Live review: Hardcore VS Metalcore Party presented by Facekick Blast @ Durer kert (14.07.2012)

Last Saturday I ended up at a local show in Budapest after a random taxidriver noticed some bandshirts in the back of his car.
He asked us if we would like to be dropped off at Dürer Kert, because today there was a hardcore show with Hungarian bands only. Well yeah... Sure! 

The word 'local' says it all, as me and my soulmate ended up as the only two people not being Hungarian. We arrived too early, which gave us some extra time to discover the venue and talk to some hardcore kids from Facekick Blast: A collective of people who set up hardcore shows together in the city of Budapest

Dürer Kert is a very spacious location with venues hidden inside the venue. Sounds unreal, but it is true. As you can see on the pictures below, the interior is outstanding and creative. When you think you have seen it all, you must have missed Dürer Kert: Cunts, boobs and mustaches are chilling at the walls of endless hallways.

The kick-off was given at 9 a.m. by In The Cold Light: A band formed by six people, each of them having their own influence on the music. This makes it hard to decide what kind of genre they bring. Sometimes it gets a bit chaotic, but just that is what makes In The Cold Light charming and surprising. Either you like it, either you don’t. 

Crown of Victory was the beatdown highlight of the evening, the moment most people that showed up were looking forward to. The local Hungarian band brought a very good cover from Irate's Vendetta and it seems they have already built up a small fanbase in their hometown.

As one Reason To Kiss entered the stage it became clear that the screaming girls came especially to support Crown Of Victory. Surprising if you ask me, since One Reason To Kiss is not unskilled. They spit their melodic hardcore all over the place and played shows before with bands like Bridge To Solace, Dead Swans, This Is Hell,...

Given their best shot, Slaves Strike Back started to play in front of less than 20 people and went off stage with a doubled crowd putting their hands together. The Hungarian band is rather new in the scene. This could be the most possible explanation for the small attendance, because their sound was rather good for an upcoming band being a headliner after recording a first EP last december.

Pictures of the venue and a few of the show (I'm sorry guys, the battery has let me down that night) can be seen below.

one of the hallways

cunt

In The Cold Light

mustaches

another hallways that gives access to another concert

the entrance

the show

the message

Slaves Strike Back

restroom door

stage

In The Cold Light
In The Cold Light:  http://www.facebook.com/InTheColdLight
Crown Of Victory:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Crown-of-Victory/184160158382143
One Reason To Kiss:  http://www.facebook.com/onereasontokiss
Slaves Strike Back:  http://www.facebook.com/slavesstrikeback 

Dürer Kert:  www.durerkert.com 

Ieperfest 10-11-12 August 2012

Summertime means that lots of musical festivities take place. The hardest and also greenest among them all is definitely Ieperfest.


The DIY organisations Vort'n Vis (can literally be translated as 'dirty fish') and Genet Records put their hands together again to throw one of the biggest parties in the scene: Ieper Hardcore Fest: The Feast Edition.
To celebrate this 20th edition the following bands will burn down the place:
Reign Supreme, The Chariot, TRC, Shai Hulud, Death By Stereo, Unearth, Terror, This Is Hell, Skarhead, Homer, Knuckledust, Sydney Ducks (awesome name for a band), Trapped Under Ice, Cruel Hand, Whatever It Takes, Thruth And Its Burden, Vaccine, Toxic Holocaust, Deez Nuts, Death Of Anna Karina, Naysayer, Rise And Fall, Ignite,
Withdrawal, Aborted, Midnight Souls, For The Glory, Kylesa, Pianos Become The Teeth, The Black Dahlia Murder, Scraps, 7 Seconds, Crowbar, Take Offense, Sick Of It All and many many more.(*)

More Than Music

Ieperfest is about much more than just music and brings people closer to each other without sectarian activities being involved. As every year you can join debats, witness live interviews, discuss openly with bands, watch documentaries and presentations or catch up with/on vegan talk.
Last year Carl Schwarz was interviewed live by the Ieperfest organisation (Brutality Blog interviewed him as well) and spread his ideas about for example America's policy. People in the public were given the chance to ask Carl their own questions right before the end of the session.

Green, greener, greenest

In 2012, the organization focusses on green policy even more than they did with previous editions. Every idea to make it happen from you or your grandpa could turn out to be a success. Do not think you need an Einstein-mind for this: Even the most simple ideas where no one had thought of before can be helpful. Do not hestitate to : greenpolicy@ieperfest.com

Utopic facts about the festival:
This year is the 20th anniversary.
Everything is 250% vegan.
Since 2010 they got rewarded twice with national green awards.
The organisation is non-profit.


(*)Ieperfest is not responsible for broken keyboards caused by drool dripping from open mouths.

Driven Fear, band from Australia and they are fucking angry

This following post is made by Glenn Heyse, probably the biggest Driven Fear fan you will ever meet in your life. He has his own funny and short way of writing. Enjoy.

Good day dear reader,
How are you today?
Stuck in the same routine? Feeling tired? Misled? Betrayed? Demoralised?
Well, you're not alone. The guys form Driven Fear are thinking the same thing.

This band from Brisbane, Australia is one of those bands that are rare these days.
When you read the lyrics, you will find more social criticism then in a Michael Moore documentary and you can't help yourself from screaming along.
"I think that it’s time that we make some changes"

Well, what are you waiting for?
Don't know where to start? BUY THEIR CD'S and then go protest with me, lets hit the streets (read: bar).
Enough reading start listing or... Some more reading?
"No listen to this, its badass motherfucker, kiss my ass".

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Driven-Fear/109397320154
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/drivenfearhc
Pee Records: http://www.peerecords.com/

By Glenn Heyse

Vainstream Rockfest 2012 (Münster, NRW, Germany)

The one day festival Vainstream Rockest makes the city of Münter shiver every early summer. This festival concentrates on metal, punk and hardcore music and started its first edition five years ago by throwing twelve names only in the line up that mostly sound familiar to the big public: Neara (playing their hometown at Vainstream), Caliban, Boy Sets Fire, Danko Jones, Backyard Babies, Water Down, Darkest Hour, Fire At The Attic, KJU, Crosscut and Fall Of Serenity. Bullet For My Valentine got the honour to parade on stage as mainact and made the curtain fall in the 2006. As this first edition line up shows, Vainstream was about to expand in just very little time. 

Some history

In 2007 another stage was added and the line up started to expand bit by bit. Vainstream at its highest point was a two day festival with almost 30 bands playing the stages. Also another one-and-only-edition-until-now festival was set up in Wiesbaden in 2010, which was called Vainstream Beastfest. 

Last year, the organisation decided to take it easy and came up with 17 bands such as Deez Nuts, Madball and Motörhead. Reducing the amount of artists did not really reduce the amount of people showing up at Vainstream Rockfest since 10.000 people bought a ticket for the 2011 edition.

2012's edition

On Friday 8th of June Vainstream starts off with the Desperados opening night at the Skater's Palace. To bring you in the mood the London female fronted band Mortad, Israelian Hammercult and the American Hatebreed will warm you up for the day after. 

On the 9th of June musicfans gather at the cultural square of Münster, am Hawerkamp, to see their favourite bands play. Gojira, Refused, Slayer, Enter Shikari, Emmure, August Burns Red, Mad Caddies and many more will be smashing guitars, make you sing and dance and scream. All together, 24 artists play Vainstream Rockfest this year. The festival ends at 22.30 already, but then the After Show Party starts at the Sputnikhalle with Stick To Your Guns, Off!, Eyes Set To Kill and the Cro-Mags.

Keep your eyes open for the 'Show me your shred' competition. You can still give your vote on the vainstream website to  the -in your opinion- best shredder until June the 3rd. The winner will get to play one song together with German metalcore band Caliban on the Desperados stage.

Practical info

The happy-wallet-festival costs you 60 euros only if you decide to go last minute. For the early birds among us, the ticket had only cost 55 euros during the so called 'early bird ticket sale'. The festival takes place at the cultural square of Münster, Am Hawerkamp.

Groezrock 2012 Review

Every year at the end of April, a bunch of great bands find their way to the Groezrock festival in Meerhout, Belgium. Remarkable fact: This year’s edition even got sold out at the very end! People from all over Europe come to the punk- and hardcore festival to fill their heads with music… and beer.

The stages

The Fender Acoustic was the smallest stage on the entire festival. As the name tells you already, here were acoustic sets played by Yellowcard, Vienna, Face Tomorrow, Anti-Flag and Tommy Gabel.

The stage to be the most excited about –without a doubt-  was the intimate Etnies stage. No barriers at all, band and crowd become one as stagedives and singalongs are parts of the sets. A few bands who played this stage: Junius, BEAR, Slapshot, Verse, Sunpower, Confession.

The Impericon stage is the place to be for more ‘mainstream’ metalcore bands such as The Ghost Inside, Architects, Evergreen Terrace and Parkway Drive.

The main stage... No need for any further explanation.

Saturday

On Saturday the Etnies stage was opened powerfully by Belgian band BEAR from Antwerp. What was immediately standing out during the show were the blinders, which gave the lightshow an extra touch. A great show to wake up and to get yourself prepared for more.

Last year, The Ghost Inside played the Etnies stage. This year they played Impericon stage around six ‘o clock and smashed the place. Songs like ‘Destined’ and ‘Unspoken’ made the crowd go mad. This band has gained popularity in just little time, what was proven once again at Groezrock.

The Dillinger Escape Plan was introduced as the most extreme band playing the festival and they confirmed those words in every way. All Dillinger traditions were there: Guitarist Ben Weinman went for a crowdsurf while playing his guitar, vocalist Greg took a 4 meter jump down from the boxes and at the very end of the set the drum was destroyed. You are wondering about how they can afford this? I was told they rob music stores in every town they play.

It became clear that Parkway Drive has become completely overhyped, since the Impericon stage did not provide enough space for all people who wanted to see the Australian band. You could not move at all and it was hard to get out of the place, because it was too packed. The atmosphere was not comparable to what it was years ago, before Parkway’s popularity increased. The main stage would have been a better spot for the band to play.

Sunday

One of the best punkrock atmospheres on the festival was during Sunpower. The Belgian band played the Etnies stage around noon and succeeded in throwing a party out of nothing. People were dancing on stage as the band almost forced the crowd to join them. Just minutes later there was even a circle pit on the stage. Everything is possible when Sunpower is around. Satisfied they yelled: “Yeah, that is a punkrock party".

Another hardcore band is Verse. They attracted a good amount of people to the Etnies stage on Saturday and their genre can be compared with eighties hardcore. The song ‘Story of a free man’ broke the ice, which can be seen on the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buhxeQ9Q3GU

Architects has been touring until last weekend with guitarist Tim, who left the band now. Tim’s last show was okay, but could be more satisfying if the crowd would have been more into it. Despite that fact, Architects gave the best of theirselves and played some new songs from their album ‘Daybreaker’ which will be out at the end of the month.

Anti-Flag brought familiarity to Groezrock, since their songs are known so well among the entire crowd. Even people who are not familiar with the band, will still be into the music thanks to the good old vibe. When there are people climbing up on the poles where light- and sounddesks are located to sing at the lighttechnican –he thought it was not funny… at all-, then you know the atmosphere is a-w-e-s-o-m-e.

Your last chance to collect some black spots at the Impericon stage was during Terror’s set. Suddenly, a whole lot more security men came out of nothing to swallow the stream of crowdsurfers. No surprise of course, as singer Scott Vogel pointed at the poor guys standing in front of the stage while demanding to put those men to work.

Terror took their time to tell us what they think about today’s scene: Bands who call theirselves ‘hardcore’ just to gain popularity should be ashamed of theirselves, bands who do not support other bands by going to shows etc. do not deserve any respect, same for those who do it for the money. Last, but certainly not least: Refused got blamed to be one of those bands who care about money only. After 50 min, Terror donated the last ten minutes of their set to Take Offense for some more terrorizing old skool hardcore. If that is not the hardcore spirit still living on, then the world will be taken over by ducks.

Refused did not answer Terror’s accusion. Honestly, they seemed very happy and were extremely honoured to be headlining the Groezrock festival. Refused has been gone for thirteen years and they had difficulties with filling venues where just a few hundred people could fit in. Now, years later they suddenly headline festivals and those guys are very grateful. The band took their time for some peptalk as well, such as life: “Don’t you ever let anybody tell you how to live your life. You only get one chance here. This is real. This is not a rehearsal.” Think about that, guys.

 ‘Ever Lasting’ seemed the song everyone had been waiting for, since the place broke loose at that moment the first notes started to play. Refused was very enthusiastic about the show, and so were the visitors of Groezrock.
A great headliner of a great weekend full of punkrock and hardcore.

The Dillinger Escape Stache

First Blossom In Spring (GER) releases first EP 'Don't Look Back'

Think about blending metalcore and melodic hardcore... What you get is First Blossom In Spring, a young band from Münster (GER). Since I am familiar with First Blossom In Spring I already knew that listening to 'Don't Look Back' would fill my head with shiny and catchy melodies. The first song 'Who I Will Be' is a good start off, because it introduces the band's sound without revealing everything at a time. 

While listening to the rest of the EP you will be surprised about bassplayer Ricardo's singing skills in 'More Than Life'. Also the riffs will not let you go that easily. These people speak one and the same language while playing their instruments. Honestly, I believe this is a surprisingly good first EP.  

'Don't Look Back' was recorded at Pitchback Studios in Köln, same studio where Nasty is recording new songs right now. Pitchback Studios is specialized in a few genres, such as hardcore. 
First Blossom In Spring is a band that keeps surprising me in any way. Last summer they blew my socks off at Sputtenmosh X by creating an amazing atmosphere out of nothing. What in this case certainly must be mentioned is that they opened the festival as voting winner and they had not played lots of shows before.  

Curious? Check out their facebookpage and have a listen at a few songs.


A real family EP if you ask me. Isn't it mothersday in a little while? Well, this is the golden tip of today: Make your mom happy or your aunt, your sister, the old lady next door or your pet with this great EP! Send those guys an e-mail and you will get free autographs as well. Spread the fucking word!



This is my personal favourite: More Than Life. The video is from the Sputtenmosh X gig last summer in Münster.


Facebookpage: http://www.facebook.com/firstblossominspringband/info
Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/firstblossominspring
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/firstblossominspring
Other: https://vimeo.com/user8802216 


Facebookpage Pitchback studios Köln: http://www.facebook.com/pitchbackstudios

Meet Kalypso, a German band from Lingen.

Meet Kalypso, a German metalcore band located in Lingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen. They united in 2009 and last month they released their second EP ‘Neue Chancen’. The EP was recorded in Kiel at Blastbeat Production AND can be downloaded for free, just like their previous EP ‘Nyktophobie’.


Every single word is sung in German, which strengthens the poetic structure of the lyrics. Even if you do not speak the language it will still be a swaying accent pleasant for the ears. The lyrical content of the songs are in fact summaries of what happens in life, but seen from a different point of view.
Kalypso has a strong metalcore sound, with here and there some remarkable deathcore accents in it.


In the mean time, Kalypso recorded a videoclip for their song ‘Bäume wachsen nur auf stärken Herzen’ in cooperation with Doom Design who offers professional graphic-, video- and webdesign without sucking your wallet dry.

 As you can see the videoclip is shot on a frozen lake. During the shooting, the ice cracked heavily underneath the boy’s feet. In the end both the band and camera guys left the ice even though they do some more shots at this location, but they did not want to put themselves into danger.

Curiousssss or wot? Check out their video or even better: Go and check them out tomorrow at the 'The End Is Near Tour' in Paderborn, NRW, Germany. Kalypso will tear the place (Kulturwerkstatt) down together with All You Can Bleed, Hate Embraced, Tribe and Science of Sleep.

Enjoy!

Funny (unrelated but not senseless) fact: Kalypso’s rehearsal room is located in an abandoned elementary school. Spooky stuff.


EP 'Neue Chancen' free download: http://www.mediafire.com/?by5y0y7t0458pkc
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kalypsometal
The End Is Near Tour: https://www.facebook.com/events/352574018104188/