It was only a few months ago, since I saw Immolation in Tilburg. Now in the autumn they are touring extensively again, with Marduk and a bunch of support groups. Reason enough to go to the Baroeg again. I missed the first opening act entirely, due to the early hour it al started. I don’t really understand why there are so many bands on a tour and during these support slots the venue is nearly empty.

So Dead Beyond Buried were nearly at the end of their gig when I entered the venue. They are a rather generic and tame UK death metal act so I don’t think I missed much

De Profundis was promoted as progressive death metal, I guess that’s about right in the sense that is was death metal, and the musical skills were obvious apart from the quite aweful vocals. However the songs are mostly rather long and dull, and there was nothing really progessive about it. Listenable for a few songs but that’s about it. Maybe they were better when they still played doom.

Well then there was the mighty Immolation. I saw them many times before, and every gig was of high quality. Fast, tight with intricate lead guitar work. And this time it was excellent too. Having no new album to promote (promised to be released early next year IIRC) they worked their way through the entire back catalogue, with many classic tunes, such as Dawn of Possession, Swarm of Terror, Close to a World Below, Father you’re not a Father, Majesty and Decay. The only small flaw was during Under the Supreme when Bob suddenly went off stage, I guess a broken string – but why no second guitar. Anyway a great performance again by Immolation.

Then there was Marduk I band I haven’t really followed since Nightwing and the material I heard since was rather dull. Fortunately they had a substantial number of old material on the set list, so at least I recognised that, including, The Black Tormentor of Satan, Within the Abyss, Slay the Nazarene, Deme Quaden Thyrane. They closed their set with two songs of the most boring album ever – Panzer Division Marduk – but came back for two more, of course with the everpresent Wolves. So all in all a decent gig. Though Mortuus isn’t as powerful a singer as Legion used to be.