Arthur Brown - Alcest - The Vision Bleak - Fire + Ice - Winterfylleth - :Of The Wand & The Moon: - Arð - Imha Tarikat

The advantage of the undercooled early end of yesterday’s evening was that I entered the cave on time fit and well-rested. And I didn’t catch a bad cold either. I learnt my lesson and was wearing more layers of fabrics ;) But the cave was preheated too.

:: pics :: IMHA TARIKAT ::

The PROPHECY FEST was officially kicked-off by :: IMHA TARIKAT ::, one of the newer signings of the label. And that kick-off was furious. Holy shit, IMHA TARIKAT deliver such a brutal and dense sound that blows everything away. I felt remembered of the latest Bölzer show two weeks ago. And the guys had so visibly fun doing so ;) If someone in the cave was still tired or suffering from a hangover, then those would be wide awake now and spot on. Can you start a festival day any better? Next to Melvin officially added to the line-up, also his band mate in Hexer, Marvin joined in as a live musician.
IMHA TARIKAT are ready to unleash their third record, they already played songs from. It’s titled Hearts Unchained - At War With A Passionless World, and will be released on December 2.

Band: Ruhsuz Cellât (Kerem Yilmaz - vox, git), Melvin Cieslar (drums), Marvin Giehr (git), Ricardo Baum (bass)
Setlist: Intro, Akan Sır, Kreuzpunkt der Schicksale, Brand am Firmament, Streams Of Power - Canavar, Intro - Deeper Within, Radical Righteousness, Son Of Ultradevotion, Imha Tarikatı, Outro

:: pics :: ARÐ ::

For Mark Deeks it surely was a busy and strenuous day. For here and now he entered the stage with his solo project :: ARÐ ::. Later he would return with his main band Winterfylleth, who actually were on stage right now too ;)
Mark Deeks has released his debut album, Take Up My Bones, early this year, which I liked a lot for its majestic and epic Doom Metal. I was much curious if and how he would bring the opulent sound live on stage. The choirs alone in the cave must sound bombastic. And yes, they did! The sound was nothing but majestic! Perfectly made to close your eyes and enjoy the music. Well, not fully. Had to take photos too ;)
For the sake of convenience, Take Up My Bones, was played in its entirety, from start to finish like on CD. Awesome show!

Band: Mark Deeks + Winterfylleth
Setlist: Burden Foretold, Take Up My Bones, Raise Then The Incorrupt Body, Boughs Of Trees, Banner Of The Saint, Only Three Shall Know

:: pics :: :OF THE WAND AND THE MOON: ::

The next highlight followed hot on the heels. When Kim Larsen departed from Death/Doom masters Saturnus (live on stage the other day) He founded the Neofolk project :: :OF THE WAND AND THE MOON: ::. Six albums he has already released, his latest one, Your Love Can't Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow, at the end of last year, after a ten years break. Musically, Kim Larsen went through his entire history, from the newest material till the 1999 debut Nighttime Nightrhymes. He was on stage all alone – the man and his guitar, his voice and a beautiful black and white movie. Well, it actually were three movies as he wrote me afterwards: Bonjour Tristesse, Feu Follet, und Sunrise: A Song Of Two Humans.
Excellent show! But I also can imagine a show with his music fully orchestrated. Especially in the cave ;)

Band: Kim Larsen
Setlist: Your Love Can't Hold This Wreath Of Sorrow, Tear It Apart, Let's Take A Ride (My Love), Lucifer, Twilight Halo, Lost In Emptiness, Sunspot, I Crave For You, A Tomb Of Seasoned Dye

:: pics :: WINTERFYLLETH ::

I have to admit I’m critical of the Manchester-based band :: WINTERFYLLETH ::, as some of their statements and references go far beyond of typical British national and cultural pride. They defend their Anglo-Saxon legacy with a fervor, critics compare with a “specific English heathen blood-and-soil theme“. In addition, band members have collaborated with artists and musicians that are openly right-winged, show pics and link to such people as well as deniers and follow conspiracy theories, which, all in all, gives a clear image, although the band never publicly expressed racist or fascistic ideas. They never distanced themselves from it either.
Once more the question is: How to deal with such a band from a journalistic point of view? Well, I think, I actually answered this question already with short but intensive search. Musically, the band is indeed top-notch!

Band: Chris Naughton (vox, git), Dan Capp (git), Nick Wallwork (bass), Mark Deeks (keys), Simon Lucas (drums)
Setlist: Absolved In Fire, Whisper Of The Elements, The Reckoning Dawn, A Soul Unbound, A Greatness Undone, Green Cathedral

If one might concede Winterfylleth an unclear and fishy status, Ian Read, one of the godfathers of Neofolk, sticks deeply into the brown quagmire, no matter if it’s his own project or contribution to others or other projects and connections. And here I do not talk about his esoteric or occult views. So, to me this show was right from the beginning on my (s)hitlist. But, why is such band/artist on the roster of Prophecy Productions, who signed FIRE + ICE in 2021 and sell one of their records (Birdking) with concrete and direct references to racial ideologies?

:: pics :: THE VISION BLEAK ::

Let’s spend time on more pleasant issues, for example the rest of the evening with fabulous bands :) It was so great to finally see :: THE VISION BLEAK :: playing live again. Last time 2017, five years ago. They entered the stage with their classic horror paint, even Aline, and rocked through their entire back catalogue, teaching the crowd the essential text lines to conjure Kutulu! It was pure fun to see the band rock out and to see the crowd dancing. And suddenly, the feet were warm again (the radiant heaters were already switched off for a longer time and it got cold in the cave).
Band: Markus Stock (alias Ulf Theodor Schwadorf), Tobias Schönemann, Sebastian „Alsvartr“ Körkemeier, Aline Deinert (violine), (drums)
Setlist: From Wolf To Peacock, The Night Of The Living Dead, Carpathia, Into The Unknown, Kutulu!, By Our Brotherhood With Seth, The Whine Of The Cemetery Hound, The Deathship Symphony

:: pics :: ALCEST ::

Seen in August at PSOA, now on stage in the cave :: ALCEST ::. You cannot see them too often, right? ;) Yes, I was much looking forward to them again. I do so every time I get the chance, to be honest. Only two days prior their European tour with Cradle Of Filth, ALCEST returned to Balve for another amazing show. I guess, it was a strenuous time for them. But it didn’t do any harm to their show. As always highly emotional and of brilliant musicianship! I can’t get enough ;)

Band: Stéphane „Neige“ Paut, Jean (git) „Winterhalter“ Deflandre (drums), Pierre „Zero“ Corson (git), Indria Saray (bass)
Setlist: Protection, Sapphire, Écailles de lune - Part 2, Autre temps, Oiseaux de proie, Kodama, Délivrance

:: pics :: ARTHUR BROWN ::

Last year :: ARTHUR BROWN :: was co-headlining the first festival day prior Primordial - this year, he made it up to the headliner. ARTHUR BROWN meanwhile turned 80 and came with his brand-new album, Long Long Road, you can probably take literally, considering his age and history.
He kicked off his show on time – this year we did not have any minute of delays. Wow! My hat off to the awesome stage, sound and light crew for this effort!
ARTHUR BROWN himself wasn’t to stop. He sang, danced, jumped, played with fire and changed his stage outfit almost at every song. He was brimming of energy and I’m tempted to say that he had more fun performing than the crowd watching ;) This man is just incredibly awesome! His presence, his performance, his joy doing so. Unique! Outstanding! I want to be around at this age like he is, and still doing what I love :)
Goodnight folks, see ya tomorrow!

Band: Arthur Brown, Jim Mortimore, Sam Walker, Daniel Smith, Robin O'Keeffe
Setlist: Bubbles, Nature, Nightmare, Firepoem, Fire, Time, Confusion, Gypsy, Instrumental, Sunrise, Touched By All, Time Captains, Long Long Road, Going Down, Sinner Man

Story & Pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography