© CPU – Mathias Verschueren
VIERNULVIER in Ghent was in turmoil last weekend. The renowned Brussels radio station organized The 41 hours of Studio Brussels, where artists continuously appeared on the stages of the arts center. Yesterday the doom metal gods of Amenra were also on stage. The VIERNULVIER Concert Hall was sold out in no time – it doesn’t get any easier to reserve a spot for what you could call a cult meeting. During its twenty-five years of existence, the band has already released eight albums. Mass II and the following Mass III from 2005 ensured that Amenra was elevated from the depths of the underground to the Belgian metal scene. Many kindred spirits joined the ‘Church of Ra’. This ‘cult’ not only consists of dedicated fans, but also includes related projects such as Death Squadron, Wiegedood, Oathbreaker, The Black Heart Rebellion… That Amenra has found its way to success is beyond dispute.
© CPU – Mathias Verschueren
For the initiation ritual – the supporting act, if you like – Crouch’s three men first gathered on stage. The band moves between sludge and post metal and was born in 2021. Another corona project, but one with potential. Because of the way the three entered the hall, we did not expect them to set the Concert Hall on fire with such an explosion. Quietly, almost unnoticed, they walked onto the stage with a beer in hand. After some communication back and forth, the first song blared through the room with a loud sound. That sound was loud, making the instrumental part of the set so dominant that Levy Seynaeve’s vocals – he could shout as loud as he wanted – became almost inaudible. The sound technology was not completely well arranged, but the trio nevertheless managed to arouse a lot of enthusiasm among the audience. Seynaeve also announced that a new album is coming, of which we have already heard a song. However, we had no idea what it was called.
© CPU – Mathias Verschueren
At a quarter past seven, Slow Crush was allowed to take over the torch. The Belgian-British foursome is now a well-known name in the shoegaze world. While the fog danced around the band in thick clouds, she delivered a dreamy set in which we were regularly shaken up by the tearing guitars. Once again it was noticeable that the vocals were not always clearly audible. When we could hear Isa Holliday clearly, she needed little convincing to enchant us with her pure, enchanting voice. After a few songs she turned out to be a mysterious nymph, so to speak. The pounding of the guitar was replaced by graceful movements. Slow Crush gave an enchanting performance that captivated many. As a token of gratitude, a random spectator was given Jelle Harde’s guitar, after which Harde made a short circle around the edge of the stage to hand out high fives. Slow Crush will once again share the stage with Amenra during the latter’s American tour.
© CPU – Mathias Verschueren
A wave of silence entered the VIERNULVIER Concert Hall as Amenra became lord and master of the audience. As it has done before, Amenra opened its set with “Boden”. The tension built up as the sound of the metal bars that Van Eeckhout and drummer Bjorn Lebon bounced against each other cut through the sea of complete silence. The long intro made many people eager to hear that one moment when Amenra completely explodes. Although an eerie calm entered the room, it was eventually broken by the incomparable guitar parts and we were released from our long wait. Pastor Van Eeckhout turned his back to the audience, a habit for which the man is now known. Together with his pilgrims he carried us away with his soul-robbing screams, no one can imitate him. Meanwhile the whole room was practically vibrating; the sound barrier broke far beyond that of the Concert Hall.
Amenra does not require any connecting texts, so it presents, as it were, a Biblical monologue to its followers. They go along with it willingly. Between the songs, which became a knitted prayer, you could hear a pin drop. Without actively addressing its church community, Amenra joins the funeral procession without hesitation, wherever it may go. In 2021, frontman Van Eeckhout sang in Dutch for the first time The Doorn. The poetic lyrics, which are often an expression of loss, death, grief and other related themes, therefore hit home even harder for many. Last night “The Evenman” drove itself like a wooden stake through the hearts of a clear majority of the spectators. With his voice that cuts through the marrow, Van Eeckhout’s vocals resound through the room sharper than the point of a spear.
© CPU – Mathias Verschueren
The same applied to “A Solitary Reign”. Countless excited fans let their enthusiasm take over and were more than happy to make it clear that they were waiting for van Eeckhout’s verses. His blood-curdling Bible sayings, in combination with the support of the instrumental accompaniment of his altar boys, completely absorbed us. Those who thought it would be an evening where only sacrifices were made, came back from the dead. The blood-curdling scene left the audience silent. Had it not been for the spectacle that Amenra was about to give, it might have seemed as if we had ended up at an actual funeral. Before the VIERNULVIER left, Amenra decided to symbolically crucify. For a moment it felt like we were really pinned to the wall by how Amenra blew us away over and over again. Successor “Am Kreuz” hit us again with a sledgehammer blow. The blood flowed mercilessly through our veins, knowing that the sacrifice was almost coming to an end. Yet that was no reason to mourn, because Amenra gave us some time to allow ourselves to be fully bewitched by “Deaken”. It was with a heavy heart that we let our idolized mischief-makers go, but the cult attendance of the ‘Curch of Ra’ was another one that no one can deny lived up to all expectations.
Amenra awakens an energy like no other formation can. It may be so intense, but afterwards we feel reborn. The greats of Belgian metal succeed year after year in converting more people from their musical religion. That would have been no different with last night’s show. For now we say goodbye to our blood brothers, but the return will be anything but bitter for us.
Tickets for Amenra’s show on May 30 at the Ancienne Belgique sold out quickly. The quintet announced an extra show on May 31, but unfortunately you can no longer get a ticket for that either. Don’t worry, because Amenra will play at the metal festival on October 26 Samhain in Maastricht. You can already score a ticket in presale.
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Setlist:
Boden
.Razoreater.
The Evenman
And you 9.10
Ritual
A Solitary Reign
At the cross
Deacon
