Time is running out...

The ending is near...
Yes, it's THAT time of the year again when it's time to list my favorite albums released during the year.
It's hard... I don't think I've ever listened to as much music as I've done this year, been digging into some really strange stuff, nothing I'd picked out myself.  Many came in for review from record companies and some directly from the bands... I really love it but it feels like most other albums got lost in the massive bunch of Metal consumed.

Also, it has been times to revisit things from the past as Nazareth,  Deep Purple, Blue Öyster Cult... And I can't for my life understand why I don't listen to this more.

So, right now I have 4 that WILL end up at top 10, if it will be the Top 4 positions we'll see about, much can happen still. But, Vicious Rumors - Concussion Protocol,  Salem - Dark Days, Fates Warning - Theories of Flight and Sarasin - Sarasin are four that has been spinning like crazy and I think they all get better for each spin...

Then Testament, Glen Hughes, Pretty Maids, Running Wild, Them, Denner /Sherman, Metal Church, Anvil, Blaze, Martyr... Starting to do the list it will be massive!

It's all fun of course but a little tough also...

Cheers
E

Up, down, sideways

Ok, I know I can't go to every show I want and I can certainly not be in two places at the same time.  But... This coincidence becomes a little too much at once.

There's no doubt, we'll see Anvil but to know there's another killer-show on the other side of the wall it hard to melt. Kat were great at Muskelrock but they played rather late so my focus wasn't the best. Would have loved to see them again.
Both bands at the same venue, the same day feel like a joke...

Also, I saw a post that Ross Halfin was having an exhibition this past weekend, in Central London... Would have loved to see that one too. And with a chance to meet the master of band-photography would have been awesome.

It all become frustrating when things are within reach but still not achieveable.

No matter what, gonna be some awesome days...

Cheers
E

Wherever I may Roam

So, staycation has been very good. It's been nice to be home taking care of things pending for too long. The cats thought I was very annoying though running around the house like crazy cleaning up. And of course playing music all day long. Sleepy cats in the middle of the day and me messing around with laundry, dishes and all stuff like that.

I could easily have taken another week though, not done with the laundry (damn we have many Metal-Shirts) nor the cleaning since the week at home was interrupted with concerts.
Saxon with Phil and Mikkey in Ljungbyhed at the Lemmy 500 race. Very cool event.

Then I was on and off about seeing Kip Winger in Copenhagen Tuesday. Mainly since we were seeing Joe Lynn Turner the day after. Bur we ended up going to both and I'm really happy we did. Kip was fantastic, both me and Peter was completely floored by his performance. Joe Lynn Turner was really good too but the setlist left more to wish for. But from a performance perspective it was great too.

I also decided I was going to take a walk in the mornings, so atleast the days it wasn't raining I was out for about an hour. (yes, 3 of 5 days I could get out + today) It felt good to get out and even better afterwards. It builds energy which is needed to motivate the cleaning activities.

And, I finally got time to do the apple-sauce. Home-apples and the old house-assistant from Electrolux I got from my parents. Mid 70's it should be from if remember right. It worked fine and it all turned out great. Also, the apples were so sweet by themselves I almost didn't have to add sugar. Recommended was 2-4hg per liter sauce but after less than 1hg it was enough.

Well, back to Discogs now and dig for more Winger and Joe Lynn Turner records. Was about to order from Cleopatra Record directly but $70 postage for a $35 order is crazy! I'll check with my personal shopper first. Patrik will most likely sort it out the best way possible.

Cheers
E

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

 
 
 
 

Hoards of Chaos

Ok... Managed to time in the doctors conference week in Stockholm again this year so the hotel of choice wasn't really my first on the pick list. Last year I ended up at Sky City at Arlanda Airport and for the Eurovision Song Contest I think it would have been Healthier to sleep on the park bench outside the hotel rather than in the room.
Now I got the Sofo Hotel on Ringvägen, it's actually very nice and cozy but no membership program or anything like that...

Anyway, the point was the offer on TV, an orgie in Hoarders on Fox. Else I could see SVT 1, 2 and 4... Not so much. It seems so crazy that people go bananas over plastic boxes, rotten food, old newspapers and so. Garbage really. Others had more real stuff to collect and then I started thinking how I would react if someone came into my house saying I can't keep my records and guitars? Or take the cats away. Family goes first of course and still everything is neatly stuffed away in shelves and rehearseroom. Not causing danger in the house for anyone. Thinking of my flat in Gävle though no rubbish on the floor as these people has, but the space was used to the max. 

Another show on TV is about people who overconsume according to their incoming assets. I'm of course not there either even if there's new records coming in weekly... I just wonder how I would react if ending up in a situation where I hardly can afford to keep the house. Or that the government decides the house is a hazard because of too many things... 

Well let's hope nothing of this becomes a reality anytime soon so I can keep buying music and keep the scene alive.

Cheers E 

Doomsday News

It feels like it was aeons ago we released "Deathwatch" but I guess that's how it feels when work has been ongoing for so long. And when all the frustration has gone and the album actually showed up in the Void Mansion it was more like, oh well...
And of course, not much has happened since April but I guess that's the case for most bands also.

Until now that is. Within a few weeks great reviews showed up in both Deaf Forever and RockHard. 8/10 in both magazines which just feels crazy. I mean, I'm really proud of the release, it's not that. I put a lot of effort into the guitars and to have John Cobbett putting a solo on it was a huge inspiration for me. It still feels a little surreal though, mainly to be IN those mags. I've been buying RockHard for years, even if I don't speak much German. And when Götz took some of the crew and started up Deaf Forever I signed up for a subscription right away. And now this...

Last summer festival is approaching also. It sure has been a great summer. It was definitely the right decision to see all bands I haven't seen before at SRF, well... The classic ones. Not my cup of tea all of it but still cool to have seen it. Vanilla Fudge, King Kobra, Hawkwind, Eric Bell. I also took the opportunity to see Grand Slam, high profile coverband but it sure was good. Perhaps they played a little late though. I'm still trying to catch up though. The momentum I had in the beginning of the summer isn't really there. But it's ongoing at least and hopefully the reports should be up rather soon. I applied for another weeks vacation today so I'll have that one as a back-up too. But it was long since it was this much fun with Concerts, Festivals, Records (which shows in the livingroom, almost out of space), Reviews... And of course Photos! Sometimes I just want to puke when I have 50-60 pictures open from a show. At least before realizing what a cool selection I have to put together a series of 15-20-25 pictures. Some are of course very similar but with those kind of batches, variation should be good too. But it is damn boring to save them to the archive once the editing is done. All coming on Metal Kaoz in the coming weeks/months.

Cheers
E

NP: THEM - Sweet Hollow

 

Bastards with a Masterplan

Well... There was no brilliant Masterplan, just a paint-job on one of the walls in the livingroom. We talked about it a while ago and it gavel me a break in the photo-editing.
To paint wasn't a big deal, took an hour or so but to cover up the things that shouldn't be painted was no piece of cake with two curious cats "helping" with tape and paper.

But it turned out really well and it looks good with the furnitures back in place. The dumb thing is that the cats won't leave the display shelves alone, the flash Motörhead statue has been pushed to the floor once already. Need to glue it to the shelf I guess...

And yes, while editing photos I've been listening to the new VICIOUS RUMORS album. Got it for review and what a Monster of a record it is! Can't wait to get to hear the songs live! November come soon...

Cheers
E