Photo Reports

Back in April on a very rainy day the gothic-western-blues group Me And That Man led by Nergal, better known from the black metal band Behemoth, flanked by the American rock ‘n’ roll group Frank The Baptist took over the seemingly sold out Korjaamo venue in Helsinki. From all the times I’ve seen Nergal performing with Behemoth with massive stage production and pyro, it was nice to see him playing in an intimate club setting with no barriers, no special stage production, just a band playing rock ‘n’ roll and having fun doing it. This was by far one of the better shows I’ve seen all year, check out the pics down below!

It’s Friday night and the party begins for many young people at the Neue Theaterfabrik in Munich, a beautiful room with friendly people and a very healthy atmosphere. On stage, after nine years and with a much bigger crowd than the first time the band performed in Munich, is the Welsh project Novo Amor. The simplicity and sincerity of the songs is a perfect match for the authors. On stage, there is no cynicism and a complete openness that makes the show authentic and enjoyable to savor. This new European tour is to present their latest album, “Colapse List”, released on the All Points Label this April. The popularity and acceptance of Ali Lacey’s songs seems to be reaching a wider audience, the result of hard work and love for the art he makes. In the midst of so many questions and answers during the show, one doubt remains in my mind: why “Novo Amor”, a Portuguese name that means, “new love”!
It was a beautiful evening and let’s hope it doesn’t take them so long to return to Munich again.

Anneke van Giersbergen, the talented Dutch singer, guitarist and songwriter, has been captivating audiences with her unique blend of rock, metal, and folk music for quite some years. At current, she is on the road exploring new musical territories with her ‘Heavy Strings’ tour in 2024.

While being on stage, her performances are accompanied by string quartet and a piano. In the program, heavy metal and rock classics are interpreted in a new way of semi-classical formats.

Some power ballads are in as well to round up the set-list. Besides her past in metal and speed-metal bands as well as her musical roots in classic and jazz: this approach is not a complete surprise but more like a potentially expectable fusion. The idea was actually already born in 2021 when she performed Metallica’s ‘Nothing else matters’ in a similar arrangement.

Her wide areas of metal genres covering set includes songs like ‘Still Loving You’ (Scorpions), ‘Run To The Hills’ (Iron Maiden), ‘November Rain’ (Guns & Roses), ‘Thunderstruck’ (ACDC) and many more. Probably the most outstanding arrangement is ‘South Of Heaven’ (SLAYER), which was just stunningly amazing. A song you usually would not expect to be arranged like this at all.

With Anneke‘s flawless singing and the ensemble’s performance, each appearance creates an unforgettable experience on stage.

On the 3rd of February Catharsis, Noord and Despite Us performed at Asgaard in an event hosted by Fly Productions.

Despite Us opened the evening. This is a 5 piece Hardcore/Deathcore band straight out of Belgium’s finest shithole, i.e. Menen. The idea is to create hardcore with a dark side. They recorded two singles last year, of which ‘In Cold Blood’ has been released in October. The band includes ex-members of Pisseblomme and For Less and is seen as a promising player in the Hardcore scene. From the first song forward they gave no quarter and and slammed us right to the canvas. The frustrations of the working week were quickly washed away and the energy was immediately restored. It was hard and dirty, but invigorating.

The next band was Noord. Noord is a trio, hailing out of Antwerp. This band brings something different into the world of heavy music. To put Noord in one particular musical box would be dishonoring the band so that we stick to “modern metal”. In September 2023, Noord released their first full album called ‘Cryptosis’. Noord’s sound was intense and the vocalist’s screaming vocals felt natural and helped to make the set even more hard-hitting. As the final chords faded into the night, it was evident that Noord had left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance. With their unique sound, dynamic performance, and undeniable talent, Noord is a band on the rise. The band is recording new material at this moment. On the 25th of May, their new song ‘Pilgrim’ will be released with a bang. Stay tuned…

Then it was Catharsis’ turn. Catharsis is a term from Greek narratology and means emotional purification. through the creation of art or music. Catharsis is a Belgian Death Metal band born in the chaos a global pandemic. They’re scene-veterans hailing from 90’s bands like Death’s bride, Solipsist, Body of Christ & Signs of Cain. Catharis had something to celebrate, namely the long anticpated re-release of their debut EP “I” including 6 extra tracks from the Radio Benelux Durango Session live performance. Catharsis took the stage, delivering a performance that left the audience both stunned and exhilarated. From the moment they launched into their set, it was clear that this was going to be a night to remember. One of the most impressive aspects of Catharsis’s performance was their musicianship. Each member of the band demonstrated incredible skill and precision, executing complex arrangements with ease. But perhaps the most striking element of Catharsis’s performance was their stage presence. The band exuded a commanding presence, commanding the attention of everyone in the room with their intense energy. In the end, Catharsis delivered a performance that was as powerful as it was unforgettable. For fans of Belgian death metal, seeing Catharsis live is an experience not to be missed.

Vended is a band that holds enough promise and intriguing talent that it very much feels like a fresh breath of air for the heavy music scene and one that will keep the future of said scene very strong. While some people might still get stuck on saying that they only got where they are because of nepotism and because of the names of their dads famous for the behemoth that is Slipknot, at last year’s Tuska festival they proved to us that they are definitely their own thing. Yes, Griffin Taylor sounds like a Corey clone, and yes, some of their music and hard-hitting grooves are not unfamiliar, but this is not a mere clone or watered down spin-off of Slipknot. On the contrary, the level of hunger, grittiness and sheer ferocity these 5 dudes from Des Moines, Iowa bring with them reminds us of a band that is ready to take over the world by storm all on their own and individuality, much like the very beginning of said heavy metal icons. And they confirmed this all over again with a raging show at the legendary Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland. And with them, they brought a couple of bands that are much like them building their way up with their own unique take on the heavy music they grew up with: direct support Australian The Gloom In The Corner takes metalcore to spots we haven’t seen it all too often, from time to time even reminding us of the legendary System Of A Down, and with a solid concept and image. And opener Profiler from the UK is part of the nu-metal reawakening that is in full force moving towards becoming one of the more popular genres within the metal scene! A great night that was basically a showcase of where the world of modern metal is heading towards, and we’re all the more pleased with it!

VIERNULVIER was in a frenzy the last weekend of April as the radio station Studio Brussel hosted “De 41 uur van Studio Brussel”, a 41-hour music marathon featuring a lot of concerts to celebrate their birthday. Among the highlights was the sold out metal evening with performances of Crouch, Slow Crush and Amenra.

Crouch, a sludge/post-metal band formed in 2021, kicked off the night with an explosive set. The band’s energy and enthusiasm won over the crowd. Frontman Levy Seynaeve also revealed that the band is working on a new album.

Belgian-British shoegaze band Slow Crush captivated the audience with their dreamy and atmospheric performance. The band’s lush soundscapes and Isa Holliday’s enchanting vocals created a mesmerizing experience. Slow Crush will join Amenra on their upcoming US tour.

Amenra, the Belgian sludge metal legends, took the stage to a packed Concertzaal. The band delivered a powerful and cathartic performance that left the audience spellbound. Frontman Colin van Eeckhout’s impassioned screams and anguished cries perfectly complemented the band’s heavy and atmospheric music. The band’s set was a true testament to their reputation as one of the most intense and captivating live acts in the world.

Studio Brussel’s night of music was a resounding success, with each band delivering a memorable performance that showcased their unique sound and stage presence. The audience was left wanting more, and the bands are sure to have gained many new fans from the night’s events.

Blind Channel is doing very well lately, a headline tour through Europe and then right off to America. Between all this there was not much time for a Finland tour anymore, so to ensure that the Finnish fans weren’t going home empty-handed, they decided to through one massive arena show into the mix. And what better place for that then Tampere’s Nokia Arena. In addition to Blind Channel‘s many guests during their own performance (Samy Elbanna, Behm, Jokratesin and Joona Moilasen a.k.a Good Luck Million) they also brought along two support acts, Lastout and Costee.

While the show wasn’t sold out, they still managed to sell a big portion of tickets (5000 of 6000)

The term ‘Female Fronted’ is currently being used excessively and is slowly turning into a real cliché. What can one say about a concert evening where both the opener and the main act owe their names to their respective legendary female artists, frontwomen, and band leaders?

Whatever it may be, it was definitely a fantastic concert evening.

Elena Rud and her indie-pop from Munich kicked off the evening. The songs, seasoned with a poetic touch, enthralled the audience from the first song.

At exactly 9 p.m., Deine Cousine takes to the stage at ‘Im Wizemann’. Like a storm, Ina Bredehorn and her musicians tear across the stage, captivating the concert audience spanning all age groups from the first note. A crowd well-versed in the lyrics sings along diligently and dances as much as their shoes allow. For a fan, the biggest highlight is always getting on stage and singing a duet with the band, which happened as always.

This evening left no one unhappy as they headed home…

Saturday night in Fort Wayne, IN was the Proving Grounds for a Moshpit and definitely the place to be if you were craving a hard-hitting, high-energy, face-melting concert!

Piere’s was stop number two on The Angels and Villains Tour here in the United States. This tour quickly followed up Attila’s Europe/UK tour. Joining Attila were Born Of Osiris, Traitors, Extortionist and Not Enough Space.

The sun was shining, and it finally felt like spring in the Midwest! Doors open early at 5pm for this tour, but that did not stop fans from coming out and forming a line along the side of the building. Once inside, the house was already packed with wall-to-wall people and the energy was already high, which is one of the big reasons that I absolutely fell in love with the metalcore scene!

All of the opening bands did an absolutely banger of a job getting the crowd rowdy and keeping it that way! There was a constant circle pit and a consistent flow of crowd surfers. 

Attila was the headliner for the evening. The band was formed nearly 20 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia as very young musicians. They have proven to stand the test of time. Current members are Chris Fronzak[vocals], Chris Linck[guitar], Kalan Blehm[bass], and Tyler Kruckmeyer[drums]. The guys kicked off their set with the song “Proving Grounds” and the energy was explosive and non-stop for the entire 12 song setlist! The entire setlist was: Proving Grounds, Three 6, Party With The Devil, Metalcore Manson, Bite Your Tongue, Handshakes With Snakes, Middle Fingers Up, Payback, Moshpit, Timebomb, Cancelled, and closed out with About That Life. Frontman Fronz was very interactive with the crowd, high-fiving, fist bumping and speaking to the fans. At one point, he encouraged a girls only moshpit. Of course, the crowd-surfing from the previous 4 bands continued all the way through Attila, along with quite a bit of stage-diving as well. To sum up this tour, it is an all out party from beginning to end!! There are tons of dates left-go see if there is a stop near your city and get a dose of your extremely high intensity metalcore!

At De Oefenbunker in Landgraaf, The Netherlands, Dear Mother delivered a standout performance that enthralled the venue. This event was part of a special four-show club tour in the Netherlands to promote their latest EP, “Necessary Darkness.” The band, gaining a significant following (partly) due to Merel Bechtold’s past involvement with Delain, Mayan, and Purest of Pain, showcased their musical prowess with a 13-song setlist that included all four tracks from the new EP.

Each song was met with enthusiastic cheers, affirming Dear Mother’s influence and musical depth in the metalcore scene.

The evening was further energized by Finnish band Luna Kills. Marking their first performances outside of Finland, Luna Kills impressed with their unique blend of alternative metal and rock, capturing the attention of many, and adding a memorable layer to the night’s lineup. Their performance was not only a supporting act, but also a significant event that showcased their potential on the international stage.

The intimate environment of De Oefenbunker facilitated a close interaction between the artists and the audience, making the concert a more visceral and engaging experience. This venue, known for supporting emerging talents, proved to be the perfect setting for such dynamic performances.

The collaboration between Dear Mother and Luna Kills exemplified the spirit of unity within the metal community. Both bands left strong impressions, with Dear Mother affirming their place in the hearts of metal fans and Luna Kills setting the stage for future international endeavors. The event not only celebrated Dear Mother’s new EP, but also highlighted the burgeoning talent of Luna Kills, promising exciting developments for both bands in the metal scene.