Amorphis in Budapest
Whoever believes that heavy metal is a dying genre, knows little about music. Metal is still evolving constantly, both technically, musically and conceptually. From the pioneers Black Sabbath to Electric Wizard, there´s a trajectory which has been through different generations and cultural aspects, historical moments and world conceptions. Despite coming from hard rock, metal incorporates cadences and rhythms which are even more crushing. Impulsed by 70s punk, the dynamic of metal became even quicker without leaving aside being stylized and hard. We just have to think of Iron Maiden, Saxon, Jaguar, Budgie or Diamond Head, are strong messengers of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. From this warp of bands, the also satanic Venom would appear, who from a dirty and casual sound would shape up the term ´Black metal´, which would later become a genre in itself.
Heirs of this tradition, the ´Big Four´ of the San Francisco Bay area, Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax, would be the pioneers of Thrash Metal Despite being influenced by the most extreme punk and hardcore, these bands were to maintain the technicalities in their compositions, with complicated and frenetic melodies. Further forwards, the dynamic of the guttural voice would become Death metal, even quicker and darker. Bands which were pierced by the horror of the Cold War used Metal as the spokesman for apocalyptic lyrics which surround the global crisis, an imminent clash of forces and the end of the world. The aesthetic of Black Metal with its search for ancient paganism and the rejection of Christianity, would cause many problems for the members of bands such as Darkthrone, Mayhem and Emperor, rooted deep in Norway.
Today the metal dynamics have changed and its explorations are different. Also conditioned by an open market, Internet and independent music downloads in different blogs, the genre has seen the spread of new styles and faces, allowing that hipster kids from Brooklyn like the band Liturgy play extreme metal which borders experimentation and post rock, without paint on their faces, leather or blood thirsty faces. These are post modern times and we can´t forget that. There´s no sacred discourse or purist art genre; purisms are something which belong to the past century.
Amorphis is an example of a band which has known how to mutate down the years and that, in its way, carries on exploring the paths of metal like it has done for many years. Formed in Finland, they´ve explored genres such as death, progressive, heavy and folk metal. Highly influenced by Kalevala, that epic poem on Finnish tradition, Amorphis arrives in Budapest on the 8th of January 2012 to play a concert which will give plenty to talk about. For more information on the concert and the band, visit their official webpage here:Â http://amorphis.net/
Alexa Ray
Get apartments in Budapest and enjoy this concert as well as the varied musical and underground scene in the Hungarian capital. All the styles are in Budapest, check them out for yourself.
Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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Judas Priest says Goodbye to Budapest
If we went back and made a history of heavy metal, we´d have to use many sources. The line, as it´s been said before, starts at some point with Blue Cheer, MC5, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. However, a generation that followed these would mark the genre deeply and it would turn it into a style, a way of life. That´s how, in England, the NWOBHM appeared in the sixties: New Wave Of British Heavy Metal. Among the greats in this genre are emblematic bands like Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Budgie, Diamond Head, Motorhead, Saxon and, of course, Judas Priest. Despite the adverse critics of the typical rejection of Heavy Metal and its different sides, it´s improbable to know which would be the state of music in general if it wasn´t for heavy metal.
With a mix of convincing hard rock, sonic and volatile guitars, and like in all good rock bands with a touch of blues, Judas Priest became one of the riskiest bands of the genre, as well as solid and styled. It´s, probably, with Iron Maiden and Motorhead, the most emblematic band of that time. Dressed in leather and spikes, the entries of Rob Halford, the singer, on an immense Harley Davidson on stage warming up the crowd are memorable, while he made them vibrate with their dirty, sexual, alcoholic and heavy hard rock. They took their name from a classic Bob Dylan song: ´The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest´. Among their more important albums we can find âSad Wings of Destinyâ, âHell Bent for Leatherâ, âScreaming for Vengeanceâ and âPainkillerâ. The career of Judas Priest is marked by the different changes of personnel, a trial for having been, allegedly, responsible of two suicides in the 80s, and what up until now some of the harder members of metal cannot get out of their head: Rob Halford coming out of the closet and publically admitting his homosexuality. After forty years of touring and excesses, this great band bids farewell to the stages with their Epitaph Tour, a tour that´s already going all around the world.
Judas Priest will be playing in the Rock-Metal Main Stage of the Sziget Festival in Budapest on the 11th of August at around 9.30pm. If you´re a fan of good metal, get there early and go and see the great Helloween, who will be on stage at 7.30pm warming up the crowd for Judas Priest. In case you didn´t know, Helloween is one of the most important German heavy metal bands. With great albums like ´Keeper of the Seven Keys´ and the fabulous live ´I Want Out´, these Germans have the respect of the world for being among the best that came out of Germany in the 80s regarding heavy rock. For more information on Judas Priest and their Epitaph Tour visit http://judaspriest.com/
Alexa Ray
That´s why don´t miss out on getting apartments in Budapest this 11th of August and see a memorable heavy rock moment in this city. The Sziget Festival is a great opportunity to get to know new people from around the world. Guaranteed fun!
Translated by: aleixgwilliam
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