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METAL ARCHIVIST & OLD SCHOOL METAL HEAD … OBSESSED WITH HEAVY * THRASH * DEATH * BLACK * DOOM * HARD ROCK *
Saturday, August 30, 2025
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Friday, August 29, 2025
CELTIC FROST … TO MEGA THERION REHEARSALS (1985)
Tom G. Warrior: Earlier this year, Reed St. Mark sent me the following message: "40 years ago, around this time of the year, my life would change forever. Much Love and Respect, Reed." In the days prior to receiving these words of his, I too had been reminiscing about his arrival in Celtic Frost, an event that was to change and improve the band infinitely.
Reed joined Celtic Frost in February 1985, and we immediately began to work on songs for Celtic Frost's second studio album, To Mega Therion. The photos reproduced here show us exactly 40 years ago, during songwriting and rehearsal sessions for the album in summer of 1985. They are part of a larger series of images taken by long-time Celtic Frost chronicler Martin Kyburz on different days at the band's rehearsal room, the Grave Hill bunker in Birchwil, Switzerland. We were scheduled to travel to West Berlin in mid-September 1985, to record the album at Casablanca Studio.
Due to Martin Eric Ain's lamentable absence, perhaps unavoidable due to the need to get his personal life in order, the band was playing with session bassist Dominic Steiner. I am playing an Ibanez IC-50 Iceman and a B.C. Rich Wave guitar. The photos are red-tinted because we had red-coloured concert lights installed at the bunker, operated by long-time crew head and band supporter Rick Lights.
HELLOWEEN ”HALLOWEEN” (1987) [MUSIC VIDEO] X 2
Here we have both the full 13 minute version of the video (fan made) and then the 5 minute official version customized for MTV.
Fan made 13 minute version.
Official version that was cut down to 5 minuter to get some airplay at the time.
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Thursday, August 28, 2025
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NOVEMBER (SWE) … SHORT BAND HISTORY
November is a Swedish hard rock band (with elements of prog), formed in 1969. They consist of: Christer Stålbrandt (vocals and bass), Björn Inge (drums), and Richard Rolf (guitar). They were one of Sweden's very first major hard rock bands and laid the foundation for the hard rock movement in Sweden. One thing that made them stand out is that their lyrics were in Swedish.
The group was formed in 1969 in Vällingby from the group The Train where Christer Stålbrandt sang and played bass, Snowy White played guitar and with Theo Salsberg on drums.
However, Theo decided to leave the group quite early on and was replaced by Björn Inge from Christer's previous band The Imps. Not long later, guitarist Snowy White moved home to England and Richard Rolf replaced him. The rest of the members of Train then formed November. The group now consisted only of Swedish members and decided to sing in Swedish. They were looking for a Swedish name, and during a concert when they were the support band for Fleetwood Mac on November 1, 1969, they decided to simply name the group after the month.
Thomas Johansson with his record company Ema Telstar took on the group and became its manager. They recorded a few songs in the Swedish Radio studio. The songs were broadcast on the radio and received a good response, so they decided to record the album En ny tid är här, which took three days. Shortly after the album, they went on tour with a group of friends and rowers who went by the collective name Baletten and often appeared on stage.
However, Theo decided to leave the group quite early on and was replaced by Björn Inge from Christer's previous band The Imps. Not long later, guitarist Snowy White moved home to England and Richard Rolf replaced him. The rest of the members of Train then formed November. The group now consisted only of Swedish members and decided to sing in Swedish. They were looking for a Swedish name, and during a concert when they were the support band for Fleetwood Mac on November 1, 1969, they decided to simply name the group after the month.
Thomas Johansson with his record company Ema Telstar took on the group and became its manager. They recorded a few songs in the Swedish Radio studio. The songs were broadcast on the radio and received a good response, so they decided to record the album En ny tid är här, which took three days. Shortly after the album, they went on tour with a group of friends and rowers who went by the collective name Baletten and often appeared on stage.
In the spring of 1971, the group recorded their second album, simply titled 2:a November and produced by George Wadenius. In December of the same year, they recorded their third and final album, 6:e November, named after Gustav II Adolf's death anniversary at the Battle of Lützen. The album was produced by Sam Charters, who had produced albums for Country Joe and the Fish, among others.
In the fall of 1972, the group decided to split up due to the hard touring life. The last gig was played on New Year's Eve 1972. Richard Rolf joined the Norwegian group Takt och Ton, Björn Inge continued to tour with other groups and formed Energy together with Amadeo Nicoletti. Christer Stålbrandt returned to Vällingby and formed Saga together with local musicians.
In 1993, the band reunited for a single legendary gig at Studion in Stockholm.
The group played heavy blues-influenced hard rock inspired by blues rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, Cream and Mountain but with Swedish lyrics, which gave the music a special character. At that time, it was unusual for non-English rock bands to sing in their own language.
Fun fact: The Train's former guitarist Snowy White later played for several years in the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.
Albums
In the fall of 1972, the group decided to split up due to the hard touring life. The last gig was played on New Year's Eve 1972. Richard Rolf joined the Norwegian group Takt och Ton, Björn Inge continued to tour with other groups and formed Energy together with Amadeo Nicoletti. Christer Stålbrandt returned to Vällingby and formed Saga together with local musicians.
In 1993, the band reunited for a single legendary gig at Studion in Stockholm.
The group played heavy blues-influenced hard rock inspired by blues rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, Cream and Mountain but with Swedish lyrics, which gave the music a special character. At that time, it was unusual for non-English rock bands to sing in their own language.
Fun fact: The Train's former guitarist Snowy White later played for several years in the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.
Albums
* 1970 - En ny tid är här
* 1971 - 2:a November
* 1972 - 6:e November
* 1993 - Live
Singlar och EP
* 1970 - Mount Everest/Cinderella
* 1971 - Mount Everest/Nobody's Hand to Hold
* 1971 - Tillbaks till Stockholm/Sista resan
* 1971 - Men mitt hjärta ska vara gjort av sten/Mouchkta (Drömmen om Malin)
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