Where Are The New Albums? (March 2020 Update)

For our first post of the month, here's our latest "Where Are The New Albums?" post, looking at the current release whereabouts of upcoming albums from local metal, hard rock, and/or punk acts that have at least began recording sessions! This month, we have five entries, including one restored album and one with updates (both as noted with their title in italics), plus an album has been removed due to it's now-unlikely release prospects. Here's what you should know!

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Chase James Wigmore's new albums

Rumoured Songs: Unknown

Background: Ever the prolific artist and songwriter, local folk punk/extreme metal musician Chase Wigmore posted on his eponymous Facebook page on August 31st to announce two more distinct acoustic albums and the long-gestating completion of his 33 part rock opera "A Story About A Kid Named Todd". On January 17th, he revealed that a new full-length acoustic album was ready to be recorded (it's not clear if it's one of the ones teased in August), while also promoting the impending release of his long-gestating new Awokest album "Beyonder", which was posted for free on YouTube three days later.

Current Release Status: Your guess is as good as mine, but remember that Chase is very prolific and varied in his musical interests, and not every album of his has seen a formal paid release, either by finishing it's lifespan as a demo, or by being released online for free. Chase did say that he hopes to complete the acoustic album plugged last month "within the next two months", but stay tuned for updates from his camp when they roll in!
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Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide's fourth album

Rumoured Songs: "Lost & Found", "All Broke Down", "No Control"

Background: Revived local Celtic punk veterans Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide began recording sessions by October 2018 at Dustin's own Mission Control Studios, as per their Facebook page. In January 2019, the band confirmed that they were indeed recording a fourth studio album (and first since 2012), which will presumably be released through Tidal Records, and will also be their first album with second guitarist Liam Seymour & drummer Chris Johns. While "All Broke Down" was initially cited as the first single in December 2018 (source here), the first two released singles were "Lost & Found" in March 2019 & "No Control" in December 2020. Credits on the above songs' music videos note that Kyle Whittaker at Strange Pumpkin Studios in St. Catharine's is mixing the album, as he has done for multiple Tidal/Mission Control releases. Dustin did post a new original song named "For Now" on YouTube" in January, but it's not clear whether it is intended to be for The Tide or not.

Current Release Status: When The Tide shared a teaser clip for "Lost & Found", they mentioned that the album was "coming soon", which doesn't tell us much. With recording sessions well along the way, and two music videos now public, it's likely that Dustin and company aren't early in the process, but we'll let you know when more comes out on the album!
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Kraken Mara - "Vibe Check"

Rumoured Songs: "The Woodward", "Vibe Check", "Stratus", "Moon's Haunted", "Kraken Marta (MinMaj)" "Chimera", "Ishka", "Grand Machinations", "Dark Passenger"

Background: The progressive metal project from Late & Loud guitarist Brendan Christie & his brother-in-law Jake Valois, Kraken Mara immediately commenced work on their debut EP upon their April 2016 launch. In sporadic updates on Facebook, Reverbnation, and their website, the band posted & reworked original demos with Reese Wolf working as sound engineer for the tracks, and they even planned for music videos of each song. After October 2017, Kraken Mara went on hiatus partially due to Brendan's overseas work commitments, and after a brief return in late 2019, they came back fully in February 2021 with new videos on their Instagram page, a scheduled video playthrough hitting YouTube on March 12th, and streaming copies of five songs newly posted on their website. With their return, they have named the previously self-titled EP "Vibe Check", and confirmed that the Kelowna, B.C.-based Cliff Aubut will provide drums as a session musician.

Current Release Status: Assuming that the five streaming songs on their website will be the only five songs on "Vibe Check" (nothing was firmly said in that regard), then the EP is very likely done the recording sessions, and it does sound like Kraken Mara are nearing a paid release of some kind! That said, the pandemic is still very much a concern, and who knows what format the EP's release will take, though as a studio-only project with no live concerts or full-time bassist & drummer, they wouldn't necessarily be hamstrung by not being able to play a release show in the near term. Stay tuned for more on Kraken Mara's new EP when it rolls in!
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Mike Haggith - Bridges

Rumoured Songs: "From The 55th Parallel", "Over Indecision", "The Nature of The Times","An Act of Strength","The Catalyst", "Dangerous Town", "Come On Home", "Blue Highway", "Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost", "Bridges"

Background: After moving to Thompson, Manitoba in November 2017, prolific local/Windsor hard/alternative rock musician Mike Haggith relaunched his dormant solo project, and soon commenced work on a new CD named "Bridges", which finished recording sessions in early 2019. His Facebook page has documented songwriting sessions, acoustic videos of new original songs, plus solo concerts in Thompson largely featuring new tracks. Despite the unveiling of the cover artwork, three singles, and even a music video for "The Nature of The Times", Mike indefinitely postponed the release of "Bridges" in late 2019 due to mixing delays, personal life concerns, and the quick development of a new album named "If Ever Comes The Day", which was released in June. Note that Mike has released a new studio single named "To Be With You" that has exclusively been aired on The Borderline Radio, but he has not confirmed whether that will be part of a new album of it's own.

Current Release Status: Mike has largely kept his next music plans close to the vest aside from some promising teasers, though he did perform "Come On Home" in Thompson's virtual Winterfest concert last month, and said there that "Bridges" will be released this year. Though this album has been surprisingly delayed since before the pandemic, Mike's typical candor & honesty bodes well if anything sudden occurs. Keep tabs for updates, and watch #LockdownLive IV to hear the whole album unplugged and hear his side of the album's progress and delays as of April!
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The Uncanny Valley's debut album

Rumoured Songs: "The Uncanny Valley", "Glowin'", "Middle Man", “This Love is Psychedelic”, "Stuck In Rotation", “Sweet Like Sugar”

Background: The new classic hard rock band from 2019 Soo's Got Talent winner Adrian Sullivan, fans will have seen original material of theirs right from the start, as The Uncanny Valley debuted their own songs in their first live concert at The Canadian on New Year's Eve 2019. Live concert & jam session videos have followed on their Facebook page featuring their own material as well. After posting a teaser audio clip of "Sweet Like Sugar" in September, they posted the full studio version of "Middle Man" in October, finally confirming there that they are working on their first album, though no other details have followed suit.

Current Release Status: No clue, which isn't helped by The Uncanny Valley's age and relatively unfamiliar profile for many readers, not to mention the complications of the pandemic, and the apparent departure of bassist Adam Fahrer in recent months. That said, they are a talented group who seem to be taking the right steps for the future, and hopefully more updates on their debut album follow when ready!

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As well, we have one album to remove due to the band in question falling inactive and it's now unlikely release prospects, so here's what you should know on that: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Elements' debut EP 

Rumoured Songs: "Liar", "G20", "Triple H", "The Rut", "I Need A Friend", "Riptide"

Background: Arguably better known for their funk, ska, and hard rock covers, local quartet The Elements had been adding original material to their sets since 2015, and have since publically confirmed earlier teases that they are working on a debut EP. Frontman Rob Speers had confirmed in personal conversations in early 2016 that they were working in studio on the release, which would have had at least 5 tracks, and I believe it was being self-recorded, but further public updates were minimal at best. A studio recording of "I Need A Friend" was quietly posted onto their Facebook page on February 17th of last year, following personal Facebook postings that revealed that EP sessions were further along than public statements indicated, though they never elaborated on that publically.

Reason For Removal: As I moved The Elements to our inactive band links on February 17th of this year, that leads me to assume that the EP plans are similarly inactive, though their members (minus James) have been seen in the interim with their acoustic covers-only side project The Wyld Stallyns. Pandemic-related complications are certainly possible as to why The Elements have been A.W.O.L. in the past year, and hopefully we'll see them return to their usual rocking ways (perhaps with EP in tow) when a more normal concert environment can resume!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! This series will return on or around April 2nd, while our next monthly feature will likely be this month's Defunct Local Band Profile next Wednesday. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site within the next couple of days! Thanks everyone!