LIVE REVIEW: Powerwolf @ KOKO, London

Priests and painted faces were witnessed around KOKO, one of London’s prestigious venues. The occasion? POWERWOLF were to conduct a special metal mass, this is what their long-time fans call their live shows. Ever since this event was announced, social media showed the excitement for this live show. It has been talked about for months. Particularly amongst their most loyal followers, for some it was their first metal mass. Members of POWERWOLF’s congregation queuing up hours before doors opened in order to secure those important spots to witness the mass, provided further evidence that this event needed to be experienced in it’s entirety.

The pressure was high for German hard rock piece KISSIN’ DYNAMITE. It was their first UK show and opening for an iconic band is sure to heighten nerves for anyone. Their opening number I’ve Got The Fire ignited the audience across the venue. The band’s excellent showmanship, powerful charisma and brilliant teamwork all shone through as they performed their remarkable set. Their show consisted of excellent material from across their discography; from the heart-warming You’re Not Alone to classic anthem I Will Be King the fans eagerly sang along to the choruses and new fans were practising air guitar to the finger blistering solos. Ending on a literal high note with their mini human pyramid, it is clear that KISSIN’ DYNAMITE are hard rock royalty in the making. After their explosive performance, it is more than safe to say that they are welcome back to the UK.

Rating: 8/10

Knowing that there were attendees there for main support AMARANTHE as well as POWERWOLF, they were welcomed with open arms as they took to the stage. Ever since the Swedish/Danish powerhouse released their debut in 2011, they have risen through the ranks rapidly over the years. Their iconic sound and pumping live shows have secured many fans and continue to do so. It won’t be a surprise if they gained new fans that night. Despite a shaky start with the sound quality during opening number Maximise, they gave a great show. There was an excellent variety of material from across their albums. Everything from the ballad Amaranthine to the fist pumping Drop Dead Cynical, this set showed the best of the fusion of three different vocal styles. If you listen carefully, you will hear that Elize Ryd can really hit those high notes live. Like KISSIN’ DYNAMITE, their team work and showmanship shone through. They had the crowds eating out of the palms of their hands. An excellent main support to get the congregation ready for the main service.

Rating: 8/10

It was time! The moment the congregation had been waiting for. Months of preparation and excitement have led to this. Last minute trips to the bar to quench their thirst and to the toilet to relive themselves were taking place. This was in preparation for to stay in their secured space for the mighty POWERWOLF. The cheers got louder after the reveal of the new backdrop and the dimming of the lights. The band took their places to launch into explosive anthems Fire And Forgive and Army Of The Night. In hindsight, the two psalms gave a great indication. That is a lot of singing along loudly which they proudly offered their congregation.

From setting up a wall of death to ordering his congregation to sing along to parts of their eclectic setlist, frontman Atila Dorn was very much in charge. His presence alone emitted power and charisma, his powerful allies helped to ensure this. For a lot of bands, choosing songs for a setlist can be a tricky process. Particularly when there is so much material you want to perform in a set amount of time. With every new album that’s released, it doesn’t get easier. With POWERWOLF’s collection of songs, they hit the nail on the head. They picked equal sized handfuls of tracks from both their ever-growing collection of classic fan favourites and from their latest record The Sacrament Of Sin. From the pumping Incense And Iron and new ballad Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone to the classic Resurrection By Erection and anthem We Drink Your Blood, each song went down a treat with the crowds and were greatly appreciated.

One of the particular highlights of their set was their new anthem Demons Are A Girl’s Best Friend. It has a tune that everyone can remember and it’s easy to sing along to. So those members of their congregation old and new could be included in the partaking of their psalm. It was also a great opportunity for the congregation to show their best dance moves with it’s excellent beat

The dust began to settle with a worthy encore of consisting of favourites Sanctified With Dynamite, Coleus Sanctus and Werewolves Of Armenia. It was clear the congregation were left wanting more. With a mind-blowing show like the one that took place at KOKO, no wonder congregation members are already counting down the days to their next UK metal masses.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in London from Karolina Janikunaite here: