Merging punk rock with noise and a subtle dose of indie rock of the dark variety for good measure, Poor Bambi have a distinct sound to them, and they were simply on great form at Bergen Street Food and delivered plenty of standout moments and memorable tracks. The energy in the room was palpable, and the appreciative crowd and band were locked in a tight embrace, one that constitutes a superb concert experience. Their latest offering titled Skyscrapers Soaring, Yet We’re Drowning, which came out via Apollon Records back in February this year, featured prominently in the setlist, and the two highlights of the evening, namely the moody and brooding ‘You Were My Lifeline’ and the heartfelt 8-minute epic ‘I Don’t Want You to Die’, were lifted from said record. Intense and hard-hitting yet strangely seductive and refreshing, the compositions fared even better in a live setting than they do on record, which is saying something. It takes skill to craft something that feels dense and sharp on the one hand and then sprawling, playful, and accessible on the other.

The size of the stage, the stark image projected by the group, the use of strobe lights, the muscular riffs and emotive melodies, and the beautifully layered fragility that roams within their tunes all came together rather magnificently, and it was lovely to experience an outfit that seemed to constantly teeter on the brink of total collapse yet never lost control or focus. Talk about conjuring up an atmosphere riddled with excitement and danger. Poor Bambi never lost the plot and the concert almost felt like a powerful demonstration of how to set music to raw emotion and blend youthful chaos with perfect introspection. Unfiltered honesty has rarely sounded better.

The post Poor Bambi Left a Lasting Impression at Vill Vill Vest appeared first on RAMzine.

Antinoë from Spain went on stage at 8 PM, sat down at the piano, and more or less instantly transported everyone in the room somewhere else thanks to her darkly romantic and deeply touching compositions rooted in neoclassical music and, to some extent, dark ambient. The 45-minute set was mesmerising, and rarely has this writer witnessed anything as remarkable and moving as this. What made it even more impressive was the fact that it was her first performance. Simply incredible! The majority of songs were culled from the near-flawless The Fold (2025) and then interspersed with a few tracks from a previous offering containing cover renditions of classic Norwegian black metal tracks from the 90s. From the opening strains of ‘Night Falls’ until the perfectly climactic version of Emperor‘s ‘I Am the Black Wizards’ that closed the show, it was just one consistently immersive and unforgettable journey that served up such highlights as ‘Flock’, ‘Chaos in the Sky’, ‘Lightbringer’, Darkthrone‘s ‘En Vind av Sorg’, and Mayhem‘s ‘Life Eternal’. When I glanced to the left at one point and saw my brilliant friend Otto-Egil hovering slightly above the earth while crying in sheer ecstasy, I knew that I was hardly the only one there who felt like they had witnessed what must surely be the most unique booking yet in relation to Beyond the Gates. It felt like a special occasion.

Draken is impossible to label or pigeonhole, which is what makes the band so interesting to this scribe. Actually, I wish that more people would check this band out, and after their energetic and energising gig Tuesday night, one can only hope that more listeners will get to experience them in a live setting too. Somewhere between intense stoner rock, heavy metal, doom metal, and space rock gone to hell performed by a trio and… No, wait. Let us go with “they sound vicious and in-your-face, yet they possess a strangely appealing charm too,” and maybe just stick to that description instead. Their songs are rough around the edges and fuzz-laden, and the unit is a tight and determined proposition on stage, harbouring a subtle touch of humour. Sometimes thunderous, oftentimes pummelling, occasionally full of unexpected twists and turns, these chaps are anything but boring. The crunchy, groove-infested ‘The Great Deceiver’ opened the proceedings and immediately set the tone for what was to follow, and the rumbling, slow-burning ‘Here Be Dragons’, as well as the aggressive combo of ‘It Serves You Right’ and ‘Bastards’, made a huge impression and ensured that we all had a fabulous time in their presence. You should check out the latest LP Here Be Draken (2026) by the musically adventurous Norwegian act as soon as humanly possible.

Norway’s foremost authority on how to purvey earth-shattering nihilism and negativity by means of frighteningly well-executed black metal was up next, and who else could this writer be talking about than the inimitable Malum? Hulen was packed to the rafters by this time, and one can easily understand why, given how stunning the group’s latest effort, titled From the Voids (2026), is. Four cloaked and hooded characters appeared on stage while a sinister soundscape and incense filled the air, and when they launched into ‘Stare into Darkness’ and subsequently served up such future classics as ‘Ignorance Made Bliss’ and ‘In Gloom II’, you just knew that what you were seeing and hearing was something to remember, while simultaneously accepting the fact that existence is pointless and that humanity is worth less than a fucking postage stamp. And you know what? That actually felt unsettlingly liberating, if not exhilarating, somehow. It is all about context, of course, and the thing about Malum is that they sound fiercely focused and assured both on record and when playing live, as evidenced on the night. Deeply atmospheric, eerie as hell, and akin to staring into the abyss, the charismatic outfit’s brand of trance-inducing musical darkness worked like a claustrophobic charm at Beyond the Gates Kickoff, and we all knew that we had experienced something decidedly unearthly. What could be better?

The post Night Falls on Bergen – Beyond the Gates Kickoff appeared first on RAMzine.

Who are you and where are you from?

We are Glasgow Kiss from Bergen in Norway. Here talking to Charlotte (vocals) and John (bass).

How did the band form?

Us guys have played together for many years in a different band but we parted ways with our vocalist in 2019. Soon after we heard rumours that Charlotte was available, so we were quick to call her and show our interest. We met for a test rehearsal and it was magic from there on.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard you?

We are a riff-based melodic hard rock band that does not try to sound like anyone else. We put pride in making our own sound and capturing the energy in our music. Hard riffs, melodic choruses and Charlotte’s great voice to top it!

Which bands have shaped what you do?

We all come from different musical backgrounds, so it is hard to name a few bands. It could be anything from heavy rock, black metal, pop/rock and even country!

What’s the one song of yours people should hear first?

It should be ‘Forsaken’. It really captures our raw energy and has a lot of exciting elements, plus a really catchy riff and chorus.

Tell us a story about your band.

We’d put one particular rehearsal into a time capsule. The moment our guitarist’s cat peed on the pedalboard and nearly fried the entire signal chain. It was pure chaos, equal parts panic and uncontrollable laughter, and somehow the rehearsal still went on. That moment should be opened by his grandkids in 20 years, as proof that making music is never just about the songs. It’s about the absurd, unforgettable moments that turn into legends over time.

What’s been your best gig so far?

Our release concert for Down In Flames at Hulen, Bergen in February. My god, what energy! It was hot, sweaty and the audience was absolutely amazing!

What’s the music scene like where you’re based?

Bergen has a reputation for being small but creatively powerful. There are concerts happening almost every week across genres. Hulen is a legendary underground student-run venue carved into a former bomb shelter, with a strong focus on rock, indie, metal and alternative. Det Akademiske Kvarter is a multi-room student venue with concerts, club nights, and cultural events. USF Verftet hosts jazz, experimental music, international touring acts, and festivals. Grieghallen is the main concert hall for classical music and larger productions.

Tell us the story behind one of your tracks.

Our ballad ‘One Last Time’ is written for one of Charlotte’s best friends who died of cancer at a young age. That song is filled with grief and longing, an everlasting bond. Finding comfort in the wish of reuniting after death.

Tell us about your new album.

Down In Flames by Glasgow Kiss is about collapse and rebirth. The album explores what happens when relationships, identity, and expectations fall apart, and the choice between staying down or rising from it. There’s a constant tension between vulnerability and defiance. Some songs lean into introspection and emotional weight, while others push forward with urgency and fire. At its heart, Down In Flames is about hitting a breaking point and finding strength in the aftermath.

What’s next for you?

2026 is going to be a big year for us. We’re heading out on tour across Norway, bringing Down In Flames to the stage and giving the songs the live energy they were built for. At the same time, we’re already deep into writing new material. We’re working on songs for the next album, pushing our sound further and exploring new directions while staying true to who we are. So what’s next? More shows, more intensity, and the next chapter of Glasgow Kiss already taking shape.

Where can people find you?

You can find Glasgow Kiss online and in person wherever music lives. Follow us and stream our album Down In Flames on all major platforms.

Anything else you want people to know?

Just that we truly appreciate everyone who takes the time to listen. Down In Flames is an honest record for us, and we hope people connect with it in their own way. If you come to a show, come ready to feel something. We put everything into the live experience. This is just the beginning for Glasgow Kiss.

The post On The Radar: Glasgow Kiss Rise From Down In Flames appeared first on RAMzine.

On Monday November 24, I showed up at the given address and was politely ushered into a relatively cramped rehearsal space. V’gandr and I were the first ones to arrive along with Helheim’s friendly social media guru/merchandise manager named Tore who was there to pick up some vinyls and shirts for the webstore, I believe. Within the next ten minutes or so the rest of the group arrived, and what I had been invited to witness was Helheim doing final rehearsals for their upcoming performance on Saturday (November 29) at the renowned Messe des Morts Festival in Canada where they will celebrate the 30^th anniversary of the Jormundgand debut offering by playing it front to back. No small occasion then, and certainly not something that I was about to take lightly (or for granted, for that matter). After all, said record occupies a very special place in my heart, and to be able to see and hear them tear through its richly evocative content in such an intimate setting was quite the intriguing prospect. Now, Helheim has performed the album previously, namely at this year’s Beyond the Gates festival in early August, but this would be my first time listening to the classic Viking metal output from 1995 being presented in its pitch-black entirety. Was I excited? You fucking bet!

Although Helheim is essentially a quartet and has been so for many years, the song material that constitutes Jormundgand and the instrumentation utilised on that LP basically require a fifth member on stage, hence the presence of the talented keyboardist/vocalist/percussionist Kjetil Vikene – a very funny and pleasant guy to be around, I might add. If you have yet to check his band The Dredge out, you are in for a treat. It was fascinating to get a glimpse of how these gentlemen interacted with each other both socially and musically, so to speak. One thing is the interplay between them on stage or when rehearsing, but the other thing is how they talk and respond to each other. Let me just say that there was an element of humour present, as was anticipation in that you could easily tell they were excited about the idea of bringing Jormundgand to life thousands of miles from home in front of a gathering of Canadian pagan metal devotees.     

Following a bit of talk among the various members as to how much merchandise to take with them to Messe des Morts and sorting out a few other practical details, they went straight to work and tuned their instruments, checked the levels, and tore into the album’s furious and blistering title track with gusto. A muscular and robust sound emanated from the speakers, and it was strangely wonderful to hear V’gandr summon up those insane (and insanely) high-pitched and torturous screams that characterised the original album version. This vicious piece of work immediately set the tone for what was to follow, which, in rather crude terms, was a proper tour de force consisting of clever shifts, plenty of dynamics, and face-melting riffs. I have always loved Hrymr’s creative drumming in that composition and sitting three feet away from him and seeing him work his magic was an absolute joy.

      ‘Vigrids Vård’ is an epic one that evokes a cold and wintry feel – much like the title track does – and I could only marvel as they effortlessly conjured up that exact same vibe. Its memorable verse gets me every time, and Monday night was no different. That one strikes these ears as being rooted in classic Norwegian black metal from the 90s yet the way in which the music and lyrics complement each other and also the use of different vocal styles entail that it travels so much further afield than much of the stuff that other black metal bands released back then.

      The beautiful and melancholy ‘Nidr ok Nordr liggr Helvegr’ followed suit, and it had never really dawned on me just how much light and shade it contains until now. The different vocal styles utilised by V’gandr and H’grimnir complemented each other superbly with the latter’s dark and occasionally tempered voice infusing the tune with an introspective quality and a deep-seated sense of longing. Its morose melodies and windswept aura are just to die for, and the 2025 version that I witnessed was a fascinating interpretation of its album counterpart. The five-piece discussed this one quite a bit afterwards and went over some of the details to iron out a few kinks and make sure that it possessed just the right flow and mesmerising vibe. On a little side note, V’gandr was on mouth harp duty here and played the introductory ten strokes (or notes, if you will), which was great fun to see and hear. There were also a few issues regarding the timing that prompted a few chuckles and laughter along the way.

      ‘Gravlagt i Eljudne’ was raging and tempestuous as it howled out in agony and ecstasy, and it struck these ears as being the most accessible entry in the setlist, whereas the dark and brooding ‘Svart Visdom’ is an unsettling and unsettled track that lends itself well to the imagination due to its words and blazing riffs working in perfect tandem. You get that simple yet effective keyboard melody offset by raging passages, and the way they played it on Monday night in rehearsals left me feeling that it was somehow more raw, unfiltered, and moody than anything they had played thus far.

      ‘Jotnevandring’ was a unique experience too. Hrymr occupied the keyboards for this neo-classical-ish and almost folk-like track that somehow feels like travelling back in time when one listens to it. It was neither whimsical nor bucolic-sounding, but rather baroque-like to these ears, which is merely a backhanded way of paying it a compliment. The sinister vocals courtesy of V’gandr colored the piece enormously and gave it a touch of something foreboding. The cool thing about this one was that it generated a bit of talk and discussion revolving around the use of percussion (or is that in actual fact timpani?) and the timing of the strokes.

      To cap things off, the majestic album closer appropriately titled ‘Nattravnens Tokt’ brought things to a fitting climax and a glorious denouement that only the best Viking metal bands are capable of mustering. . . only that it suffered from a “false start,” which made everyone smile and laugh, so they went back and launched into anew and everything fell into place and delivered the bone-chilling vibes that this scribe was hoping for. With three of the guys singing simultaneously at some point, it came across as fucking massive. It all ended in a cacophony of crashing drums and loud guitars.        

      The brief noise ambient-esque soundscapes between each song worked like a charm in that they tied everything together rather neatly and made it feel like a whole. You could be forgiven for thinking that this is merely a minor detail, but it added cohesion to it all.

The aforementioned Kjetil Vikene added keyboard atmospherics, clean singing, chants, and even a few percussive bits and pieces throughout, and that helped flesh out the compositions. Reichborn and H’grimnir handled guitars and added a bit of oomph and texture to the proceedings as well while V’gandr’s rumbling bass lines and Hrymr’s intense drumming propelled things forward at all times. More than anything, though, what inspired me and left a lasting impression was the fact that these guys were in their late teens when they crafted this glorious vortex of whirlwind riffs and pagan moods, and what does not come across on the record (in large part due to the production) is how many subtle layers and nuances it actually contains. On top of that, it is eminently structured and imbued with just the right amount of grandeur, but not in the pompous sense of the word. They carved out their own path and musical identity pretty much from the get-go, and I can only imagine how hungry, driven, and ambitious they were in the murky mid-nineties for them to be able to craft something as wide in scope as Jormundgand is. Helheim as an entity, has always represented something forward-thinking and progressive, but it fascinates me to no end that they were like that even back then. As it turns out, some things never change; they have consistently churned out innovative stuff since 1995 and show no signs of slowing down.

What happened on Monday night is that a bunch of seasoned veterans performed songs from their past with a sense of conviction and authority that can only come with age and experience. They stayed true to the source material, yet they brought out hitherto unknown and unheard dimensions and aspects of those ancient compositions, thereby making it a completely new and different experience. If anything, it illustrates just how much depth Jormundgand possesses and its timelessness.

As to the dynamics within the group and the way in which they interact with each other, you can easily tell that this is a close-knit outfit in many respects. Hrymr the analytical and detail-oriented one who is perfectly attuned to what everyone else is doing; Reichborn the calm-looking yet extremely tight and technically brilliant guitarist with a flair for melodic playing, V’gandr the deeply passionate and highly charismatic vocalist and bass player who lives and breathes every note and word; and finally H’grimnir who is the very definition of cool and composed in my opinion, almost akin to a quiet authority who instantly puts you at ease yet you pay close attention to every word he says – I simply love that guy!          

Our heathen friends in Canada are undoubtedly in for a fabulous night in the shadow of the all-consuming Jormundgand.

The post An Afternoon with Helheim – In the Slithering Shadow of Jormundgand appeared first on RAMzine.

Greetings V’gandr, how are things at your end, and are you up for a little Q&A with us today?

V: Hello, mate. I’m feeling good as this year’s Beyond the Gates festival is over, and it went really well for both Helheim and Taake. I’m always ready for some Q&As, man.

Do you recall what the first album you ever purchased was? Or alternately, the first (hard) rock album that you were either gifted or that bought with your own money?

V: I can’t remember the first album I bought given that I was so young, but I do remember getting albums from various artists as gifts from mainly my older brother. However, I have a vivid memory of buying TNT’s Tell No Tales on cassette at a gas station back in the late 80’s on a car vacation with my parents. Cassettes were my first physical experience with vinyl coming shortly after.

What specific records were your favorites in your formative years and helped shape you as a person?

V: That’s a tough question and a difficult one to answer, but I must mention KISS, Twisted Sister, W.A.S.P. and Mötley Crüe as early inspirations for me as a little fucker. I used to pretend that I played in front of people using a tennis racket. When I met Tom (H’grimnir, Helheim’s guitarist and vocalist) in first grade at school we both shared the same dream, and the rest is history.

On the other hand, which bands and albums are directly responsible for inspiring you to write and record music of your own? And were there any musicians in particular who prompted you to pick up an instrument and learn how to master the bass?  

V: The aforementioned bands had a huge impact, but especially Twisted Sister with their video cassette of Stay Hungry, which was a live recording. I used to watch it every day, dreaming myself away, and to the point where the tape almost couldn’t be played anymore. I picked the bass because Tom picked the guitar before me, and I didn’t want to play the drums – as simple as that. There were no bass players that inspired me, and to this day I have no favorite bass player. 

If someone had you at gun point and demanded to know what the five best gigs and shows you have ever witnessed are, what exactly would that list look like? Speaking of which, what was the latest concert you attended and was it any good? 

V: Ha-ha, I hate that question, actually, but I will give it a go and in no particular order: The Cure in Oslo some years ago, King Diamond at this year’s Beyond the Gates festival, Rammstein at the Roskilde festival in 1998, Mercyful Fate at Beyond the Gates some years ago, and Morbid Angel at the Hole in the Sky festival at Garage, Bergen. There are of course many more that I could mention, but these were the ones that first came to mind.

I hate the term guilty pleasure but nevertheless, what are some of the dark horses in your record collection, and what might people find that would surprise or even shock them?

V: Guilty pleasures; what a weird term. I don’t have any of those, but I understand what you mean. Okay, I guess Cinderella would be considered a guilty pleasure by some people out there. Other than that, I can’t think of anyone. Maybe The Prodigy? I don’t know . . .   

Recommend us a phenomenal book regardless of topic or genre – just something that carries a lot of meaning to you on a personal or intellectual level.

V: I must admit that I haven’t read in a long time other than a book about Venom, but that was basically just interviews compiled together. Sorry, I usually just read educational literature, and that is of no interest to others.

Have any books or movies ever influenced your own compositions, be that musically or lyrically? I always felt that some of your work with Deathcon and Aeternus had a certain cinematic quality to it with respect to the lyrics. You paint very vivid mental images with your words in general, which I love.

V: Thanks a lot, mate. Concerning Helheim there are no movies that have influenced me at all, but rather different books on the Norse subject be they articles or other forms of literature. Deathcon was purely inspired by the city of Bergen and Strapping Young Lad’s City album. With Aeternus I was sometimes given a topic to write about from Ares who is the main man in the band, but I used neither any books nor any movies as inspiration.

Come to think of it, I am curious as to which movies and whatnot have inspired those wicked-looking tattoos of yours. Do I detect a bit of HR Giger in there somewhere? The symbolism intrigues me.

V: You’re spot on. My left arm is dedicated solely to Giger, and my right arm is dedicated to the Norse and with Fenris, Jormundgand and Hel being the main focal points. The torso is dedicated to Hugin and Munin, but my feet are just chaos where there is no discernible red thread of any sort; that’s where I just take single tattoos that I want, for example the logos of the bands I play in or other bands that I like.

There are a few albums that I would very much like to discuss with you, and I would love to hear your thoughts on these. Some of them I relate to times in the past when you and I hung out. Okay, here goes . . .

Born Again by Black Sabbath (I do have a vague recollection of you and I blasting the track named ‘Disturbing the Priest’ from that LP late one night while drinking many years ago and thinking the song was the most sinister and evil thing ever ha-ha . . . but then again, it kinda is!).

V: Fucking love that song, and yes, it’s mean as hell with the best opening riff ever. And the title? Get the hell out of here! That’s one piece of evil-sounding title, indeed. It paints pictures.

Wastelands by Venom (I recall you mentioning Prime Evil from 1989 on a couple of occasions and saying that you liked it, but how do you feel about Wastelands? I didn’t want to pick any of the legendary and canonical works from the early eighties).

V: I really like that album, and especially the last track ‘Clarisse’ is awesome. I must stress, though, that I find Prime Evil better.

Orcustus by Orcustus (Is it just me or is this an overlooked Norwegian black metal gem?)

V: Absolutely! It’s one fucking cruel piece of an album. Love it and totally overlooked. Will go into history as a black metal gem for sure.

The Final Frontier by Iron Maiden (The very first time I listened to this was when I stopped by your place for coffee one early afternoon, but I cannot recall what your reaction to it was. Did you like it then and how about now?).  

V: I actually like that album. I remember thinking it being the runner up to Somewhere in Time. It’s been many years since I’ve heard it now, though.

Let Love In by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (I picked one of my favorites here but one that I have absolutely no idea whether you are into or not. This is one of those LPs that I always play late at night, and it never fails to amaze and move me).

V: I have the album myself, and I think it’s one of his best moments.

Now, before we end this little Q and A of ours there are two extremely important events in 2025 that we need to cover; one is your performance of the entire Jormundgand at this year’s Beyond the Gates festival in Bergen, celebrating its thirtieth anniversary, and the other is obviously the release of the outstanding and utterly flawless HrabnaR / Ad vesa. You’re looking to both the past and the future these days, if you will. How did it feel to rehearse those tracks from a bygone age, and did it bring about a whiff of nostalgia while also being musically stimulating. . . or did it simply make you feel old? And speaking of stimulating, how was the creative process surrounding HrabnaR / Ad vesa, which is essentially a split album made by/within the band. That must have been an interesting experience and one that contained a lot of surprises for both you and H’grimnir. Also, can I just say that the lyrics that accompany the LP are some of the most memorable ones you have ever penned.

V: Thanks for those kind words. That really means a lot to be, man. Well, to start off with Jormundgand and the whole Beyond the Gates gig, while rehearsing the material it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary except for the fact that we included a lot of guests to be able to do the whole album as close to the original as possible. We didn’t want to do playback of anything, so as you can probably guess that required a lot of rehearsing. Another factor was the insane vocals I had back then, and they really gave me a huge headache at every rehearsal. As I write this it’s been four days since BTG, and I must say it went extremely well in every aspect. The feedback was beyond what we expected as well. Concerning our latest album there were no major differences compared to our other albums. The process was the exact same other than we chose to sing our respective compositions solely and then have them appear after each other on the album. This led to the idea of the split album-thing. It’s really not a big deal. Let’s say it was a way to make people interested and ask questions (and believe me I have answered many questions on the matter).

What does 2025 hold for you in terms of musical activities and creative endeavours? 

V: I have started writing new material, and more or less 3 songs are ready for the next album. Other than that, it’s just rehearsing, playing a few shows, writing lyrics and all the other stuff that you normally do as a Helheim member. Life goes on as usual, but that’s how I like it and want it. Helheim always looks ahead, never dwelling on the past (well, only when we do shows like we did with Jormundgand).

As always, thanks for your time, my friend – it’s always a pleasure to catch up and talk.

V: Likewise, it’s always fun to answer your questions, mate, and it wasn’t any different this time around. Take care and we’ll talk soon.

https://helheim.bandcamp.com/music

https://www.instagram.com/helheimofficial

The post Tattoos, Cassette Tapes & Early Inspirations – An Entertaining Talk with Helheim’s V’gandr appeared first on RAMzine.

In the words of J.N., “I was greatly inspired by the somewhat subtle sense of melancholy that courses through the fabric of Newcastle’s heritage; The Roman settlements and Norman strongholds, the medieval castles and fortresses, the industrial revolution and the age of coal, iron, and steam, the bridges and railways, the men marching off to fight in WWI, the arrival of punk rock and birth of black metal . . . there is just so much to immerse oneself in and be inspired by. In what felt like twenty minutes came five bleak-sounding songs harbouring a pensive mood that arose thanks to what I saw, read, and heard when exploring the magnificent city and its surroundings with themes such as hardship, perseverance, and longevity serving as the main themes. Northumberland is without doubt one of my favourite places to visit.”

Tracklist:

1.  With No Thoughtful Perspective
2. From the Windswept Shore of Tynemouth
3. One Day You Will Regret Ever Listening to Me
4. The Architecture of Cities Past and Present
5. Quietly Hoping

Explore the EP via Bandcamp, YouTube, Spotify, and all other relevant digital music stores out there:

Release date: June 13, 2025
Composed, recorded, and mixed by J.N.
Cover photo by C.N.
Artwork/Layout by G. Owen Wears.
Mastered by Azimuth Mastering.

The post Picture Ann Travels To Northumberland appeared first on RAMzine.

Upstairs in Lillesalen, which is unarguably one of the cosiest and most appealing venues in town, there were people of all ages gathered for a night of experimental and forward-thinking music, and the atmosphere was incredibly appealing and pleasant from the get-go. Sykofant went on stage a little past 8 PM and treated us to a 35-minute performance that displayed their prowess and skill in that they were a tight, well-oiled machine that injected plenty of playfulness and flavour into their dynamic compositions. Top-notch precision and just the right of amount of charm and humour made for a splendid combo, and we were immediately sucked into their addictive maelstrom of prog, jazz, vintage rock, and art rock. Simultaneously emotional and eccentric, there is simply no other act out there that evokes the same surreal vibe as these chaps do, and the funny thing is that there were moments where I thought to myself “that riff would not have sounded out of place on Deep Purple’s ‘Fireball’ or Camel’s ‘Mirage‘,” but then thirty seconds later they would shift gear and launch into a section that made me think of Pink Floyd’s ‘Meddle‘ or Caravan’s ‘In the Land of Grey and Pink’. Sykofant made it all sound and seem effortless, and one could only marvel at how cohesive their song material undoubtedly is. Did I mention that they sounded great from a purely technical perspective too? Whoever was behind the mixing console did a solid and commendable job for sure. From transcendent to thunderous and further on to reflective and elegiac, they truly covered the whole spectrum, and the show’s highlights included ‘Ashes’ (from their brilliant new EP titled Red Sun), the 13-minute epic ‘Between Air and Water’, and the hard-hitting ‘Monuments of Old’. In short, it was a superb gig from one of Norway’s most promising new ensembles and one that fans of adventurous music definitely ought to investigate and explore rather thoroughly. I can only imagine that Trojka and Panzerpappa whipped up a frenzy and delivered stunning performances too. On a final note, many thanks to my friend Robin Mortensen (Apollon Records) for adding my name to the guestlist and being an all-around gentleman.

The post Sykofant transformed Kulturhuset in Bergen into something otherworldly appeared first on RAMzine.

The interesting thing was that the outfit presented a slightly different take on their sound and usual live setup in that Vegard Wikne had swapped his electric guitar for an acoustic one, but although the song arrangements were slightly sparser and more minimalistic in places than what one usually gets when they perform on bigger stages, they were firing on all cylinders and tore the roof off the joint. Crunchy guitars and psychedelic melodies that take you somewhere else, superb vocals that never fail to hit the spot, brilliant lyrics that tell of everything between anxiety and escapism and further on to old video games and moments of wonder, and a playful rhythm section – what more could you possibly want?!

They kicked things off with a stark and beautiful rendition of ‘Credit Card’ from their brand-new opus before venturing into punchier and more energetic territory featuring the whole band, which basically means that we were treated to gems both old and new such as ‘Weatherman’, ‘Calling Tokyo’ (a personal favorite of this scribe), ‘Building Skyscrapers’, ‘Do the Wrong Things’, ‘Growing is Too Dull’, ‘Mangrove’, and the perfectly dramatic ‘Master of Failure’. What needs to be put in writing here is how much the four members were laughing and smiling throughout the performance; you could tell that they were having a blast and enjoying the buzz of it all.    

It truly is amazing just how many feelings and vibes their vibrant and sparkling compositions manage to evoke and all over the course of thirty-five minutes. What struck me the most last night is how expansive and versatile they manage to sound regardless of whether they are up on a big stage or standing right in front of you as they were at Apollon Platebar. It might have been Dobbeltgjenger with a more stripped-down approach to things yet that certainly didn’t diminish their impact in any way. In short, I friggin’ love these gentlemen, and so should you. It is not for nothing that some of us consider their The Twins LP a modern classic. A great night for sure.   

Master of Failure is out now via Apollon Records.

The post Dobbeltgjenger deliver their quirky magic at Apollon Record Store appeared first on RAMzine.

Tracklist:

1. Your Rituals Are Worthless
2. Incidents and Atmosphere (Alternate Version)
3. Shore Sermons (Alternate Version)
4. Rituals of Decay (Instrumental Version)
5. Antique Cages
6. The Eerie Calm of an Isolated Impression (Spotify Bonus Track)
7. December 16 (Spotify Bonus Track)

You can stream the EP via all the usual digital music retailers and services out there.

#Spotify

#YouTube

#Bandcamp

https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/promising-oddities

Promising Oddities was released on October 24, 2024, by Floodgate Moods Productions.

Visit the official website: https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/

Picture Ann is also on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pictureann_official/

The post The Odd Corners Of Picture Ann appeared first on RAMzine.

Astray was released by Floodgate Moods Productions on the 28^th of December 2023.

https://floodgatemoodsproductions.bandcamp.com/

The post Picutre Ann Are Beign Led Astray appeared first on RAMzine.