The Time Has Come, The Apocalypse Is Here

Gravetemple, Oozing Earth

Wiener Festwochen, Museumsquartier Halle E+G, Vienna, Austria 20200913

The year is 2020 AD. Humanity does it’s best to destroy itself and the planet it depends on. And at the MQ, where acts like King Crimson impressed with three drummers, two very special experimental formations do their best to raise the final apocalypse.

There are memories of a school excursion, trying to bring closer classical music and Rock in combination with the example Pink Floyd. And the combination can work greatly as Metallica, Satyricon, Rock the Opera and more do demonstrate. Tonight, a composition of Bernhard Gander, who always went his ways integrating Metal, Rap (e.g. EsraP) and more into his work, plus another band do the favour.

The Ensemble Modern together with Attila Csihar of Mayhem as singer and Kevin Paradis of Benighted on drums performs “Oozing Earth”. The classic strings are squeaking like Morricone, the trombone’s rattling and in combination with the percussion it goes deep. The composition gives every part the place for solos. It feels like on Bowie’s Black Star. Suddenly the traverses come down, the light swings around, and the groups of instruments and gongs proclaim the slowly approaching end. But not without another scream.

After the composer received his own applause, a quick change brings up the amps to the stage. Attila Csihar and Stephen O’Malley and Oren Ambarchi of Sunn O))) are Gravetemple. A heavy Drone institution, that gives the mind a rest like the “Doom Over Haifa” or Elephant. Trying to watch what is happening on stage, it is just partly clear, which sound is coming from which protagonist. As we love it, the vibration and noise creates a feeling of a train passing by directly. Only at the end, the vibrations get lower, and suddenly it is over. Just a little bit two quick, even though a smart watch might even think you have been asleep at a very high volume.