Within TemptationLondon Brixton Academy, November 2007Support: 69 Eyes I could describe this event in one word –“Awesome”- but I think that the nice people at e-Mo Magazine are expecting this review to be slightly longer than that. Now, as anyone who caught Within Temptation at 2007’s Download Festival will remember, the band experienced sound problems and only performed a quick, much abbreviated set comprising mainly of songs from their Silent Force album. As one who had fallen in love with songs like The Howling, What Have You Done and All I Need, I was disappointed. So the chance to see them again some five months later made me practically drown in my own saliva. Within Temptation started in Holland in 1996 and their dramatic style, gothic lyrics and heavy metal guitar riffs have made them a global success appealing to those in to goth and rock music as much as those in to Metal. There is nothing worse when you are excited about something then waiting for it, and after waiting for the day of the concert, then waiting again through that day and the train journey to London I was eye-rollingly fed up with the idea of having to sit through a warm up- sorry, support band. And when garage rock band 69 Eyes, who I’d never heard of before, took to the stage I lent back in my chair and prepared to keep waiting for the proper band to appear. But these were no cheap hick town wannabes. The Finnish group have been around since 1989 and their style of garage glam was fantastic. Jyrki 69 has a look similar to Kill Hannah singer Matt Devine and has a smooth deep voice, slightly reminiscent of Queensryche’s Geoff Tate, which is the sexiest thing this side of the mens tight black trousers! Once the boys from Helsinki had finished there was a brief wait and then we were down to the main event. I cannot flaw the group's performance, and the drama and power of the music was amazing. Two songs in I was planning voodoo curses on Brixton Academy for not letting those of us who had seats to stand up, and was ready to have sold vital organs to have had tickets to let me down in to the mosh pit. No wonder these guys have a reputation for being incredible live; Sharon den Adel’s voice was as perfect as on the group's albums. The whole group seem to have a real contagious passion for performing, that filters down to everyone else in the venue. However, as the pioneers of symphonic goth metal I’d expected Within Temptation to put on a show as showy, dramatic and theatrical as their music and to be honest they didn’t (please stop throwing stuff at your screens WT fans – I still think they’re phenomenal). Now I’m not saying they don’t try – there was a projected backdrop and two awesome phoenix statues. It just seemed to lack the drama and impact that their music delivers time and again. Overall I would recommend these guys live. They may not have the show of some of metals bigger names, and I’ll admit that I did feel cheated after reading the Kerrang! review that dubbed them “the greatest show on earth”, but they perform their music with a real passion. Let’s face it, you fall for a group for their music not the fact they have a fab staging or flashy gimmicks. 4/5 |
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