Turku Saatanalle : Metal-Rules.com

Metallihelvetti presents : Turku Saatanalle 

Utopia Turku Finland / 1st and 2nd of February 2024 

Turku Saatanalle, a genuine, underground black metal festival, takes place annually in Turku, Finland. This two-day event consistently showcases a lineup featuring both local and international acts. Once again, Turku Saatanalle delivered a magnificent offering of dark metal over two nights. Among the notable performances was the debut visit to Finland by Brazilian extreme metallers Sextrash. Below is a concise overview of this obscure black metal festival.

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The First Day / Friday  

FLAGG had the honor of kicking off the two-day black metal extravaganza. This marked Flagg’s debut public performance, with the entire band revolving around Flagg himself. He meticulously crafted every detail of the music and composition. For this particular show, the members of Malum were enlisted to provide additional metal support. Opening the nights proceedings is often a daunting task for any band. Flagg unleashed their unholy black metal onslaught, yet; unfortunately, the sound seemed to have been severely mishandled, resulting in a brutal dissonance. While the vocals retained their raw intensity, the keyboards were notably absent from the mix. Despite minor things, Flagg featuring the Malum guys pulled the great gig and definitely gained more attention. Hopefully the Flagg mastermind will carry Flagg further and bring the band on the stage again.

NIGHTSIDE made a return to the spotlight at Turku Saatanalle last year, delivering a splendid performance infused with 90’s vibes in their black metal presentation. Frontman Serpent introduced some changes, opting for a more Blasphemy-inspired dress code with big chains and corpse paint around the eyes, departing from the traditional cape. However, despite the change in appearance, NIGHTSIDE’s sound wasn’t heavily influenced by Blasphemy; instead, the five-piece exuded genuine 90’s black metal vibes in both sound and performance. While the eerie elements of their music were truly remarkable, there seemed to be issues with sound balance, somewhat detracting from the enjoyment of NIGHTSIDE’s performance.

OUTLAW, a Brazilian band, embarked on a European tour with their compatriots Sextrash, landing them on the festival circuit. Prior to this, Outlaw’s music was relatively unknown, but their unique brand of blackish metal garnered attention. Unlike the most ferocious acts, Outlaw’s sound incorporated evident cosmic and eerie elements, setting them apart. With a lineup of three members, they enlisted a fourth member, a second guitarist, to assist during the tour. The Finnish crowd, known for their appreciation of blackish music, warmly received Outlaw’s performance, offering them a polite and encouraging response.

KORGONTHURUS took to the stage and delivered a grim-sounding black metal performance. It wasn’t the fastest or the most barbaric; instead, the songs had a somewhat rocking quality with epic riffs. The vocalist’s dry cawing complemented Korgonthurus’ sound world. The 7-song set exuded pure, grim evilness, featuring tracks such as “Lankeemus,” “KuolleestaSyntynyt,” and “Kahlittu,” concluding the approximately 30-minute performance. As for the sound quality, it was astonishingly great and clear.

DARKESTRAH originally hailed from Kyrgyzstan as a pagan metal band but has since relocated to Germany to facilitate their career. Their music undeniably possesses a one-of-a-kind and distinctive quality. Drawing from folkloric influences, they infuse their sound with vicious black metal elements, resulting in a captivating blend. The frontwoman’s savage and raw vocals are truly remarkable and compelling. Employing various national folk instruments, they weaved authentic and enchanting elements into their music. DARKESTRAH emerges as an outstanding force in every aspect, garnering significant interest and attention.

The Brazilian thrash/death/black metal scene over 30 years ago was truly remarkable. Each band possessed a distinctive sound and garnered a devoted cult following within the depths of the death/black underground. Sextrash unquestionably stands among these obscure cult figures of Brazilian death/black metal during its prime. As the band embarked on their inaugural European tour, they made a stop in Finland. Their entire 60-minute set was a veritable celebration of brutal, raw Brazilian death/black metal. Featuring tracks exclusively from their first two albums, which are still revered as legendary, the performance resonated with the unmistakable elements reminiscent of Sarcofago in their sound, as the quartet unleashed pure, unadulterated chaos.

The second day / Saturday

COMMANDER AGARES kicked off the second night. With two vocalists sharing duties, the band adopted a more expansive approach to vocal dynamics. Commander Agares sounded somewhat epic yet primitive. The barbaric vocals of the vocalists were certainly expected in the context of black metal. However, each black metal band possesses a unique style and sound, and Finnish bands have successfully cultivated the Finnish black metal aura in their music. As for Commander Agares, they truly sounded raw and barbaric, but their songs included nuances that set them apart from other acts. The entire performance and playing felt like an unholy ceremony.

MALUM shows neither mercy nor peace. Their ultra-brutal and grim black metal sound is absolutely astonishing. The singer’s raw and barbaric growls serve as the crowning glory of their blasphemous performance. Malum never disappoints, never relenting in their relentless assault. Brutal and barbaric savage describe Malum’s sound perfectly.

LORD OF PAGATHORN took the stage next. The long-standing Finnish black metal veterans approached their sound with a slightly different perspective. The band sounded epic yet more primitive and straightforward. Given their decades-long presence in the scene, it wasn’t much of a surprise that their setlist included demo material dating back to 1994. The band delivered a performance that exemplified the primitive Finnish black metal approach from the 90’s.

DEUS MORTEM, hailing from Poland, takes a slightly different approach to their blackened death metal. Unlike the grim and barbaric sound typical of Finnish black metal warriors, Deu Mortem incorporates elements reminiscent of death metal, akin to bands like Dissection. While it may not be a direct comparison, the Polish outfit delivers a lethal set, showcasing a tight and hybrid blend of death and black metal elements.

HELHEIM, hailing from Norway, presented a slightly different image, opting not to adhere to the typical total black metal attire or mandatory corpse paint. Instead, the Norwegians relied on the raw power of their nihilistic approach to black metal, showcasing the distinctive Helheim style. The four-piece band delivered a set of ten songs, drawing from various albums in their repertoire. With truly brutal and raw sounds, they demonstrated their mastery over their craft. It was evident that they had their own sound engineer who knew precisely how to create the grim atmosphere. Helheim had the honor of concluding the two-day event with a powerful and energetic performance.

METALLIHELVETTI

Turku Saatanalle Festival