25.04.2015 - Alsfeld, Stadthalle

KINGS OF BLACK METAL has become an annual highlight in the concert year of many Black Metal addicts. Taking place in the beautiful german city of Alsfeld, the festival comprises an excellent line up every year. While in 2014 an additional pre-evening was installed, the 2015 edition is a one-day event again. Still, the billing speaks for itself and easily justifies making the way to Alsfeld once more. After checking in at the sweet little Hotel „Schwalbennest“ (german for swallow’s nest), my way goes straight to the venue, where  DEATH ROW are already hacking their way through the last 10 minutes of their set. Just as on the records, the Italian horde delivers run-of-the-mill old-school black metal that does nothing for me except setting the atmosphere for the rest of the day.

BÖLZER are a lot more spectacular obviously. Everything has been written about the Swiss duo who have taken the scene by storm with nothing more than two EPs released and you must have been living under a rock the last 2 years to not have come across the highly unique blend of death/black metal created by HzR and KzR. Thus, the crowd’s anticipation is high - and BÖLZER deliver. Creating a real sonic whirlwind with only riffs and drums, the two protagonists prove their status as one of extreme Metal’s most promising newcomers once again. 

Next are THYRGRIM, replacing Vanhelga who had to cancel the festival due to health issues. Their slow- to mid-paced Black Metal doesn’t quite cut it for me though, giving me the opportunity to check out the distros and merch-dealers in front of the „Stadthalle“.

FIDES INVERSA are featuring a) a singing drummer, b) funny, dwarf-like hooded capes and c) some damn good orthodox Black Metal. Presenting their recently released new record „Mysterium tremendum et fascinans“, the band plays 40 minutes of skillfully crafted hymns and should easily have convinced more than a few people in the audience of their qualities. 

NIGHTBRINGER have been one of the most fascinating and important bands in Black Metal for years and 2014 saw the release of their astonishing „Ego dominus tuus“, arguably the best genre record of that year. Thus, my expectations regarding their show went through the roof. I wasn’t disappointed as NIGHTBRINGER celebrates their unholy anthems with dignity and passion, drawing everything and everybody around them into their realm where secrets unheard of await. The atmosphere is thick, the intensity of the densely-woven compositions is even more striking than on the records and the performance is the first in a line of impressive rituals Alsfeld is about to witness tonight.

It goes without doubt, that CARACH ANGREN’s show is not to be counted among these. Their epic horror-metal somewhere between The Vision Bleak and Cradle of Filth has little to nothing to do with Black Metal and leaves me with few question marks above my head. However, the three-piece definitely knows their craft and there’s some appreciation from parts of the audience, so whatever.

TEMPLE OF BAAL fucking slay! Again, no Black Metal really as their sound is leaning more towards the deathy end of the spectrum, the frenchmen convince with furious riffing, massive blasts and an overall aggressiveness unparalleled by many of their face painted competitors. Much better than expected, definitely a highlight.

Chile’s HETROERTZEN have left a massive impression on me with their 2010 record „Exaltation of wisdom“. Their newest effort, 2014’s „Ain Soph Aur“ doesn’t really reach its predecessor in terms of songwriting and atmosphere in my worthless opinion. Nevertheless, I was stoked to see the band perform live at KOBM. Visually, HETROERTZEN set the standards for all bands to come with a nicely decorated stage and frontman Frater D. wearing a robe, white face paint and a shiny mask. There’s all kind of ritualistic activity on stage adding to the mystic atmosphere, but of course the excellent music is what sets the band apart from most of their peers. The guitars send shivers down my spine and I’m beginning to wonder how the rest of the bands is going to compare to this. 

But oh my fucking god/satan/whoever: How awesome are ACHERONTAS? I don’t want to comment on any political controversies around the band. What this skin-headed terror commando from Greece is performing tonight is nothing less than occult Black Metal of the highest order. I knew that they were good from their records but (un)holy shit: I haven’t seen this coming. With fire burning in every gesture, every scream and every glare, flawlessly shifting from the most furious aggression to meditative passages, guitar harmonies almost painfully beautiful… The art of ACHERONTAS is clearly beyond words tonight.

Needless to say that swedish Black Metal terrorists CRAFT are the exact opposite: Raw, filthy and with an omnipresent fuck-off attitude, the strange-looking horde rumbles through their set of primitive, ugly attacks. Fun to watch, not really my cup of blood. Awesome drumming though. Remark: The uncompromising attitude on stage encourages a few fights and asshole-behaviour in the crowd apparently with people falling in the pit being kicked back down, girls being beaten by drunktards etc. Hail you glorious trve kvlt Black Metal warriors, seriously. 

Finally, way past midnight and after an eternity of decorating the stage with the usual inverted crosses, animal heads, flags and stuff, Swedish megasellers WATAIN enter the stage - and fucking blow everything away. You can call their last album shit (it was, for the most part) or laugh about their image. In terms of dedication, musical supremacy and overall awesomeness, WATAIN are unparalleled in today’s scene. Blasting through old and new material alike, the band delivers an absolutely possessed performance from the first note to the last psychotic murmur of frontman Erik. Obviously, the whole stage is set aflame, the crowd gets baptized in rotten pig’s blood (thanks a lot) and more than one bow is taken before the on-stage altar. The band had announced „A night of Satanic Black Metal Terror and white eyed fanaticism“ and the couldn’t have been more accurate. „Malfeitor“ and „Reaping Death“ are the highlights of a memorable ritual that closes this years KINGS OF BLACK METAL in the most appropriate way and lets the remaining visitors (the room has, for some reason, emptied significantly during the show) crawl back into their holes fully satisfied. It’s half past 2 when I arrive at the „Schwalbennest“ again.

Next morning: Hordes of freshly showered Black Metal addicts cleaned of the bloody remains from the WATAIN gig share the breakfast buffet with nice, but a little confused old folks. Everybody’s still a little hungover but most will agree: See you 2016, KINGS OF BLACK METAL.

Vernichtungsschmerz