ARMAGEDDON FESTIVAL - DAY TWO –
LONDON HIGHBURY GARAGE 05/06/10
After some pass out time it was back to the venue for Finnish mob Sacrilegious Impalement. I had enjoyed their debut EP and was looking forward to catching them. There was plenty of venom behind Kaosbringer’s vocals and a nice thick sound from the musicians who had all gone to a fair bit of effort with their corpse paint. Again it seemed like the evening was getting off to a fairly slow start, I did expect tonight to be busier towards the middle of the evening but for the moment I guess everyone else was still in the recovery position. A strange stench of fish cut through the venue and I hoped it was backstage catering rather than something Watain were cooking up and it was an odd accompaniment for the band on stage. ‘March Of Doom’ as perhaps the name suggested went for a more mid-paced approach with spiralling guitars and heavy drum hits forging through the song. Following it up as per the album with ‘Baptism By Blood’ the audience watched with appreciation pacing themselves for now and ensuing later carnage. The last song stood out and I mistakenly thought it might even be a cover as it had a rancid punk feel to it but was actually an early track 'Behead The Infants Of God.' It certainly got its message over and concluded a solid set.
I missed Necro Ritual having seen them so many times lately I have practically run out of things to say. The one real bone of contention was the power tripping security this weekend and we were not allowed readmission after 7.30 this eve despite a 3AM finish. Some things never change and it was the only chance to nip out where we saw stacks of people doing similar, the Polish contingent were even having a barbeque in the park.
Even if they had been later in after the curfew it would have been very brave security trying to stop a load of mad Poles seeing their native offering of the weekend, Azarath. This lot were everything one would expect from a Polish death metal band; tight, dependable, solid and of course absofuckinglutley brutal. It’s hair-twirling, neck-wrecking extremity from the second they burst into ‘Legacy Of Tyrant Goat.’ Throneum / Thunderbolt singer Necrosodom was wrapped in chains and in fine voice and we also had Trufel ex. Yattering on guitar here. No Inferno on drums for live shows but the battery was unmerciful thanks to Adam Sierzega. It would be unfair to say the members sound like a mix of all the bands their members have served in, Hellbound were namechecked by others and the bbq fed crowd were in fine form here, violently throwing the pit into a carnage-fuelled whirlpool. Songs like ‘Demon Speed’ and ahem ‘Whip The Whore’ tore the place up and the band seemed much better and tighter than when I saw them at Party San - I think the indoor venue suited them more. Well done to them for getting an encore too, no way they were getting let off easily by this crowd.
Time for something a bit more subdued? Well yes and no. The Devil’s Blood may have seemed a strange choice on paper but we knew they were going to make total sense. Still nothing could prepare me for my 1st live encounter with them. The players tuned up to ‘Give Me Shelter,’ went off and came back with their singer - all of them covered with (real) animal blood. It was impossible not to get spattered with a bit in the photo pit but what an entrance! They had also lit loads of incense and as they took us into their magickal, mystical world the air was already heavy and heady. There are two fantastic aspects to this band live, firstly singer Farida looked like a Greek goddess and exuded such power whilst singing and such control when not (back to audience arms spread, for long periods of time) it was quite a spectacle. Once you got over the idea that this was not Carrie at the school prom in front of you but an incredibly powerful singer it was really quite an experience. The band should not be forgotten in the slightest, they were equally brilliant, playing 70s sounding retro rock with more than a hint of an arcane twist and turn about it. Dreamy numbers like ‘House Of Ten Thousand Voices’ really hit the mark and I fell in love with virtually everything about this band. There were long parts that were just instrumental including a Hawkwind etched space jam which was really stellar. They also seemed to get everyone else completely rocking out and had us transfixed for the entirety of their hour long set, one I was sorely disappointed when it ended with ‘Christ Or Cocaine.’ The satanic hippy in me was well and truly appeased by this flower of flesh and blood!
The Antichrist was about to storm and the stage set-up, as ever, looked brilliant for Watain. The stench started to snake out although it was a bit restrained compared to other times I have smelled the band. The photo pit may have been best place to witness this unveiling of songs from the fantastic ‘Lawless Darkness’ but it was also the smelliest. This band are in a league of their own at the moment as well as in league with Satan - they walk the talk and they do it with conviction. The power behind opening song ‘Malfeitor’ instantly commanded as it drove through us and charged headlong into a maddening fury. E is a real character on stage and he knows how to play for the cameras whilst keeping the audience entertained as he shakes, shivers and gibbers like a man possessed. Live bassist A looked practically dead, his make up was equally fantastic and of course there was also Set Teitan fleshing out the ranks. Those who had not had the chance to hear the album unless they had bought it the night before and played it before the show would not have been disappointed, it took in the whole back catalogue from ‘Devil’s Blood,’ to ‘Sworn To The Dark’ and ‘Rabid Death Curse’ al flung out and chanted along to by the packed to the rafters venue. I did enjoy getting to grips with a couple of new ones for the first time, particularly enjoying the snarling bite of ‘Wolfs Curse’ and of course ‘Reaping Death’ which I was pleased to have picked up on the merch stand earlier. It was at this point I realised towards the end of the set that the lighting had not changed, it had been blood red for the whole of the set, the colour of blood, hate, rage and vengeance triumphed. This was a display of black metal at its very best and as far as Watain and The Devils Blood are concerned, believe the hype! Catch Watain on the festival circuit and back in London in September, I know I will.
So it has been twenty years since Von, played and many thought this would never happen. Some had flown to catch this very rare spectacle which was to be a possible one off (although just prior to this Hole In The Sky was announced). All I can say is if you missed this and are thinking of going there specifically to see them, save your money. Some memories are best left in the past and all this sloppy performance was likely to do was tarnish them. The band had made it over, they got on stage and played for about 35 minutes or so with singer Von Goat keep telling us how humble he was and that was pretty much it. They may have spearheaded USBM and been highly influential on the 2nd wave of BM in general but you never would have guessed it from this. Watain got their tribute from the song they took their name from, other numbers were not particularly recognisable at all. Von Venien seemed going through the motions and the whole thing seemed thrown together by a band who had not even rehearsed in twenty years, let alone played. Sure they did not really record that much material and we expected the likes of ‘Devil Pig’ and ‘Satanic Blood’ to get played but I was amazed when the show abruptly finished without the merest hint of goat skulls, fire or even a spark of atmosphere. The darkness had gone and we were thankful that it had been provided by the new blood who far outshone this sorry anti-climax. It would actually seem that everyone I spoke with and all forum posts made so far echo my sentiments, so at least I’m not alone. However half an hour or so of surprise disappointment does not diminish the fact that this was on the whole a great weekend of black and death metal.
Many thanks to the combined forces of RedRaven, StrataNael and Meat Fiddler promotions, long may you all reign!
Pete Woods
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