Text & Photos by Miguel Solans
The first edition of Autumn Gatherings took place on Friday, October 16, at Casa do Artista Amador, bringing together three acts from the Portuguese metal scene: Living Tales, Terramorta and Secret Chord. With three different approaches to heavy music, the event offered a balanced night of symphonic and progressive metal, symphonic black/death metal and hard rock.
Living Tales opened the evening with a set combining symphonic and progressive metal. The band played five songs, including Reign, River Styx, Hades and Immortal. One of the highlights came with The Man Who’d Be King, for which the band presented a new arrangement as a special treat for the audience. The version has not yet been released on streaming platforms, making it a particularly interesting moment in the set.
Hailing from Leiria, Terramorta brought a darker and heavier sound to the evening with their blend of symphonic black and death metal. Their set included eleven songs, among them Sic Semper Tyrannis, Baba Yaga, Fog of War, Caronte and Your God Is a Lie. One of the most interesting aspects of the performance was the presence of two vocalists. David Matos delivered deeper guttural vocals, while Marina Silva brought a higher-pitched approach. The contrast between their voices added another dimension to the band’s sound, creating a clear distinction between the two vocal styles throughout the performance.
Secret Chord closed the evening as part of their Echoes of Existence tour, dedicated to their latest EP. The show also marked the final date of the tour, with the band set to take a break from live performances for an undetermined period due to vocalist Raquel’s pregnancy. Despite the circumstances, Raquel commanded the stage with confidence and a powerful voice. The set featured eight songs, including Lies, Everything Repeats, The Choice, Scars and Wraith of Oblivion, before closing with Set the Firestarter Ablaze.
The performance marked the end of this chapter for Secret Chord, leaving the band’s return to the stage for a later date.
The first Autumn Gatherings brought together three different approaches to metal and hard rock, giving each band room to showcase its identity. From Living Tales’ new arrangement to Terramorta’s dual vocals and Secret Chord’s final show of the tour, the evening offered several reasons to look forward to what future editions of the event might bring.
LIVING TALES
TERRAMORTA
SECRET CHORD
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