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".

Vandenberg & Tiffany Kills - de Boerderij Zoetermeer, 25 August 2023

Vandenberg released a new album Sin and this weekend celebrate the fact with two shows in de Boerderij and Metropool. That sounds like an easy one to attend, but I was in doubt. Little Devil had Marquis de Sade and Lovell's Blade. Now I did not know the Marquis, but what I heard was right up my alley with melodic NWOBHM reminding me a bit of White Spirit. Than came last Sunday and a sunny day at the beach, where Lida, Eggie and Sandra told they would go to Vandenberg as well. So Boerderij it was. Shortly before I left home the evening got a sad and emotional cargo added, when FB flooded with messages on the sad loss of Bernie Marsden. He was a hero of my early hardrocking days as original Whitesnake Moody/Marsden. Since Adje was Whitesnake as well, we were promised some of their songs in advance.  Before the support kicked of I met Mr and Mrs. Thrasher at the bar. Nice catching up until I moved to our regular Boerderij spot on the left after the bar. Well no sight of the others I stayed and watched the support alone.

I never heard of Tiffany Kills until I got my ticket for this evening. Before searching internet for more inforation I just write down how I underwent this show. Most famous band member is Jaycee Cuijpers. I saw him with Praying Mantis and a Dio cover band, but most people might know him from his Ayreon contributions. He is one of Holland's best voices in hardrock at the moment, if not the best. So that promised a lot, even if the rest of the band looked rather casual. I did not know them, but one of the guitarists apparently played with U.D.O. in the past. We first got some songs of their album, which were easy going hardrock songs. The band played good and JC sings great, so a nice enough opener. Later we got a U.D.O. song and the set ended with Balls to the Wall. Now that song is the ultimate Progpower Afterparty anthem, There it comes with the typical dance of slamming your balls to walls, bars or luggage boxes whatever is nearest. Now by lack of walls it became more some balls in the air, but it did put a smile on my face and ended a good set by Tiffany Kills.

Finding Eggie at the break I moved and was ready for some Vandenberg. Somehow I have the feeling that Vandenberg does not get the recognition they deserve. They did write Holland's biggest hit in rock/metal of the eighties with Burning Heart. Not a song you hear often nowadays and next time Tiago comes home I will ask him if he even knows it. I mean both huge Dutch hits from a decade before Radar Love and Venus (both from The Hague) the whole world still knows  Anyway in 2020 Vandenberg reformed and released an album 2020. I don't own that one, also as Ronnie Romero took care of vocals like his 2769 other bands and projects. He has now been replaced by Mats Leven and that fit worked much better. Mats also sung with many bands and I especially loved his album with Abstract Algebra. Vandenberg started with some new songs and that sounded fine. With the audience all being around my age plus/minus ten years we also came for a trip down memory lane. This came in the form Your Love is in Vain, Hereafter Whitesnake was revisited with Fool For Your Loving and I was surprised that Bernie Marsden was not mentioned as he co-wrote the song. The set would hereafter continue through new and old Vandenberg and some Whitesnake. The title track of the new album even reminded me of 80's Sabbath with Tony Martin. A good mix it was, but I have one tip for making it even better. With Sailing Ships and Burning Heart we got the ballads covered Different Worlds always was a Burning Heart 2.0, before we even knew what 2.0 meant. Instead of that ballad, add a faster rocker like Pedal to the Metal, This is War or Welcome to the Club. Finally Bernie marsden was remembered, when Here I Go Again was dedicated to him. Here Matts made a brutal mistake when the audience was asked to sing along. The best version of this song obviously was on Saints & Sinners. So the line is like a Hobo I was born to walk alone. This was only after Bernie's years changed into Like a Drifter to please American markets. Maybe not a brutal mistake for all, but Saints & Sinners was the first major show I attended and I like to stay truthful to Whitesnake's best years. The encore of the evening came with teh obligatory Burning Heart and the apt titled rocker Friday Night. After the show Koen Herfst was also invited on stage. He was injutred and could not drum. I don't recall the name of his replacement, but believe it was the guy from Moonkings who did a fine job. After the show most people seemed to be pleased with this nostalgic evening. When moving from hall to bar there was a queue at the merch stand, so I thought of picking up Sin later. Only to find out that when heading for my last Ranstad Rail the merch stand had packed and gone already. Too bad for me, but a good evening it was. 

The Anchoret - Jag Panzer

Two CD's you might want to consider (or must check out)

The Anchoret - It All Begins With Loneliness

This year might be modest on big bands releasing new albums, it is huge on new disocveries for me. Might it be either new albums by bands I missed so far, or like The Anchoret new bands. The main man behind The Anchoret is Eduard Levitsky. a very talented Canadian it turned out. The vocals on this album are by someone Progpower regulars know: Sylvain Auclair (Heaven's Cry). This album presents us moody progmetal of the slightly dark kind. It is not overly heavy and those who dislike their windinstruments have to swallow quite a few. Still if you take your time, sit back and listen through headphones we do get an album that will appear on many end of year lists. I have not even decided yet if I do have a favorite track on the album, as diversity is great. Conclusion extremely recommended for those into progmetal and those into innovative progrock as well.

Jag Panzer - The Hallowed

Balancing my collection so next to some new progmetal Jag Panzer brings us some traditional US metal.Their history is different. Ample Destruction a 1984 classic in the genre. Disappearing and returning with many albums around the turn of the century. Nowadays they seem to prefer six year hiatus between albums as this one follows up on The Deviant Chord from 2017. I saw them early this year touring a classic set and last week touring this album, where I picked up my copy. Another strong album this is. A concept album even, but I never looked into the story so far. What I do like is the strong and fast songs, leading up to a ten minute closing epic Last Rites. Both live and on album two people stand out. Harry The Tyrant Conklin still has an amazing voice and scream. Further new lead guitarist Ken Rodarte already impressed live, he now repeats same on CD. Jag Panzer is not reinventing the wheel, but presents a classy album which is welcome anytime. 

Evildead & Powerstroke - Musicon The Hague, 4 August 2023

Summer means festival season. It also means summer holidays and when a tour is scheduled inbetween festivals you never know what to expect. Tonight Evildead played their first of three Dutch gigs inbetween Wacken (the mud edition) and Alcatraz next weekend. In the end the outturn was OK, but with Evildead being not all that often in The Netherlands relatively lots of faces I never saw before in Musicon and lots of absentees from the regular crowd. For me Evildead was only known by name and their iconic album cover. In 1989 when they released their debut album internet was not around,  unless you bought the LP/CD or had someone around you doing so you would not know the music. By 1989 in Holland all metal shows on national radio had stopped as well. So I entered the evening openminded withoiut much musical knowledge of both bands.

Powerstroke opened the evening and this Belgian band already released six full lenghts between 2010 and 2020. Thei rmetal is of the groove kind and at times when vocals went clean I was reminded of Faith No More. The band played tight and went more extreme at times, but the audience clearly came to see Evildead tonight, so reactions were between far and few. I liked their playing, but their style is not necessary what I play at home a lot. Nice caps though.

Evildead came on and played. This souds logical, but what I mean is that their sound, performance and songs brought the evening to another level. Suddenly those who stayed near the bar during Powerstroke appeared in front of the stage and Musicon  liked the thrash metal that Evildead gave us. As I do not know their albums I only recognized the title track of their debut,which closed the set. During the evening the bigger sizes of their Annihilation of Civilization T-shirt was already sold out. With one more week to go through Europe I hope they can re-stock as this will cover part of their costs. If they play near you this week, do like me, let them surprise you and I bet you like their show too.