Live: Paradise Lost + Primordial + Harakiri for the Sky + Omnium Gatherum

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Slightly fewer spectators than at the last metal evening at the Garage

Just in time, I grab a small parking space directly in the alley behind the garage and stroll into the hall of music. On this Thursday, the back of the room is closed off, so there are probably a few less visitors expected than at Blind Guardian.

 

Nevertheless, some friends of the more special metal have come again, especially from France and Luxembourg, as I hear. It is also noticeable that Paradise Lost, just like Katatonia, have a lot of female fans.

Omnium Gatherum

 

Omnium Gatherum from Finland kick off, a band I last saw in 2017 opening for Amon Amarth at Saarbrückens Saarlandhalle. They alternate daily as an anchor with Harakiri for the Sky.

 

As then, it is noticeable with them that, despite their ramp sow Jukka Pelkonen on the mic, they have difficulty sweeping their listeners along. The songs are too varied in quality and some are too complicated, so you can only follow if you know them well.

 

On the other hand, there is something to be said for the variety of the tracks; they sound pleasing and musically always move between Amorphis and Swallow the Sun, just not quite as gripping. They lack a real hit.

Harakiri for the sky

 

I last saw the Austrians from Harakiri for the Sky at the Gloomaar Festival 2018, where they were the late-night act. Compared to their opening band, they are in a completely different mood.

 

Word is spreading far too slowly about how good the guys from Salzburg and Vienna really are. This time, singer Michael Kogler doesn't address the audience at all, but surrenders to his desperate screaming.

 

Mercilessly consistent, they pull off the 10-minute songs here and the quiet majestro on guitar, Matthias Sollak (left on the picture above), turns out to be the decisive jewel, reminding me of Sentenced's late genius Miika Tenkula.

 

Musically, however, they have less in common with Sentenced than I once thought. Instead, the related bands are more like Alcest, Insomnium, Be'Lakor or Swallow the Sun. Great that their fantastic post-metal compositions can gradually inspire the crafty listener during the concert.

 

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Primordial

 

A special case in the evening line-up is Primordial. Until now, I had never seen the Irish live, only heard them on tape; and just like Sólstafir, the recorded stuff hardly does justice to their live skills.

 

The group from Dublin lives especially from the charisma of singer Alan "Naihmass Nemtheanga" Averill. I stand on the left side of the stage so that the real fans can party at the front, but the crier stands right ahaed of me and encourages to join in with a grim face.

 

Instead of a sporty electrolyte drink (like Michael from Harakiri for the Sky) or beer (like Nicky from Paradise Lost), Alan prefers to take a proper sip of red wine. And he correctly flips through the ring binder for the next songs. Live they are worth one or two ears in any case and tend with their Pagan Metal far in the direction of Black Metal.

 

 

The British legends of Paradise Lost were last at the Garage in 2017, which singer Nick still roughly remembers. I'm standing at the sonic sweet spot and lo and behold, the sound is like Primordial better than the two previous bands - but nevertheless not perfect.

 

As we know the gentlemen from Halifax most of the time, their lust for movement tends more towards so-so. Greg Mackintosh on the guitar on the left still makes the most fuss. Somehow their reclined manner is also pleasantly casual and with the legendary songs they quickly have everyone in the bag.

 

They hardly feel like playing their old hit "As I die", which we always demanded 20 years ago, and, funnily enough, play it mainly as a Steve Edmondson bass escapade. On the other hand, it's nice how snotty the actually poppy "One Second" sounds live today.

 

For my taste they could have played one or two more songs. However, it was already 11 pm, so everything was okay. Anyway, especially the girls in the audience went crazy during the hits and I helped them swim on the crowd. I filmed a video for the first time, which I don't normally do so as not to annoy the audience. You can watch the song "Ghosts" here.

Playlist

 

SummarY

Three of the four bands were really great, only Omnium Gatherum didn't go down one hundred per cent well, but it wasn't bad

 

As is often the case, the sound in the Garage is the main issue. It improves after one or two songs, depending on how attentive the sound check was. For example, I hardly heard the singing colleagues of Omnium Gatherum vocalist Pelkonen. They might as well let it go.

 

Overall, the mood of the audience was excellent. All the bands were well received, especially Paradise Lost, who are taking a short break in November after the "Ultima Ratio Fest" tour to go on a winter tour for the album "Icon" (1993). They will be visiting London and Bradford.

 

Info on the concert

Paradise Lost Live 2023

(Ultima Ratio Fest with the three accompanying bands)

Paradise Lost Live 2023

(30 years Icon anniversary Tour with My Dying Bride)