INFERNO FESTIVAL 2009

Rockefeller:
Carpathian Forest - Samael - Troll - Helheim - Koldbrann

John Dee:
Code - Grand Magus - Black Comedy - Execration - Seregon

With increasing duration of INFERNO FESTIVAL, associated with sleep deprivation day by day, the dark circles around the eyes got bigger and darker, the bones heavier and feet more burning… But… the weather likewise improved step by step and day by day. Sunny sunshine and a blue sky yet not entirely scaring the melancholy away. It’s the last festival day. Tomorrow evening I will enter my aircraft back home, seeing me walking to work the day after. Back to normal life… *sighs*

But first, the heavy Easter side of Norway forced me to pay attention. Seems like a couple of Asian families with a lot of kids has found home at the hostel, renting the houses meeting room to celebrate the Easter fest. They way one might know from American gospel communities. Means, everybody in the full room was singing, dancing, clapping in hands with a little band playing and a pastor preaching. Huuuuh…. How spooky. OF COURSE that noise was to hear in the entire house. Sleep? NO WAY! For God’s sake!

:: pics ::

However, I got my stuff together and headed for the Rockefeller, again. On the way I decided to forget my saving attitude. After 4 days of hostel breakfasts I finally wanted to eat something real, something hot. I forgone coffee and donuts and instead stopped by a Greek restaurant. Mmmm… very delicious. Expensive, but delicious.

Feeling much better I straightly marched in front of the stage at Rockefeller. Difficult task, because the hall was already crowded. :: KOLDBRANN :: were about to enter the stage. Of course, the blackies kicked off with pyros. A lot of pyros. But Mannevond and his boys didn’t care and got almost burnt noses when flames suddenly shot *lol* Or they were joking around killing the atmosphere. Besides, the cats had a lot of requisites on stage, whereas the pitchfork really got used. Sometime later. KOLDBRANN were in best mood, seemed like they already had a proper predrinking session, furthermore enjoying one bottle of whine after the other… And they brought a lot of support along. First Niklas Kvarforth entered the stage at Inkvisitor Renegat. Latterly well- stout and with a burning turned cross he used afterwards for fire breathings. (Now remember the little story with the Pizza seller, I’m much interested in to know if he has seen this spectacle and what he has thought about all that... *g*) However, afterwards a trumpeter joined in, a third guitar player and another singer. All of them bad guys and delivering an outstanding show. The best KOLDBRANN show I’d say. Fucking awesome, I tell ya! With the last song fading out the requisites came in use. With the pitchfork the drummer killed is tombs and guitars got smashed. KOLDBRANN literally left a battlefield.

After a well deserved break and the first beer :: HELHEIM ::, followed. Likewise aggressive, likewise energetic, delivering another great show. Only bass player/singer V'gandr acted quite thin-skinned when a beer cup got thrown on stage. He became aggressive and was spitting in direction to the thrower. Also HELHEIM got backed by guests. This time ROOT singer Big Boss joined in, without the (assumed) head tattoo and looking pretty normal ;) But his voice was once again magical.

Next band I somehow didn’t have in mind. Probably ignored them on the running order *g* I thought it was time for Samael, instead :: TROLL :: came to the fore. I think I never heard of them before. Lyrically they focus on… trolls (how surprising) and so they looked, someway. Cute. But musically pretty cool.
Setlist: Kristenhat, Naar Natten Endelig, Til Helvete Med Alt, Med Vold Skal Tages, Burn The Witch, Trollstorm Over, At The Gates Of Hell, Hvor Taaken Ligger Saa, Neo-Satanic Supremacy, Naar Solen Blekner Bort, Age Of Satan, Drep De Kristne

No, still no Samael. It became doomy, hotter and more dusty… :: GRAND MAGUS :: Black Sabbath mixed with Saint Vitus and Trouble and some classic NWOBHM trademarks. I found live the voice of JB was suffering, too thin, and too weak. Not the way you might know from their releases. But maybe it was just badly balanced and mixed. Or I was standing in the wrong corner. But musically speaking the Swedish riff-lords are pretty cool. It was a real pleasure to listen to them. Bassist Fox is truly a giant, with a huge Rickenbacker bass guitar, which still looked like a toy in his hands. Apropos… why had this bass 8 pins on 4 strings?
Setlist: Intro, Äran, Blood Oath, Hövding, Iron Will, Ulvaskall (Vargr), Wolf's Return, The Shadow Knows, Baptised In Fire, Kingslayer

Now! Now it was upon time for :: SAMAEL :: These Swiss guys are knowingly one of the greatest live bands ever. The stage bathed in bloody red lights, no pryos, but a great light show and bass player jumping around like a bouncing ball that even his bass gave up technically ;) Vorph, grand, charismatic – as always a master of big gestures, when he does not plays guitars, and Makro, not so energetic as Masmiseim is, but still knowing how to put himself in a good light. And not to forget key wiz Xy, also using real drums. Besides songs from the new record Above a lot of classics were played, such as Baphomet's Throne and Jupiterian Vibe. Great show! Really. For sure a highlight of this festival. That’s that!

For the last time I stepped down to the John Dee to see :: CODE :: To be honest I was quite disappointed. Dunno why. Maybe I was too tired to find access to the music. After the 3 songs in the pit I slipped away…
Setlist: Smother The Crones, The Rattle Of Black Teeth, The Cotton Optic, A Sutra Of Wounds, In The Privacy Of Your Own Bones, Aeon in Cinders, I Hold Your Light, Possession Is The Medicine, Brass Dogs

The headliner of the last festival much overstretched the patience of the audience. :: CARPATHIAN FOREST :: took part in a signing session that took longer than expected, where they probably were still busy with, while the crowd was waiting. I think 45 minutes after the “official” kick off the curtain got drawn and CARPATHIAN FOREST offered the strangest and weirdest show ever ;) On stage half-naked women and men cavorted, pretending to be the opposite sex (women with dildos and men with… um… diapers?), being smeared with something brown (Nutella???) *lol* And again lotsa pyros. The photopit experienced its “worst-case-scenario”; there were sooooo many photographers in the pit that nothing worked anymore, no move possible, and most of them had to stay outside taking pictures from the edge. Meanwhile only slurred speech came from the stage, seeing the musicians staggering around. Nattefrost definitely had one over the eight ;) The other ones as well. Sick, blatant, spacy. Having said this: Fuck you all!

That’s that. Over and out. That was the INFERNO FESTIVAL 2009. Again I caught me an expensive cab and fell asleep deadly. What’s left to mention?
The INFERNO FESTIVAL was really a relaxed festival. All people were kind and friendly everywhere. No drunkards lying dead around, no fights, no breakdowns and cancellations. No work for the securities, ok, only once, to calm down a moshpit. Have not seen any paramedic running. Loudness at Rockefeller was pleasing, at John Dee maybe a bit overdrawn. The carpet at Rockefeller was smelling strange, but the hall generally very clean, and so the toilets were. Always. Even smelling good ;) Water – as usual in Scandinavia – was for free. Carafes and cups at every bar. Really, really nice. I absolutely enjoyed this festival, met a lot of cool people, and had a lot of fun. Thank you much :)

Awesome festival! See you next year! For sure!