Merchants Of Air
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Albums
    • Concerts
  • Premieres
  • Interviews
  • Giveaways
  • Playlists
  • Shop
    • Merchants Of Air releases
  • About us
    • About Us
    • Writers Wanted
    • Logos and banner
    • Advertise
    • Mailinglist

Rituals of Frost #1

5/3/2017

Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Those who check out our website regularly might have noticed that we are the driving force behind the Lapses project by Belgian writer Tamara E. Williams (click here). While our writer Paul takes care of the paintings, my mission was to find ambient and drone artists to accompany the story. Coincidentally, four of the selected artists played at this nice mini festival in Mol (Sitka, Stratosphere, Ashtoreth and Monnik, who fronts Charnia. Misantronics and Hellstorm Of Flaming Nothingness were in the audience, enjoying this splendid evening). So in a way, Rituals Of Frost was a reunion avant-la-lettre. But you'd probably want to know how the gigs went, right? Oh, by the way, I forgot my camera so I had to make photos with my phone.

Sitka

Picture
Armed with his guitar and the usual bunch of effects, Sitka nervously opened the evening with a nice set of drones and ambient. Sitka is a young, fresh force within the drone genre and certainly one to keep an eye on. I'm not sure if this was his very first live performance or not, but the feeling was right, the sound was excellent and the drones coming out of the speakers were interesting. Given time and effort, this project might indeed be able to compete with the big ones in this scene. Today, he was an excellent opener for what would become an incredible evening of music.

Stratosphere

Picture
I know that some people think that drone ambient is a stale and unimaginative genre where nothing really happens. Well, these people should have been at the Stratosphere gig yesterday. While Sitka came up with the well-known and somewhat typical version of the genre, Stratosphere took things further, meticulously blasting out layers of riffs, soundscapes and plucks and eventually coming out with two huge tracks. I heard references from new wave, indie rock and shoegaze. My mind started imagining drum patterns over these layers, something I would like to do live one day. Anyway, Stratosphere is the perfectionist in this the Belgian drone scene and his performance came extremely close to perfection.

Charnia

Picture
Then it was time for the heavier side of things, something I'm not always looking forward to. Sludge and post-metal have never been my favorite genres and I don't think they ever will. However, that doesn't mean that post-metal gigs bore me, on the very contrary. Charnia is a unique entity, one that doesn't just focus on trying to be as loud and aggressive as possible. This quartet came up with an intense, varied and atmospheric version of the genre, nudging towards doom metal, something I do like. Unfortunately, some sound issues made the gig less pleasurable for the band than for the audience but nonetheless, Charnia put up a very decent performance. These guys should be bigger, that's for sure.

Eleanora

Picture
Second heavy act on the bill was Eleanora who delivered a massive slab of in-your-face post-metal and sludge, complete with the usual bombast, the screams and the steamroller sound. For a while I watched them do their thing, quite convincingly I might add. Fans of this genre will know why Eleanora are one of the must-see acts. Their technical abilities reach perfection, their performance is a slab of hardcore energy and their music pounds on your head like there is no tomorrow. Although I'm not a fan of their music, I can only respect them and be proud of these guys. After two songs, I went outside for a smoke and witnessed their pulverising sound roll over the city of Mol. This surely is a destructive force, one every sludge fan will adore.

Ashtoreth

Picture
It is always disappointing to see that most of the audience members leave after the last heavy band. Personally, I think it's a lack of respect but then again, it was already midnight. When Ashtoreth finally climbed on stage, not even half of the audience was still present. But, those who left surely missed something.
Where Stratosphere is the perfectionist, Ashtoreth is the improviser, the generalist. I've seen him before but it's always different. This time, the ambient tag didn't really apply. Ashtoreth first showed a nice psychedelic piece, turning the venue into a searing hot desert. The second part of his set was dedicated to sheer noise and drones, harsh, intense, relentless and so bloody awesome.
Later I would hear that Ashtoreth was somewhat frustrated with his performance and therefore turned it into that wall-of-noise, but as far as I'm concerned, he can be frustrated all the time if it leads to a stunning performance like this. Like I said to Björn afterwards, 'out-harshing two sludge metal bands on your own is quite an achievement'. This was a stunning gig, one that can be repeated anytime.

The verdict

This was the very first Rituals Of Frost festival. Sitka has been working on it for quite some time, resulting in sleepless nights, unexpected misfortunes and probably a lack of appetite. Yet, it was all worth it. This was a great evening with excellent gigs and a nice atmosphere. If he organises another edition, I'd recommend a bill with four acts instead of five. I think everything is just going to be a little easier. You can always add a dj after the gigs or just make each act play a bit longer. Nonetheless, I applaud these initiatives, certainly in a country where Sabam and the government are always on the lookout for a bit of the money you make (or they think you make). So good work and hopefully until next time.


​Serge
Comments

Oranssi Pazuzu / Ashtoreth / The Mary Hart Attack - Het Bos, Antwerp

22/3/2016

Comments

 
Picture
Check out this month's THISISNOTABANDSHIRT designs & support Merchants Of Air
What a weird day it is today, and what a contradiction to yesterday it is too. My country, or at least the capital, Brussels, is under terrorist attack. After explosions in the metro and at the airport our whole country is in lockdown. Anger, fear and confusion take over and we mourn the victims of this cowardly act. Even here in Antwerp I can hear the impact. There are more sirens than on any other day, once in awhile suddenly interrupted by an ice-cream truck whose music now sounds bleak and desolate, like a music box in a dystopian area.

I've been silent all day, not knowing how to write about the exact opposite feeling I experienced yesterday. Yesterday was a day of excellent spaghetti, tasty Geuze-beer, the music of Philip Glass and chianti, completed by three great performances and a free ride home thanks to my Merchants Of Air colleague Björn. It was a day of many familiar faces and very few 'hellos'. I guess I just wasn't feeling very social yesterday. As a matter of fact, I rarely am.

So for awhile I've been thinking about absolute silence on Merchants Of Air today, even though I still have a lot of stuff to check out. However, at some point, I decided to get this review done anyway. Perhaps I wanted to start spreading some positive words from inside this 'warzone', realizing that the people in attendance at Het Bos yesterday might appreciate that. Besides, all three gigs were too good to not write about them. Once again, sorry about the lousy quality of our photos. Let's just say it's not our speciality...
Picture
It was quite a strange line-up, if I can be honest. A Shoegaze/post-punk band, a drone act and a psychedelic black metal band on one evening, could that work? Damn well it did, once you saw the general pattern: an immersive atmosphere.

This is actually the third time I review a gig by The Mary Hart Attack. The first one seemed a bit hesitant, the second one was awesomeness in absolute darkness and this last one was tight as hell. These guys have been growing as a band, that's for sure. In Het Bos, they delivered a massive wall of sound, guided by that intense, rolling bass and energetic drums. At the moment, I wonder what's keeping The Mary Hart Attack from completely breaking through. They are becoming one of the most interesting things in the shoegaze and post-punk scene. A new album seems to be on its way and judging from what I heard yesterday, it's going to be a blast.

Picture
Up next was Antwerp's own Ashtoreth and his gloomy drone folk set. Armed with a guitar, his voice and a rack of pedals, this one-man act captivated the audience, some lying or sitting on the floor, some standing up. I was standing in the back, with my eyes closed, sometimes imagining some deep percussion over the layers of drones coming from the speakers.

This too was as excellent gig, very atmospheric and somewhat trippy. Ashtoreth formed a perfect bridge between the intense walls-of-sound this evening. It also was too short for me but I guess that's nobody's fault. I just love to be engulfed in drones and soundscapes for long periods of time. 

Picture
After the gigs, I heard Oranssi Pazuzu had to cancel some shows due to a wave of sickness in the band. In Het Bos, none of that was noticeable. The Fins blasted their psychedelic and massively immersive blackened metal over a stunned audience. That audience was simply ecstatic and loved every single second of this intense gig.

Helped by a minimal but on-point light show, the songs from Oranssi Pazuzu blended the complexity of psychedelic rock with the intensity of extreme metal, sometimes grinding, sometimes noisy but always enthralling. These guys proved that the evilest of genres isn't dead yet and that original and fresh acts can pop-up anytime.

Apparently, I wasn't the only one who enjoyed this show, and something very Belgian happened right after it. In front of the merchandise table, a nice line of people formed, each one gently waiting to be served. Björn and I took our place in line and went home wearing a brand new t-shirt and carrying what is possibly one of the most interesting albums in 2016. 

I will probably soon visit Het Bos again to see Conan & Hemelbestormer and Zion Train. Many other concerts will obviously follow in this great venue but, like most people in attendance, I will always miss Scheld'Apen. It felt good to see the Scheld'Apen facia hanging in the hall as a sign that some scenes will never die...


​Serge
Comments
Forward>>
    Picture
    Merchants Of Air founder Serge has written a sizzling new thriller and his friends added a stunning soundtrack. Check it out!!!

    Bands & Festivals

    All
    1000 Mods
    Acherontas
    Aeonion Sorrow
    Ahab
    Alice In The Cities
    Alkerdeel
    Amenra
    Amorphis
    Angakok
    Angels Die Hard
    Anguish
    Antwerp Music City
    Arkona
    Ashtoreth
    Astodan
    A-Sun Amissa
    A Thousand Sufferings
    Au-Dessus
    Author & Punisher
    Avatarium
    A Winged Victory For The Sullen
    Bark
    Barst
    Bathsheba
    Bell Witch
    Belzebong
    Beyond Our Ruins
    Birushanah
    Black Capricorn
    Black Rainbows
    Black Swarm
    Bliksem
    Bonepipe
    Butcher
    Carnation
    Cartouche
    Channel Zero
    Charnia
    Combichrist
    Crash Course In Science
    Dark Buddha Rising
    Darsombra
    Dead End Path
    Deepshow
    Desertfest
    Devastation
    Devin Townsend
    Dirk Serries
    Distant Fires Burning
    Distillator
    Doganov
    Draconian
    Drawn Into Descent
    Duel
    Dunk!Festival
    Eleanora
    Elko Blijweert
    Emptiness
    Enisum
    Fading Bliss
    Fear Falls Burning
    Fractured Insanity
    Goldorak
    Green Carnation
    Harakiri For The Sky
    Hedonist
    Heidevolk
    Hemelbestormer
    Het Bos
    Honeymoon Cowboys
    Hückaf
    Hungry Like Rakovitz
    Ieperfest
    Incinerate
    Incubate
    Interstellar Deathroll
    Izegrim
    Judgement Fest
    Karma To Burn
    Khost
    Korinthians
    Korpiklaani
    Kuro
    La Dispute
    Lambs
    Lingua Ignota
    Lord Kesseli And The Drums
    Marche Funebre
    Mary Hart Attack
    Mask
    Misantronics
    Moker
    Monarch
    Monkey3
    Mournful Congregation
    Muddler
    Nailed To Obscurity
    Nibiru
    Night Club
    No Joy
    Non-Alignment Pact
    Objector
    Oceans Ate Alaska
    Oceans Of Slumber
    Officium Triste
    Oldd Wvrms
    Ondergronds
    Ophis
    Oranssi Pazuzu
    O Yuki Conjugate
    Pentagram
    Porta Nigra
    Primordial
    Punish Yourself
    Red Fang
    Rituals Of Frost
    Rock Herk
    Rocktoberfest
    Saille
    Sarkh
    Scatterwound
    Shrine Of Insanabilis
    Sinmara
    Sitka
    Slidhr
    Sojourner ​
    Spankraght
    Stratosphere
    Sunnata
    Swallow The Sun
    Synchyse
    Telepathy
    Temptations For The Weak
    The Cure
    The Eye Of Time
    The Necromancers
    Thisquietarmy
    Tomorrow's Tulips
    Tongue
    Trepaneringsritualen
    Trollfest
    Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats
    Urall
    VaatV
    Vin De Mia Trix
    Vinz
    Wanheda
    Wayfarer
    Wednesday 13
    Why Bother
    Wiegedood
    Witch Trail
    Wolvennest
    Yob
    Yodok III
    Zion Train

    Archives

    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    Foto
    This is just something we made to get your attention so while we have it, why don't you click the banner and visit our shop? We got some nice stuff over there and you'd be supporting us as writers and artists.

Find us on

facebook
google+
twitter
tumblr
​
minds

About Us

Contact
FAQ
Logos and banners
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.