Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Tomgrindy & Beyond The Surface

As you might expect, here's this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles! Like past months, this recurring series looks at 1 or 2 defunct or inactive metal/hard rock bands from the Sault Ste. Marie area (as randomly selected) to profile them, their work, and local run for current readers, and like five of the past six months, we're looking at two bands today due to the first selected band not having enough information. We have two very different bands on each side of the border to look at today, so read on below for this month's defunct profiles!
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Tomgrindy

Genre: Goregrind

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Members

Jacob Tombari, vocals
Jean-Paul Archambault, vocals
Tyler "Ringsnaps" Gibson (Crucify The Whore), vocals/all instruments

Info/Analysis: One of many grind-influenced acts to have graced the Blood Shed Productions roster since their launch, Tomgrindy came to public attention in the spring of 2013 with numerous free song postings & the sudden release of the "Grindshed" split demo alongside frontman Tyler Gibson's Crucify The Whore project, followed by a self-titled demo in July. Public activity was limited to media releases before the band went on hiatus due to personal issues in August, before breaking up the next month, though their Facebook page is still used to promote other Blood Shed artists. Tomgrindy shared many similarities with Tyler's other grind bands, like controversial imagery & song titles, minimal instrumentation, and pig squeal vocals, but Tyler's guitar & programming abilities are present on their tracks! That said, Tomgrindy will likely be an acquired taste for fans not accustomed to grind or this label, but I applaud their drive & ambition, so check out the first half of their solo demo below, click here for more songs, and follow Tyler's current bands for similar material!


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Beyond the Surface

Genre: Hard Rock

Hometown: Pickford, Michigan

Members: (Members not in their last full lineup in italics)

Eli Reilly (Unleashed), vocals/lead guitar
Blake Mastaw, rhythm guitar
Alec Firack, bass
Isaac Leach, drums
Danielle Petingalo, vocals
Rhiannan Sibald, rhythm guitar

Audio/Video: No media of Beyond The Surface is known to be publically available at present, though a Facebook-only video of the band covering Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" at a high school event existed online during their run. I would assume that Beyond The Surface shared similarities with singer/guitarist Eli Reilly's earlier band Unleashed, but that's just speculation.

Info/Analysis: Comprised of then-Pickford High School students, Beyond the Surface were formed in late 2010, taking first place in a school talent show that December with their original lineup, which stood out by featuring 2 female members. After singer Danielle Petingalo's departure, the band won another talent show in Rudyard in January 2011, and competed in another the next month in Cheboygan. Following a divisive rhythm guitarist switch that March & scattered mid-2011 shows at school events, activity stalled that summer despite optimism for expanded live dates, and after a brief vocalist search that August, the band presumably fell inactive by year's end. Despite the lack of media, winning two talent shows in their first few months together must have been a good sign! Eli had solidly developing guitar skills, and Danielle is a very good singer, so hopefully the band's members stay active in music, and maybe we'll find some media at some point!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles! As for next month in this series, we're actually going to look at two bands again, due to the first band that we chose not having enough surviving information (especially after the MySpace layout overhaul.) As a result, we'll be looking at solo projects from both sides of the border, those being courtesy of Hydra's Teeth frontman Brendan Christie and Power Slug drummer/ex-I.S.O.M. frontman Bob Helsten, a.k.a. Orb Hearthstone! Watch out for those on or around March 10th, and stay tuned for more news and notes either tonight or tomorrow! Thanks everyone!