Double Dose of Canucks: Freeways & The Hazytones

Another feature that I haven’t done in quite a while on the blog is Canuck Spotlight, where I shine a light on a deserving Canadian band. I’ll shake things up a bit and do a quick double dose focusing on two awesome bands: Freeways and The Hazytones.

Let’s start with Freeways who’ve just released their sophomore LP this past Friday titled Dark Sky Sanctuary via metal boutique label Dying Victims Productions. The Brampton, Ontario quartet first came to my attention in 2020 in the middle of Covid lockdown when I stumbled upon their first album, True Bearings. I instantly fell in love with their brand of hard rock and ‘70s-inspired classic rock. Dark Sky Sanctuary follows in the same vein, providing us with a superb collection of eight vintage-sounding rock tunes. Fans of Thin Lizzy and Blue Oyster Cult in particular will really dig this band and their new record. Some of the highlights for me include the catchy first single, “Can’t Deny Destiny”, the head-bobbing “Give Em the Gears”, the soon-to-be-classic title track “Dark Sky Sanctuary”, “Private Myth” which is reminiscent of Ann and Nancy Wilson’s Heart, and the groovy final track, “Cracked Shadow”.

Freeways on Bandcamp: https://freeways410.bandcamp.com/music

Dying Victims Productions’ Bandcamp page for Freeways: https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/dark-sky-sanctuary

The Hazytones are a four-piece stoner/doom rock band from Montreal, Quebec. They’ve been putting out awesome music since 2016 and their upcoming third LP, Wild Fever, due out on May 10^th via Canadian label Black Throne Productions, is their most polished and best yet in my humble opinion. I saw them live a few weeks ago here in Quebec City and they put on an amazing one-hour show with a set consisting mainly of tracks for their latest, the afore-mentioned Wild Fever. Doomier and more diverse than their previous two efforts, some of the highlights for me include the infectious title track “Wild Fever”, “Night is Young” which is probably my fave song on the album, loaded with dark atmosphere; the retro first single, “Disease”, the fuzzy “God Told You”, and the closer, the venomous “Eye for an Eye”. If you want to know more about the band and their creative process, you can read the conversation I had with them last week.

Watch the videoclip for “Wild Fever” on YouTube

The Hazytones on Bandcamp: https://thehazytones.bandcamp.com/ 

A Conversation with The Hazytones

It’s been a hell of a long time since I last had a conversation with a band. It’s long overdue that we sit down and have a chat with a beloved band that’s been getting bigger and better with every new release. So, without further ado, joining us from my hometown of Montreal, Quebec, Canada, I give you The Hazytones, a stoner rock/doom/psychedelic quartet. 

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: First off, congratulations on your upcoming record, Wild Fever, it sounds fantastic! It’ll be out on May 10^th via Black Throne Productions. Six years have elapsed since your last album, The Hazytones II: Monarchs of Oblivion, and in the meantime, Covid happened, lineup changes, etc. When did you first start working on Wild Fever and how much of it was completed pre- and post-Covid?

The Hazytones: We started working on it in 2019, the original goal was to release the record in 2020 or 2021, we started to record the tracks in the studio pre-covid. In Quebec at some point in 2021 you could not gather so it made it impossible to finish the record since we were recording it ourselves.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: In terms of this new lineup; Gabriel Prieur of Montreal fan favourites PRIEUR & LANDRY has become your drummer. You’re also touring with the duo on the current tour. Is this a permanent situation or is Prieur a guest drummer only for this specific record?

The Hazytones: Mick has been working with Prieur on this album since 2019, and they have been playing music together for over 12 years. He’s definitely a permanent member of this band because he doesn't only play drums he also sings lead and back vocal on Wild Fever.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: You’ve popped up on a couple of compilations since your last LP, including Ripple Music’s star-studded tribute to CCR, Burn on the Bayou, with a phenomenal cover of "Nighttime Is the Right Time.” Mick’s voice is perfectly suited to sing John Fogerty songs. In my opinion, you’d also sound terrific covering any of Nazareth’s catalogue. Are there any other bands that have been a big influence on you that you’d love to cover on a tribute album in the future?

The Hazytones: When we started working on the future album songs we were jamming a Beatles song called "Tomorrow Never Knows". We might try to rehearse it some more. We also did a Nirvana song called "Blew" on a Nirvana compilation. I’d say our most influential band is Black Sabbath.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: New album, new label. You’re now signed to the red-hot Canadian label Black Throne Productions (AAWKS, Sons of Arrakis). Can you tell us how that came about?

The Hazytones: We played on a tour in June 2023 and we stopped in Toronto on a show with Black Throne Productions at Orwell Bar. That’s where we met Ryan from BTP and we started to talk more from there and it ended with them signing us to their label in 2024.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: The Hazytones has a reputation as a solid live act. You’ve toured North America and Europe and have fans the world over. Have you guys missed touring?  What are your plans beyond the Eternal Delirium spring tour in Quebec and Ontario?

The Hazytones: We just got back from a tour in Europe in September 2023 but even if it’s only been six months we always miss touring, we would like to go back to Europe after the Eternal Delirium tour and maybe the USA.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Thank you for your time! Is there anything else you’d like to say to your listeners and the stoner/heavy rock community?

The Hazytones: Thanks to the community for supporting the band, make sure to check out our new music video for upcoming single, title track of ‘’Wild Fever’’ April 26^th.

 

The Hazytones on Bandcamp

The Hazytones on Facebook

The Hazytones on Instagram

The Hazytones on X (Twitter)

The Hazytones on Spotify

The Hazytones on Black Throne Productions’ Site 

Rapid Fire Reviews: The Watchers

Happy Record Store Day! Happy 4/20! For the occasion, I’m reviewing an album from a fan-favourite band, The Watchers. The Bay Area quartet will be unleashing their second LP (and fourth release overall) titled Nyctophilia on May 3^rd via the mighty Ripple Music. It’s been six years—how time flies—since their last album, the excellent Black Abyss, and the long wait is finally over. They were initially supposed to release it through Valley of Fire Records back in 2022 and even put out a single, but alas, the LP never saw the light of day until now on a different label.

The record opens up with a superb instrumental, “Twilight”, with an acoustic guitar intro reminiscent of legendary guitarist Randy Rhoads. It segues into “I Am the Dark”, the initial single from the afore-mentioned 2022 tentative release. It’s easy to see (and hear) why it was chosen; it’s catchy as all hell and an absolute highlight of the LP. “They Have No God”, the lead and current single this time around, is another terrific choice, a song in the same vein as its predecessor and equally great. “Garden Tomb” and “Zodiak” form a one-two combo of atmospheric tunes with awesome guitar work, the latter being one of my fave tracks on the record. “Haunt You When I’m Dead” features acoustic passages and a superb guitar solo. “Fightin’ and Bleedin’” is a fitting title for the following song; it kicks ass and has massive riffage. “Taker” is a solid song, but my least favourite of the album. The LP closes with the title track, “Nyctophilia”, which means preference for the night or darkness. What a cool title for this album, by the way. It’s a head-bobbing tune with heavy riffs galore that ends the proceedings on a strong note.

Nyctophilia is a fantastic album from top to bottom. I believe this is The Watchers’ strongest outing yet. It’s more polished, more melodic, and it sounds more metal than their previous efforts—much to this listener’s delight. Whether you’ve been following the band since their landmark Sabbath Highway EP in 2016 or have just recently discovered them, Nyctophilia will make you a fan or satisfy long-time followers.   

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for The Watchers: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/nyctophillia 

Rapid Fire Reviews: Castle Rat

Castle Rat is a Fantasy Doom quartet from Brooklyn, New York. Led by the charismatic Rat Queen singer/guitarist/songwriter Riley Pinkerton, this band is the complete package. Each band member has his own nickname and stage persona. They put on theatrical shows reminiscent of ‘70s rock band Sorcery and the heydays of Alice Cooper and KISS. Their music is unique and addictive, and Pinkerton on top of looking like a goddess, can really sing. Castle Rat’s debut, Into the Realm, is an album many, including myself, have been eagerly anticipating for a while now. Does it deliver? You bet!

It’s a short and sweet affair of 33 minutes, but this 9-track collection starts off with a bang with “Dagger Dragger”, one of the early singles, with its catchy, relentless riffs. “Feed the Dream” is equally great, only slightly faster. “Resurrector” is a brief, ultra cool bass instrumental. “Red Sands” is a hypnotic, slow and heavy number. “The Mirror” is another terrific short, mystical instrumental. “Cry for Me” features gorgeous vocals from Rat Queen Riley and may very well be my favourite song on the album. “Realm” is the third and final melancholic instrumental interlude. “Fresh Fur”, another single, has a foreboding riff and semi-nonsensical lyrics; I love it! “Nightblood” is a highlight of the album, a doomier than doom offering that’s a perfect closer.

Castle Rat’s Into the Realm is a phenomenal album. Songs that stay with you long after the record stops spinning, filled with fantasy/horror imagery that reminds me at times of Jean Rollin’s stylish ‘70s horror movies. There’s way more to this band than groovy costumes and flashy stage theatrics. They make awesome music that’s catchy and melodic. Anyone who’s into old school doom, ‘70s classic rock, or just damn good tunes is bound to enjoy this LP. A definite Album of the Year contender, pick this one up at your earliest convenience.

Castle Rat on Bandcamp: https://castleratband.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-realm-2 

Rapid Fire Reviews: Tonnerre

Tonnerre (Thunder in English) is a supergroup of sorts featuring members from Cauchemar (including lead singer Annick Giroux), S’cuse, Dur Coeurs, and Ex-Bastardator. They hail from rural Quebec/Ontario, more specifically from Ripon, Lac-Simon, and Ottawa. They deliver a unique brand of Mystical Hard Rock with their first outing, La nuit sauvage (The Wild Night). Being a huge fan of the Doom Metal band Cauchemar, I was eagerly anticipating this release. There’s also the fact that I love to support fellow Quebec artists, especially when they sing in French (my first language). Initially slated for an April 5^th release, the LP has been delayed slightly to this coming Friday, April 12^th.

The festivities begin with the title track that’s got a cool classic rock feel. “Le grand corbeau” follows with its head-bobbing riff; a solid track all-around. “La brunante” is deeply-rooted in the AC/DC realm and features terrific vocals from Annick. “Ceux qui sommeillent”, the third and latest single, is another great tune with lyrics full of imagery. “La danse du feu”, which was the second single, wears its AC/DC influence on it sleeves. A superb catchy song and a definite highlight of the record. “Les enfants de la nuit”, the first single, gets my vote for the catchiest tune on the LP and my personal favourite with its occult theme. “L’esprit de la forêt”, a faster song, is another strong track with a nature theme. “Les flambeaux du ciel” is an awesome sing-along song and one of the best on the album. “Mouches à feu” is the closest-sounding to an AC/DC song on this record, yet it has its own unique identity. The closing track, “L’aurore”, is a stellar song with excellent guitar work.

Tonnerre delivers a phenomenal first record with La nuit sauvage. Melodic, catchy, and easily accessible to mainstream audiences, there isn’t a bad song on this LP. With its lyrics steeped in the occult and earthy themes, La nuit sauvage is an immersive sonic experience. It’ll definitely be a strong contender for my Top Ten Albums of the Year list. Fans of hard rock, classic rock, AC/DC, Blue Oyster Cult, Francophone music, and of course Cauchemar will absolutely love this dark and thunderous offering from Tonnerre. I look forward to seeing them play live here in Quebec on June 22^nd. Here’s hoping this isn’t simply a one-off and that we’ll get many more albums from them in the years to come. Don’t hesitate to pick this one up ASAP!

Tonnerre on Bandcamp: https://tonnerrehardrock.bandcamp.com/album/la-nuit-sauvage 

Short Story Time: A Madman's Atonement

It's the first Saturday of April, so it's time for another FREE short story! For my final short story—I’ll be moving on to my novellas starting next month for the four following months—I’ve saved the tale where I coined the name of my fictitious city where all my stories take place, Bitternest, for last. Titled “A Madman’s Atonement”, initially, it was going to be my first novel, way back in the year 2000. Life happened, I got sidetracked, and never finished it. Fast-forward to 2006, I went back to it and finished writing it as a novelette. It was too long to submit anywhere, so I kept it in my virtual drawer for when the perfect opportunity came along to publish it. In 2012, when I was putting together my latest short story/novella collection, I decided to dust it off, trim it, and include it in my second collection, Spooky Showcase. It’s a story about a serial killer in Bitternest. That’s all I’ll say about it. It’s become a fan-favourite over the years and I’m damn proud of this one. You can read/download the free PDF here.

In case you missed the previous entries in Short Story Time, you can download them at the links below. Enjoy and drop me a line to let me know what you think of them!

"Beyond the Doomed Cave", is a Bradburyesque Gothic coming-of-age tale about a witch in a churchyard.

“Silently It Creeps” is a short and nasty, creepy little tale about the monster under the bed.

“The Chilling Hour” is a tale about Nick Kubrick, a horror DJ who investigates and debunks supernatural myths in his spare time in the foggy city of Bitternest, Louisiana. He would go on to star in his own novel, Nocturnal Offerings, a few years later.

“The Errand” is a tale about a man who goes through the woods of Bitternest to run an errand and will see the course of his life altered forever.

“Hershell’s Motel” is a strange tale about an unusual motel where, you guessed it, bizarre things happen.

“The Rattling Man” is a coming of age Halloween tale. Do you believe in the bogeyman? Do you believe in the Rattling Man? Find out who or what he is!

“Crimson Nightmares” is my take on the “Halloween” movie series. Written and initially published digitally back in 2011, this 106-page novella picks up 33 years after the events of the second "Halloween" film from 1981, the night when Michael Myers terrorized Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and the residents of Haddonfield, Illinois. It follows little Lindsey Wallace, the little girl Laurie Strode babysat in the first “Halloween” (1978) film, who is all grown-up now and bears the scars of that terrible night to this day. She has moved to my fictitious town of Bitternest, Louisiana to get away from her past and has been leading a quiet life, that is until something inside Michael Myers snaps and he comes looking for her on Halloween. Add to that a killer clown with an agenda of his own and it’s a Halloween you won’t soon forget. It’ll be a showdown for the ages when Michael Myers comes to the eerie city of Bitternest.

“The Bypassed Mind”, a romantic suspense/fantasy story with some hypnosis thrown in for good measure that was directly inspired by the late, great Richard Matheson's novel Bid Time Return also adapted as the film "Somewhere in Time".

“Breaking and Entering”, the story of a man who enters people’s homes just for kicks, never stealing anything, just to see what goes on behind close doors. One day he’ll stumble upon something that will change his life forever…

“Scapegoat”, a tale about the Curse of the Cubs, the love of baseball, some time travel, and a whole lot of nostalgia. Even if you're not into baseball, this fantasy tale filled with mystery is sure to entertain you.

Last but not least, fans of Conan and Dungeons & Dragons can also download a PDF of the first two tales of the ongoing adventures of my Sword & Sorcery character AMOK right here. 

April Is A Fool for Bandcamp Friday!

Springtime weather is here and so’s Bandcamp Friday! If you’ve been to the Harbinger’s Domain before, then you know the drill: Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels for a full 24 hours. So, without further ado, here are my five picks to help you find some great songs and albums for April.

First off, Denver, Colorado stoner metal band Hashtronaut released its first album, No Return, two weeks ago. If you missed it, here’s a chance to make amends and pick up this awesome first outing from a band that shows a lot of promise. If you enjoyed the singles, you’ll really dig the whole record. Fans of Sleep will no doubt love this trippy offering. Go grab it here.

Second, those of you who love the blues will find a lot to like in Little Albert’s The Road Not Taken, the solo blues rock project of Italian guitarist Alberto Piccolo from well-known doom band Messa. It’s a nice change of pace from his regular duties and mixes blues and jazz for an exquisite blend of music. Released last week, you can take The Road Not Taken right here.

Third, the debut LP from Tonnerre (Thunder in English)—a newly-minted hard rock band from my neck of the woods, led by Cauchemar’s Annick Giroux and featuring some of that band’s members—is out today. One of my most anticipated releases of the season, if you fancy Blue Oyster Cult and ‘70s classic rock, songs sung in French, and are a fan of Cauchemar, you owe it to yourself to pick up La nuit sauvage (The Wild Night in English) over here. A review from yours truly will follow shortly.

Fourth, Castle Rat, a band that I love more and more with every new single/video they put out, will be unleashing their much-anticipated debut record, Into the Realm, on April 12^th. Fronted by the charismatic Riley Pinkerton, Castle Rat blends medieval fantasy with doom rock, and are a feast for the ears as well as the eyes. They put on phenomenal shows that hearken back to the glory days of KISS and Alice Cooper in terms of stage theatrics. You can pre-order their LP here and I’ll have a review of the album soon for you.

Fifth and final for today, Philly’s Heavy Temple returns with a follow-up to 2021’s Lupi Amoris titled Garden of Heathens. If the three singles released so far are any indication, it’ll be a stellar record. If you’re not familiar with this female-fronted band and you dig doom metal, then give them a spin, you won’t regret it. Garden of Heathens will be out on April 12^th and you can pre-order it right here.

There you have it, folks! Show some love to all those hard-working bands and labels. We are having a hell of a year for music thus far and I’m sure we’ll be in for many more surprises before 2024 is through. So, swing by Bandcamp, pick up some music, and enjoy the tunes!