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Kulturpark, Deutzen, Germany
3rd - 5th September 2010
Nocturnal Culture Night 5 Day 2: Suicide Commando, Spetsnaz, Qntal, Megaherz, Lacrimas Profundere, Diorama, Implant, Lola Angst, Klimt 1918, IC 434, Gecko Sektor, Sensory Gate, Chrom

The weather god was with us on the second festival day. At first it looked like it was to become a rainy day, but except a few drops nothing came down. Soon the clouds cleared and we looked into a clear blue sky which raised the mood for the second day that had in stock established bands like IMPLANT, DIORAMA or SUICIDE COMMANDO but also one or the other surprise…




Chrom (Small Stage)


CHROM; the name being a fusion of the two founding members Chris and Tom’s first names, surfaced in 2007 when two friends who lost track if each other and who were active in other projects at the time found out in a chat they were both unsatisfied with how things were developing in the respective bands. They started working on demos eventually. The tracks ‘The Black Sheep’ and ‘Change’ became very popular when put online for listening IN April 2008, the two had their first live gig, the first one in a series of following. In 2008 and enriched by Ray-X as new member they produced the meanwhile sold-out EP ‘Manufactured’. Their first album goes by the title ‘Electroscope’ and hit stores in April. http://www.myspace.com/chrom2007



Music & Performance
I was told before the first show of the day by friends that CHROM really were a musical feast and I admit that I was curious, since I’ve never heard anything of them before. They entered the stage and their melodic, diversified electro sound convinced right away, especially with the sonorous vocals of Chris on top. Speed increased with the second effort and not only me, but several others seemed to have fun listening and watching the guys performing. ‘Salvation’ then presented structures reminiscent of the classic EBM, but enriched with a modern twist and gritty vocal parts. It got slower then with ‘Blame you’ having a certain 80s twist in its mid-paced structures before things sped up again with the anthem-like ‘My Desire’. Well, I will have to check out the album and I suppose many of those in attendance will do the same judging from the reactions.

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 7
Sound: 8
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 7.7 / 10




Sensory Gate (Big Stage)

The Italian / German hybrid SENSORY GATE is already best known for the eclectic remix works they’ve done for artists such as SLEEPTHIEF, FROZEN PLASMA and most prominently for the veteran formation KIRLIAN CAMERA. At some point, however, the time had come to give life to own tracks. So, besides working on tracks for Dante's "Divine Comedy Project" an educational / artistic program conceived by Marino Alberto Balducci of Phoenix Foundation / CRA Inits, they started crafting material that’d grow in a constant ripening process to ‘Ianus’, a retrospection as well as a glimpse into the future. SENSORY GATE is Andrea Pozzi (music, electronics, programming) and Max Iannuzzelli (music, vocals). http://www.megahertz.org/ / http://www.myspace.com/sensorygate



Music & Performance
I wouldn’t be remotely telling the truth if I told you I wasn’t a little bit excited how the first live show of SENSORY GATE turns out. So in due time we were present at the stage and could have a look at the domino stage decoration from which you were distracted soon with the beginning of the show by ‘Crowd’. Max walked in on stage with the suitcase of a man not knowing where to turn to now, dropped it and began the heartfelt performance while Andrea did the synth part in the back. In terms of expressiveness of a front man the show put you in mind a little of DIORAMA, only to give a hint if you’ve missed it. Initially, he was still a little hesitant but the more people streamed in to watch the show, I knew they’d come, the more secure Max got in my opinion. With ‘Laying Hopes’, dedicated to a friend, followed a dreamy melancholic ballad that got me some heavy shivers. While those tracks were coming off the debut album ‘Ianus’, the next track ‘Slash’ was a new one, intended for the next album, sporting a more electronic and aggressive stance with break beats intermixed with the experimental parts and the performance adapted to the mood accordingly.



‘Hallowed’ gave a little bit of a respite with the calming piano parts before the next new track ‘Domino Effect’ was up and coming, bearing sublime choirs on a base of staccato old-school electronics, conjuring a gloomy mood and expressing helplessness and disbelief. A track that has you thinking and dancing in equal parts! Rocking ‘New Dawn’ closed the first show, a show that had a lot less of insecurity than you might have expected and aside from the enthusiastic fans in the first rows, also several other people seemed to have liked it. To sum up: A prolific debut.

Setlist
01. Crowd
02. Laying Hopes
03. Slash
04. Hallowed
05. Domino Effect
06. New Dawn

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 7
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 7.8 / 10




Gecko Sector (Small Stage)

Gerrit Thomas, known by FUNKER VOGT and Stefan Winkel founded the project in 2007 after they had a chance meeting at a club and learned they were vibrating on the same frequency when it comes to music. For the first years, the duo’s been working in the studio only, but will now make the next step towards a live presentation. The release of a yet untitled record is planned for 2010. http://www.myspace.com/geckosector



Music & Performance
Another band with a debut started shortly afterwards with GECKO SECTOR and at least you could be curious about how the sound would be like with Gerrit of FUNKER VOGT being involved with the sound part of the work. It was not a soft clone of old glories if you’ve expected something like that now, even though a little FUNKER VOGT was audibly in there. But we got presented with a softer kind of electronic music with more melodies and equal vocals by Stefan on songs like spherical ‘A Million Hours’ or the following ‘Recall’. Even though they put quite some effort into it, the stuff couldn’t convince me really and I left earlier than planned.

Rating
Music: 5
Performance: 5
Sound: 7
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 5.4 / 10




IC 434 (Big Stage)

Everything started with Geert de Wilde forming the project TALES OF DOOM in 1991 following a long-lasting span of experimentation. In August 1994, after adding the Korg M1 synth to his gear, the project gained its current name IC 434 after a galactic cloud in the Orion constellation. It was in 1996 that Dirk Ivens attended one of the project’s live shows and deeply impressed offered to sign IC 434 for his label Daft Records. Until 2002, the project would release three albums on the label, which, except for the re-released debut ‘Weathering Skies’, are sold-out. Re-established after temporarily changing the project’s name to OBEDIENCE, de Wilde started working on new songs which ended up being released on his newest effort ‘Bacteriate’, released through Infacted Recordings in 2008. http://www.ic434.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/ic434



Music & Performance
There’s quite some water under the bridge since my last encounter with Geert de Wilde and his project IC 434 which he no would present to the electro-devoted crowd in Deutzen. Contrary to some of the Belgian bands dedicated to harder and les melodic electronic music, Geert puts an emphasis on the incorporation of those into the sound whose trademark also is a heavy beat and even if some will want to punish me for that, there is a slight touch of future pop in what he does. So let’s get back to the performance. As experienced before, Geert is scouring the stage a lot during presenting the tracks with his raspy, rough voice and apparently died a thousand deaths over showcasing the obviously personal content within the lyrics of tracks like e.g. ‘Insomniac’. The sparse crowd danced to the track, while I for one couldn’t get into it at all.

Rating
Music: 6
Performance: 5
Sound: 7
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 5.8 / 10




Klimt 1918 (Small Stage)

Marco Soellner and his brother Paolo formed KLIMT 1918 out of the ashes of their former band ‘Another Day’. The name derives from the painter Gustav Klimt and his year of death. Influenced by his old idols of BAUHAUS, THE CURE and JOY DIVISION Marco began writing songs all coming to prominence on the self-produced demo ‘Secession Makes Post-Modern Music’ arousing the attention of Italian label ‘My Kingdom Music’. The sound back then was quite harsh and resembled Metal in marked contrast to the second strike ‘Undressed Momento’ from 2003 being much more emotional and melodic in its direction. In 2004 the band switched to German Prophecy Production label on which they release their albums ever since. Their newest album carries the title ‘Just in case we'll never meet again’ and was released in June 2008. KLIMT 1918 is Marco Soellner (vocals, guitar), Francesco Conte (guitar), Dawide Pesola (bass) and Paolo Soellner (drums). http://www.myspace.com/klimt1918



Music & Performance
I never had the luck to attend one of their shows, but so far only heard good things and since the sunshine elevated my mood even more in a way. But things were not going according to plan due to an initially wrong or not existent guitar amp if I got that correctly, which caused a heavy delay in the schedule here. Eventually, all things were sorted and finally the show could start and then it was like sinking in a sea of sounds with the thick layers woven with the effected guitars, breezing through the compositions of the Italian guys who were complaining it was too cold around here. Grow a thicker skin guys. I’m just kidding. Actually, you would need to salute Marco for performing whilst having caught a flu. The smoke would later be causing a picturesque effect by making single sunbeams visible while falling through the gaps of the “roof” in front of the small stage, making you fall into reveries while listening to the washes coming from the instruments. I would’ve loved to see more but the next band was already coming up.



Setlist
01. The Breathtaking Days
02. Passive
03. Just In Case We’ll Never Meet Again
04. The Graduate
05. Skygazer
06. Ghost Of A Tape Listener
07. Snow of ‘85
08. They Were Wed By The Sea

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 7
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 7.8 / 10




Lola Angst (Big Stage)

Once upon a time, there was an old little church organ that was left alone in an ancient village chapel in Lichtenberg in Berlin, it had been abused in Sunday mass for several decades, and its graceful sounds would be accompanying the dreadful dirges of untalented and geriatric people. One night, two vagabonds came by, kidnapped it, and named it "Lola". Since then, the crazy trio is travelling the world, playing music under the moniker of LOLA ANGST. Ever since then, the project has released two acclaimed full-length albums and will release brand new material on a disc called ‘Viva la Lola/Live in Germania’ in September 2009. LOLA ANGST currently is Lola" the Church organ, Alexander Leonard Goldmann (singing and playing Lola), Nina Angst (keys), Zwie Angst (Bass), Damian Angst (electronics) and Tyronne de Silva (drums). http://www.myspace.com/lolaangst



Music & Performance
With LOLA ANGST now playing at the big stage, a fair doze of irony and humour paid the NCN festival a visit. Alexander Goldmann and his crew were already providing their audience with the beats of their track ‘Just Slaves’ when I arrived but already there a good mood seemed to have been set up that could have served for a big party if only all people would’ve joined in to celebrate, because even if people were liking it, and you could see that, many of them just remained on their spot. Something mister Goldmann wasn’t too much bothering about, it seemed. But still he increased his efforts in involving even more people into the action. Next song on the list was ‘I Love Myself’, a dark manifest that with its oscillating rhythms was catching a few more people on the ranks.



The occasional use of Lola might have been a reason as well. The heavy industrial ‘Mr. Trisex’ had a screaming contest for us and during the set closer ‘Am I Dead?’, Goldmann picked a little boy from the front row and carried him around on his arms a while. The little guy however didn’t look like he was feeling too comfortable. That’s just natural I guess. Anyway, it was a fun gig

Setlist
01. Deutschlandlied
02. Hello Happiness
03. Just Slaves
04. Dear Enemy
05. I love myself
06. Daddy Daddy
07. Strange beautiful Tear
08. Mr Trisex
09. Cold hearted Bitch
10. King of the Mad
11. Final War
12. Dead Mans Song
13. Am i dead?

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound:8
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 7.5 / 10




Implant (Small Stage)

Len Lemeire’s project IMPLANT started way back in 1992 and ever since has released 8 full-length albums, several EPs and a plethora of remixes. IMPLANT also was accompanying ANNE CLARK live for five years. The bands newest album is called ‘Implantology’ and amongst others features guest appearances of the likes of Jean-Luc de Meyer (FRONT 242) or Dirk Da Davo (THE NEON JUDGEMENT). It was followed up by a remix EP, titled Violence’ in October 2009! http://www.implant-music.be/ / http://www.myspace.com/implant

Music & Performance
The name Len Lemeire of course is familiar for his works with FRONT 242, so a certain standard for quality was set. If you’d like everything presented would be another story. But I didn’t expect anything before the show, since the project didn’t cross my path so far. The duo began with a driving cocktail of eclectic yet minimalist sounding electronics with Len letting his raw vocals soaring over the beats. Second song ‘Drugs vs Violence’ featured plenty noise elements in its structure and showed a different facet in the duo’s sound which is exclusive danceable and was used extensively to do the dance.



Following ‘Violence’ mixed the noise with an audible 80s touch and hit well with the crowd. The retro attitude continued with the next song. The setlist also included a sped-up cover of THE NEON JUDGEMENT’s ‘Factory Walk’. All well-crafted stuff yet nothing particularly up my alley

Setlist
01. You Push Me
02. Drugs vs. Violence
03. Violence
04. Nothing Left To Kill
05. Factory Walk (The Neon Judgement Cover)
06. Out With The Old / In With The New
07. Fading Away
08. The Man Behind The Curtain
09. Flash
10. Tune Up Your Chips And Circuits

Rating
Music: 6
Performance: 6
Sound: 8
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 6.2 / 10




Diorama (Big Stage)

DIORAMA was founded by Torben Wendt between 1994 and 1996. His long-time friend Felix Marc soon joined him as a co-producer and keyboard player. Sometime later, bass player Bernard le Sigue and guitarist Sash Fiddler, who were fellow students of Torben and Felix, gradually grew into the line-up and last but not least drummer Marquess became a member of the band. Unfortunately Bernard le Sigue left the Band in October 2006. In 2007, the band released their fifth and newest album ‘A Different Life’, preceded by the single ‘Synthesize me’. The band played some extremely energetic and compelling festival shows to present the album and kept playing various shows in the following time. Eventually in February 2010 the silence was broken with the release of the new single 'Child of Entertainment', being the offspring of the long-awaited album 'Cubed', released in March. DIORAMA is: Torben Wendt (words and music, vocals, keys, percussion), Felix Marc (co-production, keys, vocals), Sash Fiddler (guitars) and Marquess (drums). http://www.diorama-music.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/dioramamusic



Music & Performance
The sun was shining and the time for the DIORAMA performance had almost come. That meant getting into position and waiting for the things to come. Lemmings had occupied the front rows already for the guys to feel at home as usual. Actually, everything’s ready and then it started with the band taking their positions. The place behind the keys this time was occupied with Boris May from KLANGSTABIL since Felix couldn’t make it this time around, a more than proper replacement I’d say. Just seconds later, the familiar sounds of ‘Child of Entertainment’ opened the show and then also Torben walked up on stage and that meant not only great vocals but also lots of action on stage and partying fans. Something heavier followed with the ‘Acid Trip’ bomber whose chorus line carves into your brain to be remembered forevermore. The next song, according to the reactions, neither me nor anyone else had on the bill. But ‘Howland Road’ was a welcome surprise and may I say that with the live drums and guitars that song has one hell of a lot more drive guys.



But that was not the only surprise since ‘Prozac Junkies’ also is not a song you get to hear usually at a DIORAMA show. More often from now on I hope. Has a great live character! The mood at this point was, mildly put, good. In fact with ‘Erase Me’ and ‘Why’, yeah that one with the audience chanting, it was boiling. The chanting is meanwhile explicitly demanded by the band and Torben encouraged everyone to do it. Afterwards we finally learned what the other guitar on stage was all about. But first we had to wait for Sash to tune the guitar and to shorten the waiting time; Torben gave a little lesion in dexterity on the piano, much to the likes of everyone. When Sash was done, we got a wonderful acoustic showcase of ‘Hla’. Bloody hell why just one song, but then again it’s a festival show! So it came to pass that ‘Refugee’ came around with the full set of instruments again and afterwards ‘Ignite’ was shaking the crowd. To do bouncing, there’s no better song than ‘The Girls’ and as soon as the chorus part hit there was a wave of bouncing bodies to spot.



‘Advance’ and the song ever since they’re amongst the international league of superstars ‘Synthesize Me’ wrapped up an exciting show in the course of which Sash fell over a monitor box, he didn’t expect to be there. Hope you’re better by now. Thanks guys for another fantastic show.

Setlist

01. Child of Entertainment
02. Acid Trip
03. Howland Road
04. Prozac Junkies
05. Erase Me
06. Why
07. Hla (Acoustic)
08. Refugee
09. Ignite
10. The Girls
11. Advance
12. Synthesize Me

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 8.8 / 10




Lacrimas Profundere (Small Stage)

LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE is a German band founded in 1993 by Oliver Nikolas Schmid. Short time later he was joined by his brother Oliver Schmid. But it was not before the entrance of vocalist Anja Hötzendorfer, they drew enough attention to themselves to be able to record their debut, entitled ‘...and the Wings Embraced us’ which was released in 1995 followed by the second album ‘La Naissance d’un Rêve’ in 1997. Taking a look into the future now we’ll notice there have been several substantial changes to the line-up and except for Oliver no one of the original crew remained. Same goes for the style of music which has become an emotive mixture of Dark, Rock, Gothic and Doom Metal. With ‘The Grandiose Nowhere’, they’ve released their most recent record in 2010. LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE is Oliver Nikolas Schmid (guitar), Tony Berger (guitar), Karl Fuhrmann (drums) and Roberto Vitacca (vocals). http://www.lacrimas.com / http://www.myspace.com/lacrimasprofundere



Music & Performance
Next show would be a reunion with LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE. Hell, the guys are playing really a lot of festivals this year. But first we had to stick with a longer “sound check episode”, labelled like that by Robert Vittaca later. When everything was done, the show made its kick start with the thumping ‘Lips’ that mixed driving drums and melodies in just the right way to catch the crowd., some of which needed no catching anymore and were enthusiastic from the very first second. Even though their movement radius was quite limited on that small stage, usually they’re playing much bigger ones; the band had no intention of standing like statues on a single spot for the rest of their show. But Roberto could have done a little more in that regard. ‘We Shouldn’t Be Here’ came straight and has a high level of catchiness in the chorus, which makes it a perfect track to sing along to it, some people around me did. The band’s musical letter to ‘Dear Amy’ offered a more rebellious timbre in Roberto’s voice, a nice contrast to the gloomy hums. They rocked it again and won the audience over bit by bit.



Setlist
01. Intro
02. Lips
03. To Bleed Or Not To Be
04. We Shouldn’t Be Here
05. Be Mine In Tears
06. Dear Amy
07. Again It’s Over
08. Her Occasion Of Sin
09. My Little Fear
10. Should
11. The Letter
12. For Bad Times
13. My Mescaline
14. Ave End
15. A Pearl
16. Amber Girl
17. I Don’t Care

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 6
Sound: 6
Light: - (daylight)
Total: 6.5 / 10




Megaherz (Big Stage)

The history of the band started back in 1993 in Munich when singer Alexx Wesselsky formed MEGAHERZ together with some other guys. A first demo ‘Herzwerk’ was released in 1995; one year later, the CD ‘Wer bist du’ hit the stores. Several years have passed since then, numerous CDs have been released and the line-up has changed several times. Founder Alexx Wesselsky finally left the band together with Noel Pix in autumn 2002 and founded the band EISBRECHER who is celebrating big success right now. The rest of the band had to find a new singer… Mathias 'Jablonski' Elsholz did the job only a short time… and finally Alexander 'Lex' Wohnhaas joined the band as new singer. After about four years of silence, the band came back with the spectacular chart entry of the latest album ‘Heuchler’ to celebrate 15 years of band history now also on European stages starting on 11th October. MGAHERZ is Lex (vocals), X-Ti (guitar), Wenz (bass), Roland (guitar) and Bam Bam (drums). http://www.megaherz.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/megaherz / http://www.megaherz.com/



Music & Performance
It was getting dark already with MEGAHERZ entering the stage to a freezing audience in the cold evening. Regarding the freezing; that was something the guys around front man Lex intended to chase away and made the start by letting the beast out on the opener ‘Das Tier’, and you couldn’t say there wasn’t enough action on stage. On the other side, that is, amongst the audience, the picture was a different one and people were rather sticking to standing and burying their hands in the pockets. As the next one ‘Beiss Mich’ rolled through the venue. Trying to involve the audience wasn’t crowned with success, for only very few reacted with clapping to the encouragement at all. That would however change in the further course of the show, as well as the overall attendance count in front of the stage and on the ranks, screaming after several songs an and dancing. To ‘Kaltes Grab’, even drummer Bam Bam would leave his place to stir the people with clapping his drumsticks before having to return to the kit to do his actual job.



For a little while, the piano dominated with a rendition of ‘5.März’ by STAUBKIND which Lex said the band deemed too good not to play it live. Eventually, the track would return to chugging guitars as well. When the band left the stage after ‘Gott Sein’, there was still plenty of time for an encore and quite quickly the guys were back to do the famous ‘Miststück’. Also a hit on EISBRECHER shows by the way. Despite the band’s efforts I was missing something in the performance. It lacks some uniqueness to completely silence those comparing them with EISBRECHER which I still have to think of here as well.

Setlist
01. Das Tier
02. Beiss Mich
03. Herzblut
04. Ebenbild
05. Fauler Zauber
06. Kaltes Grab
07. 5.März (Staubkind RMX)
08. Kopfschuss
09. Alles nur Lüge
10. Heuchler
11. Gott Sein
---
12. Miststück

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 7 / 10




Spetsnaz (Small Stage)

Swedish electro-berserker SPETSNAZ was formed by Pontus Stålberg and Stefan Nilsson in Örebro, Sweden in the autumn of 2001. Both being fans of the electro scene for many years, they didn’t like the tendency of all the old bands getting replaced by a style called Future-Pop and after their more or less serious individual involvements in other projects, they decided to form a single one to put all their power into. Some months of intense studio work followed, whose end result was the first 4-Track demo which was handed out to Swedish labels and promoters. The duo’s first album ‘Grand Design’ was the release by SubSpace Communications in 2003 and re-released by Out of Line in Germany a year later after the band attracted their attention with their intense and energetic live performances. The duo released two EPs - ‘Perfect Body’ and ‘Degenerate Ones’ - before the new long player ‘Totalitär’ unleashed a storm onto the crowd in 2006, just to get reinforced by another attack in the shape of the third album ‘Deadpan’ in 2007. SPETSNAZ is Pontus Stålberg (vocals) and Stefan Nilsson (synths, programming). http://www.myspace.com/spetsnazebm



Music & Performance
Actually, you could’ve expected it but still I was quite surprised about how many people were already present at the stage close to the beginning of the SPETSNAZ show and everyone seemed to be all up for dancing here. They could start right away doing that on the first track ‘Apathy’, seeing Pontus delivering the commanding vocals to which the audience had to obey, at least as far as the dancing thing goes. A few, very good, melodic vocals were expecting us on the next track before ‘Degenerate Ones’ at last made all boundaries fall and all you saw was a surging mass in front of you’ Nothing But Black’ was followed up a new track that gives rise to hope there’s a new full-length of the guys soon. A bit more speed came up with the entrance of the ‘Reign of Wolves’. ‘Plaything’ let the audience become one themselves and of themselves with starting to go mad; a state by the way that would just become more extreme with time passing and friends of mine eventually decided to join the pogo party and afterwards came back with a happy expression on their faces. I got one too, since that show was just brilliant!

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8 / 10




Qntal (Medieval Market)

The initial line-up of QNTAL, formed in 1991, comprised Ernst Horn & Michael Popp who still was working as a live musician with Horn’s main project DEINE LAKAIEN back then and is a founding member of ESTAMPIE. Just like Sigrid ‘Syrah’ Hausen, later complementing QNTAL with her vocal abilities. Impressed and inspired by the strictly positive reception from the press to the debut ‘Qntal I’ (1992), the project continued its work with the result being ‘Qntal II’, that was released in 1995 and supported by a tour as support of DEINE LAKAIEN. In 1999, Ernst Horn and Michael Popp fell out with each other which led to Popp’s departure from DEINE LAKAIEN and Horn leaving QNTAL. With Philipp Groth handling the keys from there on, they recorded and released ‘Qntal 3 - Tristan und Isolde’ in 2003. Meanwhile the QNTAL saga has reached its sixth chapter with ‘Translucida’ being released in February 2008. With ‘Purpurea’, the band offers a Best-Of collection since October of the same year. QNTAL is Michael Popp (medieval instruments, composition), Sigrid “Syrah” Hausen (vocals), Philip Groth (keys), Mariko (live violin, backing vocals) Markus Köstner (live drums). http://www.qntal.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/qntal



Music & Performance
For those who didn’t want to get into the adrenaline-filled environment with SPESNAZ, simply didn’t like the music, or found it was too packed around there, there was an alternative this evening. They just had to take a little tour to the area of the medieval market where QNTAL would be starting their set around 20 minutes into the set of the mentioned band. That one of course was a fairly different calibre than the dance-floor focused electronic tunes a couple metres away. Here, the classically-trained mezzo soprano voice of Syrah was putting a spell on the audience and almost made them forget how cold the air had become in the meantime. But electronic sounds also play a part in the music of QNTAL, giving an ethereal, modern twist to the mostly medieval moods their songs are radiating with the use of “older” instruments. When presenting things live, skilfully executed drum and percussion parts are also part of the atmosphere and they knew how to put an audience in awe and make them celebrate to the presented tunes. The way eventually led back to the SPETSNAZ concert however.

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: 4
Total: 6.7 / 10




Suicide Commando (Big Stage)

One of the veteran projects in the electronic music scene is SUICIDE COMMANDO! A lot of years have passed since Belgian native Johan van Roy founded this project as a mere studio project in 1986. Three years later, he released his first tape under that moniker and made an appearance on the vinyl compilation, ‘Electronic’. Following years brought more self-released tapes and compilation appearances until in 1994 the first SUICIDE COMMANDO CD ‘Critical Stage’ got released on now defunct German label Off Beat followed by ‘Stored Images’ shortly thereafter in 1995.Those two included two of the project’s biggest club hits ‘Where do we go from here’ and even more ‘See you in Hell’. Only the start of a strong of other club hits that was top follow in the years to come as van Roy continuously unleashed new material on an ever growing fan base all over the world. In 2006 followed his still most recent album ‘Bind, Torture, Kill’. In May 2009, Van Roy signed to Out Of Line and released ‘Implements of Hell’ in 2010. SUICIDE COMMANDO live is Johan van Roy (vocals), Torben Schmidt (keyboards), Mario Vaerewijck (drums) and Jan L. (keyboards). http://www.suicdecommando.be/ / http://www.myspace.com/suicidecommando



Music & Performance
The grand finale drew nearer with SUICIDE COMMANDO and the stage setup revealed already that the drums were part of the songs again. I was just hoping that you could hear them this time around, contrary to last year’s performance at Blackfield Festival. First off after the sound check was the instrumental ‘Severed Head’ and the drums were there, more powerful than ever, while Johan obviously had to fight with some problems and didn’t look very happy. But then the next track was calling for his vocals, which was ‘The Pleasures Of Sin’, like all other tracks backed by video footage that often took away the attention from what was actually happening on stage with Johan dashing back and forth like a wild tiger. ‘Hate Me’ fired away the next, fast-paced grenade until ‘Death Cures All Pain’ raised the pressure and atmosphere; rather than the tempo. Didn’t make it less of a feast to dance to, was clearly visible down at the front.



A classic followed it up with ‘Dein Herz Meine Gier’, instantly providing for hefty shaking of the heads and limbs, whilst Johan still seemed to think there was more need to push the crowd and did everything to accomplish that goal. ‘Perils of Indifference’ brought the next track from the current long player ‘Implements of Hell’ before with ‘Love Breeds Suicide’ and ‘Cause of Death: Suicide’ followed some much loved older material. To the pervasive sounds of ‘God Is in the Rain’ then, we started making our way back to the hotel to get some sleep and to recharge the batteries for the final round on the next day.

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 7.4 / 10



All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com/ / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography)
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