Thetania´s #2 Is Pagans Mind´s new album "Heavenly Ecstasy". Its their 5th album.
This Norwegian band came to Stockholm couple of years ago, and Cheezuz I liked it a lot...its like a mix of Dream Theater and old Saga.
The bass player Steinar is really funny and a competent bass player, Guitar man Jorn is a great guitar player, Ronny on the keyboard is fabulous, drummer Stian is a great drummer and a great guy and then last one.. Nils the vocalist, has a dream voice!!
As promised, I'll start going through the week's concerts, we start with last weekend when Hammerfall visited Stockholm for a gig. HammerFall is a power metal band from Gothenburg, Sweden. The band was formed in 1993 by ex-Ceremonial Oath guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
HammerFall are out on their "European Outbreak 2011" tour with the classic metal band Vicous Rumors, the New Hard Rock sensation Amaranth and hyped newcomers Death Destruction.
Swedish productions are usually very fun to do, given that you know almost everyone and everything usually goes smoothly, without fuss or confusion which this evening was. Met among others Tony who worked as Stage Manager on this tour, a nice guy who is always fun to meet, even Merch Linda was there.
Vicious Rumors is a bunch of really cool guys, where the singer is a bit crazy, which basically tried to hang himself in the microphone stand and headbanging in the monitors so almost the blood flowed, crowd surfing, etc, ran into him backstage after their gig and he saw little tattered out with a big bruise in the forehead and was limping, but he was as happy as before the show.
Hammerfall did a really good gig, good speed, tight and well played, In addition had their fun, which makes a large part of show to be successful. Unfortunately, I did not see the other bands play.
Here is some pictures from the show.
Todays tune "One More Time" is a song by HammerFall and was released as the promo for their new album Infected. Two versions was released, the first featured a live recording of "Hallowed be My Name" and a instrumental version of the title track. Later a second version was released featured "Lore of the Arcane/Trailblazers" live and a newly recorded version of "Blood Bound". It was written by Vocalist Joacim Cans and Guitarist Oscar Dronjak.
The music video was recorded for the song and was directed by Swedish director Patrick Ullaeus. Along with the album it deals with a Zombie Infection. It features a storyline with the band performing in a studio when they are attacked by Zombies. At first the band fights them but later they escape. The Zombies are played by fans of the band. At the end it says "To be Continued" which implies that the story is not over.
Setlist:
1. Patient Zero 2. Heeding the Call 3. Any Means Necessary 4. Bang Your Head (Quiet Riot cover) 5. Blood Bound 6. Let's Get It On 7. Last Man Standing 8. Renegade 9. Always Will Be 10. Dia De Los Muertos 11. Riders of the Storm 12. Steel Meets Steel 13. Legacy of Kings 14. Let the Hammer Fall 15. The Dragon Lies Bleeding 16. The Templar Flame
Encore:
17. Glory to the Brave 18. One More Time 19. Hearts on Fire
Tonight, slamming it to the Arenan here in Stockholm with metal of high class, Hammerfall, Vicious Rumors, Death Destruction and Amaranthe. Do you have nothing to do tonight? so comb your hair, put on the jeans jacket and get to the Arenan. It will certainly become a hi thundering concert.
The idea was that we would write about Within Temptation today, but there is so much now as we try to poke into it tomorrow instead. Today, you get a short one as we both are on the run.
Vicious Rumors is an American power metal band founded in 1979 in the San Francisco Bay Area, California.
Todays tune "Murderball" is taken from the tenth album Razorback Killers, released in 2011.
Last Sunday, Did Edguy visited Stockholm and Tyrol, their 3rd gig under their Age Of The Joker tour. Did Edguy, or should we say Tobias Sammet and his musical bands that once again makes a visit to Sweden, a really nice guy, I must say. This was probably the fifty-eleventh time I was working with his project. The same crew as usual, a bunch of nice Germans who makes the job really fun, but damn what stuff they had!, Plus there traveled two other bands on this tour, which meant that there simply was no room to store all the stuff :) it ended with much of the support acts stuff was stored outside, lucky that it was not raining.
Yes the new album is released on Vinyl!
The day went quite smoothly and we had a great time, we joked and had fun. We ate dinner together and I ended up in the same table with Felix, he told a lot of stories, including that he was the only one in the band who had children, perhaps a future drummer ... who knows.
Micke Johansson was there to make a repotage of Edguy and Tobias went out for a spin in Gröna Lund, will be fun to see the pictures later.
Regarding the support acts ... that we take tomorrow.
What about the show ?, Yes it was entertaining, not that I am a direct fan of German Power Metal. This time I actually had the opportunity to see the whole gig, because I did the followspot and Tobias was my target. As I understand it was played quite a lot from their new album Age Of The Joker, but mixed up with the classics. At one point did Tobias disappears and shows up later in the elevator in the middle of the audience, the song that got played when was up in the sky were Superheroes. At one point, James Kottak pops up on stage, newly showerd and wearing only towels, a surprised Tobias is struggling to keep from laughing when James let the towel up and show what he has, well, a tube socks hides the package, a laughter breaks out before the gig continues. The show had the classic build up with both guitar solos, drum solos and a really nice light show. King of Fools ends up the show, that also will be todays tune.
Soundcheck
Alien'selevator
Foto: Linda Florin
Foto: Linda Florin
Foto: Linda Florin
Todays tune "King Of Fools" is taken from the album "Hellfire Club"
Edguy - King Of Fools - Official Video
Edguy - King Of Fools - Live At the Bang Your Head Festival (Balingen 6/23/2007)
Tobias Sammet talks about Edguy coming to Sweden in September 2011
2011: Age of the Joker Tour Special Guest: Kottak (feat. James Kottak, Scorpions)
Falconer is a Swedish power metal band from Mjölby, formed in 1999. Founded by the former guitarist of Mithotyn, Stefan Weinerhall. Falconer carry on many of the traditions set by Weinerhall's previous band and play a style of power metal that utilises folk instrumentation and melody to create a more medieval sound.
I will not hide that the band does not really belonged to one of my favorites before and I am not familiar with their earlier works, have heard a few songs but it has never been interesting enough for me, however, when I read on the WeRock website and "Mats Manhammar" lines of Falconer's new album an interest grew, became curious and gave it a shot, Holy Moses, this is folk metal for real! The band also decided to make the entire album in Swedish is really a plus, is incredibly powerful. The album also contains four bonus tracks in English so all non-Swedish fans get their part, nice of the band, I must say. Armod is a collection of folk metal tracks. Seven of the 11 tracks on Armod are compositions by guitarist Stefan Weinerhall. Three are reworkings of traditional folk songs. And one comes from Cornelis Vreeswijk (“Grimasch om morgonen“), the renowned Swedish troubadour.
With neo-classical, folk and medieval elements as the basic ingredients, they make power metally arrangements of these and it turns into gripping and simultaneously groovy folk metal tracks, dominated by heavy, catchy riffs and dynamic leads.
Armod won’t be everyone’s cup of mead, but it sure makes for an interesting listen.
Todays tune "Vid Rosornas Grav" from the album "Armod".
"By the Rose's Grave" English version of "Vid Rosornas Grav"
Falconer Lineup: Mathias Blad- Vocals, Keyboards Stefan Weinerhall- Guitar, Keyboards Jimmy Hedlund- Lead Guitar Magnus Linhardt- Bass Karsten Larsson - Drums
Okey, Back to Finland and another great Metal band. COB, Children Of Bodom! They are comming to my hometown tomorrow at Arenan, Stockholm. I will not be able to see em this time as Im at Graveyard but Ill catch them next time.
Children of Bodom formed in Espoo, Finland in 1993; named in reference to one of the most notorious mass-murders in Scandinavian history, the group was originally founded by singer/guitarist Alexi Laiho and drummer Jaska Raatikainen, with subsequent roster additions including guitarist Alexander 'Ale' Kuoppala, bassist Henkka Blacksmith and keyboardist Janne Wirman.
Their set list in Europe looks like this: 1. "Not My Funeral" 2. "Bodom Beach Terror" 3. "Needled 24/7" 4. "Relentless Reckless Forever" 5. "Roundtrip to Hell and Back" 6. "Follow The Reaper " 7. "Living Dead Beat" 8. "Children Of Bodom " 9. "Hate Me!" 10. "Blooddrunk " 11. "Shovel Knockout" 12. "Angels Don't Kill" 13. "In Your Face" 14. "Downfall "
Encore:
15. "Was It Worth It?" 16. "Hate Crew Deathroll"
COB released "Relentless, Reckless Forever" and that is their seventh album It was released on March 8.
European headlining tour 2011
Special guests: Ensiferum Opener: Machinae Supremacy
March 24 - Arenan, Stockholm (SWE) March 25 - Trädgårn, Gothenburg (SWE) March 26 - Rockefeller, Oslo (NOR) March 27 - Vega, Copenhagen (DEN) March 29 - Grosse Freiheit 36, Hamburg (GER) March 30 - O13, Tilburg (NED) April 1 - UEA, Norwich (UK) + Amon Amarth April 2 - Academy 1, Manchester (UK) + Amon Amarth April 3 - ABC, Glasgow (UK) + Amon Amarth April 5 - Vicar Street, Dublin (IRL) + Amon Amarth April 7 - Rock City, Nottingham (UK) + Amon Amarth April 8 - Academy, Birmingham (UK) + Amon Amarth April 9 - Forum, London (UK) + Amon Amarth April 11 - Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER) April 12 - Z7, Pratteln (CH) April 13 - Alcatraz, Milan (ITA) April 16 - Gagarin 205, Athens (GR) April 18 - Kucukciftilik Park, Istanbul (TUR) April 19 - Universiada Hall, Sofia (BUL) April 20 - Arenele Romane, Bucharest (ROM) April 22 - Petöfi Csarnok, Budapest (HUN) April 23 - Backstage, Munich (GER) April 24 - Stadthalle, Langen (GER) April 26 - Stodola, Warsaw (POL) April 27 - Hall Folimanka, Prague (CZE) April 28 - Arena, Vienna (AUS) April 29 - Posthof, Linz (AUS) April 30 - Werk 2, Leipzig (GER) May 2 - Elysee Montmartre, Paris (FRA) SOLD OUT May 3 - Krakatoa, Bordeaux (FRA) May 5 - Club Hard, Porto (POR) May 6 - La Riviera, Madrid (SPA) May 7 - Razzmatazz 1, Barcelona (SPA) May 8 - Rock Star Live, Bilbao (SPA) May 9 - Le Bikini, Toulouse (FRA) May 11 - LKA Longhorn, Stuttgart (GER) May 12 - Rockhal, Esch / Alzette (LUX) May 13 - Atak, Enschede (NED) May 14 - Halle Gartlage, Osnabruck (GER) May 15 - Hof Ter Lo, Antwerp (BEL) Then they go to Japan..
A music video has been shot for the single "Was It Worth It?" with skateboarder Chris Cole as well as noted pro skaters Jamie Thomas, Garrett Hill and Tom Asta. Here it is, Enjoy!
Avantasia is a heavy metal project created by Tobias Sammet, vocalist and frontman of the group Edguy. The project's title is a portmanteau of the words "avalon" and "fantasia" ("fantasy") and describes "a world beyond human imagination" (a quotation from the booklet). The project consists of a self-titled single, two full-length albums with the subtitle The Metal Opera, two EPs called Lost in Space, and the Scarecrow trilogy comprising of The Scarecrow, The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon.
In the fall of 2009, Sammet announced the release of two new albums, The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon, to be released on April 3, 2010. The story is set as a continuation of The Scarecrow. Some of the special guests include: drummers Eric Singer, Alex Holzwarth and Felix Bohnke, keyboardist Jens Johansson of Stratovarius, as well as vocalists Michael Kiske, Bob Catley, Jørn Lande, Tim "Ripper" Owens, Klaus Meine, Russell Allen, Andre Matos and Jon Oliva.
After a crazy week with lots of music, now I have the time for browse thru the gigs to offer you some lovely little stories and some pictures and most importantly the music. First up will be what I experienced on Sunday, a bit late but, better late than never.
Soundcheck - Avantasia
That Sunday, would become such a musical feast was something I had not really expected. It was two concerts at the same time at Fryshuset here in Stockholm. Upstairs at Arenan was the place for Avantasias full strength, with Tobias Sammet (Edguy) Jorn Lande (Masterplan), Bob Catley (Magnum), Michael Kiske (Helloween), Amanda Somerville (Aina, Kiske / Somerville), Kai Hansen (Helloween , Gamma Ray), Oliver Hartmann (At Vance), Felix Bohnke (Edguy), Sascha Paeth (Heaven's Gate), Miro (Angra, Kamelot, Heaven's Gate) and Robert Hunecke-Rizzo. (Luca Turilli, Kamelot, Heaven's Gate)
Down at the Klubben, it was a completely different caliber of music. The Klubben had a nice visit from mangling bands Soilwork, All That Remains, Caliban, Naer and Bleed From Within. Some of these we will go thru in the coming days.
The evening included a lot of running stairs to see and hear everything, so a complete review will I not give, but you can read Mats Manhammars lyrical stay at the Arenan at WeRock here.
All the singers were stamped with very high quality, even the forever young Bob had his pipe in good condition. Tobias did worried a bit for the evening about his voice, not once it has gone wrong, he has been sick everything when he crosses the border to Sweden, is there anything "Cursed" with Sweden that does this, laugh Tobias. He did his best to keep in shape for the evening and I think he did a pretty good job on stage and he was actually quite pleased with his work and it was certain that he was in a great mood. Which turned out every now and then backstage when he shared his Swedish phrases he learned from a Swedish singer, who ... haha, you may guess who it might be. :) Some of the phrases read as follows.
Du är en vacker sköldpadda. (You are a beautiful turtle) Du är en slemmig rymdvarelse. (You are a slimy alien) Jag vill stoppa upp 100 kg smör i ditt arsle. (I want to put up 100 kg of butter in your ass.) Jag vill köra in 100 meter taggtråd i ditt urinrör.(I want to run up 100 yards of barbed wire in your urethra.)
Talk about the humor was on top, Bob was double folded in laughter of these and Tobias promised that he would teach him some German phrases that he could tell when the tour arrives to Germany. As the content of these we will not go into.
Jorn Lande, the Norwegian party man, who is always nice and happy and is gladly to share tips and tricks in terms of his skills in singing, even the occasional anecdote was told. Michael Kiske, although he is nice, but a bit reclusive, he was the first to sneak out of the Arenan to get to the hotel and catch up his sleep loss. Kai Hansen, haha he is really a cool guy, this time he managed to oversleep for a photo session that would be just before the gig. But once he got up on stage, with the hat and cane, then Kai gave 100%.
Amanda, the great lady with the big voice, sang like a goddess. For the real enthusiast of this band, it was truly a magical evening consisting of a string of songs that were played (See Setlist below) and the concert ended with a joint performance of the song Sign Of The Cross and the Seven Angels.
Avantasia makes eleven stops during december on this tour and visit countries such as Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and one last show at the summer when they visit the Wacken Open Air.
And for last i have some extra goodies, some pictures taken by my friend Michael Johansson, enjoy these lovely shoots!
Today's Tune Of The Day "Dying For An Angel" from "The Wicked Symphony" that is original sung by Klaus Meine (Scorpions) but live he is replaced by Michael Kiske as he does in a brilliant way.
Avantasia Dying for an Angel Live Kaufbeuren 04.12.2010
Avantasia live in Prateln 01.12.2010
Avantasia live in Prateln 01.12.2010 performing "Runaway Train (Pretty good quality)
Setlist:
01. Twisted Mind (Tobias Sammet) 02. The Scarecrow (Tobias Sammet/Jorn Lande) 03. Promised Land (Tobias Sammet/Jorn Lande) 04. Serpents in Paradise (Tobias Sammet/Jorn Lande) 05. The Story Ain't Over (Tobias Sammet/Bob Catley) 06. Reach Out For the Light (Tobias Sammet/Michael Kiske) 07. The Tower (Tobias Sammet/Michael Kiske) 08. Death is Just a Feeling (Tobias Sammet/Kai Hansen) 09. Lost in Space (Tobias Sammet/Amanda Somerville) 10. The Quest For (Tobias Sammet/Bob Catley) 11. Runaway Train (Tobias Sammet/Bob Catley/Jorn Lande) 12. Dying For an Angel (Tobias Sammet/Michael Kiske) 13. Stargazers (Michael Kiske/Jorn Lande/Oliver Hartmann) 14. Farewell (Tobias Sammet/Amanda Somerville) 15. The Wicked Symphony (Tobias Sammet/Jorn Lande/Oliver Hartmann) 16. The Toy Master (Tobias Sammet/Kai Hansen) 17. Shelter From the Rain (Tobias Sammet/Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen on guitar) 18. Avantasia (Tobias Sammet/Michael Kiske, Kai Hansen on guitar) 19. Sign of the Cross/The Seven Angels medley (All Members)
More info @ Tobias Sammet's official (Edguy & Avantasia) website
Listen to "Avantasia - Dying For An Angel" on Spotify here!
Listen to ”Pagans Mind - Intermission" on Spotify here!
