***TOP 20 CANADIAN BANDS that influenced OMSB***

The TOP 20 CANADIAN BANDS that influenced (((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain)))))

These are not the best Canadian bands ever to exist or any grandiose and all-encompassing blanket statement like that. These are the bands that influenced my musical direction and therefore led me to where I am today. These were difficult to number because the bands had different influential impacts on my growth with music, some quenched a basic need and others expanded my mind. A few bands on here are very new to me, and I have taken that bias into account.

I have included what I would generally consider to be the bands' defining songs.

If you think I've missed some great Canadian bands, please post them with links below so everyone can check them out. Here we go:

1 Choke

(circa 1999) mathy, snotty, metal-influenced skate punk

2 Propagandhi

(circa 2000) abrasive, metallic, political hardcore w/myriad of vocal stylings

3 Alexisonfire

(circa 2002) mathy and discordant screamo w/clean vocals

4 Van Johnson

(circa 2004) spastic screamo with speedy, melodic and European tinge

5 The Mark Inside

(circa 2003) amazing sassy garage-rock with a heavy/spacey feel - my hometown friends (bias irrelevant!)

6 For The Mathematics

(circa 2005) phenomenal/unknown sassy, mathy post-hardcore/rock At The Drive In worship band...but better (and I have an ATDI tattoo!)

7 Protest The Hero

(circa 2006) metallic/skate-punk turned futuristic hardcore/metal from my bro's friends (bias irrelevant!)

8 Our Lady Peace

(circa 1996) progressive grunge band whose early work is fantastic

9 Buried Inside

(circa 2003) massive amalgamation of everything heavy, mostly post-hardcore, thrash, doom and metal

10 Desiderata

(circa 2007) ridiculously good Q And Not U/ska-influenced screamo with dual vocals

11 Belvedere

(circa 2002) technical skate-punk with dabblings in hardcore and metal

12 Rusty

(circa 1994) dirty, raw punk/grunge with catchy vocals that shift from gruff to clean

13 Moist

(circa 1995) raw grunge from out west, my rock first cassette purchase, led to Nirvana

14 Animal Faces

(circa 2011) angular, dark and danceable screamo 3-piece

15 The Holy Shroud / North Of America

(circa 2005 / 2001) mathy indie/garage rock, both bands shared the same 2 primary songwriters

16 Mare

(circa 2004) the densest, most varied and internationally renowned/influential heavy band Canada has produced thus far

17 Life In Vacuum

(circa 2014) grunge, rock and post-hardcore with sassy screaming and one hell of a rhythm section
The Edge of Boredom or Van Life

18 Titan

(circa 2012) crushing, epic, metal influenced post-hardcore with some sick double bass

19 Congratulations

(circa 2014) my current infatuation with 90s influenced emo/screamo with amazing pop and ambient elements came to fruition with this band

20 Foxmoulder

(circa 2014) amazing dark screamo band/people that are active in putting on shows and running labels

***

Honourable Mentions:

Age of Electric

Atsuko Chiba

Big Dick

Black Love

Chixdiggit

City And Colour

Creeper

Death From Above 1979

Despistado

Grade

Jon Lajoie

Ken Mode

Mahria

Milanku

Moneen

Nous Etions

Rayleigh

Sloan

Tel Fyr

Tempest

Union of Uranus (indirectly)