This text was written on April 2024 on my previous Blog
Hej Allihopa! How are we doing? I know that the people who read the blog don’t listen to this kind of music, but I’m going to write about it anyway. 2024 has been an absolutely amazing year for music so far. It all started off great when, in the very first week of January, Wintersun, after a long wait of 12 years, announced the successor to Time I. Many people thought this album would never come, but the truth is that the reasons Jari, the vocalist and founder of the band, made us wait were completely understandable. After the announcement of Time II, we fans were also treated to a wonderful surprise: The Time Package!
Big Package, affectionately nicknamed by Jari, was AN AMAZING GIFT. The material is 100% digital and contains extra, exclusive content to heat up the pre-sale moments of Time II. The package includes remastered versions of old albums, the new CD with extra tracks, and also 5 hours of unreleased demos. What shocked me the most about this announcement were the demos, as they are songs from the time when Jari was still working with his old band, Ensiferum. In the video for the Time Package, he explains that the reasons for the delay in releasing new material were specifically due to a lack of funds to set up a good studio. Despite the fundraising campaign in 2016/2017 and the The Forest Seasons tour in North America, the amount raised was not enough. Therefore, our hero of Epic Melodic Metal had to take out a bank loan to finish the studio out of his own pocket.
In the meantime, Jari also announced that Time II will be released on August 30, 2024. The Time Package has been available for purchase since the first of this month. But don’t forget, it’s a DIGITAL product! The physical version of Time II will be released by the label Nuclear Blast in August. I still haven’t made my purchase of the Time Package. Recently, Jari mentioned that next month he will add another big surprise to the release. Although I’m dying of anxiety, I’ll wait to buy everything together. This pre-sale moment is one of the most satisfying things for both the band and the fans. Many theories and expectations are fueled by us, and a lot of content can be created by them. With each video, post, or photo shared, the excitement builds for the long-awaited new album.
And, to complete my happiness, I recently received as a gift two LPs from the band: Wintersun Live At Tuska 2013 and The Forest Seasons.
I can confidently say that I’m living one of the best moments as a fan because I clearly remember listening to the old albums every day on my way to school. And now, I’m witnessing the simultaneous release of a new CD, the Time Package, and the possibility of going on tour in the band’s home country. So, I have no other word to define all this but: Happiness. I am genuinely happy that Jari and all the other members will be back in action, and with that, they’ll achieve their goal of building the long-desired and awaited recording studio that they truly deserve!
This year, I wanted to start getting more involved in the metal scene here in Stockholm. I’m always going to big shows, but I’ve never taken the time to visit a bar or pub dedicated to extreme music. It was then, while talking to some people here, that I discovered Klubb Fredagsmangel!
The club is located in the suburbs of Stockholm, just the way we metalheads like it 🙂
The truth is, it’s a bar where independent bands perform every weekend. While the focus is more on Death Metal, there are also quite a few Doom and Black Metal bands. As soon as I heard about the place, my eyes lit up because it was exactly what I was looking for here. You might not believe it, but even though Sweden is famous for having a wealth of extreme metal bands, it’s not very common to find metalheads wandering the streets. I rarely see guys or women wearing shirts from any metal bands in my neighborhood. There are very few cases where I see the famous long-haired metal fans. These folks live in more remote areas and gather in the alleys of the suburbs. So, Fredagsmangel is the perfect place for that gathering!
Participating in metal events has always been an ambition for me, but to be honest, I was hesitant about being a Latina and Black woman. I wasn’t sure if I would be well accepted, given that there are some unpleasant people in the scene. But right on my first visit to the bar, I was relieved by the warm reception from everyone.
So, on January 27, I decided to go to the place for the first time. To support the bands and the club, there’s an entrance fee of 200 SEK. Most of the bands, of course, are Swedish or Scandinavian. But the venue welcomes bands from all countries; you just have to want to perform. That day was all about Death Metal. The bands that performed were: Exterminated, Wan, and Wömit Angel. I shared everything about them on Instagram: Skandinaviskapärlor.
The first impression was so good that I decided to go back a second time. This place was definitely what I had been needing for a long time. Drunken, introverted metalheads— the perfect definition of a gritty metal hangout. On the day of my second visit, I had the pleasure of watching an old-school Heavy Doom Metal band from Sweden called Taiwaz.
I really like their songs; I even bought their LP that day. The show ended with the track “Play With The Devil,” which is one of my favorites!
Then, I returned for a third time, but this time for a very special reason. On March 2, it was Brazilian night at the bar. Two bands from Brazil performed. Sextrash and Outlaw blew the minds of the Swedes. Outlaw has a slower vibe, but Sextrash is pure Thrash Mosh. There were so many circle pits that they even ended up damaging the ceiling of the venue.
Outlaw
The bar’s schedule is always packed, and we still have many awesome bands lined up until the end of the year. But yesterday, March 9, I decided to stop by another venue to see the gods of Swedish Doom Metal: Candlemass!!!
Last year, the band was on tour with the album Epicus, Doomicus, Metallicus. They came here, but I couldn’t go see them. This year, since the tour for the album Tales of Creation was announced, I was ready and bought my ticket. To be honest, the band made it onto my list of life-changing shows within just 10 minutes of their performance. These guys are amazing!
Candlemass is currently one of my favorite bands. With each album, I always have 2 to 4 tracks that I listen to daily on my Spotify. And last night’s show only confirmed that. It was a short and focused set of all their biggest hits. Although the tour was for their fourth album, they played all the great successes from the earlier ones. Let’s be honest, the debut is the band’s flagship. They played Dark Reflections, The Well of Souls, Tears, Mirror Mirror, Crystal Ball, and the classic Solitude to close the night.
I was truly surprised when they played the track A Sorcerer’s Pledge. It’s my favorite song by the band and a bit hidden on the first album. Under The Oak also had its moment, especially because Johan performed it so well.
During all this time following the band, I’ve always been a big admirer of both vocalists’ work, although I had a bit more sympathy for Messiah, the former member. However, after this show, I don’t think I can have preferences anymore because Johan is equally amazing. His voice reaches very high notes with such ease. Plus, he’s very friendly and kind to the audience as well. So, I’ll set aside this internal rivalry and really appreciate the individuality and talent of each of them.
And honestly, I’m even surprised by how many events I’ve already attended this year. But I don’t have anything scheduled for the upcoming months yet. It’s likely that I’ll return to the club more often. However, I don’t have any tickets yet for any shows from more famous bands. The year is just starting, so I’m sure a lot more is coming up. And of course, I’m already keeping an eye on Wintersun’s comeback tour.
But that’s all for today, folks! Hej då!
