Hammerfest III - 17/18/19 Mar 2011 (Prestatyn, Wales)

The third edition of Hammerfest took place last weekend and of course we had to attend to check it out! So we got off at Prestatyn’s rail station on Thursday afternoon with all the necessary resources to go through the festival. Of course whenever you think you have it all it generally means that you don’t even have half of what you need! Anyhow, after checking in our “chalet” and made out selves comfortable we went down to the first gigs of the fest with some nice cover bands warming up everybody for the rest of the festival. The Metalica UK set was particularly good and there was a striking resemblance between the lead singer and James Hetfield but apart from that nothing very exciting to note! Of course just like any metal fest there were some heavy drinking sessions going on and they definitely helped on not remembering why your whole body is bruised the next morning.

Friday!

An amazing clear blue sky and a hot sun were reigning over Prestatyn and the drunken metal heads on the grass were bigger in numbers than all of the trees of the area combined. First band we saw on Friday was Holy Grail on the first stage. The band gave out an interesting but somehow very repetitive set. The crowd was probably still hangovered from the previous night and was not very excited so Holy Grail kind of left a question mark on what they really are able to do. Up next were Breed 77 on the second stage and these guys really gave it all this time. Despite the small drums malfunctions at the beginning of the set the band really came out with a very aggressive and energetic set. The ambience was really amazing and the Zombie cover was, as usual, well acclaimed by the public. Bad thing was that at the same time that Breed 77 was performing on the second stage, Sylosis was performing on the first stage and we only managed to catch the last two songs of their set which were up to the level you would have expected. However I still believe that Sylosis really needs a frontman to become a great band and to grow even more(more info on that here). Back to the first stage to meet an angry mob of red and black painted people waiting to see Turisas after a long period of inactivity! Turisas were very good and the first stage was packed with people and I was very surprised by the number of persons that came to the fest just for Turisas. Gig-wise we pretty much got the whole package from Turisas with Rasputin, always being fun to jump around to, and the crowd chanting battle metal throughout the whole set. We also got a few new tracks from the new album that came out last month and we just can’t wait to see on how this is going to turn out for Turisas. And then on the first stage we had the classic 80s legend that Accept are. Accept really created a very nice atmosphere for everyone who was there. Not as many people as for Turisas but generally a good attendance from the Hammerfest crowd. All the classic songs were present with Balls to the Wall being, as expected, the biggest hit of the night! Generally I really enjoyed Accwpt who did a great performance. And to finish off the day what better that a little bit of Latino metal with Ill Nino! The guys really brought out everything they had and really reached every expectation I had. Liar was massive and the guys really insisted on thanking everybody who helped them do what they love for the last 13 years. And after a few hits to the bar and a brief listening of Blitzkrieg it was time for collapsing into bed again only to wake up for one more day of heavy metal! 

Saturday!!

Saturday started very late for us and we only got to the stage at 7pm just in time to see Grand Magus. The guys were good but were lacking some energy and they seemed to be struggling with the crowd. Despite the fact that I’ve heard from some guys that they thought they were really good I generally wasn’t impressed. And then Entombed were on and this guys killed it. Last time I saw them was at Koko(London) with Amon Amarth a couple of years ago and back then they really impressed me. This time wasn’t any different. These guys are great and they should get more recognition for what they do! A great set that prepared the atmosphere perfectly for Satyricon who were up next. And Satyricon attracted a large audience once again. The performance was very good and King was really well executed and well acclaimed. It seemed that every single person who had a bit of knowledge of the Satyricon sound enjoyed it and I know we certainly did. And then came on Sabaton. Personally I believe that they gave the best performance of the festival. The first time I saw Sabaton was during the Graspop Metal Meeting a few years ago and at the time I really didn’t know who they were but they managed to impress me. This time, after seeing them three times, they still managed to impress me. So first of all they came on with a different line-up since Daniel Mullback(Drums) and Rikard Sundén(Guitar) were absent. Rikard was replaced by Dragonforce’s bass player Frédéric Leclercq and Daniel by a young boy who’s name I can’t remember (I blame the beers and Jagermeister for that.) Sabaton really delivered an amazing show and I believe that everyone in there was satisfied by the performance not only on the heavy side but also on the comical side. A nice sing along on YMCA was initiated by Joakim Broden(Vocals) for reasons that I will not look into, especially when he manages to rip his pants, expossing his underwear, on the song after that! And finally to conclude the festival and an amazing weekend we had the all mighty Huddersfield thrashers Evile! Evile were the perfect band to end the festival. The pit was insane and Matt and Ol Drake(Guitar) really seemed to have a hell lot of fun. Thrasher and Infected Nations became anthems for pit mayhem and a few head bumps later it was all over.

Overall!!!

Hammerfest III is over! In general, the festival was great. Very good organisation and very good venue. The line up was very very good and combined with a great weather, nice people and a hell lot of alcohol you get a great festival. The staff over there was very friendly, despite some old lady trying to be a security guard, who wouldn’t give me a plastic cup for some reason I still don’t understand, and the facilities were in perfect working order and well situated. Hammerfest IV: we are counting the days!

Hammerfest III: 19/20

Holy Grail: 15/20

Breed 77: 18/20

Sylosis: 17/20

Turisas: 19/20

Accept: 20/20

Ill Nino: 17/20

Blitzkrieg: 13/20

Grand Magus: 14/20

Entombed: 18/20

Satyricon: 18/20

Sabaton: 20/20

Evile: 19/20

Posted by Nick

Epica - 15 Mar 2011 (Scala)

Last night the Scala in Kings Cross was packed with metalheads and all of them were there to witness the come back of Epica after 3 years of absence from the Londonian scene. A very nice and simple gig with only one support act which, I believe, gave the opportunity to the crowd to enjoy more from both of the bands and also kept the it energetic throughout both sets. Supporting Epica last night we had ReVamp from the Netherlands. A fairly new band that visited the UK and London for the first time last night. Through their vocalist,ex After Forever, Floor Jansen(Vocals) Revamp managed to give out a very nice mix of smooth and aggressive all combined in a very nice package of symphonic and heavy. The songs were very pleasant to hear and the crowd seemed to like it. A very nice energy from this band and a great connection with the crowd that makes us certain that will be seeing them to be back in London and he UK very very soon! Epica is one of those bands that has a very unique and distinctive sound that has attracted millions of fans worldwide and is a band that does what it does with passion and love which is great to see and witness. And tonight was no different. Epica came on stage with a huge energy and a nice sound which however lacked some magnitude. Nevertheless the band delivered a great set with songs varying from different albums. Simone Simons(Vocals) was really in a great mood and lifted up the crowd in a “lovely” way that she only knows how to do. Mark Jansen(Guitar,Vocals) also gave out a great show while his vocals seem to have really improved. Coen Janssen(Keyboards), who recently become a father, was really enjoying the gig and it's always nice to see the musicians on stage enjoying the show as much as the people off stage. All the classic Epica songs were present and we even had the chance to hear the amazing Tides of Time were Simone is really showcasing the amazing voice that she has. The Imperial March was a great inclusion in the set-list and it was really well executed by the guys in the band too. The duet with Floor and Simone on Sancta Terra just before the end of the set was extremely nice and you can really see that those two are amazing singers each in her unique way. Cry for the Moon was a big sing along for the crowd which seemed to know all the lyrics by heart. It is generally amazing at how loyal and diversified is the Epica crowd. You can find in it every kind of person you may wish for and it is really great to see so many different people being united under one roof thanks to music. To finish the gig Epica performed The Phantom Agony while giving it a very nice “disco” feel during the chorus which suited the song quite well! In general a good gig with some nice surprises and a very pleasant atmosphere.

Epica: 18/20

ReVamp: 16/20

Posted by Nick

Beast - Devildriver (2011)

ALBUM REVIEW

What a great record from the Californian metalers! After the somehow disappointing Pray for Villains (good album but was expecting much more) Devildriver returns to action with a great album full of heaviness and aggression!  I am generally very excited with the sound of this album and the variety of melodies and grooves that the band composed for this album. Production wise it sounds great proving once again that Mark Lewis is definitely one of the best in the genre! Dez Fafara (Vocals) sounds amazing and his vocals really bring out the anger and the pain that has been going around the band for the last years. The guitar riffs and solos are really well executed and constructed, while the rhythms and grooves are really inviting for massive mosh pits just like Devildriver fans know how to do which makes me think that the songs from this album are literally going to be bone crushers during the live shows. Every song, one after the other, is really delivering something unique and different but at the same time just like James Baysinger from Metalholic stated : "One thing about DevilDriver, their style may not change much, and you know what you're gonna get, but it still kicks your ass every fucking time”. Definitely a very good effort from Devildriver and really an album that all fans of brutal death metal should own!

The song that really stands out to us is Hardened which has some really aggressive riffing and a great solo filled with superb melodies!

Beast: 9/10

Posted Nick

In Transience - Psychoanalysis (2010)

 

EP REVIEW

When somebody mentions Scotland to me I generally think about whiskey, kilts (more commonly known as man-skirts), bagpipes and probably a couple of monsters here and there. To me the link between metal and Scotland is not really existing mainly due to the fact that there is a very limited amount of Scottish metal that makes it to an international level. However recently it seems that Scotland has unleashed a wave of metal bands who are ready to infest the English and in general the UK metal scene. Psychoanalysis from Dunfermline could be one of these bands. With a nicely balanced first EP, titled In Transience, this band delivers a heavy and aggressive blend of rhythm and darkness suitable for all fans of Sylosis and Obscura. With the band being composed by fine musicians the listening of this EP was pretty easy. Finlay 'Fish' West (Guitar) lead parts sound really good and he showcases a nice technical ability throughout the songs, despite the fact that on some passages there is a slight lack of clarity in between notes. Gavin Hood (Vocals, Guitar) is really doing a great job on the vocals and really creates a haunting atmosphere in combination with all the elements within the songs and as for the rhythm section, which is composed by Chris Ryan on bass and Doog on drums, it keeps up very nicely and makes the riffs very headbangable. The three songs on the EP really work out well between them making it a nice and “easy to listen to” EP. Production wise the sound is not at its best. It is lacking magnitude and warmth making many parts sound a bit too dry, but the fact that really bothers me with this EP is that there is a lack of originality. The parts are executed very well but these are parts that we have all heard before. With the music scene getting bigger and bigger and with bands exploring music to the max it is really hard to come up with something unique and different but that is what most of the bands out there should be working on. Creating that unique sound is what will make you differ from any other band and unfortunately Psychoanalysis didn’t achieve that through this EP. Don’t get me wrong, this is a really good job but there is a need for something different. However I have trust in the abilities of this band and perhaps an EP with more tracks could introduce some unseen features of the band. Most interesting track is probably Ashen which really delivers some nice elements and sounds and the Heaven and Hell styled outro is quite pleasant!

Myspace:

www.myspace.com/psychoanalysismusic

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/PSYCHOANALYSIS/111872802197932

In Transience: 2,75/5

Posted by Nick

Nile - 13 Feb 2011 (Islington Academy)

Gigs like the one that happened last night are not witnessed very often. We had it all: bad news, good news, great news, excitement, surprises and a hell lot of METAL! So let me start with the bad news. Bad news were that the second tour bus carrying a bunch of merchandise and 3 of the bands playing had stuck somewhere in Scotland due to a flat tyre and wouldn't make it to the gig. Good news was that the two bands that were in London and that were going to play were Melechesh and Nile. The great news were that we would get a bit more from each one of them and that kicked in the excitement. So first on stage were Melechesh which, like pretty much everybody else in the room, I never saw live so I could only expect what I had heard on the CDs and let me tell you something...I was blown away!! This band is extremely good live and they really give out something that you could hardly ever expect. The crowd just loved them and from what Ashmedi(Vocals) told us after the show during the interview, they loved it as well. So, was the first Melechesh London gig a success?? Hell Yeah!! The band came on with a great energy and they just sounded really really good. The middle eastern influences where exactly where they needed to be and when Ashmedi says: “Create, not re-create” well that is exactly what he is doing.Melechesh has created a very unique sound and you can't really get it anywhere else. It was also interesting to see that people came to London from all around the world for this gig. Notably a couple from the Netherlands as well as people from Israel, Scotland and even the US! But of course with a line up like this, who can blame them? So after being blown away and lifted up by Melechesh it was time to get smashed in the face by the heaviness of Nile! METAAAAL!! Nile was just perfect. The sound unfortunately wasn't terrible but like George Kollias(Drums) told us after the gig “When you play this kind of music, its hard to get a good sound” and its kind of true. This was also the first time that Chris Lollis(Bass, Vocals) played with Nile in London. And that guy is bloody good on the bass. Really good technical ability and great voice that really gives to Nile a push and makes them sound, in my opinion, a bit bigger and heavier. And what to say about Karl Sander(Guitar, Vocals) and Dallas Toler-Wade(Guitar, Vocals)? This guys just killed it. They shred like crazy and they really capture the death metal sound perfectly. So when everything was going great and we couldn't be happier we get the first pleasant surprise of having Ashmedi from Melechesh joining Nile on Black Seeds of Vengeance and then we get something that as I was told was the second and last time that Nile would ever do, a cover. Nile nicely covered Thin Lizzy's Emerald in memory of Gary Moore who sadly passed away last week. And if you wonder who did the vocals well...it was Punchy, the sound engineer and tour manager of Nile. Good voice that lad has!

And to sum it up, great night, great gig and very cool memories!

Cheers to everyone that helped and made everything happen!

Nile:19/20

Melechesh: 19/20

Posted by Nick

Unfortunately the sound on both interviews with Nile and Melechesh is not available. The cassete we used seems to be faulty and there is nothing we can do about it. Apologies to everyone for not having those interviews.

Evile - 13 Feb 2011 (Underworld)

The Thrash revival in the UK has had an amazing response from the fan base as well as the bands involved, taking it to new levels. Tonight's show proved just that.

Any young artist opening for Evile must surely be quaking in their boots pre-show, but Mutant took it in their stride and managed to pull off a great set and really got the almost full crowd in the mood for cracking some skulls. Fast, tight, and with a good sound, they not only performed well, but showed themselves in a manner of the 80's legends with the front man fitting the persona perfectly in his relationship with the audience. Effects on the main vocals were a little over done for the first track, but as soon as Tom Luchtenstein(Vocals, Guitar) began to talk to them, the effects issue was soon resolved and there was an all together excellent set.

Second up were Ipswich thrash outfit Elimination. Mutant had set the expectancy of the crowd to a high level and the energy was there ready to explode, but the audience seemed disappointed for the first few tracks as the music was a little slower and more epic melodies were coming from the stage and not the hard hitting, no nonsense thrash that the crowd desired so many began to head off to the bar area of the Underworld. A good sound and a tight set lead to the audience responding well towards the end which enabled Elimination to really get into gear and revive the show, leading to the final act.

Evile have come a very long way and they have been at the very forefront of this recent thrash revival, and tonight they showed exactly why. With riff after crushing riff at lightning speed and with machine gun percussion to boot, the audience was in the palm of their hands throughout the entire set, especially during Into the Pit, during which the pillar in the middle of the crowd area became a pivot of a huge pit that would make one dizzy to watch for an extended period of time. To close the show, an excellent performance of Killer from the Deep pushed the punters to their limits, and left Evile still in the eyes of many thrash fan as the number one UK thrash band. With no clear problems, there is no telling how far, and how fast, they will relentlessly rise.

Evile: 20/20

Elimination: 14/20

Mutant: 18/20

Posted by Tom

The interview with Ben from Evile is coming up very soon!

Silent Hell - Annihilation (2010)

EP REVIEW

Silent Hell by Annihilation is a well constructed EP with various elements gathered from a variety of acts from all around the metal scene, which brings to your mind moments of Arch Enemy, Shadows Fall, All that Remains and even Iron Maiden-on certain melodies and harmonies. On some passages there are some sloppy parts which seem out of time with the drums and a few guitars not being very tight and it would definitely have been better if those were perfected before releasing the EP. The ambience created by the EP is definitely very good and sure is pleasant enough to listen to. Sound-wise the guitars are not always very clean and the palm-muting parts sound a bit too dirty which distorts the sound to that extra bit that you don’t want. The solos showcase a nice technical ability but are not always fitting the chords and tonality of the songs. Ryan Patterson’s vocals hold the track quite well. Some parts are still a bit strange to the ear, especially on some clean parts, but with time I’m sure that Ryan’s voice will get better and stronger since it has that potential. Most of the songs have the ability to be very good live and it is certainly very interesting when an EP can produce this feeling. However this EP suffers from a disease that lots of other EPs suffer from, commonly known as LIATSOTS or Losing Interest After The Second Or Third Song. The problem here is that there is no significant change that would keep the ear of the listener directly concentrated to the music. A more stylistically varied concentration of songs would have been better and would probably be more interesting to the listener.  One other negative of the EP is the length of the songs. All songs are above 6 minutes and can reach 8 or 9 minutes which is sometimes a bit too much and reduces the chances of being able to memorise songs and passages.

The track that really stands out of this EP to me is In the Shadow of the Bomb which is definitely a track worth checking out. So many elements are introduced in this song that it definitely makes it a very interesting song to listen to and will probably be a killer live. Also worth noting is Reason to Die which showcases a slightly different side of Annihilation.

Overall Silent Hell by Annihilation is a very good first EP from the band and it looks promising for the future. However there is a lot of room for improvement and the band should keep on working hard and will then definitely achieve recognition!

Myspace: 
http://www.myspace.com/annihilationmetaluk

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Annihilation/118788624812109

Silent Hell: 1/5

Posted by Nick