WATAIN (SWE) WITHERED (USA) BOOK OF BLACK EARTH (USA) CEREMONIAL CASTINGS (USA) SLUTVOMIT (USA)
BLACK METAL MAGIC SEATTLE OCTOBER 15, 2008
Written by Yulon Zhu on Saturday 18 October, 2008. Last updated on Tuesday 21 October, 2008
To my pleasure, the infernally sinister Watain crossed vile seas for their North American “Black Metal Magic” Tour. Watain is a band beyond incantations in might, infested with slaughter houses of songs squirming with the blackest of melodies, and of course, breathtaking satanic black metal. I couldn’t miss the malevolent enterprise of live bloodshed, rotting animals, fire and black metal worship. So, I made the four hour trip to Seattle, a hugely industrial city amass the rich nature of the Evergreen state and stuffed with trivial indie rock bands and coffee shops. The line-up was as follows: Slutvomit, Ceremonial Castings, Book of Black Earth, Wither and Satan’s own black metal cult, Watain. True, a two out of five is a failing grade, but Ceremonial Castings and Watain certainly gave this line-up plenty of extra credit.
Driving further into the outskirts of Seattle, gazing at the ocean, twisting through warehouses and driving over railroad tracks, I arrived at the back allied venue Studio Seven. Being first in line, I waited in the car watching the BMW in front of me almost get crushed by a large 18-wheeler until about an hour before the doors were to open. By that time, only one more person had arrived. Until about ten minutes before, not even ten people were in line. In fact, most people didn’t arrive until the two local bands had finished playing. Wanting to avoid ectomorphic Slutvomit’s laughable playing is more than understandable, but Ceremonial Castings is an amazingly eye-catching and talented act from the Pacific Northwest.
A much bigger crowd gathered to greet Ceremonial Castings than the opening band. Of those unholy souls present, all seemed to be sucked in by their set. Wrapped up in their extravagant garb of medieval styled leather armor and long night-shaded cloaks, their delivery of histrionic, symphonic black metal proved all of the more lethal. With tall, flickering red candelabras strewn across the dark stage, they played tracks like “Damned Be Those of the Craft” and “The Devil in Salem” from their first concept album “Salem 1692” inspired by a real witch trial. Their live sound is unbelievably powerful, especially considering that it’s stemming from only three musicians, Lord Serpent on vocals and guitar, Old Nick on keyboards and synthesizers and Bloodhammer on drums.
Lord Serpent’s reptilian eyes stared the crowd down as he unleashed a flurry of screams and growls along with highly melodic riffs. Old Nick’s piano skills bled into the hostile atmosphere, adding radiant, ethereal qualities to the music. Bloodhammer’s blasting blows fired at the crowd, loud, crushing and brilliant. Always impressive, their set was memorable, even when factoring in the time crunch that led to an absurdly short set. Nevertheless, they managed to fit in a solid number of songs and ended with "Damned Be Those of the Craft" from "Salem 1692" . These guys don't hold back on their shows an look like they sound. Every performance is theatric and fully embodies the enchanting, spell-casting, mystical and cursed elements of the music you'll hear on their albums.
As for Book of Black Earth and Withered, I did not pay much attention to these acts, and with good reason. I don't care for their attempts at being individualistic, only to have a sound that is tiring and unremarkable. It's a joke that they toured with Watain and one that I don't find funny. Christian band Book of Black Earth had the younger people of the crowd going, but no one else and many did seem to enjoy Withered's un-medatative drone.
A gut-wrenching stench filled the air. People started coughing, yelping and gagging. The Watain crew stepped on and off stage, bringing up formidable, metallic, fence-like walls of thick red candles and incense, large, flowing banners with the band’s recognizable logo, rusted inverted crosses and a wincing dead animal carcass tied to Erik Danielsson’s microphone. The curious poking and prodding commenced as the carcass attracted much attention. After a long, suspense-gaining wait, the music playing from the speakers turned off, the lights went down; the usual signs that the band is ready to go.
Instrumental track “Withershins” from Watain’s newest offering “Sworn to the Dark” fluttered like small, black butterflies in the air. Live guitarists Set and A. floated onto the stage, riling up the crowd as throne-keeper Håkan Jonsson snuck behind his drum set. The impish, wide-eyed Erik Danielsson strutted to center stage. Waiting for the end of “Withershins”, back turned to the crowd, the band swung around and leaped into “Legions of the Black Light”. The intensity poured all over the room, seeping into everyone listening, leaving no stone unturned. Also conjuring up blaspheming verses from 2000’s “Rabid Death’s Curse” with “On Horns Impaled” and “Rabid Death’s Curse” and 2003’s “Casus Luciferi” in “Devil’s Blood” and “I Am the Earth”, the woodsy incense burned scents of a satanic ritual in the forest into my nostrils. Along with “Legions of the Black Light”, “Sworn to the Dark” and “Storm of the Antichrist” and “Satan’s Hunger” were played from the new album. The putrid stink seemed to gain purpose as “Satan’s Hunger” roared on and Erik Danielsson recited the glistening lyrics, “Into the starless night, I follow the stench…” A captivating favorite of mine, “Storm of the Antichrist” ended the show and Watain rushed off-stage without any more words to bring down the momentum they worked to build up through their music, leaving the hungry crowd with a ferocious high and Satan's hunger.
This was truly a night I shall never forget. Watain will always remain my favorite black metal band so long as they never lose the need to unleash their demons in song form.
Photos credited to me.
Want more info on Watain?
Visit Watain's band information page! Want more info on Withered?
Visit Withered's band information page! Want more info on Book of Black Earth?
Visit Book of Black Earth's band information page! Want more info on Ceremonial Castings?
Visit Ceremonial Castings's band information page! Want more info on slutvomit?
Visit slutvomit's band information page!
Other articles for Watain:
Other articles for Withered:
| Album review |  | Memento Mori» | by Danny
26 Oct, 2005 |
Other articles for Ceremonial Castings:
| News article |  | Northwestern Black Circle Festival» | by Yulon
31 Mar, 2009 | | Concert review |  | Symphonic super-powered show in Washington September 6, 2008» | by Yulon
08 Sep, 2008 | | Interview |  | "I do think that the armor, cloaks, spikes, corpse paint, fire & the mass amount of weaponry on stage brings the true atmosphere of our music out."» | by Yulon
05 Aug, 2008 | | News article | | Entering studio to re-master "Into The Black Forest Of Witchery": "By popular demand we have decided to remaster that album"» | by Yulon
06 Jun, 2008 | | Album review |  | Salem 1692» | by Yulon
23 May, 2008 | | Album review |  | A Tribute To Von» | by Gerald
14 Apr, 2008 |
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