Upcoming show: Deathwish Fest Europe - Converge, Trap Them, Harm's Way, Young and in the Way (01/06)

It doesn't take a whole lot of effort to guess that June will be kicking off to a great start this year for us Parisians. Indeed, June the first is most definitely a date you're going to want to mark on your calendars and get ready for, because independent record label Deathwish Inc will be blessing us with a show lining up a show with 4 bands, 4 reasons not to miss this event under any circumstances. 

The boldly named Young and in the Way will be kicking things off with their terrorizing concoction of dirty, energetic Crust punk drenched with loud, abrasive black metal. Their latest full-length release, titled When life comes to death, pulls no punches, as evidenced by the bold album art displaying a clenched fist wielding an army knife.

Chicago-based act Harm's way will be there to follow things off with their blunt, bone-crushing set of hardcore punk delivered with the sonic ferocity of an old-school Swedish death metal act. Don't expect any more respite from these pissed-off gentlemen, as their latest release with Deathwish Inc. titled Rust clearly shows that they have no intention of toning down their sound nor their message.

Speaking of which, if you're a fan of Swedish buzzsaw guitar tones, hardcore/grindcore act Trap Them should most likely be a well-established band for your musical repertoire. The band started out in 2001 and has quickly earned itself a rock solid reputation in the hardcore punk scene, blowing us away with one crushing release after the other. Amongst the bands' intense sound one can find influences from Crust punk, D-beat, Hardcore, Swedish death metal and Grindcore all clenched together and ready to be delivered straight to your face. It's dark, it's blood-pumping and it's incredibly effective: what more could you possibly ask for?

Up on top of the roster of bands for the evening is a band whom I doubt really needs much of an introduction. You'll have trouble finding a hardcore show without at least one fan bearing the mark of frontman Jacob Bannons' iconic band art. Simply put, Converge are one of the most innovative and influential bands in the hardcore scene today, with their sound having served as a blueprint for an entire generation of hardcore-derived bands. 25 years into their career however, the Massachusetts-born quartet remain a driving force for the scene with their untamable, chaotic and groundbreaking sound delivered with an untarnished sense of honesty and passion. From their debut album to their now classic Jane Doe and up to their latest full length effort All we Love we leave behind, Converge have yet to let their loyal fans down. Reinstating their place as one of hardcore’s most intense live acts with every performance given, Converge shows come nothing short of an unmissable event for fans of hardcore punk and forward-thinking loud rock acts.

If you're anything like some of my friends who were unfortunate enough to miss out on Converge's sold-out show last year, I recommend not taking too long before grabbing your tickets. Better safe than sorry, trust me on this one.

Robin

Links to the event (with links to grab some pre-sale tickets)
Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/431319043686123/

Lastfm

http://www.lastfm.fr/event/4018367+Deathwish+Fest+2015

Digitick

http://www.digitick.com/deathwish-fest-w-converge-concert-le-trabendo-paris-01-juin-2015-css4-digitick-pg101-ri2875193.html

This gig is brought to us by Hi Booking.
Be sure to check out and subscribe to Hi Booking for updates on their upcoming shows 

http://www.hibooking.fr/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/hibookingfrance

Deathwish Inc.

Official Website

http://www.deathwishinc.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/deathwishinc

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Deathwishinc

Twitter

https://twitter.com/deathwishinc

Bandcamp

https://deathwishinc.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-the-bbc

Converge

Official Website

http://www.convergecult.com/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/converge

Bandcamp

https://convergecult.bandcamp.com/

Trap Them

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/TrapThem

Bandcamp

https://trapthem.bandcamp.com/

Harm’s Way

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/harmsxway

Bandcamp

https://www.facebook.com/harmsxway

Young and in the Way

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/yaitw

Bandcamp

https://youngandintheway.bandcamp.com/

Metalsphere 4 Festival

Yesterday a little after noon I left my visiting grandparents behind, hopped into the car with some friends and made my way to my first outdoor festival of the season. Metalsphere was an exciting little festival featuring twelve top notch bands (I'll only be covering 8 I think) and got me out doing a bunch of interviews, meeting a lot of cool people, and banging my head for hours on end. As I sit here the morning after, (Well more like several hours after, I got home just before 2) my ears are ringing and my neck hurts. In other words, Metalsphere 4 was most definitely worth attending.

The first band I saw was Ianwill, a groovy death metal act who weren't afraid to bring in touches of hardcore to a very tight and exciting sound. Obviously being the first band of the afternoon on the smaller stage (There were 2) is always a challenge, but Ianwill seem to have gotten a good grasp on it. They had a great attack and a healthy amount of energy on stage. By the end of their set a mosh pit had broken out and they were really starting to do some good things. Ianwill seem to have a clear sense of their musical direction, and if the last song of yesterdays set is any indication, they will continue to evolve and dominate, perhaps one day becoming true metal masters.

Next up was When Reasons Collapse. Now, I've heard a lot about this band as one of the movers and shakers on the local scene, however, asides from reviewing their record I'd never really gotten a chance to see them life. Well now the time had come and I was immediately stunned by the incredible energy they bring to the stage. Be it in their vocalist, Cristina's vicious whirlwinds or the guitarists and bassists incredible hardcore derived stomp, these guys roared out as a death metal band who will not be quashed. They bring the mosh with a destructive, oftentimes misanthropic, attack that comes out of nowhere and leaves the listener feeling beat over the head and covered in blood.

The next band I really enjoyed was Acyl, now, I'd seen them back in the summer at a smaller venue, so seeing them play in the open air environment with their traditional Algerian instruments was a pleasure. These guys are true innovators and I love watching them do their thing. The entire crowd seemed into it, bodies moving and dancing with the music. It's always cool to watch people clapping in unison, inspired by something far older than metal, or really any other form of popular music. They were a highlight of my day, speaking to the eternal power of the music of their homeland, but also the beauty of their unique fusion of genres.

The Walking Dead Orchestra were a new band for me, and by god did I find them incredible. Their deathcore sound reminded me of my adolescence, listening to Suicide Silence with friends in middle school. These guys bring a lot of energy to the stage and they really know how to rage. The bands vocalist brings an attack that should not be trifled with, his vocals alternating between pig squeals and huge bottom end filled death growls. These guys will rip your head off your body as you are forced into windmilling, body thrashing to the might of a true deathcore sound. These guys have a great grasp of their own sound and will capture the heart of any deathcore fan.

Awakening Sun were another great discovery, this band of young Lithuanians (and one Dutch dude) none of whom were older than 22, brought an exciting genre spanning death metal set to the smaller Moat Stage and certainly got the crowd going. Their melodic guitar lines and tasty riffs showed the power of the band as a musical force. Their is something a little deeper going on in the Awakening Sun sound, they have a certain understanding of death metal and its core concepts that few of their peers can touch on, and this is what will make them rise to the top. Ferociously dedicated, Lithuanias biggest death metal band is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

The sixth band that I'll cover was Svart Crown, a band I've wanted to see for a good long while. These French blackened death metal heroes put on an awesome show, getting bodies to fly and heads to bang, this is the sort of heavy metal good time for all involved. These guys have a great sense of bombast, in some ways the dynamic live show almost reminded me of Iron Maiden. The synchronized whirlwind headbanging of the guitarists and bassist brought a memorable attack filled with roaring growls, explosive screams and guitar riffs that are simply to die for. These guys get what it means to bring a heavy metal attack and I think that is going to help them get huge.

Now we arrive at the penultimate band of the festival, the almighty Regarde Les Hommes Tomber. Their doom inflected black metal was utterly transcendent, especially under the starry skies of the festival. These guys were loud, vicious, and very tight. The vocals, replete with all sorts of cool effects, had a sort of incredibly evil might behind them, something that showed a band who would not give in to the bone grinding crunch of modern life. Regarde Les Hommes Tomber are a veritable musical force, seeing them takes you to another world and it really turned me on to the further magic of French black metal, if you don't know it already this is a scene you need to check out!

Finally we have Trepalium, a band who have essentially become French death metal legends. Their jazz inspired groove metal attack is fronted by a deranged dreaded crusty who has a voice that can only be called unholy. As opposed to their records, I found that in this performance they were all about the groove. I definitely got a heavy Pantera vibe on a lot of these songs and one or two where even reminiscent of Lamb of God. When the dudes in Trepalium want to bring it hard, they do, and I'm still reeling from a set that was loud and proud, heavy metal for the masses, groovy enough to engage the casual fan, heavy enough to keep elitists satisfied.

As we walked out of the festival, me having utterly destroyed my curfew by this point, I started to reflect a bit on the magic I had witnessed, the cool people I had met (Especially the dudes in When Reasons Collapse, Awakening Sun and Acyl all of whom I had interviewed during the day) and the gallons of beer drunk. This is the sort of thing that makes heavy metal worth it, even if you are standing in the sun for 12 hours. As my drunk friend went around, asking people to kiss him 'properly' on the cheek I thought to myself "Kissing drunk dudes at one in the morning, miles from home, this sounds about right".

Find the bands on Facebook!

Ianwill: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ianwill/313791168748183

When Reasons Collapse: https://www.facebook.com/WhenReasonsCollapse

Acyl: https://www.facebook.com/AcylOfficial

Awakening Sun: https://www.facebook.com/awakeningsun

The Walking Dead Orchestra: https://www.facebook.com/TheWalkingDeadOrchestraOFFICIAL

Svart Crown: https://www.facebook.com/SVARTCROWN

Regarde Les Hommes Tomber: https://www.facebook.com/rlhtband

Trepalium: https://www.facebook.com/TREPALIUMBAND

Huata, Pombagira, Year of No Light, Necro Deathmort and The Body in Paris Doomed Gatherings Day Two

The day before Easter, Jesus is firmly in the grave, the disciples are crying, Mary is distraught, and doom rules over the earth. Today I saw five top notch doom bands, and though I won't be able to go to Doomed Gatherings Day Three (I'll be on the plane to America for a quick vacation) I must certainly recommend anyone with the funds to go. Today's groups were simply mindboggling, exciting and passionate, getting at the true spirit of the genre in a way few of their peers do. With a whole mess of industrial themed groups and some of the loudest bands I've seen to date, this was a show to be remember.

Huata were the first band up, and by god, do they bring something exciting to the table. Their live show is more like a sort of dark ritual. The bands singer wears a strange wizard cloak giving the band a strange and otherworldly vibe. They don't hold anything back, and instead just turn up louder and louder. This is the sort of doom that comes out and crushes skulls with the sheer might of the riffs behind it. Yet, shockingly enough, they were among the lighter bands of the night. Still, their ethereal set and mystical stage show bears seeing again and again. Their tunes were very tight and I think it will be exciting to get an opportunity to dig more into their sound!

Pombagira came up next, right away, I knew that I was in for something special, doom two piece's always impress, especially when stripped down to just a guitar and drums. After a quick dedication to Huata, the band dove into some incredibly heavy tunes that made use of an incredible bottom end. The guitar riffs are simply top notch, they have a sort of single minded crunch that few of Pombagira's peers could hope to match. I really want to check out some more of their music, it doesn't seem right that a band made up of only two people could be so darn loud. Yet Pombagira pull it off with aplomb, taking the world by storm and capturing the heart.

After Pombagira came my personal highlight, Year of No Light. Now, I've listened to a few of these guys records, and I thought that their unique, instrumental take on doom was really interesting and exciting. It pays homage to the core tenets of the genre, but does something really interesting on top of that. Well let's just say, Year of No Light live is out of this world. These guys crush you to a pulp with three guitars, and an extra percussionist complimenting a destructive rhythm section. The sheer layers of sound here is impressive and speaks to the songwriting talent of the guys in the band. Seriously, how can a band go so far beyond their peers just by cutting out vocals? I don't know, but it certainly lets Year of No Light stand tall as true masters of their craft.

Necro Deathmort had to follow this incredible set and so they seemed to take the doom concept and run in the total opposite direction. Their industrial influenced sound was really interesting to see in a live setting. I was especially intrigued by how they put the computer in the center stage, I'm still trying to decide if this was an artistic statement, or merely a matter of convenience. Either way, these guys are certainly interesting to watch live and I think that they have a lot of fascinating ideas. There is no other band in the world quite like Necro Deathmort and their industrial blasts and punishing loops are the kind of thing that would make Justin Broadrick proud.

The ultimate band of the evening was The Body, and while their set was cut sadly short due to time constraints, they stunned me. The vocal delivery, which I had been impressed with on the album, came across even better live. Their is something almost animalistic about this group, who are, incidentally, another top notch two piece. (Three two pieces in one night? Doom is like that bro) The primal might behind this group will not be taken for granted, The Body have a bleak and powerful message and it will be delivered straight to the heart. This is what happens when you let doom take over your soul, it is triumphant, dark, and frankly, beautiful.

And so, here I am, extremely sad that I will not be able to attend the final day of what has proved to be perhaps the best festival of my life. I'm not joking when I say that, no other one festival has brought together so many bands I love to put on a show this strong and simply moving. There is something deeply spiritual about seeing this many doom metal bands in one go and it speaks to the enduring power of the genre. So let yourself get taken in, feel the might of the music wash over you and take your heart. Go if you can, otherwise, find these bands when they come see you play, they will doom you to death.

Find the bands online!

Huata: https://www.facebook.com/huatacoven

Pombagira: http://pombagira.bandcamp.com/

Year of No Light: https://www.facebook.com/yearofnolight

Necro Deathmort: https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-body/334047229514

The Body: https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-body/334047229514

Hull, Inter Arma, Elder, and Windhand in Paris

Doomed Gatherings has what can only be called the most impressive doom metal bill to grace Paris ever. Yes, ever. No other set of doom acts so heavy, so poignant, so darn beautiful, have come to this city in the space of one weekend. (Why, for a lot of these bands, it's there first time in Paris!) This first day seemed to have the best line up of all, stacked with doom metal titans whose music will ring out long after they are gone. I showed up to the venue a little early to get some interviews in and see my friends in Windhand, before long, it was time for the show!

Hull were the first band up, and while I didn't know anything about them they were extremely interesting to watch. I especially liked the way they mixed two vocalists, it gave them a unique vibe that made for an exceptional show. On top of that, these guys seem to be pretty talented in structuring their songs, contrasting fast and slow like old hands. Their is a primal power here too, it gave Hull a certain authenticity, even if outside it was still bright. These guys are definitely interesting to check out, but their set was far too short, they only got through about three songs. The last one though, oh my god, THAT was heavy, it demonstrated that Hull may be the face of a new wave of doom bands.

Up next was Inter Arma, one of the bands who I had most wanted to see going into this festival and by god did they blow me away. They play with such an incredible and fiery passion it is impossible to overestimate them. There is a primeval beauty to their music, a sound that could move entire mountains. This is the sort of thing that really gets to the heart of what metal is supposed to be. With hair flying and disembodied screeches soaring over the metal masses, we were taken in by one of the loudest bands on the planet. These guys get the magic of doom metal and they know how to bring it to the fore, loud, triumphant and covered in blood. I simply can NOT wait to see Inter Arma again live.

Elder were the third band to play live. Beforehand, hanging out with them, I had been struck by their cheery, happy-go-lucky New England attitude, I was interested to see if they would deliver onstage as well as they did on the record. Suffice to say, this is another one of those doom metal bands who are simply transcendent. The thing that most impressed me with these guys was the quality of their new material, it is a clear development on the older Elder stuff, but it also has a unique vibe of its own. Best of all, it was just as tight as the older material. These guys seem to be held together by sheer groove and it allows them to conquer, masters of all that lays before them.

And now it was time for Windhand, dear Lord, Windhand. This is the band who are going to take over the world with sheer volume. This is the band who go beyond doom and create something more, sound that maybe even can't be properly categorized as mere music. Windhand is the voice of the soul, it gets to you in a way that is simply indescribable, a triumph of loud guitars, heavy drums and ethereal vocals. Dorothea is a doom metal priestess, looking down upon her congregation of followers, all of whom would do anything for this band, this beautiful band. As they came out and pulled off a stellar encore, I realized that Windhand could very well be, along with Pallbearer, the defining doom act of our generation.

What more is there to say? Windhand simply crushed my bones to dust, far better than the last time I saw them and triumphing over every other band I have seen this year. That being said, the other groups really impressed me. I will be digging in and looking for more stuff from Hull before I crash tonight. And after the punishing set from Inter Arma I will be sure to give Sky Burial a few more spins this week. As for Elder, well, given the state of their new material, I feel pretty confident in saying that the new record will be glorious. If you're in the area, come on down to Doomed Gatherings day 2 and 3, this is the greatest doom festival of the year, and you HAVE to join the fun!

Find the bands on Facebook or Bandcamp!

Hull: https://www.facebook.com/HULLsounds

Inter Arma: https://www.facebook.com/INTERARMA

Elder: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elder/238458929529339?sk=app_2405167945

Windhand: https://www.facebook.com/WindhandVA

Hellfest 2014 Update

This is the latest announcement for Hellfest, all the major bands are now out of the bag. Let's just say, seeing this list made me poop a little. 
Here is my day by day reaction.

Friday:
If they make Maiden, Slayer, and Death play at the same time I might die from having to choose.
Also, I get to see Death Angel again and Royal Thunder for the first time, yay! I might even check out Satan, their new record is great.

Saturday-Okay, so take a peek down at 'The Altar'. Now collect your jaw from the floor. Yes kids, Carcass, Nile, Gorguts, IN A ROW. THAT IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. Hatebreed too. See, this is the kind of festival where you get frustrated because there are TOO many good bands.

Sunday-More magic. I finally get to see Sabbath live which should be AMAZING. If they go at the same time as Emperor though, I would cry. Other key gigs to catch on Sunday, Repulsion will be ripping it up at the Altar, I've wanted to see them for years!

Heres the full list:


Mainstage 1 : Iron Maiden, Rob Zombie, Queensrÿche, Therapy?, Satan, Crossfaith, Nightmare.
Mainstage 2 : Slayer, Trivium, Sepultura, Death Angel, MOD, Toxic Holocaust, Fueled By fire, Angelus Apatrida.
The Altar : Death, Kataklysm, Pungent Stench, Nocturnus AD, Loudblast, Blockheads.
The Temple : Watain, Enslaved, Turisas, Impaled Nazarene, Destroyer 666.
The Valley : Electric Wizard, Godflesh, Kylesa, Kadavar, Royal Thunder, Downfall Of Gaiia, Caspian, Conan, Mars Red Sky.
The Warzone : Walls Of Jericho, Pro Pain, Downset, Slapshot, Defeater, First Blood, Brutality Will Prevail, Stick Your Guns.

Saturday 21 JUNE 2014

Mainstage 1 : Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Status Quo, Skid Row, Buckcherry, Walking Papers, Lez Zeppelin, Killers.
Mainstage 2 : Avenged Sevenfold, Soulfly, Hatebreed, Dagoba, We Came As Romans, While She Sleeps, Of Mice And Men, Darkness Dynamite.
The Altar : Carcass, Nile, Gorguts, Hail Of Bullets, Incantation, Supuration, Weekend Nacho’s, Benighted.
The Temple : Gorgoroth, Eluveitie, Tsjuder, Shining, MGLA, Gehenna, Trollfest, Temple Of Baal.
The Valley : Monster Magnet, Clutch, Acid King, Witch Mountain, Subrosa, Saviours, Herder, Hark.
The Warzone : Millencollin, 7 seconds, Bl’ast !, Misconduct, Burning heads, Ays.

Sunday 22 JUNE 2014

Mainstage 1 : Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Megadeth, Alter Bridge, Seether, Crowbar, Lofofora, Blues Pills.
Mainstage 2 : Emperor, Iced Earth, Behemoth, Annihilator, Angra, Powerwolf, In Solitude, Scorpion Child, Year Of The Goat.
The Altar : Paradise Lost, Soilwork, The Black Dalhia Murder, Unleashed, Repulsion, Ulcerate, Obliteration.
The Temple : Vreid Sognametal, 1349, Solstafir, Equilibrium, Urfaust, Dordeduh, The Ruins Of Beverast.
The Valley: Unida, Spirit Caravan, Dozer, House Of Broken Promises, Lowrider, Zodiac, Satan’s Satyrs, Watertank.
The Warzone : Turbonegro, Floggin Molly, Misfits, Mad Sin, Last Resort, The Bones, Tagada Jones, Crushing Caspars.

Hellfest 2014 Poster

Well, here's the poster for Hellfest. Lets just say, AWESOME. Not only is their going to be over 120 bands, not only is their Emperor on their reunion tour but also the ever might Carcass! Toss in Death (which I can say from experience is a memorable live show) and Hatebreed and you have yourself something that no one is going to soon forget. Then just look down to the groups under the headliner. Yes, Repulsion, repulsion is only on the fourth line of text. THAT IS HOW GOOD THIS FESTIVAL IS. So yeah, prepare yourselves my children, Hellfest will rip your neck off.

Warm Up Day Three with Pervert Asshole, Lokurah, My Mental Health Degrades, Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition, Benighted and NAPALM DEATH

So now Warm Up is said and done, Napalm Death have played, blown my mind and left me begging for more. The bands I saw today were all great and the food surprisingly top notch (and pretty darn cheap too!) I saw all my friends from the first few days of festivaling and a lot more fans were here for the top bands. Fortunately not too many people showed up so we got to get a really personal experience for every concert, and let me tell you, it's INCREDIBLE to get to see a band like Napalm Death with less than a hundred people in the room. So now we are left with one thing to do, the review of the third day of the festival! I'm sitting in my kitchen exhausted at one in the morning let's do this thing.

The first band I saw today was Pervert Asshole, now here is a band who are wonderfully decadent in a live setting. Be it their guitarist, who wears a Mexican luchador mask or their singer who parades about gyrating freely in his underwear these guys are the definition of extreme. Their music is gloriously over the top and their new album title 'We Say Fuck a Lot' pretty much sums up their entire ethos. In other words, Pervert Asshole are the kind of thing that is gloriously offensive, gaining power through raw decadence, the kind of band who will make fun of you, if only because they think its funny. Not to be taken seriously and a blast to see live, Pervert Asshole will definitely be getting more coverage on Two Guys in the future.

Up next was Lokurah bringing their own brand of thrash metal madness to the fore. Tossing in touches of metalcore to an overall thrash derived sound these guys are pretty ferocious live. Throughout the early part of their set they were plagued with technology and mixing issues and I think it limited peoples ability to get into the music. Yet once they had a couple of songs with no problems people started headbanging and it became clear that Lokurah are quite a powerful live group. This is a band who come on and play tight and heavy thrashcore until heads are banging all around, and really, what more can you ask for from a local thrashcore band? Suffice to say, these guys know how to deliver and I'd like to see them again soon.

Then, My Mental Health Degrades charged on to the stage and delivered thirty plus minutes of destructive metalcore madness. Their music is melodic and powerful, the kind of hardcore that I genuinely enjoy, even if I think the performances can be a little silly sometimes. One of the coolest parts of their set was when the singer from another local melodic hardcore band, All My Memories, came onto the stage to perform some songs with the group. They went over so well I almost feel like the band should be doing a two vocalist thing. On their own though these guys are still stellar, the music is powerful and they know how to connect in other words, this is definitely a band I'd recommend to a friend.

I then took a break for dinner and too talk to some of the bands as well as a few of my good friends who I don't get to see as often as I like. These selfsame friends started telling me about the band to come, Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition a band who were apparently just as brutal as their name. By god were they right. With a grinding rage ripped straight from Origine Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition are violent, destructive, and totally triumphant in creating some glorious death metal that ripped my head off for the entirety of the set. Sure there music isn't intelligent or classy, but it certainly rips faces off and shows a band who have been dedicated to brutality for longer than I have been alive. These guys aren't going to stop soon, so you NEED to check them out and become a slave to their incredible heaviness.

The second to last group was French metal heroes Benighted who had a ton of local punters out to worship them. Their set was violent and vicious, the kind of thing were people (including me) were getting bruised and bloody from the very first song. Benighted's music is a sort of deathgrind with no respect for the normal rules of the genre, instead just opting to blast heads off with an attack that will hold you in thrall for hours. I could have watched them play an entire other set they were simply that good. Coming at it with a lot of energy and a vicious dedication to their music it was exciting to see these guys play, they definitely deserve their place as mainstays in the French scene.

And now on to the big guys. Napalm Death. The name says it all, legends in their lifetimes these guys have been doing this for more than thirty years and their performance is delivered with so much expertise you can not deny the bands greatness. As I headbanged in the front row I realized how impossibly lucky it was that we got to see Napalm Death in this super intimate setting. The band was tight and destructive as I imagine they always are (This was my first time). What I'm trying to say is that the sheer ferocity that Napalm Death attacked their set with was inspiring to me and their lyrics blew me away (as they always do) I especially liked how open they were with their message, aware that they are bringing good to the world. In short, I NEED to seem them again as soon as possible.

In conclusion, today was an incredible event, even more so than the previous days of Warm Up Festival. Not only was it topped off by one of the most impressive live sets I have EVER seen (And to give you a sense of scale, I've seen thirty one bands since September 1st) but all of the other bands on the bill were really well picked and fit well with the whole idea behind the festival. I sincerely hope I can come to the festival next year, Warm Up is intimate and fun, the sort of thing that creates memories that will last a life time. With a wonderful familial atmosphere and great vibes all around I just have to congratulate the team behind this event for a job well done.

Find the bands on Facebook!

Pervert Asshole: https://www.facebook.com/ZombieCatHouse?ref=ts&fref=ts

Lokurah: https://www.facebook.com/lokurahmusic?ref=ts&fref=ts

My Mental Health Degrades: https://www.facebook.com/mmhdband

Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition: https://www.facebook.com/scdmusic

Benighted: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Benighted-official/102125209845927

Napalm Death: https://www.facebook.com/officialnapalmdeath

Warm Up Festival Day Two with Barrakuda, Unscarred, Slave Machine, Heart Attack and Northland

So today I made it out to another day of France's wonderful Warm Up Festival. Initially I had some problems getting there, with Unscarred's Nelly we found out the hard way the train had a split route. Yet once we got their things heated up quickly. Suffice to say, the bands I got to see where all impressive and showcased some of their best performances. Toss in the fact that my cassette sales went super well and I score a first edition copy of Saxon's Denim and Leather (Yes, there are all sorts of great stands at this festival, yet another reason to go!) and things were definitely going well.

The first band I got to see was Barrakuda, a group who deliver a unique and violent brand of rock and roll anarchy. Their music is powerful and passionate, a sort of mixture of Motorhead and French metal heroes ADX. One important thing to note about their music is that their lyrics tend to be much more mature than most of their partners on the scene. The end result of this was a show that was fun to watch but also provoked the mind. This is the sort of band I'd love to go see again and again, they have a great live energy and know how to destroy a stage. Their set, while short, was a lot of fun, and I could definitely see these guys going places in the future.

After that came my longtime favorites Unscarred who delivered with an impressive dedication to violence. Their songs were powerful and well delivered. The blazing speed of the riffs opened up some crazy circle pits and brutal moshes. The wall of death, while small was vicious, and definitely a lot of fun to participate in. Sure they didn't have as big an audience as they did at the Mennecy Metal Festival, but they connected with everyone and executed most professionally indeed. As a whole, Unscarred is a band who I go to see again and again because every time I see them they are a highlight of my day and this performance was no exception. Even though they had a substitute guitarist it was impressive, as always, to see them play.

Then I took a bit of break to sell some cassettes before going back to the stage to catch Slave Machine's dynamic and powerful set. Their music is definitely a unique mix of metalcore, industrial, modern metal and death metal. It's the kind of thing that is hard to put into a real genre box, but is still enjoyable nonetheless. This band was very tight live and I really dug the way they connected with the audience. While the clean vocals could have been improved a bit I think it was more of a mixing issue than anything else. In short, Slave Machine have a pretty interesting take on metal madness and seeing how they develop should be exciting and fun.

After another dinner break I got on to the last two bands I could see tonight. First was Heart Attack, now here is a cool thrash metal band who bring something powerful to the genre. With a groovy attack that sounds like a mix between Lamb of God and Metallica there is something strangely addictive about their music. I got their album too, so expect a review soon. In short, their set had about five walls of death, and they had never played in the Paris region before. So that pretty much tells you how much the people enjoyed their music. I think that they will be seeing a lot more action around my home city in the near future if they can continue to get such a great crowd reaction.

And now we are on to the last band of the night. Northland. Now these guys were especially cool for me to see because they are one of the bands who really got me into extreme metal as a whole. Speaking to them beforehand was a really cool experience for me. Their set was even better. With tons of jig pits and lots of line dancing Northland are the kind of band who understand the heavy rocking magic of metal and refuse to let it die. Their pagan derived melodies were fun to dance too and these guys definitely know how to bring the party and the bring it hard. Explosive and dynamic the sheer magic of this bands set will hold a special place in my heart for a long time to come.

In conclusion, my second day at Warm Up was a great one indeed. All five bands I watched were exciting and powerful and I could see big things happening for all of them. The main highlights of the day were Unscarred and Northland, both bands I was already very much looking forward to seeing. The other bands though very much impressed me, especially Barrakuda whose crazed energy came out of nowhere, it's hard to play in front of a dozen people yet they did it with pride. To finish, this was another crazy day at one of the best festivals I've ever been too, if you can, come tomorrow!

Find the bands on Facebook!

Barrakuda: https://www.facebook.com/barrakudagroupe

Unscarred: https://www.facebook.com/Unscarred.Thrash.Music

Slave Machine: https://www.facebook.com/slavemachine.band

Heart Attack: https://www.facebook.com/heartattackmetal

Northland: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northland/107599605331

OpenWall Fest at La Bouée with Kellen, Poppers, Snakecharger, Icon of Destruction, Life is a Joke, Sliding of Frequency, Xi-oX, F.I.S.T. and Lurking

So today I spent seven hours at La Bouée a wonderful house venue located in the middle of one of Paris's shadier districts. I saw a grand total of 9 bands (yes, there were breaks, my ears are not completely dead) and by god was it righteous. My only regret was that I was too ill to participate in some of the more gloriously violent mosh pits (At some points the floor was literally slick with blood) and some of the crazier headbanging. But as is, I had a great time getting to check out some of the most impressive bands that the Paris region has to offer.

First up on the day was Kellen a happy punk band who had a tight set and performed a cover of the French punk classic Je Collection des Canards (Vivants) not once, but twice, and note, it went over even better the second time through. Kellen are just full of good times and positive vibes, their is no hatred in their music, and they play with a clear joy, and honestly, it works. This kind of joyful punk is the sort of thing that really reaches out and makes me smile. Even though they could only play a short set (they have a new drummer who they haven't been able to full rehearse with) it was touching and showed a young band filled with passion for their music, I want to hear more from these guys!

Next up was Poppers another punk band in the vein of the Ramones or (again) Ultravomit. Their music is powerful and happy and this trio definitely ripped up the stage. They played a good amount of songs and people definitely seemed to be feeling the music. Their performances were definitely tight and I for one really liked the French lyrics, it seems to work especially well for this type of punk. These guys definitely had a lot of passion in their playing and the way they exploded with some of their songs was especially impressive to me. I would like to see more from them in the future, it seemed like by the time the set was ended they were only just getting warmed up!

Following Poppers things started to get heavy with the crazed hardcore madness of Snakecharger. Their frontwoman is a petite beast, ready to tear your face off as she two steps across the floor. The energy was clear and the joy evident, Snakecharger are a wonderful hardcore band who do not shy away from the insane. If these guys had passed later in the day they might have gotten an impressive mosh pit started but as is people were only just trickling in. I really loved the way their singer just ripped faces off as she darted back and forth the small crowd assembled. Meanwhile the rest of the band was tight and I want to see them play again soon, and now that they worked it out with their two new guitarists the future should be bright for Snakecharger.

Icon of Destruction blasted onto the stage next, and these guys were one of my biggest highlights of the day. Their distinctive brand of blackened melodeath is especially powerful. Their attack is impressive and the way that they often have two growlers at once adds to the strength of their sound. They got a pretty big (and violent) mosh pit started. They were incredibly tight and the fancy solos were most impressive indeed. What I'm trying to say is that Icon of Destructions set, as a whole, was one of the most triumphant of the day. This is a band who are on an upward swing and who seem to have a bright future, I would love to see them again on a day that I wasn't bending over coughing up a lung ever other chorus.

Next up was Life Is a Joke, a rap metal band who are surprisingly enough, not obnoxious and bland (I know right?) Their set was profound and touching. These guys don't really go for brutality, instead their music ebbs and flows with rapped parts counteracted by heavier sections. Really though what makes this band distinctive is that the rapped vocals often slot in nicely over tight metal parts. What made this set especially intimate was when the groups vocalist JC Kornino pulled his three year old daughter alongside him to dance to the last couple of songs. All I can say is that I hope one day my children are that metal. As a whole though, this set was beautiful and powerful, a testament to the magic of Life is a Joke's music.

Sliding of Frequency came on next and so began one of the coolest sets of the night. While the crowd never really got into it the band certainly gave it their all and I have to compliment them on that. I really enjoyed the raw energy that dominated their music and showed off all of their technical capacities. The rampant headbanging was fun and accentuated the whole performance. I think if the crowd had really gotten going things could have gone crazy, as is I'm not entirely sure why few people latched on, the performance was certainly excellent, you might even say they were one of the best bands of the day! As a whole, their music is powerful and thudding, it crushes into the skull and gets the heart racing, I want to see these guys more soon.

So what was to follow such an impressive performance? Well, on stormed Xi-oX a death metal band with attitude. They provided an interesting mix of growls and cleans (mostly growls though) that came off especially well and showed the mastery of the band. While some parts of their performance could have been tightened they certainly were a lot of fun to watch, and they definitely had a lot of fun playing. They got quite the pit going towards the end of their set and if they had a little more time they might have really been able to get things going. As is they were pretty cool to see and it might be interesting to check them out in another context. Readers note, I will be reviewing their six song EP later on in the week, and from what I saw in the performance, it should be most excellent.

Then came on the grind lords, F.I.S.T. the men who got the most violent, bloody mosh pit going, something that was impressive and ear busting. These guys understand what true grindcore is and played very few songs over two minutes long. Their aggressive grinding bursts blew my mind open and held me in thrall with their incredible aggressive attack. Everything about this band is extreme, evil and gory and most might be turned away. Yet those with the patience and power to deal with this kind of metal at its furthest aggressive edges that F.I.S.T. push will be justly rewarded with a memorable live performance that left many a fan covered in blood.

Lurking live!

The last band that I got to see was Lurking (thanks readers for sticking with me this far) who were definitely the best band that I got to watch. I'd seen them last month at Le Klub (Some of you may remember the review) and they were certainly excellent then. Well guess what, somehow they got better, even more aggressive and passionate than ever before Lurking know how to melt faces with their music and definitely got things moving. This is one of the hottest rising bands in Paris and I'm excited to see what the future holds for them. The crowd loved them and the band was clearly happy to be playing, who knows where they'll go next!

In finishing, OpenWall Fest was a glorious success and even if they are going to close La Bouée to make a shopping area (Darn Western Business Imperialists) in the minds of all we will have this one glorious day, where many bands came out and dominated, showcasing the eternal power that extreme music will have, even if the places it is played a brought down. As one piece of poetry I read on a radiator (yes, on a radiator) said "Here we have no breakfast in the morning, no sheets on the beds, not even beds, no lullabies" La Bouée will go down in our memories as a Valhalla of metal and punk anarchy that will never, ever be forgotten.

Find the bands on the OpenWall Fest Page!
https://www.facebook.com/events/214058432081205/?ref=ts&fref=ts

Rosie Never Stops, All My Memories, Overhate, and Rise of The North Star at Mennecy Metal Festival

So some of you may have read the article I recently wrote about Unscarred at Mennecy Metal Fest this weekend. Well I thought it might be nice to also cover some of the other bands that I got to see that most glorious day. Now, I’m not going to cover all the groups, (I had to leave after Rise of The North Stars set anyway) and I intend to focus on the bands I liked. As a whole though the festival was pretty well put together and the security and organization was top notch. With a free cloak room and cheap food and drink Mennecy was a great little experience.

The stage itself

The first band that I got to see was Rosie Never Stops who are now officially my favorite AC/DC cover band. These guys tackled the stage with a ton of energy and their riotous solos and on stage posturing was totally un-heinous. Sure the songs are old and have been covered by hundreds (if not thousands of bands) but Rosie Never Stops understand the raw power and magic of AC/DC’s music and when they take to the stage you can tell that this is what they love. Their set was replete with classics, and people seemed to be really getting into it. I had to cut out after a few songs to organize some photo’s for Unscarred but Rosie Never Stops provided a great start to the day.

All My Memories tearing up the stage

Next up was All My Memories a very tight deathcore band who are notable because they have a one armed guitarist (Who is frankly a guitar god) These guys don’t do any of that silly metalcore posturing, and when they got heavy, they really got heavy. Though the lighter moments kind of took away from the general ambiance these guys were still a lot of fun to see and I was excited to hear they have an album coming out soon. This groups vocalist can really rip it, the way he roars onto the stage is impressive and really gets the crowd into it. Again, it was early in the day so there wasn’t that much moshing action but there was certainly a lot of headbanging.

After that (And right before Unscarred) was a nifty death metal band called Overhate. Their approach to death metal is pretty impressive with lots of extremely fast passages and crazd solos. I honestly don’t remember that much of the set, but I do recall their singer. Here is a man who knows how to rip his face off for metal, he sings loud and proud with a voice that could tear the wings off an angel. The rest of the band is very tight, their rhythm sections are executed with an impressive precision and they definitely got heads banging. I think it would be cool to see them in a smaller setting though as the band didn’t seem entirely comfortable with the huge stage. As a while though, if you’re into powerful modern death metal Overhate is a band you’re going to want to check out.

Singer from RotNS crushing skulls

The last band I’m going to write about is Rise of the North Star, a  metalcore/hardcore band who strike me as a much heavier version of rag against the machine. These guys do not delve into any sort of melody or clean vocals but instead go for raw attack. This definitely got the crowd going and opened up a pretty impressive pit.  I’d like to see these guys again as I only caught about half of their set (I had an interview right before) but what I did see was very cool. They have a great live energy and some clearly excellent songs. It seems very listenable and with thirty five thousand Facebook fans already the future seems bright for them.

In short, I had a pretty excellent day with a lot of great bands who really knew what they were doing. All groups I’d like to see again it was cool how they all brought something a little different to the table. This is part of what makes Mennecy so cool, there is all sorts of metal for all age groups (There were small children watching the bands with their parents) and I’d be excited for the chance to attend this festival again. Precisely organized and overall brilliantly executed Mennec y is truly one of France’s great small festivals.

Find Rosie Never Stops on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rosie-Never-Stops/566215603418778?fref=ts

Find All My Memories on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AllMyMemoriesBand

Find Overhate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/overhateband

Find Rise of the North Star on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rotnsofficial?ref=ts&fref=ts

Raphael Bobillot is the genius behind the pictures, many hailz to him! Find more from him HERE

Brennkelt, Cave Growl, Valland and Funeral Dawn at Le Klub

So tonight I went down for yet another visit to Le Klub to finish the gargantuan task of seeing 16 sets in 15 days (my new personal record). Tonight there were four stellar bands all of whom where a lot of fun to see. With a lot diversity there was standard moshing, folk metal dancing and simple headbanging fun. As usual Le Klub was great, I've never moshed or stage dived here before, but my first times doing so were very fun indeed. The crowd had a great general ambiance, better than I had ever felt at this venue before, I will definitely be hanging out with these dudes in the future.

Brennkelt stormed onto the stage with an ax wielding frontman ready to get crazy, the band got an excellent mosh pit going right away and the tension never lowered. This bands blackened death metal sound is a lot of fun to listen to and the violent lyrics praising the Gaulois ancestors of the band really gave the entire thing a very cool vibe. I especially liked the wall of death (Yes, first set, wall of death, the band is that intense live) where they pitted the Romans against the Gaulois, this kind of summed up the battle fueled nature of a band who are dedicated to honoring their ancestors and their ideals. In short, this group was simply a blast to see live.

Up next was Cave Growl, a Korpiklaani like folk metal band who tend to be a bit more turned towards the Gaulois culture than the viking one. They started off their set with a cover of the Game of Thrones theme and then blazed into some hard partying folk metal. While this band may have French roots that is not to say the band is not without their seafaring epics like Captain Blackbeard. With sing a long choruses and hard hitting riffs these guys were a blast to see. I especially loved all the folk dancing we got to do, from line dancing to jigs (but, obviously, much more violent)  In many ways, from the diversity of their set to the glory of their songs these guys were the highlight of the night for me, they bring so much to the table and their sound is rather unique, I can't wait to review their album later this week!

Valland was the next band to play and their powerful frontmans guttural vocals simply melted my face off. While they are much more of a death metal band with folk influences these guys still fit the mood of the night and were a blast to see play. Their lineup consists of three guitarists, something not many bands can pull off, yet Valland do it with aplomb (Admittedly one of their guitarist also plays a variety of folk instruments). There was quite a bit of stage diving and general madness on their set and these guys definitely know how to put on a show. I really liked some of the blazing solos, which added a lot of flavor to their music. I am excited to be able to see these guys again in October at the legendary venue of Glazart.

Funeral Dawn provided a fitting conclusion to the night, though there music, which tends towards the black metal (With a few death and thrash metal influences thrown in for good measure) is a lot more laid back the fans seemed to love it. Personally, I headbanged for pretty much the entire time, except for on a few of the more mosh-worthy riffs. Their final song was quite the thrasher and had stage diving galore. I'd like to see the band go in a bit more of a black metal direction but as is they are a lot of fun to see live, especially in such a personal setting as Le Klub. Definitely an interesting live act they were a great capstone for one of my favorite nights at this venue.

In conclusion, this was a most excellent evening at a wonderful venue, a night that will live forever in my memory. From the great moshing to the glorious dancing there was a lot to love about every band that played tonight. Best of all, I got CD's from all of them, so expect more reviews during the week! While Cave Growl was the highlight of my night I would recommend all of the other bands to lovers of blackened death, or simply just death metal. I hope that you guys get a chance to check these groups out in the future, they all certainly deserve more coverage!

Find them all on Facebook!

Brennkelt: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brennkelt/241360019215859?ref=ts&fref=ts

Cave Growl: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cave-Growl/272324139444385?ref=ts&fref=ts

Valland: https://www.facebook.com/Vallandfr?fref=ts

Funeral Dawn: https://www.facebook.com/pages/FUNERAL-DAWN/176772285707802?ref=ts&fref=ts