I see the Darkness

King Dude, The Ruins Of Beverast, Caronte

Presented by District 19, Viper Room Vienna, Austria 20171101

As the darkness begins to settle, not that many people are on the street this night after Halloween. But for some it is worth pilgrimaging to the Viper Room, to fill this darkness with also dark music.

Caronte is the band, which gets the people in the mood. And also another proof, that Italy got not only few good but awesome bands, like Black Rainbows or Ufomammut. In this manner, the band presents their even darker Shamanic Doom as they name it, which gets the biggest guys to bang heavily. A “Shamanic Meditation” to drift away.

Second band on stage surprisingly is The Ruins Of Beverast, even though their name was listed first and as the biggest on posters, what will make sense later. The mastermind behind the project, Alexander von Meilenwald from Aachen, Germany, gives the whole band place to unfold themselves, what results in a wall of just wonderful and perfectly relaxing extreme metal noise walls. Not made for everyone, but for those who know how to enjoy, there is nothing more that would be needed.

Why King Dude is the last band to play makes sense as soon as they start. Even though all of the bands are label-companions on Ván Records, and the music stays dark, it is way more let’s say digestible for a wider audience. And that makes one feel like being on a second concert, because even the people change completely. The band presents their wonderful Neo-Folk in black shirts, so the Dude himself appears like a priest a little. That the lyrics often contain the name “Jesus” helps the impression and reminds of Johnny Cash or Nick Cave. The songs from the latest record “Sex” are great to see live and in case of “Swedish Boys” even can make one think of Queens Of The Stone Age. A surprise but nice finish.