Having favourite bands and venues can be a frustration when they rarely combine; the preferred bands are frequently placed in less than ideal venues. However, sometimes the stars align and the experience is enhanced by the act and the location making the performance more than the sum of its parts. Unfortunately, when such a pairing is such a long way away from home, it is a battle for common sense and compulsion to decide… so a flight was booked to take me back to one of my old haunts in England. Compulsion is so much more rewarding!
Colchester Arts Centre is an usual gig venue; a medieval church first recorded in 1206 that was ruined in the Siege Of Colchester in 1648 and later rebuilt in the 18th Century, nestling just inside a large section of the surviving Roman Walls around the Country’s oldest recorded Town. Still complete with graveyard and stained glass windows, it provides a stunning setting for live events, the aesthetic particularly lending itself well to Metal events, it has acoustics to confuse many a visiting Sound Engineer… but sometimes Magic is created.
First up in the Order Of Service were Jøtnarr, a local three-piece Black Metal / Crust band. Something of a local sensation, the band tore through a great passionate set and very much set the bar for the evening to follow. Much of the attendant crowd was in early specifically to see this opening set, the band rose to the occasion and left appetites well and truly whetted, perhaps testament to the local knowledge I have missed out on since moving away several years ago.
The middle band of the evening was Suffolk-based Eastern Front, whose debut album Blood On Snow was released by Candlelight Records in 2010. By far the “Blackest” of the bands tonight, they ran through a set of 4, “Motherland” and the title track from the aforementioned debut along with opener “Blitzfreeze” and final track “The Hanging Of Faith” as a teaser for the forthcoming second full length. Rejuvenated with fresh blood in the ranks, the mood on stage was vastly improved and more cohesive, the bands wares received with keen interest from the attentive masses. “Motherland” was captured on film from many angles to be cut into a promotional clip. I will submit my own footage for inclusion and look forward to seeing the end result.
Not having ventured into this area of England before, many of the crowd were more familiar with the local opening bands than the visiting headliners from Manchester, Winterfylleth.
The black jewel of Candlelight Records’ crown, Winterfylleth, share influence and characteristics in common with a number of the roster’s other acts, but stand alone in their delivery; three albums in, their craft has been honed to near perfection. Equal parts Black Metal, Folk Metal and integrating the oft-overlooked heritage of England and Anglo-Saxon history, they utilise hypnotic rhythms and addictive hooks. The performance truly comes alive when delivered from stage.
Pulling on tracks from all three albums, Winterfylleth soared through seasoned classics (“The Ghost Of Heritage”, “A Valley Thick With Oaks” and the customary set closer), a little heard gem (“The Honour Of Good Men On The Path To Eternal Glory”) and a healthy dose of the latest album (“A Memorial”, “The Swart Raven” and title track “The Threnody Of Triumph”).
Unlike many bands associated with Black Metal, there is neither pomp nor ceremony, no make-up and no gimmick; four guys in jeans or shorts and plain black t-shirts, smiling their way through a memorable performance. The quality and intensity only equalled by the enjoyment, passion and humility of the performers. A truly spectacular experience witnessing a top notch band conquer and convert a new region, ending with the anthemic “Defending The Realm” ringing out and leaving the crowd baying for more, and their return. Well worth the thousand miles round trip, it was everything I knew I could be and there was nowhere else I would rather have been. 