We're back to help kick off a new month in style, so here's our latest's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! As usual, our first regular feature post of the month looks at the current release statuses and recent updates concerning local metal & hard rock albums that have had recording sessions commence, but aren't out yet in a paid format, so fans can read up on them and when to look for them! No new additions this month, but one album (Mike Haggith's "A Place of our Own") was removed due to it's release last month, and like usual, entries with new information (3 this month) are denoted with the album's name in
italics. So, where are the new albums? Read on below to hopefully find out!
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AlgomA - Reclaimed By The Forest
Rumoured Songs:
"Fell Down A Well", "Reclaimed By The Forest", "Tertiary
Syphillis", "Go On, Git!!", "Extinct Volcanoes", "Bedsores", "The
Electric Fence"
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, with singer/guitarist Darby Wigwaus's film production company
62nd Chamber Productions' website
confirmning that they are in fact working on a debut demo EP. Vocal
recordings were completed in August, and they sentoff the tracks to be
post-produced in Peterborough, with mixing being taken care of by
veteran local musician Mark Rand (
source here.)
Facebook postings in February revealed the EP's name ("Reclaimed By The
Forest") and that it would be released via Malaysian metal label
Deadbeat Media later this year. You
can see pictures from the sessions in
this Facebook album (and
the full cover art by Adam Geyer here), while the first song "Fell Down A Well" can be streamed at
their Bandcamp page. Stay tuned for more info!
Current Release Status: Given the
label deal and recent announcements, a mid-late 2014 release wouldn't
shock me for "Reclaimed By The Forest", but a proper timeframe for the
release is not public yet. 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 that 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", guitarist Mitch Sirie confirmed in a Facebook e-mail 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
tracks from Josh Stephney, who recorded his parts before moving to
Brampton. At most recent word, mixing & mastering by Mitch was underway for the completed tracks, with preview clips and the artwork to come in the near future.
Current Release Status: As per
their Facebook page last month, the goal is to finally release "Eternal Hibernation" next month, which is when a CD release party is targeted. The post claims that the end is finally in sight, but until a specific release date comes out, proceed with caution before getting your hops up just in case things are delayed again. Still, 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", "Footf***** In Your A******", "Batch
Cones", "Orthostatic Hypertension", "Seshing In June Bugs"
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 scattered song samples posted to
the label's YouTube channel
from late last year onward. The tentative album cover was also up on
C.T.W.'s Facebook page, but it was replaced on May 1st, though both are controversial in imagery.
Stay tuned for updates on this and other Blood Shed CD projects as we
get them!
Current Release Status: Early indications had "Welcome To Earth" coming out in
"Winter 2014", but a post on
their Facebook page
in January indicated that the release would likely be delayed, and that
was true, as it's now targeted to come out on July 1st (the same day as
C.T.W.'s last solo demo's release.) Given the home recording, this
should be a good indicator, so 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 over
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", with this year now targeted for a release. 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's third compilation album
Rumoured Songs: "1980", "Wicked
Midnight Ride", "To Whom This May Concern", "Fourth Floor Centre/She
Wanted To Be A Veterinarian", "Sun Perfume", "Grace", "Limb Coast","Miss
76", "Room 822", "Trinity", "Solitude", "Resurfaced", "The Day The
Lights Went Out", "Lost Time"
Background: Amidst postings towards last month's release of his newest studio album "A Place Of Our Own", Haggith drummer Mike Haggith also recently announced is his third best-of compilation
album (possibly "The Best of Mike Haggith: Volume 3"?), which was revealed on Facebook in April. Compiling 14 top songs from his previous 4 studio releases ("Suspended Animation", "The Present Din", and both "Neighbourhood Watch" CDs), Mike didn't close the door on re-recorded some vocal tracks. You can
view the artwork at this link, though further updates aren't out yet.
Current Release Status: Originally, Mike was hoping for it's digital release in the next
few weeks after the reveal of the disc, but that's came and went, so it's unclear where this will fall. In any event, physical pressings are possible, pending customer
demand. Stay tuned as more comes in!
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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 2012's "All Baroque") in online
posts through last spring, along with previewing the disc at a Toronto
concert last June, 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, especially following the band's confirmation that they're
currently on a hiatus. That said, the sessions appear to be complete,
and a
preview of it was held last year, so a release can't be terribly far off
for when/if they return to activity. In case they do come back, keep an
eye out!
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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. I wouldn't have been surprised to see the final CD released
at this year's Rotaryfest, but with recent indications suggesting that the Second Stage won't be held this year, that logical guess for a release date wouldn't fly now. In any event, stay tuned for possible release information!
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The Sorrow Fields - Let Go
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" (though it was changed to "Let Go" this spring), and a
preview of the title track and another unnamed song were uploaded there
to check out before being privatized for unannounced reasons. Mitch is
still working on the album though, and has aims to finish it after 6
years of off & on work, as per a recent personal Facebook posting.
Current Release Status: Mitch's
most recent release timeframe for The Sorrow Fields' album was this
coming winter, though he added on Facebook that he didn't plan to speak
about it further until completion, so our next word or previews on it
might not be for a while. Knowing how delayed his past solo album
"Hollow Hope" was
prior to it's cancellation, this could be a long road, especially as
he's a
workhorse with his two bands. In case new
"Let Go" 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", "Jesus Concubines"
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, and though info on the sessions and
release was sporadic for much of last year, the band unveiled studio
versions of their originals
"Into the Fray" &
"Jesus Concubines" in January on Facebook, presumably as a preview for the full release. 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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Sykotyk Rampage -"Wyrd
Radio", "Padre Pwj with Ready for Revival", "Environ-Mental Suits 2:
Anvil of Antioch", "Kitty Farts & Other Playful Noises", "Who's
Driving Spaceship Earth?", "Santa's Night Out", and "Double LIVE"
Rumoured Songs: "Came Like A Storm"
Background: Continuing their
extremely prolific recording nature, local "blue Chinese metal crash
punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage began recording sessions at River Front
Recreation Studios for their next
seven "albums" on February 6th,
which will bring their total album amount to 50 if all goes according
to plan. Their second batch of albums with current bassist Tony
"Chastity Boy" Briglio,
the band's Facebook page
elaborated on themes for some of them, with the first two hinting
towards covers, "Anvil of Antioch" continuing a series started the
previous year, "Santa's Night Out" possibly being the long hinted at
Christmas album, and "Double LIVE" being their first live album from one
of their concerts, with the first and last being double CD length.
Nothing else is out besides
the "Anvil of Antioch" cover art and a new song named "Came Like A Storm" on
their Reverbnation page, but keep an eye out for updates!
Current Release Status: The band
hasn't indicated a rough timeframe for the releases, but mid-late 2014
would make sense, especially if "Santa's Night Out" is seasonal. Keep in
mind however that Sykotyk Rampage's albums have all been posted online
strictly as free postings since 2012, but in the event that these get a
paid release, I have them here. Watch out for updates and hints
throughout the year!
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I hope you guys liked this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post! This series will of course return on July 2nd, while our next monthly feature post will be this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles of A Shade of Light and Route 69, which will go up one week from tomorrow, so look out for those then, and for more news tonight or tomorrow! Thanks everyone!
We'll start today with some late stuff to address concerning TOMORROW'S Great Sabatini concert at The Moose Lodge, including the identity of the new opening band, as local all female hard rock quartet The Danger Cats will fill in for the departed Habitat Shuffle tomorrow night, as per the Facebook event page this morning! This will mark the girls' Moose Lodge debut, their first public concert since Dank Fest in April, and their first with a full lineup since March (though they did play a private outdoor event on Saturday, as per their Facebook page.) Solid addition, and a closer genre fit to the other bands than Habitat Shuffle likely would have been, so don't miss The Danger Cats opening tomorrow's show at 7:00 PM or later! Also new to plug this event is a new preview video from fellow openers AlgomA, as uploaded to frontman Boyd Rendell's film production company 62nd Chamber Productions' YouTube channel yesterday, so what should you know from this?
