review by dalia di giacomo

all photos © by Stefan W. Vogelaar

[The public use of these photos  is strictly prohibited without written permission]

IN AETERNUM 

ARKHON INFAUSTUS 

BELPHEGOR 

I think that there is still much to work in Switzerland concerning the expansion and the self-consciousness of the Black Metal scene. The tendency is to remain very closed at the level of local bands that obviously and with right are supported quite faithfully (this is good but is not sufficient) , or, on the contrary,  a venue gets packed when Dimmu Borgir play. It's kind of 2 excessive way of doing, isn't it? And bands that are true meaningful and active within Black and Black /Death with that mature relief that makes of them no rock star but a well respected presence in whole Europe (and not only)  still find some difficulty to fill the venues in Wilhelm Tell's land, and in particular when passing in the middle of  the week and not on a  friday, saturday or sunday.  Ehi my dear Swiss Black metallers, please move you ass when those  bands play in "our" beautiful Switzerland, OK? This evening i expected a bigger crowd to attend Belphegor and Arkhon Infaustus supported by In Aeternum. Belphegor unfortunately don't come to Switzerland every 2 days and such an occasion, after the release of the exquisite and profane Goatreich-Fleshcult, would have been better not to go lost. I hope in another more acclaimed occasion in the near future. Nonetheless let's not criticize too much: after all there was a  presence, only that in wideness of the awesome venue C4, that i presume has the same capability of the z7, whatever  crowd , if not massive, seems little thing. No doubt, just  get a look on C4's agenda: this venue could be designated, in my very humble opinion, to become the new Swiss cathedral and propeller, i just allow myself to wish  that events like No Mercy and X-mass will stop here one day : it is comfortable, it is new,  there is a big stage, there is courtesy and attention, take away, long tables , bar and so numerous and clean toilets which can enter in  competition with those ones of the  motorway stations. Let's simply give the time to the scene to find new paths, though, speaking of Black  and Black /Death in particular, i Zürich and Luzern  should act as  constant leading centres. Ok spoken enough about venues and people present or not present. I also know that in other parts of Europe the tour has met much more consistent response, so let's not be (too) sad. Almost in the dark, the first band hits the stage in front of introverted disciples of the Abyss

Swedish In Aeternum  begin with a very resolute attitude, though their faces don't seem exactly very enthusiastic, nonetheless they greet "Hallo Switzerland" after the first track. The crowd is practically absolutely static  but very attentive, recording well in their mind how the bands acts, and In Aeternum play satisfactory with  a good drumming, a quite evil pushing and explosion of melodies. The guitar solos are quite drilling, the double bass drumming implacable. The sound is good though just a bit too loud. But this opinion comes from my ears that are used to very loud sounds yet still not deaf. It may be that others  could have found the sound remarkably too loud  for all 3 bands playing this evening. This is due to fact that big venues when not packed tend to amplify the most. Of course  In Aeternum present songs from their new album "Dawn of a new Aeon"  as well as previous ones. All in all the performance is quite thunderous and solid, balanced between fast attacks and slowdowns. Well, anyway we are attending no 100%  canonic Black Metal. Much is hybridized with Death, we are far from corpse paints and vampiric screaming diabolic style. been all 3 bands more or less this way, we are not into the total fascination of true Black , nonetheless , on the other hand, the typical redhot elegant attitude of Black  and many of its schemes are fully preserved in all 3 concerts. In Aeternum end their show around h 21:05 with the deserved applauses but nothing more than that. A call for an encore is pure utopia.

I was so curious, so tremendously curious  about Arkhon Infaustus  because i like their provocative style. I was imagining that Arkhon Infaustus would have brought on the stage i don't know which insane "scenography" directly from hell. On the contrary the band has chosen  a "normal" straightforward behaviour, a behaviour which, after all,  i  appreciate. In fact there is always time in order to become kitch and improbable, though from Arkhon Infaustus i would have enjoyed a more original performance any way.  I detest excessive  scenographies, but also the total absence of them from bands like Arkhon is not that exciting. MaybeArkhon  have  reached  the essence of wisdom or maybe the Swiss pruderie has reached  the essence of censorship. mahh... Holding line and position, the band remains quite static ,  putting all its dynamism on the music, which is fortunately very elastic. Distorted and hypnotic sounds  pave the way to more evil rhythms. Tremolos and melodic breakdowns, mid tempo's and pace changes and each other versatility is supported by a brilliant drumming. At times they acquire a ritual touch, while the good loops provide for an effective impact on the crowd that seems slightly more animated. Two vocals intertwine assuring different timbres. The mark of Perdition Insanabilis is here: obscure nightmares and paroxysm, Gloomy, menacing.  The band sounds evil, play well and exactly, but the result is  some good applause and nothing more. To pump up the crowd seems very difficult. The call for an encore is  pure utopia

But Helmuth and his Belphegor are able to do a miracle: this thing could place  them at the same level of Christ or better...the Antichrist. First off, while waiting for Belphegor, the atmosphere seems more relaxed and lively, the people , though slowly (eh slowly, taking all their time ) get closer to the stage, showing more than a simple veil of interest and expectation. When Belphegor enter the stage , they find a quite alive audience, which  is becoming more and more enthusiast  the more the concert proceeds. There is no doubt that most people are here mainly, if not exclusively, for Belphegor and that Belphegor's songs are not unknown. Headbanging are more numerous. Belphegor are appreciated and admired. Technically, Belphegor have delivered a superb concert. They are not that mobile and they too are very straightforward and dry, nonetheless  they radiate energy , Helmuth is charismatic and supported perfectly by his mates . Strings are relentless and drumming is amazing. 

The coordination between snare, toms and bass drums is nearly close to perfection, every tempo change works fluency and mighty as a shimano cycling gear. The speed with which the sticks are handled  is the mirror of the great elasticity in the wrists. The intro is fantastic, if i were a dictator my only undisputable order would be the obligation  to play this intro in every extreme dark concert always and in sempiternum: Masked Ball by Jocelyn Pook. The chant of the scene Fidelio from the movie Eyes Wide Shut. Masked Ball is  a backward setting of the chant of 2 Orthodox priests  Pook said that the result  is diabolical. True. Soon Masked Ball fades into  the intro of Cruzifixus- Anus Dei. Many songs from Goatreich_Fleshcult are on the setlist: among those,  Swarm of Rats and Crucifixus Anus Dei are total killer.  Bleedy Salvation , towards which Helmuth has a real soft spot, sounds better live than on CD but for me remains always quite average stuff, while Fukk the Blood of Christ from Lucifer Incestus is supreme. 3 intros are included in the set and the last two productions take it (almost) all. The concert is atmospheric, aggressive, heretic. with a perfect fusion between recorded intros/ambience  and the performance live. Belphegor has set on fire again the Swiss ground, pity that only few are the chosen ones to see it today evening. This time the encore is called and sincerely,  but...to think that Belphegor come back to play just only one song , Purity through Fire, is, unfortunately, pure utopia... 

setlist

intro: cruzifixus anus dei

bleeding salvation

fornicationium et immundus diabolus

intro: the goatchrist

sepulture of hypocrisy

diaboli virtus in lumbar est

intro: demonic staccato erection

festum festorum

fukk the blood of christ

swarm of rats

lucifer incestus

dalia di giacomo

presentation|news|reviews|interviews|live reports|specials|f**king bollox|tours|dates

  upcoming releases|underground|artwork|videoclips|MP3's|venues

     links|contacts|gryphonbook

[I Despair]

© GryphonMetal.ch   2001-2005Niederrohrdorf - Switzerland               contacts