August 27 saw Oíche an Dullahan, a night of extreme black metal, take over St. Peter's Church, Cork. Lit up in red, both inside and out, the converted church created the perfect eerie scene for an alt take over. An air of mist pumped into the church added to the spine-chilling atmosphere manufactured by the team behind Relapse Promotions.

The highly-anticipated, first of it's kind event was sold out before the day came around, with metal fans scrounging comment sections in hopes of a ticket. 20 tickets were made available when doors opened, on a first come first served basis, but these were long gone before the first act took to the stage - or altar should I say.

As someone not well-versed in the world of black metal, I did my research both before after attending the show - going in with an open mind, eager to hear what Oíche an Dullahan had to offer.

First on the bill was Cork-based sludge/death metal band Hircine. Given their genre description I expected a much heavier sound than what I was met with, but I quickly learned the lo-fi, ambient sound was a key feature for this group. Comprised of 5 members, Hircine place strong musicianship at the forefront of their live performance. The drums in particular sprung forth as one of the most impressive features of their performance, alongside the monumental death growl emitted from their frontman.

Everdead Wood at Oíche an Dullahan. Photography by Xeropulse Media

Next up - Everdead Wood are also a Cork-based group, sidling more towards an avant-garde black metal troupe. This band has an exceedingly sensual sound, surprisingly up-tempo, with much more distinguishable vocals than other bands throughout the night. The four-piece lineup includes Brian Coleman on guitar/vocals, Eoin Higgins on guitar, Darragh Murphy on bass, and Gerard O'Callaghan on drums. Guitarists Coleman and Higgins complemented each other excellently, with a grunge-like sound filling the space, and a perfect natural reverb highlighting their skilful playing. The suspenseful tracks from the band's recent EP In Pious Chains were perfect in a backdrop like St. Peter's.

An incredibly impressive stage show by Horrenda highlighted my evening, with front man Arron "Nomad" O' Shaughnessy straight out into the audience. Donning white and black face-paint, and remarkably few clothes, this raw and experimental black metal project based in Dublin, had the crowd in the palm of their hands. This band gave a lot more of what I was expecting - rooted in Norwegian black metal, Horrenda also embrace elements of DSBM and death metal.

A slower, more progressive build to tracks led to an intense mosh pit, evidently living up to the band's hype. Bassist Keith "Donn" Smith was attention catching, with his stage presence permeating mosh pits to demand the audience's focus. It's hard to believe he also plays bass for Luna Sky - the indie-rock band. Effortless transitions throughout their set created a thoroughly enjoyable performance, one I would definitely recommend seeing if you're any way metal inclined.

The band's latest release, 2021's Oíche Shamnha (Live at The Grand Social), provides a sneak peak into Horrenda's live performance, but obviously lacks the visual options that captivates the audience.

Photography by: Xeropulse Media

The final act of the night were headliners Drakonis. Hailing from Northern Ireland, this band's name precede them. I was warned before their set began that I had to get a good view for it, as their live performances are incredible to witness. I was inconceivably glad I heeded this warning - everything from this band's attire to musicality was awe-inspiring, especially to someone with very limited previous metal exposure. Madre Tortura, lead vocalist, dressed as a what can only be described a dead bride - featuring a magnificent black lace gown, topped off with head piece, black lace veil and artistic white and black make-up.

Drakonis - Photography by: Xeropulse Media

As if the visual aspect of this band wasn't enough, their musical performance reigned supreme. Their mature, developed sound shone through, with the rhythm, timing, and musicality of this band perfected and well-oiled. Their mixture of contemporary black and death metal, created a sound without the limitations of one genre - edging towards a punk sound at times and flowing back to the lo-fi sound of black metal.

The sell-out made a lot of sense as I watched this band, with their crowd interaction off the charts as an added bonus. While the band's recorded work doesn't hold a candle to their live shows, it's absolutely worth checking out, specifically their latest release - the 2020 album Blessed by Embers.

For James O'Mahony's first show as metal promoter for Relapse Promotions, the success of this show must have been an incredible feeling. Attendees raved about the quality - from sound to lineup, the gig exceeded expectations.

Hoping to make Oíche an Dullahan a more regular occurrence, this show was definitely the perfect first step in the right direction for the production company.