Death metal band with drummer from Oak Bay, B.C., wins Juno award
It's been quite the journey for 39-year-old Spencer Prewett, who grew up in Oak Bay but now tours with successful Canadian death metal band, Archspire.
Archspire just took home the 2022 Juno Award for best metal/hard music album of the year with its album, Bleed the Future.
"It's super awesome the Junos are recognizing such an extreme genre because sometimes it's hard to get credit from regular people with this type of music," Prewett told CTV News.
The Junos aired on Sunday, and Prewett says the Canadian band learned of their win just before a sold-out show in Vancouver on Saturday.
"We set up all of our gear and sound checked and everyone went to go eat, and by the time we got back to the venue we found out we had won," he said.
"It was almost like the perfect day, it was super fun."
OAK BAY ROOTS
Prewett lives in Vancouver but is from Oak Bay on Vancouver Island.
"It was a little bit unusual to come out of Oak Bay and be a part of a successful death metal band," he said.
Prewett says he has "deep ties" to the region, with his aunt serving as a councillor, his family owning a business in the municipality, and his mom working as a doctor in hospice for decades.
"Death metal is just about as far away from Oak Bay as you can get," he admitted.
In general, Prewett says the death metal scene in Canada is "pretty good", particularly in Montreal.
He adds that it's rare for Canadian death metal bands to break out, however, so he counts himself lucky.
Archspire has international tours planned for the next two years, including in South America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
The band will also be working on its next album in between tour stops.
CANADIAN SUPPORT
While Prewett says it's rare to make a living in such a niche industry, he says the Canadian government does its part to support up-and-coming artists.
"To get us off the ground the 'Factor' grant system from the government was really helpful," he said.
"When we tour with these American bands and we explain how much the Canadian government helps with the arts they're always shocked and jealous," he added.
"I think that's something as a Canadian to be very proud of."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.