April is the month when I saw two legends of death metal so far. The first one was Sinister in Copenhagen just on Fool’s Day. I wanted very much to write the report from this gig as well. But unfortunately I had totally other stuff on my mind. It’s not about my memory or something because I remember everything very well, but now it’s a little too late to write it in my opinion. Anyways, I was there “by accident”. I mean, I absolutely didn’t plan to go and the reason was stuff I had on my mind, very serious stuff. But thanks to my Metal brothers from Karlshamn I was there. Before the gig we had some unexpected adventures, by the way. And Sinister played a great show as always!
However, last Thursday I came to the club very near my place to see the legend of Finnish death metal. It was the greatest gift I ever got on my name day, even if Plan B’s owners didn’t know about this (actually they’ll get to know this now, if they read the review). Well, this is cool to think it was a gift for me, but the truth is that they invited people to this free show to show us the new stage they got. Next day was normal work day, so buddies I mentioned above didn’t arrive and I had to go alone. Of course, in Plan B I met some other buddies, but to be honest there wasn’t as many as I was thinking there should be. In general it was the only minus of this gig – there were quite a small number of people. I know what day it was, but it was something I still can’t understand at all. Especially Demilich ended up playing something like ten PM, so people who work shouldn’t have excuses like: “I’d sleep so short time before the work”. Besides, I slept something like three hours after Abbath in Copenhagen or Kreator (I lived outside Malmö in these times) and am still alive somehow. Well, maybe this shaming in my opinion frequency was occurred by the fact younger generations don’t know Demilich at all, what can’t be anything surprising if they know nothing about Immolation, as you know from the review I wrote some time ago.
By the way, the first band this evening was Grand Harvest – one of Malmö scene’s most active bands these days. They play quite often since gigs came back after a long pause. As always it has begun with an intro during which the lead vocalist made a little smoke. We had also some candies near the microphone. It helped to create the right atmosphere even before they started to play. Their music is a mix of doom and death metal in the old vein. I never liked comparisons because they make everything too easy and devalue in some way the creativity of the band who’s compared to another one. Of course it can help fans to get to know what they should expect, but still… Anyways, their (Grand Harvest’s) music is a tribute to especially the early creativity of bands from Halifax in England who practically created this sub-genre of metal. They gave a good show where they played stuff from their debut album “Consummatum Est”, released independently last month. And believe me, I know what I say because I saw probably their all shows in Malmö – including their very first one.
The same situation is with Interemo who entered the stage as second band this evening. This is another band coming from the city I live in. And I have to tell you the stage is their element. Probably this is the main reason why people here like them so much. Another one can be musicians are young guys (especially the drummer), so if nothing bad will happen they’ll play many, many years. As I said I saw them several times and I feel they’re better and better from show to show – I mean both from the strict technical side and stage work as well. Anyhow, on their show there were a little more people in the room. Crowd’s reaction was surely also a little crazier then on Grand Harvest, but it depends on music which both bands play, too. Interemo presents exuberant death metal, of course, old school one. During the last song a little mosh took place, but guys asked for it so it was probably because of that. Anyways, here in Sweden moshing on gigs isn’t something very popular and every such attitude is worth to mention! Well, practically it was next to last track they played – as the only ensemble that was “forced” to play an encore.
After a quite short break, Chaotian from Denmark has begun their show. Also this band I saw before. Contrary to Grand Harvest or Interemo, it happened only once. Actually there was one more opportunity, but I just couldn’t go to Copenhagen to see them once again – I can’t remember what was the reason, by the way. Well, never mind! Especially since it was quite a long time ago, so I doubt it does matter in any way. Danish trio presented a little different face of death metal than Interemo. Honestly the idea that they play just before Demilich was a great one in my opinion. Chaotian’s music is close to what Finnish play since these more than thirty years (even if there were few years’ breaks in their activity). I mean, Jonas, Andreas and Spren play brutal and in the same time technical death metal. People under the stage were mostly staying and watched it like some movie. There were few ones (also me, of course) who headbanged, but I could count them off on one hand.
I know it shouldn’t be anything surprising for me since I live in Sweden since almost thirteen years, but somehow such reaction of crowd is always something like: “What the fuck is happening here? They came to opera or on a metal gig for fuck’s sake?” At the same time I know my reactions are for the most of Swedish something at least strange. Anyhow, finally one of the heroes of my even younger years entered the stage. I remember what huge sensation for me was to listen to their, unfortunately only album, “Nespithe”. Of course the most of twelve songs they played was taken just from this full-length. They gave a very good show that, especially in such small rooms, also means keeping good contact with people who’re under the stage. Unfortunately, there was less and less listeners as longer they played and the best part of us was in, more or less, age of musicians (except for the bassist who joined the band in 2014). But there were some exemptions – members of Interemo and few of their friends who even made some mosh.
In general I’m very happy I was there and saw the band I always wanted to see alive! As I said, all bands gave good shows. Well, I think Chaotian could make a little better stage work, but this is my adjective feeling and is probably because of the fact Poles have another mentality then Danish. Anyways, after the show, what am proud as a peacock of, I talked a little with Antti who’s a very friendly guy – which isn’t any surprise for me, by the way.
