LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (OZbourne), Two New Local Bands, A New Album, And More!!

We're back with a new news post on this Wednesday morning, and it includes some assorted recent updates, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, and first, two new additions to our band links, one with a new album, so without any further adieu, here's what you should know!

We have another new band to add to our active links on The Sault Metal Scene, and they are Parabol, the name finally bestowed upon the local Tool tribute band that debuted last fall! Taking their name from the Tool song "Parabola" (though they were briefly known as Lateralus upon their Facebook page's launch), fans will remember this band's live debut at The Rockstar Bar during the second night of last October's Halloween Party, with a headlining encore taking place at the same venue last month. There's very little posted on their page as of yet, but assuming there's been no quiet lineup changes, they are comprised of former Redefined/Driving Dave Home singer John Barber, Wild Iris/Odd Man Out guitarist Steve Myers, Skeyes of Seven bassist (and John's former Fingerbone bandmate) Alain Fletcher, and ex-Groove Committee drummer Anthony Gagnon (who also played with John in Late Shift.)

It's great to see the guys keep this tribute going with a permanent name, and as anyone who saw them at The Rockstar Bar in late 2018 will attest, their brand of Tool covers was extremely proficient and entertaining, and they put in the time to ensure that the songs sounded just right! If Coral Fang and Poison Girl can become actual bands following Halloween, why not Parabol? Become a fan of theirs at the above links!

Next up, here's a surprise: A Chase Wigmore solo album with a paid online release! Rather than his free EP postings and sporadic physical pressings, he has released an apparent paid debut album for his experimental metal project Awokest via their new Bandcamp page, which is sufficient to add them to our active band links as well! Still using the ribald alias "Dick Jerkins" in Awokest, he describes this project as an "experimental metal band (that) shifts between genres", with "old school industrial" cited alongside phases of black metal and grind. Though ostensibly a solo project, Chase/Dick alluded to frequent membership changes, despite never indicating any identities. The album itself is not the forthcoming "12 EPs of Christmas" entry named "The Mostest Awokest", rather a full studio album named "Enter the Nightlands", which features 10 songs, including "The Tweakening", a carried-over title from the free EP of the same name.

Chase certainly knows how to stay busy, doesn't he? Strange Coyotes aside, Bandcamp wasn't on my radar for his studio work, but it's great to see a digital download album of his there, and you can buy it for $7 right now. Also, "Enter the Nightlands" is now the favourite to be our next CD review on The Sault Metal Scene, so look for that later this month! I'll hold comment on the album until then, but fans of his diverse material will want to check it out above or below via a new upload on Chase's YouTube channel!



Also, here's that LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as Winnipeg-based Ozzy Osbourne/Black Sabbath tribute band OZbourne will make their local concert debut on Friday, March 29th at The Canadian Nightclub! To my knowledge, this is the first Ozzy/Sabbath tribute band to hit Sault Ste. Marie since Blizzard of Ozz played at The Canadian in 2011, so fans of the Prince of Darkness have been waiting a long while for a comparable local tribute show, and this should make up for lost time. OZbourne call themselves "The Ultimate Ozzy Experience", and from the videos I've seen, they look and sound the part, and Ozzy lovers should definitely consider a trip to The Canadian in March for their faithful brand of old school metal! A cover charge is not yet advertised on the Facebook event page, but a 10:00 PM start time and 19+ age limit are expected. It's great to see The Canadian hosting a metal tribute again, so visit the above links for current details!

Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band, promoter, or event name:

• Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback revealed on their Facebook page two weeks ago that they have finished pre-production on vocals for their debut album, and were getting ready to record the final vocal tracks. They also teased that they'll return to the stage "this summer when it's all done." Hopefully things are on track for the album, and stay tuned for updates!
• Elliot Lake promoters AstroRabbit Entertainment are planning on hosting a major metal concert of some kind at the Elliot Lake Airport in early August, with hopes being to attract 10,000 fans. Elliot Lake is over 2 hours east of Sault Ste. Marie, well past our coverage area, but I mention it here because SooToday did cover it yesterday. There are a lot of unknowns regarding this event, including lineup, ticket prices, and the exact date, but there is clear ambition here, and might this be a spiritual replacement for Rock 'n Roar in Spanish? Follow AstroRabbit for more details!
• Local promoters Choose Maxx (or Maxx Entertainment) posted a photo on their Facebook page on Monday featuring the logo for a teased Bon Soo concert event called "Soo-Lebrity Showcase Saturday", which will take place at The Machine Shop on Saturday, February 2nd, and will feature local entertainment, artists, and brew. No word as of yet regarding the full format, lineup, prices, or Bon Soo frills, but there's already some positive buzz, so visit the above links for more details, especially if hard rock bands are in!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!