LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (These Magnificent Tentacles), New Videos, And Much More!!

Late news post to check out on this Friday night, including some new video discoveries, a few shorter assorted notes, and leading off, a somewhat unique LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next weekend!

Local alt-punk duo These Magnificent Tentacles will play their first public concert of 2022 when they open for surf rock trio The Dynowaves on Saturday, May 21st at the return of promoters Dryer Fire's temporary venue! In this case, Dryer Fire have been renting space at 285 Wilson Street (off Bruce Street, near The Breakfast Pig), and they're celebrating their recent growth with an open house featuring the aforementioned live bands, and even refreshments from the Sweet Aisle Candy Store that's also set up at this building. It is worth noting that in their promotion of the concert, These Magnificent Tentacles said on their Facebook page that this will be "our first show as a full team", so did their teased search for new band members prove fruitful? In any event, frontman Brenton Ellis will be selling his own art on this event on a pay-what-you-can basis, which you Slumshine fans should like!

The open house proper has a 1:00 PM matinee start time, no cover charge, and is definitely all ages, which goes with the community art/candy sale aspect well too! This should be a fun change of pace if you're up for some Saturday afternoon concert action next weekend, and between T.M.T. and The Dynowaves, you'll get some diverse musical entertainment! Visit the above links for more details on this unique matinee concert!

Next up, here's two new videos from local southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek at their Soo Blaster concert last week! Filmed by attendee Eddie Hernando, one is another acoustic interlude just featuring singer Justin Grayson and bassist Robin "Bones" Lee on acoustic guitar covering Luke Combs' "Beautiful Crazy". I'm not a country guy, but it's a solid rendition! Embedded below is the full band clip of Fort Creek covering Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man", and it's a well done version that builds in the instruments well, and fans on the floor definitely appreciated dancing to it, so give both of these a look above & below!

Also today, here's some videos from former Leaked/Mustang Sally drummer Nic Buckner on his YouTube channel in the last few years! While Nic didn't become a major name as a local rock drummer, he did move to the States to further his career, and his YouTube videos reflect his later musical education! Alongside covers of Maroon 5, Sweet Machine, Michael Jackson, and The Color Black songs, Nic posted a cover of "Rule of Nines" by the Victoria, B.C. metal band Spiritbox in April 2020, complete with an inset second camera showing his foot pedal work. Nic's a very talented drummer and I like how he mixed the backing song with the drums to optimize his performances, so give these a watch above & below!

Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

 

• I have moved local acoustic hard rock band The Isolation Sessions to our inactive band links. The band has not issued a public update since posting a cover of Three Days Grace's "Never Too Late" on their Facebook page in January of last year, with members Jordan Rains & Arthur Lacasse since focusing on Dealing Without and the revival of Half Past. The Isolation Sessions seemed like a promising stopgap band in worse pandemic times, and hopefully we hear more from Jordan, Arthur, and Todd soon (and R.I.P. Chris!)
• Prolific local metal musician Mitch Sirie is looking for a bassist for a hard rock/alternative metal band that he's working on with a sound comparable in range to The Deftones or System of a Down. The sonic description implies that this is not for The Bear Hunters, Exploring Detritus, or Handsome Sandwich (where he is the bassist), so Mitch is definitely keeping busy as things pick up locally in 2022! Message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post yesterday for more details!
• A Facebook event page has been launched for the Parabol-headlined concert at Soo Blaster on June 4th, and it happens to feature a new local band as openers named Short & Sweet, who are an acoustic two-man project from former Skeyes of Seven bandmates Cory Murchison & Kyle Sweet (hence the name). I don't think Short & Sweet have an online page yet, but Cory & Kyle should deliver an entertaining set beforehand, and see above for more details on what should be a solid concert!
  

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this weekend! Thanks everyone!

Black Mastiff Concert Preview, New Videos, And Musicians Wanted Facebook Group Updates!!

As promised, let's preview a special Monday night concert today, and to round things out, we also have some new videos from some familiar faces, and some long overdue tidbits from a popular Facebook group. With all of that said, here's what you should know!

If you're looking to blow off some steam and/or celebrate following the election, you have a great outlet to do so TONIGHT, as Edmonton stoner/hard rock trio Black Mastiff will make their local concert debut when they headline at LopLops Lounge! One of the middle stops on their tour in support of their new CD "Loser Delusions", Black Mastiff's alternative rock-tinged take on stoner rock should provide a solid night of original action at LopLops tonight, so give their smooth melodic tunes a listen to see what they bring to the table! The varied opening roster will include local indie-alt rock quartet Man Feelings in their first public concert since the summer, as well as prolific folk punk/metal solo artist Chase Wigmore, whose set you may not want to miss, especially if his teased Devil's Night concert doesn't occur. Promoted by the Oh!No Collective, this 19+ show has a 9:00 PM start time (note that election polls close at 9:30 PM), and admission is either $10 or "pay what you can."

While the Monday night scheduling won't be optimal for most, this should be a fun concert if you can swing attending, with a nice mix of sounds to take in from the night's three acts. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's Black Mastiff live!



Next up, here's another new video from Chase's old Strange Coyotes bandmate Mike Haggith, who shared this clip of him playing "The Nature Of The Times" in his Windsor hometown onto his Facebook page last week! Mike flew home last week for a spell, and he was able to perform there at The Dominion House Tavern at a jam night this past Tuesday, joining in with his old S.C.A.R. bandmate Dylon Rabidoux and fellow area musicians. The 7 minute video showcases a loose and casual take on the "Bridges" opening single, and even a late saxophone(!) solo, and it's worth a watch for fans of his Thompson-era output, so give it a watch below!

Also, here's a new video of local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck live at Reggie's West this past weekend! This video was posted onto SaultOnline's Mike Caruso's YouTube channel on Saturday, so I presume it was filmed on Friday. The 8+ minute clip features Soundcheck covering Styx's "Too Much Time On My Hands" and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Runnin' Down A Dream" in succession, with Travis Sharpe singing lead on the former song, and Terry Eaton doing the honours on the latter. The warm lighting isn't to the video's advantage, especially the mobile closer angle, but the covers sound good, like how you'd expect from Soundcheck! Unfortunately, bassist Paul Belair is stuck behind that large pillar that's still on the stage, as old Rosie regulars will recall, but at least he shows up on the closer camera. Give this one a look below, and check out more recent live cover action on Mike's channel linked above!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, all as related to musician searches on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Local singer/guitarist and Soo's Got Talent semifinalist Cameron Oliver is looking for a creative bassist and drummer for his new local band project, who will "play mostly country and '80s rock." Of course, he's on guitar and vocals, and while the description isn't necessarily pointed in our direction, remember that he did cover Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama I'm Coming Home" in the second round last month. Click here or message him via his group post from September 29th if you want more details!
• Former Half Past frontman Jordan Rains is looking to start a new local band, who would play hard rock, metal, and alternative music. In this band, he would be playing guitar too, and he is looking for a bassist and drummer. Jordan showed promise in his brief Half Past stint, so if you're interested in working with him, message him at this link or on his group post from August!
• On September 4th, Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie posted on the group to say that he was looking for musicians to join him in a planned Linkin Park tribute band named Bellevue Park for "the upcoming Halloween show", with Mitch himself handling lead vocals and guitar. If he meant J.D. Pearce's annual party, then that ship has sailed, but in the off chance this is still a plan for this month/beyond, message him at this link or above for more info!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Project 421 & Mourning Wood), More Updates, And A Christmas Surprise!!

Merry Christmas, everyone! And yes, Happy Holidays too if you don't celebrate. We have a Christmas present to round out this post, but first, here's some recent musician searches and LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the holiday season (including a SHORT NOTICE one), so here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Mourning Wood will host a special Boxing Day jam night concert at Reggie's West TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via the official Facebook page last night. Apparently a delayed replacement for local blues rock veterans' Mojo weekly Thursday jam night (presumably cancelled due to Christmas Eve commitments), this is the first publically announced jam night hosted by Mourning Wood since their Rednecks Saloon jam nights ended in the spring, but the format will be very similar, with them as the house band rocking out as usual, and extra performers are welcome to join in and bring their instruments & talents! If you're familiar with Mojo's jam nights, this should also be fun, if not as blues-heavy, so keep it in mind for your Boxing Day plans TOMORROW NIGHT! And no, they're not listed for a concert at Reggie's West (the former Roosevelt Hotel) tonight, as far as we can tell.

This 19+ concert has no announced cover charge and an earlier start time of 9:00 PM. For more details, visit the above links! It's nice to see Mourning Wood breaking out their jam night concept again (they definitely know a wide range of songs to help with that), so don't bypass this show if you want some plans TOMORROW NIGHT, and don't miss their New Year's Eve show at Rednecks next week either! Here's the guys live earlier this year!

Next up, the previously teased New Year's Eve concert at The Rockstar Bar is indeed still on (despite the deletion of two prior Facebook event pages), as local classic metal quintet Project 421 will end 2015 on a heavy note as headliners there on Thursday, December 31st! Replacing the usual New Year's Eve show from pop rock cover veterans Cherry Crush for unannounced reasons, this show comes barely a week after their Christmas-themed show from Wednesday night, and will be similar in scheduling and tone to that and their 2 year reunion show, complete with new (and still online page-less) local nu-metal band Eclipse opening once again, but in lieu of The Elements, young local glam/power pop trio Caroline Divine will make their Rockstar Bar debut (I believe) to end 2015, and it's neat to see them spreading their wings further! Promoted by Project 421 bassist Daniel Horton (and curiously not through the PaperClip Productions label), Eclipse will open at 10:00 PM, followed by Caroline Divine at 11:00 PM, and Project 421 on at midnight to kick off 2016 in style!

Given the New Year's trappings, there will be an increased cover charge of $10 in effect next week, and you must be 19 or older to attend. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This sounds like another solid concert, and definitely a good and heavy way to finish off another year, so keep this one in mind when planning your New Year's Eve festivities! (Also, just as a reference note, Wednesday's Project 421 concert was moved downstairs to The Algonquin Pub due to a booking conflict, as per event page postings. Hopefully it went well despite the move!)

Also today, here's three assorted items from the Musicians Wanted Facebook group, which we haven't touched on in the last while, so who all is looking to find musicians to fill out a band or jam with? As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Local musician Al Blais is looking to start a band, and is open for auditions. He didn't specify any further details, but personal postings indicate that he does like metal bands. If you're interested in getting more info, message Al at guitargawd666@hotmail.com or via his Musicians Wanted group post from December 12th!
• Redundant/Elements bassist James White is looking for a guitarist to join a grunge cover band that he's working on launching, that would cover primarily bands from the Seattle scene of the early 1990s like Nirvana & Pearl Jam. There's already some interest, but if you want to throw your hat into the ring, message James at this link or via his Musicians Wanted group post from Sunday!
• Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie is looking for a piano or keyboard player that would be interested in playing rock and/or metal. Presumably, this references one of his long gestating solo projects like The Sorrow Fields, but he didn't elaborate on details. If you're an interested pianist, message Mitch at this link or via his Musicians Wanted group post from December 12th!

Finally for today, I wanted to have a little Christmas present for you guys, especially given my recent concert hiatus due to family health concerns, so today, we have defunct local punk quartet Proposition 86's self-titled album from 1998! Arguably best remembered today as the first major band from late Woods of Ypres frontman David Gold (who drummed for Proposition 86 during his high school days), I was able to borrow a copy of the cassette tape from The Rad Zone's Paul Muncaster last month (huge kudos, Monk!), and I made mp3 copies and scans of everything for personal use, and now, as a Christmas upload for readers courtesy of our YouTube channel! Also featuring singer/guitarist Gord Jones, lead guitarist Paul Michael Stos (now of The Billy Bastards), and bassist Steve Zuppa (later of Downshift), Proposition 86 recorded this tape with producer Keith Davis at Full Scale Audio and released it independently through their own Knutsford label, and it's obviously now out of print.

Featuring 10 songs ("A Bloody Day", "Execution Style", "The Permanent Solution", "Release", "Unfold", "Lies", "Inferior", "Another Lost Cause", "Scapegoat", and a hidden bonus cover of Under The Influence's "Whoa"), you get some solid skate punk from the late 1990s local scene here, and while it's a far cry in tone from Woods of Ypres, fans of Steve's later bands will be in familiar territory! Now, is a review of the "Proposition 86" cassette tape imminent on the SMS? Probably not, as precedence goes to new CDs, but in a month with nothing new to cover, this could very well fit in, especially if we can tie it in with a Billys concert! Check out Proposition 86's album above, and here's track #1, "A Bloody Day"!



That's all for today, but I do hope everyone has a merry Christmas, and stay tuned for much more as the month & year winds down! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Havadder), Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

It's now time to tackle this weekend's hard rock concerts in Sault Ontario in what's shaping up to be a lean weekend, but we'll touch on potential late notice concert announcements when/if available (so if Mourning Wood have late notice shows this weekend, we'll try and cover them when announced!) We also have some assorted recent notes at the end, but for now, here's what you should know for this weekend!

Local classic/hard rock quartet Havadder will return to The Rednecks Saloon TOMORROW NIGHT for a special occasion! Apologies for the short notice, this fell through the cracks since it's initial announcement. Just one week after last rocking the former Nicolet Tavern,  the guys will be back there for an advertised one-night-only concert in honour of frontman Jason Roy's girlfriend Dana Bellerose's birthday, so if you're a friend of hers, be sure to keep this event in mind! Note however that Havadder haven't plugged the show on their Facebook page (or a Saturday gig), but shares of posts via personal accounts confirm the event. Like usual for Havadder's Rednecks shows, there's no announced cover charge, a 10:00 PM start time, and a 19+ age limit. For more details, visit the above links, and here's Havadder live there last year!



Moving to previously announced concerts, the long running weekly concert arrangement by Tym Morrison at The Harp Bar & Grill continues TOMORROW NIGHT! The prolific local hard rock singer/guitarist will once again rock the former Madison's Pub tomorrow for a night chock full of acoustic covers and crowd favourites, so if you haven't seen Tym lately, a swing to this central venue might be a good idea! Note however that Tym is not playing on Saturday at The Harp due to their broadcast of UFC 187, which usually results in Tym not playing, but personal Facebook postings indicate that he's playing a private event of some kind on Saturday instead.  In other words, if you want to see Tym rock out at The Harp, come TOMORROW, not Saturday! Like usual, there's a 19+ age limit, no announced cover, and a 10:00 PM start time. See the above links for more details, and here he is at The Harp!



Lastly for currently announced hard rock concerts this weekend, Sault Michigan classic/hard rock quartet Highway 63 will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Three weeks after their Satisfied Frog debuts, the Sir Charge successors will be playing at The Rapids Lounge this weekend for the first time in almost 3 months, which is surprisingly long given their recent track record, so if you've missed them there, don't miss this weekend's shows! Like usual for Kewadin dates from the Switzers, Chris, and Ron, there's no announced cover charges, you must be 21 to attend, and there are 9:00 PM start times in effect. For more details, visit the above links, and for a preview, here's Highway 63 live last year!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band or event name:

• Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie is looking for a bassist for a planned new metal project that he describes as "pretty and ugly", and he noted that he already has vocals and drums for the band. They're apparently songwriting in a few weeks, and applicants who have weekends free "to support future ambitions" would help. Intriguing, but if you're interested, message Mitch at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from last week!
• The planned Rock In Steel Town concert on June 6th at The Canadian Nightclub has been postponed. Promoter Jordan Leach revealed on the Facebook event page on Tuesday that the show was postponed "after significant deliberation", but he didn't offer an reason otherwise. To have featured Sudbury Francophone blues rock band Patrick Wright et les Gauchistes and local metal openers, Jordan and PaperClip Productions had ambitious plans for it, but look for a rescheduling later in the summer!
• In a bit of a surprise announcement, local progressive/jazz rock quartet The Wild Iris (formerly The Pesto Shirts) have been named as the first openers for Mike Haggith's "Warinside" CD release party at The Rednecks Saloon on July 3rd! Our source is The Din's Curtis McKenzie on the Facebook event page, and their set is scheduled for 10:15 PM as the planned second band. While not a close genre match, The Wild Iris are a very talented and established band, and don't miss them in July!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's YouTube Channel Profiles TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

Zaum & Pixo Control Concert Previews, Plus Caym Show Updates & Much More!!

Before we finish uploading our Swampstravaganza videos (the joys of seeing a concert with 9 different bands AND 4 open mic performers), here's a news post for your Monday morning featuring a rarity: two Monday night concert previews! Those lead off today, but we also have the latest from a prominent metal band and some assorted extra notes, so here's what you should know! (Updated at 12:36 PM)

We'll start with our double Monday previews at Cafe Natura, where local alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control will return TONIGHT as local openers for Winnipeg pop rock quartet Naysa! Visibly an upstairs affair after December's basement show at the Elgin Street venue, The Pixo Control should be in fine form following their set at the Biipiigwan show earlier this month, and hopefully there's a solid turnout at this ALL AGES concert tonight! As for Naysa, while not a "heavy" band, their gloomy pop rock & indie originals have attracted a solid following, and they'll be a nice fit at Cafe Natura tonight, so be sure to stay late to check them out as well! TONIGHT'S concert starts at 8:00 PM, there is a $7 cover charge, and again, this is ALL AGES! For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, don't miss the alt-rock entertainment tonight at Cafe Natura, and here's The Pixo Control live at LopLops Lounge last year!



The second half of today's downtown Monday hard rock concert action goes down TONIGHT at The Rednecks Saloon, as Moncton, New Brunswick "Middle Eastern mantra doom" duo Zaum will make their Sault Ste. Marie debut! A unique band that mixes doom metal with dark ethnic chanting and moods, their familiar yet creative sound should find a solid audience with local metalheads! German experimental/jazz duo The Jealousy Mountain Duo will join them tonight as well, and while not a heavier band, their own intriguing hybrid originals should make their own mark amidst the varied sounds to be had at the former Nicolet Tavern tonight! Local support will come via local hard rock quartet Haggith (in their second show with their current lineup and first at Rednecks in 8 months), so if you missed Caleb's return to the band on Saturday, here's your makeup date (and look for "Apocalypse II" as well!)

The new openers tonight are Jack Spades bandmates Johnny Belanger & Jesse Cook in an acoustic cover set, replacing local progressive rock quartet Mannapool (who were confirmed to have dropped out yesterday via promoter Mitch Sirie on the Facebook event page, likely for similar reasons as their Swampstravaganza exit.) Johnyy & Jesse should set a good tone, so come early! This 19+ show has FREE ENTRY, and a 9:00 PM start time is listed, but promoters are aiming to end early given that it's a Monday night. For more details on this diverse and intriguing concert, visit the above links, and here's Zaum live last year!



Next up, we have some big changes to announce for THIS FRIDAY'S Caym-headlined concert, which has been moved from The Oddfellows Hall to The Algonquin Pub! The show, now fully promoted by J.D. Pearce again, will now be the kickoff show for his and Tidal Records' Gonqshow concert series there, so there's all the more reason to check out Caym's first headlining date in the Soo on Friday night! To go along with the venue shift, the cover charge has been halved to $5, but sadly, this is now a 19+ event. This all confirms that Heavy North Entertainment are no longer involved with this concert, with planned local openers Them also removed from the bill for similar reasons. J.D. alluded to the changes on the Facebook event page by saying that "someone dropped the ball", but you can read into that however you want. This should be a great show either way, so stay tuned for our full preview later in the week!

Finally for this post, here's three shorter news stories from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Local rap/metal band The Apocalypse Afterparty have parted ways with drummer X (a.k.a. Steve Mozarowski), as confirmed to me by Steve at Saturday night's Swampstravaganza. Allusions to internal tensions in the band (often of a cryptic nature) have been made on Facebook in recent weeks, but we won't get into any details here. Best of luck to Steve in the future, and stay tuned for more on The Apocalypse Afterparty as we hear it!
• Local doom/death metal band Giwakwa have quietly confirmed the addition of Beaumont Avenue's Mitch Sirie as their new bassist AND lead singer, replacing both Nolan Rainville and Mitch's Bear Hunters bandmate Josh Stephney. Surprise announcement to be sure, but Mitch is a talented multi-instrumentalist with a lot of band experience, so he should fit in well! Our source is the band's Facebook page, but more details are forthcoming.
• We have moved local hard rock quartet The Side FX back to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. The band featuring Garden of Bedlam, Papa Fogal's Chair, and Elements alumni haven't made a public statement since playing at bassist Mike Bird's stag & doe over a year ago, though keep in mind that guitarist Alex Walls lives out of town. Hopefully they turn up again, and best of luck to him, Mike, Rob, and Derek in the future! 

That's all for now, but keep posted on our Facebook page for the rest of our Swampstravaganza videos, with our review guaranteed to come afterwards! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Archelon), A New Local Punk Band, And More!!

Alright, we do have one more news post before TONIGHT'S Ripcordz concert, and it includes some assorted recent news & notes, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT to go with an already stacked Halloween concert lineup, and first, a new local band to take note of, so here's what you need to know!

We have a new band to add to our active links, and they are The Red & Black, a new punk/grunge duo that are officially credited as hailing from Garden River. The newest in the increasing slate of two man bands in the area, their lineup features Telephone & Address founder Chris Shoust on vocals & guitar alongside talented local pianist Damjan Binda (a.k.a. Spider Fingerz) on drums. Information on The Red & Black is minimal so far, and it's unclear if they plan to transfer to the live stage, but two original songs are now online via their Bandcamp page, where both can be streamed and even bought if you so chose. One's named "The Army Song" (complete with repeated chorus shouts of "Left! Right!"), and the other is called "Talk Talk Talk". Both are reminiscent of Chris' recent Telephone & Address originals, just with guitar instead of bass and a live drummer rather than programmed drums, so fans of "Need Not Apply" will be right at home with The Red & Black! Stay tuned for more on The Red & Black as we hear it!

Next up, here's another LOCAL CONCERT ALERT concerning the Halloween season, as Heavy North Entertainment are putting on a second annual Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall on Thursday, October 30th! Last year's Devil's Night show wasn't the first under the H.N.E. name, but it launched Tyler St. Amour's promotional run at formal venues, so it's cool to see him turn this into an annual event! Though with such an extensive lineup, I'm surprised we're only getting just over two weeks notice. Subtitled "Local Mash-Up" (Oddzfest reference?), this show currently has 12 announced acts, and though Sudbury metal quintet Archelon (who have played with local bands at recent events in Cochrane & Spanish) are the nominal headliners, much of the advance press revolves around the local homecoming of experimental solo musician Chase Wigmore & his death metal duo This Is Your Band On Drugs, neither of which have been seen in town in 5 months due to Chase's out of town work commitments.

It's great to see Chase back in town, and his irreverent and very talented music should be welcomed back in both his solo and T.I.Y.B.O.D. sets on Devil's Night! The lineup will also include three bands with Paperclip Productions ties, including grunge/alternative notables Haggith, classic metal rockers Project 421 (in their first show since the departure of singer Curtis McKenzie), and local doom/punk trio The Revolution (formerly the second Brutaly Fatal), while the heavy portion of the lineup is rounded out with Blood Shed Productions goregrind acts Crucify The Whore & Rotopsy, and former Strange Coyotes bassist James Watterworth (credited under his Delusionair Lionhair alias) in a solo set. Timeslots for all of the above artists are to be determined, but this second Devil's Night show will kick off at 5:00 PM with a three-way set of local rappers (the first time H.N.E. has booked that genre at a non-house party), and the rappers in question are Phat Boii, Miracle Man, and Mikey Thomas, so keep their joint set in mind if you're coming early for some hip-hop!

For reference & continuity sake, every official performer from last year's Devil's Night show is back this year, with the exception of Crimson Crusade (who went on hiatus after last year's show) and The Bear Hunters. This ALL AGES concert kicks off with the rappers at 5:00 PM, and admission will be $5 in advance (details to be announced) and $7 at the door, which is a fantastic value! For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! I've said it before, the Halloween season is the peak of the metal & punk concert calendar during the fall season, and this is continued proof of that, so don't bypass Devil's Night at The Oddfellows Hall during your seasonal concert plans! Stay tuned for updates!

Finally, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Bear Hunters guitarist/Beaumont Avenue bassist Mitch Sirie is again looking to start a side metal band project, this time one with an emphasis on natural, earthy songwriting and diverse unpredictable musical quality. He'll have time and jam space to start early next year, so if you're interested, message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Thursday!
• In a comment reply on that very same Musicians Wanted group post, Giwakwa drummer Chris Thompson mentioned that the band (who is indeed still alive) is looking for a new singer and bassist, presumably still due to Josh Stephney & Nolan Rainville's out of town work commitments. Mitch indicated clear interested in one or both positions, but if you're interested in trying out for either role yourself, message Chris at this link!
• After a three week break from studio work, Haggith drummer Mike Haggith revealed on his Facebook page on Wednesday that he is working on a new studio album called "The Warinside" (the missing space appears to be intentional), and though it deals with "relevant recent happenings", there's no timetable for it's release as of yet, and what this means for his announced third compilation album, the re-release of "Neighbourhood Watch", and the indefinitely postponed "The Tower" isn't clear yet. Get more info (including the cover art) at the above links!

That's all for today, but we'll see you guys at The Algonquin Pub TONIGHT for The Ripcordz! Thanks everyone!

Mike Haggith's Newest Album, Pillory Lineup Updates, And New Song Uploads!!

As September slowly winds down, we have more news to get to today, so what's in store? New songs from two very different (but death metal-based) Sault Ontario projects, lineup changes from a local thrash band, and leading things off, a new local hard rock album release (and the identity of our next CD review), so read on below to get up to speed!

Haggith drummer Mike Haggith's 47th & newest solo album is now officially on sale! Yes, "Neighbourhood Watch II: Where It Ends" is now available for purchase digitally on Mike's Bandcamp & Reverbnation pages for just $5, which is nice and affordable! A physical pressing is also planned, and if you just want to buy individual songs, they're 99¢ on Reverbnation, but the full album is by far a better deal. All of this was released last Monday, along with the final album artwork that better reflects the "Neighbourhood Watch" aspect of the title (Mike's watch sure has escalated!), and as a result, Mike also deleted & re-uploaded the free YouTube copy of the album to add the new artwork. With the album now on sale, I will now confirm that "Neighbourhood Watch II: Where It Ends" will be our next CD review at The Sault Metal Scene! I chose it over it's predecessor "The Present Din" by virtue of it being heavier, but "The Present Din" remains a review possibility for next year, perhaps if "The Tower" is lighter. Support Mike's diverse alternative hard rock solo material by picking up or streaming "Neighbourhood Watch II" at the above links, and stay tuned for our review hopefully in early October!

Next up, here's the latest lineup news from Sault Ontario thrashers Pillory! First, they've added guitarist Josh Amendola (a.k.a. Jack Parsons) to their lineup, in place of the late Andres Duchesne. A formal statement hasn't been made about his addition, but he's had the Pillory logo on his personal Facebook page since May, and he's quietly been added to their Facebook lineup too. I'm not familiar with Josh as a musician, but I'm very curious to hear how he does live! On the flipside, the band have parted ways with bassist Cole Royal, and they are currently looking for a replacement. This was announced by drummer Bret Shuttleworth on their Facebook page on September 19th, and though a reason for Cole's departure hasn't been announced, he didn't play at their partial return set at Grinded Live In Your Ears last month. Disappointing that he left, especially after only a few months, but best of luck to Cole in the future! The band are hoping to find a bassist who's dedicated, interested in their music, and seriously wants to jam, so if you're interested, message the band at the above links or through members' personal Facebook pages, and stay tuned for more as it comes in!

We'll close today's post with new song uploads, starting with a metallized cover by Bear Hunters/Suicide Kings guitarist Mitch Sirie! Uploaded to his solo project The Sorrow Fields' YouTube channel on Thursday, this is a death metal cover of Billy Talent's "Devil In A Midnight Mass", which he recorded as a way to get reacquainted with recording for The Sorrow Fields' first album. Featuring Mitch on vocals & all instruments (plus programmed drums), he may re-record this due to clarity issues, but it's a definite improvement on the original to me! I've never been high on Billy Talent, so there's admittedly a bias there, but it has a punk edged brutality that works well, so give Mitch's first cover upload a listen below!



Finally for today, new local goregrind project Rotopsy (formerly Spitneck) have had two songs from their upcoming three-way split demo from Blood Shed Productions uploaded to the label's YouTube channel yesterday! Entitled "Transfusion of a Reverse Rectaloctopathy" and (as embedded below) "Let Us Rot", the descriptions finally tell us more on the project, which is indeed another band from label head Ringsnaps Gibson (on bass & programming), with new collaborator Dylan Taylor on lead vocals. If you throw The Fury & Crucify The Whore in a blender, and this would probably be what results, and though the vocals are unintelligible and almost sound like random coughs and grunts, but the music's well programmed. Give Rotopsy's newest songs a look above & below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

A "New" Local Band, Lineup Changes, And More Assorted New Items!!

Another week is on, and for today's news post, we're mostly clearing out our news cache, so what's on tap? Along with a pile of assorted random recent news items, we have lineup changes and other updates from two new-ish local metal bands, and first, we have a new local hard rock project to plug, so here's what you need to know!

Haggith drummer/local solo musician Mike Haggith announced a new local band project on Saturday, and they're called Mike Haggith & The Din! Likely a reference to his most recent solo album "The Present Din", this project appears to be an outlet for Mike to play his array of solo original material live in the Sault area, which is something I know he'd tried to get going before in town. With a cited genre of "acid jam", Mike Haggith & The Din's lineup is almost the same as the Haggith band's lineup, albeit with the 3 common members in swapped roles (a'la Lion Ride & Detroit), with Mike on vocals & guitar instead of drums, Curtis McKenzie on bass & keyboard instead of vocals, and Daniel Horton on drums instead of guitar. For the record, I don't know if The Din will get any dedicated online pages or just share Mike's solo pages, but Mike did confirm that this project is the newest band on the Paperclip Productions label (no word though on if this is the same as the never-revealed Cadets project.)

As a first sample, Mike posted an extended jam of him and Daniel (Curtis is absent) playing "Limb Coast" from his "Neighbourhood Watch" album onto his new YouTube channel (along with full postings of that album and "Suspended Animation"), but how does it sound? At 23 minutes in length, it definitely has a loose jam feel, and it puts more of a freewheeling experimental take on this already dark and atmospheric song, but the parts that match the original recording line up well! I'm interested to hear how The Din tackles some other Mike Haggith originals, so check out their jam version of "Limb Coast" below, and stay tuned for updates!



Next up, here's the latest updates from Sault Ontario thrash band Pillory, starting with the addition of Cole Royal to their lineup as their new bassist, replacing Jonathan Tiberi. The news was broken on their Facebook page on Thursday, though from what I can tell, he's been with the band since last month. I'm not familiar with Cole musically, but fingers crossed he has the skills to match up with Robert and Bret in their current lineup! No word yet though on a new guitarist to replace the late Andres Duchesne. In the same Facebook posting, Pillory revealed that the release of their "Cringe at the Cross" EP is "not too far away", with a summer release now being worked on, while they also revealed that they just finished writing a new original song named "Dethrone the Dictator". It sounds like Pillory's hard at work on their next plans, but I'd like to see them back on stage, as their only concert was six months ago. They need to build some momentum, but they're talented and have made a good early impression, so hopefully some more big news is coming! Stay tuned for more!

Also, here's the latest from the newer local classic metal previously known as Hydra, starting with a name change, as they quietly changed their name to The Hydra's Teeth on Saturday. A reason for the name change wasn't announced, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's to avoid conflicts with existing bands with the same name. The lengthened name works though! Also, they've confirmed the addition of veteran local drummer Roy Kreutzberger to their lineup (as per their Reverbnation page), returning them to a trio following guitarist Talon Risto's departure. Roy's well known locally from projects like Leaves Off Trees, Startlefish, Odd Man Out, Iron Lung, and Clockwork, some of which date back to the 1990s, so even with a lack of explicit metal work that I can find, the skill's absolutely there for Roy to match up with Late & Loud's Brendan Christie & Benn Garside in this band! Other news hasn't been posted since the above changes, but check out The Hydra's Teeth's promising (though incomplete) original demos at their Reverbnation page above, and keep an eye out for band updates!

We'll close today with six assorted recent news items (as they've been piling up), and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Though not a direct local metal story, Ashes To Dust frontman Noah Morden will take the stage in Superior Heights Collegiate & Vocational School's production of Evita this weekend, where he'll play Che, the narrator. Big opportunity, hopefully all goes well this weekend! As for the band, while we've heard very little from them in recent months,Noah did inquire about returning to this year's Sewer Swampstravaganza, so keep an eye out if they're confirmed!
• On May 10th, Eckerman, Michigan metal band Life's Eclipse posted an unembeddable video sample of a new track named "Aphelion" onto their Facebook page! It sounds very heavy and promising, if incomplete, so check it out at the above links, and fingers crossed we hear more from them soon!
• Bear Hunters/Suicide Kings guitarist/bassist Mitch Sirie is looking for a bassist and drummer for a new progressive metal project that he's working on, though no word on if this is an expansion of his Sorrow Fields solo act or something completely different. If you're interested in trying out, message Mitch at this location or through his post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Wednesday!
• Local punk trio Redundant were added as a third opening band for the Sleep When You're Dead-headlined all ages concert at The Oddfellows Hall on May 29th, as confirmed on the Facebook event page on Saturday. Unexpected choice, given that the other three bands are all forms of extreme metal, but Redundant's members all have metal experience, and they should set the tone well with their entertaining originals & covers!
• Ex-Swayze Train/Insipid Brutality guitarist Scott Savoie has uploaded three new solo original songs onto his Soundcloud page in the past month, including a Jeff Hanneman tribute named "Forever Reign", and there's vocals on these new tracks! If that's Scott on the thrashier ones, he could front a band if he wanted! Check out his new songs (one of which has female vocals) at the above links!
• I forgot to mention this when we plugged Winkstinger's addition of Jason Bourcier as their new bassist on here, but his enlistment is sort of a return too, as he fronted Winkstinger's predecessors Operation: Killdozer during their brief mid-2009 run! Fans may remember that at least one Killdozer song ("Pieces of You") was adapted by Winkstinger as "Where'd We Go Wrong" after their debut. It's good to see Jason, Jesse, and Jonas back together, and don't miss the band's return on the 29th!

That's all for today, but stay tuned tomorrow for my review of The Crusade! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Banned), The Rosie Metal Nights' Future, And Much More!!

Before we get to the meat of this post, I just wanted to send my condolences to everyone up in Wawa following the major flooding and highway closure and everything else that's been going on there over the last few days. Hopefully everyone's OK and I hope you guys can bounce back from this and emerge stronger and closer than ever! Today at the SMS, we have more updates to our monthly CD reviews, clarification on a local solo project, the whereabouts of a popular concert series, and more, but first, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!

Were you Sault Michigan-area fans hoping for a heavier Halloween weekend concert? Well, good news, as Banned are back TONIGHT for a Halloween show in Moran! Almost two months after their last announced concert, the Traynors and company will return to Todd's Tavern (the former Bullwinkle's) this evening, and it'll be great to see them back on stage a few weeks of quiet updates! Apologies for the short notice, it was only just announced last night on Banned's Facebook page. Halloween costumes are encouraged, as you might expect, and like their other recent concerts, I expect they'll be without guitarist Alex Schrʚvenwever due to him being out of town for college. There is no announced cover charge for tonight's concert, which goes down at 8:00 PM, and a 21+ age limit is likely. Check the above links for more details! It's great to see Banned back on stage this weekend, and there's no better weekend to break out their entertaining hard rock originals and covers, so if you're up for the drive, don't miss them tomorrow night in Moran! For a preview, here's Banned playing their song "Cocaine Riot" last month in Sault Michigan!



Next up, have you been curious as to the status of the Roosevelt Hotel metal nights? The Thursday concert series has been dormant since the 47th installment on July 5th, but yesterday, I heard some information on it's future from Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie, who was the metal nights' latest promoter. Mitch told me through Facebook conversations that he's no longer booking the Rosie metal nights so he can focus on other musical projects right now, including The Bear Hunters' demo & some solo work. However, Mitch did tell me that the series will likely be handed over to a new promoter to relaunch it in the near future, although I'll wait until official details are announced before mentioning future prospects. Mitch promoted the last four Rosie metal nights after picking up main promotion duties from Stephane Vincent in April, and he also holds the record for most appearances as a performer, playing at 21 Rosie metal nights to date as a member of The Bear Hunters & Borderline Divine.

It's disappointing to see Mitch no longer book the Rosie metal nights, but he's making the best choice for himself as a musician right now, and everything will pay off the way it's meant to, I'm sure! Hopefully the promoter he has in mind will be able to sustain the series for the long term as well, and when/if updates roll in, I'll have them here! On a related note, Mitch also told me that his newest solo project The Sorrow Fields (who have been alluded to online recently) is actually one and the same as his April Eyes/Animas project & not something separate like Eden Plague was. The name change is due to him finally finding a solo project name that he liked, referring to the earlier names as placeholders until he found something better. However, public updates specifically referring to The Sorrow Fields have been scattered and minimal to date, and their Facebook page that was launched in June was later deleted, so while the project is alive and being worked on, not a lot is public about it under it's new name yet. Still, I've restored this project to our active Sault Ontario metal band links with the new name, and stay tuned for Sorrow Fields updates as I hear them!

Fourthly today, here's three assorted shorter news stories from the last little while, and as always, these are in alphabetical order by artist or website name:

• Pillory bassist/Late & Loud alum Jonathan Tiberi posted on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Thursday to extend an open offer for local bands to message him if they want to play a show in "late November". No word what type of concert is in the works (Pillory's live debut, maybe?), but if you're interested in playing live next fall for this concert, message Jon at this location or visit the above links!
• The aforementioned Mitch Sirie is also apparently looking to work on another local band project, as per his own Musicians Wanted group posting yesterday. He doesn't wanna play anything country or pop, and is open to covers, jamming, and songwriting anything from soft rock to metal. We know he's got the talent, but if you wanna do anything musically with Mitch, message him at this location or the above links!
• Keeping with the Musicians Wanted theme, this topic is now the basis of it's own section on SooToday's classified page! It remains to be seen how often this is used, but hopefully it picks up steam, so keep it mind for your band member searches! I've added it (and the Facebook group) to our "Other Sault Ontario Metal Links" section on the page's left, and kudos to local drummer Steve Porco for suggesting it to SooToday!

Finally for today, here's some more updates and edits to our monthly CD reviews! As previously stated, these generally have all had photo restorations due to dead links, and don't have actual content edits to the review portion of the post out of respect to their original intent.  In our review of Mike Haggith's 43rd solo album "Suspended Animation", I've updated references to his label Rotten Records' renaming to Galactic Records, and added links to the album's free YouTube posting, with each song linked in the review itself now as well, while I also edited our review of Destroilet's debut EP to note it's likely out of print status, given their newer album plans, including re-recordings of the EP's tracks. Finally, I also edited the reviews of Foothill Road's self-titled EP and their first disc "Seventy" to note guitarist Mario Carlucci's later departure from his most recent band Sneaky Pete. Keep an eye out for updates to our 2012 and Sault Michigan CD reviews hopefully soon, and check the above links for the updated reviews!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news next week, and I'll see you guys TONIGHT at The Algonquin Pub for the 7th annual Halloween Party! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, The Quest For Metal At Rotaryfest, And More!!

Our busiest month since August continues today with this latest post at The Sault Metal Scene, and for this latest batch of news, we have a brand new local band, news on a recent campaign towards a local festival that's gaining a lot of steam, and some more assorted stories, so here's what you need to know!

We've got a new local hard rock band to talk about today at the SMS, and their name is Acention! Their online pages were only started this month, but they're already showing some promise thanks to their lineup and sound descriptions. Acention's current lineup includes singer Danielle Wierzbicki, guitarists Dalton Boissineau (formerly of These Sins of Time) and Josh Willet, former Suffacation bassist Konar Zayet, and Cherry Crush drummer Johnny Amendola, who you may remember from a campaign earlier this year to see him join a local metal band. Notably, Acention's Facebook page still lists an earlier lineup for the band, which featured Dalton & Josh alongside Caleb, Mikey, and Cayne Cachagee (I think they're brothers), and though I know Mikey was once on bass in 20 Pack of Marshmallows, full older lineup positions weren't listed. Acention has been together since October 2011, and their Facebook group says that their current lineup does covers from bands like Papa Roach, Evanescence, and Three Days Grace, with plans to write originals and start gigging this summer. Become a fan or group member at the above links for current updates!

I don't know a whole lot on Acention, but there's promise there! Johnny's a very talented young drummer, I know Danielle from high school and she has a good singing voice, and I haven't heard anything negative about the members of this new band! It'll also be nice to see another heavier local band with a female singer, which is scarce on the Sault Ontario side of things right now (aside from Turner Up & the increasingly inactive Sativa Rose.) Stay tuned for more from Acention as it rolls in, and they're now in our band listings on your left!

Next up, this is related to a campaign that has been all over many local metalheads' Facebook news feeds in the last while. On Thursday, Bear Hunters/Borderline Divine guitarist Mitch Sirie launched a Facebook group named "Bring Metal to the Rotary Fest Main Stage 2012!", which is about what the title implies. Mitch was hoping to instigate an effort to add metal bands to our local summer festival's main concert stage at Clergue Park over the July 19th weekend, which generally features mostly local cover bands, typically ones who frequent local bars on weekends. While bands like Turner Up & That's Chester have been seen in recent years, the aim was to get even heavier bands with original material to be featured equally with those of other genres, especially with the progression of the local metal scene in recent years. Mitch has since heard back from Rotaryfest higher-ups that the main stage is for cover bands only, but his influence and efforts may help lead to a metal element on the Tenaris Second Stage outside of The Grand Theater on Queen Street East. Though that stage has generally been focused around local & out of town indie rock bands, they're more open to original material and metal genres, and despite no heavier acts last year, bands like Garden of Bedlam, Gates of Winter, and Stillbroke have rocked the Second Stage in the past, so it's certainly not taboo there.

If all goes according to current plan, Mitch is hoping to get some booking control over a proposed third day of the Tenaris Second Stage at Rotaryfest this year, which would see bands who apply for consideration this year (applications should start on Monday) be considered on a more metal-friendly basis. If this doesn't fly, Mitch and related contributors would be looking into hosting some type of outdoor metal event concurrently with Rotaryfest, but nothing is final at present. Check the above links for the recent discussions! I'm all for increased metal integration this year, as compared to other local music festivals, metal and hard rock is definitely a lesser focus at Rotaryfest. If I booked the main stage, I'd integrate all genres and try and focus on original material, but I understand why they have the bands they do each year. The bands they get are unoffensive, family friendly, and play familiar music that a diverse local audience can enjoy. Plus, Rotaryfest is a family festival in many respects, and some people won't want to hear death growling or expose their young children to it. I'd still prefer a wider range of bands for genres, ages, and levels of original material, but what Rotaryfest is doing at Clergue Park works for what they do, and I'm sure they feel that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Maybe we'll at least get Caveman Morrison this year though?

The Second Stage is definitely an easier nut to crack, as they generally have supported original & heavier material more, but the dependence on indie rock & numerous out of town bands has turned off some metalheads that I know. I find that the organizers of the Second Stage do a great job for talent that they book (local or otherwise), but even if a full day can't be secured for metal/punk, just seeing more than just one heavier band on a day's lineup would be welcome. I'm certainly not the type to try and force metal on the unwilling, but if we could get a cross section of the best of every genre, everyone would be happy, and hopefully some steps can be taken down that road! Stay tuned on Monday (if all goes according to plan) for applications to play at this year's Rotaryfest, as the odds may be better than ever that your band gets on the bill!

And finally, here's three assorted shorter stories from the last little while, and as always, these are in alphabetical order by event or artist name:

• A review of April 5th's David Gold memorial concert/"Woods V" CD release party in Toronto has been posted online by Jonathan Millard-Smith of Hellbound.ca, so click here to check it out! Though I don't agree with his questioning of Kittie justifying why they were there (it may be how they grieved and got through it all), it's a nice and concise review of the night's proceedings, with solid photos by Adam Wills, so give it a read!
  
• I've moved Skull After Betrayal frontman Mike Vincent's solo project to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. Mike last updated his solo Reverbnation page last April with some original song postings, but I think he's mostly been focusing on band work since. Hopefully he revisits his solo work down the road, but stay tuned for updates from Mike's band projects!
• The Posted Around concert poster exhibition at the Circle of Creative Arts building near The Grand Theater has been extended until May 7th (one week from Monday) due to public interest, which is awesome to hear! Go check it out A.S.A.P. to see some awesome local concert posters and buy prints of them for as low as $5!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and videos soon, plus our review of End of Existence's debut album! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, A New CD, Concert News, And More!!

It's time for some assorted news, including some big stories! After this morning's Woods of Ypres-centric post (check it out in the post below), we have much more in the pipeline right now, including some concert updates and a brand new local album I recieved a copy of, but first, we have a new local band! Here's what you need to know!

The band in question is Eden Plague, a new death/black metal solo project from Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie! Though you might figure/expect this to be another name change for his recently re-renamed April Eyes solo project, this is a separate venture, and seemingly a place for heavier solo material! Details are scant so far on Eden Plague, but Mitch launched their MySpace page last October, though didn't post detailed public info until late last month. In Eden Plague, Mitch is going by the stage name "Lucifus Omegus", while spreading the word of Satan through the influences and biographical information, which fits the music. Three songs featuring Mitch on all instruments have been posted onto Eden Plague's MySpace page, including an original named "Barren" and new mixes of "Zen Omega", an older April Eyes/Animas song that appears to have been shifted to this new project. How do the songs sound? I like "Barren" with it's slow and heavy riffs, sped up latter section, and Mitch's death growling suits everything well! It's a wonder that he doesn't do this more live. The "classic edition" of "Zen Omega" is superior to the "Nightmare Remix", but needs a touch up production wise to make it sound more like "Barren".

Promising stuff mostly, but the "nightmate remix" doesn't do anything for me, it sounds inferior from the effects and alterations. That aside, I like what I'm hearing! Mitch is a talented musician and this is more proof! Check the above links for more on Eden Plague, including their Facebook page, and stay tuned for some April Eyes updates as well!

Secondly, I have in my possession a brand new local metal album, and it's not by who you may think! Yesterday, I recieved a package in the mail from Sault Michigan containing, surprisingly, Clownsack's second album! Colour me surprised at that, I hadn't heard anything new from them since last fall! I knew they'd slowly been working on a new album since 2009, but I had no idea when (or if) we'd ever see it released! What should you know about their new album? Entitled "Funny Farm", the cover is obviously on your left, featuring bassist Slappy locked up in the mental asylum. The artwork by Tony Rogers is great, featuring the band members in varying asylum settings with a comic book motif. The album features the band's 2008-2010 lineup, including Slappy and frontman Schloppy, then-guitarist Butter Cookie (more on him in a second), and drummer Skronko, in his first studio appearance with Clownsack. Remember, the band are under clown personas and stage names, and they pull it off well! The album was produced and recorded with Electric Motor Fish guitarist Fran Blackwood, with ex-Clownsack drummer Bob Helsten ("Orb") handling the drum production.

I don't know if I have an advance copy, or if "Funny Farm" has seen a local release already, but keep an eye out for it at Sault Michigan music stores just in case, and yes, at their next local shows, whenever they're booked. If you want to hear/buy the EP online, it's not on CD Baby yet, but all five songs are available to stream on the band's MySpace page, as uploaded earlier this month! Odd that they've done minimal advance promotion for it yet, but their pages aren't updated frequently as it is. "Funny Farm" barely crosses 20 minutes in length, but it's packed with good stuff, and I definitely won't give this a bad review! Speaking of which, I'd like to announce that this will be our next CD review on The Sault Metal Scene! It will be reviewed on here after my exams are over, so you should see it posted next week! Is it ironic that it's after a Woods of Ypres CD review again, as was the case 15 months ago? Definitely check the songs out on MySpace and keep an eye out for "Funny Farm" at a store or concert near you, and huge thanks to the guys in Clownsack for sending me a copy!

Oh yeah, and the band have officially parted ways with guitarist Butter Cookie, who had been with Clownsack since their inception. The writing was on the wall for this, as the band mentioned that he was planning to leave once the album was finished, but it's still a shame! He hasn't been replaced yet, though I figure he will be, as the band added Sparxx as a second guitarist last year with the intent on being a quintet going forward. Maybe things might change though, stay tuned! Again, check out their MySpace page for more!

Finally, here's some assorted concert updates! Firstly, the other two bands have been added to THIS THURSDAY'S Roosevelt Hotel metal night, the first since the weekly schedule adoption, so who's joining Shit Liver to melt faces before the Easter weekend? Headlining will be As It Stands, with The Bear Hunters also opening, giving this show a nice blend of hardcore and death metal with a grimy touch! My source is Dismembertainment's Facebook page. Also, you could consider it a "preview" of the April 29th all ages show at The Oddfellows Hall, as both As It Stands & The Bear Hunters are opening that show as well! Good to hear, so make note of the full lineup for THURSDAY, and you can't use work or school as an excuse not to go, cause it's Good Friday coming up, so there's no need to be up early! Speaking of shows with As It Stands, drummer John Mignacca is running a draw for two free tickets to the April 29th show with Dead & Divine, so how do you enter? Invite all your friends to attend this show, then press the Print Screen button on your keyboard to copy a screenshot that proves you invited your friends, then save it and send the picture to John's Facebook page via e-mail, and you'll be entered to win! The winner will be chosen on Monday, so if you wanna try to win free tickets, get on that A.S.A.P.!

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