Procession

support Reverie
author AP date 29/10/14 venue KB18, Copenhagen, DEN

Despite garnering top marks from us for their last album "To Reap Heavens Apart", Chilean/Swedish doom metal practitioners Procession have evidently not kicked up the sort of buzz they've been experiencing elsewhere over the past few years. I count just 24 people in attendance at KB18 tonight, and that figure includes the quartet comprising the evening's local support, Reverie. This is beyond my comprehension, as the words of my colleague Ellis 'EW' Woolley resound with truth: Procession have "that magical, elusive quality immediately endorsing of a band who don't just play their music but stand for its virtues and become a figurehead for others to look up to." They're one of doom metal's greatest hopes right now, so of course it pains me to see them given such dismal attention around these parts. Oh well, ordinary story, I suppose.

All photos by Marika Hyldmar

Reverie

In charge of opening these poorly attended proceedings is Copenhagen-based blackened death metal crew Reverie, whom I had the distinct pleasure of encountering for the first time earlier this year supporting another rising star in metal: the Swedish Morbus Chron. Their intense, thrashy take on the genre had me enamoured instantly then, yet tonight, a poor initial sound mix and numerous technical difficulties related to the guitarist's setup leaves a more sour taste in my mouth. When this empty, KB18 has the unfortunate tendency to echo, and coupled with too great an emphasis on treble in the mix, it sends the first half of Reverie's performance drowning in a cacophony of noise.

I'm missing the thickness of sound that had me paralysed at Stengade, and this issue is not addressed even when sonic clarity is attained in the second half of the set allowing the band's Norwegian influenced off-kilter madness to be appreciated at last. It's too little, too late, but at the very least, Reverie can rejoice in the fact that they perform with the confidence of seasoned veterans, with plenty of energy emitted by each of their four members - particularly the whirlwind that is the drummer. Despite the plaguing technical issues and low turnout, my impression of Reverie as a band with genuine potential remains unchanged; now they simply need to get themselves booked for some more high profile gigs.

5

Procession

Procession initiate their slot with an orchestral sample followed by "Damnatio Memorae" - the opening track from the aforementioned "To Reap Heavens Apart" masterpiece. The few that have bothered to show up seem fortunately to be of the sort who are unafraid to participate, with ample headbanging erupting as soon as that song kicks into gear. The goings on are not wild by any chance, but there is at least the feeling that the majority of the 24 of us are actual fans and know the songs. For Procession, the outlook is understandably bleak, yet much to my surprise they seem entirely unfazed by the circumstances, delivering their songs with fervour and passion, felt both through their movements and the sense of purpose with which they play. For all intents and purposes, Procession are about as energetic a proposition you're going to witness in the doom metal genre, with each of the four members including stand-in bassist Chris Falk constantly engaged in some manner of energy expenditure.

To me, however, the concert speaks primarily through the immense quality of the band's material, with "Raven of Disease", the grandiose "To Reap Heavens Apart" and the monolithic closing track "Destroyers of the Faith" in particular sending chills down my spine; the former through vocalist/guitarist Felipe Maza's beautiful, mournful singing, the latter with its intoxicating bass licks delivered in perfect renditions by Falk. Yet for all my attempts to fully immerse myself in the long-winding songs, the near total absence of people has an inevitably adverse effect on the intimacy and intensity of which the band is capable, as seen at Hellfest '13. I must bow in respect for their heartfelt attempt at giving us our money's worth though (that they do) and not treating us with even a hint of disinterest. But when the band (hopefully) find their way to Copenhagen again, the scene here needs to do better.

7

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