Bear Reviews Music!
After a decade of music journalism for Musicalypse and Tuonela Magazine that started in 2011 and continues to this day, I’ve developed a love of writing critical analyses of things that interest me. Please enjoy everything from live reports and album reviews, and even the occasional monthly collections of featured singles!
My goal, as a critical reviewer, is not to trash people’s work, because effort deserves respect. I try my best to be objective, while still sharing my personal feelings based on my own experiences.
Interested in having me review your album? More info here!
FESTIVAL REPORT: Kosmos Festival 2026
Bear Wiseman returned to her favorite festival, the gathering of electronic tribes, Kosmos Festival, for the fifth time in 2026. In this festival report, she explores the entire festival area before settling down to enjoy the Cosmic Circus.
Auri Live in Helsinki: Bringing Magic to the Finnish Summer Music Scene
Bear Wiseman returns once more to Auri’s audience to see how the show has evolved since the EU tour, as well as how the band fares in an outdoor venue. Check out how the show went in this life report.
Where You Go We’ll One Day Follow, pt. III
From Kitee to Rovaniemi and down to Helsinki and Tampere, Bear Wiseman and Kathy Criswell travel around Finland to see Johanna Kurkela, Robin la Joy, Martijn Westerholt, and Mikko Mustonen in Eye of Melian during their 2026 Finnish tour. Part III covers the shows in Helsinki, Turku, Kuopio, and Tampere.
Where You Go We’ll One Day Follow, pt. II
From Kitee to Rovaniemi and down to Helsinki and Tampere, Bear Wiseman and Kathy Criswell travel around Finland to see Johanna Kurkela, Robin la Joy, Martijn Westerholt, and Mikko Mustonen in Eye of Melian during their Finnish tour in 2026. Part II covers the shows in Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Oulu, and Raahe.
LIVE REPORT: Rabbit Cult & Machinae Supremacy
Machinae Supremacy celebrated the release of their new self-titled album in April 2026, featuring Rabbit Cult as their warmup act.
Where You Go We’ll One Day Follow, pt. I
From Kitee to Rovaniemi and down to Helsinki, Bear Wiseman and Kathy Criswell travel around Finland to see Johanna Kurkela, Robin la Joy, Martijn Westerholt, and Mikko Mustonen in Eye of Melian all around the country. Part I covers the shows in Kitee, Espoo, and Kouvola.
MUSIC REVIEW: Machinae Supremacy - “Machinae Supremacy”
It’s been almost a 10-year wait since the last Machinae Supremacy album came out, but as of March 6th, 2026, the mostly-Swedish (and a little bit Finnish) band are releasing a self-titled album! Read on to hear the thoughts from an absolute nerd for this band.
From Finland to the Forest of Forgetting for Eye of Melian’s Album Release Show
Yet another chaotic journey from Finland (and other countries) to the Netherlands, to a 4.5 hour queue outside Hedon in Zwolle, Johanna Kurkela’s international cheering squad met up once more to see Eye of Melian’s album release show for “Forest of Forgetting.”
ALBUM REVIEW: Eye of Melian - “Forest of Forgetting”
Bear Wiseman and Kathy Criswell join forces to deep-dive into Eye of Melian’s whole discography, both “Legends of Light” and of course, special attention to “Forest of Forgetting,” which is due for release on February 20th, 2026.
The Magic of Heavy Metal Music
17 years in Finland, over a decade of music journalism, and 27 years of being a metalhead. How did it all begin? This look-back explores Bear Wiseman’s origin story as a world-traveling metalhead.
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