Zwaertgevegt is officially married ,or rather, Storm and Alex have tied the knot so it was time for a proper celebration. For the occasion, Hal 25 in Alkmaar was rented out and three bands were booked: Hellevaerder, The Chösen, and Asagraum.
As soon as the doors opened the venue filled up quickly, and with around 180 visitors inside the cold was driven out just as fast.
Hellevaerder
With their second album freshly released, Hellevaerder were scheduled to open the night ,practically a hometown show, considering the band played one of their first gigs here and has also appeared at Herrie, the annual festival organized by Hal 25. It felt very much like familiar territory: an audience that knows them, a location that has witnessed their growth up close, and a stage ready for a raw, driven set.
At the start of the show Miranda’s vocals came through rather loud in the mix, or the rest of the band somewhat quiet. It was also noticeable that she had a few minor vocal issues. But she recovered quickly; after a few songs everything clicked into place and the set unfolded into a tight, energetic performance.
What followed was a compact yet powerful journey through their two albums, with the band not only presenting the musical backbone of their work but also giving us a glimpse into the conceptual framework behind it. The dark, melancholic riff structures, the rhythmic intensity and the thematic coherence all came through clearly ,as if the songs were returning to a place where they had resonated before.
Hellevaerder once again proved that they keep growing as a live band with every release: confident, dedicated, and with a clear vision of what their music is meant to express. A strong opener that immediately set the tone for the evening.
The Chösen
Time for the Groningen-based trio The Chösen, known for their deadly cocktail of Black and Thrash ,venomous, unpolished, and straight to the point. The room shifted in energy; everyone knew these three don’t need any time to warm up.
After a brief and efficient soundcheck the ropes were cut loose and the set exploded immediately. The Chösen wasted no time showing that three musicians can absolutely produce a wall of sound tight, chaotic in all the right places, and overwhelmingly forceful. The riffs sliced sharply through the venue, the drums rattled like a runaway locomotive, and the bass added a punch that was felt straight through the ribcage.
With visible joy in playing and a no-nonsense attitude, the trio delivered a performance that was energetic, aggressive and surprisingly complete. A short but heavy blow to the head that pushed the intensity of the evening up a notch.
Asagraum
And then it was already time for the headliner: Asagraum, a band that undoubtedly ranks among the most successful Dutch Black Metal acts today. With their second-wave–inspired Black Metal they’ve toured nearly half the world ,from Europe’s cold basements to the sun-drenched stages of South America. Tonight, however, they exchanged those distant stages for chilly Alkmaar ,freezing or not, the band was ready to dominate.
With her rasping, cutting vocals, Obscura immediately seized the entire room by the throat and never loosened her grip. The rest of the band formed a solid backbone of dark melodies and furious drumming, creating a relentless, well-oiled machine that rolled straight over the audience. Asagraum delivered a convincing and immersive set, bringing the evening to a powerful and fitting close.
After a few more beers and some mindless backstage chatter, it was time to head out again. Luckily, I could crash on the couch of Hellevaerder’s drummer Daan and his girlfriend ,thanks to both of them.
Zwaertgevegt:
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Hellevaerder:
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The Chösen:
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Asagraum:
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