Red October

Red October have paid their dues. With three successful independent releases under their belt and an unbelievable number of Trans Canada Highway miles clocked on multiple self-booked tours, these Montreal natives are ready for something bigger. Building their explosive live show in the touring trenches, Red October’s endless road trip has taken them to the ends of the punk rock universe, to off-the-map cities like Olds, Alberta and Ports Hawksberry , Nova Scotia. The band’s dedication to spreading their music the old-fashioned way – it’s called Get In the Van, kids – has built up a grassroots fanbase that isn’t just found in the usual Canuck metropolitan clusters. And this year, the band has set their sights beyond the borders of their home country, looking to to the States and Europe and planning to take their road-tested tunes to the rest of the world.

Formed in 2005, Red October immediately got down to business, releasing their first, self-titled EP that year and following it with another in 2006, The Sound of Sirens. After some shake-up in the band’s ranks, they reconvened for 2009’s Let the Rules Go, their first full-length. A monstrous collection of huge choruses and intricate instrumental movements, the album recalls the technicality and intellectual maturity of early Thrice, mixed with the catchy pop melodies of Four Year Strong, creating a unique take on technical, catchy, punk-bred rock and roll that reverberates with equals parts anthemic metal and classic ‘90s punk influences. Through side of stage sales alone, the album has sold more than 1000 copies, no small feat for a completely independent band in the digital age. Even MuchMusic took notice, putting the band’s self-produced “All We Have” video into medium rotation on MuchLoud.

Sharing the stage with bands like the Deftones, RX Bandits, As I Lay Dying, and the Artist Life, along with stints on Taste of Chaos and Warped Tour, Red October have proven themselves in front of some the biggest audiences in Canada and gone toe-to-toe with some of the biggest names in contemporary punk and metal. Currently holed up in guitarist Ben Cardilli’s home studio setup in Montreal, the band are preparing the batch of songs which will comprise their next all-out assault on the highways of the world. This time, you should be ready.