After so many months of delayed posts, didn’t think I’d be able to line up the “medal winners” by the end of the year, but here they are.

2015 in numbers: 109 performances, 34 events, 11 cities, 4 countries. This year I didn’t divide the concerts in national and international categories. I’m always saying I don’t care where bands come from, only the music they play, so it’s pointless. But I did appoint two third places. I was having a really hard time choosing between THE END OF GRACE and EQUALEFT and then I remembered that there was no reason for not choosing both – this is my blog, after all, so if I want to award two bronze medals, that’s what I’ll do.

And the gigs I enjoyed the most this year are:

1st HILLS HAVE EYES, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
 see article here

2nd MÖTLEY CRÜE, Mediolanum Forum, Milano (IT)

see article here

3rd (I), THE END OF GRACE, Sticky Fingers, Göteborg (SE)
see article here

3rd (II) EQUALEFT, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
see article here

Top unexpected thrills:

1st KILLUS, Sala Rocksound, Barcelona (ES)
see article here

2nd TRIBULATION, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
see article here

3rd GHOST, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
see article here

Most disappointing (not that I was expecting much in the first place…):

1st DON’T FALL ASLEEP, Metalpoint, Porto (PT)
see article here

2nd CINEMUERTE, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
see article here

3rd HUNTRESS, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
see article here

This year was very rich in studio releases. Here’s the podium of my choices:

1st HILLS HAVE EYES, “Antebellum”
read review here

2nd BRING ME THE HORIZON, “That’s The Spirit”
read review here

3rd MOONSPELL, “Extinct”
read review here

DANZIG was really bad; I’m still trying to figure out why people are so hyped about the latest AMORPHIS album; and “HCSS” is a really great album, but not at all what I was hoping for. So the studio disappointments of the year are:

1st DANZIG, “Skeletons”
read review here

2nd AMORPHIS, “Under The Red Cloud”
read review here

3rd HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, “HCSS”
read review here

There were also pretty interesting videos this year:

1st WE ARE THE CATALYST, “Don’t You Worry Child”

2nd THE YEAR, “Omotenashi”

3rd SONIC SYNDICATE, “Diabolical Work Of Art”

EXPECTATIONS FOR 2016:

Let’s see… The new blood in EQUALEFT is already pumping in the studio and I’m really eager to see the results.

The new EP from my boys in THE END OF GRACE is finally in the mixing stage, so this time the release won’t be postponed. I also hope to see them live, as I have yet to witness Adde behind their drums.

There will also be a new album from THE 69 EYES and the lil’ goth inside me is jumping with joy.

There will be “something huge” coming from SISTER, which I’ll want to check out.

I’ve always suspected Jimmy wouldn’t let HASHTAG YOLO be a simple side project and apparently I was right. They’re working on new material and things are getting serious,

I didn’t manage to see SONIC SYNDICATE this year, so I’m still waiting to see the songs from the self-titled album performed live. There’s been a few changes in my life recently and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to travel as much in 2016, but I’m keeping an eye on a certain SOSY gig in Stockholm next April…

But the first trip will be in February, to Madrid, to see HILLS HAVE EYES and MORE THAN A THOUSAND. Not only I love them both (the former more than the latterm true), I’m curious to see how these two amazing Portuguese bands get by outside our borders.