One night in B....

Compared to what I've read about Romania in Swedish press over the years it feels like I've travelled to a completely different place. Everything published has been very negative. Of course we've been here less than 24 hours just but until now everything has been great. Romania is a very friendly country.

Yesterday we went out for some local food and beers, which was really nice! Eating delicious sausages and cheese pie... Sounds nice, eh? It was!

We also went to Private Hell rock/metal pub! Cool little place with very good music. A lot of goodies which never is played out in bars at home!

We left quite early though, needed sleep since we had to get up at 5am to catch our flight here. But now we're boosted and ready for Old Grave Fest!

Cheers
E

And the Festival season continues...

Yes, the intention was to continue to write about all Festivals I was going to visit this year just after the last posting about Festivals. But ok, now I know what I will go to. Still there are a few things open before the full autumn schedule is set...

As usual it's a really freaky fall, and it will be an expensive one. Within a week I've gotten 3 really big packages of records, mainly new ones and more is coming in. I'm really looking forward to the new Sanctuary album. Still bummed out I coudn't go to Turock Open Air...

But, next up it seems to be Accept. I really like "Blind Rage". I must admit it took a while for it to settle but it sure is one hell of an album. The question now is how many concerts I can catch! Copenhagen is definite but then we'll see if I can catch the Gothenburg show also. Always worth the effort, that's for sure.

Then I assume it is time for The Haunted in Malmö

 

And then, something really special for me. For the first time ever we're going to Romania and Old Grave Fest. Everything is booked and the line-up sure is a killer. They also brag about being the Cheapest Festival experience ever, we'll see about that. Anyway, Old School Swedish death and new with Grave and Entombed AD. Also Root, Manilla Road; Cancer and Desaster... A line-up like that can't fail!

And hopefully, a weekend in Bucharest means some more summer days. And if not, Malta should. But moving forward too fast. First we're going to Dutch Doom Days to play with Void Moon. Awesome line-up of the day we're playing but I really hope we can spend as much time as possible at the Festival!

And then, it will be time to go to Malta!!! I'm really looking forward to see Desolation Angels again, they really kicked ass at Metal Magic Festival so that will be great. And to get another chance to see Manilla Road is very cool. Actually it will be three times in 6 months since we're going to Up The Hammers in March as well.

Also Victims of Creation and Forsaken will be awesome to see again. Two favorite bands coming out of Malta and they're doing shows that ends up on the top of the year every time.

And then it's just the regular concerts... Saxon, Trouble, Saint Vitus... Busy busy!!!

Cheers
E

NP: Hellion - To Hellion and Back

 

 

 

I know how men feel now...

Because I think I caught a man-cold... I feel very miserable and frustrated, sneezing and coughing like crazy. Also, I was stupid enough to not listen to Peter on Monday morning so I actually drove to work and now I'm stuck in my shoebox flat in Borås. No records and nothing in the freezer. And worst of all NO COFFEE in the morning... (The Horror)
Even if I'm not well I've decided to take a few meetings over phone for work, mainly because it's easier to live with that than to rebook all other busy people in the near future. 
But without coffee in the morning I felt like this;

(yes, I stole it from internet...)

Lucky for my colleagues they weren't close before I could go out and shop for a cup of coffee I tell you...

 

I've boosted up for tomorrow though to not have to go through the same thing again.

 

Anyway, I'm not completely out of Metal here even if the selection is very limited to what I brought to listen to in the car. New The Haunted, sounds amazing, disappears a bit in the middle though, songs just becomes a big mash but beginning and end of the record is kick-ass. Also, I think it needs more than 2 spins to settle so I shouldn't say to much about it yet. Same thing goes for Entombed A.D. and Wolf, that I shouldn't say too much but both sounds amazing and will easily make it to the selection for album of the year (the pile for that should be extensive this year and there's so much more to come).

 

Else I'm working hard on catching up. My new computer is installed at home with a new monitor and the Photoshop CC as well as Lightroom 5 handles .raw files from both my cameras. And damn there's a difference. 

 

Deep Machine from Keep It True with my old camera;

And Kansas from Gothenburg with the new one;

Perhaps not the best way of checking to add pictures adjusted for web to compare but the feeling with the new camera is so good. Also, to be able to push the ISO has showed to be very efficient for concerts to get faster shutter-speed and increase the sharpness in the picture. And no, the grain is not that huge pushing it as it was with my old camera. So of course the EOS 5D MkIII wins but I really like the EOS 50D still, the built in flash comes in handy still, since it is very dark in smaller clubs and flash is a necessity to get any pictures at all. Now, to complete my wishlist is to get a real fish-eye lens. Have my eyes on a Canon L 8-16 which can't fail but the guy at Rajala Photo really recommended the Sigma 10-20 also as a very good one and more usable (Peter still looked a bit bothered when I tried it out in the store though, camera was a bit too close to his face to be ok...) Price is half off on the Sigma compared to Canon so the main question is if I want the lens NOW or I can wait for next years Festival season and save some money and buy the Canon...

I really want this week to be over now, first because I hope that my cold will be gone to the weekend. Also that we have a Void Moon rehearsal planned. Dutch Doom Days are coming closer so we really need to get in shape NOW! Also, one big package from Pure Steel (Project Terror and more) and from TPL should have arrived until then!!!  

Now I'll go back to self-pity here!!

Cheers
E

NP: Serpent Venom - Of things Seen & Unseen