What we've been really enjoying lately

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Returned to Live: Gamma Ray/Induction

Gamma Ray/Induction
EX Theater Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
May 7, 2024

I returned to the same venue where I saw In Flames and Kreator in February to witness Induction and Gamma Ray on a Tuesday night after work in May. Gamma Ray hadn’t played Japan since the 2015 Loud Park festival and I hadn’t seen them since they played a solo club gig in June 2014, so there was quite a bit of pent-up demand in the local market, and it showed: the assigned stand seats were sold out and the floor was very packed (although I could not confirm if the entire gig sold out).

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Live Report: The Klash of the Titans

Kreator/In Flames
Klash of the Titans
EX Theater Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan
February 1, 2024

The Klash of the Titans is a co-headlining package featuring Kreator and alternating partners that began in 2023. The Japan edition features In Flames as the opening co-headliner, and they did not disappoint. I honestly got the same impression from their live performance that I did from their latest album Foregone: This is a revitalized band that, despite having experienced so many line-up changes, still has something worthwhile to say.

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Live Report: Candlemass

Candlemass
Club Quattro, Tokyo, Japan
January 26, 2024

After having complained about the layout of this cramped and poorly-designed venue in past reviews, I have to admit it was a sight for sore eyes for me on this night after having been so long away from live music. With no opening act, Candelmass started its 90-minute show on time and moved smoothly through a set list that heavily favored the first two albums, broken up only by a couple songs from Ancient Dreams and one from their new album.

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Sophomore shine

I’ve been idly ruminating about the idea of the opposite of a sophomore slump… cases in which a band has made a big splash with their debut album, only to eclipse it with a followup album that was widely heralded as superior.

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A long essay about Judas F-ing Priest

So, I’m covering the hospital for the first time in a couple of years… It’s a two week stint, and I’m almost done with my first week. It’s been really great; I‘ve been totally enjoying myself working with the team, seeing patients, doing a lot of teaching. The part that’s more relevant to you, however, is that I have a 35 minute drive to and from the hospital, as opposed to my usual 10 minute commute, which allows for the return of Band of the Week™!

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Down with Spotify

This week, there’s been a growing hue and cry about Spotify, precipitated by Neil Young taking a stand against the platform’s promotion and publication of Joe Rogan’s harmful rhetoric about CoViD, but further bolstered by people seeming to wake up to Spotify’s less than generous revenue sharing model. To be totally fair, they’re not the only ones screwing the artists, but they’re among the most egregious.

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