The Arena turns black in the afternoon

Vienna Metal Meeting 2019

Presented by District 19 and TON Music Productions, Arena Wien, Austria 20190511

It is quite early as many people dressed in black head to the Arena. The reason is the third edition of the Vienna Metal Meeting. For the very first time, bands will play on the open air stage and in the big hall. Like the times before, the line up features big international names as well as local heroes.

The former programs listed acts like Mayhem, Caronte, Mortal Strike, Black Inhale, Abbath, Dool or Gama Bomb. This year starts with Doomas and Viennese matadors Enclave. The weather is perfect in the afternoon. So the audience can enjoy the great atmosphere outside while Fleshcrawl and Chris Holmes play on the stage. More and more people arrive, as well as Our Survival Depends On Us, who are worth for sure to take a look into the hall. Their ritual includes bones and smoke, that can be seen in the FS1 Studio Session too.

Rotting Christ, Amenra, Unleashed and Benighted follow, delivering an Extreme Death Black Metal firework outside and inside. The heaven gets darker in the meanwhile. As the wonderful Sólstafir play their set, the rain is falling heavily. To warm up oneself, another visit of the hall and Urfaust helps. Unfortunately the band revealed right after, that they will stop playing live. On the open air stage, Opeth enchants the audience with their beautiful music. Due to delays and the strict terms for open air events, they have to cut short their set.

As the rain does not stop, everyone tries to get inside somewhere, so the big hall is overcrowded and not all can see the remaining shows, that would have ended with Insanity Alert, who had to cancel and were replaced by Hellvista. Including the Warm-up at the Viper Room, this event seems to be built to last. Not like the Jolly Roger Festival for example that unfortunately was held one time and never again. But the first acts for the Vienna Metal Meeting 2020 are already confirmed, including Paradise Lost and Grand Magus.