Inferno Festival (Oslo - Rockefeller - 13-14.04.01)
Written by: Maja Perme
Being fond of so many Norwegian bands it didn't take me very long to decide I
have to be at Inferno - first metal festival in Norway which took place in Rockefeller
Music Hall in Oslo.
So a day before the festival I found myself in front of the main train station,
looking at strangely deserted city. It was nine o'clock in the morning and
apart from 3 people hanging around the station, 4 or 5 cars driving down the near
highway and an almost empty tramway, the city was empty, shops and coffee bars
were closed. The wind blew, tossing leafs and garbage down the streets, it was
like a plague had devastated the city.
But as it turned out they had a national holidays during that time and in the
afternoon the streets became populated.
The venue looked great, all dark and I had been easily dragged into the festival
mood, and so did everyone else. Bands had performed on two stages, the Big stage
was in Rockefeller and you get to the Small stage down the stairs in John Dee
( for unknown reason you have to be 18 to get into that area) . You could see
all the acts if you wanted since one stage has been preparing while on the other
one performing went on.
In the room next to the big stage was an art exhibition, sculpture made by Spacebrain,
that fit into the festival, but I would have been lying if I said I took a close
look at them. T-shirts, CDs and other stuff were offered for sale at the place
as well.
The thing that I was pleasantly surprised by was an organisation of the festival,
which was supreme. Everyone working there were really nice and helpful. Plus they
have printed special T-shirts for this event.
The sound varied a little bit from act to act and big stage had a better sound
than the small one, but I think the size of the room where the stage was could
contribute to that as well. Overall it was very good, and clear no matter where
you had stand. The place was crowded and it was very difficult to find someone
(plus you could not really ask anyone to help you as your description of a man
or woman in black clothes with long hair wasn't useful - ha, ha).
The festival was opened from 6pm and the first band of the day started at 18.50
and the concerts have ended around 3 o'clock in the morning. Here is the
list of bands:
| Friday 13th of April: |
Saturday 14th of April: |
| Big Stage |
Small Stage |
Big Stage |
Small Stage |
| Enslaved |
Hades Almighty |
Borknagar |
Red Harvest |
| Zyklon |
Bloodthorn |
Cadaver Inc. |
Farout Fishing |
| Gehenna |
Crest of Darkness |
Pain |
Burning Rubber |
| Trail of Tears |
Audiopain |
Susperia |
Ram-Zet |
| Peccatum |
|
M-eternal |
Tidfall |
| Khold |
|
Zeenon |
|
| |
|
|
|
I decided to write my opinion on some bands that I specifically liked on this
festival and I think should be mentioned. If the band is not on that list I haven't
seen it or I didn't like it.
Friday:
Trail of Tears
I have seen this band at the Dynamo Open Air festival in 1999 after they have
released their first album Disclosure in Red in 1998. I didn't know the band at
the time, but their performance was more than convincing. Their second album Profundemonium
was released last year. I heard someone describing them as a good gothic band,
but I really think that this term isn't representative for their music. They use
a mixture of grim male vocals and clean female vocals, but what makes them special
is the music which is quite sophisticated and they have a good ear for putting
riffs together, which is expressed in those nice melodies and what it seems to
send their audience into ecstasy as they've been singing along through all the
concert.
Zyklon
I was awaiting anxiously their album World ov Worms and I like it a lot, but you
just have to experience this band live, because it is so brutal, so pure, it's
like standing outside in the raging thunderstorm. It's a total blast. You have
better not missed them during their tour with Morbid Angel in April and May this
year, because if you did you have a good reason to weep!
Enslaved
I just know I should put this band on the highlight list, it was just that I was
so tired by the time they have performed, that I couldn't follow their show anymore.
They started with a great fire-breathing show and I think they have put some things
on the stage (can not really remember it). I was a kind of interested what kind
of response they will get after releasing their last album Mardraum, which is,
in my opinion, their best album up to date, but I know there were a lot of people
that were kind of disappointed since they have musically distanced themselves
from Eld's days. As it turned out the response here was amazing. It was quite
impossible to get any closer to the stage but as I have already mentioned I ran
out of strength by that time and I didn't even try to. To bad for me, I guess.
Khold
Now that is what I call music, so groovy, so... It's so hard to express the feelings
that occure while listening to their music, They have this feeling for the rhythm,
they don't do this fast, rushing thing all the time, they just deep into your
soul right away, conquering your ID. It's a kind of similar feeling like listening
to Darkthrone' A blaze in the Northern Sky in the middle of the night.
Just fantastic music. I don't know about the lyrics since they are all in Norwegian
(and as I have read they're written in an old fashioned 18 century language style)
but that just doesn't matter, because the vocals fit perfectly into the music
and it does not dominate it!
What surprised me about this band was that, as they've told me, they have been
together for just three months and in this time they have written the material,
recorded it, got the record deal with Moonfog and released the CD which is called
MasterPiss of Pain!!! I just hope I will be able to see them again as soon as
possible.
Highlights of the day
Peccatum
Now that was a surprise!!! As obscure as their music can be it drags you very
easily into some kind of hypnosis, like the voices of sirens or something. Strange
music that evokes strange feelings. Another thing I liked a lot was their stage
performance that could be an example of how to do a great show even without special
effects.
Band was founded in 1998 by Ihriel, , Ishan and Lord PZ and up till now their
discography obtains full length Strangling from Within, EP Oh My Regrets and the
last album Amor Fati. As I could see Peccatum have a deserved appreciation by
the fans here, but I think there is a lot of people outside Norway that know the
band just by the name, although they are truly worth to get to know better - their
work I mean.
Gehenna
They undoubtedly deserve to be mentioned as the best band of the day. Audience
was going wild from the minute they came on the stage. It was just a pure pleasure
listening to them, so after I have spent the roll of film, I just got back a little
and enjoyed seeing Gehenna live since I never had this opportunity before. My
mood was changing rapidly with the songs from different albums during the concert.
That is just how a good band can effect you with their music. And I know I don't
have to introduce Gehenna to anyone. They are one of the cult bands in the metal
scene and they prove to deserve that status over and over again.
Saturday:
Tidfall
I have seen this band only very briefly, so I don't know what to write about them
exactly , apart from the fact that in those few moments they have convinced me
to go and check out their music as soon as possible. Their stage appearance was
fascinating, so dignified and very powerful. The thing that I liked a lot was
that the synth didn't take away the sharpness of the songs. Their first album
Circular Supremacy was released last year and I think it will be worth to see
what they are up to in the future.
M-Eternal
Most people probably know this band by the name Malignant Eternal. I was glad
when I found out they will play at Inferno as it has been a while since they have
played anywhere close to my home ( at the end of 1997 they have toured with Setherial,
I think ) and I was really curious what do they sound like now – and I wasn't
disappointed! I like this industrial touch in new songs, the show was great and
the audience was responding well for the first time that day. A very good concert
indeed.
Susperia
Now, here is the band that achieves a total control over stage and public every
time they have a concert. I saw them for the first time when they were opening
for Dimmu Borgir in Graz and I have never seen a crowd get wormed up so quickly!
I don't know how do they achieve this, but they are great live, even if you are
not so fond of their music otherwise. And knowing that newcomers are usually not
accepted with open arms, it's even more remarkable. Their album Predominance was
released early this year, but you just got to see this band live!
Borknagar
This is another band that should be at the Highlights list. But it was some kind
of tension among the audience that prevents me from doing that. It is not easy
to replace Simen and I give Vintersorg Borknagar's new vocalist a lot of credit
for not trying to imitate him. He did a great job but nevertheless the people
were checking how will he be able to reach the high tones and how is he going
to sing a certain part of a song. Jens has told me that they have expected that
and that they realise how important this concert was, but I think that they can
rest asure now, since I think people have accepted Vintersorg as capable vocalist
for Borknagar and when they have played a new song the response was great, even
the tension has loosen up for a while. So I assume that after releasing the new
album, the response at the concerts will be much more spontaneous. The band has
succeeded again.
"Highlights"
Pain
Surprise, surprise. I would have never said if I didn't see for myself, how good
they are. Pain is Peter Tagtgren's one man band, which basically combines heavy
guitar riffs with electronic stuff and the result isn't really innovative, but
it sounds very catchy. I have listen to Rebirth album and I like it a lot, except
for the lyrics, but this concert has exceeded all expectations. The hall where
the Big stage was situated was totally overcrowded and the vibe has conquered
them all. Jump, jump.
As I left the festival, it started snowing, little snowflakes covered the streets
of Oslo. But although it was past 4 o'clock in the morning the streets were full
of people enjoying the nightlife. I guess that explains emptiness in the morning.
So what I later found out was that my camera has been rendered unfit for use,
so all the photos except for Khold's has been ruined, blank!!!! Arghhh.
But I guess we will survive this as well.
I would like to express my gratitude to all those people that took their time
to answer my questions for the interview; Sanrabb, Frost, Satyr, Fenriz and Jens
and to all of those that had help me around arranging things; Ann and entire Inferno
crew, especially the two girls at the entrance, thank you! |
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