Der Blutharsch

Getting to Milan, to the Palazzo Granaio for the concert by Der Blutharsch and his new incarnation, "The Infinite Church Of The Leading Hand", raised plenty of doubts and expectations about the trajectory of an artist who had proven himself adept at embodying the tropes of certain neofolk and martial-industrial sounds. An evolutionary path whose latest rebirth came with the controversial "The Story About The Digging Of The Hole And The Hearing Of The Sounds From Hell", a transitional LP toward a new form. After an ironic, sui generis interview like the one he gave us ahead of the Milan date, it had become even more essential to see Albin Julius and his project up close. The presence of Sweden's Deutsch Nepal and other acts like Varunna and Bain Wolfkind (both linked to Blutharsch through numerous collaborations and productions) made the bill even more enticing.

The evening starts early, around 9pm. Alessio B. of Varunna opens. Unfortunately a bit feverish and worn out from a long tour, he shows a tired but undiminished streak in his intimate, heartfelt words. Backed simply by an acoustic guitar, he recreates the classic image of a nostalgic, somewhat isolationist neofolk; the melodies darken the amber-lit atmosphere of the room.

A murky black line widens at the centre of the visuals for the evening's second act. Clips from explicit erotic films in the vein of "Supervixen" repeat hypnotically and obsessively while Wolfkind's raspy voice chases that mental insanity indebted to Cramps and the filthiest psychobilly/blues. A sick journey through motorcycles and stinking leather jackets, crusted-on brilliantine and perversions.

A very peculiar performance, in which rock's most primitive violence crumbled into a slow, panting, perverse wheeze. Even though this was a live set with a recorded backing track, the stage effect had something unhealthy and magnetic about it. Excellent preparation for Deutsch Nepal's psychotic paths.

Amid scattered cables, small tape decks and loops, a pedalboard and a microphone, the backdrop image of a metallic animal appears. Almost a mask, a grotesque, angular representation, it widened and shattered amid the ambient-industrial constructions. Engine grease and litanies, at times low and whispered, at times invoked and distorted, built up until the end, a total surrender to one last feedback left dying inside the circuits. Not to be mistaken for a simple, tedious autoerotic cacophony, Lina Baby Doll's act sought to communicate with the audience through a punk attitude, which made the noise backdrop enveloping us even more destabilising. One could hardly imagine the live show of someone who, with the "Silent" trilogy and albums like "Erotikon", shaped dark-ambient and its industrial roots as early as the early Nineties any other way.

Finally, it's time for Blutharsch. Four candles are lit around a music stand and the Hammond keyboard. What follows shortly after is a strange, unexpected image. As if disenchanted Jefferson Airplane had decided to confess to Black Sabbath. As if a heavy, martial psychedelia were turning inward, addressing opaque shadows.

The original image of Albin and Marthynna (vocals) is completely overturned, moving from the Teutonic, dictatorial provocation that had marked much of their artistic path to shirts and outfits with a 60s flavour. The sound is full-bodied and layered. The bass, front and centre, sets the pace of this dark sabbath.

Tracks like "Reincarnation", "Birds of Prey" and others from the latest album take on an emotional density that rarely came through on record, becoming short suites with a martial soul that nonetheless lean toward a dreamlike, surreal expression. Only the brief breaks between compositions remind us that we're not in front of a psychedelic band; the sound and the performance are homogeneous throughout. A journey of mental alteration, in which sonic violence and ritual hypnotism merge into a dark magma. The end arrives slowly and organically, like a flame going out, nervously concealing small shadows and lights until the very last moment.

A live show of great imaginative impact, showing a project in good creative shape and far from tired of itself, one that benefited from a congenial atmosphere created by the perfect choice of supporting bands.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google