Matrix, Bochum, Germany
9th December 2012
The Devil's Blood - “The Everlasting Satournalia” Tour
After a successful tour in North America and several festivals, THE DEVIL’S BLOOD came back in order to play some shows in Europe. Last Sunday, the band headed into the Matrix in Bochum for the second last show of the current small tour - the second last “Ritual” in 2012 before they are going to finish “The Everlasting Satournalia” tour at Eindhoven Metal Meeting in their hometown. Unfortunately the young band ATTIC that has been selected to support THE DEVIL’S BLOOD wasn't able to play that evening.
This review should have started with ATTIC from the Ruhr Area. ATTIC were scheduled instead of IN SOLITUDE from Sweden who already have been on tour with THE DEVIL’S BLOOD last year. The audience was confronted with a last-minute cancellation. The band who still arrived in Bochum at a later time stated the reasons in a break into their van (parts of the equipment stolen) and the following stay at the police-office in Paris. So, the evening started right away with the headliner. The “Ritual” (this is what the band calls the shows) didn't start earlier despite the cancellation of ATTIC. As previously announced, the band should start at 21:00. Few minutes late, the stage was illuminated in familiar red and blue after the lighting of candles on the stage and the preparation of a little altar in front of the drum set with incense that filled the air with a heady aroma.
At least since the release of the successful album ‘The Thousandfold Epicentre’ in 2011, you don't have to write that much about this Occult-Rock band from Eindhoven, Netherlands that douses with pig blood before every “Ritual”. It's quite difficult to match THE DEVIL’S BLOOD to other bands. Their attitude is controversial, that's for sure. Astonishing; roughly only one third of the venue filled. Totally different from their last show I have attended (Cologne 2012). Maybe due to “a Sunday”. Who knows? The show started obversely calm with the song ‘House of 10,000 Voices’. Anyone who hasn't seen the band live yet, maybe was surprised that there wasn't any interaction with the audience between the following songs. Vainly waiting for breaks between the songs as well. The total concentration was as always on the music while the band obsessed about a real rush.
You got a similar impression when you watched parts of the audience. It was a little more wild in front of the stage when they played ‘Fire Burning’, a song that definitely is a winner each time. Well, what here is referred to “wild”, they would rather call it “lame” at other bands' shows. It's just a very special atmosphere at the concerts of these Netherlanders. Together with the band you plunge into the “Ritual”. In between singer Farida Lemouchi repeatedly kneed in front of the altar while the rest of the band casted a spell over the audience with great jam sessions. As always, the band played ‘Christ or Cocaine’ as last song. After the singer left the stage, the band developed the show to the maximum and left the stage without a word as well. I personally missed songs like ‘Voodoo Dust’ or ‘On the Wings of Gloria’. Instead the band shined with ‘Come, Reap’. In sum, it was a great live experience again. Highly recommended! https://www.facebook.com/thedevilsblood
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8 / 10
All pictures by Daniel Horlbogen
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