The secret to a band’s longevity? Bourbon.
So advised James Ahola (a.k.a Uncle Alice), lead singer and six string slinger for what may be North Bay’s longest running metal band – No Devil Lived On. This Saturday, they are dropping their new album, Dr. Awkward, alive and picking at the Fraser Tavern.
The band has existed in various lineups for about 20 years, “and I’ve been playing with Stevo for about 25 years,” in the local scene – anyone remember Liquorbox, 88 Skulls or Grimiss? That’s Steve Greer he’s referring to, (a.k.a. The Drummer from Hell), who keeps the beat and the bourbon flowing. Bassist Kyle Bell, and Nathan Barraclough – lead guitar and vocals – round out the No Devil Lived On sound.
“Angry,” sums up that sound. “A little bit of angry metal,” Ahola elaborated. “Old school, angry metal.”
Dr. Awkward is the fourth record from the band, and songs like “Burnin,” “Haven’t Got Enough Cops,” and “Look in Your Pants,” are sure to fuel the fire within fans long waiting for a new No Devil Lived On metal fix. The video for “Shot in the Face,” is circulating through the digital wires, and should be seen to believe. Travis Tiernay directed that one.
Fans have had to wait because producing the album was “slow, painfully slow,” Ahola said. The project began about three years ago, and the pandemic didn’t help the process. When all is said and done, Ahola said the overall process was positive. Audio engineer Derek Martin was instrumental in getting the tracks in the can. In short, the sessions were long, but the time behind the board at Ahola’s’ Silver Beach Studio on Lakeshore Drive was time very well-spent.
Ahola produced the album. No stranger to bringing music to market, he’s brought to life many albums from his own bands – Uncle Alice, Triggered – and other local artists. With eight tracks the new release “is a shorter record” than the usual fare from No Devil Lived On, but the result is just as intense, Ahola assured.
“The rock just keeps on rolling, man.”
No Devil Lived On plays the Fraser Tavern at 680 Fraser Street, North Bay, on Saturday, March 30th. Show starts at 8 p.m. with Spillover opening, and Radiology closing the night. It’s a $10 cover, and Dr. Awkward CD’s will be available, so bring your juke-box money.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
