Photo Reports
Blast From The Past is an event that has been catering to those in need of a yearly dose of old school for about a decade now! The Belgian festival manages to put together an impressive line-up filled with old school heavy metal, hard rock and thrash metal bands, some who have been around for decades, some who are much younger but continue to carry the flag of the old school! With this year’s 10th anniversary edition, they yet again killed it with a line-up featuring bands like Angel Witch, Onslaught, Exumer, Vengeance (celebrating their 40th anniversary), Witchfynde, Hitten (back after 10 years), Existance, Steelover, and Toledo Steel! And we saw it was good…
John Smith Rock is one of the best experiences you can get on the level of summer festivals in Finland, you can ask anyone who went about that. So much so, that people don’t want to wait until the next summer for another hit of this great festival. Enter John Smith Rock Frozen, the winter edition of the festival that takes place center Jyväskylä and brings in a pretty epic line-up. After the first night really brought the party with headliners Amaranthe, we made sure to be at the second night with a mostly Finnish line-up featuring Red Eleven, Kiuas, Finntroll, Turmion Kätilöt and headliners Amorphis, and the popular Swedish metal machine on the rise Orbit Culture!
Close to the end of the year 2023 there was an event that has left headbangers around the world in ecstatic anticipation—the Fear Factory ‘DisrupTour 2023’. This monumental tour brings together a powerhouse lineup featuring the ferocious Butcher Babies, Ignea and Ghosts of Atlantis. As these bands join forces, they promise to deliver an unforgettable experience for metal enthusiasts, showcasing a diverse range of styles within the genre.
The opening act, Ghosts of Atlantis, brings a dose of mystique and theatricality to the start of the night. The British symphonic metal outfit, known for their atmospheric soundscapes and conceptual storytelling, takes the audience on a journey through the enigmatic depths of their musical universe.
As the night unfolds, the Ukrainian metal sensation Ignea takes the spotlight, introducing a symphonic and melodic facet to the tour. Fusing elements of metal, electronic, and symphonic influences, Ignea creates a sonic landscape that is both ethereal and heavy. The tour provides Ignea with the opportunity to showcase their latest material, including tracks from their acclaimed album ‘The Realms of Fire and Death’.
Kicking off the night with unbridled intensity, the Butcher Babies are known for their explosive stage presence and unapologetic, in-your-face attitude. The blend of groove metal and metalcore, fronted by Heidi Shepherd (Carla Harvey wasn’t performing due to health issues), commands attention from the get-go. Fans can expect a visceral and high-energy performance as Butcher Babies set the stage ablaze, leaving no doubt as to why they are hailed as one of the genre’s most formidable live acts.
Culminating the night is the headlining act, the industrial metal pioneers Fear Factory. With a career spanning decades and an influential discography that has left an indelible mark on the metal landscape, Fear Factory is set to remind fans why they are considered legends in the genre. The setlist that spans the whole timespan of their illustrious career.
Wednesday night at The Clyde Theatre in Fort Wayne, Indiana was definitely NOT a Nightmare or a cause for Panic for fans anxiously waiting to catch a stop on the Blackout Tour with From Ashes to New, The Word Alive, Catch Your Breath and Ekoh! The Clyde Theatre is a beautiful venue located near downtown, and it is owned by Sweetwater. The theater originally opened in 1951. In 2017 and 2018 it underwent major renovations and is a gorgeous venue with state-of-the-art sound and lights.
A decent crowd had gathered at the front of the stage for the opening hip-hop act, Ekoh. Joining him on stage were a drummer and a DJ. They undoubtedly did a great job at hyping up the crowd!
Catch Your Breath was up next! The 4 piece hard rock band is based out of Austin, Texas. Gaining popularity on the Sirius radio station Octane, the band played several hits including Dial Tone, 21 Gun Salute and Shame on Me. The energy in the room was certainly ramping up as crowd-surfing started to kick in during their set! Keep your eye on this band, I can absolutely see big things for them!
Things really started to heat up with the help of metalcore band The Word Alive! Originating in Phoenix, Arizona, this is a band that not only rocks but knows how to get the crowd to come alive, no pun intended! They have been on the scene since 2008 and current band members are Tyler Smith [vocals], Zack Hanson [guitar], Daniel Nelson [drums], and Jose DelRio [guitar]. Waves of crowd surfers were coming over the rail almost as soon as the first riff was played. A pit was also formed and remained steady throughout their set. They played hits such as Strange Love, Thank you, One of Us and New Reality. The Word Alive more than got the crowd ready for headliners From Ashes to New!
From Ashes to New knows how to put on a show, hands down, every time! The rock band was founded in small town America, Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 2013. Founding member and vocalist, Matt Brandyberry has overcome many obstacles in life and with the band, but I think they have settled into a solid unit with Danny Case [vocals], Lance Dowdle [guitar], Mat Madiro [drums] and Jimmy Bennett [touring guitarist]. The crowd-surfing and the pit continued on through the evening, with 700 fans screaming every word! Hit songs such as Armageddon, Broken, Monster In Me, Scars That I’m Hiding, Heartache, Panic and Nightmare were played. An encore of Maria Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You and the band’s hit Through It All were also played. Both Matt B and Danny spoke words of inspiration and appreciation to their fans, who they consider family.
I look forward to seeing what all 4 of these talented acts continue to accomplish in the near future! This tour stop was a blast and one of my favorites to date!
On August 25th, Asgaard‘s new season kicked off with a metalcore/deathcore event in collaboration with Return Bookings. Signs of the Swarm dropped by on their “Amongst the Low & Empty” album tour with supporting acts Mental Cruelty, When Plagues Collide, Knives To A Gunfight and Subvergence. The evening was kicked off by Subvergence (the performance unfortunately missed due to circumstances), after which “house band” Knives To A Gunfight kicked some ass. This band has been on stage several times in Asgaard. The band delivered as always, playing a very tight set. Then When Plagues Collide set the venue on fire. The band put themselves on the map with their album ‘An Unbiblical Paradigm’ and has everything to establish itself as one of the top bands in the scene, even outside Europe. What an energy and what a performance. For me, the discovery of the night.
Next up in line, Mental Cruelty. They played songs from their recent record ‘Zwielicht’, released in June. With their compelling blackened deathcore, they provided a moment of peace after the energetic deathcore rollercoaster that had already raged over us. The charismatic Lucas mesmerised the crowd and took them on a trip to hell and damnation.
The last performance was the headliner Signs Of The Swarm. This was the only stop in Belgium to present their latest album, “Amongst the Low & Empty”. It was the first time I saw them live, and I certainly hope to see them at work even more. It was spot on! The audience ate out of their hands, even though they were beaten to a nub by the devastating riffs and breakdowns. It won’t be long before they become one of the big names in the genre. They still have got a lot of room to grow.
On a cold night in Munich, we went to the small but very interesting Strom nightclub in the city centre. Here, the bands are hand-picked and the concerts are intense, as there’s the chance to see top-level bands literally in front of your eyes in an intimate setting. After several postponements, we finally got the chance to see Deathstars live and in colour, at a sold-out show that many people didn’t have the opportunity to attend due to the venue size.
Opening this Swedish night, the Liv Sin, classic heavy metal/hard rock songs on parade, they are a mature and experienced band, but this didn’t seem to convince the audience very much. Their short 30-minute set was enough to prove themselves and win them some new followers in Munich.
It was a complete surprise for me, the second project on stage, and I didn’t expect something so strange and enjoyable at the same time. Priest are a very interesting project and their stage presence disturbs some audiences, probably because they wear black masks associated with sexual fetishes. My companion in the front row always felt very uncomfortable and afraid to directly confront “Mercury”, the band leader, who wanders around the stage and among the audience, wanting to interact and create emotions in those present. The electro/pop songs date back to the 80s and are enchanting in their composition. It’s worth noting that this project has some big names in world rock, “Mercury” as well as “Salt” were part of Ghost, who are now recognized worldwide. The concert may not remain etched in the band’s memory, but it certainly did in mine. I didn’t know the project, but I became familiar with it, and I hope to be able to see it again as soon as possible under more favourable conditions for the band.
The long-awaited moment of the night left the audience in ecstasy! The Deathstars are very popular in Germany, especially in Munich, and bassist “Skinny Disco” is keen to say so. At last, the band was able to present their latest work “Everything Destroys You” live in front of their loyal audience. Just over an hour was enough to show that they are one of the best industrial rock/metal bands around. My hat’s off to “Whiplasher Bernadotte” and mates for this show, they’re huge and seeing them on stage is a huge privilege.
To celebrate their 20th anniversary Poets of the Fall went on tour through Europe and we caught them on their last stop in Tampere, at the Pakkahuone venue on 01.12.23 and went on an emotional journey through the history of the band with them. The band seemed to have a great time, and so did we.
November in Finland is a dark and melancholic place, so what better thing to do than to dive even deeper into the darkness and celebrate the melancholy in all its glory with some delicious live acts.
Both shows, Tampere and Helsinki, were completely sold out and for good reasons with a stellar line-up like this one, featuring SepticFlesh, …and Oceans, Vorna, Assemble the Chariots and Voidfallen!
Apocalyptica are currently in the middle of their ‘Matka Mieleen – Kaamoksen Sellot’ church tour, where they play some of their instrumental songs in re-arranged versions throughout some of Finland’s major cites.
The beautifully arranged songs in combination with the atmosphere of the church being painted in light made for a perfect evening that I won’t forget anytime soon.
Last time I saw Smash Into Pieces in action, was when they dropped by in Helsinki as support for Hardcore Superstar back in 2018. In the meantime, they’ve released quite some more music, and have only gained in popularity. Remembering their show being super energetic and entertaining, I was really looking forward to see how much they’ve come to grow over the past half a decade. As support, the modern metallers of Cyhra came over from Sweden to worm up the crowd properly!
