INDIX 07.15.2016 at Portu Zaharra, Portugalete

Demo cover

My friend and I arrive in the venue in a quiet night, half an hour before the beginning. A wild sound check breaks the silence and I laugh: it seems they're giving the concert for all the town from there. We go for a walk and come back just five minutes before it is due to start, but it seems that not so many people have heard the call. Finally, ten minutes later, the guys decide they can't wait any longer, and it's time to start enjoying the music.

The venue is pretty small, they almost have no room to move freely. but all that is compensated by the homely atmosphere that connects the band and the (reduced) audience. It still takes a bit longer for them to get everything prepared, and I think to myself: this is a bit unprofessional; however, I don't give it too much importance.

From left to right: Jonba, Jarris, Aritz and
Güito

The first notes are heard and I am still, just paying attention, not knowing exactly what to expect, even if I have listened to their first demo. The few people there are also waiting for something and they don't move to the first riffs the band are laying. But soon the energy fills the bar. Every time I see this I get moved deep down my heart: we're five, six... ten people maybe? And they are playing wildly, as if they were headlining Hellfest or Wacken Open Air. To sum it up in just one sentence: their energy couldn't be contained in such a small place.

Nevertheless, during the first three songs, I am still trying to take in all that they are offering, paying more attention to each line and rhythm than to enjoying the music itself, and worried because someone was about to step on the cables and fall down almost continuously (this was quite funny, to be honest). Then the magical turning point arrives. The first notes of Eutanasia sound, and a bit later, there's no way back, I'm totally into it. Only a sentence hits me in the head once and over again, like a desperate scream: "Ez da eskubide bat duintasunez hiltzea?" (Isn't it our right to die with dignity?). And I also start paying attention to other details, such as the performance that goes with each song and gives it a whole new dimension...

Güito at the end of 'Azti maestro'

I can't help but smile with the next song, Ez dago ezer (There's nothing). I like the nihilistic meaning behind, personal and recognizable mark of one of their guitarists and friend of mine. And his absent look at the end of it, while playing as though he were a robot, just makes me shiver. And from then, I just let myself go crazy with every single riff, every single note, song, joke, word, everything.

The concert ends and I try to sum up all the sensations. They've got so much potential. The sound, technically speaking, wasn't at its best, the voice was at some points hard to understand, but the venue wasn't acoustically appropriate either. So, all in all, it was an unforgettable night, and I'm glad I finally attended an INDIX show.

You can find about INDIX and all their material in the following sites:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/indixrock/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/indixrock

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfdLvtiGmotd_gmisjnIe5g

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/indixrock

Bandcamp: https://indix.bandcamp.com/album/indix-maketa

Finally, I'd love to thank my friend Rober Villanueva for taking amazing pics for this review.

Ithilien (Belgium) + Incursed + Hilotz, 05.22.2016 at sala Edaska, Barakaldo

I'm not used to going to concerts on Sunday, but this time I needed to do so. Last concert with Incursed's actual lineup, the one I've known since I discovered them one year ago. I just couldn't miss the event. And, to tell the truth, I was so excited about it, that I truly thought that Incursed headed the show, which was not true, obviously...

18:45 and it was time to go in. The place was rather small, just to make everything so homely. First sign of what was coming. I could also see part of the soundcheck and foresee that the evening was about to be extraordinary. 

Hilotz, from left to right: Mikel, Etxahun and Pablo

First of all, it was the turn for Hilotz (Lasarte-Oria, Basque Country) to go onstage. Early in the first song, I thought of writring this, as I was caught in the heavy riffs they delivered. A hard, strong wall of sound, gutturals that felt like something was being ripped off within me and bass lines that made me collapse in pleasure. I was also delighted by the cowbell sound coming from the drums amidst such extreme sounding, overwhelming guitars that filled the whole venue. Furthermore, they pretty much mastered the art of combining fast riffs with slow or mid tempos, more distorted sounds with more acoustic lines, etc. No doubt these guys have a high potential. However, I feel they still lack something the experience will give them, and I'm gonna quote my friend and personal photographer during the concert: They play, but they don't play together, as one. I guess everything takes time, but definitely, I'm gonna swallow each one of their songs until I learn them.

Sabrina and Pierre from Ithilien

Then Ithilien (Belgium) came. The first things one could see before it all started was that there was a lot of people on a stage that left almost no room to move around comfortably, and that an astonishing musical deployment was about to take place: bagpipes, a hurdy-gurdy (I had to ask what it was, it is such an awesome instrument, please check it out), or a bouzouki amongst others. The lights came down, and only their ready silhouettes could be made out in the dark. And then it all exploded and the very first note worked out the magic. They made themselves big on such a small stage. It was a pity that no one else but me in the audience had listened to at least a song. And they were so static like waiting for who knows what to happen. Instead, I was headbanging harder than ever (up to that moment, of course). I enjoyed every single note, and especially paid attention to the hurdy-gurdy and the bagpipe. Hey, it didn't sound through any microphony system and it could be perfectly heard over the crushing guitar/bass riffs, awesome. Maybe, what I liked the least was the drums. I usually prefer well defined and accentuated double bass drum strokes, and this time the drums sounded a bit blurry, but still amazing. I stood in awe along the whole set and couldn't help buying a T-shirt, as a way to thank them for their great job.

Jon Koldo "Flying hands" Tera, from Incursed

(from left to right) Narot, Jonkol and
Palas from Incursed

At last, the most awaited moment: Incursed (Bilbao, Basque Country) got onstage to delight us all with their viking-themed aesthetic and music. And there I was, in the front row, with bright eyes and the look of an excited child. I could say that we, the audience, gave everything we had, but it wouldn't be fair: we only reflected and maybe boosted what they gave us from up there. I absolutely enjoyed Narot's wild energy and gutturals (and jokes), Mr. Jonkol "Flying hands"'s keytar lines and clean vocals, Juan's bass lines, and Asier's drumming, of which I had already had a taste back in August last year; and of course, the stunning guitar lines by Palas, who had barely had time to learn all the songs in the absence of Asier and from whom I got my flower garland souvenir. Man, I admire you for that effort, and thanks for the garland *chuckles*. Songs such as Tidal Waves, Beer Bloodbath and Suaren lurraldea (the last two are probably my favourites) couldn't be left out of the setlist and we all danced, jumped and sang to them (and I headbanged even harder than with Ithilien, letting myself go), as vikings having fun, drinking beer and conquering another milestone. Neither could a heavy version of A-ha's Take On Me, to which we had a good time, and in my case, a fair share of laughs (of true happiness, of course). Although we were all emotive (both the audience and the band) because Narot and Juan are leaving, there was no place for sadness, only for fun, and good music and vibe.

Incursed says: Never stop messing around!!

To sum up, it was the perfect evening, I ended up knackered, covered in sweat after three hours of shows. My neck still hurts from all that headbanging. I have to say that the bands playing were very brave, playing for so few people. I know, we assume them to act like that, but it's something we still have to recognize and admire. I didn't only discovered that they were incredible bands, but also that there are very kind and talented people playing in them. You can follow these bands in these sites:


Hilotz:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hilotz666/
• Webpage: http://www.hilotz.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/hilotz666
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HILOTZ666

Ithilien:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Ithilien.Music/
• Webpage: http://www.ithilien.be/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/ithilienmetal
• YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Ithilienmusic

Incursed:

• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/IncursedOfficial/
• Webpage: http://www.warbanner.eu/incursed/
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/IncursedBand
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/IncursedOfficial

Last, but not least, I'd like to thank Jon Rodriguez Martin, aka Jack Kalavera for his excellent photos.