KAMELOT is one of few bands that actually always sell out the venues in Stockholm. I find it a little bit strange that they can while other similar bands just draw half the crowd. Not that I begrudge them their success, they sure as hell deserves all fame they can get.

VISIONS OF ATLANTIS have been having some internal problems lately and canceled their performances on this tour. FOREVER SLAVE took their place and sometimes I wonder if they would add any band that shows interest to the bill. I guess it's a little like that since you don't find wealth and fortune on an opening slot. But hey, there must be better bands than FOREVER SLAVE. Well, musically is not all that bad. Heavy and dark with some really cool rhythms that makes then stand out from the rest of the female-fronted bands a bit. But all good things are lost just because of a terrible singer. Being pretty and look hot on stage is not all in this business. Singer Lady Angellyca is the size of a Chihuahua and has the voice-resources of the same, it all is just whiney. And did they add everything to the backtracks? Seem like it because a little too much is double and out of tune all the time.

From Gus G and FIREWIND I expected some plain old Power Metal. That's what kept me from listening to their older records that didn't impress me much. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this evening's treatment of old-school Hard Rock / Heavy Metal. Some touches of DIO, some of ACCEPT all in a very nice tasteful way. If this is the new FIREWIND, it's absolutely something I must check out. The change of vocalists is all positive for me too, I think Apollo Papathanasio suites well to the more classic style. And having well renowned drummer Mark Cross in the lineup is absolutely not a disadvantage. The main-part of the songs this evening is from FIREWIND's newest release The Premonition such as Mercenary Man, Circle Of Life, Head Up High, Into The Fire along with a few older songs. It all feels high polished and well rehearsed, perhaps not all new and innovative but do good metal always need to be that? Not for me, a bunch of good songs and a great live performance is absolutely enough!

To me KAMELOT used to be one of this world's most overrated bands. I couldn't get the hype around them, they're just not that special. Or was I wrong? To be really sure I bought all albums and listened to them straight for two weeks and of course was I wrong! This is an amazing band. But that they sell out Klubben twice within a year still surprises me.

I love the stage setup, very clean and peeled off! No amplifiers or other equipment on stage, just the huge drumkit, the band, backdrops and a lot of lights. It almost feels like Roy Kahn floats over the floor entering the stage to the first notes of Rule The World. All is sort of mystic with all the smoke and lights. The setup is perfect for KAMELOT's theatrical performance but the whole thing gets a little lost on Klubben's small stage. Anne-Catrin Marzke doesn't get as much space this time and on that tiny podium in the front she looks more in the way rather than an addition to the show. I can't complain one bit about her vocal performance this time. It's flawless and her show with the violin in Solitaire at the start of the show really boosts the expectation of what's coming.

Last year Ghost Opera wasn't released when they played. I'm not at all surprised we got a great deal of material from that one this time. I surely don't mind, the newer more progressive KAMELOT appeal to me more than the older more straight power metal. Both Black Halo and Ghost Opera reach high ranks on the list of my all time favorite albums.
Roy Kahn's voice is a little more rough and filthy live than on record, if that depends on it's the last few dates of the tour or if it always is like this I don't know. It's still pretty amazing that he can pull this set off night after night for more than a month straight. And the roughness is absolutely not a disadvantage, rather the opposite. It makes the songs a little harder and darker.
Roy promises us all that KAMELOT will be back in Stockholm again very soon to everyone's excitement. Could they sell out this place three times within 2 years? And listening to the crowds chanting for encores, doubtless! They can perhaps even be moved to a bigger place like Arenan or Tyrol.

Somehow this set felt a little slimmed down from last year, I really can't put my finger on what's missing. We get a lot of good stuff during the set and the end with Ghost Opera, Love You To Death, Karma and very last March Of Mephisto it should be perfect. A 100 minutes is a little above average playtime too? Can it be that I'm a real fan of KAMELOT now?

(photos by Erika Wallberg)

FOREVER SLAVE

FIREWIND

KAMELOT