Canadians finest KATAKLYSM and INTO ETERNITY teamed up to conquer Europe. Both bands on the same bill is already kind of unusual, but with GRAVEWORM and MYSTIC CIRCLE added to the trek, this tour is more than just promising, likewise surprising as varied. Site of the today’s crime was the renamed ex-Works in Osnabrueck, Germany, now called N8. On the tiny stage in the smaller room the band members occasionally messed with each others business during their sets but the fans experienced great shows and a fine evening.

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::. INTO ETERNITY ~ surprisingly – at least for me – opened this evening’s dance. After the release of their critically acclaimed third album Buried In Oblivion and the performance at this years Prog Power Europe I supposed to see the Canadian prog metallers as co-headliner. However, the band tuned in to their show on time and it did not take a minute and these nice gents had the audience in its grip. What might sound a little complex and cumbersome on CD is almost a force live on stage! One at best might not keep time with banging during all these racy breaks. In spite of a tiny stage where new fronter Chris Krall lost some tufts, the band truly convinced with peppy, sophisticated, partly even tricky yet melodic and with groovy and catchy riffs enhanced progressive metal. All five band members take part in singing where Chris does the clean vocals while the other ones step in with death growls. You should have listened to this five-voice singing. It’s really amazing! Besides songs from the new album INTO ETERNITY served two songs from the predecessor Dead Or Dreaming and an opener I cannot do anything with it … Great show! Luv ya guys! Thumbs up!
Setlist: Paralyzed, Splintered Visions, Elysium Dream, Embraced By Desolation, Distant Pale Future, Beginning Of The End, Three Dimensional Aperture

::. MYSTIC CIRCLE ~ After lots of line-up troubles German Black Metal heroes has shrunk to a trio and still continue so. Nevertheless the band served a sound unexpectedly dense and intensive, although it was not mixed the best. Same thing with the singing which was too quiet. Likewise new was to see the band performing without corpse painting. Instead founder and 4-stringer Beelzebub knew how to impress with his body hight and the size of his tool, while axe man Ezpharess tried to make up this advantage with evil facial expressions and some evil posing. What struck me odd was the fact that, although the band has just released a brand new album called Open The Gates Of Hell, a lot of songs from the Damien album (2002) album were been played.
Setlist: Intro, Hall Of Satan?, ?, God Is Dead – Satan Arise, 666 Mark Of The Devil, Circle Of The Tyrants, Open The Gates Of Hell

::. GRAVEWORM ~ are kind of the tail lamp on this billing, since their current album Engraved In Black is already one year old. But for that the band took the liberty playing songs through their entire history plus a new one from the upcoming album N(u)tobia, which right now gets put together in Stage One Studio for a tentative release in early 2005. Anyway, this time the stage was definitely way too small for these five cats and the lady. Bassist and keyboarder Sabine already had to work in the second row, while guitarists and singer were messing up each other. But it did not effect the atmosphere at all. The band’s blend of Gothic and Black Metal with its hauntingly beautiful and wildly romantic melodies knew how to captivate the listener. It was the first time that I have seen GRAVEWORM playing live. And I tell you: do not miss them when you get the chance!
Setlist: Legions Unleashed, Dreaming Into Reality, A Dreaming Beauty, Awaiting The Shining, Demonic Dreams, N(u)tobia, Unhallowed By The Infernal One, Abhorence

::. KATAKLYSM ~ have rescheduled this tour after the band has been forced to cancel the originally planned tour in spring 2004 due to the birth of the singers first baby son Angelo. Now things are flowing more relaxed, sleepless nights got less and KATAKLYSM finally headed over for the highly anticipated tour in support of their new album Serenity In Fire, which is again a high-rated masterpiece. OK, those who know KATAKLYSM know what to expect from a live show: a pure Death Metal inferno of first class! Singer Maurizio made it in seconds to tie such a close connection to the fans who will worship the band ‘til the death. When you see the band performing live you downright believe that every band member plays every second his ass off for every fan standing in front of the stage. That is what makes a show so dilly, stunning and unforgettable. And … no matter what one might think about the departure of drummer Max Duhamel, I say: it could not happen anything better to the band! New skin man Martin Maurais is such an exceptional drummer, he definitely cannot be from this world. His raving fast, precise and powerful drumming is breathtaking. My deepest respect! And he already gets standing ovation during the sound check …
Setlist: Manipulator Of Souls, Illuminati, Chronicles Of The Damned, Ambassador Of Pain, Where The Enemy Sleeps, The Resurrected, For All Our Sins, Awakener, As I Slither, In Shadows & Dust, Blood On The Swans, Serenity In Fire

There is not really much more to add to what was written before. It was a great show, musically diversified and varied. I wish we would get more often such tour packages. The sound was pretty good, except some small mishaps, but nothing to nag about really. To choose the smaller venue at N8 was ok too at the end, considering the number of paying fans (approx. 100). But I guess that the small stage was something like pain in the ass for the bands ;) Anyway, since tons of bands seem to give a tryst this month the N8 will turn out into something like a second home for me. I’m back … in three days … ;) Cheers!