THOSE STILL LOYAL EUROPE 2006
BOLT THROWER
MALEVOLENT CREATION
NIGHTRAGE
NECROPHAGIST
at
REMISE - WIL - CH
20 January 2006
SOLD OUT!
reviews by dalia di giacomo
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Mr. Phil Fasciana (Malevolent Creation)
and dalia - videointerview soon online
On the wings of Bolt thrower's latest release "Those Once Loyal", an Hell of a tour is crossing Europe. One of those Tours that are a true Event, event written in capital letters and that lets us understand that 2006 is the year in which the extreme metal will harvest what was sown, 2006 call the authentic metalheads for an orgy of fucking ravenous pleasure. This tour, together with many others of first caliber already announced and planned for start already in January or in the near couple of months, vivifies our blood and roars our flesh. Beware, January 2006 is just the begin!
After a kick off in Holland on 4th January, the "Those still loyal Europe 2006" is conquering the continent, having already had many shows totally sold out. After having pulverized Holland, part of Germany, Poland, Austria, Hungary , Croatia and Italy, it will thunder over the Swiss frozen earth. Unfortunately also the ill-fated and cancelled gig in Italy at Anomalia in Prato was destiny of this tour, that however, after another and not problematic stage in Italy at La Gabbia in Bassano del Grappa, lands in Switzerland, at Remise in Wil. Here we see the same success: the Remise is sold out and packed, soon moshed and shaken and fisted by 4 bands who represent one of the most vivid uncompromising faces of Death Metal.With headliner Bolt Thrower, we have Malevolent Creation with a sensational line up due to the coming back of previous members above all Brett Hoffman behind the microphone, then Nightrage and the lethal razor- sharp venomous German sensation Necrophagist. My personal targets are, in particular, the mythical US Florida Death metallers Malevolent Creation and these aggressive, sick Necrophagist, already admired as one of the protagonists of the IX Metal Forces in Lörrach. Ok let's see now how Necrophagist behave in the middle of this big tour....
 " |
| Necrophagist live at IX Metal Forces in Lörrach , 2005 |
Ah Necrophagist, so hated and so loved. Necrophagist are able to divide the spirits, to make the metal world write torrents of useless, pointless words, in their defense or accuse. At the Metal Forces Festival they appeared simply lethal to me. Lethal they are. In my opinion, "lethal" is still the only word to use if you really are in urgent need to describe them. Vocalist/guitarist Muhammed Suiçmez is an uncompromising guy that is hard and dry on the stage too. He proposes his shit and if you like it, ok, good, but if you don't like, well you have only to go , i think this is his philosophy. Necrophagist are a technical band, therefore it is not easy to headbang on their music , you have to taste their intent and facettes. Are they talented? of course, and straight to the point, corroborated by a great bass playing and an extraordinary lead guitar. Punctual the drumming, great effect and impact. People's mind is forced to work and to give high attention, alternating thinking with banging, maybe. Don't expect from them pathetic rituals and/or crowd aiming, don't expect from them brainless entertainment. They are the right opener for a tour made by bands whose primary goal is to play and play evilly and mercilessly. As if they were following Cesar's statement" veni, vidi, vici", Necrophagist take the stage, play evilly and mercilessly, and stop. Ciao, bye, is almost what you get, do we need more? No. Not, when we are involved in the technical ability of guitars, in the big force of the rhythmic session, and , above all, in the richness of ideas that put you on the limit of a mortal combat. Half an hour (from 19:45 to 20:15) of a sharp sour yet virtuous Death metal that goes beyond many boundaries, nonetheless fortunately being still not really progressive. A discharge of sinister music that impresses me as it did in November, in Germany. Stabwound, Fermented Offal Discharge, Epitaph, Extreme Unction are among the songs proposed and of course the LETHAL Seven! And Christian Muenzner is a fucking great guitarist.
| " |
| Descent into Chaos |
Around 20:30 Greek/Swedish melodic Death metallers Nightrage hit the stage. After their second full-length album, "Descent Into Chaos", released through Century Media Records in 2005, there is a true halo of expectation about them. Tonight one can clearly feel it. Even people from Italy are actually discussing about this band and his singer. Nonetheless, according to axeman and mastermind Marios Iliopoulos, the band too is eager to play for all friends in Europe, being this their first European tour. And Marious Iliopoulous was totally right when he announced the new singer Jimmie Strimell as "a killer vocalist, really enthusiastic, energetic and experienced". Wow , no lies , fact is that Nightrage's singer is delivering a great performance with tons of enthusiasm, defining well the message of the band and keeping the crowd so damned alive, shouting his lungs off. The rest of the band is doing a tight work, with guitarist Iliopoulos showing a sense of gratification, as least as much as his austere face can do, and, however, revealing much thankfulness for the fans. The crowd appreciates a lot Strimell 's energy; personally i like his attitude more than Björn Strid's one . Among the highlights, The beautiful songs Reality vs Truth, one of the best tracks of their Descent into Chaos, and Release are served. Remarkable is also the big Rock disposition of this band, that fully surfaces during a live. Songs from the previous albums are played too, for example Elusive emotion, if i am not wrong. Headbangings, applauses and the first moshing shake the pit, heralding what it will come: one of the most earthshaking, thunderous, unforgettable moments that Metal can offer: the concerts of Malevolent Creation and Bolt Thrower. May the force sustain us.
| " |
| Malevolent Creation live in Zürich 2004 |
| Warkult |
| Interview with Phil Fasciana 2003 |
| No Mercy Festival 2003 |
| The Will to Kill |
21:30 - "No one can destroy this Malevolent Creation!"
These words summed up the announcement telling that Brett Hoffman would have joined the band for this tour, being then definitely back to the band. Absolutely! No one can
destroy this Malevolent Creation, implacable, fresh and yes ...young. Malevolent Creation appears so young and full of motivation. I've seen excellent shows from them, the latest was during the 2004 Warkult tour in Zürich at
Dynamo Werk 21, an exceptional show. But fortunately there is no limit to the "best of" and tonight
Malevolent are such a revelation due to the fact that the whole mood and attitude and even the
look, as well as the stage approach are kicking ass. MC promised to let
not down the fans , but they have done more for them than simply keeping
their word: they are re-born, top notch and such a wild band with a frontman
who on the stage is so mighty and supported greatly by the rest of the musicianship.
Less histrionic than Kyle, but more brutal and abrasive. I am not friend of covers and
i am not friend of line up changes. I will not forget Kyle , or Rob or Gordon,
and i am glad to know that everyone still remains in good terms, nonetheless some line-up
changes turn out to be innovative and healthy, simply inject fresh blood and strength.
This is the case. Please, Brett remain, stay together with MC, it is your place!
Jay Blachowicz is also back, back to the bass again but
unfortunately can not play the Bolt Thrower tour due to passport problems. Divine Empire guitarist Marco Martell is on the stage for Jay on this
tour making synergy with Jon Rubin. Dave Kinkade also from Divine Empire is
playing drums on this tour. And Mr Phil Fasciana, the soul of the band? Fierce,
stormy, unmerciful as always, but with a new light in his eyes, i
have never seen him so proud and satisfied. The show hold by him is outstanding.
Sweat runs, while the great setlist runs too but through time
and eras, the songs sum up the exceptional career and arrive finally to
the shores of the latest two albums "The Will to Kill" and
"Warkult". From tracks as "Coronation of our Domain", "Malevolent Creation" and "Blood Brothers" till
"The will to Kill" (preceded by Brett's greetings to the crowd and to Bolt Thrower) and "Dead March" , it is... triumphal march. It may appear
rhetoric to say so, but actually i don't find other way to explain the great reaction of the audience, the
huge moshing of a fully crowded venue, and how much i have enjoyed this
show. Indeed the crowd response is nothing but amazing. The band's performance is nothing but amazing. 22:15 the show ends
disruptive and violent as it begun. And now?And now i pick up and lick
all the sweat drops i can see on the stage in front of me, there, where
guitar god Phil Fasciana has just played. Salty drops, i drip some of them
on my notebook too. And now? Now let's attend Bolt Thrower and, in the next months, let's wait for Doomsday X, MC' s tenth album , let's wait for the next live shows after the release of
the new full length. If it's true that words have meaning but names have
power, so Malevolent Creation is one the most powerful among the Names.
Mr. Brett Hoffman (Malevolent Creation) and dalia
22:36 - Here we go! Smoke, horns up and a crowd going nuts. It's
excitement, it's fever pitch. All discussions and polemics that the cancelled gig in Prato has brought in foreground
can only fade away like snow under the sun if you are here and see such a tight and determined band.
Moreover the British Bolt Thrower are really impressed by the incredible capacity of this audience (and i like to underline that it is an international one, due to the strategic
location of Wil, able to be easily reached by Austrian, Italian and German people) to
animate a mighty moshing, with episodes of stage diving and crowdsurfing, to
forge such a great energy yet without loosing good taste and respect for the artists and for the fellow metalheads in the
pit. Bolt Thrower , obviously, play hard, play heavy, play contrapuntal
between tempo changes and enthralling riffs, enjoying the warmth of their fans. I must say that Bolt Thrower know how to
appeal: charisma, good loops, some epic touch mixed with grind,
hammering riffs and much experience create the killer. Sometimes their loops
are repetitive but they simply know how to do it, transforming recurrence in hypnotism. The British legend also knows how to make subtle great
embroideries and contrapuntal lines indeed, they know when and how
to place the right chord the makes the difference.
Implacable but melodic too, their songs are well structured and catch
immediately. like modern crusaders , Bolt Thrower arise the
battle and command the carnage . The response is fabulous, even devoted.
The latest CD of these metal pioneers, "Those Once Loyal", follow-up to 2001's "Honour, Valour, Pride"
, entered soon the German Media Control chart and is represented
tonight by tracks like At first light, Entrenched, The Killchain,
the title track Those once loyal, When Cannons fade. Those
once Loyal marks also the return of original vocalist Karl Willetts.
Karl Willets and his brave crusaders brutalize and cast a spell. So is
the music. War imagery, rides to Inferno and epic , melodic
moments. Charismatic Karl Willets doesn't even need to perform anything spectacular if not
expressing brilliantly his battlevoice. Bolt Thrower , not very mobile but extremely dynamic concerning
their instrumentation, are imposing, aggressive, massive, compact.
A line of fire and hammering turmoil.
At First Light
Entrenched
Mercenary
Anti-Tank
World Eater
Cenotaph
The Killchain
Powder Burns
Those Once Loyal
No Guts, No Glory
IV Crusade
When Cannons Fade
dalia di giacomo
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