Senate

It is a rare feat for a band to release a record that sounds this good, not only musically but especially production-wise, without the connections and cash that come with signing to a label. With members from Threat Signal and Martyr, and hailing from both Ontario and Quebec, the hidden gem that is The Great Northern Scenekill offers an invigorating twist in the ever-eclectic Canadian underground. Senate draw influence from the European melody meets thrash stylising of bands like Darkane but incorporate a distinct North American edge along the lines of the Black Dahlia Murder, without the pseudo-black metal and tendency towards generics. Though some songs are needlessly long, the repetition isn’t mind numbing simply because it offers you another chance to absorb the awesome. Having already attracted a decent amount of hype from Canadian metal magazines, as well as a good deal of attention on their myspace page, it’s only a matter of time before they take their place alongside Canada’s other world class metal acts.