TOURTURING EUROPE 2005
THE HAUNTED
GOD FORBID
GOD DETHRONED
at
Abart Music Club - ZÜRICH - Switzerland
8 December 2005
review by dalia di giacomo
photos © by Stefan W. Vogelaar
The public use of these photos is strictly prohibited without written permission
INTRO - Anyone waiting for Manntis? No, ...no Manntis in this "Tourturing Europe 2005", at their place we will attend the Dutch Death metal outfit God Dethroned. But anyway, the tour remains imposing, both concerning billing and number of dates; directly from Treviso (Italy) it comes now across Switzerland, stopping in Zürich at the Abart Music Club. Crowded venue, great audience response. The Death/Thrash and Hardcore scene finds another great and comfortable occasion for enjoying top -notch bands in Zürich. Another metal thunder is about to fall on our banging heads. But there are 2 aspects which make this concert particularly memorable in addition to the fact that will will attend nothing less than big calibers. First of things, today is the first anniversary of Dimebag Darrel's tragic Death, which will be remembered on the stage , he, the number 1. Passionate words will be spent for example from God Forbid for him and for the metal community. Second factor is the tight and immediate comparison between American way of acting and European one. Beyond any technical consideration, in my opinion the American God Forbid will win this confrontation big time. I wouldn't say they were the best on stage, it doesn't make sense and moreover God Dethroned and The Haunted will play an excellent gig. The Haunted then will receive an enormous appreciation. But nothing resists this evening the capacity to impact with such an impetus, to convey vibes of sympathy, to have such big fun, to catapult the music, like the American God Forbid will do. Maybe typical of bands coming from the other shore of the ocean. I 've seen relatively few European bands so totally opened for the audience indeed. Apart from that, the Tourturing stage in Switzerland will be a first -class concert on the whole. We are here for being tourtured, aren't we? So may the Tourture begin.
20:16_ God Dethroned are really a good act, i saw them some years ago , but i must say that what i have in front of me seems a different band, a band more able to express their music at the best, and their Death/Black is damned attractive. It may depend from some recent line up changes but fact is that God Dethroned can place their music optimally and immediately in our mind. In few words immediate grip. Not bad , eh? Vocalist and founder member Henri "T.S.K" Sattler is always attentive yet always a bit easy going, like a fox he knows well what to do, knows well what the fans want and actually there is a group of young fans, very likely true "worms", going nuts for God Dethroned. But, in general, the whole crowd begins with a cool appreciation. There is not that impetus and that charge that God Forbid will bring afterwards, but the atmosphere is good, the music interesting , catchy but never commercial, with that keen sense of melody mixed with the ability to delivers walls of heavy riffs and pummeling brutality. A strong gig, an enjoyable one, that will not disappoint, on the contrary it pumps up the crowd and launches the Tourture to spheres of inviting pleasure. Good performance (concerning solos too) comes from conservatorium graduated guitarist Isaac Delahaye, and from drummer Ariën Van Weesenbeek, the well played (with the fingers) bass and Sattler's vocals complete the picture.
After the opener Nihilism and the following track Boiling Blood , Henri Sattler greet Zürich with horns up: "Hi Zürich we are God Dethroned from Holland!", definitely not Manntis hehhehe, many horns up and headbanging God Dethroned receive back going on with Soulsweeper . Much energy accompanied by tuneful chords and mighty drums.
Among the new songs from the latest
album "The Lair Of The White Worm", we can listen to Sigma
Enigma and Salt in your wounds. The only one track i
personally don't like is Villa Vampiria, but it is a
must in the repertoire of the band, therefore it is proposed. Many
of these songs make group, arise a kind of fellowship identity among the
people in the crowd. When the concert is finished, Harry
Sattler thanks this audience "Thank you for coming to the
show tonight!" impressed by the Swiss behaviour, so enthusiastic
yet so respectful. Up the horns, we salute God Dethroned that have
rocked the Abart.
Nihilism
Boiling Blood
Soulsweeper
Villa Vampiria
Warcult
Sigma Enigma
Salt in your wounds
 " |
| IV: Constitution of Treason |
| Interview with Doc Coyle |
| God Forbid live at Weapons of Mass Destruction Tour 2004 in USA |
Around 21:00 God Forbid take the stage: it is impelling force and involving sympathy at once. Hardcore/ NWOAW oriented, with a badass attitude and the will to have fun and give a big kick to our minds, God Forbid begin, after the intro , with The End of the World, from the new album "IV: Constitution of Treason". They are commanding although they seem mates of yours, as consequence the room is won with a sea of risen arms, lots of banging rows and much acclamation. Unfortunately Byron Davis 's vocals don't come out so vivid from the microphone, it is difficult to hear him, if standing in the first positions. There is no doubt he screams his lungs out, but the result in terms of resolution is poor, on the contrary the instrumentation gets an optimal sound. But you know what? Byron Davis is such a great frontman, even only concerning his physical way to arise the attention and his movements, that paradoxically he could go on without singing, only speaking here and there between a song and another, and the success would be certain anyway ... Because he is a "stage-beast", supported by a persevering and freak, lively, aggressive, enthusiast, trained musicianship.
Moshing and jumping like hell, the crowd enjoy the tracks that are delivered straight forward in a mix of brutality hardness and melody. A gig full of details: an appeal to the metal community, remembering Dimebag Darrel, is launched, backing vocals are well traced and provide for a diversification at the microphone, and a help too. Lead- guitar solos are not missed, and often the rhythmic section is really implacable .
All in all , Byron Davis too seems to be very satisfied of the Swiss audience: invites us to make afterparty and tells us we are "fucking, fucking good", and finally, "we have still one song!", Broken Promise. At the end of the show, after 50 minutes of success, Byron Davis promises to come back here in Switzerland soon. Let's hope!
The End of the World,
Force Fed
Into the Wasteland
Anti-Hero
Gone Forever
Chains of Humanity
Better Days
Broken Promise
| " |
| rEvolver |
Around 22:17, in front of a very excited crowd, the Swedish Death/ThrashersThe Haunted start off with the last much awaited gig of the evening. I am very curious to see this band, who has reached an undisputable aura and status. Beyond what i have heard from their discography and in particular from rEvolver, i would like to understand which is the point of force, the key , the code that makes The Haunted so admired. The crowd is switched by its own , totally high, aggressive and mesmerized, but i would like to understand why, from the moment that the songs are not easy stuff, but maybe it is right for this reason?
What i see is a band not very homogenous concerning the outfit of the members. Peter Dolving is a force of nature absolutely insane (in the best term of the meaning of course!) and histrionic, he has the same anger of Greg Puciato and the same extroverted original vein of sickness of Zak from Clawfinger. All in all this is a very Ameriswedish front man attitude and a great capacity to take the attention, ravishing then it pitilessly even with moments of alienated psychosy. Guitarist Jensen is the contrary of all this, he remains a bit apart in a serious and inspired control of the riffs, while on the other side of the stage the brothers Björler build an united headbanging front. Everything underlined by an opportune drumming. So ok, what is the common denominator ? I think the sound. And the related techniques used in order to produce a definite sound. I get the impression that The Haunted lead an almost aristocratic research around the sound, around what music can transmit. Jensen can absolutely take distance from the ambience, abstracting himself when he need to tune his guitar, while the bass is played searching for the ultimate touch. Vocalist Dolving too is interested in the sound of the vocals and the impact of a gesture, of a scream , of a howl, of a growl.
The audience enjoys every note, also crowdsurfing's are not missed: the setlist is long, sweat is flowing, songs come out ecclecting with their thrashy slayer-y fierceness and with an alternation between melody and bursts of violence. Anyway this is not always linear, sometimes i really don't understand where a song wants to go, which will be its development, cause moods are very diversified.. The Haunted make an excursus across their discography until the last asphyxiant track, quite long , experimental , desperate, My Shadow, is proposed as the last song of a very intense show. My Shadow is also the song that closes the last album rEvolver. At 23:24 o' clock , the 70 minute- long bittersweet, imposing concert ends, leaving the fans satisfied under the law "Thrash till Death"
No Compromise,
Nothing Right
Bullet Hole
Shadow World
Bloodletting Intro
In Vein
Abysmal
Trespass
99
Forensick
D.O.A.
Hate Song
All Against All
Dark Intentions
Bury Your Dead
My Shadow
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