Kvelertak has been Norway’s leading hardcore band for many years. The band has won prices, they have played support for bands like Metallica and Ghost, and headlined several festivals. Through the years they have been hailed for their unstoppable energy and their singer Erlend Hjelvik’s stage presence. Today he announced that he quits the band. (Photo above: Singer Erlend Hjelvik with Kvelertak at Slottsfjell 2013)
The last day of Tons of Rock 2016 was the best weather wise, sunny and warm. The crowd was still eager to see more bands, even if some of them were getting noticeably tired after the first two days. Most of the people were camping, since Halden doesn’t have a specially good hotel capacity. The day started with The Annex, while Bodies closed the festival twelve hours later. Between them we got Amon Amarth, Megadeth, Behemoth and many others. (Photo above: the audience to Hedvig Mollestad Trio)
While the weather gods were slightly grumpy at Tons of Rock the first day, they were in a better mood Friday. Overcast and a good temperature is perfect for an outdoor festival, and specially good for photography. The line up Friday had Alice Cooper and Ghost as headliners, plus Sixx:AM, Convergeand Norwegian favorites like Black Debate, The Dogs and El Caco. (Photo above: Alice Cooper)
The third Tons of Rock festival was arranged this weekend at Fredriksen Festning in Halden, Norway. The two preceding festival have both been successful, and with great artists, but this year they topped it with artists like Black Sabbath, Alice Cooper, Megadeath, Behemoth, Ghost and Sixx:AM. Thursday night had Black Sabbath as headliner. (Photo above: Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath)
Saturday was the last day of Tons of Rock, and the fans got a full package, like the other days. More heavy and prog.rock than the day before, but with trash metal from Kreator, a grand show by In Flames with fantastic pyro. Seigmen is on par with DumDum Boys for the title “Best Norwegian Live Band”, and Artch did a convincing concert with their original setup. Sólstafir showed us that they can do more than mystic and mythical soundscapes in Iceland, and Triosphere opened the show with the only female musician on the main stages at the whole festival. (Photo above: Addi Tryggvason from Sólstafir)
The second day of Tons of Rock 2015 had a more diverse mix of bands than Thursday. Mayhem are pioneers of Norwegian black metal, while Venom are credited for giving the black metal name to the genre. Twisted Sister’s aggressive music coupled with singer Dee Snider’s look, and the Norwegian rock band DumDum Boys who is still one of our best live act. And then, Gojira, with their deadly precise and sometimes rhythmically complicated metal, it was a day for most tastes. (Picture above: Twisted Sister) Continue reading
Tons of Rock is going on for three days, and the first day is over. Except for the pouring rain, it was a grand opening, with Opeth as the headliner on the biggest stage and Testament on the second. With Alcest earlier and Bombers as the closing act in the big tent, it was a perfect way to start the festival.
Tons of Rock was held June 19-21., but I have been too busy afterwards to manage to post anything from the festival. This was the first time the festival was held, but it is an easy bet that we will get a new festival next year. Everyone there enjoyed themselves, and the line up was very good with Slayer, Anthrax, Sepulture, TNT, Volbeat, Turbonegro and many others filling three stages for three days.
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