Category: Reviews

Releasedate: 06.07.2024

Facing the Madness will officially launch their debut EP ‘Torment’ during a release party on November 30, but the EP is already secretly available for purchase. I got my hands on the record during Stonehenge Festival and have listened to it a few times before writing this review. There is little information available online about Facing the Madness. I saw the band live last year during No Sleep Metalfest and was impressed by their performance. So, I was definitely curious about the debut album from these guys.

Torment

Torment is the debut album from Facing The Madness, who previously only released a demo via Bandcamp. Their new album, Torment, isn’t available online yet, so if you’re eager to listen to their music after reading this review, you’ll need to hunt down a physical copy.

Torment is a very raw and honest album. The mix is quite bare, and not all the drum parts are perfectly aligned, which gives it a personal feel. Depending on how you listen to the album, the mix is well-balanced, and the band’s energy comes through clearly. Whether you’re hearing it through your old computer speakers or a good pair of headphones makes a world of difference. In the first scenario, the guitars are drowned out by the many cymbals, but in the second, everything is much better balanced. The bass is nicely crunchy and audible at key moments, the guitars are tight and sufficiently present, and of course, there are plenty of squeals.

Sometimes you have an album that gets better the more you listen to it. Other times, an album is amazing the first time you play it, but the more critical you get, the more flaws you notice. Torment falls into the latter category. I often listen to an album several times before writing a review. The first few times I listened to Torment, I was really impressed. But now that I’m listening more critically, the songs sometimes feel a bit too simple.

Facing The Madness

Torment starts with a very cool intro track, Carved. This cinematic intro tape was unexpected from this band, mainly because I couldn’t clearly remember how they sounded live, and I couldn’t find anything online. But the epic intro, followed by the intensity of Facing The Madness, definitely leaves you wanting more. Old-school sounding death metal, interesting riffs, and a good mix. For a band that has seemingly come out of nowhere with a little CD, this is pretty impressive. It’s super groovy, headbanging music. Live, I think this wall of sound will hit hard; on the album, I miss just that extra layer of production to really feel it.

Dying World

After the title track, the album continues with Dying World. This track is a bit more chugga-chugga but also has an open chorus that’s easy to shout along with. The vocals on this track might be a bit too simple; it also feels like the flow doesn’t quite sync with the music.

Reconstruct

Reconstruct more than makes up for it. The tempo picks up significantly with this track. Fast blast beats are mixed with more mid-tempo sections featuring groovy riffs. The variety makes this a very diverse track and a good introduction to Facing The Madness. From relentless blast beats to a calm break, this track has it all. The many squeals remind me of Machine Head, but the frontman’s growls give it a unique vibe.

Disregard

Disregard is more of a mid-tempo track, again very groovy, and this track also eventually brings back the blast beats. Kudos for the cool bass riff in the intro of this track; it’s always nice to hear a band that gives the bass some room. The sound of the bass in this intro gives the whole thing a huge old-school vibe. Maybe there could have been some improvements in the mastering here, as the cymbals are very prominent in this track.

Narcissism

Narcissism is again more of a mid-tempo track, groovy, and perhaps one of the heavier tracks on the album. It’s also a fairly diverse track, with many different riffs following one another, some cooler than others. This track also feels a bit simple and lacks the more interesting riffs of Facing The Madness.

Solution

After Narcissism, the melodic intro of Solution might be my favorite riff on this album. It’s also the longest track on the album, but at nearly five minutes, it’s still relatively short. The dissonant verse doesn’t really fit well with the intro riff, in my opinion, but there are enough cool parts in this track. Especially the part where the vocals follow the guitars is really cool. This is also one of the few tracks where a proper guitar solo emerges, allowing the guitarist to showcase his skills.

Your Last Ride

Your Last Ride starts with a fast riff. This track was previously released on YouTube, and rightfully so, because besides Facing The Madness, it’s one of the strongest songs on the new album. However, after the intro, it takes until halfway through the song for the powerful riffs to reappear. The wait is worth it, though: there’s even a breakdown included.

Confronted

Your Last Ride transitions into the final track, Confronted. After an intro with guitar harmonies, a groovy, up-tempo riff follows that immediately grabs your attention. The intro riff clearly signals the end of the album. The song builds up with smooth transitions between breakdowns and energetic sections. Besides the bass riffs that form the foundation, there are also blast beats that increase the speed and intensity. This makes Confronted a fitting and memorable closer for the album.

Final Thoughts

Torment is a worthy debut EP for Facing The Madness. I was quite impressed by the intro and the first real track, Facing The Madness. The old-school sound and the cool riffs weren’t what I expected, and I can definitely appreciate them. But it’s not all praise—some tracks feel a bit too simple, and in the mastering, Facing The Madness might have taken an extra step. Nevertheless, the track Facing The Madness is definitely a gem that everyone should hear.

Tracklisting

Carved
Facing The Madness
Dying World
Reconstruct
Disregard
Narcissism
Solution
Your Last Ride
Confronted

You can find Facing The Madness on Facebook. 

Op zaterdag 27 juli was het 30e verjaardagsfeestje van Stonehenge. Maar liefst 24 bands brachten van ‘s ochtend 10.00u tot ‘s avonds 0.00u de klanken van de hel naar Steenwijk. Op een prachtige zonovergoten dag genoten we van metal en bier, en schreven we voor de ongelukkigen die er niet bij waren een stukje over de dag. Met elke 30 minuten een nieuwe band was het enigzins intens, maar zeker gezellig. 

Scroll naar beneden voor meer foto’s van het festival. 

Het is nog steeds niet heel erg druk, maar voor Vendetta maakt dat niet uit. De vocalist springt midden in de pit en begint daar gewoon zijn eigen feestje. Daarmee weet hij de eerste moshpit van de dag voor elkaar te krijgen.

Basement Torture Killings is vooral bijzonder te noemen. Helaas voor de band is het geluid niet in balans en zijn de gitaren nauwlijks te horene. Wat show betreft zit het echter wel goed, dit is zeker een band om naar te kijken. Maar het is wel jammer om de gitaar solo alleen te kunnen zien, en niet horen.

En wederom van de ene Nederlandse act in de andere, maar dan wel met een totaal ander genre. Haliphron begint ook met een introtape, maar doet dit voordat ze op het podium komen, zodat het een stuk beter werkt.

Wat dat betreft is de muziek van Necrot soms wat beter te volgen. Simpeler, wellicht, maar absoluut br00tal.

Zo’n hele dag staan en bier drinken in de zon is wel wat veel, dus Carnation kijk ik vanaf een bankje. Dat kan gelukkig, want de podia staan zo opgesteld dat je eigenlijk precies in het midden van het terrein kan staan en dan beide podia nog net kan zien.

Incantation doet dat gelukkig wel. Incantation is duidelijk een band die al langer meegaat in de scene. De band weet hoe ze moeten bewegen op het podium. Ze hebben meteen gekke bekken en poses naast hun strakke en foutloze riffs.

Ook deze band speelt vooral oudere tracks, en hoewel ik daar weinig van herken, gaat het publiek hier aardig goed los op. Dat kan ook niet anders met zo’n frontman. Een crowdsurfende rolstoeler wordt door de security snel naar beneden gemaand, ondanks dat de frontman het aanmoedigt. 

Benediction is wat mij betreft denk ik het leukste optreden van de dag. Met een enorme hoeveelheid biertjes op het podium vraag ik me wel af wat er nog van de staat van de muzikanten over is, maar het hele optreden is retestrak.

Tot nu toe is de hele planning vlekkeloos verlopen. Maar doordat het niet lukt de backingtrack van Butcher Babies goed aan te sluiten, is even spannend of dit optreden uberhaupt door kan gaan. Het publiek laat ook duidelijk merken dat ze dit niet waarderen, en sommigen mensen haken al af voordat de band begint.

Suffocation begint gelukkig gewoon op tijd. Hier ontstaat dan ook de eerste echte moshpit van de dag, misschien omdat het nu wat minder warm is. Deze band bewijst ook dat je zonder click nog steeds retestrak kan spelen. Een samplepad bij de drummer zorgt voor de extra bassdrops, en een opblaastakkie in het publiek maakt het feest compleet. 

I Am Morbid, wat eigenlijk natuurlijk vooral Morbid Angel is, heeft er ook duidelijk zin in. Ze vieren de verjaardag van twee albums dit jaar en spelen daar dan ook de meeste tracks van. Helaas heb ik geen fotos van het moment dat de shirtjes uitgingen tijdens de solos.

Tot slot heeft het Nederlandse Graceless de moeilijke taak EN de eer om het festival te mogen afsluiten vanavond. Dat doen ze absoluut overtuigend, en ze maken hun podiumplaats meer dan waar. Wij moeten helaas naar huis, dus het einde van Graceless heb ik niet meer mee kunnen maken. 

De tickets voor volgend jaar, en de eerste namen, zijn al bekend. Wij zijn er volgend jaar zeker weer bij. Jullie ook? 

Foto’s

Happy People

Belphegor

Benediction

Birdflesh

Butcher Babies

Coffin Feeder

Defleshed

Deicide

Graceless

Haliphron

I Am Morbid

Icons of Brutality

Inhume

LEH

Necrot

Necrotesque

Suffocation

Sun of the Suns

The Lucifer Principle

EP Review Sietse de Krieger

Releasedate: 02.08.2024

We predicted it once we saw all the featured tracks getting released earlier this year, but now it has become real. Sietse de Krieger has released his debut solo EP, ‘Zenith’. Sietse has been making a name for himself in many bands and projects: Wake of Dawn, Crisis Theory, Raven Called Sin, and his latest band, SugarSpine. His name has been all over the internet and with over 9.000 monthly listeners, this guy is going places. Let’s take a look at this long-awaited debut EP. 

Sietse de Krieger

Sietse says about Zenith: “The EP explores the disillusionment and inner struggle of an individual caught between conflicting philosophies and societal expectations. The lyrics combine themes of personal introspection, social criticism, and a desire for authenticity. ZENITH delves into the journey of self-discovery and the longing to break free from the constraints imposed by society. This EP takes listeners on a journey through the chaos of existence, where the lines between truth and deception blur.” The need for authenticity and self-discovery is strong with this artist. Going from a guitarist to being a producer, combining various talents in the scene, and being part of collaborative projects like Crisis Theory, it’s clear that Sietse is on a path. 

While his previous work has always been instrumental, for ZENITH, Sietse enlisted the help of other artists. SugarSpine’s Josh Mucke has been one of the motivators behind the EP, and features on two of the tracks. The other spots are taken by Mees Stevens from Torn From Oblion and No Permissions, Vincehatred, and Mike Evans (Profiler). Sietse is a very technical guitarist, taking inspiration from Sleep Token, Polaris, and Spiritbox. We get complex riffs, guitar solos, and layers upon layers upon layers of electronic vibes, synths, guitar, and bass. 

The Weakest Predator

The Weakest Predator, The Worst and Zenith have been released prior to the EP release. When The Weakest Predator first dropped, even though I love Sietse, I wasn’t a huge fan. There were two reasons for that. I felt like there was too much repetition in the synth loop, and the synth pad had a very slow attack. That just sounded a little off to me.

But that might be a little nitpicky, just because the previous tracks like Divided, Disgrace, and Proton were all really good. And, to be honest, after hearing it at least over 20 times since then, while I still feel the synth loop is too repeating, I can’t help but say that this track slays. It’s the combination of modern, heavy riffs and electronics that makes this a wall of sound you can’t escape.

The Worst

The Worst was a step up from The Weakest Predator. Daniel Brooke is really adding something else to this track with his vocals, and I like the cleans on this track a lot. The groovy riffs and droning synths grab you on this track, and those vocals complement the heavy riffs well. The haunting ‘it’s madness” really stands out. Speaking of songwriting, the breaks make this track a little more dynamic, and therefore more interesting. Oh, and there is a kickass solo on this track.  

Zenith

And then there was Zenith. By this time, we were quite sure an EP was on the way. It took Sietse a while to announce it though, but it seems we were right. The title track to this EP takes us right back to his earlier work, with loud, hard, modern riffs and just enough electronic and EDM influences to make it unique and really LOUD. Zenith is a really upbeat track, almost a redemption song. It’s powerful, hopeful, and I’d say, the best thing we’ve heard so far from Sietse. 

Illusions

But that’s ‘so far’, ‘cause now we have two more tracks to enjoy! Illusions takes off where Zenith ended. A different vocal sound with Mike Evans. I like his lower cleans a lot, and the vocal melodies on this track are very different than the previous tracks. It’s The vocals take this track a little bit into the nu-metal genre, with a kinda KORN on steroids vibe with the heavy guitars and beats. The slowdown in the end prepares us for what’s to come, and Masquerade kicks in even harder because of it. 

Masquerade

Masquerade kicks off with the heaviest riff and screams we’ve heard so far. This is dark. Deathcore even, maybe. The fact that Josh and Mees are doing double vocals on this track makes it even heavier. It might be a touch too heavy for me though (I know, I’m surprising myself by saying that). But the thing is, it’s such a wall of sound, that the intricacies in the synths and guitar get a bit lost because of it. You really have to listen closely to pick up all the details in this track. But, oh man, it slams. The end is SO LOUD and SO LOW that I was worried I would blow up my headphones. 

Final Thoughts

Sietse is one of the gems of the Dutch metalscene. The metalcore community have known him for a while know, and I really hope the rest of our Dutch metalscene gets to know him with this release as well. His approach to metal is quiet unique in the scene, combining modern technical guitar riffs with electronic vibes, breaching walls by collaborating with many others. Zenith is probably my favorite track of the EP, but make sure you check out Illusions as well! 

Tracklist:

1. The Weakest Predator (Feat. Sugar Spine & Vincehatred)
2. The Worst (feat. Daniel Brooke)
3. Zenith (feat. Mees Stevens)
4. Illusions (feat. Mike Evans)
5. Masquerade (feat. Sugar Spine & Mees Stevens)

You can find Sietse de Krieger on socials, or in our database. Oh, and we did an interview with him, so check that out too!

On Friday 26th, the Cave had their last live bands before their summer break. Myth of Origin, Thoughtless and Pandora’s Key joined forces to bring Amsterdam a night of symphonic and melodic metal. Having hear both Myth of Origins and Pandora’s Keys latest album, we wanted to see how these bands would perform these tracks live. The night was supposed to start at 21.00, but knowing the Cave, we weren’t surprised to have that time delayed by 30 minutes.

For more info about the bands, and pictures of the night, scroll down!

Myth of Origin

Myth of Origin released their album Sane Asylum in January last year. Since then, they have been playing live at various venues while working on new music. The breakdowns in Myth of Origins music hit a lot harder live than on the album. The band also plays one of their newer tracks, which hasn’t been released yet. It’s clearly a track they haven’t been playing for that long, because they can’t perform it flawlessly yet.

Thoughtless

Time for Thoughtless. They label themselves thrash, but because they don’t have a thrash vocalist, and have quite a lot of vocal harmonies in the tracks they do play, I’d probably label them melodic metal as well. Thoughtless is having a lot of issues during their performance. They were probably feeling the stress because Myth of Origin had to cut their performance short. The guitarist doesn’t seem to be able to get his guitar to work at the start of the gig, and this proved to be the beginning of the end. Even though there are some technical issues, the band still tries to power through with a smile. At least it looks like they have good energy on stage.

Pandora’s Key

If you’ve ever been to The Cave, you know the stage is very tiny. It’s a bit of a complicated Tetris game to get all the members of Pandora’s Key on stage, so they are probably lucky to have that extra build-up time. This band plays symphonic metal, and in their case, that means they play with a backing track and in-ear monitors. They have a great wall of sound coming our way because of that. However, I don’t really like having backing vocals on a track, and there is A LOT on the backing track. At some point, I even heard some guitarwork on the track, and I’m not sure that was necessary. But that is my personal preference. 

They manage to get the crowd going as well with their headbanging and jumping on stage. It’s hard to stand still with happy music like theirs. They end their set right before The Cave’s curfew, so I’m sure they were glad with the extra time they got from Thoughtless. Next time, maybe two bands instead of three at the Cave! But it’s always a fun place to hang out, so I’m sure I’ll be seeing you there at some point!

Where to find the bands?

Myth of Origin can be found on Facebook or in our database

Thoughtless can be found on Facebook

Pandora’s Key can be found on their website.

Releasedate: 23.07.2024

Eenling (Dutch for Loner) is a new name in the Dutch black metal scene. And, befitting of the name, Eenling is mainly a one-man project. Abdelhakim Boutachkourt, better known as Eenling, has been the webmaster and promotor for Cradle of Filth in the Netherlands. He has worked with the band for 23 years. Because of that long relationship, Eenling is the first and so far only band to be promoted through the official Cradle of Filth and Dani Filth channels. About the first single of this EP ‘I Am Here’, Dani Filth wrote:

“The song itself is awesome, very old skool catchy thrash/black metal in the vein of  Venom/Bulldozer/Bathory/Sodom with some strong melodious guitar work. I highly recommend this if you’re a bit partial to the old command!”,

naming Hakim as a good friend. If that doesn’t spark your interest, I don’t know what will. 

The End Of The Beginning

The End of The Beginning has been produced by Devi Hisgen. We know him from The Color Of Rain, Chutuluminati, and Teitan. Hakim is the core member of Eenling. For The End of the beginning, he had the help of Devi, Matthijs Snoek and his wife. Next year, a full album is expected. Eenlings debut EP was released exactly one year after the release of the track ‘I Am Here’. A remastered version has been included on this EP. The End Of The Beginning consists of five tracks, spanning just under 13 minutes long. While that’s quite short for an EP, that isn’t unheard of in the Black Metal scene. 

About the tracks

The EP opens with the haunting instrumental intro track Preludium. If these scratchy violins and haunting piano tunes are a prelude to what’s to come, we’re in for a very interesting release indeed.  I Am Here is the first actual track on the EP. It’s an old-school song, with a modern sound. Hakim’s vocals are easy to follow, which is probably deliberate as the EP tells a very personal story. The dissonant tunes from Preludium lead us into the intro for I Am Here. After a short intro, the track is mainly fast-paced thrashy riffs. The I Am Here vocals on the chorus are layered to give it more of an impact. Hakim’s vocals have an interesting sound. Unique enough to stand out, gritty and again, old school, and strong enough to convey the message. 

Those vocals are even more interesting in the spoken word parts. We first hear those on the next track, Murder is OK. I’m not sure you can actually call it a track with just 30 seconds, but the message is loud and clear. If you want to know why (or when) murder is okay, listen to the lyrics. 

Climate Change

Climate Change is the gem of this EP. It’s a chaotic track, with lots of layers to make it even more complex. The orchestrations from the intro return for a few seconds, before we get thrown into the absolute chaos that is the verse of Climate Change. The track balances itself with the clean vocals in the chorus. It’s a really interesting track, which gets even more interesting after a break with samples. 

The final track on the EP with the fitting title ‘A Final Word’ is actually a spoken word track, again with a very personal message and beautiful lines such as ‘A spirit forged in fire and steel, a testament to wounds that heal’. If you ever needed a redemption track, this sure is one. After the spoken word intro, the orchestrations from the intro return, accompanied by acoustic guitar to bid us farewell. This track could have easily been the intro to the EP as well, leading us into the story of abuse and trauma. 

Final Thoughts

The End of the Beginning is an interesting debut EP, and it makes us want more from Eenling. While the EP has just two actual tracks, the filler tracks around it make for a complete story. My personal favorite is Climate Change, because of the complexity and chaos it brings. The balance between the heavy chaos and clean vocals makes it an interesting track. 

You can find Eenling on his website or Facebook. 

See more pictures below the post

Day 4 of Jera is a weird surprise. In the past few years, Jear On Air only had three days. And when this year’s edition was announced, it only had three days. However, since it was the festival’s 30th anniversary, and the ticket sale had already started, the organization announced the 4th day. Some people were happy; it was another day of festival! Other people not so much, because they had been planning for three days. 

Judging from the number of people that are still left on the festival grounds today, I’m not so sure the 4th day was a success. I think at least half, if not more, of the people was gone today. In a way that was nice – very easy to navigate the festival and no lines at the toilets at all. But it felt a little empty for the bands on the main stage. 

Bongloard was actually a Dutch band, but since it really isn’t metal, we didn’t do a full review of their performance. However, they had a lot of energy on stage and it was a fun break in the day. The Hawk stage never disappoints in that regard. One point of feedback though. The bass player was headbanging so much, that I really don’t know what he looks like, ‘cause all we saw was hair. Talking about dedication lol. 

I’ll say it again: I love good vocals. Make Them Suffer has those, and a female keyboard player to add not just a layer of synths and vocals, but a layer of badasserie on stage as well. While the guitarist likes to show his perfectly carved body, she is just banging her head and being a total badass on stage.

Another band that’s bringing the energy is Death Before Dishonor. Again, lots of energy, and a really cool band to watch. It helps that their music is energetic and fun as well. It’s mainly the bass player and the vocalist bringing the energy though. 

The band I was most excited for today was obviously Distant. I saw them at Jera last year, and since then, I’ve been following their releases closely. These guys are growing so fast. With a number of awesome gigs under their belt, touring with Born of Osiris and Whitechapel this year, this band has really grown out of the small stage on Jera. Just listening to one of their releases will show you why.

Their show at Jera is a perfectly produced piece as well. So well, that at the moment both the guitarist and the bass player switch out on stage, no one really notices at first. Why would they switch? Well, if you’re on the small stage, there is no pyro. So of course, you bring your own!

After the kickass Distant show, we manage to see a small part of the Caskets set. I didn’t know this band, and when you don’t know the music and the vocals are off-key, there’s not much reason to stay. The vocalist has a really nasal tone of voice, and it’s turning me off. Maybe more people thought the same, ‘cause there aren’t many people in the tent at this point. 

After seeing Zulu at Graspop, we went to check them on Jera as well. In my memory, Zulu was pretty hard and pretty fun. However, I might have had a beer or two too much at Graspop, ‘cause seeing them at Jera was a totally different experience. The crowd seems to love it though. Lots of stagediving and moshing again, and the energy on stage is good. It might be because I’m tired, but it just doesn’t really grasp me. It’s a bit boring, too much of the same. 

Decking to go watch Atreyu was the best decision today. We entered while they played Euphoria, probably one of the few tracks I know from this band, and it couldn’t be better. My mood changed in an instant. Artreyu is very fun to watch. This band obviously has a very good time on stage. All of them were continuously smiling, and there was great interaction between the band members on stage. They were shaking butts, doing weird stuff, and just having fun.

I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to see Lionheart. However, after hearing the great stories of their performance yesterday, and not much else to see really, we went for Lionheart. That was a good choice; their music is as straightforward as their name, and the happy vibes from Artreyu continued for a bit during their set. 

Tesseract maybe shouldn’t have been in the line-up, and the main stage probably wasn’t the place for them, either. Even less so on this last day, the 4th day that was added later on as a surprise. As most people already went home that morning, and Tesseract didn’t really fit the ‘core’ vibe, that showed in the number of people in the tent. While it was somewhat crowded when they started their set, at the end, there were probably just 4 rows of people left in front of the stage. Maybe 50 people at most. While there were still groups of people scattered, I actually felt sorry for the band. 

It didn’t help that the band started out with pretty technical and challenging music. Not the groovy, head-banging tunes we’ve been hearing all weekend. It’s technically really good, but it might be a bit to intellectual for this festival. Tesseract is listening music, not party music. 

And with the tunes of Enter Shikari in our ears, we sadly have to miss them this time, ‘cause it’s a long drive back home. We were lucky enough to get our car out without the help of the tractor (of course the parking turned into one, big mud pit). See you next time, Jera!

Distant

Other bands

(see all pictures (and more) fullsize below)

At 11 o’clock, we were standing neatly in front of the gate waiting to be let in, along with, to be fair, not many other metalheads. Understandable, since the first band wouldn’t start until 12 o’clock.

The first band of the day was Holding Absence. I wasn’t familiar with the band, but there wasn’t another band I was particularly interested in seeing. Plenty of people were already awake, as the tent was quite full. The guitarist made some mistakes in his enthusiasm to headbang, but nobody cared.

It was already packed for Thrown long before it started. Thrown is just awesome. All the guitars are tuned super low, and the bass tones resonate through your chest. It’s hard and intense, with headbanging all the way. The crowd loved it, and it was a party from the start.

Unfortunately, I had to leave Thrown early to be on time for Nephylim’s performance. During the soundcheck, the deep grunts of vocalist Tijn were already audible as more people streamed in. It’s a bit puzzling why this melodic death metal band was on this stage, but the Hawk stage had the most unique programming of the weekend, so in that sense, they fit right in.

Bleed From Within (say that again in your head, but with a Scottish accent) we had also seen at Graspop. But since this band is regularly on repeat, we couldn’t pass up the chance to see Bleed From Within again. The setlist was almost the same, maybe even entirely, but I listen to too much music to remember. “The End of All We Know,” “Levitate,” and “I Am Damnation” are naturally great sing-alongs, and the audience eagerly joined in. Where there was a small pit at Graspop, it quickly expanded here.

Ice Nine Kills isn’t entirely my thing. I’ve avoided them a bit so far, mainly because of the considerable hype around them. But, to be fair, it’s quite cool. If you like singer/songwriter music but with metal, then it’s great. Each song is a whole story, and everything is meticulously crafted. Even if the music doesn’t appeal to you as much, the whole show around it makes it definitely worth seeing live at least once.

Of Mice & Men were also at Graspop, but they are high on my list of most-played songs in the past year. As you probably know by now, I’m a sucker for good vocalists. And Of Mice & Men fit that description. They played all the expected hits again; “Obsolete,” “Would You Still Be There,” “Castaway” … all great sing-alongs. And the audience loved it.

Sum 41 is one of those bands you can’t avoid at a festival like this. As a teenager, I liked them but wasn’t a huge fan. And that feeling still prevails. These kinds of bands naturally appeal a lot to nostalgia. Sum 41 does this by playing their hits. They also play a lot of music I’m not directly familiar with, but because it’s all very cheerful sing-along music, it doesn’t matter. It’s a big party during Sum 41. It’s easy to score points by playing “We Will Rock You,” but it works.

There was also a surprise band on the schedule today. The hope was for a cool Dutch hardcore band, but instead, Lionheart played an extra set. Lionheart is scheduled for their own set tomorrow, but today they prepared a special set of covers. Mostly Limp Bizkit, but also Beastie Boys, Rage Against the Machine, and KORN. Speaking of nostalgia.

Thrasher We ended the evening in the party tent with Thrasher, partying until we couldn’t walk anymore. How we will survive tomorrow is still a bit unclear, but luckily the first band doesn’t start until 12 o’clock 🙂

(See all the photos larger at the end of the post)

After a not too long journey, in better weather than expected, MetalFromNL arrived at the Jera campsite on Thursday afternoon. Fortunately, the weather forecasts were good, and it looked like we were in for a beautiful weekend. As you would expect on the first day, there was still plenty of space both at the campsite and on the grounds. After having a few beers at the tent, we slowly made our way to our second home for this weekend: the festival grounds.

The nice thing about Jera On Air is that the festival is very easy to navigate. A second advantage, whether in good or bad weather, is that all stages are covered. In the sun, you have shade, and if it starts to rain, you can still see your favorite band while staying dry (well, mostly). 

On to Shadow of Intent. We had unfortunately missed this band at Graspop, so it was time for a second chance. The sound for Shadow of Intent was a bit better than it was for Knosis, which is necessary with so many orchestral parts in their tracks. In that regard, Shadow of Intent’s music is also more sing-along friendly, and the crowd was really giving it their all.

The audience doesn’t care at all; during “Heretic,” everyone goes wild, and they even manage to organize the first Wall of Death of the festival.

After Shadow of Intent, we took a break to get something to eat. The weather was supposed to stay nice all weekend (except for Sunday), but you never know with weather forecasts in the Netherlands. At least, it had been very warm and pleasant all day. However, during this break, there was some cooling off as the rain poured down (for a short while). Fortunately, it didn’t last long, and after some much-needed cooling off and some food, we were ready to continue.

Time for Hot Mulligan. I wasn’t familiar with the band, but several people recommended them to me. Hot Mulligan is popular—the venue was genuinely packed this time. And rightly so, Hot Mulligan plays cheerful pop-punk and enjoyable indie music. The crowd had really arrived by now, as we saw plenty of stage divers and crowd surfers. Jera is a festival where all of this is allowed, and people definitely took advantage of it. The emotional lyrics resonated well with the audience, who sang along to almost everything.

We also saw Bodycount at Graspop—and today, they did not disappoint either. Just like at Graspop, they started off today with their intro track (“Bodycount in the house!”) followed by “Raining Blood.” It’s one thing to start with that main riff, but Bodycount plays the entire track. It’s impressive when a thrash band does that, but to see a rap metal band nail this track so intensely is on a whole other level of awesome. Kudos again to the guitarist, who can outplay many guitarists at the festival this weekend.

Bodycount is tough and grim; their new track “Purge” proves that. That’s also a bit of the band’s caveat; it’s all very angry men’s music. Except for Ice-T’s son, who takes over the stage with a big smile and a lot of energy, often mimicking the lyrics on stage. He even goes as far as taking blood pills during “Psychopath” and pretending to die.

Eskimo Callboy not only plays their latest album “TEKKNO,” but because they have so much time (an hour and a half, hooray!), they also include old hits like “The Scene.” Of course, in such a long set, we’re treated to musical interludes as well. Like the epic drum version of Darude’s “Sandstorm.” And the vocalists (and the audience) get into it with “Let it Go” and The Backstreet Boys. Ultimately, we’re here for all the hits, and they play them all. Naturally, with plenty of fire and fireworks elements. It’s a wonder the tent hasn’t burned down yet, but we’re used to these displays at Jera by now.

After this epic show, everyone heads towards the campsite or the parking lot. At the campsite, the party continues with a silent disco. No disco for us anymore; tomorrow is another long day 🙂

The Color Of Rain was last years’ surprise to me, and probably also the EP that I listened to the most last year. For people who’ve read my reviews before, you know I love progressive metal. I also like black metal a lot, so their unique blend of music is a perfect fit. Meslamtaea falls somewhat in the same boat, so it would only make sense for me to like them, too. Let’s dive into this split.