FOR THOSE ABOOT TO ROCK: A countdown to Canada Day. Scott Miller of Anthesis chooses 7 bands from his personal vinyl collection

By: Scott Miller

For Canada's 150th birthday, I've gathered some of my favourite Canadian noise. It was too hard to choose from all the great Canadian extreme music out there, so I narrowed it down to 7 selections of currently active bands from my personal record collection. 

The Weir  – “Calmness of Resolve” (Sunmask) Calgary, Alberta 

These Rocky Mountain doomsters have captured a unique vibe on this album. For how uneasy this album starts off, I find it's actually a very calming experience overall. 4 tracks totalling over 40 minutes should give you an idea of what's going on here. Tons of mood and ambience with sparse bursts of harsh vocals.

Biipiigwan – “God's Hooks” (Handshake Inc.) Ottawa, Ontario 

This is the first album I heard from these no frills sludge cavemen. Pounding riffs in the vein of mid era Sepultura and early Mastodon dominate this album. How could you go wrong? Musky Rice leads the troop of revolving (top notch) members. You never know who you'll see playing for these guys live. 

Adolyne – “of ash / of shit / of shame” (No List) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 

If noise rock ditched the rule book and binged on 70's prog, more albums like this would happen. Throw in some piano, vocals on the edge of losing control and no fear of lengthy song structures and you've got one unique, noisy album. No doubt that this was put out by the leader of Canadian noise, No List Records. 

Shooting Guns/Hawkeyes – “Brothers of the Nod” (Pre-Rock / Helmet Lady) Saskatoon, Saskatchewan/ Kitchener, Ontario 

Alright, we're getting two birds stoned at once with this one. Both bands bring the instrumental psych rock hard here. Tons of fuzz tones and relatively laid back, almost a jamming feel here that seems to come so naturally from both bands. This is a heavy hitter of desert rock grooves and psychedelics. 

The Great Sabatini – “Dog Years” (Sludgehummer) Montreal, Quebec 

This album sounds like you're actually standing in the room with these four dudes cranking out this sludge. The vocals are mixed low (just how I like it) and there's tons of dirt going on here. When they slow down and throw the POG on the guitars there's a new level of sludgy filth for the drums to pound through. Every band these guys are involved with kill it. Check out Greber& Angles for more heavy noise from these guys. Plus I hear that there's a new TGS album on the horizon. 

Hard Charger – “Bad Omens” (Wasted Time Records) Fredericton, New Brunswick 

Here's some crusty punk n roll to balance out those slow jams. These dudes come back sounding tighter and hungrier after every tour they do, which is a lot. This album makes me want to chug a beer and punch a hole in the wall. 

Napalm Raid – “Mindless Nation” (Rust and Machine) Halifax, Nova Scotia

This is how lo-fi crust punk should be. Injected with black metal and raging full force. The reverb drenched vocals are absolutely perfect in this mix and are my favourite part of this band. They've also got a brand new album out called “Wheel of War”.

CHOICE CUTS: Shallow North Dakota – “The Apparatus Must Be Earthed” (1997)

By: Mark Tremblay

Years Active: 1992 – 2004?

Records to Date: 4

Genre: Noise Rock, Sludge

Labels: Sonic Unyon

The Band:

Biff Young

Dan Dunham

Tony Jacomes

The Review:

Shallow North Dakota is the band that started it all for the onslaught of Canadian sludge/hardcore bands that followed. Everything from KEN mode to The Great Sabatini,their influence is undeniable. Even though this record was released about twenty years ago, “This Apparatus Must be Earthed” is still as heavy today. If you love riffs, this album is bursting at the seams with them. From the hardcore-tinged “Backbone” and “Cuz”, to the steam-rolling “Lubber” and “Replace the Herzog”, this album has a riff for you. Although often imitated, few have come close to the riffs of this band

The highlight of the album is Tony Jacomes, the bands drummer and singer; the patterns he is able to create while singing is simply astonishing. His vocals have this cheese grater quality to them that breaks through the syrupy nature of the band’s music. You can currently find these member in Crux of Auxand Backbiters.



Album Details:

Playing noise-rock outta Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Shallow North Dakota released 4 albums during their tenure, the last of which was a self released double LP entitled “Mob Wheel”

“This Apparatus Must Be Earthed” their 3^rd album was issued via Sonic Unyon on 17/06/1996, an album described by Allmusic as “a series of tracks so sludgy, heavy, stomping, metalesque, and generally hardcore that it's difficult not to be affected by them but an album that exudes a good deal of intelligence behind the album's hammering sludge”

“The Apparatus Must Be Earthed” CD//DD//LP track listing:

1). Backbone

2). Greenhorn

3). Cuz

4). Perna Du Pau

5). This Apparatus Must Be Earthed

6). The Lubber

7). Speed King

8). Old Type Rider

9). Outside Dakota

10). Replace the Herzog

11). Cigar Box