks back! The other local opening band is the reunited State of Misery, but we'll get to them in a second, as there's more new stuff to say on their front.

Doors open at 9:00 PM for this show, there'll be a $7 cover charge (no word on advance tickets yet), and like the Ypres Metal Fest, it will be an ALL AGES concert! For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This sounds like a great concert with lots of talent and some big returns, so definitely check out all the bands and circle this show on your calendars! I definitely don't wanna miss it!

As for State of Misery, the hints on their Facebook group are true, as the local death metal band have officially reunited for a second time! You'll no doubt remember them fondly from their initial 7 month run from November 2010 to May 2011, but their opening slot at the May 13th Tribune concert will mark both their Canadian Nightclub debut and their first live concert in over one year! According to the band's brand new Facebook page (their old one was deleted late last year during their second breakup), the original State of Misery lineup has reunited for their current incarnation, including The Valentine's Day Massacre's Steve Rhodes on vocals, Social Suicide's Ray Cowan on guitar, Kevin D'Orazio back on the bass, and Nick Kainula on drums. Ex-bassist Devon Overman (who played with the band last spring and during their brief late-2011 reunion) does not appear to be back in the fold, though I'm not sure why he's not back. It's about time that State of Misery reunited (again), as they were one of the fastest rising local metal bands in early 2011, and their breakups were disappointing for sure! Time will tell how far State of Misery go in this third incarnation, but hopefully they pick up where they left off last May, so go see them next month at The Canadian!

Also in the news, Brimley metal quartet Half A Man have kept busy with two new original song uploads onto their YouTube channel! One is a full version of their new original song "What If", though it's not from the studio copy that the chorus sample came from on Sunday, instead being a live version that they recently recorded and uploaded yesterday. It's very promising and has a Black Label Society vibe, though Erik Rintamaki's vocals are extremely quiet in the mix, so turn it up to get the full onslaught. In case this is going on their debut EP, I'll hold full opinions on it for now, but click here to check it out! Embedded below though is the newest of yesterday's uploads, that being another new original named "Reborn"! Like "What If", it features Erik on vocals, and it appears to be a live recording with the same or similar equipment, but it has a bit of a faster pace with some good aggression! Again, I'll hold opinions until it gets a proper release, but Half A Man's promise continues, so check out the newest songs (and more) at the above links, with "Reborn" below!



And finally, here's THIS week's classic video! We made up last week's lost ground, but what video are we posting to represent this week? Given the extremely light concert weekend for metal shows, I'm dipping into the archives again, and given their mathematical tie at the Humane Society battle, it made sense to focus on As It Stands this week out of fairness to the results! This comes from the prominent local hardcore quintet's headlining show at The Coach & Horses in Windsor on March 26th, 2011, from which we've already featured a video of them playing "Conception" in this series last month. This time however, it's of As It Stands playing their original song "One Less Than Wayne Gretzky", and like the "Conception" video, it was filmed by attendee Jo-Ann Chayka and posted to Facebook afterwards. The same video quality issues prevail here, as it sounds pretty good, but the interior lighting makes the entire video look extremely red and dark, which is hard to correct using YouTube's video edit tools. It's a solid video though of an entertaining original you don't hear as much in As It Stands' recent setlists, so it's definitely worth checking out! The original video can be seen at http://facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150203284478274.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!! All credit for this video goes to As It Stands and Jo-Ann, I'm just trying to share it with a wider audience like it deserves! This is another good performance from one of the area's best metal bands (video quality notwithstanding), so check out this video of As It Stands in Windsor last year below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes shortly, along with our review of End of Existence's debut album by the end of the month! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tym Morrison), The Return Of State Of Misery, And More!!

Hey guys, we have some good news today, and hopefully you guys caught my last minute note that Winnipeg hardcore quartet Method were also added to the Rosie metal night last night! If you missed the announcement or didn't make the concert, click here to check them out, they're definitely worth your time! Now to today's news, as we have a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, a prominent band's return, a related band's apparent demise, and a new video, so here's what you need to know!

Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison is indeed back with acoustic solo concerts this weekend, starting with the continuation of his Service Grill Pizza weekly arrangement TOMORROW! I only just heard about the shows last night, so he'll definitely be back at the Korah Road restaurant tomorrow to deliver two great sets of acoustic hard rock covers! Again, this could be one of your last chances to see him there given earlier statements that the arrangement was for the summer only, so definitely go tomorrow just in case! He'll have two sets at 3:00 PM & 8:00 PM, there's no announced cover charge, and there's likely not an age restriction. Click here for more details, and remember that he'll be back at The Tilt'n Hilton in Hilton Beach on St. Joseph Island on Sunday afternoon again as well, so click here for details on that show! Bit far, but worth the drive! It's always good to see Tym rocking a local stage, and hopefully this weekend's shows go well, so don't miss him tomorrow at the Service Grill! For a preview, here's Tym Morrison covering Extreme's "More Than Words" in Heyden in 2008 with guest singer Luke LeBlanc!



Next up, it looks like local death metal quintet State of Misery are back! After a three month breakup that started in May, the popular (but initially short lived) band have left a few updates on their Facebook pages over the last few days indicating that they have in fact reunited. Drummer Nick Kainula said "Big things happening here!" on their Facebook page on Tuesday, their lineup on their Facebook group was updated that same day to restore their five-piece lineup from the spring, and in a comment there yesterday, Nick said "We're back, suckaas!" Plus, frontman Steve Rhodes confirmed he's back with the band on his Twitter page yesterday. Seems pretty clear that State of Misery are back on the scene, but aside from the recent statements about it, nothing's came out concerning a return to the stage or a possible resumption of their old demo plans. I'm glad to see the guys back together after their very rapid deterioration three months ago, as they were definitely a talented band with chemistry and lots of promise! I'd never have guessed this would happen so quickly, but I'm glad it did, so stay tuned for State of Misery updates as I hear them!

Also, I've updated our Defunct Local Band Profile on them from a couple weeks ago to reflect their return, and similarly to Life's Eclipse, I've added notes about their return and an asterisk (*) to the title of the post to reflect that State of Misery are indeed back. I have more updates to come in this series at some point too, so stay tuned for that!

While we're on the subject, I assume the reunion news effectively renders Unleash The Blackened Sky defunct, so I've moved them to our inactive Sault Ontario band links, though credited as Bring The Misery, as it's the only name they played concerts under. As you may remember, Bring The Misery featured State of Misery's own Steve Rhodes & Ray Cowan during the SoM breakup along with ex-members of Bring The Fallen, Fountain of Betrayal, and The Shit, though they only played two concerts in June. Notably, their second & last show was filmed as part of Shaw TV's interview with Dismembertainment founder Rich Moreland, which you can watch here. With the State of Misery reunion, bassist Tyler St. Amour's work with Social Suicide, and drummer Travis St. Amour's out of town college plans, their breakup seems extremely likely, if nothing else. They had promise from their old bands' reputations, but things didn't gel live like I'd assumed, and it looks like we won't know if they'd have been able to work out the kinks. That said, I think the members' current bands & goals will probably be the best moves for them, musical or otherwise. Best of luck to Steve, Ray, Daeson, Tyler, Travis, Dan, and Kory in their future plans, I know good things will come no matter what!

And finally, here's some new updates from Sault Ontario solo guitarist Mike Cliffe! Over the last little while, a number of songs I didn't recognize were posted onto his Reverbnation page to stream, so click here and head to the bottom to check most of them out! The songs vary in length, genre, and recording quality, but there's some very nice solo instrumentals here if you're willing to look for them! The "bgc" songs in particular have a nice classic rock groove, but there's much more than that on there! One of the newer songs is called "Talk Is Cheap (So Is Talc)", and Mike posted a video of him playing the song onto his YouTube channel on Wednesday! Nice pacing and a catchy melody, reminding me of the solo section of a 1970s hard rocker. Mike mentioned on the video that he recorded this as a basement jam on an old cassette tape, then brought it back and redid it, and now we can check it out! Nice to see some video footage of him playing too, as overlayed onto fast moving landscape and water shots and photos, so give Mike's video for "Talk Is Cheap" a look below!



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

Smeltzer Reunion Concert Review!!

I'm back from last night's Smeltzer reunion concert at The Oddfellows Hall, but how'd it go? Here's where you'll find out! Did their reunion go off without a hitch? How'd the bands sound? Find out below!

A low attendance started the evening off, though Smeltzer/RedD Monkey had lots of merchandise and art for sale, even bringing cupcakes! The opening band was local death metal quintet The Bear Hunters, and despite the limited amount of fans to start the night, their set was mostly pretty good! The guys played all of their heavy and very brutal originals as good as we could expect early on, and this time, I could actually hear Nik Deubel with the sound being used at The Oddfellows Hall! The last few times, I couldn't hear him well, so I liked that the sound seemed to be good for the overall experience! That said, I have seen better Bear Hunters sets, but this isn't their fault, as guitarist Josh Stephney broke a guitar string about midway through their set. With no remedies immediately available, Josh had to sit out half of the set, so there was one less Bear Hunter. Luckily, it wasn't always noticeable, but you could really tell a second guitar was needed on some songs. I think the string couldn't handle the metal being played, and luckily, Josh had a good sense of humour about the situation! I also liked seeing the cover of "Down From The Sky" back for their set, which overall, was full of death metal goodness, despite the string breaking!

Next up was the Sault's favourite grind band, none other than Shit Liver! It's been a while since they've rocked an Oddfellows Hall concert (not since last year), and for the occasion, they even brought a real liver to adorn the drumkit! It didn't look shitty, but it was interesting! Their set was another crusty and grimy good time, though mostly based around originals, only covering Dystopia and OBCD last night. Their originals are worth the set though, and they play what they play very well, especially if you like their assaulting brand of death metal! Unbelievably, ANOTHER guitar string broke on a guitarist named Josh (Penno) during their set, but this time, he had replacement strings with him, so the show went on, but the playing time was cut a bit due to the delay. Technical issues aside, Shit Liver had a good set if you enjoy their mix of punk and death metal, which is liable to grow on some people with repeated listens!

Third were local indie quintet The Tenagens, and they're a talented band who performed a good set, although their style isn't something I hear a lot of. Similarly to the last time I saw them, they kinda stood out amongst the punk and metal on the bill, but their talent speaks for itself! Josh White has a nice singing voice, and Pat Dal Cin's a good bassist (nice Dream Theater shirt too!), with lots of talent to go around! I also was nicely surprised to hear their cover of The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage", but I have to say, I was surprised at the lack of banter between songs. Maybe it was due to time constraints, but I'm used to hearing some talking between songs. Good set of indie rock though, even if it's not my thing! Never hurts to broaden your horizons!

Fourth last night were the last of three metal bands, that being hardcore quartet Changing Waves, who replaced Winkstinger on last night's lineup. Surprisingly, I found that the amount of people inside rocking out for them last night was larger (or least more livelier) than the last two bands, which is a sign that Changing Waves are definitely doing something right! Their set last night featured originals like "Jung Jung", "Tital", and "Lockdown", along with well recieved covers of System of a Down's "Suite Pee" and Austrian Death Machine's "Get To The Choppa", and I have to say, they're really improving and growing as a band! Their songs have a certain energy and bang to them , and singer Banjamin Kallonen's stage presence just gets better and better! Mike Hagerman's guitar work was really nice too, and the fans started some good pits and receptions for Changing Waves! You hear more about other bands locally, but don't sleep on Changing Waves, they're right up there too, and I can't wait to hear their hardcore sounds again!

Co-headlining last night were local cello punk trio RedD Monkey, who put in another dependably solid set of high energy original songs! I'll say one thing about them live compared to their "Thought Control Tower" EP that I finally bought last night: In concert, they're faster and more energetic than on the original studio versions of their songs. I was honestly surprised at that! Songs like "Friar's Ire" and "The Clock's Dement" definitely have more bite and aggression live, I wonder why that is? Comparisons aside, their set worked really well to rock out with, and the mix of aggressive punk rock and cello seems to be a better and better match the more you see RedD Monkey! We also got a surprise early in their set when Smeltzer drummer Kevin Overton rejoined his old RedD Monkey bandmates for a song, which was cool! Very nice set from RedD Monkey, hopefully I'll see them again soon!

And finally, it was the long awaited reunion of alt punk trio Smeltzer, and it's been far too long to see them back on stage! For the record, it definitely felt old school last night, as Paul Stanghetta and Kevin Overton both returned from out of town for the Smeltzer reunion, and yes, Steve Mozarowski broke out a dress for the set! Comparisons to RedD Monkey may be inevitable (especially for newer fans), but they're two different bands, so I try not to, but I will say that Smeltzer's set seemed more spontaneous than the earlier bands last night. It was a treat hearing old Smeltzer originals again, as well as seeing the old lineup back together, and their songs still had the punk/grunge style that made them so well loved in the mid-2000s! It was especially nice to see Kevin back drumming in town, I haven't seen him at a local show since 2008 or 2009. Smeltzer showed good chemistry, and their punk and alternative sounds were easily welcomed back last night! Hopefully this won't be the last time we see the guys together!

Awesome nostalgic concert last night! Lots of quality local bands, and there was no shortage of music for any taste, though I have to ask: Why no reunion of The Fury? 2/3rds of the band played last night, and bassist Tony Briglio was in attendance, it would have been a perfect fit. Oh well, what we got was great! I got photos of each band, so click here or visit our official Facebook page to give them a look, along with this concert's "Tag Yourself" photo! And I got videos of each metal band, so check out The Bear Hunters playing their original "Condemned", Shit Liver playing their song "(Friendly Old) Uncle Joe", and Changing Waves covering Austrian Death Machine's "Get To The Choppa"!







That's all for today, but stay tuned tomorrow for more news including a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, details on a new local band, and more! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (As It Stands) And Sault Ontario Weekend Concert Previews!!

Hey guys, its time to preview this weekend's local metal concerts.... well, on one half of the border, anyway. There's a lot of shows on the local schedule this weekend, including a decent amount in both Sault Ontario and Sault Michigan. So this week, I'm gonna preview the Sault Ontario metal and hard rock shows for the upcoming weekend separately from the Sault Michigan shows to spread them out. Expect the Sault Michigan previews to be posted tomorrow, possibly with an extra story or two as well. So for today, we have 7 concerts in Sault Ontario from tomorrow through Saturday, including a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what you need to know (and remember to check out our latest local metal video showcase in the post below this one!)

Eight days after a successful short notice show at Foggy Notions, As It Stands are coming back THIS SATURDAY for another solo concert of hardcore mayhem! Apologies for the relatively late notice, the show was only just announced earlier today. Sounds mostly similar to last weekend's show, though this time, I can confirm that there will definitely not be a cover charge, and drummer John Mignacca confirmed on the Facebook event page that band members will likely do a hip-hop set when they "get their buzz on." If this does go down, it will likely be similar to the material posted on John's solo project's Facebook page, which is strictly rap, and one song features AIS frontman Justin Pregent (a.k.a. Nadj) on vocals as well! As for the metal, As It Stands will have lots of moshably brutal hardcore in store for fans on Saturday, so don't forget about that! The show starts at 11:00 PM, and you must be 19 to enter. Check the above links for more details! Sounds like fun, hopefully a big crowd turns out! Also, for reference sake, remember that Foggy's is not far from the first pitch at this year's Buskerfest, which will be outside Smokey's Patio just seconds down the road, so you can head to Foggy's right afterwards! For a preview, here's As It Stands playing "Conception" from a show in December!



Now to the previously announced concerts, and first, it's tomorrow's 27th Roosevelt Hotel metal night! For the fifth time in nine weeks, we have just two scheduled bands, but both are exceedingly talented, so here's what you should know! In their record tying 12th Thursday metal night appearance, your headliners are local melodic death metal quintet The Bear Hunters, whose brutal metal sounds will be sure to cause a frenzy tomorrow night! Opening the show are local hardcore quartet Changing Waves, who'll also have some highly entertaining originals and covers ready to rock The Rosie with tomorrow night! Both bands are on the rise, you'll wanna check them out tomorrow! As always, there will be a 19+ age limit, there's no cover charge, and everything should start at around 10:00 PM. Check the above links or click here for more details! Dismembertainment keep their frequent schedule of local metal bands up this week with another quality lineup, as both The Bear Hunters and Changing Waves have tons of promise and brutality to go around! Remember to head to The Rosie tomorrow night, and for a preview, here's The Bear Hunters playing "Casualties Of War" at The Rosie last month!



Next up, local classic hard rock cover band Full Circle return to The Nicolet Tavern this weekend for a second straight weekend of rocking covers and good times! Unlike last weekend's late notice shows, these were listed on the now-deleted Turner Up Facebook group, so we've had lots of advance word! And don't worry, I replaced the group with the old Turner Up Facebook page, so we can keep Full Circle in our band links (at least for now.) So look for Full Circle to keep their momentum going with some great classic and newer hard rock covers this weekend, in what should be a fun weekend for this talented quartet! There's no announced cover charge, you must be 19 to attend, and both the Friday and Saturday shows start at 10:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Sounds like a solid weekend from Full Circle, hopefully these shows are as successful as last weekend's! For a preview, click here and move to 13:20 of the video to see a minute of Full Circle's cover of Heart's "Alone" at Rotaryfest!

Now to the other big attraction this weekend, as Hollow are reuniting for one weekend only! The early 2000s local metal band who made some big waves in the scene way back when are joining forces once again for shows on Friday & Saturday night! Their lineup will include former Carbon Black singer Travis Sharpe on vocals, Caveman Morrison's own Tym Morrison on lead guitar, The Southern Fried Band's Dan Beaupre on bass, and longtime bandmates Terry Eaton & Vinnie Milosevic (last seen in The Dicky Swift Band) on rhythm guitar and drums, which should make for a great band once again this weekend! For this special one weekend only reunion, the band will play at two venues, hitting The Rockstar Bar on Friday night, and Bossy's Pub & Grub on Pim Street on Saturday night. The show at Bossy's (formerly Smack Daddy's) was originally scheduled for The Canadian Nightclub before the massive flooding there last month took place, after which the show was moved to Bossy's, which is literally seconds down the road! All's well though, and I hear Bossy's is very nice, so remember that if you're planning on going Saturday! Both shows start at 10:30 PM, there's no announced cover charge for either night (bring cash though), and you must be 19 to attend either concert. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page!

It should be awesome seeing Hollow back, especially if you were a fan of theirs back in the day, or of Carbon Black or Metal Militia! I wasn't around for their heyday (too young), but I won't miss the reunion! In all likelihood, I'll be there on Saturday at Bossy's, and I hope to see you guys there! No videos to preview them with, but check out old Hollow material (and Carbon Black songs with Travis on vocals) at this location!

Finally, we move to Saturday afternoon, where a Hollow member has a solo show at Service Grill Pizza! Obviously, it's Tym Morrison, whose own weekly concert arrangement at the Korah Road pizza joint continues on Saturday for some more acoustic hard rock classics! However, Tym's only scheduled to be playing the 3:00-7:00 PM set on Saturday, due to the Hollow show at Bossy's, so if you prefer your Tym Morrison unplugged shows in the evening, you're out of luck this week. Still, Tym's proficient and prolific brand of solo material is great no matter what time of day it is! There's no cover charge on Saturday, and given that he is playing in the afternoon, it's an all ages show. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, or click here for details on his Hilton Beach show on Sunday! Tym's got a lot on his plate this weekend, especially on Saturday, but he's talented enough to handle it, and he'll have some great songs in store for you guys at the Service Grill on Saturday, so head on out! For a preview, here's Tym & former Half Past singer Luke LeBlanc covering Extreme's "More Than Words" in 2008!



That's all for tonight, but stay tuned for Sault Michigan weekend concert previews tomorrow! Thanks everyone!