Sometimes I like to go in blind with these shows. I’m an Avatar fan, I have seen Alien Weaponry before, but I had never heard of Witch Club Satan before. Without knowing a thing, I stood in front of their show. While I was watching flashing strobe lights in red and white, these eerie figures show up on stage. Three half naked women, wearing knitted hats in demonic forms, with a very short knitted top where there boobs stick out from, their boobs covered in tape. Under that, a white long skirt.

Screeching sounds were already sounding in the background, while the women walk towards their instruments, a bass, a guitar and a drum kit. I was already watching in awe, and they haven’t even started yet. Then, their first song started. Black metal at its finest was played. I’m not a black metal fan, I really don’t like it, but this, this was pure art to me. It felt like I was watching a cult showing me their ritual. They clearly had a message to tell the crowd.

Halfway in the show, their was an outfit change. I thought it couldn’t be more terrifying, but there I was wrong. If you know the movie ‘The Grudge’, with the girl that looks white with long black hair, the women of Witch Club Satan came out with long black haired wigs, wearing only a thong, noting else. Even the tape was gone. They wanted to share a political message that was loud and clear.

So yeah, even if the music doesn’t have my personal preference, I do think this was a very pure form of art. A show where I can write a lot about. Witch Club Satan bring black metal at its finest, and give you a show to think about.

Next up was Alien Weaponry. I’ve seen them before and I know what to expect with this one. So no surprises for me this time, but the surprise that Witch Club Satan brought was hard to beat. Alien Weaponry brought their New Zealand roots to the show and hyped up the crowd right away. The crowd was ready for it and answered their call for mosh pits, circle pits and walls of death right from when the first song started. There was no standing still for sure. Alien Weaponry gave us a straight forward and energetic thrash metal show to enjoy with hits like Rū Ana Te Whenua.

A very different show; less visuals and just straight forward music to bang your head to.

Then it was time for the kings of tonight’s show to come out and play. Starting their show, the stage filled with fog and blue lights, making it hard to see what was exactly going on behing the smoke. Then the band came out and started with the first song; Captain Goat, that can you can watch below. The fog was cool, but did make it hard to watch what was going on. This was only during the first song though, so it didn’t affect the rest of the show.

Lets talk about the stage. The back drop was one big circus tent. More specifically, the part where the tent opens and all the circus people can enter the stage. Trough that door moved everything that Avatar needed that night. The water moved during Captain Goat, a throne came out featuring guitarist Jonas “Kungen” Jarlsby during ‘Legend of the King‘, flags moved on and off, a piano during Howling at the Waves. And oh yeah, John Alfredssons drum kit split in two and went off to the sides of the stage so all of this could happen. How amazing is that.

This show showed me that Avatar has grown a lot. Lead singer Johannes Eckerströms voice has evolved a lot. It fills the room and is so clear. He makes singing look easy, weather he screams or hits the highest or longest notes, it doesn’t seem to make him sweat. Also, he plays his character perfectly on stage. He is not afraid to show Avatar‘s art form on stage, to show it to the people. I have to say, while we were waiting for the show to start, a small boy and his parents were blowing up balloons from the second balcony and throwing them down to the lower levels for the crowd to entertain themselves while waiting. People were giving balloons to other kids and just heaving a great time all together. Really showing that Avatar‘s concert was a family happening.

Not only the vocals were spot on, all band members show confidence in their character and are not afraid to have fun and have a laugh. We got to hear a great setlist tonight with fan favourites like The Eagle Has Landed, Smells Like a Freakshow and Silence in the Age of Apes. With most songs coming from their latest album ‘Don’t Go In The Forest‘ that released on Halloween last year. We got to hear and witness a great melodic death metal show tonight!