LIVE FROM THE PIT: Amon Amarth, Orbit Culture and Soilwork
Swedish melodic death metal legends AMON AMARTH sailed into London on 10th October with their The Allfather Awakens Tour in promotions of their latest album, bringing one of their most anticipated shows to their British fans. Fans started pouring into the venue instantly and it was evident no one wanted to miss even a second of the event.
SOILWORK brought their energetic, yet short eight-song set to Eventim Apollo, making the floor move and the balcony shake. The crowd was not shy with their cheers and applause, while the light technicians made sure to match the lightning with the striking sound of drums. The melodic side of SOILWORK was evident in the careful use of guitars, as well as the important addition of the keyboard player. Hammersmith saw a hefty amount of solos, but it was just the beginning.
Second band on the bill, ORBIT CULTURE, was not only met with massive support from the crowd, but also with a self-sustaining moshpit that only caught a break in between songs. The Swedish melodic metal four-piece has presented their latest offering Death Above Life to the London crowd, as well as some older fan favourites, and took over the whole room like it was nothing. From deadly vocals to even deadlier riffs, there was no doubt ORBIT CULTURE grabbed the attention of everyone present.
A big curtain with the AMON AMARTH’s iconic rune covered the stage, increasing everyone’s anticipation even more. Before anyone realised, the lights in the venue went down and IRON MAIDEN’s cult song Run Through The Hills - sung by everyone in the room, signaled that it was finally time for the main event. As the curtain fell down, it revealed a spectacular sight – from runes, to two Viking prows guarding the drums, to breathtaking projections in the background.
As Jocke Wallgren, followed by the guitarists Olavi Mikkonen, Johan Söderberg and Ted Lüdstrom, took his seat behind the drums, and the melody of Gjallarhorn started seeping through the stereos, it was obvious there are plenty of surprises coming up from the band. Once Johan Hegg made an appearance and started singing, the crowd immediately joined in unison. The band did not hold back, as the pyro joined from the second song and kept returning throughout the night, adding an unforgettable atmosphere to the already mesmerising sight.
As metal bands often do, even AMON AMARTH wanted their fans to create a mosh pit. But as everything happening on the night, even this had a Viking twist – and a very fun one at that. Instead of a usual circle pit or a Wall of Death, Hegg asked the crowd to start a row pit during Put Your Back Into The Oar, and the whole room, including the balcony, listened, bringing one of the band’s signature moves to life. But ‘tis was but a scratch on the surface. From the intimate performance of Upphaf, to the breathtaking change of the stage, to fiery arrows, the death metal giants made sure the crowd was in awe the whole night. The closing song of the night was their all-time favourite, Twilight Of The Thunder God, and as every song that night, even this one united everyone in the venue to sing along.
The night with AMON AMARTH was filled with nostalgia, pride and a massive dollop of pyro and Vikings, and it was the perfect way to spend the Saturday evening. SOILWORK and ORBIT CULTURE brought a wave of anticipation, and it did not disappear until the last riff of the night was played and the last note was sung. It was not only a celebration of the band’s latest album, but also of the thirty-four year long journey they already have behind them.
Words and photos: Katerina Stepanikova
Comments