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!! 

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!! 

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. 

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

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.