Canadian alt-rock powerhouse Doll is now streaming “Better Days, Different Times”, their first new collection of material since 2011's “The Ragdoll Diaries”. The EP represents not just a return to form but a significant evolution for the Ottawa-based band that has expanded their sonic palette while maintaining their core identity. They share their excitement:
“With this album, we wanted to pull listeners in closer to what’s top of mind to us, our values, our experiences. It’s not just something to hear; it’s something to sit and listen to. It’s less about the volume this time, more about the weight behind the lyrics.”
Every track on this record was handpicked because it struck something deep in Doll. Some songs come in softer, quieter moments. But don’t let that fool you, the weight is still there. The message is still dark, still heavy.
The EP maintains the band’s commitment to authentic expression and therapeutic songwriting. Each track emerges from genuine experience and emotion, continuing the band’s tradition of using music as both personal processing and connection with listeners who share similar struggles.
“Better Days, Different Times” marks not just Doll’s return from the dead, but their emergence as a more complete artistic entity. The EP proves that time away has served to deepen rather than diminish their creative impact, offering both longtime fans and new listeners a compelling entry point into the band's evolved sound. They are recommended for fans of Nobro, SoftCult, Amyl and the Sniffers, and The Pretty Reckless.
Listen to the EP's full stream premiere on GhostCultMagazine HERE.
Austrian avant-funk-prog-metal trio Hog Meets Frog have dropped their most ferociously surreal single to date: “The Urbanizer” (You Know Where The Flowers Have Gone), featuring world-renowned drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani). The track arrives ahead of the band’s first-ever Canadian tour (dates listed below), which includes a performance at the Loud As Hell Open Air Festival in Drumheller, Alberta, on August 3rd. Lyrically dystopian and musically unhinged, “The Urbanizer (You Know Where The Flowers Have Gone)" is a darkly groovy critique of ecological collapse and unchecked urban sprawl—told from the perspective of the “urbanizer” himself, a concrete deity paving over the planet. The track’s artwork, created by Attila Zolt Tornyi (LaMañana), features a golden skull in a desolate concrete wasteland—symbolizing the “concrete gold” of speculative real estate and the sunless future it casts. Bassist and band storyteller Peter ’PETZ’ Schwabl comments on the single: "We have featured on the tune 'The Urbanizer' drummer Marco Minnemann (The Aristocrats, Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani), which is a great honour for us. A mutual friend brought us together – thanks, Alan!! The song's main riff was written many years ago, and a few years later, the first four verses and thus the character of the urbanizer emerged. Over the years, however, it has become clear that society isn't getting to grips with the issue; rather, the effects of human actions, which have been driving global warming for decades, are increasing in a lot of areas. Why? Well, some deny ecological changes out of fear, some out of greed, and still others just to show that they're 'against the system’ – whatever that means. Precisely because of the subject matter, the song is one of those that even we couldn't make into a particularly funny song... but, hey! Let's just say that HOG MEETS FROG also has a dark side." Listen to “The Urbanizer” (You Know Where The Flowers Have Gone) ft. Marco Minnemann is now on all major streaming platforms.
Performing in Canada for the first time, Hog Meets Frog is excited to be showcasing in Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, as well as performing at one of Canada’s loudest and most extreme metal gatherings, Loud As Hell Open Air Festival, which also includes Revocation, First Fragment, Insurrection, and Gorgatron. “Don’t expect anything. Just experience it. You’ll see three guys throwing sounds around, sometimes wearing masks, telling stories. The rest forms in the head of the beholder,” adds Petz.
Hog Meets Frog - The Urbanizer Greening Tour 2025 July 26 - Schwarzach, Austria - Tauerngold Festival July 30 - Ottawa, ON - Avant-Garde Bar Aug 1 - Toronto, ON - The Rockpile Aug 3 - Drumheller, AB - Loud As Hell Open Air Festival w/ REVOCATION, FIRST FRAGMENT, FILTH, INSURRECTION, GORGATRON, OPAL IN SKY, and more! Aug 6 - Montreal, QC - Piranha Bar Sept 6 - Schwaz, Austria - Woodlight Festival About: Formed after a “musical abstinence” by a copywriting drummer and a lyricist bassist “pregnant with a riff,” Hog Meets Frog was born from a story about a hog and a frog having… fun. Their sound? In their own words: “Freaky-fuckin’-SQUEAQUACK-music.” The band’s writing process is as unpredictable as their music—riffs born on subways, lyrics conceived in showers, and stories inspired by overheard conversations, political absurdities, and the slow-motion collapse of the natural world.
After five years of anticipation, Calgary’s stoner groove rock trio Woodhawk announces they will be hitting the road this August through October for tour dates across Canada (dates listed below). The show dates are in support of their latest and third album, "Love Finds a Way," released on June 6th of this year via Grand Hand Records. Fans can expect a high-energy set packed with new material and favorites from their discography that will be delivered with the raw power and passion.
Their most personal and powerful release to date, their new full-length album, "Love Finds a Way", marks a turning point for Woodhawk. Demonstrating their evolution from early stoner rock roots into something more emotionally complex while maintaining the infectious grooves and memorable hooks that have defined their sound.
"Love Finds a Way" explores themes of darkness, healing, and hope, while still delivering the infectious hooks and thunderous riffs fans have come to expect. With contributions from longtime collaborator Jesse Gander on synth, the band expands their sonic palette without losing their edge. The trio of Turner Midzain (guitar/vocals), Mike Badmington (bass), and Kevin Nelson (drums) poured five years of growth, struggle, and creative evolution into this record.
“We are over the moon to get this album out. Love Finds a Way is easily the hardest we have worked on an album to date. We poured our heart and soul into this one. It really is a journey of getting out of the darkness and into the light. Check in with your friends and loved ones. Hug the ones you love. Be nicer to each other. Love will always prevail and be stronger than anything else. After 10 years of being a band, I feel like we are still just getting started!” adds the band.
After a decade together, Woodhawk is proving they’re just getting started. "Love Finds a Way" is more than an album; it’s a statement of resilience, connection, and the enduring power of rock.
Recommended for fans of The Sword, Red Fang, and Thin Lizzy, the album is a dynamic journey from start to finish, balancing soft and heavy, slow and fast, light and dark. Album order (out June 6th): https://woodhawk.bandcamp.com
In additional news, Woodhawk will be performing on day three of this year's LOUD AS HELL OPEN AIR FESTIVAL on August 3rd in Drumheller, AB alongside Revocation, Cyborg Octopus, Beguiler, Thirteen Goats, Famous Strangers, and more! Full details on LAH can be found at www.loudashell.ca.
Show Dates: Aug 3 - Drumheller, AB - Loud As Hell Open Air Aug 27 - Calgary, AB - Ship & Anchor Aug 28 - Lethbridge, AB - The Owl Acoustic Lounge Aug 29 - Regina, SK - The Exchange Aug 30 - Winnipeg, MB - Side Stage Sept 2 - Windsor - Phog Lounge Sept 3 - Hamilton, ON - Club Absinthe Sept 4 - Ottawa, ON - House of Targ Sept 5 - Montreal - Turbo Haus Sept 6 - Toronto, ON - The Monarch Sept 7 - Kingston, ON - The Mansion Sept 9 - Oshawa, ON - The Atria Sept 10 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - Soo Blaster Sept 11 - Thunder Bay, ON - Black Pirates Pub Sept 12 - Brandon, MB - The 40 Sept 13 - Saskatoon, SK - Black Cat Tavern Sept 25 - Kelowna, BC- Jackknife Brewery Sept 26 - Vancouver, BC - Green Auto Sept 27 - Victoria, BC - Lucky Bar Oct 10 - Red Deer, AB - The Vat Oct 11 - Edmonton, AB - The Aviary
Track Listing: 1. Grave Shaker – 4:41 2. Strangers Ever After – 4:24 3. Truth Be Told – 7:21 4. White Crosses – 6:10 5. The Unholy Hand – 5:21 6. No Place For Hate – 5:18 7. Love Finds a Way – 6:16 8. Relapser – 4:52 9. Killing Time – 8:37
Woodhawk is: Turner Midzain – Guitar & Vocals Mike Badmington – Bass & Vocals Kevin Nelson - Drums
Canadian death metal quartet Harvested is proud to announce their new album “Dysthymia”, set for release on August 1st, 2025. The nine-track record showcases the band's evolution from their 2022 demo debut, delivering a devastating blend of technical death metal, brutal death metal, and old-school stylings. The album announcement comes alongside a music video for the record's opening track, “Harvested”, offering fans their first glimpse into the dark psychological landscape that defines “Dysthymia”. The band comments on the track:
“The single represents what the band is about. The old-school death metal influences and the dark realities of mental illness put someone through a tortured experience. This was the first song we worked on for this album and played live, which set the bar for the remaining material. We realized that we were onto something special, and the sheer brute force of the track compelled us to make our current music video.”
‘Harvested’ maintains the brutality from the demo but shifts toward exploring the psychological aspects of mental illness rather than relying solely on gore. It's heavier, more aggressive, and showcases the band’s musical abilities in ways they've never presented before.
Recorded over nearly three years, “Dysthymia” features the core lineup of Mitchi Dimitriadis (guitars), Adam Semler (vocals), Eric Forget (bass), and Jacob Collins (drums). The album was produced by Harvested with mixing and mastering by Joe Lyko of Darkmoon Productions, achieving a modern sound while staying rooted in the foundational elements of death metal.
Recommended for fans of Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, and Dying Fetus, Harvested has crafted an album that is both technically proficient and devastatingly brutal.
Watch and listen to the first single and music video "Harvested" via its premiere on Decibel MagazineHERE.
After a lengthy hiatus, Canadian alternative rock band Doll announces their return with “Better Days, Different Times”, a new EP set for release on July 18th, 2025. The announcement comes alongside the premiere of their first single, a unique take on Deep Purple's “Smoke on the Water”, marking the band's first new material in over a decade. They comment on the single:
“After seeing all the fires and the destruction that happened in 2024, there was this need to bring forward our version of the song. We updated the lyrics to match how the disasters have made us feel, and musically, we have always wanted to try a more doom-inspired vibe, and this song let us express ourselves in a raw and emotional way.”
The Ottawa-based quartet, known for their gritty, unfiltered indie sound, last released “The Ragdoll Diaries” in 2011, following their 2009 debut “Inside The Dollhouse”. Their return represents a significant evolution in both sound and approach, incorporating new collaborators and instruments while maintaining the raw, honest edge that has defined Doll since their inception.
The new material showcases a more mature sound while retaining the band's signature intensity. Core songwriting duo Christina and Pete have expanded their creative process, bringing in local Ottawa musicians and even a cellist to add depth and new textures to their established sound. Doll is recommended for fans of Nobro, SoftCult, Amyl and the Sniffers, and The Pretty Reckless.
Watch and listen to the music video for Doll's cover of Deep Purple's “Smoke on the Water” below.
