Members of Vampillia and visual artist Kezzardrix channel industrial techno, noise and black metal during a live AV set.

Back in June the beloved black metal super group Violent Magic Orchestra assembled in east Shinsaibashi venue Conpass for an intimate performance as the group’s members took part in a secret ritual performed behind closed doors.

Bringing together members the 10-piece “brutal orchestra” Vampillia, including Mongo and front woman Zastar, as well as visual artist and programmer Kezzardrix, the group’s first live performance since lockdown began in Osaka took the form of a ferocious and cathartic musical ritual.

Looking forward to the near future, Ritual 2099 sees the group combining pummelling blast beats, euphoric, soaring synth lines and cavernous industrial noise, providing formidable sonic architecture for Zastar’s scorched-earth vocal delivery.

As VMO assert, “music should be evocative and symbiotic of the current social climate”. Every second of frustration and angst experienced by the members of Violent Magic Orchestra over the last few months rises to the surface during Ritual 2099, brought to life by the esoteric visuals of Kezzardrix, who performs live with the band, conducting the visual landscape of VMO as they play.

The performance arrives following the release of Principle of Light Speed Invariance, a new EP from the group for Gabber Eleganza‘s Never Sleep imprint. “VMO incapsulate the spirit of my label Never Sleep”, he explains. “Hardcore, not a music genre, but as a creative process and approach and the band emulate this way of being with such genuine energy.”

Principle of Light Speed Invariance is out now. For more information about Violent Magic Orchestra, you can visit the group’s website, follow them on Instagram., where you can also find Zastar and Mongo.

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