Just on time before the new year, here’s my overall 2016 review…
Best album/EP
Coming Home, an album which keeps the spirit of the band and still brings something new and refreshing. A great listen after four years of waiting since their last release. I’m now just waiting on a more complete UK tour… You know you want to meet us Glaswegians again, Peter!
New bands
Going to so many gigs it is obvious I have come across many new bands. Not only this, I have also discovered new bands through random listens on the internet and here are the ones which stuck out:
Poem – Discovered at the Amorphis show in March this year. The atmospheric mesmerising music topped by vocals which left me physically with my mouth open… They are one of the best bands I have discovered this year and in many years.
Psycrence/Nephylim – Two bands I have discovered within a few weeks of each other and both reminded me how much I enjoy melodic metal. While Nephylim is more on the death metal side and Psycrence is softer, they are both really enjoyable and bands you do not want to stop listening to once you’ve started.
Persefone – Outside of (some) Dream Theater I have never really found a progressive band for me… until a few months ago with Persefone. With so much atmosphere resulting in the progressive aspect slowly taking you to a completely different realm, a great experience to go through with every album.
Best Gig
So many shows experienced this year! This really has to be a tough one, but in my tops I will definitely have:
Sonata Arctica at The Shepherd’s Bush Empire – ittedly related to the fact they are my favourite band, but everytime I see them they take me somewhere else during the whole set and make me crave for more!
Moonsorrow at the Classic Grand – Although the show was a co-headline with Korpiklaani, Moonsorrow stole the entire show for me and were even more incredible than I thought they could be!
Fleshgod Apocalypse at Audio – Orchestral death metal… Need I say more?
Worst experience
I cannot really think of a terrible experience this year that personally happened to me except an awful long walk in to reach the Rock Im Revier 2016 festival, which cost me missing Powerwolf’s set on the Friday. Quite a disappointment after looking forward to a second live experience from them.
The worst thing of 2016 would have to be all the regrettable losses from such inspirational names, which is still going to this day.
2016 overall
This being my first year as a part of Moshville Times I must say this has really made the year for me. Incredible times meeting so many great people! Gig-wise I have done more this year than the last and surely less than the next and I already look forward to it.
A special thanks to all the Moshville Crew for being a great crazy bunch to work with and especially to the editors for giving me the great opportunity to be a part of this amazing group.
To all the ers of the webzine for making my work worthwhile everyday.
To all bands/PR’s for the warmth and friendliness we always receive.
And finally to my partner, best friends and my fluffy companions who made this year bearable with what was in it.
Here’s to even more metal, even more fun and to this great unified team without whom I would not be so content!
