LIVE REVIEW: International roll call as Skalmold, Arkona and Eluveitie bring folk, pagan and Viking metal to Belfast

METAL makes the United Nations look like an occasional meeting of children - across the world, in nearly every country has got their own take on heavy metal and what it should sound like.

From the first proto-metal or Cream and Iron Butterfly, the first true metal of Sabbath spread like a virus, infecting every corner of the world, with power chords. As metal evolved hundreds of genres and sub-genres emerged as each new set of adherents added their own take on metal.

And, on Friday (November 14th) in Belfast's Mandela Hall an international line-up of Skálmöld (Iceland), Arkona (Russia), and Eluvietie (Switzerland) brought their own interpretations with a mystical mélange of metal mythos meaty enough and delicate enough in equal measures.

Skálmöld opened proceedings with a muscular take on Viking metal, but with their national identity seared throughout every note of their set. Vocal delivery is in Icelandic, and arrangements of some tracks reflects song patterns from the epic poems of the Viking era.

All six members of the band lend vocal parts to the tracks and as Árás leads into the epic track 'Gleipnir' Baldur, Gunnar Þráinn and Snæbjörn lead the line with Jón Gei on keyboards and oboe with Snæbjörn's drums lending texture as they move from song to song with aplomb and energy that belies their status as openers.

With a subtle blend of classic thrash, Viking metal, death metal and Icelandic traditional arrangements tracks from Napalm Records release 'Með vaettum' - including 'Með fuglum' and 'Að hausti' - were merged with older songs.

As the last echoes of 'Kvaðning' faded he applause was richly deserved. While Skálmöld have taken the Viking metal template it and added layers, the sound is rich and deep, and some original arrangements make it stand head and shoulders above many plying their trade in a similar furrow.

They earned new friends and new fans on Friday and a return to these shores would be welcomed from these Reykjavík raiders.

Coming on stage in traditional Russian pagan dress Arkona brought through take on metal with the stunning vocals of Masha 'Scream' growling in a way that many a man would envy.

Title track of the new album 'Yav' opened the set in a full-on tirade of metal with aggressive intent, despite the presence of Valdimir playing a range of wind and ethnic instruments. Rather than detracting from the sound it enhanced the overall textures, lending a breadth and depth to the sound.

Man mountains Sergei (guitar) and Ruslan (bass) rumbled throughout with Sergei roaming around the stage like Rasputin with a sore head and wielding his flying V with real metallic intent.

Andrey's drums were pounding out almost tribal beats and by the time they played 'Zakliatie' they had hit their stride. Masha's manages to contrast death metal growls with melody.

With some thought towards the ongoing Ukrainian war the Slavic triumphalism was worrying, but a little research proved that this was more about looking back - and Masha has recently said she has no interest in politics. Given the title 'Slav'sja, Rus'!' was the one that caused some concern it is reassuring that Arkona are about metal and painting aural pictures of a pagan past in eastern Europe rather than getting involved in today's wars.

Given this is a tour that sees Eluveitie back the 'Origins' album it was no surprise that many of the that release was featured. But, bloody hell, when you see Eluveitie live there are shed load of them on stage....

Really it takes until 'Nil' before you realise the stage is packed, with even the hurdy gurdy getting crowded as Anna extracted a series of deceptively complex sounds. But as they moved into 'Carry The Torch Chrigel's multi-talent was on show as he moved from hard edged vocals through to tin whistles, mandolin and several other instruments.

Ivo and Rafael provide both muscle and subtle guitar lines while Merlin and Kay somehow manage to keep the whole multiple of sounds and textures from running away into folk oblivion. They are the unrecognised but crucial ingredients to Eluvietie's success. No matter the tin whistles, bagpipes, fiddles and other instruments deployed to give the band it' folk metal status, it is these four who keep the sound 'true'.

Stand out tracks in the main set are 'Inception', 'Vianna' and, od course, 'Havoc' which all emphasise the maturity of the band as a unit - confident in delivery, composed on stage and as smooth in sound as a Swiss chocolatier pouring out a delicious confection. Indeed, this Swiss band's stature in their homeland and across Europe is such that Honda are now sponsoring them...

The encore was delivered with an atmospheric prologue before 'Helvetios' had the crowd rise in acclaim throughout the venue.

The tag folk metal is deceptive, as Eluvietie are at heart a metal act with added extras. The same applies to the pagan metal of Arkona and the Icelandic Viking metal ofSkálmöld.

No matter the prefix, it is still metal, and in Belfast's Mandela Hall the metal was pure and, yes, it was heavy.

Review by Jonny

Pictures by Metalplanet Belfast (more below!)

 

 

 

 

 

Reproduction by written permission only

 

 

 

Youth gone mild? Not when Ugly Kid Joe and Skid Row on stage!

THE entire hard rock genre is one that can be held up to ridicule at the best of times - a pastiche of big guitar sounds, overblown lyrics, undertones of a misogynistic attitude and, the case of many on the touring or festival circuit, men in their 40s and older playing for the retirement fund.

However, those on the outside will never see that both old and young still get their kicks to hard rock bands that know how to hit the stage, and hit it hard.

In a Distortion Project stormer of a triple-hitting gig on Tuesday, October 29th, Aussie rockers Dead City Ruins, and the US of A's Ugly Kid Joe and Skid Row proved that with an audience ranging in age from 18 to 60 they could still hit the highs of yesterday with aplomb, energy and without a hint of youth now gone mild. Yes, the Youth (loosely applied to a packed Limelight1) still goes wild.

As we caught up with Whit Crane for a pre-show interview (details later on this blog and rockradioni) he implored us to check out Melbourne hard rockers, Dead City Ruins.

This five-piece were already on stage into their second song as a thin-crowd began to grow; however  as good bands know, no matter whether playing to 50 or 5,000 you still adopt the same attitude.

Twin Les Paul guitars locked in just right, hard and tight rhythm section, and a vocalist in Jake Wiffen who knows the right balance between banter and getting down to business. A bright future for Dead City Ruins if they can shake the 'another-band from Oz' monicker and earn the just respect for their brand of Stones-infused, take on 80s and 90s hard rock. Laid back and lethal!

Ugly Kid Joe have been on something of a resurgence over the past couple of years; with festival dates, a mature ep in Stairway to Hell; and on the face of it just a band having a real fun time playing their music.

Funked up, fucked up and at times flayingly heavy, Ugly Kid Joe edged it on the night. From VIP through to Everything About You this was a band on top form.

It takes a special type of set of performers to appear both loose and tight; tunes were played with precision and with a relaxed feel amidst the intensity of the music.

While many were just there for standards like Neighbour, Cats in the Cradle and Everything About You, the tracks from Stairway to Hell were exceptional. I'm Alright was a tight fist of riffs and chorus, while the dystopian No One Survives was pure rock writing and performance at its best.

And, with the set lengths curtailed due to a later event at the venue the 'pretend we've been off stage and are on our way back' mock encore routine had comedy value just seeing the band frozen in time for seconds. Pure comedy for the males, but eye candy for the ladies was a drummer only wearing his underpants - style statement, garment choice, or just coping with onstage heat, it just seemed weird...

However, It is clear that with a possible new album due out in 2014 Ugly Kid Joe are still a potent force, still balancing between genre boundaries and still delivering their all on stage.

Skid Row have always been a beloved band in Belfast, despite issues that there may have been with a previous vocalist. Those issues are not even a point in consideration for this - and on this evidence - more potent version of the b and.

As expected the greatest hits were brought out, with all the usual gusto, but the variety in the set's composition at times did tend to lean towards earlier glories.

Having said that, each was given a rapturous round of appreciation, sing-alongs and welcome; with Johnny Solinger noting that it was possibly the first time they had someone crowd surfing to I Remember You.

With United World Rebellion (Chapter One) on release, it was Kings of Demolition which stood out, as taking the basic rock template, flavouring it with punk(ish) lyrics and a metal musical twist.

The inclusion of a cover of The Ramones track, Psycotherapy, with Rachel Bolan on vocal duties was a nice bracketing of the set, with the same band's Blitzkreig Bop Skid Row's intro track.

From there it was a clear race to the end. Skid Row, like Ugly Kid Joe, know how to leave the audience heading home happy. There is no great ingredient X for this: as all great bands know you round up the set with your most popular tracks.

It was the final consummation of the marriage between fans and band as they wrapped up an intense evening of hard rock bountifulness with Monkey Business, Slave To The Grind and Youth Gone Wild.

Unfortunately being an early show - with the venue needing to be cleared for some dance and DJ shit for the less well-endowed in musical taste - the scenesters and glad-handers moved in. At the same time there were a hundreds of fans emerging from Limelight1, happy, smiling and hoping for an early return from these bands.

Hard rock isn't dead, it has not gotten 'mild' and at times young and old still go a little wild. With Dead City Ruins, Skid Row and, probably with the best set of the night, Ugly Kid Joe there is a soundtrack to be cherished and a new legion of fans is growing around the people who support true music.

You can read my interview with Whit Crane of UKJ later this week, and an audio will also appear on www.rockradoni.co.uk shortly.

Machine Head competition winners

Congratulations to to Tara, Wayne and Gavin who won a pair of tickets to see Machine Head, Hatebreed, Bleeding Through and All Shall Perish on March 1st at St George's Market.

Thanks to all who entered...and if you didn't win get yer proverbial arses along and buy a ticket for what is set to be one of the heaviest nights in a long, long time.

And look out for an exclusive interview with Machine Head next week? Where do you look for it? Right here of course, where there's a little Halo birghtening the Blackening of yer dark metallic hearts \m/

Machine Head ticket competition

TICKETS are selling fast for Machine Head's 1st March date at St George's Market, Belfast. After all with a line up headed by the Bay Area's hardest men of metal since Hetfield and co started playing Sweet Savage covers and which includes Hatebreed, Bleeding Through and All Shall Perish why wouldn't they be selling damn quick?

Those kind folks at CDC have donated three pairs of tickets for an exclusive Belfastmetalheadsreunited competition.

To win one of these pairs of tickets just answer this simple question:

What Metallica song did Machine Head cover on the special edition of Blackening and a Kerrang! covermount 'Tallica trib CD?

The competition closes on Wednesday 18th February at midnight. Send your answers here. Usual competition rules apply...which are - if you're not in ya can/t feckin' win!

Helluva lot of gigs!

2009 looks set to be a helluva busy year on the hard rock and metal front...below are the confirmed gig dates. More to be added soon (oh yes a lot more!) once they are confirmed. Meantime, if you know more dates let me know.

Kerrang! Tour - Mandella Hall - 13/01/09
Staind - Mandela Hall - 18/01/2009
Pearl Jem - Spring & Airbrake - 30/01/2009
Soulfly - Spring & Airbrake - 05/02/2009
The Datsuns - Spring & Airbrake - 06/02/2009
Status Quo - Waterfront Hall - 04/02/09
Lamb Of God / Five Finger Death Punch/ Mass Extinction - Mandela Hall - 08/02/2009
Judas Priest/Megadeth/Testament - Odyssey Arena - 11/02/09
Hot Leg - The Limelight - 26/02/2009
Triggerman/Stand-up Guy/TTOW/Bad Boat - Auntie Annies - 05/03/09
Stiff Little Fingers/The Beat/Blood and Whiskey - Ulster Hall - 16/03/09
Eagles Of Death Metal - Spring & Airbrake - 01/04/2009
Blaze Bayley - The Rosetta - 09/04/09
AC/DC / The Answer - The O2 Point, Dublin - 18/4/09
Supersuckers / Nashville Pussy - The Limelight - 20/04/2009
In Flames / Cancer Bats - Mandela Hall - 23/04/2009
Full Metal Racket (Paradise Lost/Rotting Christ + more) -Mandella Hall -25/04/09
NOFX - Spring & Airbrake - 26/04/2009
Saxon / Sweet Savage - Mandela Hall - 26/04/2009
AC/DC - Punchestown - 28/04/09

Ormeau Park going all metallic....

If it happens you heard it hear first! Well placed sources at Belfast City Council have laid huge hints that Ormeau Park will be the venue for Metallica's 2009 Belfast date. Whether it all pans out or not we'll have to wait and see.

The facts we have so far: Sweet Savage, who as we all who know are on more than casual terms with 'Tallica, have announded on stage that Metallica will be playing Belfast in 2009; promoters are negotiating with Metallica's management; privately band members have expressed a desire to play NI again (...Justice for All Tour was the last time they played and that was in Antrim!); security is being booked for a 'big' summer heavy rock date; and, every fucking 'head has been talking about this since Death Magnetic was released...

All hardly conclusive, but we hear at Belfastmetalheadsreunited intend to be first in the queue, down the front and banging that head that doesn't bang! Get ready for whiplash motherfuckers

Birth
School
Metallica
Death!

First tentative news on Metallica

The first tentative confirmation has emerged of the what, where and when of Metallica's indoor European dates - of which Belfast is touted to be one!

Shows are being scheduled between May and July and support will be in some two or three from Lamb of God, Machine Head, Mastodon and The Sword; the exact mix of bands to be decided in each country/region.

Forceful night aheads

Tomorrow night sees the Dragonforce Turisas roadshow hit town. The power metal/battle metal duo has already been ripping up dates across the UK - even this week's Kerrang! gives an emphtatic thumbs up. On Turisas, reviewer Steve Beebee at the Rock City they say: "From start to finish, the war paint daubed, fur-wearing warriorss hold this packed house in thrall..." On Dragonforce they say: "Who else combines these big rock finishes with iridescent soloing and so much sheer, unrepentant shred."

Wise words indeed. After all Dragonforce are a band that number Zakk Wylde and Kirk Hammet as fans...and they know a thing or two about guitars...Hammet describes them their guitar work as "Yngwie Malmsteen on steroids!"

This will be a return visit to the Mandella Hall for Dragonforce, and when they last played they really rocked a house that had a diverse range of ages and fans. Dragonforce's over-the-top may not be to everyone's taste, but they lay down metal party power songs to die for. That combined with Turisas's folk battle metal ethos is sure to bring the house down. Altogether for Turisas's cover of Rasputin!

A last few tickets (£19.50) are available from Katy Daly's and Ticketmaster today, but very, very few are left...get moving!

Black (Stone Cherry) Christmas

Down home Kentucky rockin' dry heroes Black Stone Cherry are set for an early return to Belfast with a pre-Christmas gig at the Limelight (yep you read that right, The Limelight!)

With new album 'Folklore and Superstition' set for release this Friday, tickets for the December 17th gig go on sale tomorrow (12th August)

Here's the blurb:

WEDNESDAY 17th DECEMBER 2008
THE LIMELIGHT
Doors 9:00pm Tickets: £16.00


More than anything, the South is known for its music and its strong family ties. Both are highlighted with BLACK STONE CHERRY a Kentucky band that redefines southern rock for a modern audience.
They are storming into Belfast this December 17th at The Limelight. Tickets priced £16 on sale tomorrow from Kathy Dalys, geturticket.com, Ticketmaster, and usual outlets nationwide.
By any standard, BLACK STONE CHERRY is unconventional, they take the larger-than-life mystique of classic rock and modernize it with a driving attack that is equal parts roots and modern hard rock.
None of the four members is older than 23, the youngest is 20 - sound this powerful or versatile. They're hard and heavy, but BLACK STONE CHERRY is southern to the core, and they come by their love of music in genuine way: it's in their blood, and it's in their home.
Their second album ‘Folklore and Superstition’ is set for release on August 15th. On ‘Folklore and Superstition’, BLACK STONE CHERRY incorporate lyrical tales with upbeat riffing and atypical conventions like turkey calls, making it a collection of songs that is pleasing as it is unpredictable.
The album crackles with a down-home, feelgood, rock ‘n roll current and was produced and mixed by veteran rock producer Bob Marlette.
After picking up the ‘Best New Band’ award at November’s Classic Rock Magazine ‘Roll of Honour’ Awards, in front of a room filled with rock legends such as Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Steven Tyler, BLACK STONE CHERRY are still on a high. As well as storming sets at the Download and Isle of Wight festivals last month, the band also opened up for Whitesnake and Def Leppard on their UK arena shows.
Don’t miss Black Stone Cherry Live at The Limelight this December 17th.

'Love, Blood, Family, You' amidst the shops

Somehow Belfast's flagship shopping centre didn't know what hit it on Friday, 18th July. Amidst the designer brands, fashionistas and chic shops a cacophony of hard edged rocking rattled the rafters of the architecture as Escape Fails ripped into an hour-long set to launch their début Cd.

All bar one track off Love, Blood, Family, You was aired for a crowd of family, friends, fans..and some stragglers who wandered unexpectedly to a congenially noisy set.

Banter about the price of the CD (in case anyone forgot...£6!) proved unnecessary as they fairly shifted off the shelves...helped no doubt by a confident airing.

Management asked, at one point, politely if EF could turn it down...well they did. A wee bit.

From album opener through to Wall the EF team may as well have been playing a stadium as they displayed a well-honed confidence in the limited space.

Played in CD running order (even if Ryan had to be reminded of the what song came where at least once!) the set may have been constrained by time and venue but EF maintained intensity.

Brighten the Blackest Sky, In the Arms of the Storm, Obsession and Wall particularly stood out when aired.

But overall, what was apparent was the album's running order made sense when played as a coherent entity.

Although CD closer Flarestar was left out - as explained by Ryan it's a personal, special song for the band - Love, Blood, Family, You's launch emphasised the heights EF can rise to, and judging from these beginnings they are starting to scale what could be heady heights.

Metallica Ireland rumour mill...version 338

Metallica are playing in Ireland soon...at least if you were to believe some of the posts, rumours, waffles and general speculation on various boards, forums etc in recent weeks. So far the rumour mill has Metallica playing in...
Odyssey
RDS
Malahide Castle
Marley Park
Ormeau Park
Botanic
Some field

So far none are confirmed...but a wee birdie says they'll be playing on these isles at some point in 2008. And the Reading/Leeds festival headliners have yet to be announced...