Grande Prairie metal band Windy City Slaughter will be a band in transition when they visit Lethbridge for a massive all ages metal show at the Moose Hall, June 5.
They are still breaking in new drummer Joel Zimmerman and had to bid farewell to vocalist Dalyn Deschene who had to leave the band due to health reasons.
“ He’s had a health issue he’s been dealing with since he was a kid. He told us he doesn’t think he can physically do this any more,” said bassist Kevin Student, noting they wish him all the best.
Student and guitarist Ryan Sorensen remain the core of the band.
They will be borrowing By the Beard of Zeus singer Walker Tomkins for this tour out to Guelph, Ontario and back home.
Student didn’t know if Tomkins will be the band’s new permanent lead singer or just fill in whenever possible.
“ We’re going to see if we can make a long distance relationship with him work,” he said.
“ He’s from Fort St. John, which is three hours away, but he’s been driving in on weekends to jam with us. But we all rehearse on our own,” he added.
“We’ll be demoing over the next six months. We can either get fill in vocalists or a full time vocalist or we’ll just go and do it as an instrumental act,” he said.
They recorded their first EP “Alpha” about a year ago and are waiting to record the next one until their lineup has been finalized.
“We recorded it in my basement with Dallyn on vocals and a different drummer. It was completely DIY,” he said, adding they borrowed fellow grande Prairie metal band Arrival of Autumn’s drummer Tyler Fox for a bit.
He noted while the band is often pegged as a metal core band Student said they are more than that.
“ We’ve very heavy. We’re very rhythm based. But we’re more of a groove metal band. Ryan never hangs on one note. I build on the rhythm section in that groove then hang back so he’s able to really go to town and shred,” he said.
He said they are also bringing a light show that is synchronized to the band’s music.
“We play to a click track, so it’s very precise. It’s not just lights flashing randomly,” he said.
Grande Prairie’s Windy City Slaughter will be joined at the Moose Hall for this all ages gig by Calgary’s Nailgun, Lethbridge’s own the Avulsion and coming rom Ontario, Barrie based Sons of Sirens, St. Catherines’ Take the Throne and Toronto's Loyalist. The show begins at 7:45 .p.m.. Tickets are $15.
