The Miscellaneous Goings On Of Tom - How The Hell Did I Get Here? (The Fjordhammer 250th Post) ⚒️

🎃Smashing Milestones Like Pumpkins! 🎃

From a music blog perspective, I have been overwhelmed at how successful this year has been, getting shoutouts from The Infernal Sea, retweeted by Venom Prison, making an epic contact in the form of Markus Eck over at METALMESSAGE and of course getting 10,000 hits two months before my self-imposed deadline. Fjordhammer has become such a special place for me to share my musical views and share the art that is being created all over the world. Fjordhammer is truly global from my perspective and I've loved talking to people from Russia, Germany, UK, Poland, it's just mental really, and one positive about the internet. By turning my passion for writing into something that is giving me boundless joy is incredible, and in all my thoughts I never believed I would achieve. All that is left now is to take Fjordhammer on it's travels! Even through this perpetual confusion and chaos, I have started to draft a travel plan for when it is truly safe to visit other countries again. I would love nothing more than you all being on this journey with me as I look to find myself in the vastness of the world. It's crazy to think that a year and a half or so on from setting up this blog that we're here now, 250 posts in. I definitely feel that over this time I've become comfortable with my analytical and writing style, seeing myself progress, going from strength to strength. Whilst personally I have in myself become stronger, more passionate and caring about myself, which has had a knock on effect in all spheres of life. I'm starting to surround myself with people that are like minded but also infinitely more knowledgeable and fascinating than myself, so I can continually learn about what I love. It all just seems to be coming together now and I am so thankful for it! 2020 has been a very trying year for us all (thankfully we're two and a half months away from it finishing) but it's awesome to think that a lot of us have used this time to take stock, smell the flowers and develop ourselves into continually growing and shining individuals. Despite the adversity, a lot of us are banding together to make our own private and public worlds just a better place to be and long may it continue! The arts is so important to me, writing, music, art, literature, all of it so I am continuously humbled that over the last year and a half you have all taken time out to read my blog and my random adventures, here's to another 250! Skol 🍻

What I'm Listening To At This Very Moment

It will hardly come as a surprise that I am enjoying the latest offering from Wardruna. The song itself is awesome and deeply atmospheric, however Wardruna have yet again delivered on the video as it is a cinematic wonder! I love the story of chasing an illusive White Raven through the woods. I see it as something similar to my own journey at the moment, everything just seems to keep alluding me, but I will keep looking. What I am sad about though is the fact that I have to wait until January next year to hear the full album because of this bloody pandemic. 

What I've Been Jamming To This Week

With the weather getting colder and the leaves turning these beautiful shades of red, orange, yellow and brow, I've been listening more heavily to black metal again. Especially the more atmospheric stuff as it fits in with the material that I am currently reading. One album that is continually blowing me away at the moment is Saor's Aura remaster. I loved the original one, but with an updated mix it sounds so much more epic and expansive, putting me at the heart of Caledonia. Their livestream tonight was bloody amazing too!

The Latest Axe Acquisition 

Today, I received the latest "Axe" to enter my collection, a Custom Shop Squire Telecaster! Alongside some much anticipated beers, I can have a nice pint whilst jamming out some chunky and beefy riffs.

Looking Towards The Future

I am so motivated and inspired to keep this blog going for as long as I can and for as long as you folks will read it. The blog has started to open up doors for me, and getting recognised by the bands I review is such an awesome feeling, so I hope I can establish some of these working relationships and propel myself into the music industry. It's been a long and hard road to get to this point, but it has been well worth it! That small idea that occurred to me way back in February last year, has come to fruition, performed so much better than I expected and I cannot wait to learn what the future has in store for Fjordhammer! As always, thank you all for your phenomenal support as without you I wouldn't have got this far, keep smiling, keep rocking and stay true to yourself. Doing what you love is so important, especially in these strange times, so don't ever let the bastards get you down! 🤘💜

Here is to 250 more posts, I shall sign off with this classic as I raise my horn to the sky in celebration! 🍺