To start the night, League of Distortion took over the stage first to get those who showed up early enough warmed up already a bit. The band released their debut album last year, bringing together vocalist Anna Brunner (Exit Eden) and guitarist Jim Müller (Kissin’ Dynamite) to create an interesting modern metal sound that blends the symphonic metal we know Anna for, the catchy hooks Jim pulls out of his hat like it’s nothing and some proper grooves. I actually had to commend them for some of the songs they released, just because they did things so differently, not letting themselves be limited by the often rigid set rules within metal. Live, they managed to at least intrigue us, and it seemed like they convinced quite a few people in the crowd. We found the sound mix to be somewhat lacking, where the vocals felt a bit too much hidden in the music, losing some of the power you get on record. All the band members were obviously super enthusiastic about being on stage in front of this Helsinki crowd and really radiated a good energy into the room. At times their stage presence might have felt a bit stunted, but giving that this is their first major tour, it really was good fun all in all. A band to keep an eye on for sure!

A band that doesn’t need to be taught how to take over a stage convincingly, is the Swedish symphonic metal outfit Eleine. Weirdly enough, despite them being basically neighbors, they’re a quite rare sighting in Finland. I’ve always been somewhat attracted to their sound, simply because they have a darker touch mixed through their brand of symphonic metal that I can truly appreciate. And live, that translated really nicely into a set filled with metal anthems that balanced well enough between wonderful melodies and proper heavy riffage. Just looking at the musicians within the band, the energy coming from them and how confidently they moved around on stage, would be enough already to be a banger of a show. But add to that the ravishing frontwoman Madeleine “Eleine” Liljestam who, besides having impressive vocal capabilities, whipping her hair through the air and getting the crowd riled up by pumping a fist in the air and throwing the horns up, and these guys will blow you away. The short set brought us banger after banger, but especially ‘We Are Legion’ from their upcoming new album ‘We Shall Remain’ really kicked some ass, taking it to almost Manowar-like metal anthem level.

That I hadn’t properly heard the Tunisian prog metal outfit Myrath before, despite them being around for close to 2 decades, is fully my fault. But after seeing them live this evening, it will be something that will be fully rectified! They were a massive fresh breath of air that I didn’t know I needed. They fitted in perfectly on the bill, but at the same time felt like they were miles away from anything on display this night. The blend of Middle Eastern tunes with the proggy metal was simply impressive and very clearly lit up the room. Add to that the overall positive vibes coming from the whole band, and this show became quickly one to remember, possibly one of the better acts I’ll have seen in 2023. From what I could see, a lot of people there really got into the band through what they saw and heard, and they most definitely deserve it. Here’s hoping for some new music, hopefully some time soonish…

And then it was time for the main event with Kamelot, a rather legendary band from the US power metal scene, having been around for over 3 decades with some pretty iconic albums released throughout its lengthy history. While there are not a lot of people left from those early days, Kamelot has always stood and still stands for some epic soundscapes that have the capabilities to lift you up even from the deepest of slumps you might find yourself in, making you stand tall and feel empowered. I haven’t properly listened to Kamelot in ages, ever since I kind of grew out of my power metal period, but as soon as these 5 guys took over the stage, I immediately remembered why I liked them so much back in the day. There is just a certain energy coming from their music that is undeniable and irresistible. It’s also pretty common for Kamelot to bring some of the most talented vocalist with them on tour to serve as backing vocals for a selection of tracks, and this time we got Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum, The Dark Side of the Moon) to fulfill that role. An excellent addition to the live show with her impressive pipes and excellent stage presence dressed up in a sparkly catsuit, even though she mostly remained in the back of the stage.

Since they just recently released their brand-new album “The Awakening”, tracks from that release were of course to be expected on the setlist. But I was rather surprised that with the tour named after the new album, we only got 4 tracks from that album with ‘Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)’, ‘New Babylon’, ‘Nightsky’ and ‘One More Flag in the Ground’. But then again, with 13 full-lengths, I guess it’s only normal that some new work gets pushed away for some fan service. I definitely wasn’t complaining, as I was able to hear Kamelot classics like ‘When the Lights Are Down’ or ‘March of Mephisto’ live for the first time since I spinned ‘The Black Halo’ album so often back then.