Tag Archives: The Soundtrack Of Our Lives

The Albums of the Year!

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Soilwork (Helsingborg, Sweden)

The Living Infinite, 2013, Nuclear Blast Records

Readers may understand the strong feelings for Soilwork. The band with its roots in the soil of the region just closely south from here. Many critics doubted the success of releasing a double CD, all in all, with 20 songs. The album was welcomed by the fans and the critics gave  highest marks in many of the reviews.

Recommended tracks: This Momentary Bliss, The Living Infinite I and II, Antidotes In Passing, Parasite Blues (as here earlier indicated…don’t forget to read the lyrics, which are very influenced by the metalsouth nature and surroundings).

Darkane (Helsingborg, Sweden)

The Sinister Supremacy, 2013, Massacre Records

How great it was to meet Darkane live again at the Metalbar, Tivoli, and to see them again at KB, Malmö, recently was just great!! The sixth album release is from many said to be their best. Also like Soilwork is Darkane with roots from the next door village south from here.

Recommended tracks: The Decline, The Sinister Supremacy, Hate Repentant State

Odyssey / Black Temple (Helsingborg, Sweden)

Abysmal Despair, 2012, Transubstans Records

The album is from 2012, but qualifies here due to its high quality as a debut album. Also this album was welcomed with high scoring reviews by local culture critics. This is a hard noise rock band and, not to forget, hard working live band. The energy experienced and described in an earlier post qualify these guys as the most promising band seen here in many years. We can only hope that their mission is now spread over a wider landscape in the aftermath of their recent European touring together with Bombus. When can we get more songs, Black Temple??

Recommended tracks: Wicked With, Abysmal despair, Keloma, No Fucking Way, Darkred

Free Fall (Karlstad/Stockholm, Sweden)

Power & Volume, 2013, Nuclear Blast records

Freedom Rockers, they have been classified as. I would say that with an musical upbringing in the 1970’s with bands like Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and Frank Zappa streams of happiness and nostalgia flow from listening to Free Fall. Mattias Bärjed who formed the band has heavy experience from The Soundtrack Of Our Lives has manged to put together a classical line up with drums, guitars, bass and vocals. The voice of Kim Fransson made a bunch load of us older guys (read: older AC/DC fans) happy when Free Fall kicked off the Metalsouth idea during Christmas Rock at the Tivoli late December 2012. Fabulous stuff!! Fantastic debut and just waiting for more!!

Recommended tracks: Power & Volume, Free Fall, World Domination

Free Fall – a tribute!

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Tickets were bought to see Swedish band Graveyard from Gothenburg on Fri. March 8, 2013, at the main stage, Tivoli, in Helsingborg. My accompanying friend called me the day before and made me aware about the supporting act for the concert. Free Fall, my friend said, ‘you know, it’s the band Mattias Bärjed formed after the split up of The Soundtrack Of Our Lives (TSOOL) in 2012’. I had heard about it, but had no real idea which kind of hard rock they play. ‘Pretty interesting!’ and we agreed to be there in time to study the supporting act critically. Firstly, to see band members themselves struggling to get the gear in place on the Tivoli stage gave a really good impression! Secondly, what was delivered made me decide immediately if I ever get a chance to promote this band and its music I will do my best! I have spread the word the best I can and can hereby more concretely recommend to buy the premiere release from this year (2013) ‘Power & Volume’. Nuclear Blast is the record company and some interesting material on the start up of the band can be found on their homepage. The band consists of Jan Martens (bass), Mattias Bärjed (guitars), Kim Fransson (lead vocals) and Ludwig Dahlberg (drums). For many of us who grew up with AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and many more this band’s music and performance bring back joyful memories. I can understand if bands and their members get tired of critics constant comparison to other bands like the ones mentioned here, but Kim Fransson’s great voice for many of us leads back to one of the greatest, Bon Scott. Sorry, for falling into the trap of comparing, but hopefully here it may be seen as positive. Mattias Bärjed, who we know from the career of TSOOL is an excellent guitarist and his sound and physical performance is the best entertainment. In the Men’s Room after Free Fall’s fabulous performance the loud honest expressions would never stop. ‘Who are these guys? Man, they were good! Give them another hour!! We want more of this stuff!!’

For a Monday morning driving to work…and yes, very loud volume, are the songs Midnight Vulture, Top Of The World, Damnation and last but not least with the perfect name ‘Power & Volume’ the best way to get in shape for a Monday morning entrance into the office landscape!! At the next opportunity Free Fall will play live close by I will be standing in the front line.