Onheil, Tsatthoggua, Hellevaerder & Alkhemia - Musicon The Hague, 26 January 2023

White Room's Loud & Heavy presents an evening of black metal in various forms and formats. Upon arrival with Marko I noticed many familiar faces and what's better even more unfamiliar faces. Musicon was packed, which was a nice surprise to start with. Also all generations were well represented, so there is a future for underground metal.

Early opening band were Alkhemia from France. Their walk-on towards the stage behind a fired torch almost burned down the new lights of Musicon, but after some ceremonial lightning of candles they kicked of. Turned out that Alkhemia play the bulldozering atmospheric kind of Black Metal. Presentation of their vocalist was such thet you were drawn into their set. He also took long hair to a whole different level, almost stepping on it and getting stuck on his nice mic standard. Good opener they were and the mood was set.

Next on were Dutch outfit Hellevaerder who soundchecked in casual friday outfit, but returned in black monk's robes (yes) with a female vocalist all dressed in white. Their songs are sung in Dutch, but I could not hear that and in good black metal fashion they did not say a word inbetween songs. It took until the last song, before they changed the pace a bit and for me overall it lacked some variation. They got good reaction from the crowd, but for me showing why I am not all that rooted in black metal.

In extreme metal often logos are hard to read, but Tsatthoggua found a name that even in normal letters is hard to read let alone remember. Germans they are who love their SM. Apparently they had some cult albums in the nineties, but I never heard of them before. With a second album called trans cunt whip you get the gest. Not necessarily shocking everyone in with their leather and spiked masks, but unlikely to make it on prime tv either. Their music was high energy with some thrashy and punky bits in their black metal. Not for playing at home to me, on stage at least different.

Interesting how on an evening where you don't know any band in advance it takes only one song to understand why the headliner are headliners. To me Onheil brought the music to a different level this evening. I thought they would play blackened death metal, but heard more a sort of blackened NWOBHM. Three guitars to bring the riffs, lots of melodies and two vocalists sharing duties. This was catchy, gripping and headbanging stuff I did not hear earlier this evening. Solid presentation and definitely a band to go see again. Even after curfew they did get an encore and stated see you next year. So we count on that. Thanks to Ralf, White Room Reviews and Musicon staff for a nice evening in a filled venue.