Report: Skyforger + Air Raid + Gwydion + Evil Killer + Salduie @ RCA Club, Lisbon

On the 14th of October, RCA club venue hosted five bands that integrate different metal scenes. An enthusiastic pack of people gathered around the stage, expecting to experience a great night of heavy metal. This can be defined not only by the bands delivering good performances but also by a crowd providing feedback to the stage by having a good time. So, that was exactly what this night provided to everyone that attend it.

The night started with the Spanish folk band Salduie that brought with them songs from their albums “Imbolc” and “Beloss”. Giving the audience a taste that in Spain you can also find great musicians doing this genre of music. Songs like “Numancia” and “Netón” were included in their performance, leaving the ones already present in the venue satisfied with their show full of passion and adrenaline, balanced with dancing and melancholic melodies.

Following the diversity that this night would bring, Evil Killer, also from Spain, brought with them their young attitude to the old school thrash metal. They left no one indifferent, and were one of the surprises of the night, despite their little time to play. Presenting their last album “Witchcraft”, with songs like “When the Cross Is Burning”, and “Resist ’till the End”, they delighted a crowd that seemed totally in tune with them during the entire show. A performance done by musicians that seemed to enjoy their time, and break the first necks of the night.

After their reformation with a new vocalist and a new drummer, the popular metal force Gwydion from Portugal entered the stage in all its glory. A band that already has some loyal followers, presented the crowd with jolly attitude and full committed show about battles and drinking. Songs like “Veteran”, “Math of War”, and “Mead of Poetry” delighted the crowd that started to move around in a venue already well composed to see the big highlights of the night. As for the Gwydion performance, it was a triumphant return of a band that the Portuguese audience holds dear.

Coming from Sweden, Air Raid focus their performance on their new album “Across the Line”. The band were one of the big surprises of the night, and one of the main reasons some of the people were there. The new songs “Hold the Flame”, “Line of Danger”, “Aiming for the Sky”, and “Hell and Back”, clearly made an impact on the audience, along with their delivering performance, reminding that old school heavy metal feeling of bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, in their early years. With a competent performance and a setlist made to win on stage, the Swedish boys showed that heavy metal is pretty much alive and doing well. After their show, we can say that Air Raid is one of those bands helping to maintain this genre flag raised up high. A band every metalhead should see live at least once.

Headlining, what in sum was a great metal evening, was the Pagan metal band Skyforger. This Latvian band is one of the oldest active bands of the genre. They have brought along with their heavy metal, sometimes more black metal driven, sometimes more folk oriented, songs based on their last two albums “Senprūsija”, and “Kurbads”. These are seemingly albums that their audience knows well. The vocalist and guitar player Pēteris “Peter” explained before every song the war tales, stories, and myths behind each songs. The band delivered a great show, intense and committed. Once again, they proved to be a great force on stage, that can attract an audience enjoying melodic songs as well as the ones more into heavier tunes. Songs like “Rāmava”, “Zem Lietuvas karogiem”, “Son Of The Mare”, “The Nine-headed” and “The Devilslayer”, were part of the great setlist, that ended the small tour through Portugal and Spain, in the city of Lisbon.

In the name of The Black Planet zine, we want to thank Notredame Productions and Metal’s Alliance, for putting up an amazing metal night, gathering audiences from different genres under the same flag. They provided us the opportunity to witness new bands, and see on stage Skyforger, a legend in the world of Pagan metal. Judging by the people who stayed after the show, talking with the bands, the present audience were also grateful for this event.  Hopefully more team up’s like this will happen in the future. We, who are about to metal, salute you!

Special thanks to Notredame Productions and Metals Alliance

Report by: Daniel Lemminkainen (Text) and Melissa Poseyydon (Photos)
Managing Editor: Rita Limede / Elsa Marques

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