Text by Marcelo Gomes
The 15th edition of the Setembro Negro Festival took place on September 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th at the Carioca Club in São Paulo. The third day featured Sodom, Holocausto Canibal , and more – check out how it went here.
The last day of the festival started earlier, with the first band scheduled for noon. A rather inconvenient time, after all it was Sunday, lunchtime, and all this after the massacre that was the Sodom , which ended almost at 1 am. Of course, there is a festival schedule, but it ends up being difficult to follow.
Since the show must go on, when Inferno Nuclear started, there were few people inside the venue. This did not diminish the commitment of the band from Pará, which plays a thrash metal full of social commentary sung in Portuguese.
Next up was Siegrid Ingrid , a well-known band from São Paulo that returned to activity a few years ago after being inactive for over 15 years. About to release a new album titled “Back From Hell,” the quintet delivered heaviness, aggression, and a lot of energy, all led by the iconic vocalist Mauro Punk .
A pleasant surprise was Miasthenia , a black metal band from Brasília (DF) led by vocalist/keyboardist Susane Hécate and Thormianak . Their music incorporates keyboards to create various atmospheres, and they alternate between guttural and clean vocals, all sung in Portuguese. This combination is noteworthy for its departure from the traditional, and the tasteful arrangements have quickly won over audiences.
No one can deny that the Greek black metal scene is full of great bands. One example is Lucifer's Child , which brings together former members of Rotting Christ and Nightfall , respectively, George Emmanuel and Stathis Ridis . Despite being a relatively new band with only two albums, the Greeks already have a loyal fanbase that follows their work. With a cohesive, heavy, and drawn-out show, as the style demands, they maintain the legacy of the Greek scene with dignity.
Mantar , the German duo that followed, delivered a show that didn't generate much excitement. Even with requests from the vocalist/guitarist, Hanno Klanhardt , the audience wasn't enthusiastic enough to respond. The performance remained lukewarm until the end, and many took the opportunity to get some fresh air and rest.
Unlike the previous band, Acid King , an American stoner rock band, managed to get a reaction from the audience right from the first chords. Low tuning and a strong Black Sabbath usually generate good reception. While Lori S. (vocals/guitar) handled the riffs and solos, Rafa Martinez provided a solid foundation for the songs. It was a good show for those who enjoy something more psychedelic.
With the venue packed, Assassin showcased the power of German thrash. They started with "Fight" and "Breaking The Silence," and Jurgen Scholli sounded like it came straight from a bad 90s pedalboard. Aside from that detail, which persisted throughout the show, the German band's performance was excellent, featuring several interactions in Portuguese from the friendly bassist, Joachim Kremer , and numerous mosh pits. They even jammed to include a Portuguese swear word in a song, in this case, "fdp" (a vulgar Portuguese swear word). They were very comfortable and delivered a great show.
Cancer came next and did not disappoint. The English band based their setlist mainly on the albums To The Gory End , Death Shall Rise , and Shadow Gripped . Right from the start, they began with two killer tracks, “Blood Bath” and “Tastelass Incest.” The sonic devastation they delivered demonstrated not only the musical skill of the members but also the resilience and dedication of John Walker (vocals/guitar) to his band.
The audience attentively followed the performance of “Dead Shall Rise”, “Into The Acid”, and “Down The Steps”, which seemed more like a death metal masterclass. There was room for a new song, called “Enter The Gates”, which is very reminiscent of the band's early work. The show ended with “Hung, Drawn & Quartered”, and it can be said that the performance was a celebration of death metal, played with unwavering ferocity.
In the world of extreme metal, few bands have left such an impactful mark as Hellhammer . With a sound that was innovative for its time, they became a major reference point for extreme metal. Since the band no longer exists, Tom Warrior (vocals/guitar) formed Triumph Of Death to pay homage to Hellhammer's iconic songs.
Accompanied by André Mathieu (guitar), Tim Wey (drums), and Jamie Lee Cussigh (bass), Tom Warrior took to the stage, making his famous "Hu" shout, which was immediately answered. They started with "The Third Of The Storms," followed by "Massacra" and "Maniac." That was enough to earn them a standing ovation.
The musicians' skill during the performance proved the band's reverence for Hellhammer's legacy. It was incredible how well those songs sounded. The unmistakable sound of Jamie's Rickenbacker bass is present before "Bloody Insanity," a track competently sung by guitarist André. The history of extreme metal unfolding before our eyes.
And it didn't stop there; it was an absurd sequence of classics, including "Decapitator," "Crucifixion," "Reaper," "Agressor," and "Revelation of Doom." The show went well up to that point, but when they were playing "Messiah," a huge commotion broke out on the floor, culminating in a major fight. Carioca Club security didn't even show up, and even with the intervention of those trying to stop it, the brawl lasted almost two minutes. Unfortunately, these regrettable scenes, which seemed to have been eradicated from rock/metal shows, have become recurrent, only damaging the image of the scene.
Apparently, the band didn't realize what was happening, as the incident occurred from the middle of the venue towards the back, and they continued the show normally, which was almost over. They finished with "Visions Of Mortality" and "Triumph Of Death." The performance of "Triumph Of Death" was a triumphant resurrection of Hellhammer's dark spirit, which served to definitively consecrate the Setembro Negro Festival.
Aside from the fight that broke out in the final minutes of the festival and the stifling heat inside the Carioca Club, the overall experience was more than positive and fantastic. The shows were great and almost without delays, the sound was good for 99% of the bands, and you had the freedom to leave whenever you wanted. In short, those who went had a true immersion in the world of heavy music, bringing together bands from all over the world in a festival that is now in its 15th edition and continues to consolidate and gain more fans.
