Our experience at Dark Malta was superb. Playing with such important names in the metal and dark scene and in a country like the Maltese one has very few comparisons; the atmosphere experienced in the three days was nothing short of wonderful, it brought us back to the festivals of a few years ago in terms of atmosphere, sensations and with a stellar bill. Not forgetting the professional and organizational skills of René and Hades' management and Hades events which were flawless and perfect. How can I tell? Well let's start from Malta. I visited it a few times for work reasons between 2017 and 2021 and I must say Malta has its own particular charm, a set of contradictions and different rituals but coexisting in this more unique than rare melting pot. Having had the opportunity to be a "tourist" for a few days in conjunction with Dark Malta has allowed me to review some particular places (I have reviewed Valletta and Vittoriosa with affection, such as the Catacombs in Rabat and Rabat itself) and above all to visit some that I've always missed due to work meeting times or the closing times of museums and attractions (Caravaggio's paintings). (I have yet to see the hypogeum, I should be able to see it in this 2023). The fact that in a small island like Malta there can be so many different styles of architecture and different views, so much history and different landscapes, shocks me every time. The fact remains that my only problem in Malta is driving; I think I wouldn't drive around Malta, except with a hummer, I admit it; better ecabs or similar services. As for the festival... I'm a "differently young" and lived some of the best dark and metal moments of the late 80s and early 90s, including festivals, and reliving the same atmosphere not it's pricey. To understand what I mean by "the same atmosphere" I mean: being at a concert of several bands with people who experience that music all year round and every day, who for a weekend can be themselves without any social constraints , finding and rediscovering that friendship with strangers (unknown for a few seconds), that passion shared with different people who came from other nations but found themselves there, at Dark Malta, was something spectacular. Then finding some compatriots to share the stage with and then sharing several beers with our new Italian, English, German and Maltese fans was wonderful. Let's add that René and all the Hades management and Dark Malta staff treated us with kid gloves as a band. Demonstration that the ability, the will to do and the foresight of the project goes far and above all brings excellent results. In addition to the fact that finding similar "souls" the result is always excellent and positive. Last but not least bar with excellent prices and equally excellent drinks, catering service with good food and spotless bathrooms. On a purely "technical" level, there is nothing to say about Dark Malta; I had the second fastest and most precise soundcheck in my history (the fastest, for now, remains the one at the Bingo Club in Kiev in 2013), times respected both by us and by the staff; we had a very small backline snag which was resolved in seconds and allowed us to continue seamlessly for the show, for the festival and for us. All the conditions proposed to participate in the festival have been respected in detail; this which should be the norm for the organizers, and the bands, but unfortunately it is not always respected; another point in favour of the organization of the festival which demonstrates once again beyond any reasonable doubt that it can be done without having to change the cards on the table "on the way" and without having to be "Macchiavellian" in terms of conditions. The desire to go back to playing on the Dark Malta stage is there, like going back to Malta to play and that's it. We will see if we will succeed in the near future, also because like Blut we will release the new album entitled Traum on May 12th and MAYBE for Dark Malta 2024 we could bring Traum to Malta, but for this I have to hear from René if there will be the possibility to host us again . In any case, a piece of Blut will also be present at this Dark Malta 2023, even if "only" as an audience. There are some friends I want to see on stage again and others I'll see there for the first time even though I've known them for years. ______________________________ Alessandro Schümperlin was born in 1976, in love with music and videogames since 1985, originator of steampunk Italia in 2011, and founder of Blut in 2014, with whom he is the singer, lyrics writer and (de)composer. He wrote and published two books and a bunch of short stories. He also penned a tarot manual. Blut was born as a free artistic expression by Alessandro, formerly a member of gothic metal band Anthologies. The project from a one-man band developed, first as a studio project, and now a true band able to combine musical styles blending them into a kind of kaleidoscope of sounds. The band brings original music with no gender limitations, making it is impossible to define Blut. Perhaps the true essence of this project is its absolute indescribability. Discography: 2015 Inside My Mind Part 1 2017 Inside My Mind Part 2 2020 Hermeneutics 2023 Traum Electrodark Remixed Albums: 2018 Inside Your Mind 2021 Samonions' Night (Hermeneutics Remix) Blut were part of Dark Malta’s line-up of 2022 Dark Malta 2023 takes place between 21st and 23rd April at Gianpula Main Room with over 25 International and Maltese Bands. Band photo property of Alessandro Schümperlin. Note from Melodija Team:Everyone has an opinion and we at Melodija value each and every one of them. To make this a healthier and interesting, please comment in the space provided below. Thanks

As already reported, the long-awaited album from Krishna finally saw the light of day on Saturday 25th March. The event took place at Palazzo De La Salle in Valletta. One could not have asked for a more intimate place for a performance, any performance (although I cannot picture an extreme metal band performing there to a seated audience). The Malta Society of Arts, established in 1852, is Malta’s oldest institution for the promotion of the arts and crafts and is based in this Palazzo which was probably built in the 1570s and was certainly a residence of great distinction, but little is known about the early owners and occupants. According to the Malta Society of Arts description on their website: “In the late 17th Century it was the residence of the Prior of England and Venice, Fra Stefano Maria Lomellini, subsequently inherited by his nephew, an Italian knight. There is indication that it became the property of the Prior of Barletta, Fra Camillo Albertini in 1711. After he died in 1712, the property was handed over to the Treasury and bequeathed to the Order. The Palazzo became the residence of the family of Grand Master Raymond Perellos Roccafull in 1713 until 1720, when it was donated to his nephews. Sometime around 1730 the building passed into the hands of the De La Salle brothers, two French noblemen appointed as bailiffs by the Order, and whose name remains associated with the Palazzo to this day. When the last of the brothers died in 1739, the Palazzo was inherited by Fra Tommaso Sammut. The ownership during the late 18th Century remains unclear. A British merchant and subsequently a wealthy Maltese widow occupied the property during the 1800s. The Palazzo suffered various changes throughout this period, indicating that its guardians were more concerned with functionality rather than the preservation of its historical and artistic value. In 1992 the Malta Environment and Planning Authority listed Palazzo de la Salle as a Grade 1 Scheduled Property.” More information on the Palazzo and Malta Society Of Arts (MAS) can be found here The night opened as many performances at this venue do, with a drink and a chat amongst friends and bands members at the Gugar Hangout, situated just across the road. By eight thirty everyone was seated (waiting for the curtain to open, if only there was one). As in Krishna’s ‘Seeker Of Light’ album launch Eyes To Argus opened the night. And it would have been a pleasant approach to the evening had it not been for some technical problems Samwel encountered with his pedal board. And while he was trying to deal with these troubles the band showed how professional and tight this outfit is. Let’s be honest, the majority of those present in the audience have seen Eyes To Argus before and know their songs and their experience, and could admire their tenacity to not let these difficulties affect their show as much as possible. Their set was made up of one song (Circling) from their debut ‘Veer’, released in 2017, two from the 2021 release ‘Habitat’ (namely Glory Be and Last To Last) and a brand new track titled Bloodstream / Waterfall / Cannonball. Although slightly indignant, the band still managed to produce a very good enjoyable set. Eyes To Argus will definitely be back….. A quick change over and Krishna hit the stage presenting to the public the first glimpse of ‘Headless’. The album is made up of one song, around 52 minutes long, making this no easy task to perform live. But regarding the performance and the music presented, Viper Soup Complex’s Michael Spiteri, who was present in the audience, put it best in a post on his Facebook page on Sunday: “50 minutes of challenging, sometimes difficult music to go through - This is the second album following a 7 year wait from "Seeker Of Light" Will be honest, for me the first movement was the most difficult to absorb - it felt like the pains of creation... and I think that this was the point. Once the foundations of this introductory piece were set, the rest was a transportation of somewhat alien-like sonic expressions which required focus, attention, and personal involvement to go through. On the whole, it felt like a complete expression with subtle changes that upon instant will drag your attention to the following movements (sometimes even without warning). Very much reflecting our intimate moments where we are dragged by our own thoughts and emotions to places we don't plan to visit. Extremely well done to Timothy Garrett and Alan Darmanin for this piece - it was emotionally memorable.” Anyone who knows the music of Krishna, especially their live shows, knows very well that this was a one off experience as every time the band performs, their songs’ versions are different. This is attested by Timothy Garrett himself in a recent interview when he disclosed that they record every rehearsal as it never comes out the same. This makes Saturday’s performance unique and many those who attended listened to the piece for the first time (the album was available on Friday on Bandcamp, while the cassette was on pre-order and could only be picked up on the night). Of course, it would be difficult to compare the music on the cassette (the only physical media released on so far) to any live performance of ‘Headless’ let alone the performance presented on the night. Hopefully the band recorded the audio of the performance and it shall be available in the coming future, not for comparison but for the live experience produced. The album was recorded in 2021 at Temple Studios and is the first recording with Timothy playing guitar, to which he switched from bass a few months earlier. Krishna at the time of recording still had Liam Formosa on drums and this recording boasts his forte. This makes Saturday’s performance even more unique with ‘new’ drummer Alan Darmanin filling the post up to excellence. With this formation the band released a new single ‘Despondent’ a few days prior to the launch. The recording was mixed by Derek Leisy and mastered by Brad Boatright at Audiosiege Studios. Headless was released via Kewn Records (KWN11) on digital platforms and on cassette with part one featuring the first 27 minutes and a half on side one, with the remaining 23 minutes on side two. Cassette release was a limited edition in white in a cardboard case with artwork by Samwell Mallia According to the band’s Bandcamp page only a few remain, which can be ordered from here Krishna’s next performance is on Sunday 7th May at Rock The South.

If you look at a map of Europe 35 years ago you will hardly recognize the geography of the continent. So much has changed since then. U.S.S.R., Czechoslovakia, etc. were still on the map and Germany was still divided between the West and East. Germany was split as a result of the Yalta Conference, held in February 1945, during which the U.S.A., United Kingdom and Soviet Union agreed on the division of Germany into occupation zones, as an aftermath of World War II. The part of Germany under Soviet control became known as the German Democratic Republic and was physically separated from West Germany by means of the infamous Berlin Wall, which came down in 1989. Both sides were officially reunited in 1990. Rightly you might be asking, what the heck does a history lesson have to do with the Maltese music scene? Apart from trying to put some context to my story, it happens that West Germany, mainly due to presence of British and American forces, became another attraction for Maltese bands and artists to go and perform there. Bands such as Black Train and singer Mary Charles (Maryrose Mallia) were few of those who ventured on the German soil. High ‘N Dry Formed in 1984 and originally based in the city of Cologne in West Germany, High ‘N Dry are a heavy metal band with a strong Maltese connection. The line up that released ‘Hands off my toys’ in 1988, which was their first record, included two compatriots namely Joe Mitz (Mizzi) on vocals and Gino Micallef on bass. The rest of line up of High ‘N Dry consisted of Detlef Kowalevski on guitar and Mark Rich on drums. The adventures of Joe Mizzi and Gino Micallef deserve to be written on their own merit but that is a story I am not qualified to write. Maybe someone else can take up the task. As far as Maltese who have made it abroad only Marc Storace is mentioned, and full credit to him is well deserved, but there were others who made the cut. ‘Hands off my Toy’ came out during a period when speed, trash and the heavier side of metal were dominating the scene. 1988 was the release year of ‘.....And Justice for All’ (Metallica), ‘Keeper of the Seven Keys Part II’ (Helloween), ‘State of Euphoria’ (Anthrax), ‘Blood Fire Death’ (Bathory), ‘Them’ (King Diamond) and many more. Other magnificent releases in the same year, worth mentioning are ‘Seventh Son of a Seventh Son’ (Iron Maiden), ‘No Rest for the Wicked’ (Ozzy), ‘Kings of Metal’ (Manowar), ‘Destiny’ (Saxon) and many more. High ‘N Dry were not staying put in Germany, in fact the band had toured heavily in France, Belgium, Holland, U.K. and other countries. This helped in making the name known. They played alongside many important names such in the metal and rock scene of the time. The mood on the record oscillates from heavy tracks such as “Bad in Black” to ballads such as “Too much to lose.” Apart from being very capable musicians, the band members had also the image to complete the package. Though the band was put together for years before the release of ‘Hands off my Toy’, each member had a baggage of experience that can be witnessed on this record. The tack list of the album is as follows: 1. Intro 2. Run Away 3. The Last Time 4. Streets of Fire 5. Too Much to Lose 6. Piece of my Heart (Cover) 7. Love Reaction 8. In the Dark 9. Bad in Black 10. Lost Souls 11. Ain’t Gonna Take It 12. Standin’ on the Frontline In 2016, after the album was reissued as a cd by Scream Records, Michael Bugeja caught up with Joe Mizzi and Gino Micallef and interviewed them. The interview, which I am reproducing in its entirety hereunder, was published in the Times of Malta on May 15, 2016. It makes a very interesting read as it gives a clear picture of how Joe and Gino ended up in Germany and the band’s connection with Iron Maiden. The reissue includes three new tracks namely The Light, We All One and Welcome to the Show. It’s not that unusual these days to hear of a Maltese artist moving abroad in the hope of pursuing a career overseas. In the 1970s and 1980s, however, when the local music scene was very different to what it is now, things were different. Bassist Gino Micallef and vocalist Joe Mizzi were among those who took the big step into the unknown back in the day, their overseas experience culminating in a fruitful experience as part of the German band High ’N’ Dry. Michael Bugeja caught up with the two musicians after the band’s 1988 album Hands Off My Toy was reissued on CD by Scream Records. What had you been doing musically before joining High ’N’ Dry? GM: I was playing with Fragile back in 1978, and then with B3, with Joe Mizzi as lead vocalist. After B3 folded, I met (guitarist) Detlef Kowalewski, with whom I formed High ’N’ Dry after moving to Germany. Two years later I went to London, where I played alongside Ray Mercieca in the original Characters before moving back to Malta and then back to Germany as Detlef was reforming the band. JM: Gino and I first met at Għadira Bay, and we hit it off straight away. He played with Fragile then, and I was an aspiring singer. Later on, after Fragile split up and Gino formed B3 with John Gafa, they asked me to join them. B3 was the band that really helped our creativity as we played with some of the best musicians around at that time. When B3 folded, I joined StratKast, then Gino, who had moved back to Germany, gave me a call saying I should audition for High ’N’ Dry, so off I went and got the job. Was it difficult fitting into a music scene that was new to you and so much bigger? GM: Yes, in the beginning it wasn’t easy, but on the music front it felt great; we had a proper rehearsal room and a recording studio. When I started to understand the language I felt more at ease. I also recall being very nervous when we played our first gig at University of Cologne in front of a few thousand people. JM: The difficulties we faced in the music scene were practically the same we’d have faced anywhere else. Detlef had some good contacts, among them the management team that got us our record deal with Bellaphone Records, so that was a big boost. Which are your most memorable moments with High ’N’ Dry? GM: Mine are opening for Iron Maiden twice in Cologne. Another great moment was playing to a large crowd at the Lorelei festival in Koblenz on the same bill as Meatloaf and Marillion. JM: For me, the two concerts with Iron Maiden are my favourite memories from High ’N’ Dry, but touring France and the UK was a great experience too. The Iron Maiden connection is now legend in High ’N’ Dry’s history, but how did that come about? GM: I met (Iron Maiden vocalist) Bruce Dickinson at a club in Cologne and we obviously ended up talking about music. They were interested in our studio as they needed a rehearsal space ahead of their Seventh Son of A Seventh Son World Tour. They moved in a few weeks later and, since my apartment was above the studio I could listen to them rehearsing every day for a month. We were lucky enough to open for them on both of their warm-up gigs in Cologne. JM: Detlef owned the Empire Complex in Cologne where we were based, which included rehearsal rooms for bands, a fitness club, a music club and disco which could host about 1500 guests. Accept had already used our studio to rehearse in, and recommended it to Iron Maiden, who wanted to rehearse for their world tour. Steve Harris and Bruce Dickinson came with their road manager; they loved the studio and while we were showing them around, they mentioned the club could be a good venue for a surprise gig. Gino and I both remarked that we’d love to open for them and they just said OK, so that was it basically. We had a great time in the weeks they spent there. Gino is still in contact with Steve Harris to this day. The last time we met them was backstage last year when they played in Germany. At the time of its release, Hands Off My Toy caused quite a fuss here in Malta. What was the reception in Germany? GM: When the album came out in Germany we played a few gigs and did TV shows in Germany to promote it. We also gave radio interviews in Malta, where I believe only the vinyl format was available, which we sold quite a good number of. In Germany it was also avail-able on cassette and CD. The promotion abroad worked well, as it landed us some important festivals in Germany and France. JM: Regionally, the band’s profile was quite high, particularly in the area around Cologne, where we had played plenty of gigs. The band’s popularity was growing quite steadily, although along the line we did encounter some unforeseen hiccups that inevitably held the band back from going on to greater things. Looking back and listening to those songs now, is there anything you would have done differently, both for the record and as a band? GM: Listening to the album now, I know we could make it better but Scream wanted to reissue the original version, further to which the CD includes three bonus tracks we recorded as demos these past few years. JM: Looking back, yes, there are definitely things I would do differently, especially with my voice. I wasn’t technically trained then, but I am now as vocal coaching is my main activity. As a band, I wish we’d had the time to move on stylistically. When the album came out, Hair Metal was coming to an end and I’m sure we could have evolved with the times. The album’s reissue suggests there is a relevance to the current market. Could this and the three new songs mean High ’N’ Dry may be getting back together at some point? GM: It’s a question of gauging sales really, but we’ve agreed to record more tracks this year. We actually recorded the new songs via internet, except for one track which I recorded bass for at Detlef’s studio in the Azores. Joe did the vocals at his home studio in Germany. JM: Detlef and I co-wrote the three new songs, with input from Gino and (drummer) Mark Ulrich. At the moment, there are no concrete plans to reunite or tour again. With Gino in Malta, myself in Germany and Detlef in the Azores, the distance makes it all the more complicated to organise, but who knows? For the record, High ‘n Dry as a band are still active, with Detlef Kowalevski as the only survivor for the legendary 1980’s line up. If you still do not own a copy of this album its high time you get your hands on one. PS. Opinions expressed in my rants are completely personal and might not reflect the opinion of melodija.eu. Main references: Times of Malta, October 21, 1988 Times of Malta, May 15 2016. Note from Melodija Team:Everyone has an opinion and we at Melodija value each and every one of them. To make this a healthier and interesting please comment in the space provided below. Thanks

"Headless" is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from Krishna, and we believe it is their most powerful and ambitious work yet. Featuring crushing riffs as well as atmospheric passages, this album is a true masterpiece of the genre. As a fan of heavy music, we know that you appreciate the raw power and emotion that can be conveyed through music. And as a collector, we know that you value unique and exclusive items that showcase your passion for the music you love. That's why we're offering this limited edition cassette tape of "Headless." With only a small number of tapes available, this is truly a rare and special item that will become a cherished part of any collection. By pre-ordering your cassette tape now, you'll be among the first to experience the crushing soundscapes and hypnotic rhythms of "Headless." Plus, you'll be supporting a band that is truly pushing the boundaries of heavy music. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to own a piece of metal history. Place your pre-order today, and get ready to be blown away by the power of Krishna's "Headless." Pre-order here Krishna is an instrumental heavy music duo from Malta consisting of Timothy Garrett on guitar and Alan Darmanin on drums. Originally founded by Garrett and Liam Formosa in 2013, Krishna’s sound is very much indefinable, however, in musical terms, it channels such styles and techniques of post-metal, post-rock, drone, ambient, stoner, doom as well as a host of other genres. Stay tuned for Krishna ‘s album ‘Headless’ coming out on the 24th of March! Audio Stream Check out the audio stream video for their latest single Despondent on our Youtube Channel Copyright (C) 2023 Kewn Records. All rights reserved.

Despondent was written in the latter part of 2022, with Timothy initially coming up with the main riff, and then improvising on it with drummer and percussionist Alan until the song was formed. The song itself deals with the themes of heavy sorrow and burden; highlighting the particular helplessness that results from Anhedonia (The loss of ability to feel pleasure). Check it out! Krishna is an instrumental heavy music duo from Malta consisting of Timothy Garrett on guitar and Alan Darmanin on drums. Originally founded by Garrett and Liam Formosa in 2013, Krishna’s sound is very much indefinable, however, in musical terms, it channels such styles and techniques of post-metal, post-rock, drone, ambient, stoner, doom as well as a host of other genres. Stay tuned for Krishna ‘s album ‘Headless’ coming out on the 25th of March! Copyright (C) 2023 Kewn Records. All rights reserved

On Saturday 11th March, in front of an enthusiastic crowd, thrashers Mur.Doc 104 physically launched their debut EP ‘The Undying’ during an outstanding event at The Garage. Officially ‘The Undying’ was released a few days prior, on 3rd March, when in fact the event was supposed to take place, but due to unforeseen circumstances had to be moved by a week. Still, this did not deter the band, nor those who attended. In fact I believe that this actually worked in favour of the band, because this way they could get another prodigious band to play on stage before them. So, let us start with the first band to hit the stage on the night. Hailing from the region of Veneto, a northern province in our neigbours’ peninsula with a population of about five million, this, was the second visit of Italian outfit Adversor. The first time the band visited our islands was on the 23rd February 2019 when they shared the stage with Dubliners Gama Bomb and locals Thrashacre, Grotium and Mythril. Adversor was formed by brothers Marco (Dado) and Jacopo Cardi in 2015 after the split of H.O.S (Harvester Of Sorrow) that same year. During their 9 year span H.O.S. released one full-length album titled ‘The Beginning’ in 2011 after three demos and a split with Violence Spread. Conversely, Adversor released their first demo in 2016, with their debut full-length album ‘Rise To Survive’ following a few months later. In 2018 the band released ‘The End Of Mankind’ on Punishment 18 Records. Their third full-length album was still fresh when they performed on stage with Mur.Doc 104. ‘Portrait Of A Wasteland’ was released on 24th February on Time To Kill Records, and made up most of the band’s setlist on the night at The Garage with five out of the ten songs presented by the Italians. The set opened with the same song that commences the new album, ‘Purifying Hate’, which gave a glimpse to all those who have yet to listen to the album, of the brutality of the songs to follow. The next three songs were ‘Psychotropic Nightmare’ from ‘The End Of Mankind’ followed by the title track of their 2016 debut ‘Rise To Survive’ and back to ‘The End Of Mankind’ with ‘Ignoble Blackmail’. These were followed by three songs from the new album ‘Portrait of a Wasteland’, namely, ‘Seven Years’, ‘Entangled’ and ‘Les Miserables’, before ending their show with a re-visit to ‘The End Of Mankind’ with ‘Fall Of the Empire’ and the title track. Talking to the band after their outstanding performance, it was easy to see their delight to be back on the island and the reception they were greeted with. A quick change over and Mur.Doc 104 were back on stage for the first gig of 2023. Their last time was in June 2022 during the celebrations of The Garage's fifth anniversary alongside Morsrot and Delirium MT, which was the first gig in over three years. The band was formed in 2017, as a 5-piece band, inspired by the late 80s Bay Area movement. Since then, the band released a single in Maltese titled ‘Insolenza’ (which is added as a bonus track on ‘The Undying’ EP) and an English version of it, ‘Reign of the Dead’ a few months later, both in 2020. Back to the event, aptly named Return Of The Living Thrash! The band immediately launched into a new song ‘Not Worth The Kill’ before visiting the freshly squeezed EP with the title track (‘The Undying’), ‘Mur.Doc 104’ and ‘Ignorant Masses’ which although concert goers have heard before, in fact the EP was recorded prior to covid but was postponed to a later date under the circumstances, sounded fresh as ever. The band then introduced two more new songs, ‘Brain Dead’ and ‘Summoning The Oppressor’, before playing one of the crowd’s favourites ‘Thrashing The Boat’ also found on ‘The Undying’ EP, as is ‘Insolenza’ which followed. The last two songs on the setlist were also new ones: ‘The Curtain Falls’ and ‘Hell’. But the crowd was not ready to go home yet and to the shouts and cheers to play more, the band played the EP’s titled track once more. Still the crowd wanted more, and they obliged with their eponymous song ‘Mur.Doc 104’. Any Maltese thrash metal enthusiast could not ask for a better night. The sheer brutality performed on stage by both bands does in fact reminiscence the Bay area movement of the eighties. With regards to Adversor’s album ‘Portrait of a Wasteland’ and ‘The Undying’ EP from Mur.Doc 104 both are a must in any true metalhead’s collection. photos of bands (live) by Emvin Mifsud Note from Melodija Team:Everyone has an opinion and we at Melodija value each and every one of them. To make this a healthier and interesting please comment in the space provided below. Thanks

You're familiar with the term "target audience". In the music scene, we often refer to it as "your crowd"—the group of people for whom you're writing your music. But there's an important distinction between creating a product for a target audience and creating music for a crowd. As a musician, you'll find that there's going to be at least some overlap between what you love and what your crowd loves. And you probably already understand that the extent of that overlap is entirely up to you. Unfortunately, though, a lot of musicians find it hard to accept the fact that there are also trade-offs that come along with that choice. It's a spectrum. On one extreme, you're creating music for an audience that you're not a part of. Maybe you love Cannibal Corpse and despise dance music, but you choose to create in the latter genre because you find it more lucrative. On the other extreme, you're creating music that fulfils you uncompromisingly. Maybe you're in love with the ukulele and decide to have a ukulele-fronted thrash metal band. There's nothing wrong with either extreme as long as you're fulfilling your goals. But you also need to live with the trade-offs of your decision. If you're completely outside of the crowd you're creating music for, you must come to terms with creating for others, rather than for yourself. And if you're creating exclusively for yourself, you might find that the crowd is a tiny one. Of course, most musicians will find themselves somewhere in the middle, juggling trade-offs from either extremity. But the compromises are always there. I bring this up because, as someone who has chosen to play prog metal, I'm aware that my crowd (at least locally) is a very small one. Yes, it's disheartening to have a small turnover for a gig. But it comes with the territory, and I embrace it. Now, I know that many of you prescribe to the idea that, "we're a small scene, we should support bands even if we don't like their music". If that's how you feel, you have my thanks and respect. But if you don't, I don't blame you. Maybe the very idea of prog makes your stomach churn, so why would I expect you to spend your time and money to show up at my show? Music is something that should be enjoyed, not force-fed. When you embrace the trade-offs brought about by your artistic choices, you'll find that your creative process becomes more fulfilling. And as a result, your crowd will enjoy it more. To me, the entire purpose of music is to elicit some sort of emotional response in people. If you can do that with your music, and you can keep that goal as your guiding star, then it doesn't matter whether your crowd can pack a stadium or barely fill the restrooms at The Garage. You'll be doing what you were meant to do — moving people. And that's all that matters. Cedric is probably best known for his role as bass player in local prog-metal band Twenty-Six Other-Worlds, and more recently for his brief stint as a session bassist for Damaged & Co. Note from Melodija Team: Everyone has an opinion and we at Melodija value each and every one of them. To make this a healthier and interesting please comment in the space provided below. Thanks

Singer/songwriter Michael Azzopardi anounced that his debut full-length album 'Vaganza' is now available on all platforms. 'Vaganza' follows debut EP 'Pistola' released 12th February 2021. Earth Garden team announced today 14th March 2023 on their social media pages, their biggest line-up so far for this year's edition of Malta's largest alternative festival held annually, usually on the first weekend of June. 2023 marks the 16th edition of the festival which shall take place between the 2nd and 4th June at Ta' Qali. More info can be found here German record label Witches Brew which specializes in Thrash, Death, Heavy and Speed Metal announced that Zabbeth is now on vinyl and can be ordered. Zabbeth is a Bathory Worship album from the mind of Sean Attard .

Introducing the highly-anticipated album "Red Town Baby" by The Areola Treat - a thrilling fusion of alternative rock with eclectic inspiration from other genres. This album is a must-listen for any music lover looking for something fresh and exciting. The album opens with "Jailbait," a hard-hitting track that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The band's signature gritty guitar riffs and powerful vocals are on full display, drawing you in with their raw energy. As the album progresses, you'll be treated to a diverse range of tracks that showcase The Areola Treat's impressive versatility. “Tell A Lie” is a short, compelling and antagonistic Alternative Rock anthem that would not be out of place on your favorite workout playlist or energy booster. "Into My Shadow" is a high-energy romp inspired by glam rock, with infectious hooks that will have you tapping your feet and nodding your head. One of the standout tracks on the album is "Speak No Evil," a dynamic and soulful ballad that showcases the band's softer side. The heartfelt lyrics and soaring vocals will give you chills. Throughout "Red Town Baby," The Areola Treat skillfully blends elements of punk, grunge, and alternative rock to create a sound that is uniquely their own. With its catchy hooks, powerful vocals, and infectious energy, this album is sure to be a hit with fans of alternative rock and beyond. So don't wait - grab your copy of "Red Town Baby" today and experience the electrifying sound of The Areola Treat for yourself! There’s much more to come from The Areola Treat in 2023! Copyright (C) 2023 Kewn Records. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website, Bandcamp or in-person events.

On the first day of March instrumental heavy duo Krishna posted the following message on their fb page: “Thought you were only getting 1 new release? Think again We’re so excited to announce that we’ll be releasing ‘Despondent’ on the 17th of March via Kewn Records. 'Despondent' is one of the new songs we wrote after the band’s line up change and was a sign of the new direction we were taking with our sound. This song’s come to mean a lot to us, and we can’t wait to share it with you." So, Krishna are set to release a non-album track prior to the release of their fifth album ‘Headless’….confusing?! Not really…after all this is Krishna, but, we still had to ask….. “As many people know, Krishna experienced a significant line-up change in 2022, with Alan Darmanin taking on drumming and percussion duties. Although we initially planned to rehearse written material, we very quickly started jamming and coming up with new ideas. As we were planning the album launch itself, we thought it’d be a good idea to release an extra single ahead of the launch itself to show the new direction the band’s sound was taking following the line-up change”, replied Timothy. M: For now this is a non album track. Shall it be included on your next or future releases? T: “For the moment we’re considering ‘Despondent’ as its own release, but we don’t discount including it on a future album. You’ll just have to wait and see”. Krishna will be releasing their new album, ‘Headless’, just a week later at Malta Society of Arts, with support from Eyes to Argus. M: How are preparations for the launch going and what are we to expect? T: “Preparations for the launch have been underway for some time. At this point we’re rehearsing as much as we can. We’re quite excited to perform this piece for the first time live. As people have come to expect, we never play songs exactly the same twice, so expect new sounds and textures during the performance”. You can book your place at the launch ahead of time by contacting the band

In a short statement on the band's fb page Delirium announced on Friday 10th March a small change, re-branding of the name: "After recruiting 2 new members, we decided it was time for a little re-brand... And so without any further ado *drum roll* we present Delirium's official new logo and name: "Delirium MT" We chose this name because we think it better represents us and our origins! Special thanks to David Cauchi for the awesome design WE ARE DELIRIUM MT. 10/03/2023 was Angelcrypt's D-Day with the release of a new single after 3 years: "Forever Hero" is unleashed through Boersma - Records! Check out the official music video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYznLWVB0bQ Buy on Bandcamp: https://angelcrypt.bandcamp.com/track/forever-hero Audio Stream: https://hypeddit.com/angelcrypt/foreverhero... Buy the T-shirt: https://angelcrypt.bandcamp.com/merch/forever-hero-t-shirt Thrashacre have announced that as from the 8th day of March their debut EP 'Live & Let Thrash' (released October 19th, 2021), is online for listening on YouTube with more platforms to be added in the near future. 'Live & Let Thrash' can be listened here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6fyVCz0Pig

Be it saints or sinners the Maltese are divisive by nature. It might be the fruit of years of colonisation but we air our opinion on everything and assume a parochial stance. It seems that fifty shades of grey is not our favourite topic.........the shading part I mean..........and tendency is that we shade in black or white. We are either in favour or against. Only few were those who tried and succeeded in making us pull the rope in the same direction and they should be hailed as true national heroes. Don’t get me wrong, we do come together when disaster strikes or to aid in charity ventures, but that’s about it. When it comes to bringing together bands and supposedly like minded people in the early 1980’s the sense I get is that it was an attempt at herding cats. Yet some ventures had much more success than others. One of the first attempts I encountered was the forming of the Rock Appreciation Society (R.A.S. ......not to be confused with the band) in August 1981. This was an initiative taken by Mr. A Farrugia and Mr B Hili, amongst others, who headed this society as co-chairmans. Their aim was to “help various kinds of rockers from Punk to Ska to Reggae to Heavy Metal, to get together to exchange ideas, addresses, posters and photos.” They tried to start with a bang by organising “Rock Summer ‘81”. This event took place at the Orpheum Theatre in Gzira on Friday 7 August 1981. It was promoted as the first such event for the local rock groups, with the aim to promote and encourage local talent. The announcement mentioned that 12 groups were to take part but no names were mentioned. From correspondence in local press one takes the impression that due to problems with the sound system the event, though well attended, failed to reach a high standard of organisation. Only three, of the twelve promised bands performed on the day, namely Mirage, Valdacry and Fusion. A battle of words raged through the local news papers on the merits and demerits of R.A.S and the organisation of this event. R.A.S. was a voluntary organisation and depended for funds on membership donations. Eric Montfort, in his article entitled Rock On Summer ’81 (Times of Malta, September 14, 1981) gave a detailed description of the event, that I am reproducing hereunder: Just over a month ago, a long awaited organization finally materialized, The Rock Appreciation Society, a concept for four years, initiated by Vincent Saliba finally came into being at a Press Conference held at a band club at Gzira. The following Friday the first activity – Rock On Summer ’81 was held at the Orpheum, Gzira. Heavy metalists Valdacry headlined the show, which was a pure gig; people listening to the music, jumping and going out for a beer and returning when they heard a couple of striking notes. Anyway, Valdacry had a terrific start with “Fool for the last time”, a fire engine’s siren preluding a grating guitar, and a good melody which was spoiled by the biggest stigma in local concerts – the poor sound system. The group comprises Benny Hili (vocals), Charlie (Spider) rhythm guitar, brothers Joe and Charlie on drums and bass and Twanny (Pistol) on lead guitar. Furthermore, there was a lack of feedback which dimmed Benny’s voice to a minimum. The band also seemed to indulge in long tracks, this present day and age is a fast-moving era employing catchy economic sounds and this should be understood by the group if they are into other aspirations. Let’s hope that this materializes before the group turns to the more elaborate Spanish guitar and boogie. With more practice, this gap might close and Valdacry would surmount the huge impediments that they’ve faced, for theirs and everyone’s satisfaction. Mirage were a richer (not only in apparatus but also in music) outfit and looked less nervous. Long complex sounds influenced by Camel and Rush could easily be inferred. Incidentally, this group consists of Denis Vella (joy-boards percussion), John Vella (bass, lead guitar, percussion, guitar, synths: the latter weren’t used), Robert Longo (lead, bass guitar, percussion) and Joe Zammit (percussion). This group is opting for a drum-kit in the future. Three of the five numbers incorporated lyrics, which were down to earth and included a love song – “Don’t get me wrong” an obscure on-the-road feeling about loneliness. “Are you ready for Fusion” shouted the very polite voice of Ray Mifsud Bonici, apparently taking over from Noel Mallia who seemed a bit hoarse after his two introductions (or short sermons about rock?). Well, Fusion appeared. This group has now been going on strong for six months and includes Audrey on keyboards, Eugene (bass guitar), Tony (guitar) and Lawrence on drums. A group full of enthusiasm and commitment, the members are deep into jazz-rock and the full use of the possible instruments and sounds that they can deploy. However, as might be expected, the sounds are too complex and many a time were lost in the aula. Indeed jazz-rock requires a lot of attention and a gig like the Orpheum’s would certainly not befit Fusion and even Mirage. After all would the audience be there to appreciate the music or simply to be stimulated and react accordingly? I doubt how many teenagers were sure of what was gong on when Mirage and Fusion were playing, which brings me to the Rock Appreciation Society and what it stands for. Briefly, this society is aimed at instilling a sense of feeling, acquaintance and knowledge for rock, be it symphonic, ska, blues, punk and all other forms and labels. It is there to shun the rotten conservative 60’s idea that Rock Music is a blasphemy. Mentioning abuses in sex and language, one must point out that these always cropped up during this century, be it in films or in the back rooms of some Chicago swing club. It may be that Lydon and others gave us a full cornucopia of swearwords lately, but then one must not forget Dylan’s relish for God and Lennon’s doing away with drugs. Rock itself is an art which borrows from many other fields of music – African, Jazz etc. Indeed, this is rock’s enhancing characteristic. One must feel disappointed at the lack of sponsors which reflects the lack of interest shown by many local firms – only (a local record shop) gave a helping hand and one must not forget Philip Pace’s and Araxis had work on the Alp lights system. It is also noteworthy that Andrew Farrugia and Benny Hili deposited LM450 to cover the use of the hall and the sound systems as well as other factors and costs. The three groups were tired, battered, hungry and worn out, but at least it was their own show in which they did all the dirty work involved in the preparation. Their very own fumbles could best be forgiven if the society would be unified enough to promote other groups like Flash, as well as getting adequate sound system. A 2000W, 16 channel PA would be enough for Maltese groups. Applications for membership should be sent to PO Box 2, Gzira. I have found some more info on the Rock Appreciation Society in the printed press during 1982 but sadly that was about it. Thus came to a close the short episode of trying to bring supposedly like-minded people together.............a most noble cause turned out to be a failed exercise in the art of herding cats. But something good might have grown out of this first attempt. The second and more successful chapter of this venture was written by Rokarja, a private-public partnership, set up mainly to represent and organise concerts for bands that were based at Tigne.............’nuff said for today, will be for my next rant. PS. Opinions expressed in my rants are completely personal and might not reflect the opinion of melodija.eu. References: Times of Malta, August 4, 1981. Page 13. Times of Malta, September 7, 1981. Page 7. Times of Malta, October 8, 1981. Page 9. Valdacry photo property of Charles Fenech

Local Gothic Metal band Delirium announced new singer today in a post their band page on social media: Band Announcement A few days ago we asked you what Delirium was searching for. As some of you may know, we were searching for a vocalist for a short while, and now, we are very happy to announce that we have found DELIRIUM'S NEW VOCALIST! We would like you all to meet Cezar! Cezar is a half-Maltese, half-Romanian who has lived in Malta for the past 13 years and also goes by the nickname 'Hybrid'. He discovered heavy metal at the age of 16, and in 2018 decided to pursue his passion for vocals. He was previously the vocalist in the band Dead Impaled, which unfortunately came to a halt in mid-2022. He is heavily influenced by Dark Funeral, Septicflesh, Arch Enemy, and Semblant. Cezar highly believes in pushing oneself to improve one's skills every single day. Delirium will be gracing your news feed once again with some exciting posts in the coming weeks. Credits to Matea Blazhevska for photography

Album Launch ‘Out Of Darkness’ 25th February 2023 When Oblique Visions returned to the stage during Rock City Metal City Festival in March 2022 it was apparent that this was the comeback every Maltese metalhead was waiting for. This return was capped by the release of the band’s second album on the 25th February at The Garage. Aptly titled ‘Out Of Darkness’ the album comes after a gap of 28 years since their debut full length album ‘Seas Of Serenity’ in 1995. Since then the line-up changed numerous times, now, stabilized once Jeffrey Bugeja returned from living abroad for some years. He rejoined original members Brian 'Fusa' Sammut on bass and drummer Conrad ‘Twister’ Attard who kept the band going throughout these years. This line up was completed with the addition of Conrad Borg (ex-Martyrium and Sceptocrypt, amongst others) on singing duties and Italian born Frank Pizzo on guitar. ‘Out Of Darkness’ is the labor of this association plus the collaboration on three songs of yet another original member who, lives abroad and record as Tatius Wolff, which is the alternative metal solo project of Stephan 'Wolff' Borg inspired by Type O Negative, Tool, Deftones and Nine Inch Nails. Back to the event at The Garage. The night was opened by Hemplifier with one of the heaviest, sludge sound we have had in recent years. The band consists of seasoned musicians Dino Mifsud Lepre (Victims Of Creation and numerous other bands, too many to mention) on drums, Justin 'Bazaz' Borg on bass (who apart from Lady Lizard is also a member of a large number of bands) and Emanuel Portelli on guitar and vocals. From the three members Emanuel probably plays with the same number of bands Dino’s and Bazaz’s bands added together, having recently joined Tryst Arcane and Pilgrimage. But back to Hemplifier, formed officially in 2020 (the band has been jamming for some years prior), released their debut single ‘Weedcraft’ on 17th November 2021 and are on the verge of releasing their debut album, from which most of their setlist for the night was taken from. This was the band’s first gig for 2023. Coincidentally Dino Mifsud Lepre was in Victims Of Creation when they supported Oblique Visions back on the day when ‘Seas Of Serenity’ was released in 1995. After the heavy slow set from Hemplifier and a few minutes change-over, Oblique Visions took the stage and with the first few notes the audience knew that this was to be a continuation of preeminence and a glimpse of the magnitude the album is. The band opened with the title track, ‘Out Of Darkness’ and continued with yet another album track ‘Tears Of A Sad Man, before playing the band’s trademark ‘ Oblique Visions’ from ‘Fallen’, the demo the band released in 1994 to the delight of the die-hard fans that returned to see the band after many years of wait. The next two songs (‘XIII’ and ‘Back To Earth’) were again taken from the band’s latest opus before revealing their first surprise guest for the night. The band this time visited the ‘Seas Of Serenity’ with ‘Seasons’ to which Viper Soup Complex singer Annmarie Spiteri joined Conrad for a superb duet. Lights were dimmed for the next song while the band left the stage only to leave Frank and Annmarie who were joined by Jenny Wheeler on cello to perform ‘Crepuscolo’ a relatively quite piece of music Frank wrote to his wife and performed originally on their wedding day. This was followed by three songs from their 1995 debut album, ‘Deranged’, ‘Destroying Angels’ and ‘Dethroned’, much to the delight of the band’s seasoned fans and new ones. Unfortunately, during ‘Dethroned’ Frank’s guitar decided to play up but the band played the song again as an encore, just after the last song from the new album for the night ‘The Loss’ Comments congratulating both bands for their show stated to pop on social media pages especially on the event page from attendees and other musicians present on the night. Proficient singer Leo Stivala (Forsaken) posted, “I always liked this band and yesterday they did not disappoint. They give Doom Death a different (I dare say progressive) touch with up-tempo and some really interesting breaks. Veru well done guys” Indeed, although the new tracks that form this album are a trip to the old school stuff Oblique Visions were known for in the 90’s, they feature a progressive sound probably, thanks mainly to the guitar riffs of Frank Pizzo, who during a recent interview he admitted that his first love was progressive metal. Frank collaborated on three other songs on the album apart from ‘Crepuscolo’, namely ‘The Loss’, ‘XIII’ and ‘Out Of Darkness’. Brian 'Fusa' Sammut cooperated on all songs except ‘Crepuscolo’. Other credits go to Jeffrey Bugeja (‘Back to Earth’, ‘Husk’ and the title track) and Conrad Borg for ‘Tears Of A Sad Man’. Next stop announced for Hemplifier is in Tolmin, Slovenia at the Tolminator festival in July, whilst Oblique Visions are working on some local dates, so best keep a look out for any news!

In a short statement on social media on 2nd March 2023 Electric Valley Records announced that local band Hemplifier are now part of its roster "We are proud to announce that heavy riffers Hemplifier have just signed with EVR for their debut album." "HEMPLIFIER is a Stoner/Doom band consisting of Emanuel Portelli (Thy Legion, Victims of Creation, Pilgrimage, Animamortua), Bażaż (Lady Lizard, R.A.S.) & Dino Mifsud Lepre (Victims of Creation, Pilgrimage) formed in 2019. All three members are experienced and have been playing in numerous other bands in the past, and present apart from Hemplifier. “Some of us have been in the scene from the ‘90s. The trio's target was to jam, get high, compose the heaviest riffs possible, have a good time & send seismic waves to the planet while aboard their spacecraft! We worship Amps & Vintage Gear! Our lyrical themes are that of sci-fi, aliens, the supernatural, occult, voodoo, weed, giants & a touch of local folklore & myth." Stay Doomed”, explained the band.

We are proud to announce Damaged & Co. as support act for the Lordi concert. See Lordi Live for the first time in Malta at Aria Complex on 31st March 2023 Tickets from www.showshappening.com/nng Damaged & Co. are an Alternative Metal band, who released their debut full length album "Life's Grand Delusion" on 11th February 2023. Watch their latest single 'Truth' here.

Welcome Krishna We are proud to announce our second signing for 2023, Post-metal duo Krishna! Krishna is an instrumental heavy music duo from Malta consisting of Timothy Garrett on guitar and Alan Darmanin on drums. The band will be launching their sophomore record, 'Headless', on Saturday the 25th at March at Palazzo de la Salle. From all the staff at Melodija all the best to both parties.

Around 4pm on 27th February the following statement was posted on the band’s page on Facebook: “With heavy hearts we regret to inform that Pyramid Suns have called it a day. After much consideration, we have decided to dissolve the band due to the busy schedules of each member, including their various projects in design, work, music, and life in general. It has become increasingly difficult to maintain the same level of passion and energy needed to produce and contribute as a group. We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to every person who has supported us throughout our 8-year journey. To our loyal fans, the enthusiastic crowds, and the promoters who booked us for gigs and believed in us, we extend our heartfelt thanks. Your unwavering support and encouragement have been the driving force behind our music. Although we are saddened by this decision, we hope that our music will continue to brighten your days, provide a source of reflection, or simply bring joy. Our current album, "Reflections," and our first EP are available on streaming platforms such as Spotify for your continued enjoyment. 😀🤘 Once again, thank you for your love and support. We are forever grateful. 🔺☀️” The band made an impact on the music scene from day one and from the messages and posts that followed this was a hard blow. Luke Briffa, who joined the band on drums around May 2020 posted the following: “Was a great pleasure to join Pyramid Suns for the band's last run, record a full-length album, play its launch together with some festivals. A great adventure indeed! Unfortunately, the band called it a day, but its music will live on. It's been a pleasure!” Pyramid Suns released their self-titled debut EP in 2016 and their follow up full length album ‘Reflections’ (on Kewn Records) on 28th June 2022. Both releases can be listened to on digital platforms. From all the staff at Melodija we wish all the luck to Joel, Keith, Kyle and Luke for their future endeavors and adventures.

“Oh, when I look back now That summer seemed to last forever And if I had the choice Yeah, I'd always wanna be there Those were the best days of my life” – Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams I do not recall the summer of 1969 as I was not born yet but I have very fond memories of the summer of 1998 because it was magical. In 1997 the government set up the Ta’ Qali National Park Committee, coordinated by Massimo Ellul, with the intention of bringing to Malta famous acts and artists to serve as an attraction for tourists who wanted to enjoy some good bands and spend a few days in Malta. These big names would be an attraction to Maltese punters too and serve as a good showpiece for Maltese supporting acts. During the summer of 1997 the National Park Committee organised concerts by Fish, Bonnie Tyler and the Spicey Girls but nothing could have prepared us for what was to come in 1998. During a press conference in March 1998, the Ta’ Qali National Park Committee announced the following celebrated names were performing in Malta: Iron Maiden – 30 May 1998 Deep Purple – 6 June 1998 Demis Roussos – 18 July 1998 Alannah Myles – 8 August 1998 Status Quo – 22 August 1998 Fish – 5 September 1998 Needless to say, to me personally Iron Maiden and Deep Purple were the largest attraction, though I only skipped the Demis Roussos concert and Fish. It was not the first visit by Iron Maiden to the Maltese Islands as they have performed at the Thunder Discotheque in Victoria, Gozo on 14 January 1996, supported by Lord Adder. In May 1998 Iron Maiden were on their Virtual XI World Tour. On the appointed day some 5,500 metal heads turned up at Ta’ Qali to witness one of the greatest live metal bands ever. The tour had started on 22nd April 1998 in Norwich, England and ended on 12 December 1998 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Ta’ Qali w as the 25th date of the tour. Incidentally this was also the last tour with Blaze Bayley on vocals, as the legendary Bruce Dickinson was back in the Maiden fold a year later. Keeping in mind the logistical problems encountered before the concert in Gozo, the National Park Committee went out of their way to see that this would be a memorable experience. Unfortunately, the sound was not of the best quality when Angel Dust hit the stage, but it improved greatly when it was time for veterans Acid to entertain the crowd. The crowd went berserk when Maiden finally hit the stage and the frenzy reached fever pitch when the band’s mascot, Eddie, made his obligatory appearance during Iron Maiden. Iron Maiden’s line up for their Ta’ Qali concert consisted of Blaze Bayley on vocals, Steve Harris on bass, Dave Murray and Janick Gers on guitars and Nico McBrain on drums. The set list was as follows: Futureal The Angel And The Gambler Man On The Edge Lightning Strikes Twice Heaven Can Wait The Clansman When Two Worlds Collide Lord Of The Flies 2 Minutes To Midnight The Educated Fool Sign Of The Cross Hallowed Be Your Name Afraid To Shoot Strangers The Evil That Men Do The Clairvoyant fear of the dark Iron Maiden Encores The Number Of The Beast The Trooper Sanctuary Voiceless, but with a huge grin on our faces we left the venue to return on June 6th. Deep Purple were on their Abandon Tour, in support of their sixteenth studio album. Being a keyboardist I made a bee line for the front to watch the legendary Jon Lord (1941-2012) in action and the wizard did not disappoint. Apart from the absence of virtuoso guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple turned up for their Malta concert with the rest of the original line up.........Ian Gilan, bassist Richard Glover, drummer Ian Paice and as I mentioned before Jon Lord on keys. Blackmore was replaced by ex-Kansas guitarist Steve Morse. Purple were supported by Winter Moods and Purple Haze. The set list was as follows: Hush (Joe South cover) Bloodsucker Strange Kind of Woman Vavoom: Ted the Mechanic Pictures of Home Fingers to the Bone Almost Human Woman from Tokyo Watching the Sky Seventh Heaven Guitar solo Smoke on the Water Evil Louie Keyboard solo Lazy Perfect Strangers Speed King Encores: Black Night Highway Star The Alannah Myles and Status Quo concerts were great, but for me faded in comparism with experiencing Iron Maiden and Depp Purple up close and personal. The latter event was supposed to become Malta’s Woodstock but it ended marred in controversy as regards to the participation of the Maltese bands. Six bands pulled out because of what they claimed to be unfair treatment. The event started at 4.30pm instead of 10am, as originally planned, with Jane Eyre, Fire and Filletti & Friends hitting the stage before Status Quo. Well 25 years have passed since that summer and many great bands have left their mark on the local scene...........too many to mention in fact. But that summer keeps coming back to haunt my memories. It could be that it was the first experience for me, and many of my contemporaries to witness so many acts in such a short space of time..........pity that the whole Ta’ Qali National Park experience fizzled out so fast. The only thing that I am sure of is when I look back now, that summer seemed to last forever, and if I had the choice, yeah, I'd always wanna be there, those were the best days of my life................back in the summer of ’98.

The Areola Treat Red Town Baby KWN009 / Dig / 4th March 2023 (Single) Tell A Lie - 10th February 2023 (Single) Into My Shadow - 24th February 2023 (EP) Red Town Baby - 4th March 2023 For Press requests please contact Nicholas Bonello via kewnrecords@gmail.com The Areola Treat The Areola Treat are an alternative rock band from Valletta, Malta. The band formed around 2006, and have since then launched an EP and 3 albums, in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014 respectively. They are back with a whole lot of new music set for release in 2023 in the form of 7 singles as well as an EP and Double Album. Red Town Baby will be available on all major streaming platforms on launch day with no physical release. 'Tell A Lie' uses fast-paced steady drum beats and distorted guitars blending perfectly with vocals inspired by Siouxsie Sioux and Diamanda Galas. Tell A Lie is a short, compelling and antagonistic Alternative Rock anthem that would not be out of place on your favorite workout playlist or energy booster. 'Into My Shadow' is a solid return to glam rock, inspired by artists like The New York Dolls, Bowie and The Spiders From Mars. A rock and roll mood, with distorted guitars, claps, solid running drums and female vocals inspired by The Saints’ front-man Chris Bailey. A song about a love affair turned sour in which the author regrets the union and feels overwhelmed, attempting to escape the clutches of her paranoid-obsessive and verbally-abusive lover. A glam-punk alternative anthem. 'Covered In Blood' melds sluggish guitars and drum beats, grungy, dirty, distorted guitars and vocals inspired by Diamanda Galas and Robert Smith. A short and contemplative indie rock song. The lyrics discuss the ambivalence of touch, and the melody that comes with the distant memory of a past lover’s embrace, as the memory now resurfaces amid bittersweet feelings. The band will be releasing the EP on the 4th of March 2023, at an event at Tigullio, St.Julians Malta. The first part of 3 brand new releases this year, the Areola Treat shall be celebrating the past and present with music from their EPs; the self-titled “The Areola Treat” (2008), “Radio On” (2013) and of course their latest release, “Red Town Baby”. KWN009 / Dig / 4th March 2023 Track Listing: 01. Jailbait 02. Into My Shadow 03. Tell A Lie 04. Covered In Blood 05. Can't Stand To Lose 06. White Lane Fast Train 07. Speak No Evil 08. Meet Me In Shanghai