en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal The Last.fm journal for Disharmonic. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2012/01/12/5a9m6e_2011%27s_top-20 Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:09:43 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2012/01/12/5a9m6e_2011%27s_top-20 Each year that passes leaves me with some great music moments. Some have to do with live experiences (concerts or festivals) and some other with discovery of old jewels from the past (some examples for bands that I discover in 2011 are The Smiths, New Model Army and Marillion). However, the most important music moments have to do with new albums which thrilled me or attract my attention and I spent some considerable time listening to them. These new albums have to do either with new ideas, new trends or with old styles in a modern perspective (typical example the music of The Devil's Blood). And like every year, I like to share my favourite albums for the year that just ended.

By looking on my 2011's Top-20, I see a strong dipole between Black metal and Neofolk, with some lone appearances from other genres (Gothic rock, Prog metal, Whalecore(!) and more). However, the first three positions have been dominated from the magnificent trilogy of Rome. It's not only the incredible lyrics and storyline that Jerome has written, but also the mature blend of the different sub-genres of Neofolk (and not only!) which surrounds this storyline and make "Die Aesthetik der Herrschaftsfreiheit" occupying the three first places. Right after this trilogy are two equally incredible albums, but for completely different reasons. Merciful Nuns proved that Goth rock is definitely not dead and it can be sharp again and not just romantic and full of syrups, while Ulver enchanted me with the multidimensionality of their music in conjunction with the fabulous voice of Garm. By coincidence, I had the chance this year to see all these three bands on concerts in Mannheim, Berlin and Karlsruhe, respectively, presenting on stage their new songs, proving to me that their music is not only for private moments, but also for a concert. Merciful Nuns live in Berlin

Have a look on my personal taste for 2011 and I'm looking forward to read your comments and start a discussion about it.



1. Rome - Die Aesthetik Der Herrschaftsfreiheit - Aufbruch
-. Rome - Die Aesthetik Der Herrschaftsfreiheit - Aufgabe
-. Rome - Die Aesthetik Der Herrschaftsfreiheit - Aufruhr
4. Merciful Nuns - Hypogeum II / Ancient Astronauts (EP)
5. Ulver - Wars of the Roses
6. Anathema - Falling Deeper
7. Septic Flesh - The Great Mass
8. The Devil's Blood - The Thousandfold Epicentre
9. Blut aus Nord - 777 Sect(s)
-. Blut aus Nord - 777 The Desanctification
11. Primordial - Redemption At The Puritans Hand
12. Altar of Plagues - Mammal
13. Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn of Events
14. Wolves in the Throne Room - Celestial Lineage
15. Current 93 - Honeysuckle Aeons
16. Burzum - Fallen
17. Mastodon - The Hunter
18. Of the Wand and the Moon - The Lone Descent / shine black algiz (EP)
19. Sol Invictus - The cruelest Month
20. The Ruins of Beverast - Enchanted By Gravemould

(One comment about how many position each band occupies in my Top-20: If a band has released more than one album in 2011 and these are included in the Top-20, like Rome and Blut Aus Nord, then these albums are in different slots. If a band has an album and an EP, like Of The Wand And The Moon, then I put them both on the same slot.)

According to my Last.Fm yearly statistics, the 10 songs that I listen mostly last year(*) were:

1. Merciful Nuns - The Portal 46
2. Rome - Automation 43
3. Ulver - England 36
-. Rome - In Cruel Fire 36
5. Blut aus Nord - Epitome II 30
6. Rome - To Each His Storm 29
- Septic Flesh - Mad Architect 29
8. Burzum - Valen 17
9. Anathema - Sleep In Sanity 15
-. Primordial - Lain With the Wolf 15

(*) Only songs from albums released in 2011 and only one from each album are included.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2011/01/11/45hij3_2010%27s_top-20 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:20:49 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2011/01/11/45hij3_2010%27s_top-20 2010 is coming to an end. I have already a lot of things to remember from 2010 (trips, scientific progress, sport activities, knowledge, personal moments), but I will also remember it from the musical variety that surrounded all these moments. I tried hard to fit all these albums that mainly attracted my attention or shocked me in a pleasant way in a "Top-20". Initially I thought that it would be an easy task. But I was wrong. This year were a lot of interesting albums that could easily have made it in my personal list and sadly I had to remove some of those. I also faced difficulties with the top album for this year. All the 5 top albums could easily have been in the first position but, unfortunately, there is place only for one album there... So, let the battle commence:



1. Deathspell Omega - Paracletus
2. Les Discrets - Septembre Et Ses Dernier Pensees
3. Blood Axis - Born Again
4. Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones / Shatter EP
5. Rome - Nos Chants Perdus / L'Assassin EP
6. Ordo Rosarious Equilibrio - Songs of Hate & Devotion
7. Burzum - Belus
8. Merciful Nuns - Body of Light EP / Lib. 1
9. Brendan Perry - Ark
10. Alcest - Ecailles de Lune
11. Xasthur - Portal of Sorrow
12. Nachtmystium - Addicts: Black Meddle Part II
13. Watain - Lawless Darkness
14. Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here
15. Killing Joke - Absolute Dissent
16. Immolation - Majesty And Decay
17. Grinderman - Grinderman 2
18. Death in June - Peaceful Snow/Lounge Corps
19. Pink Turns Blue - Storm
20. Solemn Novena - Kiss The Girls



According to my Last.Fm yearly statistics, the10 songs that I listen mostly last year(*) were:

1. Triptykon - Myopic Empire 52
2. Les Discrets - Song for mountains 44
3. Blood Axis - Erwachen in der Nacht 41
4. Alcest - Percees de Lumiere 32
5. Rome - Les Deracines 31
6. Merciful Nuns - Body Of Light 29
7. Deathspell Omega - Abscission 27
8. Christ Vs. Warhol - Paper Dolls 24
9. Burzum - Glemselens Elv 24
10. Immolation - Majesty And Decay 20

(*) Only songs from albums released in 2010 and only one from each album are included.]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2010/02/10/3eokh1_top-20_for_2009_*edited* Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:04:44 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2010/02/10/3eokh1_top-20_for_2009_*edited* ***After being informed that the Solar Fake's debut album has been released in 2008, I had to remove it. The new entry on my top-20 is the incredible debut album of The Eden House which unfortunately I heard it the first days of 2010. So, this change was mandatory. ***

2009 is over. A new musical year has already started. However, the previous year left some albums that either surprised me and gain me directly or they grew inside me gradually and through time. So, I decided to prepare again a top-20 with these albums, as I was doing till 2007. This list is based on my own opinion and taste. It has also been influenced by the last year's statistics of Last.Fm, especially for albums that were fighting for the same position. So, feel free to comment on my choices or discover albums that you might have not noticed.

1. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars
2. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
3. Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
4. The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
5. Isis - Wavering Radiant
6. Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
7. Rome - Flowers From Exile
8. The Eden House - Smoke & Mirrors
9. Wolves in the Throne Room - Malevolent Grain / Black Cascade
10. Velvet Acid Christ - The Art Of Breaking Apart
11. Emperor - Live Inferno
12. Rammstein - Liebe ist für alle da
13. Samael - Above
14. Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
15. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
16. Baroness - Blue Record
17. Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
18. Slayer - World Painted Blood
19. Nachtmahr - Alle Lust will Ewigkeit
20. Clan of Xymox - In Love We Trust

My top-5 songs for this year, according to the Last.Fm statistics are:

1. Amesoeurs (Amesoeurs)
2. Frailty (Paradise Lost)
3. ...the Meditant (Dialogue With the Stars) (Blut aus Nord)
4. If I Ever Die (Candlemass)
5. Waidmanns Heil (Rammstein)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2010/01/19/3clbkm_2009%27s_top-20 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:54:29 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2010/01/19/3clbkm_2009%27s_top-20 2009 is over. A new musical year has already started. However, the previous year left some albums that either surprised me and gain me directly or they grew inside me gradually and through time. So, I decided to prepare again a top-20 with these albums, as I was doing till 2007. This list is based on my own opinion and taste. It has also been influenced by the last year's statistics of Last.Fm, especially for albums that were fighting for the same position. So, feel free to comment on my choices or discover albums that you might have not noticed.

1. Blut aus Nord - Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars
2. Amesoeurs - Amesoeurs
3. Paradise Lost - Faith Divides Us - Death Unites Us
4. The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die
5. Isis - Wavering Radiant
6. Dream Theater - Black Clouds and Silver Linings
7. Rome - Flowers From Exile
8. Wolves in the Throne Room - Malevolent Grain / Black Cascade
9. Velvet Acid Christ - The Art Of Breaking Apart
10. Emperor - Live Inferno
11. Rammstein - Liebe ist für alle da
12. Samael - Above
13. Devin Townsend Project - Addicted
14. Candlemass - Death Magic Doom
15. Baroness - Blue Record
16. Solar Fake - Broken Grid
17. Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
18. Slayer - World Painted Blood
19. Nachtmahr - Alle Lust will Ewigkeit
20. Katharsis - Fourth Reich

My top-5 songs for this year, according to the Last.Fm statistics are:

1. Amesoeurs (Amesoeurs)
2. Frailty (Paradise Lost)
3. ...the Meditant (Dialogue With the Stars) (Blut aus Nord)
4. If I Ever Die (Candlemass)
5. Waidmanns Heil (Rammstein)]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2009/12/22/39n0qp_running_at_-1oc Tue, 22 Dec 2009 09:18:56 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2009/12/22/39n0qp_running_at_-1oc Yeah, noch ein mal for running!!!

This was my last chance to go and run, as far as in a few days I'm going to Bayern for Christmas and from there I'm flying back to Greece for a few weeks of relaxing vacations...

However, this time the challenge was even bigger. -1 degrees of Celcious is not what you can describe as "perfect weather". Also a forecast of an imminent rain (who in the end turned to be correct) had also allured me!

Again, the soundtrack was more than perfect. Having already loaded the correct playlist with upbeat songs that work perfectly by increasing my pace and not allowing to stop or relax, I ran almost 14km in one hour and ten minutes. A photo of the distance ca be found here.



This time I chose only harsh EBM, dark electro...

1. Nachtmahr – Deus ex Machina (for stretching in the beginning)
2. Nachtmahr – Katharsis (Let the battle commence!)
3. Grendel – Dirty
4. Reaper – X-Junkie (Revolution By Night Remix)
5. Feindflug – Kalte Unschuld
6. Tactical Sekt – Not Entertained
7. Nitzer Ebb – Join in the Chant
8. Nachtmahr – Ich glaube
9. Tactical Sekt – Soulless
10. Velvet Acid Christ – Fun With Drugs
11. Amduscia – Profano Tu Cruz (edit)
12. Reaper – Robuste Maschine
13. Tactical Sekt – Bring Me Violence
14. Nachtmahr – Feuer Frei
15. Feindflug – totungsmaschine mensch
16. Agonoize – Paradox
17. Suicide Commando – Face Of Death (Analogue Death)

Merry Christmas to everybody! See you either next year or... see you in Athens!]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2008/01/28/b5sb9_2007%27s_top-20 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:03:48 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2008/01/28/b5sb9_2007%27s_top-20 According to my personnal taste, the album that I liked most last year was these...enjoy!

1. Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem
2. Mayhem - Ordo Ad Chao
3. Marduk - Rom 5:12
4. Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters
5. Primordial - To The Nameless Dead
6. Necros Christos - Trivne Impvrity Rites
7. Xasthur - Defective Epitaph
8. Nile - Ithyphallic
9. Entombed - Serpent Saints
10. Immolation - Shadows In The Light
11. Mekong Delta - Lurking Fear
12. Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos
13. Lifelover - Erotik
14. Cobalt - Eater Of Birds
15. Dodheimsgard - Supervillain Outcast
16. High on Fire - Death Is This Communion
17. Blut aus Nord - Odinist
18. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works
19. Neurosis - Given to the Rising
20. Watain - Sworn to the Dark]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2007/01/10/b5sb8_2006%27s_top-20 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:40:44 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2007/01/10/b5sb8_2006%27s_top-20 This is my personal Top-20 for 2006, according which 2006's albums I liked and I heard mostly. However, Last.FM couldn't help in this list because I subscribed just a month ago. Maybe 2007's Top-20 will be influenced from it. I'm expecting your comments but take under consideration that this is my PERSONAL opinion...

1Celtic Frost- Monotheist
2Agalloch- Ashes Against The Grain
3Mastodon - Blood Mountain
4Antaeus - Blood Libels
5Converge - No Heroes
6Slayer - Christ Illusion
7Suffocation - Suffocation
8Drudkh – Blood In Our Wells
9 Solitude Aeternus - Alone
10Enslaved - Ruun
12Gorgoroth - Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
12Krisiun - AssasiNation
13Sepultura - Dante XXI
14Krieg - Blue Miasma
15Napalm Death - Smear Campaign
16Lamb of God - Sacrament
17Katharsis - VVorldVVitoutEnd
18Thralldom - A Shaman Steering The Vessel Of Vastness
19Xasthur - Subliminal Genocide
20Isis - In The Absence Of Truth]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2006/12/08/b5sb7_inferno_festival_2006 Fri, 8 Dec 2006 10:00:12 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Disharmonic/journal/2006/12/08/b5sb7_inferno_festival_2006 Finally, the Greek pilgrims, Marilena “Bathory”, Sophia “Tool”, Kostas “Mysticum” and me, reached the holy city of Oslo! The reason: the Inferno Festival 2006 of course! 3+1 days of Black, Death, Doom and Thrash metal, in the Metropolis of True Norwegian Black metal.

Our journey begins the Wednesday 12th! After having found our hotel, we walked at the streets (gata) of Oslo, till we reached the Rock In club where VREID were gonna play that night. A small, warm club, where we found another Greek comrade, Michael “Troll”. The first band that appeared in the specific show were BETEA REACH, a 6-pieced band from Oslo. They attracted my attention quickly, due to their style: metalcore based on MASTODON and Relapse-esque genres and they could be described as mathcore if they were a little bit more risky. Very young musicians with very mature ideas! The fact that they used three guitars can only be acknowledged as inspiring! Both BETEA REACH and BATTERED (the next band appearing that night) had a magnificent clean sound. BATTERED had just released an album in Tabu Recordings and they would played also at Inferno festival in the second stage. Straightforward thrash metal in the vein of old THE HAUNTED, with furious vocals! VREID, the headliners of this live, had much worse sound. True Norwegian Black metal with a variety of vocals. Our trip’s fatigue and the free beers from Mortem, the light technician, didn’t allow us to stay any more in Rock In. So, we returned to our hotel in order to be fully prepared for the Inferno.

FIRST DAY

Thursday’s cloudy morning found us ready for walk in the city of Oslo. After an invasion on a local CD store, we visited the Akershus Castle, the Resistance museum and the Armed Forces museum. So, after this military enlightening, we were strengthened for the festival.

KEEP OF CALESSIN: One of the biggest hopes of Norwegian black metal was the first band appearing in Rockefeller hall, the bigger stage of Inferno festival. With a mediocre quality of sound, they based their set on their new album “Armada”, without forgetting their past. They managed to assemble Inferno, especially the Norwegians, which assumed that KEEP OF CALESSIN is the next big thing. Personally, I wasn’t convinced from their appearance, believing that it was one of the Inferno disappointments. Norwegian Metal for Norwegians.
WALKENVOREN: Without any official recordings and with Apollyon (AURA NOIR) on drums, they presented their punk’o’thrash.
NIGHTRAGE: Greek-Swedish NIGHTRAGE was a different tone at Inferno festival, due to their music style. Swedish melodic death metal isn’t the preferable style for blacksters and that’s the reason why they had much lesser crowd. However, Gus G’s and Marios Iliopoulos’ guitars were at the right place for a brilliant appearance. Balanced tracklist between their two albums, NIGHTRAGE entertained us for more than half an hour. Well done!
DEMONIZER: I have nothing to mention for these Belgian thrashers. Muddy sound and boring music, so…time for shopping!
KHOLD: Moonfog black metal part 1. With KHOLD we faced the same incident that we saw at KEEP OF KALESSIN: the Rockfeller was fulled of Norwegians. I was never fan of KHOLD, they didn’t also attract my attention so, nothing to add.
CARPATHIAN FOREST: Having gathered everybody at the Rockfeller hall, CARPATHIAN FOREST should have been the headliners of the first day. They were the most significant band and they approved it with their spectacular appearance. Even if they hadn’t at the beginning the proper sound, when it was restored, both crowd and band warmed and so we had one of the highlights of the day!
SAHG: Surprise! I didn’t expect to be shocked from this Norwegian doom band! They have in their line-up Tom Visnes (aka King Ov Hell), GORGOROTH’s bassist and Olav Iversen, a capable guitarist with a tremendous and expressive voice. Their heavy rock got me high, filling the John Dee club (the small stage) with emotional art, something that made me impatient for their debut album which is going to be released this month. I was doomed!
USURPER: Unfortunately, USURPER also achieved to doom me, not due to any Black Sabbath influences, but because of their awful heavy metal music. A totally pointless decision of honoring USURPER headlining the first day of Inferno. Their “black metal” was presented on stage on a low-level heavy metal style. So, we left Rockefeller, with bitter in our hearts, because we haven’t seen anything really spectacular.

Highlights: SAHG, CARPATHIAN FOREST, NIGHTRAGE.

SECOND DAY

Friday’s morning was spent on musical affairs. Firstly, we went on a pre-listening of two albums (SECHT and NEEPACH) which are going to be released from the new label of Tchort (CARPATHIAN FOREST, GREEN CARNATION), Sublife Productions (more information about these albums on forthcoming reviews). After that, we went on the Edderkoppen hotel in order to be present on a discussion about how the Norwegian black metal can be promoted outside Norway. Music industry at its best! We heard some remarkable aspects, but generally it was a discussion that interested the Norwegian bands which had been invited on the specific event. When this was over, we ran to the Rock In club in order to hear the new GORGOROTH album. Interesting songs, blacker than their latest albums (only one death metal song), but the most weird was that the last two songs were IMMORTAL clones! Finally, when I asked from Gaahl an interview, he refused it because, as he told me, he hadn’t time since he had to return to prison!

SYSTEM:OBSCURE: Hammond? Are they the DEEP PURPLE of symphonic black metal? Interesting big songs with Norwegian black metal riffs and the keyboards giving the proper atmosphere, they opened perfectly the first day.
SUSPERIA: More power than black, I heard them for about 3 minutes and I went downstairs in order to avoid hearing their tragic songs. As I heard Mustis went on stage for a couple of songs…
MANNGARD: With a very good sound, MANNGARD performed their old-school Bay Area thrash metal with a variety of vocals and they were approved as a very good band!
DISMEMBER: Second time that I’m seeing them live and for a second time they didn’t convinced me for being one of the major old-school Swedish death metal bands. The bad quality of sound and the fact that we could hear the guitars didn’t enable them to change my opinion.
ENDSTILL: Ultra-fast black metal from Germany! Their latest album “Navigator” is crap. On stage, they are much more funny and awful!
BORKNAGAR: This was the first monumental moment on Inferno festival. BORKNAGAR was just perfect that night. Excellent musicians forming an excellently solid band. They performed songs from all their albums, having in that way a balanced playlist. Vintersong is a talented singer and he controls the fact that substitutes singers like Vortex and Garm. Congratulations!
EMPEROR: For the glorious moments I have to describe, poor my vocabulary is. Generally, I shouldn’t write down anything about what we experienced that night. Only those that had the honor to be that night at Rockefeller club can understand what I mean. Ihshan is such a perfectionist that we shouldn’t expect something less from what we saw. Simply, we couldn’t understand that early. With fear I recall the moments from my memory. I would never forget the sentiments I felt when I heard the intro of “Into the Infinity of Thoughts” or when we were singing The lyrics of “With Strength I Burn”… never. I have nothing to say about the performance of the band. They demonstrated 100% their talent, making even clearer and better their songs (especially those from their early albums).in addition to that, they had prepared a brilliant and balanced tracklist: “Into the Infinity of Thoughts”, “Thus Spake the Nightspirit”, “An Elegy of Icaros”, “Curse you All Men!”, “Wrath of the Tyrant”, “With Strength I Burn”, “Towards the Pantheon/The Majesty of the Nightsky”, “The Loss and Curse of Reverence”, In the Wordless Chamber”, “Inno A Satana” and for encore “I am the Black Wizards” and “Ye Entrancempyrium”. A flawless live experience that send EMPEROR in the Pantheon of rock. Ihsahn had warned us: “We are EMPEROR from Telemark and we are here to teach you a lesson in Black Metal”. Damn, he was right. This lesson was written deep in our hearts.

Highlights: EMPEROR, BORKNAGAR

THIRD DAY

Without having understood what happened last night (I had to return in Greece in order to begin understanding what we experienced that night), we visited a brilliant Oslo’s park, the Vigeland Park: an architectonical and sculpturing perfection of our modern times. So, after the stroll we were ready for the last day of Inferno!

LEGION: This is the original band of Emil Dragutinovic, the new drummer of MARDUK. Having already heard their new album, I expected them much better. They seemed unorganized and disunited. Their sound on stage is much more MARDUK, due to the lack of the melodies which are in their albums.
DISIPLIN: Moonfog black metal part 2. In contrast to KHOLD, DISIPLIN achieved to stimulate me with their groovy black metal. Their dress code was unique: bassist and guitarists were like terrorists when the singer had the characteristic Hitler’s hair-brush! Nattefrost (CARPATHIAN FOREST) jumped also on stage for a song! Exciting!
MYRKSKOG: Did they use to play death metal with industrial elements? At the Rockefeller stage, their style was similar to a brutal death metal band, like VADER and MORBID ANGEL. The awful sound (we couldn’t hear the guitar when the drummer was blasting) made me descend to John Dee, where I saw Marco Aro of FACE DOWN (and ex-THE HAUNTED) being unserious and kidding during the sound check.
FACE DOWN: For about three songs, they were just perfect! Killing groovy Swedish death metal! However, the second half of their program didn’t achieve to hold the interesting of the crowd. The band seemed to have a great time on stage and Aro, with his characteristic shirt, proved for once more that he is a talented frontman. Their set was based on their latest release, with playing anything from the pre-HAUNTED era.
BOLT THROWER: England had aided the Norwegian partisans during the World War 2. However, this time English people were in Oslo for a totally different purpose: to conquer Inferno Festival. I started feeling disappointed during the first three tracks, because they had an awful sound. But when this was fixed, they easily gained us, I formed a small pit and everything was just in the right place. Their unique death metal is ideal for a festival, something that they approved it! Baz Thomson and Gavin Ward were at their positions, Jo Bench and Martin Kearns made the world to be burned while Karl Willets, the genuine frontman of BOLT THROWER, sang tales of war, history, glory and pride. Even if they based their set on their latest incredible opus “Those Once Loyal”, they performed songs from “Warmaster” till “Mercenary” albums, omitting the weak “Honour-Valour-Pride”: “At First Light”, “Entrenched”, “Mercenary”, “The IVth Crusade” (thrilling), “Cenotaph”, “The Shreds of Sanity”, “For Victory” and “When Cannons Fade”. Certainly, BOLT THROWER didn’t conquer the festival, as I stated in the beginning, because the nature of the festival was much blacker (and we had also fresh in our minds the EMPEROR’s experience). However, the band was just perfect, having a balanced playlist while turning the stage into a battlefield. It is quite interesting the fact that they were the only band that returned on stage for encore (“When Cannons Fade”) under the crowd screaming their name.
MARDUK: Arioch, Arioch! Blood and Souls for my Lord Arioch! Morgan took the right decision when he recruited the new members for MARDUK, having as a result refreshing the band and its sound. Inferno was highly expecting their appearance and no one was disappointed from their performance. Morgan was in his position, unleashing his glorious ultra fast riffs, using three different guitars, when Arioch (FUNERAL MIST), the enlightened Swedish frontman, walking gallantly all over the stage and singing the tales of horror. According to my opinion, Ihsahn and Arioch were the rersonalities of the festival. In their set, they included “Warschaw”, “Burn my Coffin”, “Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets”, “Slay of the Nazarene”, “Panzer Division Marduk”, “Steel Inferno”, “World Funeral” and “Infernal Eternal”. Summarizing their appearance, there is only one description that can perfectly describe them: Christraping Black Metal!
WITCHCRAFT: Let the tales be sung by the bards! WITCHCRAFT were placed in the best position in the schedule; calm down from MARDUK and be ready to welcome CATHEDRAL. Rock doom tunes that reborn the meaning of bands like BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, JEFFERSON AIRPLANE and WISHBONE ASH. Tales enchanted by delightful music. I was bewitched!
CATHEDRAL: Even my exhaustion, after 7 hours without rest (including a BOLT THROWER show) and three whole days with only a few hours of relax, I was still in position to rock and dance with the CATHEDRAL songs. Hell yeah, these incredible Englishmen gave a brilliant performance on front of a enough full Rockefeller club. They got us high with their psychedelic metal. Lee Dorian was amazing, Gaz Jennings with his Gibson SG played his delighted riffs, while Leo Smee and Brian Dixon were on their own, groovy world. They covered all their discography, including also a song from their doom masterpiece “Forest Of Equilibrium”. For encore, they perform excellently their all time classic “Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)”.This was the time where the SG was on fire, the witches were burned, Dorrian was hanged and Gaz was destroying our ears ,while we had to leave Rockefeller before it was too late…



Highlights: BOLT THROWER, CATHEDRAL



Final score: Norway – England 1-2.
Scorers: EMPEROR for Norway, BOLT THROWER and CATHEDRAL for England.

Konstantinos Vogiatzis
P.S. Special thanks to Marilena Smirtioti, Sofia Farkona, Kostas Vaggelis, Leuteris Tsoureas and Claudio Giuliani

Originally written for www.MetalEagle.com]]>