Ελληνικά
Saturday, 16th May. That time of the year, when the summer heat starts to pour salt on your wounds. Krisis Productions did something equivalent. They laid a thick veil of darkness over our heads and our city. I’m talking about Death’s Black Descent II. It all started last May, when Dead Congregation, Grave Miasma, Cruciamentum and The Psalm offered us one of the darkest nights ever. After this devastating gig, Krisis Productions decided to establish an annual death / black gig each May. This year, three bands from abroad joined their forces and visited Greece for the first time for two exclusive gigs in Thessaloniki and Athens; Obliteration from Norway, Lvcifyre from United Kingdom ad Demonomancy from Italy. The Psalm from Thessaloniki and Dimholt from Bulgaria completed the billing.
The gig started early, with Dimholt taking action on stage! Without delay or any kind of gimmicks, Eightball’s Live Stage was filled with eerie screams and cries. The band performed exceptionally its tracks, managed to create a gloomy atmosphere and prepare us in the best possible way for what was to follow. They gave impetus to the whole night, performing their pieces of flawless atmospheric black, with melodies that haunt you and voices so strong, you could see the singer tremble as he was frantically screaming into the microphone. Afterwards, it was time for a very dear band of the local crowd, the Psalm. Apart from the excellent material they’ve already released, they presented us a sample from their riveting new material, which they informed us that it won’t take long to be released. With guitars that slaughtered everything in their way, an untamable beast as a drummer and a general presence full of mysticism and occultism, you didn’t need anything else to have a good time. Exceptional, all of them! Thereafter, Demonomancy hit the stage. They were the revelation of the evening. First and foremost, seeing three people with hatred in his eyes, inverted crosses, painted faces… clearly sets your mood. Fiery, majestic, with a performance that dropped our jaws on the floor. The revel in murk, meanwhile, was bidirectional. The crowd went frantic with what it experienced, while the band seemed fully committed to the concert, having expressions of absolute satisfaction (especially their bassist). They demolished everything; especially their drummer was a full – throttled panzer. He nearly blew everything up! Extreme black metal sounds, but different from the mainstream bands; having their own character. The English lads, Lvcifyre went up the stage after a slight delay. What was what!?!? The venue caught fire! We were drowned by the fumes and the demons they summoned! A combination of extreme, violent black metal with unruly death tunes, surrounded by ruthless explosions and bursts that destroyed your mind. Despite the frequent pauses between the tracks, and it’s kind of logical since they were really fast, they kept our interest steady, leading us to pitch dark paths that lead straight to the cauldrons of hell. Right where you thought you had lived it all and thought that “that’s it, I’m done” the great Obliteration came crushing down, unleashing sounds and melodies that stirred your being. Foul throttled, with enviable dynamics and comfort. And why wouldn’t they? They’ve already served next to behemoths, such as Aura Noir and Nekromantheon. Obliteration was berserk, furious! A jumble of black / death / thrash, ideal for it to be engraved forever in your memory.
What we experienced was a concert of fire, which many would envy. Those present, were extremely pleased by what they saw. The only thing you came across were smiles and all the discussions involving this gig, included the cue “Holy crap, man, what was that?” This was amazing effort by Krisis Productions, with top billing bands and affordable ticket, in a venue that has always a guaranteed good sound. Moreover, there was plenty of merchandise from bands and distros; there was actually merch from bands who did not participate in this, such as Septuagint. It felt like going to a mini festival abroad. You should have missed that. If the crowd supports such actions, then surely Death’s Black Descent will become an annual tradition. Way to go!
