Concert Reviews: TONS OF ROCK 2026 (Oslo, Norway)

TONS OF ROCK 2026 (Oslo, Norway) June 24-27, 2026 by Jorge Patacas Wednesday, June 24th For the first time in its twelve-year history, Tons of Rock was completely sold out nearly a month before it kicked-off, reaffirming just how massive the event has grown and how deeply the audience connects with the experience. As every year since 2019, the event was once again held at Ekebergsletta, in the Ekeberg area of Oslo, the capital of Norway, an ideal location for a festival of this magnitude. However, there were a few…

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Concert Reviews: INFERNO FESTIVAL 2026

INFERNO FESTIVAL 2026 (Oslo, Norway) April 2-5, 2026 by Jorge Patacas   2026 marked the 25th anniversary of Inferno Festival and our sixth time attending. This was the first edition organized entirely without the involvement of former director Jan-Martin Jensen, who sadly passed away last year. Fortunately, the new director and crew are carrying on his legacy maintaining the festival’s quality and identity intact. As always, the main stages were located in the complex composed of the venues Rockefeller and John Dee, which are internally connected by a staircase. Rockefeller…

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RISE! invited to Inferno Music Conference 2025

RISE!’s editor-in-chief and writer, Jorge Patacas, has been invited to this year’s Inferno Music Conference to be held in Oslo, Norway as part of Inferno Festival. The conference gathers musicians, media, promoters, managers and other key players in the music industry. You can find the program here.  

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Concert Reviews: PANTERA at Oslo Spektrum (Oslo, Norway)

PANTERA at Oslo Spektrum Arena (Oslo, Norway) Special Guests: POWER TRIP – CHILD BITE January 24th, 2025 by Jorge Patacas   It’s been almost three years since the surviving Pantera members Phil Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) announced they were reuniting and touring alongside two other legends, Zakk Wylde (guitars) and Charlie Benante (drums), to celebrate the band’s legacy. That’s how they ended up putting on an amazing performance at Tons of Rock festival in Norway back in 2023, as well as visiting many other countries. The celebration continues…

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Album Reviews: FIERCE JUSTICE – “Fireborn”

FIERCE JUSTICE “Fireborn” (Independent) by Jorge Patacas “Fireborn” is the title of Fierce Justice’s debut album. Hailing from Oslo, Norway, this five-piece consisting of David Castillo on vocals, Nikola Zastranovic and Vegard Amundsen on guitars, Gustav Rønning on bass and Martin H Herringbotn on drums, presents us with a very interesting mix of heavy, progressive and thrash metal with some hard rock elements as well. The album starts with the spoken word intro “Call to Arms” that sets the atmosphere for what comes next, which are twelve dynamic songs where…

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