Toronto dinosaur-metal band expands global reach with debut full-length album featuring major names from the rock and metal world
TORONTO — Toronto-based music project Howdytoons, which has amassed more than 1.5 billion YouTube streams and over 50 million Spotify plays through its dinosaur-themed rock catalogue, has released “Smilodon,” the lead single from its debut full-length album, Megafauna Metal.
The release marks a major milestone for the Canadian band, which has evolved from a niche children’s music experiment into an internationally streamed heavy metal project supported by prominent musicians from the global rock scene.
Written by Mike Whitla and his son Jake Whitla, “Smilodon” centres on the prehistoric sabre-toothed predator and combines narrative-driven lyrics with aggressive metal instrumentation. The track opens with the lines: “My eyes are burning bright / I’m the prowler in the night / Listen and you’ll hear my song / Sabertooth tiger, is the Smilodon,” before building into what the band describes as an increasingly intense chase sequence.
Family collaboration drives the latest release
The single also highlights the growing role of Jake Whitla in the songwriting process. According to Mike Whitla, the project represents a creative expansion for the younger musician, who previously focused on jazz performance.
“Smilodon is Jake’s fantastic contribution to this album,” says Mike. “He’s a jazz prodigy now turning his talents to metal – and he relishes this chance to live out his boyhood dream of making rockin’ dinosaur music with his dad.”
The album is the first full-length release connected to the band’s Prehistorica series, which has been co-written since 2017 with guitarist James Reid. The project combines scientifically informed lyrics with animated visual storytelling, positioning itself at the intersection of education and entertainment.
Metal industry veterans contribute to album production
One of the defining features of Megafauna Metal is the involvement of established musicians from the international rock and metal industry.
Marco Minnemann performs across the album
Drummer Marco Minnemann, known for his work with Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Nuno Bettencourt, performs on every track recorded from 2020 onward. Minnemann first became involved with the project during the recording of “Megalodon.”
The album also features bassist Billy Sheehan, recognized for his work with Mr. Big and David Lee Roth’s band, who performs on the track “Mastodon.”
Rody Walker, frontman of Canadian progressive metal band Protest the Hero, contributes vocals to “Quetzalcoatlus.” Walker reportedly discovered Howdytoons while listening to the music with his young son before contacting the band to collaborate.
Sleeping Village Reviews described Walker’s performance as possessing “a certain pedigree,” while adding that “the kinetic songwriting itself sucks you in.”
Album pays tribute to metal influences
The track “Mastodon” serves as a direct homage to the Grammy-winning metal band of the same name. The tribute reflects the band’s broader effort to establish credibility within the heavy metal community while maintaining its dinosaur-focused identity.
That emphasis on authenticity extends beyond the music itself. The band says the lyrics throughout Megafauna Metal are grounded in scientific accuracy, while the accompanying animated visuals were developed in collaboration with Kolkata-based artist Soujoy Kumar Bhowmick.
The project’s creators describe the album as an attempt to present prehistoric natural history through the framework of modern heavy metal.
From solo concept to global streaming success
Howdytoons traces its origins back to 2011, when Mike Whitla released Dinostory: The Ultimate Dinosaur Rock Opera. The project followed a fictional Triceratops character named Terri and gradually expanded into a multi-platform digital brand that now reaches millions of subscribers across several YouTube channels.
Over time, the initiative evolved from a solo recording effort into a collaborative songwriting group involving Mike Whitla, James Reid and Jake Whitla.
The group’s commercial growth reflects the increasing viability of niche music content in digital entertainment markets, particularly within children’s programming and family-oriented streaming media. By combining educational themes with high-production-value rock music, the band has developed a distinct category within online music distribution.
Live debut planned for 2027
The band also confirmed plans for its first live performances in 2027, marking the first time the project’s music will be adapted for the concert stage.
With Megafauna Metal, Howdytoons is positioning itself as more than a novelty act, aiming instead to bridge educational entertainment and mainstream metal performance.
The album’s release represents the band’s most ambitious production to date and underscores the continued expansion of Canadian-created digital music properties into global streaming audiences.