Basically this event was the CD release show for Cryptic Wintermoon's new self produced album "Fear". However no less than five bands played before we could get a first impression of the new product. The location was a former sports hall, like they were used when I was a kid, 35 years ago or so. It is situated in a small town near Hof, in a forsaken region in the middle of Germany, close to the former border of East Germany.
I've been there before and once again the audience was a happy and incredibly friendly crowd of a few hundred young people, which was conspicuously devoid of idiots. The locals there speak a funny dialect and have a deeply rooted sense of humour, which makes it always a pleasure to return.
Two cover bands opened for the evening and especially the first one got the crowd nicely on their side. Next was "The Styx Shipping Society" which played a strange version of Black Metal. Musicwise I had no difficulty to imagine some bizarre boat floating on river Styx with them on board. One guy wore shirt and tie, the other plain street clothing and the singer put a lot of effort in his show. Not my taste, a bit too much on the theatrical side, but good entertainment.
Next band was Akrea, who very proficiently played some sort of Melodic Death Metal. The singer for some reason wanted to establish a "Wall Of Love" instead of a "Wall Of Death" but standing in the rear I never figured out what happened to it.
Agathodaimon with what I thought to be a mix of Gothic and Black Metal put on a very good show and convinced the crowd up to the ranks in the rear. These guys were visibly happy about the response they got from the crowd. They played for about an hour and got an encore.
Finally there was Cryptic Wintermoon. At least parts of the band had dressed for the occasion. Keyboard operator Andrea had chosen a lovely outfit with short skirt and high boots while singer Ronny wore a trenchcoat and a huge hat and thusly the band opened the set with the song "God With Us" from the new album. It is a concept album around World War I. I immediately got the impression, that the new album will be a good companion for me. The band played a variety of old and new songs to keep the crowd happy, but the new songs fit seamlessly into the earlier works. Some thrashy driving stuff, some hymns, some incredibly melancholic stuff, some guitar surprises and nice vocal harmonies and subtly underneath the playful keyboard melodies of Andrea.
So if you liked the earlier Cryptic Wintermoon albums, chances are, that you will like the new material as well. Once again the Cryptic Wintermoon gig was a huge fest, which got me totally absorbed and happy.

Written by albatros on 27.09.2009 at 05:57

Next band was Akrea, who very proficiently played some sort of Melodic Death Metal. The singer for some reason wanted to establish a "Wall Of Love" instead of a "Wall Of Death" but standing in the rear I never figured out what happened to it.

Six weeks earlier Volbeat already initiated a "Wall of Love" at Summer Breeze Festival. Kinda pathetic of Akrea to rip them off like that. What about Angelus Mortis, didn't they perform?

Indeed, Angelus Mortis didn't play. I don't know why. There was a revised running order posted to a pillar of the hall and that was it.