With the hot fall/winter concert season closing in the need to divide yourself into pieces to visit all the shows wanted is no rarity ;) Well, it’s no rarity to me to be exactly. I sometimes wish it is possible ;) On the other hand you can quickly change your destination, if one gig doesn’t work. So I did on this Saturday. More or less spontaneous (it was predictable) I hooked up with Wiebke and together we… swam to Oberhausen. What beastly weather, it was more like a white-water rafting then a car ride. When arriving we had left the black clouds far behind and entered the Helvete club dry-shod.

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Tonight’s desire was of course focused on HELRUNAR. The band fell silent for quite some time now due to line-up changes. But they are complete again, write new songs and finally started to play shows again. Besides, to stop by at the Helvete club is always worth the travel and the other announced bands are not to be sneezed at too.

It’s been a long, long time since I saw :: INSIGNIUM :: It was back in 2006, on the Shining tour, the legendary show at Kultopia ;) However, time passed by but not so much was going on in the camp of the black metallers. A new drummer was added and INSIGNIUM started writing new songs again. And, on the contrary to Helrunar and Todtgelichter they also played a brand new song entitled Nach dem Krieg! But they didn’t forget how to rock, playing a fast and darksome black metal style with a proper shot of rock’n’roll. Apollyon and Svartis were posing as hell, while fronter Shoggoth did it the veil and aggressive way ;) That’s the way it has to be. Great show and a hell of fun!
Setlist: Emotional Suicide, Bunkerkrieg, Nach dem Krieg, Der Brief, Moorleiche, Insignium

Hailing from Essen :: MOR DAGOR :: has even to offer a brand new record they played most of the songs from it. It’s entitled Mk IV, cryptic isn’t it? Anyway, I never saw them performing live before and so was quite surprised. Really liked their show. There was pure energy pouring down the stage. Black metal of course, hellish fast, brutal and the Swedish style ;)
Setlist: Admit Defeat, Obey And Die, Drenched In Blood, Spiritus Sanctus Mancum, Asylum For The Weak, Perished, Genocide Industries, Raid On Mankind, Bloodstream

:: TODTGELICHTER :: again belong to the category: nothing new as of late. But… STOP! Seems like I had my eyes closed, afterwards, when writing this report. There is something going on in the camp of Hamburg-based black metallers. As the latest myspace blog reveals, TODTGELICHTER work on their third record, tentatively entitled Angst (expect a summer/fall release in 2010), wherefrom they played one so far untitled brand new song. The other tracks came from both records Schemen and its predecessor Was bleibt… Musically they are way more atmospheric with a special guitar sound I totally fell for ;) And sound at the Helvete club was great, creating some gooseflesh. Bass player Nils took over singing duties, additionally, and did a really great job. Ah yeah, great show, indeed. Ok guys, don’t waste time and enter the next studio for the third record! Now!
Setlist: Larva, Hammer, Hort des Todes, new song, Blutstern, Segen // Von Hass und Trauer

Time has come for main and favorite headliner :: HELRUNAR :: It was now really crowded and our plans to occupy the front row failed, although we were 4, later 6 photographers. Damn!
As it’s more than just rumored that HELRUNAR work on new material but despite of all hope we had, no new songs were played. Instead we got a great set including songs from all three releases offered. Not bad either ;) New live musicians Discordius and Harcon acted still a bit reserved, but Skald Draugir made it up again and even chose to joke ;) It was an amazing and intensive show, probably not the best I have seen so far, but a good one, seeing the crowd being thrilled and pleased. I definitely want to get more of this!
Setlist: Intro, Frostnacht, Ich bin die Leere, Glámr, ...Bis die Seele gefriert, Raune mit der Tiefe, Älter als das Kreuz, Schwarzer Frost, Til Jadar // Seelenwinter

After the show I and Wiebke took a little break, had some drinks and chats in a comfortable corner and then roamed the metal disco, listening to some good music, head-banging and watching odd creatures of the night. Early morning we headed back home, without any shitty weather above us and with big smile on our faces ;)

story & pics © Dajana