Rockfreaks.net

support Burst + Offermose
author AP date 25/11/23 venue Lille VEGA, Copenhagen, DEN

LLNN have established themselves as one of the premier metal acts in Denmark, renowned for creating some of the heaviest music known to man. And although the departure of the group’s frontman Christian Bonnesen just over a year ago sent shockwaves through their fanbase and the scene in general, there was consolation to be had in the fact that his duties would be picked up by Victor Kaas of Eyes and Telos fame, a revered performer in his own right. Tonight would thus mark the first time that I’d get to experience LLNN with their new vocalist, and as an added bonus, the post-metal ensemble had invited the progressive metalcore icons of Burst along as their special guests. It is no wonder then, that the venue is close to sold out tonight, and air of warmth and anticipation washing over me as I enter just before the opening act: Offermose.

Offermose

Anders Nydam, the man behind the moniker, sets the ambiance for his show by the ceremonial lighting of incense sticks and the conjuring of massive amounts of smoke. I had been wondering how his eerie, droning darkwave creations would translate into the live setting, yet already after the first song, his music fails to transcend its studio origins, weaving a tapestry that feels much better suited for intimate home listening. Like many electronic artists, Offermose’s performance would benefit from some kind of visual accompaniment like projections, but alas, the audience is left to watch a silhouette twisting, turning, and pressing an assortment of dials and keys in dim lighting. There is nothing wrong with Offermose’s music. On the contrary, tracks like “Sjælens ruin”, taken from his 2020 album “Stilhedens tårn”, provide the perfect soundtrack for moments of reflection and focus, while the likes of “Mørkt foraar” off its namesake 2018 offering envelop the listener in an air of Nordic mystery by virtue of sampled, traditional string instruments. Hell, I’d be lying if I claimed not to have immersed myself in this stuff in the comfort of my own space whilst doing some writing or programming. But judging by the constant loud chatter resounding across the venue during his show, it is obvious that Nydam struggles to maintain engagement live — at least that is the case tonight. As such, his concert tonight is rendered into background music for people’s Saturday night socialising, rather than the captivating concert that a stronger visual aesthetic might have transformed it into.

Burst

As the familiar intro of Burst’s opener “(We Watched) The Silver Rain” starts to sound, it seems like the crowd awakens from a slumber, entering into a rhythmic dance to the tune of its groovy rhythm. This long instrumental segment is the perfect tension builder, setting the mood before vocalist Linus Jägerskog storms onto the stage and someone from the audience unexpectedly yells “VOLVO!” just before the first verse. I’m sure it takes every ounce of self-control for Jägerskog not to erupt in laughter at this sudden outburst… albeit self-control is probably the last word anyone would associate with him, based on his antics on stage. Coupled with a jazzy drum interlude by Patrik Hultin, the band’s performance serves yet another reminder that Burst are a band unto themselves, keeping the legacy of their innovative take on metalcore, and their unhinged showmanship alive with each passing song. “I Hold Vertigo”, the opening track from their seminal 2008 outing “Lazarus Bird”, is played next, and though a number of attendees shamelessly converse through guitarist Robert Reinholdz’s cleanly sung quietus in it, it does nothing to stem the fieriness of the quintet’s show. One would expect such energy to be met by a raging moshpit, but as ever, Burst does not seem to inspire that kind of behaviour in their fans. Instead, as hinted at earlier, their music appears to have an entrancing effect on people, the unorthodox rhythms that Hultin lays down making our hips sway and our heads bob as though it were a rave — something that the following “The Immateria” off 2005’s “Origo” does as well by virtue of its constantly shifting dynamics.

But lest we forget that Burst is, in fact, a metalcore band by training, the band has also brought the confrontational “Cripple God”, as well as the deep cut “Black but Shining” off their 2002 EP “In Coveting Ways” for the setlist tonight. These expose an entirely different aspect of the group, verging on d-beat hardcore and thereby offering a break from the mental workout that much of their later output demands. The pair is played and performed with vitriol — so much, in fact, that Reinholdz suddenly walks off stage near the end of the latter, pointing at his failing instrument. Not ones to allow a technical issue to interrupt their flow, however, the rest of the band continue unabated, seamlessly transitioning into the next song as if nothing had happened. And just as seamlessly, Reinholdz soon reappears with a new guitar, just in time for some clean vocal parts that he delivers whilst simultaneously tuning his freshly sourced instrument. I would even wager that some people have no idea there is a problem. “I Exterminate the I” and the beloved “Where the Wave Broke” then bring the show to its conclusion accompanied by a maelstrom of energy from the five musicians, and, visibly taken aback by the crowd’s enthusiasm throughout the show even in spite of any moshing activities, even Jägerskog is left clapping and grinning widely when the end has been reached. The bar is set high for the headliners.

LLNN

To everyone’s surprise, LLNN’s concert begins with a lone Victor Kaas growling and propelling himself around the stage to the tune of John Cxnnor’s “Stormgate”, one of the as-yet unreleased tracks by drummer Rasmus Sejersen and his synth player brother Ketil’s industrial noise project. There is some kind of hint here regarding LLNN’s future direction, one is inclined to think, but it works splendidly in setting the cold and dystopian atmosphere that the band’s music demands. The rest of the members soon join Kaas and launch into the devastating “Imperial”, taken from their 2021 offering “Unmaker”. Investing their entire bodyweight into the performance, Rasmus Sejersen and bassist Rasmus Furbo not so much play as punish their respective instruments, slamming and tearing at them with a visceral atavism. Apart from the imposing performance, it is obvious that the quartet has put a lot of effort into the production design, with the curtains elegantly drawn around their logo behind the drumkit and lights always meticulously replicating the tone and rhythm of the music. “Open the f***ing pit!", Kaas screams after “Despots”, too, has failed to incite one, so that finally, when “Desecrator” is unleashed, the floor erupts in the sort of mayhem an LLNN concert deserves. It is another hair raising study in heaviness, one that sees Furbo swinging his axe like a hazardous weapon in the middle of the stage, forcing Ketil to duck his head multiple times for fear of incurring a head injury.

In light of the two Rasmus’ unhinged showmanship, it is uncustomary to witness Kaas in a state far less explosive than we are used to from his role in Eyes, when he performs without a guitar. But when “Scion”, which is more focused on harrowing bass tones and an eerie synth melody, is aired, we do get a glimpse of his frenzied performative abilities as well. It is a highlight of the set thus far, whipping up an atmosphere akin to an isolation horror flick, something that “Monolith” off the band’s 2016 début album “Loss” also manages later on. Indeed, what really sets LLNN apart from other bands of their ilk is their penchant for minimalism, creating intrigue not only in sound but also in the absence thereof. An ominous rumble is often the only sound to be heard in between lengthy, ringing notes and intermittent drumbeats, generating a suffocating sense of tension and dread in the audience. “Parallels”, which resides on 2018’s “Deads”, with its drip of ominous electronic sounds and tribal style of drumming, as well as the all-obliterating “Division”, emerge as further highlights during this domineering performance, and as “Obsidian” brings the proceedings to a close (somewhat too early for a headlining performance in my opinion), the entire band comes off the last hinges, throwing themselves and their instruments around in wild arcs, before another bout of what must also be John Cxnnor's music resonates from the speakers and sends us into the night. With their showmanship honed to perfection and further signs of forward thinking in the air, I cannot wait to hear what LLNN has in store for us on their eventual next album.

Setlist:

• 1. Stormgate (John Cxnnor cover)
• 2. Imperial
• 3. Despots
• 4. Desecrator
• 5. Scion
• 6. Parallels
• 7. Interloper
• 8. Monolith
• 9. Division
• 10. Obsidian