Swedish Bands To Deliver The Goods In February

Two very different sounding bands, both hailing from Sweden, are set to release new albums this February.

First out of the gate is Grimner, a folk metal band from Motala. They play a style similar to Månegarm while adding their own unique elements. 'Frost Mot Eld', which was released in 2016 was easily one of my favourite albums of that particular year. 'Vanadrottning' will be available on February 9, 2018.

Stockholm's Necrophobic will be dropping their new album on February 23rd, 2018. Titled 'Mark Of The Necrogram', it promises to be a proficiently solid blackened death metal release. This is one band that hasn't managed to achieve much recognition, but has none-the-less put out some fantastic albums. With nearly five years in between albums, I'm certainly looking forward to this one.

The Best Of 2017

I was far from diligent in reviewing new releases in 2017; that much is evidenced from the serious lack of posts doing just that. With all of the "top releases of 2017" lists coming out in December, and my difference of opinion from most of them, I wanted to share my top picks of last year. Keep in mind that these are my FAVOURITES, highly subjective to my own personal taste in metal.

Top Five (from well-known bands):

Belphegor - Totenritual
Blackened death metal (Austria)

Entrails - World Inferno 

Death metal (Sweden)

Cut Up - Wherever They May Rot

Death metal (Sweden)

Kreator - Gods Of Violence

Thrash metal (Germany)

King Of Asgard - Taudr

Viking metal (Sweden)

Local Picks:

My favourite releases from bands I've had the opportunity to see live and watch grow over the last few years. If you're into the style of metal they play, I'd recommend checking out these albums. Admittedly, there are a few of my Canadian favourites from whom I failed to pick up albums from in 2017. 

Körperlose Stimme

Blackened death metal (Canada)

Forsaken Rite 

Folk metal (Canada)

Exploring the Roots Of Finnish Folk Metal with Wolfhorde

Finland's Wolfhorde is often hailed as blackened folk metal, and I suppose rightfully so as the atmospheric elements of black metal can be heard interspersed throughout their work. In fact, they are a pretty good embodiment of that unique 'Finnish sound' that makes many bands from that particular country identifiable, even if you have never listened to them before. It's a sound that seems to permeate (to some extent) almost every band from Finland, no matter which sub-genre of metal.

Wolfhorde's 2016 release, 'Towards The Gates Of North', was one of the more memorable releases of the year for me and the band is set to release a new EP on December 1st. Titled 'The Great Old Ones', it's a three song tribute to the roots of Finnish folk metal covering a few of the true masters of the genre: Finntroll, Moonsorrow and (early) Amorphis. I'm stoked to hear this in its entirety, as the teaser promises good things:

Wolfchant - Bloodwinter Review

Track Listing:

1.    Nornensang
2.    Schicksalsmacht
3.    Wolfchant (A Wolf To Man)
4.    Das Bollwerk
5.      Bloodwinter
6.      Heritage Of Fire
7.      Sehnsucht
8.      Prelude To Revenge
9.     Anthems Of Revenge
10.   Am Schlachtfeld
11.    New Born Killer

‘Bloodwinter’ is Wolfchant’s redemption for (what I thought) was a weak offering on 2013’s ‘Embraced By Fire’. This album contains more of the old, familiar elements expected from Wolfchant. With a solid back-catalogue of albums, this German folk-metal band seems to have re-visited their roots with ‘Bloodwinter’. In comparison to their first few releases, the production is certainly more polished but this doesn’t detract from the overall sound as it sometimes can. This album feels effortless, with each element fitting together without overreaching.

The vocals really carry Wolfchant forward on ‘Bloodwinter’. Employing a mix of soaring clean vocals and harsh vocals in the right places, backed by galloping melodies, Wolfchant has succeeded in creating an album with an epic folk metal feel. The lyrics are a mixture of German and English, allowing accessibility for some and variety for others.  “Wolfchant (A Wolf To Man)” and “Bloodwinter” provide catchy choruses, easy to want to shout along to. In fact, the title track is one of the best of the album. With melodic keyboards, lofty vocals and subtle changes of pace, it would prove difficult not to like this song. Tracks like “Das Bollwerk” slow the pace without detracting from the energetic tempo of the album.

From start to finish, ‘Bloodwinter’ is a candid offering of folk metal. Overall, it’s a very symphonic album, without travelling into the realm of power metal (which is something that I personally didn’t appreciate with ‘Embraced By Fire’). It’s a tidy amalgamation of many of the components that make Wolfchant worth listening to and is a solid album to add to the collection of anyone who enjoys symphonic-tinged folk metal.

Best Tracks: Wolfchant (A Wolf To Man), Bloodwinter, Sehnsucht, New Born Killer

Mongol - 'River Child' (New Single)

A few days ago, Canadian folk-metal band Mongol brightened up the winter with their latest single titled 'River Child'. It's taken from their upcoming EP, "Warrior Spirit", which will see an April release. I always look forward to new material from this band as they always offer an energetic and intriguing brand of folk-metal. 

Wolfchant Set to Release 'Bloodwinter'

One of Germany's best folk-metal bands, Wolfchant, is set to release their newest effort titled 'Bloodwinter' on January 13th. 

I was a little disappointed in their last album, 'Embraced By Fire', as it seemed to depart from the sound of the first several Wolfchant releases, perhaps being a bit too polished. However, if you're looking for epic, melodic folk metal I highly recommend 'Bloody Tales From Disgraced Lands', 'A Pagan Storm', 'Determined Damnation' or 'Call Of The Black Winds'. (I'm still trying to get my hands on a hard copy of 'A Pagan Storm'). I'm awaiting the release of 'Bloodwinter' with some excitement and the tiniest hint of apprehension, hopeful that it will live up the rest of Wolfchant's material. 

Wolfchant's official merchandise shop is offering a few different pre-order options, and these appear to be the best bet for getting your hands on a copy of 'Bloodwinter'. 

As a precursor to the album, Wolfchant has released a video for the title track. While the video isn't too interesting, the song itself is intriguing. 

Grimner - Frost Mot Eld Review

Track Listing

1. Res Er Mina Söner
2. Eldhjärta
3. Normännens Raseri
4. Enhärjarkväde
5. Midgård Brinner
6. Vargarnas Tid
7. Mörkets Hem
8. Etter och Flammor
9. Muspelheims Härskare
10. Frost Mot Eld

Sweden has over the years proven to be a hotbed for metal of all types. Some of the best folk metal comes from Sweden and emerging artist, Grimner, is no exception. Formed in 2008, with their first full length release ‘Blodshymner’ coming in 2014, Grimner are relative unknowns ready to burst onto the scene. Grimner offer everything one could want in a folk metal band, conveying a sense of paganism evident in both the music and the band’s imagery. With a sound similar to bands such as Finntroll and Månegarm, yet uniquely their own, Grimner have released one hell of an album. 

‘Frost Mot Eld’ is inspired by Ragnarök which, put in simplistic terms, is the end of world of the old Norse gods. With lyrics sung entirely in Swedish, and the perfect melding of clean and harsh vocals, Grimner have created a refreshing folk metal album. “Res Er Mina Söner” opens with a sense of calm before the storm, quickly bursting into a more up-tempo track backed by a memorable flute melody. In fact, flutes are evident throughout much of the album, adding a unique touch to many of the songs. The pieces of ‘Frost Mot Eld’ flow together seamlessly, at times light and uplifting and at other times brutal and harsh.  The Swedish bagpipes in “Vargarnas Tid” provide a background of melancholic darkness to the track evoking emotions of hope fading away. The pace changes multiple times throughout the album, much like the emotions brought forth by the lyrical content and careful use of various instruments and vocal techniques. 

The story woven throughout ‘Frost Mot Eld’ is one of battle, one of hope and lost hope, one of acceptance of fate, and one of finality. It is a journey that feels as though it were woven by the Norns, telling a narrative of the end of days set to some truly evocative, brooding, and at times, jovial, melodies. 

Best tracks: Vargarnas Tid, Eldjärta, Frost Mot Eld

Grimmer - Mörkets Hem Video

The band writes on their Facebook page:

Brothers and sisters!Before we go on tour, out of the blue comes our new music video, the second video from "Frost Mot Eld"! This time it is a visual adaptation of the song "Mörkrets Hem" (Home of Darkness), which tells of an ancient creature, awakened in its tomb by a trespasser. This creature is a draugr, ancient beings of evil, greedily guarding their threasures and killing anyone who comes close. We hope you will never fall victim to one of them...

Grimner has created an album that is easily a contender for one of my favourites of 2016, and 'Mörkets Hem' is the latest song to be accompanied by a video.  The video certainly does the description justice, perfectly capturing the atmosphere of the song.

Documentary Preview: 'Home of the Wind - A History of Moonsorrow'

Pagan & folk metal fans rejoice! A Moonsorrow documentary is currently in the works, funded largely by an Indiegogo campaign. While I'm not entirely a fan of crowdfunding campaigns, I think it's interesting to see some of these projects come to fruition that would likely not be possible otherwise. The one thing that irritates me regarding this documentary is that physical copies apparently will NOT be made available unless you support the Indiegogo campaign and choose to pledge the amount that offers a physical copy as one of the perks. Which, as a currently almost flat-broke metalhead, is a little annoying. Why not sell some physical copies through an official webstore for the band or somewhere similar once the project is complete? This would allow some fans who can't currently contribute to the crowdfunding campaign to have an opportunity to get ahold of a physical copy in the future. Personally, I hate the idea of only being able to potentially access a digital copy.

That being said:
This upcoming documentary has the full support of the band members of Moonsorrow, and the teaser clips look pretty promising. Some of the discussion surrounding paganism and Moonsorrow's influences are particularly relevant and intriguing.

Beautiful film poster by Kris Verwimp

For more visit the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/homeofthewind/?fref=ts

https://www.moshville.co.uk/news/2016/06/moonsorrow-documentary-home-of-the-wind-nears-crowdfunding-target/

http://www.andjusticeforart.com/2016/06/world-exclusive-unveiling-poster-for.html

Kalmah: Worth The Wait (A Live Review)

Kalmah with Vesperia, Trollband, Mongol

April 19th, 2016

Starlite Room

The Starlite Room contained a surprisingly decent sized crowd early in the evening to witness local support acts Mongol and Trollband. Mongol, in typical fashion, played an energetic set that was genuinely enjoyed by the audience. Rising through the folk metal ranks, they also shared a new song with the horde (The Mountain Weeps). Trollband further pumped up the crowd, many of whom were already quite familiar with the band’s interesting mix of blackened folk metal. Vesperia, hailed as “epic death metal from the frozen north” were a perfect segue from the more folkish stylings of the first two openers to the more deathish stylings of Kalmah. 

After waiting nearly ten years to see Kalmah live, the Finns didn’t disappoint. Emerging from the swampy depths of Oulu (which is probably not that swampy at all, but it sounded good), they tore up the Starlite. While one typically doesn’t think of a melodic death metal band and a sense of humor going hand-in-hand, vocalist Pekka Kokko cracked a few jokes throughout the night and genuinely seemed to be enjoying the gig. Kalmah played a good mix of old and newer material. This was to the liking of many of the fans although Kalmah is one of those bands who has never released an album that could be recognized as anything less than strong. ‘Pikemaster’ came off sounding particularly awesome as the energy of the band never seemed to wane through the set. 

Personally, I would have loved to hear ‘Wings Of Blackening’, but with such a strong repertoire of material to choose from, it would have been impossible to fit all of the favorites into the length of a single set. Perhaps it was one of those songs Pekka Kokko forgot how to play, which was another humorous quip from the frontman. Amidst a dismal spring filled with uncertainty for many metalheads in this province, Kalmah provided the perfect dose of melo-death, proving that the wait to see the Finns live was more than worth it.

Fejd - Härjaren Video

Having only discovered Fejd recently, I'm quite excited about their upcoming album titled "Trolldom" which will be released toward the end of May. Leaning a bit more towards the folk side, with the perfect amount of metal mixed in, it promises to be good for those of us who enjoy folk metal. 

A video for one of the tracks, Härjaren, was recently unleashed upon the world:

From The Vault: Finnish Metal Tour Review (2011)

I stumbled across this review I wrote way back in 2011 for the Finnish Metal Tour featuring Finntroll, Ensiferum, Rotten Sound and Barren Earth. It was originally done for a blog for the university's heavy metal student club. I still feel just as uncomfortable writing decent reviews as I did then. 

Finnish Metal Tour: A Personal Review

February 15th, 2011

The night appeared doomed to a slow start, with only a handful of people in line when doors were opened at eight. The frigid weather, made worse by a biting wind, may have factored into this but it seemed strangely appropriate for a night when four bands from Finland were slated to play. A quick stop at the merchandise table made me wish I was able to afford the price wanted for the hand drawn artwork of Finntroll guitarist, Skrymer. 

            There was an abysmal lack of concert goers in the Starlite Room as Barren Earth took the stage. Although the music of Barren Earth was not particularly appealing to me, they performed a solid set, sounding somewhat like Opeth at times. By the time Rotten Sound made their appearance on stage, more fans had trickled in. The fast and heavy stylings of Rotten Sound served to energize the crowd, creating an atmosphere more appropriate to a small venue filled with loud music. All of those at the front were quickly caught up in the headbanging and those back a little further created an impressive pit considering the number of people participating. Rotten Sound knew exactly what to do to pump up the crowd, encouraging moshing that was equally as hard and fast as their music. Even those who were unfamiliar with the band seemed to thoroughly enjoy the set. 

            Unfortunately the people behind me during Ensiferum made the set slightly less enjoyable but Ensiferum seemed to be the highlight of the night for many fans. (Perhaps because english lyrics are much more accessible than the Swedish language lyrics of Finntroll.) A friend commented that this was possibly the best set he had heard Ensiferum play on their numerous stops in Edmonton. Long time fans of the band were delighted to hear Token of Time, from the band’s self titled debut album. From Afar, Deathbringer From the Sky and Ahti were favorites with the audience, with many shouting out the words along with vocalist Petri Lindroos. Victory Song was another huge hit with the crowd, as well as the final tune, Iron. The beer was flowing and the crowd was rowdy and excited throughout the twelve song set. In the final minutes of the set, guitarist Markus Toivonen impressed the crowd by playing a solo behind his back. Ensiferum, with their trademark kilts and black war paint, were solid and crowd pleasing. 

            As Finntroll took the stage, many people seemed content to sit back, drink a beer and watch the show. After using the song Blodmarsch as the introduction, Finntroll burst into a thundering rendition of Solsagen. Throughout the set, a handful of fans were screaming for Ett Norrskensdåd and Eliytres and left satisfied as both songs were included in the set. Although Finntroll’s drummer was apparently quite ill and other band members were recovering from being sick, one never would have guessed from the energetic set. Vocalist Mathias ‘Vreth’ Lillmåns demonstrated an impressive lung capacity, screaming and growling throughout the set. Although Finntroll are known for occasionally drinking too much before going on stage, it didn’t happen in Edmonton. Vreth didn’t hesitate to get down and scream right into the faces of those in the front row,  and touring keyboardist Aleksi Virta could be seen grinning throughout the show, which seemed a little uncharacteristic for a band with darker music, but it suggested that he was enjoying the show as much as the fans. As the end of the set approached, Lillmåns announced that there would be no encore due to the drummer being ill, but the ensuing antics of Maktens Spira made up for it. Drunken members of Rotten Sound ran out on stage, complete with oversized, glittery top hats, huge novelty sunglasses, and various funny masks; joining in on some of the vocals and making their own party on stage. Members of the other bands apparently found it as hilarious as I did, as Petri Lindroos could be seen laughing and snapping pictures from the side of the stage. Members of Turisas were apparently in the crowd as well, having played earlier in the night in Edmonton. Finntroll, and every other band on this tour, certainly didn’t disappoint and my only regret is that I was only able to catch one show. Overall, the show was excellent. 

Review: Wolfhorde - Towards The Gates Of North

Track Listing:

1. Vegvisir

2. Fimbulvetr

3. Taivaankappaleiden Kato

4. Death Long-Due

5. The Retribution

6. Unyielding

7. Boundless Agony

8. Lycomania

9. The Gates of North

‘Towards The Gates Of North’ is the debut “full-length” from Finnish folk-metal band, Wolfhorde. (Although I would consider ‘Deathknot’ as a full-length, it’s officially an EP). There seems to be something about Finland that allows for the creation of some very atmospheric, haunting folk metal and this album is no different. 

From beginning to end, the album ebbs and flows like a mountain stream. At times it verges on soothing and yet in other moments it’s a bombast of metal. It’s certainly not formulaic or predictable, and in this case it works well. There’s an instrumental complexity to be found in almost every song that is reminiscent of bands such as Moonsorrow. The mixing of both Finnish and English lyrics contained within the same song is an interesting approach. 

From the first notes of “Vegvisir” to the last notes of “The Gates Of North”, this album takes the listener on an epic journey drawn from (mostly Norse) mythology. Hukkapätkä’s vocals lend a harshness that contrasts with some of the more mellow instrumentals. ‘Towards The Gates of North’ lacks much of the relentless fury of death-influenced folk metal, instead relying on a more purely folk feel, incorporating plenty of more traditional sounds offset by harsh vocals. It’s not a mind-blowing album, but it is enjoyable and worth multiple plays. 

Best tracks: Fimbulvetr, Lycomania

Amon Amarth set to release 'Jomsviking' on March 25th

It's no secret that Amon Amarth is one of my favourite bands. A new album was barely even on my radar when I posted about upcoming albums this year, but this is how you do it right. I like how there wasn't much (if any) hype leading up to an announcement. There were a few veiled teasers, and then suddenly, an announcement of a release date and tour dates all at once. Needless to say, I'm highly anticipating this one. Amon Amarth has never failed to disappoint me, and I'm sure this album won't either.

While the band is skipping the city closest to me on this tour, I'm definitely making a road trip to see Amon Amarth live. Especially since Entombed A.D. and Exmortus are opening. Seriously, that's a pretty sick lineup.

'Jomsviking' is a concept album in that it will tell a story from beginning to end.

The track listing is as follows:

1. First Kill
2. Wanderer
3. On A Sea Of Blood
4. One Against All
5. Raise Your Horns
6. The Way Of Vikings
7. At Dawn's First Light
8. One Thousand Burning Arrows
9. Vengeance Is My Name (bonus track on certain editions)
10. A Dream That Cannot Be (featuring Doro Pesch)
11. Back On Northern Shores



Take a look at the video for "First Kill":

Forthcoming Albums

Although the year has barely begun, there are a few upcoming releases that I am already looking forward to. Of course new years always bring new albums and 2016 appears as though it will be a good year for folk metal, and for Finnish metal.

First on the list of upcoming releases is Varg’s ‘Das Ende aller Lügen’. I’ve had this one on pre-order for several months as I was intrigued by the limited edition boxset option. Along with it, I should finally be receiving the ‘Rotkäppchen’ EP. Thanks to ridiculously expensive shipping from Napalm Records, this one is now several months delayed.

Next on the list is Wolfhorde’s ‘Towards The Gates Of North’. This will be the first full-length album from this Finnish band. After giving some of their previous material a listen, I’m quite interested to get my hands on a copy of this album. With the exception of some bands that have recently gained popularity and taken new directions with their music, Finnish folk metal rarely disappoints. This one is due before the end of the month although I’ve yet to find an easy way to get a copy.

Finland’s Moonsorrow will also be releasing ‘Jumalten Aika’ at the very beginning of April. I’m expecting more of that atmospheric experience that Moonsorrow is so good at providing from this album.

While The 69 Eyes are definitely not metal, they do fall into the gothic rock category that I enjoy indulging in every so often. I’ve spent a lot of time listening to these Finns and am excited for a new album. Especially since it will be produced by the same producer who helped create some of The 69 Eyes best albums. Entitled ‘Universal Monsters’, this one is due towards the end of April.

Although this list is (what I assume will be) only the beginning of the 2016 releases that interest me, so far it looks to be a promising year.

Månegarm: 'Odin Owns Ye All' Video

Chainmail, battle axes, drinking horns, vikings, and of course Odin…

I actually quite like this video. It's fairly simple yet it creates the perfect atmosphere for the song. While it still seems a little strange to hear this band singing in english, it works. 'Odin Owns Ye All' is a good choice as a preview to the album as it's quite accessible and anthemic, although not quite as much so as a few of the tracks from their last release, "Legions Of The North".

I always look forward to new material from Månegarm and this video serves to increase my anticipation  of the release of the new self titled album later this year.

VARG - 'Rotkäppchen' Official Video

VARG released the official video for the song 'Rotkäppchen' a few days ago. I love this song and the EP release with different versions and some bonus material is a neat idea. As for the video, it's definitely interesting and a little unexpected. Take a look if you haven't already.


The video comes as a prequel to the Rotkäppchen EP to be released on October 9th. After the EP comes the new album, Das Ende Aller Lügen. This album will be released in January of 2016. There are some nice pre-order bundles available, although to my disappointment, the best one is already sold out on the North American website.

Eye Of Horus CD Release Show: A Short Review

Eye of Horus CD Release with Death Toll Rising, AfterEarth, Mongol, Wolfrik

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Rendezvous Pub

Tired and sluggish from the insanity of Villainizer’s farewell show the night before, I headed out to the Eye Of Horus CD release show, knowing this was another one not to be missed. The Rendezvous Pub is a small venue and it was definitely quite full by the end of this rainy evening. Fighting through my own somewhat grouchy mood, it was still a night of music well worth attending. 

Wolfrik opened the show and while quite a few people seemed to thoroughly enjoy their style of metal, it’s something that isn’t to my taste. Mongol, on the other hand, play a uniquely themed style of folk metal that’s aways enjoyable. On a night where new material was the theme, Mongol had a new song to offer titled ‘The Mountain Weeps’. If this is any indication of what’s to come from the Mongol camp, it’s worth looking forward to. 

AfterEarth, from Calgary, played an excellent set of melodic death metal on the heels of their newly released CD, “In The Shadow Of Destiny”. This was the second time seeing this band, and I’m hoping to have the opportunity to see them again. Death Toll Rising has been a staple in the local death metal scene for years and once again proved exactly why. Always high energy, always packed with great musicianship, tonight was no different.

Of course, the highlight of the night came from Eye of Horus. Officially releasing their latest offering of brilliant brutality, they killed it. This is a band that sounds as if they crawled right out of Sweden with some of the best that particular country has to offer. Fresh off of a western Canadian tour, they were on point yet again. Crushingly heavy, with insurmountable energy, it was a great set. If you haven’t picked up a copy of their new album, “Infernal Calling”, do it. If you get a chance to see Eye of Horus live and you like brutally tight, heavy death metal, take the opportunity. You will not be disappointed. 

Edmonton Extermination Review

Mortillery, Eye of Horus, Mongol, Ironstorm, Black Pestilence, Tales of the Tomb

Saturday April 11th

The Pawnshop

With six heavy hitting metal bands in the lineup, this was the perfect show to kick those dreary Edmonton winter blues down a flight of stairs and out the door. Tales of the Tomb started the evening off, apparently a little early for most metal heads, but despite having a small audience they managed to pique interest in their brand of death metal. With songs like ‘The Pig Farmer’, about Robert Pickton, the tags of murder metal and psychological death metal certainly fit this band. 

Black Pestilence made the trip from Calgary for this show, showcasing an interesting melding of different styles, described as ‘black punk noise metal’. Ironstorm played next, unveiling their new lineup for those who had missed their show supporting Anvil. From what I caught of the set, they sounded solid.

Switching gears, Mongol took the stage, providing the folk metal element of this particular evening. As always, they brought an undeniable amount of energy. Songs such as ‘Storming The Wall’ provided the perfect blend of high and low tempo breaks to draw the audience in. Eye of Horus was up next. They played a solid set of death metal, including a cover of Cannibal Corpse’s ‘Evisceration Plague’, which was evidently very appreciated by the death metal fans in the audience. Promising new material in the near future, Eye of Horus’ set did not disappoint. 

Mortillery has seen an impressive level of success lately. Supporting their ‘Origin of Extinction’ album, they have opened for both 3 Inches of Blood and Destruction in Edmonton, as well as embarking on a European tour last year supporting Sepultura. Watching them live, it’s easy to see why Mortillery has become one of the most successful bands to come out of this city in recent times.

For a great review of Mortillery’s set, and accompanying photos, check out Dana Zuk’s piece here: http://ampsandgreenscreens.com/2015/04/14/mortillery-massacres-the-pawn-shop-during-edmonton-extermination-concert-april-11-2015/

Heidevolk - 'Vinland' Lyric Video

In anticipation of the North American release of "Velua", Heidevolk just released the lyric video for the track titled 'Vinland'. The video itself is pretty well done, with more effort put forth than most other lyric videos.

As for the track itself, I like it. It is quite interesting to hear Heidevolk's vocals in english. It worked well for Månegarm on "Legions of the North", so I am intrigued if it will work as well for Heidevolk on "Velua". While I was already excited for my pre-order package to show up, this makes it even more difficult to wait.