Candlemass / Battered / Centurion`s Ghost
12 September 2007
Dingwalls, Camden, London


Centurion`s Ghost have been through a number of line-up changes since I last saw them. On a musical level, they retained that satisfying dirty doom metal grind, epitomized by I Am God, You Are Denied, which mixed melancholic passages with heavier-than-hell riffing. All this is well and good but I am not convinced with the switch in vocalist. Whilst former frontman, James Beagley hardly had the most versatile voice in metal, he could carry a tune. Centurions Ghost have instead opted for the more caustic approach with Mark Scurr. His persona is highly affable, looking not unlike Shaun Of The Dead`s Nick Frost. His delivery is however one dimensional and whilst I was enjoying the music, I wasn`t too upset when time was called on his shouting following Bedbound (In The House Of Doom).

Centurion`s Ghost set list:
The Supreme Moment / Let Sleeping Corpses Die / In Defiance / I Am God, You Are Denied / Bedbound (In The House Of Doom)

Battered feature three members of Viking metallers Einherjer. Having followed that route for a number of years, drummer Gerhard Storesund and guitarists Frode Glesnes & Askel Herloe, decided to call time on that band and take a more direct approach with Battered. The Norwegian`s play a modern twist of thrash metal, with the more aggressive moments of The Haunted perhaps being a reference point. Frontman, Siggy Olaisen, sings, or rather shouts in a more hardcore manner and you get the feeling that Battered were facing the wrong crowd this evening. Attempting to `batter` us into submission, the band plough through the bulk of their debut album with Olaisen doing his best to encourage the observers to come less than ten feet away from him. Not unlike a personal trainer who teases that only a couple of reps are left when in fact there are more, Olaisen constantly tells us Battered`s time is nearly up, before a few more songs are played, and it`s a relief when Oblivion Awaits finally closes the set. Battered aren`t a bad band, their just unremarkable and I can`t help but think that Einherjer could probably have had more success right now, then Battered are likely to.

Battered set list:
Demagog / Perfect Illusion / Parasight / Not One / Derelict / Industrial Killing / New Lament / Oblivion Awaits

Whilst Dingwalls was too small to permit the presence of the planned illuminated white crosses, the introductory dirge of Marche Funebra was enough to put a shiver down the spine and heralded the arrival of Candlemass. The four familiar faces of Mats Bjorkman, Lars Johansson, Leif Edling and Jan Lidh were first to take their positions, before the arrival of new frontman Robert Lowe. Striding centre stage, you could feel the anticipation of the crowd. Lowe had some large shoes to fill but as he sang without backing, `I bind unto myself, today the strong name of the trinity`, there`s grins of delight all round Dingwalls.

As The Well of Souls merged into At The Gallows End, Lowe stalked the stage, articulating these hymns with his hands, with nails painted black. Any doubts that Lowe could handle the classics were gone by the time an immense Solitude had been delivered. For the introduction of this song, Lowe was draped over Bjorkman`s shoulder as the guitarist played the opening refrain. Bathed in blue light and rolling his eyes back Lowe took on dark mournful persona, echoing the songs lyrics.

Of course this line-up do have a new album out and two tracks are up next with Emperor of The Void and Devil Seed. For the former, the band clearly seemed to enjoy its bouncy nature, Bjorkman even managing to take a sip of beer from a pint presented to him from the crowd, without dropping a chord. In fact, whereas previously there seemed a division between band and singer, Candlemass came over more as a unit with Lowe. Mr Doom himself, Leif Edling carried a look of contentment and Lars Johansson pulled shapes as he eased through solos.

Mirror Mirror got heads banging, whereas Under The Oak, together with A Sorcerer`s Pledge showed Lowe still has some work to do in the lyrics department. It appeared he was glancing to the stage for prompts at times and the lack of conviction behind a couple of verses was noticeable. This did not detract from his performance as a whole and given this is his first full tour with the band he can be forgiven for not knowing every word yet.

My particular favourite, and we`re told Bjorkman`s, from King Of The Grey Island, Of Star & Smoke, was as catchy live as the recorded version. Warning us of a curfew, the band are quick to return for an encore. Black Dwarf took us back to the short lived Messiah reunion and Samarithan had the crowd singing their hearts out.

The verdict tonight was that Candlemass had made the right choice in Lowe and it`s to be hoped this line-up lasts long and continues to entertain as they did tonight.

Candlemass set list:
Marche Funebra (intro) / The Well Of Souls / At The Gallows End / Solitude / Emperor Of The Void / Devil Seed / Mirror Mirror / Under The Oak / Of Stars & Smoke / A Sorcerer`s Pledge / Black Dwarf / Samarithan


LINKS:
Sinsiter Heart
Candlemass
Battered
Centurion`s Ghost