2025 was a rough year: lost some people. Lot's of changes and still looking for somebody to replace me here at Snoozecontrol.be. Yet disovered again some cool music, some cool artists, had some bumps but the balance is yet still positive. Keep doing what you love, go for it and hope 2026 will be a better year!
2025 was an emtional year as we lost one of our best photographers: Paul D’Eer. He was more: he was a great man, a good diplomat and we shared the same passions: Cycling and music! His first gig for Snoozecontrol was actually a Red Zebra livingroom concert (in my house). We should have worked together in February (St.-Niklaas, de Casino with Thundermother as headliner). But I got a message pointing out I’ll have to do both (write the report and take pictures). Shortly after that we got the bad news: the afwfull sickness called C got him. His moto was: on my way. From then on he was forever on his way.
As this is the review of the year i English I will focus on reviews published in English:
Beste festival: The Out of Liner Weekender in Berlin! I enjoyed the full 3 days! Did some amazing discoveries and got confirmation about the great live performance done by Corlyx (love the Purple Pain double album)! This is one of those bands that grow with every concert, every new track … and each time in a positive direction! Thank you Julia for your work with me and for all the help ad fort he kindness!
From that label, please also follow thes bands: Blutengel, Hocico, Daemon Grey, Lord of The Lost (was their previous label), Mintage, Ghostbells, Till Lindemann, Suicide commando, She Hates Emotions …
Other bands/artists that deserve a mention here: Feuerschwanz (keep the fire going and are still getting bigger and bigger, no clue how big they will be by the time we are 2026), Katatonia (still have to see them on stage), Nick Cave (literally a wild God), King’s Rage, Hunter, Burning Witches, Skeptical Minds, Wednesday 13, Whispers In The Shadow, Siglo XX, Billy Idol (he still has it), Cloé du trèfle, Liv Kristine, KN/GHTS, Arch Enemy, Obverse Reality, DeathbyRomy, Ultra Sunn, Dark minimal Project, Splendidula (Best Belgian female fronted band of the moment) Evig Natt (when do we finally get the new album?), LØLØ and Plan C
Best Belgian album: Implant: SNOOZECONTROL - Implant – Judging Sinners: The Chaos Machines (Part 3) (Alfa Matrix) . One guy, one mission: keep the machines roaring and getting no wand then some help from others! Professor Len Knows his job and gave us a new masterclass! On top he’s also a producer and can even turn thing from bad into something way better.
Best bilangual album: Boum Patat (mixing French and Flemish like real masters)! They describe themselves as electro fun metal and that is exactly what it is! On top the songs tell us more about Belgium. Just check it out! https://snoozecontrol.be/english/14573/
Best band coming from Wallonia: Dresscode! Check their brand new EP: SNOOZECONTROL - Dresscode – Under The Surface EP. The clips, the vocals, the global sound, the whole feeling, the lyrics, … I had the feeling I was listening to a masterwork recorded at Abbey Road is opgenomen!
Most underrated band of the year: Vlad In Tears! Gothic metal with a punch, excellent vocals and real gothic minded lyrics! Their album is still getting spinned here!
Most played tracks over the past 7 years (personal playlist):
How I Bleed Evig Natt
Beating Pulse BESEECH
Atmosphere BESEECH
Bloodline Fever BESEECH
Darksome BESEECH
Mr Uninvited BESEECH
My Darkness, Darkness BESEECH
The Symbol BESEECH
The Shimmering BESEECH
Highwayman BESEECH
The Ingredients BESEECH
One Last Call BESEECH
Wildfire Evig Natt
Lifelines (2016 Remastered) a-ha
Stay Young Colony 5
No Matter Clover's Cloë
Lilium (Full Version) Kumiko Noma
Untouchable, Part 2 Anathema
I'm Sick Of You Iggy & The Stooges
A Thousand Years Christina Perri
Beating Hearts Neonfly
xxx Daemon Grey
Untouchable, Part 1 Anathema
Beside You Iggy Pop
Blue Nothing Day Red Zebra
Advance Diorama
Answer Siglo XX
Emotional Winter Anathema
Boys Don't Cry The Cure
Deep Anathema
Bringer Of Ice Evig Natt
Sister Suicide Siglo XX
De Dag Dat Het Zonlicht Niet Meer Scheen Arbeid Adelt!
Silence Falls Evig Natt
Stille Før Stormen Evig Natt
City in dust Siglo XX
baby divine Siglo XX
Anathema Anathema
Pitiless Anathema
Forgotten Hopes Anathema
Darkland Evig Natt
Svartsinn Evig Natt
Weathered Emotion Evig Natt
Endless Corridor Siglo XX
Youth Sentiment Siglo XX
Nineties Star Industry
One Last Goodbye Anathema
Anyone, Anywhere Anathema
Morregen Belgian Asociality
Forever Never Ends Evig Natt
In God I Grieve Evig Natt
In My Death I Dream Of You Evig Natt
Moeidunidotcom FLEDDY MELCULY
Until A Day Siglo XX
Judgement Anathema
A Forest The Cure
Sjelelaus Evig Natt
My Sin Evig Natt
Too Far West Red Zebra
My Boss The Robot Red Zebra
Fear Siglo XX
Art Of War Siglo XX
Home Stay Soundtrack Ghost in the Shell
Dark Energy alk-a-line
Cop Killer Body Count
Lazarus David Bowie
I Die Again Evig Natt
Withered Garden Evig Natt
Epitaph Evig Natt
Warriors Of The World United Feuerschwanz Feat. Angus McFife, Melissa Bonny & Saltatio Mortis
I Don´t love you anymore (you´ll die) Silke Bischoff
The Urgency Of Now Whispers In The Shadow
Make It Right (F.F.S.) Anathema
Eternal Flame The Bangles
Rebel Yell Billy Idol
The Winner Loses Body Count
Evig Natt Evig Natt
The Wanderer Evig Natt
Nemesis Of Heart Evig Natt
I got a right Iggy Pop
The Devil Made Me Do It (Implant bonzai rmx) Implant
Alice Siglo XX
Dreams of pleasure Siglo xx
Love never dies Silke Bischoff
The pain that you like Suicide Commando
Back On Northern Shores Amon Amarth
Ariel Anathema
Wings Of God Anathema
Lost Beseech
Sinking In Love Cloé Du Trèfle
That Day Cobalt 60
Flash Implant
Un Jour Pour Te Dire (Radio) April
the skies are your hunting ground Auto-Auto
Black Flags Mercury Circle
Don't Ease My Pain Red Zebra
It's All Over Now Siglo XX
Last Crusades Star Industry
At Dawn's First Light Amon Amarth
Don't Look Too Far Anathema
opportunities lost Auto-Auto
weekender Auto-Auto
the wish Auto-Auto
yellow streak Auto-Auto
Just Like Heaven The Cure
Until The End Evig Natt
My Demon Evig Natt
I Am Silence Evig Natt
Fallen Evig Natt
Body meets body Siglo XX
A Dream That Cannot Be Amon Amarth Feat. Doro Pesch
In My Darkest Hour Evig Natt
A Final Lament Evig Natt
668 (Ft. King Hiss) Fleddy Melculy
Black Moon LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
Autumn Siglo XX
Crying In The Rain (2016 Remastered) a-ha
Raise Your Horns Amon Amarth
You Are Arid
Hope is here LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
Aramis LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
when will it be me Siglo XX
Vanity Lane Siglo XX
Ceremonial Star Industry
First Kill Amon Amarth
Wanderer Amon Amarth
(Don't Fear) The Reaper Blue Öyster Cult
One Night Deine Lakaien
The Last Fall Mercury Circle
New Dawn Mercury Circle
After The Dream Siglo XX
On A Sea Of Blood Amon Amarth
Distant Satellites Anathema
Shock To The System Billy Idol
I SELL MY KIDS FOR ROCK'N'ROLL CRUCIFIED BARBARA
Hla Diorama
No man's Land LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
Awake LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
I Can't Live In A Living Room Red Zebra
Untouchable flame Siglo XX
Summers die Siglo XX
I'll Kill Her Soko
Ett Ockult Hospital Svarta Sanningar
Detractors Whispers In The Shadow
One Against All Amon Amarth
Vengeance Is My Name Amon Amarth
Never Enough The Cure
Another Way to Suffer v.2.0 heyaeb
I send you my tears Siglo XX
Fuck you bitch Suicide Commando
The Way Of Vikings Amon Amarth
One Thousand Burning Arrows Amon Amarth
Are You There? Anathema
Wonderful Life Black
ELECTRIC SKY CRUCIFIED BARBARA
A million Miles LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
E.T. Phone Home S.P.O.C.K.
The Room Siglo XX
DO YOU WANT ME CRUCIFIED BARBARA
Lovesong The Cure
Street Cliché The Exploding Boy
My Halo Ground LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
You, my North LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
there she goes the la's
Like Matches Mercury Circle
More Than A Lifetime Neonfly
Marry me Silke Bischoff
Jet Fighter Plane The 69 Eyes
Stop! Fleddy Melculy
Everyone I Know The Open Up and Bleeds
Do Nothing Prong
Waitig for a friend Siglo XX
Kemisk Reinkarnation Svarta Sanningar
Take On Me (2016 Remastered) a-ha
In Frieden Ruhn Apryl
A Bittersweet Tragedy Beseech
DON'T CALL ON ME CRUCIFIED BARBARA
The Cure - Lullaby 4:10 The Cure
OK Is Not OK 5:09 The Open Up and Bleeds
Don't Put Your Head In A Bucket 2:58 Red Zebra
Show Me A Leader 5:16 ALTER BRIDGE
Springfield Anathema
Madness And Sheme The Atom
Heroes David Bowie
Timbre LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
The End The Open Up and Bleeds
Punks Don't Have Barbecues Red Zebra
Scavangers Of Time Whispers In The Shadow
The Funeral 18 SUMMERS
The Sun Always Shines On TV (2016 Remastered) a-ha
The Gathering Of The Clouds Anathema
Lightning Song Anathema
Seven Odd Years Arid
Everytime I Die Beseech
The Worship of counting down LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE
Last Of Our Kind Neonfly
The Future, Tonight (feat. Björn Strid) Neonfly
Steal The World (feat. Kaan Tasan) Neonfly
The Things We Left Behind (And The Things That Slipped Away) Neonfly
Punish Me, lover (new mix) Obverse Reality
First note: Since I have a new computer the list for 2026 will be restarted from 0.
To be honest: I was ready to call it a day. But it’s hard to find a new person who can step into my shoes. I found out I still had some goals. But if you want me to call it a day: make me interview the biggest Belgian star of the moment: Pommelien Thijs!
