“Reactor” is a kind of club placed inside of another one (whose title should be familiar to our Russian readers), called “Camelot”. It possesses the smaller stage and smaller room, although it’s size seems to be enough big for suchlike gigs. Also, I guess I should admit that this concert was a second one for ROSSOMAHAAR, this time featuring second guitarist, namely Alex Kantemirov (also in TALES OF DARKNORD and DER GERWELT). I doubt if it was a right decision to take him into the band, but – later about that.
The gig began somewhere between 18:00 and 19:00, and ASHEN LIGHTS were the first ones to play. This was already the third time I saw them live and, like before, their performance appeared as something I really liked. This band performs some sort of atmospheric black metal with emphasis on synths – not that evil, maybe more mystic and bewitching… These guys look like they’re very young, although their creations already deserve to be issued on the CD, no doubts… They sing in Russian and unfortunately their lyrics strike as too naive and childish, although I can’t say that it fucks up anything. The only thing I can’t get into goes for a couple of SATARIAL’s gigs they’ve participated in. Can’t they understand WHO are SATARIAL and HOW PATHETIC they are, or they just don’t give a fuck whom they’re playing with??? Too bad, anyway. The only thing I can add regarding ASHEN LIGHTS goes: firstly, for the sound which was very good during their performance, and secondly, for one of their guitarists’ personality. Personally I still wonder if it is a man or a woman, ha ha…
DREAMING SOUL was a second band, and I didn’t like them too much that evening. Something went wrong with Alexander’s voice and his harmonic singing’s parts sounded terrible… Well, it didn’t spoil their performance too much, although it wasn’t a good thing to be heard in the same time. In general, they played the same songs as always, and played ‘em in a quite excellent way.
Ah, and then we had ROSSOMAHAAR… As I already said, they’ve played live once before this gig (at “Farvater” club), and I fear I liked that show more than this one… It has absolutely inimitable atmosphere and ‘feeling’… But ok, let’s get back to the 14th of February. This time they performed only new songs taken from the upcoming “Imperium Tenebrarum” demo (hopefully to be released as a CD on certain foreign label) set on the lyrics of mine (like “Into The Domain Beyond All Horizons” and “The Spectral Prophecy”, for example) which was definitely a good move, because the former tracks (from “Grotesque” demo (the official album under the same title was released lately by R. I. P. Productions) can’t be even compared to the new ones. Also, Lazar decided to invite supplementary guitarist, Alexander, and that’s not the kind of thing I liked… You see, he is not and never will be a part of ROSSOMAHAAR due to his stupid image and ‘satanic’ attitude. He just doesn’t fit the band in contrast to f.ex. Baalseguothstarius (bassist). It will be a great pleasure for me to see him being kicked out of the band. Besides, who needs his meaningless screams between the songs??? Yes, he possesses a better ‘voice’ than Lazar has, but then he should be a lead vocalist not just some fucker spoiling the whole image of the band. Speaking about ROSSOMAHAAR’s music, I’d say that it’s quite original melodic, though evil, aggressive and masterly performed atmospheric stuff, combining the heritage of early EMPEROR and DARK TRANQUILLITY. Unfortunately, the sound sucked during their set, especially when it comes to Lazar’s guitar and keyboards. It was really strange since they rehearsed a lot that evening, at least enough to get splendid sound. Anyway, I’d like to say that despite all the aforementioned drawbacks, together with ASHES LIGHTS, they were the best band on that gig.
Shortly after ROSSOMAHAAR we could behold ANUBIS. Hmm… This band is definitely a pure nonsence. They claim to be something ‘pagan’, but then why did they take a name from Egyptian mythology??? Also, it was said that their lyrics are written in the Old Slavonic, which I consider to be a joke. I’d really like to see that ‘old-Slav’ who composed such a crap. Musically, they’re certain ‘doom / death / black metal’ band, in my view – absolutely incomprehensible and utterly irritating. They have a girl in their lineup which tried to sing and play flute however nobody could hear her… That was really funny. One more amusing thing goes for the end of their show, when someone threw an inflated condom on the stage… Instead of the applauses, I believe.
NIGHTHATRED was the band to finish the show, and also the worst one – even worse than ANUBIS. Most possibly fans knew it, because there was very small amount of people left at that time at “Reactor”. Erh… believe me or not, but this “band” makes me laugh. With their childish corpsepaint and lack of musical abilities, they have no future at all. It’s not even “true underground” stuff like JUDAS ISCARIOT, at least I didn’t feel any sincerity or emotions when it comes to NIGHTHATRED (what a stupid name). Their “style” is fast, worthless and ‘OOOHHH-SOO-EEVIL’ attempt to play black metal, but as a result we have nothing but a regular poser act with a lineup of 18-year old kids who know nothing of what BM really is. Should I waste my time to follow on describing these pure non-entities? If you was born in the year of 1983, perhaps you’d like it – but only because of your birth’s date and, consequently, the lack of brains in your head. I have a little message for all true black metallers and those who sincerely support this kind of Art: boycott these shitheads, don’t let our scene to be inundated by posers! NIGHTHATRED HAS NO RIGHT TO EXIST. Too bad that we don’t have anyone like Varg Vikernes who once made Norway’s shithead #1 to become nothing but a memory…
P.S. I can’t understand how such respected and honest bands like DREAMING SOUL or ROSSOMAHAAR could play together with the non-entity mentioned above… Were they blinded somehow or what??