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Ashen Sandaru | Photo Pradeep Dambarage The Rocktober Sessions: Volume Two attracts large crowd on Saturday
By Venessa Anthony
On Halloween eve (29), Stigmata rocked the stage at Darley Road Pub and Restaurant for Volume Two of The Rocktober Sessions. We’ve been told that metalheads absolutely love Halloween – with it being a day that celebrates the scary, gothic, and macabre, and it’s the one time of the year when metal music is generally accepted, or at least tolerated, amongst the pop-loving mainstream.
What better way to spend Halloween night than catching a Stigmata gig – this seemed to be what the audience was thinking, as they poured in, little by little, all clad in costume, filling up the venue. And why wouldn’t they? Throughout the night, the bands were energised and eye-catching, with their visceral outfits blending in well with the night’s theme.
The Rocktober Sessions: Volume Two, aptly called Hallow’s Eve, featured, as is typical of a Stigmata gig, classical baritone extraordinaire Sanjeev Niles, as well as the siren-voiced hard rocker Ashen Sandaru. Guests also got to witness the bombastic groove power of Trishira and the energetic and enigmatic melodic aggression of Sevexth, and of course, the pure Sri Lankan metal sorcery of Stigmata.
With this session, Stigmata and the lot aimed to put on a Halloween horror show unlike any other witnessed in Sri Lanka. From the ambience, mood, and atmosphere dialled to a terrifying 10 and Darley Road Pub and Restaurant offering deals on food and beverages, to five amazing artists that put on a powerful show that had the crowd wild, it was certainly a gig for one-of-a-kind souls! Each time there was a break, the crowd kept deafeningly screaming for more.
While this was their last gig for the month of October, Stigmata stated they are not done rocking the local metal industry. Keep an eye out for their upcoming gigs and more exciting news to come.
Attendees were seen all decked out for Halloween:
Photos Pradeep Dambarage