YouTube Channel Profile Series: Evil Gobi

It's time for our last monthly feature post of March 2023, namelty this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This monthly feature series looks at YouTube channels whose content is at least half devoted to local metal, hard rock, and/or punk artists and/or concerts, in order to spotlight their uploads and encourage readers to check them out and maybe subscribe for more! This month's channel isn't the most plentiful out there but its content spreads a diverse and entertaining range for local rock fans, so here's what you should know about it!

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Evil Gobi (http://youtube.com/mrevilgobi)

Owner: Former Oh!No Collective representative Alex Moore

Channel Timeline: Launched on July 1st, 2011; Videos uploaded from November 2016 through August 2020

Channel Summary: A personal use channel without overt Oh!No ties, Alex's channel is mostly devoted to local concerts & albums, with three videos of the former type (including a clip of touring rapper Garbageface at The Canadian in 2017) and two of the latter. His last two uploads are of EPs by defunct Toronto "drunk 'n roll" quartet Ultraviolence, who played here a few times at Coch's Corner at the turn of the 2010s

Why You Should Watch: Local music fans should at least give Alex's channel a look, both from the out-of-print local albums on offer and the concert videos, and the lack of a genre focus ensures that there's a little something for many tastes, even if the local bands featured aren't around these days! While not local beyond being bought at shows here, the Ultraviolence EPs are a fun reminder of their wild stage show from their run too.

 Our Recommended Videos To Check Out:

Stiffler's Mom - The Demo: Alex's first (and most popular) upload is a YouTube copy of inactive local hard/party rock trio Stiffler's Mom's EP "The Demo", which was released in 2004 and hadn't surfaced online before Alex posted it to YouTube twelve years later. Featuring Bone Yard singer/drummer Greg Simpson and future Buzzsaw Jaw bandmates Michael Davies & Jon Ferguson on guitar & bass, the four song demo features a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" and three originals ("Yesterday", "Pearl's Necklace", and the Sin Stereo carryover "Enjoy The Show"). While somewhat inconsistent (especially on the cover), Stiffler's Mom delivered a fun batch of songs here, and it'd have been interesting to hear more of an original presence later on!

Gianni Gagoots Live 2: Two of Alex's three concert videos feature Gianni Gagoots, the mid-2010s funk/hard rock band known for their jokey Italian stage names and improvised jam instrumentals during their too-brief local run. The videos come from their LopLops Lounge headlining concert on April 15th, 2017, and feature ex-Redefined bandmates Matt Sibilo & Josh St. Amour alongside Rising Tide alums Liam Seymour & Frank McCormick, percussionist "Bergio the IceBurg" (they never gave his real name on their pages), and an unidentified guest congo player. Between these two videos (click here for the shorter of them), you get some unlabelled but fun and carefree jams, and it's a shame that the Gagoots didn't have a longer run, let alone that their Facebook page and most videos have been taken down!

Redefined (Sault Ste Marie) - Risk and Uncertainty: In August of 2020, Alex posted a copy of defunct local hard rock quartet Redefined's ca. 2002 studio album "Risk & Uncertainty" to his channel, bringing that album to a mass online audience much like with Stiffler's Mom's demo! The independently released CD featured future Gianni Gagoots bandmates Matt Sibilo & Josh St. Amour alongside Parabol singer John Barber and My Son The Hurricane drummer Danno O'Shea. All 10 songs (including "Foggy Style" cut "M.T. Bundies") are linked by clicking here, though the song names were retrieved from the Oocities archive of their old Geocities page due to the album's liner notes not giving the titles. Redefined's Tool-influenced modern hard rock goes over well on this album, even 20+ years later, so fans from back in the day and of John's later groups shouldn't bypass this CD!

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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! This series will return on or around April 26th for a big one, as I have randomly drawn St. Ignace, Michigan metalcore band Heavy Lies The Crown's YouTube channel, featuring over three dozen uploads from their run to date! Watch for this profile next month, and for more news and updates on the site in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Vanity - "Vanity" Demo EP Review!!

It's now time for our 155th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're looking at local punk quartet Vanity First's self-titled demo "Vanity"! Just to get this out of the way now, the band recorded and released this EP when still known just as Vanity, but they changed their name to Vanity First in early March, which is somewhat unusual to see a local band do so soon after putting out any sort of album. I'll use both names interchangeably here, for the record. Independently released on February 9th in a limited run of 50 CDs, "Vanity" features singer/guitarist Andrew Beggs, guitarist Mikhal Muto, bassist Nick McClelland, and drummer Keegan "Ljubov" McAllister. While the limited print run leaves current CD availability questionable at best (note that the band has not posted on Facebook in two months), you can stream the whole EP for free on the band's YouTube channel in both a full EP upload and as separate tracks.

With six songs running for a over 16 minutes in length, let's begin our review of the Vanity demo with the opening track, "Hard Feelings"! The shortest song on offer, it opens with a solid drum intro from Keegan before launching into an upbeat pop/skate punk vibe and tempo that showcases Vanity's core sound well enough! Andrew's singing fits the genre, and the up-tempo vibe would be ideal to skateboard to, but I do think the guitar riffing is somewhat muted in the mix, and the stretch with backing vocals wasn't ideally handled. Fun opener to set Vanity on the right foot! Next up is "Playboy Magazine", which Vanity First actually re-recorded at Mission Control Studios shortly after the demo EP was released. Bizarrely quick turnaround to be sure! I'll focus on the original version here, but the re-recording obviously benefits from Dustin's production. This song has more of a laid back indie rock/power pop vibe, showing their diversity early!

Andrew's vocals are better suited for the punkier material than this, as they can get somewhat nasal by comparison, and again, I'm not a huge fan of how the backing vocals pair on this one. The song is solidly composed with good lyrics that tell a real story, but part of me does think they'd have worked better as a full on pop punk song, as the laissez faire verses didn't jive as well for me. Still a good song, but do check out the re-recording for a more optimal take! Third is "Empty Home", which takes things into punk territory again, albeit in relatively straightforward format without a lot of variance to the song structure. Good driving feel with solid guitar work from Mikhal, but the variety and spontaneity of "Hard Feelings" is absent. Strong pure punk song at it's core, but there's not a lot here distinctive beyond that, though don't forget the relatively young ages of Vanity First's lineup.

The second half of the EP begins with "Black Flies", which lets Mikhal really show off with a nice melodic guitar lick early! A slightly slower but still firmly rock-centric number, this has more of the musical variance I missed on "Empty Home", with lower register singing, solid drumming from Keegan, a strong guitar solo, and more of a 1980s rock feel than punk or indie that I appreciated! Return to form here for sure, and worth a listen for fans! The penultimate and longest song is "White Ghosts", which opens with white noise and an ominous beep before the band proper gets into gear. The song proper is a fun rocker that is surprisingly punctuated by a late aggressive outburst featuring Andrew yelling in anger leading into another strong extended guitar solo by Mikhal, and it's a shame it ended on that because it felt like it should have went on longer! 

"White Ghosts" built nicely and delivered in kind, and everyone performs well on it, but the echo on the vocals before they get intense was really noticeable here. Still, another highlight on this EP! Vanity (First) wrap things up with "Breathe", curiously choosing to end the demo with their acoustic ballad rather than with a bang. The nature of the indie demo recording is very prevalent here (especially from background hiss), and while functionally not a bad song, this feels like a one-take jam recording and again doesn't benefit from the backing vocal layering. It's a fine campfire song, but not an optimal EP closer.

So what are my final thoughts on Vanity's demo EP? I'd say it's a strong first step for this promising young quartet, but you can see why they already saw it necessary to re-record a song for it. Everyone in Vanity First showed some solid talents for both punk and beyond, with Andrew particularly shining on punk-inspired songs, Mikhal laying down some great guitar solos where needed, Nick delivering on the low end reliably, and Ljubov nailing some hard hitting drums along the way! The music on offer definitely ran the gamut beyond just modern pop/skate punk with elements of indie and metal on offer, which is a good sign for their future prospects, peaking for me with "Hard Feelings" and "White Ghosts". For things to work on.... the production quality is obvious, but this was always labelled as a demo. Beyond that, backing vocals never gelled for me in the mix, Andrew's singing on "Playboy Magazine" wasn't optimal, ...

... I wouldn't have ended the EP with the ballad, and "Empty Home" kinda just existed without showing a lot of what the guys could really do. Vanity First haven't updated their Facebook page in a couple of months, and with Mikhal posting on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group since, I'm hoping that this isn't it for them, as they're definitely a promising punk band capable of a lot more, and you can hear what they already bring to the table at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and look for our review of Chase Wigmore's new album "Sonic Apocalypse" next month, with weekend concert previews coming next! Thanks everyone!

The Din - "The Din Does Laundry" CD Review!!

To end the month, here's our 96th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're looking at local alternative hard rock trio The Din's debut paid release "The Din Does Laundry"! With no public timeframe for the release of their second official studio album, and The Din having played live thrice in June 2017, now's a perfect time to look at their initial live CD, barring their old Mike Haggith & The Din free albums from their acid jam beginnings. Recorded on March 4th, 2016 at The Gore Street Cafe during their acoustic Fishbowl Festival set at the laundromat (hence the album name), the CD was released on April 2nd of last year during their set at the Rednecks Saloon's relaunch party, and features their current lineup, including singer/bassist Mike Haggith, guitarist Tammy Hill, and drummer Brandan Glew on the drums & cajon, given the unplugged setting. Copies of "The Din Does Laundry" ran for $3 last year, and may still be available at shows or on personal request.

Unfortunately, given the inclusion of four covers of outside artists, the album is not available in full online to purchase, but I will link song names to online copies where available to the songs performed, in concert or otherwise. Also, with 3/5ths of the album comprised of songs available in full studio form via The Din's studio album "Give In To The Din" or earlier Mike Haggith solo albums, comparisons to the older recordings are inevitable, especially given the unplugged nature of them, though the covers and two exclusive tracks are completely open. Featuring 15 tracks and 1 bonus song clocking in at around 64 minutes, let's begin our review!

This CD (and concert) starts with "Analog Palace", a cover of Mike's solo song from his 2009 album "I Hate My Life & I Want To Die", and one of the few songs from The Din's acid jam era to return in modern sets. The original version was already a melancholy softer number, so it fits just fine with The Din in this setting, but this cover is noticeably more upbeat, particularly thanks to Mike projecting his voice more and showing his improved singing. Overall, this live version is better recorded and sounds tighter than the original, including solid guitar picking from Tammy, but keep in mind that Mike was 7 years older and more experienced during this concert, so improvement could be expected. Also, keep in mind that full banter between songs is included on the CD, which could be a plus or minus depending on the listener, but it does maintain the live concert feel here! However, the album-long 6 minute run-time for this track is deceiving, as the last minute is just banter.

Second is "Of Cars & Criminals" (or "Of Cars & Coin Machines", as Brandan jokingly named it on their setlist), which is a cover of a song from Mike's final solo CD, 2015's "The Warinside". Much like their fully electric versions of the song, this is much shorter and sans the original's symphonic elements, but it's otherwise similar to the first copy. Brandon gets a good beat out of his cajon on this one, Tammy's solo sounds good for acoustic, and Mike's voice really soars on this catchy number that hopefully makes the cut for their second studio album! That's followed by the first cover of an outside band, which was "Fragile Bird" by acoustic folk notables City & Colour, which was actually making it's live debut in a Din set that night. I'm not a huge City & Colour fan, but the smooth and laid back style is a great fit for the acoustic setting, and it will be a familiar selection for Din fans who saw them live last year, and Brandan (I assume) handles tambourine duties well also!

The fourth song is "Out Of My League", which actually starts at the end of the prior track. Another carry-over from "The Warinside", and the CD's first song to be re-recorded on the "Give in to The Din" studio album that summer, this is very similar structurally to their later studio version compared to the symphonic-infused original, this is one of my favourite Din songs, but it doesn't translate as well to an unplugged environment, with Mike's voice sounding a little scratchy, and the heavier instrumentation is missed compared to the more free-wheeling studio copy. Not a bad rendition, but unless you demand acoustic, The Din have better out there. Next is one of only two completely original Din tracks on the set, "In Search of the Perfect Moment", and while this is another song that sounds slightly forced to fit the acoustic setting, it's a better fit, and the chorus singing is actually an improvement on the later studio version. Tammy gets another solid guitar solo, and Brandan beats the cajon with solid rhythm as well, so fans should be happy with this one at this early stage of the CD!

Sixth on "The Din Does Laundry" is a bonus track (yes, at this point of the CD), namely a cover of "We Met As Surrogates", also known as "We Met At The Circus", which is also taken from Mike's "Warinside" album. Massively simplified compared to the original, complete with a lack of meandering intro or beeping phone at the end, the song is a good fit into The Din's sets, no matter where they met or who they met as! Brandan gets some moments to unload on the cajon, and Mike has a nice melody to his singing on the choruses, and though the song is noticeably slower paced than the original, remember that this was an acoustic show. Next is the advertised sixth song on the album, namely a cover of The Barenaked Ladies' "The Old Apartment", which is a nice fit into Din sets, and that is the same here, though I think drumming would be a better fit than the tambourine on this version. Mike even hits a bit of a falsetto note on this one, and he and Tammy play off of each other well, so fans of the original or The Din's plugged in covers should be right at home!

After some brief subliminal advertising for their then-upcoming set at last year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, The Din played their original song "Flux" next, and while I find it's a far better fit plugged-in given it's heavier edge, the guys adapt it well to an acoustic setting, and Brandan even has an extended "drum-off" with Mike mid-song, so if you ever wanted to hear that in this atmosphere, here you go! Before that, the song went fine and had a good melody, and it ended strongly too, so fans should enjoy this rendition! The next song is "Spin Cycle", which isn't really a song at all, The Din just titled the 49 seconds of banter before the next track separately for one reason or another, and they don't reference it's title (a presumed allusion to the laundromat) at all either. Why not combine this with the song proper and give "We Met As Surrogates" a proper credit?

The actual next song is "A Drive Through The Peninsula", yet another selection taken from "The Warinside" before making The Din's studio CD,  and honestly, this fits the best so far of any song that had a prior or later studio version by a Mike Haggith project! The song was already a slower mid-tempo number, so it adapts nicely to the unplugged setting, and Mike's singing is clear as crystal! The mid-song instrumental bridge is a little too quiet for my liking, and the instrumental jam at song's end wasn't implemented yet, but it's a solid and effective acoustic rendition that fans of the original will like! Another cover is next, namely The Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" (well, "Tiimes Like These", if you believe Brandan's setlist), and I think they tuned down the song a little too much for the setting here, with Mike's lower register singing not really necessary, as the original song is melodic enough that he could have sung it normally like in their regular shows and got away with it. Other than that, the guys sound good, and Brandan's backing vocals add an extra element too!

Song #12 is another song borrowed from Mike's solo career, namely "Cowardly Hearts Beneath The Stars" from his 2014 EP "A Place Of Our Own". Much like many other solo carryovers in this set, The Din stripped out the orchestral elements for a basic acoustic rock sound (granted, you almost have to here), and as a result, this more has a folk/modern rock hybrid sound, if that makes any sense. The drawn out guitar plucking is handled better electrically, but the song's soft enough to fit in this format, but keep in mind that it feels like a different song somewhat moreso than the others. After announcing plans to hold a contest post-set for Battle of the Bands tickets, the next song of sorts is "Leamington, Ontario", which is simply the spoken word intro that Mike frequently gives to precede the next song in concerts to set up it's inspiration. I've never thought it stood alone as it's own credited song, and would be better served as the first chunk of the next track, but that's just me.

As longtime Din fans will know, the next song is "75", a song borrowed from Mike's old band Haggith's 2013 album "Deuce" (which Mike left the drumkit to sing lead for back then too), but it loses something in acoustic form. The original heavy & freewheeling number is always a highlight of Din shows, and Haggith before them, but in a minimalist acoustic form, it feels like a by the numbers rendition without the life and swagger we're used to. It's not badly done, but this isn't a great fit for an unplugged concert.

The penultimate song on "The Din Does Laundry" is a cover of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends", and this is a faithful cover that sounds like the original playing to The Din's strengths, and can you ask for any more? Mike could have harmonized more on the final singing of "friends", and this song in particular sounded a little empty without electric guitars, but Beatles fans should appreciate the cover! The album closes with what was then called "This Potato May Be Used As A Flotation Device", another carry-over from Mike's "A Place Of Our Own", though it was renamed "Potato (Should've Known Better)" for the "Give in to The Din" CD. Much like on "75", this song does lose it's fun hard rocking nature in an acoustic setting, and feels more like it was played that night because fans expected to hear it. Good rendition, as everything is on the CD, but many of the earlier songs were better fits for an unplugged set.

So, what are my final thoughts on The Din's debut paid live CD? Overall, it's a fun look at The Din in a more reserved setting with a lot of exclusive tracks, and if you like their softer material, you'll enjoy this a great deal! One big plus to buying this album may be the fact that 8 of the 14 actual songs (4 Mike Haggith solo songs and 4 outside covers) are otherwise not yet available on CD from the modern day Din, and in the latter case, likely never will be, so this is worth tracking down for extra songs in nice recording quality! Mike's singing and bass work are just fine throughout the album, with Tammy Hill adapting effectively to the acoustic setting on guitar, and Brandan drumming as well on a cajon as you'd hope, but fans who prefer and/or only listen to electric guitar-driven rock may be disappointed by this album (remember, this was recorded at The Gore Street Cafe.) Also, only 2 of the album's songs are complete original tracks that debuted with The Din, but remember that this predated their first studio album.

That all said, this gives fans a complete window into their Fishbowl Festival set last year, which wasn't publically filmed for social media, and isn't visibly edited in any substantial fashion, and while heavier songs aren't clean fits to the unplugged style, songs like "Of Cars & Criminals" & "In Search of the Perfect Moment" showcase The Din at their best in this format! If you can find or request a copy, definitely consider it so you too can give in to The (unplugged) Din! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what's coming next in July 2017? I can't 100% confirm anything at this juncture, but here's some hints. In terms of who isn't next, don't expect the AlgomA/Shit Liver split cassette or a SweetKenny album next due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer, but if it's released quickly, the former could be reviewed as soon as August 1st! A new metal, hard rock, or punk album will of course take precedence if it's released, so stay tuned for our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post on Sunday for hints therein on what may be coming out.

If we must dip into the archives for a review, possibilities include A Fall From Innocence's self-titled CD, The Bear Hunters' "Collapse The Sun" single, Haggith's "Apocalypse II" or an archive Mike Haggith solo album (technically, these are separate from The Din), The Rising Tide's second CD, and Integrated System of Machines' self-titled CD, as members of each band are playing live next month, but nothing is final yet. Stay tuned for updates on that front, and for more news and notes in the month of July, with our 10th anniversary fast approaching also! Thanks everyone!

Stiffler's Mom - "The Demo" EP Review!!

Now is a good time to post our 93rd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with no new hard rock or punk releases to look at this month, we're dipping into the archives for a look at the only EP from veteran local hard/party rock trio Stiffler's Mom! As they played live just this past weekend, they're a perfect band to tie in a review for, so what should you know about their CD? Entitled simply "The Demo", this was independently released back in 2004, though surviving online details on it's original release are minimal at best. Stiffler's Mom's current and classic lineup is present on "The Demo", including singer/drummer Greg Simpson, guitarist Michael Davies, and bassist Jon Ferguson. This album is long since out of print now, and I doubt that Stiffler's Mom sell stock of it at modern concerts, but fan Alex Moore did upload the whole EP to YouTube last year, and song titles below are linked to his uploads of them. With four songs running for a robust 19 minutes, let's begin our review of the elusive Stiffler's Mom demo!

The opening song is actually a cover, namely their version of Gordon Lightfoot's classic ballad "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". Aside from extra guitar flourish from Mike & some vocal harmonizing, this is a fairly faithful rendition of the original song for the first 2 and a half minutes, but after some ocean effects, the full band kicks into usual Stiffler's Mom gear with a heavier and faster pace. Musically speaking, I should prefer this, but it really takes away from the somber tone of the disaster, before the 6 minute track ends on a melancholy note. To me, the fast heavy stretch is really out of place, and it should have started the song, then became gradually more melancholy. Next is the album's shortest song "Yesterday", an altogether more fun and successful performance that shows Stiffler's Mom at their fun and lively best! Greg's melodic singing suits the tone, and his drumming also matches well, though Mike's guitar solo doesn't show his true abilities, and the song can be a little repetitive. Strong recovery overall though!

"Pearl's Necklace" comes next, and ignoring the obvious innuendo of the title, the song is a solid track, and at times, the vocals remind me of the verses on Inner City Surfers originals, so make of that what you will! The song has a catchy drum beat, Jon shines on bass, and Mike's guitar solo is way better and more diverse, adding up to the EP's most entertaining song yet, though I will say that the pre-solo break and it's near ska-sounding ambiance is too jarring of a shift, and the song ends way too abruptly. Still, it's my highlight so far on "The Demo"! This release ends with "Enjoy The Show", a song carried over from Stiffler's Mom's predecessor band Sin Stereo (their version linked here), and the new version doesn't alter much from Sin Stereo's, aside from the chorus, with the backing vocals sorely missed in this version's melody. You could argue that this is both bands' signature original, and it's hard to argue, especially with another solid guitar solo and catchy verses, but it's not quiet at it's predecessor's musical level.

So, how do I sum up Stiffler's Mom's 13 year old demo? Overall, it's a fun and high energy release that showcases the guys' skill as original songwriters, and might be of special note to fans who aren't aware of their original music background! Greg Simpson's melodic singing and solid drumming were a nice compliment, Michael Davies laid down some solid guitar solos, and Jon Ferguson's bass work was ever present, and things came together at their peak on "Pearl's Necklace", but there were points to address. I preferred the choruses of the Sin Stereo version of "Enjoy the Show" to the Stiffler's Mom remake, the guitar solo on "Yesterday" paled compared to the later ones, and most jarring of all, the heavy & fast section of the Gordon Lightfoot cover was not well suited to where it was in the song, and if you have to have it, I'd have started the song with it, before the disasters began. Overall though, this was a nice studio debut for Stiffler's Mom, and it would be interesting to see them release a second CD (perhaps with "Sweet Juanita"?)

Give Stiffler's Mom's demo EP a listen at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! As for our April CD review, I am not 100% sure what we are reviewing next month, but here's what I can tell you. A new CD release will take precedent, and while both The Apocalypse Afterparty and Skeyes of Seven have complete EPs in the can, neither have seen a paid public release yet. If one comes out by late April, they'd be next, but check out our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post for more clues! However, if a Telephone & Address album comes out soon, it will not be next month's review topic, as we only just reviewed their latest album in December. Given bands playing live next month, our next review choice could easily be an album from A Fall From Innocence (tied in with A Dire Setback's Larry Babic) or Haggith (tied in with Eclipse members), but time will tell if either is up next.

In any event, look for our next CD review at some point in April, and stay tuned for more news and features next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (A Dire Setback), New Online Album Uploads, And More!!

Hello everyone, it's time for another news post at the SMS, and on this cold Saturday afternoon, we're tackling a new digital album posting or two, a new solo performance video, and first, a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Here's what you need to know!

New local alternative/punk quartet A Dire Setback will reportedly make their Canadian Nightclub debut TONIGHT when they perform at Underground Empire Records' first ever YouTube party! Apologies for the extremely short notice, we were waiting for official announcements on the lineup from promoters, which surprisingly have never came, but A Dire Setback confirmed their involvement on their Facebook page last week. This event is the first ever YouTube party in the Soo, which will feature DJs, live artists, and activities and competitions, though no word on if the YouTube branding means that there will be filming or streaming of any kind (this is the label's YouTube channel, just in case.) Money raised will go to developing future entertainment events and providing a venue for them, which sounds like a good plan!

Promoters still have not unveiled a performer lineup publically for TONIGHT, but for what it's worth, Underground Empire Records are primarily active in rap and dance music. Also, The Din expressed interest in performing, but they have not publically confirmed any involvement. Admission for TONIGHT'S YouTube party is $10 ($15 with a friend), this is a 19+ event, and doors open at 10:00 PM. I wish we had more info on this event, but hopefully A Dire Setback knock it out of the park for their second live concert set TONIGHT, and if we hear any extra details or fallout, we'll let you know! Visit the Facebook event page for more, and here's A Dire Setback live!



Next up, the newest album from local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address was finally posted to their Bandcamp page over the past week! Though originally independently released on October 26th when the Chris Shoust-led project opened for Iansucks at The Gore Street Cafe, it's digital release was delayed for unannounced reasons until this month. Officially considered their fourth album (anything pre-2013 isn't canon now), the album now appears to be titled "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been...", adding the final word that isn't present on all prior album references. A physical copy's artwork is used for the digital cover art too, in a departure from the separate covers used before on Bandcamp, while the hand-drawn character on the front will vary if you have bought your own CD copy. "A.Y.N.O.H.Y.E.B." was recorded over the past year, and it features eight songs, entitled "Army Song", "He", "Ignore The Platitudes", "Not The Only One", "Protest March", "Sing On", "Test", and "Your Say".

This album can be bought at the above links for $8 on mp3 format, or $10 for a physical copy plus digital download (only 50 are available!), but you can also stream the album for free on Bandcamp too. With this album now at access, I can safely say that Telephone & Address will be the subject of this month's CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, so give it a listen above, and stay tuned for our review in the next two weeks!

Also in the realm of album releases, did you know that local party/hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom recorded an primarily-original demo CD back in 2004? I knew about it and have alluded to it in the past, but it never crossed our radar in even a streamable form... until now! Last month, fan Alex Moore uploaded the demo, fittingly titled "The Demo", to his YouTube channel, and the EP-length release features Greg, Mike, and Jon playing four songs, including a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" and the originals "Yesterday", "Pearl's Necklace", and "Enjoy the Show" (originally by their predecessor band Sin Stereo.) This is a mock-up of the cover art, though the band's name isn't exactly the same font. It's great to finally hear this elusive demo in full, and it shows Stiffler's Mom's original songwriting talents that may have fallen by the wayside for many fans only familiar with their covers, but is "The Demo" possible for a CD review at the SMS in 2017?

By all means, yes, but as it's over 12 years old, it'd have to be in a month with nothing new obtained, though given how often singer/drummer Greg Simpson plays live with this and other bands, I'd have no problem tying it in with one of their gigs! Give the full demo CD a listen below, and kudos to Alex for posting this online!



Finally for today, here's a new original song in progress from Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night! Uploaded to their YouTube channel on Wednesday, the song is entitled "If I Could Just Tear Down These Walls", which keyboardist Craig Harrison noted was "for those walls our loved ones put up." I have a feeling there's some personal meaning behind this song, which currently exists as a melancholy piano ballad complete with a monochrome video to suit the mood. There's something here given it's emotion, but it does need extra instrumentation to fill it out, and perhaps lyrics if they wouldn't get in the way. Check it out below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more next week! Thanks everyone!

Pillory - "Cringe At The Cross" EP Review!!

With news coming slowly right now, it's a great time to post our 55th monthly CD review at the SMS (and first of 2014), as we're looking at local thrash metal band Pillory's debut demo EP "Cringe At The Cross" today! Independently released on December 19th in honour of the one year anniversary of founding guitarist Andres Duchesne's passing, the disc was recorded locally last year at Shez Studios, with production by Pillory and their Issues bandmate Chris "Mullet Studborne" Shelbourne. "Cringe At The Cross" features founding & current Pillory members Robert Sartini on vocals, guitar, and bass, and Bret Shuttleworth on drums, with no other past or present band members featured. Copies of Pillory's EP can be bought for $5 via band members or presumably at their upcoming concerts, and you can also stream the entire disc for free at Robert's personal YouTube channel (each song title is linked below to it's YouTube version), but support the band by buying it Featuring 31 minutes of music in just 5 songs, let's begin the review with the first song!

The EP begins with "Fatal Woods", an almost 8 minute long track that opens and closes with quotes from the movie "Friday The 13th" before actually beginning with a slower building intro with nice melodic guitar and solid drumming for two minutes. The song unleashes into thrash metal fury with very cool guitar soloing from Robert, and it might be worth noting that compared to their only full concert to date (in November 2012), Robert's vocals are much harsher, aggressive, and higher pitched, perhaps taking influence from Chuck Schuldiner, or his other band Crimson Crusade? The instrumentation on this song is well done and melodic while retaining a metal bite, and despite the length, it never feels like it's dragging on for too long, but something doesn't feel full about the sound when there's no vocals, almost as if a guitar track was left out. Very brutal and well performed beginning to this EP though, and Pillory fans should be right at home!

Second is "No One Answers", which leads off instantly into a fast thrash pace with solid bass and great drumming from Bret, though it did seem to take forever to get into the first verse of lyrics. I love the aggression and galloping guitar riffs, and the vocals are constant from "Fatal Woods", but the softer stretch 3:30 in (including the solo) feels like it came from a different song, but it ends strongly! I would like to hear Robert contribute more vocals, but this continues with the speed metal success of the first song! Next is the EP's title track "Cringe At The Cross", which opens softly like on "Fatal Woods", but benefits from awesome drumming from Bret and a shorter length, but again, the vocals take too long to be introduced. A bit slower when it's fully going, there's still a lot of very nice instrumental work, and Bret really shines, but it could stand to be a bit more melodic, and once the verses and choruses come in, there's not a lot of variance, but there's plenty of aggressive action to go around!

Despite being over 5 minutes long, the next song "Onward To Death" is the shortest track on the EP, and by far the most brutal and straightforward, with well used vocals, very nice guitar riffing, and a full catchiness to everything that works to the band and song's advantage! A surefire mosh pit inciter, Robert and Bret are firing on all cylinders, with only the guitar solo underwhelming somewhat based on how it flows with the rest of the song. The ending is slightly abrupt too, but I really enjoyed the intense metal edge to "Onward To Death", and it shows the guys' strengths well! "Cringe At The Cross" closes with "Shattered By War", a 7 minute original that fits well with it's predecessor tracks! Another long melodic instrumental intro kicks this one off, and while it shares a lot of similarities with songs like "No One Answers" in structure for the first half, it seems to end after 4 1/2 minutes and then restart as a mellower instrumental ballad of sorts that builds back into metal territory to close the EP on a high note. Another very solid track, but it really feels like two joined together (albeit well done for each half.)
 

So, what were my final thoughts on Pillory's debut demo EP? It's a very nice and brutal sampling of their early original material, and for a city that hasn't had a lot of straight thrash bands in recent years, Pillory fill that void well! Though only half of Pillory's lineup features on the disc, it's hard to tell, with Robert Sartini proving up to the task on guitar & bass, and Bret Shuttleworth continues his promise as a rising drum talent to watch! Robert's aggressive Death-esque vocals are also nice to hear, but at times, they did seem strained and rough, and with the exception of "Onward To Death", the verses seemed to come too late and run too quick. The production was really solid too, but at times, there were emptier patches, and a couple songs seemed too similar to each other. I was also curious to hear some of their newer tracks, or contributions from newer members, but much of the aims of "Cringe at the Cross" were to honour the memory of Andres Duchesne and the songs he wrote and played with Pillory, and in that regard, I can see why some decisions were made.

Overall though, Pillory's EP is a well made, very brutal, and nicely performed first disc from this promising young band, and I'm very curious to hear where Robert, Bret, Josh, and Tyler go in 2014! Pick it up A.S.A.P. at their concerts and by messaging band members! Our next CD review is to be determined, and though I'm leaning towards The Hiroshima Mutant Mindframe's new digital album, Telephone & Address' "Rotten EP" is possible if I get a copy. Either way, stay tuned for updates soon on that front, and for more news soon! Thanks everyone!

Late & Loud - "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal" Review!!

November is almost over, so let`s end the month with our latest local metal/hard rock CD review at the SMS! For our 41st monthly CD review on the site, I've chosen a new CD for the second straight month, and this time around, it's for Sault Ontario classic metal quartet Late & Loud's debut (and perhaps only?) EP, entitled "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal"! Independently released on November 10th during the band's return concert at The Rockstar Bar, the disc was primarily recorded with producer Dave Pihlaja earlier this year at what I believe is now the Smoke & Oak Room Studio, though the last two tracks were self-recorded. Late & Loud's current lineup is present here, with singer/guitarists Jonathan Tiberi & Brendan Christie joined by bassist Benn Garside and drummer Josh Hatherley. Copies of this demo EP are available for $6 at concerts featuring band members, though it's unclear on whether further pressings will be produced. As well, the first 5 songs can all be streamed at L&L's Reverbnation page, so give them a preview listen there!

With 7 songs clocking in at around 28 minutes of music, let's begin with the EP's first song, "Fast as a Bitch"! Kicking into a familiar heavy metal groove from the start, you can immediately tell that there's very good production for this album, and even early, their talent is there! Guitarist Jonathan Tiberi sings on this track, and while he doesn't have a wide range, he uses it to the best of his ability here, and there's enough aggression to suit the material! It's a catchy number that calls in mind a 1980s metal swagger, and the members are (for the most part) firing on all cylinders! If anything's wrong with this track, it's that the chorus isn't melodic enough, as the gang vocals don't have the right "oomph" or melody to compliment the verses. The guitar solo, however, is well done (if not blisteringly fast), and their attitude is ever present! This is a quality first track on "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal", and hopefully a harbinger of what's to come!

Second is "Rock 'En Roll",  which after a bit of feedback, launches into more of a classic rock rhythm with a catchy swing riff, and it also captures it's sound well as an ever older school song than their sound leans towards! The vocals even have more of a casual flow, and Josh Hatherley actually pulls off this song better as a pure singer than on "Fast as a Bitch"! That said, this isn't quite as heavy as the previous track, and it's way too short, but Late & Loud's talent shows well here, including drummer Josh Hatherley's nicely paced work! It's an even better track to me, and if you like 1970s-era hard rock, this will work out for you! Third of the main 5 tracks is "Machine Gun Maiden", which has a great opening with a nice machine gun-esque drum section and more quality guitar and bass work, and it's definitely the coolest and newest sounding for the song's overall themes! The verses have that omninous dark feel vocally, but the choruses do lack, as they seem to have more melody and intensity live. They almost sound mailed in, but the guitar solo doesn't (and it thankfully longer), and Benn Garside's bass work here is the best that I've heard so far! If the vocals were more energetic, this song would be even better, but it still works well as a more modern metal track!

Track #4 is "Heavy or Bust", which launches into a great heavy metal riff and opening with an awesome guitar solo section and nice energetic singing from Jon, fitting better than ever for his more aggressive singing, and the instrumental section immediately before the chorus is great to headbang with! The choruses could stand to be a bit more melodic, but he's using his voice well, and the members are tearing it up musically, with Jon and Brendan laying down some awesome guitar work, and the late drum solo from Josh Hatherley is a nice little bonus that is often extended live! Easily my favourite song on the EP so far, this packs a great punch with lots of aggression, catchiness, and classic metal attitude! The last properly recorded song on the EP is "Whisper of the Damned", this has the best opening of them all, with an instantly recognizable guitar-driven opening! Brendan Christie handles vocals here, with a higher tone and I'd say a slightly more powerful voice than Jon's, though not as aggressive overall. Here, I find the mix isn't as good as on earlier songs, with the vocals somewhat bleeding with the music, but it's another very entertaining track with great guitar work and solid drumming, and it's a nice standout track to go with the others of the main 5!

"Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal" also includes two bonus tracks (the jewel case labels them as "unreleased Late & Loud recordings", but both are noticeably lacking in production given that they were self-recorded, including more distorted vocals and a somewhat messier overall mix. The first of the two bonus tracks is "Love Letter Lockdown", which goes well with earlier tracks for it's classic metal stylings, including a nice overall melody and effectively used vocals which flow well with the music as a whole, while the drumming fits well, and the guitar solo is proficiently played! That said, the singing does seem to get quieter late in the track, and the song is shorter than I'd have liked. The other bonus track is "Never Again", an older original of theirs that's nice to hear again, but it is noticeably more reserved than it's preceding tracks. More mid-paced with a general rock rhythm and more casual vocals, it doesn't have the blistering aggression or classic feel that better songs on this EP have, and the worse production doesn't help. That said, it's still a nice rock song with some harsher moments, and the last half of this song has a nice extended jam feel that has a spark that could have ignited the first half!

So, how do I grade Late & Loud's debut demo/EP? Well, it's a great selection of entertaining hard rock and classic metal originals from one of the area's most promising metal bands! On the whole, the members shown great talent as musicians, with Jon Tiberi & Brendan Christie's guitar riffs and solos driving this material long and hard, while Benn Garside's bass work tended to be very proficient, and Josh Hatherley shone on drums throughout as well! Vocally, Jon and Brendan did as good a job as they can with their vocal ranges, with Brendan exhibiting a bit better range, while Jon's was grittier and more aggressive. The guys also had good chemistry, and a nice classic metal sensibility that carried them through standout tracks like "Heavy or Bust" and "Whisper of the Damned", that seemed to slowly improve as the EP wore on! That said, it's not a perfect disc, partly due to some shorter than expected tracks, and the recording quality of the bonus tracks, which are a jarring change from the original 5 songs, but I understand that they're bonus tracks and not of the main 5 songs.

It'd have been nice to have heard more songs on the release too ("Live For Excess" is a disappointing exclusion, for example), and of course, a full time singer might have improved these songs, but the core Late & Loud members filled that role at the maximum level that they could! I hope this doesn't mark the end of Late & Loud's run (especially given their recent breakup and related concerns), but if it does, it marks some very entertaining metal originals from one of the area's most prominent recent bands, and don't let this material slip you by, so check it out at the above links, and buy it if you can! That's all for this month, but keep an eye out for a special all-video post tomorrow concerning a recent concert event, this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post on Sunday, and as for our last CD review of 2012? It's still going to be Mike Haggith's new album "Neighbourhood Watch", and it's coming way sooner than you think! Stay tuned!

Late & Loud's Return & EP Release, Plus New Videos!!

We have some new Sault Ontario news and notes on this Tuesday morning, so what's on deck? We have a new archive album posting, a new video blog from a prominent local metal band, and leading off, plenty of updates from a thought-inactive metal quartet, including their return gig and planned EP release, so here's what you need to know!

The new openers for The Saigon Hookers' headlining concert on The Rockstar Bar have been found, and they are.... Late & Loud?! Yes, the prominent classic metal quartet are back for at least one more concert, as per postings on their Facebook page and this new Facebook event page created by The Rockstar Bar, so check them out for proof of their return! Note that the show's official event page & poster still list Garden of Bedlam as the openers, but as we alluded to this weekend, they had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts. This will be Late & Loud's Rockstar Bar debut, their first concert since they opened for Skull Fist at the end of August (and just their second since their battle victory in April), and it comes barely two months after they went on hiatus or broke up (depending on your source), so hearing that they're back is a nice surprise! However, when I asked guitarist Jonathan Tiberi on Facebook whether this is this is just a one off gig or not, he said he "couldn't confirm or deny that statement", but he did add that Late & Loud "cannot die", so take that for what you will.

Note also that The Rockstar Bar's event page indicates that two opening bands will be present, but if there will indeed be a second opening band, nothing's public about them yet. The good news continues for Late & Loud fans though, as it's been revealed on their Facebook page that their long awaited demo/EP will finally be released at Saturday's concert! This is the cover, as we have previously seen on Facebook in an extended shot, and according to this photo of the album cases, the track listing will include seven tracks: the five previously confirmed songs that were posted for free on Reverbnation this summer, and two self-recorded bonus tracks ("Love Letter Lockdown" & "Never Again".) Apparently self titled (though the spine says "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal" on at least one side), at least 24 copies have been produced for this run of the EP (no word on possible future pressings), and they'll be available for purchase for $6 at Saturday's show, so there's all the more reason to show up!

This is awesome news for Late & Loud fans, and hopefully this sparks a big turnout and interest for this return show (possibly their last?) and the EP! I'm glad to see them finally put this out, as they put in enough work on it, and you know I'll be there on Saturday to pick it up and see them and The Saigon Hookers in action! And yes, if I do get the EP, I'll likely review it this month on the SMS (and move Mike Haggith's newest album's review to December to avoid any biases), but stay tuned as the week progresses for more on this show and the EP itself, and for at least the next week, rejoice in Late & Loud's return!

Next up today, here's a neat new video from local horror punk quintet Frightlight! In a similar vein to Woods of Ypres' old tour vlogs, guitarist Rick "Styles" White posted this vlog onto his YouTube channel on Sunday, and it's of random footage before and during their set opening for The Misfits at The Opera House in Toronto on October 25th! I won't spoil the entire contents, but you'll see a vuvuzela, footage of the road trip, what was in Rick's hotel room, The Opera House itself, and yes, some concert footage (including The Misfits themselves), and an oddly named Chinese restaurant, among other random clips! This is a neat look at a local band's tour cycle, despite patchy video quality, and hopefully they have more tour vlogs from future out of town gigs to come! Check it out below, and stay tuned for more Frightlight updates as they roll in!



Finally, Haggith drummer Mike Haggith has uploaded another archive solo album of his onto his YouTube channel! Posted there yesterday, this is of his 40th solo album "Ace", which was released in May 2010, and acted as a compilation release of songs from his three 2009 albums "The Curse Was The Cure", "I Hate My Life & I Want To Die", and "Hotel For Transients", featuring 3, 4, and 6 songs respectively from each (which are all on YouTube already too.) The upload of "Ace" leaves just two of his post-2008 albums unavailable on YouTube ("For My Fallen Angel" and his second "Best of Mike Haggith" release), and it's good to see Mike posting more of his old original material! While you can hear these songs on other albums, "Ace" features some of his best and favourite 2009 work, so give it a look/listen below, and check the above links for more streaming and purchase copies of his solo material!



That's probably all for today, but stay tuned for more news, weekend concert previews, our next Defunct Local Band Profile, and more in the next little while! Thanks everyone!

Another Local Metal Video Showcase!!

I'm still trying to clear out a lot of news from my pile that I've let build up too much, so here's our ninth post in the last 5 days, all about new videos! Today, we've got new videos from the David Gold memorial concerts, a local band's new instrumental demo, a heavier cover from a local indie band, and this week's classic video, so here's what you need to know, and check out our latest news post below this one for local album updates, news on a concert venue's move, lineup updates for the Humane Society Battle of the Bands, and details on Reverbnation's new look!

Let's start with some new David Gold tribute concert videos from YouTube user Laura Lee Louise, who posted five new videos related to the local & Toronto events on her YouTube channel on Thursday! Two are from the Toronto memorial show/"Woods V" CD release party, including London metal quartet Kittie covering Woods of Ypres' "Evertything I Touch Turns To Gold (Then To Coal)" and part of David's mom Esther's speech to the Toronto crowd, so click the above links to check them out! The staticy audio issues on Laura's camera are evident on the Kittie video, but the video of Esther came out well, and it's good to get another view of her thanks to David's fans and friends! The other new videos all relate to the local show, Windsor stoner metal band Gypsy Chief Goliath in particular, with the first two dealing with the night before the Ypres Metal Fest. One is right after the band arrived at The Canadian Nightclub the night before with remarks from frontman Alex Petrovich about the ride and some initial plans, and the other shows Gypsy Chief Goliath locked out of their hotel room at The Canadian Motor Hotel, and what happened when they got in. Interesting to see videos of a band's pre-concert happenings like this, so click the above links to see them!

However, the other new video of Laura's is of Gypsy Chief Goliath covering Woods of Ypres' "Suicide Cargoload (Drag That Weight)" at the Ypres Metal Fest last week, and though the staticy audio remains an issue, it's nice to get a close and clear alternate angle of Gypsy Chief Goliath in their local debut, so check out this newest video from the local David Gold tribute concert below, and stay tuned for more David Gold tribute show fallout!



Next up, Brimley metal quartet Half A Man may not be playing at the end of the month with Fifth Way anymore, but they're staying busy with the recording of their first EP, and a taste of one of it's tracks has been posted onto YouTube! Drummer Mikey Bishop uploaded this instrumental demo of their new original song "Release Me" onto his YouTube channel last month, which I apologize for missing for so long, but how does it sound? Pretty good, but I'll hold full thoughts until the full version (hopefully with the full album) comes out. Check it out below, and stay tuned for more updates from this hard hitting Sault Michigan-area quartet!



Thirdly, longtime readers of the SMS may know that I'll share videos from non-metal local bands on here occasionally if they cover a metal or hard rock song live. Well, when I was researching info for our Downtown Showdown profile the other day, I came across this video from June of last year of local indie rock quintet The Tenagens covering Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody", so I thought I might as well share it here! Uploaded by YouTube user jacksonnite, this appears to be from a function at Superior Heights Collegiate & Vocational School last year. This is one of the hardest Queen songs to do justice to, and as such, the quality is extremely uneven, with the intro & opera section ("Scaramouche, Scaramouche", etc.) noticeably suffering in listenability and timing, but the rest of it is admirably played, especially the early ballad stretch. I applaud their effort here, but I'd much rather hear their originals, even if indie rock isn't something I listen to much of. What I would like to find is their cover of The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" that they played at the Smeltzer reunion show, that turned our surprisingly well! If you wanna hear The Tenagens tackle Queen, then check out the full video below, and hopefully they return to activity this summer!



And finally, here's this week's classic video! Late, I know, but we've had a lot of news this week that helped push this back. With Caveman Morrison's gigs this weekend at The Roosevelt Hotel, I decided to revisit them for a new video upload, and like our last three uploads of theirs, this video is from a late 2009 concert at The Rockstar Bar. The last video from this concert that was posted in .swf format on Caveman Morrison's website, this is of their cover of The Tragically Hip's "Blow At High Dough", and it's notable partly for featuring then-drummer Jeff "Shrek Ogre" Richards on lead vocals! During his 2009-2010 run with the band before moving to Barrie, Jeff frequently sang and drummed on Tragically Hip covers at their concerts, and though you don't hear them cover The Hip as much nowadays, these were fun to hear when they occured! Also featuring frontman Tym Morrison on guitar and former bassist Rick White (Jeff's Frightlight bandmate in 2010), this video was ripped from http://tymmorrison.com/cavemanmorrison/video2.html, and apologies for the video quality. The lighting's hard to correct, fans got in the way of the attendee's camera, and the green watermark from the original conversion program late in the video was already on the original file.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!! All credit for this video goes to Caveman Morrison and the original filmer, I'm just trying to share this performance with a deserving wider audience! It's a solid performance as one would expect (though not especially heavy), and Jeff has a decent singing voice, so if you can look past the video quality issues, give this 2009 Caveman Morrison video a look below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for a special all-video post dedicated to a local recording studio's recent original song blitz, so if you're interested in new Sault Michigan metal and hard rock material, definitely stay tuned tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Half A Man, Bring The Misery, And Rotaryfest Second Stage Updates!!

Hey guys, here's some more local metal news for your Friday! We have three topics to get to: Half A Man's recent happenings, Bring The Misery's lineup, and the Rotaryfest Second Stage schedule, so here's everything you should know!

Hey Half A Man fans, I finally have some updates from them! I'm sorry for having these so late, but things got shoved back and back and they deserve a lot of attention, as they have some huge news! The Brimley hard rockers began recording sessions for their debut demo/album "Die In Disgrace" on June 12th! I believe they're at McNally Smith Studios in Saint. Paul, Minnesota, as they previously alluded to, but they're not divulging every detail from the sessions. The album looks like it will have around 10 original songs, and there's a poll at this location where you can vote on your favourites, so that looks like the rough track listing. That same link is also for a special "Half A Man - In The Studio" Facebook group where fans can stay updated on the recording sessions, though their Facebook page also has frequent updates. According to their updates on both pages, many of their songs have had some big changes for their studio versions. Plans include online releases in the fall (no word on a physical CD release), recording to wrap up next month, and artwork from local artists (hit them up at the above links if you want to submit some ideas!) Most of the ghost tracking and many of Mikey Bishop's drum tracks are done, with some bass tracks being laid down today, and vocal and guitar recording planned to start tomorrow.

Sounds good to me, I can't wait to hear the finished product! Keep in touch with the above links for all current updates on Half A Man's debut album! Also, a bit of bad news, as Half A Man's planned Fourth of July concert/barbeque in Brimley has been cancelled due to their studio plans. Click here for the official announcement. Sad to hear, but when this album's done, no one will be complaining! I'll keep you guys posted!

Next up, local death metal band Bring The Misery have added Daeson "Shred Bear" Lesage to the band as their new rhythm guitarist, replacing Dan Souliere. Daeson did in fact make his debut with Bring The Misery at last night's Roosevelt Hotel metal night, though only yesterday evening did the band confirm that they'd have a "new shredder". He's not currently listed on their Facebook page's lineup, but I've done a lot of detective work to check my sources, and I'm fairly positive that Daeson is the band's newest member, as I've seen discussions on his personal Facebook page relating to him learning BTM cover songs. I'm not overly familiar with his local musical background, but through some YouTube searching, I've found out that Daeson was previously a member of a short lived local metal band named The Shit in 2009 who actually have a few videos on YouTube! I'll save those for an upcoming post to give them proper attention, but Daeson does have some guitar skill! I couldn't make the show to hear how he did, but I think Bring The Misery know what they're doing when picking musicians, so hopefully he fills Dan's gap well! Stay tuned for Bring The Misery updates as I hear them!

Now to some big festival news, as the official lineup for this year's Rotaryfest Second Stage has been released! If you were hoping for metal to be back on the schedule this year, you will be disappointed, as no metal bands were announced. I will go over the schedule though, it's only fair of me, as I covered the Second Stage last year (Garden of Bedlam headlined on the Saturday), so you guys should at least know who's playing. As always, the Second Stage will be held at Square One of Queen Street East (likely outside The Grand Theater and Muio's again), and loads of great local and out of town talent are scheduled! Like last year, the Second Stage festivities start with a short 5 band lineup on Friday, July 15th, including headliners My Son, The Hurricane, an ensemble funk rap outfit from Toronto that feature Saultite Danno O'Shea on drums. The opening bands include local blues trio Big Wheel & The Spokes (one of three returning bands from last year's Second Stage), Halifax bluegrass band The Moonshine Ramblers, local indie rock trio Cowboys & Indians (featuring ex-Soldiers of Misfortune bassist Alex "Xander" White), and local rock quartet Wishbone (featuring veteran local drummer Glen Thomas & Chris Smith of Browbeat & Jar. fame) opening the Friday festivities at 5:00 PM!

Saturday, July 16th's lineup is, as usual, an all day affair, and will be headlined by Toronto pop rock quintet Sweet Thing. You may recognize drummer Tyler Kyte from the old series "Popular Mechanics For Kids", so if you grew up in the 1990s (like me), you'll find that connection pretty cool! Local folk rock quartet Kalle Mattson (also returning from last year's Second Stage) are the top local band on the bill for the Saturday, and the rest of the lineup includes (in order) blues/roots trio Al Wood & The Woodsmen, folk/country band Porter (the other returning band from last year), veteran local rockers Huckster (they were on the main stage last year), roots rockers Frank Deresti & The Lake Effect, solo folk artist Shannon Moan, Toronto solo country singer Romney Getty, a local band of some type named Emma & Robot (anyone have details on them?), and local rock trio Mora Lee Sound (featuring Driver/Floyd Lee Band guitarist Joel Poluck) will open at 12:00 PM that day. For full details on these free & all ages shows, click here! The lack of metal is disappointing (Wishbone are the heaviest of the bands in my opinion), but there's a ton of great indie and folk talent to go around this year, so consider going to the Second Stage this year if you're into those genres!

As for the main stage at Clergue Park, or simply "The Stage", a lineup has yet to be released to my knowledge, but metal and hard rock bands aren't foreign to the main stage (That's Chester played there just last year.) As soon as I hear details, I'll definitely let you guys know! The actual Rotaryfest event page implies that "Jazz in the Park" (a one day theme last year) could be present each day on the lineup, though whether it will in fact be each day, or is subject to change is yet to be determined. I'll keep you all posted!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for LemmaFest updates and much more very soon! Thanks everyone!