Uploaded to Aural Innovations: November 2003
Mikko from Hidria Spacefolk was here in town with Antti (ex-Wasami) to pick up the broken van and they are friends with the Amorphis guys and had hung out in Christiania with them earlier in the day, so we were on the guest list. I had been waiting for a long time for Amorphis to come to Denmark. The last time they played in Denmark was 1997, before I had moved here. I have all the bands CDs and had recently reviewed their latest CD. Anyway, these guys were late and we did not get inside until the first song was finished. The band played a very cool mix of old (even from the first CD!) and new material. The band opened with "Beginning" and went into "The Way, the first song on the Tuonela CD. "Widows" was next and followed by "Divinity". The band really was sounding good when they hit "Alone", the first track on Am Universum. The single from the new CD was next, "Day Of Your Beliefs". "Evil Inside" is apparently the single in some countries and this was next. "My Kantele", which I was very surprised to hear followed. A huge surprise was to hear "The Castaway" from the Tales From A Thousand Lakes CD. "Grails Mysteries" was played from the Karelian Isthmus CD, the bands first CD. Another new song, "Killing Godness" brought back the melodies and the band closed with the "Black Winters Day" single! A very cool 60 minute set with a lot of variety. I had expected to hear most songs from the bands more melodic last three CDs. I hope they come back soon!
It was only a short break before Paradise Lost hit the stage. I had no idea what to expect. I had heard a few of the bands oldest cds some years back but did not own anything by them. They were very melodic in a gothic heavy way but very commercial in some way. The crowd seemed to really like them but maybe not as much as Amorphis! The place was pretty packed and the sound excellent. I was surprised that most of the songs had some keyboards yet there was no keyboard player. Also, there was backing vocals and no backing vocalists. This I found strange. Apparently, the band plays along to a DAT tape with all the stuff they can’t or won’t do live themselves. I think of this as sort of a karaoke Paradise Lost? What the fuck is that???? Either leave it out or play it! Anyway, I did not get into them that much and went back stage and did a short interview with some of the band. When I came back I saw the bands last few songs. A sort of gothic Depeche Mode style stuff. I was mostly here for Amorphis, who rocked!
Reviewed by Scott Heller