Every year is getting harder to keep this blog up-to-date, but quoting one of my favorite bands, “this is what makes me feel alive…”, so no matter how big the backlog, the posts will keep coming.

This was the first year in nine that I didn’t visit my beloved Sverige.  In fact, I’ve only stepped outside the Portuguese borders once, meaning the other 30 events I’ve attended were in my home country, in 13 different cities, a total of 156 bands.

The 3 which thrilled me the most:

1st INFRAKTOR – Corrosão Metal Gig – Origens Caffé, Ponte de Vagos (PT)

2nd DARK TRANQUILLITY – Laurus Nobilis Music Famalicão – Louro (PT)

3rd PRIMORDIAL – Hard Club – Porto (PT)

The 3 I was surprised to be thrilled by:

1st CARACH ANGREN – Hard Club – Porto (PT)

2nd CRISIX – Laurus Nobilis Music Famalicão – Louro (PT)

3rd SERRABULHO – Vagos Metal Fest – Vagos (PT)

The 3 I wished I were someplace else:

1st WATERLAND – Monasterium Fest – Mosteiro de S. Pedro de Ferreira, Paços de Ferreira (PT)

2nd SONATA ARCTICA – Vagos Metal Fest – Vagos (PT)

3rd TARÂNTULA – Laurus Nobilis Music Famalicão – Louro (PT)

I’ve honestly didn’t pay much attention to new releases, mostly due to lack of time (although it was funny to hear one of my besties saying that, after “Exhaust”, there was no more interesting new music ). I confess I was hoping for something a bit brisker from FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH but it didn’t turn out that much of a disappointment, so no need to look for two more albums and make a top-3 of downers. Here are the uppers then:

1st INFRAKTOR, “Exhaust”

2nd BEHEMOTH, “I Loved You At Your Darkest”

3rd HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, “You Can’t Kill My Rock’N’Roll”

And my favorite 3 videos of 2018:

1st HARDCORE SUPERSTAR, “Bring The House Down”

2nd SOILWORK, “Stålfågel”

3rd FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, “When The Seasons Change”

As for 2019:

FINALLY EQUALEFT‘s “We Defy” will be released (tomorrow, as a matter of fact).

HILLS HAVE EYES new baby should also be out later this year.

SOILWORK‘s “Verkligheten” was originally on this list, but it’s out by now (and yes, it’s a killer) so they’ll remain here on a live angle (they’re set to play at Laurus!).

THE GODIVA, also live, as their gig at Vagos will feature a full orchestra. Now THAT will be really something!

And IN FLAMES. Heard three of the new songs – a really cool one, one somewhat cool, and another a little meh. So I’m really curious to listen the whole of it…