I’m not sure there’s been a better week for female-fronted doom in this city than the forthcoming seven days.  Between tour stops by Royal Thunder, Witch Mountain and Castle and a headlining gig by Toronto’s own Blood Ceremony, ’tis a trippy time for those who like tritones and plaintive female vocal-tones, indeed!

The madness begins on Tuesday (that’s right, Tuesday!) with Relapse Records heavy psych/post-sludge trio Royal Thunder playing as a part of Dave Bookman’s Nu Music Nite at the Horseshoe Tavern.  This free gig (that’s right, free gig!) features a mishmash of other acts I’ve never heard of, along with Montreal indie/psych pop outfit Elephant Stone, a band whose guitarist got his nose broken for his iPhone on the streets of MTL a little while back.  Mind you, it’s worth noting that the main attraction takes the stage at 11…

On Thursday, otherworldly Portland doom quartet Witch Mountain makes its way back to Toronto, having previously played here in June.  This time, I’ve been able to fully digest their new album, Cauldron of the Wild, and found it quite satisfying indeed.  They’ll also have San-Fran-by-way-of-TO “witch metallers” Castle in tow for their full North American trek, whereas the latter only opened a couple Canadian gigs last time around.  Speaking of openers, both local support acts, Mother’s Green and Enchantress, are pretty solid.  Though the latter isn’t female-fronted, you’d have a hard time believing that till ya see ‘em on stage.

And that brings us to Blood Ceremony.  The Torontonian flute-doom gods (and goddess) are headlining the annual Bloodbucket Metalfest next Saturday at the Hard Luck Bar.  Toronto’s longest-running heavy-metal Halloween party features nine extreme-metal acts including progressive black-metallers (for lack of a better term) Demontage and Halifax-by-way-of-Whitehorse thrashers Sanktuary.  Cover is chopped in half if you wear a costume–time to bust out that Mitt Romney mask!

Royal Thunder w/ Sit Down Tracy, Elephant Stone, Still Life, Bury the Hatchet @ Horseshoe Tavern, 370 Queen St W, Tuesday, October 23rd.  First band @ 8:40, Royal Thunder @ 11.  No cover.

Witch Mountain, Castle, Mother’s Green, Enchantress @ WreckRoom, 794 Bathurst St, Thursday, October 25th.  Doors @ 8, $10.

Bloodbucket Metalfest IX feat. Blood Ceremony, Erimha, Sanktuary, Mortum, Disgust, Demontage, Blastomycosis, Nexortus, Korrupt @ Hard Luck Bar, 772A Dundas St W, Saturday, October 27th.  Doors @ 6, First Band @ 7.  $10 w/ costume, $20 without.

Peace,

Greg

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