Sudbury ‘metalhead’ brings light to a dark scene

Simply listening to music isn’t enough for Mark Howitt.

His love of metal lead him to become a vocalist and lyricist for Wolven Ancestry, a band based in Sudbury. The same passion also created Archaic North Entertainment, his Sudbury-based booking agency and record company.

“It is kind of an obsession,” the 27-year-old said.

With no formal education in the industry, Howitt first started Archaic North Entertainment in 2002. At the time, it was solely a booking agency, dealing primarily with local bands, helping them gain exposure and experience. Eventually, he started bringing other more prominent metal bands from across the country to Sudbury.

“There is a whole bunch of metal bands in Canada,” he said.

This month, he is hosting two separate shows, May 14 and 26, at the Serbian Hall on Bloor Street, which is the usual location for the eight to 10 shows Howitt runs annually.

“It’s becoming a regular venue for metal shows.”

Hard-pressed to turn down quality metal bands, he simply added a second date to make room for everyone. “It’s a pretty stacked lineup.”

Canadian metal headliners 3 Inches of Blood will play the May 14 show. When the band performed at the Townehouse Tavern a few years ago, access to the show was restricted to people over 19.

“I’m looking forward to bringing them back, for all ages,” Howitt said.

The hall can hold about 250 people, and has a licensed bar downstairs. Howitt said some patrons will slip out for a drink between sets, but since alcohol is not permitted in the stage area, guests don’t have to be of age to enjoy the show.

Tickets for the shows are already being purchased throughout northern Ontario, and some “metalheads” are even making the trip from southern Ontario, he said.

From his involvement in the local metal scene and the Sudmetal.ca forums, he is able to keep up with what his audience is most interested in.

“I’ve always got an ear to the ground,” Howitt said.

Since its beginning, Archaic North Entertainment has evolved. Putting on fewer shows than before, Howitt has more time to focus on the label, and his own band.

The label was born when Wolven Ancestry needed to release its first album in 2006. “We needed to put this album out, so we decided to put it out ourselves.”

Now, Toronto’s Strings of Ares and North Bay’s Empyrean Plague are also signed to the label.

Wolven Ancestry has already toured extensively throughout Canada and the northern United States, and are planning to do more in the near future. “We’ve played with some of the biggest bands in the business,” he said.

In July, the band will co-headline the 20th annual Michigan Deathfest.

“It’s really an honour for us to be co-headlining that show.”

Howitt's band will join 3 Inches of Blood on stage May 14, along with Goatwhore, Hallows Die and Catharcyst.
Tickets are $15 in advance at Records on Wheels, Rock Topic or [email protected]. Tickets will be $20 at the door.