Hot off the release of their latest album “Blood Dynasty”, Arch Enemy have embarked on a massive European & UK tour. Tonight at the historic Apollo in London, the band have curated some of the best metal bands to solidify a mammoth tour package. Joining them on this tour are Arizona death metallers Gatecreeper, Swiss folk metal group Eluveitie & the kings of Finnish melodic death metal, Amorphis.
It might be an early 6 pm stage time, but that isn’t a problem for the mammoth that is Gatecreeper. The band are on a high right now with their release of the stonking album “Dark Supersistation”.
“Dead Star”, the band’s opener, lets the audience know what they are in for: face-melting old-school death metal! Guitarist Eric Wagner is like a tornado on stage, calling for circle pits & getting the action started. Vocalist Chase H. Mason is calling for headbangers to the front as “Caught in the Treads”, the band’s heaviest track to date, is like a tank ploughing through the crowd. It’s great to see a huge venue packed early for a band you know is great live & tonight they will be making a ton of new fans.
“The Black Curtain”, the big track for the band’s last album, is their perfect track for tonight’s audience, with a huge anthemic chorus as Mason gets the crowd to sing along, Undead! Unliving! Fits are high in the air & pumping hard. Their set is just a showcase of a band who put in the work, are tight as hell & always bring a heavy arse show. Hope they do a full UK tour in 2026.
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Photography: Artur Tarczewski
Now, for a total 180! Eluveitie are here to bring their own brand of metal to the night. Before tonight, I hadn’t heard of the group, & I’m kinda glad, because seeing them in such a great live setting blew me away!
As they take the dark stage & their intro rolls, “Ategnatos” is the perfect blend of melodic death heavy riffs with elements of folk instruments, including wind, strings & bagpipes.
Frontman Chrigel Glanzmann’s growling vocals contrast sharply with female vocalist Fabienne Erni’s soaring operatic style, giving the band a grandiose & epic feel to their live set.
“The Prodigal Ones,” with its balls-out opening riffs, grabs you quick & before you know it, the band introduces a catchy group riff that plays nicely into the chorus, where Erni’s vocal hook is mesmerising.
Lea-Sophie Fischer’s violin playing on this track is controlled but somewhat brutal. Her right bow hand has elegance, but she can shred hard & fast. She would put some guitarists to shame.
The band’s closing song, “Inis Mona”, might be the grandest yet of their set. Opening with a fantastic bagpipe section & this one has you headbanging quickly & fills you with an electric feeling. These guys have a superb dynamic & seeing them tonight has made me a big fan!
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Photography: Artur Tarczewski
When it comes to Finnish melodic death, Amorphis are the kings. Seeing them at Incineration fest in 2024, I was looking forward to them returning to the UK shores & they did not disappoint.
“Bones”, their opening track from their newest album “Borderland”, feels like the perfect opening for their set. It’s a grand, chorus-driven feeler that has the crowd singing & fist-pumping straight away, showcasing how great the band are at hooking you as an audience member.
Frontman “Tomi Joutsen” might be a veteran within metal, but he still has the stage presence & energy of someone who’s living for the moment.
His interaction with the crowd is superb & really gets you going!
Even digging deep into their history & playing a titan of a track, “Black Winter Day” was very special. “Tales from the Thousand Lakes” is a very special album within the genre, & it’s so great that the band still celebrates it by keeping this track in their live set. Hearing it now, decades later, with the band this seasoned, makes it even heavier!
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Photography: Artur Tarczewski
As the stage is set for the headliners Arch Enemy, a massive banner with “PURE FUCKING METAL” is dropped, which lets you know what the band have in store for you. With a nice little nod to Ozzy, “Bark At The Moon” is played as the band’s intro before they rip into “Deceiver, Deceiver”.
The band are on top form & playing at full force, singer Alissa White-Gluz has the crowd eating out of the palm of her hand straight away. “Dream Stealer,” with its frantic & face-melting intro, gets the adrenaline going straight away. Drummer Daniel Erlandsson gets to showcase his talents on this one. Blasting double-kick & great drum grooves, this track packs a punch.
The superb interplay with guitarists Joey Concepcion & Michael Amott is fantastic. Both of them can play the fast, heaviest riff sections, but also play soaring leads; the talent on stage tonight is unreal.
Closing out their sets with the classic “Nemesis”, this track is a ferocious & fantastic closer to a stand-out set for the band. This heavy ripper of a track with this infectious chorus & chanting moments hits you right in the feels!
As the track reaches its peak & the heavy arse breakdown begins, the crowd have one more chance to let out all their aggression in the pit & leave with no voices!
Arch Enemy are a very special band, with a legacy of 30 years & still putting on one of the best & biggest live shows in metal, they will always fly the flag for what melodic death was & will always be. Phoenmal.
Review: Joseph Mitchell
Photography: Artur Tarczewski
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