To quote AC/DC: It's a long way to plk if you wanna rock 'n' roll. These 300 km from Munich to Regensburg were well worth it. The plk is the epitome of avant-garde underground since the air raid shelter in Stuttgart where I saw Zygote in 1991. The area is currently surrounded by construction sites and demolished barracks, so this cultural center is also walking a tightrope. It would be a shame if this place, which offers the region an interesting subculture, will disappear soon. By requiring advance registration, the organizers of the VOID-Fest made sure there were enough paying spectators for the two bands. And those who came certainly didn't regret it. "Versus God" came across as incredibly old-school, from their 80s crust core sound to the analog Sony camcorder they used to film their first show. The sound was brutal, loud, and surprisingly nuanced for this venue – not muddy at all – which made listening to this relentless D-beat onslaught a real pleasure. Their set lasted about 30 minutes. After that, my neck muscles were definitely aching.

After becoming a Midnight fan at this year's Tolminator Festival, it was only logical to check out a similar band. But Gravekult are completely different; starting with the drumming, which perfectly straddles the line between the galloping drums of thrash metal and the extremely direct drumming of D-beat; the two guitars, playing in different registers and harmoniously creating a sound somewhere between black metal and heavy metal; and a leading bass that drives the whole machine and to which the two guitars ultimately orient themselves. This structure is rounded off vocally with numerous of Tom G. Warrior's iconic "Ugh" grunts and a growled roar. Brutal force à la carte. Gravekult have only been around since 2022, and if you manage to get on the stages of Hellfest and Rock in Bourlon within that time, then you know that the time of playing in small clubs will be over in a year at the latest. Which would be a shame, because experiencing the power of this band so close and directly is absolutely unique. A fantastic concert with a fantastic band.