Annihilator – For The Demented

After treating their fans to their Triple Threat release earlier in the year consisting of live footage from their performance at Bang Your Head Festival and some ‘unplugged’ acoustic tracks Canadian thrash metal stalwarts ANNIHILATOR return with their 16th studio effort entitled For The Demented which is due for release on November 3rd via Neverland Music/Silver Lining Music. For the first time in almost 20 years this effort sees master technician Jeff Waters relinquish some of his usual duties in being the ‘jack of all trades’ and recruiting bassist Rich Hinks to join him throughout the writing and production process.(Distorted Sound)

Big City Cough – Born At Night

I have been learning more about Big City Cough and his new track, Before This There was Everything. He discusses the album, Born at Night, and the standout track from that album; how his parents helped bring a touch of the personal to a particular number – and whether there are upcoming tour dates before the end of the year.(Music Musings And Such)

Casper Skulls – Mercy Works

If you’ve ever seen Toronto’s Casper Skulls live, there’s an immediately gripping sense of atmosphere when they play. Coming in on their first full-length record, they’ve truly stepped things up to truly capture their magic on stage. Through a masterful use of effects, a dynamic and emotive use of effects, and something deeply personal, Mercy Works is a constantly stirring listen that constantly stirs one emotion or the other. One of the year’s must-listens, the deep sense of excitement is so tangible on this record that it will have you racing to listen again and again.(Northern Transmissions)

King Park – The Light I Can’t See

I prefer our music to be interpreted by the listener as opposed to them taking my version of the lyrics. I think that is the most beautiful thing about music. Patrick Rothfuss (writer of the kingkiller chronicles) once said this about interpretation and specifically explaining his own interpretation of his work “Please don’t feel like you’re doing it wrong – do it the way that makes you happy but heres how it is in my head, if you’re curious. Not trying to be prescriptive but just like, here’s a little something for those of you that want it.”(Punktastic)

Lemon Bucket Orkestra – If I Had the Strength

Self-described “guerrilla-folk party-punks imprisoned and liberated by Eastern European folklore” Lemon Bucket Orkestra return with If I Had the Strength, an album that seems to be built on two important recent experiences. In 2014, Mark and Marichka Marczyk saw the violent Ukrainian revolution first-hand, and in real time. Following that, the band released their sophomore record Moorka, and mounted the theatrical production Counting Sheep. Their thematic inspiration continues here, and their recent experiments with narratives longer than a single song shows: this new record is constructed as a conceptual whole, exploring the after-effects of violence.(Exclaim!)

Liam Corcoran – Nevahland

The EP is only seven songs long and I’m sure I’m not the only one wishing it was longer. I had the opportunity to see Liam and his band open for another Island favourite, Tim Chaisson, a few months ago where he played some of these songs. My favourite off of the EP is “Let It Be Now”, which was released as a single shortly before the rest of the EP was available. Throughout all of the songs you will hear beautiful harmonies and melodies. Some other personal favourites are “July Eh, July Oh” and “Catching the Stars”.(Canadian Beats)

Ora Cogan – Crickets

Strange this one, the new Ora Cogan album Crickets, in a very not so strange way. Why? As usual, names are dropped as comparisons. The press release starts off with the Sixties/Seventies folk legend Karen Dalton (Cogan herself mentions her as inspiration in an interview) and then follows with some of her touring friends like Grouper and Hope Sandoval. Basically a mixture of Americana and psychedelic dreamscapes, which is a bold claim, and the opener “Sea People”, hints at something else; a Kate Bush/ Juliana Barwick combination with an electronic background. No Americana or folk in the ear range (well, maybe in traces), but with some nice musical merits. But then, when “The Light” and “Moonbeam” come your way, you do start getting all the mentioned connections. And not only that you get it, but you realize that Cogan has turned all this into a very personal blend, with a quite unique and characteristic voice.(Soundblab)