| Doors: 7.30 pm | Show: 8 pm | Tickets: 15 Euro |

Winter season has it that I repeatedly work more than two weeks nonstop, doing shift work, and even jump criss-cross through them when on call. That really leaves me running on empty. And there are only three days off to recover and clear the mind afterwards. So it happened the 17 days and I was in urgent need for something completely different. That's why I gladly allowed the SPUTNIK METAL NIGHT to squeeze in those three days. Weather conditions were best for a cuddly couch potato evening (3°C and rain) but the line-up of this concert evening was just too irresistible to stay home. And it was not only me that was allured to the :: Sputnik Café :: in Muenster, much the opposite, the venue was packed and crowded right from the beginning.
That made the bands happy and even pushed them even more to leave nothing but burnt stages, while the crowd was in high spirits too.

This day also marked the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A bitter day indeed that was commented with a big "Fuck Putin" by bands and fans alike.

:: pics :: AGAMENDON ::

Exactly on 8pm German death metallers :: AGAMENDON :: got on stage and kicked off the evening. I haven't heard of this band for ages. Their last musical effort was the 2014 released EP Regicide followed by a handful of shows afterwards until around 2017. I thought the band had split up. But there is still life in the old dog yet ;) As there is to read, the band locked in a studio during corona and recorded a new album. So far, there is nothing to hear and to see of a new album or even of a release date but AGAMENDON played two brand new songs (Agoraphobie and Abasement) and those killed. The band fully played up right from the start, first in a nonchalant Godfather outfit, later with dropped suspenders. As already mentioned, the club was packed and the crowd didn't need long to get in full swing too. Hard to say who had more fun during this set, band or fans ;)

Band: Justin Cimati (git), Kai Overkamp (bass), Julian Hollesch (vox), Daniel Stöckner (git), Sascha Schiller (drums)
Setlist: Downwards, Fallout, …And Another View, Devastated Empire, Agoraphobie, Toxic Zombie, Erasing Flesh Forever, New Economy, Abasement, Outbreak

:: pics :: ANTILLES ::

Fans hardly had time for a fresh beer and a cig before :: ANTILLES :: continued on a high level. They even raised the bar. So did the crowd in their agility. This performance was a home match for the Muenster boys.
Last year in summer, ANTILLES released the EP Entheos, which I really liked. Two songs from this one and the rest from the band's 2018 debut The Intricate Path Of Creation. The band has audibly developed, now following a more complex, technically challenging and progressive Death Metal approach, without being too tricky and overly intellectual. There is still a lot of groove and power in it. Second to last song Humanity Is Cancer brought Jan Wiltschut on stage, singer of Muenster's own Heretic Warfare, to add another pinch of aggressiveness. What an asskicking show! Totally blew my mind (that's what I was here fore, right? ;)).

Band: Niels Luft (bass, vox), Alexander Domke (drums), Oskar Kowalik (git, vox), Conrad Meyer (vox, git)
Setlist: Helios, Black Mountain, The Great Unknown, The Gift Of Finiteness, The Intricate Path Of Creation, Humanity Is Cancer, Divine Illusion

:: pics :: THE VERY END ::

No rest for the wicked. Ruhr area based :: THE VERY END :: we accompanied quite intensive since they came into existence. But it seems, during the last years we lost sight of them. Their latest output, Zeitgeist, we did not even review and I actually can't remember (without looking into the mag's archive) when I have seen them playing live last time. Though, I could still sing along some of the old tracks ;) However, it was long overdue to catch them again and THE VERY END were actually the main reason not to fuse with my sofa. And geez, this was fucking awesome! What a wrecking ball! I indeed had forgotten how fkg great TVE live are. I couldn't stand still any second, and since the lights weren't that pleasant I put the camera away and went wild too. Ah, that was sooo good! I want more!

Band: Marc Beste (bass), René Bogdanski (git), Björn Gooßes (vox), Jerome Reil (drums), Marc Bräutigam (git)
Setlist: Teratoma, Light The Lows, The Leper, Zeitgeist, A Hole In The Sun, On Parole, Flatline, The Day It All Went Black, Rat Nation, Splinters, Until There's Nothing Left Of Us

:: pics :: WORDS OF FAREWELL ::

To be honest, :: WORDS OF FAREWELL :: I knew in name only. Good thing, I met them unbiased and I didn't know what to expect. WORDS OF FAREWELL had organized the SPUTNIK METAL NIGHT, so, it didn't wonder that the fans were mostly here for them vehemently proclaiming their band-love ;)
The stage in this small club is… um… small too. The previous bands delivered highly energetic shows, which already caused some near accidents with the hairs, hanging speakers, wires, equipment and monitor speakers. Now, being a sextet itself, WORDS OF FAREWELL put even additional smoke jets on stage. Besides, singer Alex is a giant that truly goes wild on stage. It was late; the level of energy was immense throughout the whole evening. WORDS OF FAREWELL topped this, gave everything and likewise demanded the last pinch of energy from the already exhausted crowd. And the fans responded even with circle pits. Witnessing that it was nearly impossible to get through the show without injuries. It was almost at the end of the set, when bassist Konstantin was hit by Alex' micro with full force. It caused a bleeding laceration on his forehead that gave him a grim and evil looking face. He was almost knocked out, visibly didn't feel well but still played till the end. I salute you Konstantin, for having that grit!
Musically, WORDS OF FAREWELL went through all of their releases. They play melodic Death Metal the Finnish way. But also early Dark Tranquillity may come to mind. Aggressive music, heavy, sweaty but also with wonderful melodies. Keyboards and backing vocals went a bit under but that didn't narrow the pleasure any bit. For details and finesse listen to their records in your own four walls. So, here we are, long after midnight: exhausted but happy.

That was an evening full of joy and entertainment. And more relaxing than spent on the sofa watching whatever on TV. Only a full session at the gym could have kept up with it. Oh, workout and the music of WORDS OF FAREWELL would be probably a perfect match ;)

Band: Konstantin Voßhoff (bass), Alexander "Alex" Otto (vox), Erik "EG" Gaßmus (git, vox), Leo Wichmann (keys), Tristan Wegner (drums), Robin "Rob" Dirks (git)
Setlist: Telltale Notion, Zero Temperance, Gaia Demise, The Midnight Star, Whispering Deeps, Ever After, Born Of Sleep, Chronotopos, Continuum Shift // In Kingdoms Of Rain

Story & Pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography