MonoMassive Festival 9.9.2023, Pori (Fin)

The first edition of MonoMassive, organized by Meara Music, was held in Pori at the Annis house of cultures on September 9th. Six bands took turns on the two stages: Anzillu, Atlas, Where’s My Bible, Medeia, Black Royal, and Rytmihäiriö. The festival was sold-out thanks also to the possibility of participation of young people under 18 years of age. Hopefully the festival will be repeated next year.
Here some photos taken by Cristina Gregori.

 

Porispere & Minispere 4-6/8/2023, Pori (Finland)

Also this year The Offering had the opportunity to be present at Porispere, the festival that has been held every first weekend of August for more than 10 years in Pori. The particularity of the festival is to offer a wide range of musical genres over the three days, ranging from metal to pop and everything in between. Notable names this year included Within Temptation, Airbourne, Stratovarius, The Rasmus, Beast in Black, Turmion Kätilöt, Diablo, and Stoned Statues to name a few. Sunday was the day dedicated to families called Minispere, for the occasion on the stage performed Käärijä, who represented Finland at the last edition of Eurovision, missing the victory by very few points with his “Cha cha cha”. The festival was sold out on Saturday and Sunday, the weather was also forgiving with summer temperatures and only an hour of rain on Saturday. Below the photoreport by Cristina Gregori and Miika Riikonen.

https://www.porispere.fi

Chaoseum

This was Swiss metal band Chaoseum’s first trip to the United States and to be perfectly honest, I didn’t know anything about them or who they were. I was told by one fan that they are very similar to Korn and Jonathan Davis. Overall though, they were pretty good. Not extremely heavy, but definitely a good band if you like Korn or similar bands.

Tarja

TarjaMarko Hietala, I was really hoping to see a cameo, but I guess we can’t win them all. Overall a great show, hopefully she starts visiting the states a little more often as she is one musician that I’d love to see more of.
SET LIST
Eye of the Storm
Demons in You
Falling Awake
Diva
Naiad
Oasis / You And I (Acoustic Only Tarja)
Shadow Play (with Band Solo)
Enough
I Feel Immortal
Nemo
I Walk Alone
Victim of Ritual
Innocence
Die Alive
Dead Promises
Until My Last Breath

Atlases, Golden Rot & Sirkuit Preiker live at Meara Klubi, Pori (Finland)

The last appointment with Meara Klubi before the summer was also a pre-release party for Atlases album “Between The Day & I”, as open acts Sirkuit Preiker and Golden Rot.
Atlases is a six-piece fiercely forward-thinking ensemble, whose brushes have touched the metal starting point plus plenty of experimental attitude, with their next album, the band made an unprejudiced leap towards even more original expression, the post metal elements are still present, but the band’s experimental attitude also brought with it songs that were more truncated than before.
Golden Rot is a fresh and modern alternative metal band from Tampere, whose members each gained experience in various genres of heavy music, the songs sound fresh as a mix of influences from metalcore, 90s alternative, progressive metal and catchy radio rock tune of the millennium.
Sirkuit Preiker is a Finnish-language electronic metal project, where Samuli Peltola, best known for Medeia, wanders the boundaries of film music and technical death metal.
Here some photos of the night brought to you from Cristina Gregori.

 

 

 

Cross To Bear, Wretched Path & Ecotage live at Meara Klubi, Pori (Finland)

Another appointment with Meara Klubi, this time setting on fire the stage were: Ecotage a hardcore metal band, whose songs focus on animal rights and environmental issues, Wretched Path a death metal band formed in 2020, whose crew has a solid experience: the collective curriculum of the band members includes names like Pestigore, Northern Discipline, Tukkanuotta, Daniel Lioneye and Godsplague, and Cross To Bear a band that has solidified their place in the domestic hardcore scene over the past decade and serve dark and heavy hardcore, which was also influenced by old school death metal.
Here some photos taken by Cristina Gregori.

Insomnium – Chicago – 04/11/2023 – House of Blues

So I personally had never witnessed Insomnium live until this show, however, I was quite impressed with what I saw. the set was great and the crowd loved it. One particularly energetic guy probably crowd surfed to the front at least a dozen times throughout their set. All in all a great show.
Set List
1696
White Christ
While We Sleep
Godforsaken
Lilian
And Bells They Toll
Witch Hunter
Valediction
Gale
Mortal Share
Heart Like a Grave

Enslaved – Chicago – 04/11/2023 at The House of Blues

Enslaved returned to Chicago and rocked out the House of Blues on Tuesday, April 11th. They put on a phenomenal show even with the absence of one of the only two remaining founding members, Ivar Bjornson. Enslaved’s setlist contained everything from new to old closing out the night with my personal favorite song “Allfadr Odinn”.
Set List
Jettegryta
Homebound
Return to Yggdrasil
Kingdom
Forest Dweller
The Dead Stare
ISA
Havenless
Heimdal
Allfadr Odinn

Palehørse, AvAciA & After Avalon live at Meara Klubi, Pori (Fin)

Second appointment of the month with Meara Klubi, this time on the stage we saw  After Avalon alternative metal from Pori, AvAciA a trio from Turku that plays Finnish-language metal rock with an unfailing and strong attitude, and Palehørse a cobination of progressive metal, desert rock, inventive hooks and harmonious melodies. Here some photos taken by Cristina Gregori.