A few days into the new year 2016 it feels necessary to put in a few words on the passed fantastic year 2015 of heavy metal and hard rock stemming from the metalsouth region. Numerous good albums have been released and highly effectful gigs are still fresh in memory.

Albums we would like to give honorable mentions to are 3 albums related to the metalsouth region, 1 album related to the northern part of Sweden and 2 US origin albums. Please, find the listing below first and foremost as highly recommended listenings and not as a serious attempt to make technical-or classifying analysis. It’s all about the feelings, but one album still, we feel, with a little stronger sense!!

The Sword, High Country, US (Razor & Tie Recordings LLC, 2015).

The Sword has become us very warm at heart since the gig at KB, Malmö, together with Black Temple. The albums still grows by each listening.

Clutch, Psychic Warfare, US (Weathermaker Music LLC, 2015).

The album is highly listed in most Swedish Metal press and even the highest in some. The only pain is connected to our missing out of their tour passing by Copenhagen and Gothenburg. We hope for another chance towards the summer.

Refused, Freedom, SE (Epitaph Europe, 2015).

Swedish hardcore from Umeå. The album is an absolute must and the variation from song to song creates curiosity and the moment of surprises are many. A top album, which makes us book their coming gig at KB, Malmö, on Feb.26, 2016.

Hatesphere, New Hell, DK (Massacre-records, 2015).

A really close an great encounter when supporting Soilwork at KB, Malmö. The album gives us joy and a wish to go back in the bands career. A great live band with many humorous connections to the audience.

Soilwork, The Ride Majestic, SE (Nuclear Blast Records, 2015). Fantastic and goes without saying another masterpiece from band with roots in Helsingborg, Glumslöv and Landskrona (can it be more metalsouth…?). Earlier mentioned the great gig at KB, Malmö, together with T.A.N.K. (FR) and Hatespere (DK).

Black Temple, It All Ends, SE (Razzia Notes, Century Media, 2015).

Last, but not least in our listing comes this phenomenal first album under the Black Temple name. The band has successfully toured heavily with The Sword and Swedish metal giants In Flames. Both events are covered at this blog.

We have during 2015 seen great concerts like AC DC at Friends arena, The Sword, Soilwork, Black Temple, Hatesphere and T.A.N.K. at KB Malmö. Danko Jones was angry at The Tivoli, Helsingborg, for the closing down of the club. Devil You Know, Papa Roach and Five Finger Death Punch played at the Tap 1 in Copenhagen, the same evening as the Snow Ball Xmas Beer introduction.

‘It’s all about the feelings’ and strong feelings we have from this year, but we would like to put forward Black Temple as the ‘hardest working band of 2015’, with its roots in this region and with the ‘best album of the year’, ‘It All Ends’. By this we would like to see the band at more occasions and at festivals coming up during 2016. We take the opportunity to congratulate Black Temple of taking part at the ‘MetalTown 2016 Indoors festival’ on March 12, 2016, at Trädgår’n in Gothenburg!! 2016 has all the great possibilities to be a great heavy metal year!!