YouTube Channel Profile Series: Woods Of Ypres - Topic

After a slight delay, here is this month's YouTube Channel Profile, as we look at another YouTube channel whose content is at least 50% made up of content from local metal, hard rock, or punk musicians! This month, our latest random selection takes us to a YouTube Music channel from the biggest metal band to ever call the Soo home, so here's what you should know!

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Woods Of Ypres - Topic (http://youtube.com/channel/UCUKasoaU68XYA7_d9wjQRKg)

Owner:  If anyone, Earache Records, though the channel is auto-generated to facilitate Woods Of Ypres' catalogue being available on YouTube Music

Channel Timeline: Launched on January 16th, 2014; All videos uploaded in the early 2010s, and last revised from September 23rd-24th, 2025

Channel Summary: The official YouTube Music channel for Woods Of Ypres' five mainline studio albums, these 57 songs were originally uploaded to YouTube Music well before last fall, but these are the more recent versions. Of course, this is all posthumous, as the local/Toronto blackened doom metal band dissolved shortly after frontman David Gold passed away in December 2011. Note that channel technicallty only has five its own videos, as the rest are taken from Earache's proper YouTube channel or their Earache Catalog channel (particularly earlier songs and non-singles in the latter case)

Why You Should Watch: If you're a fan of Woods Of Ypres, and prefer YouTube (Music) for your streaming needs, this is a must stop channel to hear their best known songs from Windsor to the Soo and all points within! However, the channel only features their five albums (re-)issued by Earache Records, omitting their output that was solely released via David's indie labels Krankenhaus and Practical Art Records. Missing here are their 2009 compilation album "Independent Nature 2002-2007" (though its songs are all on YouTube Music via their original albums), the "Allure Of The Earth" single from 2009 (featuring a cello cover by outside musicians), and 2011's "Home" single (featuring two songs from the still-unreleased EP "Woods 4.5: You Were The Light"). For official video content from his and the band's lifetime, visit David's personal YouTube channel.

 Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:

 

A Meeting Place And Time: I'll start with their first EP, 2002's "Against The Seasons: Cold Winter Songs From The Dead Summer Heat" for two reasons. One is that it has the most differences from later work (a black metal-centric sound with David just drumming), and also that these songs are the only ones that were directly uploaded to the YouTube Music channel, rather than being appropriated from other Earache channels. By far their most popular song from this Windsor-era EP, it features strong ans nicely suited guitar and bass work from Brian McManus and Aaron Palmer, and their alternating harsh and clean vocals were on point while also being reminiscent of what David brought to the mic on later albums. Definitely a standout of their early period before things got doomier!

 

Woods of Ypres - I Was Buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery (Official Video): Possibly because its represented on YouTube Music via its music video, the most popular upload on this channel is "I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery" from 2009's "Woods 4: The Green Album", where David was joined by his former Gates of Winter bandmate Bryan Belleau on guitar and Pennsylvania-based brothers Shane & Evan Madden on bass and drums. Receiving over 4.1 million views at press time, the video (filmed in Southern Ontario in 2010 after Thrawsunblat's Joel Violette replaced Bryan) captures the guys playing one of their best known melodic doom-era originals on a porch while David walks through the title cemetery. Well shot and edited with an aesthetic perfectly capturing the "W4" themes, and it's a must watch video for fans of local-era Woods Of Ypres! Note that Earache has not posted their own copy of Woods' 2007 music video for "The Northern Cold".

Woods of Ypres - Adora Vivos (Official Audio): I wanted to highlight a song from Woods' Juno Award-winning final and biggest album "Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Light", but rather than go with one of the better known songs from it, here's "Adora Vivos", which was one of my favourite cuts from the album despite being being the second-lowest streamed song from it on YouTube Music. One of Woods of Ypres' heaviest songs from their late period work, it crushes while still telling a poignant message, with David telling us to love the living while they're still alive, and not to worship those who aren't here to appreciate the sentiment. Fans haven't necessarily taken to that when honouring David and his music, but it's a very solid song from him and Joel, and don't bypass it on the full album!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return on or around November 26th, and now, we can focus on the Halloween weekend concert previews! Stay tuned!