Day 01
So this was the first edition I attended to this festival which is also organised by SWR inc. the same organization that arranges and manages the Steel Warriors Rebellion Fest every April.
The Festival took place in an old cinema inside a Mall in the center of the city Braga (North of Portugal); there were two stages (as in SWR Fest), one called “+” for the most loud and extreme bands and the other called “-“ for things more melodic and doomish. The bar of the cinema was used for beverages and was a food stand was placed nearby (something that was missing in the last edition so I’ve heard), after the concert there was an after party with some Dj’s.
In terms of sound, I think was very decent and clear, since this was and old cinema there werent any kind of echos or bounc...
Festivalphoto spoke to Michael Monroe and Dregen before their performance at Hard Rock Hell 2011.
Festivalphoto: You’re famous for your energetic live shows which are great fun to watch as you climb onto speakers (or anything else convenient) or throw yourself into the crowd. Do you ever get injured doing this?
Michael: Oh yeah, a lot. I broke two ribs twice last year, I’ve broken my ankle twice, yeah I do get injuries but I try to be careful.
Festivalphoto: With your habit of swinging your microphone and its stand around on stage do you ever injure your band mates?
Michael: No – only myself.
Festivalphoto: In Birmingham I seem to remember Steve Conte bleeding after taking a Saxophone to the face.
Michael: He walked into the Sax, it wasn’t me (laughing)
Festivalphoto: Good answer
Fes...
Read MoreUpon receiving a recommendation from a friend, I visited Syne’s official website at http://www.syne.it/ and listened to the songs featured in the media section. Being pleasantly surprised by what I heard, I had a chat with the band’s mastermind, Fabio “FaZ” Marchisio, to find out more about this fresh Italian band with a lot of potential, and below you can read the result. And once you’re done reading, you should pay a visit to their website and listen for yourself.
Can I get a little history of the band. How did it start, how did you meet all the members? What does the name mean?
This projects started at very beginning of 2010. I had a bunch of songs and lyrics and I was trying to contact potential musicians on the scene to join the band and to learn the songs I had...
This mini-album features seven cover versions plus a couple of acoustic versions of songs from Houston’s debut album. The CD inlay seems to imply that its a 7 song mini album with two ”bonus” tracks as the acoustic songs are credited separately which seems kind of pointless to be honest, but it’s not a big deal.
The cover versions are:
Runaway – originally recorded by Dakota
Carrie – originally recorded by Michael Bolton
Brief Encounter – originally recorded by Airrace and featuring Airrace’s Laurie Mansworth on guest guitar
Don’t You Know What Love Is (originally recorded by Touch and featuring Touch keyboard player Mark Mangold on guest vocals
Don’t Ever Wanna Lose You – originally recorded by New England
Didn’t We Almost Win It All – originally recorded by the late Laura Branigan...
This is the special edition of Amaranthe’s debut album, released several months after the original release of the album. So what’s the difference between this and the standard edition? Well for a start there are two extra songs on this version, and secondly there is a DVD included with music videos, behind the scenes footage and a tour documentary.
If you havent heard anything by Amaranthe yet then you’ve definitely been missing out. A quick glance at the photo on the cover might give the impression that this is a typical female fronted band, but nothing could be further from the truth. Amaranthe are probably unique in having three lead vocalists – two lead singers doing clean vocals – one male and one female, with another male singer doing the screams and growls...
Read MoreA one. A two A Fuck You! -Lips
Kultförklarade kanadensiska Anvil öppnar överraskande och oväntat bara tio minuter efter att usla förbandet Crimes Of Passion slutat plåga oss. Belysningen hann inte ens dämpas inne på KB! Lips var så ivrig att komma igång. Den fullständigt galna Lips springer ivrigt rundor på scenen själv och kör lite solo, skriker i micken på gitarren och är helt överväldigad av att få spela inför de skånska fansen inne på KB.
När väl övriga medlemmar kommer in på scenen och kör igång så visar läder-piraten Robb Reiner på fantastiskt livligt trumspel. Basisten Glenn Five, medlem sedan femton år tillbaka är riktigt cool och ger djup till bandet...
Read MoreSaxon har en otroligt hög lägsta nivå och denna kväll ville Saxon inte vara sämre än bra, riktigt bra vill säga, utan körde på för fulla muggar och levererade hits efter hits med mycket inlevelse. Efter nästan två timmars dunder och brak kände man sig överkörd efter att fått höra hits från större delen av deras karriär. Tisdagskvällen på KB var som en fredag! Lokalen var fullsmockad och folk drack som om det vore helg.
60-åringen Biff Byford (sång) är ett energiknippe i sällan skådat slag. Han är en imponerande herre som fört Saxon framåt år efter år. Han headbangar smått och hoppade så mycket att energin smittade av sig till publiken...
Read MoreLimb/Sound Pollution
New York guitarist Jack Starr first rose to fame with VIRGIN STEELE. But his spell with them was not to last for more than two albums, the self titled debut and “Guardians of the Flame”. Jack stuck to his guns releasing a solo album plus four more under the BURNING STARR moniker between 1985 and 1989. Time passed and not until 2009 came the band´s return with “Defiance”. This time Jack´s back, backed by long time bass player Ned Meloni, drummer Rhino, of MANOWAR fame, and vocalist Todd Hall. Guests on the album are Ross the Boss and David Shankle, adding to the MANOWAR touch, plus Marta Gabriel of CRYSTAL VIPER. Are we in for a delightful trip in the time machine?
The title track opens with a spoken voice, welcoming me to the land of the dead...
Read MoreMusic Buy Mail/Sound Pollution
1992 marked the start of CAGE, in the heyday of grunge. But the band now release album number six, proving everybody wrong. CAGE hovers in the classic age of metal sound-wise, but both the NWOBHM and more modern touches are incorporated. Today the band consists of vocalist Sean “The Hell Destroyer” Peck, guitarist Dave “Conan” Garcia, drummer Norm “The Legend” Leggio (PSYCHOTIC WALTZ), and bass player Pete “Hands of” Stone. This seems to be a high priority release, is it that good?
The foundation of US heavy metal, Venom-like NWOBHM, JUDAS PRIEST and, to some extent, KING DIAMOND is omnipresent. CAGE is not trendy, and they go for the throat already in opener “Bloodsteel”...
Read MoreLion/Warner
Italians MASTERCASTLE seems to become hotter by the day. They debuted in 2009 with the neoclassical “The Phoenix”, returned with the more straightforward “Last Desire” and now they apparently aim to combine the two with their third outing. The driving force behind the band seems to be guitarist Pier Gonella, bass player Steve Vawamas and drummer Alessandro Bissa. They chose vocalist Giorgia Gueglio to crown their efforts with her quite exceptional voice. The topics in the lyrics are very varied, everything from an Italian painter to the harsh lives of fishermen is included here. Is this their best yet?
The dynamically melodic “Another Flower” says they´re doing alright, no more. The refrain is a big vague, but the sound, especially the guitar, is great...
Read More