In search of the 'Abyss Lost'
Review of 'The Abyss Festival', Gothenburg Film Studios (Sweden), 4-5 November 2022. Special for La Caja de Pandora Underground Metal Radio Show 96.9 FM
Words: Juan Sabbath (www.bsabbath.com)
Images: Necroshorns (https://taplink.cc/necroshorns) & Juan Sabbath
In the book Bienvenidos al Sabbath I wrote that the combination of the elements of metal music must be in perfect alchemy, because:
«It is well known that metal is demanding: finding an original sound requires a lot of passion and a deep knowledge of the genre, technique and talent are not enough. In addition, reproducing that sound on stage is complex. It is hardly possible to balance the required elements: the equipment, the instruments, the quality of the sound (and of the engineers), the acoustics, the comfort of the venue, the attitude of the audience, the discipline of the organization. All of these elements play an indispensable role for metal magic to arise. If one of these elements fails, everything can go to waste (p. 244).»
Although those elements are difficult to put together, the discipline of the organizers, their experience and dedication made the magic of metal to emerge with power in this event. The festival is organized by the owners of The Abyss bar, the only underground heavy metal bar in all of Sweden, which from the outset implies a sacrifice. It is more profitable to play commercial music than to focus on a niche as specialized and demanding as that of true metal. The Abyss Festival had "cons" and sticks to the wheel that only passion can solve: cancellations, postponements, and last minute attacks failed to affect the solidity of the event that was based on an impeccable lineup.
Erik 'Tyrant' Gustavsson (Nifelheim). Photo: Necroshorns
The Gothenburg Film Studios favor the acoustics, the comfort and the necessary environment for the bands' stage productions. The engineers made the whole festival sound perfect, except for Ram and Deströyer 666. The excessive output on the drums of both bands made their sound a strident earache. The sound production allowed us to perceive the technique and talent of the musicians for the rest of the bands. The excellent logistical work, together with the energy of the audience, completed the metal alchemy. Two days of the repetitive ritual of metal that has been performed during so many years, but that looks like something new if the elements run as in The Abyss Festival.
TRIAL opened the festival with little audience as it is usual for opening bands. They focused on a powerful heavy metal to present their recently released album “Feed The Fire” (2022), displaying impressive technique, especially on guitars.
TRIAL. Photo: Juan Sabbath
TRIAL were just the preview of the quality to come, which increased with RAM, a band that has known how to disassemble and assemble the best of Judas Priest (including laser beams) for the enjoyment of fans. RAM are powerful on stage and could be headliners at any event.
The festival kept raising the quality with MARQUIS DE SADE, a band founded in 1979 and recently regrouped. They offered an ambrosia of NWOBHM. Marquis de Sade is an excellent name in honour of one of my favorite writers. It is a pity that the divine marquis is not more present in the lyrics and concept of the band. However, they played the heavy metal anthem titled “Somewhere up in the mountains” that marked the goal in my life long ago: a place secluded from the world where I can only listen to all my vinyl and nothing else.
MARQUIS DE SADE. Photo: Juan Sabbath
Paul Gordelier (Marquis de Sade). Photo: Necroshorns
Next were MORTUARY DRAPE. I saw them in Finland recently but here they had a much better sound, capturing the tight, satanic essence of their staging. A very significant band for me, since I bought their EP “Into The Drape” when it was just released. It was one of the most satanic bands to come out from the second wave of black metal, only comparable to BARATHRUM from Finland. The Abyss Festival brought us all the darkness of MORTUARY DRAPE in the thirtieth anniversary of this magnificent EP.
MORTUARY DRAPE. Photo: Juan Sabbath
Walter 'Wildness Perversion' Maini (Mortuary Drape). Photo: Necroshorns
Variety is joy, so from NWOBHM and darker black metal, we moved on to death metal with OBLITERATION. For the only death metal installment on the day, they were right up there with the other genres. A compact presentation, with everything that is expected from death metal.
MORTUARY DRAPE. Photo: Juan Sabbath
And the quality continued to rise with NIFELHEIM. These demons devour the entire stage. In attitude they are second to none. At The Abyss Festival they had to replace metal heavyweights and they did it with vengeance. Metal ecstasy with a possessed attitude, the dark face of metal, the only that should be: that of dirty and aggressive metalheads, destructive and unceremonious. Long live NIFELHEIM!
NIFELHEIM. Photo: Juan Sabbath
Per 'Hellbutcher' Gustavsson (Nifelheim). Photo: Juan Sabbath
NATUR returned us to the traditional heavy metal of great harmonic quality and coupling on stage. I felt that the New Yorkers did not feel welcomed by the cold Scandinavian audience, in contrast to the uncontrolled explosion of headbangers in New York, but this was not the case. Their performance was magnificent.
NATUR. Photo: Juan Sabbath
WATAIN closed the first day. They already are legends made by commercial gossip. But WATAIN is more than that, they have authentic commitment to the most extreme black metal passion. A neat assembly of stage presence. A blasphemous steamroller that pays homage to Swedish metal gods with covers of Merciless, Bathory and Dissection. South America: be prepared!.
WATAIN. Photo: Juan Sabbath
Saturday began with the highest point of the festival. At 4pm (an hour earlier than the day before), we were able to appreciate the majesty of DARK QUARTERER. An epic musical journey of pure talent, combining the best of progressive music with the best of heavy metal, leading us to the 'Abyss Lost'. Italy knows about epic mythology. The land of Aeneas' journeys is condemned to produce high-level bands, not only conceptually but also musically, since it is also the land of the greatest, the original metalhead: Nicolo Paganini. With those scrolls, DARK QUARTERER simply let the weight of ancient heritage swell, and the setting was an emotional capture that is hardly matched by anything I've seen before.
DARK QUARTERER. Photo: Juan Sabbath
Gianni Nepi (Dark Quarterer). Photo: Necroshorns
The irishmen of SACRILEGIA, in contrast, announced the upcoming thrash metal quota with a forceful presentation that increased the revolutions of the festival. The local legend GEHENNAH only sped up the beats more so that everyone went crazy with the tribute to Bacchus and moshing. Both vertigo and speed always lead to RAZOR. But first, VIRCOLAC waved the second death metal flag of the festival with a heaviness that is not out of tune. Excellent death metal with dark passages. After descending into the underworld of death, speed takes over the festival again with the blood-hungry canadian blade. RAZOR were impeccable and promised to return after fulfilling the dream of many Viking fans who had not seen them on Viking soil.
RAZOR's setlist. Photo: Juan Sabbath
FLAMES preserved the reign of thrash in the Abyss. Superb Speed technicality thanks to many years on the road that were noticed on stage. Then a great passage to rest. A big disappointment not being able to appreciate Worship Him and Blood Ritual as it was originally announced. But that flat did not affect the overall quality of this great festival, quality that was confirmed by WHIPLASH. They invigorate the cult of mosh 40 years later in top form. What a thrash/speed delight those from New Jersey gave us!
FLAMES. Photo: Juan Sabbath
But even more speed was possible with DESTRÖYER 666. They closed the festival with a somewhat busted sound from the console. The metalheads were able to vent the remnant of adrenaline by the hand of satanic destruction.
We already know what to expect from commercial bands. In contrast, from the bands committed to their art and only to their art, without external factors whether political, commercial or otherwise, we will always have the reward for dedicating so many hours of our lives to the act of music.
The best of the best in order: Dark Quarterer, Marquis de Sade, Mortuary Drape, Nifelheim, Whiplash, Razor, Flames, Obliteration, Natur, Watain, Gehennah, Sacrilegia, Vircolac, Trial, Ram, and Deströyer 666. You can start backwards or in the middle and it will also be understandable.
Juan Sabbath
Lund, 11 de noviembre de 2022
