2016 – Your Online Magazine for Hard Rock and Heavy Metal

Epica Live at Webster Hall, New York, NY, on December 2nd, 2016

© Dhruv Kumar

All live Photos by Dhruv Kumar

http://www.dhruvkumar.com/

European metal makes its way to the United States! Making its second to last stop at Webster Hall in New York City. Heading the night Epica, hailing from the Netherlands, joined by Italian horror metallers Fleshgod Apocalypse. Also added to the roster was Slavic metal Russians – Arkona with the opening act The Agonist from Montreal, Quebec.

The Agonist kicked off the show opening with “My Witness, Your Victim” getting the crowd revved up. Fans of the Agonist camped out early at the venue to get a front row view of the performance. They weren’t disappointed as The Agonist’s set was short and sweet set. The band took some time to acknowledge the fans that were there early to catch their set. Overall the best performance I have seen so far.

1. My Witness, Your Victim
2. The Villain
3. The Hunt
4. The Moment
5. Panophobia
6. Thank You Pain
7. Gates of Horn and Ivory

Next up is Arkona! I had never heard of this band until the played this show. The band impressed the hell out of me singing completely in Russian. What was even more amazing was that the fans were singing along with the band. Their entire set was melodic and folkish which was a good addition to the show. What made it more exciting was one of the band members had a bag pipe and a flute which added a strange mystic feel to the overall performance. I will definitely be checking them out in the future if they ever come back to the US.

1. Kolo Navi
2. Na Strazhe Novikh Let
3. Zakliatie
4. Goi, Rode, Goi!
5. Vozrozhdeniye
6. Stenka na Stenku
7. Yarilo

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Next up Fleshgod Apocalypse! Making their second appearance in New York City this year they did not disappoint. We all know and love the performance that we have come to expect, but this performance was a bit different. It was more intense than the Gramercy Theater show because the venue had a noticeable upgrade in their sound system and lights. Thus making it a very powerful set. If you have seen their performances on the European circuit, these guys always bring a very intense sound, mixed with their melancholy symphonies, this time was no different. A quick 10 track setlist, brings such apocalyptic rhythms via “In Aeternum”, “The Violation” and “The Fool”. The Italians know their strong points and play very well to them. Very good set.

1. Marche Royale
2. In Aeternum
3. Healing Through War
4. Pathfinder
5. Cold as Perfection
6. The Violation
7. Prologue
8. Epilogue
9. The Fool
10. The Forsaking

Finally Epica! The Dutch Symphonic Metal band making it’s final rounds in support of their new album The Holographic Principle, for the crazy New York City fans. They kicked off the show with a new track “Edge of The Blade” and “A Phantasmic Parade”. Similar strong tracks off what has ended up being one of their strongest records since “The Divine Conspiracy”. Another crowd pleaser “Requiem For The Indifferent” comes in with it’s intricate riffing and lyrical template, bodes well in this live environment.

The ever stunning front lady Simone Simons performance was better than at Irving Plaza’s the last time the band was in town, in 2015 with the help of the new sound system at Webster Hall. Her voice makes the walls in the venue rumble and fans of the band were proverbially shaking the floor with their moshing. The band definitely had good interactions with the fans towards the end of their set, coming off the stage and taking selfies with the fans in the front row. Truly a memorable night for fans of all genre of metal. This tour didn’t disappoint. “Beyond the Matrix” towards the end of set, continues the strong musical structure that you tend to expect from every Epica song.

1. Edge of the Blade
2. A Phantasmic Parade
3. Sensorium
4. Universal Death Squad
5. Divide and Conquer
6. Storm the Sorrow
7. The Essence of Silence
8. The Obsessive Devotion
9. Ascension – Dream State Armageddon
10. Dancing in a Hurricane
11. Unchain Utopia
12. Once Upon a Nightmare
13. Encore:
14. Sancta Terra
15. Beyond the Matrix
16. Consign to Oblivion

Carcass, Deafheaven and Inter Arma at Emporium in Patchogue, NY on Nov 20, 2016

© Dhruv Kumar

All live Photos by Dhruv Kumar

http://www.dhruvkumar.com/

Inter Arma

Opening up the show was Inter Arma from Richmond Virginia. Their set was short but sweet. The opened the show with “The Long Road Home” and got the crowds attention. There was a silent chill during “Transfiguration” which is a 9-minute song on the album that translated to almost 15 minutes live. The crowd watched in awe as the band started playing “An Archer In The Emptiness” and ending their set. A positive cheer from the crowd ended their set on a high note.

1. The Long Road Home
2. Transfiguration
3. An Archer in the Emptiness

Deafheaven

Next is San Francisco metallers – Deafheaven. The crowd gathered around the stage as the lights slowly dimmed and members of the band started to come out and start the show with “Brought to the Water”. The lights remained dim through the set. Frontman George Clarke was super energetic playing to the crowd and interacting with some of the fans that were very close to the stage. Fans in the back started head banging in unison with George. Other members of the band were just standing there getting lost in the music they were playing. They ended the set with “Unrequired” which got a reaction out of the crowd as they ended their set.

1. Brought to the Water
Play Video
2. From the Kettle Onto the Coil
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3. Come Back
Play Video
4. Dream House
Play Video
5. Irresistible
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6. Unrequited

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Carcass

Finally, the Extreme metallers from Liverpool took the stage. The crowd screamed with joy as Jeff Walker the front man of Carcass came out. The first song “Capital Bolt Pistol” resulted in fans starting to heavily mosh which was the start of a very good night. Photographers had to shoot from either the sides or the back of the venue. Establishing their dominance, they continued playing songs from their old album and new album “Surgical Steel”. The band continued to play through songs that made some fans lose it. One of those songs was “Genital Grinder / Pyosisified (Rotten to the Gore)”. The band took some time to interact with the crowd asking them a question like “Who hasn’t seen us yet?”. Fans literally had bags of the band’s merch with them as they partied hard. Carcass ended the night with “Mount of Execution” as fans cheered them as they walked off the stage.

1. Captive Bolt Pistol
2. Buried Dreams
3. Incarnated Solvent Abuse
4. Carnal Forge
5. No Love Lost
6. Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System
7. 316L Grade Surgical Steel
8. Genital Grinder / Pyosisified (Rotten to the Gore)
9. Exhume to Consume / Reek of Putrefaction
10. Unfit for Human Consumption
11. This Mortal Coil
12. Keep On Rotting in the Free World
13. Corporal Jigsore Quandary
14. Heartwork
15. Mount of Execution

Phil Mogg.. Commando? – UFO at Leamington Assembly, November 1st 2016

Words and Pics: Reg Richardson

https://www.facebook.com/RockStarsRising/

RED’SCOOL

RED’SCOOL, from St. Petersburg, have supported UFO on several of their tours and are a classic rock band with a good following. The band released their second album, Press Hard, in 2015 and this show comprised a large proportion of songs from that album plus a sprinkling from the band’s first album as RED’SCOOL, Bad Story, released in 2013. (Formerly known as Old School the band also released an album in 2011).

The set opens with three songs from the new album; Dangerous One, My Way and The Way I Am. Dangerous One is a hard rocking song full of fuzzy guitars and scratchy vocals, a cracking song which immediately energised the assembling crowd. My Way is a rock ballad, while The Way I Am starts off as a ballad but soon takes off into something much more invigorating. These are followed by Love & Pain then Bite, both from Bad Story. Bite starts off with a Ted Nugent style intro before breaking into a sound that is typically RED’SCOOL. Slava Spark’s vocals supported by some superb guitars provided by Lu Smirnov and Sergey Fedotov combined well and with Dee Pronin’s bass and Andrey Kruglov’s timing on the skins the ensemble made a very, very good ‘classic’ rock sound. The set continued with Love Behind and Strangers Eyes, both from Press Hard and the show ended on a high with Bad Story and Feel You.

Song of the set, however, was the title track from Bad Story, with its Cat Scratch Fever-style intro it blasts the senses, it’s a great track – have a listen, like what you hear, buy the albums, these lads deserve your support.

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U.F.O.

The UFO musical legacy cannot be questioned, with more fan favourites than most bands they have a lot to live up to at each performance and last time around they weren’t quite able to reach those expectations due to ‘technical issues’ with the sound system. With a decent sized crowd hopeful that those sound problems evident on the last tour weren’t repeated this time around, the tension was palpable. The crowd were not to be disappointed. Although this was part of the Conspiracy of Stars Tour the opportunity to showcase the album, released last year, wasn’t taken with only 2 songs in the entire set coming from the album. As is their way the band took the audience on a historic tour of the UFO back catalogue. The show started off with a walk-on intro of Faith Healer by Alex Harvey and was followed by We Belong to the Night from the 1982 album Mechanix and Ain’t No Baby from Obsession. The first of the songs from the latest album was next, Run Boy Run, a heavy rhythm, driving bass, some complex guitars in the background, a refreshingly good sound. Throughout the set Vinnie Moore was on top form, lots of solo’s, all played exceedingly well if a little ‘over-twiddly’ at times.

The band go back to the deep and distant past once again with the title track from Lights Out coming only slightly more up to date with Venus from Walk on Water then yo-yoing back to Obsession with Only You Can Rock Me, a crowd favourite.

The tightness of the band was contrasted by the looseness and random musings of Phil Mogg, with a possible contribution from a couple of pre-show tipples. The audience really did find Phil amusing, while a certain young [female] security guard asked me if I knew whether Phil goes commando on stage, saying it looked obvious to her that he did. I said I had no idea but that I’d ask his nephew, Nigel, whether he could shed any light on the matter and he said ‘knowing Phil as I do it was quite likely that he did’ – so there you are, you heard it here first!

Moving on, it was Burn Your House Down from the 2012 album Seven Deadly followed by Cherry from Obsession, with a tidy Rob De Luca bass intro which livened the crowd up even more. A return to Lights Out yielded Love to Love followed by Too Hot to Handle, preludes to the second song from A Conspiracy of Stars, Messiah of Love. Phil continued to pick out faces from the crowd to have completely useless conversations with, something that amused the rest of the band as well as the audience.

The end of the set beckoned as Makin’ Moves from The Wild, The Willing & The Innocent followed by a storming version of Rock Bottom from Phenomenon closed the show….but not for long.

The band returned for a planned encore of Doctor, Doctor and Shoot, Shoot but those plans were soon thrown into disarray by the crowd’s repeated calls for Mother Mary – so the band obliged and threw that in for good measure between the two planned tracks.

Unsung heroes of the evening have to be Andy Parker and Paul Raymond who got on with their jobs without any fuss while providing immeasurable musical support throughout the night. The diversity of the set coupled with the flawless sound quality and the contribution by Reds’Cool made for a tremendous nights entertainment. UFO show few signs of slowing up and if this show is a sign of what they have left long may they continue – fabulous!

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Stryper live at The Gramercy Theater in NYC, on November 20th, 2016

Live Gig Report and Photos: Robert Cavuoto

@RobertCavuoto

Stryper set the bar high on Sunday, November 20th at the Gramercy Theater in New York for their 30th Anniversary Tour of their multi-platinum album – “To Hell with the Devil”; the career-defining album that put the Christian rock band on the charts and their videos on heavy rotation on MTV.
Tonight was the band’s second to last show of the tour and there were no signs of road wear, instead, they ramped things up to give their New York City diehards a stellar performance.

Reprising their yellow and black outfits reminiscent of their time in the 80’s, the band was energetic and in touch with their audience’s desire to hear the iconic album that put them on the map. The time-traveling experience continues to show that Stryper remains a no-nonsense band with Michael Sweet on vocals/guitar, Oz Fox on guitar, Tim Gaines on bass, and Robert Sweet on drums.
It was a testament to the strength of this veteran hard rock quartet’s love for their fans that packed the theater for an almost 2 hour, 20-song concert. The dynamic musicianship and a set list drawn from Stryper devotee’s dream, Sundays show offered an exuberant kick-off to the upcoming holiday weekend for anyone who was there.

Stryper opened with “To Hell with the Devil” and dove directly into the MTV-fueled years with a smoldering version of “Calling on You,” “Honestly,” and “Sing along Song.” Having two multi-talented and strong guitarists in the band; Michael Sweet and Oz Fox delivered an explosive pyrotechnic display of guitar showmanship. They clearly have an undeniable chemistry that complements each other and the songs. Michael is most notably known as the voice of the band but also has an amazing set of chops on guitar as well as Oz. Tim and Robert are a fantastic rhythm section that laid down an unflinching beat. Working in harmony they were like a freight train on fire as they blazed through the show.

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After performing To Hell with the Devil in its entirety, the band took a quick intermission and as Michael put it, “We are going to take a quick break to change our underwear!” When they came back they hit the crowd with smoldering versions of Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell,” with Will Hunt from Evanescence on drums, Van Halen’s “Aint Talkin ‘Bout Love” and Robert’s favorite Kiss song; “Shout it Out Loud.” The set also included “Yahweh” off Fallen, “Revelation” off No More Hell to Pay and “Soldiers Under Command.”

Michael Sweet has alluded in the press that this could be the band’s final tour with the original members. Whether that happens is still yet to be seen but fans at tonight’s show didn’t take that statement lightly and savored this nostalgic moment. The theater was loud; the band looked great and gave outstanding performances. It’s always great to see bands like Stryper carrying on and continuing to cement their rock n roll legacy.

http://www.stryper.com/

Dirty Thrills, live at Big Red, London, November 3rd 2016

Review : Karen Hetherington

Pics: Adrian Hextall \ Mindhex Media

Dirty Thrills first caught my attention on the Rising Stage at the Ramblin’ Man Fair back in July where the calibre of their talent rooted me to the spot for the duration of their set forcing me to forgo another band I was scheduled to see. Their performance at the festival was nothing short of mind blowing so it was with much enthusiasm that I set off to see the end of tour gig at The Big Red in London.

Aimed at a biker/rocker crowd, on arrival at the venue I thought I’d died and gone to heaven – or hell depending on how you look at it… With ample stage and bar space, walls were adorned with pictures of rock royalty and an AC/DC pin ball machine was amongst some of the quirky features around the bar area. Ticking all my boxes, I think this may be my new favourite drinking spot in London.

The Killing Floor / Piston

Kicking off the nights entertainment were “The Killing Floor”. The band who hails from both America and England went down a storm with their highly charged eclectic rock/grunge style. Their set was massively well received by the gathering crowd (myself included) before a suitably revved up and ever expanding audience were next delighted by “Piston”. An English band previously unknown to me, their hard rocking set didn’t fail to impress. Raw vocals and heavy riffs had me instantly hooked on their impressive sound and I will be checking them out again as soon as I possibly can…

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Dirty Thrills

After a relatively brief turnaround, “Dirty Thrills” took to the stage with the full force reminiscent of veteran rockers well accustomed to captivating their audience from the off. For a relatively new band they are tight but loose, clearly well-rehearsed from touring.

Working their way through the guts of their self titled debut album – Reign, No Resolve, Sigh and Rock N Roll all got an airing and were received with rapturous applause, their familiarity evident. Anyone in possession of Dirty Thrills releases to date is sure to have them on regular play – I certainly do. The superb set list also featured Rabbit Hole and the stunning Lonely Soul from their new E.P. “Devils Wine”. As is usual with Dirty Thrills material, this track had immediate and enduring appeal.

Singer Louis James had a captive audience throughout with his classic rock voice featuring sultry blues tones that sends shivers down your spine coupled with the sexy swagger, confidence and provocative stage persona of someone who knows they are at the top of their game.

While it’s not uncommon for bassists to blend somewhat into the background, this will never be the case with Aaron Plows. It would be impossible not be enamoured by the energy and enthusiasm which accompany his vintage dirty bass grooves while guitarist Jack Fawdry merges classic rock and blues with both ease and expertise as his melting riffs and high energy let the guitar do the talking and leave the crowd in awe.

The rhythm section of this quartet is completed by the relentlessly hard working Steve Corrigan on drums who showed no quarter as he mercilessly pounded his Tama kit.

These guys were born to be rock stars, they work the stage effortlessly making them mega talented crowd pleasers. Their set featured un-embellished, gritty, penetrating classic blues rock, the kind that screams raw sexuality and leaves you wanting more and more. Their dynamic, high octane performance made them hard to photograph for anyone less than professional standard as they didn’t stay in one place long enough! It perfectly concluded an amazing nights entertainment at The Big Red. The music, crowd, atmosphere and the venue were all incredible.

In conclusion, and as if I needed any more persuasion, Dirty Thrills are a phenomenally talented four piece destined for great things, but don’t just take my word for it, check them out at your earliest opportunity. The name says it all really….

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Idlewar bring the glory ahead of UK tour with Stone Broken

For a band that’s just two years young, Californian rock three piece IDLEWAR have created a viral buzz with the release of their ‘Dig In’ EP, and most recently, the critically acclaimed debut album ‘Impulse’.

“We are passionate about music, pure and simple. ‘Impulse’ is our take on what we love, and a firm nod to what makes Idlewar tick” – James Blake (Vocals / Bass Guitar)

Produced by drummer Pete Pagonis, and mastered by Brian Lucey (Ghost ‘Meliora’, Black Keys ‘El Camino’, Arctic Monkeys ‘AM’, plus albums by David, ’Twin Peaks’ ‘Dune’, Lynch), the core tracking for ‘Impulse’ was recorded in just two days. Idlewar has thrown down a debut album with an abundance of raw power, and shows the growth of the Orange County rock band. Offering a widened scope to listeners, Idlewar has planted a musical landscape, which is deeply rooted in hard rock, groove orientated, emotional sonics. ‘Impulse’ is a truly passionate listen.

”The writing process has become easier between the three of us. Initially, because it was all so new, there was a ‘feeling out’ period, but once we became more comfortable, the creative process for this new album opened things up so much” – Pete Pagonis (Drums)

It’s the creative passion, and conviction, Idlewar showcase on songs like ‘Eleventeen’ ‘Criminal’ ‘On Our Knees’ ‘Glory’ and ‘All That I’ve Got’, that’s made rock fans all around the world embrace this band, notably in the UK. Such is the shared vision between band and fans, Idlewar acted quickly when numerous calls for a UK Tour were shouted loud and proud by their growing fanbase. Working closely with their team, Idlewar secured a UK tour, as special guests to Frontiers Music artists, STONE BROKEN, and a valuable slot at Planet Rock’s SOLD OUT festival, ROCKSTOCK.

Such was the potency and combined rise in popularity of all involved, the London show quickly sold out, with tickets selling fast for other shows on the tour. Truly humbling and a testimony to the loyalty of music fans.

”This is not just about being able to play music that we’ve written for appreciative fans. It’s also about meeting these amazing people that we have connected with. We see a passion in fans that matches the passion we put into this music.” – Rick Graham (Guitar)

IDLEWAR UK TOUR NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016

Supporting Stone Broken

24th Nov NORWICH Brickmakers Arms
25th Nov SHEFFIELD The Corporation
26th Nov LONDON The Black Heart (SOLD OUT)
28th Nov BRIGHTON The Hope And Ruin
29th Nov NEWCASTLE The Cluny
30th Nov EDINBURGH Bannermans
1st DecMANCHESTER Rebellion
3rd DecPLANET ROCKSTOCK (SOLD OUT) Idlewar only

Twitter @idlewartheband

WEB: www.idlewar.com

Idlewar’s debut album ‘Impulse’ is out now via PHD.

Dark Funeral and Krisiun, live at Gebr. de Nobel, Leiden, The Netherlands on November 3rd, 2016

Live Report and Photos by: Markus Wiedenmann

When Swedish black metal dinosaurs Dark Funeral hit the road for touring through Europe you better take the chance and visit one of the shows the guys have added to their darkened roadmap. After having released a new album, the first one in a six years period of time, Dark Funeral embarked on a tour through quite some European countries, an endeavor they put under the banner of “Shadows Over Europe”.

From the beginning, it was planned to have a three bands package on the road. Next, the headliner, Brazilian Krisiun and Deserted Fear have been announced as being the support for those shows. A few days prior to the tour start the news was announced of the German death metal gang not being part of this package anymore, something the guys from Eisenberg heavily regretted, since it was, according to them, a decision that was out of their area of influence.

So it was up to Krisiun to open this evening and the trio did a great job and the 60 minutes they got have been used very well. During the first songs there was quite some space left in the venue, but with each note played the Gebr. de Leiden got more filled with fans.

Krisiun felt like a musical steam hammer that night. This death metal machine worked like a clockwork with a sound that was nuanced, loud and clear. Also, the setlist didn’t leave much space for unfulfilled wishes. The tracks performed the night covered the entire era of the Brazilians, including “Black Force Domain” and putting a focus on “Forged in Fury, but also the very early “Apocalyptic Revelation” release. And on top of all this Krisiun played with “Ace of Spades” a brutal version of the Motorhead classic, a moment when the venue turned into a real madhouse.

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After such a heavy introduction into the dark side of live, the stage was prepared for the headliner. Dark Funeral started their shows with an extensive intro that created a creepy vibe with the guys entering the stage one by one. Hell broke loose with the first song played. “Unchain My Soul” from the latest album “Where Shadows Forever Reign” kicked it off, followed by pitch black 90 minutes. This musical inferno was embedded into a stage set of downside crosses, lit by candles, and a huge backdrop, all kept in cold blue light. The musical journey brought fans back to the early nineties when the band released with “The Secret of the Black Arts” their first album. Two songs of the debut have been performed that night and Dark Funeral actually did an equal split with two songs from each of the long players from the past. The exception was “Where Shadows Forever Reign” which of course stood in focus as being the newest hellish output from the Stockholm-based band.

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Looking on such a setlist means ferocious riffs, a thumping bass and pounding drums, all supporting the malicious screams of Heljarmadr that have been vicious and bloodcurdling. Dark Funeral delivered the soundtrack for an enthralling night in Leiden, opening the gates to hell with a live show that made clear why this band belongs to the spearhead of the second wave of Swedish black metal.

Setlist Dark Funeral

Unchain My Soul

666 Voices Inside

The Dawn No More Rises

The Arrival of Satan’s Empire

Stigmata

As I Ascend

The Eternal Eclipse

Ravenna Strigoi Mortii

Shadows of Transylvania

As One We Shall Conquer

Thy Legions Come

My Funeral

Nail Them to the Cross (Encore)

Atrum Regina

Where Shadows Forever Reign

http://www.krisiun.com.br/

http://www.darkfuneral.se/

KoreFest Live at Gramercy Theatre, NY on October 22nd, 2016

Live Gig Review and Photos by: Zenae Zukowski

https://www.facebook.com/zenaefilmz

@zenaefilmz

Kore Rozzik is a Hard Rock/Heavy Metal act out of the New York local scene. Behind it all is the frontman, Adam “Kore” Zadorozny. Music has been the element that has kept him driven, dedicated, determined and alive. This year alone wasn’t easy for Kore Rozzik as they went through a few lineup changes along with experiencing a few discouragements over the years. However, Kore’s dedication is like no other as they pushed through it all and managed to provide the sixth annual festival known as Kore Fest. This time around it was held at the Gramercy Theatre on Saturday, October 22nd, 2016 bringing acts in the New York scene such as Bandita, Symfinity, Sinaro, Anaka, and the return of Wildstreet to close the evening.

Kore Fest 6 was hosted by the founder of Hate the Hate, Tim “No.37” Martinez. Hate the Hate is a project that holds a concert series to raise awareness of hate crimes, bullying, discrimination, and suicide prevention. People need to stop judging others based on being different from one another, whether it is race, sexual orientation, gender, age, musical taste, obese, underweight, etc… No one knows what anyone truly goes through in life, including their internal struggles. Too many people walk in an elite manner living as though they are better than everyone else and forgetting to give someone a hand when they fall. It is something that I see every day, including witnessing one too many people committing suicide or attempting to end it all. With that said, on this night everyone came together to enjoy an evening of music and supporting the local scene. There were no judgments, no hate; it was a night of musical freedom.

First up was Bandita, a band fresh into the scene as they launched in May 2015. The New York City trio focuses on morphing both Rock and Metal to the surface using classic and modern influences. They seemed a bit nervous on the stage, but in time I’m sure soon enough if they keep at it and get more comfortable, good things will happen. These guys kicked off the positive vibe that night as they sung songs such as “Riding on the Outside,” “Side to Side” and “Hit the Top.”

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Next up was Symfinity, a unique act to the New York scene as they incorporate several Symphonic Metal influences to their music. Similar to Kore, Seann Branchfield the founder of Symfinity is one ambitious, hardworking individual that has worked tirelessly and effortlessly to keep the band afloat. There have been quite a few lineup changes, including recently. However, this night he had a talented cast as they owned the stage throughout the set. Branchfield as a frontman moved around continuously and did what he could to interact with the crowd during songs such as “Everything I know Explodes,” “Flipside,” and “Cries of Humanity.”

The evening shifted to a more Metal edge with Sinaro, a heavy act that was founded by the Brazilian guitarist Gus Sinaro. Their style features more classic Thrash Metal than the previous acts, as the songs were well suited for the night. As they shredded and fueled that stage with explosive riffs and a few hair flips, it was when they went into the powerful song “Bullet Through Your Head” that cast a memorable spotlight. To explain it lightly, it’s an emotional tune that raises awareness on suicide prevention which was well suited that evening.

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The intensity continued when Brooklyn’s Anaka took the stage. An act that has been firing up the scene for over fifteen years and their talent was evident that night that had several fans eager to witness. Their course sound mixed with engaging with the crowd was on point. They induced the stage with a dominating energy as they plowed through their set with songs such as “Doomsday Divide,” “Deathborn,” and “Voice of the Faceless.”
After four diverse acts, it was time for Kore Rozzik to give their personal best performance of the year. The venue had a decent amount of people, as many rushed to the front to support the act the festival was based on. Kore

Rozzik has opened up for a handful of the eighties/Glam Metal bands such as Britny Fox and Bulletboys, where it is no secret to them that their inspiration comes from that era.

Additionally, from their tunes, Kore is known to give an entertaining live performance and this night was no different. As the set began, a female dancer in burlesque(ish) attire took the stage. Providing a fun and provocative movement as they went into the song “Mistress.” Kore moved around with the dancer as they theatrically demonstrated a bit of S&M on the stage. As the set continued, each member had a look for Horror as Halloween was near, including face paint, masks, and a rebellious energy and I am sure these antics will persist at upcoming shows regardless of a special occasion. Performance wise, they purged through every chord, cymbal as they mastered their own tunes. Kore put on his top hat as well, which he has done at previous shows.

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I continue to be impressed with their performance, and I must admit, the camera loves them. These guys are filled with potential as they incorporate eighties Glam mixed with their own Kore genre. The set included songs such as “Doomsday Walks,” “Welcome to the Party,” “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” and “Psychological.” Dreams were made for all of them that night, as they came together and bowed in front of that platform I could tell that a bright future is ahead of them. The only question I have for them is, what happened to their song “Rockstar?”

The momentum continued as it was near 1 AM when many stayed for the Glam/Metal act WildStreet’s ultimate return. A band that has been around for over a decade as they toured endlessly between the years of 2009-2013 to build a growing fan base. After releasing two EP’s, they managed to make national TV appearances and receive over three million YouTube views. This night, they ruled the platform as they demonstrated a mix of Glam, Punk Rock, and an explosive resurrection.

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WildStreet was a successful way to conclude an evening that supported local artists, and promoting the Hate the Hate cause. With all of the positivity and entertainment Kore Fest 6 had, who knows what surprises we will endure at next year’s Kore Fest 7.

Satan live at Webster Hall, NY on October 21st, 2016

Live Gig Review and Photos by: Zenae Zukowski

https://www.facebook.com/zenaefilmz

@zenaefilmz

Over the past few years, Satan has risen once again to demonstrate their reigns in Heavy Metal, which was seen in 2015’s ‘Atom By Atom.’ For me, it was their demolishing performance at 2016’s Maryland Deathfest in May that completely proved their resurrection. A few months after MDF, the British Metallers announced a North American tour. The tour was a short ten date trek, and I was there on night one on October 21st at New York City’s Webster Hall’s the Marlin Room.

The first act of the evening was the local band Sanhedrin. There was minimal interaction between the band and crowd as they went straight forward into their set due to the strict curfew the venue had that night. They kicked off a Doom mood as a few fans ran up close and front to capture their performance. The morbid tunes moved with heavy riffs and haunting vocals as they went into songs such as “A Funeral For The World.”

After a short break, it was time for the Toronto Metallers Cauldron to enchant the crowd. It was the beginning of this year when I saw them open for Enforcer/Warbringer at the Gramercy Theatre that had me completely glued to their music. I was excited to see them again as this night they did not disappoint. Sadly, they only had thirty minutes to perform as they called it a “diet setlist.” The venue’s curfew did seem to give each band and the crowd a rush of unfortunate disadvantages. Regardless, Cauldron dominated through their tunes including “Nigntbreaker,” “No Return,” and “Burning Fortune.”

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As the night progressed, a few fans managed to have one too many drinks while others rushed to the front just in time to see Satan. The lights turned blood red on the stage just in time for Satan to rise to the platform. While the fans seemed to enjoy them conquering through songs including “Trial By Fire,” “Blades of Steel,” “The Devil’s Infantry,” and “Twenty Twenty Five,” something felt a bit off to me. The performance was dark, sinister and filled with coarse instrumentals. The sound echoed across the venue during songs “Break Free,” “Ruination,” “Siege Mentality,” and “Incantations.” Unfortunately, the set did feel short, as the entire night in general was. There was no room for full-blown interaction, nor an encore but Satan did give it their all as they finished with “The Fall of Persephone” and “Testimony.” Someone noticed the setlist was cut short as the track “Time To Die” was supposed to be the conclusion of the evening.

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This is not the first time Webster Hall has cut sets short due to having another event scheduled afterward. Hopefully, schedules will get sorted out differently, so bands and fans have more time to witness a full show. I do enjoy Webster Hall it is one of the best venues around in New York City that supports the Metal scene. It is just moments like these when I look at from a fan and possibly band’s perspective on the possibility of feeling jipped from an incomplete show. However, Satan did what they could with the restrictions, and many did not even notice as it was an evening of drinks, joy, and metal on a Friday Night.

https://www.facebook.com/officialsatanpage/

Alient Ant Farm live at Voodoo Lounge, Dublin on October 22nd, 2016

Photos by Olga Kuzmenko

http://www.olgakuzmenko.com/

Alien Ant Farm a band that many know as synonymous with what most would call a one hit wonder, remember “Smooth Criminal”? Yes possibly, circa 2001, back in the days where MTV was still an actual music channel. Suffice to say for people like myself who had not heard from this band since then, its interesting to see them embark on a tour overseas in the UK (yes I am aware they have done material since their breakthrough). We thought it wold be cool to see what these guys are up to after all these years. Turns out a new album is in order, as well as some great shots of this night in Dublin.

Celebrating the 15th anniversary of their breakthrough album ‘ANThology’, the Californian rockers will be performing the record in its entirety at the 16-date run in late October/early November.

Check them out along with remaining dates of their UK leg.

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https://www.facebook.com/alienantfarm

Tour Dates

Southampton Engine Rooms – Fri 28th
Wolverhampton Slade Rooms – Sun 30th
London O2 Academy Islington – Mon 31st

NOVEMBER 2016
Barnstaple Factory – Wed 2nd
Reading Sun 89 – Thu 3rd
Southend Chinnerys – Fri 4th
Hull The Welly – Sat 5th
Oxford O2 Academy Oxford – Sun 6th