Saturday 27.08

 

Last night in the festival has a special schedule, a longer pausa announced; "Anniversary Party"... and announcements to come. But before we get there let's have an overview though the bands who played...

Starting with Magister Templi from Oslo - a mix of old school heavy metal with a twist of asterism and occultism, a great performance driven by the band; and vocalist who seems to get possessed with the music flowing...

And so we came into low fi, dense atmosphere and sooner longs rifts... how not to get lost in the tunes of Saturnalia Temple from UK. Dark and heavy sounds got over Garage and low-fi made the atmosphere vibrate - indeed a band a wanted to see!

So after the Anniversary party, old school swedish black metal in the hands of Gehenna took over the underground floor in Garage. The band that has recently released their fourth full length performed great as expected.

Closing up the festival was a very waited headliner, Venom Inc - and there is no need to introduce the band - old school, rough, thrash... there is not need to say that Venom took the publikum back in time... there 70s were alive!...

 

Should highlight over the 4 fest-nights the timings, most of them accurate. Bands mostly starting at the timing announced. The sound and light crew, in between the  band changes; made overnight a speed work and run a quick sound check for the upcoming band. If any delay was in between band, it was minimum and not even noticed - as for a one scene metal fest the running order was pretty well respected... and the band changes a good pausa for a smoke or grab a new beer.

 

Another highlight was "Beyond the Gates NonLive Program" which consisted in different events like diverse DJs spinning best of underground metal at Garage ground-bar, Edged Circle Record fair- where it was possible to to acquire goodies on vinyls, cods, tapes and diverse merchandise. Book presentation in the hands of Metastasis "Fire Work with Me" which includes 15 years of work with diverse bands as Watain, Black Anvil, Behemoth, King Dude, Paradise Lost and so on..

The presentation of "Memento Mori", coming album from Sagh.. official video was streamed. And Urfaust's upcoming album "Empty Space Meditation" world premiere..

 

So what about the Anniversary Party "Det mom et skip till Bjørgvin". This year was the fifth version of Beyond the Gates. The festival started small, underground back in 2012... probably as a replace for Hole in the Sky...

Within the years Beyond the Gates has grown and more people has visited Bergen to be part of it. I have been in the past I can can say.. there was more people this year...

Regardless the success, Beyond the Gates has not gone into commercial standards - keeping themselves always underground, with tough line-up and great bands...

So after an overview on the previous years; Torgrim - the man behind the festival concept; and Ole from Terratur Possessions  came to the stage and introduced the new Beyond the Gates to be rolling from 2016 onwards.

And I will quote these phrase to both of them (Torgrim and Ole).. have you been to Hole in the Sky, Death Black Mass and/or Beyond the Gates ... then from 2016 the experience will be the 3 of them into "Beyond the Gates -  Bjørgvin Black Mass 2017". The festival is moving from the caves of Garage to USF Verftet , the concept will remain the same and in the hands of Torgrim and Ole I would not even doubt about it!

The first bands where already announced... and it already looks great as f****! So start to save.. because "Beyond the Gates -  Bjørgvin Black Mass 2017" is about to take over...

and just to mention the announced bands... Negative Plane, Dark Sonority, Mayhem, Cult of Fire, Vemod, Mgla... and this are not yet the headliners! (as per Ole words!)

 

Nothing else to say or report!.. Beyond the Gates is the place to be!

off..