Slowing Down Cosmos
Magma Rise, Dark Nativity
“Neither Land Nor Sea-Spring/2025” Tour presented by Escape Entertainment, Escape Metalcorner Wien, Austria 20250531
As I walked into Escape, My Dying Bride’s classic “A Kiss to Remember” was playing over the speakers, as if anticipating the doom-filled night ahead. This time the occasion was Magma Rise‘s mini-tour for their latest album, Neither Land nor Sea (2024). At the same time, the tour also serves as a celebration of the band’s 25th anniversary since they have been making doom formidably since 2009. Slowly, the intimate but energised crowd gathered as usual in Escape’s basement, ready for the evening’s kick-off by Dark Nativity.
The Austrian band released their debut LP just last year via Grazil Records. Their sound orbits traditional doom metal with clear Black Sabbathian sonic and visual references: from the Latin cross inlays on their guitarist’s fretboard (à la Tony Iommi) and the Templar cross on the bass down to the heavy doomed textures that occasionally veer into doom-rock territory. By the way, religious motifs extend to their logo with two Petrine crosses and the Alpha and Omega. Notably, their set included a well-received cover of “Snowblind” toward the end.
I had the chance to listen for the first time to Dark Nativity in November last year, when they opened the second day of Doom Over Vienna 2024. By then, I was already attracted by their powerful and inventive riff work. Seeing them again, it’s been great to witness how the band have been fine-tuning their live performance, which on this occasion translated into a palpable connection with the audience.
Next came the Hungarian headliners Magma Rise, delivering a tightly executed set that showcased their decades-long experience on stage. The band’s sound honours its affiliation with doom metal, standing out particularly through its slow, harmonised guitar melodies, pick-driven basslines, and clean vocals devoid of screams or vibrato —weaving a tapestry of stillness that amplifies a reflective yet intense aesthetic proposal. Lyrically, Magma Rise traverses both existential and more everyday (though not mundane) themes, occasionally referencing spiritual undertones framed as cosmological reflections.
As expected, the setlist featured several songs from their latest album, with standout performances of “I Am” and the title track “Neither Land nor Sea”. Throughout the set, the crowd responded positively, even with some fierce (but always slowed) headbanging. When the final notes faded, unified shouts of “Zugabe!” erupted instantly from the Viennese crowd. The band accepted and sealed the night with the last chords before vanishing into the shadows.