My first black metal concert, a front-row obsession, and one missed pick.
One week later and I’m still riding the high.
September 23rd, Berlin. A Friday. My first proper black metal gig—birthday gift to Chris, yes, but let's be real: also a gift to me.
We saw Samael and Diabolical live at ORWOhaus. And Samael? That was the band that first nudged me toward metal way back in 2004. Eternal (1999) was on heavy rotation when Chris and I met, and The Cross was one of our shared favourites. So when I saw they were touring Passage in full? Game on.
Six dates in Germany. Berlin was the closest. One day after Chris’s birthday. Kids shipped off. Time off booked.
Roadtrip mode: engaged.
The Loudest Panel Building in Berlin
The venue? ORWOhaus in Marzahn. Self-proclaimed "loudest panel building in Berlin," and honestly? Accurate.
We pulled up and immediately saw Diabolical’s tour bus and half the band standing outside. Fangirl moment #1.
Inside: toilets to the left, merch to the right, stage straight ahead. Everything about the setup felt—weirdly familiar. No queues. No chaos. Just a big, open hall with a bar and maybe 200 people by the time Samael hit the stage.
Intimate. Loud. Perfect.
Wrang & Halphas: Bullet Belts and Soundchecks
First opener: Wrang from the Netherlands. Loud, raw, committed—even to a half-empty room. Big shoutout to frontman Galgenvot, who pulled off braces and a bullet belt like it was a lifestyle.
Then came Halphas, a German black metal band with a traditional sound and a seven-song set.
By then, I’d grabbed a beer, edged to the front, and was absolutely not moving again.
That’s when Vorph walked past—two metres away. Just casually stepping out from backstage.
Fangirl moment #2. I froze, of course. Couldn’t bring myself to say hi. Just watched others get autographs while pretending to be cool.
Diabolical Darkness & Black Sun Glory
Next up: Diabolical.
I’d never heard of them before buying the ticket, so I did some homework and found their 2019 album Eclipse. That’s where I fell in love with Black Sun, and getting to hear it live, from the front row, was everything.
They hit the stage in black hooded robes, drowned in fog and absolutely zero visible faces. It was theatrical, eerie, and somehow not overdone. A perfect fit for their melodic blackened death metal sound.
The setlist pulled heavily from Eclipse, added one new track, and closed with We Are Diabolical as an encore.
The only downside? The vocals occasionally got buried under the mix. But atmosphere-wise? 10/10 ritual vibes.
Samael: Full Ritual Mode Activated
When Diabolical finished, the stage cleared fast. No DIY setups—Samael has a crew, and even Carl from Diabolical helped out.
Seeing Xy’s drum computer being assembled was its own weird thrill.
The room had filled in by now—more people, more front-row elbowing, and, unfortunately, That One Group. Seven people filming the entire show, waving phones and cameras, chatting loudly, and shoving. Right next to me. For the whole thing. Of course.
But I wasn’t giving up my spot. First row or nothing.
The Lights Dim, the Intro Starts—and Then It Hits
Just after 10 PM, the intro began. The crowd roared. Samael took their time walking on, and when the first notes of Rain hit, I swear the roof shifted.
They played Passage in full. Eleven tracks. No pauses. No fluff. Just pure, seamless performance. A Man in Your Head finished and I felt genuine sadness—it had flown by.
But then—outfit change. Encore. Eight more songs.
Including Baphomet’s Throne (Ceremony of Opposites), one track from Blood Ritual, and a wild mix from Hegemony, Lux Mundi, Reign of Light, and Eternal.
There were one or two tracks that dipped too far into industrial territory for me, but overall? Flawless show. Samael sound exactly like the album—no studio trickery, no disappointment. Just sharp, confident, ritual-grade metal.
Also: Vorph has the best man bun in metal. Don’t even start.
One Pick. So Close.
After the final song, picks were tossed into the crowd. I almost caught one. Of course the guy next to me got it. I should have been more aggressive, but—well. Me.
Still, Drop and Ales jumped off stage to shake hands, which made it all worth it. Chaos erupted around me as the obnoxious film crew nearly took down the barrier. I think Vorph and Xy came out too, but I was too busy not being trampled.
Tired, Ringing, and Completely Hooked
As we left, Diabolical was at the merch stand, chatting, smiling, completely down-to-earth. Chris bought me a new Samael shirt. I left exhausted, ears ringing, and completely thrilled.
My first black metal gig. And honestly? I couldn’t have asked for a better one.
Next up? Blind Guardian in Hamburg. October 13th.
Stay tuned.
