Mike Haggith's Newest Album, Pillory Lineup Updates, And New Song Uploads!!

As September slowly winds down, we have more news to get to today, so what's in store? New songs from two very different (but death metal-based) Sault Ontario projects, lineup changes from a local thrash band, and leading things off, a new local hard rock album release (and the identity of our next CD review), so read on below to get up to speed!

Haggith drummer Mike Haggith's 47th & newest solo album is now officially on sale! Yes, "Neighbourhood Watch II: Where It Ends" is now available for purchase digitally on Mike's Bandcamp & Reverbnation pages for just $5, which is nice and affordable! A physical pressing is also planned, and if you just want to buy individual songs, they're 99¢ on Reverbnation, but the full album is by far a better deal. All of this was released last Monday, along with the final album artwork that better reflects the "Neighbourhood Watch" aspect of the title (Mike's watch sure has escalated!), and as a result, Mike also deleted & re-uploaded the free YouTube copy of the album to add the new artwork. With the album now on sale, I will now confirm that "Neighbourhood Watch II: Where It Ends" will be our next CD review at The Sault Metal Scene! I chose it over it's predecessor "The Present Din" by virtue of it being heavier, but "The Present Din" remains a review possibility for next year, perhaps if "The Tower" is lighter. Support Mike's diverse alternative hard rock solo material by picking up or streaming "Neighbourhood Watch II" at the above links, and stay tuned for our review hopefully in early October!

Next up, here's the latest lineup news from Sault Ontario thrashers Pillory! First, they've added guitarist Josh Amendola (a.k.a. Jack Parsons) to their lineup, in place of the late Andres Duchesne. A formal statement hasn't been made about his addition, but he's had the Pillory logo on his personal Facebook page since May, and he's quietly been added to their Facebook lineup too. I'm not familiar with Josh as a musician, but I'm very curious to hear how he does live! On the flipside, the band have parted ways with bassist Cole Royal, and they are currently looking for a replacement. This was announced by drummer Bret Shuttleworth on their Facebook page on September 19th, and though a reason for Cole's departure hasn't been announced, he didn't play at their partial return set at Grinded Live In Your Ears last month. Disappointing that he left, especially after only a few months, but best of luck to Cole in the future! The band are hoping to find a bassist who's dedicated, interested in their music, and seriously wants to jam, so if you're interested, message the band at the above links or through members' personal Facebook pages, and stay tuned for more as it comes in!

We'll close today's post with new song uploads, starting with a metallized cover by Bear Hunters/Suicide Kings guitarist Mitch Sirie! Uploaded to his solo project The Sorrow Fields' YouTube channel on Thursday, this is a death metal cover of Billy Talent's "Devil In A Midnight Mass", which he recorded as a way to get reacquainted with recording for The Sorrow Fields' first album. Featuring Mitch on vocals & all instruments (plus programmed drums), he may re-record this due to clarity issues, but it's a definite improvement on the original to me! I've never been high on Billy Talent, so there's admittedly a bias there, but it has a punk edged brutality that works well, so give Mitch's first cover upload a listen below!



Finally for today, new local goregrind project Rotopsy (formerly Spitneck) have had two songs from their upcoming three-way split demo from Blood Shed Productions uploaded to the label's YouTube channel yesterday! Entitled "Transfusion of a Reverse Rectaloctopathy" and (as embedded below) "Let Us Rot", the descriptions finally tell us more on the project, which is indeed another band from label head Ringsnaps Gibson (on bass & programming), with new collaborator Dylan Taylor on lead vocals. If you throw The Fury & Crucify The Whore in a blender, and this would probably be what results, and though the vocals are unintelligible and almost sound like random coughs and grunts, but the music's well programmed. Give Rotopsy's newest songs a look above & below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!