LIVE REVIEW + AFTERMOVIE - ORBIT CULTURE, GAEREA, ATLAS @ SIMM CITY, VIENNA, AUSTRIA – OCTOBER 28, 2025

A sold-out SIMM City bore witness to a night of sheer intensity as ORBIT CULTURE, GAEREA, and ATLAS united under one roof for a tour that delivered both precision and chaos in equal measure. Three bands, three vastly different energies — yet all bound by a shared devotion to heaviness and emotion.

ATLAS opened the evening, bringing their self-coined “Northcore” sound from Finland to Vienna. For many in attendance, it was their first encounter with the band — and what an introduction it was. Their half-hour set felt like it passed in a heartbeat, with the standout moments arriving during their latest single “Sait and Sulfur”. The five-piece delivered soaring melodies and massive breakdowns with both guitarists trading clean and harsh vocals, layering emotion and aggression seamlessly. The crowd’s reaction said it all — pure appreciation. Rarely does an opener receive such a thunderous response, but ATLAS absolutely earned it.

Next came GAEREA, the Portuguese black metal enigma, who took the stage at 20:49 under a shroud of mystery. Each member was masked, faces hidden behind the band’s logo bandanas, creating a haunting and ritualistic presence. Having only caught a glimpse of them at this year’s Summer Breeze Festival, seeing them up close was a revelation. Their frontman commanded attention with almost trance-like, ritual movements, weaving dark atmospheres into every note. Across a 40-minute set, GAEREA unleashed a performance that was as spiritual as it was devastating — a 10/10 showing of pure blackened power that left the audience mesmerized.

At 22:00 sharp, the lights dimmed and the roar of ORBIT CULTURE ignited the venue. Opening with “Death Above All” followed by “The Storm,” the Swedish juggernaut immediately threw the crowd into chaos — mosh pits, crowd surfers, and even a wall of death set the tone for the night. Niklas Karlsson proved once again why he’s one of metal’s most captivating frontmen, commanding every inch of the stage with equal parts aggression and charisma. When “While We Serve” hit, the energy peaked — pure mayhem. The band powered through an hour and fifteen minutes of relentless intensity, closing the night with the monstrous “Vultures of North.”

Tracks like “From the Inside,” “Nerve,” “Bloodhound,” and “North Star of Nija” showcased ORBIT CULTURE’s evolution into one of modern metal’s finest live acts. Karlsson’s banter with the crowd, including some humorous moments when he briefly left the stage in mock frustration, only added to the night’s character.

It was a night to remember — three acts, each delivering their own brand of catharsis. Vienna once again proved itself as a stronghold for metal, and with shows like this, the scene isn’t just alive — it’s thriving.