October 30, 2023 Swedish Industrial Metal masters Deathstars made an appearance in Tampere, Finland along with Priest and King Satan. Although it was a Monday, the venue was packed (some people even in costume for Halloween, beyond the normal dress code of latex and chains). A hometown gig for King Satan as a proper send off for their European tour with Gothminister, the audience was filled with friends and fans from the beginning. Priest was an incredibly pleasant surprise, with no expectation, they hit hyperdrive on the dark party atmosphere and you would have never guessed it was a Monday night! The vocalist even sauntered through the audience as he sang, blessing (cursing? exorcising?) random audience members. Although it seemed to take a few songs for Deathstars to get into the mood (specially after the incredibly entertaining and energetic Priest), about a third of the way through the gig, it was a visible metamorphosis as one by one they slipped into the vibe of the night. Tantalizing, hypnotizing and teasing the audience. One twitch, and Andreas Bergh went from seeming a bit tired and unsure to dominating the venue. Shushing the audience on command, then simply yelling “Hands!” or “Scream”as desired. It was a perfection for the season.
Photo Report: Nummirock 21-24.6.2023 in Kauhajoki, Finland Photography by Serena Solomon
This year, Nummirock was back to its full glory. Last year, it seemed people were still getting back to the swing of things and/or still too cautious to even attend the festival since the pandemic. This year, the party was kicking off already on Tuesday. The forest side of the campgrounds were almost completely full a day before the festival even started! Some notable things that have evolved this year included more tiny cabins through out both camp grounds for those who prefer four walls to tents, as well as spots designated for electricity hook ups for caravans. The food options were also kicked up a notch, and pleasantly surprising options could be found from hatsapuri (kind of like a giant calzone) to sushi! There was also a really nice selection of small breweries being represented and a good selection of alcohol all around. Probably the most exciting evolution this year was the Klubi stage. They definitely invested in it way more this year and it really paid off from the performers and audiences perspective!
Day 1 highlights: Kalmah started the festival off with a bang! Probably the biggest send off for Nummirock I have witnessed. Not only was it great to hear some of their new songs live, the old songs, absolute classics, sent the whole crowd into festival mode. Although Vermilia is a somewhat newcomer band, they are shooting straight to the top of people’s “favorite acts” list, and with good reason! A perfect blend of black, pagan and folk, elegant yet powerful sound and an incredibly impressive multi-talented vocalist who sings beautiful cleans, brutal growls AND plays the flute (as well as shaman drum)! Hope to see these guys on the Infenrno stage during an epic sunset next year.
Photos: Kalmah,Vermilia,Mors Subita,Elvenking
Day 2 Highlights:
Brymir were selected by the gods to be the “epic music in the rain” band this year. Although they were the first band of the day, they dominated the main stage! It was really great to FINALLY see them on a main stage, their energy and sound finally felt like it could fit the space they were in! Havukruunu was one band I was looking forward too but was surprised how perfectly they fit at this festival. Specially since it was overcast and a bit gloomy, their darker sound and pagan black metal aesthetics provided a perfect dose of melancholy to the Finnish midsummer celebration. It was also great to see a few non-Finnish acts tearing up the Inferno stage (Born of Osiris and Aborted) after so long. Although I wasn’t surprised by the greatness of Stam1na‘s live performance (they never disappoint), I was really amazed how, although they were the final act of the day on the main stage, they still interact so intimately with the crowd it feels like a club gig. I Am The Night provided the continuing tradition of midnight black metal mass on the Inferno stage. They were a perfect way to close out the first full day of the festival, shrouded in smoke and shadows through the whole performance with the backdrop of the eternal blue hour of midsummer.
Photos: Brymir, I Am Your God, Havukruunu, Finntroll, Stratovarius, Aborted, Azaghal, Stam1na and I Am The Night
Day 3 Highlights: Unforntunately I was only able to catch one of the Wacken Metal Battle bands, but it seems Omnivortex was the only one needing to catch. They ultimately won, and are going to Wacken this year! I was impressed by their gig, they had a solid performance and enough energy and charisma to fill a main stage! Gutalax was an incredibly unexpected highlight. Maybe the best part of the whole gig was seeing the Nummirock crew having such a blast throwing toilet paper over the whole crowd! But damn, I still wonder why Gutalax has not played Nummi before. They have the perfect energy and aesthetic for the festival. It was hilarious to walk through the camp grounds before the gig and see so many people suiting up in hazmat suites and covering themselves in toilet paper to prepare for the gig. Droves of white suited, toilet paper clad, toilet brush carrying warriors heading to the battle of Gutalax on the Inferno stage, what a sight!It was also great to see Bloodred Hourglass on the main stage. They have risen quite high recently and it shows. They fill in the main stage space perfectly and are an obvious crowd favorite. Misþyrming were one of my personal favorites. I was surprised though, how many others seemed to agree. I was under the impression they might have been a bit niche black metal for Nummi but it seemed they were an unexpected highlight for many. Maybe the hidden gem of the entire festival! It seemed the Inferno stage had the strongest acts of day 3. Vader had the entire festival on its toes, they probably should have been on the main stage! And, to close the day, Before the Dawn. Despite some technical difficulties, they put on the most memorable performance of the festival (next to Behemoth). The midsummer evening sky, pyros, Paavo’s entrancing voice and the driving music provided an intoxicating cocktail of midsummer metal. Their comeback has been exceptional and their new album is so on point. I feel a bit spoiled to have the opportunity to catch them multiple times this summer, but no show will top the Inferno stage night cap at Nummi!
Photos: Enemy Inside, Omnivortex, Gutalax, Bloodred Hourglass, Misþyrming, Vader, Beast in Black and Before the Dawn
Day 4 Highlights:
The final day started out light with Viikate, though I felt they may have been better a bit later in the day when everyone had fully woken up. Bloodywood was nothing like I expected but only positive things to say about them. I had no expectations on their live show, and based on the music I had heard, I expected more of a party band, but they had such a mature presence, chill and light-hearted at times but an undercurrent of somberness. Their speeches between songs had the whole audience silent and listening to their words, really following what they were saying and understanding their messages. Real messages that connected their music to the good and bad going on in the world. They created a really unique atmosphere I had never experienced at Nummi or maybe any other festival, how wholly they captivated the audience. Vorna filled up the tent stage even before they started playing. They’ve evolved their live show more to showcase their new music beautifully, from intro to outro. The whole audience was singing along to both new and old music, and at times swaying together as if one entity. Asking Alexandria brought a lot of people to their nostalgic knees, but they were much more enjoyable than I had anticipated. It was nice to ride the nostalgia train a bit… maybe that is one element that was missing from Nummi this year. But then, Behemoth. This was a gig I will have trouble conveying my thoughts and feelings into words. Absolutely beyond expectation, and not just because of the epic pyros and massive stage setup. You could take all that away and I think the feeling would have been the same. Mind you, they definitely did bring the most elaborate stage setup I have ever witnessed at Nummi… but their sound and overall vibe is and might be unmatched for years to come when it comes to Nummi finale’s. Even though they signature fireworks didn’t happen, now that I think back they really didn’t even need to happen. Hands down the most iconic, monumental show I have witnessed in my 8 years of attending Nummirock. The only thing I have negative to say about it was that the sound could have been louder, more driving. But honestly, the feeling is what stuck with me. They are going to have a hard time topping that one.
This year, Tuhdimmat Tahdit festival was held in Ratinanpuisto, Tampere 16-17.6 . Two days of both local and international acts brought a diverse array of bands to the small festival. A smooth way to transition into festival season. Though the smaller stage had constant technical difficulties , there was very limited seating in the shade, and there were some long lines for water during the hottest hours of the day, it was a cozy festival for city center attraction.
Day 1Highlights – Verikalpa were a great band to get things rolling. They always have great energy and produce an atmosphere that draws you in. Unfortunately, people were still trickling in and they didn’t have such a large crowd but it was one of the more solid performances of they day. Although Transworld Identity were the first to experience the bad luck of the smaller stage with technical and sound issues, they powered through and provided a bit more palatable sound for those who are not into heavier music. Ensiferum seemed to be the real start to the festival, with most of the attendees finally in, and still getting into the groove. Though once ‘Lai Lai Hei’ started, people moved forward in unison as if drawn by strings and from then on the energy kept up. Bloodred Hourglass is starting to really take off! I’d even go so far as to say they were the unofficial headliner of the day. It was heartwarming when Jarkko, their vocalist, asked how many had never seen them before, and welcomed them to the ‘family’. Lordi was the predicted yet never dull show stopper. My personal first time seeing and shooting them and damn, what have I been missing! A personal highlight for me, and many others! It would be great to see more of them but, as Mr.Lordi made clear, he’s not getting any younger – using the example of almost forgetting to throw his confetti! Mors Subita also put on a solid show. Despite the beating sun, raging heat and sound issues, they still gave one of the most full throttle performances I have ever seen from them! Dead by April was definitely a highlight for many, as they were only main stage act to come from abroad. The band themselves also seemed ecstatic to be back in Finland, and definitely showed it with their performance! Diablo was also another classic, and really great to finally see their newer music live! One note about the layout of the festival was that it was pretty cool to be able to watch what was going on at one stage even if you were in the front waiting for the act coming on the next stage. Beast in Black is a crowd favorite to the max. Their cheesy rock star moves and intimate crowd connection make for a great show, and damn, the tiny TINY details that go into their set decorations! Mind-blowing!
Day 2 Highlights – Although the opening band of Day 2, Carnival Academy, also not have such a huge crowd, the fans there were there were enthusiastic as hell! Smallest mosh pit I’ve ever seen! Maybe next year they should start the festival later and add a third day? Anyway, they were much more solid than their aesthetic let on! And had a much more mature, and promising sound as well. They even had a little party trick with their mascot of a horror clown going around handing out clown noses with “CA” painted on them. It was fun and professional at the same time. Antony Parviainen Trio plays Iron Maiden stopped me in my tracks. Way more than I could have ever expected! Who knew Iron Maiden performed by a talented vocalist, upright bass, cello and acoustic guitar could sound so magical! It was beyond perfection and I cannot wait to see them again. Similar to the previous day, the festival atmosphere started kicking up when Turmion Kätilöt hit the stage, even though I believe that was the earliest time of day I have ever seen TK play! I have to say, ShagU (Saku)’s show has matured a LOT since the earlier years of him playing in TK. I feel there is a definite line now between his Fear of Domination and TK stage presence. I look forward to seeing them both soon to see how else the performances will evolve. Both Wolfheart and Before the Dawn felt like the unofficial festival headliners. On top of Tuomas Saukkonen (who is the founder and has multiple roles in both bands) being a multi-talented superhero, both bands gave extremely strong performances and were epic in their own way. Of course, Wolfheart has been more familiar in recent years, so they have the solid following. But Before the Dawn has recently made a comeback, including their new extremely talented vocalist Paavo Lapotti, who not only has an other-worldy voice, but great charisma and stage presence as well. They were one of my most unanticipated favorites, and now strive to see them any chance I can! Shereign was another of my personal highly anticipated acts. Although they did experience the bad luck of the small stage on a major, show stopping scale, they all had magnificent spirit and didn’t let the issues dampen their fun or energy. It was an honor to witness as I believe it will be their only gig this summer. All the love to them! Brymir also suffered show stopping (or show delaying) technical difficulties, but, in true Brymir fashion, it resulted in a very special, once in a lifetime opportunity for Viktor and the guys to show off their epic rap improvisation skills! After what felt like 10 minutes, things got worked out and the show went on, including the infamous Steve the fish being thrown so hard around the mosh pit, it could be seen flying higher than the stage, in a video taken from across the river from where the festival was being held! Mokoma, being a summer festival veteran band, had a predictably huge crowd, and although they seemed to also be suffering sound difficulties, Marko, their vocalist seemed to be singing his lungs out, as the other members played one of the most driving shows in my memory of their live shows. They are currently celebrating the 20 year anniversary of their classic album Kurimus. Closing out the smaller stage, Swallow the Sun. They were one of the few lucky bands to not experience any issues on the small stage, and deserving as always, of the flawless show they gave us. A short but sweet set built with a solid mix of old and new, at a decent enough time of day that the blaring sun didn’t kill the mood. I even got so wrapped up in the music for the first few minutes it was difficult to make my arms do the things they needed to do with the camera. But that is a normal reaction for me. There are no words for how much I appreciate this band and anything more I would have to say would come straight out of bias. So, on to the finale! Battle Beast! They are stunning and captivating as always, although it has sadly been way too long since I personally have seen them live. I really wish they were doing more festivals in Finland this summer but we can’t have everything! Beyond their flawless show, and spot on charisma, they had such a great connection with the audience and each other as well, one has to really work not to enjoy watching them. In all honesty, I think them being the final act for the festival was a bit unbalanced, they were maybe too good to be the closing act for this kind of festival!
LIVE REVIEW by Carina Lawrence / Dark Art Conspiracy
Guns N’ Roses, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, played to 60,000 fans at the sold-out BST Hyde Park London event that they were headlining on Friday the 30th of June and what a night to remember.
The BST event had a great festival vibe with food and drink vendors galore and is the perfect setting for hosting massive music events in the revered Hyde Park. The amount of Gun N’ Roses t-shirts amongst the crowds was impressive. Although expected as the headliners, it was still a sight to behold with all ages donned in merch; all united and there for the same reason.
January 20, 2023 we in Tampere, Finland were lucky enough to catch not only the first show of an epic European tour, but also the first ones to hear Katatonia‘s much anticipated 13th full-length albumSky Void of Starslive, on its release day! Pakkahuone was sold out long before the gig in Helsinki, although that too was eventually a sold out show.
Hailing all the way from across the pond, SOM from the US opened the night with a flurry of ethereal doom-pop-shoe-gaze sounds emanating from a smoke clad stage. It felt as if their sound pulled those still trickling in slowly forward as if on a string. Their sound and presence gave me similar vibes to Hangmans Chair…. but replace the grit and grime with fluffy clouds and you get SOM. Hangmans Chair meets Deftones.
Next up was Icelandic cowboys of metal Sólstafir. Although it has been over two years since their last release, it was still fresh and new to see live. We all know why. Their gig flew far beyond my expectations. I could never have imagined such an attention grabbing, spectacle of a show after years of listening to their music. It was intriguing to see how all the members have their own style and pace on stage, yet it all blends together seamlessly. At times it felt as natural as if watching them during a jam session in someones garage. Sæþór with his chiller than chill guitar playing in the shadows, to Aðalbjörn’s most eccentric front man agility, there was not one single dull moment. They also had a special (local?) guest come on stage to play the saxophone live.
Katatonia was another first for me. It was really astonishing how all three bands had a totally different sound and stage presence yet they fit together in one lineup. Katatonia was more of a performance. All the members flowed together on the same page, not as if over rehearsed but just incredibly in sync and with the same level of passion. That dry Swedish stage humor that is becoming more and more familiar to me was hidden a bit under, maybe nerves, of playing all this new material for the first time, but it was there. Jonas’s vocals have such unimaginable soul and yet a subtle flare of eccentric charisma (fueled by his walking around the stage as if arguing with himself, and classy wine glass). The backing vocals also added a beautiful undercurrent of raw emotion that the recorded versions of these songs just couldn’t portrey. It was an honor to be the first to see these new songs live, and a real pleasure to finally be able to hear a few old classics live (not to mention to achieve the impossible of photographing Mr. Renkse’s face on stage!)
Talvihelvetti, the winter sister of Saarihelvetti summer festival that takes place on Viikinsaari, an Island in a lake in Tampere, Finland. This year, Talvihelvetti was a heaping warm bowl of comfort food for the ears and eyes. Bands we know, love and cant get enough of. A metal extension to the comfort of the holidays, or the finale some look forward to, to get through the noxious and relentless jingles and cheer.
Although the lineup was traditional for the Tampere metal fest scene, all the bands had a pleasant mix of new and old. Aside from Brymir being the band with the most recent album release, and the excitement of seeing their new songs live, Fear of Domination brought back their glow paint along with a tweaked live setup to accommodate their missing drummer. Finntroll also put a new spin on their live set up with new stage gear, including an epic smoking ram skull. Both Detset and Mors Subita brought the energy from the summer festivals indoors, and played a surprisingly genuine and enthralling set as well. Most memorable moments personally was how cozy Brymir’s set was, maybe it was being home after their long European tour that made them give off such a friendly familiar vibe, as if we were all just hanging out in their living room (not to mention throwing fish into the mosh pit), and the crowd during Finntroll. Not only was it the first time I’ve experienced the “rowing” trend happen at an indoor gig, the whole audience seemed to partake in that or mosh pits at some point. It was a different feeling of coziness, even in the larger space of the venue.
Dark Art Conspiracy 
You must be logged in to post a comment.