By Jase Walker
Every now and then you’re given a chance to see a band that you couldn’t stop listening to as a teenager and you’re suddenly given a chance to finally get to see them live nearly 20 years on. In this case it’s Sonata Arctica, a band that are amongst kings in the power metal genre, but not just that, co-headlining along with Stratovarius, another massive name in the same niche is with them so it’s pretty inevitable that I’m about to get my face blown off tonight.
In addition is Induction whom I’m not familiar with but gotta support your openers if you want them to get big eh? This most definitely isn’t a typical opening slot as they get a big intro track to announce their walk on and I can clearly see the massive poster they’ve got on behind them.
Little surprise at a power metal show that their singer is wearing the tightest pants imaginable and going straight for all those high notes, this is definitely going to be the theme for tonight I think. Inductions definitely epousing the biggest virtues of the genre, big riffs, over the top epicness and songs about generally just being fucking awesome, oh yeah and don’t forget the obscene use of strings and synths, lovely stuff. Even from my seated position at the side-ish of the stage, it’s sounding pretty damn good from here, it might not be as strong as if I was standing in front of the band but I’m not complaining, my legs are killing me.
Induction clearly has the makings of a fantastic power metal band as well, that right sort of epicness that borders a little bit on silly but clearly takes their craft seriously when it comes to writing a great song. The crowds clicked with them as well and looking down over the audience, they’re all bobbing their heads along despite obviously not really knowing Induction. It wouldn’t be a good show without a good amount of synchronised air punching as well, either that or some synchronised headbanging while stood on the monitors, OR a drum solo! They know the playbook and they do it well.
Second tonight but by no means any lesser, after so long I finally get to see Sonata Arctica doing their thing. They’re no doubt quite a fair bit older than they were back in my teenage years but they are still sounding every bit as fantastic as those days I spent blasting their music while playing World of Warcraft in its early days. Opting for a bit more of an easier song to get people warmed up for the harder stuff later, I’m absolutely smitten with the nostalgia of their sound.
Dual solos between the guitar and keys player is something you don’t really get to see very often, and the way the guys in Sonata Arctica bounce off one another is one of those moments that makes live shows worth going to. In keeping with the unabashedly epic style of music, this show has been a long time coming for me and it’s absolutely been worth the wait. Clearly loving getting the audience to sing along, they definitely know which songs are their biggest singalong ones and which ones to include in the set and where.
The sort of scope for bands like Sonata Arctica for the diversity of sounds in their music is huge, and with the set they’ve picked so far there’s far more to it than just a bunch of double bass pedal work and high register singing. Whether the keys are playing piano melodies or strings, or the guitarist is ripping out a massive solo or the drums and bass are blasting out thunderous noise, there’s always something a bit different yet consistently epic about it all.
You’d think the older a bunch of blokes get, the more they’d want to slow down a bit but that’s absolutely not the case with Sonata Arctica, they’ve still got all the balls they had when I was but a green teenager finding his spot in music. Almost everyone in the pit area is singing along with every song and waving their arms as well, it’s a real joy to see crowds like this just eating it all up. In fact this is no more obvious than when the singer basically provokes the audience to sing the whole thing and it seemed like they were going to actually! On the whole, a show worth waiting all this time for, Sonata Arctica were fantastic and hopefully it won’t be long before I see them again!
Admittedly it must have been a bit of a tongue in cheek choice to have Europe’s ‘The Final Countdown’ be one of the last songs to play before Stratovarius took the stage as we near their due time to play us out tonight. The stage suddenly darkens as their extended intro track plays as they walk on then suddenly, a pause, then quite simply the riff. Big layered gang vocals, keys, big riffs, fast drums and massive epic choruses, this is what it’s all about and Stratovarius more or less wrote the rulebook on this.
Clearly the audience here is far more well versed in Stratovarius than I am, announcing ‘Speed Of Light’ and the ensuing blinding flashing lights we’ve got a few pits going here and there as well as plenty of people singing along! As much as I’m enjoying this set so far, it does seem their singer has a bit of trouble hitting a lot of the higher notes which is understandable given how long this bands been in the game now, the band’s older than I am!
One thing that Stratovarius do not struggle with at all though is how well they can still craft an incredible power metal song though, you want chugs, fast drums, soaring melodies? You got it, even their newest material is every bit as epic as it ever was and this set is proving that. Truly a grand sound that they’ve cultivated after so many years and the newer material still thoroughly kicks arse every bit as much as their classics. As with Sonata Arctica showing off earlier, Stratovarius also indulges in a bit of guitar and keyboard wankery with some good old fashioned shredding while their singer has a bit of a break.
Power metal bands as I’ve said before toe this line of extreme brilliance and campy greatness but my god they do it well. Stratovarius has topped this night off in a brilliant fashion and flies the flag for having no shame about trying to be the biggest, best and most bonkers they possibly can be.
The Netherlands clearly has a big appetite for power metal by the looks of things so far: lucky me!
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