APRIL 6th, 2023
INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL
DAY 1

Concert Review + Photo Gallery: Polina Kulikovskikh
Inferno Festival - Day 1: http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/inferno-festival-day-1/

If you live in Norway, especially in Oslo, you most certainly know that during Easter time people can be divided into 2 categories – the ones going on a skiing holiday and the ones going to Inferno festival. The closer the first day approaches the more you start to be questioned – who are you with? Inferno festival has been a part of local culture for more than 20 years and with every year becoming more and more significant worldwide bringing people from all over the world to Oslo.

The idea for the festival came out of a wish to bring together the Norwegian metal scene and showcase it to the rest of the world. Norway has a rich history in metal music, with bands like Mayhem, Burzum, and Emperor emerging from the country in the 1990s and helping to establish the black metal genre. The founders of the Inferno festival saw an opportunity to build on this legacy and create a platform for Norwegian metal bands to gain international recognition.

Over the years, the festival has grown in size and scope, attracting bigger names in the metal scene and expanding its program to include the Inferno Conference which focuses on things like film screenings, art exhibitions, and other cultural events.

The main festival venues are Rockefeller and John Dee – two clubs located in the same building. The shows of the main festival program run back-to-back there starting from 16:30. Apart from that, smaller clubs nearby, such as Vaterland and Rock In, have some more bands playing at earlier times during the festival days.

This year’s line-up was very well-rounded and included some of the biggest names in the heavy metal industry such as Emperor, Cannibal Corpse, Watain, Nile, Harakiri For the Sky and many others. Some of the acts were exclusive to this festival, like Sakis Tolis’ solo project performing live for the first time.

This was my first Inferno festival, but it was definitely not the last. As a prior visitor of large open-air events, I was a bit skeptical regarding what to expect from a huge, yet indoor festival with venues being not the biggest ones in size. But my mind’s reservations about that were quickly dissolved after seeing how exceptionally well organized everything was. This is surely one of the best metal festivals out there and if you still have doubts whether you should go for it – it's absolutely worth visiting.  Rockefeller club has a capacity of around 1500 and John Dee around 400 which means that if you want to see the show at John Dee it will be wise to come down there a bit before the band starts as security put “one out - one in” policy when that venue is full.

The band to open this year’s Inferno was Nekromantheon – a Norwegian thrash metal band that was formed in 2005. The band consists of three members: Arild "Arse" Myren Torp on guitar and vocals, Sindre Solem on bass and vocals, and Christian "Kick" Holm on drums. Their music is heavily influenced by classic thrash metal bands such as Slayer, Metallica, and Kreator, but they also incorporate elements of death metal and black metal into their sound. They are known for their fast, aggressive riffing, pummeling drums, and intense vocals. The guys delivered a thrilling performance that was an ideal start for this event.
The next band to hit the main stage was Djevel – also a Norwegian band, formed in 2009. The band's name translates to "Devil" in English, and their music often explores themes of darkness, evil, and the occult. In a live setting, Djevel is known for their intense, atmospheric performances. And this time was no exception. The stage was dimly lit with hazy blue light and candle holders were set on the sides. The band delivered a raw and uncompromising display of black metal musicianship.

Next up on the Rockefeller stage were the legendary Dark Funeral - a Swedish black metal band that was formed in 1993. They are well known for their fast, aggressive sound and their intense, Satanic imagery. The band's current lineup consists of Heljarmadr on vocals, Lord Ahriman on guitar, Chaq Mol on guitar, AdraMelek on bass, and Jalomaah on drums. Over the years, the band has released several highly acclaimed albums, including "The Secrets of the Black Arts" (1996) and "Where Shadows Forever Reign" (2016). They opened their set with “We Are the Apocalypse” from the album from 2022 with the same title, followed by their best hits such as “The Arrival of Satan's Empire”, “My Funeral”, “The Secrets of the Black Arts” and others. It was a great show to witness.

In May, Dark Funeral are starting a headlining tour, The Decibel Magazine Tour, in the US and Canada, so if you also want to see their amazing performance live – go grab your ticket now!

Going back to Inferno festival – next band on the Rockefeller stage was Cannibal Corpse. If you are a true metalhead this band needs no introduction to you as they have been around since 1988 and still going strong. They gave brutal and intense live show with the set list full of hits such as "Hammer Smashed Face", "Scourge of Iron", "I Cum Blood" and "Evisceration Plague" to mention a few.

By 23:30 the club was absolutely packed as the main headliner of this year, the legendary Emperor, were going on stage. It was a rare opportunity to see this epic Norwegian band live and it was one of the strongest performances through the entire festival. They played their famous "In The Nightside Eclipse" album in full plus a few tracks from "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk", "IX Equilibrium" and "Prometheus: The Discipline of Fire and Demise". It was an epic and grandiose live show of a kind to proudly tell your grand kids about.