5th of April 2007(Thu) : The first night

The time had past so quickly, and a lot of metalheads from different countries gathered in Oslo in the Easter holidays=Inferno Festival this year as well. This festival was held in the Rockefeller/John Dee as every year, but the festival spread its venue even to another place called Sentrum Scene this year. It's just a couple of minutes away from the Rockefeller, and an event 'Inferno Metal Expo' was held there between 12:00-18:00 on the 5th-6th of April. It consisted of merchandise shops, bar&cafe, autograph-session area and so on. Basically, most spots are closed during the Easter holidays except on Saturday in Oslo,so it must have been a good site to spend the time before the festival. I saw a lot of audiences having black plastic bags came out from the Sentrum Scene

2 festival-official hotels that one was Scandic Edderkoppen Hotel same as last year, and another was a brand new hotel called Scandic Byporten hotel had the special offer for the Inferno audiences. I stayed in a hotel called Best Western Anker Hotel, but I may feel like staying in one of the official hotels next year, as I've never stayed neither of them. I know both official hotels were filled in a lot of metalheads from different countries, so it must be fun to see them The Anker Hotel was also close to the Rockefeller, so some other audiences stayed there as well. They were certainly recognisable in a cafe for breakfast every morning

The First band at the Rockefeller this year was 'Norwegian Metal All Stars'.....+ an American?? The band consisted of members from the Norwegian metal scene such as Athera from Susperia, and a special guest Dan Lilker from Brutal Truth. Some members converted their musical parts in their gig, then they played classic songs of Slayer, Motorhead and so on. It seems an idea about their appearance is based on the Inferno's Kick-off party held around January/February every year.

Norwegian Metal All Stars

I didn't really plan what I wa going to see nor do before Primordial's gig, but somehow,I stopped at the stage in the Rockefeller when Trinacria started their show. It sounded like,but I'm not sure how I should express about their music though,anyway something mixed with some kinds of metal and noise having mystical atmosphere. A male vocalist and 2 femele members having mysterious make-up were on the stage..... Well, well, I found actually this band is a collaboration project with members of Enslaved and a Norwegian noise duo called Fe-Mail after the festival. I didn't know that It seems it was their first gig since the project started.

The long awaited Primordial's first appearnce in Norway finally hit to the festival at the Rockefeller, then the enthusiastic audiences welcame to the band   By the way, I was waiting for Primordial playing in this festival since some years ago, and finally it came true this year. The songs they played at that night were from their 2 recent albums 'Storm Befor Calm' and 'The Gathering Wilderness',except the last one, and I thought they played quite for a short time. But their gig was a part of the festival of course, so I guess it was a great introduction of Primordial, as their first-time gig in Norway. I hope they'll be back here soon again!

Followed by their appearance in 2001 and 2004, Zyklon played as their 3rd time gig at the Rockefeller in this festival. Thinking about the members of Zyklon, Samoth and Trym has also played as Emperor, and so have Destructhor and Secthdamon done as Myrkskog in this festival, so they're kind of 'Inferno-veterans'? They were playing the most songs from their latest album 'Disintegrate'.

Zyklon

Swedish black metallers Watain played at the John Dee as the last band at that night. Every time I see their gig, it becomes cooler and cooler   Various types and plenty of black metal bands are from Sweden, but Watain is definitely about to be one of my favorite Swedish black metal bands recently. Their latest album 'Sworn to the Dark' was released in February this year, so you should check it out

5th April (Thu)

Sentrum Scene

Scandic Edderkoppen Hotel

Scandic Byporten Hotel

Trinacria

Primordial

Watain

6th of April 2007(Fri) : The second night

I checked around the food in the festival at that night.An smoking area was on the roof as usual, and a barbecue stand was there for the first time   I felt like trying a meal there, but it seemed they served barbecue only as a big-plate menu including potatos etc. mmm, it was too big, and I supposed I'd not have been able to drink beer if I'd eaten it, so after all I didn't try it.
Nattefrost and Kvarforth from Shining had their autograph session at a merchandise shop Bodymap's stand in the festival at 18:00.

Hungry?

Busy to be ready....

Smoking Area

It was the first time to see Sigh's gig, although I lived in Japan. Anyway I guess they're more popular in Europe though. Followed by Defiled played in 2004, it was a second appearance as a Japanese band for Sigh, but Mirai(vo,synth) played as a member of Necrophagia in 2003 as well though.
I've listend this band, but I didn't know they've got twin-vocals and besides one of them is a female playing an alto-saxophone as well. The sound of this band really differs in each album, but their new style having the female vocalist called Mikannibal goes with the band well, as long as I saw their gig in this festival.  It seems Mikannibal is also a vocalist in other bands, so she's experienced. A lot of audiences were impressed of their new style as well. I hope to see their gig again soon, as I'm going to stay in Japan for a while.  

As soon as Sigh's gig was over, I headed in the John Dee to see Dutch metallers Legion of the Damned. Really excited audiences gathered in front of the stage, then even I was involved them after taking pictures   I saw their former band Occult, but they've been even more active since they started Legion of the Damned, like playing in many festivals in Europe. The band replied lively to the audience as well

I got a really different imprression for Moonspell comparing with their show I saw about 5 years ago at that night. It seemed they were more sharpend and energetic in this festival. They're often reffered as one of the representants in gothic metal bands, but I like their agrressive part as well. They've been touring as a headliner of No Mercy Festival in Europe, so head to their gig if you have a chance.

After taking a break for 4 years, Immortal is finally back! I picked up batteries for my camera in a hotel after the Moonspell's gig, and the Rockefeller was full of audiences when I got back there. Immortal is going to play in several festivals in Europe and a couple of shows in the States this year, then it was their first gig among them in this festival. The members of reunioned Immortal are Abbath(vo,guiter), Horgh(drum),and Apollyon(bass-Aura Noir), then they showed their overwhelming existance in front of the audiences who'd waited for their appearance. Having some quitar problems, explained as ' We have guitar problems, so be patient!' by Abbath on the way, they performed an excellent show including a couple of songs from their masterpiece 'Battles in the North' as an encore.

Audience

6th April (Fri)

Time schedule in the Inferno Metal Expo

Sigh

Legion of the Damned

Moonspell

7th of April 2007(Fri) : The last night

The festival gave away a souvenir(?) to each audience this year   It was a black cloth bag figured with the festival logo, and some flyers, leaflets having the festival program,and to my wonder, a lolipop and 2 condoms etc. were in it  The leaflets had some tourist information like a map and where to go as well. Anyway, it must be a good memory, and the bag can be daily-use after the festival? In addition,the laminate cards which had the running order both in Rockefeller and John Dee were distributed to each audience at the entrance as last year.
Dark Funeral had their autograph session in Bodymap at 13:00.

Originally formed in New York in 1990, and recently reunioned Brutal Truth was the first band in the Rockefeller at that night. They've already toured in the UK and Japan before this festival since their reunion, and are going to play in several festivals in Europe and the States this summer.

Brutal Truth

Swedish Dark Funeral wearing the armour-like costume appeared on the stage that a huge backdrop printed as the jacket of their latest album 'Attera Totus Sanctus' was hung at the Rockefeller. Their set list at that night consisted of some songs from their latest album, and some other masterpeaces. Actually they were the band I'd been waiting for their appearance in this festival since some years ago, same as Primordial played at the first night   Dark Funeral is a Swedish band, but haven't played in Norway so often. But they haven't really played in their countly either though. By the way,I don't really like a vocalist Emperor Magus Caligula's corpse paint at that night, and I prefer the previous one...

After the Dark Funeral's gig in Rokckefeller, I went to the John Dee to see a Norwegian black metal band Koldbrann. Their appearance in this festival was the second time, followed by in 2003. A lot of Norwegian black metal bands' lyrics are written in English, but their songs are in Norwegian, same as their band's name. Besides, it's quite remarkable that even their official webiste is written in English and Norwegian

Koldbrann

Finally, Anaal Nathrakh from the UK appeared at the John Dee as the last band. Their peputation I've ever heard is like,'their music is great,but they don't really play gigs'. Yes, I agreed with this rumor. I lived in the UK and Ireland between 2002-2005, and I got one of their album in 2002 at first, but I hardly heard about their gigs,although they've played sometimes in the UK recently. So, actually I was surprised when this festival announced about their appearance this year
A plenty of photographers and audiences gathered for Anaal Nathrakh, then the venue was heat up at a burst   The band played an opening number 'Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes' in their latest album 'Eschaton' as the first song at that night, then they kept shouting and exciting the audiences until the end. I suppse i was lucky to see their rare and first time gig in Norway at that night. mmm, I feel like going to their gigs more, then I need to to fly to the UK(must be by Ryanair)??

7th April (Sat)

Souvenir?

Bodymap

Dark Funeral

Inferno Festival this year was held in March since that in 2002.It was beautiful weather during the festival as every year,so there were more metal-population in Oslo around that time

We went to the venue to get our wrist bands quite early on the first day,and after that checked in a hotel called Perminalen Hotel.Actually,we tried to book Phoenix hotel which had been opposite of Elm Street Cafe same as last year,but unfortunately it was closed to be a student flat or something There're enough numbers of accommodation in Oslo,but mostly they're expensive,and besides some of them were closed because of Easter during the festival.

We got to the venue before 19:30,and I saw Mortis at first.I'd never listened his music until then,but it was much cooler than I expected,so I'm going to get his CDs as soon as possible.By the way I wonder how long it takes to put on a make up to be like that for him...

Mortis

Lamented Souls played as the third band at Rockefeller.I saw them for a while as I heard its members would consist of Apollyon(Aura Noir) and Siemen(Dimmu Borgir/Arcturus).Then,I moved to the lounge which was the same floor as Rockefeller to look around.There were several shops including clothes and goods same as last year.
It was the first time Inferno Festival since the smoking-ban started last June in Norway,so there was a smoking area on the top floor(outside) of the building.Although it was quite chilly on each night time,it was crowd by the metal-heads with beer (of course)

I missed to see Estonian band Horricane at John Dee,but I regretted about it as my friend said they were stunning.
Finally when Morbid Angel appeared on the main stage, the heat in the venue reached to the highest,but on the other hand some audiences were already tired and so drunk Anyway I'd never expected that I'd be able to see Morbid Angel with David Vincent.At the same time,I wondered what would be going on his another band Genitortures.

We got to the venue around 21:00 at the second day,as we'd been eager and hustled too much at the first day.
So,I saw Aura Noir at first,then waited for Arcturus.I was listening their CD's since some years ago,but I didn't think they'd play any gigs,and besides I couldn't imagine how they would be.But,their performance was much fabulous than I expected! Basically their music has like musical tastes different from other metal music,and they expressed its atmosphere marverously.Exotic and mysterious dancers appeared in some songs on the stage,then it changed the venue like a theater,so it was like an abstract art.I felt somewhat unusual that Siemen(a vocalist) was singing just with a mike at first,because he normally does with a musical instrument,but his appearance with a half-faced mask really went with their album's title "La Mascarede Infernal".After they played all songs,all casts including dancers showed up on the stage,and it was also like the ending of a play.I suppose their rehearsal must have been hard.

The last band at that night in Rockefeller was Candlemass.A vocalist sang with an operatic voice as usual.

Finally the last day came.We had to be the venue from the beginning,as Nattefrost would play at first in Rockefeller.It was too early order for him,but it couldn't be helped as his appearance had been announced just 2 weeks before of the festival as the replacement for another band.But It was much better to see his gig for me though Anyway,I suppose it was good opportunity to see hi