Artist of the Month: September 2022

For Fans Of: Alexisonfire, The Bronx, Comeback Kid

For September’s edition of Band of the Month, we are showing some love for Toronto’s hardcore punk band Cancer Bats. They are a band that proves that loud, gritty and ranting punk rock is still very much alive and kicking, especially in Canada.

Who

The band was founded by singer Liam Cormier and guitarist Scott Middleton back in 2004, they then emerged onto the scene in 2006 and caught fire in the early 2010s and have remained a hot topic in Canada’s hardcore scene ever since, with seven incredible albums under their belts.

Cancer Bats take inspiration from a whole host of legends including Led Zeppelin, Black Flag, Down and Black Sabbath, the latter so much so that they once toured Canada as a Black Sabbath cover band under the witty name Bat Sabbath. This heavy metal influence is prevalent on their 2012 album Dead Set on Living - so make sure you check that out!

The Line Up

Following on from the departure of their founding member and guitarist Scott Middleton, the band now consists of lead vocalist Liam Cormier, Mike Peters on drums and Jaye R. Schwarzer slapping the bass.

The Brand New Album

The band just dropped their seventh studio album Psychic Jailbreak back in April after Middleton’s departure. They joined forces once more with their longtime collaborator JP Peters (Propagandhi, Comeback Kid) for the production of the record.

The new album is relentless, exciting and jam-packed with some serious headbangers. Lead singer Liam stated that they felt the pressure with this album in the previous press release, but the end product has proved they still have that raw, biting energy and there’s no doubt Psychic Jailbreak will go down as one of the classics in the Cancer Bats catalog.

Why You Need To Know About Cancer Bats

If you’re unfamiliar with the trio, get ready to immerse yourself into the world of Cancer Bats and grow obsessed with them just like we are! They employ the perfect blend of hardcore punk, metal core, sludge metal sprinkled with a dose of southern rock for good measure, what more could you ask for?

Upcoming Shows

You can catch them live on their co-headline tour alongside Comeback Kid this fall. They’re kicking it off in Barrie, ON, followed by dates in Windsor, Waterloo, Hamilton and Brampton. They will then head east to Montreal, Halifax and several cities between, before the finale in St. John’s, NL on October 8th.

The band will be joined by Chastity will support them for their Ontario and Quebec dates, while Botfly will act as special guests for most of the tour's Maritime run.

Where Can I Check Them Out?

Right here @ Altrockradio.ca at 9AM and 5PM EST, every day in September 2022 you will hear a song from Cancer Bats.

You can also check them out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Spotify and Bandcamp.