Local Sounds: Volume 1.0

Here's the first volume of a series highlighting the best non metal music of Montréal, Ottawa, the province of Québec, the province of Ontario and their surroundings has to offer (hardcore, rock, punk, post rock and more). All of today's picks are free downloads (or pay what you can) on Bandcamp so there's no reasons not to support and listen to these great bands.

She Serpent – She Serpent (2015)

This Montreal quartet formed in 2014 and released their first extended play in February of this year and it's superb. The four songs release is full of heavy bass licks and thunderous guitar riffs evocating the coldness of 80s post punk, the psychedelic/kraut repetiveness of Loop and the modern contributions of Interpol, Savages or even Bosnian Rainbows. The vocals of Melanie Brenda are the highlight here, they're powerful, entrancing and possess this sort of androgynous quality befitting of the post punk style. A super great discovery, I must see this band live!

She Serpent on Bandcamp

Pluum – Pluum (2015)

Pluum (based on the word "plum", a tasty fruit) released their first EP in July and it's a pretty damn cool piece of music. Influenced by the likes of At the Drive-In, it's emotional post hardcore with some clear atmospheric and shoegaze moments. The vocals of Xavier are purely in the harsh screamo territories and it creates a sort of dichotomy when confronted with the clean guitars.The three songs are short, packed with a lot of energy and diversity and never boring. It's heavy (listen to “Monday”) but it's always quite beautiful and has these pleasing lush melodies. A very mature first effort from these guys.

Pluum on Bandcamp
Next gig @Turbo Haus

Durs Coeurs – Durs Coeurs (2015)

From Ottawa, this punk rock band formed by Patrick Pageau (the ex drummer of doomsters Cauchemar and the guitarist of the now defunct trashers of Bastardator), Durs Coeurs is frankly awesome. Even though they're the only band not from Quebec featured here, they're the sole one with French lyrics and that's pretty cool.I'm not a big conoisseur of punk but I dig their old school approach, there's also plenty of rock & roll in Durs Coeurs (hard hearts) and I freaking love the guitar tone of Pat. The vocals are manly and the lyrics are simple, well written and downright fun to sing. If you like the poppy, super fast and melodic punk of Ramones, you'll like this demo a lot. Dan Lee, the drummer of the black/thrash band Occult Burial and heavy metallers Iron Dogs drums on this and the speed he brings certainly fits their sound. Highly recommended, I just can't stop listening to this.

Durs Coeurs on Bandcamp

Angles - Lysergic Eucharist (2015)
Formed by Sean Arsenian of The Great Sabbathini (sludge), the leader of Animal Ethics (punk/hardcore/noise) and the drummer of IRN (sludge/doom), Angles is somewhat of a Montreal super band and their first release certainly proves that their collaboration is one of quality. The six minutes release is a mix of powerviolence, non metallic grindcore, some doom (the closer "Brautigan's Gun") with some sort of psychedelic/spacey vibe that's covering the whole thing (just look at the three eyed undead Jesus on the cover to have a visual summary of that). It's nasty, fast as fuck but it's not savage, it's intelligent and nowhere near sloppy. It reminds me of Kylesa but mixed with the impressive power of Nails. Bonus points for their great song titles like “Tampons In September” or “Alcoholic Cousins”. I feel bad for missing their first gigs, I'm sure it's something special!

Angles on Bandcamp