For our first monthly feature post of May 2013, we're once again asking this question: "Where Are The New Albums?" Like we do on the 2nd of each month, we're exploring the current statuses & whereabouts of announced & (at least partially) recorded Sault Ontario metal/hard rock albums, to hopefully find out where they are and what their current statuses are! One album has been removed due to it's release (Mike Haggith's "The Present Din"), but we still have 13 albums from 11 local acts to look at below, and 7 of the entries below have updated information (as indicated with the title in
italics.) So, where are the new albums? Read on below to find out!
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As It Stands' third EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Conception", "Big Problem, Little Lock City", "Rise Above",
"One Last Chance", "One Less Than Wayne Gretzky", "Big Bucks, No
Whammy", "Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Ho", "Embay the Terrible", "Oh
Herm, Herm Delish", "David & Goliath", "Stay Together
For The Kids" (Blink-182 cover)
Background: Continuing
their high success levels since their local re-emergence in
2010, hardcore quintet As It Stands started recording sessions
for their third EP with
Metalworks Studios in Mississauga in July 2011 with producer
Kevin Dietz.
The sessions lasted just a few days, but from what I hear, a
lot got accomplished! You can see some of the happenings from
the sessions on
their official studio vlog,
which features some audio samples and video of some members
recording their parts. The vlog also confirmed that their cover of
Blink-182's "Stay Together For The Kids" was recorded in
Mississauga, and that the songs will be part of an EP, not a full
length album as was previously believed. It's currently unclear
whether the songs they recorded at
Stereo Soul Studios
in 2010 and/or in Stoney Creek in 2011 will be featured on the
EP in some form. A new track named "Oh Herm, Herm Delish"
was posted
onto SoundCloud in early 2012, with studio copies of "Conception" & "Big Problem, Little Lock City" also being uploaded to
their Facebook page this year, both of which you can stream at
this location.
Mixing was underway locally with Brendan Clace at the former Dimension
Studios, so stay tuned for more news on this EP hopefully soon!
Current Release Status:
As It Stands seemed to have everything under control and well
planned for the sessions and their studio work, and though nothing
concrete has been explicitly said about it's release, things did seem on
track, despite recent delays and absences of updates, including just one live concert in the past 11 months. When might we see
this EP? I don't know, especially with the closure of Dimension Studios, but keep an eye out for
any possible updates!
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The Bear Hunters' full length demo
Rumoured Songs:
"Bloodthirst", "Succumb To Eternity", "Dominate",
"Overthrown", "Casualties Of War", "Collapse The Sun", "Render
This Void", "Karma", "Deception", "Servitude"
Background: Local
death metal quintet The Bear Hunters formally announced that
they'd begun recording for their debut EP "Bloodthirst" in May 2011,
just days after adding guitarist Josh Stephney to the band. The
news was broken on
their Facebook page,
but details were extremely scant following that news, and the
recording plans fell dormant until January, when the band announced
plans to record material towards a full length demo release. This
appears to be an independent
production towards future better quality recordings, and plans are in
place to release official band t-shirts along with the demos when
completed. Plans are
for this demo (which won't be "slapped together") to feature at least
10 songs, and though progress has been made towards completions,
setbacks (including a dead computer) have pushed back a planned release,
including their non-album cover of Woods of Ypres' "Kiss My Ashes
(Goodbye)". Stay tuned to the band's Facebook page for continued
updates!
Current Release Status:
Though things seem to have been delayed from original expectations,
recordings for the demo are ongoing as per their Facebook page. Recent
band news (aside from live dates) has been slow at best, and no new timeline is out for the
release of it beyond before "the end of the world", but they seem to
have things in
good order, so keep an eye out for updates on official Bear Hunters
media as it comes in!
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Crimson Crusade's debut EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Left For Dead", "Vanquish the Tyrant", "Lost Memories"
Background: Sault Ontario/North Shore death metal quartet
Crimson Crusade
haven't been the most frequently visible band in recent months, but
maybe it's partly because of recording sessions for their debut EP,
which began on February 9th at
The Smoke & Oak Room Studio
with producer Dave Pihlaja, similarly to Late & Loud's debut EP.
Both the band and studio have offered sporadic updates on it's progress,
including that the sessions were finished as of March 6th, and that the EP will have 5 songs. Other details are forthcoming, so be on the lookout!
Current Release Status:
No idea, but an initially hyped release timeframe of "later this month" came & went in March. The news that they were working with
Dave is a good sign for
how serious and into the process the guys are, though given how few
shows
they've played in the past year, a Crimson Crusade EP does sort of come
under the radar compared to more often seen bands. If this is as far
along (or further) than guitarist Robert Sartini's other band Pillory's
recording sessions, this could be out sooner than you think, so stay
tuned
for more updates as they come in!
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Gates of Winter - Perihelion
Rumoured Songs: "The Stars Call My True Name", "Edin Na Zu", "Dimensions", "Time Warp", "Wormhole Mechanics", "Prometheus"
Background: Despite
a hiatus from live concerts lasting over 4 years, Gates of
Winter never broke up, and are slowly working on their follow-up
to 2008's "Lux Aeterna". The first glimpse of the new album
was unveiled in February 2010, when frontman/producer
Lee Maines uploaded a snippet of their new song "The Stars Call My True Name" onto
his YouTube channel,
and he followed that up with more demo & rehearsal clips
sporadically over the last couple of years, though all were later taken
down. The band launched
a new Facebook page
in August 2010 to keep fans updated on the sessions, including
the unveiling of a new song title, "Time Warp", and while Sault
native
Jon Morrison
was announced as the album's drummer that fall, the album will feature programmed drums. In November 2011, bassist Steve
Furgiuele confirmed in
a YouTube video
that the album, now titled "Perihelion", was planned for release
in
December 2012, with some older re-recordings likely for the
summer, but Lee confirmed last month that the album would be delayed
further, be retracted to EP length, and possibly be renamed. Other new
songs, tentatively called "Wormhole Mechanics" & "Prometheus",
was previewed in
this video
&
this video that were uploaded last year & last month respectively. Whether
ex-keyboardist Brian Holmes will be included on the EP is currently unknown.
Current Release Status: According to Lee's posting on
the Musicians Wanted Facebook group
relating to their session drummer search, he's hoping for the work to
be done "within the next 4-12 months", which lines up with postings
about delays for the EP. Personal commitments and the like have slowed
things down incredibly, and there's been no public band postings in 4 months, but good art takes time, and knowing Gates of
Winter's
talent and attention to detail, they won't wanna release this until
everything's perfect. I'll admit that I know a bit more on "Perihelion" than what I've posted here, but I'll wait until more public word comes out before elaborating, so keep an eye out for updates!
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Haggith - "Deuce"
Rumoured Songs: "The Story Of...", "Leon the Janitor", "Time For A Change", "To Whom This May Concern", "Loverbeam", "Safe on the Outside", "Untitled", "As Time Comes To Pass", "To Stay Alive", "Clifton Hill", "75"
Background: Already putting out four different CDs since their formation, local grunge quartet Haggith have been working on their planned third studio album (and second recorded under their "mainline" recording method) "Deuce" in recent months, which will be
their first to feature bassist Caleb Cachagee on multiple tracks. Released through
the band's independent label
PaperClip Productions
(like their first three albums), sessions were completed for the album late last month, with the final track listing confirmed via
this YouTube playlist, albeit with the removal of the previously announced "That Cold Winter Breeze". All of the album's tracks can be streamed on
their YouTube channel, and five tracks were also issued in a
limited edition EP named "For The Cause" at their Relay For Life set in March, though it's not expected to see further pressings. Keep
tuned
in to Haggith's online pages for further updates!
Current Release Status: Facebook postings have revealed that Haggith are aiming for "Deuce" to come out on May 10th, the one year anniversary of their formation, though it's unclear if it will see a paid digital release like "Dragon Joy Ride" had (their other albums have only seen physical pressings and a free YouTube posting.) Stay tuned next week for the likely release of "Deuce"!
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Pillory - Cringe At The Cross
Rumoured Songs:
"Onward to Death", "Fatal Woods", "Shattered By War", "No One Answers", "Cringe At The Cross"
Background: On
January 10th, new local thrash band Pillory surprisingly announced that
they would begin recording tracks towards their debut EP this weekend,
despite only making their live debut in November. Since then, updates
have been posted on
their Facebook page
confirming the EP's title, the completion of recording sessions, and EP
artwork concepts by ex-bassist Jonathan Tiberi. It's currently unclear
how late
guitarist Andres Duchesne's parts were handled on the recordings, but
while the band has been searching for a replacement in recent months,
the concept artwork does
credit him with the surviving members, so take that for what you will.
Keep an eye out for further updates!
Current Release Status:
No idea. Pillory's quick launch into recording hasn't given us a lot of
time to speculate, but it does mirror Jon's early tenure with
Late & Loud,
who announced recording plans and held photo shoots to that end shortly
after their own 2010 debut. That said, with Jon's departure last month due to his move out of town, and the band's persistent
lead guitarist opening, it's unclear what the status of the EP's release
is. The guys definitely seemed deep into the
process though, and serious about completing it, but fingers
crossed everything works out!
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Shit Liver's debut EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Or What?",
"Hateroleum", "(Friendly Old) Uncle Joe", "Shit Liver", "Fabricated
Nonsense", "Helen Kellers", "Shift Liver", "You're Scared", "Contribute
or Perish", "Pennotration", "Soo'er Living", "Drowning In Shit",
"Survival of the Shittest", "It's Not My Problem", "Shit Will Prevail"
Background: Curiously
not plugged at all on their online pages until January 2013, I have
heard from those close
to the band that local grimecore trio Shit Liver have independently
working on a debut EP since at least mid-2012 which is supposed to have
14 songs, 13 of which were posted onto
their new Reverbnation page in March 2013. A demo disk with 5 planned tracks was visible at
their local return on February 21st, but as they've only minimally
acknowledged EP plans
online, it's not clear how far along they are in terms of actually releasing these on disc. I'll keep you guys
updated if they say anything!
Current Release Status: On
their Facebook page in March, Shit Liver implied that this album could be done by their local concert return in February at
The Roosevelt Hotel,
but that has since came & went. Given how quiet they've been on
the recording sessions, I have no idea how close to a physical release
they are, but from what I understand, the sessions are done or close to
it. Hopefully we hear some
big news on this front soon, possibly in conjunction with their concerts this month!
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The Suicide Kings' debut EP
Rumoured Songs: "Into the Fray", "Red Rover", "King of the World", "Way Out Of Hell", "Take Me Away"
Background: Already off to a quick
launch with numerous concerts since their fall 2012 debut, local hard
rock quartet The Suicide Kings surprisingly announced that they were
officially working on their first EP on
their Facebook page
on February 1st. Three weeks later, the band revealed in another
Facebook posting that they were busy working on their own material, and
they had plans to complete an EP by the end of the spring featuring 5-7
songs, which was recorded over the past month at The Smoke & Oak
Room Studio with producer Dave Pihlaja. As of March 28th, the tracks
were in the final stages of mixing, so keep an eye out for updates as
they roll in!
Current Release Status: Seeing at
they said it won't be done until the end of the spring, the earliest
we'd be likely to see The Suicide Kings' EP would be in June, but
nothing's official yet. I know that a brief band member posting on
Facebook suggested a free distribution of the EP, but that was either
premature or incorrect. I just hope this doesn't encounter the same
delays that have hampered bassist Mitch Sirie's other band The Bear
Hunters' demo recording plans. Things seem in good hands so far, so
watch out for updates as they come in!
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Sykotyk Rampage - "Eye For An Eye", "Sykotyk Rampage", and "Wonder About Baby"
Rumoured Songs: Unknown
Background: Just days after posting streaming copies of their six albums from 2012 onto
their Reverbnation page, Sykotyk Rampage unveiled
the album covers
towards at least three new albums scheduled for a release in 2013,
although when they'll actually be available for streaming and/or
purchase isn't clear. Expected to be their first recorded material with
new bassist Tony Briglio, the three credited albums are listed as
Sykotyk Rampage's 38th to 40th albums, implying that they have at least 2
other unannounced albums in the works (as they've only released 35 to
date.) Recording sessions have started this spring at River Front
Recreation Studios, but keep an eye out for updates!
Current Release Status:
Initial indications are that the band will release these this summer,
but take that with a huge grain of salt, as publically available copies
of Sykotyk Rampage's early 2010s albums have been posted months later
than the given release dates. As well, the band's last 8 albums have
only been made available in free streaming copies, with no full album
purchasing or packaging options, so make note of that as well. Still,
Sykotyk Rampage's prolific and creative blend of alternative, blues, and
hard rock will be hard to ignore, so stay tuned for their next
releases!
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Tym Morrison's second solo album
Rumoured Songs: "Moon
Patrol", "Dungeons & Dragons", "Nag Hamedi", "The
Reason Why", "The Dark Shred", "Song For Jen", "No Name",
"Amy", "Lay It On The Line", "Someday", "How I'm Wanting You
More", "The After Life", "9/11", "His Sacrifice", "Termination of
Exystence", "Classical D", "We Will Decide", "The Evil In Disguise", "Key To Reality"
Background: I
honestly don't know a lot about the background for Tym
Morrison's second album, but he has posted samples of nine songs
for his "next album" onto
the music player on his official website.
The songs are all of good quality, and feature Tym in
familiarly good form! Original information about recording
sessions for his solo album are either very sparse or were made
quite a while ago, so I don't know a lot about it, but the
songs were likely self-recorded at Morrison Studio Productions
with Tym on all instruments save for the programmed drums. He's
worked on the album sporadically since, including scattered song
postings (with some of a comedic or acoustic nature) onto
his YouTube channel, and Facebook
postings have hinted at a double album release. It's unknown how close we are to
seeing a second Tym Morrison album release, or if all of the originally
announced songs will make the cut, but keep an eye out!
Current Release Status:
I don't have any real idea, but his recent song postings hint towards good things! Hopefully Tym does release
these songs in the near future, as his older samples and newer
material deserve an audience, but for now, check out the above
links to hear what he has to share that could make the cut!
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Winkstinger's debut EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Sadist", "Fuck The Rest", "Cheese Grater Face", "Chudnugget", "From
Bullshit To Buzz (Lies = Weed)", "Where'd We Go Wrong", "Poop", "In
Other Words", "Stop! You Can't Interrogate Someone With Brain Damage!",
"The Devil's Hand", "Feel All My Hate", "Move It, Peenie-Weenies, My
Hands Are On Fire!", "Jimmy Got His New Legs (Derp.)", "Bidniz",
"Nunya", "Of Steed & Steel"
Background: Little is publically known about this EP, but Winkstinger initially confirmed on March 15th, 2012 on
their Facebook page
that recording had begun. Anything else from official band pages is
open-ended or minimal, but guitarist Jesse Cook has also kept fans
posted on the recording sessions for the band's first EP on his personal
Facebook page, noting that recording took place from the 15th through
the 27th, with mixing done and some lyric finalization left. I assume
this EP is being self-produced and recorded, but again, the band
hasn't said much publically about it or it's possible track listing,
length, release formats, or anything else. In May 2012, the band posted 5
demos from the sessions onto
their SoundCloud page,
so stream them there in advance of the full release! It's also unclear
whether Jason Ladouceur and/or Anthony Orazietti provided rhythm guitar
tracks at the sessions, or if Ryan Sherman's bass tracks will remain following his departure from the band.
Current Release Status:
I'm not sure, especially with the limited public information
as of yet. A fall release made sense once, but band updates have been
slow in recent months, with Winkstinger only ending a 10 month concert hiatus in 4 weeks (plus, their lineup issues can't help.) No
matter what though, I'm curious to hear more of Winkstinger's creative
and often amusing material in studio form, so hopefully this does
come out relatively soon! Stay tuned for updates!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, and of course, pick up "Deuce" when it comes out next week! Our next monthly feature post will hopefully be our review of Late & Loud's expanded re-release of "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal", so keep an eye out for that sooner or later, and for weekend concert previews tomorrow morning! Thanks everyone!
It looks like Sault Michigan/Grand Rapids metal band End of Existence have dissolved. A status on the E.O.E. Facebook page on April 10th says "End of Existence is now Theatre of Night", which seems to indicate either a "merger" with their (more recently active) orchestral metal band, or just a shift in focus. Also, the End of Existence website has either been closed or had it's domain name expire, which could also be telling for their status. Partial successors to the mid-late 2000s local metal band Integrated System of Machines, End of Existence had been active since 2009, and they slowly worked on numerous original songs and videos over the next 3 years, leading to the February 2012 release of their self-titled debut CD. Activity slowed down after the departure of singer Bob Helsten (now of Powerslug & Toast) earlier that year, and End of Existence (who I don't believe ever played a live concert) had unsuccessfully searched for a new singer in recent months, last posting non-Theatre of Night updates in January. It's disappointing to see End of Existence reach their own "end of existence", but they leave us with a lot of very solid epic death metal material from their run!
Also in new videos, a new original song from Sault Ontario grind solo project Crucify The Whore was uploaded to their label Blood Shed Productions' YouTube channel earlier today, though I won't say the title here to avoid the potential for offending some readers (it's sexual in nature.) Uniquely for C.T.W. songs, it's an instrumental, so readers who don't take to guttural pig squeal vocals might appeal to that! There's something here musically, with good guitar riffing and some blast beats, but the repetitious structure, short length, and muffled recording quality don't help. As the third image on the video features some potentially offensive imagery, I'll just embed the song below, but give it a listen if you want, and stay tuned to the Facebook pages of Blood Shed Productions' grindcore projects for updates on their next demos, including an upcoming Crucify The Whore/Brutaly Fatal split release!
