So we participated in the first day on Maximum Rock Festival in Bucharest. And what a participation it was! We witnessed the band we safely consider one of the very best in the modern metal scene: the unique Samael. The band were, naturally, flawless. Everything is perfect with Samael: the image, the performance, the music, the vitality, the style, and not least, the energy. The positive and uplifting energy, quite unlikely for the dark metal scene. We can positively say we went insane on Samael. We totally lost it, and there’s palpable and painful damage. Oh well… the pain, the pleasure.

The setlist was more than perfection. We’ve no idea whether the band responded to a request of ours to play Born Under Saturn, but we were ecstatically happy to hear that song, which is, usually, exclusively part of their recent „Passage“ set. So, here we had some of the best of Passage; the oldschool occult-ceremonial stuff; the electronic blast of newer days; plus the organic mixture of all the above, represented by Samael’s latest rendition. In our humble opinion, The Truth Is Marching On, which closed the set, was sheer climax. WE GOT FUCKING CRAZY, RIGHT!

We’d like to thank the organizers, as well as the lovely considerate guards and staff. The only bad taste in our mouth was left by the preposterous tobacco smoking inside, which seems to take place in every Romanian venue we’ve visited lately.

We’re off to see My Dying Bride tonight, while extending a hearty wish: Samael, please come to Bulgaria again soon!!!

Liv Kristine, who is also to perform this evening, was among the avid fans in the first row. There’s hardly any wonder why.

The only question that bothers us, is why were Samael not invited to visit Sofia, like their colleagues of Leaves’ Eyes and Atrocity.

И така, участвахме в първия ден на „Максимум рок рестивал“ в Букурещ. И какво участие бе това! С убеденост можем да кажем, че „Самаел“ са една от най-най-добрите модерни лайв групи днес; да не говорим за уникалността им. Всичко при тях бе, както винаги, зашаметяващо: имидж, изпълнение, музика, виталност, стил, енергия. Позитивната, „вдигаща“ енергия, съвсем нетипична за даркметъл сцената. Позитивно изтрещяхме на „Самаел“ – доказателствата са очевидни и болезнени.

Благодарско на чудесния стаф и загрижени гардове… но пушенето поголовно на концертите в Букурещ е просто отвратително!