Molten Imp & Crucify The Whore - "Pyrolytic Punishment" Split Review!!

It's now time for our 167th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're looking at local industrial metal solo project Molten Imp and goregrind solo act Crucify The Whore's split "Pyrolytic Punishment"! Following a series of virtual singles from the former and 16 prior releases from the latter, the two acts came together for this split, released in full on February 12th across both bands' Bandcamp pages through C.T.W.'s label Blood Shed Productions. Recorded at each project's home studio, Molten Imp are represented as ever by ex-Algoma guitarist Boyd Rendell (a.k.a. Lord Unterbiss von Wigwaus), while C.T.W. are still led by Rotopsy/Brutally Fatal alum Tyler "Ringsnaps" Gibson. As each half was released separately by each act, "Pyrolytic Punishment" is on sale with two different pricepoints, being $7.50 on Molten Imp's end and on a "name your price" model for C.T.W.'s.

In that respect, the minimum you can pay for the whole album is $7.50, as "name your price" albums can be downloaded for free, but consider paying for C.T.W.'s half to support Tyler's work! Both halves can be streamed for free there as well. The album proper runs for about 44 minutes across 15 songs, so let's begin with Molten Imp's five song half!

The split opens with "Winter XX-XXII XX-XXIII" (2022-2023), which is the latest in Molten Imp's suite of "Winter" songs begun on prior singles. This is basically a dark synth soundscape for its first half before industrial effects pipe in that sound like a cyberpunk Jaws, even throwing a bit of the Winkies' chant from The Wizard of Oz in there, among other noises. I like my Molten Imp to have more guitar than this, but it definitely sets a tone, and it's on brand in that respect! Next is "Colorful Snow (More Acid)", which Boyd did not use the Canadian spelling of (i.e. "Colourful"), for what that's worth. The shortest track on this side, this is more of a proper song featuring sampled lyrics reflecting why the snow is colourful, plus someone asking for two spoons, and some very guttural & inaudible vocals that sound like they may as well be on the C.T.W. half! Musically, this is a drum & bass song with melodic (if harsh) synths.

This song is definitely more interesting and varied than the opener, and while not really a guitar showcase, it's certainly original with a good groove to it! Third is "Ankle Deep", which is by far the heaviest song on offer so far, complete with more of those guttural growls that popped up on "Colorful Snow". If it wasn't for the heavy effects on the track (which sounds like analog TV static), this would be a good grindcore song foundation! It's also a slowly paced track, which will please old AlgomA fans. While this is my favourite song so far, it does stretch a little too long, and the static overtop does it no favours, especially with the vocals hard enough to make out. Fourth up is "Pedestrian Blues (EYEHATETRUCKS)", which is capitalized and spelled like that. I take it Boyd's an Eyehategod fan? If you hear the voice of Norm MacDonald, it's not just you, a Late Show with David Letterman interview with him is sampled throughout

Between the sampled bit about a car crash and the heavier industrial metal on offer to start, I was reminded of "Jesus Built My Hotrod" early, but that gets swapped out for a repetitive lower riff that gives me the vibe of a vehicle's ignition stalling over and over. It's a shame that the more interesting opening gave way to this, as it really drags until the last two minutes, with percussion-led aggression and heavily distorted growling that almost sounds like a vicious dog barking. Here, the drum track dictates too much of the pace, and I'd have upped the backing instruments, and not went back to the stalled ignition riff cutting in and out with a harsh tone. Good elements here but a very inconsistent number, not helped by this being Molten Imp's longest song on the split. Their half closes with a reprise of "Winter XX-XXII XX-XXIII", which is very similar to the original track #1, but is a little longer and has lighter (if still abrasive) effects.

You may hear some ghostly background chatter and slightly more discordant noise, but it has less of the marching qualities of the original, so side with your favourite here (also, I think Boyd forgot an I in "XX-XXIII" on track #1 on Bandcamp). Not my preferred Molten Imp style, but it does come full circle on their side of the split!

Before we move into Crucify The Whore's side of this split, I wanted to preface this by noting that this is my first ever proper review of one of their albums on the site, and it's not out of any malice or ill will towards Tyler or Blood Shed Productions. Honestly, from an early stage, I found C.T.W.'s studio material to be critic-proof as both art and as a personal statement, given the decidedly anti-commercial music on offer, the minimalist recording and performing setup, and their often defiantly controversial lyrics and cover artwork. To a point, I feared that there was only so much that I could say about C.T.W. as a studio project, given the heavy reliance on pig squealed vocals, a drum machine, often intentionally short song lengths, lo-fi recording methods, and the projected themes in their lyrics. Therein lies the challenge: reviewing a C.T.W. album without patronizing or coming off like an ill-informed schmuck. Fingers crossed that I pulled it off!

Song one on this side is "River Valley Slaughter", which is more of a straightforward metal track with a strong riff and clear recording quality (I know this has improved greatly from Tyler's early studio work), but the pig squealed vocals will not be to everyone's taste, and they recur frequently on C.T.W.'s albums. They are not loud in the mix, and sometimes sound more like a quiet motor, so make of that what you will. Musically, Tyler's talent as a metal composer is on good display here and he varies things well despite not playing a solo or anything! Next up is "Gash Basher" (I didn't title it!), which runs for an album-low 40 seconds in length. This is more of an experimental metal song with more prominent grunting and an abrupt closing sequence that feels like the song ended way too soon. Despite a brief guitar solo, this was a little too out there compared to what I like in death metal, especially for its brevity.

Third on this side is "Pan Handle Pimpin'", which opens with sampling of Dr. Phil McGraw dressing down a guest on his talk show, which basically replaces the vocals in the first half. In effect, this is a two halved song, with the sample heavy opening being more electronic based and the latter dipping into Tyler's goregrind wheelhouse. I definitely preferred the metal half, which has more of a structure to it than the preceding, and the vocals were better used there! Next is "Thanks For The Heads Up", the first of three straight sub-1:40 tracks. This one is a straightforward metal song that doesn't take any major chances and seems to end before it really gets going. Still solidly composed and entertaining for genre fans, but the pig squealing will be a liability for many. That is followed by "Fetal Rejection" (again, I didn't title it!), which shakes things up musically by merging some techno experimentation with a brief guitar solo.

The last 20 seconds of this is basically an ominous dissipation that will be silent at the wrong volume, so keep that in mind. There were some very interesting ideas here for more of a hybrid cybergrind track, but it ended way too soon. Song #6 is "Spending The Weekend Alone", which opens with 30 seconds of sampled audio from the Seinfeld episode "The Merv Griffin Show". The track proper chugs along at a good and steady pace with intense & fast drum programming (imagine if a real drummer was on this!) While short, this is one of my favourite songs compositionally on C.T.W.'s half! Next is "From Creation To Cremation", which is one of the longer and more fully realized songs on offer, with a stronger riff and structure and heavy breakdowns worthy of a old school Oddfellows Hall mosh pit! It ends somewhat abruptly, but if you want some live-ready grindcore intensity, this will do it, and it's a highlight on this side!

"What The Frig" is next, which runs for a little over 5 minutes, thusly C.T.W.'s longest cut here and an epic for their standards! This will please fans of Tyler's techno-inspired work early, though the first minute is largely focused around heavily pitched down samples of two guys talking. When the song dips into metal territory, news coverage of the 2019 Dayton, Ohio mass shooting is sampled extensively in the middle (shame that some of the best guitar work on the album is under that!) This is functionally an instrumental with no pig squealing whatsoever, and it gets into more experimental soundscape territory by the end. I'd have focused on the death metal middle and expanded that out without the sampling, but of course, provocative references to current events are not new to C.T.W.'s material and presentation, so keep that in mind. Inconsistent for my tastes but, again, Tyler musically shines in the middle here!

The penultimate song on the split is "A Death Worth Dying", which is a pure instrumental without even sampled dialogue. As a pure musical showcase of Tyler's skills and programming ability, it does the job in a relatively short span, and while he doesn't break out a solo here like on preceding cuts, the death metal attack comes through well with good pacing! "Pyrolytic Punishment" closes with "CxTxWx", another instrumental that chugs along through 108 seconds of death metal and does a fine job of it too! The riff is catchy and it feels like Tyler saved some of his best, straightforward metal for last here, so things end on a good note!

So, what are my closing thoughts on Molten Imp & Crucify The Whore's split? For my musical tastes, it's inconsistent on both sides, but there's a lot to like for genre fans who know what to expect! On the former side, Boyd stuck to his usual pattern of industrial electronica with hints of extreme metal, and while I didn't get much out of the "Winter" songs, the middle three straddled genre lines well, and I'd point fans to "Ankle Deep" as my favourite song on offer! Granted, I do prefer Boyd's prior work in bands like AlgomA and BeeFMouTH, but neither of those bands were as experimental and gave this much to talk about, so that counts for something! As for C.T.W., while I hadn't formally reviewed an album of theirs previously, I can safely say that Tyler has grown a ton as a musician in the past decade, and compared to their earliest material, you can see and hear it very clearly. It even shows in the cover artwork if you look at them all!

The vocals will be an acquired taste for most, that has been consistent right along, and there are still moments in the song names and sampling that will raise eyebrows, but goregrind isn't called that for nothing! For my tastes, I do prefer growled death metal vocals with enunciation, and I remember noting back in the day that the disparate 1-2 man bands on Blood Shed should have formed one great 4/5-piece death metal band, but Tyler's unapologetic solo music has developed an organic fanbase in the past decade, and I will say that if you haven't seen his live shows back when C.T.W. played live more often, the energy of concerts was a big part of their appeal for me. As far as these ten songs go, they were at their best when Tyler focused on a strong death metal song, with more experimental/techno songs falling off a bit, but your mileage may vary. I think I'd recommend the second half of this side, except "What The Frig", for casual death metal fans.

If you like the more abrasive, underground wings of death metal and industrial music, you'll find something to like from both Molten Imp & C.T.W., so buy/stream "Pyrolytic Punishment" at the above links, and I hope you guys liked this month's album review! We'll be looking at local noise punk duo No Funeral's debut EP next month, and stay tuned for this month's YouTube Channel Profile next! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, Peril Concert Previews, And Blood Shed Productions Updates!!

Let's get one more news post in before February rolls around, and we focus on our first CD review of 2020! Tonight, we have some assorted news and notes from two linked metal solo projects, the last of this weekend's publically advertised hard rock concert previews, and leading off, a new addition to our band links, so here's what you should know!

We have a new local band to add to our Sault Ontario band links, and they are The Bridge Heads, a very familiar quartet for fans of local hard rock in the 2010s! Confirming prior performer teases towards the third act at the Acoustic Heartstrings concert at Room 21 on Valentine's Day, this band is simultaneously a reunion of 3/4ths of inactive local bands Haggith and Eclipse, specifically featuring singer Curtis McKenzie, Jack Spades/Big Mistake guitarist Daniel Horton, bassist Caleb Cachagee, and Frightlight drummer Chris Thompson. Musically, The Bridge Heads will at least start out covering songs from the 1990s and 2000s, though they have no shortage of originals from Curt, Dan, and Caleb's collective prior band work to dip into if need be. Their live debut will be in the aforementioned acoustic show next month, but their first announced electric set will be at The Canadian Nightclub on April 26th, as they are the final opening act for that night's First Jason concert, meaning Chris is pulling double duty here.

That will be a huge platform for this new yet established group, so keep their addition in mind! It's a wonder why this new band doesn't just recycle the Eclipse name, given the identical lineup (sans Caleb) and similar set descriptions, but this could be seen as a fresh start, especially as Eclipse disbanded over two years ago. It's great to see everyone back under the Bridge Heads moniker, so check out more from them at the above links!

Next up, here's our last known and publically advertised hard rock concert previews for this weekend, as Traverse City, Michigan classic metal trio Peril will return to The Rapids Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for erroneously listing these as being in St. Ignace in prior advertising, these are definitely in the Soo. This will be Peril's first weekend booking in the Eastern Upper Peninsula of 2020, and their first Rapids Lounge bookings since the fall, so this should be another fine opportunity for fans to see Jeff, Adam, and Brooks' hard and classic rock cover onslaught! If you can't come out this weekend, don't worry, as Peril will be at the St. Ignace Kewadin in two weeks, which is an unusually quick turnaround for them in our area. As usual for Peril's Kewadin dates, these are 9:00 PM affairs with no cover charges and 21+ age limits. Visit the above links for more information, and here's Peril live!

We'll close today back in Sault Ontario with some new videos, starting with the full release of local goregrind solo project Crucify the Whore and folk punk/metal musician Chase Wigmore's second "A Couple of Degenerate Bastards" split! As released via Blood Shed Productions, the whole album can be bought on C.T.W.'s Bandcamp page on a "name your price" model, with Chase's 7 featured songs newly added, and you can stream his half on YouTube as well. Musically, Chase's material here is extreme metal in tone, similarly to "One Last Act of Defiance", so it's a fine match with C.T.W. on the final product. We just reviewed a Chase solo album on the site last month, so another one isn't in the immediate cards to review, but if you like brutal extreme metal and goregrind, and aren't easily offended, you should find something to like on this sequel split! Give Chase's half a listen below, and buy/stream the whole thing at the above links!



Finally, here's some more assorted notes from both Chase and C.T.W.'s camps as of late. Last week, Chase revealed on his Facebook page that his long-gestating rock opera was 4/5ths done, and ran for (as of the 22nd) 6,479 words. Sounds like a real labour of love, hopefully the final product lives up to the hype! Four days later, Chase posted this video to make a "special announcement" teasing "big stuff" in 2020, with the aide of a clipboard with key phrases written on it. Shades of "Subterranean Homesick Blues", anyone? This video was definitely tongue in cheek, and while he doesn't give too much away, it's an amusing watch! Meanwhile, C.T.W. head Tyler Gibson teased on the Blood Shed Facebook page that their material on the split was a teaser towards their planned third full length release, and have since posted two videos there. One is a short (and presumably long since pre-taped) video of Chase fishing, believe it or not, and the other is a 22 minutes long C.T.W. jam video, not unlike what Chase has posted!

Heavily filtered in post-production, the video features Tyler playing guitar and setting up backing tracks. There's not a lot to look at, filtered or not, and the lack of pig squealing will not be to Blood Shed diehards' liking, but the performances here are consistently brutal and right at home with existing material, so give it and more a look above & below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's CD review tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

A New Album Release, News From The Blood Shed, And New Videos!!

It's been a reasonably quiet month, but we're back with a full post today, including lots of new video finds, so here's what you should know!

While we alluded to this album in our 2019 retrospective post, I forgot to do a proper write-up on it here (my apologies!), and that is local folk punk/experimental solo musician (The Ghost Of) Chase James Wigmore's new album "One Last Act Of Defiance"! Just two weeks after releasing his true debut studio album "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To", Chase quietly put out a follow-up album on his Bandcamp page on December 21st, and it features 7 newer original songs, though the material here is a return to his death and extreme metal side, despite being billed under his own name rather than Awokest. However, I wouldn't read into anything regarding that project's future, as Awokest have more of an industrial bent, and they posted online as recently as November. Digital copies of "One Last Act Of Defiance" are on sale for $7, physical details not yet known, and a free streaming copy was also uploaded to Chase's YouTube channel on New Year's Eve.

I'll hold comment on the album for now, pending a possible CD review in the future, but if you like Chase's brutal death metal work, you'll be right at home with this album! We just reviewed "Songs To Punch Yourself In The Face To" on the site last month, so with our 6 month anti-bias buffer between reviews of the same band, I wouldn't be able to review this one until the summer at the earliest, but it's definitely in the pile! Buy or stream it above!



Next up, let's tackle some more new videos from the last while, starting with new song postings on Chase's sometimes-label Blood Shed Productions' YouTube channel, which all feature the label's flagship goregrind solo project Crucify the Whore! Four videos have been uploaded there in the past month, including one prior upload that is back on the channel, and four new songs in three videos, all from upcoming C.T.W. album releases. One is planned for a solo disc of some kind, but the other two are from the sequel to C.T.W. and Chase's "A Couple of Degenerate Bastards" split CD, release details forthcoming. In fact, Tyler has already posted his half to their Bandcamp page, so fans of his short-running, pig-squealing, and ultra-minimalistic brand of grindcore will be eager to hear these songs! As usual, a number of song names could be seen as offensive, but one song from the split was posted on YouTube and has a name I can share here, namely the interestingly titled "Granny Bean-Flick For The World Wide Web".

These songs aren't going to convert non-believers to the C.T.W. gospel, so to speak, but Tyler's uncompromising original material will find an audience, and it's encouraging to see another split between him and Chase, validating the reception of the original with fans! Check out more above & below!



Also today, here's a new video from new local punk supergroup The Sick Sons, marking their first video upload on their Facebook page, and it's also of their first recorded original song! Filmed at LopLops Lounge on December 28th when they opened for The Cover Up (or You First & The Givee Givees), this 33 second clip featues their song "I Still Believe". Obviously, this isn't a complete look at the song, but from what we can hear, it has a strong and familiar sound to it for genre fans! The chorus singing is a little rough, but I am curious to hear this one in full, so give this snippet a watch below!



We'll close today with a Big Wreck cover that was shared on this Big Wreck fans Facebook group on January 12th. Posted by ex-Sense of Truth frontman Cory Murchison, this was filmed in his most recent band Skeyes of Seven's jam room a few years back, and it features Cory covering "That Song" alongside his bandmates Alain Fletcher and Kyle Sweet, plus Parabol/ex-Late Shift drummer Anthony Gagnon (if he was ever their official drummer, the band never publicized it.) This is solidly done and faithful to the original, so Big Wreck fans shouldn't object at all, but the camera placement is too high and off center, and you only ever see Al's arm in frame. Check it out below!



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

Rudyard Musicians Festival Preview, The Studio Return Of C.T.W., And A 10 Years Video!!

As promised, our last currently announced hard rock concert preview is here, and while that makes up the first half of this post, we also have a recent Sault Michigan concert preview, and the long awaited studio return for a Sault Ontario extreme metal project, so here's what you should know!

One more summer music festival goes down in Michigan's E.U.P. TOMORROW, when the third annual Rudyard Musicians Festival takes place at Rudyard Township Park (18725 South Mackinac Trail!) Year #3 of the Musicians Fest will once again see all proceeds go towards supporting Rudyard Area Schools' music and band programs, so you can be assured that money is going to a good place tomorrow! Aside from the music, there will be a smoked pig roast dinner tomorrow at 6:00 PM, as well as day-long concession, while camping will be available at the park from today through Sunday, and there will be an open jam session at the stage tonight, so if that's up your alley, keep that in mind! Visit the official Facebook page for full non-musical details! This year's lineup is largely dipping into the performer well of past years, with only two debuting bands and only three not returning from last year (The Karstens, The Neighborhood Dogs, and Denny Verrett), so if you loved the 2016 and/or 2017 lineups, you're in good shape for a return trip in 2018!

Only one hard rock band is on this year's bill, namely local favourites Project 906, who are on at an early 3:00 PM timeslot preceding their set tomorrow night in Paradise (just outside of our coverage range) for that town's annual Blueberry Festival. Local classic rock quintet (and festival organizers) Steelhead will headline at 11:00 PM, with fellow classic rockers The Whole Shabang preceding them at 10:00 PM, while most remaining bands are country or bluegrass centric, as has been common for the Musicians Fest. Other acts tomorrow include Robert & Bob Malaski at 8:00 PM, The North Country Band at 7:00 PM, and The Wednesday Night Headliners (featuring Brian Harrison) at 6:00 PM, while new local country trio Rusted Spurs and St. Ignace country/folk artist Patrick Springsteen are harbouring the 5:00 & 4:00 PM timeslots. Preceding Project 906's set are Kevin Blakeney at 2:00 PM, pop singer Hayley Malaska at 1:00 PM, and Jimmy Williams at 12:00 PM

Finally, Traverse City's New Jazz Trio will open tomorrow's musical entertainment at 11:00 AM. Musicians Fest III has a $5 admission fee (though kids 10 and under are FREE), and this should be another stacked day of family entertainment and live music for fans in Rudyard and the surrounding area, and for a great cause supporting youth musical development in the township, so don't miss out tomorrow! Visit the above links for more details, and here's Project 906 live in Rudyard in 2016!



Next up, here's some overdue updates from local grindcore solo project Crucify the Whore, so what's been cooked up at Blood Shed Productions as of late? After assorted teasers on C.T.W.'s Facebook page in recent months, the Tyler Gibson-led solo project revealed late last month that he has been working on a split with longtime Blood Shed collaborator and prolific alt-folk musician Chase Wigmore! This will mark Tyler's first formally recorded studio output as C.T.W. in over two years, though Chase has kept busy in the interim via his own solo project and his techno-influenced band The Black Lodge Masters. Three songs of Chase's intended half of the split (entitled "A Couple of Degenerate Bastards") can be heard on his YouTube channel, and they are in the Black Lodge Masters mold, so if you like dark experimental techno, these should be worth a listen! Only one song of Tyler's is public yet, so what should you know on it?

Entitled "Allow Me To Re-Introduce & Drug Induce Myself" (partially alluding to Crucify the Whore's lengthy break from recordings and live concerts), this a short instrumental preceded by a sampled intro, and while there's no (discernable?) vocals, it has enough brutality to get Blood Shed holdouts excited for what's to come! Give this song a listen below, via the first Blod Shed Productions YouTube channel upload in over a year, and stay tuned for more from C.T.W. as it rolls in!



Finally for today, let's get the Seether concert videos rolling finally on the SMS! Last Saturday's Dreammaker's Theater show in Sault Michigan was a hit based on personal accounts, but videos were slow to hit YouTube or public video sources initially. Well, we have enough for a dedicated showcase post coming tomorrow, but there's one extra to note, courtesy of user Jeff Hagan, who filmed plenty of videos at last year's Alter Bridge concert. As uploaded on Monday, his only(?) video is actually of opening Tennessee hard rock band 10 Years closing their set with a cover Pantera's "I'm Broken", or at least, the last 30 seconds of it. I have no way of knowing whether they did the whole song, or if this was just an instrumental bonus tacked onto the end of "Wasteland", but it sounds good while it lasts on this vertical cell phone camera clip! Give it a look below, and stay tuned for much more from this Kewadin Casino concert tomorrow!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for that Seether concert video showcase on the site next! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Shit Liver - "Trading Faces" Split Album Review!!

It's now time for our 99th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at "Trading Faces", the new split album from local doom metal trio AlgomA & local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver! Released through AlgomA's old label Deadbeat Media on each band's respective Bandcamp page on September 5th, the album's physical release is only on cassette tapes rather than CDs or vinyl, and has been available on Shit Liver's release tour since it started on September 22nd (they are available locally through AlgomA members, and can also be bought online through AlgomA's Bandcamp page, and at the local tour finale at The New American Pub THIS MONDAY NIGHT.) This is the second studio release & first split album for Shit Liver, and the fourth total release & third split for AlgomA, while it is the first cassette tape for both. Digitally, "Trading Faces" is available on a "name your price" model, but tapes cost $8, not counting potential shipping fees if you buy them through Bandcamp.

AlgomA recorded and self-produced their half at Six, Two, Oh. this spring, while Shit Liver recorded theirs in St. Catharine's at "The Shithouse" in February with producer "Raz". Both bands' classic lineups are intact here, including singer/bassist Kevin Campbell, singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell, and drummer Jamie Vincent for AlgomA, while Shit Liver are represented by singer/guitarist Josh Penno, bassist Mike "Ralph" Kyle, and drummer Matt Baic. And yes, "Trading Faces" is an all-covers album, so keep that in mind before wondering why any new originals didn't make the cut.

With ten tracks running for 28 minutes (16 for Shit Liver, 12 for AlgomA), let's begin our split review with AlgomA's three songs from side A, in a nice alliterative coincidence! Their first cover is of "Why Should I Care?" by Toronto hardcore punk quartet Dead Mouth, which starts with a sample from the horror movie Food of the Gods II. This cover is suitably heavy & attitude-laden in comparison, varying mainly from Kevin singing alongside Boyd (in his only vocal appearance on the split.) This is a departure of sorts from most AlgomA originals because it's so fast paced & brief in length, but they acclimate well, and while they don't tinker much with the original, it's a crushing way to open the tape! Second is "Great Dane", originally by Winnipeg noise rock trio Kittens, which you may have heard AlgomA play live in the past. Opening with samples of a dog barking, this again plays closer to the original song, though it seems slightly muted in it's ferocity.

The song moves along well, and Kevin's bass work is clear yet heavy all at once, but this one could have stood to be louder and more aggressive, especially with the bizarre lyrics, and I'd have wanted Kevin's vocals to be harsher or more amplified compared to what made the final cut. Not a bad rendition at all, but I think this song works better in a live setting where it's not as controlled. AlgomA's side ends with their cover of the other band on "Trading Faces", as they tackled Shit Liver's song "Fabricated Nonsense" from their 2014 self-titled debut CD! Unlike on the preceding covers, AlgomA completely reworked the 79 second original into an album-high 6:24 rendition, so you could be forgiven for thinking this was AlgomA's own song. If you're craving a deliberately slow & sludgy experience after the preceding faster covers, this will satiate them, and I appreciate how they made the song their own! However, the lengthy feedback at song's end wasn't my cup of tea, and fans of the speedier punk-influenced songs on the rest of the split may not take to this one the same.

Side B belongs to Shit Liver, whose seven included covers begin with "Homeoapathy" (no hyphen here) by New York crust punk band Leftover Crack. Despite being half a minute shorter than the original, the guys cram the whole song into a faster package that introduces death metal growling and some more piercing screams, to solid effect! Sure, the spoken introduction isn't common for the originals, but the rest feels like classic Shit Liver, with blistering drums from Matt and nice trade-off singing, so loyal fans will be right at home! Second is their version of "Hitch-Hiker" (now with a hyphen) by Chicago extreme metal band Macabre, and much like on the prior cover, they sufficiently speed up and shorten the song, and also add a sampled intro from a Trailer Park Boys episode. This time, the song bears even less similarities to the original, but it's a nice dose of organized chaos, which Josh's guitar riffs meshing well with Mike's bass! The ending synced up vocals from the three guys aren't mixed very cleanly, but it's another solid cover!

Next is their version of "Blame It On God" by Florida death metal veterans Deicide, which opens with an audio sample from a telephone conversation between Deicide frontman Glen Benton and an Christian radio host, fittingly enough! This cover holds the most structural and tempo similarities yet to the original song, with the triple vocal attack being the biggest difference, but they do infuse some crust punk themes into the percussion. Aggressive and brutal, fans of Deicide will be happy with how this one turned out! Fourth is the split's shortest track, a 78 second rendition of "Lines On A Map" (the "Thinning The Herd" version) by South Carolina crust punk band Antischism, which again is a great match for Shit Liver's existing sound, and the mid-song vocal change of the original works extra well here! Crashing drums and blistering guitar work compliment everything well, and honestly, the song feels just right at it's short length, not feeling unfinished at all. Overall, this is one of the better songs on this side!

The fifth song on Shit Liver's half is a cover of "Socialized Death Sentence" by Oakland sludge/crust band Dystopia, even carrying over that song's sampled intro from The Hudsucker Proxy (will I have to dock them for repeating?!) While musically hewing close to the original, the vocals again take on a harsher and more varied bent, even sounding a little clearer at times. Another brutal performance, I will say that the vocals do overpower the guitars a bit, but it's a fine rendition that flows with the preceding songs! The tape seemingly closes with a cover of their splitmates AlgomA, trading in kind with a rendition of "Fell Down A Well" from AlgomA's own 2014 debut CD "Reclaimed By The Forest". Shit Liver originally covered this in 2015 for a YouTube posting, and the 2017 version is basically a remaster of their first cover, even preserving the spoken intro that I can't place. Blistering while preserving the original's structure, it's a solid tribute that feels like doom metal on fast forward, and it's a nice way to come full circle on the tape!

After 30 seconds of silence, we get one surprise bonus cover, namely Shit Liver's amusing cover of The 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up", complete with intentionally bad clean vocals and abrupt shift into grindcore onslaught mode, as fans have often seen live. Only take the brutal part seriously, and you should get a laugh out of this unexpected cover (that is, if you're not familiar with it from their concerts already!)

So, what are my final thoughts on AlgomA & Shit Liver's covers tape? I'd say that it's a successful experiment that showcases both bands paying tribute to some of their favourite acts (and each other) with ferocity! Compared to AlgomA's prior two splits, this feels like the best value thanks to 3 new recordings and a cheaper release format, and from slow & doomy on "Fabricated Nonsense" to the preceding hardcore punk-influenced covers, you get a nice cross section of their sound, and it's nice to hear them play things at a quicker and faster pace outside of their comfort zone! Shit Liver's side gives fans a quality look at their underground crust & sludge influences, with the songs converted to their existing style fairly seamlessly, with their usage of three singers often giving these songs some welcome variety from the originals! Some covers on both sides could have been tightened up a little bit, and it would have been nice to hear Boyd sing on more than one of AlgomA's entries, but for a covers album, what more can you ask for?

As for the cassette tape release, I have not heard the album in this format yet (I will buy my copy on Monday at The New A), but the digital release gives the best quality audio, if not the most authentic for fans of physical media! I admittedly don't think the green tape colour is a great fit for "Trading Faces", but that's a minor nitpick. Fans of both bands, and/or underground hardcore punk and death metal should definitely consider buying this split digitially or on tape, so do so at the above links! That's all for today, but stay tuned tomorrow for our preview of AlgomA & Shit Liver's show on Monday to end the "Trading Faces" release tour, but what's being reviewed next month as our 100th monthly album review? At the moment, the leading favourite is black metal solo project Abhorrent Forest's new album "Ethereal", especially as The Din's second & final album (scheduled for release in two weeks) can't be reviewed until at least December, due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer period between reviews of the same band.

That said, if another new local metal, hard rock, or punk album comes out, our projections could change, but "Ethereal" is currently my working plan for October. Look for our next review by Halloween, and stay tuned for our next post on the site tomorrow to kick off the new month! 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 Release Info, The End Of Eclipse, And New Videos!!

A new month is upon us, so let's kick things off with a new news post on this cold Wednesday! Below, you will find new Facebook videos from two local trios, and confirmation of a band's breakup that many had expected for months, but first, here's some initial details on a new local album release!

After over a month's delay, local doom metal trio AlgomA's long awaited vinyl split EP with Finnish doom metal band Hooded Menace is finally on sale.... online, at least! On Saturday, the 12'' vinyl record came out via Hooded Menace's label Doomentia Records' website for online ordering, so what should we know on the final product? Well, unlike last year's 5 song split with Chronobot, this release is basically a split single, with each band only contributing a song each on each side, those being AlgomA's 7 minute long "Failed Stunt Fatality" & Hooded Menace's "Celestial Dissection" (same as seen in early teasers.) Doomentia notes that AlgomA bassist Kevin Campbell has been a friend of Hooded Menace guitarist Lasse Pyykko for years, and the split is a way for the bands to celebrate their friendship and respective sounds. As seen in the picture, there was a limited press run of the split in orange splattered vinyl, but those copies are already sold out online.

Unless you were fast to buy an orange record, you'll have to hope that AlgomA bought or recieved copies for local sale, but the band has yet to confirm in-person availability of the split in any colour of vinyl at press time. If you can't wait, regular black vinyl copies are available at the above links for what comes out to between $18 & $20 when exchanged into given European currencies, but currency values change, and don't forget about shipping, taxes, and the like. I'm eager to hear the full split, and pending full track availability, this month's CD review may be our shortest one yet! Stay tuned for more on AlgomA & Hooded Menace's split in the coming weeks!

Next up, here's some disappointing (if somewhat expected) news, as local hard rock quartet Eclipse have confirmed that they have disbanded. In a quiet update to their Facebook page's biography in recent weeks, the band noted that they were active "until departing" on November 6th, and while they didn't publically elaborate on a reason for their dissolution, the exit of singer Curtis McKenzie last fall and the contentious reports that followed are very likely contributing factors. Launching in late 2015 as de facto successors to the band Haggith (even taking on some of that band's later originals), Eclipse burned bright during their year-long run in the local music scene, including podium finishes at both of last year's battles of the bands, sets opening for bands like The Ripcordz and The Hazytones, and a number of appearances as headliners and openers, last playing live on Halloween at The Rednecks Saloon (following a well-received System of a Down tribute set at The Algonquin Pub the previous weekend.)

As for the public status of Eclipse's sister classic metal band Project 421, nothing has been firmly said from their camp regarding a possible break-up, but remember that Curtis left them too last fall, and Eclipse are credited to have "departed" the day after the abrupt cancellation of 421's latest gig, which was turned into an open jam. If we get any clarification, we'll let you know! The writing was on the wall for Eclipse, if nothing else, but I hope the guys can mend fences in the future, as they were an entertaining and improving band with solid originals and a nice modern base! Best of luck to Curt, Daniel, Fred, and Chris in the future!

We'll close today's post with some new Facebook videos, starting with a new video of local alternative hard rock trio The Din from the pre-show soundcheck of last month's January Jam at The Canadian Nightclub! This was filmed by an uncredited attendee and posted to promoters Live705's Facebook page the day after the show, following another soundcheck performance clip from openers The Autumn Roots. The Din covered The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends" in this video, which is extra notable as the song wasn't performed in their actual set, and despite the more rigid pre-show nature, it's a fine cover, so give it a look below!



Finally, local death/thrash metal trio Pillory have posted two more videos to their Facebook page in recent days! Continuing in their "foundational esoterica" phase, both of these jam session videos are at unconvential angles, including this sideways video (with blurry visuals) and, as embedded below, an upside down jam session clip. The audio quality is nice and loud on these videos, which appear to feature newer originals with vocals, but the upside down video can be a little dark in the foreground, and the blurriness of the sideways one is distracting. Still, Pillory's brutal and fast paced sound comes through very well here, so give their new videos a look above & below!



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

AlgomA/Chronobot Split Vinyl EP Review!!

To end the month at the SMS, here's our 82nd monthly CD review, as we're taking a look at local doom metal trio AlgomA's split vinyl EP with Saskatchewan stoner doom quintet Chronobot! Released through AlgomA's label Deadbeat Media on April 1st of this year, and with artwork again by Adam Geyer, this is the second official studio release and first split from AlgomA, while this is Chronobot's third release and second split. AlgomA's half of the split was recorded locally over the past year at Six, Two, Oh. and mixed & mastered by Pixo Control bassist Dustin Goodall, while Chronobot's half was recorded at The Sweat Shoppe in Saskatoon, with producer and mixer Mike Lefebvre. AlgomA are again represented by singer/bassist Kevin Campbell, guitarist/vocalist Boyd Rendell, and drummer Jamie Vincent), while Chronobot's lineup featured singer/guitarist Dafe Landry, guitarist/bassist Quinton Anderson, drummer Cody Futerko, and keyboardist Darius Simonot.

Note that Chronobot currently feature a bassist named Scott in their public lineup, but he did not play on the split. Physical copies of this split (on clear blue vinyl!) are available locally at The Rad Zone, AlgomA concerts, and through band members for $20, and while this release is not available on CD (for now?), digital download copies are available on AlgomA's Bandcamp page (and Chronobot's) for $6, with song names below linked from there. The songs can be streamed free there too, but consider supporting the bands by buying it! Featuring 25 minutes of music, let's begin with AlgomA's half!

Side A of the split contains AlgomA's two songs, starting with "Phthisis", which is sung from the point of view of a man dying of pulmonary tuberculosis. Starting with reverbed guitar feedback and backing sound effects, this soon unleashes into a fast (for AlgomA) doom metal number that is arguably their most bass-heavy studio track yet, with Kevin laying in ferociously, but his vocals aren't as loud and clear as they had been on their debut EP (maybe it's intentional to represent having the title affliction?) I like the guitar effects, and it is fittingly crushing and doomy before it's abrupt ending, so fans should have no problem moshing to this one live! AlgomA's second & final offering is "Electric Fence", which packs a lot into it's eight minute runtime! Lyrically about an inmate trying to escape prison (a rare instance of the main character surviving an AlgomA song), this song has an ominous opening that sounds like a march to death row before the full band's doom onslaught kicks in!

Featuring Boyd on lead vocals, his high pitched screams are welcomed on this brutal song, with methodical drumming from Jamie and a down-trodden but undeniably heavy riff throughout, including some effective feedback breaks in between verses. The song goes on a little long (partly thanks to the extended instrumental opening), but this is a strong compliment to "Phthisis" that delivers a brutal wallop of doom metal, and all three guys are up to the challenge as usual, so fans will be right at home!

Chronobot take over side B of the split with three songs of their own, which run 3-5 minutes in length. Entitled "Red Nails", "Jerry Can", and "Sons of Sabbath", the latter's title is particularly profound, with a clear Black Sabbath influence propagating their songs, albeit with a spacey, keyboard-infused bent. "Red Nails" exhibits that mixture to a T, albeit with harsher guttural vocals, while "Jerry Can" is shorter, and goes fuller into their stoner side with some nice effects and a solid pounding riff, though the lyrics are somewhat repetitive when utilized. "Son of Sabbath" also pays tribute to the metal forefathers in it's sound, and if it was an instrumental, it might be hard to tell that it was actually Chronobot! Musically, these guys have a strong sound that combines old school doom metal with aggressive modern vocals, with Dafe & Quinton's guitar riffs always adding something to the material, and Darius' keyboard work adds that spaced-out flourish, with a clear chemistry from all four guys to boot!

So, what are my final thoughts on AlgomA and Chronobot's split EP? It's a very entertaining release for doom metal fans, with the two bands (well acquainted since their 2014 local show together) complimenting each other with their own heavy takes on the genre, with AlgomA's bleak devastation and Chronobot's retro stoner influence giving a little something for any metalhead! The decision to release the split as a vinyl record only (for physical copies) is a risk compared to what local bands typically put out, and given that many fans don't have record players, but it helps this EP stand out among everything else, and with that cover art, how could you not want a copy? With that said, this split isn't overly long, with only 5 tracks between the two bands, but both bands have other releases if you want more of either or both. AlgomA and Chronobot are both very skilled and entertaining entrants in the Canadian doom metal scene, and this split is well worth picking up for genre fans, especially with the vinyl revival!

Consider buying a copy A.S.A.P., and hopefully Chronobot come back to the Soo in due course! I hope you guys liked this month's album review, and as for next month, we'll likely be looking at local alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota's debut EP "Maudlin Fair", which was successfully released earlier this month during their Ontario tour, so look for that next month, and stay tuned for more news and updates shortly! Thanks everyone!

AlgomA/Chronobot Split Release Information, Stereo North Updates, And Much More!!

Before this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post makes it's way to the site, let's keep the news rolling on this Saturday morning, so what's on tap? Some assorted recent updates, new covers from a recent album release, a local punk band's recent songwriting sessions, and to start, full details concerning a brand new and long awaited vinyl release, so here's what you should know for today!

Local doom metal trio AlgomA's split vinyl EP with Saskatchewan doom metal band Chronobot was officially released as planned yesterday, so what should you know on it? Put out through Dead Beat Media and with cover art by Adam Geyer (similarly to AlgomA's debut "Reclaimed By The Forest"), this is AlgomA's second release and Chronobot's third, following their own solo debut and a separate split. As previously announced, the split features two tracks from AlgomA and three from Chronobot, but given that one of the AlgomA songs is almost eight minutes long, their respective run-times are comparable. Digital copies of the split are available at AlgomA's Bandcamp page for $6, but full copies of the 12'' vinyl record (pressed in blue!) are $20 there, and they'll also be on sale during the Black Tremor/punk rock bingo concert at The New American Pub on Wednesday, so keep all of these purchasing options in mind! Also, AlgomA have dedicated the split to late local metal musician Sabrina "Strange" Pelchat, as per pictures of the liner notes.

Also, Sven Mihlan of the blog Doom Metal Front previewed two more songs via Soundcloud from the split in this article, namely AlgomA's "The Electric Fence" and Chronobot's "Jerry Can", leaving only Chronobot's "Sons of Sabbath" unpreviewed in this fashion (No Clean Singing previewed the other two.) As for our review of the split, you can definitely expect it this month, date to be established, so check the above links for more details on this release, and don't miss AlgomA at The New A on Wednesday!

Next up, here's the latest from local pop punk quartet Stereo North, who have been preparing their own original material since their VM Radio Battle of the Bands set last month, with a Facebook page posting earlier this week implying that the band is aiming to have enough setlist material to play 3 sets worth for solo concerts. Not a bad idea, Project 421 had made the move to play shows of that length themselves recently, so we'll have to see how a full night of Stereo North works! Also, the band shared this video from frontman Andrew Pucci's personal Facebook page of him demoing a planned original song for the band, tentatively named "Echoes", with the aim being to include this on their debut album. Sounds good so far, but it obviously isn't complete, and Andrew admits in captions that a Matthew Anich guitar solo at a key moment would be essential. Give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Stereo North!

Also today, newer local experimental hard rock solo project The Coyote Speedfreaks posted a new video onto mastermind Chase Wigmore's YouTube channel on Wednesday, and it's of ...."Strange Coyotes 3"?! As you may recall, his former band The Strange Coyotes posthumously finished the live album recorded at their final concert in November 2014 in February of this year, but Chase wasn't behind it's final release, and online postings implied that he wasn't in favour of it. As he noted with a Futurama reference on the Speedfreaks page, "War were declared", so he responded by covering three songs from the Coyotes' album/set ("I'm Gonna Love You" with an adult title change, "Sneeze", and "Kaylore"), all of which started off of James Watterworth's own solo songs, though Chase re-interpreted some lyrics if he couldn't make out the originals. Performed acoustically but with Chase's trademark chaotic & unpredictable presence, it's fun to hear him perform these songs again, and to give his own interpretation of these songs, so check them out 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 or event name:

• The Gorod/Bookakee-headlined concert on Friday, April 15th has been relocated from The Algonquin Pub to The Oddfellows Hall, and is consequently now an ALL AGES show! Promoter J.D. Pearce noted on the Facebook event page that The Algonquin Pub "won't be ready in time" for April 15th, but it's not publically clear what's going on with the pub. With the new all ages venue, doors will now open at 7:00 PM, and J.D. may be adding an additional local opener, so see the above links for more details on this relocated metal show!
• After 4 years of local band involvement in the Rock 'N Roar Battle of the Bands in Spanish, there were sadly no local bands registered to compete in tonight's edition of the event, as per the official Facebook page for the annual Spanish concert festival, which will be held in August. The Soo's not completely shut out though, as ex-Sykotyk Rampage bassist Brian Cattapan's Sudbury band Aggressive Acoustic will be the first performers tonight, so best of luck to them as they look to place high and earn an opening slot for Big Sugar or Haywire this summer!
• Local goregrind duo Rotopsy will end their nine month concert hiatus as the final local openers for the Reanimator-headlined concert at The New American Pub on Sunday, April 24th, as per the official Facebook event page! Given Tyler & Dylan's usual concert frequency, it's odd that they've been off stage for this long, but Rotopsy should fit in well with Reanimator and Pillory next month! Stay tuned for more!

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