Touring can be tough at the best of times, but even more so when crossing borders into other countries. It’s a daunting task of passports, visas and paperwork, not to mention the cost of making it all happen, which is why when Edmonton-based prog quartet Portal decided to play a few shows in the United States, they chose a simpler path, even though it still took about four months of planning.
“We knew that if the U.S. border had any evidence that we were making money on our trip, we would …

Verbal Deception, Calgary’s kings of pirate metal, first formed as a trio in 2002, and in 2005 this humble writer was press-ganged into playing bass for the progressive, death-infused folk metal band. Okay, so I volunteered, but “press-ganged” does sound so much more pirate-y.
It was a formidable time of getting grogged at great gigs and pillaging full venues, but eventually scheduling conflicts – like my wedding clashing with the band’s first tour being one, and increasing commitments to my other band at the time, Caveat, being the other – resulted …

Whether hitting the road for a one-night show or a month long trek, you can never really know how it’s all going go.
“Some things are not foreseen; the only thing you can do is be prepared. The most important thing is reliable transportation, and the next thing is good experience to adapt to all kinds of situations,” affirms Section VIII guitarist Wes Sontag. And after 20 years of shows and side projects, and the fact that he’s been part of the Edmonton-based six-piece metal act since 1989, he’s learned a …

John Baizley is knee deep in the recording studio. The lead singer, guitarist and visual artist for the proggy, sludgy metal quartet Baroness has been working on the band’s latest album, and fans of the group will be pleased to hear it’s almost a wrap and ready to hit the road.
“It’s going great,” Baizley says enthusiastically of the as yet unnamed album set for fall release. “Our drummer and bass player, Allen [Blickle] and Summer [Welch], have finished all of their commitments to the record, and those guys are back …

“Extreme is 13 bands in one small-assed club,” exclaims Michael Schleibaum of the Washington D.C. quintet Darkest Hour.
“All smelly, been driving to each show and just metal as hell,” the guitarist continues. “Honestly, this is the biggest collection of dirty, crazy dudes that you could get.”
He’s referring to this year’s Summer Slaughter tour, a musical blitz sponsored by Fangoria and Decibel magazines that’s got 13 bands playing 40 gigs in less than two months, and that’s not including the special guest bands slated for occasional shows throughout the North …

The release of a new album often goes hand-in-hand with a road trip, especially when you’re trying to make a living from it.
Death metallers Goatwhore are no different. Except maybe for the fact that they tour a lot.
This month, the quartet is headlining across the continent, with two shows here in Alberta to promote “Carving Out The Eyes of God” [Metal Blade, 2009].
“That, and to have a good time, pretty much,” says vocalist Ben Falgoust, who also shares his vocal chords with the four-piece grindcore act Soilent Green.
Self-described as “a …

Virtually every musician either has, or at least has had, aspirations to tour. Some have been inspired by the stories of the road to pursue a musical trek, while others, especially at the independent level, have been overwhelmed by the logistical nightmare planning a tour can be and ended up staying at home.
In reality, going on tour isn’t very difficult at all, especially these days. The once-daunting task of finding venues and similar bands in cities you’ve never visited has been eased greatly by online social networking sites, such as …

Power Metal Invasion @ The Den
Well, sort of… a show that originally had Brazilian power metallers Hibria as the headliner had the hard-working folks of Scarab Productions scrambling last minute to find a replacement after the quartet’s van broke down somewhere in B.C. But, as us musician’s can well attest to, the show must go on. And with nary a minute behind schedule. Kudos to Terese and your quick-thinking team for putting on a great show that saw not just power metal, but a variety of sights and sounds with …

“Lock It Up” Track List:
1. Lock It Up
2. City Lights
3. Comfort
4. Hold On
White Lightning is about to strike in cyberspace. On July 7, the St. Albert, Alta. rock band’s EP “Lock It Up” will be available through CD Baby, which in turn gets distributed though most reputable digital distribution sites.
The band’s first EP “Hold On” was also released through CD Baby in August 2008, so what’s the big difference this time? “Hold On” was available in hard copy. “Lock It Up” is only going to be sold online. At least …

Summer is a funny thing. The days get longer, yet it seems like there’s less time to get things done. Well, less time to get the work done, I suppose. Our editors have been crunching the deadline with our third issue due to midnight bonfires and all sorts of outdoorsy shenanigans. It’s the price we pay for getting to enjoy palatable weather for such a short time here in Alberta, and this year is no different. Hell, it seems like just last month we had snow. Wait a sec, we …

First metal album: Pantera “Far Beyond Driven.” I was introduced to metal by a friend and loved that album when I heard it, so I went and bought it.
Favourite road trip music: I love everything on road trips. As a kid, my sister had an awesome mix tape we’d listen to on our trips. We also had stuff like Ozzy’s “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” old school Crüe and lot’s of G N’R. Nowadays, I like some Cradle Of Filth, Pantera, Alice In Chains and System Of A Down.