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!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Apocalypse Afterparty), The Kaonashi Concert Preview, And More!!

Before we dive into a stacked slate of Halloween weekend concert previews, here's a new news post for your Wednesday morning, which includes recent battle of the bands results, how to check out a brand new album, and a special mid-week concert preview, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local party metal trio The Apocalypse Afterparty will return to Soo Blaster for yet another gig as the lone rock act on an an otherwise rap/hip-hop event, as they will be opening for Guelph rapper Robbie G once again on Saturday, November 29th! Fans may recall seeing the Stanghettas and Mikhal break out their double bass-and-drums attack when Robbie G headlined at Soo Blaster in April, and previously in 2023, let alone the prior Tech N9ne, Madchild, and Afroman concerts there that The A.A. also opened. Really, this band has never been one to stick to firm genre lines to get exposure, as seen when they headlined the very diverse Riffs For Remembrance memorial concert earlier this month, and these rap shows have done well for them, so hopefully things go well once again next month! At press time, The Apocalypse Afterparty are not credited on the Facebook event page, but the band confirmed their involvement on their Facebook page yesterday.

Former As It Stands frontman Justin "Nadj" Pregent is the credited host for next month's show, which will see opening sets by Southern Ontario touring rappers M For The Movement with Capital "A" Plus and Lumberjack Pat, while fellow local support will include Bold Noize (I wish he'd re-post "God Save Me"), MCs from No Filter Records, and KG Tha SunGod. This will be an all ages concert at 8:00 PM, and tickets are $20 at this link with VIP packages also available if so inclined. Visit the above links for more details!

Next up, here's a special Wednesday night concert preview for TONIGHT, as Philadelphia hardcore quartet Kaonashi (Japanese for "faceless") will topline a stacked night of extreme metal at Jay's Piston Broke Pub! A fast rising progressive metalcore band with djent riffs and some retro touches, they should be more than capable of melting faces in this pre-Halloween concert, so don't bypass Kaonashi despite the work/school night scheduling! Also joining them on this stop of their I Wanna Go To Canada 2025 Tour is Calgary hardcore band Abrupt Decay (they don't spell it "Abrubt"), whose mathcore-inflected brutality will definitely help them stand out tonight, and they may steal the show depending on your preferences! Montreal post-hardcore trio Paresis will also take the stage as their tour converges with Kaonashi's, and their alternative influenced brand of screamo will also attract its own audience!

Local death/thrash metal trio Pillory will be tonight's local openers in their first show since the successful release of "Old Soul" on Saturday (more on that in a second), so they should be riding strong momentum! The local promotional debut for Thunder Bay's Piss Hard Promotions, this 19+ Wednesday metal night at the former Roosevelt Hotel has a $25 cover charge at the door, and a start time of 8:00 PM. Should be a fun and intense night of metal, and I know promoters hope to run more shows here, so pack the place tonight if you can before things get even busier for Halloween! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Kaonashi live!

Now, let's talk about Pillory's new album "Old Soul", which was successfully released at their release party at Soo Blaster on Saturday! The album wasn't immediately available that day on major streaming platforms, but it arrived thusly on Sunday at midnight, As linked via Distrokid, the album can be streamed on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Deezer, while it is also now streamable on YouTube Music. If you want to actually buy mp3 copies of "Old Soul", it runs for $9.99 on iTunes. CD copies of the album are available at Pillory concerts and through direct contact with band members, where it will cost you $20 (t-shirts with the album artwork cost $30). Aside from the tags on YouTube crediting former bassist Jordan Leach as a co-writer, I haven't seen any specific performer or production credits for the album, so like with Hails' new album, that all may be exclusive to the CDs.

I missed the release party due to the same cold that kept me from the LSSU Battle of the Bands (more on that in a second), but I hope things went well at Soo Blaster, and I will be eager to review "Old Soul" on the SMS in the new year! For now, give it a listen or buy it above, and here's the first song from the album that wasn't a pre-release advance single, namely "Abhorred Apprehension"!

Let's close this post in Sault Michigan with the final results from the third annual Lake Superior State University Battle of the Bands at their on-campus Arts Center on Thursday, so who won the $150 top prize? In a mild upset, the winners were the debuting acoustic act The Dynamic Duo! Not bad given how new they were, but remember that every competing act on Thursday was either a solo musician or duo, which really opened things up. Personal Facebook videos from The Dynamic Duo's set show them covering The Cranberries' "Zombie" and Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead Or Alive", and Danielle & Ben sounded good there, so kudos to them for impressing the judges! At press time, I do not know who won the $50 second prize, other than that it wasn't Kevin Blakeney, but you can watch his opening set at this link, albeit from a really close upward angle. Solid gritty acoustic folk throughout!

New local rap duo Tunngtyed's set was filmed for YouTube, so give it a watch at this link. I'm not a hip hop scholar, but it is neat seeing strong rappers in the E.U.P.! A personal Facebook video of About:Blank (minus Nathan) playing an acoustic version of their song "Unfazed" is also floating around too, but like with the Dynamic Duo videos, it's not public. I have not found videos (public or private) of Socrates & The Cavemen or Kaleb "NDN Summer" Shannon's sets. The Dynamic Duo's new Facebook page hasn't shared videos of their set, but they did share Danielle's video of them being named the winners, so give it a watch below, and congratulations from Sault Ontario! 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for Halloween weekend concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone! 

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Generations), Darsombra Concert Updates, And A New Pillory Song!!

I'd like to begin today's post by offering our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Darsombra synth player/vocalist Ann Everton, who passed away on Friday in a car crash in Essex County, New York. She and her husband/bandmate Brian Daniloski had been on the road towards Montreal for the beginning of their fall North American tour, which was slated to include a local concert this Friday at the Downtown Plaza, but their tour van collided with a police cruiser this past Friday. Brian and the police officer inside the cruiser were hospitalized with minor injuries, and you can read more about the incident at this link. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise money for Brian and Ann's family to cover related expenses in the aftermath of this tragic accident, so consider donating to help out. Local fans will recall seeing Darsombra (all the way from Baltimore, Maryland) thrice here at three different venues in the past.

The psychedelic hard rock duo's multimedia stage show debuted here at The New American Pub in July 2017, before rocking LopLops Lounge in August 2019, and they last played here at the so-called March Street Stage in July 2023. All but the Six, Two, Oh.-hosted LopLops gig were promoted by Dryer Fire (now Piecing It Together Shows), and Darsombra were to have played at the Downtown Plaza on Friday alongside British Columbia punk band Mean Bikini, locals The Floor Between Us, and a Muel Goods-hosted independent sellers market. That show will still take place, and according to P.I.T.S. owner Nicole Dyble on their Facebook page, they'll be showing Darsombra videos on the screen above the Plaza's stage, Brian will still receive his artist fee despite being unable to perform, and Mean Bikini will donate $5 from all t-shirt sales on Friday to him. Kudos all around for the support being shown in Ann's memory, both locally and afar!

I was unable to see Darsombra's local dates, but their brand of "post-apocalyptic galaxy rock" made a mark on local fans, and it was impressive to see an American touring band come here this much! Darsombra's mix of hard rock, drone, psychedelic, and experimental sounds, plus a diverse visual experience that Ann had deep involvement in, made them a captivating watch. I've heard very good things about Ann as a person, and I feel so bad for Brian and the rest of their family at this difficult time. We'll have more on Friday's concert in this weekend's concert previews, but consider coming out to show your support and still see some live outdoor music. R.I.P. Ann!

Today's post otherwise features a new song from an upcoming album and a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations will end their recent hiatus by headlining at Gateway Casino on Saturday, October 18th! This will be Generations' first concert in over two months, last seen at the now-closed(?) Reggie's Place in late July, and their first show at the downtown casino in four months, so fans will have been waiting a long time to see them in action! This wasn't a summer break like some other local cover rock bands had, as drummer Tony Santoro was recovering from carpal tunnel surgery, as per their (now-private) Facebook group. Of note, next Saturday's show will be Generations' first since they parted ways with guitarist Tony Kajnar after a two year run with the band, with Tony S. confirming that he left "due to personal reasons pursuing a new project".

 

Otherwise best known around here from Flat Stanley and The Peace Vibe, hopefully Tony K.'s new band is successful, but it will be easier to not have to specify which Tony when covering Generations! Smokehouse frontman Michael Yurich (who filled in with Generations before Tony K. came on board) will guest on guitar for next Saturday's one-nighter, which takes place at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more on Valerie, Pierre, and Tony's return to the stage!

Finally for today, here's the first advance single from local death/thrash metal trio Pillory's upcoming full length album "Old Soul!" Released on September 30th to Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music (all linked here) as well as their new YouTube Music channel, the song in question is "The Angst Of Existence", which has been a staple in Pillory's sets since their mid-2010s revival era. Of note, the Distrokid tags for the album credit 2015-2017 bassist Jordan Leach as a co-writer of the song alongside Robert and Bret. I have no idea if Jordan (who moved out of the country for work reasons in 2017) recorded bass tracks remotely for the album, or if this is just giving him credit for co-writing the song, but we'll let you know if the band confirms anything! I'll hold comment on "The Angst Of Existence" until we review "Old Soul" on the site next year, but give it a listen below!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this weekend's concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Pillory & Half Past), An Inactive Band Note, And More Recent Updates!!

Before we begin this news post, just a heads up that Curtis McKenzie did not play at The Dive Gastro Pub on Saturday despite announcing the show on his Facebook page. Curt confirmed that "an accidental scheduling conflict" was to blame, but I don't know if it was on his end or the venue's (though note that The Dive never publically announced a Saturday musical act on their Facebook page). Disappointing for fans, but he will be back at The Dive before you know it, check back in our next weekend concert preview wave for proof! Now, here's some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and other recent assorted updates from Sault Ontario bands!

Local hard rock quartet Half Past will return to Beck's Bar for one night only on Saturday, October 11th! While we just saw them open for Napoleon at Soo Blaster earlier this month, this will be this talented veteran act's first solo headlining concert in five months, so they must have been among the local covers-leaning bands who took a summer break. It's good to see Jordan, Alain, Arthur, and Johnny back in their element as four-set headliners at a local bar, and hopefully this Thanksgiving long weekend concert is a big hit! No word yet who is playing in the Saturday matinee slot that day, Beck's will no doubt announce it on Monday the 6th, but remember that Beck's hosts DJs on Fridays. This show has a 9:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no announced cover charge. Should be a fun time for hard rock fans in the west end, so visit the band's Facebook page for more details on this concert!

Next up, local death/thrash metal trio Pillory will indeed release their full-length album next month via a CD release party at Soo Blaster on Saturday, October 25th! The album will be named "Old Soul" (apologies for erroneously giving its name as "Old Stone" last week), and it was recorded earlier this year at Unsalted Audio with producer Dustin Goodall. Pillory plan to release the album on major streaming services on October 27th, but concert attendees will get to buy it on CD two days early, and a vinyl pressing is also in the works. Fans will have heard the likely songs from "Old Soul" dating back to their late 2010s rebirth as a death metal act, and it will be neat to hear them fully realized, especially 12 years after their demo EP "Cringe At The Cross" came out, so come on down to Soo Blaster next month to check everything out! Support will come by way of progressive metal quartet Convergence and crossover thrash quartet Hails, so expect a very heavy night of local metal!

Admission for this presumably all ages concert will be $20 in advance through band members and at Soo Blaster "within the next week", and the door charge will jump to $25. Doors will open at 7:00 PM. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for more from Pillory and this album as it rolls in!

Also, we have a band to move to our inactive band links, that being skate punk trio Vanity First. We have not heard a public update from them since they headlined a free barn show just outside of Thessalon on September 21st of last year, past our one year inactivity threshold. Since then, guitarist/vocalist Mikhal Muto, drummer Keeghan McAllister, and occasional late-era guitarist Carmen Muto (Mikhal's cousin) have focused on playing in the aforementioned hardcore punk/crossover thrash band Hails, with singer/bassist Brenton Ellis in place of Vanity First frontman Andrew Beggs. Known simply as Vanity until March 2022, they debuted in 2020 and became a reasonably prominent young punk band as we emerged from the pandemic, releasing a self-titled demo in 2022 followed by their studio album "Identity Crisis" in the summer of 2024. Fans may recall seeing them open for bands like Leash, Inconsistent Me, and Rent Strike in the early 2020s, along with multiple headlining dates.

It's fairly obvious now that everyone (sans Andrew) have moved onto Hails as their primary band, after they co-existed with Vanity First for most of 2023 & 2024, and while Ha!ls are a heavier band on average, there is obviously shared DNA there. Don't bypass them if you miss Vanity First, and while I hope we haven't heard the absolute last of that project, best of luck to Andrew and Nick in their next musical outlets as well!

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

 

• SooToday's Brandon Walker got a picture of local alternative/punk supergroup BookcluB's set at Outspoken Brewing's Oktoberfest street party on Saturday for this article on the event, confirming there that the band played as a quintet sans guitarist Brandon Ruch. It was already known that Brandon moved to Barrie earlier this month, but he did come home to help BookcluB open for Forever Seger, so it remains to be seen if that was his farewell with the band or if he will keep coming home for BookcluB shows when able. We'll let you know if something is said about their second guitarist slot, but hopefully the Oktoberfest set was a hit!
• In the newest video from the aforementioned Ha!ls' Facebook page on August 22nd, guitarist Carmen Muto is seen playing through their original song "All Systems Go" from their new self-titled album. I'll hold comment on the song pending that album's review next month, but Carmen shreds beyond his years in this clip, as fans will be well aware, so if you like Ha!ls' ferocious original attack, give this playthrough video a watch above! Unfortunately, Facebook content matched the studio recording that Carmen played along with in the video, so I can't embed it here.
• Online page-less metal supergroup The Sault Side Squad have quietly added The BAG frontman Spencer MacGillivray as their new lead singer, replacing Justin Pregent, as confirmed via the artist profiles on the Facebook event page for December's Broke & Hungry benefit concert at Beck's Bar. A reason for Nadj's departure wasn't announced, but remember, The Sault Side Squad don't have an online page to announce lineup changes with. I don't even know when Spencer joined, but note that The BAG haven't issued a public update since opening for Virvum in July. Hopefully all is well with Justin, but based on what I know of The S.S.S.'s setlist, Spencer will fit in with them well going forward!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Generations) & Our Lady Peace/Collective Soul Concert Videos!!

Before we kick off another packed stretch of weekend concert previews, here's a new news post to check out on this Wednesday evening, featuring a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this month and some very belated videos from a major concert earlier this year. Here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations will make their first appearance at Beck's Bar on Saturday, June 21st! This show was first announced on the band's Facebook group on Sunday by drummer Tony Santoro, and while members may well have played at the former Vibe Lounge during its early 2010s run under that name, it will be good to see Generations spread their wings a little further west at another live venue! Beck's proper have not corroborated this booking at press time, but they generally take bookings week by week, hence why many of the hard rock shows there are late notice around these parts. Remember that the Goulais River nightclub hosts DJ nights on Fridays, hence why this is a one-nighter, and we await word of who's playing in the Saturday matinee timeslot next week. This is a 9:00 PM concert with a 19+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details on Generations' upcoming Beck's debut!

Next up, remember how there was a surprisingly small amount of public videos after the Our Lady Peace-headlined concert at GFL Memorial Gardens on March 2nd? Well, this should help make up for things, as Christopher Paci belatedly uploaded videos of every band to his YouTube channel on May 4th! Apologies for the month+ delay on our part for these making the site, already two months after the show took place, but better late than never given Chris' excellent work filming at major local concerts over the years! Chris filmed eighteen videos at the Gardens on this night, half coming from the headlining Toronto alt-hard rock quartet, and he captured O.L.P. playing "One Man Army", "Superman's Dead", "Innocent", "Life" (featuring Superior Heights Collegiate's student rock band Steel Rock), "In Repair", "Whatever", "Somewhere Out There", "Clumsy", and as embedded below, their set closer "Starseed".

While not especially close to the stage from his spot on the floor, Chris zoomed in well to capture much of Our Lady Peace's first local set since 1998, and the guys sound good! Raine's voice is definitely deeper than in their heyday, but fans of their domestic rock radio hits (the Q104 format switch happened just in time, huh?) had nothing to worry about, and you can see how packed the arena was. Check out Christopher's Our Lady Peace videos for yourselves above & below!

From co-headliners Collective Soul's set, Chris filmed the Georgia alt-rock veterans playing "Mother's Love", "Heavy", "Shine", "Precious Declaration", "Gel", and as embedded below, "The World I Know". Collective Soul have a litany of familiar classic hit songs, and they come through well via the local concert videos, though the cell phone waving during ballads like "The World I Know" really dates things to the present! Good stuff for rock radio fans, so give Chris' videos from their set a watch as well!

Finally for today, Chris also filmed two songs from local indie punk quintet The Northwest's opening set on March 2nd, specifically of their original songs "Long Hair (Longer Nights)" and, as embedded below, "Walls". For their first live concert after a year+ hiatus, they made the most of their available staging with a good lively set, if these videos are any indication! Fans making their way/to from seats are definitely more of an issue at this point in the evening, so keep that in mind. No word on when we'll see The Northwest live again, Greg & Yak acoustic gigs aside, but check out The Northwest's 2025 videos from the Gardens above and below!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Our Lady Peace/Collective Soul Concert Fallout & Videos!!

We've put things off long enough (partly to let videos accumulate), so let's cover what went down at Sunday night's Our Lady Peace-headlined concert at GFL Memorial Gardens in today's post! The legitimately sold out concert was covered by newer SooToday reporter Greg McGrath-Goudie for this article that features ten photos from the Toronto alternative/hard rock band's closing set, but the focus isn't on the concert at large so much as one song. When O.L.P. broke into their classic ballad "Life", frontman Raine Maida prefaced it by noting that music programs are "automatically" the first to get cut at schools when they decide to cut costs, so they invited members of Superior Heights Collegiate & Vocational School's student rock band Steel Rock to sing the song with them. That huge opportunity was thanks to the work of Superior Heights teacher Eric Williams reaching out to the band about working with the school.

Kudos to Our Lady Peace for teaming up with Superior Heights and giving the kids one huge opportunity, one that they've been practicing for all winter, and it sounds like it went over well! You can see the performance below in one of (surprisingly) just two YouTube channels who have visibly posted content from the concert so far. YouTube user MasonTheGoat was on hand to film Our Lady Peace's set (nothing of the openers), and along with "Life" embedded below, he also filmed them playing "Clumsy", "Innocent", "In Repair", and "Whatever". Alas, all five videos were shot vertically, but while Mason wasn't especially close to the stage, he has a good clear view of the band in action. Honestly, Steel Rock are hard to hear as the song goes, but it's a solid performance of one of O.L.P.'s bigger hits, and the audio quality across all five videos is pretty good, so give Mason's footage a watch for yourselves above and below!

The only other YouTube video from the show that I've seen comes from YouTube user Mike Malott, who filmed Our Lady Peace playing "Whatever", which some readers will recognize as the 2002-2007 theme song of WWE wrestler Chris Benoit. The band hadn't played it live since 2003, let alone following the Benoit murder-suicide in 2007, but they reintroduced it in this current Canadian tour, with Raine telling fans at their show in Calgary that they wanted to "reclaim it" (source here). Mixed responses are online to the band bringing "Whatever" back, for obvious reasons, but it's a good performance shot from a much closer (and horizontal!) angle, and it is one of O.L.P.'s heavier cuts, so check it out below!

Finally for this post, has anything surfaced in terms of videos from the openers? Not a lot. I haven't seen any public videos of local openers The Northwest yet at all, and as for Georgia alternative rock veterans Collective Soul, the only public clip that I've seen actually comes from Sault Michigan rock radio station Rock 101's Facebook page. The 76 seconds-long clip sees Collective Soul playing one of their biggest hits "Shine", which is frequently heard in 101.3 FM's rotation. While shot vertically, the station staffer filming had a very straight on view of the stage from where they were, and it puts a good emphasis on the fans on the floor enjoying the show. Strong rendition, if slightly slowed down, so give Collective Soul's clip a watch below!

That's all for today, but we'll have more from the Our Lady Peace show when/if it surfaces, and more news on the site next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Our Lady Peace), The Dany Laj/Handsome Sandwich Concert Preview, And More!!

For today's news post, I wanted to tackle the huge LOCAL CONCERT ALERT that has been the talk of local rock fans over the past few days, along with the last straggler from this weekend's hard rock concert preview slate, and a new cover video from earlier this month, so here's what you should know on this Saturday morning!

Juno Award winning Toronto alternative hard rock quartet Our Lady Peace will make their long awaited return to Sault Ste. Marie on March 2nd when they headline at GFL Memorial Gardens during their 30th anniversary Canadian tour! A staple of domestic rock radio thanks to hit songs like "Starseed", "Superman's Dead", and "Innocent", this will be O.L.P.'s first local concert since they headlined River Rave '98 in Richards Landing during the Homecoming 1998 festival, and in terms of Sault Ste. Marie proper, they have not played in city limits since headlining at The Princess Theatre in 1996. How they've went almost 27 years since playing up here is beyond me, but it will be great to see Our Lady Peace back next year, and hopefully there's a huge turnout of rock fans in March! Lead singer Raine Maida & bassist Duncan Coutts remain from their 1990s shows here, now joined by guitarist Steve Mazur and drummer Jason Pierce.

Local fans may recognize Jason as the live/session drummer for Treble Charger from their initial 2012 reunion until 2015, wherein he played with them locally at their 2013 Searchmont fundraiser at The Water Tower Pub and their 2015 Bon Soo concert at The Machine Shop. Jason himself isn't from here, but it is neat to see him come back to town for another big concert! Joining Our Lady Peace on tour next year are Georgia alternative rock mainstays Collective Soul, who will be familiar to many 1990s-early 2000s rock fans from hit songs like "Shine", "December", and "Precious Declaration". I believe this will be their first show here, and given how often they're still heard on Rock 101, Collective Soul should pull many fans alone with their familiar alt-rock classics! A third touring band is to be announced for the western Canada portion of the tour, which ends in the Soo, so don't go looking for Wintersleep or Ash Molloy.

Tickets for this all ages concert go on sale on Thursday at this link and at the Gardens' in-person box office, and they will start at $75 apiece, with packages also available with early entry, included merchandise, and autographs/meet & greets. It's been a very long time for Our Lady Peace fans to wonder why they don't ever play closer to here than Sudbury, so I hope this concert is a smash hit in five months' time! I've never been the biggest fan myself, but I respect O.L.P. and Raine's activism, and I want this concert to do well so that more GFL Memorial Gardens can bring in more big rock shows in the future! Visit the above links for much more on Our Lady Peace & Collective Soul's local date next year!

Next up, let's finally cap off this weekend's concert previews with TONIGHT's concert from alternative hard rock quintet Handsome Sandwich, who will make their debut at the Fraternal Order of Eagles club at 246 Wellington Street West when they open for Montreal power pop veterans Dany Laj & The Looks! Readers may recall seeing Dany Laj and crew here five times in the 2010s, including a Rockstar Bar show in 2017 that the original cover trio version of Handsome Sandwich opened, and while not a hard rock act, it will be good to see them back for the first time in five years! Also, David Briggs from SooToday's North Bay-based sister site BayToday actually interviewed Dany (who himself lived in North Bay and Sudbury in the past) for this article cross-posted on SooToday earlier this week. Tonight's concert will be Handsome Sandwich's first since last month's Northern Vibe Festival and first in the Soo since Poutine Feast.

A presentation of Piecing It Together Shows (née Dryer Fire), tonight's concert has a 7:00 PM start time, no age limit, and tickets running for $15 in advance at this link or $20 at the door. Hopefully tonight's concert is a solid draw, especially given the competition from other shows tonight, let alone the relatively new venue (which P.I.T.S. will run again when Skoff headlines there next month), but if you saw and liked The Looks' upbeat garage rock in the 2010s, or want to order another sandwich, head to The Eagles Club tonight! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Handsome Sandwich live earlier this year!

Finally, here's the first new live concert video uploaded to The Dive Gastro Pub's new Facebook page (I still don't know why they deleted the old one and started over), and it features Dodge This/ex-Phatstick frontman Jason Taillefer covering Poison's "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" during his solo Patio Play concert there this past Saturday! He's joined by an uncredited guest singer, who is definitely not his Dodge This bandmate Jamie July. Truth be told, I had trouble identifying the song at first because the 30 seconds-long clip focuses on the bridge, but it's well done for hair metal fans, so check it out below, and we'll have more on Dodge This on the SMS soon!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's CD review and more on the SMS soon! Thanks everyone!

New Videos, Inactive Sault Ontario Bands, And Miguel Gauthier Updates!!

Today's post mostly clears up some recent news and updates that have been waiting for a free moment to plug on here, so what's on tap? All relating to the Sault Ontario area, we have a recent solo cover video upload, a 2 year old video find of a local hardcore performance, and notes on some likely inactive local hard rock projects, but first, here's some info on what a prominent local music personality has been doing in the early 2010s!

Are you curious to know what former local producer and MBM frontman Miguel Gauthier has been up to since moving from the Soo to Los Angeles, California in October 2010? Well, we can find out in a recent SooToday article by Donna Hopper featuring interview comments and reflections on his local and more recent work! The article was actually posted last week, my apologies for it being lost in the shuffle until now. We touched on his move at the time, but in the article, we learn that Miguel chose to relocate to a bigger city with more opportunities 3 years ago, taking Stereo Soul Studios with him, but he has flourished since the move! Though nothing directly ties to metal of his recent output, he's done fashion photography & film work, music production & mixing, and work as a sound engineer for numerous TV and film projects (even on Dexter!), most recently winning a Best Fashion award at the La Jolla Fashion Film Festival for his short "Lovers Game". It sounds like Miguel's found his groove in California, and though his exceptional production is missed for local bands, it's great to see a Saultite doing so well with his career, and I wish him continued success!

Remember, when operating Stereo Soul Studios locally in the late 2000s, Miguel produced albums for bands like Woods of Ypres, Garden of Bedlam, Gates of Winter, and Stillbroke, along with doing studio work with As It Stands, Sense of Truth, and many other local bands. He's never forgotten his local output (even fondly looking back on his Gates of Winter work in the SooToday article), and many of his local projects are still on Stereo Soul Studios' website, so check everything out there, and read the full SooToday article at this link!

Next up, here's notes on two local metal/hard rock acts that we're now listing as inactive on our band links. One is the solo project of Hydra's Teeth/ex-Late & Loud guitarist Brendan Christie, who had maintained and recorded some very promising solo originals in the late 2000s, including planning at least one album. However, his band work has arguably been his focus in recent years, and there hasn't been any dedicated solo updates that I've seen since (at the latest) last fall, with his last MySpace page uploads being Hydra's Teeth demos. Brendan's solo work was really solid, and a nice precursor to Late & Loud, so hopefully he revisits that work in the future! The other likely inactive band is Durera (formerly The Diego Experience), the CASS Cafe-launched hard rock sextet that had been sporadically active since 2008. They last made a band-related update to their Facebook group in June of last year, and that (plus singer Keegan Gjos moving to Sudbury soon) leads me to think that they've also fallen inactive.

Durera had talent (as their Diego Experience-era videos on guitarist A.J. Biron's YouTube channel indicated), but they had room to grow from some earlier and younger sets in their CASS Cafe run. Hopefully the guys stay active in music, and best of luck to Mike, Keegan, A.J., Brent, Ben, and Ty in the future! Stay tuned for more notes on inactive and broken up bands as I hear them!

We'll close today with some new video finds, starting with a newly discovered clip of defunct local hardcore quartet Changing Waves! This comes from the Smeltzer reunion show at The Oddfellows Hall on August 12th, 2011 that they were among the openers for, and it was uploaded to YouTube by attendee Kate Fantham the very next day. You'd think this would have been on the site by now, but she actually forgot which band this was, so it's just labelled by the show's name on YouTube. Luckily, only two bands that night featured a singer who didn't play an instrument, so it was easy to figure out who they were! Featuring Changing Waves' classic & final lineup, I can't place the song off hand, but I don't think it was on their free demo. Kate likely filmed this on a cell phone camera (hence the dimensions), and the quality isn't great, with dark lighting, very staticy audio, and a 19 second audio cut-out 1:17 in. Still, Changing Waves do sound heavy from what I remember, and the crowd's definitely into it, so check out this new video discovery below!



Finally for today, Ashes To Dust guitarist Alex Hemy uploaded another solo performance video onto his YouTube channel on Wednesday, and it's a cover of 3 Doors Down's "Be Like That"! Like his Eagles cover from earlier this month (which is now unlisted for unknown reasons), this utilitzes multiple camera angles with Alex singing and playing guitar, and I think his clean vocals work better here, with his tone and pacing fitting this song better! Sure, it's not a heavy song, but we know Alex's track record, and he has the talent, so check out his newest solo cover video below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Airbourne preview and more news this weekend! Thanks everyone!

Soul Killing Female Concert Review!!

Before we promote the full details on the bands and schedule for next month's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands, here's my review of last night's Soul Killing Female-headlined metal show at 180 Projects on Gore Street! As this was my first ever time at this building since it's rebirth as an arts/concert venue, let's start with some thoughts on the building itself, so here's what you need to know!

I don't remember 180 Projects' past as MJ's to compare it, but the concert venue space is at the 178 Gore entrance, and the second floor was (as best as I can tell) storage. There was an art exhibition of some kind to the left of the concert area, and though things were somewhat barren, there was some interesting art pieces on the walls, and an inviting loft atmosphere with some lounge chairs for patrons to use! I'd personally like to see them display some for-sale local art pieces during open periods (similarly to what Feedback did in late 2011), but I don't know how feasible that is. I also really enjoyed the projector that shown videos on the right wall in front of the stage, which the two metal bands used to quality effect, and I hope this is a regular feature for future concerts! Plus, the pre-show videos on Aboriginal culture and rights by B.C. filmmaker Chris Bose were interesting both culturally and visually, including some trippy and experimental visuals that really caught my attention, so I recommend checking them out at this link!

Now to the bands, and after a delay from the 7:00 PM start time, the first band was actually new local band AlgomA rather than Honest Job, who were bumped to last on the bill due to (I believe) a band member's job commitments. Now, AlgomA have kept their profile low-key until yesterday, so we didn't know much on them, so what can we say now? Their sound is definitely metal, but far removed from any other current local bands, as they play a very sludgy mix of doom metal and hardcore (picture Winkstinger + late era Woods of Ypres), along with some effective samples and some cool silent movie footage to go with their set! As you may remember, guitarist Boyd Rendell & bassist Kevin Campbell were previously in the local hardcore/punk band BeeFMouTH in the late 1990s, and while AlgomA's sound is similar (especially thanks to Boyd's high pitched yelling vocals), they're no where near as fast or punk influenced. Myself, I really liked their set, as it was heavy, locally original, and very aggressive, and if you'd have heard Kevin's voice after co-singing last night, you'd know they gave their all!

There are things to work on though with AlgomA though, like they could stand to be a bit more lively and inviting, especially with their lack of banter with the crowd, as it did give a somewhat cold & serious vibe. Also, Boyd often played with his back to the crowd when he wasn't singing, which makes me wonder if he was nervous to be back on stage? Overall though, this was a good first gig, and Jamie Vincent's drumming fit well also for their debut! If they can work out the kinks, they'll be a definite band to watch soon!

Next was the advertised headliners, Winnipeg cyber-sludge metal band Soul Killing Female in their second local concert appearance! I was out of town when they came to the Oddfellows Hall last year, but I must say, I should have been there to see them then, as they were quite impressive! Shorter than expected set aside, they tore through some very solid technical metal originals, all of which were nicely accompanied by their own projector video! Project mastermind Michael Lewis made use of his bass talents and vocal aggression well throughout, and he added some liveliness and activity to the floor as well! The band's other live members also fit in nicely throughout, with James Jansen's keyboard and sampling work standing out especially, which is more proof that in the right hands, computer effects have a place in metal! The big problem with Soul Killing Female's set was the audio quality, which seemed badly muffled, and by the end of their set, Michael's vocals were almost inaudible.

I don't know what happened, but I'd love to see them live with the audio kinks worked out, and hopefully they'll come back, as they're a very talented and original band, and they have a unique sound and setup that would be welcomed here a third time!

Lastly last night was newer local garage/folk rock quartet Honest Job, who I've never seen live before, so what can I say about them? Their sound is diverse, ranging from ethnic-leaning folk songs (complete with accordion) to folk-inspired rock songs that, though not heavy, demonstrated clear talent! Aside from a Pixies cover, their songs were all original, including some songs in an ongoing concept series on Tarot cards by frontman John Hobbes, to a song dedicated to former local band/YMCA Battle competitors Waterslide (I wonder if any Honest Job members were in that band?) I liked their collective talents (even if I'm not entirely sure of their complete identities), and they shown good guitar and drum talents, but this show did seem like an ill fit for their genre. Diversity never hurts though, and Honest Job put in an honest set last night that was very good for their style, and they definitely have a good future locally!

Overall, this was an entertaining first concert at 180 Projects, and it's great to see live metal music back on Gore Street after a 2½ year hiatus! If more concerts get booked there, this could very well be a big new venue, so support it and here's hoping we get some new metal concerts there soon! Also, kudos to AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent for his first promoted local concert since beginning his new all ages promotion agency, and while this was somewhat of a soft launch (minimal promotion, no visible underage attendees), I see a lot of promise! I got a bunch of photos last night, so click here to check them out or visit our Facebook page, and for videos, here's AlgomA playing their song "Tertiary Syphillis" and Soul Killing Female playing their CD title track "Of Human Bondage"!





That's all for today, but stay tuned for all of the details on the schedule and bands (possibly minus one mystery act) at next month's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands! Thanks everyone!

Trapt & Soul Killing Female Concert Previews, Plus A New Concert Promoter!!

Now, we'll finally close up this weekend's concert previews with the two notable hard rock-featured shows going down in the Sault Ste. Marie area tomorrow! Not generally a hopping day for shows, this Sunday promises to be different for at least one weekend, including a new venue's debut (with a possible new metal band in tow), and I've added some additional notes on a performer's upcoming concert booking plans as well! We'll start however with a big preview for a major concert going down across the river tomorrow, and tickets are still waiting, so here's what you need to know!

Allstar Promotions' second major 2013 concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino goes down TOMORROW NIGHT, and it includes California alternative metal quartet Trapt on the lineup! In this platinum selling band's local debut, be prepared for a set full of rock chart hits like "Still Frame", and (of course) "Headstrong", and with their new album "Reborn" released just two months ago, expect some singles from that album as well! Their alternative-leaning hard rock songs are often very catchy, and they have a lot more to say than just "Headstrong", so hopefully they deliver a quality set tomorrow night! They're the middle act in tomorrow's concert, with the headliners being Oklahoma post-grunge notables Hinder, in their second local appearance following a Kewadin Casino date in September 2010! I wouldn't say they quite cross the metal line, but they were among the biggest new American rock bands in the 2000s with hits like "Lips Of An Angel" & "Get Stoned", and they should attract a solid response tomorrow night! As well, Los Angeles indie rock trio Acidic will be tomorrow's opening band , and though their more minimal and softer music is a jump from the rock-based headliners, they have a lot of talent and should make some new fans tomorrow!

Tickets are still available in the fifth row & back for $29.50 (center section aside), and you can buy them at the Kewadin box office in person, at 1-800-KEWADIN, or online at this location! A 7:00 PM start time is advertised, there's no age limits, and call ahead to see if there's a meet & greet. Check the above links for more details! This should be an interesting concert, and though I'm not high on Hinder, the fans in attendance should have a great time, and don't miss the opening bands, including Trapt! For a preview, here's Trapt's video for their new song "Bring It"!



The other Sunday night concert with heavier bands goes down tomorrow evening at the new 180 Projects venue at 180 Gore Street, where Winnipeg cyber-sludge metal trio Soul Killing Female will rock the Sault for the second time! Last seen at The Oddfellows Hall opening for Weak Ends last summer, their mix of doom, alternative, and techno styles should add a unique element to the concert calendar tomorrow! I know their first local stop last year didn't have an immense crowd, but maybe this headlining set at a new venue will help? They'll be joined by two local opening bands, including debuting "Eeyore core" trio AlgomA, who feature BeeFMouTH alumni Kevin Campbell & Boyd Rendell alongside drummer/concert promoter Jamie Vincent (more on him in a bit.) Though we have no pages, media samples, or clear public word on their sound yet thanks to their intentionally-low profile since their 2012 inception, it will be very interesting to see how AlgomA shapes out in their live debut! The other scheduled band is newer local garage/folk rock outfit Honest Job, who I know a bit more on than AlgomA (though still not much), and they have an original hard-to-describe sound that should appeal to folk and acoustic fans!

As mentioned, this show will take place at 180 Projects, the new concert venue/art gallery host that's located at the former MJ's location near the former Club Princess. With past concerts there being indie rock-leaning, this is the first metal-featured show at this venue, and the first metal concert to hit Gore Street since Sativa Rose played at the former GLOW in September 2010, so it's great to finally see a new metal show on Gore after 2½ years! Tomorrow's show has an announced start time of 6:00 PM, there's a $5 cover charge, and this is an ALL AGES event, so for more details, visit the official Facebook event page! I definitely want to be at this show, so hopefully I'll see you guys there tomorrow for all of the action! I'm very curious to hear the local openers & to see 180 Projects for myself (and to figure out what exactly AlgomA sounds like), and Soul Killing Female have an awesome sludgy original sound from what I've heard, so hopefully you guys don't miss this ALL AGES show either! For a preview, here's Soul Killing Female playing their song "Hometown" in Saskatchewan last year!



Finally for today, here's some notes on AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent's recent concert booking plans! As you may remember, Jamie's a veteran local musician, often on guitar, from bands like Fuller & Kidshit (both with prolific Sault native Mark Ranᶁ), along with a four year stint with the Edmonton hardcore band Flint when he lived out west, though he moved back home last year. Along with his recent AlgomA work, Jamie's apparently enterting the concert booking world, as he launched a Facebook group named "Sault Ste. Marie All Ages" this past Sunday. Ostensibly a group to promote concerts that he's booking, the description promotes "live music in Sault Ste. Marie for everyone", starting with tomorrow's Soul Killing Female gig, with another show (likely punk-centric) scheduled for May 10th at The Oddfellows Hall featuring out of town punk bands The Royal Red Brigade (who also played at last year's Weak Ends show) and The Rhubarbs, with openers to be announced. Initial response to the group's aim and Jamie's bookings sound very positive, and with good reason, as all ages shows haven't been nearly as plentiful in the last few years, and it'd be great to have more shows open to everyone, and to encourage younger fans to attend shows, play in bands, and follow local music!

Even beyond ages, we've had less active concert promoters lately as well, with some more frequent recent bookers either moving out of town, focusing on their bands, or just not promoting all together, so hopefully Jamie takes off locally in concert promotion, as we could use the extra shows, especially all ages ones! That's all for today, but stay tuned hopefully for a new news post tomorrow! Can we extend our posting streak to it's 27th day? We'll soon find out! Thanks everyone!