UNLEASHED, KRISIUN, ONE MAN ARMY AND THE UNDEAD QUARTET

Metal St. Claus in Berlin

06.12.2008 Berlin (GER)

Wow! There’s probably no other pleasure as celebrating the own name-day by the sounds of favourite bands. Not in the least at home hearing them from CD’s, but standing in front of the stage and watching their true professionalism. The day of this event was of course clearly coincidental, but meeting with the gods of death metal in so exceptional day can to treat as a gift.

The same day, when St. Claus gives the presents to all of good and nice children, I visited the Berliner K 17. The choice was pretty clear: two bands, that released in this year their new and of course gorgeous like always albums have started a promotional campaign of these works, crossing the Europe, unleashing thus the war, bloodshed and extermination. The quality of brutal craft presented by these both hordes – UNLEASHED and KRISIUN – together with supporting them two another, maybe not so famous, but thereby none too worse bands were therefore a sufficient elements deciding about spending those evening by the especially way and I suppose, that everyone from almost 500 lost souls, who had the similar incentives like me, spent a few hours of this music carnage especially nice.

As the first of bands supporting the Swedish and Brazilians exterminators appeared on the stage almost punctually at 8.00 PM the Finnish SHADE EMPIRE. The sextet playing something between melodic death and black metal, giving sometimes a slight colouring of keyboards was to this moment for me complete unknown band as well from the name as like from music. The singer of horde, looking a little bit like Legion of DEVIAN and his comrades played about 40 minutes of gig, during that I wasn’t maybe so highly admired, but absolutely not bored. Resuming shortly and concisely – good, but not exaggerating splendidly. A more convincingly fell however out the next participant of tour. ONE MAN ARMY AND UNDEAD QUARTET comes the same like headliner from Sweden, although the differences between the music of them and known to all of us horde from Kungsangen are very hearable. There’s of course a one common denominator, cause the band plays death metal too, varying however with elements of thrash playing. The other question is of course a presence of musician very known to all of connoisseurs the Swedish scene – Johan, the singer of THE CROWN, although as curiosity can to be mentioned too a fact, that the drummer of this band names Marek Dobrowolski and represents the Polish national colours. Maybe not this is so important, but rather his instrumental skills, that can to confirm a high standard of drum players from this country. He, he, it sounds good, hearing for example about the fame and successes of Daray, who accepted the proposal of DIMMU BORGIR, so who knows – maybe Marek will reach in the future much more too? Let to wish him good luck. Anyway, the show of ONE MAN ARMY AND UNDEAD QUARTET was a piece of time spent very nice, but that’s only reasons of music, that for the concerts suits the purpose perfectly. Being sincerely, I admit that earlier this crew was rather unknown to me, so everything shows that I should to make the all deficiencies soon as possible, cause the tracks from the latest album “Grim Tales” released in this year via Massacre Records were the pieces of metal, sounding at live version very strong and the same promising. It’s a pity however, that guys made the matter worse, crowning their show by the outro, including a fragment of song “I have been looking for freedom” singing in the past by a pop star having at the same time the episode in shitty TV-series “Baywatch Babes” – David Hasselhoff, calling very well by one of my friends as David Scheisselhoff, heh, heh! In spite of that I was however very positive impressed by the show of Swedes, but in this place all kinds of jokes were over, because the technical crew, preparing for use the instruments of the next participant announced the same the coming of storm. Yeah, that’s true the same metaphorically and in reality – now has come the time of merciless murder and death metal holocaust of highest quality. Ladies and gentlemen, the band especially liked in Germany – KRISIUN! There’s absolutely no need to introduce these three Brazilians devils, cause even a little children knows, that’s probably one and only extreme horde of this world, sounding so killingly at live version by using only one guitar. Nothing strange as a matter of fact, if the skills of Moyses, who can to play very intensive and thickly brings a wall of sound, which in connection of bass frequencies of Alex and drum tornado of Max massacres effectively everything. So, the storm was really released, all the more because the new stuff of Brazilians is titled exactly “Southern Storm” and a few of the tracks from this album must to be obligatory presented. During almost three quarters of music violence everyone who likes these three brothers had a pleasure to hear among other things “Vengeances Revelation”, “Bloodcraft”, “Combustion Inferno”, “Vicious Wrath”, “Refusal”, “Sentenced Mourning” or “Hatred Inherit”, but unfortunately was forgotten “Conquerors Of Armageddon”, being since many years a concert classic of this guys. Hmmm, maybe sometimes the changes are needful too? Ah, there was no reason to complain, but with the opinion of many people gathered those evening in the walls of K 17 I agree too – KRISIUN played already the better concerts in the past. It doesn’t changes of course my whole sympathy and respect to them, so I hope that they will show in the future their murderous skills much better not only one time.

I know that almighty Odin is merciful. I know that he is a perfect creator too, cause he made UNLEASHED. I loved the horde of bulky Johnny since my childhood, being in this love consequent through all of years, without meaning what they have recorded, although about their few records can to have the shared opinions. Similar like KRISIUN the classics of Swedish death metal released in this year a excellent new album too, confirming in every of inches a fact, that since their comeback in the first years of new millennium they are like a wine – the older the better. Yes, sometimes factly must to wait for the better days and regenerating all of energies to strike with a double power. I have the impression, that good times for this band began by the signing of contract with SPV, cause the both albums of this very nice fat guy and his comrades, recorded for so prestige label are probably their best works since the times of “Shadows In The Deep”. And the shows? Personally I have experienced the battle of this warriors already fourth time in my life, being like always the same positive impressed. The devastating power of the latest album “Hammer Battalion” naturally pounds into dust at live version, so is it so difficult to imagine oneself how brutal sounded all new tracks? “The Greatest Of All Lies”, “Your Children Will Burn”, “Black Horizon”, “Warriors Of Midgard”, “Hammer Battalion”, mixed with the older stuff like “Legal Rapes”, “This Is Our World Now”, “In Victory And Defeat”, “Winterland”, “Don’t Want To Be Born”, “Hell’s Unleashed” (the one and only quiet accent during the raging battle), “Midvinterblot” or “Into Glory Ride” – who has the questions? A traditional toast of Johnny from the horn of Valhalla and everything shows that’s all over. The positive reception must however be rewarded, so after a short pause the next shots: “Victims Of War”, “Death Metal Victory” (of course like always a excellent form of dialogue between Johnny and the fans!), “Final Silence” and “Before The Creation Of Time”, ending traditionally every of shows these Swedish warriors. So, as you see we had to do with the profile of whole discography (except of “Across The Open See” – it’s a pity, cause although that’s not so splendid album of the band, a few of tracks sounds really good alive – for example “To Asgaard We Fly”, that really could to appear), not forgetting of course about the charisma of Johnny, supporting by all the same active Tomas, Fredrik and Anders. I am sure that recording so hellish good albums and playing so splendid concerts they will be rewarded in Valhalla beyond a doubt. Thank you, brothers! Be blessed by a sign of Mjollnir!