Based in rural Quebec and Ottawa, TONNERRE (meaning Thunder) features current or former members of Cauchemar, Durs Cœurs, Bastardator and ‘Scuse. Their mystical style of hard rock is solid and catchy in the tradition of Foghat, Blue Öyster Cult, Roky Erickson and AC/DC, but also poetic like the artists that defined the Quebec ‘70s underground scene (Offenbach, Aut’chose and Corbeau). Recorded by Chany Pilote at No Man’s Land studio, “’La Nuit Sauvage” (The Wild Night) tells the tale of a night spent with friends in the forest, surrounded by the mysteries of nature, from dusk to dawn. From the opener “La Nuit Sauvage” to the closing “L’Aurore” every song highlights a moment of this wild gathering.
La Nuit Sauvage will be released on Compact disc, Vinyl and Digital on April 5, 2024.
“Entranced by the dance of flames and sacred herbs, our stories become invocations…. until dawn came like a curse. It was a night we would never forget.”
La Nuit Sauvage track listing:
1. La nuit sauvage 2. Le grand corbeau 3. La brunante 4. Ceux qui sommeillent 5. La danse du feu 6. Les enfants de la nuit 7. L’esprit de la forêt 8. Les flambeaux du ciel 9. Mouches à feu 10. L’aurore
Tonnerre lineup:
Annick Giroux – Vocals Patrick Pageau – Guitar François Patry – Guitar Jeff Laflamme – Bass Arnaud Geoffroy – Drums
Sometimes, a good classic movie reference is all you need. Case in point, Mega Colossus guitarist/vocalist Bill Fischer who compares the band’s new Showdown studio album to its 2021 Riptime predecessor with a nod to an iconic series from the 1980s: “Showdown is to Riptime as Temple of Doom is to Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Fischer is spot on. Showdown takes Mega Colossus’s brand of triumphant, big melodic metal to new heights without forgetting where the band came from. It’s like the perfect sequel — but better!
Recorded with Al Jacob at Warrior Sound in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in early 2023, Showdown catches Mega Colossus in full stride, expanding upon its template of dueling twin-guitar harmonies and gallops. Buchanan’s vocals (think of him somewhere between Diamond Head’s Sean and Harris and Dragonforce’s Marc Hudson) are strident and effortless, carrying forth grandiose, bold choruses that even possess the occasional Styx reference.
But above all else, Showdown is the amalgamation of five very different musicians with something unique to offer to Mega Colossus. It is no wonder, then, that Showdown has emerged as an epic display of uncanny and striking melodic metal, with all the depth and charisma of a band now entering its 20th year.
Cruz Del Sur Music is proud to announce the signing of Boston classic metal/doom outfit, THE WATCHER. The label will release the band’s first full-length in 2024.
THE WATCHER is the 2016 creation of guitarist/bassist Max Furst, who, after many years of playing darker and heavier styles of metal, wanted to write music that was more driving, epic and up-tempo. Furst embarked on finding the proper musicians, first landing on drummer Chris Spraker. The two promptly began work on the music that would become the “Your Turn To Die” EP. But first, they needed to find a vocalist.
“After years of dead ends and countless ‘no’s,’ I was fortuitously introduced to Paden Reed in late 2020 through a mutual acquaintance,” says Furst. “Paden was the first person to come at the project with sincere enthusiasm, and in July 2020, he sent me a demo of what would become ‘Your Turn To Die.’ I was beyond floored by his delivery of the vocals and his interpretation of the music. I immediately knew we had something special, so we spent the next few months developing vocals for two additional songs from a 2017 instrumental demo. Paden then went into a studio to properly record the vocals; we then mixed and mastered the entire session.”
The “Your Turn To Die” EP finally saw the light of day in 2021. The wait for THE WATCHER was worth it — the EP was warmly received across the metal underground for its tight, immediate songwriting and timeless blend of BLACK SABBATH and NWOBHM. (To boot, all physical copies of “Your Turn To Die” are sold out!)
“The reception of the EP was incredible,” notes Furst. “Very exciting. After having had this project on a shelf for four years, it was so rewarding to have it out for people to hear finally. The positive response made the long uphill battle to get there feel worth it. It also helped actualize a path forward for the band. It inspired me to resume writing for the band and I became determined to compose a full-length album. I pretty much immediately buckled down and went to work with my guitar. The EP was released in April and by July of that year, I had already developed almost the entire album’s foundation.”
Furst says THE WATCHER is currently set to finish tracking the album this coming month with Sasha Stroud at Artifact Audio in New York City.
With new tracks on the way along with the promise of future live shows, joining the Cruz Del Sur Music roster is the logical next step for THE WATCHER.
“Finding a label that felt right for the band was tricky,” says Furst. “I was fortunate enough to be put in touch with Cruz Del Sur through a mutual friend. Cruz Del Sur stood out to me because of the wide range of bands they release. While everything is squarely within the scope of the metal genre, each band has a distinct and unique quality about them. Above all, all of the folks at Cruz Del Sur seem incredibly passionate about the music they release. To me, that implies a true personal investment in what they do and that is the most important trait a label should have, in my opinion.”
