Damn, I accumulated quite a list of shows to write about in one week. Five reports to finish - and the next thing is coming in early June. As memories are overlapping and fighting each other, some performances already feel like they happened terribly long ago. So yes, it's really time to not only choose and prepare pictures (square photos = smartphone / the rest = Digital Harinezumi 2.0 toy camera), but actually start typing!
After last year's great experience I traveled to Copenhagen again for A Colossal Weekend, that small festival based on Post Rock and Metal, which isn't afraid to branch out into different and experimental directions. Parts of its concepts are clearly inspired by Roadburn (for example there are Artists in Residence) even though the scale is of course much smaller and it cannot go nearly as far with the sheer amount of experimentation. Still, my impression is that the audiences of both events are pretty similar in nature: mainly fans of extreme, noisy, heavy music, who are also open to be surprised out of their comfort zones and - oh how much I value this! - know, when to just fuck the shut up and listen.
Besides this aspect the Danish festival also shines a bright light onto the recent Scandinavian scene.
Last year I only attended for Friday and Saturday. This time I was there for... uhm... let's say two days and a half, but the reason for that is not to be addressed in this write-up yet.
I won't bore you with the whole tale of my travel day and various stressful situations. (Why are certain Metro stations always closed due to construction when you have lots of stuff to carry?)
But I will share that most of my stay certainly went smooth. The weather couldn't have been more friendly for drivers and tourists. It was the first time I tried Airbnb and it was actually such a good experience that I probably won't do that again in fear of getting disappointed now. Very friendly host, even had low-carbon bread you'd never see in a hotel - and I just had a couple of minutes to walk to the Vega venue, where all the action was taking place.
While the sun was still burning, live music started in the cool cellar of The Basement with a Danish band that covered various of the basics of the weekend's stylistic range. I think Offernat mostly alternated between crushing Post Metal, atmospheric Black Metal and Funeral Doom.
I was still a bit stressed from some uhm... unnecessary stuff which had happened shortly before, so I needed a while to get into the proper mood. This trio certainly had the right sound to ease me into it. For one long song they were joined by an additional second guitar player, who just tuned his instrument, got on stage, played the thing and left again casually without anyone making a big Rock star "look people, here's another dude!" fuzz about it. Cool band with a beautiful bleak sound.
I was still a bit stressed from some uhm... unnecessary stuff which had happened shortly before, so I needed a while to get into the proper mood. This trio certainly had the right sound to ease me into it. For one long song they were joined by an additional second guitar player, who just tuned his instrument, got on stage, played the thing and left again casually without anyone making a big Rock star "look people, here's another dude!" fuzz about it. Cool band with a beautiful bleak sound.
Was it even minutes (in plural), before I stood in front of the main stage in the Little Vega? This festival really is one of very short distances.
It definitely didn't take a minute for Mortiferum's Death Metal inferno to win me over. The US band had all the uncompromising brutality, certain abyssal atmosphere and sickness I love in my Death Metal. They were "technical", but didn't get lost in that and - even more important - knew how to be melodic without losing the whole Death Metal aura doing so. It actually sometimes felt a lot like Sulphur Aeon with more movement on stage. I had a good evil time during their show and contemplated fuckyeah! several times.
It definitely didn't take a minute for Mortiferum's Death Metal inferno to win me over. The US band had all the uncompromising brutality, certain abyssal atmosphere and sickness I love in my Death Metal. They were "technical", but didn't get lost in that and - even more important - knew how to be melodic without losing the whole Death Metal aura doing so. It actually sometimes felt a lot like Sulphur Aeon with more movement on stage. I had a good evil time during their show and contemplated fuckyeah! several times.
New year, new stage? The Lounge hadn't been on the menu last time. It's a room one floor above the Little Vega and actually very much a (not even that) little version of it. The stage felt more intimate though. Which is good when you have a trio with the drummer as a main vocalist.
There hadn't been very much time between me finishing my last Roadburn report and A Colossal Weekend, so I hadn't spent much time making myself familiar with the line-up. That made things a little confusing, because there are several bands named after the Icelandic volcano Katla. Well, this one came directly from Copenhagen and their sound actually resembled filthy Blackened Sludge you'd expect to crawl out of a fiery mountain. Super gnarly, nasty and grim Doom praising Thomas Gabriel Warrior and our good ol' overlord Satan.
There hadn't been very much time between me finishing my last Roadburn report and A Colossal Weekend, so I hadn't spent much time making myself familiar with the line-up. That made things a little confusing, because there are several bands named after the Icelandic volcano Katla. Well, this one came directly from Copenhagen and their sound actually resembled filthy Blackened Sludge you'd expect to crawl out of a fiery mountain. Super gnarly, nasty and grim Doom praising Thomas Gabriel Warrior and our good ol' overlord Satan.
Even though I had enjoyed every band so far - and even each one a little more than the previous - the night began to feel monothematic in regards of everything being somehow infused by Black Metal. So given the range I knew this festival could have I would have welcomed a different flavour now.
On the other hand the next group on the Little Vega stage played such an energetic headliner-worthy show, that I didn't mind their style not only being infused by northern darkness, but actually being full-on modern Black Metal.
I'm not sot sure yet if I would need to listen to Gaerea at home, but the balance of Post Black Metal and pure motörheadish Rock'n'Roll spirit gives them their own vibe - and the live performance of the Portuguese horde in anonymous stage attire certainly was a great spectacle to behold. Also the only show as far as I have counted, where the singer put a bird's cage on his head. It's alright, we're all friends here, so you do you!
On the other hand the next group on the Little Vega stage played such an energetic headliner-worthy show, that I didn't mind their style not only being infused by northern darkness, but actually being full-on modern Black Metal.
I'm not sot sure yet if I would need to listen to Gaerea at home, but the balance of Post Black Metal and pure motörheadish Rock'n'Roll spirit gives them their own vibe - and the live performance of the Portuguese horde in anonymous stage attire certainly was a great spectacle to behold. Also the only show as far as I have counted, where the singer put a bird's cage on his head. It's alright, we're all friends here, so you do you!
But now, back in the dim lit Basement the one completely Black Metal free show of the day finally arrived, thanks to the - yes, hit me! - Black Metal band Afsky, as two of its members teamed up with the string ensemble Halvcirkel for a special performance in an unusual setting.
Two thirds of the stage were set up like a cozy living room, lava lamps and all, so standing in front of it, looking at the sitting artists, made you feel a bit as if you were a poor child in the snow, pressing your nose onto the windows of a fancy restaurant to watch the rich people dine. (I don't think there was anything served other than beer and water though.) The remaining third was just empty with a circular projection of atmospheric nature impressions, which suggested there was some kind of seasons motif in the music. And isn't that quite a usual occurance in Baroque Music? Not an expert, sorry...
If it is, we have a perfect fit here, because this performance was indeed a take on pure Chamber Music, played with two acoustic guitars, violin, viola and violoncello. One guitar often even sounded as if it would try to emulate harpsichord arrangements.
Especially in contrast to the pitch black line-up of this whole Thursday the quiet special interest appeal of this show stood out as the one experience that could have failed miserably at lesser Metal festivals, but made complete sense here. As I said before the audience was very receptive and didn't disturb this rather delicate show. (And anyone who needed it louder now surely was upstairs, where - the only complete clash on the timetable tonight - Kollapse were playing in the Lounge.)
Just listening to the music alone at home I would likely prefer the first three bands to Afsky + Halvcirkel, unless I'm in a silent nocturnal mood, but in the context of the festival day the collaboration clearly stood out as my personal highlight.
Two thirds of the stage were set up like a cozy living room, lava lamps and all, so standing in front of it, looking at the sitting artists, made you feel a bit as if you were a poor child in the snow, pressing your nose onto the windows of a fancy restaurant to watch the rich people dine. (I don't think there was anything served other than beer and water though.) The remaining third was just empty with a circular projection of atmospheric nature impressions, which suggested there was some kind of seasons motif in the music. And isn't that quite a usual occurance in Baroque Music? Not an expert, sorry...
If it is, we have a perfect fit here, because this performance was indeed a take on pure Chamber Music, played with two acoustic guitars, violin, viola and violoncello. One guitar often even sounded as if it would try to emulate harpsichord arrangements.
Especially in contrast to the pitch black line-up of this whole Thursday the quiet special interest appeal of this show stood out as the one experience that could have failed miserably at lesser Metal festivals, but made complete sense here. As I said before the audience was very receptive and didn't disturb this rather delicate show. (And anyone who needed it louder now surely was upstairs, where - the only complete clash on the timetable tonight - Kollapse were playing in the Lounge.)
Just listening to the music alone at home I would likely prefer the first three bands to Afsky + Halvcirkel, unless I'm in a silent nocturnal mood, but in the context of the festival day the collaboration clearly stood out as my personal highlight.
Only the big headliner with the longest show was left now. And while they were definitely put into this position to attract day ticket buyers, I personally felt very indifferent about Wolves In The Throne Room. Would this change tonight? Would they finally click with me? Especially after so much other (Post) Black(ened) material? *drumroll* No.
Objectively they're not a bad band at all and I get that there's something somehow different about their music and its presentation, but nah, whatever it is... Sorry, it's just still not for me.
So I didn't stay until the end and soon welcomed my bed after a long day, which had actually started more than one hour too early, because a certain cat, which I didn't even know was in my room, had suddenly jumped beside my pillow demanding food. I was glad to finally claim that lost hour back now and slept like a baby.
Objectively they're not a bad band at all and I get that there's something somehow different about their music and its presentation, but nah, whatever it is... Sorry, it's just still not for me.
So I didn't stay until the end and soon welcomed my bed after a long day, which had actually started more than one hour too early, because a certain cat, which I didn't even know was in my room, had suddenly jumped beside my pillow demanding food. I was glad to finally claim that lost hour back now and slept like a baby.
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