THE LOCALIST: SEPTEMBER 2025

The three-piece metalcore band Thorns returns with an immediate follow-up to their debut single “Noose of the Bastard,” which was released earlier this year. Despite the small roster, the band has managed to put together two loud and blisteringly intricate songs that are heavier than anticipated. Listeners can expect guttural screaming and aggressive chugging guitar riffs. 

Singer-songwriter Amanda Braam toes the influential line between folk and indie pop with her newest single “Alphabet Paint”. Braam’s vocals and lyricism are the clear highlight of the song, which is full of rich and catchy vocal harmonies. With a soft and unassuming start, the song slowly adds percussion and effect- laden guitars that result in a dreamy crescendo. 

Fans of local indie outfit HouseCat will be familiar with their latest single “Reach You,” which has been a standout part of their live setlist for the last three years and was originally written over eight years ago. The song was described by lead vocalist Shannon Lee as “the lyrical genius of an angsty sixteen-year-old going through their first heartbreak”.  

Reminiscent of the late 1990s and early 2000s, “Welcome To Terror Lake” evokes a strong sense of nostalgia with a high tempo blend of pop-punk and melodic hardcore. The song was released as part of Go Kick-Ass! 3, an annual double-disc compilation project curated by Cartridge Heart that features forty-two unreleased songs from Southern Ontario punk and rock bands.  

Harsh noise is an understatement when it comes to part.parasite’s contributions on “too late,” their recent split 7” released alongside the Finnish emoviolence band piot. The use of extreme distortion creates dissonant and relentlessly suffocating walls of noise that transgress the boundaries of conventional music. Physical copies are available locally via No Funeral Records. 

Album artwork sourced from Bandcamp.