Kolben Kulturhus, Kolbotn
25. – 26. august 2023
Hellbotn started back in 2014, so we are approaching the ten-year anniversary rapidly. The festival has always boasted a diverse and impressive lineup, and this year is no exception.
FRIDAY:
The newcomers, Iron Bra, had the honor of opening this year’s Hellbotn festival. This Oslo-based trio, consisting of three women, plays heavy doom metal bordering on both drone and stoner. Despite only being active for a couple of years and having released a few songs on streaming platforms in 2021, Iron Bra shows signs of inexperience. An uncertain entrance, questioning if they are ready, is never a good sign. Despite some mistakes and a tentative presence, Iron Bra manages to pull off the concert. The songs “Matt Pike” and “Deep Red” from Spotify are noted, but Iron Bra needs more practice to progress. However, there is potential, and one hopes for swift development. We need more bands like Iron Bra.
Svarttjern performs on the main stage, and with 20 years of experience, they are a well-played ensemble. The band has a somewhat rough appearance, with a lot of rock ‘n’ roll in their performance. Svarttjern easily reminds one of Carpathian Forest, which is not surprising since over half of the members also play there, and the name “Svarttjern” is taken from a Carpathian Forest demo. Svarttjern undoubtedly delivers a good performance, and I enjoy the concert. The band pulls a selection of songs from its extensive career, even bringing forth a track from the demo stage.
Century, a Swedish heavy metal band, released their debut album “The Conquest of Time” earlier this year. The album resonates with the wave of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal from the early ’80s. Quite typically Swedish, in other words. The album’s sound is a bit flat, and the vocals are very monotonous, making it a bit challenging for me. Fortunately, the live performance sounds much more vital and tougher than the album. However, the vocals remain somewhat lackluster. Century delivers a decent concert, though not particularly memorable.
DHG, or Dødheimsgard if you like, has been around for decades, celebrating their 30th anniversary next year. Over the years, numerous members have come and gone, with vocalist Vicotnik being the only constant since 2015. The band’s previous performance at Hellbotn was in 2015, featuring Aldrahn as the vocalist, so this year’s version of the band is quite different. With a new album, “Black Medium Current,” released this year, DHG presents a diverse setlist spanning their lengthy career. The audience is treated to old-school black metal, a couple of thrash metal tunes, some industrial vibes, and, of course, more avant-garde pieces from recent times. Overall, an energetic setlist, and “Traces of Reality” towards the end stands out. Vicotnik excels as a frontman, engaging with the audience throughout the concert. This performance is the best and most memorable I’ve seen from Dødheimsgard.
Death metal band Abhorration also played at last year’s Hellbotn Metalfest, but since then, they haven’t released anything new, only a demo in 2021. Consequently, this isn’t the most exciting concert for those who saw them last year. However, the band’s return to Hellbotn is likely due to several members hailing from the Kolbotn area. My sentiment remains the same as last year: “I like what I hear, and if the band continues in this direction, I believe they have a place in the scene.” Let’s hope they release new material next time.
Unfortunately, Gaahls Wyrd had to cancel due to illness, and in their place comes Carpathian Forest, a source of pride from the southern regions of Norway. While Carpathian Forest is not quite what it used to be, with Nattefrost and Svarttjern members in the current lineup and no new releases since 2006, they deliver a solid performance. Despite the absence of original members from the band’s heyday and no recent albums, classics like “Black Shining Leather” and “Knokkelmann” still sound powerful. The band also treats the audience to a couple of cover songs, including The Cure’s “The Forest” and Turboneger’s “All My Friends Are Dead.” After 55 minutes, the concert concludes, and although it’s somewhat short for a headliner, Carpathian Forest delivers a good performance.
SATURDAY:
Astrosaur kicks off the day with instrumental progressive rock, followed by Asagraum, a band from the Netherlands consisting entirely of women. Alongside two members from the Netherlands, there’s also a guitarist from Austria and Makhashanah from the southern part of Norway. I enjoy what I hear, and Asagraum seems to improve with each performance. The band has a new album, “Veil Of Death, Ruptured,” released in October, and they play “Impure Fire” from the album.
Sepulcher, hailing from Fusa, deliver a mix of thrash metal and death metal. Members of the band also play in Inculter and Reptilian, both of which performed at last year’s Hellbotn. There’s little to criticize about this band; they give their all from the start, playing tight and confidently. These folks from Fusa are consistently good, and while Inculter might be my preference, Sepulcher is also solid. Even though it might not be a festival highlight, this was a concert worth experiencing.
Black Viper, formed in 2012, released their debut album “Hellions Of Fire” in 2018, showcasing a solid speed metal sound. Earlier this year, they released the EP “Volcanic Lightning,” which I struggle with due to its poor sound quality. However, live, Black Viper impresses with a relentless pace. The band also incorporates some slower tracks, preventing the performance from becoming too monotonous. Black Viper exudes a joy of playing and is so well-coordinated that their concert stands out as one of the best at the festival. It simply sounds great, and vocalist Salvador Armijo successfully engages the audience.
Old, a blackened thrash metal band from Germany, has been on my radar since their debut album “Down with the Nails” in 2006, which I enjoyed. After a split release in 2009, the band was silent until this year, with the release of “Dawn of Darkness” in March. Their return to Norway aligns well with this new release. While the band delivers a tough performance, they seem a bit too intoxicated and shaky, affecting the overall experience. Additionally, vocalist Oz adds an annoying effect to the vocals, detracting from the performance.
Razor has never played in Norway despite their inception in 1983. It’s unfortunate that for their first concert in Norway, they had to cancel due to medical reasons. That being said, I believe Aura Noir is a much bigger draw in this country than Razor, to put a positive spin on it. Aura Noir is simply black thrash metal legends and the very best in their genre, something they aim to prove this evening. The band also attracts the audience, and there’s a quick burst of excitement when Valbo starts the drum intro to “Upon the Dark Throne.” With that, the concert is underway, and the band gives their all throughout. There’s some chaos, as the band seems unsure about what to play between songs. Apollyon mentions that they only had one rehearsal before the concert, explaining this aspect. However, aside from the pauses between songs, it’s not evident that they had little rehearsal. The band performs superbly, and it’s heartening that Aura Noir is back on stage after announcing in 2019 that they had played their last concert. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, and Aura Noir is back in full force.
With that, the festival is over, and it’s pleasing to report that most things went smoothly at this year’s event. It seemed to me that there were slightly fewer people on Friday than on Saturday, but overall, the attendance was decent. I hope more people make the trip in the future as Hellbotn Metalfest is highly recommended. I must also commend the decision to have the last band start fifteen minutes earlier than last year, allowing attendees to catch the last train to Oslo. It was a bit disheartening to have to leave Destruction’s concert long before it ended last year, but now we avoided that scenario.
All photos by Diana Blajan.
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