O' Canada

So my article have been sort of slow the last couple of days.  Like most of you working your day jobs, I am fortunate enough to grab some vacation days throughout the summer for the usual beer drinking, bbq-ing, music loving, cottage going, etc.  Over the course of the summer I will be hit and miss with my articles, but still got some great ones lined up for you all!  So this weekend is another of those times where I am getting out of dodge early and heading to Ottawa to take part in our nation's birthday.  Looking forward to what they city has to offer and hope to be stumbling upon a few random bands during the travels.

This opportunity also gave me a few moments to reflect on the one brand of music that seems to be known worldwide...Canadian!  Over the past few decades, the music industry in Canada is no longer hiding in the shadows of larger US and UK, who have had countless amounts of stadium selling bands on their roster.  We all know the standards in Canada...RUSH, The Guess Who, Alanis Morissette, Diana Krall, Neil Young, April Wine, and many others.  If you get a free moment to research some of the bands coming out of Canada today, you would be astonished.  I was caught a few times over the past few years with the head slightly tiled to the left and thinking "these guys are Canadian?!"

We should be very proud of our Canadian musicians making a global impact around the world.  Chances are if there is a major music festival happening somewhere in the world, a Canadian band will be one of the top acts.  We have a slew of bands that can easily sell out arenas 1/2 way across the world.  They may not necessarily be the artists you like (coughNickelbackcoughRUSHcoughBieber) but they are Canadian established nonetheless and damn proud of it.  Now for all intensive purposes here I am referring to a rock/hard rock/metal group here since I am not a huge fan of the country scene (with respect, they have a great following and are talent musicians) nor am I knowledgeable enough in the hip hop scene to make a statement (Karidnal Offishall, Drake, Classified, K-os, K'Naan, Moka Only, Dead Celebrity Status, Belly, etc.).

So I know there are going to be many, many bands I have missed here that you all hold near and dear to your hearts but I thought it'd be a nice way to remind all my readers outside Canada what awesome music we have up here in the great white north.  Can you pick out any of these as your top bands?  I also expect people to share and comment on those that I missed that should not go unrecognized.

54-40, A Perfect Murder, A Tribe Called Red, Abandon All Ships, Alanis Morissette, Alexisonfire April Wine, Baptized In Blood, Barenaked Ladies, Bedouin Soundclash, Big Sugar, Big Wreck, Billy Talent, Blackguard, Blessed By A Broken Heart, Blue Rodeo, Bran Van 3000, Broken Social Scene, Bryan Adams, Burning Love, Burton Cummings, Celine Dion, Chantal Kreviazuk, City and Colour, Comeback Kid, Cowboy Junkies, Crash Karma, Crash Test Dummies, Cuff the Duke, Cryptopsy...

3 Inches of Blood:



Danko Jones, David Wilcox, Dayglo Abortions, Dead and Divine, Death from Above 1979, Devin Townsend, Diana Krall, Die Mannequin, D.O.A., Doc Walker, Dragonette, Econoline Crush, Faber Drive, Finger Eleven, FM Static, Forgotten Rebels, Forty Foot Echo, F**k the Facts, F**ked Up, Great Big Sea, Great Lake Swimmers, GrimSkunk, Groovy Aardvark...

Armchair Cynics:



Hail the Villain, Helix, High Holy Days, Holly Cole, Honeymoon Suite, Hot Hot Heat, Hunter Valentine, I Mother Earth, IllScarlett, Ion Dissonance, Jakalope, Jann Arden, Japandroids, Jeff Healey, Jet Set Satellite, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Kataklysm, KEN mode, Kittie, Len, Liferuiner, Matthew Good, Men Without Hats, Metric, Michael Buble, Moist, Moneen, Monster Truck, Mudmen, My Darkest Days, Neil Young, Neuraxis, Neurosonic, Nickleback...

Breach of Trust:

Our Lady Peace, Out of Your Mouth, Paul Shaffer, Priestess, Project Wyze, Projet Orange, Propagandhi, Protest the Hero, Prozzäk, Rheostatics, Sam Roberts, Serial Joe, Silverstein, Simple Plan, Skinny Puppy, Sloan, Staggered Crossing, Steppenwolf, Strapping Young Lad, Stutterfly, Sum 41, Swollen Members...

Cancer Bats:



The Agonist, The Big Dirty Band, The Black Halos, The Black Lungs, The Creepshow, The Guess Who, The Headstones, The Irish Rovers, The Lowest of the Low, The Matadors, The Moffatts, The New Pornographers, The Philosopher Kings, The Planet Smashers, The Sadies, The Salads, The Sheepdogs, The Tea Party, The Tragically Hip, The Trews, The Watchmen...

Gob:



Tegan and Sara, Theory of a Deadman, Thornley, Thousand Foot Krutch, Three Days Grace, Tin Foil Phoenix, Today I Caught the Plague, Tokyo Police Club, (Stompin') Tom Connors, Treble Charger, Voivod, Walk off the Earth, Wide Mouth Mason, Woods of Ypres, Yukon Blonde, Zimmers Hole...

Threat Signal:



Whew!  That's quite a bit of memory going back that far to a few of these bands.  Some bands still touring, others breaking up and some that haven't seen the light of day in years.  Are a few due for a comeback?  I like to think so.  There is a solid line up of Canadian artists here that I would gladly pay good money to see.  Not knocking other countries and their music, I just tend to find myself a patriotic musician.  We got a lot more to offer the world than poutine, maple syrup, and other cliche items.  We can crank the amps to 11 the same as anyone else and damn proud of it!  Cheers and everyone have a great weekend!

Music Releases For June 25th, 2013

So apparently it was not a good idea to take a vacation day mid-week after I saw the list of bands dropping albums for Tuesday release day (still a great day to kick back for a birthday though).  Holy shit folks, we have a slew of rock, hard rock, punk, metal, ambiance and obviously more for this week's releases.  Some of these album I did not even hear through the grapevine were being released.  Made it that much better of a good day to get back on the computer and check out a few reviews.  Then again, it also means an expensive week at the record store which will make my wallet considerably lighter.  Passion versus expenses is every music lover's inner struggle. haha

So the usual rant folks to ensure the safety and security of your local record stores.  Head in, say hello and pick up a few copies.  Whenever I feel like the compact disc has fallen by the wayside, I try and remind myself that I am paying that $10 for artwork, lyrical content, recording materials, music equipment, hours of practice, hours of recording, mixing, mastering, distribution, etc.  I find when I look at it that way, it feels a little better that my funds go towards all that.

You can also feel free to visit your favourite online retailer or another legal source to pick up 1, 2 or the whole lots of them.  Cheers!

(Skillet - Rise)

The aggressive album vacillates between the full-throttled angst and anger that comes with being a teen, such as on the hardest-rocking song on the album, single “Sick of It,” and songs that double as traditional love songs or about one’s relationship with God or Jesus, such as on “Fire and Fury”:  “Destiny’s gotta hold on me/I guess I never knew love like love knows me/I need to feel you here with me/I will burn/I will die for you.” It’s to Skillet’s credit that the songs never sound watered down,when it comes to faith, but are universal enough in their appeal to speak to whomever is listening. -Hit Fix

(Transplants - In A Warzone)

There’s nothing particularly weak about the record, but it sacrifices the band’s singularity in service of a punk sound that, while plenty amped, ultimately feels a bit by the numbers. By foregoing experimentation in favor of a more straight and narrow musical path, In A Warzone feels like the kind of record its members once tried to branch out from. -Consequence of Sound


(Palms - Palms)

At its true core this debut is a sleepy, ponderous journey. Instrumental evolution purposefully occurs at a lumbering pace, and momentum is established as organically as possible. With that being the case, the material is not essentially riveting—though it has many moments where it enshrouds the listener in its warmth.

A wholly interesting—if somewhat creatively unsure—union built out of mutual respect; “Palms” may yet be unable to tap into its full potential, but it plants deep roots for what is hopefully a robust future. -PRP

(August Burns Red - Rescue & Restore)

AFGM: August Burns Red - Rescue & Restore

Similar to what August Burns Red did on Leveler and what Parkway Drive did on Atlas, the band is truly pushing the boundaries of metalcore (it's not even fair to label them that now) on Rescue & Restore. Nearly half of the album consists of fresh material for the band – but more so for the genre – and it's put together ever so brilliantly. The only thing that I wasn't too fond of is that there seemed to be an interlude in nearly every song; some were only 10-second breaks from the heaviness, but others were much longer. For the most part, the interludes worked exceptionally well and didn't take anything away from a particular song, but there were a few instances when it felt like the interludes were only there just to be there so the theme could carry on throughout the album. -Megusta Reviews

(Jane's Addiction - Live In NYC)[CD/DVD/BR]

They always put on visually spectacular shows... Whether that be with topless geisha dancers like they brought with them for Soundwave a few years back or amazing visual backdrops and light displays, it always enhances the psychedelic drama of the band's music. Listening to the live songs on their own, naturally, does not give you the sense of wonderment that is derived from a Jane’s gig, so I think this album may be better considered as a live retrospective of their career. -The AU Review

(Orphaned Land - All Is One) 

But Orphaned Land clearly took to heart the criticisms leveled at their previous album when they went to work on their sixth record, All Is One. Coming only three years after ORwarriOR, All Is One features new guitarist Chen Balbus replacing Matti Svatizky, who had been with the band since the beginning but left last year due to personal reasons. In an interview, vocalist Kobi Farhi said that the fresh blood brought “a surge of motivation and energy” to the band’s creative process. It shows. Among the more noticeable changes are shorter songs, an almost complete absence of growled vocals, and production that feels less crowded and more straightforward in its delivery. The effort to write a leaner, stronger album is evident on every track. -Metal Injection

(Serj Tankian - ORCA)

Nonetheless, this is an interesting and professionally executed work, and far more than just a vanity project for a wealthy and indulgent rockstar. Its style is simple and unpretentious, not groundbreaking by any stretch but certainly the best piece of classical music anyone can remember a rockstar ever writing. The name Serj Tankian may forever be associated with nu-metal but the man has the ability to work in many different fields of music, and anyone who thinks otherwise ought to give this a really good listen. -Ultimate Guitar

(Extol - Extol)

Extol not only build in the instrumental section on variant wealth, but also in terms of vocals. From pop to death which range - and what reads on paper like a clumsy attempt to create tension through a wild combination of opposites, sounds simple in kind, ahem, of course. And even if EXTOL is not so surprisingly different, precisely because in recent years this segment has presented many exciting, nevertheless remains the realization that you can make it simple. And good that they now want to again. -Metal Hammer (DE) (*loosely translated from German)

(Hawthorne Heights - Zero)

The album’s title track is a bass driven and shows the theme of the album the clearest. This song showcases everything Hawthorne Heights has to offer. In this song they lure the listener in with the bass guitar and immediately trap them with a quick clash of guitars and drums.

I am impressed with Zero, but one thing that didn’t impress me was the quality of the recordings. The album sounds like you are listening to it through small speakers. The cymbals and vocals sound a little overwhelming if you have the volume turned up. -New Noise Magazine

(Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods)

What begins with scorching, melodic twin leads, a mead-induced flurry of double-kick drumming, and the meatiest, most malevolent vocals this side of Valhalla? If you answered "The ninth studio outing from Swedish melodic death metal legends Amon Amarth" then you are correct and can drink from the chalice. Bolder and more bottom heavy than 2011's Surtur Rising, Deceiver of the Gods retains the band's penchant for crafting unyielding blasts of Viking brutality, but tempers each beating with the kind of melodic artistry that can only stem from 15 years spent in the trenches. Those artful melodies imbue much of the album with a toasty patina of NWOBH and power metal, especially on standout cuts like "Father of the Wolf," "Under Siege," the aforementioned opening title cut, and the epic closer "Warriors of the North," all of which sound like deadlier Norse spins on the better cuts from Iron Maiden's Seventh Son of a Seventh Son. It's not all just Manowar sans clean vocals though, as evidenced by the absolutely pulverizing "Blood Eagle" and the propulsive Priest-meets-Venom gallop of "Coming of the Tide," two tracks that announce (with great authority) that Amon Amarth have lost none of the cunning or vivacity that made them such a dominant force in the early days of the new millennium. If anything, Deceiver of the Gods suggests that Amon Amarth may just now be hitting their stride, as it's an undeniably well-honed set, yet the band manage to flex their muscles well outside of the Draconian stylistic confines of the genre by remaining, like a true Viking horde, prickly, primal, and unstable. -All Music

(Attila - About That Life)

On 'Leave A Message...,' an interlude track consisting of a staged phone-call to Attila frontman Fronz regarding their new album, 'About That Life,' we hear a label executive saying “You said you were gonna mellow out on this record, and all you’re doing is getting more offensive, I can’t f***ing believe it dude.” Put simply, this sums up the entire record. Attila have never been in this industry for any reason other than partying hard, and having a damn good time, and it shows on their latest release. -Kill Your Stereo

(Sister Sin - Dance of the Wicked) [Reissue]

The times are not changing too much as their cover of The ROLLING STONES “Paint It Black”, is not a real nail biter, and I prefer other renditions by RAGE, W.A.S.P., and GLEN TIPTON.

Now and forever these metal hearts of cold steel will beat 24/7, never running low, championing the fight, sounding the alarm. Fans of HESSLER, CRUCIFIED BARBARA, L7, GIRLSCHOOL, ROCK GODESS, the late great WENDY O' WILLLIAMS, and of course  DORO herself, will all enjoy the head over heels headbanging' anthems. Just accept that these hostile bold hearts are in it for life, and it is all systems go. -Metal Temple

(Mouth of the Architect - Dawning)

While the album keeps a thick layer of dark sludge about it, its tone is noticeably brighter; the pieces seem much more driven by clear melody than sheer force alone, a trend that carries over from The Violence Beneath. (I mean, is it possible to cover Peter Gabriel in any other way?) Even in the dripping depths of tracks like "How This Will End" it's possible to find some clarity; heck, "It Swarms" and "Patterns" even border on anthemic. All this adds up towards making the album viscerally moving on an unnaturally effective level. Dawning doesn't just take hold of your emotions; it guns down their car, throws them onto the pavement, and fully throttles them into submission. Trying to resit the inevitable undulation only means it will drag you down harder--and at that point, you'll be begging for it. It's a really effective album, is what I'm getting at. -Scene Point Blank

(Queensrÿche - Queensrÿche)

One thing I find puzzling is the album’s running time. For one thing, a 35-minute record comes off as pretty weak for a band that testified in court about how much unused material they were sitting on. But more importantly, it’s the songs themselves that seem too short—like the band got so obsessed with trimming the fat that they cut out some meat by mistake. Some tracks open with a cool riff or theme that gets tossed by the wayside before it even registers. It does lend a certain urgency to the music, but some of these songs feel like they need more time to unfold. Also, the orchestration on the two ballads are a bit overblown, like Queensrÿche was trying to get onto the Hunger Games soundtrack or something. A minor grievance, all considered.

Queensrÿche, the album, ultimately falls somewhere between the melodic metal of Ëmpire and the futuristic weirdness of Rage för Order, with no trace of the worthless yacht-rock that Tate enjoyed so much. With the simple removal of a lead singer, Queensrÿche has risen from its comatose state and immediately began kicking ass like Steven Seagal in Hard to Kill. Queensryche is the sound of a band wiping the slate clean and starting over, with a promise to do it rïght this time. -Angry Metal Guy

(We As Human - We As Human)

If there is one word to describe We As Human, that word would be "safe." While clearly aiming for the hard rock market of bands like Red and (of course) Skillet, We As Human hit all the right notes while simultaneously never venturing out of the genre's norms. It's hard to imagine any fan of the genre being disappointed in this release, simply because it is clearly calculated to appeal to what listeners are already expecting. There's big guitars, bombastic vocals, and melodies that soar when expected and then mellow exactly when they should. The only moment where the band truly takes a risk is in the lyrics of the final track, "I Stand." After an album full of generically vague lyrics, I was pleased to hear the band directly reference Jesus and even make a point about the problem of abortion. Sadly, that one moment is the exception among an album that is, lyrically and musically, far too conservative. -Jesus Freak Hideout

Music News and New Music For June 24th, 2013

So of course, when running your own blog solo it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth,. CBC, National Post, AV Club, Exclaim, Music News, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am somewhat patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humourous and we can ALWAYS use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!

20 Songs You Can't Even Believe Are 20 Years Old:

From Beck to Ice Cube.  From Blind Melon to Radiohead.  Anyone else remember these classic tracks?


Concert Review - Joni Mitchell surprised with song at Massey Hall in Toronto:

"Mitchell appeared two hours into the nearly three-hour concert, smiling and sashaying in a grey dress that looked both smock-like and regal; she praised the “beautiful and individuated performances of my music” she’d just heard. The tribute, directed by drummer and longtime Mitchell associate Brian Blade, featured artists who had not only mastered the devious twists in her charts, but also inhabited them with their own voices."


Watch Jack Johnson Recording New Album in Hawaii:




Exclaim!'s 20 Most Anticipated Albums of the Summer:

DIANA, King Kahn, Sarah Neufield, Washed Out, Philip H. Anselmo, and many more!


The 10 weirdest story-songs of all time:

"Then there are those songs that go spiraling past rich narrative into the convoluted, soap opera-esque, ridiculously complex or just plain silly. The 10 story-songs in the gallery above represent some of the strangest, most baffling, I-can’t-believe-this-is-a-song moments of all time."


THE CULT To Release 'Electric Peace' In July:

"Tracks from "Peace" were used as single B-sides and some of the alternative versions were issued on an early CD, "The Manor Sessions", but it wasn’t until the limited "Rare Cult" box set in 2000 that fans got to hear the full album correctly sequenced. The box rapidly sold out so "Peace" has been unavailable for 13 years."


Muse Bring 'World War Z' Premiere to 'Kimmel':






Building A Music Collection In The Digital Age:

6 great steps to acquiring that music collection you once had sitting on your CD racks (now collecting dust).


Jane's Addiction Go 'Live in NYC' - Album Premiere:

"Jane's Addiction's 2011 album The Great Escape Artist was the band's first in eight years, and the alt-rockers celebrated with a free show at New York's Terminal 5 on July 25th, 2011."


Morrissey Sets August Release for '25:Live':

"Alma Matters"
"Ouija Board, Ouija Board"
"Irish Blood, English Heart"
"You Have Killed Me"
"November Spawned a Monster"
"Maladjusted"
"You're The One for Me, Fatty"
"Still Ill"
"People Are the Same Everywhere"
"Speedway"
"That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore"
"To Give (The Reason I Live)"
"Meat Is Murder"
"Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"
"Action Is My Middle Name"
"Everyday Is Like Sunday"
"I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris"
"Let Me Kiss You"
"The Boy With the Thorn in His Side"


ORIANTHI: 'Heaven In This Hell' Video Released:




Win Tickets To See ALICE IN CHAINS Live In Canada:

July 
4 - Rexall Place - Edmonton, AB 
6 - Brandt Centre - Evraz Place Regina, SK
8 - MTS Centre - Winnipeg, MB
11 - Budweiser Gardens - London, ON

To enter the contest you must "Like" BraveWords on Facebook and then send us an email to contests@bravewords.com with the subject line "Show Me The Dinosaurs". The winners will be chosen at random. Contest closes this Friday, June 28th Please include your snail mail in your email!


THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA Schedules Live Debut:

"...live debut on August 1 at Dina-scenen in Lidköping, Sweden. Support at the gig will come from OUTSHINE and EGONAUT."


Metallica Sorting Through Nearly 600 Song Ideas:

"I understand there are people waiting for a new rec­ord, and so are we.  But I can't stress about it. It's not like, 'Fuck, hurry up and get this record out.' Hurry up for what? So we can go play gigs? We already play gigs. We'll get there." -Ulrich


Machine Head Announce New Bassist:

"It is with great pride and excitement that Machine Head announce Jared MacEachern as their new bass player. Jared has already begun rehearsals for the upcoming Rockstar Mayhem U.S. summer festival tour and will soon relocate from North Carolina to Northern California to begin pre-production for Machine Head's upcoming 8th studio release."




Norma Jean release new single “If You Got It At Five, You Got It At Fifty”:




Ministry Change Album Title to 'Whole Lotta Glove'?:

"Due to excruciating pressure and critique from The Onion's A/V Club, Ministry has hired Al Jourgensen's 12-year-old nephew to re-design the cover art and also changed the title of the upcoming Ministry release. Production in Germany on the previous title and artwork was called to a halt at 7:00 am GST on June 19, 2013."


Demoraliser Releases New Music Video "Reap What You Sow":

Random Music Quotes: Turner

"Because there's no such thing as rock stars

There's just people who play music

And some of them are just like us

And some of them are dicks." -Frank Turner

James Labrie - Impermanent Resonance

Ahhhh my Canadian prog man James Labrie has announced his new solo record "Impermanent Resonance" up grabs soon via InsideOut Music.  Releasing on August 6th (North America) and July 29th (Europe).  I have been a longtime fan of his main band Dream Theater and only found out about his solo material upon 2010's "Static Impulse".  An amazing album in my mind, I was looking to see him during his solo tour at The Opera House (cancelled unfortunately).

So onto better times.  We all got wind of the new album when Labrie started to post some updates on Facebook, such as this one below:

"Hey everybody! Matt Guillory and I are very happy to announce that writing for my next solo album has started. We're very pleased with how well Static Impulse was received and are excited to be making a follow-up. You can expect all the usual suspects: (Marco Sfogli, Peter Wildoer, Ray Riendeau) In addition to this, we'd also like to announce that Peter Wichers (SOILWORK) is on-board as a co-songwriter. Peter loved Static Impulse and looks forward to making a kickass record with us. He is extremely talented and we're stoked to have him! More news to come. Stay tuned - and Happy New Year!" -Labrie (Taken January 2nd, 2013)

So as you can see, James has many friends in high places giving him a hand with his solo matrial.  Below you can check out the recording line up, (soon to be announced) touring lineup, mixing, mastering, artwork and more.  Have at er!

"Impermanent Resonance" recording lineup:

James LaBrie - Lead Vocals | Matt Guillory - Keyboards, Background Vocals | Marco Sfogli - Guitars Ray Riendeau - Bass | Peter Wildoer - Drums, Screams

"To me, this album incorporates and continues with the styles and musical direction that we have created with the previous releases.  The difference being that the music on this disc is to me a true telling of the songs evolving and taking on a sense of identity that is every band's ultimate goal. -Labrie



1. Agony
2. Undertow
3. Slight Of Hand
4. Back On The Ground
5. I Got You
6. Holding On
7. Lost In The Fire
8. Letting Go
9. Destined To Burn
10. Say You're Still Mine
11. Amnesia
12. I Will Not Break

Mixing/mastering duties performed by Jens Bogren (Soilwork, Opeth, Amon Amarth, Kreator, etc.) and Tony Lindgren.  Album artwork created by the talented Gustavo Sazes (Amaranthe, Firewind, I Legion, Kamelot, etc.)


"Impermanent Resonance" was collaborated with LaBrie's longtime songwriting partner, Matt Guillory. Guillory has not only took the reigns in composing the new material, but has also handled all of the keyboards and background vocals!

So you read for his first single?  Check out opening album track "Agony":



It is powerful, memorable, hook-driven and above all extremely musical. It shows how the writing and the band itself have matured. I truly feel that this is our quintessential album." -LaBrie

For more information, be sure to follow Labrie and his ongoing work of "Impermanent Resonance" at the following official links:

Official site: www.jameslabrie.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/officialjameslabrie
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Piratecjs

Music News and New Music for June 20th, 2013

So of course, when running your own blog solo it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth,. Bravewords, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Music News, MissInfo, Billboard, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am somewhat patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humourous and we can ALWAYS use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!

This week’s must-see Toronto shows:

Robert Glasper Experiment, Alabama Shakes, Jonny Corndawg Fritz, Willie Nelson & Family, A Tribe Called Red, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Mavis Staples, Dr John, and many more!


TDSB avoids scrapping music programs to balance budget:

"That wasn't very popular with parents and students and I guess trustees felt the passion of the people, so what they've decided instead is a long menu of cuts." -Shari Schwartz-Maltz (TDSB spokesperson)


Feist to perform at Luminato as part of seven-member supergroup HYDRA:

"HYDRA, whose seven members were on Tuesday revealed to be AroarA, (Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman and Ariel Engle), indie pop band Snowblink (Daniela Gesundheit and Dan Goldman), singer Feist, Broken Social Scene member Charles Spearin and drummer Lucky Paul, will play at The Courtyard Review from Tuesday, June 18 to Thursday, June 20."


Photo Gallery: Broken Social Scene, Feist, Stars and more celebrate Arts & Crafts at the Field Trip festival:

(Photo courtesy of Ryan Kelpin/National Post)


The Sheepdogs premiere documentary film in Saskatoon:

“It was a little weird because they would just show up.  We’d be in New Orleans and they’d just show up and have cameras so it was a little weird at times but they were very good at fly on the wall trying to capture actual moments rather than more contrived like some documentaries can be.”- Ryan Gullen


P Diddy to launch cable music channel Revolt TV:

"I would say this journey started me for seven years ago when MTV stopped playing music and that had huge impact on the future of music.  The music started to become safe. We didn't have the experience I had when I grew up, whether it be Led Zeppelin or Janice Joplin. There was no longer a platform for music artists to trust with their creativity.

There was also no place that was covering music in the way that if you follow sports you go to ESPN, or like CNN with news, but with music you were just thrown into the abyss. We will cover music in a journalistic way, covering it in a way in that it has not been covered before, and we will celebrate creative and cinematography." -Combs


Sigur Rós to Perform 'Kveikur' Tracks Today in 360-Degree Webcast: 




Music lovers descend on Gastown for Make Music Vancouver:

“That’s why we actually called it Make Music Vancouver and not Fête de la Musique, otherwise we knew that people would think it’s French, and that only if you’re related to France, or that you like France, that you would go.” -Laure Sabini (MMV communications committee member)

2013 Polaris Music Prize long list announced: 

"The much anticipated Polaris Music Prize long list has just been announced, and some of Canada's best-known indie acts, as well as relative newcomers, have made the cut.

Metric, Tegan and Sara, Colin Stetson, A.C. Newman, Corb Lund, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Purity Ring, Majical Cloudz, Suuns, Whitehorse and Hayden are just a few of the 40 artists whose albums are on the 2013 long list, which was announced in Toronto Thursday morning, June 13."


How to dance like Gord Downie: 

Following these simple 10 steps and your music will be at work!


Soundwave is a new take on sharing your music taste on the go:

"Soundwave is admittedly quite a simple idea right now, and it’s far from the first app to offer mobile music sharing (Soundtracking is a notable alternative, for example) but whereas most other apps of its ilk have gone down the Instagram route of deliberate, sporadic sharing, Soundwave is automatic and works without you thinking about it."


Beartooth (Ex-Attack Attack!) Announce Summer Tour With City Lights:

‘Best Friends 4 Lyfe Tour‘:

08/16 Wilmington, DE – Harmony Grange
08/17 Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre
08/18 Syracuse, NY – Lost Horizon
08/20 Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Showcase
08/21 Quebec City, QC – L’Agitee
08/22 Ottawa, ON – Club Saw
08/23 Toronto, ON – Sneaky Dee’s
08/24 London, ON – Rum Runners
08/25 Pontiac, MI – The Pike Room at Crofoot


Misery Signals Preview New Song “Reborn: An Execution”:




Music Festivals, Bluetooth Monitoring and the Behavior of Crowds:

"These guys set up 33 Bluetooth scanners at various locations at the festival that recorded any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone that passed nearby. The idea was to see how participants moved between the six different stages at the event, how this changed with the music that was on offer and how people gathered at other places such as beer halls and restaurants."


Hatebreed Set Initial Dates For Fall Tour With Shadows Fall, The Acacia Strain & Battlecross:

09/26 Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance
09/27 Hartford, CT – Webster Theater
09/30 Madison, WI – Orpheum Theatre
10/02 Des Moines, IA – Wooly’s
10/03 Ft. Wayne, IN – Piere’s
10/04 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
10/09 Cleveland, OH – Peabody’s Downunder
10/11 Toronto, ON – Phoenix Concert Theatre

“There will be a few more headline dates to come & a press release & full tour announce next week – all shows will go onsale next weekend. We will have another announcement tomorrow!” -Hatebreed


FIREWIND: 'Head Up High' Performance From 'Apotheosis - Live 2012' Available For Streaming:

Why buy music when you can stream it?:

"It's becoming more popular, but it still isn't at a point where you can replace royalties from record sales with royalties from streams." -Patrick Carney


BLACK LABEL SOCIETY Bassist's CYCLE OF PAIN Signs With SLIPTRICK RECORDS:

"New Jersey merauders Cycle of Pain, currently in studio working on their new EP, recently signed to SLPT Records. The EP due to hit the streets this summer will see Cycle of Pain unleashing their brand of groovy, funk influenced heavy rock. A video is due to be out soon, currently under production."


LETLIVE: Entire New Album Available For Streaming:



Listen to the rest of "The Blackest Beautiful" here.

Music News and New Music For June 19th, 2013

So of course, when running your own blog solo it can be tough to keep up with the s**tload of stuff that comes across our ears over a weekend!  Some good, some bad, some not even worth mentioning.  I guess that's how I use AFGM in general.  These articles that I go through everyday from various sites (Blabbermouth,. Bravewords, CBC, National Post, AV Club, Music News, MissInfo, Billboard, Rolling Stone, etc.) and sort of "filter" some of the nonsense news such as the latest fashion design, who's got beef with who and who ISN'T doing music...still.

These articles brought forth are for a few different reasons:

1. It is relevant music information that pertains to you as a reader, no matter the level of intent or the genre.

2. They are relevant to the music I would be currently listening to or a genre I have put some attention and focus on.

3. I am somewhat patriotic about my Canadian music, so that always comes as a first for me.  I enjoy music from all parts of the world respectively, but I still have to promote local if I can.  Canadian music rocks!

4. Because it's humourous and we can ALWAYS use a good laugh.  Rarely will it be at someone's expense...but then again I am just the guy talking about it.  They're the ones causing the comments.

So in closing, I trust you all will not read EVERY single article posted here.  But I hope you find something of use here and keep the conversation going by forwarding it onto someone else.  Click on each article heading for redirection to the full article.  Cheers!

NXNE 2013 - Five things we learned at Ludacris:

David Rockne Corrigan caught Ludacris, Joey Bada$$, and Smif N’ Wessun on Sunday night at Yonge Dundas Square. He wishes he had gone to see Laurie Anderson instead.

Check out the photo gallery here.

(photo courtesy of Matthew Braga)


FLYLEAF - New Song Featuring P.O.D. Frontman Available For Streaming:

Toronto's ALL CAPS! Island Festival Gets Rich Aucoin, the Blow, Shotgun Jimmie, Beliefs for Final Instalment: 

Jay-Z announces new album, Magna Carta Holy Grail; plans to give out 1 million free copies to Samsung Galaxy users:




"For an artist whose album release is an event in itself ... they carry with them a much wider profile in the marketplace that they speak to, so their audience and all the things that they do affords these unique opportunities." -Jim Donio (president of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers)


Andrew W.K. Attempting to Break World Record for Longest-Ever Drum Session:

"Substances -- they all have their values and should be respected and appreciated and used as one chooses to do so. But ... it's more a mindset. And a sense of urgency that's actually increased the older I've gotten. For whatever reason, the way that things have been arranged here by the gods is that you get this amount of time to exist in this form, and you don't know how much time -- it could end at any moment. So you really want to make the most of it. It's wanting not to be lazy. And,more importantly, to take advantage of every single second you have, be grateful for it and celebrate it. That's the party mindset: to celebrate being alive." -W.K.


Matthew Good Heads Across Canada on North American Fall Tour:


7/6 Bala, ON - The Kee
7/9 Windsor, ON - The Loop
7/11 St Catharines, ON - Barracuda Pretty
7/12 Ottawa, ON - Bluesfest
7/13 Victoria, BC - Rock the Shores
9/24 Seattle, WA - Tractor Tavern
9/25 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios
9/27 San Francisco, CA - Café Du Nord
9/28 Los Angeles, CA - The Roxy Theatre
9/29 San Diego, CA - Soda Bar
10/1 Phoenix, AZ - Mesa Arts/Piper Theatre
10/4 Chicago, IL - Double Door
10/7 Cleveland, OH - Cambridge Room @ House of Blues
10/8 Philadelphia, PA - World Café Live
10/10 New York, NY - Highline Ballroom
10/11 Brighton, MA - Brighton Music Hall
10/12 Niagara Falls, NY - Rapids Theatre
10/14 Belleville, ON - The Empire Theatre
10/16 Moncton, NB - The Centre at Casino New Brunswick
10/17 Saint John, NB - Imperial Theatre
10/18 Halifax, NS - Rebecca Cohn Auditorium
10/19 Fredericton, NB - Boyce Farmers Market
10/21 Brockville, ON - Brockville Arts Centre
10/22 Peterborough, ON - Showplace Theatre
10/24 Kingston, ON - Grand Theatre
10/25 Hamilton, ON - Hamilton Place Theatre
10/28 Barrie, ON - Georgian Theatre
10/29 Kitchener, ON - Centre in the Square
10/30 London, ON - London Music Hall
11/1 Toronto, ON - Massey Hall
11/2 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre
11/4 Parry Sound, ON - Charles W. Stockey Centre
11/5 Thunder Bay, ON - Crocks
11/7 Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
11/8 Saskatoon, SK - The Odeon Events Centre
11/9 Lloydminster, AB - The Kooler
11/10 Regina, SK - Pure Ultra Lounge/Pure East Room
11/13 Medicine Hat, AB - Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre
11/14 Edmonton, AB - Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
11/15 Calgary, AB - Epcor Centre's Jack Singer Concert Hall
11/16 Calgary, AB - Epcor Centre's Jack Singer Concert Hall
11/18 Banff, AB - Eric Harvie Theatre at The Banff Centre
11/19 Lethbridge, AB - Average Joe's
11/21 Cranbrook, BC - Key City Theatre
11/22 Penticton, BC - South Okanagan Events Centre
11/23 Courtenay, BC - Sid Williams Theatre
11/25 Nanaimo, BC - Port Theatre
11/28 Vancouver, BC - Orpheum Theatre


Die Antwoord's Icky 'Cookie Thumper' Video Packs a Painful Surprise Ending:




Stream Palms' Debut LP, Dream-Metal From Deftones' Chino Moreno and Most of Isis:

"Palms is a cinematic alt-metal supergroup combining 60 percent of post-rock dream weavers Isis (drummer Aaron Harris, bassist Jeff Caxide, and keyboardist Clifford Meyer), and the cloudgazing, dreamy, hyper-romantic vocals of Deftones frontman Chino Moreno."


Sync or Swim: Moby Opens Vaults to Independent Filmmakers, for Free:



"mobygratis.com is a resource for independent and non-profit filmmakers, film students, and anyone in need of free music for their independent, non-profit film, video, or short.

Moby has made a selection of over 150 tracks from his huge catalog of music available to licence for free, via a simple online application system. The catalog tracks from Destroyed, Wait For Me, Hotel, 18 and Play, along with a host of remixes and unreleased tracks."


Death Division Debut New Song “All Hope Is Lost”:





Ministry Detail 'From Beer to Eternity,' Reveal New Live DVD and Al Jourgensen Biography:

"We have never, in the history of Ministry, ever had a tracking session like that before. Everything went so smoothly, it was surreal. And Mikey was so on fire and inspired, and really a driving force for this record." -Jourgensen


Butcher Babies Premiere New Track “The Deathsurround”:




Saves the Day Announce North American Tour, Share Single Ahead of New Album Release: 



9/4 Pomona, CA - Glass House
9/5 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
9/7 Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
9/8 Seattle, WA - El Corazon
9/10 Salt Lake City, UT - Club Sound
9/11 Denver, CO - Marquis
9/12 Kansas City, MO - Granada
9/13 Minneapolis, MN - Mill City Nights
9/14 Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose
9/17 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
9/18 Columbus, OH - Skully's
9/19 Pittsburgh, PA - Altar Bar
9/20 Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop
9/21 Syracuse, NY - Lost Horizon
9/22 Toronto, ON - Hoxton
9/24 Boston, MA - The Paradise
9/26 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/27 Philadelphia, PA -Union Transfer
9/28 Sayreville, NJ - Starland
9/29 Washington, DC - Black Cat
9/30 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle
10/2 Jacksonville, FL - Roc Bar
10/3 St. Petersburg, FL - State Theatre
10/4 Orlando, FL - The Social
10/5 Atlanta, GA - The Loft
10/6 Nashville, TN - Exit/In
10/8 Austin, TX - The Belmont
10/9 Dallas, TX - Trees
10/11 Scottsdale, AZ - Martini Ranch
10/12 Los Angeles, CA - Troubadour
10/13 San Diego, CA - The Irenic


METALLICA - Official Video Recap Of 'Orion Music + More' Show, Meet-And-Greet, Tuning-Room Jam:




MOTÖRHEAD - New Album Title:

"MOTÖRHEAD has set "Aftershock" as the title of its new album, tentatively due in September."



Check out snippets of Five Finger Death Punch's new album "The Wrong Side of Heaven and The Righteous Side of Hell":


More can be found over at iRock Ent. YouTube channel.


ALICE IN CHAINS - 'The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here' Album Sampler Posted Online:

Devildriver - Winter Kills

So a band I have seen time and time again gave me yet another reason to go see their live performance when the US/Canada tour embarks.  DevilDriver announced (on May 28th) their 6th album "WINTER KILLS".  The album is slated for an August 27th, 2013 via newly inked label Napalm Records.  For the recording of the album, the band went into Audio Hammer Studios (Florida, US) while vocals were done at Dez’s home studio (Los Angeles, CA).  Mark Lewis (Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, All That Remains) handled production duties.  Lewis has worked on two previous DD albums, "The Last Kind Words" and "Beast".

(*Facebook fanpage cover by Alexander Hedera Artworks, Verona, IT)

"Every record is different. That being said, I thought 'Pray For Villains' was kind of an out-of-the-box record for us. I thought 'Beast' was a weird out-of-the-box record for us. We've kind honed back in to where we are. This new record sounds a lot like the first three records. It's got an intense groove to it, and I'm really happy. The writing is going extremely well. That being said, I think we've laid back on our laurels right now and be like, 'We're a groove band.' The fans started calling us 'the groove machine, The California groove machine.' Everybody needs a title; we'll take that one and we're going to give them that on the new record, for sure." -Fafara

For "Winter Kills", DevilDriver lineup is:

Dez Fafara – lead vocals | Jeff Kendrick - guitar | John Boecklin – drums

Mike Spreitzer – guitar | Chris Towning - bass

DEVILDRIVER has always been a band on a three-pronged mission: Work hard, rock harder, and kick as many asses as possible in the process. The band tours forever and has since its beginnings. Their live performances and circle pits are as legendary as their music. (Press Release)

(*Artwork for "Winter Kills" features a photograph by Dean Karr.  The layout was done by Ryan Clark/Invisible Creature)

1. The Oath
2. Ruthless
3. Desperate Times
4. Winter Kills
5. The Appetite
6. Gutted
7. Curses and Epitaph’s
8. Caring’s Overkill
9. Hunting Refrain
10. Tripping Over Tombstones
11. Sail
12. Shudder (Bonus Track)
13. Back Down To The Grave (Bonus Track)



“This is by far DEVILDRIVER’s most cohesive, powerful, groove laden record to date!

We delivered our signature California Groove sound alongside a Raw and Biting guitar tone, mixed it with massive hooks, added in thunderous drums to rethink, and reshape another different sounding unique piece of Rock-N-Roll! Cutting our own path is something to be proud of. DEVILDRIVER has always and will forever be about thinking outside the box and delivering on something different from record to record, we cannot be assimilated into any scene or even genre of Metal and we will continue to do things our own way with a massive middle finger in the air to the status quo!” -Fafara



So has anyone else been following DevilDriver these past few albums?  Do you feel they have been focus shifting their music and sound?  I've been with these guys since the days of swinging the dead (haha) and have never been disappointed.  With each album that these guys release, I question more and more how they are not doing bigger headlining shows.  Their sound is quite unique... even for a metalcore style band, the musicians are very talented, they have lots of experience playing in music, their album artwork is always interesting.  The list could go on an on but I truly hope that one of these releases will be their "Black Album". Ever seen a DD mosh pit?  Something to very much see next time they play near you.

(Copyright 2010 Hank Pearl)

So the merch has already surfaced.  The label did a great job of packing the artwork, track listing, press release and merch all in one bundle for fans to salivate over.  Check out some of the deals below and place an order on their official website.

Now time for some general public questions.  Anyone have some glory stories of seeing DevilDriver live?  Ever met the band?  Taken lessons from them?  We want to hear from you!  Since we haven't been privileged with a new single yet, I decided to add one of my favourite DD songs "Pale Horse Apocalypse":



Don't forget...

"WINTER KILLS" OUT ON AUGUST 27TH!

The Devil Wears Prada 2013

September 17th, 2013 via Roadrunner Records...

That's the amount of information that all of us in the music world have been given for now for the new Devil Wears Prada album.  Following up to a hugely successful "Dead Throne" will have it's challenges, but the cryptic video below gives us a glimmer of hope.  Observe...



"Chris [Rubey] is the one that usually comes up with the riffs and some of the things he's got going right now are absolutely relentless. Since James left the band I have to say right now I'm very excited about how the keyboards are sounding, very dark and very intense. Vocally, I learned a lot working on the last record and I can tell you that I'm going further down the road as far as the misery and sadness of the lyrics. This will be darker than Dead Throne for sure." -Mike Hranica

The album will be produced by Matt Goldman (Underoath, The Chariot) and with Killswitch Engage guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz siting as executive producer.

Stay tuned for more details...

Music Releases For June 18th, 2013

So after last week's HUGE release week in the music world, it seemed a tad bland this week for the release...at first glance mind you.   Chthonic and Primus have to be my tops picks this week for sure.  I have been spinning Chthonic's "Bu Tik" for a week or so now (thanks to all the singles being released and full albums streams) and  the music videos for the singles are spectacular!  Some great work being put into their image.

Primus of course have worked hard to re-release their album "Sailing The Seas of Cheese" for a 5.1 surround sound format.  Other details you can read about in the description below.  Sigur Ros, Dayshell, STYG/TSSF and High on Fire all have some great albums dropping today as well.  So make sure (like always) to show love for the bands you listen to.

Head to your local record shop, online retailer or other legal source to grab an album or two.  In the event you do pick up an album from the list, be sure to write us back and give us some of your personal thoughts.  All opinions welcome!

(Sigur Ros - Kveikur)

It’s one thing for a complete sonic overhaul to be necessary, but what stands out about Kveikur is how natural it feels. As opposed to a rebranding, this is Sigur Rós internally reconstituted, where the biggest addition isn’t distorted guitars or huge drums or Jónsi going full tilt. More than sounds, this is an integration of new verbs and actions, as Sigur Rós pummel, rage, wail and assert, asking hard questions of themselves. What if they could harness their power to convey immediate anger instead of patient catharsis, as a soundtrack for lifting weights instead of zoning out? Jónsi’s vocals will always bear an extraterrestrial shimmer, but why can’t he play the avenging archangel rather than a friendly ghost? After 15 years of evoking Iceland's gorgeous, volcanic terrain and woodsprite legends, why not reflect the endless winters, cratered economy and the frightening suicide rate? -Pitchfork

(Primus - Sailing The Seas of Cheese

Sailing The Seas Of Cheese is one of a handful of vital albums that ushered in the 1990s alternative revolution, answering slick 80s productions with a more irreverent - less glammy approach to rock. In a restoration personally overseen by Les Claypool, Primus acclaimed Sailing The Seas Of Cheese has been newly mixed in stereo and Dolby 5.1 Surround for the first time since its 1991 debut for an expanded deluxe edition featuring the album s new stereo mix on CD and the new 5.1 surround mix on Blu-ray plus three exclusive, previously unreleased bonus tracks, including two live recordings from Primus 2012 3D Tour and a Bassnectar Remix of Here Come The Bastards. Blu-Ray audio options include Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Surround Sound (96kHz/24-bit), PCM (96kHz/24-bit), PCM Stereo (96kHz/24-bit). -Amazon



(The Story So Far/Stick To Your Guns - Split)

On the whole, this album leaves little to be desired–both bands not only show off their own impeccable songwriting abilities, but also stray from the path to showcase the work of those who have inspired them along the way. Though not a sensory rush, what this split lacks in overt technicality it makes up for in lasting meaning, as it offers fans an intimate glimpse into the upbringing of both acts. And if these upbringings are a reflection of things to come, I personally am I excited to see what the future holds. -Under The Gun

(Chthonic - Bu Tik)

Rounding everything out are the Asian strings, courtesy of the erhu, which create a martial arts movie vibe. Atmospheric instrumental tracks open and cap the album to further cement the oriental sound, but overall, they are essentially just skippable lulls in what is otherwise a completely unyielding metal experience. The best parts of the album are when the two worlds collide, like on the stellar “Supreme Pain For The Tyrant” or on “Defenders of Bu-Tik Palace,” which easily deserves a spot as the backing soundtrack to an RPG boss fight. -Metal Underground



(High on Fire - Spitting Fire Vol. 1 & 2)

Out of nowhere, they drop a two-volume, one hour and 22 minute long testament to why they are among the finest metal club live bands in the world. Spitting Fire was a rumor, a mystery and eventually a total surprise. Vol. 1 opens on a Jeff Matz drum volley into "Serums of Liao." Mayhem ensues.

Vol. 2 is more of a showcase for High On Fire. "Rumors of War," "Fury Whip," "Hung Drawn and Quartered" and set-ender "Snakes for the Divine" are included among the seven heavy metal hand-grenades that make up the album. Again direct, uncompromising, and paced like a dash through enemy crossfire, the band exerts its electric power-trio potency. If these shows are pieced out in videos, Vimeo may shoot sparks and then go dark. -About.com

Singles:


(Dayshell - Share With Me)

Dayshell, the new project of former Of Mice & Men bass guitarist/clean vocalist Shayley Bourget, have announced their new single, “Share With Me,” is set to be released digitally on June 18 in the United States and June 25 in Canada. -Under The Gun