Opeth / Paradise Lost
9 November 2006
The Roundhouse, Camden, London
This was my first of hopefully many visits to the Roundhouse. The former engine shed was built in 1846 has just re-opened following a £29.7m redevelopment. The main hall is circular and for a 3,000 capacity venue the atmosphere is surprisingly intimate.
Paradise Lost had been at pains to point out that they weren`t the support act for this tour but the special guests. What the difference is I`m not entirely sure, but supposedly it`s to do with the fact that they got an hour of stage time. True to form, such comments manage to alienate, but PL have made a career out of rubbing people up the wrong way.
Tonight was actually the tenth time I`d seen the band and much like the previous encounters everyone sticks to their spots on stage with Nick Holmes gripping his mic stand. Echoing the flashbacks is the fact that Holmes once again has long hair and for a moment it wouldn`t have felt odd if he reverted back to growling As I Die.
Backed by a projection of the band`s latest self titled album, the band mix things up with the setlist bouncing around between older material such as Embers Fire and the more recent Depeche Mode infused material, like Redshift. Whilst a portion of the crowd down the front enthusiastically greet everything played, the consensus based on reaction, would point towards the bands past.
With their last two albums Paradise Lost have leaned back towards a heavier sound in which Gregor Mackintosh`s guitar provides the key melodies and it will be interesting to see if with their next album the band take another step backwards to heaviness in order to move forwards.
..and I haven`t even said dour.
Paradise Lost set list:
Isolate / Grey / Hallowed Land / Erased / Redshift / Embers Fire / No Celebration / Shadowkings / Pity the Sadness / As I Die / One Second / Forever After / Eternal / Say Just Words
Opeth have been very regular visitors to the UK over their career thus far, playing increasingly larger venues to increasingly larger crowds. Once again London has been chosen for the filming of a DVD, which should look very nice in the environs of the Roundhouse. I will however be interested to hear how the sound is tweaked for opener When which suffered from a very muddy mix.
Things were much better for Ghost of Perdition, though apparently this may not appear on the forthcoming DVD. I understand Opeth are releasing the DVD themselves hence no material from Ghost Reveries, issued by Roadrunner, will be included. This would seem to be confirmed by the fact that nothing else from their latest album was played, and with the exception of Windowpane, Opeth selected tracks not featured on their last Lamentations DVD.
Cast behind the band was a series of projections featuring the album artwork. Hence for the rare treat of Under The Weeping Moon, images of Orchid`s atmospherically flew around. Wanting to become fully absorbed in the Opeth experience, I ventured forth during Bleak to be caught up in the middle of one of the fiercest pits I`ve encountered at an Opeth gig, at the song`s conclusion. Many Opeth fans may be more reserved in their appreciation of the band during songs, but there`s still a good portion who let loose.
Mikael Åkerfeldt apparently almost had to cancel the show due to a sore throat, but this was completely unnoticeable with him pulling of both the growls and clean vocals to precision. As ever his dry sense of humour pervaded the show, though due to being somewhat crushed, taking notes of his jokes this time proved somewhat impossible.
The thing that really stood out tonight for me was the performance of Martin Axenrot on the drums. Playing music of this technicality garners heavy scrutiny from your audience and stepping into the highly respected Martin Lopez`s shoes was no simple task, though Axenrot seems, rightly, completely accepted into the fold now.
Once again this was another wonderful performance from Opeth, which I shall look forward to reliving, though this time in the comfort of my lounge!
Opeth set list:
When / Ghost of Perdition / Under The Weeping Moon / Bleak / Face of Melinda / Night and the Silent Water / Windowpane / Blackwater Park / Demon of the Fall
LINKS:
Opeth
Paradise Lost |
