the void enters you
Another MDF has now been added to the "stuff I have done" collection. I got off to a rather late start on Day 3 as I really wasn't feeling that up to being out and about. General listlessness and being older and more prone to being emotionally drained were really taking their toll on me by this point so I didn't head down to the lot until shortly before Skepticism took the stage.
Finland really made its presence known with back to back performances by Skepticism and Demilich. Skepticism sounded amazing but they would have been a lot better playing at night. Their performance brought back memories of My Dying Bride's set last year with the way they suffused their crushing doom atmosphere into everything. Demilich were just as heavy with the same amount of crushing riffs, but played much, much faster. Their vocals didn't sound as guttural live as on record, but that wasn't necessarily bad. I'd missed them on their previous MDF outings and they didn't disappoint this year in the slightest.
I headed over to Ram's Head for the rest of the evening and happened along Marsi along the way who invited me to have a drink with some of her friends who were hanging out under an overpass in lawn chairs heavy metal parking lot style. It was good to catch up with her some more and her pals were interesting characters, plus I don't turn down free drinks. Each time I walked between the venues, I don't think I took the same route twice.
The first time I saw Thantifaxath mentioned I honestly thought they were a fictional band someone had made up by putting together a bunch of random letters in what sounded like a plausible black metal band name. They were definitely the real article though. For a three piece they had very big sound and put on a great set.
I'd listened to Impetuous Ritual a bit and was looking forward to them and was thoroughly impressed. Their look can best be described as what would result if cavemen discovered satan - covered with dirt (I hope it was dirt or paint and not shit or something) and fake blood and wearing oversize spikes and loincloths, one of which featured a huge inverted cross made of oversize nails. That nonwithstanding they kicked a ton of ass.
Knelt Rote were the band I was least familiar with that evening and was very pleasantly surprised with what I heard. They had more intensity than most of the bands I'd seen that weekend and it always makes the music and performance better when the bands are clearly getting into it and going all out on stage.
Portal have been one of my bucket list bands ever since I first discovered them several years ago. Them being the final band to play made the anticipation build all the more. Just like seeing My Dying Bride in the final slot last year, this was worth the wait. All of the ominous atmosphere they create on their albums came out in their live performance. Everything sounded great and insanely heavy, bringing the esoteric intensity of their work to life.
Finland really made its presence known with back to back performances by Skepticism and Demilich. Skepticism sounded amazing but they would have been a lot better playing at night. Their performance brought back memories of My Dying Bride's set last year with the way they suffused their crushing doom atmosphere into everything. Demilich were just as heavy with the same amount of crushing riffs, but played much, much faster. Their vocals didn't sound as guttural live as on record, but that wasn't necessarily bad. I'd missed them on their previous MDF outings and they didn't disappoint this year in the slightest.
I headed over to Ram's Head for the rest of the evening and happened along Marsi along the way who invited me to have a drink with some of her friends who were hanging out under an overpass in lawn chairs heavy metal parking lot style. It was good to catch up with her some more and her pals were interesting characters, plus I don't turn down free drinks. Each time I walked between the venues, I don't think I took the same route twice.
The first time I saw Thantifaxath mentioned I honestly thought they were a fictional band someone had made up by putting together a bunch of random letters in what sounded like a plausible black metal band name. They were definitely the real article though. For a three piece they had very big sound and put on a great set.
I'd listened to Impetuous Ritual a bit and was looking forward to them and was thoroughly impressed. Their look can best be described as what would result if cavemen discovered satan - covered with dirt (I hope it was dirt or paint and not shit or something) and fake blood and wearing oversize spikes and loincloths, one of which featured a huge inverted cross made of oversize nails. That nonwithstanding they kicked a ton of ass.
Knelt Rote were the band I was least familiar with that evening and was very pleasantly surprised with what I heard. They had more intensity than most of the bands I'd seen that weekend and it always makes the music and performance better when the bands are clearly getting into it and going all out on stage.
Portal have been one of my bucket list bands ever since I first discovered them several years ago. Them being the final band to play made the anticipation build all the more. Just like seeing My Dying Bride in the final slot last year, this was worth the wait. All of the ominous atmosphere they create on their albums came out in their live performance. Everything sounded great and insanely heavy, bringing the esoteric intensity of their work to life.