Power Metal to the max!! Tonight see’s the return of Gloryhammer to the Limelight once again for a Power Metal extravaganza, unlike anything Belfast has seen before.
In tow we have Finnish Metallers Arion and Sweden’s Brothers Of Metal to make up a killer line-up that will push the Power Metal/Symphonic Metal boundaries to the max!
Arion are up first and hit the stage with real gusto with their own brand of modern melodic metal they make a real impact right away. With blistering riffage, stellar vocals all wrapped up with quality songwriting it’s not hard to see why Arion are building up a real fanbase across Europe and beyond with their highly addictive songs and energetic live performances making their mark. It was great to catch them live.
Up next Brothers Of Metal take to the stage, and take up all of the stage. A hoard of musicians takes their place to deliver a powerful set of Symphonic Folk-induced metal goodness with a memorable set packed with delicious melodic songwriting that has an almost cinematic quality to it. Quite the sight, the Brothers Of Metal get the crowd whipped up into a frenzy with a powerhouse collection of songs that has the Belfast crowd arms in the air chanting alongside their brothers in arms finding themselves in a wave of emotion of symphonic majesty! Following their latest, critically acclaimed masterpiece, the Emblas Saga the Brothers Of Metal alongside Arion who are coincidently label mates of AFM Records has brought a little Nordic magic to proceedings this evening and a night that the thirsty Belfast crowd will not forget anytime soon.
Gloryhammer are back once again after their killer performance alongside Alestorm way back pre-covid days, so it is great to have them back in Belfast to share their magical performances with blistering guitar work, killer vocal runs and an energy level to blow the roof off this joint! We were introduced to the new vocalist Sozos Michael the last time they played here but now he’s an old hand and has settled in nicely as he takes command of the Belfast stage.
The theatrics are still in full force of course as you would expect with any good Power/Symphonic metal band and Gloryhammer has it all in abundance, it is after all that makes this genre so compelling for so many, the drama and majesty of it all the crowd just laps it all up. The music itself can be frantic to match the picture being painted by the band and that in itself just allows for the energy to go through the roof in a venue such as this, you would think these crazies had been locked up for two years … wait sounds familiar! Anywho the craic here this evening is 90 as we say in Northern Ireland and these bands brought a well-needed evenings light entertainment, fun and good times in the company of like-minded lunatics. What more could a girl ask for?
As the night comes to a close and the lights come back on the smiles can be seen far and wide as a great time was had by all, Arion, The Brothers Of Metal and Gloryhammer have left an imprint on the Northern Irish crowd that will last well beyond this evening, earning them a well deserved NortherN Irish welcome anytime!
Photography: Ebony Alexander