INFERNO FESTIVAL 2009

Club Nights

The club nights offer the warm-up shows for bands and fans. 17 bands played in 7 clubs. Difficult decision ;) Although I would have loved to see VULTURE INDUSTRIES and EARTH, I decided for the Indie Recordings night with SARKE, MENCEA and SAHG, especially since I had booked an interview with SARKE (which at the end didn’t took place).

:: pics ::

The INFERNO FESTIVAL turned out to be the very first live performance for :: SARKE :: Their live debut and album release party in one night. New band, known faces behind. Formed in 2008 SARKE is the brainchild of Thomas Berglie, better known as Sarke (sic), drummer in bands such as Old Man’s Child, Khold and Tulus. In SARKE he actually plays the bass. Singing comes from no one less than Nocturno Culto. Live of course, SARKE has grown up to a real band with members likewise known from other Norwegian bands. Being a scribe I already got the band’s debut album Vorunah, which I find just great. So I was really looking forward to this show. Anyway, the guys rocked the stage, really. They seemed to be only moderately nervous, didn’t have any technical problems or things like that. Nocturno Culto acted relaxed, although he didn’t tell that much at all. No need for. He just had to sing, and he did! Damn, his voice perfectly suits the sound of this Black’n’Roll music! With every song SARKE enjoyed themselves more and more and had fun on stage. Great performance!
Setlist: Primitive Killings, The Drunken Priest, Cult Ritual, Frost Junkie, Old, Voruna

:: MENCEA :: is a band I didn’t pay much attention so far and never have seen playing live. A mistake! These Greek cats did a hellish great job! Groovy and modern metal, yet still extreme and technically much sophisticated, but luckily not too tricky and with a lot of groovy riff work inside. Seems like MENCEA got much influenced by Meshuggah, although they are (still) not able to hold a candle to them. Songs came from the band’s debut album Dark Matter - Energy Noir, released in November 2008, I would like to recommend now ;)
Setlist: The Passing, Forbidden, Deep In The Under, The Holy Cast, Ardad, When Strife And Greed Collide, Eminence, Slayer

:: SAHG :: was about to close this short show evening with another great performance. Traditional much Sabbath-influenced metal with a great kick-ass-attitude and Olav Iversens great clean voice. Have already seen them on tour with Trouble and they played almost the same songs, a well-balanced mix of their two records I and II.
Setlist: Ascent To Decadence, Echoes Ring Forever, Star-Crossed, The Executioner Undead, Godless Faith, Soul Exile, Pyromancer

And so the first day of INFERNO FESTIVAL found its end. People left quickly, no party going on at John Dee. I guess the party got relocated to the official INFERNO FESTIVAL hotel, where most of the people stayed. As for me I had to catch me the last tram back to the hostel.