It has been Nineteen years since the Gothenburg giants toured the United Kingdom and for those that can remember those shows they featured another legend among them the mighty DISSECTION. This tour would follow on a year after "Slaughter Of The Soul" was released and would also be known as their last tour. Years down the road though in summer of Two Thousand and Eight we would see the rise of AT THE GATES once more to do a select few dates of summer festivals, this though would continue into Two Thousand and Eleven where they would play their first UK show in Sixteen years. And now of course in Two Thousand and Fourteen we are given the chance once again, this time in the form of a UK tour which featured the mighty TRIPTYKON lead by the iconic legend himself Mr Tom G Warrior. So through this review I will be explaining my journey through a "War with Reality"!!

So to start off with we have a band comprised of some very interesting yet very young looking musicians, I didn't know much about these guys at first because to be very honest I didn't know who they were until a week before the show, but from watching their set there seemed to have this very strong and furious energy. Like Hardcore Punk mixed with Speed, to be very honest that is the only way of explaining them. From the start of their set there was this instant explosion of intense emotional power surging through them like a loose wire falling into a puddle, it was truly an inspiring site to see as this band really knew how to get it all out of their systems as if there was this rage that needed to be blasted out. What caught my eye through their set was the fact that there were three different main singers from both guitarists and the drummer, which if you think about is rare to see in live bands as it show not only does this guy have a great multitasking capability but as well a talent which defines this guy. All in all I thought that CODE ORANGE were a great way of starting of the nights festivities.
 

Due to unforeseen circumstances MORBUS CHRON could only have a three song set list list. From the time that the band came on stage they had to rush with both getting things together and as well getting to play Though the band only had three songs in it wasn't a bad show to say the least though I felt that with a longer set we could have been able to have seen one hell of a performance. Not much is known as to why the band were late but whatever the reason at least they got a chance to play in front of a Manchester crowd and at least there were some who still appreciated the effort of them playing.
 

What more needs to be said about TRIPTYKON? other than the fact that they are a band that know how to put on one hell of a performance and know how to please a crowd hungry for heavy music. From the start of TRIPTYKON'S show you could feel the noise in the air, literally speaking of course, for when it comes to their shows you feel every part of it chiming through you at once. The band started off with the first track off their debut album "Eparistera Daimones Goetia", a powerful and very atmospheric track to begin with, you could say a calm before the storm. As the set continued we saw the band perform two rare tracks for the crowd, both being CELTIC FROST songs, from hearing these songs it reminds you why Tom Warrior is the musician he is today and that is because he has grown with the music he has created over the years, which goes to show what kind of band TRIPTYKON truly are. Their set, although short, was larger in sound, which shows that this band knows what it means when putting on one hell of a performance for a crowd that has both seen them in the past and who are just getting into them, truly an amazing spectacle to see when watching TRIPTYKON is the energy that the band have together as a force and as a live act.
 

Setlist:
1. Goetia
2. Altar of Deceit
3. Circle of Tyrants (Celtic Frost Cover)
4. The Usurpur (Celtic Frost Cover)
5. The Prolonging

So with all we've gone through on this review, we've now come to the evenings final band, the mighty Gothenburg legends themselves AT THE GATES. From the start of their set we saw a combination of new and old material being performed to both the new generation and the older generation of Death Metal fans. From what I witnessed, I was able to see for my second time a band that has been able to keep their sound and style of playing the same, but as with the newer material they have added more to the melting pot when it comes to powerful massive sounds of perfect melodic prowess brought together to make what AT THE GATES is. The show featured many a song off the "Slaughter Of The Soul" record as well as many others from the bands legendary Discography, but as it is this is the "At War With Reality" tour so naturally you're going to be coming face to face with some of the amazing tracks off this incredible new record. You could feel the energy coming off the audience like a storm unleashed, which goes to show the devotion these fans have for this band. All in all this was a show that I was proud to review, and I gotta say good luck to any bands coming over to Manchester next who can try and beat the vibe this show had because this was something that only happens once in a fan's life time; just incredible.
 

Setlist:
1. Death and the Labyrinth
2. Slaughter of the Soul
3. Cold
4. At War with Reality
5. Terminal Spirit Disease
6. Raped by the Light of Christ
7. The Circular Ruins
8. Under a Serpent Light
9. City of Mirrors
10. Suicide Nation
11. Heroes and Tombs
12. Nausea
13. World of Lies
14. The Burning Darkness
15. The Book of Sand (The Abomination)

Encore:

16. Blinded by Fear
17. Kingdom Gone
18. The night Eternal