By Jase Walker
So, after a pretty rough week dealing with being ill for most of it, I’m back to normal and ready to get some prog in my ears in the heart of Amsterdam at Melkweg. The colder and darker days are starting to roll in but at least I’m not sweating my tits off in baking heat while waiting for the doors to open now, so it’s got its minor perks I suppose.
In support for this tour are Molybaron and TERRA, both of which I’m sure I’ve seen the name floating around on various prog adjacent festivals but never actually heard them before so tonight’s as good of an opportunity to get my ears around them as any!
First on tonight is TERRA, leading the charge for a jam-packed night of proggy goodness. The room darkens and a haunting track plays as TERRA takes the stage, never a genre to shy away from theatrical elements in live shows. What’s immediately surprising from the start is lighting that’s synced up to the drums, two members standing either side of the drummer with their own floor toms and it appears that the drummer is the lead singer as well? All levels of unconventional right from the beginning. The synced lighting for the drums on stage is certainly an incentive way of making your performances more memorable without having to carry round tons of extra kit as well. I’ve been so engrossed by their visual aspects of their performance I’ve barely had a chance to make proper note of the music itself!
Interesting melodies, intricate rhythms, almost every member of the band taking vocal duties in one form or another which adds some fantastic layering to the music as well. This show’s really taken me by surprise, the songs are engrossing and strong and multifaceted, the visual element is outstanding and the sound itself is incredibly well done. I mean there’s even use of pipes or a clarinet (I can’t tell, too dark) by one of their guitarists, this is quite something when you’re used to a lot of bands just opting for backing tracks for this sort of thing, even at one point getting Lars from Soen up for a bit of live sax. The musicality of all this is a real showcase of prog at its finest, complex yet totally accessible, both melodically and rhythmically brilliant, but hasn’t lost sight of what works as a good hook and memorable song. TERRA has really surprised me tonight and has set the bar unbelievably high for the following acts.
Sorry just to add a bit more, I was not expecting a cover of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’, incredible.
Following one of the fastest changeovers I’ve ever seen, Molybaron are up next! Definitely erring more on the metal side of prog metal with a clear love for chuggy playing and rhythmically driven songs but I can clearly hear a big power metal influence in their songs as well, rather than going for more subtle elements, they’ve gone all in with just being epic. Every single hit shakes the floor and my feet all the way up to my chest, Molybaron are absolutely booming tonight and I am here for it.
I’m definitely getting a hint of Gary Moore in their music as well with this mix of riding rhythm feel mixed with some melodies that sound folky as well, a real interesting fusion of styles! Molybaron are definitely raising the energy in the room with their unstoppable onslaught of anthems, they went straight in at 110 per cent and are showing no signs of slowing down, what an unbelievably, unapologetically massive live show!
Another sign of a truly professional band is keeping an eye out for their audience, it seems a lady has had some issues down the front and their singer has stopped moving to the next song to make sure security gets down the front to help her out. Molybaron has a good sense for a massive solo as well, big bends and more shred than you can shake a stick at. Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of prog’s soundscape exploration and more intricate songs but I can’t deny I love a good riffy song and that’s what Molybaron are kicking out constantly.
So far this night’s given me two absolutely amazing bands to add to my “rinse on Spotify” list as well as acts I’ll be moving heaven and earth to see again. I say this fairly frequently but I cannot emphasise enough that people should make every effort to see support acts for shows they go to, you never know when you might find a real gem or be watching a band that’ll be one of the titans of tomorrow. Molybaron have been absolutely exceptional tonight, it’s sounded great, it’s clearly resonated with the audience, and above all, it’s just been a damn good live performance.
- ‘Something Ominous‘ is out now.
Finally after another speedy changeover, it’s time for the final act, Soen! The fact that I live in Amsterdam means I can actually see this tour as the only UK date they had was London! It’s a privilege to see these again in such a good venue like Melkweg as well, they’re sounding bloody fantastic too and similar to the rest of the bands on tonight, their low end is thunderous and shaking my feet and legs.
The venue is absolutely rammed now as well, what an incredible turnout for Soen, they’ve got a great stage fitting for these prog metal darlings and none of them are wasting the real estate available to them with constantly moving around. There’s not a single head which isn’t bouncing to the rhythm either, every single person here is fully stuck into the music. Nothing like a good bass solo as well, this sort of thing is why I love seeing bands like Soen at their own shows, they truly get to make a show their own with as much artistry as they want.
The sound balance they’ve got in here tonight really is something, even the more subtle keys parts for layering shine through and adds to something that is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Soen’s ability to craft an atmosphere at their shows is brilliant, whether it’s the well choreographed lighting, to the on stage antics or the music itself, each part is carefully executed. A heartwarming moment, they mention that a big fan of theirs had major brain surgery and they weren’t sure if he’d make it not, but as it turns out they did and they’re right down at the front as well! It’s unique moments like this that make going to so many live shows a real privilege, the connection between artists and the music they produce with the fans that love them is really something.
This is clearly evident tonight with the response from the crowd that Soen are seeing, every single drop of effort and sweat they’re putting into their live show is being returned sevenfold, a true sea of people absorbed in the show, all having the same fantastic shared experience. On the whole this has been a real fantastic show for Soen and it’s great to see them climb the ladder of ever increasing venue sizes as more people are drawn to their songwriting and outstanding live shows.
I’m unsure whether it was more of a ÜK issue considering last time I saw these was in Rebellion in Manchester to an audience probably about a third of the size or whether they just have a much bigger following in Europe as a whole. Either way, this show has been a triumph for Soen, a captivating performance from start to finish. Hopefully the rest of the tour goes well for all three bands on this trek, it’s not a short number of dates nor is it a small distance for the shows either.
Each band has completely outdone themselves and no doubt they’ll be moving up a notch again on their next run. Top stuff.
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