By Yuri Woodfall
Western Lead, Photojournalist – Sound Check Entertainment
Some shows glow.
This one loomed.
On February 25th, Sweden’s Orbit Culture brought their Death Above Life tour to Midway Music Hall, and instead of lighting up the room, they swallowed it whole.
Like a black hole, it was dark. Truly dark. No front lighting. No soft illumination. Just silhouettes carved out by deep reds and blinding backlights. The band stood faceless in smoke, towering shadows moving with mechanical precision.
But the sound? The sound was another story entirely.
The sheer volume and density of it felt astronomical – the kind of low-end rumble you swear could be picked up by the International Space Station. Every kick drum hit landed in your sternum. Every riff vibrated through the floorboards and up your spine. It wasn’t just loud – it was massive.
Before Orbit Culture took command, American metal outfit Ov Sulfur hit the mark perfectly. Their set was aggressive and focused, getting the floor moving early and setting the tone for what was coming. By the time they wrapped, the crowd was primed and restless. I didn’t manage to catch Atlas earlier in the evening, but judging by the sustained energy in the room, they clearly helped build the foundation for the chaos to follow.
Orbit Culture opened with “Death Above Life,” and the first riff hit like a gravitational pull. There was no easing in – just immediate immersion. “The Storm” followed, and the crowd responded instantly. The first surfer was overhead before the chorus settled in, and they kept coming in steady waves toward the barricade.
By “The Tales of War,” Midway had fully surrendered. The stop-start chugs snapped in time with blinding backlights, the band appearing almost mythic in silhouette. During “North Star of Nija,” the red haze thickened, beams slicing through smoke in a way that made the stage look like it was burning from behind.
“Saw” and “From the Inside” drove the groove harder, the pit widening and tightening with each breakdown. “Bloodhound” turned the floor into a bouncing mass of bodies, while “The Shadowing” highlighted just how disciplined this band truly is – every transition seamless, every hit deliberate.
Hands shot skyward for “Open Eye,” one of the night’s most unified moments. “While We Serve” pressed down with brooding weight before “Hydra” detonated in spectacular fashion, its breakdown widening the circle pit yet again.
They closed with “Vultures of North,” ending the night the same way they began – backlit, shadowed, never fully revealed. A fitting visual for a band that lets its sound speak louder than any spotlight ever could.
Dark as a black hole.
Loud enough to register in orbit.
Orbit Culture didn’t just play Midway Music Hall – they bent it to their will. And Edmonton happily got pulled into the gravity.
