Seeing a show is one thing, but experiencing it in a different city gives such a diverse and exhilarating vibe. After years of covering mainly New York City shows, it’s time to ignore grocery shopping for jet-setting throughout the states to see how concerts pan out. Rotting Christ’s recent North American tour with Carach Angren, Uada, and Gaerea, was the perfect experiment to step out of any comfort zone, knowing absolutely no one to rock out with to one of the most anticipated tours of the year. With a spin on the North American map and dates that align with the schedule, the choice was March 13, 2023, at the Masquerade – Hell. A venue, which is split into three, a reminder of the old Webster Hall in NYC, where there was the Studio, Marlin’s room, and the Grand Ballroom, but the setup was different and somewhat larger. The vibe was chill and welcoming, as the venue was packed with eager fans ready for a night of chaotic bliss.
First up was Gaerea, the Portugal black metal outfit semi-new to the scene but ranking up quite fast with three full-length albums, including 2022’s Mirage. My first experience seeing this group live was at 2022’s Hellfest when they blew it out of the park. The question for this night was, would they capture that same magic from a massive European festival stage to a more intimate U.S. show? The answer is yes. While the mood and atmosphere are completely different between a European event and a U.S gig, the group gave such a mesmerizing delivery that you either love it, don’t understand it, or rethink their performance a week or so later, saying, “oh wow, they are something else.” Wearing disguises throughout their enigmatic set kept fans engaged and focused on their one-of-a-kind musical execution.
Setlist:
Deluge
Salve
Mirage
Urge
Laude
Gaerea
Uada never disappoints. But if you’re only there to photograph them, think again. It’s not always about glamor shots; it’s more about listening to the music, feeling their energy, and capturing the raw, dark, and mysterious faceless, shadowlike images. This group continues to excel in their more atmospheric black metal craft, where four songs never seem enough. While they’re from Portland, Oregon, you’d assume they’re from the depths of the Scandinavian Mountains, with how haunting and powerful their music is. After being called off from performing at this year’s Round 11 of 70000tons of Metal, this trek became an immediate personal must-see. Uada’s hypnotizing melodies crushed it live with such a mysterious, almost entirely appearing silhouette performance.
Setlist:
Djinn
Retraversing the Void
Cult of a Dying Sun
Black Autumn, White Spring
Uada
Dutch horror metal enthusiasts Carach Angren changed the night by unveiling their faces with dark imagery. It’s been a beat since 2020’s Franckensteina Strataemontanus. However, their performance has either changed, or it’s been a while since seeing them in 2020. There was an inexplainable energy and stage presentation compared to previous appearances. They may have exceeded their comfort level by being able to unleash mesmerizing disarray. Carach Angren continue to present a visual execution that pairs well with their haunted melodies. Always a pleasure to watch live, and if you have not seen them, what are you waiting for?
Setlist:
The Ghost of Raynham Hall
The Carriage Wheel Murder
The Necromancer
Bitte Tötet Mich
Operation Compass
Franckensteina Strataemontanus
A Strange Presence Near the Woods
Monster
Bloodstains on the Captain’s Log
Carach Angren
Finally, it was time to see Rotting Christ. While I felt like I just saw them at this year’s 70000tons of Metal and, sadly, caught the last two seconds of their set at 2022’s Hellfest, there is a massive difference between a festival set and as a headliner. Arguably, as a viewer, neither is better, preferred, or worse since they are two vastly different experiences. It’s the energy of the crowd, the band, the atmosphere, and, well, not seeing them in daylight on a pool deck. While it’s been since 2019’s The Heretics, these Greek melodic black metal masters put on one hell of a show. Mastermind Sakis Tolis saved all the tricks and flourished engagements as headliners, interacting with concertgoers and photographers while dishing out a fan-fulfilling setlist. Constant high energy, making it apparent they didn’t want the tour to come to a close just as fans didn’t want the night to end.
It works for a tour package like this with similar dark-extreme subgenres. It maintains the mood for the evening, where this particular trek, you need to watch the whole event than just showing up for the headlining act. It’s a tight-knit package, one of the best to see combined, well worth taking a plane to catch. There were black, horror, and intricate melodies pulsating throughout the evening. If you missed this tour, well, you missed out.
Setlist:
666
Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
Fire, God and Fear
dub-sag-ta-ke
Apage Satana
Elthe Kyrie
Demonon Vrosis
Societas Satanas
(Thou Art Lord cover)
Non Serviam
In Yumen-Xibalba
Grandis Spiritus Diavolos
The Raven
Encore:
Noctis Era
Rotting Christ
