Nastupaju: Battle Beast / Delain / Sabaton
Lokacija: Zagreb / Tvornica kulture / Hrvatska
Datum: ponedjeljak, 02.02.2015
(Please scroll down the bar and find an English version, too!)
Deset godina i preko tisuću koncerata, malo koji bend se može pohvaliti takvim brojem. Sabaton može. Uz toliki broj nastupa nije ni čudo da su česti gosti i na našim i na zagrebačkim pozornicama. Tenkovska divizija kojom zapovijeda general Joakim naime neumorno ruši pozornice diljem svijeta i iz godine u godinu skuplja sve više sljedbenika. Zarazne melodije i ritmovi u kombinaciji s tekstovima o herojstvima pojedinaca u vihorima ratova ovaj su bend u samo nekoliko godina popeli na sam vrh najpopularnijih metal izvođača. I u ponedjeljak u zagrebačkoj Tvornici kulture nije bilo ni najmanje drukčije.
Očito se švedski ratni stroj za ovu turneju odlučio malo uljepšati pozornicu pa je sa sobom pozvao čak dva benda sa ženskim vokalom. Prvi su na pozornicu izašli finski Battle Beast. Mlada postava 2010. je pobijedila na natjecanju još neafirmiranih bendova festivala Wacken, a već sljedeće godine u Finskoj je objavila svoj prvi album ‘Steel’. Iste su godine privukli pažnju izdavačke kuće Nuclear Blast, koja se pobrinula i za svjetsko izdanje albuma. Godina 2012. donijela je i promjenu pjevača; bend je zbog obiteljskih problema napustio Nitte Vallo, a za mikrofonom ga je zamijenila plavokosa Noora Louhimo. I kako se ženski vokal snalazi u power metalu? Odlično! Ako je dvorana na početku koncerta bila poprilično prazna, svojom su je glazbom temeljito napunili već za nekoliko minuta. Battle Beast sviraju vrlo zarazan metal koji brzo uđe u uho i ne ostavlja čovjeka ravnodušnim. Iako tehnički nije najzahtjevnija glazba, u svom bitu ne skriva snažne utjecaje uzora, od Iron Maiden i Judas Priest do modernijih bendova, a u kombinaciji s klavijaturama čak i Sabatona. Nastup je bio energičan unatoč vrlo malom prostoru na pozornici – svaki rat zahtijeva žrtve, a kako Sabaton sa sobom voze bubnjarski tank, predbendovi se doslovno guraju na pozornici. Svoj polusatni nastup Finci su iskoristili do maksimuma, a pozitivna energija u dvorani dodala je točku na i. Bend na kojeg će u budućnosti još trebati paziti!
Temperatura u dvorani još nije osjetno pala kad su svoj djelić pozornice zauzeli nizozemski Delain. Simfonijski metalci naime poprilično podsjećaju na svoje sunarodnjake Within Temptaion, što nije ni čudo s obzirom na to da je njihov suosnivač Martijn Westerholt bivši član spomenutog sastava. Glazbena kilometraža se bendu pozna jer su nastup izveli beskompromisno. Veliki Otto Schimmelpenninck van der Oije rušilačkim je basovima i povremenim growl vokalom temeljito pobrinuo za pun zvuk, kojem je atmosferu davao Martijn na klavijaturama. Na ovoj su turneji obožavatelji benda propustili gitarista Tima Somersa. Njegovo je mjesto popunila mlada, još ne 23-godišnja Merel Bechtold, koja inače kruh zarađuje u još jednom nizozemskom simfonijskom metal sastavu MaYaN, što ga je osnovao Mark Jansen (Epica). Otrov je u malim bočicama, kažu, a sićušna Merel to je i dokazala – sa sedmožičanom Bo-El gitarom kroz Englove pojačala rušilački je prenosila svoju interpretaciju Timovih kreacija, kojih se vjerojatno ne bi postidio ni on ni bilo koji drugi iskusni gitarist. Ostaje nam još zgodna Charlotte, koja se pobrinula za podizanje temperature, osobito među muškim dijelom publike. S poluprozirnom majicom i bez grudnjaka pustila je mašti na volju pa se postavilo pitanje koliko je publike uopće slušalo njihovu glazbu. Vrhunac je dosegnut pri pozdravu prije posljednje skladbe, kad su kleti Hrvati počeli skandirati »Vadi s*se da sviramo!« Charlotte je unatoč tome pokazala da joj »pluća« daju glas koji možda nije tako visok kao kod Within Temptaion ili Nightwish, ali je ipak dovoljno nježan za lijep kontrast nisko ugođenoj gitari. Publika je opet bila potpuno u transu i temeljito zagrijana za zvijezde večeri.
Za Sabaton je ponedjeljkov nastup već bio peti u hrvatskoj prijestolnici. Početak nije donio iznenađenja – kad su se plahte spustile s golemne tenkovske bubnjarske konstrukcije i iz zvučnika zagrmjeli uvodni taktovi megauspješnice njihovih sunarodnjaka, The Final Countdown, u dupkom punoj Tvornici je zašumjelo; dvorana je u jedan glas pjevala s Europe, a kad se ona pretvorila u instrumentalni intro March to War, atmosfera je postala napeta kao trenutak prije juriša na utvrđene neprijateljske položaje. Već je klasična otvaračica Ghost Division digla dvoranu na noge i opet dokazala da je bend još uvijek na vrhuncu – i glazbeno i koncertno. Toliko pozitivizma i osmijeha koliko ih puše s njihove pozornice istini za volju je teško naći. I naravno, ni ovaj put nisu izostale Joakimove šale između skladbi – iako ovaj put nije bio u prvom planu njegov mali penis i pozivi na još jedno pivo. Hrvatske, poljske i švedske zastave vijorile su se u toj gomili vjernih »vojnika«, a društvo su im pravile i brojne slovenske, na leđima prošlogodišnjih Metaldays majica. Već kod pete skladbe došlo je do prvog glasanja, na kojem je publika s očitom prednošću izglasala da se Gott Mit Uns izvede na švedskom, a kasnije je na istom jeziku uslijedila i Lifetime of War (nadglasala je Carolyn’s Prayer). U prvoj je čast otpjevati prvu kiticu pripala Chrisu, a i inače su i on i Thobbe i Pär revno sudjelovali na prateći vokalima. Jedan od vrhunaca večeri dogodio se kad je nakon kraja jedne od skladbi publika spontano počela pjevati melodiju Swedish Pagans, bonus skladbe s albuma The Art of War, nakon čega bendu nije preostalo ništa drugo nego da je i odsvira. Kao što sam već ranije spomenuo, nije nedostajalo ni zabave. Joakim je rekao da vlada sviranjem gitare i da ga je Michael Jackson izabrao za turnejskog gitarista, ali ga je nažalost preduhitrila smrt, pa se on morao zadovoljiti karijerom pjevača. Kad mu je roadie donio gitaru, odsvirao je na njoj uvod u Beat It, nakon čega ga je Chris izazvao divljim solom, a Thobbe ga je poslao u malu školu svojim solom. Zatim je Joakim počeo svirati Iron Maiden, ali se šala završila tako da su počeli svirati Resist And Bite, a dok su oba gitarista svirala solo dionice u tercama, Joakimu je pripala čast odsvirati ritam gitaru. Kad se skladba završila, Joakim je počeo Seek&Destroy rifom, ali mu je roadie velikim vrtnim škarama prerezao žice na gitari i gurnuo mu mikrofon u ruke – naravno uz urnebesan smijeh na pozornici i ispod nje. Dečki su se također odlučili odsvirati barem po jednu skladbu sa svakog albuma, što je značilo da smo čuli 7734 s rijetko izvođenog albuma Metalizer. Inače setlista nije donosila velika iznenađenja, jer su glavninu skladbi činili aktualni Heroes i prethodni Carolus Rex. Kad su odzvonili i posljednji taktovi Metal Crüe, dvorana je potpuno eksplodirala, a činilo se da su se dečki samo teška srca oprostili od fanatične i fantastične publike.
autor: Sebastijan Videc
fotografije: Jerneja Jerak
Battle Beast
1. Far Far Away
2. Black Ninja
3. Touch in the Night
4. Madness
5. Iron Hand
6. Out of Control
Delain
1. Mother Machine
2. Get the Devil Out of Me
3. Army of Dolls
4. Go Away
5. Pristine
6. Sleepwalkers Dream
7. Stardust
8. Not Enough
9. We Are The Others
Sabaton
The Final Countdown (intro)
March to War (intro)
1. Ghost Division
2. To Hell And Back
3. Carolus Rex
4. Soldier of 3 Armies
6. Gott Mit Uns
7. The Art of War
8. 7734
9. Swedish Pagans
10. Resist And Bite
11. 40:1
12. A Lifetime of War
13. Far From the Fame
14. Coat of Arms
—
15. Night Witches
16. Primo Victoria
17. Metal Crüe
Ten years and over a thousand of concerts – there’s just a few bands today that can put such number to their credit. Sabaton can! And with such a number of concerts it is no coincidence that they are regular guests to our stages, as well as of those across the Southern border. Panzer division, which is commanded by general Joakim, effortlessly demolishes stages all around the world and from year to year gains new fans. Catchy melodics and rhythms in combination with lyrics singing about heroic deeds of individuals and units in various wars, in just a few years, propelled this band among the top metal artists. And this Monday’s concert at Zagreb’s Tvornica Kulture hall was no difference.
It seems like the Swedish war machine decided to pretty up the stage on this tour and invited two support bands with female singers. The first to take the stage were Battle Beast from Finland. Young band won Wacken festival newcomer competition and the following year released their debut album ‘Steel’ for Finnish market. The same very year, Nuclear Blast heard the album, offered the band a contract and re-released ‘Steel’ on worldwide scale. 2012 brought the change – singer Nitte Vallo had to leave the band due to family problems and the band recruited feisty blonde Noora Louhimo. And how does a female voice perform in power metal, you might ask? Superb! If the hall was more or less empty, when Battle Beast started to play, the situation changed in a matter of minutes. Battle Beast play a very catchy metal, which engulfs our ears and minds and leaves no-one at peace. Music may not be technically very complex but on the other hand they openly show their influences range from Iron Maiden and Judas Priest to the more modern power metal bands, even to Sabaton. The performance was energetic, despite the very small stage; each war demands sacrifices and since Sabaton have a huge drum tank on stage, support bands were left with little stage space. The Finns used their 30 minutes up to the maximum while the positive energy that was ruling the hall added the extra kick. Battle Beast, a band to look out to in the future!
Temperature hasn’t really started to fall yet, when their little piece of the stage was taken by Dutch Delain. Symphonic metalheads, which remind a lot like Within Temptation, which doesn’t really surprise given that Delain’s co-funding member Martijn Westerholt used to play in that band. More than a decade of musical experience was felt through an uncompromising performance. The huge Otto Schimmelpennicnk van der Oije with his thunderous bass and occasional growling vocals took care of the lower end of the spectrum, while the atmospherics were taken care of by the before mentioned Martijn on keyboards. Delain fans might have missed their guitarist Tim Somers. Instead, the shredding was done by young 22-year old Merel Bechtold (MaYaN). They say poison is stored in little flasks and Merel proved this saying – using her 7-string Bo-El, Engl amps were thundering her interpretation of Tim’s work, of which neither Tim nor any other self respecting guitarist wouldn’t be ashamed. Last but not least there’s sexy Charlotte, which on this concert helped to bring temperature up even more – especially among the male metalheads. With semi transparent shirt and no bra, she left the imagination go wild and I questioned myself, whether the guys even heard the band that played on stage. This even led to the situation when the guys in the public started to sing »Put your B**bs out so we can play«. But that put aside, Charlotte proved that she’s a great singer with a vocal maybe not as high as those with Nightwish or Within Temptation but still soft and soothing enough for a nice contrast to the low-tuned guitar.
For Sabaton, this was their 5th concert in Zagreb. The start didn’t bring any surprises – as soon as the huge drum tank was uncovered, Europe’s megahit ‘The Final Countdown’ started to play with a united chorus from the visitors and when the first notes of March to War were heard, the energy among the crowd was such as in the WW1 trenches, moments before storming on enemy positions. Classic opening song Ghost Divison left no-one still and once again proved, that Sabaton are still at the top – in musical and performing way. You can’t see so much positive energy and smiles literally bombarding the crowds with any other band. Of course, there were now legendary Joakim’s jokes between the songs – but this time not on behalf of his little penis or drinking one more beer as is usual. Croatian, Polish and Swedish flags were waving among the crowd, joined by Slovenian ones on the backs of Sabaton Metaldays official T-shirts. The first voting of the night happened with the 5th song, when crowds decided that Got Mitt Uns shall be sing in Swedish instead of English, while later, Lifetime of War was sang in their native language as well. Gott Mit Uns’s first part was even sang by Chris, while all the three string man had an important back vocal part through the concert. One of the pinnacles of the concert was, when crowd started to sing Swedish Pagans melody and the band had no other option but to play it. One of the greater jokes on stage was, when Joakim told that he was chosen by Michael Jackson to be his tour guitarist but unfortunately Jacko’s death killed the plan. Roadie brought him a guitar and he played a few Beat It Riffs, followed by Chris’s and Thobbe’s amazing solos. Joakim again wanted to prove his guitar knowledge and started to play Iron Maiden which was soon turned into Resist and Bite, with Joakim on rhythm guitar and the other two on solo guitars. After the song, Joakim started to play Metallica’s Seek And Destroy but the roadie cut the strings of his guitar and gave him his microphone back – with huge laughter on the stage and from the crowd. Since the guys decided to play a song from each of their albums, we had a chance to hear 7734 from a rarely played Metalizer album. Setlist itself was not very surprising – consisting mostly of Heroes and Carolus Rex tracks. When the band finished their performance with Metal Crüe, the hall almost exploded and the guys had a hard time leaving the stage.
