Demilich, Chevalier and Vultures Vengeance at Old Grave Fest VII

Get ready for the next bands to grace the bill of Old Grave Fest VII (which takes place on the 12th and the 13th of October 2018, at club Fabrica, in Bucharest): death metal masters Demilich (Finland), speedsters Chevalier (Finland) and heavy metallers Vultures Vengeance (Italy)!

As the second headliner, Romanian Thrash Metal Club proudly presents a band that not many years ago would have been an impossible dream for the death metal fan. A band that pushed the boundaries of the genre to places nobody has reached since, although many have tried. No one is playing riddles here – Demilich, the Finnish masters of quirky, dissonant and technical death metal will play, for the first time ever in Romania, at Old Grave Fest VII. The band was created in Kuopio, Finland in 1990 by vocalist/guitarist Antti Boman, bass player Jussi Teräsvirta plus drummer Mikko Virnes. A couple of demos, “Regurgitation Of Blood” and “The Four Instructive Tales… Of Decomposition”, came out the following year, after which Barathrum’s guitarist Aki Hytönen was added to the roster. “…Somewhere Inside The Bowels Of Endlessness…” followed in 1992. In February 1993 Demilich released their debut album, “Nespithe”, which has since become an undisputed underground classic. The band initially disbanded in 1993, but resurfaced on a number of occasions and is now active since 2014.

© Turkka G. Rantanen

From Antti Boman’s unmistakable vocal delivery to the highly convoluted compositions, and to such simple matters as song titles – to name just one, the fan favourite and tongue twister “The Sixteenth Six-Tooth Son of Fourteen Four-Regional Dimensions (Still Unnamed)” – nothing is “normal” about Demilich. And what is most uncanny is the ability to write (and perform) songs that are technically demanding, complex and layered, but are still as murky and abyssal as all death metal should be. Beware, you can always dodge a hammer to the face, but not this cosmic horror that is about to unfurl.

Of course, Finland has much more to offer than just death metal. Certainly, one of the most exciting bands to come out of Suomi in the last couple of years is speed metal sensation Chevalier. The moniker isn’t in French by chance, as the ’80s French heavy metal, along with the likes of Brocas Helm, Judas Priest or Omen, certainly play a part in the drive behind this galloping heavy metal. Nor is the medieval undertone present only in the subject matter of the lyrics – there’s a feeling of mystery and sorcery, cloak and dagger, about the whole thing, conveyed all the more by Emma’s haunting vocals.

“A Call to Arms”, the debut EP released last year, is a guitarist’s album through and through, with riffs blending into each other, solos popping up over and under, the rare moments of respite serving only to keep one on their toes. Eschewing somewhat traditional song structures, as there are hardly any verses or choruses as such, this is a real feast for the heavy/speed metal enthusiast. Hot off the presses, the second EP, “Chapitre II” (February 2018), promises even more insanity and there’s also a split with fellow Finns Legionnaire, so there’s more than enough stuff to get you ready for the craziness at Old Grave Fest!

Hailing from the great city of Rome, Vultures Vengeance brings a breath of fresh air to the European metal scene. Armed with memorable riffs and a powerful vocalist, reminiscent of Hansi Kürsch back in Blind Guardian’s good old days, the Italians craft a special brand of traditional heavy metal, with an epic touch. Their 2015 demo “Rising” was followed in 2016 by “Where the Time Dwelt In” (EP) and caused a stir in the underground, just as their live performances have done so far. Just check them out on Bandcamp or Youtube and prepare yourselves for a premium heavy metal delivery.

Two-day passes are available via Paypal on rtmc.ro/tickets/ for the price of 30 euro and on iabilet.ro for 140 lei. Below is the list featuring all the bands announced so far for this year’s edition of Old Grave Fest.

Pagan Altar (UK)

Demilich (Finland)

Dawn of Winter (Germany)

Malokarpatan (Slovakia)

Nocturnal Witch (Germany)

Phrenelith (Denmark)

Chevalier (Finland)

Eggs of Gomorrh (Switzerland)

Vultures Vengeance (Italy)

Source: Official Romanian Thrash Metal Club

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Posted by Gina S., at 17:49 | March 14, 2018 | 0 Comments | 5602 Views « BACK