I think that it is fair to say that this past weekend was another pretty busy one. I have a couple of quiet weekends coming up, which is actually welcome although one of them should have included a Deep Purple concert that has sadly been postponed, but the rocking continued this past weekend - with shows in both South Wales and Bristol. I have already covered Cats in Space's excellent album launch show in Newport here, which took place on Friday after a morning's work and an afternoon on the train - whereas today I am going to cover Sunday's excitement, where I returned to The Fleece, one of Bristol's finest venues, for an evening with the Swedish hair metal revival band Crashdïet. Given that I needed to be in Newport on Friday and Bristol on Sunday, which are cities that are very close together, it seemed pointless to come home on Saturday just to do basically the same journey in reverse the next day. As such, I made something of a weekend of it - enjoying a morning and early afternoon in Newport, somewhere I had not been before, and an evening on the outskirts of Bristol. I would have rather stayed in Bristol proper, but the hotel prices were very expensive - so I ended up staying in the Filton area, enjoying a quiet night in my hotel and a nearby Indian restaurant. Newport was not the most exciting place, but I managed to pass some time there - enjoying lunch in a packed Wetherspoons due to the rugby internationals and taking in a few local record shops, where a couple of purchases were made. I was able to enjoy a lie in the next morning, too, before heading back to the station to get the train into Bristol proper. I enjoyed an afternoon of wandering around and shopping, before getting some lunch and heading to my hotel. Despite the busy weekend, I still enjoyed quite a bit of downtime in hotels - which was very much needed. I was able to enjoy the shows even more without all the rushing about - and soon it was time to head down to The Fleece for what promised to be a strong evening. Despite having first seen Crashdïet live back in 2011, when I saw them opening for The 69 Eyes and Hardcore Superstar, Sunday night was my first time seeing them as a proper headline act. I saw them as part of a co-headline tour with Jettblack some years ago, but I remember there were three opening acts and none of the bands played long sets. The closest came last year, when I saw the band as part of the Mayhem Rock Festival in London - which Crashdïet topped, although all of the three main bands were afforded the same amount of time. As such, Sunday night was something I had been looking forward to for quite a while. Originally I was not going to be able to go, too, as I had tickets to see Black Stone Cherry locally in Torquay - but when their tour got moved to next year I bought a Crashdïet ticket, so the whole situation was very much a win-win for me. The band are currently on something of a high, too, fresh from releasing Art of Chaos (which I reviewed here) back in May - their first album with their current line-up. I think that it is fair to say that Crashdïet have had a pretty chaotic time when it comes to their line-up - principally, keeping hold of singers, but also, more recently, everybody aside from Martin Sweet (guitar/vocals). Despite lots of recent shifts, though, Crashdïet remain a creative act - and Art of Chaos is an album that I have been enjoying quite a bit over the past few months.
I had wondered what the turnout would be like, but The Fleece ended up with a pretty healthy crowd inside it for a Sunday night. The tour ended up being something of a dramatic one for the band, with the HRH event that the tour was built around cancelled at the last minute - meaning that a make-up Milton Keynes show was added to keep the show on the road. Hopefully the tour was a success, but the band seemed to be selling a lot of merch (including a t-shirt to me) - and all of the crowds at the other UK shows seemed similarly healthy based on the pictures I have seen. Opening the shows for the whole tour were the UK rockers Väin Wild - another band with a bit of a hair metal revival sound. Whilst the band members certainly had the look (mostly, anyway, as there were some strange baggy jeans in sight) I am not sure that they really had the songs to back it up. Some of the riffs and solos were pretty good, but nothing from their set has since suck with me. None of the choruses are still in my head, which is usually a sign that a band has not really impressed. Despite having great stage presence, too, I did not think that the singer had an especially powerful voice. He was a bit one-dimensional, lacking the grit and sense of melody that sleaze and hair metal needs. Despite the number of people through the door, too, I cannot say that the band managed to whip up much of an atmosphere. They received polite applause, but nothing much more than that - so I would not be surprised if there were quite a few others in attendance that thought similarly to me. The band seemed to be having a good time, though, and there were a few singing along - but I cannot say that their set is going to be one that lives long in my memory sadly.
Around 30 minutes later the lights went down again and the four members of Crashdïet took to the stage to an orchestral intro - soon launching into Satizfaction from the latest album. Crashdïet are very much a raw rock and roll band, so their show was boisterous and scrappy as would be expected - and I have always enjoyed the band's no-nonsense approach live, which has persisted despite the line-up changes. The sound was pretty good, too, so the atmosphere levels rose quite considerably - and there was quite a bit of singing from the crowd throughout. I was quite close to the front, and everyone around me was having a great time - with Martin essentially right in front of me as he peeled off riff after riff. Current frontman John Elliot really suits the band in my opinion - and he sang the new and old songs with plenty of grit and melody. The band's setlist took in songs from all but one of their albums, too, with four coming from the latest effort - and the rest was largely made up of favourites from the catalogue. There were few genuine surprises, but it was great to hear so many of the band's best songs in one go. There was another new number in Chaos Magnetic served up early on, but generally the classics dominated. I had not seen the band do So Alive live for many years, so that was a treat, and the whole band helped out vocally - with Martin and Chris Young (bass guitar/vocals) in particular doing quite a lot of heavy lifting on that front throughout. The band often make use of call-and-response choruses, which necessitate such, but Elliot was clearly the most powerful vocal force - often crashing in at the end of each chorus after the gang vocals. The set felt split into two halves, and some other highlights of the first half were the bluesy strut of Cocaine Cowboys, which was one of the night's heaviest moments, the early anthem Riot in Everyone with plenty of excellent bass playing from Young, and the slick, poppy Chemical which was one of the set's main sing-a-longs. Strangely, the band left the stage after Chemical - but there were still six songs to come. As such, it did not feel like an encore break - and there was a taped intro for the next song, which maybe took much longer to kick in than it was supposed to. The crowd seemed quite confused as to what was going on, as it would have been too early for the show to already be nearing its end - which turned out to be the case, so I am not sure why the band felt the need to leave the stage just for a taped intro to play. This strangeness aside, the second half soon got things back on track with the epic Breakin' the Chainz from the band's pretty legendary debut album. It was also good to hear a couple of numbers from 2007's underrated The Unattractive Revolution live. I had seen the band do Falling Rain live before, but not Die Another Day - which was another of the set's heavier moments. These two straddled an extended version of Sick Enough for Me, one of the best songs on the latest album - during which Elliot introduced the band and Michael Sweet (drums/vocals) took a mini solo. It was left to two of the band's biggest tracks to round out the 15-song set. It's a Miracle was also somewhat stretched out, with a slow-burning sing-a-long intro before the band kicked in proper - whilst the anthemic Generation Wild closed things out as would be expected with plenty more singing from the crowd. The setlist was:
Satizfaction
Chaos Magnetic
So Alive
Together Whatever
Cocaine Cowboys
Quitter
Riot in Everyone
Native Nature
Chemical
Breakin' the Chainz
Falling Rain
Sick Enough for Me
Die Another Day
It's a Miracle
Generation Wild
Seeing a Crashdïet headline show had been a long-time coming, so I was very glad to be able to finally do so this past weekend and tick it off the list. I have always enjoyed seeing the band live, but this Bristol show was likely the best yet due to its length, the number of real Crashdïet classics played, and the power of the current line-up. It was nice to see the venue pretty full, too, and hopefully the band will come back to headline over here more often - as such visits by the band have been some sporadic over the years.
At one point, it felt like the British retro hard rockers Cats in Space were being covered regularly on this blog. They are likely one of my most-listened-to bands of the past few years - and if I was not reviewing one of their albums then I was seeing them live. For a while, I think that it is fair to say that I was pretty obsessed with the band - but in more recent times I have taken a step back, perhaps suffering from something of a Cats in Space-related burnout. It is possible to have too much of a good thing - and I think I overdid it a bit when it came to Cats in Space. I do not think that I listened to the band at all last year - and I also missed their 2025 tour, which was essentially the second leg of the tour for 2024's Time Machine (which I reviewed here), as there were no suitable shows that I could easily make from the South West, meaning that I really did end up having a bit of an accidental Cats in Space detox. This detox, too, was partly fuelled by my relative disappointment in Time Machine. The band had essentially gotten better and better with each album, but Time Machine felt like a step backwards after the epic Kickstart the Sun (which I reviewed here) from 2022. It was always going to be hard to top Kickstart the Sun, but Time Machine was realistically the first time I had been disappointed with something from the band. I enjoyed seeing them in 2024 just before the album came out, but it did not live up to the best numbers played live - so, after I reviewed it, it pretty much went back on the shelf for good. Cats in Space never wait around for too long, though, and the band have just released their seventh album Suit of Armour. At the time of writing, I have not had a chance to listen to it yet, but it will be reviewed here at some point - and the advance singles have certainly been promising. 2026 has been a relatively quiet year for the band on the road, due to recording the new album, but they decided to celebrate the album's launch with a couple of shows - before taking the album on the road properly next year. Coventry and Newport were chosen for these launch parties, and getting to Newport for a Friday evening made the most sense. Despite my detox, I was ready to see the band live again - and I was intrigued by visiting Newport, a new city for me, as well as catching a new-look Cats in Space. Despite the frontman shift from Paul Manzi to Damien Edwards (via, briefly, Mark Pascall), the band had always been stable line-up-wise until the last couple of years when both bassist Jeff Brown and guitarist Dean Howard left. Suit of Armour is the first album with the band's new line-up, then, with Thunder and Tyketto's Chris Childs (bass guitar/vocals) and Wayward Sons' Sam Wood (guitar/vocals) now fully onboard after some previous guest appearances. I booked the ticket for the show some months back, and had a run-through of the band's albums for the first time for a couple of years in the lead-up - with all those excellent songs flooding back. I even enjoyed Time Machine more than I did previously - so I was very much ready for the show by the time Friday came around. The show endured its share of drama in the lead-up, too, with the original venue the Queen's Hotel closing a few months ago - meaning that the action had to move around the corner to the Corn Exchange. I would not have known this had the band not said so, however, as no information at all from the ticket provider was forthcoming. Following a morning's work, then, it was soon time to get the train up to Newport from Plymouth, via a cold wait at Bristol Parkway. My hotel was just outside the station, and the venue was about a five minute walk. Everything was very convenient, then, and I was soon in the venue waiting for the music to start.
There was no support act, with the band presenting something of an 'Evening with...' format - kicking off with a six-song acoustic set before the later main event. Whilst the turnout was fairly decent, and the crowd was not small, I expected better really given the band's relative lack of live activity this year. Cats in Space always struggle to take that next step size-wise, which is a shame, but the atmosphere in the room was good - and the band were having a great time, with plenty of banter throughout between Wood and bandleader Greg Hart (guitar/vocals). The acoustic set got off to a rocky start, with Wood's guitar not working. He ended up having to use a microphone, old-fashioned style, which led to some early jokes - before the music got underway with Poke the Witch. Of the six songs played, four were songs I had not seen the band do live before. Two came from the new album, which were presented just by Edwards and Andy Stewart (keyboards/vocals), whilst two were relative deep-cuts. Poke the Witch has been setlist regular, though, but it worked well acoustically - as did the snappy Two Fifty Nine which has always been a bit of a favourite. The band were on strong form acoustically, even though Edwards was clearly suffering with some sort of illness. Even ill, though, he sounded excellent - despite perhaps not operating at full-tilt at times. No-one minded, though, and the acoustic set went down really well - even with two brand new songs included that most likely had not heard. Of the two played, Twenty-Seven was likely my favourite - but I imagine the song sounds quite different on the actual album. It was also interesting to see everyone providing backing vocals now, including drummer Steevi Bacon - who contributed various percussion and even a little harmonica during the acoustic set. I did think that they missed Brown in the vocal department, as he essentially could have fronted the band he was that good a singer, but otherwise the line-up changes appear to have been smooth. The 30 minute acoustic set came to an end with another deep cut favourite in the form of Magic Lovin' Feelin' - with the band then taking half an hour or so to rest up before the main event. The setlist was:
Poke the Witch
Two Fifty Nine
From Time to Time
Twenty-Seven
Scars
Magic Lovin' Feelin'
The stage was soon cleared of all the stools and extra microphones the acoustic set required - and the Les Pauls were tuned up ready for something much louder. Most of the times I have seen the band live they have opened with the anthemic Too Many Gods, and Friday night was no different. The track always sets the tone nicely for what is to come, and the new-look band really powered through the venue's PA from the off. The setlist was a strong one, too, with five songs from the new album - and there were some older songs included that I had either not seen the band do live before or for a while. The hard-hitting, political Revolution was one such number - but perhaps the first highlight was the first new cut of the set: Never Big in Japan. Like many of the band's songs, it appeared to be something of a tongue-in-cheek look at the music industry - with plenty of big hooks and fiery soloing. I was impressed with Wood throughout. I have seen him live before with a number of different bands, but he especially impressed on Friday with his tough, blues-based soloing. Hopefully he sticks around for a while, although he is very much in-demand, having filled in for guitarists in both Saxon and Uriah Heep - so it would not surprise me to see him end up in a bigger band permanently one day. It was also nice to hear My Father's Eyes live, as it was not played at the 2024 show I attended - but the main event was arguably a four-song suite of songs from the new album. Of the four, the two which really stood out were the single White Knight, with its harmony guitar solo, delicate piano, and classic Cats in Space build from a slow start, and the fast-paced, bombastic We Breathe in Stereo - a hooky anthem that could have easily sat on one of the band's early albums. The other two new songs in the suite were strong, too, but the ones mentioned are the ones which stood out the most. Even though most in crowd had not likely heard all of these songs, they received strong receptions - with the fans having a great time throughout the whole evening. The rest of the set was largely made up of classics, with the epic power ballad Kickstart the Sun including a pretty spontaneous crowd sing-a-long, which likely pleased Edwards given that it allowed him a brief rest. Jupiter Calling was a bit of a surprise, given that I had not seen the band do it live for a number of years, but the rocker went down well - before Greatest Story Never Told and Thunder in the Night proved to be a powerful one-two punch of setlist staples. I did wonder how the former would fare without Brown, but Edwards sang the whole song - and it still sounded powerful, although I would not be upset if the band decided to give it a bit of a break at this point. It does somewhat seem to be the band's signature anthem, but it has never been one of my personal favourites. There are songs I would rather have included, but I imagine that I am in something of a minority - and I very much imagine the song will feature at every Cats in Space show. It has moved from its customary ending slot, though, which was this time occupied by the barnstorming Occam's Razor (Not the End of the World) - one of the best songs from the last album. The up-tempo song worked really well as a closing statement - which allowed for some more rocking out and soloing before the band took a quite break off-stage. The cheers brought them back for a couple more, though, and the band's now seemingly customary encore duo of Hologram Man and I Fell Out of Love with Rock 'n' Roll made for a great end to a great night - with plenty more soloing again from Hart and Wood in the song's big finale. The setlist was:
Cathedral
Too Many Gods
Revolution
Never Big in Japan
My Father's Eyes
Miracle
Suit of Armour
White Knight
We Breathe in Stereo
Kickstart the Sun
Jupiter Calling
Greatest Story Never Told
Thunder in the Night
Occam's Razor (Not the End of the World)
-
Hologram Man
I Fell Out of Love with Rock 'n' Roll
Given that it had been over two years since I last saw Cats in Space live, which is a long gap compared to most, it was great to finally see them again on Friday - reinvigorated from my little hiatus from listening to their albums. The show reminded me, even with the new line-up, why I fell in love in the first place - and I am looking forward to digesting the new album over the coming weeks. The band are going on tour next year and, based on Friday, I think that I will need to see whether or not I can make any of the shows.
As is the case with Europe, the last band whom I reviewed a new album from here on this blog, the California-based melodic metal band Stryper are another who have been on a really impressive late career run - to the point where it actually becomes hard to talk about each new Stryper album as it drops. Whilst the Christian hair metal act have never been one of my true favourites, I have been a fan of the band for a number of years at this point - and enjoy both their poppier 1980s heyday and the heavier sound that they have adopted in more recent years. In some ways, Stryper have become something of a comfort band. A new Stryper album dropping every two years like clockwork has become so expected that each new album tends to be a welcome return to the band's world for a couple of months - before the CD goes on the shelf and is rarely returned to. This may seem like a bit of a negative, but it should not be seen as such really - as the fact that the band keep dragging me back on board with each new release shows that they are doing something right, even if they are not a real go-to when it comes to my listening habits. Over the past month or so, then, I have been back on the Stryper train as, predictably, back in September, they followed up 2024's When We Were Kings (which I reviewed here) with Throne of Thorns - the band's fourteenth album of all-original material. In truth, Stryper just never seem to stop. The last few years have been especially busy for the band, with an acoustic album To Hell with the Amps also dropping in 2024, and a Christmas album The Greatest Gift of All came out last year - neither of which I have heard nor really interest me. Frontman and principal songwriter Michael Sweet also released a solo album, The Master Plan, earlier this year, so die-hard fans of his writing and Stryper have been spoilt more than usual of late. There is a bit of a danger that all of this activity could flood the market and fatigue the fans a bit - but I would rather musicians be creative than sit around stating that they have nothing new to say, and I am sure that Stryper's most loyal fans have loved the number of Stryper and related releases over the past couple of years. For me, though, Throne of Thorns is my first Stryper release for two years - which has essentially been the norm since the band essentially launched this current era back in 2013 with No More Hell to Pay (which I reviewed here). Only once, the gap between the band's 2015 and 2018 releases, has Stryper made the fans wait more than two years for a new album since 2013 - including during the pandemic where the band's strict two-year rule still applied. As such, it is easy to see Throne of Thorns as just another Stryper album - but I do feel that it has its own identity. The band have certainly stuck to a core sound since 2013, which is essentially a heavier and more metallic take on their 1980s sound, ignoring some of the darker and grungier sounds that influenced their sole 1990s release and their initial 2000s comebacks. There have been some twists along the way, with the last album being one of the band's heaviest overall, but largely a core sound remains. That sound is present here, but the album is on the short side at just over 40 minutes - whilst it feels a bit more AOR-influenced overall. There are some really strong choruses here, but there are also plenty of riffs - ensuring a heavier vibe is retained. Interestingly, too, the album was recorded as a three-piece - with guitarist Oz Fox absent for health reasons. Fox remains in the band and continues to play live with them, but was unavailable for studio duties when the album was being recorded. Founding drummer Robert Sweet joins his brother as always, though, whilst bassist since 2017 Perry Richardson rounds out the line-up - with Michael handling all of the guitars this time around.
Regular session player Paul McNamara provides all sorts of keyboards as he usually does, and his playing is perhaps a bit more prevalent this time compared to the last album due to the more AOR-influenced sound present on Throne of Thorns. Kicking off with its title track, the 11-track album mostly puts its best foot forward. A big drum barrage opens things up, before a juddering, mid-paced riff takes over. The riff sounds a little awkward at first, as it feels like it should be faster, but once the groove settles the song's vibe takes hold - and the strong, strutting feel continues through a punchy verse backed by a hollow, booming drum sound. Michael sounds as good as ever vocally. He has essentially lost none of his power over the years, but has likely gained some grit to sound every better than he did in his prime. Big harmony vocals back what is quite a simple chorus, with synths filling the gaps, and the song is built on a pretty typical arrangement that holds few surprises. A melodic guitar solo comes later on, which is perhaps a bit less shredded than Stryper's solos can be - but it is lengthy and full of melody, building on some of the chorus hooks heard elsewhere. A later chorus rendition which is just backed by drums is a slight surprise, though, and the song is hooky and powerful despite the slightly jarring start. Here in Your Heart is another mid-paced song, but the opening riff feels much more confident and appropriate right from the off - and there is almost a Ronnie James Dio or Tony Martin era Black Sabbath sound to its overall groove. The riff is slightly doomy but moves with real purpose - and it backs a snappy verse, which sees Michael singing in a more urgent manner than may be expected given the overall pace of the riff. There is a pleasing energy to the song, then, and the hooks build towards a chorus which changes tack and presents a strong AOR front. The chorus is much more lush compared to the rest of the song - with some prominent keyboard stabs and layers of 1980s vocal harmonies. It is a sweet and easy-on-the-ear moment that sticks in the brain from the off - including some of the band's 1980s heyday in amongst their heavier, modern sound. The guitar solo section is snappier this time, fitting in with the song's overall focus on hooks. Going for something of a groovier approach, Falling opens with a swinging riff backed by some percussive, tom-led drumming - and from the off there is more of a 1980s swagger that was not present during the opening couple of numbers. A simplified version of the hooky, Dokken-esque chorus is laid out early on - whilst the verses are a bit more typical of the band's core sound with strong guitar riffing over hard-hitting drumming. Vocal harmonies are utilised a bit more during the verses this time, though, giving more of the song a lusher feel - which continues via the expanded chorus with its stadium-filling sound and smooth hooks. A lengthy guitar solo section later includes some harmony guitar melodies, still creating the impression of two guitarists despite there being only one, before something more shredded and high-octane takes over. I'm Alright (I'm Okay) picks up the pace, and is essentially the album's first fast-paced, energetic number. The main guitar riff is pretty typical of the band's approach on recent albums, with fast-moving notes and a weighty bass presence - whilst the energy of the verse vocals contrasts the hanging guitar chords generally employed in the background. Subtle vocal harmonies build towards another strong chorus, which utilises something of a call-and-response approach - with vocal harmonies and raw lead vocals trading lines back and forth. Despite the more melodic approach, the song remains hard hitting and fairly heavy - with some of the shreddiest guitar playing on the album up to this point during the solo section.
Waiting for You returns to something more mid-paced, with another big drum intro - but instead of a big, riffy opening, a more melodic, slow-moving guitar lead takes over, which is soon doubled as the bass rumbles away beneath it. This slightly sparser feel continues on throughout the verses, and there is certainly a power ballad vibe throughout. It would not be a Stryper album without at least one big ballad, and this track somewhat delivers on what would be expected - despite the guitar tones still being pretty tough-sounding overall. There is a rawness to the backing of the verses, then, which allows Michael's heartfelt vocals to largely stand out - whilst keyboard melodies pop in and out, before taking on a more prominent role during an arms-in-the-air chorus. It might not be the most emotive ballad, and the guitar tones may remain a bit too tough for the song to reach its full potential, but there is still plenty to like about the piece. Carry the Flame ups the heaviness again, going for more of a tough mid-paced sound. Robert's drumming is a bit more interesting than is sometimes the case, though, with more emphasis on double bass patterns. He does not really lay into his bass drums, playing them at speed, instead he lays down some kinetic double bass grooves that give the song a real swing - and that sit nicely behind the simple guitar riff that drives everything. I really like the overall swing of the piece, but the chorus is not one of the album's strongest in my opinion. This is a shame, as with a better chorus the song might have ended up being one of the album's highlights. The chorus is certainly not bad, but the loud, Queen-like wordless backing vocals are a bit distracting - and this might have been a song where toning down some of the harmonies and 1980s trappings might have actually worked in the band's favour. Hollywood is another pretty mid-paced track, but it feels much more muscular overall - with a fairly slow-moving riff that sounds like another that Tony Iommi might have come up with in the late 1980s. It is one of the strongest riffs on the album in my opinion, and I like how the band shake things up by occasionally harmonising with it, whilst the simplified version that backs the verses is suitably heavy without getting in the way of Michael's excellent vocals. He really belts this song out, and I think that some of his best vocals come during a chorus which is suitably anthemic in a Def Leppard-esque manner. The chorus has that cinematic, somewhat slow-moving feel that was a regular approach during the 1980s - with the layers of vocal harmonies and keyboards adding a sweeter edge to the tune. A high-octane guitar solo with some choice shredding is also welcome, and I like the mix of speeds and approaches taken here - which make the song one of my favourites on the album overall. Picking up the pace, and opening with a lone drum pattern, Beautifully Broken goes for something of a more energetic approach overall. Given the more AOR-influenced approach taken here, there are fewer fast-paced songs than is typical on a modern Stryper album - so it is nice to see the band speed things up somewhat here, even if the overall pace still feels pretty controlled overall. This is no thrash album, then, but there is a punch to the drumming and a bit more of an urgency to Michael's vocals - over the top of some snappy power chord riffing. These verses are fairly hard-hitting, then, although they end with some varied vocal harmonies fading in and out - which give way to a chorus that slows things down and goes for a bit more of an anthemic sound. This is one of the songs that stood out from the off, and it remains a bit of a favourite.
Ashes to Roses reins in the band's tougher side, and is built around one of those classic AOR guitar patterns that nearly every 1980s rock band used at least once - but is hard to describe. Picture the more hard rock-orientated version of Whitesnake's Here I Go Again (the radio-mix Dann Huff played guitar on, not the one on most versions of the 1987 album, nor the original version from Saints & Sinners) and the sort of riff I mean will be understood. This song is essentially that riff made into a full song - with somewhat laid back verses, despite the guitar chug, and floatier overall melodies. There is just much more of a smoother approach taken throughout. The keyboards are pretty present, providing more of a main instrument approach rather than just sitting in the background, whilst the guitars feel less powerful - despite setting the overall tone. The chorus is another strong one, and for those who wanted a bit more of a look back to past on this album this song should tick a few boxes. Alone Again is somewhat similar overall, although a bit more of a toughness creeps back in. It is not an especially heavy song, but there is a bit of a strange approach taken during the verses - especially vocally. The chorus is typical of the album's core sound, with big harmonies operating once again in a call-and-response approach with Michael's rawer lead vocals - but the verses have a bit of a darker tone that is at odds with the largely upbeat nature of the album. Michael sings the verses in a bit of a lower register than is typical, and there is a grittier edge to his delivery at times - which almost sounds spoken on occasion. The song is a bit different overall, then, despite possessing one of the best choruses here. Overall, though, I think the contrasting sections work well together, with the mix of light and shade a welcome change from Stryper's overall positivity - despite their crunchy, metallic approach. Those who wanted a bit more of their typical metallic crunch, too, will be pleased as the album reaches its end, as Shadowbreaker, the final number here, picks up the pace and delivers a barrelling heavy metal anthem more akin to the tougher sound of the band's previous album. It is a rare foray into a pacier, more energetic sound on this album - with Robert's drumming fast-paced and including the occasional double bass drum flurry, whilst the riffing is snappy and kinetic, whipping up plenty of energy. Due to the pace and toughness throughout, this was another song that stood out to me from the off. The energy of the riff and the driving metal attitude spoke to me early on, and it remains a favourite despite it having some of the most overtly religious lyrics on the album. The chorus remains pretty melodic, with the band's trademark harmonies, but it is faster than most of the choruses here - and there is something truly anthemic about it, with Michael's vocals sounding a little rawer in places despite him utilising his upper register. He ends the song with a high-pitched scream, too, bringing the album to a high-octane close following another lengthy solo section. I have enjoyed all of Stryper's recent albums and this one is certainly no different. It is hard to say which are the better efforts as I have found them all enjoyable - and they are often all quite similar. The songwriting here is strong, and Michael has managed to compensate for Fox's absence with plenty of excellent guitar solos. Stryper are showing no signs of slowing down, and I imagine that in 2028 I will be reviewing their next album.
The album was released on 25th September 2026 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Throne of Thorns.
When it comes to deciding what gigs to book tickets for, I have, in more recent times, tried to focus on seeing bands that, either, I have not seen live before or have not seen live for quite some time. This is not always easy to plan in a sensible way given the hap-hazard way that tours are announced - but there are some tours of late that I have passed on so I could get to something else instead. When you like so many bands, seeing every band on every tour is just not possible - and I probably need to be a bit more ruthless going forward to try and squeeze as much as I can in, particularly given the rising costs of going to gigs. I think that it is fair to say that some bands are going to be exempt from such a rule, though. There are a handful of favourites that I will likely always make room for, unless they announce a tour too late for me to get involved. As an aside, why are so many bands still announcing tours for February and March next year? This happens every year, when the annual leave well has run dry, but it seems to be especially prevalent this year - and it seems a bit short-sighted, given that those with similar lifestyles to me that likely make up the majority of many live crowds, especially at smaller shows, will likely be in similar positions. Anyway, and to get back on track after that mini rant, one of the bands that is likely to always be exempt from my aforementioned rule is the American power/symphonic metal act Kamelot. My handful of lifetime favourites are all bands that I want to see as often as I can - and Kamelot concerts do not exactly come around every day. Despite always being well-received here in the UK, I am not sure that I would be 100% confident in the band including at least one UK show on each European tour. They do generally make it to the UK at least once per album cycle, but there have sometimes been quite large gaps between visits. That does seem to have changed a bit of late, though, with the band also venturing further than London. In fact, prior to last night, my last time seeing Kamelot in London came back in 2018 - with my last two Kamelot live experiences coming in Birmingham in 2019 and Wolverhampton in 2024. As such, that percentage is creeping ever closer to 100%, but there are certainly territories that the band would likely favour over the UK should they need to choose - even if Kamelot remain a popular live act here in the UK, at least in the context of the scene in which they operate. As such, when a couple of UK shows were announced as part of their latest European tour earlier in the year, I quickly picked up a ticket to the London show. There was no Midlands option this time, but there was also a Manchester show to ensure a bit of a spread - but London on a Sunday was always going to make the most sense for me rather than mid-week in Manchester. The tour was announced before news of their latest album Dark Asylum (which I reviewed here) was made public - but it was pretty clear when the tour was announced that a new album was imminent, and Dark Asylum has been on regular rotation since its late August release. It is certainly my favourite Kamelot album since 2015's Haven (which I reviewed here) - and if it did not run out of steam somewhat towards the end it would likely surpass that one, too. It was also great to see Kamelot live again after just a two year wait - with the aforementioned Wolverhampton show in 2024 falling exactly two years to the day ago in relation to last night. The wait before that had been five years, but the pandemic likely had something to say about that - although I ended up seeing the band three times within the space of a year between 2018 and 2019 thanks to two European tours that included the UK and an appearance at 2018's Bloodstock Open Air.
I was ready to see the band again, then, following the two year gap - and I joined the queue outside the O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire around 20 or minutes before the doors opened. It must be the largest venue I have seen the band in to date - and it seemed pretty full throughout the night, even if parts of the various balconies looked a little sparsely filled. I got quite close to the front, too, not something I often do these days, so was in a great position for all three bands - with Italy's Temperance kicking things off. This was my third time seeing the band live - having first discovered them back in 2023 when I saw them opening for Tarja. I have become something of a fan since, although they are not a band that I listen to regularly. That being said, I had been listening to the newly-released Arcani in the lead up to the show, which I may well review here on due course, and I am glad that I did as five of the set's eight songs were culled from the tarot-inspired album. Sadly, though, Temperance suffered from quite a muddy sound mix. Clearly whoever was on the mixing desk, too, was struggling with their trio of lead vocalists - with co-frontwoman Kristin Starkey usually the one to suffer. She was very hard to hear at times, whilst bandleader Marco Pastorino (vocals/guitar) was always very loud in the mix, which was strange given that he generally sings the least! Despite this, though, I still enjoyed seeing the band live again - and I enjoyed hearing so many of the new songs. I ended up struggling a bit with their last album, but I think this one is stronger overall - with epic songs like The Magician: Into the Fire and The Devil: Sin Sin Sin hitting the crowd early on. Pastorino is a strong songwriter, and his guitar playing is full of melody - perhaps in a more straight forward way than many of his peers. Co-frontman Michele Guaitoli played some additional guitar during a few numbers, too, but generally he and Starkey were all over the stage - really working the crowd nicely. Despite the focus on new material, with another big highlight later on being the album opening The Fool, there were some older favourites also included. It was nice hearing Of Jupiter and Moons again having not listened much to the band's older albums for quite a while - whilst the more symphonic and dramatic Daruma proved to be a powerful set closer. Temperance are one of those bands that I should probably pay more attention to. They have lots of songs that I like, but perhaps none of their albums are consistently great - at least in my view. That being said, I have enjoyed the band live each time that I have seen them - and with Pastorino being a regular on the scene as a member of many bands, Temperance always feels like his main project. The setlist was:
The Magician: Into the Fire
Of Jupiter and Moons
The Devil: Sin Sin Sin
Death: Right Before We Die
The Fool
The Tower: Lean Into Fear
The Last Hope in a World of Hopes
Daruma
Up next were the multi-national symphonic metal act Exit Eden - essentially kicking off their first ever tour. They had played the odd live show previously, but this current run with Kamelot constitutes the band's first tour. Formed as something of a female version of the now-defunct Northern Kings (i.e. well-known singers performing covers of pop songs in a metal style), Exit Eden have somewhat developed - with their second album including some original material alongside the covers. Fronted by Anna Brunner, Clémentine Delauney, and, for this tour anyway, Chiara Tricarico (filling in for Marina La Torraca), the band delivered a fun set for the next 45 or so minutes - mixing original material, largely written by Brunner, and pop covers. Strangely enough, Brunner was the only person on stage that I was not already familiar with. I will need to check out her band League of Distortion in due course, especially as I enjoyed much of the original material in Exit Eden's set. Like Temperance, Exit Eden did suffer with a relatively muddy live sound mix - but they fared better than the night's openers. The vocal balance between the three frontwomen was generally well-struck - so the band battled something of a more general muddiness than the strange imbalance of Temperance. Given the band's origin as a covers band, their original material was unsurprisingly quite poppy. I would consider the band a symphonic metal act overall, but certainly at the hookier and more straightforward end of the scale - with quite a few big choruses present, including in opener Femme Fatale and the later Run!, which included some extra vocals from Guaitoli. Clearly three vocalists was not enough for that number, but generally the trio approach worked well - with lots of opportunities for lush harmonies during the set. The layered approach allowed for some differing vocal approaches, too. There were more operatic vocals in spots, particularly from Delauney, whilst Brunner often handled those moments that required a bit more grit with her powerful voice. Most of the songs covered came from the pop genre, but early on Journey got a bit of love via Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - and perhaps the overall highlight was a fun rendition of Lady Gaga's Paparazzi. The three ladies were backed by some known musicians, too. Temperance's Marco Sacchetto (drums) did double duty, whilst Sirenia's Nils Courbaron (guitar) and former Blackbriar bassist Siebe Sol Sijpkens rounded out the backing band. A set that was half covers was likely never going to set my world alight, but I enjoyed the carefree attitude of Exit Eden's set - and their original material was stronger than I expected given that the project is likely not the main creative outlet of anyone involved.
The changeover between the two support acts had been short, but there was a longer wait for Kamelot's set - but soon the lights went down again and Sanctorium started playing through the PA. The band then took to the stage, and unsurprisingly kicked off with Ashen World from the new album. This was the first of five new songs included which meant, with one other song taken into account, there were six songs in the set that I had not seen the band do live before. I have sometimes been a bit critical of the band not mixing up the setlists that much between tours, but this setlist felt quite fresh - despite the remaining presence of lots of regulars. Thankfully, too, the sound was better for Kamelot - although I still had to take my earplugs out due to being slightly behind the speakers. I have often found the venue a bit hit and miss for sound - but once I had taken the earplugs out things were largely fine - with Ashen World kicking things off nicely with its melodic chorus. Frontman Tommy Karevik was in excellent voice throughout - and he was aided on a number of songs by Delauney on clean vocals and Ignacia Fernández on harsh vocals, who both sang on Dark Asylum. Fernández's first growls came during Ashen World, but the next two numbers featured neither - with trips back to the past for both The Great Pandemonium and Rule the World. It seemed a little strange to have two pre-Karevik songs come so early, but both were sang loudly by the crowd - with Thomas Youngblood (guitar/vocals) delivering shredded guitar solos during both. As always, the band were tight. Keyboard player Oliver Palotai added a keytar to his arsenal, which meant he could come down to the front of the stage during a couple of numbers - whilst Sean Tibbetts (bass guitar) was as active as ever, really getting the crowd going. Given that Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy) had been the band's closing number for the last few tours, it seemed strange to hear it so early in the set - but no-one seemed to mind, and it sat nicely alongside the moody, older Karma. It was great that the new material received a strong reception, too, with the single Godlike Alchemy, one of the night's poppier numbers, going down well early on - but it was perhaps the heavier Revolution, with Palotai strangely doing the harsh vocals, which was a surprising highlight. The song has never been a favourite of mine, but it worked well live and it was the only number not from the new album that I had not seen the band do live before. New material largely dominated the second half of the set, too. Aside from the main set-closing Veil of Elysium and the two-song encore, everything else played came from either the new album or the last one. The dramatic, symphonic stomp of New Babylon has always worked better live than it did on record, and it seems destined to be something of a setlist staple, whilst the title track of the latest album was another highlight. The latter was already a favourite of mine, but hearing it live only made me enjoy it more. Ivy, My Dear was the set's obligatory ballad, with Karevik and Palotai left alone to perform it - whilst a juddering solo from Alex Landenburg (drums) later led into One More Flag in the Ground from the last album. Another big highlight for me was Sanctuary, with both of the ladies helping out vocally - which also featured Karevik sat on a large throne which was part of the lavish stage set. By this point, though, there was not much time left - and a lengthy version of Veil of Elysium rounded out the main set, with some audience participation and a break to wish Karevik a happy birthday. The encore followed, with the ever-present oldie March of Mephisto sounding as powerful as ever - and Karevik's first single as a member of Kamelot Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife) acting as a soaring and melodic closer. The setlist was:
Sanctorium
Ashen World
The Great Pandemonium
Rule the World
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
Godlike Alchemy
Karma
Revolution
Nocte Veritas
New Babylon
Dark Asylum
Ivy, My Dear
Drum Solo
One More Flag in the Ground
Keyboard Solo
Sanctuary
Veil of Elysium
-
March of Mephisto
Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)
Sanctum Requiem
Kamelot shows are always great, but this one felt fresher setlist-wise, and it was probably the most fun I have had at one of their shows for a little while - largely due to being close to the front. I was pleased to see Forever finally rested, and if only the same had happened to Rule the World then the setlist could have been near-perfect given the amount of new material played. Kamelot are on a real high at the moment, with another European tour leg planned for next year (which sadly does not include any UK shows), so hopefully it will not be too much longer before the band are back.
Due to the amount of time that had passed since they released their last album, 2017's Walk the Earth (which I reviewed here), I think that I have been guilty of late when it comes to including Sweden's Europe when talking about late-career renaissances. I generally point to bands like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep, who have been producing material to rival the work of their 1970s heydays over the past decade or so - but, at least throughout the late 2000s and early-to-mid 2010s, Europe certainly did the same. At one point, it really seemed like something new from Europe was dropping annually - and I also saw the band live regularly throughout the same period, both as a headline act in theatres and as a special guest in arenas. Europe had just become something a fixture, then, and I generally had a Europe gig ticket waiting to be used and a new studio or live album pre-ordered. In more recent times, though, Europe have slowed down somewhat. Given the regular run that the band had been on new material-wise, which came to an end with Walk the Earth, I would have expected something to drop in 2019 or 2020 - but those years came and went without any news. The touring seemed to drop off somewhat, too, and after seeing the band headline on their UK tour supporting Walk the Earth in 2018 it was not until 2022 that I saw them again - when they opened a bill which was topped by Whitesnake and also included Foreigner. Admittedly, the pandemic likely played a big part in this gap - and I had a ticket for the same tour in 2020 which was cancelled, only to magically reappear a couple of years later. I also had a ticket to see the band in 2023 on their big anniversary tour, but a combination of bad weather and poor railway infrastructure meant that I could not journey up to Wolverhampton that day - meaning that I missed out on what was likely an all-timer of a Europe show. The band also released a new song around the same time, Hold Your Head Up, which was played on the tour as something of a celebration of their history. As such, I assumed that a new album was well on the way by that point - but Hold Your Head Up proved to be just a stand-alone single, and it was not until earlier this year that the band finally announced their follow-up to Walk the Earth, their twelfth album overall, Come This Madness. Following nine years on from Walk the Earth, which is a gap that is not all that much smaller than the 13 year gap between 1991's Prisoners in Paradise and 2004's Start from the Dark, during most of which the band did not really exist, Come This Madness does not feel all that different from the 2017 release - or the string of albums that preceded it. I often consider both Start from the Dark and 2006's Secret Society as the band finding their feet again following their hiatus, flirting with a more modern sound, before deciding to sound much more old-school, bluesy, and 1970s-inspired on 2009's Last Look at Eden - a sound which they have largely carried on with despite working with different producers. Working with Dave Cobb on 2015's War of Kings (which I reviewed here) and Walk the Earth saw the band at their bluesiest and most retro-sounding - but some of those vibes have continued forward into Come This Madness, despite this latest album feeling a little more overtly melodic and smooth overall. Some have described it as a return to the band 1980s heyday in terms of sound. I do not agree with this view at all as, to me, the album is very in-keeping with everything that the band have been doing of late - but there is certainly a smoothness that was perhaps not always present, thanks to new producer Tom Dalgety, who has worked with bands like Opeth and Ghost.
Like Walk the Earth, too, Come This Madness is quite a short album at just over 40 minutes. It is very digestible, then, and I also enjoyed hearing some of the songs live earlier this month when I got to see the band live again for the first time since 2022. One of those songs which featured live, and the album's lead single, One on One kicks things off. Following an orchestral start, a rumbling, yet hooky, bassline from John Levén is the first big moment here - over which a snaking guitar riff from John Norum is soon laid, alongside some groovy drumming. Those who have liked anything the band have done in recent years, will instantly recognise the slightly heavy, bluesy grooves of the track - but Mic Michaeli's keyboards are perhaps a little brighter. He utilises organ sounds less than usual throughout, but the synths still sit nicely within the band's core sound - and there are melodic additions throughout, especially during the chorus. Frontman Joey Tempest sounds as good as ever vocally. He has never really lost any of his power, but has perhaps adopted a more soulful approach over the years - which is evident here during a hooky chorus that sticks in the brain after a couple of listens. The song might not be as anthemic as some of the band's best cuts, but the pulsing synths, barrelling riffing, and Tempest's passion all adds to up to something hooky - and Norum's later solo is also excellent. The flashy synth opening to the next number The Cult of Ignorance is perhaps the closest the album comes to sounding like something from the 1980s. Michaeli's speedy melodies are very 1980s-coded, but the weight of the guitar behind them and Norum's darker guitar tones root the song firmly in the band's more recent sound. That being said, that aforementioned smoothness is present here. The ever-present synths give the song a melodic edge - whilst the simple strut of Ian Haugland's drumming propels the song along nicely. The chorus of the first song was more subtle, despite the hooks, but this song's chorus is big and brash - possibly the album's most anthemic moment overall. It is easy to sing along with, thanks to big synth stabs and Tempest's excellent vocals - and the song feels like one that is likely to hang around in the live set for years to come. The synth melody from the intro later returns at the end in a bigger way, too, and the song just feels nicely well-constructed as a result. The title track follows, which feels a little faster early on - driven by quite a bluesy guitar riff and some energetic drumming. There is a snappy groove to the riff, which helps the song to have a kinetic feel to it early on, but the overall arrangement is quite varied. The opening and the chorus, which utilises the same riff, feel hard-hitting and rocking - but there is a darkness to the verses, thanks to the guitars largely dropping away and Tempest singing against some dense keyboard textures and the rhythm section. Bluesy guitar motifs are thrown in, but largely the verses feel sparser - which allows the chorus to somewhat explode in later with the return of the opening riff. An orchestral bridge section later builds on the vibes of the verses, with Tempest's mournful vocals - before a brief keyboard solo gives way to an excellent Norum guitar solo. All of Norum's blues rock credentials are on show here and, whilst his playing is busy, the tone and note choice fits very nicely with the song's main themes.
Slowing the pace quite considerably, This Time of Year is the album's only real ballad. Largely built around Michaeli's piano playing, the song is a rumbling, emotional ballad of the kind the band have always written. The descending piano melodies early on are very memorable, especially backed by some subtle orchestrations, whilst the verse piano melodies feel a little more simple - with the rhythm section providing a routine grounding. Tempest is there to provide the character, then. He has always been able to deliver ballads well, and that remains the case here - with plenty of emotion during the verses and a bit more of a powerful delivery during the chorus when Norum's guitar kicks in. Norum does not have a lot to do here, but he makes his solo section count with some more emotive melodies to build on what Tempest does elsewhere - whilst a classic key change for the final chorus adds some late drama. In a Different World gets the band back to a more organic hard rock sound, and the song feels like a bit of a hark back to the sound of the last album in a way. The main riff has a Led Zeppelin-esque simpleness to it, whilst the hard-hitting drumming and bluesy overtones propel the song with a strutting mid-paced groove. The keyboards do not play that much of a role here. They kick in a bit more during a bigger-sounding chorus, but they really are in the background during the verses - which are led by the repetitive guitar riffing and Tempest's surprisingly laid back vocals. The keyboards ramping up during the chorus allows for a point of difference, which is welcome, but the chorus itself is not one of the album's hookiest. Norum's guitar solo is very good, though, building from a slow base towards something more powerful. Another orchestral intro heralds the arrival of the next song, the up-tempo single Scandinavian Eyes. After largely ignoring the instrument for synth textures up to this point, Michaeli returns to this organ here - and once the fast-paced main guitar riff kicks in, the hard-driving organ is forever doubling it. There are strong Deep Purple vibes during the main riff, then, whilst spiralling, almost metallic riffing backs the verses - which see Tempest spitting out the lyrics at times with a surprising venom. The song is hooky and memorable, but there is a heaviness throughout that Europe reach for every so often - which gives the track a nice amount of weight. That is born out during all of the guitar riffs throughout, as well as a dryer chorus that does sink in but perhaps not immediately. Synth leads and another excellent guitar solo come later on - but this is largely a song that is all about its main riff and energy, alongside a chorus that does a lot with not very much. Takin' It Back opens in a more melodic manner, with some neo-classical guitar melodies from Norum, which are backed by similar keyboard lines - with the song soon morphing into a pretty melodic and slightly lighter-feeling rocker. This is another tune with a bit more of a 1980s approach, although there some organ moments held over from the previous number - especially during the verses. There is some grit to the piece, then, but there is also a smoother overall edge than would have been present on a previous album - which is especially present during an up-tempo and melodic chorus. Norum's later solo builds on the neo-classical melodies laid down previously, showcasing his love of Michael Schenker, and the song overall is a bit of a sleeper on the album - and it has become a bit of a favourite on more recent listens.
In the Absence of Grace is the album's shortest song at around a minute and a half. It is essentially a piano and vocal-based intro to the next song. Sombre piano melodies, subtle strings, and mournful vocals from Tempest build in quite a dramatic manner over the song's short runtime - ending on a dark string swirl before the effects-heavy guitar melodies of The Angels Must Have Flown fade into view. These opening melodies are a little misleading, as they are soon cast aside for a tough, slab-like riff from Norum that feels like one of the album's heaviest moments. The song overall is about as heavy as everything else here, but the main riff is a bit doomier than is typical for the band - whilst a simplified version is utilised for mid-paced, dark verses that are backed by quite a dense string arrangement. There are also some Led Zeppelin vibes thanks to the somewhat Eastern melodies utilised by the strings, but the guitar riffing is much heavier overall - whilst Tempest delivers something of a muted vocal performance. The song feels like one that the band could have pushed a bit further, and really gone all-in on a heavy, Black Sabbath vibe. They probably wanted to keep things more grounded, which is understandable, but it does feel like a little bit of a missed opportunity given the power of the riff - but I do like the overall string arrangement, as well as what is quite a subtle chorus. Lengthy guitar and keyboard solos are also welcome additions. The Devil's Back is another pretty riffy track early on, but it is another song that harks back to the previous album somewhat. Michaeli makes use of his organ again, especially during accented guitar flourishes during the verses, whilst Norum's main guitar riff early on is hooky and full of energy. This riff later forms the basis of the song's chorus, which is another strong addition. The chorus hooks are the sort that stick in the brain from the off - and there is a bouncy energy to it despite the song still feeling fairly grounded and organic. This is, in part, due to sparser verses which do not exhibit the exuberance of the chorus. The dynamic approach works well, then, allowing for a bit of a creeping feel during parts of the verses, and the song to explode more into its chorus. Norum delivers another pretty strong guitar solo here, too. It is one of the album's longer solo sections - with bluesy and neo-classical melodies tumbling from his guitar as he plays. The album then comes to a close with Nothing Can Follow This. The song opens with some distant piano and a bit of strange spoken word, so it seems as if the song is going to be another ballad, but it feels like more of a rocker overall. Despite it rocking out, though, it is certainly not a heavy song - and there remains an epic, ballad-like feel throughout parts of it, even when the guitars are riffing away. For me, the song just has a strong cinematic quality which has not really been showcased on the album up to this point. Europe have written songs like this in the past - and they often act as album closers. Their album closers of late certainly seem to have something of a theme music-wise - with Michaeli's wide-ranging keyboard textures and strings creating a big sound, even when Norum is riffing away. Songs like this often take a few listens to bed in, but there is a decent chorus here that is pretty melodic - as well as a big guitar solo that builds on the scope of the song and pushes it further. The album ends well, then, and like with all of Europe's recent albums I come away satisfied. Despite the nine year wait, Come This Madness feels like Europe are still at their best - and the album sits nicely alongside their other recent efforts despite the smoother approach production-wise. Many of the songs here are very hooky and built around excellent riffs - ensuring a good mix of bluesy, organic vibes and soaring, melodic hooks.
The album was released on 25th September 2026 via Hell & Back Recordings/Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for The Cult of Ignorance.
Whilst I had a good time with both Wishbone Ash in Plymouth and Tortured Demon in Bristol last weekend, I always had the feeling that Monday night's trip to London would contain the main event. Everything over the weekend felt as if it had been building up to Monday - so it was with excitement that I got my train from Bristol to London on Monday, after something of a welcome lie-in, ready for one more evening of music. Perhaps strangely, I was not feeling all that tired - so by the time I got to London and into my hotel I was pretty fired up and ready for a night of prime power metal. Despite the presence of an excellent bill, the main reason for the trip was to, finally, see the Finnish power metal act Beast in Black as a headliner. Whilst Monday was my sixth time seeing the band live, it was my first time seeing them top a bill. I first saw them live back in 2018, when they opened for the then-reformed Rhapsody in London - and have since seen them open for Nightwish twice, Gloryhammer, and Helloween. In fact, I remember buying the ticket for Monday's show whilst standing in the queue outside the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith waiting to get into that aforementioned Helloween show. I have always enjoyed seeing Beast in Black live, but had never had the opportunity to see them as a headline act before now. I remember being rather annoyed at not being able to get to a UK tour a few years ago which included Firewind on the bill, especially as it came fairly locally to Bristol, as I think the show clashed with some pre-existing plans. I was not going to miss this opportunity, then, even if only a London show was included this time - especially as the tickets went on sale just over a year ago. The show is one that I had been looking forward to for quite a while, then, especially as the band were as good as ever when they opened for Helloween that night. It ended up being a notable show in the band's history, too, as it was their final show with guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen - who was, if the rumours are to be believed, essentially left behind in London following a post-show disagreement. The band carried on as a four-piece for a few shows, before drafting in current Crownshift and former Children of Bodom guitarist Daniel Freyberg to help out for a while. He was never going to be a permanent solution due to his other commitments, so guitarist Markus Venehsalo was brought in earlier in the year to permanently replace Heikkinen. Throughout all of this, too, the band have been working on their fourth album - which was supposed to be out before this current tour, but clearly that has not happened. A couple of singles have been released and presumably the album will follow next year - so I think that it is fair to say that the past year or so has been something of a dramatic one for the band. They seem to have come through it relatively unscathed, though, save for the delay that the new album has suffered - and seem really keen to push forward into a new era on this lengthy European tour. Despite Beast in Black being the main event, I think that it is fair to say that the overall bill was a very tempting one for power metal fans. It seems strange to think of Sonata Arctica as anything other than a headline act these days but, in fairness, their commercial peak is likely now behind them - so having them as a special guest certainly gave the tour a bit more credibility. Funnily enough, the day before buying the ticket for the show I had seen Sonata Arctica live for the first time in nine years - so was relieved not to leave it so long again. Also on the bill as openers, too, were relative newcomers Frozen Crown from Italy - whom I had previously seen once before opening for Kamelot in 2024.
The London show took place at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town - a decent-sized venue for a power metal show in the UK. Given Beast in Black's status, the show sold out a while ago - so perhaps the band will consider a larger venue next time or a better spread of UK shows. Due to Beast in Black having a 90 minutes set, and Sonata Arctica rightly afforded a full hour, this meant that Frozen Crown had to start their 30 minute set 15 minutes after the doors opened. Even though I got to the venue around half an hour before the doors opened, the queue was already really long - so it took a while for me to get in. As such, Frozen Crown had already started playing - and I missed two or three of their songs, which was disappointing as I been looking forward to seeing them live again. There were plenty of people behind me in the queue, too, who likely ended up missing a lot more of the show - which is a shame as Frozen Crown are rising stars in the power metal scene and deserve to be seen by as many people as possible. Despite missing some of the show, I was still impressed by the band - even if their live sound mix was a bit on the muddy side. Frontwoman Giada Etro is a real powerhouse. She does not go for an operatic nor an angelic approach - instead really powering through the band's guitar-heavy power metal sound with a smooth, clean, yet high-octane vocal sound. She is a great frontwoman, too, and sounded great despite being a bit low in the mix at times. Guitar-heavy is the best way to describe the band's sound, too, as Frozen Crown have three players - with bandleader Federico Mondelli, Alessia Lanzone, and Alexandra Lioness all riffing and soloing throughout. Mondelli writes most of the band's songs, but I would say that most of the soloing was done by the two ladies, even though the duties were fairly well spread - ensuring that the crowd was constantly kept on their toes with who was doing what. They were a man down, with bassist Francesco Zof conspicuous by his absence, but the three guitar attack somewhat made up for this - with the bass likely just on the backing track with the keyboards and orchestrations. That being said, Frozen Crown rely on such less than many power metal bands - with the triple guitar attack certainly the driving force of the band's sound alongside the big vocals of Etro. Songs like Who Wants to Burn in Heaven and Reborn showcased the latest album nicely, whilst their cover of the Goo Goo Dolls' Iris conjured up a bit of a sing-a-long - even though I fear the band will now be saddled with playing that song live forever, as is often the case when bands do novelty covers. Whilst I cannot fully judge Frozen Crown's set as I did not see all of it, I enjoyed what I did see - and I hope to see the band properly again one day.
There was only about 15 minutes between Frozen Crown's set and Sonata Arctica's - so there was not much waiting around. Having seen the band recently, I wondered what their setlist would look like - especially acting in support rather than as headliners. Sonata Arctica have likely not been a support act for a while - but they did not seem to mind, delivering a powerful nine-song set in their 60 minutes on stage. The band are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, so the nine songs played came from throughout their career - with a good mix of styles present. The show started with an orchestral intro, which stopped just in time for frontman Tony Kakko to start singing the slow-burning chorus of I Have a Right. I personally would not have opened with the slower, slightly hypnotic song - but it worked better in that context than I expected it to. I have to say that it has never really been a personal favourite, but it is a popular number - and there were plenty around me singing along. Given that Sonata Arctica are essentially power metal legends at this point, though, I was surprised how many in attendance seemed to not know their songs. They received a strong reception - but perhaps they have bypassed some of the younger power metal fans who are more into the brasher, often gimmicky, form of power metal now popular. Sonata Arctica have always been a bit left-field and enigmatic in any case, and are far from a typical power metal band, as Kakko somewhat acknowledged on stage. I had a great time, in any case, and power metal stompers such as Black Sheep and The Last Amazing Grays were big highlights - whilst gentle moments such as Tallulah hit just as hard. Given the somewhat muddy mix that Frozen Crown battled through, the overall sound was much clearer for Sonata Arctica. In fact, they sounded excellent - with all of the nuances of the band's sound easy to discern. The keyboards of Henrik Klingenberg were especially high in the mix, and it was good to see how much of the keyboard work he was doing live - with a fairly limited reliance on backing tracks. The synth melodies, lengthy piano sections, and shredded solos all came across really well - whilst the chunky guitar riffing of Elias Viljanen was suitably beefy, even if I have never really liked his live guitar tone. Sonata Arctica are the way they are, though, duo Kakko - who is a unique frontman and songwriter. He has always walked his own path, and that is why I have continued to be invested in the band throughout all of their style shifts - with songs like Paid in Full and the stranger Closer to an Animal showcasing perhaps the variation in the band's approach over the years. I was really enjoying the band's set as always, so was disappointed when it was clear that it was coming to a close. FullMoon is always going to come towards the end of a Sonata Arctica set, and it was the first proper sing-a-long of the night. The crowd really got into the power metal classic, with even some of the casuals waking up, before the band's ever-present closer Don't Say a Word brought an hour of melodic power metal to a close with one last anthemic chorus and keyboard/guitar solo duel - and, of course, the obligatory Vodka sing-a-long. The setlist was:
I Have a Right
Black Sheep
Paid in Full
Tallulah
The Last Amazing Grays
Closer to an Animal
Shy
FullMoon
Don't Say a Word/Vodka
The changeover between Sonata Arctica's set and Beast in Black's was a more typical 30 minutes - but given the lack of waiting around earlier it passed quite quickly, and soon the lights were down and some synthy music was blaring out of the speakers. This intro went on for quite a while, too long probably, but soon the band took to the stage - and launched into one of three new songs played throughout the set. The high-energy Mighty Dragon made a good first impression but, as I have often said, it can be hard to judge hearing a new song live for the first time. Its chorus is likely to become one that sticks around, though, and it felt like a powerful set opener - with frontman Yannis Papadopoulos sounding his best from the off. Like during Sonata Arctica's set, Beast in Black's sound mix was generally very good. The vocals generally soared above the band - whilst the guitars of Venehsalo and bandleader Anton Kabanen were full of power. Sometimes when I have seen the band live the synth backing tracks have been very overpowering, but that was not the case on Monday - with the guitars generally the driving force, allowing the band to sound heavier. Another new song in Fear the Beast followed, but given that it has already been released as a single the crowd were immediately into it - and following the appreciation of the opening number the atmosphere levels rose and the rest of the night felt pretty electric. The sold out O2 Forum was bouncing from number to number, and the band treated the strong turnout with a 19-song set that fairly equally culled material from all three of their albums - alongside some stand-alone singles and the new material. There were no huge surprises in the set, with much of what was played being the best of the band's output so far. Early on the crowd were treated to the shout-along chorus of Hardcore - before Venehsalo introduced the older Born Again with a fluid guitar solo to act as his proper introduction to the UK fans. The quality of Beast in Black's output so far is so consistent that my reaction to each song was essentially: 'Nice, I like this one!'. The London show was the first night of the tour, so I had not seen a setlist beforehand - so which song was coming next was genuinely a surprise each time. There are still at least a couple of songs I would have liked to hear instead of perhaps a couple of the regulars, but I cannot complain about the quality of the material played - especially when true band anthems like their self-titled song and Sweet True Lies came about halfway through. By this point, the crowd were fully warmed up. The chorus vocal interplay between Papadopoulos and Kabanen was ticking, their two growling voices trading back and forth, whilst shredded solos came thick and fast, too. Up on his industrial riser, too, drummer Atte Palokangas was beaming all the way through - and I think his drumming style is quite underrated, given that he often has to compete with programmed drums doing a different beat at the same time as his more traditional metallic additions. Papadopoulos hyped up the crowd a few times, introducing some of the songs, but largely the band just let the songs flow. Things were slowed down a bit later on with the final new song, the ballad Lost Children, but it was straddled by high-energy pieces Die by the Blade and Zodd the Immortal - ensuring that the energy levels never really dropped. A personal favourite in the form of Highway to Mars came later on, which was a bit of a surprise, whilst the latter portion of the set was largely made up of big favourites such as the stand-alone single Power of the Beast and the club-like One Night in Tokyo. By this time the 11pm curfew was looming, but the band did not stop to think - instead just powering through the early classic Blind and Frozen and the up-tempo No Surrender to bring a night of power metal to a majestic close. The setlist was:
Mighty Dragon
Fear the Beast
Hardcore
Guitar Solo
Born Again
The Fifth Angel
From Hell with Love
Beast in Black
Sweet True Lies
Enter the Behelit
To the Last Drop of Blood
Die by the Blade
Lost Children
Zodd the Immortal
Highway to Mars
Cry Out for a Hero
Power of the Beast
One Night in Tokyo
Blind and Frozen
No Surrender
Apart from the disappointment of missing part of Frozen Crown's set, my Monday night in Kentish Town was rather excellent. All three bands really delivered, and the packed out O2 Forum felt pretty electric from the off. Given that power metal has not always been the most popular genre here in the UK, it was good seeing such a bill playing to a decent crowd. A headline Beast in Black show had been a long-time coming really and it feels good to have finally ticked that box - with many more to follow I hope, alongside what is promising to be a strong fourth album.
It feels like a while since I last did three gigs in three days. There have been plenty of two-in-two of late, but three-in-three feels like something that I have not done for a little while. I have already managed to cover the first of the three, as I squeezed writing my review of Wishbone Ash's local Plymouth show into Sunday morning, before leaving for Bristol, but I am now back from my travels - so will be able to get to the other two. My coverage of Beast in Black's excellent London show will follow tomorrow, but today I will be covering Sunday evening's trip to Bristol - to take in something altogether more humble. Over the past couple of years, I have been following the Manchester-based young metal band Tortured Demon. I had not heard of them before they announced a show in Plymouth as part of their 2024 tour, and I decided to check them out. I liked what I heard, which was essentially a thrashier take on early Trivium without the clean vocals, and I really enjoyed seeing the band live not long after. Since then I have bought both of the band's albums, with 2023's Rise of the Lifeless being especially good, and I saw them live again last year - also in Plymouth. Following some busy touring years, the band have largely been working on their third album this year - and it was recently announced that they had signed to BLKIIBLK Records, a new metal subsidiary of Frontiers Records. I think that album number three is now fully recorded, as the lead single Apocalypse was recently released, so a few months ago the band announced their latest tour - which seemed a bit of step-up from previous ones in terms of venues played. I have a feeling that the tour was perhaps supposed to be the tour for album number three but, for whatever reason, it was not ready. The band did say from the stage that the business side of being signed is taking a little while to fall into place, but a young band like Tortured Demon need to get out and play as often as they can - so, after a relatively quiet year publicly, another tour is certainly no bad thing, especially given the slightly larger venues opted for this time. Sadly, though, this meant no Plymouth show. The 2024 show in Plymouth was quite well attended, but the one last year felt somewhat sparse - but Bristol was chosen to represent the South West this time, with a show at the Exchange duly booked. Given that I already had the Monday off to head up to London, going to Bristol on the Sunday made sense. I would have likely not made the effort had it required more time off work, as that would not likely have been possible, but as the show tied into existing plans it seemed silly not to take advantage of the situation. It also meant a return to the Exchange only a couple of weeks after my last visit. Tortured Demon were never going to live up to the majesty of Myrath, but the Exchange seemed a fitting place for a night of extreme metal. It is quite a grubby place overall, but the sound is generally pretty good there - and have had some pretty memorable nights there over the years despite considering it one of the lesser Bristol venues. For a Sunday, and given that the band had only played in Bristol once before, the turnout was decent - but I would have expected a few more given the low ticket price and the fact that there is a bit of hype around the band. Tortured Demon always seem quite down to earth and grateful that anyone turns up - but I thought that a few more Bristol metalheads could have made the effort.
There were three support acts before Tortured Demon's set. Their sets were all quite short, so I will keep my comments on each fairly brief. I do find it a bit frustrating that extreme metal bills tend to be so much bigger than those of most other metal genres. I would rather have one or two really quality support acts than a long bill that feels padded out for the sake of it. This probably says more about my overall views on a lot of extreme metal than anything else in fairness, but less is sometimes more. The local crossover thrash band Martyrs Saint opened up the show, and played for around half an hour. The first two bands on the bill had quite muddy sound mixes in my opinion, and there were not too many people in attendance during Martyrs Saint's set. Some of their riffing was pretty good, and there was some flashy traditional metal soloing, too, but I found the songs a little meandering. Many seemed to end randomly without much overall thought as to arrangement, whereas others seemed like collections of riffs and ideas rather than coherent songs. Vocally, the band were strong at times - but they felt a bit under-rehearsed at others, although it likely did not help that the stage was crammed with gear leaving the supports barely any room to move. I think that there is certainly some potential in the band, with the lead guitarist in particular standing out, but, at the moment, I think that Martyrs Saint still have quite a bit to work on.
The other two support acts were part of the touring package, with Denmark's Pustulant Flesh next up. True death metal is rarely my thing, and I did not really enjoy Pustulant Flesh's set. It did not help that their live sound mix was not all that great, with the muddy sound continuing and the vocals being somewhat buried, but even with that in mind there was nothing to grab me. I did not find that any of the riffs stuck with me at all, and thinking back now there really is not much I can say about the band. It was dirgy, typical death metal but without any of the hooks or riffs that make the best death metal really shine. As such, there was really nothing that interested me - and I found the band really rather boring. There were a few more in the room by this point, and some mosh pits did break out, but, for me, there was nothing to enjoy and I was glad when Pustulant Flesh's set ended.
The final support act was Unburier, a technical death metal band that I had seen before - once opening for Crypta and once again with Tortured Demon. Whilst I have never sat down and listened to the band at home, I largely enjoyed them when I saw them before - and that was essentially the case this time, too. The sound mix was much better for them, which was good as it allowed the nuances of their sound to shine through a bit more. They are a band built around riffs, and there were plenty of good ones throughout their set - with complex, progressive arrangements filling out their set, whilst the solos were full of speed and melody. The interlocking guitar riffing and the dual vocal approach worked well, with the band's songs full of interesting twists and turns without being too long - whilst the rhythm section could well have been the best of the night. Some of the drum grooves and patterns were excellent - whilst the fretless bass playing really was a cut above just about everyone else on the bill. Given that I have seen Unburier live three times now, I really should give them a bit more attention. I enjoy death metal that is interesting, and I think that it is fair to say that, with their progressive flair, Unburier's music is very much that. They are a strong live band, who seem to be able to pull off their complex songs with ease - and they capped off an iffy group of support bands nicely.
The changeovers were pretty quick, typically about 15 minutes, so there was not too much hanging around before the main event. The opening bands had all had around half an hour, but Tortured Demon had a full hour - and filled their time with 12 songs. Songs from their two existing albums clearly made up the bulk of the set, but there were also four new numbers played from their upcoming album - including the aforementioned Apocalypse. The new material generally filled the middle portion of the set, though, with older songs kicking things off. Taking the stage to an atmospheric version of its chorus, Conflict of Interest kicked things off - with Virtual Death following. Whilst Unburier are likely all better musicians, Tortured Demon were easily the songsmiths of the night. Even lacking strong clean vocals, many of the band's songs remains anthemic - especially those from album two. There were some strong choruses on show, them, whilst Jacob Parkinson (vocals/guitar) was in fine voice. I generally find the band to be quite accessible - and their live sound mix was pretty good, although Rory Marsland-Smith (guitar) was a bit quiet at times. This meant that some of the guitar leads and melodies were not as powerful as they should be, but the core riffing and vocal power throughout was strong. As mentioned before, there was a fairly decent crowd in by this point, and there was a good vibe in the room throughout. There were plenty of mosh pits throughout, and it was good to see a young band really commanding the room. A few more bodies throughout the door would have been welcome, but there was still an energy in the room - with lengthier numbers like The Invasion keeping everyone's attention. I generally enjoyed the new songs, but it is often hard to judge so much new material in one go - especially now in retrospect having since attended another gig. I had heard Apocalypse beforehand, so I was somewhat familiar with the thrashy piece, but I think the other new number that stood out the most was State Your Intentions - which felt a bit more groovy and with some chunky mid-paced riffing and a bit more of a modern sound that the band have not really exhibited before. There was a subtle difference to most of the new material, too, which shows that the band are still progressing and trying new things - which is always good to see. Hearing the new material certainly piqued my interest for album number three - and I am looking forward to hearing it when it drops, likely next year. With most of the new material out of the way, the rest of the set was largely old favourite. Global Threat contains one of the band's best choruses, and it sat nicely after a suite of three new cuts - whilst the older Oppressed was a lot of fun. The band took some time after it, too, to wish a happy birthday to one of their friends - which the whole crowd got involved with. By this point, though, there was not much time left - and it was left to the two title tracks from their two albums to wrap things up. In Desperation's Grip always works well live, but Rise of the Lifeless is one of my favourite Tortured Demon songs - and it worked really well as a closing statement. The setlist was:
Conflict of Interest
Virtual Death
Disfavour
The Invasion
Apocalypse
State Your Intentions
Tear Your World Apart
Global Threat
Oppressed
In Hatred Alone
In Desperation's Grip
An Empire Condemned
Rise of the Lifeless
In terms of sound mix and performance, this was likely the strongest Tortured Demon's strongest showing yet that I have witnessed - and it was nice to see them in a bigger venue than The Junction in Plymouth. Tortured Demon are a band that are slowly rising through the ranks, and have managed to get a lot of good work done as an unsigned act with little weight behind them. With album number three on the way, via a label, hopefully this will be the kick that the band need to move up to the next level.
