By Daniel Tsourekas
On Friday night, Club Academy welcomed three bands consisting of future powerhouses and already established and accomplished legends in their own right. A lineup with Wayfarer, Svalbard and Enslaved was always bound to be entertaining; however this time the venue choice added an extra level of intimacy and enjoyment.
Starting the night with Wayfarer, the room is to begin with, quite empty considering the critical acclaim ‘American Gothic‘ received last year. The intriguing blend of folk, gothic and black metal paired with the brilliant atmosphere that they incorporate in their live performance however gain the audiences favour by the minute, and by the end of their captivating support slot the venue is significantly busier.
The main support Svalbard have slowly yet steadily built their way up to a level in which they could easily have been tonight’s headliners, and the performance at hand proves that. Lead vocalist and guitarist Serena wears her heart on her sleeve as she shows her appreciation for all bands present in a very soft-spoken manner, shortly before unleashing a dark force filled with gutturals and demonic screeches which absolutely astound the crowd.
As a band, every member compliments each other’s strengths perfectly. From the backing vocals to the incredible atmospheric guitar riffs, there’s always something that allows the band to sound fresh live with each performance. The majority of the set consisted of their latest release ‘Weight Of The Mask‘, following their signing to Nuclear Blast last year, but they still managed to feature fan favourites, with a powerful rendition of ‘Clickbait’, a song about the continuous misogyny that continues to exist within the music industry. A powerful choice especially considering that Friday was International Women’s Day, and one that was met with an ovation from the crowd.
Svalbard are looking at an even brighter future with an exceptional performance such as this one.
Spanning a three decade career with an eclectic discography, it was surprising to see Enslaved choose club academy for their headline tour, especially considering their performances at A Night of Salvation and Damnation Festival 2023. Instead of playing classic albums in full, this time the band focused on a balanced mix between their past releases and tracks from last year’s release ‘Heimdal‘.
The first thing that stands out with this live performance is the fantastic mix present throughout. Emphasis was given to each separate note and instrument, amplifying the emotion and power of the band’s front man Grutle, who fiercely commanded the audience and kept the entire room attentive with his fascinating screams and shrieks. The backing vocals seamlessly matched yet contrasted with melodic undertones and calmer practices.
By the end of the set they had all 500-odd audience members clapping along to ‘Havenless’, which despite being sung in their native language highlighted music’s universal understanding and expression of raw emotions and unity, and as they gracefully left the stage, nothing felt more apparent than those exact feelings, signifying another night to remember in the student union’s basement.
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