Viscera - "From Feast To Famine" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 204th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and as our crawl through out lengthy new album release backlog continues, we're taking a detour to Sault Michigan for a look at newer local hardcore punk/metal band Viscera's debut EP "From Feast To Famine"! Independently released to major streaming services on October 30th, the band is represented here by Small Town Society alum "Blind" Bob Quinn on vocals & guitar alongside drummer Mitchell Leon. This EP was recorded before Chris Lovins joined Viscera on bass, and the band did not specifically credit who played bass here. You can hear all five songs on Spotify and Apple Music (as linked here) plus on YouTube Music and Bandcamp, and if you want to properly buy this EP, mp3 copies are on sale on iTunes for $4.95 and on Bandcamp for $9. With five tracks running for 19 minutes, let's get things rolling!

Things open with their first single "Disassociate", which is also the shortest song on offer. An in your face rocker that feels very Clutch-esque in its structure and vocal style, this benefits greatly from a catchy lead guitar riff, and Bob acquits himself well for angry hardcore singing, but ending the choruses by dramatically yelling "Ow!" felt like a stopgap measure, and if I was Mitchell, I'd have toned down the cymbals. Good stuff in a tight 2+ minute package, and a fun way to introduce Viscera to Yooper audiences! Next up is "Got Away", which has a surprisingly jaunty and bouncy structure and riff that calls to mind southern rock more than their name, imagery, and the opening song would suggest. Blind Bob sings melodically on the verses and gets away with it, though the "Ooooh oh" parts again feel like filler.

Choruses are more aggressively in-your-face, but the song on the whole almost feels like a different band aside from the production quality being similar. Not a bad number at all, and it has a fun down-home quality without dipping into country territory, but I preferred the hard-edged metal aspects of "Disassociate" more. At the midpoint, we have "Refraction", which has more of a bluesy feel with a chugging riff, more guitar solo input, and more straightforward vocals that don't have the melody of the preceding track, but are also more muted than on the opener. Bob's singing does come across a little processed compared to what came before it, but he shows off more as a pure guitarist, which I appreciate! The ending breakdown heavies things up well, and it's an improvement on "Got Away", but you do get the sense that Viscera wanted to shake things up for sounds on their original material.

Fourth of five cuts here is "Pillar Of Doom", which is giving me "Sleep Now In The Fire" vibes in terms of the verses, but the song is an interesting mashup, with the steady aggressive vocals counter-balanced with a fast bluesy rock riff, if one that gets a little repetitive as it goes. The music is (on the whole) too loud, that or Bob's singing is too low in the mix, but Mitchell's drumming is the best that I've heard yet on this EP,  More than any song so far, I think this could have been edited down without losing unique elements, but it's the heaviest wall-to-wall song yet, so that counts for something! Last up is the EP's longest song & title track "From Feast To Famine", which opens with a slow bassline and low bluesy melodic singing alternating with yelled choruses before the song gets into a faster breakdown at the midway mark. While definitely heavier, it also has that swinging southern rock affect to it.

The lyrics are more pointed and clear than what some other songs here had, but this song jumps around too much in styles for my liking, with deliberate spare instrumentation at points, fast hard rock at others, and they don't naturally flow in ways that I would have written. A good showcase of Viscera's diversity but they have better songs here. With all of that said, how do I grade Viscera's debut EP? It's a good batch of songs, but descriptions and teasers point to sounds you won't expect. Given the "visceral" lyrics and socially charged cover artwork, I wasn't expecting the southern rock and bluesy essence on these songs, which often don't feel like they're from one specific band, but it does hold credence to "whatever you need, Baby" being one of their Bandcamp tags! Bob and Mitchell pair well to bring their intense but varied music to life, and their talents are stretched to match the sounds that they're going for, and this doesn't feel like a duo effort!

As someone who tries not to spoil album reviews by listening to advance material, I didn't know that this wouldn't be as hardcore punky as implied, and while nothing here is bad, I did find the songs to be inconsistently plotted, with buried vocals, stop-start momentum on the title track, repetition on "Pillar Of Doom", and filler "Oooh" vocals on the opening tracks among things that I would address. Viscera have since released a new single, so it'll be interesting to see how it compares to any of these five songs, but this is a solid (if somewhat deceptive) debut EP, and here's to much more ahead! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and we're looking at Mike Haggith's live album "Under A Moonlit Sky" here in July! Thanks everyone!

The Realignment Project - "War Songs" EP Review!!

It's time for our 202nd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with our extensive backlog of new local album releases now stretching into 2027, let's continue our slow clear-out with a look at local industrial metal solo act The Realignment Project's third EP "War Songs"! Released to major streaming services on October 8th (their third EP in 2025 alone), this is again a one-man effort led by former Dirty Virgin drummer and Riverin frontman Matt Hicks, who sings and plays all credited instruments. Recorded locally & released through British indie label East London Recordings, you can stream "War Songs" on Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, Boomplay, and KKBox (perhaps among others), and you can buy it on iTunes for $5.94, Amazon Music for $7.74, and Bandcamp on a "name your price" model. Via their label deal, you can also buy "War Songs" on CD and vinyl!

Print-on-demand copies are available in either format from ElasticStage at this link, with CDs costing $17.90 and vinyl records going for $43.90 (this does not include EP #4 "Let You Fall" as the B-side like what The Realignment Project did with their first two). Featuring six songs running for about 25 minutes, let's begin with the opening song!

The first "war song" is "Digital Sacrilege", which seems to be about calling out someone for betrayal and/or selling out. This has more of a techno base to its instrumentation, and really gives off Nine Inch Nails vibes with how Matt is singing here, though his vocals are the only real lean to hard rock or metal here. There is real emotion and frustration in the lyrics, especially in the chorus and pre-chorus, but this song honestly feels unfinished, like the electronic elements should be layered over guitar work, and the percussion is a little overdone as such. It sets a good tone to start though! The title track "War Songs" is next, and this restores the rock stylings in full while still having a distorted electronic undercurrent. Lyrically about hiding from and ignoring incoming oppression, this features ominous spoken word verses and screamed choruses, though Matt's vocals there are largely buried in the mix.

Why he made that call, I don't know, as it really breaks up the momentum of the verses, but aside from the over-processed quiet vocals there, this is an improvement in all other facets, especially if you want some metal from T.R.P.! Third is the EP's shortest song "Look In The Mirror", which is a motivational "pick yourself up and don't give up" type of song, but still intense and heavy. The distortion when Matt yells the title is a little overdone, and the structure is a tad repetitive for the song's length, but it balances hard rock and industrial well with clear passion! I'd still have varied the structure a little more. Next up is "Acid Rain", an anti-war composition that shares a lot musically with "Digital Sacrilege", in that it's primarily an industrial song which only dips into rock territory via Matt's singing. Verses are approached in a bitter yet eerie tone that slowly build into the choruses.

Not a bad composition that goes along with the themes of the EP so far, but I do prefer Matt's heavier songs in this project, which better balance the musical styles without an emptier feeling without obvious guitars. Track #5 is "Bones And Dust", which is the longest song on offer, and its lyrics are basically resigning to one's fate when things seem hopeless. Proper rock instrumentation returns here, but this is more of a deliberately paced track that milks its length and only really gets into metal territory on the choruses. If Matt ever took The Realignment Project to live concerts, the choruses would play well with audiences, but the song moves along a little too slowly for my liking despite good intensity at its peaks. "War Songs" closes with "Claim Your Dead", which is about the after-effects of the war and what the survivors have to deal with even after the fighting has stopped.

This resolves the EP's anti-war concept well, and while it doesn't dip into rock stylings at all, its effectively a coda for what came before it, with a reserved and reflective (if dystopian) bent, including heavy use of symphonics and keyboard. I do prefer the heavier and livelier songs here, but this serves its purpose in the framework of the story! That all said, how does "War Songs" compare to The Realignment Project's first two EPs? While not far removed tonally, this being a concept EP does give it a distinct vibe and message, even if only half of the songs could be called "industrial metal". Lyrics weren't repetitive, Matt is definitely using his vocals in more varied ways, and there was a little more musical freedom here, especially on "Claim Your Dead", but if you like their heavier songs (music, not lyrics), this may be somewhat lacking. Even with the overly processed chorus vocals, my favourite song on offer here is definitely the title track.

For drawbacks, I did find the first two industrial-dominant songs to be emptier without guitar work,  "Bones & Dust" was too deliberately drawn out, and there can be some uneven intensity in the vocals compared to the music. As far as The Realignment Project's discography to this point, I think my favourite is "The Frustration Sessions", but all have positive qualities and are very original in a local context, so see what you think at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review!m We'll continue clearing out our backlog when we look at local death metal band Pillory's new album "Old Soul" next month, so stay tuned for that in May! Thanks everyone!

Handsome Sandwich - "Collage" EP Review!!

It's time for our 201st monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and next up in our deep backlog of new album releases dating to last fall is local alternative/hard rock band Handsome Sandwich's second album "Collage"! Suddenly released to major streaming services on September 26th under the Sonic Sunshine imprint (and with much less fanfare than 2023's "Deconstructed" got), this EP has been in the cards since even before their debut album's release party, with sessions held at the Algoma Conservatory Of Music in late 2023 and early 2024. Handsome Sandwich are again represented here by singer Taylor "Tea" Emlaw, guitarists Jesse Cook and Mitch Sirie, and drummer Johnny Belanger, while bassist Rafael Medina made his studio debut with the band here after only contributing to the packaging on "Deconstructed", which Mitch played bass on. Former guitarist Brandon Ruch (who replaced Mitch in the band circa February 2024 and also left by early last year) worked on "Collage" as a recording engineer.

You can stream this EP on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, Tidal, Boomplay, Anghami, and BeMusic, and you can buy it in mp3 format on iTunes for $6.93. Unlike "Deconstructed", this album is not on Bandcamp, and nothing has been publically announced about physical copies (though note that the band has not played live since July of last year). With seven songs running for about 26 minutes, let's enjoy another sandwich!

"Collage" opens with "Unhappy", an upbeat rocker that opens with a catchy guitar line and has a somewhat punkier overall structure. Taylor's distinctively cutting vocals help set Handsome Sandwich apart, but the verses here are talkier than the chorus. We do get a brief guitar solo, which lets Jesse (I assume) show his skills well, and this song plays well into everyone's musical strengths, including solid bass from Rafael in his first studio track with the band. I'd have had more singing in the verses, but I'm not "unhappy" with how the EP is starting! Next up is "No Idea", which has a lighter structure driven by Rafael's bass and much softer guitar work, though things stay at brisk power poppy pace. Tea's vocals suit the song's melody, but by contrast, the guitar solo actually feels out of place and too raucous compared to everything around it. Nice little melodic number for what it is, though I'd like a little more of a steady edge like we saw on the opener.

The shortest song on offer is next, namely "Party Fuel", and they lean into the title well with a smooth,  dancy rhythm on this song, including catchy and melodic guitar work, and another strong bass intro, though the guitar solo is way too short here. Confident vocals and a fun rhythm section add up well to an early album highlight, even if there are much heavier songs in Handsome Sandwich's catalog! Though he had guested on this song live in the past, saxophonist Josh Norling does not appear here. Fourth on the album is the slightly longer "Without You", a softer jam that is really driven by Taylor's vocals more than anything (as a pure showcase of her range, this is the best one yet), but Jesse and Mitch do get some room to show off in the background. The overall music is very pleasant but it's mostly just there without doing a lot to stand out, and the ending fades out way too early.

Definitely not a favourite song on the album for me, but not badly composed, and the vocals keep things on an upbeat path! Track #5 is "Carousel", a more dynamic and emotional number with pointed metaphorical lyrics (this carousel is definitely not at the fair), and this feels like more of an intentionally structured rock song with a darker essence, and that contrasts well with Tea's sharp vocals, which don't sound as dark as the lyrics would imply. Solid track across the board, with good percussion and the return of a guitar solo (if another short one), so don't bypass it! The penultimate song here is also the EP's longest, namely "Change A Bit", which is a slower and more deliberately paced song that does ramp up the rock aspect on the choruses. The lyrics feel very direct and personal, but the song proper doesn't have the melodic energy to it beyond short guitar solos and Taylor's more impassioned chorus singing.

Not a bad song, but the verses did feel a little lifeless despite the nature of the vocals. "Collage" fittingly closes with "All Done Now." (yes, the period is in the title), and this is arguably the most consistently rock-based song on the EP since the opener. Bouncy guitar work, more steadily intense vocals (about the end of a romantic relationship), and a strong bass line add up well here, so if you like some rock in your sandwich, this is a fitting way to say that the EP is, in fact, all done now! 

So, how do I grade Handsome Sandwich's second album? Not perfect (granted, neither was "Deconstructed"), but they fit a lot of styles and sounds to appeal to many fans! If you came for upbeat edgy rock, "Collage" is bookended well, with the middle songs seeing them stretch into dancier, power pop, and softer territory (plus a dark "Carousel" ride), though I did sense less of a progressive or jazz bent here. Tea's unique, sharp vocal style continues to set them apart, the dual guitar work from Mitch and Jesse let them show their influences well, Rafael made a good impression on bass, and Johnny's drumming was reliable as you'd expect. I did appreciate that the guys dialed back on abrupt song endings here ("Without You" maybe went too far in that regard), and songs did have more varied lyrics, but of course, I would have liked a little more hard rock. Still, it's an eclectic EP with a lot to like!

The abrupt drop of "Collage" on streaming without any pre-release hype last fall, coupled with the band playing only three shows last year (all as a four-piece) doesn't paint the most optimistic picture in terms of their future, not to mention that they haven't made any public updates since its release. Hopefully they aren't indeed "all done now", as "Collage" is a varied but high quality EP that fans of Handsome Sandwich will enjoy, and you can check it out for yourself at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and next month in this series, our backlog marches on when we look at The Realignment Project's third EP "War Songs", so look for that in April, and for weekend concert previews on the SMS next! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band & A New EP Release!!

Today's post has two extended single topics to look at, including a brand new EP release and leading off, a new addition to our coverage and band links, so here's what you should know on both fronts!

We have a new local classic/hard rock cover trio to add to our Sault Ontario band links, and they are The Guilty Party! Effectively, this group is a side-project of Separate Wayz, as the two bands share guitarist Terry Eaton and bassist Jim Michaud, who were notably late-era bandmates in Soundcheck from 2023 until they broke up at the beginning of this year. I haven't rolled Separate Wayz into our coverage yet because I'm still not sure what they play or how similar they are to Terry and Jim's past bands, but The Guilty Party have videos online and they do cross our coverage line as such! In lieu of Separate Wayz singer Nicole Thibodeau and drummer Steven Flint, both duties are taken on in The Guilty Party by Brent Royer, a veteran local rock musician who has had stints with Settle For Silver, Turner Up, and Bourbon Blue over the years, and had joined Terry & Jim in the short-term & online page-less "The Band" this summer alongside their old Soundcheck bandmate Cameron Oliver.

The Guilty Party played their first gig at a private event at Harmony Beach on September 20th, with their public debut gigs coming at Jay's Piston Broke Pub the following weekend. They also rocked The Water Tower Pub on October 17th, followed by a return to Jay's over the 24th weekend, shows that reportedly had an early Halloween theme. Interestingly, this video from October 14th shows The Guilty Party (and Cameron as a guest singer) playing at Reggie's Place, despite their teased closure (or end of concert bookings) last month. Is Reggie's doing the Rockstar Bar thing by only booking private/special events now, or were the finality hints exaggerated and the show just didn't get public advertising? We'll let you know if we hear confirmation! No word on upcoming dates from The Guilty Party, but they have been playing live more regularly than Separate Wayz this fall. What can you see in the videos uploaded to their Facebook page so far?

They were filmed covering Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Running Down A Dream" at Harmony, five songs at Jay's (The Black Crowes' version of Otis Redding's "Hard To Handle", David Wilcox's "My Eyes Keep Me In Trouble", INXS's "New Sensation", Whiskey Myers' "Bar, Guitar, and A Honky Tonk Crowd", and Buckcherry's "Lit Up"), Def Leppard's "Animal" at Reggie's, and Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man" at The Water Tower Pub. All have Brent on vocals except the Tom Petty and David Wilcox covers (Terry) and the Whiskey Myers and Def Leppard covers (Cameron), who also guested on acoustic guitar for "New Sensation". Did the teasers of Cameron moving to Nashville not get as far or was he just in the Soo visiting? In any event, if you like late-era Soundcheck, you'll like The Guilty Party, and even in their regular trio formation, they deliver a solid classic/hard rock mix, and Brent adds well with a decent vocal range!

Singing and drumming simultaneously isn't easy, so kudos to Brent for pulling it off on most of the Cameron-less covers! I do wish that most of these videos weren't shot vertically, but you know me by now. Stay tuned for more from The Guilty Party (and Separate Wayz?) soon, and here's Brent, Terry, and Jim covering "Hard To Handle"!

Finally, as first mentioned yesterday in our newest "Where Are The New Albums?" post, here's the latest from local industrial hard rock solo project The Realignment Project, so what have they been up to since we left off from them in late July? Well, their teased third EP "War Songs" was successfully released on October 8th! Amidst various teaser video postings about demo recording sessions for EP #4 (Matt never stops!), he confirmed that the six-song EP is available "everywhere", but if that was true, wouldn't it be on Tidal or Napster, among dozens of other services? By "everywhere", Matt means Apple Music, Amazon Music, Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, and yes, even Boomplay and KKBox. If you want to actually buy "War Songs" in mp3 format, it's on iTunes for $5.94, Amazon Music for $7.74, and Bandcamp on a "name your price" model. At press time, the EP isn't technically on YouTube Music yet like their first two EPs are.

"War Songs" is available on regular YouTube via lyric videos on the project's proper YouTube channel, as grouped in this playlist. As usual, I'll hold comment on "War Songs" pending our review of the full EP, which is currently slotted in for February 2026. Spades GT, No Arrow, and Sykotyk Rampage all had albums beat it to market that I have scheduled over the next few months, and Pillory's "Old Soul" (released later in October) is currently slated for March. However, given Matt's fast and prolific recording schedule, the possibility does exist that I could instead review The Realignment Project's fourth EP next, which would move it to March with Pillory in February to maintain a release order chronology, but it would have to come out by then for me to decide. Don't put it past Matt though, as his second and third T.R.P. EPs came out 3 and 6 months apart, and as of October 15th, he was already tracking vocals for the fourth EP!

Plus, he was also already working on demos for their fifth EP then too! We'll have more from The Realignment Project soon, but it's great to see Matt staying busy with new original material, so give their first three EPs a listen everywhere at the streaming services linked above, and here's the opening song from "War Times", titled "Digital Sacrilege"!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

Agnosticism - "Atticcore Fornication" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 195th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and this month, we're beginning a two month spell of reviews of new albums from prolific local rock guitarist Mikhal Muto via his emo/folk punk solo project Agnosticism's new EP "Atticcore Fornication"! Released to major streaming services on June 12th, this is the Instagram-only project's fifth album and their fourth to see a wide release beyond YouTube, with this being the third album of theirs that I have reviewed for the SMS. Mikhal did note at the time that "Atticcore Fornication" features songs that are now 2-3 years old and that he doesn't necessarily agree with the lyrics of them now, but he wanted to finally get these songs out. He also said that this EP would be their "last release for quite some time while I focus on other writing projects", one presumably being his new self-titled album with his crossover thrash band Hails that we're reviewing on the blog next month. 

Mikhal (also known from Vanity First and The Apocalypse Afterparty) is the lead performer here on vocals and guitar, but he is joined on one song by guest vocalist Kayden Simon. You can stream this independently released and recorded EP on YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Boomplay, and it is buyable for $5.94 on mp3 on iTunes. Song names below are linked to their YouTube copies. With six songs running for about 19 minutes, let's begin this EP review!

"Atticcore Fornication" begins with "Sea Of Discontent", which opens with a pleasant and intricate guitar intro that gives no indication of Mikhal's folk punk leanings until 57 seconds in, when he begins singing with his distinctive nasal tone befitting a punk project like this. The intensity quickly builds with pointed lyrics, background screaming, and abrasive guitar strumming, and it's really a tale of two songs here, but both halves work well enough depending on what you're going for! I'd have structured it with more of a balance but it works to lead the EP off! Next is its longest song, the 5+ minutes-long "Friends With A 40", this song is more of a rollicking folk number from the off that would really suit a full band if Agnosticism was one! The song shifts in tempo and structure a fair amount across its runtime, including some more deliberate strumming in the bridge and more passioned vocals from Mikhal, and the song rarely lets up.

Even at its length, its not a boring song and it is one of the highlights of this EP, so Agnosticism fans won't want to bypass it! Third is "Nightmares", featuring Kayden Simon on guest vocals. Here, Kayden does the first verse and alternates the choruses with Mikhal, and while they compliment each other well, the tone of Kayden's voice is an acquired taste for this style of music. Mikhal's anger and screaming is well handled when he takes the lead, but this song also has that abrasive scratching/clicking noise from the guitar strumming that first cropped up late on "Sea Of Discontent" and that's starting to get a little old. Good song though, and a slight change of pace! That's followed by "Every Band Has A Song Called Untitled" (I guess that is true to a certain extent!), which is a folksier and less intense number with more reserved singing. You still know it's Agnosticism via Mikhal's voice though (and that background scratching noise).

Leisurely paced but moving along steadily (a late screamed verse aside), this gets the job done for what it is, but I do prefer my Agnosticism to be more punk-influenced and aggressive on the whole. The penultimate song here is "Light Pollution", which was first released as a one-off single in July 2024 before making it onto this EP, and it is the same recording. While still having a punk attitude, this song is also relatively laid back, though you can tell that it was recorded somewhat separately from the rest of "Atticcore Fornication" based on the slight recording quality shift and that the guitar work isn't scratchy and clicky. A good song for fans of Mikhal's lighter side, and you have to appreciate the fuller structure of it! The EP closes with its shortest song, "Here's To Living", which is a return to form for fans of their more intense and freewheeling folk punk, but the pre-bridge verse sounds like it was recorded underwater.

For recording clarity, lack of filler content, and clearer/less clicky guitar work, this is another key highlight to end the EP with, and folk punk fans will take to what Mikhal's doing here a lot! Overall, I did like "Atticcore Fornication" for what it is, and fans of Agnosticism's prior output will be right at home with it! Mikhal knows the subgenre and how to write simple yet detailed acoustic punk material with intense and pointed lyrics, and he makes good use of his distinctive & impassioned vocal style! I like punk more than folk, so songs like "Here's To Living" and "Friends With A 40" were my favourites on offer, and if it was me, I'd lean more into those styles or turn Agnosticism into a full emo/punk band, but he;s doing what he wants to do with the project. Compared to their most recent EP that I reviewed previously (last year's "A Letter Of Resignation"), this EP is most differed by that clicky/scratchy noise on the guitar work on all but the last two songs.

My own musical preferences aside, that grinding noise on tracks 1-4 got increasingly abrasive and I would have re-done or edited it out if it was up to me. If you can get past that, Agnosticism delivered the folk punk goods on this EP, and hopefully their teased hiatus doesn't take too long, but give it a listen or buy it at the above links, and we'll see some of what Mikhal's been up to since when we review Ha!ls' self-titled album on the SMS next month! Thanks everyone!

The Realignment Project - "The Frustration Sessions" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 194th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and as our current backlog of new local metal/hard rock albums plods into a new month, we're actually jumping a couple months back in the timeline to look at local industrial metal solo act The Realignment Project's sophomore EP "The Frustration Sessions"! Independently released to major streaming services on April 28th, the four month delay for our review was due to it coming out just three months after their debut EP "Afterthought", which we reviewed in February. I have long had a self-imposed buffer period of six months between album reviews from the same project (to avoid showing a bias), hence why we didn't look at this EP in the spring. The Realignment Project is still led by former Dirty Virgin drummer/Riverin frontman Matt Hicks without extra credited performers. You can buy this EP on mp3 format on Bandcamp on a "name your price" model or on iTunes for $5.94.

Meanwhile, it can be streamed on Bandcamp, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, and KKBox, but consider buying it to support Matt's work! Song titles are linked to their Bandcamp copies. With six songs running for about 25 minutes, let's begin our look at "The Frustration Sessions"!

The EP leads off with "Rocketship", which is about taking off on a rocket to live on a new world after humanity stripped Earth of its resources. This song definitely leans way more to industrial than metal, with a steady percussion beat, synth instrumentation, and a melancholy pace that rarely deviates from the initial trajectory. Matt's low melancholy singing does get across the bleakness of the song's message, but it's just not that varied and lively for my preferences, and definitely not a rocker. Interesting change of pace to start though! Next up is "Minor Outburst", which contrasts kinda dance rock verses with intense hardcore screaming on the choruses, at a level of aggression that I don't remember "Afterthought" having! The pointed lyrics feel like this might as well be the title track for the EP given the varying frustrations on display, but the techno beat on the verses is too much of a contrast, and the whispered bridge was hard to discern words in.

Still a big improvement for metal content, and it'd be neat to hear Matt scream like this more in T.R.P. originals! Third here is "Static",  with the title referencing static in outside pressures, hatred, and distractions in life. A little more aggressive and pointed then the opener, but this is definitely more reserved and ominous as a constant whole than on "Minor Outburst". Not a bad composition, and it has an eerie ambiance a little more vocal diversity, but the lyrics are very repetitive, especially given its runtime. I didn't mind it though!  The second half of the EP begins with "Fireside", which has more pointed commentary and anger to it, with screamed choruses and more of a traditional rock song structure while still having an electronic ambience. Again, this song has repetitive lyrics, but I like the pacing, the bass line, and intensity that contrasts well with the industrial effects, so it's a welcome diversion for fans of the project's heavier side!

The longest song on offer is the penultimate cut, namely the 6+ minutes long "Stupid", which is basically about how humanity is stupid for letting corporations and personal jealousy and greed get in the way of improving our world. In tonal structure, this feels like "Rocketship" with the choruses of "Minor Outburst" for the first half, but there is an extended bridge that feels very Rage Against The Machiney, albeit with industrial instrumentation laid in. While a little too long, the verses are more substantial here, and there's good aggression where needed here, so this is a late highlight! The final song is its shortest, the 2+ minute "Medicated (A Spade Is A Spade)", which calls out the perceived over-medication, brainwashing, and control over the populace. This is basically one lengthy extended verse with lots of rhyming before the subtitle is invoked when shouting the chorus over and over. I appreciate the direct messaging, but this song doesn't feel finished.

Making this basically a poetic rant didn't leave a lot of room to make a standalone song beyond having a dark industrial essence, but it fits in line with other Realignment Project offerings on this EP, and it was well put together despite being so cramped! So, how is Matt's second solo outing? Similarly inconsistent for my preferences, but the songs have definitely evolved, and you do get a sense that Matt was in a different place when writing these songs, with a darker feeling and more social commentary about society's ills, as opposed to the more personal material on "Afterthought". While the songs are not uniformly heavy, he puts aggressive screamed vocals to more effect on choruses here, and is making more of an effort to sing on verses. Everything is well composed, and Matt has a good ear for techno and industrial effects, so fans of his solo work dating back to the Riverin days will like how things are coming out!

Is it better than "Afterthought"? I think that EP was a little more lively as music, and had less repetitive lyrics, but Matt did expand his range as a singer here, and it is heavier at its peaks (especially on "Minor Outburst" and "Fireside"). I think I like it a smidge more, but industrial fans should be eager to check both out at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, and we get back to our chronological timeframe for new reviews next month when we look at local emo/folk punk solo project Agnosticism's June 2025 EP "Atticcore Fornication". Watch for that in September, and for more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

The Realignment Project - "Afterthought" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 188th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and after a two month spell of archival reviews, we have the first new local metal release of 2025 to look at this month, namely new local industrial solo act The Realignment Project's debut EP "Afterthought"! Independently released to their Bandcamp page on January 29th, this EP is the first output from The Realignment Project, led by former Dirty Virgin drummer and Riverin frontman Matt Hicks, who is the only credited performer here. Readers around the local scene in the early 2010s will recall that Riverin were also an industrial metal band, so if you wanted to hear more from them, you may want to pay extra attention to The Realignment Project's EP! "Afterthought" is on sale on a "name your price" model, so while you can download it for free on Bandcamp, consider paying something to support Matt's work!

With six songs running for about 22 minutes, let's begin this review with the opening song, "Broken Machine"! This song alternates between Matt serving as a carnival barker/ringmaster of sorts, if for a very dark circus, with angry shouted choruses about how we can't stop/fix the title machine. The industrial and electronic influences are well applied, but it's definitely a hard rocker underneath, and it has a cool sound to it with good percussion. I would like more varied lyrics, but it's a good starter for The Realignment Project! Next up is "Finger On The Trigger", which earns its metal points from Matt's vocals, not the music, which is purely electronic, and very repetitive and plonky (especially the ending). The aggressive and pointed vocals do help push things along, but I'd have inserted them over something heavier.

Third is "Mother", which seems to be from the point of view of missing one's late mother (having lost my mother in 2020, I completely sympathize with Matt here). For as relatable as the lyrics are, they are a slightly awkward fit in an industrial song, let alone with Matt's singing voice not really being suited for a mournful lament like this. It's well composed as an instrumental piece, but the lyrics and singing don't really fit inside for me despite the sincere intentions behind this song. Your mileage may vary! Then we have "Incomplete", which opens with a distorted bass line that drives things even as more instruments and industrial effects come into play. Lyrically about being incomplete to conform with societal expectations, this song does return to form in terms of its darker overtones, if with a somewhat 16-bit synth sound (if that's fair), but it's more ominous than heavy. I do like the contrast of how laid back the structure is compared to the instrumentation!

A little over-long, but it's the best song since the opener on "Afterthought"! The penultimate (and longest) song on the EP is "Something Strange",  which seems to be about a personal crisis and trying to escape it at all costs. The heaviest song on offer since "Broken Machine", this alternates spare industrial verses with more aggressive and in-your-face choruses, with layered gang vocal effects therein. The verses are dancing on the line of rap at points, and I'd have had more instrumental involvement to liven them up, but it's got more going for it as a complete composition for metal fans! The Realignment Project close their debut EP with its shortest song, "Synthetic", which is another song that comes closer to rap than metal thanks to the techno beat, but he does yell the choruses, and the verses are delivered in an eerie whisper. It's not badly done for what it is, and while I like heavier stuff than this, Matt shows his musical variety well to close!

So, what are my final thoughts on The Realignment Project's first EP? Inconsistent for what I like musically, but there's enough here for industrial and rock fans to get something out of it! To compare how things have evolved since Matt's prior industrial metal project Riverin sounded in their heyday, I did check out their songs on Reverbnation anew, and T.R.P. definitely feel like a fuller realization of what Matt was going for a decade+ ago in both musical performance and production quality. Vocally, Matt does have limitations, but I was reminded of Henry Rollins more than once, which is not an insult whatsoever! The industrial side of things is way more prevalent than the rock side, with only "Broken Machine" and "Something Strange" having heavy passages, but Matt does yell on additional songs. Molten Imp aside, industrial music isn't too common locally, and what we get here is strongly composed and performed!

Of course, I'd liked to have heard more rock-integrated music for longer, but beyond that, I don't think "Mother" worked that well despite its strong lyrical theme, and some songs could be a little long and/or repetitive as they went along, but there's a nice variety here, and it's good to see Matt back with a new project, let alone one where he can finally pull off things that Riverin didn't! Buy or stream "Afterthought" at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! Barring a new album release ahead (check our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post on Sunday for candidates), we'll return to the archives for the March 2025 review if there's nothing new to report. Preference will be with artists who play live next month, but it will not be of a Sykotyk Rampage or Agnosticism album due to our six month anti-bias buffer period between reviews of albums from the same project.

Look for next month's review... next month, and for this month's YouTube Channel Profile next, with weekend concert previews following on Thursday, and more news/notes soon also! Thanks everyone!

HeadFirst - "Head Trauma" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 182nd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and to cap off the summer season, we're looking at newer local hard rock quintet HeadFirst's debut EP "Head Trauma"! Independently released on July 20th in limited physical copies at their Rotaryfest Stage 2 set (with the wide release coming one week later at Shooters Downstairs Lounge), this EP was produced and mixed by Dustin Jones at Mission Control Studios earlier this year. HeadFirst are represented here by singer Red Jettison, guitarist Raine Rancourt (ex-Raincourt) and Liam Dinsmore, bassist Claire Jeffery, and former(?) Them drummer Anthony Boudreau, with he and Liam trading roles on one song. CD copies of "Head Trauma" (all handmade) are on sale at HeadFirst concerts, and streaming copies of the EP are available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and even Boomplay.

Download copies on mp3 are on sale through iTunes and Amazon for $3.96, so consider buying it thusly or on CD to support HeadFirst beyond the free streaming locations! Song names below are linked via Spotify. Note also that the band has more original songs than these, as heard in concert, but they're intentionally holding those for future releases. With four tracks running for about 12 minutes, let's kick off this review!

"Head Trauma" begins with "Hot Blooded Woman", which is about falling in love with a seductive woman who doesn't necessarily reciprocate the feelings forever, and seemingly likes to play games with one's emotions. This retro rocker has a bit of a hair metal edge to it, but rawer and with some Bon-era AC/DC inspiration in Red's singing that comes through well enough! Not a ton of frills here (what sounds like clinking keys in the bridge aside), but the song cooks well with strong guitar work (especially Raine's solo) and a good overall groove, but the very abrupt ending comes out of nowhere. Solid opener until then, at least! Next is "Take You (Down)", which is the song where Anthony plays guitar while Liam moves to drums, a switch repeated in their live concerts. A much wordier song about exacting revenge for someone's negative actions, this is much different song tonally that reminds me a bit of Clutch (not a complain, just an observation).

This one actually has a very swingy riff and structure, especially in the verses, but Red's singing is much more serious and direct, with only the chorus having much melody. To me, HeadFirst are suited better with more casual and rollicking songs like the opener, and given how the lyrics can be in more of a repetitive structure, I'd have trimmed them down but stretched out what was left, if that makes sense. Strong solo and a less abrupt ending, but this song doesn't hit the heights of "Hot Blooded Woman" for me. Third on the EP is its shortest song, "Little Darling", which is more along the lyrical lines of the first song, and is very much about an... "intimate encounter", if you catch my drift. This song is a nice showcase for Claire's bass work, and while it's a more steadily paced song that doesn't make busy use of the dual guitarists, this has a much livelier, free-wheeling nature that better suits HeadFirst's range!

Red is allowed to let loose here moreso vocally, and Raine puts in another good solo, so this is an improvement for me, but the backing music and lyrics do have somewhat of a contrast that doesn't always click as you would assume they should. Still a fun track that sees HeadFirst swinging back to form! "Head Trauma" closes with it's only 3+ minute song, namely the pre-release single "Don't Care, Don't Mind". whose lyrics about being attracted to a woman and wanting to go further with her in spite of potential roadblocks and red flags. Despite the hair metal-reminiscent lyrics, this is arguably the most modern sounding song on offer for hard rock fans, and while not as raucuous musically as the odd-numbered songs, it has a fuller sound with a better meld of Raine & Liam's guitar riffing and Red's most controlled singing. Granted, another abrupt ending is not how I would have ended the EP.

That aside, "Don't Care..." is a solid, fully realized song that shows everyone's talents well without overstaying its welcome, and if you want something a little less '80s, this may do the trick! So, what are my final thoughts on "Head Trauma"? Overall, this is a promising debut effort that points to a solid future if they keep at it! Despite most of the band not being known local commodities before forming, they have a good talent base that is definitely in tune with retro 1980s rock music, and with well written lyrics that definitely could have come from hair bands of the era! Red's melodic and often diverse vocals pair well with Raine and Liam's strong guitar work, while Claire and Tony handle the rhythm section steadily, and the backing vocals and the Liam/Tony trade weren't badly done either! Musical issues on my end come from "Take You (Down)" is way too serious compared to other songs, while "Little Darling" doesn't always gel with the lyrics.

Half of the songs end way too abruptly for my liking, and while I fully understand that this was an independent EP and their first release of any kind, the packaging could definitely stand to be more professional for their sophomore disc (kudos for including lyrics though!). HeadFirst are sitting on more originals for their next album, and musically, they're gotten off on the right foot, so it'll be very interesting to hear what they have in store next! Buy or stream "Head Trauma" at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! A new album review will very likely hit the site next month, continuing our uninterrupted string of new album reviews dating back to late 2022, and while it will likely be Sykotyk Rampage's new epic "Waerlogas Sagas 1: Konfysion Of Fyck" (scheduled for September 15th), it could be usurped if it's delayed or something else comes out.

We'll let you know regardless what album is reviewed on the SMS in September, but that's all for today, and stay tuned for much more news and notes on the site next month! Thanks everyone!

Choking On Appendages - "Macabre" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 181st monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at a band whose only public footprint so far is via the album in question, namely local hardcore punk solo project Choking On Appendages' debut EP "Macabre"! A brand new addition to our band links (I haven't talked about them in a normal post yet because there isn't a lot to say that wouldn't fit the album review), C.O.A. is a new project from Agnosticism frontman, Vanity First/Hails guitarist, and Apocalypse Afterparty bassist Mikhal Muto, with no other musicians credited. He independently released "Macabre" on May 30th on their Bandcamp page, and it can also be heard in a single video upload via Mikhal's personal YouTube channel. On the former, you can buy this album on mp3 for $3, but it can be streamed for free on both platforms. With six tracks running for just eight minutes, let's begin this quick album review!

"Macabre" leads off with its title track, which runs for just 50 seconds, and there's one shorter song than that on here! This is more or less an intro track to the second song, leading directly into it if played back to back, and it's primarily a noise recording with isolated piano keys, harsh background noise, and ominous narration (if Mikhal got that from a movie or show, I couldn't place it). I'd have just smushed this into the start of "Life Altering Drug" and called it a 2:19-long song, but that's just me. As for "Life Altering Drug", it has proper vocals by Mikhal, and very evocative ones at that which are very reminiscent of gory horror-influenced death metal. Musically, Choking On Appendages are basically what would happen if Mikhal was the full frontman of one of his bands, but ramped up the speed and aggression a lot, and while this is accurately described as hardcore punk, he did includes some backing death metal growling, foreshadowing a song to come.

This song paints a ferocious picture with strong vocal versatility, and while it is very short, it never lets up, so if you like crossover thrash, speed metal, and violent lyrics, you should take to this! Third on the EP is "When Violence Sets In (The Culling)", which paints more vivid imagery about death and "the body tree" in its short 78 seconds-long runtime. Vocally, Mikhal seems to be taking some Ha!ls inspiration here, and while not as in your face and aggressive as the preceding track, it gets the job done with passion! The cymbals are a little overdone, and it ends super abruptly too. Not an improvement for my musical tastes but subgenre fans won't be thrown off! Fourth on "Macabre" is "Safe Room", which is the only track on offer to exceed 2 minutes in length. With lyrical themes about vengeance and the death penalty, this song takes us further into death metal territory, with growled lead vocals and screamed backing vocals.

Given the short song lengths and one-man nature, this feels the most like something that could have been released via Blood Shed Productions, with a more death metal-inspired structure, breakdowns, and more impassioned, anguished screaming that doesn't really call to mind the hardcore punk stylings earlier on the EP. Mikhal's versatility (especially for his age) is on solid display here! I just wish the song didn't end so abruptly. The penultimate song is "Psyche Ward" (sic), which seems to be about experiences in a psychiatric ward while having severe delusions. During its sub 2-minute runtime, we return to crossover thrash territory, if with very intense screaming and lyrics, where it really sounds as if Mikhal is speaking from experience! The overall musicianship adds to this ripper, but again, it ends before I expected it to. Not an abrupt end, just a fade out when the song seemed like it had more life to give than it did.

"Macabre" ends with "Lights Out", a very brief 36 seconds-long track which is basically the companion to the opening title track, with the same voice announcing "Lights out, everybody!" while ominous music plays and fades out. Unlike on the track named "Macabre", this doesn't directly run into the adjacent one, but it doesn't really serve a purpose beyond signing off.

So, how do I grade Choking On Appendages' debut EP? Definitely the heaviest original music that Mikhal Muto has put out so far, and while it's a brief listen, it's a shame that he came around when he did, as he'd have fit Blood Shed Productions like a glove with this material, especially "Safe Room"! While the closest spiritually to Hails of his other active bands, C.O.A. definitely skew heavier and more intense, both musically and lyrically, with Mikhal showing some serious versatility that fans of his other local projects may not expect, especially given how he is only the lead singer of Agnosticism, an acoustic act. These fast and vividly painted songs will please hardcore punk and extreme metal fans, but they are mostly very short, and given how there's only four full songs here, it's a shame that abrupt and sudden song endings are so common. Also, when you only have 8 minutes of music here, it doesn't seem like a huge ask to record more songs.

I don't know if Mikhal has more plans in mind for Choking On Appendages given how busy he already is with full bands (remember, their only social media presence is this album), but if he takes this further, there's nowhere to go bu up given his age and existing talent levels, so if you like blistering hardcore punk with a dash of death metal & lyrics to match, see what he's cooking up with this project! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review (our third straight of one of Mikhal's projects, incidentally), but we'll deviate from him for next month, when we look at local hard rock quintet HeadFirst's debut EP "Head Trauma"! Watch for that in August, and for weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Agnosticism - "A Letter Of Resignation" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 179th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at local folk punk/emo solo project Agnosticism's newest EP "A Letter Of Resignation"! While this is my first time reviewing an EP from this project (whose only social media account is on Instagram), Agnosticism has released two prior EPs (2021's "Chaotic & Dysfunctional" and 2022's "4 Hours"), plus their sole full length album "Happy Pills" in 2022, as well as numerous one-off singles. Quietly and independently released on February 23rd, "A Letter Of Resignation" was solely recorded by prolific local punk guitarist Mikhal Muto, who is better known from his work with Vanity First & Hails and as the second bassist in The Apocalypse Afterparty. You can stream "A Letter Of Resignation" on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, and Boomplay, and if you want to legally buy it on mp3, it costs $4.95 on iTunes.

Song names below are linked to their YouTube copies, and note that Mikhal labelled the album and songs in all lowercase officially. With five songs running for 15½ minutes, let's begin this EP review with its first song "New Year's Revolution"! Tied with track 3 as the EP's shortest song, this is an intense and speedily performed song that fits the folk punk trappings well, but Mikhal does get a slower bridge to show off his guitar skill. Any fears of this not being that "punk" given that it's acoustic and folksy are eradicated with a piercing scream midway through, and his voice in general is a good match for the subgenre, while also having the melodic tone that would suit a mid-2000s emo band if he was of that era (fans of the songs that he sings with Vanity will know that already). I would like cleaner and more professional recording quality, but this is an effective introduction!

Next up is "Just Promise Me You'll Stay A Little Bit Longer", and if you wanted things to be folksier and clearer in a singer/songwriter sense, you should take to this song moreso. Intense vocals do work their way in there in bursts, but this song just moves along on the same track instrumentally with the only variance in the strumming occurring at the very end. Not a bad song for folk punk fans who value the first half of that sound, and it's easier to get a sense of the lyrics here, but the "punk" side of things and the song's repetitive structure don't help compared to the opening song. Third is "Separation Anxiety", which opens with passionate and somewhat anguished vocals from Mikhal before he takes things into fast paced galloping territory, and he dips into Chase Wigmoresque territory with the aggressive vocal bursts here, so fans of his earlier folk punk albums will like what Agnosticism are cooking up here!

If you liked "New Year's Revolution", you'll like "Separation Anxiety", an equally short and similarly intense listen that captures the best qualities of folk punk! That's followed by "Lips", which isn't as varied and punk-leaning as the odd numbered songs so far, but it arguably allows for Mikhal's best guitar showcase so far, and it does have its passionate vocal moments late. It's definitely got more going for it for guitar riffing and melodies than track #2, and while not as chaotic as Agnosticism at their peak, the structure is well paced to let Mikhal demonstrate his guitar ability in an acoustic setting, so it's worth checking out! "A Letter Of Resignation" closes with its longest and only 3+ minute song, "Attic". This is the slowest and most ballad-like track on offer, and the lyrics seem the most personal yet, especially with all of the name dropping. The vocals are the star of the show here, with his guitar seemingly being an afterthought.

You have to be invested in Mikhal's lyrics and/or vocal style to appreciate "Attic", as the guitar isn't the focus here, and while I appreciate the direct lyrics, it has the same problem as the second song for me: going along on one track without shaking things up or playing up the punk in the folk punk on offer. Fans of "Breathe" from the first Vanity demo might beg to differ, but it's not how I'd have ended the EP. So, how do I grade Agnosticism's new EP? I admit that I'm not a folk punk guy, but Mikhal knows and likes the subgenre and it shows on a solid release for fans! I do think that he should focus more on the intense, rollicking folk punk songs like "New Year's Revolution" and "Separation Anxiety", and you will find more songs like those on earlier releases, but you can tell that he wanted to stretch and play some softer material here too, even if this listener didn't like the singular path on most of the other songs as much.

If Mikhal was born in the late 1980s/early 1990s, he'd have been one hell of a emo frontman during that genre's heyday, and his lyrics are very evocative, but on softer/more serious songs, I would try to still have a varied song structure rather than relying on just the lyrics to carry them. I have yet to formally review earlier Agnosticism releases to compare, but folk punk fans will find a lot to like from "A Letter Of Resignation", and hopefully Mikhal ramps up social media promotion for the project to better promote this and other releases, as there is something there! Buy or stream this EP above, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! While I have long stuck by a rule on the SMS that I wouldn't review albums by the same project in consecutive months, two separate bands featuring the same musician have always been fair game, so next month's review will be of Mikhal's main punk band Vanity First's new album "Identity Crisis"!

That album had a higher profile release in April and is currently the last album in our lengthy backlog of new album releases dating back to late 2022, so look for its review on the site next month, and for this month's YouTube Channel Profile next! Thanks everyone!