The Lee’s Palace, a venue known for its intimate atmosphere and storied history, hosted a night of intense musical darkness, featuring the Norwegian dungeon synth pioneer, Mortiis, and Portland’s black metal powerhouse, UADA. The evening was an intense atmospheric of extreme and melodic Metal, that captive the Torontonians. One of seven stops in Canada during their heavy loaded North American Tour “The Witches of Dystopia” MMXXVI.

The Special Guests:

The evening started with two special guests who warmed up the evening were Wraith Knight and Jérôme Reuter (Rome) were both unique solo performers.

Firstly, Nick Superchi is the sole mastermind behind Wraith Knight, whose entire musical concept is based purely on Epic & Cinematic Dungeon/Medieval Music behind the keyboards, delivering dark sounds that transformed the atmosphere at Lee’s Palace into the Dark Ages.

He kept the audience entertained with a show that offered a meditative and immersive escape into a fantasy realm of forgotten histories, working only with his magic fingers and synth sounds.

Right after the Wraith Knight performance, it was time for Jérôme Reuter from Luxembourg took the stage and contribute with a very intense atmospheric of melodic Metal, only standing in front of the stage with his guitar.

Although it was my very first time seeing performing he had an impressive amount of hardcore fans that knew all his songs and came all together in the middle of the General Area to enjoy his performance. His music is based in apocalyptic folk/neo-folk, increasingly shaped by singer-songwriter craft. Reviewers praise his historical concept albums (the Spanish Civil War, occupied France, Rhodesia, and resistance) and his distinctive baritone voice.

Mortiis: The Return to Dungeon Synth Majesty

Mortiis being the first headliniged artist taking the stage, after great transitioning from the first two guest bands. The entire stage turned into a very eeri and medieval-looking scenery that changed the mood equalized the masked performer by a dramatic shift in mood. As the stage was bathed in deep blue lights and a few dark looking images from the backdrops around the stage. Mortiis, in his iconic mask and flowing costume, took his place behind a simple setup dominated by synthesizers and ambient electronics. This tour, specifically focused on the Era I material, marked a deliberate and triumphant return to the dungeon synth sound that initially defined his career.

The air grew thick with a sense of ancient melancholy and epic solitude. Mortiis crafted intricate, hypnotic soundscapes drawn primarily from his foundational albums like “Født til å herske” and “Ånden som gjorde opprør.” Tracks flowed seamlessly, each a sprawling, synth-driven tapestry of medieval atmosphere, mournful horns, and echoing choirs.

The performance was less a typical rock show and more a meditative, immersive experience. The audience stood entranced, allowing the cinematic music to wash over them. There was a palpable sense of reverence for the material, which, in a live setting, gained a profound weight and depth. Mortiis demonstrated the enduring power of Era I, proving that its minimalist, expansive nature translates perfectly to a darkened concert hall, offering a true escape into a fantasy realm of stone dungeons and forgotten histories.

Setlist

Ghosts of Europa
Marshland
You Put a Hex on Me
Mental Maelstrom
Spirit in a Vacuum
Monolith
Parasite God
Tundra
Demons Are Back
Doppleganger
Smell the Witch

UADA: Rites of Passage:

Right after Mortiis’s performance it was time for Portland’s black metal powerhouse, UADA, delivered a crushing set at the intimate Lee’s Palace, cementing their reputation as one of modern black metal’s most compelling acts. The evening was dominated by an intense atmosphere of extreme and melodic metal throughout their entire performance.

UADA delivered a crushing set that cemented their reputation as one of modern black metal’s most compelling acts. Clad in their signature hooded robes, the four-piece commanded the room with a relentless wave of blistering riffs, thunderous drumming, and searing vocals. The band’s performance was physically demanding and musically precise, effortlessly transitioning between high-speed tremolo assaults and mid-tempo melodic passages.

They focused heavily on material from their critically acclaimed albums, including “Cult of a Dying Sun” and “Crepuscule Natura,” with tracks like “Devoid of Light” and “Black Autumn, White Spring” resonating powerfully within the tightly packed venue. The hooded figures created a sense of ritualistic anonymity, allowing the sheer power and bleak beauty of the music to speak for itself. UADA delivered a pure rush of fast pase of heavy riffs and double the fast of double base drums and cymbals.

The pairing of UADA and Mortiis was a kickass double headliner combo that created a dynamic evening that traversed the spectrum of dark, atmospheric music. UADA provided the visceral, black-hearted intensity, while Mortiis offered the spectral, dreamlike immersion. At Lee’s Palace, fans were treated to a rare and powerful demonstration of two distinct, yet complementary, forms of musical darkness, resulting in a truly unforgettable night for the Toronto faithful.

Setlist:

Devoid of Light (Celebrating 10 years of it’s release)