Despite not being especially religious, its hard to say no to an orthodox liturgy, BATUSHKA-style, especially when they visit one’s own lovely city. And when it’s on Sunday? Well, a most appropriate day to attend, isn’t it?
We were slightly late on arrival but managed to catch the opening band, HORE, nevertheless. Not often does one see a black metal band in this unusual… well… garment, for a lack of a better word. And with a saxophone on top of that! Quite an interesting combo, definitely one to look out for when you’re searching for something fresh.
Subsequently was REDEMPTOR. They’re a quality brand, known for years in the Polish metal scene. Being slightly different in style compared to the rest of the night’s menu, they delivered a solid smack in the face with their technical death metal.
After REDEMPTOR, we were back on the dark side once more. Czech INFERNO tossed dark veils over themselves and the stage as well, forcing us to change our approach and experiment a bit with dark silhouettes on stage.
I have a bit of a soft spot for BESATT, as one of the first black metal bands I came in contact with, so I have always liked their live shows. On this night, they absolutely spoiled each and every one of us. Not only with lights (well, ok, that’d be only yours truly appreciating this the most), but mid-way through their set, we got not only buck-naked ladies, monks waving incense, and executioner, but also a little suspension show. For the second time in my life, I had a hard time deciding between shooting and simply watching in awe. Thank you, lads, you made my evening!
I had wanted to say that this was my first time seeing DIABOLICAL live, but I couldn’t actually see any of them because of the thick blanket of fog on the stage. This was somewhat of a pity, as I really dig their music and would love to see some decent Swedish blackened death metal on stage in more appealing circumstances. Props for the lovely contact with the audience! Their guitarist spoke some decent Polish and won some souls over because of that. He was “our guy” immediately. And belated happy birthday to him!
Lastly, BATUSHKA. It doesn’t matter how many times I see them… it’s always worth it for the sheer celebration of the whole liturgy. The splendor, the scale, the attention to detail… and all that in a tasty black metal sauce.
HORE
REDEMPTOR
INFERNO
BESATT
DIABOLICAL
BATUSHKA
