I have seen Swedish extreme prog metal band LOCH VOSTOK a couple of times before, and therefore I know I’m in for a treat.
When the band starts to play their first song, Babylonian Groove, the “extreme” part of LOCH VOSTOK is very much heard. All I can hear is drums, drums and more drums. For me it is a bit too much, but when I look around, the crowd seem to like what they hear. Heads start to bang!
I have always had difficulties putting a specific subgenre label on LOCH VOSTOK as many of their songs are very different in sound and genre, and that is what makes them so special.
The one thing I can clearly state is that lead singer and guitarist, Teddy Möller, is a character one must experience live at least once in a lifetime. Don’t let his appearance fool you! With his build, posture and big beard he has that certain brutal “Metal look,” but when he opens his mouth and starts to sing, he proves he has a true gift in his voice.
Their sound is brutal, yet very technical, with great guitar riffs and solos – I really love what they do.
LOCH VOSTOK gets the crowd totally going when the whole band start to bang their fists in the air to the beat of drums, getting the audience to repeat their ‘uh uh’ shouts, and when Teddy decides to come off the stage and walk down into the audience playing his guitar, he shows what a showman he truly is. Not many musicians do this and for me it just shows that he wants to connect with the audience in a different way, and personally I think it’s amazing! Other bands and musicians should follow his example. Respect!
Towards the end of their show, Teddy announces he wants to bring out a guest for their next song, Rebound, and imagine my surprise when HEXED singer Tina Gunnarsson enters the stage to perform with them, and also lets us know Tina is Teddy’s sister.
LOCH VOSTOK end their show with a big BANG and when Teddy and Tina sing, banging their heads in sync together like only metal siblings can do, I am already looking forward to attend the next LOCH VOSTOK live show. I suggest you all do the same! You will not regret it!
Guitarist and lead singer Teddy Möller comments on their show at Kometen, Hvidovre:
]]>“The perfect ending on a great tour that started and ended in Loch Vostoks second home, Denmark. Perseverence goes a long way. See ya soon”
After receiving fantastic feedback for their new album “To Kill To Live To Kill”, and having torn up the North American continent live, as support for Persefone in August and September, the Danish Thrash/Power veterans MANTICORA announce their upcoming 4th European headliner tour.
The tour, which will see the band again visiting a large part of Western Europe and Scandinavia will be taking place in March and the band promises to step it up on all parameters, when meeting the fans eye to eye.Guitarist Stefan Johansson explains:We’re super excited about heading out in Europe again. North America was fantastic, but being a support act there, we didn’t have the chance to bring the full production. In Europe, we can do that and we’ll do our utmost to bring along the heavy equipment, so our fans will experience the slap in the face it is, when we allign our sound and images to an audial and visual show – not just a concert! Join us, and bring your family….we all float down here….
Manticora’s brand-new video for the song “Echoes Of A Silent Scream” can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhqZtxtqAoQ&list=RDYhqZtxtqAoQ&start_radio=1
As direct support on the tour, MANTICORA will be bringing the Swedish Avantgarde death/melodic masters of
LOCH VOSTOK: Modern progressive/aggressive. Avantgarde, yet accessible. Odd but smooth. Huge choruses, strong rhythms, tons of melody. If you’re a fan of Devin, Gojira, Emperor, Soilwork etc, this is exactly your music. LOCH VOSTOK has released 7 albums – all of them a gem on its own – and the band has toured Europe several times, as support of a.o. Therion and King Diamond.Video (lyrical): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-BtXNrkXqYwww.lochvostok.com
And the opening act will be the debut’ing semi-progressive and very melodic metal act HEXED.
The HEXED debut album ”Netherworld” was released in March, 2018 and the album contains ten blistering tracks. “Netherworld” has received fantastic reviews and the band has rapidly gained a reputation of delivering a flawless and perfect live show. The opening act anyone would wish for!
Video: “Exhaling Life” (feat. Thomas Vikström):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10uumiUuksMwww.hexed.se
-MANTICORA have released 8 critically acclaimed albums (and a 334 page novel), since 1999, and toured numerous times around Europe as well as in North America + played at prestigious festivals, such as Wacken Open Air, Sweden Rock Festival, ProgPower USA, etc.
Line-up:
Kristian Larsen – guitars
Lars F. Larsen – vocals
Stefan Johansson – guitars
Sebastian “Ceppe” Andersen – bass
Danni Jelsgaard – drums
Discography:
Roots Of Eternity (1999)
Darkness With Tales To Tell (2001)
Hyperion (2002)
8 Deadly Sins (2004)
The Black Circus – part 1 (2006)
The Black Circus – part 2 (2007)
Safe (2010)
To Kill To Live To Kill (2018)
Bibliography:
To Kill To Live To Kill (2018)
Manticora Live:
European Tour 2019, featuring Loch Vostok and Hexed:
01.03.2019: DK – Viborg, Viborg Metal Festival*
02.03.2019: DK – Tba*07.03.2019: DE – Hamburg, MarX
08.03.2019: DE – Karlsruhe, Substage
09.03.2019: FR – Paris, La Boule Noire
10.03.2019: UK – London, The Underworld Camden
12.03.2019: FR – Lyon, Ninkasi Kao
13.03.2019: Tba
14.03.2019: DE – München, Backstage
15.03.2019: NL – Hoofddorp, Podium Duycker
16.03.2019: DE – Essen, Turock
22.03.2019: DK – tba
More dates to be announced…
Additional dates:
08.12.2018: DK – Aabenraa, Nygadehuset
03.05.2019: NO – Karmøy, Karmøygeddon festival
* = Not Hexed
Manticora online:
www.facebook.com/manticoraband
Manticora Video links:
“Echoes Of A Silent Scream”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhqZtxtqAoQ&list=RDYhqZtxtqAoQ&start_radio=1
“From The Pain Of Loss…” (2010 video from the album “Safe”) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxeF6tYicc
Manticora Labels:
ViciSolum RecordsMarquee/Avalon (Japan/Korea)
Manticora Publishing:
Enorm Music GmbH
Marquee Music Publishing Ltd (Japan/Korea)
Manticora Endorsement:
Engl Amplifiers
]]>Check out the “Purpose” video: https://youtu.be/dK_oJkxCR9Y
Loch Vostok was born out of necessity. A need to create without musical boundaries.
After two years of only playing shows and demoing songs, Loch Vostok entered Dugout Studios with renowned producer Daniel Bergstrand to create their debut album. With the help of Intromental Management, Loch Vostok started the search for a suitable record company, and found Magnetism Records who released Dark Logic in 2003.Multiple shows followed, only one offs and festivals, but they were many, so many that they decided to record their second album just to get more songs out! Second album Destruction Time Again was released by Escapi Records in 2006 and was followed by a tour with King Diamond. Small tours, festivals and one-off gigs followed, and the band was just as busy as before. In 2007 the band recorded Reveal No Secrets which was completed and released in 2009 on Nightmare Records. All that time between was spent touring and finding the right record company. Shortly after the release, the band fell apart due to financial and stress-related issues. This was essentially the end of an era, and the start of a “new” band with a new sound, but Loch Vostok decided to keep the name. Enter the new era: Loch Vostok recorded Dystopium, then a tour with Therion and Leprous followed, 29 shows in 33 days, all over Europe. Just before, and during the tour, Intromental Management searched for a HOME, not just another record company, Enter ViciSolum Productions who released the critically acclaimed Dystopium in 2011.
V – The Doctrine Decoded came out in 2012, touring with Leprous, Örkenkjött and Persefone, busy years followed. Kids, house fires, death, bankruptcies and such. No hitting the breaks though. Just writing, writing and writing.From These Waters was the hardest thing to put together, loss of parents, studio and lack of time. Still, it turned out amazing and got Loch Vostok the highest review-scores in many magazines. Touring with Persefone (again) and One Hour Hell plus very successful festivals and one offs.
Home, regrouping, settling down, focusing, writing the best possible album they could ever write, getting all that loss, stress, sorrow and chaos out of the system, enter Strife.
Mixed by David Castillo and mastered by Jens Bogren, out via ViciSolum Productions on November 24th, 2017.
DISCOGRAPHY
Dark Logic (2004)
Destruction Time Again (2006)
Reveal No Secrets (2009)
Dystopium (2011)
V: The Doctrine Decoded (2012)
From These Waters (2015)
Strife (2017)
WEB
http://www.facebook.com/lochvostok
Loch Vostok – Purpose (official video)
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