Rockefeller: 
                
                Pestilence - Septicflesh - The Batallion - Kampfar - Negura Bunget
              John 
                Dee: 
                Unearthly Trance - Ramesses - Azarath - Episode 13 - Kraanium
              Full of expectations 
                I headed for the Rockefeller club early in the afternoon. Armed 
                with a coffee and a muffin I enjoyed the first diffident sunlight. 
                Once arrived, I got a warm welcome by NEGURA BUNGET who 
                just finished their soundcheck. By the way… no one checked 
                me or my bag, was nagging about the cup of coffee bringing in 
                or something else… very relaxed handling. 
              :: 
                pics 
                ::
              My personal 
                introduction to the official part of the INFERNO FESTIVAL 
                I became a level lower at John Dee with :: 
                KRAANIUM 
                :: This Oslo-based outfit had a home match delivering 
                a cool Grindcore show with a little bit Death Metal in it. Show 
                was quick and easy, with around 20 songs in 20 minutes ;) Entertaining 
                but simply made crushers. I somehow got the impression that every 
                song started with the same riff. Huh… and that’s to 
                me ;) Never mind, had a lot of fun :) 
              
              With 7 musicians 
                on stage :: NEGURA 
                BUNGET :: was numerically the biggest band of the 
                festival. Fortunately the stage at Rockefeller was likewise huge, 
                giving enough room to all band members. Tonight NEGURA BUNGET 
                also included Secrets Of The Moon drummer Thelemnar for additional 
                drumming (and also Secrets Of The Moon live guitarist, here for 
                playing bass). Sound was brilliant and the band’s performance 
                again magically intensive. The Rockefeller club was crowded with 
                an enthusiastic audience. Much more I was pleased seeing the guys 
                performing a brand new song. An instrumental without a name so 
                far, but gooseflesh-causing and intense as Norilor is. 
                It’s such a great and awesome band! Outstanding!
                Setlist: Intro, New One, Cunoasterea Tãcutã, 
                Dedesuptul, Norilor, Hora Soarelui, Tesarul De Lumini
              
              By the 
                way… the Rockefeller club is really a great one, a live 
                club on 3 levels. Down you have the concert hall with various 
                stair tops to stand on and lounges. Stairs up there is a big balcony 
                with tables and all around a balustrade. Next level stairs up 
                you get on the rooftop terrace including an inside and outside 
                bar and used as smoker’s corner and again with a balustrade 
                inside to look down on stage and crowd. 
              Walking the 
                stairs down to the John Dee :: EPISODE 
                13 :: entered the stage next. Black Metal from 
                Turkey. Pretty intensive with a charming oriental touch, spoken 
                words in between and keyboards adding an epical and melodic touch 
                to the music. I was quite impressed. Cool!
                Setlist: Pitch Black, The Hunt Season, Ignorance Is 
                Bliss, Pure Malefication, The Path
              
              Stepping up 
                again :: KAMPFAR 
                :: literally unleashed an Inferno ;) I think 
                there was no festival before using so many pyros as the INFERNO 
                FESTIVAL did. Hardly any other band followed without any fires 
                ;) Anyway, Dolk enjoyed performing between all these flames. Whenever 
                he starts performing it is like a spell was casted, the crowd 
                follows him totally captivated. Yes, KAMPFAR delivered 
                an amazing show that was traditionally closed with Norse.
                Setlist: Inferno, Dødens Vee, Ravenheart, Troll, 
                Død Og Trolldom, Hymne, Vettekult, Norse
              
              Hihihi… 
                what had to follow made me speechless ;) After Meshuggah cancelled 
                their appearance short-term, no replacement worth headlining the 
                first day could have been found that quickly. Instead Pestilence 
                and Septicflesh moved up and the leaving slot got filled with 
                :: THE 
                BATALLION :: a Norwegian old school Thrash Metal 
                band that can be best described as a tribute band to German Thrash 
                heroes such as Sodom and Destruction. These guys were loud, chavvy, 
                rocking, beer-guzzling and testosterone-spreading. Just great! 
                Holy shit, what fun I had. The guys had too ;) Just looking at 
                their outfits made me smiling all over the face. Most surprising 
                band at INFERNO FESTIVAL! Love them. 
                Setlist: Victims, Man To Man (Warfare), Detonate, Mind 
                My Step, Smoke ´Em Out, Thickskinned, Hate At Last Sight, 
                March Of The Veterans, 20 Paces To, Last Dawn, The Spirit Of Masculinity, 
                Born In A Grave
              
              In between 
                I strolled to the Anneks Room for the :: 
                SKITLIV 
                :: signing session. More beer-guzzling and testosterone-spreading 
                guys having fun. Especially axe-man Tore Moren did it excessively, 
                pulling faces, the drummer too, and even mooning. Kvarforth meanwhile 
                didn’t show his face…
              
              Another stopover 
                at John Dee where :: RAMESSES 
                ::  invited the fans on a psychedelic Doom/Stoner trip. 
                The British guys are right now on tour with Unearthly Trance (who 
                followed right after) in support of their just released EP Baptism 
                Of The Walking Dead. Great stuff! Much more I found the 
                huge cymbals interesting ;) 
                Setlist: Iron Crow, Black Hash, Ramesses Part 3, Tomb, 
                Another Skeleton, Curse, Baptism of the Walking Dead
              
              Now it was 
                time for another favorite, at least for me :: 
                SEPTICFLESH 
                :: I can’t remember when I have seen the playing 
                live last time. It muct have been ages ago. As more the tonight’s 
                show kicked me out of my socks. This intensity, magic, darkness 
                and Sumerian touch was… enthralling, magical, breathtaking. 
                As for me the highlight of the first festival day! 
                Setlist: Intro, Unbeliever, Chaostar, Faust, Communion, 
                Virtues Of The Beast, Lovecraft's Death, Sumerian Daemon, Anubis, 
                We The Gods, Red Code Cult, Persepolis
              
              A little break 
                and :: PESTILENCE 
                :: wanted to enter the throne. Faster, heavier, more 
                brutal. Yeah, PESTILENCE is back. In support of their brand 
                new album Resurrection Macabre, the guys gave everything, 
                playing new songs and old classics. But it was obvious, the crowd 
                was tired, the hall emptying and the Dutch guys couldn’t 
                top Septicflesh. By the way, behind the drumkit no one less than 
                Peter Wildoer sits, having played in bands such as Arch Enemy, 
                Darkane and Old Man’s Child.
              
              It got late. 
                And provided with a handful of beer and JD coupons I did not ruin 
                myself financially ;) And nope… I did not get drunk, as 
                I promised *lol* At a late hour I wanted to snatch a night bus, 
                just to realize that they only run on a Friday and Saturday night, 
                as long as these days are no public days! WTF!!!!??? (remember 
                it’s already Easter days)… *pffffffff* How stupid 
                is that? Ok, then I had to get me a cab, a very, very expensive 
                undertaking, but I was way too tired to walk and even didn’t 
                know the way to walk, if I have wanted… *blah*