LIVE FROM THE PIT: The Raven Age and Empyre

Islington Assembly Hall was on fire, and for a very good reason. THE RAVEN AGE prepared to close off their Monarchy Tour, celebrating the band’s tenth year anniversary. Excitement filled the air as fans filled the pit and balcony, with a sense of sadness and melancholy lingering underneath it all. This show was guitarist GEORGE HARRIS’ last show as a member of THE RAVEN AGE, having founded the band with former guitarist DAN WRIGHT, who had left the band in 2017. A show as monumental as this needed someone to warm up the crowd, giving THE RAVEN AGE that little bit of extra time to prepare HARRIS’ send off. And who better to deliver than EMPYRE.

Some people in the pit were spotted with EMPYRE merch, ranging from simple t-shirts to bolder bomber jackets. Clearly, they were more than ready for EMPYRE to take the stage and pump up the majority of the crowd who had come for THE RAVEN AGE. Having taken the stage, guitarist DID COLES began by humouring the audience, pointing out the fact that they were performing on a Sunday, the night before many had to go back to work. After introducing themselves, EMPYRE don their instruments and conquer the stage.

With their powerful, triumphant sound, accompanied by vocalist and guitarist HENRIK STEENHOLDT’s commanding vocals, EMPYRE primarily performed songs from their first album, Self Aware, and their latest album, Relentless, as a way to show their versatility and their growth through the past ten years. Homegrown, the last track from Self Aware, had a doom rock quality to it, building the tempo and the layering of their instruments to bring the shadowy quality at the start into the light of hard rock. In a refreshing change of pace, the band had decided to cover DAVID GUETTA’s Titanium, giving a delightful hard rock spin to an electronic pop song, adding in a guitar solo for a bit of extra flair. This managed to bring in a little bit of life in the pit, getting people excited for the finishing bits of EMPYRE’s set and grossly anticipating THE RAVEN AGE.

Closing off with New Republic, STEENHOLDT and COLES get the audience to clap along at the beginning of the song, before going in with lively and energetic instrumentals, carried by STEENHOLDT’s vocals, almost clamouring to the audience to join in and be a part of their world. Met with enthusiastic applause at the end of the song, EMPYRE expressed their gratitude to THE RAVEN AGE for having them along and to the audience for supporting them. Demands for an encore came from a few people in the pit, showing that EMPYRE had swayed some people over. And who could blame them? EMPYRE’s growth is going to be exciting to watch.

THE RAVEN AGE take to the stage, the pit prepared for their arrival and they open with Forgive & Forget, showing off their quintessentially melodic metal sound to the hundreds of people who had followed them along their musical journey, before playing one of their latest singles, Hangman. Bassist MATT COX’s supporting vocals, often growling, contrasted with lead vocalist MATT JAMES, who sounded like he belonged in a metalcore band from time to time, giving THE RAVEN AGE’s songs a unique and novel sound.

Angels in Disgrace spiced things up a bit, with twin harmonies and high tempo instrumentals, pumping up the audience even more for their packed encore. After some clamour for an encore, THE RAVEN AGE returned to the stage, accompanied by former guitarist TONY MAUE, who harmonised and growled whilst performing Serpents Tongue with the band, giving the song interesting textures and energy. Followed by a drum solo from drummer JAI PATEL, who gave his all, using up every cymbal and tom in his arsenal. Closing with the sombre Grave of the Fireflies, reflecting the mood of the band as GEORGE HARRIS is set to leave the band, the pit turn on their phone flashlights to mimic fireflies as the band play in this lineup for the very last time.

THE RAVEN AGE getting to where they are now is truly commendable, having supported IRON MAIDEN on previous tours. But as DID COLES from EMPYRE pointed out, THE RAVEN AGE were not always at this point. They were the opening band that were often overlooked at one point, performing at bars and various smaller venues. You never know what gems you will come across if you ignore the opening band.

Words and photos: Atoosa Salamat