Slumshine/These Magnificent Tentacles Tape Details, A New Video, And More!!

News has somewhat been slowing down as of late, but here's a full news post to check out on this Tuesday evening, including a new performance video and some assorted recent stories. Leading off are details on physical copies of a local punk veteran's recent album exploits that may or not be belated for the SMS, so here's what you should know!

This may fly under the radar unless you know frontman Brenton Ellis personally, but he is (still?) selling his acoustic punk solo project Slumshine's 2021 EP "Slumlord" on cassette tapes, as well as tape copies of his inactive punk/alternative duo These Magnificent Tentacles' EP "Surfacing..."! Brent definitely released Slumshine's vowelless debut "SLMSHN" on tapes in 2019, but he hasn't posted on that project's Facebook page since 2021 despite playing live at Fringe North last year, and never promoted an active sale of "Slumlord" on tapes there.  However, I saw that Brent (a.k.a. B.G. Ellis) would be selling art at the Fishbowl Festival's flea market at The Klub at the Pall Mall on Queen Street East on Sunday, and in his teaser picture, there were cassette tapes! Not having any of Slumshine's tapes yet, I went down there and bought "Slumlord" and "Surfacing", which he charges $10 apiece for.

Brent is an accomplished painter & visual artist, so he hand-designed the art on his tapes, rather than use the Bandcamp cover art in a cropped or stretched form factor. On "Slumlord", Brent creatively gave the tape reversible artwork and liner notes, and while side A has "Slumlord" as seen on Bandcamp, side B (with reversible referencing artwork) has five bonus tracks named "Reversible Straightjacket", "Doubt For Life", "Prelapse", "Into The Inferno", and "Breeze Of The Sun". This is the sort of thing that I'm surprised Brent doesn't advertise, as it could boost sales of the tapes if people knew that Bandcamp only had 6/11ths of the story! Be advised that the "side A/B" labels fell off of my copy very easily, so have a glue stick handy. As for the These Magnificent Tentacles tape, it is less ornate for packaging and details, and has no bonus songs, but it uses thicker liner notes & promotes their Tidal Records affiliation.

What I didn't buy there was what appeared to be the original "SLMSHN" album on tape, distinguished by abstract painted liner artwork (as showcased in the Bandcamp copy's cover art), but at the time, I just took them for alternate art of "Slumlord" rather than a separate older album. If I described this accurately, then silly me, and hopefully Brent is selling his art again soon so I can grab that tape also and see how different/similar it is to the digital copy! Definitely keep an eye on when/where Brent will be selling art (or playing live) next to see if you can buy his recent albums on tape, and while copies of "Surfacing..." seemed limited, the Slumshine albums were well stocked. See above for more details!

Next up, let's take a brief detour to Sault Michigan for a new video from local classical metal band Theatre of Night's YouTube channel last week! A newly filmed live rendition of the Christmas carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", this is their first true performance video uploaded here featuring new bassist Luke Bernard, and he and the rest of the band are sure dressed for the occasion here! No videos from their abbreviated (and non-local) Christmas tour last year surfaced online, but this may help make up for that, if a few months late to really be seasonal. Filmed at their own space named "The Cave" (related in name only to Sykotyk Rampage's jam room), it looks like Theatre of Night pulled out all of the stops to give this video the presentation of their live concerts, complete with full staging and light/smoke effects, and it comes across very well in this video. I wonder if they filmed any more songs like this at the time?

We are 7-8 months out from this performance being timely, but the performance itself is solid and accurate to last year's studio revision, and fans of Theatre of Night's metal versions of Christmas classics should be right at home with this rendition 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:

 

• In a rare public acknowledgement of their status, Gates of Winter guitarist Bryan Belleau revealed in a comment reply on the Woods of Ypres Fanclub Facebook group on Saturday that the Sault Ontario progressive death metal band "didn't officially disband", but life caught up to them and took them "in different directions", though the guys still talk daily. Bryan noted that "Gates 2" (their unfinished album "Perihelion") "may exist at some point" in the future. Gates of Winter have been inactive since the spring of 2018 after working on the new album since 2010, and they haven't played live since 2008. Fingers crossed that we haven't heard the absolute last from them!
• Local indie punk quintet The Northwest's song "Shoreline" was featured on the February 25th episode of the CBC Radio One series In The Key Of C, where host Craig Norris spotlights rising Ontario musicians each Saturday at 5:00 PM. According to the show's Facebook page, The Northwest were the last of 12 bands played on that episode. If you missed the live airing on 89.5 FM (which is easy, as the band only announced that they'd be on that morning), the episode will likely come to the CBC Listen mobile application in time, though at the moment, the newest playable episode is from January 7th. Hopefully The Northwest got lots of new fans here!
• I have moved St. Ignace, Michigan metal guitarist Ted Olson's solo project to our inactive Sault Michigan band links. The Heavy Lies The Crown axeslayer has not issued a public update to his solo Facebook page since posting a picture of his headless guitars in November 2021, though of course, he has been more than busy since with H.L.T.C. in studio and in concert. Follow the band for more on what Ted's been up to in the past year+, but hopefully he resumes solo work down the road!
  

 

That's all for today, but stay tuned for St. Patrick's Day weekend concert previews and more on the site in the days ahead! Thanks everyone!

Slumshine - "Slumlord" EP Review!!

It's now time for our 143rd monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and we're back to new albums on this increasingly warm month, specifically by looking at local punk solo project Slumshine's second album "Slumlord"! Independently released to their Bandcamp page on May 6th, this EP is currently exclusive to that digital platform, though Slumshine did tease another cassette tape album release in February on Facebook, which could see "Slumlord" included in some form. Despite their use of plural pronouns (like we & us), Slumshine are solely represented by These Magnificent Tentacles frontman Brenton Ellis, clad in his requisite pink ski mask. You can buy "Slumlord" above for $5, and while it can be streamed for free on Bandcamp, consider buying it to support Brent's work! Featuring five songs running for just 11 minutes in length, this'll be a quicker review, but let's get it going!

Compared to Slumshine's all-acoustic debut album "SLMSHN" (which I have not reviewed yet), this EP immediately comes across as more experimental, courtesy of the 39 seconds long opening track "Avernus". This sounds like Brent left the recording equipment going in another room during a rehearsal, before ending with some loud effects, and honestly, it's barely a song. The first proper track (if still short) is "Pink Clouds of Destiny", which starts off as an acoustic instrumental before some om chanting helps transition into electric instrumentation, albeit maintaining the same guitar melody of the first half. I like how it sounds, and the guitar work fits both tones, but this feels like the introduction to a heavier punk song, moreso than it's own composition. Third is "BiPolaris", which is the first song on offer with proper lyrics, and those seem to grapple with mental health issues.

This song is thematically closer to the "SLMSHN" tape than most other songs on "Slumlord", but Brent does sing in more of a softer affected vocal tone here, until the backing vocals kick in late. The lyrics (complete with American national anthem allusions) seem to come from a personal place, but compared to their more punk leaning debut, this falls short for my preferences. Fourth is the EP's shortest song, entitled "Fuck You! Pay Me!", and despite the explicit (and presumably ironic) title, it is just a soft acoustic guitar instrumental number. It sounded pretty to be sure, but it's 35 seconds long. The EP's title track "Slumlord" is next, and I reckon it's about Brent experiencing the light in various forms. At it's base level, this is an acoustic song, but spacey post-production effects are layered over the track that can be distracting at first, but I got used to them by the end. 

This is probably my favourite song on this EP, and if stripped down without the spacey effects, it feels like it's ready for live performances! There is some good passion to Brent's singing as it goes, but the lyrical structure can be a little repetitive. "Slumlord" closes with it's longest track, "M'Guts", which runs for a blistering 3:09. Seemingly about wanting to get a fresh start & working towards a more ideal future, the title appears to reference giving your heart and soul to accomplish something, if with more graphic detail. This song is electric (though sans drums) and is arguably the most "punk" song on offer, but the production doesn't really emphasize the guitar work, as it takes a very quiet back seat role in the mix, already not helped without audible percussion. The backing vocals feel tacked on too. Overall, "M'Guts" has solid lyrics & a strong base for genre fans, but it doesn't sound finished.

So, what are my final thoughts on Slumshine's new EP? I like where it's going, but it feels unfinished. As music, I appreciate that Brent wanted to experiment beyond the acoustic punk-only sound of "SLMSHN", but that can be a mixed blessing. I haven't reviewed that original tape on the SMS yet, but it's a longer release in spite of it's acoustic trappings, which is why I speculated that "Slumlord" would only end up being one side of their teased new cassette tape. Beyond that, the music here is definitely more varied and creative in structure and instrumentation, and while I applaud that (especially on the title track once I acclimated to the effects), I'd have done more. "M'Guts" could really use drums & a more even mix, the softer affected vocals on "BiPolaris" weren't my thing, "Pink Clouds of Destiny" feels like an introduction more than it's own song, and the two 35+ second tracks don't add a lot of their own.

If the plan is to make this side A of the "SllMSHN" tape, then the story is obviously unfinished (remember, their other new song "Believe In Hugs" is not on "Slumlord"), but on it's own, this EP is a neat change of pace from their debut that seems to come from a more personal place of Brent's. For my personal genre preferences, their debut album is stronger and leans more into traditional punk (albeit acoustic), but there's stuff to like on "Slumlord", so give it a listen or buy it at the above links!

I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what will we be reviewing on the site in June 2021? I don't know yet, but our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post on or around June 2nd will give some hints as to possible upcoming albums. If no new major hard rock/metal/punk albums come out in time, we'll dip into the archives, but next month's review will not be of anything by Swampgut or As It Stands due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer rule. Given the reports about things slowly re-opening in many parts of Canada and the USA, just a reminder that, if there were concerts to tie things in with, and nothing new came out, I would try to tie in archive reviews with artists from those albums who happened to play live with their current projects in the same month (which we last did for Redefined in September). That will still be an option when shows resume, whenever that is. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes next week! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, A New EP Release, And A New Archive Punk Album Reissue!!

Before we get into the meat of today's post, just a heads up that today is Bandcamp Day (where Bandcamp waives their roytalty cut on music sales), but this year, a number of local musicians have pledged to give today's earnings to the Sault Area Hospital COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Wonderful cause, and you can click here to see the full roster of artists taking part, including local punk trio A Dire Setback and the first two bands we're talking about below! One's brand new, one has a new EP, and to wrap things up, we have big updates on a surprise classic album re-release. Here's what you should know, and buy local on Bandcamp today to help a great cause!

We have a new band to add to our Sault Ontario band links, namely These Magnificent Tentacles, the new Tidal Records-signed project from Slumshine/ex-Detroit frontman Brenton Ellis and former Vol. frontman/Pixo Control bassist Steve Edwards! As of this writing, T.M.T. are a two man studio project (not that they can play normal concerts yet anyway), with Brent on vocals, rhythm guitar, and bass, and Steve on lead guitar and drums. These Magnificent Tentacles publically launched earlier this week via their Facebook page, and released their debut original song "The Abyss" today on their Bandcamp page and on Brent's new YouTube channel. Mixed by Kyle Whittaker at Strange Pumpkin Studios in St. Catharines, the song is available for purchase for $3 (or more) on Bandcamp. "The Abyss" is not easily pinned down by genre (Bandcamp lists it as an acid, garage, indie, punk, and skate rock song), but if it's representative of the band, they'll definitely fit our coverage!

Brent's vocals firmly pin this one into genres we actively cover, but the song proper is deceivingly upbeat otherwise, and very different from what you tend to hear from local bands nowadays. The song is well performed overall, and it'll be interesting to see what These Magnificent Tentacles have in store next, but give the lyric video for "The Abyss" a watch below!

Next up, we're not done with new material from Brent-led projects, as his acoustic punk solo act Slumshine released their new EP "Slumlord" to their Bandcamp page yesterday, a day earlier than advertised! Their first paid release since their debut "SLMSHN" tape almost two years ago, "Slumlord" is on sale for $5 or more., and it features six tracks, though their newly released song "Believe In Hugs" is not one of them, and two songs that did make the cut run for under 40 seconds. No word yet on the previously teased cassette tape release for album #2, but given the short run time of "Slumlord" and the missing original, is Slumshine looking at releasing "Believe In Hugs" on a second digital EP, then putting them both on each side of a tape? Just hypothesizing on my part. Without reviewing the EP just yet (maybe later this month?), what does "Slumlord" offer musically?

"Slumlord" comes across as more experimental and varied than "SLMSHN" did, including via the two short tracks, added post-production effects, and more electric instruments, with only one of the four full tracks being 100% acoustic. It's great to see Brent staying so busy right now, especially at this stage of the pandemic, and buy or stream Slumshine's new and old material above! Also, the title track was also uploaded on Brent's YouTube channel, but we just featured it's Facebook video here on Wednesday.

Finally, this is a topic that I've definitely been aware of for a few months now, but I held off on discussing it until things went unequivocally public, and here we are: Early-mid 1990s local punk band Room 206's 1994 debut cassette-exclusive album "2 Innies & An Outie" is being re-released on vinyl later this year by veteran local punk musician Mikey Hawdon's new locally-focused independent label Soolebrity Records! Note the Princess Theatre-inspired logo, nice touch! If you know Mikey well, you'll know that Room 206 were a highly influential band for him as a young music fan, and this is a labour of love to give their original cassette tape a proper remastering, which Mikey had done at Drive Studios in Toronto. Room 206 are represented here by Totally Confused alumni Mike Yorke (vocals/guitar) and Al Watson (drums) alongside Mikey's Inner City Surfers bandmate Brad "Example" Lacell on bass.

Initial public details on the re-release can be found in the video embedded below, courtesy of Mikey's YouTube channel, featuring an intense announcer telling us about Room 206 and what to expect from the vinyl copies. They will have all eight songs from "2 Innies & An Outie", plus two newly recorded bonus tracks, which were both Room 206 originals that never saw a studio recording at the time. Here, they'll be covered by guest musicians, including the other three members of The Inner City Surfers plus members of No Doubt, Goldfinger, No Use For A Name, and Movin' In Stereo (exact lineup roles to be revealed). Note that Room 206's song "Good Enough" (from the "Punk: The Next Generation" compilation) was not on the original tape. If you're interested in buying a vinyl copy of "2 Innies & An Outie", contact Mikey Hawdon at this link A.S.A.P. to pre-order your copy for $40!

If you do want Room 206's album on vinyl, act fast, as there will only be 206 copies printed (naturally), and given the limited and special release, the $40 price tag is understandable. A release date or potential digital copy weren't specified either, but remember that we are still in a pandemic, and things can easily be thrown out of whack. I love the idea of bringing a classic album like this back, and if that ends up being the raison d'etre for Soolebrity Records, then I hope the Room 206 re-issue is a huge hit to encourage more releases like this! Get more details on the band and vinyl below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile on the site by Monday! Thanks everyone!