Sara Hammerzmith

I was originally about to blog about something completely different today, but it had to move aside for this. Something I’ve been waiting for for SUCH A LONG TIME.

Today, SlipKnot finally confirmed and released the dates for the European leg of their Prepare for Hell tour.

It was so fun, because I remember I got on Facebook and I saw they had some UK dates up, so I was like ok, sure fucking thing, they need to have the rest of Europe with them, so I went on their webpage and noticed that not only did they have an additional European tour.

They also do Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden

And it’s so fun, I literally laid down in my sofa and kicked my legs in the air and fangirled ala Candace over the fact they are coming to Sweden. Not really because I’m so SO SO SO fangirly about them, but because I was so sure they were just gonna skip Sweden (like another masked band we all know so well) but hell to the no they won’t!

I’m so excited. OTN tickets are about to be released on Thursday if I understood things correctly, normal ticket release is on Friday. Now I have about three days to make up my mind which of the dates I should do.

Decisions, decisions…

// Sara

I’m like 11 days late with writing this entry, but what the hell, better late than never! So, on October 3rd Olly Murs, I hope you all know who he is, came out with the first single from his new album “Never Been Better” called “Wrapped Up” featuring Travie McCoy.

It’s very typical Olly if you ask me, nothing too new at all under the sun, but it’s also what he do best – typical feel-good love songs! However, it does make me a bit excited for the new album, mostly to see what else he has on there! I hope whatever is on there is a little, little tad more better than this.

With that being said, I’ll be blasting this a whole lot until the album comes!

// Sara

LastFM feed: Top 5 bands this week

This is the day I’ve been waiting for for SOO long! The first bands confirmed for Sweden Rock 2015.

The bands are as follows:

Wolf
Steve Seagulls
Delain
Torsson
Hell
The Angels
Rock Godess
The Quireboys
Exciter
H.E.A.T
Dark Tranquility
Nuclear Assault
D.A.D
Lucifer’s Friend
Hammerfall
Backyard Babies
Toto
Mötley Crue
Judas Priest.

This is a good start, if you ask me. I’m especially excited for H.E.A.T, HammerFall, Mötley Crüe and Judas Priest.

It’s hilarious actually – only about 20 minutes or so before the release, I was thinking to myself “Haha, it’s going to be a 2012 all over again, when I see Mötley Crüe being confirmed and I’m just gonna book the tickets immediatley”

And then Mötley Crüe was indeed confired. It makes me glad I get to see the boys one more time before they call it quits. And yes, wherever Mötley Crüe goes in Sweden – I go there too. I think it’s one of the few bands I’m extremely faithful to, despite never considering them my number one band. H.E.A.T…. My god! I’m happy to see them again. And of course, need I say anything about the Templars? Of course not. But you, 4 bands that I’m really really stoked about in this writing minute is a good start. I’ve gone to Sweden Rock for less bands, haha.

This was a good start. I’ll make sure to listen through the rest of the bands to see if I find another golden ticket hidden, so I don’t miss out on bands that I later discover.

Like I did in 2012 with Return.

That one burns HARD.

// Sara

So! Today SlipKnot released a new song from their upcoming album “5: The Gray Chapter”, called “Custer”

So. THIS, my friends, I enjoy LIKE HELL. More than I enjoy “The Negative One” and “The Devil in I” together. At first when I heard it, I didn’t even recognize Corey’s voice, which is insane! What is it then that I love so much about this song… everything. I love the beat and rythm in the song, you know, the flow – the writing, essentially.

I’m also in deep love with the arrangement, and especially the arrangement with the vocals. First of all – can we just appriciate that Corey have gotten back to the vocals he’d have for like S/T and “Iowa” or any early stuff really – and that he got back this, how do you say it… almost teasing way of singing? Not teasing as in a tease, but as in the chorus of “Eyeless”, where he got this… mocking! Mocking tone to it, but throughout the whole song.

And then we have this that occurs right before the chorus – where everything just goes silent, basically, and someone speaks “cut cut cut me up and fuck fuck fuck me up”, before it goes RIGHT INTO INSANITY AGAIN! Heavy beats, heavy riff, strong vocals. And I’m not sure if it’s my dysfunctional speakers – or do the sound actually increase? Does it go higher in dB as the song progresses?

I’m having it on right now on my big speakers, and it started off fine, now it’s terrifying me with the volume. And I haven’t even touched the volume knob. Whatever it is – if it’s anything I love about SlipKnot – it’s the intensity. The end of this song people, if you aren’t going insane, you just ain’t feeling it, and you need to crank it up even louder.

Well. Finally, I’m getting a song that truly gets me excited for this album. “The Negative One” and “The Devil In I” was fine enough – but this, this is the good stuff. Ahhh. This is the sound of good music.

// Sara

This morning I woke up to some sad news, but this time, it wasn’t about Lordi, but about HammerFall.

After 15 years in the band, Anders Johansson has decided to leave the band.

The reasons given in the status posted by HammerFall on their official Facebook page, it was due to musical differencies and many, many years in the musicbusiness that lead to Anders feeling that “enough is enough” and that he is now leaving it all behind.

First of all, I’m just gonna say that I have mixed feelings about it. I’m a little shocked over it – they JUST released “(r)Evolution” and they just had their release party a little over a month ago, and the tour was coming up – and pof. Anders’ gone. Just like that.

But on the same time, while I’m shocked… I still don’t get upset. I understand it. He’s been in the buisness for a little over 30 years, at least, and has done so many things, that I guess at some point you just have to stop. Even I would have, if I had the musical resumé Anders has.

With all this being said, I wanna give a BIG shout out to Anders – a HUGE THANK YOU for all the music, all the shows and all the memories. I don’t really have any specific memories with Anders since I never met HammerFall more than at signing sessions – but Anders, you are one of my favorite drummers through times, and one of the major influences on me and why I want to be a drummer one day.

Again, Thank you Anders, for everything. Good luck in the future!

From their releasegig at Liseberg, Anders sporting the Hector helmet.

// Sara