Viking Metal invades Pittsburgh
Last fall I attended my first concert at Mr. Small's without knowing anything beforehand about Eagle Twin or headliners Sunn O))) save for their reputation. I was not disappointed.
Sadly, heretofore I have likewise had no prior experience with Swedish death metal legends Amon Amarth, but the band's reputation precedes them. Having embarked on a stretch of North American tour dates this April, I knew I couldn't miss them when they came to Mr. Small's this past Wednesday, the twenty-eighth.
The evening began at 8pm with a thirty-minute set from Los Angeles-based newcomers Holy Grail. The band is a little rough around the edges, but they only formed in 2008 and in the subsequent two years have already been signed to the reasonably well-respected Prosthetic Records, released a well-received debut EP, and are set to release their first full-length later this year.
Holy Grail tread similar ground as their tourmates in terms of their lyrics, boasting fantastic tales of glorious battle focusing on Norse lore and mythology. Musically, however, Holy Grail are very much "traditional heavy metal," recalling the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, and early Pantera. At times they also recall the melodic thrash-lite of Trivium, but are more strongly rooted in classic speed metal; and at times also the extreme power metal of Dragonforce is called to mind, except without the pretentious musical wankery.
Holy Grail's live performance is tight and focused; the harmonized leads of guitarists Eli Santana and James LaRue particularly stand out. Meanwhile, vocalist James Paul Luna wields a set of pipes adequate to the young band's less polished sound. His style came off as a mix between Manowar's Eric Adams, Tim "Ripper" Owens (formerly of Judas Priest and Iced Earth, among other projects), and Cowboys from Hell-era Phil Anselmo. He's not able to cleanly hit the high notes, but at this point in the band's life, I think that's perfectly acceptable.
Usually opening acts have to put in extra effort to earn the approval of their audience, but on this night Holy Grail excelled in their set and quickly found acceptance from the packed room. I have high hopes for these guys.
After a short ten-minute interlude, respected Viking metallers Tyr took the stage next for a healthy forty-five minutes. Hailing from the little-known Faroe Islands, Tyr's style is immediately distinguishable from their tourmates'. Call it Viking metal - given the heavy emphasis on the appropriate imagery, it would fit. Call it folk metal - with music and lyrics often inspired by traditional folk songs of the Faroe Islands or of other Scandinavian peoples, not to mention the anthemic gang-vocals of all four members, it most definitely is appropriate. Or given the band's often fanciful musical inclinations, call it progressive metal. However one wishes to label Tyr, they're bloody phenomenal.
I had not heard any of the band's material previously, but I knew of them by reputation. As soon as Tyr opened their set with the folk-inspired vocal harmonies of "Tróndur í Gøtu," I knew I had not been led astray as a wide grin creeped across my face that I could not suppress. Tyr's music is as heavy and brutal as one could hope, but it's also plainly fun - and given the cheerful exuberance exhibited in the near-constant grin of bassist Gunnar H. Thomsen, the band knows it.
Putting on a stellar performance every bit on par with their reputation and the rest of the evening, Tyr shot through a set representing each of their albums but focusing on their most recent release, 2009's By the Light of the Northern Star. The set includedthe aforementioned "Tróndur í Gøtu," "Hold the Heathen Hammer High," "Northern Gate," "By the Sword in My Hand," among other great cuts.
And of course, I knew as soon as the band started playing that I had to secure some of their merchandise.
At last, then, it was time for the legendary Amon Amarth. The crowd was ravenous and the pit frenzied before they took the stage, but the room exploded when the quintet finally came on. Quite frankly, their lauded reputation does not do them justice. If this band existed in the Metalocalypse universe, the fictional Dethklok would be worshipping at the altar of Amon Amarth.
That last sentence is necessary to give perspective on how important the group is as a flagship of Swedish death metal, but it's also a fair indicator to the uninitiated of where the band's sound lies; Brendon Small's compositions bear clear influence from Amon Amarth and their contemporaries. The key difference, of course, is that this is both literally and figuratively "the real thing."
Once again, the set in this instance covered the band's entire career so far. Highlights included, and were most certainly not limited to, "Live for the Kill," "Twilight of the Thunder God" (the title track of the band's 2009 album), "Guardians of Asgaard," "Cry of the Blackbirds," "Valkyries Ride," "Death in Fire," and "The Pursuit of Vikings." Throughout the ninety-minute set each and every member was at the top of his art, entrancing the audience with every note, but I must make special note of vocalist Johan Hegg. Muscled, heavily bearded, and towering at well over six feet tall, he has the appearance of a true Viking warrior displaced in time, and his monstrous voice matches his stature. Amon Amarth as a whole commanded the great respect and rapt attention of the audience, but with a word Hegg could well have invoked the crowd to burn and pillage the city.
This was a damn fine concert.
Sadly, heretofore I have likewise had no prior experience with Swedish death metal legends Amon Amarth, but the band's reputation precedes them. Having embarked on a stretch of North American tour dates this April, I knew I couldn't miss them when they came to Mr. Small's this past Wednesday, the twenty-eighth.
The evening began at 8pm with a thirty-minute set from Los Angeles-based newcomers Holy Grail. The band is a little rough around the edges, but they only formed in 2008 and in the subsequent two years have already been signed to the reasonably well-respected Prosthetic Records, released a well-received debut EP, and are set to release their first full-length later this year.
Holy Grail tread similar ground as their tourmates in terms of their lyrics, boasting fantastic tales of glorious battle focusing on Norse lore and mythology. Musically, however, Holy Grail are very much "traditional heavy metal," recalling the likes of Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Iced Earth, and early Pantera. At times they also recall the melodic thrash-lite of Trivium, but are more strongly rooted in classic speed metal; and at times also the extreme power metal of Dragonforce is called to mind, except without the pretentious musical wankery.
Holy Grail's live performance is tight and focused; the harmonized leads of guitarists Eli Santana and James LaRue particularly stand out. Meanwhile, vocalist James Paul Luna wields a set of pipes adequate to the young band's less polished sound. His style came off as a mix between Manowar's Eric Adams, Tim "Ripper" Owens (formerly of Judas Priest and Iced Earth, among other projects), and Cowboys from Hell-era Phil Anselmo. He's not able to cleanly hit the high notes, but at this point in the band's life, I think that's perfectly acceptable.
Usually opening acts have to put in extra effort to earn the approval of their audience, but on this night Holy Grail excelled in their set and quickly found acceptance from the packed room. I have high hopes for these guys.
After a short ten-minute interlude, respected Viking metallers Tyr took the stage next for a healthy forty-five minutes. Hailing from the little-known Faroe Islands, Tyr's style is immediately distinguishable from their tourmates'. Call it Viking metal - given the heavy emphasis on the appropriate imagery, it would fit. Call it folk metal - with music and lyrics often inspired by traditional folk songs of the Faroe Islands or of other Scandinavian peoples, not to mention the anthemic gang-vocals of all four members, it most definitely is appropriate. Or given the band's often fanciful musical inclinations, call it progressive metal. However one wishes to label Tyr, they're bloody phenomenal.
I had not heard any of the band's material previously, but I knew of them by reputation. As soon as Tyr opened their set with the folk-inspired vocal harmonies of "Tróndur í Gøtu," I knew I had not been led astray as a wide grin creeped across my face that I could not suppress. Tyr's music is as heavy and brutal as one could hope, but it's also plainly fun - and given the cheerful exuberance exhibited in the near-constant grin of bassist Gunnar H. Thomsen, the band knows it.
Putting on a stellar performance every bit on par with their reputation and the rest of the evening, Tyr shot through a set representing each of their albums but focusing on their most recent release, 2009's By the Light of the Northern Star. The set includedthe aforementioned "Tróndur í Gøtu," "Hold the Heathen Hammer High," "Northern Gate," "By the Sword in My Hand," among other great cuts.
And of course, I knew as soon as the band started playing that I had to secure some of their merchandise.
At last, then, it was time for the legendary Amon Amarth. The crowd was ravenous and the pit frenzied before they took the stage, but the room exploded when the quintet finally came on. Quite frankly, their lauded reputation does not do them justice. If this band existed in the Metalocalypse universe, the fictional Dethklok would be worshipping at the altar of Amon Amarth.
That last sentence is necessary to give perspective on how important the group is as a flagship of Swedish death metal, but it's also a fair indicator to the uninitiated of where the band's sound lies; Brendon Small's compositions bear clear influence from Amon Amarth and their contemporaries. The key difference, of course, is that this is both literally and figuratively "the real thing."
Once again, the set in this instance covered the band's entire career so far. Highlights included, and were most certainly not limited to, "Live for the Kill," "Twilight of the Thunder God" (the title track of the band's 2009 album), "Guardians of Asgaard," "Cry of the Blackbirds," "Valkyries Ride," "Death in Fire," and "The Pursuit of Vikings." Throughout the ninety-minute set each and every member was at the top of his art, entrancing the audience with every note, but I must make special note of vocalist Johan Hegg. Muscled, heavily bearded, and towering at well over six feet tall, he has the appearance of a true Viking warrior displaced in time, and his monstrous voice matches his stature. Amon Amarth as a whole commanded the great respect and rapt attention of the audience, but with a word Hegg could well have invoked the crowd to burn and pillage the city.
This was a damn fine concert.