Still have a few 2016 articles to post, but they’re not relevant for the “medal awarding” one, so there’s no reason to postpone it anymore – and what better date to it than my birthday?

As usual, let’s start with the facts: 129 performances (plus 9 rehearsals – those count as private performances, right? ), 33 events, 14 cities, 3 countries. And now the choices…

Live:

1st HILLS HAVE EYES, Canecas Bar, Paços de Ferreira (PT)
read article/see gallery here

2nd SONIC SYNDICATE, Göta Källare, Stockholm (SE)
read article/see gallery here

3rd MOONSPELL, Multiusos, Guimarães (PT)
read article here

Live surprises:

1st SAM ALONE, Canecas Bar, Paços de Ferreira (PT)
read article/see gallery here

2nd THE AWAKENING, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
read article here

3rd HEAVENWOOD, Vagos Metal Fest, Vagos (PT)
read article/see gallery here

Live disappointments:

1st F.P.M., Casainhos Fest, Casainhos (PT)
read article here

2nd COME CACOS, Oliva Creative Factory, Oliveira de Azeméis (PT)
read article here

3rd HEAVENWOOD, Hard Club, Porto (PT)
read article/see gallery here

Studio:

1st SISTER, “Stand Up, Forward, March!”
read review here

2nd SONIC SYNDICATE, “Confessions”
read review here

3rd RICKY WARWICK, “When Patsy Cline Was Crazy…”
read review here

Apart from VALIENT THORR‘s “Salt”, that I didn’t even post here (it was written for The Black Planet), there wasn’t really any disappointing albums worth mentioning. So let’s skip to my favorite videos:

1st SATAN TAKES A HOLIDAY, “The Beat”

2nd HILLS HAVE EYES, “Make It Right”

3rd FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, ” I Apologize”

Anticipations/expectations:

INFRAKTOR  the aforementioned rehearsals? That’s them – “gourmet thrash metal”, by the hands of some of my favorite underground musicians, that I’ve known for years. Their live debut is on the 28th this month, in Lisbon, and guess who’ll be there? 

Saw some HILLS HAVE EYES pics in the studio, so “thrilled” doesn’t quite cover it.

Same for FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH and PLAN THREE, although new albums have already been confirmed, so no need for further speculation.

Now EQUALEFT is still a question mark – but I’m hopeful!

And then, GUNS N’ ROSES. This was my first true love, the one band that made me listen to heavier music with real passion. They’re playing in my country in June, but I have sooooooo mixed feelings about this… reunion. I’ve got the ticket, just in case, but I’m still not certain if I’ll bring myself to go and ruin that precious memory of “my” GN’R… One thing’s for sure: if I go, you’ll read something about it here.