Extreme music has something of a reputation for being a bit better than “mundane” forms of music. The pursuit to expand horizons through music, and crafting songs that stand out comes across as both a science and art.
There’s a certain quiet reverence reserved solely for Poland’s Graveland. Where many other extreme metal acts receive the spotlight, they hold a special place in people’s hearts.
Bolg means “wolf” in old Bulgarian. The birthplace of Bolg is the little town of Radomir in 2003 and the band is formed by Krum Kostov, Kamael and Daniel Donchov. The first released song is “Pagan Forces” – included in the Underground Black Metal compilation “We Worship…” (Christfuck Productions.). The first live show of Bolg is on 18.05.2003 in Blagoevgrad with other Bulgarian black metal bands as Darkmoon Rising, Grond and others.
They were the first one on stage at Yellow Club and they create the perfect atmosphere for a show to remember.
Graveland are a Polish pagan metal band which was formed in 1991 by Rob Darken . It began as a black metal band, before adopting a pagan metal style. The lyrics and imagery of Graveland are strongly inspired by European mythology, nature, winter and war. Their early work focused on Celtic and Slavic mythology, while their later work focuses on Norse mythology and Wotanism.
The vocals are not the high-pitched, chilling screams you’d expect to hear in black metal, nor are they exactly death growls. Although harsh in nature, they have a much more “epic” feel, particularly since Rob Darken seems to have employed some sort of effect to them so that they echo to some degree throughout the songs.
One of the joys of music is its ability to summon a number of occurrence in us. It works together with memory and emotion. But then there’s that one piece of music; that one that just gets to you. It transcends all of that and leaves you feeling a different person. This sort is rare, but it’s the combination of everything you love within music that comes together to make for a wonderful experience.
There were songs like “Thousand Swords” and “The Gates to the Kingdom of Darkness”, veritable anthems for the nostalgic ones. These are long, expansive songs that center on heavy riffs and regal atmosphere.
The room detonates with the first fiery notes of “Thurisaz” from the cult album “Following the Voice of Blood” . Graveland could easily have taken the path of least resistance, creating music that stuck to the trends and using strict patterns that launched them into the spotlight. However, they choose the old path. Their latest album “Dawn of Iron Blades” use textures while still remaining extremely heavy and fierce.
The show at Yellow Club transported us into another dimension of vision and music.
Graveland along with epic performances from Bolg allowed us to escape through their music. They recharge and rejuvenate us through the black magic of metal music.
Photocredit: Stefan Lupascu
Full gallery HERE
Alta grasa, dar pe profil de granny ce ne vorbeste de trupe ce nu are habar, si nu a ascultat Graveland nici macar 10 ore puse cap la cap.
Salut, aceste observatii au un caracter destul de subiectiv asa ca pot fi ignorate cu succes. Apreciem interesul cu care citesti articolele si te asteptam cu critici pertinente (aspectul fizic nu intra in aceasta categorie 😉 ). Regards, Granny.