NAPALM DEATH, PAST REDEMPTION, ADIM, STARO ZLO
11.01.2009 '4km Party Centre', Sofia, Bulgaria

Words by: Metal Willie, photo: Begemot

What a fucking brilliant way to kickstart the new year! This stonker of a show must already be a strong favourite for best extreme metal gig of 2009 in Bulgaria!

Four bands, all ripping the shit out of the PA, a hungry sell out crowd, punters gone berserk in mad throngs of pogo, mosh and stagediving - not a dry ear in the house, I tell ya!

Early January in Bulgaria isnt't exactly tropical weather. In fact it's bloody freezing. Hence the crowd was there in full force very early doors and boy could we not wait to steam in! All good news for the first support act, who got to play to an audience of very decent numbers.

The band's name was Staro Zlo (translates as Ancient Evil) and they tore into us right from the start. Their contingent of loyal fans turned the space in front of the stage into a proper moshpit and chanted the band's
name incessantly, which had an effect on most of the neutrals, who joined in the applause after each song and some even voiced their wishes for
an encore. All good.

The second band on were A.D.I.M. and their merchandise was already selling quite impressively at the merch stall. A.D.I.M. used to be known as Vendetta and play a similar type of hardcore.

The band is very tight and full of angst. They dedicated one song to Tzuro - one of the best Bulgarian heavy drummers, who tragically passed away in 2007, while still in his early 30s. Another track was aimed at the paedophiles roaming at large in the country. The boys in A.D.I.M. reckon they should all be given the good old guillotine treatment.

Overall their set was received very well by the punters, with plenty of stagediving and moshing going on.

Up next were Past Redemption who launched into their set with such ferocity that most of the people around me instinctively took one step back. The crowd was then divided in two - those who were going completely mental to the band's venomous and precise set and those who just stood there, eyes and mouths wide open. Both groups seemed to agree that this was one blinding set. And then, of course, there were the headliners...

Now what can one say about Napalm Death that hasn't already been said? They are true legends of the extreme metal scene, heroes to many and really cool people to boot. Upon their arrival onstage, the 900-strong crowd erupted like 900 Molotov cocktails going off at once! '

We didn't expect such a big crowd to be honest. We're Napalm Death and we're from Birmingham' - Barney announced to even more deafening cheers after the band's second song of the night 'Sink Fast, Let Go'.

Then he and the boys proceeded to give us the mightiest and most enjoyable sonic whipping of our lives. Some fans had made a flag for the momentous occasion, bearing the Napalm Death logo on a backdrop of white, green and red - the national colours of Bulgaria.

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As well as tracks from their forthcoming brand new album 'TIME WAITS FOR NO SLAVE', the band perrformed all the classics and reminded us why we love them so much. On their night their energy levels are second to none! And long may it last! They're off to Romania now, but we'll be waiting for them to come back here again - the sooner the better! All in all, an absolutely fantastic night and if you weren't there then hang your head in shame and make sure you don't miss out next time! - coming soon

see more pictures here