Spring comes in many colours, most notably green, yellow and pink, all of them bringing the renewed lifeforce of nature after the cold Winter. But there are those that find themselves in a contrarian position to these aspects, either due to their outlook on life or the music they choose to beget. On the latter spectrum we find Downfall of Gaia, a potent force that smashes together a myriad of extreme musical genres such as sludge and black metal, creating intense and atmospheric soundscapes that call out the darker aspects of our existence. Having them play an intimate show in the beginning of May is, then, quite the contradiction, as once we step inside MusicBox, in Lisbon, we are graced by a stage totally clad in blue – something that would remain for the entirety of this lovely evening.
But before the coming of the German quartet, we had the pleasure of meeting a Spanish post-rock sensation called Syberia. Their first time in Portugal, the group was eager to showcase its latest record, Statement on Death, a beautyfully energetic and quite cinematic offering that brings something like Russian Circles to mind. On stage, the sound and overall feeling of the record is translated really well, with the band creating an ambience that enveloped the audience and made them dream of faraway landscapes never before touched by human hand. An excellent start of the night that continued as Downfall of Gaia came to the stage. It had been quite sometime since the German outfit last visited Portugal – their debut and subsequent last performance in the country both happened at Amplifest, in 2013 and 2016 -, so naturally, there was a certain level of expectation hanging in the air. With their latest record, Silhouettes of Disgust, well in hand and still fresh in our minds, Downfall of Gaia proceeded with their ceremony, sparring little time for introductions or explanations between songs, choosing instead to keep pummeling the audience with that magnificent and chaotic blend of genres we mentioned above. And despite the sound not being in its most perfect form, the thought can be thrown out the window as the raw shrill of sound is most apt in these situation. All in all, an overall cool night, as cool as the fresh breeze that can still be felt during a Spring night. May that feeling remain for a while longer, lest we face the unforgiving Summer heat.
Words by Filipe Silva
Photos by Alexandra Ramos
