Photo Reports

Long-standing Swedish rock band Thundermother released their new album ‘Dirty & Divine’ recently, and kicked off an extensive tour to celebrate and bring the release to their fans all over Europe! The first leg of the tour brought them to Im Wizemann in Stuttgart, Germany for a night of great rockin’ out. The ladies of Thundermother gathered some of the best of the feminine side of the heavy metal and hard rock scene with Cobra Spell and Vulvarine for support, and we saw it was good!

Funeral Dress, a Belgian punk band formed in 1985, celebrating their 40th anniversary with a final tour after releasing their last album, ‘Goodbye?’. The album release concert featured two opening acts: Luna en De Maanstenen, a promising young punk band, and Belgian Asociality, another established punk band known for their humorous and energetic performances. Belgian Asociality had a setlist that included songs like “Bompa Punk”, “Boerderie” and “Morregen”. Funeral Dress delivered a high-energy set, including songs like “Punk’s back in Town”, “Death and Glory”, and “Party On”. The band’s performance was emotional, ending with “Goodbye,” marking the beginning of the end of their 40-year career.

If you’re in search for a good time, you can never go wrong with Turmion Kätilöt. Together with King Satan they turned Tampere’s Tavara-Asema into a sold-out, steaming hot party last Saturday.

The set list included several songs with additional vocals from Netta Turunen as well as one song in English, ‘Faster Than God‘. And of course also some of their most famous songs like ‘Vihko‘ and ‘Sikiö‘.

There were no shortcomings on that gig, if anything some fans might have had a little too much fun.

A couple of weekends ago it was heavy/power metal night in De Kreun, Kortrijk.

The Canadian power metal band Unleash the Archers is travelling through Europe with their “Phantoma tour”, and they are supported by compatriots Striker and Seven Kingdoms from Florida! A very nice lineup that resulted in a very successful evening for fans of the genre!

Tampere got an extra special Valentine’s Day gift in the form of Marko Hietala who played in front of an absolutely packed Olympia-Kortelli. As a special guest he brought along Noora Louhimo from Battle Beast who joined on several songs and exclusively on the Tampere show JP Leppäluoto also with a guest appearance during the song ‘Two Soldiers‘.

In addition to songs both from Marko‘s recent album ‘Roses from the Deep‘ and his previous album, there was also a medley of Nightwish songs as well as a medley of Tarot songs. These medleys were especially well received by the fans and brought on a lot of nostalgia.

On a cold February day with a lot of rain, there were long lines in front of the LKA Longhorn. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE were guests on their ‘Touring the End of the World’ tour in Stuttgart. They brought along the Toronto based Canadian deathcore band BRAND OF SACRIFICE and the ensemble FIT FOR A KING from Texas.

BRAND OF SACRIFICE started the show, and with their deathcore, they were significantly harder and rougher than the other two bands. This did not dampen the mood at the LKA. The venue was almost completely filled right from the start. Singer KYLE ANDERSON had an easy time engaging the audience, even though the performance had to take place in rather dark conditions. The lighting engineer either didn’t feel like working or missed the bus and arrived late. However, the sound made up for it.

The heavily made-up and conspicuously dressed audience then enjoyed the performance of FIT FOR A KING. FFAK‘s long-standing stage experience was evident. Synchronized jumps by the bassist and guitarist, a well-prepared singer with a fabulous voice, and his screams gave everyone goosebumps. The transitions between growls and melodic singing passages were seamless. It was a successful performance that the audience enthusiastically appreciated.

The headliner, surely the reason this concert sold out within a few hours, then showed what a perfect show is. MOTIONLESS IN WHITE brought their US stage production to Germany for the first time, according to singer CHRIS MOTIONLESS. The venue was almost too small for the three huge LED screens at the back and the number of light towers on the stage’s right and left sides. Additionally, there were four dancers who repeatedly performed fitting dance routines on stage in changing outfits, ranging from werewolf to steampunk to classic evening dress. CHRIS, in a long dark coat, was the conductor, and the audience followed him willingly and confidently in every passage. Each of the 17 songs, from a set list covering the whole span of their 20-year-long band history, was celebrated frenetically. It was an absolutely perfectly choreographed US stage production in a club location. It was probably one of the last times to see the five guys from Pennsylvania so close and in this special club atmosphere.

They skipped the obligatory break before encores and performed the concert in one go. Thus, a candidate for the concert of the year was delivered early in the year.

Trivium and Bullet for My Valentine on tour together, each playing their 20-year-old breakthrough albums (‘Ascendancy’ and ‘The Poison’) in their entirety. The support act was none other than the rising stars Orbit Culture! Unfortunately they only got half an hour so they couldn’t play a full set, but hey… We shouldn’t want everything, right?

In short, it was another fun night in the Lotto Arena. Those who weren’t there were proven wrong once again!

Getting a show packed on a Wednesday isn’t something everyone can do, but for a group like The Halo Effect no problem. Together with Bloodred Hourglass they brought one heck of a hot show to Tampere’s Tavara-Asema.

I feel like the sound had a little bit too much bass in the mix, at least in some parts of the venue, but the lights were absolutely on point. And all in all it was a great evening with lots of old and new songs.

Eluveitie, Infected Rain and Ad Infinitum all on one evening, that just sounds too good of a deal to pass up. Especially if you’re into female fronted metal.

Although Ad Infinitum hadn’t previously played any shows in Finland except for those on this tour, they still had quite a nice fan base at the show and so Tavara-Asema was already rather crowded by the time that they started playing, and the crowd only got bigger from then on out. If anyone was still sleepy, they certainly got woken up when Infected Rain started playing. They made us sweat. Their show ended with a big bang in the form of a wall of death. Eluveitie felt a little less energetic than the first two bands did, but they were still a lot of fun. I particularly enjoyed ‘The Call of the Mountains‘.

In January, a Grindcore high mass took place in Gentbrugge, The Czech gore grind unit Gutalax visited Belgium on tour accompanied by Birdflesh and Brutal Sphincter. The local support band was Volière. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I missed the performance of the first band Volière.

Brutal Sphincter is a Belgian goregrind band known for their intense live performances and politically charged, satirical lyrics. Their concerts are characterized by high energy, heavy bass lines, and rapid blast beats, often accompanied by crowd surfing and moshing. They have performed at major European festivals such as Hellfest and Alcatraz. The band, known for their mix of humor, political satire, and intense grindcore, lived up to expectations with a show that was both deafening and hilarious. Brutal Sphincter proved once again why they are one of the most talked-about and energetic live acts in the grindcore scene. It was a perfect balance of aggression, humor and social criticism, all wrapped up in a whirlwind of chaos.

Birdflesh is a Swedish grindcore band known for their chaotic and energetic performances. Birdflesh is everything a grindcore band should be — loud, chaotic, and full of energy. But it’s their ability to inject humor and absurdity into their set that elevates them from just another blastbeat-heavy band to something truly unique. They’re not just playing music; they’re creating an experience that leaves you grinning, covered in sweat, and utterly exhausted.

When it comes to a band that can deliver a ferocious, gut-wrenching live show packed with both intensity and a twisted sense of humor, Gutalax is second to none. Known for their over-the-top grindcore and their unapologetic use of scatological themes, the Czech deathgrind act tore through their set, leaving the crowd in a frenzy of moshing, laughter, and pure chaos. There’s also the signature Gutalax humor, which permeated every moment of the show. With their over-the-top lyrics about bodily functions, excrement, and the grotesque, they bring a level of absurdity to grindcore that feels oddly charming. Between songs, they cracked jokes and poked fun at the seriousness of the grindcore scene, keeping the vibe light and absurd. It was grindcore with a sense of humor — and let’s face it, after all the blasting and gnarly growls, a little bit of humor was exactly what the crowd needed. The crowd absolutely loved it. The pit was a whirlwind of activity — from wall-of-death segments to crowdsurfing and moshing. Gutalax fans are some of the most dedicated and wildest in the scene, and it showed during this performance. By the end of the set, the audience was a sweaty, chaotic mess, and Gutalax walked off stage leaving nothing but destruction and a trail of laughter behind.