Coroner, Tar Pond & Schizophrenia - Nobel Leiden, 1 October 2026

Progpower is held every year in Baarlo, but the proper warm-up show was this year in Leiden. 1 October means that the city is building up for their annual 2/3 October party, when the city celebrates the liberation from Spain during the 80 year war. So arriving at Nobel by car or bus became a bit more challenging. Me coming by train, so arriving on time and during the supports you saw people slowly dropping in.

Two supports we had and they could not be more opposite of each other. First we got Tar Pond the band of former Coroner drummer Marky Edelmann. They play doom metal of the very slow and heavy kind. The vocals over this all have some gothic feel to them. Interesting it was, but 30 minutes was enough for me. Hereafter the Belgian Death/Thrash formation Schizophrenia hit the stage. Their music was fast and furious and they ran across the stage all the time. They did get several pits as a reward and went down pretty well with the crowd.

Looking at the many old Coroner T-shirts in tonight, the real headliner were Coroner. Their album Dissonance Theory was last year's comeback album of the year. After a hiatus of 32 (!) years, they pleasantly surprised fans old and new. In a way I am among the new fans. In the period 1987-1993 I did not get any of their five albums. I did see them live at the time, when in 1990 they opened for Watchtower, who just released one of my favourite albums Control and Resistence. I probably focussed too much on Watchtower that night, as I do like the style Coroner moves in Technical Thrash Metal. Ten years ago they released a DVD package with career overviews, live recordings and a story of disc. I was more up to date now and got the box and loved it. So when Coroner released a new album last year I did get it fast and it made my top ten of the year. So long intro short I was looking forward to an evening with Coroner. They opened the set with some new songs and thereafter they visited all their albums. The band was tight, the songs good and they even invited a keyboardist on stage whose role was limited. Another great evening in already fantastic gig year 2026. Before going to Leiden I received from several PPE fans the comment that Coroner should play ProgPower this year. Musically I do agree, even if the reactions tonight were far wilder than Progpower can bring. At the same time looking at their merch prices I can understand that they might be too expansive for the festival. Technical Thrash Metal does belong at Progpower, so if not Coroner I can recommend several other options from Europe.

Fen - Mastodon - Miscreance - Nefarious - North Sea Echoes - Todomal

Herewith some more CD tips of albums I bought over the past weeks (months).

Fen: Elemental Part One: Mourning Earth

The atmospheric blackmetal band Fen are back with a part one of Elemental. I had a few of their albums, missed a few and than saw them live again last year at Samhain festival This made me realize I should follow them more closely, as they were great. Now they are back with six songs spanning just over 45 minutes, which in Fen's world means short songs. While the music is their usual dark self I believe the vocals are more on the background this time. Only when clean sung they are clear in the mix. The album does manage to bring you back to swampy fen areas and for me they could return to The Netherlands soonest.

Mastodon: Marrow Deep

Now here is an album many people were curious to hear. After first the departure and shortly thereafter the death of Brett Hinds, how would Mastodon sound and recover. Well upon first listening I could hear that the typical Mastodon sound is still very present. Bretts voice is not here, but in the lyrics many times he is remembered (even if the album is also dedicated to  Michele J. Lawrence). I think this one is pretty accessible again, but maybe a bit less so than Hushed and Grim, which came before. The line-up now also holds a permanent Keyboardist in Joao from Pernambuco. That should result in some mood addings on stage. Later I can better compare where this album stands in the Mastodon discography, but first impressions ar every positive for me.

Miscreance: Reminiscence

In Canada Christian picked up the free magazine Absolute Underground, which held an interview with this band. Next steps were checking them out online and ordering the album and while at it, pick up their debut Convergence too. Reminiscence musically is the best tech metal album made so far this year. So fans of Watchtower, should take note. The strange language song titles and lyrics in one case, mean that Cynic also is never too far away I guess. So musically absolutely top, I can imagine the vocals are not for everyone. I believe they fiit well with the music though. With this very intense music a total lenght of 37 minutes is just fine Funny how a coincidental interview encounter, can lead to a new favourite band. 

Nefarious: Addicted to Power

Nefarious are this all star thrash metal line-up band. Last year this album was released with Katon W, de Pena on vcals. I missed it at the time,and got this album now after seeing the band with Sean Rivera on vocals. The band re-released the album with Sean singing and that is the one I got. Now I love Hirax live and Katon is a brilliant showman, but here the mix of thrash metal with more Heavy Metal vocals is what makes this album so good. Well the line-up also helps as when you can name drop Exodus, Death Angel, Blind Iluusion and Heathen as past bands of members, something must be right. Here I saw the live show first and than got to know the album later, highly recommended.

North Sea Echoes: How to Cast a Shadow

The second album of this band, which is mainly Jim Matheos and Ray Alder of Fates Warning fame. This is their second album and it again is far aaway from anything Fates Warning. Jim's project Tuesday the Sky at times comes closer and also Chroma Key can be mentioned. Yet, when Ray Alder sings on any album my interest is risen. This time a bit more guitars compared with their debut album Really Good Terrible Things. Still it is no metal and better suited for waking up slowly or nice eveing background music. And man how I would love a Fates Warning farewell tour still.

Todomal: Graveyards of Joy

Now here is a strong candidate for my Doom Metal album of the year. As the name suggests Todomal (All bad) are from Spain and these graveyards do bring tremendous amounts of joy indeed. This is epuic doom, which at times reminds me of Anathema during their best period (Judgement) Some Gothic references too appear at times. The songs are fairly to the point for doom metal with 9 songs clocking in at 43 minutes. The band only consists of two men Wildman and Mile. Still sorry I attended a birthday party the very afternoon they played Baroeg.

Into the Void - de Neushoorn Leeuwarden, 26 September 2026

Into the Void is mainly a stoner and doom festival which is the reason I never attended before. Mind you, I do like both genres, especially live, but won't travel too far for either and Leeuwarden is bloody far (whoever said The Netherlands are tiny?). I actually thought I once visited the festival in the same venue, when I went mainly to see Bell Witch playing Mirror Reaper in full. Turned out that festival was called Into Darkness and it held also more Black metal in the line-up. Actually I do travel for some doom, but than more bands like Sorcerer who mix their doom with Heavy Metal. Today there were two bands whom I would love to see live and that made me train some hours up north: Anciients and Ponte Del Diavolo. I decided not to sleep over in Leeuwarden and last trains already told me I could not see 1000 Mods , Tankzilla and Kryptograf anyway. Pity as what I heard online, these all might have been interesting.

So before going to my two reasons to go, let me quickly share some thoughts of what I did see further. Upon arrival El Altar Del Holocausto were on stage. These Spaniards play instrumental post-rock and what I saw sounded pretty good. Dressed all in white, including covered faces with only eyes out resulted in a nice presentation too. Still shaping your hands in a heartform towards the crowd is not a very mertal. doom or stoner thing to do. Herefater I saw a bit of Komatsu, whom I saw before I believe. This heavy trio from Eindhoven delivered, but I was not standing all that comfortable in the smaller Arena hall. Like more festivals, entering the small hall after a band started and most people arriving from the larger hall want to have a peek, resultsin traffic jammed entrances. Not as bad as de Effenaar, where I saw people being banned from the small hall in the past, still not overly comfy either. I anyway left in time to go see Ponte Del Diavolo.

At 15:00 hours Ponte Del Diavolo hit the stage. The intro was a song sounding fifties and sung in Italian. Tells you something about their not standard presentation and we were in for a treat indeed. The female vocalist calls herself Erba del Diavolo and she does know how to attract attention. Some might not like her presentation when she can play arrogant, bored or cocky at times. I loved her presentation and her voice went from clean to possesed at times, sounding like she had crossed the devil's bridge indeed. In advance I thought I could brush up my rusty hardly existing Italian, but that was impossible sung this fast  or angry. But it is not just Erba who draws attention. In times when bass players suffer and at times disappear (especially among our djenty brothers) Ponte brings along two bassists. This guarantees a heavy sound. The program told us that the band call their music Blackened Post Punk. The cover they played was a Bauhaus song. So very differnet they are and I loved this set. They often played The Netherlands before, glad I finally managed to see them too. Got the Tee in appreciation.

I discovered Anciients only after they released their sensational album Beyond the Reach of the Sun in 2024. They soon became yet another Canadian band among my absolute favourites. They play extreme progmetal,where the balance between clean and fierce vocals should make them acceptable for fans of both styles. Musically they are a fortress, with great double guitar work and at times some keyboards on the background. Today they did fit in the festival (just) as there is some sludge in their progmetal too. Well looking at the reactions in the hall I was not the only one loving this set. Opening with Forbidden Sanctuary and closing with the epic Buried in Sand (thanks Kenny) we got 45 minutes flying by. I never take notes, nor can I name songtitles immediately, but we got a focus on the last two albums and it was great. When not at a festival they get another half hour or so. So I checked options this tour, but that won't work out for me unfortunately. So I shall be back seeing them, when they return on a next tour to The Netherlands. They actuall come back playing Nijmegen at Soulcrusher 10 October, but I have Metal Exeperience Fest obligations that day. If you are free, do go see them. Not often you get to see a band this good from front row, yet with an audience loving their show too. If they than also bring along nice Tees and a beer cooler at the merch stand. it becomes easy to show your appreciation to the band.

After my two highlights of the day I did loose interest a bit. I often suffer from this at a festival so bands better play before my highlights. I did see very little of Coltaine, which surprised on the vocal front. Many female vocalists today and luckily not of the operatic kind, but proper singing and shrieking. At the main stage I did see Belzebong and their instrumental stoner doom sounded very nice. Still after a few songs I went to see if Anciients were at their merch stand and I could speak a bit with Kenny and Brock. I saw a tiny bit from  Spirit Mother's set and liked the doom off Daevar. Still I decided to call it quits soon and went off to the station and train home, arriving at a decent enough time home. One fine day was had and thanks goes out to organizers. If next year they manage to give me two new highlights., I probably shall be back.

Demon & Steelover - Musicon The Hague, 18 September 2026

Demon coming to town. Not something we could say often, I guess never. Even The Netherlands are not all that often visited by the band., As support they brought along Steelover from Liege. A place they are playing both today at the great Golden Age of Rock Festival, which I unfortunately could not attend this year. So a mid road stop in Musicon it was for Demon and if upon entering I feared a very empty venue, it later filled up better. Many people in I knew not from Musicon, but from other  old skool metal parties. My post on our gig app group resulted in Peter and Rene showing up and Hans already confirmed before that Demon was a good excuse for some beers in Musicon.

So Steelover could open the evening for us. Thier first run was from 1982-1986when they released the LP Glove Me. I don't remember ever having heard their name in the eighties. Reformed in 2016 I saw their name appearing on festival posters, but I never saw them live before. Their music is strongly footed in the eighties and their straightforward Hard Rock/ Heavy Metal went down well. They just released a new album Devil's Highway and most songs came form that album. All new to me that did not impact. A nice enough opener that brought what I expected, but did not make me run to the merch stand really.

Demon opened with the expected Night of the Demon and closed with the equally expected (Guest?) One Helluva Night. Inbetween thsoe two classics we got a ride through their now 47 year career from first single Liar until a song from their last 2024 album Invincible. It soon became clear that Demon were in good shape and a very tight band was headed by vocalist and only original band member Dave Hill. He deserves a special mention as I don't see him being mentioned often on discussions of vocalists of respectable age who still did not loose any of their power. Apart from a great performer he also delivers the classics as if we are still in the eighties. Many highlights throughout the set, for me the best came when they reached my favourite album The Plague, which for this evening was turned into The Hague. Title track and Nowhere to Run both stood firm and who does not like shouting along with The Hague?. A very entertaining set by Demon it was and one fine evening in Musicon yet again. 

Raven & Vortex - Musicon The Hague, 8 September 2026

Tuesday night and it was raining cats and dogs. So I was worried about turnout for the great Raven tonight, turned out I was wrong again. A nicely packed Musicon was filled with even different generations all ready for some eighties metal by Raven and Vortex. 

Vortex opened the evening as Vortex, not Metal Bats even if teh merch said Metal Bats.Not sure how their loss of Martjo influences the name under which they perform, but for me Vortex means Open the Gate. They managed to produce one of the cult underground metal clips of the eigties and I believe we even got to see it at Sky TV Monsters of Rock at the time (the show with Amanda Reddington and Mick Wall). So in a way I was this evening waiting for Open the Gate, while knowing they would close their set with this hit. Eighties hard rock/metal we got before and the off the wall presentation made it a nice enough show. Pieter arrived as per his tradition way too late, but just in time to see Open the Gate.

Raven always deliver a good show, giving it their all. As they said today they have been coming to The Netherlands for 45(!) years now and shall keep on returning as long as we want that. Looking at tonight's audience and reactions that shall last a while as in my memory it was more busy now than eight years ago on a Friday night. The band keeps on releasing new albums too, so the set consisted of songs from many different albums. Of course we rocked until we dropped and did so all for onne, but some songs I did not know were nice surprises too (Pick Your Window). The band did give their usual energy with the attitude off what you hear is what is played. They also seemed genuinely pleased that in spite of the awful weather outside it seemed pretty packed on a Tuesday. Anyone watching them running across teh stage, must sympathize with the band and I have no problem seeing them return every few years to Musicon (or elsewhere). Tonight they play Little Devil, so anyone not depending on striking public transport enjoy.

Nefarious & Defazer - Musicon The Hague, 6 September 2026

Nefarious playing Musicon, meant metal royalty was coming to town. This because of the 18 Nefariouses on metal archives we got the one from the USA playing thrash/heavy metal. So introducing the band on drums we have Will Caroll (Death Angel), On bass Tom Gears who played with Blind Illusion. The guitar double means Rick Hunolt (Exodus throughout teh 80's) and Doug Piercy (Heathen among many others). What made the package complete is Sean Rivera on vocals, who adds the heavy metal touch and just released with Coffin Hunters one fine album in Cosmic Dawn. So Sunday afternoon meant Musicon and again it was a pity that the youth of today does not appreciate proper metal.

So it was 15:30 when Defazer hit the stage for an audience mostly off my generation. Defazer are The Hague's leading thrash metal band. I had not seen them for a while and again loved their energetic set, which did include some songs not released yet. It seems a new album is in the writing stages and what we heard so far did sound very promising. A good warm-up for Nefarious they were and yes originally Grindpad were supposed to open the evening, but circumstances forced them to cancel.

After a fairly long break, which was no problem with many usual suspects in this afternoon Nefarious hit the stage. It did not take long for me to realize we would be in for a treat. This is one fine band and their songs were easy on the ears at first hearing for me. Sean Rivera's voice makes them stand out from others, and their full debut album was played (whose new version I picked up with Sean's vocals). Given the band members we also got some covers and Goblin's Blade (Heathen) and Metal Command  from Bonded by Blood seemed good choices. Everyone I spoke with after the show agreed that we got one fine afternoon of prime metal delivered to us. To see a band of this level play Musicon always makeds me smile. Cheers to anyone putting this afternoon together for us.

Exist - Iconic - Karcius - Lex Legion

Some more CD tips from the last months.

Exist - Beyond Purpose

One of the albums I picked up at Progstorm is this EP by Exist, which was released the week before only. I discovered this progressive death metal band in 2017 when they released So True, So Bound. I loved next album Egoiista and missed Hijacking the Zeitgeist due to postage issues (also picked up at Progstrom). I can safely say that since returning from Canada, thsi is the band I played most. Also as I had two new releases. Still trying to figure out why Exist are not huge. Max Phelps is known from his work with Cynic and Death to All. Alex Weber is now also in Revocation and together they play in Wait. Anyway anyone into progressive death metal where both grunts and clean vocals are great try out Exist. Three songs only this time, with in the middle an epic track of almost 8 minutes, like they do so often. And now I know that live they are sensational too.

Iconic - II

Frontiers records love to put together super groups and Iconic is number 872 in that row. As the title states this is their second album. The members are Nathan James (Inglorious) on vocals with further Michael Sweet, Joel Hoekstra, Marco Mendoza and Tommy Alridge completing the band. If you don't know these names you are not into melodic hard rock and can stop reading. I bought this album as it was released at the right time for becoming an often played summer album. Musically you can guess the direction by reading the band member names and Whitesnake can be name-dropped. Is this world shocking original? Of course not. But both performance and songs are so fine, that you gotta love the album. No tours expected I guess, but to be revisited when uplifting moods are required.

Karcius - Black Soul Sickness

Karcius are a long running band from Canada, but I only discovered them with their previous album Grey White Silver Yellow & Gold. I was drawn to the band when reading that their vocalist is Sylvain Auclair from Heaven's Cry fame. Karcius are a bit less metal than that band and play music in the range of heavy prog rock or progmetal light. In heaviness Enchant comes to mind. With this album being more moody also a band like Wolverine pops up. Always a brave move to open with the epic track, but Wallow sets the right mood over 13:28 minutes. Just like the previous one, a very fine album by this band. Maybe time to explore a back catalogue?

Lex Legion - Lex Legion

Anyone into plain old Heavy Metal already owns this album and has read about it. The band is the King Diamond line-up of Them with not King Diamond, but Pagan's Mind's Nils on vocals. All songs very close to four minutes, there is no time wasted in showing off. Mosty fast and the voice of Nils surprised me, as when I saw him with Pagan's Miond a few times I never was this impressed. In the eighties it was the voice of King Diamond that kept me away from Mercyful Fate and King Diamond. Later my mind became more open and I do have the Abigail and Them double. This is must have material for heavy metal fans and I believe that they are talking about touring too. Tees can use the nice logo, but should stay away from the album cover really.