2012-04-05 NO – Oslo
 
<< Wednesday
 

Borknagar - Triptykon - 1349 - Anaal Nathrakh - Trollfest

Church Of Misery - Vesen - The Konsortium - Undying Inc. - Corpus Mortale

The first main day at Rockefeller/John Dee music hall. First I took a look around to see where everything was located, what’s new, what remained the same. There is a nice CD offer and I’m thinking about to spend a couple of bucks on a bunch of CDs. Well, maybe after the show…

:: pics ::

Okay, time has come for the first band to kick off and here we go: Danish death metallers :: CORPUS MORTALE :: open the INFERNO FESTIVAL on the John Dee stage and deliver a refreshing brutal set. Yay. I pretty much liked it and would like to enjoy more of that kind. But show is short and done quickly. Time to release a new album guys. But, if I’m not totally wrong, they already played some new stuff ;)

Stairs up and :: TROLLFEST :: enter to open on the Rockefeller stage. And I was blown away. What a row of a horde of wild and motley Norwegian… um… trolls, celebrating beer and true Norwegian Balkan Metal. Hahaha. Hilarious! In all there have been 12 men sharing stage, finding its place with its instruments and going wild. By the way, there will be a new album out in August, entitled Brumlebassen.

Right after we get a complete turn musically. Downstairs :: UNDYING INC. :: wrack and ruin the stage. These Indians were unknown to me but with their core-driven Death Metal they got me under their spell. Incredible the piercing screams of singer Shashank in between. Yeah, me likes!

Upstairs :: ANAAL NATHRAKH :: tried to leave same kind of debris fields. And they truly succeed. With teething troubles… as singer Dave Hunt came from the crowd's side, jumped into the photo pit and was about to be kicked out by the security, who did not want to believe that he is the singer of the band and needed to get on stage... NOW *lol* At the end, he made it, on time, almost… ;) In his announcements he harangued on everything “anti” and introduced his songs with banter. Mick Kenney was missing, as it was said he had troubles with visa issues (he lives in the US now). However, the Brits went totally nuts on stage, burning and thrashing down everything, allegorical, Death/Black/Grind as ist best!
Setlist: Drug-Fucking Abomination, Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes, The Final Absolution, Satanarchrist, In The Constellation Of The Black Widow, Submission Is For The Weak, Between Shit And Piss We Are Born, Do Not Speak, Pandemonic Hyperblast

:: THE KONSORTIUM :: right after were new to me too. Kind of an all star band being mysterious and wearing masks. Rumors say that’s members of Mayhen and Kverlertak behind, playing an own brand of Thrash/Black metal. The singer holds a bible in his hands and “recites". With a closer look the bible emerges as a song book with the lyrics. Well, I thought that’s the way it has to be. Later I got told, the original singer fell ill the day before. What we got was his replacement who, of course, could not hook up all lyrics in one day. As for that I take my hat off, because the “new one” did really well.

Time has come for true Norwegian Black Metal :: 1349 :: And this show is pure awesomeness! With the intro we get the first fire on stage. I’m too late to capture and still fight to get into the pit at all, while the crowd is freaking out. 1349 plays a best-of set with such intensity and rawness. I’m blown away!
Setlist: Maggot Fetus... Teeth Like Thorns, The Devil Of The Deserts, Riders Of The Apocalypse, I am Abomination, Chasing Dragons, Serpentine Sibilance, When I Was Flesh, Sculptor Of Flesh, Atomic Chapel

More Black Metal one level down with :: VESEN :: 1349 as Black’n’Roll version I’d say. Same way intensive, raw and highly energetic. Just not that evil… ;)

Meanwhile it gets black upstairs. Pitch black. But… comical though, somehow, as guitar tech Hans Nagtegaal did the vocal sound-check by screaming: “cookies… C is for cookies” in a cookie monster growl style. Yep, he scored ;) Classic show with a little surprise at the end seeing 1349’s Mr. Ravn back on stage singing the Celtic Frost songs Circle Of The Tyrants und The Usurper. Once again an amazing show but I have to confess, I never saw :: TRIPTYKON :: that aggressive live on stage before. Just… WOW! For sure one highlight of the festival!
Setlist: Crucifixus, Dethroned Emperor, Goetia, Circle Of The Tyrants, The Usurper, Synagoga Satanae, Ther Prolonging, Winter

Time has come for the first swan song. :: CHURCH OF MISERY :: finish the first festival day at John Dee with a number of serial killers ;) Tokyo-based Doom/Stoner rockers deal about one known serial killer in every song, in a quite brutal and extreme way musically. Again a band I just heard of but never dealt with. My fail I guess ;) Anyway… the club is packed, fans freaking out and going wild. I totally agree and join in…

Grand final the 2nd. On the main stage headliner :: BORKNAGAR :: kicks off and was welcomed frenetically. Of course, BORKNAGAR play (two) brand new songs from their just released full-length Urd, but also a bunch of classics such as The Ruin Of Future, Colossus (YESSS!) and Dauden from the debut. Much more there was a surprise at the end of the gig that made fans happy. Ulver’s Garm jumped onto stage to sing along The Dawn Of The End. I guess for many fans it was such impressive and memorable moment. BORKNAGAR also presented their new drummer Baard Kolstad, who played his very first live show with BORKNAGAR tonight and introduced himself with a splendid drum solo after Dauden. He’s amazing! If there is any bit to nag about than the short running time of the show with hardly 70 minutes incl. the encore.
Setlist: Epochalypse, Oceans Rise, Gods Of My World, Ruins Of The Future, The Age Of Oden, Frostrite, Dauden (+ Drum Solo), Ad Noctum, Colossus, The Genuine Pulse, The Dawn Of The End

What a day, so many bands I experienced for the first time or even hear about. I’m knackered but not tired and the run for chumminess starts as you have curfews in Norway. The Rockefeller bar gets closed right after and the festival hotel wants us out at 3am too. Okay, adventure time ;) It’s getting late and there is some adversity to face next day…

 

story & pics © Dajana