Hatari light up the stage in their first rehearsal of 'Hatrið mun sigra'

05 May 2019 at 14:05 CEST

Iceland first rehearsal 2019 Thomas Hanses

The award-winning, anti-capitalist, BDSM, techno-dystopian, performance art collective that are Hatari have arrived on the Eurovision stage. For their first rehearsal, they made an immediate impression with the song 'Hatrið mun sigra'. Complete with rubber outfits, harnesses, masks and chains, the performance's impact was highlighted with striking imagery and strong pyrotechnic blasts.

Hatari will take to the stage 13th in the first Semi-Final on Tuesday 14 May at Expo Tel Aviv in Israel.

Hatari say that they are a political, multimedia project that aims to take the lid off the relentless, unfolding scam that is everyday life. They are also a team of talented musicians that traverse multiple musical genres and create a unique crossover sound. The band merge musical theatre, electronica, pop and heavy rock. Mix in some contemporary dance and BDSM and that's Hatari.

READ MORE: Hatari's participant profile

What happens on stage?

The three-piece band are joined by three backing dancers, Sólbjört Sigurðardóttir, Andrean Sigurgeirsson and Ástrós Guðjónsdóttir. The stage is decked in red, with red chains pulling vertically up and down on the LED screens. The chains become a theme in the visual display and choreography is used to good effect to impose the message that people have become machines. There is a metal globe on stage with drummer Einar Hrafn Stefánsson smashing white flags on the top of the dome.

The performance of Hatrið mun sigra is given additional power with some major pyrotechnic displays with vertical fire cannons shooting flames into the arena. After three run-throughs with full vocal effort, the band spent some additional time adjusting the harmonies with the sound technicians to elevate the performance further.