CAMDEN UNDERWORLD - 18/10/07
For me the gig began with one of the most visually bizarre bands I’ve seen, Goat the Head, who dressed in supposed caveman attire, animal skins and played what they described as “primal caveman Death Metal”. The stage show was nothing but amusing, and I paid more attention to this than their fairly average brand of rhythmic Death metal. Some fans had brought plastic clubs with them and could be seen frequently wacking the band members in time with the music! I didn’t catch any titles but I can safely say I’ve never seen a gig like that before.
1349 were something else entirely. With the stage lighting as dim and minimalistic as could be, Archaon walked on with a flaming torch, though only fire-breathed once. God, I’m becoming greedy! Minutes later (or so it seemed) the intro music came to an end, Ravn strode on, spikes and corpse paint at the ready, just in time for ‘Legion’. ‘I AM…’ he screamed at us, and we agreed that he was indeed ‘…ABOMINATION!!!’ Don’t worry Ravn, we like you really! ‘Beyond the Apokalypse’ flew by in a more Thrashy melée of Norse noise and it was clear at this point that stand in drummer (for Frost was busy in Japan with Satyricon) Mads Gullbekkhei was proving to be a most suitable replacement. His corpse paint wasn’t so skilfully administered, but his blasting was certainly up to scratch. ‘Pitch Black’ drowned the Underworld in an ocean of darkness and 
I’ll tell you something; photographing this lot is an absolute pain! The atmosphere may, or rather did benefit from the absence of light, but my photos didn’t! Ugh…okay I’ll stop ranting. ‘Riders of the Apokalypse’ brought more of that Black Thrash sound back and the crowd, I think it’s safe to say, were enjoying themselves (don’t tell Fenriz though! 1349 may be internationally banned if he ever finds out!). Being close to the front, I could feel the pit dwellers’ antics every time someone was slammed into the mass of bodies gathered in front of the stage. Up came the highlights for me…’Necronatalenheten’ and ‘To Rottendom’…oh I was happy! ‘Satanic Propaganda’ sounded almost pretty after that crescendo of lunacy, but turned suitably rabid and snarling itself in due course. I’ve made this observation before, and I’ll quite happily make it again; it’s worth the admission price for Archaon’s waist length hair wind-milling alone. Haha, just remind me to cough up the €70 for Wacken next time they’re announced! The paint was running (especially Seidemann’s, who had barely stopped slamming his head around), and the set list dwindling. We had four more Black masses to digest before their time was up. ‘Nathicana’ sounded glorious and was promptly followed by ‘Chasing Dragons’. It was time to ask to crowd something: ‘London, CAN YOU HEAR THEM CALLING?’. We assured Ravn that we could distinctly hear them calling from beyond, and this he seemed pleased with. ‘Sculptor of Flesh’ was our reward. The end came with ‘Manifest’, and then it was time for an (unusual) signing session! One of the prime live Black Metal acts around in my opinion!
Oliver Cass