CELLAR DARLING + Insvla in Lisbon

Last Saturday night, I attended a memorable night of metal, where the progressive and the
folk metal were in the spotlight. Best of all, the concerts were
led by two bands with powerful female voices - the hypnotic
Portuguese Insvla and the intense Swiss Cellar Darling.

INSVLA

The evening began with Insvla, who took to the stage for their live debut. I confess
I heard the band for the first time just a day before the concert - and I already liked it
but seeing them live impressed me even more. Despite being the
band's first performance, they showed a solid presence on stage, full of
expressiveness and a well-defined sound identity. In addition, the vocalist's voice
Sienna Sally captivated me with her melodic, delicate and, at the same time, full-of-heart tone.
energy.

The band performed seven songs, one of which featured a special appearance by Paulo
Gonçalves (Fonte, Rasgo), who joined the band on the powerful and heavy The Monstress -
which, by the way, has already become my favorite and has been on repeat ever since. For a concert
debut, it was impressive how the group managed to create an immediate connection with the
The audience responded with genuine enthusiasm to each topic presented.

CELLAR DARLING

Formed in 2016 by three former members of Eluveitie, the Swiss Cellar Darling - Anna
Murphy (vocals and multi-instrumentalist), Ivo Henzi (guitar) and Merlin Sutter (drums) -
stand out for their unique sound and emotive atmospheres. This return to Portugal,
after their last stint in 2017 as Lacuna Coil's backing band, featured
concerts in Lisbon, at República da Música, and in Porto, at Hotel Mouco.
Without much ado, the band opened the concert with Pain, from their second album
The Spell (2019), which impresses with its strong presence of the hurdy-gurdy (or viola de roda) -
an instrument of medieval origin, with roots dating back to the 10th century. Its sound
gave the song a melodic and rhythmic background that accompanied it from start to finish.
end.

Then came Death, also from the same album, which, with all its melancholy, made me think of it.
transported to another dimension - thanks to Anna Murphy's magical voice and the wonderful
flute solo. It was simply epic!

To add more weight to the performance, the band played the theme Black Moon, from the first
album This Is the Sound (2017), and in this one what stands out is the phenomenal transition from
solos between the hurdy-gurdy and the guitar. Then came other songs from the same
album, such as the psychedelic and rhythmic Hullaballoo, which brought a more folk vibe to the evening,
and then The Hermit, with a more progressive atmosphere.

About halfway through the concert, the band brought a more lyrical and melancholic moment with
The Spell, the title track of their second album. Murphy's voice, delicate and intense, also gave
the theme, whose dark and emotional atmosphere seemed to have hypnotized the audience.
The band went on to alternate themes from their two albums, This Is the Sound and The Spell,
maintaining the balance between weight and melody. Towards the end of the concert, they presented
single Dance, released in 2021 during the pandemic. Then they surprised the audience
with the premiere of Drone, an as yet unreleased track, which aroused curiosity and
expectations about the band's next steps.

During several moments of the concert, Anna interacted well with the audience.
and was warmly received - not just by her, but by the whole band. Even so, the
Without a shadow of a doubt, the biggest highlight was the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, who alternated
between keyboard, flute and hurdy-gurdy with mastery and charm.

In other words, more than just the choice of songs, it was the delivery on stage that kept the
a captivating presence, between the theatrical and the intimate.
In the end, I left the room with that rare feeling of having witnessed something special - not
just two well-executed concerts, but two intense, emotional and
genuine. Insvla surprised on the strength of their debut, while Cellar Darling
proved once again why they are one of the most unique and captivating bands on the scene
contemporary.

Artists: Cellar Darling