In 2012 I’ve been to 30 shows and seen 84 different bands (some more than once). So I’ll start with the live top-3:

1st W.A.S.P., Campo Pequeno, Lisboa (PT)
 https://frontrowforever.net/2012/11/13/w-a-s-p-campo-pequeno-20121110/ 

2nd BLOWSIGHT, Debaser Slussen, Stockholm (SE)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/04/21/blowsight-debaser-slussen-20120408/

3rd PARADISE LOST, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/10/16/paradise-lost-hard-club-20121004/

As you can see, none of them is Portuguese – but that’s simply because I have less chances to see those other bands and therefore their gigs become more special for me. For instance, I’ve waited twenty years to hear “The Idol” by W.A.S.P. live – there’s no way EQUALEFT can compete with that, no matter how big the mayhem they put up on stage. To balance things, I made a national top-3 regarding live performances:

1st EQUALEFT, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/09/25/equaleft-straight-from-within-release-party-20120922/

2nd HEAVENWOOD, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/12/31/heavenwoods-20th-anniversary-hard-club-20121228/

3rd PITCH BLACK, Metalpoint, Porto (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/12/24/invicta-x-massacre-iv-metalpoint-20121222/

Best surprise – in terms that I wasn’t expecting it to be THAT awesome (especially the bronze medal, since I didn’t know them at all):

1st OOMPH!, Le Trabendo, Paris (FR)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/10/24/oomph-le-trabendo-20121012/

2nd THE HIVES, Praia do Cabedelo, Gaia (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/08/01/the-hives-mares-vivas-tmn-20120721/

3rd DUNDERBEIST, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/11/20/dunderbeist-hard-club-20121118/

Of course, there were also some disappointments… WORST top-3:

1st ARCTURUS, Lagoa do Calvão, Vagos (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/08/20/arcturus-vagos-open-air-20120803/

2nd THE CULT, Praia do Cabedelo, Gaia (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/07/26/the-cult-mares-vivas-tmn-20120719/

3rd DISAFFECTED, Lagoa do Calvão, Vagos (PT)
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/08/14/disaffected-vagos-open-air-20120803/

From the stage to the studio – favourite albums:

1st BLOWSIGHT, “Life & Death”
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/10/02/blowsights-life-death/

2nd MAN.MACHINE.INDUSTRY, “Lean Back, Relax and Watch The World Burn”
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/09/11/man-machine-industrys-lean-back-relax-and-watch-the-world-burn/

3rd THE 69 EYES, “X”
https://frontrowforever.net/2012/10/21/the-69-eyes-x/

Another kind of studio – favourite videos:

1st BLOWSIGHT “This Pain”

2nd MAN.MACHINE.INDUSTRY “To A Blood Red Sky”

3rd FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH “Remember Everything”

EXPECTATIONS FOR 2013:

Oh, so many!  HARDCORE SUPERSTAR and CRASHDÏET have already announced new albums, and the promotional single of each have convinced me. Hope I can catch them live somewhere.

Now THE 69 EYES is something I WILL see in London in February, and I’m waiting for a confirmation of a gig in Stockholm of MAN.MACHINE.INDUSTRY, which I hope will happen this year.

Speaking of M.M.I., two guys decided to try something new with Jimmie Strimmel (DEAD BY APRIL, DEATHDESTRUCTION) and THE END OF GRACE was born. It’s more melodic than DEATHDESTRUCTION and not pop at all as DEAD BY APRIL so I believe it’s more “me”. “Metal Mulisha” and “Forget” won me over and I can’t wait to see what 2013 will bring for these guys.

EQUALEFT will be recording their debut full-length early this spring, and on a more modern rock side, PLAN THREE should be releasing “The Signal – Part II” anytime, which is something I’m also looking forward to.

I guess it’s too early to wish for SONIC SYNDICATE to come back with something, now that there’s two babies in the family, so I’ll keep waiting. Hopefully “my other sweethearts” in BLOWSIGHT will be able to play some new shows for me to attend. On the front row.