Swallow the Sun and Ensiferum played Pakkahuone in Tampere, Finland December 12, 2024. A short but sweet way to wrap up the gig year. Both bands celebrated the recent release of new albums (Swallow the Sun’s Shining and Ensiferum’s Winter Storm), gracing Finnish (and many foreign) fans with the live world premier of new songs and revival of some old as well. Although both bands come from very different sides of the metal spectrum, together they drew in a respectable sized crowd. Many of the shows on the tour were sold out! Although it might have seemed more of the crowds were there for Ensiferum, the intense passion and genuine love of the Swallow the Sun fans could have filled three times the space. Ensiferum provided a perfect blend of new and old that kept the audience moving from start to finish. The energy of the band themselves never wavered and, as always, amazing interaction with each other and the crowd. Swallow the Sun also played a beautifully diverse set, with highlights from their new album as well as some older classics and songs that haven’t been played in a while (some fan favorites that were unforgettable to see live!). Their sound and presence over all has seemed to embody a similar transformation as their music. Mikko’s vocals were notably on point, and the whole bands energy felt more vibrant yet more intense and honed down. Always perfection.
Both bands will be starting the year with some extensive touring so don’t miss them if they’re coming near you!
Nummirock 2024 was a hit! So much so that the festival asked for compliance in keeping campsites no larger than necessary to accommodate a high attendance expectation. Although the lineup itself was a bit underwhelming for Nummirock standards, it felt like the festival was attended better than it had been in the past few years and possibly even pre-covid years. Last year, I noticed the camp grounds being almost full by Tuesday and even with lake side camping being almost doubled in size this year, it felt already on Monday there were more people than last year (yes, me and my camp arrive earlier and earlier each year now). Of course, I wondered how the festival would top the beyond epic finale Behemoth gave us last year and unfortunately this years finale did not come close though Kerry King and the others on stage did provide a pretty amazing and memorable show . However, the festival seemed to focus more on improving in other ways. The festival organizers really listen to the feedback of the attendees and provided more showers and toilets to the camping areas, a larger area to sit and recharge in the festival area, more efficiency at the gates to reduce ques, plus more variety in food including an improved cafeteria style setup in the relamo area with daily menu’s including breakfast. There were also brand new (or not regular) additions to the festival such as a book truck and mini market, bungee jumping, helicopter rides, a mölkky (Finnish yard game) competition in addition to the regular frisbee golf competition and many others like corpse paint workshop and book signing/interviews as well as meet and greets. Some regular favorites included the lovely Tampere Burlesque, stand up comedy acts, bingo, rock yoga and Stereo Terror DJs who always end the festival on a memorable note.
When it came to the music, Body Count , Thy Art is Murder and Blackbraid seemed to be the most anticipated bands amongst festival goers. Martti Servo & Napander, Tarot and Warmen were also up there. One of my personal highlights, Kallomäki were also highly talked about. Many people weren’t familiar with them before, but were blown away by their performance including dancing dark fusion duo MorteDohlen. Not only was their music perfect for kicking off a midsummer insanity, their show ranged from pure mosh pit inducing metal to folk ballads included pagan rituals such as an on stage “sacrifice” and the audience getting individually marked with blood by one of the band members. The crowd was 110% enthralled and put everyone in the mood for the weekend to come. I had been waiting years for Kallomäki to make their way to Nummirock and was so amazed and excited for them and how the crowd responded to them. If I’m not mistaken, their music was also played during an unofficial event that happened in the camping area by one of the most recognized camps. It was an epic ritual type event organized by the camp (invitations by word of mouth), that happened on the forest side before the festival began. It included a sombre speech made by the host, and though it was a bit difficult to hear, attendees (maybe between 20-30 people including the camp members) kneeled as the host gave his speech and offered everyone a chance to pay respects to the giant totem the camp had built called Seppo and make their sacrifices at the alter for a good midsummer/Nummirock (photos in Festival Life).
Other highlights were Deathchain, although not my typical style of music, their show blew me (and many others) away. The new lineup works flawlessly and they simply had a raw and genuine energy that no other band could touch. The Halo Effect was also a perfect edition to the Thursday lineup. I think they should have been a headliner. They just fit so well on that main stage, and have such a great connection with the audience and each other. It was also bittersweet to see Warmen on that main stage, playing Children of Bodom songs where I had seen CoB headline the entire festival multiple times. Although Warmen is still reclaiming their status, I think they could have also easily been a headliner. They were definitely a crowd favorite and with no questions why. It was really interesting to see so many bands this year that have been reformed or newly formed with well recognized members of other bands. To see what these talented musicians can do other than what we are familiar with. Petri Lindroos gave us a triple shot in three very different bands including Warmen, Satanic North and Ensiferum (who surprised me with their show, like somehow out of nowhere the life had been breathed back into them). Crownshift also still in their debut stages showcasing members who are well known for their other bands playing fresh new music in a completely new context. And also a first time for me seeing Tarot and Marco Hietala in his element. They were also an unexpected highlight for me. Similiar to The Halo Effect, just perfect music and energy and a perfect edition to the days lineup. Marianas Rest should have been on the Inferno stage in my opinion, with a later time slot and a MUCH LONGER set. Specially with their style of doom and moody tunes, thirty minutes was just a teaser. But either way, the short but bittersweet show as a definite highlight for me. And Blackbraid, probably my most anticipated act since I had never seen them and was incredibly curious how this unique mix of Native American aesthetics and black metal would work live (not to mention I really dig their sound). They did not disappoint! They will also be at Hellsinki Metal Festival later in the summer but I would love to catch them on a club gig and really hope they come back to Finland outside of festival season. I have to also mention how I love this growing tradition of midnight black metal on the Inferno stage. In general I thought this year had a pretty decent mix of genres spread evenly through out the four days. Bit of something for everyone which not every metal festival is capable of achieving.
Saturday also brought my two favorite non band acts – Tampere Burlesque and Stereo Terror DJs. I think during a four day camping festival, including acts such as these are an essential part of the festival experience to switch things up and give festival goers a chance to experience something different as well as let the stage be taken over by other forms of music entertainment. I hope all of these extra curricular acts and activities stay part of the Nummirock experience in years to come, it definitely adds to the uniqueness of the festival. Cant wait to see what they have in store for next year!
DAY 1: Suotana, Anima Hereticae, Kaunis Kuolematon, Mister Misery and Kallomäki & MorteDohlen
DAY 2: Thrown, Swansong, Deathchain, The Halo Effect, Ingested, Body Count and Horna
DAY 3: Shade Empire, Party Cannon, Warmen, Marianas Rest, Blackbraid, Thy Art Is Murder, Kyy, Shadow of Intent, Eluveitie and Satanic North
DAY 4: Martti Servo & Napander, Wikirock, Horizon Ignited, Tarot, De La Rocka, Corwnshift, Isomnium, Ensiferum and Kerry King
TAMPERE BURLESQUE: Honey Rocket, Koko Da Voom, Wendy Flow, Velvet Wonder and Miss Jenny Sparkly
ENSIFERUM will release their long-awaited new studio album, Winter Storm, on October 18th through Metal Blade Records.
The Finnish folk-metal melodeath sensation has maintained a prolific release schedule since their first demo in 1997, gradually increasing in stature until eighth album Thalassic crowned their ascent in 2020. The nautical opus went on to top Finland’s album chart, reaching #3 in Germany, and top ten in Switzerland, Canada, and the United States. Eventually, ENSIFERUM would take Thalassic on two massive world tours and to festivals like Wacken, Hellfest, Summer Breeze, and Ragnarök, but the global Covid pandemic ensured that the four-year wait for Winter Storm would be the longest in the band’s near-thirty-year history.
Wacken 2023 sold out as always, quicker than any metal festival worldwide, making it the biggest metal gathering to attend. The theme for this year is Vikings and their culture! Wardruna will play the festival for the first time, fitting the theme. Ex-Gorgoroth drummer Einar Selvik started the band. Their unique brand of Nordic folk was featured in the TV hit show Vikings, giving the whole genre a massive push. So many amazing acts will appear at the festival, but here are a select few!
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!
After a six-year absence, PAIN are thrilled to announce their highly anticipated ‘I AM’ European/UK Tour. With 17 countries and 33 cities on the itinerary, this tour promises an unforgettable experience for fans throughout Europe and the UK. Prepare to be captivated by the raw energy and intensity of PAIN‘s performances as they take the stage. Don’t miss out on this epic metal adventure!
Dark Art Conspiracy 
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