Negură Bunget / Order of the Ebon Hand

This show happened in a quite new club in Athens called MODU. I'm not sure this is the reason why there were only so little people, but that was really sad. Both bands deserved more spectators.

Order of the Ebon Hand were known to me and I came to see them, basically. They were absolutely great and I love their style very much. The stage at MODU is triangle and that is quite interesting and very practical for the viewers. The place should have been full, then it would have been better, of course.

After the show I went to the merch table, talking to Negură's merch guy and buying a Order of the Ebon Hand CD/shirt-bundle :D bargain!

Negură Bunget are a very interesting band. They mix black metal with mystic, pagan sounds, full of enchanting drums and natural sounds. The thing is.. they are difficult live. When playing live it is ok to play a slow, meditative song. But after a few minutes of that, you need to change the tempo again. If you do not, the people will get bored and tired. This is sadly what happened and I saw many people talking amongst them, shuffling with obvious boredom.

Too bad, really, because this band deserved more fans and a better show, but then again you need to plan the order of your songs better, in my opinion.

Take us to your world, Horned One,
take us to a world that'll never reach an end.

- Daedin

Kawir - Varathron - Mortuary Drape

Lords of the Void II

What a lineup to a black metal festival! Two absolute legends of greek black metal, as well as the italian masters of occult black metal. Needless to say I was stoked to go see them.

Kawir is pagan black metal, using a lot of interesting instruments like a huge sea shell, some kind of bag pipes etc. I must say for me this was the best band that night. I love the concept of their new album, their songs were very driving, pounding, full of natural energy. Best thing, after I leave the concert hall, I discover that my colleague actually plays drums in Kawir! :D Of course I had to buy their new album then, featuring my colleague on drums.

Varathron was awesome, too. It might not be exactly the style I enjoy the most, but live it works really well. Their performance was great and with Necroabyssious, they have a great frontman. They are also mentioned alongside Rotting Christ as probably the oldest greek black metal band.

Mortuary Drape was on late and sadly the audience was a bit tired already. Some had left to catch the last train or bus and so the place was not as packed as before. It was not bad, Mortuary Drape are also legends and have been around for ages. It just was not really my thing that evening. The singer had a small speakers pult in front of him and he would rock back and forth, nearly knocking that over.

Let's hope then for another lords of the void with more interesting acts!

Daedin
Χαιρε τριμορφη θεα και μεινε μαζι μας ως το τελος

Abbath / Order of the Ebon Hand

Abbath, a legend in black metal, thrown out of Immortal and now going strong with his solo material, which of course was meant for Immortal but now just bears his name.

I cannot explain how excited I was that Abbath would come to Athens! This is black metal rock 'n roll, this is Norwegian trve shit or something, haha!

When I arrived at Kyttaro, Order of the Ebon Hand were playing. A greek black metal band, also quite old actually, and not getting the attention they deserve. I saw them once more later, but let's go there another time.

Abbath arrived together with the creature on drums, the King ov Hell on bass and the session guitarist Ole Andre Farstad. The show was fantastic, they played Abbath songs, Immortal classics and also an I song.

After the show I stayed to write a text message. How lucky I was that actually then the band came out to be there for pictures and autographs. I rushed over to the King and talked a bit with him. I wanted him to take a pic with me an Ole Andre, but he didn't get it, haha :D Abbath was next to us, but I didn't squeeze in there, so he only appears on the side. I was happy enough in the company I was in, haha :D

Yes, I am quite the fangirl in this case and meeting those guys will forever stay with me.

"to me, black metal is not only the norwegian landscape. there is so much that can influence, create and shape black metal, from the scorching heat on a deserted plain on a windswept greek island, to an anonymous multi-storey building in which people merely exist and live in their own isolation, to the snow-capped trees in a vast Finnish wintry forest or inside an ancient ruined welsh castle, surrounded by seemingly endless green hills, echoing the wind like laments for times past. all this, all this can be black metal." -Daedin

Helvete

Let's continue with a true highlight. Not a band this time, but a place. Just after a few months getting into black metal head over heels, I checked Helvete. I had heard of the place previously, of course, but now I wanted to know if it still exists. To my delight it does and can be visited. I got insanely expensive plane tickets for me and my love, and off we went to Oslo.

Formerly Euronymous' record shop, it is now Neseblod records, a really awesome record store, which needs its time though. I had to ask the staff how the system works and how to find some bands, and still I found only a fraction, haha. It's a living museum, with or without the black metal room.

Story time. I enter the shop and look around. I ask the guy if I may descend into the depths of the store. He says yes, sure. I descend but through the maze of rooms and corridors, I cannot spot the black metal room, just a door. I ascend. I ask the guy if I may enter through that door. He says yes, of course, but take your phone with you, there is no light in the corridors below. So I descend once more, lighting the way with my phone, finally entering the birth place of Norwegian black metal. There was a light switch then, although I almost hit the alarm button instead xD

Helvete is easily accessible, once you check the opening times of the shop. They kept the room as it was, as you can see it in many legendary pictures, mostly of Mayhem and Darkthrone members. I felt at home in there, haha!

After the session I went back upstairs to purchase some CDs and support the shop after its flood damage. What a great day in Oslo. I felt like so many things had finally clicked and fell into place. I'm lucky to have been able to travel there and see it for myself. I bow to Neseblod records who keep this room alive and have not allowed anyone else to rent these premises and destroy the black metal sign, paint it over etc. Also Oslo has to offer a huge range of awesome museums, I can only recommend those, as well as Vår Frelsers gravlund (cemetary). 

dra til helvete!
Daedin