GORGOROTH Recreates Krakow Stage Show For WACKEN OPEN AIR Appearance; Video Available

The Gaahl-fronted version of the Norwegian black metal band GORGOROTH recreated the stage show from its infamous February 1, 2004 concert in Krakow, Poland for the group's appearance at this year's Wacken Open Air festival, which was held July 31 - August 2 in Wacken, Germany. Video footage of the Wacken performance can be viewed below.

GORGOROTH's first-ever DVD, entitled "Black Mass Krakow 2004", featuring video footage from the Krakow gig, recently debuted at position No. 4 on the Norwegian Music DVD chart.

GORGOROTH drew the attention of the international media in early 2004 after they were accused of "offending religious feelings" during the Krakow concert, as well as suspected of breaching Polish law concerning the protection of animal rights by using severed and impaled heads of sheep as part of their stage design. The controversial concert in Poland resulted in the group being investigated for the possible breach of Article 196 of Polish penal code concerning offense of religious feelings (the maximum penalty for breaching this article is five years in prison).

The Norwegian band, which is widely known for its antichristian ideology, had promised on its web site that the Polish concert would be an "amazing show with lots of pyro, gallons of blood, live crucifixion and nude models." Despite this, the employees of the Krakow branch of TVP claimed that they had no knowledge of what the musicians and the promoters had in mind until they saw the actual performance. The concert, which was recorded at the studio of a TV station in Krakow, "was never meant to reach the media," according to the band's vocalist Gaahl. "Producers Metal Mind Productions bought the sheep heads at a butcher shop. We weren't involved in animal torture of any kind."

In one of the band's first interviews after this controversial concert, Infernus told Canada's Unrestrained! magazine, "We didn't plan to really have an outcome like that, our only intent was to go there and film the DVD. All the chaos and media reaction that came from this was a surprise of sorts." Asked if they "were worried when the authorities were called," Infernus answered, "Not worried, really. I mean, what was the worst thing they could do? Destroy the tapes? I don't think they would do that and I don't think they could really do any harm to us, though they might be able to put the Polish producer away in prison for a few years. For us, this will probably help us sell a few more records. As of now, I can only think that the DVD will be put out eventually. It would be almost like they are stuck in the Middle Ages in Poland if they destroyed the tapes by burning them. I hope to get them back one day… I hope."

The "Black Mass Krakow 2004" DVD contains the Krakow show as the main feature. Additionally, it includes bonus video material performance footage recorded live at the With Full Force festival in Leipzig, Germany in 2000, biography, discography, photo gallery, desktop images, weblinks, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and more. The DVD is available in two versions: as a standard DVD and as a very unique star metalpack DVD edition limited to 5,000 copies.