Toystock 2014 Fallout, Coverage, And Media!!

As hinted over the past week, here at last is our first fallout post from the third annual Toystock fundraiser concert at The Canadian Nightclub this past Sunday! We'll start with some local news coverage, as SooToday's Donna Hopper was among the attendees at the annual Christmas Cheer benefit, posting this article later that night that both outlined the saga of the Kraft Dinner box and the concert at hand. Donna couldn't stay long though, with her photos split between Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners' set and Toystock attendees during and around Santa Claus' arrival. Solid pictures all around though (and in colour), so give them a look above! If you're looking for photos of more of the day's bands, local photographer Roy Iachetta will have you covered, as his Facebook page features a few dozen shots of every act (including Killabeatz) that you can see at this link and here, but I'll give the caveat that the photos are not in chronological order, and are spread out between the two albums linked above. Great photos though, and kudos to Roy for sticking around all day!

In terms of videos, Sault Online's Mike Caruso was also on hand all day to film each band, just like he does each year at Rotaryfest! Note that he didn't get a video of Killabeatz, but to be fair, his mini-sets weren't advertised in advance. His videos were largely uploaded to his YouTube channel over the past week, starting with this news piece that begins with a brief interview by Mike with Toystock co-promoter/Bone Yard frontman Greg Simpson, so what's discussed there? In the interview portion, Greg talks about the event's theme and purpose, how it began, and the charitable causes behind everything, and while it's short, it's informative! The rest of the video features abbreviated clips of all 10 of from Mike's full performance videos, so if you prefer to watch the full videos, this will admittedly be redundant save for the interview. Give it a look below!



To avoid an extremely long post, we won't feature all of the videos that Mike shot in this post, but we'll outline the first few chronologically so you know what happened in the early hours of Toystock III! I'll note off the bat though that Mike's videos are generally of each band's first song, they all look auto-brightened, and they all use multiple camera angles. They're well edited and capture the bands nicely, but on occasion, the audio quality jumps when the camera angle changes. Mike's videos led off with local country/bluegrass act The Stumpy Coldwater Trio covering The Steeldrivers' "Guitars, Whiskey, Guns, and Knives", Mike Case's Junior All Stars covering Hot Chelle Rae's "Tonight Tonight", Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners playing her original "Swear When I Pray", and first for hard rock videos, The Pixo Control playing their original song "Land of the Moles"! One of the guys' more familiar tracks, it was well performed here, and has a well-aged spirit to it, so give it a look below!



Mike's next Toystock videos were of country veterans Thin Ice covering Jason Aldean's "The Only Way That I Know", as well as his own version of all-female classic rockers Domina covering Pat Benatar's "All Fired Up", but we'll close things for today with his video of local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 covering The Cult's "Wild Flower". Definitely better in quality than our video of this song (and of "All Fired Up" too), though Ed's vocals could be a bit more forceful and loud in the mix. We'll recap Mourning Wood, Mannapool, and Bone Yard's videos, plus extra fallout in an upcoming post, so stay tuned for that, and now, here's Lucky 13 on Sunday!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Havadder), The End Of Pillory, And Much More!!

As we continue to clear out our recent news cache, we have an inactive band to take note of, big changes for a yearly music event, and some more assorted notes, but first, here's SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for THIS WEEKEND! (Edited at 10:49 AM)

Local classic hard rock cover quartet Havadder will return to The Rednecks Saloon for headlining concerts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, frontman Jason Roy only just announced the shows yesterday via their Facebook event page. Keeping with their recent trend of playing one weekend a month at the former Nicolet Tavern, this weekend's shows are apparently Havadder's last of the year, so if you want one last 2014 show with Jason and company, you know where to be for their often heavy covers! The event page implies that they have both new songs in their setlist and "old members", though it's not clear if they're meaning guest spots by ex-members or not. We can confirm though that ex-drummer Scott McLurg will fill in for T.J. Case for at least a third straight weekend, at least partly due to T.J.'s conflicting date with Mourning Wood TOMORROW at The New American, so keep that in mind also! Our source is Scott's personal Facebook page.

Admission for TONIGHT & TOMORROW is likely free, both shows have 10:00 PM start times, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, check the above links, don't miss Havadder's cover attack this weekend, and here are the guys at The Rednecks Saloon this fall!



Next up, we have a band to move to our inactive band links, that being Sault Ontario thrash metal quartet Pillory. While their Facebook page hasn't been updated in over 8 months, we can confirm their demise via their entry on the Encyclopaedia Metallum, which confirms that the band split up in August, after being "on hold" since April. Any update there must be sourced when a report is submitted, so it's likely that a band member sent it in to confirm their status. Pillory had been active since 2012 as one of the Soo's few pure thrash bands of recent years, debuting live at The Canadian Nightclub that November. After founding guitarist Andres Duchesne's sudden passing the next month, the band wouldn't hit the stage again with a full lineup until the winter of 2013/14, where they played a handful of all ages gigs and released their only EP "Cringe At The Cross" in December 2013. Later updates were sporadic and mostly concerned lineup changes, though it should be noted that frontman Robert Sartini's other recent projects have all quietly closed most of their online pages this year as well.

Pillory were a talented and brutal band that had a lot of promise, especially on their EP, but Andres' death and other delays didn't help their live concert frequency. It would be nice to see Robert get back into bands again (Pillory or otherwise), as he has the skill and drive, and the same goes for Josh, Devon, Bret, and other surviving ex-members in the future!

Also today, remember The Marquee, which is the outdoor concert stage from the last two years of the Bon Soo Winter Carnival? Well, it will return for a third year in February, but with a changed format. According to Bon Soo's website, The Marquee will be retracted from a daily event throughout the festival to a one-day event on Friday, February 6th (Bon Soo's opening day for 2015), with acts only playing from 5:00-9:00 PM. A reason for the retraction hasn't been announced, but as you may remember, The Marquee struggled with attendance issues earlier this year, as addressed in our review of the night I attended, which could be blamed partially on the cold weather and poor advertising, among other factors. According to a post on a local music Facebook group by co-organizer Jessica Bolduc, The Marquee will move indoors from The Roberta Bondar Pavilion to The Mill Market, which goes along with the whole festival's move to Mill Square at the former St. Mary's Paper site for 2015.

With all of that said, if you or your band wants to play at The Marquee on February 6th, message co-organizer Aislyn Ireton A.S.A.P. at aislyn.ireton@student.saultcollege.ca. I'm disappointed to see The Marquee shrunk so much this year, as I do think the concept of a multi-day outdoor winter music stage has potential (especially if it's well advertised online), but if the shorter one-day indoor version can prove more sustainable, maybe they can expand The Marquee again for 2016? We'll keep you posted if hard rock or punk bands are on the lineup next year!

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

• The Bloody Boxing Day Basement Jam at 11 Hearst Street later this month has had a slight lineup adjustment, as the vacant slot will be filled by Brutally Fatal frontman Austin McCrae in a solo acoustic set, perhaps a throwback to his old Re-Born work? However, his solo set will now open the show at 6:00 PM, with the rappers bumped up a half hour, and Mikey Thomas now in the previously vacant 8:00 PM slot. Interesting, so visit the Facebook event page for more info!
• Leading from our addition of Telephone & Address' next album plans to yesterday's "Where Are The New Albums?" post,the Chris Shoust-led solo punk/grunge project is now distributing copies of their recent albums "The Rotten EP" and "Need Not Apply" on the online music store Interpunk! Nice to see, so keep that in mind also if you want to order physical copies! Both albums retail for $11,75 there, minus shipping fees.
• Danger Cats frontwoman Kate Drew will replace Greg Callaghan at the second annual X-Mess acoustic punk revue at The Algonquin Pub on  December 20th, and will be playing an acoustic set of Distillers covers under the handle "Ms. Tillers". Promoter J.D. Pearce revealed the change on the Facebook event page on Tuesday, confirming that Greg's out due to a scheduling snag. Disappointing for him and fans, but it's great to see Kate back, so stay tuned for more updates when they come in!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for a Toystock fallout post next on the site! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Griphook, Tym Morrison, And Mourning Wood), And Weekend Concert Previews!!

Before we continue clearing out backlogged news stories, here's this weekend's hard rock concert previews! Aside from the St. Ignace shows at post's end, these all have SHORT NOTICE CONCERT ALERTS attached, along with some December shows later in the month from two of the bands, but there's some solid covers going down at numerous venues this weekend, so here's what you should know for this weekend and beyond!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Griphook will return to The Rockstar Bar for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band originally announced the show on Sunday via it's Facebook event page, but our own busy last few days pushed it aside at the time. This will be this veteran band's first Rockstar Bar appearance in almost nine months, and just their second show since Rotaryfest, so you know they'll be ready to rock with their often heavy covers once again tomorrow! No word yet though on why they're not playing on Saturday, but it's likely due to a separate booking from another act. A $5 cover charge is likely (though The Rockstar Bar has had more and more no-cover nights in recent months), you must be 19 to attend, and an 11:00 PM start time is advertised. For more details, check the above links! It's great to see Griphook playing live somewhat regularly again, so keep TOMORROW'S show in mind, and here are the guys live this summer!

Next up, we'll add veteran local hard rock musician Tym Morrison's acoustic solo concerts at The Harp Bar & Grill for December to our concert listings, as he's scheduled to return there TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT, as well as on December 12th & 13th, 19th and 20th, and on the 26th & 27th! Apologies for the short notice again for this weekend, we were waiting for Facebook confirmation of the first shows, but none came before this preview post. Also, I thought I'd mention that Tym's shows at The Harp last weekend were cancelled on short notice last Friday due to Tym being too sick to perform, as per his personal Facebook page, and I apologize for not hearing about the cancellations at the time! In any event, Tym's website's calendar lists all of this month's dates, but we'll let you know if something changes! Like usual for his Harp run (which hits it's one year anniversary later this month), Friday shows are jam nights that he hosts and plays at, and Saturday shows are general acoustic gigs.

Like usual, this month's solo shows from Tym Morrison have 19+ age limits, no announced cover charges, and 10:00 PM start times. For more details, visit the above links, and we'll of course let you know when/if we hear of any cancellations or changes! Either way, hopefully you consider a trip to the former Madison's Pub this weekend for some entertaining unplugged hard rock, and here's Tym at Mill Square!



Lastly for short notice announcements, we have local classic/hard rock trio Mourning Wood, and unlike last weekend at Reggie's West, we had slightly more advance word on these so we could get them on the site! Still, apologies for the short notice, the earlier of the shows was only announced on Tuesday. First, you can see Terry, Steven, and T.J. live at The New American Pub SATURDAY NIGHT at The New American Pub, marking their third advertised appearance there since forming, while the other booking will see them rocking out on New Year's Eve (Wednesday, December 31st) at The Rednecks Saloon, so there's your first known hard rock show to ring in 2015 with! That show was announced on their Facebook page on November 19th, but further details are to be confirmed. Both of this month's shows are 19+ engagements with no announced cover, and while the New Year's show will likely be a 10:00 PM gig, SATURDAY'S New A show will have an early start time of 6:00 PM.

The 6:00 PM start time does seem odd on the surface, but all of Mourning Wood's shows at this venue have started then for unannounced reasons, so it's normal for there. If you want an earlier night from your cover rock bands, this might be up your alley though! For more details, click here and visit the above links, don't miss this talented trio's hard rock attack on Saturday and on New Year's Eve, and here are the guys at Rock For Dimes!

Finally for this weekend's confirmable hard rock shows, we'll head to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino, where Charlevoix, Michigan hard rock quartet Audio Circus will make their long awaited Eastern U.P. debuts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Fronted by Jeff Hudson (of Peril, Scarkazm, and Kiss'd fame), Audio Circus are the last of Jeff's active bands to play a Sault-area show in 2014 following his non-Peril bands' local show bookings earlier this year, and in a sense, they're also the most mysterious, having very little online concerning their sound of media of them in concert. The guys do have a 1980s-leaning hard rock sound though, and have opened for the likes of Quiet Riot & Slaughter since debuting, so fans should be in good hands when they take in the Audio Circus this weekend (and yes, these shows had plenty of advance notice!) Both tomorrow & Saturday's shows have 21+ age limits, no announced cover charge, and 9:00 PM start times. For more details, check the above links, and don't miss Audio Circus this weekend in St. Ignace!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news soon, as we're still fairly behind on recent items! Thanks everyone!

Where Are The New Albums? December 2014 Update

It's now time for our delayed last "Where Are The New Albums?" post of the year, and I apologize for the wait, as we're badly behind on a lot around here after the concert review crush from the last few days. As usual, this monthly feature looks at the current release statuses of announced and partially recorded metal, punk, and hard rock albums from Sault Ontario-area bands, in order to keep tabs on how far along they are and when you might see them! This month, we've removed The Bear Hunters' new CDs and Sykotyk Rampage's "Bring The Heavy" (which we'll have more on in the coming days) due to their releases in the past month, but we also removed one due to a band's likely inactive status, and added three new albums in the works! As usual, updated entries have their titles in italics. So, where are the new albums? Read on below to hopefully find out!
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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 recorded with Jamie is "The Crowd", which you can hear in full 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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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 in September, 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", and "Time Machine: Live"

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", "Hands of Death", "Tribute to Mike Haggith"

Rumoured Songs (T): Unknown

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 ongoing at Paperclip Productions, though it's yet unclear who the featured bassist(s) will be on the albums, given their recent unstability in that position. On November 24th, the band also revealed plans for a live album named "Time Machine: Live", though little else is known on it or if it will get a paid release.

Current Release Status: As of November 24th, Haggith were aiming for releases of "Apocalypse II", "Time Machine: Live", and "XIV" in January, February, and March respectively, though those can change. "XIV" in particular has been delayed due to the band's split with bassist James White and his White Wreckords studio, which once had a hand in the recording sessions. Stay tuned for updates on all three as we hear them!
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Mike Haggith's third compilation album & "The Warinside"

Rumoured Songs (C): "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"

Rumoured Songs (W): "We Met As Surrogates", "The Snake", "Candy Is A Hooker's Name", "Someday", "Lay My Body To Rest", "Of Cars & Criminals", "September", "Out Of My League", "A Drive Through The Peninsula", "30"

Background: In April, Haggith drummer Mike Haggith announced his third best-of compilation album (possibly "The Best of Mike Haggith: Volume 3"?), which would compile 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. However, Mike has updated his Facebook page this fall to detail his upcoming 49th studio album "The Warinside", which also has a tentative tracklist and will reflect his recent personal life, with the instrumental "September" now available to stream from it as well.

Current Release Status: For the compilation, 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. As for "The Warinside", we're a ways off from a release yet, but instrumental tracking is complete, and given how fast and honest he tends to be, any updates should be good as to it's progress. 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, and given that they've issued no public updates since their last show on Boxing Day last year, that can't be a good sign for fans. 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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Redundant's debut CD

Rumoured Songs: "Miles Apart", "That December", "What You'll Do"

Background: Over two and a half years after their last documented studio sessions in the spring of 2012, local punk trio Redundant revealed on their Facebook page on November 16th that they're finally working on finishing their debut CD, and will look to hold a CD release party for it upon it's completion. Details are otherwise minimal, including on if the guys will just package their older studio work for the release, or include new recordings, perhaps at bassist James White's new studio White Wreckords. We'll keep you posted when we hear more!

Current Release Status: Though we don't know much on the new/revived album plans, Redundant do sound serious about completing their CD, and an early 2015 timeframe is likely being targeted. We'll be sure to let you know when updates roll in though!
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The Revolution's debut EP

Rumoured Songs: "Murder For Sport", "We Are The Gladiators", "Monsters", "Prisoner of Hate", "Mercury", "Get High With Me"

Background: New local doom/punk trio The Revolution (originally the second version of Brutaly Fatal) surprisingly announced on their Facebook page this summer that they were heading into the studio to begin recording their debut EP on July 26th. The sessions were 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, but the band revealed on November 24th that songwriting was still ongoing, and they wouldn't be back in the studio until they found a new bassist to replace the departed Rainey Vincent.

Current Release Status: Though The Revolution is hoping to have the EP out "in the new year", we don't have past albums from Austin & Brandan to compare in terms of making a specific guess (aside from Austin's early Brutaly Fatal demos.) 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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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 personal Facebook posting earlier this year.

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. It should also be noted that Mitch hinted on personal Facebook posts this fall that a studio version of his fan favourite "Squirrel Buddy" is in the works, but whether it's a single or a renamed full album isn't clear. In case new "Let Go" or Sorrow Fields news rolls in, we'll have it here!
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Telephone & Address - Rust Orchid

Rumoured Songs: Unknown

Background: Less than a month after the release of their newest solo CD "Need Not Apply", Telephone & Address mainman Chris Shoust revealed on their Facebook page on October 25th that the solo grunge/punk project has already laid down studio tracks for another CD named "Rust Orchid", but he's waiting for funds to press physical copies before release. He says that the album will be "much different than the last", referencing "Need Not Apply" and it's electric bass/vocals sound, but whether he's returning to an unplugged guitar motif or going completely different isn't clear. When released, it's likely to also turn up on Telephone & Address' Bandcamp page and on Interpunk, which Chris is also using to distribute physical copies.

Current Release Status: It's all up to when Chris can fund the physical copies, but I'd be surprised if we see it before New Year's Day, given the time involved with that and SOCAN registration, which he tends to do for his CDs. Given the lo-fi nature though, things could roll along very quickly, so stay tuned for updates!
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With all of that said, one album was removed due to it's unlikely release status, so here's what you should know on it:
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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 hit the studio to record tracks for their debut full length album, which would have featured their recent 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 would likely have be featured in some form. A preview demo CD named "Pierced" was sold at their Rotaryfest Second Stage set in July 2013 that featured 7 tracks, though Dean later told me on Facebook that the album was just a sampler for attendees and was not the intended final product.

Reason For Removal: This album's been removed because of Sailor's Tongue's inactive public status, as the band hasn't played live or issued a public update since said Rotaryfest set last July, which could partly be due to members Kyle & Dean McKey's out of town residence, or perhaps due to the Second Stage's 2014 hiatus. In any event, their planned CD is presumably in limbo until they come back, though if Sailor's Tongue return (perhaps along with the Second Stage in 2015), I can't see the full album being that far behind! Hopefully we hear more from the guys!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, and of course, stay tuned one week from tomorrow for our Defunct Local Band Profile on Half Past! That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Brutally Fatal), Bear Hunters CD Release Fallout, And More!!

With concert reviews taking up the last few days, we finally have our first news post of December for you guys today, and yes, this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post is guaranteed to be next! Today, we have a new guitar video, plenty of updates from a recent CD release and it's launch show, and first, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this month!

A new house party concert from Blood Shed Productions will take place on Boxing Day (Friday, December 26th), and yes, it's location is publically advertised! Termed a "Bloody Boxing Day Basement Jam", there's a huge lineup currently planned for this event, so who all's playing? The scheduled headliner is Strange Coyotes guitarist Chase Wigmore in a solo set at 11:30 PM, while Blood Shed death metal acts Brutally Fatal and Rotopsy are slated for 10:45 & 9:15 PM. Notably, local metal/rap project The Apocalypse Afterparty will play a local set for the first time since September at 9:15 PM that night, but how will their set look and sound given teased lineup additions and their own recent songwriting? We'll know for sure then! Goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore will take the stage at 8:30 PM, while the 8:00 PM slot is currently vacant, and we'll let you know when it's filled!

The opening four acts are all rappers, including Mikey Thomas at 7:30 PM, Legitly Logic (formerly Dillionaire, a.k.a. Rotopsy's Dylan Taylor) at 7:00 PM, Miracle Man at 6:30 PM, and Phat Boii at 6:00 PM. To be held at 11 Hearst Street (downtown/centrally located) and partly as a makeup for a halted Boxing Day private gig last year, this ALL AGES show has no announced cover charge. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Sounds like a stacked event for the Blood Shed, so keep it in mind if you love similar events, especially given the season!

Next up, here's some fallout from The Bear Hunters' CD release party at The Canadian Nightclub on Saturday! The show and release was covered before and after the fact in separate SooToday articles by Donna Hopper, so what's in them? On Saturday before the show, an article went up to hype the event, which featured remarks by guitarist Mitch Sirie on the troubled recording process for "Eternal Hibernation", their work with White Wreckords to complete the album, and why he went the do-it-yourself route to complete the CD. Solid read, if dated now given that it was pre-show! As for after it, Donna's article recapping the event went up on Monday, where she called "Eternal Hibernation" a "powerful 10-song release", and remarked briefly on the event itself. As expected, she got some great photos that night (albeit in black & white), including 15 of The Bear Hunters and 5 of Brampton's Livid & The Bloodthirsty, though sadly, none of Haggith's opening set.

Excellent photos as always, so give them a look above! Also, video cameras from Local2 were on hand, presumably for an upcoming Tuned episode, so we'll let you know when they make it online! As for The Bear Hunters' CDs themselves, here's some info on the contents of each! Both "Eternal Hibernation" ($10) and the prior EP "Collapse The Sun" ($2 in limited quanitites) were released & mastered through Mitch Sirie's new independent company Edge of Eden Productions, and were recorded at White Wreckords with producer James White. Both professionally packaged with album booklets, full lyrics, and artwork by Kevin Powe, "Eternal Hibernation" is dedicated to late original rhythm guitarist Andres Duchesne, who has a tribute photo & message on the inner tray liner. It's booklet includes large individual photos of each band member, along with full credits, shout outs, and thanks to everyone who helped along the way.

Of note for the lyrics, singer Nik Deubel wrote almost every song himself, save for "Succumb To Eternity" (which bassist Justin Lam wrote), while Nik & Justin both wrote "Casualties of War", and Nik & Mitch both wrote "Render This Void", so there's some insight if you didn't know the minds behind the words! As for the "Collapse The Sun" single, that features the studio version of "the title track, a live version of said song, and a 2011 demo instrumental of it, mainly to show how it's evolved since the early days. The live version was recorded at the 3 Inches of Blood concert at the former Roosevelt Hotel (now Reggie's West) on July 9th, 2012, and to my surprise, it's actually a mastered audio copy of the video I shot from their set at that show! I'm not complaining, I'm glad to see that the guys liked it and put it to a greater use! "Eternal Hibernation" t-shirts are forthcoming within the week, apparently, while The Bear Hunters' attention now shifts to new CDs.

According to their Facebook page on Sunday, the guys plan to have an online store up and running in the coming weeks to sell digital copies of their CDs (no word on if it'll be on Bandcamp or not), while tentative plans are to release their "Aftermath" EP (featuring leftover songs from older songwriting sessions) "early next year", with their second studio album "The Dead Testament" following late next year. No word on Rad Zone availability yet, but it looks like The Bear Hunters are well on their way, and it's great to finally have the CD out! Look for our review of it later this month, and stay tuned for more from their camp!

Finally for today, here's a new solo guitar performance video by Exiled guitarist Joe Jenkins! Uploaded to his YouTube channel yesterday, this is of the Sault Michigan-area guitarist jamming his own original compsition "Pitch Black", which he previously demoed on his YouTube channel in March via this link. Shot from below, you get a good angle of his playing with this video, and the song remains a solid hard rock number that would be neat to see fleshed out with a full band! Solidly done, so give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Joe & Exiled!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post either tonight or tomorrow, with weekend concert previews and more to follow! Thanks everyone!

Toystock 2014 Concert Review!!

It's finally time for our review of Sunday's 3rd annual Toystock fundraiser concert at The Canadian Nightclub, and apologies for the delay! The Bear Hunters CD release party's review and uploading everything from Toystock ate up yesterday. As you may remember, this show was once again held to raise money and donations for Christmas Cheer, and plenty of people donated toys and food for the occasion! In return, organizers Maxx Entertainment delivered in kind with lots of family entertainment from bands and local merchants, including a free photo booth, free slushies, a kids play area, Santa & Mrs. Claus, and plenty of prize draws from numerous sponsors and local establishments. The turnout was never exceedingly packed, but remained consistently good throughout the day, though the floor was largely left for kids in attendance to dance and have fun, and they sure did that!

I missed last year's Toystock due to family commitments, so I can't compare the layout to then, but I did notice that the long tables from 2012 were not present on Sunday, which I honestly found a bit restrictive then. And yes, if you've followed the saga of the Kraft Dinner box from one of the local Facebook auction groups that Toystock co-organizer James Scott put up for charity, that saw it's end yesterday when Samantha Cadreau (who won it for $200) claimed the Kraft Dinner and a bouquet of flowers, ending a great charitable cause that raised at least $1,500 on it's own, and even got Kraft's attention and their own huge donaton!

Opening the day's musical entertainment was The Stumpy Coldwater Trio, who I want to apologize to first off, as our Toystock coverage said they were a blues band, when they're actually a country act. I couldn't find media of them, but saw that they played blues-branded shows, hence the confusion. They have a familiar face for hard rock fans though, as That's Chester bassist Aubrey Falls plays a large stand-up bass for them alongside singer/guitarist Rick Deevey and mandolin player Jim Hopper. Their set was comprised entirely of country covers, and while I'm admittedly not a huge country fan, I could clearly see their talent and veteran professionalism during their set, and their interactions and vocal harmonies showed a good chemistry between them! Not my thing, but The Stumpy Coldwater Trio delivered for early country fans!

Next was Mike Case's Junior All Stars, the live band that results from former Case's Music owner Mike Case's annual youth music classes that you may remember seeing at other all ages concert events. I've never seen them live before, so in a nutshell, their lineup includes 7 young musicians (4 girls, 3 boys) ranging in age from 6 to 16, alongside Asylum Country's T.J. Case on drums, who recurs in the band's yearly versions. Their set was comprised of pop and classic rock covers, mostly from female singers like Serena Ryder, Katy Perry, and Joan Jett. You can't really critique a band like this, as they're all young and developing their musical talent, so while the song choices largely weren't my preference, the kids are learning their respective crafts well, but you could tell that they were a bit nervous and stiff. Special props go to the two youngest kids also, as they were just having fun! It'll be interesting to see how this year's Junior All Stars develop in the coming years, and kudos to them on playing Toystock the past 2 years!

After the All Stars' set, attendees were treated to a surprise mini-set by local beatboxer Robert Drolet, a.k.a. Killabeatz, who recently competed at the Canadian Beatbox Championships in Toronto! In case you're not familiar, beatboxing is vocal percussion, where you use your mouth and voice to make beats and music, generally for rap and hip-hop styles. His performance included assorted vocalizations and rhythms, an attempt at a beatboxed version of "Jingle Bells" with fan accompaniment, and even the impressive act of laughing while beatboxing. Even if you're not a big rap fan, you could tell that Robert's very good at what he does, and he can generate some solid beats and rhythms with just his mouth! Killabeatz also had a second mini-set after Lucky 13's set later that evening, but it was mostly a reprise of the first set, albeit with a livelier crowd response.

Next among the scheduled bands was Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners, the country band led by former Obsession frontwoman Lorrie Bolduc. Her backing band includes some familiar faces though, including guitarists Marco Pedalino (The Wing-Its, ex-Lion Ride) and Joey Marrocco, Northwest's Greg Callaghan on bass, and Late Shift's Clint Wilson on drums. One of three bands on Sunday who played a largely original set, Lorrie and company played songs like "Swear When I Pray" and "You Talk Too Much" to a positive reception, and her set gave more of a country rock feel that gave fans on either sides of the coin something to like! She's a solid singer and songwriter, and the guys behind her gave their all too, though it is a little odd seeing them playing non-punk music. Lorrie & The Sinners had a great interaction with the kids too, distributing noisemakers so they could play along, and even inviting them on stage to help during their rendition of "Frosty the Snowman"!

The day's first heavier band was on next, that being local alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control, and they left a solid impression in their own right! This is actually only the second time that I've seen The Pixo Control live, and I've noticed that the guys are definitely capturing the early 1990s grunge vibe well, seemingly picking up where "Dragon Joy Ride"-era Haggith left off locally. If the effects of frontman Michael Mikus' unidentified health scare last month still linger, then they didn't show during his energetic and lively performance, and he and the guys have very solid chemistry on songs like "Land of the Moles" and a grunged up cover of "Twist & Shout"! However, bassist Steve Edwards needs to work on his stage presence, as he mostly looked to the side while playing and didn't engage the crowd too much (also, Michael's speaking voice was not clear between songs.) Very good set, and hopefully we hear much more from The Pixo Control in the coming months!

Veteran country cover quartet Thin Ice were up next in their first ever Toystock appearance, though they were without usual bassist Robin Lee due to external commitments. As a result, Kyle Brock (who guested with Thin Ice at Rotaryfest) filled in for the night, and he seemed to fit in pretty well! Hard rock fans will have noticed some familiar faces in Thin Ice's lineup too, including Glitch/Tripod the Dog alum Mark Oliverio on guitar, and Griphook drummer Anthony Fabiano, and it was nice to see them again! Their set included covers of the likes of Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, and Jason Aldean (among others), and while I'm admittedly not a country fan, the guys had a good command of the stage, and Nathan Albidone's singing was on point for the genre! I can see why they have a good following, and it's nice to finally see them rocking out at Toystock!

The second half of Toystock commenced with the return of Domina, the all-female classic rock band that debuted at Rotaryfest this summer! Featuring alumni of Obsession, Mid Life Crysis, Spyder's Web, and Boogie Fever in their lineup, their set included covers of the likes of The Headpins, Heart, and the 4 Non Blondes, mostly leaning towards female-fronted classic rock acts, though they capped their set with a OneRepublic cover. An all-female rock band like this isn't a local novelty (The Danger Cats came first), but these five women are known commodities in local music, and any band with Valerie Powley on lead vocals has a lot going for it just from her presence alone! For my money, she has one of the best voices in local rock bands, even if it was a little scratchy at times on Sunday! The ladies have a good sound going, and their talents are clear, so be sure to look for them next year when they have a full set to play headline dates in the area!

Local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 played next, becoming the only band to play at all three Toystocks, so kudos to them on that level! Playing covers from the likes of Finger Eleven, The Black Crowes, and The Tragically Hip (among others), it was nice to see the guys again after far too long, and they pumped out a solid set of covers! Expanding their range to include more recent songs and even select 1980s tracks (I didn't expect A Flock of Seagulls to turn up!), everyone sounded tight and added a workman-like grit to their performances, with Ed Vowels channeling his Aftersight past with strong vocals, and Jeremey Salatuk looked and sounded the part on lead guitar! Everyone was visibly having fun, but Ed should have bantered with the crowd a bit more, as he only really introduced the band they were covering next. Strong set from this talented band, and be sure to check them out at their next headlining gigs!

After the aforementioned Killabeatz's second mini-set, local classic/hard rock cover trio Mourning Wood capped off the hard rock portions of the show with a set of varied covers that also seemed to get a good response! Generally featuring guitarist Terry Eaton on vocals (with bassist Steven Flint handling 3 songs and drummer T.J. Case singing AC/DC's "Highway To Hell"), their set included covers of everyone from Joe Walsh and Billy Idol to Megadeth and Metallica, though I'll concede that "Symphony of Destruction" doesn't work well without a second guitarist. The three guys sound good together and continued their momentum from their short notice Reggie's West gigs (I hope to be more on the ball next time!), but Terry's stage presence is still very stiff, and their set would benefit if he loosened up and moved around more. Better set than at Rock For Dimes though, and longer, so hopefully Mourning Wood keep up the good vibes!

Second-last at Toystock was local progressive rock quartet Mannapool, and this cemented it for me, as I think Mannapool might be near the top of my favourite non metal/punk bands in the Soo (Blues Harvest and iT, you have company!) What makes it more unexpected is that, before I heard that they were on Rock For Dimes, I wasn't familiar musically with anyone in the band, but if they keep this up, we'll all be aware! Playing an all original set including "Words of Wisdom", "Way Home", and "Trance", their dark and intricate originals seemed to go over well on Sunday, and I liked how they blended indie & progressive rock with deep themes throughout, jumping styles fairly easily! Korey Deluca was great on guitar, and Josh Ingram cut through everything nicely on vocals, adding to a very strong set, and I hope to see Mannapool again in short order!

And finally, your headliners on Sunday were local country rock cover quartet Bone Yard, making their second Toystock appearance after missing last year. Capping the day with a set of country covers from the likes of Tim Hicks, Big & Rich, and Justin McBride, the fourth and final country act of Toystock 2014 was arguably also the one with the most "rock" in their sound, partly because frontman Greg Simpson & drummer Ric Datson already handle that side together in That's Chester, and they sounded good for country fans!  Alex D'Ettore was really solid on lead guitar (great solos), Greg's voice adapted well to the more southern material, and Ric's impressive drum skills remain present as ever (kudos to him as well for lending his kit for all of the prior bands!) Bone Yard delivered a fun set of country covers, and it was a good way to end a successful event!

Overall, Toystock 3 was a rousing success from attendees, and the show had lots of good varied musical entertainment! Myself, I had fun (though it was a long haul given the length), and thanks to organizers, and to Budweiser and Scootz for the prizes that I won! In case you're wondering, there was coverage of the event by SooToday and Sault Online, plus professional photos by Roy Iachetta Photography, so visit those links to see their coverage before we can mention everything! As for our media, I got photos of each band (and Killabeatz), but I do apologize for the quality of them, as the reflective paint on the road signs behind the stage are still a nuisance for flash photography. They look nice, but it has to be said. Give them a look at this link or at our Facebook page, and now, to our videos!

In order, here's The Stumpy Coldwater Trio covering Blackberry Smoke's "Lesson In A Bottle", Mike Case's Junior All Stars covering One Direction's "Story Of My Life", Killabeatz covering A Great Big World's "Say Something" (plus extra beatboxing), Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners playing "Bad Company", The Pixo Control playing "Scratch", Thin Ice covering Blackberry Smoke's "Like I Am", Domina covering Pat Benatar's "All Fired Up", Lucky 13 covering The Cult's "Wild Flower", Mourning Wood covering Tom Petty's "Yer So Bad", Mannapool playing a song credited on their setlist as "Mex", and Bone Yard covering Montgomery Gentry's "Hillbilly Shoes"!












That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes soon, plus weekend concert previews, Toystock fallout, and this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! Thanks everyone!

Bear Hunters CD Release Party Review!!

Hey guys, it's finally time for our review of Saturday night's Bear Hunters CD release show at The Canadian Nightclub! I was at Toystock all day yesterday, hence the delay, but better late than never, and our Toystock review will follow either tonight or tomorrow! There was an OK turnout on Saturday, though honestly less people than I was expecting, but fans made their presence felt by night's end! As for the Bear Hunters' merchandise, shirts weren't ready, and there was no sign of the mini-posters or stickers from the planned prize draw, but both their new CD "Eternal Hibernation" and the previously released "Collapse The Sun" single seemed to sell briskly! If you're wondering, we will go over the contents and surprises of each CD in a coming news post, but now, to the bands!

Opening on Saturday was local grunge/hard rock quartet Haggith (replacing Destroilet), who had their fourth different bassist in four shows, as the guys unveiled Jordan Leach as the newest "candidate" for the bassist position (so it looks like Caleb Cachagee's return at Sault Band-O-Rama didn't last.) Jordan has been actively looking to join or start a new band recently, so if this sticks, it's big for him! He sounded good, but he needs to work on his stage presence, as he was very stiff and mostly looked off to the side. As for the band as a whole, their set included 6 songs from their upcoming CD "XIV" and two from "Dragon Joy Ride", plus "Hands of Death" from "Apocalypse II", and set-bookending covers of Jethro Tull and Jimi Hendrix, the latter after calls for an encore. Aside from "Locomotive Breath", no real surprises, but the guys sounded good and heavy, keeping with their recent shows! Curtis McKenzie did strain his voice on high notes, and Daniel Horton seemed too serious for much of their set, but solid work all around!

Second was Brampton deathcore quintet Livid & The Bloodthirsty in their local concert debut, and despite a slow early crowd response, the guys made some fans with their energetic hybrid sound! Playing a number of original songs like "Gear Up" and "Senseless Debauchery", their mix of modern hardcore with death metal vocals was fun and well worth checking out, with singer Matt Chepetto a visible ball of energy throughout, including entering the crowd on multiple occasions! I did notice that fan response did start to turn once L.A.T.B. covered Lamb of God's "Laid to Rest" (and opened a second mic to the fans), and by set's end, fans were eating everything up! Joe Baldasio & Sandy Thompson were impressive on guitar in their own right, and while a bass mishap brought an early standstill to their set, the guys filled time well and left a good impression! Hopefully we'll see them up north again!

And of course, your headliners were local death metal quintet The Bear Hunters, as it was their CD release show, after all! Playing for an extended length with two sets, their first was comprised of the entire "Eternal Hibernation" album in exact song order, while the shorter second set featured newer songs to be included on their next album "The Dead Testament" (like "The Omen" and "I Fear No God"), and more expected additions. With the lengthy album recording and release process finally at it's end, the guys seemed renewed and happy to just play for a change, and fans responded in kind! Even if there was no new CD, seeing Josh Stephney back with the band for just the third time since he moved to Brampton was great enough, as his rhythm guitar is a missing element from most of The Bear Hunters' recent shows, so we got to hear them as intended on Saturday! The guys all sounded tight, especially Justin Lam on bass, though Nik Deubel's vocals were sometimes hard to hear. Great set, and make sure to buy your copies of their CDs A.S.A.P.!

Very solid concert, and congratulations go out to The Bear Hunters on finally getting this CD out! We'll cover it in greater detail in the coming days, and our review of it will be this month too! Donna Hopper and the SooToday/Local2 crew were on hand for an article/Tuned episode, so be sure to look out for them in short order as well! Our photos from the show can now be seen at our Facebook page, as can our videos, so here's Haggith playing "No Cure For Insanity", Livid & The Bloodthirsty playing "This Scene's Too Preteen", and The Bear Hunters playing their CD's opener "Dominate"!




That's all for now, but stay tuned for our Toystock review, this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, and more news and updates very soon! Thanks everyone!