Review by Gary Spiller for MPM
The Beaver Moon hangs full, and bright, above the Welsh capital this evening. The last of four consecutive supermoons and the penultimate full moon of the calendar year its other aliases Frost and Darkest Depths Moon seem apt.
The city air is crisp yet still, barely a breath stirs but it’s that time of year, with the winter solstice just a few weeks away, when we all, without fail, comment in observation “Hasn’t it got dark early?”
On the lawn afront the City Hall the garish neon lights of Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland Fairground glow brightly and are drawing a crowd, but we skirt around its perimeter eschewing it’s ‘charms’; dress a fairground up whatever way you wish it’s still just a fairground.
For ourselves, our far more appealing attraction lies a few minutes’ walk across the city centre at the Utilita Arena.
Renown Dutch symphonic metallers Within Temptation are in town to commence the second leg of their expansive ‘Bleed Out 2024’ tour. Following on, after a fortnight’s well-earned break, the sextet is about to embark upon a further 16 dates across 9 countries to add to the 19 gigs in an incredible dozen nations already under their collective belt. Road warriors no doubt of it!
Sadly, as Within Temptation’s vocalist Sharon den Adel takes time to explain during their set, a couple of members of the Ukrainian band Blind8 have been recalled to their embattled homelands. Details are by far from clear but with the well documented challenges facing their country no precise reasons are required.
On the flip side den Adel is able to confirm that the Ukrainians will return to opening the tour in a few days’ time in Paris, positive news which is greeted by a loud supportive roar.
Thus, the evening begins a little later than intended, over an hour and a half on from doors opening, but it creates a welcome chilled and relaxed atmosphere.
Opening up German metalcore quartet Annisokay, relatively rare visitors to these shores in their 17 years, go straight for the jugular of the arena’s crowd.
Bathed in purple lighting the mothership descends as behind the nebula bursts. Pulsing, life flickers and the band emerges from the shadows. Although not sold out there’s a good-sized ensemble gathered to greet the Halle-based outfit as they step forth. Tearing into the highly efficacious energy of ‘Throne of the Sunset’ their blend of symphonic and rage produces an epic soundcast that is well received.
Pulverising yet silky continue to mine from the rich vein that is last year’s ‘Abyss Pt 1’ EP with ‘Ultraviolet’ that lies somewhere between Architects and Amaranthe. It’s a hooky brew for sure. Sole remaining founding member guitarist Christoph Wieczorek greets with a cheerful “Wassup Cardiff” before setting the scene for the following track with “[There] maybe a surprise.”
A scintillating powerhouse the electric kinetics of ‘Like A Parasite’ resonate as from the shadows at the fringes of the stage Sharon den Adel joins the fray. A heavied-up mix of technical progressive elements with Scandinavian metal it’s a standout. “Yeah, it’s really her!” quips Wieczorek proudly at track end. The Within Temptation vocalist’s presence and input demonstrate that there lies room in the band’s material for further enhancement and expansion in this direction.
Recent brooding single ‘Get Your Shit Together’ sees the Cardiff crowd readily engage. Behind the numbers 05 05 25 flicker on the effectively employed video screens, perhaps a mathematical equation or a significant date? Whatever the explanation there’s plenty of nu-metal glory to get the pulse racing herein.
Being the best part of a decade since Annisokay last played Wales’ queen of cities – a headline date over at Fuel Club –it’s understandable that the majority of the crowd, like myself, don’t respond in positive to vocalist Rudi Schwarzer’s enquiry as to how many have heard of the band. Slotting a stellar version of Linkin Park’s ‘One Step Closer’ before dedicating ‘Human’ to Blind8 there’s surely going to be a resultant surge in their popularity.
The heavy artillery of ‘Coma Blue’, winched in off 2018’s lp ‘Arms’, is the only track in their 40 minutes or so set recorded prior to Schwarzer’s joining in 2019. As it transpires Annisokay is a band seemingly in a state of flux, not that it showed, with a deputising bassist (Max I believe) standing in for this leg of the tour and a brand-new drummer Silas Fischerr in behind the kit as Wieczorek notes late in the set.
The coupling of ‘Calamity’ and the acronymic ‘STFU’, the former with an underlying Euro beat (think a ratcheted up Dragonforce and you’re on the right course), provide a cracking set-closing pairing. A band I’ll be keeping an eye upon and would happily recommend to those looking forwards in metalliferous realms.
Bang on the hour of nine the house lights darken, the stage initially bathed in purple follows suit shortly thereafter. Lambent embers, blown by an unfelt breeze, skitter through unseen ancient woodlands. An ominous wind squalls whilst the gods stir from their slumber. It is time for Within Temptation to tread the boards, remarkably their first visit to Wales in their near 30-year career.
A mist even lower than Peter Hook’s bass slinks across the stage as the band assemble ahead of den Adel’s entrance. Whilst this stunning vocalist is the obvious focal point of the band it’s at one’s peril that you overlook the incredibly tight band about her.
Ranks numbering five all neatly aligned, initially upon individual plinths, with bassist Jeroen van Veen and keyboardist Martijn Spierenburg closely flanking drummer Mike Coolen and guitarists Ruud Julie and Stefan Helleblad further out either side of the expansive stage.
Upon large digital screens the imagery choice of stark headstones afore a field of sunflowers is carefully chosen to further aggrandize the symphonic glory of the opening track ‘We Go To War’. Van Veen’s bass rumbles as van Adel emerges; it’s an impactful message that this steamrolling number delivers in absolute spade loads; a tack that Within Temptation have consciously undertaken with the release of their eighth studio offering, ‘Bleed Out’ just over 12 months ago.
The title track ‘Bleed Out’, as upon the album, follows addressing the plight of Iranian women fighting for their rights in the aftermath of the highly suspicious death of Mahsa Amini. “When innocence’s born, it is bound to be broken” laments den Adel before switching the mood and complementing Cardiff upon being a beautiful city at track end.
The extremely palatable chugging behemoth ‘Ritual’ with undeniable strength in the arm of delivery maintains the extraction from their most recent release. Its serpent kiss is hard hitting as a metallic fist yet as sensual as the gentle touch of a fine, silken glove. Its contagion is, naturally, well received.
With delectable touches of Unleash The Archers the cloisters are well and truly rocked during ‘Don’t Pray For Me’ before the ethereal crystalline ‘Wireless’ wraps up a fine five track retrospection of ‘Bleed Out’. The sublime has become even more sublime.
Going back one album to 2019’s ‘Resist’ the metalliferous goliath ‘The Reckoning’ oozes prog majesty taking a fistful of inspiration from the absolute best of Scandinavian metal with comparisons to Amaranthe to the forefront. Its spinetingling revelry with Spierenburg’s coruscant keys sparkling garner a superb reception from the arena. An equally huge roar to den Adel’s enquiry “Are you having fun?” provides the vocalist with all the satisfaction required.
Dragging late 80s rock into the symphonic quarters ‘Shot In The Dark’ sees the entire band pouring their hearts into the emotive despatch. Helleblad’s solo blisters with a bluesy undertow. It doesn’t take much imagination to visualise the likes of primetime Def Leppard taking this track to heart.
Haunted wreckage echoes the masterful cry of ‘Stand My Ground’, a wonderful rallying dedicated to the unifying edict of music. Ukrainian vocalist / producer Alex Yarmak is welcomed to stand proudly alongside the sextet to despatch the collaborative nu-metal symphonic crossover ‘A Fool’s Parade’ in smouldering fashion full to the brim with rightful support for the Ukrainian plight.
The resounding of a hundred cathedrals strikes in ‘The Promise’, statuesque sentinels watch a patient guard as two large candelabras descend as the vocals of den Adel entwine with former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen somewhat reminiscent of Phantom of the Opera.
Twin lead from guitarists Helleblad and Jolie take centre stage in breathtaking splendour. The pieces on the chess board move in for the checkmate. The epic has just got even more epic with van Adel and Turunen embracing in mutual respect.
The classically trained soprano Turunen remains to partake in the divine beauty of ‘I Feel Immortal’, a stunning track she laid down in 2010 upon her third solo album ‘What Lies Beneath’. Extolling Turunen’s virtues van Adel states “I’m so happy she’s back on tour with us!” Moments like this are a privilege to witness and demand cherishing.
A thrill ride through the cosmos ‘Supernova’ raises the goosebumps, a galaxy of hard rocking greatness leaves me concluding that this is precisely how to put on a show. Meaty introductory riffs delivered by Jolie are greeted rapturously as clear crowd favourite and one of the band’s signature tunes ‘Faster’ is pumped out with an astronomical ratcheting up.
Fists punch the air in celebratory upwards pugilism as the uplifting metal offering fills the cavernous arena interior. Instruments are raised as the band take the thoroughly deserved applause as they disappear for a couple of minutes.
Thunder rolls, war implodes as Churchill’s first speech to the nation is broadcast. An electric atmosphere builds up and up before the Sabaton-inspired powerhouse ‘Our Solemn Hour’ commences a four-track encore. A funeral pyre rages, white marble crosses stark against a backdrop of blackened skies. Stirring, evocative in the extreme.
With an intro beautifully redolent of Magnum’s ‘Sacred Hour’ the gentle-paced power ballad ‘All I Need’ captivates enchantedly. There’s magic afoot no doubt of it in this purest of rocking diamonds; strength and beauty in equal measure.
The conjuration continues with the return of Turunen for the operatic rocking of ‘Paradise (What About Us?)’. The bewitching guile is 110% proof strength as Turunen reprises her guest role on this 2014 track. Helleblad, not for the first time, ploughs a searing furrow in a scorching six-string spotlighting.
The folky metal ‘Mother Earth’ beckons the crowd into action one more time. A pagan grandeur, in spiritual domains, of towering proportions provides an alluring conclusion to a dramatic 90+ minutes. Corvids circle above casting beady eyes upon the ghostly operatics. The stunning has become simply more stunning.
Photography by Kelly Spiller for MPM
