summer metal festing (Heavy TO and more)

Now that we're half way through June I'm starting to look ahead to my summer concert plans a bit more seriously. This year I'll be staying fairly close to home, but just in southern Ontario there's more coming up than I can possibly make it out to. Here's a rundown of some of the shows I'm considering or recommend.

I already mentioned this one - this weekend, Invasion Infernale Fest 2012, a two-day black/viking metal festival here in Hamilton. It takes place at The Doors (tonight) and The Corktown (tomorrow).

Though there are some more worthy events planned in June, I might save myself (and my money) until July 2, when The Scorpions hit Molson Amphitheatre in Toronto. If I don't see these guys before they retire my life will be incomplete.

The next couple of weekends look to be a busy one. 3 Inches of Blood are scheduled to play the Casbah in Hamilton on July 5. Plus there's a memorial event at the Opera House in Toronto for fallen metal warrior Rob Cranny on July 7.

Friday the 13th is Iron Maiden day in Toronto, another Molson Amphitheatre show, and they're dragging Alice Cooper along to Sarnia the day after for Bayfest. That same night Shockwave Festival, featuring Voivod and Fear Factory rolls into Toronto, swinging back around to Buffalo the following week (July 21).

Agalloch with Taurus and Muskox hit Toronto on July 23 - a highlight of Inertia Entertainment's strong summer line-up.

And it looks like our local metal festing culminates in August.

• Heavy TO: Last year was a blast and this year's line-up looks to be even more diverse. Never having seen Marilyn Manson or Slipknot, I'm hoping for memorable spectacles from both. Plus I feel a little warm and fuzzy about seeing old favourites like Overkill and Suicidal Tendencies. And I'm definitely looking forward to the bombastic onslaught of Fleshgod Apocalypse (or, as I prefer to call them, Fleshgods of the Apocalypse) and a host of other bands.

• I've never been, but Southern Ontario Metal Festival looks to have some cool bands lined up, including Blackguard and Unexpect.

• And August comes to a close with D-TRASH fest 2012 at the Cave, part of the wind-up to the release of a brand new Schizoid album. (more to come on that in future posts)

 Looks like I might have to stock up on vegan protein balls or something to power me through!
 

Mares of Thrace + Hellbound Summer Metal Meltdown (May metal update)

The ever-awesome Mares of Thrace are currently on a tour that brings them to Hamilton next Wednesday, May 9. Be there (as in This Ain't Hollywood)! I had the chance to interview guitarist/vocalist Thérèse Lanz recently, and you can read the resulting article here, or in the paper edition of this week's View. Lanz had more to say than the feature could contain, so I'll try to post some extra entertaining quotables here in the next week or so.

In other scimetalvegan news... Hellbound is once again taking to CMFU's airwaves this summer, filling in for Soundtrack to the Apocalypse. The first edition of the Hellbound Summer Metal Meltdown begins this Saturday night at 10:30 pm, with me at the helm. You can listen via the old fashioned FM frequencies or tune in online.

a personal warm and fuzzy (hellbound appreciation)

This past weekend, Hellbound.ca, the metal webzine I contribute to (though not nearly as much as I'd like) won a Hamilton Music Award! We (I claim some small part of the "we" even though the kudos belong to other people) were nominated in the local online publication/website of the year award. And we won!

Check it out!