LUCIFER – Sharing The Magic & Casting A Spell On Europe This Fall

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Black Sabbath, Blue Öyster Cult, California Son, Century Media, Deep Purple, Dreamer, Entombed, Europan Tour, Fleetwood Mac, Johanna Sadonis, Linnéa Olsson, Lucifer, Lucifer’s Friend, Maggot Heart, Nicke Andersson, Steppenwolf, Stevie Nicks, The Hellacopters, The Oath, The Second Coming

Kicking off a month from today, magically infused Rock revelation Lucifer will cast a Spell on Europe this fall. Lucifer is a multinational Heavy Rock band from Stockholm. Founded in 2014 in Berlin by The Oath front woman Johanna Sadonis who had then parted ways with former band mate Linnéa Olsson (Maggot Heart) just as their praiseworthy debut saw the light of day. Lucifer is defined by their very heavy 1970s Hard Rock sound, spiced with a good dose of Proto Heavy Metal and Doom Rock. Main influences are groups such as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Blue Öyster Cult, Lucifer’s Friend, Steppenwolf, 70’s Heart and Fleetwood Mac. With a shift of constellation within the band in 2016 and Johanna Sadonis’ move from Berlin to Stockholm, Lucifer were ready for chapter two. With the critically acclaimed release of their long-awaited second album ‘Lucifer II’ via Century Media on July 6th 2018 and the videos for their new singles ‘California Son’ and ‘Dreamer’, Lucifer is facing a new grand chapter.

Lucifer corrupted the souls of many and achieved international recognition on their past tours. Starting this years live ritual on October 7th, the band will be homebound, playing the first show in the fair city of Stockholm. A most logical step as both sticksman Nicke Andersson (Entombed, The Hellacopters) and his now wife singer Johanna Sadonis call the Swedish capital their home. The newly weds tied the knot on Friday, July 13th 2018  – congrats to the happy couple!

Make sure to catch their magic and love live on stage at any of the upcoming dates in October – check flyer below.

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2016 – Kicking Ass, All Seasons Included

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All Our Thoughts, Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, Bartelt, Berlin, Black Sabbath, Black Trip, Bouteloup, Come Back Life, Deep Purple, Deserted Fear, Dismember, Doomsday Machine, Enforcer, Entombed, Fredrik “Trisse” Liefvendahl, Gateway To The Antisphere, Goddess Of Dawn, Grand Magus, Grave Pleasures, Hammer Of The North, JB Christofferson, Kadavar, Linda Åkerberg, Lindemann, Manowar, Mats “Fox” Skinner, Melancholia, Necrophobic, Nifelheim, Queen Of Spades Photography, Rock Hard Festival 2016, Sulphur Aeon, The Children Of The Night, The Wailing Dead Tour, Tribulation, Triumph And Power, Vampire, Ván Records, Wayne Stock, Waynes World, Year Of The Goat

Sometimes Germany becomes a land of wonders, as the 2016 edition of Rock Hard Festival features all four seasons in just one single weekend, whereas the remaining 362 days seem to know but a warm and a cold rain season…Friday has little to offer for me, as I have never been that much into Thrash Metal. But on the plus side, there is much time to stroll around for some sight-seeing (not that anything much changes, but just in case). This year also marks the second time, Psychorizon teams up with our partner in crime, Queen Of Spades Photography. So we did stroll and strut around and ran into all kinds of folks. One, who caught our attention right away, was the owner of the battle jacket displayed below, due to one certain patch. Guess you’ll figure out which one it is yourselves.

Party on Wayne!

As much as the event itself has become well established within the past twelve years, things do change in time, like the short-lived Metal Karaoke, that vanished into oblivion and the rather new trade of featuring at least one up-and-coming local act. Just where Deserted Fear left off last year, we now become victim of an evenly brilliant onslaught delivered by Sulphur Aeon. Being part of the constantly growing Ván Records family, this band got an instant reputation and easily proves it to be just. Though I’m not too much into this particular vocal style, the brutal three-piece manages to gather a pretty massive crowd in the early afternoon, presenting its very own blend of Death Metal with lyrics based around the Cthulhu myth.

Setlist Sulphur Aeon

1. Cthulhu Rites (Intro)
2. Incantation
3. Abysshex
4. Titans
5. Swallowed By The Ocean’s Tide
6. Inexorable Spirits
7. Gateway To The Antisphere
8. Onwards… Towards Kadath!

RHF kicks ass!

Up next with  the sun is still relentlessly shining bright from the sky, another pathway to darkness opens with Swedish sensation Tribulation (rhyme intended). After they caused quite a stir in late January, touring alongside the recently reformed Grave Pleasures, audiences at club TuRock, Essen totally fell in love with their slightly punkish style – regarding both sound and looks – and are eager to relive the sweaty atmosphere of a fully packed venue today. The Arvika-based Quartette is looking back on over a decade of band history already and has gained international success with ist most recent releases “The Children Of The Night” (2015) and the 2016-EP “Melancholia”. Emerging from the darkness of the Swedish Death Metal abyss in 2004, the band immediately stood apart from what was already a crowded scene, betraying an uncompromising vision that refused to be shackled by any genre stereotypes. With a willful drive, an irresistible groove, bewitching melodies and a haunting atmosphere, “The Children Of The Night” captures a true sense of drama and heaviness despite the strangely accessible nature of its compositions.

Setlist Tribulation

1. Intro
2. Strange Gateways Beckon
3. Melancholia
4. In The Dreams Of The Dead
5. Rånda
6. Ultra Silvam
7. The Motherhood Of God
8. When The Sky Is Black With Devils

The band Manowar will never be!

Another part of this years’ Swedish invasion might have taken the train from Stockholm or came riding down on hooves of gold – either way, Grand Magus embody the spirit of Heavy Metal in a most authentic manner. Founded by frontman JB Christofferson and bassplayer Mats “Fox” Skinner in 1996, the band was completed two years later with drummer Fredrik “Trisse” Liefvendahl joining and the first two demos were released. In 2001 the self-titled debut album – obviously inspired by the late creative period of bands such as Black Sabbath or Deep Purple came out. 15 years and seven records in their books, Grand Magus just got their latest attempt out in time for the festival season – on Friday, May 13th 2016.

Setlist Grand Magus

1. I, The Jury
2. Sword Of The Ocean
3. Like The Oar Strikes The Water
4. Varangian
5. Steel Versus Steel
6. Arv
7. Triumph And Power
8. Iron Will
9. Hammer Of The North

Berlin, Baby!

Sometimes the basics is all you need: One guitar, a bass, drums and one voice – or in other words: Kadavar. It‘s the enormous emotional energy that is unleashed show after show, combined with unforgettable memories and impressions of continuous touring one can feel on “Berlin” in every line and every strum. Though recorded live in the studio on the band‘s own analog gear again, it‘s distinctly audible that this time round the record turned out even deeper regarding songwriting and arrangements – and that Lindemann, Bartelt and Bouteloup have actually spent more time on the recordings than ever before.

Setlist Kadavar

1. Lord Of The Sky
2. Pale Blue Eyes
3. Doomsday Machine
4. The Old Man
5. Last Living Dinosaur
6. Living In Your Head
7. Black Sun
8. Goddess Of Dawn
9. Thousand Miles Away From Home
10. All Our Thoughts
11. Come Back Life

And that’s all for this year – see you all again in 2017!!!

All pictures courtesy of Queen Of Spades Photography

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2015 – A Road Trip To Hell & Back

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Black Metal, Black Star Riders, Bobby Liebling, Bolt Thrower, Cronos, Death Metal, Deserted Fear, Entombed, Flash Point, Garage Rock, Kingdom Of Worms, Last Days Here, Motorjesus, My Empire, Obituary, Overkill, Pentagram, Queen Of Spades Photography, Rock Hard Festival 2015, Rock'n'Roll, Shake Electric, Space Rock, Spiders, The Boys Are Back In Town, The Order Of Israfel, Thin Lizzy, Venom

– Friday –

After pretty much THE WORST road trip of my entire life from the deep southern region of Germany to the Ruhrarea in the middle of the middle, I finally arrived at the sunny sight that will be my home base for the next few days. As I’m currently now living anywhere near the city of Gelsenkirchen, for once I’m actually forced to live through a campout among a dozen of eager young and middle-aged metalheats who might consider this the ideal vacation – while I’m taking this as an inevitable necessity. To regain at least a little strength I got my things unpacked quickly and tried to relax – being a person who likes it rather quite and secluded, this kind of surrounding clearly won’t do the trick.

A good view onto the stage from any angle

And while the sun was hardly setting yet, God Dethroned present their blent of blast-infected Death Metal, which would work so much better in a small club with little to no light…talking about that kind of location, today’s co-headliner would feel right at home in such a surrounding. Mainly because booze and drugs are easily available, I guess. They started off in the mid 80s with their eponymous debut “Pentagram”, but never really made it back then. Some 30 years later, specially young fans of the Doom genre seem to hail this band which has rising from its own grave in the new millennium. Some part of this newly found stardom is due to the notorious documentary “Last Days Here”, that portraits Bobby Liebling in the midst of fighting his severe drug addiction…But who am I to complain, Pentagram even released a new album and took The Order Of Israfel on tour as their support.

Setlist Pentagram

1. Sign Of The Wolf
2. Forever My Queen
3. The Ghoul
4. Review Your Choices
5. Starlady
6. Ask No More
7. When The Screams Come
8. All Your Sins
9. Dying World
11. Petrified/ Relentless
12. Be Forwarned
13. Last Days Here

Caught in a mosh during the Overkill show

Yet another band that lives off its own reputation and for naming a complete genre – and YES, Black Metal therefore owes a lot to these veterans – comes from the far north of the British isles. Venom have been around pretty much forever now and its seems there’s no end to their fame, generation after generation. Unfortunately mastermind Cronos looks like a  weirdly aged version of himself nowadays (specially that red tank top does not suit him too well….).

Setlist Venom

1. Rise
2. Hammerhead
3. Bloodlust/ Black Flame (Of Satan)/ Bloodlust/ Die Hard
4. Long Haired Punks
5. Buried Alive
6. The Evil One
7. Welcome To Hell
8. Antichrist
9. Countess Bathory
10. Flight Of Hydra
11. Death Of Rock’n’Roll
12. Grinding Teeth
13. Pedal To The Metal
14. Warhead
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15. Black Metal
16. In League With Satan
17. Witching Hour

The Boys Are Back In Town

– Saturday –

Kicking off day two with some good Old School Death Metal in the vein of Entombed, Bolt Thrower or Obituary is a save way to get people awake and cure even the worst hangover instantly. Deserted Fear are not only a fan favourite, but also a band that earned some praiseful words from Rock Hard magazine itself for their 2012 debut “My Empire” saying “…simply amazing how the whole albums offers it´s permanent hit potential. If it´s allowed to say so within the death metal world. Great start!” With their sophomore attempt “Kingdom of Worms” (2014), Deserted Fear are set to tear the place apart in a most brutal and joyful manner.

Setlist Deserted Fear

1. Forging Delusions
2. Battalion Of Insanities
3. Kingdom Of Worms
4. Nocturnal Frags
5. Wrath On Your Wound
6. Field Of Death
7. Mortal Reign
8. Bury Your Dead

Three years ago, another German band was opening the second festival day and to call them a “crowd pleaser” would be the understatement of the decade: Motorjesus have been enlisted by an independent voting, started by their fan club and delivered to the festival organisers and how could they ever say no to this much dedication?! It was the right choice and re-inviting them was a great decision. During all those years I’ve been at Rock Hard Festival, I can’t remember any saturday morning being so well-attended than the one in 2012. And today it seems like everyone just waited three years for the band to return to play a set of honest and handmade Rock’n’Roll. Way to go, guys!

Setlist Motorjesus

1. Motor Discipline
2. Trouble In Motorcity
3. Speed Of The Beast
4. Fuel The Warmachine
5. Fist Of The Dragon
6. King Of The Dead End Road
7. Return Of The Demons
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8. A New War

Swedish Space Rock in broad daylight: Spiders

– Sunday –

After missing the final opening act of the festival, I can’t wait to see Spiders again! With their positive energy and space Garage Rock these sweet Swedes are not only easy on the eyes. Catchy riffs and sing-along lyrics garnished with their stage appearance, mainly Ann-Sophie’s acting in those VERY TIGHT PANTS is simply irresistable – and I’m saying this as a woman. Equipped with their latest record “Shake Electric” (2014) as well as the previous release “Flash Point” (2012), Spiders got me rocking and dancing all through their set, making them my personal highlight of Rock Hard Festival 2015. TAKK ALLA!!!

Setlist Spiders

1. Hang Man
2. High Society
3. Mad Dog
4. Control
5. Hard Times
6. Only Your Skin
7. Give Up The Fight
8. Rules Of The Game
9. Shake Electric
10. Fraction
11. War Of The World

All pictures courtesy of Queen Of Spades Photography

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2016 – Darkness Prevails

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Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, Berlin, Black Trip, Dismember, Enforcer, Entombed, Gateway To The Antisphere, Grand Magus, Grave Pleasures, Kadavar, Linda Åkerberg, Necrophobic, Nifelheim, Rock Hard Festival 2016, Sulphur Aeon, The Wailing Dead Tour, Tribulation, Triumph And Power, Vampire, Ván Records, Year Of The Goat

With the full moon just a week away from raising after Whitsun, one of Germany’s finest locations will turn into a place of darkness all over again as the annual Rock Hard Festival takes over from May 13th to May 15th – and yes, we even got another Friday the 13th to celebrate upon this years’ event.

The initial night brings yet two acts raising the flag of obscurity and damnation. Swedish sextet Year Of The Goat and their German labelmates Sulphur Aeon are a most well-balanced representation of the current artist roster of German cult label Ván Records. With their melodic blent of Occult Rock, Year Of The Goat are known for catchy tunes, while Sulphur Aeon won the Rock Hard soundcheck with the latest full-length “Gateway To The Antisphere” – a real Black/Death Metal masterpiece.

Tribulation – Photo by Linda Åkerberg

Day two brings another Swedish act that seem to have risen straight from the grave – Tribulation just recently proved their brilliant live skills and theatrical talent on the road leading the “The Wailing Dead Tour” alongside Grave Pleasures & Vampire. Hailing from the depths of Berlin, it was about time Kadavar pay their dues at the presumably Metal capital of the country – at least for these few days. Their third album “Berlin” is not only a tribute to their hometown but also a commercial success that entered the German charts on rank #18, making it clear just how established the fuzzy threesome is.

To conclude the 2016 edition of Rock Hard Festival, a final Swedish invasion will annex the amphitheatre, bringing two more acts to this gloomy gathering. Finally, with their 2014 output, “Triumph And Power”, Stockholm-based trio Grand Magus convinced even me to raise my fist to their battle hymns. Put together (former) members of Entombed, Dismember, Nifelheim, Necrophobic and Enforcer and you will get the next Scandinavian supergroup, or to keep it short and simple: Black Trip.

From the country’s capital to the coal capital: Kadavar

Friday – May 13th

SODOM
DESTRUCTION
TANKARD
SATAN
YEAR OF THE GOAT
SULPHUR AEON

Saturday – May 14th

TURBONEGRO
METAL CHURCH
KADAVAR
THE EXPLOITED
ORDEN OGAN
TRIBULATION
SORCERER
ACCU§ER

Sunday – May 15th

BLIND GUARDIAN
CANNIBAL CORPSE
RIOT V
MOONSPELL
GRAND MAGUS
NIGHTINGALE
BLACK TRIP
DISCREATION

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ROCK HARD FESTIVAL 2015 – Retro In Reverse

Tags

Air Raid, Ann-Sofie Hoyles, Architects Of Chaoz, Avatarium, Black Star Riders, Channel Zero, Deserted Fear, Doro Pesch, Entombed, Flotsam And Jetsam, God Dethroned, Kataklysm, Kreator, Michael Schenker, Morbid Angel, Motorjesus, Overkill, Pentagram, Refuge, Rock Hard Festival, Sanctuary, Sinner, Space Chaser, Spiders, Temple Of Rock, Thin Lizzy, Venom, Voivod, Warlock

Pictures taken from http://www.rockhard.de

One month in counting before the annual pentecost festivities will take place with another outstanding line-up. Apart from some of the “usual suspects” such as Essen’s very own KREATOR who will be playing for the third time since Rock Hard Festival started in 2003 – originally planned as a one-off birthday-bash celebrating the 20th anniversary of German Rock Hard magazine. Also returning to the stage on the waterside, will be MOTORJESUS whose first appearance was mainly due to a readers’ petition in 2012.

VOIDVOD – Picture by Valerie Gagne

The German “Fräuleinwunder” of Metal, DORO PESCH will play a special set featuring songs from her early days…do I sense some WARLOCK tracks here? More reminiscence comes from the legacy of legendary Irish Classic Rockers THIN LIZZY. Their so-to-speak “Alter Ego” BLACK STAR RIDERS are up to pleasing fans of both bands this May. Classic acts seem to be somewhat of a Leitmotiv at this years’ Rock Hard Festival: Doom legends PENTAGRAM and Black Metal veterans VENOM will headline the first festival day, while Canadian masters VOIDOD deliver a nice mid-day Thrash fest on saturday.

Of course, there will also be fresh blood to share: Swedish foursome SPIDERS have overcome their newbie-status by now, with their laid-back Hard Rock sound driven by the voice of Ann-Sofie Hoyles. At the other end of the sonic scale, German trio DESERTED FEAR got what it takes to please your taste for death, blood & gore in the vain of the mighty MORBID ANGEL & ENTOMBED!

DESERTED FEAR – advertising for their idols

Friday – May 22nd

21:30 – 23:00 – VENOM
19:45 – 21:00 – PENTAGRAM
18:15 – 19:15 – GOD DETHRONED
17:05 – 17:50 – FLOTSAM AND JETSAM
16:00 – 16:40 – ARCHITECTS OF CHAOZ
15:00 – 15:40 – SPACE CHASER

Saturday – May 23rd

21:30 – 23:00 – KREATOR
19:45 – 21:00 – DORO (Early Days Metal Show!)
18:15 – 19:15 – SANCTUARY
17:00 – 17:45 – KATAKLYSM
15:50 – 16:35 – AVATARIUM
14:45 – 15:30 – VOIVOD
13:45 – 14:25 – MOTORJESUS
12:45 – 13:23 – DESERTED FEAR

Sunday – May 24th

21:30 – 23:00 – BLACK STAR RIDERS (incl. THIN-LIZZY-Classics)
19:40 – 21:00 – OVERKILL
18:00 – 19:10 – MICHAEL SCHENKER’S TEMPLE OF ROCK
16:30 – 17:30 – REFUGE
15:15 – 16:00 – CHANNEL ZERO
14:05 – 14:50 – SINNER
13:00 – 13:40 – SPIDERS
12:00 – 12:40 – AIR RAID

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