ROCKYARD
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
“I wanted to recommend a Toronto loud rock quartet (kind of alterna-, kind of proggy) currently flying under the radar. They're called Rockyard, and they're the best live act I've seen so far this year, bar none. Even for someone like me who doesn't listen to much metal/loud rock, these guys are just so obviously killer. Sometimes leaning on Police-like rhythmic pulses, sometimes exhibiting the whiplash precision of prime-era Metallica, sometimes infused with the melodic sensibilities of the best Rush, they're knocking out a smallish but absolutely rabid group of fans every month at a Toronto bar called the Hideout. Despite their influences, they sound totally fresh and original. Guaranteed to make you want to jump around the room and/or smash shit up. Guitarist Conor Brown, bassist Xandir Glazkov and drummer Jay Sussman are all monster, super-hot players, but that never gets in the way of the emotional resonance of what they're doing. Singer Matt Warry-Smith is possessed of one of those voices that can just stop you in your tracks, and it never burns out despite extended periods of high volume. They write catchy, insistent originals and play unexpected and well-chosen covers like 'Rolling in the Deep' and 'Helter Skelter.' (Imagine how great those would sound as loud-alterna-rock songs, then multiply by ten.) I swear, it's only a matter of time until they blow up on a massive scale.” - Howard Druckman, Editor, Words + Music magazine
"Oh Hell YES!!!! Yet more talent from Canada! Excellent sound you have here! Could listen to this over end over, vocals are fantastic too! Very well done, LOVE IT!!" - 'Let There Be Rock' on 96.7 Phoenix FM
Discography
2011 EP
Photos
Bio
ROCKYARD is a band like no other: hailing from Toronto, these four talented young musicians have come together to create a unique sound that is as raging as it is refreshing. Their blistering guitar riffs, soul-crushing drum grooves, thunderous bass lines, soaring vocals and provocative lyrics are intense, inspiring and innovative while remaining accessible and familiar. Whether they are in the studio or performing live, their high-energy, face-melting virtuosity, and remarkably memorable songs will lift you from the comfort of your earthly home into the vastness of the cosmos!
In the summer of 2011, ROCKYARD released their self-titled EP to a jam-packed Tattoo Rock Parlour in Toronto, and the band also rocked Canadian Music Week 2012 to a huge crowd at The Hideout. One fan remarked after this concert, "...there were a couple of moments where things felt totally off the ground, like the world was actually splintering and breaking apart, which is what rock is all about." The band has also toured around Ontario, including a headlining show at Ottawa's Carleton University.
More recently, ROCKYARD released a couple of live performance videos on youtube that quickly went viral and surpassed 100,000 hits! The band is currently recording an album due to be completed in 2013.
Continually pushing their limits as both performers and creators, ROCKYARD is undeniably one of Toronto's most exciting collections of talent, feeding an insatiable musical hunger that longs to be filled.
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