Svartidauði + Sinmara + Serpents Lair // 6.10.2019 / Spillestedet Stengade (LIVE REVIEW)

By: J. C. Lerche & Xenia Kromann

Serpents Lair

For this night Serpents Lair opened the ball. Seeing them back after a long period of silence was refreshing, and tonight they would present us with a few changes to their routine. First, a change from the usual costumed and masked selves into more regular clothing and black streaks of paint on heads and arms. While this gave this band a more human touch, I personally would have preferred the cloaks and masked anonymity. No matter, The banded started off on a bone-filled stage with Epistemology of Death. The set was a mix of previously unreleased material as well as a few songs from the Perpetual Hunger EP and Circumambulating the Stillborn. Having listened to the latter quite a lot, I found it remarkable that the band played so few songs from such a great collection of tracks, missing out on personal favorites like Devouring Wrathe  and the title track. The sound itself was rather heavy on drums and bass, but could have used a bit more guitar, as only a hint of the melody penetrated the cacophony.

Serpents Lair get 4/6 


Sinmara
Second up was Sinmara. This being the first time that these Icelandics guested Denmark, the room was getting a bit packed. 5 hooded figures appeared on the stage, and the show was underway. While the band hat little in the way of sceneshow, other than occational headbanging and holding their instruments up high, the centerpiece in form of the vocalist, Ólafur Guðjónsson, was free to take the role as the invoker of the ritual, and frequently used that postion for dramatic effect.
The backbone of the setlist was comprised of songs from their newest album Hvísl Stjarnanna, (An album you can read our opinion on about here), and just Verminous and Shattered Pillars from Aphotic Womb, performed in one continuous go as on the album. (A special commendation to the drummer for remaining committed to playing, in the face of a failing cymbal stand). This proved a good balancing call, as those songs are more high-tempo and energetic than their newer, more atmospheric, material.

Unfortunately, the sound was still lacking overall, and many of the melodies was lost on my ears, which kinda put a dampener on what should else have been a fine performance. The beautiful Crimson Stars sadly got damaged by this fact.

Sinmara get 4/6


Svartidauði
Finally the main course, the mighty Svartidauði. This being their second time in Denmark, and having watched the first time myself, I was ready for what was to come. A stench of stale sweat and unwashed clothes accompanied the band as the silently entered the stage in darkness, Frontman Sturla hammered his bass a few times before the band began playing Venus Illegitima. 

The sound has also improved a bit since the last two bands, and the overall soundscape had improved somewhat in favor of the guitars.
The band itself, especially Sturla in front, was also much more lively than the previous acts, going from punching the ceiling to his bass and demanding the crowd make some noise for him, all without uttering a single word.
Rarely have I witnessed a drummer as Magnús behind the kit, hammering out high-tempo grooves and blasts so effortlessly and relaxed.

The set was, apart from the opening song almost split between their debut album Flesh Cathedral and their latest album Revelations of the Red Sword, yet the set only contained 3 tracks from their newest offering (An album we also have an opinion on). Of course, since the songs on Flesh Cathedral was far longer than the latter album (often exceeding the 15-minute mark), the set felt more like a reflection of that album than any of their other offerings..

 Svartidauði gets 5/6

Some other pictures from the show

Thanks to killtown bookings, Spillestedet Stengade and the bands for this evening!