Howdytoons – Spectral Nights Jr’s absolute favourite band in the whole wide world – have shared ‘Smilodon’, a song that features on the Toronto band’s debut full-length album ‘Megafauna Metal’. Written by Mike Whitla and his son Jake, the riff-laden song provides an insight into what it must have been like to be one of these fearsome felines.

Opening with a touch of Black Sabbath-style intensity before some chunky riffs come crashing in, the Smilodon offers a warning: ‘Watch out, I’m on the trail to hunt you down. My paws have got the claws to cut you round’. Things then just get heavier from there with old school metal songs and a seething anger shining through amidst Mastodon-meets-Battlesnake guitar work: ‘What’s my name? Sabre-tooth. What’s my name? Sabre-toothed tiger. What’s my name? Sabre-toothed cat. No, you’ve got it wrong. My name is Smilodon, beautiful Smilodon’.

The album itself features guest appearances from drummer Marco Minnemann (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai), bassist Billy Sheehan (David Lee Roth) and Protest the Hero’s Rody Walker. All this, and the words are scientifically accurate.

As we said above, our son has these songs on a loop. Whether you have kids or not, you’re sure to have a roar-some time with Howdytoons.