words by Kim Kelly, photos by BBG

Antaeus @ Rites of Darkness

Rites of Darkness hit the halfway point Saturday with no more major disasters (comparatively speaking, anyway) and a sicker than sick lineup. Doors opened at 3pm but the show didn't actually start 'til after 5, when Texan grind 'heads P.L.F. hit the stage followed by death metallers Blaspherian and Grave Ritual. Hooded menace Midnight were a crowd favorite; framed by stagedivers' flailing limbs, Ohio's finest tore through a half hours' worth of black thrashing, neck-snapping, punk as fuck anthems like "Black Rock'n'Roll" and "Endless Slut" and left us all wanting more.

Adversarial's head-down Canadian war metal assault brutalized those who remained, then Black Witchery stalked onstage and tore the joint to shreds with an onslaught of Satanic might (as seen at Europa this past summer with Proclamation). Total death!

Chicago death metal legends Cianide were nothing short of fantastic; their guitar tone alone was worth the trip down. Grecian horde Zemial played a solid ninety minutes of old-school black metal (Quorthon would've been proud), which felt a little longer than necessary but still slayed. Antaeus's first-ever North American performance was the indisputable highlight of the evening, if not the entire fest so far. Spewing forth violently intense and utterly focused, savage black metal, littered with razor-sharp shreds of melody and drenched in evil, these corpsepainted wraiths stood and fucking delivered. Cut your flesh and worship Satan.

Day 1 pictures HERE. More pictures from Rites of Darkness day 2 are below

Continue reading "Rites of Darkness 2011 -- Day 2 pics & review"

by BBG

Inquisition at Maryland Deathfest (more by BBG)

NYC's Studio at Webster Hall will soon host a trifecta of black metal greatness! Inquisition will headline the venue on December 2nd with a rare appearance from Mortuary Drape and Negative Plane. Tickets are on sale.

Italy's Mortuary Drape and Inquisition will then tour their way to Rites of Darkness 3 in San Antonio, Texas where they'll join the newly added Disma, but NOT Urfaust:

URFAUST vs RITES OF DARKNESS III

URFAUST is very sad to announce that we have to cancel our Intoxication Ritual at Rites of Darkness III in Texas, USA.
Our last Alcoholic Rites on US soil where splenditory, so this is just fucked up...
Nothing more to say about this, we hope to return to the USA and Rites of Darkness in 2012!
All hail the madness!
Cheers,
Ix & Vrdrbr on behalf of Urfaust

All known Inquisition dates, the full Rites of Darkness lineup, and some video is below.

Continue reading "Inquisition & Mortuary Drape playing NYC w/ Negative Plane before Rites of Darkness 3 (lineup & dates)"