Março Maldito festival provided a historic night for São Paulo's headbangers! With tickets sold out more than a month in advance, the event delivered an extremely heavy marathon at Carioca Club on the 21st.
The event brought together five major representatives of black, thrash, and death metal, delivering an overwhelming sequence of brutal performances. The lineup featured The Black Spade (Brazil), Sacramentum (Sweden), Desaster (Germany), Bewitched (Sweden), and Sodom (Germany), offering an intense and unforgettable sonic experience.
The opening of the Cursed March
The Brazilian band The Black Spade had the responsibility of opening the festival and they did not disappoint. The band showcased a raw and aggressive sound that immediately won over the audience thirsty for extreme metal. With sheer brutality and an intense stage presence, the band kicked off the chaos.
The Swedish band Sacramentum, led by Nisse Karlén (vocals), brought the essence of melodic black/death metal with their powerful setlist. Opening with “Burning Lust,” the band immersed Carioca Club in a dark atmosphere. Tracks like “Fog's Kiss” and “Far Away From the Sun” were enthusiastically received by the fans, who sang along to the melancholic riffs with fervor. The closing act, “Awaken Chaos,” was a true spectacle, with the band delivering an impeccable and intense performance.
Disaster and Bewitched maintain the brutality.
Desaster's brutality made Carioca Club tremble. If the event was already on fire, the Germans added even more fuel. With Sataniac (vocals), Infernal (guitar), Odin (bass), and Tormentor (drums), the Germans unleashed their black/thrash metal mercilessly, delivering one of the most exciting shows of the night, second only to Sodom. “Satan's Soldiers Syndicate” opened the set explosively, and the band offered no respite with “Devil's Sword” and “Learn to Love the Void.” The audience, already completely captivated, responded with insane mosh pits during “Teutonic Steel” and “Hellbangers,” which preceded the classic “Metalized Blood,” closing the show masterfully.
It was the turn of the Swedish band Bewitched. With Vargher (vocals/guitar), Wrathyr (bass), Hellfire (guitar), and Znoid (drums), the band delivered a visceral performance, starting with “Blood on the Altar” and “Night of the Sinner.” Despite the band's commitment, the fans took a while to get excited. The game started to change with “Sabbath of Sin,” “Fucked by Fire,” and “Cremation of the Cross,” standing out for their fast riffs and the band's diabolical energy. The closing track, “Hard as Steel (Hot as Hell),” managed to win over the audience and left a good impression in their São Paulo debut.
The living legend Sodom to close the March of the Dead festival.
Closing out the night, Sodom proved why they are a living legend of thrash metal. With a low and unassuming introduction, Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Frank Blackfire (guitar), Yorch (guitar), and Toni Merkel (drums) took to the stage to unleash “Shellfire Defense,” followed by the aggression of “Jabba the Hut” and “The Crippler,” showing that time has only made them more brutal. Seriously, the audience seemed a little stunned by the sonic devastation the Germans were unleashing.
The classic “Agent Orange” brought the house down, with fans singing every word while the mosh pit literally caught fire, with some even using flares. Amidst the sonic apocalypse, the band revisited early songs like “Let's Fight in the Darkness of Hell” and “Proselytism Real,” to the delight of fans, in addition to an overwhelming sequence with “Sodomy and Lust,” “Blasphemer,” and “Tired and Red,” showing that they remain as consistent as they were decades ago.
Flawless stage performance and conversation in Portuguese.
Amidst the chaos, guitarist Frank Blackfire often came to the microphone to chat with the fans in Portuguese. In fact, it was one of the highlights of the show, which, in addition to an incredible stage performance, also showcased his excellent communication with the audience. For those who don't know, Blackfire lived in Brazil for several years. And what about Tom Angelripper? The guy continues to deliver his insane bass lines and sing like never before.
The cover of Venom old-school metal fans . In fact, that song was very fitting. The place was packed, the heat was unbearable, and the mosh pits seemed like pandemonium on Earth. In the final part of the show, "Outbreak of Evil," "The Saw Is the Law," and "Remember the Fallen" left no stone unturned.
To end triumphantly, the encore brought "Bombenhagel," a performance that defined the show as an unrestrained steamroller that crushed anyone who dared to stand in its way, definitively cementing the band's name among the greats of world thrash metal.
March of the Year delivered one of the most intense festivals of the year. With an excellent lineup and overwhelming performances, the event established itself as a definitive celebration of extreme metal. The audience, who sold out the tickets in advance, was rewarded with a unique experience, full of classics, brutality, and devotion to metal. If this festival returns in future editions, it will be an unmissable event for fans of the genre.
READ ALSO : Atreyu debuts in São Paulo with a memorable show
