One of the highlights of our adventures in the Finnish Autumn/Winter season, was most definitely the 3rd edition of Black Box Mikkeli, with on the 2nd day a celebration of Finnish metal with Lastout, I Am Your God, Balance Breach, Insomnium, the foreign black metal storm that is Gaerea, and of course an amazing set by Bloodred Hourglass, bringing their latest album in full!

Besides starting the new year properly looking to the future, this month we’re also still looking back at all the awesomeness that 2023 brought us. One of those awsome things was the already 3rd edition of the by Bloodred Hourglass curated festival Black Box Mikkeli. They were able to bring a killer line-up again on the 2nd day of their event with besides a fantastic show by themselves, Insomnium, Gaerea, Balance Breach, I Am Your God and Lastout!

Modern rock/metal outfit Smash Into Pieces are aiming straight for 2024 with new single ‘Trigger’ from their upcoming full-length album ‘GHOST CODE’, set for release in April!

Best Of 2023 Tom VM

Our Benelux and France head of accreditation and most active photographer in that region, Tom VM, made his own selection of favorite pictures he took in 2023, including some new stuff that wasn’t shared on our site before with Biohazard, Bleed From Within, Brutal Sphincter, Brutus, Electric Callboy, Michael Schenker Group, Sepultura, Arion, Blackrain, Overdrivers, Avatar, Winery Dogs, Charlotte Wessels, Devin Townsend, Dream Theater, Extreme, Ghost, Michael Angelo Batio, Arch Enemy, Doodseskader, Halestorm, I Prevail, Powerwolf and SKYND!

German metal outfit Any Given Day share a western inspired music video by the Schillo Brothers, for the new single ‘Come Whatever May’. Another track from the upcoming album ‘Limitless’, set for release on January 26 via Arising Empire!

German modern metal outfit Venues released their brand-new single ‘Radiate Me’ via Arising Empire, a very personal track to vocalist Robin and a fuck you to cancer.

Lord of the Lost wrapped up their year with a mini tour in Finland, that ended with a sold out gig at Olympia-kortteli in Tampere, with as support Rain Diary and Gothminister. An event by TuskaLive and Grey Beard Concerts & Management that served as the perfect last show in 2023 for our photographer!

French metal collective No Terror in the Bang revealed the new track ‘Retch’ from their upcoming album ‘Heal’, set for release next month via Klonosphere Records/Season of Mist!