Norris EP Review, And The Free CD Giveaway Preview!!!

Guess what I got in the mail today? My Norris prize pack from the May contest held by Northern Rocks Magazine! Thanks again to Chris Rancourt for running the contest and doing such a great job with the magazine! So I now own a Norris button (blue with Norris in yellow writing), a white Norris sticker (now beside my Gates of Winter sticker on my computer monitor), a nice big Norris poster, and even a Northern Rocks Magazine button and no less than three business cards!

But the main drawing card of the package was free downloads of their new EP "Bonecrusher", as well as their 2005 release "Ladies & Gentlemen, We Regret to Inform You That Our Worldwide Anthem is an Explosion"! Nice to get the old EP as a bonus! And as I promised, once I recieved the album, I would review it, so, here we go! And stay tuned afterwards for your first info on this year's SMS Free CD Giveaway!

The first song on the EP is "Epic Failure", which opens with some extreme screaming by frontman Curtis Wilson, and continues into an assault of the senses. They're hard to pin down to one genre on first listen, it sounds like death metal in parts, and hardcore in other parts. It's by no means a typical cookie cutter metal album. If you prefer metal with predictable time signatures, this ain't it. It's also very technical, infusing a lot of different influences into their sound. This is just what I'm gathering off of a first listen, but you'd probably have to hear it to really understand!

The next song is the title track, which continues much in the same vein as the last song, but seems slightly heavier and faster! Its really hard to comment on, when the songs have such varying tempo changes and pounding instrumentation, but that's just a sign of the band's talent as a whole! More of the same on the next song, "King George The Third Would Be Turning In His Grave", which features some slow grooving guitar work, more high pitched growling from Wilson, and lots of headbangable riffage! Josh Hogan's drumming stands out as well, especially keeping up with all the changes in every song!

This is followed by "The Dirge", which opens with an interesting piano performance, which is almost ominous in tone. This is by the far the slowest and doomiest song on the EP, but still uses lots of technical stuff to make it their own. It's not my favourite song, but it's still effective in it's own way! Finally, the EP closes with "The Inevitable", which is standard Norris, death metal mayhem with tempo changes galore! Midway into the song, a quieter spoken word part pops in too, which seems a bit out of place, but the song is still pretty good! It ends with a lengthy solo-ish guitar part, which sounds like the same notes played over and over. Kinda repetitive, but an interesting end to the EP!

Overall, "Bonecrusher" won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like death and tech metal, you'll find this really interesting! These songs are all aural chaos from beginning to end, which is good! The music if very well played, the songs are easy to mosh to, and it should please any of you hardcore and death metal fans! I do wish there was more real "guitar solos", and their style of metal isn't the type I generally listen to, but it's definitely worth picking up if you have the cash! Check out three of the songs off of the EP, as well as their entire 2005 EP, at their official MySpace page! If you like what you hear, or if you liked them at their recent concert here with Today I Caught The Plague, buy "Bonecrusher" if you can get a chance!

Also, before we get to the Free CD Giveaway Preview, just gotta alert you to two things: One, Northern Rocks Magazine's July issue comes out tomorrow, so expect me to comment on that once I receive my copy! And two, Kiss voting is OVER. Now, it's up to Kiss to tabulate the results, so cross your fingers for a Sault Ontario stop on the fan routed tour, it's all we can do now! As a result, the Kiss widget is gone from the page, and a thanks again to all of you who've voted from The Sault Metal Scene in the last couple months!

Now, in preparation for our second anniversary on Saturday, it's time to give you guys the scoop on this year's Sault Metal Scene Free CD Giveaway! Last year's was a hit, and I knew that we'd be back this year with more free CDs! If you're not familiar with this giveaway, it goes like this: At metal concerts I attend on July 4th or after, I will have 5 or 10 hand-burned CDs featuring a sampling of the great local metal and hard rock bands in the Sault Ste. Marie area, absolutely free, to give to anyone interested! Why you may ask? Simple, there's lots of great local metal bands that should have some more exposure, and this is my little effort to help extend knowledge of them to the interested masses!

Keep in mind, I AM NOT INTENDING TO INFRINGE ON ANY COPYRIGHTS! I am simply spreading the word about local bands to help increase exposure for local bands and the SMS itself. It's FREE PROMOTION, GIVEN TO PEOPLE FOR FREE! I'M ONLY MAKING 50 CDS! NOTHING WILL BE SOLD, PLEASE DON'T SUE!!!

The CDs are hand-burned on Windows Media Player, recorded from the internet using Free Youtube to Mp3 Converter, Ask and Record Toolbar, or through existing CD rips. The labels (which will feature our new logo) will be compiled using Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Word. Audio quality depends on the original file, so no lynching me if you don't like how it sounds!

This year, I've tried to add in more local bands that weren't on last year's CDs, and make sure the audio quality is as good as possible! Song/band inclusion depended on sound quality, full band lineup, band activity, local recognition, and if I could even find an audio file. If your band, or a group you like, isn't on here, no offense is meant! Now, here is the official song lineup, with Sault Michigan bands in blue, Sault Ontario bands in red:

1. As It Stands - Three Rounds With Brock Lesnar

2. Bad Side - Let It Roll
3. Clownsack - Social Homicide
4. Detroit - Spiritual Autopsy
5. Dirty Virgin - She's Hot
6. Fitswitch - My Own Sickness
7. Garden of Bedlam - Sovereignty
8. Gates of Winter - Burning Kingdom II: Heavenly Insurgence
9. Integrated System of Machines - Apocalyptic Vision
10. Jager - Somewhere In Time
11. Lion Ride - Trust
12. Nixxon Dixxon - Paranoid (Black Sabbath cover)
13. No Arrow - The Pissing Song
14. Sense of Truth - Closing Doors
15. Stillbroke - Sick and Tired
16. Sue Inside - Burned Tilant
17. Sykotyk Rampage - Drinking On The Weekend
18. The Issues - He's Got The Pills
19. Woods of Ypres - Your Ontario Town Is A Burial Ground

This is subject to change, and hopefully the songs I picked are altogether more impressive than last year's! AGAIN, NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!!! Now, I will have at least 5, maybe 10, free CDs at this Friday's Garden of Bedlam concert at The Canadian, but I ain't giving out nothing until after midnight (I promised I'd wait til July 4th, remember?) So if you want one, hit me up then! And if you don't get one at this show, don't worry, I'll have at least five CDs at each metal show I hit until all 50 I make are gone! And yes, I can make special orders if you want one at any old time!

Thanks everyone, stay tuned for more SMS 2nd anniversary news, as well as continuing Garden of Bedlam show updates, and even more! Oh, and remember to ASK FOR YOUR FREE CD AT THE SHOW!

THE ALL AGES GARDEN OF BEDLAM SHOW IS CANCELLED!

Big news on the Garden of Bedlam front, it appears Sunday's planned all ages show with Necropolis has been cancelled. Apparently, a death related to one of the Royal Canadian Legion employees has occurred, and as a result, the hall won't be open that weekend due to the funeral. Sad news, but death is unpredictable, and this is no fault of Garden of Bedlam's. As for what will happen to this show, it will be rescheduled for a later date, and I'll keep you guys posted once I learn more! Thanks, once again, to Buzz from Garden of Bedlam for letting me know!

But don't worry, this Friday's show is STILL ON! Remember, it will feature Garden of Bedlam and Sense of Truth at 11:00 PM at The Canadian, tickets will be $5 in advance (at CD Plus, The Rad Zone, and Forsaken Tattoo Studio), or $8 at the door, and this will be their CD release show, featuring GoB EPs and merchandise for sale! Get more info at the official Facebook event page!

More news to come tomorrow and throughout the week! Tomorrow, I plan to outline this year's Free CD Giveaway in preparation for the launch on July 4th, our second anniversary! Stay tuned! AND GET YOUR VOTES IN FOR KISS, THE VOTING FOR THAT ENDS AT 5:00 TOMORROW!!!

New Local Band Page, A Cancellation, And More!

It's news time!!! And what better way to start than with a brand new local band page! You may remember a couple weeks ago when I mentioned that a new local hard rock band, Quite Frankly, were playing at The Dragon Boat Festival. Well, they have launched their official Facebook group finally! Not much to speak of yet, but there's a bit of band info and lots of photos from their recent shows! Go check them out!

They also feature members of lots of other local bands, including ex-Devastation of the Heavens guitarist Joe Delbasso, ex-Faithless Sin guitarist Frank La Tassa, former No Arrow and Fingerbone bassist Harley Syrette, and Adam Pettenuzzo from Children of the Dawn on drums! As well, they feature a female lead singer, Jack Alisat, which should be really interesting to hear! Once I hear more on upcoming Quite Frankly news and updates, you'll find it here!

Next up, we have a show cancellation! You might remember my reporting that Winnipeg metal bands Dreadnaut and Domenica would be playing at Foggy Notions on Friday night. Well, they won't be playing after all. Foggy's won't even be open yet by then, so who knows what happened with that. But when Foggy's actually does re-open, you'll hear it here! To be fair, I hadn't heard much about this "show", but both bands had continued to list the show on their respective MySpace pages, so I suppose I just assumed. Oh well, hopefully they actually will come here one day! And thanks to Buzz from Garden of Bedlam for the scoop!

Next up, here's some updates from local hard rockers Fingerbone! Now, we haven't seen them live since January, but it looks like they're on the right track for a return to the stage! Since you last saw them, frontman John Barber was replaced by Luke LeBlanc, while bassist Charles Gibson was replaced by Quite Frankly's Harley Syrette, who also left and was replaced by existing guitarist Arthur Lacasse! So Fingerbone are now a four piece, and they've posted some recent videos of some "drunken jamming" on Facebook, including versions of System of a Down and Alice in Chains songs! I can't direct link Facebook vids on the SMS (no HTML to do so), but you can check out the videos, and all Fingerbone news and updates as they come in, at their official Facebook page!

Let's leave it at that for today, I promise more news very soon! Remember, out second anniversary is in just FIVE days, and I've got lots of exciting things lined up! If you're at the Garden of Bedlam concert on July 3rd, hit me up at Midnight or later to get your hands on a free CD, as the FREE CD GIVEAWAY will begin at that show! Thanks everyone, stay tuned for more news and info!

Local Concert Previews, Plus More News!!!

Hello all, it's time for another post! Before we start, I'll direct you all to the icon beside the address bar on your web browser. Let that serve as a "preview" of our new logo, as the icon features one part of it. I'll leave it at that until July 4th. Now, to local metal news! There are four local metal concerts this weekend, so as usual, here are your local concert previews for this weekend!

All four shows are in Sault Michigan, and to my knowledge, are the last metal shows taking place in this first half of 2009! First of all, Pickford Michigan hard rockers Absolute are back at The Bird tonight and tomorrow night for a pair of concerts! Both take place at 10:00 PM! Nice to see them back here, they have some great sounding covers, and a few quality originals too! Check out some of their songs at their official MySpace page! And if you miss them this weekend, don't worry, they'll be back at The Bird next weekend!

For a preview, check out this live video of Absolute covering the Rage Against The Machine classic, "Killing In The Name"!



Meanwhile, at The Satisfied Frog, local hard rock band Shift will return for two more high energy shows! Both of these will also be at 10:00 PM, so choose the shows you wanna hit wisely! But keep in mind, Shift have nothing else scheduled until August for the Sault area, so keep that in mind! They've always sounded like a good band, and for once, I can prove it! Videos have finally been put up on their MySpace page! Check out this live video of Shift covering the Linkin Park hit "One Step Closer", which is definitely neat to hear with a female lead singer! Quality isn't perfect, but here's hoping more videos pop up soon!



So if anyone's gonna be at any of the shows this weekend, feel free to let us know! The next local metal shows on the horizon are in July, on our second anniversary weekend, which will include Absolute's next two shows, Dreadnaut and Domenica at Foggy Notions, and the next band I'll talk about, Garden of Bedlam!

An event page has been posted on SooToday for both of Garden of Bedlam's upcoming CD release shows next weekend, which you can check out at this location! It sums up many of the things you need to know about both concerts, but of course, to get the full scoop, check out the event pages on Facebook (This one for July 3rd at The Canadian, and this one for July 5th at The Canadian Legion!) Remember, tickets for the July 3rd show are on sale NOW at CD Plus, The Rad Zone, and Forsaken Tattoo Studio, for just $5! For more info as I hear it, you'll find it here!

And finally, new local hardcore band Lorax (previously known as It's Just Me, and Loyalty is Dead) have found their new bassist! He is Nathan Bouliane, who you might remember from local bands like As It Stands, The Crossed, Moncton, and The Outside Lights! Interesting choice, here's hoping it works out! That's all for today, stay tuned for more local metal news! And remember, our second anniversary is in just EIGHT DAYS!!!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Necropolis), And A Garden Of Bedlam Update!

The metal concerts just keep coming for Sault Ontario! Why do I say that? Because I've got a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for you all! So let's get right to that to start!

Local metal band Necropolis have scheduled another upcoming show on July 16th, where they will be among the support acts for Newfoundland punk rockers The Class War Kids! They're alright for a punk band, head to their MySpace to check them out! The other support bands will include Toronto classical/punk band RedD Monkey (who you may remember as headliners from the Necropolis concert on May 3rd), as well as locals Free Beer and The Fury!

But here's something else that might interest you about this concert: Smeltzer are reuniting for one night only at this show! You may remember these local alt-rockers from various local concerts in the mid-2000s, and they had a pretty good following around here, so I bet some of you are stoked for their reunion! Visit their MySpace page at this location! So those are the bands scheduled for this show! Necropolis may be the only "metal" band, but there's lots of punk goodness to go around also if you're a fan! Admission is just $5, and everything starts at 6:30! Once I hear more on this show, you'll hear it all here!

Not a lot else to report today, but I can tell you that Garden of Bedlam have posted an event page on Facebook for their upcoming all ages show with Necropolis at The Royal Canadian Legion on July 5th! I'm incredibly stoked for both this show and the CD release show on the 3rd, it should be one hell of a metal weekend! Plus, the shows perfectly bookend our 2nd anniversary on the 4th, which is convenient! I can confirm that I will have free CDs at both of these shows to give away, with details to follow! Remember guys, try and get to at least one of these shows, they'll be awesome!

And finally, VOTE IN THE SMS POLL!!! Thanks to the voters so far, it looks like the Cattle Decapitation show is winning so far for favourite metal concert of 2009 so far, but it's way too early yet, so keep the votes coming in! Same for the Kiss fan-routed tour voting too, keep demanding them too, cause the voting ends Tuesday at 5:00 PM! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Garden of Bedlam), Plus Woods of Ypres and Kiss Updates!!!

So how about this weather? Too fucking hot if you ask me, but I'm sure some of you don't mind! But, we have some big news, so let's start with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!!

As you may have read yesterday, Garden of Bedlam were still working on a possible all ages show for July 5th at The Royal Canadian Legion on Great Northern Road. Well, it's definitely a go! I got word from frontman Buzz that Garden of Bedlam and fellow locals Necropolis will be rocking out for metalheads of all ages on that day! Also, this show will take place much earlier than the actual CD release concert, starting at around 7:00! Admission is just $3 (nice and affordable!), and for you 19+ concertgoers, there WILL be a cash bar! Garden of Bedlam's new EP and merchandise will be on sale for this concert as well!

Meanwhile, tickets for the July 3rd concert with Sense of Truth will go on sale at CD Plus, The Rad Zone, and Forsaken Tattoos tomorrow at 6:00 PM! Buzz does have tickets himself already, if you wanna get yours super early! Remember that tickets for this show are $5, or $8 at the door! Thanks to Buzz for all of the info! Once a Facebook event page is posted for the all ages show, as well as any more information about both of these concerts, you'll find it all here!

Next up, we have an update from local black metal stars, Woods of Ypres! Frontman David Gold posted a blog update on MySpace, giving us some info on their upcoming new CD, "Woods IV: The Green Album"! Recording began for the new album yesterday, and there will reportedly be SIXTEEN songs! They promise that the album will be "progressive and evolutionary, while still heavy, solid and very Woods Of Ypres." The album is scheduled to be completed by the end of the summer, and released in October! Also, Woods of Ypres are now accepting pre-orders for the new album! So, if you wanna pre-order a copy of Woods IV, send $20 to:

David Gold / The GREEN Album
44 Poplar Ave
Sault Ste. Marie, ON,
P6B 2W7, CANADA

Or you can order via PayPal by e-mailing woodsofypres@hotmail.com! When ordering, include your full return address and e-mail for confirmation! If you wanna get the album before CD Plus stocks it, this is the way to go! Stay tuned to Woods of Ypres' official MySpace page, or join their official Facebook group to recieve more updates during the recording!

Oh, and guess what's coming up? The deadline for the Kiss fan-routed tour voting! There is just ONE WEEK left to cast your votes to bring Kiss and Buckcherry to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario! Voting ends Tuesday, June 30th, at 5:00 PM! Luckily, despite a lack of real pushing for votes recently, we're still in third, behind only Oshawa and Winnipeg! And remember, the votes are weighed out by city population, so our odds are even better! Plus, Sudbury's in 10th, Thunder Bay's in 13th, and Timmins are in 56th! Might Kiss hit a long Northern Ontario stretch? We'll have to see!

Remember to keep the votes rolling in, just to further ensure that we get a Kiss concert! Click here or on the "Demand It!" button at the upper right of the page to vote for Sault Ontario on Kiss' upcoming tour! If you vote, you'll get first dibs on pre-sale tickets, merchandise discounts, and the oppurtunity to have a video made by you shown at your city's concert! VOTE TODAY, THERE'S ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT!!!

That's all for now, remember to keep your browsers pointed here for local metal news and updates! Your next local concerts feature Absolute and Shift this weekend in Sault Michigan, stay tuned for previews of these shows! Have a good one!

A Correction, It's Just Me News, And SMS 2nd Anniversary Stuff!

Well guys, there's not a lot of news today, but enough to make a post for! And to start, I have a correction. Remember a few days ago when I said it looked like Necropolis were added to the upcoming Garden of Bedlam CD release show? Well, they aren't on THAT show. They are apparently lined up for the possible all ages Garden of Bedlam show on July 5th, which has yet to be finalized, but I hadn't seen indications of that when I first mentioned it here. Things will be worked out though, just a simple miscommunication! Thanks to Buzz from GoB for the correction! And remember everyone, for full details on Garden of Bedlam's CD release show with Sense of Truth at The Canadian, visit this location!

Just reminding everyone, I ain't perfect, and if I make a mistake of any kind, I sure as hell want to correct them and be as accurate as possible. If you see any mistakes, errors, outdated information, or missing stuff, let me know, and I'll be more than happy to correct it! I try my best to be accurate, but sometimes, a little help doesn't hurt!

Alright, next up, as you might remember from last Monday, I told you guys about new hardcore band It's Just Me, who has recently changed their name from their original moniker, "Loyalty is Dead". Well, they've changed their name AGAIN! They are now known as Lorax. Interesting name, hopefully it sticks! I've updated the concert listings and local band listings to match their new name! Their MySpace page's URL has also been updated to match the new name, and you can check it out at www.myspace.com/loraxlorax! Also, their upcoming concert on July 18th at The Oddfellows Hall will feature (besides Lorax and Callahan) other local bands, though I have yet to learn much else. Once I hear more Lorax-related info, you'll hear it here!

And finally, just some updates on our upcoming second anniversary, which is just 11 days away! The new logo is long since completed, it looks excellent in my opinion, I'll have to see what kind of feedback I get from it (Remember, that pic is just a preview of what's to come!) I have been thinking up ideas for the Facebook relaunch, I won't divulge anything, but it should work well to let all you Facebook users know about metal news, without taking anything away from the blog! As for the Free CD Giveaway, I'm pretty sure what bands and songs will be included, but again, I won't spoil anything until July 4th, lest the surprise be ruined!

I also have a "secret" project coming on July 4th to unveil to the world, it's nothing major or earth shattering, but it should be somewhat neat! As for what it is, let me just kill two birds with one stone: It's NOT an SMS Twitter page, and it's NOT an SMS concert I'd be promoting. There, cleared those up. You'll just have to wait and see for yourselves on July 4th! That's all for tonight, more news to come very soon!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Free Refill), Graveyard Tan Concert Previews, And Assorted Updates!

Well guys, I'll start by thanking those of you that have voted in this month's poll so far! Keep sending your votes in, let's see what you, the fans, think was the best Sault Ontario concert so far this year! (And for you Sault Michigan metalheads, I'm planning a similar poll for favorite performing metal bands over there for next month, so stay tuned!)

Speaking of Sault Michigan, I have some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, all of which involve local hard rockers Free Refill! They've scheduled five (maybe six) concerts in the Sault Michigan area through September, so here's what you need to know! First, they'll be playing at The Portage Beach Party on July 11th on (where else), Portage Avenue! Then, on July 25th, they'll be among the performers at this year's Superior Whitefish Festival in Bay Mills! After that, they will be playing on August 7th at the annual Sidewalk Sales on Ashmun Street!

Then on August 15th, Free Refill will be performing at this year's Sugar Island Festival, which is located on 3 Mile Road in Sugar Island! And lastly, they're on the lineup for this year's Oktoberfest, which will be held on Portage Avenue on September 26th! They also list a possible show for July 4th as part of Fourth of July celebrations in Trout Lake, but that date is pending, so I won't list it until I know if it's confirmed or not. All of the above shows start at 8:00 PM! It's nice to see Free Refill lining up all these new shows over the next few months, and hopefully they do a great job! For more details on these shows, and for any info on Free Refill you may want, head to their official MySpace page and their official website!

Now that we're up to date on metal concerts in Sault Michigan, it turns out there's a couple taking place there this weekend, so as usual, here are your local concert previews! Michigan hard rock band Graveyard Tan are returning to The Satisfied Frog for a pair of shows this weekend! Both of these concerts will take place at 8:00 PM! To my knowledge, these are Graveyard Tan's first Sault area shows since January! Graveyard Tan are a pretty good band with some catchy songs, check them out on MySpace to hear some of their originals! If you can, go check them out tonight or tomorrow, and if not, they'll be back next month! And for a preview, here's a live video of Graveyard Tan performing their original song "Can't Break The Chains"!



Next up, I was searching the internet, and I came across what might be another local metal show coming up, but I don't have enough info to confirm it yet. According to their official MySpace page, Toronto death metal band Machine of Macabre have a date listed for The Oddfellows Hall on August 9th with Sudbury's own Upheaval of an Exorcist. You may remember both of these bands from Jeremy Hannah's birthday show in February! Well, I'm not gonna list this show just yet, because I know next to nothing else about it. Upheaval of an Exorcist don't list this show on their MySpace, and I'm not finding anything else that confirms this as happening. But when and if I do, I'll let you guys know!

In other news, another band has been added to Garden of Bedlam's CD release show at The Canadian on July 3rd! And it's none other than local metal band Necropolis! Though not confirmed on the Facebook event page yet, Necropolis bassist Nolan Rainville did announce it on Facebook, so there's my source! Nice to see these guys on a totally metal show for a change, they should put on another great performance come July 3rd! Also featuring Sense of Truth, this show will be at 11:00 PM, and will feature Garden of Bedlam performing new originals and songs on their debut EP, which is out now! Get more information on this show at the official Facebook event page!

And finally, I have a video clip from a recent local metal show! Not a lot of people tend to put clips up from recent shows as much lately, but I did find one video! Check out this clip of Stillbroke from the Marianas Trench concert this past Monday! All credit to Youtube user fromstephtolast for the upload! Thanks everyone, more news to come, and VOTE IN THE POLL!!!

Last Month's Sault Metal Poll Results And This Month's New Poll!

Well folks, it's time to shut down the latest Sault Metal Poll! As you may remember, the question I posed was "What genre of metal bands would be most successful for Sault-area concerts?" First off, I have to say thanks to everyone for voting more in this poll! Up from 27 to 45 votes!! As for the results, they honestly surprised me! See for yourself, here are the totals! (Remember, for news on Garden of Bedlam, Sense of Truth, It's Just Me, and more, check immediately below this post!)

1. Classic Hard Rock (9 votes)
2. I like all types of metal (7 votes)
3. Black Metal (6 votes)
4. Glam/Hair Metal (5 votes)
4. Nu Metal/Modern Rock (5 votes)
6. Hardcore (3 votes)
6. Thrash/Speed Metal (3 votes)
6. Other (3 votes)
9. Death Metal (2 votes)
9. Progressive Metal (2 votes)
11. Power Metal (0 votes)

Well, let's discuss the totals. No one thinks power metal would work here? Interesting, you'd think a Dragonforce type band or something would be a success. I expected prog metal to be low, but death and thrash/speed are WAY lower than I was thinking. Death metal seems popular enough, and if I could have voted, I'd have picked thrash, it's not something we get here much, you'd think people would be aching for it somewhat! As for hardcore, we get tons of hardcore shows, but maybe the low total reflects how some of you feel about the amount of them we do get? I dunno, just a thought.

Glam/hair and nu metal/modern rock tied for 4th, about where I'd expect. Some of you think they'd be successful, and it's been proven both can be (look at the Motley Crue and Three Days Grace shows for proof!) Black metal finished 3rd, which may be a sign of how popular bands like Woods of Ypres really are (and deservedly so!) I just hope the next Woods show has a higher turnout than the last one! Second was "I like all types of metal", which is a great sign, but I wish that applied to more fans here so all shows could be successful!

And the winner, with 20% of the votes, is classic hard rock! Honestly, this is kind of an open ended choice, so it could mean bands sounding like AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Guns N' Roses, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, et cetera. But it seems clear that a lot of you love the old school stuff! Maybe this is an idea to take up, booking more classic sounding bands? I don't know what'd be best for this town, all I know is what the votes tell me, and that was the highest vote getter! Definitely interesting though!

So now that I've closed the original poll, it's time to replace it with a new question! And seeing as we're nearing the halfway point of 2009, I was wondering what shows you guys liked the most so far this year. Plus, there's nothing else scheduled right now on this side until July. So, I pose you the question: What was your favourite Sault Ontario metal concert of 2009 so far? I narrowed down the selections to 11 shows (all of which feature metal bands as headliners or are mostly comprised of metal bands), plus "Other", so let's go over each choice to remind you guys of the shows of the past 6 months!

Bands: Blessed By A Broken Heart, As It Stands, Upheaval of an Exorcist, Breaking The Fourth Wall, & Deter
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: January 9th
Info: Headlined by Montreal's own Blessed By A Broken Heart, this show was one of the first major metal shows of 2009, and (to my knowledge) featured the last live performance by As It Stands. Northern Rocks Magazine were also on hand at this show for some promotion! Lots of hardcore fans were there, but how good do you think it was?

Bands: Ministry of Zen & Fingerbone
Venue: Coch's Corner
Date: January 24th
Info: In their first local show since the Rock 2 Roll benefit, London's own Ministry of Zen rocked Coch's Corner! Also featured locals Fingerbone, in just their second live performance. I was there, it was a great show, but was it your favourite?

Bands: Upheaval of an Exorcist, Machine of Macabre, The Memphis West, The Fury, Good Morning Gorillas, & Talk Shit
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: February 20th
Info: Held in honor of Big Voiced Records owner/It's Just Me frontman Jeremy Hannah's birthday, the show featured an assortment of Ontario death metal bands, combined with local punk openers, for a night of musical mayhem! What'd you think of this show?

Bands: Carnifex, The Last Felony, & Upheaval of an Exorcist
Venue: The Lock City Grand Theater
Date: March 11th
Info: Featuring San Diego death metal band Carnifex as headliners, this show was put into jeopardy due to roadblocks caused by a severe winter storm. Despite this, and Blind Witness dropping out after a car accident, the show went on! Did you survive the storm to rock out at this show? If it's your favourite, vote for it!

Bands: The Undead Warriors, Dirty Virgin, Operation: Killdozer, Sue Inside, The Glass Statues, Train Junky, & Waterslide (YMCA Battle of the Bands)
Venue: The Lock City Grand Theater
Date: March 20th
Info: In this showcase of local talent, The Undead Warriors (now known as Necropolis) stole the show, winning first place! Dirty Virgin and Operation: Killdozer also took home prizes, while the other bands put on great performances! Also featuring an original YMCA rock opera, the battle was a success, despite no alcohol. What did you think?

Bands: Stillbroke
Venue: The Verdi Hall
Date: April 1st
Info: Locals Stillbroke made their grand return to the stage at this show, unleashing tons of originals and some covers as well! Featuring door and raffle prizes, merchandise, and more, there was something for everyone! I even won $300 of toy trucks there! If you attended, was it your favourite show of the past year so far?

Bands: Cattle Decapitation, Psyopus, Beyond Within, & The Killing Field
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: April 12th
Info: On Easter Sunday, more death metal invaded Sault Ontario for this concert, headlined by death metal legends Cattle Decapitation! Despite venue issues, slow ticket sales, and Rose Funeral dropping out, it was one hell of a show! But do you agree?

Bands: Black Dog: The Tribute To Led Zeppelin
Venue: Coch's Corner
Date: April 24-25th
Info: This Toronto-based Led Zeppelin tribute band delivered some rock n' roll to Coch's Corner on consecutive nights in April! I've heard mixed things about Black Dog, but in your opinion, did they put on your favourite metal show so far in 2009?

Bands: Who Made Who: The Ultimate Tribute to AC/DC
Venue: The Canadian
Date: May 15th
Info: Who Made Who gaves us their own brand of high voltage rock n' roll at this concert last month! The crowd loved every minute of it, and the band did a great job pulling off the AC/DC sound! I loved it, but did you, if you were even there?

Bands: Blind Witness, To Cherish, The Fallacy, Amnesia Amnesia, Loyalty Is Dead, & The Fury
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 19th
Info: Big Voiced Records brought lots of hardcore goodness to the Soo for this show, featuring Blind Witness' return and the debut of Loyalty is Dead! (now It's Just Me.) I hear it went pretty good, but what's your opinion of this show? Vote if it's your favourite!

Bands: Today I Caught The Plague, Faceless Hulk, Norris, Constructed Apocalypse, & Loyalty Is Dead
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: June 11th
Info: More death metal bands hit The Oddfellows Hall last week on The Canadian Crusade Tour, including Thunder Bay's Faceless Hulk and Norris, and the locals now known as It's Just Me! Sounds like it was an awesome concert, but what do you think?

Other: Ok, maybe your favourite metal show so far isn't listed. Well, choose your favourite here! Maybe it had Sense of Truth, Sykotyk Rampage, Fitswitch, All Else Fails, Death By Stereo, or Quite Frankly! Or how another show featuring Stillbroke, Necropolis, or Operation: Killdozer? It's up to you, vote "Other" for an unlisted choice!

So there's your choices! Vote today, let's see if we can crack 50 votes this month! And stay tuned for more local metal news! Thanks everyone!

Garden of Bedlam CD Release Show Updates, LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, And More News!!!

Greetings, metal fans! I just found out last night a TON of updates for Garden of Bedlam's upcoming CD release show on July 3rd at The Canadian, as the band has launched a Facebook event page for it! So here's what you need to know!

First of all, the supporting band has been announced, and it's fellow local hard rockers Sense of Truth! I heard from Sense of Truth frontman Cory Murchison that they might sound and look a bit different at this show, so we'll have to see what's new with that! Tickets are (as previously mentioned here) $5 in advance or $8 at the door, and once they're made available, you can pick them up at CD Plus, The Rad Zone, and Forsaken Tattoos!

Doors will open at 9:00 PM, with Sense of Truth kicking things off at 11:00 PM that night! There will be copies of Garden of Bedlam's new self-titled EP for sale, as well as more band merchandise! Sadly, this show will indeed be 19+ (it is at a bar, after all.) BUT NEVER FEAR! Garden of Bedlam are looking at setting up an all ages show on July 5th at The Canadian Legion on Great Northern Road (that's across from A&W), at around 7:00 PM that day. It's not confirmed yet, but once it is, you'll hear it here!

You can bet your ass that I will be at this concert, it sounds amazing! It's been too long since I last saw both Garden of Bedlam and Sense of Truth as it is! Remember to check the Facebook event page and here for all the news and updates you need to know for this show, and maybe the all ages one too! Oh, and thanks to the guys at GoB for plugging me and the SMS in the event description! I appreciate it!

Alright, what next? Well, I do have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so how about that? Remember a couple of days ago when I mentioned that new local hardcore band It's Just Me (formerly known as Loyalty Is Dead) had some listed shows I wasn't too sure about? Well, I think I have enough info to list them on here! The August 3rd show with Callahan seems to be a go, especially when the band was writing on their wall expressing their happiness about playing with them, so it's now in the concert listings!

As well, It's Just Me will be joining Callahan as support for their show two days later in Windsor, at The Blind Dog! That show is also now in the Out of Town Listings! They're also playing a private party with Callahan in Sudbury on August 4th, but I won't list it cause it's private and invite only. Once I hear more on all of these shows, (cause I don't know that much yet) you'll hear it all here!

Next up, there's another band that wants to play a show here! Thunder Bay metal band This Audience is looking for a show in Sault Ontario around July 8th or 9th, and they apparently really need the show cause if they don't, they'll have to drive 16 hours to Toronto from Thunder Bay for the next show. Anyone wanna help these guys out? They're pretty good, check them out on MySpace! Hopefully they can get a show here!

And finally, just to let everyone know, I'm closing the current poll a little after midnight tonight, as the month of voting will be up tomorrow! The results look pretty clear, but if you haven't voted yet, get your choices in while you still can! And tomorrow, we'll investigate to see what is the genre that's be the most successful for local metal shows! I'll also launch a new poll tomorrow, so stay tuned for that! Thanks everyone, and remember, our second anniversary is in just 17 DAYS!

Three More Local Hard Rock Bands From The Past!!!

So I was surfing the net today, and I finally found some more defunct local bands to share with you guys! No real band websites or pages, but I do have some videos and information, and let's see if we bring back some memories, or gain some interest with this post! (And remember, for news on Garden of Bedlam's CD release show, It's Just Me, The Womb, and more, check out the post immediately below this one, it's packed with stuff!)

So the first band I'll talk about is Alibi, a long since defunct hard rock band that (to the best of my knowledge) came from Sault Michigan. They featured Dave Adams on vocals, Brian Patterson on guitar, Richie Blair on bass, Greg Johnson on keyboard, and Richie Dale on drums. I know of them from a video posted on Youtube by user mistermulder77, taken at a high school dance performance in 1988! The song they play in the video is a cover of the Lita Ford hit "Kiss Me Deadly", and it's definitely interesting to hear with a male singer!

I'd embed the video on the SMS to show you guys, but mistermulder77 has disabled embedding by request, so the best I can do is give you guys the link, so click here to check out the video! The song starts at around 1:34, and before and after the song, you'll see backstage stuff and general craziness from the band! They aren't bad, and I wonder what happened to these guys in the last 21 years?

Next, I found a defunct hard rock band from Sault Ontario known as BeeFMouTH! They were active in the area in the late 90s and early part of the 2000s. I don't know much about them, but Kevin Campbell from the band has posted six videos of BeeFMouTH jams and performances on his Youtube channel! Their songs aren't bad, it's a mix of punk and hardcore metal with almost screaming vocals, but not like some screamo-core band. These guys are pretty good, it's too bad they broke up! I've added Kevin's channel (also named BeeFMouTH) to the Local Metal Band Links! And check out this video of them performing their original song "White"!



Finally, we come to a band that I would really love to find out more about, but can't track down a whole lot on. They were Driver, a local metal band from the early 1990s that featured (among others) noted local drummer Glen Thomas, who plays for bands like Flat Stanley, Route 69, Wishbone, The Crank Shop, and more! In the early 90s, Driver apparently had studio recordings and also did some touring through Ontario. I know these guys are metal cause I read that they covered Iron Maiden and Dio, and their frontman at the time, Rick Thompson, had vocals with ability close to that of Queensryche frontman Geoff Tate! And you can bet that got me interested!

Thomas has a nice writeup on Driver on this board post, talking about some band experiences and happenings from way back. It's three years old, but still a good read! When he posted it, he linked to three songs off of Putfile, but that site has since been closed down and took over by EBaumsWorld, so the links are dead, and I haven't found much else about Driver. But believe me, if I do, I'll share with you guys, cause this band sounds like they were pretty damn good! Check out the Driver post at this location! It's the third post on the page, and includes six band photos, so it's easy to spot!

So there's a bit of a blast from the past for you all! I love searching the net for forgotten and lost local metal bands, it's like searching for buried treasure! A lot of old local bands are punk, which is good, but finding some old metal from back in the day is awesome, and I love sharing what I find with you guys!

More local metal news to come very soon, stay tuned! And remember, the SMS turns 2 years old in just 18 DAYS!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, Plus A New Local Band, Concert Updates, And More!!!

Oh, I have a LOT of news today, I did some thorough searching and came up with a whole bunch of stuff, starting with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!! (And to check out a preview for tonight's Stillbroke concert and my review of APE's new CD "Survival of the Fittest", check the post immediately below!)

Remember how I've been mentioning off and on that Garden of Bedlam were working on a CD release concert? Well, it appears to have been booked! According to their official MySpace page, they will be playing at The Canadian on July 3rd! Tickets are $5 in advance, or $8 at the door! It also lists the start time as 9:00 AM, but I can't see that as being right. Chances are this is 19+, being at The Canadian and all, but I'll update you guys if I hear otherwise! You better believe I'll be at this show, and it what great timing for this show too, as it will take place a day before the SMS' 2nd anniversary! When I hear more about this concert, you'll hear it here!

Next up, we have a new local band to add to the Local Metal Band Links! Remember when I mentioned a new local band called Loyalty Is Dead, who backed up Blind Witness and Today I Caught The Plague at shows earlier this year? Well, they have officially launched a MySpace page, so I can finally tell you guys about them! However, they've now changed their name to It's Just Me, so keep that in mind! As it turns out, they are a hardcore band, and their frontman is none other than Big Voiced Records head Jeremy Hannah! How about that? It's Just Me also has former Eyes Set Fire guitarist Dave Biedermann and Sammy Mellon on drums, while they are currently looking for a new bassist.

Their MySpace page does say they'll be playing a concert on August 3rd with Vancouver post-hardcore band Callahan at The Oddfellows Hall, but Callahan doesn't have any tour dates on their MySpace yet, so I'll wait for further confirmation before listing it. As well, it also mentions a possible show on August 5th in Windsor Ontario, but the venue is to be announced, so I'll wait for that too. Once I hear more on both these concerts, and anything else It's Just Me related, I'll let you guys know!

Now, I have some updates for a pair of upcoming concerts! First, we have learned one of the support bands for Woods of Ypres' show at The Speakeasy on August 16th! And it's none other than Toronto's own The Womb! Their MySpace page confirms it! And remember, they're still scheduled to play at The Lock City Grand Theater on August 15th, so if you're a fan of The Womb, or liked seeing them here last year, you're gonna get lots of metal goodness come mid-August! Also, admission to this show will be just $10! I fully plan on making this show, I personally can't wait!

Secondly, we've learned another support band for the upcoming Breaking The Fourth Wall concert on July 22nd at The Oddfellows Hall! They are I Am The Vine, a Christian hardcore band from Belle River, Ontario! Windsor death metal band Constructed Apocalypse are also still scheduled to play this show too! It is planned to start at 8:00 PM! There's still no announced admission price or Facebook event page, but once there is, I'll let everyone know!

Oh, and there's another band looking to play in Sault Ontario, but has no venue booked yet! They are Diemonds, a female fronted hard rock band from Toronto! According to their MySpace, they want to play a show here on June 30th, but they need a venue! Can anyone out there help? Send them a message on MySpace, where you can also check out some of their songs, which aren't bad! Who knows, maybe someone out there can help them out!

And finally, I've added the official website for Rotaryfest to the Other Local Metal Links! Remember, even though I haven't heard so yet this year, they often have at least one metal band on one of the stages, including past performers like Gates of Winter and Stillbroke! I'll leave you for today with this video of Gates of Winter's entire hour long performance from Rotaryfest 2006! Thanks everyone, more news to come!

Stillbroke Concert Preview, And The APE CD Review!

Well, not a lot of news to spread tonight (that I know of), but let's kill two birds with one stone for this post! We'll begin with a local concert preview for tomorrow's concert, and wrap up with that CD review I've been promising! So, let us begin!

Tomorrow night at 8:00, local hard rockers Stillbroke will take the stage as direct support for the Juno nominated pop punk band, Marianas Trench! You might remember that both these bands were to be playing a show here in April, but it was cancelled after Marianas Trench's frontman fell ill. So it was rescheduled, and Stillbroke are supporting once again! I haven't heard a lot of details for this rescheduled date compared to the planned April show, but I do know that tickets were down to less than 100 last weekend. Not sure on any other planned bands either, but this show will definitely take place tomorrow night at The Canadian!

For more info, check out the Facebook event page! As for Stillbroke, as I'm sure you guys are well aware of, they should put on another great performance tomorrow night, even if the concert isn't really all that "metal" throughout. For a preview, check out this video of Stillbroke performing their original song "The Truth (Who You Are)" from their big return concert in April!



Alright, now I'll review the new CD from APE, "Survival of the Fittest", which they were kind enough to send me in the mail late last month! I apologize for putting this off, the computer problems and various other things kept putting it off, but no longer! Remember, they might still be looking for a booking here in Sault Ontario, so if you're interested in helping them out, contact them through MySpace!

The first song on the CD, "It's All My Fault", starts off with a good groove to it, but heavy at the same time, but around the middle of the song, it gets heavier and more like traditional metal. It feels like they stuck two songs together, but it's pretty good so far! Frontman Everett Mason's vocals remind me of Axl Rose from songs like "Mr. Brownstone" and "It's So Easy". He's a good singer, but it's not the type you immediately think of for this type of metal.

The next song, "It's Not" is shorter, but a bit heavier. It has a bit of uniqueness to it, the vocals in particular are more upbeat than the riffing, but it's a quality song all around! Mason's guitar work stands out on this one, as does bassist Galen Weir, it all meshes well! Next song is "Messin' Around With Love", which sounds ready for play on rock radio (aside from the repeated utterance of Fuck You later in the song!) It isn't all that "heavy" compared to other tracks on the album, but it's catchy in it's own way. Good, but not the best on the album!

Next is the title track, "Survival of the Fittest", which starts off with audio of rain and thunder, which sets the mood nicely for the song! It's an instrumental track, with some great work by Mason and Weir, and some really good drumming by Carlos Aguilera. The passages where Mason plays softer ballad-like guitar flow well with the heavier parts, which are both heavy and melodic at the same time! The song ends with silence and birds chirping in the distance, almost like the aftermath of a storm. My only gripes are it was a bit too short, and there was no solos, but it was a solid track!

Next is "Beyond the Depths of Reality", starting with some great drumming by Aguilera, with some catchy riffing starting up not long after! It's more bouncy than some other songs on the album, it's good, but not as heavy as I'd like. But it's damn catchy, and easy to get stuck in your head! It ends well though, with some awesome galloping riffs! This is followed by "So Lonely", which is slower and more introspective, but it still has a heavy edge to it. It's a well done track, but nothing really pops out about it.

After that, we get another instrumental, entitled "Irate Primate". We get some great guitar and bass solo interludes in this track, and it's much heavier and faster-paced than "Survival of the Fittest". I personally prefer this one too! The next song is "How You Left Me" is more downbeat, not a lot of tempo changes or anything, but it's a steady effective track, with a nice solo from Everett Mason as well!

Then, we have "Friend or Foe", which is a great track with what I've been coming to expect from APE on this album, with great catchy riffs, and good singing! The final song is "Barred", which is probably the closest thing to a ballad on the album. It starts with some slow soft playing and singing, with heavier choruses, and a fast heavy close to the song, and the album. It's a really well done song, with the band pulling out their best for the slower and heavier parts equally!

Overall, this is a very solid album with lots of originality and some really good songs that will stick in your head! Sometimes, the vocals don't match the song itself too well, and solos could be added to some songs, but there is very little to complain about here. All of APE are great musicians, and the album is well done and worth a listen! Check out some songs on their official MySpace page, and buy it if you like it! And if you think you could help get APE a booking here in Sault Ontario, give them a shout!

That's all for today, more metal news to come! Your next local metal concerts (that I'm aware of) will feature Graveyard Tan this weekend in Sault Michigan! As I hear more news, concert updates, and more, you'll hear it all here! Thanks everyone!

Interesting Local Metal Stuff I Found On Google!

Well guys, you know how I've mentioned on here that I love finding old inactive Sault area bands online? Well, I was searching Google last night to see if I could find some. No luck. But I did dig up a handful of things that relate to local bands and artists, that I thought might be cool to share! So check out what I found!

First of all, you remember As It Stands? The now defunct hardcore band from Sault Ontario? Well, as I'm sure many of you will remember, they started off as an emo band. And wouldn't you know it, the MySpace page for their original emo incarnation is still online! It features some bio information, old photos, and even two songs from this period! It was started way back in February 2006, but hasn't been updated since November of that year. Now, speaking as a metal fan, I do prefer As It Stands as they were from 2007-2009, but it's interesting to look back on and see where they evolved from! Check out their original MySpace page at this location!

So, what else did I discover? Well, I found the MySpace page for a local rap duo known as The Ghetto Children. And, believe it or not, their members are Gates of Winter/Woods of Ypres guitarist Bryan Belleau and former Gates of Winter drummer Kevin Overton! I gotta say, it's not as bad as I was expecting! And besides, it shows that they're having some fun doing this, and it's worth a listen, even if only for a laugh! Who knows, you might become a fan!

Now, I want to direct you to a now inactive hard rock band from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, known as Levitate. Why, you might ask? Because their frontman was.............Cory Murchison of Sense of Truth! How about that? I did some more checking, and sure enough, it's the same guy. It looks like he lived out there before moving to the Soo! Go check out Levitate's page, they have two songs posted, both sound pretty good! Now how's that for a find? It's not often you find songs by locals before coming here, usually it's musicians that left here!

And my last interesting find relates to a defunct local metal band known as Sin Stereo. They consisted of Greg Simpson on drums, Michael Davies on guitar, and Jon Ferguson on bass, with all sharing vocal duties. Their GarageBand page features two originals and lots of bio information. Well, I did some searching, and guess what other local band these three comprise? Stiffler's Mom, the local rock band who you might remember from various bar shows, and opening for INXS at The Essar Centre! I'm not sure whether Stiffler's Mom was a side project, evolution, or new band entirely, but both bands definitely are one and the same, members-wise! And I never clued in to that until last night!

And finally, I have added the MySpace page for Adamantium Productions, the booking company run by Fitswitch guitarist Rick White, to the Other Local Metal Links! It hasn't been too active lately, but we'll have to see if anything new pops up soon! Stay tuned to The Sault Metal Scene this weekend for a Stillbroke concert preview, the APE CD review, and more!