Ethereal Sound Works hosted an evening on June 27 at RCA Club in Lisbon, dedicated to celebrating two new chapters in Portuguese metal.
In front of a packed venue gathered to mark the occasion, Hourswill performed their latest album, Ensemble, live, while Anifernyen took to the stage to unveil Ex Tenebris Lvx, the band’s newest studio release.
More than just an album launch concert, the evening stood as a celebration of the journey and evolution of two distinct bands, united by the quality of their compositions and their long-standing relationship with Ethereal Sound Works. Through moments of intensity, emotion and total commitment on stage, both acts delivered performances that showcased the strength of their new material without neglecting the standout songs from their respective catalogues.
Hourswill (full gallery below)
Hourswill were the first to take the stage at RCA Club to present Ensemble, the latest release from the progressive metal band, characterised by rich atmospheres and compositions of remarkable emotional depth.
The performance began with the instrumental introduction, “Paso de Cuervo”, setting the perfect mood for “Le Radeau de la Méduse”, performed in a shorter live version lasting around thirteen minutes. The song concluded with a special guest appearance by Nuno Cruz, vocalist of Thragedium, who performed the guttural vocal sections just as featured on the studio recording.
The set continued with “Unheilvoll”, during which Leonel encouraged the audience to join him in singing the chorus, inviting everyone to shout the song’s title in unison: “Unheilvoll!”. Despite the venue not being completely full, the crowd responded enthusiastically, highlighting the strong connection between the band and those in attendance.
The journey through Ensemble continued with “Gehenna”, “Children of the Void”, “Inevitable Collapse II” and “Abyss Syndrome”, songs that showcased the technical richness and atmospheric approach that define Hourswill’s sound. Between songs, the band encouraged the audience to listen to the new album and continue supporting Portuguese music.
To close their performance, Leonel introduced “Mass Insanity”, one of the band’s most recognisable songs. Before performing it, he explained that it was the first track for which he appeared in a music video as Hourswill’s vocalist. Reflecting on the song’s message, he added that it remains especially relevant today, stating that, considering the current state of the world, “it feels like we’re all living through a Mass Insanity”. The performance ended with warm applause as the band thanked the audience for their support and Ethereal Sound Works for the invitation to be part of this special evening.
Anifernyen (full gallery below)
Anifernyen closed the night with the official live presentation of Ex Tenebris Lvx, the latest album from the melodic black/death metal band. Inspired by Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel The Club Dumas (As Nove Portas do Reino das Sombras in Portuguese), the new record came to life on stage before an audience eagerly awaiting the live debut of its new material.
Following an instrumental introduction, the band opened their set with “Silentium Est Aureum”, immediately establishing the dark and immersive atmosphere that defines this new chapter of their discography.
Shortly afterwards, a technical issue involving the laptop samplers forced a brief interruption. While drummer Hugo Almeida worked to solve the problem, frontman Daniel addressed the audience, explaining that the band was there to present their new album and expressing his hope that everyone would enjoy it. With his usual sense of humour, he admitted: “Não sou o melhor gajo para fazer conversa de sala. Estou cá para fazer o que vocês viram na primeira canção!”
As the issue had not yet been resolved, Anifernyen decided to move forward and perform “None Shall Be Denied” “dry”, as Daniel himself described it, demonstrating professionalism and the ability to overcome an unexpected setback without compromising the performance.
Once the problem had been solved, the band introduced its members before continuing with “The Lost Word”, “Fortuna”, “Frustra”, “Ditesco Mori” and “Disciple Surpasses The Master”, delivering a sequence that highlighted the intensity and dynamic nature of the new compositions. In front of the stage, the audience responded enthusiastically, with constant headbanging and strong applause between songs.
Before performing “From Darkness Comes Light”, Daniel introduced it as the final song from Ex Tenebris Lvx. The closing section of the set was dedicated to a journey back to Augur, with “Eldritch Moon” and “Foreshadowing”, before ending with the inevitable fan favourite, “Tyrant”, which once again received an outstanding response from the crowd.
At the end of the performance, Anifernyen thanked the audience, the entire technical crew and promoter Ethereal Sound Works, leaving the stage to a prolonged round of applause that brought to a close an evening celebrating two significant new releases from the Portuguese metal scene.
The evening promoted by Ethereal Sound Works was a celebration of Portuguese music and the creativity of two bands that continue to strengthen their identity within the country’s metal scene. Through the live presentation of Ensemble and Ex Tenebris Lvx, Hourswill and Anifernyen demonstrated maturity, quality and a strong connection with their audience, proving that both albums deserve to be discovered and experienced live.
Hourswill
Anifernyen
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