Onheil, Tsatthoggua, Hellevaerder & Alkhemia - Musicon The Hague, 26 January 2023

White Room's Loud & Heavy presents an evening of black metal in various forms and formats. Upon arrival with Marko I noticed many familiar faces and what's better even more unfamiliar faces. Musicon was packed, which was a nice surprise to start with. Also all generations were well represented, so there is a future for underground metal.

Early opening band were Alkhemia from France. Their walk-on towards the stage behind a fired torch almost burned down the new lights of Musicon, but after some ceremonial lightning of candles they kicked of. Turned out that Alkhemia play the bulldozering atmospheric kind of Black Metal. Presentation of their vocalist was such thet you were drawn into their set. He also took long hair to a whole different level, almost stepping on it and getting stuck on his nice mic standard. Good opener they were and the mood was set.

Next on were Dutch outfit Hellevaerder who soundchecked in casual friday outfit, but returned in black monk's robes (yes) with a female vocalist all dressed in white. Their songs are sung in Dutch, but I could not hear that and in good black metal fashion they did not say a word inbetween songs. It took until the last song, before they changed the pace a bit and for me overall it lacked some variation. They got good reaction from the crowd, but for me showing why I am not all that rooted in black metal.

In extreme metal often logos are hard to read, but Tsatthoggua found a name that even in normal letters is hard to read let alone remember. Germans they are who love their SM. Apparently they had some cult albums in the nineties, but I never heard of them before. With a second album called trans cunt whip you get the gest. Not necessarily shocking everyone in with their leather and spiked masks, but unlikely to make it on prime tv either. Their music was high energy with some thrashy and punky bits in their black metal. Not for playing at home to me, on stage at least different.

Interesting how on an evening where you don't know any band in advance it takes only one song to understand why the headliner are headliners. To me Onheil brought the music to a different level this evening. I thought they would play blackened death metal, but heard more a sort of blackened NWOBHM. Three guitars to bring the riffs, lots of melodies and two vocalists sharing duties. This was catchy, gripping and headbanging stuff I did not hear earlier this evening. Solid presentation and definitely a band to go see again. Even after curfew they did get an encore and stated see you next year. So we count on that. Thanks to Ralf, White Room Reviews and Musicon staff for a nice evening in a filled venue. 

 

Sneeuwpop - Hofpark Wateringen, 20 January 2024

20 January meant the proper opening of Open Air Festival season as always in Wateringen. No matter the bragging of Paaspop being festival season opener, the Westland and The Hague(and Vlaardingen hallo Zoe and Rene) region know better. Sneeuwpop almost had real snow this year, but missing out by some two days only. Still it was refreshing enough. Programming on this day is always local bands including a metal band from the area (thanks Merel). Last year I ended up with a new Year's drink of sorts with a large group. This year upon arrival I found none of them. I arrived when Where Siberia Ended started their set. Guitar rock with some Pearl Jam they said. I thought the volume very low and the music rather average. It was cold and I was looking for friends, so maybe distracted a bit.

Next band were Mancuerda a Death Metal outfit from The Hague. Those who frequent metal evenings in Musicon shall know them by seeing them play some times before and by them walking around during other band evenings. Their Death Metal is of the slow and dooomy kind and to me it is so refreshing to have a heavy break during a general rock festival. As this band were a local band first friends I would bump into were those who tend to spend Friday nights in Musicon as well. Death Metal is never for everyone at a festival like this, but I believe they went down pretty Ok and the small girl with the sign Hup Mancuerda did her part. Not sure  if their introduction to the song Necrophile Passion is woke enough for 2024.

So after the metal I found that many of last year who are my former football team of 35 years ago meanwhile had shown up too. So I forgot about the music and we stayed till the end when a Celebr80s band gave us everything from Van Halen till the horror of the Weather Girls to close the day. Sneeuwpop is to me more about catching up and share some beers, than the music. Mancuerda were good and the rest I hardly heard. Still the fact that we stayed some six hours out in the cold without complaints said enough really. Next year January we shall again join the opening of Open Air festival season in Wateringen.