Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Gnaeus, Rotopsy, And AlgomA Updates, And More!!

As we continue to clear out some recent news and notes, here's a new news post featuring some assorted recent updates, new album reviews from metal websites, and the latest from a popular young metal duo, but first, here's some news from a rising local band's new website!

Did you know that local post-punk/garage rock quartet Gnaeus have an official website? Using the fittingly creative URL of http://www.gnae.us, the site has been active for at least a month, and it includes sporadic news updates, never before seen photos, a contact e-mail for bookings, a biography, and even a store to buy merchandise! In terms of new items, the biography details their formation and sound more than Facebook does, indicating that they formed last summer, they have lost some band members in their early run, and they call Gnaeus "an experiment" with a "home grown sound from the drudges of a Northern Ontario border town that refuses to be compared." The online store doesn't have anything in stock right now, but listed items (presumably for future sale) include t-shirts, posters, a lock of synth player Brad Irwin's hair (for $25!?) and... their debut EP?

Entitled "Loomings" with the cover art embedded above, the store lists it for $10 but only says that it's "coming soon". The band has referenced studio work in the past, and won studio time with Tidal Records at March's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, but is "Loomings" underway, or just the planned name and cover for when sessions fully begin? We'll let you know when/if more is announced, but check out their site above, it's well made so far!

Next up, here's the latest from local goregrind duo Rotopsy, so what's new from Tyler & Dylan's camp? Well, this is arguably old news now, but Rotopsy played a surpsise set at the Shit Liver-headlined house party concert on April 25th, which wasn't announced in advance but was likely well recieved by attendees and Blood Shed loyalists! As for when we can next see Rotopsy, they're actually planning their first ever full tour for the summer! Named partially after their new album, the tour lists three confirmed local dates, including June 25th's Menstrual Munchies show and dates with venues to be announced on July 1st & 4th, though the latter is separate from the AxMinister show at The Algonquin. A June 8th Sudbury date to be announced is also listed, as is Rotopsy's first ever appearance at the Touch of Death Metal & Punk Fest in Cochrane in June!

Along with the second straight appearance from Tyler Gibson's Crucify The Whore solo project and local rap/metal quartet The Apocalypse Afterparty the day before, Rotopsy will rock this year's T.O.D. Fest on Sunday, June 28th, continuing the recent run of local bands at the Corchrane festival (8 hours north of the Soo.) For reference, out of town bands from upcoming local shows like Horse Lung, AxMinister, Pantychrist, and Menstrual Munchies are also scheduled, with more to be announced. Rotopsy have a busy stretch ahead, so stay tuned as more rolls in!

Also, here's some long overdue new reviews of local doom metal trio AlgomA's debut CD "Reclaimed By The Forest"! On April 24th, Kunal Choksi of Doom-metal.com gave the album an 8.5/10, calling it "thunderous" and saying that it grows on you and is "solid as walls" caving on. Nice review with comparisons to other major doom bands, so give his review a look at this link! On April 15th, Eigen Beheer of the Dutch website Zware Metalen gave "Reclaimed By The Forest" a 70/100, and while you'll need a translator to read the review, Eigen seemed to say that this CD was "a lush sludge doom syrup" with a solid sound, though I believe he wished some songs were faster. Give this review a look at this link! Finally, Christian Denner of German website Metal1.info gave the album a 7.5/10, calling them "quite a surprising band" with skilled vocals, though you can tell the symbolism of the AlgomA name was lost in translation.

Give that review a look at this link! Both of the latter reviews require an online translator to read them unless you know the language(s), but all three are positive and show AlgomA's global exposure continuing to grow in the new year! Read each above, and buy AlgomA's CD at this link, The Rad Zone, or through band members!

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

  • You may have seen this coming via recent postings relating to frontman J.D. Pearce's concert promotional work, but his local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades are officially now signed with Tidal Records, as per recent postings on their Facebook page, which include teases of "some wicked stuff coming up". Logical move for the guys, so stay tuned for more! Also, we've changed the name of J.D.'s promotional Facebook group from Johnny Pints Presents... to Tidal Records Presents... in our links to reflect it's name change and their new cooperation.
  • On April 19th, Haggith drummer Mike Haggith quietly released one more promotional digital EP named "Candy Is A Hooker's Name" onto his Bandcamp page featuring three songs (including the title track) from his upcoming full length solo album "The Warinside". Another nice bonus for fans in advance of the full CD's release, so buy it above for any price you want! And yes, we will review "The Warinside" when it's out.
  • On April 20th, Telephone & Address mainman Chris Shoust revealed on their Facebook page that the local lo-fi punk/grunge solo project's new album will be called "Monster", and it's done and recorded with a planned pressing to occur "by July" while he gets funding for this CD. No word on the track listing, musical themes, or Bandcamp release yet, but stay tuned in the coming months for more updates on this (and "The Early Tapes"?)

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and weekend concert previews to come! Thanks everyone!

Monday, May 4, 2015

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Beaumont Avenue), Haggith's New Release, And Much More!!

Happy Monday, everyone! Today's post is stacked with some big updates, including some assorted recent notes, a surprising drummer exit in the imminent future, and a quiet album release from last month, but first, here's some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the next three months!

Local hard rock quartet Beaumont Avenue are back in business for the summer season, with new Rockstar Bar concerts scheduled for THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, Friday, June 19th, and Saturday, July 18th! The former Suicide Kings only played sporadically over the fall and winter during holiday breaks due to drummer Ben Boudreau's school commitments out of town (most recently in March at The Rednecks Saloon), but with the spring semester over, the 2013 Rockstar Bar Battle winners are back and ready to rock! Each show (all visibly one-nighters) have 10:00 PM start times, 19+ age limits, and no announced cover (but bring cash just in case.) For more details, visit each show's Facebook event pages (linked here, here, and here.) It's great to see Beaumont Avenue back finally, so be sure to welcome Ben home THIS SATURDAY, and we'll preview that show later this week as well!

And yes, this Saturday's show is on the same day as bassist Mitch Sirie's set with The Bear Hunters at Saturday's fifth annual Swampstravaganza at The Canadian Nightclub, but there's no conflict, as The Bear Hunters's Swampfest set was moved from the 1:00 AM headlining slot to 8:25 PM to accomodate the Beaumont Avenue show (Gnaeus are now headlining at The Canadian on Saturday.) Mitch has a busy night ahead, so be sure to see him at one (or both?) shows this weekend, and click here for the full lineup!

Next up, local alternative/grunge quartet Haggith quietly released their new EP "XIV" last month! Surprisingly with little hype, Haggith announced that their third mainline studio release was now on sale via their Facebook page on April 17th, and while I got an advance copy around then, the official announcement was under the radar, hence why it's late to the site. Their last recorded album with ex-guitarist Daniel Horton and first released with current bassist Jordan Leach, the four song EP isn't yet on their Bandcamp page, but physical copies cost a low $2, and can be bought through band members or presumably at upcoming concerts (the new lineup debuts at Swampfest on Friday.) The featured songs (all recorded at Paperclip Productions) are "Red" (with Daniel on bass), "Road Rash" (with Beaumont Avenue's Steven Flint guesting with Jordan on bass), "Anthem", and their re-recording of "Rage Train" (both without Daniel).

With that said, is a review of "XIV" imminent on the SMS? No, because we're planning to review Haggith's first "Apocalypse" album this month in honour of the planned release of it's sequel "Apocalypse II" next week, mainly because both are full CDs unlike "XIV", which was released as an EP following Haggith's lineup changes. "XIV" is a solid listen for fans though, and at least we got it out in this form, so stream it at their YouTube channel or buy it through the band A.S.A.P.!

Also today, we have a surprising lineup change to note on here, as local classic metal quartet Project 421 will soon be parting ways with drummer Larry Mousseau. According to a personal Facebook posting by frontman Blair Burch yesterday, Larry will be moving out of town next week, though he will still be playing one last time with Project 421 THIS FRIDAY during the Redneck Rock concert at The Rednecks Saloon. That said, the band is looking for a new drummer, and they're hoping to not have to cancel their scheduled summer concerts, so if you're an experienced drummer that's into classic metal, or know someone who is, message Blair at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group posting! This is disappointing news, especially knowing Larry's talent and extensive band work, but hopefully the move is a positive for him, and come see him at The Rednecks Saloon one last time THIS FRIDAY!

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

  • In one more Swampstravaganza V note before our weekend concert previews, local progressive rock quartet Mannapool have quietly been removed from the lineup for unannounced reasons, as per the Facebook event page and event website. Hopefully all is amicable, and fans can still see them one week from today at The Rednecks Saloon opening for Zaum! There are now just 9 scheduled acts, but the 4:00 PM open mic block has been extended to 2 hours, possibly in their place.
  • Local alternative hard rock trio Mike Haggith & The Din are now a part of this summer's Gonqshow, as they will join The Apocalypse Afterparty as openers for Montreal folk/punk quartet Hard Up at The Algonquin Pub on August 7th! Solid choice to add to another diverse upcoming concert, so visit this link for more details!
  • As recently indicated on event pages & posters, concerts promoted by AlgomA members Jamie Vincent and Boyd Rendell are now being presented under the Six Two Oh banner rather than Oh! Right Arm! Promotions for unannounced reasons, but it might be a move for synergy, as Six Two Oh was already the name that the band was using for Jamie's home recording studio/house party venue. Get more details on upcoming Six Two Oh shows at this link, and Six Two Oh is now in our "Other Local Metal Links"! No word though on the Bardos-headlined show that was teased for this Friday.

That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more from the local metal, hard rock, and punk scenes this week! Thanks everyone!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Gnaeus), The Return Of SNFU, And AlgomA Updates!!

With a lot of extant backlogged stories still waiting to get on the site, here's an extra new post on this Sunday morning, but be sure to check out this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post below this one! Today, we have all the latest from a popular local metal band, and the identity of mystery headliners for an upcoming concert, but first, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for TODAY!!

Local post-punk/gararge rock quartet Gnaeus will return to the stage TODAY when they rock out at The Essar Centre during the grand finale of this year's Passport To Unity multicultural festival! Apologies for the short notice, the band announced the show via their Facebook page on Thursday, but it slipped us by until now. The VM Radio Battle winners will be among a very diverse lineup of performers that you can check out at this link, and while most are cultural bands and groups, local garage/folk band Honest Job are among the scheduled acts, so keep them in mind as well (they're on at 3:30 PM.) Fans may remember seeing The Pixo Control at last year's Passport To Unity finale after their Downtown Diversity set was rained out, and it will likely be similar circumstances for their friends in Gnaeus this year, so be sure to check them out TODAY during all of the entertainment and events!

Gnaeus are on at 4:25 PM amidst the ALL AGES activities taking place at The Essar Centre, which will also be hosting numerous arts, culture, and food vendors for the occasion of this great and diverse annual event, and while there's no announced admission fee, bring cash just in case. Check the above links for more details! Passport To Unity is a great event, and hopefully Gnaeus' entertaining music adds to that today, so don't miss them at 4:25 PM, and here they are live in March!



Next up, remember how one of the upcoming Gonqshow concerts at The Algonquin Pub on Friday, July 24th has headliners "to be announced" yet had a $20 admission fee? Well, we now know why, as none other than SNFU are coming back to Sault Ste. Marie! Yes, the Vancouver hardcore punk legends are returning to our neck of the woods this summer for the first time in over six years, so if you've missed Mr. Chi Pig and company, here's your chance! As previously announced, this show will be opened by local punk/metal bands (and upcoming split CD-mates) Destroilet & Jack Spades, the latter of whom were scheduled to open for both SNFU and Death By Stereo in July 2013 back when they were brand new, but that planned concert was indefinitely postponed & later cancelled. Both are fitting choices to be sure, so don't miss them either on July 24th!

In the midst of the Gonqshow concert series from J.D. Pearce & Tidal Records, admission will again be $20, a 10:00 PM start time is likely, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the above links! Now that we know the headliners, we can get ready for SNFU's intense and chaotic hardcore punk in the midst of the summer, so be sure to stay tuned as updates roll in over the next few months!

We'll close today with some overdue notes from local doom metal trio AlgomA, so what have they been up to lately? Aside from their set opening for Biipiigwan at 180 Projects last week (more on that in a bit), the guys have produced some new t-shirts and stickers featuring their new "Circle of Willis" logo that you can now buy at shows and sample via photos on their Facebook page. Their exposure continues to grow, with their song "Go On, Git!" from last year's debut album "Reclaimed By The Forest" included on a new compilation CD from metal promotion agency Grand Sounds Promotions, joining 17 other bands from around the world. Nice score getting on that, so see above for info on that too, and stream it all at this link! Also, singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell appears to have completely dropped the Darby Wigwaus stage name according to their Facebook page, so now all three members are billed as themselves.

AlgomA have also alerted fans on Facebook to a number of recent CD reviews that we hope to touch on in the near future as well, but we'll close today with a video of them at the aforementioned Biipiigwan concert last week, courtesy of the band's YouTube channel on Friday! Filmed with a far stationary camera, this is of AlgomA's full 8 song set last Thursday, and in order, the songs they played include "Failed Stunt Fatality", "Tertiary Syphillis", "Phthisis", "Electric Fence", "Fell Down A Well", "Canis Rabidus", a cover (their first ever) of The Kittens' "Great Dane", and "Go On, Git!", so visit each song name for the individual track. Despite being their first public show since it's release, only three of the six songs from "Reclaimed By The Forest" made this set, but the new songs live up to their usual crushing doom standards!

Adding to the far distance, the video is dark and grainy, and it's hard to make out the projected video behind the band, but it does give the overall video an aged look that helps the effect. Nice to see AlgomA back, and hopefully they have a lot more in the tank as 2015 rolls on, so give their new full concert video a look below!


That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more this coming week! Thanks everyone!

Where Are The New Albums? (May 2015 Update)

At last, it's now time for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, as we're once again looking at the current release statuses of upcoming metal, hard rock, and punk albums that are at least partially recorded! This month, we've removed two albums (Haggith's 'XIV" and Rotopsy's new disc) due to their successful releases last month, and we'll have more on Haggith in the near future, but a highly anticipated split has been added to this month's installment! Remember, the album must have had a public acknowledgement of recording sessions taking place for it to make this post, and the five entries below with updates are noted with their title 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), "Rebel Scum" (The Fury cover), "Sweet F*ck"

Background: Before ever playing a public concert, new local rap/metal band 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 own Toronto-area commitments and the band's expansion of their lineup with female members, but things seemed to be progressing well despite the band's short existence. It should be noted that The Apocalypse Afterparty 's version of "The Crowd" is featured on Blood Shed Productions' recent 11-way split album, but at last word, the EP is still in the works. Hopefully more comes out soon on it!
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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 last summer) surprisingly announced that they were officially working on their first EP on their Facebook page in February 2013. 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 former Smoke & Oak Room Studio with producer Dave Pihlaja. Though info on the sessions and release was sporadic for much of 2013, the band unveiled studio versions of their originals "Into the Fray" & "Jesus Concubines" last year 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. The band was working on studio work and songwriting over the holidays while Ben was back home, but it's unclear how much was done. We'll let you know when we hear more!
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Crucify The Whore - "Jesus Eats Human Flesh" & an untitled three-way split

Rumoured Songs (J): "Couch Kushins", "Vomit Squirts From Your Mouth To Mine", "Rotten C**** In The Glove Box"

Rumoured Songs (3): Unknown

Background: Rather than release their next material on single CDs, local goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore have announced continued plans to include songs on split albums, a common occurrence for bands of this subgenre. Following the Blood Shed Productions 11-way split, C.T.W. have announced the former split with North Bay grindcore band Scrotox, with it's possibly controversial artwork also online, while the latter (whose songs haven't been revealed) is apparently a three-way release alongside Ohio cybernoise band Menstrual Munchies & New York grind duo Soaked In Semən (don't shoot the messenger, I didn't name them!) Additional details on both are likely forthcoming, and it's not known yet whether the C.T.W. songs will find their way onto future solo releases.

Current Release Status:
The split with Scrotox has been teased for the spring, but the other split awaits finite details on it's content, title, artwork, and release date. Stay tuned to C.T.W. and Blood Shed pages for more details!
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Destroilet & Jack Spades' untitled three-way split album with The Ripcordz

Rumoured Songs (D): "iBomb", "Bamberg Witch Prison"

Rumoured Songs (J): "Frederick", "Fear Corps", "Motorwolf", "Negative Headspace", "Crossroads", "The Lot"

Rumoured Songs (R): Unknown

Background: In March, local punk/metal bands Destroilet & Jack Spades both revealed online that they'd be joining forces with Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz on a three-way split CD! Current plans are to fund the album through upcoming concerts (including a fundraiser at The Algonquin Pub on May 30th) and a Kickstarter campaign, though recording sessions on at least Jack Spades' end have begun, with drum tracking completed last month according to their Facebook page. When complete, this will be Jack Spades' second release and Destroilet's third (though their first with new co-lead singer Brenton Ellis), and Tidal Records will likely have a hand in the recording and release of the project.

Current Release Status: Plans are to release this ambitious split album on October 24th at The Algonquin Pub with a planned CD release concert headlined by The Ripcordz, who have shared the stage with the two local bands and members within at various recent local concert events. There's a long time to go before then, but things sound like they're off to a great start, so keep posted as more comes in!
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Gates of Winter - Perihelion

Rumoured Songs: "The Stars Call My True Name", "Edin Na Zu", "Dimensions", "Time Warp", "Wormhole Mechanics", "Prometheus"

Background: Despite a hiatus from live concerts lasting over 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 in 2013 & last 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 - "Apocalypse II" & "Time Machine: Live"

Rumoured Songs (A): "Apocalypse", "Hands of Death", "Immunity", "Spreading The Disease", "Home, Part 5", "Home, Part 6", "Home, Part 7", "Tribute to Mike Haggith", "We Are The Damned", "Apocalypse II"

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 EP named "XIV" (which was quietly released on April 17th) and a resumption of their "Apocalypse II" concept sequel CD, with all tracks from each now posted their YouTube channel. Recorded at Paperclip Productions with input from new bassist Jordan Leach, "Apocalypse II" is complete and awaiting release it's imminent planned release. 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: "Time Machine: Live" is in limbo, and may have been cancelled following the departure of ex-guitarist Daniel Horton, but "Apocalypse II" is slated to be released on May 10th according to the band's Facebook page, so watch out for it then!
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Mike Haggith - "The Warinside"

Rumoured Songs: "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:This past fall, prolific local solo musician (and Haggith drummer) Mike Haggith revealed on his Facebook page that he was working on his 49th studio album entitled "The Warinside" (lack of a space intentional), which also has an announced tracklist and will reflect his recent personal life. Seven songs from the album (plus an alternate version of "The Snake") can now be streamed on his YouTube channel, while the album being primarily recorded at Galactic Records again, with Haggith's Curtis McKenzie providing some guest guitar parts. Two promotional digital EPs ave also been released on Mike's Bandcamp page featuring songs from the album, entitled "Of Cars & Criminals" & "Candy Is A Hooker's Name", though neither recieved advance notice or are likely for a physical release.

Current Release Status: 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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The Pixo Control's debut CD

Rumoured Songs: "Land of the Moles", "Reasons", "Sixty Extra Chances Called Minutes", "The Great Salute To Radio Edits", "Tall Ships", "No", "Quick Little Quarter", "Call Me A Liar", "Scratch", "Alphabetical Order", "This Is Momentary, Forever"

Background: After earlier teases of recording sessions, young local grunge/alternative trio The Pixo Control revealed on their online pages (including on Instagram in November) that they were indeed working on their first album, with veteran local musician Keith Conway having a hand in the album's production. An Instagram video was also posted that featured bassist Steve Edwards working on a studio track, and updates have steadily followed to tease fans on the album's progress. The band also confirmed in February that they have signed with Tidal Records, who will presumably also release this album.

Current Release Status: No idea, but the guys sound like they've gotten a fair amount done already, and they've been turning a lot of heads so far, so don't bypass them, and stay tuned for more on their first album this year!
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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 - Roll Call

Rumoured Songs: "Prisoner of Hate", "Monsters", "Cold Temptress", "Into The Fog", "Get High With Me"

Background: Then-new local doom/punk trio The Revolution (originally the second version of Brutaly Fatal) surprisingly announced on their Facebook page that they were heading into the studio to begin recording their debut EP last July. The sessions are being done at their new label PaperClip Productions, who signed the band in May. To be titled "Roll Call", a 5 song track listing was announced at the same time, which omitted prior live originals like "Murder For Sport", "We Are The Gladiators", and "Mercury". One of the songs (title unclear) was previewed in this Facebook video on Christmas, and while they surprisingly disbanded in late February, they reunited last month and have resumed work on "Roll Call". Drum tracking finished last month, with guitar & bass tracking beginning on April 12th, while the band also shared this image on Facebook, which might be the planned cover art.

Current Release Status: It's hard to say when we'll see the final product, but they are hard at work. It's surprising enough that the guys are back after their month-long breakup, so follow the above links for more on this resurrected album!
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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/Beaumont Avenue 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" last 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 last year.

Current Release Status: Mitch's most recent release timeframe for The Sorrow Fields' album was this winter, though we're past that now. 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 in the 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 - "Monster" and "The Early Tapes"

Rumoured Songs (M): "Unknown"

Rumoured Songs (E): "The Plumbers"

Background: Telephone & Address mainman Chris Shoust announced on their Facebook page in January that he's working on releasing "The Early Tapes", a compilation of songs from the first 4 Telephone & Address albums (2011's self titled album, and 2012's "Live", "No. 3", and "Broken Head"), all of which being released before their recent full integration into the local scene. Since then however, he quietly revealed on Facebook that a separate new album named "Monster" is done, with an advanced copy leaked to him by AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent, which likely hints that Jamie helped produce it. No other details have been revealed yet, but some songs may be on their Soundcloud page, and when both are released, they're likely to turn up on Telephone & Address' Bandcamp page and on Interpunk, which Chris is also using to distribute physical copies.

Current Release Status: Chris is aiming for "Monster" to come out in July once he has the funding to press physical copies of it, so look for it this summer!. As for "The Early Tapes", Chris revealed in March that it "will be delayed for some time", though he didn't elaborate on why specifically. Still, keep an eye out for updates on both!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, and keep an eye out for Haggith's new CD this month! We'll be back with this month's Defunct Local Band Profile next week, but in the meantime, look for a new news post later today! Thanks everyone!

Saturday, May 2, 2015

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Jack Spades & Mourning Wood), Plus Them & Gonqshow Updates!!

Before we get this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post rolling, here's a new news post for your Saturday afternoon, including some lineup updates for upcoming conerts, our first look at a newer band's original material, and LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for this summer and TONIGHT!

Local classic/hard rock trio Mourning Wood did indeed have regular bookings for this weekend, as the guys rocked Reggie's West last night and will do so again TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, we only heard about the shows via their announcement on SooToday's Soo-To-Do List late yesterday, which the band also confirmed afterwards on their Facebook page. We couldn't rush a third post yesterday to get the word out on yesterday's show here (we plugged it on Facebook though), so our apologies for missing it on here! I wish Mourning Wood would give more advance notice of their concerts, but hopefully last night went well, and don't miss their second show of the weekend at the former Roosevelt Hotel TONIGHT! There's a 10:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no announced cover. See above for more details, and here's Mourning Wood last fall!



Next up, here's one more show for J.D. Pearce and Tidal Records' Gonqshow concert series at The Algonquin Pub that might have a big headliner! To take place on Friday, July 24th, the Gonqshow event page lists local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades and hardcore punk sextet Destroilet as joining forces once again to open for a band "to be announced", and while it remains to be seen who is implied, a $20 admission fee is listed for the event. Given that the Ripcordz-headlined split release show at The Algonquin in October is slated for a $13 door charge, does the $20 fee mean a band of equal or larger stature is headlining here on July 24th? We'll let you guys know as soon as we find out! For reference, this isn't a rescheduling of the Of Tall Tales show, that's still to be determined. Expect a 19+ age limit and 10:00 PM start time, and stay tuned for updates!

Also today, here's the newest from local thrash/grind trio Them, who are apparently working on their debut EP! The band featuring Bring The Misery, Revolution, and Infamous alumni revealed on their Facebook page on Wednesday that they've finished 3 new songs for a planned 6 song EP, and while it seems likely that it would come out through Blood Shed Productions, we don't have 100% confirmation of that yet or when recording sessions begin. Two videos have also been posted there in recent days, one a comical video of frontman Tyler St. Amour pretending to drive to The Oddfellows Hall, and the other our first glimpse of a Them original! Entitled "Moosejaw Boudreau" (presumably referencing drummer Anthony Boudreau), this is a jam session performance minus bassist Rainey Vincent, and Tyler also noted that the song doesn't have lyrics yet (he growls, but there's apparently no official words yet.)

The song has potential and has some technicality from what we do hear, but obviously, the song is unfinished. If you ever wanted to hear Tyler & Anthony's predecessor band Social Suicide (who never posted online media), this might be your closest bet too, as that band played grind in their latter years. Check out their new video below, and stay tuned for more from Them!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter items from the last while, all relating to newly announced local opening bands for upcoming Gonqshow concerts at The Algonquin Pub! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name, and our source for each is recent updates on the Gonqshow event page:

  • Local post-punk quartet Gnaeus and new local punk rockers Stereo North will both make their Algonquin Pub debuts on Wednesday, May 20th when they open for Calgary folk/punk band The River Jacks! Good choices, and it should be good exposure for both as they kick off the Gonqshow series, so don't miss out in a few weeks time!
  • Local alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control have been named as the openers for the Destroilet/Jack Spades-headlined fundraiser concert for their upcoming split CD with The Ripcordz on Saturday, May 30th at The Algonquin Pub. They'll fit in nicely to kick off this concert, so be sure to come out at the end of the month to help get this split rolling and released!
  • Local classic metal quartet Project 421 have been announced as the local openers for Edmonton hardcore band Elements & Guelph metal quintet Becomes Astral on Saturday, August 1st at The Algonquin Pub! Though it would have been fitting (yet confusing) to see local funk rockers The Elements open, Project 421 are a better genre match, and their classic metal will be welcomed this summer!

That's all for now, but stay tuned next for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, I guarantee it! Thanks everyone!

Friday, May 1, 2015

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Ripcordz, Menstrual Munchies, And Stiffler's Mom) And More!!

With a new month upon us, let's continue the recent steady run of posts with our first full news post of May 2015, including some assorted updates and LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS from next week through this fall! Here's what you need to know in chronological order!!

Local party/classic hard rock trio Stiffler's Mom will rock The Rednecks Saloon for one night only next Saturday, May 9th! Our source is frontman Greg Simpson's promotion company Maxx Entertainment's website, which lists May dates for his bands. Fresh off of TOMORROW'S Rockstar Bar show, we actually can't find an online-referenced concert from these popular veterans at the former Nicolet Tavern in the past, so is this their debut there? I can't 100% confirm that, but it's been a long time coming either way, and hopefully Stiffler's Mom rock Rednecks hard next weekend! For reference, this is a one nighter due to Greg's country band Bone Yard playing at the same venue next Friday. There's no announced cover charge for next weekend's show, which is 19+ and will likely have a 10:00 PM start time. See the above links for more details, and don't miss Stiffler's Mom either of the next two Saturdays!

Next up, the long teased Menstural Munchies-headlined Heavy North Entertainment concert on Thursday, June 25th now has a confirmed venue, as it will take place at The Oddfellows Hall! That seemed like the most likely option given past H.N.E. events, as all have basically been there or via a house party. The headliners at 11:00 PM are an Ohio-based "cyber pornoslam" duo that are a favourite of Blood Shed Productions head Tyler Gibson, who is reportedly working on a split release of some kind with Menstrual Munchies (that's their name, don't shoot the messenger!), and while their music is an acquired taste, Blood Shed fans will enjoy their extreme sound! Though a second out of town band was teased, the openers are all local, and they'll include local classic metal quartet Project 421 at 10:00 PM and death metal favourites The Bear Hunters at 9:00 PM.

Blood Shed-affiliated acts populate the rest of the lineup, including goregrind duo Rotopsy at 8:30 PM, newer thrash/grind trio Them at 8:00 PM, death metal duo Brutally Fatal at 7:30 PM, goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore at 7:00 PM, and rappers Phat Boii & Mikey Thomas at 6:30 & 6:00 PM. Advance tickets for this ALL AGES show will be $7 when announced or $10 at the door, and for more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Blood Shed fans will definitely not want to miss this show, as there's lots of extreme metal mayhem ahead in June, so see the above links for more info!

Lastly for new concert announcements is the expected release party for the upcoming Ripcordz/Jack Spades/Destroilet three-way split album, which will take place on Saturday, October 24th at The Algonquin Pub during Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce's Gonqshow concert series there this year! The newest (and possibly last?) show of the series will fittingly see all three bands on the split rocking out at The Algonquin this fall, with The Ripcordz bringing their hardcore punk classics back to the Soo for the first time since last October's Rad Zone anniversary concert, and Jack Spades & Destroilet joining forces again 5 months after their fundraising concert at The Algonquin at the end of the month (also, remember to help out with the bands' Kickstarter campaign for the split!) Nice to hear we have a target date in mind, and I can't wait to hear the final product! One more extra opening band is also to be announced.

Note that the Gonqshow series and J.D.'s promotional concert group are now branded as "Tidal Records Presents...", indicating officially that J.D. is now a part of and promoting shows through local independent label Tidal Records. After their successful work together at the VM Radio Battle of the Bands, it's a natural move, and hopefully this partnership is a success! October's release concert has $10 advance tickets, but the price jumps to $13 at the door, while it is a 19+ show with a likely 10:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the above links, and stay tuned for more updates on this highly anticipated CD as they come in!

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

  • Local hard rock quartet Long Shot will make their first concert appearance out of town when the Speak Easy Battle runners up are among the musical entertainment at this year's Captain Kidd Days festival in Corunna, Ontario (near Sarnia) on August 1st! The Dawe brothers are originally from Corunna, hence the connection. Should be a great spotlight for Long Shot, so click here for more details on the event!
  • The CBC Searchlight contest run for local indie/punk quintet Northwest has ended, as they and 8 other Northern Ontario bands lost out to Sudbury bluegrass band Murder Murder in the regional finals, sending them to the national stage of the competiton to find Canada's best new band. Disappointing, but they had a great run to get this far, and kudos to Northwest for what they accomplished!
  • Local photography company RAD.imagery (who did some sporadic concert photography in the early 2010s) are running a contest where a local band could win a FREE one hour professional photo shoot! To enter, all members of your band must like RAD.imagery's Facebook page, and join & share the official Facebook event page. This could be a big opportunity, so see the above links for more details!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Stiffler's Mom), More Weekend Concert Previews, And New RPM Videos!!

Before we begin our second weekend concert preview post, here's a late update concerning tomorrow's Havadder concert at The Rednecks Saloon, as while tonight's show will go on as usual, drummer Scott McLurg will be absent for the second night, which the band jokingly explained by saying he's going to space. No word on why he'll actually be away tomorrow, but in his place, Havadder will play an acoustic set as a trio and will invite attendees to jam with them too. Nice idea to change things up, so keep that in mind for tomorrow only, or see the full band TONIGHT! Visit the new Facebook event page for more details, and don't miss out!

Now to the previews (and some assorted updates at post's end) starting with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as local party/hard rock cover veterans Stiffler's Mom will return to The Rockstar Bar TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the show was announced via it's Facebook event page on Monday but we held it for this weekend's previews. This will be the second one-nighter at The Rockstar Bar for this band from ex-members of Alexis Machine and Sin Stereo (The Boot Hill Crooners are playing there tonight), and fans should know by now that the fun and often heavy covers from Greg, Jon, and Mike always draw a solid crowd, so be among them TOMORROW NIGHT! This 19+ event has an announced 10:30 PM start time, and while there's no announced cover, bring cash just in case. For more details, see the above links, and here's Stiffler's Mom at Rotaryfest last year!



Moving to previously announced concerts, Speak Easy Battle of the Bands runners-up Long Shot have a busy day ahead of them TODAY, as they're playing not one, but two separate concert sets! Their day starts at 12:00 PM when they play a special outdoor set during the Diversity Downtown portion of this weekend's Passport To Unity multicultural festival! Their set is among the live music between the block of Queen Street East between March & Spring Streets from 11:45 AM-1:15 PM, which will also feature numerous local food and craft vendors to take in. They'll be joined by Northwest guitarist Greg Callaghan in a solo acoustic set, but I can't confirm any other potential artist names. Nice to see some alternative music back at this event, and hopefully the weather cooperates unlike last year with The Pixo Control! This afternoon's events are FREE & ALL AGES, and see the above links for more details!

Following that, the hard rock quartet will make their Canadian Nightclub debut TONIGHT when they headline a registration deadline party for the Sault Ultimate Players Association, the local disc sports/ultimate frisbee organization! This may seem random, but the Dawe brothers are both S.U.P.A. members, and Long Shot played their kickoff event, so they're a great fit for tonight's entertainment! The public is welcome to attend and enroll at the show, which has a 7:00 PM start time and no announced cover or age limits. Busy day ahead for Long Shot, but keep both shows in mind downtown or at The Canadian! For a preview, here's Long Shot live in March!



Finally for announced shows this weekend, Sault Michigan classic/hard rock quartet Highway 63 will make their Satisfied Frog debuts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Not only are these this newer band's first regional gigs not under the Kewadin Casino umbrella, frontman Henry Switzer has hyped these as his first shows outside of the casino circuit in 2 years (likely referencing the Sir Charge days), so be sure to make lots of noise this weekend and ensure that they continue to break new ground! This entertaining and talented union of Monkey's Uncle, Mama's Boys, Power Slug, and RamWagon alumni will take the stage both nights at 10:00 PM, there are no announced cover charges, and you must be 21 to attend. For more details, visit the above links, and here's Highway 63 live!



Finally for today, remember the local classic/hard rock quartet RPM from the first Rock For Dimes concert and sporadic solo gigs? They still don't have an online page that we've found, but they finally have some online videos to check out! Sault Online named them their "Band of the Week" last month via this article, wherein Sault Online's Mike Caruso went to see them play at The Rockstar Bar, including a video interview, so what more do we know on them? RPM (whose name comes from members' last names) have been active for three years and formed through an adult music camp that bassist Lindsay Pugh had started for locals who hadn't really had live band experience, and that morphed into a full fledged rock cover band who hopes to play some outdoor summer festival events in the near future. In the main video, the guys are seen covering Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet", but Mike shot two more as well!

His other videos (both from his YouTube channel, and with drummer Ben Pascuzzi on vocals) are of RPM covering Honeymoon Suite's "New Girl Now" and The Spencer Davis Band's "Gimme Some Lovin'", so how do RPM sound? Good so far, but you can tell there's still some stiffness on stage, and at times, you can tell that the guys (Lindsay aside) don't have a lot of stage experience. They're on their way though, and they'll no doubt get better with every show! The interview's informative too, so give that and their BTO cover a look below, and stay tuned for more from RPM when we hear it!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post over the weekend! Thanks everyone!