The debut album FIRE IT UP was released in February 2022, charting at #1 on Earshot’s National Loud Chart in Canada. The band has already toured throughout Europe many times, Canada, Mexico and South America supporting major acts such as Airbourne, U.D.O., Enforcer and more. In May 2024, the latest single, “Get ‘Em Counted,” was released quickly, amassing over 230K views on YouTube, as the band prepares to release their sophomore album.

Name:

Thunderor

Genre:

Rock / Heavy Metal

Founded:

2020

# of Albums:

1

Latest Album:

Fire It Up

Latest Single:

Get ‘Em Counted

Latest Video:

Favourite musician growing up:

Chris Slade

Favourite musician now:

Meatloaf

Guilty pleasure song:

Hungry Eyes

Live show ritual:

paradiddles

Favourite local musician:

Oscar Anesetti

EP or LP?

LP

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird

Road or studio?

Studio

Any shows or albums coming up?

The new album will be out later in the year.

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | TikTok

***

Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Blanco Cantina

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Roncesvalles, lots of cool stuff

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

Earlscourt, just up the street

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

The Opera House

What is your favourite music store in your city?

Sniders

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto Heavy Metal Band Thunderor appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Extremely passionate and driven, PHEAR is always thinking of new ways to entertain its fans, and “Save Our Souls” is no exception. It has taken four years to complete (mostly due to COVID). Led by Patrick Mulock and producer Jon Howard in the studio, each musician was pushed hard to get the best out of each of them, and they delivered.

“We had a lot of time to craft these songs. We didn’t have any time restraints. We would go into the studio and do three songs at a time. We were very excited to work with Jon Howard (Threat Signal) again. Jon is the sixth member of Phear. The studio experience was great as we fed off each other’s ideas. We pushed each other to get the best performances we could. There are NO FILLERS here. Seven-string guitars have played a big part in this. Our sound has grown. The bass guitar on this album is HUGE! The drumming from Mike Harshaw was also very aggressive. If you were to ask me now…This is the heaviest Phear has ever been……….for now lol!” says Mulock.

A listening experience of thrash, prog, and classic metal elements, PHEAR offers a strong balance from infectious choruses to melodic and growling vocals for true heavy metal nostalgia. Their two lead singles, the album’s title track and “Snake”, are sure to make you throw up your hail horns and rock out with a sore neck from the headbanging. Plus, the band offers up their cover version of Nevermore’s “Narcosynthesis”.

“We feel that Phear fans will LOVE this album. We have played some of these songs live, and they have gone over amazingly. The first time we played the title track “Save Our Souls”, the entire club was singing the chorus. And it has happened everywhere we have played since…….. No better feeling in the world!” adds Mulock.

PHEAR features Patrick Mulock (Lead Vocals) (Eidolon, Rampage), Pat Rogers (Lead & Rhythm Guitars) (Profaner- 2016 Wacken Metal Battle Canada Champions), Alex Zubair (Lead & Rhythm Guitars) (Burn to Black, Nadar Sadek, Iomair, Nephelium), Andrew Suarez (Drums) (Fatality, The Slyde – 2023 Wacken Metal Battle Canada Champions) and Chris Boshis (Bass) (Conflicted).

Throughout their existence, PHEAR has had the honour of opening for German metal legend UDO DIRSCHNEIFER, THE DEAD DAISIES, and STRYPER, along with performing on a pre-show for icons and heroes IRON MAIDEN in 2019 in Toronto at Budweiser Stage.

Recommended for fans of Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Judas Priest, Dream Theatre (prog elements), and Metallica, PHEAR’s sophomore album “Save Our Souls” is available from Golden Robot Records at Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon.

Name:

Phear

Genre:

Heavy Metal

# of Albums:

3

Latest Album:

Save Our Souls

Latest Single:

New World Error

Latest Video:

Favourite Musician Growing Up:

Paul McCartney

Favourite Musician Now:

Bruce Dickinson

Guilty Pleasure Song:

Narcosynthesis

Live Show Ritual:

Band Dinner after sound check

Favourite local Musician:

Rush

EP or LP:

LP….

Early Bird or Night Owl?

Both

Road or Studio?

Both

Any Shows or Albums coming up?

“Save Our Souls” out now. Live shows commence in fall 2025

Where can we follow you?

Website | Facebook | Instagram

***

Rapid Fire Local Questions:

What is your favourite local restaurant?

Sunset Grill

What is your favourite street in your city and why?

Avenue Road because everything from fantastic restaurants to health food stores is on that street. When the weather is warmer, there are families everywhere.

What is your favourite park in your city and why?

My favourite park is in Port Credit. There are summer concerts there and it is beside the lake, so the views are outstanding.

What is your favourite music venue in your city?

My favourite venue in the city is “History”. Great Venue for live music.

What is your favourite music store in your city?

My favourite music store is L. A. Music. I have known the owner a long time and he is very supportive of Phear.

The post Five Minutes With: Toronto Heavy Metal Band PHEAR appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Inspired by live looping performances of Reggie Watts, Jack started busking at the corner of Queen and Spadina in downtown Toronto. As a one-man band with a captivating and crowd-pleasing live show, he quickly started playing a wide variety of venues, from clubs to parties to tattoo shops to Portuguese restaurants; sharing the stage with hip hop artists, electronic producers (he is the host and DJ for the monthly concert series “Frequencies”), metal and post-hardcore bands, and many others. He also ran a weekly-updated live looping youtube channel from 2015-2018.

With his first EP, I Go to Work, Jack distilled his live show, which at the time involved him creating all the music live, using just his voice and a looping pedal. His first full east-coast Canadian tour followed.

Then, in 2017, Jack emerged with a new ep, I Been Working. It showcased an expansion of his palette, which now included a far vaster array of electronic sounds. Vocal-based live looping, although not as prominent in his recorded output going forward, remained an important element in his live show.

Speaking of shows, Jack followed up the release of I Been Working with a spring tour of Europe that saw him travel across ten countries, with a highlight of opening up for experimental hip hop legends Dälek in Budapest. Following that, it was back home to Canada for another east coast tour with fellow weirdo solo act/MC, Garbageface. A few singles followed, showcasing Jack’s trademark diversity…80’s-influenced melodies here (“Demon Eyes”), demented choral parts there (“Moment of your Time”), and straight up hip hop bars over there (“Emilia”), and in turn saw him receive praise from the likes of Earmilk, the CBC, and Alan Cross’ A Journal of Musical Things. A return visit to Europe at the end of the same year saw him further solidify his fan base abroad.

Later 2018 saw him make an appearance at Follyfest 10 in New Brunswick, and a third visit to Europe in the fall; at around which point he released the EP I’m Insane, a collection of Ozzy Osbourne covers redone in his unique style.

As 2019 draws towards an end, Jack is happy to announce his first full-length album, Passing Protagonists, is soon to come, and will feature further electronic experimentation, richer harmonies, more novel blends of genre and a loose concept revolving around the comedic absurdity of the “western” experience.

Name: Jack Moves

Genre: Pop/electronic/alternative

Founded: 2014

# of Albums: 3 EPs, one full length upcoming

Latest Release: Passing Protagonists (out March 6)

Latest Single: “List of Demands”

Latest Video:

Favourite Restaurant:

The Empire

Favourite band as a teenager:

Pantera

Favourite band now:

Still Pantera

Guilty Pleasure Song:

“You Raise Me Up” by Josh Groban

Live Show Ritual:

Just make sure I have hours to chill before going onstage.

Favourite local artist:

Definition of Knowledge

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

Nachos for sure

Queen or College St?

Queen. Although honorable mention to Soundscapes and the Orbit Room on College.

Trinity Bellwoods or High Park, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?

I’m a High Park man myself

EP or LP?

LP. EPs you don’t really get to know the artist.

Early bird or night owl?

Early bird is better if you can swing it.

Road or studio?

Equal for me!

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

Roti!

Where can we follow you?

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

Any shows or albums coming up?

I’ve got two new singles up (check the Spotify or Apple Music links), and a new album called Passing Protagonists that came out on March 6.

The official album release show will be April 18th at Friday Roots! With special guests Friendly Rich & the Lollipop People, and Body Butter.

The post “Five Minutes With” Local Toronto Musician Jack Moves appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

Name: Pterodactyl Problems (David White lead vocalist)

Genre: Heavy Alternative Rock

Founded: between 8 and 3 years ago

# of Albums: 2

Latest Release: Esoteric Hobbies

Latest Single: Paresthesia

Latest Video:

Favourite Restaurant:

Aunties and Uncles

Favourite band as a teenager:

Cold War Kids

Favourite band now:

Fashion Jackson

Guilty Pleasure Song:

All Star(and the entirety of Astro Lounge

Live Show Ritual:

Sing lots of songs and smile a lot

Favourite local artist:

Satanic Mills and PUP

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

Pasta from Terroni

Queen or College St?

College St (I love you too Queen)

Trinity Bellwoods or High Park, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?

Dufferin Grove until I die

EP or LP?

EP

Early bird or night owl?

Night owl

Road or studio?

Probably Studio

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

ROTI

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Spotify

Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and any streaming platforms @pterodactylproblems

Any shows or albums coming up?

We have our show Rock and Roll is a Drag, a drag show with live music on the last Sunday of every month at The Hideout, starting on August 25th. We’re also working with some great booking agents right now so look out for some Pterodactyl tours coming soon!

The post “Five Minutes With” Toronto Group Pterodactyl Problems appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

When the seed of Vile Creature was planted back in 2014, Vic learned to play drums in order to bring the pair’s creative vision to life. Together with multi-instrumentalist, KW, the two have pursued an artistic passion that has to date resulted in two full length albums and one EP that traverse the slow, methodical realms of blackened doom.

Dripping with vitriol, abrasively confrontational, and vitally, loud; Vile Creature is the epitome of heavy metal. Eschewing the tropes of the genre’s predecessors Vile Creature are subversive in their socio-political commentary – and throw in a dash of science fiction for good measure.

2015’s ​A Steady Descent Into Soil​ LP set the bar high with composition which may be sparse by design, but delivers texture and depth in spades. Last year’s critically acclaimed concept album, ​Cast of Static and Smoke,​ is based on a self-penned sci-fi influenced short story which put the band comfortably at the forefront of progressive and genuinely innovative metal. Sandwiched between the two albums came an EP – A​ Pessimistic Doomsayer​.

Thematically the debut detailed personal experience of violence towards marginalized people, whilst the EP considered fiction as a form of escapism. Rounding out the trio of releases, ​Cast of Static and Smoke​ saw the band creating and exploring their own world. With lyrics that confront feelings of aggression and vengeance, Vile

Creature provide a necessary narrative.

Now for the first time all three recordings will be made available on CD in a 2-disc set. With artwork created by Stephen Wilson, photos by Scott Burns, and housed in a double, spot varnished digipack along with a lyric and story book, this collection is limited to 1000 copies worldwide and has an unreleased audio book version of ​Cast of Static and Smoke.

Vile Creature has already played with Aseethe in the US, Bismuth in the UK, and a well received set at the inaugural Black Flags Over Brooklyn event. Future live plans include a short run of European tour dates leading up to Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, plus a unique performance in conjunction with the Gardiner Museum in Toronto as part of their presentation of renowned artist Ai Wei Wei’s Unbroken exhibition.

Name: Vile Creature

Genre: Blackened Sludge Metal, or just Angry Queer Gloom Cult

Founded: 2014

# of Albums: 2 Albums 1 EP

A Steady Descent Into Soil LP
A Pessimistic Doomsayer EP
Cast of Static and Smoke LP

Latest Release: Preservation Rituals (2015-2018) will be in stores starting March 15 but is available to order for immediate shipping here: http://smarturl.it/VileCreature.

Latest Video: VILE CREATURE – Preservation Rituals (2015-2018) out NOW on Prosthetic Records

AND

VILE CREATURE live at Black Flags Over Brooklyn 2019 (FULL SET)

Latest Single: “Forest, Subsists as a Tomb https://youtu.be/xwFpZCgjdeU
(From Cast of Static and Smoke album)

Favourite Restaurant:

Vic – Ital Vital in Kensington Market
KW – Apiecalypse Now at Bloor/Grace & the Vegan Danish Bakery in Thornhill.

Favourite band as a teenager:

Vic – Brand New, unfortunately
KW – the Tragically Hip

Favourite band now:

Vic – Boy Harsher
KW – the Tragically Hip & the Hold Steady, i haven’t changed much to be honest.

Guilty Pleasure Song:

Vic – Goodbye Horses by Q Lazarus
KW – Africa by Toto, but i don’t feel guilty about it because it S L A P S

Live Show Ritual:

Vic – We start every set by saying “I Solemnly Swear I am up to no good” to one another
KW – and we end it by saying “mischief managed.” we are fucking nerds.

Favourite local artist:

Vic – Coco Riot
KW – Kat Gomboc aka soft point, they tattoo out of the Outcast Club and are easily one of the most talented artists I have ever encountered, and when you mix that with how wonderful of a person they are, it’s the perfect combination.

Sneaky Dees nachos, pasta from Terroni or a superfood salad from Fresh?

KW – Pig Destroyer Destroyer & a side of Totchos from Apiecalypse NOW destroys all of these every time.

Queen or College St?

KW – Bloor between Lansdowne & Dufferin and Ossington & Bathurst.

Trinity Bellwoods or High Park, Riverdale or Kew Gardens?

KW – Christy Pitts all day every day

EP or LP?

Vic – LP always

Early bird or night owl?

Vic – Night owl
KW – early bird

Road or studio?

Vic – Road
KW – studio

Swiss Chalet or Roti?

Vic – Roti
KW – we’re both vegan, i’ve literally never had Swiss Chalet.

Where can we follow you?

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Any shows or albums coming up?

VILE CREATURE have announced their signing to US-based label, Prosthetic Records.
To celebrate, the band will collate their back catalogue into one limited edition CD digipack compilation, titled Preservation Rituals (2015-2018). The collection charts the – so far – short, but definitely spellbinding progression of this Ontario-based duo. The compilation will be in stores starting March 15th but is available to order for immediate shipping here.

VILE CREATURE will head out on a European tour this spring, culminating with an appearance at Roadburn Festival; full tour dates are below. On April 16th Vile Creature will perform in conjunction with renowned artist Ai Weiwei’s UNBROKEN exhibition at Gardiner Museum in Toronto. Visit this website for details.

VILE CREATURE live:

APRIL 4 – R6013, Reykjavik, IS
APRIL 5 – Underwerket, Copenhagen DK*
APRIL 6 – TBD, Hamburg, DE*
APRIL 7 – Alte Meierei, Kiel, DE*
APRIL 8 – Wedding, Berlin, DE*
APRIL 9 – STÖ, Leipzig, DE*
APRIL 10 – Haus, Mainz, DE*
APRIL 11- Roadburn, Tilburg, NL
APRIL 16 Gardiner Museum, Toronto, CA**
*with Aseethe
**

The post “Five Minutes With” Blackened Sludge Metal Band Vile Creature appeared first on Toronto Guardian.