Local Metal/Punk Video Showcase!!

As promised, here's a new news post on this rainy Tuesday, though things are still creeping along at an unreasonably slow pace for local metal, hard rock, and punk activity, so unless there's late notice concerts to preview, I'm not forecasting a new post on the site until Friday. Hopefully things start picking up sooner or later! Now, all of today's topics have an attached video, and we'll start with two uploaded to St. Ignace, Michigan progressive metal band Heavy Lies The Crown's Facebook page this fall! One is a 7 second clip from September of their tracking computer, with singer Brandon West screaming a bit in the background (the Snapchat-esque caption notes that "screams sound funny without music.") Not too substantial, but it is a sign that their new album is getting closer! Embedded below is their newest album teaser video from exactly one month ago, whose attached post notes that "mastering starts next week" and that they "will be dropping a couple (of) singles very soon."

Clearly, "very soon" means more than a month, but there is definitely visible progress from their camp! The video in question features a 42 second sample of one of their new original songs, as accompanied by a heavily filtered shot of the tracking computer, and the words "Almost Done" end the video. Sounds like things are well at hand for H.L.T.C., so give these videos a look! 

 

Next up, let's head to Sault Ontario, where local hard rock solo musician Tym Morrison posted another original song onto his YouTube channel earlier today! Entitled "God Vs. Drugs", it's about how praying to God will help a drug addiction, and as such, it fits well with Tym's modern day Christian beliefs. No Filmora trial watermark here, this actually has a proper video made up with song lyrics, visual effects, and a slideshow of relevant photos. The song itself is a mid-tempo rocker that is well composed, but starting so many verses with "God" feels a little overdone to me. Give Tym's new song a listen below!

 

Also, local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback shared a new video on their Facebook page on Friday, but it's not what you may be expecting. Here, bassist Matt Quinn is on (standing) drums playing alongside Idina Menzel's "Let It Go" from the Frozen movie soundtrack, with his daughters (kinda sorta) joining in on karaoke vocals. Cute for what it is, and Matt does have some hidden percussion talent put to surprising use! Give it a watch below! 

Finally, I wanted to belatedly address a studio-released song by local/Toronto indie/punk veterans Treble Charger that has definitely flown under my radar over the years, but came up in my research on their Defunct Local Band Profile last week. In August 1994, just a month after the release of their debut album "nc17", Treble Charger were featured on "Borrowed Tunes: A Tribute to Neil Young", a two CD set released by Sony Music that was also split into two halves and released separately (in this format, Treble Charger appear on "Into the Black: An Electric Tribute To Neil Young"). Proceeds from the album's release went to The Bridge School for special needs children that Neil's then-wife Pegi co-founded, which is a wonderful cause, as fans of his Bridge School Benefit concerts will know! Treble Charger submitted a cover of "Albuquerque", a deep cut from Neil's 1975 album "Tonight's The Night", and their cover is track #8 on "Into The Black". 

This cover (let alone the album) is not on major streaming services at press time, but you can buy used CD copies, and the songs do circulate online, with this YouTube copy thankfully uploaded by user Yrret Noskcaj two years ago. Admittedly, I'm not an ardent Neil Young fan, but I definitely respect his songwriting and career, and this Bill-sung cover is respectfully done with a rock edge, and it would fit in well on Treble Charger's first two albums! Give their take on "Albuquerque" a listen below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site by Friday! Thanks everyone!