Monday 22 May 2017

Diamanda Galás

well, you might think what is a opera singer doing in a black metal blog? sounds like a relevant question. but let me explain why Diamanda belongs here like no one else.


Diamanda has, from the beginning, been a big influence on the metal scene, particularly the black metal scene. her style is not comparable to anyone else. her songs, her voice, her performance are full of grief, menace, even despair. she is part of darkness and darkness is within her. she is exceptional.


Sakis Tolis of rotting christ has followed her since her beginnings and is a huge fan. rotting christ collaborated with her for their album "aealo" where she sings "oder of the dead", a really fantastic, touching song full of pain and misery. Frost, or Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad of Satyricon and 1349 names her as one of his beloved acts. Diamanda even headlined Roadburn Festival, a pure metal festival in Netherlands.


so she is much respected in the whole metal scene, especially the black metal scene. when her concert was announced there was no way i would not go. i took my mom-in-law and my friend Giota with me. the night was an experience i will not so easily forget. she is formidable in her range of voice. she will growl, scream, do unbelievable things with her voice. and let me tell you, she is avantgarde, this is not easy listening! this brings you to the edge of what you can endure!


this is the setlist i have gathered from another site: fernand, shAkwoman, la llorona, προσφυγας, a soul that's been abused, die stunde kommt, ανοιξε πετρα, o death, artemis, i've got someone to kill, let my people go. the crowd was enthusiastic, the last three songs were all encores. and yes, there were a lot of metal people present that evening. diamanda is quite a phenomenon, coming from such a different musical scene and still attracting so many (black) metal fans. 


i was sure that Sakis of rotting christ would be there to see her. but i didn't expect him to linger around outside the trianta hall at megaron mousikis after the concert. but there he was, talking enthusiastically to some people about what we just had witnessed. i politely asked him for a picture and we chatted a while and guys, from interviews i have seen i knew what a great person he is. but in reality it's one thousand times better! :D after a quick chat about germany and my home and rotting christ's last shows in athens, we called it a night. fantastic, really. i'm so very happy :D 

o lieb solang du lieben kannst,
o lieb solang du lieben magst!
die stunde kommt, die stunde kommt
wo du an Gräbern stehst und klagst

- Daedin 

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