Reflections of Darkness - Music Magazine - Deathstars

Details: Written by: Guido Kreienkamp & Daniela Vorndran; Published: 23 April 2007

Matrix, Bochum, Germany
20th April 2007
Deathstars, Mortiis

On Friday 20th April we went to the Matrix in Bochum where DEATHSTARS took a visit with their '48 Carat Darkness Euro Tour 07'. With MORTIIS they got a very experienced support with knowledge of thirteen years and with eight long-players in their back. On the other side, DEATHSTARS with their second album 'Termination Bliss' are currently one of the best selling rock acts in Sweden. Both bands describe their musical sound between SKINNY PUPPY, MONISTRY or NINE INCH NAILS and play industrial rock/metal. The venue was quite well filled. It was my first time I have seen a concert in the basements of the Matrix in Bochum, which is an old brewery. By closing my eyes I still could smell the beer and feel the strange cold of the past. A real perfect location for the Scandinavian guys who loved German beer. Now we were interesting if we would be part of MORTIIS horror show just like in good old times. Or how many girls would scream in the first line when DEATHSTARS would start their show. Well, there is only one way to find out - join the concert.

Mortiis

MORTIIS was founded in the early 90s as a one-man project in Norway. MORTIIS is a Norwegian troll, which Harvard Elefsen created himself. The metamorphosis of MORTIIS contained three era’s. In each era he traveled many musical paths and stepped further away from the last and expanding into new territories. His first release in 1993 during his “era one” was followed by four more long-players. In “era two” he released the Album ‘The smell of rain’ (2001). It was a new beginning with a very catchy record which left the past behind. 2004 started with the current “era three” and MORTIIS the band. MORTIIS consists now of Havard 'Mortis' Elefsen (vocals), Levi Gawron (guitar, bass), Asmund Sveinunggard (guitar) and Leo Troy (drums). With their record 'The Grunge' (released in 2004) they took the darkness of the earlier ambient creations and fused it with anger and aggression. It was a twisted mixture of electronics, strange guitars and hard drumming. Their current Album 'Some kind of heroin' (released at 13th April 2007) includes reworked material from 'The Grudge' but has nothing to do with heroin. The record offers diverse remix material from various artists such as GOTHMINISTER, IMPLANT, THE KOVENANT etc. At the moment, MORTIIS works on his new album called 'Road to Ruin'. http://www.mortiis.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/mortiis1

Music
MORTIIS entered the stage and Harvard let his dreadlocks swing. He got a stage presence which is hard to explain. Just like a real troll with lots of aggression he was more screaming then singing his songs. With ‘Way too wicked’ and 'Decadent and Desperate' MORTIIS started an aggressive live show that was even shifted a gear up with the following 'Gibber'. They did not lose any energy until the end of the set. The crowd liked their performance especially when guitarist Asmund mashed with the girls. On the other side bass player Levi liked being on his own. Presenting 'Parasite god' MORTIIS made us being part of their very hard guitar riffs. Asmund played with so much passion that during 'Smell the witch' a side of his guitar ripped off. Although Leo played very fat drums the sound was a little metallic and not very good. Harvard moaned not only once about the bad technical conditions – he was only very hard to understand. At the end of the set the band left the stage after a 45-minute lasting set without saying even a word.

Performance
MORTIIS started at 8 o’clock and it seemed that the guys had their fun – when they not just moaned about technical problems. Besides that you could join Harvard and his performance. One moment he stayed on his own, a second later he pushed himself forward and you thought he wants to jump into the audience. But finally there was no contact between him and the crowd. You could feel that the audience mainly bought their tickets for the main act and gave MORTIIS only some reserved applause. After nine songs the show – where the band stayed mostly in the dark - ended without the old horror show.

Setlist
01. Way too wicked
02. Decadent and desperate
03. Gibber
04. Zeitgeist (new)
05. Underdog (B-Side ‘Decadent and Desperate’ Single)
06. Parasite god
07. Doppelgänger (new)
08. Great deceiver (new)
09. Smell the witch

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 6
Sound: 5
Light: 5
Total: 6.1

Deathstars

Spawning from well-known underground acts in the 90's, such as DISSECTION, OPHTHALAMIA and SWORDMASTER, the Swedish guys formed to the band DEATHSTARS. The idea behind the name was 'Death (Metal) Stars' and should be an eye catcher and mind keeper. The band consists of Anders 'Whiplasher Bernadotte ' Bergh (vocals), Emil 'Nightmare Industries' Nödtveidt (guitar, keyboard), Jonas 'Skinny' Kangur (bass), Eric Cat (guitar) and Ole 'Bone W Machine' Öhman (drums). DEATHSTARS has an impressing history. It took four years before they started to record their debut album 'Synthetic Generation' (released in November 2003) because they got bad times and each member has had a lot of personal problems.

From this moment, DEATHSTARS made a name for themselves as a band that combined metal with modern expression. They played a tour as support with 'Paradise Lost' and some festivals. After the Wave Gotik Treffen in Germany 2004, DEATHSTARS once again were out of luck when their complete equipment was stolen. So it took until January 2006 that their second and current album 'Termination Bliss' was released. Where their debut album was a first halt and experiment, the current album takes an even more powerful step forward with a warm personally sound. DEATHSTARS found their own style or with other words - they are back in black! http://www.deathstars.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/deathstars

Music
When DEATHSTARS entered the stage, the crowd started to scream without them playing a single note even. It was obvious that they wanted to play ‘cause with the opener 'Motherzone' DEATHSTARS started furiously and Whiplasher took a bath in the audience with his chest. From then on, every girl in the venue knew it would be a hot party. With playing ‘Trinity fields’, 'The last ammunition' and 'Synthetic generation' the people rocked their bodies. Between every song Whiplasher told little tales so the fans simply knew what would be coming up next and started their engines. Just like 'Blitzkrieg Boom' when they sang along not for the first time.

Whiplasher got an incredible soft and punchy voice. But also the other members of the band knew how to push the crowd, first of al Skinny. The lyrics were dark, powerful and pessimistic but also catchy. They told us about problems from a normal person’s life and what is wrong with the world. During the complete concert, DEATHSTARS rocked the basement until the end. When they left the stage and came back with naked bodies, this campaign was definitely the peak level of this evening. Damn sexy! With ‘Virtue to vice', 'Cyanide' and 'The revolution exodus' the concert finished after 70 minutes.

Performance
It took about 40 minutes after MORTIIS was finished until DEATHSTARS started. I am sorry, but at the beginning of the show I thought I am on concert of a German band named Tokio Hotel. Sure, those boys are ten years younger then the guys on stage. Their performance looked rehearsed just like a boy group and the girls screamed and tried to reach every part of the member’s bodies. Any one of them exactly knew how to pose to get the crowd go wild. At one time Whiplasher stood in front of the stage, in another moment the other guys did. DEATHSTARS played clear notes and had lots of fun on stage. They were presenting their songs with a dynamic and bombastic beat. Skinny at most, followed by Nightmare Industries, Eric and Bone W Machine behind his drums were forcing the audience on and on.

Whiplasher and his behavior reminded me of Marilyn Manson, even though it is Skinny who looks like him. So I was not surprised that during a song Mr. Bernadotte decided to open his zipper and let the crowd touch everything they wanted to. At this time I must admit without envy that the concept worked. They got a charming kind that you can not be angry with and that you cannot escape. They know how to appeal. And when coming back on stage with their naked body’s for an encore they got me bounded - what a view! Take it or leave it. For the last three songs they gave everything and played wild and explosive. So in summary DEATHSTARS played a fisted mixture of sadness and aggression. The light show was simple but much better than before just like the sound too. To say it with two words - final Entertainment! Hope to see you guys again.

Setlist
01. Motherzone
02. New dead nation
03. Trinity fields
04. The last ammunition
05. Synthetic generation
06. Tongues
07. Blitzkrieg Boom
08. Greatest fight
09. Little angel
10. Play god
11. Semi - Automatic
12. Damn me
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13. Virtue to vice
14. Cyanide
15. The revolution exodus

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 7
Light: 6
Total: 7.9