LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (A Dire Setback), Info On Their New CD, And This Month's Poll!

We're back with a new news post on this Saturday night, which is devoted to two topics: Our first 2019 retrospective poll of the year, and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT concerning an upcoming CD release concert, and all of the pertinent details on the album in question! Here's what you should know!

Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback will release their long awaited self-titled debut CD on Saturday, March 28th at a release party concert at LopLops Lounge! This will be A Dire Setback's first show of 2020, and of course, this will be your first chance to buy their album before it goes on general sale the following day. Albums will be on sale for $15 on March 28th, with online copies on CDBaby currently advertised at $9.99, though local store availability is to be announced. It's great to see Chris, Matt, and Nick's hard work finally paying off! This is the cover artwork, as included on the Facebook event page and the album's CDBaby page. The originally announced openers were planned to be a one-off reunion of The Din, returning the favour after A.D.S. opened for their 2018 "Dinunion" at LopLops, but they had to withdraw for unannounced reasons (remember that Mike now lives out of province.) Instead, "no genre" trio Handsome Sandwich will open on March 28th!

Fresh off of their return to the stage last week, they should provide an intriguing compliment with their diverse array of covers and sense of humour, so don't be late for their set! At least one additional opening act is to be confirmed. This self-promoted event will feature sound by Crank Sound Distributions, plus Shaw TV's Christian Lemay will be filming (presumably for an OnStage episode), while CD producer Dustin Goodall will be recording the show live, purpose not yet clear. The concert proper will be a 19+ affair with a 10:00 PM start time and a $10 admission fee, though if you pay $20, you will get a $5 discount on the album and CD combined. Tickets can be bought online at this link and at the door where available. As for the album proper, CDBaby features preview samples of all 9 tracks, which include their self titled song, "Everlasting" (no "Despair"?), "Kicking & Screaming", "Drop Dead", "Catastrophe", "Faded", "Forget This Memory", "Endless Dream", and "Nightmares".

Conspicuous by it's absence is "Wasting Away", despite still being in their live setlists. As one of their earliest and most recognizable originals, it would have been nice to hear a studio copy! I'm not 100% sold on the cover art, but this is an exciting time for A Dire Setback, so follow the above links to get more details on the album and CD over the next two months! Before we move on, the guys shared the full studio copy of "Drop Dead" to their YouTube channel on Wednesday, marking our second full look at an album track. Bouncing VU meters aside, this is just a still image. I'll hold thoughts pending our full CD review in the spring, but check out "Drop Dead" below!



We'll close today with our first "favourites of 2019" poll, as we dust off our voting booths for another year! As usual, we will start with this question: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2019? Last year was relatively lean for newcomers in our covered genres, but enough notable names turned up to keep this poll worthwhile! To be included, bands must have made their public launch and played their first local concerts in the 2019 calendar year, which notably excludes St. Ignace's Heavy Lies The Crown and the now-defunct Sault Ontario death metal project Black Cloud, who both launched in 2018 (plus, H.L.T.C. have only played live downstate.) As has always been our criteria for show announcements, open mic nights do not count as live concerts, so Fort Creek did not make the cut either, but you can vote for these or other new-ish bands via selecting "Other". Now, here are your final choices in this month's poll!

The Guitar Gangsters: Local fans were surprised in the fall when this new Volbeat tribute band debuted in time for J.D. Pearce's annual Halloween Party, with a star studded lineup including a non-Belleau reunion of Garden of Bedlam alongside Jack Spades and Papa Fogals Chair alumni. Their one local show to date was very well received, as was their Sudbury trip in late November, but was this enough to win the poll to you?

Mackinaw Trail: One notable yet familiar sight in the E.U.P. was Mackinaw Trail, an originals-focused side project from 3/4ths of existing classic/hard rock cover veterans Highway 63. While ostensibly a studio act, Mackinaw Trail do play live sporadically for bookings when H63 guitarist Nathan Switzer is busy with Heavy Lies The Crown, leading to their live debut at The Rapids Lounge in October. Have Mackinaw Trail piqued your interest the most here?

The Sick Sons: Arguably the highest profile new act of these 5 based on concert scale alone, punk supergroup The Sick Sons made a huge splash by opening for Random Killing & The Ripcordz in their first two concerts, before playing two big holiday season sets at LopLops last month. Featuring Bankshot, Downshift, Northwest, and 12 Gauge Ready alumni, The Sick Sons have all the tools to make a further impression, but would you vote for them?

Stoned To Deaf: Though in existence since 2018, the band has yet to launch a public online page, so their May debut concert (opening for Poison Girl at The Rockstar Bar) is enough to qualify them here. A Rage Against The Machine tribute from Elements bassist James White, they seem to have went over well in their first outing, but they've been publically AWOL since. Were you there to vouch for them in this poll over the other bands?

Tarnished: The most prolific of last year's heavier newcomers, Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished succeeded frontman Alex Traynor's prior group Banned last summer, and soon followed with lots of acoustic sets at unconventional locales (primarily Biggby Coffee) and select full band electric gigs, even hitting the road for Mount Pleasant and Toledo along the way. Tarnished have the dates under their belt, but would they earn your vote?

Other: Did another new band get your attention more? Would you side with 2018 newcomers who only played their first gigs last year, like Heavy Lies The Crown or Black Cloud? Did Fort Creek do it for you despite not playing a formal scheduled show yet? Maybe you prefer a band who hasn't played live at all, isn't metal, hard rock, or punk, or isn't even local? Or did I miss a heavier band here? If your preferred choice isn't listed, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY! You have until February 18th to cast your votes, and hopefully we have some decent totals to kick off this round of 2019 retrospective polls, in spite of the lean rookie class. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

2019: A Look Back In The Year Of Local Metal, Hard Rock, And Punk

To end 2019, here is our annual retrospective post on the year that was, and there's a lot of ground to cover, as always! For the record, I am not doing a retrospective post on the entire 2010s decade, that would take research time that I don't have, but our year-end posts for 2010-2018 are all up to check out in our archives! Now, let's take one last look back at 2019!

As usual, we'll start with big headlining concerts at major local venues,  and the year got off to a good start when The Tea Party returned to Sault Ste. Marie on March 27th at The Machine Shop with The Proud Sons in tow! Yoopers had to wait until June 29th for their first major date of 2019 under the Kewadin Casino umbrella, albeit in St. Ignace, where Slaughter and Autograph gave fans a good old hair scare. Sault Michigan got spoiled on August 3rd when Pop Evil, Buckcherry, and Joyous Wolf rocked their Kewadin branch in a rare outdoor concert, but the biggest events came in November, starting with Muddfest on the 1st, where Puddle of Mudd, Saliva, Trapt, Saving Abel, and Tantric hit The Dreammakers Theater. On November 19th, Sault Ontario got a punk blast from The Offspring, Sum 41, and Dinosaur Pile-Up at GFL Memorial Gardens, while the year ended via local classical metal band Theatre of Night's Christmas tour stop at The Dreammakers Theater on December 14th. Look for more huge shows ahead!

Outside of these large venues, we had no shortage of notable concerts in the area in 2019. Sault Ontario was host to touring acts like Anvil, B.A. Johnston, Black Crown Initiate, The Cancer Bats, Cross Dog, Dave Evans, The Faps, K-Man & The 45s, The Killer Dwarfs, Michale Graves, Monster Truck, Random Killing, Striker, White Cowbell Oklahoma, and Who Made Who this year, among many, many others. Local concert festivals and annual events like Rotaryfest, Toystock, J.D. Pearce's Halloween Party, Go Skateboarding Day, and the Oh!No festival (in it's last installment in Leeburn) returned with heavier acts again, while The Rising Tide brought punk to the Go North Music Festival, 7 local bands played across both floors of the Joni Radford memorial concert in March, and The Apocalypse Afterparty made an impressive finals run in this year's The Soo's Got Talent competition. It was hard to sum up the entire year in a paragraph, but hopefully there's more big names on the way in the new year!

Sault Michigan had it's share of live hard rock concerts too, even if things weren't as busy as in Ontario. As usual, linked Traverse City hard rock groups Peril & Scarkazm came up north for numerous well received Kewadin lounge gigs, but otherwise, most of the heavier live performances in the E.U.P. this year were from local bands. Kinross' own Banned played their final concerts in the first quartet of 2019, before their successors Tarnished began their own busy slate of acoustic and full-band concerts this summer (including the Sugar Island Music Festival), while frontman Alex Traynor played a few solo gigs of his own along the way. Also this year: Project 906 maintained a reduced schedule for their live dates (including the Rudyard Musicians Festival), 415E reunited with a new lineup for scattered Kewadin concerts, and Highway 63 kept busy with their own gigs and the launch of their Mackinaw Trail side project. Here's hoping things are even busier in 2020!

The past year was loaded with major news and events relating to the local metal, hard rock, and punk scene, with notable bands like Coral Fang, The Guitar Gangsters, Jack Spades, Mike Haggith, Northwest, Parabol, Tarnished, Theatre of Night, and Treble Charger all hitting the road for notable gigs outside of the E.U.P./district. 2019 was a year of change for local music stores, with Northland & Thomas Walls merging operations as the local Long & McQuade branch, Crooked Music moving across the road, and The Rad Zone leaving the Wellington Square Mall, while live musical productions of Rock of Ages and We Will Rock You entertained local audiences at different scales. Readers mourned the passings of Joni Radford, Kayge Fowler, and Danger Cats alum Summer Stevens, while the Soo area also lost Reggie's Place, Studio 10, and The Tech, and concerts featuring Drowning Pool, Bobaflex, and Love 'n Revenge were all cancelled, as well as three different battles of the bands.

However, there were other good news stories in 2019, such as the return of the Northern Film Showcase, music video releases from A Dire Setback & Mike Haggith, Dryer Fire's two pop-up runs as a live venue on Bruce Street, Six, Two, Oh.'s re-branding as the Oh!No Collective, and don't forget about the launch of the Music City Sault Ste. Marie project and all of the ambitious plans that entails. I'm sure 2020 will be just as eventful as 2019!

This year saw a number of local metal & hard rock album releases, primarily from solo musicians, and none had a busier year than Chase Wigmore, whose extreme metal project Awokest put out their compilation debut "Enter The Nightlands" in January, followed by "Solving The Human Condition" in April. Later still, Chase's own folk/punk studio album "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" came out earlier this month, with the surprise "One Last Act Of Defiance" following days later! Also this year: Crucify The Whore released their new album "Crucifiction Inquisition", while the soundtrack to the movie Ashes of K (featuring songs by Mike Haggith) also dropped this year. The Sault Michigan area saw Heavy Lies The Crown's debut album "Scatter Brain" & Tarnished frontman Alex Traynor's own CD "Crazy World" go on sale, while we unusually saw two 2019 releases (Mike McCleary's "Propaganda Model" & Black Cloud's "Abstract Sounds") pulled from online storefronts within months. Hopefully there's more new CDs to come soon!

A handful of notable local bands debuted outright or on stage in 2019, with none playing more frequently in the area than Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished, whose weekly Biggby Coffee matinees and assorted other electric and unplugged gigs have given them a solid profile in short order! The E.U.P. also welcomed Highway 63 side project Mackinaw Trail this year, while former Werehold Records head Jason Mills resurfaced with his new solo project X's & Y's, and the aforementioned Heavy Lies The Crown made their live debut, albeit downstate. In Sault Ontario, punk supergroup The Sick Sons got a big jump via major opening slots in late 2019, while Volbeat cover band The Guitar Gangsters stole the show at the Halloween Party, the online page-less Stoned To Deaf and the already-defunct Black Cloud played their first public gigs, and new southern hard rock quartet Fort Creek launched in their own right. Hopefully we hear much more from this talented rookie crop of bands in 2020!

It was expectedly busy this year for lineup changes, additions, and departures in heavier local bands, with none seeing more upheaval than revived local Foo Fighters tribute The Soo Fighters, who replaced Jeremey Salatuk, John & Jonny Amendola with Wes Greco, Max Ambeault, and Jonas Gasperas in time for their Halloween Party set. Don't feel too bad for the Amendolas though, as they took over for Sean Berlinguette & Brian Egglesfield in the reunited Tripod the Dog this year! Meanwhile, Sault Michigan's 415E welcomed Brett Blackwood & Jason VanLuven upon their reunion, while Highway 63 parted ways with keyboardist Brian Drumheller and switched from Justin Lawless to Russell Mayer to Ron Suchey behind the kit. Also this year: Redundant split with bassist James White, Cameron Oliver replaced Travis Sharpe as Soundcheck's frontman, and second bassist Alice Rose joined the unmasked Apocalypse Afterparty, among other lineup changes in local bands this year!

This year largely a quiet one for local band breakups, with the most prominent arguably being Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock trio Banned, who dissolved this summer, predicating the launch of Alex's new band Tarnished. We also saw the aforementioned Black Cloud suspend operations mere months after their album release, and Halfway Loaded appear to have stepped aside in favour of Fort Creek, but most of the other potentially defunct bands have just quietly fell into inactivity, and could be acknowledged as such in 2020. Among others: Stegadeth side project Poison Girl haven't been publically heard from since Tiffany moved out of town, the planned February reunion of This Is Your Band On Drugs never took place, and such groups as The Billy Bastards, Brutally Fatal, Destroilet, Handsome Sandwich, Id Iota, Rotopsy, and Winkstinger have not issued a new public update on band activity since the first half of 2019 (or earlier.) Hopefully everyone stays musically active!

As always, we end with reunions and comebacks, and we weren't lacking for those in 2019, with punk standouts The Inner City Surfers' first concert in 10 6½ years getting lots of attention back in August, and they have new songs in the works, to boot! They weren't the only reunited band on the scene this year, with Sailor's Tongue coming back for a set at Rotaryfest, Tripod the Dog permanently reuniting in their own right, Frightlight resurrecting for the Michale Graves show this fall, Late & Loud returning to support Benn's wedding, and both The Strange Coyotes & Sault Michigan's Tantrym Tyme surprising many with holiday season reunion gigs. Far-flung local acts like Shit Liver and Mike Haggith returned home for special gigs over a year after their last Soo dates, while a number of dormant bands returned to the stage after lengthy breaks, like 415E, The Apocalypse Afterparty, AlgomA, The Bear Hunters, Griphook, Pillory, and Telephone & Address, with hopefully more coming next year!

Hindsight is always 20/20, but looking back, 2019 was a solid year for the SMS, and here's to another big year ahead as we kick off a new decade! Thanks to everyone for your support, and watch for our annual forecast post on the year ahead tomorrow, with our first batch of weekend concert previews following on Thursday! Thanks everyone!

Our Poll On Your Favourite New Local Metal, Hard Rock, And Punk Bands Of 2018!!

With 2018 now in the rear view mirror, let's try our year-end polls on the site again! Vote totals last year weren't very high at all, but we'll see if things turn around this time out. As usual, we are starting by posing this question:  What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2018? Last year was a lean one for debuting bands on the heavier spectrum, but enough launched, especially in the latter half of the year, to warrant this poll returning. To be included in the poll, the band must have publically launched AND played live in the 2018 calendar year, hence why Fluid 5ive (who launched way back in 2016) and Awokest (who dropped out of their sole advertised show last year) missed the cut. It's also worth noting that I can't confirm the genre range of new (and online page-less) Sault Michigan trio Roadhouse, so I opted not to include them. Of course, if we missed your preferred choice, "Other" is back too!

Lastly, in the poll form proper (on the right of the page), I specified which bands were tribute bands, just as a means of helping readers recall who they were, as upon their debut, only one of them had a publically acknowledged name on social media. Now, here are your choices in alphabetical order!

Coral Fang: Debuting at night #1 of last October's Halloween Party at The Rockstar Bar, Coral Fang are the Distillers tribute band from Jack Spades/Stegadeth bandmates Tiffany Stocco & Johnny Belanger, alongside A Dire Setback's Chris Nielsen and Destroilet's Adam Larocque. The band received positive notices at this show and at their LopLops gig with The Cover-Up last month, but would you agree that they're your favourite new local band of last year?

Parabol: Though they remained unnamed until this month, many fans felt that Parabol stole the show in their live debut at night #2 of the aforementioned Halloween Party with their authentic and proficient tribute to prog-metal legends Tool. Featuring ex-Late Shift bandmates John Barber & Anthony Gagnon alongside Odd Man Out's Steve Myers and Skeyes of Seven's Al Fletcher, this band has the skill level to go far, but did you like them more than the other options here?

Poison Girl: Tiffany & Johnny were very busy on October 26th, as they launched two new cover bands that night, including the HIM tribute Poison Girl alongside Stegadeth bandmate Bill Bennett and Machines Dream keyboardist Brian Holmes. Individual local covers of the Finnish gothic rock standouts are rare enough, so Ville Valo fans certainly ate up Poison Girl's debut last fall, and while more shows haven't yet followed, did you see enough then to vote for them in this poll?

Re:Born: The only poll option that is not a tribute band, Re:Born are the new power rock band from Project 421's Blair Burch & Frank McGillivray, Eclipse's Fred Dunn, and The Din's Brandan Glew, with the now departed Robert Nevitt singing at all three of their 2018 gigs. Sets opening for Archelon & All The Wasted Years gave them strong exposure, and while their 2019 debut with new singer Elly McWatters is up in the air, did their initial shows earn them your vote over the tribute band trio?

Other: Did we miss your preferred new band of last year? Should we have included Fluid 5ive their pre-2018 launch? Did a band that never played live in 2018 impress you more, like Awokest, Hubbard, or Tattoos & Scars? Are Roadhouse a heavier rock band? Maybe you preferred a new band that isn't hard rock or punk based, or even one that's not local? If, for whatever reason, we didn't include the band you want to vote for, pick "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You have until February 18th to cast your votes, and it'll be interesting to see which band comes out on top after a quieter than usual year for local metal and punk band debuts. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes this weekend! Thanks everyone!

2018: A Look Back In The Year Of Local Metal, Hard Rock, And Punk

It is now time for our final post of 2018, and as usual, we're closing with a retrospective on the events of 2018 in the local metal, hard rock, and punk scenes, including the good and bad from bands, concerts, and general news from both sides of the border. Hopefully we hit most of the big stories, but this is always a fun post to research and compile, so hopefully this brings back some solid memories of the year that was! As always, we'll start with major headlining hard rock and metal concerts at major local venues, and this was a busy year in that regard!

We first saw Project 906 and a reunited Chord On Bluz opening for Laith Al-Saadi and The Chris Canas Band in the "Best of Michigan Blues" concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on February 10th, while Sault Ontario welcomed Big Wreck & Attica Riots to The Machine Shop three days later, and just a day after that, The Dreammaker's Theater responded with the return of Pop Evil alongside Palaye Royale & Black Map. The same venue hosted touring Boston tribute band Don't Look Back on April 7th, while The Machine Shop responded on April 19th with I Mother Earth, Finger Eleven, and J.J. Thompson. On August 11th, Kewadin Casino welcomed Seether & 10 Years back to the Soo alongside The Dead Deads, while Steel Panther and Wilson rocked the same venue on December 1st, and locals Theatre of Night headlined a special Dreammaker's Theater Christmas concert on December 15th. Look for many more huge concerts at these venues in the new year!

Beyond major venues, Sault Ontario welcomed a number of big concerts to local venues in 2018, with notable touring bands like All The Wasted Years, Alterbeast, Archelon, Beaver Slap, Carried Away, Cross Dog, The Faps, The Gabba Heys, Inferi, Lightmares, Rivers of Nihil, Ten Foot Pole, The Therapists, Who Made Who, and Whoop-Szo all hitting regional stages. Major returning events on the concert calendar included Rotaryfest, Toystock, The Northern Vibe Festival, J.D. Pearce's Halloween Party, Go Skateboarding Day, The Sky's The Limit, and the Oh!No Music Festival in Leeburn, and while there were no true battles of the bands, a few hard rock acts took part in The Soo's Got Talent at The Tech this fall. Fans also turned out for the Joni Radford and Pirie Kaufman benefits, the Rides for Autism & ARCH, the Downtown Street Parties, Soo Blaster's new Indie Music Showcases, and even Joe's Weekend Warrior Fest in September. I'm sure there's much more on the horizon in 2019!

Sault Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula had it's share of notable concerts in 2018 as well, with Peril, Scarkazm, and Spun returning from out of town for more high profile headlining appearances, while Munising's own Infathom headlined in Brimley in May, and Peril side project Project 6 played a special Kincheloe convenience store set in August! Also this year: Project 906 returned to the Rudyard Musicians Festival (among a wide array of solo headlining gigs), Banned played at the Sugar Island Music Festival while also maintaining a similarly busy schedule, and Highway 63 side project Cousin Eddie played their final concerts at the Kewadin Casino branches. In fact, some of this year's biggest hard rock shows in the E.U.P. took place in December, like Theatre of Night's Pickford church concert on December 14th, and Highway 63's return from hiatus at the Dondee just over a week later. There's a lot of talent in the Sault Michigan area going into the new year!

2018 gave us a lot of general news stories impacting heavier and punk bands. Noted local acts like A Dire Setback, Banned, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Id Iota, Jack Spades, Mike Haggith, Redundant, Shit Liver, Soundcheck, Stegadeth, and Theatre of Night all hit the road for out-of-town gigs, while both Shit Liver and The Bear Hunters unveiled long awaited music videos towards their new albums! This year had it's share of bad news, like the passing of Fistmagnet's Chuck Ayotte, the closures of The Gore Street Cafe & PureVolume, the Michale Graves concert cancellation, and a complete lack of heavier Oddfellows Hall shows, but we had good news as well, like the growth of Room 21, Bird's Eye Outfitters, and Soo Blaster as active venues, the rebranding of GFL Memorial Gardens, the debut of Ernest Skinner's Rock Talk column, the return of Punk Rock Bingo in April, and Gliss' successful move to Spring Street, among many others. Here's to another eventful year ahead!

The past year has been unusually packed for new albums from metal, hard rock, and punk acts, with none getting a bigger launch than Shit Liver's vinyl sophomore album "Hitting The Fan", as bolstered by a hit Canadian tour! Redundant finally put out their debut EP in July at their Vans Warped Tour stop in Toronto, and fellow local punk rockers Northwest released their own second EP "Songs From 2015-2017" earlier this month. Mike Haggith stayed busy in Manitoba with two live albums, including his new solo release "From The Nickel Stage" and his old band The Din's posthumous "Suburban Sendoff". A couple of other Mikes put out multiple albums in 2018, like the five studio albums (and one reissue) from Mike McCleary to the debut studio albums from Mike Vincent as well. Also this year: Telephone & Address finally released "Monster", SweetKenny kept his score album releases going, and Sykotyk Rampage resurfaced with "Live at the Paris Hilton", among other new albums in 2018, and more should be on the horizon next year!

2018 was a lean year for debuting heavier bands, but a few notable names turned up! Arguably the most familiar of this year's rookie crop was power rock quintet Re:Born, who picked up where predecessors Project 421 left off with a trio of well received gigs, and hopefully there's more to come in the new year! J.D. Pearce's annual Halloween parties in October gave us a trifecta of new tribute bands, including Stegadeth side projects Coral Fang & Poison Girl paying homage to The Distillers & H.I.M., while a nameless one-off supergroup brought their Tool tribute to The Rockstar Bar stage for 2 show-stealing concerts. Also this year: Veteran classic/hard rock quintet Fluid 5ive finally debuted on stage after their 2016 inception, Chase Wigmore launched his grindcore act Awokest, 415E guitarist Chris Hubbard started his own emponymous solo project, and Halfway Loaded members formed the new acoustic duo Tattoos & Scars. Here's hoping these bands & more keep things going strong in 2019!

A number of local bands saw lineup changes, additions, and departures in 2018, with two of Tidal Records head Dustin Jones' resurrected punk bands seeing big upheaval, from Liam Seymour & Chris Johns joining the revived Rising Tide lineup, to Marshall Jaaskelainen & Aaron Dunn replacing Clint Wilson & Mike Yorke in The Cover-Up. Classic/hard rockers Soundcheck saw Steven Flint, Scott McLurg, and Glen Thomas behind the drumkit in 2018, while Elly McWatters replaced Robert Nevitt on vocals with Re:Born, Robert Sartini took over for Dan Linklater on bass in Id Iota, and that band's drummer Blair St. John joined Robert's existing metal band Pillory as their new bassist! Meanwhile, Sault Michigan saw Highway 63 enlist George Belleau, Justin Lawless, and Brian Drumheller for their return from hiatus, Tommy Korcal replace Will Storey as Project 906's drummer, and Stacie McCarthy depart Theatre of Night after one tour. Hopefully these and more were the right moves for each band!

Unfortunately, a number of high profile heavier/punk bands ended their local runs in 2018 even if there weren't many major farewell shows in the process. Classic/hard rock veterans Stiffler's Mom, The 3 Day Millionaires, and Griphook ceased public updates this year, while hard rock quartet Eclipse abruptly ended their run, indie/alternative bands Vol., Bizotic, and The Noochin' Lanterns quietly dissolved, and Gianni Gagoots' reunion seemed to end before it began, among others. Sault Michigan appeared to say goodbye to Cousin Eddie & Stoned Ape Evolution in 2018, while the Werehold Records roster of metal artists have all been dormant since the spring. Also, a number of notable bands have went over 6 months without a public update, leaving the statuses of acts like Electric Church, Gates of Winter, Skeyes of Seven, Sykotyk Rampage, and Telephone & Address in limbo. It's sad to lose these bands, but hopefully we see them or their members out there in 2019!

That all said, there was no shortage of notable acts making big comebacks in 2018! With Rotaryfest's "Rewind" theme for Stage 1 this year, fans were treated to Treble Charger's return after a year+ break from the local stage, while That's Chester, The Suicide Kings, Tripod The Dog, and Turner Up were just some of the one-off returning bands this year, and fellow performers Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide had ended a lengthy hiatus of their own earlier in the year! Dustin's other punk band The Cover-Up also returned after 3 years away, while The Bear Hunters, Highway 63, Pillory, Redundant, and Shit Liver all resurfaced after taking a year or more off from local concerts. Hard rock trio The Din reunited for a one-off LopLops show in July, with frontman Mike Haggith resuming live performances for his own solo project in Manitoba. Frightlight & Plastic both resurfaced with one-off Halloween weekend sets, and The Billy Bastards, Sykotyk Rampage, and The Sorrow Fields came back for new studio sessions, among many others. Here's to more returns in 2019!

As always, 2018 was an eventful year for local metal, hard rock, and punk acts & concerts, and I know 2019 will provide much more big moments, so be sure to follow along next year for coverage of all that's heavy and punk in the Twin Saults! Thanks to everyone for following along and for their support over the past year, have a fun and responsible New Year's Eve, and stay tuned for our 2019 preview post tomorrow!

This Month's Poll On Your Favourite New Bands Of 2017!!

Before we get into this weekend's concert previews, our monthly polls are back! Well, for a few months, anyway. With 2017 in the rear view mirror, it's time to bring back our "favourite _____ of 2017" polls, so we're kicking off this year-end poll cycle with this question: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2017? Compared to the 2016 rookie crop, last year hasn't been as busy for new SMS-fitting bands, with this poll's total dropping from 12 bands to 7, but there are still some talented new sights this year that will hopefully remain prominent this year! To make this poll, bands must have both publically launched and played a public live concert in 2017, so this would discount acts like Abhorrent Forest and Halfway Loaded, but "Other" is available if you want to vote that way, or for a band that we forgot, or isn't metal, hard rock, or punk-based. A Dire Setback won this poll for 2016, but who will join them for 2017? Here are your choices!

Handsome Sandwich: This union of Bear Hunters drummer Johnny Belanger, Winkstinger guitarist Jesse Cook, and Redundant bassist James White debuted with their "no genre" sound in February at LopLops, and have since attained a decent following at shows like the Gutter Demons concert last spring, among other events. With a sound that alt-rock and punk fans are sure to like, did Handsome Sandwich attract your attention more than other new local bands last year?

The HTs/You First & The Passive Aggressives: A late addition to the 2017 rookie class, The HTs are the new local punk supergroup from former Bankshot bandmates Lucas Schmiedendorf & Clint Wilson, alongside Andre LeBlanc & Ryan Disano. Though they lack an online page, and only played twice publically last year (a renamed tribute set on Halloween weekend & at the Guy Thiffault Memorial Concert), did their punk covers win you over?

The Kariokeheads: Originally advertised as a pared down acoustic show from members of The Elements, it was soon established that the intentionally misspelled Kariokeheads were a new project from frontman Rob Speers and the aforementioned Jesse Cook. Playing twice in late 2017 at Room 21, this band encouraged fans to sing live karaoke during their acoustic sets, and received a positive reception from fans above Low & Slow, but would you rank them #1 here?

Mike McCleary: A veteran guitarist who returned to the music scene with his new solo project last summer, Mike McCleary got off to a big start with the release of his (now deleted?) "In Ruins" album and a set at Sault College's reunion events in August, with a steady stream of original songs and select covers also making their way online last year towards his 2018 albums "Hourglass" & "Weight of the Truth". Did Mike earn your vote?

The Noochin' Lanterns: An unmasked, pajama-clad side project from "songwriters" of The Apocalypse Afterparty, this unique power pop/hard rock outfit debuted at Live705's Easter Bash last year, and later rocked The Speakeasy and at a number of minimally advertised "pop-up" concerts in the summer. Though not steadily active to the public throughout the year, The Noochin' Lanterns made some waves in 2017, but would you choose them?

The Soo Fighters: Another side project, this tribute to The Foo Fighters (of course) were formed from the instrumental members of pop rock cover veterans Cherry Crush and 3 Day Millionaires guitarist Jeremey Salatuk. We only saw The Soo Fighters on Halloween weekend at The Rockstar Bar, with future prospects unclear for non-seasonal events, but they recieved a positive response from Foos fans last fall, and would you rank them above last year's other debuts?

Vol.: Two years after their departure from The Pixo Control, Steve Edwards & Matthew Thibert returned to the scene this summer with their new indie/hard rock band Vol. (pronounced "volume"), alongside Aldous alumni Shane Storozuk and Mikaela Murtonen. Notably opening for bands like Zaum, Darsombra, and Dirtfight, as well as beginning plans for an album, Vol. have gotten off to a busy start to their local run, but were they your favourite new band of 2017?

Other: Did we miss a band that you'd rather vote for? Perhaps your favourite new band of last year was one who hasn't played live yet, like Abhorrent Forest? Maybe you had a non-metal, hard rock, or punk band in mind over these choices? Or maybe we forgot a band that debuted and played live in 2017 that should have been included all along? If, for whatever reason, we forgot a preferred choice, "Other" is for you!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until February 18th to make your voices heard, and it'll be interesting to see who wins out here in this smaller but still very talented rookie class. That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

This Month's Poll On Your Favourite New Bands Of 2016!!

After a few months' hiatus due to declining vote totals, our monthly polls are back! Well, for at least a few months, as I promised to bring them back for our "favourite _____ of the year" polls, as has been an annual tradition around here, so we'll kick off the (temporary?) return of our polls with this question: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2016? Last year saw a sizable number of new additions to our full coverage, even if many are still going without an online page or website, and it's always interesting to see which new band comes out with the most year-end support! With that said, to be included as a choice, the band had to both debut publically AND play their first show in the 2016 calendar year. This excludes bands like Exploring Detritus (the former Kaepora Gaebora launched in 2015), Stoned Ape Evolution (who played live as early as 2014), and Kraken Mara (who have yet to play live at all), but you can vote for "Other"!!

And as usual, I ask that readers and performers not stuff the vote or launch public campaigns to drive up the tallies in favour of any specific band, as I don't intend for these polls to be popularity contests, and I hope to see something or a representative sample reflected in the totals. Now, here are your final 12 choices in the poll (plus "Other"!)

A Dire Setback: Launching alongside their own promotion agency Live705 last fall, punk quartet A Dire Setback immediately made a big impression with their self-promoted Oddfellows Hall concert in November, which they've followed with more big sets since, the next coming this Saturday! With A Fall From Innocence and State of Misery alumni within, are your A.D.S your favourite new band?

The Band Camp Rejects: A surprise debuting band at The Rednecks Saloon's relaunch party in the spring, this online page-less quartet succeeded Under The Influence to become a fan favourite sight at Toystock, Ride For ARCH, and even a solo concert or two later in the year. Featuring alumni of Mourning Wood, Havadder, and The Issues, have The Band Camp Rejects outshone other 2016 newcomers?

Bizotic: The latest to debut on stage among this month's choices, this creative quartet brought a trumpet & keytar to the fray when they opened for The OM Sound at The New American Pub on December 30th. Bizotic's experimental but heavy sound is brought to life by alumni of No Arrow, Gates of Winter, and Sounds From The Green Room, but is one show enough to put them over here?

Electric Church: This modern tribute to classic rock (Jimi Hendrix in particular) first entered our radar when they opened for The Pixo Control at last year's Sky's The Limit mental health fundraiser, and later returned to the public stage at Live705's inaugural concert. Though Electric Church are also sans a known online page, they have made positive waves since debuting, but are you among them?

Gianni Gagoots: Another very creative new band, Gianni Gagoots debuted at The New American Pub last summer when their instrumental punk and funk rock jams opened for Cocaine Moustache, and they've since followed up with more creative, conga-infused concerts that always promise something new! Featuring Redefined, Rising Tide, and Sailor's Tongue alumni, will the Gagoots win your vote?

Heavy Head: This sporadically seen quartet are definitely something of a local supergroup, with Suicide Kings, Haggith, and Winkstinger alumni uniting to play hard and pop rock covers and originals at a handful of notable concerts in early-mid 2016. Despite a mixed reception to their VM Radio Battle of the Bands set, they have loads of potential, but were they your #1 new band?

The Karstens: One of last year's more promising new heavier bands in the Sault Michigan area, online page-less quartet The Karstens were notably seen at last year's Bay Mills Bands Together fundraiser and Downtown Days, plus a well received Back Bay Grill set in between. Their Buckethead-influenced covers and unique approach are served well, but would you vote for them?

Nameus/Soundcheck: Listed under two names due to their January name change to Soundcheck, this Mourning Wood side project reunited Carbon Black's Travis Sharpe and Terry Eaton last fall in a new classic/hard rock cover act that notably pays tribute to the 1980s. No online pages or media yet from this band (or the similar new side-act The Jukebox Junkies), but did they impress you the most?

Project 906: Arguably the most visible of last year's freshman hard rock crop in Sault Michigan, Ten Kings successors Project 906 have delivered a blend of hard rock and blues to fans across the E.U.P. since debuting last March, playing many rarely covered venues in the process. Their chemistry and talents are very clear, but were they your favourite new local hard rock band of the year?

Stegadeth: Belated successors to local punk/metal favourites T-Rex Manning (and Pools of Booze), this power trio debuted at last fall's Live705 local show, and have since became a promising sight in the local scene with their hard hitting covers and one original! Also featuring Jack Spades and Stereo North alumni, fans have taken to Stegadeth in recent months, but are you among them in this poll?

The 3 Day Millionaires: Debuting in early 2016 as a Havadder side project, The 3 Day Millionaires have since carved out a nice spot for themselves in the cover bands circuit locally with their classic & hard rock renditions reliably getting a solid reception! With Turner Up, Lucky 13, Boxcar Junction, and Sneaky Pete alumni, you know the talent's there, but do The Millionaires have your vote?

Twistory: Last year's new entry in the two man metal band sweepstakes, Twistory united former Pillory bandmates Josh Amendola and Robert Sartini into a hard hitting minimalist death metal outfit, notably playing at last year's two Metal Massacre house parties before opening for Foam in June. Twistory haven't been seen since, and don't have an online page, but did you enjoy them the most?

Other: Did we miss a band you'd rather vote for? Perhaps your favourite new band of 2016 was a non-metal or hard rock band? Was there a debuting band that we forgot entirely? Would you count the former Kaepora Gaebora despite their public launch coming in 2015? If, for whatever readon, your preferred choice isn't listed above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until February 18th (as usual) to cast your ballots, and hopefully the return of our polls can get higher results after our polls' hiatus, which the vote total drop indicated was very much needed. The poll widget is in the top left of the SMS main page, so vote A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for more news and concert previews soon! Thanks everyone!

Various Artists - "Local Steel" CD Review!!

It's now time for our 70th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene! As we don't have an eligible new album in our possession to look at for this month, we'll dip in the archives for just the second time since April 2013 with an album that we can tie in to multiple local shows in the past month, as it's the 1998 compilation CD "Local Steel"! Just the second compilation album that we've ever reviewed on here, "Local Steel" was recorded at Full Scale Audio Productions with producers/future Gsis Murphy bandmates Keith Davis & Tony Marcello and later mastered by Dennis Mortson at Master Plant Productions. This showcase of Sault Ste. Marie artists compiles original songs from 17 different acts, all long since defunct by now, but there are many familiar faces to be heard along the way! They include four artists (Tony, Rob Adamson, Steve Batenchuk, and Shawn Daoust) who played on multiple tracks, with Steve on three.

This album is also long since out of print, but you can stream the whole thing on our YouTube channel at this link, and each song name below is linked to it's YouTube copy. Given the age of the album, not all bands will have surviving links or public photos, so more recent pictures & references will be used where needed. Featuring 17 tracks at around 71 minutes in length, let's begin our "Local Steel" review! The first track is "Ten Feet High" by local punk quartet Totally Confused, who featured Rising Tide singer/guitarist Dustin Jones, his Cover Up bandmate Mike Yorke on guitar, recent Wing-Its bassist Trevor Harding, and Mike's Room 206 bandmate Al Watson on drums. Harbouring somewhat of a proto-Inner City Surfers sound, Totally Confused show a fun pop punk sound here with lively guitar and a catchy rhythm, but the guys later work showcases more of a mature presence that you can still see at various local events.

Second is "Sweet Talkin' Women" by Hemp, a blues rock trio featuring recent solo artist Paul Dellavedova alongside bassist Patrick Breen and drummer Gino Sicoly. I don't listen to a lot of blues, but this is very good for the genre, with smooth melodic vocals and a nice bluesy tone, solid guitar solo, and good bass work throughout, though the backing vocals clash a bit. Paul has kept this up with his later solo work, so give that a listen if you can! That's followed by "Flesh & Bones" by defunct local metal quintet Hollow, whose lineup featured former J.A.B. singer Luigi "GiGi" Miceli, guitarists Terry Eaton (Mourning Wood) and Adam King (ex-Mustang Heart), Griphook bassist Dan Beaupre, and Knee Deep drummer Vinnie Milosevich. A straightforward metal song with an Alice In Chains vibe vocally, this is strongly performed by all parties, with a great solo and solid bass and it's an early highlight for me! Nothing too risky, but quality late '90s metal!

Song #4 is "Weight In Water" by Hemlock Tea, an alternative rock band featuring prolific local solo musican Chris Belsito on vocals, Machines Dream's Craig West on guitar, ex-Bigsuit bassist George Ravlich, and Leaves Off Trees drummer Roy Kreutzberger. Not too heavy, but a nice groove on this alt-rock original that switches moods well on verses, and Chris's vocals suit the song very well, but the guitar solo seemed to come out of nowhere and it admittedly clashes with the rest of the track. Next is "State" by Generation Gap, an alt-rock quartet featuring singer/guitarist James Guertin, former Boxcar Junction bandmates Rick Senko & Steve Dowding on guitar & bass, and Havadder drummer Scott McLurg. The softest song yet on "Local Steel", this has an easy to take sound that still blends in skilled drumming and a nice solo, but again, those elements clash a bit with the overall tone of the song.

The sixth track is "When Things Are" by Tripod The Dog, a more recently familiar rock band featuring Thin Ice's Mark Oliverio on vocals and guitar, Billy Bastards guitarist Greg Beharriel, Matt Miller on bass, and Mark's old Boogie Fever bandmate Tracey Hilderley on drums. Showcasing a funk/alternative sound, Tripod The Dog had an entertaining ambiance that's a bit hard to pin down, but it's easy to see why they stayed active for so long afterwards! That's followed by "Remember When" by 2 St. Thomas, a rock quartet featuring singer/guitarist Adriano Guzzo, guitarist Jamie Florio, bassist Jason Naccaratto, and drummer Jim Pulente. Though their members aren't visibly active in recent local bands, they demonstrated talent and chemistry on this alternative rock original that has a dreamlike quality and a pleasant rhythm, that adapts well for it's faster stretch without changing it's style too much, and you can hear this song on their debut album "From Above & Beyond" as well!

Eighth is "Under The Influence" by Marc Boyer & The Hellfish Bonanza, a hard rock quartet featuring Marc on guitar joined by producer/ex-Gsis Murphy frontman Tony Marcello, bassist Steve Batenchuk, and drummer Shawn Daoust. Apparently preceding an album from this band, Marc shows solid guitar ability and songwriting talent on this song, with The Hellfish Bonanza backing him up nicely, including strong vocals and a nice classic vibe that reminds me a bit of Deep Purple! Then we have "Wasted" by defunct punk trio Tha Bombed Squad, whose lineup featured future Lion Ride bandmates Brenton Ellis on vocals & bass and Mikey Hawdon on drums alongside guitarist Pat Suriano. A short & fast paced skate punk original, this is a nice indicator of things to come from Mikey & Brent's future local bands, with good intensity, and it's a quality look into their early local band work!

The tenth song is "Assassins Noose" by D.F.S. a metal band featuring singer Jay Faught, his brother(?) Marc on guitar, Greg Seyler on bass, and Donnie Dupuis on drums. Harbouring a very Rage Against The Machine-inspired sound with pseudo-rapped vocals, this is a solid heavier track, if not that original, but I wonder why we haven't heard much from the members of D.F.S. lately? There was talent there! Eleventh is "A Long Cold Rain Comin' Down" by current StonesmithGC mainman Troy Isaac, which is the only credited solo track on "Local Steel", though he's joined on bass by Rob Marcil. A straightforward mid-paced rock song that has that "driving down the highway" feel, it makes good use of rain effects, and it's well composed with a serious determination, but fans of Troy's heavier music might be disappointed.

Next is "Mr. Silver Tongue" by alternative rock quartet Bud Shamble (who later became Middle of Nowhere), and they're represented here by singer/guitarist Sergio Palumbo, his brother Peter on guitar, ex-Fusion bassist Lino D'Orazio, and Redline drummer Rich Trevisanut. Lively and energetic, this song has pleasant vocals, a good vibe, and clear talent all around, though at times, it sounds a bit too reserved from where it might have gone. That's followed by "Run All Night" by The Second Hand Band, a blues rock quartet featuring singer/guitarist Tyler Caughill, future Crossbreed bandmates Mike "Conan" Kienhofer (now of ACR) and Bob Hollingshead on guitar & bass, and Rob Adamson on drums. I'm detecting a Stevie Ray Vaughan influence on this song, which has a grit to it's take on blues rock, and it has a catchy vibe going for it that blues fans should enjoy!

Rob Adamson makes his second straight appearance next with "I Know" by Alexis Machine, who also featured future Stiffler's Mom bandmates Jon Ferguson (also the former owner of album sponsors Foggy Notions) on vocals & guitar and Mike Davies on guitar, plus The Hellfish Bonanza's Steve Batenchuk on bass. A well-paced hard rock song that bears similarities with Stiffler's Mom's old originals, this is another solid rocker that should appeal to most listeners of "Local Steel"! 15th is "The Pale Horse" by The Porn Fairies, a techno/rock band whose members are cryptically credited as Crusty (guitar), Kekko (bass), and Pottsy (drums) with "Dan" on guest spoken vocals. I have no idea who these guys are, but they delivered an electronic experimental blast here that is hard to describe, but creative, laden with all kinds of effects, and very listenable overall!

The members of The Hellfish Bonanza (albeit with producer/Gsis Murphy alum Keith Davis in place of Marc Boyer) returned for the penultimate song "Deliver Me", under the band name Your Mother. Compared to "Under The Influence", this song is a bit heavier and has distorted verse vocals, but it delivers a solid sound with nice aggression on Tony's vocals, but the song isn't as melodic as some tracks that preceded it. "Local Steel" closes with "The Bones I Throw" by alt-rock quintet The Gully Yodellers, who featured singer John Paul Laberge, guitartists Rob Storch and Ryan Milne, ex-Barfly bassist Ben Garcia, and current Lucky 13 drummer Roger Sartini. A Pearl Jam-esque song at times, this definitely sounds like a 1990s recording (that's certainly not a bad thing), and there's a solid maturity to the sound and lyrics on this well written original, capping off "Local Steel" in fine form!

So, what are my final thoughts on "Local Steel"? While I can't comment on the individual bands as they were in 1998 (I was 9 years old), this compilation serves itself well as a collection of 17 diverse bands from the local scene, with all showing their own gifts and talent on each! I did gravitate the most to the songs by Hollow, Tha Bombed Squad, and Alexis Machine, but there are no bad songs on this collection, and if you like metal, punk, blues, or alt-rock, there are multiple tracks for you to enjoy! It is also interesting to hear how modern day veterans of the scene sounded 17 years ago, as well as discover some talent that we haven't heard much from in recent years, like D.F.S. and 2 St. Thomas. Though their later work with Gsis Murphy can be divisive, Tony and Keith did a great job producing this compilation, and while I'm not sure if a teased second installment ever came out, "Local Steel" is a great time capsule of the local scene of the late 1990s! Be sure to check it out! above!

I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and as for next month, we will very likely be taking a look at local alternative/grunge quartet Haggith's second album "Apocalypse" next! As "Apocalypse II" is planned for a release on May 10th, it only makes sense to go in chronological order given the conceptual theme of both albums. If all goes according to plan, look for our review of the first "Apocalypse" at some point next month, and we'll see you guys TONIGHT at The Rednecks Saloon! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & Our New Poll!!

Hey guys, it's now time to shut down last month's poll and launch our new poll! As you may remember, last month's poll posed this question to you guys: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk CD of 2014? We scored a solid 37 votes over the past month for the poll, which is pretty good for the site, so thanks to everyone for voting, but which new local album "won"? Here are the final results!

Jack Spades - The First (10 votes, 27%)
AlgomA - Reclaimed By The Forest (8 votes, 22%)
The Bear Hunters - Eternal Hibernation (6 votes, 16%)
The Northern Tragedy - Home Ice (3 votes, 8%)
Telephone & Address - Need Not Apply (2 votes, 5¼%)
Crucify The Whore - Welcome To Earth (2 votes, 5¼%)
Shit Liver - Shit Liver (2 votes, 5¼%)
Mike Haggith - A Place Of Our Own (2 votes, 5¼%)
This Is Your Band On Drugs - This Is Your Band On Drugs (1 vote, 3%)
Other (1 vote, 3%)
Habitat Shuffle - Sober Drift (0 votes)
Northwest - Northwest (0 votes)
Rotopsy - Rotopsy (0 votes)
Any of SweetKenny's 2014 albums (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, I'm not overly surprised with the selections that got no votes, based on their release methods and SweetKenny being from the Sault Michigan area, but I did assume some would get at least one vote. I can't speak for the "Other" voter (perhaps they meant the low profile Bad Back demos?), while it's good to see This Is Your Band On Drugs attract some attention! The albums that got 2 votes aren't too surprising (aside from Shit Liver, who I thought would be much higher), while The Northern Tragedy's three vote finish is a pleasant surprise, especially given their recent hiatus! The top 3 were personally predicted to be that high (albeit alongside Shit Liver), and while I didn't exactly know how the order would break down, Jack Spades' debut EP "The First" outpaced AlgomA & The Bear Hunters' CDs with 10 votes and 27% of the final total. Strong finish for an entertaining debut disc from this popular punk/metal quintet, and we'll have to see how their teased split with Destroilet shakes down this year!

Thanks to everyone for voting! As for this month's poll, we're continuing with our "favourite _____ of 2014" polls by posing this question once again: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2014? As always, there's new local bands that debut each year, and we once again saw a strong number of new bands and new blood to help keep the scenes going into the mid-2010s, but which one did you guys like the most? As usual for our annual poll on this question (which welcomes full punk bands for the first time), bands must have both publically launched and played their first public live concert in the 2014 calendar year to be included among the choices. Bands that launched in 2013 or earlier but only began playing live in 2014 aren't included, which does exclude bands like This Is Your Band On Drugs, but you can vote for "Other" if you wish to vote for them! Also excluded are bands that only played private gigs, high school events, or open mic nights, bands that have yet to play live at all, and one-off projects, but again, you do have "Other"!

Also, for the sake of clarity, The Pixo Control aren't a choice because they launched publically in December 2013, so they fell just short of fitting the poll, as they're technically part of the 2013 rookie class. Great young band though, so stay tuned for more on them soon, and remember, you can vote for them with "Other"! Now, we have 13 choices (and "Other") to choose between, so read on below for your choices in this month's poll on your favourite new bands from last year!

The Apocalypse Afterparty: Since their debut at the private Das Bunkerfest in August, this masked local rap/metal duo (and their Smokin' Heroines) have been delivering "a fresh new noise" to the stage, including at a Toronto show this fall, and at September's IDNS concert. Featuring RedD Monkey & Fury alumni as "songwriters", they have lots of big plans ahead, but were they your top new band of 2014?

The Bottom Line: A short lived Sault Michigan hard rock band that was only active from April through July, fans may recognize The Bottom Line from sets at last year's LemmaFest & the Music & Art Dockside Festival, before abruptly dissolving due to bassist Jack Slater's college commitments. Though succeeded by Full Throttle & Ten Kings, were The Bottom Line's 2 shows enough to warrant your vote?

The Elements: Debuting at the first Heavy Thursday at the former Roosevelt Hotel in February, this newer funk/hard rock quartet have accomplished a lot since, including opening for Random Killing, rocking Hempfest in Moonbeam, and joining the cause at Rock For Dimes last fall! Featuring Side FX, Jack Spades, Redundant, and Changing Waves alumni, have The Elements impressed you the most of 2014's new heavier bands?

Exiled: The newest hard rock cover band from Absolute alumni Donny Newell & Justin Lawless, Rudyard hard rock quintet Exiled have been making their name in the Sault Michigan area since debuting this summer, including at established bars and motorcycle clubs alike! Also featuring Division of Sanity & Bottom Line alumni, have Exiled made you a fan more than the rest of last year's rookie crop?

Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking: Featuring Fitswitch, As It Stands, Late Shift, and Frightlight alumni (all of which being local drummers too), fans may recognize this promising punk quartet from sets at the Bon Soo Marquee and at one of the last Heavy Thursdays at The Rosie before abruptly falling inactive in the spring. Despite only playing live in February, F.F.S.H. had a good thing going, but did you like them the most?

Full Throttle: Not to be confused with the 2012-2013 Sault Michigan band of the same name (though both featured Ryan Kitzmiller & George Belleau), the second version of Full Throttle launched in July to succeed the disbanded Bottom Line, but they only played a handful of shows before disbanding themselves in the fall, though Joe Jenkins & Will Storey are now in Ten Kings. Still, were Full Throttle (version 2.0) your favourite?

Gnaeus: A young post-punk quartet with a garage rock sensibility, Gnaeus have been carving their own path since debuting last spring, including high profile sets at The Emergency Festival and Lopstock, and the December 30th show at Cafe Natura, along with original recording sessions. These guys have been doing their thing very well in the past year, but have Gnaeus appealed to you more than the rest in 2014:?

Highway 63: Essentially the successors to Jager/Monkey's Uncle and Sir Charge, Highway 63 is the newest classic/hard rock cover band from veteran local musician Henry Switzer, as joined by his son Nathan, longtime bandmate Ron Suchey, and Power Slug's Chris Leask. Launching in March before fully beginning their local concert run in the fall, the guys have impressed fans in the Sault Michigan area, but are you among them?

Infamous: You may remember this newer young hard rock band featuring Lizzie Pearson, Anthony Boudreau, and Damon King from their set at Sault Band-O-Rama at the Primavera Hall in November (and from once being scheduled for Rock For Dimes), but we haven't heard a lot from them since. Lizzie & Damon have also been playing as an acoustic duo named Deviant, but if you saw Infamous, did you like them the most last year?

Long Shot: Active since at least January, this hard rock cover band have largely played special events and unfamiliar venues since their launch, most recently at the Eagles' Club in Heyden in September. The Dawe brothers, Nathan, and Jeremy haven't been heard from publically since, and hopefully all's well, but are Long Shot your favourite new heavier or punk band from last year in the Sault area?

Mourning Wood: Launching this summer, this newer classic/hard rock cover trio features Asylum Country's Terry Eaton & T.J. Case alongside Beaumont Avenue's Steven Flint. Playing at numerous bars over the past few months (including bringing hard rock back to Reggie's West, the former Rosie), this frequently seen band shows no signs of slowing down, but are they your #1 new band of 2014?

The Revolution: Originally the second version of Brutally Fatal, this Austin McCrae-led doom/punk trio have survived numerous lineup changes since launching in February, but have opened for Anciients, Archelon, and Endast, rocked the Sewer Swampstravaganza, and began recording a debut EP over the past year! With new bassist Jordan Leach in tow, the guys have been plans for 2015, but did you like them more than other new bands?

Them: Coming just under the wire for this poll via their set at the Blood Shed Productions Boxing Day house party (whose address was publically advertised), Them have been active since at least February, apparently play a variety of genres, and their lineup features Bring The Misery alum Tyler St. Amour, ex-Revolution bassist Rainey Vincent, and Infamous' Anthony Boudreau on drums. We don't know much else, but did you like them the most last year?

Other: Is your favourite new band somehow not listed? Did you like a new band that wasn't from the metal, hard rock, or punk genres the most? How about a band that only played live for the first time this year, only played private or one-off gigs, or is studio only? Maybe you even liked a band from Soo Band Roulette the most? If for any reason, your favourite new local band of 2014 isn't a choice here, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until February 18th to cast your votes, and it will be very interesting to see what band wins this month! I will emphasize once again though, please don't launch online campaigns to rack up the votes for a specific band, as I want to see fair results. This isn't a popularity contest. Thanks everyone, and stay tuned for more news soon!