Cosmic Void Fest 2023 (Recap + Photos)
I’ll be honest; I never know how to start a review of a live show, never mind an entire weekend of them. Also, should I be writing in the first person? Probably not but let’s throw caution to the wind and see what shakes out. I’ve read enough and done enough of these things to know what’s enjoyable to read and what is a slog, and I’m trying something new. It might turn out alright in the end.
Cosmic Void Festival is still in its infancy, with this being their second edition of the festival, and it has to be said, the overall organization and atmosphere is impressive. Aside from one band (the complex stage setup most likely had something to do with it), the whole weekend runs on time to almost military precision, which is a feat in and of itself. Trying to corral a bunch of musicians is no easy task, after all. The lineup itself is incredibly curated with a huge number of U.K. exclusives and first time shows on British shores for a handful of the bands, meaning fans traveled quite the distance to attend.
Friday
Personally, I’m coming from Switzerland, and the journey starts very early on this chilly Friday morning, which means sleep catches up with me, and I miss the first band of the opening day. Sorry Trivax. All is not lost, though, as the three remaining bands make up for the faux-pas later in the evening.
First up is Mephorash, who take over the entire stage with cloaks and banners and a whole host of atmosphere. It’s a shame, then, that the sound at the beginning of their set is somewhat distorted and hard to decipher. As the band settle in and the sound engineer figures it out, their spiritual black metal can begin in earnest. The Swedes are quite the spectacle, as masks hide their true faces, and the words allow the band to open the gates to the netherworld. They play new track “I Am,” and the majestic sounds of the song echo across the crowd, which is packed tightly into the Islington Academy with barely room for breath.
Next are Icelandic horde Misþyrming, who take to the stage as if they own it, spreading across the space, bathed in blood and darkness. Their most recent release, Með hamri, forms the bulk of their set, and the audience hang on to every word bellowed out from the blackness of the stage.
It’s a different dynamic and one that changes even more once Mare begin to lay out the stage to their liking. Candles form the basis of the lighting rig as frontman HBM Azazil towers at the front as though conducting the darkest sermon known to man. He commands a deep reverence as chants begin and the ritual gets underway. Many black metal bands are want to call their live shows "rituals" and this is certainly one case where that descriptor can be used. Azazil is clad in black robes with a striking red emblem emblazoned across the front, and his stance is reminiscent of a priest conducting a service. The music itself is spellbinding, and Mare, with their live shows already a rare occurrence, cast such incantations as to make this performance a precious memory.
Once Mare finish, there is barely time to gather our thoughts before the zealous security crew are ushering us out of the door and into the streets of Islington. Friday might be over, but the weekend has only just begun.
Saturday
Saturday is all about the build-up to the live U.K. debut of Switzerland’s Darkspace, and everything that comes before is whetting the appetite for the cybernetic performance that will come later. For me, the day begins with The Sun’s Journey Through The Night, who play for a paltry half an hour and leave many wanting more.
They are headed up by No One, a kinetic frontman who certainly has roots in at least the hardcore scene judging by his movements and energy. Neither really match the black metal vibe yet there is an earnestness and believability to the proceedings that allow for the band to revel in that difference. They are slowly building up steam in the U.K. underground, and their short set here is enough to prove their worth.
After this adrenaline-filled start to the day, I head back to my hotel. The bands that follow are surely excellent, however not entirely to my taste, and rather than traipse back and forth from the two venues in use for the main bulk of Cosmic Void—The Electric Ballroom and The Underworld—I decide to go eat lunch instead. I’m sure you appreciate this insight into my mind. Anyway, I’m excited for the rest of the day which does involve switching venues a lot, and a girl has to save her strength, you know.
Another exclusive on the program for today is the worldwide live debut of Australia’s Midnight Odyssey, a one-man band who has garnered much admiration over the years and has finally been convinced to play live on stage. Joining Dis Pater for the live show is Austere’s Tim Yatras on keyboards and Clint of Reverb Springs on guitars. It’s a huge stage for only three people and as Dis Pater takes to the center alone, fully cloaked (there is an incredible amount of cloaks on display this weekend), there is a palpable sense of excitement in the air.
How will the band sound considering they’ve not played live before? Does it work, even? The answer is, good and yes! At least after the first 10 minutes, which are extremely bass-heavy and take some time to even out. Once the synths can be heard then the audience can fully grasp the aura of Midnight Odyssey, and it is beautiful.
Next are Urgehal, who come armed with two vocalists and more spikes than are probably necessary. Their set is billed as a memorial ritual for a fallen member, and their energy is wild throughout their time on stage as they channel every emotion possible into a tight and frenetic performance. Switching vocalists on a couple of occasions gives the band an unusual schtick, especially if you blink and miss the swap, yet the momentum is never lost.
It’s in stark contrast to the melancholy beauty of Thy Light, who follow next, their depressive black metal hiding glimpses of elegant melody and rich despair. Originally from Brazil and now based in Scotland, the project of Paolo Bruno are another having their U.K. live debut this weekend. The Underworld was almost at capacity for the event, and many in the crowd were not shy to show the band exactly how their music makes them feel. Arms are raised in supplication to guitars that bend with utter misery while gorgeous passages are given the room to breathe in the darkness. Thy Light might have been unknown at the beginning of their set, judging by some curious conversations that were overheard, yet they rightly gained a whole new level of adoration tonight.
Heading back to The Electric Ballroom as the night draws in around Camden, Naglfar let us know that they haven’t actually played in the U.K. for 17 years, which honestly sounds bonkers considering how much the audience enjoyed them. The band are ready to go from the second they step out onto the stage, and so are. the crowd. The Swedish crew looked like they were having an excellent time. Their brand of black metal isn’t breaking any boundaries, and that’s OK; sometimes you just need some balls-to-the-wall, fun-time black metal to bring a smile to your face. And Naglfar do that in spades.
Closing out Saturday were Swiss synthesized black metal aliens Darkspace, a colossal booking for the festival and one which Cosmic Void seems the most fitting descriptor for. The trio are stoic, moving only to step up to their microphones where required and instead communicating with the audience in huge waves of sound and curious effects. There is minimal interaction between the three which only serves to add to the inhuman and bizarre power they radiate.
Vocals are kept to a minimum, and the music itself moves in such a well constructed rhythm that each beat is felt both through the air and through the structure of the building. Darkspace are unwelcoming in their approach, and that is exactly how their music feels—They transport you to the outer limits, the very edge of consciousness and space, and leave you there in the darkness with no way back home. The driving momentum of the performance is never lost—Even as the band dim the lights and step further into the ambient side of themselves, they allow for constant movement and I, for one, can not stay still. It is breathtaking and a perfect end to the day.
Sunday
Sunday is a little more relaxed on my side, and I started by checking out the first band on my personal schedule, Anomalie, who played their first-ever U.K. show. Upon arriving at The Electric Ballroom five minutes before the Austrian’s are due to start, it was clear that the venue was not yet open. Kinda weird, if we’re being honest, as they started to play on time at 3 p.m. to what could only be the bar staff and the festival merch crew.
As we were finally moving forward, the guitars echoed through the queue, and there was a rush to hit the space in front of the stage so that the band wouldn't feel as lonely playing their own style of post black metal. Anomalie certainly play it well, and as they moved through darkness and light, often in the same song, the audience was both receptive and adoring.
One of the biggest draws of the weekend was the appearance of Norwegian bizarros Ved Buens Ende…, who play a brand of avant-garde, jazz-infused black metal that has yet to be equaled. They are quite rightly revered and have been missing from the U.K. live scene since 2005. Wild.
We were lucky, then, that they were here this evening, and we were even luckier to hear some truly magical moments from them. "I Sang For the Swans" and "Mask in the Mirror" are stunning, and the inclusion of "Den saakaldte" is a joyous and mind-bending treat. The band were clearly having a lot of fun together, with the stage banter between Vicotnik and Aggressor often being funny and charming. It’s genuinely a pleasure to see this kind of relationship on stage, and it makes for a fascinating and curious performance.
At this point, I made the decision to hang around the Ballroom and wait for Cult Of Fire, who started a little later than billed. Once the curtains are drawn, it is clear why. The stage set-up is magnificent with both guitarists sat atop serpent thrones, cross-legged and straight-backed, which fits the Hindu and mystical themes of the band. Adorning the center of the stage was a table stacked with ritual and prayer items which were used throughout the theatrical performance given by frontman Vojtěch Holub. HIs presence was overwhelming as he performed with the most intricate costume seen this weekend. Horns, robes and a hidden microphone all added to the drama, and Cult Of Fire held the attention of the faithful congregation from beginning to end.
The spectacle continued at The Underworld with Dutch madmen Helleruin, who were out to cause ultimate chaos with a performance so frenetic that it’s a wonder their frontman didn't fall off the stage at any point. He got into the audience, sure, but that must be on purpose, right? Helleruin are all-out black metal wildness, and with the maniacal Carchost on vocals (and everything on record), the band are certainly tipping the scales into the danger zone.
Next on the same stage are Sinmara, whom I checked out for 20 minutes. Not because they did anything wrong; in fact, they are an extremely powerful live band. But, alas, I arrived much too late to grab anywhere near a decent spot, and if you’ve been to the venue before, then you’ll know that it’s awkwardly shaped, and standing anywhere other than down on the floor means you get a beautiful view of the back of someone’s head. This meant that my enjoyment was tempered and it seems a better idea to head out and get ready for the final band on the Electric Ballroom stage.
BORKNAGAR! have been absent from the U.K. since 1998, which is ridiculous. They are insanely good, and that night, they were incredible. The set leaned a little more heavily into the two most recent albums, Winter Thrice and True North, which was a smart move considering it's been so long since they played here and a lot of people may have been more familiar with these later songs.
Either way, the crowd were feeling it on a deeper level judging by the amount of hair being thrown around and the wonderfully out-of -une sing-a-longs that can be heard when "Up North" kicks into its chorus. Borknagar’s strengths lie in their outrageously catchy songs and climbing riffs, and in the phenomenal vocal prowess of ICS Vortex and Lars A. Nedlund. Separatel, they are powerhouses, and together? Together they are unstoppable.
The Norwegians played for an hour, and it was far from enough for everyone there who, despite knowing it was over, still hung around for a while in the hope that something magical would happen. For those of us who deemed the weekend complete, we spilled out onto the streets of Camden talking about just how fucking good that was. It was really fucking good, guys. There was another band playing down the road, but, for me at least, Borknagar were the pinnacle and closed out Cosmic Void in the most impressive way. I’m still thinking about it today.
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Photos by Kassandra Carmona
