Shanies: Video of the Year

In the past, my video award has gone to very serious, thoughtful pieces, and it has also been given to works of near cinematic genius. This year, I'm giving it to a bunch of duded who dressed up as zombies and chased athletes, because.... duh.

Destrage was one of my joyful finds of the year. In addition to producing one of the most frantically incredible albums I've ever heard by combining countless different music styles into a cohesive, catchy undefinable metal album, I quickly found out when they released the album's first video that these guys are bloody well hilarious. My Green Neighbour was already my favourite song on the album, partly due to it's head bobbing beat, but mostly due to it's insanity-infused breakdown, however, when they released the video... this was locked in as permanent gold.

Set the stage: people line up for a spartan race or something equally ridiculous. 3 fully made-up zombies appear in the back of the line with atheltic clothing and GoPros strapped to their heads and begin chasing everyone. The premise alone would have been enough to make for a great video, but it helps that these Italian shredders are also hilarious dudes that obviously had a lot of fun making this video.


And I suppose an honourable mention kinda has to go to Dave Grohl for the whole Sonic Highways thing... the album was meh, but the series was pretty damned incredible.

-I can't be blamed for craving more than I am

April Shananigans: Zombies

Spring has sprung again and it's the wonderous month of my birth... which means NEW SONGS EVERY DAY!*


*Every day that I actually remember to post something.

Shanies: EP of the Year

We do live in the ADHD generation, and therefore, I feel it is important to not just recognize the full-length album of the year, but also the EP of the year. Whether the artist didn't have the money, time, energy or focus... or they found themselves face down in a mountain full of coke too often, we should still take the time to recognize their efforts, no matter how brief. Often though, the subtext of this award is something to the effect of, "HURRY UP AND FINISH A FULL FUCKING ALBUM BECAUSE I AM OBSESSED WITH EVERY BIT OF NOISE YOU PRODUCE AND MUCH LIKE A HEROIN ADDICT, PAPA NEEDS ANOTHER HIT!"

I was introduced to Vancouver's We Hunt Buffalo this summer at Toronto's Cherry Cola. Their live show blew me away and I immediately picked up and listened to their first album. However, soon after the show, I caught wind of an EP to be released in the early fall. Blood from a Stone came out and simply highlighted the progression of this fuzzy, riff-heavy, epic trio. The title track from the EP is unquestionably my favourite track, however all 4 songs show the evolution of a band who, already starting with an incredible songwriting base, is only going to keep improving with every release. Take a listen below and join me the screaming chorus demanding their next album and another visit to Toronto.


An honourable mention must be made to Hawkeyes for their doomtacular EP, Poison Slows You Down.

-Bow down to my thick cerebral cortex, a little bit of logic's all you need

Shanies: Rookie of the Year

It's that time again... time for me to spread my unwanted and unnecessary opinion about the state of music in 2013. The traditional caveats apply to this, the 6th instalment of the Shanies:

• It's my party and I'll cry if I want to
• These awards are based completely on my own, unquestionably awesome taste in music
• Guitars always win
• I'm totally cool with contradicting myself
• I play favourites
• All hail the mighty riff
• No takesies-backsies

This was no competition for the rookie category with a clear front running building hype through the summer and blowing minds with a few single releases before unleashing one of the most monstrous albums not just of the year but of the decade. I am of course talking about the unholy Converge/Cave In love-child, Mutoid Man. Beyond the fact that their name references one of the ending bosses from Smash TV, this project, long overdue, brought together Stephen Brodsky and Ben Koller to finally make the record they'd been flirting around for years.

What started as potentially a one-off with no plans to gig or follow the group, has since grown in massive demand and with the release of Helium Head, and the hype that surrounds it, one can only hope that they choose to tour and make more music, lest the fate of the free world collapse into chaos. Rookies shouldn't sound this good because as individuals, these two are seasoned-veterans and good friends with an exceptional musical connection. That said, for my pick of 2013's new band of the year... all hail the mighty Mutoid Man.



-The medium is the message, so kill the messenger

Rolling over Minds

Just lovely, beautiful, euphoric, sludgy release. Thank you, Hawkeyes.


-My God's in my head and I'm thinkin I've been thinking too much

Should've been born in the 50s

You know those periods in your life when you regress and let your musical tastes drift backwards to explore what history has to offer in the way of some serious rock n roll? I'm in one of those phases and the fruits I am reaping are fan-freaking-tastic.

Over the weekend, I stumbled across a lesser-known gem called Hard Stuff. They were a short-lived British hard rock / metal band with that early 70s heavy, bluesy groove. They released 2 proper LPs, Bulletproof  and Bolex Dementia under Deep Purple's label and toured Europe quite extensively with DP. However, a car crash that would leave 2 members of the 3 piece badly injured would ultimately push the band to fold.

But what they left behind from their 2 year run and rock stardom is something to be appreciated:


-Wash me clean, show what's good for me

Crushed Underfoot

The Great Sabatini... Montreal's masters of sludge... just released a new EP, Sunday School.

I love it. Oh how I love it. But most importantly, they released a new version of one of my favourite tracks, "Tiny Kingdoms."

Bathe in noise.
-What purpose do you serve anymore if not to hold me back?

April Shananigans: Crossover

Just wonderful, mind altering, assumption-shifting music.

-Thank you for everything that you've given nothing

April Shananigans: The Grind

Some days, you just want to put a bullet between the eyes of every panda that wouldn't fuck to save it's species... and that's, ok.

-Do your worst and I'll show you how soft you really are

Epic Fail

First, I need to thank today's artist for making my post title so easy.  Rarely does a band incorporate such a perfect pun into their own name.

So thank you, Failure Epics, or should I say Jon Epworth.  My first introduction to Epworth was on the drums with the Dean Malenkos, through my buddy Jesse.  The Malenkos were shit tons of fun and an incredibly tight punk band, however, while it was a great throwback to weird punk greats such as the Vandals, their work was by no means groundbreaking.  That said, Epworth has finally taken his place on the throne and composed, performed and produced nearly his entire album (with a smattering of help from friends).  His 6-track, self-titled EP is described on his label's page as exploring "maculate conception – a new species willed into existence by the earth’s consciousness; disease and waste incarnate, born solely for the evisceration of the human race: born sexless, born bloodless."

Beyond the descriptor being a little out there, Epworth's music is an epic blend of prog transitions, metal riffs, massive vocal and instrumental layering and dark, haunting themes.  You can get a free download of 'Soothsayer' which is streamed below, or if you navigate to Exclaim, you can also take a sneak peek at the whole album.
-I've taken all I can, now how do I give back more?