On July 1, 2022, Swedish thrash metal band Darkane (Helsingborg/Landskrona/metalsouth region) entered the scene in ‘Grytan’ (‘The Pot’) at 9:40 p.m. as a part of the Helsingborg city festival, HX. Light rain and we were so lucky to be there and to experience this fantastic gig.
On June 24, 2022, Darkane released a new album ‘Inhuman Spirits’ (Massacre Records,2022), which is their first studio album in 9 years. When we back on December 3, 2016, were lucky to have tickets for Peter Wildoer’s and Christopher Malmström’s metal clinic at Dunkers in Helsingborg the question to them both was natural. Is Darkane working on a new album? The answer also from them both was quite mysterious, but created a positive sense, which the crowd collectively applauded. Something was definitely going on. Time flew and fans patiently waited and started to question a release. Was this the album, which never was meant to be produced? The waiting was rewarded, since it’s tremendously inhumanly strong.
The album speaks for itself and its totally recommended, as being on the highest metal level. To listen to the album the vinyl way ‘side by side/track by track’ is, of course, the recommended way, but for the streaming listener tracks like ‘Inhuman Sprits, The Quintessence Of Evil and A Spiral To Nothing’ are great to warm up the speakers with.
Please, let us pay back to the band (Peter Wildoer/drums, Christopher Malmström/guitars, Lawrence Mackrory/vocals, Jörgen Löfberg/bass and Klas Ideberg/guitars) by posting some happy impressions below from the intense event in the Pot.
Family gathering surprise
Former band members and singers Andreas Sydow (1999-2007) and Jens Broman (2007-2011) were welcomed up on stage by Lawrence by the words: ‘Well, Darkane has been doing this for 24 years now (formed in 1998) and it’s time to welcome up former singers and Darkane family members Andreas and Jens’. The ‘Chaos vs Order’ performance was magical!
Must have’s in vinyl collection
In order to not only recommend the purchasing of any Darkane vinyl you can get your hands on also tempting by posting these extremely good cover art works. The albums are all worth to listen to, but covers may also be put in vinyl frames, e.g. the show and listen type.
From own collection: Inhuman Spritis (Massacre Record, 2022), Rusted Angel (Massacre Records, 1998/2022), Insanity (Massacre Records, 2001/2022)From own collection: Inhuman Sprits (Massacre Records, 2022).
On vinyl in own collection: Sagor (The Sign Records, 2020, repressing), Äppelträdet (The Sign Records, 2018, repressing ) and Eorpe (Fuzzorama Records, 2018)
Being big supporters of Skraeckoedlan from Norrköping, SE, we have followed via social media their documented successful touring in Europe lately and have with longing eyes waited for an announcement of concert dates within geographical reach, like Helsingborg or Malmö. Happily we can now see on their Instagram account that Skraeckoedlan seems to enter into the metalsouth region on Dec. 2, 2021, at Plan B in Malmö before moving on to Denmark. We are now desperately trying to find out when and where tickets are released. But definitely – if Skraekoedlan is on the way to Malmö – we will be there waiting.
To classify bands and the style of music they play is alway hard and sometimes bands are unique in sound and performance and is not really possible to classify. To guide new listeners of the fabulous music of Skraeckoedlan we discussed a phrasing when preparing this post, but were helped by the band itself on Instagram with an urgin: “Tag your favorite psychedelic stoner/doom band that sings in Swedish and have a band name you can’t pronounce, and see if they reply.”
The Skraeckoedlan sound is their own and is very characteristic, but to make a comparison and some guidance we have to mention bands with sounds like Clutch, Kyuss and the more local Skånska Mord, i.e. with stoner influences.
The band was formed in 2009 in Norrköping, SE, and are: Robert Lamu, Henrik Grüttner, Martin Larsson and Erik Berggren. We take the opportunity to also pay tribute to fantastic artwork and design on the vinyl covers by Johan Leion (www.johanleion.com). (source: vinyl covers in picture above and Wikipedia)
We cannot think of a better re-start of going to a live concert now when corona restrictions in Sweden have been repealed. And wouldn’t it be great to post a few great pictures from the gig. That’s the plan at Plan B and very welcome here with your great riffs and hard hitting drums!!
Kraftwerk – ‘Special Pressing For Airplay Only, Not for sale’
We are happy to celebrate the passing of 400 titles available of used (mainly) and new vinyl records (LP/EP) for sale at the metalsouth Discogs store. The celebration activities are to enter a couple of used rarities for sale, which are visualized in this post. They are grouped as Kraftwerk (a unique copy), The Who-, Non-Swedish-and Swedish titles.
We keep going and the goal is to have a 500 title base range of good quality records at VG to VG+, clean with good condition covers and inner sleeves. Some newly pressed and unplayed, i.e. in mint condition, are also available. Packaging and shipping is normally done to the next pickup working day. Order, offer and payment run through Discogs. Shipping is paid by the buyer (up to total orders of 950 SEK, thereafter free shipping), but arranged by us as sellers (right now with Postnord). Packaging is done in special record cardboard boxes with an inner-and outer compartment. We find pride in describing each copy in detail to meet customer expectations.
‘The Who titles‘‘Non Swedish titles‘‘Swedish titles‘
It’s Friday and all, and we are happy to announce that we from our collection have released for sale a number of used, clean and in really good condition jazz albums (LP) in the metalsouth store at Discogs. Kindly, have a look if anything is to your liking, place an offer or order directly. You will find albums from Miles Davies, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole andLester Young.
We ship globally at standard or trackable/insured rates and use special security cardboard vinyl packaging (inner and outer compartments).
Black Sabbath, Sweden Rock, Norje, SE, June 7, 2014.Black Sabbath, Sweden Rock, Norje, SE, June 7, 2014.Black Sabbath, Sweden Rock, Norje, SE, June 7, 2014.Black Sabbath, Sweden Rock, Norje, SE, June 7, 2014.
The deeply sad news that Lars-Göran ‘LG’ Petrov (Entombed, elected into Swedish Music Hall of Fame 2014 and Entombed A.D. since 2014) passed away on March 7, 2021, at only 49 years of age, is brutal to take in. We know that he fought the cancer since a year. Words are scarce and we find no purpose to go through his fantastic career, but just want to say thank you for everything. For the music and all the fantastic and ever memorable live gigs. The pictures in this post are to pay tribute to LG and are all from the Copenhell (Copenhagen, DK) concert on June 26, 2016. With his ‘give it all’ attitude-and performance he and Entombed A.D. made thousands of people very happy that day.
All the condolences to family and friends. Thanks for everything, LG!
Just before the weekend we have registered another batch of attractive used LP vinyl records in our shop at Discogs. Take the opportunity to find out of anything can be of your liking released by the following artist:
Michael McDonald, Vistors, Madness, Bob Dylan, Alphaville, Phil Manzanera, Brian Eno, John Cale, Elvis Costello, Ensamma Hjärtan, Scafell Pike and Gyllene Tider and many more.
Tribulation does it again and delivers the high quality album Where The Gloom Becomes Sound (Century Media Records Ltd., 2021), which is already heavily celebrated in music media, and not only in Sweden. The vinyl is, of course, acquired for the own collection and includes not only the 180g record, but a 16 page booklet in graphical excellence. An overall joyful customer-and music experience.
A special relation is definitely there for ‘the gloomy’ music, but also for the roots of the band to Arvika, Värmland, Sweden, where I remember spending many fantastic summers as a small boy. For this I direct much appreciation to my parents for taking my sister, brother and me out of the city to the countryside. To Tribulation I direct appreciation for setting music and words to darker thoughts and feelings. The more classical song ‘Lethe’ is another candidate for the ‘white archive’, i.e. music selection for ones own funeral and would be perfect in a church environment.
The album is highly celebrated in Swedish music press and in Sweden Rock Magazine (Issue 1/2021) it wins the months jury votes and gets a 9 out of 10 (pages 84 and 94) by Jonathan Strandlund. In the local Helsingborgs Dagblad (Jan. 27, 2021) John Palmér Jeppsson gives the album 4 out of 5 in a positive review and would probably release a 5 if the singing would rise to an even higher level (read: speculation of metalsouth). We are sad to read in the Sweden Rock issue mentioned above on pages 72-73 (by Janne Mattsson) that the extremely talented Jonathan Hultén has recently left the band (after the records production). We can only wish him good luck in new projects and hope to see him soon producing and performing. In the article we read that he has had a great importance of also this album. We at the same time wish Joseph Tholl (ex-Enforcer) good luck in joining the band and we look forward in new productions with the ‘new Tribulation’.
In conclusion, Where The Gloom Becomes Sound, we see, will be voted best Swedish Metal album also this time…an award Tribulation subscribes on for all their releases.
Tribulation, Borgholm Brinner, Öland, SE, July 28, 2018. Tribulation, Borgholm Brinner, Öland, SE, July 28, 2018.Tribulation, Borgholm Brinner, Öland, SE, July 28, 2018.
SKRAEKOEDLAN
We haven’t yet had the privilege to see Swedish stoner band Skraekoedlan, from Norrköping, SE, perform live, but we will take the first opportunity when given somewhere in the metalsouth region. In the meantime we can warmly recommend the reissue of their second studioalbum Sagor (The Sign Records, 2020). A double vinyl in purple and also here with fantastic artwork.
AUSTRIAN METAL
Let’s broaden our views and move out of the metalsouth region and even take a daring step outside of the country and put some highlight on the Austrian metal scene. We would therefore here shortly like to put focus on 2 bands:
ROBOKOPF
RoboKopf are very well placed in this post. RoboKopf is a collective founded in Vienna in 2018 that plays retro rock in the sound garment of early heavy rock and doom acts. Its debut release is The Echoes of Owls (Retro Rock, Proto-Metal, Heavy Psych, Heavy Rock, Doom, Regressive Gloom Rock). (Source: Band Press release). Please, take the opportunity with us to investigate and get acquainted to the band via the enclosed links. Based upon what we’ve heard, we will, for sure, follow this bands current and coming work.
While investigating the Austrian metal scene we also found Harakiri For The Sky via our local paper Helsingborgs Dagblad (Feb. 28, 2020, page C9) and its Sunday weekly reviews of new musical releases. John Palmér Jeppsson (also reviewed Tribulations Where The Gloom Becomes Sound, as mentioned above) is again positive and gives the album Maere (AOP Records, 2021) a 4 out of 5. He describes the Austrian duo as having a lot of longing and heartbreak and that the bands 5th studioalbum becomes 84 minutes long. We think that every minute is worth its focus.
All in all, we have now with Robokopf and Harakiri For The Sky opened the door for more fantastic music and greatly competent productions. We will listen more, learn more and look forward in keeping an eye and two ears on what Austrian metal can bring us here in the metalsouth region…and not to forget, the spreading of the word and the great music.
metalsouth continues to sell used LP and EP records via Discogs and has now reach a portfolio of 300 titles. The interest has increased and we are happy and grateful for orders coming in. We will therefore continue to add new LPs and EPs and in stock now are a bunch of rarities.
The latest batch to be added to the portfolio includes records from artist, e.g. Steppenwolf, Caravan, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Midnight Oil, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Devo, Lill Lindfors, Otis Rush, Spontaneous Combustion, Grace Jones, Ohio Players, Lou Reed, Echo & the Bunnymen, John Cougar Mellencamp and Iggy Pop.
Available is ‘Ready Steady Who’ (Polydor, 1966, EPH 10834), the classic, which throws us back to the happy 60’s. It includes 2 original songs by Peter Townsend (Disguises, Circles) and recordings of the Batman theme ‘Batman’, ‘Bucket T’ and Barbara Ann. (Source: Wikipedia).
If we then time travel 50 years to June 2016 American thrash metal band Trivium performed at Copenhell, Copenhagen, DK. The year before October 2, 2015, their 7th album ‘Silence In The Snow’ (Roadrunner Records, 2015) was released. We remember the performance as energetic, intense and extremely loud, i.e. really good and value for money. Matt Heafy, who constantly performs with full intensity on stage turned 35 years last month and we send our late congratulations. Please, take part in the inspiration via a few pictures.
Trivium album ‘Silence in the Snow’ we offer in our shop at Discogs. The copy is not sealed, but unplayed, i.e. in mint condition.
Trivium, Copenhell, Copenhagen, DK, June 24, 2016.Trivium, Copenhell, Copenhagen, DK, June 24, 2016.Trivium, Copenhell, Copenhagen, DK, June 24, 2016.
Thundermother and AC/DC are frequently mentioned in the same sentence, not only by us, but also in various music media. Thundermother seems to be happy with the comparison to AC/DC, but has managed to use the inspiration to create their own sound. Thundermother’s release Heat Wave (AFM Records) on 31 July 2020 came storming in, was welcomed with great reviews and made us old AC/DC fans happy, i.e. someone takes pride in carrying the tradition into the future. Only a few months later rumors about a new AC/DC album started to get around. Then marketing signs stating ‘PWR UP’ started to show up all over the Globe. 13 Nov. 2020 AC/DC released its 17th studio album the phenomenal Power Up (Columbia, Sony Music). In a year of global hardship, we salute these two bands, which spread excellent hard rock, happiness and health.
To note is that Thundermother performs live tonight (Thursday, 18 Dec. 2020) in Swedish TV show, Musikhjälpen (Music Aid) to help collect money in the name of ‘no-one shall be left without health care, your music saves lives’. Take the opportunity to contribute, wish music or participate in Thundermother’s own collection and competition.
Speaking of competition, the metalsouth ‘A C D C P W R U P’ still life picture, recently posted, was one of three AC/DC fan actions nationally (via Facebook) awarded by Sony Music Sweden. Happily received the prize was the Power Up album (red vinyl) and a really cool AC/DC PWR UP hat. Thanks to Sony Music Sweden for the prize, which is heavily appreciated.
Please, note that after our latest post on the Power Up Album it has received excellent and more correct reviews like in Rock’n’Roll Magazine, Issue #1/2021, page 41, 4 of 5 and Sweden Rock Magazine, issue #11/2020, page 78, 8 of 10.
Finally, let us wish Thundermother good luck tonight and forward hopes of more future releases from two happiness spreading bands.
Lizzies, Screamer, Vokonis, Vånna Inget, Iron Lamb, Fejd, Siena Root and Månegarm
It’s time to return to our real musical roots and present the extreme good news that we got our hands on a batch of metal records, new, unplayed, i.e. in mint condition, which we now are selling att good prices at Discogs.
Lizzies: On Thin Ice (The Sign Records, 2018) and Good Luck (The Sign Records, 2016). Spanish heavy metal inspired by bands like Iron Maiden and Motörhead.
Screamer:Highway Of Heroes (The Sign Records, 2019). Swedish heavy metal influenced by bands from the 70s and 80s. This could be the bands hardest album.
Vokonis:Grasping Time (The Sign Records, 2019). The band has been classified as Swedish progressive doom/sludge with inspiration from bands like Mastodon.
Vånna Inget:Vi Tar Alla Minnen Härifrån ( Gaphals, 2017). Swedish punk influenced band based in Malmö, but has its roots in Småland. A 100 page booklet, Regnbågar Och Krockade Bilar is included.
Iron Lamb:Blue Haze (The Sign Records, 2018). Swedish hard rock band formed in Stockholm 2009. ‘Influenced by past times, but not stuck there’…as the sticker on the album states.
Fejd:Trolldom (Dead End Exit Records, 2016). Swedish folk metal formed in 2001.
Siena Root:Pioneers (Gaphals, 2014). Swedish old school root rock band formed in Stockholm 1997 and finds inspiration from 60s and 70s rock music.
Månegarm:Havets Vargar (Displeased Records, 2018). Swedish band classified as folk/viking metal, but also as black metal. Formed in Norrtälje in 1995.
(source: wikipedia, on certain dates and facts of bands).
If you find any of these new LP vinyl records of your liking they are all available at the metalsouth Discogs shop. Good health and Happy holidays!
metalsouth 