Kanonenfieber / The Dome / London

A trip down to the ‘ol smoke and the Dome in Tufnell Park to catch Kanonenfieber on their only UK date on the 2024 European “Die Urkatastrophe” tour.

Up first in support are Panzerfaust (The Men of No Mans Land), a Canadian black metal band from Ontario consisting of Brock Van Dijk (Guitar), Goliath (Vocals), Thomas Gervais (Bass) and Alexander Kartashov (Drums). As they hit the stage, they are a striking visual, all appear to be caked in mud with drummer Alexander placed right at the front with guitarist Brock and bassist Thomas either side. Vocalist Goliath, standing atop a platform directly behind the drummer , an imposing figure dominating the scene lit with spots from behind.

Panzerfaust waste no time and deliver a blistering set. With minimal lighting and heavy smoke effects, it’s a mysterious and dark environment the perfect backdrop for the deep growling vocals and viscious guitar riffs. Panzerfaust delivered the energy and intensity with Kartashov and Van Dijk, absolutely killing it, with their perfectly synchronized playing. Their fast powerful riffs backed by a booming, doom laden rhythm performance from Alexander on drums.

There’s a tension in the air created by the dark, nihilistic soundscape, which are dominated by the rough, hoarse vocals from Goliath. It’s a whirlwind, and doesn’t relax for a second. A brilliant performance.

Setlist

The Day After 'Trinity'

The Hesychasm Unchained

Occam's Fucking Razor

The Far Bank at the River Styx

Promethean Fire

There’s the usual break for stage clearance and set up, which takes a bit longer than usual. The drums are placed on a riser at the back of the stage, and it’s surrounded by sandbags and signs, wooden duckboards are placed either side of the stage, and rows of barbed wire rolled out between them along the front edge. The scene is set, and it’s the western from 1914-1918.

Kanonenfieber was formed by Noise, in Bamberg, Germany only in 2020. Having lost his great great grandfather, Noise read the papers, letters and diaries he left behind. Moved by what he read, he created Kanonenfieber as a project to honour his memory, to lay bare the horrors and suffering of war. In the studio Noise writes and performs all the instruments, and is joined by friends on stage as a touring band. The songs are deeply rooted in genuine letters, records and accounts from the times.

In 2021 the first album “Menschenmühle” (human mill) was released on Noisebringer Records and the live set that mixes blackened metal with performance were a huge hit. This year has seen the release of their second album “Die Urkatastrophe” (The primal catastrophe) on Century Media Records.

The band step out in German WWI uniforms with Feldmutz caps, before they are joined by Noise but with the iconic Pickelhaube (spiked helmet). All however have simple black masks covering their faces, as a tribute to the unknown soldiers of war. They dive right into Grossmachtfantasie. The blackened metal is superb. Heavy fast riffs and pounding fast drums not only deliver the metal sonic needs of the audience but also create a wall of battlefield noise.

And that’s whats so great about Kanonenfieber. Its not just a musical experience, but also a performance, wrapping the audience in the stories as they unfold. For one, the lighting turns blue and Noise shuffles around the stage like a malnourished soldier on a long march, pulling out a photo of his family or girl back home and showing it to the others. It has an emotional edge to it as well.

None more than during Der Maulwurf (The Mole) a song written about the horrors faced by miners, tunnelling under enemy lines to plant explosives. The stage fills with smoke and the lights turn orange creating a sense of claustrophobia, as the band come out stripped to dirty vests smeared in dirt. Holding a candle light, and short handled spade, Noise crouches at the front of the stage. He performs most of the song squatting, again creating that sense of claustrophobia, only standing to raise the shovel in the choruses. At the noisiest and most intense parts of the song, Noise is visibly staking, almost uncontrollably, recreating the fear these men lived in. Was the noise bombs falling that would bury them alive, or were the enemy about to break through resulting in horrible hand to hand fighting deep underground…..

Noise, is incredible in his storytelling, and you get dragged in to the emotionof it all. Der Maulwurf is incredibly moving.

Similarly there is Ubootsperre about the conditions and experience of the submariners, and Verdun of the utter utter horros the Germans and French suffered there. These are interspersed by tracks like Waffenbrüder (brothers in arms), about the camaraderie between the men.

Kanonenfieber aretwo things in one. Firstly, Noise is the creator of some incredible, melodic and powerful blackened metal, but secondly he has created a performance piece honouring the men that fell and reminding us of the horrors of war.

Musically brilliant, I highly recommend you check out the album “Die Urkatastrophe”, and watch out for more chances to see Kanonenfieber in the future, it’s a night you won’t want to miss !

Kanonenfieber Setlist

Grossmachtfantasie

Menschenmühle

Sturmtrupp

Der Füsilier I

Grabenlieder

Der Maulwurf

Panzerhenker

Ubootsperre

Kampf und Sturm

Die Havarie

Die Feuertaufe