CHILDREN OF BODOM, SOILWORK & SHADOWS FALL

LA2 – 2nd May 2003

Children of Bodom regret the time that they agreed to appear on 'Scrap Heap Challenge'!

&ldots;.and there was me thinking that Children of Bodom would struggle to get 150 people here tonight if it had not been for the support acts – how wrong can you get? LA2 is heaving and it is clear that the assembled throng are here to enjoy all three acts on what is an incredibly strong bill. Unfortunately due to work commitments I am writing this two weeks after the event so forgive me that my memory is not as good as it was.

Shadows Fall have been extremely hyped lately within press following the release of their Art of Balance CD, but on this showing it is not hard to see why. Brian Fair is a magnificent frontman with dreadlocks down to his waist, he spins his microphone around his head like a lasso, throws himself into the audience, punches his chest and is altogether on another level. He also holds an impassioned bellow and the band are as tight as Slayer. I only knew Stepping Outside of the Circle but Idle Hands and Thoughts Without Words are just as strong. Melodic leads rip through the Testament style crunch and whilst there is nothing particularly original here it is rare that you will see a band that MEAN IT so much.

Soilwork have just released Figure Number Five to universal acclaim, although to these ears it does not quite match last years Natural Born Chaos. I wondered whether they would cope after Shadows Fall but realistically it was never in doubt. Distortion Sleep is the highlight along with Follow the Hollow and As we Speak, and whilst it is a shame that Speed’s clean vocals get somewhat lost in the mix it is obvious that live the band continue to stride on. The request for Pinball Map (an In Flames classic) did erk the band and hopefully it was meant to be funny as Soilwork are no also-rans and are actually more adventurous than their Swedish counterparts. 

And so to the Bodom, not a band I was desperately familiar with before the show but a band I definitely wish to be intimate with now. There are an excellent mix of black metal vocals, speed metal riffs, sugary solos and keyboards. By rights it should never work but it does. Furthermore the songs are undeniably strong, (I did not know any of the material but did not get bored during an hour and a half set). Highlights for me were Angels do not Kill, Bodom after Midnight, and Silent Night, Bodom Night. The keyboards are also used to create haunting segues between the songs which works brilliantly. The showmanship is superb and they even get away with separate guitar, keyboard and drum solo, something I did not think I would see this side of a Ronnie James Dio concert!

It is pelting down outside but nothing in life now matters a jot for I feel untouchable. Forget the fact that the lady in the office who you desperately want to get your leg over with is spoken for, for everything else is torn asunder in the face of this maelstrom. Raise your fist in the air mighty warrior and drink from that goblet of fire with a heart of thunder!

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