Dark Tranquility + Be’Lakor + Orpheus Omega
The Hi-Fi Bar, Moore Park, Sydney
Saturday the 29th of March, 2014.
Since it had been eight years since European melodic death metal band Dark Tranquility had visited our shores, the turn out covered a mixture of new and old fans. Having toured the country in support of their latest album Construct, it was certainly a curious mix of punters. Opening things up for tonight was the first of two Victorian support bands, Orpheus Omega. If you like your Children of Bodom sound of running guitar octaves, blasting drums, heavy dual guitars and growled vocals, this band was worth seeing live.
Starting off with ‘The Deconstruct’ from their latest ResIllusion album, it was as described above only to get heavier but with more grooves, breakdowns and interludes amongst the heaviness. Their single ‘Sans Memoria’ delved more into harmony guitars, keyboards and cymbals but it was ‘Elegant Deceit’ that took it all back to sonic pummeling. Lyrics from flying V guitar shredding vocalist Chris Themelco were barked out over the mad drumming of Matt Themelco, climbing guitar solos and good harmonies. Their next track of ‘De6enerate’ used chorus guitars well for dynamics but somewhere they sort of lost time keeping and backing vocals flattened out a tad.
Still, ‘Unscathed’ from the first album bled the way with more fast drumming and screaming guttural vocals, a bit too much keyboards from otherwise entertaining Keswick Gallagher and their bassist broke a string during it but valiantly soldiered on. ‘Fragments’ demonstrated a double kick groove as their set concluded with ‘Sealed in Fate’, which galloped along with groove and thrash metal styles combined, despite keyboard widdling.
Following up in the support slots, Be’Lakor took the melodic death metal style into a darker territory. Opening with ‘Absit Omen’, it was crashing cymbals, volume swells and tighter drumming to complement a twin guitar attack. Sadly the drumming was a bit out due to technical issues which jarred the slightly hypnotic feel. The fast death sound with cold execution to melodic riffing over the top lost its way, allowing front man and guitarist George Kosmas to crack a joke about hippies and Earth Hour before a birthday chant whilst a sound checking fix up was needed.
Problems solved, ‘Remnants’, from recent album Of Breath and Bone took the slower build of the melodic lead guitar of Shaun Sykes leading to largely better drumming from Jimmy Vanden Broeck with ambitious yet well done rhythm guitar, time changing interplay. ‘Sun’s Delusion’ from Stone’s Reach got heavier but ploughed into musical experimentation territory that sped into interesting and heavier rhythms. ‘Abeyance’ harnessed the bands percussive yet harmonious guitar style alongside cold death metal vocals. Clearly rehearsed but suffering technical issues, they still delivered live.
The PA became noticeably louder to indicate the impending performance. Preparing the crowd to the strains of Sabbath’s ‘Iron Man’, with a curtain drawn and an illuminated Dark Tranquility insignia exhibiting a pulse ticking motion, it didn’t take long for restless types to cheer once the song completed. On marched Dark Tranquility, using their production skills to open with ‘The Science of Noise’ from their latest album, Construct.
A dash of electronica intro with a video screen behind drummer Anders Jivarp flashing visual and lyrical prompts, both guitarists took up their sides of stage, each carrying flying V guitars. Long serving guitarist Niklas Sundin was workmanlike in his approach, barely cracking a smile, possibly deep in concentration. Other guitarist Martin Henriksson, who joined the band at the same time as keyboardist and producer Martin Brändström appeared both seemingly more interactive with the crowd.
The syncopated riffs tumbled out as vocalist Mikael Stanne took to delivering his projecting vocals to a receptive crowd with enthusiasm. All standing members using wireless gear, the band benefited from the freedom to move around the stage. Their well rehearsed skills were intact and evidenced by the third track of ‘Monochromatic Stains’ which, much like the following ‘Lost to Apathy’ reminded or their legacy and previous tour almost a decade ago. It sounded tighter and worked well with newer live material that included their most recent couple of albums and ‘Zero Distance’ from their EP.
Ranging from more signature older material to heavier tracks from their absent period, their latest tracks contained an almost pop sensibility melodically speaking. The backdrops reinforced that assessment as the stage show visual shared the aesthetics of Arch Enemy’s tactics. It worked well at coaxing audience reaction. ‘The Mundane and the Magic’ from their Fiction album was deceptively quiet, almost poetic, with added female vocals from the ether. Followed up by ‘Punish My Heaven’ from The Gallery, the cymbal and blast drumming with time changes was pretty cool to see live and cemented their clear reputation as being part of the Gothenburg sound that At The Gates probably inadvertently started.
Ever personable, Mikael continued in his vocal prowess as both ‘What Only You Know’ showed his vocal depth and the follow up of ‘Iridium’ gave Orpheus Omega vocalist Chris Themelco the chance to join in on dual vocals and both did it well, book ending ‘Terminus’. The poppier element resurfaced for ‘State of Trust’ which segued into ‘ThereIn’ from the much earlier Projector album with a distinctly phased effected guitar sound. Closing the main set with ‘Final Resistance’ gave off a heavier, more driving conclusion overall after close to ninety minutes of live songs.
The encore, of course had the eerie ‘Lethe’ track with aptly ghostlike backdrops to fill the air. Promising to return to Australia and neighbouring territories within a smaller timeframe, the melodic ‘Endtime Hearts’ from the latest album was masterfully executed before the set closed with ‘Misery’s Crown’. It was a great, melodic death metal infused song to end their show and one that typified the Dark Tranquility style or sound. Based on tonight’s well received show, it is unlikely to be another eight years until Dark Tranquility tour here again.
Setlist:
The Science of Noise
White Noise/Black Silence
Monochromatic Stains
Lost to Apathy
The Fatalist
The Silence in Between
Zero Distance
The Wonders at Your Feet
The Mundane and the Magic
Punish My Heaven
What Only You Know
Terminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)
Iridium
State of Trust
ThereIn
Final Resistance
__Lethe
Endtime Hearts
Misery’s Crown