dark fortress tour

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Deutsch Português
• Popular artists

Dark Fortress

• On tour: no
• Upcoming 2024 concerts: none

5,580 fans get concert alerts for this artist.

Join Songkick to track Dark Fortress and get concert alerts when they play near you.

Find your next concert

Join 5,580 fans getting concert alerts for this artist

Similar artists with upcoming concerts

Past concerts.

Backstage Halle

Viper Room Wien

Klub Łącznik

View all past concerts

Posters (40)

Find out more about Dark Fortress tour dates & tickets 2024-2025

Want to see Dark Fortress in concert? Find information on all of Dark Fortress’s upcoming concerts, tour dates and ticket information for 2024-2025.

Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Dark Fortress scheduled in 2024.

Songkick is the first to know of new tour announcements and concert information, so if your favorite artists are not currently on tour, join Songkick to track Dark Fortress and get concert alerts when they play near you, like 5580 other Dark Fortress fans.

Similar artists

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

Dark Fortress Verified

Similar artists on tour, bandsintown merch.

Live Photos of Dark Fortress

Concerts and tour dates, fan reviews.

About Dark Fortress

One Morning Left Share New Video “Summerlovin'” Feat. Olli Herman from Reckless Love/Popeda

Lamentari shares visualizer for second single “tragoedia in domo dei”, kaipa release first single & share music video of upcoming album “sommargryningsljus”.

• ASTERISMA Release Video ‘Del Giudizio’ from New Album “Meccanica Armonica”
• Black Veil Brides Sign With Spinefarm, Announce “Bleeders” EP + Share Video
• HAMMERFALL ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM, ‘AVENGE THE FALLEN,’ FOR AUGUST

DARK FORTRESS – ANNOUNCE THEIR FINAL TOUR

DARK FORTRESS  – ANNOUNCE THEIR FINAL TOUR 

Venerated DARK FORTRESS are calling it quits – but not before bringing their unique, darkened version of black metal to European stages for one last tour. Please find their full statement underneath: “We are hereby announcing the end of DARK FORTRESS. This has been coming for a while, and it’s been an extremely hard decision. But since we did not want to simply let the band fall apart, we decided to end DARK FORTRESS with a bang, properly and in dignity, something that we owe not only to our fans and to all the people who have supported us for over two decades, but something that we also owe to ourselves. So we are proudly announcing our final tour together with Co-Headliners The Spirit and special guests Asphagor. Come and let’s celebrate one more time. This will be your last chance to see DARK FORTRESS live.”

DARK FORTRESS THE SPIRIT ASPHAGOR “THE COSMIC END TOUR 2023” 03.05.23 (DE) Saarbrücken – Garage 04.05.23 (CH) Aarau – Kiff 05.05.23 (FR) Paris – Backstage 06.05.23 (BE) Gent – Asgaard 07.05.23 (UK) London – Boston Music Room 08.05.23 (NL) Rotterdam – Baroeg 09.05.23 (DE) Bochum – Matrix 10.05.23 (DE) Berlin – Hole 44 11.05.23 (DE) Leipzig – Hellraiser 12.05.23 (PL) Poznań – U Bazyla 13.05.23 (AT) Wien – Viper Room 14.05.23 (DE) München – Backstage Tickets  HERE!

DARK FORTRESS –  Pali Aike (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

Photo by Markus Laakso DARK FORTRESS are: Morean – vocals V. Santura – guitars Asvargr – guitars Seraph – drums Phenex – keyboards DARK FORTRESS ONLINE: Website  //  Facebook  //  Instagram

CENTURY MEDIA RECORDS ONLINE: Website  //  Facebook  //  Instagram  //  Twitter

Related Posts

Disturbingly Good

Metalheads Forever is a non-profit organization. However, if you like what we do, all support is welcome.

© 2021-2023 / Metalheads Forever Magazine / Created by Black Speech

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Privacy Overview

or continue with

Dark Fortress

Concerts and tour dates of Dark Fortress

About dark fortress.

Dark Fortress is a melodic black metal band from Landshut, Germany, formed in 1994. They have released seven studio albums, a split album and a demo album.

• Tales from Eternal Dusk (2001)
• Profane Genocidal Creations (2003)
• Stab Wounds (2004)
• Seance (2006)
• Eidolon (2008)
• Ylem (2010)
• Venereal Dawn (2014)
• Spectres from the Old World (2020)

© MyRockShows 2017-2024

Sign up to MyRockShows, subscribe to your favorite artists and bands and get the updates you need.

or log in with social networks

• Discography

Formed in 1994, the German black metal outfit DARK FORTRESS have established themselves in the top ranks of the genre with intense live shows and fascinating, pitch black full-length masterpieces that meet the standard created mostly in northern Europe’s prolific scenes with ease.

The early years:

Their first musical sign of life was the 1996 released demo “Rebirth Of The Dark Age”. In 1997 the original line-up consisting of band founder Asvargr (guitar), vocalist Azathoth, Njord on bass, and drummer Charon established the band’s first live line-up with the addition of second guitarist Crom and keyboardist Thamuz (who got replaced by Paymon short after). Debuting live in February 1997 the young horde soon shared the stage with such underground figureheads as Lunar Aurora, Disaster and Nagelfar. Dark Fortress’ first label release was a Split MCD with Barad Dür entitled “Towards Immortality” which featured two new tracks by the band and was released on Fog Of The Apocalypse Records. The band was not informed by the label about Barad Dür’s national-socialistic disposition, displayed in drastic right-winged lyrics on the actual record, which forced Dark Fortress to explicitly disassociate themselves repeatedly from the so called “NSBM”. The group kept busy composing material for their first full-length album, but a studio date already scheduled for 1998 did not come into being. The recordings did not take place until August 2000 when Dark Fortress entered Klangschmiede Studio E and with producer Markus Stock completed one of the strongest melodic yet viciously aggressive black/death debuts ever to emerge from Germany: “Tales From Eternal Dusk”.

The “second” line-up:

Due to internal conflicts drummer Charon and guitarist Crom left the band short after the recordings of “Tales from Eternal Dusk” and where finally replaced by Seraph and V. Santura. Together with bassist Draug, who had joined the group short before, Dark Fortress’ new line-up (consisting of Seraph on drums, Asvargr and V. Santura on guitar, vocalist Azathoth, Draug on bass and keyboardist Paymon) set forth for a new era in the history of the band which proved to result in a series of highly acclaimed records and concerts. The group signed a deal with the US underground label Red Stream Records releasing the debut album and Dark Fortress’ second album “Profane Genocidal Creations”, which was produced in the famous Grieghallen Studios in Bergen, Norway. With a stable line-up more live shows and festival appearances ensued seeing DARK FORTRESS share stage with such outstanding extreme metal acts like Behemoth, Impaled Nazarene, Pungent Stench, God Dethroned as well as countless underground acts and thus establishing the sextet further as a band that dares to evolve without betraying its roots. The hitherto musical peak of their career then hit the metal scene with the 2004 released, for the first time by guitarist V. Santura produced, “Stab Wounds” (Black Attakk). Crowned by a gloomy artwork by well-known artist Travis Smith (Opeth, Nevermore, Anathema, Death) “Stab Wounds” was overwhelmingly positive received not only by the band’s underground following but also mainstream metal press, e.g. German Rock Hard praised it as “too good, too original and heavy to be ignored. Simply the best German black metal has to offer!”. “Stab Wounds” also opened the door to Century Media records, who offered the band a long term deal over 4 records. Séance was the next step to establish DARK FORTRESS not only as one of Germany’s most hopeful black metal acts, but as one that does not have to fear the international competition. The Century Media label debut is still considered as being one of the darkest and abysmal recordings of the band’s entire discography. Although being on the first peak of their career having fantastic shows with scene-heroes like Celtic Frost and Satyricon, canceled tours and diverse obstacles lead to discontentedness withing the group which finally resulted in the departure of vocalist Azathoth in May 2007.

The Presence:

Three months later the band decided to go with an old acquaintance of theirs: Morean, a freelance composer and guitarist of the progressive death/thrashers Noneuclid. Already having spent time with V. Santura and Seraph for several years in Noneuclid, he also appeared on “Séance” as the composer of the piece “Incide” and the arranger of the string section used in the song “While They Sleep”. The decision was based on his immense musical and vocal abilities, his charisma and his dedication to extreme and dark music. The multi-talented Morean was also responsible for the lyrical concept of “Eidolon”, the fifth studio album of Dark Fortress. “Eidolon” appeared to be, together with the newest records “Ylem” and “Venereal Dawn”, the most successful album in the band’s history. 2010’s album”Ylem” showed the band from a more versatile side, playing with lots of different moods and tempos from high speed songs like the opening- and title track “Ylem” to abysmally slow and heavy mammoths like “The Valley”, also featuring progressive elements (“Redivider”) and almost balladic moments on songs like “Evenfall” or “Wraith”. “Ylem” was endowed by a 3 weeks European tour in December 2009 supporting Satyricon and Shining (Swe) short before the album release and a shorter European headlining tour in February 2010 with Serpentcult, Farsot and Sardonis. More festival shows and a tour with Nachtmystium in April 2012 followed, but it took the band 4 years to complete their 2014 opus “Venereal Dawn”. “Venereal Dawn” might be the most epic and progressive album in Dark Fortress’ history featuring a complex and compelling lyrical concept. Short before the release of “Venereal Dawn” long time keyboarder Paymon decided to leave the band after 16 years citing personal reasons. In 2016 new keyboarder Phenex who had played live with the band already since 2012 joined as full member. Supporting the release of “Venereal Dawn” Dark Fortress played a successful European tour with Co-Headliners Secrets of the Moon and Schammasch as well as various selected prestigious festivals such as Hellfest in France or Party.San Festival in Germany among others.

2020 will finally see the release of the long awaited 8th studio album “Spectres from the Old World” which will be released worldwide via Century Media records on February 28th.

Official Webshop

• ©2024 Dark Fortress
• Site Notice
• Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

news: ASINHELL share „PYROMANTIC SCRYER“-Video/Clip

news: OCTOPLOID – UNVEIL MUSIC VIDEO FOR FIRST DIGITAL SINGLE, ‚HUMAN AMORAL [FEAT. TOMI JOUTSEN]

news: COGNITIVE – Technical Death Metal Architects Unleash „A Pact Unholy“ Video/Single

news: RAGE veröffentlicht heute eine neue Single inkl. Lyric Video „Toxic Waves (Single Edit)“, Tourbeginnn am 30.4.

News: dark fortress announce their final tour in 2023.

Venerated DARK FORTRESS are calling it quits – but not before bringing their unique, darkened version of black metal

Venerated DARK FORTRESS are calling it quits – but not before bringing their unique, darkened version of black metal to European stages for one last tour. Please find their full statement underneath:

„ We are hereby announcing the end of DARK FORTRESS. This has been coming for a while, and it’s been an extremely hard decision. But since we did not want to simply let the band fall apart, we decided to end DARK FORTRESS with a bang, properly and in dignity, something that we owe not only to our fans and to all the people who have supported us for over two decades, but something that we also owe to ourselves. So we are proudly announcing our final tour together with Co-Headliners The Spirit and special guests Asphagor. Come and let’s celebrate one more time. This will be your last chance to see DARK FORTRESS live. „

DARK FORTRESS, The Spirit & Asphagor “THE COSMIC END TOUR 2023”: 03.05.23 Saarbrücken – Garage 04.05.23 (CH) Aarau – Kiff 05.05.23 (FR) Paris – Backstage 06.05.23 (BE) Gent – Asgaard 07.05.23 (UK) London – Boston Music Room 08.05.23 (NL) Rotterdam – Baroeg 09.05.23 Bochum – Matrix 10.05.23 Berlin – Hole 44 11.05.23  Leipzig – Hellraiser 12.05.23 (PL) Poznań – U Bazyla 13.05.23 (AT) Wien – Viper Room 14.05.23 München – Backstage Tickets:  https://lnk.to/DARKFORTRESS23

Mit dem Laden des Videos akzeptieren Sie die Datenschutzerklärung von YouTube. Mehr erfahren

Video laden

YouTube immer entsperren

Quelle & ©: Head of PR//Century Media

news: World-Famous Tribute Icons TRAGEDY to Release New Album, „I Am Woman“, out March 3, 2023

news: Prophecy Fest announce 2023 festival in Balve

Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock

Dark Fortress to disband after final tour with The Spirit in spring 2023

For over 26 years,  Dark Fortress  have been one of the major institutions of the German black metal scene. May it be with their timeless classic “Stab Wounds” from 2004, the multidimensional concept album “Séance” or their latest and final “Spectres From The Old World” from 2020,  Dark Fortress  have left an unforgettable mark on their genre, but will now close this chapter of their life.

The band states:

“We are hereby announcing the end of  Dark Fortress . This has been coming for a while, and it’s been an extremely hard decision. But since we did not want to simply let the band fall apart, we decided to end  Dark Fortress  with a bang, properly and in dignity, something that we owe not only to our fans and to all the people who have supported us for over two decades, but something that we also owe to ourselves. So, we are proudly announcing our final tour together with Co-Headliners  The Spirit  and special guests  Asphagor . Come and let’s celebrate one more time. This will be your last chance to see Dark Fortress live.”

For this co-headline tour,  Dark Fortress  will join forces with none less than  The Spirit , who recently released their third album “Of Clarity And Galactic Structures” and can’t wait to embark on this tour and spread their Cosmic Terror over Europe.   Frontman Matthias Trautes adds:

“We’re honoured to join our friends of Dark Fortress on their final tour. This is going to be a very special one. Besides playing next to one of the biggest German black-metal bands on their final run, we are looking forward to finally do the first proper tour for our latest album ‘Of Clarity and Galactic Structures’. You can expect songs from all our albums including some we have never played before or just very rarely in the last years. See you in May!”

Joining as a special guest will be  Asphagor  from Austria, who will release their new album in early 2023.

Tickets are now available here .

You can check out the tour dates below:

DARK FORTRESS + THE SPIRIT support:  ASPHAGOR 03.05.2023 Saarbrücken, DE – Garage 04.05.2023 Aarau, CH – Kiff 05.05.2023 Paris, FR – Backstage 06.05.2023 Gent, BE – Asgaard 07.05.2023 London, UK – Boston Music Room 08.05.2023 Rotterdam, NL – Baroeg 09.05.2023 Bochum, DE – Matrix 10.05.2023 Berlin, DE – Hole 44 11.05.2023 Leipzig, DE – Hellraiser 12.05.2023 Poznan, PL – Klub u Bazyla 13.05.2023 Wien, AT – Viper Room 14.05.2023 München, DE – Backstage

The Spirit announce new album “Of Clarity And Galactic Structures”

Two years after their sophomore “Cosmic Terror”, Germany’s The Spirit once again delve into the vast nothingness of the universe, while capturing the fear of the unknown and humanity’s insignificance within our cosmos in their sound. On their upcoming third offering, “Of Clarity and Galactic Structures”, out on April 1st via AOP Records, the duo, consisting of Matthias Trautes (vocals, guitars, bass)...

“No boundaries – is a promise I gave to myself, so if I wanna go hooky or brutal – I do it” – Interview with Peter Tägtgren of Pain

Peter Tägtgren can no doubt be considered a legendary and iconic figure in metal music, equally well-known both for his own current and former successful multi-faceted projects Hypocrisy, Pain and Lindemann and his work as a music producer. On the 17th of May this year Pain release a new album “I AM” via Nuclear Blast....

Korpiklaani and Nanowar Of Steel announced as headliners in Italy at Metal For Emergency

Folk metal superstars Korpiklaani will be headlining the first night of Metal For Emergency 2024 at Filagosto in Filago (BG) in support of their new album ” Rankarumpu” released on April 5th by Nuclear Blast Records. The well-known festival of the genre is now in its 11th edition, pre-sales from now available on the official...

KK’S Priest announces first European headline tour and massive festival shows this summer

KK’S Priest – featuring Judas Priest alumni K.K. Downing (guitar) and Tim “Ripper” Owens (vocals) – are set to launch their very first European headline tour. Joining them will be special guests including Burning Witches, Xandria, DIETH and Tailgunner. Additionally, the band will perform live at major European festivals, including the legendary Wacken Open Air, for...

Deicide new video drop ‘From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall’; 13th album “Banished By Sin” out now

Deicide announce the launch of their intense new single, ‘From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall,’ which is released alongside a emotionally disturbing and deeply graphic music video. This debut aligns with the release of their powerful new album, “Banished By Sin”(RPM), now accessible on all major platforms and in stores.‘From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall’ showcases Deicide‘s masterful blend of thunderous...

Lucifer release the single ‘I Would Follow You Babe’ feat. Graveyard’s Joakim Nilsson

Heavy rock megalith Lucifer has teamed up with Graveyard’s Joakim Nilsson to record an English cover version of Polish rock evergreen ‘Poszlabym za toba‘ by the band Breakout, which was originally released in 1969. The song ‘I Would Follow You Babe‘ will serve as the official festival anthem of MYSTIC FESTIVAL 2024, Poland’s biggest metal festival, which is located at the scenic shipyard...

Rage Behind claim ‘The Reign’ with new digital single

Restless French groove/nu-metal thrash monsters Rage Behind remain on the screen of the heavy music program as they deliver yet another meaningful song to the masses today. The track titled ‘The Reign’ is nothing but a shout-out to the suppressed, to the forsaken, to the voiceless. The quintet stand up and and do what they do best once again:...

Embrace the shadow within Milan – photo report of Crypta at the Legend Club

This is the story of Crypta‘s triumphant conquest of the Legend Club in Milan, a night where the boundaries of metal were pushed to their limits and beyond. The iconic group has unleashed upon the city and the audience a powerful enchantment, where everyone present was left wanting more. The “Shades of Sorrow” European tour...

Hi, what are you looking for?

Metal Injection

• New Albums Out This Week
• Top Tracks Of The Week
• Top Stories Of The Week
• Upcoming Releases
• Funny Stories
• Photo Gallery
• Latest Videos Listing

Music Videos

• Metal Injection Exclusives

Live Footage

• Funny Videos
• Slay At Home
• ASK THE ARTIST
• Kids In Metal
• Mashups & Covers
• Rockumentary
• View All Channels
• Apple Playlists
• Spotify Playlists
• Los Angeles

dark fortress

Latest dark fortress news.

Breakups & Shakeups

Dark fortress breaking up, announces final tour.

Thanks for the riffs, guys.

10 Amazing German Bands You Might Not Know 

There is more to the German music scene than Rammstein, Accept, Oomph!, Lindemann, Doro, Scorpions, and Megaherz. Metal fans will remember Kreator and Sodom...

Maryland Deathfest 2020 "Will Most Definitely Be Postponed"

"At this point, it should be pretty obvious why that is necessary."

Latest dark fortress Music Videos

DARK FORTRESS Ylem video

DARK FORTRESS – Ylem (OFFICIAL VIDEO). Taken from the album "Ylem". Century Media 2010.

All dark fortress Posts

DARK FORTRESS Churns Out Blackened Riffs On New Song "The Spider In The Web"

Plus the visualizer does a great job capturing the gross feeling of the song.

DARK FORTRESS Remasters "When 1000 Crypts Awake" Into A Blistering Black Metal Opus

German melodic black metallers Dark Fortress have remastered their 2004 album Stab Wounds, which will be reissued Nov. 22 via Century Media. In anticipation, the...

VIO-LENCE, CANCER, NOVEMBERS DOOM, MASSACRE & More Added To Maryland Deathfest 2020

Cadaver, Impaled, Nunslaughter, Putrid Pile, Malignant Altar, Necrofier, Cloud Rat, etc.

Morphing The Particles of Death Metal: An interview with ALKALOID Frontman Morean

A death metal supergroup comprised of current and ex-members of bands like Obscura, Necrophagist, Aborted and Dark Fortress sounds too good to be true....

ALKALOID (ex-Obscura, Aborted, Dark Fortress) Will Stomp Your Face in With Their New Album

Headbanging to this one is not optional.

Weekly Injection

The weekly injection: new releases from yob, the haunted, and more out today – 9/2.

Hey you butts! Here's some new metal! This edition includes some Swedish stuff, some stuff from the Pacific Northwest and more! To the metals...

The FiX #110 – Black Metal History Month 2014

The Black Metal History Month edition of The Fix featuring videos from Gorgoroth, Watain, Marduk, Dark Funeral, Emperor, Anaal Nathrakh, Immortal, Darkthrone, Cradle of...

Latest News

Slipknot debuts new masks & new drummer live.

MÖTLEY CRÜE's New Single "Dogs Of War" Sure Is A New MÖTLEY CRÜE Single

SMASHING PUMPKINS Introduces New Guitarist KIKI WONG

Watch SLIPKNOT's Entire Californian Club Show From The Front Row

Weekend Poll: What Was The Best Release Of 1984?

JOEL OMANS Quits RINGS OF SATURN

11 Reunion Albums That Absolutely Rule

• Statistics Stats
• You are here:

Dark Fortress

Dark fortress concert setlists & tour dates, dark fortress at backstage halle, munich, germany.

• The Silver Gate
• Self Mutilation
• Pulling at Threads
• Crimson Tears
• To Harvest the Artefacts of Mockery
• Edit setlist songs
• Edit venue & date
• Edit set times
• Add to festival
• Report setlist

Dark Fortress at Viper Room, Vienna, Austria

Dark fortress at hellraiser, leipzig, germany, dark fortress at hole 44, berlin, germany, dark fortress at matrix, bochum, germany, dark fortress at baroeg, rotterdam, netherlands, dark fortress at boston music room, london, england, dark fortress at jeugdhuis asgaard, sint-amandsberg, belgium, dark fortress at backstage by the mill, paris, france, dark fortress at kiff, aarau, switzerland.

More from this Artist

• Artist Statistics
• Add setlist

Most played songs

• Baphomet ( 37 )
• The Valley ( 26 )
• Catawomb ( 25 )
• The Silver Gate ( 24 )
• Chrysalis ( 23 )

More Dark Fortress statistics

Nobody has covered a song of Dark Fortress yet. Have you seen someone covering Dark Fortress? Add or edit the setlist and help improving our statistics!

Artists covered

Emperor Unanimated

View artists covered statistics

Gigs seen live by

161 people have seen Dark Fortress live.

KeeperOf7Weizen CoTrainer60 aaaaaeeeeiiioou AngryFudge MetalheadBY kiessmann grufti MHMT Goatfinger LMTR14 mrsMetal WET-photo Kini Udo_Pichel maab PeeDee 666below reinoudw Jerryeidolon JFH65 Annwvyn nenyae eurocky OnlyDeathIsReal Deathliger Frankie_Snow Dridri mamietromblon Modeste gh_andrade flyngvggmnstr McHeebler DeadWorldMan Akacz213 nvolain zombieritual87 Bloodlust_Rcrds riderattheg8 Egrave hvymtlmom justinmcclendon yuletide yedorchris Machfive CaughtOnTape Evil_Carrot kathez eviltiminc Reinwolf ArbeinDave

Showing only 50 most recent

Dark Fortress on the web

Music links.

• Dark Fortress Lyrics (de)
• Official Homepage

Tour Update

Marquee memories: alien ant farm.

• Alien Ant Farm
• Apr 25, 2024
• Apr 24, 2024
• Apr 23, 2024
• Apr 22, 2024
• Apr 21, 2024
• Apr 20, 2024
• FAQ | Help | About
• Terms of Service
• Ad Choices | Privacy Policy
• Feature requests
• Songtexte.com

Dark Fortress Interview

The German black metal band Dark Fortress are issuing their eighth studio album Spectres From The Old World . Their first record in more than five years was produced by guitarist V. Santura (Triptykon). Santura and vocalist Morean fill us in on the new album, tour plans and other subjects.

Chad Bowar: What led to the five plus year gap between albums? V. Santura: Actually I was very inspired to write music for a new album starting in 2015. In this year I simply happened to have a lot of new ideas. They just came by , totally naturally, without forcing anything. I had an amazing flow. Within a few months, I already had the basic ideas for 2/3 of the album ready. Despite the inspiration of coming up with new songs I didn’t feel inspired to record these songs, though. I am running my own recording and mixing studio and work constantly with other bands and artists. So, after 8-10 hours already spent in the studio, if I ask myself “what do I wanna do now” I usually don’t think “yeah, I wanna spend more time in studio, doing exactly what I just did for 10 hours.” I still like to play guitar or be creative. So when I wrote music, I just recorded some memos on my smart phone, so I wouldn’t forget my ideas and just kept spinning those ideas in my head. That went on for two years. It became a burden. At some point our new keyboarder Phenex kicked my ass. He booked flights and came to my studio for 10 days, so I finally had a reason to sit down and record demos for all those song ideas I had been spinning in my head.

But yeah, because of that we somehow lost two years. I really need to be able to dive deeply into our cosmos and I can’t just do that in between two projects. I needed some time to focus exclusively on this album and do nothing else besides it. It wasn’t so easy this time. After I had the demos for the first 6 or 7 songs recorded with Phenex in late 2017, that resulted in another boost of creativity and the music was pretty much completed a few months later, somewhere in spring 2018. Then give it another few months until you can really record the album and get everyone’s schedules working and it is early 2019. Then you record and produce the album… yadda yadda… get the PR machinery working and almost another year has passed. Now here we are, with a new album. It was a hell of a ride getting there. I don’t know if I have the will in me to pull this off another time, (laughs) but I love this album and I am proud as hell of it!

Was there anything unique about the songwriting process for Spectres From The Old World compared to previous Dark Fortress albums? V. Santura: As I just mentioned, I actually had this period of a deep profound creativity. It started when I had the ideas for the opening song(s), which later became “Nascence” and “Coalescence.” I perceive those songs as one bigger song, by the way. We just wanted to divide this song as an intro and the main song, so it became two titles on the album. This song just happened. I was basically just playing guitar and had some recording device running and then the riffs just streamed out. When this happened I was totally high on adrenaline. The riffs had such an icy, dark and intense energy!

This song set the tone for the whole album and served as the big main inspiration for what came later. Most of the album was written chronologically, always having the bigger picture of the album in mind. So, after “Coalescence” was finished I asked myself, “OK, Coalescence ends like this… so how should the next song start? Which vibe, which groove does it need?” The inspiration always came from this. So, you could say, that there was a design plan because every other song had been written considering the album context and considering the previous song.

Of course, at some point, everybody brought their contributions to the album. The last full song, “Swan Song” was written by Asvargr and the outro piece “Nox Irae” was something that we wrote together in the studio. What was different in the songwriting process to previous albums? Maybe that the inspiration came very easy and naturally this time. Considering the fact that it took us more than 5 years to deliver a new album this answer might come as a surprise, but I still perceive it like that. Venereal Dawn , Ylem and Eidolon all were harder work when it comes to the process of actually getting ideas for compositions that sparked my fire. The last time I felt like this was when we wrote Séance .

What will be your strongest memory of the recording of the album? V. Santura: For me, the strongest memory might be when I had those first ideas for the opening track and that insane enthusiasm I felt in that moment. Besides that, nothing in particular. A recording session always becomes one big blur. Maybe when we finally nailed the vocals for the chorus of “In Deepest Time.” This was one of the most difficult tasks and now I love it.

Are there any disadvantages to producing an album yourselves? V. Santura: Well, you just have to make sure not to lose your mind. If you are lucky and manage to do so, I see the advantages weigh way more than the disadvantages. When I write the music I hear it in my head and when I produce it myself I have the control to work on it until it finally sounds like I always heard it in my head and until it evokes the exact emotions I wanted to evoke in the first place.

How has the band’s sound evolved from Venereal Dawn ? V. Santura: Maybe it even “revolved” back a bit to the Séance/Eidolon period. But we don’t repeat ourselves too much and always want to create something new and something that is relevant for us now. Venereal Dawn was for sure our most “progressive” album, Spectres From The Old World is more aggressive and compact. I think the album has a great flow and balance.

What inspired the lyrics for this one? Morean: The main inspiration to me was the spectacular raw geology of Earth’s polar and sub-polar regions, which makes you feel as if you’re guest on a prehistoric, almost virginal planet. It makes me want to find out how these cathedrals of rock and ice were created, and what those underlying physical processes would look like when taken to their extremes. This led me to current ideas of cosmology and the creation and death of a universe, and that’s where those concepts of string theory, thermodynamics, black holes, etc. gave me a fantastic canvas of speculations into the unknown. I could tie that into where our last album left off, with beings transformed into pure light getting reborn into 11 dimensions in a new universe. The underlying question was, “what if the universe itself had a voice and could comment on what goes on inside it.” Quite a stew to digest, I know, but where inspiration falls, no grass will grow…

What are your goals for the album? V. Santura: Apart from winning a Grammy? I don’t know. If there are a few people out there that can really connect with the music and if it moves something deep within them, we truly have achieved something. This album is not a product. It comes from deep within.

How much attention do you pay to reviews? Morean: Not too much. You’d go insane as an artist. It’s of course important to see that the world at large doesn’t hate what you made, and we’ve been pretty spoiled with largely very good reviews for our albums. Even a bad review can be useful if it puts the finger on a sore spot. That’s rather the exception, however; sometimes you read more about what the reviewer was expecting to hear than what they actually heard. Then, what they say doesn’t have too much relevance anymore. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but we don’t necessarily have to hear it.

What are your upcoming tour plans? V. Santura: First, we are playing a handful of album release shows in Europe at the end of March. Then, renowned Inferno Festival in April in Norway. And if God wills – that means if our U.S. visas are granted – we will finally come to the U.S.! Another EU headlining tour in October and several summer festivals are in the making, too.

Are you looking forward to playing a couple of shows in the U.S.? V. Santura: Yes, very much! We are in fact super excited about this. I had the chance to tour the U.S. back in 2007 with Celtic Frost supporting Type O Negative and then in 2010 with Triptykon and later a few single shows. I am very happy we can finally make it over with Dark Fortress. We are playing Maryland Deathfest in May, California Deathfest in June and as it seems there will also be a couple of additional shows with Sweden’s Naglfar on the West Coast.

Where else haven’t you played live that you’d still like to get to? V. Santura: For me, top of the list might be Mexico City. According to our social media statistics there is no other place in the world where we have more fans. Maybe those statistics are just BS, but I know that the crowd in Mexico is amazing anyways.

What’s the most memorable attraction/museum/tourist site you’ve visited while on the road? V. Santura: Being able to travel so much due to being a musician is a huge privilege and I am very grateful for that! The most significant places I’ve been to are Iceland (mind-blowing nature), Tokyo (mind-blowing architecture and vibe), New York on top of the Empire State Building (mind blowing view)!

Morean: I’d have to say seeing Rainbow live in concert on the Rock the Coast festival in Fuengirola in Spain last year, when I played there with Alkaloid. Not a museum in the classic sense, I know, but since you rarely get to see more than highways and backstage rooms when you’re out playing, you gotta take what you can.

Are there any Dark Fortress albums that were overlooked or underrated when released, but in retrospect have held up well? V. Santura: I think Séance did not get the attention it deserved, at least in the U.S., but it is an essential album of Dark Fortress.

What are some of your non-musical interests/hobbies? V. Santura: Nature, mountaineering, hiking. Life itself, trying to understand why people are what they are and why they do what they do. Cultures and the differences between cultures and the problems that come with it and the things cultures have in common.

Morean: Hiking, cooking, and failing to understand complicated scientific concepts.

What is your most prized possession (not including family or pets)? Morean: I’d have to say my memories, and the people I know everywhere.

V. Santura: Morean just gave the perfect answer! To go back to the purely materialistic aspect of the question: my pre-amps in the studio and my mic locker.

What’s currently in your heavy musical rotation? V. Santura: A lot of Alice In Chains, Depeche Mode’s “Playing the Angel”, lot of Nevermore (one of my favorite bands of all time) and some guilty pleasures I am not going to mention here.

Anything else you’d like to mention or promote? V. Santura: The Celtic Frost/Triptykon Requiem is scheduled for a release in May and I am very stoked about it. I joined a new band called Rootbrain, from Seattle in Finland. We play some badass “black grunge.” I can’t wait to finally release our debut album Breakwater . But this will still take a couple of months.

(interview published February 28, 2020)

Share this:

You may also like.

Obscura Interview

Winterfylleth Interview

Michael Abdow Interview

Leave a reply cancel reply.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Other Music News
• Live Music News
• Webzine News
• Artists A-E
• Artists F-J
• Artists K-O
• Artists P-T
• Artists U-Z
• Parties Germany
• Parties Europe
• Parties Rest of the World
• In my own Words
• Specials 2024
• Specials 2023
• Specials 2022
• Specials 2021
• Specials 2020
• Specials 2019
• Specials 2018
• Specials 2017
• Specials 2016
• Specials 2015
• Specials 2014
• Specials 2013
• Specials 2012
• Specials 2011
• Specials 2010
• Specials 2009
• Specials 2008
• Specials 2007
• Specials 2006
• Specials 2005
• Concert Photos
• Festival Photos
• Recruitment
• Promo Policy
• Imprint & Disclaimer

Latest Reviews & Interviews

• Live Review: David Garrett Trio - Hannover 2024
• Live Review: Depeche Mode - Cologne 2024
• Live Review: Scooter - Dortmund 2024
• Interview: Sweet Ermengarde - April 2024
• Gallery: Depeche Mode - Cologne 2024
• Live Review: Die 80er live - Gelsenkirchen 2024
• Live Review: Impericon Festival - Oberhausen 2024
• CD Review: Garbage - Bleed Like Me (2024 Deluxe Expanded Remastered Edition)
• Interview: Hiroszyma - March 2024
• Interview: Buzz Kull - March 2024
• Live Review: Neuroticfish - Hanover 2024
• Interview: She Past Away - March 2024
• Gallery: Enslaved - Leipzig 2024
• Interview: Then Comes Silence - March 2024
• Live Review: Kielectric 2024 - Kiel 2024
• Live Review: Madsen - Münster 2024
• Interview: Aaron Van Wonterghem - March 2024
• CD Review: Greyhawk - Thunderheart
• CD Review: FKÜ - The Horror And The Metal
• Live Review: Pothead - Jena 2024
• Interview: Vaselyne - February 2024
• Gallery: Idles - Esch sur Alzette 2024
• Live Review: Rick Astley - Berlin 2024
• Interview: Czarina - March 2024
• Live Review: E-tropolis Festival - Oberhausen 2024

Latest News

• DIARY OF DREAMS - “Under a timeless spell” new album with Leipzig Philharmonic
• LINKIN PARK - Greatest Hits album ‘Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023)’ out now!
• E-TROPOLIS FESTIVAL 2025 - Solar Fake, Rotersand, Empathy Test & more bands confirmed!
• Hurricane and Southside 2024 - The line-ups are final
• ISAAC HOWLETT - Debut solo single by frontman of UK synth-pop act EMPATHY TEST out 28.02.2024 & tour March & April 2024
• APOCALYPTICA - Announces a new tribute to Metallica “Apocalyptica plays Metallica, vol. 2“
• EISBRECHER - Noel Pix leaves the Band
• THEN COMES SILENCE - Swedish post-punk trio to release ‘Ride or Die’ single.
• FOR I AM - To release brand-new Single "Power Behind The Throne"
• GARBAGE - Announces details for the expanded re-release of “Bleed Like Me” on April 5, 2024 via Stunvolume/BMG.
• THE CASSANDRA COMPLEX - Announces “Death & Sex” Album
• COMBICHRIST - Official music video “Planet Doom” on February 8th, 2024
• EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN - New album “RAMPEN (apm: alien pop music)” on April 5, 2024 & Tour in the fall
• XMAL DEUTSCHLAND - New releases including “Early Singles 1981-1982”
• PLAGE NOIRE 2024 - Line-up complete!
• WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN 2024 - ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN and more confirmed
• AMPHI FESTIVAL 2024 - Line-up complete, day tickets available!
• WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN 2024 - First bands confirmed including NITZER EBB
• HURRICANE UND SOUTHSIDE 2024 - 28 new acts confirmed!
• PLACEBO - Live video “Try Better Next Time”, Live Box Set on December 15th, 2023!
• HIGHFIELD FESTIVAL 2024 - 17 new acts confirmed including Macklemore and Marsimoto
• M‘ERA LUNA FESTIVAL 2024 - The line-up is complete!
• PLAGE NOIRE 2024 - First acts confirmed
• ALICE COOPER - Summer 2024 European tour dates with six German shows
• LORD OF THE LOST - Announces Covers Album, “Weapons Of Mass Seduction”, out December 29, 2023

Preview DARK FORTRESS - Leipzig 2023-05-11

• Hellraiser Leipzig
• Dark Fortress

“We hereby announce the end of DARK FORTRESS. It has been around for a while and it was an extremely difficult decision. But since we didn’t want to just let the band fall apart, we decided to end DARK FORTRESS with a bang, properly and with dignity, something we owe not only to our fans and all the people who have supported us for over two decades, but also to ourselves special guests ASPHAGOR. Come and let’s celebrate one last time. This will be your last chance to see DARK FORTRESS live.” With THE SPIRIT and ASPHAGOR the band also takes two excellent support bands with them on tour. All information about the date can be found on the Hellraiser pages. Additional Concert Info Doors: 18:30 Start: 19:15 Tickets: can be bought for 26.90 + charges (pre-sale) via Eventim Info: https://hellraiser-leipzig.de/produkt/ticket-dark-fortress/ Bands: https://darkfortress.org / https://thespirit.bigcartel.com / https://asphagor.bandcamp.com/ Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/518622086956519

See also (all categories):

• CD Review: Spiritual Bat, The - Mission:Create - 16/03/2022 11:28
• Special: Corona Quarantine Live: Online shows during the lockdown - May 2020 - 04/06/2020 11:27
• CD Review: Spirit Cabinet, The - Bloodlines - 25/05/2020 12:50
• Gallery: Kataklysm - Dresden 2018 - 19/11/2018 15:56
• CD Review: Dark Fortress - Venereal Dawn - 26/08/2014 15:44
• Live Review: Gotham Sounds Festival - Hilden 2014 (Day 1) - 09/05/2014 10:47
• Live Review: Wave Gotik Treffen - Leipzig 2012 (Day 2) - 22/06/2012 10:01
• Dark Fortress - Ylem - 19/01/2010 14:45
• Satyricon - Frankfurt/Main 2009 - 22/12/2009 12:22
• Ragnarök Festival - Lichtenfels 2009 (Day 2) - 15/05/2009 12:36
• Fear Dark Festival – Stuttgart 2006 - 01/07/2006 21:23

Comments powered by CComment

Latest Previews

• Preview LAIBACH - Dresden 2024-05-26
• Preview BOB SINCLAR - Esch-Sur-Alzette 2024-05-07
• Preview TRAVIS - Cologne 2024-09-03
• Preview M’ERA LUNA Festival - Hildesheim 2024
• Preview TENACIOUS D - Esch sur Alzette 2024-05-03
• Preview FOLKFIELD FESTIVAL - Gelsenkirchen 2024
• Preview THE SMILE - Cologne 2024-06-09
• Preview BRUCE DICKINSON - Cologne 2024-07-09
• Preview THE CULT - Cologne 2024-08-04
• Preview NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS - Oberhausen 2024-09-24
• Preview ROCK IMPERIUM FESTIVAL - Cartagena 2024
• Preview AMPHI FESTIVAL - Cologne 2024
• Preview ECHOES OF REBELLION 2024 - Cologne 2024-07-26
• Preview STICK TO YOUR GUNS - Düsseldorf 2024-05-08
• Preview SLASH - Esch sur Alzette 2024-04-26
• Preview MR. BIG - Esch sur Alzette 2024-04-15
• Preview SIMPLE MINDS - Esch sur Alzette 2024-04-02
• Preview WAVE GOTIK TREFFEN 31 - Leipzig 2024
• Preview VERSENGOLD - Leipzig 2024-04-20
• Preview FEUERSCWANZ - Dresden 2024-04-13

Latest Raffles

• Raffle: HURRICANE & SOUTHSIDE FESTIVAL 2020 - Win Festival Goodies
• Raffle: Win Tickets for JO QUAIL in Germany 2020
• Raffle: Win Tickets for Hatari

Buy Music & Merch!

Search Event Tickets

• Forgot your password?
• Forgot your username?
• Create an account

Dark Fortress – The Cosmic End Tour 2023

• Dark Fortress (Headliner)

Dark Fortress – The Cosmic End Tour 2023 Tourdaten

• Diesen Artikel teilen

Interessante Alben finden

Auf der Suche nach neuer Mucke? Durchsuche unser Review-Archiv mit aktuell 36677 Reviews und lass Dich inspirieren!

• Black Metal Black Metal
• Death Metal Death Metal
• Doom Metal Doom Metal
• Gothic / Darkwave Gothic / Darkwave
• Gothic Metal / Mittelalter Gothic Metal / Mittelalter
• Hardcore / Grindcore Hardcore / Grindcore
• Heavy Metal Heavy Metal
• Industrial / Electronic Industrial / Electronic
• Modern Metal Modern Metal
• Off Topic Off Topic
• Pagan / Viking Metal Pagan / Viking Metal
• Post-Rock/Metal Post-Rock/Metal
• Progressive Rock/Metal Progressive Rock/Metal
• Sonstige Sonstige
• Thrash Metal Thrash Metal

Die Wiederauferstehung der alten Recken!

Schwarze Musik im Bauernstadl kann so schön sein!

DÖDSRIT waren nie besser als auf ihrem aktuellen, vierten Album "Nocturnal Will".

Aktuelle Reviews

Neue artikel.

DARK FORTRESS

+ the spirit + asphagor.

• Datum 10.05.2023
• Start 19:30
• Einlass 19:00
• VVK 25,00 zzgl. Gebühren
• Abendkasse 30,00
• Artist Website https://www.thedarkfortress.co.uk/

Formed in the Bavarian foothills when the second wave of black metal had grotesquely clawed out of the grave and into the unforgiving light, DARK FORTRESS benefitted from the rotten fruits of right place and right time. Like their black metal peers across Europe, the Germans were a product of a historically mystical environment—imbued consciously or not—and a ritualistically inspired musical movement, and fans, eager to experience their otherworldly din, poured unwavering praise on debut album, “Tales from Eternal Dusk”.

For the past two decades, DARK FORTRESS have gone from strength to strength. Across six full-lengths, the Landshut-based sextet stretched the boundaries of black metal, while remaining pure to the tenets of a genre that pivoted (and continues to do so) solely around the axis of the dark and all that resides hideously inside of it.

Despite spirited attempts throughout the aughts to plague mankind, Venereal Dawn took four grueling years to unfurl out of DARK FORTRESS. The group’s seventh full-length is both a continuation and discontinuation of predecessor “Ylem”. On the grimy skin of things, it’s very much recognizable as DARK FORTRESS. As with previous full-lengths, there is no middle ground on “Venereal Dawn”. There is no compromise. But there’s uncharted territory on display as well. In DARK FORTRESS’s none-blacker hearts, they’ve branched out, explored, and come back from their journey changed men. “The band was in an involuntary coma,” Morean reveals. “But in the background, a lot has been going on with all of us. We’re in a different stage of our lives now—career changes, procreation, different priorities and obligations… A while back, we had almost reached a breaking point. We were not moving forward in the way we all would have liked to, and despite putting a lot of time and effort into ‘Ylem’ and the touring after and getting great response, it felt as if we were treading water, which can be frustrating after all these years of working so hard. But we decided that we’re not ready to call it quits despite all that.”

“After writing the songs for ‘Ylem’ I was on fire and I felt like I just wanted to continue writing more music right away,” adds V. Santura, who also moonlights heavily in labelmates Triptykon. “But unfortunately that was not possible. The actual studio work, the promotion afterward, and all the business stuff always tears me out of the creative flow. And then it is hard to get back in. On top of that, Triptykon’s debut ‘Eparistera Daimones’ was written, produced and also released almost simultaneously with Ylem. I had my personal breakthrough in December 2012, where I finally got the first great ideas for the album.” And great ideas they are. Songs like opener “Venereal Dawn” and “On Fever’s Wings” vampirically consume time across their 11-minute frames. One minute DARK FORTRESS are soloing brilliantly, the next they’re taking the tempo through an ancient cemetery. But they’re over in a flash, however. Elsewhere, the Germans captivate.

“I Am the Jigsaw of a Mad God” is arguably one of the centerpieces of “Venereal Dawn”. Perched at the album’s apex, it’s the perfect midpoint mind-fuck. Then there’s “The Deep”, loose strings resonating unsettingly against a backdrop of spiraling Levantine note combos and hateful screams.

When the percussion kicks in it crescendos evilly, like a cavalcade of undead horsemen marching out of the sands of death. This is DARK FORTRESS’s spell and there’s no escaping from it. But wait until “Venereal Dawn” lyrical concept hits. This isn’t light-weight stuff about Satan spawning crayon demons or tirades against the fictional curses of Abrahamic religions.

No, DARK FORTRESS, like its music, took a different route, opting to spark the gulfs of our imagination. “It centers around the idea of living light,” says Morean.European Release Date: September 1st, 2014 “The confrontation of our world with beings whose body is mere quantum quivering, but who possess sentience, intelligence and a long history. The scenario is that the sun has acquired a new character which deforms and perverts all life on the planet.

The only way people can protect themselves fleetingly is to anoint their skin with living blood. This has brought down civilization. The protagonist is one of those human sacrifices left to be devoured by those beings. Halfway through the album, the focus shifts from the outside world to internal experience. The story of his and mankind’s demise and transfiguration becomes one of deep spiritual upheaval and catharsis, to the backdrop of a grotesque and extremely hostile world.” DARK FORTRESS call black metal “the musical expression of emotional abysses.” Are you prepared to join them in the manifold abysses on “Venereal Dawn”? Yes, we thought so.

Watch CBS News

Animated metal band Dethklok brings tour with Babymetal to the Masonic for two nights

By Dave Pehling

Updated on: April 24, 2024 / 5:39 PM PDT / CBS San Francisco

The popular death metal band led by Brendan Small, the creative force behind popular Adult Swim animated show "Metalocalypse," Dethklok comes to the Masonic in San Francisco for two shows with co-headliners Babymetal.

Arguably the second most popular virtual band behind Gorillaz (the animated group helmed by Blur singer Damon Albarn), Dethklok made their as the stars of "Metalocalypse" when the show created by Small and partner/voice actor Tommy Blancha debuted in 2006. The world biggest death metal band in the program's absurd and surreal alternate universe, Dethklok stands as the planet's seventh largest economy despite the fact that the group's members are idiotic incompetents incapable of doing anything besides writing and performing brutal metal songs.

The quintet of singer Nathan Explosion (who was inspired by Cannibal Corpse vocalist George "Corpsegrinder" Fisher), guitarists Skwisgaar Skwigelf and Toki Wartooth, bassist William Murderface and drummer Pickles live and work in their massive fortress-like home and studio Mordhaus, venturing into the world to secure lucrative sponsorship deals and play huge concerts for their legions of fanatical followers with outlandish stage theatrics like over-the-top pyrotechnics, lasers and a giant swinging pendulum blade, inevitably resulting in widespread death and destruction.

Over the course of four seasons and a special broadcast on Adult Swim, "Metalocalypse" became one of the network's more popular shows and a favorite among musicians, with such notable figures as King Diamond, Alice Cooper, Jon Hamm, Werner Herzog, Jack Black and members of Metallica, Exodus, Emperor and Mastodon appearing on the show. Dethklok further built on its fanbase with a series of studio albums featuring the satirical songs featured the show like "Murmaider," "Bloodrocuted" and "Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle." The band also delivered entertaining live performances with widescreen clips of the animated band projected behind Small and his talented band including monster drummer Gene Hogland (Dark Angel, Death, Strapping Young Lad, Testament, Devin Townsend) and former Frank Zappa collaborator Mike Kenneally on guitar.

Dethklok would make regular festival appearances and tour with the likes of Mastodon, High On Fire, Machine Head and the Black Dahlia Murder. After the broadcast of the hour-long rock opera special, "Metalocalypse: The Doomstar Requiem" in 2013, the band continued to perform, but the project went on hiatus after the show was cancelled two years later.

The band returned to action in 2019, playing the Adult Swim Festival to ecstatic crowds. Dethklok also returned to the festival post-pandemic in 2022. The following year, Smalls was at last able to release the final chapter in the Dethklok story with the film Metalocalypse: Army of the Doomstar , which was accompanied by both a soundtrack and the band issuing its acclaimed fourth studio recording,  Dethalbum IV .

With the show having run its course, the band's current tour could be Dethklok's last hurrah as it takes to the road with previous touring partners and co-headliners Babymetal which stops at the Masonic for two nights starting Wednesday . A sensation in their native Japan since first forming in 2010, the group mixes elements of heavy metal with elements of J-Pop and "kawaii" -- the Japanese "culture of cuteness" as exemplified by Hello Kitty and Pokemon. Singer Suzuka Nakamoto had impressed producer Kobametal (aka Key Kobayashi) in her earlier girl groups Karen Girl's and Sakura Gakuin when he wanted to start a new band performing a heavier style of music.

Initially a successful offshoot of Sakura Gakuin, Babymetal became independent in 2013 and enjoyed growing popularity with the release of their self-titled debut the following year. Featuring Nakamoto along with fellow singers Moa Kikuchi (also a member of Sakura Gakuin) and Yui Mizuno executing synchronized dance moves and melodic vocals backed by a group of shredding metal session players known as the Kami Band, the album delivered a dizzying juxtaposition of sunshine pop and metallic crunch. The band rocketed to success in Japan and were playing sold-out shows to thousands when the girls were still in their teens.

The notoriety in their native land soon led to international touring in Europe and North America, with Babymetal appearing at major metal festivals and opening for Lady Gaga. By the time the band was set to release their sophomore album Metal Resistance in 2016, they were headlining Wembley Arena in London and the huge Tokyo Dome to 55,000 screaming fans. More high-profile support gigs with the Red Hot Chili Peppers followed.

While the band suffered some hardship with the accidental death of guitarist Mikio Fujioka late in 2017 after he fell from an observation deck and the departure of Mizuno due to health reasons the next year, Babymetal continued to tour and in 2023 announced the addition of Momoko Okazaki as Fujioka's permanent replacement. The band plays fan favorites and songs from its fourth album The Other One  at the Masonic. Opening acts on the two nights will be different, with hyper-technical British power metal band DrangonForce playing Wednesday and theatrical LA-based melodic death metallers Nekrogoblikon kicking off the show Thursday. 

Dethklok and Babymetal Wednesday-Thursday, April 24-25, 6 p.m. $75.75 The Masonic

Dave Pehling started his journalism career doing freelance writing about music in the late 1990s, eventually working as a web writer, editor and producer for KTVU.com in 2003. He moved to CBS to work as the station website's managing editor in 2015.

Featured Local Savings

More from cbs news.

Garage rockers Hot Laundry top bill for free show at Winters Tavern in Pacifica

New report shows California and the Bay Area struggling with air pollution

Residents worried SFMTA rushing to a decision in making West Portal area safer

San Francisco youth launch 3rd attempt to lower voting age to 16 in city elections