Damnation Plan - Demoniac - Tritop

This time three pretty different albums, all worthwhile of your time though.

Damnation Plan - The New Horizon

Questions: is this a full album or an EP? Same goes for the musical style. Metal Archives calls them Melodic Death Metal. I saw reviews talking about Progmetal, while I would say that people who like doomy Swedish Heavy Metal like Sorcerer should check these Fins out as well. I believe this band found me through adverts on Facebook. Interesting as 99% of the adverts having nothing to do with me or my interest. But The New Horizon than? well it gives us five songs totalling almost 33 minutes. Long epic songs, with dark and moody atmospheres are presented. If you add good vocals and strong songwriting this is yet another band I discovered this year, while their first album is from ten years ago. I can imagine that in the great flood of releases this one goes missing, but basically anyone liking any of the three styles mentioned above should check them out. If like me you like all three styles, you will love this album.

Demoniac - Nube Negra 

My favorite Chileans are back. In 2020 they gave us So It Goes. That was an album in both English and Spanish and had a title track of almost 20 minutes covering one side. A bit of a Blackened Thrash Rush therefore. This time English has left the album, leaving us only with Spanish lyrics and two instrumentals. No epic either, but still lots of variation as clarinet and accordeon are still present. No worries though as these won't disturb the overall heaviness of this album. I believe that over the last three years Demoniac got a notch heavier in general. I still need a few more spins before catching all that is presented to us. But I like what I hear so far and for me Spanish lyrics are a bonus and a refreshing crash course. So they did it again, but how long is it flying from Valparaiso to Europe?

Tritop - Rise of Kassandra

And now for somethig completely calmer. Italian progressive rock presented by Tritop. The album is already half a year old, but I found Tritop by a DPRP review, who are always late with their reviews. Tritop are Italian, but there is definitely also something American in their prog rock. As this is their debut holding four songs with an opener of 13:00 and a closer of 23:46 you might think of Spock's Beard and their debut. Musically they are also not miles apart. Prog rock with enough heavy bits and pieces, to potentially win over the progmetal fan as well. Italy was known for their prog rock in the seventies. I do like this century as well, with bands like Moongarden, O.R.k. and now Tritop. Recommended even if slightly late.

Night Demon & Speed Queen - Musicon The Hague, 18 September 2023

Monday night often means Musicon Metal night nowadays. Tonight we would go back in time with two bands playing heavy metal as if we were in the eighties again.. Or as Marko called it halfway the Speed Queen set, refreshing after the many death and extreme shows we get served lately. And so it was.

Speed Queen from Hamont Belgium would open the evening. With a name like that they play Heavy Metal with Speed tendencies. Not full speed all the time and when they went slow with a song for the ladies I believe they had some Krokus in them. As it was Monday and some people arriving still during their set, Musicon warmed slowly to their set and those who were of a certain age did like a trip back in time. While the band was good one special mention can go out to Andreas, as his solos were very tasty and fast at times. I believe tonight was the first times I saw two drumsets on the not so huge Musicon stage so the same was slightly extended to give Thomas some space to move around as well. Finally Zeeman shorts rule!

Night Demon touring their latest album The Outsider and I believe they opened their set with the full album. Now I don't own that album on CD yet and it was sold out I believe. This meant that I and many others were watching a show by Night Demon with unknown songs to start and more mellow pieces than we remember from the past. Luckily they played a long set and when halfway they went for their first albums speed and atmosphere went up. The first time I saw Night Demon was some 9 years ago in de Vinger. At the time I asked them why they did not play Radar Love in the hometown of Golden Earring. Since then I never saw them live without Radar Love in the set. That still works as it remains a great song also in the riff chorus metallized version of Night Demon. So after a calm opening they did win over the audience again in the end and  while the Demon song Night of the Demon opened their show, it was Night Demon to close the same. Another great evening in Musicon was had, with for me a bonus as I hosted Speed Queen. Very nice guys telling me about their trips, lack of sleep and legendary R-Mine festival in their hometown.

 

Gluttony, Drap & Melting Eyes - Musicon The Hague, 11 September 2023

White Room Reviews Loud & Heavy presents; Normally that is reason enough for Marko and I to attend and tonight was not different. This time it was Death Metal that was presented two times Swedish and a local opener. Monday night and no huge names make it an even riskier affair, but luckily Melting Eyes did bring a fair number of friends and fans, so we were not having an evening of empty spaces.

At 20:00 Melting Eyes kicked off the evening. Well if the soundman would not do a disappearing act at that very moment that is. But 20:02 they kicked off and showed once again that if you want to have an OSDM party in The Hague you better invite Melting Eyes as well. They had 30 minutes and gave us songs from their EP My Final Resting Place plus some new songs. The question asked most later during the evening was how about a new album? Well it's underway and all in due time. For now their blend of Death Metal with at times doomy openings and a very comfortable low grunt made the evening kick off well.

Next band on were Drap from Sweden. Actually the a deserves a tiny o on top, but I simplify here. This also to match the music of Drap. Not that it was simple all the way, but for my taste it lacked some variation. The first song with a wait-and-see attitude of the audience made the screaming vocalist go wild off the stage. He promised than to get back on stage if the crowd would move forward a bit. Nicely found and followed up. Hereafter the main word describing the show was Energy. Easy to move along live, but for me not the style I play at home all that fast.

Gluttony were the band to close the evening with some Swedish Death Metal. Straight from the start I could feel how their metal was easier on my ears than what drap just presented. Mainly fulll speed ahead, with good and clear balance between the nstruments made the songs enjoyable at first hearing. This first also as I did not know the band in advance. Now some 18 hours later I know them pretty well as I had the pleasure of hosting them with the right on some late night beers and a breakfast learning more about Gluttony on the road. Impressive how their painted brutal image on stage transformed in very relaxed and laid-back talks at home. So thanks go out to the bands, Ralf, Loud & Heavy, Musicon and Kompaan beer. Next Loud & Heavy party is 7 October with some interesting names, but I have Progpower obligations that weekend.

Baroeg Open Air - Zuiderpark Rotterdam, 9 September 2023

Baroeg Open Air did not have the strongest line-up ever for me, so originally I was in doubt. After the great Roosendaal Open Air experience last week I decided to go anyway, also as our semi-permanent visitor Lida felt like seeing Katatonia. Easy to arrive by Metro we did not leave very early. Pity as one of the bands I would like to see were Bark opening the main stage. Arriving around 16:30 we could see the festival was busy this year. Best weather possible made everyone thirsty so queueing became part of the day: entering, getting coins and getting drinks. The setup had the two circus tents as main stages. One for music and one for computers. Next to that small stages gave space to smaller bands. The area is big enough to miss people you saw posting pictures as proof of their presence. Still bumping into many people along the day in the sun, made this a great BOA.

On the music front we entered shortly before Nanowar of Steeel would start. I was curious if this parody metal as they call it would be any success. Well for me not all that much. One George Mchael song metaled up is OK, but if the next one sounds like Ricky Martin my attention drifts away and I prefer meeting people. During the day Buried at the Plee Stage was to my liking. I did not know the old band they were, but Rene got an additional place in the sun as one song got dedictaed to him promoting the band in the nineties. Headliners  Katatonia gave a great set of melancholic metal, which was twice too much for the local power station.  Brutus did not win me over and Demented Are Go at least gave a show to watch. So in the end I got what I expected a nice day out in the sun, with at times music I liked. Back next year, hoping for the inclusion of an old-skool metal band in the line-up (Riot City deserve a good festival in The Netherlands).

Angel - Scar Symmetry - Tailgunner - Till the Dirt

 

Here's some CD's you might want to check out.

Angel - Once Upon a Time

Angel releasing a new CD, means to fanboy me a buy in the blind. That was not all that easy as European distribution turned out poor and postage costs went through the roof. So when I finally got my physical copy I had read several reviews already. Not all positive all along, but I can't care. Is the album too long? maybe, but noone forces me to play it in one go. Does the semi title track Once Upon a Time An Angel and a Devil Fell In Love ( And It Did Not End Well) include cheesy lyrics and lovemaking noises for more cheeae? Again maybe, but I would love to shout along Yeah Yeah Yeah with teh chorus. Does Angel have anything to add to their previous works? Definitely as opener The Torch is among their best songs and I hear variation and lots to like throughout the album. Last year Angel treated me on my favorite gig of the year in a very loud Baroeg. Now they are booked for a cruise in Sweden in March (icebreaking probably) so I do hope a return to The Netherlands around that date is in the plans.

Scar Symmetry - The Singularity Phase II: Xenotaph

Relasing a trilogy and than leave nine years between Phase I and Phase II. Not all bands can get away with it, but I think Scar Symmetry can. Simply because this is yet another great one by these Swedes. For those not knowing them it is the band with two vocalists, two guitarists one drummer and no bassist. With Per Nilsson they also have one of those guitar heroes without much recognition in the band. An absolute master, which I could see live last year at Brainstorm too. These Melodic Death Metalling Swedes give us ten songs around 5 minutes, but save the best for last. Almost eight minute lasting Xenotaph makes you want to repeat the album. Several playing turns do help you appreciating the album more as well.

Tailgunner - Guns For Hire

Tailgunner? was that not the opening track on Maiden's No Prayer For The Dying. Yes it was and it gives you straight away a good reference. Tailgunner obviously like their Maiden too, but than the fast and furious kind. OK the album closes with a nine minute epic. The rest of the songs are fast and around the 4 to 5 minute range. Tailgunner are among those British bands (Kaine, Toledo Steel, Monument) who prove that good old Heavy Metal is still in fashion with some. No need to reinvent the wheel, just give us music that should go down a storm live on stage. A nice eighties cover to match the music as well.

Till the Dirt - Outside the Spiral

When this band was announced through a videoclip of their first song I got excited already. A new band build around Kelly Schaefer of Atheist fame. When the bass and drum also have a role in Atheist there are some references here for sure to be found in the music as well. Still there is more as at times Kelly goes clean and reminds me of two genres I don't like all that much grunge and Nu-Metal. Here it works and it adds for variation throughout the album. In general the album is fast though and Death Metal  of the Progressive kind describes the band fine. Again that is like Atheist, but I can imagine that people who like the heavier end of Nevermore will also find much to their liking here. With American bands cancelling tours still being in fashion I don't expect them passing Europe soon, but who knows a summer festival brings them over next year.

Roosendaal Open Air - The Loods H.O.F. Roosendaal, 2 September 2023

Roosendaal Open Air I heard of it before, but never managed to attend same. No idea why, but Roosendaal in my head is further away than it actually turned out to be. A direct train brought us in one hour to Roosendaal Centraal. With the Loods being located next to the football stadium behind the station, arriving there was very easy. This year the moment Hellripper was added to the line-up I put a big mark at 2 September in my imaginary agenda. The line-up was mainly on the heavier end of metal, but I saw four bands before and liked all of them. Marko encountered a good timing at home to join me, so we  took a train togeter both debuting at Roosendaal Open Air.

Upon arrival we immediatly loved the set-up. A small festival, with an indoor alternative for when the weather stinks. Entrance for 21 Euro only already starts fine for 8 bands. Food and drinks also normally priced plus lots of benches to sit on. Special beer lovers also had a corner, with several beers going up to 9/10% alcohol. With the sun out most of the day I knew that entering those would come at a cost (if not fast at least the next morning). Another good point was the split in the audience. All decades were represented in good numbers, from teenagers to old, bold and grey jurassic bangers like us. Actually after some ten minutes in Marko already stated that this is one to return to every year. I tend to agree. Finally one running gag through the day turned out to be the airfilled items flying around. It started with a beachball and unicorn. When the unicorn died a crocodile appeared, a safety belt, more balls and an airmatrass. All going around in good fun.

Since we both had a morning program we missed the first two bands. Headless Hunter I wil check out at Metal Experience Fest in Nobel (new name) 23 September. Sepiroth I saw a few times before and will see again no doubt. So our first band was Your Highness from Belgium. Even if catching up with some people you bump into at every metal event possible, I liked what I heard from a small distance. Sludge / Stoner Metal Archives mentions and that might well be. I liked their overall performance and after several beers killing the thirst of the trainride in, we were in the mood. 

We stayed in Belgium for Mordkaul. The band were announced by a guy I recognized from his other non-dayjob as vocalist in Razorblade Messiah. He called them the Belgian At The Gates. Being referd to another band makes originality complicated, but I did not care. Their Melodic Death Metal went down a storm and this bad got the crowd moving. They also included a Death cover which showed they are technically a good band indeed. Slowly we started liking the day better and better with on forehand unknown surprises liek these.

The stomach asked for food and the Robuuste Burger was a treat. No sloppy festival burger, but a massive and more important tasty burger to fill us up. We finished in time to be back in the shade for An Evening With Knives. I saw this doomy stoner trio before and liked them at the time. Today they turned out to be not for all as the lightweight on the menu. Or was it dinner time for many? Anyway they struggled to get a crowd, but in the end convinced me again. Just a very good band, at maybe not their best festival. A welcome break of moodswings inbetween all the sonic violence of the day they were.

Coffinfeeder came on next and what a blast this was. Again a Belgian band who gave us deathcore with slam death vocals and brutal death metal blended in. The band went wild and so did the audience. These turned out to be the wildest pits of the day helped by last daylight and an overdose of energy coming off the stage. While I would not play this at home that quick, I loved their performance and tight set. Robocop soundbytes blended in and all out metal in your face most of the time, made this one of the  highlights of the day.

Then something strange hapend. When the show was over a disco hit was played and almost everyone went crazy. I am too old for that and in spite of many repeats by Marko on the song title it did not survive the night in my head. After this tasteless intermezzo the DJ went for party songs and the mood went through the roof on tunes of Motorhead and Twisted Sister. This definitely was the best festival to be at during that specal break, but more was to come.

More came with Hellripper the band I only discovered this year, but is among the ones that absolutely blew me away this year. This time they brought Black Arts & Alchemy on CD, so I am nearing completion (collectors do understand this). As Hellripper already played The Netherlands at Welcome to Hell, Pitfest and supporting Midnight this year, they have become quite a name already. What I liked is that among the youngest fans present 90% wore a Hellripper Tee. At the same time, speaking to my generation, many admitted looking out most for Hellripper. And no they did not disappoint. What an energetic rollercoaster they take you on. Giving a career overview we got a bit of everything and the crowd loved them. At the end James soloed crowdsurfing again and the hour flew by. Defintely one of the bands guaranteeing the future of metal, as all generations find something for their liking here. All Hail the Goat it is..

The festival would end with Baest from Denmark. I saw them before both indoor Paard and outdoor at DMF a few years back. A proper Death Metal band seemed the right choice to end the festival. Even if in a bar in Roosendaal a Metallica cover band woud be waiting. We decided to leave before the end catching a comfortable train home. What a surprising nice festival this turned out to be. A big thanks and thumbs up for all in organization and volunteering along. Roosendaal Open Air proved for me once agan why I prefer small scale festivals over the huge experiences big time. So ending in Coffin Feeder Schwartzenegger quoting style  "I'll be back".