This one has a right solid line-up and it is well worth getting down for early doors to catch 1st band on tonight The Negation from France. There may not be loads in yet to witness the band but they make an entrance dragging along chains with them onto the stage and wearing hoods. They blaze away with confrontational hatred illustrating why their two albums proved so formidable. There is little mercy but plenty of misanthropy about it all and it all is a bit Hellraiser in appearance and atmosphere as they open their box up and drown us in their brand of stifling, pitch-black hate. Songs from new album ‘Momento Mori’ such as ‘Parasite Fall’ are drenched in ominous atmosphere and feral intensity as they blast and unravel into a nebulous void of scything, jagged guitars and brutality. At times they slow the pace momentarily but it is on the whole bristling and thuggish. There’s also something overtly macabre about it all and an almost ceremonial style as the players dig in and blaze away casting sinister silhouettes in the icy blue lighting. It’s all too short but there is lots to cram in tonight with five bands playing and as The Negation finish with ‘Erased’ the impressive display of force and power evidently wins them over some new admirers.
The one UK act on the bill tonight De Profundis steam on the stage as though they own it, blasting away and throwing out some fiery licks. I was not sure quite how well they were going to go down with their technical death laden edge amidst the more black clad bands tonight but it seemed they were quickly received warmly by the now busier audience. The neck cracking fervour of the music, vocalist Craig’s roars and some dizzying twin guitar histrionics helped spur things along, the band looking comfortable on the big stage and using every inch of it. It’s quite an action packed display with plenty to focus on with lots of chopping and changing in the riff department as well as some old school posing from Paul and Aaron on guitar and bass to our stage left. New songs like ‘Beyond The Threshold’ spiralled out and seemingly attacked from all angles and they even got in a cheeky small bass solo. A myriad of riffs hit on ‘Illumination’ and the sound here was excellent, everything clearly defined in the mix. Again it was over all too quickly leaving us a bit dizzy in the lead up to the main bands.
I caught Gehenna when they played here on that legendary line up with Mysticum and Marduk on their Heaven Shall Burn tour in 1996. I had been chatting with others wondering if the band had even been back here since then and common consensus was that they had not. Of course they are far removed from those Malice laden days with keyboardist Sarcana, founding member Sanrabb leading newer members down much more deathly paths. They have a dense and thick sound that booms forth through the thick foggy stage. The band seem to want to linger in the shadows, first time in years or not it is as though they don’t want to be seen properly through the thick dry ice, something that unfortunately does not let up throughout the entire performance. Vocals do roar out and fill the venue well from front to back and even though vision wise this is not the most exciting thing to watch, thankfully the music makes up for it drumming being particularly thunderous and cymbals clashing away. Not really having kept up with the band since they changed mode of musical attack I have to admit not being familiar with what they played. On the strength of it though I feel like I have definitely been missing out and as they unleash a veritable blitzkrieg of riffs that are turbulent and angry and drop blood red lighting on the stage, things got very savage. Us oldies did get rewarded with old number ‘Morningstar’ and this first spell number added a bit of a groovy feel to things as it stomped away suitably, rugged and craggy. Compared to it ‘Devils Work’ from Admiron Black is downright nasty, thick and cloying in atmosphere as it builds up and vocals howl away. Hopefully the band won’t take so long coming back for a repeat performance.
To be honest Kampfar were the main draw for me tonight as new album ‘Profan’ has impressed no end. It seemed like the audience were now suitably inebriated and things were destined to get more chaotic down the front as the air filled with the orchestrated parping woodwind summoning the band to stage with a big roar of approval from the crowd. New songs like ‘Gloria Ablaze’ do a great job of setting the place on fire and prove an explosive starting point to get people in the spirit of the Norse attack. Dolk commands things looming over us and the rest of the band dig in and furrow out the heathen cleave. Following the starter up with the well-known English vocalised number Ravenheart is a very good move too and it seems to be one that most people recognise. It gets a pit in action as well as the odd failing spectacularly attempt at crowd-surfing. One of these days they may have a real didgeridoo player on stage (perhaps in Australia) but a sample is good enough to summon us into old number ‘Troll, Død Og Trolldom’ Tearing out the deep dark forest and flying off as it bites and snarls away it really hits the mark and the entire band seem completely in their element. New songs show that although the band have moved forward things are very much in line with what they have done in the past. Daimon with its grand piano call behind it seems particularly volatile and it appears even with the album just out many know it, no doubt having watched the band’s first ever official video clip. Taking us right back to pre Kampfar days and a 1991 Mock number ‘Call Of The Eternal Winter’ we were really being treated to some classic Norse songs tonight and it was likely that the headliners were going to continue in this vein. Although I didn’t want Kampfar to finish and would have loved them to headline they did get a good lengthy set time and totally owned every minute of it.
Basically you get what you get with Gorgoroth. Never particularly a favourite of mine musically, they do tend to be substance over style, a bit meat and potatoes and brutality over atmosphere but what I always find is that they put on a good live display. A lot of that in the past was to do with Gaahl and his withering thousand yard stare but naturally he has been put to (god) seed as far as the band are concerned. Although recording artist Atteringer doesn’t tour with them Gorgoroth have very effectively roped in Taake frontman Hoest to do vocals for them and it’s fair to say that this is a suitable marriage made in hell and really lifts the performance here tonight as well.
They are quick to rape our ears and get everyone tumbling about with clattering antichristian hymns such as Bergtrollets Hevn’ Hoest hollers and rasps away driving things forward and roped in musicians do a good job looking grim corpse-painted up Satanic skinheads, poking tongues out and posing away. Musically it is just as expected, fast and furious, quickly attacking battle chants that show little in the way of subtlety. ‘Prayer’ is far from being delivered to God’s ears and has a good strumming guitar assault getting fists pumped in worship and does slow things a little rather than going completely like the clappers all the way through. Others such as ‘Forces Of Satan Storm’ do that particular job admirably. It all goes down well and all you can do is drink away and ride along on the brutality of it all. Slow brooding malevolence occasionally gives out a bit of necessary atmosphere and it’s difficult not to get caught up in the enthusiasm of it all for the more volatile attacking moments. The front of the stage certainly does with bodies tumbling over throughout. ‘Destroyer’ destroys, ‘Insipid Satan’ sticks it’s forked tongue out and finale ‘Unchain My Heart’ concludes a night of serious blasphemy having us falling out the doors into the dark feeling more than a little content.
Review and Photos © Pete Woods
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