Belated News Coverage & Interviews About This Year's Clusterfolk Music Festival!!

Today, I wanted to give a much belated look at some of the coverage for April's revived Clusterfolk Music Festival, which had hard rock involvement via The Uncanny Valley, though they did withdraw from the proper Clusterfolk concert at The Rockstar Bar on late notice. In case you need a refresher, Clusterfolk in 2022 was primarily an online festival concocted by Jackson Reed, 180 Projects, the NORDIK Institute, and various grant organizations, with Bad Taste Cinema filming high quality music videos of eight young and (mostly) local indie/folk acts, with mixing & engineering done at Unsalted Audio. The eight videos had staggered uploads in April leading up to the concert, with Jupiter Marvelous, Distich, and late replacements Sainte Marie (who didn't get a Clusterfolk video) performing at The Rockstar Bar to cap off the festival on April 23rd, and reactions seemed to be positive!

In advance of the concert proper, Clusterfolk did get some positive press from regional news media that I apologize for missing until now! CBC Radio One's Northern Ontario culture/lifestyle show Up North did a 10 minute piece on Clusterfolk on April 11th, where producer Bridget Yard talked to Jackson about the genesis of the new Clusterfolk, how things came together (apparently they had wanted to do the festival in 2021 if not for pandemic challenges), aims & aspirations, what the original 2010-2011 Clusterfolk was like, artist feedback, a preview of the Clusterfolk concert proper (albeit before The Uncanny Valley and Bad Actors dropped out), and plans to bring back the festival in 2023 as an in-person summer event, before playing local folk duo Distich's song "Seams" from their festival video. Effective promotion to be sure with some new info, but I am surprised that host Jonathan Pinto didn't ask the questions.

If you didn't catch the feature live on Up North on 89.5 FM, you can hear it on demand at this link, so definitely do so if you want! CTV Northern Ontario's Christian D'Avino spotlighted Clusterfolk in this piece for the former MCTV on April 22nd, featuring interview remarks from both Jackson and Bad Taste Cinema owner Curtis Carriere, and while there's not a lot of new details to glean from it, the regional network television coverage was surely appreciated, so if you missed it on channel 11 (Shaw) or 2 (over the air), click here to see it for yourself! SooToday's Lisa Dobrovnik also covered Clusterfolk for this article on April 5th that approached everything from a future lens, as it beat other outlets to the punch, but it's definitely also worth a read to see how this came together! However, the biggest coverage was via Adrian Vilaca of local internet radio station The Borderline, so what should you know there?

On April 20th, Adrian interviewed Jackson about Clusterfolk for this episode of his main Borderline series The Smart As Trees Podcast, which runs for a solid 53 mintues, so what do we learn here? The interview starts with Jackson discussing his promotional work at the old Cafe Natura and what he's done artistically and abroad since then, before playing Jackson's original song "Go" with his recent solo band The Tweeds about 5:30 in, before getting into Jackson's promotional company Ears & Eyes, and then outlining Clusterfolk and the staff behind it, with Jackson discussing all four of the bands who were supposed to play at The Rockstar Bar, obviously still including The Uncanny Valley, who are brought up first as the intended headliners. Jackson noted that their music video for "Stuck In Rotation" was actually filmed at Unsalted Audio, and you can hear it at 16:10.

Sudbury folk duo The Bad Actors (the other late withdrawals) are brought up next, though Jackson doesn't bring up that their song ("Kelly's Wine") was not a video in the series. That song is played at 22:05, and Jackson does plug Sudbury's Will Powers (who the Bad Actors replaced initially) afterwards, but doesn't get into that lineup change on air. Distich are plugged next with "Seams" played on air 28:10 in, before Jackson plugs something I didn't know until now: All eight Clusterfolk songs were released as a compliation album on Bandcamp on April 19th! The album (put out through Jackson & Will's indie label Care Records) is a totally free download (no "name your price" option), but you can also order it on cassette tapes for $10, and it was sold at the concert! I recall seeing private Facebook pictures of Clusterfolk tape cases, but I never heard anything about a public release, so why wasn't that pumped up more?

Incidentally, a formal album review of this tape wouldn't be imminent, as I typically don't look at compilations with only one or two hard rock/punk songs (this is why I never reviewed the Dunnplugged CDs), but I really should buy a tape for myself! Jackson last discusses mixed-genre local band Jupiter Marvelous, and their song "Stress" is played at 38:55, after Jackson & Jacob Quarrell's joint song "The Moon" at 34:50. The last 10 minutes features Jackson discussing his post-secondary music program experience, the Clusterfolk poster design, the 2011 Clusterfolk (Jackson did get the old organizers' blessing to use the name), hopes to bring live bands back to the Bellevue Park Bandshell, and final hype for the Clusterfolk concert proper, before playing Jackson's solo song "The Sun" on air at 50:30. Very informative interview with lots of push for the concert proper and the overall conceit of the festival!

I do wish they'd have at least mentioned Storm Rausch, Xeno, and Gabrielle Dumas (the other three Clusterfolk video/album acts who were never advertised for the concert), but kudos to Adrian for having Jackson on for this much time to hype Clusterfolk, and here's hoping it comes back bigger & better in 2023! Definitely visit the above links for all of the Clusterfolk coverage, and check out all eight songs on YouTube and/or Bandcamp, and if you have a cassette deck, consider buying a tape for yourselves! Still surprised that wasn't hyped more. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

Room 206 - "2 Innies & 1 Outie" Album Review!!

It's now time for our final monthly CD review of 2021 on The Sault Metal Scene, and our milestone 150th total! We have quite a notable new-ish release to satisfy both markers, as the album in question is the brand new re-release of defunct local punk band Room 206's 1994 album "2 Innies & 1 Outie"! Surviving details on the original release are minimal, but this album was put out independently on cassette tapes at the time, before fan and prolific local punk musician Mikey Hawdon set plans in motion to give this Room 206 tape a proper remaster & re-release on vinyl, through his new boutique label Soolebrity Records. After months of teasers, the one-sided records were officially released on Wednesday, and I absolutely pre-ordered one well in advance! "2 Innies & 1 Outie" was originally recorded locally at Satellite Sound Studios with engineer/co-producer Bob McLeod, while the remastering was done by Steve Rizun at Drive Studios in Toronto.

The two bonus covers by modern super-groups were recorded separately, but the vocals were also tracked at Drive Studios, with guitar recorded locally with Dustin Jones at Tidal Records, and the songs were mixed by Scott James at Greyskull Musik in Sweden. Room 206 are represented here by singer/guitarist Mike Yorke and drummer Al Watson (both ex-Totally Confused) alongside bassist Brad "Example" Lacell, who has played alongside Soolebrity Records head Mikey Hawdon for years in The Inner City Surfers. The bonus songs feature Mikey on vocals & guitar, Room 206 alum & Surfers bandmate Dave Bahun on lead guitar, No Use For A Name's Matt Riddle on bass, and mixer Scott James on backing vocals. Ex-Goldfinger drummer Darren Pfeiffer features on "Good Enuff", while No Doubt's Adrian Young drums on "I'll Be Around", which also features backing vocals from Surfers frontman/Tidal Records owner Dustin Jones.

Given that the original tape run of "2 Innies & 1 Outie" is 27 years old, it's obviously out of print, and I've never seen it for sale in the wild, but the vinyl remaster retails at $40. Only 206 copies (a fitting number!) have been pressed, and limited copies were on sale at The Rad Zone, so check there or contact Mikey directly if you want to see about availability if you didn't pre-order. Yes, the album is available digitally, which has somewhat flown under the radar on social media, but you can buy it in mp3 copies from Amazon for $9.49, and you stream all 10 songs on Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Music, with song names below linked from YouTube.

Featuring 10 songs running for about 27 minutes, let's begin this review with the album's opening song, "My Trip"! Complete with a live-style introduction where they seem to briefly forget the complete band name, this song is about striving for something new for a change of pace, and though Mike isn't specific, he invites you to experience it first hand with him. This a melodic skate punk song with a good upbeat energy and a nice drum showcase for Al at the end, and while there's not a lot of unique hooks compared to similar bands of the period & to come, it delivers the requisite punk blast to lead off! Next is "I'm Feelin' Fine", which seems to be about reassuring someone that everything's alright when it really isn't. A shorter and faster song, the catchy hooks and drum beats are in full force on this one, but the echo on Mike's vocals are a little overdone on the verses

Fun song while it lasts, and I can see it being a live favourite to sing along with thanks to it's relatively simple chorus, but again, it's over before you know it. The shortest song of the original tape is next, namely "Garden Of Life", whose lyrics are more introspective and optimistic, aiming to show a friend how life should be lived (this kinda feels like a companion to "My Trip"). A fast paced drum solo kicks off this distorted bass-laden song, which suffers from the scratchy instrumentation and repetitive chorus, though the aggressive, hardcore ending stretch gives it a solid exclamation point! Not my favourite song on the album, but it ends well! Fourth is "Ride My Rocketship Of Love", and despite the title's strong adult innuendos, the lyrics have nothing to do with that, instead being about looking forward to a bright future despite society trying to get you down and internalizing your issues.

The slowest song so far on this album, the combo of Mike's melodic singing and the distorted, scratchy instrumentation doesn't really gel for me compared to preceding tracks, though Brad's bass playing is technically sound, and I like the drumming again! I would have either sped this track up or stripped it down even further, as it's in a bit of a gray area for me and not firing on all cylinders in either direction. Fifth on this album is "Anyways", which alludes to standing up for oneself and being your own person, away from the shadow of a bad influence. This is more of a Foo Fightersy power pop song, if slightly grittier, and while solidly performed, I wouldn't say this works as well for Room 206 as their faster, more punk-driven earlier songs, especially with the very abrupt ending. Not a bad song all the same, Mike's guitar work and vocals work well, but I do prefer them faster and punkier than this.

"Nature Calls" is next, with the title being a metaphor for escaping a bad situation, perhaps some sort of familial oppression. While not too far removed musically from "Anyways", this song is more aggressive and has a little more of a punk edge, plus some of Brad's better bass work on offer, and even a mini guitar solo during the bridge. Nothing groundbreaking, but this relatively long song has a lot of room to maneuver and include lots of strong components, and it's one of the better songs on the back half of the original album! Next is the longest song on offer, "Pretentious", with Mike giving advice about how to live, for better or worse, and honestly, the lyrics don't sound all that pretentious to me. This song is softer and relaxed (if not quite a "ballad"), augmented with heavier choruses, more great bass from Brad, and some strong and impassioned vocals from Mike, and some more progressive timing as the song ends.

While punk diehards aren't going to prefer "Pretentious", it's arguably the best song on the album in terms of showcasing Room 206 as musicians, so don't bypass it, even if it feels slow moving at first! The original tape concluded with "Pretend To Be", where you're invited to join in on a "flight", which may or may not be aided by alcohol to create the voyage in question. A little more of a grungy song with more of a melodic groove, this makes good use of Mike's vocal range and some more very solid drumming from Al, and it ends the 1994 version of the album on a high note! Again, the punk content slowed down on side B(?), but Room 206's talent was clear, even at this early stage! As for the bonus tracks, first is the very quick "Good Enuff", which Room 206 did record a studio version of for the 1995 Barely Legal Records compilation CD "Punk: The Next Generation".

For comparison's sake, I did listen to Room 206's version before the 2021 all-star cover, and both takes are about complacency in one's life when you should really be doing more, not just being a passive observer. It's almost an unfair fight given who recorded the new version, let alone with 27 years of production upgrades, but I definitely prefer the cover musically to the original, including a beefier, more dynamic sound, and how Mikey's vocals don't sound like they were recorded through a telephone! If you like Mikey's post-Lion Ride solo efforts as a punk frontman (especially The Fairmounts), this will be right up your alley, and he and Dave pair extra well on guitar! The remaster closes with the supergroup's cover of "I'll Be Around", which was called "Sit & Drool" on their posthumous MySpace page, though I forget if that was a studio recording or not.

Lyrically a defiant number about letting one set their own course when the time is right, this is another fun skate punk song that pairs extra well with the "Good Enuff" cover, especially with it's melodic guitar line, well timed backing vocals, and very solid drumming from Adrian, and it gets in & out without overstaying its welcome! It's not fair to compare these covers from 2021 to the original indie tape, but fans of Mikey & Dave's extensive local music catalog should eat both of these covers up, and they're a great bonus!

So, what are my final thoughts on Room 206's debut album('s new remaster)? Overall, this is a strong album that 1990s and skate punk fans will definitely enjoy, and even if you're not a genre diehard, there's some surprising diversity on offer too! For a 27 year old indie cassette tape to get re-born like this is a testament to it's quality, and everyone in Room 206 at the time delivered, with Al Watson's very underrated drumming, quality low-end bass lines by Brad Example, and strong guitar riffs & melodic vocals by Mike Yorke.  The first half of the album is more or less the punk half, before they spread their wings into more power pop and alternative stylings, and while I tended to prefer songs like "My Trip" and "I'm Feelin' Fine", the musicianship on songs like "Pretentious" can't be denied. On the flip side, the short song lengths were sometimes too short, and "Ride My Rocketship of Love" didn't know what it wanted to be.

As for the production quality, I can't 100% tell you how much better Soolebrity Records and Drive Studios made "2 Innies & 1 Outie" sound, as I've never owned the original tape, and the two songs from it on their MySpace page obviously no longer work, but the vinyl definitely sounds better than a cassette would! At the same time, the limitations of the original recording methods are present, as songs can sound tinny and scratchy, especially compared to the bonus covers, which obviously have way better production quality, but again, it's not a fair comparison. Mikey, Dave, Matt, Scott, and crew paid strong tribute to Room 206 with their take on two non-album originals (fittingly both skate punk songs at that), and in lieu of a Room 206 reunion, they're a very cool bonus for fans of theirs and of Mikey's extensive catalog! You just may have to stream the songs at this rate, or buy the mp3s on Amazon, given the very limited vinyl print run.

If you have any appreciation for the Windsor Park era of local punk music, then the remaster of "2 Innies & An Outie" will be very worth your time, and kudos to Mikey for bringing this important piece of his early fandom back like this! Hopefully Soolebrity does something similar for more classic local albums, but stream the whole thing for yourself above, and I hope you guys liked this month's album review! So, what will be our first monthly CD review of 2022? In all likelihood, we'll lead off the year with the brand new self-titled album from St. Ignace, Michigan metalcore band Heavy Lies The Crown, which is now available to buy in mp3 format on Amazon! It can also be streamed on Amazon Music too, but neither form of availability has been promoted by the band on Facebook. Look for that album review at some point in January, and stay tuned for either a new news post or our 2021 retrospective post on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Blend - "Blend" Cassette Tape Review!!

It's now time for our 147th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, but in this case, it's not a CD at all... rather, a cassette tape, as we're looking at defunct local grunge/alternative trio Blend's self-titled album from way back in 1994! This band is way before my time (I was 4 or 5 when this tape came out), so I apologize for any gaps in knowledge about them or their lineup. I bought this tape a while back at Value Village, and after realizing that Blend had a drummer (Chris Johns of The Rising Tide and Jonesy Land) who is still actively performing locally, I held this one to tie in with a gig of his in the same month, and lo & behold, he drummed with Frank Deresti & The Lake Effect at The Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury a couple of weeks ago. Blend are represented here by Chris on drums alongside guitarist Dave Moss & ex-Spigots bassist Frank Guidoccio, who you may recognize from Toronto's The Order Of Good Cheer. Dave & Chris split lead vocal duties on this tape.

"Blend" was self-produced with assistance from Joey Spennino, but it was recorded at the long lamented Satellite Sound Studios with Bob McLeod engineering the project. Copies are obviously long out print (this tape was released independently 27 years ago), but I did post it to our YouTube channel if you want to hear all 7 songs in one video. Admittedly, my audio capture setup was having issues (only one stereo track was recording at a time, with one always running 3 seconds fast no matter what I did), so I had more work to do in Audacity to re-combine the tracks and reduce tape hiss. I didn't hear any obvious issues with the final product, but I apologize if something sounds off, and remember, this is an indie cassette tape. Of course, no copyright infringement is intended, all credit goes to the members of Blend for their hard work! With seven tracks running for about 23 minutes in length, let's begin this review with the opening song!

Side A opens with the tape's shortest song, the self-titled "Blend", which has an up tempo punk base with grungier melodic vocals that would likely have pleased fans of both genres at the time! Chris' drumming comes through well in the recording, and the guys seem to have good chemistry, but it almost feels too short, like they left out a verse and shortened the bridge. Solid hybrid sound to kick the tape off, and it isn't too dated to 1994 either! Next is "Relieve", which is a longer and slower number whose guitar riff is giving me serious "Grace, Too" vibes, though I doubt that's intentional. Dave uses his vocals well at a lower, smooth register on this song, almost giving the lyrics a dream-like quality, and it's an oddly relaxing yet dark song with solid bass throughout. I prefer the opener, but this song does show some early diversity from Blend that is good to see!

Third up is "Nobody", which opens right away with a distinctive drum beat and a more reserved, mid-tempo sound that makes good use of harmonized vocals from the guys, which thankfully ramp up in the choruses, as the song kinda meanders at it's initial pace throughout, almost like white noise. The music finally diverts after the second chorus when Dave lays into a short guitar solo, but if it wasn't for the chorus vocals and the drumming, this song wouldn't have much going for it for me. The last song on Side A is also the longest song on offer, namely "Joanna", which is heavier and more melodic musically, but contrasts with repetitive lyrics where Joanna's name is recited way too much, let alone at a scratchier register (I believe this is Frank's first appearance as the solo lead vocalist on this album).

In spite of a bouncy bridge and a brief drum showcase by Chris, this song relies too heavily on saying Joanna's name quietly, but the music itself is lively and gets Blend back on track in that regard! Side B kicks off with "Home", a fun grunge rocker that reminds me of a more cheerful Nirvana, if that makes any sense. Frank appears to be singing lead on this song too, and this is a stronger, livelier use of his voice that calls to mind his later Toronto band work (in spirit, if not in genre). Both sides start strongly and help straddle the punk line in an important year for that genre's rebirth! The penultimate song on "Blend" is "Why You", which sees Dave return to lead vocals on a number that feels very Collective Soul-esque, thusly making use of his deeper register to good effect on the otherwise quiet verses. The choruses, on the other hand, are way too repetitive, just reciting the chorus over and over.

The bridge after the second chorus, however, is fast paced and energetic from all accounts, and I'm sure that could entice a live mosh pit while it lasts! I mean the last part, as the song just ends with a fade-out afterwards, which felt way too sudden, and it couldn't have been to save space on the tape, as Side B only has 3 songs! Well done track while it lasted, but "Why You" felt incomplete. The tape ends with "Bother", and like with "Relieve", I have a major Tragically Hip vibe here, this time reminding me of "Blow At High Dough" instrumentally. Chris' faster drumming and Frank's raspy vocals take us down a different path. More of a mid-tempo rocker, it's solid enough to end the album with, especially with the trippy guitar effects in the fade-out, but for me, Blend were at their best on faster and heavier numbers.

So, what are my final thoughts on Blend's self-titled cassette tape? Overall, it's a fun release that showcases good diversity for a band of their age in an important year for music, but there was growth to be had. I don't know if Blend put out any more albums, but the building blocks were here, and all three guys showed solid skill on this tape, with Dave supplying solid guitar riffs & melodies, Frank's bass work being nice and audible despite the age and format, and Chris' drumming had a lot of distinct patterns and rhythms throughout! Vocally, I think Dave's smoother baritone fit their slower and softer songs better, whereas Frank's higher and raspier tones suited more up-tempo music, but in both cases, they didn't pigeon-hole themselves. By not sticking to one base sound, Blend dabbled in various rock subgenres to good effect, especially on their side-opening grunge/punk tracks!

I get the sense that Blend may have been more of a punk band had they launched when that scene had it's boom period later in the 1990s, but they were on their way here, albeit with issues I'd have addressed. Beyond matching the vocalists to sounds they suited, repetitive choruses were very unfortunate (as in "Why You" & "Joanna"), I'd have liked to have heard more than one brief guitar solo, "Nobody" didn't have much going on musically for my liking, and "Why You" again ended too abruptly. Given the age, there's little point nitpicking the production value, but for an indie tape from 1994, the sound quality is perfectly fine, and it helped that they recorded this at Satellite Sound. I mostly liked what Blend had to offer here for a debut effort, and while Frank and Chris have moved on to bigger and better things since, definitely give "Blend" a listen above and below for an entertaining local throwback!

I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what are we looking at on the site next month? At this juncture, I have nothing concrete in mind, but definitely look for hints in our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post scheduled for Saturday! If no major new metal, hard rock, or punk albums are released from local acts that I have access to in October, we'll dip into the archives, though if Treble Charger, Molten Imp, Late & Loud, or The Inner City Surfers happen to put anything out, they'd be held for after their respective 6 month anti-bias buffer periods conclude. I'll keep you guys posted in any event, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site as we slowly close out the month of September! Thanks everyone!

Amethyst - "Amethyst" EP Review!!

Now's a good time for our 101st monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with no new metal, hard rock, or punk releases in my possession this month (aside from "Suburban Dream", coming next month), we're dipping into the archives for a look at defunct local heavy/power metal quintet Amethyst's self-titled debut EP! I chose this particular release to tie in with frontman Rick "Widow" Dellavedova's set as drummer with his brother Paul's solo band at Toystock on Sunday. Released on cassette tapes in 1990 through Kuntare Music, this EP was recorded at Satellite Sound Studios with producer Bob McLeod, and preceded their more famous CD "Innocent As Hell" from 1994. Amethyst are represented here by their classic lineup, including Rick (billed here as "Rick Vedova") on vocals, alongside guitarists Jose "Wales" Temperao & Mike Haas, future Plaid Tongued Devils bassist Gordon "Chipp" Robb, and later Meatplow frontman Phil "Sebastien Phily" Temperao on drums, while Rhonda Ralph sings backing vocals on "Sky".

This album is long since out of print, and is unavailable on the band's posthumous social media pages, but I bought my copy of "Amethyst" at The Rad Zone a few months ago for $25, and song names linked below will take you to our upload of this rare EP. Also, note that the EP's contents (4 songs and one bonus track across 18 minutes) were recorded on both sides of the tape with no changes. Now, let's begin our review of Amethyst's debut!

The EP begins with "Midnight Queen",  which starts with a methodical bass intro from Chipp that soon features increased input from the rest of the band, and while it never gets too fast in pace, it builds nicely in intensity and purpose! Singing about the title character, Rick showcases his strong rangy vocals to good effect here, including a piercing scream later on, and the guitar solo is solid too! It's an effective track, but I would have increased the tempo, as it would have better matched the song's mood, and have given Phil a bigger showcase on drums. Second is the EP's single "Waste of Time", which received a music video at the time, though it unfortunately hasn't been available on YouTube in a few years. More energetically paced than it's predecessor, this has more of a care-free hair metal vibe to it, with nice backing vocal layering to the chorus (even if it's fairly repetitive.) Phil has more room to shine on this track, which has a very catchy guitar riff too, and everyone mashes together well, so this is a standout track! I just wish the chorus lyrics were more varied.

Third is their softer ballad "Sky", which is the only song on this tape to survive in re-recorded form on their follow-up "Innocent As Hell" four years later. The two copies are structurally very similar, so I won't re-review it here, but you can check out our thoughts of the 1994 version in our review of that CD from 2011 if you're so inclined, and stream that version at this link. The later version is higher in recording quality, while also about 20 seconds shorter, but my big takeaway from the 1990 original is that Rick's vocals seem more forced, without the ease and pitch he would develop in the coming years. I prefer Amethyst's heavy songs, and Rhonda's backing vocals are a good fit, but of the two versions, I'd go with the latter.

The EP's last advertised song is also it's longest, "Rock First, Roll Later" (though it's shortened to just "Rock First" on the back of the booklet.) Uniquely, Amethyst added audience sound effects to the start and end of this song, giving the illusion that it was a live recording. If you were going to do that to a song on the tape, this would be the one, as it has a catchy sing-along vibe with a chorus that was prime and ready for fans to sing along with live! Chipp's bass work is a highlight on this song, and the drumming matches up nicely, and Jose & Mike handle guitar nicely! Overall, this is a strong way to end "Amethyst"... or is it? 2 minutes after "Rock First" ends, an 80 second bonus track begins that features a comical rendition of "The Infernal Galop" from Jacques Offenbach's 1858 operetta "Orpheus of the Underworld" (a.k.a., the "Can-Can" dance song.) Featuring the guys using bad Russian-esque accents and playing the song on instruments like the kazoo, this is an amusing palate cleanser, so enjoy it for what it is!

So, what are my final thoughts on Amethyst's debut cassette tape? Overall, it's a solid debut release from one of the premier local metal bands from the turn of the 1990s, and while I think "Innocent As Hell" was a stronger showcase of their talent and range, this was a very positive first step in their run together! Everyone in the band had clear talent, from Rick Vedova's rangy melodic vocals to Jose Temperao and Mike Haas' solid dual riffs and solos, while Jose's brother Phil gave them solid rhythm on these tracks, and Chipp was a standout on bass from start to finish! That said, they all improved in the ensuing four years, as you can best hear when comparing both versions of "Sky". I liked "Waste of Time" and "Rock First, Roll Later" the best, with the opening track not as fast as it's instrumentation should warrant, and "Sky" moving away from my usual music preferences. I will say that it seems to have more of a hair metal essence to it than even "Innocent As Hell" did, but 1990 was before the grunge boom, so that could be a given.

While not as refined as their future CD, "Amethyst" is a quality debut, which I am very glad to own and finally review on here, so give it a listen above, and see if any copies turn up second hand, as you never know what might turn up at The Rad Zone or elsewhere! I hope you guys liked this month's CD (well, tape) review, and stay tuned in early December for our long awaited review of The Din's final studio album "Suburban Dream", plus more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Shit Liver - "Trading Faces" Split Album Review!!

It's now time for our 99th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at "Trading Faces", the new split album from local doom metal trio AlgomA & local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver! Released through AlgomA's old label Deadbeat Media on each band's respective Bandcamp page on September 5th, the album's physical release is only on cassette tapes rather than CDs or vinyl, and has been available on Shit Liver's release tour since it started on September 22nd (they are available locally through AlgomA members, and can also be bought online through AlgomA's Bandcamp page, and at the local tour finale at The New American Pub THIS MONDAY NIGHT.) This is the second studio release & first split album for Shit Liver, and the fourth total release & third split for AlgomA, while it is the first cassette tape for both. Digitally, "Trading Faces" is available on a "name your price" model, but tapes cost $8, not counting potential shipping fees if you buy them through Bandcamp.

AlgomA recorded and self-produced their half at Six, Two, Oh. this spring, while Shit Liver recorded theirs in St. Catharine's at "The Shithouse" in February with producer "Raz". Both bands' classic lineups are intact here, including singer/bassist Kevin Campbell, singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell, and drummer Jamie Vincent for AlgomA, while Shit Liver are represented by singer/guitarist Josh Penno, bassist Mike "Ralph" Kyle, and drummer Matt Baic. And yes, "Trading Faces" is an all-covers album, so keep that in mind before wondering why any new originals didn't make the cut.

With ten tracks running for 28 minutes (16 for Shit Liver, 12 for AlgomA), let's begin our split review with AlgomA's three songs from side A, in a nice alliterative coincidence! Their first cover is of "Why Should I Care?" by Toronto hardcore punk quartet Dead Mouth, which starts with a sample from the horror movie Food of the Gods II. This cover is suitably heavy & attitude-laden in comparison, varying mainly from Kevin singing alongside Boyd (in his only vocal appearance on the split.) This is a departure of sorts from most AlgomA originals because it's so fast paced & brief in length, but they acclimate well, and while they don't tinker much with the original, it's a crushing way to open the tape! Second is "Great Dane", originally by Winnipeg noise rock trio Kittens, which you may have heard AlgomA play live in the past. Opening with samples of a dog barking, this again plays closer to the original song, though it seems slightly muted in it's ferocity.

The song moves along well, and Kevin's bass work is clear yet heavy all at once, but this one could have stood to be louder and more aggressive, especially with the bizarre lyrics, and I'd have wanted Kevin's vocals to be harsher or more amplified compared to what made the final cut. Not a bad rendition at all, but I think this song works better in a live setting where it's not as controlled. AlgomA's side ends with their cover of the other band on "Trading Faces", as they tackled Shit Liver's song "Fabricated Nonsense" from their 2014 self-titled debut CD! Unlike on the preceding covers, AlgomA completely reworked the 79 second original into an album-high 6:24 rendition, so you could be forgiven for thinking this was AlgomA's own song. If you're craving a deliberately slow & sludgy experience after the preceding faster covers, this will satiate them, and I appreciate how they made the song their own! However, the lengthy feedback at song's end wasn't my cup of tea, and fans of the speedier punk-influenced songs on the rest of the split may not take to this one the same.

Side B belongs to Shit Liver, whose seven included covers begin with "Homeoapathy" (no hyphen here) by New York crust punk band Leftover Crack. Despite being half a minute shorter than the original, the guys cram the whole song into a faster package that introduces death metal growling and some more piercing screams, to solid effect! Sure, the spoken introduction isn't common for the originals, but the rest feels like classic Shit Liver, with blistering drums from Matt and nice trade-off singing, so loyal fans will be right at home! Second is their version of "Hitch-Hiker" (now with a hyphen) by Chicago extreme metal band Macabre, and much like on the prior cover, they sufficiently speed up and shorten the song, and also add a sampled intro from a Trailer Park Boys episode. This time, the song bears even less similarities to the original, but it's a nice dose of organized chaos, which Josh's guitar riffs meshing well with Mike's bass! The ending synced up vocals from the three guys aren't mixed very cleanly, but it's another solid cover!

Next is their version of "Blame It On God" by Florida death metal veterans Deicide, which opens with an audio sample from a telephone conversation between Deicide frontman Glen Benton and an Christian radio host, fittingly enough! This cover holds the most structural and tempo similarities yet to the original song, with the triple vocal attack being the biggest difference, but they do infuse some crust punk themes into the percussion. Aggressive and brutal, fans of Deicide will be happy with how this one turned out! Fourth is the split's shortest track, a 78 second rendition of "Lines On A Map" (the "Thinning The Herd" version) by South Carolina crust punk band Antischism, which again is a great match for Shit Liver's existing sound, and the mid-song vocal change of the original works extra well here! Crashing drums and blistering guitar work compliment everything well, and honestly, the song feels just right at it's short length, not feeling unfinished at all. Overall, this is one of the better songs on this side!

The fifth song on Shit Liver's half is a cover of "Socialized Death Sentence" by Oakland sludge/crust band Dystopia, even carrying over that song's sampled intro from The Hudsucker Proxy (will I have to dock them for repeating?!) While musically hewing close to the original, the vocals again take on a harsher and more varied bent, even sounding a little clearer at times. Another brutal performance, I will say that the vocals do overpower the guitars a bit, but it's a fine rendition that flows with the preceding songs! The tape seemingly closes with a cover of their splitmates AlgomA, trading in kind with a rendition of "Fell Down A Well" from AlgomA's own 2014 debut CD "Reclaimed By The Forest". Shit Liver originally covered this in 2015 for a YouTube posting, and the 2017 version is basically a remaster of their first cover, even preserving the spoken intro that I can't place. Blistering while preserving the original's structure, it's a solid tribute that feels like doom metal on fast forward, and it's a nice way to come full circle on the tape!

After 30 seconds of silence, we get one surprise bonus cover, namely Shit Liver's amusing cover of The 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up", complete with intentionally bad clean vocals and abrupt shift into grindcore onslaught mode, as fans have often seen live. Only take the brutal part seriously, and you should get a laugh out of this unexpected cover (that is, if you're not familiar with it from their concerts already!)

So, what are my final thoughts on AlgomA & Shit Liver's covers tape? I'd say that it's a successful experiment that showcases both bands paying tribute to some of their favourite acts (and each other) with ferocity! Compared to AlgomA's prior two splits, this feels like the best value thanks to 3 new recordings and a cheaper release format, and from slow & doomy on "Fabricated Nonsense" to the preceding hardcore punk-influenced covers, you get a nice cross section of their sound, and it's nice to hear them play things at a quicker and faster pace outside of their comfort zone! Shit Liver's side gives fans a quality look at their underground crust & sludge influences, with the songs converted to their existing style fairly seamlessly, with their usage of three singers often giving these songs some welcome variety from the originals! Some covers on both sides could have been tightened up a little bit, and it would have been nice to hear Boyd sing on more than one of AlgomA's entries, but for a covers album, what more can you ask for?

As for the cassette tape release, I have not heard the album in this format yet (I will buy my copy on Monday at The New A), but the digital release gives the best quality audio, if not the most authentic for fans of physical media! I admittedly don't think the green tape colour is a great fit for "Trading Faces", but that's a minor nitpick. Fans of both bands, and/or underground hardcore punk and death metal should definitely consider buying this split digitially or on tape, so do so at the above links! That's all for today, but stay tuned tomorrow for our preview of AlgomA & Shit Liver's show on Monday to end the "Trading Faces" release tour, but what's being reviewed next month as our 100th monthly album review? At the moment, the leading favourite is black metal solo project Abhorrent Forest's new album "Ethereal", especially as The Din's second & final album (scheduled for release in two weeks) can't be reviewed until at least December, due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer period between reviews of the same band.

That said, if another new local metal, hard rock, or punk album comes out, our projections could change, but "Ethereal" is currently my working plan for October. Look for our next review by Halloween, and stay tuned for our next post on the site tomorrow to kick off the new month! Thanks everyone!