LIVE REVIEW: Carach Angren @ Rebellion, Manchester

It’s somewhat baffling that, despite their popularity, CARACH ANGREN‘s visit to UK shores have been few and far between. The Dutch horror-themed symphonic black metallers have conjured up a loyal following since their inception in 2003 and now, all these years later, the UK faithful have finally been blessed with a full UK headlining tour. With expectations sky high, the band hit Rebellion in Manchester.

NEVALRA have the task to kick off proceedings and despite hitting the stage an hour and a half after doors opening, the pitiful attendance isn’t a pretty sight for the US blackened melodic death metallers. However, this doesn’t phase the band in the slightest as they proceed to hurtle through their set at breakneck pace. With the bulk of their set comprised of material from this year’s debut full-length, Conjure The Storm, the trio display enough to keep the crowd entertained in their short time on stage. Zach Lindsey‘s drumming is utterly relentless and the splashes of melodic guitar-play from Scott Eames demonstrates the skill within their repertoire. However, Eames‘ vocals are often lost in the mix, making his growled vocals sound flat and difficult to hear clearly in the sonic maelstrom. Things do improve as the set continues but it dampens any overall lasting impact.

Rating: 6/10

No such problems exist for THY ANTICHRIST though, as a tight sound mix enables the the black metal horde to hit their stride right from the off in Manchester. The band are on explosive form as they execute their brand of black metal to such a level, it is as captivating as it is exhilarating. Between The God and the Devil opens the set through aural hellfire whilst the guitar-play of Desolation is absolutely hypnotic, demonstrating the versatility of their craft. Operating as a tight unit on stage, the quarter show no signs of weariness, instead giving their all to make for a memorable performance. Oricuss is an absolute machine behind the kit, providing ample amounts of hard-hitting double-bass drumming, guitarist Abyssus and bassist Frost Giant play off each other remarkably well; allowing the lead guitar lines to shine above a wave of basslines. And yet, the star of the show is frontman Antichrist 666. A born performer, he holds the audience in the palm of his hand thanks to a mesmerising stage presence and utterly vicious vocal shrieks. THY ANTICHRIST have been flying the flag for black metal in the Americas since 1998, and judging from their performance in Manchester, it looks set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Rating: 9/10

Whilst tonight’s headliners utilise a heavy use of theatrics and symphonics in their live performance, Finland’s WOLFHEART rely on purely their music to do the talking. Although this may be deemed in a negative light, it’s a relief then that WOLFHEART‘s music is just that good, it allows the band to give a brilliant performance as main support. Led by the formidable looking Tuomas Saukkonen, who rarely puts a foot wrong, the Finns power their way through a set that is dripping with both emotion and sheer metallic fury. Breakwater‘s intertwining musical rage with melodic-leaning dual vocals from Saukkonen and bassist Lauri Solvonen in the chorus proves to be a highlight of the set, but across their performance, they contentiously impress. The Hunt‘s beautiful crooning guitar melodies, performed expertly, compliment the up-tempo swagger dominates the bulk of the song whilst Zero Gravity sounds enormous in the live environment. WOLFHEART‘s brand of metal is immersive enough on record, but live, it’s a whole new beast entirely. They may lack the visual spectacle of the evening’s headliners, but rest assured, WOLFHEART can trade punches with the best of them.

Rating: 8/10

CARACH ANGREN‘s sound on record is enormous. The Dutch black metallers’ incorporation of symphonic and orchestral elements act as a linchpin for the lyrical concepts they explore, and live, there will always be question marks as to how the band can recreate such a big sound. Fortunately, the band are on glistening form in Manchester as they successfully create a spine-tingling and immersive live experience throughout their headlining set. Clemens ‘Ardek’ Wijers is largely to thank for this, as his vital and impressive performance on the keyboards allows CARACH ANGREN to conjure up a spell-binding atmosphere that never shatters. The haunting symphonies on The Funerary Dirge of a Violinist sound as beautifully haunting live as they do on record whilst the bombastic orchestration of General Nightmare hits tenfold.

With the orchestration and symphonies maintained and executed to such a high standard, the band craft a nightmarishly wicked soundscape throughout their set and it’s captivating to say the least. The barraging drum-work from Namtar on opening number The Sighting Is A Portent of Doom is a sure fire way to incite chaos, and that it did, Blood Queen‘s theatrical nature showed frontman Seregor in his prime and the execution of Spectral Infantry Battalions sent shivers down the spine as Seregor commanded the stage, replicating a haunting military commander to wonderful effect.

Although the omission of material from 2015’s This Is No Fairytale puts a slight blemish on the setlist, CARACH ANGREN crafted a hauntingly brilliant performance in Manchester, demonstrating why they boast such a loyal following. A performance of real character and one in which shows their class, let’s hope they come to haunt our shores once again sooner rather than later.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Manchester from Sabrina Ramdoyal Photography here: