Prince Albert’s ‘TV Casualties’ celebrated the release of their new and first album, ‘Orphanage Fire,’ on Oct. 3.
The TV Casualties are Adamn Meng on guitar and vocals, Will Yannacoulias on Bass and Ian McAlpine on drums.
Yannacoulias explained that the band has released a few live recordings online over the past few years, but this is their first professional release.
Yannacoulias said that the album was recorded over the summer.
“We recorded everything at the end of July with Rich Belhumeur at Deep Six Studios in Saskatoon. Rich has tons of experience playing and recording loud, fast & mean music, and we were really excited to have him work with us on these three songs. It was a really cool experience; he liked the songs and our sound and gave us some great input and advice,” Yannacoulias said.
Meng said that the title ‘Orphanage Fire’ has a double meaning. It refers to the night of Feb. 1, 1947, when an overheated furnace in the basement of St. Patrick’s Orphanage caused a tragic fire that claimed the lives of six children and one nun.
“However, in TV Casualties lore, the Orphanage is actually the Spice Trail, the place graciously opened its doors to a blossoming local punk/metal community and brought three misfits together. The Fire is the warm, burning intensity that comes from playing punk rock, whether it be for a sold-out Food Bank Fundraiser or to Clay (Cottingham), Mailbag, and Sheena on a Monday evening. One part history, two parts we love the Spice Trail,” Meng said.
Yannacoulias explained that there is no proper tour planned for the album, but they do have several shows on the horizon.
“On Oct. 11 we’re in Saskatoon with a bunch of our friends, another punk band called Broken Idols, and two metal bands, Elder Colossus and Kryotic. On Nov. 8th we’re on an all-metal bill with our local buddies Dead Like God and Softbox, as well as a touring band from Manitoba called Uncurable. On November 23, we’re back in Prince Albert playing a fundraiser for the SPCA with a great Saskatoon punk band called Dead Ex Girlfriends,” Yannacoulias said.
The SPCA Fundraiser is part of the Random Acts of Kindness and will be at the Prince Albert Heritage Centre.
McAlpine said that the title track is one of his personal favourites.
“Out of the three, I am pretty partial to Orphanage Fire since it was one of the first that we came up with a few years back. We have been playing it with a bit more snarl, with a few tweaks here and there to milk this sucker out lately, so I’m stoked where our direction is going sound-wise,” McAlpine said.
Meng said that fans should expect three hardcore punk rock songs with a nod to working-class life in Prince Albert and the roots of the city.
“We’re drawing influences from hardcore pioneers Bad Brains, Black Flag, and Dead Kennedys, as well as 1970s-era AC/DC and Black Sabbath,” Meng said.
Meng said that the album is available on Cassette and Compact Disc at our upcoming shows Oct. 11 in Saskatoon, Nov. 8 in Emma Lake, and Nov. 23 in Prince Albert or directly from the band, who can be contacted through their social media channels. The album is also available online at tvcasualties.bandcamp.com in both digital and physical formats, as well as on any of your favourite streaming services.
