Forged in Doom Festival – the occult meets heavy metal in Bergamo

It is a cloudy Saturday afternoon when the Chaoszine team arrives at the Palaspirà in Spirano (BG), ready to witness four doom metal bands one after the other. And since the weather wants to be appropriate for the event, it also starts to rain. Luckily we had an evening full of great bands to lift our moods! We’d like to thank Richard Milella, Alessandro Bertuletti and the whole organization for hosting us.

The Temple

Perfectly on time at 8 PM, the first band is ready to rock the stage. The Temple is a doom metal band from Greece who released their second album last November. All of the songs from their set are from “Of Solitude Triumpanth”, and the talent of this band has blown me away. Their sound is so heavy yet enjoyable, and I particularly liked the instrumental sections of their show. My favourite track was the opening one, “The Foundations“, which gives the listener a 360-degree view of what this band is capable of doing. I sincerely hope they will come back to Italy again because this is a band worth checking out!

Setlist:

1. The Foundations
2. The Blessing
3. A White Flame for the Fear of Death
4. Profound Loss
5. Premonitions of the Final Hour
6. The Lord of Light

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Cardinals Folly

During the changeover, the audience was informed that the second band of the evening had just arrived and that they would be soon ready to hit the stage. And it was worth the wait because Cardinals Folly provided us with an excellent performance! Their sound is doom mixed with heavy metal, and I enjoy this union very much. This group knows how to entertain, and they’re not afraid to show it: the audience was very responsive, and at each song, the cheering was louder and louder. The highlight of the show was the drum solo, flawlessly delivered by Battle Ram. Count Karnstein on vocals/bass and Nordic Wrath on guitar complete the lineup of this Finnish sensational band. All hail Cardinals Folly!

Setlist:

1. The Second Seal
2. Ride Or Die 666
3. Luciferian
4. Her Twins of Evil
5. Deranged Pagan Sons
6. Last House On The Left
7. Secret Of The Runes

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Epitaph

And if in Italy we can claim to have quality doom metal bands, it’s simply because of Epitaph. The band, led by the extraordinary Ricky Dal Pane, has enchanted the audience of Bergamo with their quality sounds and wonderful stage presence. Their energy is unmatched, and they have such a historic career that is impossible not to appreciate them. Loatelli and Murari hold very impressively the rhythmic section, and Tollini is simply a master on the drums. Their set included some tracks that will be included in their upcoming album and Ricky dedicated “Fall From Grace” to the victims and the families of the flooding in Emilia Romagna, being himself from that region. That was a very touching moment!

Setlist:

1. Beyond The Mirror
2. The Battle of Inside
3. Sigizia
4. Nameless Demon
5. Embraced by Worms
6. Fall From Grace
7. Necronomicon

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Lord Vicar

As clock strikes 11 PM, it’s time for the last band to rock the stage of the Palaspirà. And what an ending it was! Lord Vicar has completely smashed everything: from their performance to their engagement with the crowd, they have been simply sublime. Lead vocalist Chritus was one of the best entertainers I’ve seen in quite a while. His movements and his vocal technique were absolutely amazing, and he was supported by a talented-like group of people. Jansson on bass, Karki on guitar, and Millsted on drums are more than impressive and their chemistry on stage is tangible. The audience kept on wanting more songs and cheering the band so loud, it was truly a perfect ending to this doom festival, which we hope will take place next year as well!

Setlist:

1. Down the Nails
2. Pillars Under Water
3. Sinking City
4. Sign of Osiris Slain
5. Born of a Jackal
6. The Temple in the Bedrock
7. Leper, Leper
8. Birth of Wine
9. The Funeral Pyre

Photo: Silvio Colombo.