Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Integrated System Of Machines

After a slight delay (my apologies), here's this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! As usual, this is a monthly feature spotlighting one or two local metal, hard rock, or punk bands that are not active anymore, but deserve a spotlight for current audiences, and as usual, this month's band was randomly selected! This month's choice was a very prominent local metal band in both their first heyday and a recent major reunion, and had a solid fanbase too, so here's what you should know!
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Integrated System of Machines

Genre: Epic/Death Metal

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

Members: (Members not in their last full lineup are in italics. This information may be incomplete, particularly surrounding early lineups and full band member identities. Let us know if you can fill in any blanks!)

"Orb Hearthstone" Bob Helsten (The Creepy Little Coffee People), vocals
Art Dietz (The Creepy Little Coffee People), guitar
Jonathan Bennett, guitar
Chris Leask (Highway 63, Power Slug), bass
"Black Trab" Bart Rennels (Nightmare Grin), drums

Chris Sevens, guitar
"Sven Gilesten" Steve Giles (Theatre of Night), guitar
J. Rizzo, bass
"Grg Gilesten" Greg Giles (End of Existence), drums
Craig "Tubesock" Harrison (Theatre of Night), keyboard
Rachel Mender, backing vocals

Audio/Video: Integrated System of Machines (or I.S.O.M.) released two albums during their runs, including their debut CD "Apocalyptic Vision" in 2008, and a self-titled album to coincide with their one-off reunion in 2015. The former is available to stream online & buy on iTunes, and while the latter is not available at present time, half of it is comprised of "Apocalyptic Vision" re-recordings. A handful of live videos survive online, including this version of their self-titled song from a Stanton concert circa 2008 (sadly, a music video of this song has since been privatized), and most prominently, their whole set from last year's concert, featuring all but two songs from their last CD!

Info/Analysis: Originally active from circa 2006-2010, Integrated System of Machines were arguably the most prominent extreme metal band to come out of Sault Michigan in the past decade, with tour runs to Detroit and Wisconsin, many battle of the bands appearances, opening sets for bands like Soilwork, and a number of high profile local gigs at venues like The Corner Pub and The Merchant's Bar under their belts, though surviving online information on their original run is in short supply nowadays. Following sets at the Hogg Bash in Bangor in September 2009, I.S.O.M. fell inactive, with much of their then-lineup regrouping in the similar early 2010s band End of Existence and their theatrical sister band Theatre of Night, with the latter still recording today. After a lengthy hiatus, frontman Bob Helsten (the band's only constant member) revived I.S.O.M. for a one-off set in July 2015, where they opened for P.O.D. and Hoobastank at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino.

Integrated System of Machines were a welcome dose of extreme epic metal for fans in the E.U.P., and I roughly equated them as Sault Michigan's answer to Gates of Winter during their first run. The band had a catchy, viking-influenced blend of heavy originals, as buoyed nicely by Bob's aggressive growls and Craig's effective keyboard work (it's a shame he wasn't part of the 2015 reunion.) Though last year's reunion also saw the band drop harsh vocals, the improved production and polish helped them stand out on the big stage, and I know I.S.O.M. will pick up right where they left off if they ever come back to try and integrate us once again, but check out End of Existence for similar later work!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! Next month in this series, our random selection will take us back to Sault Ontario, where we'll be looking at two bands, as the first didn't have enough surviving information. As a result, we're planning to look at local black metal project Eden Plague (featuring Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie) and punk/classic rock trio Leaked (featuring The Din guitarist Tammy Hill), so look for them on or around December 10th! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates soon! Thanks everyone!

Two Inactive Local Metal Bands, Plus New Videos!!

Before we tackle this weekend's concert previews, here's a new news post that's half devoted to new videos from each side of the border, but first, here's some notes on a pair of bands that we've opted to move to our inactive band links (hopefully not for good), so here's what you should know!

I've reluctantly moved local metal quartet Garden of Bedlam to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. While the guys haven't officially stated anything regarding their status, they haven't played live since June 2015's Go Skateboarding Day event, and aside from a Facebook page post from last month plugging this year's installment, haven't made a public statement in over a year. Arguably the biggest local metal band of the early 2010s, Garden of Bedlam have made huge waves in the local scene since their debut in 2008, including winning the next year's Kiss Battle of the Bands, releasing two CDs, headlining Rotaryfest's Second Stage twice, and opening for bands like Kiss, Anvil, Kittie, Airbourne, and Inflict during their heyday. However, they have been very quiet since the end of 2013, with the band only re-emerging for a 2014 stag & doe and last year's Go Skate Day, and with frontman Erik "Buzz" Boissineau's move to Southern Ontario last summer, future activity isn't publically certain.

I don't believe Garden of Bedlam are officially defunct, and I have a feeling an on-stage return would be in the cards when possible, but their high energy, modern hard rock sound has definitely been missed in the past year (beyond if you weren't at last June's show), and we all know their talent and chemistry that they continually showed during their peak! Hopefully we see Buzz, Josh, Evan, and Derek back at some point in the future, and that they stay active in music in the interim!

Next up, we have also moved Sault Michigan epic metal quintet Integrated System of Machines to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. We haven't heard anything publically from I.S.O.M. since their reunion show at the P.O.D./Hoobastank concert at The Dreammaker's Theater on July 3rd last year, where they also released their self-titled second CD, but to be fair, the band didn't launch a new online page at the time to post public updates. With that said, drummer Bart "Black Trab" Rennels lives out of town, which might still complicate future band activity. Integrated System of Machines' reunion last July was well received, especially from fans who missed them since their original breakup in 2009, which followed a number of high profile local & out of town gigs in the mid-late 2000s, and the release of their original album "Apocalyptic Vision". However, fans can see members Bob Helsten and Art Dietz in their active (and also reunited) acoustic hard rock band The Creepy Little Coffee People, and Chris Leask with Highway 63.

It was great to see I.S.O.M. back for last July's huge Kewadin show, and it definitely would be nice to see them back one stage again (or at least restore an active online presence), but I imagine there are fans that still miss their more symphonic, death metal-tinged sound of their original run, especially as keyboardist Craig Harrison didn't take part in last year's reunion. I do hope to review I.S.O.M.'s new album in the future, and hopefully we see Bob, Chris, Jonathan, Art, and Bart back together at some point down the road!

We'll close with new videos, including this new solo vocal/guitar cover of Alice In Chains' "Nutshell" by ex-Elipzis bassist Ryan Harrison, as posted to his YouTube channel yesterday! Shot in black & white, this is his first solo cover posting in a month, and it's not badly done, but the vocals sound a little too upbeat compared to the original, if that makes sense. Ryan's done good work again though, so check out his newest solo cover below!



And to wrap things up, here's the latest video from Sault Ontario alternative/hard rock trio The Din, as posted to their Facebook page on Thursday! Another of their lighter videos, it starts with frontman Mike Haggith revealing that recording sessions for their debut studio "Give In To The Din" have finished, before guitarist Tammy Hill suggests that they should go on tour... much sooner than you think! Then, the two of them scout potential tour vehicles, decide on one in particular, and slowly discover it's pros and cons. Cute video that teases future band goals, so give it a look!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

Two New Local Metal Albums, Plus Pixo Control & Id Iota Updates!!

We've got a busy post for your Tuesday afternoon, and while it includes the latest from two rising local bands, we're starting with not one, but two new-ish local metal albums that you should check out, with one from each side of the border! Here's what you should know!

Remember how Sault Michigan epic metal quintet Integrated System of Machines released and sold a CD when they reunited for last July's P.O.D.-headlined concert at The Dreammaker's Theater? Well, we can now confirm a lot more on it, and huge kudos go out to frontman Bob Helsten (a.k.a. Orb Hearthstone) for sending me a full copy! The CD in question (their second) was indeed a fully packaged and pressed album, was self-titled and produced, and features their current lineup of Bob alongside guitarists Chris Leask (Highway 63) and Jonathan Bennett, bassist Art Dietz (The Creepy Little Coffee People), and drummer Bart "Black Trab" Rennels. I.S.O.M.'s newest CD features 10 songs, and their set on July 3rd actually presented the vast majority of the track listing in order (as featured in this YouTube video from the concert). In order, the songs include "Screams", "Patterns", "Stays The Same", "I.S.O.M.", "The Writer", "Last Time", "Prison Farm", and "Been There Before" with "Words To Say" and "Underground" closing the album.

The album is half comprised of 5 re-recordings from their 2008 debut "Apocalyptic Vision", with "Patterns", "The Writer", "Prison Farm", "Been There Before", and "Underground" being the new songs. I can't confirm if the album is available via local merchants (if it is, Grooves Music would be an obvious locale), and if true, what it costs, but in any event, it's not digitally available that I've found. Still, it's great to know more on I.S.O.M.'s newest CD, and hopefully we see the guys back on stage later this year!

The other new album is a complete surprise, as defunct(?) local funk metal trio The Strange Coyotes quietly released their second album onto their Bandcamp page on Tuesday! Entitled "Strange Coyotes II", the album is actually the delayed culmination of their plans to release a live album recorded during their set at Sault Band-O-Rama at The Primavera Hall in November 2014 (their last concert to date), and that is basically what we have here, so it's great to have it out, even if 15 months after the fact! Released through PaperClip Productions, the live nature of it (and The Strange Coyotes' own improvised style) means that their set/this album has no songs in common with their 2013 self-titled debut album, but consequently, more familiar songs from their runs and from bassist James Watterworth's own solo repertoire! He is joined by singer/guitarist Chase Wigmore and drummer Mike Haggith here, but apparently, Chase had to bow out halfway through this set due to illness, so Crucify the Whore mainman Tyler Gibson (who played that show with Rotopsy) filled in for the remainder.

As well, there are five short filler tracks that Mike (who appears to have spearheaded this album's delayed release) recorded with former Haggith bandmate Jordan Leach, so keep those in mind as well. Copies of "Strange Coyotes II" can be bought for $5 through PaperClip Productions, and are available on Bandcamp on a "name your price" model, so be sure to check it out above! Now, with that said, will I.S.O.M. or Strange Coyotes be next for a CD review on the site? We can confirm that The Strange Coyotes are next in the coming week, as that's a brand new album (I.S.O.M.'s came out over 7 months ago), and we can tie it in with Mike's show with The Din earlier this month, but an I.S.O.M. review is definitely coming in the near future! Check out both CDs above!

Next up, here's the latest news from local alternative/hard rock trio The Pixo Control, starting with a disappointing note, as their planned show with Aldous at LopLops Lounge this Friday has been cancelled, as per the deletion of it's Facebook event page on Sunday. A reason for the cancellation was not announced, but hopefully nothing bad happened, and remember that Aldous will still be playing there at the Moon King concert on April 21st! However, there is good news, as The Pixo Control have released a teaser video to their YouTube channel featuring 20 seconds of footage for their first ever music video! It's for their song "Scratch" from December's debut CD "Probably Not", and it was filmed at The Townehouse Tavern in Sudbury when they played there last month. Of course, it features the band's current lineup performing, with mixer/masterer Dustin Goodall now the band's bassist.

Filming was done by Sudbury's Here Kitty Kitty Productions, who The Pixo Control had been filming "footage of all sorts" with at the time, and while one can assume this was the "salty surprise" that the band had mentioned, the teased acoustic performance is not available yet. This is labelled as the "1st teaser" in advance of a full release on March 25th, which strongly hints that more teasers of the full "Scratch" music video are coming, so be sure to be on the lookout for them, as this is shaping up well so far! Give the first teaser clip a look below, and stay tuned for more updates!

Lastly for today, here's the latest from local alternative hard rock band Id Iota, who have been relatively quiet since last summer, so what's new from their camp? The band (featuring Free Beer, Pixo Control, and Vertically Impaired alumni) has shared a pair of new updates on their Facebook page to note that "we've been secretly working on some stuff", and again referenced their current recording sessions, though it's not 100% official on if these are for an album or just some new studio songs. The band also shared this Facebook video of the aforementioned Dustin Goodall at the laptop with drummer Blair St. John listening to a track while delivering some percussion (of sorts) to it. Check it out below, and stay tuned for more!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more updates in the coming week and beyond! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soo Zombie Walk) & Integrated System Of Machines Updates!!

A new month is upon us, and before we know it, a new season will be too, so let's kick off September 2015 in style with a new news post on this Tuesday morning devoted to two topics: A major recent concert set by a returning local band, and a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month, so here's what you should know!

The band lineup has been announced for next month's seventh annual Soo Zombie Walk, so what should you know for this year? Returning to The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre for a third straight year on Saturday, October 24th, the musical entertainment will once again rock out there prior to the walk itself, but things are now both later and condensed, with pre-walk activities taking place from 4:00-6:00 PM rather than 2:00-5:00 PM. The lineup will be familiar from last year though, with listed performers including local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage headlining in their fifth straight Zombie Walk set, so look for more zombified originals from these crash favourites in their third show of the year! Sudbury unplugged hard rock band Aggressive Acoustic (fronted by ex-Sykotyk Rampage bassist Brian Cattapan) are listed as co-headlining, which is a bit of a surprise given that the band apparently parted ways in December, as per their Facebook page.

Have they reformed, will this be a solo performance by Brian, or is there an error? We'll let you know if we hear anything, but it'd be nice to see Brian back home again! Two local solo musicians will open things, including Northwest guitarist Greg Callaghan (in his third straight Zombie Walk set) and ex-Phlashback/Kick Start guitarist Terry Becker (brother of Sykotyk Rampage's Paul & Dirk Becker), which is awesome to see, especially given his recent health battles, so don't bypass his set! Other pre-walk activities will include zombie face painting, a photo booth, games & contests, local vendors and merchants, and more, so visit the official Facebook event page for full details on what to expect before the walk! Zombies will take to the streets for the walk at 6:00 PM, with prizes and the closing ceremony at 7:00 PM. Also, the 19+ afterparty will return to Coch's Corner after spending last year at Wacky Wings, but given the post-2012 shift of the main musical entertainment to the pre-show, don't expect much for live bands there beyond possible acoustic acts, though we did get a few there in 2013.

Admission is $3 + a canned food donation for attendees, while kids are FREE with a canned good, and check the above links for more details! It's great to see the Zombie Walk back, and at a slightly later time (and still on the week prior to Halloween) to boot, though local metal and punk fans may find themselves pulling double duty given that night's Ripcordz concert just down the road at The Algonquin Pub. Keep this fun annual family event in mind for your Halloween season plans, especially if you love Sykotyk Rampage and related bands, and stay tuned for updates!

We'll close today with some excellent new footage of the recently reunited Integrated System of Machines from their return show at July's P.O.D. concert at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Filmed by Wayne Kozeyah at W.K. Media and uploaded to his YouTube channel on Thursday, this follows earlier rough cut samples from the show that he uploaded, but none were labelled as being of the local epic metal quintet, hence why we didn't know about them at the time. Apparently the first time that Wayne and/or W.K. Media have been on hand to film a full concert set like this, three camera angles captured the show, including a drum-cam (possibly a GoPro) on Bart Rennels, giving a unique first person view to much of it! In order, the performed songs include "Screams", "Patterns", "Stays The Same", "I.S.O.M.", "The Writer", "Last Time", "Prison Farm", and a short song whose title isn't given. Long time fans should know that "Patterns", "The Writer", "Prison Farm", and the closer were not on their prior CD "Apocalyptic Vision", so give those an extra look!

Now, you may notice that frontman Orb Hearthstone indicated during between-song banter that they had a CD (and t-shirts) on sale during this show, and the songs they played during their set were on the album in order, so it looks like the current lineup re-recorded four songs from "Apocalyptic Vision", but as you can tell from this video, there are two major differences. Obviously, there's no keyboardist anymore (Craig Harrison didn't return and wasn't replaced for the reunion), and Orb's growling is far less utilized than in their original incarnation, which fans will notice when comparing the old studio versions of these songs ("I.S.O.M." aside, which didn't have growling originally.) I have no idea yet whether this CD is a fully packaged and pressed release, or just a loose demo like Elipzis and Half a Man distributed at concerts, but I would be very curious to hear these songs in studio form!

In any event, copies would likely be available at future concerts when announced, though no word on if Grooves Music would have stock of it. Of course, if the band had new online pages to plug their shows and recordings, that'd be an obvious plus, but no word on if a new online presence is imminent. The video itself is excellent, albeit without as many camera angle switches as it could have used, and the new I.S.O.M. lineup sounds great! Solid work all around, so give WK Media's full I.S.O.M. concert video a look below, and stay tuned for more from the guys when announced!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

P.O.D./Hoobastank/Fuel Concert Fallout & Videos!!

It took a few days for videos to turn up, but now there are a good amount, so here's a post dedicated to Friday's P.O.D./Hoobastank/Fuel concert at The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! By every account that I've heard, the show was a hit, so what should you know from it? Local2 crossed the border to film this video featuring clips of the three headlining bands on multiple cameras, capturing P.O.D. playing "Boom" & a song that I can't place (might it be brand new or from a jam?), Hoobastank playing "Crawling In The Dark" and "The Reason", and Fuel playing "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)". Nice multi-angle footage of the headliners, and all sound pretty good if you're a fan of theirs, so be sure to check out Local2's coverage above! Remember, we can't embed their videos here, as their host doesn't allow external embedding. The rest of our videos come from attendee Christopher Paci (a frequent filmer of Kewadin and larger local hard rock shows), who shot 12 videos from the show for his YouTube channel, as uploaded in recent days, and while there's nothing of openers Lights Out Paris & Redburn, he got some solid footage of the other four bands, so what do we have?

We'll start with the headliners,  San Diego alternative metal quartet P.O.D., who Christopher filmed playing their songs "Alive", "Boom", "Roots In Stereo", and as embedded below, "Youth Of The Nation", which saw frontman Sonny Sandoval invite a few kids in attendance on stage to party with the band with them, which occurs often in P.O.D. concerts during this song. Though the audio can be a little scratchy on heavier stretches, these are solid performances all around from this popular hard rock band, with all four songs familiar from their classic era, so give Chris' P.O.D. videos a look above & below!



Chris also filmed four videos of California hard rock quartet Hoobastank's set, including their songs "Running Away", "Crawling In The Dark", "Pieces", and as embedded below, "The Reason". Nice energy and enthusiasm on these videos, with Hoobastank seeming to barely age from their peak, and these familiar hits of theirs should get a good response if you can get around the sometimes scratchy audio! Check it all out above & below!



And yes, Chris also got three videos of Pennsylvania post-grunge quartet Fuel's set, those being of their songs "Shimmer", "Last Time", and as embedded below, "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)", which Chris incorrectly titled "Don't Fall Away". Very reliable sounding compared to Fuel's studio recordings, fans should get a kick out of these songs, filmed at a nice angle like with Chris' other clips, so give his Fuel videos a look above and below!



We'll close with one last video from Christopher's channel, this time of returning local epic metal quintet Integrated System Of Machines, so what do we know now? According to the video, the band no longer has a keyboardist as a permanent live band member, Chris Leask appears to be on guitar rather than his Power Slug bass role (Art Dietz is on bass), and as for their second guitarist, we can now confirm that his name is Jonathan Bennett, according to tagged pictures from Chris Leask's personal Facebook page. I can't find much on Jon's past band work (all I found was an old personal MySpace page that shows him playing with an unidentified band), but he's a solid player and does the solo in the video from the concert (and on a Dean ML, no less!) Chris Paci filmed I.S.O.M. playing their own self-titled song from their debut album "Apocalyptic Vision", which was one of their more accessible early tracks, so if you're not a fan of death metal or super-aggressive vocals, this one might be up your alley!

Note that there's also a personal Facebook video floating around of the end of one of I.S.O.M.'s songs, but it's strictly focused on Jonathan only, so keep that in mind if you're friends of his friends.  It's great to see Orb bring Integrated Systems Of Machines back at last, and they sound good here, but how are the album plans coming? Will we see them again soon? Will they launch new online pages? We'll keep you posted, but re-integrate yourself with I.S.O.M. below!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Banned) & Sault Michigan Weekend Concert Previews!!

As previously indicated, today's second post dives into a busy weekend in Sault Michigan and Eastern U.P. hard rock concerts, including SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the next two nights, and a preview of a major six band Kewadin Casino event, but be sure to check out this weekend's Sault Ontario concert previews in the post below this one! Now, here's your hard rock concert previews in Sault Michigan and area for this weekend!

Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock trio Banned will rock The Islander Bar in nearby Hessel TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, these shows were originally announced on Banned's Facebook page last month in a concert schedule posting, but they slipped us by until this week. Usually, the guys play at The Runway Bar when they play in Hessel (including at their most recent regional show on June 13th), so The Islander is an unknown commodity for our coverage, but it's located at 134 South Pickford Avenue, and is actually located in a century-old building that once served Hessel as a general store and ice cream parlor, so there's definitely history with this bar! They do book the occasional live band, so might we see more bands (including Banned) there in the coming months? For reference, Alex, Don, and Wayne also hit the road to play shows in Blaney Park and Curtis since their last Soo-area shows, plus a private party of some kind.

This weekend's Hessel concerts have 9:00 PM start times, 21+ age limits, and no announced cover charge, so for more details, visit the above links, and if you want to check out Banned's hard rock covers over the holiday weekend, you know where to be! For a preview, here's Banned live last summer!



Next up, here's a preview of one of the biggest major hard rock concerts of the year, as three multi-platinum selling bands will rock The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino TOMORROW NIGHT! Those three bands are San Diego alternative metal quartet P.O.D. (in their local debut), California hard rockers Hoobastank (last seen opening for Staind here in 2009) and Pennsylvania post-grunge quartet Fuel (who opened for Buckcherry here three years ago), and this stacked lineup is responsible for many huge hits of the past two decades, like "Youth of the Nation", "The Reason", "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)", and many more, so Rock 101 listeners are bound to like at least one of these three headliners! Note as well that Fuel will have a different drummer than they had in 2012, with Shannon Boone in and Ken Schalk out. Openers will include Rochester, New York post-hardcore band Lights Out Paris, Saginaw rap/rock quintet Redburn (who opened for Saving Abel earlier this year in the Soo), and the long awaited reunion of local epic metal quintet Integrated System of Machines!

After a 5 or 6 year breakup, the band's new lineup (Orb Hearthstone, Art Dietz, Chris Leask, Bart Rennels, and Jon, last name to be determined) are back in a big way with new material, so don't miss I.S.O.M.'s resurgence TOMORROW! Promoted by new local agency Superior Entertainment, tickets are still available from the third row & back for $38.50 in advance or $42.50 at the door at this link, at the in-person box office, or at 1-800-KEWADIN. This is ALL AGES, and a 7:00 PM start time is advertised. With 12 top 10 Billboard chart songs between P.O.D., Hoobastank, and Fuel, you won't want to miss this one, so be there TOMORROW, and here's P.O.D. live!



Also this weekend, Traverse City metal trio Scarkazm are returning to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Fresh off of last weekend's Savoy debut in Sault Michigan, the band from Peril's Adam Crawford & Jeff Hudson will be making their first St. Ignace stops in four months this weekend, so if you've missed this popular Northern Michigan band's originals and covers since their last St. Ignace dates (or missed last weekend's shows in the Soo), and if you're not seeing P.O.D. tomorrow, here's a solid option for your weekend concert plans! There is no announced cover charge for either of Scarkazm's concerts this weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and there's a likely 9:00 PM start time in effect both nights. For more details, check the above links, and definitely keep Scarkazm's return in mind for this weekend! Here's Scarkazm live!



Finally for today, we'll head to the aforementioned Savoy Bar & Nightclub in Sault Michigan, where newer local hard rock quartet Ten Kings will return for Independence Day weekend shows TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Making their second weekend appearance at The Savoy, this weekend's shows are part of The Savoy's returning Summerfest outdoor concert series, which sees bands playing on an outdoor stage behind the venue (Scarkazm kicked things off last week.) Great to see Ten Kings hopping on board for some live concerts over this popular series, so don't miss this familiar quartet this weekend as you celebrate the Fourth of July! No word yet though on who's playing The Savoy in upcoming Summerfest weekends, and if you were curious, the bar's hosting karaoke inside while the bands rock outside (source here.) There is no announced cover for this weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and there are 10:00 PM start times, so check the above links for more details, and here's Ten Kings live!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post and more updates tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Emergency Festival), Gatgas Concert Preview, And More!!

Barring a late notice Saturday nighter or extremely late notice show tonight, we're closing out this weekend's concert previews today with a big hardcore punk show tomorrow night, but joining it today are updates for a major upcoming Sault Michigan show, a new video from a rising young band, and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for August! Read on below for what you should know, and check out this month's Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile in the post below this one!

Here's some long awaited venue confirmation on this year's second annual Emergency Festival on Saturday, August 15th, so where's the LopLops Lounge-promoted music & arts festival being held? Well, how does Rocky DiPietro Field at The John Rhodes Community Centre sound? Due to the ongoing debate over the future of The Sault Downtown Association and postponement of their outdoor Queen Street events this summer, The Emergency Festival will move to the football field at 260 Elizabeth Street (not far from the skatepark) for it's second year, which sounds like a good location to keep this successful sophomore event going after another "emergency" affecting the summer concert calendar! No word yet on the band setup, including on if there will be multiple stages as was previously intended, but we'll keep you posted. As previously announced, The Emergency Festival will welcome local punk/alternative bands The Pixo Control, Gnaeus, and Northwest alongside a large out-of-town roster of primarily folk, roots, and indie rock artists, so click here for full current lineup details!

Also scheduled to have a special Art In The Park exhibition, The Emergency will again be an ALL AGES event at 12:00 PM on August 15th, with tickets going on sale at LopLops, Case's Music, and Dish Espresso Bar & Cafe at 740 Queen Street East tomorrow. Oddly, tickets will be $25 until July 2nd, then they'll jump $5 a month until August, so there's incentive to get yours early! Students with school ID will get in for $20, and kids under 14 are admitted FREE. Amidst all of the downtown association struggles, it's great to see Stephen and everyone at LopLops keeping The Emergency going, so check the above links for more details, and stay tuned for updates as they come in!

Next up, here's our preview of the fifth installment of Tidal Records & J.D. Pearce's Gonqshow summer concert series, as London hardcore punk quartet Gatgas will headline at The Algonquin Pub TOMORROW NIGHT! Featuring Saultites Bob Bromley Jr. & Garry Ingram in their lineup, fans may remember their memorable local debut at last fall's Hardcore Homecoming concert upstairs at The Rockstar Bar, but now they're headlining downstairs and should be up to their usual old school hardcore tricks! Local support will come via two of the local openers from last fall, those being local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades and local hardcore/punk sextet Destroilet (in just their third show with two singers), and given the presence of both Gatgas & Destroilet, might we see another Fistmagnet reunion of sorts like we saw at Hardcore Homecoming? It was a crowd pleaser, hopefully there's a reprise of it! Note that the Gonqshow event page still lists newer local metal trio Faceityoureametalband as opening, but they have since been removed from the concert's event page, and are not listed on the show's poster.

A reason for their exit hasn't been announced, but frontman Steve Mozarowski went on a trip to British Columbia this week as per personal Facebook postings, so that could be related. Hopefully we hear from his new band again soon though! Note also that I'm not sure if the presented band order on the poster is accurate (which would see Gatgas sandwiched between the local bands) or if they will indeed be last. This 19+ concert has a $10 cover charge and a 10:00 PM start time, so for more details, visit the above links! It's great to have Gatgas back (and Bob & Garry back home), so keep this show in mind for TOMORROW, and here's Gatgas live earlier this month!



Also today, here's some news concerning the P.O.D./Hoobastank/Fuel concert at The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino this coming Friday, including news of a late addition to the lineup, them being Rochester, New York post-hardcore band Lights Out Paris! Our source is co-promoter John Yeubanks on the Facebook event page on Monday. Currently slotted as the third of now six bands, Lights Out Paris have an intense modern hardcore sound that almost sounds like it'd better fit an Oddfellows Hall show, so don't miss them amidst the hard rock action next week! Also, in terms of the returning Integrated System of Machines (who will reunite after a 5 year breakup for this show), their teased new album is reportedly finished mixing, and sounds close to being done entirely according to frontman Orb Hearthstone's personal Facebook page! Remember, I.S.O.M. don't have a new updated online page as of this writing, we'll let you know if one turns up in the future.

Also, a separate personal posting confirms that I.S.O.M.'s new lineup will be a five-piece, with Orb, Chris Leask, Art Dietz, and Bart Rennels joined by a musician with the first name Jon, though I can't confirm a last name or instrument role yet (though process of elimination points to either the guitar or keyboard.) It is great to have Integrated System of Machines back, and hopefully we hear much more from them soon! Stay tuned for details on this huge concert, and get your tickets A.S.A.P. at this link!

Finally for today, here'a a light new video from the aforementioned Gnaeus, courtesy of their YouTube channel on Tuesday! It's of the local post-punk quartet watching their Lopstock II YouTube video on TV via a Playstation 3, so we're literally watching the guys watch themselves, though there is a temporary break late when bassist Matt Fronzi arrives with McDonald's food. Light and amusing, so check out Gnaeus' new video below, and don't miss drummer Brendan Garlick filling in with Long Shot TONIGHT at The Rockstar Bar, as per personal Facebook postings!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more this weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (P.O.D. & Theory Of A Deadman), The Return Of I.S.O.M., And Theatre Of Night Updates!!

For the first time in what seems like way too long, we have an all-Sault Michigan post for you guys on this Saturday afternoon, so what lies within? Updates from a popular local studio metal project, a surprise return of a related metal band, and two major LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the Soo Kewadin this summer, so here's what you need to know!

A huge modern/alternative rock concert is hitting The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on Friday, July 3rd that will feature three multi-platinum selling rock bands! The listed headliners are San Diego alternative metal quartet P.O.D. (best known for hits like "Alive" & "Youth of the Nation") in their first local concert appearance, and they'll be joined by fellow California hard rockers Hoobastank (who you may remember from their hits "Crawling In The Dark" & "The Reason") and Pennsylvania post-grunge quartet Fuel (of "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)" & "Shimmer" fame), and given their familiar rock radio hits and long standing success, it's great to have all three here! You may also recognize Hoobastank & Fuel from opening for Staind in 2009 and Buckcherry in 2012 respectively at The Dreammaker's Theatre, though Fuel have since changed drummers, with Shannon Boone now behind the kit in place of Ken Schalk. If you've missed both bands in recent years, then circle July 3rd on your calendars!

Support will come via Saginaw rap/rock band Redburn (who opened for Saving Abel earlier this year, among other local appearances) and.... Integrated System of Machines?! You read that right, the local epic metal band has reunited after a 6 year breakup and will play live for the first time in the 2010s at this show, which is awesome to hear! Though fans did get unofficial successors End of Existence in studio in recent years, I.S.O.M. had their own big following at their late 2000s peak, including one CD, but what else do we know about their reunion? While I haven't found a newly updated online page for I.S.O.M., personal Facebook postings imply that their new lineup features original singer Bob Helsten (a.k.a. Orb Hearthstone), his Power Slug bandmate Chris Leask on bass, drummer Bart Rennels (a.k.a. Black Trab), and guitarist(?) Art Dietz, with longtime keyboardist Craig "Tubesock" Harrison noticeably absent.

This doesn't appear to be a one-off, as one Facebook posting suggests that I.S.O.M. are working on a demo of some kind, but we'll keep you posted when/if more is announced, and Integrated System of Machines are now back in our active band links! As for the P.O.D./Hoobastank/Fuel concert in general, it is being promoted by local MMA promoter Robin Cook via his new concert promotion agency Superior Entertainment (also now in our links), who also put on the Saving Abel show earlier this year. Tickets for this ALL AGES show are $38.50 in advance or $42.50 at the door, and you can buy tickets right now at this link, at the in-person box office, or at 1-800-KEWADIN. For more details on this huge upcoming show, check the above links, and stay tuned as updates roll in!

One more big modern rock concert is hitting The Dreammaker's Theatre this year (just one week after P.O.D. in fact), as British Columbia hard rock quartet Theory of a Deadman will rock the Sault Kewadin on Friday, July 10th! Making their second local concert appearance (after a headlining show at The Dreammaker's Theater in 2012), Theory of a Deadman have 3 platinum albums in Canada, and are well known from hit songs like "Bad Girlfriend", " Lowlife", and "Nothing Could Come Between Us", and their own familiar hits and selection of heavier favourite should serve them and fans well during this stop on their Summer Savages Tour The announced openers are Missouri hard rock quintet Shaman's Harvest, who have charted some rock rasdio hits with songs like "Dragonfly" & "Dangeorous", and should fit in nicely in their local concert debut on July 10th! There will reportedly be one more band added to the lineup, we'll let you know when/if they're announced.

Promoted by Allstar Promotions in their third show since resurging (though their first in their usual modern rock wheelhouse since then), this show has a flat $36.50 ticket fee, and like the P.O.D. show, tickets for this ALL AGES event are available at this link, at the in-person box office, or at 1-800-KEWADIN. For more details (including a Facebook contest from Allstar Promotions where you could win backstage and/or meet & greet passes), visit the above links! These two shows will help bolster the summer concert season in the twin Saults, so if you enjoy modern hard and alternative rock, definitely keep your eyes on these two July shows! Stay tuned for more info!

We'll close today's all-Sault Michigan post with some news from local classical metal band Theatre of Night, so what's been going on in their camp? In terms of new music, the band featuring I.S.O.M. and End of Existence alumni have uploaded new "zombie soundtrack" songs named "Demonslayer" and "Revenge of the Living Dead" to their Reverbnation page, but whether this is an intended album theme or not isn't stated there. Both sound good and dramatic, so check them out above! Theatre of Night have also launched a campaign on the crowdfunding website Patreon, which is like Kickstarter, but allows fans to fund artists per each completed work to help them continue producing more in their medium. A lengthy biography written by keyboardist Craig Harrison can be read there, where he outlines Theatre of Night's history and past work, and it's a nice read! That said, if you pledge money to fund Theatre of Night projects, what will you get?

If you pledge $1 per song, you can get new songs as released for free plus possibly studio outtakes and Craig's own art prints. Higher amounts (i.e. $100 and $200 a song) could see money donated to the Wounded Warrior Project or you recieving ALL produced music. Crowdfunding is still a new and hit & miss idea for local bands, but hopefully fans can jump on board to help Craig, Steve, and Gaby to continue making music and finally get that third CD out, so click here for full details on the Patreon campaign, and stay tuned!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for an all-Sault Ontario news post tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Merry Christmas From The Sault Metal Scene!!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you guys got lots of presents and are enjoying the holiday season, and as  one last present for you guys, we have a very seasonal post today full of Christmas surprises and holiday-referencing videos from recent years, including info on a Christmas album you guys should get, a Christmas-draped performance from a couple of years ago, and our last surprise audio uploads for the year, but first, here's this week's classic video (and our final one of 2012!)

Knowing that the last full week of 2012 would fall over Christmas, a seasonal metal video would work here if it was able to find, and we found one, as this is of defunct Sault Ontario metal quartet Fountain of Betrayal covering "The 12 Days of Christmas" at a Case's Music event on December 21st, 2008! We already uploaded one Facebook video of F.O.B.'s set that day onto our YouTube channel (a Beastie Boys cover), but this one fully embraces the Christmas spirit, with the 2008 Case's Battle of the Bands winners putting a hard rock spin on this classic carol! Now, it is differently arranged and shortened, but the members do show their talents for their young ages, including March Into Regression bassist Tyler St. Amour on bass & vocals, his brother/bandmate Travis on drums, and guitarists Chris West and Ryan (last name unknown, any help?) If anything, the shortening of the song doesn't work to it's advantage as it's too obvious for the cuts, but it's well performed, especially knowing that the members were preteens at the time! This was originally uploaded to Facebook by attendee Kelly Godson the day of the show, and you can view the original video at http://facebook.com/photo.php?v=105145970261.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!! All credit for this video goes to Fountain of Betrayal and Kelly, I'm just trying to share it with a deserving wider audience! For seasonal local metal, this video should work well, so check it out below, and stay tuned for news on the St. Amour brothers' next band projects when/if I hear of them!

Next up, here's our final surprise Christmas audio uploads of the year, and it's a full CD, that being defunct Sault Michigan metal band Integrated System of Machines' only album "Apocalyptic Vision"! One of the most prominent original metal acts in the area in the mid-late 2000s, I.S.O.M. independently released this album on March 6th, 2008, with it being available at the band's later concerts, as well as online through various sites for a couple years afterward. As best as I can tell, the band's lineup on this album featured Powerslug drummer Bob "Orb Hearthstone" Helsten on vocals, along with Chris Sevens on guitar, J. Rizzo on bass, former Dust N' Bones drummer Bart "Black Trab" Rennels, End of Existence/Theater of Night keyboardist Craig "Tubesock" Harrison, and Rachel Mender on operatic & backing vocals. Some of the lineup information is incomplete, but if you can fill in any blanks, let me know! Little else is publically known on the album through surviving online pages, but it's definitely out of print now, and I don't believe it's even on sale digitally on any active music websites.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!! All 10 of these songs deserve a wider audience, especially to introduce I.S.O.M. to newer fans, though partial successors End of Existence's first album does share many sound similarities. I won't individually credit every song from this album on here just to save space, but click here to see each YouTube upload, and of course, you can stream the album through I.S.O.M.'s Reverbnation page. It's a solid quality album of epic death metal, with nice heavy riffs and brutal vocal work (as alluded to in my review of this album), despite some production flaws, so check out the album's title track below, and more at the above links!

We'll close our Christmas Day post with just some light seasonal fare, starting with I.S.O.M. keyboard slayer Craig Harrison's current work, including the classical metal band Theatre of Night, who are hard at work once again on their ever-evolving debut CD "Christmas Night"! Originally released in the fall of 2010, the album has been re-released once already, and while a planned 2012 re-release with new downloadable tracks hasn't came out (from what I've seen), the best is yet to come next year, as they're overhauling the album with new arrangements and material featuring German soprano vocalist Gaby Koss! The first samples with her on vocals came out a couple weeks ago, and you can of course search the SMS using the form in the upper left for detailed coverage of their recent activity and 2013 plans. For today, enjoy the band's most recent video, which features Theater of Night's rendition of "What Child Is This?" with Gaby's very impressive singing, and keep an eye out for more big news from the Theatre of Night camp in the coming months!



Lastly, here's a video from December 27th, 2010, when three local bands descended upon Foggy Notions (now Coch's Corner) for The Nightmare After Christmas Party! Despite numerous pre-show lineup changes and a visit by the police over a noise complaint, the concert was a hit, from RedD Monkey's entertaining headlining set to the impromptu return of Reagle Beagle, but the video we're focusing on is from Frightlight, who added a belated festive spin to their set by having the members & stage decked out in Christmas attire (with a horror flair, of course!) Featuring the band's late 2010-early 2011 lineup (singer Johnny Pints, guitarist Rick Styles, bassist Eddie Fright, and ex-drummer Jeff "The Count" De Rose), this video is of their song "C.H.U.D.", which definitely isn't seasonal, but it's a cool song all the while! Apologies for the quality, I believe I used a borrowed camera that night. Quite possibly the last Christmas themed concert at Foggy's before it's name & owner changes, this was a solid show from what I remember (I still have the band-autographed bloody Santa shirt), and you can catch a glimpse of what went down 2 years ago below!



Once again, merry Christmas from the SMS, and here's to an even better holiday season in 2013! We'll be back to normal news and posts tomorrow, including this month's Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile on The Dyadics in the next few days! (Maybe tomorrow, but it depends on personal timing.) That and more are coming though, so stay tuned!

Integrated System Of Machines - "Apocalyptic Vision" Review!!

It's that time again, for another local metal CD review! It's my 10th since I started this monthly feature, and we're heading back to Sault Michigan this time around, as this month's review is of the only released album from defunct local epic death metal band Integrated System of Machines, entitled "Apocalyptic Vision"! Released n March 6th, 2008, it was available at the band's concerts, but is now out of print. Lineup information concerning I.S.O.M. is not easy to verify, so if there's a mistake in the band's lineup on this album, or an incomplete spelling, let me know! I believe the lineup that recorded "Apocalyptic Vision" included frontman Bob "Orb Hearthstone" Helsten (now of Powerslug), Chris Sevens on guitar, J. Rizzo on bass, End of Existence/Theater of Night keyboardist Craig "Tubesock" Harrison, Rachel Mender on operatic vocals, and Bart "Black Trab" Rennels on drums.

Currently, "Apocalyptic Vision" is available for free streaming on I.S.O.M.'s Reverbnation page, while I don't believe it's available for purchase on any major music download websites at present. Physical copies may be floating around at local merchants, so keep your eyes peeled! With 10 songs clocking in at over 45 minutes worth of metal, let us begin the review with the album's first song and title track! And remember, I'm not a professional reviewer, these are my impressions and thoughts as I hear each song in order on the album, if something's wrong, misstated, or lacking info, let me know! (Updated on November 6th, 2012)

"Apocalyptic Vision" kicks off the album with a 45 second slow dirge-like keyboard intro from Craig Harrison, which seems to set the tone for the song. Then the heaviness kicks in, and here's my first complaint: It sounds muffled. Nothing's badly played, it just lacks the punch and volume to pull me in because of the production. I imagine these songs would sound much clearer and be harder hitting live! That's not a critique towards the band though, they're certainly not at fault! Orb Hearthstone shows off his death metal vocals very well here, he has an awesome death metal voice that suits the band extremely well, it's too bad he and the band parted ways! Clear too, you can make out words unlike some death metal singers, and I always welcome that! Everything's very nicely mixed, each instrument's easy to make out! Craig Harrison's keyboards don't sound forced, Chris Sevens has some great riffing (though I would have liked a guitar solo), and J. Rizzo's not a bad bassist either, he has some good lines! Honestly, vocals aside, this song doesn't have a real "death metal" sound, the vocals are from where I get that comparison, the song itself has more of a progressive/power feel at points! Great opener, very headbangable, it gives you a good glimpse about what to expect in future songs!

"Road To Valhalla" is second on the album, and the first to feature operatic backing vocals from Rachel Mender. It's shorter and more to the point than "Apocalyptic Vision" was, though not as fast. It has more of a conventional song structure too, but it's still a good song! Orb still sounds great vocally, though the combination of Orb and Rachel singing the chorus simultaneously actually doesn't totally work, they're too different in style for it to really "mesh". Rachel has a good voice that harmonizes well, and aside from the chorus, she totally fits! My other major complaints: The chorus is more repetitive than it could be, and again, no guitar solo. But it is still a catchy song, I like the guitar work from Chris especially! Slower and shorter, yes, but still lively and despite my complaints, it's definitely not a bad song, I just expected more out of it.

Next is the band's self titled song, "I.S.O.M.", which is definitely the album's most commercial track. It's one of two on the disc that go under 4 minutes, it has a typical song structure, and Orb's not growling! He sings with a normal hard rock voice, and honestly, he should use it more, it'd give some extra variety to the other songs, as long as he doesn't overdo it. The chorus is great to sing along with: "Oh noooo, they try to integrate meeeeee!" Listen for yourself and you'll see what I mean. I like the drum intro too, though it would benefit from improved production! Amazingly, it's the album's radio-friendliest song that has the first solo, and though it's short and not mindblowing, it is still well performed, I wanna see more! The song also seems to end abruptly too. Though not their best or most original, it shows some diversity that the first two songs didn't show, and the band could integrate that into future songs! I can picture this making it onto radio if it had better production!

Fourth is "DaVinci's Code", and this is where the band starts to pull together all their best elements into a standout song! The opening builds in a way with some weird backing vocal chanting and instrumental work to a very catchy main riff! Here, Rachel's operatic singing completely works, it flows with the song and doesn't sound forced! Black Trab's drumming is really good, and Craig's keyboards add a nice atmosphere to the background! 3:10 in, the main vocals finally get more diverse, nice to see Orb throw in his clean voice to the heavier songs! And yes, we have a guitar solo! It's slow to pick up, but near the end, it really gets going! It's good, I just wish there was more! But like with the last song, it has an abrupt ending which I didn't see coming. It's fast and heavy and really well played, the band really is hitting their stride after some mixed results on the last couple songs. Definitely my favourite song so far!

After that, we get "Stays The Same", which has the most reserved start to any song so far, a very melodic softer opening with completely clean vocals from Orb, who really impresses me here, he has a pretty good range that I'd like to see him use more! A lot of these songs could work equally well, or better, with the normal singing in place of the death growling! After about a minute though, things pick up, with some awesome keyboard work and some good harmonizing between Orb's death growls and Rachel's operatic vocals, they definitely work better here! The song alternates between "soft and heavy" twice before we end with a guitar-driven section that sounds good, though an actual solo would have been a great capper! This song is one of the best examples of their varying styles, showing the lighter and heavier sides equally, I really like this song too! "Screams" begins the album's second half with a drum-driven opener and a cool chugging riff that comes about as close to typical death metal as you'll see on "Apocalyptic Vision"! There's even breakdowns past the halfway point! Despite the name though, there isn't a lot of screaming as much as just death metal vocals. Nice harsh ones too! This time, Rachel's singing is slightly drowned out, but it's not bad for accompaniment! The ending really works too, it has a lot of energy Black Trab's drums are really good! Excellent song, especially if you want something more "death metal"!

...OK, I change my mind, THIS is the most "death metal" song! "Words To Say" is absolutely the heaviest thing on this album, the riffs are brutal and Orb sounds especially fierce! It's also the shortest song, at 3:36, and they pack this song full! The backing vocals from Rachel Mender are really out of place in the chorus, which is not a critique of her abilties, she's really good, but it just doesn't fit. That aside, I'm really impressed with this song, this WILL get a mosh pit going at a live concert! The ending is especially fast, the guitar work has some good harmonics, I'm just missing a solo, the song could use a nice fast blazing solo! Great great song, this might just be my favourite! Track 8 is "March of the Norsemen", which is also the album's longest and it has an absolute epic of an opening, perfect for a march or entrance, almost sounds like it came from a video game! Not the heaviest or fastest song, but it's well crafted, possibly the best musically on the album! Awesome lyrics about vikings, and some excellent guitar work and bass lines! The best solo on the album is on this song too, they put all their talent into making this song the album's best, and it shows! It's not my personal favourite, but it's right up there, and you'll wanna check it out! Also, the ending is extra-fast, but also ends a bit abruptly....what's with that?

The penultimate song is "Last Time", which has a softer opening much like "Stays The Same", soft guitars and clean singing, but if you're expecting a ballad, think again! Nice , heavy, and relatively short, it gets the job done pretty nicely! Drums are well played, and for the first time, Rachel gets some extended solo singing passages rather than serving as a backup or additional singer! I know she's not with I.S.O.M. anymore, but it would have been cool to see her get more solo time on some new material! It's more of the same from older tracks, nothing mindlbowingly different, and no solo, but here's what surprised me: After about 3:08, the song switches to an acoustic guitar ending, Chris plays this well, this would fit especially well if this was the album's last song, but there's still one more to go! "Hunt For The Beast" is the album's closer, and it brings an awesome heavy onslaught to end "Apocalyptic Vision" on a high note! Not as heavy as "Words To Say" to be sure, but still quite a good song! The guitars and bass chug along in a very heavy fashion, the vocals harmonize well, and like I said with other songs, the drums are solid! Great closer in itself, but it ends in a way like "Last Time" did, with a slow section featuring one band member, in this case, Craig on the keyboards! Kind of a depressing slow end, but it completely fits, and makes you want more! Great closer, another highlight!

Overall, "Apocalyptic Vision" is a solid debut album from Integrated System of Machines! The band at the time had good chemistry, supported by some awesome death metal vocals from Orb Hearthstone, gome good guitar work from Chris Sevens, and consistently great keyboard playing from Craig Harrison! J. Rizzo's good on bass throughout too, no complaints there, and Black Trab keeps a good pace on the drums throughout! Rachel Mender sometimes got lost amongst Orb's growling, but she shone bright when the moment was right! For a first effort, you can't expect the world, and I didn't, but there is things to complain about, largest of which isn't the band's fault. The production isn't very good, every song on "Apocalyptic Vision" sounds muffled, and compared to other local bands' albums I have, it plays very quietly and the instruments, though mixed well, seem way too reserved than how the band's collective talent would show, especially the bass. But when I review albums, I review on their musical ability and my own enjoyment of their skill, talent, and writing, not production deficiencies. Maybe that's why I like "Born Again" by Black Sabbath so much even though the production's bad on that, I look for the talent, and I.S.O.M. have it!

I'd also have liked to have seen more solo work, Chris has talent but his solos could stand to be more varied, most of them sounded pretty much the same. He's a great guitarist, he just needs to work on his solos a bit. I'd, again, have loved to see more solo time for Rachel as a singer, hopefully Mara Raven (her replacement) gets some more solo passages on their next album! The production also gets in the way of otherwise-good drumming from Black Trab, and Orb's singing, though 100% awesome, could use some variance on some songs (for example, growled verses, clean choruses.) Maybe the new singer will be more varied? Still, complaints aside, remember this was their debut, and for an independent debut, I couldn't have asked for more! There's some real ambitious songs, a lot of headbangers, and great music all around! I heard that I.S.O.M.'s next album is going to be a concept album based around Hansel & Gretel, and if handled correctly with some better production, it will be something special! Pick up "Apocalyptic Vision" today, look past the muffled sound, and get your horns ready!

So that's this month's review! My next review will be in the second full week of May, and barring the release of a new album from a local metal band (you never know!), my review will be my long-planned re-review of Garden of Bedlam's debut EP! I've been unhappy with my original review of it for months now, so I plan to revisit it to give it a look more akin to my last 10 album reviews, and after that, we'll dip back into the archives this summer, with new releases dotted into the schedule where needed! Lots of albums to get to in the future, but let's not spoil anything I have planned, I want things to be surprises! But don't worry, there will be no skipped months, I have reviews lined up to cover over two years, and counting! And of course, if you have an album I don't (e.g. As It Stands, Infrastrate, Harsh Heads, old cassettes, etc.), LET ME KNOW!

News shall return soon, so stay tuned for all the local metal updates you can handle very soon! Thanks everyone, hope you enjoyed the review!