Poltergeist is a Post-Punk band from the frozen plains of Alberta combining influences of Goth Rock, Traditional Heavy Metal, Coldwave, and Shoegaze. It began as a solo project of Kalen Baker in 2019 while living in a small northern city away from his hometown of Calgary Alberta. Kalen self-recorded two demos that provided a rough template for this mix of genres. He uses a collection of vintage synths, retro recording techniques, and a DIY approach to craft a style that evokes various sounds of the 80s underground. A sound Kalen has dubbed "Bedroom Goth". The music marries the moody dreamscapes of 4AD era Post-Punk with the bombastic intensity of early 80s NWOBHM and a dose of hazy shoegaze. Kalen's hallowed chants soar over cavernous chorused clean guitars that meld with powerful classic metal riffage. It's like if The Chameleons and Iron Maiden got together to make an album produced by Kevin Sheilds.

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In 2021, Poltergeist released Hallucinations in the Catacombs which gained the project a small online fanbase. Cassette copies sold out very quickly showing that there was interest in this style. Kalen then moved back to Calgary and recruited bassist Ben Whitham and guitarist Jacob Ponton to fill out a live lineup. The trio started playing shows and gradually built a local following. In their first year as a live band, Poltergeist played the beloved Calgary festival Sled Island, at which they opened for Sweeping Promises. They also had the opportunity to open for Long Knife and Home Front at Palomino Smokehouse in March of 2023. 

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At the end of 2022, Kalen began recording the debut Poltergeist album in his home studio. The upcoming album will be the first release to feature Ben and Jacob. The album was mixed at Little Red Studios by Felix Fung (Spell, Spectres, Girlfriends & Boyfriends). The album is Poltergeist's most focused and professional-sounding project to date. With much more time spent recording and a sound rounded out by the other members,  the ideas formulated on the earlier demos come into much clearer focus. It is essentially a stadium rock album produced in a bedroom. Poltergeist is set to play Terminus Festival at Dickens Pub in July 2023.