The Aurora Project - WPC Wateringen, 21 February 2025

The Aurora Project releasing their new album EVOS12 with a one band only show in WPC Nederland 3 in Wateringen. I must admit that I thought the mix of The Aurora Project and WPC a strange one and was afraid of an empty house. Well obviously I am losing my progrock senses fast as to my pleasant surprise it was packed. When looking around I realized how it worked. I saw many Progpower regulars walking around. Than I also recognized some faces from Progfrog shows and some locals made it a mix of people. I believe the band themselves also brought WAGS, friends and children, so the full house got explained. This was not on my direct group of friends behalf. While at Progpower we attend with some 15 people lately from greater The Hague, my message in the PPE whatsapp group resulted in zero enthusiast reactions. Than Wateringen itself is known from Waterpop. The large group of locals always there that I know were represented by Joop alone. Marko agreed that instead of our regular Friday night bicycle ride to Musicon, we would continue another 6 km to arrive at WPC.  Good to see that the hall was filled up nicely, this for the band as well. 

The Aurora Project I saw for the first time at Progpower. Marcel confirmed they played in 2008, but that was their second appearance. I saw them also in 2005 when they opened the Sunday. I remember being rather positive about them both times. Later on I also saw them at de Boerderij, as I bought their CD Selling The Aggression. They are not the most touring band around, so I believe I saw them only twice outside of Baarlo.They played ProgPower twice and Prog Archives calls them progmetal. I would be more inclined to call them progrock, but what's in a name let the music do the talking.

At 21:00 The Aurora Project kicked off with a full version of their new album EVOS12. This was mainly a moody affair with lots of spicy guitar work inbetween. In the latest iO Pages TAP received a Vette Krent  for this album. Now I might need to explain. iO Pages review albums and don't give notes. Some albums receive the tag Tip and if they are really impressed your title is Vette Krent. Now that is a bit of a weird name, as Vette Krent means big ass. I guess it comes from krenten in de pap, but yesterday I already found out that translating this results to an in the pap that no foreigenr will get. Drifting off here, what I wanted to say is that I liked the new album, even if it sounded a bit lighter than what I remembered by them. In the same iO Pages Remco is being called a guitar god. Now I thought he played very well indeed, but guitar gods make me think of mr Schenker or Friedman a different level really. Anyway the first set passed by well and of they went for a break. Coming back with two acoustic guitars and singing in Dutch did create a scare, but it was explained afterwards that for Progwereld they once made an album in Dutch translating their own songs. Hereafter the heaviness went up a bit (never too much as we don't speak techdeath really)  I liked the show and the full band came over fine. Highlight towards the end was the song where the solos were divided between both guitarists Remco and new kid on the block Alex. A great ending to one fine evening of progrock. I am playing their new album now and as Marko said nice to play on Sunday mornings it is easy awakening. The Auroroa Project proved to be among the best in their genre in The Netherlands and with fans (or were it friends) coming over from Italy, Germany and Roumania an international tour might be an option. Next show they play is in their homevenue Scum 29 March. That weekend for me means Black Metal in The Hague as Friday 28 Groza and Infinity play Musicon, and Saturday 29 Saor comes to het Paard. Those not that much into Black Metal might just as well want to check out The Aurora Project, you won't feel sorry.

Dream Theater - Fleshbore - Noor - Wretch

 We are halfway February so about time to start tipping some CD's you might have missed.

Dream Theater - Parasomnia

This one was looked out for by many. After all MIke Portnoy is back and would this mean a change? Of course change is relative with Dream Theater as they have a very own sound and style. When I first put the album on I was pleasantly surprised by the heaviness of the album. This one sits somewhere between Awake and Train of Thought which is a good thing as those two are among their best (Awake their best to me). The instrumental opener is heavy and fast and gets me in the mood.  The two next songs were pre-released with a videoclip and the positive mood stays. Before the semi ballad Bend the Clock there is another short instrumental but the rest all are long songs. Maybe I would have liked two short heavy 4 to 5 minute bangers inbetween, but the overall feel is definitely positive OK I liked all Dream Theater albums upon first listenings (apart from The Astonishing which was shite from day one) Question is if I would still play this one one year from now, or do I go back to the first eight minus Scenes From a Memory when I want to hear anything by Dream Theater. Time shall tell, but probably I will attend the tour when they play this album in full. So welcome back mr Portnoy, glad you're home and the great artwork on cover and in the booklet deserves a mention too.

Flesbore - Painted Paradise

Even within Tech Death there is a wide variation of sounds. This is typically one of the more extreme ones, which to be honest I won't be playing lots. So why did I pick this one up? Because somehow they managed to click with me. If you think Archspire are fast, move over to Fleshbore. Absolutrely impossible to read along with the lyrics. This brings me to the packaging as we talk sensational here again by Transcending Obscurity. The cover is great and made me order the T-shirt along. The album came with a button of the cover and a card telling me that I own number 79/500 of the digipacks released. So getting used to the slamdeath vocals over very fast tech death this album does speak loud to me. Not for every day or moment, but I would love to see them live on stage one day.

Noor - Mother's Guilty Pleasure

Noor gives me a problem right at the start of the year. Bringing us a strong candidate for album of the year in January 25, but being originally a December 23 digital release. Alex explained to me on the way back from Queensryche that this means no album of the year. Still it shall be among my most played albums. Why? because they play exactly the heavy and fast powerful style of progmetal that I love. Noor hail from Montreal so again Canada delivers top quality. The quartet holds two guitars, bass and drums. All very apt at their instruments it must be the vocals that bring the combination to absolute Champions League level. Love discoveries like these, where we can only hope they will be appreciated by many. I saw that they play Up The Hammers this March, but no further shows in Europe so far. Do yourself a favour and check this album out. Than be like Ton, Alex and me and order after first listen.

Wretch - Visitors

When ordering Noor I bumped into Wretch at their label as well. Wretch released a bunch of demos in the eighties, but their first full album was released in 2006. This is album number five and only now I discovered them. They play heavy metal with Metal Archives adding Power and Thrash. It all sounds very nice and old skool to me. Strange how some bands stay under my radar that long, even if in theory I should like them from the start. Than I discovered they play CPunt 16 March. Unfortunately that is the last evening before Josie leaves for Brazil, so I won't be able to attend. Those who have no wife leaving the next morning I can highly recommend a trip down to Hoofddorp as this should be good live on stage.

Queensryche & Night Demon - Effenaar Eindhoven, 9 February 2025

20 October 1984 was one evening in The Netherlands where anyone with a mild interest in Heavy Metal made sure they would be in Jaap Edenhal. Dio was touring Last in Line and on peak of his solo career. Maybe even more important was that Queensryche would open the evening. Queensryche already won the EP of the year in the Aardschok poll before and the Warning was just released so for a first time on Dutch soil we needed to be there. 40 year and a few months later when Queensryche announced a return to their EP and Warning album under the name Origins Tour we needed to be back. Now I was sloppy in getting a ticket and I guess most people who were in Amsterdam that October evening in 84 wanted to see this again,.Sold out followed swift after tickets went on sale. Magchiel had his ticket on time and when he passed by on Friday I started looking for ticketswap. That was not easy, but a lucky alert coming in when I had my phone in hand on Saturday got me to Effenaar after all.

Sunday evening starting slightly early to enable people to train home at decemnt times we left for Eindhoven just before five. Wandering how the show would be (good we expected based upon the setlist) and how the atmosphere would be. The night before Noa Lang of PSV (the Eindhoven football team for non Dutch non football fans) stated their home audience was shite. Well the Effenaar was filled with people from all over The Netherlands who were on a trip down memory lane. So ok noone has the same energy levels of 1984 nowadays, but everyone was loving it and the atmosphere was great shouting along with those songs we missed for so long. 

Opener of the night were Night Demon. They must be among the most touring bands around over the last decade. I first saw them in May 2014 when THHMA put them in cafe de Vinger. That night they played their first EP and skipped the Radar Love cover. I told them afterwards that they were in the city of Radar Love (which is  not Rotterdam Jeremy Clarckson) so a next time including it would be a good plan. They did so in Musicon and at Very Eavy later on and I guess I saw them some five times before with every album tour at least once. This evening they started energetic as ever and supporting Queenryche they fitted pretty well to me getting some 45 minutes tonight. I believe they visited all albums and closed with the double The Chalice (with mascot on stage) and Night Demon. This evening blasting for 45 minutes I thought them even better than when headlining 75-90 minutes last time in Musicon. Hope they won over some new fans.

And than the wait started for the Queen of the Reich. Announcing to play a full EP and album means no surprises on the setlist. In this case noone cared as to me and many others EP and Warning is the best era by Queensryche. Especially the songs we almost never saw live like Blinded, Deliverance, No Sanctuary or Child of Fire were nice to revisit. Interesting how with these eighties albums you can also sing along nonstop knowing all the lyrics. So from Queen of the Reich till Roads to Madness it was a joy. Todd only had one break to talk to us, when the LP needed to be turned over. Further it was the music speaking to us loudly. The band were all fine to me as well. Eddie Jacksoon and Michael Wilton as only original members for a while already. Todd has a better voice than Geoff Tate has nowadays, that's why we get the uptempo songs again. Casey Grillo is an amazing drummer too and while I never felt that Mike Stone fit in Queensryche with his looks, he played well tonight. 

Where the setlist was predictabel the encore holds changes every night I just saw. We got first a new song of their last album DNA. Fine but breaking nostalgia a bit. Luckily we got Walk in the Shadows next and with Empire, Screaming in Digital and their ultimate set closer Eyes of a Stranger everyone left for home with a smile on their face. I was mainly pleased that the band was wise enough to not include the wrong songs in the encore giving us no zillionth time Silent Lucidity or their frst poor song ever Jet City Woman. This evening we were catapulted back to 1984 and that is what we came for. Next tour they are allowed to blend lots of new material in, which is still relevant. Oldskool fans know it won't ever be getting better than this set for any Queensryche still to come.

Darren Wharton's Renegade & SolarSister - Patronaat Haarlem, 2 February 2025

Darren Wharton's Renegade touring for the first time through The Netherlands. The last night of the tour would be in Haarlem, which is closest to home so Hans and I opted for Patronaat. Now I have a certain dislike of the overdose of tribute and cover bands that are programmed lately over bands playing original material. De Boerderij even puts on way more cover bands than original bands off late. I use to skip these evenings (funfact while I am writing this de Boerderij just announced Limehouse Lizzy for October). Now Darren Wharton's Renegade to me is different for several reasons. First Darren actually played in the band on their last two studio albums. Than after the death of Phil Lynott in 1986 Thin Lizzy ceased to exist. Unfortunately I never saw the original band live on stage. I did see some 23 years ago a version when John Sykes took care of vocals (and did so very well). So now this is I believe the only band with a foot in Lizzy legacy touring Thin Lizzy material (meanwhile someone pointed out to me that of course Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous are also still touring) We all know that Thin Lizzy live always sounded even better than in the studio (Live an dDangerous anyone?). Finally I do like the band Dare as well and last October I played all Thin Lizzy albums and ranked them. So when fairly late this tour was announced through Social Media Hans and I knew we would love an evening of Lizzy live.

We started the evening with a bite in the city centre and a beer in the Irish pub, which seemed a logical choice. Arriving at Patronaat we were a bit afraid of a very quiet night in empty Patronaat. Luckily during the evening that got corrected. It was also nice to attend a show where we were bang on average age. So not feeling old we went into the small hall, where we met Ton (Woerden not The Hague) plus a lot of old rockers waiting for Lizzy.

Before we got to the main event we were supposedly warmed up by SolarSister. I had never heard of this band from Brabant before and soon found out why. The band could definitely play and had two good voices. Problem was that the music was poprock and had very little to do with what I put on at home. So quality enough, but not in my zone of interest.

Than after a break and Rock Bottom intro Renegade came on. The band started with Angel of Death of the Renegade album and co-written by Darren. He used a keytar at the start, but that instrument hardly returned later on. So Darren was frontman and the band was very solid. I don't remember their names all, but we had at the back drums and keyboards,  a bassplayer had to take care of Phil's parts while two guitarists shared the soloing and riffing duties. Very early on I realized how I liked watching a band that looked like early eighties and played like early eihties as well. So no laptops dictating the set, but just honest live performances. And yes it was one of those nights with technical issues, so the bass drum broke down several times, or it's pedal did. The microphone also refused twice which made us waiting a bit longer for an alibi. What made this a highlight of gig year 2025 was the nostalgia factor. This show and setlist brought us back to the very early eighties when Hans and I played cards with Magchiel and listened to music during school holidays. We played Thin Lizzy next to Whitesnake, UFO, Rainbow, Scorpions, MSG and Sabbath the bands that put us on the right track musically. Pity Magchiel could not join as he would love this set as much as we did. We fell the need to get a T-shirt after the show just to show our appreciation for one fine evening. Finally do I need to mention highlights? The setlist had a large overlap with the Life Live album and went from one high to the next. Ok Emerald was very fine and I loved the Cowboy song going into Boys Are Back in Town. That last song sounded even better than my karaoke performance at the Progpower afterparty a few years back. If picking one absolute favorite Lizzy song we both probably pick Black Rose title track of the Gary Moore album. So after some final loud shoutings along with Whiskey in the Jarro it was all over. Very highly recommended to go see this band when they come to town, or close enough. If they return to Holland I shall be there again, thank you Renegade for this very fine evening of classic Lizzy in Haarlem. 

Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench & Mancuerda - Musicon The Hague, 31 January 2025

Friday night is metal night in Musicon and mostly we get Death Metal over the last years. This evening Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench attracted many people to Musicon as it seemed almost a full house while half of Holland is sick at home with fever. Good to see that metal is still alive and well when Death.

Openers tonight were local combo Mancuerda. They are playing frequently lately and if you have  a mild interest in Death Metal and live in greater The Hague you must have bumped into them a few times over the past year. Mancuerda play heavy and slow and doomy while spitting out their gory lyrics. I could see that they play a lot lately, as they seemed tight. They came to open and warm us up and that is what they did again.

Pungent Stench are from Austria and formed in the late eighties. Now I only started appreciating death metal and grunts in the late nineties, so I missed them all together. I only recognized the famous cover of their second album with the two old men kissing intense. That picture was also available on T-shirt like more Pungent Stench album covers. Interesting as the band are no longer allowed to play under the name Pungent Stench resulting in the weird name Schirenc Plays. The trio gave us a long set going through their whole discography I assume. Their death metal was a bit more varied and I quite liked it. Halfway the set we were told that this was the first show of the new drummer with the band. They hit jackpot it seems as everyone was impressed most with the drumming tonight. A good band touring this weekend through The Netherlands still, so go see them if they come near you.

Insomnium , Omnium Gatherum & Hinayana - TivoliVredenburg Utrecht, 16 January, 2025

Beyond the Shadows of the Dying Sun this tour was called as Insomnium celebrate ten years of their break-through album. Support came from Omnium Gatherum who played their 2013 album Beyond in full. Openers were to me unknown band Hinayana from the USA. I had agreed with Lida to meet at the bar before the show and it turned out to be an international event tonight. In the bar we shared beers with Santiago from Ecuador, living in Antwerp. Inside the hall I bumped into Franka who brought her Dutch/German friend from Spain. The music was Finnish mostly and the night was fine.

Hinaya strated at 19:00 hours and I was afraid that putting this tour in the Ronda hall was a bit optimistic. A floor where you could move around easily and the stairs at the sides empty still. Hinayana (what's in a name) got me on the wrong foot when they stated coming from Austin Texas. To me Austin Texas and metal means Watchtower. These guys looked Finnish, sounded Finnish and played Finnish. Not a bad choice on this Finnish evening. Their music was OK and well performed, but I did not hear any own sound for this band. Maybe as I did not know them. If feeling like supporting them T-shirts of a band I never heard of before for 30 euros makes me realize why I love Musicon so much. We can only hope that TivoliVredenburg is not charging anything for merch sales. Final verdict good opener and slowly more people arrived.

Second band were Omnium Gatherum coming from the late nineties just like Insomnium. I saw them before in Baroeg, That night they suffered a bit as they had to follow after one of my favourites in the melodic doom death genre In Mourning. Tonight playing before my favourite I noticed what I miss with them. Variation in the vocal department. Jukka has one style of singing and that is how he sings the whole set. In compensation he was the most lively frontman on stage thsi evening also not hindered by a guitar. So live definitely a welcome adding. On album as I know from the one album I have a bit samy after some time.

Headlineres were Insomnium and to my pleasant surprise the hall almost filled completely by now. OK at the stiars on the sides there was enough space, but the main hall was filled. Nice to notie and Insomnium soon showed why this was the case. They gave us a very strong version of the album Shadows of the Dying Sun. I came late to the Insomnium party as I only discoverd them with Winter's Gate in 2016. After that album I did get the now celebrated CD as well very soon. It might be their best, but I think that all last four albums have something special. If not musically the package can be very nice including shorts stories as well. So musically we did not get surprises as it was announced in advance that they would play the album in full. After they did and shortly disappeared Nilo came back and asked what song we missed. Well I missed nothing as they played my CD from start to finish, but apparently there is an additional song Out To The Sea. Hereafter we got  Lilian and One for Sorrow and it was all over. Well the best band closed an evening that already started very nice. Good to see that Insomnium can draw a decent crowd already and as they stated themselves they seem to have to come back every five to six months, so until the next time it is.

Rosie - Musicon The Hague, 10 January 2025

Opening the new gig year with a show by long running local band Rosie. I was not the only one who had that plan as Musicon was packed. Rosie was founded in 1979 and as the name indicates they play music sounding a lot like AC/DC, including a few covers. I saw them first in the middle of the eighties. Hereafter I guess once a decade Rosie popped up at a festival or show I attended. So musically no surprises as they can play and the to me new vocalist fitted well with the music. Overall the songs could be a bit faster to me, as they mainly play the mid tempo boogie and roll. Highlight of the show was the post with the changing song titles,  nice touch. So while this was a sort of New Years do to many it opened gig year 2025 for me. I hope to have many happy returns to Musicon this year. Next show Insomnium in Utrecht.