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BRUTAL ASSAULT #25 – DAY II REPORT

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The festival is over now and after bringing you the first day already, we got little more calm and piece to bring on another days. So here is the second one, Wednesday. The second day started with Czech band Sceletons. Guys present themselves as thrash death crossover and I totally agree. Even more, main vocalist and guitarist seems to be a really big fan of Chuck Schuldiner, which he borrowed vocal from. At least to my ears. Guys were really awesome. From the same genre, Heathen from US played their stuff, too. Call me crazy, but I have heard vocal from Iron Maiden a bit. The second day and am I nuts already, or deaf? At the very same day Czech Schizophrenia and D.R.I. closed thrash metal line-up.

Sceletons, Heathen

From old school to the new one. Core genres (especially the brutal one) were pressed into us by Lorna Shore. Guys had a hell of an audience, and their heavy deathcore with brutal and guttural vocals hit like a giant hammer! Bit behind, brutality wise, we could hear both lovely and heavy vocal of beautiful Tatiana and Jinjer. Djenty Tesseract also played at the afternoon.

Tesseract, Jinjer, Lorna Shore

Good ol’ brutality from years back were given to us by the Bloodbath on afternon and legendary Cannibal Corpse in the night. The stage was packed really tightly, tons of people definitivelly looked forward to see and hear these immortal butchers. Earlier, Misery Index made other fans really happy with their fast grind.

Cannibal Corpse, Bloodbath

We also witnessed some more experimental stuff by Igorr or Strigoi. The frontman appeared next day in other legendary band – Paradise Lost. No wonder Strigoi gave us some interesting heavy crust crossover with a doom song as a bonus. Imperial Triumphant trio was another more experimental band. Their combination of really jazzy approach (bass especially) with some black metal and masks were something many people waited for. The concert was even spiced more, when the E string of the guitar snapped shortly after the start of the show. He managed well even without it. Another not so metal band was Me and That Man. This bluesy concert was great for every fan of Nergal, as well as for everybody, who just wanted to chill from the extreme stuff.

Me and That Man, Strigoi, Imperial Triumphant

Another star appeared here for the first time. Bobby Liebling of Pentagram made lots of people (me included, especially) very happy with his old and heavy doom legacy, funny faces and lots of energy. Hard to believe he manages it in his age! With doomy aspect but more progressive, Czech Elbe was playing on afternoon. Many people waited for melancholical and calm French guys from Alcest, tho this set was much more intense due their last album. For fans of even more sadness and pain in the music, Amenra played their very heavy slow set, which was thick as the swamps in an abandoned wood. late in the night and we could hear the songs from various albums with nice classical projection behind them.

Amenra, Alcest, Pentagram, Elbe

One of the highlights of the day was the theater of Japanese cult band, Sigh. Their combination of occultism, black and thrash metal with blistering fast and cool guitar solos was really top and smaller stage suited them great for their rituals. Dark Funeral played lately that night, too. The night was closed by French black metal inspired horde Regarde les Hommes Tomber. It was 2 A.M. but there was still big pack of people craving to see the guys and party on to the morning hours as well.

Sigh, Regarde les Hommes Tomber

The most important guys – fans

brutal assault, concert photos, featured, festivals, Front News, Live Report, news, photo report

Brutal Assault #25 – DAY I REPORT

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At last! After two years of nothing, the gates of 25th Brutal assault open to us and here are some bands giving us their best. As usual, we witnessed little longer quevesat start, but nothing that we could not withstand. Some stuff was done at the last minutes as the ceilings on the balconies, but at least everyone could see what it takes to prepare festivals this big. So here goes the Tuesday.

Fans rules!

After little adaptation getting some tasty food in various of tents, both with meat meals but also vegan options, which is quite standard now, we could see the first artists performing in one of four stages. The start (at 2.15p.m.) was quite mild and not so in your face. Japanese metalcore of Sable Hills gave us some more melodic stuff so our skulls were not crashed immediatelly. After that the hardcore crossover Slope was pumping some positive energy into people as well as exotic Bloodywood with their combination of ethnical vibes and metal music.

Slope, Bloodywood

Some heavy hitters were delivering the best tho and that was Devourment from Texas with their brutal death metal. And they were not the only one in the day. Later on, Extermination Dismemberment and Korpse showed some nice work with a public and forced the people cheerfully to do some moshing, stage diving and even wall of death with their guttural rich music. Little less intense with brutality, but with added melodies, Rivers of Nihil played on one of main stages. Vola or Czech Avatar was even further in progressive approach with their music. At The Gates continued with the milder aspect of the genre later in the night.

Devourment, Extermination Dismemberment, Rivers of Nihil, Korpse

Two bands of another direct metal subgenre could be heard. Classical thrash metal from California, Vio-lence showed themselves in nice lights with their fast show and also another local band Exorcizphobia gave us some thrashy riffs.

Vio-lence

Slower, but surely not weaker kind of stuff was represented by another, quite a new, Czech band Můra who looked like their motto is: Blood, corpsepaint and wine. Doomy steam-roller combination of doom death and black metal (mostly visually) was damn good, if you are in this kind of music and little smaller Bastion stage (new, instead of Octagon one) suited them well, too.

Můra

Later on the Pallbearer stayed in the genre as well as Evoken who represended slow funeral doom as if the time has almost stopped when heavy down-tuned riffes have been played.

Pallbearer, Evoken

Stay tuned for next days reports! Thanks.

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PHOTO REPORT: EVANESCENCE, CYAN KICKS and TIGRESS

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Photos and report by Serena Solomon

Evanescence played at Nokia Arena in Tampere, Finland this past June. They had also planned to play Rock in the City Helsinki but the festival was unfortunately canceled. Thankfully they were still able to play the brand new arena with supporting acts, Brittish rockers Tigress and home country stars Cyan Kicks. It was great to see so many people show up on a Sunday evening to support these three kick ass bands. Specially Evanescence, who don’t come to Finland often. My personal history with the band dates back almost 20 years, running into Amy in 2004 and being invited to watch a soundcheck for a gig in Florida during their debut album tour. Nostalgia and deep admiration for her and her journey in music, as well as her music’s imperative role in my own life made the gig that much more special on a personal level, but I could tell I was not alone in these feelings looking around the venue. I was also a bit surprised but grateful to see many younger attendees! Although the lineup of the band had changed (and very recently at that, only a week prior to the gig welcoming Emma Anzai to the family after Jen Majura stepped down), their cohesive stage presence was unforgettable. I also commend Amy and her ability to connect with the crowd, even a stadium gig, on a level that makes it seem like we were watching at an intimate club gig.

Cyan Kicks performed a gig beyond expectation, they definitely earned their place as an opening act! It was surprising to hear it was their first stadium gig, a they ruled the stage and captured the entire place with their energy like old pros!

Tigress made a good name for themselves, although I felt their style of music and presence would have shined much brighter in different atmosphere. That said, I look forward to seeing them progress and grow!

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PHOTO REPORT: SWALLOW THE SUN, KAUNIS KUOLEMATON AND EDGE OF HAZE

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Swallow the Sun played at Pakkahuone in Tampere on 27th of May. It was the second date of their Finnish tour promoting their new album Moonflowers which was released last year. Kaunis Kuolematon and Edge of Haze were the opening acts (for only two of the seven dates in Finland). It was a solid lineup. Edge of Haze opened with energy and heaviness, and Kaunis Kuolematon brought it down to a more melancholy yet powerful level. Then, Swallow the Sun hit all of the above, including songs from their first few albums that they haven’t played live in a while. From the more melodic “Stone Wings” to one of my personal favorites, and heaviest song off the new album “This House Has No Home”. So heavy in fact, that a mosh pit broke out! I don’t think I have ever seen a pit during a Swallow the Sun gig! It was great to see all three bands at a bigger venue. I don’t believe this gig was sold out but it was pretty well attended. I, like many others, cannot get enough of Moonflowers and it is just magic to see live. I wish I could say more, but this band always leaves me speechless. Let the photos speak for themselves…

EDGE OF HAZE:

KAUNIS KUOLEMATON:

SWALLOW THE SUN:

Photos and review by: Serena Solomon

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PHOTO REPORT: KÆLAN MIKLA AND KANGA

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Kanga (US) and Kælan Mikla (IS) graced Tampere’s Klubi with their ethereal and mystifying presence on May 4th  . I was introduced to  Kælan Mikla the last time they were in Finland, opening for Alcest right before the lockdowns in 2019. One of those bands who were way off from what I typically listened to but stuck with me afterwards and ended up being one of my favorite gigs of the year. They released a new album Undir Köldum Norðurljósum later that year, which turned out to also be one of my favorite albums, so it was needless to say I would at least attend one of the two gigs they had in Finland (though I actually ended up attending both, so I may sneak in a few comparisons).

Kanga, much like Kælan Mikla the first time around, was not music I would typically find myself searching out and getting into. It was also quite a different style gig than what I would naturally attend or write about. From what I’ve gathered, Kanga is an accomplished producer and remixer who has worked on many well known films, and is quickly gaining popularity in the darkwave and electronic scenes. My interpretation of her music would be, kinda…West Coast Pop meets the grittiest corners of dark industrial. Her performance conveyed just that. Dark, mysterious and almost melancholic while also constantly emanating the pulse of both the trendiest night club and most raw underground rave. I did enjoy the the vibe of the gig and the audience (more so in Helsinki, since the floor was packed and it contributed to the dance club vibe vs. Tampere where people were still very slowly trickling into the venue) though, at times I got more DJ vibes than performance, as if I should not really be watching her, but focusing on the music and dancing, which is a bit unfamiliar to me.  

My first thoughts of Kælan Mikla’s gig was that they had matured so much in their performance from the last time I had seen them. More polished, more in sync and seemed more confident with themselves as musicians and people. Of course, their newest album is quite a bit darker than their previous music, which was also prevalent in their stage presence, attire, and the whole atmosphere of their show.

If you aren’t aware of the meaning or source of the name “Kælan Mikla”, it is the Icelandic name for the Moomin character Jäärouva or The Lady of the Cold. This knowledge tinged my perception of their gig with a touch of frost. Laufey (vocalist), moved around the stage at times, as if she was skating on ice (and only when I got closer did I realize she was barefoot in stockings, which totally fit with the witchy aesthetic they had going on!). Her nails were also long and clear and, when caught in the light, resembled icicles. Her presence, stoic and queen-like, otherwise perfectly portrayed the mystical yet powerful essence their music provides.

The performance of “Sírenur” particularly stuck out to me, the mood and the lighting made you feel as if we were all swimming underwater, peaceful yet melancholic (not to mention the sound of waves in the background  and the fact  that the song is indeed about, you guessed it, the Sirens of the ocean). The other most memorable moments where during “Sólstöður”. There is this intense guttural, banshee type screaming on the album and honestly didn’t expect them to do it live but they did and it was soul shattering and inspiring all at once. As exhausting as it must be to do that night after night, I truly appreciated it and was in awe by its affect live! The other thing that stuck out was Sólveige (synth/keys) playing flute live during “Stormurinn”. That also gave me chills and went beyond expectation. Margrét (bass) was also incredibly inspiring to watch. I can’t really put it into word but she seemed to really connect with the music and put great energy and emotion into playing, as well as when she sang backing vocals, or contributed to screaming. I kind of wish these two would be highlighted a bit more though they all have their spotlight moments. They are all incredibly talented and passionate musicians and I am super eager to see what they do next and catch them live again!

Photos and report by Serena Solomon

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PHOTO REPORT: AND OCEANS, FROSTTIDE AND KUOLEMAN GALLERIA

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Words about the world opening up again part 2? Part 3? Hopefully the last part anyway… ah to be at a club gig again! The Frozen Oceans Abyss tour played in Tampere’s Olympia-Kortteli on March 18th. Local band Kuoleman Galleria opened with full energy and edgy yet funky energy, followed by the fan favorite Frosttide and the black/industrial headliners who had their comeback right as the epidemic was birthing, And Oceans.

The club gigs post lock down these past few years have all had a similar “getting back on our feet” aura about them… people are happy to be out but it feels a bit rusty and unfamiliar. Although there were not restrictions on time, or capacity, people tended to stick to the sidelines and came and went through out the gig. It felt there were more people in the audience in the beginning than the end, and the crowd wavered through out the night.

Kuoleman Galleria had a surprisingly solid and enthralling performance. With no previous knowledge of the band, they left me wanting more, or more like a “what did I just watch, I need to see that again” kind of lasting impression. Unexpected, unpredictable and a unique twist to the evening wit their dark yet groovy sound, and somewhat eccentric stage presence. Hope to see again soon!



Next up was Frosttide. Familiar faces and sounds all around! Somewhat comfort food of the evening. The audience was obviously full of hard core fans, and it felt like an intimate family gathering. Although the band seemed to take a little while to warm up after the all to well known hiatus of live performance, the crowd was pleased and they definitely woke the venue up for the final act.


And Oceans never fail to impress. With a balanced mix of new and old songs…and new and old members… they didn’t miss a beat. They played from start to finish as if there had never been a break in live gigs, and as if they had all been playing together since the start. The energy and chemistry between the band themselves and the audience was flawless and began to fill the void of gigless months. Although the crowd and atmosphere of the gig still had holes and an obvious unsettled, unfamiliar feeling, it faded once they hit the stage. Lets hope it fades all together and we can truly get back to this essential part of life!

photos and report by Serena Solomon