Genre Tourism · 29/01/2023
185 days till W:O:A 2023. I really need to step it up a notch if I want to write about all the bands on the line-up this year. I am taking too much time with individual bands, trying very much to find something to latch on to, even if there isn't anything. Masterplan last week was a hard one and unfortunately, it is the same with Warkings. Warkings, a power metal supergroup consisting of well established and busy musicians who dabble in various other bands and projects. For Warkings they all...
Genre Tourism · 20/01/2023
194 days till W:O:A 2023. Masterplan is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut album Masterplan (2003) in Wacken this year. The band was formed in 2002 by former Helloween members Uli Kusch (drums) and Roland Grapow (guitar). Roland Grapow remains the only founding member in the band as of today. Keyboardist Axel Mackenrott has also been with the band since 2003 and has been involved in all releases except the debut album, where Janne Wirmann from Children of Bodom provided...
Genre Tourism · 12/01/2023
202 days till W:O:A 2023. Today I am writing about yet another metal classic: Jag Panzer's debut album Ample Destruction from 1984. Jag Panzer formed in 1981 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They started playing under the name of Tyrant at first, but had to change their name as this one was already taken. Vocalist Harry Conklin kept his nickname "The Tyrant" though. In 1984 the band recruited Joey Tafolla as their lead guitarist and shortly after recorded their debut album. Ample Destruction was...
In The Pit · 15/10/2022
On 13.10.2022 Blind Guardian played in Hamburg within their Somewhere Far Beyond-Tour. Whereas the tickets to the Samael concert in Berlin had been my birthday present to Chris this year, the tickets to Blind Guardian were his birthday present for me. So, for the third time in 2022, we went off together to see Blind Guardian live at the edel-optics.de-Arena in Hamburg, Wilhemsburg. (Quick side note: the McDonald's close to the arena has been THE WORST branch I've ever been in. Seriously, don't...
Genre Tourism · 09/05/2022
Manowar - the self-proclaimed Kings of Metal. Yet another band that plays a significant role in the history of heavy metal. In 1980 Joey DeMaio worked as a bass technician for Black Sabbath and Ross Friedman aka Ross the Boss played guitar in Black Sabbath's support band on the Heaven & Hell tour. By suggestion of Ronnie James Dio they formed a band together with drummer Donnie Hamzik and vocalist Eric Adams who was a friend of DeMaio. They called themselves Manowar. Eric Adams and Joey...