05.12.2001
LUTAKKO, JYVÄSKYLÄ


Good gig but where was the audience....
Sound and lights were excellent, thanks

Review

Set list

1. Divine Wind
2.The Omen
3. Burn Witch Burn
4. Flames
5. Sleeping Beneath the Lawn
6. The Throne Will Fall
7. All The Words Were Spoken
8. Vow To The Sun
9. Forever
10. Sweet Oblivion
11. Baron Samedi
---
12.  Rise From Hell


No pics, sorry.


Friends of Hell, 5.12.2001 Lutakko, Jyväskylä
Bands: Reverend Bizarre, Minotauri, Spiritus Mortis
Story by Rauta

In the fifth of December all the Finnish politicians, warheroes and people involved in the glamorous showbusiness were getting hammered in the presidential palace. Unfortunately, the loyal Metalhel journalists, Thasmorg and I could not make it to the once in a year lollapalooza due to the Friends of Hell –doom metal tour that was stopping by at Lutakko the very next day. Of course, normally there would be no problem in partying a couple of days in a row but when you di it with those government people you get a hangover you would not believe. I'm telling you, no one can hold their liquor like those guys.

I guess that most of Jyväskylä's metalheads were invited to Tarja Halonen's place the previous night since, in addition to us, there were only a good thirty people sitting around the bar, sipping their drinks in silence. I was stunned by the lack of audience since the tour had been promoted reasonably well in the metal media. Appalled, I quietly hoped that the bands would be shitty enough for me not to feel uncomfortable for not paying anything to get in. Much to my disappointment, they were not.

Before getting into the bands, I need to make a confession: I don't like doom metal. (And as I have come to understand, neither does Thasmorg.) That's it. Plain and simple. I have never understood how people can listen to something as slow and dull. Now I know you are thinking: ”If they don't like doom metal what on earth were these two fuck-ups doing in the show to begin with?” Well, as I already said, everyone else was partying so hard the previous night that there was very few editors to choose from. You just have to play the cards you're dealt.

However, when Spiritus Mortis begun their set all my previous prejudices were cast aside. The band consisted of five experienced metal musicians, each of who knew exactly what they were doing. Immediately the pint on my hand began to swing to the music. The tunes were astonishingly similar to the older material of Manowar and Dio. If the place had been packed, the band would surely have had the crowd moving.

As a result from the fierce battle metal, I felt the most primal urge to rip the shirt off my chest covering my bear-like chest and to reveal my sheaved Excalibur. Fortunately I was able to control myself since A) My chest does not look like a rug at all. In fact, there are about five lonely hairs around each nipple desperately looking for company and B) I had not brought my trusty sword with me. To be completely honest, I do not even own a sword of any kind, let alone the Excalibur. I guess that I could have brought my waterpistol instead but it doesn't really fit that Conan the Barbarian -image I was going for. My spontaneous outburst might have a bit embarrassing for Thasmorg as well.

Minotauri were the next sweaty and spiked men to take over the stage. Their music was very Celtic Frost / Hellhammer influenced doom metal. Although the music was in fact doom, it was not too slow to make you bored. A big thumbs up for that. In addition, the trio succeeded in one area that Spiritus Mortis had failed: they managed to get two drunks to form a ”mosh pit”. We had fun watching this humorous display until another of the headbangers decided they needed more beer. That was all the action we saw in front on the stage that whole night. What a shame.

Just as the main act of the evening, Reverend Bizarre, was beginning their set with a good sounding stoner riff I realized that we were going to have to leave if we were to catch the last bus from downtown to get home. Thus, being a pair of pathetic losers with no money, we passed on the idea of calling a taxi a little later and headed home.

Right before walking out the door, however, we did get a change to hear the first two minutes of Reverend Bizarre's first song (the catchy instrumental stoner rock tune in the beginning must have been but an intro). Those last two minutes were the only time I heard what I categorize as doom metal the whole night. And having already expressed my general feelings about the genre, my opinion on the music must be pretty obvious. No offense.


From Metalhel Metal Webzine