Gavin Spearhead's Blog

An odd band this General Surgery is; they were founded as early as 1988, but quickly quit after the release of one EP in 1991. Somehow the band was resurrected some 12 years later. Even though they weren’t on tour, they did a few shows throughout Europe including a stop at the Baroeg. Three support […]

A year and a half after the previous European tour in support of the Smear Campaign album, Napalm Death were back to the Netherlands once again. And as Barney said, this was the last leg of the Smear Campaign tour, kicking off at this show in Dordrecht. The German Sardonic were given the honour to […]

Dutch doom death band In Age and Sadness opened this evening of doom metal. I never thought much of this band really as it is too generic. It isn’t bad really but just doesn’t do anything to me. They seem to fill many support slots these days as local bands when there is some doom […]

The British Esoteric are one of those truly unique bands. They have very much have a style of their own and I know of no other band that sounds even a bit like them. An for those who do not know them they play doom metal. In advance of their new album – The Maniacal […]

Bolt Thrower shortly ago announced they had to postpone the recording of their new album as they were suffering from some kind of writer’s block. They also announced that besides the gig at the Party San festival in Germany, they would do two more gigs this year. One in Antwerp, the day after Party San […]

The second instalment of this festival to take place in the 013 venue in Tilburg was plagued by problems. The initial announcement showed a great number of doom metal bands on the bill, but after a couple of weeks the number was reduced to only 6 and limited to a single hall. Nevermind as most […]

All previous shows of Benediction I attended they were a support act, but now with a new album, titled Killing Music, recently released, these English lads went for a headlining tour through Europe. Unfortunately not too many people showed up, in Rotterdam, maybe a hundred or so. The opening act of the afternoon was the […]

German thrash metal legends Kreator had just released a new album last week – their twelfth in 25 years – and already commenced a seven-week European tour. The gig in Tilburg was the very first of that tour. The package they brought with them unfortunately was – to speak in German – Scheisse. I skipped […]

Shining’s forthcoming album has been postponed again, till May, nevertheless they went on a European tour with the sole stop in the Netherlands at the baroeg in Rotterdam on this Sunday afternoon. They brought two support acts: Sarkom and Koldbrann. Neither one I knew beforehand; I don’t really follow on all the black metal bands. […]