On the evening of April 6th, Dresden’s Novitatis Club was alive with the ethereal and crushing sounds of atmospheric and post-black metal. Lunar Tombfields, Austere and Wyatt E. shared the stage for a night that was both immersive and intense, but at times, oddly unbalanced. While Lunar Tombfields and Austere captivated the crowd with their atmospheric grandeur and emotional depth, Wyatt E. struggled to fill the void left by their predecessors, leaving the evening with a bittersweet aftertaste.
Lunar Tombfields opened the evening with a performance that stood as a powerful testament to their evolution as a band, offering a compelling showcase of their latest album “An Arrow to the Sun”. The French atmospheric black metal band captivated the audience with a setlist that leaned heavily on their latest material, highlighting a distinct shift in both sound and theme. Once steeped in cosmic dread, their music now carried a palpable sense of defiance and hope, reflecting humanity’s struggle against oppressive forces.
The night began with “Solar Charioteer”, an epic track that set the tone with apocalyptic imagery and a searing sense of urgency. The live rendition added layers of immediacy that the recorded version couldn’t capture, making every guitar riff and drum hit feel more visceral. The audience was swept into the energy, and the atmosphere grew increasingly immersive as the set unfolded.
“As Iron Calls, So Pile the Dreams” followed, amplifying the emotional intensity. The song’s raw power translated well to the live setting, with its expansive sound filling the intimate venue. Despite the band’s often desperate, shrieking vocals, each moment carried a personal and universal sense of rebellion that resonated deeply with the crowd.
The set culminated in the haunting “Le Chant des Tombes”, a track that perfectly encapsulated the themes of mortality, history, and divine indifference. The deliberate build-up from somber moments to climactic peaks made for a dramatic conclusion, and as the final notes lingered, the audience remained entranced by the atmosphere the band had created.
Lunar Tombfields’ performance was a masterclass in blending beauty with aggression. The transitions between the ethereal and the brutal were seamless, and the quieter, acoustic moments offered a brief respite before the intensity surged once more. However, there were moments when the vocal delivery felt somewhat one-dimensional, with the lack of variation in the screams occasionally diminishing the emotional impact. This, however, was a minor flaw in an otherwise powerful performance.
Ultimately, Lunar Tombfields’ live set reflected their growing mastery within the atmospheric black metal genre. With “An Arrow to the Sun” as their most recent release, the band delivered a set that was both emotionally intense and sonically expansive. Their live presence is a powerful testament to their artistry, and everything they delivered last night only reinforces that they’re headed in the right direction.
Next, Austere took the stage, and from the first note, it was clear this would be no ordinary black metal show. As the Australian depressive black metal band launched into their set, the atmosphere in Novitatis Club thickened, as if the air itself had been saturated with sorrow, and the crowd was left to drown in it.
The performance was a deep plunge into the abyss, with each song dripping with emotional weight. The guitars, drenched in distortion, carved through the air like fog, while the vocals, sharp, shrill, and raw, cut through the haze like the tortured wails of a soul in agony. The extreme falsetto shrieks from the vocalist were overwhelming at times, but in their intensity, there was a strange purity. This intensity reflected the purest form of anguish.
What set Austere apart was their ability to make each song feel like an endless wave of sorrow. The droning, hypnotic tempos created an immersive experience that refused to offer any relief. Even the quieter moments, which were subtle shifts in rhythm or melody, were fleeting and were soon swallowed again by the crushing weight of the music. There were no moments of respite. Instead, there were only moments to prepare for the next emotional surge.
The setlist was a thoughtfully curated journey through Austere’s discography, featuring tracks from “To Lay Like Old Ashes”, “Corrosion of Hearts”, and an exclusive live rendition of “Time Awry” from their upcoming release “The Stillness of Dissolution” (out June 6th via Prophecy Productions). The crowd was treated to songs like “Just for a Moment…” and “This Dreadful Emptiness”, each contributing to the immersive nature of the performance. By the time the band reached “Beneath the Threshold” and “Thrall”, the audience was emotionally drained, caught in the undertow of the band’s unrelenting sorrow.
Austere’s performance wasn’t about technical precision, but rather about atmosphere and immersion. For those who could handle it, the set was a profound journey through the darkest depths of human emotion. But as the band concluded their set, it became clear that their emotionally exhausting show had taken a toll on the crowd. The energy in the venue began to dissipate, and many concertgoers seemed unable or unwilling to continue the night.
As Austere left the stage, the energy in the room deflated instantly. The crowd began to thin, with many leaving before Wyatt E. even started their set. The final act of the night seemed destined to struggle against the backdrop of the heavy, emotional waves that Austere had left behind.
While Wyatt E. is a talented band in their own right, their performance felt disconnected from the intensity that had come before them. Though atmospheric, their style didn’t feel as immediately gripping, and the audience, already emotionally spent, struggled to re-engage. The energy in the venue was quieter now, and despite Wyatt E.’s best efforts, their performance seemed to take place in the eye of a storm, surrounded by the aftermath of Austere’s emotional onslaught.
The crowd’s attention dwindled and the Belgians performed to a sparse, quiet audience. It was a tough act to follow, and while their set was competent, it couldn’t overcome the lingering intensity of Austere’s abyssal performance. The band’s atmospheric sounds, though strong, struggled to fill the void left in the wake of Austere’s emotional journey.
The evening at Novitatis Club was a unique and intense experience, characterized by moments of overwhelming emotion and atmosphere. Lunar Tombfields set the stage with their atmospheric beauty and urgency, Austere followed with a devastating plunge into despair and Wyatt E. struggled with the remnants of that emotional storm. While the concert had moments of brilliance, it ultimately felt unbalanced, with Austere’s thunderous performance overshadowing the quieter moments that followed. For those who could endure the emotional journey, it was a night of profound introspection. But it was clear that for some, the night ended too soon, as the audience scattered after Austere’s powerful set, leaving the final act to perform in a quiet, reflective void.
Photos by Vedrana Dobrić
