Having just released their first full-length in over ten years, their first since their 2007 breakup, this performance by the experimental, progressive black metallers had the feel of a triumphant return. There was something also shy in the way singer I.C.S. Vortex sidled into the stage, hands in his pockets, that clashed sharply against the theatricality of his strange leather mask and goggles. Most of the band members played under billowing cloaks, making their set one of the most dramatically performative of the festival so far.
Vortex's vocal performance was stunning; the sound has been universally good all weekend so far, but the liquid clarity of his vocals and the spirit of his performance was genuinely stunning. While it's impossible for the delicacy and complexity of their sound to be conveyed accurately within the context of an outdoor venue, the integrity of their music came through beautifully, and the set was at once intelligent, challenging and ridiculously fun.
Vortex's vocal performance was stunning; the sound has been universally good all weekend so far, but the liquid clarity of his vocals and the spirit of his performance was genuinely stunning. While it's impossible for the delicacy and complexity of their sound to be conveyed accurately within the context of an outdoor venue, the integrity of their music came through beautifully, and the set was at once intelligent, challenging and ridiculously fun.