This Month's Poll On Your Favourite New Bands Of 2017!!

Before we get into this weekend's concert previews, our monthly polls are back! Well, for a few months, anyway. With 2017 in the rear view mirror, it's time to bring back our "favourite _____ of 2017" polls, so we're kicking off this year-end poll cycle with this question: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2017? Compared to the 2016 rookie crop, last year hasn't been as busy for new SMS-fitting bands, with this poll's total dropping from 12 bands to 7, but there are still some talented new sights this year that will hopefully remain prominent this year! To make this poll, bands must have both publically launched and played a public live concert in 2017, so this would discount acts like Abhorrent Forest and Halfway Loaded, but "Other" is available if you want to vote that way, or for a band that we forgot, or isn't metal, hard rock, or punk-based. A Dire Setback won this poll for 2016, but who will join them for 2017? Here are your choices!

Handsome Sandwich: This union of Bear Hunters drummer Johnny Belanger, Winkstinger guitarist Jesse Cook, and Redundant bassist James White debuted with their "no genre" sound in February at LopLops, and have since attained a decent following at shows like the Gutter Demons concert last spring, among other events. With a sound that alt-rock and punk fans are sure to like, did Handsome Sandwich attract your attention more than other new local bands last year?

The HTs/You First & The Passive Aggressives: A late addition to the 2017 rookie class, The HTs are the new local punk supergroup from former Bankshot bandmates Lucas Schmiedendorf & Clint Wilson, alongside Andre LeBlanc & Ryan Disano. Though they lack an online page, and only played twice publically last year (a renamed tribute set on Halloween weekend & at the Guy Thiffault Memorial Concert), did their punk covers win you over?

The Kariokeheads: Originally advertised as a pared down acoustic show from members of The Elements, it was soon established that the intentionally misspelled Kariokeheads were a new project from frontman Rob Speers and the aforementioned Jesse Cook. Playing twice in late 2017 at Room 21, this band encouraged fans to sing live karaoke during their acoustic sets, and received a positive reception from fans above Low & Slow, but would you rank them #1 here?

Mike McCleary: A veteran guitarist who returned to the music scene with his new solo project last summer, Mike McCleary got off to a big start with the release of his (now deleted?) "In Ruins" album and a set at Sault College's reunion events in August, with a steady stream of original songs and select covers also making their way online last year towards his 2018 albums "Hourglass" & "Weight of the Truth". Did Mike earn your vote?

The Noochin' Lanterns: An unmasked, pajama-clad side project from "songwriters" of The Apocalypse Afterparty, this unique power pop/hard rock outfit debuted at Live705's Easter Bash last year, and later rocked The Speakeasy and at a number of minimally advertised "pop-up" concerts in the summer. Though not steadily active to the public throughout the year, The Noochin' Lanterns made some waves in 2017, but would you choose them?

The Soo Fighters: Another side project, this tribute to The Foo Fighters (of course) were formed from the instrumental members of pop rock cover veterans Cherry Crush and 3 Day Millionaires guitarist Jeremey Salatuk. We only saw The Soo Fighters on Halloween weekend at The Rockstar Bar, with future prospects unclear for non-seasonal events, but they recieved a positive response from Foos fans last fall, and would you rank them above last year's other debuts?

Vol.: Two years after their departure from The Pixo Control, Steve Edwards & Matthew Thibert returned to the scene this summer with their new indie/hard rock band Vol. (pronounced "volume"), alongside Aldous alumni Shane Storozuk and Mikaela Murtonen. Notably opening for bands like Zaum, Darsombra, and Dirtfight, as well as beginning plans for an album, Vol. have gotten off to a busy start to their local run, but were they your favourite new band of 2017?

Other: Did we miss a band that you'd rather vote for? Perhaps your favourite new band of last year was one who hasn't played live yet, like Abhorrent Forest? Maybe you had a non-metal, hard rock, or punk band in mind over these choices? Or maybe we forgot a band that debuted and played live in 2017 that should have been included all along? If, for whatever reason, we forgot a preferred choice, "Other" is for you!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until February 18th to make your voices heard, and it'll be interesting to see who wins out here in this smaller but still very talented rookie class. That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!