Cradle Of Filth take over Jyväskylä – report from the first day of John Smith Rock Frozen 28.11

So, who enjoyes a great summer festival? Many people, definitely. But have you ever been to a winter festival? Maybe yes, maybe not, which is why I’m writing this article. The Chaoszine team took a trip to Jyväskylä (more specifically to the Paviljonki) for John Smith Rock Frozen festival, a two-day event indoors that is sure to satisfy all kinds of fans. Let’s start at the very beginning…

Bingo

Doors open punctually at 17:00, and after entering and going through the security checks, each person is given a small bingo card and a pencil. Frankly, I was scared because while I know the numbers in Finnish, it was going to be tricky to understand them properly. But I worried in vain, because the gentleman hosting the game said the numbers in Finnish and English too. So if you’re planning on going next year, you can rest assured that bingo is for everyone! And no, unfortunately I didn’t win anything but it was super funny to witness!

Viikate

I like when bands and events are starting punctual, and this is luckily the case for the whole evening. The first band to grace the John Smith Rock Frozen‘s main stage is Viikate, a legendary homegrown act. They’re not legendary just out of a whim, because the whole group delivered a very solid performance. As I stated before, my knowledge of the beautiful Finnish language is unfortunately limited, so I missed out on the banter that lead vocalist Kaarle delivered in between songs. But still, I love listening to people talk in Finnish so that was pleasant! At some point I think he thanked Päivi Federley on keyboards, but don’t take my word for it. Kalle Kukkonen played a terrific drum solo too at some point, so this event is starting in the most amazing way!

Acoustenced

I’ve probably written this many times but I’ll never get tired of it: I have a soft spot for anything acoustic. Sometimes I amaze myself at the fact that I enjoy so many heavy metal acts. The fact is that one of the vocalist I admire most in the world is Mr. Taneli Jarva, so if you thought that I would be on the first row for Acoustenced, you would be absolutely correct. Janne Heinonen and Make Pöyhönen make a remarkable job on honoring one of Finland’s most impressive bands, and they both add their twist without compromising the identity of these timeless songs. Here too I missed the nice banter in between songs, but the emotions they were able to convey to the audience… I got all of those. I want to see them again so bad!

Stam1na

Before going on with the next band on the main stage, I want to take a moment to just appreciate Papa’s Smokery BBQ. Their pulled pork hamburger melted in my mouth. Simply spectacular! So, what’s better than enjoying music while eating delicious food? Nothing, absolutely nothing. Stam1na completely changed the mood at the John Smith Rock Frozen: leave behind the acoustic and the classic heavy metal from Viikate, the band delivered some raw and unfiiltered death/thrash metal of the finest kind. I was blown away by their stage presence and energy! They also had a female artist as guest in one of their final songs, that made the set even more special. Their set ended with some fire-like explosions and the crowd couldn’t stop from cheering. Another fabulous addition to this day!

Rioghan

Returning to the acoustic stage, at 21:15 it was time for Rioghan to enchant the audience of John Smith Rock Frozen. And boy, did they deliver a phenomal show. Rioghan crafted much more than a simple music entertainment, it was a 360 degree experience. The visuals and the inclusion of a dancer that interacted with lead singer Rioghan Darcy created a very hypnotizing and sensual feeling; let’s not forget the super musicians of the band that, while standing a bit in the back to give space to the ladies in the front, contributed to making a flawless set. I found myself incapacitated of leaving the front row, completely mesmerized by sounds and visuals. That’s really not easy to achieve, so I think that we better keep an eye on this great act!

The Halo Effect

The first international artist of the festival takes the main stage at 22:05, and it’s one that has gathered quite a crowd for a good reason. I’m talking about The Halo Effect, led by the fearless Mikael Stanne and company. Knowing that they had a long trip from Asia to perform here, you maybe would expect an under-the-tone show. Instead, these artists are such professionals that they were in top shape, walking around the stage, engaging with the audience, smiling and just giving their best. I loved how in the first tracks the lights were green, and the two guitarists had green guitars. That was such a great detail! They had a slight drum and guitar issue in one of the tracks, but their technicians were super quick to resolve that in a matter of seconds, it was impressive! Mikael mentioned that he loved the idea of an indoor festival, and everyone of course agreed with him! The setlist was divided between the two full-lengths of the band “Days Of The Lost” and “March Of The Unheard”: we can’t get enough of this melodic death metal!

Marianas Rest

I like pubishing press releasees, but I like to publish them even more if I know and I have experienced the band in a live setting. Now I’ll be much more happier to post news about Marianas Rest, because their acoustic set blew me away. They have managed to create such an intense and deep atmosphere, that it was like a spiritual occurrence. Their stage was decorated with lights all over the place, and they also had cool graphics in the big screen behind them. Also, I’ve had the pleasure to meet them at the signing sessions, and they were super nice and down-to-earth people. I can’t state enough how profoundly their performance moved me: it doesn’t take much to deliver a great show if there is talent involved. And these Finnish guys have a lot of that in their blood.

Cradle Of Filth

There are certain bands that are too iconic and memorable that you cannot ignore, and one of them is definitely Cradle Of Filth. This was my second time seeing them, the first one being at Summer Breeze in 2024. And in the meantime so much has happened! They’ve released new music, they’ve had a new lineup so I was very curious to see them again. If one thing is certain, is that they have completely mastered the art of performing. Lead vocalist Dani has a commanding stage presence, and with him, the whole group doesn’t hold back a single ounce of strength. They’re giving it all, and we’re here for it! The setlist obviously incorporated some tracks off of “The Screaming of the Valkyries”, but for the fans that love the old school tracks you don’t have to worry. Cradle Of Filth still provide us with the immortal “Nymphetamine (Fix)” and “Her Ghost in the Fog“.

Overall, the first day of John Smith Rock Frozen has been outstanding: the personnel is nice and kind, there’s lots of merch, food options and also seats and tables (for people like me who get tired very quickly of standing!)… I have only positive things to say about it! I am super eager and excited for the second day, with even more bands and events awaiting!