The Panic Manual

Concert Review: Anciients, Howling Giant, November 7, Lee’s Palace

Posted on

8 Nov 2025

Paul

Partway through their set opening for Anciients, Nashville’s Howling Giant gave a shout out to their tourmates, promising that they would melt our faces off. “So I hope you’re not attached to them. Because they’re gone,” they joked. They weren’t wrong – the Vancouver-based band put on a stellar show at Lee’s Palace on Friday night.

I’ll give credit where credit is due though – Howling Giant were no slouches themselves, putting on an impressive display of melodic psych/stoner rock. Also impressive was their use of a vintage Dusty Rhodes sample as an intro to one of their tunes. Good stuff.

Running through a set that featured songs off their latest, the Juno Award-winning Beyond The Reach of the Sun, as well as a few choice older tracks, Anciients sounded fantastic. With a heavy progressive sound reminiscent of Opeth, Mastodon and even Alice in Chains at times, Anciients absolutely impressed .

And speaking of the Junos, I have to give them credit as well – not only for recognizing Anciients twice, but also for honouring bands like KEN Mode, Cryptopsy, and Voivod in the past. That’s a far cry from the Grammys giving the inaugural Hard Rock/Metal Grammy to Jethro Tull over Metallica. But I digress. Back to Anciients.

All in all, it was one of those shows that just hits right – killer riffs, great energy, and two bands clearly having a blast doing what they love. Faces were definitely melted.

Song of the Day: Insecure Men – Cleaning Bricks

Posted on

4 Nov 2025

Paul

“Cleaning Bricks” is the latest single from Insecure Men (aka Saul Adamczewski, formerly of Fat White Family) taken off their upcoming album A Man For All Seasons. Check it out.

A Man For All Seasons is out November 7 via Fat Possum Records.

Song of the Day: The Belair Lip Bombs – Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)

Posted on

2 Nov 2025

Paul

“Don’t Let Them Tell You (It’s Fair)” is the latest single from Australian indie rockers The Belair Lip Bombs, taken off their new album Again, out now on Third Man Records. Check it out.

Song of the Day: Alice Phoebe Lou – Oblivion

Posted on

1 Nov 2025

Paul

“Oblivion” is the latest single from Alice Phoebe Lou, taken from her recently released album of the same name, out now via Nettwerk. Check it out.

Song of the Day: Abysmal Dawn – Cradle of Affliction

Posted on

31 Oct 2025

Paul

It’s Halloween – a day for celebrating all things spooky and scary … or just dressing up like a character from Bob’s Burgers or a sexy cat or something. So, in the spirit of the season, what better way to celebrate than with a little death metal?

Los Angeles quartet Abysmal Dawn have been around since 2003, putting out five albums to date, with their most recent full-length, Phylogenesis, coming out back in 2020. And now they’re back with their first new single since 2022, “Cradle of Affliction.” And the band will be heading out on the road again soon for a tour that sees them hitting Toronto next month for a show at The Garrison alongside headliners Krisiun on November 27th.

Check out the video for “Cradle of Affliction” below.

Song of the Day: Ratboys – Anywhere

Posted on

30 Oct 2025

Paul

“Anywhere” is the latest single from Ratboys, taken off the Chicago band’s upcoming album Singin’ to an Empty Chair, out February 6, 2026 via New West Records. Check it out.