In just a few short years, Milagre Metaleiro has evolved from a local hidden gem into one of the most promising metal festivals in Portugal. The 2024 edition marked a defining moment for the event, drawing a record-breaking crowd and an electrifying lineup of international and underground metal acts, signalling its potential to join the ranks of Europe’s best festivals.
Day 1 (August 23)
The task of opening the event fell to Spanish band Blasphemium. Hailing from Andalucia, the group succeeded in capturing the attention of the sizeable crowd already gathered at the Milagre Metaleiro 2024 grounds. Performing Black Metal with symphonic elements reminiscent of genre icons such as Dimmu Borgir and Covenant, and with two albums in their discography—the most recent being Crowned by the Serpent, released in 2016—the band delivered a strong performance, despite appearing somewhat reserved during the opening moments of the set. As time went by, the band became apparently more comfortable.
Arriving from the United Kingdom and equally committed to their stage presentation, this time with blood-like markings across their skin, were British band Repulsive Vision. It quickly became clear that the audience was about to witness a merciless performance. Their muscular Death Metal reverberated throughout the Milagre Metaleiro grounds as the mosh pit remained in constant motion. Still promoting Necrovictology, while giving equal attention to Look Past The Gore And See The Art, the band led by Danny McEwan left no stone unturned while performing killer songs such as “Pit of Putridity”, . They refused to relent until they had unleashed some of the heaviest and most sickening riffs heard at the festival that day upon the crowd.
Next came another band sporting body paint. Hailing from Tilburg, the Dutch group Vanaheim presented a Folk Metal sound infused with epic elements, largely represented by their 2022 debut album, Een verloren verhaal. The band caught many attendees by surprise, and it did not take long for Zino van Leerdam and his bandmates to win over the audience with their frenetic rhythms and uplifting, infectious melodies. Across a selection of songs drawn from Een verloren verhaal, including “Gevallen in de nacht”, “Onbevangen” and “Reuzenspraak”, the band also found time to revisit their first release, the EP *The House Spirit*, with “The Dwarven Chant”.
After so much celebration, it was time to return to old-school sounds with British band Avenger. Formed in 1982, the group led by Ian Swift, who previously performed with the legendary Satan, demonstrated why they remain an important name in traditional British Heavy Metal. After almost 30 years without releasing a new studio album, the band opened the concert with “Race Against Time”, the second track from their comeback record, which itself dates back to 2014. From that point onwards, the performance became a genuine journey back to the 1980s. “Run For Your Life” marked this return to the past, and following songs such as “Fate” and “Brand Of Torture”, Ian encouraged the audience by asking whether they wanted something louder and faster, before swiftly introducing “Death Race 2000”.
After taking a sip of water, Ian Swift continued the concert with “In Arcadia Go!”. The entire performance served as a journey through some of the finest qualities of 1980s Heavy Metal. “Victims Of Force”, a mid-tempo track, showcased Avenger’s groovier and more Hard Rock-oriented side. Following repeated encouragement from the audience, Ian stepped down from the stage and joined the crowd to perform “Enforcer”, another song from the 1984 album “Blood Sports”, much to the delight of the many fans present. At the age of 66, Ian Smith displayed enviable vitality, warmth and energy. The band concluded with “Revenge Attack”, from 1985, a song designed for the entire audience to sing along to, very much in the tradition of Iron Maiden.
Hailing from the frozen lands of Finland, Bloodred Hourglass took 19 years to set foot on Portuguese soil, a fact emphasised by frontman and vocalist Jarkko Koukonen. To his delight, hundreds of hands were raised when he asked who was seeing Bloodred Hourglass for the first time. However, judging by the movement among the crowd, the band’s target audience was present in significant numbers. With a melodic sound featuring touches of Metalcore and some Death Metal in their older songs, this six-piece delivered considerable weight alongside a highly positive attitude. The band focused most of its setlist on its two most recent albums, “How’s The Heart” (2023) and “Your Highness” (2021), and songs such as “In Lieu Of Flowers”, “The End We Start From”, “Drag Me The Rain” and “Leaves” captivated the hundreds of people watching the concert. The band ended with an explosion: “Where The Sinners Crawl”. It was a successful debut.
The line-up of this edition of Milagre Metaleiro was responsible for bringing several veteran bands representing the Heavy Metal of the 1980s and 1990s to the festival. Following Avenger came Axxis, another band likely unfamiliar to younger audiences, but one that proved it still has fans in Portugal. Their concert was highly competent, filled with the theatricality of vocalist Bernhard Weiß and supported by the excellent musicianship of his bandmates. The band showcased songs rich in melody and catchiness, with “Heaven In Black”, “Touch The Rainbow” and “Coming Home” standing out.
Hailing from Germany, Equilibrium arrived, conquered and demolished the Milagre Metaleiro stage. The band entered the stage with an utterly crushing attitude, and throughout the concert, headbanging onstage and moshing among the audience were constant. Near the end, the band announced that it was about to perform “the first song ever composed by Equilibrium: Blut Im Auge!!” The reception could not have been better, and the audience turned out in force to support them. Particular recognition must also be given to drummer Tuval Hati Refaeli, whose performance proved the old saying that “a band is only as good or as bad as its drummer”.
From one German band to another, their compatriots Freedom Call lifted the spirits of everyone present at Milagre Metaleiro with their Heavy Power Metal and overwhelmingly positive attitude. Their interactions with the audience were constant, and it was clear that many people were there specifically to see them. Christian Bayer acted as the spokesperson for this dose of dopamine, which left smiles on many faces and allowed the audience to catch its breath only at the end. The band treated festivalgoers to well-known songs such as “Hammer of the Gods”, “Silver Romance” and “Warriors”. Naturally, the classic “Metal is for everyone” could not be omitted. The sound quality was excellent, enhancing the group’s entire performance. The concert concluded with the triumphant “Land of the Light”.
This first “official” day belonged to the German bands. One of the Big Four of Teutonic Thrash, Sodom took to the Milagre Metaleiro stage for an absolutely devastating concert. In terms of moshing, it was undoubtedly the most violent performance of the day. With the festival grounds packed with fans ready to see Sodom once again in Portugal, the first screams erupted as soon as the band entered the stage. Tom Angelripper received an ecstatic welcome, which he promptly acknowledged before launching into the concert. What followed was a crushing performance from a band that has had nothing to prove to anyone for many years. During a set whose order became confused midway through the show, as Tom Angelripper decided to disregard the setlist placed onstage and change the running order of the songs, a parade of classics such as “Agent Orange”, “Ausgebombt”, “Procession To Golgatha”, “Blasphemer”, “Outbreak Of Evil” and the relentless “Sodomy And Lust” left no one indifferent for approximately one hour. All hell broke loose across the Milagre Metaleiro grounds.
There was a great deal of dust in the air, along with plenty of hair flying in every direction, as a consequence of the extremely violent mosh pits that emerged throughout the concert by these giants of German Thrash Metal.
After a crushing thrash metal onslaught, guess what… another German band! This time, it was one of the most famous German Heavy/Speed Metal bands. Metalium have not released new music since 2009, admittedly, but that did not result in fewer fans turning out to see them. A band with eight solid albums in its discography, and with little history of performing in Portugal, received an enthusiastic welcome from many fans. Led by Henning Basse, who, in addition to Metalium, has remained particularly busy with Legions Of The Night and Withering Scorn, the band delivered an exceptional performance. Their highly professional stage presence made it easy for them to encourage the fans to sing along. In the front rows, many knew the songs by heart.
The concert’s setlist was largely composed of material from the band’s 1999 debut album, “Millennium Metal: Chapter One”.
Italian Symphonic death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse brought the hostilities on the Milagre Metaleiro stage to a close. Known for their extreme speed and technical ability, Francesco Paoli’s band swept away whatever energy remained among the festival audience. The beginning was somewhat troubled, with a number of sound issues that were quickly resolved. The parade of frantic blast beats, courtesy of the incredible Eugene Ryabchenko, created the atmosphere of a battlefield across the festival grounds, such was the violence and speed of the rhythms driving songs such as “The Egoism”, “The Fool” and “No”.
Now performing as a five-piece following the departure of Paolo Rossi, his absence was felt when it came to filling the music with his characteristic bursts of high-pitched clean vocals. Who did not ruin their voice while attempting to sing “Destiny won’t forgive!” in the correct register during “The Violation”?!
Clearly well-rehearsed, Fleshgod Apocalypse delivered one of the finest concerts of this edition of Milagre Metaleiro: a genuine discharge of devastating energy that was impossible to ignore.
Fleshgod Apocalypse | Photo: @filipegomes.photo
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