Live Review: Closterkeller [Slowianin, Poland] October 23, 2009

Closterkeller have always been one of the leading acts within the dark scene and an asset to the load-bearing walls of Polish rock. The column of the band is singer Anja Orthodox with an exceptional strong and significant voice. In support of their new album 'Aurum' the group are celebrating a 23 concert tour through Poland. The walls of the club Slowianin in Szczecin, where this concert takes place, still breathe the nostalgic charm of a socialistic, austere cultural centre. The concert hall is separated by a foldable sliding panel from the bar – better: the canteen – where the guests dropped in.

Closterkeller do not belong to the genre of bands who thrill the audience in to a sweaty riot – the music changes are too complex between the expressions. The band offers beautiful rock of an intense atmosphere rather than hard driving Goth-metal. Orthodox does not only own a strong voice; after the experience of 20 years on stage she represents the style of a diva with the charisma to fascinate people. To introduce a new album with 'till now unknown songs is never easy. Indeed, the audience start to react more enthusiastically after the band played their hits and older songs - a mix of some heavy stuff and driving tracks for dancing.

After one-and-a-half hours there is a break, the band go off – already the end? No, they return, Anja has taken off her gorgeous, heavy skirt and they start really to celebrate a hot climate with long instrumental passages in which the splendid guitar player Mariusz Kumala is able to spread out psychedelic string carpets. Closterkeller show once again that they are on a high level and that they are a really exciting and extraordinary live-act. It's not really for the dancefloor and there are no great bursts of noise on offer here, but there is an old style of extremely well played Gothic-rock full of interesting vibrations to feel and enjoy.

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