The Simcoe Scene

  Nearly a decade since the establishment of Frank Dux (pronounced 'Dukes', not 'Ducks'), the Cambridge four-piece have released their debut and it was well worth the wait.  Product of Our Youth is a melodic punk oddity. Every track feels so fresh and exciting, but is intimately laced with nostalgia that immediately transports the listener back to the late nights of crafting the perfect mixtape. It hits you in all the right places.   Blending elements of pop punk, skate punk, and hardcore, Frank Dux have composed a love letter to the music that has influenced them and an entire generation that grew up with late night drives (usually with a shitty aux cable), days at the skate park, and scraping enough money together to see a show at a greasy little club we couldn't tell our parents about.   The guitar work is sharp, with riffs that drive each track without feeling repetitive. Lyrically, Product of Our Youth touch the pillars of late 90's/early 2000s punk styling

Headshot  could not be a more apt title for the debut album from SELIAS .  Seemingly from nowhere, Headshot strikes its listener with such force, you can't help but struggle with your own wits to stay planted. That struggle to remain anchored while the psyche swings violently between fight or flight is a prevalent theme throughout this ferocious debut.  Hailing from Toronto,  SELIAS have created a sinister blend of melodic death metal, groove metal, and metalcore that is dynamic, fresh, and aggressive. The band has combined high-flying clean vocals, guttural screams from depths unknown, blistering guitars, and blasting drums into a singular offering that never feels forced, or carelessly thrown together. Every song can stand alone, or as a chapter of a story that will haunt your dreams. The composition of each song is unique with production that aids the chaos that Headshot contains.  The content of Headshot is less of a deep-dive into the waters of a tortured mind, and more of a

  Baytown Hardcore broke down the doors of 2024 and came in swinging hard.  Joining their roster mates with a new EP, Baytown's  Wolf Fang Fist  have continued to bolster the newly invigorated hardcore scene with Ego Death.  Ego Death is the follow up EP to last year's No Chance // Game Over and marks a significant growth in the band's evolution into a hardcore powerhouse. Where their first release centered on the frustration and aggression stemming from internal conflicts of self doubt, alienation, and inherited trauma - Ego Death is a clear call to arms and everyone has their part to play to create a better place for others and yourself. Look no further than the album art of their two EPs to get a taste of what lies beyond the graphic. No Chance // Game Over is a snapshot of bleak, minimal misery and Ego Death boasts a city engulfed in flames while a beast rages on.   Five tracks and clocking in shy of 12 minutes, Ego Death is filled with menacing riffs, beatdown moments

Just one 'ting' and you're pulled into chaos.  That is what awaits listeners as soon as they start the debut EP from Toronto's Evil Villain . One 'ting' then the blast beats and double kicks of opening track Tumer'd  start their assault without any mercy or regard for the listener's well-being. Building on the band's first release, a demo version of The Cycle , Evil Villain has not only layered and bulked up their sound - but have taken the time to craft an intricate and defined sound that doesn't take away from the raw and unencumbered rage the lyrics instill. Lyrically, Evil Villain does not hold back and takes the listener to the darkest recesses of decency. Addressing feelings of hatred we might feel for ourselves looking in the mirror, to the rage towards a society that seems content in its own crumbling, to the sadistic actions humans can perpetrate against one another - the band doesn't shy away from any of it.  It can be easy to fall

Baytown Hardcore outfit Slewfoot didn’t DROP their first EP on January 26 - they planted their feet, wound up, and hurled it recklessly into the world. With a run time of just over 8 and a half minutes, the Misconduct EP is a fury-filled and meticulously executed first offering. Giving the listener no time to catch their breath, Slewfoot have created an honest and inspiring collection of songs that proudly represent the hardcore scene of Simcoe County, and Southern Ontario at large. The band was kind enough to include an instrumental “Intro” that is less of a greeting and more of a warning. This band is not here to knock on your door, they are here to tear your door off its hinges and crowd-surf it down Dunlop. Slewfoot has set the bar high for hardcore in 2024. “We have one shot to make it right. One shot to take action.” - Wasted Time, Misconduct EP Stream or download the Misconduct EP here. Follow Slewfoot on Instagram here.

The expectation of a band to sound as good, if not better, live than recorded is a bastard of a battle. Demolishing that expectation and standing proudly in the debris is Spades GT.  Preceding the legendary headlining band Anvil, Spades GT not only held their own, but made a bold proclamation that they are headliner material.  Their aptly named debut Sewer City Radio is the perfect fit for this thrash/hardcore outfit that creates a soundtrack for the bad times. The structure and sonic assault of Spades GT would make them the perfect band at a house party at the end of the street at the end of the world.  To label them as a mixture of thrash and hardcore is a disservice (my bad), as they represent an authentic convergence of style, influence, tone, and delivery. They are an enigma as their sound is heavy, but uplifting. The lyrical content is harsh, but delivered with enough Woah-Ohs, Yeahs, and Bleghs to satisfy anyone.  Spades GT is the band on the Titanic but play with the attitude o