Local Punk Video Showcase (Part 3)

After forgetting to get another one of these up last week (my sincere apologies for that), here's our third local punk video showcase post, as we continue to get up to speed regarding archived punk concert and band videos on YouTube! Remember, we're only featuring videos from channels with less than 50% SMS-relevant content, to save larger channels for our formal YouTube Channel Profiles. Now, here's some more interesting punk videos from local shows and talent!

We'll start with one of a few assorted local punk videos from the channel of YouTube user Jamie Penno, whose uploads largely aren't of local shows, but he still has some interesting content from the mid-2000s! This video is of the defunct local indie/punk quartet Bondar playing their song "6 Hours" at their debut concert at The Speak Easy at Algoma University in August 2006 (as advertised in this SooToday article at the time), and though the visual quality is not good at all, you do get some good music! Amusingly described as featuring three men (future Lion Ride bandmates Marco Pedalino, Mark Rand, and Marc Muto) and a Guy (Thiffault, ex-Nebraska Arms), Bondar didn't last too long locally, but if this video is any indication, they had an upbeat and lively sound that would be reminiscent of Guy's later band work especially! The audio is muffled though, and the video itself is extremely blurry and dark, so you don't see much. It'd be interesting to hear more from Bondar (especially given that their MySpace page has long since been deleted), but give this video a look!

Next, here's a music video from local/Toronto indie punk favourites Treble Charger, that being for "Hundred Million", the first single for their last CD to date, 2002's "Detox"! Memorably featuring in-video cameos by Avril Lavigne and members of Sum 41 and the Swollen Members, this song/video topped MuchMusic's Countdown that October and won two MuchMusic Video Awards the next year. It's definitely more indicative of the punk sound that the band had in the last years of their original run, and I admit that I prefer Treble Charger's punk songs (partially because they're what I heard moreso when I was getting more into aggressive songs), so I really dug "Hundred Million" at the time! The video's energy and attitude lives up to that, but I will give an advisory warning though, as Gob frontman/current Sum 41 guitarist Tom Thacker does moon the camera near the end of the video. Multiple channels have copies of this video, but here's the largest of them, and look for more Treble Charger videos in this series to come!



Moving back to prolific local punk musician Mikey Hawdon's extensive YouTube channel, let's take a first look at one of his earliest local bands, that being the late-1990s punk trio Tha Bombed Squad! (Yes, "The" is spelled like that on each video.) In January 2008, Mikey posted no less than 16 videos of this band in action from assorted concerts between the summers of 1997 & 1998, all among his first uploads there. Featuring Mikey on drums alongside future Lion Ride/Detroit bandmate Brenton Ellis on vocals & bass, and guitatist Pat Suriano, you guys may also remember Tha Bombed Squad from their appearance on the 1998 compilation CD "Local Steel". The videos include five from a March 1998 show at the old Union Hall (now The Grand Gardens), four from a July 1997 show at The Ramada Inn (now Comfort Suites), three each from a June 1998 show at the original Bay Street Foggy Notions and at an undated jam session, and a cover of The Descendents' "Coolidge" at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in August 1997.

Including covers of everyone from NOFX to Unwritten Law (along with assorted originals like "Two Four"), the video quality on these is obviously not great (coming from a late 1990s camcorder), but the filmer(s?) got good angles of the band in action, and the concerts seem to have great crowds for their upbeat skate punk sound! Not as refined as members' later bands, but this was over 15 years ago, things have only improved with age. Search Mikey's channel linked above (or scroll right to the bottom of the videos tab) to see Tha Bombed Squad in their heyday, and here's the guys covering The Descendants (followed by their original "Wasted") at Foggy's in 1998!



Finally for this punk video showcase is this short live clip of local/Toronto Celtic punk quartet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide live in Scranton, Pennsylvania in July 2012 during a stop on that year's Vans Warped Tour! Awesome to see the guys making fans in the U.S., including YouTube user 4kidneys, who shot this 58 second video of the guys playing the end of their song "Molly Malloy", and despite the length, it's a solid video of this entertaining Celtic-flavoured original! It's just a shame it's not longer. Give it a look below, and remember not to miss The Rising Tide's return in December!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Rebel Spell & Havadder) And New Videos!!

Today's post is stacked with some more interesting local hard rock news, including a new song from an upcoming album and two LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the Halloween season, but we also have an archive video to share, so here's what you should know! (Updated at 2:59 PM)

Vancouver punk quartet The Rebel Spell will return to our neck of the woods on Thursday, October 23rd for a headlining ALL AGES concert at The Moose Lodge! While the Facebook event page hasn't confirmed the venue yet, that was confirmed via the official poster on the "Sault Ste. Marie All Ages" group by Destroilet's Mike Hull, so there's your source. No strangers to the Soo, this will be The Rebel Spell's (at least) fifth local stop, following 2006's Propagandhi show and headlining dates here in November 2007 & twice in March 2011, and in the midst of their tour supporting their new CD "Last Run", look for a solid night of energetic, up-tempo, and politically charged punk rock action! Local openers will include hardcore punk quintet Destroilet, punk/metal standouts Jack Spades, and newly added alternative/hard rock trio The Pixo Control in their Moose Lodge debuts, and Jack Spades are fitting too given that promoter J.D. Pearce opened for The Rebel Spell with Fitswitch 8 years ago! The"All Ages" group post above implied that J.D. was looking for one more underage opening band, so just in case, message Johnny Pints on Facebook for info!

A $10 cover charge will be in effect for this LICENSED & ALL AGES show, and doors will open at 9:00 PM. For more details, visit the above links! This should be an entertaining concert for punk and metal fans alike, and it's another awesome concert addition to J.D.'s stacked Halloween concert slate (joining Gob, The Brains, and his own annual Halloween party), so don't sleep on this show either as the month progresses! Stay tuned for updates!

Also in new concerts for the end of this month, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Havadder will step outside of The Rednecks Saloon for the first time since their Rock 'N Roar battle set in Spanish earlier this year, as they'll be rocking out on Saturday, October 31st at..... Studio 10?! Yes, the local strip club at 89 Hudson Street appears to be throwing their hat into the ring for live band bookings, as the official Facebook event page implies that Havadder will be the first band to ever play there (and no, I don't know if the "adult entertainment" will be happening concurrently with their set.) As this is a Halloween night show, costumes are encouraged, and there will be a contest for the best one, so keep that angle in mind! Located at the corner of Hudson and Queen Street West near the bridge, there's a 10:00 PM start time and 19+ age limit in effect, and I have no idea if Studio 10 tends to have cover charges. For more details, check the above links!

This is an unexpected announcement, especially given Havadder's local exclusivity with The Rednecks Saloon since late last year, but Studio 10's not terribly far from there. It'll be interesting to see how this goes over, but they'll have added competition too, as the Halloween weekend is traditionally busy. Stay tuned if there's updates though!

We'll close today with new videos, including a new song posting from local grunge/alternative quartet Haggith's upcoming concept album "Apocalypse II"! Recently revealed to be on pre-order in the near future for $5 (source here), the newest song from it is oddly titled "Tribute to Mike Haggith", and fittingly, Mike does sing lead vocals on this song, with guitarist Daniel Horton handling drums and bass for it too. Uploaded to their YouTube channel on Saturday, it's basically a mix of Haggith's sound and Mike Haggith's solo material, if that makes sense, but fans should dig it, so give it a listen!



Finally, here's one more Havadder note, courtesy of their last unshared archive video from YouTube, again courtesy of their Turner Up-hybrid lineup from January 2012! Filmed by an attendee at what's now The Rednecks Saloon (then The Nicolet Tavern), this was uploaded to their then-sister band's YouTube channel, though Turner Up themselves were never featured in a video there. Though untitled, this is of Havadder covering Collective Soul's "Cumbersome", and while the description downplays the audio quality, it's not that bad (if anything, the lighting affects the video more), and the guys pull off a solid version of this 1990s rock classic! Give it a look below, and don't miss the current lineup at Studio 10 on Halloween!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more as the week rolls along! Thanks everyone!

Haggith Updates, New Videos, And Much More!!

Entering the last week before the Canadian Thanksgiving break, we have some more news and back items to cover, including a lot of recent shorter items, a new guitar performance clip, and leading off, some recent updates from a prominent Sault Ontario band that have fallen by the wayside in the last week, so here's what you need to know!

We'll start today with some long overdue news from local grunge/alternative quartet Haggith, and after a brief announcement of drummer Mike Haggith's departure (since retracted), it's good to know that everything's alright in their camp! While it remains unclear if the personal concerns Mike was working through are continuing to delay their album plans, a new song from their upcoming concept release "Apocalypse II" named "Spreading The Disease" was posted onto their YouTube channel last month, and while I'll hold thoughts on it for now in advance of our next Haggith CD review, it's actually a folksy country-esque number with spoons and hand drum (no bass though.) Featured below however is a 21 minute private concert set that Haggith played at PaperClip Productions headquarters last week, as filmed with a cell phone camera from the back of the stage. This is our most extensive sneak peek at the band with new bassist James White yet, but what's played in this video?

In order, the set (entitled "Don't Ask") includes a cover of Led Zeppelin's "Rock 'N Roll", the band's own originals "Metal Cage" & "Wasted" from their other upcoming CD "XIV", and covers of Van Halen's "Panama", Bad Company's "Rock 'N Roll Fantasy", and Jimi Hendrix' "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)", so click each link to hear each song! Visually, you don't see much beyond Curtis, James' head, and Mike's close-up hat, and with the dark lighting, couldn't they have moved the camera to a better spot? The audio's alright though, and it's a nice glimpse at some of Haggith's newer songs and less familiar covers, including some surprises, so give it a look below!



Next up, here's a new solo guitar video from Exiled's Joe Jenkins' YouTube channel! The former Full Throttle and Bottom Line axeslinger posted this video online on Friday, and it's of him playing a composition named "Jedi Flip" that has a bluesy hard rock groove that's pretty catchy, and it'd be cool to see him expand this to a full band scenario! The "shot from below" camera angle and glare from the ceiling light are a little odd, but give Joe's newest guitar performance clip a look below!



Finally for today, here's six shorter assorted news stories from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band or event name:

• Sault Michigan hard rockers 415E have finally replaced departed members Jack Slater & Devin Anderson, as the band have confirmed the addition of Jack's Highest of Fives bandmate Mitch Goetz as their new bassist, while enlisting Chris' dad Tony on drums, reuniting 3/5ths of the original Splitshot lineup in the process! The news was announced on their Facebook page on September 23rd, and the new lineup will debut in two weeks at The Rapids Lounge, so don't miss it!
• The first studio track from The Apocalypse Afterparty's upcoming debut EP is now online via their new Reverbnation page! A cover of The Fury's "The Crowd", fans of their rap/metal stylings should enjoy this, and it's recorded well. but we'll hold further comment until the EP's release. Give it a listen above!
• If The Marquee entertainment stage returns at the next Bon Soo Winter Carnival in February, it will do so at a new location once again, as the festival will be moving from the Roberta Bondar Pavilion area to Mill Square at the former St. Mary's Paper site, as per this SooToday article by Michael Purvis on Friday. The move is to give Bon Soo more room for expanded activities and make the event more accessible, though it's not clear yet whether The Marquee would be at The Machine Shop or elsewhere on the site. We'll keep you posted if we hear more!
• Local acid jam/hard rock collective Mike Haggith & The Din are apparently looking for a new drummer to go along with a "dramatic" lineup shift, though it's not clear whether someone left or moved to a separate instrument. The plans are for the band to become more structured than they have been in the past, though what this means for their recent recording plans isn't clear yet. If you're interested, message Mike or bandmates Curtis McKenzie or Daniel Horton on Facebook, or visit Mike's Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Monday!
• Maxx Entertainment have confirmed that a third annual Toystock concert will take place on Sunday, November 30th at The Canadian Nightclub, and they are still looking for bands to play this year (presumably of the cover/bar variety to go with past themes.) Only a few spots remain, so if your band is interested in playing this event (which supports toy donations to Christmas cheer), message Maxx Entertainment at the above link!
• Sporadic local concert venue and banquet hall The Verdi Hall has been sold and had it's name partially changed to Bucci's Verdi Hall, reflecting the new owners, who I believe are the same as the owners of Bucci's Place (host of last year's Big Loonie Bus Show) in Echo Bay. Things seem to be going good there for bookings and Facebook updates, and we'll let you know if any metal or punk concerts are booked there in the coming months!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news as we inch closer to the Thanksgiving weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Lucky 13), A New Album Release, And Much More!!

Nice to have a steady stream of news and updates with October in progress, so what's in store for today? A new cover video, a disappointing concert & CD delay, and a brand new album release, but first, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!

After a three month hiatus, local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will return to the stage for a headlining concert at The Rockstar Bar TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band just announced this event yesterday. Known for generally taking the summer months off since launching, this should be the first of a solid amount of concerts for this veteran band to end 2014 with, and if you like the members' old bands like Aftersight, Turner Up, Wishbone, and The Gully Yodellers, you'd be well served to keep Lucky 13's return in mind for TONIGHT! Note that I don't know why Lucky 13 weren't playing yesterday, though it's likely that a separate artist was playing at The Rockstar Bar last night. There will be NO COVER CHARGE tonight, you must be 19 to attend, and there's a 10:30 PM start time in effect. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and for a preview, here's Lucky 13 live at the first Toystock!

Next up, we have a brand new album release to take note of, as Dafter, Michigan solo hard rock artist Kenneth Sutton (a.k.a. SweetKenny) released his 10th solo studio album "Amazonian" on Halloween! Self-recorded and released through Waterfall Records, this is Ken's third album of 2014 (following "Ink!" and "This End Up"), and he describes it as "a heavy rock, vocal, instrumental, high energy, fun album" that mixes instrumentals and songs with vocals once again. Like on other recent releases, Ken plays or programs all instruments on the album's 11 songs. You can buy copies of "Amazonian" on Bandcamp for $12, while a CDBaby release (presumably for $9.99) is planned for the near future, and streaming copies of each song on "Amazonian" are also available via SweetKenny's website. The above links also indicate that Ken's still working on forming a live band, and he's already working on an 11th studio album to be named "Slobber", tentatively planned for January 2015 (if you know his prolific nature, that's not farfetched!)

With all of that said, when can you expect a review of "Amazonian" on the site? Given that we just reviewed "Ink!" in July, and that we don't review the same artist's albums within a six month span to avoid biases or favoritism, a new SweetKenny album won't be eligible until January, the same month as the aimed release for "Slobber", so one of the two is very likely then! I'll hold comment on "Amazonian" for the time being, but fans of his older studio recordings should be right at home, so buy or stream it and other older albums at the above links!

Also, here's some disappointing news for you Bear Hunters fans, as the local death metal band have announced that their planned CD release concert at The Algonquin Pub on October 18th will have to be postponed. Guitarist Mitch Sirie revealed the news on the Facebook event page on Wednesday citing "circumstances beyond our control", though singer Nik Deubel confirmed that it's due to his work commitments. Though their debut album "Eternal Hibernation" isn't behind schedule, the guys are holding it's release until the rescheduled date, likely over a weekend in late November, in order to give it the proper launch and attention. The rescheduling might force a change in venue, and it's unclear yet whether Brampton's Livid & The Bloodthirsty will be able to play the new date, but the band will accept refunds of previously bought tickets if need be. However, Mitch did indicate that a limited run single EP will be available for $2 this month that will feature a studio track to-be-announced and some live extras, and we'll keep you guys posted on that!

This is bound to be disappointing for many fans, especially ones who were counting on that weekend for their own schedules, but at least the guys were open and forthcoming concerning what happened, and hopefully there's a big crowd next month! Admittedly, the postponement is good news for myself, as I was going to be out of town over the weekend of the 18th, so I can likely go to the release party now! In any event, stay tuned for updates on any upcoming CDs and the rescheduled date for the party!

Finally for today, here's a brand new jam session video from local death metal/punk quartet Chronic Demonic! Though we still await their full concert debut, this video of them covering Lamb of God's "Omerta" is now on their Facebook page, and though we haven't seen a new clip of them in almost four months, this should keep fans more than interested! Complete with a loose variant of the spoken word intro by bassist Ryan Gratton (I think), it's a solid rendition, but the sound levels are inconsistent, with Nik Deubel's growling too muted. Give it a look below though!




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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Scarkazm & Tym Morrison), Plus Das Bunkerfest II Info!!

Keeping the news rolling along for this early stretch of October, we have a recent jam session video, big updates concerning an event almost a year away, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for this month (encompassing the only known concert previews we have this weekend in terms of "heavier" artists), so here's what you need to know!

Traverse City, Michigan metal trio Scarkazm will make their Sault Michigan debuts (I think) when they hit The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Kewadin Casino branch TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band quietly announced the shows on their Facebook page in August, but they only just came to our attention yesterday. These shows appear to be replacements for previously scheduled gigs by local country band Perry Hatch (source here), and follow a handful of successful weekends at the St. Ignace Kewadin in the past year, most recently in April. Featuring Peril frontman Jeff Hudson on drums, it's great to see Scarkazm finally come up to the Soo for a change, and their groove metal originals & covers should find a solid audience in their latest U.P. stops, so keep their shows this weekend in mind if you're up for some live metal action! 21+ age limit, no announced cover charges, and 9:00 age limits are in effect, so visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's the guys live last year!

Also newly announced, Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison has confirmed via Facebook that he'll be back at The Harp Bar & Grill TONIGHT, so we'll add his October concert schedule there to our concert listings! Remember, due to the immense length of scheduled bookings on his website's calendar, we're taking these shows a month at a time, as it'd be excessive to add continuous dates into the 2020s to our listings. In October, Tym is advertised on his website to return to the former Madison's Pub tonight & TOMORROW, as well as on October 10th & 11th, 17th & 18th, 24th & 25th, and on Friday the 31st (we'll list Saturday, November 1st too just to complete that weekend), though it's not explicitly clear yet whether Tym and/or the venue will have a Halloween theme then. For reference, the event page for this weekend only explicitly references tonight's show, not tomorrow's, but as his website still lists a Saturday gig, we'll list it as on unless we get additional clarification.

Pushing his ongoing weekly concert arrangement at The Harp into it's 44th-48th straight weekends, Tym will be on each night at around 10:00 PM, you must be 19 to attend, and there's no announced cover charges. For more details, check the above links! Whether you're up for his full solo show on Saturdays or his sets along with open mic acts on Fridays, keep Tym Morrison's Harp shows in mind this month, and for a preview, here's Tym live at The Harp last winter!



Finally, here's a surprise announcement for almost a year away that's almost a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Remember Das Bunkerfest, the private Garden River weekend concert event in August by Oh! Right Arm! Promotions that got a lot of online notice? Well, promoters are giving it a second go around over the last weekend of August 2015 (specifically, August 28th-30th, all 3 days), and they've already tentatively slotted in an intriguingly massive lineup for it! Remember though, with 11 months until show time, this can very easily change. As of right now, Das Bunkerfest II will feature Hamilton all-female hardcore punk band Pantychrist, Toronto crust punk quartet IDNS (as seen at "Das Bunker" last month), London doom/punk trio Moon Hag, Sudbury doom metal trio Horse Lung, and North Bay hardcore punk quartet The Muff Huffers, along with local metal & punk bands Shit Liver, Destroilet, AlgomA, Crucify the Whore, The Apocalypse Afterparty, The Bear Hunters, Rotopsy, Jack Spades, and surprisingly, a reunion of the older local punk band Nullified Youth, whose lineup featured AlgomA alumni!

The lineup is (for now) rounded out by local rappers Mikey Thomas, Conika, Phat Boii, and Brownman, with local DJ Hakan' Loob also scheduled for an "after hours dance party". Stacked lineup, and with a lot of female talent partly thanks to the out of town bands, so hopefully things don't change too much in the next year! A co-promotional effort by Oh! Right Arm!, Blood Shed Productions, and Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce, this will again take place at "Das Bunker" in Garden River, but this is absolutely a public event (at least one shuttle bus is planned too, a'la 2013's Big Loonie Bus Show in Echo Bay.) That said, as is our usual protocol, we don't list a show in our concert listings unless there's a publically advertised address, and if prior "Das Bunker" shows are any indication, we'll know the address "when we need to". Tickets will be $15 and will go on sale in May 2015, so stay tuned to the Facebook event page for full updates as they come in for the very intriguing second Das Bunkerfest!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more big news in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Where Are The New Albums? October 2014 Update

As it's October 2nd, it's time for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, as we continue our monthly feature series exploring the most recent public updates from local metal, hard rock, and punk abums that have had recording sessions commence! No new additions this month, but we did remove two albums (from Northwest & Telephone & Address) due to their respective releases last month. Of this month's 12 spotlighted bands with upcoming albums, seven have updated info, as denoted with their titles in italics. So, where are the new albums? Read on below to hopefully find out!
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AlgomA - Reclaimed By The Forest

Rumoured Songs: "Fell Down A Well", "Reclaimed By The Forest", "Tertiary Syphillis", "Go On, Git!!", "Extinct Volcanoes", "Bedsores", "The Electric Fence"

Background: After just two live concerts, new local stoner metal trio AlgomA (featuring BeeFMouTH and Fuller alumni) began work on studio recordings last summer as per their Facebook page, with singer/guitarist Darby Wigwaus's film production company 62nd Chamber Productions' website confirming that they are in fact working on a debut demo EP.  Vocal recordings were completed in August, and they sent off the tracks to be post-produced in Peterborough, with mixing being taken care of by veteran local musician Mark Rand (source here.) Facebook postings in February revealed the EP's name ("Reclaimed By The Forest") and that it would be released via Malaysian metal label Deadbeat Media. You can see pictures from the sessions in this Facebook album (and the full cover art by Adam Geyer here), while the first song "Fell Down A Well" can be streamed at their Bandcamp page, and advance reviews of the album are popping up on overseas metal websites. Stay tuned for more info!

Current Release Status:  In recent weeks, it has been revealed that "Reclaimed By The Forest" will see it's initial release on October 8th (one week from today), though with the caveat that next week's issue will be overseas only with a North American release coming at a date to be announced, as Deadbeat Media are based out of Malaysia. That said, could a digital release come sooner than physical copies, and is a local CD release show this fall a possibility? Keep an eye out for more!
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The Apocalypse Afterparty's debut EP

Rumoured Songs: "The Crowd" (The Fury cover), "Glory & Gore" (Lorde cover), "Rebel Scum" (The Fury cover)

Background: Before ever playing a public concert , new local rap/metal duo The Apocalypse Afterparty (featuring 2/3rds of Smeltzer as "songwriters") announced on their Facebook page on August 21st that they had begun working on their 3 song debut EP with producer Jamie Vincent (AlgomA), though they also alluded to recording the remaining songs with different producers. The song that they're recording with Jamie is "The Crowd", which you can preview at this link, though other details have yet to follow.

Current Release Status: No idea, especially given "songwriter" Steve Mozarowski's return to the Toronto area this fall and the band's announced plans to expand their lineup with female members, but things seemed to be progressing well despite the band's short existence, and hopefully more comes out soon on this EP!
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The Bear Hunters - Eternal Hibernation
 
Rumoured Songs: "Dominate", "Collapse The Sun", "Karma", "Deception", "Bloodthirst", "Casualties Of War", "Overthrown", "Condemned", "Succumb To Eternity", "Render This Void"

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 then-guitarist Josh Stephney to the band, but details were extremely scant following that news, and the recording plans fell dormant until January 2012, when the band announced plans to record material towards a full length demo release. Setbacks (including a dead computer) have pushed back a planned release, including their non-album cover of Woods of Ypres' "Kiss My Ashes (Goodbye)", but 2013 sessions with producer James White at White Wreckords have been far more fruitful. Entitled "Eternal Hibernation", all of the band's pre-"Servitude" originals will be on the album, with anything newer planned to be on their second release. The album will feature tracks from Josh Stephney, who recorded his parts before moving to Brampton. At most recent word, mixing was complete with mastering all that was left for it's release later this month.

Current Release Status: After numerous delays, "Eternal Hibernation" will finally be released at a CD release party at The Algonquin Pub on Saturday, October 18th, where it will be on sale for attendees and played in full (with Josh) in their first set! Great to see, though it's not clear yet whether there will be a digital release of any kind. Note as well that the band has teased plans to record a leftover EP named "Aftermath" and a second full CD next year, though the band has not publically announced that sessions have begun on either. Don't miss the release party in just over two weeks!
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Beaumont Avenue - King of the World

Rumoured Songs: "Into the Fray", "Red Rover", "King of the World", "Way Out Of Hell", "Take Me Away", "Beaten Down", "Two More Jag", "Jesus Concubines"

Background: Already off to a quick launch with numerous concerts since their fall 2012 debut, local hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings (who changed their name to Beaumont Avenue this summer) surprisingly announced that they were officially working on their first EP on their Facebook page last February. 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 last spring, the tracks were in the final stages of mixing, and though info on the sessions and release was sporadic for much of last year, the band unveiled studio versions of their originals "Into the Fray" & "Jesus Concubines" in January on Facebook, presumably as a preview for the full release., though nothing has followed since, and the band is currently taking a break due to drummer Ben Boudreau's out of town college commitments.

Current Release Status: As of their Facebook page last week, Beaumont Avenue are planning to record 2 EPs of 4 original songs each (grouped by how they feel) before writing a debut album from scratch when Ben returns home, which may or may not mean that they're scrapping their Smoke & Oak Room session tracks for their pending debut CD. Given that they're on break while Ben's away, we may not get fuller details for a while, but be on guard just in case!
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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 5 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 & this April respectively. Whether ex-keyboardist Brian Holmes will be included on the EP is currently unknown.

Current Release Status: Personal commitments and the like have slowed things down incredibly, but in the band's most recent preview video (featuring audio samples), Gates of Winter hinted that work was winding down on "Perihelion", including noting that "the silence ends soon", with this year now targeted for a release. 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 - "XIV" & "Apocalypse II"

Rumoured Songs (X): "Public Enemy", "These Four Walls", "Wasted", "Red", "By The Hand", "Runnin' From Love", "Metal Cage", "Road Rash", "Punch", "Anthem"

Rumoured Songs (A): "Apocalypse", "Spreading The Disease"

Background: After being broken up throughout early 2014, local grunge/alternative rock quartet Haggith came back at the fourth annual Sewer Swampstravaganza at The Oddfellows Hall on May 10th, where the band announced that they would be recording a new studio album, but their Facebook page later indicated that Haggith are now releasing two new CDs! These include a new original album named "XIV" (featuring unreleased songs, new tracks, and previous Punch originals) and a resumption of their "Apocalypse II" concept sequel CD, which has been sampled via song postings on their YouTube channel. Recording sessions are likely ongoing at Paperclip Productions, though it's yet unclear who the featured bassist(s) will be on the albums, given the recent switch from Caleb Cachagee to James White, and that most of the band's prior studio originals featured another band member on the bass track. Keep an eye out for updates!

Current Release Status: Your guess is as good as mine, but Haggith's first three albums were all released on honest and fairly quick schedules once sessions wrapped up! It will be interesting to see how these albums do upon release, especially "XIV" (though no word on what they're counting 14 of.) Recent personal complications in drummer Mike Haggith's life (and a brief retracted departure) did appear to delay the albums' recordings, but it's not known yet if they still will. When we hear more, we'll let you know!
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Mike Haggith's third compilation album

Rumoured Songs: "1980", "Wicked Midnight Ride", "To Whom This May Concern", "Fourth Floor Centre/She Wanted To Be A Veterinarian", "Sun Perfume", "Grace", "Limb Coast","Miss 76", "Room 822", "Trinity", "Solitude", "Resurfaced", "The Day The Lights Went Out", "Lost Time"

Background: Amidst postings towards this summer's release of his newest studio album "A Place Of Our Own", Haggith drummer Mike Haggith also recently announced is his third best-of compilation album (possibly "The Best of Mike Haggith: Volume 3"?), which was revealed on Facebook in April. Compiling 14 top songs from his previous 4 studio releases ("Suspended Animation", "The Present Din", and both "Neighbourhood Watch" CDs), Mike didn't close the door on re-recorded some vocal tracks, possibly in conjunction with a planned re-release of the first "Neighbourhood Watch" album. You can view the compilation's artwork at this link, though further updates aren't out yet.

Current Release Status: Originally, Mike was hoping for it's digital release in the weeks following the reveal of the disc, but that's came and went, so it's unclear where this will fall. In any event, physical pressings are possible, pending customer demand. Stay tuned as more comes in!
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RedD Monkey - Opus 2

Rumoured Songs: "Broken Parts", "Losing Friends", "The Jock Song"

Background: The planned third CD from this popular local hardcore punk/classical trio, RedD Monkey have hyped "Opus 2" (a follow-up to 2012's "All Baroque")  in online posts through last spring, along with previewing the disc at a Toronto concert last June, though further updates on it's release status have yet to be made, nor has a release schedule been announced. I'd assume that "Opus 2" was recorded in a similar method to "All Baroque", but that's just speculation given that both CDs were labelled as opuses in a series. Keep an eye in case something's announced!

Current Release Status: I'm not really sure, especially following the band's confirmation that they're currently on a hiatus. That said, the sessions appear to be complete, and a preview of it was held last year, so a release can't be terribly far off for when/if they return to activity. In case they do come back, keep an eye out!
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The Revolution's debut EP

Rumoured Songs: "Murder For Sport", "We Are The Gladiators", "Monsters"

Background: New local doom/punk trio The Revolution (originally the second version of Brutaly Fatal) surprisingly announced on their Facebook page last month that they were heading into the studio to begin recording their debut EP on July 26th. The sessions are being done at their new label PaperClip Productions, who signed the band in May. Details on the title, artwork, song list, and cover art are to be revealed.

Current Release Status: No idea, as we don't have past albums from Austin, Rainey, and Brandan to compare in terms of making a guess (aside from Austin's early Brutaly Fatal demos), but PaperClip Productions tend to be fairly quick and honest with release dates, so we'll have to see how things flesh out in the coming months!
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Sailor's Tongue's debut album

Rumoured Songs: "Float, "Out of the Woodwork", "Wired For No Sound", "Shadow", "Doctor John", "BootScattered", "Beauty's Limousine", "Don't Shoot The Messenger", "Horses & Trains", "Navy"

Background: Despite only playing two gigs (both at the Rotaryfest Second Stage) since returning from their three year breakup in 2012, local hard rock notables Sailor's Tongue have hit the studio to record what I believe is their first full length album, which will feature their current quintet lineup. Drummer Dean McKey uploaded four tracks (some labelled as demos) to his Soundcloud page last year that are likely towards the album, while there are existing songs on their Reverbnation page from earlier sessions that will likely be featured in some form. Though info on the album is as sporadic as their live dates, a preview demo CD named "Pierced" was sold at their Rotaryfest set in July featuring 7 tracks, though Dean later told me on Facebook that the album was just a sampler for attendees and was not the final product. Keep an eye out for updates!

Current Release Status: No finite idea as of right now, but given their long breaks between live concerts & page postings, there hasn't been many outlets to give updates either. I wouldn't have been surprised to see the final CD released at this year's Rotaryfest, but the Second Stage was put on hiatus for 2014, and a Sailor's Tongue return show didn't take place to coincide with anything relating to Rotaryfest. In any event, stay tuned for possible info!
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The Sorrow Fields - Let Go

Rumoured Songs: "Godlessness"

Background: Previously known as Animas, April Eyes, and By The Gods, The Sorrow Fields is the long gestating black/death metal solo metal project from Bear Hunters/Suicide Kings guitarist Mitch Sirie. He resurrected the project under it's new name in 2012, complete with an atmospheric & dark sound, and he has sporadically updated fans as to his newest planned debut album via their YouTube channel and deleted Facebook page. As of June 2013, he'd titled the album "Godlessness" (though it was changed to "Let Go" this spring), and a preview of the title track and another unnamed song were uploaded there to check out before being privatized for unannounced reasons. Mitch is still working on the album though, and has aims to finish it after 6 years of off & on work, as per a recent personal Facebook posting.

Current Release Status: Mitch's most recent release timeframe for The Sorrow Fields' album was this coming winter, though he added on Facebook that he didn't plan to speak about it further until completion, so our next word or previews on it might not be for a while. Knowing how delayed his past solo album "Hollow Hope" was prior to it's cancellation, this could be a long road, especially as he's a workhorse with his two bands. In case new "Let Go" or Sorrow Fields news rolls in, we'll have it here!
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Sykotyk Rampage - "Bring The Heavy"

Rumoured Songs: N/A

Background: Continuing their extremely prolific recording nature, local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage began recording sessions at River Front Recreation Studios for what was announced to be their next seven "albums" on February 6th, but the band later retracted that to three for unannounced reasons upon their release last month. "Kitty Farts & Other Play Full Noises", "Environ-Mental Suits 2: Anvil of Antioch", and "Captain Awesome Sex & Chastity Boy Episode 3: Who's Driving Spaceship Earth?" all came out as scheduled, but "Wyrd Radio", "Padre Pwj with Ready for Revival", "Santa's Night Out", and "Double LIVE" were all quietly dropped or postponed. However, their Reverbnation page lists a separate fourth album named "Bring The Heavy" for a release this month that wasn't a part of the earlier album title announcements, and given that, it's very likely that it's at least partially recorded, and may feature some dropped tracks.

Current Release Status: Advertised for the now passed date of September 30th, we're now in a waiting game for "Bring The Heavy", though Sykotyk Rampage's announced release dates rarely line up with the day they are posted online. That said, Sykotyk Rampage hasn't released a formal paid album since 2012, and while we assume "Bring The Heavy" will follow a similar template, it's always possible it will be posted as a full paid album at some point too. In any event, keep an eye out for new crash music, and hear their other new songs above!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! This series will return on November 2nd as usual, while our next monthly feature post (barring a flash album review) will be our joint Defunct Local Band Profiles on NoXcape and Starlit Sins one week from tomorrow, so keep an eye out then, and stay tuned for more news soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Banned), Recent Pixo Control Activity, And Much More!!

Believe it or not, this is our first news post since Friday, partly due to my own schedule and a slower general news spread in the fall, but with October now upon us, and Halloween approaching closer and closer, that will definitely change! To start our news catch-up, we have a bunch of assorted recent notes, an apology-laden write-up on a local band's September activity, and to kick things off, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month, so here's what you need to know!

Kinross, Michigan hard/classic rock trio Banned have confirmed two new regional concert weekends for next month! The guys will return to The Runway Bar in Hessel for the first time in three months on Friday, November 14th & Saturday, November 15th, while they'll make their first appearances at the Dondee Lanes in Sault Michigan of 2014 the following weekend (November 21st-22nd), so if you've been hoping for some new non-Kewadin gigs from the Traynors and Wayne in our area, there you go! These shows were confirmed on Banned's Facebook page on Sunday, and join upcoming dates in Drummond Island, Gould City, and Engadine over the next few months, plus previously announced Kewadin Casino gigs. Banned's Hessel and Soo shows next month are both 21+ affairs with no announced cover charge, and while they'll be on at 9:00 PM at The Runway Bar, their Dondee shows have an earlier start time of 8:00 PM.

For more details, check the above links! It's great to see Banned continuing to rock some consistent dates (and add some new non-Kewadin dates to their fall schedule), so stay tuned for more, and if you're up for the trip, go see Banned in Drummond Island next weekend!

Next up, have you been wondering why we haven't covered The Pixo Control on here yet this fall? To be completely honest, I hadn't seen much from them since The Emergency Festival, but blame my Facebook news feed for not posting what they did last month on my wall, as I just realized yesterday that we missed two unique concerts of theirs over the past month. In the midst of songwriting, the local alternative hard rockers played a set at the Soo's first annual Pridefest on September 7th at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion alongside solo sets by Ryan Seabrook & The Wild Iris' Jake Rendell (source here), before joining local indie acoustic trio K.I.C.K. and other artists at the MS Norgoma (yes, the boat-turned-museum) on September 19th for the second annual 46th Parallel, Music, Art & Media Festival, even making the poster. Very unique setting that you can check out courtesy of Local2's video coverage of this cool event (though The Pixo Control aren't featured), while Pridefest is a great cause itself, and it's awesome to see the LGBT community coming together for an event of this calibre in the Soo!

Still, the fact that we missed a month's worth of updates from The Pixo Control is inexcusable, especially for such a promising young band (let alone one of the few "heavy" bands in the Soo with over 1,000 Facebook likes), so our sincere apologies for what we missed over the past month! I'll try my best to make sure we're more on top of their news and notes, and hopefully we see the guys on the local stage again soon! Stay tuned for more! 

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

• Local death metal rockers The Bear Hunters have confirmed that the booklet for their debut album "Eternal Hibernation" will have lyrics for each song. Great news for fans, especially if some find it hard to discern Nik's growling, so keep that in mind for the release next month! Our source is the band's Facebook page on Saturday.
• Local goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore will apparently join fellow local metal bands AlgomA, Bad Back, and The Apocalypse Afterparty in Toronto on October 16th for their "Northern Horde" concert there, marking C.T.W.'s Southern Ontario debut as well. This is a huge opportunity for Tyler, hopefully everyone shows Toronto what the Soo's made of! Our source is The Apocalypse Afterparty's Facebook page.
• Local post-punk quartet Gnaeus have begun a new studio recording session of some type, as per their Facebook page's newest photo on Sunday. Just an outlet to record a new original song or two, or is this something more? We'll let you know if we hear anything!
• Local promoter J.D. Pearce's promotional Facebook group is already teasing some 2015 concerts, including a new Dayglo Abortions show in May, his involvement in co-promoting the second annual Das Bunkerfest (more on that in our next news post), and in a surprising development, a full Fistmagnet reunion show in June?! If you enjoyed Garry's guest turn with Destroilet at Hardcore Homecoming, you'll definitely want to pay attention, so stay tuned for updates! No word yet though on next month's teased Whiskey Shits concert.
• A local musician named Jordan Leach is looking for a singer, guitarist, and drummer for a new downtown-centered punk band that he's starting. He'd prefer a female singer, and it's assumed that he's the bassist in the band, who would cover some indie and metal songs as well. Practices would be between Friday & Sunday, and if you're interested in trying out, message Jordan at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Monday!
• I've deleted the short lived Redundant predecessors The Quims from our inactive band links due to the recent deletion of their Facebook page for unannounced reasons. Active briefly in late 2010, The Quims had planned to play "raunch hillbilly redneck rock n' roll", but fell inactive before forming Redundant as a more typical punk band the next year. Stay tuned for more from the Redundant camp as we hear it!
• In case you saw recent live videos of That's Chester at a private wedding gig in the Elliott Lake area and were hoping to see them on the site, then I can't help, as drummer Ric Datson had to pull them from his YouTube channel due to copyright complaints. Disappointing, but maybe he can try posting them on Facebook? For reference, the videos were covers of Supertramp and AC/DC songs.
• I've replaced the link for defunct local goregrind trio Tomgrindy in our inactive band links due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook page, but luckily they're still on Reverbnation for all you Blood Shed Productions fans! We won't get into the details of their split and falling out though.

That's all for now, but stay tuned for another news post far sooner than this one was, and for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!