Where Are The New Albums? (November 2026 Update)

After a quiet Halloween hangover, we're back for November 2026 with this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! This monthly feature post looks at upcoming albums, CDs, and EPs from local metal, hard rock, and/or punk musicians who have publically confirmed recording sessions for albums are underway. Here, we have seven entries, including one newly added EP and one more with substantial updates, and anything with new content (as opposed to minor date adjustments) is noted with the album name in italics. So, where are the new albums? Read on below to hopefully find out! 

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Bone Yard 225's debut album

Rumoured Songs: "F.A.F.O.", "Gypsy Spell", "Fuck!", "Welcome To The ShitShow", "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" (Mike Posner cover)

Background: After months of teasers, local southern hard rock cover trio Bone Yard 225 began releasing their own songs on major streaming services in July 2024, fifteen years after the pre-225 band debuted as a country cover quartet. Their first three singles (all recorded at their home studio) were posted online by January 2025, though it took until last May for the band to confirm on their Facebook page that they were indeed working on a proper album. As of last August, it was reportedly "album tracking time", while this video from that month shows bandmates Alex D'Ettore & Warren Reville recording backing vocals for their cover of Mike Posner's "I Took A Pill In Ibiza". That will be one of "a couple of covers" for the album, as confirmed by frontman Greg Simpson during recent concerts. "Fuck!" was renamed "The F Word" on streaming services in December, but it's not clear if the less explicit name will stick on the album. The band was still "in the studio finishing shit" as of December 4th, source here, and a new single "Welcome To The ShitShow" was released on streaming services in August.

Current Release Status: In that Facebook post from May 2025, your local 225 said that "the album is coming along nicely", but announced release timeframes of "by the end of 2025" and "early 2026" have came and went. While singer/drummer Greg Simpson did release an EP with his old band Stiffler's Mom, it's hard to compare the release methods and schedule given that "The Demo" came out in 2004. It is neat to see that Greg, Alex, and Warren are going all in on a studio album, and stay tuned for updates!

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Chase James Wigmore - The Chaotic Rite

Rumoured Songs: "The Cities Alive & It's Angry"

Background: Ever the prolific artist & songwriter, local folk punk/extreme metal musician Chase Wigmore has been working on an extensive rock opera for years (once claimed to be a 33 part work), originally named "A Story About A Kid Named Todd". Worked on in between his other unrelated solo albums, released for sale or otherwise, Chase posted a lengthy elaboration of the rock opera in 2022, now titled "The Chaotic Rite", outlining its concept, recording plans, and long-term release timeline. Clips of songs have surfaced on his Facebook page, as have full songs not explicitly tied to the album, as well as the final artwork. In more recent promotion, Chase has hinted that "The Chaotic Rite" might be his final solo album as part of aims to focus on his personal life more than his prolific original material. Regardless, the final product has been pared down to 25-30 minutes.

Current Release Status: Chase elaborated on Facebook in mid-2024 that the album was 95% done earlier that year when the files "got trapped on my desktop's hard drive", and he had been unable to procure a backup of the material or recover the files as of that post. In any event, three of the full songs uploaded to Facebook in 2023 were clarified as not being planned for "The Chaotic Rite", but they could surface on a separate EP. Fingers crossed that Chase is able to save this album and put it out when able, especially given the years that he's put into the making of it!

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Eden Plague's third album (and first under that name)

Rumoured Songs: "Primogenesis", "Colony Of Parasites"

Background: Local death metal quartet The Bear Hunters had teased plans to record a "final album" on their Facebook page in July 2024, during the band's long slowdown in activity dating back to late 2017 (which included the unceremonious release of their second album "The Dead Testament" during the pandemic), but they surprised many by relaunching under the new name Eden Plague in May of this year. Nik, Mitch, Justin, and Johnny immediately signalled that they were working on new original music, debuting at least two songs during their mid-2026 concerts. They were recording two singles in studio in July (with Nik seen tracking vocals at Mission Control Studios in a Facebook "Story"), and the guys recently took a break from the stage, as they were "shifting all gears to our debut LP" (as Eden Plague). The band allegedly "discreetly revealed" the album name on social media earlier this year, with a free copy of the album promised to whoever figures it out first.

Current Release Status: The band has vaguely given a "sometime in 2027" timeframe for the release on Facebook, but things sound early for the final product, as as of September 3rd, five songs were still in demo stages. The former Bear Hunters are no strangers to album recording sessions, and with no pandemic and band activity uncertainty clouding things in 2026, here's hoping that this gets a deservingly widescale release when things are done!

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Fort Creek's debut album

Rumoured Songs: "One For The Road", "Sweet Rosie"

Background: Local southern/hard rock band Fort Creek have sporadically teased plans to record an EP since February 2020, but they wouldn't release any samples until almost two years later when they shared (now-deleted) clips of their original song "Hammer Down" on their Facebook page. The guys would play it regularly at concerts from 2022-2023, with studio sessions taking place in early-mid 2023 as well. After the departure of bassist Robin "Bones" Lee and drummer Anthony Fabiano in the fall of 2023, Fort Creek opted to start the album over, and have been working on new material and rebuilding their studio over the past three years. Their first single (the acoustic "One For The Road") was posted online in January 2025, with the band confirming plans to now record a 10 song album at then-drummer Phil Greco's own Jettison Studios prior to returning to live concerts. Their new single "Sweet Rosie" was released to major streaming services in September, which featured the studio debut of drummer Sam DeDominicis. New bassist Arthur Lacasse appears in the music video, but Liam Seymour played bass on a session basis.

Current Release Status: Prior release timelines for their debut EP reflected their early 2020s lineup's material, and Justin, Shane, Bill, and crew have largely kept things somewhat close to the vest prior to putting out "One For The Road". There are a lot of unknowns, especially given the 6+ years of production time and their decision to basically start over in 2023, and that this is a band that was primarily known for their work on the weekend cover circuit before their rhythm section left. It will be interesting to see how things develop, so stay tuned for updates!

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Mike McCleary's new album

Rumoured Songs: "Carousel"

Background: Background: A talented studio hard rock musician who has released multiple solo albums in the past (albeit almost entirely delisted from streaming services as his musical approach and personal life changed), Mike announced plans to record an instrumental album in 2023, but after a year+ public hiatus, he opted to shelve that unfinished album in 2025 in favour of a new album with vocals. He signed with Swedish indie label Rexius Records, with plans to put out an 8 song album covering "a variety of topics" and featuring "some fun, catchy, and energetic rock music for everyone to enjoy". A teaser video from the sessions was posted onto his Facebook page on December 6th, and the planned first single ("Carousel") was released online in June.

Current Release Status: Your guess is as good as mine, but as this is is a one-man project likely aimed at streaming services, this album could pop up at any time, and may be close given that an advance single is was unveiled this summer. The Rexius Records connection is a variable, but Mike is a strong musician with morals and a lot to say about himself, and hopefully this album comes out successfully in the near future!

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The Realignment Project - Signal Decay

Rumoured Songs: Unknown

Background: The current industrial metal solo project from Dirty Virgin/Riverin alum Matt Hicks, The Realignment Project are known for their quick recording schedule, with four EPs and a full length album being released since the beginning of last year alone. In April, Matt confirmed on the project's Facebook page that he had already begun work on their second full length album, days removed from the release of their full length debut "Long Cold Winter". Sessions were complete as of October 5th, with the cover artwork and name "Signal Decay" unveiled four days later.

Current Release Status: Matt plans to put "Signal Decay" out physically via East London Recordings and digitally on major streaming platforms next month, though an exact date has not yet been unveiled. This release timeframe is on par with that of "Long Cold Winter", and Matt has already began writing for his third T.R.P. full-length album, so he's definitely keeping busy as 2026 winds down! Stay tuned for further updates on "Signal Decay" and music to come!

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The Reeves' debut EP

Rumoured Songs: "Future", "Waiting On The End", "Till The End", "Don't Even Bother"

Background: The new hard/blues rock band from former Skinbox/Haze bandmates Brad Irwin & Steve Edwards alongside Long Shot alumni Adam Dawe & Jeremy Ganuelas, The Reeves debuted at Toystock last year, and prior to their second gig ever at Rotaryfest Stage 2 in July, the Rotaryfest program indicated that they would be playing "a collection of songs that will become their debut EP". After playing just one more show, they began recording the EP at The Loft at the Algoma Conservatory of Music on September 8th with producers Dustin Jones (interesting to see him not at his own Mission Control Studios) and Frank Deresti. Sessions were ongoing as of October 14th, with teaser videos shared to their Facebook page, and they showed everyone but Adam recording parts for the EP in social media postings. While a title has not been formally revealed yet, the presumed lyrics "Feels like I'm waiting on you..." have been shared a few times as photo captions.

Current Release Status: No idea, especially as it's not publically clear if the sessions have wrapped or not, but it is an encouraging sign to see The Reeves hit the ground running as an original band! Members all have experience in original bands who have released studio material in the past in different projects, so this ain't their first rodeo, and hopefully things progress naturally for a release presumably next year!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return on or around December 2nd, while our next monthly feature post will likely be this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, scheduled for one week from tomorrow. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tym Morrison) & More Halloween Weekend Concert Previews!!

Here's the third and final Halloween weekend concert preview post on the SMS for 2026! Here, we're looking at three big Halloween party concerts in Sault Ontario tomorrow night, with a new video of one of the bands for good measure, but leading off, we have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT attached to a preview of a Sunday matinee concert, so let's start there before winding back to the apex of spooky season!

Joining his previously announced matinee concert on SUNDAY at Beck's Bar, local classic/hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will also perform at Beck's one week later on November 8th! I forgot that Tym announced this Sunday's show well in advance on his batch Facebook event page for fall shows there, but the gig one week from Sunday is a new addition. Of course, this Sunday's matinee concert is first on tap, and hopefully there's a good sized crowd for both the euchre tournament and his unplugged rocking covers! I have no idea if Beck's will lean into any Halloween frills or branding a day late, but remember that Tym's strong religious faith may not jive with spooky goings on. Of note, Tym's show is the same day as the first elimination round for the venue's Vocals & Victory karaoke competition, with $2,500 awaiting the winner later this year. Good luck to the singers competing on Sunday night!

As usual for Beck's matinee concerts, Tym is up this Sunday and next at 3:00 PM, there is a 19+ age limit, and there are no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!

Next up, we'll snap back to TOMORROW'S Halloween slate, and in the arguable main event, local classic/hard rock cover quintet Headrush will open for local/Toronto pop rock quartet The Killer Hooks at The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre for Fright Night At The Museum! Similarly to this summer's Cory Marks show, the hangar will be open for a big production concert, with The Killer Hooks (led by Gsis Murphy alum Tony Marcello) breaking out their video dance party-format concert for the occasion, so expect big video screens to accentuate their set, which does include the occasional hard rock cover. Headrush will fill the quota in their set, and it should be a fun night of live rock music with all of the spooky frills you could ask for! There will absolutely be a costume contest, with prizes for the best individual and group costumes. This show is sponsored by Northern Superior Brewing Co., hence the lack of a Tap Room show tomorrow.

Unlike most shows this weekend, this will be a ticketed event, and tickets cost $35 at this link, at the Bushplane Museum, or at Northern Superior. Unfortunately, this is a 19+ concert (but it will be licensed!), and doors open at 8:00 PM. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's a rare long-form video of The Killer Hooks playing hard rock covers, specifically of them tackling Queen classics at the former Canadian Nightclub in 2019! Had to wade through a lot of sub-30 second "Reels" to find this, but they sound good, and still do, so look for more tomorrow night!

Also on the Halloween slate, local classic/hard rock cover trio The Sidekicks will return to The Water Tower Pub to headline their Halloween party TOMORROW NIGHT! Playing their first Water Tower Pub show since the spring (and fresh off of a Beck's show last week), The Sidekicks will topline this special 1980s-themed Halloween party, and while I doubt the AI generated poster nailed Tracey, Steve, and Dan's costumes, break out your best from that decade to party along with The Sidekicks, who have a number of 1980s covers in their back pocket! The poster (whose logo doesn't seem to know how our Water Tower is shaped) claims that there will be "prizes", but doesn't outright confirm if there will be a costume contest and/or some other type of giveaway. This is a one-nighter as usual for The Water Tower Pub, who are hosting RPM tonight, while bassist Dan Beaupre is playing a short notice gig with Soundcheck TONIGHT at Beck's Bar.

Tomorrow's '80s party with The Sidekicks is at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details on what should be a fun night of classic and hard rock covers from this year's closing band at Rotaryfest, and here they are live!

Finally, also taking place TOMORROW NIGHT is a double whammy of local tribute bands at Blaster Powerhouse, where Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band Mellowship Slinky and Pearl Jam tribute band Even Flow will join forces! Both bands have had productive years (Even Flow actually debuted on Halloween weekend last year), and if you like 1990s-leaning rock, you should find something to like between the two bands, including lots of grunge classics from Even Flow, plus some heavier early RHCP tracks from "the Soo's slinkiest" Chili Peppers tribute band (is there a less slinky active one?). Of note, if you were hoping to see Mellowship Slinky frontman Brad Irwin this weekend, be at the former Soo Blaster tomorrow, as his active original band The Reeves dropped out of tonight's Art Hub At Spring concert. Aside from the tribute action, this is plugged as "one spooky Saturday night".

If there are frills beyond Halloween decor, no one has publically said anything, but there is no firm public mention of a costume contest tomorrow at Blaster. Even Flow will kick off the night at 9:00 PM, this is all ages and licensed, and tickets run for $20 at this link, through band members, or at the Queen Street East venue, with the door charge jumping to $25. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's a new jam session video of Even Flow covering Pearl Jam's "Daughter"! This was shared from frontman Rob Speers' personal Facebook page to the band's Facebook page to promote tomorrow's show, and while it sounds good with Rob sounding like Eddie Vedder in the ways you hope, the tight camera angle completely blocks out bassist Mike Bird and drummer Derek Turner from view (apologies, PFC fans!). Also, this video is needlessly letterboxed into vertical "Reel" dimensions despite being in landscape.

Yes, they fill one of the black boxes with text captions about tomorrow's concert (at least it's not hard-coded on the video proper), but I'd far prefer if this was uploaded in full horizontal resolution so it's not so unnecessarily tiny no matter how you watch it. Regardless, it's a good preview, so give it a watch below!

That's all for our marathon Halloween concert preview slate, so go occupy a venue of some kind this weekend tonight or tomorrow night, and we'll be back next month! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Nameless), And Halloween Concert Previews, Part 2!!

For Halloween weekend concert preview post #2, we're heading largely to the Eastern Upper Peninsula via two concerts tomorrow (one a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT), but to fill things out and commemorate this rare Saturday timing for October 31st, I'll take some time in the back half to note what non-hard rock/punk acts are playing publically verified concerts tonight or tomorrow. Now, here's what you should know in the EUP (and remember, bridge fares are slashed to $1.50 USD or $2 CAD tomorrow from midnight to midnight to celebrate the International Bridge's 50th anniversary, so if that's an incentive to head across to enjoy concerts for cheaper on either side of the border, keep tomorrow's discount in mind!)

Local hard rock cover quartet The Nameless will return to The Merchants Bar to headline their Halloween party TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced on their Facebook page this past Saturday, and as usual, The Merch doesn't acknowledge bands playing there by name on social media. This actually won't be The Nameless' first Halloween concert of the month, as they hit the road to play at The Paradise Inn's annual Halloween bash two weeks ago. Paradise is just outside of our coverage range (an hour's drive from the Soo), but hopefully The Nameless had a good show out west! If you're wondering, The Paradise Inn has their Halloween party early because they close for the season in late October. TOMORROW'S Merch show (their first in the Soo since August at Kewadin Casino) promises "fun", "music", "prizes", "Lume (Cannabis Co.) swag", and "gift cards", presumably as prizes.

As you'd hope for Halloween night, there will be a costume contest TOMORROW, where the top three costumes will net their wearers $300, $200, and $100 (Not bad!). The Nameless have also revealed that TOMORROW'S concert will be their final one with drummer Jamie Costner, who is "shipping off downstate" next month. As old Dirty Musky fans know, she is a talented drummer, and best of luck to Jamie in her move and in whatever comes next! Everything goes down TOMORROW at 9:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's The Nameless live earlier this year!

Next up, let's take the half hour drive southwest to Rudyard, where local blues/hard rock cover quintet Project 906 will headline the Halloween party at Huck's Pub & Grill TOMORROW NIGHT! Last seen in Eckerman last week and in Rudyard during Summerfest weekend in July, tomorrow's concert will be far from 906's first rodeo as Halloween headliners, and they should have some fun costumes to go along with their hard rocking cover slate! In terms of seasonal frills, Huck's hasn't given much away, but there will be a costume contest, with prizes going to those with the best overall, funniest, and best couples costumes. Billy, Joe, Dustin, Jason, and Brian hit the stage at the former Joe's Bar tomorrow at 8:00 PM, expect a 21+ age limit, and there's no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more on all of the action at at Huck's tomorrow night, and for a preview, here's Project 906 on Halloween at The Islander Bar in Hessel a few years ago!

To cap off this post (the other heavier previews are coming), as a public service, I wanted to run through all of the other known musicians playing shows tonight and tomorrow in the region that aren't hard rock or punk acts. Halloween on a Saturday only comes once every 6-11 years, after all! In Sault Ontario tonight, RPM plays at The Water Tower Pub, The Preacher & His Jackleg Band will be at Outspoken Brewing, and Frankly Speaking will rock The Whiskey Barrel. For bands doubling up tomorrow & Saturday night, Jay's Piston Broke Pub will host Bourbon Blue and Reggie's Place will welcome Smokehouse. Tomorrow only, Beck's Bar will welcome The Stumpy Coldwater Trio (matinee) and Elly McWatters & The Drifters (night), the relocated Full Throttle Saloon hosts Flathead Ford, Matthew James will be at the aforementioned Whiskey Barrel, and for Saturday matinees, Leslie Cook is at the Royal Canadian Legion and Forty Creek (not Fort Creek) are at The Moose Lodge.

Over in Sault Michigan and the EUP, NuCorp will be the final band to ever play at The Rapids Lounge at the Soo's Kewadin Casino tonight & tomorrow night before their heavy renovations begin, while Tom Katalin & Highway 41 will be playing at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin those same nights. Tomorrow, Viscera frontman "Blind" Bob Quinn & Louie Radecki will be playing at Moloney's Alley, Shipheads On Shore will be at The Islander Bar in Hessel, and Frank Gillotte will be performing at The Lakeside Lounge at Bay Mills Resort & Casino in Brimley. Note that this just counts bands within an hour of the Soo, but if you're up for a drive, Tarnished will be playing at The Pine Bar in Engadine on Saturday. Remember, levels of Halloween celebration and frills (from decor to drink specials to costume contests) will vary from venue to venue, so check in with each establishment and/or band before you commit to anything.

If you're free and able, go occupy a venue this weekend! The calendar blessed us with an ideal weekend for Halloween concerts, and there won't even be an October 31st on a Friday until 2031, so take advantage where you can. We'll wrap up our Halloween previews with three shows tomorrow night and one short notice Sunday matinee, so stay tuned then! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck & Dos Amigos) And Devil's Night Concert Previews!!

Halloween weekend is upon us and for the first time since 2020 (when the pandemic threw a monkey wrench into the holiday for many), October 31st is on a Saturday! There's no shortage of live music to take in at local concert venues this weekend, and things will need at least three posts to get to everything! We'll start here with Devil's Night shows tomorrow, including two SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and one previously announced Friday nighter, so here's what you should know for the end of spooky season!

Local acoustic punk cover duo Dos Amigos will cap off their run of fall festival gigs at Thomson Farms Cider & Winery TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, we only learned about this booking via (you guessed it) a Facebook "Story" shared by the band members' personal accounts, as the band's social media hasn't publically acknowledged TOMORROW'S booking, let alone the mill, whose AI generated poster for this weekend's festivities doesn't even mention live music. For the closing day, Thomson Farms will have the haunted corn maze open for one more night, and the usual family entertainment, vendors, and refreshments seen throughout October should also be on hand. Dos Amigos will be playing from the 5:00 PM opening TOMORROW until 8:00 PM, this is definitely all ages, and there are no cover charges. Proceeds TOMORROW will be helping the U12 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds hockey team.

The haunted maze proper costs $15, and while Halloween decorations are certainly implied, the farm hasn't 100% confirmed anything about costumes (they don't appear to be open on Saturday, so I assume they'd be okay with costumes TOMORROW). 9&10 News is calling for mostly cloudy skies with temperatures of 7-8°. I do wish that Dos Amigos were plugging events in permanent posts through the band's own accounts, but hopefully their unplugged punk covers provide a fun soundtrack to the evening! Visit the above links for more on TOMORROW'S festivities at Thomson Farms, and for a preview, here's Dos Amigos live!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Beck's Bar for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, we only learned about this Devil's Night gig when Beck's announced their weekly entertainment schedule on their Facebook page on Tuesday. Now, these shows were originally announced as being for fellow classic/hard rock cover quartet Silent 9 on that band's website's calendar, but it has was quietly updated in recent weeks to remove both tomorrow's gig as well as one at Beck's on Saturday, November 14th (all that is listed there now are private events). A reason for Silent 9 dropping out of both dates has not been publically announced, but hopefully all is well in their camp! Soundcheck have taken on TOMORROW'S gig, and in a mild surprise given their increasingly rare social media updates, they have plugged them on their Facebook page!

As such, they have finally acknowledged the "Soundcheck 7.3" branding from their recent AI generated artwork on Facebook, but have yet to confirm online if they have indeed changed their name or if it's just a logo element (let alone what "7.3" means. Richter scale?). Also, TOMORROW'S show is not advertised as an "epic crossover" gig with their sister band Separate Wayz, who have not updated their Facebook page in over a month. In terms of Halloween accoutrements, while Beck's is hosting Elly McWatters & The Drifters on Saturday night, TOMORROW will also be a Halloween party, with costumes encouraged, and there will be a contest, with prizes in store for those with the scariest and funniest costumes, as well as the best character impersonation. Soundcheck will kinda sorta have an opener TOMORROW, namely local magician Ryan McFarling at 7:00 PM.

I say "kinda sorta" as Ryan's show will be ticketed, whereas Soundcheck have no cover charge for their 9:00 PM-starting concert, which is 19+ as usual. There's a lot more than this going down at Beck's, so be sure to check their Facebook page for the complete weekend itinerary (Sunday matinee included), but hopefully Soundcheck (7.3?) hold up their end of the bargain with their hard rocking old school covers at the Goulais Avenue nightclub TOMORROW! See above for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Finally for weekend concert preview post #1, we'll head to The Art Hub At Spring (technically at 504 Queen Street East) for a FREE multi-band Devil's Night concert TOMORROW NIGHT, but there has been a late headliner switch. Originally, local alternative/hard rock quartet The Reeves were supposed to headline, but they dropped out "due to unforeseen circumstances" on Monday, as per the official Facebook event page, though they promised that "we will still be in attendance". If they'll still be there, is someone sick or hurt? No idea, but hopefully everyone's alright! Replacing The Reeves tomorrow are local crossover thrash trio Hails, who are no strangers to The Art Hub following frontman Brenton Ellis' recent art exhibit residency there, and with the cancellation of the private Devil's Night At Dirtbag's tomorrow, their schedule was open! Ha!ls will be joined by debuting pop punk/emo quintet Homeroom Hero.

This promising band has yet to reveal the identity of their new female singer, but you can be the first to find out tomorrow (possible Halloween costume acknowledged), and click here to sample them covering The Offspring! Opening is former Stereo North frontman Andrew Pucci, so if you've missed him and were curious what his solo material sounds like following the cancellation of his open mic set at Rotaryfest Stage 2 following the air quality index concerns, keep this in mind! A dance party is planned after the bands, there will be complimentary food and drinks, and costumes are welcomed (no word on a contest). While this will be a free and all ages concert at 8:00 PM, organizers recommend RSVPing first, and while the event page suggests contacting performers/organizers to "get on the list", I did see a reference on Facebook where just saying that you're going on the Facebook event page would be enough. I'm assuming all of this is due to The Art Hub's smaller size.

Compared to some of the other multi-band events for Halloween downtown, this one's punk slant, price point, and Friday scheduling will definitely appeal to some, and while it is unfortunate that The Reeves aren't playing despite their promotional involvement, hopefully there's a strong turnout at The Art Hub tomorow night! See above for more details, and here's Hails live!

That's all for now, but our weekend concert previews continue tomorrow with shows actually on Halloween night! Thanks everyone!

YouTube Channel Profile Series: Woods Of Ypres - Topic

After a slight delay, here is this month's YouTube Channel Profile, as we look at another YouTube channel whose content is at least 50% made up of content from local metal, hard rock, or punk musicians! This month, our latest random selection takes us to a YouTube Music channel from the biggest metal band to ever call the Soo home, so here's what you should know!

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Woods Of Ypres - Topic (http://youtube.com/channel/UCUKasoaU68XYA7_d9wjQRKg)

Owner:  If anyone, Earache Records, though the channel is auto-generated to facilitate Woods Of Ypres' catalogue being available on YouTube Music

Channel Timeline: Launched on January 16th, 2014; All videos uploaded in the early 2010s, and last revised from September 23rd-24th, 2025

Channel Summary: The official YouTube Music channel for Woods Of Ypres' five mainline studio albums, these 57 songs were originally uploaded to YouTube Music well before last fall, but these are the more recent versions. Of course, this is all posthumous, as the local/Toronto blackened doom metal band dissolved shortly after frontman David Gold passed away in December 2011. Note that channel technicallty only has five its own videos, as the rest are taken from Earache's proper YouTube channel or their Earache Catalog channel (particularly earlier songs and non-singles in the latter case)

Why You Should Watch: If you're a fan of Woods Of Ypres, and prefer YouTube (Music) for your streaming needs, this is a must stop channel to hear their best known songs from Windsor to the Soo and all points within! However, the channel only features their five albums (re-)issued by Earache Records, omitting their output that was solely released via David's indie labels Krankenhaus and Practical Art Records. Missing here are their 2009 compilation album "Independent Nature 2002-2007" (though its songs are all on YouTube Music via their original albums), the "Allure Of The Earth" single from 2009 (featuring a cello cover by outside musicians), and 2011's "Home" single (featuring two songs from the still-unreleased EP "Woods 4.5: You Were The Light"). For official video content from his and the band's lifetime, visit David's personal YouTube channel.

 Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:

 

A Meeting Place And Time: I'll start with their first EP, 2002's "Against The Seasons: Cold Winter Songs From The Dead Summer Heat" for two reasons. One is that it has the most differences from later work (a black metal-centric sound with David just drumming), and also that these songs are the only ones that were directly uploaded to the YouTube Music channel, rather than being appropriated from other Earache channels. By far their most popular song from this Windsor-era EP, it features strong ans nicely suited guitar and bass work from Brian McManus and Aaron Palmer, and their alternating harsh and clean vocals were on point while also being reminiscent of what David brought to the mic on later albums. Definitely a standout of their early period before things got doomier!

 

Woods of Ypres - I Was Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Official Video): Possibly because its represented on YouTube Music via its music video, the most popular upload on this channel is "I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery" from 2009's "Woods 4: The Green Album", where David was joined by his former Gates of Winter bandmate Bryan Belleau on guitar and Pennsylvania-based brothers Shane & Evan Madden on bass and drums. Receiving over 4.1 million views at press time, the video (filmed in Southern Ontario in 2010 after Thrawsunblat's Joel Violette replaced Bryan) captures the guys playing one of their best known melodic doom-era originals on a porch while David walks through the title cemetery. Well shot and edited with an aesthetic perfectly capturing the "W4" themes, and it's a must watch video for fans of local-era Woods Of Ypres! Note that Earache has not posted their own copy of Woods' 2007 music video for "The Northern Cold".

Woods of Ypres - Adora Vivos (Official Audio): I wanted to highlight a song from Woods' Juno Award-winning final and biggest album "Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light", but rather than go with one of the better known songs from it, here's "Adora Vivos", which was one of my favourite cuts from the album despite being being the second-lowest streamed song from it on YouTube Music. One of Woods of Ypres' heaviest songs from their late period work, it crushes while still telling a poignant message, with David telling us to love the living while they're still alive, and not to worship those who aren't here to appreciate the sentiment. Fans haven't necessarily taken to that when honouring David and his music, but it's a very solid song from him and Joel, and don't bypass it on the full album!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return on or around November 26th, and now, we can focus on the Halloween weekend concert previews! Stay tuned!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Nate's Chow & Curtis McKenzie), Plus Crush Updates!!

Before I post this month's YouTube Channel Profile, I thought I'd throw a new news post together, as two LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for late next week hit the news desk, and if I don't talk about them now, it'll be late notice when there's time (given the busy Halloween weekend schedule ahead). Rounding things out are some recent updates from a prominent local hard rock band, so here's what you should know on this Tuesday night!

Former Haggith/Eclipse frontman Curtis McKenzie will play a solo concert on "Think It Over Thursday", November 5th at The Dive Gastro Pub! Newly announced on his Facebook page (and good thing too, as The Dive tends to announce musicians on very short notice), this will be Curt's first acoustic concert at the former Low & Slow in ten weeks, last rocking "The Naughty Corner" in late August. If you'd rather see Curtis' hard and alternative rock covers in a downtown venue rather than his recent west end gigs, keep next week's show in mind! This is a 19+ show as usual for The Dive, it has no announced cover charge, and a 10:00 PM start time was noted. Visit the above links for more details! While we're on the subject, some readers may be aware that Curtis is the new owner of the remodeled used/antique store Stuff at 288 Korah Road (right near Jay's Piston Broke Pub), and he is hosting the first Soo Retro Con next door on November 20th & 21st.

I mention this new pop culture/collectibles convention here because advertising promises "live music". The Retro Con will be held in the adjacent Great Lakes Hall with paid admission and various entertainment, and Curt was still looking for "entertainers/musicians" as of October 16th, as per the Facebook event page. What would a live musician lineup look like at this location, let alone at a comic con, and will Curtis be playing that weekend? If metal, hard rock, and/or punk acts are included, we'll let you know, but see above for more details on the Soo Retro Con!

Next up, let's head to the EUP, as Sault Michigan hard rock cover trio Nate's Chow have been selected to headline the Brimley Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 9023's fifteenth annual Veteran's Day ATV ride on Friday, November 7th! In recent years, a cover hard rock band has been a staple of this event, even if the band in question doesn't publically plug it (Project 906 did the honours in 2023 & 2024 and The Nameless played last year), so kudos to the former Unfortunate Sun for announcing it with a week+ to spare! As detailed on the official Facebook event page, the main event of this annual event is the ATV ride, with proceeds going to local veterans, and there are prizes and draws along with the run, plus a dinner, with Nate's Chow performing afterwards. You do not need to ride in the ATV run to attend this event, and paid admission for the dinner and concert will be available on site from 3:00-6:00 PM next week.

Nate's Chow will play at 7:00 PM, but dinner is included with all tickets, which cost $20, though they will accept higher donations. The VFW Post 9023 is located at 8968 West M-28, which is 8 minutes southeast of Bay Mills Resort & Casino. There is no stated age limit next week. Helping military veterans is a great cause, and hopefully Jody, Brett, and Jason have a strong concert for riders and supporters alike next Friday, so visit the above links for full details on the Veteran's Day ride and related events!

Let's close up north (while going further south at the same time) by looking at local hard rock trio Crush! After the originals-focused Tarnished sister band posted photos from the Tribe989 concert in Gould City last month onto their Facebook page (is that Trogdor The Burninator attacking Iggy?!), they posted Iggy's second bathroom review video, where he assesses and grades the quality of the men's bathroom at Bemo's Bar in Bay City (where they played a show early last month). I'll let you watch to see how he grades the bathroom and if you agree! In a bizarrely late notice announcement for a downstate gig, Crush announced on Friday that they'd be hitting the road the next day to open for Lapeer punk band Skitchfall at the Bruce Mansion in nearby Brown City (almost 5 hours southeast of the Soo). And yes, it's a legit mansion, with paranormal reports, so it's fitting to play there in October!

Adding to the "shouldn't you guys be advertising this earlier?" files, Crush played one more downstate gig on Sunday, when they headed to Westland (outside of Detroit) to play at The Token Lounge, where they were among the openers for Van Haven: The Ultimate Van Halen Tribute as part of a Halloween masquerade party. To plug both shows, they starred in the video embedded below featuring the guys messing around backstage before hyping the Skitchfall show, with Iggy popping up afterwards solo to plug the Westland concert, forgotten in the moment of the main video. Things end with their usual yellow caption cards, this time with a clip of the studio version of their original "Too Close" playing, and when are we going to hear their studio original songs in full? All we're getting from their sessions are these end-of-video teaser clips, and things sound reasonably far along!

No word on when Crush will play an honest-to-goodness local concert again (they last played a show in our coverage range in April at The Merch), but it's good to see Alex, Josh, and Iggy staying busy, even if it means a lot of recent 4+ hour drives downstate for gigs in bigger markets. Check out more from Crush above & below, and stay tuned for more from their camp!

That's all for now, but this month's YouTube Channel Profile is definitely next, and then, Halloween weekend concert previews! Thanks everyone!