Crimfall are a fitting band for the night, same
genre as Turisas and a good show for them to get
some exposure at. A band playing to a crowd of
this side needs to really bring everything they
have in order to make something for them to leave
a lasting impression until they can return. Unfortunately
they do not hit the mark with me. The band has
2 singers, a male screaming vocalist and a female
clean vocalist. The female vocalist hit every
note perfectly, unfaultable musical talent she
posses but doesn’t really know how to handle
herself onstage at a metal show. Now the male
vocalist had one tone vocals not much of a range
and lost the momentum on stage with some quite
cringe worthy movements on stage. Don’t
get me wrong they had this really creepy vibe
going on for a while with very low lighting and
eerie backing vocals also strobes kicking in when
the songs would pick up. In all fairness not bad
and a good warm up, but not even a touch on what
followed.
Turisas were just something else. With the exceptions
of Rob Zombie and Black Label Society, it was
definitely best and craziest gig of the year so
far. What also made it so great was the participation
of the crowd on the whole. Plastic swords, axes
and Viking helmets everywhere! What a great sight
it is along with many people covered in full body
paint and some fitting attire. That was all before
even entering the venue! The tension in the room
whilst waiting for the band to hit the stage was
really intense; you could feel people getting
really impatient yet really excited at the same
time and the chants of “Tur- i – sas”
and “Battle, Metal” start echoing
out over the pretty full Rock City venue. When
the band finally takes that first step onto the
stage the reaction they get is something spectacular,
thousands of people just screaming and going crazy!
Opening tonight’s set with “As Torches
Rise” followed by “One More”
it is instantly clear that this isn’t a
gig in which anyone may remain still, proved as
I get thrown around the room several times per
song with people smashing into me and hitting
me with various objects. It’s just the sheer
passion Turisas inspire in their fans; onstage
they reciprocate this passion almost as if feeding
on the crowd’s energy. Fresh off recording
their new album they are keen to show it off in
the form of songs “Hunting Pirates”,
“The Great Escape”, “The March
of the Varangian Guard” and the title track
“Stand Up and Fight” which are all
received easily as well as some of the classics
proving their new material a definite success.
The band bounce around that stage just oozing
with talent and musical precision that is totally
undeniable. Lead singer Matias has the crowd doing
anything that he ever asks of them, he knows exactly
what to say to provoke a reaction from his audience;
“It is great to finally be in the UK, the
home of Lagers and Ales after drinking what those
Americans decided to label beer” one of
many fine inspirational quotes. After a nice violin
solo in the middle of their set and a couple more
nice tracks like “Messenger” and the
fist pumping neck snapping “To Holmgard
and Beyond” they leave the stage. Then they
return and make us really work hard; splitting
the room into 2 half’s and making us compete
with each other to be the loudest singers before
rewarding us with “Rasputin” to which
the venue becomes a warzone, just one gigantic
mosh pit that gets wildly out of control. This
continues through to the final song of the night
“Battle Metal” which is like the final
punch in the face that knocks you unconscious,
in a good way. Very explosive and painful end
to a terrific night of metal!
Crimfall 3/5
Turisas 5/5
Review By James Webb
|
