INFERNO FESTIVAL 2017 – Day two #1 – Rockefeller & John Dee

Day 2 of Inferno Festival 2017 opened for me with the few last minutes of Insidious Disease show, so I cannot make too many comments about it. Hence, I will consider that the first show I watched is Diabolus Incarnate at John Dee. Originating from South Africa but who are now residing closer to Europe, in the UK, the band delivered a good portion of dark symphonies and finger breaking riffs, with really cool and subtle melodies that invite you to a world of horrors and suffering, making you wonder which of the dark aspects of life in South Africa has led to its composition. The music is a really fine piece of symphonic black metal and hopefully it got well appreciated in the country with a long history of this genre.

Up next we have the extreme metallers in Anaal Nathrakh and their unrelenting energy that makes for a complete and loud chaos and stage. The energy is at peak level during each of the songs, but it all breaks up due the long breaks in between, but it is obvious that some rest is needed to be able to deliver madness for more than 5 minutes. The ending was a bit confusing as Dave Hunt thanked everyone for coming and said that the crowd can chose if the next song would be an old hit or a new hit. And then it seemed that it didn’t matter that much as the band members didn’t agree. Well, I was on my way down to John Dee anyway so I didn’t follow up on the choice.

Time for more black metal, this time hailing from Poland, bearing the name of Infernal War and bringing the soundtrack to genocide, as they call it. Some people find it harder to digest the fact that they used to come up with an album entitled "Infernal SS" as well as song titles like ‘Jewhammer’, ‘Genocide Command’ or ‘Czarne Legiony SS (Black Legions Of SS)’. And even if they seem to stand for extermination of the weaker masses, they do not associate themselves with any political sides or NSBM. Musicwise, their sound is well led by an impressive voice and the blackmetal is often infused here and there with bits of thrash or death metal, but either way they combine the elements, there is constant hatred which makes you really feel the fury needed to compose it. And channel it towards the light guy who keeps loving those strobe lights (I can’t help mentioning this detail, but it constantly destroys the concert experiences)

A favorite for many was the upcoming show on Rockefeller – the Swiss band Samael and their intense symphonic/industrial/black metal. Not really my top favorite combo, but I must admit that the guys do it with style and their stage presence is almost perfect. They have the built of fashion models, they all wear black – with guitarist Marco "Makro" Rivao having his face painted half side black and half side white and wearing black gloves (or a very resistant paint on the palms). The light show adds to the majesty of the concert and is very suitable for the powerful industrial beats. I’ve never eally noticed that the keyboard played also plays a half drumkit. He does both with tremendous energy, performing some high jumps on the loudest beats and constantly being on the move – just like the two guitarists who do not have to sing. Entertaining to watch, a good rhythm for dancing and headbanging and now I know to hang around for their shows next time.

I left before it ended though so I can find myself an ok place at John Dee before all the tall people come in and ‘cut’ my access to the stage. I did want to see Crowbar and their New Orleans originating sludge metal, well infused with doses of punk like parts. They do have a certain American attitude and of course, accent, which becomes very obvious during the chats between songs when the singer asks people to scream louder and louder so that even a deaf man like him can hear it. The slow, sludgy melodies tell the story of misery and gloom, but they so hit you in the face the second the band starts their hardcore beats and they do it loud and fast. Fantastic stage attitude to go with the music and so far I can call this one the highlight of the festival.

Back to Rockefeller, the curtains are pulled and we can’t see what is happening on the main stage. Last time I watched Gorgoroth live was last year at Blastfest and there they decorated the stage with sheep heads and crucified naked women. I surely expected the same, in the Easter spirit and I couldn’d hide my disappointment when it turned out that none of these were used for this show. The only stage ‘props’ were the gigantic spikes worn by the band members and they were not successful in keeping my attention for more than 3 and a half songs, songs too full of repetitive blasts and riffs. Hopefully it turned out to be a good show for the fans who came to see them and the disappointment is only in the lack of visual entertainment.

http://infernofestival.net/