The other day I saw some sad news posted on the Facebook page of our friend in Metal one Mr. Mikko Kotamaki who announced that he was leaving the lineup of Barren Earth. This saddened us a little bit I will admit.
Artist: Katatonia Venue: Gramercy Theatre (New York, NY) Opener: Swallow The Sun, Orphaned Land, Gwynbleidd Date: 9/10/2010 Label: Peaceville Records
I started my September concert adventuring with the crushing Melodic Death Metal of Order Of Ennead who played over at Santo’s Party House last week and it was good warm up to the festivities happening over at the Gramercy Theatre this evening. Tonight was the Atmospheric Melodic Doom of Katatonia from Sweden who would be joined by Swallow The Sun care of Finland and this alone would make for an amazing show without any additions. We would of course be getting a lot more for it would be complimented by Orphaned Land and local talent Gwynbleidd. I had to say that I was really looking forward to this show because it had been a long time since half of the players had been enjoyed in concert while the other half were only recently seen by this music scribe and left me totally impressed. The show would be held at the Gramercy Theatre and be sold out for many days by the time it actually would be taking place. I made sure I was inside nice and early because I didn’t want to miss a second of what was going to happen. Here is how it went down. Continue reading Katatonia @ Gramercy Theatre (9/10/2010)→
Artist: Barren Earth Title: “Our Twilight” Label: Peaceville Records Release Date: Genre: Doom Metal Rating: 4.5/5
Fans of the bands Swallow The Sun, Moonsorrow, Amorphis and Kreator have something new to be excited about and that is the collaboration of six musicians who’ve all honed their skills in those bands for years and now let those influences take new life in a crushing new band called Barren Earth. Before I get deeper into this infectious EP they call “Our Twilight” let me tell you who is in the group. It begins with vocalist Mikko Kotamaki (Swallow The Sun) who is joined by two former members of Amophis in Olli-Pekka Laine (bass) and Kasper Martenson (keyboards). Guitars are adeptly handled by Janne Perttila (Rytmihaino) and Sami Ylisimio (Kreator) with Marko Tarvonen on the drums. It’s quite a lineup but one that you fear might will sound “too much like” their previous or existing bands but this is not the case at all. There are some similarities which we find as the opening tune “Our Twilight” begins, but it’s a similarity of how one might see the band Amorphis and Swallow The Sun coming off if the two had merged into one unit. Crushing groove at the onset which leads into warm and almost ghostly clean vocals. This adventures even further by bringing an Opethian level of Prog-Death Metal to the mix and in the end tie all of these feels together. The second tune is “Jewel” and it begins with warm piano and crushing riff working together as if they were always meant to do so. Mikko wins me over with the deep resonance of his clean vocal in this one more than the growls and what was incredibly impressive was how the turn takes a very Tull meets Renaissance Progressive Rock turn with its middle section. You might be surprised at the reference of the Classical Art Rock band, but listen to a couple of their extended jams and tell me you disagree with me. Whew was all I could muster as this interlude blasted through my speakers. Needless to say I was hooked from the beginning with this one. Continue reading “Our Twilight” by Barren Earth→
Artist: Soilwork Venue: Highline Ballroom (New York, NY) Opener: Swallow The Sun, Warbringer, Darkane Date: 2/15/2009 Label: Nuclear Blast Records
There was a time not too long ago where I felt as if I was catching the band Soilwork more often than I would like to and that was causing their sound to be something that I was not always excited about even though I always managed to enjoy the shows. This happens when you see bands again and again and let’s face it they did tour relentlessly for their “Stabbing The Drama” CD and even after a short break to record “Sworn To A Great Divide” they would be right back at it as champions of their own new music. Having passed on a few appearances I was happy to be present as the band headlined the very comfortable space of the Highline Ballroom. This is a great room and to help Soilwork level the place would be Swallow The Sun, Warbringer and Darkane. We got in place nice and early to be sure we wouldn’t miss any of these great bands. Swallow The Sun would be up first. Continue reading Soilwork @ Highline Ballroom (2/15/2009)→
Katatonia are an incredible Dark Metal band and their dramatic style of music would be the entertainment at B.B. King’s this evening. The tour also featured Scar Symmetry, Insomnium and Swallow The Sun so there was a very interesting mix of styles going on. We were there for everyone on the bill and if you want to see more just keep scrolling past the logo below. We reviewed and photographed everyone for all to enjoy.
Artist: Katatonia Venue: B.B. King Blues Club (New York, NY) Opener: Scar Symmetry, Swallow The Sun, Insomnium Date: 9/6/2007 Label: Peaceville Records
It was great to find Katatonia performing a headlining set of music for the Metal heads of New York City when they came around for the second time with a tour of their own. When we first caught them they had been the direct support for Portugal’s Moonspell and while this was a terrific show on its own there was quite a different dynamic happening between the Doom-laden Atmospherics that they possessed and the crushing Gothic Metal of the headliner. The show very clearly proved to the audience that Katatonia was a headlining band without question and immediately after they finished there was requests of them to return as soon as possible. The touring bill would find three opening slots which allowed Swallow The Sun, Insomnium and Scar Symmetry to join in and bring their own brands of Metal to hopefully quite a few new Metal hungry fans. Those who have been following the newer arrivals to the Metal scene would agree that this particular show would lean a little much to the Doom side and have a lot of similarity in the overall sound but with each band being interesting in their own right I don’t think anyone in the club would mind. As expected, B.B. King Blues Club would be the scene of this “Doomfest” and with the crowd building rather early tonight it seemed that the trudging and solemn vibe of this kind of Metal was set to begin. Here is what the night held for those who made it down. Continue reading Katatonia @ B.B. King Blues Club (9/6/2007)→