Just a about a month ago my review on the past year was so much fun and I really look back on 2017 with a good feeling. And now that we’re well into February, 2018 has already been quite a ride already. First off, my best friend finally made his way into the Metal-Olymp by joining veteran Thrash band SODOM. Looks like he’s gonna be a real Rockstar after all. Besides, his own band BEYONDITION is much of a class act within the local underground itself. Offering a fine blend of Old School Death Metal in the vein of BOLT THROWER with a twist of Swedish Death to it. Guess I should try and do an interview with the guys to introduce them to the rest of the world. They are currently working on a debut album, with a 2017 demo sold out by now. Anyone who missed out on buying the tape: The demo is available as a full download via bandcamp. Totally looking forward to seeing them again soon!
BEYONDITION – Red Light Special
Speaking of which, it only took me a good month to spend more money on concerts than I have in the past few years. And the amount that other people are willing to pay for the entire Wacken weekend, I will be celebrating two days of pure Rock’n’Roll awesomeness. After my failed attempt to see one of my all-time favorite bands at Rock Am Ring in 2006, this year will totally make up for it, as I will finally see GUNS N’ ROSES with BOTH Axl and Slash sharing stages again! And to top it all, just one day later, QUEEN and ADAM LAMBERT are playing have a tour stop in Cologne. Only took me about eight years to catch up with Adam again. But I’m 100 percent sure that it will be totally worth the wait. Additionally, 2018 also marks my personal anniversary of ten consecutive years as an official press member at the annual Rock Hard Festival. Kicking off my run of live show shenanigans, will be the ever so amazing Linnéa Olsson with her very own MAGGOT HEART – featuring her former GRAVE PLEASURES bandmate Uno Bruniusson (PROCESSION, DEATH ALLEY, ex-IN SOLITUDE) on drums. With quite some more thins on my list of possible activities for the year ahead, including OZZY OSBOURNE, 2018 will really rock!
Swedish Dark Rockers Tribulation finally announce their new sticksman, after Jakob Ljungberg has officially left the band earlier this year. The following statements have been posted on their facebook page:
As the summer in the year of their lord 2017 draws near and the world in the north is again fully starting to wake from its slumber we, on the other hand, are forced to face an inevitable end in the departure of our drummer Jakob Ljungberg who has decided to leave the band. We have spent the last five years together through pain to heaven, in chaos to bliss! It’s been such a strange, wonderful, tiring and inspiring time and we would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this time the most important in the history of the band. We surely couldn’t have done it without you. We were like brothers even before the time of Tribulation and we certainly will be in the time after! Make sure to check out Jakob’s unique and most excellent band Second Sun where he sings and plays guitar!
Jakob comments:
”It is with a heavy heart that I leave Tribulation. These last years have been among the best in my life, but they wore me out and now I have to continue life on different paths.
Thanks to everyone involved – you made this journey spectacular, thanks to everyone that came up and said hi – it meant the world to me, thanks to everyone who believed in me – you made me believe in myself. Jonathan, Adam and Johannes. I love you.
“The end of nights we tried to die – this is the end.””
For Tribulation, however, this is not the end, but a new beginning. After this period of silence, renewal and contemplation the time has now come to give you the new Tribulation! We have now fully immersed ourselves in the making of a new album that will be recorded at summer’s end.
We are very pleased to announce that Oscar Leander (previously in Deathstars) is our new drummer. He will make his first appearance with us on Muskelrock på Tyrolen now on Thursday, June 1st!
Are you ready? We are!
Photo by Ove Wiksten
Tribulation 2017:
Oscar Leander – Drums
Johannes Andersson – Bass & Vocals
Jonathan Hultén – Guitars
Adam Zaars – Guitars
Though the band has been forced to cancel its appearance at Bang Your Head, they will play at Metal Magic Festival and Graspop Metal Meeting.
After her untimely leave from the band formerly known as post-apocalyptic rockers Beastmilk, Grave Pleasures, Swedish guitarist Linnéa Olsson has made herself scares to the public. So it seemed that she would disappear from the surface again just as fast as her the band that brought her into the limelight – The Oath. But she is back with a vengeance and her very own vision of Rock’n’Roll: Maggot Heart.
Recorded in Linnéa’s chosen home of Berlin and Uppsala in 2016, the debut EP of this new musical gathering is called ‘City Girls’, with lyrics inspired by the restless place which has cast a spell on many musicians before. Joining in the blonde guitarist & vocalist, are her former bandmate Uno Bruniusson (Procession, Death Alley, ex-In Solitude) on drums & percussions, as well as Gottfrid Åhman (No Future, Reveal, ex-In Solitude, Invidious, Repugnant) and Sam Segarra of Drangsal, who share duties on bass. Additionally Gottfrid Åhman recorded ‘City Girls’ alongside Pierre Somville, who also holds responsible for the digital mix and mastering, while the vinyl mastering was done by Nene Baratto. Artwork and layout were created by Jan Fuck Utecht and the back cover photo was taken by Benedikt Eiden.
‘City Girls’, the debut EP from Linnéa Olsson’s Maggot Heart will be released on May 25, 2017 for download and on 12″ vinyl via Teratology Sound & Vision on June 09, 2017. Teratology Sound & Vision is a small mailorder operating from Berlin, Germany carrying a selected catalogue of vinyl, compact discs, tapes, zines and whatever might catch (y)our interest.
2016 started off with a rare moment as I had the first and unfortunately final chance the see Grave Pleasures in their best lineup, featuring Swedish guitarist Linnéa Olsson and former In Solitude drummer Uno Bruniusson. The now newly formed band was touring alongside Tribulation in January and gladly played a brilliant show at TuRock, Essen – not shying away from including several tunes from their former incarnation Beastmilk. Later this year I was lucky enough to see Tribulation again at Rock Hard Festival.
Liz Buckingham’s long-lost Swedish twin-sister – Linnéa Olsson
But before the outdoor season started, one of many indoor festivals caught my attention and had me attending – attempted pun intended – the second edition of Ván Records’ very own Acherontic Arts Festival which took place in early May. Gathering the brightest shining gems of his artist roster, Sven clearly knows his way around a brilliant billing. Urfaust, Gold, the recently disbanded Path Of Samsara, The Ruins Of Beverast, to name but a few. My personal highlights have to be King Dude, who gave me all those emotions, from goosebumps, to shivers to tears and the outstanding performance of Germany’s very own (D O L C H) – leaving me speechless and that rarely ever happens!
Feel the dagger – (D O L C H)
Partners in crime – Psychorizon & Queen Of Spades Photography
And then there was this: Rock Hard Festival – the only event I’ve been at almost every year since 2004. Second time watching Tribulation and for the first time in a while I could finally catch up with Kadavar again. Great to see these guys, that I’ve been a fan of and working with in a past life, making their way towards the big stages. This year also saw a premier, as I officially teamed up with Queen Of Spades Photography – run by my good friend and talented photographer Susan – to cover the mandatory reports.
ArieZ warming up for the show
In August it was finally time to look back the first five years of Psychorizon with a little festival. Four bands from three countries gathered at a local youth club to celebrate with me and my friends, fans, readers and the audience for one night. Even though only a handful of folks actually came around to enjoy the event, there shall be more live action to go about in the future. Special thanks to those who joined the party, my catering chef Cati and all members of the most brilliant opening act ArieZ, Swiss Stoner crew Drain and of course my amazing Canadian headliner Völur. Couldn’t have done it without you, thanks so much! Spread the love and hope to see you all soon again!!!
Vocalist Nils becomes one with the music & his microphone
And last but certainly not least, another most memorable night featured Ghost Bath and Thränenkind, who played at Helvete, Oberhausen on August 28th. While the main part of the audience was eagerly waiting to see the headliner, all I wanted was to finally see the band that created my personal favourite album of the year. Due to some scheduling difficulties, bass player Matthias and vocalist Nils had to borrow some stand-in musicians and still managed to deliver a stunning show. Hope they’ll return to my area again soon!
Energetic Anarchy: Matthias the bass-machine!
This year has been a crazy ride and I’m really looking forward to all the adventures the next one will bring – hope we’ll all make it a good one.
Returning with an exquisite new 7”, Grave Pleasures will treat you with two pieces of ear candy, while waiting for their new record. This two-track vinyl of the apocalyptic Postpunkers proves that the latest lineup is a class act all of its own. Fans already know that Swedish guitarist Linnéa Olsson left the band about half a year ago, turning it into a mere Finish affair again. And also former In Solitude drummer Uno Bruniusson is no longer part of the (funeral) party: “I will sure miss seeing the wonderful people of Grave Pleasures as often as I did during the making and touring of the Dreamcrash incident. It was a very intense period, filled with tons of great memories. I’ll store them deeply as I go about. Its time for me to say goodbye to the band and make room for someone new that is willing to open a new chapter of the band and I wish them all the best with that. I want to direct a big thanks to Valtteri, Mat, Linnéa, Juho, all the allies behind the veil and everyone who took time to listen to our music and came out to our shows!”
Fortunately, the reformed group, featuring British vocalist Mat McNerney, who now lives in Helsinki, remains as creative as ever. The A-Side contains the most catchy “Deadenders”, which is already available in a powerful retro-style lyric video. Lyrical themes evolve around the end of the world of course, which will have us dance the Falloutpogo, as Mat advises us with his wonderfully striking voice.
The B-Side presents a slightly more moderate tune. This gem of a song is called “Cold War Funeral” and turns out to be a melancholy mushroom cloud, letting us swing once again.
Produced by John Davis, who has also worked with Lana Del Rey, the two tracks are the next step in the evolution of former Beastmilk. Specially the vocals have changed a lot compared to the 2015-album “Dreamcrash”. Embetted a bit deeper into the mix, they have not lost their intensity and the light Danzig timbre.
In addition to a download via bandcamp, Mat’s own label Secret Trees has a strictly limited 7 “version, each 300 black and 200 yellow.
After their most successful tour alongside countrymates Tribulation and Vampire in January, Grave Pleasures seem to have taken some time away from social media. As of today the band reveals one of the reason for their temporary withdrawal, seeing guitarist and former member of The Oath, Linnéa Olsson leaving them to pursue new adventures.
Commented the band: “We would like to thank Linnéa from the bottom of our hearts and wish her all the best on her new path. We will always be very proud of her and the work we did together. Grave Pleasures continues to rock and roll onward. We will announce our future plans very soon.
Photo by Maria Louceiro
This from Linnéa:
Grave Pleasures has been an intense adventure and creative experiment. This past year and a half has allowed me to grow as a songwriter and performer, and to experience life and music from strange and new perspectives.
Now the time is right for me to take the next step, and therefore I’ve made the decision to leave the band. I will focus on my own project, which hopefully will be in presentable shape later in the year!
A huge thank you to Uno, Juho, Mat & Valtteri, as well as all you people along the road for your much valued support. I hope to see you in the next chapter.
Only a few days before kicking off the “Wailing The Dead” European tour alongside Tribulation & Vampire, Finland’s’ finest Grave Pleasures have released their latest music video for “Girl In A Vortex”. Taken from their cunning debut “Dreamcrash”, the video was created by Sarah Ben Hardouze and Teresa Kuhn.
Grave Pleasures band portrait by Valtteri Arino
The “Dreamcrash” material is multi-layered, with a twin guitar team weaving sonic webs that are both dreamy and sinister. Moving past the post-punk wet dream Beastmilk originally spawned, the lyrics and vocals of Grave Pleasures are rich in texture and depth – staring into the abyss just long enough before it stares right back.
The future of this band is surely going to be as unprecedented and extraordinary as it’s inception. Finding their innate pleasure in their own demise, and embracing their nihilism, this revamped monster looks set to follow their trajectory to new formidable heights. The end has only just begun.
“The Wailing Dead” European tour 2016
TRIBULATION + GRAVE PLEASURES + VAMPIRE
Presented by Metal Hammer, Deaf Forever & Rock Tribune
14.01.2016 Berlin (Germany) – Magnet
15.01.2016 Hamburg (Germany) – Knust
16.01.2016 Kassel (Germany) – K19
17.01.2016 Nijmegen (The Netherlands) – Doornroosje
19.01.2016 Nürnberg (Germany) – Club Z-bau
20.01.2016 Innsbruck (Austria) – Weekender Club
21.01.2016 Vienna (Austria) – Viper Room
22.01.2016 Budapest (Hungary) – Durer Kert
23.01.2016 München (Germany) – Backstage
24.01.2016 Aarau (Switzerland) – Kiff
25.01.2016 Colmar (France) – Le Grillen
26.01.2016 Paris (France) – Glazart
27.01.2016 Hasselt (Belgium) – Muziekodroom
28.01.2016 Leiden (The Netherlands) – Gebr De Nobel
29.01.2016 Essen (Germany) – Turock
30.01.2016 Leipzig (Germany) – Werk2
While still on the road with their debut album “Dreamcrash“, Finnish Death Rockers GRAVE PLEASURES just recently announced to be co-headlining alongside Swedish institution TRIBULATION for the “Wailing The Dead Tour 2016”. The following statement was published via the official GRAVE PLEASURES Facebook page:
There’s a new dark wave coming, black-flagged by bands like us and Tribulation (Official), who stretch their skeletal hands further out into the abyss of deathly rock. Each in our own directions, but sewn at the naval by shared influences, as children of the night-music. You’re either with us or against us. Either way, we’re happy to announce that we’re going out on the road through Europe in January 2016 with Tribulation and Vampire in tow, to crash your dreams and drink your spirits. Fear the wailing of the dead!
“The Wailing Dead” European tour 2016
TRIBULATION + GRAVE PLEASURES + VAMPIRE
Presented by Metal Hammer, Deaf Forever & Rock Tribune
14.01.2016 Berlin (Germany) – Magnet
15.01.2016 Hamburg (Germany) – Knust
16.01.2016 Kassel (Germany) – K19
17.01.2016 Nijmegen (The Netherlands) – Doornroosje
19.01.2016 Nürnberg (Germany) – Club Z-bau
20.01.2016 Innsbruck (Austria) – Weekender Club
21.01.2016 Vienna (Austria) – Viper Room
22.01.2016 Budapest (Hungary) – Durer Kert
23.01.2016 München (Germany) – Backstage
24.01.2016 Aarau (Switzerland) – Kiff
25.01.2016 Colmar (France) – Le Grillen
26.01.2016 Paris (France) – Glazart
27.01.2016 Hasselt (Belgium) – Muziekodroom
28.01.2016 Leiden (The Netherlands) – Gebr De Nobel
29.01.2016 Essen (Germany) – Turock
30.01.2016 Leipzig (Germany) – Werk2
Along with the release of their highly anticipated debut record “Dreamcrash” on September 4, 2015, Finnish death rockers GRAVE PLEASURES have unveiled their second music video for the album track “New Hip Moon” via Filtr Germany. Check out the first single & video “Crying Wolves” here.
Furthermore the multinational four piece has just announced the support acts for their upcoming European tour on their official Facebook page: “We will be joined on tour in Europe this Sept/October by Jessica93! We will then also be joined by Kontinuum for the German leg of the tour. In Berlin we will play a very special one night only with our friend King Dude! In the UK we’re joined by Desperate Journalist. In Finland we’re joined by KESÄ.”
