22-06-2017 – Nummirock

[schema type=”event” evtype=”Event” name=”22-06-17 – Nummirock” sdate=”2017-06-21″ edate=”2017-06-24″ street=”Nummijärvi” city=”Kauhajoki” country=”FI” ]

The second day dawned earlier and two more stages were opened for the metal hungry audience, leaving only the main one into awaiting for the next days. The weather had also turned uglier and we left our camp with raincoats, just to be safe.

Text by: Reija Myllynen
Photos by: Juho Karila

Thursday

Psychework

Psychework is a melodic/power metal group, lead by Anthony Parviainen who is best known for his vocals in Machine Men and Raskasta Joulua so hearing his voice with the most recent band was something we really wanted to get up for.

Thursday starts with nice energetic line-up, which seems to be like at home and naturally on the stage, but I notice that the contact with audience should be a little stronger.

Technically the playing is nice, but it still leaves me feeling that there´s somnething missing. I don´t know exactly what that it because it´s pretty hard to put it in words, I see and hear that they all are experienced, but I’m not sure have they been together on stage enough yet to be welded seamless.

Setlist: Tide, Bullet with My Name, Tear of the Phoenix, Vale of Tears, Reflection Unknown, Hand on Heart, Keep the Flame, The Dragon´s year

Bob Malmström

Coming up next was a Finnish-Swedish hardcore/punk act which mainly used cliches of those speaking Swedish are stereotypically educated better and have a better salary and that was emphasized by using Swedish in speeches between the songs and having fake 500€ bills taped all around the stage.

I know they don´t take this too seriously, but best jokes are always short enough, it won’t get you even smiling if it keeps going too long.

I think technically they’re nice, but I dont like much of that crispy and screaming vocals. Even if there are sometimes nicely catchy gripping surface in songs, the whole show is kind of a too messy twist for my taste.

HateSphere

Danish thrash metallers were coming next, something we could bet to shake the rest of any possible sleep out of our systems. Founded in 1998, Hatesphere have become known internationally with 9 albums under their belt and various shows across Europe and in Asia.

Heavy with just the right attitude, theres´s a great professional know-how in stage, they connect with audience well, also with those who are in beer range, which isn´t seen too many times.

Body language is strong and expressive, and of course it’s nice to see the whole band headbanging almost exactly in the same time (without disturbing playing at all.)

so I enjoy the experience, nothing to complain, nothing to add.

Vorna

Finnish Vorna was a curiosity for both of us, with no prior experience, we soon learned they play really athmospheric melodeath and we agreed that we have to listen to them more.

There was a little bit initial tension, which seems to flow away as show go on. There was also nice movement, just right amount to their music style.

Contact with audience is lying too much on vocalist’s shoulders, and even he handles it better than well, I would like to see same attitude from the others too.

Technically there’s not much to complain, and especially the versatile vocals are pretty impressive.

Carach Angren

Next one was some symphonic metal from The Netherlands but the overall was more black metal than anything else.

This is exactly what it’s when you’re looking at a show with dramatic masks, appropriate powerful theatricality and a certain spasm steals your attention in a pretty cool way. Also I have to admit, that I have rarely seen such stylish gestures.

The audience is well catered for band, and also vocalist, Dennis “Seregor” Droomers‘ voice contol is quite impressive. At sometimes, they’re musically maybe a little bit boring, but just a little bit, and because the show flows technically flawlessly and was such a sparkling fireworks for the eyes, you really don’t have the time to notice it.

So summa summarium enjoyable fun show.

Nicole

Second one of the biggest comebackers of the year was the Finnish groovy death metal bulldozer, Nicole, who are known for their highly contagious energy up on the stage. Needless to say, we were thrilled to see them.

So because Nicole is Nicole, expectations were quite high, but I have to admit they filled those big shoes nicely, even if I know they have been on some gig break, I wouldn´t have noticed it at their stage show.

What I saw is strong stage presence with clear and sharp attitude. Contact with audience goes so naturally with nice short and relevant speeches, that you only notice it after show, because at the time, you were too busy to just enjoy it.

Can not say anything but they sure know what they do, and they do it damn well.

Anaal Nathrakh

A British band isn’t the first one you think when are asked about black metal, but that was given to us by “Serpent’s Breath” who only lately have gotten into playing gigs.

They have nice energies up on the stage, but they could have little bit more motion, so it would fit better to their music’s energy level. Band’s focus is clearly in audience and speeches goes with sure professionalism.

Nice sounding technical rumble, but I don´t find much what to grasp on, versatile vocals are really nice, but there are some clear challenge with clean ones, I would miss kind of more aural resonance for those, technically there´s no more to complain about.

Abhorrence

Founded in ’89, the death metal group featuring Tomi Koivusaari of Amorphis, was one of the oldest bands seen this juhannus. Sure they haven’t been active all the time and their revival was only 5 years ago.

I find it hard to say is there anything new, or something I haven´t hear yet. sound is heavy and somehow slow-moving, and I found it hard to find anything to stick on.

Technically nothing to complain, but contact with audience is too lightly for my opinion

Ensiferum

The folk metal patrol won’t need an introduction and we were guessing of their show keeping us warm, despite the extremely cold night.

They start strong and take over stage easily, charisma and stage presence is just up bar, like it should be, and their show is mindblowingly awesome to watch. Pete Lindroos‘ speech summed up the first day pretty well: “Is it fucking cold out there? Good, so it’s also up here. Our fingers have gone numb but that’s alright, let’s move on.” It was easy to believe him as they were using the stage lamps as hand warmers every chance they got.

Also I didn´t found technical mistakes, nothing to complain, nothing to add , they just are damn good to do their thing.

Setlist: By the Dividing Stream (intro), From Afar, Token of Time, One More Magic Potion, Heathen Horde, Burning Leaves, Axe of Judgement, Warrior Without a War, In My Sword I Trust, Stone Cold Metal, Ahti, Two of Spades, Lai Lai Hei

Korgonthurus

Finnish black metal group that has reached the mature age of 17 had the honor of providing late night entertainment as their showtime was 0130 in the night.

The last black metal act at evening concluded the day, even it´s raining like hell and it´s damn cold, they had the power to take the stage well. Their sound doesn´t fit my musical taste but I have to admit they bow down well to the traditions of black metal.

Technically no mistakes, and there are also some nice melodies but not enough to warm on this weather, but that is maybe more up to me and my music taste than them.