Blog
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Cave of Wonder
With just over a week before Solstice fly out to Finland, and life outside the band likewise refusing to slow down; I take brief pause to reflect on a wonderful weekend in and around Balver Höhle. Prophecy Fest has always been a unique affair. Expertly curating an eclectic line-up of bands beyond the usual expectations…
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Et in Arcadia ego
There is a place, one supposes, that calls to a simpler time. An age of pastoral greenery and unbridled passion. An idyllic ideal of the imagination, yearning to unravel through the concrete and tarmac trails of modernity. Arcadia, ever-present yet elusive, flickers in words and thought. An ancestral echo, barefoot in fecundity yet fragmented in…
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Tears of the Mountain
I was not alone for Midsummer. It had been a hard year for many. Some had lost those dear, and others still had lost part of themselves. The abrasion of existence scratching away at the best of us, compelling cruelty and distrust through uncertain times. A common burden, one often and needlessly borne alone. Thoughts…
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Into the Sixth Decade
With a full half-century now behind me, it seems appropriate to mark the moment and look ahead to what remains of the future. My birthdays always bring with them a twinge of melancholy, and this year has been no different. These past months have been weary to body and soul, stressful for many reasons obvious…
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End of Vortex
It is sad in recent weeks to learn of the sudden and permanent closure of Wakefield’s Vortex Bar and Nightclub. Having put on a few shows in recent times, and playing there myself with Solstice, I was immediately impressed by the quality of both sound and staging. A professional, talented crew always worked hard with…
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Battles on the brink of War
The dust has settled on the English leg of the DIOCLETIAN tour. Five dates of utter devastation across the country. Filling venues to capacity almost every night, with those who missed out eager for more. Ending the tour with the debut UK performance of ABRAXXUM was an inspired conclusion, but each and every show delivered…
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A Weekend’s Grift with Darkher
Although I’m often to be found helping out local siren DARKHER in all my usual capacities, last weekend reminded me just why the music draws me in. The final dates of an intimate candlelit tour alongside GRIFT and CARCASS OF SIGHS, it fell to Stephen and Karen of The Velvet Sheep to handle merchandise and…
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Selim Lemouchi (1980 – 2014)
Like so many others today, I mark ten years since Selim Lemouchi made his departure. The Devil’s Blood were the soundtrack to an important era of my life. A re-awakening into a vibrant sense of belonging; through years of self-discovery, hedonism and magick. Many stories remain untold from that licentious time, although many averted gazes…
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Remembering the Sorceress
She was the “Sorceress of my Soul”. An affectation, drunkenly blathered in Brussels at one of the many, yet honestly few, gatherings in which we crossed paths. Alex took such purple prose in good grace, as sincerity welled up my eyes in significance of our friendship. Nine years ago, she and partner Konstantin took me…
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After the Manifestation
A worthy weekend was spent in the service of Subterranean Manifestation III; an uncompromising all-day assault of Death, Black and especially War Metal in the capital. With the show itself magnificently arranged by Subterranean Promotions, I was drafted in for the essential duty of delivering the artists to and from the airport and venue. Driving…
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A time apart in the tarmac tundra
Scattered sparsely along the A1 and elsewhere, OK Diners are a reasonably recent addition to the roadside repast. Offering a British take on the American Diner experience, the kitsch 1950s decor is matched with piped Rock ‘n’ Roll and a sense of novelty nostalgia. Behind the neon and chrome facade, a sincere wholesomeness pervades the…
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Fire blades from the Tomb
With all the kerfuffle going on, I neglected to honour the long-awaited debut album from Torino’s Ponte del Diavolo – “Fire blades from the Tomb” A unique miscela of Doom Metal, Black Metal, and more than a smattering of Darkwave. With many surprises along the way, this all-too short album culminates with a crushing Nick…