Beyond the Gates 2017 - Saturday

Saturday and last day as well started with traditional Quiz at Garage for some or another.. and The Dungeon with two explosive bands. Vircolac from Ireland and Darvaza from Italy/Norway.
Vircolac is a relative new death metal act from Ireland, they have 2 demos and one EP - I haven't hear much about them before the festival but after their kicking ass performance it is a band I will indeed put my ears more into. They have a though death metal, morbid and unique sound with a gimpy loud bass that leads many passages in their hymns, it sounds really out of anything you could imagine, a clank drumming and so harsh/tough vocals mixed all together with a nonsense or out-sense performance they give on stage.. and so was the turn for Darvaza, the band hails from Italy whose vocalist is well known Wraath, from OTOH, Ritual Death, Mare.. who indeed takes stage performance to another level filling the atmosphere of aggressiveness and hatress. Darvaza has so far 2 EPs, but had already conquer their own fanbase with a raw and crude black metal... a satanic mass performance theatrically violent and cold, grim guitars and harsh vocals - all the sinister you can expect from raw black metal 
 
Unfortunately, for many who were expecting to see Sumerlands (like me); the band got a flight cancelled from the US and didn't managed to reach Norway for the festival.

Hence, a small change on line-up happened on Saturday. Sahg opened Saturday's mass and Black Magic performed second.
Sahg presented their last album "Memento Mori" last year at BTG, they propose a sort of experimental doom metal. They have a sort of psychedelic down-tuned sound - inspired in some hypnotic Sabathic tunes with a hint of experimental bits here and there. Although I haven't heard much of their discography it was interesting performance - always a new band to discover.
Black Magic has performed before and it has got a quite busy agenda lately. The band is indeed inspired in darkened 70s tunes and their performance and outfits just drives one back on time. I have seen the band before when they were more black/thrash and with time evolving into a more 70s heavy metal inspired.. it is a mix between Mercyfull Fate, Black Sabath and Led Zeppelin on stage and it sounds fucking awesome! - just like summoning "Demon Lord" in time with an obscure underground and grim 70s sound!
I gotta say to me... saturdays band was Exciter, although they were not headliners of the eve - for gods hell they brought the best of the 80s speed metal live to Norway, fast, amazing full of energy - magnificent performance. A drumming that seems never to stop and it gets even more impressive to see all the energy spit from Dan singing and clocking the beats. Nevertheless John Ricci guitar solos are fast and out of this world.. just Heavy Metal Maniac! Neck pain after Exciter... indeed! I don't even know if I can describe the experience of seeing one of the bands you listen to since you learn what music is!

And Enslaved closed Beyond the Gates 2017 performing as exclusive Vikingligr Veldi complete album for the first time. 
The album was released in 1994, as their first full length; on their more black metal / norse inspired phase and it is indeed one of their best album given. I have seen Enslaved before, in other stages - and yes they do an interesting performance; but this time it seemed to me that the bands member went back in time and captured the escence of the early 90s Enslaved, full of energy and norse atmosphere. One could see on Ivar and Grutle (both original members since 1991) they were excited to perform their first full length and to close as headliners Beyond the Gates. The audience went nuts with the melodies and guitars riffs.. a nordic ritual to close Beyond the Gates!
 

Beyond the Gates made it incredible this year, again! It is a fairly new festival and has reduced crew compared to others. The crew was helpful as much as they can. Of course this year moving from a small place where everything is easier to set-up, some bits and pieces are still to improve - but as for their first time they did it great! Some people would say that concerts had a 10 minutes delay - but hey it was a punctual delay.. just an opening 10 minutes delay and afterwards all the schedule came on time!.. 

 

Early birds for Beyond the Gates VII: Saligia are now available and already a stunning line-up announced:  Mysticum, Bölzer, OTOH, Sinmara, Eternal Champion, Portrait... What else to say; well done to everyone, looking forward next year and a big thanks to all the organizers and crew and specially to Torgrinn, Martin, Ole, Silje and both Cathrine(S).