Search Results: canada

• WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA Opens Band Submissions For 2025 Battles - One Band To Rule Them All & Play Wacken Open Air

  Oct 8, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

   

  WMBC Trailer - https://youtu.be/b55Fh5Vo64k​

  Spotify - 2024 WMBC National Finalists Playlist HERE.

  One Band To Rule Them All! Wacken Metal Battle Canada is proud to announce its return for 2025 battles nationwide for one independent band to be crowned champion and perform at one of the world's most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals Wacken Open Air (July 30th – August 2nd) (Attendance of over 80,000 people in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years).

  Unsigned bands ONLY can apply. Please fill out your information at the following link (please select Canada and then the City that your band would like to perform in) - https://www.metal-battle.com​

  (Band Submissions open from October 8th - November 20th, 2024)

  The 2025 WMBC champion will receive the following:
  - A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.
  - Full professional backline provided.
  - $1,000 CAD towards flights to Germany.
  - VIP camping at the festival.

  2025 Canadian battles will be taking place in the following cities listed below, with the national final being hosted in Vancouver, BC during May (date and venue to be determined):

  Canadian Battle Cities:​
  Vancouver, BC
  Vancouver Island, BC
  BC Interior
  Edmonton, AB
  Calgary, AB
  Toronto, ON
  Hamilton, ON
  Ottawa, ON
  Montreal, QC
  Quebec City, QC

  The 2024 WMBC national final was held in Edmonton, AB at The Starlite Room on May 25th and witnessed regional winners Arrow In The Quiver (Vancouver, BC), Infrastrvctvre (Calgary, AB), Age of Ashes (Edmonton, AB), Beguiler (Toronto, ON) and Red Raven Chaos (Montreal, QC) along with special guest headliners NECHT (Calgary, AB - 2023 National Finalist).

  The night was MC'd by Gord Alexander (Tessitura, Tides of Kharon) and judged by an industry panel that included JJ Tartaglia (Wacken Metal Battle Canada, Boonsdale Records, Skull Fist, Thunderor - Toronto, ON), Luc Lainé (CFLX 95,5 FM - Alerte Metallique - Sherbrooke, QC), Dan Cleary (Striker), Kim Aebly (The Invisible Orange, Vancouver, BC), Dana Zuk (Dana Zuk Photography - Edmonton, AB), Jon Asher (Asher Media Relations - Montreal, QC), Nancy Barnes (Big Nate Productions - Calgary, AB), Celestia Scarlett (Owner/Artist Manager - The Celestial Agency- Calgary, AB) and Steve DC (Strigampire - 2023 National WMBC Winner - Trois-Rivières, QC).

  After each band presented their furious rallying battle performance, the only one that stood out from the rest was crowned 2024 champion Toronto's Beguiler who moved on to perform as the only independent Canadian band at the International Battle at Wacken Open Air 2024 (July 31st – August 3rd).

  Live Full Video of 2024 WMBC National Final in Edmonton, AB - https://www.youtube.com/live/dCYiImMkzq4​

  List of previous WMBC national winners Beguiler (Toronto, ON - 2024), Strigampire (Trois-Rivières, QC - 2023), The Slyde (Toronto, ON - 2019), Centuries of Decay (Toronto, ON - 2018), Profaner (Hamilton, ON - 2016), Vesperia (Toronto, ON - 2015), Mutank (Montreal, QC - 2014), Crimson Shadows (Toronto, ON - 2013).

  Info:

  Since 2013, with a pause year in 2017 and 2020 due to COVID-19, Wacken Metal Battle Canada has hosted battles across the country to send one independent metal band to perform at the world’s largest metal festival Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. 2019 saw the festival celebrate its 30th anniversary, but due to Covid, the 2020 and 2021 editions were both canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2025 will be the 34th edition of the festival and will be held from July 30th – August 2nd. The 2025 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Papa Roach, Gojira, Apocalyptica, Saxon, Within Temptation, Dimmu Borgir, Ministry, and many more. Details here.

  About:

  Wacken Metal Battle Canada is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among 30 other countries’ champions, and represent Canada in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade giving independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

  How it works:
  ​Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter where one band will move forward to the Canadian national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2025 and compete against the winners of 29 other countries in a final global battle. All battle rounds are judged by respected local music industry representatives.

  Rules for participation: https://www.metal-battle.com/rules/​

  Links:​
  ​Metal-Battle.com​​
  ​Facebook.com/WMBCanada.official​
  ​Twitter.com/MetalBattleCan​
  ​Instagram.com/MetalBattleCanada.Official

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• ARMSTRONG METALFEST Opens Up Band Submissions For 2025 Lineup! 15 Years of Mountain Moshing In The Okanagan!

  Oct 1, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Western Canada's largest mountain mosh pit Armstrong MetalFest will be celebrating 15 years of bringing extreme metal music fans from across Canada and beyond to British Columbia's Okanagan Valley with their forthcoming 2025 lineup being held on July 11th-12th in Armstrong at the Hassen Arena.

  This 15th annual gathering of metalheads will once again witness two days of unforgettable moshing, headbanging, and camping. From iconic headliners to promising newcomers, the 2025 lineup is set to showcase the best of diverse metal genres, ensuring an electrifying experience for all.

  Bands interested in applying to perform at the 2025 festival can submit at the following link from October 1st to 15th: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca/band-submissions/

  In addition to band submissions opening for 2025, Armstrong MetalFest has been honoured with the Tourism and Hospitality Award at the Armstrong Spallumcheen Community Excellence Award Show this past September.

  The 2024 lineup hosted Los Angeles death metal masters ABYSMAL DAWN (July 12th) and Kansas City THE BROWNING (July 13th) who unleashed their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. Also featured were dissonant and atmospheric Vancouver tech death metallers ATRÆ BILIS, and Orlando's two-fisted two steppin' double-wide aural assault squad BODYBOX. Returning to the festival, were the Okanagan's very favourite Black Metallers XUL (Vernon, BC) and Edmonton death metallers EYE OF HORUS along with first-time performances from Vancouver twin brother duo OPAL IN SKY, San Francisco's outside-the-box prog metallers CYBORG OCTOPUS, and the tech death fury of Riverside, CA's ARKAIK among many more.

  Since 2009 (minus pause years 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong Metalfest have not only fostered the talent of hundreds of local bands, but have imported well-known, international acts to the quiet, little Canadian town of Armstrong, British Columbia.

  Each year hundreds of metal music fans from Canada and the USA descend into the picturesque Okanagan Valley and under the blistering sun, they spend three days camping, taking in as much metal over two days, participating in wrestling events, scavenger hunts, and catching up with their metal family.

  The festival has seen such renowned headliners as Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Rivers of Nihil, Warbinger, Fallujah, Striker, and Beyond Creation as well as emerging artists from across North America. At the end of the revelry, the festival disappears without a trace, leaving the landscape as pristine as it has always been.

  West Metal Entertainment is a non-profit society that not only puts on the Armstrong Metal Festival every year in Armstrong, B.C. but also gives bands opportunities to play at different venues throughout the region including all-ages shows, to encourage musical passion in kids as well as adults.

  For more info:​
  ​Armstrongmetalfest.ca
  ​​Facebook​
  ​Instagram​
  ​Twitter

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• Trois-Rivières MetalFest Announces 2024 Lineup w/ IMMOLATION, UNEARTH, BEYOND CREATION, GOROD, GHOULUNATICS, AUGURY and More!

  Sep 17, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  TMF 2024 Spotify Playlist - https://spoti.fi/4gw6Mcu

  After a sold-out 2023 event that hosted Kataklysm, Suffocation, Incantation, and many more, Trois-Rivières MetalFest is proud to announce their 2024 lineup for its 17th edition on November 22nd and 23rd at the Amphitheatre Cogeco in Trois-Rivières, QC, which stands between Montreal and Quebec City.

  The 2024 extreme music event will showcase headliners New York death metal legends IMMOLATION and Boston metalcore titans UNEARTH with support from Montreal technical death masters BEYOND CREATION, France's progressive metal lords GOROD, Montreal legends GHOULUNATICS, Progressive Death champions AUGURY among many more over the two nights along with the Thursday, November 21st pre-festival kick-off concert at L'Entité (lineups listed below).

  Ticket Info:

  3-Day Pass (Two Main Nights + Pre Fest Show):

  French URL: https://amphitheatrecogeco.com/spectacles/trois-rivieres-metalfest​
  English URL: https://amphitheatrecogeco.com/en/shows/trois-rivieres-metalfest​

  Thursday, Nov 21st - Pre-Fest Show:

  ​https://lepointdevente.com/billets/3rmf2024?lang=en​

  Thursday, Nov 21st - Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm at L'Entité (1420 rue Notre-Dame Centre):​
  Feels Like Home (Qc)
  Hopeless Nation (Qc)
  Polygraph (Qc)
  Chained by Illness (Qc)
  ​
  ​Friday, Nov 22nd - Doors at 5pm, Show at 6pm at Amphitheatre Cogeco (100, avenue des Draveurs):​
  Immolation (Headliner US)
  Beyond Creation (Qc)
  Ghoulunatics (Qc)
  Reanimator (Qc)
  Strigampire (Qc)
  Backstabber (Qc)
  Uriel (Qc)
  ​
  ​Saturday, Nov 23rd - Doors at 5pm, Show at 6pm at Amphitheatre Cogeco (100, avenue des Draveurs):​
  Unearth (Headliner US)
  Gorod (France)
  Necrotic Mutation (Qc)
  Augury (Qc)
  Fracturus (Qc)
  Apocalyptic Fear (Qc)
  Zero State (Qc)

  For more information, please follow Trois-Rivières MetalFest at the following links:

  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/troisrivieresmetalfest​

  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/3rivmetalfest​

  ​About: Trois-Rivières Metalfest was originally founded by Jean-François Houle, Samuel Landry, and Annie Richard. Since 2001, Trois-Rivières MetalFest has been bringing metal music fanatics from across Quebec and abroad together for one of the province's most extreme mosh pits. Presenting past headliners such as Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, Annihilator, Voivod, Despised Icon, and many others to name a few. In 2023, the team experienced a second wind with the addition of new blood. Its new committee, now made up of Jean-François Houle, David Steines, Dany Soucy, and Nicolas Dumais, has set itself the task of ensuring the sustainability of the festival for many years to come! Once again this year, the Trois-Rivières Metalfest will do everything possible to prove that its festival still has its place among the biggest events in the province.

   

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• Canadian Glam Metal GELATIN SKELATIN Have Some "Big Trouble" With New Album Out August 2024 + New Music Video "VHS"

  Jul 4, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

   

  Canadian glam metal band GELATIN SKELATIN is pleased to announce the release of their new album “Big Trouble” this coming August 2024 via SRS/MVD Entertainment. The album contains nine tracks including the lead single / music video "VHS", a song that hearkens back to the summer of 89.

  "It makes the listener mentally revisit the days when going to the beach and requesting 80s hard rock on the radio was the way we spent our time. It was some of the best times of my life and I wanted to capture that feeling in song." says frontman/vocalist Brett Kelly.

  Also featured on the band's debut full-length are songs "Ship of Fools" and "Scream and Scream Again", written by Juno Award-winning singer Mike Trebilcock of Canadian band The Killjoys along with mastering by Harry Hess of Harem Scarem fame.

  Treating every show like an arena rock show, regardless of size, fans can always expect a lot of running around and lots of leather. The brainchild of Ottawa-based vocalist Brett Kelly. He is joined by guitarists Sebastien Thisdelle and Myles "Slam" Rourke (ex-Annihilator), bassist Billy Jessup and drummer Joel Agnew.

  "I had the idea to form an old-school glam metal band brimming for over a decade, and I finally decided to take the plunge around 5 years ago. This record is for the love of the retro glam experience. I want fans to remember the good old days when rock was fun and rock stars looked like rock stars. People who want that arena rock experience should get a kick out of us." adds Kelly.

  Recommended for fans of Kiss, Alice Cooper, Winger, and Warrant, Gelatin Skelatin's debut album “Big Trouble” is due out on August 9th, 2024 from SRS/MVD Entertainment and is available for pre-order at https://gelatinskelatin.com.

  Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3zlR7uX

  ​

  Show Dates:​
  Aug 10 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey
  Sept 13 - Brockville, ON - Rocking the River Party Cruise
  Sept 14 - Pembroke, ON - Legends at Finnigans
  Nov 8 - Ottawa, ON - Brass Monkey (opening for Trixter)

  Track Listing:​
  1. VHS
  2. 80s Ladies
  3. Bad Alphabet
  4. Ship of Fools
  5. If You See Kay
  6. Last Call for Love
  7. Scream and Scream Again
  8. If You Can't Do What's Right (Do What's Left)
  9. That's Rock n Roll
  ​
  ​Live Band Line Up:​
  Brett Kelly - Vocals
  Slam - Guitar
  Joel Agnew - Drums
  Billy Jessup - Bass
  Sebastien Thisdelle - Lead Guitar

  More Info - www.facebook.com/gelatinskelatin | www.instagram.com/gelatinskelatin

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• ARMSTRONG METALFEST Adds ABYSMAL DAWN, OLDGUARD To 2024 Lineup w/ THE BROWNING, EYE OF HORUS, ATRÆ BILIS, ARKAIK, BODYBOX and more!

  Jul 3, 2024 Fistoffreedom 0 Comments

  Armstrong MetalFest 2024 Spotify playlist Here.

  Western Canada's largest mountain mosh pit Armstrong MetalFest announces that the new headliner for Friday night, July 12th will be Los Angeles death metal masters ABYSMAL DAWN to replace Decrepit Birth who unfortunately retracted from their performance due to a schedule conflict within the line-up. Also joining the AMF lineup, is local Okanagan hard rock / heavy metal band, Kelowna's Oldguard to replace Calgary's Kingsrot.

  This 14th annual gathering of metalheads, Armstrong MetalFest will once again witness a pilgrimage of extreme metal music fans for two days of unforgettable moshing, headbanging, and camping. From iconic headliners to promising newcomers, the 2024 lineup is set to showcase the best of diverse metal genres, ensuring an electrifying experience for all.

  This year's lineup held on July 12th and 13th at the Hassen Arena in Armstrong, BC will be headlined by Kansas City THE BROWNING who will be unleashing their unique eclectic blend of electronicore and deathcore. Also featured on this year's two-day festival, dissonant and atmospheric Vancouver tech death metallers ATRÆ BILIS, and Orlando's two-fisted two steppin' double-wide aural assault squad BODYBOX. Returning to the festival, is the Okanagan's very favourite Black Metallers XUL (Vernon, BC) and Edmonton death metallers EYE OF HORUS along with first-time performances from Vancouver twin brother duo OPAL IN SKY, San Francisco's outside-the-box prog metallers CYBORG OCTOPUS, and the tech death fury of Riverside, CA's ARKAIK among many more (full lineup listed below).

  Festival weekend passes are on sale now at the following link: https://armstrongmetalfest.ca​

  (All tickets provide General Admission and grant access to the festival grounds, camping area, and arena from 9:00 AM on Friday, July 12, 2023, until 12:00 PM on Sunday, July 14, 2022. Free camping is included.)

  "It's one of the premier festivals of its kind in Canada, showcasing the biggest names in local, national, and international heavy metal music." - Vancouver Sun

  AMF 2024 Lineup:

  Abysmal Dawn (Los Angeles, CA)
  The Browning (Kansas City, MO)
  Xul (Vernon, BC)
  Opal In Sky (Vancouver, BC)
  Cyborg Octopus (San Francisco, CA)
  Eye Of Horus (Edmonton, AB)
  Atrae Billis (Vancouver, BC)
  Arkaik (Riverside, CA)
  Bobybox (Orlando, FL)
  Nott (Seattle, WA)
  Dessiderium (Phoenix, AZ)
  Odinfist (Armstrong, BC)
  Misyrion (Vancouver, BC)
  Death Machine (Kelowna, BC)
  Satanic Tea Company (Calgary, AB)
  Ravensun (Nanaimo, BC)
  Crown Of Madness (Vancouver, BC)
  Vaegon (Edmonton, AB)
  Lynx (Calgary, AB)
  Kelevra (Regina, SK)
  Oldguard (Kelowna, BC)
  Gregorious (Kamloops, BC)
  Dendros (Kamloops, BC)
  Thirteen Goats (Vancouver, Bc)
  Anomalist (Prince George, BC
  Burn It All (Kamloops, BC)
  Augur (Kamloops, BC)

  The 2023 edition of Armstrong MetalFest broke attendance records again with its eclectic earth-shaking lineup that featured 28 bands performing on the two-day festival that included headliners LA thrashers WARBRINGER, San Francisco tech-death giants FALLUJAH, festival alumni Spokane, WA's ENTERPRISE EARTH, and Los Angeles' THE ZENITH PASSAGE, along with Denver's H.P. Lovecraft extreme metallers VALE OF PNATH, and Edmonton's Juno award-winning heavy metal champions STRIKER.

  Since 2009 (minus pause years 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic), West Metal Entertainment and Armstrong Metalfest have not only fostered the talent of hundreds of local bands, but have imported well-known, international acts to the quiet, little Canadian town of Armstrong, British Columbia.

  Each year hundreds of metalheads from Canada and the USA descend into the picturesque Okanagan Valley and under the blistering sun, they spend three days camping, taking in as much metal over two days, participating in wrestling events, scavenger hunts, and catching up with their metal family.

  The festival has seen such renowned headliners as Kataklysm, Cattle Decapitation, Archspire, Nekrogoblikon, Origin, Rivers of Nihil, and Beyond Creation as well as emerging artists from across North America. At the end of the revelry, the festival disappears without a trace, leaving the landscape as pristine as it has always been.

  West Metal Entertainment is a non-profit society that not only puts on the Armstrong Metal Festival every year in Armstrong, B.C., it gives bands opportunities to play at different venues throughout the region including all-ages shows, to encourage musical passion in kids as well as adults.

  For more info:​
  ​Armstrongmetalfest.ca
  ​​Facebook​
  ​Instagram​
  ​Twitter

  Read more