The Intersphere
Dimmed blue stage lights and subtle keyboard notes gently build into the guitar-driven bombast of ‘Wanderer’ as The Intersphere takes the stage. Combining heavy riffs with stunning vocals from Christoph Hessler, the band wasted no time winning over the crowd. Bassist Daniel Weber provides stunning vocal harmonies as the band crams as much as possible into this short but brilliantly executed opening slot. Gentle verses give way to anthemic choruses, guitar hooks and vocals not dissimilar to Corey Taylor. Musically, this German quartet have elements of Muse, Bullet For My Valentine and the heavier side of Pink Floyd but very much in their style. The brilliant ‘Prodigy Composers end their set as they instantly leave to head for their next show in Luxembourg. Definitely a band to look out for next time they tour. Check out the latest album Wanderer released in May this year.
THE INTERSPHERE are:
Christoph Hessler – Vocals, Guitars
Thomas Zipner – Guitars
Moritz Mueller – Drums
Daniel Weber – Bass
https://www.theintersphere.
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Review: Steve Gibbons
Photography: Emma Painter
Charlotte Wessels
Here to promote her third studio album ‘The Obsession’, former Delain vocalist Charlotte Wessels provides the riff-laden symphonic metal one would expect yet manages to mix strong elements of classic rock and old-school metal into the sound. Tonight’s setlist focuses entirely on tracks from the new album. Heavy guitar-driven tracks ‘Chasing Sunsets, Dopamine and Ode To The West Wind’ open the show before things slow down slightly with the stunningly beautiful ode to stage fright/performance anxiety ‘The Crying Room’ with former Delain bandmate Timo providing some stunning guitar work in the solo. Originally a solo single from 2021, we are presented with a new version of ‘Soft Revolution’, which is nothing short of magnificent and genuinely anthemic. With a crowd at first lacklustre now firmly in their hands, they save the best for last, ‘The Exorcism’ closes out the show with its elegant verse leading into the thunderous chorus, brutal musicality and impressively demonic end vocals. I strongly suspect this band will make short work of being a support act and fully expect to see a headline tour before very long.
CHARLOTTE WESSELS online:
WEBSITE
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TIKTOK
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NAPALM RECORDS
Review: Steve Gibbons
Photography: Emma Painter
VOLA
As the strip lights filling the back of the stage crackle into life, a spotlight shines upon lead singer/guitarist Asger Mygind for the opening tracks ‘I Don’t Know How We Got Here’ and ‘We Will Not Disband’ both from the new album ‘Friend Of A Phantom’. The musicianship is astounding, almost ethereal. Tones of Opeth and beautiful vocal harmonies riding over the wave of brutally heavy guitar, bass, drums and the exquisite keyboard work of Martin Werner set the tone for the evening, and those in the packed venue are enthralled. Released only 3 weeks ago, it’s a bold move to include 7 of the 9 songs on the new album in tonight’s 16-song setlist, but the diehard crowd appear to have already accepted every track as an instant classic. While it would be easy to pigeonhole the band in the Prog Metal category, they deliver a setlist highlighting that they are so much more and almost defy genre. Older songs such as ‘These Black Claws’ and ‘Alien Shivers’ blend seamlessly with new songs. While carrying hints of artists such as Korn, A Perfect Circle and Anathema, the band shows versatility and originality all their own. Put quite simply, the soundscapes they create are sublime. ’24 Light Years’ has the crowd singing along while the new song ‘Bleed Out’ truly emphasises the extent of Asger’s vocal range as he delivers delicate phrasings akin to Dave Gilmour and switching to brutal guttural roars within a single breath, all while showcasing his stunning guitar work. Rounding off the evening with ‘Stray The Skies’ from their debut album, they leave the stage triumphant on this final night of the UK leg of the tour.
As I write this in the cold light of day, I stand by the words I posted to social media as I left the concert.
“Quite probably the tightest and best live band I’ve seen in a very long time”.
Check out our album review of ‘Friend Of A Phantom”
Review: Steve Gibbons
Photography: Emma Painter
