[Gig Review] CHURCH OF CROW - DOOM FESTIVAL III @ Chiesa Di San Giuseppe (IT), 02.05.25 (Part II).
Venue Location: Pinerolo, Piedmont (Italy)
SUNDAY SESSION:
GLI ALBERI:
These guys intro’d with hymn like chanting accompanied by Arianna Prette’s operatic voice, male vocal backing on the keyboards, synth. This is best described as melodic/blackened Italian classic Doom! Or in other circles, post-rock!
Featuring guitar, bass and drums for that heavy anchor, the keys were prominent throughout, and added some melodic ambient mood in parts, at one point entering dungeon-synth/Stranger Things territory to close out one of their tracks.
Walking outside to the one and only toilet, you could hear the lead's operatic voice, keyboardist and synth player’s haunting refrains emanating from the church like blackened, doomy hymns. What a treat for the neighbourhood!
Editor’s Note: Blast some operatic post-doom-everything from your local church steeple [this article clearly not sponsored by Vatican City, et al] via the following link:
NERO KANE:
Female keys/vocals. Male guitar/vocals - Experimental, atmospheric post-doom.
Hard to believe, but this was riff-less Doom carried and punctuated with transcendent, ethereal lead-guitar and soaring keys/ Played on a Fender and Reface YC keyboard.
This duo was incredibly sonic in parts, and reminiscent of Rezn. The electronic scaffolding presented by Samantha Stella complimented Nero’s experimental guitar, and translated into a doom-style Radiohead. Even in the absence of drums & bass, this got me headbanging (albeit slowly).
Spaghetti & Western guitar was once again featured in this act, as the Italians are masters of this genre!
The final number was exquisite. This guy was playing the guitar with a bow-string, with synth layers underneath. Vampiric organs with electric viola over the top; Samantha then dropped in with her dreamy vocals.
Incredible!
This outfit is an anomaly that is a must-listen when the mood is right.
(L-R: Samantha Stella (keys/synth/vocals), Nero Kane (vocals/guitar).
Image Credit: Dean Underhill
DEAD CHASM:
Fucking Death Metal oi-! Valerio knows precisely what he is doing following up the orchestral ambience with crushing riffs.
Dead Chasm is a three-piece featuring Lorenza, a female singer/guitarist with an awesome growl. The bassist (Gigi) played a Rickenbacker so fast at times I thought the smoke-machine was outdone. All whilst Dave destroyed the drumkit. This band was brutal, and got me headbanging like Hell… or like our Death-Metal bands Down Under.
Image Credit: Dean Underhill
IN AUTUMN:
The suavest looking doom band I have ever witnessed! These guys rocked black Armani-style suits and opened up with a sonically-powerful and captivating intro.
Both sophisticated-sounding and looking; atmospheric, psychedelic, prog-stoner-doom with a dusting of black-metal ash. Rhythm guitarist playing a black LTD,with the lead sporting black-framed reading glasses and enough Doom-bling to look super cool. Oh, I nearly forgot to mention the Calvin Klein belt buckle. Girls (or guys) will swoon for these Italian Kings of Doom!
[Editor’s Unwarranted Interdiction: Very happy that Doom-bling was officially coined and canonised, right here on ISC 18.06.25. Y’all saw it here first ;) - Brady]
Image Credit: Ombeline Canelle/Martine Virago
THE RITE:
A Danish/Italian collab with a truly frightening stage-presence. The croaky vocals of Ustumallagam creating an eerie veneer over the frenetic, doomy black metal of this five-piece. These dark, sinister passages paid homage to Satan through their coordination of ice-laden riffs, creeping-death melodies and venomous percussion.
Image Credit: Dean Underhill
HANDS OF ORLAC:
70's-Infused doom, on a par with Australia’s Witchskull. With the exception, that is, of sporting a female vocalist who also summons demons with her flute.
Italian/Swedish Witchy-Doom at its’ finest.
TYRANNY:
The Pink Floyd of psych/blackened-doom from Finland. This dragged me out of my chair. (I often need to park myself for a bit at doom festivals and headbang slowly in a forward motion, until I have a micro nap). No high energy. Just 5 dudes dressed like Satanic monks under black hoods, playing some of the most sonically-heavy Doom you will ever hear. You will drift down into the catacombs with this stuff.
[Editor’s Note: Punters, if you attended and have recordings you’d love to share with the Internet, let us know! Here’s one I found from a prior Tyranny set in Killtown Deathfest 2012, courtesy of Youtuber brokenbywhispers]:
EPITAPH:
A perfect follow up to the doomy apocalypse of Tyranny, Epitaph are balls-out Italian Doom with heavy metal-esque lead breaks from Lorezno Loatelli. Heavy riffing, a real crowd pleaser; this got me into the moshpit for some fun with the locals.
[Editor’s Note: Link added for emphasis. Go you good thing! - Brady]
Image Credit: Dean Underhill
ABYSMAL GRIEF:
Sadly, this incredible event had to come to its finale, and this honorary title went to Italian Doom Lords AG. These heavyweights (like Epitaph) have been going since 1998, and have a massive back-catalogue.
Suspense was brooding through the audience, as a protracted preparation led to the doomiest-looking stage set I've ever seen. The stage now thick with fog and the church itself filling with incense smoke, the pulpit was adorned with cemetery fencing candles, skulls, as well as two large torch-like candles placed to the right and left of front. The intro music swelled with Gothic organ, and the smoke was penetrated by purple beam-lights at the rear of the chancel above the drummer, providing an authentically spooky aura.
Eventually, AG emerged out of the smoke-haze and took to the stage to the thunderous applause of the crowd. Labes C. Necrothytus stepped up to the pulpit. A rather large man in a fine Italian-black/Victorian-styled suit, complete with leather trench coat and round, black-rimmed glasses (suddenly my reading glasses are uber cool).
Thundering out of the vampiric ambience with an assault of headbanging-infused drums and guitars, the band launched into a release from their latest album Oratorium. After two afternoons of standing on hard marble floor, the crowd weren't flaking as they got into a spirited round of headbanging and fist-raising in anthemic choruses. If you like your doom in the classic vein of Candlemass with Gothic/Horror elements interwoven through the melodic keyboard elements, this is for you.
Playing through a 40-minute set, Abysmal Grief finished off the festival in style. There was no encore, as the band played right up to the Saturday night curfew. What a sight it must have been for any passers-by on the street when the church doors opened up and, amidst billowing smoke drifting down the stone steps to the cobblestone street, elated headbangers emerged from La Chiesa San Giuseppe like an army of resurrected ghouls. I hung out at the church till late; chatting with new friends and local lads who had dropped by in amazement at the venue, confessed secret love for the dark-arts of metal and vowed to attend next year’s festival. Unfortunately, that won't be possible for me. Perhaps you will be there to represent Australia and give a shout-out to this world unique creation of Signor Valerio Leynir Possetto!
Grazie, Valerio. 🤘
And grazie, Dean, Valerio, La Chiesa San Giuseppe/event staff, horrified rural Italian onlookers and punters both.
You can check out relevant links for Ombeline’s Facebook profile/photography/journalist portfolio, as well as relevant event links, etc.
A reminder; per Part 1, all artist links are included in their relevant titles.
Get out there, support the international scene and together, we can raise collective doom-metal Heaven and Hell.
Peace, Love and Blowing Australians’ Minds With More Than Just Colosseums, xoxo - Brady.
[BONUS: Not-That-Secret Italian Google Translate Version, Sort-Of]:
Sarò onesto, cari lettori italiani: sì, l'ho scritto su Google Translate. I miei più sinceri ringraziamenti ai vostri connazionali per aver tenuto i Muscle Wizard qui sani e salvi. Io e molti altri australiani speriamo di visitare il vostro splendido Paese un giorno.
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