The Albums Of The Year!

Posted on 02/01/2016 by pnille61

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!!

The Tour Majestic with double heavy support!

Posted on 02/12/2015 by pnille61

New Soilwork band member Marcus Wibom has some big shoes to fill of Ola Flink, who left just before the release of the latest album The Ride Majestic (Nuclear Blast Records, 2015). In the memory of many super energetic perfomances by Flink, Marcus Wibom filled not only the shoes of his predecessor, but also all square metres of the stage at KB, Malmö, this Friday evening November 27, 2015. A little bit of a new character of Soilwork, but millions of thanks to Ola Flink for all the wonderful music you have given over the years. Soilwork is world class this evening. All technical problems of microphones and sound is taken care of by Soilwork’s intensive and packaged performance. The album has received the lowest and the highest scores in Swedish reviews, but the metalsouth concept of finding the positive energy in the creative work of hard working musicans says that the album and the show performed is World Class!

Photo Gallery of Soilwork: Björn Strid, Sylvain Coudret, Dirk Verbeuren, Sven Karlsson, David Andersson and Marcus Wibom.

The first entrance on stage this evening was French melodic death metalists T.A.N.K. – Think of A New Kind, which immediately created a good atmosphere and got the audience going. As being the first support T.A.N.K. really connected to us metalheads on the floor. A great start of a great evening. Already here we felt that the mimimal 295 SEK (30 EUR) for the ticket was well invested with a quick pay back!

Photo Gallery of T.A.N.K.: Olivier D’Aries, Raf Pener, Clément Rouxel, Nils Courbaron, Charly Jouglet.

When normally at KB the support has concluded the main act would enter the stage, but this evening guests at KB would really get their thirst for melodic death metal quenched. Danish Hatesphere entered and chances of a successful multicultural metal evening were obvious. Loads of fun and generous references from singer Esben ‘Esse’ Hansen on the recent football win of Sweden’s (or read Zlatan I’s two crucial goals) national team over Denmark in the European qualification play off round were stated. We’re happy to have met these intense Danish guys and the trifold efforts together with T.A.N.K. and Soilwork made this evening one of the best.

Photo Gallery of Hatesphere: Esben ‘Esse’ Hansen, Mike Park Nilesen, Jakob Nyholm and Peter ‘Pepe’ Lyse Hansen.

6000 at Tap 1 on Christmas beer release evening!

Posted on 11/11/2015 by pnille61

First time ever on November 6, 2015, at Tap 1, a neighbour of the Carlsberg brewery and most likely the last. The arena, which is more of a ice hockey hall sized building is to be torned down and replaced by a permanent establishment.

Devil You Know, Papa Roach and Five Finger Death Punch to celebrate this fantastic evening, which is also the J-day, when the classical Christmas brewed beer, the Snowball, is released at 9:00 p.m. Copenhagen goes beserk when trucks deliver the beer to pubs and restaurants all over town. On the following Saturday morning Copenhagen smells of one physical condition: HANGOVER!

Great performances by the three bands, but Papa Roach burns the best memories into our bodies. A not completely new experience, but an awakening to a band which gives alternative rock/metal a concrete name. Papa Roach delivers a smorgasbord of drum strong beats, great singing, rap and freuquent guitar riffs. Over he last few years the band has moved in the direction of a harder and more metally sound.The morning after during a must visit to the Sex Beat Records store at Studiestraede 3 most people there agreed upon Papa Roach’s fine performance. CD buys of their latest album F.E.A.R. (Eleven Seven Music, 2015) and The Connection (Eleven Seven Music, 2012) were unavoidable.

Five Finger Death Punch is spectacular and their latest album Got Your Six (Prospect Park Music/Eleven Seven Music, 2015) a Billboard top listing over the first week after release was well represented. Some complaints over long breaks between songs, but this was most probabaly connected to the high price of the beer. A replacament of Tap1…we hope the alternative doesn’t take too long to construct…can be good. The hall’s too big to give the good feeling of nearness of a smaller club like KB, Malmö, and too small to give the arena feeling. The sound is this evening still very good and we are happy to have visited Tap1 at least this once.

(Inspirational article by http://www.gaffa.DK /John Mortensson and an after concert chat at the Sex Beat Records store at Studiestraede 3 in Copenhagen, http://www.sexbeatrecords.dk)

Merchandise: Got Your Six T-shirt for DKK300 (EUR40) is on the more expensive side of comparable band T-shirts. Still it’s a winning candidate at the next hard rock costume party!

Thanks to good friends for arranging this memorable weekend. Thanks to Copenhagen and it’s a privilege to live so close to a fantastic and culturally rich capital situated in the metalsouth region. To come back to the Snowball Beer release next year will happen independently of a heavy metal gig or not!

Five Finger Death Punch visits the region!

Posted on 05/11/2015 by pnille61

What can we say…join us at the Tap 1 in Copenhagen tomorrow evening on Friday November 6, 2015, or read about the event at metalsouth a bit later. We’ll be there!!

Home

KB sold out!

Posted on 05/11/2015 by pnille61

October 23, 2015, and KB, Malmö is sold out! Melodic death metal giants and legends In Flames from Gothenburg, Sweden, and Black Temple, Helsingborg, Sweden, revisits KB as yet another successful support. On August 28, 2015, Black Temple and The Sword from Austin, Texas, gave the Malmö audience one of the best performances there ever experienced.

Anders Fridén, who started his singing career in Dark Tranquility in 1989 is singer in In Flames since 1995. Dark Tranquility also gives good memories from KB and can be read about below at metalsouth. The co-operation with Black Temple is only natural since Black Temple’s album release It All Ends was done via Anders Fridén’s Razzia Notes, which is a sub label to Razzia records (Century Media).

The floor at KB was so full of enthusiastic metalheads that when my best pair of ear plugs dropped on the floor they could never be found again. To start looking would be a risk not worth taking.

Black Temple performs with intensity and in comparison with the gig two months ago the touring with In Flames has given even more spectactular scene effects and the performance is even tighter. With this development Black Temple deserves to very soon be on the big scenes and arenas. They should soon be a natural choice for the bigger festivals. Why not at Sweden Rock the summer of 2016??

In Flames are professionals and with correct location in the club the sound becomes really good. Many of the songs are so well known that Anders Fridén can hand over the singing to the floor.

Merchandise: Black Temple T-shirt, SEK 200 (EUR 21), which we consider as really priceworthy. The text ‘These woods have always been here in here I can’t grow old’ fits well with the motif of black dark woods. Also attractive are the vinyl textile bags to carry home the vinyl ‘It All Ends’ or to be used for a university student for literature.

Black Temple and In Flames – KB, today and tomorrow!

Posted on 22/10/2015 by pnille61

To make it completely clear…Black Temple (Helsingborg) and In Flames (Gothenburg) plays at KB, Malmö, tonight October 22 and tomorrow October 23, 2015. Read more about Black Temple’s latest appearance at KB as support to The Sword. The two coming performances are completely sold out and we look forward to tomorrow when we have tickets. Stay put for coverage in a couple of days.

Danko Jones – the Tivoli personified!

Posted on 20/10/2015 by pnille61

Danko Jones (guitars, vocals), John Calabrese (bass) and Rich Knox (drums) does it again. On last Friday, October 16, the Tivoli in Helsingborg was packed and sold out with faithful fans of the Canadian rock’n’ rollers. The band’s latest performance, on October 25, 2013, which can be read about here at metalsouth was the first gig of the drummer Rich Knox. The aggressive attitude of Danko Jones himself gives a certain spice to their performances. To discuss certain topics with certain parts of the audience has become a bit of a trademark. This time Danko Jones made a clear statement related to the stupidity of the city council of closing down the Tivoli (moving it to another part of the city center) due to the construction of some expensive condominium apartments to be aquired by people with loads of money. Danko Jones had no problem to get support for this statement and the whole club chanted ‘Condo-condo-condo!!’! Great fun and there was a definite sense of good chances for Danko Jones to run be elected as mayor of Helsingborg. Enough with words…let the pictures speak, but it was a great evening and thanks again from all of us at the Tivoli and great hopes to see the band back in the new location one day!

Even the concert-shirt of the evening scored with highest remarks…a Canadian Toronto trophy and great memory of Danko Jones fine performances at the Tivoli over the years.

Danko Jones – back in Helsingborg!

Posted on 14/10/2015 by pnille61

Another easy post…it’s Wednesday today and we all look forward much to visit the Tivoli in Helsingborg on Friday October 16, 2015. The latest visit was on October 25, 2013, when Danko Jones’ 3 man band sold the Tivoli out. The prospect is that the same scenario will be also this time for this Sweden friendly, podcaster, writer in Close-Up Magazine and phenomenal rock’n’roller.

Very welcome to Helsingborg in the metalsouth region on Friday, Danko Jones Band!!

Black Temple on tour!

Posted on 14/10/2015 by pnille61

Easy post…Black Temple is on the Europen part of its tour together with melodic death metal giants In Flames (Gothenburg) and the dates are listed below. What can we say than just…get your tickets. We will meet up at a sold out KB, Malmö, SE, on Friday 23/10/15.

And by the way…the album ‘It All Ends’ (Razzia Records, 2015) gets really good reviews. Check out, for example, Close-Up Magazine (177 Oktober 2015) which talks about excellence and a real taste of temptation for coming albums. Really good luck from metalsouth and see you soon at KB!!

European Tour w/ IN FLAMES

13.10.2015, Pakkahoune, Tampere, FI

14.10.2015, Logo, Turku, FI

15.10.2015, Lutakko, Jyväskylä, FI

16.10.2015, Rytmikorjaamo, Seinäjoki, FI

17.10.2015, Jäähalli, Oulo

19.10.2015, Flygeln, Norrköping, SE

20.10.2015, Garden, Linköping, SE

21.10.2015, Appollon Folkets Hus, Trollhättan, SE

22.10.2015, KB, Malmö, SE

23.10.2015, KB, Malmö, SE

24.10.2015, Conventum Congress, Örebro, SE

25.10.2015, Katalin, Uppsala, SE

27.10.2015, Luleå Enegri Arena, Luleå, SE

28.10.2015, Idun Teatern, Umeå, SE

30.10.2015, Nöjesfabriken, Karlstad, SE

31.10.2015, Scandic Hallen, Hammar, NO

01.10.2015, Konserthus Ztlitz, Stavanger, NO

03.10.2015, Maritim Hall, Haugesund, NO

04.10.2015, USF Verftet, Bergen, NO

05.10.2015, Studentersamfundet, Trondheim, NO

06.10.2015, Gasklockorna, Gävle, SE

07.10.2015, Folkets Park / Teaterladan, Huskvarna, SE

08.10.2015, Train, Aarhus, SE

10.11.2015, Effenaar, Eindhoven, NL

11.11.2015, Zeche, Bochum, DE

12.11.2015, Le Splendid, Lille, FR

13.11.2015, Le 106, Rouen, FR

14.11.2015, L’ Autre Canal, Nancy, FR

15.11.2015, Z7, Pratteln, CH

17.11.2015, L’Usine, Geneva, CH

18.11.2015, Posthof, Linz, AT

19.11.2015, Batschkapp, Frankfurt, DE

20.11.2015, Hellraiser, Leipzig, DE

Latest buys – new and used!

Posted on 14/10/2015 by pnille61

New buys:

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

Slayer, Repentless, (Nuclear Blast, 2015)

Delivered by: http://www.ginza.se

Used CD’s:

Dregen, Dregen (Universal Music, 2013)

In Flames, A Sense of Purpose (Nuclear Blast, 2008)

Slayer, Undisputed Attitude (American Recordings, 1996)

Purchased at the excellent store in Helsingborg for used CD’s and vinyls:

http://www.roadhouze.se/

To be enjoyed on numerous train comuting rides to and from a new working place, still in the metalsouth region, of course, and to be commented upon later.