Lots Of Inactive Band Notes, A Prominent Drummer's Retirement, And More!!

Here's a new news post for your Tuesday morning reading, as it happens, it mostly inactive artists, including bands being moved out of our active links, as well as a noted drummer retiring from the scene, but we do have a new video from an active band tfill things out. Here's what you should know!

We have regrettably moved local hard/party rock trio Stiffler's Mom to our inactive band links. While the band has not formally acknowledged their active status, they haven't issued a public update since their Esquire Club concerts over the weekend of September 9th, 2017, past our one year cut-off point for active bands. One of the longest running hard rock bands in the city, Stiffler's Mom had been active in varying permutations and names since 1996 (save for a brief 2011-2012 breakup), becoming fan favourite attractions at solo nightclub concerts, festivals, and other community events during that span. Fans may recognize Stiffler's Mom from their 2004 demo CD, 2007's INXS concert, their finals run in 2009's Kiss Battle of the Bands, three Rotaryfest Stage 1 gigs in the mid-2010s, and the first two Toystocks, among many other events. In the past year, singer/drummer Greg Simpson has stayed musically active with his country cover bands Bone Yard & The Bearded Lounge.

I don't know what happened to Stiffler's Mom, but they've always been a reliable and fan-friendly band over the years, something apparent even when seeing them rock a Bawating Collegiate dance about 14 years ago! Their brand of party rock and their old originals have served them well with local audiences for over two decades, and hopefully we haven't seen the last of Stiffler's Mom on stage! Best of luck to Greg, Michael, and Jon in the future!

Next up, we have some sad news regarding a veteran local musician, as prolific hard/classic rock drummer Scott McLurg has left Soundcheck and retired from performing in bands due to health concerns. Scott's last show with them was at The Water Tower Pub on August 25th, and while Scott had suffered a heart attack back in 2015, I don't know if that's related to this current news. Scott had replaced Steven Flint as Soundcheck's drummer in recent months, and will be very familiar to SMS readers for his work with bands like Turner Up, Havadder, The 3 Day Millionaires, Wishbone, The Thrill Junkies, and Full Circle, plus bands that predated the site, like Generation Gap, One Bad Habit, Lois Lane, Blender, and Big River. This news is definitely a bummer, as Scott's always been a talented and prolific sight in our coverage over the past decade, while being friendly and cordial to me over the years as well. That said, his health obviously comes first.

Hopefully his musical retirement goes as smoothly as possible, and our best wishes go out to Scott and his family, he'll be missed behind the kit! Also, no word on Soundcheck's (still?) open drummer position, we'll let you know when they confirm a replacement and/or hit the stage next!

Also today, here's a more positive story via a brand new upload to Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night's YouTube channel! This is a YouTube copy of their rendition of the Christmas carol "What Child Is This", featuring German classical singer Gaby Koss, who was an official studio member of the band in the early 2010s. Though not a new recording, this is an effective symphonic metal performance, with Gaby's vocals excellently suited to the song, and the dark snowy visuals are a good match as well! Give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Theatre of Night!




Finally, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, all regarding bands moved out of our active band links in recent days. As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• I have removed local metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died from our active links due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook page in recent months (it's possible it was deactivated for disuse, but either way, it's their only online page.) Led by Werehold Records founder Jason Mills, this project was best known from songs during the label's old Friday the 13th music events, last posting a new song on the Werehold YouTube channel in January. The Billions Who Died had some solid instrumental tracks, and hopefully Jason revisits the project down the road!
• We have also moved Sault Ontario hard rock cover quartet Griphook back to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. While they haven't been seen on stage since Rotaryfest 2016, Griphook announced the end of their then-year+ long hiatus on their Facebook page last August, an announcement that had no public followthrough. They were a solid band in their original run, and hopefully Joel, Brian, Dan, and Tony actually return down the line!
• Also, we have moved Sault Michigan metal quartet Stoned Ape Evolution to our inactive band links, as they haven't posted on their Facebook page regarding band matters since their Bay Mills Bands Together concert in Brimley on September 2nd, 2017 (though they continued sharing memes unrelated to the band through January.) A mid-2010s effort to bring a large-scale theatrical metal band back to the area (complete with Clownsack-esque usage of masks and hidden member identities), Stoned Ape Evolution had clear promise and originality, and hopefully John, Melvin, and company bring this group back in the future!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and concert previews in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

New Video Performances, Plus More Assorted Stories!!

After a quiet weekend for updates to the site, we are back on this Monday morning with a new news post, so what will you find today? Some assorted shorter stories from the past few days, and a handful of new videos, including a solo project's new song, new jam session clips, and leading off, here's the newest video from local/Windsor/Thompson, Manitoba solo musician Mike Haggith's Facebook page! Another solo performance of a new original song, this one is called "The Nature of the Times", and it's an alt-rock number with Mike singing at a soft, higher register than we tend to see from him. Leisurely paced but well performed, this should be welcomed for fans of Mike's more reserved solo music of the past, so give it a look below, and hopefully we see much more from Mike's solo project in the near future!



Next up, here's another new song from Sault Michigan metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died, courtesy of label Werehold Records' YouTube channel! Uploaded on Friday, the song is entitled "Horrible Laughter", and features project leader Jason Mills playing on his 9 string guitar. It's not a terribly long song, but it's a brutal and technical instrumental that serves as a good early showcase, and the rhythm section pounds along well in compliment! Give the newest 1,000,000,000's Who Died song a listen below, and hear more from them above!



Also today, here's a couple of new jam session covers from Sault Ontario hard rock quintet Halfway Loaded (the full lineup, no less!) Uploaded this weekend in their first videos since the fall, these covers are of The Stone Temple Pilots "Plush" and, as embedded below, Seven Mary Three's "Cumbersome". Though Dylan is basically obscured from view in each video, these are solid clips that showcase Halfway Loaded's solid talent base, and Justin Grayson's vocals fit each's sound very well! The audio's a little muffled, but not bad at all, and it'll be interesting to finally see Halfway Loaded on a public concert stage! Give these videos a look above & below!



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

• In our inactive band links, defunct local power pop/hard rock trio Caroline Divine are now listed under their Twitter page due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook page (I wish bands wouldn't do that.) Active primarily in 2015, Caroline Divine fell inactive in 2016 for purposes other than backing up Jesse Merineau in his full band concerts, with 2/3rds of the band still playing with him, so hopefully the guys continue to see success there! For what it's worth, their Twitter page links to their blank Bandcamp page, implying that they would have posted their unfinished debut EP there.
• I have restored inactive local music promotion/photography company For The Music Inside back to our "Other Local Metal Links", as despite their Facebook page's deletion, they still have an active Twitter page with local concert coverage from 2014, plus later activity in Southern Ontario through 2016. Good to see F.T.M.I. live on, somewhat, so check them out above!
• We have removed defunct local hard rock quartet Punch from our inactive band links due to the deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page, though I have no idea if it was deleted for the same reasons as the Facebook page of successor band Eclipse, who later took on Punch originals. A union of Haggith & Suicide Kings bandmates from late 2013 to early 2014, Punch were a promising band with a stacked lineup, and while I hate seeing another Facebook band page deleted, they admittedly weren't around for all that long. Don't miss Daniel and Steven with Jack Spades & Soundcheck respectively!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

New Video Postings, Plus Lots Of Assorted Recent News & Notes!!

Today's post is mostly of the catch-up variety, in order to cover some recent assorted updates and tackle a couple of new videos, so here's what you should know on this Monday morning! We'll start with the newest song from Sault Michigan metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died, as posted to their label Werehold Records' YouTube channel on New Year's Eve! Entitled "Long Walking Upright", project leader Jason Mills indicated that this is his first new song recording with his new 9 string guitar. While it's a short showcase, it's a strong technical go for a first unveiling, and while the guitar's the star, I can't fault the bass either! Give it a listen below!

Next up, here's a surprise cover of AlgomA's "Reclaimed By The Forest" by The Black Lodge Masters, a new Sault Ontario electronic project from former Strange Coyotes guitarist & recent Autumn Roots member Chase Wigmore! Perhaps the end result of Chase's earlier plans to form an industrial band, The Black Lodge Masters already have a YouTube channel chock full of material, including their entire intended debut album, and while not a hard rock or metal band in the usual sense, there are glimmers of heaviness on many tracks. Creative and original, especially for this area, and despite these being instrumental, note that the song names seem to have a concept about a secretive fraternal lodge. That all said, The Black Lodge Masters do dip into metal waters with this cover of the title track from AlgomA's debut CD, so how does it sound? Definitely harbouring an industrial bent, this is a solid and unexpected cover of who Chase called "one of (if not) the best Sault bands ever"!

On a quick glance, you wouldn't even connect the two songs, but it's strongly performed with quality drums and effects, and if you're at all a fan of electronic and doom metal, this will be worth checking out! You can do so below, and hopefully Chase keeps churning out some quality music here!



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

• Highway 63 frontman Henry Switzer announced on their Facebook page yesterday that, despite some fans fearing that he quit the Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover quartet, they're just taking time off until May, adding his automotive repair business Hank's Body Shop & his health as additional reasons for the break. However, Henry did announce plans to play a half-hair metal/1980s set when they do return, as he wants to play music he likes & excels in while he can, so keep their planned return in mind for then, and don't miss their side project Cousin Eddie in the interim!
• Former Sneaky Pete/Glitch drummer Mike Oakley is looking for a keyboard player (preferably one with a synthesizer or piano/organ tones) for a new "rock & blues" band that he's working on in Sault Ontario. No word on if the band in question will fit our coverage range, but just in case, message Mike at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from New Year's Day if you're interested in trying out!
• Want to hear more studio material from defunct local indie/punk quartet Nebraska Arms? Good news then, as drummer Adam Sauve posted 11 studio tracks to their new posthumous Soundcloud page last month! At least four of the songs aren't publically available elsewhere that I know of ("Presenteeism", "Clockwork", and two untitled demos), but this isn't entirely comprehensive, as "I Was A Runner" isn't featured. No word on if we'll ever get a full album-formatted posting of the entire "We'll Never Sleep Again" CD, but it's great to hear more from Guy, Dave, Wayne, and Adam, and you can do so at the above links!
• Ride For Sight Northern Ontario chairman Dave Ostrowski-Gallant announced on their Facebook page on New Year's Eve "that there will not be any (Ride For Sight) events" locally this year. Dave and his wife Nicole had previously announced that they were stepping down in September for personal reasons, but a search to find new organizers doesn't appear to have panned out in time to put on the annual blindness motorcycle rally/concert in July. Very disappointing, especially given the event's successes and reception, but hopefully someone can take it on for 2019!
• By chance have you seen reference to a new hard rock band named Sault on social media? Just to clarify, this band has nothing to do with Sault Ste. Marie, with the name being an intentional misspelling of "salt", in it's informal definition of having a resistance or toughness. Sault are actually the new side project from Kamelot bassist Sean Tibbetts, but they have more of a mainstream hard rock sound compared to his usual power metal material. While there is no local connection, give Sault a listen above, they aren't bad!
• I have regrettably deleted local pop punk quartet Stereo North from our inactive band links due to the deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page at some point late last year. Stereo North had been on hiatus since June of 2016, but with their Facebook page gone (I hate when bands delete their pages like this), it's clear that they've fully disbanded. Hopefully we see them back again down the road, they were a fun sight in the mid-2010s, and don't miss Andrew Pucci's solo project or Bill Bennett with Stegadeth!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

Friday The 13th New Music On Werehold Records (The Final Friday!!)

(Updated on October 17th) Before we get too deep into this post, just a late notice heads-up on a band switch for concerts this weekend, as Traverse City, Michigan metal trio Scarkazm will replace sister band Peril TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT for their shows at The Kewadin Shores Casino in St. Ignace. "Unforeseen circumstances" regarding Peril drummer Brooks Elliott were cited for the switch, as per Scarkazm's Facebook page, though seeing as both bands share a 2/3rds identical lineup, Scarkazm can slide in very easily. Don't miss Scarkazm's metal and hard rock covers TONIGHT & TOMORROW in St. Ignace, and hopefully all is well with Brooks!

Now, today's post is otherwise devoted to the ninth installment of Sault Michigan-area independent label Werehold Records' Friday the 13th music posting event, but unfortunately, this will also be the last installment. After 5½ years of delivering new label music on each Friday the 13th (save for November 2015), this is indeed "the final Friday", with Werehold owner Jason Mills confirming that in a personal conversation last month, noting that the events didn't take off like he thought they would. I find the news disappointing, as this was always a welcome and positive blast of metal on the supposedly unlucky day, but if it has to end, what better time than in October for the Halloween season? In fact, they're going out with a bang, as a record-tying nine new songs were posted today for the occasion! One song comes from Brimley artist Leonard LeBlanc's electronic solo project Palaver, entitled "You'll See Her Eyes, If You're Hungry", in his first Friday the 13th song since March 2015.

While not overly heavy, this song has a nice rhythm and 1980s-retro feel, so give it a listen if you're a fan of electronic instrumental music! On the metal side of things, four of this year's initial songs are actually from a debuting group named Shatterhand, so what is there to say about them? This is a new project from the aforementioned Jason Mills on guitar alongside Manton, Michigan-based singer/guitarist Timothy Simon Birdsall and Lansing-based multi-instrumentalist Mitchell Wells, who mans a solo project there under the name Mitch Michelle (or Barph Blahgo). As the band's only 1/3rd local, and don't have an online page yet, they won't be immediate additions to our band links, but it's great to see some new blood on the Werehold roster! Both the band and today's songs are all named after old NES video games, including songs named "Abadox", "Phantom Fighter", "Vice Project Doom", and "Nightshade", so how did they sound?

While these songs don't yet have vocals (which won't be a shock compared to usual Friday the 13th output), Shatterhand have promise, and I like the hybrid of groove metal with more of a progressive and electronic element, which has to be influenced by Mitch's own solo career, which is quite eclectic and varied. Unfortunately, all of the Shatterhand songs were quietly deleted for unannounced reasons a few days later, (very unusual for the label to do that) but hopefully they resurface, as I liked where Shatterhand were going!

Also, reports of the demise of Jason's solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died are premature, as they also returned for the final Friday the 13th event! We originally removed them from our band links in June when it was discovered that their Facebook page was taken down, but the page was quietly restored in recent months, so the page must have been automatically deactivated in a Destroiletesque fashion. Yes, The 1,000,000,000's Who Died are back in our active Sault Michigan band links! Last heard on the May 2016 installment, the Soo/Isle Royale project is featured with new songs named "Conquer the Rest" &, as embedded below, "Glass Coffin", which are both short, though this is par for the course with this act. An included bass solo adds some zest to the song, which both harbouring a technical aggressive attack and programmed blast beat drums for good measure, so give The Billions Who Died's new songs a listen as well!



Finally, I thought it was appropriate to come full circle with Werehold Records' Friday the 13th saga, by ending with the very first band we started our coverage of this event with, namely local metal project Life's Eclipse! They're featured in two songs from today's upload spree, including, "Houses" from the "The Dark Kingdom" album, and as embedded below, "A.C.L.D." from "Deeper In The Woods". The former again features Mitch as a guest musician, albeit here on a mellotron keyboard, and the song is a massive departure for Life's Eclipse, taking on a quiet, reserved sound that is honestly more reminiscent of medieval folk, but it's nice to see Jason and company spread their wings! As for "A.C.L.D.", that delivers more brutal instrumental metal action that existing fans will take to, and hopefully some of these albums will see a paid release at some point! Give Life's Eclipse's newest songs a listen above & below!



That's all for the Friday the 13th new music events from Werehold Records, which were fun while they lasted, but hopefully everyone stays musically active and keeps new material rolling when available on YouTube or other platforms! For what it's worth, the next Friday the 13th is in April, but unless there's a reversal of plans, don't expect anything special in six months, though stay tuned for more news here as it rolls in! Thanks everyone!

Inactive Local Band Notes, Go Skateboarding Day Fallout, And More!!

A new news post is upon us for this Friday morning, so what is on tap? Sadly, this post is largely devoted to bands being moved out of our active band links, but we also have a few more assorted recent updates and a new video featuring a recent performance to check out. With all of that said, here's what you need to know!

We have a pair of bands to imminently move to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity, one being classic/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13. While the band has made no public statements about their future, they have not played an advertised concert since one year ago on Sunday when they headlined at The Rockstar Bar, and they hadn't posted on their Facebook page since April of last year as it was (though note that guitarist Robin "Bones" Lee left his other band Soundcheck for health reasons earlier this year.) A staple of the bar circuit since debuting at the inaugural Toystock charity concert in November 2012, this union of Aftersight, Turner Up, and Gully Yodelers alumni were frequently seen on stage in solo concerts over the following 3½ years, as well as becoming the only band to play at the first three Toystocks, headlining The Rednecks Saloon's relaunch party last spring, and closing The Rockstar Bar's St. Patrick's Day festivities in 2013.

Featuring a solid selection of veteran presences in the local rock scene, Lucky 13 were always a reliable sight on local stages, and their gritty, workmanlike sound could easily be slotted into numerous events alongside their solo gigs. Hopefully we see them back out there at some point in the future, but best of luck to Ed, Robin, Jeff, and Roger, and don't miss original guitarist Jeremey Salatuk with The 3 Day Millionaires!

The other band we're soon moving to our inactive band links is local pop punk quartet Stereo North, as they have not issued a public update concerning new band activity since one year ago on Sunday themselves. In that Facebook page posting, the guys announced that they were "taking a little break" due to guitarist Matthew Anich becoming a father, but their only updates since have referenced frontman Andrew Pucci's burgeoning solo career, so it appears that the "little break" has grown into an extended hiatus (at least.) Launching publically in late 2014 with a bassist search, Stereo North debuted at the Bon Soo Marquee outdoor concert in February 2015, and next played live at the following month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, so they definitely got a big start! Fans may also recall seeing them open for The River Jacks, Exes For Eyes, and Broomfiller, perform at 2015's Rotaryfest Stage 2 & last year's second VM Radio Battle, and play numerous all-local events late in their 1½ year run, last seen at The Rednecks Saloon over the Victoria Day long weekend last year.

Stereo North were an entertaining band that acclimated fast to the local scene back in 2015, and their originals and often-unconventional covers were always a fun sight on local stages, and it's a shame that their songwriting for a planned debut album didn't visibly lead to recording sessions before going on their "little break". Best of luck to Andrew, Matthew, Bill, and Brett in the future, but hopefully Stereo North return at some point, and don't miss Andrew's solo work or bassist Bill Bennett's current band Stegadeth!

Next up, here's a new YouTube video from yesterday's fifth annual Go Skateboarding Day festivities at Queen Elizabeth Park! Posted by SooToday to their YouTube channel and attached to this article, the video is similar to their video from last year, only with no interview clip, just skateboarding, vendor, and band footage with an audio track pasted on top in post. Filming took place during blues/hard rock trio Electric Church's opening set, and they are seen from 56 seconds on in the video, but again, their performance is completely muted. Still well edited and shot, so give it a look below, and click here for a live streamed segment of Go Skate Day before the bands began!



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

• Local alternative punk quartet A Dire Setback will play their second out of town concert on Saturday, July 8th when they open for Peterborough doom rapper Garbageface for a third time, albeit in Timmins! The show comes just a day after the two acts open for Vaultry at The Canadian for Live705's punk/rap hybrid event, and this should be another intriguing opportunity for A Dire Setback to branch out! There's not enough Timmins/Soo connections for concerts in either city. Click here for more details, and good luck on the road once again next month!
• Local indie rock quartet K.I.C.K. and former Pixo Control frontman Mike Mikus (in one of his last sets before moving to Montreal) have been confirmed as the fifth and sixth acts playing at this year's Downtown Street Party on Queen Street East on July 13th, joining hard rockers The Din and fellow groups The Bearded Lounge, Sometimes Ange, and The Stumpy Coldwater Trio. Solid additions to add some alternative original stylings to the proceedings, so keep them in mind as well for this Thursday event next month! Our source is the street party's Facebook event page yesterday.
• I reluctantly have to remove Sault Michigan/Isle Royale metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died from our band links due to the quiet deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page at some point this year. Led by Life's Eclipse mainman Jason Mills, The 1,000,000,000's Who Died were best known from their participation in label Werehold Records' Friday the 13th new music events from 2012 through last May, but nothing has followed in the past year, and their page deletion leaves Life's Eclipse as the only Werehold act listed in our active links. Hopefully we hear more from Jason's musical projects soon, perhaps on October 13th!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on The Sault Metal Scene in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Bay Mills Band Together Preview, Friday The 13th New Music On Werehold Records (Part 10), And More!!

Before we get to this all-Sault Michigan post, we have a concert cancellation to take note of, as local classic/hard rockers Mourning Wood are not playing at The Park Grille tonight. Frontman Terry Eaton confirmed the news on drummer Glen Thomas' personal Facebook page earlier today, saying that bands at the venue "are on hold until further notice." He, the band, and/or the venue haven't elaborated since, but hopefully this is a temporary measure, as the venue seemed to be well received, and don't miss Mourning Wood at Rednecks TOMORROW! Now, today's post has one last concert preview, a label's long awaited resurgence, and a new cover video, so here's what you need to know!

A number if local musicians will join forces for a great cause THIS SUNDAY NIGHT when they take part in Bay Mills Bands Together! at Pickles Bar & Grill in Brimley! This benefit show is in support of Maryssa Kronemeyer, an area high schooler who was seriously injured after being hit by a car in March. To that end, all proceeds will go to her and her family & the related medical costs, so definitely consider coming out to support the cause! In a unique format, Sunday's bands will be playing on two stages at Pickles, one acoustic and one for plugged in bands, so who all is scheduled? The main stage will feature headlining local hard/blues rock quartet Project 906 at 12:00 AM, with a mysterious band named The Whole Shabang (replacing or renamed from Brainstorm) playing at 11:00 PM, and online page-less metal quartet Stoned Ape Evolution hitting the stage at 10:00 PM. The remaining main stage bands will include the family band The Karstons at 9:00 PM and Broke On Sunday frontman Mark Bowen at 8:00 PM.

The acoustic stage will be headlined by Train Wreck alum Mitchell Willis and Brenda (last name not given) at 9:45, preceded by Infathom frontman Dillion Semasky with a solo (rap?) set at 8:40 PM, Ken Jahnke at 7:30 PM, Mitchell & Brenda again at 6:50 PM, and country/pop artist Caitlin LeBlanc opening at 6:00 PM. Door prizes and a 50/50 draw will also take place on Sunday to be drawn during the show, which has a $5 minimum cover, and this is presumably still a 21+ event. Though there's a lot of unknowns regarding the lineup, this should be a great event for Marissa and her family, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Project 906 live!

Next up, Sault Michigan independent record label Werehold Records has re-emerged for their seventh Friday the 13th music posting event! After mass artist "downtime" scuttled the November 13th plans, the label is back for their first Friday the 13th music since March of last year, but compared to past installments, this latest event is fairly lean. Label acts Awaken Eidolen, Drayton Fever, East Branch, Moss, Palaver, and Swampghas are all not featured, but we do have 2 songs to take note of,  including this new song from Werehold's flagship metal band Life's Eclipse! We were actually this close to moving them to our inactive band links if there was no Friday the 13th postings, so it's great to see that they're still active! Entitled "When The Night Falls", it's planned to be the first song on their album "The Dark Kingdom", and it has a nice dramatic opening and a melodic groove metal base, though in this form at least, it's an instrumental. A little repetitive, but it's very heavy, and the opening sets the tone well for the planned album, so give Life's Eclipse's newest song a look!



The other new Friday the 13th song from Werehold Records comes from label owner/Life's Eclipse mainman Jason Mills' solo side project The 1,000,000,000s Who Died, whose song is called "Beneath The Black". A short 1:50 number, it has a crushing riff at it's peak, but parts do sound artificial, and I'm not sure what the description comment of "stupid chorus" means when the song is an instrumental. It's a strong song while it lasts though, so give it a look below, and hopefully we see more from Werehold Records by the next Friday the 13th in January 2017!



Finally, here's the latest solo guitar cover from ex-Elipzis bassist Ryan Harrison's YouTube channel, this time a cover of The Beatles' "The Ballad of John & Yoko", albeit with completely different lyrics and the new title "The Ballad of Rocky & Lil" (perhaps this is a reference to friends of his?) Resembling an old webcam with the washed out colour and low framerate, the song itself is well done and is well suited to Ryan's vocal range, so give it a look below!



That's all for today, but we'll see you at The Rockstar Bar TONIGHT for Project 421's return to the stage! Thanks everyone!

Major Superior Festival Updates, Plus New Sault Michigan Videos!!

Before we dive back into concert previews, here's an all-Sault Michigan post for your Friday afternoon! Along with a pair of videos from local solo artists, we're leading off with huge changes for a hyped debuting concert festival, so here's what you should know!

We have some big updates regarding the first annual Superior Festival in Sault Michigan, which has been postponed, relocated, and downsized all at once. Originally planned to be held tomorrow at Aune-Osborne Park, promoters Superior Entertainment have confirmed that the ambitious festival has been moved ahead two weeks to Friday, August 21st, and will now take place at The Savoy Bar & Nightclub (5 minutes up the road.) According to this new Sault Evening News article, the move in date and location was due to concerns with the weather forecast for Saturday and to avoid the financial hit of cancelling the event if there was rain, with The Savoy being a safe option to safeguard against the weather. If the forecast is good, they can set up outdoors like with their Summerfest series, but if they're calling for rain, they can hold it indoors and still have over 500 fans. Despite the new location, minors under the age of 21 can still attend if accompanied by an adult.

With the changes, the lineup has been downsized from what was previously announced, with planned local openers Integrated System of Machines, Power Slug, Retro Troop, and Terry Talentino, and Detroit punk trio Heroes of Charlotte all now out of the event. Reasons for their individual withdrawals weren't announced, but remember that the festival was postponed two weeks, and the new date may not jive well with many personal schedules. A trio of out of town bands are still on board, including Mississippi hard/modern rock quintet (and recent Kewadin Casino headliners) Saving Abel, Rochester, New York post-hardcore band Lights Out Paris (who played last month's P.O.D. show), and Muskegon hard rock quartet Voodoo Theory. Local hard rockers Tantrym Tyme are the only remaining Sault Michigan band, while the last two bands are both from Sault Ontario, including the return of classic/hard rock trio Mourning Wood (who had been replaced by Retro Troop initially.)

The only new additions are Sault Ontario funk/hard rock quartet The Elements, marking their Sault Michigan debut and first announced concert since the spring, which is both surprising and nice to see! Also note that SooToday (which Elements frontman Rob Speers works for) are now listed as a presenting sponsor on the poster, but I have yet to see confirmation on SooToday's end regarding their involvement. Everything is later now too, running from 7:00 PM-2:00 AM instead of 12:00-11:00 PM. As best as I can tell, tickets are now a flat $25 with no discount option for kids, but previously purchased tickets will be honoured on August 21st, or can be swapped at point of purchase (though note that Kewadin Casino's ticket page doesn't have a new link for online ticket sales yet.) New tickets can be bought at The Savoy itself or at (906) 430-5242 as well, though no word on if the planned motorcycle giveaway will continue given the festival changes. For full details on the Superior Festival's changes, visit the above links!

I will note that the weather forecast for tomorrow currently calls for partly cloudy conditions and a peak chance of rain at 15% tomorrow afternoon, but for a first year outdoor festival, I can understand promoters playing things safe just in case. Hopefully the Superior Festival is still a huge success in two weeks despite everything, and I'm especially curious to see how the two Sault Ontario bands do on the U.P. stage! Stay tuned when and if more updates roll in, and see above for all of the changes!

We'll close this post with new videos, including a brand new song from local extreme metal solo project The 1,000,000,000's Who Died! Entitled "Execute", it's an unusual posting in that it's the first song posting in over 2 years that doesn't coincide with label Werehold Records' usual Friday the 13th music events from their YouTube channel (the next Friday the 13th is in November.) This short instrumental showcases Life's Eclipse frontman/Werehold founder Jason Mills' brutal metal talents well, but it could use a little variance (or vocals) to break from some monotonous parts. Give The 1,000,000's Who Died's new song a listen below!



Finally, here's a new guitar solo video from 415E guitarist Chris Hubbard, as uploaded to his YouTube channel yesterday! An attempt at replicating a live guitar solo from recent tour dates by Eddie Van Halen (who Chris is a huge fan of, if you don't follow his solo postings and band work), comments on the video are already lauding Chris' performance here for it's accuracy to EVH himself, and even if you're not familiar with that solo, this is still excellently done! Give Chris' new video a look below!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for more weekend concert previews in short order, including, yes, possible late notice ones! Thanks everyone!

Friday The 13th New Music On Werehold Records (Part 9)

As we just celebrated Friday the 13th for the second of three times this year, Sault Michigan-area independent record label Werehold Records partook in a new music posting event for a seventh straight occurrence of this unlucky day! Fresh off of last month's Friday the 13th event (yes, two in two months), the label uploaded four new songs onto their YouTube channel on Friday, resulting in another abbreviated spread of new music, but hopefully the studio repairs are coming along! However, this month's uploads do not include new material from label acts Awaken Eidolen, Drayton Fever, East Branch, or Moss, though the latter were featured last month. Longtime fans and followers of Werehold Records should take to this month's uploads though, so here's what we got in alphabetical order!

We'll start with label owner Jason Mills' solo side project The 1,000,000,000s Who Died, whose new song is entitled "Faith Eraser". Hinted at being included on an album named "Warskematik", this instrumental clocks in at just under 2 minutes, but it delivers the metal goods with a melodic and crushing riff and a solid groove throughout! Not as artificial sounding as some of their prior tracks, so give "Faith Eraser" a listen below!



Next up is "For the Burning" from Jason's main band Life's Eclipse, which he said was "one of the original 5" (as in, the first songs that they wrote/recorded?) In any event, it's likely planned for their "Shadow Over Superior" album. Though also an instrumental, this has a catchy aggressive bite to it that is just dying for some harsh vocals to round it out! Great drum track too, so check it out below!



Also among today's tracks is "Explosions at the Ice Factory" by Brimley electronic artist Leonard LeBlanc's Palaver solo project, which has a catchy techno beat, but admittedly doesn't have the "video game music" vibe of some of their earlier songs. Quality work for electronic fans though! We'll close with "Born Frownin'", the first new song in nine months from Strongs backwoods metal trio Swampghas, so how does it sound? A demo from their planned "Raco Tower Incident" album, it's also an instrumental, and it has more of a lower groove to it without much of a varied melody. Grimy and effective, give it a listen below as well!



The next Friday the 13th on the calendar will strike in November (which will also be it's only occurence in the next 14 months), so might we see a bigger splash of new Werehold material in the fall? I'm very curious to find out, but be sure to check out all of their work at the above links to tide yourselves over until then! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and features in the coming week! Thanks everyone!

Friday The 13th New Music On Werehold Records (Part 8)

Yesterday was the first Friday the 13th in 8 months, so it's once again time to look at another new music event from Sault Michigan-area metal label Werehold Records, in their sixth straight Friday the 13th with new song uploads to their YouTube channel, and first of three for 2015! It should be noted that for this installment of the Friday the 13th Werehold postings, there are just four new songs, with label head Jason Mills credited to Scholomance Studio currently being "torn up", which impaired their larger plans for today (source here in a comment thread.) The next Friday the 13th is actually next month, so might things be fully realized then? For now though, we'll look at yesterday's songs, which don't include new material from Awaken Eidolen, Drayton Fever, East Branch, or Swampghas, but Werehold loyalists should like what we got, so here's the new songs in alphabetical artist order!

We'll start with Jason's solo metal project The 1,000,000,000s Who Died (remember, they weren't really from Isle Royale), whose new song is called "Allegiance to Nothing". An instrumental that morphs from dramatic horror movie music to crushing epic metal in short order, it's a solid track with great guitar work, but it's not that long, and it does sound a bit too processed at times. Give their new track a listen below!



Flagship Werehold metal band Life's Eclipse are next with their song "Cell Differential", to be included on their long gestating album "Invasion". It's not new (originally written in 2005), but it's still a strong addition to their original material, with a more melodic take on their usual brutality and a nice catchy feel that would go great for driving in a fast car! However, it too is an instrumental at present. Check out Life's Eclipse's newest posted song below!



Also from Friday the 13th is the newest song from Strongs/Eckerman hard rock band Moss, entitled "The Bright Lights of Anywhere"! Apparently recorded in less than 45 minutes (though it's the longest of yesterday's songs), it's also an instrumental, but takes on more of a mainstream hard rock sound, albeit with a dark edge that would still lend itself well to aggressive vocals. I can picture a vocal melody in my head for it, which is probably a good sign for it's composition! Strong work from Moss, so give it a listen below!



The last new song is "Snake Eyes" from Brimley electronic project Palaver, which isn't metal, but it again harbours the "dark video game music" sound that they've done well in the past, with the latter hald reminding me of music from a movie fight scene. Strong work if you're into techno genres, so check it out too! That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news over the weekend, and keep watch for more new music from Werehold Records on Friday, March 13th! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Power Slug), A New Local Band Addition, And Much More!!

With a busy concert weekend in store, we're slightly breaking up this week's hard rock and punk concert previews to spread them out, so a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for TOMORROW NIGHT will take residence in today's post, alongside some more news and notes! We also have upcoming CD notes, some assorted updates, and first, a new band addition to our full coverage, so here's what you should know!

We have a local metal project to add to our band links, though we've alluded to them on here for the last few years in a series of posts. You may remember that we cover Sault Michigan metal label Werehold Records' Friday the 13th new music posting events (which return next week, by the way), and in some of the installments, you may have seen us mention The 1,000,000,000's Who Died (or The Billions Who Died), an extreme metal band that was billed from outside our coverage range in Isle Royale, Michigan, which has no permanent population, adding to their initial secrecy. Given that, we held from adding them to our full coverage... until now, as Werehold owner & Life's Eclipse mainman Jason Mills revealed on his personal Facebook page earlier this week that The 1,000,000,000's Who Died is his own solo project (albeit under the stage name Spizwizbanizz), and their Facebook page now bills them from the Soo as well! So, now that we know more on them, what else should you know on them?

Active since at least May 2012, The 1,000,000,000's Who Died have largely only shown signs of life for the Werehold Records Friday the 13th events, with 3 songs from them being posted on the Werehold YouTube channel ("Whispers Removed",  "Declaration", and last year's "Pile of Tongues"), though all are instrumentals. Their sound will be familiar to Werehold loyalists, though putting an extreme death metal slant on crunchy groove metal, and it'll be interesting to see what Jason has in store for next Friday! Give "Pile of Tongues" a listen below, and stay tuned for more from The 1,000,000,000's Who Died!

Next up, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for TOMORROW NIGHT, as Sault Michigan cover hard rock trio Power Slug will be playing a unique concert set under the beer tent as part of the events leading up to the annual International 500 snowmobile race (or I-500) this weekend! Apologies for the short notice, the band only just announced their involvement yesterday on their Facebook page. Though not credited by name on the I-500 website, their set will be among the entertainment during what is billed as "the midwest's largest Winter Pub Crawl", and spectators are encouraged to visit bars and beer tents tomorrow night in Sault Michigan and at the I-500 track, which is based at 984 West 4th Avenue, a few minutes from Lake Superior State University. Power Slug should deliver a solid night of hard rock action during the pre-race events at the I-500 this year, and kudos to them for braving the elements too, as tent or not, it is outdoors.

Admission is via purchase of a button (a'la Bon Soo), and while it is $20, that guarantees you admission to see the actual I-500 race on Saturday, which is always exciting! Power Slug's set is at 8:00 PM tomorrow night, and given the time and connection to the pub crawl, it's likely 21+. For more info, visit the above links, and here's Power Slug live at The Bird!



Also today, here's some updates from Sault Ontario doom/punk trio The Revolution, who recently unveiled more details on their forthcoming debut EP! Last week, the guys revealed that their first release will be called "Roll Call", and it will feature 5 songs, those being "Prisoner of Hate", "Monsters", "Cold Temptress", "Into The Fog", and "Get High With Me". Most have been teased in earlier concerts and videos, but "Into The Fog" isn't immediately familiar, so it may be the new song that the guys teased in this Facebook video (unless one of the other songs was reworked.) Obviously, not all of their originals made the cut, including live songs and older preview tracks like "Murder For Sport", "We Are The Gladiators", "Mercury", and "Belly of the Beast", but if things work out, we might see some or all on a future CD. It sounds like the guys have things under control, and with PaperClip Productions behind them, things can only go up, so stay tuned for updates as they roll in!

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

• A new post by promoter J.D. Pearce on next month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands' Facebook event page strongly hints that local death metal favourites The Bear Hunters have signed up to compete at said battle, with J.D. noting that "things just got heavy in here", and that the battle may "end 'er with Render" (This Void). Will The Bear Hunters successfully defend their Viva La Battle crown from 2013 next month? Stay tuned for updates, and sign up A.S.A.P., as only 3 band packages are left!
• Oh! Right Arm! Promotions are apparently bringing Ottawa sludge metal band Biipiigwan back to the Soo on Thursday, April 30th, as per a post by co-promoter Jamie Vincent at this link yesterday. No venue or other details have been announced yet, but for reference, Biipiigwan last played here in November 2013 at The Moose Lodge alongside locals The Bear Hunters & Bad Back. Stay tuned for more as it comes in!
• According to their Facebook page on Monday, local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address have sent their new studio album "Rust Orchid" away for pressing of physical copies! No word yet on when we can expect CDs and digital downloads to be officially released (along with their teased "Early Tapes" compilation), but we'll keep you posted when more is announced!

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