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When a show on a Monday evening is sold out two weeks in advance, you know that it is going to be good. The crowd started to descend in the “Underworld” early on, ready to enjoy one of the most morbid shows in London since the beginning of 2018.
The first band to hit the stage was Stahlsarg. With some preparation, I waited for them to open up this evening with their new (second) album Mechanisms of Misanthropy, an eerie tribute to survival. Although I did not get to the venue until the middle of their set, I think that they managed to set up the grotesque atmosphere for Inquisition and Septic Flesh to follow and managed to keep the crown on the edge with their melodies and guitar riffs. Definitely a very good starter for the massacre to follow.
The next band was Inquisition and only by the thought of seeing them live for the first time, I was thrilled. The Black metal atmosphere was further enhanced with the impressive stage outfit of the duo, the corpse paint and the ancient, deep growls, that remind me of a demon screaming from the bottom pit of hell. I dare to say that it was a breath-taking performance, as it is quite hard to manage and deliver such a great show with only two band members on stage. Not that it was not guaranteed from the outset that it was going to be mind-blowing.
The crowd seemed to also share my own enthusiasm, judging by the fact that from my point of view all I could see were people head-banging to each and every song, among with were “Hymn for a Dead Star”, “The Realm of Shadows Shall Forever Reign”, “Embraced by the Unholy Powers of Death and Destruction” (here was a massive outburst of pandemonium from the crowd), “Astral Path to Supreme Majesties” and the epilogue “A Magnificent Crypt of Stars”.
After the astounding performance of the Columbian Black metal duo, Septic Flesh invaded the stage with their remarkable style and Greek god-like presence. Having seen the band more times than I can remember, I was entirely familiar with what was about to follow. Septic Flesh always create an extra-terrestrial atmosphere in their concerts, filling the stage with smoke and strobe lights, which make the whole performance seem like it is from another world. What is particularly remarkable is the interaction of the band, and especially Seth the singer, with the crowd. He kept calling the crowd “my friends” despite his superior position at that moment and he invited everyone to feel the melody of the orchestra, sinking in ecstasy himself and calling out for “his friends” to join him.
The band delivered an amazing concert and the atmosphere created was surely the highlight of the night. The crowd raved and went crazy under the sound of songs as “The Vampire from Nazareth”, “Prototype”, “Pyramid God”, “Communion”, “Prometheus” and “Anubis”. What I particularly liked about the concert was the fact that the playlist involved songs from earlier records as well as the brand new one “Codex Omega”, which I’ve never heard live before and can dare to say is pure masterpiece.
Overall, it was a great night for Black and Death Metal fans to celebrate the beginning of the 2018 gig circle and I would definitely recommend catching up with the bands in your cities when you have the chance.
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