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Concert Review – Beyond the Gates (Bergen, Norway, 07/31/2024-08/03/2024)

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***Review and photos by Mathis Backe***

A metalhead can’t ask for a more fitting experience than four days of extreme metal in the city that is responsible for birthing one of the most notorious and exciting sub-genres, black metal. Bergen, Norway is home to some of the most relevant and awe-inspiring artists, bands and figures such as Enslaved, Gorogorth/Gaahl, Burzum/Varg Vikernes, Immortal/Abbath put this city on the map as it relates to their contributions. It makes perfect sense, then, that this same city is host to the Beyond The Gates Festival, which features many of the Nordic bands that have helped shape black metal, plus a whole selection of other artists and experiences. The 2024 edition proved to be one of the best yet.

DAY ONE

Mayhem @ Beyond the Gates 2024

The day started with Trondheim’s Whoredom Rife who are one of the most exciting bands to come out of Norway in quite some time. They hit the stage with the ferocity of a tsunami and destroyed with a raw, vicious black metal assault. Next up was Polish black metallers Manbryne. As a relatively new entry into the space (having formed in 2017) this five-piece delivered a set like a band with a few decades under their bullet-adorned belts. Next up was American black/death/thrash gods, Black Anvil. If you’ve ever been fortunate enough to catch these guys live, you’ll already know that they truly give it their all. A fantastic band that showcases both their many years of experience and utter exuberance when they hit that stage. The mighty Mayhem hit the larger of two stages at USF Verftet (the venue that hosted the first two days of the festival) with a set that celebrated the band’s 40th anniversary. There is no better place for this to happen, as Bergen is the same city that the band recorded their legendary debut album, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. The guys hit the stage and plowed through decades worth of material, which included a couple of tracks from their now-classic debut, Deathcrush (even inviting two former members to the stage to perform these tracks). Ending off the night was Bergen resident and legendary black metal figure, Gaahl, and his newly-revamped Trelldom. For this unfamiliar, Trelldom sprung to life in the 90s, prior to Gaahl joining Gorgorth, and released a few now-legendary albums. They were short-lived, but have recently reformed, releasing a brand new album of experimental music with some tinges of black metal. Their set tonight comprised mostly new material, but they also threw in a few goodies for longtime fans.

DAY TWO

Behemoth @ Beyond the Gates 2024

Waking to a beautiful day in Bergen, we were ready to hit the streets and make our way over to the venue to catch the first two bands of the day: Prague’s Cult Of Fire and Sweden’s Portrait. Both bands put on spectacular, albeit very different, sets. Cult Of Fire are the Buddhists of metal and, as such, their set and theatrics reflect this perfectly. Portrait’s brand of classic heavy metal was a nice change of pace from all the extremity we had witnessed thus far. Next up was the classic lineup of Venom (not to be confused with Venom Inc.) which features original member, Cronos. The larger venue, Hallen, was packed to the gills for this set which featured all the classics fans have grown to love over the last five decades. It was a highly-energized set which included many fan sing-alongs. Switzerland cosmic black metallers, Darkspace, then put on what can only be described as a trip into the outer reaches of the universe punctuated by their brand of hypnosis-inducing black metal. Incredible stuff from a band that does not often play live. Definitely a rare treat. Ending the night were Behemoth and Death SS. Having seen Nergal and crew many times, tonight was probably one of the best performances yet. The festival spared no expense with the pyro and stage props, which allowed the guys to truly capitalize on their already larger-than-life presence. The final act of the night, Death SS, are a band that have existed since the late 70s. Not being too familiar with their material, I was pleasantly surprised by their super high-energy set and the quality of songs that they delivered, which ranged from classic heavy metal all the way to stuff on the more extreme end of things. A very interesting and fun to catch on the live front, if you ever get the chance.

DAY THREE

Enslaved @ Beyond the Gates 2024

With the first two days in the history books, we move to the second of two venues, the famed Grieghallen, for the final two days. If you are familiar with Grieghallen, you would know that the venue was the very same place that many of the legendary Norwegian black metallers recorded their early work. The first band of the evening was Norwegian avant-garde black metal, Dødheimsgard. Frontman, Vicotnik, and his merry band of minstrels, carnivalized their way through an incredible set of vertigo-inducing tracks. Next up was Norway’s Djevel, the band that features one Bard Faust behind the drums (formerly of Emperor). These guys are the gatekeepers of True Norwegian Black Metal, and their set proved as much. There are no frills or gimmicks. It was just straight-up second wave-inspired black metal from start to finish. One of the best performances of the festival thus far. Hometown heroes, Enslaved, are one band that have played many of the previous editions of the festival. Each year, the band tackles one of their classic, early albums. This year, they played through the entirety of their ’95 album, Frost. As such, the stage was adorned with jutting icicles which further enhanced the overall performance. At this point, Enslaved can do no wrong. Let’s hope they are back again next year. The last band of the night, Satyricon, were the only band to play two sets. This first set, comprised material from their entire catalog, with focus on some of their more well-known songs. Satyr and crew did an excellent job of vetting songs that would appeal to fans of different eras of the band. Additionally, the festival hosted a retrospective exhibit of Satyricon’s entire career. Incredible stuff.

DAY FOUR

Blood Fire Death @ Beyond the Gates 2024

Heading into the final day, the sunshine of the previous three days gave way to more inclement, wet weather. Fittingly, the rain of the day perfectly suited the first two bands, Vemod and Vreid, respectively. Both bands delivered stunning sets of Norwegian black metal in the realm of the more atmospheric. Vreid, which features former members of the highly-regarded Windir, were definitely a fan favorite. They even invited the brother of former Windir frontman, Valfar (who tragically passed away a number of years ago), up on the stage as a guest vocalist to honor his brother with a Windir song. Satyricon then charged onto the stage for the second set of the festival with another collection of songs that spanned their entire catalog. This time, there was more focus on later era tracks, which, as a fan of this era, was a welcomed treat. Lastly, the performance that everyone was waiting for: Blood Fire Death, a tribute to Bathory. There can be no better festival to host something like this, as each and every band that performed over the last four days owes something to the legendary Bathory. Each song of the performance featured various members of bands that performed throughout the fest to give their own spin on these songs, with many of the songs featuring a different vocalist. The entire spectacle was overwhelming and will go down in history as one of the pivotal performances of Beyond The Gates.

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Album Review – Watain / The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain (2022)

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One of the world’s most well-known and notorious Black Metal bands is finally unleashing upon us their infernal seventh full-length opus.

Crawled out of Satan’s cunt in 1998 and has since then ascended and grown into one of the world’s most well-known and notorious Black Metal bands, Uppsala/Stockholm, Sweden-based horde Watain returns from the underworld with their greatly anticipated seventh studio album, entitled The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain. Continuing to arouse and electrify their audience with an unmistakable, adventurous brand of Black Metal Magic processed and distilled over the course of a 25-year long history, vocalist E. Danielsson and guitarist P. Forsberg, together with session musicians H. Eriksson on the guitar, A. Lillo on bass and E. Forcas on drums, show no mercy for our souls throughout the 50 minutes of insanity found in their new album. Recorded live inside an old church on the Swedish countryside, produced by T. Stjerna at Necromorbus Studio, and displaying a sick artwork by the band’s own vocalist E. Danielsson in collaboration with Indonesian artist Oik Wasfuk, The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain takes the listener one step closer to the innermost heart of a band that despite always being surrounded by rumors and controversy has always strived for the most sincere and genuine ways of expression.

The visceral riffs by P. Forsberg and H. Eriksson will cut your skin deep in the fulminating opening track Ecstasies in Night Infinite, a brutal, old school Swedish Black Metal aria for our vulgar delectation, not to mention how infernal E. Forcas sounds on drums; whereas E. Danielsson growls and gnarls like a true servant of Satan in The Howling, with his bandmates blasting more of their demolishing Black Metal. Serimosa, a word or name of power communicated out of unknown origin which tells of the electric notion of the coming of a great power, is even darker, heavier and more atmospheric, or in other words, a different but amazing side of the band led by the demonic vociferations by E. Danielsson, followed by Black Cunt, which as you can see carries a Stygian name for another round of the band’s Mephistophelian Black Metal where P. Forsberg and H. Eriksson take the lead with their sulfurous riffs and solos. And back to their most demented mode the band offers us all the blackened chant Leper’s Grace, showcasing absolutely hellish guitar lines accompanied by the blast beast by E. Forcas and the massive bass punches by A. Lillo.

The cryptic instrumental interlude Not Sun Nor Man Nor God sets the stage for Watain to kill again in Before the Cataclysm, utterly violent and obscure from the very first second, with E. Danielsson roaring nonstop with tons of anger and hatred in his damned heart, therefore living up to the legacy of classic Swedish Black Metal. Then featuring guest vocalist Farida Lemouchi (Molasses, The Devil’s Blood) and guest guitarist Gottfrid Åhman (Invidious, In Solitude) we’re treated to We Remain, and Farida will crush your corrupted, doomed heart with her enfolding vocals while the band blends the most obscure elements of Black and Doom Metal, resulting in a stunning hymn to darkness. Get ready to be pulverized by those Swedish devils in Funeral Winter, where E. Forcas is on fire behind his drums dictating the song’s pace while his bandmates extract pure evil from their sonic weapons, and before Watain crawls back into the shadows they offer our avid ears the old school Septentrion, with the band’s guitar duo slashing our minds with their wicked riffage.

You can experience the same agony and ecstasy of such important band from the global Black Metal scene by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by subscribing to their YouTube channel, by streaming more of their infernal creations on Spotify, and above all that, by purchasing the excellent The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain by clicking HERE or HERE. Characterized by a twisted beauty and primal ecstatic force, Watain are the wolf that keeps on hunting, fearless and free, in the dark night of man, with their new album depicting that hunt to perfection thanks to its endless heaviness, obscurity, rage and hatred, all elements that have made our beloved Black Metal so powerful and compelling through the years, while the band keeps always exploring the winding depths of both mind and spirit with a new sense of clarity and determination.

Best moments of the album: Ecstasies in Night Infinite, Serimosa, Leper’s Grace and We Remain.

Worst moments of the album: Black Cunt.

Released in 2022 Nuclear Blast

Track listing
1. Ecstasies in Night Infinite 4:01
2. The Howling 4:05
3. Serimosa 5:26
4. Black Cunt 5:25
5. Leper’s Grace 4:09
6. Not Sun Nor Man Nor God 1:26
7. Before the Cataclysm 7:25
8. We Remain 6:15
9. Funeral Winter 4:27
10. Septentrion 6:43

Band members
E. Danielsson – vocals
P. Forsberg – guitars

Guest musicians
H. Eriksson – guitars (session)
A. Lillo – bass (session)
E. Forcas – drums (session)
Farida Lemouchi – vocals on “We Remain”
Gottfrid Åhman – lead guitar on “We Remain”

Metal Chick of the Month – Mariia “Masha” Dementieva

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Raise some hell, our true Lady Evil!

Are you ready to scream and roar together with our metal chick of the month of April in the name of darkness and evil, here on The Headbanging Moose webzine? If you’re a fan of the blasphemous, obscure and absolutely awesome music played by renowned acts like Behemoth, Septicflesh and Kaoteon, among many others, you’ll fall in love with the talent and beauty of Mariia “Masha” Dementieva, also known as simply Masha (or even  Mary Crematorium in a not-so-distant past, and if you prefer, Мария Дементьева in her mother tongue), the unrelenting frontwoman for Ukrainian Blackened Death Metal horde Nordwitch. That, of course, if you come from another galaxy or dimension and haven’t listened to Nordwitch’s sulfurous music yet, because if you’re from this planet I’m sure you’re already addicted to Masha’s demonic growling.

Although there’s isn’t much available online about Masha’s personal life (apart from many awesome photos from her career as a model, photo model and alternative tattoo model), you can still enjoy a good amount of information from her ass-kicking Kyiv-based band Nordwitch, formed in 2015. Singing about some very interesting topics such as satanism, occultism and ancient Scandinavian mythology, Nordwitch bring forth a flammable fusion of Black and Death Metal in their music, offering tons of melody amidst a brutal sonic devastation. The name Nordwitch, according to Masha herself, is the band’s representation of the mysticism and mystery of Scandinavian witches with a hint of female sexuality, which by the way matches perfectly with her diabolical vocal style. As a matter of fact, before becoming Nordwitch, Masha and the rest of the band, guitarists Max and Leo and bassist Max Senchilo, were all part of a Symphonic/Progressive Metal band named Crystalnight, where Masha was not their vocalist, but their keyboardist. If you’re curious to know how Masha and her bandmates used to sound before morphing into the dark beast known as Nordwitch, you can take a listen at some of their songs from their ReverbNation profile, such as Dark Angel and the original version of Nordwitch’s crushing tune Lady Evil.

In addition, not only Masha spearheads her horde of Blackened Death Metal in Nordwitch, but she was also one of the producers of their 2016 opus Mørk Profeti together with the other members of the band. You can listen to their pulverizing album in full on YouTube, and raise your horns to amazing songs like the aforementioned Lady Evil and Messiah of Death, or search for some live footage online like this one where the band is playing Lady Evil live at MHM – Metal Head’s Mission Festival in 2018. Furthermore, don’t forget to buy your copy of the album at the Satanath Records BandCamp, to subscribe to the band’s YouTube channel (where you can find for example a fun and raw version of the song No Regret live in Kyiv, Ukraine in 2016), follow them on VKontakte, and listen to more of their music through their ReverbNation and SoundCloud profiles. Who doesn’t enjoy listening to some brutal metal music like this remastered live version of Messiah of Death, right?

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In regards to her idols and main influences in music and in life in general, Masha said in one of her interviews that not only herself but all of her bandmates are inspired by mysticism, occultism and several other eccentric topics when writing their music, always trying to make their sound as unique as possible. As the main founder and central figure of Nordwitch, a project that was originated inside her pagan mind, Masha is obviously influenced by all classic Black Metal bands, such as Mayhem, Watain and Bathory, which she’s been a fan since she was a teenager, and you can see how much she’s passionate about such controversial but fantastic subgenre of heavy music by visiting her official Instagram account and searching for her personal videos playing several Black Metal classics on the piano and keyboard. For instance, take a very good listen at her delicate but at the same time piercing piano versions for Burzum’s Dunkelheit and Han Som Reiste, Dark Funeral’s Stigmata, Dissection’s Where Dead Angels Lie and Thorns Of Crimson Death, and Shining’s Tillsammans Är Vi Allt, among others, as well as non-Black Metal hymns like Type O Negative’s Love You To Death. In addition, she mentioned in an interview that she’s also influenced by classical music and Scandinavian folk music, which kind of explains her passion for the piano, and that Runhild Gammelsæter, a Norwegian musician notable for being the vocalist for the American bands Thorr’s Hammer and Khlyst, is her favorite female metal singer of all time, complementing by saying that she cannot choose only one male singer as her favorite, though, as there are too many.

When asked about her hobbies outside of music, Masha listed a few very interesting and healthy activities, like working out and practicing sports, modeling and photography, also mentioning her interest in satanism, occultism and the mythology of ancient Scandinavia, which as aforementioned are the main topics covered in the music by Nordwitch. In addition, Masha said in one of her interviews she’s an apolitical person, as in her opinion true Black Metal has always been and will continue to be away from politics or anything related to it, being focused on religion and other more obscure topics. She also said that she had always dreamed about being in an Extreme Metal band like Nordwitch, but she wasn’t sure if that was going to actually happen one day, also saying she understands being a woman in a Black and Death Metal band from the underground scene is not easy at all, but that she won’t give up and keep on rockin’, always counting on the support form her family, friends and fans, aiming as high as possible with Nordwitch in the years to come. And we, true metalheads, will be ready to hail darkness and raise our horns together with the unstoppable Masha and her henchmen, no doubt about that.

Masha’s Official Instagram
NordWitch’s Official Facebook page
NordWitch’s Official VKontakte
NordWitch’s Official YouTube channel