X's & Y's - "Face The Moon, Forgive The Stars" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 208th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and for a second straight month, we're heading to Michigan, with this month's review being of local metal solo project X's & Y's' third CD "Face The Moon, Forgive The Stars"! Posted online on January 13th in advance of a physical CD release exactly one month later, this EP features two versions of the title track along with two bonus holdover originals. A Werehold and AFR Records production, the songs here were mixed and mastered in Lansing by Mitchell "Mitch Michelle" Wells, with Jason as the only credited musician this time. X's & Y's forgone the usual streaming platform release for "FTMFTS" (Bandcamp doesn't even have the middle two songs), but the whole 20 minute EP is officially streamable on YouTube. CD copies only cost $3 USD, which is a pretty good deal, so contact Jason on social media if you want to inquire about availability eight months later! I have no idea if there are/were any physical storefronts in the EUP carrying the CDs.

Let's begin this quick review with the title and longest track, "Face The Moon, Forgive The Stars", a 7+ minute song that Jason said leaned "into doom/drone/horror territory". This is undeniably a metal song, but it really slows down with an extremely deliberate and ominous pace. A rare Jason Mills-led song with vocals (albeit just seventeen yelled words), I'm not gonna lie and tell you that this style of metal is my favourite, but it's distinct, punishing, and will be a fitting choice for inclined listeners over the Halloween season! For my tastes though, the song might be more effective if sped up in Audacity. Next is the EP's shortest song "Hand Of Cydonia", which continues the space concept, as Cydonia is a region of Mars. This song is particularly distinguished because Jason uses a tremoloa (a zither often used to replicate the sound of a Hawaiian steel guitar) as one of the included instruments, which he couldn't find other examples of in metal music.

If the droning nature of the title track wasn't your thing, you may appreciate the pounding djent riffs of this instrumental, and the tremoloa does add suitably spacey/other-worldly affect. It's still a doom metal song, but the aggression and quicker pace works better for what I like, and it would suit a sci-fi movie or TV show well! The last completely new song is "Crater", which is peppered with backwards guitar playing, including the first 30 seconds.before the full song kicks into gear. Definitely not as heavy as "Hand Of Cydonia", but it has an effectively eerie feeling and strong instrumentation, including what sounds like more tremoloa input in the background, and the last 52 seconds is just a mild harmony to keep the existing vibes going. Not a bad song at all, especially for seasonal mood music, but metalheads will take to the opening tracks more for heaviness.

The EP closes with an instrumental version of "Face The Moon, Forgive The Stars", which is the exact same song minus lyrics, and the song wasn't verbose as it was. The vocals aren't essential to appreciation of the song, but they are also a variance to its structure and pacing, so I do prefer the main version to the instrumental. Your mileage may vary! Overall, I did like X's & Y's' new EP, but for what I go for in metal, I did prefer their full-length albums "The Obsidian Dream" and "Ruination Coactive" more. It has the diversity seen on the former, including the doomy overtones and tremoloa usage, but this wasn't as fast paced and hard-hitting on average. "Hand Of Cydonia" was easily my favourite song here", but fans of AlgomA and later Woods of Ypres will want to check this for a more modern example of local doom metal. Honestly, there's so much material that Jason could have sourced for a full space concept album similarly to the Contra-themed "Ruination Coactive".

Still, my reservations are mostly of the "existing metal subgenre preference" type, and this is a good collection of songs. Here's hoping that Jason returns to the studio and works on some new X's & Y's material soon, but check out this EP above, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! Next month, we will return to Sault Ontario for a look at local metal trio The BAG's debut album "Sacculus", so look for that in November, and for more news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck) And Weekend Concert Previews, Part 1!!

This is an unusually busy weekend for concerts at this time of year, so much so that I'll have to break up our hard rock/punk concert previews into three posts! Today's will look at bands playing tomorrow and/or Saturday in some description, but larger events on Saturday (namely Oktoberfest, Punk Rock Fiesta, Quite Frankly, Curtis McKenzie, Dos Amigos, and shows in the EUP) to follow. We're on it, and we're starting with SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so here's what you should know to start things off!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck (7.3?) will reportedly return to Reggie's Place for concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, these shows have not been publically announced on social media by the band or venue, and I only learned about the shows via personal Facebook postings. Soundcheck most recently rocked the Queen Street East tavern early last month, with this being their second weekend there with their current lineup. Should be a fun weekend for classic and hard rock cover action, assuming the personal Facebook postings are accurate! This AI-generated image was made by Reggie's for their shows there in May, but intentionally or not, it's not dated so it can be reused (though if the guys really have tacked 7.3 onto their name, why not make that official on their public social media pages? They should use social media more regardless.)

TOMORROW & SATURDAY's concerts are at 9:30 PM with 19+ age limits and no announced cover charges, and the shows were not advertised as "epic crossovers" with their sister band Separate Wayz, but that doesn't necessarily mean that Nicole won't turn up. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's Soundcheck live!

Next up, a packed weekend at the resurgent Rockstar Bar kicks off TOMORROW NIGHT with the one-off supergroup Hard Rock Review taking the stage there! For one night only, staples of local hard rock bands of the 1990s will join forces for a night full of 1980s-leaning rock covers, and for recent SMS coverage's sake, the most familiar names here will be (former?) Dodge This/Phatstick frontman Jason Taillefer and Flathead Ford/ex-Gsis Murphy drummer Anthony Fabiano. Good to see Jay in a plugged in band again after way too long! Bassist Robert Iacoboni (who later made his way to Taiwan in his extensive musical journey) and drummer Jeff See will round out their full lineup, but Robert's friend Dallas Crockett (of the Kelowna-based AC/DC tribute band High Voltage) will guest for a six song mini-set of AC/DC hits. Dallas isn't local, but his guest turn will add some zest to the proceedings!

One night before punk reunions take place at the same venue with Punk Rock Fiesta (preview coming tomorrow), Hard Rock Review will have no announced cover charge tomorrow night, but bring cash just in case given that most of the performers are living out of town. This is a 19+ concert with doors opening at 8:00 PM. Obviously, I have no videos of Hard Rock Review (shouldn't it be "Revue?") to preview the show with, but the Facebook event page lists bands that the guys will be covering, and with the talent on display, fans of this era of local hard rock bands should have a blast tomorrow night! See above for more details on the Hard Rock Review's debut!

Also taking place TOMORROW NIGHT is the return of local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations to The Water Tower Pub for one night only! While the band did announce the shows last month as part of their slate of (at least) three October gigs, the shows have been confirmed anew via the venue's October concert calendar, and we'll address its unaddressed hard rock shows in an upcoming post. After skipping this central nightclub last month, fans will get to see Generations back there tomorrow, and hopefully their classic and hard rock covers go over well as usual! As The Water Tower Pub hosts different acts nightly, country singer/guitarist Jeffrey Wright is headlining there on Saturday. Tomorrow's concert will be an 8:00 PM affair as usual with a 19+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's a brand new video of Generations live!

This was shot at their Gateway Casino concert last month, and was uploaded to guitarist Joe Miller's personal Facebook page before being shared to the band's Facebook group. It features him, Valerie, Pierre, and Tony covering Amanda Marshall's "Let It Rain", which I don't recall them covering in past media. Not badly handled, and Valerie's voice is more than up to the task of this mid-1990s slice of Cancon. Well filmed and horizontal to boot, so give it a watch below, and don't miss them at The Water Tower Pub tomorrow!

Finally for preview post #1, we'll go west to Beck's Bar, where local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard 225 will take the stage on SATURDAY NIGHT! Just Saturday though, as despite their website still listing the Sunday matinee for an "uncorked" concert, Beck's has since confirmed on their Facebook page that Curtis McKenzie is playing that day instead (preview forthcoming). A reason for the switch was not announced, but hopefully it's just a simple scheduling conflict. The full electric Bone Yard 225 experience awaits on Saturday though, with this being their first full plugged-in ("corked") concert since their one-off with Spencer Pine early last month, and their first typical weekend nightclub gig in city limits in two months. Now that the fall season is firmly in place, "the dirty three" should have a solid night of hard rocking covers and originals in store for fans at the Goulais Avenue nightclub on Saturday!

If you want to see your local 225 in "uncorked" mode, their next acoustic gig will be next Friday at the aforementioned Water Tower Pub. Saturday's concert is at 9:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cove charge, so see above for more details, and here's Bone Yard live!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more weekend concert previews tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Heavy Lies The Crown - "Notions" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 207th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and we have finally entered this calendar year as our dig through our new album release backlog continues! This month, we're taking a look at the first local metal album of 2026, namely St. Ignace, Michigan metalcore band Heavy Lies The Crown's second EP and fourth paid album "Notions", which was independently released to major streaming services on January 30th. "Notions" compiles five of the six one-off studio singles that Heavy Lies The Crown released after April 2024. Lead singer Brandon West and guitarist/ex-drummer Jaxon Massaway are credited on streaming for production and mixing the EP at North Shore Audio, but I have not seen any firm credits as to who played on what song. During the timeline of these songs' recording, they were joined by guitarist Nathan Switzer, guitarist/drummer Kaycee Mason, bassist Christian Cook, and drummer Blaze Beairl.

All but Blaze have since left HLTC, though note that Brandon has reportedly drummed on some prior studio material despite not being explicitly credited as such. Also, note that the cover artwork for the EP was designed by Christian before he left the band. "Notions" is available on multiple streaming services, including the big four (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music), and you can buy it in mp3 format via iTunes for $4.95, though like their prior releases, it isn't available on physical formats. Note that the formal EP was never uploaded to Spotify, but all five songs are individually streamable there. This is a short EP, as its five songs only clock in at 12 minutes, so let's begin this review!

First up is the title track "Notions", which has a suitably djenty opening riff, but feels more industrial and processed, with Brandon's vocals less raw and more layered. The song is very heavy, but it kinda feels like it's not really going anywhere, and the sludgy breakdown late (while likely a mosh pit starter live) ends the song on a bit of an anticlimax. Honestly, "Notions" comes off like it's a heavy stylistic change but without the freewheeling spark and variance in styles that I was hoping for. Next is "Shame", which is an instant improvement from its cleaner, less processed sound, including Brandon screaming in full voice overtop of the music. It's just a shame (natch) that it's an EP-low 80 seconds long! This feels extremely unfinished, like it's all verses and choruses with no instrumental time to breathe. A crushing song while it lasts, and fans of their earlier material should take to it!

Another sub-2 minute song caps off the EP's first half, namely "Marble Skin". which shares more in common with the title track, if not as mechanical sounding. Riff is punishing, the drums are the best that we've had yet, but it again has the vocals in a more processed, layered-in-the-mix state, and I'm not sure that ending songs with breakdowns is ideal. If anything, they should be a bridge to a final chorus, but given the length, I guess it had to go somewhere? Not a bad song but the deathcore influence, vocal processing, and brevity don't help it. The longest song here is next, namely "Road To Detroit" (inspired Heavy's road trips downstate), and the softer intro does help set the tone, as does the return of Brandon singing clean on verses! This feels more introspective than other songs on offer, and harsh vocals are more accent items than a focus, and this honestly gives me Deftones vibes, which isn't something I can say often about a local band!

While not their heaviest song by any stretch, it drives along well with an effective atmospheric vibe, and while their recent music has otherwise trended more extreme, it would be interesting to see Brandon, Jaxon, and crew do more stuff like this! The curiously titled "Happy Fun Fun" closes the EP, and things end on a heavy note, with djenty riffs, aggressive vocals, and more of a deathcore essence again, though like on too many songs here, the vocals come off too processed and layered, rather than letting Brandon let loose at the forefront. Suitably creepy spoken word and piano work fitting the title is also included here (it makes sense if you've seen the music video), and while the song is an effective closer that improves on some things, it still ends somewhat abruptly, and could have done more with the vibe of innocent childhood items in an unsettling horror setting like this.

So, what are my final thoughts on Heavy Lies The Crown's new EP? It's not their peak for my preferences, but if you're more into modern deathcore, you'll like how things have drifted! This is a short listen (probably too short), though the guys did say upon release that "Notions" was "a glued version of what we have to offer at this moment", and if that's the case, I'd have glued more on. I do miss the guitar solos that have largely been absent since the self-titled album (a.k.a. "Knucklebutter"), the drift towards deathcore and end-of-song breakdowns isn't necessarily for me compared to their earlier stuff, and I would really prefer Brandon's singing to be clear and audible and not so processed. Musically, everyone performs well with strong riffs, but when the best song ("Shame") doesn't even clear 90 seconds, it just left me wondering why they didn't fill these songs out moreso.

Deftones fans will like "Road To Detroit", and recent fans will like these songs, but I really would have included their mid-2024 single "These Walls". I don't know if it was omitted due to being co-written by Nathan before he left the band, or if the clearer metalcore structure, 4+ minute length, and clean choruses didn't fit where Heavy were at last year, but it would have been a highlight for me. What we do get is solid enough, just not at their peak for my preferences, but buy/stream "Notions" above and see what you think! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, and next month, we're staying in Michigan for a look at local metal solo project X's & Y's' new EP "Face The Moon, Forgive The Stars"! Thanks everyone!

ASDP - "Atom Bombs & Lemonade" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 206th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and this month, we're continuing filing through our new album backlog in chronological release order via local ska punk band ASDP's debut EP "Atom Bombs & Lemonade"! Independently released exclusively to their Bandcamp page on December 17th, the "crackrocksteady" band is represented here by Agnosticism frontman/Apocalypse Afterparty bassist Mikhal "Châ" Muto on vocals & guitar, With Gunfire/ex-Stoned To Deaf bassist William "Glistening Williard" Wardlaw, and Spaceship Opening drummer "Just" Ralph Barber. This album was recorded before Tucker Lidstone joined on second guitar, but it does feature a number of guest musicians, including Golden Scoundrels/ex-Shit Liver frontman Josh Penno on backing vocals and a guest verse, Cole Speers as a backing vocalist on "Party Song", ...

...a lead guitarist credited as "Keagles", Mason Mahoney as a narrator, and Floor Between Us frontman Colin Gasparelli on trumpet. Aside from Ralph's Spaceship Opening bandmate Andrew MacDonald being credited for engineering, the band didn't give production details in the liner notes. Adam Smith Death Parade recorded 10 songs for this album last year, but three of the songs are covers that are only available on the paid download, and as they're sprinkled throughout the track order there, they are not considered to be bonus tracks. If you want to hear them, then buy "Atom Bombs & Lemonade" for $7 on Bandcamp in mp3 format! Otherwise, you can hear the album's seven songs as free streams there too, but those three covers eat up 11+ minutes of the 26 minute runtime.

Let's kick off this A.S.D.P. album review with its opening song, "Taller Ants"! Lyrically about still wanting to live the hard-drinking punk lifestyle despite the process getting harder with time, things open with a phone message from someone angry at "Andrew" about borrowed items still owed. The song itself (the only one here what William co-wrote) has a suitably bouncy ska punk riff. A fairly steady song without much in the way of tempo changes, there are no empty moments, and it interestingly ends with a guitar solo (if that's "Keagles", he did well!). The production wasn't crystal clear, but the ska action wasn't bad to start! Next is "Bay Of Pigs", which is the only one of the seven original songs here to crack 3 minutes in length. It is this song where ASDP got the name of the EP, and the lyrics speak to views of a bleak future, using the Bay of Pigs fiasco in a metaphorical sense.

Opening with a 30 seconds-long spoken word sample about fascism, this is a rougher edged song that, while still having a ska essence, feels more lo-fi and crust punk-influenced. To a point, I feel like Mikhal was over-exaggerating his singing for effect, and should have kept things simpler. This is the song with Josh Penno's guest verse, and it's cool hearing him scream on a new original song, if not for too long! Strong bass and drums here too, but the song got messier and noisier, so I did think the song started stronger than it finished. Third on paid copies is the first of the paid buyer-exclusive covers, namely "One Dead Cop" by the legendary New York crust punk band Leftover Crack. The ASDP version gets two spoken word sections (from someone who sounds jarringly like John Wayne), and is otherwise a shorter and tighter cover that keeps the same progression and style of the original.

Lo-fi production aside, you do get some context as to why Mikhal and crew have the sound that they do, so if you're not familiar with Leftover Crack, you will connect some dots here. The guitar riff is sure catchy, and the screaming is sure impassioned near the end, so this is a worthy incentive for the $7 price tag! Next on any version of the EP is "Prelude To The Sacred Rat", which is a 38 seconds-long intro to the following song "Rat Hymn", and honestly, I'd have just combined them as one (relatively) long song, as they clearly are meant to be heard back to back. The slower intro with screamed vocals leads into a wordy and politically charged song about how we are the metaphorical rats in the sewer fighting fascism, capitalism, and inequality (note the Shit Liver and "Booze N' Doobs" references!). More than any other so far, this song leans heavily into hardcore punk, so this will be an easy mosh pit instigator live.

The sing-along choruses are honestly the song's low point, as they feel low energy and melancholy compared to the ferocity around them, but largely, this song is among my highlights for the punk intensity and driving guitar work, even if the prelude was separate! Song #5 (free)/#6 (paid) is "Grunt", which is another anti-capitalist song, with lyrics about the class divide and the perceived aims for the higher income bracket to get rid of those with a lower income. While it starts with a "ska break", it rolls along well from "Rat Hymn" as another hardcore punk-influenced song with a crust influence, with Mikhal unleashing some of his heaviest and most aggressive vocals yet here, and he and William play off each other nicely. The darker breakdown with guttural vocals late is well done here too, and for my metalhead sensibilities, this is easily a highlight of this EP! Is that Keagles on the ending solo again? 

Paid buyers of "Atom Bombs & Lemonade" get the second cover next, that being "Kill Yer Parents" by the Pennsylvania ska-core band No Cash. This cover is fairly identical to the original, if played slightly slower, though the instrumentation does feel more filled out. As a pure song, I prefer this to the first cover, and it has more of a varied structure and dynamic guitar playing while still delivering the ska goods and some suitable crust punk anger, and the performances under the production quality are sound! We next get to "Party Song", which is basically a retreat into community and singing revolutionary and folk songs that talk back/down to one's oppressors. If any song here feels like it probably should have been written for Mikhal's dormant folk punk solo project Agnosticism, it's this one, as it's a blistering 100 seconds-long acoustic number featuring guest performer Cole Speers.

Mikhal plays banjo, washboard, and cajon on this largely solo track, and while I do prefer ASDP's full-band, aggressive songs, this gets the job done for Agnosticism fans, and Mikhal doesn't let his foot off the gas musically or lyrically despite the short length! Free copies of the EP end with its last original and shortest song "Pantry Fiends", a 33 seconds-long number that appears to be a brief memorial to the musician Sam Sadowski of the San Francisco folk punk project Closet Fiends. A bass-heavy number while it lasts, it had potential as a fuller song had they chose to expand it (especially thanks to Ralph's drumming), but it serves its intended purpose! If you paid the $7, "Atom Bombs & Lemonade" ends with a cover of "Wait Around" by the Chicago crust folk band The Suburbanists, which is the only 4+ minute song on the full album. The ASDP cover has a fuller sound than the original, and has the most of Colin's trumpet work.

The more collaborative sound helps add more of a ska punk flavour here, and it strikes me as something that would go over well live for singing along while also having some faster moshing potential. Maybe a little over-long compared to prior songs here, but it's a faithful cover when compared to the original. Fun closer regardless! Overall, what are my final thoughts on ASDP's debut EP? If you can get past the lo-fi production quality, you'll find a solid collection of varying punk subgenres here! This feels more like the fully realized band that I think Agnosticism was hinting at, but with more of a ska punk influence, if not as much as one as some of their branding would suggest. The "crackrocksteady" descriptor is not new to ASDP, and while their take seems to favour the noise and crust punk angle more often than not, the ska bounce and liveliness is definitely there when called upon. 

Mikhal let his emotions and frustrations out strongly on vocals, William's bass work did exactly what it needed to do, and Ralph's drumming was a steady highlight. For the guest performances, they could sometimes be hard to identify, but the collaborative nature is nothing new if you're familiar with ASDP live. The biggest issue for me was the rough production quality, but I do understand that Mikhal likes the lo-fi DIY folk punk aesthetic, and I know they weren't going for pristine here. Your mileage may vary, of course! Beyond that, I did prefer the heavier, hardcore punk-leaning songs, the guitar solos should have been placed earlier in songs when utilized, and the lackadaisical choruses on "Rat Hymn" weren't ideal, If you are more right-leaning politically, you may want to tread lightly for some of these lyrics too, but folk punk and crust punk aren't subgenres known for holding back.

ASDP's first studio EP is a good debut that leans well into Mikhal's prior output as a singer/guitarist, and while I do wish that they had a stronger social media presence beyond Instagram (how are they not on Facebook yet?), there's some solid music to be had for crust and ska punk fans, so buy/stream the EP at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, and after a two month spell in Sault Ontario, we're returning to the EUP next month when we kick off the fall with a look at St. Ignace, Michigan deathcore band Heavy Lies The Crown's most recent EP "Notions", as we finally begin reviewing local metal, hard rock, and punk albums from 2026! Thanks everyone, and look for more news this week!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Hard Rock Revue), Fort Creek Updates, And Much More!!

Here's another packed news post to check out on this Tuesday evening, and here, we have some recent assorted updates, a look at a unique concert from earlier this month, and big lineup changes from a local hard rock band, but let's lead off with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

The day before the Punk Rock Fiesta goes down in October, The Rockstar Bar will signal their return to hosting regular public concerts on Friday, October 2nd when they host the one-off Hard Rock Review! This is a supergroup of veteran local rock musicians led by Dodge This singer/guitarist Jason Taillefer in his first local concert appearance with a plugged-in hard rock band since Phatstick broke up in 2012, so that alone will be a pull for many. Other 1990s local rock veterans will join him here, including guitarist Jeff See, bassist Robert Iacoboni (later seen in Master Steven and the Taiwanese Pink Floyd tribute band In The Flesh), and former Gsis Murphy/Fort Creek drummer Anthony Fabiano, so local rock fans who were around then should be quite interested! As well, they will have a guest singer for six songs, namely Dallas Crockett, a friend of Rob's who sings for the Kelowna-based AC/DC tribute band High Voltage.

Dallas isn't local, but it will be interesting to hear how he does on six AC/DC classics during his planned guest spot in October! Hard Rock Review (isn't "Revue" more accurate in this context?) are advertised to play a 1980s-leaning hard rock set on October 2nd, including acts like The Scorpions, Judas Priest, Journey, The Cult, and even "a couple of one-hit-wonders". Doors open at 8:00 PM for this 19+ concert, and an admission fee or potential ticket sales are not known yet. The first weekend of October is shaping up to be huge for fans of hard rock and punk of the past, and an ideal way to kick off The Rockstar Bar's full relaunch as a proper concert venue, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Next up, we have some big lineup news from local southern hard rock band Fort Creek, who announced two new additions to their ranks via their Facebook page on Sunday! First, they have enlisted Half Past bassist Arthur Lacasse to replace the long-since departed Robin "Bones" Lee. Art is a good fit based on his musical background, though does him joining Fort Creek mean anything negative for Half Past's status? That band has yet to play live this year following drummer Johnny Amendola's departure and move to Soundcheck/Separate Wayz, but we'll let you know if anything is clarified from their camp! Meanwhile, in a surprise, Fort Creek have also brought in former Stillbroke/Borderline Divine alum Sam DeDominicis as their new drummer, replacing Phil Greco. A reason for Phil's departure was not announced, though if you recall Bones and Anthony's quiet departures in 2023, this won't be shocking.

Fort Creek were recording their long-awaited debut album at Phil's own Jettison Studios though, so does this signal anything bad re: the album sessions, or will he still work with the band behind the scenes? Again, we'll let you know! We last heard from Sam when Borderline Divine teased a reunion in 2016 that never got off the ground (the former Stillbroke last played live in 2012), so it's been a while regardless, but it's great to see him in a new local band after all these years, let alone Justin, Shane, and Bill having a full lineup again after almost three years! Stay tuned for more from Fort Creek in live and studio contexts hopefully soon!

Now to the oldest topic in our backlog that we hadn't yet covered in an SMS post, namely fallout from this year's Government Bay Barge Bash in Cedarville, Michigan! As you may recall, three bands play this annual Les Cheneaux Islands summer concert on a floating barge in Government Bay, with swimming and boating to the event and the stage encouraged among the revelry, and for the rain-delayed event on August 2nd, their official Facebook page did get two videos highlighting what went down four Sundays ago. One features quickly cut clips from the Barge Bash, including very brief looks at The Mark Bowen Band's set. Alas, this video is both vertical and 14 seconds long, but it is an effective teaser! The longer of the two captures Cedarville classic rock veterans Shipheads On Shore covering (as best as I can tell) Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Running Down A Dream" for 51 seconds.

Shared from attendee William Maloney's personal Facebook page, he panned the camera around in a circle, and you can see that the barge isn't that far from shore, so you can walk around in the water (just don't slip!). The aesthetics alone make this video worth a watch, as you don't often get concerts where boats are parked so close to the stage, let alone the wide forest sightlines, so if you don't mind getting a little wet, this deserves more attention as a summer destination concert. Sadly, no public videos of Project 906's headlining set that I am aware of, but see above for more from this year's Barge Bash, and here's to another big one next year!

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

 

• Local hard rock cover trio Nate's Chow have added a new gig to their calendar, but it will be on the road this Saturday at the Jerk-N Depot in Alanson, which is 90 minutes south of here (give or take Mackinac Bridge traffic) and 20 minutes northeast of Petoskey. According to the band's AI-generated poster, this is a "last minute add on show" due to a previously scheduled band cancelling. This will now be just the second gig since the former Unfortunate Sun rebranded as Nate's Chow, and while anything in the Lower Peninsula is out of our coverage range, hopefully things go well on Saturday night!
• While we await confirmation of who their new bassist is, Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Separate Wayz shared videos of their "epic crossover" gig in Chapleau with their sister band Soundcheck via this batch post on their Facebook page last week! Unfortunately, both videos are 7 seconds long and do not have audio whatsoever, but from what we can see, it looks like a lot of fun was had by the bands and fans alike at the Gold Rush Nationals, and stay tuned for more from both bands!
• Former Spades GT bandmates J.D. Pearce, Matthew "Fang" Voros, and Sean "Skull" MacNab will reunite for the first time since their abrupt dissolution in December this Thursday at The Queens Nightclub in Barrie, when they play a one-off Misfits tribute set as Fiend Club! This show is an all-tribute band affair featuring six bands, mostly punk and emo ones, plus the amusingly named headliners Rage Against The Poutine. Matthew and Sean have remained active this year in their psychobilly band The House of Haunt, and it is good to see J.D. (a.k.a. Johnny Pints) back on stage again with them, but could this lead to more in some fashion?

 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's YouTube Channel Profile next! Thanks everyone!

Viscera - "From Feast To Famine" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 204th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and as our crawl through out lengthy new album release backlog continues, we're taking a detour to Sault Michigan for a look at newer local hardcore punk/metal band Viscera's debut EP "From Feast To Famine"! Independently released to major streaming services on October 30th, the band is represented here by Small Town Society alum "Blind" Bob Quinn on vocals & guitar alongside drummer Mitchell Leon. This EP was recorded before Chris Lovins joined Viscera on bass, and the band did not specifically credit who played bass here. You can hear all five songs on Spotify and Apple Music (as linked here) plus on YouTube Music and Bandcamp, and if you want to properly buy this EP, mp3 copies are on sale on iTunes for $4.95 and on Bandcamp for $9. With five tracks running for 19 minutes, let's get things rolling!

Things open with their first single "Disassociate", which is also the shortest song on offer. An in your face rocker that feels very Clutch-esque in its structure and vocal style, this benefits greatly from a catchy lead guitar riff, and Bob acquits himself well for angry hardcore singing, but ending the choruses by dramatically yelling "Ow!" felt like a stopgap measure, and if I was Mitchell, I'd have toned down the cymbals. Good stuff in a tight 2+ minute package, and a fun way to introduce Viscera to Yooper audiences! Next up is "Got Away", which has a surprisingly jaunty and bouncy structure and riff that calls to mind southern rock more than their name, imagery, and the opening song would suggest. Blind Bob sings melodically on the verses and gets away with it, though the "Ooooh oh" parts again feel like filler.

Choruses are more aggressively in-your-face, but the song on the whole almost feels like a different band aside from the production quality being similar. Not a bad number at all, and it has a fun down-home quality without dipping into country territory, but I preferred the hard-edged metal aspects of "Disassociate" more. At the midpoint, we have "Refraction", which has more of a bluesy feel with a chugging riff, more guitar solo input, and more straightforward vocals that don't have the melody of the preceding track, but are also more muted than on the opener. Bob's singing does come across a little processed compared to what came before it, but he shows off more as a pure guitarist, which I appreciate! The ending breakdown heavies things up well, and it's an improvement on "Got Away", but you do get the sense that Viscera wanted to shake things up for sounds on their original material.

Fourth of five cuts here is "Pillar Of Doom", which is giving me "Sleep Now In The Fire" vibes in terms of the verses, but the song is an interesting mashup, with the steady aggressive vocals counter-balanced with a fast bluesy rock riff, if one that gets a little repetitive as it goes. The music is (on the whole) too loud, that or Bob's singing is too low in the mix, but Mitchell's drumming is the best that I've heard yet on this EP,  More than any song so far, I think this could have been edited down without losing unique elements, but it's the heaviest wall-to-wall song yet, so that counts for something! Last up is the EP's longest song & title track "From Feast To Famine", which opens with a slow bassline and low bluesy melodic singing alternating with yelled choruses before the song gets into a faster breakdown at the midway mark. While definitely heavier, it also has that swinging southern rock affect to it.

The lyrics are more pointed and clear than what some other songs here had, but this song jumps around too much in styles for my liking, with deliberate spare instrumentation at points, fast hard rock at others, and they don't naturally flow in ways that I would have written. A good showcase of Viscera's diversity but they have better songs here. With all of that said, how do I grade Viscera's debut EP? It's a good batch of songs, but descriptions and teasers point to sounds you won't expect. Given the "visceral" lyrics and socially charged cover artwork, I wasn't expecting the southern rock and bluesy essence on these songs, which often don't feel like they're from one specific band, but it does hold credence to "whatever you need, Baby" being one of their Bandcamp tags! Bob and Mitchell pair well to bring their intense but varied music to life, and their talents are stretched to match the sounds that they're going for, and this doesn't feel like a duo effort!

As someone who tries not to spoil album reviews by listening to advance material, I didn't know that this wouldn't be as hardcore punky as implied, and while nothing here is bad, I did find the songs to be inconsistently plotted, with buried vocals, stop-start momentum on the title track, repetition on "Pillar Of Doom", and filler "Oooh" vocals on the opening tracks among things that I would address. Viscera have since released a new single, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares to any of these five songs, but this is a solid (if somewhat deceptive) debut EP, and here's to much more ahead! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and we're looking at Mike Haggith's live album "Under A Moonlit Sky" here in July! Thanks everyone!

Pillory - "Old Soul" CD Review!!

It's now time for our 203rd monthly CD review on the SMS and with our lengthy backlog for new album releases stretching into 2027, our next new album in release order is local death metal trio Pillory's full length album "Old Soul"! Independently launched at their Soo Blaster release party on October 27th, this is the long awaited follow-up to their 2013 thrash demo EP "Cringe At The Cross". In the works since at least mid-2024, songwriting for this album began during their 2015-2019 run where they evolved into a death metal band. Recorded at Unsalted Audio with producer Dustin Goodall, Pillory are again represented here by singer/guitarist Robert Sartini (All The Tired Horses/All Over The Map) alongside former Issues/Lazer Queen drummer Bret Shuttleworth. Though recorded during Blair St. John's time in the band and released after Robert's old Crimson Crusade bandmate Devon Lucier rejoined, former bassist Jordan Leach recorded on "Old Soul".

Online marketing does not clarify whether Jordan (who lives abroad nowadays) recorded parts remotely for the album, or if he tracked bass parts during his 2015-2017 stint in Pillory, but it is good to see him involved in new material with a local band after almost a decade away! As linked via Distrokid, the album can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer, while it can also be heard on Bandcamp, YouTube, and a handful of other smaller services. The album can be bought on mp3 format for $9.99 on iTunes or $15 on Bandcamp, and CDs cost $20 at The Rad Zone, on Bandcamp, and at Pillory concerts. With nine songs running for about 37 minutes, let's get put in the pillory once again!

The album leads off with "The Angst Of Existence", a bass line-driven track that leans well into their modern death metal sound! With the benefit of studio recording quality, the influence from the band Death and Chuck Schuldiner's songwriting/vocal style is very evident, but Robert does have a slightly lower rasp. The first half of the song is more deliberately paced while still being intense and pointed, but there is a faster break at the midway mark. Bret's drumming and pedal work goes off like a machine gun in the closing stretch (his talents are well known by now), and while I'd like more of a guitar solo, this is a fine way to introduce modern Pillory in studio form! Next up is "Abhorred Apprension", which is a little more ferocious out of the gate, and lets Robert show off a little more for his guitar riffing and melodies. When there are are proper verses, the song does dial up in heaviness generally, which is good to see!

However, the bridge just before the 3 minute mark is almost too punishing and amelodic, and breaks the existing flow of the song. Again, I'd like to hear a true guitar solo in this relatively short track, but this delivers the brutality with professionalism and a solid edge more often than not! "Curse Of Eternal Sickness" follows with a galloping (dare I say, Amon Amarthy) riff and structure, but the verses are more relentless and in your face. This will absolutely incite mosh pits at their concerts, and can a death metal band ask for more? A relatively soft bridge does stall the momentum, but when the song is firing on all cylinders, it benefits from a strong bass line from Jordan and assuredly technical drumming from Bret. While not as intricately plotted as the first two songs, it crushes as a straightforward death metal song Fourth is "Wasting" (as in, "wasting time", not "wasting away").

This song has more in common with the first two tracks with its structure and riffing, and it has some of Robert's best guitar playing on the album so far! Some of his clearer screaming/growling too, I always appreciate when there's audible enunciation in death metal! This song benefits from a tight structure, no dead air, and steadily relentless percussion, to add up to one of my favourite songs on "Old Soul"! The ending came from out of nowhere though, I was ready to rock out for longer. The midpoint of the album falls on "Sculptor Of Cadavers", which honestly has a little groove metal flourish in its riffing at points in the first half, but it is still assuredly a death metal song. We get another soft bridge in the middle that stalls the momentum (honestly, if you're gonna commit to doing that, I'd try clean vocals then), but when at full gear, everyone performs well , and Bret's going off on drums, especially in the back half. Those pedals got a workout!

Good stuff that has a little something for all extreme metalheads within (well, aside from no guitar solo), so don't bypass it! Song #6 is "The Passing", a charging death metal song with catchy yet heavy riffs and Robert giving purposefully aggressive vocals throughout, and this is another song that is just primed to incite opening up the pit! Fast, technical, but still a fairly no frills song that gets by from their talents and aggression alone, so this is another highlight for subgenre fans! The last 27 seconds are sampled from a vintage recording of the song "It's A Lonesome Old Town" (possibly by Kay Starr?). That's followed by "Specimen Of Egotism", which is the shortest song on this album, as well as its only instrumental. Arguably, vocals would get in the way, as this is (for my money), the heaviest and most punishing song on offer, especially via Bret's hammering drums and the quality bass lines!

While they still aren't including full guitar solos, Robert does noodle a bit more late, so there is some melody in the back half beyond the crushing nature of this song. Good stuff, and it stands alone as a showcase of how heavy Pillory are willing to go as pure musicians! The penultimate song is "To Know Is To Suffer", which shows off their musical talents well, but it does feel somewhat dialed back in aggression for a slower (for them) pace that almost has trancey guitar work, if contrasting with Bret's technical percussion. By no means a bad song, it will lead to headbanging, and Robert's vocals are on point, but it has a more diverse soundscape that leans into atmospheric moreso than progressive, and if you particularly got into the earlier songs on the album, this may be too much of a jump. "Old Soul" closes with its longest song, "Exhaustive Incarnation". which brings back the technical and prog-influenced time signatures and riffing, and despite the length, they don't waste a moment!

...well, maybe the slow break with ominous sampling at around 4:40 aside. Robert lays in some of his strongest guitar work on this song, with Jordan and Bret more than holding their own in response! Honestly, some of Bret's best drumming is in this song, but in the extended fade-out, and why they decided to have the song fade out for 20 seconds is beyond me. At least it's not an abrupt ending, but still! This intricate and brutal song is easily one of the best on the album, so Pillory end things on a high note!

So, what are my final thoughts on Pillory's proper full length debut album? Overall, it's a very strong release that will appeal to fans of progressive and technical death metal! Solid production and 12 years of improved musicianship since their first EP help a lot here, and the guys apply everything well to deliver brutality while also showing off their skill sets. Robert's aggressive vocal work sets the tone, and his shredding and riffs compliment Jordan's bass lines well, and Bret's drumming has jumped leaps and bounds in the past decade (give his own YouTube channel a watch for proof of that). The influences of the band Death are obvious at points, but they do vary things enough in speed and structure, with little of their early thrash beginnings left at this stage as songwriters. If there's one thing from "Cringe At The Cross" that I would have liked to have seen retained, it's guitar solos, which are virtually absent across "Old Soul".

That was my biggest negative point on this album, though some songs also had abrupt stops in momentum for soft patches, and the closer takes way too long to fade out. The good far outweighs the bad though, and especially on songs like "Wasting" and "Exhaustive Incarnation", you get a full look at what Pillory have to offer in the 2020s. Brutal, punishing, and proficient work from everyone involved, and here's hoping that we're not waiting another 12 years for Pillory's next CD! Buy or stream it above, and I hope you guys liked this month's album review! We'll kick off the summer season by looking at Sault Michigan hardcore punk band Viscera's October 2026 EP "From Feast To Famine" next month, so look for that and more soon! Thanks everyone!

The Realignment Project - "War Songs" EP Review!!

It's time for our 202nd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with our extensive backlog of new local album releases now stretching into 2027, let's continue our slow clear-out with a look at local industrial metal solo act The Realignment Project's third EP "War Songs"! Released to major streaming services on October 8th (their third EP in 2025 alone), this is again a one-man effort led by former Dirty Virgin drummer and Riverin frontman Matt Hicks, who sings and plays all credited instruments. Recorded locally & released through British indie label East London Recordings, you can stream "War Songs" on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, Boomplay, and KKBox (perhaps among others), and you can buy it on iTunes for $5.94, Amazon Music for $7.74, and Bandcamp on a "name your price" model. Via their label deal, you can also buy "War Songs" on CD and vinyl!

Print-on-demand copies are available in either format from ElasticStage at this link, with CDs costing $17.90 and vinyl records going for $43.90 (this does not include EP #4 "Let You Fall" as the B-side like what The Realignment Project did with their first two). Featuring six songs running for about 25 minutes, let's begin with the opening song!

The first "war song" is "Digital Sacrilege", which seems to be about calling out someone for betrayal and/or selling out. This has more of a techno base to its instrumentation, and really gives off Nine Inch Nails vibes with how Matt is singing here, though his vocals are the only real lean to hard rock or metal here. There is real emotion and frustration in the lyrics, especially in the chorus and pre-chorus, but this song honestly feels unfinished, like the electronic elements should be layered over guitar work, and the percussion is a little overdone as such. It sets a good tone to start though! The title track "War Songs" is next, and this restores the rock stylings in full while still having a distorted electronic undercurrent. Lyrically about hiding from and ignoring incoming oppression, this features ominous spoken word verses and screamed choruses, though Matt's vocals there are largely buried in the mix.

Why he made that call, I don't know, as it really breaks up the momentum of the verses, but aside from the over-processed quiet vocals there, this is an improvement in all other facets, especially if you want some metal from T.R.P.! Third is the EP's shortest song "Look In The Mirror", which is a motivational "pick yourself up and don't give up" type of song, but still intense and heavy. The distortion when Matt yells the title is a little overdone, and the structure is a tad repetitive for the song's length, but it balances hard rock and industrial well with clear passion! I'd still have varied the structure a little more. Next up is "Acid Rain", an anti-war composition that shares a lot musically with "Digital Sacrilege", in that it's primarily an industrial song which only dips into rock territory via Matt's singing. Verses are approached in a bitter yet eerie tone that slowly build into the choruses.

Not a bad composition that goes along with the themes of the EP so far, but I do prefer Matt's heavier songs in this project, which better balance the musical styles without an emptier feeling without obvious guitars. Track #5 is "Bones And Dust", which is the longest song on offer, and its lyrics are basically resigning to one's fate when things seem hopeless. Proper rock instrumentation returns here, but this is more of a deliberately paced track that milks its length and only really gets into metal territory on the choruses. If Matt ever took The Realignment Project to live concerts, the choruses would play well with audiences, but the song moves along a little too slowly for my liking despite good intensity at its peaks. "War Songs" closes with "Claim Your Dead", which is about the after-effects of the war and what the survivors have to deal with even after the fighting has stopped.

This resolves the EP's anti-war concept well, and while it doesn't dip into rock stylings at all, its effectively a coda for what came before it, with a reserved and reflective (if dystopian) bent, including heavy use of symphonics and keyboard. I do prefer the heavier and livelier songs here, but this serves its purpose in the framework of the story! That all said, how does "War Songs" compare to The Realignment Project's first two EPs? While not far removed tonally, this being a concept EP does give it a distinct vibe and message, even if only half of the songs could be called "industrial metal". Lyrics weren't repetitive, Matt is definitely using his vocals in more varied ways, and there was a little more musical freedom here, especially on "Claim Your Dead", but if you like their heavier songs (music, not lyrics), this may be somewhat lacking. Even with the overly processed chorus vocals, my favourite song on offer here is definitely the title track.

For drawbacks, I did find the first two industrial-dominant songs to be emptier without guitar work,  "Bones & Dust" was too deliberately drawn out, and there can be some uneven intensity in the vocals compared to the music. As far as The Realignment Project's discography to this point, I think my favourite is "The Frustration Sessions", but all have positive qualities and are very original in a local context, so see what you think at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review!m We'll continue clearing out our backlog when we look at local death metal band Pillory's new album "Old Soul" next month, so stay tuned for that in May! Thanks everyone!

Handsome Sandwich - "Collage" EP Review!!

It's time for our 201st monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and next up in our deep backlog of new album releases dating to last fall is local alternative/hard rock band Handsome Sandwich's second album "Collage"! Suddenly released to major streaming services on September 26th under the Sonic Sunshine imprint (and with much less fanfare than 2023's "Deconstructed" got), this EP has been in the cards since even before their debut album's release party, with sessions held at the Algoma Conservatory Of Music in late 2023 and early 2024. Handsome Sandwich are again represented here by singer Taylor "Tea" Emlaw, guitarists Jesse Cook and Mitch Sirie, and drummer Johnny Belanger, while bassist Rafael Medina made his studio debut with the band here after only contributing to the packaging on "Deconstructed", which Mitch played bass on. Former guitarist Brandon Ruch (who replaced Mitch in the band circa February 2024 and also left by early last year) worked on "Collage" as a recording engineer.

You can stream this EP on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, Tidal, Boomplay, Anghami, and BeMusic, and you can buy it in mp3 format on iTunes for $6.93. Unlike "Deconstructed", this album is not on Bandcamp, and nothing has been publically announced about physical copies (though note that the band has not played live since July of last year). With seven songs running for about 26 minutes, let's enjoy another sandwich!

"Collage" opens with "Unhappy", an upbeat rocker that opens with a catchy guitar line and has a somewhat punkier overall structure. Taylor's distinctively cutting vocals help set Handsome Sandwich apart, but the verses here are talkier than the chorus. We do get a brief guitar solo, which lets Jesse (I assume) show his skills well, and this song plays well into everyone's musical strengths, including solid bass from Rafael in his first studio track with the band. I'd have had more singing in the verses, but I'm not "unhappy" with how the EP is starting! Next up is "No Idea", which has a lighter structure driven by Rafael's bass and much softer guitar work, though things stay at brisk power poppy pace. Tea's vocals suit the song's melody, but by contrast, the guitar solo actually feels out of place and too raucous compared to everything around it. Nice little melodic number for what it is, though I'd like a little more of a steady edge like we saw on the opener.

The shortest song on offer is next, namely "Party Fuel", and they lean into the title well with a smooth,  dancy rhythm on this song, including catchy and melodic guitar work, and another strong bass intro, though the guitar solo is way too short here. Confident vocals and a fun rhythm section add up well to an early album highlight, even if there are much heavier songs in Handsome Sandwich's catalog! Though he had guested on this song live in the past, saxophonist Josh Norling does not appear here. Fourth on the album is the slightly longer "Without You", a softer jam that is really driven by Taylor's vocals more than anything (as a pure showcase of her range, this is the best one yet), but Jesse and Mitch do get some room to show off in the background. The overall music is very pleasant but it's mostly just there without doing a lot to stand out, and the ending fades out way too early.

Definitely not a favourite song on the album for me, but not badly composed, and the vocals keep things on an upbeat path! Track #5 is "Carousel", a more dynamic and emotional number with pointed metaphorical lyrics (this carousel is definitely not at the fair), and this feels like more of an intentionally structured rock song with a darker essence, and that contrasts well with Tea's sharp vocals, which don't sound as dark as the lyrics would imply. Solid track across the board, with good percussion and the return of a guitar solo (if another short one), so don't bypass it! The penultimate song here is also the EP's longest, namely "Change A Bit", which is a slower and more deliberately paced song that does ramp up the rock aspect on the choruses. The lyrics feel very direct and personal, but the song proper doesn't have the melodic energy to it beyond short guitar solos and Taylor's more impassioned chorus singing.

Not a bad song, but the verses did feel a little lifeless despite the nature of the vocals. "Collage" fittingly closes with "All Done Now." (yes, the period is in the title), and this is arguably the most consistently rock-based song on the EP since the opener. Bouncy guitar work, more steadily intense vocals (about the end of a romantic relationship), and a strong bass line add up well here, so if you like some rock in your sandwich, this is a fitting way to say that the EP is, in fact, all done now! 

So, how do I grade Handsome Sandwich's second album? Not perfect (granted, neither was "Deconstructed"), but they fit a lot of styles and sounds to appeal to many fans! If you came for upbeat edgy rock, "Collage" is bookended well, with the middle songs seeing them stretch into dancier, power pop, and softer territory (plus a dark "Carousel" ride), though I did sense less of a progressive or jazz bent here. Tea's unique, sharp vocal style continues to set them apart, the dual guitar work from Mitch and Jesse let them show their influences well, Rafael made a good impression on bass, and Johnny's drumming was reliable as you'd expect. I did appreciate that the guys dialed back on abrupt song endings here ("Without You" maybe went too far in that regard), and songs did have more varied lyrics, but of course, I would have liked a little more hard rock. Still, it's an eclectic EP with a lot to like!

The abrupt drop of "Collage" on streaming without any pre-release hype last fall, coupled with the band playing only three shows last year (all as a four-piece) doesn't paint the most optimistic picture in terms of their future, not to mention that they haven't made any public updates since its release. Hopefully they aren't indeed "all done now", as "Collage" is a varied but high quality EP that fans of Handsome Sandwich will enjoy, and you can check it out for yourself at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and next month in this series, our backlog marches on when we look at The Realignment Project's third EP "War Songs", so look for that in April, and for weekend concert previews on the SMS next! Thanks everyone!