This is called 2012...

As a facebook friend said, "In a hundred years it will be 2112!" I'll have popped my clogs long before everyone's holding the red star proudly high in hand, but I'll be there in spirit.

For 2012 I'm pledging to post more. I was really disappointed with my output here, especially when it came to show reviews. 2011 was a great year for gigs, but you wouldn't know it from the piss-poor 27 posts I wrote. I did manage to contribute a few things to Hellbound.ca, although not enough to enter their coveted (by me) tag cloud. It's been a while since I listed my "playing away" work, so here are my Hellbound reviews for 2011:

• I got to the Hammers of Misfortune show in December before Kyle Harcott did, so I contributed a blurb on opening band Mendozza to round out his excellent review.

• A review of COMM, by The Tangent. I hate the Internet as much as anyone, but this album's theme tested even my tolerance at first. I came to really enjoy the album, though.

• Reviewing an album twice is real hard, but I'm glad I made a second pass through Primordial's Redemption at the Puritan's Hand for Hellbound in November.

• I'd never checked out Polish proggers Riverside before, but after Sean Palmerston gave me the promo of Memories in My Head this summer, I gained a real appreciation for this classy EP.

• I was blown away by the onslaught of local talent at July's Riffs Not Riots show, so much so that I named it as my Metal Event of the Year for Hellbound. Kyle and I teamed up for a review. I think I met Ted Reckoning for the first time at this show. His awesome photographs grace our review.

• Blizaro was one of my favourite discoveries of 2011. Their loopy mix of proto-metal and Goblin inspired this review.

• I'm always eager to add to Hellbound's Vinyl Reviews, and I got an opportunity with Baptists' debut 7-inch. Nice to see the mighty Southern Lord Records snap up a local band.

• Zombi's Escape Velocity was minimal and trance-y, an interesting variation on their sound.

• France's CloverSeeds put out a catchy album that'd appeal to Pineapple Thief or Porcupine Tree fans, but they'd benefit from some lyrical translation help.

I'll start posting A Difficult 2011 very soon. In the meantime, please check out Hellbound's Top 20 Albums of 2011 here, here, here, and (finally) here.

Happy New Year!

He's dead, Jim.