Killswitch Engage / In Flames

The 'Taste Of Chaos' tour has been heralded as just about everything from the hottest alternative tour in the world to a vehicle for tedious emo bands and simply a stopgap between extreme metal and it's more commercial relatives. This year the latter description would seem most befitting, not least thanks to a double header of Gothenburg legends In Flames and metalcore heavyweights Killswitch Engage. Both bands have seen their music progress into more harmonious territories over the last decade, and both have gained fans and critics in equal measure through doing so.

But enough of this; we're here for a metal gig, and In Flames kick things off nicely with fan favourite 'Cloud Connected' – the first of many crowd-pleasing anthems that mix in surprisingly well with cuts from last year's decent 'A Sense Of Purpose' release. Anders Friden and chums have never been the most energetic band on stage, but they remain tighter than a teddy bear's pee hole, and the likes of 'Pinball Map', 'Embody The Invisible' and 'The Quiet Place' showcase the Swedes' ability to whip up a crowd with minimum effort. Anders bringing a young fan up on stage to film half of the set is a hell of a nice touch too, the big softie.

Killswitch Engage command stages like Obama commands hysterical high-fiving, but the jury is still out over guitarist Adam D's continual efforts to become the most annoying/endearing/ridiculous (delete as appropriate) band member of all time. Skipping out on stage in a frilly tutu and a cape was funny five years ago, but there's only so much fun to be had from a man dressed like a first year university student spouting inane shit about shagging all of our mothers.

Luckily, he's still a great guitarist, and he does admittedly inject some much needed energy onto the stage. As the Massachusetts bruisers smash their way through a career-spanning set that includes classics like 'Last Serenade', 'The End Of Heartache', 'My Curse' and 'The Forgotten' from this year's self-titled studio album, it's difficult not to be won over by the group's endless abundance of sincerity and enthusiasm, regardless of Adam’s 'zany' antics. Ultimately, this is a metal band who have worked their way up the foodchain through a solid succession of albums and tours, and it'd be harsh to begrudge them their current status as one of the US' biggest metal imports of the last ten years. Tonight is a night for partying, and Killswitch certainly fit the bill.

FUTURE GIGS

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