HEAVY METALLIVE REVIEWSPHOTO GALLERIESPROGRESSIVE

What is usually a sleepy edge of Bristol has found itself with a rather diverse audience – it’s fitting because each act on tonight’s bill of APOCALYPTICA, EPICA and WHEEL is so much more different to the next. With everything from doom-style progressive riffs, to classical takes on METALLICA, tonight should have something for pretty much everyone.

Wheel live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

Opening the evening’s proceedings is Finnish band WHEEL. They seem an odd match considering the symphonic and epic natures of the co-headliners, yet their progressive nature throws the crowd in headfirst to the show. Their set is comprised of a short five songs, so they waste no time in cracking on, not letting the time limit deter them from showcasing their talents to the eager audience. Their act is mesmerizing, drawing in the audience and starting their evening with the heavy element that will no doubt get them into the perfect frame of mind for the main acts.

Rating: 7/10Epica live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

After a fairly lively warm up track of FOO FIGHTERS’ The Pretender that the audience uses to loosen themselves up properly, EPICA takes to the stage. Frontwoman Simone Simons commands the crowd instantly, bending them to her will with her use of powerful vocals that are complimented perfectly by the rich tapestry the rest of the band weave around her. The entire band utilises the various levels of stage close at hand to express the energy within both themselves and their music. Even right at the back of the stage, Coen Janssen has a keyboard that can move as he pleases, whether that be around the stage or the keyboard itself spinning. This small touch makes the entire performance so much more dynamic, especially during the heavier parts of The Essence Of Silence – it’s an extremely welcome addition to a genre that usually shoves keyboard players at the back of the stage. EPICA clearly values theirs an extreme amount.Epica live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

The energy of the crowd picks up considerably with the pounding intro of The Final Lullaby, finally taking the chance to feed off the performers’ liveliness. They take the opportunity to begin pumping fists in the air and chant along with Simons melodic voice and guitarist Mark Jansen’s growling vocals. Janssen even wants to get up close and personal with the crowd, utilising a curved keyboard on a strap to get right to the front of the stage and move around a little more – it’s a unique addition but one that is welcome. Rivers brings the energy down ever so slightly but it gives the audience time to recuperate before they give it their all to Beyond The Matrix and Consign To Oblivion – the latter of which has a wall of death before it has even kicked in properly. EPICA have no trouble in commanding an audience with each member doing their bit to make this one of the best performances the audience will no doubt see in a long long time.

Rating: 9/10Apocalyptica live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

The final act to perform on the Epic Apocalypse Tour is, well, APOCALYPTICA. Their entry onto stage is accompanied by the ambient sounds of a forest that is quickly disrupted as it crescendos into a turbulent storm. Their set begins as a trio of cellos comprised of Perttu Kivilaakso, Eicca Toppinen, and Paavo Lötjönen, forgoing the more traditional metal elements to perform Ashes Of The Modern World. It is the perfect way to open their set, giving the audience a taste of each little thing that makes APOCALYPCTICA great; it has everything from the classical string trio harmonies, to blast beats that sit comfortably underneath a cello wah solo that wouldn’t sound out of place in a GUNS N’ ROSES track. They make the effort to move around the stage, despite the usual grounded nature of their instruments, showing the audience how greatly they are appreciated in this moment.

Grace makes the room feel less like a music venue and more like a nightclub with a feel that is more akin to a dance track. The build-up paired with an 808 and bassy, driving cello riff spurs the crowd on. They don’t need words to be able to sing along and let their voices be heard. When Franky Perez appears on stage for a rendition of I’m Not Jesus, the crowd know exactly what they are in for and let his vocals carry them through the track, singing along with him. It unlocks an almost animalistic nature in the crowd, creating a tribal chant throughout the track as the crowd yells the lyrics back to the stage. The same happens later in the set for Shadowmaker – it’s an opportunity for their voices to be heard and show their appreciation for such a band.Apocalyptica live @ O2 Academy, Bristol. Photo Credit: Serena Hill Photography

There is a huge quirk for showboating in every member of APOCALYPTICA and it is with good reason; if you’re classically trained, then why not? Perez plays drums at one point, letting another side of his musical talents shine as the rest of the band parade around the stage and assume command of the entire venue. An instrumental version of METALLCA’s Nothing Else Matters quietens the crowd as they all stand eagerly, ears trained on the three cellists that find themselves centre stage. They have managed to get an entire venue on the edge of every act they perform, which is no easy feat in itself. It becomes even more impressive when you realise just how much of a new lease of life they have given the genre and how much energy the simplicity of their nature can bring.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Bristol from Serena Hill Photography here:






































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