Photo Reports

On Saturday November 22nd, the cozy Crossover Music Pub in Ghent transformed into a buzzing rock haven as BTL—formerly known as Beyond The Labyrinth—unveiled their brand-new album in style. Fans old and new packed the venue, eager to hear what the rebranded band had been cooking up.

The evening kicked off with a fiery set by the Belgian garage rock outfit tannen baines tree, whose show primed the crowd perfectly for what was to come. Once BTL took the stage, they wasted no time diving into a full live rendition of their new album, treating attendees to every track in one impressive sweep.

Of course, the band also sprinkled in some surprises. Their cover of Judas Priest’s classic “Breaking the Law” had the whole room shouting along—an almost obligatory nod considering their new initials 🙂 .

One of the night’s standout moments came during the final song, “Midnight Madness.” The lady starring in the track’s video clip was present and stepped on stage to join the performance, adding an extra spark and giving fans a rare live glimpse of the collaboration.

Throughout the show, frontman Johan Lotigiers kept spirits high—not just with his powerful vocals, but with his trademark dad jokes sprinkled between songs. His warm humor helped create the intimate, friendly vibe that made the entire night feel like a celebration among friends.

All in all, the album presentation was one big party. BTL proved they’re stepping into their new era with confidence, creativity, and plenty of rock ’n’ roll joy!

This past September, we caught two of Finland’s most promising modern heavy acts: Luna Kills and Balance Breach, as they took over Kuudes Linja in Helsinki. Both bands have been steadily gaining momentum, each carving out their own corner of Finland’s alternative scene with sharp songwriting, emotional intensity, and live shows that keep raising the bar.

Luna Kills brought their dark, dynamic alt-rock forward with confidence and charisma, while Balance Breach delivered a tight, high-energy performance that proved exactly why they’re becoming one of the most exciting metalcore names in the country.

Check out our pictures that capture the raw potential, the rising popularity, and the electric atmosphere of a night that showed just how ready these bands are for bigger stages. Dive in and relive the show.

Battle Beast played their so far biggest ever headline show at Nokia Arena in Tampere on the 21.11.2025 together with support act Dynazty. A visually absolutely stunning show of over two hours played in front of over 5000 happy fans.

On a frosty November night in Stuttgart, the legendary LKA Longhorn was set ablaze by the genre-defying energy of SKINDRED, the Welsh pioneers of Reggae Metal. Touring Europe in support of their acclaimed album ‘Smile’ (which hit no. 2 on the UK charts) SKINDRED brought their signature fusion of metal, ska, hip-hop, and punk to a crowd hungry for heat and rhythm.

The evening kicked off with SICKRET, the Nu-Metal quartet from Switzerland. Despite delivering a tight and compelling set, their early start—well ahead of the official showtime—meant much of the audience missed their performance. It was an unfortunate scheduling misstep for a band that deserved a fuller house.

Next up, ALIEN ANT FARM took the stage and immediately dialed up the intensity. Known for their technical precision and infectious energy, the Californian four-piece— best known for their cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”—had the crowd bouncing in no time. Their set was a whirlwind of crunchy riffs and dynamic stage presence, perfectly priming the audience for what was to come.

Then came the main event. SKINDRED, fronted by the charismatic Benji Webbe, transformed the venue into a pulsating vortex of sound and movement. Flanked by Mikey Demus on guitar, Daniel Pugsley on bass, Arya Goggin on drums, and Dan Sturgess handling DJ and sampling duties, the band delivered a performance that was equal parts theatrical and visceral. Benji, ever the showman, commanded the crowd with effortless authority. Whether calling for circle pits, dance breaks, or synchronized jumping, the audience obeyed with fervor. His wardrobe changes and layered personality added flair to an already feverish atmosphere. The synergy between band and crowd was undeniable—this wasn’t just a concert, it was a communal eruption.

As the final notes rang out and the crowd roared in approval, it was clear: Skindred knows how to close a night with fire, even when the temperatures outside are freezing.

On 20 November 2025, Norwegian prog visionaries Leprous brought their almost-wrapped up European Tour to Antwerp.

One of the evening’s standout moments was the band’s performance of their newly released a-ha cover, “Take On Me.” The track, recorded earlier in the year during their North American tour, originated from their appearance on Musora’s On the Spot series—where artists are challenged to learn and record a cover song blindly, within just a few hours. The Leprous rendition quickly became a fan favorite and was later released as a digital single, making its live performance a particularly special treat.

Fans were highly interactive throughout the night, with one audience member loudly requesting “White”—a deep-cut favorite. The band, however, kept to their planned setlist and did not include the song.

The evening’s support came from Gåte, whose Nordic folk rock energy set an atmospheric tone for the night. Unfortunately, many attendees—including us—missed the promising Finnish opening act Royal Sorrow, due to exceptional heavy traffic that reportedly caused delays of up to two hours.

Antwerp, 12 November 2025 — Electric Callboy returned to Antwerp with a show that proved once again why they have become one of Europe’s most entertaining live acts. Their evolution toward a more techno-driven sound may have taken them a bit away from their metalcore/electronicore beginnings, but the energy they brought to the stage made it impossible for the crowd to stand still. With strobe-heavy drops and their trademark hyperactive chaos, the band transformed the venue into a full-blown rave.

Fortunately for fans craving a dose of pure heaviness, the main support Bury Tomorrow delivered exactly that. The British metalcore veterans fired on all cylinders, offering crushing riffs and the kind of pit-igniting breakdowns that reminded everyone what modern metalcore can still be at its best. Their set balanced the night perfectly—melody and muscle before Electric Callboy’s neon-colored madness.

The evening kicked off with Wargasm.

As part of their European tour in support of ‘Utopie’, Aephanemer brought their melodic death metal vision to On The Rocks in Helsinki, delivering a set that balanced precision, melody, and momentum. The club setting allowed the band’s sweeping leads and tightly woven arrangements to hit with extra clarity, pulling the crowd fully into their world.

With Dark Oath and Valhalore rounding out the lineup, the evening offered a varied journey through modern metal from dark intensity to epic flair, all bound together by a shared sense of drive and purpose.

For their 25th band anniversary, SALTRATIO MORTIS embarked on a grand jubilee tour through the German-speaking regions of Europe. The tour offered everything that SALTATIO MORTIS and medieval folk rock stand for: elaborate stage designs, dance performances, pyrotechnics, and fire in abundance. We were able to photographically document the penultimate concert and the actual tour finale in Ludwigsburg.

For this very special tour, SALTATIO MORTIS, led by singer Jörg ‘Alea Saltatio’ Roth, came up with a unique gag: they acted as their own support band under the name BAD LOVERZ. Dressed in 1980s hair and glam rock outfits complete with wigs, they performed and reinterpreted rock songs from the 80s. Nothing was safe from their tongue‑in‑cheek self‑parody, with a repertoire ranging from ROXETTE (‘You Got The Look’) to BON JOVI (‘Livin’ On A Prayer’).

Afterwards, the band took the stage as themselves and presented a cross‑section of their work spanning two and a half decades. The spectacular stage designs and fire show thrilled the audience in the nearly sold‑out venue. Instead of the usual crowd surfing in a dinghy, singer Alea was carried over the crowd in an inflatable Viking boat, turning it into a truly wild rodeo ride. On top of that came the crew’s pranks (as is customary at a tour finale), including a raffle of German Schlager songs instead of long‑unplayed titles and funny elf costumes.

SALTATIO MORTIS impressively proved that they belong among the greats of this genre — and that they can also laugh at themselves.

Bloodred Hourglass are currently on their ‘We Should Be Buried Like This‘ tour around Finland and came around to Tampere’s Tavara-Asema on November 13. Together with Luna Kills and Shereign they delivered a sweaty hot show that kept fists up in the air and hairs flying.

V’s Metal Fest: A Promising First Edition With Room to Grow

The very first edition of V’s Metal Fest, organised by V’s Metal Media, took place recently—an ambitious debut that brought together 10 metal bands, nine of them hailing from Belgium. The sole foreign act, ArseA from Italy, flew in only a few hours before their set. Despite a warm welcome, the band had its share of challenges: sound issues persisted throughout their performance despite the sound engineer’s best efforts. Their singer, attempting to address the crowd in French, enthusiastically shouted “Bonsoir, Bruxelles!”—a charming and innocent (double) mistake that drew some smiles from the audience.

While the musical lineup was strong, turnout unfortunately wasn’t. Only a modest number of metal fans made it to the venue, a tough blow for an organiser launching a brand-new festival. With their own merch and even their own festival beer (we tried it, and we liked it!), V’s Metal Media clearly invested both passion and resources into the event. Hopefully, they’ll find channels to sell the remaining stock and soften the financial impact.

One thing became clear: 10 bands in a single-day festival might be a bit much, both for organisers and attendees. The schedule stretched from 13:40 all the way to 03:00, and by midnight most of the audience had already left. Even we didn’t make it to the end and missed the final two performances—fingers crossed there were still people present for those closing sets, assuming they played as planned.

Despite the challenges, V’s Metal Fest showed heart, dedication, and the kind of underground spirit that keeps the metal scene alive. We sincerely hope V’s Metal Media bounces back, learns from this first tough edition, and returns next year with an even stronger festival—and a bigger crowd. After all, every major event started small. The key is surviving that first edition.

Here’s hoping for V’s Metal Fest 2.0—louder, stronger, and packed with fans. Fingers crossed!