Torsdagsprogrammet var preget av headliner Black Sabbath. Resten av programmet var så der men det var vel ingen tvil om at "alle" var der for å se Ozzy & Co gjøre sin siste opptreden på norsk jord noensinne. Dette er min tredje tur til Halden og Fredriksten Festning og området er som skapt for denne…
Death metal night have risen from the dead and is back some 20+ years after the last incantation. On the poster is Degial (se), Mion´s Hill (no) and Filthdigger (no). Filthdigger debuts on the live scene tonight and thier swedeath brand of filthy death metal is for sure something to look forward to more in…
Girlschool har god og lang fartstid og undertegnede hadde ikke sett de live før så det var med noe hes og bles at man skulle rekke den tidlige starten (19) på kveldens triade av god gammel rock´n roll. Girlschool spilte hardt og presist med et godt utvalg av både nye og eldre låter på sine…
Pestilence did rule the earth once.The dutch outfit released some killer material before not doing it later in their careèr.Patrik Mameli started Pestilence out as a pure thrash outfit before moving into great death metal territory with "Consvming Impvlse" "The Dysentery Penace" is their first two demo´s re-released for your listening pleasure.This is worth your…
Horrendous (US) took the metal world with storm with their debut "The Chills" back in 2012. Their formidable follow-up two years later, "Ecdysis" continued in the same good manner and now the world must prepare it self for their third opus, "Anerata". Just to get it out of the way, "Anerata" is good, very good…
Sadistik Exekution, either you love em or you don´t (personally I fall into the first category). SE hails from Australia and have been spreading their ugly death/black metal since the late 80´s and they can truly be categorised as pioneérs of the now growing death/black genre that we all love. Their form of extreme metal…
Cattle Decapitation from US are quite an oddball in my book. Starting out with some really not that great grind, then morhping over to more deathish metal that worked out quite well and now on their seventh full-length adding more progressive elements into their mix of grind/death. I really dug their last album so when…
Mefitic hails from Italy and even though they have released several demos and splits since their inception back in 2004, it was their debut full-length "Woes of Mortal Devotion" that really got me interested. Their earlier material is not compareable to this formidable slab of blackened death metal only Portal could do right not many…
Cut Up hails from the ashes of the mighty Vomitory (RIP). For those unknown of Vomitory or thier brand of death metal, their metal can be described in two words, VERY GOOD! The sweedes kept the death metal flame burning bright from 89 to 2013 and now some of the past members have gotten together…
Nunslaughter should not need any introduction. Don of the Dead & Co have kept the death metal flame burning bright the last 30 years or so and their endless catalogue of albums and splits must have gotten in your musical path at least once in all this time. "Burn The Cross" is a new EP…
Inquisitor came, destroyed and left. The Dutch death/thrash act released their sole but deadly album "Walpurgis – Sabbath Of Lust" back in 1996 and this masterpiece have now been re-released by HammerHeart Records for your listening pleasure. 11 tracks of relentless and ugly death/thrash that borrows from both Sadus technicality and Kreator´s full force ahead…
Speedtrap hails from Finland and plays a formidable form of heavy/speed metal with a modern twist. Their debut from 2013, "Powerdose" was an powerladen disc with a lot of nice riffing and on their follow-up, "Straight Shooter" they continue on the nice trend. This is modern speed metal with an ok vocal on top. It´s…
Bonehunter from Finland have a couple of splits and EP´s in their catalogue to show for before their debut "Evil Triumphs Again" is released this summer on Hells Headbangers.Bonehunter goes all in on the thrash/punk thing and it works out quite well. This is no Midnight but the sound and feeling is somewhat related to…
Skepticism are back!The originators of true funeral doom are back. It has been seven years since the finnish powerhouse of sadness and sorrow released their fourth full-length "Alloy", a masterpiece in slow and melodic funeral doom. 2015 sees Skepticism release another formidable output "Ordeal" and the pioneers off just incredible sad (in a good way)…
The sun took command and it was lined up for a great day at Halden Fredriksten Festning and the second Tons Of Rock festival. The lineup for friday was formidabel with both cult acts like Aura Noir, Nifelheim and Mayhem in additon to the more "mainstream" bands on the bill, Venom, Gojira, DumDum Boys and…
Death Karma consists of members from mysterious Czech ensemble Cult Of Fire. Debut full-length "The History of Death and Burial Rituals Part 1" is released on the mighty Iron Bonehead label so automatically there the expectations somewhat increase. Death Karma plays a hybrid of death/black metal and this is some juicy stuff. A riff fest…
Vulcano from Brazil was together with Sarcofago and Chakal among the first black/thrash acts from that region of the world. Their debut from 1986 "Bloody Vengance" deliverd on all accounts and it still does to day, almost 30 years later. It´s now being reissued for the nth time and yes, if you still dont have…
Ghost entered the stage at precisely 1900 but there where surprisingly many twho had taken a early departure out to Telenor Arena to witness the swedes and their occult brand of rock. My relatively green companions in the field of metaal where somewhat stunned by the fact that Ghost wthere not more extreme based on…
Possession (Belgium) rules! Their first EP "Anneliese" from 2014 took me by storm and now their follow up "1585-1646" creates a new storm in my black/death glas of water.This EP has (almost) everything that you demand from a "modern" blackish death metal band. 4 songs of true extreme metal without any fancy s**t.Great sound, great…
The German death metal machine Morgoth are finally back. After a long hiatus the pionéers of european death metal on it again. Sadly this time without orignial vocalist Marc Grewe who (after internet rumor) departed with the band because of artistic disagreements. New vocalist Jaegerman is no Grewe but he holds up his end quite…
Gruesome. Sorry, what did you say? Is there a band called Gruesome, what kind of metal are they? Death worship at the altar of Chuck. Is it that good? Yes, without any doubt. The new death metal act Gruesome is out with their debut full-length "Savage Land" and what a surprise this was. Pure old-school…
Attention all Pentagram fans (fanatics) out there! Relapse is re-releasing the Bedemon "Child of Darkness" compilaton. Bobby´s pre Pentagram outfit will satisfy all your Pentagram needs and then some. This comp was originally released back in 2005 (with little bravour), all songs directly from the original master tapes from early to mid 70´s. Bedemon was…
Sheol hails from the UK (שְׁאוֹל ("she’ol") is Hebrew for "grave") and their brand of death metal can be described as innovative and that is what this genre needs desperately.Starting out back in 2012, the EP "Sepulchral Rains Below the Temple" is their first proper release and what a surprise packet this was.If you like…
Entrantment of Evil", the very first official release by now legendary US death master Incantation saw the light of day back in 1990.The four tracks are now being re-released on vinyl by Hells Headbangers and this is a treat for all death heads out there who worship at the altar of Incantation.Musically "Entrantment of Evil"…
Malthusian hails from Ireland and unholy f**k their good.Their MMXIII demo (released, yes you guessed it, in 2013) was a formidable piece of blackened death metal but when received the EP "Below The Hengiform" my jaw dropped. Cold, unforgiving death in the familiar veins of Portal and Ævangelist, you just know you´ll like it. Production…
Inferno Friday had an interesting and very diverse lineup and first band out I was looking forward to witness was US black thrashers Goatwhore.Being a Metal Blade band you´ll know what you get, extremely well produced metal performed by extremely skilled musicians. Goatwhore deliverd on all account and it was strange that they play as…
This years Inferno saw a little less band on the line-up and that was a good thing. Earlier years it´s been kinda hectic to run up and down between Rockefeller and JohnDee to try to witness allready started gigs when you get there. Sadly I missed the Execration gig. First band out for me then…
Quartz is one of those NWOBHM band you probably have heard about but never gotten really into. The name have "allways" been there but as in my case, I´ve never gotten around to really give them a proper chance during the years.MY MISTAKE! Quartz is one of the pioneers of the NWOBHM debuting back in…
God Macabre should not need any introduction.But if so..GM was one of the first death metal bands in Sweden.Started out in 1989 as Macabre End.Only released one full-length.That album was named "The Winterlong.."."The Winterlong.." was released in 1993.It´s one of the most celebrated Swedish death metal albums of all time.The album still delivers on all…
Inculter (no) is debuting with "Persisting Devolution" and this is it! Blacende speed/thrash done in a modern way but with a massive amount of nods to the past. The duo delivers on all accounts. Everything from the vocal, drumming to the production works well and the quality of the material just grows on me after…
This is it! Ranger from Finland has craced the code. This is real metal (aka speed/thrash) done the 80´s way. The sound and production is just fabolous and sounds oranic and real. Ranger started out back in 2009 (under currnet moniker) and "Where Evil Dwells" is the debut full-length. They released an EP last year…
Winds of Genocide is debuting with full-length "Usurping the Throne of Desease" on Pulverised Records and to be honest I am somewhat a little dissapointed in this release. The hopes where high after their promising EP from 2010 but sadly they´re not able to follow up on that in a facinonable manner. Their formula of…
US trio Bat rules the world. Old school heavy/speed metal with no bullshit. Their brand of true metal is just devastating on the ears on both their 2013 demo and 2015 EP "Cruel Discipline" that sadly only contains two songs.The vocal is 1984 and the production is crude and lo-fi, just the way it should…
Necrophagia, the pioneérs of horror metal is back with their 7th full-lenght since the debut back in 1987 (I´am not counting all the ep`s and splits, couse there are a lot!). The US horror outfit got formed back in 1983 and can be for sure credited for being a major part of the early US…
"Apex Predator – Easy Meat" is grind pioneérs & legends Napalm Death´s 15 release since their crucial for the genre debut Scum. Barney & Co still manages to stay relevant after all these years and even I have to admin I am not the biggest NP fan around "Apex Predator" is quite good. Personally I…
Satan´s Host started out way back in 1977 but did not debut with "Metal from Hell" in 1986. Their progression from pure heavy metal to death to power metal have taken them thru eight albums and now they reach the 10 album mark with two consecutive releases "Pre-dating God part 1 & 2". Both albums…
Gamma Ray where founded by Kai Hansen in 1989 after he left Helloween. The music of Gamma Ray sounded where much alike his german peers, but in my ears never reached Helloeween´s height. Now after 25 years, Gamma Ray´s first ultimate best-of compilation sees the light. There have been a couple before this but release…
All hail Nocturnus! I´am sure you know about Mike Brownings experimental outfit that lasted sadly to short.This cult act released a couple of uber classics back in the early 90´s and finally their two demos from late 80´s are now being proper re-released in its original dirty form. No remixing or anything, just raw, unpolished…
Lord Dying´s second full-lenght "Poisoned Altars" is eight songs of brilliant sludge metal by this US newcomer. Formed back in 2010 and armed only with their debut "Summon the Faithless" from 2013 Lord Dying set out to conquer the world. "Poisoned Altars" is a formidable slap of heavy riffing and a vocal not quite common…
Thanatos is consideres the first death metal act from Holland and their 1990 debut "Emerging from the Netherworlds" is considered a death metal classic today.Their brand of death metal is straight forwared semi technical with more focus on brutality and atmosphere than finger trickery (and halleluja to that!).Founder and frontman Stephan Gebedi (who also shreds…
Danish heavy metal outfit Metal Cross released a couple of demos back in 1986-1988 and then dissapeared from the heavy metal map.Now, some 25 years later Horror Records are re-releasing all of their previous material (inc some live recordings) on a 3 vinyl compilation set for those interessted in danish metal history.The material is ok,…
The three piece Zom hails from Ireland and their brand of blackened death metal is a fresh injection in the somewhat stale genre. "Flesh Assimilation" is the trio´s first full-length and it really makes you want more. The sound and feeling is formidable and the album really sets an haunting atmospere. Musically Zom delivers some…
US three piece Horrendous follows up their brilliant debut "The Chills" with another masterpiece. "Ecdysis" is a modern death metal masterpiece, enough said.It has "almost" everything required to satisfy hungry DM fanatics eager to hear something new and fresh. The sound, the arrangments, the vocal, the formidable riffs. It´s all here on "Ecdysis" and after…
Primordial´s heart and soul lies within the chest of frontman(mastermind) Alan Averill. His unique take on black metal with celtic influences from his homeland of Ireland has kept the listernes on their toes every time a new album have been announced and there was no exception on "Where Greater Men have Fallen" Primordial´s eight full-length…
Hidden behind the true gems of early US thrash where a band called Num Skull.This five piece deserved better and now their formidable debut "Ritually Abused" (originally released back in 1988) finally sees the form of a re-release.This is uber heavy and sonically fast thrash metal in the early veins of Slayer and Possessed and…
"Good Luck and Good Speed" (re-release, originally released in 2007) is the third full-lenght from sludge/stoner trio Weedeater and damn this is good. Slow burning metal with Dixie´s unique voice on top puts Weedeater in the same league as EYEHATEGOD and Crowbar on any given day. The production is crispy clear and really lets the…
Paganizer is a true original in the swedish death metal scene. Starting out back in 1998 the death metal outfit have released 9 full-lengths all containing crushing and relentless death metal.The band is primarly the brainchild of Rogga Johansson (who has so many band credentials I won´t even start listing them).Personally I have allways enjoyed…
Ben Ward & Co is back once again with a powerfull piece of stoner metal. "Back from the Abyss" is the eight in line for this UK act and they seem to handle the genre like it´s their own these days.From the qute original opener Sabbath Hex to the fast paced Bloodzilla to the instrumetnal…
Iron Tyrant took charge and now we finally get to see a new release from cult act Mortuary Drape. It´s been 10 years since the somewhat dissapointing "Buried in Time" was released so it was quite exciting getting "Spiritual Independence" in the mail.Mortuary Drape hails from Italy and startet out back in 1987 so you…
For those who worship at the altar of Asphyx, a new Soulburn release should come quite pleasing to the ears. The last Soulburn album from 1998 "Feeding on Angels" can be considered an Asphyx release due to the circumstances sourounding Asphyx at the time. Now some 16 years later the world can withness the second…
