The Bear Hunters - "Collapse The Sun" Single Review!!

It's now time for our 160th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and after a long stretch of new album reviews, nothing new that isn't in our anti-bias buffer period is left for local metal, hard rock, or punk bands, so we're dipping into the archives. I usually give precedence to artists who played live this month in some form, and as two members of this band played live with Handsome Sandwich at The Soo's Got Talent finals earlier this month, let's take a look at inactive local death metal quintet The Bear Hunters' 2014 single "Collapse The Sun"! Released on November 6th, 2014 as a pre-release teaser for their debut studio album "Eternal Hibernation" later that month, the single was produced at White Wreckords with producer/ex-Redundant bassist James White, and was sold & mastered through guitarist Mitch Sirie's own imprint Edge of Eden Productions.

"Collapse The Sun" features The Bear Hunters' classic lineup, including Chronic Demonic singer Nik Deubel, Mitch and ex-Bring The Fallen frontman Josh Stephney on guitar, Exploring Detritus bassist Justin Lam, and Mitch's Handsome Sandwich bandmate Johnny Belanger on drums. Copies of the "Collapse The Sun" single were exclusively sold on a limited print run of 50 CDs, each costing $2, and I have never seen one in the wild since 2014. Featuring three songs (well, one song in three versions) running for 11 minutes, let's begin this review, but be advised that my computer's primary external disc drive would not read this disc (possibly due to the paper label), so I had to play it off of a back-up drive.

All three songs are "Collapse The Sun", starting with the song as heard on "Eternal Hibernation", which I reviewed on the site in December 2014, so visit my original thoughts at this link. Lyrically about bringing doom and despair on the population (making the sun collapse would help in that goal!), I originally praised this song for its catchy groove-inspired structure, "sing-along" chorus, and solid instrumentation that sounds like the guys were having fun in studio. I also noted that the song lacked in technicality compared to newer songs included on the full album, and with the power of hindsight, the production quality is lacking compared to how their 2020 sophomore album "The Dead Testament" sounded. The raw, somewhat tinny audio won't be to everyone's liking despite solid performances, but it's definitely an early highlight of The Bear Hunters' all-too-short catalog!

The first alternate version is a live take of "Collapse The Sun", which was actually filmed by yours truly at The Roosevelt Hotel (now Reggie's West) when The Bear Hunters opened for 3 Inches of Blood there on July 9th, 2012. Those were the days, huh? Full disclosure, the band didn't inform me ahead of time that they were using my footage for this, but I was totally okay with it, and I was credited in the booklet. You can watch my original video at this link, but for this review, I'm going off of the audio copy from the CD as it was touched up in studio before the CDs were printed. This live performance is a little slower than on the studio version, but the performance is sound, and I can see why Mitch and crew chose it to represent the song on a CD! Of course, I was filming it for the SMS, on a worse camera than I have now, and had no clue that it'd be repurposed like this, so any static or clarity issues are apologetically noted.

The final track is the only one not accessible online, namely an instrumental demo of this song that Mitch had recorded in 2011, early in The Bear Hunters' run. The audio quality is honestly better, so if you ever wanted to do Bear Hunters karaoke or submit an audition tape if Nik wasn't part of a reunion, get this CD! Structurally, the instrumental demo is longer thanks to an extended outro, but has a higher tempo. This is a nice bonus that captures this fan favourite song in a new way, and because of the existing groove structure, it bounces along well while melting faces even without the lyrics! With all of that said, how would I grade a single of this kind? Honestly, this is more something for Bear Hunters diehard fans and/or completionists to track down nowadays. "Collapse The Sun" is one of my favourite songs of theirs, full stop, but the only exclusive content here beyond the packaging is the instrumental, as clean as it sounds.

I have no idea if physical copies of "Collapse The Sun" would be charged at a premium if they turned up at (say) The Rad Zone or if their $2 sale price would still be accurate, but with only 50 printed, this will be something ride-or-die Bear Hunters fans will surely want to keep an eye out for in case it turns up for sale. Solid bonus, but for casual fans, I'd say stick with the full "Eternal Hibernation" album and go from there if you choose. I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and as for next month, projections look like I may be reviewing Chase Wigmore's new album "Is This End Of...?", which is slated to come out on October 30th, but due to proximity to month's end & the possibility of it being delayed, I held it for next month. Stay tuned for more on that album on the site soon, plus more news and notes in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Molten Imp - "Constable Sewage" Single Review!!

It's now time for our 153rd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at local industrial metal solo project Molten Imp's second digital single "Constable Sewage"! Released exclusively to the band's Bandcamp page on October 3rd, 2021, this is the follow-up to their similarly formatted "Double Dose (Me)" release from May of last year, and like there, Molten Imp are solely represented by former AlgomA singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell (a.k.a. Darby Wigwaus) on all instruments. The songs appear to have been recorded at the home studio, while song #2 at least was mixed by prolific local punk musician Mark Rand at Bandage A/V in Peterborough. You can stream "Constable Sewage" for free on Bandcamp, but mp3 copies go for $5. Featuring three songs running about 14 minutes in length, let's begin this fairly quick album review!

The first two tracks have identical run-times, for the record. The first song (or "side C") is the title track, fully entitled "MCMXII/Constable Sewage". Interestingly, the lyrics for this song are exclusive to backers of Molten Imp on Patreon, so keep that in mind, but note that the Roman numerals stand for 1912. The opening 90 seconds is just a lot of feedback-laden noise rock with background computer beeping before the slow percussion kicks in, abruptly pausing at the 2:30 mark for an audio sample from an episode of CBC's The Fifth Estate about murderer Russell Williams, believe it or not, and there's more from that at the end. Afterwards, the song gets heavy with pounding programmed drums, background police sirens, repeated recitations of the single's name, and a very Ministry-esque vibe, but the melody comes and goes in favour of more feedback and distortion. Not the most melodic song ever, but industrial & noise rock fans will approve!

Song 2/"side S" is entitled "Downtown MMXXI (D.N.A.F)" (the Roman numerals stand for 2021), and it's a sample fest in the first half, including numerous repetitions of someone saying that someone's "gotta know how to deal with that", but many of the samples are not easily intelligible. These get enveloped by static, noise and extra background effects by the second half, but the samples never completely go away. By the end, a very bassy instrumentation takes over, plus sound effects of what sounds like someone stepping on eggshells, before the song ends much like "Constable Sewage" started with the same kind of ambient noise. Not much of a song more than a sonic collage, but you may dig the soundscape on offer! Like on "Double Dose (Me)", this single has a bonus third song that is not available to stream for free on Bandcamp, so get a credit/prepaid card or PayPal ready!

The bonus track is Molten Imp's remix of "EAT (EVERYTHING)" by DJ Unterbiss, of whom I know absolutely nothing (Unterbiss is German for underbite, for the record). A 3+ minute techno song with a suitably repetitive drum-and-bass line with heavily processed recitations of the title and some slowly increasing background noise & effects. Not much to say here, electronica fans will like it, but it is hard to gauge, especially as I don't know the original song sounds. Still a welcome bonus!

So, what are my final thoughts on Molten Imp's second single? Not a bad experimental release that fans of "Double Dose (Me)" will take to (if not necessarily AlgomA fans), and for myself, I think it is a slight improvement! While not lyrically strong (samples aside), the title track has a nice Ministry-esque vibe that I definitely appreciate, and the b-side (s-side?) feels like more craft was put into it, despite not really being a "song" in the traditional sense. I definitely think that the paid bonus track is a better value than on their first single (which just had two sub-20 second techno beats), but again, this will be appealing to club/dance fans more than metalheads. Boyd is definitely expanding his musical footprint with Molten Imp, with a deconstructive that I appreciate, even if this isn't entirely my musical cup of tea!

If you like noise and industrial rock, Molten Imp are flying that flag well in the Soo, so give them a listen and/or buy this single at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and in our April 2022 review, we'll be taking a look at inactive local alt-hard rock trio The Din's 2021 live album "Technically Live", as they'll be clear of our 6 month anti bias buffer period from our last review of theirs next month! Look for that in the coming weeks, and for more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

Molten Imp - "Double Dose (Me)" EP Review!!

It's now time our our 145th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and we have another new release to look at this month, namely new local noise/industrial metal solo project Molten Imp's debut paid single "Double Dose (Me)"! Independently released to their Bandcamp page on May 28th, this is a single on the surface (only two songs representing "side A" & "side B" are streamable for free), but paid downloads include two bonus tracks, so this is more of a covert EP in content. Self-produced and mixed, it was mastered only by Dustin Goodall at Unsalted Audio. Molten Imp's only publically credited member is former AlgomA singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell (a.k.a. Darby Wigwaus), marking his first paid musical release since AlgomA & Shit Liver's split cassette tape "Trading Faces" in 2017. "Double Dose (Me)" is available for $4 on Bandcamp as a digital download, which is the only way you can hear all four tracks, so keep that aspect of the single in mind.

With four songs running for over 11 minutes in length, let's begin this review with the first track, "Double Dose (Me)/Steeltonia"! Both of the two public songs have two titles like that, FYI, but only this one has a full break that could hint at the titles being separate songs. This track slowly ascends from a techno/electronica track into more of an aggressive noise metal song about 2 minutes in, complete with Boyd screaming, if with more processing and not as full-throat as we saw with his live bands. The music in offer is more electronic based than metal, with lots of feedback and distortion early, though the percussion feels a little too robotic. At 3:47, the apparent "Steeltonia" section begins, and it's just a cascade of ominous noise to end "side A". Heavy yet not all at once, the first song sets the tone well for Molten Imp's hybrid sound, especially if you like industrial and noise rock!

"Side B" is the slightly longer "Rusted Hinges/News At 11:11", which opens up in much heavier and distorted territory, with lots of ominous vocals layered in the background, plus some occasional beeping. It's certainly moshable but it can take some sifting to separate the instruments, aside from the pounding percussion. Though there's not a complete break, the last two minutes again signifies a musical shift, so if this is "News At 11:11", the song is more of an industrial techno piece with a catchy percussion line and sort of an upbeat factory nature to the music. Honestly, this kind of feels like it'd fit well as the background music in a beat 'em up video game, though I'm sure that was intended. Entertaining track(s) for what it is/they are, and metalheads will get their fix early! This is where "Double Dose (Me)" ends for free streamers, but if you bought it, what are the bonus tracks?

The extra songs are entitled "Beat I" & "Beat II", and run for 16 and 18 seconds apiece. "Beat I" is just a percussive bass beat with some Christmasy jingling in the background, while "Beat II" is faster, less predictable, and has a little more distortion on the beats (and no jingling). For me, "Beat I" is catchier, but "Beat II" feels more like part of a full song. Are these worth buying "Double Dose (Me)" to get? That's subjective, but they certainly didn't hurt as freebies, especially if you're more of a drum-and-bass fan!

So what are my final thoughts on Molten Imp's debut paid single? It's a short listen, but it's an interesting and creative genre hybrid that makes a solid first impact! Compared to their free one-off singles before this, the songs on "Double Dose (Me)" definitely have more of a metal aspect, but rather than go the obvious route or just relive AlgomA's run, Boyd seems to be deconstructing the genre here, mashing up metal song elements with industrial and noise music on the two primary singles. Do I have a song preference? I'd say the title track is more tuneful and catchy for my liking, and benefits from screamed vocals, but the all-noise "Steeltonia" didn't do a whole lot for me. "Rusted Hinges" certainly is the heaviest song half on offer, but it's not as catchy as "News At 11:11", which is more of an electronic song. Still, it works while it lasts, and shows more of Molten Imp's diversity!

The two short "Beat" tracks don't hurt things as a bonus, but they're not essential to the experience. As my musical tastes go, Molten Imp aren't dead center, but this is an interesting first single, and I'm curious to see what kind of experimental paths Boyd goes with next in their future releases! Buy or stream "Double Dose (Me)" at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! So, what are we reviewing on the site next month? I'm not sure, but check our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post next week for ideas on upcoming albums that could be next. If nothing new comes out from a local hard rock, metal, or punk act, we'll dip into the archives, but our 6 month anti-bias buffer period remains in effect, so don't expect Molten Imp, Late & Loud, Slumshine, or Swampgut to be next in the event any of them have something new on sale in the month ahead.

Keep an eye out by August 31st in any event, and stay tuned for more news and notes on the site in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Woods Of Ypres - "Home" Single Review!!

It's now time for our 125th CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with no major local metal, hard rock, or punk albums out in November 2019, and a few obvious archive selections being put aside in lieu of upcoming new releases from involved artists, now seems like a good occasion to finally look at the only Woods of Ypres studio release that we have yet to formally review on the site, namely their April 2011 vinyl-exclusive single "Home"! Recorded locally at Stereo Soul Studios with producer Miguel Gauthier (a'la "Woods IV") in August 2010, this two-song release was part of recording sessions that resulted in five songs for what was then planned to be an EP called "Woods V: You Were The Light", before their false breakup and eventual signing with Earache Records that fall. With the label desiring a full length album for Woods' first new release there, this EP was shelved in favour of 2012's Juno-winning "Grey Skies & Electric Light.", and re-allocated as "Woods 4.5".

In the interim, frontman David Gold's independent label Practical Art Records put out two of the "You Were The Light" songs in a limited run of 500 coloured vinyl records the following April, in what would sadly turn out to be Woods of Ypres' last studio release before David's tragic death that December. To this day, the remaining three songs from the 2010 sessions have not been publically released, but "Home" has been retroactively called "Woods 4.5" in interviews and among some fans. Woods of Ypres are represented here by their final live lineup, including David on vocals & guitar, the debuting Joel Violette on lead guitar, and in their second & final appearance on a Woods release, brothers Shane & Evan Madden on bass and drums. As well, cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne makes a guest appearance here, as he did on "Woods IV" & Woods V". Physical copies of "Home" sold for $20, and while they are long since out of print, you can buy each song for $1 on Bandcamp.

Streaming copies are available on those services as well, but consider buying "Home" to support Woods of Ypres' work, if belatedly. Running for just 13 minutes, let's begin this short review with the record's 6:50 A-side track, "Falling Apart"! Sonically very similar to the aggressive blackened doom sides of "The Green Album", David's harsh vocals are great on this song, which has excellent guitar riffs, almost like a harsher version of Clutch. I like the low bass work, and the drumming holds up nicely, though the cleanly-sung choruses almost come out of nowhere and very much stall the song's forward momentum. They are effective for fans of Woods' doom metal side, of course, and I like the mournful "ooooh" near the end but I don't know that the verses and chorus gel here. Joel has a quality guitar solo in his first outing as well! Overall, this is a very solid track that fans of local-era Woods of Ypres will easily take to!

The B-side is the intended title track for the unreleased EP, "You Were The Light", which runs for only 6:02. A slower and more deliberate track from the get-go while still retaining a heavy ambiance, this song is a better showcase for David's impressively deep singing, though if you like his aggressive screams, they aren't lacking here in the early bridge and last stretch. Evan has some excellent drum fills and rhythms on this one, and I like how the instrumentation is nicely varied and constantly going at full bore in the background no matter what route the vocals are going,. If anything doesn't work, it's how they integrated Raphael's cello work, which is technically proficient and orchestral as you'd expect, but I don't find it flows with the song that well. Raphael is a great cellist, but it just feels like too many cooks in the kitchen. That aside, this is another high quality song that showcases Woods of Ypres in their late-period best!

So, what are my final thoughts on Woods of Ypres' penultimate studio effort? While this isn't complete from what was originally recorded, David and company selected two highly entertaining songs for this single, and even if they're not on "Woods V", the quality has not suffered at all! David, Joel, and the Maddens worked well together on these songs, which were never boring or repetitive despite their 6+ minute run time each, and if you like your Woods of Ypres to be hard hitting, abrasive, and melodic all at once, these songs will do the trick! I just wish the choruses on the A-side and the cello on the B-side were better integrated. The limited physical release on a now-defunct indie label won't help get these songs to the masses, but Woods fans shouldn't bypass them. Will we ever hear the remaining 3 songs from the "Woods 4.5" sessions? I don't know, especially with Earache not involved in the sessions, but if any band alumni or associates have access to the tracks and permission, I am positive fans would want to hear them, even as a free upload.

David's memory lives on with all of Woods of Ypres' fans and supporters, and while "Woods V" gets most of the retrospective attention, "Home" is well worth your time, especially if you can track down one of the original vinyl copies. For now, stream or buy it digitally at the above links, and I hope you guys liked our final(?) Woods of Ypres album review at the SMS! So, what will be our last CD review of 2019 next month? At this juncture, I don't know, but here's what I can say. New releases from metal, hard rock, and/or punk bands will always take precedence, but none that I know of have a stated release date for December at press time. Check out our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post on Monday for ideas as to what may be on the horizon. If we do look at an archive album again next, a strong possibility would be The Inner City Surfers' 2002 sophomore album "Laughing On The Outside", to tie in with upcoming holiday concerts featuring at least one band member, details forthcoming. That said, nothing's official, so stay tuned for updates, and for more news and notes on the site shortly! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Cancer Bats), Plus New Videos!!

It's gonna be May, indeed, so let's kick off the month with a new news post featuring new videos from recent downtown concerts, and leading off, a big LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this fall! Here's what you should know!

Toronto hardcore punk/sludge metal quartet The Cancer Bats will return to Sault Ste. Marie on Thursday, September 12th when they headline at Soo Blaster! Four time nominees for the Juno Award for Heavy Metal Album of the Year, local fans will have last saw The Cancer Bats when they opened for Billy Talent at what's now GFL Memorial Gardens back in March 2010, but as far as I know, this will be their first headlining show here since 2006. Fans will surely know how entertaining The Cancer Bats' subgenre hybrid is, let alone with 9 years of built-up good will and new material to show for it, and they should get a great crowd at Soo Blaster this fall! London post-hardcore quintet The Single Mothers will open in their first local show on record, and their varied sound and often pointed, direct lyrics should attract them to a solid local audience! Also playing is Sharptooth, a female fronted hardcore punk quintet from Baltimore, Maryland.

With a strong political slant in their lyrics and an explosive sound of their own, Sharptooth should get lots of fans in their own right! Local punk trio Redundant will kick things off in their first advertised concert of 2019, though no word as of yet if their teased bassist switch has had any public update. Solid choice to set the tone in their Soo Blaster debut! Notably, this concert is a presentation of Loffredo & Associates, a long-running and respected promotion agency out of Thunder Bay, and their reputation and past concerts both there and elsewhere in Northwest Ontario speak for themselves, so I wouldn't expect any Rock The Border Fest-style hangups. Hopefully Frank and company bring some more big shows out east, it's great to have them doing some work out here! This 19+ concert has doors opening at 8:00 PM, and tickets are available in advance for just $20 at this link (+ a $5 service fee) or at Soo Blaster.

There's a few months of anticipation ahead, but this is a huge show for metal & punk fans alike, and hopefully The Cancer Bats deliver strongly after nine years away! Visit the official Facebook event page for current details, and stay tuned for potential updates as they roll in!

We'll close today with new videos, starting with local promoters Six, Two, Oh.'s own videos from The Faps' headlining concert at The New American Pub on April 23rd! Much like at the West of Hell show, the guys filmed short videos during the show, but here, they did actually film the local openers. These include one video of revived local acoustic folk solo act Slumshine (link here), and Brent does show promise in a more reserved setting like this, hopefully he keeps at it! Two videos were streamed of new local indie/alt-rock supergroup Dusty Hazelwood that you can see linked here & here, albeit from an oddly distant camera angle. While not heavy by any stretch in these videos, Dusty Hazelwood have a talented base and nice melodies, and I think they'd play really well at a venue like LopLops! Of course, Six, Two, Oh. filmed the headlining Saskatchewan trash-punk duo for three videos, so you can see The Faps in action at the links here & here, plus the longest video embedded below.

The Faps delivered in their usual eclectic way on this night, with their impeccable yellow/cross-dressing stage attire and a nice aggressive, minimalistic, and lively sound all at once! I need to get out and see The Faps at some point, as I'm sure these videos don't do their live show justice, but give them a look above and below, and hopefully they come back soon!



Finally, here's local power rock band Re:Born's own videos from last week's Killer Dwarfs concert at the aforementioned Soo Blaster, as per their Facebook page on Sunday! Three videos were taken from their own camera during their set on the "Soo Lounge", including their covers of Edguy's "Lavatory Love Machine" and Black Sabbath's "Children of the Sea", but embedded below is their original/Project 421 carry-over "Running Away". Nice quality aside from somewhat over-exposed lighting, and the performances are overall very solid, with Elly more than holding her own on vocals! Give Re:Born's videos a look above and below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews & our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post soon! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Hooded Menace Split Vinyl Single Review!!

Now's a good time to tackle our 92nd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at the new 12'' split vinyl single from local doom metal trio AlgomA and Joensuu, Finland doom metal quintet Hooded Menace! I guess the official title is "Hooded Menace/AlgomA". Released online on January 28th via Hooded Menace's label Doomentia Records, and with artwork by Paolo Girardi, this is the third total release and second vinyl split from AlgomA, and the seventh split (first since 2014) and fifteenth total release for Hooded Menace. AlgomA's song was recorded locally at Six, Two, Oh. & mixed by Mark Rand at Bandage A/V in Peterborough, while Hooded Menace primarily recorded & mixed theirs at Horrishound Studios, and both songs were mastered at Transistor Studios in Finland by Mikko Saastamoinen. The AlgomA lineup here once again includes singer/bassist Kevin Campbell, guitarist Boyd Rendell, and drummer Jamie Vincent.

Hooded Menace are represented here by new singer Harri Kuokkanen, guitarists Lasse Pyykko and Teemu Hannonen, bassist Markus Makkonen, and drummer Pekka Koskelo. With the limited printing of orange vinyl discs now come & gone, your primary option for physical copies is Doomentia Records' website, where you can buy them for between $18 & $20 depending on currency exchange rates. AlgomA have yet to announce local in-person availability for the split, but you can stream both bands' songs via their Bandcamp pages linked here & here, though only AlgomA is charging for a download of their track there. Consider buying the split to support their work!

Unlike the 5 song AlgomA/Chronobot split from last year, this split is a single rather than an EP, and only has two songs (one a band), though this is par for the course for a Hooded Menace split, and each song runs for over 7 minutes. We'll start with the Soo's own AlgomA, whose featured song on the B-side is "Failed Stunt Fatality", which has a nice chugging riff to start and fiercely barked vocals from Kevin, and while the song is very doomy, it's reasonably paced and not as slow as some of their earlier originals. If anything, Kevin's singing seems a little hoarser, but it suits the material, and Boyd has some crushing parts even if he has no lead singing here, while Jamie's drumming is a reliable compliment, especially with the beat 5 minutes in! The song does feel a little over-long, but it never meanders, and it delivers more suitably brutal sludge metal action for AlgomA fans that would fit right in on prior releases!

Note that sampled audio at the end of "Failed Stunt Fatality" is of late sports broadcaster Frank Gifford calling Evel Knievel's failed jump over 13 buses in London in 1975 on ABC's Wide World of Sports, though unlike the title, Evel did survive the stunt. Lastly, we'll look at Hooded Menace's A-side contribution to the split, namely their song "Celestial Dissection", which in spirit, reminds me of later Celtic Frost merged with doom metal, even adding an orchestral flourish, and it works out well for them! Compared to guitarist Lasse Pyykko's prior work as the band's lead singer, Harri Kuokkanen has a clearer and more distinct growl from what I've heard, and he fits the material very well for his first outing! Lasse & Teemu deliver solid and brutal riffs, and Markus and Pekka handle the rhythm section with suitable efficiency and a consistent rhythm. I wasn't overly familiar with Hooded Menace going into this review aside from AlgomA plugs, but I think I'll have to get more acquainted with them in short order!

So, what are my final thoughts on Hooded Menace & AlgomA's split single? Well, for what this is, it's a quality release for doom metal fans, but I have reservations given it's release format. The two bands are a solid match, not just because of members' prior friendship before AlgomA launched, with each bringing their own doom-laden attack to the table, with sludge and death equally represented by each band! That said, for those who want physical copies, this won't be the most accessible type of release for many fans, especially with vinyl-only splits still being a rare thing locally for bands other than AlgomA. The lack of CD pressings or local in-person availability (yet), and the relatively high price point ($20 for 2 songs) will likely put off some potential customers, though you can stream the material online in the interim, and if you have the AlgomA/Chronobot split or any of Hooded Menace's, you'll know what to expect from this one anyway.

While I do enjoy the split, and while it has heavily encouraged me to check out more of Hooded Menace's music, I only recommend it to vinyl collectors and/or diehard fans of the two bands, but if you're either, order this split single online at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, but what's coming next in March? I'm not 100% certain as of this writing, but here's what we do know. Due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer, we are not reviewing anything by SweetKenny or Telephone & Address next, as both saw a CD review on the SMS in the past half year. Our next "Where Are the New Albums?" post on March 2nd will have insight on bands with upcoming albums that could be featured next, and while nothing is finite, remember that The Apocalypse Afterparty and Skeyes of Seven have both posted their entire debut EPs online for free streaming, so are they going on sale soon?

If nothing new comes out, we'll dip into the archives to review something tied in with a March concert, and heavy possibilities in that case would be A Fall From Innocence's self-titled EP (as frontman Larry Babic is playing live next month with A Dire Setback) and The Din's 2016 live album "The Din Does Laundry". Stay tuned in any event for updates on our next CD review, and stay tuned for more concert previews and updates in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Hooded Menace Split Updates, Plus Live 705 Local Show Videos!!

We're back with a new news post on this cold Wednesday morning, and with weekend concert previews approaching fast, here's our first SMS post without a concert preview or review in over a week! Mostly, we're covering some new concert videos today, but first, here's some long awaited updates on an upcoming (half-)local EP!

Local doom metal trio AlgomA's long-teased split EP with Finnish death/doom metal band Hooded Menace will apparently be released next month! Though originally announced back in January, these are the first major public updates on the split since then, more or less, so what do we know? To be released exclusively on 12'' vinyl records again (similarly to AlgomA's split with Chronobot), the split is still scheduled to come out via Hooded Menace's label Doomentia Records, and this is the final artwork for the cover, as done by Paolo Girardi, with the band logos even having special printing on physical copies. While this is AlgomA's second split release, it'll be Hooded Menace's seventh, and their first release with new singer Harri Kuokkanen. AlgomA haven't given a firm release date yet for the split, though if a release show is planned, note that December 27th's Blood Guy concert at The New A (promoted by AlgomA's own Six, Two, Oh.) is still looking for an opening band. That's just speculation on my part, but you never know!

The full track listing hasn't been given yet, but both bands have released a one minute sample of one of their tracks to their respective Bandcamp pages, with AlgomA's being of their song "Failed Stunt Fatality", and Hooded Menace's of their song "Celestial Dissection". Given how long both bands' songs can be, these might end up being the split's only tracks, but we await confirmation on that (for reference, the AlgomA/Chronobot split had 5 songs, 2 from AlgomA.) We'll hold comment on the samples until the full split comes out for SMS review, but it's shaping up well, despite the months of waiting for new details, and check the above links for much more!

Next up, here's some videos from Saturday night's Live 705 Local Show at The Oddfelows Hall, courtesy of the new local label/promotion agency's Facebook page over the last few days! Live 705 (ran by new local punk band A Dire Setback) filmed or posted a cell phone video of every band that day except headliners K.I.C.K. and debuting punk/metal band Stegadeth, plus this clip of band members setting up for the show in general, which is just 15 seconds long and contains no music. The videos do show the extra work put in to make the show even better, including a stage extension and extra lighting, which does help the often dark and minimalistic staging for many recent Oddfellows shows, and give this one a bigger feel! A Dire Setback themselves were filmed for this 34 second clip of an original song, and while it's not a close or lengthy look at this new band, they sound good and energetic, though watch for a drop in focus at the end. There are more videos elsewhere from A.D.S., so stay tuned for more soon!



Another video from this show features young local blues/classic rock trio Electric Church playing their take on B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby", albeit sadly from a vertical portrait camera angle. This side-stage clip showcases Spencer, Elijah, and Beau in good form on this blues standard, so check it out above, and hopefully we hear more from them soon! Embedded below is a clip of alternative/hard rock trio The Din playing their song "Potato (Should've Known Better)" at The Live 705 Local Show, and while camera focus issues (and a surprise finger) occur in this 40 second clip, The Din sound solid in their first of two shows that day, so give it a look below!

 
The Live 705 page also posted two videos of show-opening rapper Jasmin "Jizzy Baby" Sky, which you can watch here and here. The former is just 20 seconds, but the latter is a side-stage, 6 minute video showcasing her clear rap skills, and especially after a bit of a flub early in the clip, she took it home nicely! Finally for this show, there is one clip of reunited local punk quartet Talk Shit's first live concert in seven years, but for one reason or another, this was filmed both vertically and from the other side of the hall. If they didn't say what band this was in the title, I'd never know who it was! I cannot place the name of this song (it sounds familiar), but Talk Shit sound good from what we can hear, so give their new video a look below, and hopefully they launch a new online page at some point!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Toystock), Plus Revolution & Bear Hunters Updates!!

As expected, we have been in a post-Halloween slowdown for news on the site, but we have some notable stuff to touch on today, including updates on an upcoming CD release and a band's surprise member departure, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for a returning charity concert!

The official lineup for the third annual Toystock fundraiser concert has officially been announced! As per a SooToday news release by promoters Maxx Entertainment, the event will return to The Canadian Nightclub once again on Sunday, November 30th, and will once again see 10 bands playing all day for Christmas Cheer, so who all is playing this year? Surprisingly featuring only three returning bands from past Toystocks (but still maintaining it's Rotaryfest-esque veteran cover band focus), an official band order hasn't been confirmed, but we'll treat the SooToday band listing as chronological for now. If true, local country quartet Bone Yard (who rocked Toystock in 2012) will be headlining this year, as preceded by three Toystock newcomers, including local blues outfit The Stumpy Coldwater Trio, newer local alternative/jazz rock quartet Mannapool, and local country/rock trio Mourning Wood, all of whom should give a varied shot of energy to the proceedings!

The lineup also includes local alternative/hard rock veterans Lucky 13 (who will become the only band to play at all three Toystocks), all-female classic rock band Domina (featuring alumni of bands like Obsession & Mid Life Crysis), local country favourites Thin Ice (surprisingly making their Toystock debut), young local alternative/grunge trio The Pixo Control, and local country solo musician Lorrie Bolduc, with Mike Case's Junior All-Stars (in their second straight Toystock appearance) rounding out the lineup. As usual, this year's Toystock is ALL AGES, will start at noon on November 30th, and admission is via a donation of a new (or slightly used) toy, a non-perishable food item, or a cash donation. All proceeds go to Christmas Cheer to help families in need over the holidays, the Stuff-A-Bus returns to transport donations to the Christmas Cheer depot, Santa & Mrs. Claus will be on site to meet the kids, and there will be prize draws too, so everything's sounding great for this year for Toystock's third installment!

Sounds like another great installment of Toystock, and after missing last year's event due to family commitments, hopefully I can make it out to see some bands I don't get chances to see a whole lot! That said, White Cowbell Oklahoma's the same night... we'll see how things fall into place! It's a little odd not seeing Boxcar Junction, Obsession, or Stiffler's Mom back for a third go-around, but there's plenty of newer and established talent for every taste, including The Pixo Control and Lucky 13 for hard rock fans, and I'd expect bands like Domina and Mourning Wood to have some heavier covers too! Stay tuned for updates on Toystock 2014 as they happen!

Next up, here's some surprising news from newer local doom/punk trio The Revolution, as the band has parted ways with bassist Rainey Vincent, less than a week after their Devil's Night set at The Oddfellows Hall. The news was revealed on the band's Facebook page yesterday, and while a reason wasn't announced for Rainey's departure, a post indicated that "the band's going through a rough patch." For what it's worth, recent personal Facebook posts by Rainey have hinted that he may move from the area, so that could be related. Rainey was a solid bassist for the former Brutaly Fatal since joining the band in the spring, and hopefully everything's alright for him in the future, no matter what! Oddly, the news came just a day after the band revealed that they would be opening for AlgomA at their yet-announced CD release party at The Moose Lodge on Friday, November 14th, but they've since confirmed that they won't be playing it now. This is the first I've heard of AlgomA hosting a local release show, but we'll keep you posted on official public word!

With that said, The Revolution still plan to play at Sault Band-O-Rama at The Primavera Banquet Hall on November 21st "with or without a bass guitarist", but they are looking for a replacement. If you're interested in trying out, message The Revolution at this link or surviving members Austin McCrae or Brandan Glew on Facebook, and stay tuned for more on them (and AlgomA's CD release show) when it comes in!

Finally for today, here's some more concrete info on local death metal standouts The Bear Hunters' upcoming CD plans, specifically their hyped "Collapse The Sun" single release! On October 26th, the band revealed on their Facebook page that the single would feature the fully mastered studio version of the song in question, plus a high quality live version of the song and a 2011 instrumental demo that guitarist Mitch Sirie recorded, as a way to see how the song has grown over the years. This is the artwork (done by Chronic Demonic guitarist Kevin Powe) in a small resolution copy, originally from the cover photo on the band's Facebook page, as they have yet to post the full large version. The single was delayed from it's originally announced release on October 25th due to "printing issues", but as of the next day, Mitch was impressed with how it was turning out, which is a good sign! When released, the single will cost $2 and will be available in limited quantities of 100 copies, while an official YouTube lyric video is planned for the coming weeks as well.

Given the obvious delays, I wonder if The Bear Hunters will delay the release of the "Collapse The Sun" single until November 29th's release party at The Canadian for their full length album "Eternal Hibernation", but either way, there wasn't a show to time the planned October 25th release with either. For the curious, an SMS review of "Collapse The Sun" isn't a priority given the imminent release of "Eternal Hibernation", and for locally released singles, we generally wait until after we cover that band's existing full length discography in our reviews. Either way, keep an eye out for more!

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

Woods Of Ypres - "Allure Of The Earth" Single Review!!

Let's end the month strong with our 57th monthly CD review at the SMS, though for the first time in 11 months, we'll be looking at an archive release due to a slow schedule for new local metal/hard rock albums this month (not counting ones within our 6 month buffer period.) This month, we'll be reviewing a single for the first time, that being the "Allure of the Earth" vinyl released by defunct local blackened doom metal band Woods of Ypres! The last release on frontman David Gold's original independent label Krankenhaus Records, this single saw it's limited release on September 6th, 2009 exclusively on 500 7'' vinyl records, each hand-numbered with lyrics sheets and download cards towards digital copies of this single and Woods of Ypres' 2009 compilation album "Independent Nature 2002-2007". The song "Allure of the Earth" was recorded at Spectre Sound Studios in Tecumseh, Ontario in 2004 and originally released on the "Pursuit of the Sun & Allure of the Earth" album (or "Woods II") that August.

Woods of Ypres were represented for these sessions by the late David Gold on all instruments save for Jessica Rose on keyboard, while ex-members Steve Jones & Connor Sharpe went uncredited for their guitar & bass parts due to leaving the band beforehand. As well, the second song on the single is a band-endorsed cello cover of "Allure of the Earth" by Australian cellists Sebastian Simpson & Chris Doig, which we'll cover in a second. Even with David's passing in 2011, this single was only available in one limited pressing (and isn't digitally available for sale), so sale copies can be expensive, but you can buy the original song and it's album on iTunes at this link, and both songs are readily available online in streaming copies.

We already reviewed "Allure of the Earth" as part of our full review of it's album in September 2011, so I won't rehash that here, but check this link to read it in full. Essentially Woods of Ypres' first toe in the water of softer ballad material, the song seemed to be based around the desire for death, which may strike familiar with fans compared to the themes of last year's "Woods V". As an early example of David's range and diversity as a singer, it does the job well with solid passion and emotion, but the first half still feels empty, almost like it needs extra instrumentation. Black metal purists will still prefer other songs on "Woods II", but "Allure of the Earth" helped plot the future course for Woods of Ypres' studio material, and it's dark emotion still holds up! The B-side cover of "Allure of the Earth" by Sebastian Simpson & Chris Doig is well performed and adds it's own haunting quality to the song, though with just cellos, it could be considered empty as well. Also, the arrangement is altered in some spots, making the total runtime of the cover a few seconds shorter.

Overall, the "Allure of the Earth" single was a nice release for diehard Woods of Ypres fans in 2009, and the inclusion of the cello cover and vinyl formats gave some solid incentives to pick it up, but given the length and limited availability, I'd only recommend seeking out & buying a copy to collectors. With only 500 copies printed, the price and availability of this record will only go up when copies turn up on the secondary market, and with just two songs, casual fans would be better off buying or downloading "Pursuit of the Sun..." to get their fix of this song & this era of Woods of Ypres, especially as there's no exclusive band originals on it, but this is definitely a recommended album for collectors to look for! I hope you guys liked this month's local metal album review, but what's coming next month? Given recent indications of imminent releases, our next CD review could very well be the debut EPs from Shit Liver or Jack Spades, which are both pencilled in for April releases, but Telephone & Address' "Rotten EP" could be this month as well, pending acquisition of a copy.

For reference, our next Woods of Ypres review (of their 2011 vinyl single "Home") will be our last of their CD reviews on here, barring any possible posthumous albums, but due to our 6 month buffer period to avoid repetition, that won't make it to the site until September at the earliest. Also, a SweetKenny review (of either "Ink!" or "This End Up") is likely for mid-2014, as it's too soon from our last review of his also. With that said, look out for our next CD review in the next 4 weeks, and stay tuned for more news and notes soon! Thanks everyone!