Such is the multi-genre billing tonight, I expected a larger crowd than what actually turned up, but not withstanding a late showing of the openers Evil Invaders, the venue was set alight from their opening notes. There are bands that claim they are speed metal, there are bands that look like they just came out of the 80’s with all their newly purchased patches, but this band are the real deal when it comes to music. I can’t help but get the front and start head banging. These gents are ‘fast, loud & rude’ and they have been caught ‘Driving Fast’ on a number of occasions, but what strikes me is how tight this young band are. It all flows naturally, there is a clear sense of enjoyment about what they were doing and I think to be fair the killer band of the whole evening as it would turn out. But then I am biased as their current album ‘Pulses of Pleasure’ is a spectacular speed/thrash/NWOBHM inspired metallic assault. In short, Evil Invaders blow away any competition tonight with the pedal to the metal approach and with clear passion and ‘Venom’. This may not be their first visit to these shores, I do hope there are many more planned because I would love to see this show again, hopefully with a longer set list than this time too.
Judging by the audience and the t shirts on show this evening, I reckon Sweden’s Bloodbound were the band that most came to see. Having missed their latest release, their last three albums were and are very competent power metal, with a splash of traditional metal. I did feel after an energetic start that the band could have fallen foul to the small crowd and subdued atmosphere, but they had more professionalism about them to do that and battled hard through their entire set. One of my favourites ‘In the Name of Metal’ was greeted with some moments of sing-a-longs from the crowd, guilty as charged too, it provided a good atmosphere. I think this was their first UK jaunt, a little surprising considering their back catalogue and Bloodbound would be perfectly suited to a festival like Bloodstock as they remind me of the type of bands that used to play there when it was first created.
Majesty had a small following when they approached their stage time, although no stranger to London I didn’t see much fuss been made about their appearance here, which is a shame as in their home country, they are well renowned and respected…as they should be as their new release ‘Generation Steel’ is a great effort. Now many, myself included, see Majesty as a touch of a Manowar sound-a-like band, it’s not hard with their anthems such as ‘Metal Union’, but this is damn good fun tonight and I feel like I am back at the beer hall in their home country. Frontman and singer Tarek Maghary is a cool and calm frontman, not phased at all by tonight’s dynamics (a lot of the crowd left after Bloodbound), and dressed in an armoured vest usually found with Sabaton’s frontman, he was delivering the metal to the loyal people down the front. There is in fact no reason why this band shouldn’t be revered like that band, although it’s going to take some time like the Swedes had to endure. Tonight Majesty gave a great show, although I am not convinced that the crowd nor the UK are ready to embrace them or this package just yet in such a large venue (even though it was reduced in size to what I call “mini-world”), which is a shame.
(Review and photos © Paul Maddison)
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