The 2nd day started at the Underworld, really early (like 12ish), because it also has to end early, but the first band which was supposed to go (EDENFALL) had some problems and didn’t show up!! I’ve heard something about flat tyres but I’m not 100% sure!
So next was a band we were enticed to see, as we didn’t much
know about them. Of Wonders & Sorrow arrived from Mexico, and it was a bit
of a disappointment. When we got there, there was one guy and one girl on
stage, both with guitars, and nothing else (drums were recorded). Everything
started a bit messy with her guitar being like non-existent and his vocals very
low. Things got a bit better throughout their set (we saw 3 or 4 songs) and
they brought this Bauhaus kind of vibe to their music. Not impressed must say,
but it’s not easy to open a festival, and doing it very early.
Moving on to the Electric Ballroom and time for The Infernal Sea to go on stage. They weren’t supposed to be in the fest, but Schammasch had
some issues, and they came to replace them. And must say, after seeing them 3
times in one month, that this was the one I enjoyed the most. They opened with “Lord
Abhorrent” from their new album “Hellfenlic”, and they grabbed the crowd at
once with their Black Metal. At some points, they sound more like a Thrash band,
but I’m not saying that’s bad eheh!! Great stage presence, and a thumbs up from
me!!
Next was Ad Nauseam from Italy with their Avant-Garde and
very technical Death Metal. It seems has been exporting lately some sick Death
Metal (Hour of Penance, Hideous Divinity), and these guys don’t slack on the
virtuoso department. Sick solos, big dissonant riffs, vocals, which seem to be
more like invocations than growls, and a good set, although a bit out of our
field!!
We went back to the Electric Ballroom because it was time
for Isole, which in case you don’t know, has like three members of Ereb Altor,
but here performing a more doomish sound. Sometimes their music brings to mind Candlemass,
with great epic moments that the band knows how to sue to build the momentum
and grab the audience. They brought to London their new album “Anesidora” but not
forgetting older gems like “Beyond the Horizon”, which is a beast of a song.
One more round, and time for one of the best shows of the
weekend. The Germans Heavy/Prog Death Metal lords, that go by the name of Chapel Of Disease!! With a new album in their bag, they came, saw, and
conquered London, with heavy riffs, Death Metal hints and a great stage
presence!! Their mix of the several genres is a genius play (although I can see some people hating it ahah), and even a band like Hallas came to my mind when they
were playing. It’s not a band you can fit in a box so go for it if you are into
bands that don’t mind bending the fences that separate genres!! We ended the
night talking with Laurent and realized that he’s the sole member left from the
three, that recorded “Echoes of Light”!!
Time to run to the Electric Ballroom because Vreid was next,
and I really wanted to see them, mostly because I’m a huge Windir fan, and
thought they were doing more of a homage to that band. But no, they were
playing music created by them throughout the ages. They played a couple of
Windir songs like “Saknet” and the enormous “Journey to the End” (a very nice
way of ending the show), a bit of their career with Vreid and one song from
Ulcus (a project they had around the time of Windir). Overall, it was a very
good concert, their music is excellent, full of melody and atmosphere, but I
was expecting a bit more Windir songs!! But at least the two they played were amazing
to hear!!
Swedish October Tide were next with their Doom/Death Metal
quite melodic and catchy. They brought their most recent album “The Cancer Pledge”,
from which they played a couple of songs, and they conquered the audience. The
guitar leads flowed through the Underworld, some Katatonia came to mind (I know
I’m being unfair as both the Norman brothers played there) but the new songs
also showed a more varied material with some fast tempos being introduced.
I didn’t finish to see them because next was a band I really
wanted to see: Aura Noir!!! And they were amazing!! The trio of Aggressor,
Apollyon and Blasphemer, ripped through the Electric Ballroom, and through the
records of their career!! The riffs were blazing, the drums were pounded, and
Aggressor vocals were manic!! It was time to headbang to tunes like “Iron
Night/Tormentor Storm” or “Fighting for Hell”!! Is for this kind of concerts
that it is worth getting out of the bed!!! My soul was satisfied, and my neck
was hurting, so a good one for sure!!!
To calm things down came Saturnalia Temple and their slowish
Doom Metal. Their music is slow, ritualistic, and entrancing, putting everyone
under their spell!! I endured for a couple of songs like “Aion of Drakon” or “To
the Other” but then my mind said beer was necessary, and I went to the bar, and
listened to the rest of their show in there. Need to see them on a different
mood, and not after an amazing show from Aura Noir!!
Last band to watch was one I never thought I would see them
live!! I remember buying their debut album, “A Wintersunset…” in the mid 90’s,
and being blown away by the quality of this German band!! Almost thirty years
later I finally saw Empyrium live, and it was quite good!! They were playing a very
old school set which comprised of the amazing “Songs of Moors & Misty
Fields” album in its entirety plus “Under Dreamskies” from their debut and surprisingly
“My Nocturnal Queen” from their only demo, released in 1995. It was a night for
remembering, to feel the beautiful melodies of this dark Folk created by Markus
Stock, and to close your eyes, and getting lost in a timeless journey!!!
Priceless and something I believe a lot of people never thought it would
witness it!!! A very good way to finish this second day of Celestial Darkness!!
Well, over, over it wasn’t because we still had some energy
to go to the Black Heart for the after party, for some beers, chat, and annoy
people eheh!!! The night was young and it belonged to us!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment