Hellraiser - Para's grandstand for metal concerts

[Parabellum]

After several weeks and months of cultural abstinence, I will once again visit the hallowed halls of Hellraiser tonight.
Symphonic Metal by XANDRIA from Germany is offered. Support is MORAN MAGAL from Israel, who I don't know and is new musical territory for me.

XANDRIA - Two Worlds
Moran Magal - Paranoid - Black Sabbath Cover - Live [ Acoustic Metal ]

[Parabellum]

I made a good choice by buying a ticket for this concert. Three of the four bands were unknown to me until then, but all of them could inspire me with their performance. Also the technicians did a good job and produced an excellent sound. An all-around atmospheric evening for little money - the ticket only cost a sensational 22 euros. In times of inflation, a remarkable value .


Maerer (GER) - Am Anfang (Full EP) (first Support)
Aether (POL) - In Embers (Full Album) (second Support)
Grima (RUS) - Frostbitten (Full Album) (Co-Headliner)
Kanonenfieber (GER) - Der Füsilier I (Official Lyric Video) (Headliner)

[Bombast the Blue]

It was what?
Maybe not much more than a week since I noticed Portuguese TV started mentioning Rammstein as scheduled for next June the 26th.
And Rammstein Portugal, the local fan community are already presenting "sold out" signs for all but the lowest price tickets.

https://rammstein-portugal.com/noticias ... formacoes/

Gig is to take place in Benfica's football stadium in Lisbon.
Name Is "Estádio da Luz" which means "Light Stadium". Light as in the contrary of dark / darkness.
If you scroll down the above posted page you'll get the info about tickect price and availability.
Bancada Piso 3 should be what football fans commonly call "terceiro anel" (third ring).
Those are the places that are furthest away and higher above the grass.
But it seems all the rest was already taken...
Even with a maximum of 6 tickets per buyer...

[Parabellum]

After a break of more than two months, I visited the Arena Leipzig last night, which has room for about 12.000 visitors of concerts. Yesterday's event was almost sold out.

The concert was supposed to take place already in March 2022, but was postponed to 2023 because of the Corona pandemic. The tour poster is from 2022. The lineup changed. Instead of "The Hu" from Mongolia (who I would have liked to see), "Babymetal" from Japan played. This is also a band that doesn't play concerts in Germany every day. Musically completely different from "The Hu", but just as interesting in their Far Eastern style.

SABATON - Stormtroopers (Animated Music Video)
BABYMETAL - METALIZM (OFFICIAL)
LORDI - Borderline

[Parabellum]

Today I'm going to the farewell tour of "Dark Fortress" from Landshut (Bavaria/GER). They are supported by "The Spirit" from Saarbrücken (Saarland/GER) and "Asphagor" from Angerberg (Tyrol/Austria).



Music samples will follow tomorrow ...

[Parabellum]

...
For me, these bands belong to the underground scene in the broadest sense, although two of them have contracts with major music labels. That's why the interest in the event was limited and it was moved to the small hall of the Hellraiser, which seats about 150 - 200 people.
Dark Fortress promoted their new album with the tour. It was already released in 2020, but due to the restrictions and bans because of the Corona pandemic they couldn't play any concerts. This has broken the neck of many artists and I suspect that this could also be a big reason why the band is breaking up after almost 30 years.

DARK FORTRESS - Pali Aike
THE SPIRIT - Illuminate The Night Sky
ASPHAGOR - Pyrogenesis

[Bombast the Blue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wL5c38Gr4w

Machine Head in Lisbon 2022.
First sounds appear only around minute 13 and are probably just the tech crew moving about.
Concert starts only beyond minute 20.
Until almost the 1 hour mark the sound volume is really too low.
Then it gets a bit better...

Text mentions Campeo Pequeno which is a typo.
It is Campo Pequeno - literally Small Field.
It is the most famous bullfight arena in the country.
So, the concert venue is round in shape, practically a circle.
Facebook page - for the photo.
https://www.facebook.com/TouradasPT/pho ... 518526198/

Since it is summer here is a bonus track.
Crypta, from Brazil, at WOA 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYMNsRu8Cs

[Parabellum]

...
Since it is summer here is a bonus track.
Crypta, from Brazil, at WOA 2022.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LYMNsRu8Cs

Saw it back when Magenta offered the band on livestream. The facial expressions of the sympathetic singer amused me heartily. That's why the band has remained in my memory.

[Parabellum]

My autumn / winter concert season 2023/24: Part 1



Support: Phantom Elite - "Inner Beast"
Co-Headliner: AD INFINITUM - Animals
Headliner: Blackbriar - Spirit of Forgetfulness

[Lemmy]

Melissa Bonny (Singer of Ad Infinitum) is a friend of mine, and I like so mcuh this band

[Parabellum]

Melissa Bonny (Singer of Ad Infinitum) is a friend of mine, and I like so mcuh this band

Congratulations on this acquaintance. Many greetings to the musicians when you meet them. My wish to the band: less volume brings more musical enjoyment for the audience and does not ruin the whole event ...

This would have been my next concert tonight. But unfortunately I failed to buy a ticket in time and now the event is sold out . Very, very sad, because I never had the opportunity to visit a Paradise Lost concert before and was really looking forward to it.

[Lemmy]

I understand your disappointment having seen them 2 times (once in Wacken et the second time at HellFest)

[Parabellum]

My autumn / winter concert season 2023/24: Part 2



The Foreshadowing | Forsaken Songs (Full EP Stream) (Italy)
Saturnus - The Calling (Denmark)
In The Woods... "Empty Streets" live @SummerDyingLoud 2022 (Norway)

[Parabellum]

I added a link to the Hellraiser homepage in the first post. Here you can find all announced concerts, merchandise and a few photos.

[Parabellum]

My autumn / winter concert season 2023/24: Part 3



INDUCTION - Set You Free (Support/GER)
Tim Kanoa Hansen, son of Kai Hansen (Gamma Ray, Helloween etc.), in the musical footsteps of his father's role model.

SONATA ARCTICA - I Have A Right (Headliner/FIN)
Always a pleasure to see and hear. Last concert visit was 4 years ago here in the same place.

STRATOVARIUS - Survive (Headliner/FIN)
Seen for the first time. My expectations were met. Matias Kupiainen (guitar) and Jens Johansson (keyboard) skillfully throw the musical balls to each other and shine soloistically. Reminds a bit of old Deep Purple times (Mark 2 line-up), when Blackmore and Lord inspired each other to top performances. However, there was much more improvisation back then - today's bands can't do that anymore and it's probably not expected by the audience either.

All in all, a nice evening .

[Parabellum]

My autumn / winter concert season 2023/24: Part 4



Do, 9. November 2023
Tour „I AM“!

Special Guest: Ensiferum
Supports: Eleine + Ryujin

[Parabellum]

The musical review of last night:

Unfortunately, the concert started half an hour earlier than announced. That's why I only heard part of the last song from the first band. It's a shame because Japanese bands rarely perform in Europe and they have an interesting style of music.
RYUJIN - Raijin & Fujin (feat. Matthew K. Heafy)

This was followed by a musical and visual contrast from Sweden ...
ELEINE - We Are Legion

... and the Finnish neighbors Ensiferum
Ensiferum - Andromeda

At the end of the evening, the Swedish band PAIN around mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Peter Tägtren - very entertaining.
PAIN - Revolution

[Parabellum]

YT-Shorts: PAIN provide a look behind the scenes of HELLRAISER in Leipzig https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TXuhchU5xsM

[Bombast the Blue]

TV announced something called Evil Live with a few names I recognized so I searched the net and here is the e-billboard:
https://www.evillive.rocks/en/

The venue:
https://arena.altice.pt/en

So, the address / map on bottom of the festival page is of the festival office.
Altice Arena's page has a link to the venue's map... in case someone decides to come and taste a bit of the Portuguese summer.

[Bombast the Blue]

Newspaper Jornal de Notícias live streamed some concerts from the mythic Vilar de Mouros Festival.
Pity sound capture is far from ideal, even so... links for the concerts of Moonspell and Ramp.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro8ok_2tTVo&t=28s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7Kvncw5FBQ

[Parabellum]

After the long summer break, I'm starting my fall/winter concert season tonight.
The first stop is “Visions Of Atlantis” from Austria, who are doing their “Armada Tour 2024”. They will be accompanied by the band “Illumishade” and Seraina Telli, a multi-instrumentalist, both from Switzerland.

[Parabellum]

Today I would like to provide some musical references to my concert on September 27.

Seraina Telli opened the evening of female vocalists. The sound was OK but the style of music is not one of my favorites.
SERAINA TELLI - HIT shirt

Illumishade as the second band of the evening could have been a pleasant experience.
ILLUMISHADE - Cloudreader
Unfortunately, the sound was catastrophic for me - bass and drums crushed any hint of melody and harmony and it was just too loud (even with ear protection). I would have sacked the man behind the mixing desk for that.

The real highlight were the headliners. Clean, balanced sound, good show and likeable musicians.
Many visitors had obviously only come to see VoA - dressed up as pirates or in medieval costumes.
I would visit again at any time.
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - Armada

[Bombast the Blue]

Today I would like to provide some musical references to my concert on September 27.

Seraina Telli opened the evening of female vocalists. The sound was OK but the style of music is not one of my favorites.
SERAINA TELLI - HIT shirt

Illumishade as the second band of the evening could have been a pleasant experience.
ILLUMISHADE - Cloudreader
Unfortunately, the sound was catastrophic for me - bass and drums crushed any hint of melody and harmony and it was just too loud (even with ear protection). I would have sacked the man behind the mixing desk for that.

The real highlight were the headliners. Clean, balanced sound, good show and likeable musicians.
Many visitors had obviously only come to see VoA - dressed up as pirates or in medieval costumes.
I would visit again at any time.
VISIONS OF ATLANTIS - Armada

I had noticed Metal has expanded enough to start blending with other currents here and there.
Come to think of it, probably since Malmsteen appeared opening tracks with classical quotes.
I am beginning to develop the impression it expanded enough for the development of a sort of pop-Metal.

Bass and drums crushing any hint of melody and harmony is precisely the number one factor driving me away from so many sound products.
It was particularly common back in the eighties but it never disappeared. And sometimes it is probably more the way it is mixed like in that case.

[Parabellum]

After a break of almost half a year, I finally went to a concert again on March 21. It was an evening with exclusively female bands.
The music had a lot of 80s hard rock and is no longer really my taste, but that was no reason not to go and see it anyway and give the female musicians a chance. Sometimes you also experience positive surprises and the music in concert is more authentic and engaging than a slick studio production.

Vulvarine – "Good Time"
COBRA SPELL - S.E.X.
THUNDERMOTHER - Can't Put Out The Fire

[Parabellum]

On Saturday, April 5, 2025 ...

[Parabellum]

... was a wonderful evening. The “Hellraiser” also offers good music apart from the obligatory heavy metal. You just have to be open to it. That wasn't difficult for me with these two bands.
The audience was in a great mood. They sang and danced. The two bands got on extremely well and complemented each other on stage with selected songs. Irish folk punk in atmospheric perfection.

THE RUMPLED - The New Me
The O'Reillys and the Paddyhats - Rise Up, Tear Down