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.

Roadhouze Records – a life line!

Posted on 04/09/2015 by pnille61

Hej, and only briefly to give credit to a great record store with the focus on used CD’s, vinyls and DVD’s.

Taking my regular Friday ‘pad-on-my-own-shoulder-for-a-good-week-lunch-walk’. After a really nice talk with the really knowledgeable staff I returned with records of Hatesphere (the sickness within, Steamhammer, 2005), Entombed (Serpent Saints, Candlelight, 2007), Entombed (Entombed, Earache Records, 1997), Scott Walker (Tilt, Mercury Records, 1995) and Scott Walker (the Drift, 4AD Ltd., 2006). My weekend is in a fantastic way saved! Thanks to Roadhouze Records and its staff. And notice, please, the price is 79 SEK (8 EUR) per record!!

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