LIVE REVIEW: Sabaton @ First Direct Arena, Leeds
The queue doesn’t appear to be overflowing on arrival to Leeds’ First Direct Arena for SABATON tonight, though it’s quickly apparent that most of the attendees are hiding away in the nearby bars and pubs: inside and away from the rain. It’s wet. Really wet.
Whilst Finnish monster-metal veterans LORDI may always be known as the band that won Eurovision (despite Mr Lordi being the only remaining member from that lineup); their back-catalogue is significantly more substantial than just Hard Rock Hallelujah. They open their set tonight with Dead Again Jayne, a new single only weeks old followed by Would You Love A Monsterman from 2006. They are shock-factor and fun: a few die-hard fans are enraptured with the rest of the crowd politely nodding their heads, though the technically plague-ridden set makes for more than a few unimpressed faces. The band themselves cannot be faulted here; pushing through with the professional showmanship that hides whatever calamities befell the Front-of-house.
Rating: 6/10
BABYMETAL require very little introduction: the Japanese idol-inspired group are known for tight choreography and mix of heavy metal and J-Pop having a proven festival track-record. Jumping around the stage in what must be a cardiac-workout, the three vocalists Su-Metal, Moametal and Momometal are moving at every possible moment. A setlist full of new and old fan favourites sees Megitsune beside Pa Pa Ya! making the crowd the loudest they’ve been so far. Push-pits open for Distortion and having the whole room fill with light for Monochrome highlights how the arena is already virtually full. The kami-band put in the work as well with the group’s multiple juxtaposing styles working in the way that only BABYMETAL can.
Rating: 8/10
After what seemed like no time at all, the main event had arrived: SABATON. Starting their four-date UK run of a month-long European tour they could barely have hoped for a better turn-out. Whilst some heavy-imagery bands pull their inspiration from fantasy and the macabre, SABATON are power metal: war-influenced. Deafening explosions from the prop tank welcome the Swedish five piece to the stage for Ghost Division. A newcomer would perhaps be surprised to see the bazooka in the final moments before fire erupts from the parapet for Bismark; those lucky enough to have hair becoming quickly worried whether they’d keep it. The First Direct Arena feels a particularly large venue, though even those on the first and second seated mezzanines feel the heat coming from the stage.
Filled with first-night humour and banter, vocalist Joakim Brodén leads the group through “older and faster” songs including Into The Fire from 2005’s Primo Victoria, a live premiere of their new singles Sarajevo and Father, and even a MOTÖRHEAD cover of 1916 – all with suitable theatre and stage-dressings. Stormtroopers features flamethrowers and a shotgun, The Red Baron – a keyboard shaped as a (red…!) World War era plane, Father – the blackboard and Fritz Haber developing chlorine gas whilst The Attack Of The Dead Men sees the whole band don gasmasks whilst dry-ice pours from the stage. It’s a production spectacle, yet nothing can detract from Joakim’s vocal stamina and the stringed shredding from Chris Rörland and Tommy Johansson.
Bassist of 24 years Pär Sundstrom reminisces with the audience over their last Leeds headline appearance in 2007 and how that over a decade ago, 68 ticket sales has now become nearly 10,000. Wholesome. Phone flashlights illuminate the auditorium for Christmas Truce, as if the blazing piano from which Chris solos wasn’t enough. The band head out and return for a three-song encore, Primo Victoria, Swedish Pagans and To Hell And Back; each of which has the crowd in sing-song throughout.
Rating: 8/10
Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Leeds from Rhys Haberfield Media here:
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