The second day of Inferno was a highly international day. Bands from Singapore, Italy, Brazil, India, Germany Sweden and Norway played alternatively at Rockefeller and John Dee. Dimmu Borgir was the headliner, but I got to hear six bands before they entered the stage. (Picture above: Impiety from Singapore)
Dimmu Borgir are one of the big four Norwegian metal bands. They are also the band with most commercial success, having been on the Billboard sales list for Death Cult Armageddon in 2003. In 2011 they played a concert at Oslo Spektrum together with the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and the choir Schola Cantorum. Yesterday night they were the headliner at the Inferno festival.
Inferno 2014 has started, and the first night – the club night – is over. I spent the night at John Dee, where Indie Recordings presented three of their bands. Norwegian Kampfar, 20 year veterans of the black metal scene, Finnish Woland and the Norwegian band Glittertind. An eclectic mix, and a great night. (Picture above: Dolk from Kampfar)
Every Easter almost 2000 black metal fans gather in Oslo for their annual Inferno festival and family gathering. They come from Australia, China, India, USA, Europe and South America, and Norway. While many of the native Norwegians go to their cabins or hotels in the mountains to ski, the metal fans come together at Rockefeller and John Dee, two clubs in the same house in Oslo. (Picture above: Nidingr)
Shortly after founding member of Celtic Frost, Thomas Gabriel Fischer had left Celtic Frost in 2008, he announced his new project, Triptykon. The band has released a full length CD and an EP since then, and Thursday night they played the Inferno Festival.
Except for Mayhem, Arcturus is one of the longest living Norwegian metal bands. The started in 1987, and split up in 2007, then reunited in 2011. There were great expectations to their closing gig at the Inferno Festiival Saturday night, and they met these with flying colors.
Sweden has many great metal bands like Opeth, Meshuggah, In Flames, Entombed, Bathory and the Haunted. Witchery is an interesting Swedish band, mixing elements from several styles in their music.
Tsjuder is one of the oldest Norwegian black metal bands, being formed in 1993. They have been off and on for the last 19 years, with different members, but reformed a couple of years ago. Friday night they played at Rockefeller Music Hall during the Inferno festival.
Norway has many black metal bands, and 1349 is one of the best and also well known. When Aborted had to cancel their gig at the Inferno festival, 1349 stepped in. They did a great job at the Rockefeller Music Hall Thursday nught. Here are some pictures from the concert.
The club night at this year’s Inferno Festival had many interesting and exciting bands. I stayed at John Dee, where Nekromantheon and Dunderbeist played.
Here are some pictures of Dunderbeist, the 7 headed “thieves band” from Hedmark, Norway.
Artist Pictures Blog 