Black Skies over Roadburn – Part II

Maalstroom, photo: Paul Verhagen

As the day progresses, the Patronaat gets more crowded and some visitors would appear to have set up camp in the front of the classic venue. Some curse the venue for its tricky entrance and lack of tasty drinks. Yet, no one can deny the beauty of live shows in the hallowed church and its sad we have to see it go soon.

Editor: Guido Segers

Laster has just released a new piece of work, titled ‘Het Wassen Oog’. That means we can again enjoy the elegant and decadent sounds of the masked trio in a packed venue. Patronaat may cease to be a Roadburn venue, but that doesn’t mean it won’t take a good beating this weekend. The suppleness and beauty of Laster’s sound prompts some small dances from a couple of visitors, maybe this should be a ballet-related commissioned performance. The obscure dance music of this group definitely lends it for the next step of Roadburn innovation.

Laster, foto: Paul Verhagen

As controlled as they may have sounded, it sharply contrasts with an unleashed Terzij De Horde. The band is absolutely on fire and vocalist Joost Vervoort is spitting venom with his words: “Ik ben gans ontkracht.” I believe him, every word. There is not much interaction from the band with the audience, but a focus, an urgency. Hell, it is the urgency to tear everything down with blistering black metal. They do a fantastic job while they’re at it, but this is not a band having a good time today. The group fights through their set, attacking every chord, riff and drum beat with vitriolic force and nothing, nothing can stand in their way as their set obliterates everything. Grief is a process, and you can feel it in every note.

Terzij de Horde, photo: Paul Verhagen

And only now, we are ready for Dodecahedron. Not a band playing for the audience as much as for the sheer need of it, today is even more fiercely important. Singer William Van der Voort replaced Michiel Eikenaar and declared his intention online to make this show count. They did. Dodecahedron takes its time, builds up and then fully unleashes itself onto the audience with furious, punishing blastbeats and tinny drums. Tormented screams and a seething crowd that raises the horns in unison is everything and more you would expect as the sound for a brief time drowns out everything.

Maalstroom, photo: Paul Verhagen

And then it is time for the apotheosis, the climax of the day and not one second of its one-hour length does Maalstroom disappoint in its conceptual force and majesty. The story told to us beforehand is that of life in the smaller towns in the Netherlands, moving to the cities and vice versa. The confusion, loss and contrast are captured in the piece, which starts off with an atmospheric part. Punishing for certain, but with a silky touch at times and vocals that capture a range of emotions. Throughout the set, members change and harsh electronics fill the gaps in between, including a particularly forceful spoken word bridge between pieces. You don’t have to hear the words that are drowned in distortion, to feel their intensity. As we build towards a climactic final piece, it’s a surprise for many to see Rianne van Dorst on vocals. Here you can see that even at Roadburn things can remain a secret.

The ending is sudden, the confusion great, but more so the bewilderment after such a stunning day of music. With everything now surrounding the project, it is a fitting end to suddenly be left in the void for a moment as the day in the Patronaat ends.