With all eyes on Canada and our “owning the podium” at the Olympics in direct spite of the fact the homeland suits decided the campaign had FAIL! written all over it, I figured it was a good time to remind people (yet again) of Canuck musical genius, mastery and general ass kickingness. And so, for the faithful that think my head is screwed on at an off-kilter yet strangely attractive angle, a few recommendations to get you through to spring…
Big surprise (not!) that I’d be thrilled to announce that two of the four lovely ladies from the Carl Begai In Hell house band, Scarlet Sins, have returned with a new project called When Forever Dies. Vocalist Sylvya NuVynska and bassist Tanya Nicklaus have been writing and recording demo tracks since Scarlet Sins called it quits in November 2009, and the music I’ve heard thus far is great. Very promising indeed. It’s a no-brainer that Sylvya and Tanya would take care of unfinished business with When Forever Dies, particularly given Syl’s unique vocal style. Scarlet Sins fans won’t be disappointed, One of the tracks I’ve heard, ‘What Have You Become?’, takes the lessons learned from the Sins experience and kicks things up a notch or three with grittier vocals, big harmonies, a guitar solo (!), with a piano (!!) thrown in for good measure. Things have become decidedly more metal since the break-up; so much the better. Add to this the return of Rush producer / engineer Rich Chycki for the debut album and it’s safe to say this is going to end up sounding huge.
Check out their official website at this location. The page is currently under construction but there are direct links to the band’s MySpace, Facebook and Twitter pages.
Folks that remember Toronto rockers Harem Scarem – the band featuring insanely talented and moronically underrated guitarist Pete Lesperance – may be interested to know that drummer Creighton Doane has released a new solo EP. It’s easy to dismiss any project headed up by a drummer as a case of Frontman Dicksize Envy, but the simple fact is Doane is 10 times the musician / songwriter than most major league million-selling artists. Just my opinion of course, but his new outing Pilot Error sounds like a lost Paul Gilbert album with a Beatles vibe and quirky Barenaked Ladies humour tucked in cheek. Not even close to heavy, but a shitload of fun if you’ve half a mind to enjoy the music for the sake of enjoying music. Come to think of it, though, the track ‘I Know’ could only have been written by a drummer; a prog-jazz No Doubt-esque shuffle at its whackiest. Don’t take my word for it; go to this location for audio clips and a reason to buy some new music.
At the fire and brimstoned other end of the bar is a quaint little act out of Montreal called Worignition. They were brought my attention by a buddy who has a decent track record as the frontman of a loud and obnoxious Quebecois band called Blackguard, and I have to say my initial misgivings that Worignition was just another paint-by-numbers wannabe exercise in Finnish Metal Rip-Off Roulette were off the mark. Having turned my brains to mush by mp3-ing them straight into my skull, the band issold on me as a dynamic death-thrash act with ridiculous potential for being something more than a good idea. Check them out here for a glance at what’s up. They remind me of Arch Enemy crossed with a pre-fame Children Of Bodom, only a hell of a lot heavier and more innovative than either. Due to enter the studio with Cryptopsy guitarist Chris Donaldson as producer for their debut album, which is a very good thing. Fingers crossed someone with a brain picks them up, even if the name Worignition sounds like some kind of sexual deviant act committed with an SUV. Must be a Montreal thing…
Finally, watch for the return of Toronto metal icon just around the corner. Wait and see… 😉
