KEN Mode and Kowloon Walled City teamed up for a benefit split via Wordclock Records that covers a range of songs by the metal band Shallow North Dakota. The proceeds from the project will go to help Shallow North Dakota member, Tony Jacome, who recently was tragically diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer on January 6, 2021.

The Ontario-based Shallow North Dakota was formed in 1993. Although largely popular amongst the Canadian metal scene, they have received the praise of fellow heavy metal musicians like KEN Mode and Kowloon Walled City.

For this split, both bands joined forces for “Burly Bearded Man,” a previously unreleased track from Shallow North Dakota that had been recorded during their studio sessions for 2003’s Mod Wheel. KEN Mode contributed Shallow North Dakota song “Outside Dakota/Six Foot Foam Lover,” while Kowloon Walled City released their cover of “The Milkman,” which had actually been recorded 10 years prior to this split in 2011.

Listen to the KEN Mode and Kowloon Walled City on the previously unreleased “Burly Bearded Man” from Bandcamp here:

On the split, KEN Mode commented, “This whole record is one big fundraiser. We’re releasing it on bandcamp to start, with LP pre-orders and digital, and it’ll be available on various other streaming services next week. Think of it as the sickest, heaviest GoFundMe you’ve ever seen. The cause is heartbreaking and sucks, but we were stoked to be able to mobilize and try to do something under the circumstances.”

Jacome has a GoFundMe set up where fans can donate to help him in his battle with pancreatic cancer. The fundraiser is well over halfway to its end goal of $75,000. On Bandcamp, the bands write, “We immediately put together this split to raise money for Tony and his family, and to show our love for one of our favorite bands. You got this, Tony.”