Delain Koko London 13-11-16 and Engine Rooms Southampton 16-11-16




I don't normally do 2 gigs on the same tour but with a 3 band quality line up it just had to be done.

Kobra And the Lotus opened the show and their 6 song 30 minute set was well received but suffered especially on opening band sound issues.
I will be honest and say in the years since I saw them support Judas Priest they haven't improved like I expected and Kobra Paige's vocals are a high pitched at times operatic wail and it was a struggle to pick up any word she er sang.
Here is what they played

Gotham
Battle Of Wrath
Hold On
Soldier
TriggerPulse
50 Shades Of Evil


Evergrey were touring in support of the quite fantastic The Storm Within cd and after last years headline show in London to a few hundred fans it was great to see them get such a response from the masses at both shows.
8 songs 45 minutes was a a mere appetiser for such a great band here is what they played

Passing Through
The Fire
Leave It Behind Us
Black Undertow
In Orbit
Broken wings
Guitar solo
A Touch Of Blessing
King Of Errors

The new album was represented by opener Passing Through and In Orbit but no Floor Jansen on vocals as Tom Englund kindly explained and both showed off the bands dynamics of heavy riffs but plenty of melody in the choruses.

Highlight of the set was the quite monumental Black Undertow which as it all.A haunting keys intro from Rikard Zander and atmospheric beginning before the huge chugging riff and pounding groove lead into a wonderful chorus before every head in the place banged to the heavy groove and some superb guitar soloing from Henrik Danhage as the song ebbs and flows.A real hair up on the back of the neck moment.

King Of Errors left us screaming for more and a quick chat with the band after and they hope to return to the UK in the second half of 2017.Can't wait.





























Delain have just released their new cd Moonbathers and it is a huge step up in class and with it being out a few months ago we were all ready and primed and so were the band who produced a quite stunning show and showed they are ready for the next level.
With the last tour's Islington show sold out the move to the Koko saw sold out notices again as the UK embraces all Delain have to offer.

Here is what they played

The Monarch
Hands Of Gold
Suckerpunch
The Glory And The Scum
Get The Devil Out Of Me
Pendulum
Army Of Dolls
The Hurricane
April Rain
Here Come The Vultures
Fire With Fire
Danse Macabre
Sleepwalkers Dream
Stay Forever
The Gathering
Pristine
Encores of Mother Machine
Don't Let Go
We Are The Others

From the word go this was a show where the band and crowd were as one.You can see the band's confidence in the new material with 7 songs played and with the sound superb we were smacked right between the eyes both visually and sonically.

Charlotte Wessels is a wonderful front person and she never stops imploring the crowd to give more or pulling a funny face to anyone who wants one and her vocal range is breath taking full of power and melody and tone.Wow she has come on strong in the last few years.

The symphonic edge is given by Martijn Westerholt on keyboards and is driven by powerhouse drummer Ruben Israel both on podium's back stage left and right.

Guitarist's Merel Bechtold and Timo Somers both riff all day long and when required put in some great melodic soloing and all underpinned by the best name in rock n roll Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije on bass.

The opening 1-2-3 of new songs Hands Of Gold,Suckerpunch and The Glory And The Scum were stunning all big riffs,pounding drums and huge choruses and the crfowd knew every word.Suckerpunch was just amazing from the parping keys intro to the bouncing guitar riff and the choruses woah woahs had the roof being lifted off by one and all and all topped by Charlotte's delicious vocal.Wow.

The Hurricane showed a different side to the band with it's balladic feel and slight drop in pace and Charlotte bared her soul with a quite stunning vocal as the songs ebbed and flowed and built to the superb chorus.

Fire With Fire from the new cd had the floor bouncing like there was no tomorrow with it's heavy guitar battery and Ruben's drum onslaught and still another great chorus.

The band would win any synchronised headbanging contests with hair flying everywhere.

Of course we had older fan favourites like Army Of Dolls,April Rain,Sleepwalkers Dream,The Gathering and closer We Are The Others ripped London a new one as it ended as it begun on a total high.

There are not many gigs you go to where the whole show is played at a level that starts at an 11 and stays there for 90 minutes.

Delain were simply amazing and showed us everything they have whether it being power,melody,heaviness and a live show to die for.

This show will be at the top of many best of's for 2016 as will Moonbathers and Delain are heading to the very top.

Wow.































Popular Posts from last 30 Days