"Unholy Alliance Chapter II: Preaching To The Perverted" European tour dates:  with SLAYER, IN FLAMES, LAMB OF GOD, CHILDREN OF BODOM, THINE EYES BLEED

Oct. 20 - Baroniehal - Den Bosch, NETH
Oct. 22 - Mazda Palace - Milan, ITA
Oct. 23 - Eulachhalle - Winterthur, SWI
Oct. 25 - Philipshalle - Dusseldorf, GER
Oct. 26 - Thuringenhalle - Erfurt, GER
Oct. 27 - Zenith - Munich, GER
Oct. 28 - Boblingen Sporthalle - Stuttgart, GER
Oct. 30 - Arena - Cardiff, Wales
Nov. 01 - NEC - Birmingham, UK
Nov. 02 - SECC - Glasgow, Scotland
Nov. 03 - Arena - Manchester, UK
Nov. 05 - The Point - Dublin, IRE
Nov. 07 - Palais Omnisport de Bercy - Paris, FRA
Nov. 08 - Messe Park - Trier, GER
Nov. 09 - Brabanthal - Leuven, BEL
Nov. 12 - Jahalli - Helsinki, FIN
Nov. 13 - Jahalli - Tampere, FIN
Nov. 15 - Spektrum - Oslo, NOR
Nov. 16 - Hovet - Stockholm, SWE
Nov. 19 - Brixton Academy - London, UK
Nov. 20 - Brixton Academy - London, UK

Sorry people, at the moment I do not have much time to write live reviews. I'm pretty involved in my new job and also got more and more of a private life off the computer now that summer is finally coming. Another thing is that I wrote a review of the CULT OF LUNA gig in Giessen, hit the send button and it vanished somewhere in a parallel universe. That pretty much made me hate MSN for a while and I do not know if this magnificient review will appear here at all. Still, two reviews are planned to be written and published here (and this time I will fucking save them as a txt file first):

- MARDUK and NECRODEATH @ Zeche Carl, Essen

- FESTUNG OPEN AIR by United Metal Maniacs @ Bitterfeld

What I can say right now is, that both was fucking great. Read more soon!

High tech deathgrinders CEPHALIC CARNAGE are going on tour through Europe with DARKEST HOUR and DEAD TO FALL. The package is also passing by in Giessen.

Jun. 08 - Karlsruhe, GER @ Stadtmitte
Jun. 09 - Hohenems, AUT @ Transmitter Fest
Jun. 10 - Pinarella, ITA @ Rock Planet
Jun. 11 - Ljubljana, SLO @ Orto Bar (w/ DEAD TO FALL, NO DARKEST HOUR)
Jun. 12 - Oberwart, AUT @ OHO
Jun. 13 - Budapest, HUN @ Kultiplex
Jun. 14 - Prague, CZR @ 007
Jun. 15 - Berlin, GER @ Magnet Club
Jun. 16 - Chemnitz, GER @ AJZ
Jun. 17 - Trier, GER @ Exhaus (Summer Blast Festival)
Jun. 18 - Antwerpen, BEL @ Hof Ter Loo
Jun. 19 - Giessen, GER @ Muk
Jun. 20 - München, GER @ Backstage
Jun. 21 - Montreux, SWI @ Ned Club
Jun. 22 - Toulouse, FRA @ Les Vent du Sud
Jun. 23 - Clisson, FRA @ The Hell Festival
Jun. 25 - Herne, GER @ Pressure Fest
Jun. 26 - Bournemouth, UK @ Operahouse
Jun. 27 - Manchester, UK @ Music Box
Jun. 28 - Aberdeen, UK @ Moshulu
Jun. 29 - Newport, UK @ TJ’s
Jun. 30 - London, UK @ Underworld
Jul. 01 - Münster, GER @ Halle Münsterland (Münster Vainstream Rock Festival)
Jul. 02 - Tilburg, NETH @ Power Fest

And one more final show I will be a witness of: The show at Party.San Festival will be the last show ever of Swedish dark death metallers KAAMOS.

Hehe.. now that virtually everyone has it, also I have created a Myspace account for my band DAY OF DECAY. You find it here:

www.myspace.com/dayofdecaydm

For our official site go to:

www.day-of-decay.de

Jon Nödtveidt has done his final interview answering questions from fans on the official DISSECTION forum. Besides discussing the philosophy of the band's "rebirth" and the concepts behind the new album Reinkaos, he also announces to make an end to DISSECTION after performing a final tour with the Reinkaos material.

Two good things will finally merge into one: Yes, it is done: PHALLUSIFER - The Immoral Code will be the first black metal hardcore porn flick ever, according to producing KARNAL FILM.
The film is done and the producer (frontman of a known black metal band) is now choosing black metal songs for the soundtrack. Also appearing will be another frontman of a black metal band who yet will stay anonymous.
Still as far as I can see from the teaser and the still shots on the website, the most interesting thing about this film might be the score and guessing which band's frontman it is that you see in action (he's got some tattoo which should make it a little easier. If you have the solution or a guess you can post it as a comment). The porn itself doesn't really look that appealing to me.

Finally!!

My band DAY OF DECAY has an own website! Go there and sign the guestbook. Some video and audio downloads will come soon and we will soon also offer t-shirts. Check out the page regularly.

New York's old school death metallers MUCOPUS will come to Europe. The band which is rather unknown in the "old world" will tour with two other veeery underground bands: Finnish porn grinders INFERIA (check out their mp3 file "Cum Shot Victim" on their website!) and Mexican deathgrinders ROTTENNESS (fuck... also great, I guess I have to go to Ludwigshafen and grab their cds!). Here's the tourdates:

Sep. 21 - Decin, CZ @ Decin Open Air
Sep. 29 - Linz, AT @ Kuba
Sep. 30 - Vienna, AT @ Escape Metalcorner
Oct. 01 - Brno, CZ @ Brooklyn
Oct. 06 - Rovato, IT @ C28 Maggio
Oct. 07 - Sursee, CH @ Kultuwerk 118
Oct. 13 - Zittau, DE @ Zittau Deathfest
Oct. 14 - Ludwigshafen, DE @ Ludwigshafen Deathfest

By the way: this package should be interesting for the guys of FUL-UF. Get 'em to Kassel!!! I guess some dates are still available for booking!

After the shit with the Impaled Nazarene tour, Nico of Shadowsmile Concerts had to find a new location within a rather short time for this package. With the Kult in Marburg there was a decent, yet quite expensive alternative within a short distance. The only problem was probably the communication, as I am sure, more people would have come to the Jokus. I guess, some also stood there in front of closed doors.

Anyway, me, two (already a little tipsy) beauties and one unnecessary appendix had come there on time to see the first band, Frenchmen NYDVIND, who did a good job even though the reaction from the audience was still quite little. The music can be best described as a mixture of Ancient Rites (especially the vocals), Nordic Black Metal and some folk elements, which was probably the weakest part of the songs. Especially the third song annoyed with the most gay, yet typically pagan guitar melodies which is used by just too many bands. This was a little downer for me personally, as I had a really good first impression. The band had their best moments when they were playing furious parts with the typical high-pitched guitars of the nordic black metal of the early 90s.

The second band, HEIDEVOLK from the Netherlands seem to be really nice guys from what I saw and heard of the members before the concert, but I just can't enjoy their style of music. Dressed in historical costumes, posing with swords and shields in front of the flag of North Holland, the seven musicians (including two singers and one female violinist) were playing this typical, heroic pagan stuff. They were not bad, but I just don't have a link to this kind of music, so I'll keep my mouth shut. I was not paying much attention anyway after some songs.

But finally it was time for the great Norwegian band KAMPFAR!! For me they belong to the best bands of their genre, mixing relatively traditional black metal with some more traditional melody lines. They are for me one of the few bands who are able to transport the image of a vast, misty forest inside their music. And so they did also live. No big stage show, just the music and the instant need to shake my head and feel the music. Fucking great!! They may not be the greatest technicians but they know how to create the right atmosphere. They finished their set with their "mega-hit" "Norse", which was the absolute climax of the show.

New band, new audience. That's how what happened between the Kampfar and the SKYCLAD show may be described. Within minutes all the black metal people vanished to make way for an older clientele that before was hidden somewhere in the back or whereever.. no one really knows. Of course it was a big break between the two styles and also I was only following the first few songs from one of the veeeeery comfortable sofas at the side walls of the club. Then the black beauties + beast wanted to return home and I had to leave my place. So here's my impression of what I saw: The long-running English band created a nice pub atmosphere within seconds, George Biddle was dancing up and down in front of the stage with her violin (good job, I couldn't dance like this and play such stuff at the same time!!) and the audience had fun. I only think, the sound was a little too loud. Where I sat, it was almost a little uncomfortable in the ears and I am really not very noise-sensitive!

Way back home was okay and I will keep my mouth shut about whatever happened to any door / car keys and forced me to get up early the next morning.

US thrashers EXODUS who have done such a great job at last year's X-Mass festivals will come again to Europe for a short tour in June. Highly recommended!!

Jun. 14 - Bosuil – Weert, NETH
Jun. 15 - Metropool - Hengelo, NETH
Jun. 16 - TBA - France
Jun. 17 - Lorca Rock - Murcia, SPA
Jun. 18 - Abart Club - Zürich, SWI
Jun. 20 - TBA - GER
Jun. 21 - Zeche Carl - Essen, GER
Jun. 22 - Bastart Club - Osnabruck, GER
Jun. 23 - Bang Your Head - Balingen, GER
Jun. 25 - Graspop Metal Meeting - Dessel, BEL

ILLDISPOSED (DK), DEADSOIL (D), DEMIA (NL)

May 24 - Copenhagen (DK) - Stengade 30
May 25 - Kassel (D) - Spot
May 26 - Oberndorf (D) - Omi Open
May 27 - Annaberg (D) - Alte Brauerei
May 28 - Berlin (D) - Knaack
May 29 - Hamburg (D) - Marx
May 30 - Gent (B) - The Frontline
May 31 - Arnhem (D) - Goudvishal
Jun. 01 - Koln (D) - Underground
Jun. 02 - Marburg (D) - KFZ
Jun. 03 - Wuerzburg (D) - B-Hof

Not only, that EINTRACHT FRANKFURT has made it to the DFB-Cup finals in Berlin versus Bayern Munich (boooooooooooooooh!) and will play next season's UEFA Cup. No, also other heroes from Frankfurt will perform at the Olympia Stadium on the day of the finals: TANKARD have been confirmed to play their hymn "Schwarz-Weiss wie Schnee" for the Eintracht before the match will start in front of 74000 people. This should be the band's biggest audience ever!

Norwegian KHOLD have announced, that they will put the band on ice for a while to gather thoughts and do some other projects. Sarke and Gard will reanimate their former band TULUS (I await great things), while Rinn is going to build up a studio and produce other bands besides continuing his old project SENSA ANIME. Grimd is proactively working on his career as an organ donor by having his bowels drenched with alcohol most of the time. That's what I call benevolence!!!!

No joke, Pete Steele is putting together a live line-up for legendary CARNIVORE! Besides Pete Steele, it consists of drummer Steve Tobin so far. Two gigs have already booked in Europe (rumours are Wacken and Bulgarian Monsters Of Rock) and more will follow! Hope they get somewhere to the West of Germany as well!

A nice sunny saturday, short after lunch: four guys from Mittelhessen enter a car and hit the road to see some great bands. Essen, about two and a half hours and a wild search for the Turock (yeah.. I've been there twice before, I know..) later: rain. I park my car in front of the usual church and hope that it will still be there when I leave the Turock many hours later. The four wise men from Metalhessen are the only ones in the queue, who recognize Ross Sewage passing and have to help people deciphering some band logos. Misinformation is being spread (Deeds of Fish) desperately. Finally the doors open. The merch stand looks pretty nice and as Impaled don't come too often to Germany (actually it's the first time ever) I feel the need of buying the tourshirt, some hours later, the Deeds Of Flesh tourshirt will follow.

The first four bands I watch a little more in the back of the hall to save my strenght and to talk to some people. The opening position is held by local Death Metal band (what else do you expect?) SUFFOCATE BASTARD. Definetly the least melodic band of the evening. Guys without hair (one was wearing a hat, so I'm not too sure) play brutal as fuck deathgrind. I always thought that was a privilege exclusively held by Gorerotted, but they also seem to be allowed to do so. Not bad at all, only the singer looked like he had not found the band catering, yet.

VERMIS are from Düsseldorf if I remember correctly. I don't remember much apart from that the vocalist has some resemblance to my ex-keyboarder. I'd describe the music as pretty much standard Death Metal. Nice to watch and listen, but nothing special. But I was only listening with half an ear, really.

Where Suffocate Bastard had only little melody, SYMBIONTIC had a lot. Probably the "softest" band with their Melodic Death, but no pussy music, nevertheless. Really good musicians, they also had a very tight set. The only thing I have to criticize is, that the band lacks of an own identity in their sound and had a rather "laid back" stage performance.

Now it got more international. Before jumping an ocean, the Dutch neighbours of CAEDERE were invited to show the crowd some brutal Death from the land of the tulips and other nice plants. Somewhere between the Stockholm school of Death Metal, some US influences and Bolt Thrower, the band has found a massive sound and seems to have some fans already. I didn't know them before and was really surprised! My singer got so enthusiastic, he had his precious (?) Lividity basecap stolen (?) while headbanging.

Now it was finally time for the gods of pathology, the four ambitious medicine students of IMPALED. Even if there's no Taco Bell I know of yet in Germany, they should visit this continent more often in the future!! Awesome show with a really enthusiastic crowd.The songs work pretty well on stage, and for relaxation they were also playing the radio play sequences from the "Death After Life" album. Songs like "The Dead Shall Dead Remain" were ideal for headbanging and stagediving, which also Ross Sewage did (including bass and cable). This was however the end of the evening for my singer, who injured his shoulder when suddenly there was no more crowd to carry him after his second stage dive. Off into my car, where he spent the rest of the evening sleeping with his face hidden inside a kebap.

Now it was getting a little more empty in front of the stage, as apparently VILE are one of the lesser known US Death Metal institutions in Germany. By and by they were however able to convince more and more people on their side with songs as "Depopulate" or "Deafening Silence" and in the end they had quite a large pit in front of the stage. Strange thing: The drummer was playing in shirt and tie.

Another band I had always been looking forward to see live is DEEDS OF FLESH. And I was not disappointed! What a fucking brutal, yet highly technical blast in the face! They know how to play!! Tight as [put in whatever you think is really tight], they played a great set. Only looking on their fingers is hypnotizing but with the music there also was some headbanging to do. They also generated probably the most violent pit which was nice to look at but I'm glad I was standing more on the side of the stage.

I had read before in different forums that Florida legend MONSTROSITY have become quite bad and people were disappointed. Well, admitted: drummer Lee Harrisson is the only one left of the original line-up, but he has gathered some great musicians around him (and one ridiculous looking vocalist), but it was not that bad, really. Maybe they have improved in their playing together during the tour. At least in Essen, I think it was above average. Only after a while it got a little boring. No real surprises in stage acting and the guitar solo at the end was played very well, but it was a little out of place. I also think the sound was a little louder than with the other bands which was not really necessary as the sound was clear and good for all bands without being too loud!

Hm.. just saw the billing for the Neurotic Deathfest in Eindhoven on May 13 at the New Dynamo Club! Looks fucking great, actually I'm thinking about going there but I'm not sure who is gonna be insane enough to join me and who is offering me a place to sleep there. If any of this is the case contact me!

Main Stage:

23:00 - 24:00 GOREROTTED (UK)
21:20 - 22:20 PSYCROPTIC (AUS)
20:10 - 20:50 DISAVOWED (NL)
19:00 - 19:40 PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT (NL)
18:00 - 18:30 ANATA (SE)
17:00 - 17:30 ARSEBREED (NL)
16:00 - 16:30 VOMIT THE SOUL (IT)
15:00 - 15:30 EMETH (BE)

Basement Stage:

22:20 - 23:00 AVULSED (ES)
20:50 - 21:20 INSIDIOUS DECREPANCY (US)
19:40 - 20:10 INFECTED MALIGNITY (JP)
18:30 - 19:00 SANATORIUM (SK)
17:30 - 18:00 GODLESS TRUTH (CZ)
16:30 - 17:00 MENTAL HORROR (BR)
15:30 - 16:00 SARPANITUM (UK)

DERANGED have changed their vocalist. Martin Schönherr will replace Calle Fäldt, who was also playing the bass. A new bass player is being looked for.. (Hm.. maybe I should?.. no forget it. I've got a cool band and Sweden is fuckin far).

The band will be touring in November as support of INCANTATION.

Is it really going to finally happen? After multiple cancellations, there is another European tour of HATE ETERNAL with stand-in drummer Reno Killerich (one of the fastest ever) on the horizon (May 19 - June 4). Support will be (if it really takes place) Swedish technicians SPAWN OF POSSESSION, SHADOWSLAND from Poland (Black Metal) and German hopefuls FALL OF SERENITY. I will be at Essen!

May 19 - Essen, GER @ Turock
May 20 - Martigny, SWI @ les Caves du Manoir
May 21 - Milano, ITA @ Transilvania Live
May 22 - Wien, AUT @ Escape
May 23 - Budapest, HUN @ Kultiplex
May 24 - Prague, CZR @ Black Pez
May 25 - Munchen, GER @ Backstage
May 26 - Luckau, GER @ Fuck The Commerce Festival
May 27 - Rostock, GER @ Mau Club
May 28 - Aalborg, DEN @ Voxhall
May 30 - Ludwigsburg, GER @ Rockfabrik
May 31 - Rotterdam, NETH @ Baroeg
Jun. 01 - Arnhem, NETH @ Goudvishal
Jun. 02 - Vosselaar, BEL @ Biebob
Jun. 03 - Brighton, UK @ Engine Room
Jun. 04 - London, UK @ Underworld
Jun. 06 - Paris, FRA @ tba
Jun. 07 - Lyon, FRA @ tba
Jun. 08 - Barcelona, SPA @ Mephisto
Jun. 08 - Madrid, SPA @ Ritmo & Kompass
Jun. 10 - Irun, SPA @ Tunk

That's fucking awesome!!! HAYSEED DIXIE, an American country band with a good portion of humour (see website) have made a cover version of Motörhead's Ace Of Spades for a DVD of British guitar mag Total Guitar. You can find the clip here. Just great!! Should be on the decks of every metal and rock DJ soon!

The band already has published "A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC" in 2001. What's going to be next? "Cannibal Corpse Bluegrassed"? "Mayhem in Dixieland?".

After the shit happening with the IMPALED NAZARENE / MASTER tour in Giessen and other German cities (see below), now also the concert of KAMPFAR and SKYCLAD has been cancelled by the JOKUS. I hope this has not been the final step in "establishing Giessen on the German metal map."

The concert promoter SHADOWSMILE however has found a new location: The concert will take place in Marburg at Kulthallen. See ya there!!

CENTINEX, the Swedes who gave such a great show at the Jokus last autumn (see here) will soon be no more. After a last concert in Eskilstuna (Sweden) on May 13, the band will no longer exist after a 16 year band history. Reasons are various (personal, musical, etc.), according to the band. The band members however will not stop making music. There are and will be new bands and projects of the guys!

Hope you rock the same as with Centinex, then! Hope to see ya again on tour!!! Farewell to a great band in Swedish Death Metal!