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!!
