Haine & Friends III: Trinity of Chaos — A Night of Collaboration, Farewell, and Celebration.

On Saturday, five days before Christmas, Haine presented the third edition of Haine & Friends, this year titled Trinity of Chaos. It was likely the first time so many artists shared the same stage during a metal gig in Malta. In addition to the core members of Haine, twenty-four guest musicians joined the band at various points throughout a set that featured twelve songs, including two covers, which will be mentioned later.

The event carried a bittersweet tone, as it marked the end of an era with Rene “Hades” Farrugia stepping down from managing the venue after eight and a half years. Rene later posted a nostalgic message on Facebook, thanking everyone who supported The Garage throughout the years:

“8.5 years passed and the day to say Goodbye to The Garage has arrived. Destiny wanted that the last few gigs were organised by great persons that also supported the venue, not for their own interest, but because they truly appreciated the sacrifices behind it. Had a lot to say, but I prefer not to put fuel on fire. Thanks for all of you that supported us during the last years (you know who you are) and wish all the luck to Jonathan, Franny and the team for taking over the venue. For sure it was a great learning experience and also a huge eye opener.”

All of us at Melodija would like to thank Rene, and we wish the very best to the new management.

Returning to the night itself, the event was opened by another energetic performance from Kodin Hill ’N The Pressed Pills. Since their first appearance, the band has been steadily building a strong following. They performed ten songs from their repertoire, and aside from the first couple of shows I have seen them play, this was, in my opinion, one of their strongest performances of the year and a fitting warm-up for what followed.

The rotating cast of local musicians who joined Haine throughout the set included:

Roderick Mifsud (Repugnance), Dario Pace Taliana (Pilgrimage/Weeping Silence), John Castiel (ex-Decline the Fall), Edward Tagliaferro (ex-Arachnid), James Byrne (Rankin), Lorenz Wenzu Joyce (ClubMurder), Sol Pearson (Align the Tide), Vincenzo Ammostr Coppola, and Kian Sullivan on vocals.

Nick Morales (Bila/Dripht, amongst others), Clive Scerri (Fallen Icon), Daniel Camilleri (Grotium/The Glades), Michael Vassallo (Impertex), and Kyle Cortis (Luciferi Regnum/Sahhar) on bass.

Victor Hugo Barreira (Halcyon/ClubMurder), Justin Caruana (Grotium/Marmalades/Luciferi Regnum), Gabriel Borg (Geistmaschine) and David Depasquale on drums.

While on guitars: Jonathan Camilleri (Align the Tide), David Depasquale (Abysmal Torment/ClubMurder), Marta Privitera (Impertex), Emanuel Portelli (Thy Legion/Animamortua/ Hemplifier/Victims of Creation), Nick Bonello (Niket), Luke Agius (5 Years From Now), and Keith Fenech (Bound to Prevail).

Each guest brought their own interpretation of Haine’s material, delivering performances marked by near-perfect execution and professionalism.

The first four songs performed with guests were taken from Haine’s debut full-length album Fertile Void, released on 24 January 2025. These began with Twisted Monuments, featuring Jonathan Camilleri on guitars and Victor Hugo Barreira on drums. For Insentient, Daniel Camilleri and Gabriel Borg joined on bass and drums respectively, while Vincenzo Ammostr Coppola joined Chris on vocals. The third song, Death Spiral, saw Emanuel Portelli on guitar and David Depasquale behind the drumkit, with Claudio returning on bass. This was followed by Blood Moon, during which Konrad handled drum duties and Sol Pearson joined Chris on vocals.

The next song was taken from the band’s self-titled EP released in January 2021. Redefined featured Jonathan Camilleri and Luke Agius on guitars, while John Castiel returned to the stage to join Chris on vocals. On bass, Clive Scerri also made a return. Many remember Clive from the Fallen Icon days, a band formed by singer Chris Bonello and drummer Konrad Saliba together with Clive.

This was followed by the first of two covers performed on the night. Joined by David Depasquale on guitar and Lorenz Wenzu Joyce on vocals, the band performed ClubMurder’s Viral from the 2019 album Massacre Masterpiece. Lorenz was a late addition to the lineup and, when spoken to after his performance, expressed his delight at being able to take part, while also praising Haine for covering a song by another Maltese band, something that is unfortunately less common than one might hope.

The set then returned to material from Fertile Void with The Apparition, featuring Clive Scerri on bass and Kian Sullivan on vocals.

Two songs from the Haine EP followed. A Hostile Anthem featured Marta Privitera on guitar alongside Jack Aron Pisani, Kyle Cortis on bass, Justin Caruana on drums, and Edward Tagliaferro on vocals. Hate.Illuminate followed, featuring Michael Vassallo on bass and Sol Pearson and Roderick Mifsud on vocals.

The second cover of the night came next: Bila’s Bezzalart, released earlier this month, featuring Bila’s own Nick Morales on vocals. Nick remained on stage, this time on bass, for the next song, Haine’s 2018 debut single This Darkness, which also featured Nick Bonello on guitar and Kian Sullivan, along with Dario Pace Taliana on vocal duties.

The final song on the setlist was the title track Fertile Void, performed solely by Haine. The crowd, however, called for more, and Blood Moon was performed once again as a special send-off to Liam Coleiro, who was performing with Haine for the last time.

With a lineup of this size, sound quality—both on stage and out front—was crucial. This was delivered to the highest standard by Steve Lombardo.

The performance was a fitting tribute to both Liam and Rene and a memorable experience for everyone in attendance. There is little to criticise; perhaps the only wish is that this annual event should be recorded, at least for future generations if not released in some format, and that Christmas songs should be included. Regardless, this event remains a fantastic way to kick off the Christmas festivities, and many left already looking forward to next year’s edition.

all photos property of Haine