Forever After Tour 2005

2 days in Switzerland - part II 

PARADISE LOST

ORPHANED LAND

SOCIETY 1

 at Salzhaus  - Winterthur 

21.05.2005

SOCIETY 1

ORPHANED LAND

PARADISE LOST

review by dalia di giacomo

all photos © by Stefan W. Vogelaar

[The public use of these photos  is strictly prohibited without written permission]

The Forever After tour arrives  today at the second Swiss stage in Winterthur (canton Zürich), obviously German speaking zone. Presented by Divus Modus (leader promotion agency /event organizer concerning gothic/new wave/electro-gothic),  the concert of this evening seems to exert a gravitational force not only on  the gothic scene nonetheless. Even more than in Vevey, the audience here will reveal itself as made almost exclusively of metallers from various genres and scenes, thanks  not only to the great image that Paradise Lost have here but also to the interest around the supporter bands. Salzhaus (or Salt House, the old storage for salt) is one of the biggest venues in Winterthur if not the biggest one with a capacity of 600 persons , well experienced in   guesting  concerts and various cultural activities. Only few meters far from the railway station, Salzhaus can be reached very easily. Its atmosphere is a mixture of antique rustic and charm. And the crowd in Winterthur will be very  confirmative, very enthusiastic and, i repeat, very metal.

SOCIETY 1      www.society1.net         Earache Records

Society 1 impact here so well, and better than in Vevey. Maybe better than in Germany, from the moment that a very satisfied and a bit astonished Matt "The Lord" tells us "you are much better than the Germans!" I won't get back to those infos given already in my  report from Vevey, so let's speak immediately about the concert that is  as energetic as hell. The crowd is in the best mood, wants fun and wants hard music. It's easy to realize beforehand that the pulse of the evening is in full health. Therefore Society 1 can pump up perfectly the people and can offer a  good dose of modern damnation to the ambiance. Their show begins  again with a burst of drums and guitar, actually they can be very fast. While the false impression is that you have to do with disciples of Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor, tonight more than yesterday you realize that their music, nervous indeed, gets really nearer to the criteria of Modern Metal, Static x and the wave of  American heaviness. Is it true that a crowd can make the difference, well yes. When the band feels satisfactiona and cooperation, of course the music too gets in better result. In spite of the fact that The Lord is even more hyperactive than yesterday (if we can say so), interactive and euphoric, the music can be valued better. Though they are still not successful to involve me 100%, i must say that their musical  message can be  more interesting, as content, than  what i was thinking before. It remains the exaggeration in the stage acting, in particular i cannot stand the agitation. you can present even bloodier scenarios (just think of Gorgoroth) but with less freneticism. Here it is the word : freneticism . Society 1  can become  too frenetic, both in acting as well as in music. Sweat runs copiously , the black adhesive tapes in shape of cross placed on Matt's nipples will fall down unveiling the pierced anatomy. The mimic is expressed with more freedom here in Winterthur, a mimic which is  totally sex focused, as engine of being alive. Moreover there is an insidious subtilty in Society 1 and much hysteric anger. There are also cadenced and more vibrating notes in their inspiration, it's quite difficult to fix the attention on the music, when in front of your eyes there is the show of The Lord with  varied activities , wanking the microphone included. I like the guitar solos, certain moments of percussion, certain bass lines, the dramatic mood of some crisis. But a bunch of songs or a bunch  of good starting points don't do the ideal product. I repeat that Society 1 should refine better their inspirations and calm down, looking more into abyss of darkness. But the crowd is amused and pleased, the vision of a naked ass and the following short sodomy- mimic  between The Lord and his guitarist Sin are the spicy moments. The songs presented are the same as in Vevey, with I Love her underlined with feeling.

ORPHANED LAND       www.orphaned-land.com            

21:15 And now let's jump into spirituality and empathy with Orphaned Land.  Needless to say, the Israeli band  is  very well welcomed in Winterthur too- Middle East flair and Palestinian headscarf carried on Kobi's shoulder . Let's consider that this tour puts together different musical aspects but at least  there is really no lack in variety.  After the first song , Orphaned Land greet the audience: "We are Orphaned Land from Israel. Shalom! ", meeting the same sympathy as in Vevey yesterday.  Their sound is well mighty, their trademark to combine Middle Eastern influences and ambient with different metal influences (from Black to Death and Prog) shines perfectly again, thanks to the computerized elements and to the very good instrumental performance on stage. Kobi Farhi is very impressed by the crowd and seems more  involved but also apprehensive or simply more emotive than yesterday,  cause  little shadows appear in his singing. The crowd clap their hands when it's the turn of Kiss of Babylon, but also all songs from the concept album "Mabool - The Story Of The Three Sons Of Seven”  are appreciated a lot, in the same way as yesterday. Only, here the response is  very lively with some headbanging non stop and much curiosity. The stage acting  doesn't differ from the one of yesterday, and in the same way the look of the various members, being Eden Rabin always the more enthusiast. Enough headbanging is provided by the band itself, long hair (Matte as Germans say) fly enough, while the passion to the rich assortment of ingredients turns this concert into a journey in far lands . Burst of mayhem keep us resolute and gladly about this heavy stuff, while the regional interludes and flourishes make us dream, until they are not too long. There is also a strong emotional charge of mysticism in Orphaned Land. There is  an invite to meditation, to preach, to examine the meaning of our existence. But all this is quickly burnt, eaten and consumed tonight, cause  everybody is so eager to see Paradise Lost. The time runs. The good side of this,  is that the concert seems less long and  more dynamic. It seems that the moments of tiredness and boredom due to Prog insertions are almost swept away, on the contrary , the  long instrumental /virtuoso segments (exactly those passages that mostly i don't like) get an optimal response.  But it might be an illusion. many PL listeners are also Prog fans, but in front of a more extreme audience Orphaned Land would have their problems. I think that, though  eclectic and emotional like they are, they should anyway understand that you cannot do everything and you cannot please everyone. They should give more stress on their excellent  heavy parts (very cool the oriental influences anyway) but  they should keep their virtuoso interludes at least shorter. With Mabool they have expanded their search and maturity through  a great concept, but i hope in  future they  will be more direct and clawing.  They should be even more aggressive and more " straight on your face". Anyway, success yesterday and even bigger  success today for the band of Mabool and for their romantic passion dripping, for their Middle Eastern scales and their devotion to an ideal. Practically 45 minutes again, so they had a wide space and the possibility to express themselves in a very good way. At 22:00 the encore is called, they are acclaimed with  many applauses, "Zugabe! Zugabe!" but no encore can be given . Anyway it must be a great satisfaction for them.

PARADISE LOST       www.paradiselost.co.uk    www.paradiselost.de       

22:30  and begins, the 17th time i attend the mythical Paradise Lost. For me, 17 is a cool and  lucky number and we will see that it will be a  very cool concert. Much awaited. Paradise Lost are much awaited. Practically full house and lots of  expectations. There are many  fans from different part of Switzerland and even from other countries. No gates, no photopit , therefore, near the stage, you have  the optimal  freedom to do an excellent headbanging. This is one of the best audiences i have ever seen during a PL concert, letting me remind of the great vibes experienced in  Milton Keynes, Woughton Centre, 30.11.2001. I have reported many successful gigs but the aura of tonight deserves kudos and kudos. This audience is impressing: Steve and Nick too appear both so satisfied and lively. Rarely Nick turns the microphone in direction of the audience in such a convinced way. Sing along, handclapping and dancing are only aspects of this great response, cause there is actually much headbanging. Concerning the setlist there is no difference with Vevey, if not for the last song of the well acclaimed encore which is tonight that excellent uptempo of The last Time (Draconian Times). The best way indeed to close this great evening! Paradise Lost get more precision after Don't belong with Grey. Erased gets a very positive reaction and Steve in particular seems very gladly about this crowd. Redshift  invites to sing "...see my dreams, thy are not like anyone's". Mystify is received with great enthusiasm, proving that is on the way to become an unmistakable classic. Symbol of Life again loses its final biting. I think that Symbol of Life is the only song that is not played like it should be. And after all Symbol of Life in my opinion is not a live song, too late enters the rhythmic push and that kind  of drum -driven  force was more suitable to Lee than to Jeff maybe, cause i think that Jeff prefers a more dry, direct, straight forward sound . It is a kind of contradiction not to present Sun Fading  but going on with a Symbol of Life not played by Lee, but ok.... Good news with Hallowed Land that , on the contrary, is simply spectacular, with an incredible rhythmic vigor, as well as the new Accept the Pain that rocks and beat a lot. As I die and Enchantment are played perfectly and simply turn back time, while Shine is the new emotion with that "light behind an open door". Nick is in good shape, an audience like this involves him a lot, giving him the joy to approach the crowd to get closer to us.  I like this Nick  that doesn't speak much , announces with  calm and simplicity some songs. He doesn't need words. A glance is sufficient. Greg is maybe less divine than yesterday , but the gorgeous performance of Vevey, in his state of convalescence, leaves its traces. Anyway Greg's guitar  is always enthralling as well  Aaron's eternal devotion to the rhythm, lost in himself and in his guitar and thankful . Aaron finds always that minute  to applaud the crowd indeed. What to say else? A little "invasion of stage"  done by one guy evidently  very  eager to see PL so  close is immediately solved. 

I think that Paradise Lost  have felt themselves very beloved in Switzerland  that is now telling them "bye" with much warmth and affection. Many impressive applauses at the end of the encore. Greg is the last  to leave the stage, he stops  there in the dark , a bit emotioned among all these applauses, with a little white rose in the hand.

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