The Simcoe Scene

The lore of Kempenfelt Kelly is spotty, and in all honesty, pretty damn bland. Since its last sighting in 1967, ol’ Kelly has fallen into watery obscurity - until now. Two stalwart bands of the Barrie and beyond music scene are taking back the Kempenfelt Kelly name for their split LP Come Back, Kelly.   Like the mythical beast itself, tales of Heavy Petter and The Highdives have seeped into the oral history of this fair city. Known for nasty guitar riffs, blasting tempos, and lyrics that both bite and bring a smile to your face, this is a legendary collaboration. Though there are only 2 band names on the cover, each members carries with them copious credits to a myriad of projects that range from doom to solo acoustic and bear the same quality and energy present on this split.  Boasting a Heavy side and a High side, Come Back, Kelly displays both bands doing what they do best - creating aggressively energetic songs that connect to everyone in the community.  While the na...

Hailing from the northern gutter of Barrie, Ontario, Vile Decree have returned with a new 4-track EP that boasts a fuller, nastier, heavier sound that would cause immediate concern if played in front of any of your ‘normal’ friends.  The band’s 2023 debut EP, No Word for Peace , introduced Vile Decree to the public as purveyors of primal deathcore and bolstered the undeniable presence of Baytown Hardcore. Their new EP titled Hostile is set to be released May 17, 2025 via Tarantula Tapes and showcases Vile Decree’s staggering evolution in their sound and production that include all the beloved markers of death metal and hardcore.  Putting all fancy descriptors aside, Hostile is violent - plain and simple.   Each of the 4 new tracks that make up Hostile are pure muscle - pummeling the listener with only a few sparing moments to breathe as the breakdowns hang with the tension of a noose. Vile Decree have found that excellent balance between heaviness in tone, but re...

I’m a sucker for expansive, riff-centric music that is even remotely influenced by the occult. So it’s no surprise that I was an instant fan of AAWKS from the offset.  Releasing their first EP during the early onset of the pandemic, AAWKS offered some much needed relief from the anxiety of reality. From the humble origins of their 2-track EP (the third track has been indefinitely locked away in the vaults), their sound, arrangements, and content have broken free of any confinement.  AAWKS is not a boastful outfit, but offer their concoction of psychedelic stoner rock and a down-tuned doomy chaser with an otherworldly swagger and ease. Psychedelia as a genre has an uncanny ability to blend with any other genre it is mixed with, and makes for a mind-expanding experience when blended by musicians with the skill and acumen to get the mixture just right. And AAWKS gets it right every time.  A full-length album, an EP, and a split EP later, AAWKS returns with their second f...

  Almost exactly one year since releasing their debut EP, Baytown Hardcore’s Slewfoo t return with Built For War, their new EP that lives up to its name.  Slewfoot came to exist out of necessity as the hardcore scene in Barrie was in need of a line change, and to fill up a roster with new contenders. In a very short amount of time, Slewfoot ’s dynamic and unrelenting live shows became the place to be and helped Baytown Hardcore bring much deserved attention to the music coming out of Barrie.   Their Misconduct EP was a heavy-hitting introduction that packed massive riffs, blasting drums, and aggressive vocals, collectively creating a variety of styles that never went stale. Built For War doubles down and delivers a bigger, and more devastating punch that leaves a lasting impression in its modest 11-minute run time. If Misconduct was a haymaker - swung wildly, guided by nothing but raw power in a general direction, Built For War is the calculated knockout right-...

  Sophomore albums can make or break any band. The second album is a major hurdle that many talents fall short of clearing. But Barrie’s own Crast confidently traverse the curse with Headspace, a dominating and fuzz-laden follow-up that end s any skepticism about the longevity of this four-piece.  Showcasing their characteristically explosive guitar riffs and unapologetically raw tone, the production and overall run of Headspace demonstrates healthy and dynamic growth without losing the essence of Crast . Blending elements of fuzzed out alternative, hard rock, psychedelic rock, and dabs of hardcore, Crast delivers 10 tracks that are unique and seamlessly cohesive as part of the whole album.  Led by singles ‘Headlights’, ‘Best Face’, and ‘Plaster’, Headspace follows suit with each track boasting purposeful and provocative time changes that keep the listener engaged from front to back. The driving instrumentation acts as the perfect vehicle for lyrical content that is b...

To describe all that  Planet Silencio  offers would pose the same  difficulties as accurately describing a dream as soon as you wake up - the feeling is vivid, and the affects are fresh, but words just don't seem to do it justice.  The second full-length LP from Barrie-based modern rock band Club Silencio  is a vibrant and expansive dreamscape built upon smoothly layered vocal melodies and distorted guitars. The juxtaposition between the dreamy instrumentation and the lyrical content holds the  listener in uneasy suspension, wondering if or when a sudden drop is coming.  A collection of 11 songs, the first half of Planet Silencio is sunshine pop for a modern, more informed audience and is rich with atmospheric textures. The second half boasts the band's own brand of power pop, filled with driving drum patterns, anthemic choruses and bridges, and soaring guitars.  Club Silencio do not limit themselves to any established criteria for how to make mus...