One thing is for sure: high fever and working in front of a computer screen don't match. So after some days, and having not fully recovered, I am able to write down this report from this event that all of us that we were atGagarin 205 venue experienced.

Luckily for me, I managed to find a parking place after just 2 minutes, so I was outside the venue exactly when the doors opened. After only 40 minutes and right on schedule, the Greeks SHATTERED HOPE came onstage. Not many metalheads were in the venue when they started playing, but the sextet was ready to give it all. The first time I came across this band, was something less than two years when I wrote a review about their 2007 promo CD. And my opinion remains quite the same. Those five guys with Eygenia know how to play their instruments and they have good ideas for the narrow borders of funeral doom-death Metal. Nice to listen at your place under the circumstances that anyone find suitable for him/her, but listening live their 8 plus minutes compositions of SHATTERED HOPE was after some point a bit boring.

And you could notice that especially at the more atmospheric parts, when the metalheads in the venue sounded like a bad choir, since you could listen the talks between them and that didn't have anything to do with the band. After almost 50 minutes, they left the stage. They were surely a bit nervous during their set, but they do have work to do in order to catch their band mentors.

Gagarin205 was starting to fill, and by the time MY DYING BRIDE started it was almost full, so I rushed in front to get to the photo pit. In a few moments one of the greatest (and one of the most respectful groups in general) doom Metal bands were about to play live in Athens again after two years. The lights went down, the crowd was getting crazy, especially the young ladies, black figures could be seeing on stage and with the first note of "Fall With Me" the journey to melancholy, pain and every other dark emotion begun. The fans behind me were ecstatic, singing along almost all the lyrics. The second song, made me think to leave the photo pit and showed me that sometimes it's not fun to have a photo pass, since this was one on my favorites compositions of MY DYING BRIDE: "The Whore The Cook And The Mother", ok only half of it, made me forget for some minutes that I had to get some photos instead of singing along and act like a fan. Sometimes being that close you may lose some things. After the third song, I moved to the back of the venue in order to have a full view of the scene. The band was in excellent form and Aaron once again showed of us what a great performer he is. He surely feels each and every word that comes out of his mouth.

At some point after he had told us how happy he was being back in Greece and especially during the 20th anniversary tour, he asked us how many of us have their demo; it was time for a surprise, at least for me. The first notes of "Vast Choirs" ripped the air and all the newer fans listened how this band stared. Since I am a fan of the band since then, I knew that they were kicking major asses, but, hell yeah, they still got it! The good thing was that we listened more of their older stuff, without any intention to imply that "For Lies I Sire" in not less than a great album. At this point, I would like to mention that none of those six musicians fell short. Andrew and Hamish along side Aaron are the old dogs in this band and they know exactly what to do. But even the three new ones did a great job as musicians and as presences. Dan was like a living metronome, Lena made many male fans to turn their heads quite a lot of times and put the glasses to many male colleagues of hers and Shaun even though he is just a few months with MY DYING BRIDE was really good behind the keyboards and playing the violin and with a very low profile…

Aaron gave us a pinch of British humor, when he teased Andrew for changing his guitar all the time, by saying that his sponsor had also told him to do the same by changing microphones! A joke that, unfortunately, not everybody got. The first encore started with a song form their "Like Gods Of The Sun"" album, "Here In The Throat". But the biggest surprise was at the end of their setlist. "The Cry Of Mankind" was supposed to be their last one, but, as Aaron said, he was very happy being back, and "… if those bastards can go for it …" they could squeeze another one at the end. And so they did, by playing "And I Walk With Them"!

After 100 minutes everyone woke up and put both their feet on the ground. There is always someone that would say that they didn't play "A Kiss To Remember" or "Sear Me", but you can't have everything. We are talking about a band that has a 20 year history and 10 albums. Overall, it was a night to remember. Great sound, I didn't expect anything less, a great performance from MY DYING BRIDE and the support act and a great chance to listen to a setlist that we probably won't be lucky enough to listen to it in the future, with only three song from their latest album. DOOM ON!

MY DYING BRIDE setlist:

01. "Fall With Me"
02. "The Whore The Cook And The Mother"
03. "Thy Raven Wings"
04. "She Is The Dark"
05. "Turn Loose The Swans"
06. "Catherine Blake"
07. "Vast Choirs"
08. "My Body A Funeral"
09. "The Dreadful Hours"

Encore #1:
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10. "Here In The Throat"
11. "Bring Me Victory"

Encore #2:
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12. "The Cry Of Mankind"
13. "And I Walk With Them"

(photos by doom Harry)