Which shall win?

Well, the list of 2010 should be done by now but I'm still twisting and turning it around. At the moment top five is Accept, Iron Maiden, Jon Oliva's Pain, Overkill and Tank but I still haven't decided on the order. I doubt any other album can move them down though, but who knows...

I was a little chocked when going through the list, I've bought 324 titles this year, of those 91 one was released in 2010 and the list of selection will include about 55 of those... The rules you know, full length studio albums. No live albums, best of's, EP's, Re-issues... And of course, the album must be in my possession to be able to be listed as well. What makes it a little tricky is that Peter has bought a lot of records as well and since we share the flat, his Records I can list too!!! So in all it should be about 75-80 new full length albums... Gonna be a tough one this year. And there has been A LOT of good releases!!!

But the list is updated...

Number 666

CONTROL DENIED - Fragile Art Of Existence. Chuck Schuldiner is never wrong, impressive peice of music. Chuck was a genius and it's hard to believe he's been gone for nine years. Way too soon, that's for sure. R.I.P

Number 1000

DIO - Lock Up The Wolves. I don't think anyone could have imagine how big impact his passing should have on the scene and how affected everyone who's been a fan actually was. Sure, all needs to go sometime but I don't think anyone thought Dio would be the first. R.I.P Perhaps this isn't his strongest release but it sure includes some really nice tunes, the title track, "Night Music" and "Why Are They Watching" Me to mention a few.

Number 1666

IRON MAIDEN - The Soundhouse Tapes. No not the original, I don't have that one... I have two good copies, one Dutch and one UK and then one on Blue Vinyl with laundry instructions on the label... Has anyone the original for sale? LET ME KNOW!!!

Number 2000

KING DIAMOND - The Eye. King has never done a bad album, PERIOD!

Number 2666

NEVERMORE - Enemies Of Reality. Now Nevermore is one of my absolute favorite bands and I really like this album. I was disappointed on the production when it was released but I don't think the remixed version was better. No matter what, Andy Sneap's production is needed for this kind of music.

Number 3000

QUEENSRYCHE - Rage For Order. Well, nowadays I can say I like Queensryche but it's been hard to convince me. I think American Soldier was ok but not at all as good as their glory days. This album is my least favorite of the classics, I will NEVER get over the "Close To You" video. Geoff is an amazing singer but he still gives me the creeps.

Number 3666

SODOM - Sodom. A smack in the face album, brutal and raw as hell. Still with the great songs Sodom always has. One of my later days favorites, that's for sure. I like the new one too but it's too clean, Sodom must be filthy and MEAN.

Number 4000

TROUBLE - Unplugged. Another of my favorite bands! "Manic Frustration" is one of the albums I've listened the most to ever. Perhaps not the most necessary record in the collection but it's still cool. I still haven't decided if Kory Clarke is a worthy replacement after Eric Wagner though.

Cheers

E






NP: Spellbinder - Fractured Mirror ...a Twisted Tale

Brighter than White

So, Christmas eve passed another year and I headed Northe! I was already aware of the chaos that was to come since that was all they talked about the days prior to my trip to Sandviken. Ok, it wasn't so bad for me, one broken train and an extra roundtrip through Dalarna (It really shouldn't take 3½ hours from Örebro to Sandviken...) I jumped off the train about 2 hours after schedule. Not that big a deal.

There was just time for a quick meal and then off to bed. Really nice to be served dinner and a glass on wine and then just hit the bed. I woke up quite early next morning and watched the sunrise. Stupid enough I didn't get out until a little later. The sun barely makes it over the trees at mid day but the light is amazing.

The sun is absolutely pink or apricot coloured in the beginning and the sky goes from pink through yellow to steel blue. That never happens hare. Absolutely beautiful but of course really cold and VERY snowy!

It was like the old days really, when the snowdrifts are so high you can't see passed them and the roads so narrow it's almost impossible to meet. Ok, THAT happens here too, the road being blocked but that's not because of the amount of snow, that's the society people who still doesn't realize it actually snows in Sweden at winter, NO MATTER WHERE...

The temperature was between -15-20C for the first few days and the snow kept falling. It was so white and bright outside my eyes was actually hurting just by looking at it all. Sometimes it's hard to see anything because it's so bright. But it's nice, I like snow!

My dad wanted to go to the Cemetary to put a candle on my grandparents grave. I've hardly been there so I thought it was a good thing to find out where it is and send them some thoughts for the holiday. Easier said than done. It was just as much snow there too, only the really big stones was visible but my dad knew about where to go and I started digging. First I ran into a stone, then a hedge. Try a little to the right my dad says and a few shovels later I find another stone. It was about 50cm of snow on top of the stone. But it was the right one and I think that's quite impressive to actually find it!!!

It's not so fun to shovel snow each and every day though. Ok, now I knew it was just for a few days so it was ok. And the snow was light so that wasn't such a big deal but it wouldn't be so much fun to do this every day of winter... So, sometimes a rented flat is the thing!

After a few days being spoilt by my parents, eating and drinking good (I must have been quite nice this year because Santa visitied too but more on that some other time) and just having a relaxed time.

I kept checking the train from Gävle and that was on time. What I didn't check was the one from Stockholm, which of course was cancelled... Replaced by bus! Not too much fun to travel all hte way with a full bus. But better than be stranded in Stockholm. A +60 gentleman takes the seat next to mine when the driver announces the stops time after time in the speakers (at this time we were almost two hours delayed), the bus going to Herrljuna and Uddevalla. The guy asks me if the bus is going to Sundsvall and laughs. -Yeah right I say (the driver is still saying the towns south). No, it's going to Herrljunga... -Well, you know he continues, you need to be careful what seat you choose because it's not fun to sit all these hours beside a fat guy... WHAT?

At Södertälje Syd he realizes the bus isn't going to Sundsvall and gets off there... He tried to blame me for telling him the wrong thing. I thought he was joking since the driver asked time after time if we wanted to hear the stops again and he kept repeating them.

Next stop Mariestad, quick and easy, Skövde up! No problems on the way in. On the way out the bus gets stuck in a turn, coudn't get under the bridge and not back up to the main road either. Takes a while and a plow comes to our rescue. Small roads to Falköping just to realize the ONE person going there jumped the bus in Skövde. Even smaller roads to Herrljunga then but first a missed turn and 15 minutes off to nowhere, gas-break and some food... Got home 6 hours later than planned... But ok, I got home safe and had two seats to myself in the bus so it could have been worse!

Now I'm out of office until after newyears, that will be awesome!
Cheers

E

NP: Y&T - Facemelter

Winter Solstice

So, the darkest day of winter has passed, brighter days ahead... Well, it will still be very dark a few more weeks but it's damn good to have a small vacation over Christmas. I know it wasn't long since we went to Malta but that feels ages ago. It has been hard days at work and I've been struggling really hard to find inspiration. It's very frustrating when the work piles up and all I do is run on meetings... Sucks really.

I've been amuzing myself and worked on the cat's skills as a model... He's a little bit resistent towards the job as a Top Model! I think the flash bothers him a bit but it really doesn't matter because as soon as I take out the camera he hides under the bed

Cat in the couch - sick and tired of the photographer

He agrees to do one or two shots but that's not really enough. I would like to have some real close ups where he looks as cute as he normally does when the camera is away. Not as angry has ne does when I start to chase him for photos.

Cat in the kitchen, angry because the photographer never leaves him alone

Naah, then it's much more fun to fight. We have a little routine in the evening so he can run a little and sleep all night. A little bit of hide and seek, then fight behind the door, then sneak some more and of course punch the feet. My feet that is.

The other week he found a piece of a cardboard box and started tossing it around in the air, giving it a good smack and the chase after it. The rubberballs isn't fun at all... The mice were fun until he chewed their tails of (cat toy mice that is), but the cardboard piece has lasted for weeks...

Catfight - FUN!!!

Since my Peavey was in Malmö for the Cult Of The Fox rehearsals I had to dig out my old Marshall and try it. Something happened with it the last time I handed it in to change the tubes. That's normal for tube amps, they need love and care. So I decided it was time to send it to Tommy Folkesson for repair and modification. I've been thinking of that since it died on me in Motlala some years ago. It worked perfectly again when I came home and since it costs a bit to get it done it just never happened. But now it's sent! He said he didn't have time to fix it until week 3 or 4 but as it is now it's no use have it until then. It's better it waits at his place if he get a cancellation or so.

Marshall is the shit

Bubble wrap was fun too, not as fun as paper bags or boxes of course. But if it's possible to hide inside or under something that MUST be tried at least!! The cat didn't really help wrapping the amp though. He just looked disappointed when I took away the wrap!

Suppose bubble wrap is fun after all

Then of course the gig in Göttingen with Cult Of The Fox. The trip down went very smooth, the gig great! Well organized by Hauke and the rest of the Slaktnatt bands did well too, Styggelse, Stormdeath and Dark Horizon. For that kind of gig it was quite a crowd and everyone was in on it. That's really cool with coming to Germany to play, people know your music... Even a band like Cult Of The Fox that only has released demos in small numbers. There are a few pictures and a video on the web-page.

Demofactory - Sea Beneath The Sand

Ok, it was long hours in the car for a short gig... 8 hours each way, a little more on the way home since we took a pit stop at the Border Shop in Puttgarden. So now the stash for wine, whiskey and beer are filled again.

A great weekend... So if you have any gigs for Cult Of The Fox, we're in and we're cheap!!!

Göttingen by Day

So it's been a lot of things going on lately, as usual. So the few days out of office now will be great... Next will be to really think about the Album list of 2010, which will win and which won't make it... There are about 4 that I really have in top, can't decide the individual place for those ones, tricky! And of course, since I'm heading northe for the holidays, to be a little spoilt by mom and dad too over Chrismas!!!

Cheers

E

NP: Ross The Boss

Home Sweet Home

Yep, it's winter for real now. It has been around -10 all week but I know it's been much much colder in other parts of Sweden. Reports from my parents says -20 in Sandviken and more snow every day... Then it's nice to live here in the south! *s*
The worst thing with this time of the year is that it feels like it is dark all the time. Never really daylight. Well, just a few more weeks now until winter solstice and then they days will be longer again.

Darkness, imprisoning me...

My plan was to decrease the record shopping a few months now... Yeah right!!! First, the absolutely irresistable Black Sabbath box, really unnecassary but very cool. Ok, there's some radio documentaries that can be cool listening and the vinyl collectors guide was really interesting. Then I was offered to buy Eddie's Head box from Uffe. How could I say no to that. I've been really jealous of him because I wasn't fast enough to buy one when they were released. Then also, he's not that big a Maiden fan... But now it's MINE!!!

Sabbath vs Maiden

Last weekend Peter's parents came for a visit so I spent the week cleaning the flat and getting things together. It feels almost done now but looking at the pictures most of the rooms appear very bare so we really need to take action of getting the wall decoration up! I think both of us know what we want, just need to dig into it and go to IKEA to get frames.

THen preparing lunch, waiting for them to show up I managed to chop the tip of my finger off. Ok, not THAT bad but about 8mm in diameter of skin and quite deep. On the left hand of course and that's really bad since I need to practice guitar for the Cult Of The Fox gig... ARGH!!! But it has been healing well so now I'm back on track again... But I started to think, maybe these new flashy knives are too sharp for my best!

I'm sure, it's a vampire cat! Just look at the possessed eyes

But at least most of the furnitures are in place. The kitchen table and chairs turned out very nice. Also, my (really) old chairs suites quite ok in with the rest. Both in style and colour.

Guilty as sin

Then, a plan I've had for quite some time is to have some fresh herbs and spices as flowers in the kitchen window. And now when I'm home more I should be able to keep most of them alive for a few weeks. Istarted with Basil and Parsley. The Parsley started to look creaky very fast thourgh, a lot of bare shanks and no leafs on it. Apparently the cat really likes Parsley!!! I caught him in action chewing on my plant time after time... And then of course it all came up again so perhaps cats and Parsley isn't the best mix anyway.

New couch, old table, perfect match

The new couch is in place and now we can start to look for a rug for the floor and some colourful pillows. The cat didn't really like it but a furry blanket on his side did the trick. My old oak livingroom table suited the room perfeclty so we'll ahvwe a mission this summer fixing the finish on it. I left it, forgot it, on the balcony, first a few months in Gävle, then here in Borås so it's quite a mess. Really damaged by weather and wind. But it suites the room and the couch so it's worth fixing.

What to listen to next?

The sofa I got from my parents has moved into the music room together with the small livingroom table. Suites the room perfectly and that feels really cozy now. Just need to get rid of the last moving boxes and set up the computer for demo re3cording, amps and guitars as the finishing touch.

Pirate pillow is a must

In the bedroom it's the most things to do. Curtains, another chest of drawers, rugs... Looks very chilly and bare at the picture. It's not really that bad in reality. But it sure as hell is nice with a separate bedroom.

Sunday afternoon, after Peter's parents left was spent chilling out on the couch, a really lazy day. Was quite long since we had a day doing nothing. The cat seemed to enjoy being back here too.

The best guys in the world

Getting back from Malta I felt a cold coming. I managed the first week but after the last weekend it hit me full on. Managed to drag myself to work on Monday but gave up after a few hours, coughing, snotting and sneezing. Don't really have time to be ill so it's a good thing I can work from home at times like these. But it sure was nice having the cat sleeping next to me, working a little, resting a little and then working some more again between the sneezes.

Now it will be a hard week catching up the guitar practice I've been missing out on due to the cut!!! Not too much an issue though, will be fun! Yeah, also, I kicked life into my old Marshall JCM 800. There sure is something special about the Marshall sound. It wasn't too well though, started rattle and clank quite soon so I decided to send it to Tommy Folkesson for repair and modification. That's my christmas present for myself this year!!!

Cheers
E

NP: Brutal Hand - Purgatory's Rage

I'm sitting here alone in darkness...

Argh! As soon as I got home from the vacation my cold came back with full force. I thought it was going away at trhe end of last week but no, another wave and now it itches in my throat and I'm coughing like hell. Sucks big time.
But, one thing to cheer me up a bit is my new phone. Ok, it's a work tool but it sure has some nice features my little Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Pro. It was a damn good thing I chose one with the real keyboard... Don't really have the talent for the touch screen...
Guess I should try to fiure out how the mobile blogg works now too then.

Toy or Tool? TOY!

But, for the real thing, the vacation. A couple of months ago Peter was approached by the promoters of the Malta Doom Metal Festival asking if Void Moon could play. It wasn't time enogh to get the set together but we decided the Festival and Malta was a good target for vacation so we went there anyway. Perhaps there will be a gig next year instead because we're absolutely going back again!!!

9 bands in total, most from Malta but that's not a bad thing. Forsaken, Nomad Son, Hands Of Orlac, Sorrows Path, Dawn Of Anguish, Victims Of Creation, Lothüs, Deluge Of Sorrow and a last minute replacement in Thrashacre. A really nice line-up I say! There will be more about the Festival later on Metal Temple though...

After an extremely early morning, the traint to Kastrup left at 03:20am, flight at 05:50am and a change in Frankfurt we arrived around lunch in Malta. It was so nice to get out of the plane and just feel the warmth of the sun through the way too thick layer of clothes. We booked the transit to the hotel and checked in. We took a little walk around the block to find some lunch to start with. Both were really tired but decided it was the best thing to try to stay active.

View over Manoel Island

And since it was an amazing evening it was a joy to walk around and just look at things. Sure, it was off-season and quite empty on Tourists but all the better. It was still around +20 and that makes it 25 degrees warmer than home at least... (and the same temperature as most of the summer here)

The day after we deicded to do some real sightseeing. We figured out the Löwenbraü boat was the ferry from Sliema to Valletta... (it said Sliema - Valletta - Sliema Ferry on the side) It was much more of the old buildings left in Valletta so it was a bit of a difference between the two cities.

Valletta city-line

Of course we had to check out some of the magnificient Churches... In the first one it was allowed to take pictures for a small donation. The dude in the door told us it was 88th birthday this day and that he had flewn over Scandinavia during World War 2. It's always fascinating to listen to peoples stories.

St Pauls Anglican Cathedral (not the St Paul's Church)

The second one we went in to was the St Pauls Church and one of the most decorated I've ever seen. There were 40 stones on the floor, sort of tombstones telling different stories in marble mosaic. Quite morbid pictures from time to time so it was a shame it wasn't allowed to take any pictures inside. The we went to the catacombs and the joker reverant turned off the lights leaving us a few seconds in pitch black... Both he and the lady who gave out the info sheets was looking really amuzed when we found our way back to the light. "Did he scare you?" She giggled...

St Paul's Church squeezed in on a tiny street

There were amazing view's everywhere... Both in the very straight streets and by the seaside. It was a little like Rome where the whole city felt like a museum.

Upper Barracca Gardens and the Grand Harbour

At lunchtime we sat down outside at a restaurant. There were cats a little here and there but apparently this was their favorite lunch place too. Peter was getting starred at while eating his Sword fish. They didn't care at all about my carbonara...

FEED ME!!!

Reading about Malta before leaving it said the busses was an attraction of their own. I'm bound to agree. Some must be from the 60's if not even the 50's. Almost all of them in perfect shape. We didn't take a ride this time... But next year we will.

Notice the really pink pastery!

We had time for two days of sightseeing before the Festival started. Albert and co had arranged it so good that we could ride with the bands staying at our Hotel to the Festival if we could stand sitting through Soundcheck. No problems, the Buskett Roadhouse was on the other side of the Island. I felt a little stupid when realizing it wasn't even 10km's away... But still, I wouldn't have wanted to find my way through the busses in the middle of night.

Picking oranges from a cactus, does it get more evil?

Saturday was really lazy since the we wasn't back at the Hotel until after 3am. So we spent Saturday strolling along the water, trying out the cocktail menus, sitting on the sun heated cliffs chilling our feet in the water. Really nice.

A Swimmingpool and a Tequila Sunrise (2 others we tried was called Purple People Eater and Freddy Fudpucker)

Peter couldn't resist jumping in. I chicked out at first but it felt as an obligation to take a dip in the sea before going home at least. And damn that was nice, very salty but nice.

Tam-tam-tam-tam "SHARK"

It was well needed relaxing days and it felt very hard going home after these few days. It would have been really nice to stay a little longer and rest a few more days before going back to work and winter.

Chill out!

It sure is needed with some sun during these months. I had the chance last year with the work-trips but from now on this will be a tradition. Maybe not Malta year after year but some place sunny at the end of November.

The view of St Julian

Malta really was different from any place I've ever been. To start with, it was a strange mixture of London and southern Europe in the buildings. Then it was the whole atmosphere. People were in general very friendly and polite, even if the towns are quite crowded it felt really relaxed and nice. Not at all as strssful it can be in other cities...

Rerun next year? ABSOLUTELY

It's not really necessary to comment I wasn't too thrilled getting off the train in Borås last Monday and it was 1dm of snow and the flakes still falling... GAH!!!

Cheers

E

NP: Ghost - Opus Eponymous

Long Live The Loud

Long time no blog... Busy days it has been I tell you. At work as usual of course but also outside of work. First, ok it was a while ago now, the new Exciter album "Death Machine" was released. I contributed with one picture from the booklet which I took at the Metropole Ruhr Metal Fest earlier this year. Looks pretty cool in the booklet even if this isn't the best presentation of it... My first published picture in a CD-booklet I think!

John Ricci - Exciter - Death Machine, photo: Erika

And then I've been catching up quite good with the Metal Temple work as well!!!
Jon Oliva's Pain Tilburg review
Primal Fear Sticky Fingers Review
Ralf Scheepers interview
WaspTrägår'n Review
UFO Sticky Fingers Review

Then the couch finally arrived. The cat was terrified when two dudes stumped in to the flat with two huge rown packages... Yep, the couch arrived in pieces, they sure as hell didn't mention that on Bosättningspiraten. I just wanted to puke when I realized I had to build more of our furnitures. The cat made it out from under the bed after an hour to realize to his joy the packages was still there. More stuff to sneak around and hide behind to attack my feet!!! It wasn't the easiest thing to get it together I tell you but we managed and had it ready for our party.

We decided quite long ago we should have a house warming party at Halloween. But then, of course, I forgot to invite people in time so a few were booked on other stuff. Uffe got ill and so it went. It was a really calm but fun event. Nothing special though, just some music, beer and whisky... It can be worse!

Distraction

Of course, Fritze had his 1,75l Jägermeister bottle that he was determine to finish during the night. No one really wanted to help him and in the end we took it away from him... It was more than half a liter left so I think that was a good thing.

Fritze = Evil

Since people were visiting from outside we took the chance to rehearse on Sunday with Void Moon. Jonas didn't make it this time but we got to try out our rehearseroom for real. The drums was approved by Thomas so that was good.

Word and the Abyss

We still don't have a PA system. I really thought it should be easier to find something cheap and good second hand but we don't have any luch there. But at least we have couches in the rehearse room since a work-mate of mine had half his flat occupied with both his new and old couches.

The Guardian - Little Black Monkey

Talking about music and rehearse rooms. Cult Of The Fox has landed a gig in Germany in December. I was asked if I wanted to join them and play guitar on that one. OF COURSE I wanted to do that so I've been rehearsing with them a couple of times too! That went fine but it's a little nervwracking to just have one more before gig time. It's a good thing I have the rehearseroom at least so I can practice LOUD.

Then, after the long weeks of work and the season getting darker and colder each day me and Peter decided to have a little winter vacation. Last year I had my business trips to Mexico, China and Italy in October and November and realized how nice it was with some sun in the middle of the fall... Said and done!

Over the hills and far away

Up, up and away we went, over the alpes and a bit further south...

Cheers

E

NP: Forsaken - After The Fall