By sparrow - courtesy of seventh-circle

Toronto is the biggest city in Canada...and most that don't live in this country probably think it is the capital and not Ottawa...and maybe it should be (just don't say that to a resident of Montreal or Vancouver for your own safety). It is the center of the country's music, film, and nearly every other business scene. Though in my opinion the local goth/industrial scene in Toronto falls short compared to other cities. The scene is chaotic and backstabbing and thrives off bullshit. Musically though Toronto is beginning to outshine even Vancouver (which was more in the spotlight for music in the 90's). Toronto is on the rise again..let's just hope that the cultures personality can catch up with it.

This is by no means the end all of Toronto's darker themed band scene. This is purely focusing on bands that have material and/or live shows we've reviewed, have caught our attention with their websites, or we just think deserve the Seventh's seal of approval. If you feel that a local artist has been wronged by not being on this list than please feel free to rant to the bird for gapping at sparrow@seventh-circle.com.

Devil Dolls
The Devil Dolls are living proof that coldwave industrial can spring out of the Toronto area. They are refreshing since there are very few acts doing it out there (or at least ones doing it right). I was enthralled by their track "Set Me Free" when I first heard it and still listen to it regularly. I'm totally looking forward to new material as I am a huge fan of their music as well as the people in the band. We should be able to get some previews up soon.
www.devildolls.net

Rhea's Obsession
Rhea's Obsession are looking like they are on the fringe of getting the same kind of attention as likeminded artists Delerium, This Mortal Coil and Dead Can Dance. Now that they've jumped on board with Metropolis Records they have some label power behind them to back up the amazingly brilliant music that they put forth.
Check out the Rhea's Obsession "Between Earth and Sky" review
www.spiderrecords.com/rheas

Superhalo
I've had to be careful with the Seventh not to make it a Superhalo fan site...as I could write up articles on these boys constantly. Their debut cd "The Cost of Breathing" still is a regular play for me and now they have a new disc "Make Yourself Heard" (see the new cd review soon) that blows the first away. Only two things I can really say about them right now are "WOW!" and "Why the fuck haven't they been signed yet?" Only a matter of time before they are a household name.
Check out the Superhalo "Cost of Breathing" review
www.superhalo.com

Arc
Local improvisational ambient afficianados have turned some heads including ours. We've even been honoured with one of their members (Aidanadia) writing a couple of reviews for us in the past and hopefully will contribute again soon. They have an interesting live show incorporating visual images to accompany their very original and interesting sound.
Check out the Arc "Self-Titled" review
redrival.com/aidan/arc.htm

Vampire Beach Babes
Marcus, Ricky and company are more than likely the oddest of the scene but there is nothing wrong with straying a bit from the "norm". Blending together surfer-rock with goth, they have put together something that catches a lot of attention by not only the name but the music is "wicked". Looking forward to see where they can go with it. Check our the Vampire Beach Babes "Reckless Summer" review
www.vampirebeachbabes.com

Jane Doe
This all girl hard rock act is fronted by the Seventh's own Divinity and have been regulars in the Toronto indie scene for 6 years now. They are one of the most tight bands musically in the city. Jane Doe are currently working on new material so you can expect us to be doing some mighty huge featuring when this band rocks the scene once again.
www.janedoe.com

Beyond Salem Toronto's only real gothic-rock act is also going through some changes it seems musically. From what I've heard the new cd that they're working on is going to have a lot of A Perfect Circle influence. Since I'm a huge fan of APC, I am definitely looking forward to seeing what comes of this.
Check out the Beyond Salem "Black Sabbatical" review
www.corpusnet.com/beyondsalem

Mara's Torment
The project of Rik Maclean is proof that Toronto is actually becoming a hotbed of ambient talent (alongside Rhea's Obsession). I think that the only reason that I have been able to get through certain bouts of insomnia is because of Mara's Torment (and that is not meant to be insulting in the slightest). I find their material to be incredibly relaxive and hypnotic...still have to check out a live show though.
Check out Mara's Torment "Barrier of Skin" review
Check out Mara's Torment "Across for Show" review
www.marastorment.com

The club scene in Toronto has gone up and downhill over the years greatly. The early nineties were by far my fondest memories of the scene and had a few, here and there, in the later part of the millenium too. I am by no means a club person as I much prefer to see live acts play. So don't be suprised if I seem to skim over a couple of these quickly.

The Vatikan
Now this is the only night club in Toronto that plays goth/industrial music that I've considered becoming a regular since coming back into the scene last summer. The Vatikan is not the resurrection of owner Lance's former bar the Sanctuary as some would lead you to believe...but more of the reincarnation of the idea behind it. The Sanctuary (aka "the Vampire Sex Bar") was a home away from home for most of us in Toronto...which fit considering the name of the club.
Sadly, the Sanctuary closed last summer which left a lot of us lost as if we were homeless. Luckily Lance heard our cries and immediately started working on his new club, the Vatikan. The differences between the two are vast including a massive stage w/ a proper backstage area unlike most clubs (hopefully meaning we'll be able to see some major acts in a place befitting instead of some of the more mainstream venues), and a much more open dance floor.
Hopefully the one similarity between the Sanctuary and the Vatikan will be that we will again find a club worthy to call home. After my first experience on Lance's b-day I can say that the music was perfect and there were even some familiar faces behind the bar, and of course Lance...felt like coming home again to me.
The Vatikan - 1032 Queen Street West (1 Block west of Ossington)

The Bovine Sex Club
This club has been "hip" since it's creation in 1991 and it doesn't seem like it will stop anytime soon. Known affectionately around Toronto as "that place with shit all over the front of it," it is one of the most eclectic places in Toronto to party. They play everything from goth to glam to hillbilly rock depending on which night you go. But it's that kind of chaotic programming that gives the insane energy to the place. You can always expect to have a wild and crazy night at the Bovine. It is also the most popular place for musicians to hit while they're in town (I've heard of everyone from Jeff Martin of the Tea Party to Trent Reznor hanging out there).
The best part about the Bovine has nothing to do with the actual physical nature of the club...it's their website. They know how to market that club and right now they are leagues ahead of any other with their current site. Online, you can check out pics from the clubs events and the regulars that frequent them (so you can check the eye candy prior I guess and trust me there is plenty of it) as well as get detailed info on what is happening every night. They even include top 10 lists from the DJs so that you can get an idea of what they would be playing.
If you want music that the Seventh would likely feature, your best bet would probably be Tuesdays w/ the amazing (and definite eye candy herself) DJ Shannon w/host Deanna.
Note: For all you Creed fans out there (and I'm really wondering what you're doing at this site actually) take a tour by the Bovine when Darell is there. Get a pic with him and you can fool your friends afterwards when you tell them that you were hanging out with the lead singer from Creed....They really do have a remarkable resemblance...Sorry man.
More info at www.bovinesexclub.com

Savage Garden
I stopped going to the Savage a couple of years ago. I've only set foot in the club maybe 3 times in the past two years. As a club I never really enjoyed the place all that much as it was always a little too cramped, and you really didn't have to have that many people there to get that feeling. Though the Geigeresque artwork on the walls provides a dark ambiance that few can claim in Toronto. It's only open on weekends, so don't become an addict as you'll be left wandering during the week.
It's the only game in town at the moment if you want to play Live Action Vampire Rolelplaying. LARP was the reason that I was a regular there for nearly two years as Savage Garden does provide a great environment for it, providing it doesn't attract a huge crowd. Savage's LARP game was also where my online name Sparrow was born...as it originally was the name for my 16 year old bi-sexual prostitute Malkavian that I was playing within the game.
More info at www.savagegarden.ca

Velvet Underground
At one time in Toronto's past there were only three places you could go in the city for nightlife if you wore black...Sanctuary which is closed, Death in the Underground which closed many years ago, and Velvet Underground which in my opinion should have too. I guess the owner decided that he wasn't making enough money off of the "goth" crowd so he went a more mainstream route. The last time I was there I actually heard them play Eminem "the real slim shady"....haven't been back since....nuff said.

The Anarchists Cocktail
My experience with the Cocktail has been very little, only for about 20 minutes. The vibes in the place weren't all that positive (and I trust my vibes greatly) so I didn't stay. You'll have to just check it out for yourself.
More info at www.anarchistscocktail.com

This is where Toronto has in many ways truly excelled. I have seen more quality websites pop out of Toronto's denizens than anywhere else...which speaks for the amazing creativity in the city (or maybe boredom).

www.seventh-circle.com
This site is the best of the bunch...heehee...oh c'mon...we're based in Toronto dammit!

www.toronto-goth.com
TG (short for Toronto Goth) and the Seventh Circle are the reason that Perdition and Dementia may seem distracted if you catch them online, since they run TG and they help me immensely with the 7th. TG is your best local resource for what's happening in the Toronto area. It covers everything from the people, concerts, stores, clubs, and anything else your gothic heart desires. It also has a chat room and you can get your own torgoth.com email address there too.

www.industrialradio.net
It's not locally geared but it should be mentioned all the same just to spotlight how involved Toronto's online community is with the goth/industrial scene. This is Canada's best online radio station by far and it continues to expand even more each passing day.

www.stainedproductions.com/
Stained Productions runs everything from their own funky online zine (though not updated all that often anymore) to some of the best club and concert nights in Toronto. Greg from Stained also runs the Feedback Monitor on 89.5 CIUT FM which features some darkwave electronic as well as other really trippy stuff. Always worth a listen.

www.djshannon.com
Here you can keep an eye on the aforementioned (see clubs section under Bovine) DJ Shannon. This lovely and talented DJ can be seen at both Bovine and the Dance Cave. On her site (which is exceptionally designed) you can get the latest news straight from her beautiful lips (fingers I guess).

www.toronto.com
Toronto's official site for the city. Best place to go if you need to know how to get somewhere as they have full maps for the city as well as TTC streetcar, bus, and subway routes. It also contains listings of restaurants, stores, etc....

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