CanadianWasteland Archives: Shotmaker - Complete Discography (1991-1996)

(Photo credit: Shawn Scallen)

Shotmaker was a hardcore band from Belleville, Ontario. They were easily one of the most influential Canadian hardcore bands of the 90s. Shotmaker toured at a break neck pace and released tons of incredible music; while collaborating and playing shows with almost every big name band back in the day. (Fugazi, Unwound, Karate, Hoover, Uranus etc...)

At the earliest stages the band was named Herbal Scream; After a slight lineup change and a gradual change in sound the became known as Shotmaker. Shotmaker continually improved upon their sound, the first few records were bass heavy, progressive and hard hitting. They continuously laced experimentation and political lyrics into their music to great effect. In the later stages, as accomplished musicians, they released the "Mouse Ear" LP which pushed their sound into a different atmosphere; creating layered and incredibly impressive songs that have stuck around as classics in the punk scene for the last 30 years. I've even seen a university music theory essay about how great one of the songs is.

Shotmaker was only a three piece band but the technicality and interconnected nature of their music made the simplicity of the lineup a focal point. The bass riffs in particular are some of the best work I have heard in punk hands down, the bass player was known for cutting his fingers open and bleeding everywhere at their shows because of the intensity and ferocity in which he played his instrument. All 3 members also contributed vocals, which is particularly impressive as the drummer had some complex rhythms to play while also singing. Crayon Club is probably my favourite record by them and I always tear up my drum kit playing along to it, the anxious intensity of that album is completely unmatched and the political messaging is still incredibly relevant, particularly in the song "Satellite Screens".

Big things are coming in the near future for this band; in the mean time, here is the discography CD and FLAC vinyl rips of every record. (the discography CD has pretty mediocre ones)