It is after an uncharacteristically warm and dry early October, that normality returns to London and a torrential downpours greets those approaching the Shepherd’s Bush Empire for an evening of metal. After many years as a BBC Television Theatre, the site was refurbished to become a music venue in 1994. Hosting a wide variety of music over the years, this regal setting is well established in the capital and while it provides a mid-sized venue for many bands, it has also been used as a setting for warm-up or ‘secret’ concerts for others – The Rolling Stones played here in 1999.
For those that arrive in time, there are three bands on the bill. Italian’s Terra, grabbed the attention of the audience from their first moments on stage. Opening (and later closing) with tribal style drumming and vocalisations, the band quickly established themselves and receive warm applause and encouragement throughout their set. For the main songs of the set, which included an intriguing cover of Teardrop by Massive Attack, the quartet reverted to a more typical four-piece setup with the exception of drummer Daniele ‘Zed’ Berretta also being the lead vocalist – a dual role he handles with ease. At their heart, Terra are an experimental heavy metal band and they balance the power and the more delicate sections of their music perfectly; all four members are fabulous musicians – guitarist Paolo Luciani switches to woodwind instruments during some haunting, ethereal passages evoking Middle Eastern influences which only serve to enhance the atmosphere. Lyrically, Terra ask many questions about the purpose of existence, the effect others have on us and how this leads us to question our own realities. In Create, Mutate, Erase, they examine the influence of dominating personalities. Are you still listening? / Words can be so easy to ignore / I’m drinking apathy / You can’t turn me into yourself / This can’t be happening. Touring with Soen will bring Terra to many new listeners and their original approach to many aspects of their music will ensure these listeners become followers.
Terra
After a quick set-up change, Molybaron (based in Paris but led by vocalist / Dublin-born guitarist Gary Kelly) dive into their set with the title track from their latest (and third) album – Something Ominous. With explosive stage presence and a combination of influences ranging from hard rock to heavy metal via more technical and progressive flavours, Molybaron appeal to a range of musical tastes. Kelly himself states on the band’s website, “I don’t think our sound can be defined by one genre. It’s certainly not by design. I write and produce all the music in the band, but I’m strange - I never really listen to music…I’m not trying to mirror any one style, I just write as it comes to me.” He brings to mind another (albeit Northern) Irish rocker with his passion and vocal flexibility – namely Ricky Warwick. Writing and producing all the songs for the band, Kelly is without doubt the driving force behind Molybaron but he allows each member the chance to shine. Florian Soum is an impressive lead guitarist and several solos are delivered with precision and, at times, brutality. The double salvo of Lucifer and Vampires are both infectious rockers and the audience respond admirably to the band’s insistence on their involvement in the gig. With such crowd pleasing songs in their repertoire, Molybaron will no doubt be on the rise and do not be surprised to see them back headlining increasingly large venues of their own.
Molybaron
Soen have steadily developed a loyal following and six albums into their existence have become masters of their chosen craft. The recently released album Memorial (all Soen’s albums and almost all their songs have one word titles) has proved popular with fans and while it could be argued that their sound has become more polished during the last three albums, it is undeniable that Soen’s songwriting is of the highest quality. All but two tracks of the sixteen song set are drawn from those albums, a fact which does not seem to concern those gathered to witness an excellent performance by this captivating quintet. Opening with Sincere (the first track on Memorial) amid a wash of spectacular lighting (a recurring feature throughout the show), Soen immediately draw the audience into their intricate and mesmerising melodic progressive metal.
Backed with a huge vivid-red backdrop of a ruined city, the band weave their entrancing modern tales ranging in subject from the futility of war, to struggles with inner-self and societal division. The title track of Memorial (during which vocalist Joel Ekelöf waves a pitch-black flag) does not hold back in its condemnation of war. “It is a song to remind us of the victims of the power games that our so-called leaders play”, says founding member and drummer Martin Lopez. “It’s about PTSD,” states Ekelöf, “and the effect war has on people like you and me that are sent to kill and die and have to pay that price for the rest of their lives.”
Ekelöf has established himself as one of the best of any modern metal band and this impressive ability is evident as he changes from more aggressive tones in songs such as Antagonist to tender delivery during Lotus. He feels no need to run around covering every inch of the stage, instead elegantly commanding the stage with subtle hand gestures and flawless vocals.
Musically, Soen are extraordinarily impressive – technically perfect but soulful and melodic throughout. Beautiful guitar solos, powerful drumming and understated but perfectly structured keyboards abound. They also clearly think carefully about pacing the show and the crowd enjoy the deeper, reflective moments as much as the more thunderous elements of the material. Not afraid to include quieter more melancholic songs, the band (while sitting on the keyboard riser) perform a heartfelt rendition of the menacing, yet compelling Ideate. There is a silhouette shaped as a human / Carrying death with a merciless scorn / Fed by ideals and doctrines of terror / Warrants his act with the crown of thorns. Following Ideate with the equally powerful Monarch leads to one of the best sing-a-long moments of the night: Into the fire I am / Leading the slain / Steering the fallen to the end. Both songs are received with equal fervour and it was refreshing to be within an audience which allowed the quieter songs to be fully appreciated.
Ending with Violence (another of the five tracks from Memorial played tonight) confirms the faith that Soen have in their latest material and it is a happy group of fans that spill out into Shepherd’s Bush following a truly exceptional evening’s entertainment.
Soen Setlist
Sincere
Martyrs
Savia
Memorial
Lascivious
Unbreakable
Deceiver
Ideate
Monarch
Fortress
Illusion
Modesty
Lotus
Antagonist
Lunacy
Violence