PROGPOWER EUROPE
BAARLO, HOLLAND - 01-03/10/10
This was my fourth visit to ProgPower Europe. The weekend package includes the tickets to see 15 bands, and accommodation at the Kasteel de Berkt, a 12th century castle with 21st century facilities. This year there were signing sessions and special previews of the new Darkwater and Love de Vice albums for those who weren’t sleeping off the night before. People come together from all over Europe and beyond to enjoy a fantastic occasion. Once again I take my hat off to Rene Janssen and his organizing team. Full details are on www.progpower.eu.
The performing bands reflect all ends of the musical spectrum. Rock, Power Metal, Technical, Adventurous, Light and Heavy Progressive music and many other combinations and variations are all represented here. First to display their wares on Friday evening were Klone from France. I did not know this band, but the description was appealing: avant-garde, experimental Psychedelic Rock Metal/Stoner with Tool-type constructions. I should have liked them but I didn’t. There was plenty of commitment but what I heard was measured Meshuggah/Metallican heaviness but little to whet the appetite. There were two tracks in the middle which matched the above description and had both depth and personality but after that the lack of distinction which marked the first half of the performance reappeared. The set had a strong ending but overall the band made very little impression on me.
Leprous from Norway were on next. Again I didn’t know this band but what I heard was a dark and heavy Prog adventure without rules. The mixture was strange: here and there curiously operatic vocals from the two singers, rock star antics but loads of excitement and an engaging multitude of sounds and rhythms to delight us. The disjointedness of it just didn’t matter. It was as if the leftovers had been put together to make a wonderful meal except that these were more than leftovers. The movement came from the ideas, brilliant technical musicianship and the controlled progression even though on the face of it there wasn’t any. This was a masterly performance and I know I’m not the only spectator to think so.
On came an Austrian in a military uniform. This was the lead singer of Serenity, the headliners on the Friday show. “Isn’t it a bit girly?”I heard in my ear. Yes, and there was a lot of posing, as the band went through all the Power Metal motions and gestures. It was all a bit of a cliché, really. To be fair, the musicianship was tight, the vocals were good and it had entertainment value but it was too rigid. Some lapped it up while others drifted away. No-one could ever say this was unpleasant but it wasn’t original in any way either.
So, onto Saturday. 1.30pm, time for Haken. This was the second time I had seen them live this year, but on this occasion they had an hour to enrol us in their world. Starting with “Streams”, the set list came solely from “Aquarius”, their only album to date. It’s one of their quirkier numbers with dark sections and jazz-influenced passages entering the dreamier Prog and the sound of the fairground. I’m used to them now so mental attunement was not an issue. This led into the soft and mellow beginnings of “Aquarium”. Summarising a Haken track is difficult as there are so many disparate elements. One moment we are “staring into my reflection”, then it goes manic, there’s a bit of rock and the lead singer is racing all over the stage. We then return to the lingering mellow tones. It’s full of atmosphere and emotion. Haken succeeded in opening up our minds in spite of an aggressive sound mix which did them no favours. Today they played my favourite track “Drowning in the Flood”. For a moment I had a nagging doubt as to whether I preferred the cleaner album version, but any such doubt was dispelled as they launched into a huge emotional passage. Disappointment accompanied the singer’s announcement of the last song, but he reassured us it was going to be a long one, adding in his South London tones, “are we a Prog band or what?”. And so we were launched into the feast that is “Celestial Elixir”. It’s fun, all the elements are there which make Haken serious and enjoyable Prog band. The band were clearly enjoying it and so did I and many others in the audience.
Proghma-C from Poland were the band I most looked forward to seeing, by virtue of their magnificently dark and electrifying album “Bar-do Travel”, which was released this year. On record, these guys did not come across as librarians or accountants. Their live persona was the same. A constant wave of sound ran through the set, helping to keep the momentum going when the guitarist’s power supply was inadvertently cut. Dark, heavy and industrial was how it was and how it was going to remain, apart from a short section of “Kana” where there is a passing resemblance to Riverside. As with Haken before them, the singer’s mysterious outpourings were undone by the muddy sound quality. The precision which characterizes the album wasn’t there. Yet the mood was clear. There was no prancing around the stage. Movements were minimal. Constantly creeping darkness came from the bass player. Constant thunder mixed with richer sounds. This was good but I have to say that the dark message is more clinically stated on the album.
A complete change of momentum brought us Xerath from the UK. Long hair, plenty of swearing, promises of hard partying and “Metal” no doubt tattooed on them, I concur with fellow spectator Ernesto’s comments that “these are the evil guys for today”. Off it went with heavy and dark Meshuggah-style riffs. This was US-style Metal with loads of headbanging opportunities but little more. No thinking was required here. Having seen this sort of act many times, I wasn’t greatly inspired.
Earlier in the day, those of us staying at the castle were treated to a preview of Darkwater’s forthcoming album “Where Stories End”. Now it was the band’s turn to play live. All the elements were there of the album we heard earlier and their excellent 2007 work, “Calling the Earth to Witness”. The performance was musically tight and melodic. The riffs were chunky, there’s a great sense of progression and the singer’s voice is clear. “Again” and “Breathe” are off different albums but shared the same trademark qualities of being very clinically directed. “Into the Code” started like a film soundtrack and had elements of drama and mystery. The band exuded good humour and were audience-friendly but the performance was so tight and clean and crisp that it became robotic. Even the entrancing “The Play Part II” with its patterns and melody sounded as if the band was just fulfilling the contractual obligation of getting through the set, which ultimately finished up as a faithful replica of the recorded version. There was simply no spark in the stage performance. This was a shame.
The only unusual thing about Myrath is that they’re from Tunisia. Basically this was bog-standard Power Metal laced with exotic singing and dancing. Guitar and bass solos supplemented the undoubted energy, but I sensed that the room was split on whether they thought it was exciting or not. The audience interaction was good, and I thought Myrath were better than the somewhat crass Xerath but still disappointing.
A lot of people were here to see Shadow Gallery. The crowd had to wait an extra 30 minutes for their first ever show in Europe to start. We listened patiently to Bohemian Rhapsody in the meantime. Finally the curtains opened revealing the band. Although they were denied any sort of dramatic entrance, they soon dropped into the groove. The guitarists not only provided the chugging, rumbling riffs but provided the harmonies to support the super cool-looking but slightly flat-voiced lead vocalist. After a moving tribute to the band’s former singer, the show went on strongly. The lead singer promised great things but it was all a bit patchy. It was more than US Power Metal with solos, sure, and indeed the Queen introduction made more sense as there was a strong feel of Rock Opera being played. The technical ability of the band was excellent but for all the range of work Shadow Gallery has put out, I didn’t sense a surplus of ideas. Just as I was thinking this, they pulled a superb guitar instrumental out of the bag. This was the Shadow Gallery equivalent of Fleetwood Mac’s classic “Albatross”. The showmanship continued with a spectacular and prolonged drum solo before we returned to the band’s own brand of Metal. I very much liked the fact that the style wasn’t all straight lines or clichéd – a sort of Hammerfall with attitude – but whilst the sound could be big, songs like “Crystalline Dream” came across as bland. Yet the slower number which followed had more impact in its sinister and more orchestral way. The Queen analogy remained but this was cheesier. At times the delivery was pedestrian and riddled with platitudes, yet the solos and the hunting rhythms were impressive. “Gold Dust” was one of the better numbers, but the singer’s voice wasn’t powerful enough for the Heavy Prog Rock anthems. This was generally good and honest Metal but for me Shadow Gallery didn’t raise the roof or break down any walls as the singer at one point suggested they might.
I met Pawel Granecki on the Friday as we walked from the bus stop to the castle. I didn’t know him. It came out in conversation that he is the lead singer of Love de Vice, the first band to play on Sunday. This is how it works at ProgPower. It’s a great opportunity to meet band members as well as other concert-going music lovers. During the weekend, we shared thoughts on music. For my part I taught him how to say “Glenfiddich” properly while Pawel gave great insight into his 20 years on the music scene. On the Sunday morning, a pre-listen took place of the band’s latest album “Numaterial”. The rich mix of Prog Rock and exotic instruments could not be reproduced without extensive samples or an orchestra, and I knew that wasn’t going to happen, so having started the weekend with no knowledge of this band from Poland, I awaited the start of their set with great anticipation and interest. Starting with “Cold Sun Goodbye”, what I heard was a modern interpretation of 70s style ProgRock without frills. The sense of rhythm was clear. Visually the band had the look of a pub band with the exception of the mohican-endowed bassist who curiously wore a dog collar. On the playing front, the band joined together and paraded their considerable experience and skill. “Hermit” started slowly and ominously but speeded up surreptitiously before we were treated to some fast, melodic rock with a deep rhythm and big hooks. The ship steadied on “Heavy Cross”, in which singer Pawel’s intense delivery provided the perfect foil for the ponderous rhythm. The direction changed again for “Mission”, a kind of rock anthem with almost a punk feel to it. I particularly enjoyed “Letter in A Minor” with its sweeping melancholy. Devoid of the strings which feature on the album version, it still had sensitivity and the mood of the night about it. Moments of delicacy and intricacy gave way to a long hypnotic Prog passage. “Megiddo” was another moody track with its constant beat and swaying rhythm, but the melodic Heavy Rock side of the band was never far away. As the show progressed it was great to see the ageing rocker guitarists (who am I to comment on ageist matters?) loosening up and having fun. Afterwards someone described Love de Vice’s show to me as “Sunday morning music”. I would agree it wasn’t the most ambitious performance, but there was some great Rock, plenty of variety, technical ability and emotional edginess. In summary, I enjoyed Love de Vice.
Argentina’s Sacrum walked away with the prize for the most oddball look and stage show. The guitarists wore neon necklaces while the singer additionally wore goggles and the sort of outfit you could pick up on Camden Town market. The performance was spectacular too. Rich guitar work covered a punchy beat and strong songs. It was impossible not to move to this. The guitarist’s attempt at growling failed and in fact he sound like a kitten but it didn’t matter. To an electro-background, the Metal was classic. The beat was always catchy and for the most part fast, hard and driving. For the first time since Leprous on the first day, I felt genuine excitement. The band then showed a different face with a bit of acoustic work. The band also displayed a soulful side. There was plenty of variety and colour as we moved into funky, heavy Prog territory. The lead guitarist was the best we’d seen so far. The material was interesting. Clearly all this was too much for the singer who at one point came on draped in a white sheet, fell to the floor in despair, pulled out a gun and shot himself in the mouth. Blood poured everywhere and the singer was dragged off by his feet. Of course we all cheered his suicide … or was it the track we were cheering? Miraculously, he survived and the singer came back to lead another rip-roaring catchy metal number. Quite apart from mock suicides, this was a super performance from a charismatic band. The set ended with “Midnight Sun”, which encapsulated what we’d heard for the last hour: catchy Prog Metal and classic songs, all delivered with enthusiasm and skill. Bravo, Sacrum.
The Dust Connection were the first of two Dutch bands to play at ProgPower 2010. What I saw was classic Prog Metal, with decent vocals and once again accomplished musicians but I couldn’t detect anything to distinguish them from the rest. There was an air of darkness and drama about the songs, and the lead singer’s introductions were mysterious and top notch. Unfortunately with the exception of a song called “Clouds”, the songs which followed didn’t live up to the billing. There was a nice variation from the drummer of the “I can’t hear you” band-audience interaction which was pleasingly lacking throughout this festival, and the band had a really nice personality but I couldn’t find anything inspiring about the music.
The other Dutch band, Day Six were called in at a late stage to replace Aspera.. I first saw Day Six at ProgPower 2007, when they again appeared as a stand-in. I enjoyed them then, and was once more impressed here by their well-constructed, nicely paced Prog. A clear comparison can be made with Dream Theater, which is hardly surprising as this is ProgPower after all, but the mark of their impact is that I could feel what they were doing. Although their work is quite technical and precise, and the movements are so clearly defined as to be stuttering rather than rounded and fluid, I never found them pretentious. The keyboard player added intrigue but the strength and dynamism lay in the performance of the guitarists. An endearing feature of this band is the frontman’s facial expressions, which suggest he is going through various stages of constipation. I asked him about this afterwards (the facial expressions, not the constipation, I should explain) and he told me this was his way of expressing his natural feeling about the music he was playing. I got this entirely, and during the set was so drawn in that I myself was responding to every twist and turn. The music may not flow like a river but the quality and engagement were second to none. I could have listened to Day Six for a lot longer.
Another band I first encountered at ProgPower 2007 was Oceans of Sadness from Belgium. Lively and unusual are the words I would use to describe this band. The hyperactive singer, who bears a striking resemblance to Robbie Williams, described the pure motion and headbanging-inducing output as “dancing songs”, and they were. There was plenty of melody and passion. Gut-wrenching growls were never far away, supporting the thunderous wall of sound which the percussionist and line of guitarists were supplying. “Between the Lines” had a military tone – a Belgian Rammstein? The fast rhythms were designed for headbanging. The crowd was up for it. This was Thrash Metal, punctuated with lengthy Death Metal screams. Oceans of Sadness were less experimental than I recalled from their earlier recorded work. The lyrics are simple and there’s a lot of repetition in the simple chanted chorus lines, which could be compared to nursery rhymes, except that “you will die” probably isn’t sung in primary schools. It’s different and all adds up to catchiness. Even the rare slower numbers are powerful. This mix of Thrash, Death and Prog metal is FUN. I momentarily thought that all this headbanging was exhausting, before realising that the Belgian Robbie Williams had been doing it for the best part of an hour without flinching. His guitarists remained static for the most part, being unable to match his boundless and infectious enthusiasm. Christ, this was some workout. “The last change to dance”, announced Robbie (real name Tijs, for those interested). This was Heavy Metal with a smile. Brilliant.
Three year’s ago, Jon Oliva’s Pain headlined at the JC Sjiwa club and put on a show which was beyond dynamic. This time the band came on and found itself fighting against the noise level. The guitars opened up with a Hawkwind type riff but were so high in the mix that no-one else had a chance. The axemen axed but at the expense of everyone else, notably Jon Oliva whose microphone was defective. He appeared helpless at this point. He managed to announce “Death Rides The Black Horse” off the “Festival” album, and normal service was momentarily resumed as the Large One did his stuff, smiled, gesticulated and generally pleased his adoring audience. Great song, excellent riff. JO tried to impose himself above the guitars but in the attempt, his voice was becoming increasingly hoarse and this was only the second song. Attention switched to JO as he came in with a solo but the echo effect he wanted to generate was lost in the sea of interference and crackles. Cue the response from the Great Man: “There are some sound difficulties but I’m not going to let it ruin my evening”. A big, appreciative cheer went up. JO’s hoarseness now made him sound like Lemmy. Ironically, next up was the Motorhead-sounding “Ecstasy”, complete with a driving rhythm. In spite of the sound, the band confirmed its appeal and showed its ability. “Firefly” was a deep song with good emotional impact. It was nicely sung and there was a good guitar solo to match. JO pointed and waved at members of the audience as if he knew them personally. “Warriors” followed. The lyrics were simple, the music was for marching, the Metal was pure and played well. Personality and technique was triumphing over sound technology. JO was understandably fed up: “This is miserable ... I’m going to get a bottle of Jack and hang out with these people. Until then I’m going to have some fun”. Unfortunately, the subtler tracks like “End Times” became more of a cacophony. I got the impression that those to whom these songs meant so much didn’t mind but as one myself who doesn’t routinely listen to Jon Oliva’s Pain or Savatage and just wanted to enjoy the show, it was disappointing. The sound was drowning out the star. Still, the man himself was great value as always and the guitarists were excellent. Things settled down a bit about an hour into the set. The band played the classic Metal track “Living on the Edge of Time”. I started to feel I was seeing the band at their best. JO was sounding more like Lemmy than ever. His mood wasn’t improved when some idiot threw a can of beer onto the stage. JO made his feelings clear. Before long we were treated to some sublime guitar work from the two guitarists before we entered the final stretch of the concert. We now entered anthemic territory with “Believe” and, of course ”Hall of the Mountain King”. The crowd joined in. The show finished with “When the Crowds are Gone”. Paul from Holland, who identified this track for me, told me what it meant to him when he heard it 16 years ago. This is one of the many strengths of Jon Oliva’s work. It is personal, which could either lead to great memories and associations but it’s sufficiently good to prevent the sensation of being entirely left out if like me you’re not a die-hard fan. At the same time there are plenty of great Rock and Metal anthems, and above all Jon Oliva is Mr Entertainment. In spite of the sound problems, all these qualities shone through and we were able to enjoy the show.
So, once again we’d had a great weekend at ProgPower with 15 bands showcasing their talents. Musically, it was slightly disappointing with some bands, especially on the Saturday, failing to rise above the ordinary. Sound problems were not universal but were a thorn for much of the weekend. I’d suggest this is the one area which needs to be addressed before the next edition. This said, the pluses far outweighed the minuses, the administration was perfect, the people and setting will always be great, and there was plenty of great music to be enjoyed.
Finally, here are my ProgPower 2010 nominations:
Best band of Day 1: Leprous
Best band of Day 2: Haken
Best band of Day 3: Oceans of Sadness
Most charismatic on-stage presence: Sacrum (impressively beating Jon Oliva in this category).
Best overall band: Oceans of Sadness
The Alcoholics Anonymous Sustained Drinking Award: Finland.
Scandinavia dominated this category but Finland edged out Sweden this year on the basis of solid teamwork, quality and quantity. On top of their game before the event had even started, this was a true team performance. The 37.5% proof vanilla vodka was magnificent and provided a nice Sunday nightcap – cheers, guys.
Strangest conversation of the weekend: a discussion with the Finnish contingent about the validity of giving a toilet seat cover as a present.
Recognition of additional contribution: Matthias Nøren for setting up the listening sessions on Saturday and Sunday.
And of course Big Thanks to Rene and his team for such great organisation, to the people at the Kasteel de Berkt and to everyone at ProgPower who once again made it such a special event.
Andrew Doherty
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