HEATHEN CRUSADE TO DOOMSDAY
Yes, it is really happening. Finally. The first indoor concert without restrictions after good two years of pandemic (okay, a cov19 rapid test was required). Well, last year I could at least attend two outdoor shows and two festivals, where I ran into PRIMORDIAL, headlining the first day of Prophecy Fest.
Of course, the HEATHEN CRUSADE TOUR III was not left untroubled by the virus either. The tour had to be postponed two times, changing the co-headliners from Moonsorrow to Nagelfar to SWALLOW THE SUN, turning the :: HEATHEN CRUSADE TOUR :: into HEATHEN CRUSADE TO DOOMSDAY. Perfect fit. I actually can still remember the first Heathen Crusade Tour in 2006 (the second one at Matrix Bochum we did not attend).
Compared to my last visit at :: Matrix :: in January 2020 some interior decoration has changed. At least, some of the floors looked different. Other things apparently never change: lacking communication and wrong stage times!
It was announced that doors would open at 7 pm and the show start at 7.30 pm.Yes, doors opened at 7 pm, but at the same time, ROME entered the stage too and started their set in front of an empty tube.
Another annoying fact: the area around the Matrix building is a huge construction site, which means, all parking is gone. A not so unimportant fact that could have been communicated on the website. This might be also the reason, why the Matrix was only half filled, at best. But, perhaps, people need a bit more time till clubs "burn" again. Perhaps, the concert scene has radically changed. Time will tell, I guess.
:: pics :: ROME ::
I was fooled by the wrong times too. I appeared on time but thought that :: ROME :: is still doing soundcheck and did not care, until I noticed, fuck, that's the real show. Many fans that came down into the tube shortly after 7.30 pm were widely disappointed and even angry to see that ROME was already done. Many would have loved to see Jérôme Reuter performing live.
ROME is in fact an unusual but attractive opener for a Primordial tour. On the other hand, Jérôme Reuter and Alan Averill know and value each other for a longer time. Alan even contributed vocals to Ächtung, Baby!, a track from the 2020 record The Lone FurrowROME finished its set with, featuring a still crumpled Alan behind the micro (it was the very first day on tour).
I never have seen ROME live before, so I was curious and much looking forward to this show. Jérôme Reuter is a restless soul, an unbelievably creative composer, singer, songwriter with up to three record releases a year! Albums with partly different musical directions and philosophical lyrics. With this vast number of albums under his belt it was quite interesting what ROME would play live tonight. Well, excellent Neofolk from the last 15 years of band history, from very old to quite new ;) A beautiful performance of good 30 minutes that actually would perfectly suit and sound in the Balve Cave… ;) Just saying…
Band: Jérôme Reuter
Setlist: Neue Erinnerung, Celine In Jerusalem, The Torture Detachment, Die Nelke, Uropia O Morte, One Lion's Roar, Das Feuerordal, Who Only Europe Know, One Fire, Ächtung, Baby!
:: pics :: SWALLOW THE SUN ::
Last year's Moonflowers is the latest release of Finnish dark metallers :: SWALLOW THE SUN ::, once again a masterpiece of deepest mourning, self-doubts and melancholy, which the band presents live almost as painful as it sounds on CD.
Tonight it meant to be a show with the absence of light, or red lights instead, with a lot of smoke wafting over the stage. Drummer Juuso Raatikainen almost ended up in smoke, so to say, while bassist Matti and singer Mikko hid under their hoods. Latter one seemed to have problems with his voice or with the sound of his voice. Mikko was hardly to hear, and if, it was only his black-metal-like screeches. I did not hear his clean singing nor his growls. Were their growls at all?
However, SWALLOW THE SUN focused, as expected, on Moonflowers, with tracks from the latest releases around. Only closer Swallow revived the musical dark beauty of the early days.
Band: Juha Raivio, Juho Räihä, Mikko Kotamäki, Matti Honkonen, Juuso Raatikainen
Setlist: Enemy, Rooms And Shadows, Falling World, Stone Wings, The Void, New Moon, Firelights, Woven Into Sorrow, This House Has No Home, The Womb Of Winter, Swallow
:: pics :: PRIMORDIAL ::
No need to introduce :: PRIMORDIAL ::. A quick change-over, a look over my shoulder showed, the tube remained half-filled, at best.
PRIMORDIAL kicked off with full force, seeing A.A. Nemtheanga romping the stage full of aggression. By now he looked much better, more awake, than during his short stint with Rome ;) He tried hard to boil up the audience, with certain success. PRIMORDIAL have not forgotten how to deliver an extreme metal show, well received by the crowd. Where Greater Men Have Fallen never fails to open a show with. It is a track of insane power and intensity that makes it still easy to let go and to fully immerse in the music.
A short comment was made that guitarist Ciáran MacUiliam could not do the tour and to welcome his temporary replacement. Sorry, I forgot his name.
And there was a guy in the crowd, who was bantering every now and then, screaming a "no fkg gingers" for example, with a dust-dry "fuck you" in return by Alan. Scored some laughter.
PRIMORDIAL played kind of a best-of set through the latest records, spiced with some classics.
Yes, it was a good show. It was great to be part of such kind of show again. To feel the vibes and the energy. But, to be honest, I have experienced better ones too. Well, as said, it was the very first tour day after a long time of not performing live. So, nothing to nag about. A good start into the concert season 2022 :)
And, it is not about time to come up with some new material? Just asking… ;)
Band: Pól MacAmlaigh, Ciáran MacUiliam, A.A. Nemtheanga, Simon O'Laoghaire, Micheál O'Floinn
Setlist: Where Greater Men Have Fallen, No Grave Deep Enough, Nail Their Tongues, The Mouth Of Judas, Sons Of The Morrigan, As Rome Burns, Where Lie The Gods, Autumn's Ablaze, To Hell Or The Hangman, The Coffin Ships, Heathen Tribes, Empire Falls
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