Ieperfest '11 (day 3)

I was gonna go all three days but I got a bit sick and didn’t think it was a god idea to go camping for 3 days then. luckily for me a friend of mine drove to Ieperfest today and I got to drive along. roadtrip! first band we saw was Betrayal, the reason why my friend went in the first place. they were actually kinda good. I didn’t really listen to them a lot, but they surprised me, cool band! second band was Black haven. I hadn’t seen them yet since the release of Harmbringer earlier this year, so I was really looking forward to seeing them. they were tight, fuck. they would’ve been a lot cooler if they played on the smaller stage, but that’s just a detail. I’m already I got see them. after them we saw Fatal recoil. one word; meh. afterwards we went to see EF. kind of the odd one out, but they were nice. I should definitely listen more to them in the future. next up was Death before dishonor, but I only saw them from a distance. after them we saw For the fallen dreams. really not my kind of music. I don’t see any appeal to it. the next band would me make forget all about them; The secret. forget everything you think you know about heavy music. this band, wow. their music was like a bulldozer riding over your head at high speed, with the exception of two songs. hard, heavy, really slow. another band I’m happy about that I saw them. after The secret, Kvelertak was up. holy hell, they were just brilliant. already supercool on CD but live it’s twice as awesome. headbanged through their set. final band for us was Bury your dead. just released a new album + they re-united with their former singer. indescribable hard. they played a lot of old songs (particularly from Cover your tracks), including Magnolia. perfect song to end this day.

Ode to youth

Flood floor shows. apparently a new promoter, that will organize floor show, as the name already says. first band on tonight’s bill was More than meets the eye. not really my cup of tea but they weren’t bad. they’re good at what they do. the only thing that bothered me was the amount of youngsters that had to show off their latest dancing-moves. second band was Lasting traces. I’ve already seen them at Perceptions-fest last year, so I was looking forward to them. to me this show was way better. the sound was better, they just sounded better. everybody stood close to the band, that helped as well. next up was Midnight souls, one of the best Belgian bands at the moment. no complains, they’re always tight. I saw them at Rock Herk a couple of weeks ago but the atmosphere here was much better, due to the fact it was a rather small venue. second to last band, Grieved. never heard them before, but they really blew me away. the entire band was so full of energy, it was amazing. they played a short set though, because they had to stick to the time-table. then it was time for Gold kids. I only go to see one song at Rock Herk so I was glad they played here again. they were amazing, but I wasn’t expecting anything less. another band full of energy, just the way I like them. I have the feeling their set was a bit shorter than usual as well. nevertheless, I enjoyed them.

Rock Herk '11

Rock Herk was awesome. really wet, but awesome. Otto Von Schirach was the only thing I wanted to see on Friday. he was fun, as always, but some of his songs were too dubstep-isch for me. Saturday started off with Midnight souls. they never disappoint, good start off the day. next band was Kingdom, the Belgian one. first time ever I saw them and they really impressed me. goosebumps all over. I was supposed to see Gold kids next but the running order changed and I only saw the last song of their set, bummer. maybe I’ll go see them in a couple of weeks. More than life were late so they started an hour late. so glad I finally got to see them again, good set. last but not least, Swans. the most intense show I’ve ever seen I think. goosebumps all over, again. so glad I got to see them.

Het oog van de storm

it has only been a year, but Converge was again touring Europe. this time there were only a handful of dates, and the support was also pretty exclusive. Oathbreaker and Rise and fall would only play 4 shows with Converge. the one in Antwerp was one of them. first band was Oathbreaker. they were still as heavy since the last time I saw them. they're releasing a new record in a couple of weeks so they played some new songs, they were amazing. everybody should pick up Maelstrom when they get the chance to. next band, Rise and fall. I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I last saw them. anyways, same as Oathbreaker actually. they're always heavy. their set was a mixture of songs off Into oblivion and Our circle is vicious. they also played a new song of their new record, which will be released somewhere in the beginning of next year. when their set was over, it was time to let my money roll. first I bought Maelstrom by Oathbreaker on 12" (3 weeks before street date!) and Tshirt from Oathbreaker. then I went to check the Reflections records distro. I bought a few things there: Cold snap - Bad moon rising 7", Balance - In like a lion 7", Foundation - When the smoke clears 12" and a book about the Norwegian black metal scene, Lords of chaos. next and final band was Converge. heavy as fuck, nothing more, nothing less. classic opening with Concubine, followed by Dark horse, Heartache and Hellbound. they played a decent set, mostly songs off Axe to fall. ended with The broken vow and played Last light as an encore. this gig definitely shows that a) Belgian hardcore (Oathbreaker/Rise and fall) is alive and well and b) Deathwish will forever have the best of bands.

it's been a while since I posted here. I haven't been to a gig in more than a month, so I don't really have stuff to write about. I'll include a list of upcoming shows. I doubt anybody will care, but whatever.

15/06 Converge + Rise and fall + Oathbreaker
30/06 Martyr defiled
07/07 Black breath + Black haven
09/07 B.B. King
14 - 15/07 Rock Herk
19/07 Punch
29 - 30/07 Break Out Fest

Young fire

last night I went to Antwerp again. the same guys who did Jeniferever almost 2 weeks ago, set up another show. first band was The black heart rebellion. they're a Belgian band, greatly influenced by instrumental bands like Red Sparowes and Mogwai, combined with the dark atmosphere of bands like Cult Of Luna and Isis and the screaming intensity of bands like Amanda Woodward. I never saw them before, I even never heard something from them. I was looking forward to see them, to say the least! they surprised me, in a good way. they managed to build there songs up very well. they played only 4 songs; 1 brand new, 1 from the split with Amen ra, 1 from the split with Adorno and 1 I don't know. I guess their own album. while I was waiting for Suis la lune to go on, I picked up Pianos become the teeth - Old pride on 12". eventually it was time for Suis la lune. I've known them for quite a while now. I don't listen to them very often but it sure was nice to them. they played a good set. headliner for the evening was Pianos become the teeth. I've only known them for a few months now, but I was really looking forward to seeing them. say what you will, I think they have very unique sound, or I missed a whole lot of bands that sound like them. anyhow, they were awesome. they played a lot of songs of Old pride, and even a brand new one, that will appear on the new record, which comes out somewhere at the end of the year.

not the best of pictures but here are my RSD purchases, from top to bottom:

The devil wears prada - Zombie EP 10" (clear vinyl - came with comic)

Regina Spektor - Four from far 7" (blue - RSD exclusive)

Lady Gaga - Telephone 7"(picture disc)

Lady Gaga - Born this way 12"(picture this - RSD exclusive (?) - #/5000)

Record store day

conceived in 2007, to celebrate the unique culture surrounding independent record stores in the US and hundreds of similar ones internationally. because nothing beats the feeling of holding the physical copy of an album in your own hands. preferably after you spend quite some time flipping through records. you flip, and you flip, until you discover that one record you've been dying to get. we've all been there. record store day is accompanied with exclusive releases. going from RSD exclusives to very rare records. it sure was good to out today, and see so many people in the record stores. usually there are about 3 people and that's it. maybe it's because I go when others are working, or it could be people are taking the easy way out and buy albums online (or download them). it's important to keep buying them as well. artists put so much effort in writing, recording, ... not to mention the money they all put in it. I'm guilty of downloading as well, but if I really love the record, I buy it. hell, if I could I would buy almost every record I have in my itunes. my point is: keep supporting record stores. go out once in a while, and buy a few records.

I hope everyone had an awesome RSD. I know I had! can't wait for next year.

Ring out the grief

yesterday I went to Antwerp, to finally see Jeniferever. they were here once before, but I couldn't make it back then. I managed to get at the venue right in time for Wild dogs in winter. I'd never heard of them before but they were pretty cool. I saw somebody describing them as "a mix of shoegaze, folk, postrock and ambient". as I far as I know something about those things, that's exactly what I would call them. once they were over I went over to check out the merch. I didn't plan on buying anything but I bought myself Jeniferevers Spring tides 12". they quickly set up their gear and after 15 minutes they finally started. what can I say? it was really intense. they really can get you in a trance, and then it's just you and the band playing. they mostly played songs of their new record, and a few of their first two. they ended with Hearths, the closing track of their new record. best ending there could possibly be.

Proud to be

I've been straight edge for over 3 years now and I don't think there's any other topic that's as much discussed as straight edge. it's getting ridiculous. later this evening I saw somebody complaining about a guy who put "straight edge 4 lyf" on his facebook. has it really come this far? that you can't let others know that you're proud about it? it's not like he's doing any harm with that. as long as he didn't attack non-straight people personally for smoking/drinking/whatsoever, there's nothing wrong with letting people know you're straight edge.

“if you’re straight edge, be proud of that. if you’re not straight edge, be proud of the person you are and the things you’ve accomplished.”

yes, I feel self doubt sometimes, it courses through my veins. second guessing my direction and questioning each step I take. and yes, yes I feel the pressure too but I have faith in myself, and I made a choice. and everything you said, was it meant to just change with the wind? you see the world through jaded eyes and thats not the way I want to live. proud to be, yeah I’m still proud to be. I made a choice and my choice is to stand. stand fucking hard. yes, as the years pass by I feel the loss. so many people slip away and it hurts, it hurts, but I still know what I’m about. And I’ll say it again, I’m proud to be, that’s right. and everything you said, was it meant to just change with the wind? I thought we shared the same ideals, but now I barely know who you are. proud to be, and you know it. proud to be. I still wear an X on my hand and you know that I’m still proud to be.

Vangelis - La petite fille de la mer.

on sunday I saw Stranger Than Fiction. this song was used in it. I really fell in love with it. it's extremely beautiful, yet so saddening at the same time.

I listened to the rest of the album, L'apocalypse des animaux, almost every track is as beautiful as this one.

Wanderlust

took the bus around 13.30, took the train to Kortrijk around 14.26, got there around 15.21, my train to Ieper was at 15.51 and I arrived at the venue around 16.40. first band I saw was Crimson falls. I wanted to see them, since I hadn’t seen them in a while but I lost interest and I still had to eat! when I had done eating, I went to get 2 t-shirts from Carpathian. the white Wanderlust one (the one from this tour) and the Euro winter tour MMXI longsleeve. then it was time for Shaped by fate. I listened to 1 of their songs couple years ago and I didn’t expect them to be this good! they really got the crowd going. then it was finally time for Carpathian! the only band I went to Ieper winterfest for. they started off with Ironheart, followed by Wanderlust and Sun heights. they played almost everything from Isolation and Wanderlust. it was really amazing. my hands are wrecked, everything hurts and my throat is soar. after Carpathian was over, there was basically nothing to do for me anymore. I could’ve seen the Set-up but I lost interest after 2 songs. instead I went over to the distro to check their records out. I almost bought Panic - Dying for it on 12” but then I saw the self-titled album by Janez detd. on 12”. nobody will know them but they got me into punkrock and all that, I’ve been listening to them since I was about 10! I also got myself a new book, The face on your plate. having cash is never good for me! then it was time to go. another 3 hours of trains, a bus and waiting. it was worth it though. I had a great time. Carpathian was awesome.

watch me unwind, rejected and depressed. everything I am I hate. confused, directionless. knowing this is all we had. existing on best terms we can until Death takes us from our own fucking hands.

Carpathian will always be relevant to my life. if everything goes as planned, I’ll be heading out tomorrow to get my ticket for Ieper winterfest. I can’t wait to shout all the words along.

MMIX so far

17th of January - so far, so good. I made a couple resolutions, but I'm keeping them to myself. not that they're a secret, there's just no point to it. one of them though, was to read more, or at least finish Requiem for a dream and Get in the van. I've started over with Requiem for a dream and I'm halfway through it. when I finish it, I definitely will download the movie. in other news: I had a job for 1 week. that means I'll have another €500 to myself. the majority of that will be spend on records and shows. I already ordered some stuff from the Reflections records webshop, The '59 sound on 12" and Society verse. that should be arriving on tuesday.