The scream comes first. The curtain is still hiding the stage, but behind it giant silhouettes of the band sway in the darkness, teasing what is about to happen. Then the fabric drops, the lights hit, and SPIRITBOX erupts into…
Text: Glenn Leaper | Photos: Caroline Traitler When Geoff Tate announces that he’ll be performing Queensrÿche’s seminal Operation:Mindcrime in its entirety one final time in conjunction with his imminent [May 3] solo release of the third instalment of the greatest…
Hot on the heels of the release of their critically acclaimed new album Wilderness of Mirrors, Myrath returned to enchant the Viennese crowd with their hypnotising brand of oriental power metal – or, as they call it, “Metal from the…
Forty years is a long time to keep the fire alive, especially in heavy metal, where even the most tenacious bands fade into repetition and irrelevance. For me, that fire’s always been personal. There were years when I quite literally…
It started with the smell of beer-soaked concrete and the sound of double kicks bleeding through the breeze. Vienna’s Arena, the kind of venue where the past lingers in decaying bricks and hand-painted signage, hosted yet another October gathering of…
The screen pulled us in before a single chord struck the air. We were gliding through a CGI vision of Thatcher-era London: grimy alleyways, flashing red lights, a shadow of Eddie lurking around every corner. The intro to “Murders in…
It takes a particular kind of magic to make a small outdoor stage built from scaffolding feel like the flaming gates of an underworld realm, but that’s exactly what Castle Rat did on a warm summer night at Arena Wien. …
The house lights dimmed, and a hush fell over the historic Gasometer in Vienna – the kind of silence that trembles with anticipation. The anticipation of the first Avantasia show in Vienna. Then came the unmistakable rock and roll riff…
If you grew up in the 80s, then you probably remember hair metal. It was a time when big hair, tight pants and flashy makeup were all the rage. And while some might say that era is best left in…
The Hella Mega concert tour featuring Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Weezer was a massive success in the US following several cancellations for obvious reasons. It featured three iconic bands taking the stage and putting on an incredible show.…