It was late and Vader was set to close this Metalday, but we were in a hurry since they were set to start the same second that Satyricon should leave the main stage. Our anticipation for the show was high as our run-ins with the Polish death squad is usually highly enjoyable.
On the other hand, our usual run-ins are in small clubs, and now we were out in the wild – how would they fair here?

“We’re so fucking happy to see that you’re not sleeping yet!”
- Piotr ‘Peter’ Wiwczarek (vocals/guitar)

Well, the step from a club stage to the second stage, which is where they were playing, at Metaldays isn’t such a big leap, not when it comes to size. As a crowd, we can also still get pretty close to the stage and get somewhat of the same intimate feeling as a club gig has, and yet there is space enough for a lot of people to participate – and a lot of people did participate! Not only was the Metaldays crowd awake, but it still had a lot of energy left to burn before turning in, and here Vader proved to be of valuable service.
With Peter, Marek ‘Spider’ Pajak, and Tomasz ‘Hal’ Halicki taking the focus-point of our view, and James Stewart and the Welcome To The Morbid Reich backdrop creating the framework of the show, it was a visual as well as a sonic treat we were given. The band had a more styled, uniform (without it being actual uniforms) look to them without looking like a death metal boyband, and the delivery was crushing!
I’m sad to say that my attention to song titles wasn’t all that it could be, but being in the now and enjoying the energy-outlet that was Vader was on the other hand in full effect.

“This is unbelievable!”
- Peter (vocals/guitar)

Peter was quite right in this remark – what Vader was doing was breathtaking, and what it was bringing out in the audience was even more amazing!
It didn’t take long for a moshpit to open up in the middle of the plain in front of the stage, a moshpit which quickly grew both in size and intensity. Where all this energy was stored I can’t imagine, because the day had had some pretty awesome shows already, but here it was, bringing the heat into the Slovenian night-time. It didn’t even matter that it was still slightly raining, maybe it even helped the havoc along!
Peter didn’t just comment on this though, he seemed to be in a very good mood, as did the entire band, and he often took the time to speak to us between songs. No doubt this added connection between band and audience helped matters along as well.

With an hour and 15 minutes of playtime, Vader’s gig proved to be the perfect ending to a beautiful day at Metaldays – not a neck was left unbroken as the Polish death metal band left the stage after no less than two requested encore songs. Ok, maybe they were planned all along, but even so the crowd wasn’t happy to see the band go, and their name echoed long into the night as our rung from the blast of pure metal they had been exposed to. An unbeatable day, to say the least.

Setlist (incomplete):

Silent Empire
Fractal Light
Return To The Morbid Reich
Triumph Of Death
Chaos
Wings
Sword Of The Witcher
Dark Age
This Is The War
The Imperial March (John Williams’ song)