Take it or Leave it

Yeah, so the Nuclear Blast package finally got delivered. A bit damaged but in general everything was ok inside at least. Should probably have claimed it but I don't want to return the stuff when I finally got it.
Most anticipated in the box was definitely Vicious Rumors "Concussion Protocol". Ok, I've had it for review for a few months actually but a digital promo can't replace an actual record. Need the booklet and smell of new vinyl and such.

And as always, the collection frenzy starts. Now it's not that crazy with Vicious Rumors, the last couple of outings has only been available as CD, Vinyl & Japan print. The Live you to Death ones, only as CD. So, on those occasions even the Argentina releases (hope they are licensed in the correct way) are fun to get.

So, status this far;

Basically just the regulars. There should be some very cool tour editions as well so I hope I'll manage to get my hands on them on the coming Vicious Rumors tour.

(This picture is borrowed from Teelen's timeline, not mine so if violating some copy right...)

Speaking of the tour. As Vicious Rumors come to Sweden they do quite a few gigs here. And at a really bad timing, not only will I have a massive workload that week, Hugo the cat is coming for a stay as Peter's parents will be out travelling, also there're other things already booked before I found out about these dates.
Hmmm, what to do, what to do??? There will be at least one Sweden date and I hope to catch 2-3 from the rumored Headline dates when Dirkschneider head for Russia. Can't wait to get to hear some of these new ones live.

But the fall will be busy for sure. Everything seem to happen in November, the time when we can't travel so it seems I will miss both The Skull and Overkill on this round. Doesn't feel too good. Also, that Warrel Dane posted some "Dead Heart In A Dead World" dates about a week and a half before the tour started... ARGH!!! Really would have wanted to see that and with a few more weeks heads-up, we would have made it to that tour as well. It featured a lot of cities in eastern Europe I really would want to visit and that could have been a good opportunity.
 
Ok, I get to see some really cool stuff the coming months anyway. Starting with Saxon with Mikkey Dee and Phil Campbell as guests at Lemmy 500 race, just 20 minute drive from home, right in the middle of nowhere. 
Then perhpas Kip Winger... Joe Lynn Turner, Huskvarna Rock Art with Blaze, Y&T, Nazareth, Entombed and Anvil...

Hopefully the schedule will hold together as it looks right now. And then it mean some new places to visit, I like that! 

Just one more week to work now and then I have vacation for a week, a real staycation, stay at home and do nothing special week. Will be very nice!

Cheers
E

NP: DEEP PURPLE - Slaves and Masters

 
 
 
 

Metal on Metal

I don't get it... I really shouldn't be restless now. I have tons of things to do at work, I've been working hard to catch up with the Metal Kaoz stuff and I've kept myself (and Peter) busy trying to figure out how to take care of the Void Mansion. It was great to get out too, the weekend when we went to Stockholm and Sandviken and got to go to a few concerts. It's actually very strange for me, Blaze/Dianno and Manowar were the first concerts since Malta Doom Metal Festival. Peter also got to see British Lion with Steve Harris (and said it was good) but for me I was in Stockholm when they played in Gothenburg and in Höör when they played in Stockholm. Of course there's been a lot of other things happening but still, I normally go to 1-3 concerts/week else. But either, I've been in Stockholm when the bands playing in Gothenburg or the other way around. The Gothenburg concerts happening in the weekends, and the ones in Malmö in the weeks.. Nothing has really gone my way!
But now it looks a bit better. I'm really looking forward to see Saint Vitus @ Loppen in Copenhagen on Easter Thursday. 

And then Helloween and Gamma Ray @ Arenan in Stockholm. 

My plans actually worked for me this time and I'll be working from Stockholm so I can see this one there. 
Then Keep It True is just a few days away. That will be amazing. I realized though I haven't really told my boss or my colleagues  I'll be out of office for a few days, or really, work from home half Thursday and off Friday... But it normally isn't any problems with that! We are rather busy though. 

One more thing I really would have wanted to join this time is the Sweden Rock Cruise. Would be very cool to get to see Queensryche with Todd LaTorre since he was awesome with Crimson Glory (Still a huge shame he quit CG though) and 220 Volts. Only seen them once and that was my first real concerts at "Folkan" in Hofors at the Swedish Monsters Of Rock tour in 1988!!! But not this time so I sure hope there will be more opportunities to see both bands in the future. 

But first a calm weekend to cure this damn cold so I can start to go to the gym again. I was really good at the beginning of this year as well as the last one, but then it has been up and down. I need to get back on track. Need it for my back and also to burn off the stress from work. So I sure hope I will be well enough next week.

Cheers
E

NP: ARIA - Blood for Blood

 

The demon god

ARGH, this damn cold just refuses to give up! I thought I was getting better by the end of last week but after a few hours walking downtown Stockholm Saturday changed that. Both me and Peter was frozen straight through both of us and afterwards our colds came back, mine in the worst way though. It must have been one of those man-colds!!! 
At least to cheer me up we got some good news for both Void Moon and Cult of the Fox. It seems like the Void Moon album "On the Blackest of Nights" will be available on vinyl in April, should be a good one.
Also, we got a releasedate for Cult of the Fox's second album "Angelsbane", that one will be out on CD on April 19th. AWESOME!!!

  
And also, title track "Angelsbane" is available as a sneak preview...

 
 
 But the weekend was really nice despite the cold!
The real reason for doing something special was because of my birthday, and Peter's a few weeks back too of course. The real plan was to see Blaze/Dianno in Stockholm Thursday, visit my parents Friday and celebrate a bit, see Candlemass, Wolf and Storyteller in Gävle Saturday and then go back to Sthlm for Manowar. Unfortunately the concert in Gävle was cancelled due to poor ticket sales they said. Really boring because I was really looking forward to see both Candlemass and Wolf. 

Still, we started off in Stockholm and warmed up for the show with some food. I couldn't really decide on a place since I was really hungry (missed lunch at work) so we sort of settled for the first place available. BBQ Place close to Hötorget, really nice food but it's not the coziest place. Peter took a Chili Burger but I had my mind set on Spare Ribs. The thing though, the dish was for 900g grilled BBQ ribs... Need I say I got stuffed?

 
The Blaze/Dianno concert was very nice too but Harry B James, as nice as it is to hang out at, really sucks as a concert venue. Hard to see anything if there's more than 20 people present. We were a bit lucky and got a table at a nice angle from stage and could stand on the chairs to see. The downside was that it was next to the door to the smoking area so it was very cold. But it was a nice evening, Nina joined me and Peter but unfortunately she had to leave just as Dianno started playing.

In Sandviken it still was winter and lots of snow. No new one though so no extra shoveling this time. We took the chance and went out for a walk in the sun too while up north, very cold but still nice because there was some warmth in the sun. These few moments just fed the irritation over winter, I'm SO SICK of the cold, sick of dry skin and electric hair... Still weeks of cold it seems like though.

Then we headed back to Stockholm, we had no real plan but since Peter haven't been there very much we thought we'd check it out a bit. Again we were way too hungry when heading out to find something to eat. Decided for the Pub Molly Malone around Odenplan. Nice food but both the Guiness and Kilkenny tasted sour, so only food and one drink there. Decided to go to Anchor afterwards instead. And it is just nice to sit there and hang and drink beer and watch people... Still an early night to be fit for the Manowar concert the day after. 

 
As mentioned, we went for a walk down town. The day looked very nice but damn it was cold! In Old Town a woman walked up to me saying "Hi Erika" and when I looked like a question mark she continued "now you need to think, don't you?". I couldn't for my life figure it out and search my brain for a reference, she was familiar but not more. It appeared to be an old schoolmate of mine which I don't think I've seen since the 9th grade or so... Strange and funny!'

But the Manowar concert was great!!! More on that on Metal Kaoz soon....

The only thing to complain about is that they don't allow any photographers at all. The light was great so it would have been a lot of fun to shoot it. The good thing though with absolutely no photos, no mobiles in the air either... No complains about anything when the band had left the stage though!

And also, in the misery of the cold, I got the new Vicious Rumors "Electric Punishment" for review! YEY!!! I know it will be better in a few weeks/months but it sure is kick ass already!!! So of course, this is the one that's been spinning ever since!

Well, back to coughing up alines...
Cheers
E

NP: VICIOUS RUMORS - Electric Punishment