After the unsuccessful attempt to play for the second time in Sofia at the end of last year, the Polish death metal veterans returned on May 19, 2007. Bulgarian support came from Hyperborea and Past Redemption, and after several venue changes, a few days before the show it got clear that it will be situated at the Black Box Club in Sofia - not the best hall for such kind of events, but better than the community centers which recently shelter the big names from the metal underground.

First on the stage came Past Redemption who started with their typical brutal style, presenting their new vocalist. Alas, the club was still half-empty till the end of their performance...

In 25 minutes the instruments were ready for the next Bulgarian extremists - Hyperborea. The audience welcomed them in a tremendous way and shouted their name for half an hour. What we got was outstanding death metal mixed up with the headbanging hairs on stage and almost everywhere in front of it.

The club began filling with fans, and at 9:25 p.m. we heard the intro to the latest Vader album, “Impressions in Blood” (2006), and the shout of the crowd welcomed Peter & Co. Without hesitation they knocked very powerfully, but the fans were well prepared and frankly showed their admiration for the professionalism shown by the Polish quartet. Real guitar wonders were created by Mauser’s hands, the sound was appropriate, the lights - properly dark. One song after the other were played with the band’s typical death/thrash riffs, sticking into the brains of almost 400 crazy fans who had come in this rainy Saturday evening to see their favorite band.

It is no accident that Vader are one of the leading groups in their genre for many years now. They proved this by releasing the superb record “Impressions in Blood”, but their presence on stage outstripped the studio sound. It is unique how you can play at this high speed! The wall of sound made by Daray on his drums with such a tempo can only make many of his colleagues jealous.

It is frequently said that one band has lead us through its discography, and in this case it happened almost the same. We heard some of the best Vader songs from the last two decades, and constat moshing and stagediving accompanied every fast part.

An hour after the beginning of the massacre, the band hid for a while. They were called back a few minutes later to play the encore, culminating in the improbable cover of Slayer’s “Raining Blood”… An hour and fifteen minutes have passed unnoticeably on this crazy tempo.

Vader poured out their mighty death metal over our heads without tension, and except for the pleasure of this experience and the wonderful music, we left the hall with the feeling that Vader will come back for a third concert in a row...

Words: Boyana Atanassova

Photos: Victor Alexandrov

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