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Forgotten Tomb + TotalSelfHatred + Cataleptic - 10/14/2011 - Prkl - Helsinki

The presence of Italian metal is becoming stronger here in Finland, and Forgotten Tomb is the fourth band in only a couple of weeks to play here in Helsinki. The little stage of Prkl Club seems to suit quite well for the occasion, as it is quite an underground gig, but on the other hand among the supporting acts we can count on a band like TotalSelfHatred, which is pretty well known nowadays around here.
This wave of depressive black metal is the music that Finnish love so very much, especially during this time of the year when it’s getting dark and begins to be colder. But the first band to see the (dim) lights of the stage is Cataleptic, with a slight delay that will affect all the evening. The band surprisingly plays a 40-minutes set. Surprisingly because they have only two demos recorded, and not yet a record deal. I remember seeing the band in a previous occasion, and it wasn’t bad at all back then. Somehow the atmosphere was different this time, as the involvement of the crowd, reduced to a couple of headbanging people in the front, but even though the set was good, it resulted quite heavy to listen in the long run.

Time for a change-over, and it’s TotalSelfHatred’s turn. The band is sure putting a huge effort in promoting their latest “Apocalypse In Your Heart”, since I’ve just seen them the day before at Negura Bunget show, and this makes for at least 5 times only this year! Comparing with the previous gig comes straightforward, and I can say that the audience seems to enjoy them definitely more today, while all in all maybe in regard to the sound I preferred the last time. The darkened and gloomy atmosphere of Kuudes Linja probably suited much better than here in Prkl to the band, but the crowd is different and much more into it.
Overall an OK show, that leaves the fans satisfied, and concludes this week of gigging for the six-piece.

It’s not so strange that when Forgotten Tomb is about to play, there isn’t that much more people compared to TSH. Tonight there are just too many concerts here, from Korpiklaani to the Spinefarm 20th anniversary show, and other underground events, splitting metalheads across all the city and surroundings. But the Italian guys, announcing themself as coming from “fucking Southern Europe” and with the bass player shouting some random “perkele” here and there, find a well-disposed audience, which after the initial “Springtime Depression” begins to headbang energically to the black/doomsters from Piacenza.
Highlights of the show are “Solitude Ways” and the new “Spectres Over Venice”, with the band playing quite energetically in this little crowded hole. And they play surprisingly long, since after “Blood And Concrete” the Finnish people clearly wants more, and so why not? Two more songs make for a 20-something minutes encore, concluded with the wonderful “Disheartenment”.

This ends their long set, and seems to leave everyone more than happy. It was quite a nice performance, as you can see from how much the audience enjoyed it. After years that I didn’t have occasion to see the band, it was interesting to see some more compatriots playing here in Helsinki, waiting now for the thrashers Sadist in December. Long live Italian Metal!!

Report a cura di Marco Manzi