Recording: Toronto Homicide Squad

Artist: Toronto Homicide Squad

Songs: Fuck You North Toronto + There Are Gods Among Us

Recorded at June Records, February 15, 2015.

Toronto Homicide Squad - Fuck You North Toronto

Toronto Homicide Squad - There Are Gods Among Us

Their annual shared-birthday show turned into something a bit less overtly celebratory when Gideon Steinberg and Brandon Lim announced that this would also be the final gig for their harsh prog duo. The dissolution definitely wasn't so much a case of the creative well running dry, given that the set featured a bunch of new/unrecorded material from the band. That gave a slightly-painful sense of what might-have-been for the band's next act, with Steinberg offering a few more straight-up post-punk songs (such as class warfare jingle "Fuck You North Toronto") but all the best to both in their next stages and phases — Lim can still be seen wielding the bass in HSY, and Steinberg's stripped-down drum kit hints at more restrained adventures to come.

[The band's recorded legacy includes their Nein Bullets cassette as well as their Craft Singles release, both of which are available for free on their bandcamp.]

Recording: Toronto Homicide Squad

Artist: Toronto Homicide Squad

Song: unknown^*

Recorded at Smiling Buddha, October 4, 2014.

Toronto Homicide Squad - unknown

On a night celebrating the release of DAS RAD's ace new Radiation album, the night's openers were mostly drawn from the "family" of Teen Tits Wild Wives and other bands associated with its members. Getting things ready for the headliners, Gideon Steinberg and Brandon Lim brought an intense dose of harsh prog — mediated, on this song, by a monster groove.

^* Does anyone know the title to this one? Please leave a comment!

Recording: Toronto Homicide Squad

Artist: Toronto Homicide Squad

Song: Inflammation is the Enemy

Recorded at Bike Pirates (Wavelength 592), March 29, 2014.

Toronto Homicide Squad - Inflammation is the Enemy

Full review to follow. The friendly anarchy of DIY cycle repair space Bike Pirates was an entirely welcome space to host this Wavelength show, and the smell of oil lingering in the air and bike parts hanging from the walls (and tucked away in filing cabinets!) felt like a good match for the varying shades of musical brutalism deployed by the three noise duos on the bill. THS got things started with some harsh prog-bursts that set the tone for the night. [Mark May 20 down in your calendars and join them at Smiling Buddha for their Record Release/Tour Kick-Off show.]

Recording: Toronto Homicide Squad

Artist: Toronto Homicide Squad

Song: It Takes a Lot to Kill a Man

Recorded at 961A College St., September 13, 2013.

Toronto Homicide Squad - It Takes a Lot to Kill a Man

Full review to follow. The sound of a riot after you've taken a cosh to the head and there's blood running into your ear canal. Something's getting woozy, and you can't tell if it's the world or just in your mind. Noise, panic and confusion provided by drummer Gideon Steinberg (ex-Soupcans) and bassist Brandon Lim (HSY, Teen Tits Wild Wives).