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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" class="no-js"> <head> <title>Metal News on Metal Underground.com</title> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> <meta name="theme-color" content="#212042"/> <script type="module"> document.documentElement.classList.remove('no-js'); document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); </script> <link rel="preload" href="/styles/default/reset.20231012.css" as="style" /> <link rel="preload" href="/styles/default/main.20231012.css" as="style" /> <meta name="Title" content="Metal News on Metal Underground.com" /> <meta name="Description" content="Metal News on Metal Underground.com" /> <meta name="Keywords" content="underground metal, heavy metal, metal music, metal news, bands" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="MetalUnderground.com" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Metal News on Metal Underground.com" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Metal News on Metal Underground.com" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US"> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.metalunderground.com/news/by_type.cfm?newstype=Report&=" /> <meta property="fb:admins" content="616381965" /> <link rel="image_src" href="https://www.metalunderground.com/assets/icons/horns-512.png" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.metalunderground.com/assets/icons/horns-512.png" /> <meta name="Copyright" content="Copyright (c) 2000-2025, Doug Gibson, metalunderground.com and Insidious Machina Productions. 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var domloaded; var pageloaded; </script> </head> <body id="metalunderground_com" class="news-section March Mar-1" > <a href="#content-main" id="skip" title="Skip to main content">Skip to main content</a> <div id="pagewrapper"> <div id="customnavbar"> <ul> <li id="customnav-home"><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li id="customnav-login"><a href="/login/">Login</a></li> <li id="customnav-joinnow"><a href="/create_an_account/">Join Now</a> </li> <li id="customnav-search"> <form action="/search/results.cfm" method="get"> <label for="q">Search by Band</label> <input type="text" name="q" id="q" class="qsearch" /> <input type="hidden" name="t" value="bands" /> <input type="submit" value="Go >" class="button" /> </form> </li> </ul> </div> <div id="pagecontainer"> <a name="top" id="top"></a> <div id="main-leaderboard"> <a href="https://70000tons.com"><img src="https://70000tons.com/banner/70000TONSOFMETAL_StaticWebBanner_728x90.PNG" width="728" height="90" alt="70000 Tons of Metal - The World's Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise" /></a> </div> <header> <div id="masthead"> <h1> <a href="/" id="masthead-logo" title="Return to Metal Underground.com home page"> <img src="/styles/default/images/metalundergroundcom_logo2.gif" width="520" height="75" alt="Metal Underground.com" /> </a> </h1> <p><em>"some music was meant to stay underground..."</em></p> </div> <nav id="navigation"> <div id="primarynav"> <ul id="primary-nav" class="nav"> <li id="nav-news"> <a href="/news/" aria-labelledby="nav-news-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#news"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-news-label">News</span> </a> </li> <li id="nav-bands"> <a href="/bands/" aria-labelledby="nav-bands-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#bands"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-bands-label">Bands</span> </a> </li> <li id="nav-reviews"> <a href="/reviews/" aria-labelledby="nav-reviews-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#reviews"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-reviews-label">Reviews</span> </a> </li> <li id="nav-interviews"> <a href="/interviews/" aria-labelledby="nav-interviews-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#interviews"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-interviews-label">Interviews</span> </a> </li> <li id="nav-gallery"> <a href="/photo_gallery/" aria-labelledby="nav-photogallery-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#photos"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-photogallery-label">Photo Gallery</span> </a> </li> <li id="nav-aboutus"> <a href="/about_us/" aria-labelledby="nav-aboutus-label"> <svg viewBox="0 0 100 100" class="icon" role="presentation"> <use href="/assets/icons/iconlib1.svg#info"></use> </svg> <span id="nav-aboutus-label">About Us</span> </a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </header> <main id="main"> <section id="content"> <a name="content-main" id="content-main"></a> <h2>Archive: Reports</h2> <p class="pagination"> <span class="paginationrecordset"> Displaying records 1 - 20 of 721 </span> <span class="paginationpages"> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/1/" class="paginationpage paginationcurrentpage">1</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/2/" class="paginationpage ">2</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/3/" class="paginationpage ">3</a> ... <a href="/news/type/Report/page/36/" class="paginationpage ">36</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/37/" class="paginationpage ">37</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/37/" class="paginationpage">Last</a> </span> </p> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158888" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158888">Obituary Redneck Stomps Over Bristol</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Dec</span> <span class="posted-day">31</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">1:18 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>It seems strange seeing a band mere weeks after witnessing them less than a month before. Then again, most bands aren't genre pioneering heavyweights with an incredible catalogue, so, only about three weeks on from Obituary's set <a href="https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=158719">supporting Sepultura in London</a>, it was on the train to Bristol to see them headline their own tour of the United Kingdom. Dubbed the "One for the old school" tour, it was supposed to feature support from thrash metal veterans Sadus, but only one date into the tour, they were forced to leave after some truly horrific actions on the part of one member. So, without one of the tour's main attractions, how would it fare?</p><p> Without Sadus, Obituary opted to invite local bands to open for them on the remainder of the trek, and in Bristol the opportunity fell to Overpower. Kudos has to be given for them being willing to step up to the plate so quickly, especially since they were in very real danger of one of their members not being able to make it. As for the performance, they clearly had some friends in attendance, and probably a few fans of their own, but I don't think they made too much of an impression. The vocals were grating, the music unoriginal and the stage banter was painful. The only thing worse than sitting through a band you're not enjoying is one that thinks they're funny on top of it. As mentioned, fair play to them for having the guts and eagerness to take this opportunity, but I can't try and smooth over what felt like an incredibly long and joyless time. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158888" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158888" title="Read the complete article: Obituary Redneck Stomps Over Bristol">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158888">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158819" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158819">Anthrax & Kreator Team With Testament In London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Dec</span> <span class="posted-day">7</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">10:00 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Thrash metal is a fascinating field. Arguably the first metal sub-genre, fusing the anthems of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with the "fuck you" attitude of punk icons like Discharge and Dead Kennedys, it kept the youthful spirit alive in metal and was a perfect antithesis to the glam stylings of Motley Crue and Poison. Over forty years on from the debut albums of its stalwarts like Metallica and Slayer and thrash still has an important place in metal, with many of its big names just as popular as ever. Recently, three of these iconic names joined forces for a tour fans will never forget, even if the bands and fans alike are now more concerned with mortgages and car insurance than skateboarding and day drinking.</p><p> Only a few months ago, Kreator and Testament trekked across the United States and Canada for the North American leg of the Klash Of The Titans tour and with Anthrax replacing Possessed for the European portion, it was Testament's turn to kick off the evening of metal. Rarely can it be claimed with legitimacy that Testament put in a bad shift and that was the case tonight, as the Bay Area representatives got things going in style with "D.N.R.," a personal favourite and a highlight from the excellent 1999 effort, "The Gathering," which was followed immediately by "3 Darks Of Darkness" from the same record. Twenty five years after the release of the cult favourite album, it was good to hear its songs alongside older and fresher favourites alike.</p><p> Being in the special guest role, there was only so much time Testament had to make their impact felt but they did just that with a number of songs from their reunion era onward, including "More Than Meets The Eye" from "The Formation Of Damnation," along with the album's title track, plus "Native Blood" from "Dark Roots Of Earth" and two numbers from the band's latest album, "Titans Of Creation." "The Ritual" is often represented by the exciting "Electric Crown" when it comes to live shows, but tonight Testament had another surprise in store as they performed "Return To Serenity" for the first time since the year 2000. Of course, most sets end with an old school classic and that was just what happened tonight when the quintet finished with "Into The Pit," the only song from their eighties material. A furious end to a storming set. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158819" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158819" title="Read the complete article: Anthrax & Kreator Team With Testament In London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158819">2 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158719" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158719">Sepultura Bids Farewell To London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Nov</span> <span class="posted-day">14</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">9:49 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Some bands become popular enough that they put their hometowns on the map. Some even get to become the metal ambassadors for their country, for example Moonspell of Portugal or Skinflint of Botswana. And then there's Sepultura, not only the first breakthrough metal band from Brazil, but the first from South America. For forty years, Sepultura has been a major name in metal, releasing genre defining, and genre-defying classics and selling out venues across the globe. On December 8th of last year, the band announced that they would be hitting the road for 18 months to say goodbye, calling time on one of the most important names in the history of metal, though new music is still expected to arrive at some point in the form of a four song EP. Having recently completed a trek across the United States of America and Canada, the Brazilian titans are currently rampaging across Europe, alongside a stellar cast of support acts, and this past Tuesday, Metal Underground was on hand to witness their final show in the United Kingdom, as they headlined the legendary Hammersmith Apollo.</p><p> The Apollo, formerly known as the Odeon, has a huge place in rock and roll history, dating back to the fifties when Buddy Holly not only performed his final British shows at the venue, but also had the caps of two teeth knocked out by his bandmate Joe B. Mauldin, to being the host of live albums by Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Dream Theater and Black Sabbath to name only some, and when entering the venue, one can immediately feel the legacy. This feeling doesn't last for too long, as there's an immediate scramble for the merch booth, but once that's over with, it's right back to basking in the Apollo's glory. Opening what promised to be another memorable night in West London was Philadelphia metallic hardcore heavyweights Jesus Piece. Many would argue that hardcore works best in a smaller, more intimate setting, and maybe it does, but a good band can make any stage their home, which is exactly what Jesus Piece did.</p><p> Vocalist Aaron Heard is a ball of energy, tearing across the wide stage and barking out lyrics with sheer ferocity, and his bandmates are just as amped up, each putting in a great shift to get the crowd going. Indeed, it didn't take too long for the early birds to get a circle pit going, swirling around the famous hall at full speed, and the whole crowd showed a lot of appreciation. What was nice was that Jesus Piece made excellent use of their time, getting in as many songs as possible and not wasting anyone's time with the cliche hardcore speeches about brotherhood and positivity, which while well intended, are really annoying at this point in time. As quickly as they arrived, they went, but Jesus Piece definitely made their mark in W6, proving themselves to be an excellent live act that can fit in well on any heavy bill. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158719" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158719" title="Read the complete article: Sepultura Bids Farewell To London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158719">1 Comment - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158697" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158697">Dark Tranquillity Signals The Endtimes In London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Nov</span> <span class="posted-day">11</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">6:37 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>It's been an exciting month for metal fans in the UK. Not only are we getting the same great new releases as the rest of the world, but there's a number of huge shows happening in London in November. We already saw what happened when <a href="https://www.metalunderground.com/news/details.cfm?newsid=158671">Kamelot came to town</a>, but Turkish giants Mezarkabul (aka Pentagram) are performing their first British show this month and Sepultura will be saying farewell to the British isles. If that wasn't enough, one of the pioneering names of melodic death metal, Dark Tranquillity, rolled into Islington to promote their stellar new album, "Endtime Signals," and they brought one hell of a lineup with them.</p><p> Fans poured into the Islington Academy as quickly as they could, all excited by what promised to be a fantastic night of music and sure enough, things got off to the perfect start when German quintet Hiraes opened proceedings. Having not long released their sophomore album, "Dormant," a record well worth your time and a great improvement on their debut, "Solitary," I was eager to see how the band were in the live setting. Right off the bat, they attacked the crowd with a pulverising sound, thumping the chests of all in attendance. It's clear that this isn't just a new project for the members, it's a work of real passion and they demonstrate that whole heartedly on stage, with Britta Görtz engaging everyone wonderfully through a mix of warm humility and death metal furor, before bringing the music right to the audience by climbing the barricade and screaming at them. This was a great advert for the band, with whom no doubt a good chunk of the crowd were unfamiliar with, putting themselves over big time and making them a new addition to many playlists. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158697" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158697" title="Read the complete article: Dark Tranquillity Signals The Endtimes In London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158697">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158671" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158671">Kamelot Claims London With An All Star Lineup</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Nov</span> <span class="posted-day">5</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">9:27 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Those of you who have been keeping up with our reviews section will know that it's been a great year for power metal. We've seen legendary names like Firewind and Rhapsody Of Fire release excellent albums, while rising stars like Dragony and Wind Rose have also had strong showings. It's wonderful to see the genre do so well and what better way to celebrate than by attending the first of several incredible lineups to reach the UK in November, as one of America's premier power metal bands Kamelot visited with Ad Infinitum, Blackbriar and Frozen Crown in tow. Taking place at the Kentish Town Forum, a beautiful venue that's hosted several metal stars in the past, the setting was perfect for four bands all looking to dominate.</p><p> Shortly after the doors opened and fans rushed to the front of the stage, Italian sextet Frozen Crown made their grand entrance. For those unfamiliar, Frozen Crown has only been around for seven years but from day one, they've worked their asses off to establish themselves as a name on everyone's lips. It was a good time to see them, as only a few weeks ago, they unleashed their fifth full length album, "War Hearts," so one would be curious to find out which songs would be performed live.</p><p> As it turns out, only "Steel And Gold" would be chosen to represent the record, but given the time constraints and it being their London debut, it was fair for them to showcase tracks from each album so as not to disappoint fans in the British capital. They performed with tremendous energy from start to finish and clearly had a blast doing it, which is always infectious to the audience, who couldn't get enough of the metal frenzy before them. It's a shame that the set was over almost as quick as it began, but based on the reception they were treated to, they'll be back in Britain soon. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158671" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158671" title="Read the complete article: Kamelot Claims London With An All Star Lineup">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158671">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158657" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158657">The Klash Of The Titans Tour Thrashed Phoenix, AZ</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Nov</span> <span class="posted-day">2</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:41 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Greekbastard">Greekbastard</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>It’s been a minute since I’ve seen a concert in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. I’ve been spending most of my time in Europe these past years and I’ve somewhat assimilated into the European metal culture. One of the things I’ve noticed is that there are some stark differences between the United States and European crowds at shows. For example, with a billing like tonight (Klash Of The Titans Tour with Testament, Kreator and Possessed), it would more than likely be a sold-out show if you matched the venue size (The Van Buren). Second, there would be a line of people going around the block to get into the venue to be on time for the first band to start. I’m not writing this to disparage American metal crowds, I’m simply pointing out the differences. Regardless of my observations, I loved the Klash Of The Titans lineup and I was excited to see every band play tonight.</p><p> The Van Buren has the capacity to fit 1,800 rabid and horn throwing metal heads inside. When Possessed started, my guess was that there were just a couple of hundred people milling around and maybe half of those were actually paying attention to them. The Death Metal legends started their set with “Pentagram” from their initial masterpiece, Seven Churches. Covered in a blanket of red light and fog, Jeff Becerra called on the crowd to come closer to the stage. Possessed was allotted a 35-minute set, so I expected their set-list would consist of only the classics, which was fine by me.</p><p> <br /><a href="https://imgur.com/lSOMhls"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/lSOMhls.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></p><p> <br />I felt that other than those in front headbanging against the security barriers, most of the crowd was aloof. In fact, the only time I saw any sort of life from the rest of the crowd was when the fabled intro for “The Exorcist” started and that was halfway through their set. Jeff Becerra kept egging the crowd on and eventually by the end of their allotted set time, I would say there was some slight improvement. They wrapped up their brief, yet dominant set with “Death Metal.” They were THE Death Metal band on this tour’s roster, so they couldn’t have picked a better finisher. I loved their set, but I was let down with the crowd’s blasé attitude. I’m sure that if it was an actual Death Metal band line-up, things would have been different.</p><p> <br /><a href="https://imgur.com/fAZ3g74"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fAZ3g74.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></p><p> <br />I have a love/hate relationship with Kreator. I used to love Kreator when I was in my teens, but I’m not a fan of what they’ve matured into present time. The 80’s Kreator was raw unadulterated German thrash. There’s a reason why they’re part of the German Big Four, they’re Teutonic titans. They’re still relevant after four decades of metal metamorphoses. That’s where my “hate relationship” comes into play. I hate that they changed their sound to keep up with the contemporary sound of the “metalverse.” I completely respect them as a band, I just can’t stand listening to any of their releases post “Extreme Aggression.”</p><p> <br /><a href="https://imgur.com/fL2WPJQ"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/fL2WPJQ.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></p><p> <br />The crowd increased in girth and decibels by the time Kreator took to the stage, and by their second song, there were some crowd surfers riding towards the front the stage. In fact, the band coaxed the crowd into making a wall of death! The sleepwalking that took place during Possessed’s set was all but distant memory now. Both Possessed and Kreator have been around for just about the same amount of time, but Kreator has put out fifteen full-length studio albums compared to just three from Possessed. Yet, both are legendary, underground favorites. It still bothered me that there wasn’t more love shown for Possessed.</p><p> <br /><a href="https://imgur.com/C5plqsC"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/C5plqsC.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a></p><p> Hey look! It's a wall of death! <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158657" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158657" title="Read the complete article: The Klash Of The Titans Tour Thrashed Phoenix, AZ">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158657">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158630" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158630">Lacuna Coil Ends Their Tour In Style In Bristol</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Oct</span> <span class="posted-day">28</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">11:07 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>How do I loathe Bristol Academy? Let me count the ways. Across the street from The Hatchet Inn, Bristol's oldest pub, having opened in 1606, lies the 02 Academy, one of many in the UK and host to several rock and metal shows over the years. While having a fairly large capacity (around 1600,) it's very cramped and if you're not at the front of the stage or the balcony, you'll be watching the show with a limited view throughout. Nevertheless, when a band of Lacuna Coil's magnitude comes to town, it's something not to be missed. Having recently announced their next album, "Sleepless Empire," their first in six years, fans were eager to hear these new songs live and experience the classics, and so it was that West Country metalheads, Goths and alternatives united to witness the Milano metallers.</p><p> Opening the show tonight was Finnish nu metal revivalists, Blind Channel. There's been a lot of hype around the Oulu sextet and with a hiatus and documentary coming soon, it was an interesting time to see them live. It was a busy night in Bristol and a good number of the crowd appeared to be fans of their work, welcoming the 2021 Eurovision contestants with open arms. It needs to be pointed out immediately that if you don't like nu metal, you won't enjoy Blind Channel. Their music is straight from the "Hybrid Theory" playbook, but there's a lot of people who like early Linkin Park so they fill that void for people searching for something to fill it. No one can deny that they possess tremendous energy and make use of it throughout their set, much to the delight of the fans in attendance, and the onlookers which they'd won over. There were some surprising choices, including a cover of System Of A Down's "B.Y.O.B." and a rendition of the Backstreet Boys hit, "Backsteet's Back," which proved very divisive; dancers to the left of me, complainers to the right. Personally, I didn't enjoy the set whatsoever, but it's hard to argue with a room where 90% of the people are having a great time. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158630" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158630" title="Read the complete article: Lacuna Coil Ends Their Tour In Style In Bristol">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158630">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158539" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158539">The Final Day Of Brutal Assault 2024? Perfection.</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Oct</span> <span class="posted-day">14</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:13 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Greekbastard">Greekbastard</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>After the 10-band marathon from the previous day, today’s manageable list of 7 bands felt more like a five-kilometer race in terms of running from stage to stage. It was sunny and noticeably warmer than all the previous days. The soggy weather that the festival began with was now a distant memory. There was a different energy in the air today due to the ideal outdoor festival conditions. The final day of Brutal Assault 2024 already had the feeling that it was going to be a memorable one for the Brutal Assault archives.</p><p> The first band of the afternoon was technical Death Metal legends, Pestilence. I haven’t seen them since Martin Van Drunen left the band and if you’re doing the math, that’s a really fucking long time ago. I tried listening to “Testimony of the Ancients” post Martin leaving, but the brutality that the previous albums had was non-existent. I didn’t like it and basically wrote them off after that. During today’s set, Pestilence played Dehydrated from my favorite album “Consuming Impulse,” but I just couldn’t get into it. The vocals were weak and forced. Martin Van Drunen was Pestilence. I’ll just stick to Asphyx from here on out.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_4)_-_08-10-2024/Pestilence/Pestilence_1.jpg" alt="Pestilence"></p><p> Pestilence</p><p> <br />I was excited to finally see Sadus, another legendary Thrash Metal band from the Bay Area. Brutal Assault was chock full of them this year. Sadus is another band that has been around forever and it took a festival in Europe for me to finally see them. I noticed that one of the guitarists was Claudeous Creamer from the current Possessed line-up. It’s nice to see Bay Area Thrash bands helping each other out by lending members for tours and shows. After my 3-song photo set, I’d be lying if I said they were anything more than “just good” live. The crowd was into it though, and that’s all that probably mattered to Sadus.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_4)_-_08-10-2024/Sadus/Sadus_5.jpg" alt="Sadus"></p><p> Darren Travis of Sadus</p><p> </p><p> In general, I’m a huge fan of Polish Black Metal and that doesn’t translate to just Behemoth. Poland has a treasure trove of Black Metal bands and my next band, Totenmesse, is one of those that deserves your attention. I missed their set due to a scheduling conflicts at Mystic Festival a couple of months prior, but I was able to right that wrong today.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_4)_-_08-10-2024/Totenmese/Totenmese_4.jpg" alt="Totenmesse"></p><p> Piotr Wujkowiecki of Totenmesse</p><p> <br />There was already a decent sized crowd waiting at the claustrophobia inducing Octagon Stage for Totenmesse when I arrived. By the time they started, you could no longer maneuver freely through the crowd without spilling beers and getting swaths of other people’s sweat on you. Overall, I really enjoyed their set. Their vocalist, Piotr Wujkowiecki, is the visual focus for the band. He makes these faces that you don’t know if he’s getting ready to stab you in the face or vomit on you. If you don’t believe me, just check out this video from their set <a href=" https://youtu.be/OjbrHEJ3Wxk?si=cOs1ewWL-t9XUPDA ">here</a>. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158539" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158539" title="Read the complete article: The Final Day Of Brutal Assault 2024? Perfection.">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158539">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158474" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158474">Cannibal Corpse Brutalises The Bristol Beacon</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Oct</span> <span class="posted-day">2</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">9:17 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>When it comes to death metal, there are thousands of imitators and generic clones, but there are those who sit upon its thrones, daring anyone to take their place. Since their first album, "Eaten Back To Life," was released in 1990, Cannibal Corpse has been standing tall, achieving commercial and critical success for three and over four decades, despite bans, censorship and smear campaigns. In 2024, this is as true as ever and the Buffalo born quintet are as determined as ever to keep their crown and are currently proving this with a huge tour of Europe, that includes fellow veterans and the young & hungry. On September 25th, they brought the tour to the beautiful Beacon venue (formerly the Colston Hall) in Bristol.</p><p> It may have been an early kick off, but there was certainly no lack of excitement for those who arrived early, as Belgian death metallers Schizophrenia opened proceedings. Having released their debut album in 2022, they're still relative newcomers, though they perform with the precision and cohesiveness of veterans. It's an interesting time to see Schizophrenia, as they've just released a live album, so comparing the release to the real thing is quite fun, in particular when it comes to their cover of Slayer's "Necrophiliac," which is included on the live record. There seems to be something of a resurgence in the popularity of old school death metal among younger bands, which is cool to see, and Schizophrenia take that formula and like many of their best contemporaries, modernise it just enough to make it fresh. A great way to start the show. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158474" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158474" title="Read the complete article: Cannibal Corpse Brutalises The Bristol Beacon">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158474">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158425" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158425">Dark Tranquillity Plays Portland</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">23</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">9:11 PM</span> by <a href="/members/AlCase">AlCase</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Dark Tranquillity, Amorphis, and Fires in the Distance @ Hawthorne Theatre (Portland, Oregon)<br /><P><br />Back in 2001, I was mostly out of the musical loop. I had very young kids at the time and was starting a new job. Fortunately, I had a good friend who would turn me on to music I wouldn’t have found on my own.<br />He sent me Dimmu Borgir’s “Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia”, Opeth’s “Blackwater Park”, and Dark Tranquillity’s “Haven”. In the following year, I received In Flames’ “Reroute to Remain” from him. Those four CDs received a ton of listens from me and changed my musical listening ever since rather significantly.<br /><P><br />Five years later, I saw Dark Tranquillity live for the first time, opening for Opeth, in Eugene, Oregon. This past Friday night, I was fortunate to see them for the fifth time (but the first time in the USA since 2006). Between those shows, I saw DT a couple of times in Sweden and once in Denmark.<br /><P><br />The location for Friday’s show was Portland’s Hawthorne Theatre. I went to a show there once before—more than 10 years prior—and vowed never to return. I’ve skipped traveling to Portland and seeing many bands over the years because they were playing at the Hawthorne and my first experience there was so bad. However, this was Dark Tranquillity, and I was in town anyway so I broke my vow.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6663-RAW-hawthorne-theatre-dark-tranquillity-settimes-severe-noise.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />Turns out, the Hawthorne Theatre is not so bad anymore. The people working at the Hawthorne that I dealt with in 2013 were horrible. Everyone in 2024 was fantastic! There are still certainly issues (small and low stage, poor acoustics, movement bottlenecks, etc.), but many improvements have been made. The lighting is not great, but it is improved. There is now a photo pit! Water is accessible. The venue is officially off of my “not-going-there” list.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6740-RAW-fires-in-the-distance-hawthorne-theatre-kristian-grimaldi-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Kristian Grimaldi" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />First band up on this evening was Fires in the Distance. Another friend, with similar music tastes to my own, turned me on to their 2023 album, “Air Not Meant For Us”, late last year. Great band and album. I would love to see them get big—big enough to play live on a much larger stage that includes a grand piano and space for the other instruments/musicians (violin, cello) featured on the album that were prerecorded on this evening.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6718-RAW-fires-in-the-distance-hawthorne-theatre-jordan-rippe-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Jordan Rippe" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6733-RAW-fires-in-the-distance-hawthorne-theatre-craig-breitsprecher-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Craig Breitsprecher" width="800"></a></p><p> <P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6760-RAW-fires-in-the-distance-hawthorne-theatre-low-light.jpg" alt="Fires in the Distance" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />Amorphis and Dark Tranquillity are “co-headlining” on this tour—switching off the closer on alternate nights. In Portland, Amorphis went first.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6879-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-esa-holopainen-tomi-joutsen-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Tomi Joutsen" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />For whatever reason, I’ve never been a huge fan. However, I warmed to them in the preceding weeks after adding the songs they would likely play to my regular playlist.<br /><P><br />I dug a couple of the t-shirts they sported on this evening (Mastodon and Windhand).<br /><P><br />Amorphis went with mostly strobes during the first couple songs which is not good for photography or my head (as strobe lighting usually gives me a headache). I bounced out of the photo pit at that point thinking the strobes would continue, but after getting far enough away from the photo pit that I couldn’t get back to it easily, the strobes stopped. Murphy’s Law I guess.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6790-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-esa-holopainen-clear.jpg" alt="Esa Holopainen" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6815-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-tomi-joutsen-clear.jpg" alt="Tomi Joutsen" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6827-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-tomi-koivusaari-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Tomi Koivusaari" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />The show wasn’t announced as being “sold out”, but it must have been as it was difficult to move during the Amorphis set. That goes not only for those at the front but the back and sides were packed as well. To get to the balcony you had to wait in a line that only moved when someone exited as it too was at capacity.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6917-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Amorphis" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6923-RAW-amorphis-hawthorne-theatre-setlist-severe-noise.jpg" alt="Amorphis setlist" width="800"></a><BR><Center>Amorphis setlist - September 20, 2024</center><br /><P><br />The bar had some fun with the drink names (titles of new Dark Tranquillity songs). I've seen this done at European metal festivals, but this was a first for me in the USA.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6755-RAW-drink-menu-hawthorne-theatre-dark-tranquillity-low-light.jpg" alt="Dark Tranquillity" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />Different lighting issues arose for Dark Tranquillity. With a video screen behind the band, other stage lights were mostly off (to see what was being projected better I suppose). Hence, unless a band member was being hit with the light from the projector, they were in the dark. Some weak white spotlights on the front of the stage area would have been nice and wouldn’t have spoiled the projected visuals.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_7137-RAW-dark-tranquillity-hawthorne-theatre-mikael-stanne-severe-noise-low-light.jpg" alt="dark tranquillity hawthorne theatre mikael stanne" width="800"></a><br /><P></p><p> <a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_7041-RAW-Dark-Tranquillity-Hawthorne-Theatre-severe-noise.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />Dark Tranquillity has dropped “The Wonders at Your Feet” from their setlist which was disappointing to me. In fact, they didn’t play anything off of Haven. Two off of “Damage Done”, two from "Character", and three songs from “Fiction” were nice to have in the set though.<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_7013-RAW-Dark-Tranquillity-Hawthorne-Theatre-clear.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />DT setlist:<BR><br />Shivers and Voids<BR>Hours Passed in Exile<BR>Forward Momentum<BR>Unforgivable<BR>Atoma<BR>The Last Imagination<BR>Nothing to No One<BR>Neuronal Fire<BR>One Thought (hadn't been played live in the USA since 2005)<BR>Cathode Ray Sunshine<BR>Not Nothing<BR>Empty Me<BR>Phantom Days<BR>Lost to Apathy<BR>Misery's Crown<br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6991-RAW-Dark-Tranquillity-Hawthorne-Theatre-severe-noise.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_6984-RAW-Dark-Tranquillity-Hawthorne-Theatre-severe-noise.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br /><a href=https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/tag/concert-photography/ target=_new><img src="https://traveljapanblog.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/249_7226-RAW-Dark-Tranquillity-Hawthorne-Theatre-severe-noise.jpg" alt="" width="800"></a><br /><P><br />Overall, this was a wonderful evening. I left with a big smile on my face.</p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158425">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158372" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158372">Cirith Ungol Bids Farewell To London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">18</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">9:59 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Goodbyes are never easy. It's been a hell of a road for Cirith Ungol, having formed in 1971, they released their first album ten years later, with three more following before disbanding in 1992. For a long time, they were hailed by many metal bands as an influence and by fans as an underrated gem, before finally returning in 2015 and unleashing two more studio albums. The band are now putting an end to full time touring but before they finish, they made sure to come over to London and perform their final British show, which was originally scheduled to take place at the Islington Academy but was moved to The Underworld in Camden.</p><p> The show got underway in ferocious fashion thanks to Manchester metal monsters Heavy Sentence. The band bears the traditional metal flag, but lean more on the grittier side, a la Motorhead than the Iron Maiden worship that rules the modern take on the style. Honestly, I can't remember the last time an opening act went down so well, as by the time the second song, "Age Of Fire" got going, people were already crowd surfing and singing along. Obviously some of these audience members are fans of Heavy Sentence, but it all worked together so well that those who were unfamiliar with the group were soon heavily impressed, with songs like "Medusa" and "Protector" being received really warmly. Heavy Sentence demonstrated tonight that they're one of the most exciting heavy metal bands going in the UK and they've got the charisma and talent to go far. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158372" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158372" title="Read the complete article: Cirith Ungol Bids Farewell To London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158372">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158365" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158365">Push Ups And A Orchestra. Brutal Assault Day 3.</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">17</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:41 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Greekbastard">Greekbastard</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>If any of you happened to read my Road Report of Brutal Assault Day 2, I pointed out that today (Day 3) was going to be extremely busy day. I wasn’t lying. By the end of the night, I had stage hopped 10 bands and it was exhausting. Not in an I couldn’t take it anymore sort of way but more of feeling that I survived the day. If you were expecting to read about all ten bands in detail, well, I have some bad news...that’s not going to happen. I wouldn’t be doing the bands justice with a two-sentence report on each one. However, what I’m going to write about is who the most memorable bands from Day 3 were and what made them stand out from the rest that played that day.</p><p> I have never been motivated to see any band that plays during the hours of breakfast. That is just asinine. Today, that all changed. After only getting 3 hours of sleep (we arrived back at our hotel room around 2:30 a.m.) my wife and I woke up at 6 a.m. and I somehow inexplicably convinced her to skip breakfast, grab a coffee to-go for the one-hour train ride to Brutal Assault. I absolutely had to be there for the start of the Scottish Death Metal Party Slammers,<br /><a href="https://party-cannon.com/">Party Cannon</a>.</p><p> <br />I normally skip the early start bands because I value my limited and precious sleep more. This was different. The day before their show at Brutal Assault, Party Cannon posted on their socials that they wanted to break a “world record” for the largest push-up pit (Yup, you read that right) ever recorded at a concert. The only way to find out if it happened was to be there. I’m a sucker for shit like this and fuck my life that I was going to do it.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_3)_-_08-09-2024/Party_Cannon/Party_Cannon_09.jpg" alt="Party Cannon Fans"></p><p> Party Cannon fans ready to get their exercise on!</p><p> The sun was already blinding and was a tad bit warm by the time we arrived at the festival grounds. To my surprise, there was already a large crowd gathering around the stage where Party Cannon was set to play. I guess they were excited to get their work-out on that would include copious amounts of moshing, head banging and push-ups. I observed dozens of early risers chugging Pilsners waiting for Party Cannon to take stage. My best guess is that they were most likely carb-loading, pre-workout. This crowd was obviously laden with fitness freaks.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_3)_-_08-09-2024/Party_Cannon/Party_Cannon_11.jpg" alt="Skeletor Slam Fan"></p><p> Skeletor egging on the Party Cannon crowd</p><p> A short time later, someone wearing a bright green Skeletor mask and draped in the Scottish flag started prancing around the stage with a neon-colored cardboard craft sign that simply said, “Party.” That’s all it took for the crowd to into full workout mode. Party Cannon entered the stage and then the only way I can describe the energy was likening it to a hurricane making landfall sans water and winds. This was at least a category four event.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_3)_-_08-09-2024/Party_Cannon/Party_Cannon_01.jpg" alt="Party Cannon Hurricane"></p><p> Stony of Party Cannon</p><p> What I love about Party Cannon is they egg on their pits non-stop. That’s just their MO and I think the music is secondary. That’s just how they roll. There were plenty of blow-up pool toys flying about, maybe not as many as you might see at a Gutalax show, but enough to at least fill an Olympic sized pool. There were also plenty of crowd surfers and beers flying all over the place. What really caught my eye was a large dude being cradled in a yellow blow-up pool raft. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with a fuzzy green bear headpiece and headbanging the whole time while the pitsters (Is that a word?) underneath him carried him around the pit like he was the emperor of Party Cannon shenanigans.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_3)_-_08-09-2024/Party_Cannon/Party_Cannon_06.jpg" alt="More Party Cannon"></p><p> Proof that Party Cannon plays music</p><p> As advertised, the push up pit happened during their final song. I’m not sure if it broke any “record” per se, but I guesstimated that there were almost 100 or so getting their Party Cannon push up work-out on. There was even a wrestling match that took place for a wayward drumstick after the show. That side-show lasted about two minutes without a single injury to either competitor. Party Cannon couldn’t be any prouder of the amount of calories burned that day. And for us? It was a great start to a brutal day of stage hopping that awaited us.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_3)_-_08-09-2024/Party_Cannon/Party_Cannon_10.jpg" alt="Wrestling Match after Party Cannon"></p><p> Amateur wrestling match after Party Cannon <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158365" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158365" title="Read the complete article: Push Ups And A Orchestra. Brutal Assault Day 3.">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158365">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158364" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158364">Satan Reigns Over London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">16</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">8:55 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal is both an extremely important movement and a disputed term. While some bands embrace being a part of it, others prefer to think of their journey as something self-made, which is fair enough. Whatever your view, it was unquestionably an era which gave us some incredible albums and one of the classics was delivered by one of the North East's best bands of the time (which is saying something,) in the form of "Court In The Act" by Satan. Though after the release they would undergo lineup and even name changes, since their return in 2011, Satan has been making their claim as one of the most active and strong bands from the NWOBHM period with consistently excellent material. So how are they live? We attended the London stop on their British and Irish tour to find out.</p><p> Support on the tour was originally going to come from Seven Sisters, however due to health concerns, they were forced to pull out of the trek and instead, local bands would be opening each date. In London, this honour was given to Parish, who released their solid eponymous debut in 2022. They proved to be a great pick, as their style is very much rooted in seventies heavy metal, leaning on the doom side. Parish are very much a trio that lets their music do the talking, though not ignoring the crowd by any means. The music is very easy to get lost in, with slow grooves echoing around the room, which counteracts the more subdued stage presence, though there were a few people in attendance wearing Parish shirts so clearly that isn't much of an issue. A good way to begin the night. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158364" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158364" title="Read the complete article: Satan Reigns Over London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158364">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158359" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158359">Nile Causes Havoc By The Avon</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">13</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">8:28 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>If you're on this site, it's safe to assume you have at least a basic knowledge of death metal. From the early days of Possessed and Death, it's a genre that has spawned numerous sub-genres of its own and continues to be one of the most popular forms of metal. Like all branches of metal, it has its legends by now and undoubtedly one of those is Nile. Nile has always made their own path, focusing on the history and mythology that guitarist Karl Sanders has always been fascinated by while creating music which is both intelligence and intense. This year, they unleashed their tenth album, "The Underworld Awaits Us All," their first in five years and already it promises to go down as one of their best yet. So as always, with a new album comes a new tour and tonight it was Bristol's turn to welcome the Carolina crushers.</p><p> Kicking things off this evening was Belgian death metal squad Pestifer. It's a shame that there weren't more people here for this set because these Walloons have crafted a very fine take on the genre, one where the heaviness flows very freely while still writing well crafted songs. Science fiction is the main focus of the lyrics, with vocalist Jérôme Bernard joking to fans at one point, "This is another song about aliens," but it's a cool angle to approach the music from, setting them apart from the usual misery and chaos that dominate death metal themes. Pestifer has been around for a while now and in that time they've perfected their stage presence, coming across very professional and operating like a well oiled machine. Their time may have been quite short but they really made the most of it, winning over neutrals in the crowd and ensuring that there'll be a stronger response when they return to the UK. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158359" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158359" title="Read the complete article: Nile Causes Havoc By The Avon">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158359">1 Comment - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158355" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158355">Depravation Fest 2024: Day 3</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">12</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">4:48 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>As most reports on the final day of a festival say, all good things must come to an end. Depravation Festival, held in the south west England town Swindon opened very well on Friday, was a massive success the following day and the Sunday promised to be every bit as special. Today would see a healthy mix of rock and metal sub-genres coming together to cap off the weekend, which began with Birmingham outfit, Second Cities. While their home may be the birthplace of heavy metal, Second Cities were something a little different, feeling more like an emo revival act. I can remember seeing 2000s emo bands in the same venue back when the music was relevant, and I didn't like it then, but I'm always willing to give a group a chance. Unfortunately, my personal tastes haven't changed quite enough since those days to enjoy the music and while I encourage them to continue and develop a sound of their own, this didn't do much to get the early crowd interested, with the Adele cover feeling particularly off.</p><p> Second up, Bournemouth based progressive metal band Drallion. It may be asking a lot from an audience still reeling from a Saturday night to take in progressive metal but Drallion really knew how to hook them in. Their music is intelligent and fascinating, but also catchy and heavy, making them appealing to all kinds of metal fans. It helps that they have a solid stage presence too, so really, Drallion has everything going for them. Checking them out again after the show, "Bloodshot" and especially "New Machine," which was also a highlight of their set at Levels, are particularly highlights. A very good band with a hell of a lot to offer. Don't miss out!</p><p> Unfortunately, there were a few late cancellations today which caused some changes in the times and positions, and since Thrasherwolf couldn't make it due to a member having a Thrasherpup, Webb, who were scheduled to be the penultimate band in The Rolleston, took their place on the main stage. Like several, if not most bands on the bill over the weekend, I went into their set completely blind, or deaf as the case may be and sometimes that's the best way to go about it, because you'll be even more impressed if a band turns out to be good, which is exactly what happened here. Webb are unashamedly heavy metal, taking influence from the genre's 80s heyday, though leaning on the meaner side in the vein of say Exciter or Sacrifice than Iron Maiden or Saxon. The trio is a well oiled, good time, metal machine and I loved every second of them! Songs like "You're Going Down" and "Spread Your Wings" went down a storm and really kicked the crowd into a higher gear. Frontman Ryan Webb is cool as can be, donning the sunglasses and outfit that helps set them apart from other bands on the bill and he's got a hell of a voice to boot. There's a lot more going on than just the old school influence but if you want a band that still carries that attitude from the old days, Webb is the band for you. Superb! <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158355" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158355" title="Read the complete article: Depravation Fest 2024: Day 3">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158355">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158348" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158348">Rain Was No Match For Brutal Assault's Second Day</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">11</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">4:05 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Greekbastard">Greekbastard</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>The schedule for the second day of Brutal Assault was going to be more relaxed than the previous day’s. I had only penciled in seven bands to see, so there would be plenty more time to enjoy the other festivities the festival has to offer other than just stage hopping all day/night long. The weather was still unsettled by the time we arrived at the grounds during the early afternoon, but according to the forecast, the only chance of rain for the duration of the festival would be for today.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_2)_-_08-08-2024/Miscellaneous/Miscellaneous_01.jpg" alt="Brutal Assault"></p><p> Cool stuff lurking about the festival grounds</p><p> <br />Year after year, there are always newer bands that go viral as popularity. One of those bands, Escuela Grind, has been on my radar but I haven’t got to check them out until this year’s Brutal Assault. Before leaving for the Czech Republic, I did a little homework and listened to them during the flight. I do like Grindcore, thus I was interested in seeing how Escuela Grind would translate onto a Brutal Assault main stage.</p><p> When Escuela Grind took to the stage, I can only liken it to a simultaneous and timed grenade detonations. There were explosions of energy in every direction with the majority coming from their lead vocalist, Katerina Economou. I can only compare her to Barney Greenway of Napalm Death fame when it comes to stage presence. During one of the breaks between songs, she stated that Brutal Assault was the largest stage that Escuela Grind had ever played on. With the excitement I saw, without any doubt, I believed her. They were so pumped to be on a main festival stage and took full advantage of it.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_2)_-_08-08-2024/Escuela_Grind/Escuela_Grind_8.jpg" alt="Escuela Grind"></p><p> Katerina Economou of Escuela Grind</p><p> <br />After Escuela Grind, the soggy weather had returned and I had a difficult decision to make. Do I run the risk of checking out thrashers Havok knowing that it was definitely going to rain during their set? After the last night’s catastrophe during Abbath, it was a pretty easy decision. I'm sorry but I’ll have to catch you another time Havok.</p><p> The rain arrived as predicted but it weened to a drizzle by the time I had to leave to see the next band, Dopethrone. I threw on my flimsy emergency rain poncho and covered my camera with a sort of “camera condom” that’s “supposed to” keep moisture away from the camera body and lens. However, I didn’t trust the condom for use during a constant downpour like what happened during Abbath and Havok.</p><p> During the moments leading up to start of Dopethrone, there was still a bit of sound checking going on. The slender, dreadlock draped vocalist, Vincent Houde, was conversing with the soundboard engineer in a voice mimicking Butthead of Beavis and Butthead fame. Everyone that was waiting for the band to start really didn’t mind that the unplanned comedy skit was spilling onto Dopethrone’s allotted playing time.</p><p> If you haven’t figured it out already by just band’s name alone, Dopethrone is a stoner/doom metal band. If marijuana were legal in the Czech Republic, I am absolutely certain I would have gotten a contact high during their show. Dopethrone’s set consisted of plenty fuzzed out, doomelicious riffs, however Vincent Houde has another career outside of stoner/doom waiting for him in standup comedy if he ever so desires.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_2)_-_08-08-2024/Dopethrone/Dopethrone_1.jpg" alt="Dopethrone"></p><p> Vincent Houde of Dopethrone</p><p> <br />I have been waiting 34 years to see the next band on my list. That band was Bay Area Thrash Metal titans, Forbidden. The first time I saw them, they played on a stage that could accommodate a three-piece local band. Was today’s set worth the thirty-four-year interlude? It was a resounding YES, a thousand times over. Only two of the original members were on stage today, but it sounded just like the band I remembered from so many years ago. Even Chuck Billy from Testament was spotted headbanging from the side of the stage during their set.</p><p> The new vocalist, Norman Skinner, effortlessly nailed every one of Russ Anderson’s vocal lines. I could barely tell the difference between the two at times. Daniel Mongrain, the guitarist on loan from Voivod, was an excellent fill in choice for the second guitarist role. I heard a rumor that he might join Forbidden on a permanent basis. What does that mean for Voivod if that happens? Enough of the rumor mill. Overall, this was one of my favorite sets from this year’s Brutal Assault.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_2)_-_08-08-2024/Forbidden/Forbidden_02.jpg" alt="Forbidden"></p><p> Matt Camacho and Craig Locicero of Forbidden <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158348" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158348" title="Read the complete article: Rain Was No Match For Brutal Assault's Second Day">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158348">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158339" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158339">Depravation Fest 2024: Day 2</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">7</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">4:47 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>This year, Depravation Festival in Swindon marked its first run as a three day event and following a successful and fun filled opening, the Saturday promised to be every bit as good. Things began a little earlier than I'd anticipated, with Dog Tired, who were originally scheduled to perform the previous day getting proceedings underway. Unfortunately, this meant that I missed what was no doubt a solid set, however I did arrive just in time for a taste of rave in the form of Nox Pulso.</p><p> Just reading about them before the show grabbed my interest, as the Manchester duo combine industrial metal with the dance culture of their home city that helped make Manchester the home of British cool in the nineties. It's a combination that sounds good on paper and works even better on stage. The two perform with the energy of The Prodigy and the ferocity of Sepultura and it really helps bring out the exciting music that they've created. It does seem rare to see new industrial metal these days, especially in the UK, but with tunes that one can just as easily dance to as mosh, Nox Pulso possesses both crossover appeal and raw talent and appeal just as much to people seeking fresh new music as those nostalgic for the pulsating rhythms of electronic music's heyday. Don't miss them.</p><p> Up next, we move south, with Essex alternative metal outfit Chemiqueen. The band has been touring in the country as one of the support acts for Project Renegade (who we'll discuss later,) and today marked the last day of the trek. Appropriately given their moniker, singer Victoria Walker shone very brightly throughout the set, showcasing an impressive vocal range which was unafraid to become mean in addition to being melodic. The same can be said of the music itself, which is heavy for the most part and definitely falls into the "modern metal" category which has been used in recent years. Walker's vocals fit the music very well, though to be honest, I found the harsher singing from guitarist Gareth Brimley to be distracting, even unnecessary at times. He's not bad at them, they just didn't seem to compliment the songs themselves. Aside from that, a very good band who have real potential. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158339" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158339" title="Read the complete article: Depravation Fest 2024: Day 2">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158339">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158335" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158335">Brutal Assault's First Day Was Almost Perfection</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">6</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:43 AM</span> by <a href="/members/Greekbastard">Greekbastard</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>Brutal Assault. Have you heard of it? It’s one of the largest summer metal festivals in all of Europe. There are upwards of 150 bands that play touching on just about every heavy genre imaginable. It normally takes place during the first weekend of August and it always occurs on the grounds of an 18th century Czech military fortress located in Jaromer, Czech Republic.</p><p> Similar to Wacken, Hellfest and Graspop Metal Meeting, Brutal Assault has a very loyal contingent of fans that attend year after year from all over the globe. This was my fourth Brutal Assault and I don’t foresee myself taking a break from it anytime soon. This year’s line-up was fucking incredible. All my favorite genres were represented well and there were plenty of bands that I’ve never seen before that I was finally going to get to “check that box.”</p><p> I had nine bands marked for the first day of the four-day marathon and it began with the grindcore OGs, Terrorizer. I’ve seen them a couple of times before in different line-up variations but today’s with Pete Sandoval and David Vincent making up half of the original lineup was the best one yet. What made this set even better was they only played material from their classic masterpiece, “World Downfall.” If you were to ask me to describe what grindcore is with a single album, this would be it. Peering over at David Vincent from time to time, it’s apparent that he loves playing these songs. He just grooved to them the whole time I was there. I loved this current version of the band and I hope it continues to be a thing (R.I.P. Jesse Pintado).</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_1)_-_08-07-2024/Terrorizer/Terrorizer_1.jpg" alt="Terrorizer"></p><p> David Vincent of Terrorizer</p><p> <br />Next up was legendary Los Angeles thrashers, Hirax. I’ll preface this next part with that I’m kind of old. Not AARP old, but I think older than most of you that will read this report. There’s probably been no less than fifteen or so times that I could have seen Hirax during a span of 30 years and for whatever reason, I just never got around to it. That was embarrassing to write.</p><p> Today, I hated myself even more for taking that long. They were everything that I thought they would be, but so much better. Vocalist Katon De Pena truly enjoys being on stage and he is constantly engaging the audience. The crowd that was there during their set were hardcore fans and already knew their songs by heart. This was one of several “Wow!” moments for me during the entire festival. I’m so glad I got to finally experience Hirax and it won’t be thirty years before I see them next time!</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_1)_-_08-07-2024/Hirax/Hirax_2.jpg" alt="Hirax"></p><p> Hirax</p><p> <br />The next band on my list would play on the same stage after Hirax, but first it was time to refuel. Brutal Assault probably has the largest variety of victuals to choose from of any festival I’ve ever attended. There is something for everyone. Every dietary restriction imaginable is not an issue at Brutal Assault, you are covered. For my meal, I chose to go with what I call “Greek Lo Mein” but in actuality, it was gyro meat and noodles. However I describe it, it was carbs and meat. Just what I needed to get through the rest of the day/night.</p><p> The band Finntroll is an acquired taste. Their quirky take on blackened folk metal sets them apart from other bands that side on black or folk metal exclusively. Maybe it’s the prosthetic troll ears? Or, maybe it’s the upbeat, happy sounding riffing paired with scowling vocals? Finntroll’s sound skirts right down the middle of the two genres and it’s awesome. I’ve seen them twice before but this was my favorite set out of all of them. This stage (Obscure Stage) was too small for them in my opinion. There were people stretched out all the way to the where the festival grounds open up for the vending, portable bathrooms, and merch tents.</p><p> <br /><img src="http://www.metalunderground.com/images/photo_gallery/Brutal_Assault_2024_(Day_1)_-_08-07-2024/Finntroll/Finntroll_1.jpg" alt="Finntroll"></p><p> Mathias Lillmåns of Finntroll <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158335" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158335" title="Read the complete article: Brutal Assault's First Day Was Almost Perfection">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158335">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158333" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158333">Depravation Fest 2024: Day 1</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Sep</span> <span class="posted-day">3</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:53 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>When you live in a town where not much happens, you often have to travel outside to see the bands you love. Fortunately for metal fans in Swindon, we're not far away from London, Bristol or Cardiff, so it's not as much of a problem as for fans in say Grimsby or the Scottish Highlands. Still though, one dreams of something special happening in their hometown and this past weekend, that's exactly what happened, as the team behind Depravation Promotions put in a hell of a lot of work to give Swindon something to be proud of, Depravation Fest.</p><p> The first edition occured last year as a one day event, but this year it expanded across the whole weekend, including Friday evening, taking place at a club named Levels, which has previously gone by such names as Level 3, The Furnace and Underground and is now a drum and bass club, though the new owners were gracious enough to allow the already booked metal festival to take place this year.</p><p> As one might expect from a small festival taking place in a club and the pub next door, many of the bands performing this weekend either had a small but loyal fan base or were complete unknowns to the local audience, but that's part of the fun, being exposed to new bands. First to bat at this exciting venture was Atarka, from Birmingham. Though not as busy as it would become later in the evening, the band still put in a hell of a shift to entertain those who had arrived early, treating them to their groovy brand of death metal. Unfortunately, Atarka also had to contend with some sound issues, including a lot of feedback and a microphone which broke, so it's a little hard to judge their music, but they should definitely be commended for working through the problems.</p><p> It will become apparent when reading these reports that for a lot of the bands, there won't be a huge amount of detail, and that's because the average set time was half an hour. Thirty minutes was all that was needed for the next band however, as Scotland founded, Worcester based technical death metal outfit Desecrator took to the stage. Despite having a few issues with the sound themselves, their music really shined during their set, offering attendees a clever, but catchy approach to the genre where one could just as easily mosh as stand back and respect the stellar musicianship on display. Frontman Mark Dubanowski, who started Desecrator as a solo project in 2007, has a natural talent for chatting away to the crowd and it helps make the band all the more endearing. Definitely seek out this band if you're a fan of technical death metal, or songs about video games, because they have real talent. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158333" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158333" title="Read the complete article: Depravation Fest 2024: Day 1">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158333">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <div class="article"> <h3 class="headline"><a name="n158300" href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158300">Armored Saint Reigns Supreme In London</a></h3> <div class="article-meta"> <p class="posted"> <span class="posted-month">Aug</span> <span class="posted-day">22</span><span class="posted-text">,</span> <span class="posted-year">2024</span> at <span class="posted-time">12:42 PM</span> by <a href="/members/Diamond-Oz">Diamond Oz</a>. </p> </div> <p><p>One of the most commonly used phrases among metal fans is, "They should have been bigger." Despite metal fans' contradictory attitude towards commercial success, Armored Saint always had the tunes and the talent to go far and while they never reached the heights they deserved, their legacy is undisputed as one of the greatest exponents of American heavy metal. "Symbol Of Salvation" is a bona fide classic and there are several other albums that could be considered legendary too. Forty two years on from their formation, Armored Saint were back in London to perform at The Dome in Tufnell Park and fans were eager to welcome them back to The Old Smoke.</p><p> The evening kicked off in tremendous fashion thanks to English traditional heavy metal flag bearers Tailgunner. Since the release of their debut album, "Guns For Hire" last July, the quintet has received a lot of praise and rightfully so. Traditional heavy metal is a hard thing to pull off in the modern day, but Tailgunner is bloody superb at it. It was a surprise, albeit a fun one to see them walk on stage the classic Mikis Theodorakis composition, "Zorba The Greek," but it set the tone for the fun that was to come, which soon arrived via opening number, "Guns For Hire." The title track is a great representation of what to expect from the band; Maiden and Priest worship at its finest.</p><p> Guitarists Zach Salvini and Rhea Thompson were on fire throughout the whole set, particularly during the guitar battle mid-way through their performance. Like Thompson, there's another recent addition to the lineup in the form of ex Asomvel drummer Jani Pasanen, who was just as exciting to watch, while vocalist Craig Cairns (also of Induction and Titan Blood) was in excellent voice. In addition to excellent originals like "White Death," "Warhead" and "Revolution Scream," there was a couple of covers thrown in like "Beast In The Night" by Randy, and the closing song, "Painkiller," which of course is a Judas Priest classic. It's easy to see what the hype around Tailgunner is all about because they're so energetic and so much fun. Fans of classic heavy metal need to add them to their listening rotation because they'll restore your faith in the music you love. <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158300" class="readmore">More...</a></p></p> <p class="discuss"> <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158300" title="Read the complete article: Armored Saint Reigns Supreme In London">Read more...</a>  |  <a href="/news/details.cfm?newsid=158300">0 Comments - Discuss</a> </p> </div> <p class="pagination"> <span class="paginationrecordset"> Displaying records 1 - 20 of 721 </span> <span class="paginationpages"> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/1/" class="paginationpage paginationcurrentpage">1</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/2/" class="paginationpage ">2</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/3/" class="paginationpage ">3</a> ... <a href="/news/type/Report/page/36/" class="paginationpage ">36</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/37/" class="paginationpage ">37</a> <a href="/news/type/Report/page/37/" 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