“Please kill all the lights – we don’t need any”

Spectral Voice, Hagzissa, Das schwebende Haupt

Venster 99 Wien, Austria 20180924

Dark Monday. Cold Snap. Burning Inside. The Venster 99 hosts a implicating relaxing Black Death Metal night of the special kind.

Going down the small stairs and back up again, the soundcheck you see includes screams, burps and a kind of old looking piano synthesizer. Das schwebende Haupt is the name of a two-piece “Shapeless pulsating black ambience” formation, that wears black masks and maybe doesn’t want to be found on the internet. Their rough style reminds of Riverwitch, screeching sounds, a lot of power and a “I Wanna Be Your Dog”-Cover – Why do not more extreme metal bands think about playing this tune, it seems to be made for it. Maybe the highest compliment for this brute eruption is “the quintessence of Darkthrone”.

Hagzissa play a more melodic style, at some point reminding of Satyricon and again with interesting costumes like Ying and Yang: Black and white colors and more or less clothes, more detailed a cape versus onley short trousers. Only about one year ago, they released their tape “Demo 2017” via Iron Bonehead Productions. Crazy looks and an unleashed Rumpelstiltskin, the performance is one-of-a-kind. Also singer “Berstuk” Moser is in e.g. Kringa as well.

Headliner of the evening are Spectral Voice of Denver, Colorado. They also released their first full-length “Eroded Corridors Of Unbeing” just one year ago, recognizable because of the nice logo. A wonderful piece with the evil slumbering within. And a wonderful show! “Slow as hell” like Saint Vitus and with mainly low growls like Deicide or General Surgery, just even lower. Plus they don’t need the masks as they start in shimmering blue light until they tell to shut it off. A good decision, as this intense absorbing show gets the people together in the dark.