As hard as it is to believe but the 2016 edition of the world's biggest Heavy Metal Open Air has already sold out. So what can I do if I would like to be there anyway I can hear you say? (the same thing I do say :-)
There is at least one chance for people living in germany, swiss or austria. The record company Warner Music is currently running a raffle where you can win a ticket for yourselves and one more person. Just follow this link and fill out the form. All you have to do is to name three of your favorite songs of bands that have ever been performed at the festival. But be quick: the deadline for the raffline is Sunday 16th August 2015.
The organizers will use all the song titles that have been send in to create a Spotify playlist that should help to skip the waiting time 'till the next festival for all of us.
Besides the festival tickets there's also a chance to win CD/Vinyl packages out of the special price campaign of the record company that features bands such as Nightwish, Saxon, Motörhead, Napalm Death, Alice Cooper, Airbourne, Annihilator, At
The Gates, Sabaton or Sepultura.
The following bands have already been confirmed for Wacken Open Air 2016:
Blind Guardian, Axel Rudi Pell, Ministry, Dragonforce, Unisonic, Therion and many, many more.
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Showing posts with label Unisonic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unisonic. Show all posts
2/24/2015
CD Review: Strangelet - First Bite
Note: If you have a own band or project that you think might fit in well here for a review or as a presentation / introduction please drop me a line or two in a E-Mail. Please see my profile for my E-Mail adress. I appreciate new suggestions very much so don't hesitate to contact me. I'm also interested in band news / updates / tourdates so keep the stuff coming. Thanks!
If you're having troubles writing in English please send me a E-Mail in your preferred language or use the free Google Translator to transfer your message to English. I also use that tool, it's of course not perfect but I think it will mostly likely work out for our purposes.
1. Privilege of Power
The direct riffer for the start of the album. A uptempo track that easily kicks you in to the album. Very straight and direct it takes on a ride. But wait, it's just the beginning of it all...
2. Nothing
A stomping midtemo song. Cool whistling of the melody at the start. This one is a straight scream along track that you can go on with from the very first listening. The solo comes in very hard. Takes you even further inside and wanting to hear more.
3. Tainted
My absolute favorit! I loved this from the very start. It speaks so much of what is in my heart. It's a beautiful midtemo hymm. The refrain will let you sing along again. The keyboards set the deep mark with vocals here for the first time. This is when you're really inside music! A organic song that goes straight to the heart.
4. Pray To Break
The intro comes very mythical, followed up by a straight uptempo rocker. The hammond sounding keyboards form the theme of the song, while the vocals come very stretched out on this one. A modern way of songwriting in here but one that fits to the mood of the music.
5. Stillborn
A half ballad with much guitars and punch. It feels like a song for the empty days in your life. The bass comes in very cool while the guitars add one of these shining moments that you seldomly find in music. A riff breaker takes the song to a heavier level with much keyboards and shred guitars. Some echoing notes and last notes form a unusual ending to the song. Well worth listening to it.
6. Snakebite
The intro comes in very epic. A riff-ripper this one turns out to be a very straight go-along track with hypnotic keyboards once again. The end is very progressive and jammed along like. Reminds the most of Deep Purple this one.
7. Hell & Back
Keyboards start this one up, a solid midtemo stomping track. The song goes back-and-forth in structure but let's you easy walk along to it.
8. Touch The Sky
A very edgy and progressive one, the riffs hack hard around on this piece of music. A rough cut-refrain, the keyboards play a major role jamming a lot inside the track.
9. Catching Fire
The start is very balladesque this one is a hard midtempo pushing track.The keyboards have a very distinct hammond note and also form the end of the track.
10. All That's Left
My heart's broken this one seems to scream! Very strong vocal performance that is only followed by some keyboards. Surely a challenge to each singer. Guitars only at the end of this forming a soft solo and ending to "All that's left".
If you're having troubles writing in English please send me a E-Mail in your preferred language or use the free Google Translator to transfer your message to English. I also use that tool, it's of course not perfect but I think it will mostly likely work out for our purposes.
Short Introduction
The unsigned german band Strangelet plays Heavy Rock that is heavily influenced with Sleaze and Metal elements. The band has a constant line-up since 2012 and played over 30 gigs in about two years. Their full length album "First Bite" has been self-written, self-produced (Jonas on keys is also the prospective sound engineer and producer of the band) and self financed. The mastering was done by Stem Masters Munich (J.B.O., Fiddler´s Green…). Currently the band is already in the process of writing material for the next release of the band.
 |
| (c) by Strangelet, used with kind permission |
Summary / Player
This album came as a total surprise to me and it struck me hard. I wasn't sure what to expect of a band with this mixture of elements but this is a must have to all those people loving music that is hard rocking at mostly midtempo speed. All tracks come fully dedicated and the band gave it's full heart blood to make each song a unique experience.
Their sound is hard to compare to but I would most compare them to Unisonic or Gotthard but with a strong addition of keyboards to the sound that remind me a lot of the good old Deep Purple. It's this full dedication of the sound along with the vocals that have some touch of Gotthard-like spirit that makes them something special. In fact it is a outstanding debut record. It's music that could describe various days in your life, each with a different vibe. 11 days of your life...
You can check out the full album from the website of the band. I've also added the two promotional videos at the track by track section to give you a fast idea of the band's sound. The record can be ordered as a pressed Compact Disc for 10 Euro plus shipping and handling through the E-Mail contact adress of the band. Please see the linked contact page of the band for the mail adress. A MP3 download version of the album is available as well from the same contact adress. There's also some merchandise available like a T-Shirt. Just ask the band for the details.
Update 2015/06/11: If you live in Japan and would like to buy the CD you may do so at the shop of Anderstein Music.
Update 2015/03/09: For all visitors from the USA/Canada - the album is also available from CD Baby. The download is available for 9,99 Dollar.
Track-by-Track-Review
The direct riffer for the start of the album. A uptempo track that easily kicks you in to the album. Very straight and direct it takes on a ride. But wait, it's just the beginning of it all...
2. Nothing
A stomping midtemo song. Cool whistling of the melody at the start. This one is a straight scream along track that you can go on with from the very first listening. The solo comes in very hard. Takes you even further inside and wanting to hear more.
3. Tainted
My absolute favorit! I loved this from the very start. It speaks so much of what is in my heart. It's a beautiful midtemo hymm. The refrain will let you sing along again. The keyboards set the deep mark with vocals here for the first time. This is when you're really inside music! A organic song that goes straight to the heart.
4. Pray To Break
The intro comes very mythical, followed up by a straight uptempo rocker. The hammond sounding keyboards form the theme of the song, while the vocals come very stretched out on this one. A modern way of songwriting in here but one that fits to the mood of the music.
5. Stillborn
A half ballad with much guitars and punch. It feels like a song for the empty days in your life. The bass comes in very cool while the guitars add one of these shining moments that you seldomly find in music. A riff breaker takes the song to a heavier level with much keyboards and shred guitars. Some echoing notes and last notes form a unusual ending to the song. Well worth listening to it.
6. Snakebite
The intro comes in very epic. A riff-ripper this one turns out to be a very straight go-along track with hypnotic keyboards once again. The end is very progressive and jammed along like. Reminds the most of Deep Purple this one.
7. Hell & Back
Keyboards start this one up, a solid midtemo stomping track. The song goes back-and-forth in structure but let's you easy walk along to it.
8. Touch The Sky
A very edgy and progressive one, the riffs hack hard around on this piece of music. A rough cut-refrain, the keyboards play a major role jamming a lot inside the track.
 |
| (c) by Strangelet, used with kind permission |
9. Catching Fire
The start is very balladesque this one is a hard midtempo pushing track.The keyboards have a very distinct hammond note and also form the end of the track.
10. All That's Left
My heart's broken this one seems to scream! Very strong vocal performance that is only followed by some keyboards. Surely a challenge to each singer. Guitars only at the end of this forming a soft solo and ending to "All that's left".
11. Hiding Star
The last light shining on the sky tonight. That's what this one reminded me of. A slow track dominated by keyboards once again with soft vocals form a perfect fade-out to the album. Let's hope we'll hear and see more from this band!
The last light shining on the sky tonight. That's what this one reminded me of. A slow track dominated by keyboards once again with soft vocals form a perfect fade-out to the album. Let's hope we'll hear and see more from this band!
7/15/2012
Festival footage online and on TV
The festival season is once more upon us. :-) Also the weather here in germany is a quite mixed thing right now it's time to celebrate the music we all love and adore together with other people while having a little party with it. If you know of more stuff that is up on TV or online please let me know though a comment or email. I'd like to put up as much stuff here as possible.
Vainstream Festival 2012
Some festivals are already over and TV stations have been there to capture some footage of what happened. One of them is iMusic 1 with their show iMusic rocks show. They recently took a look at the Vainstream festival and came back with some interviews and interview stuff (e.g. with Slayer). You can watch it online at their website. It's only 30 minutes long but worth watching it.
Rock Hard Festival 2012
Another TV station here in germany is the WDR. They did visit the Rock Hard festival 2012 here in Germany and will show tonight a cut-together of interview and concert stuff. After that they will also show 2 best of's of the shows from Graveyard and Unisonic. The exact time-table goes as follows:
Sunday to Monday, 15. upon 16. Juli 2012
00.15h Rock Hard Festival 2012
02.15h GRAVEYARD
02.45h UNISONIC
All times are german times. More info on this broadcast (in german) can be found here. In case they should add the stuff afterwards to their archive I'll put the exact links here up,too.
Update 2012/07/16: Happily they did upload the videos! Just click on the links to open a new window with the video in it.
Rock Hard Festival 2012
Graveyard
Unisonic
Additionally you can watch stuff from the past 2011 Rock Hard festival and also from the 2010 RH festival stuff is still watchable online.
Update 2012/07/16: Just got the info that Heavy Metal Home TV has also taken some footage at the festival and did upload it to youtube for watching. The video is about half a hour long and features the following bands (each one contributes one full song to the vid):
TURBONEGRO, KVELERTAK, KRISIUN, RAM, DEATHFIST
Wacken Open Air 2012
Will there be a stream this year? I have no concrete info about this yet. At least the german TV station zdf kultur has announced to broadcast a four hour special on 4th August 2012, starting at 20h (german time). Maybe the NDR may do a stream. Their Wacken sub-page is still up and running so chances might be they'll do a stream. Let's keep the fingers crossed.
Update 2012/07/27:
There will be a internet livestream from the Wacken 2012 Festival! The following bands already confirmed that their shows will be shown online: Overkill, Dimmu Borgir, U.D.O. und Hammerfall.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday the stream will be online, starting at 18h (german time) and end at 1h in the night. On Sunday their will be a stream up from some shows of the previous days that hasn't been shown in the time before. More details like the full time-table will follow in the next days. I'll update the related post on the frontpage of my blog when new info arrives, so stay tuned for more!
The internetstream can be seen at this site of the german TV station NDR, thanks to them that they will give us the possibility to take part of this great event also in 2012!
Update 2012/08/03:
ZDF kultur will broadcast some of the shows live through their TV station on 4th August 2012. The following bands will be shown at the mentioned german time:
20.00 Uhr, Amon Amarth (LIVE!)
21.25 Uhr, Volbeat
22.50 Uhr, Scorpions (LIVE!)
23.15 Uhr, Machine Head (LIVE!)
Update 2012/08/05: ZDF kultur has put the video for this online, full four hours of live-stuff!!!
But hurry, it's only up for a week.
The highlight shows in the week after the Wacken Open Air will contain the following bands at the mentioned days with german timeframe:
Update 2012/08/07: Seems like every show will be added to the on-demand-archive of the TV station for free watching after the broadcast so I'll add the links here as fast as I can. Just click on the desired show and a new window with the chosen on-demand stream will appear. :-) But hurry, every video is only up for a week. Enjoy!
6. August, 17.55 Uhr: Sepultura & Les Tambours du Bronx
7. August, 17.55 Uhr: Hammerfall
8. August, 17.55 Uhr: D.A.D und The Boss Hoss
9. August, 17.55 Uhr: Saxon
10. August, 18 Uhr: Dimmu Borgir & Orchestra
13. August, 17.55 Uhr: Edguy
14. August, 17.55 Uhr: Testament
15. August, 17.55 Uhr: Ministry
16. August 17.55 Uhr: In Extremo
17. August, 18 Uhr: In Flames
More info on the timetable regarding the broadcast on german TV station zdf kultur and the highlight shows can be found on this site
The TV NDR station has put up the full Show from Cirle II Cirle for seven days on the Wacken subpage. The band performed Savatage's "The wake of Magellan" album in it's entirely so it's something very special.
Update 2012/08/12: The german Metal Hammer magazine has put together some nice links as a media review shwoing what german magazine's and TV stations did report about the WOA: See the clipping with all the links attached right here.
Update 2012/10/19: Meanwhile the german documentary "Heavy Metal trifft Karniggels" has been uploaded to this location. Having taken a look at the stuff it seems to me that the documentary stuff has been left in but the videos from the band performances have been cut out. Guess that's because of legal rights missing to stream this stuff. Anyway, nice they did put this one up at least as (optional HD) flash videos and additionally also as Windows Media Stream in three qualities.If you want to know more about the director Detlev Buck, there is another german sub-website from NDR station describing his life and work quite in detail.
In addition to this they also did set up a subpage with all the performances of the bands that played at the "Wacken metal battle" Contest. So if you saw a band there that you liked a lot or just wanna checkt out some fresh new bands, this is the place for you to go. I counted 17 videos on that page. Great so see they support young bands that much.
AREA 4 festival
There was a stream online and now some of the shows are online. Check my corresponding post for details on where to see the stuff.
Hellfest 2012
German TV station Arte did broadcast a documentation about this Open Air located in France with it's very mixed line-up. It's nicely done, with much livemusic, interviews and some personal insights into the time the both reporters spend at the festival. Check out the movie here. It will be online for about a week. (added the link on August 5th 2012).
Omas Teich Festival 2012
A smaller festival in the eastfrisian region (northern) of germany with mostly Independent band and the like, mostly not with metal bands. ZDF kultur will broadcast a cut-together on 28th Juli 2012, starting at 20h (german time) and some specials in the week after the festival. Read the (german) announcement here. You can get more info about the festival on the official homepage.
Melt, Isle of Wight,Hurricane and Berlin Festival
Besides all of this the ZDF has some concert footage of Melt, Isle of Wight,Hurricane and Berlin Festival in their mediathek service currently online, but only for a week. Go here and click on the image to choose your desired festival stuff.
Graspop Metal Meeting 2012
Adrenaline Mob have uploaded two pro-shot videos of their performance at the Graspop Metal Meeting. Nice stuff, check it out below for yourselfes.
Vainstream Festival 2012
Some festivals are already over and TV stations have been there to capture some footage of what happened. One of them is iMusic 1 with their show iMusic rocks show. They recently took a look at the Vainstream festival and came back with some interviews and interview stuff (e.g. with Slayer). You can watch it online at their website. It's only 30 minutes long but worth watching it.
Rock Hard Festival 2012
Another TV station here in germany is the WDR. They did visit the Rock Hard festival 2012 here in Germany and will show tonight a cut-together of interview and concert stuff. After that they will also show 2 best of's of the shows from Graveyard and Unisonic. The exact time-table goes as follows:
Sunday to Monday, 15. upon 16. Juli 2012
00.15h Rock Hard Festival 2012
02.15h GRAVEYARD
02.45h UNISONIC
All times are german times. More info on this broadcast (in german) can be found here. In case they should add the stuff afterwards to their archive I'll put the exact links here up,too.
Update 2012/07/16: Happily they did upload the videos! Just click on the links to open a new window with the video in it.
Rock Hard Festival 2012
Graveyard
Unisonic
Additionally you can watch stuff from the past 2011 Rock Hard festival and also from the 2010 RH festival stuff is still watchable online.
Update 2012/07/16: Just got the info that Heavy Metal Home TV has also taken some footage at the festival and did upload it to youtube for watching. The video is about half a hour long and features the following bands (each one contributes one full song to the vid):
TURBONEGRO, KVELERTAK, KRISIUN, RAM, DEATHFIST
Wacken Open Air 2012
Will there be a stream this year? I have no concrete info about this yet. At least the german TV station zdf kultur has announced to broadcast a four hour special on 4th August 2012, starting at 20h (german time). Maybe the NDR may do a stream. Their Wacken sub-page is still up and running so chances might be they'll do a stream. Let's keep the fingers crossed.
Update 2012/07/27:
There will be a internet livestream from the Wacken 2012 Festival! The following bands already confirmed that their shows will be shown online: Overkill, Dimmu Borgir, U.D.O. und Hammerfall.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday the stream will be online, starting at 18h (german time) and end at 1h in the night. On Sunday their will be a stream up from some shows of the previous days that hasn't been shown in the time before. More details like the full time-table will follow in the next days. I'll update the related post on the frontpage of my blog when new info arrives, so stay tuned for more!
The internetstream can be seen at this site of the german TV station NDR, thanks to them that they will give us the possibility to take part of this great event also in 2012!
Update 2012/08/03:
ZDF kultur will broadcast some of the shows live through their TV station on 4th August 2012. The following bands will be shown at the mentioned german time:
20.00 Uhr, Amon Amarth (LIVE!)
21.25 Uhr, Volbeat
22.50 Uhr, Scorpions (LIVE!)
23.15 Uhr, Machine Head (LIVE!)
Update 2012/08/05: ZDF kultur has put the video for this online, full four hours of live-stuff!!!
But hurry, it's only up for a week.
The highlight shows in the week after the Wacken Open Air will contain the following bands at the mentioned days with german timeframe:
Update 2012/08/07: Seems like every show will be added to the on-demand-archive of the TV station for free watching after the broadcast so I'll add the links here as fast as I can. Just click on the desired show and a new window with the chosen on-demand stream will appear. :-) But hurry, every video is only up for a week. Enjoy!
6. August, 17.55 Uhr: Sepultura & Les Tambours du Bronx
7. August, 17.55 Uhr: Hammerfall
8. August, 17.55 Uhr: D.A.D und The Boss Hoss
9. August, 17.55 Uhr: Saxon
10. August, 18 Uhr: Dimmu Borgir & Orchestra
13. August, 17.55 Uhr: Edguy
14. August, 17.55 Uhr: Testament
15. August, 17.55 Uhr: Ministry
16. August 17.55 Uhr: In Extremo
17. August, 18 Uhr: In Flames
More info on the timetable regarding the broadcast on german TV station zdf kultur and the highlight shows can be found on this site
The TV NDR station has put up the full Show from Cirle II Cirle for seven days on the Wacken subpage. The band performed Savatage's "The wake of Magellan" album in it's entirely so it's something very special.
Update 2012/08/12: The german Metal Hammer magazine has put together some nice links as a media review shwoing what german magazine's and TV stations did report about the WOA: See the clipping with all the links attached right here.
Update 2012/10/19: Meanwhile the german documentary "Heavy Metal trifft Karniggels" has been uploaded to this location. Having taken a look at the stuff it seems to me that the documentary stuff has been left in but the videos from the band performances have been cut out. Guess that's because of legal rights missing to stream this stuff. Anyway, nice they did put this one up at least as (optional HD) flash videos and additionally also as Windows Media Stream in three qualities.If you want to know more about the director Detlev Buck, there is another german sub-website from NDR station describing his life and work quite in detail.
In addition to this they also did set up a subpage with all the performances of the bands that played at the "Wacken metal battle" Contest. So if you saw a band there that you liked a lot or just wanna checkt out some fresh new bands, this is the place for you to go. I counted 17 videos on that page. Great so see they support young bands that much.
AREA 4 festival
There was a stream online and now some of the shows are online. Check my corresponding post for details on where to see the stuff.
Hellfest 2012
German TV station Arte did broadcast a documentation about this Open Air located in France with it's very mixed line-up. It's nicely done, with much livemusic, interviews and some personal insights into the time the both reporters spend at the festival. Check out the movie here. It will be online for about a week. (added the link on August 5th 2012).
Omas Teich Festival 2012
A smaller festival in the eastfrisian region (northern) of germany with mostly Independent band and the like, mostly not with metal bands. ZDF kultur will broadcast a cut-together on 28th Juli 2012, starting at 20h (german time) and some specials in the week after the festival. Read the (german) announcement here. You can get more info about the festival on the official homepage.
Melt, Isle of Wight,Hurricane and Berlin Festival
Besides all of this the ZDF has some concert footage of Melt, Isle of Wight,Hurricane and Berlin Festival in their mediathek service currently online, but only for a week. Go here and click on the image to choose your desired festival stuff.
Graspop Metal Meeting 2012
Adrenaline Mob have uploaded two pro-shot videos of their performance at the Graspop Metal Meeting. Nice stuff, check it out below for yourselfes.
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