Eluveitie / Arkona / Skalmold

O2 Academy Islington, London on Tue 11th Nov 2014

A bill stuffed with European folk metal lands on UK shores once again, headlined by folk favourites Eluveitie, wielding their brand new album, alongside Russia's Arkona and Iceland's Skalmold. The queue snaking around the O2 Academy is brimming with anticipation for a night of folk festivities and it is unsurprising to learn that tonight's even is sold out.

First up is Skalmold on their third jaunt to the capital. Commencing their set with 'Árás' from the refreshing debut 'Baldur', instantly the audience shows an interest in their vigorous Viking metal and a stage presence showing a genuine appreciating to be on stage. Weaving traditional melodies that were previously unexplored in the metal world, crediting the band with an idiosyncratic sound, with Viking metal thrash and keyboard-generated soundscapes forges songs that are usually either festive or emotional.

The sextet focus on their last album 2012's 'BörnLoka' with the merry 'Gleipnir' striking a chord with the crowd, the loud and proud 'Midgardsormur' and the catchy 'Narfi' fairly representing the album. With new album 'Med Vættum' on the close horizon, two tracks are played from this release – 'AdHausti' and 'Med Fuglum', securing favour with the audience with the winning Skalmold formula. Closing with old track 'Kvadning', these Icelandic musicians have effortlesslysnatched the hearts of the crowd, if the punters' reaction is anything to go by. Outstanding for an opening act.

Also partaking in their third London venture are pagan metallers  Arkona, bedecked in traditional dress. Fronted by the dynamic Masha 'Scream' Arkhipova', the Russians follow their intro tape with the title track of their ambitious new album 'Yav', a brave move with this anthem clocking in at over 13 minutes. The audience consumes every minute of it with an abundance of moshers, headbangers and fist-pumpers coming to life. The band retains attentions throughout, successfully interacting with the attendees and getting them to chant along with zeal.

With the setlist focused on the second half of their existence, Arkona muscle through a powerful set of dramatic folk metal aided by flute and bagpipes with Arkipova alternates between a proud clean voice and a berserker like growl. New songs like the emotive 'Serbia' and the multi-dimensional 'Na Strazhe Novikh'Letshowcase the newfound technical prowess of the band. Fan favourites'Goi, Rode, Goi!', 'Arkona' and 'StenkanaStenku', the latter which sees the usual wall of death that is associated with this song materialise, get the blood boiling in the crowd as the five-piece storm through these songs with gusto. Their most popular song 'Yarilo' closes the show with its playful sound and a final tide of aggression in the mosh pit that sees Arkona deliver yet another headliner-esque energetic performance. This band really needs to headline London sooner rather than later.

With big shoes to fill, Switzerland's Eluveitie take the stage to a rapturous applause. 'King'the first single from new album 'Origins' kicks proceedings off with an overexcited audience demanding more. Notably, bagpipe player Päde Kistler is absent from the line up tonight but this does not detract from the seven other musicians working together to blend melodic death metal with folk ideas.

Those enamored with 'Origins' undoubtedly love the extremely heavy weighting this album receives with the vast majority of its track listing making an appearance tonight. Clamouring through 'From Darkness', 'Sucellos', 'Carry the Torch' and 'Vianna' to name but a few, Eluveitie fuse their melodic death metal with a flurry of flutes, violin and most characteristically a hurdy-gurdy alongside frontmanChrigelGlanzmann's growls and the singing of hurdy-gurdy player Anna Murphy. Before airing 'The Call of the Mountains', the audience is invited to choose between the English language version or the Swiss German version and the ovation the later receives hears the song sung in Swiss German – the English version has never been performed live, the band informs, and playing in an English speaking country, they assumed the crowd would hear the song in their mother tongue.

Concentrating on their later output, other songs aired tonight include 'Kingdom Come Undone', 'Nil' and 'A Rose for Epona', all moving the audience to moshing and leaping up and down on the spot with seemingly limitless energy. Only one song of popular debut 'Spirit' makes the final cut but 'AnDro' receives an enviable applause. After 'Havoc', Eluveitie leave the stage, only to return with the uniting'Elvetios', complete with mass audience singing along to the chorus. But the real highlight of the night is the infectiously catchy classic 'Inis Mona' with the audience at their most vociferous and the perfect bang to punctuate the night.

All bands playing tonight performed exceptionally and the supports' sets were worthy enough of their own headlining position. Eluveitie will undoubtedly return for another headline trek and fingers are crossed the same applies to Arkona and Skalmold.

article by: Elena Francis

published: 14/11/2014 17:22



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