Day three of Hellfest started in the most brutal manner possible. With the lunch in the stomach, we lunged onwards to the Temple because Witch Club Satan were playing, and we didn’t want to miss a single song. We had high expectations for this one and they were surpassed tenfold, as the trio of drummer Johanna Holt Kleive, guitarist Nikoline Spjelkavik and bassist Victoria Røising crushed our bodies, minds and spirits with devastating precision. Playing songs from their eponymous debut, Witch Club Satan were absolutely unhinged, releasing a flurry of deadly riffs, powerful drumming and insane howls that drenched the Temple in a suffocating atmosphere. Visceral, vicious, adorned like haunting scarecrows on stage, and embodying a feminist philosophy, which is emphasized both in the studio and in a live setting, Witch Club Satan captivated the audience with the sheer rawness and brutality of their sound. An acapella chant performed by the trio ended the show in the most chilling way possible, and we were left in absolute awe at what we had just witnessed. Now this is some proper black metal, unlike all that macho bullshit we see abundantly in the genre. The aggression continued with Spy over at the Warzone, and soon after, we went back to the Altar to catch the vulgar insanity of Vulture Industries. Afterwards, we made our way back to the Temple to see another favourite of ours, and a name that, much like Witch Club Satan, has been making its way to the top of the black metal scene. We are talking about none other than Agriculture themselves. Self-proclaimed as ecstatic black metal, Agriculture have been described as one of the most forward-thinking bands in the genre, thanks to not only their unique blend of black metal, shoegaze and post metal that creates rich and intricate walls of sound, but also their lyrics, that focus on the human experience and introspection. Due to the incredible heat that was still being felt throughout the festival, we didn’t get to see the band’s performance until the end, but from what we did manage to see, Agriculture is quite definitely one of those bands that will bring a bright future to a genre filled with dickheads and edgelords.
Conan were up next at the Valley, doing what they do best – crushing skulls and shattering bones with their caveman battle doom. At the Warzone, both Nasty and Stick To Your Guns continued that campaign of musical destruction in style, but not before we made a stop at the Valley for some deliciously soothing soundscapes provided by My Sleeping Karma. We remained close by for Windhand who, despite not having a new record, reminded us how good of a band they are. Enchanting vocals, as well as slow and mesmerizing riffs are certainly the perfect recipe for some good ol’ doom metal. Going back to the Temple, we arrived just in time to witness another majestic performance by Deafheaven. Some say that wine gets better with age, and while that may not also be the case with some bands, it is decidedly true with Deafheaven. Presenting their brand-new record, Lonely People With Power, George Clarke and company demonstrated why they are the current standard-bearers of the black metal genre as a whole. Purists and haters be damned; Deafheaven have been releasing a consistent stream of great records, and while an idiot would not see that. From songs such as “Magnolia” and “Winona” to “Brought To The Water” and “Dream House”, this was an amazingly energetic show and we cannot wait for the time when we get to see Deafheaven again. A small disappointment came afterwards in the form of Judas Priest. Don’t get us wrong; we love the band and is one of our all-time favourites. But after seeing what would have been their final world tour back in 2011, when Rob Halford was still able to hit those high notes, some of us didn’t want to see Judas Priest ever again, for fear of spoiling those memories. And while the show as a whole was moderately good, we did note that Halford is no longer able to be the vocalist he once was. Maybe the idea of retirement is finally dawning on him or even the band as a whole, who knows? But we think it’s finally time to end what is an absolutely brilliant career, with numerous classic records. But despite all that, they were not nearly as terrible as the Scorpions. Good God, where to even begin? Constant guitar note failures, Klaus Meine’s horrifyingly bad voice that made us truly fear for his health condition, and a band that should have called it quits many moons ago. The show itself is what it is – you can’t spell boomer rock without some sort of inflatable object. Kiss had their cringe statues, Scorpions had, well, a scorpion. And it’s funny we mention Kiss, because pretty much like them, Scorpions have had numerous farewell tours in the past. Maybe this 60th Anniversary celebration is the final nail in the coffin: Remains to be seen. But to end things on a high note, we did some really good shows afterwards.
Half of our crew was fighting for their lives alongside Turnstile, the other half celebrated Bathory with a supergroup made up of pretty good musicians. Starting with Turnstile, the show was absolutely bonkers. First of all, we had never seen the Warzone stage packed like this – it felt like a good half of the festival was there. Secondly, while the band was performing songs from their brand-new release, Never Enough, as well as songs from past records such as Glow On and Step 2 Rhythm with the full force of an active volcano, the mosh was as incessant and brutal. There was an electrifying aura hanging in the air throughout the entire concert, as each band member emanated energy that the audience grabbed and threw back, in an elegant exchange of affection and respect. It is truly a love connection what Turnstile creates between them and their audience in every record and in every show. As the Warzone stage was becoming a battlefield of epic proportions, the Temple stage became a sanctuary for mythological reverence and tribute. Called Blood Fire Death, the supergroup was founded by Watain frontman Erik Danielsson, Aura Noir’s vocalist and bassist Apollyon, Enslaved’s guitarist Ivar Bjørnson, Vltimas’s guitarist Blasphemer and Djevel’s drummer Faust to pay tribute to one of black metal’s most important bands, Bathory, as well as to celebrate the life of its creator, Quorthon. Travelling across a good part of the band’s history, through the interpretation of songs such as “A Fine Day to Die”, The Rite of Darkness”, “Shores in Flames” and the eponymous “Blood Fire Death”, the members of the superground kept changing duties during the performance, with a few special guests making an appearance as well, such as vocalist Gaahl, Enslaved’s Grutle Kjellson, and even Bathory’s first bassist Frederick Melander, the latter on “Raise The Dead”. Raw and emotional for fans of Bathory and black metal alike, it was a truly magnificent show that served as the perfect to honour the life and art of both Quorthon and Bathory. Thus, the third day of Hellfest ended.
Words by Filipe Silva
Photos by Alexandra Ramos
