With the venue opening at 6pm and a 10pm curfew, the night was a fairly early one. There was not too much time to waste, then, and there was only one support act before Delain - but the German symphonic metal band Xandria were an inspired choice. Much like Delain, Xandria have recently undergone a huge line-up change - with four new members joining founder and songwriter Marco Heubaum (guitar). Like Delain, too, Xandria have recently released a strong new album, The Wonders Still Awaiting, which is another that I have been listening to quite a lot of late. I had not previously had the opportunity to see Xandria live, so I was pleased to finally do so - and the German band did not disappoint during their 45 minutes on stage. I am not hugely versed in the band's back catalogue, although I have casually enjoyed their last handful of albums, so I was pleased that all but one of the songs played came from The Wonders Still Awaiting. The album's two big singles kicked things off, with You Will Never Be Our God getting the set off to an anthemic start. Whilst Heubaum is the main man, he generally does not demand the spotlight live. He generally seems content to riff away at the side of the stage - with new frontwoman Ambre Vourvahis taking most of the plaudits. She has a poppier voice than many of her predecessors, but that did not stop her from putting on a powerful performance - and her ability to do harsh vocals has also added an extra string to the band's bow. In fact the set opened with her harsh vocals, before the soaring hooks of You Will Never Be Our God and the somewhat more dramatic Reborn filled the O2 Academy. Rob Klawon (guitar) also enjoyed plenty of time in the spotlight thanks to his shredded solos. Xandria are often a bit more guitar-heavy than some of their peers, and most of their songs contained relatively lengthy solos - which provided something additional element to latch onto. Like the current Delain line-up, the new-look Xandria do not have a lot of shows under their belt - but it did not show. The performance was a confident one, and Vourvahis in particular seemed surprised with just how strong a reaction they received. With songs like the lengthy Two Worlds, though, and the sole older cut Nightfall, it was easy to see why - and the band rocked throughout their seven-song set. It was a shame that they were not afforded more time on stage, especially as they were the only support act, but I suppose it is better to be left wanting more! A powerful rendition of My Curse is My Redemption saw their set close, then, and the band looked overjoyed by the cheers received as they filed off the stage. The setlist was:
You Will Never Be Our God
Reborn
Ghosts
Nightfall
Two Worlds
The Wonders Still Awaiting
My Curse is My Redemption
Half an hour or so later the lights went down again, and the hall erupted as Delain took to the stage. It was clear that the band were not going to have to work hard to get everyone on-side - and Delain's 19-song setl was a hit from the off. With a decent amount from Dark Waters, old favourites, and a couple of older deep cuts the setlist had a bit of something for everyone - but what impressed me from the start was how gelled the current Delain line-up seems to be. Leah has slipped into the role of frontwoman well already, although Landa did some of the in-between song banter to perhaps take some of the pressure off her, and the band were really tight - with Cioffi in particular being a captivating presence with his infectious singing along and his wild mane of hair (which got caught around Landa's guitar at one point). The symphonic The Cold from the latest album kicked things off, before Westerholt's synths drove the more anthemic Suckerpunch and Landa showcased his riffing capabilities on Burning Bridges. Leah had already proved herself on Dark Waters, but she also nailed the older songs - with Landa adding backing vocals here and there and Cioffi handling the occasional growls. Landa also had a couple of moments in the spotlight vocally, too, such as his original bridge section on the rarely-played Invidia and a beautiful cover of The Cranberries Cordell which came about half way through the set. Before Cordell, though, the hard-hitting newer single The Quest and the Curse had everyone fist-pumping, and the poppier April Rain won the crowd over with its soaring chorus and shredded guitar solo. There were no weak moments in the set, though, with even the relatively delicate The Hurricane coming alive on stage (as it tends to do) and the newer Underland hitting harder live than it has done so far on Dark Waters. The aforementioned Cordell provided a bit of a mid-set break, and gave Leah a rest, before she returned with Skiltron's Paolo Ribaldini in tow to lay down a handful of duets. Ribaldini contributed to Dark Waters, and is touring with Delain currently to handle many of the various guest male vocal parts in some of their songs. Two of his contributions, Beneath and Queen of Shadow, were up first - with the latter in particular standing out. It is one of my favourite cuts from the new album, and the huge chorus really came across well live. Ribaldini then stuck around for a huge version of Your Body Is a Battleground, a song which I have always wanted to hear live, and a bouncing rendition of the band's anthem The Gathering. Ribaldini helped bring these songs to life, and it was great having him on stage for a few songs. The synth-heavy Don't Let Go then injected some new energy into the crowd, before the poppy vibes were continued throughout the stadium-ready Moth to a Flame - with Leah shining in particular during the sugary chorus. Not Enough then brought the main set to a close, and the band lapped up the applause before briefly leaving the stage. Given that the curfew was looming, not much time was wasted - and a three-song encore followed quickly. The mechanical Mother Machine showcased Leah's vocal smoothness, before Ribaldini was brought out one last time for a surprise rendition of the oldie Control the Storm. The riffy song was a treat to hear again live after so long, with the evening then coming to a close with another bona fide anthem in We Are the Others. Everyone sang along, and it ended on a real high - with huge cheers again ringing around the packed room as the bows were taken. The setlist was:
The Cold
Suckerpunch
Burning Bridges
Invidia
The Quest and the Curse
April Rain
Underland
The Hurricane
Cordell [The Cranberries cover]
Beneath [w/ Paolo Ribaldini]
Queen of Shadow [w/ Paolo Ribaldini]
Your Body Is a Battleground [w/ Paolo Ribaldini]
The Gathering [w/ Paolo Ribaldini]
Don't Let Go
Moth to a Flame
Not Enough
-
Mother Machine
Control the Storm [w/ Paolo Ribaldini]
We Are the Others
Delain have always been a great live band, and this past Saturday was no different. I have seen a few great Delain shows, so it is hard to say which is the best, but this most recent one certainly felt like a truly joyous occasion. The new line-up seem so together, and it was great to see them getting such a strong reception. No-one likes seeing bands splinter and undergo messy line-up changes, but being open-minded is usually best - and the current Delain line-up deserve all of the love which they are currently getting. Both bands went to their respective merch desks after the show, but so many people wanted to try and meet them that I decided against doing so - especially as the situation did not look that well managed meaning that a few people were likely to hog the time as often happens in those sort of situations. The show had been excellent regardless, though, and it was one those that left me feeling in a particularly good mood as I was leaving the venue.
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