Black Metal Chronicles: PROPHECY FEST 2025 REVIEW

Prophecy Fest – Cave of Balve, Germany, September 11–13, 2025

Review by Deniz Abgrund

Hidden deep within the myth-laden Cave of Balve, Prophecy Fest once again gathered kindred spirits for three days of music that thrives in the shadows yet resonates far beyond them. The underground setting—literally carved into stone—made every note reverberate with a primal intensity, turning the performances into something closer to ritual than mere concerts.

A Quick and Dirty Festival Report

The festival opened with two acoustic shows: first Dornenreich, then Darkher. Dornenreich brought out guitar and violin, earning massive applause. Darkher, on the other hand, felt a bit dull to me—zero interaction with the audience.

Before Imha Tarikat began, there was a tribute to Jürgen Bartsch. IT’s set was strong, the drumming outstanding. I hope their upward trajectory continues.

Kayo Dot were as challenging as ever—so much so that the cave practically emptied out while they were onstage.

Then came The Great Sea on the small stage, tearing it apart and winning over the bored crowd after Kayo Dot. SG from SOTM handled vocals. I’ve been listening to their albums for two days straight now—highly recommended.

Soror Dolorosa is disappointed. The mix was all over the place: vocals too low, backing vocals too high, guitars lost, bass nonexistent, and electronics way too loud. Their recordings are good, so I expected better. A letdown for me.

Kall Lifelover played—seeing them live felt like a rare chance to witness something before it fades.

Valborg? Skip. Not for me.

Grab! lit it up. Seeing Schwadorf on rhythm guitar was a surprise. They killed the lights and played raw, ending their set with Der letzte Winter. Pure mythology.

I skipped Arthur Brown—needed to save my energy for Moonspell.

Moonspell closed the night by playing Wolfheart in its entirety. Back in my student days in Izmir, I used to listen to that album endlessly. They hammered home just how special it really is.

The festival was neither overcrowded nor empty—just the right size. The organization ran flawlessly, very much up to German standards. The sound was consistently excellent.

As for the venue, the cave deserves every bit of praise I’d heard beforehand. The ground rises gently, with steps built in, giving shorter mortals a great view of the stage.

I only came for one day and crashed in my car, so I can’t comment on the campsite. But on opening night, they lit fires and made music out there—the footage looked magical. At night, the temperature dropped to 10°C, so be prepared.

As the final echoes faded into the cavern walls, it became clear why Prophecy’s gatherings at Balve have earned such a reputation. Few festivals manage to elevate sound and feeling into another dimension, but here the atmosphere itself is part of the music—transforming each performance into an unforgettable, almost sacred experience.