If Immolation felt punishing, Marduk took the evening to a higher level of intensity. This was scorched earth black metal, designed not to impress or persuade but to eradicate. Do not look for nuance, restraint or even dynamics. That is not the assignment. What followed was a relentless forty five minute pummeling built on hate, aggression, violence and absolute darkness, a sustained assault where speed and hostility were the only priorities.
Curiously, their latest album Memento Mori barely featured in the set. Instead, the band unleashed an avalanche of hymns pulled from across their career, from Dark Endless and Those of the Unlight through to Frontschwein, all roads leading to the inevitable detonation of "Panzer Division Marduk." This kind of intensity works best in concentrated doses, and they made every second count. Every riff, every blast beat served a single purpose: to bash your skull.
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