Brutality Over Sanity Deathfest Vol. II
Eightball Live Stage, Thessaloniki, Greece
29/4/2012
A month shortly after the first Greek Death/Grind Scene Festival, we had another familiar event in the city of Thessaloniki and on the same venue, Eightball Live Stage. It seems like some fans of extreme music are trying to do whatever they can for the music they love, which has as a result bands of the Greek scene getting united to support such main causes and the fans witnessing such events see the progress of our scene at its birth and not after many years passing by. This time we had seven bands from various places of Greece for the very cheap price of 6 euros only and about 150 fans attending and enjoying their asses from 7 o’clock when the event started, as it is a usual phenomenon the fans not to attend in the programmed time. John Giakoumakis was the man that organized this event flawlessly and it is him that must get praises from all that love extreme music and care about Greece’s scene.
Birth Through Gore from Thessaloniki were the first ones to open the show. They also played on GDGS and the result was the same great, drum programming again, with two only people on stage that don’t need a third person at the current moment but kick serious ass, playing their whole upcoming album and having a massive sound, where the riffs would come out very clean and heavy and the voice brutal and expressive. Second great performance in a row and their new album is going to be a blast. Half an hour of intensity added to their short bio so far, that sounds more than promising.
Murder Made God from Thessaloniki also, followed and we must mention that their Stelios travelled from England only to play to this specific show, thumbs up buddy. About half an hour also, despite they miss a member permanently, they were very tied and the fact that they played their tracks a click slower compared to their promo released, didn’t disturb anyone. In case you are not already informed, they have signed for Brutal Bands (a company including Gorgasm among others) and all we can do is wait for their new material to be released properly and with a good distribution.
Mallediction from Athens continued in a classic old school death metal approach, with drums reminding of Krisiun and with a very heavy sound by their side. John has a very special and characteristic voice that fits perfect to the band and the rest members play their asses out. The first performance of the band in the bride of the North and wait until you see them with Asphyx in about a week from now, where they will definitely be even better. The guys deserve it and the album they’re going to release sounds very good. Thirty more minutes passed quickly and we kept on getting warmed up for the next bands.
Mass Infection is a classic live death metal band with many gigs in the past, it was easy for them to play a great show, though their guitars were tuned a little more heavy than I wanted and it seemed like they were hiding a bit the colossal playing of their drummer George, whom I consider the best in our country, especially in the extreme scene. Their Vaderised material came out as we always know and we couldn’t wait anything less by them, a set for about half an hour again, as with the rest of the bands. State of the art and well played death metal, that simply!
Blustery Caveat from Larisa appeared for the first time with Chris from Genna Apo Kolo on vocals and was for me the best band of the event. This time, drummer George played his ass out (for a second set in a row!!!!) and everything was done proper. Two great covers on ”Feces For Jesus” by Severe Torture and ”Grotesque Impalement” by Dying Fetus. Former growler Nick came up on this to brutalise it alongside Chris and it is one of the few times where we see a past member keeping good relations with his ex bandmates and vice versa. One of the highlights of the whole night, which leaves a hopeful message for all other bands.
Mortal Torment from Athens gave their first performance outside their city in seven years of formation and they proved why they are one of the best bands of our scene today. The crazy growler is a very theatrical presence and if you add the fact that he came out as a wacko surgeon, you get the feeling of what happened. A set based on their full length album with two or three new tracks in the same relentless beating motivo and I can’t help but mentioning ”Decomposition In Vomit”, their trademark track, as an ideal tune to create a large pit and all that follows.
Terrordrome from Thessaloniki were the typical headliners and they played their whole upcoming album, plus the two tracks of their latest split with O.T.V., also included on their 7” release ”Seeds Of Fear…Begotten”, without forgetting their first full length ”Vehement Convulsion”, by playing ”Infected Fornication”. A great performance as usually, with only negative comment the fact that many people had already left the club, but the band was in perfect shape as always with great riffing, growling and blasting as always.
In overall, it was a very successful event that was embraced by Northern Greek fans (plus fans from various other cities close to Thessaloniki). All the bands gave praises to John for organizing it and making everything helpful for them. The promise for a third BoS Deathfest is already reality and all we have to do is wait another year for it to take place. Let’s hope that such events will continue from people that love music and have nothing to gain of these events, but only help the bands getting a chance to present their material and maybe set a basis for their future. Don’t put away the bands of our country, because if you think it carefully, some other bands you love, started this way and maybe even more difficult.
Report: John Xanthopoulos