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Ensiferum + Draugnim + Brymir - 1/1/2011 - Nosturi - Helsinki

For most people there has been just time enough to get through the traditional hangover of the first day of the year. But there is also a pretty damn good motivation to do so: Ensiferum is coming back in town after months from its last appearance, still here in Nosturi on the last spring. To support Petri Lindroos and Co. tonight we have two local bands, Draugnim from the neighbouring Espoo, and Brymir.
It''s this last one who gets first on stage to entertain the still half-sleepy crowd. As the only other time I saw the epic/folk metal act was in the small Semifinal a few months ago, I would have never guessed that the response of the audience could be so positive towards the performance of these 6 musicians.
The band is about to release its debut album, in the meanwhile seems to warm up the fans of Ensiferum pretty well with songs like “Battle For Pagan Might” and “Ragnarok”. Nice presence on stage of the guys, who sure are not static nor shy in their show and manage to involve the first rows.
(Marco Manzi)

It''s then time for the singer Chimedra to come back on stage after yesterday''s show with Crimfall, tonight playing with his other and older band Draugnim. Maybe it''s the happy and joyful atmosphere that the kids in the audience got from the previous band, but it seems that Draugnim have a little more of a hard time to get to the crowd. The length of the songs probably didn''t help either. I think maybe it would turn out to be better in a different setting. “The Last Of Kin” opens the show from the latest record, out of which are played four of the six tracks offered this evening. The band does show some good energy, especially through the bearded bass player Turms, but somehow the audience looks a bit absent-minded, slowly projected towards the following band. This changes slightly only at the end, with “Cursed The One” and “Fear And Fey”, even though the involvement of the fans is still not what I''d define “wild”.
(Marco Manzi)

I popped in to Nosturi again to see Ensiferum. This is not a band I would normally go for, especially because I don''t necessarily enjoy finnish kids trying to be as epic as they can. The band was what I expected. Half naked finns standing mostly still for 1,5 hours (the two huge men in the background looked like two big statues!), except when the guitarist plays the part of Angus Young jumping all around. The synth player was as boring as almost all the female synth players (except for a few really good ones!). Yeah she probably is way better than me, but I''m the viewer, I should enjoy. The only movement really was the head and the hand. I''ve never liked synth players anyway. I did change my mind after seeing Medeia live, but that doesn''t make all of them good.
Anyway. The intro was strong (as always on metal gigs, you want to have each and every one''s ass hairs shaking with the coolness of the low sounded intro) and all the little (and big) painted kids were going crazy! Ensiferum is very much liked around here, and elsewhere too. They have an honest finnish atmosphere, no extra crap. However, if I have to say something to some of the members: next time cut down the sausage and beer and go to the gym. Swim a little. Run a little. (I know this is not happening, it''s a finn thing).
The show started with the new “From Afar”, and when the band was playing “Battle Song”, you could see all the fans go totally crazy in front of the stage already. The western groove of “Stone Cold Metal” gave something new to the concert, as the song, as new as it is, is not played often. Obviously the second part was all hits, so after the usual “Lai Lai Hei”, and the choirs of the whole Nosturi, it''s time to cover the Iron Maiden with “Run To The Hills”, and speaking of running, the rhythm gets quite fast with the acceleration of “Twilight Tavern”.
Here the sweaty audience can take a small break, before the obvious encore with “Treacherous Gods”, and (surprise!) “Iron”. But comes also the real surprise, which is Kari Tapio''s “Olen Suomalainen”, some patriotism due, but maybe people don''t know that this is actually a cover of “L''Italiano” from the Italian Toto Cutugno.
The sounds were surprisingly good in every part of the hall, upstairs and downstairs. I heard every instrumet, of course the bass, which I always whine about because it''s my favorite, wasn''t so loud, but I have a feeling between my ass cheeks that it''s not the point in this kind of music.
Even though the band stayed still, the audience really liked them. They never leave anyone (but me) cold. Even the ones that were sitting on the tables were moshing around!
For me I don''t think there will be a next time, because 1,5 hour of songs that all sound the same (fans, do NOT attack me by calling me unsophisticated, this is MY review) doesn''t do it for me. Gig-wise it was a great gig, the ever so freezing Petri is truly what the audience wants. Keep up the good work Ensiferum!
(Essi “Vlork” Markkula)

With another lively and definitely positive show from Ensiferum, ends this Uudenvuoden Nahkamiekka 2010. The fans seems to have really enjoyed both days, even though I would have thought honestly that there could have been more people. Let''s say that Finntroll and Ensiferum are even too well known and have shown themselves quite often recently to the finnish fellows. However this doesn''t change the fact that it''s always worth to see such shows. Besides, what''s better for the average metalhead than concluding the old year, and starting the new one with a concert?


Setlist Ensiferum:
01) By The Dividing Stream
02) From Afar
03) One More Magic Potion
04) Battle Song
05) Smoking Ruins
06) Stone Cold Metal
07) Wanderer
08) Heathen Throne
09) Hero In A Dream
10) Abandoned
11) Tale Of Revenge
12) Lai Lai Hei
13) Run To The Hills (Iron Maiden cover)
14) Twilight Tavern
-----------------------------------
15) Treacherous Gods
16) Iron
17) Olen suomalainen (Kari Tapio cover)


Foto:
Ensiferum


Draugnim


Brymir


Report a cura di Marco Manzi