DAY 3
And the last day of the festival started surprisingly on time, making us loose TERRORHAMMER overture show. We must say that we got so used to the Serbian schedules that this third day turned out to be a bit “overorganised” for us. But there was two more bands to play, and so the decision was right.
Our day started with Serbians SIMARGAL, one of the oldest Serbian black metal bands still active. We don’t know if they always sound and perform like that show, but their posture on stage was too uncompromised, leaving the feeling that they weren’t really there. Especially the frontman, who seem to be suffering from some kind of low rotation syndrome.
Italians FROSTMOON ECLIPSE came next, after the re-scheduling of the prior day. They continue to present good, entertaining shows, with their different black metal approach, that felt good at the beginning of that last night. On top of that, they joined a “Black Sabbath” brutal cover, showing their musical good taste.
Setlist: “I am the Absence”, “Where no Light Burns”, “The Darkest Season of Humanity”, “Corridors”, “Violating the Obvious”, “A Clandestine Freedom Between Shadows” and “Black Sabbath”.
Frostmoon Eclipse
The One
Sekhmet
With less assistance than the prior day (we believe that the majority of the polish metalheads left with their bands), the darkness was spreading good, next with SEKHMET violating the ground. These Czech metalers pulled out a hell of a show, with their old school blaspheme themes, appealing to rottenness and decrepitude. They showed a well-designed stage presentation, with burning crosses, that contributed to the success of this Evil performance. “Black Witchcraft or Ancient lore of Black” and “All Shall Bear Witness” were the main highlights.
The second non planned band to perform at that last day, were the Greeks THE ONE, initially scheduled to close the second night. It was our first live contact with this ritualistic band, that tries to carry to the stage the darkest and more frightening feelings of all. Majestic voice execution, distorted guitar riffs and some down tempo percussion exhibition made that one of our best doom moments of the Serbian event.
DESASTER was the night headliner, and they proved to have a good fan base at the festival ground, once the adhesion to their concert was massive, creating the biggest circle pit of that last day. “Teutonic Steel”, “Metalized Blood”, “Satan’s Soldiers Syndicate” and some new tracks made the story of another good show in Serbian soil.
So, as we approach the final bands, a lot was still to see in the running order, and so it was with no surprise that Finish occult black metalers BEHEXEN pulled everyone to the front of their stage, to see one of the most expected shows of the weekend. Being considered as one of the leading underground bands of the Finish black metal scene, Behexen knew out to grab the audience attention, with a well-chosen setlist, with tracks as “Kiss of Our Dark Mother”, “By The Blessing of Satan”, “Wrathful Dragon Hau-Hra”, “My Soul For His Glory” and “Awaken Tiamat”, celebrating a mess of the occult, in His name. It was a sober, competent performance, with a live sound heavier than on studio albums.
Desaster
Behexen
Then, Dutch avant garde metalers URFAUST entered the stage to perform their, sometimes, doubtable black metal approach, that gathered the curiosity of most of the presents. Nevertheless, as expectable, some of them abandoned the front stage with the unroll of the concert. As for us, listening live to songs as “Vom Gesicht und Rätsel“, or “Ein leeres Zauberspiel” leaves no chance of backing out, once the transcendence of your mind goes far away from everything you might know under your feet. As the show kept continuing, even with an encore, we soon realized what was about to happen: the festival was over. Yes, FIDES INVERSA was at the festival since the first day, but they didn’t play. It was our bad. And so, only three cancelations: all of them Italian…
Urfaust
All set and done, Darkness Rising Festival was a terrific Serbian underground experience. There have been dozens of mistakes during the event, but we believe that everybody came out of Belgrade with a satiating feeling, waiting for next year’s first confirmed bands. We had a blast!
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