Oh February 8th, 2025, legendary Finnish black metal act BARATHRUM were scheduled to play at Bar Kotelo in Tampere. They brought along black/thrash metal outfit BEATRIX and VITRIOLIC as support.
With crushing black thrash metal, BEATRIX opened the evening at Bar Kotelo, Tampere. The first time I saw this band was a couple of months ago, and as a black thrash fan, I was immediately impressed by their stage presence and raw energy. Their singer is a force to be reckoned with, constantly moving between the stage and the crowd, making the performance feel personal and dynamic for the audience.
Another reason to look forward to this show was VITRIOLIC, a band that came highly recommended by friends. They did not disappoint and turned out to be a fantastic discovery of the night! With their crushing black metal sound, an arsenal of powerful riffs, and relentless blast beats, they captivated the audience and set the perfect mood for the headliner.
After a short break, the evening approached its climax—the crowd was buzzing with excitement, eagerly waiting for the legendary BARATHRUM, one of Finland’s most important black metal bands from the ’90s to today and a massive influence on many black metal musicians. The show kicked off with intense energy as Janne Sova‘s powerful voice roared through “Deep from the Depths” from their “Hailstorm” album.
“Give me a beer!” Janne Sova demanded as he jumped onto the stage from the crowd, setting the tone for what was about to be an unforgettable performance. When “Legions of Perkele” started, Bar Kotelo erupted—everyone was singing along, fully immersed in the moment. “We are Legions of Perkele!” echoed through the venue as the audience and band became one.
Closing their set in spectacular fashion, they delivered “Last Day in Heaven” as an encore, followed by the thunderous “Saatana,” with the crowd passionately chanting the chorus until the very end. And with that, the BARATHRUM set came to an end.
Beatrix
Vitriolic
Barathrum
Photos by Lola Valkyrie
