Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario.[1] To date, they have released seven studio albums and six extended plays; with their most recent LP, Psychic Jailbreak, having been released on 15 April 2022. The band is currently composed of lead vocalist Liam Cormier, drummer Mike Peters and bassist/guitarist Jaye R. Schwarzer. The band are also currently joined by touring guitarist Jackson Landry, following the departure of founding guitarist Scott Middleton in 2021. The members of Cancer Bats have also toured and recorded as a Black Sabbath tribute band under the name Bat Sabbath.[2][3]
Cancer Bats was founded in May 2004 by singer Liam Cormier and guitarist Scott Middleton, a former member of Toronto heavy metal band At the Mercy of Inspiration.[4] The two wanted to make music influenced by artists such as Entombed, Refused, Black Flag, Led Zeppelin and Down, among others. The lineup was completed with the addition of Andrew McCracken on bass and Joel Bath on drums, with Cormier moving to vocals. The four-piece wrote and recorded songs for a self-released demo that saw light in January 2005, and led to Canadian independent record label Distort Entertainment signing the band.
On June 2, 2006, the band took part in a short interview and then played a free CD release show at The Edge 102.1 (CFNY-FM) and then on June 6 Birthing the Giant was released into major record stores. The album includes guest vocals by George Pettit of Alexisonfire. On June 7, 2006, they hosted All Things Rock, a show on MTV Canada, and had their own video played at the end of the show.[6]
Lineup changes and Hail Destroyer (2007–2008)
Bass player Andrew McCracken left to concentrate on his design company Doublenaut. His spot was filled in by Jason Bailey (former member of Figure Four and Shattered Realm) for most of 2007. However, Bailey was then replaced by Jaye R. Schwarzer (formerly of Left Behind, Hope to Die, Minesweeper, and Kover) as he wanted to focus on being a graphic designer; he still designs artworks for Cancer Bats and remains friends with Liam Cormier.
Cormier performing at a Cancer Bats show in Barcelona in June 2008.
The band released their second studio album called Hail Destroyer on April 22, 2008. The album features guest vocals by Wade MacNeil of Alexisonfire and Black Lungs, Tim McIlrath of Rise Against and Ben Kowalewicz of Billy Talent. The release was held at the Mod Club in downtown Toronto with Liam Cormier not only singing for Cancer Bats, but also performing drums for Black Lungs. On May 17, 2008, Cancer Bats were put on the cover of Kerrang!, a publication which gave their album Hail Destroyer a KKKKK review (highest possible) as well as a 5k Live review on their headlining UK tour. Cancer Bats were also nominated for 2008 Album of the Year for the 2008 Kerrang! awards.
Touring and Bears, Mayors, Scraps, & Bones (2009–2011)
In March 2009, they went on tour at the annual Taste of Chaos festival along with Thursday, Four Year Strong, Pierce the Veil and Bring Me the Horizon, keeping a daily blog on their website. At about this time Cancer Bats were also featured in Bring Me the Horizon's video for "Chelsea Smile", in which they appear in the "Kitchen Scene" of the video playing cards. Also in March, Liam Cormier lent his vocals to sing on fellow Canadian band Silverstein's fourth studio album A Shipwreck in the Sand on the track "Vices".[7]
Cancer Bats returned to the UK in 2009, after Swedish melodic metal band In Flames cancelled their April 2009 concerts, on which Cancer Bats were slated to be main support.[8] The band is also featured on Gallows' latest album Grey Britain on May 2.[7] On August 1, Cancer Bats played a slot at the premier showing of the Sonisphere festival and at the inaugural Hevy Music Festival. Also in 2009, Cancer Bats appeared in an episode of the documentary series City Sonic, reflecting on their time at the Adrift Clubhouse. In October and November, the band supported Billy Talent on their UK and European tour. During the tour they performed several new songs from their third album, including "Darkness"[9] and "Scared to Death".[10]
In January and February 2010, the band toured the US supporting Anti-Flag. Following that tour they joined fellow Canadians Billy Talent, Alexisonfire and the American band Against Me! on a tour across Canada throughout March.[11] Cancer Bats released their third album Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones on April 12 in the UK.[12] On March, the band did a track by track talk with Rock Sound.[12] A music video was shot for their cover of the Beastie Boys song "Sabotage", a track recorded for the album.[13] In September of the same year they opened for Bring Me the Horizon on their UK tour along with Tek One.
In late 2011, Cancer Bats toured Canada as a Black Sabbath tribute band under the moniker "Bat Sabbath".[14] The concept started at Sonisphere Festival on July 10, 2011, when the band was asked to do an after-party show, on top of their initial set in the afternoon, in the tent stage after Slipknot played the main stage. The dates they performed at for the Sonisphere were the last dates they did before they stopped to work on a follow-up to their third studio album.[15] After the performances at the various Sonisphere dates they did a 12 date Canadian tour in December 2011 centred around the Black Sabbath tribute.[16][17]
Dead-set on Living (2012–2014)
The band announced that the fourth album is titled Dead Set on Living,[18] which was released on April 16, 2012. Cancer Bats had stated that they desired to create a more "upbeat" follow-up to their previous album Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones.[15]
The band's influence steered away from the "traditional hardcore record" and took a wide variety of influences from rock bands including Fleet Foxes. Liam Cormier when asked about his influences stated: "In a lot of ways we get really inspired by non-metal bands. For me, I find I really like looking at other things because I just don't want to make a traditional hardcore record lyrically. So for me, I listen to a lot of indie rock and I've been getting super psyched on a lot of that, like the new 'Helplessness Blues' by Fleet Foxes".[19]
On January 24, Distort Entertainment released the video for the single "Old Blood" online.[20] On March 7, 2012, Cancer Bats released a second music video in promotion of the album for the song "Road Sick".[21] Cancer Bats announced that they would play several release shows on April 21, 2012. They have aimed to play six shows at five different venues across London, United Kingdom, in the shape of a pentagram in promotion of their fourth album.[18]
Searching for Zero (2015–2019)
Cancer Bats's fifth studio album, Searching for Zero, was released on March 10, 2015. The band posted the song "Arsenic" off the album on YouTube. A post on their official site stated the reason for the band being silent for quite some time: "For those of you who didn't know, the reason we've been gone for so long was to craft our 5th full length! We worked our asses off making a serious banger that we could all party the fuck out of! We even went down to Venice Beach to record with Ross Robinson so it would sound extra dope…..which it does!"[citation needed]
The band released their sixth studio album titled The Spark That Moves on April 20, 2018.[22] In September 2019, they would perform alongside American hardcore punk band Sharptooth and Canadian punk rock band Single Mothers.[23]
Canceled 2020 Tour, Scott Middleton's departure, and future (2020–2021)
Cancer Bats performing in 2024
In April 2020 the band's summer tour was called off during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Plans to resume in spring 2021 with Cannibal Rats opening were announced in late May 2020.
On October 4, 2021, the band announced via their Facebook and Instagram pages that founding member and lead guitarist Scott Middleton would be departing the band to focus on his family, health, and to pursue personal interests in recording, mixing, and mastering music out of his own studio. As of Middleton's departure, Liam Cormier remains as the only original member of the band.[24][25]
Recordings
The band have released six albums. Birthing the Giant was their first full-length album. It was released on June 6, 2006, by Distort Entertainment in Canada and September 5, 2006, by Abacus Recordings in the US. Videos were shot for "100 Grand Canyon", "French Immersion" and "Pneumonia Hawk". Hail Destroyer was the band's second full-length album.[26] It was released on April 22, 2008, by Distort Entertainment in Canada and on June 24, 2008, by Metal Blade Records in the US.[27]Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones was released on April 13, 2010, through Distort Entertainment in Canada.[28] The name of the album derives from each of the band members personal nickname (Mike - Bear; Scott - Mayor; Liam - Scraps; Jaye - Bones).[29]
They have also released five singles and EPs. Cancer Bats was the first EP by the band. It was produced and engineered by guitarist Scott Middleton. This EP was sold at all the live shows leading up until the release of Cancer Bats's first album Birthing the Giant and later repressed as a 7" record by Tragicomedy Records. This is Hell/Cancer Bats was a limited release 7" vinyl EP shared with the This Is Hell band. Each band contributes one new song, and one cover song of the other band.[30][31]Rolo Tomassi/Cancer Bats was a split release with the band Rolo Tomassi in 2009. The songs were recorded and released at the beginning of 2009 on to a limited amount of black 7" vinyl through Hassle Records. The vinyl is strictly limited to 300 copies and was only available through each artist's shows, and Rolo Tomassi's 'Subs Club' 7" (2009).[32] Cancer Bats also released the Tour EP (2009).[33] On March 2, 2010, Cancer Bats released the Sabotage EP.[34] Its name is derived from their cover of the Beastie Boys' song "Sabotage". The band has also shot a music video for the song that premiered on February 16 through the band's MySpace page. In 2019 New Damage records released a split 7 inch vinyl record called: New Damage Records Switcheroo series vol 1. , where Cancer Bats and Single Mothers cover each other's songs. Single Mothers cover the song Road Sick from Dead Set On Living, while Cancer Bats cover Dog Parks / Switch Off. The Cancer Bats side was recorded while on tour in Belgium in 2019 at House Rott Child by Scott Middleton who also mixed the songs.[35]
Alexisonfire is a Canadian post-hardcore band formed in St. Catharines, Ontario in 2001. The band's members are George Pettit (vocals), Dallas Green, Wade MacNeil, Chris Steele (bass) and Jordan Hastings. The band has won numerous awards, and in Canada their albums have all been certified either gold or platinum.
This Is Hell is an American hardcore punk band from Long Island, New York. The band is known for extensive touring and high energy concerts. They have released five studio albums and five EPs.
Crisis is the third studio album from Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire, released on August 22, 2006.
Black Lungs is a Canadian punk rock band, formed by Alexisonfire guitarist and vocalist and Gallows vocalist Wade MacNeil. MacNeil originally envisioned the project's music as similar to his first punk rock band, Plan 9.
Distort Entertainment is a Canadian independent record label based in Toronto, Ontario. The label specializes in bands performing hardcore punk-derived music, including Alexisonfire, Cancer Bats and Johnny Truant, but its sister division Distort Light has also released less aggressive rock bands such as Bend Sinister.
Gallows are an English hardcore punk band from Watford, Hertfordshire. The band was formed in 2005 after Laurent Barnard's previous band disbanded. Gallows' debut album, Orchestra of Wolves, was distributed in the United States by Epitaph Records. The band were subsequently signed to Warner Bros. Records for a £1 million album contract, and released their second album Grey Britain in 2009. The band has been particularly successful in the UK, with two songs charting on the UK Single Charts, and have been featured in magazines such as Kerrang!, Alternative Press and Rolling Stone.
Rolo Tomassi are a British mathcore band formed in Sheffield in 2005. Their name is a reference to dialogue from the film L.A. Confidential. The band are known for their chaotic style and performances, and strong DIY ethic. They are currently signed to MNRK Heavy.
The Ghost of a Thousand were an English punk rock band from Brighton.
Liam Cormier is a Canadian musician from Toronto, Ontario. He is the lead singer for Canadian hardcore punk band Cancer Bats. He is also the lead singer for the supergroup AxeWound. He is a vegetarian and lives a straight edge lifestyle. He also runs his own clothing brand called Treadwell Clothing.
Hail Destroyer is Cancer Bats' second full-length album. It was released on April 22, 2008 by Distort Entertainment in Canada and on June 24, 2008 by Metal Blade Records in the US.
Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones is the third studio album by Canadian hardcore punk band Cancer Bats. In Canada, it was released on April 13, 2010 through Distort Entertainment. The name of the album derives from each of the members' personal nickname. The first single from the album was "Dead Wrong". A music video was previously made and released for "Sabotage" when it was released on the band's EP Sabotage. Pre-orders of the album included a limited bonus DVD consisting of 2 hours of live footage and the making of the album.
Canadian hardcore punk originated in the early 1980s. It was harder, faster, and heavier than the Canadian punk rock that preceded it. Hardcore punk is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A. may have helped to popularize the term with the title of their 1981 album, Hardcore '81. Hardcore historian Steven Blush said that the term "hardcore" is also a reference to the sense of being "fed up" with the existing punk and new wave music. Blush also states that the term refers to "an extreme: the absolute most Punk." An article in Drowned in Sound argues that 1980s-era "hardcore is the true spirit of punk", because "after all the poseurs and fashionistas fucked off to the next trend of skinny pink ties with New Romantic haircuts, singing wimpy lyrics", the punk scene consisted only of people "completely dedicated to the DIY ethics". One definition of the genre is "a form of exceptionally harsh punk rock."
Dog's Blood is an extended play by the Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. The EP was released on October 31, 2010. Dog's Blood is a collection of four experimental songs that are different-sounding from the band's previously released material. It was the band's penultimate release before their break up in 2011.
Eternal Youth is the first compilation album by the British mathcore band Rolo Tomassi. The first of these two CDs showcases their material from split extended plays and EPs, while the second disc is composed of early demos, remixes and acoustic tracks. The album was released on Destination Moon records, Rolo Tomassi's own record label. A triple vinyl version of the album was released on 16 April 2011 for Record Store Day through Holy Roar Records. The vinyl pressing was limited to 1,000 copies; 600 on black 200 on tri-colour and 200 on grey/green.
Dead Set on Living is the fourth studio album by the Canadian hardcore punk band Cancer Bats. It was released on April 16, 2012 through Hassle Records in Europe, April 17 through Distort Entertainment in Canada, April 20 through Shock Records in Australia and New Zealand, and April 23 through Metal Blade Records in the United States. The album was recorded in December 2011.
Hassle Records is an independent record label that was created by Chris Baker in the year 2005.
Cancer Bats are a Canadian hardcore punk band from Toronto, Ontario. They have released six studio albums and six extended plays. The band is composed of vocalist Liam Cormier, guitarist Scott Middleton, drummer Mike Peters and bassist Jaye R. Schwarzer.
Astraea is the third studio album by British mathcore band Rolo Tomassi. It was released on 5 November 2012 in the United Kingdom through Destination Moon, the band's own record label. In interviews, the band described the composition of the album as being much more accessible and direct than their previous albums, while retaining the technical and experimental elements of their typical sound. The album was produced by Jason Sanderson, the producer of Rolo Tomassi's first album Hysterics. This is the band's first release with Chris Cayford and Nathan Fairweather in their line-up after the departure of Joseph Thorpe and Joe Nicholson.
Time Will Die and Love Will Bury It is the fifth studio album by English experimental rock band Rolo Tomassi, released on 2 March 2018 by Holy Roar Records.
↑ Jiwani, Shehzaad (February 4, 2008). "Chart attack article". Chart attack article. Archived from the original on March 6, 2009. Retrieved March 10, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
↑ Marcus, Bianca (May 27, 2009). "Cancer Bats Releasing Tour EP". Chartattack.com. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
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