There was a bit of drunken goofing off and carousing on my part and I ended up missing most if not all of the two opening bands. From what I did see :: RITES OF IMPIETY :: gave a testosterone hate crazed short performance.

Next up, Indiana’s :: PTAHIL :: took command of the basement. This three piece had wasted no time unleashing their Satanic black metal doom upon all in attendance. Exceptionally heavy, original, and fueled by the power of Satan. These guys certainly picked up on the murky energy of the room and gave a full onslaught of a performance. Hair was flying all over the place as they destroyed and conquered.

Next up was :: SPELLCASTER :: all the way from Oregon. Being crammed in between two black metal bands was a bit odd. Suddenly the crowd swelled and total chaos ensued as they began to play. Bodies were flying as SPELLCASTER spewed forth their thrash attack. They literally tore the place up.

It got to be a little too much after awhile and thought it was best to step away and wait for the band I had wanted to see :: TERATISM :: Not playing any shows in well over a year, TERATISM was currently on a southern state mini tour. It had been at least three years since I’d last seen them and witnessing them in a creepy dark basement was the last place I’d imagined to find them. It was well past midnight when the lights went out and candles were lit, and TERATISM appeared in corpse paint and black robes. As darkness engulfed the band and eerie vibes encompassed the room the ritual began with Pure Unadulterated Hate. The atmosphere of the basement instantly became charged with evil. In the dark it was hard to see, but from what I could hear TERATISM hasn’t lost any of their magic. Not only can you hear the presence of Satan in their music, you can feel it within their live ritual. Wrath's vocals are fucking intense live and it amazes how he can contort his voice in such a way that it sounds inhuman. The duel guitarists, Murder and Domitian seemed to be in a heavy trance as they ripped melodic and demonic riffs and solos. Gilles de Rais is a sight to watch as he plays a fretless six string bass masked, and these aren’t simple bass lines he’s playing either. Quite intricate all the way. Desekrator kept the demonic beats flowing as the songs carried on. Mainly playing songs off their recent albums Pure Unadulterated Hate and Via Negativa. My Wintery Embrace was the fucking highlight as well as I Am The Darkness. As they ended their ritual with Gloria Satanas the band seemed to be in another world. TERATISM never disappoints live and they are truly mesmerizing to watch. This basement show was one of the most intimate and personal shows I’ve ever seen. In your face isn’t even the word to describe it. It was a fucking surreal experience.