Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Behemoth at Release

 The end of festival season is upon us once August comes around. Because in August Greece is on holiday! So the other release dates didn't interest me much. I was a bit sad because I had enjoyed Release Festival so much last year and so it was a huge joy when behemoth was announced. 


The band that everything started with in 2015!! The band that gave me new horizons! I had to go. The two other bands, testament and pestilence didn't interest me much. I arrived in time for Behemoth, the last band of the night and this year's release festival. 


I must say it was quite different from 9 years ago. From a mystical and ritualistic club gig we went to a huge festival show! It was still brilliant. Very diverse setlist and great crushing sound. Perfect vocals from Nergal. The cathartic o father o satan o sun in the end was just as mesmerising as last time. 


It was fantastic to see them again and on the big screens too. With Rotting Christ, Rammstein and behemoth my festival summer also came to an end. Next up in September, Apocalyptica!! 

Tuesday, 2 July 2024

Rotting Christ at Rockwave nights

 Ahhh Rotting Christ. This is my fifth time seeing them, this year for their 35 year anniversary. Also in the newly renovated lycabettus theater. Of course I had to go. My husbands nephew was going to come, too with a friend and we met while varathron was playing. 


I have seen them before and we heard them just fine so we decided to stay further away and came into the pit after they had finished. Also met Hyperion quickly! Great to see him again.

Please see the above pic on how awesome it looked like inside. Fantastic!! Rotting Christ decided to play unusual songs. Songs that haven't been heard for maybe centuries.


People were going absolutely nuts with flares being lit, with circle pits opening up here and there. I was in the midst of a lot of shoving, screaming, headbanging and singing. Absolutely breathtaking. It was a long night and my toe which I had hurt on my fall down the stairs was not amused but I powered through haha!! 


It was once again am experience that will stay in my memories. A great venue, a hungry and wild audience, Sakis having his 52nd birthday and us serenading, him being the great person he is. The above pic is of course during non serviam. I did miss some songs but that was to expected, they had announced it as such

 The whole experience was simply overwhelming once again. Thank you Rotting Christ for everything!! 



Friday, 3 May 2024

Under the pagan moon III

 This is the third installment of this festival which is, I believe, always headlined by and also created by Kawir. The first one was in 2017, the second in 2020 and now the third festival!! This time it was scheduled for two nights even with Kawir playing one evening all songs from the new album and the second night a old school set with guests. 


I couldn't go to the first night because I was working late until 11. Also for the second date I wasn't sure if I could go because of the week before Easter. But I brought my daughter to bed and then left haha 


I'm so so happy I went. Not only did I get the new CD and a shirt, but it was an experience I will hardly ever forget. It was like a pagan ritual just before Christian Easter and it made it such a strong message in a way. I missed all other bands and came for Kawir only. 



Four dancers came on and this was an idea what was to come. Awesome songs, so much headbanging, guest "priests" who gave the whole show that deeper concept. Horns, frankincense, wine, ancient instruments.. it was absolutely brilliant. Especially during hail Bacchus, which went on for ten minutes or longer, it was like a meditation and ritual. 


My favourites were Artemis, Dionysus and the death of Achilles. Just a bit before one the show came to its end and there were 12 people on stage, pretty crowded haha!! Kyttaro should have been full, that's the only negative thing I have to say. Other than that this night was perfect. 






Monday, 8 April 2024

Emperor

 What could I possibly say here.. a legend of black metal, stopping by Greece for the first time since 1997!! How absolutely breathtaking!! Needless to say I had my ticket from day one 😁 


I had seen ihsahn a few years back and I remember how much I was in awe to see this icon of black metal and right away falling in love with his stage personality and his singing/screaming style. Now of course it was the main course after the aperitif haha!! 


First up was Greek Lucifer's child featuring Giorgos of formerly rotting Christ. I managed to see a couple of songs. I would have liked this!! Sadly I couldn't come earlier but at least I got a taste. The changing time was quite short and Emperor came on. The place was going to erupt. 


I have to say that the crowd was simply amazing. The "Emperor" shouts were heard all the time, people were so into it and ihsahn commented on it a few times. Now I need to say again how ihsahns black metal screams are perfect. Absolutely perfect. Really enjoyed how he changes from screams to clear singing. 


My favourites were of course "I am the black wizards", "thus spake the nightspirit", "curse you all men!" and "inno a satana". How perfect was this night!! After the show you could see people in endorphin highs, buying merch and posters haha!! The keyboard player Jørgen came out after a while and I asked for a selfie with him 😊 with that I will close this blog post and with a huge message to everyone: if you get the chance to see the mighty Emperor, do not fricking miss it!!! 


Daedin

Friday, 5 January 2024

Album list 2023

well, what can i say.. i am sure i forgot so many things but checking my iTunes and other sources, these are probably the only new albums i listened to, haha! here we go then.. 

echoes of wizards chamber 

A compilation of Mortiis cover songs! first of all it is amazing this exists. secondly, it is really good! the packaging actually really did it for me. beautiful layout and illustrations/pictures. worth every penny for any mortiis fan


mermaids + just a girl single - florence and the machine

a compilation came out and these two new songs. since i finally saw her live this year, i was absolutely in a trance and needed more new music. as always absolutely ethereal and capturing.


phantomime - ghost EP

YESSS new ghost!! also saw them live again this year and oh dear, it was one of my absolute highlights. do i have to say anything here? i love them to bits and pieces. I got a ghost christmas sweater, i am in love, haha!


apocryphal spells - rotting christ 

also rotting christ I managed to see live this year!! and then this compilation of B-sides and unreleased tracks. so so so awesome. they always deliver, they always just burn the place down. they are for me the probably most loyal and unique and legendary black metal band ever. 


the seven seals of the apocalypse - ΧΞΣ 

this is sakis tolis, of course, with his solo material. it is just as good as the rotting christ stuff. absolutely smashing it with this one, too. i'm very happy that it seems he's not slowing down at all and on a roll here!


cruxshadows 

the cruxshadows released a few songs on their website with a free/open for donations system. go check it out. Rogue is one of my favorite people and i will support everything he releases 


twice born EP - ihsahn

hell yea. Ihsahn is again at it and it's his faster stuff, guttural singing, lovely. i do like his other songs, too, of course, but i love how this is again pure power here. 


Eisenwald - label compilation

you can get this for one euro. do not miss this!! extreme dark pleasures for your ears. love it. 


concerts 


nightwish - insomnium - in flames

okaaaay! this here is just absolutely great. insomnium and in flames for the first time for me. highlight: sakis tolis on stage with insomnium. hell yea. in flames for old times sake, haha. and then nightwish. i had seen them in 2004 and 2005 three times, i think. always with tarja. and since then I have never seen them live again. i missed anette completely but really wanted to see them with floor again. and then they announced this and floor was heavily pregnant and still managed to absolutely entrance the place and headbang her ass off. big hats off to her. it was emotional for me to see them again. so beautiful. 


candlemass - rotting christ - ghost

oh my goodness. a fantastic triple. i had never seen candlemass before and i really loved this since they are doom metal pioneers! fantastic set. then rotting christ! what a perfect bonus. the place went absolutely bonkers as always with them! fantastic pyro show. and then ghost. what can i say? i had seen them once before in 2016 i think in manchester with my sister. it was so so awesome. now they had an overwhelming stage setup, the sound was perfect. papa changed outfit, flirted with the crowd, an absolute joy. blasted ghost 666 dollars into the crowd. it was unforgettable.


florence and the machine 

i love her! her words, her kind spirit, her beautiful soul, dancing, singing, dancing, sharing love, receiving love, sharing her energy.. i can hardly put into words what an experience this was. thank you florence. 


she past away - absolute body control - sisters of mercy 

i only got a bit of she past away, but they sounded really interesting! absolute body control where awesome. i danced myself into a small frenzy there, haha! and then the sisters. now they are a bit complicated, i know it. andrew is eccentric and will play his set, no matter what the people want. i really enjoyed it, though! enough of the awesome hits that we all know and want to hear and a few songs that need some time to get into it. still the sisters are legends to me and i enjoyed it seeing them again.


books of the year


agalloch - pale folklore

the reprint features also a book and this did it for me, i needed to have it. awesome album and awesome accompanying book with interviews, information, pictures. perfect. 


the 69 eyes - biography (in finnish)

so the 69 eyes finally got a biography this year. they played a big role in my musical path towards dark, doom and black metal. i have seen them several times live and although i had at some time lost interest in them, i recently started to listen to them again since their newer albums are again a really cool dark rock mix with different influences and I really like it! the awesome thing about this book is that we get an overview of the rock scene back then in helsinki and that was fun to read! enjoyed this book a lot and can only recommend it.


swallow the sun - biography (in finnish)

finally!! members of the band used to be freetime drinking buddies basically every weekend in jyväskylä, haha. those were awesome times. i was a student and my ex was also a musician and knew the guys and they just had the first album out and he played it for me and i loved every second of it. so happy to see this book was finally written now and i got the edition with signatures. did not read it yet, cannot wait to do just that.




Saturday, 30 September 2023

Wardruna at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus

 I have seen wardruna once before. Also then it was a magical experience, something out of this world and time. The rhythmic music has a trance like effect, some real connection to the earth and land.


Now they would play underneath the Acropolis. What a huge honour, what an achievement for any band to play in such a historical place, where memories of times past vibrate everywhere you step! Absolutely fantastic. I got my ticket early on because there was no way I'd miss it. The place was sold out and packed. 




The band came on and first played without break or speaking between songs. The atmosphere was overwhelming!! These songs fit so well into this place. It doesn't matter which language and where they are from. This is songs with meanings, older than our memories, with roots deep in some ancient and primal themes. You could simply close your eyes and get swept away. 


And then kvitravn spoke to us and his words were the most beautiful company to the songs. He explained what this means to them and what the simple act of singing means and that it is something that is about to die out and we need to keep it in our lives. The daily singing. How right he was!! And he dropped a few great anecdotes, too 😁 I found a whole new appreciation to his art. 



This was a remarkable night. My only third time in this ancient place (once with my pethera for songs of refugees from asia Minor and once with Jessie for the ballet Giselle) and it was a true highlight for me, something that will stay in my memories forever. Thank you wardruna for this unforgettable night!! 



Monday, 26 June 2023

Ghost / Rotting Christ / Candlemass

Oh man.. it's been a while!! I went to see Nightwish with insomnium and in flames and that was pretty awesome. Some other cool shows that I couldn't attend because this year I focused a lot on crazy ass long trail runs haha!! It definitely took away much of my free time but I loved it. Now this summer is killer. Too many good festivals in Athens! There are many bands I'd love to see, but I had to pick just the ones I MUST see. And one of them was ghost. 
saw them once in Manchester with my sister and it was a dream come true. It was magnificent!! Now they were announced in Athens with doom metal veterans candlemass! How freaking awesome. Had a ticket right away, haha!! 

So I arrived in time for 3/4 of the candlemass set. Very solid performance, enjoyed it immensely. When "die in solitude" was played, it was just an unforgettable moment. 
Rotting Christ were announced quite late. They dropped into the festival like a fiery bomb. I did not expect that!! I was freaking out with joy! Haven't seen them last year because they only played with Manowar, I think, and they don't interest me. So I skipped them last year. They came on and it was as always a party. And I mean a headbanging circle pit party!! A small circle pit opened up in front of me twice and it's been a while since I've been involved in something like that haha!! Oh man, it was pure joy. Screaming along, sending my neck to the hospital, pure bliss!! Non serviam as always was a highlight. Societas satanas had everyone freaking out. Perfection!! and then it was time for ghost. The stage was just fantastic. We all went to church tonight, haha!!  Papa was in a great mood, speaking a bit Greek, joking, giving us a magnificent show. Heavy guitars and bass, songs to headbang, dance and scream along to. Everything was there!! Loved of course year zero as a singalong, and had tears in my eyes during cirice. Another awesome highlight was square hammer and danse macabre. they also had glitter cannons and blasted Papa Dollars out into the night. A guy next to me caught one and gave it to me. That was so so nice 
all in all a night to remember. Three very entertaining bands, lots of moshing and dancing. Screaming my lungs out, too. Pure bliss!! Next one up is something completely different which will not be featured in this black metal blog.. Florence and the machine next Sunday!! Yay!! 
by the way, I also got tickets for wardruna in September and emperor next year. Fuck yes!! 🖤🤘
-Daedin

Wednesday, 1 February 2023

Dungeon synth - the rebirth of the legend

 I am so happy i got my hands on this one. I got this from levykauppa X, shipping was really cheap. this as a tip to all european buyers! 

I was most interested in this, mostly for mortiis, of course. but did i think that i would explore so many names in there, find out about so many legendary albums and artists?? it was a real joy to delve into this book. 


The book was originally self released by Ruslan, the new edition has been released by cult never dies. what a great find! the whole book is a feast for the eyes and it features many pictures, beautiful illustrations and art. absolutely recommended!



I also want to point out how Ruslan conducts his interviews, with very relevant, interesting and thought provoking questions. you clearly see how much Ruslan loves this music style and felt the need to fill the gap that exists there with no documentation of this branch available. 

And you might ask here, this is not really black metal, why feature it here? true. but most pioneers of this music come from a black metal background and as many artists told us in their interviews, the feeling, the atmosphere and the emotions of both music art forms are very much related. 

for everyone interested in dungeon synth, this is a true must!!

Friday, 6 January 2023

Album list 2022

 this year was quite different. i did not listen to many new albums. but the ones i listened to, i got absolutely obsessed with. i surely missed many new albums but what can you do, that's ok. here we go then!

sakis tolis-  amongst the fires of hell

his first solo album! enjoyed this one a lot. it does remind very much of rotting christ. but that's ok! it's fantastic. and during the lockdown he could work much faster alone than with the whole band. so this is just so awesome to have now before anything new from rotting christ comes out. 

ghost - impera


oh, he is a genius. he is such a genius! his formula works, it works so so well. it is SO Ghost, and it is perfect. love it very much. some of the songs are crazily catchy. 


abbath - dread reaver


another album from this wacko, haha! and it's really good! had enjoyed his first and second solo album very much, and this one is just as good. still stoked i saw him live and even met him :) 


darkthrone - astral fortress


aahhh fenriz!! i can't but love this guy. love him so much! he is the most knowledgeable, most true, most integer and most super cool black metal dude. and right now all of his newest albums are SO much to my liking. absolutely my kind of black metal. freaking awesome. 


aherusia - bacchus


yessss!! oh man, i have been waiting for this one so much. and it does not disappoint at all. what a perfect disc! this is what aherusia is about and i love it so very much. i could listen to the whole aherusia back catalogue on repeat. not one song dull, not one song to skip. all of them perfect.


kalmankantaja - metsäuhri/waiennut


not one, but two albums! wow. i only managed to listen to them for a bit and then they were removed from bandcamp... at least there is spotify! kalmankantaja are the finns that need to be here!


diamanda galas - broken gargoyles


yea, this is not easy listening and it never is with diamanda! but that's why i love her, too. what a trippy album, with a lot of german spoken parts. very interesting. very disturbing, too.


EP


kawir - gigantomaxia 


this EP was released to help therthonax financially, who suffers from long covid. i really hope there will be a whole album in the works, because this is the kawir that we all love! awesome songs, need more of this!


mortiis - cobw exclusives


as always, mortiis. there are several things in the works and we get glimpses of the progress. this is awesome and i cannot express how happy i am that i am part of the club and get those updates. cannot wait for some work, hope this year something comes out. 


live shows 


mortiis/mayhem


oh good lord. what can i say. i had never seen mortiis with era 1. now it was time for it! this was fantastic. the addition of drummer tim made it a pretty ritualistic experience. fantastic stuff there. enjoyed it from start to end. it did not hurt that i had a backstage pass and could meet mortiis basically throughout the whole mayhem concert. so sorry mayhem, but i did not hear much, was busy exchanging news with håvard and tim :)


within temptation 


i was never really a big fan. but there are two songs i love so much, it's insane. mother earth and ice queen. so i decided to go with giota, because all the other bands during the summer festivals did not interest me much. so we went and it was breathtaking! wow. this woman is just phenomenal! fantastic show, both of my favourite songs came during the encore and i went wild, haha!


batushka


oh how awesome was that!! yes, there are two batushkas now. yes, i don't know about their paths now, and i don't care. all i know is that from the last time i saw them, this was a step up the ladder. the whole stage was just woah. the production, just blew me away! the choir was the best thing. it was like a true black mass and it was a ritualistic, cleansing, inspiring experience. 


project pitchfork 


yea, no metal. but when i was in leipzig, we found out two days prior, that project pitchfork are coming. i saw them only once before with my sis and now we went, even with my daughter! and what can i say.. it was just awesome. oh the memories, oh the songs! i loved every second of it. my little one tired after one hour, but i am just so grateful for what we got. 


aherusia


this was the release show for bacchus. i had only seen their theatre, never really live. so i could not wait for this one. i am so happy i made it! what a great show. two hours full of magic. i was swept away by the womens voices. i was swept away by the beat and the rage and everything! it has been years since i headbanged so much. was sore two days. was in first row, was offered wine, too. oh heavens! perfect experience. 


under the quarry metal festival 


this must be the third time we went? great free metal festival. absolutely recommended. loved bent by sorrow. very cool band. 


find of the year 





whole project pitchfork back catalogue 


yep.. the concert inspired me to listen to the whole back catalogue. i was listening to only project pitchfork for weeks on end. i cannot stop!! it's just.. i am so in love again. bought some merchandise, too and love it!!



Tuesday, 6 December 2022

Aherusia

 I know, this should have happened much earlier. But the last times aherusia played live I couldn't go. So until now I had been to their theatrical play and that was absolutely fantastic, too. But now it was time to see them live!! 


I arrived at 10pm when aherusia was supposed to come on. But the show was delayed quite a bit and I caught a bit of human genome and all of illusory. The latter was quite entertaining, too! Charismatic frontman.


At a bit after midnight aherusia finally hit the stage. The first played their new album, Bacchus and it proved to be a absolutely fantastic experience. I was in front, basically headbanging throughout all the show. I have seldom enjoyed it so much to be all the way in the front and have space to headbang any way I want. True bliss!! 


After that the band continued to play a potpourri of their older hits. Oh I went nuts, haha!! We also got wine passed along, got to enjoy the above ladies beautiful voice and some true killer songs. After more than two hours I felt wonderfully spent. My neck hurt for two days after, as well as my feet. My ears were still ringing one day after. Oh it was perfect 🤪


For me aherusia are part of the unholy trinity of Hellenic black metal with rotting Christ and kawir. There might be other important names, this is my personal choice. I'm so happy I finally got to see them live. 


Wednesday, 18 May 2022

Mayhem / Mortiis

 so.. we have been waiting for two years for this one. but covid pushed that one further away and away. Only the fact that it finally happened is simply fantastic. I had the Athens ticket from day one and I could not contain my excitement. I have seen Mortiis three times, but with era 2/3 and 0, but never with era 1.


now it was finally time to experience that one, too. arriving at fuzz club i right away met a photographer friend, the drummer of kawir who was my former boss, and later on panos, the headbanging wines owner!! but to that later. so mortiis came on and it was just fantastic. I loved every second of it. after two song segments tim van horn joined him on stage for live drumming. absolutely breath taking! some might remember him from previous tours, i had actually met him in london, too. 


so after the awesome show i decided to hang back a little, that's when i met panos and we talked wine and business and old metal days! and then he handed me his backstage pass, which he had received to talk wines with mortiis. and he said he doesn't need it anymore. oh good lord! so i grabbed it, with my eternal gratitude to panos, and headed backstage, during the first two songs from mayhem. 



after a small disorientation i found the correct spot and waited a little on the lounge couch. that's when håvard came around and spotted me. :) we sat down for an hour and just had the best talk!! tim and håvard tried the wine panos had given them. it was just so great because if we had met outside, we would not have been able to talk much because of mayhem well.. being mayhem!! xD so it was a true blessing and i am so grateful. 

of mayhem i saw the last two three songs, near the merch booth together with mortiis. also bought two shirts in the endorphin high, haha! not that i have enough already but ugh, the awesome designs!! so yea.. a perfect night. absolutely perfect. I cannot tell you how much it still makes me smile and reminisce.

Thank you Håvard, for being such a great guy!! 

Thursday, 21 April 2022

Z.A.S.T. Zine

 oh this is a good one. delicately named zombie anal sex terror, this was the old school cut and paste style fanzine from none other than mortiis. he managed to get two editions out before the whole murders and arson stuff went down in norway and his parents basically got rid off everything connected in fear of getting involved with the police, i suppose. 



but at least we have these two! and i cannot thank cult never dies enough for publishing those. it would be such a shame to not have those around! first of all, mortiis made the most hilarious questions ever to the bands. i could not contain the laughter, chuckles and the occasional absolute what the fuck face. because some of those sound like straight from fear and loathing in las vegas. xD absolutely silly stuff, and i love it!



there you have the stark contrast between some oh so serious black metal bands (back then all of them were still death and thrash, basically, before the scene diversified) and then.. håvard!! haha! i must say i enjoyed this immensely, most of all the fanzines i have read about that era. also he included a huge scene report of finland, and boy, did i enjoy that. was so great to read about so many known names. 



so yea.. go buy this! you shall not regret it :D 

Monday, 18 April 2022

Batushka

 what can i say here.. i have seen batushka before and i loved them very much. back then they had only yekteniya out, they played that and left. it was short but fantastic. then after that the band split up after some disputes and quarrels. i admit i did not give them much attention back then because i wasn't sure which side i should be on, haha!



so now after some years, albums from both batushka camps, they would visit athens again. and i decided a bit last minute to go. oh what a great decision! this time they played 1,5 hours and the whole show was a treat for ears, eyes and the soul, haha. it was like a true liturgy, the dark and black metal kind of course.



the background singers were superb. for me they made the huge difference. you felt like truly inside a orthodox church, during unholy mass. what a fantastic sound, the notes vibrating through your body, almost like a meditation, a trance, a ritualistic instinct.. and then the guitars crash in and knock you out, the priest's screams and howls, his slow deliberate movements to light candled, show icons.. perfection. 



batushka have made this into a very distinct art form and have given the whole stage show much thought. it is a fantastic experience and i am very glad i went to see them. 

Tuesday, 11 January 2022

Album list 2021

 this was such a strange year. I should have had time to listen to a lot, i wasn't yet working until mid October. And still there is little I actually did listen to this year. So this list is not very long this time. Let's get this started.

wardruna - kvitravn

Oh what can I say!! Ever since I saw them live i've been even more entranced by their music. how beautiful, how earthen, how shamanic, trancelike, with an ancient beat that flows through you. I love this even more since einar decided to give the whole album his former black metal name kvitrafn. this is simply beautiful and a circle closing, i guess. 


yoth iria - as the flame withers

Yoth Iria, what a great new project!! it's jim mutilator from rotting christ and his newest musical output. I was so fortunate to meet him a few years back together with sakis and dayal. unforgotten memories there. I support this fully, this is doomy but also black and vicious and harsh, as it should be. 


iselder - welsh nationalist black metal / Fe Godwn Ni Eto

this one is a conflicting one. there should have been a new full length, but it never came out because the welsh police confiscated everything due to accusations of fascism. i am very saddened by this, but it's awesome that we at least got some new music from this remarkable welsh project. everyone who loves their roots and speaks it freely is obviously a fascist.. 


aenos - the great shepherd (EP)

what a find!! this is one of the best atmospheric black metal i've ever heard, and it was recorded on my beloved and favourite greek island, kefalonia! how absolutely fantastic is this! I hope there is more to come, because this is way more than promising!


mortiis - transmissions / shadow of the tower 

YES!! MORTIIS!! i can't count all the single songs that he released or gave snippets from to his loyal followers in the cult of thee black wizard. but these two need a mention! these are almost full albums, but yea.. being just one song each xD that is so old school and so against the stream and I love it. both are fantastic works, the first being a live recording of way back then, the second being a reworking of old material. beautiful, can't wait for all the new mortiis stuff the new year brings!!


darkthrone - eternal hails

YESSSS DARKTHRONE!! eh yea. well, every new darkthrone album is a party. because all their last three albums have tapped exactly into my vein. this is what i love and this is what I need from them! i cannot get into all their back catalogue, so I am even more delighted that they have found now this niche sound with basically bits from everywhere. black, death, doom, punk, trash, you name it!! it's perfection and I bow before the mighty fenriz.


tuhonsiemen - katkeransuloinen

finally some finns!! and here is a sad one. that is their last album and they decided to call it quits. what a great way to go. it's sad, but also a true testament they left behind. Kiitos. 


darkwoods my betrothed - angel of carnage unleashed

I must admit i did not listen to this as much as I should have. this is such an interesting project, revived after so many years! they hail from kitee, a city I have been to!! tuomas from nightwish even rejoined their ranks! and this is quite bashing black metal, too! awesome. need to give it a few more listens. 


havukruunu - kuu erkylän yllä

more finns! havukruunu have been a constant in my listening schedule, too. this is metal to bang your head to. this is heavy and black and pretty cool. been enjoying them also with this release a lot.


tyrant moon - eternal nightfall

this was a gift!! so i said, why not. and oh, this is nice! black metal as it should be. quite the punch in the face, right there. 


lazy man's load - all hat no cattle

now i saw them live on christmas eve, together with nightstalker and suicidal angels. and of the three i liked them the most! immediately bought their album. southern rock meets metal and gets shot at with some doom and stoner rock. awesome stuff, absolutely love it!!


find of the year:

ered wethrin - tides of war

yep, this is not from this year. but i discovered it this year and its an album i come back to again and again. it is SO good!! i could listen to summoning 24/7, but sometimes you wanna know if there is something else out there as good as it. ok, there will never be anyone as good as summoning, but this comes close to it! awesome awesome album. 


loss of the year:

swallow the sun - moonflowers

how dare i. my local heroes from jyväskylä, my drinking buddies in freetime and i did not listen to their new album!! shame on me. I am really sorry. I need to absolutely do this in 2022 then. i heard the best about this album. 


song of the year:

wardruna - kvitravn

well, i had to. it is just too good. the song, the title, the band, the album. listen to it. get swept away by it. get sucked into it. brilliant. 





live of the year

well.. there was not much. there was the festival where i saw livet i mørke, they are black metal. other than that it was just other metal i saw on two more occasions. the mini festival in summer with toxic pub which were great fun, and the christmas show i mentioned before. so.. that was all the live music this year. damn you you rotten virus! yep, that. 


- Daedin