Sabaton, Eluveitie & Wisdom Great Hall 2 Cardiff 10/11/12
So again to the Great Hall 2 for another night of metal mayhem
Wisdom
So Helloween is the word best to describe Wisdom's sound, the Hungary band have all the hallmarks of the Kiske era of the band sing songs of battle with galloping bass, dual guitars and shrieking vocals. The band were competent if a little generic until they played their penultimate track, preceded by a "Scream For Me Cardiff!" (which drops them a point) the then decided to launch into Maiden's Wasted Years which despite many singing along seemed a bit of a cop out for a band that should be showing off their own songs. This huge faux pa was saved by the final track but I for one was underwhelmed by Wisdom. 5/10
Eluveitie
What is it about folk metal that unites all metal fans? You could be the deepest darkest blackest underground-core metal fan and still have to jig when a band like Eluveitie come on the stage? Folk metal seems to stir the soul of any fan with its mix of full metal band backing and folk instruments. it also stirs every man and woman's desire to drink copious amounts of alcohol. Eluveitie have definitely found their niche as they have all of the hallmarks of Gothenburg death metal especially in frontman Chirgel Glanzmann who snarls and growls with the likes of Anders of In Flames. The electric part of the band play with extreme speed and tenacity ploughing through thrash style songs that are enhanced by the pipes, flutes, violins, hurdy gurdy and Glanzmann's array of wind instruments. The band stormed through their set causing both mass dancing and pitting which was strange to watch but just the sort of reaction that folk metal inspires. This was a great set from a band that plays full throttle folk metal that will inspire even the most hardened and po-faced metal fan to crack a smile. 8/10
Sabaton
As the strains of The Final Countdown ended and The March To War kicked in the anticipation was a tantamount and then it was the first fantastic blast from perennial set opener Ghost Division which got the entire crowd jumping. Then there was some of Joakim's quite entertaining stage banter before the band played a few from their last two albums which despite still being ott power metal full of big riffs, melodic vocals and lots of gusto however they just don't seem to have the same oomph that their earlier material possessed. They then launched into two classics in the shape of 40:1 and Cliffs Of Gallipoli the latter having just a little bit more emotional bearing considering the date. The next song was the fans choice and was between Uprising and Midway it was Uprising that was decided by a nice bit of pantomime before the piano led The Hammer Has Fallen was introduced by both Jump and Abba's Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie which the frontman played on a keyboard. This slowed the set considerably and broke momentum before The Lion From The North and Into The Fire finished the set with furious style. The encore came in the shape of The Art Of War, Primo Victoria and Metal Crue. This was a good set but not the best I've seen them yet it sent the people in attendance home happy and that really is all a band like Sabaton are about. 8/10
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