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United Kingdom of Heavy Metal Tour
ARCH ENEMY, Grand Magus, Malefice, Cthonic
@ The HMV Forum
27th November 2010
Reviewer: Sabrina Dersel
Photos: Altercarnated Photography Tonight was the United Kingdom of Heavy Metal Tour; on the bill tonight; Taiwanese Chthonic, UK Malefice, Swedish Grand Magus and Headliners Arch Enemy.
Despite the freezing cold outside, people made it tonight and the venue was filled!
Chthonic
Chthonic, were the first band one tonight; a Taiwanese Black Metal band formed in 1995.
They opened in front of a good size crowd, delivering very well their best songs to date.
Opening with Rise of the Shadows.49 Theurgy Chains, singer Freddy Lim takes out the “Erhu”; known in the west as a traditional Chinese Violin.
The mix of the Erhu and guitars works very well for my taste, adding an oriental dimension to tonight’s choice of bands.
The highlight of their set was during the Judas Priest s cover “Painkiller” as Agamoth from Black Metal band Abgott came on stage with guitar in hand and doing support vocals!
Freddy’s and Agamoth voices filled up the venue with darkness and energy, which the crowd loved!
MALEFICE
Next band on is British Heavy Metal Thrashers Malefice, formed in 2003.
Their fast growing popularity earned them to support DevilDriver, Sepultura, and God Forbid to name a few and opening for the Download Festival main stage in 2008.
I don’t know if it is just me but the lack of energy and confidence is pretty obvious tonight.
I saw them a few months ago at a smaller venue and was blown away by them, but tonight’s performance is unfortunately different. Following vocalist Dave Butler’s words; “We’ve had a pretty intense UK Tour up till now, and you better go crazy cos im F…king knackered”! Said it all.
Despite the lack of energy the London crowd reacts very well and successfully attempted a circle pit!
Still their sound is powerful, the guitars are roaring and the crowd are happy .
Grand Magus
Grand Magus; from Sweden, are back to the UK!
Cold and frost is suddenly invading the stage with the 3 piece band.
There is a slight doom edge to their sound and fans of traditional and classic metal will feel right at home here.
Opening with ‘Kingslayer’,it takes the ‘Hammer Of The North’ song for people to wake up from their icy cave. ‘Iron Will’ closes beautifully their time on stage.
Janne Christoffersson and bassist Fox, delivered track after track a solid, memorable, crunchy and classy metal set.
ARCH ENEMY
There is no point in presenting Arch Enemy, they need no introduction!
The brainchild of Michael Amott (ex Carcass,Carnage) drive people crazy, and from the first song, ’The Immortal’, the crowd surfing soon begans to start.
The blending of classic metal with trash and Death appeal to many metal lover.
‘Ravenous’ and ‘Dead Bury Their Dead’ start off the crowds headbanging to the very last heads in the pit!
It seemed like a short set for the headlining band, probably due to the 3 support bands time limits, and no encore was given, despite the crowds cheers.
If you came to expect an Arch Enemy grandeur madness, it seems you would have been disappointed.
It felt like something was missing…more time maybe? Or maybe tonight only needed 2 support bands, this would have given more time for the fans to reach their apogee for tonight's event.
SETLIST (Arch Enemy):
Intro
The Immortal
Revolution Begins
Ravenous
Taking Back My Soul
My Apocalypse
Dark Insanity
I Will Live Again
Dead Eyes See No future
Dead Bury Their Dead
We Will Rise
Snowbound
Nemesis
Outro (Fields Of Desolation) |
