Madman

Void Moon - The Mourning Son
Now available at youtube with some pics from the livegigs!


Check it ut!
Cheers
E

The devil in tights?

Peter left a few hours ago and took the cat with him! The cat will spend the weekend at Peter's parents cabin where he can be outside and sneak on stuff. It's mainly dry leafs and flies though. Feels very empty in the flat at the moment, Peter was at a course in Gothenburg Mon-Tue so he's been home for longer than normal. Now when both he and the cat is gone it became awfully quiet.

The sleeping beauty

Ok, the cat really thought it was morning around 4 am these weeks he has been here. He started meowing, scratching at doors and curtains. The only thing he wants is attention so as long as I move a little in he bed he galopps away. Sometimes it sounds it is a whole herde of ponnies in the flat. Then I made the mistake and forgot to change the alarm after my work day in Stockholm. It is NOT possible to say that to the cat so it was just to get up at 4:15 even if I didn't need to be at work until 8am... But he's so cute I can't stay mad at him!
Last weekend we had the first official gig with Void Moon, at Club 666 together with Pagan Rites in Gothenburg. Don't remember what the place was called for real but it was quite odd I can say. Everything turned out really good and the gig went really well. The soundcheck was good, there were a crowd in the place and all watching (except Onkel the Poop-man but that doesn't count) was nodding approvingly and all stayed throughout the show. Of course there were some wackos there, one guy tossed a dead seagull up on stage and another, dressed in leopard patterned banana-hamock's and shoes (only) fell straight out on stage... Don't know which of the two was the most traumatic!
But it was actually a huge difference in the quality of our preformance between this one and the ones at The Dock's Rock's Festival. I also got to bring my Marshall and the combination of that and the Black Beauty Mockingbird is awesome. One or two mor gigs now and then we're ready to kick ass at the Malta Doom Metal Festival in November.

Void Moon on Stage

Perhaps Tommy Folkesson didn't have Doom and Black Metal in mind when he started to modify the Marshall's. But they sure as hell are suitable for that type of music as well. I was just a little worried that something would go wrong with it during the night. My worry wasn't the bands, Simon was really excited to get to play it too. The problem, if any would absolutely come from the crowd.
It did and it was a few horrible miutes before I could check if it was the amp or anything else being the problem. It was actually the powercube where the amp was connected that was the problem. I think someone poured beer in it. The guy was actually climbing the stage messing around too. He didn't get far though. And the rest of the Pagan Rites gig was solved with Simon playing the Peavey instead, not really the same but better than nothing.

Simon & Thomas charged for the Pagan Rites gig

But it was a little strange to see the guys, Thomas especially all covered in Blood for the Pagan Rites gig... I haven't known him very long but it's absolutely not the impression I've gotten of him even if I know he's been playing with a lot of brutal bands. Pagan Rites did an awesome gig! Sounded really good!!!

Then everything has shaped up very good for the Cult Of The Fox record, "A Vow Of Vengeance". We picked up the Masters from Studio Fredman this weekend and got to listen to the final mastered result. Damn cool! They've done a very good job. It sounds great but still have the old school Heavy Metal feel over it.

Now we are working on the promotion packages, how to get the name out and choose the final details for the record. The photosession in the woods turned out fruitful, we have too many pictures to choose on so we haven't really agreed yet. This was one of my favorites but the others had a different opinion.

Photosession, photos by Petra Pilhjerta

The cover-painting is done too! It couldn't fit the title and the band better! Magnus girlfriend Anna has done an amazing job. It's so cool how she's managed to capture the exact right feeling in the colors and everything. Just look at the fox. It looks both curious and creepy at the same time.

The Cult of the Fox

The releasedate for the record is set to July 29th. So we will have a releaseparty together with the recordcompany, Metalbound records at Headbangers Open Air. Well, at least at our campsite but I think that's a cool move, absolutely the right place to promote it at least.

Now it's only one more day to go to work before it's time to go to Muskelrock. Gonna be awesome. Maybe I'll have a photo-mission too, Hands Of Orlac asked me to shoot them for their coming album. That can be cool! Very cool band atleast and it will be great to see them live again at Muskelrock!!!

I guess it's bedtime now! Need to have some rest before the last day at work, gonna be another freaky one I think...
(WHY THE HELL SHALL IT BE SO FUCKING DAMN HARD TO GET THE LAYOUT OK IN THIS BLOGG? IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IT OK... ARRRRGHHHH!!! Anyone has a suggestion for a better blogg-program???? This one SUCKS big time at least, I mean, I write and remove lines in the end and the WHOLE shit above keeps moving around, WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING WRONG)

Cheers

E

NP: Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know

Recordshoppers anonymous #1

What can be better on a Saturday night than update the record list, drink a little Wine and Whisky and listen to Metal??? Not many things beat that. But I realized one thing, I buy too many records to keep up listening to them as much as I want. Tonight I updated the list with CD's bought since the beginning of the year. Don't know the exact number but there are a few piles on the floor, tomorrows exercise to sort them into the shelf will not be as amuzing I suppose...

But at the moment the list is like this:

Number 666

CONFESSOR - Condemned

A very nice album I say. I didn't realize its greatness until a few years ago. I couldn't take the vocals back in the time. Listening to it a few years ago I realize the resemblances to Nevermore. Of course I liked it right off then.

Number 1000

DIO - Holy Diver

Do I need to say anything about this one? Fantastic album by a fantastic little man who left WAAAAAY too soon.

Number 1666

IGNITOR - Road Of Bones

One of the ones added today. I've been thinking of buying the Ignitor album for a very long time but it never happened. I don't know why because this is really fine Heavy Metal.

Number 2000

KALAPACS - Mitosz

Obscure some might say. Sure, it sounds very strange with the vocals in Hungarian. Still Kalapacs did one of the best performances at Keep It True some years ago. I just wish I'd listened to it more prior to the concert.

Number 2666

NASTY SAVAGE - Indulgence

Well, you shall see a lot before the eyes pop out. THAT almost happened at Thrash Assault Festival a few years ago when Nasty Ronnie all of a sudden decides to strip and plays most of the show in his undees. Cool dude, sure but the hunk factor isn't too high when it comes to Nasty Ronnie.

Number 3000

PRETTY MAIDS - Anthing Worth Doing

A mighty fine album from the Danish guys. One of the best I think in the more recent days.

Number 3666

SKYCLAD - Johah's Ark

Martin Walkyier's way with words has always been phenomenal. I've admired him since the early days of Sabbath, this album is no exception. Not my favorite Skyclad album perhaps but still a damn good record.

Number 4000

TORMENT - The Apparition

This one I bought at the same time as the Spellbinder albums. A quite odd recording. It has some real highlights but the sound is awful which makes it hard to actually take in the music. The Spellbinder albums though are really good, right in my taste of US Prog/Power Metal. Absolutely worth checking out.

Tomorrow I'll update the Vinyls too and the list will look very different again! What can I say!

HEAVY METAL IS THE LAW!!!

Cheers
E





NP - Hawaii - One Nation Underground

In The Gloom of the Void Moon

Well, there hasn't been much going on in here lately, there's a good reason for that!!! First, the situation at work has been worse than ever. It has been extremely busy days but a much better atmosphere than before christmas so the stress level hasn't been too bad. Still I've been completely exhausted when I get home in the evning.

The free time I've had has gone to practice guitar to be able to finish the recording of the Void Moon demo and the Cult Of The Fox album.

The first few copies of the new Void Moon demo "The Mourning Son" was tossed out/sold at Keep It True, coming back home again Peter dug into the Mix once more and adjusted the last few details. So now it's ready!!! The demo is available for download (or purchase) from the Void Moon web-page, or the Void Moon myspace.

The cover turned out quite cool I think, that little angel sure looks creepy!

Void Moon "The Mourning Son" cover

Then Void Moon's first ever gig took place at the Dock's Rock's Festival in Malmö on May 14th. Just a small gig but it went well. The concert was audiotaped so perhaps a live sample will be posted somewhere in the future.

Tonight the second gig will take place. A little bit bigger this time, @ Club 666 together with Pagan Rites in Gothenburg. Gonna be a lot of fun. I'm supercharged!!!

Me and Jonas rocking out

At the Dock's Rocks Festival Cult Of The Fox played too! After these two gigs I realaized (again) how damn much I like to play live. And how different it feels to play with Cult Of The Fox and Void Moon, it's equally fun but the feeling is completely different. Really hard to describe it though. But one thing is sure, I really want to get out and play, so if anyone has any suggestions or offers about gigs, LET ME KNOW!!!

Cult Of The Fox on stage

The recordning of Cult Of The Fox's debut album "A Vow of Vengeance" has also been finished. It was a lot of work, even if I didn't participate in the other guys recordning very much. It was fun and a cool receipt that I actually managed to play it once, then double it without any really big problems. But as always, I would have wanted a little more time to work on the solos and some of the harmonies...

At the end of last week all files and information was put together and I went to Studio Fredman to hand it over for Mix and Mastering. First of all, it felt so cool just to be in that studio. Henrik greeted me and wanted to check that everything was in place before I left. It sure sounds very different without any effects what so ever.

Then Henrik tapped a little on the keyboard to the Studio Computer and the mixer went zzzziiiiip and everning sounded absolutely amazing. So it sure feels like a right choice to put some money into the mix.
Then of course all the rest for the album must be prepared too. Magnus girlfriend Anna has been working hard on the coverpainting. I've just seen one draft of it but that one, half done looked GREAT. Also the photosession in the woods turned out quite cool. Of course the sunny weather might not fit in completely but at least there will be a few pictures we can use (I mean, where all looks cool) with some editing.

Cult Of The Fox photosession in the woods

Then, a week after KIT I went to Berlin to see Vicious Rumors with today's line-up. Sure KIT was cool as hell but I'm not satisfied until I've seen at least one real concert of the tour. Unfortunately I only had the possibility to go to one this time...

Vicious Rumors live @ Halford in Berlin

But Berlin was a blast! Cool opening acts in Rainborn and The Outside but they didn't really stand a chance towards Vicious Rumors. Damn they're good live. And then, to be at the famous Halford Café was awesome too.
It's good they're coming back in the fall, then I'll be damned if I can't make it to more than one show.

And they kicked ass as usual, thanks guys

Vicious Rumors latest release "Razorback Killes" has gotten some really good reviews in Europe! Which it truly deserve. But in the Swedish magazines the reception wasn't as hot. Strange I think. Ok, the first time I listened to it I thought it was the best album in the world. Then it fell and felt quite flat for a while. But it was the same with "Warball" as well. After the killer show at KIT I kept listening to "Razorback Killers" all week and it kept growing and growing for each spin, again just as "Warball". So the conclusion is, the swedish reviewers didn't listen enough!!!

A Vicious Rumors package arrived in my mailbox

Well, time to get ready for the gig now! Make sure I have everything and that the guitars are in shape!!! By the way, it felt so great to play my new Black Beauty Mockingbird!!! And tonight, even better, I'll be able to use not only the guitar, my transplanted Marshall JCM-800 Head too! That will be KILLLER!!!!

Cheers
E






NP: Vicious Rumors - Razorback Killers

Much about nothing

Yep, it's been extremely quiet here for a while now... The reason, it's been BUSY weeks. After Brazil a few days at home and then off on a road trip. Greece, Germany, Austria and Alingsås. Hehe, quite a difference between the places, that's right! Up The Hammers in Greece was awesome as usual. Nice days even though it was barely over 0 degrees when we arrived and it had been snowing just a few days prior to our arrival. But more on that later. Then Killfest and Nevermore in Hamburg, Transsiberian Orchestra in Vienna and Procession in Alingsås! Quite a trip!!! We've also been to London for the British Steel Festival, seen Manowar play (and not talk the concert to pieces) and Doro. Then, when we came back home it was a "super moon" in the sky. We really should have taken the photos in Alingsås instead because getting back to Borås again the moon was a little too far away to create a really cool effect.


The major reason why not taking any pictures in Alingsås prior to the Procession, Doom Dogs & Bombus gig was that I had a problem with my Compact Flash cards and wanted to have as many frames for the concert. Imagine the horror when loading the pics over to the computer after the first day of the Festival and the computer can not read the mere part of them. Then, trying again the card is empty. A Recuva - Filescavenger and Card Recovery session later I got back most of the pics at least but it was a real horror for a while. Didn't dare to load more pics to the computer before I got home using the real gear. So, the vacation money was spent on 3 new Compact Flash cards. One is comepltely broken but the others seem ok, I really need to test them. Then we've been recording the VOID MOON demo, titled "The Mourning Son" which is completed, only mixing left but I have to say it sounds VERY promising!!! Also, the recording of the CULT OF THE FOX record is in the makes. A little too early to say a lot about that one yet though. And then of course, there has been a lot of work too. Things are a little crazy at the moment. Think it will be so fr another few weeks before it settles down a bit. But then, I'm sure something new will turn up. So I sure as hell keep myself BUSY...

Today I went to the rehearse room to discharge a bit after a hard day at work, it's always nice to play LOUD after a hard days work. And after that, a beer and other goodies takes so nice!

Cheers E

NP: Saracen - Heroes, Saints & Fools

One for the road

Long time and nothing? Not really, I've been busy as hell lately. Work has been crazy in both good and bad ways. I really started to feel the stress level again and really tried to get out of office as soon as I could, which proved to be a lot harder than it sounds... But on the good side I got to go to Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil for a workshop. It sure as hell was nice to get away from the cold Swedish winter for a few days.


Ok, it was mainly work all the time but still as free it was possible to go outside and enjoy the heat for a few minutes. We were a bit out of luck with the weather though, no sun and mostly rain and a serious humidity level... But it was still so nice.

Chapirinah's are perhaps even tastier in the sun but I can't complain about the taste or feeling after sinking one! I wonder how good it is to drink a cup of booze with sugar really, ok a lot of lime too but I don't think that weighs it up the bad things. No matter what, it tasted good and felt really nice.

The pool area was quite empty, we tried to sit outside with our Chapirinah's but the bartender looked a little funny at us and just shook his head... So what, it wasn't raining at the moment. The Novotel also featured a gym which I went to EVERY morning of the stay. I'm really impressed with myself.

After the Chapirinah we went shopping. It gets more fun that way. I'm not really a shopoholic unless we're talking about records so I didn't buy much. Just some Cachaca to make my own Chapirinah's at home, snacks and sweets. That's the most fun thing to do, to go to the supermarket and just watch local stuff. The fruit section of this one smelled amazing, mango's, papayas and a lot more...

Maria and Jocke bought Hawaianas (flip-flops) for their friends and families. I thought of it too but I've hated those all my life. Don't like the strap between my toes. All I shopped for, except the snacks and booze was some scrunchies since I forgot all of them at home.

Then one of the nights we were invited to a traditional Brazilian dinnerparty, Churrascaria. A walking meat buffet really. The waiters come to your table and offer you different pieces of the cow (there's a "map" on the table so you know what you get), chicken hearts, pork ribs, long ribs, fish... Very nice meat but damn I got stuffed as hell.

After dinner it was time for desert. I'm not too much for sweet cakes and such things and since I was full already I tried to say no but I got my Papaya Cream anyway. The Brazilians said it was good for digestion. Damn that was nice, vanilla icecream and fresh Papaya with a touch of Cassis Cream Liqueur, extremely tasty.

That was about all we had time for... A few hectic days but really good. I learned a lot and got some energy back to work when I got home. It's also nice when you start to see other sides than the professional ones from your workmates. So it was a nice trip.

Though it felt a little bad going home without seeing anything but the office... On the other hand, that area provided one Hummingbird and some crazy flowers. A fig-infested tree and more. A lot of things to look at and the locals probably thought we were crazy. But what the hell...

The nature seems so amazing. It would be so cool to go to a trip through Amazonas, see all the creepy crawly's and vagitation. So hopefully this wasn't the last trip for me, maybe next time some sightseeing can be arranged too.

Then it was time to go back home again. On the way out I had the worst imaginable seat, couldn't move for 11 hours. That SUCKED!!! I took the opportunity to get myself a window seat which was, according to the blueprint of the plane, a bad one... Still it was 1000 times better than the first one. So the trip home was so much better, an no running from one gate to the other at the Frankfurt Airport either.

But then, arriving in Gothenburg again I realized my bag had been searched. Some things were stolen even, like all the snacks and sweets, a bottle of cachaca, my perfume and facecream and a little more. Sucks big time!

But at home I had some nice packages of records waiting for me. My plan was to pick it all up and have a pile of unopened boxes when Peter arrived. But first the luggage and then I was fooled (so I don't find my way around here yet) to let one of my colleagues off first, took almost 2 hours to get from the Airport and home instead of 30 minutes that's normal. Didn't want to do anything after that.

Devildriver, Onslaught, Darkest Era, Destruction, Fact,

Hellhound, Procession, Paul Chain, Vortex, Cauldron, Elixir,

Villain, Jaguar, Strider, Scheepers, MSG & Vicious Rumors

So then it was back to work for a few days before the REAL adventure started!

Cheers

E

NP: Martyr - For The Universe

Last day of winter

Well, I guess it's too much to say that the winter is over but at least it was for a few days for me... But more on that later.
Last weekend me and Peter visited my parents in Sandviken. Damn they still had A LOT of snow up there still. But I really think I prefer that compared to the ice skating streets we have here. It sure is a pain to walk when the streets are covered with ice.

But I managed to get to the station on time for the train Friday afternoon and everything seemed fine. No delays or anything. I partied away, celebrating pay-day and bought myself a Pondus comic book. It's really funny that magazine. Can be a bit embarrasing from time to time when I can't keep myself from laughing out loud reading it. Hilarious that comic, Pondus.

Friday treatment

Everything went smooth with my trainride but I didn't get any updates from Peter, he was flying instead since it's a little tricky and far more expensive to go by train from Malmö to Sandviken. He was scheduled to arrive in Gävle at a quarter to nine in the evening so I went there hoping everything was ok. It was and he turned up, apparently he'd forgotten the code to his cellphone and couldn't really start it again after the flight.

Mio the Cat sure is a cutie

Well at my parents place it was time for dinner and a glass of wine. Just a nice and relaxing evening. I needed that after all hard work during the week before. Then, when it was time to sleep, Mio the Cat had already occupied my bed. That is one of his favorite spots to sleep on. I tried to push him alway gently but he just stretched out a little more looking even more comfortable. It felt really mean to lift him up and carry him to another of his spots but I had no choise really. Then he just stood there and looked really surprised.

Sleeping the days away

The next morning he was meowing outside the door wanting to get into my bed again. But with me and Peter in a 90cm bed there's really no space for a big cat. So he had to wait until we got up before he could reclaim the bed.

After breakfast we took the opportunity to go to Gävle for a short trip. I had a few things to purchase and it's always nice to look through some records. Especially since there's NO recordstores what so ever in Borås. Ok, Skivlagret (which when bankrupt a few weeks ago) but no second hand or so anymore. We didn't do any real catches but found a few cheap ones at least. The cult store Petter & Lottas had sadly enough a closing sale but most was gone already. I bought some studbelts but they turned out to be really bad and the first one broke after just one day's use. Lucky they were really cheap!

Then Peter has an idea of collecting signs with his name on. Well, him in a picture with the sign that is. In Gävle there's a store named just as his cat, Strumpan... Right in the middle of payday Saturday with loads of people out on town we took the opportunity to shoot a pic. People were looking a little and Peter's comment was... Well, it felt ok until I realized there was ladies underwear in the window behind him!

Absolutely normal

But it was nice to be back in Sandviken for a while. Not that I miss it particularly much but it felt nice to be "home" and it felt just as good to travel away after a weekend. I miss the spontanious visits to my parents though.

Sunday lunch we took the train to Arlanda together. We had enough time to have a nice dinner and a fruity smoothie before our flights, Peter going back to Malmö and I'm heading really far west. I had a business trip to Sao Jose Dos Campos on my schedule. Need I say Peter was a little jealous of me getting away from winter even if it was just for a week.

A lemon flu fighter was nice

Even if I was thrilled about going to Brazil, the flight over the pond didn't lure a lot. 12 hours on a flight is hard...

Cheers

E

NP: Villain - Only Time Will Tell