I hope everyone had a great New Year's Day! Today, we have our first monthly feature post of 2014, and as usual, it's this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! Of course, we're again looking at the upcoming slate of announced metal/hard rock albums in Sault Ontario, in order to profile their statuses and whereabouts, albeit with two removals. One is the newly released "Cringe at the Cross" by Pillory (look for our review of that later this month), and the other is being acknowledged at the end of the post, but we also have a new addition this month! As before, updated entries have the album's name in
italics. With all of that said, where are the new albums? Read on below to hopefully find out!
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AlgomA's first EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Fell Down A Well", "Reclaimed By The Forest", "Tertiary Syphillis", "Go On, Git!!", "Extinct Volcanoes", "Bedsores"
Background: After
just two live concerts, new local stoner metal trio AlgomA (featuring
BeeFMouTH and Fuller alumni) began work on studio recordings last summer as per
their Facebook page, and though the end goal is vague through that source, singer/guitarist Darby Wigwaus's film production company
62nd Chamber Productions' website
confirmed that they are in fact working on a debut demo EP. Vocal
recordings were completed in August, and they were apparently sending
off the tracks to be post-produced in Southern Ontario, with mixing being taken care of by veteran local musician Mark Rand (
source here.) You
can see pictures from the sessions in
this Facebook album, but stay tuned for more info as it rolls in!
Current Release Status: No
reasonable idea yet, but for a band launching recording sessions so
suddenly after launch, this isn't unheard of. The guys have a lot of
experience in music and production, and hopefully we see the final
product of these recording sessions sooner or later, so keep an eye out!
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As It Stands' third EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Conception", "Big Problem, Little Lock City", "Rise Above",
"One Last Chance", "One Less Than Wayne Gretzky", "Big Bucks, No
Whammy", "Eeny, Meeny, Miney, Ho", "Embay the Terrible", "Oh
Herm, Herm Delish", "David & Goliath", "Stay Together
For The Kids" (Blink-182 cover)
Background: Continuing
their high success levels since their local re-emergence in
2010, hardcore quintet As It Stands started recording sessions
for their third EP with
Metalworks Studios in Mississauga in July 2011 with producer
Kevin Dietz.
The sessions lasted just a few days, but a
lot got accomplished, and you can see some of the happenings from
the sessions on
their official studio vlog,
which features some audio samples and video of some members
recording their parts. The vlog also confirmed that their cover of
Blink-182's "Stay Together For The Kids" was recorded in
Mississauga, and that the songs will be part of an EP, not a full
length album as was previously believed. It was currently unclear
whether the songs they recorded at
Stereo Soul Studios
in 2010 and/or in Stoney Creek in 2011 will be featured on the
EP in some form. A new track named "Oh Herm, Herm Delish"
was posted
onto SoundCloud in early 2012, with studio copies of "Conception" & "Big Problem, Little Lock City" also being uploaded to
their Facebook page last year, both of which you can stream at
this location.
Mixing was underway locally with Brendan Clace at the former Dimension
Studios, so stay tuned for more news on this EP hopefully soon!
Current Release Status: Though the
band has finally returned to activity last fall, I have no
idea if a full EP release is still in the cards. Dimension Studios
closed in the interim, and recent posts have indicated that As It Stands
are mostly starting fresh with new material for their next live dates,
with only a few 2010-2012 originals returning, so a release of the older
EP sessions may not be a current priority. They did seem to have
everything under control and well
planned for the sessions and their studio work., but at this point, I
think fans would be excited to just see As It Stands live again. Just in
case, keep an eye out for
any possible updates!
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The Bear Hunters - Eternal Hibernation
Rumoured Songs: "Dominate",
"Collapse The Sun",
"Karma", "Deception", "Bloodthirst", "Casualties Of
War", "Overthrown", "Condemned", "Succumb To Eternity", "Render
This Void"
Background: Local
death metal quintet The Bear Hunters formally announced that
they'd begun recording for their debut EP "Bloodthirst" in May
2011,
just days after adding then-guitarist Josh Stephney to the band,
but details were extremely scant following that news, and the
recording plans fell dormant until January 2012, when the band
announced
plans to record material towards a full length demo release. Setbacks
(including a dead computer) have pushed back a planned release,
including their non-album cover of Woods of Ypres' "Kiss My Ashes
(Goodbye)", but 2013 sessions with producer James White at
White Wreckords
have been far more fruitful. To be entitled "Eternal Hibernation", only
guitar solos and vocals were remaining to record as of November.
Guitarist Mitch Sirie confirmed in a recent Facebook e-maul that all of
the band's pre-"Servitude" originals will be on the album, with anything newer planned to be on their second release. The album will feature guitar
tracks from Josh Stephney, who recorded his parts before moving to
Brampton.
Current Release Status:
Current indications have "Eternal Hibernation" coming out this coming
winter, but nothing final has
been confirmed beyond optimistic online postings. This is by far the
closest they've been to completing recording sessions towards an album
release, so fingers crossed things stay on track!
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Crucify The Whore - Welcome To Earth
Rumoured Songs: "People These Days", "Rectified Rectal Tragedy"
Background: The newest demo from Sault Ontario independent death/grind label & studio
Blood Shed Productions, the Ringsnaps Gibson-led solo project is planning "Welcome To Earth" to be a full length release, with early song samples posted to
the label's YouTube channel late last year. The album cover is also up on C.T.W.'s Facebook page, but due to potentially disturbing imagery, we won't link to it here. Stay tuned for updates on this and other Blood Shed CD projects as we get them!
Current Release Status: Every post that I've read indicates that "Welcome To Earth" will come out in "Winter 2014", and given the home self-production of their material, I'm inclined to believe that estimate. Either way, keep an eye out for some new grind soon in 2014!
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Gates of Winter - Perihelion
Rumoured Songs: "The Stars Call My True Name", "Edin Na Zu", "Dimensions", "Time Warp", "Wormhole Mechanics", "Prometheus"
Background: Despite
a hiatus from live concerts lasting almost
5 years, Gates of
Winter never broke up, and are slowly working on their follow-up
to 2008's "Lux Aeterna". The first glimpse of the new album
was unveiled in February 2010, when frontman/producer
Lee Maines uploaded a snippet of their new song "The Stars Call My True Name" onto
his YouTube channel,
and he followed that up with more demo & rehearsal clips
sporadically over the last couple of years, though all were later taken
down. The band launched
a new Facebook page
in August 2010 to keep fans updated on the sessions, including
the unveiling of a new song title, "Time Warp", and while Sault
native
Jon Morrison
was announced as the album's drummer that fall, the album will feature programmed drums. In November 2011, bassist Steve
Furgiuele confirmed in
a YouTube video
that the album, now titled "Perihelion", was planned for release
in
December 2012, with some older re-recordings likely for the
summer, but Lee confirmed last month that the album would be delayed
further, be retracted to EP length, and possibly be renamed. Other new
songs, tentatively called "Wormhole Mechanics" & "Prometheus",
was previewed in
this video
&
this video that were uploaded last year & this April respectively. Whether
ex-keyboardist Brian Holmes will be included on the EP is currently unknown.
Current Release Status: Personal
commitments and the like have slowed
things down incredibly, but in the band's most recent preview video
(featuring audio samples), Gates of Winter hinted that work was winding
down on "Perihelion", including noting that "the silence ends soon." A release this year is likely now targeted, but good art takes time, and
knowing Gates of
Winter's
talent and attention to detail, they won't wanna release this until
everything's perfect. I'll admit that I know a bit more on "Perihelion"
than what I've posted here, but I'll wait until more public word comes
out before elaborating, so keep an eye out for updates!
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Mike Haggith - A Place Of Our Own
Rumoured Songs: "Let Me In",
"Cowardly Hearts Beneath The Stars", "Long Talk", "To Kansas: The Ballad
of K4/K5", "This Potato May Be Used As A Flotation Device", "A Place Of
Our Own"
Background: The
planned 48th solo album from prolific local solo musician and hard rock
drummer Mike Haggith, "A Place Of Our Own" is a planned concept album
similar to other recent solo albums of his, though themes and overall
genres aren't known yet. Announced on his Facebook page on November 25th (complete with an early track listing and album cover),
this album features no songs dropped from recent albums at present, and
it is replacing the indefinitely delayed "The Tower" in it's release
order. Tracking and mixing is currently underway for the album, likely
at Galactic Records, though it's unknown whether Mike will do any work
locally at Paperclip Productions again for it. Stay tuned for updates!
Current Release Status: Mike
is currently projecting a February release for "A Place Of Our Own",
which should be a reliable date, as Mike's always been forthcoming and
honest about the release dates of his solo albums and any delays on
them! Keep an eye out for "A Place Of Our Own" early next year for his
latested entertaining solo effort!
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RedD Monkey - Opus 2
Rumoured Songs: "Broken Parts", "Losing Friends", "The Jock Song"
Background: The planned third CD
from this popular local hardcore punk/classical trio, RedD Monkey have
hyped "Opus 2" (a follow-up to last year's "All Baroque") in online
posts through this spring, along with previewing the disc at a Toronto
concert on June 1st, though further updates on it's release status have
yet to be made, nor has a release schedule been announced. I'd assume
that "Opus 2" was recorded in a similar method to "All Baroque", but
that's just speculation given that both CDs were labelled as opuses in a
series. Keep an eye in case something's announced!
Current Release Status: I'm not
really sure, but given that the sessions appear to be complete, and a
preview of it was held in June, a release can't be terribly far off. I
imagine it could be on hold until their next tour cycle to have a
proper CD release show, but stay tuned for updates!
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Sailor's Tongue's debut album
Rumoured Songs:
"Float, "Out of the Woodwork", "Wired For No Sound", "Shadow", "Doctor
John", "BootScattered", "Beauty's Limousine", "Don't Shoot The
Messenger", "Horses & Trains", "Navy"
Background: Despite only playing two gigs (both at the
Rotaryfest Second Stage)
since returning from their three year breakup in 2012, local hard rock
notables Sailor's Tongue have hit the studio to record what I believe is
their first full length album, which will feature their current quintet
lineup. Drummer Dean McKey uploaded four tracks (some labelled as
demos) to
his Soundcloud page last year that are likely towards the album, while there are existing songs on
their Reverbnation page
from earlier sessions that will likely be featured in some form. Though
info on the album is as sporadic as their live dates, a preview demo CD
named "Pierced" was sold at their Rotaryfest set in July featuring 7
tracks, though Dean later told me on Facebook that the album was just a
sampler for attendees and was not the final product. Keep an eye out for
updates!
Current Release Status: No finite
idea as of right now, but given their long breaks between live concerts
& page postings, there hasn't been many outlets to give updates
either. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised to see the final CD released
at next year's Rotaryfest, but maybe they'll play more live dates in
the interim to shake up that guess. In any event, keep posted to hear
more!
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Shit Liver's debut EP
Rumoured Songs:
"Or What?",
"Hateroleum", "(Friendly Old) Uncle Joe", "Shit Liver", "Fabricated
Nonsense", "Helen Kellers", "Shift Liver", "You're Scared", "Contribute
or Perish", "Pennotration", "Soo'er Living", "Drowning In Shit",
"Survival of the Shittest", "It's Not My Problem", "Shit Will Prevail", "Liverated"
Background: Curiously
not plugged at all on their online pages until January 2013, I have
heard from those close
to the band that local grimecore trio Shit Liver have independently
working on a debut EP since at least mid-2012 which is supposed to have
14 songs, 13 of which were posted onto
their new Reverbnation page in March. A demo disc with 5 planned tracks was visible at
their local return show last February, but as they've only minimally
acknowledged EP plans
online, it's not clear how far along they are in terms of actually releasing these on disc. Keep posted for updates!
Current Release Status: On
their Facebook page last spring, Shit Liver implied that this album could be done by their local concert return in February at
The Roosevelt Hotel,
but that has since came & went. Given how quiet they've been on
the recording sessions, I have no idea how close to a physical release
they are, but from what I understand, the sessions are done or close to
it. Potentially complicating things is the band's recent relocation to
Toronto, which has unknown implications on the release of the sessions
in an EP format. Hopefully we hear some
big news on this front soon, possibly in conjunction with future
concerts!
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The Sorrow Fields - Godlessness
Rumoured Songs: "Godlessness"
Background: Previously known as
Animas, April Eyes, and By The Gods, The Sorrow Fields is the long
gestating black/death metal solo metal project from Bear Hunters/Suicide
Kings guitarist Mitch Sirie. He resurrected the project under it's new
name in 2012, complete with an atmospheric & dark sound, and he
has sporadically updated fans as to his newest planned debut album via
their YouTube channel and deleted Facebook page. As of June 2013, he'd titled the album "Godlessness", with a preview of
the title track and
another unnamed song uploaded there to check out, but news since has been slow to absent.
Current Release Status: I have no
clue, but knowing how delayed his past solo album "Hollow Hope" was
prior to it's cancellation, this could be a long road. Mitch is a
workhorse with his two bands also, so that likely plays a part in any
delays for his solo material, but I've heard nothing concerning the
project's end as of today, so take that for what it's worth. In case new
"Godlessness" or Sorrow Fields news rolls in, we'll have it here!
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The Suicide Kings - King of the World
Rumoured Songs: "Into the Fray", "Red Rover", "King of the World", "Way Out Of Hell", "Take Me Away", "Beaten Down", "Two More Jag"
Background: Already off to a quick
launch with numerous concerts since their fall 2012 debut, local hard
rock quartet The Suicide Kings surprisingly announced that they were
officially working on their first EP on
their Facebook page last February. Three weeks later, the band revealed in another
Facebook posting that they were busy working on their own material, and
they had plans to complete an EP by the end of the spring featuring 5-7
songs, which was recorded over the past month at
The Smoke & Oak Room Studio with producer Dave Pihlaja. As of last spring, the tracks
were in the final stages of mixing, though recent updates have been
limited to in-concert teasers of the EP, where the reveal of the title
came from. Stay tuned for more!
Current Release Status: With the
EP likely done it's recording phase, it's now likely a waiting game for
the release of "King of the World". I know that a brief band member
posting on
Facebook suggested a free distribution of the EP, but that was either
premature or incorrect. I just hope this doesn't encounter the same
delays that have hampered bassist Mitch Sirie's other band The Bear
Hunters' demo recording plans. Things seem in good hands so far, so
watch out for updates as they come in!
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Also, we've removed one album from the series due to it's unlikely release status at present, so read on below for information!
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Haggith - Apocalypse II
Rumoured Songs:
Unknown
Background: In November, now-defunct local grunge/alternative hard rock quartet Haggith announced on
their Facebook page
that a sequel to their October 2012 zombie concept album "Apocalypse"
would likely come out on December 7th, in honour of their reported final
concert that night at
The Algonquin Pub.
Though band members had teased other big album projects in preceding
months (including one themed for their song "Public Enemy"), this would apparently have been their last studio album as Haggith. Aside from a post of
the album cover
in May, posts relating to the progress of the recording sessions weren't been made, but any recording sessions that took place occurred at
PaperClip Productions with their current/final lineup. The show came and went without a CD release, with guitarist Daniel Horton confirming in a conversation that night that they weren't able to complete sessions for it before the final show.
Reason For Removal: I mainly removed "Apocalypse II" because it's chances of a release are much smaller following Haggith's surprise breakup last month, though I will note that Daniel didn't close the door on a posthumous release in some form. However, if any completed tracks do make a public presence, they could just be via a free posting (similarly to what Lion Ride did with their unfinished album recordings last year), but stranger things have happened. With all of the current band projects featuring Haggith alumni (i.e. Punch, The Strange Coyotes, and Project 421), the guys are sure to be busy in 2014, so I'm not holding my breath for a surprise release of "Apocalypse II" in the imminent future, but just in case, keep it in mind!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! Our next monthly feature post will either be our Defunct Local Band Profiles of Mike Vincent's solo project and Self Control on the 10th, or our review of Pillory's debut EP "Cringe At The Cross", so watch out for both this month, and for weekend concert previews later today! Thanks everyone!
Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison will continue his current weekly concert arrangement TOMORROW NIGHT with another solo show at The Harp Bar & Grill! Remember, though unannounced on Facebook as of this writing, the calendar on his website confirms he'll be back at the former Madison's Pub tomorrow for what will serve as both his newest solo gig and as a jam/open mic night, so if you love such events, keep that angle in mind! For the concert aspect of tomorrow's event, be sure not to miss Tym's talented acoustic covers of hard rock and metal classics, especially if you live centrally, as this should be another entertaining night of tunes! There's no announced cover charge for this 19+ concert, and a start time of 10:00 PM is likely. For more details, visit the above links! Approaching the sixth weekly installment of his current run at The Harp, Tym always puts in a good show, so definitely consider a run to The Harp tomorrow for this event, and for a preview, here's Tym covering Eric Clapton at the former Foggy Notions!
Next up, we'll take a quick detour across the river, as Charlevoix classic metal veterans Peril will return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen there (or in the U.P. at all) in October, these will be Peril's first regional dates of a busy 2014 that will see them play two more Kewadin dates through March, joining frontman Jeff Hudson's other band Scarkazm's own regional dates over the next while, so this should be a big year for them! Peril's classic metal covers and experienced talent should be welcomed back to St. Ignace this weekend, so if you're up for some hard rocking intensity, head down to The Northern Pines Lounge! There's no announced cover charges this weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and 19+ age limits are to be expected. For more details, visit the above links, and for a preview, here's Peril playing 4 covers at a Vanderbilt show in 2012!
Moving back to Sault Ontario to close this post, local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will make their Docks Riverfront Grill debuts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! The band's first dates of the new year, it'll be interesting to see this union of Route 69, Gully Yodelers, and Bangers N' Mash alumni in Docks' Playroom for the first time, but their alt-rock covers and gritty sound should serve them well this weekend, so keep a trip to Foster Drive in mind for this weekend for some Lucky 13 action! Like other recent Docks shows, there is NO COVER CHARGE this weekend, though a 10:00 PM start time and 19+ age limit are still in their usual effect. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Lucky 13 have proved to be a consistent and entertaining sight since their debut, so definitely don't bypass this weekend's shows, and for a preview, here's Lucky 13 at The Canadian in 2012!
Finally for this weekend's known hard rock shows, Sault Ontario quartet Glitch will return to their favourite local venue The Rockstar Bar THIS SATURDAY NIGHT in their own first gig of the new year! Note that this is a one night only event, possibly because The Rockstar Bar's hosting local country band Summer Thunder tomorrow night, so if you wanna see Glitch, don't come tomorrow. Featuring alumni of Foothill Road, W.F.O., and Bondar, this newer quartet has been a popular sight at The Algonquin Hotel's upstairs venue since their debut last fall, so don't miss their well mixed blend of covers, including many heavier tunes, on Saturday night! A $5 cover is likely for this 10:30 PM event, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Keep the return of Glitch in mind for your Saturday night plans, and for a preview, here's the guys rocking out at their live debut!
