black_christmas

» Black Christmass 2014

~ Reviewed by Tengan
-------------------------

As the season's greetings and jolliness is proclaimed all over the world a welcome darkness settles over Norrköping the weekend before the Christmas holiday. On the initiative of Marduk's Morgan Håkansson and Skrikhult Productions's Olof Wikström, Black Christmass brings together among the best the death, thrash and black metal genres has to offer, neatly located in a geographic area far from the biggest cities in Sweden. An area with a thriving underground, yet shamefully void of bigger extreme metal arrangements, until now.

The efforts from the organizer's to arrange a full experience has paid off and the first couple of hours are spent searching for gems and filling out the holes in the record collection at the Black Market (excellently located inside a church), followed by a cold beverage (still inside said church) before it is time to move to the stage.
~ Tengan

Friday - December 19

Band: Nefandus
Time: 16:20-16:50

Local underground cult act Nefandus opens the festival for yours truly. Given the quality of vocalist Michayah Belfagor's outfit Ofermod as a live act I was expecting to witness something special with Nefandus and I sure was, but not something that will be too fondly remembered. The bands mid-tempo black metal is performed with a serious lack of inspiration. Sure the band executes their tunes with precision and the mix is spot on, but the volume is far too low, the crowd far too small and the band do not seem too bothered to change the latter.

The Jesus character toddling around on stage being perforated with hooks by some bouncer looking character supposedly serves as an inspirational stage show. However, I find myself speculating more on the septic conditions of said hooks and whether or not the carpenter lookalike has a month of antibiotics to look forward to. A lukewarm start to the festival.

Performance: 4 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 7 chalices of 10
Best: The mixing job
Worst: The redundant stage show

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Grave
Time: 17:20-18:05

If the day started slow, Grave immediately shows what routine and a track record of excellent songs can do. The band is committed, tight and sure to get the crowd on their side, simply a death metal gig by the book, but with the conviction from the band that raises it above mediocrity, along with some minor on stage mischiefs from bass player Tobias Christiansson.

The volume has reached decent levels and Ola Lindgren's vocals are well placed in the mix, however the powerful strokes from Ronnie Bergerståhl's drumming completely drowns the guitars at times, which is fairly devastating for a band whose sound is centred around the guitar work. Something that will be a recurring phenomenon throughout the weekend and result in somewhat of a 'can the guitars be properly heard'-roulette for each gig.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 5 chalices of 10
Best: Into The Grave
Worst: Guitars too low in the mix

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Nifelheim
Time: 18:35-19:35

Nielheim's reputation as a live act is quite undisputed and this evening is no exception. Their black/thrash sound comes through in a well-rounded mix from a tight band with excellent live skills. The high tempo is made for a live setting and the crowd gets properly on board for the first time this festival. The band fires up the crowd and get a well-deserved worship in return. By far the highest amount of studs and nails on stage this weekend, the leather girdle that is part of vocalist Hellbutcher's outfit makes his nail covered appearance adapt an unbelievably uncomfortable walk while his brother Tyrant tries to curse everyone with his eyes while axing away on his bass. Ridiculous and parodic? No, it is simply awesome.

Performance: 8 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: The consistently headbanging friendly music
Worst: Missing the last song due to lack of time

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Marduk
Time: 21:35-22:35

In advance Marduk declared two different setlists for the weekend based on the 'Panzer Division Marduk' and 'Those of the Unlight' albums, respectively. The main album for this evening is the 1999 blast fest, an album basically written to be performed live. Following the tunes from 'Panzer…' the band has dug deep to find some old gems, with personal favourites such as 'Infernal Eternal' and 'Perish in Flames' finally making their way back to the stage.

It is difficult to say if it is the low guitar sound, partly due to the overt distortion, or the weariness of the crowd after an honest weeks work, but despite the efforts from the band and a more than usually active guitarist Morgan, the crowd simply does not get fully started. Not even the chalice of blood making its return to Mortuus' mouth, and henceforth the front row during the last notes of 'Into Utter Madness', seems to make the trick. Despite an admirable effort from the band, this will not go down to history as the best Marduk gig I have witnessed, which truth be told probably says more about the high level of standards from these local heroes.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 6 chalices of 10
Best: Perish In Flames
Worst: The comatosed crowd

Setlist:
Panzer Division Marduk
Baptism by Fire
Christraping Black Metal
Scorched Earth
Beast of Prey
Bloddawn
502
Fistfucking God's Planet
Temple of Decay
Infernal Eternal
The Levelling Dust
Perish in Flames
Into Utter Madness

Band: Morbid Angel
Time: 23:05-00:35

Performing albums in their entirety is somewhat of a heavy metal trend these days and Morbid Angel's tour celebrating the 'Covenant' album fit perfectly into the Black Christmass line-up. Held in regards as my second favourite album by the band, beaten only by the untouchable 'Altars of Madness', the first half of the set is pure enjoyment. The band is tight and gives a solid convincing performance without turning to excess extravaganzas.

Dave Vincent is one of the most natural frontmen on the planet and controls the audience, which seem to have woken up slightly from the coma during Marduk's gig, with a firm grip. Once again though, the staff at the mixing table ought to bow their heads in shame as the guitars sometimes disappears completely omly to come back and then disappear again, basically setting the highs and lows of the gig. The set following 'Covenant' is a simple 'one track from each other album'-affair. To be perfectly honest, excluding 'Chapel of Ghouls' and/or 'Maze of Torment' in favour of the H and I affairs ought to be a criminal offense. Instead the entire gig peaks massively with the euphoric 'Angel of Disease'.

Performance: 7,5 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 5 chalices of 10
Best: Angel Of Disease
Worst: Not playing either 'Chapel Of Ghouls' nor 'Maze Of Torment'

Setlist:
Rapture
Pain Divine
World of Shit (The Promised Land)
Vengeance Is Mine
The Lion's Den
Blood on My Hands
Angel of Disease
Sworn to the Black
Nar Mattaru
God of Emptiness
Where the Slime Lives
Bil Ur-Sag
Ageless Still I Am
Curse the Flesh
Existo Vulgoré
Immortal Rites
Fall from Grace

Saturday - December 20

Band: Facebreaker
Time: 16:20-16:50

If Friday got off to a slow start, Saturday begins with Facebreaker virtually pulverizing my left testicle from the very first chord. Their simple and straightforward death metal void of any technical frills is an effective wake-up call and the band makes sure no one present stays idle. Formidably tight, constantly firing up the crowd they get a well-earned response from a constantly growing audience. Again though, the guitars fall short in the mix though not causing the same apparent problem as in the case of Morbid Angel. An excellent start of the day, that immediately made me seek out a Facebreaker album from the merch salesmen.

Performance: 7 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 6 chalices of 10
Best: The excellent stage presence
Worst: Despite a growing crowd, they deserved even better

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Necrophobic
Time: 17:20-18:05

Necrophobic impressed me greatly in broad sunny daylight with their dark black/death metal at this year's Sweden Rock Festival. Expectations were hence fairly high on what they could accomplish in a more fitting light setting. One thing is certain, Necrophobic's live threshold has to be immensely high. Once again the band delivers and constantly fires up a more and more fanatic crowd. Despite the bass drowning pretty much everything else for the first few minutes, the sound eventually settles as one of the better this weekend.

The setlist is awesome, Anders Strokirk is an excellent front man who gets an audience in line with small means and bassist Alex Friberg is still the most evil man on the northern hemisphere allowed on a stage. The triumph however is nearly foiled as the ridiculously small curtain suddenly drops after a mere 30 minutes. Be it a trick by the band or poor communication with the stage crew remains to be told, but in the end we are fortunately not cheated on the last 15 minutes of Necrophobic madness.

Performance: 8 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 7 chalices of 10
Best: Revelation 666
Worst: The whole curtain incident

(sorry, no setlist)

Band: Sodom
Time: 20:05-21:05

If Necrophobic was the surprise of Sweden Rock Festival this year, Sodom was the disappointment. Getting my entire scrotum ground to dust by first Facebreaker and then Necrophobic did not exactly put my hopes on edge for a happy outcome of this Sodom gig. But shame to the unbeliever, Sodom raises their fists and delivers the best gig of Black Christmass! In retrospect it is difficult to see how I could ever have doubted it. The setlist is absolutely flawless with its heavy focus on the early day classics, the performance is top notch, the sound is finally consistently good and the crowd is fanatic from the very start screaming along in the chorus of every song. Tom is in prime shape and seems genuinely flattered by the response and Bernemann has the constant look of a lottery winner. In short, a fucking awesome gig that my neck blamed me for the morning after.

Performance: 8,5 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: Ausgebombt
Worst: Yours truly for ever having doubts

Setlist:
Agent Orange
Remember the Fallen
Surfin' Bird/The Saw is the Law
Outbreak of Evil
City of God
Tired and Red
Sacred Warpath
Into the Skies of War
Sodomy and Lust
Ausgebombt
Blasphemer

Band: Marduk
Time: 21:35-22.35

To be quite frank 'Those of the Unlight' is one of the lesser superb albums in Marduk's discography in yours truly's opinion, mainly suffering from the lack of good structuring, basically a bunch of good ideas that do not come together well as album. This evening however, it finally comes together. Despite a good performance the day before Marduk seem even more eager to get the crowd into a state of insanity and it pays off far better than the night before, despise a once again weak guitar sound.

The crowd finally gives the band the response they deserve and Morgan and Mortuus seem more than usually on fire. Comparing the album to this live performance it can safely be said that Mortuus is the superior of all the bands vocalists, giving an extra dimension to the old material. Follwing the 'Those of the Unlight' album, 'The Black…' and 'Warschau' gets a welcome return to the set and the teaser title track from the upcoming album 'Frontschwein' closes the gig, a gig that contends as one of the top gigs I have witnessed with the band.

Performance: 8 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 6 chalices of 10
Best: Wolves
Worst: The weak guitar sound

Setlist:
Darkness Breeds Immortality
Those of the Unlight
Wolves
On Darkened Wings
Burn My Coffin
A Sculpture of the Night
Echoes from the Past
Stone Stands Its Silent Vigil
Serpent Sermon
The Black...
Womb of Perishableness
Warschau
Frontschwein

Band: Satyricon
Time: 23:05-00:35

The sound has been like a veritable roller coaster for most of the Black Christmass. With closing act Satyricon, it finally falls into place. Well about bloody time, even if a gig or thirteen earlier would have been neat. The Satyricon of, well the last 15 years, has been quite of my musical range, but seem to have a solid fan base despite walking far astray from the early days. Despite our musical differences there is no denying Satyricon is a formidable live act. This night is no exception and those who wanted it got what they came for.

Personally, the last two discharges from Sodom and Marduk took their toll and apart from the closing 'Mother North' my dedication is at a low. Not really improved by the frankly annoying keyboards which seem to bring naught to the table. Still, their performance deserves the credit the majority of the audience gladly gives the band.

Performance: 6 chalices of 10
Stage sound: 8 chalices of 10
Best: Mother North
Worst: The keyboards

(sorry, no setlist)

Fitting such a line-up onto the bill and having most of them deliver with honours is of course not entirely due to the organizers, but they still deserve credit for arranging a professional festival quite void of beginner's errors. Clear information, good choice of venue and an ambitious Black market will, along with the line-up, be remembered.

Errors such as the sound (which seems to be the rule rather than exception for most festivals), the huge queue to the bars (which improved during the Saturday) and the choice of serving gas-inducing chili con carne (some gigs were horrific smell-wise) can actually be forgiven looking at the big picture. Hopefully, the finances turn out good so we can all enjoy a slab of darkness next year before Christmass ends and the jolliness takes hold of our darkened souls once again.