PAGANFEST 2010 FEATURING FINNTROLL, ELUVEITIE, DORNENREICH, VARG AND ARKONA –
LONDON ISLINGTON ACADEMY 08/03/10
I am sure I was not alone in being mightily peeved when the Paganfest completely skipped England last year. Sure it can be a bit of a risk putting on shows in the UK and some European bookers do take the easy option out and bypass us. It could have gone pear shaped tonight as the circus was swinging into town on a Monday night but a big queue greeted doors opening at 5.30 and it was quickly evident as the venue got very busy that the audience were here for all the bands on the bill. If you were at this, much respect; it’s dedication like this that makes these tours visit here and with a near capacity venue full of people singing along to all the bands it should bode well for next year too.
I had hoped to interview Arkona but sadly this was not to be as they had no translator with them. The Russians were also on first on the rotating line up and instantly put on a blazing and commanding show. The set had little time for niceties and it was the harder and faster songs that the band were obviously out to impress us with on their first UK show. It was going to be one of those nights lacking in set lists and English song titles and getting the moaning out the way the back lights, dry ice and no flash made photo taking near impossible. Luckily fellow scribe Oliver was on hand to reliably inform that Arkona opened with ‘Pokrovy Nebesnogo Startsa (The Veils of Celestial Elder).’ Masha "Scream" Arhipova proved herself as a formidable lead singer and constantly twirled hair as she let loose ferocious yells. Instrumentally…the more traditional instruments were sampled but the three main players kept the pace at near frantic levels as they charged through ‘Goi Ride Goi.’ The 30 mins or so that the band got was over way too quickly and any other time this could have been headline material, with the bouncing audience participation they got to ‘V Tsepiakh Drevney Tainy’ (In Chains Of Ancient Mystery) we can only keep fingers crossed they will be back again soon.
Varg were on next and were in my mind the real openers. I had never heard them but had seen photos and they looked a picture like something out a movie; face painted rampaging warriors and complete with impressive dreadlocks in one case. I had thought the album was on it’s way to us from Nuclear Blast but was told earlier in the evening that the band had signed then tore up the contract and latest album ‘Blutaar’ actually surfaced on Noise Art Records. The singer’s get up reminded of Dark Funeral’s Caligula and musically the band struck as every bit as daft. They quickly fell into that category of battle etched metal along with the likes of Amon Amarth and Thyrfing which I simply cannot get to grips with. We got a song dedicated to England and were acknowledged for Motorhead and errr beer drinking which was, I suppose, nice of them, it also went out for the bass player’s birthday. The band did absolutely nothing wrong, they had their hearts in the right place (clutched in fists and bleeding), but they simply did very little for me.
The next lot did, however, as Dornenreich are always excellent. They surprised by getting chairs out for some Val Doonican unplugged action and wowed us all with an acoustic ‘Freitanz’ As always Inve and Eviga were all smiles obviously happy at getting such a reaction from the crowd as the ditched the acoustics, got a guitar and strummed into the excellent jagged attack of ‘Jagd’ (I stand by that description it really is the best one). After this I was not quite expecting anything quite so visceral but we got it as the drummer went into blast beat territory and the band literally seethed. Forget the fact that a violin was used instead of bass, it is still one potent weapon in these hands. One instrumental was really good and apparently from a forthcoming album; they did actually play this one on their last visit to the Underworld I was informed but I had obviously forgotten. They got what seemed like a nice amount of set time and by closer ‘Wer Hat Angst Vor Einsamkeit?’ had well and truly stamped their authority all over things.
Why have I not got any Eluveitie albums? I must do something about this as boy were they good tonight. The hairy goat blowing bagpipe players who were over with the Swiss band last time they played the same fest 2 years ago were no longer in the band but the rest of them made up for this with an array of instruments including a bagpipe blower on one number. I was amused as whilst some bands have a rack of guitars on the side of the stage this lot had a row of pipes and flutes in front of me. There are a fair few of them crammed on the stage and although singer and player of various things, Christian, acts as frontman they all play a part. I saw them last at Party San and really do not remember the two ladies Meri and Anna singing and even taking lead vocals on songs but they did tonight and really did a great job. When not doing this they were busy fiddling and winding up the old hurdy-gurdy and there was plenty happening on the stage to watch. Christian commented on the rise of paganism since last on these shores and it was obvious many more were into them now and making the most of things and even on his command starting up a circle pit. One number sounded far from Swiss and mountainous and in fact was like it had come off a hot Spanish beach; I was not expecting that at all. ‘Quoth The Raven’ was a new one that got us jigging and whatever they closed with was a storming number which even had me joining in, great job and for me they probably beat the trolls in the enjoyment stakes.
Not that Fintroll were not good as well in fact Funtroll is a pretty good description In a way it was a shame that they were not dressed up in the ridiculous garb from recent photo-shoots as that would have been a giggle but it was more a case of being semi-serious and promoting grand new album ‘Nifelvind’ tonight. I have only had the chance to give it a couple of spins so far and really enjoyed it. For me some of the sound effects and bits between the songs on it really add atmosphere and I was pleased to notice some of them amongst the songs tonight. I must have missed the Trolls in action recently as am pretty sure that this was the first time I had caught them with Mathias "Vreth" Lillmåns on vocals. He along with a couple of the other members had stripped to the waist to the enjoyment of the ladies and no doubt some of the men recalling Paganfest 2008 which at the time I renamed toplessmanfest.
As for the music it oohmped and it whoomped and came out at a frenzied rate, forged fully from the halls of the mountain trolls. ‘Den Frusna Munnen’ had some great keyboard action in it and I was going to say I was reminded a bit of Goblin but trolls playing goblin would simply be a preposterous idea. I had sneaked upstairs with a beer and went to get some shots from the balcony and view the melee going on below me. One that was always going to get played and was guaranteed to cause death on the dance floor was the obvious ‘Trollhammaren’ and what else can I say but that it hammered. I can neither claim to be an expert in Finnish or profess to knowing many of the bands song titles. It looks like I scrawled something resembling ‘Solsagan’ another new one which was played before they went off stage but beyond that I am clutching at straws.
What did impress was the great show overall and one that I noted showed solidarity behind not just the bands but the record labels involved as no two groups were on the same one. The Paganfest is a great idea and tonight it was triumphant and long may it continue to be so. Now who’s playing next year?
Pete Woods
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