finntroll live

This double Finnish bill took place down in the smaller room in Rock City. Personally I hate it. If you’re not 6ft you can’t see. If you want a drink and it’s vaguely a busy gig, it’s a nightmare getting to the bar, which is stupidly placed at the front of the venue to the right of the stage. The lights are invariably rubbish and the sound often not much better. It was also the first night of their UK tour so who knew what to expect. Still, there was a hardcore group of fans queuing to get in and to the front, and on the plus side at least it was an intimate show.

Openers Battlelore had a reasonably filled venue as they took the stage and lacked a little confidence that may have been expected after the successful outing at Bloodstock in the summer. They soon relaxed as they were well received between songs, and they got into the swing of it, breaking into smiles as their catchy battle metal had the punters bopping along.

I sometimes battle with Battlelore. I desperately want to like them more than I do, but often think they are just a poorer man’s Turisas. The female vocals by the beautiful Kaisa Jouhki, whilst making them stand out from the other battlemetal bands from their country, often fails to impress me, making them sound a little confused as to which direction they want to go in. The songs aren’t quite strong enough yet for me, and some of the more intricate sounds on the records were lost live in the mix.

Frontman Tomi Mykkänen has definitely got the X-factor however and impressed, and had done his homework chatting about merry men and Sherwood Forest between songs. Better known tracks such as We Are the Legions had the audience headbanging, and they do have some great sing-along catchy battle metal fantasy songs such as Storm of the Blades. Battlelore have the potential to develop though as songwriters and to make their own sound. They’re accomplished musicians on this showing, and the crowd definitely thought they were enjoyable.

The venue was pretty full by the time fellow Finns and headliners Finntroll had taken to the stage. And they didn’t fail to deliver. They’re a different band to the one I saw a few years ago at Hard Rock Hell. More confident, more complete somehow. A great ninety minute set mixing up songs from all eras, some slower epic compositions, some faster foot stomping anthems, had the crowd going nuts and head banging like crazy from start to finish (no pun intended).

It’s easy to still think of frontman Vreth (Mathias Lillmåns) as the new boy, but he’s been in the band long enough now to make the role his own and he delivered confidently this evening, as well as getting some of the girls in the audience swooning. There’s a new energy to the band with his addition. Set favourite Trollhammaren had the crowd raise the roof half way through the set, followed by the treat of a new song from the forthcoming album. They messed it up wonderfully but it gave a flavour of what’s to come, more classic Finntroll with stunning beats and strange instruments. A rocky version of the normally acoustic Försvinn Du Som Lyser and a well deserved encore sent home a room full of very happy fans.

by Lynn Wyeth