Vemod - Tenhi - Empyrium - Darkher - Wöljager - Camerata Mediolanense - Amber Asylum - Lifelover - Crone

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On time at 12am the PROPHECY FEST 2015 got opened by :: CRONE ::, the dark Post Rock project of Secrects Of The Moon mastermind sG and Embedded drummer/guitarist Markus Renzenbrink. It's their world premiere and thus the first special of the festival. I really like their debut EP Gehenna but its bleak and desperate atmosphere as in the stunning Houses Of Gehenna did not work here. Maybe I was visually too fixed on SOTM. However, the guitar hooks in Your Skull-Sized Kingdom strongly reminded me of Alcest and got stuck in my head the whole evening. I think, there is still a lot to expect from CRONE in the future, so keep an eye on them.
Setlist: Intro, Your Skull-Sized Kingdom, I Want The Stars To Collide, Escher's Stairs, Dead Man, The Perfect Army, Houses Of Gehenna

During the changeover I surprisingly witnessed a true run to the stage. :: LIFELOVER :: was next up. Okay, the Swedes have reunited just for the festival (after they disbanded following the death of Jonas Bergqvist in 2011) and thus somehow celebrated their 10th anniversary here and now. To be honest, I never dealt closely with LIFELOVER, didn't know their cult status, so that's why I was so surprised about the throng. And LIFELOVER played an insane show. Insanity! Literally. Frontman Kim Carlsson was rampaging the stage, kneeled, jumped and danced bloodstained in a white lab coat, while his string-mates did it the traditionally darksome Black Metal way. The keyboarder again seemingly followed anarchic punk roots. Yes, the whole show was quite bizarre. And the crowd was completing freaking out! In the middle of the set Carlsson left and gave way to Johan Gabrielson, who first precariously stumbled over the stage and then tried it the Carlsson way, just not that elegant and crazy as Carlsson did it. The cave was shaking. Still don't know what to think about this show… ;)
Setlist: Intro, Shallow, Mitt öppna öga, I Love (To Hurt) You, Pulver, Lethargy, Expandera, M/S Salmonella, Cancertid, Medicinmannen, Brand, Androider // Herrens hand, Nackskott, Vardagsnytt, Besatt // Spiken I kistan, En tyst minut

„Guten Tag! Wir sind Hexen. Aus California.“… That's how Kris Force introduced :: AMBER ASYLUM :: and scored with those German words. The Californian witches crossed the pond exclusively for this festival, their first show in Europe since 2011. And here I had a similar problem as with Crone. AMBER ASYLUM records are hauntingly beautiful and unbelievably intensive (think of Jarboe), when you listen to them back home within your four walls. But here in the cave, on this huge stage, the magic somehow did not work for me. It was a good show, of course, but it wasn't that magic as I expected. The feeling of the music got a bit lost. But… after more than 6 years, AMBER ASYLUM will finally release new album again :) It is entitled Sin Eater and is set for release on December 4 via Prophecy Productions! Half of the new songs we were pleased to enjoy at this show.
Setlist: Perfect Calm, Beast Star, Autonomy Suite, Garden Of Love, Harvester, Tot (Candlemass Cover), Executioner, Auger Of Thrall

Wow! Now it got really, really exciting! The Italian DarkWave/Neoclassic collective :: CAMERATA MEDIOLANENSE :: arrived with L'altro Coro, a 30-head choir. Again a band totally new to me (except for the one or the other song and video). Technical issues occurred to arrange and mix the sound for band and choir. But once started, this strong-voiced ensemble just blew me away. With the majority of compositions coming from their current album Vertute, Honor, Bellezza, they caused goose bumps all over and sent shivers up and down the spine. Wow! Wow! WOW! I got mad about them! The choir had difficulties to sing against the band volume-wise but it got better with every song. Where I stood (sideways stage) it was a good sound. Fans went through the same emotional roller coaster. First utmost astonished, then bursting out in frenetic applause. And at the end there were many "encore" calls to hear, full-throated. And if we wouldn't have stood at all CAMERATA MEDIOLANENSE would have gotten standing ovations! Enthusiasm for the Italians was obvious and the band was likewise surprised about the frenetic response. And CAMERATA MEDIOLANENSE made us happy with an encore of 2 songs :) What a show!
Setlist: Voi Ch'Ascoltate, Dolci Ire, Canzone All'Italia, 99 Altri Perfecti, Solo et Pensoso, Vago Augelletto, Vergine Bella, O Mia Stella, Canzone Alla Vergine, Quest'Anima Gentil // L'Homme Armé, Embryo Ventosa

Sadly, sadly I right after missed :: WÖLJAGER ::, the reading about the Münsterland mythology. I took a break for some rest and food, not having the time schedule in mind (and was too stupid to have a look in my program book). I'm such a duffer. Bummer!

Refreshed I quickly went back to the stage in high anticipation for :: DARKHER ::. I was much looking forward to this show. The band's debut EP The Kingdom Field strongly captured me and this cave seemed to be the perfect surrounding for such kind of spirituality and eerie atmosphere. Again a premiere as this was the very first show DARKHER in Germany. And again some sound problems were in need to be solved. Ah, I love this kind of music. Especially the mesmerizing Forgone captured me. And again I got goose bumps. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts fly, fly far, far away. Although DARKHER also played 45 minutes it felt way too short.
Setlist: Spirit Waker (intro), This Hollow Veil, Ghost Tears, Foregone, Lament, Wars, Moths, Hung

Mass hysteria the second ;) In matter of :: EMPYRIUM :: I expected such reaction. A special live set was announced but before anything could start, massive sound problems needed to be solved causing a delay of one hour at the end. Meanwhile the crowd got enough time to discuss the band's line-up. Knowing that Alcest are right now touring the US (otherwise they would have played this festival too, I'm sure) Neige was missed. So we had Schwadorf of course, Allen B. Konstanz on drums, Dornenreich's Eviga on the second guitar, Fursy Teyssier (Les Discrets - bass), Aline Deinert (violin) and Thomas Helm on keyboards. Fans are freaking out from the first minute on. After the first 2, 3 tones of identification every song gets frenetically welcomed. It was a fantastic atmosphere in the cave. Old songs got mixed with newer ones and even with a brand new one, The Mill.
Setlist: The Days Before The Fall, The Franconian Woods in Winter's Silence, Heimwärts, Mourners, With The Current Into Grey, Lover's Grief, The Mill, Dead Winter Ways, Der Weiher // Many Moons Ago, Das blau-kristallne Kämmerlein

And then… finally! After one and a half decades of worship I got the chance to see :: TENHI :: playing live! Woohoo! For the Finns it is the first live performance in eight years, and this performance proved to be difficult. Guess what… the sound failed once again. TENHI didn't have any monitor sound on stage and thus weren't able to hear themselves. More delays and bothered fans. Unsatisfied and with the time in mind TENHI kicked off unsatisfied and tried their best. Yes, the sound wasn't perfect and narrowed the pleasure a bit. But those who are used to the band's work should have had an easy access to get into the music and to let it do its magic. Attendees listening to TENHI for the first time at this festival might have had its difficulties. It worked fine for me anyway. I closed my eyes and let it go, so I could enjoy this show. Period!
Setlist: Sees, Seitsensarvi, Pojan Kiiski, Kausienranta, Savoie, Etäisyyksien Taa, Kielo, Uuvu Oravan Luu, Tuulenkaato, Jäljen, Kuolleesi Jokeen // Rannalta Haettu (feat. Dornenreich)

Those, who were wondering, why Inve and Eviga checked their instruments prior the Tenhi gig too (Inve was playing his violin for Tenhi), got now surprised by a short but very lively :: DORNENREICH :: performance.

Also for :: VEMOD :: played for the first time ever in Germany. Unfortunately, the Norwegian guys were the ones who suffered from all the sound problems and delays. VEMOD started their set at a time the festival should almost have been finished. The cave got empty, cold and drafty. Many fans had already left and missed a breathtaking performance. The stage was bathed in blue lights with stellar themes on the screen behind (no need to mention how much I loved that scenery). An extensive Ambient intro with Jan Even Åsli vocalizing followed, before VEMOD immerged into Black Metal fields. Stunning atmosphere, music and performance. For me the discovery of the festival!

However, to be honest, I was tired too. After 12 hrs of festival activities is was knackered, with a one and a half hour drive ahead and my bed calling loudly from afar. So I left the cave before VEMOD finished. What's left is the impression of a fantastic festival in a great location and with an excellent organization. Only the ongoing sound problems were a bummer and narrowed the pleasure, music and atmosphere a bit. But hey, next year the guys can do it better, and they will, I'm sure.

There is just one question going round in my head. How will the PROPHECY FEST develop? Prophecy Productions got founded back in 1996. So, the actual 20th anniversary would be in 2016. It makes sense to "test" such festival in a new location, before the real and 2 days event takes place. But what happens afterwards? An annual PROPHECY FEST would be nice but lose its special, unique and exclusive character. And what about the band selection? Well, let's see ;) I for now look much forward to the PROPHECY FEST 2016!

story & pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography